"Shepard I found myself in desperate situation asking for your help" Miranda started once she and John took a few steps back from the rest. "Remeber when I told you about me being an haire? My father's plans to have a dynasty? I wasn't the last made...I have a twin sister. Once I ran from my father I took her with me. To Cerberus. In exchange of her safety here I served for over 20 years" Miranda was in a state unseen before. She acted emotional. Normal.
"So I get it that she's compromised?" John asked trying to help mumbling XO.
"I'm afraid so. Once we docked a contact of mine told me that something is brewing. An Eclipse outfit was hired to bring my sister back to my father...I can't let them do that! We can't let them!" last words she sputtered with almost panicked voice.
"Alright alright, I see. But one thing. We need a team. Even if not rest from Normandy, Max and Tali must come with us. I know you're all smoke and mirrors but I trust them with my life, this won't leave this group if you don't want to." John put hardline on this. He knew that these two will surely follow them anyway even if sended away.
"I understand. Fine, all I care now is my sister's safety" Miranda spoke with shaky voice.
"Okay, I'll get them, you procure some transport."
/.../
This got complicated fast. Eclipse mercenaries were all over spaceport's bay. Crushing them under time pressure would be hard if not for Max's bombs and Tali's Chattika - a pink combat drone with capabilities of a cruiser's cannon. Finally while they were riding in an elevator to the launching bay. The Eclipse merc's radio Tali picked up chatter about some man. At his name Miranda went over the edge. She short-circuited elevator to go even faster, mumbling something. Once they got on the floor they saw Eclipse asari merc holding a shotgun and a middle aged man arguing.
"Niket! You sold me out!" Miranda shrieked. Man looked shocked seeing her here. "Miri?"
"Why you did this? After years of trust?" Miranda was both furious and broken.
"I helped you to get out 'cause you wanted! But yor sister?! She could have live in a wealth back home but you took her just to spite you father!" Nicket retorted.
"He would screw her up even more than he did me!" Miranda wasn't budging.
"We can take your sister to safety but your father would look for her" John spoke.
"He dosen't know anything. Only that I know where she is..." Nicket stopped seeing Miranda aiming at him. "Then you're only loose end here" she said saddened.
"No! You dont wanna do this!" Shepard pulled Lawson's hand down.
A shotgun blast startled everybody. Nicket slumped down on the floor with hole in his chest. Asari Eclipse holding shotgun only shrugged, "Enough of this sappy shit. I have a package to deliever..." She didn't finished as was knocked down by Miranda's Warp.
"You'll die for this, bitch!" Miranda cried and tackled mercenary.
"More Eclipse!" Tali shouted and opened fire to mercs that entered from other side of hangar. Running for cover he was amazed how Tali was relentlessly unleashing drones that worked as a homing bombs, and spat fire from her shotgun. Seeing results he was really glad that he got Max to make that shotgun for her.
"Stop staring at the girl and shoot, man!" Jester shouted and threw a grenade behind some boxes, flushing mercenaries from cover. Soon it was over. John turned around to see Mirnada still fighting with Asari. Brunette woman was punching asari's face to the ground.
"Miranda stop!" John finally shouted. Miranda stopped mauling asari and stood up. Eclipse leader moved a little. Miranda crushed merc's throat with her heel.
"Guess there's a reason now why she wears high-heels in combat" Jester commented on often questioned detail of Miranda's attire. "Points for catfight to the Ice Queen"
"Knock it off Max" John spat and touched Miranda's arm. "Hey, it's over. Come on, we gotta go before cops show up" Miranda nodded and added
"We have to see if Oriana is safe..."
So that was her name John mused while they were riding back into other part of Illium.
"Thank you Shepard. I still can't believe Nicket sold me out just for money. Only person I trusted ever really..."
"Well you can trust me now Miranda. I don't backstab people." John replied earning a faint smile from XO
"I do now, I'm just not good at it."
They landed in a plaza. Miranda glanced around. "There she is. Safe and secured." She pointed at young girl sitting on bench, enamoured in lecture of some book. "Let's go." Miranda spoke unsure.
