Chapter Text
V’lana and Anaya
Laughing as the pair exited the cab, Anaya exclaimed, “I don’t think I’ve heard such a funny story in my life—and I’ve lived a long time—at least by human standards. For an asari, I’m in my late maiden—early matron stage. For a human woman, that would probably be somewhere in her thirties.” She then asked, gently prying, “Did you really live on the streets?”
“Yes.” V’lana nodded her head. “After my father died, I had to look after myself and my brother—and his health was always poor. Nimbus III is an open world—the Orion Syndicate pretty much runs things there—or it did. So…you got what the Syndicate decided you could get and did what it told you to do.”
“Kind of like Illium or Omega.” Anaya replied sympathetically. “Take away all the gloss and glamor and Illium would be another Omega—only not as well run. Aria might be a bitch, but she keeps the outlaws in her little domain in line and does—for the most part—keep the peace.” After a moment’s pause, the asari detective asked, “So how did you get out of that shithole?”
Chuckling, V’lana recounted, “A certain crusty old Romulan engineer who had an even older T’liss class warbird came into the bar while I was working. I thought he was a mark and came up to him. Instead of doing what all the other tramps would do—take me up to his room and fuck me for a slip or two of gold pressed latinum—D’Vex made me an offer I couldn’t refuse. He took out his pistol and set it on the table and told me that I could either continue the way I’ve been going and end up either dead or drugged out in some Orion brothel or take that pistol and save myself a lot of pain and put an end to it now or come with him to Virinat where I’d have a chance for a fresh start where no one would judge me about where I had come from or what I had done. He then told me where his ship was docked and if I was interested to meet him there. After a few minutes, I’d made my decision and called out to him just as he was walking out the door.”
“Damn…that’s some story.” Anaya declared as the pair entered the bar, “Well…I’m glad you chose to go with him rather than blowing your brains out or hooking.”
Smiling back at her asari companion, V’lana replied, “I am too.”
“After we get done with this meeting, on the way back, I’ll tell you the Anaya Basilea story—if you’re interested?” The asari detective proposed with just a slight hitch to her voice.
“Yeah.” V’lana responded with a shy grin, “I think I’d like that.”
“There’s our contact.” Anaya inclined her head in the direction of an asari sitting alone in a corner booth.
“Is that who I think it is?”
“Wasea?” Anaya grinned, “Yeah. She cost The Reds and Eclipse a lot of credits when you busted up that little red sand, trafficking, and smuggling operation she was running. Seems they were the ones fronting her.”
“I know who Eclipse is.” V’lana remarked, “But who or what are the Reds?”
“A human crime syndicate.” Anaya replied, further explaining, “They started off as a street gang on Earth and branched out into red sand, drugs, and sex trafficking. So now she’s got both gangs gunning for her. She came to me begging for my help and told me she still had some of her contacts and promised to provide me intelligence and gave me a couple of free samples. They turned out legit and I got her into a safe house. Ever since, she’s been giving me good intel, but things are getting too hot now. I need to get her off world.”
“I can help you out with that.” V’lana volunteered, “We can drop her off somewhere safe.”
“I didn’t want to ask…” the asari detective stammered, “but thanks. I appreciate it. Come on…let’s see what she’s got for us.”
“Wasea.” The asari detective said in a low voice as she and her companion sat down opposite the asari sitting in the corner booth. I believe you are acquainted with my Romulan associate.”
“I never forget a foot on my throat.” The former Eclipse commando grumbled, “What’s she doing here?”
“Besides her being your ticket off world, she’s got a stake in this.” Anaya retorted, “So…if you’re smart, you’ll be nice to her.”
“All right. I’ll tell you what I know, then I want to get the hell off this planet.” A more humble Wasea conceded.
“If your information is good…”V’lana vowed, “I promise we’ll take you to someplace safe.”
“Oh it’s good.” Wasea replied. “You wanted to know if the Shadow Broker and Cerberus have joined forces? According to my source—they have. Enyala is expecting a package—a family. Her orders are to turn them over to Cerberus.”
“We know that.” V’lana replied. “Do you have anything else?”
“Yes.” The former mercenary nodded her head, “Enyala’s got a mole in the other camp. He’s going to deliver that package and your friend on a silver platter to her.”
“Shit.” V’lana swore as she tapped her comm badge. “Miranda?”
“Busy now. Make it quick.” The Australian biotic replied, the sound of phaser and mass effect weapons fire coming through.
