Shepard Stories II - Ch 33: Breach

Main Characters: Liara T'Soni, Miranda Shepard, Jonathan Shepard, Jona Sederis, and Aria T'Loak

Armali,Thessia-T'Soni-ShepardEstate-June2222CE

It was mid-morning; Liara, her girls and Miranda were lounging in the living room watching tv. She glanced up at the large clock on the wall then over at her two older daughters. "I thought you two were going to Serrice today to meet up with Mil."

Benezia looked at her omni tool to check the time 10:45 "We are but her thing isn't until later this evening and hotel check-in isn't even until three." She said then looked over at her sister "What do you think? Like two-ish?"

Anna was currently highly invested in the show playing on the television as she half listen to her sister "Yea, two sounds good."

Liara nodded then looked over toward her varren when both males stood quickly at alert and made growling noises toward the foyer. She stood as she snapped her fingers quickly to grab Shandri's and the other commandos in the room's attention. Liara waved the girls and Miranda over to her as she watched two commandos follow the male varren toward the security room.

She stiffened when she heard her bondmate call out for her in her mind and she felt their link dissipating. (Lia!)

(Babe, what's happening?)

(Intruders...can't... move... Eclipse...)

Liara quickly said, "Shay! Code Black! Lock it down! Send an alert to the academy! Capture as many of these Eclipse crew as you can!"

Miranda and the girls looked over with widened eyes, "What?"

Shay hit her com unit "Everyone we have a code black. I need teams one, two and three on Shepard's last known location. Move! Remaining teams spread out around the house until further notice." She tapped at her Omni tool to change her channel to the shadow crew "Kay? Do you read? Vi?" She waited for a response then looked at Liara as she shook her head. "Shadow crew aren't responding."

Liara touched her com unit when a commando said "Mistress, threat neutralized in the security room. I need you in here." She cautiously walked over with Miranda and Shay close behind. She flared her nostrils when she saw one of her commando's slumped over on the security console with indigo blood oozing out of her head. Anger stirred within her as she looked over at the asari stasised in the corner "You are either very dumb or extremely brave to infiltrate my estate!" she growled as her biotics blazed around her "How many more are there?"

"I'm not going to tell you anything!" hissed the Eclipse sister

Liara's eyes flashed as she walked over to her then clamped her fingers around the Eclipse sister's jaw as her words came out hot "You don't realize it yet but you're going to tell me everything that I want to know! When I'm done with you, you'll be pleading for death." She jerked her hand away then looked back at her right-hand commando "Shay, keep a small, trusted skeleton crew at the Academy but I want everyone else here and accounted for. Bring all the new ladies to me and take this piece of shit to the interrogation room."

Shay nodded, "Yes, ma'am!" then turned to her next level trusted officer Teyr, "LT, you heard that?"

Ty nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

She thumbed her thumb toward the door "You're on it. Get to it!"

"Yes, ma'am" she said quickly then hurried out the door.

Liara snapped her fingers as she exited the security room "Crim, Gimp come!" She opened the front door. "Find daddy. Go!" She watched them both take off running toward the woods then walked out the front door. "Ladies, let's go!"

—/

Liara and several commandos touched down on the far end of their property. She looked down at her omni tool as she followed her varren locater dots on her screen. "Ladies spread out and find them!"

They walked through the trees quickly with their guns raised, listening carefully then suddenly they heard rustling and the varren making noise.

Liara heard an asari say, "Mistress on me!"

Shay followed quickly then stopped in her tracks when she walked up to her friend lying face down on the ground. She closed her eyes tight as a sharp pain hit her heart then breathed out "Noooo!" She hurried over to Vilio who was Alex Shepard's bodyguard. She knelt down beside her, looked her over, then ran the back of her hand down the side of her face, "Vi?"

Liara gently squeezed her shoulder as tears gathered in her eyes "I'm so sorry. I knew how much you loved her." then placed her finger on her com unit when her daughter came through.

"I need medical! Blue has a gunshot wound to her side but she's still breathing." Said Benezia

Liara looked through the trees for her daughter then turned when she heard Miranda in her earpiece.

