Nexus Effect

Ch.80

“Thanks for doing this for me, Penny.” Liara said, for what must be the twentieth time as the Kodiak descended into the raging storm clouds of Hagalaz.

“Liara, you’re a friend. You’ve done so much for me, how could I not do this for you?” Penny replied with a shake of her head as she checked over her guns. She was bringing that beast of a gun Hunter gifted her. The Bolter was apparently a hybrid, using Mass Effect tech for the propulsion of the bolts since it was better than standard propellants by any means. It also meant fewer moving parts so it had less potential mechanical failure.

“You could’ve been busy and unable to.” Yola commented and I nodded in agreement. This team included both Yola and I, since we’re both experienced with the Shadow Broker’s systems.

“Or you could have at least postponed it since Grunt is going nuts with his fury boiling over for not satisfying his instinctive need to pass the rite.” I brought up, causing everyone to wince. Grunt accidentally broke Jack’s left arm in a spar. She wasn’t pissed about it, but didn’t appreciate having to be benched to recover as Chakwas provided medi-gel and Mordin applied one of the Empire’s healing potions to speed up her healing. Grunt was also beside himself with remorse, citing ‘Fury should be my choice, not my sickness’.

“This is on the way to Tuchanka and I don’t want to risk the Shadow Broker discovering someone knows where he is and is coming for him. The sooner he’s dealt with, the better.” Penny had no love for the broker and I appreciated it. He was a draconian taskmaster who always masterfully leveled the playing field so people would always be buying his info. What good is info if you aren’t going to use it? He could’ve changed the galaxy and he wasted it on profit.

“Just as well. Thank you, all of you.” Liara leaned in and kissed Penny, then kissed me and then Yola. “You’re all such dear friends. If only you weren’t all spoken to each other. I would’ve gladly Melded with any of you.”

“I understand Liara. Hopefully you’ll find someone who can devote themselves to you.” Penny patted Liara’s thigh and I hoped for her happiness that she found that special someone. Especially since there’s so many long-lived or ageless species to look for a mate with the Empire’s arrival. Liara was a romantic, unlike most asari. She wanted someone she could have a deep and meaningful long-lasting relationship with, like her mother and sire had before.

She couldn’t have that with us. We’re too spread out, she needs someone just for her and I respect that desire. “As touching as this is, Commander, we’re about to swoop into the hanger of the target ship. I hope your Geth girlfriends have hacked the defenses.” Cortez called back from the pilot seat and I double-checked.

“We’re good, bring us in. You may want to stay in the hangar instead of taking off though, the storm is getting worse.” I warned our pilot, who expertly brought us inside and the door opened, allowing us to jump out, ready for action…

There’s nothing here. “Welcome. Please, do come in.” Came the deep rolling tone of the Shadow Broker, unfiltered. Unusual for him. “Humans have a fitting allegory. Come into my parlor said the spider to the fly. Although, my parlor is much nicer. Follow the lights.” Our ‘host’ said moments before entire sections of lighting turned off, leaving one hallway illuminated

“Nora, Yola?” Penny deferred to us with an unasked question and I shared a glance with my sister.

[You think it’s a trap?] I canted to my sister, who tilted her head and likely dove through the system like I did now that we were on the ship. [I don’t see anything out of place and that overshield generator in his room seems to be on low power.]

[I don’t think it is...what is he up to then?] “We don’t see anything between us and him, he seems to just be waiting at his desk.” Yola answered for us both and Penny nodded before she led us through the ship. The drones and droids aboard remained inactive, the way directly to him illuminated with no security.

Eventually, we arrived at the Shadow Broker’s office. “I’ll buzz you through.” At the buzz, Penny pushed the doors open and the four of us entered the large circular room, where in the shadows of the oddly dark center of the room, sat the most notorious info broker in the galaxy. He was just as big as I remember seeing him. Easily a couple feet taller than a krogan and with two extra arms, helping complete his humanoid arachnid appearance. “Welcome. I’d offer you seats, but my office was never meant to have visitors.”

