MASS EFFECT: INTERCEPTOR 2

*Episode Sixteen*

'Hey, there he is!' Kimberley called out as Eddie Lang stepped off the command centre's main ramp and headed their way. 'Got any more leads for us, Supercop?'

Lang's smile was heavy with fatigue, though he did well enough to smile at all in the face of the shame and disappointment they all felt following the murder of Captain Ferrata. Armed response officers still patrolled the command centre in great numbers, the garbled chatter of their suit radios spiking above the room's usual hum of conversation.

'Not this time, Kim, sorry. I just wish everything I went through this morning actually meant something. I still can't believe Ferrata's dead.'

Kim gave him a sympathetic look. 'You got his OSD, didn't you? You did your job, so it's not like we're flying blind here. Whatever's on that disc was important enough for Ferrata to take with him when he tried to make a break for it. Important enough that he didn't want to, or couldn't, just delete the data.'

Lang nodded, though he sounded unconvinced, 'I guess so. How's that going, by the way?'

Kim looked over to Deveraux. 'What's the latest, Mike?'

Deveraux scratched his head. 'Now that we're running it through C-Sec decryption keys, we're making progress. Of course, once we're done we'll have to report all this to Network. Can't imagine they'll be overjoyed to hear the batarians managed to get their hands on this stuff.'

'Heads will roll,' Ket added. 'Of course, from my experience I can tell you that may actually be an improvement.'

'You came here from Network?' Lang asked, folding his arms across his broad chest.

Ket's large head bobbed up and down as he typed. 'Someone of my talents would hardly have joined the rest of you pistol jockeys in Enforcement, would they? Unfortunately, being the best comes with its share of disadvantages. When they came to me with an offer to work for C-Sec's cutting edge counter-terrorist unit, they neglected to mention zookeeping would be one of my daily duties.'

Lang raised an eyebrow at Kim. 'He doesn't let up, does he?'

'Every minute of every shift,' she replied with a sigh. 'He likes to think we give him the tough jobs because he's good but it's really to shut him the hell up.'

Taking a shallow seat on Kim's desk, Lang looked across the command centre. 'Still doesn't feel real,' he murmured. 'Any of it. A few days ago I was bugging my captain to give me some real work, something to get my teeth into. I was happy enough pulling guard duty at that big Krannt gig the other night, figured that would be exciting enough. Then I followed Arlen into the bathroom and everything changed.'

'W-wait, what?' Kim sputtered, staring at him with a mix of amusement and disbelief. 'You followed Arlen into the bathroom?'

Lang shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck, embarrassed. 'It's just as it sounds. I needed to take a leak and caught sight of him in the crowd. I saw that big old gun of his, started following him but I guess he must've seen me coming a mile off because he led me straight into the bathroom. Next thing I know, he's disarmed me and some turian in C-Sec colours comes marching into the room with a primed shotgun.'

He halted as he realised Deveraux and Ket were now watching him, both analysts keen to hear the story.

'Arlen was… I've never seen a turian move like that,' he went on, awed even by the memory. 'He dragged me out of the way, then he just flew at the other guy. He was pulling off moves I've only seen in action vids. He took on a heavily armed and armoured perp with nothing more than his bare hands. Well, he clubbed him a few times with that oversized pistol but still, pretty cool.'

'I can see why the commander wanted him for this op,' Kim said, returning to her terminal. 'Sounds overqualified for C-Sec if you ask me.'

'Maybe.' Lang's voice quietened and he lowered his gaze thoughtfully. 'Captain Ferrata talked about him a little, said JSTF were using Arlen, mentioned something about his family. He might've just been trying to get in my head but he sounded pretty sincere. I might not have even listened to him if I hadn't seen the look in Arlen's eyes for myself. There's something…I don't know, not quite there.'

Knowing he'd drifted off into uncomfortable territory, Lang coughed lightly and levered himself from Kim's desk.

'Hey, look on the bright side,' Kim said,her voice tinged with regret. 'At least you got to go to the concert. My girlfriend and I had tickets for that evening, then some batarians decided to go and blow up a bunch of buildings. Then they went to go pick up a suitcase nuke. Then the nuke got stolen. Kinda put a dent in our plans.'

'Yeah, that's rough. I guess you guys have to drop everything when the time comes, huh?'

