Mass Effect: Interceptor 2

by Mothbanquet

Six months after the Battle of the Citadel, Arlen Kryik is a prolific but burnt-out C-Sec agent on the trail of a sadistic criminal gang leader. As his path again crosses that of C-Sec's Joint Security Task Force, who are dealing with a major terrorist threat to the Citadel, Arlen faces a race against time not only to save lives but to avoid falling prey to his own personal demons.

17. Episode 17

MASS EFFECT: INTERCEPTOR 2

*Episode Seventeen*

Ciro made his way out of the human embassy with a half dozen other turian dignitaries in tow. All were clad either in robes of state, expensive suits or military dress uniforms of both army and navy. The white-panelled corridor thrummed with the reverberations of turian vocal chords as they conversed, offering opinions and congratulations with varying degrees of enthusiasm, but none loud enough to break the Presidium calm that permeated the embassy complex.

From Ambassador Udina's office came a mingling of softer human voices, which swiftly disappeared when the door closed. Before they vanished, Ciro was pleased to note their tone of satisfied approval. The meeting had gone well, better than he could've hoped for, in fact. With him stood many of the Turian Empire's most influential individuals - men and women who would inform the decisions of the Primarch of Palaven in the coming days - and together they'd not only welcomed the new human councillor, David Anderson, to the galactic forum but sketched out the premise of a new trade deal that would bring new prosperity to both peoples. It was a triumph of interspecies cooperation that would've been unthinkable only months before, but saving the lives of the Citadel Council in the geth attack and destroying the synthetics' flagship at great cost in lives had bought the humans more goodwill than anyone could have possibly foreseen. If their sacrifice was not rewarded, who would rush to the Council's aid should the same thing happen again one day?

Though he hated to admit it, and would never do so to the man's face, Ciro grudgingly knew he had to give Admiral Kaion some credit for the outcome of the negotiation. Kaion's unabashedly, not to mention surprising, pro-human stance on the Citadel Fleet had gone down well with Anderson; himself a serving Systems Alliance officer. It also served to allay concerns that the turians had deployed the "super dreadnought" - a term being thrown around more and more in recent days - Kanderax as some kind of veiled warning to the humans. Their own representative for the combined fleet, Admiral Steven Hackett, if Ciro recalled the name correctly, was due to meet the other commanders late that very night. He prayed to the spirits that particular conference would go just as smoothly.

He was so wrapped up in bidding his companions farewell that he almost didn't notice the flash of blue skin standing to one side at the end of the hallway. Raising his brows, he leaned back slightly to get a better look, distracted enough to miss one general's outstretched hand. He apologised profusely and shook it, but couldn't take his eyes off Eris as she loitered at the exit.

She kept her head and eyes down respectfully as the line of dignitaries passed by. Ciro had purposefully slowed, allowing himself to drift to the back of the group, and no one noticed him stop to greet the asari maiden.

Ciro grinned, though his surprise was obvious. 'I didn't expect to see you here. Are you here to see Ambassador Udina?'

Eris returned his smile and hid a giggle behind her hand. 'What business would someone like me have with a man that important, exactly?'

'Oh, I don't know. Perhaps you make a habit of charming all the Council races' politicians. You're very good at it, after all.'

She slapped him playfully on the arm. 'Don't be silly. I came to see you, your assistant said you'd be here.'

'Antus told you? Remind me to have a word with him about his definition of the word "classified". It's supposed to apply to my itinerary.'

Eris' face fell. 'Oh, please don't tell him I told you! I don't want to get anyone in trouble! It really wasn't his fault - you see, I wanted to give you something. It's nothing much, just a little present. I saw it in the Emporium the other day and, well…'

'A gift?' Ciro exclaimed. His lips moved without sound for a moment and he wasn't entirely sure why. He gathered his senses with a gentle shake of his head. 'That's…very kind of you, but I… What is it, exactly?'

The young woman rolled her eyes. 'It was supposed to be a surprise, and it still is, so don't ask! I left it with your assistant, I…sorta panicked when he told me you weren't there, so I told him you dropped it in Miss Novari's office the last time you visited. I didn't want to make it seem like I was only there to see you, I know how that would look.'

Ciro digested her explanation, hesitation playing across his features. He saw how stressed she was becoming and put a hand on her arm, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

'It's okay,' he said quietly. 'You did the right thing. I'll collect it from Antus later. I just, I don't know… It's been a long time since anyone bought me a gift. It's not a familiar feeling.'

Eris opened her mouth to reply, then scanned her surroundings and thought better of it. She lowered her voice and leaned in to whisper, 'You know, I also came over because I wanted to ask - would you like to meet up again for another lesson? Maybe tonight, after work? I kinda talked your ear off the last time, we didn't get much in the way of tutoring done.'

Joy flooded through Ciro at the invitation, though his expression was caught between that and embarrassment at how obviously his pleasure - and, perhaps, relief - was reflected in his grin. He tugged at the collar of his suit, trying to worm a finger down to where his neck had suddenly become very warm and uncomfortable.

As quickly as the elation came, it was replaced by disappointment as memory of his schedule intervened, and he inwardly cursed the very concept of turian discipline as he said, 'Oh, damn. Sorry, I can't. I really can't. They're holding a very important meeting of the Citadel Fleet admirals tonight and I need to be on hand to review the outcome once it's over.'

Eris nodded, her own dejection clear no matter how she tried to visibly hide it. Ciro hated to see it and he rushed to offer her an alternative.

