Chapter Text
Afterlife—VIP lounge
“On some nights…” Morinth said as she flirted with the human seated next to her in the booth, “There’s no one interesting to talk to here. Other nights…there’s just one person. Tonight it’s you? Why is that?”
Remembering his earlier conversation with Samara, Kaidan replied, “You and I want the same things.”
“Do we?”
Seeing that she was pulling back, Kaidan quickly responded, “What sort of music do you like?”
“I’m into dark rhythms and violent pulses.” Morinth replied, “Something that stirs the primitive in me. What about you?”
Realizing that his next answer might well determine the success or failure of the mission, Alenko, remembering his earlier conversation with the man seeking tickets, answered back, “I’m curious about this band—Expel 10. Have you heard of it?”
Her smile indicating satisfaction at his response, Morinth replied, “They get in my head and tear it to pieces. Did you know that they’re in concert here soon? Maybe we should go together.” She then further tested, “You can lose yourself in the music here, you know. Did you know that there are ways to enhance that?”
“What about Hallex?” Kaidan responded with a slight smile.
“It slithers through my soul.” Morinth declared, her smile growing wider, “Looks like we do have some things in common after all.”
“What sort of art do you like?” Kaidan inquired, “I’ve just recently gotten into this elcor sculptor, Forta.”
“Same here.” Morinth exclaimed with a predatory grin. “He speaks to the dark places inside me. But sculpture isn’t the only thing that reaches out and grabs me. Some vids also speak to me. What about you?”
“Have you seen Vaenia?” Alenko asked.
“That’s my favorite.” Morinth responded, “The two actresses on it are so glamorous. Maybe we could watch it together?” Changing the subject, Morinth probed, “I enjoy seeing new things and new places. What about you? Where have you been?”
“Where have I not been?” Kaidan chuckled, “I’ve traveled all over the galaxy.”
“It changes you, doesn’t it?” Morinth answered back, eagerly waiting for her prospective victim’s answer.
“Real travel…” Kaidan declared, “means going to dangerous places.”
The smile still on her face, Morinth exclaimed, “Places where you can see and do things most people can’t imagine. When I travel, I like to go to those places that are dark…dangerous. What about you?”
“I like violent places. Places where you have to be smart and tough to win.” Alenko boldly asserted.
“Violence is the surest expression of power.” Morinth declared forcefully, echoing her prey’s words.
“Violence is a means to an end.” The human biotic answered back, smiling inwardly as he realized that his quarry had taken the bait. “Power is that end.”
“Do you want to leave this place?” Morinth propositioned, “My place is nearby and I want you alone.”
“Let’s go.” Kaidan agreed thinking to himself, hope you’re watching, Samara.
Afterlife—guard’s break room.
“Guess I win this one.” V’lana grinned as she raked in the pot. Taking the cards she began to shuffle as the door opened.
“So that’s where you all have been hiding.”
“Aria!” Bray exclaimed as he and Grizz quickly rose to their feet. “We were just…”
“Enjoying an extended break drinking booze and playing cards.” The asari crime boss laughed as she took a chair and sat down at the table. “Well…what are you waiting for? Shuffle those cards and deal.”
Morinth’s Apartment
Entering the Ardat-Yakshi’s apartment, Kaidan was at once struck by the combination of elegance and decadence as Morinth sat down on the sofa, stretching out her legs languorously. A hand-carved jade chess set attracting his attention, the human biotic remarked, “Nice set. You play?”
“Of course.” Morinth responded, "I like any game where your opponent believes he’s about to win—just before you deliver the killing blow.”
“I agree.” Kaidan declared honestly. "There’s nothing like maneuvering your opponent where he is forced to make the move that puts him into a mating position and then you make the kill.”
Seeing a large, beautifully carved, statue of a krogan warrior, Alenko nodded his head appreciatively, “Impressive.”
“Thank you.” Morinth grinned seductively, “This was a gift from a suitor.” Chuckling, she quipped, “It’s got more personality than he did. Still…” She smirked, “It impressed me enough so that I gave him what he wanted. It just didn’t end the way he hoped it would.”
Noticing her prey’s eyes falling on a katana, Morinth remarked, “I was into dueling for a while. There’s nothing quite like the moment you see in your opponent’s eyes that he knows that you’re better than him and that he’s about to die.” As Kaidan picked up a pill bottle siting on the end table, the asari said, “Hallex. Take one if you want, but wouldn’t you want to have all your senses clear and sharp right now? I know I do.”
Setting the bottle down, Kaidan turned and smiled, “You’re right. I want to be as clear headed as possible. I don’t want to miss one moment.”
“Have a seat.” Morinth urged as she patted the sofa next to her, well within her personal space. “I love the clubs—don’t you? The people, the movement, the heat and the bass. It all comes together like the drums of a great hunt, out for your blood. But here, it’s silent…safe. Is that what you want, Kaidan? To be safe?”