'That's the nature of the job,' Deveraux confirmed with a nudge of his glasses. 'When it hits the fan, until the situation's resolved your life is officially on hold. Kim and I have had, what? Ten hours' sleep at the most since all this started?'

'Twenty minutes for some,' Ket added.

Lang ran a hand down his face. 'Man, that's intense. How do you guys do it?'

Ket's fingers slowed on his keypad for a moment. 'I can't speak for everyone - even though I should - but we're just glad we're not out there on the ground.'

Lang's mouth opened slightly on the verge of a question when Kim cut in.

'Hate to say it but the salamander's right. Everything changed after the geth attack, you can't take it for granted that you'll be safe out there. Mike and I joined C-Sec a few months before the attack. Afterwards, they rushed us through the academy, just to get bodies out on the streets. A lot of officers died when the geth hit, but even saying that aloud feels like an understatement. One precinct was almost completely wiped out when-'

'I know. I was on duty when the geth hit us. Lost a lot of friends that day.'

Kim gave Lang a grievous look. 'Oh God, I knew that. Well, I should've known it and I said it anyway. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-'

'It's okay,' Lang said, waving a hand. 'I get it. You'd rather be in here than out there. I guess busting your asses nonstop for a few days is a fair trade.'

A new voice entered the conversation and Lang grinned to see Lorica striding up the ramp.

'They're not busting anything with you here distracting them,' she said jokingly, coming to a stop in the middle of the section. Her expression was pleasant as she addressed Lang. 'Eddie, always a pleasure. I thought you'd have checked out by now.'

Lang returned the asari's smile and rubbed the back of his neck bashfully. 'Yeah, about that. I just wanted to ask if maybe…I don't know, you had anything else for me?'

'I think you've had enough for now,' Lorica replied, warmly but firmly. Her eyes were alight with curiosity, however, despite the strained stillness of her smile.

'With respect, I don't think so.' Lang's voice became pleading. 'Look, you guys need all the help you can get. I've been out there twice already and I did everything asked of me, and then some, I can't just go back to my old job while you guys are still here, giving everything you've got to stop those terrorists.' He took a deep breath and his next words burned with determination. 'Lorica, I want to be a JSTF field agent.'

The gentle but rapid vibrations of haptic keystrokes, an unbroken stream of noise moments ago, slowed as Kim, Ket and Deveraux all listened in with painful blatancy. It made Lorica's smile falter but she didn't admonish them for the lapse in concentration. She could hardly blame them.

'It's not quite that simple,' she replied. 'We have to go through official channels to requisition you. If you want to join permanently, there are tests, exams-'

'What about any of this so far has been "official"?' Lang interrupted. His voice had intensified and he took a moment to calm himself down. 'Please, just let me stay. I've been more useful to the Citadel in the past forty-eight hours than I have in eighteen months on the force.'

Lorica visibly pondered his request. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other, conflict playing out in small shifts in her body and facial language.

'You have been a big help,' she conceded. 'Without you, we'd probably still be wrangling with Chellick for that fake evidence and Ferrata would be long gone by now.' Sighing, she brought up a hand to her forehead. 'Or at least, long gone without us getting anything out of him beforehand. Given that he ended up getting his throat slit in one of our holding cells, I suppose keeping on an eager and capable volunteer could be the only thing we get right today.'

The rising optimism that brightened Lang's features dimmed somewhat at a sudden change in her demeanour. A weight seemed to settle over Lorica, one that told of unspeakable burdens upon her spirit.

'Just…think it over first, all right?' she told him. 'If you spend enough time here, it can place pressures on you I can't even begin to describe. Your life won't be the same and you could end up hurting the people you care about without even realising it. Even if you do, most of the time you won't even have a choice. Remember that.'

Lang nodded slowly, absorbing her warning. He didn't notice how Kim's gaze flickered to Lorica, nor the obvious difficulty she found in returning it back to her work.

Lorica pursed her lips as if about to add something more, then changed her mind. 'I need to head out, get a little food and sleep. Lina's around if something urgent comes up, but don't hesitate to notify me if you manage to get into that OSD. Questions, any of you?'