“I’ll keep it brief then.” V’lana tersely responded, “You’ve got a traitor on your side. Don’t know who but watch your ass.”
“Understood.” The Australian biotic somberly replied, the sound of combat still being heard through the comm. “I’ll take care of it. Lawson out.”
“Anything else?” Anaya asked.
“Yeah.” Wasea replied, her eyes now focused on Anaya, “You and your officers have pissed off a lot of people Lieutenant. They’ve finally decided to do something about it.”
A sinking feeling in her stomach, Anaya pressed, “What?”
“Shepard and the walking zoo with her…” Wasea warned in a low voice, They’re gunning for you and your people and don’t even think about asking your bosses for help—they’ve been ordered by their bosses to look the other way.”
“How soon?” Anaya asked in a hushed tone.
“Soon.” Wasea replied, “I don’t have a definite time, but I do know that you don’t have a whole lot. Better get your people ready.” After a momentary pause, she turned her attention to the Romulan woman seated next to the detective, “So do I get my ride out of here?”
“You do.” V’lana responded as she again tapped her comm. “Avesti to Gallena. Centurion? We’ve got a guest. Lock on to her and beam her up. I want a security detail in the transporter room and engage biotic containment protocols.”
“Do you want her confined to the brig?”
“Negative.” The subcommander replied, “I think she knows better than to try anything out of line. Don’t you, Wasea?”
“I won’t cause any trouble.” The former mercenary vowed.
“Good.” The Romulan subcommander responded before once again addressing her executive officer, “Find decent quarters for her and she’s to be confined to those quarters under guard until I say otherwise. Limit computer and replicator access as well. If she behaves, permit her access to the Raptor’s Nest under armed escort.” V’lana added, turning her gaze to Wasea, “As long as you continue to be good, I promise you’ll be treated as a carefully monitored guest and not a prisoner.”
Nodding her head, the former mercenary replied, “I won’t cause any trouble. I just want to get off this planet before I’m killed.”
“Understood, Subcommander. Any other orders?”
“Yes.” V’lana replied, “Beam Anaya and I directly to her quarters and deploy security teams deployed to the following coordinates.” The subcommander then passed on the locations of Anaya’s headquarters and kiosks. “Tell them to maintain a low profile but be ready for trouble. Also, I want Tali to beam down with the headquarters team. I have a feeling we’re going to need her engineering expertise. Finally—take position within attack range of the Cerberus frigate. When I give the order, disable and board it. I repeat…disable…do not destroy. I want prisoners.”
“Aye, Subcommander.” The warbird’s XO acknowledged before adding in a concerned tone. “It sounds like you’re expecting a battle, Little Sister.”
“I am, Big Brother.” V’lana replied, “Be ready.”
“Always.” Tovan replied, adding, “We are ready to beam up your guest on your command.”
“Beam her up.” V’lana ordered, her and Anaya chuckling at Wasea’s alarmed exclamation as she dematerialized.
“Beam up?!”
“That was fun.” Anaya laughed as Tovan’s voice once again came through the comm badge.
“Our guest has arrived. So far, she’s behaving herself as she promised. Preparing to beam you and Anaya to her headquarters on your word.”
“Are we going to…” Anaya asked, barely repressing a shudder.
“Yup.” V’lana replied.
“Better let me warn my people first.” The police detective said as she delivered the news to a disbelieving sergeant concluding with a warning. “You see two columns of green light appearing in front of you—don’t shoot or I’ll have you walking a beat in the volus quarter.”
“Ready Anaya?” The subcommander asked with a mischievous smirk.
“No…but go ahead.” The detective replied as she subconsciously grabbed the other woman by the hand.
“Energize.”
After a moment’s pause, the Romulan centurion cautioned before giving the order to transport, “Take care of yourself Little Sister. You too, Anaya.”
“Always, Big Brother. Avesti out.” V’lana responded as the pair dematerialized, causing a poor waitress to drop her drink in shock,
As two green pillars of light materialized revealing her superior and the Romulan woman, Sergeant Trellessa, along with the other officers in the precinct, gasped in astonishment. “You weren’t kidding were you Detective?”
“No, I wasn’t.” Anaya replied as more pillars of light appeared, coalescing into two Romulans and a quarian. “Now.” She ordered with a grave expression, “Gather round everybody. We’ve got a lot of work to do and not a whole helluva lot time to do it in.”
Farinata System: SSV Onizuka and SSV Tarawa
“Admiral Anderson.” Captain Hannah Shepard, coming to attention, saluted the dark-skinned admiral. “I’m surprised you came personally.”