“People feel safest right before they die.” Kaidan replied as he caught a whiff or the asari seductress’s perfume. His resistance weakening; her scent, along with the touch of her hand on his drew him ever closer to her. Gazing into her eyes, he saw a brief glimpse of V’lana that faded quickly—to be replaced by that of another. A woman with red hair and a good heart. A woman of strength and conviction. The woman he fell in love with and whom he had thought he had lost. Now she was back in the eyes of the enchantress sitting next to him; beckoning him to come ever closer—to embrace her—to let her into his most intimate thoughts—to let her into his soul.
“It’s true. We’re never safe.” Morinth agreed, her smile part inviting…part predatory as her prey drew ever closer. “I’ve never understood the attraction of playing it safe. It’s boring.” Sliding on to Kaidan’s lap, the temptress placed her arms around his neck as she whispered, her words tickling his ear. “Freedom and independence over submission and surrender. I think we have that in common—you and I.”
As Morinth spoke and gazed into his eyes, Kaidan fell hopelessly into them. Seeing and hearing only Shepard’s face and voice…feeling her touch as the asari enchantress drew him closer until their lips brushed and then met in a kiss. Feeling her entering his mind, he didn’t resist, opening himself…body and soul completely to her—the last image in his mind being that of Jane, lying in bed next to him just before the jump to Ilos, kissing his neck and whispering in his ear. “So warm…so delicious…”
“No!” Samara cried out as she forced the door to her daughter’s apartment open.
“You’re too late mother.” Morinth taunted as she moved closer to the window. “He’s already mine. And he was so delicious!”
“Then I will avenge him!” Samara shouted as she threw everything she had into a biotic throw that was quickly absorbed by her daughter’s barrier.
“My only crime was being born with the gifts you gave me.” The Ardat-Yakshi taunted as she edged closer to her escape window. “I am the genetic destiny of the asari, but they are not ready to reveal that. According to you…” an evil grin crossed Morinth’s face as she reached her destination, "I have to die.” Gathering her strength, she flared her biotics in a forceful display, forcing her mother to the floor while simultaneously shattering the window. Before diving out the window, she mocked one last time. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, Mother. But I’m not going to die. Better luck in another hundred years!’
Her eyes darting first to her daughter making her escape, and then to the human lying helpless on the couch. Samara realized that she had to make a hard choice—to leave the man she had sworn to safeguard to die alone so that she could finally catch her daughter. Or save her ally’s life—even if it meant allowing Morinth to flee. Tears flowing down her cheeks, she made her decision. “Samara to Gallena. I must report a medical emergency.”
Afterlife—Breakroom
“Helluva a bluff, Aria.” V’lana remarked as the asari crime lord raked in the pot. “A fucking pair of deuces.”
“You were running a nice bluff yourself.” Aria replied with a self-satisfied grin. “Nothing but a 10 high card.”
“Shit.” Vega swore as he threw down his cards. “You two have cleaned us out.” As the Alliance marine finished his sentence, V’lana’s comm chirped.
“Subcommander?” Samantha’s voice, sounding strained, came through the comm.
“What is it Samantha?” V’lana replied.
“We’ve had a medical emergency, Ma’am.” The communications specialist answered back, “It’s Staff Commander Alenko. He’s in a coma.”
“It seems your justicar didn’t arrive in time.” Aria commented, her voice tone tinged with sympathy and regret. “For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”
“You gonna be okay Lola?” Vega asked as he at once spotted the worry and fear on the Romulan woman’s face.
Quickly gathering herself, V’lana gritted her teeth and replied, “Thanks, James. I’ll be fine.” Rising to her feet, she said in a surprisingly calm, measured voice to the asari woman still seated at the table. “Thanks, Aria. I’m sure you’ll understand why I have to leave.”
“Of course.” The asari replied in an equally placid tone. Then, addressing her chief bodyguard, she ordered, “Bray. I want a full search for this Ardat-Yakshi. Break down doors…shake people down…rough them up if necessary. Find out if she’s still here and if she is—kill her. Also, if she’s already made her escape, I want a bounty put on her head. Make it high enough that it gets the attention of every single bounty hunter in the Terminus Systems and Citadel space.”
“At once, Aria.” Inclining his head at his fellow bodyguard, the batarian commanded, “You heard the Boss, Grizz. Time to go to work.”
As V’lana and James began heading to the exit, Aria called out to them before they left, “I can’t promise we’ll be able to catch her before she leaves Omega—hell—she’s probably already gone. But I do promise to make life miserable for her. She’s going to be looking over her shoulder wherever she goes.”
“For her sake…” James remarked, placing his hand on his distraught Romulan companion’s shoulder, “that bitch better pray that one of your bounty hunters gets to her before Lola does.” Looking down at the petite subcommander, Vega urged in a low voice, “Come on, Lola. Kaidan needs you.”