"I need medical! Kay has a gunshot wound to her back." Said Miranda

Liara began to breathe heavily as panic began to flow through her. Kay was her bondmate's bodyguard and with her down and Blue down, she was waiting for the worst. Waiting to hear that her bondmate was down or worse dead. She ran toward Miranda and as she got closer, she yelled "Is he here?"

Miranda shook her head "No, but look." She said as she pointed to the small object in Kay's neck "Tranquilizer darts! They must have hit them with these first then shot them with a bullet. They didn't have a chance."

"Is she dead?" asked Liara

Miranda reached into her pocket and pulled out some medi-gel as she said "No, but her pulse is faint. She needs medical."

Liara touched her com unit "We need an immediate medical team on the east side of the estate. We have two injured. I also need a clean up crew. One with me and another at the estate."

Miranda looked up at Liara as she said "Alex?"

Liara shook her head "Nothing yet but I'm assuming they took them both." She looked around then said "Besides the Eclipse sister in security. Who else knew they were out here? How long have they been waiting? How'd they get passed our security system undetected?"

Miranda shook her head as she said "They didn't get passed it, the trader or traders let them in. They must have been camping out here undetected. If Shepard and Alex weren't coming out here to play their silly game, then they were just going to raid the house eventually."

—/

Liara ran her hands over her face "Jon said Eclipse before he passed out. So, we already know who but what the hell does Jona want with Jon and Alex? She must have been planning this for years." She walked into her secondary office down in her underground Shadow Broker layer. "Rune, track Jonathan Shepard and Alexander Shepard."

"Dr. T'Soni-Shepard no results found..." replied her translucent secondary orb.

Liara grunted then mumbled "Of course."

"I'm sure the first thing they did was remove the tracking device and dump them. They must have had stealth shuttles on the premises because we didn't even see or hear them leave." Said Miranda

Liara exited the room, walked down the hall to one of her interrogation rooms. The moment she entered the room she said. "Where are they taking them?"

"Fuck you! I will never betray my sisters."

Liara raised her hand then back handed her as she hissed. "Oh, yes, you will!" As her anger rose, she began to breathe heavily then jammed her hand into the asari's lower ribs and yanked up on it. The asari's body stretched out flat as she screamed out in pain. Liara dug her fingers into the asari's face with her other hand as she snarled, "Where is my bondmate?"

The asari shook from the intense pain flowing through her "I don't know!"

"Don't lie to me!" Liara jerked up on the Eclipse sister's ribs again and yelled. "WHERE IS HE?"

The asari screamed out in agony. "My job was to just let them in, I swear! That's all I know!"

Liara leaned in close as her fingernail trailed around the asari's face "I'm going to tear through your mind, and NOTHING I do will be gentle!"

Miranda flinched when she heard the asari let out a scream that bounced off the walls. She looked at Shay and said, "Bloody Hell!"

Liara released from her mind, and the asari was shaking beneath her. "Your resistance clearly reveals that you know more than what you're telling me."

She shook in her chair, "Jona will kill me!"

Liara let out a slow laugh "Then your fate is death!"

"None of us are given a choice! It's do or be dealt with."

"Who else is involved?" demanded Liara.

"We're everywhere, Liara! You won't find us all." Said the Eclipse sister.

Her eyes flashed as she clenched her jaw, looked back at Shandri then back at the Eclipse sister "Maybe not but I will know what you know and anyone else that is captured." She stared at her for a moment "So, are you going to provide the information or do you want me to take it?"

She scoffed "I'm not giving you shit!"

Liara curled her lip as she grabbed her crest with her hands. "Then I'll take it!"

"No wait, please…please…" pleaded the eclipse sister as she shook her head.

Miranda's eyes widened as the asari screamed, "Bloody hell! What the hell is she doing to her while she's in there?" asked Miranda.

Shandri stood in silence for a moment as she watched Liara fiercely tear through the Eclipse Sister's mind as she ravaged it for information. She looked down as she said "Imagine a predator fiercely ripping through the flesh of their prey, layer after layer then peeling it back to reveal the skeleton. Once the skeletal layer is visible then she'll break through the bones to the internal organs until nothing is left but goo."

