Chapter 14

Aria T'loak knew of Miranda Lawson, though she had never conversed with the woman herself. Previously, the ex-Cerberus agent had always been in Shepard's shadow, a position she was clearly comfortable with. Aria paid her as much mind as she did the personal guards of others who sought her company.

Today however, Miranda and this Cerberus assassin had duelled it out in the docks. At first, Aria couldn't understand how Shepard's lapdog had gotten involved. However, she remembered the file Dr Gable presented her, containing all of Kai Leng's dirty little secrets.

She should have known the vet would contact her.

Aria was angry with herself for not anticipating this. For this reason, the moment she saw who had summoned her to the docks, she demanded they come to her club. She had no wish to air her dirty laundry to the gathered crowd. In the true spirit of Omega, they had formed quite quickly to see a show or a slaughter.

Kai Leng, bound and gagged, had to be escorted and needed medical attention. They both did though neither had asked. He wasn't with them now. Anto and some of his men were keeping an eye on him in one of the private club rooms. Aria had not liked the man from the start and was more interested in what Ms Lawson had to say.

Her account of what happened in the warehouse was also the first one Aria had heard. The guards she sent had either been slaughtered or fled when they saw Orgun torn limb from limb.

That stung. He had been a loyal employee for almost a century.

Aria studied Ms Lawson as she finished recounting her experience, ending where she decided to take Anderson and Sanders off Omega. Aria didn't appreciate that she had lost them. She still had plans and propositions for the ex-councilman.

"Was that your end game?" Aria asked when Miranda grew quiet. "To save the two humans? To what end?"

Miranda's answer was quick and clearly pre-planned.

"My employer has interest in them," she said. "With Grayson dead, they aren't worth anything to you."

Aria's lips thinned. "Next time, leave me to be the judge of that," she said. "Your employer presumes too much. Now who might this be? If I may ask. I don't appreciate when there are parties involved on my asteroid without my leave."

Miranda didn't flinch. "What my employer assumed is you will be more interested in what we have to offer than what Anderson can give you. He doesn't have a lot of allies left, certainly none that can be of use to you in the Terminus System. We are the people you want to talk to."

Aria sat back on her couch and draped her arms over the top.

"What is it you want from me?" She asked. Ms Lawson was still bleeding from a bad side wound. To her credit though, she didn't pay it any attention as she smiled and delivered her request.

"Grayson's body."

Aria barked a laugh.

"Spoken for," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand. "I'm sure you are aware of Cerberus's involvement." Did she imagine the way Miranda's eyes narrowed slightly at the mention of her former employers?

"They have not been honest with you," Miranda replied without missing a beat. "You will play right into their hands if you hand Grayson back to them."

Aria smiled at her.

"I'd win a lot of favour if I hand you over," she said. "Along with Grayson. I don't go back on my word Miranda Lawson." Admiringly, the woman didn't flinch at all.

"You will," she said. "When I give you the exact identity of your daughter's killer."

She didn't move but Miranda did. The ex-Cerberus agent shifted her weight back a little, away from the emotions she saw in Aria's eyes. The Matriarch stared at her, then got up slowly.

"Did Dr Gable inform you of this little detail?"

"No," Miranda's voice was cold. "She's too loyal and lacks the imagination to share. No, we have known for a while that your top agent might also one day become your successor. Granted, it was only when you reacted so erratically after her death, we put it together." She smiled at Aria. "You've just confirmed it."

Aria closed her eyes and breathed in, trying to still her emotions. She wouldn't have been so easily conned if she wasn't so angry about Grayson's demise. She didn't doubt Miranda's recount of the battle in the warehouse. But she had needed him alive.

"Then let's stop playing games," Aria sat down slowly. "Get down to business. How do I know I can trust your information? You can give me any name." She watched the woman relax again.

"True," she said. "But my credentials will speak for themselves. I have consulted with my employer who has agreed that I can inform you of their identity. Furthermore, they said they will match the financial offer the Illusive Man made. Before you accuse your own people of divulging information, I'd like to remind you I still have friends in Cerberus too."

