"Doctor, we're preparing to dock now."
"Thank you, Adams."
Dr. Liara T'Soni put aside her data-pad with a regretful sigh; given the distance between Thessia and Earth she had hoped for a little more time to look over the findings of the Ronstram expedition, but it seemed that was not to be.
Liara made her way to the observation deck, watching curiously as the planet's surface loomed. She had never visited Earth before, most of her time had been spent on deserted planets populated only by ruins and the odd scavenger looking for treasure that hadn't already been looted by those that had come before. She had never expected to visit a planet as densely populated as Earth and was concerned that after all these years alone she might not be the best choice to visit such a world.
Not that she had a choice in the matter. When the Alliance Archaeological Society invited one to deliver a lecture not only to their esteemed members but also to a host of assorted politicians and peace-keepers it was considered singularly rude, not to mention foolish, to decline.
It was a great honor, really; among the Asari her theories had largely been disregarded as the aimless prattling of a child, here they would be received with respect and given at least some consideration. That eased her sudden shyness somewhat, at a little over one hundred she was hardly even considered an adult among her people, but here she had lived nearly a lifetime and her words would be treated accordingly.
The ship shuddered beneath her feet as they docked, pulling her from her thoughts; her first true sight of earth was daunting to say the least. The docking bay was a flurry of activity: workers dodging around boarding passengers as vehicles hauling cargo threaded precariously through the teeming masses, she almost thought she could hear the bellowed orders and shouted insults from the safety of the ship. Liara swallowed nervously, murmuring a quick prayer that not all the planet would be so very hectic.
The door hissed open behind her and she turned to see Yeoman Adams once more, gesturing politely toward the door. "If you will come with me, Dr. T'Soni, we've arranged transport to the Atrium."
Liara smiled gratefully, her trepidation momentarily overcome by the building excitement that set her heart to pounding until she could practically hear the rush of blood in her followed Adams to the command deck, waiting impatiently for the airlock to equalize the interior pressure so she could be off. When she had contacted her mother to inform her of the upcoming event, Benezia had insisted on sending an honor guard of commandos ahead, she had barely dodged that one, but seeing the crowd now she half-wished she had acceded to her mother's wishes.
When she stepped off the ship she was immediately greeted by no less than two dignitaries; the alliance was clearly desperate to divorce themselves from the violent pro-human movement if they would make such a fuss over one obscure asari scholar. The Asari government had reported a sudden rise of anti-alien sentiments supposedly brewing on Earth and in outlying colonies, but the crew had been nothing but kind to her on this voyage; she hoped the reports had been exaggerated.
"Dr. T'Soni, welcome to our humble home! I trust you had a safe journey?"
Liara smiled brightly at the petite blond, "Of course…?"
"Representative Carol Bates. I'm sorry we don't have more time to show you around, but the Society is anxiously awaiting your arrival; several broadcasters have expressed an interest in conducting an interview. After you have rested, of course."
"Of course."
Liara hoped she would be a little more articulate when she was expounding upon her theories, so far she didn't seem to be making much of an impression.
The representative's partner- assistant perhaps, spoke quickly, "We have made everything ready for your arrival, there is a formal dinner tonight where you may meet and converse with your colleagues, the conference will not begin until tomorrow evening. Is this acceptable?"
Liara nodded, already being briskly herded off the landing platform. She sought for some way to begin a conversation with her hosts, thoughts still primarily occupied by all the new sights, cataloging every nuance of her experience for later review.
"I had heard that Earth was highly developed, but even this small part is far beyond my expectations."
"This is the primary docking bay for the Eastern sector; hence it is also the busiest."
Liara hummed interestedly, listening with only half an ear; her eye caught on a male of small stature, dark-haired and marginally overweight who was eyeing her with a surprising amount of hostility. She cleared her throat to interrupt the representative part-way through her speech.
"I understand that this event has largely been organized for the sake of encouraging human-asari relations-"
"I assure you that you are here on your own merit, Doctor."
"Thank you, representative-"
"Carol."
"Carol." Liara grated, patience wearing thin at the repeated interruptions; "With the continuing debate concerning whether humanity has a place on the council, it seems to me feelings might be running a little high."