Miranda twisted her face at the sheer agony she was hearing from the eclipse sister, "Fuckin-A!"

Shandri nodded then looked toward Miranda as she said "If she has any type of secure layer, then it's harder for Liara to break through it. Most of us secure our valuable information under layers of security just in case something like this ever happens. What she is doing is punishable by Republic law if found guilty. Normally the victim never makes that report, to begin with, because they're dead. Continuous session after session and the victim's brain and heart will falter from the shear pain and savage connection. The body just can't handle it, it turns into mush like a grenade exploding inside. When blood begins to leak out from their nose, eyes, and auxiliary cavities, then death is near. The time it takes to break them down depends on the person. Some just give in because they can't handle it. The strong-willed ones will hold on until the very end. They'd rather die than give them anything, but the trick is, can you make it through their secure layers before you kill them."

Miranda looked at Shandri for a long moment then over at Liara who was fiercely extracting information from a trembling Asari beneath her grasp. "Good Lord."

—/

It was the next day, and they just heard about the kidnapping of Milizkia. Liara hung her head as she placed her hands on her desk. "What a mess…" she mumbled

Miranda ran her hands through her hair as she said "Why Mil?"

"Well, if it's Jona like we think is it then Mil being taken is because of Aria." She tapped at her omni tool then tossed the call on the vid wall. She let out a breath as she said "Let's get this ass kicking over with."

The vid call rang a few times then an irritated purple asari appeared on her wall and snarled "What do you want?"

Liara looked down then back at Aria as she hesitated then said "Mil was taken by the Eclipse."

Aria shook her head as her words came out hot then escalated as she spoke "No, no. Impossible because you told me she didn't need a security crew, LIARA!" she jabbed her finger at the screen as she snarled "You told me that she'd be fine and that you had it taken care of."

Tears gathered in her eyes as she heard the pain in Aria's voice "I had her information classified thinking that would be enough."

Aria slammed her fist down on her table as she yelled "But it wasn't, was it! I put my trust in you to protect my daughter!"

She closed her eyes as tears drizzled down her face "I know and I'm sorry."

Aria curled her lip "Oh, you will be if I don't get my daughter back in one piece!" she snarled then disconnected the call.

Liara placed her head in her hands as she wept.

Miranda walked up behind Liara and hugged her "She's just upset and terrified of what may be."

Liara wiped her tears as she nodded "I know but she trusted me, and I failed her and Mili."

"It's not your fault. I mean look at what happened here. She could have had a crew and still got taken. So, let's brainstorm and figure out what to do." Replied Miranda

Benezia spoke up, "Mom, they had to have tranq'd Em too because there's no way she would have gone without a fight and people would have saw that."

Miranda nodded "Who got close enough to tranquilize Mil? A trusted friend? Another one of Liara's commandos? Did one of her roommates betray her?"

Liara turned toward her with an arched brow marking "They wouldn't, would they?"

Miranda shrugged "Maybe... they do know who she is. Prass?"

"No, Prass is too in love with her to betray her. I've hung out with all of them on several occasions and they don't seem like the type. Besides, she was at a massive party and probably drinking. Skylis said she went to the bathroom alone and that would have been the perfect opportunity to take her. Her guard would have been down, and with a bunch of drunk people around no one would have paid attention." Said Benezia

"They planned this around a party?" asked Liara.

"Looks like. Most universities have massive end of the year parties that are posted everywhere..." replied Benezia.

—/

Milizkia cracked her eyes open and tried to use her arm but couldn't. She jerked then realized she was tied to a chair and had biotic cuffs on. She tried to speak, but there was tape over her mouth then heard a woman say, "It's about time you all woke up!"

The navy blue asari walked the room as she said, "Look at all of you so young, delicate..." she ran her hand down one of the asari's faces "Perfect beauties. Damn, do I love me a light purple asari. Mmmm."

