Cold Divide

Normandy, 2185, November 20th 9:35 AM

I lean back in the chair, idly scrolling through my omni-tool. The hologram's glow is too bright, making my head throb, but I keep skimming anyway. Headlines, news reports, and the occasional trashy gossip article I don't have the energy to care about.

Exhaling, I move past a piece about some mercenary scandal, then pause on a weapons catalogue. My thumb hovers over a new pistol model. I squint at it, considering, then sigh and keep scrolling. Nothing's catching my interest.

I hear footsteps coming from the stairs, and I barely glance up before Jack steps into the room, arms crossed.

She takes one look at me and smirks. "I see you found the chair."

I tilt my head back, still feeling a little hungover. "Yeah… I did."

Her smirk widens. "Like it?"

"I do. Thank you." I nod, then frown. "Where were you, anyway?"

She drops onto her bed, stretching her legs out. "Breakfast."

"Oh… right." My brain's still catching up, everything feeling slow and heavy.

Jack sighs, watching me too closely, and I already know something's coming before she even says it.

"So…" she starts. "I suppose things didn't go well with the cheerleader then?"

I stiffen. "What? How do you-"

Jack scoffs, cutting me off. "I wasn't gonna let you walk home alone while off your face." She shrugs like it's no big deal. "I followed you. Then you ran into her, so I figured she could handle it." She gives me a weird look. "She… wouldn't have let anything happen to you."

"Oh." I swallow, my throat dry. I don't know what to say. "Well… no, it didn't go well. I said some things."

Jack nods, taking in the information. "She'll get over it."

I wasn't expecting her to say that. "Thanks, Jack."

"Don't mention it." She waves a hand, pausing for a moment. "Damn, I really thought you'd hook up."

I blink. "What?"

"With the cheerleader," she clarifies. "Sex with biotics is the shit. Especially when drunk."

I let out a surprised laugh, shaking my head. "We've never used biotics."

Jack looks at me like I said something stupid. "Why not?"

Hesitating, I tap my fingers on the chair. "We talked about it, but… I don't know. It made me uncomfortable."

She shrugs like that answer makes no sense to her, but she doesn't push it. "You're missing out."

It's not the biotics themselves that made me feel iffy… it's trust. Letting Miranda in. Letting her use that kind of power in a moment like that. Her control is near perfect, but that doesn't change the fact that it would be her in control, not me. And that's the problem.

I don't trust her.

"Maybe." I shake my head, changing the subject. "So why her chair?"

Jack grins widely. "Because she'll notice. And it'll drive her crazy."

I sigh, but I can't help smiling. "I should've guessed."

Normandy, 2185, November 20th 7:16 PM

I run a towel through my hair as I step out of the bathroom. Feels good to finally relax after working out with Jack… less good that she wiped the floor with me. Again. Probably best to get an early night.

"Yeah, Joker," Riley says, sitting at her terminal. "Just get us to Nos Astra."

"Nos Astra?" I drape the towel around my shoulders, stepping up beside her.

"Got it," Joker says through the comms. "Night, Shepard."

"Goodnight." She glances at me for a second before she ends the call. She doesn't move.

I lean against her desk. "We're heading back to Nos Astra?"

Riley sighs, crossing her arms. "Cerberus sent me some intel that could help Liara. I have to give it to her."

I raise an eyebrow. "Weren't we, I don't know, strengthening the ship and crew or something?"

"We are strengthening the crew." She pushes her chair back and stands. "This is for me."

That makes sense. Helping Liara helps her. I shrug and turn for the stairs. "Fair enough."

"Speaking of helping." Riley follows me. "How was Omega?"

I flop onto the couch, running the towel over my hair again. "Uh, fun. You know me and Jack when it comes to shore leave." I smirk. "We got way too drunk."

Riley watches me for a moment. "Yeah. I also know I told you not to make a habit of that."

I move the towel from my face and give her a smirk. "Details. Nothing happened."

"This time," she points out.