Aria sighed softly. "I don't need the credits," she said. "But the offer is kind. Still, I don't know if you are good for it."

The human woman chuckled softly.

"Oh, we are," she said. "I work for the Shadow Broker."

Aria raised her brow. "That's a bold claim."

The woman nodded. "To validate this, I was sent a list of previous dealings you had with them." Miranda said. "It is merely a summary. I got involved in this quite late and it was hastily put together. If you need more and you're willing to give me time to substantiate my claim, I can certainly get it for you." She drew a data pad from some mysterious place in her tight uniform. Aria motioned to her to approach and considered the information.

She didn't need more validation.

"I'm surprised your ex-employer hasn't figured out where you work," Aria said smoothly. "But it makes sense in a strange way. You have my attention."

Miranda nodded and for the first time, grimaced a little, her features paler now.

"May I sit down?"

"Do you need a medic?" Aria had been wondering when the woman would start to show some weakness and motioned her to the couch furthest from her. "I'd hate for you to die on my couch."

Miranda sat down, her eyes narrowing in pain but her tone never changed when she smiled at Aria politely. "I can hold for a bit longer." Like Dr Gable, she had an accent. It was quite charming.

Aria returned her smile, even though her heart was beating so fast. She didn't realise how much she wanted the information Miranda Lawson now dangled in front of her.

"I'd send for Dr Gable if you'd trust her, but I suspect she is occupied."

Miranda considered this but shook her head.

"Let's get back to business. Do we have a deal?"

"Do you have proof?"

She doubted Miranda would have been here if she didn't. The woman didn't look like one who played games. Or bluffed. What made you think you could bring someone back from the dead? How did you succeed? How arrogant are you?

"Yes." Miranda didn't blink. "Without a doubt. Can we have the body?"

They wanted it as badly as Aria needed that name. Leverage? Probably but to what end? Did she want to drag this out? She sat back and studied the woman.

"What do you want to do with it?" She asked finally. "The augmentations are… significant. I haven't seen anything like it."

Oh yes, it was definitively hunger in Lawson's eyes.

"I'll give you this information for free," the agent said. "It's reaper technology. You'll be able to draw similarities between Grayson's body and the husks that were found on Eden Prime and Horizon." The reapers were coming up more and more. Aria still wasn't sure where she stood on the subject. But it did bring her closer to the matter of who was responsible for this mess.

"You're saying the reapers are responsible for this."

Miranda's expression wasn't kind.

"No, Cerberus," her tone was cold. "They are the only ones who currently have full access to reaper technology because of their endeavours through the Omega-4-relay. You must have put that together at least."

Aria ignored her tone.

"It's no surprise," she admitted. "Anderson said as much. I… haven't had the time to ask the Illusive Man why his people were performing barbaric experiments just beyond my reach." She chuckled. "Of course, his answer might have been because they stopped them from doing it here."

Miranda's expression turned curious, perhaps even a little puzzled.

"Why didn't you ask? It feels… sloppy. If you'd allow me to say so."

Aria's smile wasn't warm.

"I wanted to ask Grayson. Hoped I'd could do so face to face, before alienating an organisation as large as Cerberus. I feel there is gain for me, in keeping them close."

That curiosity was still there, and she was surprised at Miranda's next words.

"They are efficient in what they do. But their agenda will never be pro-alien."

Aria heard that before and had her answer ready.

"I just need their agenda to be pro-me. I don't get involved in the rest of the politics and expect them to keep Omega out of their more nefarious deeds." She studied the ex-Cerberus officer, rumoured to have been as high in the organisation as any could go. "Do they have any interests in my asteroid?"

"No. Not that I know of."

She sounded honest enough.

"Then you see my point? I wanted Grayson alive."

Miranda's expression softened in regret. "He'd have been of no use to you in the state he was," she pointed out. "I'm… sorry we couldn't save your people. When we saw things going south, it made more sense to wait for the right moment to enter the fight."

Aria waved this sentiment away. "Keeping them alive wasn't your job."

