"Sorry EDI, but Samara would like some privacy." Shepard said and she triggered the sequence on her omni-tool.
"I understand Comm-" EDI's synthetic voice was cut off quickly as the disruption field Shepard created shut down all of the bugs and communication devices in the room.
"There now we should be safe from prying ears for the moment at least." Shepard told the Asari in the Justicar armor. "So what do you think of your accommodations?"
"Surprisingly, nice." Morinth spoke in her own voice for the first time since getting on the Normandy. "Bigger then I imagined. Mother normally needs - needed - little more then a cot with a view."
Shepard had managed to lead "Samara" to her room quickly enough. Morinth maintained an icy silence to anyone who who tried to talk to her, and a quick dismissal to anyone who persisted. Shepard had to admit, Morinth was doing an amazing job of portraying Samara's ridiculously stoic character, with only the barest hint of sadness over the loss of her own daughter. That last part seemed to be more of a fantasy on Morinth's part, or at least that's what Shepard suspected. She wasn't entirely convinced that Samara would have mourned Morinth's death had the tables been turned. Of course she had somewhat of a unique perspective on the matter.
"Yeah well just be careful around the crew." Shepard suggested, bringing her thoughts back to present matters, "Some of them are pretty smart, others are just really nosey, and it's pretty hard to keep any secrets on a ship." Also Shepard really hated keeping secrets from her crew. But it was clear Morinth preferred to keep the truth about herself hidden, which was understandable all things considered. "Kelly Chambers in particular will probably want to talk to you about some therapy bullshit to help you deal with the loss of your own daughter."
Morinth couldn't resist a quick laugh at Shepard's words. "I'd say she's going to be sorely disappointed then."
"Let's just hope it stays at disappointment." Shepard mentioned, making a mental note to talk to Chambers about staying the hell away from 'Samara'. It was for her own good, really. "Fortunately for you, Samara didn't exactly get along with the rest of the crew, so she pretty much stayed to herself."
"Not remotely surprising, if anything that's actually a little sad." Morinth commented in a light casual voice. "400 years chasing me and she probably never once got laid."
"Is that empathy for your mother? I'm kinda shocked." Shepard said plainly.
"Hardly," Morinth replied, non-pulsed, "Her circumstances were of her own making. She imprisoned herself behind duty and proper etiquette even before she tried to enforce the same with me and my sisters. Naturally it didn't quite take with me."
"Yeah, speaking of," Shepard said, arms crossed, in a tone filled with authority, "We're setting some ground rules. Mainly, no death melding with anyone else on this ship."
"Oh please Shepard." Morinth smiled at her, "I would never do anything to sabotage my spot on this grand adventure."
"It's more then that." Shepard told her, "You're part of the crew now. That means you have people that depend on you, and people you can depend on. Don't do anything to fuck it up. Do you understand?"
Morinth was silent for just long enough to betray the significance of Shepard's words, "I admit this is a little new to me. I'm so used to being on my own, never being able to depend on anyone else. I'll be honest, there's going to be a transition period for me."
She was at least willing to try, Shepard thought, which was more then she could say about her mother. "So this isn't going to be a problem then?"
"Of course not, why would it be?" Morinth said mirthfully.
"Well, to be blunt, your condition has been described as ... narcotic." Shepard informed her. She didn't expect Morinth to genuinely laugh at her words.
"Is that what Mother don't you?" Morinth began, "Who am I kidding, of course that's what she told you. In fact I'm sure you've been told all sorts of horror stories about my 'condition'. I've collected quite a few fun myths about Ardat-Yakshi over the centuries. We should compare notes sometime, in case I missed any new ones."
"Samara made it pretty clear that killing is addictive to an Ardat-Yakshi." Shepard said in a stern tone that demanded an explanation.
"It's not that killing is addictive, per se'." Morinth said with a predatory smile, "Seductive would be more accurate."
"Don't suppose you could clarify?" Shepard asked her.