'But I'll be free all tomorrow. It's a rare day off for me, so you can stop by anytime you like. Here, do you have an omni-tool? I'll give you my address, it's not far. That is, if that plan suits you? Meeting at my home?'

Eris clasped her hands in front of her waist and her teeth glimmered like pearls as she grinned impishly. 'Sure! Only if you're cooking, though, I won't have time to go all the way back home for dinner, it's at the far end of Tayseri Ward. You have levo-amino stuff for guests, I take it?'

'Um…actually, no. I don't really entertain much these days. Not privately, anyway.'

'Then call it your assignment for your day off,' she joked before bringing up her omni-tool. It pulsed for a moment, confirming the transfer of data. 'After all, I'm gonna have my hands full with your tutorship, right? Plus, I'm curious to see if your knowledge of other species extends to fine cuisine.'

She turned to leave and it dawned on Ciro that though he'd spent so much time talking that day, this was the first time he had come close to being speechless. He watched Eris go, his look of real admiration only intensifying when she poked her head back through the open doorway.

'Don't forget your gift, okay?'

He chuckled, holding her in his amber gaze. 'Thank you. I didn't say that before, did I?'

'Better late than never.' Her eyes shone with mischief. 'See you tomorrow, Ciro.'

'Looking forward to it, Eris.'

Her face disappeared and with it, a sensation that Ciro had buried within his heart for years. It was a strange but welcome thing to feel, the return of that simple and uncomplicated glee of truly enjoying another's company. However, as that old forgotten part of him surfaced, so did the voice that whispered of his hopes for something more. He did his best to push it away. He couldn't take anything for granted, least of all the companionship of a young woman whose own intentions he didn't yet know.

He took a deep breath. Friendship would be enough. It had to be.

~~~ME-I2~~~

The break room inside the JSTF complex had a somewhat unsavoury reputation. While it contained tables, chairs and dispenser units capable of sustaining a small army of just about every species in the galaxy, the harsh white lighting invariably gave anyone who lingered there too long a nasty headache. It discouraged people from loitering, though some also used the Task Force's air of mystique among the other C-Sec divisions to foster rumours of mind control and bizarre methods of surveillance to frighten newcomers.

Lorica hadn't been there for some time. Her Wards apartment was very close to C-Sec headquarters, so she generally went home to get what she needed; not that she had much time for breaks lately. Since her promotion to team lead, the only thing that she could count on with any regularity were the many disasters hurled their way by the galaxy at large.

She entered the break room, wincing as the light stung her eyes. The corridors were dim and it took a few seconds to adjust, though she also picked up a slight buzzing noise in the air. She didn't know who the hell designed the place, but already the urge to tear them apart with her biotics was rising.

There was only one other person there, seated at a two-person table next to a vending machine. Lorica took the opposite seat and entwined her fingers, wondering how she should begin.

'I'm sorry,' she said.

Kim was engrossed in a game on her omni-tool. Her quick fingers picked at a projected control pad, the simulated buttons lighting up in sequence with every stroke. Lorica couldn't see what she was playing, but then probably wouldn't have recognised it anyway. Gaming wasn't her thing, and the Goddess only knew how much it irked her when she saw Kim playing something during their alone time together.

'What for?' Kim asked without taking her eyes from the game.

'You know what for. The way I spoke to you earlier.'

Kimberley tutted and her red ponytail bobbed up and down as she swore under her breath. 'Damn it! Cheap motherf- Look, can this wait? I've only got a few minutes to get to the next checkpoint and this guy's kicking my ass.'

Lorica expelled a hiss of breath through her nostrils, annoyance getting the better of her.

'Can't your damn game wait? This is important to me.'

A faint crash, followed by a mournful "game over" tune, forced Kim's gaze upwards.

'You don't need to apologise, okay? I'm a professional and you're my boss. If I was bothered by my superiors yelling at me, I wouldn't have made it through the academy.'

'I'm not just your superior.'

'When we're in this place, you are,' Kim argued. Her bright eyes didn't stray from Lorica, though her tone was hardly the reconciliatory one the asari had hoped to hear. 'It's nice, not having to hide our relationship like we might've had to if we both worked Investigation, with all the politics involved - but I'm not stupid. I know the age difference between us is in the three figures, but please, don't treat me like I'm not mature enough to be here.'

Lorica pursed her lips, then nodded. 'Yeah, okay, you're right. Then maybe I can change my apology to, well, being sorry about not being able to be as mature as you?'

At that, Kim gave her a knowing grin.

'Apology accepted.' She shut down her omni-tool and leaned forward over the table, speaking in barely more than a whisper. 'You know, I didn't believe them at first, when they told me about you.'

Blinking, Lorica crossed her arms defensively. She tried to keep her response light but wasn't able to stop a note of resentment from leaking in.

'What did you hear about me?'

'That you let your personal feelings get in the way of the job sometimes. That you don't know where your private life ends and your professional life begins.'

Lorica wasn't prepared for an argument. She made to stand up but Kim reached out and gently took hold of her wrist. Lorica almost yanked it away but the sad smile on Kim's lips stopped her. She relaxed once more and allowed Kim to continue.

'I also heard about Milo,' she murmured, her eyes glistening, 'and I can't imagine how much that must've hurt. To have someone you love not only have been lying to you the whole time, but also take advantage of that love to play you against someone else.'

The asari let out a snort. 'Yeah, then try to kill that someone else, don't forget that part.'

Kim squeezed her hand. 'But you're still here after all that, still giving everything you've got to keep people safe. I admire that about you, so don't feel like you have to apologise for doing it, even if you end up yelling at us from time to time.'

Lorica smiled and caressed the back of Kim's hand with her thumb. She stared down at the table, lost in thought. If only it was as simple as her losing her temper, and not the gnawing stress of having to keep Lina's actions secret, actions that were merely a string of consequences to events beyond their control. If they hadn't stolen evidence from an Investigation crime scene then they wouldn't have caught Ferrata. If Lina hadn't interrogated - tortured - Ferrata, then they wouldn't have known he was playing both sides. And then there was Arlen's part in everything.

She closed her eyes at the thought of the turian. Though she didn't have the same relationship with him Lina did, a relationship the quarian had never completely disclosed to her, he was still part of the Forgotten Legion crisis a year before. He'd been the driving force behind the investigation, and he too lost someone dear to him in the process.

None of this Lorica could share with Kim, not in a way she could truly understand. Even her knowledge of Milo made Lorica uncomfortable, but that couldn't be helped now.

'I was in your shoes a year ago,' she commented whimsically before meeting Kim's eyes again. 'Everything here was new and exciting. The Task Force was an unproven concept for a lot of us, with the idea coming from human organisations similar to this one. We asari weren't used to having to be this decisive, and the turians always saw intelligence agencies as dishonourable. Salarians are born to this work, but they don't have the kind of pull in C-Sec as the other races. When I first stepped into the command centre I felt part of something really special. A new initiative for a new age.'

'Hasn't quite worked out the way you expected, huh?'

Lorica shook her head. 'I don't think any of us could've expected this. Turns out it's not that simple, trying to make C-Sec's rules apply to a greater galaxy that doesn't care much for them.'

She stopped short of saying what she really felt; It feels like we're breaking the law every time we try to enforce it.

'I get the idea behind it,' Kim mused. 'C-Sec wanted the reach and influence of the Spectres, along with the accountability and control over its own agents. Maybe the two things have to be mutually exclusive.'

Sighing, Lorica let go of her hand. 'If that's the case, then we may as well be out of a job, because those contradictions aren't going away.'

'Maybe it's all about finding a balance?'

A bitter smile came over Lorica. 'To find something, you have to be looking. To look for something, you have to know where to start.'

A soft two-toned beep came from Lorica's idle omni-tool and she activated it, keen to move on from the solemn discussion. Instantly, her manner changed and she rose energetically to her feet.

'It's Mike,' she said. 'He's got something for us.'