There were none but Lorica barely gave them a chance to think of any. In a heartbeat she was off again and Lang was left to stand there, wondering at the darkened mood among the section before he too made his departure.

~~~ME-I2~~~

Antus's chest heaved, matching that of Novari's as they collapsed back upon the mattress. The light silken sheets were damp and sour with sweat, and he kicked them off where they'd snagged on the craggy edges of his feet and legs. His mandibles were spread wide, his mouth open to take in deep gulps of air.

'And here I was only expecting lunch,' he said, rasping. He chuckled as the blood to his head quickened again, making it light. 'You're in a good mood today.'

In the shuttered light of her bedroom, the smooth curves of Novari's body were a dark blue to match the deepest of oceans. She turned over and away from him immediately to check something on her omni-tool.

'What can I say?' she replied. 'I had a productive morning. You know nothing turns me on more than achieving something with my day.'

'Oh?' Antus angled his body towards her and shuffled across to press himself against her back. He breathed huskily, 'Anything I should know?'

'No, just a bunch of dull meetings with equally dull corporate executives and low-tier political representatives. No one important.'

Her businesslike tone assured Antus the fun was over and he grudgingly sat up and swivelled his legs over the opposite side of the bed, planting them firmly on the ground before reaching down for the discarded pieces of his suit.

'So what made these meetings so productive that you felt the need to celebrate so vigorously?'

'Let's just say that for all the trouble your boss is giving me in these Silean negotiations, others are having just as much difficulty with other examples of your species. I happened to make a new friend, one who could prove to be very useful.' She thought for a moment, then tilted her head to ask over her shoulder, 'Why do turians always have to treat everything like trench warfare?'

Antus flexed both toes on each foot and rubbed his face, then climbed to his feet with a slight groan as he fumbled with trying to get a leg into his pants. 'Give me some credit, there was nothing static about what we just did.'

'You know what I mean. You people approach everything with that death before dishonour attitude, whether you're trying to work out a territorial claim or run a fleet. Everything has to be combative. I'm sure at least one of you has challenged a bartender to a duel to the death because he mixed your cocktail wrong.'

Antus pulled on a ribbed maroon undergarment, slipping his arms into the sleeves before pulling it over his bony collar and down over his waist. He tugged on a few straps at various points and the garment compressed quickly, shrinking to hug the narrower points of his turian physique. He then busied himself with finding his formal business jacket, grateful that unlike those worn by other species it would conform tightly to his contours, smoothing out any incriminating wrinkles.

He grinned mischievously as he poked around the dark floor. 'As opposed to you asari, who approach everything like a game of Skajek? Except instead of rolling the number wheels, you have an hour-long discussion over who deserves to roll which number the most and end up never getting off the first square.'

Novari had finished with her omni-tool and quickly donned her underwear. She straightened in the balmy light and Antus' breath stuck a little in his chest at the sight of her full figure. She always looked exceptional in lingerie.

'I forgot that turians have more than one game,' she muttered as she stretched out her dress between her hands. 'I thought "target practice" was the limit of your activities.'

Antus laughed deeply and, with jacket in hand, strode over to her. He nuzzled the back of Novari's neck and lightly stroked her hips. 'I get the idea, turians aren't your favourite people to deal with right now. I assume by the comment on our inability to command a fleet that Admiral Kaion is still making a strong impression?'

'The man is well and truly getting under the skin of one of our most senior military officers. That holo you provided of his meeting with your boss hardly did him justice. Thank the Goddess I don't have to deal with him myself, that's all I'll say.'

Antus swayed her in his arms, pulling her into him. 'Let me know if he gives you any trouble. The old man might put up with him as a matter of pride but I don't have the same qualms.'

'I just said I don't have to deal with him,' Novari repeated irritably before wringing out her dress. 'And you're making this very difficult. We both have to be back in our offices in less than twenty minutes, in case you forgot.'

Antus' grip only tightened. He spoke into her ear, low and suggestive. 'I don't know. I think I'm coming down with some sort of fever. I might have to stay home this afternoon.'

'Don't you dare!' she hissed before batting at the strong hands around her waist. 'Now come on, stop messing around and let me finish getting dressed!'

Undeterred, Antus kissed the back of her neck. 'You feel hot too,' he said, moving his mouth slowly down her spine. 'Getting hotter!'

Unable to stop herself, Novari let out a yelp, which then turned into a hearty laugh. She doubled over in his grip, giggling in a way she so rarely did, but Antus could occasionally bring out of her.

He beamed as she rose up again and brought back a hand to trace his crest and fringe with her fingers.

'I know I don't always show it,' she said quietly, 'but I do dream of when we can spend our days like this.'

'I hope those days come soon. Sometimes I want you so much it hurts.'

Novari's eyes glittered as she continued to run her fingers along the lines of his head. 'I know. Things are just so fractious right now. First came Saren and the geth, then the humans joined the Council shortly after. Such rapid change always brings its share of problems. The only ones who seem to feel comfortable with it are the salarians, and that's hardly a good thing. I feel like everytime I step away from my desk, the Asari Republics find some new way to weaken themselves while strengthening everyone else. They're like a child; if you look away for more than a second they end up disappearing, or scraping their knees or drawing all over the walls.'

Antus finally released her and went about putting on his jacket. 'At least children grow up. People as a whole rarely change - not in any real sense - and you can't watch over them forever. Sooner or later you'll have to start thinking of yourself.'

Novari frowned as she hefted a sleek white and blue business dress over her breasts and began to fasten the buttons along the front of her neck. 'I know. Maybe if they could send me a competent assistant I would have someone I could recommend to take my place one day. As it stands, the very thought of that doe-eyed Saverra girl trying to deal with someone like the human ambassador, Udina; it makes me want to weep for the asari. People like that will tear her to pieces.'

'So hire a new one.'

'If only it was that simple. I can't fire the fool without good cause and she won't quit, no matter how uncomfortable I make things for her. She's the very worst kind of moron - stupid and stubborn.'

Antus sighed. 'I hope she takes the hint soon. The waiting is killing me.'

At that, Novari applied a new line of silver lipstick and turned to him, her hips rocking sensuously as she manoeuvred his arms back around her waist.

'I know it's been a long time, and everything you're doing for me is helping. I just can't leave, not yet. I couldn't in all good conscience walk away without leaving the prospects of my people in a better state than when I took over the job. As soon as I'm satisfied that the asari are in a dominant position in the galaxy, I will happily retire.'

Antus grunted as they touched foreheads tenderly. 'Far be it from me to deny a…"dominant position" for the asari.'

Still smiling, Novari gave him a mocking slap on the cheek before turning away to make the final touches to her appearance in front of the large mirror on the bedroom's far wall.

Antus breathed deeply as he watched her, and it was an agony to prise himself away from doing so, but a necessary one. With a heavy heart he fastened the last of his buckles and catches and set off back to the office a little early, hoping the day would provide something more to speed along the dreams of spending the rest of his years just as he had spent the past hour.