I grin, giving her a lazy salute. "Got it, Commander. No more getting drunk."

She rolls her eyes but doesn't push it. Instead, she moves toward the bed and sits down.

"What did you and Samara get up to anyway?" I ask. "You told us not to go to the VIP section."

Her face hardens slightly, and I recognise that look. Serious Riley. "An Ardat-Yakshi was hunting there. We took care of it."

I tilt my head. "A what?"

She sighs. "An asari with a rare genetic condition. Fatal to anyone they sleep with."

Yikes. And here I thought I already had enough reasons not to have sex with asari.

"Got it." I nod. "Glad you dealt with it."

Her jaw tightens, and I get the feeling it wasn't that simple.

"So am I." She sighs again and with a small shake of her head, she pushes to her feet and walks toward her closet. "My turn for the shower."

I watch her go, then lean back against the couch, staring up at the ceiling. Reapers. Collectors. Ardat-Yakshi. Feels like we're always moving, always handling something.

Normandy, 2185, November 21st 7:58 AM

Activating the door panel, I wait as it slides open. I'm not as early as usual. I didn't sleep well, despite getting an early night. I haven't been if I'm being honest.

The moment I step inside, I see them.

Miranda and Jacob, standing close, talking quietly.

I freeze.

It shouldn't bother me. It shouldn't. But after the other night… after everything I said. It just feels bad. Wrong, even.

She looks so calm, and composed, like nothing happened. Like I didn't attack her biggest insecurity. Like she didn't flinch when I called her the perfect Cerberus operative.

And Jacob… he's nodding at something she says, arms crossed, face neutral. It's not like she doesn't talk to other people, but something about the way they're standing makes my stomach drop.

I take a step forward, the sound of my boots drawing their attention. Jacob looks over first, giving me a nod. But Miranda… her shoulders go stiff before she even turns.

Our eyes meet.

Something flashes across her face, too quick to really catch.

"Vex," she greets, voice even. Practised.

I nod once. "Miranda."

Jacob glances between us. "Sorry, Vex. We were just finishing up."

Miranda hesitates. It's brief, almost unnoticeable. Almost

"Yes, I should really get going." She moves past me, her gaze straight ahead. "Goodbye."

She doesn't look back.

I let out a slow breath, forcing my shoulders to relax. My hands find the nearest pistol on the table, and I check the sights. Mostly just for something to do. Something to keep me from thinking too much.

Jacob leans against the table beside me. "That was… something."

A short laugh escapes me. "Yeah."

He studies me for a second, head tilted. "You good?"

I don't look at him. "You really want to ask me that?"

He just smiles. "Of course."

Setting the pistol down, I finally meet his eyes. "I said some pretty shitty things to her."

Jacob doesn't look surprised. "That explains some things"

I sigh. "Does it?"

"Yeah." He leans in slightly. "Look, Vex. Miranda's got her walls. She always has. That doesn't mean she doesn't feel things. You should know that better than anyone."

A moment passes, then I nod. "I do."

"Apologies can go a long way." He pats me on the shoulder before pushing off the table. "When you're ready."

He takes a few steps, then pauses, smirking over his shoulder. "And by the way. We were just talking about work."

I glance up at him, and he gives me a knowing look before heading for the other table.

Nos Astra, 2185, November 22nd 12:13 PM

The restaurant Riley picks isn't anything special. It's quiet, tucked away. Exactly the kind of place I like. Nos Astra may be a city of opportunity, but it's also full of eyes.

I sit by the window, a drink in hand, watching the street. People walk past, clean and put together, nothing like people on Omega. But beneath the clean suits and smiles, they're probably just as bad.

Leaning back, I notice Riley. Took her long enough. She moves around the tables, heading over like she belongs here. She's doing a good job.

Sliding into the seat across from me, she gives a small smile. "Glad you showed up."

I shrug, swirling my drink. "I said I would."

She picks up the menu, scanning it like she's actually picking something. "Thanks. Did you already order?"

"No." I set my glass down, cutting to the point. "Riles, why are we here?"