Milizkia looked around the large room and saw several other asari tied to chairs. They all had her skin tone, and two looked familiar to her. She saw large windows on each side of the larger walls, but she couldn't see out only opaque. She saw a dark blue asari walk towards one of the girls and ask "Milizkia T'Loak?" The young asari shook her head. Milizkia looked at the girls she knew from a friend of a friend and the one who she despised. Milizkia smiled within when she saw her wearing the ring her mother gave her.

The woman walked up to her, "Milizkia T'Loak?" She shook her head.

The woman was growing angry "I know one of you is her!" She exited and walked into the room next door. Sederis clicked a button, and the black wall changed to show a large group of girls. She pointed to them, "Tell me, which one of these girls is Milizkia T'Loak?"

Alex looked at her and didn't say anything.

She reared her hand then struck him in the face then yelled, "I know who you are! You think you can have that translucent biotic tattoo removed and I wouldn't know? I know, and I know Milizkia T'Loak is your daughter!"

He looked at the room of girls and saw his daughter sitting in there then looked directly at Sederis "She's not in there!"

"She's not, huh? So, I could shoot every one of those girls because she's not in there, is that right?"

He shifted slightly in his chair, then Jona looked at him and smiled "She's in there." She said as she took out a shocker and zapped him in the chest.

He grit his teeth as the electricity ran through him. "Which one is she?" she asked. When he didn't respond Sederis pointed to the muscular man in the corner. "Rearrange his face and his body!"

The muscular henchman walked over and laid several punches into him. Sederis grabbed his golden locks and pulled his head back "Which one is she!"

He spit blood in her face, "Fuck you!"

She grabbed him around his neck "I will fucking kill you!"

He smiled then squeezed out, "Go ahead..."

"You won't tell me? Then I'll rip it from your brain!" She grabbed his head with both hands and plunged into his mind. He jerked his head back and yelled. After several grueling minutes, she released from his mind. "I will break you... all we have is time." She said then slapped his face. "You think I don't know. Hmm? You think I don't know what you did?" She grabbed a knife then sliced down his face. He grunted in pain as a smile crept across her wicked face "You will never make it out of here. You will NEVER see your wife again!" Jona slapped him across his face again "You killed my sister years ago, and I'm going to torture you until you beg me to kill you." She dragged the knife down his chest, and she smiled at his pain.

Sederis walked out and down to the room on the other side of the girls. "Well...well... if it isn't Commander fucking Shepard... Do you know how long I've been planning this? I told you I would fuck you up one day. Well... here I am." She said then slapped him.

Shepard looked at her and smirked "Sederis … You're still pissed about me leaving you in that prison cell?"

She laughed, "I told you I would find you and kill you. You've also killed hundreds of my girls."

He let out a long breath "Well, you're not trapped anymore…"

"You're right, I'm not. Thanks to the Reapers. Now you're trapped in my prison."

He laughed "Nah I won't be trapped—"

"Oh, you think someone is coming for you?"

He smiled then said, "Ooooh… I don't THINK I know my wife is coming for me."

She laughed, "Your wife?" She laughed harder "What's your uppity rich wife going to do? Pay someone?"

It was Shepard's turn to rumble in laughter. "My wife…" he smiled and let out a long breath "You see that's exactly what she wants everyone to think but in all actuality she's fucking crazy. Not to mention she owns the number one information brokerage in the galaxy. There's no amount of money she won't spend to find me, and she'll never stop until she does." He pointed his finger in the air "NOT to mention I'm Commander Shepard the galaxy loves me! My pals the Krogans, the Turians, the Quarians, the Geth… sooo many people. Not only is my wife crazy, but my mother is fucking psychotic as well, Admiral Hannah Shepard. So, not only do you have my wife hunting you down, but you also have half the galaxy and the Alliance Military looking for you."

Sederis stared at him for a long moment then said "Is that right…"

"Yep…" he said then leaned into the back of his chair as he crossed his ankles "Ya know, I'm quite parched." He said as he looked around "Do you think I can get a beer or something? Maybe a nice little bed to lay on while I wait for my wife to come get me."

