Nexus Effect

Ch.75

Calling Shepard and her crew expendable? That doesn’t sound right. The Illusive Man had spent a fortune or two to bring her back and fight off the Reaper threat, but then calls her expendable? Hunter put those thoughts aside and broke away from his freighter.

“Whereabouts is this facility?” Hunter questioned as he looked it up. Planet Aite in the Typhon System, The Phoenix Massing Relay. Large underground complex. Punching in the coordinates, he took flight as his thoughts drifted towards Penny. “I hope the Commander likes the gift I left in her room. She’d be all over it and Garrus would probably complain to me about it…”

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“Oh~ so fucking big~!” Penny crowed in arousal and I paused outside her door. “Unf, gonna blow all over the place!” I smirked mischievously and burst in, but froze at the sight of Penny grinding her cunt atop a massive gun that I recognized from Warhammer 40K. “U-uh...hi babe?” My gooey slime vixen of a mate grinned in embarrassment, but she didn’t dismount the weapon.

“Please tell me it isn’t loaded.” I sighed and she puffed up, her ears perking and her tail even fluffing up even though it’s made of goo.

“I’m insulted! Of course it isn’t! I’m not shoving anything in me that’s loaded...unless it’s one of those toys, but I digress! Now, are you going to leave me to my fun or are you coming in?” Penny demanded and I blew a raspberry with my lips and rolled my eyes.

“No, you have fun. After your collection was destroyed you deserve to enjoy your kink.” I replied and winked as my right arm split open and transformed into a fleshy arm-cannon, courtesy of the data Chrys provided from the corpse of Sovereign and her eyes widened. “Though don’t forget that I’m the biggest, hottest weapon in your arsenal.” I returned my arm to normal and blew her a kiss before I closed and locked her door.

Now, where is that troublemaker, Kasumi? I really want to have a talk with her about this echo I’m sensing somewhere of a man named Keiji who clearly knows her.

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

I couldn’t find Kasumi for the rest of the trip to Illium, much to my frustration. Even though I could sense the general area where Keiji’s Echo was, it seemed to flicker and move about the ship faster than reasonably possible. I guess, if she wants to hold onto his graybox and avoid speaking to the person who might be able to help, that’s up to her.

Otherwise, things on the ship had become somber. Everyone on the ship knew this crew was slated for a suicide run into the unknown. I’m not sure where Cerberus gets fanatics like these, but aside from the special members of the crew, the rest all seem completely fine with being thrown to the wolves that are the Collectors.

It really put a downer on the usual libidinous antics of the ground team. Garrus has been hiding in the gunnery section, calibrating. Tali has been sequestering herself in the Drive Core. Jack’s taken to hiding in the bowels of the ship for privacy when she isn’t in her room or eating. Grunt won’t leave the training room. It goes on, but musing on the lack of fun on this ship is making me even more depressed. At least Tali, Ash and Yola snuggle with me every night.

“Alright people. We’re going to set down in Nos Astra. I’ll be helping Miranda with her family first, then see about hunting down Thane Krios and Samara. I want Garrus and Tali along with Miranda and I, the rest of you can all consider this to be shore leave.” Penny announced and I pouted. Sidelined again. Oh well, I do need to go shopping. A girl can only make her own clothes and whatnot for so long before she get’s bored of how she looks.

“Should anyone specific stay in case you feel someone else’s skill set would be more suitable after you help Miranda?” Jacob asked and Penny looked us all over.

“No, I think we’ll be fine as is. Garrus has the reach, Tali has the tech and Miranda has the flexibility while I’m the frontliner.” Penny declared, but I didn’t miss the annoyed tick on her brow. After she became a copy of Urta, she lost her biotic powers. You can’t exactly use the nerves for a biotic when you don’t have nerves.

“Alright then, I’ll spread the word that at least the next 24 hours are to be considered free time ashore. I’ll make sure the port authority knows what we need restocked before I relax.” Jacob announced and everyone split up to get ready to go into town. That said, I ended up walking with Yola and Ash.

“So Ashley, do you shop?” Yola asked our mate who scrunched up her face.

“No. I don’t get the appeal of spending hours looking at things you don’t need when you could just look for what it is you want and then leave.” Ashley replied and we grinned at her ferally. We are going to be teaching her how to shop.

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“Hello Commander Shepard, welcome to Nos Astra. All of your docking fees have been paid. You have permits to carry your weapons and have rooms in the local hotel if you so wish.” An asari in a black and green dress with a sharp face who was flanked by two HK-51 droids said as we disembarked from the Normandy. Ah, good to see the Asari Republic was giving the Imperial droid market business instead of the junk the Alliance peddled.