"Don't wanna say hello?" Max chimed in.
"It's not what I want. She doesn't even know I exist. I..."
"Is it so bad that she'll know she has a sister? Having a sibling helps." John spoke softly to Miranda. "You don't look so menacing," He pointed at her light armor that looked like a thicker version of her catsuit, "Don't spill everything, just talk for a bit. We'll wait here"
"Okay..." She slowly shuffled toward Oriana.
"That, was heart warming brother" Jester patted John's arm and smiled.
"I mean it Max."
"So did I, but most credit still goes to Tali I guess" He pointed at quarian that stayed in the aircar. "She's a nice girl, and solid under fire."
"Yeah, she never let me down."
"So...I take it that your blue friend is just a friend?" John's shiver gave him answer. "Look bro, don't dwell on it. Cherish the good time, and don't be sad."
"Easy to say..."
"I've lost a girl too remember? But instead of friend she turned into a dead body. And I moved on. After meeting a girl that made me forgot about it." Jester smiled.
"And that would be?" John turned his glance from conversing Miranda to his brother.
"Oh not so fast. You'll give me some shore leave tonight and I'll spill the beans."
"Fine, I'll look for justicar without you."
"Cool. I'll sit this one out but don't take Kasumi neither" Jester winked and smiled mishieviously.
"You shitting me? Little kleptomaniac that stalks everybody?" John was shocked but after moment connected dots, they both were getting along and even flirted occasionally in their own weird way. But to make something out of it? Interesting.
"Hey, told ya I like sophisticated women. She's sure as hell classy and complicated" Jester laughed. "But you could do no worse if you could pull head out of your ass"
"Oh?"
"You learned how nice are those not-your-average girls right? You still can't put it together?" Jester asked amused. "Oh for the love of Talos... Who's sitting in aircar behind you?"
"Tali?! You nuts?" John was close to shout at this crazy idea. Sure she was nice but...
"Why not? The quarian? The suit? Yeah I get it, not your average girl to show to mom or one you're used to date back then but think about it...You never figured out why she's stuttering and mumbling only near you? All that tech things she knows and who knows how many more talents she has? She's something else. Believe it"
John took a deep thought. Sure she was a savant in engineering...Tali could talk and yell in and out of combat but whenever Shepard talked to her one on one she did that cute wringing with her hands and was slightly incoherent...Oh no...No way...
"Yeah. That's right Sherlock" Jester looked disapprovingly at his brother. "If I were you, I'd go for a girl that holds to me no matter what, even if she's not so easy to date."
"But, but all that suit and all...Damnit Max I don't even know how her face looks like, and she's trapped in that suit! Sex is one thing but you can't even kiss her, hold her hand... fuck this would be too much man..." John was ranting torn between startled realisation that he overlooked Tali's feelings and common sense telling him that this is bad idea.
"If anything outside could kill them, Quarians would die long time ago. She's dextro and needs squeaky clean... well everything so yeah, so much for romantic dinner but you know what? Take the high road John." Shepard turned to Max. This was the first time he called him like that in 20 years or more maybe.
"You take the challenge to save galaxy but not to try with a girl that's worth it? Think about it Johnny. Observe her and decide on your own." Jester was deadly serious but still spoke softly.
"I think I now why mom send you to help me. Thanks William"
"Dont make me kill you. And you're welcome."
Miranda finished chat and walked up to the Shepard. Her make up was messed by teary eyes but she was smiling. John only motioned to load up in the aircar and took over controls.
"That's enough of action for you. You're relieved for the rest of the day. I'll take others for next mission." John stated when they entered Normandy. Miranda quickly strolled to the elevator to hide in her office, while Jester only flashed his eyes and went to armory.
"That meant you too Tals, catch your breath" John turned to quarian. After talk at the plaza he couldn't look at her the same way. He noticed how she changed. He remebered scared girl he saved on the back alley on Citadel that followed him bravely despite everything. But in front of him was a woman. A hardened combatant that never let him down and followed him through hell and back. And her body was quite enticing...Those hips could match Miranda's easily. And her voice was just...
