Out of the Twilight | Mass Effect

25

As Andra was headed back to dock 422, her omni-tool pinged an incoming message. She was surprised to see a message from the Consort. She scanned the message, and sent a reply to Sha'ira saying that she'd look into it. After a brief moment, she sent one to Nihlus saying she'd be a bit late and why.

She headed to the Consort's chambers, shoving down her disgust. Don't mind asari who think, but those who sell themselves, no matter how much they charge... she suppressed the shudder of revulsion as she walked up to the asari handling all the supplicants today. The woman looked up as Andra approached and greeted her with a huge smile.

"Welcome! How may I serve you today?" the greeter asked.

"I need to speak with the consort. It is a matter of some delicacy." Andra replied.

"Aww, I'm sorry. The Consort is booked solid. I can make an appointment for you, if you'd like?" The woman managed to sound chipper even as she apologized. It was infuriating. She jumped a little as her comm signaled, then she replied, "Yes, Sha'ira? Yes, of course, Mistress." Lowering her hand, the greeter looked back at Andra, saying "Apparently, she wants to speak with you. She's just in the back."

Andra felt the muscles in her shoulders tighten as she moved through the lounge, passing beautiful human and asari women in revealing dresses that flowed like water. They made her feel big, slow, and ugly. Shake it off, soldier. You are worthy of being here. Spirits, you have two devastatingly handsome turians who want you. She sighed as she turned the corner to the Consort's chambers. And they both love me, or at least think they do. And I do care about them. Fuck. I need to talk to Mother.

She entered the chambers and walked inside. At the top of a small staircase, the Consort said, "That is close enough, Commander." She turned as she spoke, slowly sashaying over to where Andra stood, continuing, "I have a small problem you can help me with. I have a friend, Septimus, a retired turian general. I won't discuss the details, but he wanted me to be more than I could be. We had a falling out, and now he spends his days in Chora's Den, drinking and spreading lies about me. If you would speak to him as a fellow soldier," she went on, reaching up to cup Andra's face.

Andra grabbed her wrist and pushed her hand down. "Don't touch me. I'll talk to him. What's the surname?"

Sha'ira moved away, saying brusquely, "Oraka. Now I must ask you to leave. I have many clients waiting to see me."

Don't like being snubbed, do you? Andra mused as she headed out of the consort's chambers. She took a cab down to Chora's den, looking up General Oraka's service record. Oh, yeah. I threatened to bite him! Good times. Smiling to herself, she got out of the cab and headed into the club. And more half-naked asari. Joy. The fuck does the rest of the galaxy see in them, anyway? She wandered around the club until she found Oraka. She sat at the bar and signaled for a beer. She sipped it and studied him for a bit. He looks tired. This should be easy. She grabbed her drink and headed over to his table.

"General. Mind if I have a seat?" she asked.

He looked up at her, considering. "All right. Commander, isn't it?"

She sat, nodding, "Yes, although the last time I saw you I was just a fledgeling."

He narrowed his eyes, considering. "Ah, yes. You threatened to bite me, if I recall. What can I do for you, Commander?"

She took another pull from her drink. "Sha'ira says you're spreading lies about her. She wants me to get you to stop."

The general sighed, "Look, kid, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but you're wasting your time."

Andra watched him over the rim of her beer. "What did she do to you? You used to have a spine." she said mildly.

Oraka reared back, offense in every line. "She spurned me! Me! General Oraka!"

Andra cut his rant short with a derisive snort. "She's a whore. She could never be only yours. You know that. You're just being pissy you couldn't convince her to get rid of everyone else. So now you're mouldering in a skeezy bar, ruining her rep. That'll really make her want you back!"

Oraka glared at her, then sighed. "You're right. Sha'ira is worth the effort. I'll go and apologize. After a cold shower. Or two." He paused, then continued, "There is something you could do for me. I convinced an elcor diplomat, Xeltan, that Sha'ira betrayed his secrets. Take him this datapad. It will show where I got my information and exonerate Sha'ira."

Andra finished her beer and took the datapad. "All right. Good luck, General." She left the bar, taking a taxi to the embassy wing. She sent a brief message to her father, asking him to check up on General Oraka and suggesting he get a group together for drinks, then ran a quick check of her net. She had been keeping an eye out for any new information on Cerberus for the past three years, and had provided information that brought down a handful of different cells since she started. All she turned up this time was rumors about the Terra Firma political party being funded by Cerberus, but nothing she could act on.

She exited in front of the embassy, weaving past a cluster of volus diplomats, nodding respectfully. She headed down the hall and paused in front of the joint volus and elcor office, listening to make sure she wouldn't be interrupting anything. The volus ambassador was quick to take offense, and Andra didn't have the time to soothe his temper. Once certain she was clear, she entered the office, being sure to greet both ambassadors before the door hissed closed behind her.

The elcor speaking to the ambassador, Calyn, greeted her. "Strained greeting, human. This is not a good time."

Andra pulled out the datapad, asking "Are you diplomat Xeltan?"

"Cautiously, yes, I am Xeltan. Concerned, who would like to know?"

Andra smiled and offered the datapad. "I found the source of your information leak. Sha'ira didn't betray your secrets. It was a turian general, Septimus."

"Unbelieving, I know Septimus. He could not have learned my secret unless it was from the consort."

Andra gestured with the datapad and the elcor took it. "I have his source here. He's repentant, and would like to make amends."

"Confused, this is difficult to fathom. If he could discover this on his own... dismayed, anyone could learn my secret."

Andra shrugged. "Possible, but unlikely. General Oraka had to work very hard to get that information. If I might make a suggestion, however?"

"Eagerly, please. I am listening."

Andra smiled slightly. "The volus are very adept at keeping their secrets. You might be able to make an arrangement to learn how to protect your secrets better."

"Relieved, thank you for your help human. Startled realization, I must go speak with the Consort. She will be most displeased with me."

Andra stepped aside as Xeltan exited the offices, "Good luck."

She was about to follow him out when the volus ambassador coughed behind her. She turned, surprised.

"You sent diplomat Xeltan to the Vol-clan for help, not the humans. Why?" the volus demanded.

Andra considered him, and answered truthfully, "The Vol-clan and the salarians are the best at protecting their secrets. Everyone knows that. The Vol-clan, however, are more likely to share some of their methods than the salarians."

The volus sniffed at her, and she bowed her way out of the room, listening to Calyn trying to placate the volus. She grinned as she headed back to the Normandy.