“Where is Feron?!” Liara demanded as she strode towards the Yahg and stopped within an unsettlingly close distance to his desk. “What have you done to him?!”

“You’ll find him recovering in the medical bay. When I came to the understanding that he was the reason you were coming, I decided to disconnect him from the harvesters and have him well-rested by the time you arrived.” The Yahg replied as his four hands moved across the many consoles of his massive semi-circular desk.

“Harvesters?” Penny asked with a stern tone as we joined Liara in the very-dangerous reach of the massive beast of an alien that could easily tear any of us to pieces.

“Feron is a drell name. These harvesters must be the same sort used to collect drell pheromone fluid for aphrodisiac drinks in bars. Very expensive and the drell who participate are well compensated. I suppose our Broker friend here was using him for extra income.” I sniffed in disapproval and the Broker grunted.

“I move more money than I receive for my invaluable services. I had an opportunity to make money without wasting a potential resource considering the Empire cured Kepral’s Syndrome years ago, so Feron wasn’t in danger of dying stuck on this ship in the midst of a constant storm.” The Broker replied calmly before activating several things in the system, VIs to monitor and collect/exchange information, not advanced, but enough to matter and he clasped his four hands together, resting his stationary bottom jaw on the upper pair. “Now then, to business.”

“What business? I’m here for my friend. If you’re not going to get in the way, just let me take him and we’ll leave you be.” Liara replied, but her bravado ceased and we all backed away when the 9 foot tall hulk who made Pillar and Collateral look lean stood up and he stretched his limbs with audible pops.

“I have no guarantee you won’t simply return to harass me again. I also cannot guarantee that you won’t tell anyone about where I am, so like I said: to business.” He grabbed his desk and pulled it away from the center of the room instead of tossing it like I thought he would, then rounded it to stand in front of us with his arms folded behind him, causing him to look far more professional in that business suit than a Yahg really should manage. “I would like to offer you my position, Nora’Feell.”

“W-what?!” I did not see that coming! “E-excuse me?! Where is this coming from?!” Aren’t Yahg violent to a fault like the krogan? Sure, they have far more advanced brains than them in logical thinking, but they still tend to resort to violence.

“Where it’s coming from, is that you have single-handedly moved more volatile data around in the past few decades, than I have in the past 80. You started and stopped wars, you moved society. You didn’t make a single credit in most of it either. Yet you always had business. You are far more suited to this job than I am. It is that simple. The question is: do you accept?” The Yahg questioned and I was stumped. I...but I can’t stay in one place.

“I...I can’t. I don’t do this for profit. I couldn’t handle the kind of data you do, the kind of clients you keep. In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve used my abilities to stop criminals, not enable them!” I countered and he nodded as he brought up an omni-tool on his upper left hand.

“Stocks are surging, the economy in the areas you’ve impacted have vastly improved, same for quality of life, quality of goods, need I go on? You may not keep the same clients or any clients, but you have instead moved entire economies. I can’t boast that for a single city yet you can claim this for entire planets, systems. I’m not asking you to simply replace me. I’m asking you to succeed me.” The Yahg clarified and I had to reach out to Yola to steady myself.

“I’m afraid she doesn’t have time to just sit here and handle data from all over the galaxy. She could do it, no question about it, but this isn’t what Nora is passionate about.” Penny replied for me and I felt more resolve in shaking my head at him.

“...Pity. Then, may I request Doctor T’soni replace me instead?” The Yahg turned his attention to our asari friend.

“I fail to understand what makes me qualified.” Liara uneasily rebutted and shifted on her feet.

