#probably something with omni-tool?

[wantonlywindswept]

me, starting my mass effect replay and hearing the music hit:

[kaidanalenkosprmanager]

Sophie Shepard & Kaidan Alenko (ME1) 1/?

MIRA'S MORE CANON ME1 "After everything that happened with Zaeed, Caleston, and the Villa? I think need to tell you a few things about BAaT." "Well, after everything that happened with Zaeed, Caleston, and the Villa? I think I might owe you an explanation about how I really know Anderson." AKA: Zaeed Massani and the case of the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad message ping. :) Mass Effect: Legendary Edition (2021)

[husband-steve-cortez]

The concept that omni-tools can have combat functions locked is an age-old headcanon I've had to get around why guns aren't allow in some places but your killer apple watches are.

Maybe less a "locks combat functions" and more puts a lock on how much energy it can generate/output. Most civilian models either aren't able to fabricate blades or have to be jailbroken to do so, and don't really generate enough power for your incinerate or overloads.

This is more of a like, on the citadel and other secure places type of concept in my mind. Shepard's exempt as a Spectre.

[sky-scribbles]

There are a lot of things to love about the SSV Normandy. It’s a symbol of cooperation between two species historically at odds. It’s a miracle of engineering, a technological masterpiece that could alter every pattern of space warfare. Its crew is the highest calibre that the Alliance has to offer, bolstered by multispecies allies: an emblem of flying hope.

It also has far, far too many flashing lights. Everywhere.

One hand pressed to the wall to keep himself steady, the other pressed against his forehead as if that’s going to do any good, Kaidan shuffles down the hall toward the med bay. Every light panel and display interface feels like a laser drill boring directly through his eyes, sounds reverberate against the inside of his skull, and his sense of balance is a distant, pleasant memory. Kaidan sucks in a tight breath between his teeth. It’s going to be okay. He can do this. He’s done it before.

He drags himself the last few feet, and the med bay doors slide open. Kaidan opens up his omni-tool – god, why are those so bright, too? – and does what he’s done a hundred times, scanning the medical interface so that the med system logs him. Doctor Chakwas isn’t here, which means she’s on her rest shift, but that’s fine. The med system will alert her if there’s a problem.  

Kaidan, turns, so ready to collapse into the nearest med bed – except he can’t. Because there’s someone already in it.

‘Oh,’ he says. ‘Hey, Tali.’

‘Hey, Lieutenant.’ She still seems shy about using his first name. Maybe it’s a habit from being raised on board ships, or maybe she’s just not sure if she’s allowed. ‘Are you okay?’

‘I will be once the pain meds kick in.’ Kaidan makes it to the next bed along and finally, finally lies down and shuts his eyes. ‘Doctor Chakwas is just… pretty strict about me coming here whenever a migraine kicks in. Just in case it’s a sign of something going wrong with my implant.’

Through the fog of everything hurts, it finally surfaces in his brain that Tali in the med bay is… that’s bad, right? ‘What about you? Are you, you know –?’

Okay, he’s not sure how to finish that sentence. There’s probably not a polite way to say hey, are you here because you’ve picked up a fatal illness?

He cracks one eye open, just enough to see her looking glumly at him. He’s not sure how he can tell that she’s glum when all he can see is her eyes, but yeah. She’s glum. ‘You know how I took a hit on Feros?’

‘Yeah.’

‘And how I disinfected it, and used my patch kit on the suit breach, and told Shepard I was fine?’

‘Yeah.’

‘I was not fine.’ She slumps down miserably. ‘My throat is full of painful slime, my sinuses are on fire, and my halesh –’ Okay, that’s obviously some piece of quarian anatomy – ‘is more gummed up than I can describe.’

Kaidan shuts his eyes again. ‘Well, my skull feels like it’s slowly contracting and crushing my brain, so… I sort of feel you.’

She laughs weakly. ‘I should have run an extra med scan once I got back to the Normandy. I just – I wanted to help with the engine maintenance today. And there’s this combat drone design I’m working on. And now…’ There’s a sound of movement; Kaidan gets the impression that she’s gesturing at the med bay in angry helplessness.

‘I feel that too.’ And he does. He really does. This isn’t the worst migraine he’s ever had – he can actually hold a conversation, which some days would be beyond him. But it’s… it’s not great. And he had things to do. Ash was running a drill and wanted him to look over her plans. He had a cleaning shift at fourteen hours. Shepard wanted to talk strategy for Noveria.  And yes, he knows he has a right to take time off for a medical issue. He knows he’s no use to Ash or Shepard or anyone when he can’t even walk in a straight line. But knowing that doesn’t quite get rid of the squirm in his belly, the one that feels like letting people down.

Tali’s quiet for a minute, aside from the ever-present, barely-audible hum of her suit systems, and the occasional sniff from behind her helmet. Then she says, unexpectedly, ‘I’m just… I’m so tired. You know what I mean?’

Kaidan’s head throbs. He swallows. ‘Oh, yeah.’

The constant vigilance. Always having to be careful about where he goes – is this room too bright? Is this one too loud? – in case something triggers another bad spell. Taking hits to the head in a fight that anyone else could just shrug off, but that for him mean another trip to the med bay to make sure his implant isn’t damaged. Trying to do his job and suddenly finding, no, he can’t, because his body has decided that today’s the day he just doesn’t get to function.

Tali… she must go through the same awful deal, just in a different flavour. Always being careful, so careful. Someone else’s minor injury being her okay, let’s get a med check to make sure I won’t die. It’s not the same, of course: Kaidan can eat food without filtering it, touch people without protective layers, see people’s faces without a tinted mask. Still… there’s a tone in her voice that he knows from his own.

There’s a heavy silence. Then Tali says, ‘You know what’s really stupid? I left my datapad in my cabin, so I can’t even watch vids.’

Kaidan smiles. He’s seen her down in Engineering, a few times, hands flying around over the machinery, rocking back and forth on her heels. Idleness obviously doesn’t suit her. ‘You can borrow mine, if you like.’

‘Really?’ Her voice is already brighter. ‘I mean – won’t the noise will make you feel worse?’

‘Nah, I’ll be good.’ He’s not just saying it; there’s a blissful numbness creeping through his head which means that his meds are finally getting to work. He fishes the datapad from his pocket, taps in his passcode, and hands it over. ‘What kind of vids do you like?’

Her whole being perks up – tone, body, everything. ‘Oh, all of them.Any genre, any species. I mean… asari vids can be a bit long. I mean, they’re made by people who can spend a decade making a vid and a whole day watching it. Turians… their vids can be a bit depressing. There’s a lot of ‘this war ended with almost everyone dead, but one turian is still standing, so it’s a victory!”

‘What about quarians? What kinds of stories do your people tell?’

A small laugh echoes inside the helmet. ‘Quarian vids are pretty limited by environment. We don’t have a lot of varied sets to work with. So we tell the best long-running dramas. There’s one ship in the Flotilla that’s been hosting the same series for over eighty standard years now. Following the crew as they change over time, that sort of thing.’ She taps the base of her helmet. ‘It’s pretty good, but… I think if you watched it, you’d think there were a lot more explosions, murders and shipwide romantic entanglements in the Flotilla than there actually are.’

‘Human dramas are like that too.’

Tali laughs. ‘Quarian dramas make human dramas look relaxed.’

Kaidan finds he’s actually able to grin. ‘So what do human vids tell you about us?’

Her helmet tilts as she considers. ‘That you’re very individualistic. I mean, not every human culture. But you put a lot of focus onto characters and personal journeys.’ She scrolls down the datapad screen – looking through vid lists, presumably – then stops. It’s hard to tell, but Kaidan thinks she might be frowning. ‘I did notice… in a lot of human media, the biotics are…’

Another insistent pulse of pain through his temples. Kaidan sighs. ‘Crazy extremists?’

‘Yes. Do you… do you mind if I ask why that is?’

‘No, it’s fine.’ Kaidan turns onto his back and stares up at the dim ceiling. ‘A lot of the early generation of biotics, the ones who got the same implants as me… let’s just say I got off lightly. Most ended up with much more serious medical conditions. And when people found out about the side effects of the L2 implants, the media got the bit between its teeth and –’ Yeah, no, that wasn’t going to translate. ‘Sorry. Human saying. They got a certain impression, and they ran with it.’

Tali’s quiet for several seconds. Kaidan twists his head to face her, and sees the pale eyes behind the mask giving him a long, steady look.

‘I’m sorry,’ she says. And then, after a moment, ‘They tell lies about us, too.’

Kaidan holds her gaze, and feels terribly, achingly sad. ‘Yeah,’ he says. ‘I bet they do.’

 The way people look at Tali as she walks through the Presidium… it’s familiar. Not quite the same. There’s a note of scorn in the looks they give to Tali – but there’s suspicion, too, and that’s something he knows. All the times back on Earth, after he got back from Jump Zero, when he shook someone’s hand or opened a door, and their eyes found the implants. They way they stared at him like he was a loaded gun. All the documents he had to fill out to do anything, the knowledge that any government he lived under would always be hovering a few steps away, keeping tabs, making sure.

Remembering Rahna – remembering that obvious, instinctive fear in her eyes – is an old memory now, the kind that’s a faded scar. But he remembers the shock of it, back when he was seventeen. When no one had looked at him like that before, and it was dizzying and new and felt like a hole in his gut.

He bets Tali has that hole in her gut all the time.

Kaidan pushes himself up a little – which makes his brain spin, but he manages it – and gives Tali a smile. ‘Well. Let’s look for something that gets us both right.’

‘Definitely.’ She flicks through the options for a minute more, then pauses. ‘Have you ever seen Fleet and Flotilla?’

‘I think I’ve heard of it.’ There’s a faint memory of seeing an ad for it, maybe, and thinking it was the kind of thing he’d have loved as a kid. Space exploration. Justice. Love. ‘The… war romance, right?’

‘Yes!’ Tali’s legs bounce. ‘It’s – keelah, it’s so good, it’s – it’s about this girl, Shalei, who’s on her pilgrimage. And she’s interested in the geth, because she’s got this dream of finding a way to defeat them and take back the Homeworld, right? And when she finds something, she goes to the Citadel for help, but no one will listen except this one turian called Bellicus –’

‘Hold up. Wasn’t that… exactly what you were doing when we met you? Minus the turian, I mean.’

Tali ducks her head, suddenly shy. ‘I… I really, really like the vid.’

No kidding. Kaidan smiles. ‘So let’s watch it.’

His head still feels like a bombsite, and when he thinks about all the things he wants to be doing for his crew and isn’t, the rest of him hurts too. But maybe he’s still doing something for his crew, sitting in the med bay with his sick squadmate – his sick friend – and sharing her favourite vid with her. Maybe he’s doing something for him, too. He doesn’t do that too often.

Tali props the datapad up on the table between their beds, her whole body one big smile. ‘You’re going to love this,’ she promises, and presses play.

[omegastation]

How do omni-tools work? In ME1, they're equipment and don't get used much in-game cinematics or cutscenes. To be fair, I chalk that up to the property being new.

But in 2 onwards, they seem to be almost cybernetic. People make a gesture and all of a sudden, they have an omni-tool. Even people who aren't outfitted in armor or military gear.

I figured in 1 they were a device fastened to a bracer or gauntlet, or some other article of clothing or armor. But that doesn't really seem to be the case.

The codex tells us that omni-tools "are handheld devices that combine a computer microframe, sensor analysis pack, and minifacturing fabricator."

In the novels, the device is pulled from pockets and belts so they're fairly small. I think it's about what is practical for the person using them: a form of wristband might be easier when it comes to specific tasks (scanning, hacking, etc). It might help to think about we use tech. Recently I was typing on my phone with both hands, something I never usually do, and it was strange enough that I noticed. I'm also right-handed. If I were to use the omni-tool, it would be in my pocket for safekeeping or tied to my wrist and I would use my right hand to access the screen. Someone else might use it another way. So the tool can definitely be tailored to the person using it. It's just that soldiers on the battlefield can't be looking for it.

And speaking of the screen, that's probably what you mean by "suddenly they have an omni-tool". The omni-tool is the device itself, but just like the Ipad is an object, what occurs on the screen is what gets our attention. Since the omni-tool is so common in that universe, I guess I sometimes forget how powerful it is, with projecting images/hacking/repair/videotaping/etc. The wiki lists all the fonctions here. There are modules inside the omni-tool, so a lot can be done with it.

I also like this part from the Mass Effect Andromeda codex "Pathfinder omni-tools take design inspiration from the models used by salarian intelligence services, prioritizing the computer microframe to allow lag-free scanning and AI support." We can only imagine what the salarian are doing with their omni-tools!!! And we know the Alliance worked on their omni-tools to adapt melee combat. In the game itself you get access to advanced models that you can equip.

So I don't think the omni-tool itself is cybernetic, it's just that it's Mass Effect. The Lazarus Project and everything else that was alluded to in the trilogy and CDN might mean some people will do a lot of things to use and adapt tech like this.

[innepttia]

@spookyvalentine has FOUR sets of “50 questions about Shepard” list and this is the third!!

Maeve Shepard

First 50 Questions | Second 50 Questions

TW: mentions of alcohol abuse & canon typical death

(Art by tumblr: @/milton-chamberlain)

1. How often does Shepard use the omni-blade?

Omni-blade, not a lot but it’s her favorite weapon to use (ok I know this is contradictory but just go with me). Omni-tool – ALL THE TIME.

2. What does the Virmire Survivor think of Shepard?

Ashley! I think she wishes they were closer, because they really would get along if they both gave it a shot. If Shepard didn’t die, they’d probably have become besties at some point and perhaps Shepard could have still soothed over some of that xenophobic nature of Ashley’s.

3. Top three comfort movies:

Howl’s Moving Castle

Princess Bride

Shallow Grave

4. How many languages can they speak (without the translator)?

Oh, I love that Spooky has asked this in the Mass Effect discord we’re in because I already know the answer now!!

English, ASL (which doesn’t really count for translator-use), and – in my own HC – spacers have a language similar to The Expanse’s Belter Creole.

5. Does Shepard keep a log/journal?

No. Which is a boring answer, but no.

6. What kind of driver is Shepard?

I like to HC that she actually would rather have others drive so she can tinker with something. So, instead of driver, she’s a passenger princess.

7. Shepard witnesses a petty crime. What is their response?

She ignores it! Maeve really cultivates an air of: “If this doesn’t affect me, then I don’t care.”

8. Revenge, or the high road?

REVENGE, BABEEYYYYY – but only in her head because she’s a busy lady and doesn’t have time to really properly act out her revenge.

9. What will always distract them?

Thane, Thane, Thane, Thane, alcohol, Thane, Thane, Joker, Thane, Thane, Thane, etc.

10. Does Shepard ascribe to any sort of faith?

No, but she becomes interested in Thanes.

11. Fondest childhood memory?

By ME2, she isn’t sure her childhood memories are really hers, so she tries to forget them.

12. Most embarrassing adult memory?

In ME2, before Thane’s romance was locked in, she got so drunk one day and drunk-messaged Ashley trying to flirt with her. Then when that was completely rejected, she went straight to Zaeed to try and flirt with him, but she became so distracted in the garbage compactor that she missed her one chance with that old merc. Joker was 100% watching the vid feeds and EDI was monitoring her messages to Ashley.

13. What does Shepard choose to do about Gavin Archer?

THIS mothafuckin guy THIS GUY ohhhhh my god. I think canon choice was “your brother is going to Grissom Academy and you can fuck right off” but the unhinged, more correct choice is: iron pressed against his temple and ending it all then and there for Gavin.

14. Is Shepard the type to gossip?

If it’s gossip with Kasumi, yes, because Kasumi has the best tea and tells the best story. Anyone else, probably not.

15. How does Shepard react to Garrus’s Archangel reveal?

I’m just going to go with the canon-neutral reaction.

16. What was the N7 program like for Shepard?

This was when she was A Good Soldier and A Good Person (pre-ME1), so it went pretty well, all things considered. She was focused and driven and wanted to be the best she could be.

17. Go-to karaoke song?

ANOTHER ONE I CAN ANSWER BECAUSE OF DISCORD thank god. This song because it’s mostly shouting instead of singing:

Fire Woman – The Cult

18. What choice does Shepard make on Rannoch?

Okay so, this one might get me a lot of hate BUT I’ve always accidentally (I’m so serious about this) picked the option here Tali throws herself off the cliff. Like, I’m not joking. It doesn’t matter how many years are between play throughs, or if I’m like, OKAY THIS TIME…!!! I always manage to pick that option. In an AU, I’d really like for the Geth and the Quarians to make peace and build the planet together and I’m just inept at making Good Choices.

19. Which kind of reaper do they think is the ugliest?

That stupid Human-Reaper from ME2.

20. Can they dance?

She can sway to music really well.

21. What is Shepard’s relationship with Hackett?

Mostly annoyed at him. In her eyes, Hackett is up there with TIM.

22. What’s their alignment? Paragon, renegade, a mix…

Renegade all the way. Light up her face with scars.

23. Got any allergies? How bad?

No, because I honestly just won’t remember she has them.

24. When’s their birthday, and how old are they?

Canon birthday and canon age!

25. Trash talk or potty mouth

BOTH!

