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A Slave... Or A Pet	By : NakedOwlMan Category: +M through R > Mass Effect Views: 94307 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: Mass Effect and all the characters in it are owned by people that are not me. I have not made a cent off this work of fiction

Chapter List
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"Have you ever seen anything more beautiful in your life?" Shepard said, looking out of the side window of Liara's office at the sleek lines of the Normandy SR-2, pulling into position alongside the ship that had been their prison for a month.

"One or two things," Liara said, looking over at Shepard and fixing her with a warm smile.

Shepard shook her head, rubbing at her neck. Even after two days, the area where the Broker's collar had once pressed against her flesh still felt raw and uncomfortable. "Better cut that out," she said, not unkindly but still firm. "Much as I might want to right now... I want our next time together to be when I'm not under the influence of some perverted monster's mind control drug."

Liara nodded in understanding. One of the first things she had done, once she had gotten access to all the Shadow Broker's records, was find out as much as she could about the drug he had been using on Shepard and Miranda. From the looks of his research notes on the final formula, the effects of the chemicals required the victim to be given a regular dose of the drug on a minimum of a weekly basis. After seven days, Liara determined, the drug would be completely purged from Shepard and Miranda's systems.

Shepard had been doing well, though, even after only two days of withdrawal. Every so often, though, Liara would see it in her eyes. That hungry look that left no question as to what was going on in Shepard's mind, the chemically-induced desires that were threatening to take her over with even a momentary slip of her self-control. But after a few seconds, Shepard would pause, take a breath, and the urges would subside.

"How's Miranda doing?" Liara asked, as she walked over to the control panel to allow the Normandy to dock with them.

Shepard looked uncertain. "She still seems a bit out of it. It was only this morning that she finally stopped asking when we were going to... have sex again. Hopefully after a few days, once the treatment is done, she'll be back to normal again."

The treatment. After they had gotten in touch with the Normandy, and let Joker finish his stream of excited whoops followed by groveling apologies for leaving them, Shepard had had a long, serious talk with Jacob. About a subject Liara hadn't really expected: the Teltin facility. Shepard told Jacob that she had received a message from the Illusive Man after they had destroyed the horrible labs, where Jack and other children had been experimented on. According to the message, Cerberus had come to the facility after the riot that had freed Jack, found all the guards dead, and given all the children still remaining there "mild amnesic treatments." Treatments that had blocked out all memories of ever having been in that terrible place.

"Considering that the Normandy used to be a Cerberus vessel," Shepard had said to Jacob, "would we happen to have the necessary resources to perform those same amnesic treatments on two adult humans?"

Jacob had confirmed that yes, they could remove Shepard and Miranda's memories of their captivity with the Shadow Broker. Liara had been nervous about Shepard's choice. The idea of having a piece of memory wiped out, just like it never happened, was a frightening thought.
But she hadn't been through the same horrors that Shepard and Miranda had been through, and she wouldn't dare begrudge either of them of their right to have the experiences of this past month taken away. Especially when such burdens could prove to be a hindrance in the upcoming fight against the Reapers.

"You sure you're going to be okay by yourself?" Shepard asked her. "I'm sure we could spare an extra day and stay for a while if you like."

"I'll be fine," Liara assured her. "Poring through the Shadow Broker's records, looking at all the information he had at his disposal... I've got a lot of work to keep me occupied, Shepard." She gave Shepard a wan smile. "To be honest, I'll be lucky if I find enough time to eat and sleep, much less dwell upon the things we've been through." Liara turned to stare out into the stars, her tone turning melancholy as she added. "And the people we've lost."

Shepard said nothing, just placed her arm around Liara's shoulders in a gesture of understanding.

They had found the body yesterday, while conducting a search around the ship. Feron's corpse had been tossed like garbage into a back closet, slumped next to the body of the Cerberus mole Hawkins. Liara wasn't sure why the Shadow Broker had told his men to not dispose of the bodies, but Liara was at least glad for that. Shepard had promised that, when the Normandy was in the area, they would deliver the drell's body to Kahje. Liara had used her newly-acquired Shadow Broker connections to ensure that Feron would be given a resting place of honor, in a tomb normally reserved for the most honored servants of the hanar Compact.