"No, it wasn't," Miranda's tone was cold again. "Now, can we have the body?"

"I want the name of my daughter's murderer," Aria said sharply. "Upfront and the proof you so daringly claim you have. If I am satisfied… Then yes. You can have the carcass. Grayson's caused me enough pain on this asteroid. He doesn't have to stay any longer."

Miranda considered this. One of them had to give in first and Aria saw the moment she realised it would have to be her.

"It's Kai Leng."

The name made her angry, causing her to stand up and point a finger at the seated woman.

"I don't believe you," she snapped. "You two are clearly at odds…" She was interrupted when a recorded voice filled her lounge.

"You see, I've learned my lesson on this very asteroid." She recognised the assassin's voice immediately "You kill the rabid dog when you have it in your hands. I didn't do it with Paul when I brought him in though…" There was a chuckle. "I did kill that blue cunt he was sleeping with. I wish I had had the chance to tell him that."

If there had been more conversation, Miranda didn't play it. She sat there quietly as Aria processed what she heard. She had to have been a stone not to notice how much it affected the pirate queen. Aria closed her eyes against the pain and hatred she felt. Her voice was quiet when she managed to speak.

"Do you think the Illusive Man knew?"

"That there were casualties? Yes." Miranda replied quietly. "That she meant so much to you? No. Then he'd have taken her alive. Or spared her. If he even knew an asari died when they extracted Grayson, it would simply have been collateral damage. The problem we've always had with Kai Leng when he worked in the field was, he liked the sight of blood too much. It's all very well killing those he was paid to, but he always did a few extra."

Aria reflected on all the conversations she had with the Illusive Man and knew she had been purposefully played. Miranda meanwhile stood up slowly, still grimacing with pain when she moved. She didn't approach Aria but shifted closer to the exit.

"If you want us to pay the money to a special account, please let us know. I'd appreciate it if your people could take me to where Grayson is."

She waited to be dismissed.

Aria, feeling faint with relief and grief turned away from the woman.

"Anto will give you what you need," she said and sat down. "When the credits are paid, you can take the body."

She sent a message to the batarian, letting him know he could come and collect Miranda. He would make the payment arrangements. When she turned back to Miranda, she hoped her expression didn't give away all the emotions she felt but the human had to have seen something.

Miranda's expression was too kind for Aria to stomach.

"My employer will undoubtably say it was a pleasure doing business with you, but we regret the circumstances. At least you now have a name. As well as the person who did this."

Yes, and you gave him to me, wrapped up and softened.

Aria felt nothing but admiration as she looked at Miranda again. Well played. Very well played.

"I do," she said. "In fact, I think I will pay him a visit right now." She took a deep breath and had to be honest. Always.

"Miranda Lawson, I don't forget the faces of those who help me. But don't see this as permission to come to me again. Next time, if your employer wants to talk business, tell them to make an appointment themselves. In the future, I want to know what you are doing on my asteroid."

Miranda smiled and inclined her head in respect.

"Oh, don't worry," she said before she left. "We know the one rule and never intend to break it. We will be in touch. Somewhere in the future."

For once, Aria didn't care as she only had one visit on her mind.

The one she was about to pay to Kai Leng.

Miranda couldn't have pulled it off without Liara though the asari hadn't really given her a choice. She had simply been there and, knowing she couldn't spurn her help, Miranda secretly made her part of the exit strategy.

She was grateful she did it, Miranda reflected as she was escorted to Mordin's old clinic, a place she knew quite well. Kai Leng had been bound to betray her. She knew how badly the Illusive Man wanted her and if there was one thing Kai could be trusted to do it was to act in the Illusive Man's best interest. He wasn't like her and they had rarely seen eye to eye.

Liara was the one who organised the shuttle and foresaw the difficulty of travelling out of Omega with Anderson and Grayson's body. She had gotten a hold of the Cerberus facility's footage and had allowed Miranda to puzzle out what had happened to the ex-agent.

