MASS EFFECT: ENTANGLED

CHAPTER 11

Alivia stood timidly outside the Alliance Recruitment Center and Main Offices on the Kithoi Ward. Her hands wrung nervously as her silver eyes darted to and from the doorway and over to the lounge across the hallway. Laughter and talking could be heard from officers on their breaks. Dressed in her civvies with her hair tightly pinned up into an orderly bun like her old military days, Alivia felt like an outsider looking in. Was this truly her old way of life? It took her several days after reaching the Citadel to make it this far. As soon as she docked and got settled in, she located her destination, but something was holding her back. Mistrust and disappointment plagued her mind. The more she thought about signing back up, the more savage her nightmares came to her night about Akuze. Taking a deep breath, she placidly closed her eyes to compose herself and said, "Act like a soldier. You faced thresher maws." Her words almost seem to be entangled with Krysta's ghostly ones mimicking her own.

"Mam, do you need assistance?" A male marine's question broke her thoughts.

She blinked and saw him standing right in front of her. He must have come from the entrance and somehow, she didn't see him. He appeared to be in his early thirties with dusty blonde hair that was tightly kept and a neatly trimmed mustache. "I, uh," Alivia's mouth felt arid. She didn't know how to respond to him. "I was about to go in and talk to someone."

"Great. You enlisting?" He inquired then flashed a smile. "Forgive me. First Sergeant Wayne Rhoades of the Ninety-Sixth Company. Just got my orders to head back out to Arcturus. We need all the help we can get." The marine abruptly stopped and snapped off a salute to a person approaching from behind. "Sir."

Bewildered, Alivia turned on her heel to see the prestigious Councilor Anderson approaching with a warm smile on his face. His brown eyes honed in on the two and he paused in his step. Like clockwork, Alivia fired off a pristine salute to the well-honored man. "Sir."

"At ease, soldiers," Anderson greeted them. "This isn't an inspection. I'm a diplomat now."

"Yes, sir." Rhoades relaxed. "Do you need a personal escort inside?"

"That won't be necessary. I like to come down here in the little free time that I have. Clears my head and gets me away from all the politics." He chuckled. "Look at you, both. I miss my youth as a soldier. Where are you heading out?"

"Arcturus, sir," Wayne answered first. "Just got back from Ferris Fields."

The councilor's smile disappeared. "I heard about that colony. Any survivors?"

Rhoades shook his head. "We were a day out when the distress call came in. When we got there, the entire colony was gone. Not a trace of anyone. Damn right scary if you ask me. Has to be another Collector attack."

Anderson sighed deeply. "Most likely. We will get them." He turned his attention over to Alivia. "And what about you?"

She chewed her lip as she wasn't ready how to reply. "I was hoping to talk to someone to bring me back to active duty status. I was…. medically discharged years ago following the attack on Akuze."

"Akuze?" Rhoades' eyes became wide when he heard the location.

"A hell of a ride. Lone survivor. I get it," The councilor's voice softened.

"You survived that?!" Wayne was still amazed by her reveal.

Anderson teasingly smirked. "Why's that?" He playfully nudged her. "You think she couldn't have?"

Sheepish, Rhoades grew flush in the face and shook his head. "No, sir. I heard about what happened down there with the maw nest. Sounds like a damn horror movie."

"Trust me, it still is," Alivia cracked a weak smile. "The pain and anxiety…it never goes away and ambushes you. A few months after I was placed on temporary leave for medical treatment, the Alliance discharged me. They didn't think I would recover to be safe with a weapon. I became a merc soon after…just going after bounties." She paused as she thought about her time on Omega and how Shepard and Thane both urged her to get off the station. "I felt out of place not being a soldier…then I ran into Commander Shepard. She told me to come back."

"Shepard?" Anderon's voice perked up. "You ran into the commander? Where?"

"Omega…" She meekly answered. She wasn't too sure how keen the men in front of her would be to the idea of her being on the asteroid known for its drugs and piracy. "I was there for a job and ran into her."

"When was this?"

"A week ago."

The man before her stood there silently as if he was processing what she divulged and nodded his head. "The commander is right. You need to be back in the Alliance."

"With all due respect, sir," Alivia remained firm in her stance. "I highly doubt they will let me come back in. I still have issues…" She hung her head sadly as the diagnosis seem to almost handicap and shame her.