"Shepard?" Tali's worried voice made John realize that he was staring.
"I said take time off Tali."
"And I said If you're going somwhere I'm going with you. I'm not injured and engineering is done until upgrades arrive" She replied with confidence.
"Oh you stubborn girl..." John shooked his head happy inside that he'll get to 'observe' her more. "But eat something first, this'll be a long night as we're going to recruit a Justicar named Samara."
"What's a Justicar?"
"Damned if I know Tals, but with you around? I'm not afraid of anything." John just replied and went to swap out his armor in his cabin not realizing that Tali just blushed under her visor.
He praised her! She was fangirling inside so hard right now.
"Hey Tali! What's up? You look like you just won a lottery!" Joker shouted from cockpit.
"Maybe I just did?" Tali replied happily and slightly bouncing went to elevator aiming for mess hall.
/.../
Kasumi was forging an intricate plan to corner Max and press him for some info. She remembered what Shepard said about Max's first name. She explained to herself that this was main reason to stalk funny infiltrator she grew really fond of. Sitting on her couch she schemed some scenarios.
"Ohayo 'Sumi" A soft voice of her target brought her back to real world.
"Hey Max" She purred. He had something in his mind. That mischievious smile that she was sporting too whenever a plan was coming together...
"You know I've been meaning to ask about something" She wanted to see his reaction on question about great secret.
"You're in a good mood. I like that" Jester smiled wide. "Scuttlebutt says Logan is leaving for a mission but none of us are on this one..."
Kasumi felt a little red alert in her head. Uh-oh.
"But sure, ask away, I have a question too actually"
"Okay then... Shep spilled that you're not using your first name. Why?" She asked sweetly trying to look innocent. Jester laughed.
"He told you that huh? You know that nothing's for free? Why are you wearing hood all the time. I take off mine on the ship."
Kasumi only shrugged, "force of habit I guess"
"Awww you no game 'Sumi" Jester smiled. "I'm not satisfied with that."
"Your turn, spill it Jester" Kasumi grinned.
Max only came closer to her with lop sided smirk on his face. "I'll tell you what...You want to get some intel out of me, huh kawaii?" Kasumi grinned on this. "I have an idea...We're free tonight so...How about you can put your moves on me over a dinner?" Jester finished with doing a slight wiggle with his eyebrows.
Kasumi was both shocked and teriffied. What did he said? A dinner?
"You do now I'm not a restaurant type of girl?" She tried to weasel out of this.
"Pleeeeeease. You forgot who you talking to, I'm not your average bloke." Max winked and gave a smile that made Kasumi melt. "How 'bout 8 'o clock outside the airlock?"
"Mmmmm you say all nicest things...Alright." Kasumi relented. Who knows? Maybe it'll be fun?
"Then it's a date" Jester smiled. "See ya in few" and left the room. Kasumi shooked her head slowly in disbelief on how easily she fell for his charm.
"Oh well...Could be fun" She said to herself and reached for her favourite book to kill the waiting.
/.../
Shepard alongside with Tali, Zaeed and Jack went looking for Office Dara. Along the way they hacked servers that Liara wanted and send her the data. A parting gift it would seem. Shepard praised Tali's skills, she was able to get the intel easily without attracting any attention.
Since coming on board Jack mellowed out a bit as long as nobody said so. Even found herself some less revealing clothing but still keeping her heavy boots. Reaching desk of an asari, plaque said they found the right person.
"You Dara? I'm looking for Justicar named Samara" John spoke and thought 'Damn why the hell it rhymes whenever I'm trying to be serious?'
"Why? She killed somebody already?" Asari asked annoyed.
"Killed?"
"Oh right, you don't know. Justicars are monastic warriors from Asari Space. They brutally exterminate anyone who breaks the law. No asari would stop them, but other races don't give a damn about our customs right? Specially ancient customs. Justicars will kill for even skirting around the law and Illium is based on 'close-to-illegal', a Justicar here that's a huge incident waiting to happen."
"Woah, that hardcore? Good 'cause I have a big ass mission on my head and I'm planning to recruit her" John spoke bluntly trying to not wonder whether she won't try killng him for being above the law.