26. What’s their temper like?

Flares hot, but then it dies down pretty quickly because she’s either smothering it with alcohol or she’s already moved on to the next crisis.

27. What does Shepard think of Bakara?

EVEEEE and not my clone named Eve!!!!! She adores her and will do anything for her.

28. A reoccurring nightmare:

Indoctrination. She can’t shake the feeling that, even after everything, she’s indoctrinated.

And Moon’s Haunted fic.

29. Which news correspondent/journalist does Shepard bring on the Normandy? What’s their relationship like?

Diana Allers and it’s a relationship of: Maeve forgets she’s there until Diana reminds her.

30. Who’s got the biggest crush on Shepard?

Ummm ME!!! Hmm definitely Joker in all 3 games, Garrus in 1 and 2, (and finally a HC) the Geth (and OC) she messages all throughout ME3.

31. What kind of relationship do they have with Dr. Chakwas? Which doctor do they bring her on board for 3, and why?

Good! They’re drinking buddies, except Dr. Chakwas is obviously less unhinged about it.

32. Who has Shepard’s grudging respect?

Javik & Zaeed.

33. Reaction to the window over their sr-2 bed

Kill Bill sirens.

34. Does Shepard want children?

Not just no, but hell no.

35. What does Shepard consider their greatest mistake?

Joining the Alliance.

36. Did Shepard enjoy the heists with Kasumi?

Yes, this was her favorite mission. I think I mentioned this in one of the previous 50 questions, but she was excited for the heist. She was excited to dress up and to have even the slightest potential to not kill anyone.

37. Does Shepard ever play matchmaker?

Ngl, I like Liara and Javik together so I’d like to imagine she helped with that somehow.

38. A silly daydream:

While she was on house arrest after ME2 and before ME3, she daydreamed that Joker would come visit her and they’d rekindle whatever they had before.

Or, she’d imagine Thane would come rescue her like a damsel in distress.

(god these aren’t really “silly” are they?!)

39. What kind of media do they consume the most?

Tech news, but she’s pretty off mainstream media content. She prefers to spend time with her crew in person.

40. Favorite ice cream flavor

Cookies and cream.

41. If Shepard has a LI, what would they say are a couple of Shepard’s flaws? And strengths?

I think we all like to imagine our LI’s being over the moon about our Sheps, and my HCs are no different.

Thane sees her as the spitting image of one of his goddesses. She’s strong, relentless, ruthless, and determined, which are all qualities he admires. In private, she’s soft and a puddle of mush most of the time. I like to think he enjoys taking care of her (e.g. blanket over the shoulders, a good cuddle session, sharing food).

Her flaws come through pretty starkly in all these sets of 50 questions: she can make REALLY poor choices, she can get tunnel vision on certain missions, she can be too brash.

42. Are they quick to laugh, or slow to smile?

Okay, I’m probably going to be annoying with this but I’m going to say both to this one too (like the potty mouth or trash talking one). I think she’s quick to laugh, but it isn’t always genuine. She’ll laugh when she feels like there’s a social cue she needs to meet. She’s slow to smile because those would be her true, genuine feelings.

43. What does it take to earn Shepard’s trust?

Most people have her trust from the beginning. She doesn’t feel like she has time to be untrusting, so her initial trust is easy to get. As long as that isn’t broken, then all’s golden. If the initiate trust is broken then it’s near impossible to get it back.

44. Top three people Shepard thinks are hotties:

Samara

Nyreen

Zaeed

+Thane because he’s her Li so that’s a given

45. What’s the easiest way to gross them out?

Throw up. THAT’S ALL hahahaha but fr gross.

46. What are some of their favorite combo moves with team members out on the field?

Oooohh this is embarrassing for her and me. I always forget team members and Shepard can do combo moves together, so I never do it. So lets go with: she’s a lone wolf who likes to do her own tech combos herself.

47. Can they forgive easily, or are they the type to hold a grudge?

Neither! She’d rather just forget.

48. Does Shepard have a good sense of direction?

She relies solely on her HUD that she doesn’t know anymore!

49. Did they enjoy their party on the Citadel?

Yes, it was nice getting everyone together, but she really missed Thane.

50. What is Shepard’s ending?

Maeve, beloved, goes full destroy ending, which includes destroying herself. I’ve talked about this a lot in the server so I’m not going to get too much in the weeds but… she’s very content with this choice.

+1 …got any kinks?

*looks back at question 33* yes – a choking kink whoops

[writtenjewels]

Day Four: Hegemony

CW: Mentions of slavery

Every night, Nekul would look at the stars and imagine what was out there. Her father would tell her stories from his trading routes, but they never felt like enough. No matter how good he was at describing things, it could never compare with actually seeing it all with her own eyes. One day she was going to leave batarian space and see it all herself.

She never told her father this. The idea would horrify him. Their corner of the galaxy was safe and protected, guided by the wisdom of the Hegemony. Nekul and her friends were all taught about the borders and the ships stationed there to keep everyone where they belonged. Father told her about them, too; sometimes his trading routes took him close by, though of course he never ventured beyond.

Nekul knew about the batarians who were out there in other parts of the galaxy. The other kids in her class whispered about them: pirates, mercenaries, slavers, all trying to make something of themselves. Nekul understood that desire. She knew she would never achieve anything of significance if she stayed home. There was a place the Hegemony deemed appropriate for herself and her family. They couldn't be right, though. Not when Nekul was drawn to the stars.

One night she sneaked out to the slave compound. Her father took her here once to show her where the merchandise was kept before being transported to the owners. It was the only place Nekul knew of where species other than batarians lived.

The lock was not very complex, taking only a few minutes to hack through the code before she could get inside. Enough to keep in the slaves, who would have no access to an omni-tool. Nekul let herself inside. The slaves were all sleeping, or at least were curled up and looked asleep. Nekul stared at them, trying to remember what they were all called.

Humans were the most populous group, but she could see a few salarians, drell, and even a handful of turians. Nekul wished her education gave her more information on these species. When she got older, she would likely be instructed on how to care for slaves. For now, there was only thing that was important about them: they came from outside.

Nekul approached one of the drell. It stared at her with its wide, black eyes. She had seen the faces of the slaves before and still found them odd. How did any of them see with only two eyes?

“Who are you?” the drell demanded. “What do you want?”

“I want to know what's out there,” Nekul answered. “Tell me about the stars.”

“Why should I?”

The question surprised her. She thought this part would be easy. This was just a slave, after all, and was supposed to follow orders. Nekul opened her mouth, ready to remind this creature of its place. But she stopped herself. Why should I have to stay here? Why should I take this job? Why should I listen to the Hegemony? All the questions that ran through her mind. She understood then that this drell and all the other slaves probably wanted the same thing she did.

“If you tell me, I'll set you free.”

[zet-sway]

Fanfic: Ocean's Prayer

Or, Thane is a dom for hire.

[Read on AO3] - Rated E for EXTREMELY SPICY TIMES

Pairing: Thane/FShep | Rating: 18+ | Words: ~13000

Featuring ART by @messydiabolical!!

She reached for her omni-tool and read over Thane's proposal again. His final summary promised new experiences, intimacy so deeply indulgent that he actually warned her that her standards might be permanently rearranged. He had even included the words "fucked within an inch of your life." She could practically read it in his voice, could almost feel his weight pressing down on her, kissing his venom into her mouth. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Shepard heard a voice shout from across the bar. A pretty asari waved a lavender hand as she approached. 

“Piper! It’s so good to see you again! And look what you’ve done with your hair. It looks great!” she said as she pulled Shepard in for a tight hug. “Come sit, come sit.”

Shepard let her lead the way to a table for two and set a gift bag down, summoning a warm smile even though she felt like hell. “I was traveling on Earth and thought of you.” 

Ruby, Shepard’s date, was dressed sharply in a pretty, thigh-length dress that showed off strappy heels and a teasing amount of cleavage. Her nails were lacquered in gleaming silver with white tips, eyes wreathed in smokey makeup that complimented her markings. By all accounts, a gorgeous person. 

Even so, Shepard had little taste for this preamble.

Shepard’s name wasn’t Piper, and her date’s name was probably not Ruby. The neat little gift bag sitting on the table contained a sum of credits for the escort sitting across from her. Shepard was getting laid tonight.

She had come with glowing reviews, a promise to give Shepard a night she would remember. All Shepard wanted was to get her brains fucked out. Preferably by someone dependable, in case she wanted to hook up again in the future. Instead, she was ad-libbing false answers to questions about her life, under the pretense of “getting to know each other.”

She tried to hide her impatience - Ruby was friendly, a little sultry, and seemed genuinely interested in what she had to say, and Shepard supposed that was the draw of this kind of thing. A lot of people, she’d been told, sought a personal connection to complete the experience. The trouble was, what could she say? That she was on a life-or-death mission to save the world? 

"You mentioned you were in the reserves. Why'd you leave?"

Shepard half chuckled and half coughed. “Injured on the job,” she said with a shake of her head. 

Ruby nodded. “Sorry to hear, must've been bad if they let you out early."

Shepard downed the rest of her drink. "Bad enough that I'd rather not talk about it."

“Sounds like you’ve been through a lot,” Ruby, placing a warm hand over Shepard’s loosely clenched one. “How about we go somewhere a little quieter?”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The sex was good, at least. 

Ruby had, indeed, fucked her brains out. But as Shepard settled back into her own bed aboard the Normandy that night, she couldn’t help but feel that something was missing. Some part of her left unsatisfied in a way she had difficulty explaining. The whole affair had been such an obvious attempt to make her feel like a normal human being. And though Shepard was blessed with many skills, pretending she had 'normal problems' was not one of them.

Unable to sleep, she flicked on her omni-tool, its orange glow near blinding in the darkness, and decided to respond to her follow-up questions. Ravishing Rendezvous, Inc definitely laid it on thick. They wanted her business, and they weren’t shy about it. She settled into her pillows as she opened the questions.

On a scale of 1 to 5, how would you rate your experience?

A solid three out of five. Mood and atmosphere? Two out of five. Intimacy? Four out of five - minus one star because she really did not want someone moaning a fake name again. Ruby herself? Five out of five. 

Help us curate your next experience by answering the following yes or no questions:

More human, or less human?

Definitely less human. She had slept with humans before and she didn’t need a live visual comparison to remind her of all the weird shit going on in her own body. She had hoped an asari companion would be far enough off to satisfy her. She had only been partially right. 

More romantic, or less romantic? 

Maybe less? She wasn't sure. Romance was unfamiliar territory, but she definitely didn't want roses or chocolate or… whatever people defined as romantic in galactic space.

The next one made her raise an eyebrow. 

More masculine, or more feminine?

She hesitated, thought about choosing "no comment," but reconsidered. Masculine didn’t have to mean male - although she wasn’t opposed to the idea.  

A new question appeared on her screen.

More dominant, or more submissive?

Shepard let her arm flop back on the bed as she thought about it. Submissive would imply she wanted to take the lead. It wasn’t a bad idea, but she worried she would come on too strong. Did Ravishing Rendezvous just have the perfect individual waiting in the wings for 200+ pounds of reconstructed Alliance marine to come crashing into them? Someone who would bear the brunt of her energy while also making sure they came out satisfied too? Some people get off on this, she reminded herself. But Shepard, more so than anything, didn’t have the mental energy to place the entirety of a stranger's satisfaction in her hands - she already spent her days worrying about everyone but herself. No, she wanted someone who would take charge.

She tapped her finger on “dominant.” It seemed like a move in the right direction.

Are you interested in viewing our BDSM specialists?

Shepard blinked a few times and squinted, wanting to be sure she read the question right.

She’d been fucked roughly before, but never dominated. Never tied up or bossed around, never controlled. The idea wasn’t familiar but the potential challenge was exciting. Like dropping into combat on a planet she’d never been to and coming back covered in sweat and stinking of eezo. Or navigating all the pain and adrenaline and exhaustion of her N7 promotion - being brought low and forged anew on the other side. 

Taking a deep breath, she pressed “Yes."

What followed were a handful of questions to gauge her interests and experience, before finally displaying for her a list of names and faces. 

To say there were some interesting options was an understatement. More turians than she could count, a couple of krogan and asari, and even one or two quarians. There were a few smug-looking human men that she immediately thumbs-downed. 

One person, however, caught her attention right away.

Enter a world of fathomless pleasures…

You know him as Ocean’s Prayer, the legend behind Fornax's renowned kink publication. Thane Krios has stepped out of the shadows for a one-on-one affair you’ll never forget. With a wide range of specialties ranging from softcore bondage to your most craven fetishes, Sere Krios offers a handcrafted experience tailored to your heart's secret desires. One taste of his venom and you’ll never be the same again.

Exclusions apply. In-person consultation required. Discretion guaranteed. 

Shepard sucked in a breath, staring at the image of an emerald-colored drell with a deep crimson throat. A striking three-quarter turn portrait framed him at waist height against a black background, bright light deepening the interesting divisions that decorated his forehead, drawing her eyes to the glossy scales and velvety folds of his cheek. He wore a simple, low-cut shirt that showed off his thick arms and strong, broad chest. Even things that would have been understated on any other person were impossible to look away from because he was just so different.  Colorful and serene, but radiating a strength of confidence that Shepard desperately wished to reclaim for herself. 

And not only was he gorgeous, he also came highly recommended, and his profile was heaped with stellar ratings. 

She whistled when she saw his base fee. Fuck it. Cerberus was paying anyway. Christ, she didn’t think she’d ever seen a drell in person.

She bit her lip and sent off a contact request.  

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

His office was located on the 35th floor of Three Nerium Plaza, a skyscraper on the southern end of Nos Astra.

Shepard waited in the elevator with her hands stuffed in the pockets of her leather jacket. She’d been in all manner of stressful meetings before, but somehow even her appearance before the damn council hadn’t made her this antsy. She checked her reflection in the elevator’s mirrored back wall, straightening her jacket, unzipping it to just above the center of her chest. Should she have worn something less casual? Was it a stupid idea to reveal herself as the Commander Shepard?  This was ridiculous. She’d already fussed an inordinate amount for what was only a preliminary meeting.

The elevator opened into an underwhelming carpeted lobby, thankfully devoid of any other people. The directory led her down a series of hallways to the opaque walnut door of “T. Krios Consulting Services” - a neat little turn of phrase that could mean anything on Illium - beyond which was a waiting room, of sorts. Comfortable-looking chairs sat empty beside a wall lined with real, paper books with worn spines and interesting titles. Shepard fidgeted as she looked around the room, unsure what she expected in the first place. There was only one door, presumably leading to his office. Finally, her Omni-tool lit up with a soft ping, and she slowly opened the door. 

His voice was the first thing that hit her as she entered a stunningly minimalist corner office. 

“Good evening," he greeted with a smile, stepping out from behind a gleaming onyx desk and extending a hand. “You must be my 8 o'clock appointment.” 

She could practically feel every syllable in her bones. Wow.

“Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Krios,” she said with confidence she didn’t quite feel. His scaled palm was warm against hers, fingers gripping tight in a way that drove her heart rate just a little higher. He was shorter than she expected but possessed a larger-than-life quality in a black vest with a collared shirt beneath, the first three buttons of which were undone to arrange the material around his neck and upper chest. She couldn’t take her eyes off him. 

"Just Thane, if you don’t mind. Please, make yourself comfortable. Will you be using a pseudonym or shall I call you by the name on your contact form?"

Shepard seated herself and tried to relax. “Depends - are you recording?” 

“Never, unless you wish it,”  he said as he sat opposite her. She couldn’t help but notice he had no terminal, no pens or paper, and no datapad. Only a lamp, a steaming mug of tea, and a carafe of fresh water with a pair of empty glasses. 

"Shepard is fine. Between us only."

"Of course, Miss Shepard. Your reputation precedes you. What brings you to me this evening?"

The way he omitted the word "Commander" from his tongue had a way of putting her at ease that she didn't expect. She cleared her throat softly.

“I’m an ex-military officer involved in a sensitive operation. I’ve got some shore leave coming before we kick off, and I’m hoping to… forget about all that for a while.”

“I see. A little distraction to take the edge off,” he said with a slight nod, sitting back in his chair as though they were having the most normal conversation of all time. “I am honored. Do you have any questions about what I do?”

“Yeah, how does this work?”

“We will discuss your needs and go over necessary safety information. After our meeting, I will submit a proposal to you. Let me be clear that the proposal is not a contract, but a document over which we can agree on do’s and don’ts, must-haves, and, if you wish, an itinerary for the evening.”

Shepard raised a brow. “...if I wish?”

“Some of my more risk-averse clients like to know what’s in store. Others prefer to be… surprised.”

On impulse, she said, “Surprise me.” 

The way he smiled made her itchy with some kind of desire. 

“You may take as much time as you need to review my proposal, ask questions, and make changes as you see fit - consultation is free. Once we have come to an agreement, we will select a date and time. A deposit is required to secure your booking.”

“And this will be discreet?"

"Your privacy is my first priority, Miss Shepard."

"No recording devices?"

He gave a small smile that reached his beautiful dark eyes. 

"I have no need. My species possess eidetic memory. I assure you, whatever you say within these walls and in my studio will stay between us.”

Her brows shot up in surprise. What else didn’t she know about drell?