“What? Who paid for all of that?” Penny asked in bafflement, since she was going to be paying for it with the money Cerberus provided for such.

“Doctor Liara T’soni. She has requested a meeting with you, Nora’Feell and Garrus Vakarian. I’m of the belief she sees it as ugent.” The woman answered and I immediately flooded the systems of Nos Astra with my awareness to check her claim.

“Nora?” Penny immediately turning to me for confirmation made me feel warm and fuzzy.

“She’s telling the truth. Hey Careen, let the Broker know I said hi. I’ve been living peacefully the past few years in case he’s wondering why I stopped being an informant.” I cheerfully confirmed while also visibly scaring the skirt off the woman greeting us who was an informant for him.

“I-I have no idea what you mean. Welcome to Nos Astra. If you have any need for anything, just ask.” She promptly turned tail and nearly ran away as I watched with a shark-toothed grin behind my helmet’s mouthpiece while her HK units kept eyes on us as they followed her back inside.

“You nearly made her piss herself!” Jack laughed and slapped my ass, which I was expecting and only jumped a bit. “Well, I guess you all have something to do before we can all go clubbing and get totally wasted. I’ll just wait here for ya babe, baby, bitch.” She winked at Ashley for the last one and Ash quirked an eyebrow as Jack went back into the ship.

“I’m coming too. I want to catch up with Liara.” Ashley announced and Yola nodded in agreement.

“No arguments there. We’ll have to take multiple taxis though. I think the shuttles here are the same ones on the Citadel.” Garrus commented as our group of seven approached the taxi pad. “Hey, do you have any large shuttles or are all of them standard four-seat craft?” Garrus asked the volus manning the small kiosk with tourist brochures next to the taxi pad.

“Oh yes. Illium may be a relatively new colony for the Asari Republic, but it’s already well known for its parties. The taxi service offers deluxe taxis for large groups.” The volus answered cheerfully while he was clearly trying to upsale.

“Also for indentured servitude, high crime rates, drugs, illegal goods and trading with any Terminus group out there.” Yola commented with a roll of her eyes.

“I cannot confirm or deny any and all negative statements about Illium.” The volus politically replied as he summoned a longer taxi shuttle that was black instead of the usual burgundy red. “I hope you enjoy your stay. The deluxe taxi only costs an extra 50 credits per person over the standard fare for normal taxis, since we have fewer of them. It also helps ensure people don’t wreck them...more often.”

“Thank you.” Tali answered for us before she climbed her sexy purple-suited ass into the taxi and the rest of us followed her in. I looked back in time to see the Argentines that didn’t leave with Hunter joining everyone in leaving the ship for shore time. I hope they don’t cause trouble.

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

I smiled when we got out of the taxi at the university campus for the local branch of the Asari Institute of Archeology instead of a shady office building where shady business goes on. I couldn’t stop smiling while Penny asked around and we were led up to Liara’s office on the top floor since she was the Chancellor of this branch.

“Liara, it’s been a year since we last spoke and you're already a Chancellor at an asari university at barely one hundred!” I laughed joyfully when we entered her office and I couldn’t resist going right in for a hug that the beautiful blue woman gladly reciprocated.

“Nora, Yola, Ash, Tali. So good to see you all again.” Then she turned to Garrus. “Garrus, I was so worried.” Then Penny. “Penny, when I heard you’d died, I...I couldn’t believe it. I’m glad I held out hope.”

“You can drop the pretense Liara. I already know.” I interrupted further conversation and rubbed her shoulders. “Relax. There’s no bugs in here, the informant spying on you has suddenly had a very nasty virus infect her omni-tool and we’re here.” Liara almost slumped back into her chair and groaned in relief.

“Um...what’s going on?” Ashley asked in confusion while Yola patiently waited and the others all looked between Liara and I, so I gestured for everyone to sit down in the many chairs that were on the sides of the room. Of course, we pulled them all to circle the front of Liara’s desk like a small class being taught. “Okay, now that we’re all seated like good students, what’s going on?”

“Since you’re my students, I’ll enlighten you.” Liara smirked and relaxed in her chair. “Penny, the reason you ended up in the hands of Cerberus and not having your body sold bit by bit is because I helped arrange for your rescue. I figured it was better that people who had a vested interest in your survival got to you first rather than people who just wanted a quick profit.”

“Well, I was their prisoner for months before they let me out of their pressure vessels, but thanks Liara. If I was found by someone else, I’d probably either be really dead or a total sex-addict sucking dick and getting milked by some pimp.” Penny huffed and crossed her arms under her armored bust.