Did I see my future? Miranda thought as they reached the clinic. Is that what he will do to me when we finally meet again? She hoped to avoid the scenario as long as possible. Knew she would be able to, with Liara's help. Shepard has made me too dependent on people. There was no scorn in the thought. Jane had made her a better person.

"Ah… ma'am?" Miranda was pulled back to herself when a hand touched her elbow. A female batarian nurse was trying to get her attention. "Do you need any medical attention?"

Realising she had dropped her guard; Miranda smiled thinly and shook her head. "No," she said and searched around for Anto. He was busy talking with one of the clinic guards who pointed him towards a consultation room in the back.

"I believe I need to be there."

The batarian glanced in the direction she pointed. "Dr Gable's currently busy there," she said. "I…"

"I know her." Miranda said. "Thank you." She turned to Anto, who motioned to her to proceed.

"Money's been cleared," he said. "It's all yours now. Griss!" He bellowed out the last. A turian who looked vaguely familiar, glanced up. He was seated outside of the cubicle. "We can go!"

Griss frowned at his tone, his mandibles moving in irritation. He got up and closed the distance between them before he spoke. "I think I'll stay, keep an eye on things." He glanced to the cubicle, then to another curtained off area. "Aria will wish to know if the asari lives or dies."

Miranda felt a little cold. "You are talking about Asura?" She asked. "She wasn't that critical when I left her." Griss gave her an uninterested look.

"Talk to Dr Gable," he said. "You're the one taking the body? Good. I'll clear whatever transport requirements you need." He nodded at Anto and went back to the room. Miranda followed numbly and went inside to find Abby. The doctor was finishing putting a sling on Jack and didn't see her come in, but Jack whistled.

"Well, look at that. You bleed just like the rest of us."

Abby, who had turned around when Jack whistled, put a hand on the biotic's leg.

"Jack. Don't."

Miranda didn't move but watched in fascination as Jack glanced at the veterinarian, then deferred to her. Her tone changed.

"I guess Kai Leng didn't watch your back after all," she said. "Do you want to sit?" She checked to see if the doctor was finished before she hopped off the bed. Abby looked ready to protest till she noticed the blood on her uniform.

She looked dismayed.

"You better sit down," she said. "Let me clean the area quickly." She went to one of the cabinets.

Miranda studied the doctor's movements critically, classifying her mobility on a mental scale she had.

"I just need medigel and bandages." Miranda said, though sitting down was very appealing. "I can do it myself."

The veterinarian barked a bitter laugh. "Probably," she said. "However, I'm here now." She dumped the medigel packages in the medical waste bin and cleaned the area. Her movement, Miranda decided, was perhaps a point below standard. "What caused your injury?"

Deciding that she didn't have the energy to fight, Miranda sighed and went to sit down on the bed. She was reminded of her first encounter with the veterinarian. Abby had suffered major blood loss from a gunshot wound. She had been on the verge of delirium and would have died if they found her a moment later.

"I'm right here," she had kept on saying over and over. "I'm right here."

"It was an explosion of some kind. Like a mini flashbang. Really, it's superficial."

Abby was already putting on gloves and looking at her wound critically.

"It doesn't really look that way," she said. "I've seen enough firework damage to animals in my lifetime to…" She trailed off and shook her head to clear the memory. "Any other injuries? Bumps? Bruises?" She paused and looked at her eyes. "Concussion?"

Miranda shook her head but kept eye contact.

"What happened to Asura? Where is she?"

The professional façade the doctor had pulled around her crumbled to dismay. The veterinarian's head turned in the direction of the door with an expression of pain.

"Surgery," she breathed, her tone laced with fear. "Daniel's just taken her away. He came by…" She bit her lip, took a deep breath. "Do you know she tried to meld with…" She inclined her head in the direction of the containment unit.

Miranda blinked shocked.

"Why?" she asked. "When? It was…"

"Dead?" Jack interrupted. "Yeah, no it wasn't. That thing came alive like… like…" When Miranda turned to her she faltered. "Well fuck, I don't know but it was like a horror story."

Miranda was too taken aback to protest Dr Gable's administrations. Abby was pulling herself together and sorting through what she thought she might need to treat her.