She lifts a hand to flag down a waiter. "I thought it would be nice," she says lightly, then lowers her voice. "And I need you to come with me to Liara's apartment tonight."

I smirk. "I know I'm attractive, but I don't see you like that."

Riley rolls her eyes. "No, listen."

Before she can continue, the waiter arrives. She tells him her order while I shake my head when he looks at me for mine. Once he's gone, Riley leans in more.

"Liara needs help," she says, voice quieter now. "Her friend, Feron. He's been in the hands of the Shadow Broker for two years. She's close to getting him back, but she can't do it alone."

I raise an eyebrow. "And that's where I come in?"

"Exactly." She exhales, hesitating for a moment before adding, "Liara was the one who found my body."

I stare at her, tapping a finger on the table. "Really?"

"Yeah." She nods. "She made sure it didn't end up with the Collectors. If it weren't for her, Cerberus wouldn't have been able to bring me back."

I don't have to think about it. Two seconds, tops. "I'm in. Just send me the time and place."

Riley lets out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Vex. I knew I could count on you."

Shrugging, I pick up my glass again. "You can count on any of us."

She smiles widely. "I know."

Nos Astra, 2185, November 22nd 6:26 PM

The door to Liara's apartment is open, a strip of holographic police tape across the frame. Inside, uniformed officers move around, gathering evidence. Something happened here.

Riley doesn't hesitate. She walks right up to the asari cop standing guard. I hang back a few steps, arms crossed.

"What's going on?" she asks.

"This area is sealed off," the cop replies, sounding professional. "Please step back, ma'am."

Riley stiffens. "Why? What happened?"

Before the cop can answer, another voice cuts in. "Someone tried to kill your friend, Commander Shepard."

A new asari steps down the stairs, wearing dark armour that gleams under the apartment's lights. She moves like she's in charge here, and from the way the officer beside us instantly straightens, maybe she is.

"Thank you, officer," the armoured asari continues. "Your people are dismissed."

"You can't do that," the cop protests.

The asari barely spares her a glance. "Already done." She gazes at us, gesturing us forward.

Riley and I exchange looks before stepping through the police tape.

She nods as we approach her. "Tela Vasir. Special Tactics and Recon."

Riley stops in front of her. "A Spectre?"

Vasir studies Riley like she's sizing her up. "I heard your status was reinstated. Good." A playful smile appears on her face. "You're one of our most famous operatives. Might even get you to sign my chest plate."

That gets a short laugh out of me. "I like her."

Vasir grins. "Likewise." Then, she gets back to work. "I assume you had business with your friend this evening?"

Riley nods. "Liara has a lead on the Shadow Broker."

"The Shadow Broker?" Vasir tilts her head. "Dangerous enemy to have."

Riley glances around. "Where's Liara?"

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be sifting through her crap." Vasir gestures at the room, eyes scanning over everything like she's done it a hundred times already. "There's no blood, no body. It looks like T'Soni got away." She jabs a thumb towards the window, where a few spiderweb cracks are spread across the glass.

"The sniper didn't plan on her kinetic barrier," she continues. "Clever girl. Paranoid, but clever."

I fold my arms. "Sounds like an amateur."

For just a second, Vasir's jaw tenses. It's quick, controlled.

"Perhaps." She becomes neutral again. "Either way, T'Soni stuck around for almost four minutes before leaving the building."

I let out a slow breath. "That's odd."

Riley sighs. "Agreed. She must have left a message. She was expecting me to come here."

Vasir leans against the kitchen counter. "I'm not surprised. Illium is just Omega with expensive shoes."

I smirk. "You got that right."

Vasir's eyes shift towards me, amused. "Glad someone agrees." She tilts her head toward Riley. "You know her better than I do. Where would she leave a message?"

Riley doesn't answer right away, scanning the apartment. "Let me look around."

As she heads upstairs, Vasir moves further inside the kitchen, idly picking up small objects and setting them back down.