“Doctor, don’t play the fool. Your little ‘network’ reaches from Illium, to Thessia, to Farlas. All while pretending to be a good and proper Chancellor for your students to look up to. You may not be as brilliant as Nora’Feell or her sister Yola’Feell, but you have the knack for the job and the moral compass to keep on the path they’ve started in the information exchange market. I’ll even stay on as your assistant while you sit pretty.” The Yahg answered and we looked at each other.

“Well, you definitely have the skill to do it, Liara.” Yola said in support and Penny shrugged when Liara looked at her for any input.

“I’m not saying yes, but why bother staying as an assistant when you could just stay as the Shadow Broker?” Liara questioned the massive alien man who sighed in exasperation.

“Like I said. I cannot simply trust that you’ll leave me be. I need to offer something to make it worthwhile that you do not stop me from doing my work. If that means taking a back seat and relaxing while letting you make the big decisions as I micromanage, then fine. Or, we could do this the traditional way and I try to kill all four of the incredibly deadly women standing in front of me. Which won’t happen, because I’ve seen the data. I know better than to challenge such odds and expect to survive. My people haven’t killed ourselves like the krogan for a reason.” The Yahg answered and held out a hand to Liara.

She hesitated for a moment, but reached up to put her much smaller hand in the massive mitt of the towering terror and they shook. “I suppose I’m your boss now. First order of business is to compile all the data you have on your people and send it to me. Otherwise, continue to aid in the upward trend of the market that Nora started.”

“Send you a history text of my own making, destroy corrupt gangs and mercenary bands with information delivered to relevant sources and invest in the stock markets. Understood.” The Yahg nodded and turned to move his desk.

“Wait! What’s your name?” I asked curiously, because even in the games, aside from the fact that the Yahg are bigger and stronger than krogan and smart as salarians, the series did nothing to suggest they even had names. What if they’re like the Cat-Kut and don’t have names so much as instinctively knowing who someone is by pheromones? I must know!

“Yargug and before you ask, no. My people do not have clan or surnames. The closest we get is stating a child-of sire like you humans used to have at some point.” Yargug said with a nod at Penny. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to get to and Feron should have woken up at some point since I had him put in the med bay.”

“I’m just glad this didn’t turn to violence. It’s nice to have civility for once.” Penny replied and I led us to the medbay, where Feron was eating and being chastised by the medical droid to drink more fluids to replenish than Feron cared to bother with.

[1001100 01101001 01101110 01100101]

“So we’re heading for Tuchanka?” Grunt asked as he paced in the hanger like a caged beast.

“Yes, even though it’s on the other side of the Galaxy, we need you at one hundred percent. Mordin has also brought it to my attention that a student of his was taken hostage while he was working with the Kaminoan Process team. Intelligence has marked Clan Weyrloc of the Blood Pack as the culprits. We need to find him and figure out what Weyrloc wants.” Penny said to her soldier, who snarled and clenched his fists tightly as he paced. “Hey, we can spar if-.”

“No. I hurt Jack. She’s one of the toughest people on this ship. I’m not going to risk hurting you when you’re with child, Shepard.” Grunt snarled and headbutt a crate so hard the metal surface dented. “Gah, all these breeding pheromones flying around, it isn’t helping.”

“Sorry, Grunt. I make sure to shower my suit in case it stinks and I don’t smell like anything but whatever smells nice to others.” Penny apologized, understanding that he might be all sexually pent-up along with whatever else krogan physiology requires they go through a trial by combat to mature physically as well as mentally.

“To me you smell like the most fertile female in the next ten galaxies, Shepard. It’s maddening.” Grunt growled and walked away swiftly, leaving Penny to sigh in frustration at her body changing how people react to her again.

“Commander Shepard to the communications room. The Illusive Man is calling.” EDI called over the intercom and Shepard groaned in displeasure. What does TIM want now? She needs to get Grunt taken care of before he either fights or fucks someone to death.

She hurried up to the hologram room and let the table sink into the floor before she walked into the hologram scanner so TIM could see her. “Shepard. I have promising leads on the Collectors as well as some updated dossiers you may be interested in.”