She jerked her head back as she said "You think this is some sort of fucking hotel? Huh? Some kind of fucking joke."

He looked around again as he furrowed his forehead "Is it not? I thought maybe you were just in the remodeling stage."

"Oh, very funny!" She said as she slammed a metal pole into his side.

He curled his lip at her "You bitch… you'll pay for that!" He looked down at the separate biotic suppression cuffs on each of his wrists. "Do you think these will save you from me?"

She laughed, "Those are quadruple biotic cuffs and the best on the market." She clapped her hands together "NOW let's get down to business." She said as she tapped at a button on a remote.

Shepard watched as the long wall to his right changed from black to clear. He saw a room full of asari girls. He quickly scanned the room for his children, and a wave of relief washed over him when he didn't see his girls then his heart dropped when he saw Milizkia tied to a chair.

"I want to know which one of these girls is Milizkia T'Loak."

He didn't speak, just looked at her. She smiled "I see you and your brother don't like to talk when it comes to her. How about I rearrange your face like I did his?" She snapped her fingers. "Do it until I say stop!"

A large man walked over and punched him in the face several times then in the gut. He continued until blood drizzled from his face, then she said: "Stop!" She ran her hand down his face "Shepard, I am going to torture you until you beg me to kill you. Then when I'm done, I'm going to send this to your wife."

He looked at her, then looked away.

She snapped her fingers "Again!" Sederis leaned against the wall as the man laid into Shepard for several minutes, "Stop!" She walked up to him "Let's see how well your wife secured your brain."

Shepard didn't jerk away but clenched his teeth and clamped his hand into a fist when she made her way into his mind. She laughed when she released "Damn! She taught you extremely well. Unlike your brother where I forced my way in, you let me in but gave nothing but an echo in your mind. You have your mind under gridlock... layers of security. You even managed a fuck you!" She jammed her electric shocker into him for several seconds then let go.

She walked out then into the girl's room and stood there for a moment as she looked at every girl carefully. Any girl that had a hint of Aria T'Loak she was going to select. As she walked the room, she abruptly stopped in front of the asari with a black ring and an amethyst stone then yelled "Why did no one tell me about this? Prep her!" as she walked toward the door, she stopped in front of Milizkia then ran a hand down her face as she said "You are absolutely gorgeous and those eyes, lovely." Then pointed to another, "and her. Mark these two." She waved her hand as she exited "Put these two and the rest on the transporter and clear the room!"

—/

Aria sat in her office as she listened to the soft humming her frigate made as it zipped through the galaxy. She held on to the picture of her daughter as she waited patiently for information from Liara and anyone else. Aria looked up when she saw Bray come running to her. Aria stood and walked toward him, "What?"

"It's Sederis!"

Aria pointed to the vid wall as she said "Pull it up." When she saw the navy blue asari appear on her screen she scowled, "Sederis!"

Sederis smiled, "Aria, you know why I'm calling?"

"I do. Where the fuck is my daughter?" she hissed

Sederis stepped out of view of the camera and pointed to her. Aria grit her teeth as she looked at a light purple asari with a bag over her head. "How do I know it's her?"

Sederis laughed "It's her! I want Omega! Or so help me."

Aria laughed, "Do you think you can threaten me?"

"Oh, I know I can threaten you because I have your precious daughter in the palm of my hand. Give me what I want!" Sederis demanded.

"You'll get what you want when I get my daughter but not beforehand." replied Aria.

"You do not make demands, I do. I have what you want—"

Aria slammed her hand down on her desk "And I have what you want! If you hurt my daughter…"

"You mean like this?" Sederis said as she backhanded her and the young asari groaned in pain.

Aria flashed her eyes, "Everything you inflict on her, I will do to you, tenfold!"

Sederis laughed. "Talk talk talk that's all you do."

"You think I talk and don't follow through? HA!"

"Oh, I know you follow through, but you just like to fucking talk. You see… I have you Aria… by your fucking cunt. Your daughter is a prize within herself, so young and pretty. I could just keep her and sex her out. Hmmm….? So, you don't make demands, I do! I know you will NOT just let your daughter go. The death of your first daughter almost broke you, didn't it? To lose another one Aria… hmmm? Can you handle it?