I step closer, eyes on her instead of the mess around us. "So what's your theory?" I ask, keeping my tone light. "Think it was a Shadow Broker agent?"

She pauses for a moment, her fingers twitch once, just slightly, like she's holding back from fidgeting.

"It's too early to tell," she answers, not even glancing at me.

Yeah, I don't buy that.

Before I can push, Riley comes back down the stairs.

"I think I found something." She crosses the room to a relic encased in glass, brushing her fingers over the surface. With a soft click, a hidden drawer pops open, revealing a small device.

"A backup disk?" Vasir nods toward Liara's terminal. "Let's try it."

Riley scans the disk. A hologram flickers, showing a salarian.

Liara's voice comes through, calmly. "What have you got for me, Sekat?"

The salarian sighs. "It was tricky, but you paid for the best. I can narrow it down to a cluster, maybe even a system."

"How soon can you have it?" Liara asks.

Sekat hesitates. "Shouldn't take long. Come to my office. Baria Frontiers, in the Dracon Trade Centre."

From the corner of my eye, I notice Vasir's head shift just slightly, not toward the recording, but toward Riley.

Sekat exhales. "Gotta say, though, T'Soni. You're making me a little nervous. How big is the trouble that could come out of this?"

"Relax, Sekat. I'll see you in a few hours," Liara reassures him.

The recording ends.

"I know where the Dracon Trade Centre is," Vasir says, already turning for the door. "My skycar's outside."

Riley puts the disk in her pocket. "Then let's go."

I hesitate just a second longer, glancing between them. Something about Vasir's timing, her body language, her little slip of frustration earlier. It's weird.

But I follow anyway.

Nos Astra, 2185, November 22nd 7:09 PM

The skycar speeds towards the Dracon Trade Centre. Buildings blur past in a smear of gold and blue. I try to focus on them, on the movement, but I can't. Something feels off, and I'm not sure what.

"Why aren't we calling for backup, anyway?" I ask, eyeing Riley and Vasir in the front seats. "You're both Spectres."

"No time," Vasir says, fingers flexing on the wheel. "Besides, I work alone."

"Fair enough." But I don't believe her.

She takes us down fast, pulling up just outside the entrance. She steps out first, looking over the area. We follow after her.

"The Baria Frontiers offices are on the third floor." Vasir turns towards us. "I don't hear police chatter. We must have missed the party."

And then the whole building explodes.

The shockwave slams into us, knocking me off my feet. I hit the ground hard, ears ringing, vision blurring. Smoke and fire rise from the building, swallowing the skyline in black. Debris rains down. People scream, panic.

"Liara's in there!" Riley shouts, pushing herself up.

"They just took out three floors to make sure she's dead!" Vasir is already on her feet, moving fast. "I'll grab the skycar and seal off the building from the top!"

Riley nods. "We'll start from down here."

Vasir jumps back in her skycar. "Just save some for me!"

She takes off, and I stand, watching her go. Something's up. But… These people need us right now.

"We should help the people out here," I say, glancing at them.

Riley's already heading for the entrance. "We have to go."

I walk after her. "But-"

"I know." She turns to me. "But we don't have much time.

Damn it. I grit my teeth and follow her inside.

The lobby is destroyed. The explosion tore this place apart. Fires burn in the corners, embers dancing in the thick smoke. Blood smears the walls. Bodies lie across the floor. Some moving, most not.

And the elevator's busted.

"Vasir, the elevators are out," Riley says. "Building security is also down."

Vasir's voice comes over the comms. "No alarms, no police. Very professional."

I exhale, looking away from the people. "Looks like we're taking the stairs."

Riley sighs. "Guess so."

We head upstairs and barely make it across the room before we find a survivor. A man slumped against a wall, clutching a blood-soaked wound. His breathing is ragged.

"Mercs," he gasps. "Came from the smoke… set the bombs… killing everyone…"

Riley kneels, checking him over. "Bullet wounds?" She looks up, jaw tightening. "Watch yourself, Vasir. They used military-grade hardware."