~~~ME-I2~~~

Arlen's Ezahn Heights apartment was gloomy and dour, hardly welcoming with its brown metal walls and filthy windows. Still, after nights spent on the Purgatory and in the holds of several ships, coupled with the unreal exhaustion weighing down every cell in his body, he felt ready to put his head down anywhere. The real challenge would be in not succumbing to the restful blackness and remaining there, rather than facing the hard truth of reality once more.

He staggered across the bare room to the bed, stopping only to power on the terminal at the nearby desk. He collapsed back onto the mattress, leaving his legs to dangle over the edge while he feebly pawed at his omni-tool.

'Knock yourself out,' he mumbled.

The omni-tool's amber shapes pulsed for a few moments and the terminal beeped in response. Petra's reply came a few seconds later.

'I can't wait to go home,' she complained. 'This place is so strange. The networks here are like the streets outside; tightly packed together, disorganised, easy to hide in for anyone who knows their way around.'

'Home,' Arlen repeated softly as he stared at the wall. 'Feels like a whole other galaxy away right now.'

'Well, it's still there, don't forget that. Everybody's waiting for you.'

Arlen closed his eyes. 'Yeah… I guess I'd better check in with them before I end up falling asleep.'

With a strained grunt, he pushed himself into a sitting position and rubbed between his face plates, taking care to avoid the stump of his shorn mandible. A shift in Omega's strange lighting, filtered into stripes by heavy external shutters, stretched out the shadows across the room. Arlen watched as they elongated and fled from wall to wall, an odd thing to see but when he looked back to see what had caused it, there was nothing but the same orange-yellow haze outside. He blinked hard, frowning, and almost missed Lina's voice as it poured through the terminal at high volume.

'Commander Lina'Xen here.'

'Lina, it's Arlen,' he said, pushing himself upright. He tried to massage the skin beneath his eyes. 'Can you hear me?'

'Loud and clear. It's good to hear your voice.'

'Likewise.' Arlen rose and began to strip off his overshirt, speaking as he moved. 'You know, this is the first time I've noticed you're using your real name. "Lina'Gerrel" not doing it for you anymore?'