“If you wish, we can move on to the specifics of your needs. Tell me more about the nature of your burdens.”

Shepard took a deep breath and leaned forward. She'd thought about this. 

"When I'm on the ground team, it feels like I don't think. There's no time for worry or delay, no time for pain. It's like a veil comes down and separates me from all the things that keep me up at night. I just act."

She lowered her eyes, fixated on his hands. But Thane waited, not the slightest bit perturbed. It was almost unnerving.

“So many people put their lives in my hands without a second thought. I get so lost in the mission that the silence of my own ship is unbearable. I come back topside ready to take on the galaxy, and there’s nothing but an empty bed and a cold shower waiting for me. I’m pent up.”

Thane nodded, assessing her with those enormous black eyes. “You indicated on your dossier that you are looking for someone to lead you, but you have not endeavored to engage in submissive play before.”

She hadn’t been anywhere near as eloquent on her contact form, but that was the jist of it.

“That’s correct. Will that be a problem?”

“Not at all. Why don’t you tell me what you have in mind for your first time? There are no wrong answers; please be as plain as you feel you need to be.”

This was the part she was most nervous about. On her own ship, she made demands easily. But this wasn’t her ship, and these requests weren’t for the good of her crew or mission. Asking for such personal, intimate attention made her feel uncomfortably selfish. 

“I was sort of hoping you’d have some suggestions because I’ve only had one partner in the last four or so years. The alliance doesn't give us loads of time or space for hookups in general, much less experimenting. But I…” she sat back, propped an elbow up on the armrest, and laid her temple on her fingertips, deliberately avoiding his eyes.

“Restraints are fine. Ordering me around is also fine, as long as you don’t ask me to do something ridiculous. I can take pain, but I don’t want you to be cruel. I just want to be… acknowledged. I want someone to address my needs because heaven knows I can’t do it myself. Push my boundaries, restrain me, but don't humiliate me. I've been fighting a losing battle for years; I didn't come here to lose another one.” She forced herself to meet his gaze as though it would confirm he was listening. “Whatever you do, I want you to fuck me within an inch of my life. I want to leave here so thoroughly railed that my ship's doctor orders me on bed rest.

The way his gorgeous mouth quirked sent a brief flicker of need ghosting down her spine. Whatever his intentions, that fleeting expression told her she'd been heard loud and clear. The hard part was over. She exhaled and decided to help herself to some ice water. 

“Your request is duly noted. I have a few questions, if you don’t mind.”

“Knock yourself out.”

“Do you have any injuries I should know about? Any places on your body I should avoid?"

Shepard paused, halfway through chugging her glass.

"I'm… not sure."

Thane sat forward and folded his hands loosely on his desk. His voice was kind. "The question is for your safety, although I acknowledge the topic may be hard to discuss.”

She worked her jaw, not knowing where to begin. He knew who she was, but did he know why she was?

"I died," she said at last. And if he was surprised by this, he didn't let on. 

"What manner of trauma caused your NDE?"

Shepard shook her head. "Not a near-death experience. It’s complicated. I’m not sure which parts of me are still me."

His brow softened. "Forgive me, but have you considered seeking-"

Shepard closed her eyes and raised a hand. "Not what I came here for. If it's a deal breaker, I can leave right now - no fuss." She actually wasn't sure she wouldn't be upset, but she refused to let on. Every moment she spent doubting herself only made her feel worse. 

"Understood, Miss Shepard. We can work through any unplanned discomforts as they arise. Do you have any medications that may need to be administered as a result of your… experience?”

She shook her head. While technically untrue, her medications were ported into her via implant every several weeks. 

"I will also need an emergency contact."

She raised a brow.

“It would be unfair to expect you to account for every foreseeable risk. As a safety precaution for both of us, I cannot book your session without a contact on file."

Who in the world could she even…

"Can I get back to you on that?"

"Certainly, but please be aware that without a contact, I can only hold your booking for 48 hours."

"That's fine. I was out for two years. A lot of my contacts are… unreachable right now."

Thane smiled warmly at her. "Very well. You will have my proposal to review by sunrise. Consider it something to build on; there is no need to rush into something you aren't comfortable with."

Shepard let out a sigh of relief. "Great, looking forward to it."

“There is one more important matter to discuss.”

Shepard raised a brow as Thane reached into a drawer and produced a small vial, no larger than her little finger. 

"As you indicated in your consultation request, you have not been with a drell before, I would prefer you to establish your reaction to my species’ venom. If you find yourself to be averse to its effects, it would be ideal to know before we begin."

“So you’re saying I might be… allergic to you?” Shepard tried to temper her reaction but her face scrunched in confusion anyway. “Is this like a dextro/levo thing?”

“Not at all. Drell venom is known for its hallucinogenic properties. Many of my clients have sought me out for this reason.”

“Oh.” She took the vial and rolled it in her palm. There was maybe half a teaspoon or less of clear amber fluid inside, and it coated the glass as it moved. She stared at it dumbly, wondering in the deafening silence just how this material was extracted from the man before her. 

“I understand you are on a sensitive mission,” he said with a gentle tone. “You may refuse, of course. But in that case, I would recommend abstaining from oral contact and insemination during our session.”

She nearly choked when he said insemination, but his point was easy enough to understand. He was saying she couldn't kiss him, which seemed a damn shame given his perfectly shaped mouth. The rest of his point was… something she would be mulling over for days.

“How intense is this stuff? What should I be prepared for?” Will your semen really make me hallucinate?

“Most humans describe a dreamy state of mind, a feeling of being relaxed, and reduced inhibitions. Some report seeing enhanced colors, trails of light and sound, and heightened sensitivity. In my experience, it will occasionally make a partner more… glib.”

She looked up at him. “You have people in here getting high and spilling secrets?”

Thane gave a small quirk of his lips. “I can't say.”

“How long does it last?”

“That depends on your metabolism, but usually no more than forty-five minutes.”

After a moment's consideration, Shepard pocketed the vial. Whatever experience was waiting for her, she wanted all of it. At the very least she knew Chakwas wouldn’t breathe a word about it if she reacted badly.

Oh.

“Actually, I do have an emergency contact for you.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Sure as he’d said, his proposal arrived in the early hours of the morning. Secure and alone with a coffee and a plate of Gardner’s famous “Blueberry Triangles,” she held her breath, opened the message, and began to read. 

To say this was a detailed document was an understatement. Thane had gone so far as to include definitions, clarifications, and FAQ’s alongside diagrams and lists of equipment he had at his disposal. Shepard’s sense of modesty had long since been eroded by years of enlistment, but even still, she blushed through half-clinical/half-pornographic descriptions of what people and technology were capable of in the year 2185. 

By the time she reached the end, she was already feeling a little hot under the collar. His email signature read “with pleasure." No kidding, she thought.

Over the next several days, questions, clarifications, and other caveats were exchanged before they finally settled on everything. In the meantime, she did a little research of her own. Drell venom, she'd learned, could be extracted any number of ways, but the most popular strategy was to isolate the compound from saliva or "other" bodily fluids (something she had spent ample time 'thinking about' before bed). 

Her sample vial had been sitting on her desk for days, innocuous but impossible to ignore. Based on her reading, it seemed harmless enough. But it was hard to escape the fact that it had come from his body. Why this felt different than eating out her first girlfriend, she had no idea. Maybe because her first girlfriend hadn't tied her up while she did it. 

Having just returned from a firefight on Aeia, she grabbed the vial on her way into the shower, set it on the vanity, and stared it down as she washed her hair. She’d tried hallex once a few years back, out with her unit on shore leave. It wasn’t an experience she cared to revisit. Everything she knew told her it would be a much more mild experience. After all, how could he run a successful operation if he was poisoning everyone he fucked? And boy, she wanted to fuck him.

The apprehension was getting her nowhere. Shepard squared her shoulders, cladding herself in the determination she had felt just hours earlier when she liberated the survivors of the Gernsbeck. The cold was the furthest thing from her mind when the automatic water system timed out; she opened the vial and downed every drop.

It was thick, as she expected. It had the consistency of warm honey, tasted like salty citrus, and perhaps most surprisingly, felt kind of carbonated on her tongue. There were no bubbles in the vial, she was sure, but it tingled all the way down her throat.

Shepard stood there, dripping water, skin prickling in the cold, waiting for something to happen. Five minutes went by. Nothing. No dreaminess, no reduced inhibitions, and certainly no colors. She shivered, too hard focused on the venom to move the few inches she would need to towel off.

Nothing happened.

Until she moved.

Warmth flooded her limbs the moment she reached for her towel. She opened the bathroom door to a world of new sensations. Light gleamed off her model ship collection like twinkling lights. Her fish were brilliant blurs of color against their soothing blue backdrop. On the other side of the cabin, her armor locker interface glowed like a campfire. She wasn't cold anymore, not in the slightest. She felt comfortable - relaxed, even. The tension left her shoulders the moment she flopped naked on her bed, watching the stars go by in dazzling flashes and streaks.

Oh, yeah. This was nice. 

She reached for her omni-tool and read over Thane's proposal again. His final summary promised new experiences, intimacy so deeply indulgent that he actually warned her that her standards might be permanently rearranged. He had even included the words "fucked within an inch of your life." She could practically read it in his voice, could almost feel his weight pressing down on her, kissing his venom into her mouth. 

Something hot and untamed inside her told her this man didn't make promises he couldn't keep.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Jeez Commander, you got a hot date or something?"

Shepard was jumpy with anticipation. Her inbox was empty for the first time in weeks, her crew had their assignments, and her shore leave was cleared. Nos Astra's docking bay came into view.

"What's it to you, flight lieutenant?"

"I'm just saying, you're crowding the bridge right now."

"It's my ship," she said, one hand resting on the back of Joker's chair as the ship settled into its docking clamps. Her omni-tool pinged with a preset reminder. Forty-five minutes till showtime.

"Must be nice."

"You say that like you aren't also getting shore leave." She pushed off his chair with a playful shove.

"Uh-huh. We're all getting sloshed at a bar called Chocolate Starfish, but someone isn't coming with."

"Yup," she replied, dismissive. 

"Definitely a hot date," he muttered as she made her way off the ship.

A sleek, luxury cab was waiting to take her through the heart of Nos Astra under a brutal sun. This place looked nothing like it did at night. She wondered how many other individuals in Thane's line of work had their offices and studios in the gleaming towers that crowded the city byways. 

This time, she docked at the upper taxi pavilion on the 75th floor and took the lift down to the same level as before, loosening her shoulders as though preparing for a combat drop. 

Soon enough, she stood face to face with a pair of frosted glass doors. A soft, warm light shone beyond, giving the portal a sense of ominous liminality - a transition between worlds. On one side, the world she came here to escape from. On the other, an unknown kind of pleasure awaited. Fingers wrapped around the cold stainless steel handle and she breathed deep. 

The door opened with a rush of warm air. Smooth bamboo floors led her through a new reality of warm colors and textures that, while unexpected, helped put her at ease. She followed the corridor around a short bend and entered a gorgeous room with a vaulted ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked Illium’s dizzying metropolis. To her left was a neatly made bed; to her right, a sofa accented with red patterned pillows, and overhead, a series of dangling artisanal incandescent bulbs.

Thane himself stood before the wall of windows with hands clasped behind his back. He was facing away from her, and from this distance, she could gauge his height and build much better than when they had met on opposite sides of his desk. From his wide shoulders and downward, to the satisfying taper of his hips and an absolutely perfect ass, he possessed a classic silhouette she found immediately enticing. 

He wore a neatly tailored cream-colored button-down, sleeves tucked neatly into themselves just above his elbows, and dark-colored pants. To her surprise, he wore no shoes and no adornments. He looked comfortable, in fact, as he turned to greet her arrival. 

“Welcome, Siha,” he said warmly. 

Shepard wondered if Siha was some kind of cultural term for submissive, but said nothing. On instinct, she straightened her back and shoulders, eyes straight ahead as he approached. Her immediate shift to full attention seemed to amuse him, because he lifted the corner of his mouth in a small smile, now just a step away from her. A hand reached across the shallow divide as he passed, settling softly on her arm. 

Shepard clung to that point of contact as he circled behind her, stroking up and down her arms and shoulders, squeezing and releasing each muscle. 

“At ease, soldier.” 

Beneath his chaste touch, everything seemed clearer than before. His words took her back to a simpler time, back to when expectations had been heaped upon her, but they were clear, easy to identify, and even easier to obey. Demands that didn't require her to perform the impossible or weigh the worth of her entire species.

“Within these walls, your purpose is to serve me. Until sunset, you will address me as 'Sir.' Please me, and I will reward you. Disappoint me, and you may find yourself reprimanded.”

He paused. She knew what to do.

"Yes sir."

It didn't matter if he meant to threaten or intimidate her. No, when Thane spoke to her this way, she felt relieved, reminded that he was here to do the thinking for her. Shepard exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding, and he made a small sound of approval. 

“Tell me your safe words.”

“Cherry for stop, sir. Kiwi for pause.” 

His hands smoothed over her lower back and hips. “And if you find yourself unable to speak?”

“Two taps, sir, with hands or feet.”

“Good, Siha.” 

His touch lingered on her like a phantom as he withdrew and circled around to stand two paces before her. 

“Please undress.” 

Despite having been in various states of undress in front of other soldiers many times, this was altogether different. Thane was not shy about the way he assessed her, making no attempt to avert his eyes, although his expression remained neutral. Her shirt came off first, and she looked to him when she realized she didn’t know what to do with it. His expression betrayed nothing, so she elected to fold it quickly and place it on the ground beside her feet. 

Her boots and socks came off next, and then her pants. Each time she looked at him, he did not react, and so she continued, unhooking her bra. The cool air helped distract her from the color rising to her cheeks.

When she reached her panties, he took a step forward. “That’s enough. Place your feet three inches apart.” 

An oddly specific order, but easy enough to follow. Not knowing what to do with her hands, she settled into parade rest, palms out and overlapping against her backside.

Thane collected her pile of clothing and placed it somewhere by the door. Her skin prickled, whether due to temperature or anticipation, she couldn't tell. When he returned, he touched her shoulder again, this time with much more care. His scaled fingers traced a glowing scar. 

“Does this cause you pain, Siha?”

“No sir."

“I admit I've never seen anything like this before. Do not hesitate to tell me if they cause you distress.”

Shepard took a deep breath. Reading people had never been her strong suit, but she understood what he was saying. Somehow, it was more comforting than isolating. It felt like he cared. 

“Yes sir,” she confirmed, perhaps softer than she intended.

For a moment, he continued to wander, and although his touch was chaste, she felt her body stir beneath his eyes and hands. Trust was a frail vine, sun-seeking, crawling from the remains of her damaged ego. Something about him was calming in a way that felt disarming. She wanted him to touch her, badly enough that she didn’t flinch when he began to dress her with a length of rope.

This time, he was less chaste. He allowed his hands to brush along her curves as he worked, warm scales pressing into soft flesh, crisscrossing the valley between her breasts in a way that framed them prominently to his attention. Heat collected along the lines he traced across her bare skin, the rope creating a sort of harness around her torso. She bit her lip when he finished his work and circled behind her without further contact.

Her arms were next. Another length of cord slipped beneath her biceps, drawing them behind her. The position pulled her shoulders back, elbows some inches apart in their bindings as he continued, forcing her chest into the bright strokes of sunlight pouring through the windows. Her forearms followed, and then her wrists, palms folding together. There was a firm tug as he secured a knot above her hands. 

Shepard flexed in her restraints, testing her range of motion. He had given her enough space that her arms could slide together, but not comfortably. 

"Too tight?" He asked. 

"No. -no sir."

Strong hands settled on her hips, textured hands dragging across her skin as he circled her, either inspecting his work or her body - probably both.

“Now then, where to begin?” he said as he came to a stop before her. Her skin tingled in his wake, absorbing the heat of his touch, and she sighed as his palms smoothed over her breasts. He seemed pleased by her reaction. “Perhaps here. As you know, my species does not possess such anatomy.”

He continued to touch her, capturing her nipples in the spaces between his fingers. 

“Feels good,” she sighed, and he immediately withdrew, knocking her right breast with an open palm. “Sir-” she corrected. “It feels good, sir.”

“Very good, Siha.” His hands returned, taking each of her nipples between his fingertips. “Shall we test the range of your sensitivity?”

“Y-yes,” He applied firmer pressure. Her eyes slid closed and she groaned. “Just like that.” 

This time, he made a show of gripping her jaw firmly in one hand as he tugged on her breast with the other. Whatever lack of focus she had before was banished in an instant. His reaction was even more arousing than his touch - the way he did not hesitate to remind her of the rules of their game. 

“I will not warn you again,” he said.

“-sir,” she gasped, pushing her chest eagerly into his hands. 

He made a low sound, slowly twisting his fingers. The feeling was electric, bordering just on the edge of pain. If this was how the entire night was going to be, she was sure she wouldn’t survive. He continued to touch her, alternating between massaging and tweaking her breasts as she writhed in her restraints, kindling the needful heat growing inside her. 

One hand fell between them, wedging between her tightly pressed thighs. His voice made her ache when he pulled himself close and said "Open your legs, Siha."