~~~ME-I2~~~

Lina was already standing over Deveraux's desk, her arms crossed and each pair of fingers tapping on her suited biceps impatiently. She couldn't take her eyes off the information on his terminal as it cast a clear reflection over her faceplate.

'You're sure this is accurate?' she asked him. 'It isn't some kind of forgery or something to misdirect us?'

Lina already knew the answer, and wasn't surprised when Mike responded confidently, 'Already confirmed with what we have on record, Ma'am. I mean, this information is so classified that even what we have is probably years out of date, and we can't exactly go asking the asari to verify it yet, right?'

'Right,' Lina affirmed. What they were looking at had even the verbose Ket tight-lipped, the implications of it weighing on all their minds.

Lina's hips pivoted at the sound of Lorica and Kim's hurried footfalls behind her, just enough for to glance at them in greeting before returning her attention to Deveraux's computer. She gestured to it.

'Take a look.'

Kim allowed Lorica to move in front and both women peered at the display. Kim gave a confused look but Lorica's eyes widened almost instantly.

'This was on Ferrata's OSD?'

'That's right,' Lina replied. She stared for a few moments at the constantly rotating and scrolling array of lines and diagrams, labels and denotations. When she spoke again it was an awed hush.

'Do you realise what we're looking at?'

The certainty in Lorica's voice only increased the sense of dread in the air.

'These are the complete technical readouts of the Destiny Ascension, flagship of the asari and Citadel fleets.'

Kim's lips opened in shock. 'The Destiny Ascension? How- Why do Crimson Fist have these schematics?'

Ket placed a hand on his forehead. Lina braced herself for another example of his lack of timing and propriety, but somehow the seriousness of the salarian's voice chilled her even more.

'The plans for one of the most powerful ships in Council space in the hands of batarians, and not those friendly Khar'shan types, either.'

'In the hands of batarians,' Lorica muttered, 'then in the hands of a turian who confessed to being a Hierarchy spy. Who did we piss off to earn this?'

'Whoever it was,' Lina announced, 'chances are good they've given us Crimson Fist's intended target for the T-Seven. It's not much of a lead but it looks like there's a lot more of that disk left to decrypt, so who knows what else we'll find? I'm surprised we even managed to pull out this data so quickly.'

The light glinted off Deveraux's glasses as he looked up at her. 'About that, I'm not sure why but the batarians only encrypted the data in individual packets. Maybe they're using different keys for each packet?'

'Or they had encrypted data already on the disk from different sources,' Ket remarked. 'If they've been piecing together information on their targets then that would make sense. You can't find human commercial building plans in the same place as asari warships, after all.'

Deveraux fidgeted in his chair, frowning. 'Still begs the question; why not secure the whole disc before giving it to Molach?'

'They didn't know how,' Lina said, her mind working a parsec a minute. 'Someone gave Crimson Fist this information piece by piece and they put it all in one place, but didn't have the ability or the nous to secure the whole thing. If they had, we'd be lucky to break that encryption before my retirement party. This is proof of third party involvement, as if that wasn't obvious enough.'