Carol's smile slipped and Liara felt a hint of satisfaction at its disappearance, but she pasted it back in place quickly, "every precaution has been taken; reports of unrest have been blown far out of proportion I can-"
"Assure me. Yes, I know."
They walked on in silence for a time, Bates glancing at her out of the corner of her eye every now and again. Finally she spoke again, this time considerably more subdued; "We have arranged for an escort during your time here. Purely as a precautionary measure, you understand. You will meet them later tonight at the dinner."
Liara felt a small pang of remorse for her previous exasperation, "The gesture is appreciated," she said softly.
Representative Bates nodded once, ushering Liara around the corner to a transport system. She gestured to the pod encouragingly, "After you, Doctor T'soni."
"Liara is fine."
This time her smile was genuinely warm, "After you, Liara. It would be best if you took the seat nearest the window. We should have time for a brief tour before I need to see you back to the Atrium."
Liara hurried to the pod, anxious to see as much of the city as she could during her brief stay. A week was hardly enough time to explore the entirety of the central district, let alone the outlying zones; she had had so little interaction with humans, any experience she could garner before being abandoned in the midst of their cultural icons would be most edifying. Not to mention fascinating, so for the moment she stifled her concerns and resolved to enjoy the time alloted her.
!
!
Finch watched his leader warily as he delivered his report; through the grapevine he had heard that the asari had docked earlier this afternoon but there was still no sign of her anywhere near the atrium, though she should have been there hours ago. He felt the sweat beading on his neck to run down his back and swallowed convulsively, Shepard was not the sort of woman one inconvenienced lightly- there was a reason she was the youngest ever chief of the Tenth Street Reds.
"The ship came in early, we weren't prepared. I called the others off when the representatives went to greet her."
Shepard sighed deeply, leaning back in the rickety chair she currently occupied; there was nothing relaxed about her though, somehow she always looked ready to spring into action.
"A wise decision, if you had failed it would have made another attempt nearly impossible. They'll already be on alert after that stunt the Black Cats pulled at the pro-unionist rally last month. Still, I don't like surprises." Her eyes closed lightly and she tilted her head back, drawing in a few deep breaths before she spoke again.
"All is not lost. They will almost certainly assign her an escort when she arrives; I just have to be sure to get there first."
Finch stared in disbelief, "You mean my crew and me?"
"No, it occurs to me that if I want this job done right I'm just going to have to do it myself."
"No one could have-"
Shepard held up a finger and Finch fell silent, quailing under her fixed glare. "I don't want to hear excuses, Finch. You had your chance, now it's my turn."
"What's so special about this asari anyway?" He demanded sulkily, knowing that he was treading a thin line but fairly certain that if she had intended to punish him she would have done so by now.
"The Alliance has had its fair share of dealings with the asari, they've sent a few diplomats to Thessia and a few private citizens followed. In return the central Asari government dispatched a singular diplomat; this marks the first time an asari has visited Earth for any reason other than negotiating a treaty. This is a gesture of goodwill, both on the part of the Alliance and the Asari governments. Our 'gesture' will not go unremarked in these circumstances. This will put the asari on notice that humanity is not to be taken lightly, that we are becoming desperate, even."
"Why not just kill the bitch?"
Shepard leaned forward in her chair suddenly, clasping her hands together in front of her as she leaned forward in the manner of a predator preparing to strike. "I'm going to answer this last question since I'm all in favor of dispelling ignorance, and then you're going to get out of my sight and procure the necessary credentials to get past Atrium security before I decide to take exception to that tone of yours."
A chill settled over him at her calm voice; it was always Shepard's gentle tones that preceded the truly magnificent displays of temper, and he had no desire to be made an example. Eric had been the last one to truly anger her, and he had lived to regret it… just.
He skittered back as she pushed herself up from the chair and she smiled with teeth, running her fingernail along the back of the chair absently as she circled behind it to pace to the wall. She turned and caught his eyes, assuming a slow and measured cadence more suited to speaking with children… or idiots.