She clenched her first until her violet hands were turning white. "And why would you do that to yourself Jona? huh?" steamed Aria.

"Do what?" Said Jona

"If you hurt her or do anything else to her, then hunting you down will be my lifelong mission. Do you understand?"

She smiled. "You sound sooooo serious Aria." She laughed wickedly then swiftly pulled her weapon "Fine. Let's get serious then!" She shoved the tip of the gun into the side of the young girl's head "I want Omega now, or I will kill her."

Aria replied quickly, "You wouldn't dare because you'll get nothing but my wrath!"

"I'm not going to ask again!" yelled Jona.

"Bring her to me first! Let me see her!" demanded Aria.

"I don't think YOU understand the situation, Aria." Sederis pointed the gun at the girl's leg and pulled the trigger.

The girl's scream was muffled through her tape. She jerked as she screamed again.

Aria watched as indigo blood oozed from her leg. She clenched her fist at the sight. "Torturing my daughter will do you no good. Bring her to me, and I will hand Omega over to you!" She grit her teeth then yelled "Give me my daughter!"

Sederis held her finger to her earpiece then laughed wickedly "Aria… Aria…tricky tricky. You are not even on Omega. Silly goose and you left Omega unattended with a secondary shitter at command. My girls have overthrown you and your crew! Your leverage is GONE!"

"Don't do this!" pleaded Aria.

"Oh, now you want to beg. Then beg for her life Aria. I want to see you down on your knees begging for your daughter's life!" demanded Jona.

Aria grit her teeth and slowly got to her knees "Give her back to me. You have Omega!"

"Who is the Queen now? I am! Tell me I'm your Queen."

Aria clenched her fist "Jona, you are Queen now give me my daughter!"

"You had plenty of time to hand over Omega, but I had to take it from you! You will never rule Omega again, and you will NEVER see your daughter again!" She snarled as she pulled the trigger.

Aria's eyes widened when she saw her daughter's lifeless body fall backwards. Excruciating pain radiated through her body as her heart shattered. An unnerving growl came out of her as if it was going to help release the pain. She breathed heavily as she spat "I'm going to carve your eyes out with a fucking spoon then drag you around by your fucking empty holes! You're dead where you stand! Do you fucking hear me! DEAD!" when the call ended, she flopped down into her chair, clutched her daughter's picture to her chest as she wept.

—/

Liara's eyes were wide as tears drizzled down her face. Her body was frozen from sheer shock at what just occurred.

Miranda ran her hands through her raven-colored hair as she wept then said "That didn't just happen. Why?" She took a ragged breath as she continued "Because of some piece of shit place?" She looked at Liara as tears streamed down her face "Aria pressed her too hard!"

Liara wrapped her arms around her as she wept "She made her choice, and it backfired." She gently pulled away when Jona appeared on her vid wall "Miranda Shepard?"

Miranda wiped her tears as she yelled "How could you? She was just baby!"

"You are so worried about a dead girl when you should be worried about your husband." She said then laughed.

Miranda's face instantly fell when she saw her husband tied to a chair slumped over bleeding and broken. "What do you want? She said immediately

She smiled wickedly as she said "Nothing, just your heartfelt agony as you listen to his painful groans."

She wiped her tears as she quickly said "I'll pay you whatever you want! Please…"

"There's no amount of money that will bring back my sister!" She snapped then walked over to him and held the tip of her gun to his head "His death will bring me happiness."

Miranda blurted out "Wait!" She paused for a moment then said "One hundred million credits."

Jona looked slowly toward the camera as she said "That's all? His life value is only worth a hundred million credits?" She leaned down and spoken in his ear "You're not even worth much to your own wife."

Alex coughed as he choked on his own blood. His breath was shallow as he shook his head then struggled to speak "Don't do it, Miri! I'm already dead."

Jona smiled broadly as she shoved the gun into his head "That is no lie."