"Nonsense," Anderson shook his head as he motioned her to follow him inside. "How would they refuse humanity's first councilor? Besides, I'm sure I can get some backing from within," He grinned.

Rhoades tossed them a wave. "I'm out. Good luck in there and nice seeing you, Councilor."

"You too, soldier. Stay safe out there," Anderson replied before continuing inside.

A brunette woman at the front desk flashed them a warm smile. "Good day, mam and Councilor. How may I assist you?"

Anderson stepped closer to Alivia and whispered, "Any roadblocks, you let me know." He patted her on the shoulder as he stepped out.

Smiling with great confidence, Alivia answered back to the woman, "I'm here to be placed back into active status."

Bray fumed in his seat at the bar down in the lower club of Afterlife. Two empty shot glasses were in front of him. Vo' me was sitting to his left with her right hand gently rubbing his back comfortingly. "You want another drink, Bray?"

"No," He shrugged her hand off his back in vexation. "I don't need company."

"Oh, come on," She purred over the intense loud music coming through the area's speakers. She leaned over to where her seductive light blue luscious lips were inches from his ear. "You want a lap dance? I'm one of the best of Afterlife."

Apathetic, he swatted at her to make her keep her distance. "Go on."

She ignored his request and leaned in closer again. This time, her angelical fingertips traced up his inner leg towards his groin. "I want you to be happy, Bray…it's been a long time since you had me...I miss you."

Growling in irritation, he grabbed her hand roughly away from his leg. "I said beat it!" He bared his incisors at her threateningly.

Alarmed, she put more distance between them, and then her face changed to anger. "What the hell is wrong with you? Aria told me to take you out for drinks."

"And you did, now go on. Just sit somewhere else."

Offended by his rejection, Vo' me moved off her seat and stormed off. Bray didn't bother looking to see where she went. Reaching into his pants pocket, he retrieved his package of cigarettes and took one out to light up. For once in his years on the station, he hated to be there. All he could think of lately was Krysta Shepard and what he did near Marsh's. His face soured and he exhaled the smoke fumes through his nostrils. "What the fuck was I thinking…" In his mind, he saw himself kissing her. What got into him? What drew him to her? After all, she was a human. He took another puff in hopes that the sweet chemicals inside would remove his recent memories of her; or even all of them.

He needed to salvage what was left of his position with Aria. The Hegemony was still after him. Ararn wasn't going to let his betrayal go. He was surprised he made it this long. It was sheer luck that Thane and Alivia intervened. Next time, he may not be as lucky. Moklan was after his job. Bray wouldn't put it past that bastard to turn him in if word about his past got out. So far, only Aria knew and that meant he had to stay on her good side. She may even turn him in if the mood struck her. T'Loak didn't care that Alivia jumped ship. He saw it coming and he was fortuitous that he would be right after his boss' reaction. Aria downplayed this event as tidying up loose ends. To him, Alivia's termination meant another reminder of Krysta to leave his presence. He needed to get her out of his head; for his sake and his life.

Perturbed, Aria lifted an eye ridge as she saw Vo' me walk up into the private booth two hours later after she sent her off with Bray. The young maiden seemed just as frustrated as she was. "Well?" T'Loak beckoned to her.

"Sorry, mistress," Vo' me sighed at her. "He told me to leave him alone. I tried…everything."

"Pity. I thought he took to you…my kind's…attributes are not easy to avoid." She motioned Vo' me back over to her position as the booth's dancer. As she watched the maidan walk past her, Aria's blue eyes caught glimpse of the datapad that Krysta gave her on her last visit. Picking it up, T'Loak read over the body of the message once more. It pissed her off so much that Bray would stoop so low to send a transmission enticing the spectre about her dark past. If Aria allowed him to take the blame, then it would show weakness in her network and she wasn't about to let that happen. Ever since the famed resurrected spectre came to her station months ago, Bray was not himself. Most batarians were introverts and kept to themselves, but even now his isolation was not normal. He went behind her back several times to provoke Shepard. She thought back to Patriarch's words and how Bray turned down Vo' me. There was more to this. Shaking her head in disbelief, she chuckled and tossed the pad back down. He didn't hate Shepard. It was quite the opposite. He developed strong feelings for her. Aria, on the other hand, kept her relationships very short and private. Anything strong was a weakness that her enemies would exploit. She had to be stronger. "Pathetic."