'But the encryption keys come straight from C-Sec,' Kim pointed out. 'So doesn't that mean Ferrata locked out the disc when he took it from Molach's apartment?'

'It'd take a while,' Deveraux told her. 'For this much data with this complex a cipher, at a guess, you'd be looking at over six hours. And that's on decent hardware. On a standard issue C-Sec office terminal? You'd be waiting a day, maybe a night too. There's no way Ferrata could put all this in place in the few hours between Investigation reaching Molach's home and us getting to him.'

Lorica added, 'So Ferrata gets the information together, puts it on the disc, hands it to Molach when the scumbag arrives on the Citadel. Then, when Ferrata hears that everything's gone south at the Silver Coast, he raids Molach's place and takes the disc back.'

'Makes sense,' said Ket. 'Now there's only the matter of when, where, how and why Ferrata got hold of this data to begin with.'

There were too many questions and not even nearly enough answers. Lina turned away abruptly, bringing up her omni-tool and keying in a string of commands.

'I'm going to put another team on this and have them relay anything else they pull off the disc over to you, Mike. Liaise with Senior Analyst Kalix, she'll know what to do. When you've briefed her, go get some rest, you've been on the clock for almost forty-eight hours now. Hopefully Kalix will have something by the time you return but either way, I want you on something more active than watching code for hours on end.'

Deveraux sniffed loudly and pushed up his glasses. 'I'm ready now, Ma'am.'

The human was putting a brave face on his exhaustion but nothing could disguise the dark rings lining his eyelids. His skin was growing waxy and sallow, a sure sign that if he didn't sleep soon, his body would start shutting down. Lina knew how that felt, and that only made her voice grow more stern as she reinforced the order.

'No, you're not. Speak to Kalix and go rest up, I won't tell you again.'

She knew his heart was in the right place, and it was for that reason her own twinged a little with sympathy as Deveraux gave a slow, defeated nod. After giving him a reassuring touch on the shoulder - an action that she herself would've reacted to with suspicion just a year before but thought little of now - Lina looked to Ket.

'These schematics could only have come from asari defence archives. I want you to scope out their government's internal communications with C-Sec over the past twelve months, run a search for any security leaks or reported breaches of their networks. If whoever stole these plans didn't break in from the outside then someone must've smuggled them out. The asari are sticklers for going through official channels. If they did, it would've been reported to C-Sec for investigation.'

'And if they didn't?' Ket asked.

Lorica answered for them both as she rubbed her forehead anxiously. 'Oh Goddess, please don't give us a Crimson Fist mole within the asari military. It's bad enough the turians are involved.'

Lina remained focused. 'If they covered it up, you'll find nothing and we'll have one more nasty surprise to add to the pile.'

Ket's head wove an uneven line up and down, halfway between a nod and a shake. 'All right, Commander. I take it I'm to keep my presence a secret?'

'Guard it like it's a breeding contract,' Lina mockingly confirmed.

That was something Ket could understand. He went to his task with his typical salarian vivacity and Lina turned to Kim and Lorica.

'Ket will only be able to get so far without having to hack into asari government servers. He's good but if the information we need isn't out there in the open, then it'll be under wraps, meaning we'll have no choice but to go hunting for it. If Ket is caught breaking into those networks and the intrusion is traced to us…'

'Then our little break-in with Patrol the other day will seem like a harmless prank by comparison,' Lorica finished grimly. 'We'll be looking at a damn intergalactic incident.'

Kim looked between her and Lina, her eyes shining with concern. 'But we can't just ignore this, can we?'

Lorica smiled despite the heavy mood, and Lina was somewhat surprised to find she was glad to see it. The more they all dug into this quagmire of an investigation, the dirtier their hands were getting. Though she'd tried to spare Lorica's team the worst of it, circumstances were now forcing them into the wider crisis. That her people could still do something as simple as smile was a good sign - they were helping one another through it in a way she would have envied a year ago.

'No, we can't,' Lina finally answered. Her milky eyes moved between Lorica and Kim as a plan began to form in her mind. 'We need to know where those schematics came from. Kimberley, this one's yours. Go over the file while Mike's on downtime. There has to be some kind of electronic signature, some internal changelog, anything that can tell us where it came from and, hopefully, who downloaded it.'

'Right.'

As Kim immediately made for her desk and got to work, Lorica looked at the commander expectantly. 'What do you want me to do?'

Lina folded her arms again and her fingers once more resumed their rhythmic beat. Despite the shock of their discovery, it felt like they finally had something to go on and some of the energy that had been lost over the past day returned.

'I need you to come up with a plan to sneak a covert surveillance hack into the asari diplomatic servers in the Presidium. They'll be linked to every high-level network in the Asari Republics in some way or another, either directly or via comm traffic, agreed?'

'Yeah, I suppose,' Lorica concurred cautiously. 'You know we love to talk. Nearly every matriarch in the galaxy contacts the embassy everyday, it's the vital connection point between the Republics and the Council.'

There was something odd about her tone but Lina didn't have time to query it. It barely registered as her movements became more animated, with plans, ideas, contingencies and complications rushing through her thoughts. It was an almost painful, physical pressure on her senses but she treasured it. It meant that she was back in her element.

'Whatever you decide on, it can't be done from here,' she reiterated firmly. 'Find someone who can go out to the asari embassy and upload a worm, one of our invisibles. Get Analyst Lumas to rig it with a comjack package so anything coming back to us gets top priority on the comm buoys, as well as a killswitch so we can get rid of the evidence when we're done. It won't be long before we've got eyes on every high-ranking asari system in Citadel space and we can see where these schematics came from and who stole them.'