Sickbay—RRW Gallena
“How is he, Doctor?” V’lana asked, worriedly chewing her lower lip as she looked down on the helpless man lying on the biobed.
“Physically, Kaidan’s fine.” Dr. Chakwas replied, “However he has suffered tremendous mental and psychic trauma due to his encounter with that…” a look of disgust appeared on the normally placid and serene face of the old Normandy doctor “thing. Samara tried to undo the damage her daughter had done, but only partly succeeded. She restored him enough to keep him alive and prevent further damage to his brain, but the damage was severe.”
“I get the feeling there's more?” V'lana prompted.
The doctor continued to deliver her bad news with a mournful sigh, “Samara said that she felt something in his mind. Something that she couldn't describe. I'm afraid that he’s going to need the type of therapy that must be carried out by a skilled telepath. Asari mind joining, while similar in many ways to the type of telepathy you’re familiar with, has some minor—but important—differences.”
“What about Neilana?” V’lana inquired, “She’s a very strong telepath.”
“For a Romulan…” Dr. Aven interjected, “Yes. But she does not possess the skill or training to carry out the fine work that must be done to restore his mind. She’s trained to use her telepathy as a sword, axe, or club to overwhelm the subject of her interrogation. What we need is someone who, besides being a strong telepath, is also subtle and careful. A trained Betazoid or Lethian therapist would be best…although an equally skilled Vulcan could accomplish the task as well.”
“And we have none of those on the Gallena.” The subcommander sighed as she wiped the tears away from her eyes. “So what can we do?”
“My recommendation would be to keep him in stasis until we make contact with your universe.” Dr. Chakwas suggested, adding, “If he receives the therapy he needs, there is every reason to hope that--even if he's unable to recover all of his memories--he'll still be able to live a normal, healthy life--maybe not as he was--that would depend on how successful his therapy would be in restoring his memories. But he would still be alive and would be able to build a new life for himself. But..." the old doctor cautioned as she gazed down with tearful eyes at her patient, "as I said, there is no guarantee of success. I'm sorry.”
“Thank you. I know you're doing all you can." V'lana responded with a wan smile before turning to the other doctor, "Dr. Aven? Your thoughts?”
“I agree with Dr. Chakwas.” The Romulan CMO replied, supporting his colleague. “Stasis would be best. We know connections between our universes exist. It’s only a matter of time before we or one of the other ships searching find one—or one of our ships finds it from their end.”
“Very well.” V’lana agreed, caressing her fallen lover’s cheek. “Do it.” Withdrawing her hand as the doctors prepared to begin their work, the subcommander declared in an abnormally placid tone, “There’s someone I need to talk to.”
“Please. Be easy on Samara.” Dr. Chakwas pleaded, “She’s distraught about what happened as well.”
“Thank you, Doctors.” The subcommander acknowledged, inclining her head, “Take care of him. Please.”
V’lana’s ready room
“I take full responsibility for what happened to Commander Alenko and will accept any punishment you deem appropriate. I promised to keep him safe and I failed.” Samara declared in a solemn voice as she stood before the subcommander who was seated behind her desk.
Her lips turned down in a frown; eyes red with tears, V’lana replied in a low tone, “I’m not going to punish you, Samara. You saved Kaidan’s life and stabilized the damage to his mind when you could have just as easily chased after your daughter and probably caught her. You decided instead to see to my…to see to Kaidan. So no…I don’t blame you. If anyone here is to blame, it’s me. I gave permission for him to go when I knew I shouldn’t have.” Tapping her fingers on her desk, the subcommander inquired, “What do you intend to do now?”
“I would ask that you to please release me from my oath so that I may try to pick up my daughter’s trail. I must find some way to bring Morinth down without placing another innocent in jeopardy and I cannot do that on your ship.”
Taking a deep breath and exhaling, V’lana lowered her head. “Very well. I release you from your oath. Will you be disembarking here or would you like to get off at our next port stop?”
“It would be preferable if I disembark here.” The justicar replied, also bowing her head. “I shall gather my belongings and depart. I appreciate your generosity and hospitality during my stay with you. Subcommander, you are a person of honor and integrity.”
“As are you.” V’lana replied, returning the compliment. “If you are successful in tracking down Morinth and need help taking her down, let me know and I and my ship will be there for you.”
“Thank you.” Samara acknowledged, “If I may take my leave?”
Nodding her head, V’lana assented to the justicar’s request, “You may go now, and good luck.” Watching as the door closed behind the asari justicar, V’lana heaved a sigh. Getting up, she made her way to the replicator. “Tarkalian tea.” Returning to her seat, she activated a small holodisk, revealing a hologram of her injured lover, “Get better Alenko—that’s an order.”