She complied immediately, widening her stance. His fingertips traced her seam through her panties, forcing the fabric between her lips and rubbing a slow, firm line up and down her cunt. She felt rather than heard his low purr of approval. “Already soaking wet?"

"Yes sir," she breathed. 

Her breath caught in her throat as he lowered his head and touched his lips to the center of her chest, roaming hands pushing up on her breasts to bring them nearer to his face, nearer to his mouth.

Plush lips pushed against the sensitive tip of one breast and then moved to the other. He had been handling her for scarcely two minutes and already had proved himself more adept than any lover she'd ever known. She tensed, every pleasure center on her body yearning for the promise of his hot mouth. 

“Look at me,” he said softly. 

Her eyes lowered to his; enormous, dark, and somehow possessing a manner of depth she had never seen in any species before. Light from the windows illuminated the irises beneath his dark sclera, the same color as the fine scales adorning his cheeks. It felt like he could see past every lie she told herself, every fabrication she’d ever hidden behind. Good christ, if he already had her halfway to ruined, what the hell was he going to do to her for the rest of the night?

His mouth ghosted across her skin as he said, “Tell me what you want, Siha.”

She had to blink to regain herself. His mouth was right there, but rather than be direct, she attempted to appeal to his position. “Your mouth, sir," she said, before adding meekly, "...if it would please you, sir.”

The sound he made was all the reward she needed; a deep, satisfied thrum of arousal that made his crimson cheeks flutter. 

His mouth finally closed around the tip of her breast, tongue stroking long and firm across the sensitive peak. She couldn’t help the low moan that left her, every pass of his tongue like fire licking her spine. She squirmed, and he moved to her other breast, tonguing her nipple as he rolled the first between his fingers. The feeling was white-hot torment between her parted thighs, pressure screaming to be relieved. She wondered if she could climax off this alone, stumbling with the effort to maintain her balance as he tore her apart with devastating effect. 

“Fuck-” Her thighs came together, desperate for relief as she begged “Please-”

A second later, his touch vanished, and her heart dropped. She let out a strangled whine of frustration and stumbled as she reached for him only to be reminded that her hands were immobile.

“Disobedient,” Thane deadpanned, straightening himself to face her. “And to think how close you were.”

“Please, sir-”

“Hush, Siha. Allow me to help you remember yourself.” He soothed a thumb across her cheek before stepping away out of her line of sight, leaving her to wonder what he had in store.

His footsteps were nearly silent as he moved through the room behind her. She heard a drawer open, followed by the sound of softly clinking metal. Moments later, she felt his touch on her hands, trailing a line up her bound arms and between her shoulder blades. Something that felt like leather brushed the nape of her neck and she tensed, adrenaline igniting her blood as she prepared herself for what she imagined was a whip or a crop or-

“I have a request,” he said. “Something I would like you to wear for me.”

It didn't matter that she didn't know what it was. She agreed without hesitation.

“This is a collar,” he said as the cool leather encircled her neck. “May I?”

Shepard breathed a relieved “Yes sir.”

His voice was kind when he said, “Thank you." The material settled against her skin, not as tight as she expected. A gentle tension passed quickly as he secured the buckle. Although she could not see it, she could feel the cold press of some kind of metal against the front of her throat. 

He departed again for only a moment, and returned to face her. He placed something soft on the ground between them. When he spoke, his voice was low and tenebrous. 

“On your knees, Siha"

She sank slowly, trembling with the effort to maintain her balance. Hell or high water, she was determined not to disappoint him again. Her knees sank into the cushion he so kindly provided, and after some effort, he brought a gentle hand to her jaw. 

"Good girl," he murmured, stroking her cheek. 

Shepard wasn't prepared for the heat that rose to her face - and between her legs - at his words. They filled her with a kind of pride and lust that she hardly recognized, flooding her with yearning. 

"Are you familiar with meditation?" He said as he began to undo his belt with all the nonchalance in the world. 

Her breathing quickened. Words felt flimsy in her mouth. "I've never tried it, sir." 

"The practice is meant to achieve clarity of mind," he continued. "You may begin by focusing on your breathing.”

His fly dropped and his cock came free, a stiff and gleaming shock of fuschia against his pale green belly.

Yes, a deep breath was what she needed right now. His size was intimidating. Thane seemed to give her a moment to admire him, aware from their conversations that she had never slept with a drell before. Were they all so colorful and endowed? 

"Feel your breath," he said softly. He drew close, a hand beneath her chin pulling her gaze up the length of his body. “Center yourself on the here and now. There is nothing but you and I.”

Inhale.

He touched her hair. She could feel the heat radiating from his thick, ridged length as he held her gaze.

"I will give you everything, Siha. Do you trust me?”

Exhale.

"Yes, sir," she whispered.  

There was a warm hand on the back of her skull. 

"Breathe deep. Open your mouth. Taste."

Compliance poured from her without question, lips parting at his command. He laid the tip against her tongue as she looked up at him through errant strands of hair, waiting and ready for him to slide himself into her throat. 

"Be reminded that you may hallucinate." 

In that moment it was clear why he had insisted she dose herself beforehand. One way or another, he was already on her tongue, the faint citric flavor of him already calling her attention. She pushed her tongue against his tapered head, gauging his reaction. She wanted to see him as lost as he had made her, wanted to hear whatever deep, delicious sounds his rich baritone voice might produce. Unable to speak, she settled simply for a small nod of acknowledgment. His smile could have melted her. 

Slowly, he pushed himself into her throat. 

He was overwhelming in the most exquisite way. Bound and on her knees, she couldn't do much but take the intrusion as he seated himself so deep in her throat that her eyes nearly watered. The sound he made was soft and low, sinking through the cracks in her mind like water in the desert. He pulled his hips back, combed through her hair with elegant green fingers before grasping a fistful near the back of her skull, pulling her back into him. She let out a low groan of satisfaction as they both worked her mouth on and off of his sizable length. She had no idea where he would be most sensitive, but he seemed to take no issue with the way she swiped her tongue hard over the underside of his shaft and hollowed her cheeks. 

The hallucinations began quiet and slow. Her skin warmed, her mouth tingled, and when she opened her eyes (when had she closed them?) his scales glimmered like soft, iridescent stars. 

High above her, Thane's mouth hung just slightly open, his eyes hazy, free hand hanging limply by his side as he used her mouth. She found a pronounced cluster of ridges near the root of him and drove her tongue against it, rewarded at last with a guttural sigh and softening brow. 

"Your throat is a paradise, Siha," he panted, quickening his pace ever so slightly. "So good, so tight.”

The heat inside her was tethered to his words, a fire that burned hotter every time he praised her. She moaned around his length, pushing against him with her tongue, sucking him with abandon. He fucked her mouth until her jaw ached, the panties still wedged in her cunt burning against her clit. She wanted his climax like she wanted her own. Wanted to know if he would taste like the sun and zest he radiated before she drowned in the ocean of her own unsatiated lust, desperate for whatever he deemed her worthy of. 

She heard his breath catch in his throat, and that was all the warning he got before he shoved her head onto his cock. He pushed so deep that saliva hissed out the corners of her lips before he stopped, trembled, and came on a whisper-quiet breath. Liquid heat flooded her mouth, pulsing, thick and hot, coating her throat and warming her all the way down with a glittering sensation she couldn't hope to describe. His hand fell away from her hair but she was loathe to release him, sputtering as she hummed around his length. She drank him back until he pulled away and his cock fell heavily from her mouth. 

That sweet, sweet high settled over her. Oblivious to the thin tendril of saliva and cum that dangled from her wet lips, she rested her cheek against his thigh as he closed his pants over his retracting length. And then he was kneeling beside her, holding her as she caught her breath, murmuring soft praises as he used his thumb to trace her lower lip and push what remained of his spend back onto her tongue. The flavor spread into the hollows of her cheeks like rich, warm oil as she worked her jaw closed.

A hand brushed her hair from her eyes. His forehead pressed against hers.

"Lovely," he breathed, voice like silk against her cheek. "You are a gift, Siha.”

Shepard couldn't help but smile dumbly at him, thighs tensing in anticipation. She felt warm all over, dizzy and swaying with need as he helped her to her feet. 

“How are you feeling?” He asked, holding her steady. 

“A… a little high, sir.”

She watched one of his brow ridges rise as his lips quirked in amusement. The more she looked at him, the more beautiful he seemed to become.

"A good high, I hope?"

“Sir, it feels perfect.”

His eyes seemed lit from within as he smiled.

She allowed herself to be led over to the sofa, where he seated himself and reached for her hips and turned her away from him. Steady hands closed over hers, fingertips slipping beneath her bindings, loosening the knot and securing it again such that it released some, but not all of the tension in her shoulders. There was a brief pause, and then without preamble, he hooked his fingers into her panties and slid them down her legs. 

Shepard tried not to squirm. She loved where this was going.

“Please sit, Siha,” he said, patting his thigh. 

No sooner had she lowered herself toward him, his arms came up to circle her waist and pull her into his chest. They were skin to scale now, his shirt apparently having been opened at some point prior. Her eyes slid closed, the warmth of his smooth scales at her back giving her a feeling of security as he adjusted her position until her thighs fell open on either side of his.

"You have a new rule," he whispered against her ear. Shepard bit her lip in anticipation. "You must ask for permission to come. Will you do that for me?"

Shepard nodded, too high to remember herself, and jumped when he tapped her clit with three fingers. 

"Use your words.” 

Her head fell back against his shoulder. "Yes, sir."

For god’s sake, he didn't hesitate. She nearly sobbed as he soaked his fingertips in her wetness, tensing in his arms. It felt like heaven - like she could come right then and there - but she steeled herself. One finger gathered her slick arousal and began to circle her aching clit, teasing with a featherlight touch. She groaned as his other hand palmed her breast. The soft pressure was hypnotic, paired with the glittering sensation of his scaled fingertips between her legs. His breath against her cheek was a radiant, rippling mirage on the horizon of her lust. 

Slowly - so, so slowly, he pressed his finger against her wet opening and dragged it upwards, over her pearl. The jump in sensation made her gasp, but he did not reprimand her. If anything he only pulled her tighter against him, repeating the motion once, twice, and again, until she was writhing in his arms, biting her lip to stem the tide of her oncoming climax. That single, relentless motion tore her mind down minute by minute until her entire cunt burned bright with the desperate need for release. 

"Please," she gasped. "Please sir, may I come?"

He twisted a nipple in reply, his other hand slipping a finger into her opening. 

"So soon, Siha?” 

She whined, not sure how much she could take, but desperate now not to disappoint him. "It feels so good, sir."

"I'm glad my touch pleases you so," he murmured, pulling his finger from her depths and letting the connecting thread of sickness draw taut and snap in a cool, bright lash against her sensitive skin. "A fitting reason to continue, I think."

"I’m so close, sir-"

"I don't think you're nearly close enough.” He entered her again with his joined fingers. "I know you can take it, Siha. Let me hear all the beautiful sounds you make for me." 

He used his thumb to tease her clit as he curled his fingers inside her and sent a blinding flash of pleasure rocketing up her spine. She grit her teeth. 

"D- does it please you to deny me, sir?"

"Oh, Siha, I am deeply satisfied by the way you writhe in my arms."

She whined, trying to pinch her thighs shut to stem the tide of sensation, but it was impossible. He held her too tightly, scaled thumb rasping with delicious, sanguine friction against her slick center. She moaned when she realized he was hard again, his cock pressing into her backside. The thought that she was separated from him by nothing but a godforsaken pair of pants made her feel stupid with need, desperate to know how he would feel buried deep inside her. Her spine bowed, hips bucking against his hand as she released a strangled, pathetic cry of frustration.

"I know, my angel," he crooned, lust coloring his voice. "You can take it. Just a little longer." 

He was moving with her now, grinding himself up into her ass as he speared his fingers in and out of her open cunt. She squeezed her eyes shut, unable to watch the way he touched her without the risk of falling over the edge. 

"Twenty seconds," he said. Shepard heaved a breath and grit her teeth, counting down in her head. Twenty seconds could pass in seconds on the battlefield. Beneath his hands, it was a nearly unbearable amount of time.

"Ten seconds."

The world was nothing but heat and sensation, her cunt burning like a drive core after a firefight, suffused with the incredible pressure of oncoming release. Thane latched his fingers around her nipple and she sobbed out with need, her spine bowing away from his back, arms and shoulders rigid with effort.

"Five."

The sound that built in her chest was a guttural, frustrated whine born of raw effort. It hissed out through clenched teeth. His fingers hilted in her channel and she swore she could feel every scale that passed through her opening. Just a few seconds-

"Two."

All the control in the world couldn't stop her. She felt the first straining pulse of release and knew she was doomed. Her climax reached up through her belly like a beast, squeezing along her spine and enveloping every nerve in her body in a screaming flood of ecstasy. She shuddered, unable even to hear her own voice as she tumbled through the wave he'd built upon her, chest heaving, straining against her bonds. Finally, all that remained of her breath was a choked-out moan.

She was spent. Somewhere far off in the back of her mind, she was aware she had broken the rules, but his disappointment seemed like a distant, irrelevant thing. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight, velvet-soft cheek pressed to hers. 

"Breathe with me," he said against her skin. "Breathe."

She could feel how wet she still was; his fingers were the only thing stemming the flow of her own arousal, buried and unmoving inside her. Her shoulders ached, but her body burned, the fog and fatigue of climax at war with the raging desire to be filled, ravaged, and claimed by the part of him pressing hard and hot against her ass. Thane, unconcerned with his own state of need, was still as stone as he continued to chant softly against her, "Breathe, breathe."

She couldn't say how long it took to gain control, but with his body warm at her back, she slowly drifted back to reality until they breathed as one. When she opened her eyes, color bloomed around the golden lights hanging above.  It struck her that this man was still a total stranger to her, but here she was, perhaps the most vulnerable she had ever been since she'd woken up on that Cerberus recovery table. 

When he finally moved, the shift of his scales against her was electric.

"Can you stand, Siha?"

The words felt like wind in her hair; a soothing brilliance, far too fast to catch. He shifted her into a more upright position until her feet touched the floor. 

"...what?" She asked dreamily. Were his floors heated?

Plush lips touched the side of her neck, breath warm on her skin as he asked again with infinite patience, "Can you stand on your own?"

Standing. Right. She wasn't sure she could. How did he know she wasn't sure? All the multitudes of times she'd been knocked on her ass in basic, in N school- no one had ever asked her if she could stand on her own. They'd scarcely asked her if she'd been hurt. 

His hands held fast to her hips. With a shaky breath, she blinked her eyes against the hazy afterglow and straightened her back, stretching into a more comfortable stance. She felt her weight settle on her feet. 

"I… I think so, sir." 

He gave her hips a reassuring squeeze, and something in her heart leapt.  

"Very good."

They walked slowly to the other side of the room. He led her to the edge of the bed and encouraged her to sit. 

"You came two seconds too early, my angel," Thane said as he began to work the ropes around her wrists and forearms. 

Her cheeks flushed. "I'm sorry, sir."

Thane only hummed in consideration as he worked. 

"You were magnificent at your peak, Siha. I will forgive this misstep." Her shoulders sagged in relief, his words like a balm on her heart. "However, it would behoove you to remember who you serve." 

"Yes, sir."

Her elbows suddenly came free, releasing the tension in her shoulders with a rush. Her hands tingled as blood returned to them. Thane adjusted the remaining cords around her chest but otherwise left them in place. As she sat, he moved in front of her and placed a bottle of water in her hands, from which she drank gratefully. He then began to rub her unbound limbs, drawing a breathy sigh from her. His hands - Jesus, his hands were a damn miracle. She hadn't even noticed how much her shoulders had ached, flexing them beneath his soothing touch. 

When he arrived at her wrists, he squeezed gently before reaching beside her and producing a pair of smooth leather cuffs linked by a small clasp.

Her eyes wandered as he worked, following the lines of his fingers toward wide palms, the elegant taper of his wrist, and upward along his strong arms. His shirt was now fully open, and she could see the wide, verdant stripes that flowed over his shoulders, leading her eye to all the other interesting features of his body.

The question rose from her before she could stop it, her fingers reaching before the words had left her mouth.

"May I touch you, sir?"

He looked at her then, and she steeled herself for a reprimand, but there was only kindness in his eyes. He raised her cuffed hands and placed her palms on his chest. 

Shepard couldn't help her dumb smile, flattening her hands against smooth, warm scales. There was a surprising softness to them, no resistance as she swiped a thumb over one of the errant dark scales that dusted his body, not unlike her own freckles. 

"Is my body pleasing to you, Siha?"

"Yes," she answered breathily, adding the obligatory "-sir," before he could acknowledge its absence. 

She traced one of the curious lines of crimson that ran beneath each of his pectorals, rewarded with a soft sound that she not only heard but felt beneath her hands. He’s sensitive here, she realized, repeating the motion with a firmer touch. His reaction, though reserved, was not lost on her. She wanted more of him, wandering downward to trace the diamond-shaped patterns decorating his pale green abdomen, and further still to more crimson frills peeking out from the top of his pants. He didn’t have nipples as a human would, but he did have a belly button, which amused her. And awkward though it was with her hands bound, he seemed pleased at her interest. 