“I’m sorry about that, but I also would like your help. I used the Shadow Broker to help arrange your rescue, but at the same time he wanted to turn you around for a profit. My friend, who worked for the Shadow Broker, disagreed and now he’s paying for it. I need help finding him so I can save him now.” Liara informed us as she looked at me and I winked. I was already on it.

“So you want to go against the Shadow Broker?” Yola asked while I was already going through all of my feelers in a wave starting here and heading out across the galaxy. Thank you Extranet.

“I don’t just want to go against him. I want to destroy him. I will flay him alive with my mind.” Liara snarled with an uncharacteristically vicious expression, one we’d only seen when precious archeological objects were destroyed like when we first met her.

“He’s on Hagalaz, aboard a ship hovering within an eternal slow-moving storm that can’t be found by traditional means.” I informed everyone and crossed my arms in triumph.

“How do you know that?” Liara asked with a knowing grin.

“Displaced, also I’ve worked for the Broker for decades. I’ve left thousands of bugs in his systems over the years. They were never planted directly, of course, but he has to send and receive data somehow.” I slyly declared before putting my heeled boots up on her desk and leaning back. “So how’s Benezia and your little sister?” This made Penny perk up.

“Shoes. Off. The desk.” Liara declared firmly and I obeyed promptly. “Little Amara is doing wonderfully and mother is happily enjoying her retirement caring for her. It’s incredibly rare for a Matriarch to have a daughter, often by the time an asari is a Matriarch, they’ve had enough daughters to be satisfied. How does it feel to be her sire?” Liara asked Penny, who squirmed.

“I think about as anxious as I feel thinking about the children I’ve had from Nora, Yola and Marrow.” Penny squirmed in her seat and leaned forward. “Does she...want me in Amara’s life?”

“Not to offend Penny, but in situations like this; asari tend not to involve the sire in the child’s life. Other species are so short-lived. To introduce you to her now, when you’re not my mother’s mate so much as someone she willingly shared intimacy with, is rather uncommon.” Liara replied uneasily.

“Well that’s no excuse now. I’m...genetically immortal…” Penny admitted, drawing attention from everyone besides Yola and I.

“And a Royal.” I added to watch my lover squirm a little at the stares.

“Ah...I see. I’ll have to call my mother then, it’s her decision. In the meantime, is there anything I might help you with? I’m no information broker, but I still keep an ear to the grapevine. I don’t want to be caught by surprise when another assassin comes for me.” Everyone clearly wanted to ask about the ‘another’ part, but the fact Liara didn’t seem to care helped everyone ignore it.

“Well, I’m here to look for an assassin named Thane Krios and a Justicar named Samara.” Penny cut right to the chase since it seemed Liara didn’t want to continue with pleasantries.

“Thane is here to kill Nassana Dantius, the CEO of Dantius Services. Samara was last seen speaking to the tracking officer at the port. I’m afraid I don’t have much more there. To find Thane, speak to one of the receptionists downstairs, Seryna. She has a bone to pick with that bitch he’s going to assassinate. In fact, half of Ilium and the Citadel do too. Please don’t stop him.” Liara stated before standing up and rounding her desk to kiss Penny full on the mouth, then she did the same for Ashley, then practically yanked Tali’s helmet off, so Yola and I did the same so she could kiss us too. “Good to see you all well. I’ll meet you on your ship, I have vacation time saved up.”

“So you’re joining us?” Penny asked eagerly, only to wilt when Liara shook her head.

“Only until we take down the Shadow Broker. I’m afraid I don’t have the time to go gallivanting across the galaxy full-time. I have a month until the next semester starts, I need to be back by then.” Liara declared and led us out of her office, which she locked behind her. “See you all soon.” Liara then hugged us all, save Miranda who was visibly uncomfortable with all this friendly intimacy and we left the university with Liara taking a shuttle to her home.

That is, after Penny spoke quietly with Seryna and set something up with her. “Alright, this is where we split up. The plan is still the same. I’m taking Garrus, Tali and Miranda on business, you three relax.” Penny ordered Yola, Ash and I.

“No problem. Be safe.” Ashley kissed Penny and we patted her arms and did the same for Tali before they got in a taxi to go help Miranda wrap up her personal business.

“So, are we actually going to relax?” Ashley questioned us and I nodded. “Really? No secretly going behind Penny’s back to keep her safe?”

“Well, that’s a given, but I don’t need to be there to do that.” I’m the ghost in the machine~, a guardian angel~, a digital demon~! The System Siren~! “Now, let's get Jack and get smashed!