"If the asari dies, we have nothing to bargain with; if we kill her, it will spark a diplomatic incident, the asari will be disinclined to cooperate with any demands the Alliance makes. This will be a simple abduction, just a little demonstration of power to show we mean business. It may put the asari in mind to take action, and when Earth forces finally discover where she's been taken they will mount a rescue and send her home, thus gaining the gratitude of one of the council races. Her influence is not unremarkable, her mother is a matriarch- one of the more powerful elements of asari society; there is every chance that humanity may yet have that seat on the council within the year. We just need to stay hidden while their anxiety builds to a fever pitch, keep watch until the moment is right and then ensure their "rescue" goes off without a hitch."
Shepard smiled cordially, something sharp beneath the expression that warned him not to press his good luck. "Do you understand, Finch?"
"Yes. Good thinking. I'll see what I can-"
"Go."
Finch hurried from the room, footsteps echoing in the empty space of the warehouse as he rapidly departed.
!
Shepard rubbed her forehead soothingly, cursing the headache that had appeared during her subordinate's debriefing. If she had done the job herself, then there would be no need to slip into the secure area and give them a face to attach to this fiasco. This had the potential to make things so much harder to arrange; oh well, it would be an adventure at least, and it had been a while since she'd had a chance to take part directly in such a mission.
She made her way to the stairs in the right-most corner of the building, if she had to walk among the privileged few she would first have to look the part.
!
!
Liara examined herself critically in the mirror; no good deed ever went unpunished, she knew that now. It had seemed like a good idea at the time, allowing her mother to select her wardrobe; Benezia had years of experience with these sort of events, and it had been so long since they had talked, and her mother had just seemed so eager and…
Somehow she had agreed to let Benezia call the shots. She should have known better.
The dress was an off-white, cotton thin affair: too tight in the hips, neckline swooping so low another half-inch might be considered indecent. Liara blushed deeply- another quarter inch maybe, and the dress was too tight everywhere and not a little sheer. Yet it was still better than any of the others she had found in her trunks, and that was more frightening than the prospect of greeting her hosts in this tissue-thin material.
She would have to ask around and find a tailor, there had to be something in there that would be wearable with a few minor alterations. If she had to she would wear the work clothes that she always kept tucked away or spend an absurd amount of money to find a more modest evening gown. This was exactly the reason she had stopped asking her mother for advice in the first place, and she would never do so again. Never. For now though, this was really the best option, she thought.
She reached for the unassuming necklace perched on the edge of the end-table, could she wear this now or would it only draw even more attention to her décolletage? This was exactly the reason for all those rumors about asari promiscuity that ran so very rampant around the galaxy; she had thought to correct some of those misconceptions, but that would be impossible now. No one looking at her would ever credit that she was a virgin. And that was probably the point, another of her mother's object lessons that had caused her to leave home so early.
The necklace fell from her fingertips as the door chimed softly, disrupting her thoughts. "Coming!"; She called, looking frantically around for some kind of wrap to drape about her shoulders. The door chimed again and Liara surrendered to the inevitable, keying in the entry code and bracing herself for the representative's reaction. Only the woman outside her door was not representative Bates at all.
Liara's greeting died on her lips as she took in her visitor; she was of medium height, maybe a little on the tall side, slender but there was a certain grace in her stance that suggested a confidence born of strength. She was dressed in a dark dress uniform that called attention to the set of her shoulders, the curve of her hips and breasts. Liara's eyes traveled up her form, finding the side-arm holster that held her pistol tucked just under her arm, continuing further up to her face.
Red hair fell to her shoulders, neatly brushed back but emphasizing the dusting of freckles on her pale skin. Goddess, she was beautiful, and she was returning her observer's regard with interest; her gaze lingered on that blasted neckline that suddenly Liara didn't mind so much, but the fabric also seemed tighter on her hips now. Liara coughed nervously when she caught the stranger's gaze, green clashing with blue.
There was mischief in those eyes, and a spark that made her uncomfortable for more than one reason; it took her a moment to realize that she had stopped breathing at some point. Liara took a deep breath and blushed as the stranger's gaze plummeted to her exposed bosom once again; her hands fluttered nervously, caught between a desire to cover herself and the attempt to remain partially dignified after being caught gawking at the woman she assumed was to be her bodyguard. If she were truly honest with herself there was some small part of her that delighted in the heat that sparked in the woman's eyes, but she stifled the errant thought quickly before it could go any further.