Rather than removing her hands, he simply rose and moved away when he'd had enough. He gave her a small, soft smile as he said, "Wait here, Siha." 

She blinked as he paced away and disappeared behind a closet door. The euphoria of his venom left her in a relaxed, contented state, overtaken by the memory of the spectacular climax he had given her. She was certain no one had ever brought her off with just their hands before. And though her release had been powerful, it had done little to stifle the need gnawing at the edges of her mind. Her blood stirred with the thought of what he might do next. 

Finally, he returned, kissing the crown of her head. He placed a nondescript box by her feet.

"Please stand, Siha,” he said. “Spread your legs, and bend over."

She did as he asked, eagerly bracing her palms on the edge of the bed as she bent over and presented herself to him. Venom swimming in her veins, she wondered how much of her mind was still her own. If there was anything left, it has long since taken up residence in her pelvis.

Thane laid a palm at the base of her spine. Something slick prodded at her weeping cunt, and then she gasped as his fingers slid inside her. He gave two or three slow thrusts before withdrawing and dragging her abundant arousal to the tight bud of her asshole. She moaned in surprise as he pressed against her with one finger, rubbing in firm circles. They had agreed on no anal sex, but play was not off the table.

"When was the last time someone touched you like this?"

"I.. it was a long time ago, sir." She peeked back over her shoulder to find him watching her, rubbing her lower back with his free hand. 

“We will go slowly. Remember your safewords.” 

In this state, it was so easy to trust him. He slowly pushed a slick finger past her tight hole, feeling the stretch and burn as he entered her.

He reached for something with his free hand, and what it was, she couldn't quite see. As he worked her ass, he introduced the rigid shape of it to the seam of her cunt and eased it inside. It was wide but not long, a rounded plump thing that he let slip out into his palm before pushing it back in, over and over again. 

A plug, she realized. He was going to plug her. The idea that he planned to fill both of her holes made her head spin. 

His finger slipped out of her ass, and more slickness followed. She felt his fused fingers at her rim and grunted as they breached her. In moments he was building a rhythm, matching the pace of each hand as he began to fuck both of her holes. The feeling was incredible, whatever slight burn she may have felt quickly dissolving into warmth as he worked her.  She closed her eyes and let herself fall against the jasmine-scented sheets, pushing her hips back into his hands. 

"How does that feel?"

"It’s good, sir,” she breathed. 

And then the plug was at her entrance, pushing slowly, opening her with a delicious burning stretch that took her breath away. Deeper it went, stretching and pushing until the bulk of it popped inside her and the flared base settled with a soft tap against her hole. Thane gave it a few taps for good measure, and she couldn't help but moan into the bedspread. 

He stepped away for a moment, and she adjusted her stance, flexing and working her hips against the air with unshielded need. The plug’s modest volume put pressure against the inner walls of her cunt, and that hint of stimulation was driving her crazy. 

She searched for him over her shoulder until he finally returned, toweling off his freshly washed hands. 

"Now then, I seem to recall a discussion about pushing your boundaries.”

Thane squeezed her ass with both hands. Her need flared at the suggestion alone. 

“I think a few spanks would do well to remind you who you serve.” He teased her wet slit with his fingertips and gave her ass a light and playful slap, rumbling with desire when let out a quiet gasp. “Are you ready for that, Siha?"

Her cheeks burned and her thighs tensed as she said, "Yes sir, I'm ready."

She could hear the smile in his voice as he responded, "Very well. You will tell me if you become distressed." He caressed the curve of her backside with a warm palm. "Count to ten," he said. And that was all the warning she got before the first spank landed. 

It wasn’t forceful, but it jolted her anyway. His palm bounced on the left side of her ass in an upward motion. The sting was near imperceptible, but the intent was clear. She gasped involuntarily.

A few short seconds passed as he rasped her clit with near-threatening softness. And then the second hit landed on her opposite cheek. 

"I said, count, Siha."

"T- two, sir."

His hand impacted her left cheek again, and she gasped out, "Three, sir."

"You may drop my honorific for the moment." 

She nodded against the sheets, her eyes squeezed shut somewhere between arousal and a vague feeling that touched the edges of embarrassment.

Another spank on her right side. Now that she was warmed up, she welcomed the calidity blooming across her backside, slithering into all the little nerve endings that lined her empty, needy cunt.   

"Four."

He continued on, and she counted three seconds between each blow. By the time he hit six, she understood why his strikes were soft. The heat built over her skin in layers, each strike seeming to add to the next until she cried out against the indescribable waves of sensation rocketing through her.

"Seven," she gasped through gritted teeth. 

By eight, her ass felt hot in the wake of each blow. Her body was propelled forward in anticipation each time his hand came down, and she relished the electric feeling of her breasts dragging against the bedspread. By nine, she already knew she would miss this when it was over.

The last hit fell against her right cheek. She gasped “Ten,” and he relented.

Shepard sagged against the bed, flinching as he smoothed both palms over her sensitive backside, pushing the lingering burn into her flesh. The feeling sang through her veins. 

"I love the way your skin blushes beneath my touch," he murmured, nudging a knuckle against the plug buried in her ass. His fingers then slid - blessedly - back into her cunt, curling right against the part of her that made stars bloom behind her closed eyes.

"Open your hands, Siha," he ordered. 

She didn't know what for, but she complied, extending her bound hands across the sheets beneath her until her weight settled on her shoulders. A long, smooth implement was pushed into her palm and she closed her fingers around it as he adjusted its position such that the firm end of it settled against her clit. She leveraged it immediately, snuggling her cunt up to whatever blessed source of friction he had just endowed her with.

"Remember the rules, Siha,” he purred. “You wouldn't disappoint me a second time, would you?"

Cheek pressed against the bed, she nodded. "I promise, sir." 

The device hummed to life, a powerful vibration that made her shiver. Shepard let out a low moan.

"Good girl. Count to ten."

And then he pulled back and spanked her again.

The blow was no more powerful than before. She felt her ass jiggle on impact, too distracted and overwhelmed to care. 

"One." She groaned, voice muffled by the sheets. He brought a hand to her hair, forcibly turning her head to the side so as to hear her clearly. The second strike came, and the impact rushed in a wave across her entire body. "Two."

Pleasure and pain melded together like hot wax. Shepard panted, cheek smushed against the bed as he paused again and smoothed a hand over her reddened flesh. Pressure gathered between her spread thighs, her empty cunt clenching in desperation. She wanted more, bucking against his hand. 

Her voice was hoarse when she said, "Please don’t stop." 

He obliged, another three strikes raining down on her like the kiss of god. 

"Can I come, sir?"

He pushed two fingers into her cunt and wedged his thumb hard against her plug as though to contemplate her request. With her hands at the wheel of her own pleasure, her building climax was much easier to control. Even still, his seeking fingers drove her crazy, so desperate to be fucked she could scarcely think of anything else. 

"At ten, you may come for me."

"Thank you sir," she sobbed. He spanked her again.

Six. The feeling was a golden flash of light behind her eyes.

Seven. His fingers skimmed the soaking furrow of her cunt. Shepard let out a whine as he withdrew, grinding against the powerful motor between her thighs.

Eight. Her climax threatened to overwhelm her. She managed to lift her hips away from the vibrator seconds before it was too late, crying out against the raging push and pull of sensations overwhelming her.

Nine. She writhed against the bed, knees wobbling. Thane wrapped an arm around her belly and held strong as he kissed her spine, sending a chill throughout her entire body as she waited on the vicious precipice of the final blow and the sweet release it promised. 

Ten. 

She couldn't tell if it was harder than the rest. She came the second his hand landed, climax overpowering her so fast it forced the breath from her lungs. Light burst behind her eyes, white hot waves washing over every part of her as Thane stuffed his fingers into her pulsing cunt and fucked her through each rippling convulsion until she collapsed, panting and spent. The wand hit the ground with a loud thump. And then he was releasing her wrists, gently maneuvering her into a more comfortable position on the bed. 

She let out a feeble groan as he began to soothe her skin with cooling medi-gel. Worked up as she was, the texture of his fingertips was overwhelming in the most exquisite way; the only reality she could comprehend were his hands on her, the soft sheets beneath her, and the raging void inside her begging to be filled. 

“Tell me your heart’s desire, my angel,” he said, drawing his hand up the inside of her thigh. “What would you ask of me?”

Her head was swimming. Shepard clenched her teeth and made an incoherent sound "I want you to fuck me, sir.”

Thane coaxed her onto her back and she watched as though through a fog as he tugged on his belt. His scales gleamed in the low light of Illium’s setting sun. 

“Tell me again." he rasped.

His pants hit the floor and he began to stroke himself with hunger in his eyes that foretold the hurricane he was about to unleash, full lips parted with a breathy sigh as he squeezed, smoothing his natural fluid from root to tip. Shepard drank him in - every sound, every flutter of his eyelids, feeling for one second that she had regained some intangible thing from all of this, the trust and vulnerability that he gave and cultivated without reservation. She swore she’d never wanted anyone so badly in her life. 

“Please," she begged. Her own voice was thick in her mouth as she opened her thighs and spread her cunt with desperate need, open and empty and soaked with desire. "Ruin me, Thane.”

The sound he made rumbled like thunder on the horizon, and then his hands were on her, dragging her bodily to the edge of the bed and spreading her wide. Her ass chafed against the sheets, breath caught in her lungs as he laid his tip against her oversensitive clit and flames erupted under her skin. Where this was going, she was certain she wouldn't survive. 

"Who do you serve?"

"You, sir." She felt him at her entrance, and all thoughts fled her mind. "I serve you."

Time was immaterial. There was nothing but the stretch, the push, and the heat of him as he split her open with his gorgeous meaty prick. Her plugged ass pulsed as he filled her. Chills rushed over her in waves and she sobbed out her pleasure, gripping the sheets beneath her. 

"That's it, Siha," he crooned, stroking both thumbs up the sides of her wide open cunt. "Take all of me." 

Thane gripped tight to the meat of her thighs, pulling their hips flush. She was so full, fucking full that she scarcely had the space for thought. 

And then he fisted one hand in the ropes at her chest and moved. 

His strength took her breath away. Unable to do more than take what he gave, she gasped out sounds she didn’t recognize as her own as he began to fuck her in earnest. His grip was sure to bruise but she didn't care. Her pulse pounded in time with each echoing slap of his hips against hers, rapidly overwriting reality with unending shocks of pleasure as he filled her again and again. Absolutely no one had ever fucked her like he did.

And when he brought that vibrating wand to her clit, he didn't even wait for her to ask. 

"Come for me, Siha."

Shepard came like she was purpose-built to climax at his command. She shuddered violently beneath the unrelenting motor, voice breaking around the cry of ecstasy that forced itself from her throat. The sheets came apart beneath her gripping fingers as her limbs locked up against the assault on her senses.

"Again," he ordered, shoving her straight into overstimulation.

Thane held her thighs wide open as she thrashed, his strength too much for her to beat back without stopping him entirely. Her orgasm crawled from beneath her skin like a demon, clawing at her the whole way out.

"Once more, Siha,” he panted.

She couldn't- It was too much- She opened her mouth to tell him off but he bent over her, trapping the vibrator between them as he rasped into her ear, “For me, Shepard. I want you to come for me."

The sound that left her wasn't human any longer. Her back arched off the bed as though pulled by a force beyond her comprehension. She finally came one last time, the force of her orgasm sending her to heaven and hell and back again. With whatever remaining shred of rationality she possessed, she ripped the wand from his hands and flung it away.

And then there was only him. His hands on her body, his cock packed inside her, his hips hammering her soul from her body. He fucked her so hard, so completely, with such devastating demand that she was sure she would never be fit for duty again. Whatever world she had served before didn't hold a candle to the cataclysmic pleasure he gave her. Her eyes rolled back, and she could see the infinity between stars. 

Shepard groaned as he pushed deep, caging her between his arms and gripping her by the hair as he pulled her head back, his lips frantic and clumsy on her neck, her jaw, and finally, her mouth. She tasted the citric burn of his venom as his tongue pushed against hers, desirous and needy, swallowing the sounds of her desire. Her arms wrapped around him, tears stinging her eyes as he hollowed her out with more passion than she had ever known. The heat coming off him could incinerate her for all she cared. She never wanted to let him go.  

Adrift on his venom and pinned beneath him, she could only hold on as he drove himself against her. She let her hands wander, pulling at his backside, sliding over his hips. Her thumbs slipped into the sensitive crimson furrows of his pelvic frills and he gasped, his pace stuttering, and spent himself with a low, ragged breath. His lips met hers in clumsy desperation as he flooded her, sparkling heat blooming in the deepest reaches of her channel. It spread through her with every uncoordinated thrust that followed, driven by the sanguine push and pull of him until everything between her legs felt coated in bright, cool warmth. The high was cosmic, ethereal, so unlike any reality she had ever known that she wept, half in pleasure, and half in regret that she could not hold on to this feeling forever. He kissed her tears away, holding her until they were both well and truly spent. 

Eventually, Thane raised himself on shaky legs and withdrew. Minutes slipped by in exhausted, satiated silence after that. She sagged into the sheets as the ropes at her chest came undone, the collar at her neck fell away, and the rigid plug inside her was gently removed. There was a hand beneath her head, water at her lips. Something cool and soothing cleared the mess of fluids from between her legs. Then the sensation of being lifted as he climbed on the bed and arranged her into his lap, draping her against his chest. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

She was dreaming. 

A warm embrace around her on a sunlit afternoon beneath the dreamy palm trees of a far-off island. Cool wind on her skin, an ocean in her ears. Someone was speaking to her; a deep, sweet voice that made her cheeks swell in a quiet smile. 

"Are you awake, Siha?"

Shepard made a small sound and weakly shook her head, nuzzling against something warm. For the first time, in too long, her thoughts were at peace.

"My apologies," the voice said. 

Apologies for what? Everything was perfect. Then she was moving, the sound of the sea disappearing into the warmth of rustling fabric. Her back settled against something decadent and soft. A tender hand cupped her cheek. 

She cracked her sleep-heavy eyes open to find herself in another realm, lit by the warm yellow tones of a nearby lamp and little else. The sky outside was dark and dotted with the twinkling, passing lights of Nos Astra’s traffic. Thane sat beside her, a small smile on his face. He kissed the top of her head.

"I regret that I must ask you to rise soon, Shepard."

Shepard curled into the lightly scented blankets that had been tucked in around her. 

"What time is it?" She asked. 

"Just past sunset."

She wound her arms around whatever parts of him she could reach and mumbled, "Five more minutes." 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Thirty minutes later, she was gently roused from sleep. 

“Would you prefer to dress yourself in private?” Thane asked.

Shepard placed her tired feet on the floor and stood before him, naked as the day she was born.

“I think we’re past that,” she said with a small chuckle.

He gave her a small smile and helped her into her pants as he said “I wanted to thank you.” 

Shepard blinked. "I should be thanking you.” 

"We may thank each other, then. I enjoyed our time together."

Shepard attempted to conceal her blush by pulling her shirt over her head. "I bet you say that to everyone."

Thane kissed her cheek. "Even if I did, how would you know?"

It was a damn tragedy that she couldn’t spend the entire night with him. 

"If I survive this… thing… I'm involved in…" she began, a sudden timidness taking root in her like a damn teenager. "I'd love to get lunch sometime."

That got a genuine chuckle out of him, and he gave her a friendly hug. Her heart leapt for but a moment.

"Perhaps," he said with a beautiful smile. "We shall see what my wife thinks.”

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Tali was stiff as a wire, straddling a chair on the engineering deck and gripping the backrest with both hands.

"You slept with who?" 

"I don't know, his profile said 'the artist formerly known as Ocean's Prayer' or something."

Tali’s luminous eyes were wide behind her mask, shoulders tensed with some kind of anticipatory excitement. 

"The Ocean's Prayer? From Fornax?"

Running a hand through her hair, Shepard smiled sheepishly. "We weren't allowed to have Fornax on Arcturus, Tali."

"This isn’t Arcturus! You have your own damn ship!" She exclaimed.

"I'm sure you've noticed, but I've been a little busy-"

"Keelah, Shepard. You humans make problems out of nothing." Tali's Omni-tool glowed to life. "Let me just… there. Look." 

A holo sprang up before her - a magazine cover - on which a green drell posed, the image conspicuously cropped at his waist. Tali pointed, as though the image didn’t already have Shepard’s full attention. 

"This guy?"

Shepard nodded, chewing on her lip. "That's him, yeah."

"Do you have any idea how famous this guy is? Look, look-" Tali began to page through the magazine. 

Just because Shepard never had Fornax didn't mean she'd never looked at porn before. There definitely should've been a paywall some pages back. She narrowed her eyes and gave Tali a mischievous look.

"Is that your personal copy?" 

"You-! Shut your mouth, you have no room to talk after what you just told me," Tali shot back. 

"Give me that, I want to see."

Her omni-tool pinged and Shepard flipped open the holomag. 

Ocean's Prayer: the Fornax exclusive you've been waiting for - interview with the Master of Inscrutable Depths himself.

"Shepard, that man could make even the most straight-laced turian beg for mercy."

"Damn," Shepard muttered under her breath, paging through walls of text she was too dazzled to read, sprinkled with teasing photos that made her hot under the collar. Just on the memory of his touch, his voice, his massive-

Oh. 