It was the least that she could do, after they had failed to save him.

"Well, they should be disembarking right now," Shepard said. "Coming to send me off?"

"Go on ahead," Liara said, pulling away from Shepard's arm with a smile. "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Shepard started to say something, but then nodded in understanding. "Take your time. We'll be waiting for you."

As Shepard made her way towards the shuttle bay, Liara checked one more time on the Shadow Broker's control panel. Positive that there were no pressing matters, she left the office as well. Her path taking her in a different direction than Shepard. A very familiar path.

* * *

"Hey, saw that your buddies arrived," Delaana said, looking up from placing several books into a duffel bag as Liara entered what had once been Delaana's office. "Think I'll be heading off soon, myself. You know, for some reason, packing up all my shit is taking a lot longer than it used to." Delaana smirked, as she waved the bandaged stump of her right arm.

"You know," Liara said, as she stood and marveled at Delaana's energized state, "most people would need a lot more time to recover, after receiving an injury like that. At the very least, more than a day."

Delaana chuckled softly. "Well, as I'm sure you'll agree, I ain't most people," she said, and laughed again. It was a marked contrast from her old style of laughing: caustic and mocking, as if she only found humor in other people's misfortune. Now, it sounded warm and sincere, like a laugh shared between old friends. "Besides, I think Miranda did a pretty good job on patching me up. Girl's got a talent for bringing folks back from the dead, I suppose."

Liara nodded, her memory going back to those moments after the former Shadow Broker was defeated. When they had discovered that Delaana was still alive, they had rushed the bleeding, near-dead asari to the sickbay. After some coaxing, and more promises of carnal rewards later, Miranda had recovered her memories of her previous life enough to put her medical skills to use at stabilizing Delaana. Despite Shepard's worries about Liara weakening herself further in her state of withdrawal, Liara had insisted that Miranda draw as much of her blood as was needed to keep Delaana alive. After nearly draining through the entire stocks of the ship's medigel to stop the bleeding, they had finally managed to draw Delaana back from death's door.
And now here she was, only two days later, walking around like it was just another day. Except for the lack of her lower right arm, of course. As Liara watched, Delaana made to reach for one of her books with her missing hand, only to curse and grab it with her left instead. From the annoyed look on her face, it definitely wasn't the first time she had done that today.

"I'm glad that you're feeling alright. Still, if you need more time to recover," Liara said, walking over to help Delaana in packing up her belongings, "you know you can stay here as long as you need to."

Delaana shook her head in response. "Nah, honestly, I'm not sure how much longer I can stand the sight of this ship. Lot of bad memories I want to leave behind." She turned to Liara with haunted eyes. "Sins I need to purge."

"You're still sure about this?" Liara said, taking one of Delaana's books from her hand and carefully finding a place for it in the duffel bag. "My offer still stands. Becoming the new Shadow Broker... I'm going to need operatives I can trust."

"I appreciate it, but I can't shoot for shit with my left," Delaana said. "Never been one of those amba... ambli..."

"Ambidextrous," Liara helpfully offered.

Delaana looked at Liara with a crooked grin. "There you go again, Miss Smarty Pants. Always gotta prove you know more than me, huh?" she said, friendly mockery in her voice.

"But I'm serious. I don't just need people to fight for me," Liara said. "I'm sure I could find other work for you to do."

"Thanks, but I think my days of hiring myself out as a mercenary for ruthless information brokers are over," Delaana said, and then glanced away as she added, "no matter how pretty they may be."

"Delaana, I..."

