Settling In

Jasmine stepped into their new base of operations on New Canton, her husband at her back. Isaac stood next to a table across the room, his gaze focused on a datapad. He glanced up as the light from outside shone across his face, and he grinned. Dropping the datapad to the table, he leaned against the edge, crossing one ankle over the other.

Sounds of construction drifted down the stairs from the upper floor, and the roll door at the back of the warehouse stood open, men in uniforms carrying building materials in and out. Plastic-covered furniture and gym equipment stood against a wall. Through the window, she spotted Raúl talking to a couple of men wearing hard hats as he gestured out toward the area Isaac set aside for the Iliad.

Adjusting the strap of her bag over her shoulder, she stepped out of the doorway and held her hand out for Thane. His fingers closed around hers, and she glanced over her shoulder, giving him a smile. He leaned in, kissing her quickly before they made their way over to Isaac.

"Hey, Bossman." Jasmine smirked. "Didn't waste any time, I see."

He shrugged and pushed off the table, opening his arms to her as he moved closer. "I figured it'd be best to get as much of it done as possible before everyone else shows up." He gave her a hug with a big squeeze. "How you doing, Sunshine?"

"I'm good," she said, then kissed him on the cheek before stepping back. "Anyone else here yet?"

Isaac nodded to Thane and shook his hand before shifting his gaze back to Jasmine. "Razik's around here somewhere. Toombs is staying on the Iliad for now. Avalina should be here in a few hours, and Mordin said he and Jack will arrive in the morning. Raúl's out back." He gestured over his shoulder with a thumb.

Despite having already spotted Raúl, she glanced in the direction Isaac pointed and gave him a nod. "Good." She wanted to go see Raúl, but it didn't feel like she needed to see him, yet, so she wasn't in any rush. "Well, give us a place to lock up our things and put us to work. What can we do to help?"

Isaac chuckled but crossed his arms, pushed his lips out to his nose, and scanned the room. "Hmm." He turned his gaze back to her and then jerked his head toward a door beneath the stairs. "Alright, come on Sunshine. I'll find something for you two to do."

Thane watched Razik, waiting for the turian's signal to lift his end of the weight bench. Jasmine stood off to the side, arms crossed loosely over her chest as she nibbled on her lip, watching the two of them. Razik caught Thane's gaze and nodded, squatting to get a grip before they worked together to lift the bench.

"Over here," Jasmine said, pointing to a location on the mats near the free edge next to the wall.

Doing as she bid, Thane and Razik carried the piece of equipment over before setting it back down.

"You know," she said, her pensive tone drawing Thane's attention. Mischief sparking in her eyes, she pursed her lips and studied him. "It might be a lot easier to move all of this stuff if you took off your jacket and vest. So you have a full range of motion, of course."

He chuckled softly, shaking his head.

Low and lewd, Razik rumbled. "I agree."

Frills warming, Thane coughed into his fist. Razik chuckled and fluttered his mandibles. Jasmine laughed, head tilting toward the ceiling. He adored the sound and loved seeing the easy smile returned to his wife's face. Humming softly to himself, he crossed the floor to stand in front of her, hooking a knuckle under her chin to guide her to him for a kiss. Allowing himself just a taste of her lower lip with his tongue, he let her go and slipped his jacket off.

"Perhaps the jacket does, somewhat, get in the way," he said, reaching around her to drape it over her shoulders with a smirk, "but I don't find the vest hindering at all."

She pouted her lower lip but grinned with her eyes. Running her fingers along his bare arms, she rested her hands on his shoulders and pulled him closer. He wrapped his arms around her waist and opened his mouth to her when she kissed him, welcoming her tongue's explorations.

After a moment, she ended the kiss and whispered against his lips, "God, you're so damn sexy."

Smiling, he kissed her again. "As are you." He let her go and stepped away. Turning, he felt her gaze soaking him in as he made his way to the next piece of equipment she'd pulled the plastic from.

"Someone's here," Razik said, his attention focused on the main entrance.

Stopping in his tracks, Thane pivoted and returned to Jasmine's side. He rested his palm on the small of her back as they watched the door. A minute or so passed before the door opened, and Avalina stepped inside, Isaac right behind her with one of the asari's bags in his hand.

Thane smiled, dipping his head the moment Avalina's gaze zeroed in on him. Jasmine grinned and took off toward Avalina at a light jog, grabbing onto Thane's jacket to keep it from slipping from her shoulders and falling to the floor. He chuckled and started walking, following after his wife. When Jasmine reached Avalina, the two women embraced and kissed one another on the cheek.

"Avalina," Thane said with a smile, coming to a stop and tucking his hands behind his back, "it's good to see you again.