He took a breath as he pushed his head into the tip of the gun then yelled "Do it!" His words ended abruptly as the gunfire bounced off the wall. His lifeless body flew back and hit the ground.

Miranda sobbed on the ground for a moment. Her body was shaking as she stood in anger and breathed heavily "You're fucking dead, you bitch! I'm going to kill you slowly when I get my hands on you. When you die, I will bring you back to life just to fucking kill you again! Then I'm going to peel your scales off one by one and let rats feast on you until your heart falters!" she spat as she breathed heavily.

"Ooo aren't you scary when you're mad." She said then laughed

"I know where you'll be and I'm going to wait for you on Omega."

Jona smiled wickedly "On the contrary, I still have one more Shepard." She wiggled her finger at the camera as she continued "You land a foot on Omega and Liara's Shepard dies." She said then ended the call.

Miranda growled out a yelled "You bitch!" Then looked at Liara as she dropped to the ground and cried.

Liara knelt down and held on to her as she cried "I'm so sorry!"

Miranda wiped her tears as she nodded then said "How far out are we?"

Shandri cleared her throat "About three more hours until we're at their facility."

"We better get this bitch." Replied Miranda

—/

Liara exited her frigate and walked to the building. They endured zero resistance as the Eclipse had already fled the area.

"What the hell...?" Said Shandri as she looked around at the blood bath in front of her.

Hannah walked in behind her and whistled long and slow. "Fucking Christ!"

Liara looked around and covered her mouth "Goddess it looks like grenades exploded everywhere minus the shrapnel!" Liara stepped through body pieces, guts, and blood as she walked down the bloody hallway then looked at the numerous bullet holes in the walls. Liara quickly braced her hand on the wall "Watch your step it's slippery."

Miranda and Hannah opened the first door to a room and slowly walked over to the lifeless body.

Hannah wiped her tears away "My boy, you were taken too early. We will avenge you, and there will be a reckoning."

Miranda gently caressed his face, "I love you, and I will miss you." Tears trickled down her face, and she watched as droplets splashed on his face. She stood as she cried "Zen... could you please. I can't…I just can't."

Zenulo walked in with a black bag. "Of course. I'm so sorry..."

Aria walked into the room and saw her daughter's body lying on the floor in a pile of indigo blood beneath her. She walked closer and knelt down. She looked her over and touched her lifeless hand. "I'm sorry baby. This is all my fault." She hovered her hand over the burlap bag, then pulled her hand back. With a shaking hand, she swept it across her mouth then wiped the tears from her face.

Bray touched her shoulder "Would you like for me to verify?"

Aria looked at the heirloom on the young asari's hand "No, that's my ring on her hand. Just get a bag and put her in it." She stood and then took a deep breath as she walked out.

Bray took a deep breath as he unzipped the bag and carefully placed her in it. "You were much too young kiddo."

Liara slowly opened the door to the next room and didn't see her bondmate. She saw a set of broken biotic suppression cuffs, dead asari and goons but not her lovey.

Miranda walked in and over to the broken cuffs. She smirked as she picked them up "These are supposed to be impossible to break but not for him." She waved her hand at the bloody mess "He did all of this."

Liara nodded "Yes. The instant Alex died I bet he knew. Plus, Mili on top of that and it was pure fuel for his rage." She said as she walked the room and saw small tranquilizer darts in the wall. "They tried to tranq him at first, but they missed. He killed many but must have tranq'd him eventually because there's no way Jona would have him killed. She's going to hold on to him as long as possible."

—/

Once Liara and her crew were back on the ship she paced the room. "Should I tell the girls?"

Miranda shrugged "I don't know Lia. Mil's death is going to hit them hard." she paused as she began to cry "I mean shit her death is tearing me up on top of Alex's."

Liara wiped her own tears then said "I know. But knowing how they were with her I think I should." She stared at her omni-tool for a moment then called Benezia.

Benezia answered and before her mother could say anything she knew something terrible happened because she could see it all over her mother's face. Tears creeped around her eyes as she said "Mom…"

Their mother was shaking and could barely speak, "Nezzie, gather your sisters."