"Well if it is really a great noble cause then maybe she'll be interested. They love never ending quests like from the vids."
"Then we can help each other, point me where she is and I'll get her out of Illium."
Asari eagerly pointed them at police station in cargo district. Riding in the aircar, John mused what Max was planning right now for Kasumi using free time he got.
/.../
Kasumi went outside the airlock exactly at 8 o' clock. She was little nervous, as a matter of fact she never been invited for a dinner. Not this way and not in the middle of a mission.
"Punctuality. A virtue dying in today's world." Max materialized nex to her. Wearing a nice new suit similar to the one destroyed during Hock heist, only black. Kasumi felt little sting that she was in her leathery sneaking suit.
"I've arranged something...care to join me?" Max spoke courteusly acting like a gentleman from a vid.
"With pleasure" Kasumi chirped and entered skycar standing nearby.
They flew into the city, landing on a roof of some building.
"Follow me miss Goto" Jester said with a smile. Kasumi was excited. What that crazy guy came up with?
Duo entered an elevator and rode a few floors down. Walked out on a maintenance corridor ending with a wide catwalk. Then Kasumi realised where she was. A not finished floor above fancy restaurant. She could see through glass floor tables and clients below in beautiful room while completely unseen in dim light where she was standing.
"Have a seat" Max motioned at something that made Kasumi's jaw hit the floor. On empty floor there was a table, plates and silverware, just like below only minus any public.
"You now how to impress a girl" Kasumi smiled sitting. Jester was keeping his gentleman's act all the time, that made Kasumi melt inside a little.
"As much as I'm aware of your love for ramen..." Max opened the plates revealing dishes of a fried bird with side, "I thought that crispy duck with plum sauce would be more appropriate"
"Okay, I said that before but you do know how to impress" Kasumi couldn't stand amount of charm this guy was oozing with. Max only smiled.
"I value company of a beautiful woman"
/.../
Shepard reached police station and talked to chief there - asari detective Anaya. She wasn't too pleased about visitors until she heard that they can get Justicars out from here. Her superiors wanted her to detain the Justicar to avoid incident, but Samara would kill anybody who would try to imprison her.
Anaya pointed team to crime scene, where allegedly some Eclipse is running around. She was right. As Shepard was going through the remnants of the gang. A window floor above broke and screaming asari flew out. Landing with the thud she survived but barely. Then another asari jumped out from the window but graciously landing using biotics. John looked at the standing woman and knew he was looking at Justicar. Clad in fitting yet sturdy red armor, moving with grace, stalking her prey like a panther. She moved closer to squirming eclipse mercenary and put her boot on laying woman's throat.
"Give me the name of the ship and I'll leave" Her voice was melodic, but cold and detached.
"Void curse you! She'll do to me things you can't imgine!" eclipse sister sputtered.
"Find peace in embrace of the Goddes" Samara spoke and twisted leg breaking mercenary's neck. Then she turned around and eyed Shepard and his team.
"I am Samara, a servant of the Justicar Code. My quarrel here is with the Eclipse sisters. But I see armed people in front of me." She was beautiful with azure skin, centuries old judging from her figure, but her cold stare along with unshaken voice made Shepard wince. She had grace and aura of almost regal person. A holy warrior.
"My name's Shepard. I'm here to recruit you for a dangerous mission. I'm hunting Collectors." John spoke truthfully feeling that she would detect even the slightest lie.
"I see. A formidabble foe that I would like to go up against. But I'm pursuing a very dangerous criminal. Eclipse sisters from this outfit smuggled her out before I could catch her." Samara replied calmly.
"I really would like you to go with Commander here, Justicar." Anaya came from behind Shepard. "My superiors want me to detain you."
"You risk a lot complying to that order" Samara glanced at detective.
"Shepard, I can help you if you'll get me the name of the ship that carried fugitive I'm trying to catch." Samara pondered for a while and looked at Anaya. "I can comply with you for one day."