"Bullets? Guess this was more than just an explosion," Vasir replies, a little too smoothly.

Something in her tone isn't right. But, I need to be sure.

We keep moving up. The third floor is just as bad. Fire, smoke, the smell of blood.

The Baria Frontiers office comes into view. A bomb sits next to the entrance. So we approach slowly.

I frown. "It's unarmed."

"Sloppy work," Vasir says. "They probably didn't have time to plan."

Riley nods, entering the reception area. She activates a nearby terminal. "Vasir, we're at the office. Looks like Liara signed in just a few minutes ago."

"Understood, Commander," Vasir replies.

Her voice is off again.

"Let's hope Liara's still here." Riley turns towards the next door.

"Wait." I grab her arm. "Riles, I don't like this."

"It'll be fine." She gives me a look. "Let's just check it out."

I exhale through my nose and let go. She's not going to listen… she'll just have to see it for herself.

We step inside, the offices looking about as good as the rest of the building so far.

A few more steps, and traps activate. Flashbangs explode, blinding us. Footsteps come from all sides. Gunfire.

I dive behind cover, blinking the light from my eyes. I return fire, dropping one, two, three. Riley moves fast, ducking low and taking out two before they can react. I pop up, landing another shot. The last one scrambles for cover, but Riley shoots him before he makes it.

Riley exhales, lowering her rifle. "Looks like you were right."

"Obviously." I reload, switching my mantis for my pistol. "But I was talking about Vasir."

She studies me for a moment. "Why?"

I smirk. "She's too relaxed. She wasn't surprised by the explosion. She deflected when I asked about the Shadow Broker. And her fingers keep flexing." I shrug. "I think that's her tell."

Riley nods slowly. "So what do you want to do?"

"That's easy." I smile, kicking one of the mercs. "We pretend we're not onto her."

Riley doesn't hesitate. "Understood."

We push forward, through more offices, more enemies. The fights blur together. The mercs fight like professionals, but they aren't enough to stop us.

We reach another door, hearing two shots from inside.

Riley throws the door open, and we step in just in time to see a merc hit the floor, a fresh bullet hole in his head. Vasir stands behind him, gun raised.

"Damn it." She lowers her weapon. "If I'd been a few seconds faster, I could've stopped them."

Her fingers twitch on the grip.

Riley walks over to the body of a salarian against the wall, Vasir moves away, pretending to check the area.

"Is this Sekat?" Riley asks.

Vasir shrugs. "Must have been."

Riley glances over her shoulder. "No sign of the data?"

I keep my hand on my pistol, watching Vasir. "Suppose it's a dead end."

"Speaking of which." Vasir turns to us. "Did you find your friend's body?"

"You mean this body?" a voice answers before I can.

Liara steps into the room, gun aimed straight at Vasir.

I don't hesitate. Raising my pistol. "Told you, Riles."

Riley sighs and lifts her rifle. "Congratulations."

"Well…" Vasir's eyes dart between us as she takes a slow step back toward a window. "What gave it away?"

Liara's grip tightens. "I saw you. I doubled back after I left. I watched you break into my apartment."

I smirk. "I could just tell."

Vasir glares at me.

Liara keeps talking. "Once she had my location, she signalled the Shadow Broker's forces. They bombed the building to take me out." She nods toward Sekat's body. "She found him, took his data, and killed him. I'm guessing she's still got the disk on her."

Vasir grins. "Good guess, both of you. Not that you'll ever see what's on it." She snarls, body glowing. "You pureblood bitch!"

She moves fast, the glass shattering behind her. Shards fly towards us.

Liara creates a barrier, shielding us as they deflect against it, splintering off around the room.

Riley moves, sprinting forward. She tackles Vasir and they fall through the destroyed window.

I rush over, reaching the edge just in time to see Riley crash to the floor below. Vasir uses biotics to land safely. She turns back, looking down at Riley, fist glowing.

Liara runs past me, leaping off without even hesitating. Vasir notices and takes off as Liara lands, chasing after her.