Benezia called for her sisters, and they gathered around as they waited for their mother to continue.

"Mili, and your Uncle Alex have been killed by Jona Sederis the leader of the Eclipse gang."

They gasped, "What?"

Where's dad?" said Anna quickly

"They took him. We need to keep searching."

Benezia began to shake as pain shot through her heart. She wiped her tears and said "Mom, I want to see Em! Show me!"

"You don't want to see Nezzie." Said her mother

Benezia shook her head, "I don't want to see, I have to see."

Liara looked at her daughter for a moment then said "Fine, I've sent it to you. I have to go." She said

Benezia's omni-tool dinged when the link arrived. She pinched her eyes shut as tears streamed down her face and she hesitated before she clicked it. They heard the conversation between Sederis and Aria. They jumped when she shot her in the leg, and her muffled screams. They watched the gun get shoved into her forehead then Ry paused the video "I can't... Nez…I can't..." she said as she cried into her hands.

"Then don't look." snipped Benezia as she reached over and hit the button. They jumped when a gun went off, and her lifeless body fell to the floor.

Gwyn covered her mouth as she shook "Oh my god! Mili..."

Benezia's heart broke at the death of her best friend, cousin, sister, and confidant. She grit her teeth and clenched her fists as a stream of tears flowed down her face. "I want to be there when they catch this fucking murdering bitch! Em didn't deserve this."

Ry stepped away from her sister glowing with a red aura "B, I'm sure mom will let you be there but calm down, you're blazin'."

She took a deep breath, "Sorry..." she stared at the video then noticed a ring on Milizkia's finger. She sniffled as she wiped her tears away then tapped at the video to enlarge it. "Wait, Em told me last month that her ring was stolen. When I saw her last, she still didn't have it. This isn't Em."

Anna looked at the screen then back at her sister "Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. Em would have told me if she got her mother's ring back because she was overly pissed that someone stole it. Some girl that was trying to be her." She said then tapped at her Omni tool to call her mom.

—/

Liara looked down at her omni tool when a call came in from Benezia. She answered it, "Hey, Nez."

"Mom... that's not Em!"

"What?"

"Yea Em told me a month ago that someone stole her mother's ring. Some girl that looked similar to her. I think that dead asari is that girl but it's not Em."

Liara stood up "Thank you, Sweetie. I have to go. Love you."

—/

"Why a spoon Aria? Why not a knife or—" asked Bray

She scoffed, "Because it's dull you imbecile it'll hurt more!" Aria looked down at her omni tool ringing. She wiped the tears from her face and took a few deep breaths, "What Liara?"

"Aria... Benezia was just telling me that it isn't Mil."

Aria quickly said, "What!"

"She said it's some girl who looks like her, and she stole her ring."

"I'll confirm it now." Aria snapped her fingers at Bray. "With me." she walked to her cargo bay and stood next to the cryo pod. "Open this fucking thing!" she demanded

Bray released the locks and removed the lid. He unzipped the black bag then removed the burlap bag from the head. Aria walked over and looked at her, then forced open the eyes. She scrunched her brow markings at the young asari and grit her teeth. She jerked the ring off her finger then looked down at her omni tool, "Liara, it's not Liz!" She looked at Bray "Dump this fucking thing out into space."

Liara quickly said, "Aria, that's someone's baby."

"I don't give a shit, she's not mine. I need to find mine. Aria out!" She said as Liara tried to stop her.

She picked up the closest item and threw it "Fuuuuucccckkk youuuuu Sederis! Try to deceive me you bitch!" She looked at Bray "The other girls she took. She wouldn't just kill them. They'll be put into some sort of sex ring. I need to find her. Now!"

He cleared his throat "Liara's information brokerage is the best out there unless you pay top dollar for the Shadow Broker. You'll know she'll do it without a fee."

She clenched her fists, "Fuck! Fuck! Get her back on the damn line."

She looked at the screen when Liara came into view "Liara—"

"I'm already working on it. I'll get in touch with you when I find something." Said Liara

"Thank you. Aria out."