'What's the point in hiding it now? I came clean with C-Sec about my past when Pallin promoted me. Even if my mother cared enough to find me, I doubt she'd want to draw the attention of Synthetic Insights, not with the length of time I had left on my indentureship. She probably owes them a few hundred thousand credits at least.'

'You're not worried Synthetic Insights will come after you themselves?'

'Only if I'm stupid enough to go back to Noveria. Their glorified slavery contracts aren't worth a damn thing in Council Space. I've thought it through, Arlen, you don't need to worry about me.'

Arlen flexed and pumped his bare arms as he paced the room, desperate to force some blood through his veins, to feel some life in his deadening limbs for just a bit longer. 'If you say so. Anyway, I'd better make this quick. I'm expected out again shortly, just wanted to make sure there's at least fifty thousand credits in that account you set up.'

Lina's shock was clear enough to make Arlen grin a little. 'Fifty thou-! Arlen, that's a tall order. What are you buying, your own ship?'

He thought ahead, going over his mental checklist for what he needed. Armour was the least of it.

'Insurance,' he answered wryly.

'I'll bet. Okay, let me see what I can do here. Just make sure it's worth it, I don't want to go from working off my mother's debts on Noveria, to working off my sentence here, to working off yet another debt for C-Sec. I've rather enjoyed my year of freedom so far and would very much like to keep it.'

Arlen had taken another shirt straight out of a small delivery crate, one that he'd ordered urgently before the first trip to Bekenstein. It was a selection of clean, cheap clothing from a local store, none of which looked particularly good but it'd been enough to simply not reek of Purgatory at the time. This example was dark red with grey panels along the sleeves and chest; uncomplicated enough to make him blend into any crowd.

He sat on the bed again, gripping the shirt tightly as his shoulders sagged. 'Don't worry. I know I'm not going to have another shot at this, which is why I want to be prepared. If I'm gonna take Zwei down, I'll need more than just a heavy suit to get around his biotics. I'll need hardening upgrades, dampening and interference firmware, flash grenades, a decent weapon with phasic rounds to bypass barriers. I'm not even sure if fifty grand will cover it all, but it'll get me the bare essentials.'

A soft tone sounded from Lina's end. 'Done. So, what's your plan?'

'You don't know already?' Arlen asked, glancing at the terminal in mild surprise. 'I thought my subdermals were picking up audio?'

'They haven't been functioning properly since you entered Donovan Hock's mansion. I don't know what the guy had installed in that place but it wrecked our gear. Deveraux thinks it's some kind of feedback loop that overloads unfriendly transmitters, but we didn't look into it too deeply. We were just glad you made it out alive.'

Arlen sighed deeply. 'Well, don't get too glad. We're heading back to Bekenstein tomorrow. Zwei wants to hit Hock back and he's gonna do it hard and fast.'

'Wha-?' Lina gasped. 'Does that guy have a death wish?'

'Him and his whole crew,' Arlen snorted. 'I've never seen anything like it before. I've lost count of how many times I've read their psych profiles over the past six months but to see it in person…' He fell quiet for a moment and shook his head. 'I need to get this done, quick.'

'How? You didn't answer my question - what's your plan?'

Arlen answered with the only certainty he felt, 'I'm going to haul Zwei in and take back the T-Seven.'

Lina's response was heavy with concern. 'That isn't a plan. Come on, Arlen, I've gone out on a limb for you already. I deserve to know what you're thinking. I helped you before when I called off Patrol from intercepting Zwei's ship. I didn't ask for an explanation then, I understood that if you'd have been able to, you would have given one. I know field work isn't about ideal circumstances. However, if you want me to go along with this, I can't be kept in the dark any longer.'

Arlen moved his lips, moistening his tongue. 'You already transferred the credits. You're already going along with it.'

'Yes, I am. So tell me as a friend.'

Wincing, Arlen leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. 'I don't know, all right? There is no plan. And yes, I'm aware that all this would be over by now if I gave the go-ahead to intercept but I couldn't do it.'

'Why not?'

Arlen's wounds throbbed as he flushed with sudden anger. He wasn't able to keep it all from entering his voice. 'What does it matter now? I know what needs to be done and I'll fix it. One way or another, it ends tomorrow, you can be sure of that.'

'It matters because we're not the only ones watching you!' Lina said with clear exasperation.