"Fuck." I jump down, using my thrusters to land carefully. I grab Riley's arm, pulling her to her feet. "You good?"

She grunts. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Come on." I start running, Riley close behind me.

We rush through the building, reaching an open-air parking lot just in time to see Vasir leap into her skycar.

"Damn it!" Liara shouts as Vasir speeds off.

Riley crosses her arms. "I'm fine, by the way. Thanks for asking."

Liara ignores her, already moving towards a taxi that's parked nearby. Without hesitation, she yanks the door open and jumps into the passenger seat. She activates her omni-tool and overrides the controls.

She glances at us. "Let's go before she gets away!"

Riley slides into the driver's seat. I get into the back. Before the doors even shut, Riley floors it.

We tear off after Vasir.

Nos Astra, 2185, November 22nd 8:11 PM

I press my back against the seat and brace my boots against the floor as Riley nearly flips the taxi through a turn. I now know she's a terrible driver in high-speed situations. I'll try to not throw up.

"A truck!" Liara shouts.

I look out the windshield. A massive truck is coming straight toward us.

"I know," Riley says, eyes locked ahead.

Liara grips her seat, her voice rising. "A truck!"

"I know!" Riley grits her teeth.

I tighten my hold on the side handle and squeeze my eyes shut. "I want to get out."

Riley jerks the controls, avoiding it. She swerves through traffic and dodges oncoming skycars. We follow Vasir into a tunnel, only to see another truck heading for us.

"Truck!" Liara yells again.

"Again?" Riley yanks the taxi down hard, skimming just beneath the truck's undercarriage.

We speed forward, pulling up beside Vasir's skycar.

Vasir veers sideways, slamming into us. My head snaps back against the seat. Fuck. Riley doesn't hesitate, adjusting our angle and ramming her right back.

Vasir tries to hit us again but slams head-on into another skycar. The crash sends her flying toward the rooftop of a nearby building.

Riley follows, landing beside the wreck. We jump out, weapons drawn. But Vasir's already gone. Leaving only a trail of blood.

"She's injured," Liara says. "She won't get far."

We move along the edge of the building, finding bodies along the way. Security mechs and civilians caught in the crossfire. Liara slows, hesitating just long enough to confirm that Vasir's already gone.

Gunfire starts before I even see them. I duck behind the edge of a building as two mercs open fire. Another one shoots at Riley, keeping her pinned.

I pop out, pistol raised, and put two rounds in the chest of the first merc. The second one turns to me, but before he can fire, Liara slams him against a wall with a biotic blast hard enough to crack it.

The last merc aims his rifle and Liara lifts her hand. A singularity appears at his feet, yanking him off the ground. Riley takes the opportunity to shoot him before Liara lets him drop, then dusts herself off.

Remind me never to piss her off.

We continue, the trail leading us to an outside restaurant. I spot Vasir up ahead, walking past tables.

I signal Riley to move ahead and switch to my mantis.

Riley nods and they approach Vasir from behind, weapons drawn.

"Vasir! It's over!" Liara calls out.

Vasir turns, disappearing in a flash of biotic light. She reappears, yanking a waitress into her arms, one locked around the woman's throat, the other pressing a pistol to her temple. The waitress squeezes her eyes shut.

Vasir's lips move, but I can't hear what she says from here.

Riley stiffens. "We'll get you out of this, Mariana."

Vasir smirks, then leans down, whispering something into the waitress's ear before pressing the barrel harder against her head.

"I'm going to end you, Vasir," Liara says.

Riley glances at her. "Stay calm. We'll handle it."

I need to get a better angle.

Activating my cloak, I move, slipping between tables, and lining up my shot. My crosshairs hover just above Vasir's elbow.

I smirk. "I have a shot."

"Now!" Riley snaps.

I squeeze the trigger. The round hits Vasir's arm with a crack. Her gun flies from her hand. The waitress yelps and scrambles free.

Vasir stumbles but recovers fast, a sneer on her face. She thrusts out a hand, hurling a biotic wave at Liara.