'Don't you want to at least notify them there's a leak?' Lorica asked. Again there was that unusual note of alarm but Lina dismissed it.

'No. There's a good chance this data theft was an inside job, like it was with Ferrata. We almost lost him when he realised we were getting close and it nearly cost Officer Lang his life. I don't want whoever this is running before we're ready to bring them in. We keep this quiet until we've got all the facts.'

Lorica conceded the point with a nod. 'Understood. There's still the matter of how we're going to upload this thing. If it needs to be done locally, we'll need a damn good excuse to be there. I don't think they'll buy an unscheduled maintenance worker turning up out of the blue, not with political tensions this high all over.'

'I'll leave this with you, I know you'll think of something.'

Lorica considered the situation for a moment and it wasn't long before she came to a decision. 'I'm still not sure how, but I know exactly who we can use for this.'

~~~ME-I2~~~

The afternoon drew into early evening, and usually Antus would look up at the Presidium sky to see if it was beginning the slow transition into its night cycle. More often than not, it was his sole cue to finish work for the day, opening hours having a somewhat fluid definition on the Citadel at the best of times. There was no sky to see, however, in the busy Tayseri financial district in which he stood. It was just a boulevard of typical Wards architecture, made distinct only by the multitude of asari citizens and aesthetic additions to local storefronts. A soft lilac sheen bathed Antus' face as he leaned against a balcony railing, staring out of a vast window at the nebula outside.

A pleasant scent entered his senses, making him grunt in appreciation. It was a subtle one of spices, flowers, maybe even both; sweet, complex and anything but overpowering. Such was a common thing in areas where asari congregated. It was something Antus had come to like about their people, and one aspect that he wished had rubbed off on his own. Turians, more likely than not, would view such amenities as mere frivolities, a waste when something more efficient and functional could use up those resources instead.

The plates of his brows and mandibles moved slightly as he thought on the events of the past day, from the high of his midday tryst with Novari to the sudden and intense paranoia he'd felt - and continued to feel - at the appearance of her assistant. Such was the risk involved with his relationship with the asari ambassador that it had taken a long time to grow used to the constant fear that something would happen to compromise it. Now the feeling was just as raw as it'd been at the very start, like a scab torn off a wound that had just started to heal.

He let out a quiet, near-silent sigh. He couldn't lose her. Not now.

As if answering his thoughts, a body shifted into place beside him and joined him in looking out at the great expanse.

'This better be good,' Novari muttered. 'I had to cancel two appointments to be here. You're lucky they weren't important.'

'You know I wouldn't ask to meet up in public like this unless it was serious. I didn't want to risk being seen in the Presidium.' He was unable to stop himself from looking about nervously. 'That assistant of yours. Do you trust her?'

She eyed him with equal parts suspicion and surprise. 'That's an odd thing to ask. If this is about what I said earlier, what more needs adding? She's clumsy, awkward, obvious in her thoughts and actions. I barely trust her to make the tea, let alone potentially handle diplomatic affairs one day.'

'What about keeping her mouth shut?'

Antus' eyes slid over to Novari slowly. He tried his best to keep his expression neutral rather than make her worry, but it did no good. Novari frowned immediately and leaned further over the balcony to look at him directly.

'What are you talking about?'

Taking in a deep lungful of the sweetened air, he expelled it through his nostril slits as he looked back to the window.

'She came by earlier, said the old man dropped some kind of brooch or pin in your office the last time he was there.'

Confusion plastered itself over Novari's features, made somehow more pronounced by the purpling of her skin, courtesy of the nebula.

'That was over two weeks ago,' she thought aloud. 'Nearly three. We've been holding all our recent meetings in your embassy. I would've heard of it if Tessarius had lost something, and if Eris found it the spineless oaf certainly wouldn't have taken it upon herself to take it back alone. I've told her countless times not to bother her betters.'

Antus was perplexed. He stared at nothing even as outside, a turian frigate coasted by so closely that it caused a flutter of exclamations and pointing from the surrounding crowd.

'I thought she looked nervous.'

'That's just the way she is,' Novari said waspishly. 'You try being around her every day, it'll drive you insane.'

'I know she's twitchy but I thought that was because she saw me-'

Antus clamped down his mouth, nearly biting through his tongue. Novari was far too attentive not to notice his hesitation and her eyes snapped to him instantly, focusing on him with a ferocity that almost took him aback.

'Saw you what? What were you doing?'

To even think about it brought a flush of humiliation to his skin, making him feel hot under his crest.

'I-I thought the place was empty. It was empty,' he began plaintively. 'I do it often when the old man's gone for the day. I know my way around the lock on that door like the back of my hand, it would've only taken a second longer but…'

He blinked hard in shock as Novari gripped his arm painfully. Her voice was a harsh hiss and her eyes like cold sapphires, wide in their sockets.

'What did you do?'

'I think…I think she saw me breaking into Ciro's office.'

Antus winced as the pressure on his arm became crushing. Novari's mouth opened a little but nothing came out. She could only glare at him in total disbelief and turn despondently back to the void.

'I can't believe it,' she said with an incredulous snort. 'What the hell possessed you to do such a thing? Are you completely insane?'

'It's not like I-!' Antus stopped, suddenly aware he was beginning to shout. He began to move away, jerking his head for Novari to follow. The threads of pedestrians gave him the illusion of anonymity and he found it easier to explain as he walked. 'It wasn't the first time I've forced my way in there. I've gotten it down to a fine art over the years, how the hell was I supposed to know your damn assistant of all people was there watching me?'

Novari lowered her voice, though it was still sharp with accusation. 'You know how dangerous this is, what we're doing! As if our seeing each other wasn't enough of a risk to my career, now you've been caught breaking the law! What if C-Sec gets involved? What if they find out what you've been doing all this time?'

For what felt like the first time in all their years together, Antus lost his temper with her. His feet scraped as he came to a stop and whirled on the spot to jab a finger at Novari.

'What I've been doing is trying to secure our future together!' he snapped. 'What did you think? That all that information, all those discs, all those files, just fell out of the nearest airlock? What the hell do you think I've been doing for the past three years?'

'Keep your voice down!' Novari whispered, glancing about fearfully.

He did quieten, but pressed close enough to her so she could hear everything he had to say. Indignation made his voice burn.

'Yes, I have been taking risks. I've been taking every one I can, just to help you get an upper hand in whatever you feel you need to do before you can leave it all behind. I've cast aside my honour, my oaths, my loyalty, all for you! I can take the sneaking around, the secrecy, the aloofness when you've got work on your mind. I can take the endless waiting because I know that by the end, everything we've dreamed of will come true. But do not act like none of what's happened between us has been easy for me, or that none of it was worthwhile!'

He paused as he saw Novari's eyes glisten and he realised she was shaking. He took the opportunity to place his forehead against hers, and spoke soothingly.

'Because if you're saying none of this was worth it,' he added softly, 'then I'll have nothing left.'

Her stony facade breaking, Novari closed her eyes and took a deep, shuddering breath. Her hand reached up to caress Antus' mandible.

'I know,' she breathed, 'I'm sorry. Look, maybe Eris didn't know what you were doing. She's a fool at the best of times. She probably thought you were making a call or something, we can't jump to conclusions. I shouldn't have railed on you like that.'

Antus drew Novari into his arms and she squeezed him desperately. He cradled her head with a hand and it dawned on him that she was utterly exhausted. The stress of having to be a strong agent for the asari, the unfathomable responsibilities she placed on herself, it all evaporated for a moment to leave a woman who longed for the same thing he did; to be with the one she loved. He didn't see it often but when he did, it gave him the strength he needed to keep fighting for her.

'She told me she had to run some personal errands this afternoon,' Novari pondered as she lifted her head from his chest. 'That little bitch. A hell of an errand she was running.'

'And you didn't know anything about this pin Ciro "dropped"?' Antus asked, grateful for the change of subject.

Novari shook her head. 'No, there's something funny going on. It makes no sense. I would've heard about it if anything was lost. Your boss would have asked about it long before now, and if Eris found it, why leave it until now to return it? Between that and her just so happening to show up when…'

Antus tensed as she trailed off, and became painfully rigid when her eyes swept over him, her voice hardening.

'I want to see what she handed to you. Do you still have it?'

'Yes, it's locked in my desk. Ciro isn't working tomorrow, so you can stop by to pick it up. I simply won't tell him about it and he won't know any better. Just make sure your assistant doesn't show any more bouts of initiative.'

'Oh I will,' Novari seethed. Her expression had become distant and some of her frosty demeanour returned. 'And I'm going to get to the bottom of this. Whatever Eris is up to, I'm not going to let it destroy everything I've - we've - worked for.'

Her moment of vulnerability had passed and now Antus could appreciate anew the strength with which she faced the galaxy. He understood it wasn't always something Novari could control but as long as he knew her real self was not lost beneath the thick ice of her public persona, he would continue to do whatever he could to ensure she was able to one day discard it.

They held hands for a time, until the moment came when they had to go their separate ways and return to their worlds of scheming and lies.