Arlen's lips parted. He sat up, his eyes scanning the apartment instinctively. 'What did you say?'

On the other side of the galaxy, Lina shifted uncomfortably and took her time to reply with care.

'Arlen, there's more going on here than you realise. Your captain, Avrix Ferrata, he's…he's dead.'

His eyes widening, Arlen's gaze snapped to the terminal. 'What? But how?'

Lina's sigh made the terminal speakers buzz softly. 'It's all gone to hell here. It'll take too long to explain but for now, just know two things - that he was trying to keep us away from Crimson Fist and was also keeping close tabs on you. I don't know why exactly, but what I can say is he was working for the turian military.'

Confusion flooded through Arlen, making him dizzy as a thousand questions filled his mind at once. He swayed slightly as he tried to digest what he'd learned.

'What do they want from me?' he finally asked, his voice hoarse.

'I told you, I don't know. All he said before he…he died, was that they suspect you of something. He didn't say what exactly.'

Arlen worked his jaw, trying to get some saliva back into his mouth. His face sank into his hands and he spoke from between his fingers.

'What could they be watching me for? I haven't had anything to do with the Hierarchy since joining C-Sec a year ago. It doesn't make sense.' He looked up. 'And why the hell would an agent for the turian military be helping Crimson Fist?'

'I wish I had an answer for you,' Lina said regretfully. 'Look, I'm sorry to spring this on you at a time like this. I just thought you needed to know. Be careful out there, okay? I don't know how long Ferrata was watching you, or if he's even the only one. But someone's taking an interest in you and it's clear they have something to do with this whole mess.'

Arlen let out a long, tortured breath as he looked up to the ceiling. His head felt like it was only being kept together by the singular purpose he had in bringing Zwei to justice. Between the constant pain of his injuries and Lina's revelation, all he could do was count on the only thing he knew for sure; his mission was the only thing that mattered.

'I'm heading out,' he stated evenly, pushing it all deep inside him. 'I might not get another chance to talk before we set off for Bekenstein, so I'll say this now. Thanks, Lina. For everything.'

It took a long time for the quarian to reply. Arlen's fingers twitched as he waited, and he tried to keep them busy by putting on his shirt. Even that seemed an unusually awkward task, and he fumbled with the thick material until at last, Lina spoke again.

'We still have your locator signal from the subdermals, which means that even though we can't hear what's going on, we at least know where you are. We can't set anything up in advance unless you give us fair warning, however, so keep that in mind. I won't ask you not to take any unnecessary risks because…well, you won't listen, will you?'

'I'll listen, but…'

'Right.' She let out a quiet huff. 'If you're set on doing this by yourself, then all I can say is…go get that bosh'tet.'

Though he knew she couldn't see it, Arlen couldn't help but nod solemnly. The comm signal ended with a soft click and he stared for a time at the blinking terminal display. The pressure that had threatened to overwhelm his mind began again and he crushed it instantly. Standing up for the last time, he focused on getting dressed for his meetup with Madsen.