The next page opened to a full page photo. Shepard coughed on her drink.

Sere Krios is rendered by the incredible @messydiabolical. Check out AO3 for the uncensored feature :)))

[lilmissnatcat24]

i'll break my own heart, thanks

[SYSTEM UI]: Garrus Vakarian, your message you recorded twelve hours ago is slated to be sent now. If you wish to edit or delete your message, press (x). If you do not act in ten minutes, the message will be sent. Read your transcripted voice message here: 

Hey mom, hey dad. Uh, I know you’re probably sleeping right now. Time zones and all. Don’t worry about me. I, uh… I don’t know if you’ve been keeping up with what’s been happening over here for me. The news and all. I don’t know if it’s even reaching Palaven. They may want to censor it. Anyways, it’s bad. And it’s about to get a lot worse, I think. I made some friends, we think we can stop it. It’s… it’s actually a pretty funny group. We have an Alliance Captain and a Commander. We have an asari scientist, an expert on the Protheans. And dad, remember Urdnot Wrex? He’s here, too. Which I know may not inspire heaps of confidence, but that’s not the point. I might be going dark for a while. If you don’t hear from me, I, uh, wanted to tell you two… that I… I mean to say… Ugh, nevermind. I’m not going to do that. You already know that, don’t you? I wanted to tell you something else. You’ll like this, mom. I met someone. And I think I love her. I mean, I know I love her. She’s been here since the beginning of this whole mess. And she’s C-Sec, big Alliance hero. You’d like that, dad. At least, if you don’t mind the fact that she’s human. I don’t think you should, you always said you thought humans were a funny species… Anyways, we got tickets to come home. I want you to meet her. And I want to spend time with you, all of you, as a family. Tell Sol to drop by, and bring whatever fool she’s dating this week. I want to do a big dinner, like what we did when dad would get his annual leave. Of course, we need to figure out how to cook levo foods, but that’s beside the point-- [unintelligible] What? Okay, I’ll be right there. Anyways, I need to go. I know this got a little winded, but I wanted to say… thanks. I’ll see you guys soon. Hopefully. 

[SYSTEM UI]: You have marked the message for deletion. It will be in your Trash folder for the next thirty days. 

[SYSTEM UI]: Welcome to your Trash folder! All messages in here will be-- 

[SYSTEM UI]: You have marked all for deletion. If you wish to undo-- 

[SYSTEM UI]: Welcome to your Settings! For help with-- 

[SYSTEM UI]: You have deleted your Messages App. To view the backups of your files, please-- 

[SYSTEM UI]: Careful, there! Excess temperatures may slow the performance of your Nexus Omni-tool-- 

[SYSTEM UI]: For the safety of your device and your skin, your Nexus Omni-tool will now shut off. 

[omniblades-and-stars]

Her omni-tool lit up once more as she sent another call out. It connected before the first attempt even went all the way through.

“Yes, what do you need?” a distinctly salarian voice answered with some mild annoyance.

“Vazori, not gonna ask me how I’m doing?” Lou joked. Conversations with Vazori always went this way. She was brilliant, but didn't bother with small talk. Lou thought it was charming.

“Unnecessary. You're calling me, so you're not dead. What do you need?”

“Listen, hon, I need a way to get into an enemy space station without my ship being detected as hostile. I also need to be able to stop my flight controls from being hacked by top level shit,” Lou explained, remembering how Nilea’s shuttle got locked out so easily. “Preferably hardware, in case I need to … re-appropriate a different ship.”

“Steal.”

“Yeah, Vazori, I mean stealin’. Can you help me find what I need? Could probably backdoor access, but no guarantee I could get it done before my shuttle is blown into stardust.”

“Hm. You could use IFF with right data. Turn onboard data sensors and relays off, fly manual. No, no, not a trained pilot. That's sure to end in failure. Death.”

Lou chuckled and shook her head, “Love your optimism.” As always, Vazori was painfully blunt.

“You need to reflect data. Mirror. Trick docking protocols with matching code, and block outgoing transmissions. Yes!”

“Great, you have something for me!”

Vazori clicked her tongue, and Lou’s omni-tool lit up, indicating that she had received a message. “No. Not me. You need a prototype, re-appropriate.” 

“You mean stealin’.”

“Yes," Vazori answered conspiratorially.

[ramblinganthropologist]

N7 24 - 11 and 12 (Shepherd and Situationship)

Summary: Al's got some new crew on the Normandy and people are beginning to wonder what alien he's going to recruit next. Not only that, but... is he hate fucking the turian?

Come on, people, this is supposed to be a war ship...

---

You know, if Anderson had told him being the CO was going to involve so many headaches, he would’ve let Bo have the job.

Alistair groaned as he stepped away from his computer, cracking his sore neck in the process. He had been working for two hours, going over various reports that had been sent since he had been planet side. It was a lot of numbers and figures, and he could see them even when he closed his eyes. If that wasn’t a sign he needed to take a break, he didn’t know what was.

Even better, his omni-tool’s CGM was beeping.

“I thought my tongue was going numb, but I thought it was from boredom.” He frowned as he flipped his wrist over to view the numbers – 54 with the arrows trending downward. “Well, that’s not good.”

He glanced around the room, eyes falling on a box labeled ‘emergency sugar supply’ on the desk. Unfortunately, it was empty – he had used it up after picking up Liara on Therum. Apparently, driving the Mako through lava fields had taken it out of him.

So, off to find a better supply it was.

Shaking his head, CGM quieted for a moment, Alistair left the office behind. Outside, it was busy as always as the crew got something to eat in their off time. He nodded to them as he passed, heading for the fridge. For a low like this, only one thing would do.

The biotics called them adult juice boxes – they were liquid energy supplies. He usually preferred his emergency supply – it was hard to beat his recipe for homemade pixie sticks frankly – but beggars couldn’t be choosers at the moment. As long as it got his sugar up, he didn’t care.

“Doing ok, Commander?”

He picked up his head, glancing over his shoulder. The voice was coming from Kaidan, who also had a pouch of liquid energy. That wasn’t surprising – he had been on the last mission after all. Anyone would’ve needed a refill after that.

“Oh, Kaidan.” He nodded as he poked the straw in. Sipping on the straw took some effort thanks to his numb lips and tongue, but he managed to drink it without having it drip from his mouth. “I will be in 15 minutes. Guess I went harder than I expected.”

His fellow biotic nodded. “I thought I heard your CGM going off when you came out. How low is it this time?”

“54 and going down. The real annoying beeping is going to start soon if I don’t refuel.” Alistair  took another sip. That was the last thing he needed – too low and it was impossible to shut off for long. He would have to keep hitting the button on his wrist until his sugar rose.

Nobody wanted that.

They stood there for a moment, sipping their energy supplies. An uncomfortable tension hung over the air, and he found it hard to look at Kaidan directly. It was a miracle his cheeks weren’t heating up because his face certainly felt hot.

He should’ve been over this by now. After all, it had been over a month ago, before he had even become the CO. It hadn’t been that big of a deal – just a request to have dinner that got turned down politely. It happened every day.

At least that’s what he told himself when the embarrassment threatened to spread onto his face with a spread of pink and eventually red.

“So, is Liara settling in ok?” Thank God he changed the subject. Kaidan was a good one for reading the room – no doubt he had sensed the same tension he had felt. “She was a little shaken up when we got her back on the Normandy.”

Ugh – Alistair hid his expression with a sip of energy supply. He didn’t have problems with the asari, per se, but… she made him a little uncomfortable. It was the way she had looked at him when he had stopped by to check on her. He was probably just reading into it too much, but… yeah it didn’t sit right with him.

Still, Kaidan was expecting an answer.

“I stopped by earlier to see how she was doing.” His tongue was starting to come back to life, so it was easier to drink. “She seemed ok to me. No doubt it’s a little weird to be surrounded by so many humans.”

After all, even though the Normandy had been designed by both turians and humans, it was really only run by the latter. She was the only asari, and she brought the total number of aliens on ship up to 4.

 At least she could eat the same food as they did. It had been a right pain to get supplies for Garrus and Tali. Luckily, the Alliance had nutrient paste they could eat. It didn’t look appetizing, but it was food. Maybe it tasted better than it smelled? For all he knew, it was just his human perception that it was terrible.

Probably because he was sitting there, he was able to pick up some talk from the crew eating their meals. It was a side-effect of losing his eye – he relied on his hearing more on his bad side. Since he was standing on the right of Kaidan, his good ear was towards the table.

“How many more aliens is he going to bring onto the ship?”

“What do you think he’ll find next, a salarian?”

“No way a salarian will come on the same ship as a krogan.”

Alistair frowned as he took the words in. Part of him had assumed the crew might not be too happy about sharing their ship with other races. While he was pretty sure none of them were card carrying members of Terra Firma – that would make their job difficult – he had heard muttering as he went about his duties.

This was just a confirmation of that.

Kaidan saw the look on his face and frowned as well. “Problem, Shepard?”

He shrugged, turning his good ear away from the table. “Apparently, some people don’t like our new friends.”

Was he going to have to run some type of workplace training? Did the Alliance even have a module for dealing with alien crewmates? Probably not – it wasn’t exactly known for taking in other races. He was most likely going to have to write it himself.

Just what he needed – another duty on his plate.

“They’re just getting used to them. Give it a week, maybe two.”

Alistair snorted in a very not-commanding officer way. “Sure, a week is all it’s going to take to get rid of years of distrust.”

He sighed. “I guess I better go check on everyone after I finish up to make sure nobody on the crew is giving them problems.”

He wasn’t worried about Wrex for obvious reasons. If his gun didn’t scare people away, his biotics would. Alien-shy humans didn’t tend to be too nervous around asari, so Liara was probably fine as well. Garrus was a maybe, but he was most concerned for Tali. They were the ones he would start with.

But before he started, he had to finish his energy supply. Alistair sipped up the last of it before tossing the empty pouch in the trash. His CGM was happy now – 75 and trending upward – so he didn’t have to worry about the beeping. It was a small victory, but he was happy to take it in the moment.

“I’ll talk to you later, Kaidan.” He walked away, heading for the elevator. A few seconds later, he touched down on the vehicle bay. Like always, it was busy. He spied Wrex in the corner, sticking out like a sore thumb in his bright red armor, and mentally checked him off his list.

He looked un-fucked-with, so that was enough for him.

Next should have been engineering, considering Tali was high on his concern list. However, his eyes were drawn to the Mako and the turian standing by it. Garrus was running a program, talons tapping against his omni-tool as he worked.

His feet took him over. “How’s it looking, Garrus?”

“Oh, Shepard.” He nodded. “Better than I thought. Looks like you’ll just have to replace a tire and do some minor electrical work.”

His mandibles twitched. “I was expecting a lost worse after Therum.”

Alistair’s cheeks turned pink in response. He had expected that – after all, he had been the one who was driving. Well, according to the crew “driving” was describing it rather generously. Even he had to admit that when he got behind the wheel, chaos soon followed.

Frankly, he thought he did a pretty good job considering he didn’t have a driver’s license.

“Yeah… he’s built to last alright.”

Another mandible twitch. “They must have built it with you in mind. Those was some… creative ways to get around obstacles, Shepard.”

What, it wasn’t like he had driven into the lava or anything. He had just gotten… kinda stuck… at one point. Once he’d thrown it into reverse and gotten some traction, they got over the hill just fine. The geth fire had bounced off the armor without even causing a dent.

So, no big deal. Just another mission on a hostile planet.

“I was told I think out of the box in basic.” He gave a sheepish grin. “As long as nobody dies, I think it works out.”

Much to his surprise, Garrus chuckled. “That should be the Alliance rule – it all works as long as nobody dies.”

Alistair snickered too. “As I was told once, it’s not a war crime if you do it for the first time.”

It was a bad joke that had been passed around during his N7 training, especially considering he was telling it to a turian. After all, their races had started fighting each other the moment they had met across the relay. Things were better now, but it was still a new relationship.

Then again, they had only made it to the relays when he was a kid. So, they were all new relationships if he was being completely honest.

“Now that’s a saying I can believe comes from an Alliance marine.” Garrus’ turned back to his data. “Anyway, is there something you wanted to talk to me about?”

He nodded. “Just checking to make sure you’re settling in ok. I know it can be a little weird to be around so many humans. Nobody’s bothering you, are they?”

The turian shook his head. “Nothing other than a few strange looks and some whispers, but it’s not like anyone’s hiding my stuff or messing with the food. Why, were you worried about me?”

Well… yeah.

Alistair glanced to the side, feeling the heat from his cheeks. “Just checking is all. If the crew were starting anything, it’s my job to put a stop to it.”

It was his job… and he had already made a bad first impression with the turian on the Presidium after knocking him onto his ass. He didn’t want to make matters worse between them, given they had to work together for a while.

Also… well, he wasn’t bad to look at either. But that was beside the point. The main idea was checking on his alien crew members.

“Thanks for the concern, Shepard. I don’t think you need to worry about that, though.” Garrus had a note to his voice that suggested he wanted to get back to work. “I should probably get to fixing those electrical parts before you take the Mako up a mountain or something next mission.”

It would’ve been bad, but his mandibles were twitching. Alistair was beginning to realize that happened when he wasn’t being serious. He had to hold back a sigh of relief as he nodded and left the turian alone to finish his work.

At least he wasn’t annoying him too much.

“Right, now to check on Tali.”

She was in engineering, which was on the same floor. It wasn’t a long walk, but as he made his way over a voice drew his attention. Someone was talking with Tali, and it wasn’t anyone assigned to the engineering deck.

As a matter of fact, he was pretty sure they had unofficially banned her altogether; apparently, Bo was cursed.

“Anyway, how’d you get that hit two planets back? I thought shotguns couldn’t do something like that.”

“I modified it. If you want, I can take a look at yours later when I’m done here.”

Tali was at the console like always, typing away. Across from her was Bo, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed over her chest so she didn’t touch anything. That was probably why they had left her down there without fearing for the safety of the Normandy.

That, and it was really difficult to tell her what to do. He was used to it.

“Eh, it might mess with the stuff Al-“ Bo picked up her head. “Speaking of; coming to make sure nobody’s bullying Tali, Al?”

Alistair shook his head as he joined the pair. “I wouldn’t put it like that, but yes. Is anyone bothering you, Tali?”

The quarian shook her head as she continued to type. “No, everyone has been welcoming to me. It might be because I spend all my time down here, but I haven’t had any problems.”

That… and the crew knew better than to mess with someone Bo had an interest in. A dead man could’ve seen it with his eyes closed based on how she was standing and what she sounded like. There was a quieter, softer sense to it, and it carried into her eyes when she spoke to Tali or even mentioned her.

Of course, he might have been able to notice it because he was around her all the time, but… he was going to just say it was obvious.

“Well, that’s good to know. You can let me or Bo know if that changes.” He nodded. “Well, I need to go check on Liara. Talk to you later.”

Much to Alistair’s surprise, a second pair of footsteps followed him to the elevator. Bo got in behind him as he punched the number to go back up to where Liara was set up in the lab. In theory, he could’ve gone to her first, but… well…

He was sure she would’ve been fine.

“Checking on Liara, huh?” Bo leaned against the wall. “Do I have to chaperone you so she doesn’t jump your bones?”

Alistair groaned in response, leaning his forehead against the wall. “So it wasn’t just me thinking that?”

“She wants on your clit bad.” His sister snorted. “Which is hilarious, by the way. The whole crew is whispering about you secretly hate fucking Vakarian, you think she’d get the hint that you’re not into her.”

He wasn’t sure what made him blush worse – the thought that Liara wanted him in that way, or the implication that the crew thought he was sleeping with Garrus. Both were pretty bad, but it was hard to tell which one was worse.

Maybe it was the one involving the asari?

“I’m not hate fucking him, Bo.”

She shrugged. “I know. You’re too Catholic to hate fuck somebody. But you do want on his dick, don’t even try to deny it.”

Instead of denying it, Alistair shook his head. “Like you want on Tali?”

“Oh, shut up, I’m nowhere near as bad as you are, choir boy.” She shoved him in the side – it almost launched him. “Do we have to run the fraternization prompt again?”

Well, no – technically, Garrus and Tali weren’t members of the Alliance. He was pretty sure they didn’t count under the rules of fraternization. Then again, they did listen to him… so it was kind of a moral quandary.

He would think about it later when the paperwork got to him.

“I’ll sign you up for the first module, then.”

The elevator doors opened, and Alistair stepped out. Bo followed behind him, apparently making good on her suggestion to chaperone him with Liara. It was silly, but he appreciated the offer as he made his way to the lab.

It wasn’t as if he didn’t trust Liara, but it was nice to have his sister at his side. And, if need be, he could direct her attention towards the giant pink lesbian standing next to him so he could slip away and get back to the endless paperwork.

Talk about a perfect plan; he should’ve thought of this in the first place.

[bagog]

N7 Month, 2023 - Day 16: Storm

A soft little go-nowhere fluff piece for Ryder and Gil

++

It hadn’t been in Ryder’s plan to stop for long on Eos. A quick drop in with the Vault to ensure that everything was still running smoothly beneath the surface. But once they’d sat down in Prodromos, Vetra had gotten Kallo mixed up in some haptic interface optimizers one of the research scientists was working on, and so they stayed an extra few hours so those could be installed.