Taking a seat in the chair Liara had found her in so many times before, Delaana rubbed at her forehead with her remaining hand. "I've done so many horrible things, Liara. To you, to so many others. And just because I changed my mind in the end and helped you, it doesn't wipe that debt away. When I ran away from home, I told myself that they were wrong about me. That I wasn't a monster just because of how I was born." Delaana smiled bitterly. "And so I went out in the world... and proved them all right. Maybe I wasn't born a monster, but I became one all the same. I could rationalize it all I want, tell myself they left me no other choice... but that's all bullshit. I did it all because I wanted to, hurt so many people because I enjoyed it... and now I'm going to have to make amends for that."

"So make amends," Liara said, sitting on the edge of the desk in front of Delaana, looking down at her compassionately. "There's a whole galaxy out there, people you could help. You don't have to do this."

Delaana placed a gentle hand on Liara's knee. "Liara... even if I decided to do that, I'm still a fugitive Ardat-Yakshi. Not to mention all the other crimes I'm wanted for, the people I've hurt who might come for revenge against me. If I got in that shuttle and set out on my own... I'd be back to looking over my shoulder, always wondering who would come for me." Waving her bandaged stump, she smirked. "And I doubt I'll be able to fight them off anymore. Even if I wanted to."

Standing up, Delaana grabbed her duffel bag and placed the strap over her shoulder. "I don't want to run anymore, Liara. I don't want to fight, I don't want to kill. I just... want to rest. And there's only one place where that's possible. Where I know no one will ever come for me. And in the monastery... I'll get all the time I want to read all the poetry I could ever want. Even the sappy romantic ones."

Liara laid a hand on Delaana's shoulder. "But all the places you wanted to see. The fields of Verdenis, the rest of the galaxy... once you turn yourself in to the monastery, you'll never get the chance."

Delaana looked down at her feet, inhaled deeply, and looked back at Liara with glistening eyes. "Do you remember, just before I came to your cell to help you beat the Shadow Broker? Do you remember what happened in this office that night?"

"I... I was delirious," Liara said, pained at having to relive these moments, but doing it for Delaana's sake. "I thought you were Shepard, and we..."
"We melded," Delaana said with a soft smile. "And when our minds linked, Liara, I saw... all of it. The ancient remnants of the Protheans. The dozens of planets you visited with Shepard and her crew. The battles you've fought, the people you've lost. Every sight, every sound, every emotion you felt... I lived it all through your memories. You've seen more in your 108 years than I could have ever imagined seeing in my entire life."

Placing her own hand on Liara's shoulder, she sighed as she continued. "And you've loved, Liara. The love you felt for Shepard... I felt it along with you. And even now, long after I touched your mind... it overwhelms me to remember those feelings. Even if I die as a matriarch, hundreds of years for now... I will never forget how that felt. How you feel for her."

Leaning towards her, Delaana placed a gentle kiss on Liara's cheek. "The gift you've given me is priceless, Liara T'Soni. It will carry me through the centuries of captivity ahead of me, and I don't believe I can ever truly repay it."

"Delaana, that love I have for Shepard," Liara said, "if you hadn't done what you did, put your life at risk... I would have lost it forever. As far as I'm concerned, you've already repaid me."

She wrapped her arms around Delaana's waist, and Delaana raised her remaining arm to lay it across Liara's back. They embraced for several seconds, and then Delaana pulled away, walking slowly towards the door.

"Liara," Delaana paused just as the door slid open. "The other things I saw in your mind... the Reapers," she turned to fix Liara with a grave expression. "You really think Shepard can beat those things?"

"I have no doubt she can," Liara said.

Delaana nodded. "I hope you're right. Otherwise, I'm not sure my peaceful life in the monastery is going to last that long at all." She furrowed her brow. "Keep strong for her, Liara. More than anything, she's going to need people she can rely on. The weight she's going to have to bear, the hard choices she's going to have to make... she's going to need you there for her if we're going to make it out of all this alive."

"I know," Liara said. "And I'll stay strong for her, I promise."

"Glad to hear it," Delaana said, as she turned to make her departure.

