Chapter 2

The next day, Commander Shepard stood in the conference room with the core members of her team in the fight against the Collectors. Once everyone was assembled, Allaya cleared her throat to interrupt any murmuring in the ranks before speaking.

"The Collector ship is destroyed, thanks to the hard work of each and every single one of you. We've completed the mission we set out against, and now I put it to all of you to decide what you want to do next. You are not obligated to stay on the Normandy any longer, but you are more than welcome to stay as well, if you wish. I should warn you that we are no longer affiliated with Cerberus. I've cut contact with the Illusive Man and doubt that connection will be reestablished." Pausing, Allaya looked at the two who had originally been with Cerberus.

"Jacob. Miranda. I understand you originally worked for Cerberus, and I wouldn't dream of interfering with your duties. If you like, I can drop you off at any Cerberus facility as long as you can guarantee there won't be conflict." Allaya made sure to meet each of their eyes and nod with assurance before turning back to the entire group.

"As for the rest of you, I know each of you have obligations and duties you may want to return to as soon as you can. Come to me with your destination, and I will do my best to get you there or as close as I can. For now, my priority is to get any seriously injured crew to the Citadel for medical attention." I suppose I have to report to the Council as well, Allaya thought to herself. Heaving a mental sigh, Shepard glanced over the team to make sure there weren't any concerns.

"Dismissed." As one, the team saluted and headed out of the briefing room, all except Thane and Miranda Lawson.

"Miranda," Shepard addressed, nodding at her to begin.

"Shepard, I admit that my loyalties do lie with Cerberus. The Illusive Man helped save me and my sister from my father and encouraged me to use my skills to their best advantage, but I cannot forget what you have done for me either. I was hoping I could maybe speak to you about changing your mind about Cerberus." Allaya didn't speak for several long moments, considering Miranda's words.

"You had to know you wouldn't be very successful. The Illusive Man has been underhanded and manipulative every step of the way. I'll never be able to trust him or Cerberus."

"I know, Shepard," Miranda replied softly, appearing weary and resigned. "But I had to try."

"I understand, Miranda. Let me know if you decide to leave the Normandy."

"Yes, Shepard." And she was gone. Placing both hands on the table, Allaya sighed and rolled her neck and shoulders to get some of the kinks out.

"And that was the easy part," she stated absently, frowning at the hologram model of the Normandy. Thane came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder as she straightened and leaned into him.

"Now, however, you must report to the Citadel Council and again attempt to warn them of the Reapers," he said as if continuing her sentence. Allaya, who had begun to clench her fists, forced herself to relax and drape her arms over his across her middle.

"It's frustrating that they never listen. This is the second time I've warned them then had to stop the threat all on my own. All they ever do is gift me with continues Spectre status and wish me luck, but I won't be enough to stop the Reapers." The anger that had been roiling in her turned icy in an instant, and she became sick.

"All you can do is try, siha. It is not your duty to take on responsibility for the lives of every creature in the galaxy."

"I know, but-"

"But you are a tenacious protector," Thane interrupted, pulling back just far enough for Allaya to have room to turn in his arms and face him. "A warrior-angel fierce in her determination to do the right thing. You are my siha, and I wouldn't love you if you were any other way." A tender smile tilted the corners of his lips up and he leaned down until their foreheads were pressed together.

"Allow me, at least, to be your strength. I told you once that I would give you all the time I had left. Let me keep that promise."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Allaya murmured. Pushing up on her toes, she tilted her chin up, her lips reaching for Thane's, but EDI appeared at the table.

"I'm sorry for interrupting, Shepard, but we need to plan out a route on the galaxy map before confirming destination."

"Isn't the route from the Omega system already logged in the system?" Shepard asked, disentangling herself regretfully from Thane's arms and turning to face the ship AI.

"Yes, but there is a message waiting from Cerberus. While you have broken contact with the Illusive Man, I believe this message will prove interesting as it concerns your friend Liara T'Soni and her mission against the Shadow Broker."

"Thanks, EDI," Allaya responded.

"You're welcome, Shepard." The sphere that was EDI's visual interface disappeared, and Allaya was left alone once again with Thane. She turned to him with a suggestive grin.

"You know, I have a private terminal in my cabin." Thane's responding grin was priceless.

"I like the way you think, siha." The human and drell moved briskly to the elevator, and the moment the doors were closed, they fell into each other's arms, their lips locked in a wild kiss. When the doors slid open again, Allaya pushed Thane backwards until his back hit the wall just next to the cabin door.

"I went to see Mordin today," she commented with deliberate casualness, snaking her hand down to unfasten Thane's pants and reveal the culprit of the tenting there. "It turns out he'd finished developing a pill that counteracts the effects of hallucinogens." Her grin turning impish, Allaya slid to her knees, her eyes never breaking contact with Thane's. Then, she slid him into her mouth, and his eyes fluttered closed with a sigh.