"Imagine everytime you fuck somebody you experience the most amazing orgasm imaginable." Morinth spoke with a blatant layer of lust in her voice as she walked seductively towards the Commander, "Now imagine afterwards you feel stronger, smarter, healthier, simply better in every way. It's hard to resist something like that." Morinth moved close to Shepard, well into her personal space, every small motion showing her desire, even as she purred her next words, "Particularly since the only price for all that power is paid for by the person next to you at the time."
"If you're trying to seduce me, we both know how well that turned out for you last time." Shepard said harshly. Despite her words Shepard was surprised by just how intoxicatingly alluring Morinth could be even as she tempted Shepard with death.
"What can I say, I find you fascinating, Shepard." Morinth cooed even as she walked away from the Commander, "I've never met anyone like you, and no one in the past 400 years has ever been able to resist me like you have."
"I'll take that as a compliment." Shepard said.
"Good, you should." Morinth smiled.
"Just to be clear," Shepard continued with determination, "If you can't control yourself we're going to have a problem. I don't think I need to explain how I deal with problems." She figured one good death threat deserved another.
"If I can control myself?" Morinth said, "Oh yes. That's the dirty little secret Samara never told you." She turned to face Shepard while leaning back against one of the long benches in the room. "The truth that no other Asari would ever admit to is as seductive as this power is, it can be resisted. I am not quite the unthinking, uncontrollable monster they would paint me as."
"Perhaps not." Shepard shot back, "But you are a killer."
"Oh absolutely." Morinth smirked, "I don't deny it one bit. But I kill because I want to, not because I have to."
"Well there's a comforting thought." Shepard spoke dripping with icy sarcasm.
"Are you so different?" Morinth replied smoothly, "Is anyone on this ship for that matter? I can see it in their eyes, most of the crew have killed before, many of them even enjoyed it. Asari have a saying 'Know yourself, and you will know others like you.'"
"In other words, 'It takes one to know one'." Shepard reiterated the human idiom. She didn't bother denying the fact that she enjoyed her job. "The difference is the people I kill usually want to kill me back."
"We might use different guidelines but at the end of the day we both enjoy doing what we do best." Morinth continued without missing the beat, "If there's one major difference it's simply that I accepted what I am a long time ago. I don't need to lie to myself about it."
"This doesn't exactly instill any confidence that you won't be tempted to mind rape somebody." Shepard replied.
"Oh I never said I wasn't tempted." Morinth laughed softly leering over Shepard's body, "But if it makes you feel, you're the only interesting morsel in this entire ship." She licked her lips slightly to accent her words, "Even if that wasn't the case, I'm a grown woman, and - just to be clear - I can control myself."
"So long as we're all clear then." Shepard deadpanned. She refused to play Morinth's games.
"I promise you Shepard." Morinth smiled warmly, but she was no longer layering on her usual seductive charms this time, "I won't 'mind rape' anyone on this ship."
Shepard merely nodded her acknowledgement before she turned to leave in order to let the Ardar-Yakshi settle in.
"Oh and Shepard." Morinth's voice stopping Shepard mid-stride, "Thanks."
"Just wait till you see what we're up against." Shepard smiled this time, "Might not be thanking me then."
"-ander Shepard? I believe I have reestablished communication to Samara's room." EDI's voice rang out suddenly, effectively ending any potential conversation.
"Already?" Shepard said in an amused tone as she checked her Omni-tool's chronometer, "You're getting better at this."
"My adaptive heuristics allow me to analyse and develop better solutions for similar problems." EDI explained, "In simple terms, I am learning."
"This is why I completely removed most of the bugs in my cabin." Shepard mentioned as she stepped out of the room. There was certainly more to discuss but it could wait for another time. For now Shepard would have to keep an eye on Morinth. She'd probably enjoy that anyway.
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Author's Note: Thanks to everyone who's been reading, enjoying, and/or reviewing this story as it continues to grow. I promise you there's a lot more in store, hopefully well into ME3 territory and beyond. Stay tuned and keep the faves / reviews / good vibes going!