Of course there’d been a fire fight with the Kett on the way back from the Vault. Once they returned to the Tempest—and just as Vetra and Kallo had promised to be back aboard—Drack had gotten an urgent and private communique and had tracked off into the wastes, said he’d be back in four hours.

Then, of course, Liam decided—as long as they had the time—he could fiddle with the Nomad and finally install the stereo he’d first purchased back on the Nexus weeks ago. This still wasn’t done as Drack came back, armor scuffed and face blackened with soot, and so they waited.

Ryder was trying not to hover over Liam’s work, and had instead sat down by the big windows at the back of the ship, read a book, and watched the light on Eos go from burning bright, to a dusky orange.

“There you are,” Gil came up the stairs, gave Ryder a furtive grin. “I was looking at the weather report out of Prodromos. Looks like there’s going to be a big storm just skirting the edge of the mountains over there.”

“Hm,” Ryder didn’t pay it much attention, but warmly smiled at Gil as he sat down next to him. “A what? A storm?”

“Yeah, you know, kind Eos was famous for. Well, before the Pathfinder opened the Vault and made it livable again.” He looked at Ryder expectantly, but Scott only shrugged. “Do you want to go up on the ridge and watch the storm roll in with me?” He waggled his eyebrows.

“Gil,” Scott gave a worried look at the falling sun. “Soon as Liam’s done in town, we’ve got to get back in space.”

“Please, Scott?” Gil leaned in, lifted an eyebrow. “Do this with me?”

Scott sighed.

Twenty minutes later, they were atop the ridge, the Tempest and Prodromos small and distant down below. As the sun set, the sandstorm blew across the horizon. It was a tendril of living black that seemed to flow parallel to the ground, its interior flashing sparks of blue and green as the static within churned. As it poured before the setting sun, it turned to gold along its edges, casting a shadow that came almost to the foot of the ridge they were sitting on. They sat comfortably, sprawled on the rocks, side by side. They listened to the faintest of distant thunder rumbles and the sound of the wind growing calm as it spread from the storm.

“This really is beautiful,” Scott said softly. He leaned his head on Gil’s shoulder. “It’s funny, when we first set down here, I hated the constant storms. All the time, destroying everything we were trying to build. I’ve never seen one like this.”

“Me either,” Gil put his arm around Scott and leaned back against a rock. “On Earth, I used to watch the storms go over the hills. Never seen a big sandstorm like this, though.”

Ryder looked down at his wrist, noticed the communication light on his omni-tool was blinking. Probably Kallo telling him they were finally ready to go. The sun sank below the horizon, its last rusted hues swallowed up by the storm, until it was dark and only the distant lightning gave any indication the storm was still there. But Scott could still feel it, static scintillating on the air. It made him hold Gil tight, breathe in the ozone and the faintest hint of Gil’s soap.

“Thanks,” Scott said at last. “This is… part of why I love you, honestly. Nights like this. Gives me perspective on things.”

“You’re welcome,” Gil chuckled, turning his face into the breeze from the south. “Honestly, I just wanted to watch the storm. I wanted to watch it with you, I mean,” In the dim light, Scott could barely see Gil’s eyes. “Share something else with the man I’m sharing my life with.”

Scott smiled. They had better be heading back, they could be in space in an hour, and back to the Nexus by tomorrow afternoon. But, with a sigh, he made up his mind that they would spend the night planet-side. He couldn’t explain why, something about perspective.

[dragonflight203]

Mass Effect 2 replay, recruiting Tali:

Illium

-Salarian reproductive contracts are interesting. Good call on Bioware’s part that an asexual species would be pragmatic in reproduction. Of course it’s centered around politics.

-With that said, why did the salarian have his family’s reproduction information in Nassana’s building anyway?

He said that he had just had it restored after a tech attack. Nassan’s buildings are under construction, so I presume the restore did not occur there.

Ergo, he was most likely a worker for Nassana. Considering that the data is vital to his family, why did he take it to work???

-Seryna’s moved on, but left behind a message for you. What’s odd is that the option to delete the message is on the left side of the dialogue wheel, but listening to it is on the right.

The left side of the dialogue wheel is normally for extending conversations. So why have delete on the left?

For that matter, why have the option to delete it at all? Why not just have the option be to listen to it or not?

-Also, this message just once again makes Nassana’s death sound personal to Seryna. Why does Seryna hate her so much? This hatred is too intense for your average shitty boss.

It feels like Seryna’s role was initially different, and the rewrite is why so much around her is odd.

Haestrom

-Going by the planet description, the quarians specifically settled this world to observe the odd behavior of its sun.

So I take it that quarians have always been scientifically inclined. They didn’t just observe it via ships, they settled an entire colony. Not a small investment.

-This is the only quarian architecture we see in the series, and it’s a massive disappointment. It’s just numerous concrete buildings. No interesting shapes, no decorative art, no unique interiors.

Unless the takeway is supposed to be that the quarians are a strictly utilitarian species, this is missed opportunity.

Bioware, please at least try.

-It’s interesting to consider this mission from the geth perspective. They presumably don’t know why the quarians are here, and probably assume they’re scouting the world with plans to retake it. So the geth’s actions are defensive – they’re protecting their home from invaders.

Except, why Haestrom? It’s said repeatedly that Haestrom is deep in geth space. The geth must be so baffled – why are the quarians here and not making a grab at one of the outer worlds or Rannoch?

Then Shepard shows up. Shepard, who Legion is supposed to be keeping an eye on. What is that independent platform doing??? Why didn’t they warn the geth collective that Shepard was coming?

And, well, the geth don’t want to kill Shepard because Shepard is opposed to the Old Machines, but like every organic ever Shepard is shooting them so they need to take Shepard out to defend themselves.

Except, oops, that didn’t work.

And then… the quarians and Shepard pack up and leave.

Do the geth ever learn why the quarians were there? Do they send reinforcements to Haestrom expecting the quarians to make an attempt to retake it?

The geth already consider organics baffling. I’m sure this did not help.

-When you first speak to Kal’Reegar, the renegade subtitles don’t match the spoken dialogue. What caused that difference?

-The geth dragging itself along the floor when you make it past the pillar is sad. And no one even mentions it.

I’m assuming that there are servers on Haestrom so none of the geth truly “die”, but that was still a pitiful sight.

-Why are Tali’s journals scattered all over the place?

Yes, this area was quarian’s base but these logs seem like something that would be stored on omni-tool. Instead Tali’s just… leaving laptops scattered around for no explicable reason. Why does she have multiple laptops?

And they’re not set to autolock after a period of inactivity. Considering that this is a geth-controlled world, you’d think all the tech devices would be set as secure as possible. Maybe to auto wipe if there are too many failed access attempts.

I take it all back. Clearly, the geth learned what was up by just listening to the logs on these laptops.

-Tali specifically asks Shepard to keep “Reegar” alive. Not Kal’Reegar, Reegar.

The two must be close. I would have liked them to get together if you don’t romance Tali.

-And here’s yet another mention of dark energy. It’s destabilizing the world’s sun.

If ME3 had done anything with dark energy, this would have been fantastic foreshadowing.

Instead, it’s one of the most frequently mentioned dropped plot threads I hear about for the series.

Another prime example of how ME3 chose to make ME2 irrelevant. ME2 provided plenty of plot hooks for ME3 – ME3 just disregarded all of it.

Normandy

-Tali assumed Shepard was undercover and is upset to learn they’re not.

Me too, Tali. Would it have killed Bioware to have that as option? Meet Anderson, he tells you to stick with Cerberus and report to him on all you learn?

-She also mentions the experiments Cerberus did with the thorian creepers rachni.

That is such a relief to hear. The first part of ME2 is full of Cerberus apologism, but the cracks start to show the further you go in the game.

Unfortunately, that apologism is so extended (and out of character for many Shepards!) that this criticism comes too late for me to ever feel comfortable when I start another ME2 playthrough.

-If you go paragon, Shepard says they want Tali because Tali is not Cerberus – they want someone they can trust.

This is similar to what they tell Garrus when Garrus is recruited. Shepard is much less comfortable with Cerberus than they let on at the start of the game.

-Jacob’s actually pretty professional through this exchange. Tali makes it very clear she does not like Cerberus, and Jacob acknowledges that she has reason not to and hopes that will change with time. If you go paragon, he offers to get her access to the ship systems.

The infamous exchange when he tells her to introduce herself to Edi does not come off as malicious to me. It’s said in the same tone that he says everything else, and Tali should know the ship has an AI before she leaves. Given the history of quarians with AI, that’s something Shepard should have told her before she agreed to the mission.

For comparison, Jacob can do malice – he was intentionally insulting to Thane when he said he doesn’t trust mercenaries. At worst, his comment to Tali about Edi was thoughtless in its delivery.

Normandy

-The quarian Admiral Board emails Shepard to let them know Tali has officially transferred to their command.

They note that as Shepard is Tali’s former captain, they may have significant influence over her.

Good to see at least one organization in Mass Effect acknowledge the concept of power imbalances.

-Another use of the “just like old times” line comes from Joker. I did not realize just how many times this phrase was used in the series.

Joker: It’s great to see Tali onboard, commander. Just like old times.

-Thane made his first kill at 12. That’s fucked up.

The drell live into their 80s, so I’m assuming their 12 is comparable to a human 12.

As much as Thane says the hanar valued him as a person as well as an investment, they did not value him enough. The compact’s been in place for two centuries; they can’t be so hard up on personnel that they need a 12 year old to go out killing.

And if they are so hard up – maybe the hanar should reconsider what they’re asking from the drell? If what they’re asking is reasonable, why can they find so few drell willing to give it?

-Supposedly anyone can refuse to serve the hanar as part of the compact.

However, Thane started his training at six. Can a six year old really consent?

You can say his parents consented for him. Fine. However, Thane made his first kill at twelve.

Can a twelve year old consent? Is becoming a murderer something your parent can consent to on your behalf?

There was some abuse going on. Only question is if this particular hanar was shady or if it’s institutional.

-Thane emphasizes that the hanar are at a disadvantage because they’re aquatic.

On the surface, that makes sense. The other sapient species are land animals, so the hanar are quite literally fish out of water in society.

However, you know what other space faring species is aquatic?

The leviathans. And they ruled the galaxy for a damn long time. So how did they pull it off, and what do they have that the hanar don’t?

Well, besides some form of indoctrination… I’ll give that to the hanar, mind control is a huge advantage.

Still, the hanar could probably take some lessons from the leviathans on how to get by.

-Tali repeats what’s said frequently through her recruitment mission: Getting the data was a huge sacrifice, and it had better be worth it.

And it’s a damn shame, because in game it’s not. The data makes no difference at all. You don’t even get war assets from it.

This was such a huge missed opportunity in ME3.

-The first investigate option with Tali is to explain what the admiralty board is. It mentions that they deal with major crimes, like treason.

Good to see Bioware laying the groundwork for Tali’s loyalty mission early, if a bit clunkily. ME3, take notes. Foreshadowing is good!

-Love Tali calling bullshit if Shepard says Cerberus is working for them. Explain those listening devices and tracking beacons, then!

Tali has a zero tolerance policy for Cerberus, and she has my full support.

-We finally get some background on the quarian/Cerberus beef, and it is woefully insufficient. And probably long after most players have forgotten it was ever mentioned.

I maintain they could have added a Codex entry for a more detailed explanation.

-If you go paragon, Shepard says they expect Cerberus to betray them. If you go neutral or renegade, Tali warns you that Cerberus will betray you.

The writers upped their game with Tali. Everyone else is getting character focused writing, but Tali’s out here with character AND plot development in her dialogue.

-If you go renegade with Grunt, you can skip getting his loyalty mission entirely. Interesting – if I recall correctly, doing so with others still gives you the mission.

-Prior to puberty, Grunt enjoyed violence but did not feel the need for it.

Now that he’s hit puberty, he apparently craves it.

And krogans… never lose that. They just learn to direct it. However, older krogan generally seem far more chill.

If this is triggered by puberty, I like to think that it’s hormonally driven. Krogan hormones go wild in puberty, and it makes them excessively violent. As their hormones settle down, they mellow out.

-Krogans don’t trust doctors after the genophage.

Reasonable. Look at what Mordin gets up to. If that were my experience with doctors, I’d let them know the bare minimum too.

Although realistically speaking, the salarians undoubtedly have all the information they learned prior to the krogan rebellions backed up in multiple locations.

-If you go neutral, Grunt says that the krogan doctors don’t leave Tuchanka.

Again, reasonable. Still, given that most krogans offworld are mercenaries, I’m sure krogan doctors offworld could find employment.

Codex:

-The fate of the drell’s homeworld Rakhana has obvious parallels to Earth. Industrialization led to environment issues which eventually resulted in it being unable to support the drell.

When you speak to Thane, he implies that humanity was close to the same fate, but since they achieved spaceflight they were able to create colonies and narrowly avoid it.

-Many high ranking hanar are supposedly inseparable from their drell servants. I presume this is a retcon, as we see many hanar on the presidium in ME1 but no drell.

-Interestingly, I don’t recall seeing any hanar and drell together in ME3 either. We see a lot of the presidium and Citadel night life, so you’d think there could be a pair or two in the background.

-Do the hanar not have any colonies? All references to them are them being on their homeworld, Kahje. Drell are supposedly there or integrated into the society of other species.

If they don’t have colonies, why not? There must be some worlds out there with oceans that meet their needs.

Do they not have enough political capital? The elcor are minor, but they have colonies. Is it a religious thing? I presume some hanar live on the Citadel.

-If the hanar don’t have colonies, I think it’s safe to say the drell don’t. Which is a shame, because even one would probably make a huge difference to their future.

[heroofshield]

Whumpcember Day Four; Hidden Injury (Mass Effect, Vega/Ryder)

@whumpcember @anderfels

Warnings: canon type violence

--

The sound of a banshee screaming in the distance made everyone in the squad pause, realizing that they weren't as alone as they thought. The planet was nearly abandoned, those who used to live on it either escaping as Reaper forces attacked or killed in the battles.

"Better hurry it up." Rose Shepard said, turning back to face the structure that they'd located the flags in. "Sounds like the party's headed our way. Vega take our six, Ryder keep those biotics ready, I'll make sure no one's waiting for us inside."

Slowly making her way inside, Rose cautiously cleared the inner vestibule- signalling that it was clear. James Vega and Anna Ryder followed and they effectively made their way room by room, making sure there wasn't a stray husk or anything else waiting for them. Signalling the all-clear once they'd make it to the last room without any surprises, Shepard lowered her rifle but didn't put it away. "Did EDI say where the flags would be?"

Anna shook her head as she clenched her hands to dispel her biotics, "No ma'am. And I didn't spot anything as we cleared the building."

"Hmm. Lets do another sweep, maybe we missed something."

"We didn't check the basement, if there is one." James suggested, knowing that an administrative building like this would defiantly have a basement that they'd store unneeded items until they had to dig them out again for whatever reason.

Anna opened her omni-tool to go over the schematics of the building that had been sent to her and rotated them until she paused. "There is a basement and a sub-basement. If I remember correctly that's where the General said they'd be."

"I knew there was a reason we brought you along Corporal." Rose smiled, even though she knew that probably neither of them could see it through their helmets. "Why don't we split up; I'll take the basement and the two of you take the sub-basement, it'll be faster that way."

"You sure Commander?" James knew that Shepard could handle herself, but at the same time they didn't know if anything was waiting for them down there. And if husks were down there...well anyone could get overrun quickly by those fast fuckers.

Rose nodded her head, "I'm sure. I'll even radio if there's trouble."

--

The sub-basement looked like someone hadn't been down there in a long time. Cobwebs and a thick layer of dust made James glad he had his hardsuit on. "At least I won't get tetanus." he thought as they stared at the rows of items.

"I take left, you take right?" Anna asked, looking over at James and smiling. They'd just started sleeping together while on shore leave and more than once she'd caught herself staring at James while he was working out or doing inventory in the cargo bay. She knew that he was her commanding officer, but at the same time she'd always done reckless things-and sleeping with a superior was only another in a long list.

"Sounds like a plan." James said, starting towards the right- but not before watching Ryder walk away. He knew they were on a mission, but at the same time he couldn't help it; the way her armor framed her body made him think about all the things they could do the next time shore leave was granted. Slightly clearing his throat to refocus, he turned to the task at hand.

Halfway down the row, James paused thinking he'd seen what they were looking for but it turned out to be some old uniforms. "How's the search going Ryder?"

"As thrilling as an elcor performing Shakespeare." Anna replied, eyes skimming over the shelves. "How about you?"

James opened his mouth to reply when their comms activated and they heard Shepard say, "Found them! And we've got company."

The unmistakable screech of husks filled their ears and they both looked at each other through the shelving.

"On our way Commander." James automatically replied, turning and running towards the stairs while pulling out his pistol. A streak of blue filled his peripheral and he realized that Anna must have charged her biotics. He's also be lying if he didn't admit that she looked even more sexy with the energy around her.