Petra asked him something but her voice was faraway, nothing but an echo. All Arlen could do was let his body go through familiar motions like an automaton while his thoughts - his worst fears - raged and swirled like a violent storm deep inside him.

~~~ME-I2~~~

The turian embassy was silent with Ambassador Tessarius out attending various meetings through the afternoon. Only Antus remained behind to attend to some clerical duties, and only when he was certain no one would stop by to interrupt, he got up from his desk outside the ambassador's office. He paused to collect some datapads, which clicked and clattered as he shuffled them into a neat stack.

The Presidium was quiet, much more than it had been the past few days. Now the bomb scare in the Wards seemed to have passed, there was only the standard C-Sec presence instead of the constant stream of officers transiting from one Ward arm to another.

Antus thought on the matter for a moment. All embassy staff had been warned not to evacuate unless ordered to avoid sending a panic through the Presidium. Sound logic, but being one of the few who knew the truth behind the threat had tested his discipline during those times. If it hadn't been for Novari, he might well have made a break for it.

The thought of the asari ambassador brought a wide grin to his mandibles. He could still smell her on his skin, a delightfully subtle thing that brought with it its own sense of disappointment as well as pleasure. He would have given anything to remain in that bed with her instead of passing the time with useless bureaucracy.

Although, he thought to himself, leaving the thought unfinished to instead take action.

He set down the datapads and as he neared the ambassador's door, he activated his omni-tool with deft movements. It wasn't the first time he'd broken into Ciro's office and these were precisely the opportunities Antus waited for. The old fool would be gone for hours, leaving him plenty of time to seek out fresh secrets he could deliver to Novari.

As the omni-tool did its work, a sound made him look up in panic, the shuffling of footsteps coming down the hall. His heart leapt as he caught sight of blue skin and a figure-hugging dress, but his hopes were quenched as he realised it wasn't Novari. It was her young assistant, Eris Saverra, whom Antus recalled from their meeting with Ciro not long ago.

The omni-tool was already powered down by the time she saw him, but Antus was the first to speak.

'Can I help you?' he asked pointedly.

A fearful look came over the asari. It was an intensely odd thing to see in their species and Antus then knew why Novari couldn't stand her. She looked more naive than anyone he'd seen working in the Presidium by a fair margin.

Her large eyes turned askance for a heartbeat, as if she'd forgotten what she wanted to say. 'Um, I'm sorry to bother you. I was wondering, is Ambassador Tessarius here?'

'No, he has business in the human embassy. He'll be gone the rest of the day.' Antus raised a brow plate. 'He didn't mention an appointment with Ambassador Novari and I'm the one who organises his schedules. Am I missing something here?'

'N-no,' Eris stammered, gesticulating wildly. 'I'm so sorry, I just- That is, he um…left something behind. At the asari embassy, I mean.'

She held out something, a tiny golden object that glistened in the centre of her palm. Barely had Antus taken a look before Eris closed her fingers over it, making him frown in annoyance.

'He didn't mention he'd dropped anything,' he said gruffly. 'Why don't you leave it with me?'

Some strength found its way into Eris' voice and her eyes hardened to match. 'No, thank you. It could be deeply personal to Cir- …to Ambassador Tessarius, I'd rather ensure it found its way back into his hands.'

Antus checked the rise in his temper and managed a gracious smile. 'I will respect your wishes, but you have nothing to fear. I have been the ambassador's loyal aide for many years now, his most trusted servant. If you change your mind, I will ensure he receives whatever you leave for him as soon as possible. He is a busy man, however, so I cannot guarantee when he will be able to spare the time to see you.'

After some thought, Eris nodded and the reluctance melted from her response. 'Yes, of course. I'm sorry, it just looked valuable and, well…'

'It's fine, you are right to be cautious. This is a treacherous galaxy we live in, after all.'

He held out his hand and Eris dropped into it a small pin, an ornamental gold emblem of the Turian Hierarchy. Antus pursed his brow, struggling to remember when he'd seen the old man wear such a thing.

He realised Eris was awkwardly waiting to be dismissed and he did so with a dip of his head. She gave him a shallow bow before leaving, and Antus stood for a time, staring at the pin in bewilderment. He ran through his memories of a few days ago. He recalled the meeting with Novari but in truth, he'd paid little attention to anything but her for the entire duration.

He cursed softly under his breath before shrugging. Placing the pin in a secure compartment of his desk, he considered Eris, in particular her nervous manner. Had she been that anxious when she'd visited the other day? It seemed magnified tenfold just now.

Antus threw glances back down the hall in repeated, jerky movements. His lips worked silently as he asked himself, Did she see me trying to break into the office?

His eyes narrowed. Surely she hadn't been there when he started his omni-tool bypass on the door. She would have said something.

Wouldn't she?

Antus sat down and rested his elbows on the desk, clasping his hands together pensively. He tried to replay the last few minutes in his head, over and over. The more he did, the more suspicious his behaviour might have seemed to others in his own head. The girl was certainly unnerved by something, that much was undeniable.

His hands rubbed together in a frantic motion Antus couldn't control. It was all he could do; sit in mute suspense, fretting and agonising that his lover's assistant may have caught him doing something that, if word reached Ciro's ears, would see him arrested. He tried to rationalise his sordid fears, all to no avail as the peace of the Presidium, for the first time in his experience, became a uniquely haunting emptiness.

In that emptiness, his imagination took delight in torturing him.

~~~ME-I2~~~

The grime and grease of Omega's streets was thickest where the crowds were heaviest, and in Gozu district that was the local bazaar. Located some way beyond Ezahn Heights, it was a densely packed area with open kiosks crammed together in a web of alleyways barely able to fit two people side-by-side. Some kind of atmosphere processing plant lay adjacent to the area and there was a constant pall of steam hanging overhead, trapping in the body heat of thousands.