"Hello, Thane." Releasing Jasmine, Avalina stepped closer to Thane and rested her hands on his shoulders as she leaned in to press her cheek against his.

He brought a hand to her back and returned the gesture. "You look well."

"So do the two of you," she said, straightening and dropping her hands to her side. Gaze roaming over the open area, she smiled and nodded at Razik before returning her attention to Isaac. "This is an interesting choice of location, but I believe it will serve us nicely."

"Nepheron and Noveria," Jasmine said, leaning a hip against the table, "what've you found on them?" She glanced between Avalina, Raúl, and the image of Theodus on the vidscreen.

"There's a small but heavily fortified Cerberus base on Noveria," Theodus said, taking the lead. "It's not clear what, exactly, they're doing there, unfortunately. What is interesting, however, is we found evidence suggesting Binary Helix is currently working on a highly classified project, on Noveria, involving live specimens at the behest of one of its top investors, Spectre Saren Arterius. I was able to access Binary Helix's systems on Port Hanshan, and guess what these 'live specimens' turned out to be?"

Raúl snorted softly, shaking his head. "Rachni."

"Well, that was no fun." Theodus huffed. "I wanted them to guess."

"And I want to move on, we have a lot of intel to go over, and it's been a long day." Raúl turned his attention back to the datapad in his hand. "It seems a rachni egg was found in a derelict ship and brought to the labs. When it hatched, it proved to be a rachni queen, which are capable of parthenogenesis. When the queen grew, she began laying eggs. Matriarch Benezia," he said, glancing up at Jasmine and Thane, "acting as Saren's executor, has been overseeing the experiments on the queen's offspring and has shipped some of them to Cerberus. Thus, the rachni we encountered on Binthu."

"The base on Nepheron is responsible for genetics research, and much of what they learn on Nepheron is disseminated to other Cerberus facilities," Avalina said. "It's likely much of what we saw in our other encounters were attempts to put concepts developed on Nepheron into practice, so to speak." She leaned forward, pressing her palms to the table. "Given the base is on a barren, uninhabited world, we were able to gather little information about the physical structure of the base or what sort of resistance we might encounter. However, I would assume that since the facility appears to be vital for many of Cerberus' projects, it is likely well guarded. Especially since everything that occurred on Akuze. Additionally, if there are more facilities to find, it's quite possible we will learn of the locations from Nepheron."

Jasmine crossed her arms over her chest and turned her attention to Isaac. "How do you want to handle it?"

Mordin cleared his throat. "Nepheron's atmosphere inhospitable, will require full breather suits if deploying to planet's surface. No colonies, no civilians, however. Cerberus personnel likely live on-site. If facility used for non-experimental research, no test subjects to rescue, may be able to gather data and eliminate facility remotely."

Isaac hummed, tipping his head to the side as he seemed to consider Mordin's observations. "You might be right. If we can be sure there isn't anyone in there needing rescued and we can get whatever intel safely from the ship, then it will be far better to take the place out from a distance. I don't want to risk any of you if we don't have to." He rubbed his hand over his face and turned his focus to Jasmine and Thane. "I guess this means we need to anticipate dealing with Cerberus and the collectors together, at some point. At the very least, it looks like their paths are crossing."

"Indeed," Thane said, and he put his hand on the small of Jasmine's back when she cast a worried glance in his direction. "If we intend to visit Binary Helix in Port Hanshan, we will likely have to develop false credentials and cover stories." His gaze traveled between Isaac and Jasmine. "The Noveria Development Corporation prides itself on protecting the privacy and interests of those companies it represents. There's a high civilian population, but they do employ Elanus Risk Control Services—who are known to make use of turrets and drones as a part of their security measures."

"Planet also very cold, below freezing temperatures and significant snowfall." Mordin blinked and smiled at Jasmine when she met his gaze. "Air breathable, however."

"Maybe," Isaac said, gaze locked onto Thane. "I'll make some calls. I might know some people with investments on Noveria."

And by that, Jasmine assumed, he either meant he himself had investments on one of the companies on Noveria, or his father did. Either way, she'd wait to talk to him about it in private. The last thing she wanted was for Isaac to take any further risks with his or his family's names. The Illusive Man already implied some degree of knowledge of Jasmine and the other phantoms in her group. They didn't need a goddamned Spectre looking into them, too.

"Isaac," Jasmine said, keeping her voice low despite having dragged the man outside and away from prying ears, "please tell me you're not considering using your name or your dad's name or whatever to get us into Binary Helix."

He scoffed and pushed his lips out and to the side, looking at her like she'd lost her mind. "Nah. Girl, please. Who do you think you're talking to?"