In hindsight, James realized that he'd allowed himself to become distracted and wasn't watching where he was going-but in the moment he tried to open the door from the sub-basement while simultaneously exiting, and he collided with the heavy wood. His hand moved in a direction it shouldn't have and let out a flair of pain.

"You okay?" Anna asked, genuinely concerned at James smacking into the door.

"I'm good. It just stuck." James took a step back before shouldering the door, the wood giving a shark crack as it burst open. Not pausing, James strode through and spotted where the Commander was; on the other side of the landing with a medium sized box at her feet as she defended herself from husks with her pistol and knife.

Anna smiled at the sight of the husks and powered up her biotics again to speed to where the Commander was. Not pausing as she reached the Commander, she pulled out her knife as well and went for the nearest husk. She viewed it as a dance, pause and something horrible would happen. Ducking, weaving, and using her pistol when able, she tore through the husks as fast as she could.

James concentrated on the husks that Anna and Shepard couldn't reach, using his rifle to take them down. His wrist protested at holding the weapon, but he knew that he didn't have a choice at the moment. After what seemed like no time at all, the husks had been taken care of.

"Now that's done with, lets leave before this becomes a real party." Rose said, putting her weapons away and grabbing a trunk handle. "Vega, grab the other handle."

"Yes ma'am." James hesitated slightly, because he'd have to grab the handle with his injured wrist. But they needed to get out of there as fast as they could so he'd deal with the discomfort.

Picking it up sent a slight hiss of pain through his lips, but Shepard didn't ask him if he was alright so James swallowed the protest and helped carry the trunk to the LZ and onto the Kodiak.

--

Anna hummed to herself as she finished cleaning her knife and slipped it back into the sheath. She was in a good mood and was determined to ride it out; the post-mission debrief had been short and sweet since no one had been injured and for once there hadn't been a line to the showers so she actually got hot water for once.

Placing the knife in her combat locker, Anna closed it and headed towards the main part of the cargo bay-wondering where James was and if he had anything for her to do since technically she was still on shift for the next thirty minutes. Rounding the corner she paused at hearing a hiss of pain and looked to where it'd come from.

James was sitting by one of the workbenches, but facing away and gripping his arm-his face gritted in pain.

Frowning, Anna cautiously walked up towards him and saw that his wrist was a bright red with spots lightly discolored. "You okay, Lieutenant?"

James looked up to see Anna looking slightly concerned and knew he couldn't play it off. Carrying the heavy trunk for so long had caused his wrist to flair up. Knowing that he'd catch hell from Chakwas since he didn't disclose the injury, he'd decided to just ride it out. Then Anna had spotted him and he knew that wouldn't be an option. "Not at the moment."

"Oh. Mind if I ask what happened?"

"The hand bendy part went 'ow' you know, the usual."

Anna just raised an eyebrow but didn't push the subject. "Mind if I take a look? I mean, I'm not Doctor Chakwas but I've been around my fair share of hand injuries."

"Sure." James watched silently as Anna gently took his hand and examined it, only hissing slightly when she touched the broken skin. "What's the bad news?"

"Looks like a mild sprain." She jumped up while saying, "Wait here."

James watched Anna's retreating figure and wondered what she was up to. Ten minutes later she returned, this time with an ice pack and a cloth. "Do I want to know where you got those ice packs?"

Anna just shrugged as she sat back down in front of James before folding the cloth into a square big enough to cover his wrist, setting it on his skin followed by the ice pack. "I still have my connections."

"I'll keep that in mind the next time I need something not readily available."

"Switch after five minutes and see how that feels afterwards." Anna stood, ready to leave and find some busy work until she was off shift. As she passed by James, he caught her hand and gently pulled her back towards him. "Yes?"

"Thank you." James murmured close to Anna's lips, wanting to kiss her but also not wanting to break their 'only on the Citadel' rule.

"You're welcome. And you can make it up to me next time we're on the Citadel." Anna replied just as softly, trying to ignore how her heart fast her heart was beating at how little space there was between them.

"I'll keep that in mind."

[clericofshadows]

something to look forward to

description: Wrex asks Kaidan if he could win against Shepard in a fight.  The conversation goes into a turn he didn’t expect, and new insights are gained for everyone.

pairing: Kaidan Alenko/Regis Shepard (Mshenko)

I really need to start posting on AO3

While in the elevator waiting to reach the Normandy from a quick visit from C-Sec, Wrex posed a question.  He turned to Kaidan with what was clearly a conspiring look.  “So, tell me, who would win in a fight between you and Shepard?  Since you two are both Sentinels and all.”

“Oh, I could take him,” Kaidan replied, not elaborating in the slightest.

Regis disguised his snort as a cough, a little surprised that Kaidan went there of all places.  But he was right.  Kaidan could definitely take him any day of the week.

“You mean in a fight?” Wrex asked, crossing his arms, narrowing his eyes. 

“That too,” Kaidan said, not missing a beat.  “You see, Wrex, Shepard and I have always been comparable on the biotic front.  If it’s just biotics, we’re evenly matched.  Now, in a fire fight?  He’ll nail me down with a sniper shot without a second thought.  It gets a bit tricky if we bring tech skills into the mix.”

“Don’t do yourself a disservice, Alenko,” Regis said.  “You know damn well you spike higher than me, and you have better control.”

“Fair enough, but your programs have always stressed the limits of the Logic Arrest.  It’ll have to be a best two out of three to really figure out who’d win between us,” Kaidan continued.  “Results may vary.”

“It’s a date.” Regis turned around and winked as the elevator doors opened.

They stepped outside, stepping to the side to continue their conversation, mindful of everyone who was working on the platform at the moment.

Kaidan rolled his eyes.  “Only you would consider acts of violence a date.”

“Sounds like a good time to me.  Better invite me so I can watch, heh.  Hell, I could probably learn a few biotic tricks from the two of you, after what I’ve seen from you so far.” Wrex laughed.  “But I only want to see the lightshow.  Not whatever the fuck you two will get up to after the fact.”

Kaidan smirked as Regis felt his cheeks heat up.  

“We’ll be happy to show you a few human ways of doing things,” Regis said, clearing his throat, trying to change the subject.  “Best way to learn is from each other.   A turian taught us, and while we owe a hell of a lot of our mnemonics to him, most of the shit Kaidan and I know we experimented on ourselves.”  It was hard to keep the venom out of his tone when bringing up Vyrnnus.

Wrex titled his head slightly, picking up on what Regis wasn’t saying.  “A turian taught humans how to use biotics?  What the hell were you guys thinking?  Anyone would’ve been a better choice,” he grumbled, “with the way they segregate their own biotics.”

Kaidan shook his head.  “It’s a nasty story, but it all boils down to humans not wanting to seem weak by asking the asari and the Citadel for help.  It was all very, uh, ‘hush hush’ so to speak.”

That’s one way to put it.  

“I’m smart enough to know when I’m digging into something that I probably shouldn’t.  I’ll ask you both one question: Is the bastard dead?” Wrex asked.

Regis nodded.  “Yes.”

Kaidan looked uncomfortable.  Understandable, considering he was the one who dealt the final blow, even if Regis made it easy for him in the end.  “Maybe one day we’ll tell you the story behind our biotic training.”

Wrex shook his head in a startling display of empathy.  “Unimportant.  All I care is that you two survived it, strong as any krogan battlemaster with those biotics of yours.  Say, Alenko, tell me how you Lifted up two krogan mercs at once without breaking a sweat.”

Kaidan took the change of subject in stride as they walked over to the Normandy, explaining to Wrex his personal method to managing his Lifts.  

----

Later that day, Regis received a message on his omni tool while settling down to eat dinner with Kaidan in his quarters.

WREX: I know I put you two in a difficult position today.  Tried to fix it but let Alenko know that I won’t use anything I’ve learned against him.  Or you, for that matter.

SHEPARD: Just a little, but we won’t hold it against you.  You caught us off guard.

WREX: I’ve heard rumors about the biotic training the early human gens went through.  I’m more surprised that I ended up working with the duo that shut that shit down.

SHEPARD: Officially, that’s all you’re getting.  Unofficially and off the record?  We’ll see.

WREX: Don’t worry.  I can read between the lines.  Good fucking riddance.  

SHEPARD: I’ll drink to that.  

Kaidan raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything about the messaging going on.  

Regis chose to break the comfortable silence between them.  “Are you sure you’re okay with Wrex knowing what happened?”  He explained what Wrex said in his messages.

Kaidan shrugged.  “I’ve made my peace with it a long time ago.  I trust him to not do anything with it, like he said.  He made a point to clear it up with me earlier, but I guess he wanted to clear the air with you just in case.”

Maybe so, but that doesn’t mean he and Regis necessarily have the same thoughts about the situation.  Kaidan may be at peace with it, but he still struggles with the fact that he took someone’s life at such a young age.

Regis only wished he were the one that dealt the final blow instead of going in with a botched Stasis.  

“Just checking in.”

“I know, and I love you for it, but don’t worry, I’ve already shown him I can do a better job Lifting than he ever will.”

Regis laughed.  “Good.  Show him who’s boss around here.”

“Oh, I think he already knows.”   Kaidan slowly smiled, his voice going low and raspy.

“I still can’t believe you said that to him,” Regis said, shaking his head.  “Fuck, I love it when you do shit like that, but I was not prepared.”

Kaidan’s expression changed to one of concern, his eyebrows furrowing together. “Did I overstep?”

“No, you didn’t.  Just caught me off guard.”

“Good.” Kaidan set his utensils down and leaned in to pull Regis into a kiss, taking the lead without a second thought.  Regis sighed as Kaidan pressed in further, the remnants of their dinner forgotten.  “How much time do we have until we get to Noveria again?”

“A few hours, maybe?  Not that long,” Regis said, breathless.  “Enough.”

Kaidan stood up from the table and pulled Regis up with him.  “Then, if you aren’t opposed...”

“Hell no, get your ass over here.”

Kaidan’s eyes glowed blue for a brief moment.  “Gladly.”

----

Later during the suit up before docking on Noveria, Wrex looked at the two of them and grinned.  “Ah, you were right, Alenko, you can definitely take Shepard.”

“Would I ever lie to you, Wrex?” Kaidan asked, looking very pleased with himself.

Regis sighed, rubbing his temples.  “Remind me why I hired you again?”

Ashley laughed as she polished her shotgun.  “Do I even want to know what I missed?”

“Same here,” Tali said, working on her omni tool.

“Just some friendly conversation,” Wrex said, ignoring Regis.  “I’ll fill you two in later.”

“Oooo, gossip.  Love it.  Thank you, Wrex!” Ashley said with a grin.  “More to tease the big bad Skipper with.”  

“I hate all of you.” 

“No, you don’t!” Tali sing-songed, moving to punch Kaidan in the shoulder.  “Glad someone is here to keep Shepard in check.”

“We’ve been keeping each other in check for years, but this is the first time in a while someone’s been able to witness it.” Kaidan said, wrapping his arm around Regis as he was finishing his mods on his sniper rifle.

Regis couldn’t help but smile.  “This is the only good thing about the Spectre authorization.  I can finally say fuck you to frat regs.”

“Love looks good on you.  It’s good being here,” Ashley said.

“I can echo that,” Tali nodded.  “This is nice.  I finally have someone I can debate omni tools with again!”

Wrex shook his head.  “Yeah, yeah, following you was a good idea.”

Regis looked at his team.  Kaidan.  Ashley.  Tali.  Wrex.  A good group, one he quickly grew to trust and rely on.  A crew he hoped to have even beyond this mission, this hunt for Saren.

“Only a few more leads,” Regis said, “and I wouldn’t be able to do it without any of you.”

“You’re damn right,” Kaidan said, holding out Regis’s red and black scarf, a ritual they have done many times before on this current mission.  “Let me fix this for you?”

Regis grabbed Kaidan’s blue and grey scarf.  “And I’ll do the same for you.”

Regis bent his head forward as Kaidan affixed his scarf to his armor.  They switched positions and he did the same for Kaidan.

“Every time I see you two do that, I feel like I just witnessed a wedding,” Ashley said.  “Do I need to give a best man speech?”

“This scarf was about as close to a marriage proposal as I was going to get in this mess,” Kaidan said, pulling at it fondly.  “I’m expecting a ring when we’re done.  That is, if I don’t get him a ring first.”

“Let me know so I can film it!” Tali said.  “Human marriage customs are so lovely.”

Regis knew he was looking at Kaidan with a besotted look on his face, but at this point, he couldn’t bring himself to put on his usual mask.  “And I look forward to it.  All of you here on his family’s property.  It’ll be a blast.”  

Ten years they’ve been together.  It’s about damn time they do something about it.

“That it will be,” Kaidan echoed.  “Something to look forward to.”

Regis nodded, finalizing his touches on his gear.  “Everyone ready?  We’re getting near the docking point.”

Everyone shifted back into combat mode, standing ready for his orders.

There’s a lot to look forward to once this mission is over, and Regis hoped that everyone will be here to witness it.  A crew of his own he could trust, and a ship he could call “home” one day.

Maybe this spacer will finally find some peace amongst the stars with this crew.

[crqstalite]

Okay, so if you wanna be asked about your OCs, I am gonna ask about your OCs. What's your Ryder's (whichever one you like or both) favorite color? What's their favorite style? Like, if they don't have to wear Initiative clothes, what do they wear? Why did they train to become the class that they are?

Ooo, great questions!

Talis' favorite color is a dusky pink, akin to the sunrise. Occasionally some orange as well, considering her current hair color.

Mateo's favorite color is probably closer to an ocean blue. Lot of greens and blues on this boy.

Also fashion is an awesome question because the fashion in the OT and in Andromeda both make me incredibly sad. SO --

Talis' style includes pieces like this, this, or possibly that. I cannot google what I'm thinking of, so eventually I'll have to do an outfit sheet for her. She's very much Big Pant Little Shirt in my mind though -- anything that lets her stay active in her casual clothing, so our idea of techwear I think. Most of it is in this same pink/red palette though, so I like to think bright colors fit in with the Andromeda atmosphere. Mateo alludes me on the best of days though. Arguably something similar, but a little more rugged + jackets, always. He is is constantly somewhere he's not supposed to be and usually this means he's freezing.

(rubs hands together) This is where it gets long btw --

So! It's my canon that both of the Ryder twins are inherently biotic, like both are implanted and will always have rudimentary capability to use their biotic abilities. However, active-as-always Mateo is canonically a sentinel/infiltrator whereas sciency-and-analysis Talis is canonically a vanguard.

Talis trained as such because it fascinated her. Having such fine control over her own nervous system was the pinnacle of being a scientist. She'd run so many tests in the Alliance gym with varying results, but she got incredibly good at it. She knew where her body would be before she moved, her brain could almost work fast enough to make miniscule changes in-motion, y'know, a-la-sandevistan-from-cyberpunk-edgerunners. She and Ellen would work together on it, fine tuning her mnemonics and pushing and pulling at her body. Talis has incredibly fine control over biotics as well, capable of picking up small objects or affecting them with her mass distortion. She blinks in and out of where she needs to be, and puts on a hell of a lightshow when she gets in close on someone -- yet her surroundings remain largely untouched if that's what she's gunning for. Given biotics were still such an unknown in the Milky Way that while she was a Ryder, there was still some prejudice against her when she enlisted. Before Alec's plans went south, she was slated to be part of Kaidan's team as a student after she finished university. She resents Alec for this, watching the opportunity dissolve before her not too soon after. While Alec always appreciated Ellen's work, something about his daughter being capable of moving mass beyond his own understanding never quite clicked for him. That part of her he just never understood.

[And I also headcanon while he was shown using biotics-ish during Habitat 7, it wasn't actually biotics and a rudimentary recreation of it using SAM. He wasn't a biotic and couldn't relate to his daughter who leaned so heavily on it.]

Mateo however never lead with his biotics. No accident, no previous trauma, he just preferred to be without. He didn't have the mind for science needed to finetune his abilities on his own, and simply didn't show the same aptitude his sister did. So combining his interest with cross-species military history, he instead incorporated strategies from other races and jailbroke the hell out of his omni-tool to allow him to do and hack all sorts of things. It allowed him to put his weapon mastery to work at least, with less focus on mnemonics and more on skill with his trusty Viper. But if Alec's opinion didn't affect this, and it wasn't one of the few things that they related on when he was around, who knows what class Mateo would have trained in? Alec's approval when he topped charts in his unit for best shot in basic probably is what kept him going. All his little comments about never quite getting SAM's profiles to work like Talis' and some disapproval of it when he thought he was being quiet (or even in their arguments) probably had a massive hand in Mateo deciding to at least be what Alec wanted. He has the warp/overload combo down pat anyway -- makes him a special kind of deadly when no one sees him coming.

Both of them specialize in hand-to-hand combat though. They have very similar builds too, definitely stockier people who aren't super afraid to throw their weight around. Mateo is a little more nimble than his sister though, especially when using his cloaking device. He also was the one who actually took classes prior to enlistment, so his strategies are significantly easier to predict but harder to dodge. Talis didn't, so while she has basic training, she also makes things up on the fly. Whatever works in the moment, and she just keeps pushing no matter what.

(Talis is also more likely to be able to take a punch. She has a stupid amount of bruises to prove it and Lexi thinks she's going the Asari version of grey)

Thank you for asking!!