"Tell me what happened," Miranda demanded of Jack even as a screen sprung for some privacy. "It was dead when we left." She listened in fascinated horror as Jack told her otherwise. Abby didn't comment as she silently helped Miranda to peel off the top of her uniform. It hurt and allowed Miranda her first clear view of some of the damage.

God damn you Kai Leng, I hope you get what's coming to you.

"It was more husk than that fuck we were fighting," Jack finished off. "It is dead now. It… went down when Asura finished with it." Miranda breathed in sharply when pain shot through her side.

"Sorry," Abby murmured. "This is more than superficial damage. It's burned through your epidermis, through to the dermis. The blood's from a deeper wound at the centre. Now I am sure you're better at judging tissue damage than I am. But my professional opinion is you'll require some regeneration here." Her lips thinned. "This clinic isn't equipped to deal with it."

Miranda adjusted the robe Abby had given her to protect her modesty.

"I'll manage," she said. "Now, what are your concerns?"

"Now?" Abby queried. "Infection mainly. I don't think you lost that much blood and…"

Miranda quieted her with a shake of her head.

"I meant with regards to Asura."

Abby stood back and hugged herself as her body jerked.

"That she's not coming back," she whispered. Miranda wasn't sure Jack would be able to hear. "Apart from her physical injuries she wasn't… She wasn't… in her right mind. She wasn't responding when they brought her in, but Griss said… When they brought her out of the warehouse…" She breathed in sharply and closed her eyes, fighting for control over her emotions. Still she stepped back to the bed when she gathered herself. She didn't look at Miranda's face.

"Even if she survives her wounds, what's to say she's coming back?" She looked up at Miranda, her expression pleading. "What do you think happened when she melded with that… husk?"

Miranda couldn't say. She couldn't even imagine what could have happened during the exchange. Had it been alive? Had there been anything in that corpse? She had seen Grayson die. But then again, she thought with cold clarity. Shepard had said she saw Saren die before his corpse reanimated.

God damn it Lawson, you fucked up.

"There… That thing could not have been thinking," she spoke slowly. "It might just have been a biotic machine."

Abby looked at her concerned. "A machine?" she said. "Were the collectors machines? Harbinger could take control of them. He could take control of their bodies and direct them… become them. Where they simply machines? They didn't look that way. They moved and showed consciousness and…" She trailed off suddenly as Miranda gave her a curious look.

"Did you ever encounter the collectors?" She asked but knew the veterinarian wouldn't give her a straight answer.

Abby took a quick breath and gathered herself. "I saw footage on the Normandy," she said. "I was curious about their biology." She swallowed. "Miranda. Asura rewrites my memory every time we meld. She changes the way I think, in a way. Could it happen to her?"

I must ask her where she comes from one day, Miranda thought. And I must sit her down in a room until she answers me.

But not today. Not now, in this moment.

"Are you afraid of indoctrination?" she asked, knowing Abby understood the concept. When the vet nodded she sighed softly. She sat very still as Abby administered a local anaesthetic, studying her expression as it shifted between detached, clinical focus and personal panic.

"I'm going to ask you to lie down in a moment," she said. "If anything I do hurts…" She grimaced. "Then I am going to get a real doctor."

At this, Miranda had to smile. "You are a real doctor Dr Gable," she spoke kindly, realising she would have to formulate a reply to ease the woman's fears.

"We don't understand indoctrination," she pointed out. "We were studying it at Cerberus, at first theorising that asari might be more susceptible to it than other species. However, after Ba'hak and the time it took that team to be converted, I am not so sure. Liara and I have looked at the data and…" She trailed off when Dr Gable bid her to lie down. A quick glance at her face told Miranda that she should be more concise.

"Dr Gable, I don't think it can happen to Asura. I don't think it will be indoctrination. If you are concerned about neural pathway remapping, then have your doctor run a scan. You must remember, asari evolved to meld whether it was with their own species or others. Their physiology will offer protection against such invasive exchanges." She tried to stop herself from flinching when Abby touched her wound again. The woman was quiet as she worked and Miranda didn't distract her.