"Someone I care a hell of a lot about," she said, shifting her weight back to one hip and ticking points off on her fingers, "but who's also already bought a ship, set up his own property as our base of operations, is using his father's resources to rescue people—which I'm not complaining about, and I know I encouraged—brought in an Alliance friend of the family, and has an issue with emotional detachment." Loosely crossing her arms over her chest, she held his gaze. "You're already risking a lot. Don't act like I'm grasping at straws to think you might be about to take another risk."

He took a deep breath and sighed before reaching out to palm the back of her head. Tugging at her, Isaac pulled her into his embrace. She wrapped her arms around him and rested her forehead on his shoulder.

After a moment, he kissed her temple and stepped back to hold her at arms' length and look into her eyes. "I promise, Sunshine, I'm not taking any real risks with this. Just gathering information from trusted sources, and none of it will tie back to what we're doing. Your man's right, we'll probably have to set up aliases. I'm just looking to ease the way a little."

She studied him for a moment, weighing the seriousness she saw in his eyes and in the tautness of the corners of his mouth. Finally, she nodded. "Okay." She watched him for another second or two before asking, "Have you heard anything from Anderson?"

Releasing her shoulders, he looked away and scanned the property. "Yeah. He's getting Tombs' discharge pushed through, and he's working to vet a few people he knows in the Alliance. He's trying to make sure they're not involved with Cerberus. He's also looking into Rear Admiral Kahoku, and if he decides Kahoku's clear, he'll put us in touch with the admiral."

Jasmine watched as Jack worked on one of her tattoos, touching up fading lines before wiping blood and ink away. The incessant buzz of the tattoo gun chased away both Razik and Thane a few minutes before, leaving Jasmine and Jack alone in the living room space partitioned out upstairs.

"What were they talking about with the collectors and the spectre?" Jack asked, glancing up at Jasmine after a moment.

Puffing out her cheeks, Jasmine kicked her legs up to rest her feet on the edge of the table. "This needs to stay within our group for now, cool?"

Jerking her chin up, Jack nodded her assent.

"We're still figuring it all out, but Saren," Jasmine said, waving her hand, "the spectre, is working with the collectors to abduct and experiment on people. They've developed some form of mind control, and they're using it to make people do shit just as crazy as we've seen with Cerberus. Tannor ran across some intel on Omega. Vids, mutilated people … so we're looking into them, too."

Jack turned off her tattoo gun and examined her handiwork. "I signed on to fight Cerberus." She glanced up at Jasmine, anger, doubt, and disappointment heavy in her eyes. "I'm not your fucking weapon to point wherever the hell you want."

Arching an eyebrow, Jasmine refused to flinch beneath the teen's ire. "Never said you were." Shifting forward, she dropped her feet to the floor and braced her elbows on her knees. "You don't want to be involved with the collector shit, then don't be involved. We'd be glad to have your help, but it isn't expected."

Jack watched Jasmine for a moment longer before tossing the bloody, ink-smeared washcloth onto the table and picked up the tattoo gun, again. "Whatever," she muttered, turning it back on and setting the needle to her skin.

Thane wrapped his arms around his wife's waist, grateful for the private space Isaac created for the two of them. She hummed and turned her head to look at him over her shoulder, and he leaned in to rub his frills along her jaw. Her pheromones shifted, and he buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent. She turned in his arms, pressing her body against him, and then she captured his lips with her own when he met her gaze.

"How are you doing, having Saren crop up in our Cerberus research like this?" she asked when she ended the kiss, leaving him longing for the touch and taste of her tongue.

"I don't want to think about Saren right now, siha." He leaned in, stealing another kiss. "Or Cerberus or the collectors."

"Hmm." The corner of her mouth lifted in the start of a smirk. "What do you want to think about?"

"How about I show you, instead?" Ducking his head, he nipped her jaw before trailing his tongue down the side of her throat.

She hummed, the sound throaty and seductive. "I think I like that idea."

"I hoped you would," he said, sliding his hands down to grip her rear before hoisting her upward.

The moment her thighs wrapped around his hips, the warmth between her legs teased him, making him harden. He carried her across the room and turned to sit on the edge of the bed, pulling her further onto his lap until she pressed against his growing erection. She moaned her approval, rocking her hips and opening his jacket before running her hands over his shoulders. He let go of her, one hand at a time, to allow her to push the leather down his arms.

Once she'd removed his jacket, she dropped it on the floor and then set to work on her blouse. He leaned in, trailing his tongue over the skin of her chest revealed by each loosened button. Sliding her arms free, she dropped her blouse on top of his jacket. He cupped one of her breasts, rolling and kneading before pinching her nipple and lifting his head to her for a kiss. Reaching behind her with his free hand, he popped the clasp of her bra, freeing her breasts to further exploration.