"I'm sorry, I wasn't expecting you. I'm Liara T'Soni."
The woman's lips tipped up into a smirk and Liara had a sudden image of leaning forward to kiss it off her face, quickly stifled.
"I know who you are, Dr. T'Soni."
Sweet Goddess, that voice.
"Yes, right, naturally." And now she was reduced to repeating the same sentiment several times with only slightly different wording. It was a wonder any of these humans could take her seriously.
"You may call me Shepard; I'm your security detail." She bowed at the waist so perfectly it could only be a gentle mockery.
Liara nearly responded in kind, but remembered her precarious clothing situation only a bare moment before completing the movement; she settled for a deep inclination of her head, hesitant even to curtsy lest the delicate material give out on her.
"I'm here to escort you to the dinner. I assume you are ready?"
"Yes, I… No! My necklace, I dropped it." Liara spun away from her visitor, scanning the floor for some sign of her lost jewelry. A tingle spread through her body as Shepard spoke again, "Is this it, Dr. T'Soni?"
Liara skipped forward, relief plain in every line of her face as she reached out to take the necklace from her guard's fingers. "Thank you for finding that."
"Turn around, I'll put it on." Her voice had dropped into a husky register, hoarse with some emotion Liara dared not contemplate. Almost against her will she found herself turning slowly and tilting her head to bare the sensitive flesh there. Her breath caught when Shepard's hands came about her throat to clasp the cool metal there, made all the colder by the sudden warmth of her skin. It might have been her imagination, but she thought Shepard was standing a little closer than was strictly required by the task. She could feel the woman's breath against her neck, sending a bolt of pleasure up her spine as her fingers brushed against her delicate crest when she pulled away.
Liara turned in time to catch a shadow of a thought as it flickered across her face, darkening her eyes with something that might have been lust or anger; perhaps both, but what cause could she have to be angry? The dinner, they were going to be late if they tarried here much longer, it was no wonder she was so frustrated.
"We should go."
Her guard shook her head as though to rid it of her thoughts before smiling once again, but this time it didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Follow me."
!
!
She was fucking beautiful. Of course she was. Why not?
When she had heard that the scholarly daughter of a matriarch was the one chosen to begin bridging the gaps between the council and non-council races she had expected some arrogant, plain little asari still kitted out in her ragged, rumpled clothes and instead she had found a vision.
That flimsy dress was hardly even worthy of the title, tissue paper might have covered her better and Shepard found herself snarling silently at anyone that dared gaze at her too long. The fact that she herself had taken the time to get an eyeful was irrelevant.
She glided through the crowd from one person to another, joining in their conversations or simply pausing to make a kind remark, managing the gathering as though she had been born to power. Not surprising, Shepard reflected bitterly, she had been.
There was something slightly off though, that blush seemed to have settled permanently on her cheeks, and spread down her neck. It looked like the serving boy was trying to see how far he could follow it down her chest as he supposedly served drinks. The asari declined politely, hands plucking nervously at her dress as though she were uncertain if what she was doing might be taken as an offense.
Shepard made her way over to the serving boy, sneaking up behind him as his eyes followed the asari's shapely ass. "She'd eat you alive; better find someone your own age." He jumped and his tray clattered to the floor, spilling the pale champagne everywhere. Shepard pursed her lips to cover a darkly gleeful smirk, "But before you go looking for company, I suggest you clean that up."
The boy took in her uniform and harsh face and hurried away, doubtless seeking a towel.
Shepard circled away from the table, trying to keep the asari, T'Soni, in her sights.
It was almost like she was ashamed of her garb, every pose designed to cover as much of herself as possible, shoulders hunching in when she caught one of the old gents leering. She hadn't seemed so timid earlier when she'd answered the door. Shepard had seen the frankly assessing gaze the doctor had turned on her, had heard her breath catch and seen the violet blush racing up her cheeks when she realized her survey had been noticed. Little temptress, she didn't see half the astonished stares directed her way.
Shepard was jealous of every last bastard that had danced with her this evening, holding her close to whisper observations in her ear or exchanging witticisms as they skipped lightly across the floor. She hadn't had more than a moment to touch that soft skin and found she regretted the lost opportunity.