Liara called out to her. "Wait!" When Delaana turned back around, Liara said, "I've been looking over the surveillance feeds set up by the Shadow Broker's agents. For some reason, he seemed to think that the library of the Ardat-Yakshi monastery on Sanves required his personal attention. I believe that if someone were to sit at the table directly under the painting of Athame, their words would be heard quite clearly even if they were speaking softly." She gave Delaana a meaningful look as she said. "So... if a person were to ever need something, anything at all, and the Shadow Broker felt like she owed them... that person might decide to sit at that table and ask for it."

Delaana gave her a warm, genuine smile. It made her look radiantly beautiful. "Well, if I run into a person who wants to talk to the Shadow Broker... who cares for her very much, in fact... I'll be sure to let them know."

"Goodbye, Delaana."

"Bye, pet," Delaana turned and raised her left hand in farewell, as she walked out the door and it slid shut behind her.

* * *

After that, Liara spent as much time as she could with Shepard and the crew of the Normandy. Tears were shed all around, even by people Liara wouldn't have expected it from. Liara was surprised to see Ashley among the group, her former comrade explaining that the Alliance had secretly assigned her to the Normandy to assist in the search for Shepard. As Liara and her fellow captives were warmly comforted by Liara's old friends and Shepard's new shipmates, Liara's eyes caught Garrus. Standing apart from the group, he stared at Shepard like she was a mirage that would fade away at any moment. There was a part of Liara that felt like she should be jealous, but she had to trust Shepard if they were going to have any sort of future. Shepard had promised that she would end things with Garrus, and Liara believed her.
Soon, it was time for them to say their farewells. Shepard seemed to never want the reunion to end, and Liara understood why: once she took the Cerberus amnesic drugs, she would have no memory that any of this ever happened.

Eventually, though, reality invaded. There were duties the crew of the Normandy had to perform, after all; Hackett, having heard about Shepard's recovery, had sent a message about another prisoner that needed to be freed. Amanda Kenson, an old friend of the Admiral's, had been taken hostage by batarians, and although Hackett knew that Shepard would need time to recover from her ordeal, he had no one else to turn to in order to undertake a rescue.

So they had all left, Shepard sharing one last kiss with Liara before departing on the Normandy. Liara was alone on the Shadow Broker's ship... her ship. Delaana was already gone by the time Liara had arrived on the shuttle bay to see the Normandy crew, and the vorcha soldiers had been paid for their "services" and sent away from the ship a few hours earlier. Although Liara had no doubts the vorcha would have been loyal to the new Shadow Broker, she had no desire to share her ship with Shepard and Miranda's former rapists.

She was alone. Well, mostly alone.

"Shadow Broker, reports have arrived from several of your operatives. Strange signals have been emanating from the Bahak system that they believe require your attention," said Glyph, as the information drone materialized next to her on her way into the office.

"Thank you, Glyph. Have them forwarded to my personal terminal; I'll look over them later."

Walking up the ramp, Liara stepped into the back room. "So many things to deal with," Liara said out loud. "A Shadow Broker's work is never finished, it appears."

Stepping up to the control panel for the video archive, Liara pressed a series of buttons. Screens flared to life all around her, and a series of schematics and blueprints hovered in the air.

"The Ark Facility," she mused, studying all of the information carefully. "A safe haven from the Reapers, the Shadow Broker called it. For an astronomical fee, his patrons would earn themselves a spot in a self-sustaining, fully functional recreational and living facility, buried fifteen miles underground. And those lucky patrons would get to indulge themselves in the services of a wide range of broken, obedient sex slaves while they waited out Armageddon. With myself as the Shadow Broker's most treasured plaything, I would imagine."

Pressing some more buttons on the control panel, Liara brought up a long document. A list of names: the "privileged residents" of the Ark Facility, along with the amounts of their donations.

"The Ark Facility will go ahead as planned," Liara said out loud, as she made notes to herself on her omnitool. "All donors will be asked to arrive in two weeks' time, or else forfeit their money. As they start to arrive, they will be given every courtesy, and be allowed to make themselves at home. And once I am sure that all of the residents are in place... I believe we will need to put the facility on lockdown. Quietly evacuate all personnel, and have them disable the elevator on their way out. Preferably with explosives, just to be sure there is no chance that any of the 'privileged residents' are ever able to leave."