“If you’ve got what I hope you have here, Captain…” Anderson replied with a grin, “then you’ve just earned your place in the history books. It’s not every day one finds a gateway into another universe. So what have you found?”
“Our scans have located…something…on an asteroid in the outer asteroid belt of the system. Sublieutenant Rekar—our Romulan liaison—has informed me that there are traces of the particles we have been told to look for. Also, he has detected what he calls a ‘warp trail’. He thinks that ships from the other universe other than the Gallena have entered our universe and that they might be hostile.”
“Have you investigated that asteroid as yet?” Anderson inquired.
“We were about to when you signaled that you would be arriving in system.” Hannah replied, “I thought that you might want to be here when we go in.”
Nodding his head sagely, the grizzled admiral responded, “I appreciate that Captain. The turians, quarians, salarians, and asari are sending a ship each. We’ve also sent word to the Gallena. Subcommander Avesti has run into a situation on Illium that she needs to take care of but asks that we wait until she can join us. I told her we would. We’ll have to pause anyway as I don’t want to proceed without the other Council powers present and we’ll need Subcommander Avesti as a guide once we open that door.”
“Understood, Sir.”
“Don’t worry, Captain.” Anderson grinned, “We’re going to get our chance to go through the rabbit hole soon enough. The other ships should be here shortly. I’ll also be transferring my flag to your ship until the Gallena arrives, then I’ll be transferring over to her with the subcommander’s permission, that is, while Admiral Mikhailovich moves to your ship.”
“Aye, Sir.” Captain Shepard acknowledged with a smile of her own, “I have some coffee ready for you’d like.”
His smile broadening, the admiral replied, “Captain you just said the magic word…coffee. Let’s go get that cup.”
Shepard
“Eclipse mercenaries will be joining us on our assault on the police precinct and its kiosk in the Transportation Hub.” Shepard instructed her team after first receiving the plan of attack from her nominal executive officer. Speaking as if one would to children, the redhead relayed her orders. “Grunt and Zero—you’ll be going in first along with an Eclipse YMIR heavy mech. You are to clear out anyone between us and the station. Then we go in and finish the job.”
“By clear out and finish the job, she means kill.” Leng interrupted with a sneer, “No survivors—understood?”
“Understood.” The two semi-drones acknowledged in a flat tone of voice.
The Cerberus assassin then glared at Shepard who returned the stare.
“Don’t worry. I understand too.”
“Good.” Leng nodded once, “We go when Eclipse gives us the signal.”
After the meeting adjourned and she was left alone with her thoughts, she once again found herself in the mental dungeon she was visiting the night before. Approaching a now familiar cell, she was again confronted by the prisoner—herself.
“We’re not going through with this.” The prisoner declared forcefully.
“Any ideas how to we’re supposed to stop it?” Shepard retorted sarcastically.
“Yes.” The prisoner frowned, “I do have one. But you’re not going to like it.”
“All right.” Shepard replied, “Let’s hear it.” After the prisoner had explained her plan, she growled, “You’re right. I don’t like it.”
“Yeah.” The prisoner agreed sympathetically, “I don’t much like it either. But we don’t have any choice if we’re going to stop all those cops from being killed.”
“I know.” Shepard nodded her head, “There’s no other way?”
“No.” The prisoner responded mournfully. “I’m sorry.”
“You know what this means.” Shepard somberly stated, “There’s a good chance that we’ll both be gone.”
The prisoner nodded, “I know. But we don’t have a choice.”
Making her decision, Shepard reluctantly agreed. “We’ll do it.”
Nodding her head in a gesture of understanding and sympathy, the prisoner managed a sad smile, “That’s it then. We had a great run—didn’t we?”
“Yeah.” Shepard answered back, returning the prisoner’s wan smile with one of her own. “That we did. Goodbye me.”
“Goodbye me.”
Nos Astra Business District
“The main Baria Frontiers office is in here.” Liara declared, pointing at a close-by office building, “Along with the salarian embassy and other businesses. Come on…” she urged, “I want to get to Sekat before Vasir does.”
“Ready when you are.” Cilla replied as she checked her phaser.
“What are we waiting for.” Garrus agreed just before the air was filled by the sound of multiple explosions all going off at the same time. Looking up, the blonde Dutch woman exclaimed, pointing at the damaged structure, now with fire and smoke coming from the doors and windows, the turian vigilante grimly scowled, “Well…Shit.”