This wasn't part of the plan at all; she wasn't supposed to be so intrigued with her prey, and she certainly wasn't supposed to be lusting after an alien. How was she so damned seductive? Asari wiles, that had to be the answer; pretending innocence to lure in the unsuspecting as they took ruthless advantage, that was the secret to their diplomacy. It wouldn't work this time, she vowed; not on her.
As though to challenge her resolution, Liara T'Soni threw back her head and laughed at some quip, baring that pretty throat and far too much of her breasts. It was a wonder any of them could keep their heads around her.
An image rose unbidden of her stripping the little scholar of her flimsy gown with her teeth, pushing her back onto a bed and rolling those silken gloves down her arms as she kissed every inch of skin as it was exposed, catching her hands to stretch them above her head while she tried to shield herself from Shepard's view, eyes nevertheless dark with arousal.
Shepard gritted her teeth; that would never happen. Liara T'Soni was to be a hostage, treated like any other political prisoner and released in due time. There would be no seducing her, for all her seeming she was no innocent, there was no such thing as an innocent asari in any sense of the word- they took in treachery with their mother's milk and began their scheming as soon as they could talk.
She should have just taken Liara T'Soni straight to her eventual destination, should never have taken the risk of bringing her to this interminable soiree, but she had been a little dazed and when she had recovered her wits enough to think straight, she had thought attending this pretentious little gathering the most logical option; if the guest of honor had failed to show and her quarters were found empty a search would have been instituted. Everyone was on edge with the recent rise of pro-human sentiment, and while it had been an easy matter to dispose of her over-worked guard, there was bound to be someone who would know she didn't belong. This had been the best option, it just wasn't a good one.
"Shepard, did you want a drink?"
Yes, she would've given anything for a drink, more still if she could have sipped it from that sweet mouth… Shepard forced a smile onto her face, turning to confront Dr. T'Soni.
"No drinking on duty, Ma'am."
She sounded entirely too chipper to her own ears, hopefully the doctor wasn't listening too closely.
"In that case, do you think we could go? I'm a little fatigued after the journey and all this excitement… I'd prefer to get some sleep before I have to be up tomorrow."
"You sure they won't miss you?" Shepard gestured to the crowd.
"I've made my excuses, they seem to understand."
Perfect.
Shepard crooked an arm, an unexpected thrill racing through her as the asari linked her arm through hers.
!
Shepard wended through the crowd skillfully, protecting her partner from the crush with a combination of grace and skill with just the right amount of intimidating glares. Liara chuckled in relief and amusement, grateful to be spared the pressing crowd. As they left the main hall the sudden darkness made her feel almost blind and she leaned into Shepard unconsciously, her grip tightening on the other woman's arm. She frowned when they turned left and left again instead of continuing forward.
"Shepard, are you certain this is the way to my quarters?"
"Shortcut. To avoid the crowds."
Terse, the words were practically bitten off. Come to it she hadn't been well all evening, watching from the shadows without once making any effort to approach her colleagues. Surely professionalism could only go so far? If she wanted to attend the gathering then maybe someone else could be found to take a turn at guarding her. Liara hummed softly, at this point she would have felt safe dispensing with a guard entirely. It was obvious that security in the Atrium was top-tier, and she had sensed no latent hostility in her hosts.
Liara slanted her gaze sideways as Shepard sped up, "If you could just get me as far as my wing of the building I'd be happy to go on alone."
"What?" Shepard snapped.
"So that you can go back to the party. I don't mind, tell representative Bates that all is well, I'm quite safe here."
Shepard's bitter laughter made her jump and pull away uneasily.
Shepard followed, backing her slowly against the wall; Liara's pulse began to race with equal parts fear and arousal as she felt the length of the other woman's body pressing against her, her mouth hot against her ear. "Not quite, doctor."
She slumped, unconscious, as Shepard's practiced fingers found the pressure points at the base of her throat.
Shepard caught her easily, holding her captive to her as she activated her comm. "I need you to be waiting for me at the South entrance, copy?"
"Yes, Shepard."
Shepard lifted the asari carefully, studying her face thoughtfully. She would have plenty of time in the coming weeks to explore this strange fascination; perhaps in time she could rid herself of it.