Shepard's tongue was slow and methodical as she worked up and down the length of him. Exploring every pleasure spot to the cues of soft groans and hisses, Allaya spent a long time down on her knees, but it soon grew too much for the painfully aroused drell. He pulled back before he spent himself, his black eyes fastening on Allaya's face. Without a word, he reached for her and pulled her to her feet before him. Then, in a flash, he spun her around and slammed her back into the wall right where he'd just been.

Thane's movements turned slow as he knelt before her, producing a knife from some hidden place on his person. With methodical precision, he reached between Allaya's legs and slit open the seam at the crotch of her pants. She shivered and closed her eyes when she felt the cold, hard tip of the knife brush against her sensitive skin, but it never came close to cutting her. Suddenly, the sensation was replaced by a warm, wet tongue pushing tentatively into her folds.

"Mmmm" she moaned breathily, opening her heavily lidded eyes to gaze down at Thane between her legs. She reveled in the sensations for just about as long as Thane had, but soon she wanted more. Tugging impatiently, she signaled for him to stand and immediately wrapped her legs around his waist. Needing no further cues, Thane pushed inside her and they hissed out moans of unbelievable pleasure as one. With Shepard pinned between Thane and the wall and completely open to him, it was Thane who controlled the pace, and he took her slow and steady. A slow heat began to build deep in Allaya's belly, and she moaned loudly.

"Please," she whispered, though to whom it was addressed and for what she was asking, she wasn't entirely clear on. Then the dam that had been building inside collapsed. There was a split second in which she hovered on the brink, then the pleasure rushed through her system. Thane felt her tightening around him and released his own pleasure as well

For several long moments, they remained languid in the residual shivers of pleasure that rippled through them. Finally, Allaya released her legs from around Thane and laughed.

"We didn't even make it through the door."

"There's always next time," Thane replied with a secret smile of his own. "Didn't you have mail to read?"

"Ah, right," Allaya said, remembering why they'd come upstairs in the first place. Moving through the door and into the cabin, Allaya headed to her private terminal and opened her unread messages until she came to one that read:

To: Commander Shepard

From: Cerberus Information Processing

We're aware that your old friend Liara T'soni has been hunting for the Shadow Broker for several aware. We wouldn't mind helping her in that hunt, given the Broker's past work for the Collectors. We recently uncovered some information that might give Liara a lead on where to find the Shadow Broker's base of operations, but unfortunately, she doesn't have much faith in Cerberus intel. We'd like to offer this information to you as a gesture of goodwill despite our recent differences and would appreciate it if you passed it to Liara on Ilium.

When she was finished reading, Allaya stepped aside to allow Thane to read through the message as well, giving her a moment to think.

"Even after you've broken contact with him, the Illusive Man finds a way to push you in the direction he desires. I admire his persistence despite the irritation it causes," Thane commented drily after finishing.

"I'm not overly fond of his machinations either, but Liara…Liara will want this information." Shepard let her words drift off into silence as she stared absently at the empty fish tank in her cabin. I really should put some fish in that thing, Allaya thought absently before pushing her distraction from her mind.

"This asari, Dr. T'Soni, she meant a lot to you?" Though the thought was phrased as a question, it sounded more like a statement, and Shepard nodded in response.

"Before I…died, Liara and I had become very close. When Cerberus rebuilt me, it's as if I woke up right after being spaced…but 2 years had passed for everyone else. When I saw her again on Ilium, Liara had…changed. Become darker and more sinister, even repeating something her mother, Matriarch Benezia, had said when she was indoctrinated by Sovereign. She was so wide-eyed and innocent when we met, getting all flustered about how to speak to me…but that aspect of her was gone. She was no longer the Liara I knew." Still not meeting Thane's gaze, Allaya folded her arms across her chest and continued.

"She does not play the same role in my life as she once did, but…"

"But she still means something to you." Allaya cringed and looked at Thane like she expected him to disapprove, but he shook his head. "I understand, siha. You did not expect me to release my feelings for Irikah when we became close. I cannot begrudge you your past lovers. I only worry that you invest your heart in a dying man when there are others who still clearly feel for you." Allaya's mouth fell open in an unattractive gaping expression.

"Thane Krios, how could you even think something like that?" She punched his arm none-too-softly. "I'm not going to refuse to love you and break both our hearts just because you're dying." Indignant, Shepard turned her back on Thane and marched across the room to punch the call button for EDI.

"EDI, plot a course for Ilium." EDI appeared just long enough to confirm then disappeared again. Again, Allaya stood and just stared at the burbling water in the fish tank, this time attempting to reign in her anger. Thane's hands rested on her shoulders gently, but Shepard refused to relax into his touch.

"I insulted you, siha; I am sorry. I did not mean offense. I just did not want to burden you with a dying man. I see now that was unkind of me." At his words, Shepard finally sagged and turned around.

"You did it because you care for me, and I can't blame you for that." Glancing down, she snorted a laugh then nuzzled Thane playfully. "For now, though, it appears as if I need to change my pants before reaching Ilium."