~~~ME-I2~~~

A soft arm slithered over Arlen's waist beneath the sheets and he felt a shiver of ecstasy as fingers began to trace patterns over the bony outline of his hips. Even in the hazy candlelight, the kind that only seemed to penetrate a few feet while the shadows around it deepened, he could see the movements of her leg as it snaked around his own.

Amanda pulled herself closer, moaning gently as she buried her face into the ridges of his chest.

'That was…something else,' she purred dreamily.

Arlen had woken some time before, his consciousness rousing peacefully from the deepest sleep he'd ever known. His body had suffered exhaustion, torture and the keenest pleasures, all in such a short space of time. When their love making had reached its peak after something of a tricky start, they'd both collapsed in a tangled heap and he could only assume Amanda had been the one to pull the sheets over him afterwards.

'It was,' he said, glancing at her from the corner of his eye. 'I'm sorry for all the uh…reading, at the beginning. I just really, really didn't want to get this wrong.'

Amanda stared at him, her gorgeous, smiling face framed perfectly by the tousled locks of her golden hair. 'I think we did just fine, considering. If anything, I'm surprised by how natural it all was. Felt so, I don't know…familiar.'

She was right. Arlen marvelled inwardly at how right she was. Though the practical side of him was glad he'd looked up a few things on the extranet first, it hadn't been difficult to read Amanda's reactions to his touch, to identify the signs laid out by gentle gasps and groans. The language of their bodies had been easier to read than perhaps either of them had anticipated, and they'd laughed aside the more troublesome moments.

'It's funny,' he murmured, 'I never imagined I'd meet someone like you.'

'Define "someone like me",' she replied sleepily.

Arlen smiled. 'You know what you're like.'