Arlen could barely keep sight of Madsen as the human pushed through knots of batarians and vorcha, who congregated in small gangs looking for work. They had plied nearly every weapon, armour and tech store in the market, spending big in the process. All their purchases would be delivered to Zwei's warehouse before the end of the day and, unsurprisingly, the man himself seemed to hold a fearsome reputation among the vendors, enough to ensure the shipments would arrive correctly and on time.

'We'll be gearing up first thing,' Madsen called out over the wall of voices around them. 'He wants us on Bekenstein around dawn local time, so we'll need to set out before midday. It's gonna be tight but this plan he's putting together relies on getting there as early as we can while also making sure we're rested and good to go. With the time difference alone, it's gonna be one long-ass day.'

'What can you tell me about this plan so far?' Arlen asked, straining to make himself heard.

'Nothin'. I only know the bare bones myself but I know Zwei'll wanna surprise everyone.'

'I'm just curious. After we barely managed to get out of Hock's compound alive, it'd be crazy to assault the place directly.'

At that, Madsen peered back with a cunning grin. 'You're right. That would be crazy.'

Arlen couldn't be bothered to get angry at the constant secrecy anymore. Perhaps that was why the entire crew seemed so unfazed by this cycle of death and anarchy. They had all probably given up on finding reason in their lives a long time ago.

He went over his acquisitions again in his head, having found a vendor who stocked almost everything he required. He doubted the batarian in question was licensed to sell Serrice Council products, being an asari conglomerate, but the goods were certainly genuine. A suit of medium-class armour along with an omni-tool upgrade, biotic protection mods and more awaited his return to the warehouse. Few manufacturers could match asari craftsmanship, and Arlen counted himself fortunate to find such a treasure trove on Omega, even if it had eaten up more than his allocated budget.

As he absent-mindedly skirted a trio of gossiping salarians, he wondered if Zwei would get any ideas should he see the shipment, quickly banishing his reservations with a shake of his head. If they were taking on Hock then they would no doubt be fighting Eclipse mercs again, and their ranks were filled with deadly biotic warriors. His cover would hold.

The entrance to the bazaar, a scrappy sign of native batarian lettering in burning red neon, loomed overhead and Arlen realised they'd made a full circuit of the area. Moreover, it was time to leave, and it took a huge effort not to smile at the thought of finally returning to his bed.

Madsen opened his omni-tool and sifted through a few displays. 'Okay, that should do it. Zwei wants us back at the warehouse in uh…let's see…about nine hours. All our stuff should be ready and waiting. You're doin' good so far, Riko, but this is what's gonna really prove what you're made of to the boss.'

'Don't worry about me,' Arlen growled. 'After the week I've had, I'm ready to get some killing done.'

The response made Madsen grin. He shut down his omni-tool and clapped Arlen on the shoulder. 'That's my boy. I'll see you later.'

The two men went their separate ways, Arlen proceeding down a branching path to the left while Madsen carried on down the main street for a ways. He didn't notice the shadow that detached itself from the recesses of a nearby doorway and slowly start to follow him.

The omni-tool came out again and Madsen buried himself in it once more. His hand waved aside screen after screen, the outer polygons throwing their orange glow onto his face and the walls of an alley as he detoured into its dark confines.

The sounds of the crowd grew quiet almost instantly. All that could be heard was the hiss of steam, the dripping of condensation from the pipes and cabling that criss-crossed the narrow space overhead, and Madsen's own shuffling feet.

He frowned slightly.

There was another set of footsteps, loud and heavy.

He turned, too late.

A huge hand grabbed Madsen by the throat. He tried to shout but the sound wouldn't come out, just a choking, spluttering gasp. He felt himself being lifted off the ground, his feet scraping the metal floor. His omni-tool was still active and its light sent the alley shadows into a frenzy as his arm flailed, then gripped the hand that was clamped like a vise around his neck.

The choking noises continued as he stared wild-eyed into the face of an enormous krogan.

Inamorda saw the fear, the absolute terror in Madsen's gaze as with a savage jerk, he broke the human's neck.

The body hit the ground with a thump, dead and still. With the omni-tool still casting an ominous glow upon him, Inamorda turned and stalked away from his kill. Omega did not see the murder and if it did, it wouldn't have cared.