“That’s good to hear, but I thought by this point you’d keep data of this nature for Miranda to distribute.” Penny replied warily at the shadowy hologram of TIM.

“I’m afraid I cannot trust any lines other than this one anymore. Our operations are being struck everywhere by various government entities. I know for a fact you were not the leak, even with ONI troops on board. There have been no sightings or communications of those officers that were on the Normandy at the lost sites.”

Thanks for confirming you’re a peeping tom, TIM.

“Now then, there has been a lot of chatter among the various governments to keep an eye out for the Collectors. The Hierarchy seems to be wary of a stretch of space, I’ll let you know more if that crops up with any more concrete data. I also have dossiers for two of your former crew members. The Assassin Droid HK-47 is on Tuchanka and your Cat-Kut friend Martra was last seen on Feros. I would like you to look into the situation on Feros while you’re there, it’s been very hard to get concrete information from there. Dismissed.”

The moment TIM hung up, Penny slumped in relief and rubbed the back of her simulated neck.

“Penny, are you alright?” Shepard heard Hunter’s telepathy and perked so hard she could’ve sworn her tail almost burst out of her fake body with how much it wanted to wag as she turned with a beaming smile up at the man. She was about to approach him but he raised a hand up. “No.”

“Aw~.” Penny whimpered needily as she started crawling towards him, then blinked. “Dammit, Urta! Cut it out!”

“Aw, you caught me.” Urta complained with a pout-how can she tell her sister is pouting right now? “I just wanted to make amends.”

“Then you’re going about it the wrong way! This is why they don’t want to talk to you anymore!” Penny snarled as she gained control of her body and got up from the floor. “I don’t crawl on the floor like a groveling dog!” That’s what the bed is for!

“Now that’s just mean.” Urta mewled.

“Yet, you prove the Doom Marines’ growing distrust. I came to see what a Justicar is and you’re trying to get these two to fuck in the communcation room through manipulation?” The voice of Velka sighed behind Hunter as the door opened and there stood the busty crow lady. “Urta, I’m going to give you until the count of ten, to get your ugly, yellow, no-good keister out of your sister or I’ll whip your ass with my leads. One. Two-.”

Penny shuddered when she felt Urta flee her body with haste. That was unpleasant. She almost preferred to be sharing her body with her sister for the moment rather than how quickly she left.

“I thought you would’ve done that the first time around she did that?” Hunter questioned in bemusement. “Shepard ended up in Eden’s Warhammer 40K because of her prank, in spirit.”

“My apologies. It takes a bit for me to travel around between Galaxies.” Velka commented before petting Penny’s scalp and she groaned before leaning into the crow-woman’s touch. It was like she was scratching behind her ears~. “Don’t just let her push you around, dear. You’re your own woman, don’t let her take over your life.” Ah~, yis, right there...

“What brought you out here, again?” Hunter questioned the foreign alien as she made Penny whimper and mewl from giving her headpats.

“Urta overstepping her boundaries again, fixing the fractured relationship between our empires and that ex-pirate Jack who needs to forgive herself since her victims were far worse than she ever was. She’s had her Justice paid for, she needs to move on.” Velka declared as she stopped petting Penny’s head, much to the former human’s displeasure.

“I see. Go deal with Jack and Samara first, then come to the Shadow Dagger so that we can discuss our relationship further.” Hunter informed the sexy bird woman, who nodded before striding away.

“Hey, is she your guys’ wife as well?” Penny questioned the silent warrior.

“No, of course not. Velka is a mediator between the Empire and the Argentine Alliance, one of the few Berserker had decreed.” Hunter’s answer surprised the Commander.

“Wait, you’re telling me that Berserker is the leader of your entire Alliance?” Penny asked as she didn’t know them on a personal level. Even with Urta’s memories, she would like to know them herself.

Also, Martra was going to come back! As soon as Tuchanka was done with at least!