Amanda let out a long, tired whimper that vibrated within his chest. 'Here's something your extranet manuals didn't mention; if you're expecting more than one opportunity to put what you learned into practice, get used to complimenting your partner when she's angling for it.'

Chuckling, Arlen used his hitherto forgotten arm to embrace her, treasuring her warmth. Amanda's eyes were closed and her breathing was already slowing, but Arlen spoke anyway, as much for himself as for her. They were words he'd wanted to say for some time but didn't know quite how until that moment.

'All right,' he began slowly. 'You're strong and courageous, more than enough to find your way into any platoon in the turian army. You're tough and tenacious. You don't let anyone keep you from doing what you want to do, but at the same time you're not stubborn or arrogant enough to think you always know best. You're also patient. And smart. You listen when people speak and always have something valuable to say when they need your advice.'

His eyes glistened as they scanned the apartment ceiling, watching the shadows dance with every flutter of the candles' flames. He began to stroke her hair with the tips of his long fingers.

'You're beautiful,' he whispered. 'I never thought of humans as attractive but you…everything is just…perfect. Your eyes, your lips, your hair. Every part of you reminds me of everything wonderful in the galaxy, things that go beyond being a turian or a human.'

Now he was finally able to spell out what for so long he'd known, Arlen was amazed to find how easy it was.

'But most of all, I trust you. Even if I let my own fears get the better of that trust at the start, you made me realise how wrong I was. After Noveria, I wanted you to come with me to Zorya but Taylor and the others forced you to return here. I promise you, no matter what, we're a team from now on. I put my life in your hands, Amanda, without hesitation. And I'd die for you.'

His next words came as barely a whisper. It was part of his natural breath, unconscious and automatic.

'I love you.'

He waited for a time, but the emergence of a gentle snore from the leaden weight on his arm brought the realisation that Amanda had been asleep for a while.

It didn't matter. The words could be said again, in time. For now, he was happy enough saying them, and that he had the chance to say them at all.

He didn't know when he joined Amanda in slumber, but when he woke again, everything was different.

He jumped a little as he saw stained metal walls and unfamiliar surroundings. This wasn't Amanda's apartment, nor was it his own. He sat up, the sheets falling from his shoulders as he observed the bare, basic furniture and scattered clothes strewn across the floor. The kitchen was cluttered with things he barely recalled using; knives, dishes, other utensils, all rimed with food and grease.

Omega, his returning consciousness reminded him with sick enjoyment. Spirits, I'm still on Omega.

Much as Arlen tried desperately to cling to the last fleeting threads of the dream, they were retreating with every passing second. He couldn't remember where he was or what he was doing, only that it was a memory of happier times, quickly fading. All that remained was an echo of bliss so painfully acute that it could only bring a sense of dreadful angst when reality intruded. He didn't want to leave that place, that moment, wherever he'd been.

In frustration, Arlen tossed aside the sheet and gave his face a scratch between the plates. 'Petra, you there?'

His terminal blossomed to life with the image of Petra's asari VI head. 'As always. Are you okay?'

'I was until I realised I was here,' he replied, the words a little muffled as he tried to work some stiffness out of his jaw. 'How long was I out?'

'Only a couple of hours. There's still plenty of time, you should get all the sleep you can.'

'No. I'm awake now. Besides, I'm not sure what I was just dreaming about but I know that if I start again, there's a good chance I won't want to wake up. I need to stay focused.'

He climbed off the bed and began stretching his limbs. It was a routine he should have been carrying out everyday but it had long fallen by the wayside, even before he embarked on this crazy mission. He worked his muscles with some repetitive movements before settling into a boxing stance. His breath exploded from his nose as he threw punches in a series of quick flurries. He dodged and wove, evading those of an imaginary opponent, and it wasn't long before he was panting.

'So…' Petra began tentatively, 'I need to ask; do you have a plan yet?'

Arlen's fists shot out even faster than before. 'No.'

'So, what? You're just gonna wing it?'

'Don't make it sound like I haven't prepared,' he responded between punches. His increasingly heavy breathing disguised the spike of annoyance he felt at the question. 'I've tailored my loadout for this trip specifically to tackle a biotic. I've got a feeling that if I can get the jump on Zwei, the others will surrender or run. I've seen enough of this crew to know that he's the one holding them all together, they'll be lost without him.'

'You really think if you kill him, the others will just give up?' Petra pressed worriedly.

Arlen came to an immediate stop. 'Kill him? What are you talking about?'

'Well, you can't just arrest the guy, how would you even go about restraining him with his gang there? Transporting him? It can't be done.'

'The others aren't a concern,' Arlen growled as he returned to his exercises even more strenuously than before. 'All I need is one chance to catch him alone and I can bring him in.'

'Bring him-! Arlen, listen to what you're saying! You can't just expect the right circumstances to miraculously appear that'll let you get the best outcome, this isn't a fairytale!'

Arlen's blood was growing hot and it wasn't just the exertion. 'This isn't an assassination either. I'm the agent responsible for taking Zwei in and I intend to do it.'

'How?' Petra asked insistently. 'I need to hear more than just what you intend to do. You're not thinking this through!'

'What good is thinking in a place like this?' he muttered harshly. 'I don't even know if Zwei really trusts me. For the love of the Spirits, the guy can't go anywhere without going on some kind of murder spree! What the hell kind of plan can take that man into consideration?'

'It's better than just trusting it to luck.'

Arlen's voice rose. 'And I trust luck more than I trust him!'