Liara turned to Glyph, a closed-mouth smile on her face. "Glyph, how long did you say the food stores will last down there?"

"With proper refrigeration and cooling, approximately 500 years," Glyph answered.

Liara pondered this. "And if the men I assign to supervise the facility were to sabotage the refrigeration and cooling units on their way out?"

"In those circumstances, it would take approximately two weeks for all of the food to become spoiled and inedible," Glyph said.

This made Liara's smile grow wider. "Yes, I believe that should do nicely." In her mind, she saw the wealthy clients of the Shadow Broker, trapped miles under the ground, fighting amongst themselves for the last scraps of unspoiled food before their strength gave out and they died of starvation. It was a strangely pleasing image, and one that Liara carried with her as she walked over to the other side of the room.
"Quite a terrible fate for them, I imagine," she said, as she picked up a gleaming object from a side-table. "But then again... I suppose they could have it worse. Much worse."

She walked up to the bleeding, moaning form strung up from the ceiling. "So sorry to keep you waiting," she said, strolling around the struggling man and running a finger against one of his open wounds. "Solvitis."

While Delaana was still healing up in the medbay, Liara had managed to convince the vorcha that she was their commander in the meantime. (And, as the new Shadow Broker, technically she wasn't lying.) So when the vorcha had found Solvitis – barely alive and with a strangled varren dead at his side – in the torture room where she and Delaana had left him, they had immediately reported this information to their new commander.

Liara had quietly ordered them to secure the turian in the cell where she and her friends had been held for a month. Needless to say, Shepard and the rest of the women on the ship had no interest in visiting that room any time soon, so only Liara had known about the turian's survival.

And before the vorcha had left, while everyone else was asleep, Liara had ordered them to have Solvitis moved here, into the office where she would be spending most of her time. And so here he hung, staring down at Liara with frightened eyes, a gag in his mouth and his arms wrenched upwards and tied above his head.

"You seem to be in the habit of surviving when everyone believes you to be dead, Solvitis," Liara said, as she fiddled with the object in her hand and paced back and forth in front of the helpless turian. "I think you'll agree, though: this time, you could hardly consider that to be a fortunate happenstance."

Liara paraded in front of him, enjoying the chance to observe the fear she was putting in him. "You remember Kaleesa, Solvitis? That asari you raped and tortured to death? I'm sure you do; you were only too happy to tell me how she got you started on your path of brutalizing and murdering helpless women."

Solvitis let out muffled cries against his gag, shaking his head and struggling helplessly against his bonds as Liara moved towards him.

"Yes, I'm sure you remember. Still, I want to be absolutely positive that you don't forget her name," Liara said. Stepping up close to Solvitis, she raised the object in her hand to his neck: a gleaming scalpel. "Let's give you a reminder."

As Solvitis screamed, Liara carefully dug the surgical implement into the soft flesh of his neck. "If you keep struggling," Liara helpfully advised, "I'm just going to have to start over somewhere else."

After several minutes of slicing, she had finished carving "KALEESA" into Solvitis's skin. Once she had inspected her work and decided it was satisfactory, she grabbed some medigel and applied it to the fresh wounds. Couldn't have him bleed to death before she was finished. That wouldn't do at all.

"She was the first... but there were so many afterward. More than I could have imagined," Liara reached to her omnitool and pulled up the list. Holding up the holographic display to allow Solvitis to see, she scrolled down the long list of names. "Some of these, the authorities don't even know about," Liara said. "But the Shadow Broker knew. Which means that... now I know."

As she kept the list scrolling on the omnitool with one hand, she held the scalpel up to Solvitis's face with the other. "So many more names for you to remember, Solvitis. I only hope you have enough places on your body for me to give you all of these reminders."

Solvitis screamed around the gag, as the blade cut into his flesh again. Liara felt a shiver of pleasure run through her body. It frightened her a little, how much she was enjoying this.

It didn't frighten her enough, however, for her to stop.
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A Slave... Or A Pet