"Then I hope that Commander finds your info because I won't be able to release you that quick on my own." Anaya replied. "Shepard, there's a hideout of Eclipse in Cargo bay next door. Maybe there you'll find the intel." she said to John then motioned at Justicar to follow her. John only shrugged and went looking for intel wondering how his brother is spending time.
/.../
"Then I locked him in his own panic room and he could only watch as his precious painting was parting ways with his wall." Kasumi finished her story. They already ate and now were trading stories over seasoned sweet asari wine.
Kasumi felt fantastic. A mix of great food, tasty alcohol and company of charming infiltrator made her step out of her comfort zone to the point where she wondered taking off her hood. She did it only few times for Keiji and mostly in total darkness.
"That's impressive Kasumi. But what could you expect from best in the business" Max smiled. Seeing Kasumi relax a bit was a pleasant surprise. He really adored this japaneese girl and was hoping that something good could emerge from their friendship.
"Flatterer. You almost made me forget why I agreed to this in a first place" Kasumi smirked.
"Okay, You held your end of the bargain...My first name... is William" Max sighed.
"It'a a nice name...Why not use it?" Kasumi was little surprised that his name was not so extravagant.
Max lost his smile and looked little uncomfortable now. "Father gave us first names and mom second. I don't want to use it since that bastard left when I was little, he couldn't handle constant relocations and half-military life. He was a spineless wimp."
Kasumi felt bad for pressing Max now. She never wondered it was a sore spot. "I'm sorry Max, didn't know..."
"Of course you didn't, nobody does. It's the same reason why Logan insists on calling him just Shepard." Max smiled. "But no harm's done" Kasumi felt relief, she didn't wanted to mess up great evening.
"Come with me 'Sumi" Max stood up. Kasumi followed him outside the room, they reached a balcony with great view on night time vista of Illium. Max took a deep breath, admiring both city and the woman.
"Quite the view...And city looks nice too" Max grinned at Kasumi "I kinda wonder if you ever take that hood off you know?"
Kasumi smiled and made a decision. She pulled hood down felling breeze brushing her hair.
"Kasumi..."Jester stared at her raven black hair, cut above her ears, little feathered, they were just perfect to him. He gently ran hand through her hair. Then looked at her shining amber eyes. He wanted to say somthing but instead just leaned and kissed painted lips of his date.
When it happened Kasumi lost attention to surroundings, she was in an empty space, nothing but herself and man she met recently but felt like she knew for years.
When they parted she looked at him. There was no lust but warmth and understanding in his eyes. He worked out her mysteries and accepted them giving his own in exchange. She remembered moments he helped her and advices from Keiji and Shep. She'll try moving on. With Max.
Jester wrapped an arm around her tiny waist. They kissed again...
/.../
John felt bad. Like a kid on his first hangover. Fighting through bunch of Eclipse? Fine. Swiping info about some hit on volus merchant after killing shifty asari Elnora that tried to act innocent but was a murder of aforementioned volus? Bonus to give cops for crashing cargo bay. Taking down a damned gunship? Piece of cake since Max tuned up Missile launcher for John. Another bunch of angry asari spitting biotics? Walk in a park. Running through clouds of toxic drug that Eclipse was leaving around. Not cool.
It was supposed to be a similar to red sand. Enchance biotics. But at non biotic like Shepard, it caused migraine at the size of dreadnought. And as heavy hitting. But luckily Tali with her filtered suit saved their hides, navigating through fumes with ease, taking down Eclipse leader and bringing over intel about some convict smuggled out.
Reaching precinct John felt little better, concerned Tali calling John a 'stubborn bosh' tet' really lit up Shepard's spirit but still, after effects of those drugs made all team cranky. Except Jack who was accustomed to drugs and she enjoyed brief high. At least she was nice for w while.
As they got into the office the saw Samara sitting cross legged next to Anaya's desk.
"Samara? We found out that Eclipse smuggled someone day ago on AML Demeter, freighter" John handed her datapad. Samara stood up and quickly looked through the data.