Vasir turns on Riley. And she's fast. She slams into Riley, tackling her with enough force to send them both crashing through a table. Plates and glass shattering around them. Riley grits her teeth, just barely getting her arms up to block a glowing fist aimed at her face.

Reloading, I aim as Vasir moves. She kicks off Riley, then launches herself backward with a biotic push. She lands, snatching her pistol back into her good hand and fires in my direction.

I duck behind cover as bullets shred into my hiding spot.

Liara steps in, sending another singularity at Vasir's feet. For a moment, it grabs her, pulling her upward. But Vasir detonates it and sends another shockwave at Liara.

Liara generates a barrier just in time.

Vasir grins. "Is that all you've got, T'Soni?"

She moves like lightning, keeping us on the defence. Riley fires, but Vasir teleports, catching Riley by the wrist and wrenching it back at an angle. Riley grunts in pain, smacking the back of her helmet into Vasir's face.

Vasir lets go and I take my chance, firing. It hits her in the chest. She staggers back, choking on a breath.

Liara doesn't wait. She throws Vasir into a wall with a biotic blast.

Vasir slides down, landing hard against the ground. She struggles for a moment, then stays, hand covering the wound on her chest.

Liara steps forward, taking the datapad from Vasir and scanning it to her omni-tool.

"Sekat's personal datapad," she says, reading the information. "This has what we need to find the Shadow Broker."

She doesn't even look at Vasir before turning toward the exit and walking away.

Riley stops, kneeling beside her. They start talking and I head over, catching the tail end of their conversation.

"…With Cerberus," Vasir says, her voice weak. "You have any idea what your terrorist friends have done?"

Riley doesn't flinch. "I do… but that doesn't matter."

Vasir lets out a bitter laugh. "I think it does." She coughs, spitting blood, her chest heaving. "You want to judge me? Look in the mirror."

Riley says nothing.

Vasir's breath shudders. "Kidnapping kids for biotic death camps. Killing Alliance admirals who ask questions."

She locks eyes with Riley. "And you're with them. Don't you dare judge me. Don't you-"

She doesn't finish, her body going still.

Riley watches her for a long moment. Then she stands.

I don't move right away. I just stare at Vasir's body, at the way her fingers are still pressed against her wound.

"She's right, you know," I say quietly.

Riley's jaw clenches. "I know."

She turns without another word, walking past me to follow Liara.

I exhale, glancing at Vasir one last time.

Fuck.

Normandy, 2185, November 22nd 9:57 PM

I step into our quarters, letting the door slide shut behind me. Riley sits at her terminal, one elbow on the table, fingers pressed to her temple. Lost in thought, I guess. She doesn't even look up when I walk in.

Sighing, I cross the room, sitting on the edge of the desk. "You wanna talk about it?"

She glances up at me. "About what?"

I roll my eyes. "Come on. You know what."

She exhales, leaning back in her chair. "Liara… She's different. Colder. More calculating."

I heard them fighting when we left the restaurant. So I stay quiet, letting her work through it.

"I get it," she continues. "She had to do things, make deals, work with people she never would've before. She had to change."

I nod. "Because you were dead."

She flinches, just slightly. "Yeah."

I watch the tension in her jaw, the way her hands curl into loose fists. This is really bothering her.

"And I keep telling myself it's not fair to be upset about it," she mutters. "That she didn't have a choice. That she did what she had to do."

"But it still hurts," I say.

She swallows hard. "She used to light up when she saw me." Her voice goes quieter. "Now she can barely look at me."

I lean forward slightly, resting my arms on my knees. "Maybe she doesn't know how to look at you anymore."

That gets her attention. Her eyes meet mine, looking uncertain.

"Not because she doesn't care." I smile at her, trying to be reassuring. "But because she spent two years trying to let you go."

She lets out a breath, looking away. "And now she doesn't know how to let me back in."

I don't know what to say to that, so I don't say anything. Just sit with her in the silence.

Thank you for reading.