'Would you stop talking about Zwei?' Petra pleaded with him. 'The bomb is the priority! That's why you're here, what Agent Cannis gave his life for! You stand a much better chance of snatching that thing than you have of arresting this psychopath! Shoot him or don't, shoot his crew or don't, either way your goal is to get that T-Seven back. Why can't you-'

'Enough!' Arlen roared. He broke off and strode forcefully to his terminal, shouting at Petra as furiously as if she were a living, breathing being. 'What do you want from me? You want me to kill Zwei, become a murderer like him? You think I should let him go so he can go and terrorise more innocent people?'

The polygonal asari face in front of him wore an expression of absolute shock, though her brows quickly knotted in anger. 'I think you ought to take a look at your odds and remember your mission! Everyone back on the Citadel is counting on you, how can you forget that?'

Arlen snarled and swept his arm out, sending the terminal clattering to the floor. He paced about the room, flexing his fingers convulsively as blood rushed to his head, bringing with it a pounding dizziness that made his injured mandible sear with white-hot pain.

It all came to him at once; every minute of sleep he'd forsaken, every knock, scrape and cut he'd suffered, all the drinks he'd sunk to try and numb it all. More than that, Petra's accusations, the nagging guilt over Cannis, each and every moment that Zwei had brought such feelings of hatred that he'd never known in his life. On top of it all, the knowledge that someone else was watching him through his former captain was a shroud of menace that wouldn't lift. His mind and body were beyond shattered and he felt on the verge of tears, on the verge of madness, on the very precipice of his life.

After what felt like a long time, he sighed, though it came out more as a cry of agony. He clutched his face and moaned through his fingers.

He longed to put a stop to Zwei once and for all. It would've made everything so simple.

His hands fell, dried blood flaking on his fingertips. He staggered to the fallen terminal and picked it up, unaware that he was rubbing the display frame protectively, as if doing so would make Petra feel better.

'I'm sorry,' he mumbled as he set her back on the table. 'I don't know what came over me. Are you okay?'

The grief etched over the blue lines and shapes of Petra's face was enough to break his heart. His head sank as she tried to force some cheer into her response, only to half-laugh and half-cry:

'I don't feel pain, you silly turian.'

His stinging, bloodshot eyes rising to the ceiling in relief, Arlen flexed his mouth and lips. A rattling chuckle escaped, unexpected and unbidden.

'I don't know how much longer I can go on like this,' he croaked.

A shuttle flew past the window, its humming engines barely muted by the flimsy glass. Petra used the distraction to think, her eyes passing over Arlen again and again. Her sorrow was as palpable as her desire to try and force him back on track.

'It's at times like this I wish I had hands to give you a big hug. Sometimes I think that's all you need.'

Arlen laughed again. He shook his head, sniffing wetly. 'You're absurd.'

'Absurd?' she scolded. 'You're the one who thinks he can arrest a violent biotic gang leader in front of his whole crew, then carry him over your shoulder all the way back to the Citadel, and you're calling me absurd?'

The fragile smile faded from Arlen's lips but this time, there was no rage to replace it. There was only weariness in his voice.

'I know this is crazy but I'm an Interceptor. I'm a C-Sec officer, not a Spectre. If I kill Zwei, I'll pay for it.' A grim realisation came over him, bringing a further despondency to his voice. 'Just like I will when they know I killed Agent Cannis. The law is the law.'

Petra was about to reply when a warbling beep sounded from the front door of the apartment. She looked in that direction curiously and Arlen waved her concern aside with a brief gesture.

'Another delivery, some stimulant packages that couldn't ship to Zwei's warehouse. It was supposed to arrive earlier.'

He rose and ambled across the apartment. Buying goods at short notice on space stations was convenient but with the near-constant and indefinable business hours of their denizens, deliveries could turn up at any time of day or night. It was something of which he was appreciative. Somehow he felt that if anything was left with the landlord or night porter, it would disappear forever.

Arlen raised a hand to the haptic interface, but stopped short of opening the door. He frowned as he heard something on the other side, like a heavy weight being dropped repeatedly on the ground.

The door exploded.

There was no heat, no flash, no fire. The metal itself shattered and Arlen put his arms over his face as he was heaved into the air and thrown back like a rag doll.

His back smashed against something and as he dared to lift his head, Arlen quickly grasped through the eruption of pain throughout his body that he was on the other side of the apartment.

Shrapnel clattered about him, falling on the floor like jagged rain. That sound he'd heard outside, he realised, was the pounding of feet.

A silhouette stood in the ruined door, blocking almost all the light from beyond and Arlen choked a startled cry at the sight of what he recognised to be a krogan. It was bigger than any creature he'd ever seen before, a mass of armour, muscle and ridged bone - and it was eyeing Arlen like he was nothing more than carrion.

Arlen wrenched himself shakily upright, swaying on his feet. In spite of the new chorus of torments screaming through all of his senses, his training took over. He slid into his fighting stance, his instincts assessing his surroundings without the need for conscious thought. In just a heartbeat he'd judged his chances, his best strategy for attack, the location of his firearm, the potential of nearby objects as improvised weapons - anything that could give him an edge.

Even as the information filtered through, a weight of helplessness fell on him as his enemy advanced.

He could only ask as he shuffled back instinctively, 'Who the hell are you?'

If thunder was a language, it would have sounded like the response that rumbled from the krogan's throat.

'Name's Inamorda, if you oughta know. Now hold still so I can get this over with quick. Your boss is next.'

The whole apartment shook as Inamorda charged, a violent quake which only heightened Arlen's terrible sense of certainty that death was only moments away.