"Shepard, I'm impressed. You fulfilled your end and I'll fulfill mine." Justicar dropped on one knee. "By the code I will serve you, Shepard. Your choices are my choices. Your morals are my morals. Your wishes are my code." Samara recited flashing her biotics.
John was mildly confused. Samara stood up and looked in John's eyes, "My Code is bypassed by yours, however if you'll make me do anything very dishonorable, I'll have to kill you when the mission is over" Samara spoke with usual calm and lack of emotions.
"Thank you Samara. I will try to stay on the right path" John replied with first coherent words he could and made a bow with his head.
"Detective?" John turned to Anaya. "I have some interesting data. I aquired evidence that volus named Pitne For was smuggling a compund similar to red sand for the Eclipse" Anaya got interested.
"Show me this...Mhmmmm... yeah he's been under investigation. One of his partners got shot few days ago."
"I also have something on this. Confession of one Elnora, Eclipse initiate whom I may killed already, she bragged about killing some volus."
Anaya listened to the holo-journal. "That helps. We're still cops so no bounty here however..." She tapped at her console, "we have little fund for 'valuable information'. It's yours. And thanks for taking Samara with you before she'd kill me. Now I'll have chance to have grandkids whom I can tell I met a Justicar" detective ended with chuckle.
"Let's go back to the Normandy people. It's been a long day" John yawned and loaded his team to skycar.
/.../
"So...What now?" Kasumi asked still holding with Max and admiring vista.
"I was thinking about flying you back to your room so you'll get some sleep and call it a great ending of our first date?" Max replied smirking.
"Mmmmmm" Kasumi only replied enjoying his arms around her. She felt fantastic after throwing doubts from her mind. She'll worry later if ever.
As they got back on the roof and into the skycar, Max was musing about what would come from this new entanglement. he also wondered what his brother is doing now.
"Okay, since we're here. What's with that music and singing?" Kasumi didn't liked the silence. Jester chuckled and shrugged. "I may have little trouble with expressing myself"
Kasumi only laughed, "Riiiight you were so nervous and awkward tonight"
"One way or the other I grew on you" Jester smirked.
"You did William" Kasumi gave him a quick peck in the cheek when they were landing. "But you know, I'm not really to advertise anything on the ship..." Kasumi saddened a little and put her hood back on.
" 'Sumi, my dear kawaii 'Sumi..." Max wrapped arm around hooded thief and smiled. "On a hundred stories I tell I hold a thousand more locked in. And what's ours that's nobody business, or a show" He winked. "Besides, don't worry about tonigtht. We were on a heist at Cherry Casino, hence my attire, Owner was dirty so we broke in and funneled her funds onto charity"
Kasumi blinked few times. "How can even...Wow." She only replied.
"Pre-planning my dear. And I did funneled these funds, only remotely" Jester chuckled.
"You're unbelievable Jest" Kasumi chirped and got kiss in return.
"How could I win you over if I wouldn't?" Jester laughed.
Right as they were close to the Normandy and they just walked casually next to each other they saw another skycar pulling near docking back.
"Uh-oh, big man returned" Kasumi giggled. "Good thing you got that story."
As the couple approached Shepard's team, they saw a graceful asari in red armor stepping out from the vehicle.
"Max? Kasumi? Meet Samara. A Justicar." John made introducting motion.
"It's a pleasure Samara" Max bowed his head while Kasumi stunned by aura of Justicar made full japanese bow. Justicar also bowed. "Thank you, it'll be interesting to fight in a group again."
"How was you shore leave brother?" John asked acting all innocent.
"I decided to take 'Sumi out on a little job. She complained that her skill were getting rusty so we found a casino owner who was dirty, now her funds are supporting orphans on Thessia" Jester shrugged. "Why do you think I would wore a suit?"
"Yeah...riiiiiight" John made a coy smile. "Let's go. I gotta find Samara some place and rest. Let's hope that this assassin will wait for me till tommorow..." At this Justicar gave a questioning look.
"We're recruiting quite unique and extravagant people Samara. They may have different past. But once they step on my ship, they follow my orders and their actions are my burden." John replied trying to match her way of speaking without any mockery.
"I see, Shepard" Samara only said.