She threaded her fingers through his crest and tugged his head back, deepening the kiss as she moaned into his mouth. A moment later, she wiggled off of his lap and stood. Smiling down at him, she tugged the corner of her lower lip between her teeth and held his gaze as she unbuttoned her pants. Slowly gliding them down her hips, she kicked her pants off before reaching out and running her fingers over his frills. He groaned and hooked his fingers in the waistband of her panties, tugging them down, too, as he leaned in to trail his tongue over her smooth skin. Kissing her navel as she stepped out of her panties, Thane rose to his feet and threaded his hand through the hair at the nape of her neck and kissed her again.

Making quick work of the closure of his vest, she moved on to undoing his pants. He toed off his boots, nudging them aside as he slid a hand down her abdomen and between her thighs. He ran his fingers through the coarse hair of her mound before cupping her and rocking the heel of his hand against her warmth and wetness. She moaned and trembled, pushing his pants down enough to free his erection before wrapping her hands around his length, adding fuel to his fire. She stroked him, slowly yet firmly, making him want nothing more than to bury himself deeply inside of his wife.

Releasing her, Thane finished pulling his vest off and shoved his pants the rest of the way down his legs. Gripping her hips, he picked her up and turned, laying her down on the bed beneath him. She reached up, threading her fingers back through his crest to hold him to her, tongue and lips moving against his with a fervent passion that made his head spin. He perched above her, settling a knee between her legs to press against her sex as his erection rested along her thigh. Shifting his weight to one hand, he palmed her breast with the other. He kneaded and pinched her nipple, twisting and tugging just enough to make her whimper and writhe against his knee.

She nipped at his lip and scraped her nails lightly over his shoulder and back before grabbing a handful of his bottom and squeezing. Using her grip on his rear as leverage, she pulled, urging his hips forward so his erection pressed and slid along her thigh and hip. He rumbled and broke the kiss before tucking his head beneath her chin, biting and licking his way down to lave her nipple with his tongue.

Dragging his fingers down over her ribs, he traced the arch of her waistline before sliding his hand between her legs. She moaned, raising into his touch as his fingers glided through her wetness to tease her opening. Trailing her slick fluids back up, he settled the pads of his fingers against her clitoris and began moving in slow, steady circles over the bundle of nerves. Her breath caught in her throat, and he pulled her nipple into his mouth, teasing it with his teeth and suction. She pulled at him again, guiding him against her flesh, building his need.

Moaning, he offered no resistance, matching the pace of her movements with his mouth and hands instead. Soon, her breath came staggered, and her muscles tightened and twitched beneath him. He knew she was already close to coming undone. Shifting his other knee over her thigh, he nudged her legs further apart before sitting back on his heels and hooking his arms beneath her legs. He lifted her calves to rest on his shoulders and pulled her hips, dragging her a little closer. She watched him through heavily lidded eyes, scraping her teeth over her lip.

Taking himself in hand, he ran the tip of his erection over her clitoris and down toward her opening, sweeping up and down a few times. She whimpered and squirmed, lifting herself toward him. He rubbed his other hand along her thigh and turned his head to kiss her shin before easing into her opening. She gasped and rolled her hips, pushing him deeper inside. She was so beautiful. He watched her, moonlight dancing across her skin as he sank the rest of the way into her wet, tight, heat. The hunger in her eyes, the need etched into her face—it still amazed him for her to look at him with such raw lust.

He rocked his hips and she whimpered again, lips remaining parted as her breasts rose and fell with each breath. Arashu, she felt like heaven, and she was his. Leaning over, he pressed a palm into the mattress and drove forward into her, savoring the needy spasm of her muscles around him. She tipped her head back, lifting her chin toward the ceiling and squeezed one of her breasts. He splayed his free hand out over her mound and pressed his thumb to her clitoris, gliding it up and down, around and around as he set a quick and forceful pace, the very tone of her whimpers and slightest touch guiding him onward.

Soon, her whimpers became moans, and the moans pleas for more. Grinding and bucking, he slammed into her again and again, distantly aware the bed frame was beginning to hit the wall with each of his thrusts. Her movements became frantic, her every muscle coiling tighter and tighter until, suddenly and all at once, she stiffened and cried out before folding in on herself, shuddering with each wave of her orgasm.

A moment later, someone pounded on the wall—likely Jack given the particular wall—the sound agitated and chastising. Though, interestingly, it'd seemed as though she'd waited for Jasmine to climax before delivering her scolding. Jasmine laughed, reaching up to bang her own fist against the wall in response before meeting his gaze.

"Don't you dare stop," she said, softly, rolling her hips enticingly.

He smirked and shifted her legs to his waist so that he could lean closer. "I had no intention of doing so." Perhaps he'd move their bed to a different area of the room in the morning.