"I… I guess I am just scared," Abby said finally. "I…" She trailed off, not finishing her sentence.

"She'll make it," Jack barked from the other wide of the screen, reminding them both she was still listening. "She's tough as fuck."

Miranda wished she was more adequate at being a human being. She didn't know what to say to Abby to comfort her.

"If they'll allow me, I'll have a look at her stats," she said. "Maybe I can help if there is something wrong. It might be a while before Liara's organised adequate transport for Grayson."

"Thank you," Abby whispered. "That would be really appreciated."

Miranda had no riposte, but she found herself wondering what Jane would have done in this situation. After some consideration, she reached out with her free hand and rested it on the doctor's elbow.

It seemed to do the trick.

Kai Leng was in a stark room, cuffed to a chair similar to those security liked for interrogations. He hadn't been at first but Aria had him moved when she learned of his crime. A medic had been in to see him and upon reflection, Aria decided it wasn't such a bad decision. As badly burned as his face was, the medic seemed to have cleared one of his eyes. He blinked when he saw her come into the room, his bloody features twisting to a snarl before he caught himself. She smiled as he schooled his features to calm.

"I trust you have come to clear up this misunderstanding," he said. "As I have… said to your guards, Miranda Lawson isn't to be trusted. If you hand her over to the Illusive Man, he will double the Alliance reward."

Aria smiled and pulled closer a chair that had previously been used by one of her guards.

"So I have been told," she said. "Considering how much money Grayson has cost me, the offer is very tempting. Along with generous offer he made for Grayson's body."

Kai Leng's mouth twisted to a smile. "He is dead, as promised. I was there."

Aria smiled at him sweetly. "You were," she said pleasantly. "Striking the killing blow, saving those poor wretches that were left." She sighed loudly. "Anderson and Sanders got away, but I guess I can blame my own people for that." She watched as Kai Leng's breathing slow as he met her gaze, his mouth still twisted in that smile.

"Right then," he said. "Are we going to stop fucking around? I can imagine you enjoy seeing people on their backs, but this farce has gone on for long enough. The Illusive Man is waiting for me."

The arrogance.

Strangely though, she wasn't angry. She didn't even hate this little man, lying in front of her. She simply felt relief and her calm pulsed from her like the smile she had on her lips.

"I am quite impressed by his choice of agents," she said. "Lawson's just as direct as you are. Seems to be a quality he values in his people. That and loyalty, I imagine. I am guessing it's why he is willing to pay so much for Lawson. Who is quite spectacular in her own right. Very… thorough."

Kai Leng's smile faltered.

"Desperate," he spat. "And she cannot offer you what we can."

Aria nodded at this. "No, I don't think her credits stretch that far either," she agreed. "But the thing is…" She reached out and touched Kai Leng's cheek, turning his face towards her. "She understands one thing, I think, something you perhaps do not. Credits, wealth… It isn't everything this world has to offer. I have plenty, probably more than your Illusive Man has after most of his operations were destroyed. More is always better. Yet, it wasn't the most important thing I had in my life." She stared at his painful watering eye, reading the growing confusion there. He said nothing, so she continued.

"No, that was a being which came from my own flesh and blood. A creature so beautiful and powerful I would have given her my life, had she asked for it."

Still, he was confused, and it made her laugh.

"Oh this is wonderful, you don't even know what I am talking about."

Kai Leng's expression was painfully neutral. "Whatever lies Lawson has told you, don't be a fool to believe them."

Aria stood up and pushed the chair aside, leaning over Kai so that she could cup his raw face.

"Oh, I was a fool," she whispered as she made eye contact. "But I won't be again. The autopsy report said my daughter had been unconscious when you took her life, drugged so she couldn't even protect herself." There was a soft sound as his breath escaped from the shock of his comprehension. To his credit though, he didn't plead for his life.

Aria's thumb went to his remaining eye where it poised, ready to press down.

"Know this," she said. "The only broken carcass the Illusive Man will receive, is yours."

The End of Chapter 14