The interior of the underground base was a disappointment in every regard. There were three levels, but only the uppermost one, containing the crew's quarters and recreation facilities, could be searched by them. The two other levels, one for labs, one for maintenance, power generators and the VI core, weren't even accessible anymore, fire still raging through them. Their armour might have been able to take the temperature for a while, but the very low possibility of finding anything useful in there didn't measure up to the risk of getting trapped in a underground building that was just as likely to collapse on them as not.
They found their suspects, all of them, but none of them would answer the Spectre's questions ever again. Neither would any of the handful of mercs remaining in the base. Shepard gave an angry growl as she examined the body of the last of their suspects. "Like the others." she told Saren, who was at a terminal, digging through the digital remains of the resident VI. "No visible wounds. Some sort of toxin, maybe?"
"Possible."
She gritted her teeth in frustration. "Is there anything left in the VI's storage?"
Saren shook his head. "Looks like a decay virus got the VI. There's only fragments left. I tried to make a copy, but whether we got anything useful is doubtful at best. What do you make of this?"
She left the body of the scientist and went over to the terminal. Saren pointed, and she scanned the lines of code quickly. There was much fragmentation, but what was there was disturbing. "Looks like the VI killed them." she said slowly. "Which shouldn't be possible."
"Except if it's been hacked by an expert. Or specifically designed to have some hidden subroutines that can be triggered by either previously defined specific events or outside signals."
They looked at each other, and Shepard put into words what they both were thinking. "Cleanup. Somebody noticed we were coming and was afraid that we'd find out too much about this. So they just wrote this place up as a total loss, had the VI kill the staff, set fire to the place and self-destruct, and moved on. Well, it at least explains why they were coming at us like that. They must have thought we were the ones who turned this place into a death trap."
The turian Spectre growled. "It sounds like it, yes." He looked around, just as dissatisfied as Shepard, although he was more calm about it. "We were too late. We found our rogue biotechs, and the immediate threat is removed. I doubt we'll find anything here about the identity of the ones who hired the scientists or the real reason behind it."
"It sounds familiar to me." Shepard said. "I think I ran into one of their operations before. The style seems familiar."
"I thought so, too." Saren stepped away from the terminal. "All we can do is remain alert for another sign of activity from this entity or group. I will be very interested to question them in person about the motive behind all of this." His voice was even, but with an undertone that didn't bode well for the continued existence of anyone responsible for this operation once he got a hold of them. He didn't take well to disappointment, and he hated being too late at least as much as Shepard did.
They hadn't exactly lost this one, but it wasn't a success either. There was just enough evidence in the remains of the VI, some fragments of personal data in the comm system and a data chip one of the scientists had had on him to prove that they had found the right place, only too late. She refused to give in to frustration, though. Saren was right, their only option was to be patient and wait for their opponent to make another move, and figure out their angle sooner than this time. It wasn't very satisfying, but it was how this game was played.
Shepard nodded. "Me, too. Well, let's get out of here."
A solar storm kept them planetside for longer than originally planned. It was just a minor flare, but the resulting electromagnetic storm was hazardous nevertheless, and all non-critical traffic had been temporarily suspended. Saren opted to remain on the cautious side as well. Shepard approved, she had little desire to find herself stranded in space with the electronics knocked out if the shielding on the ship's systems maybe wasn't quite as effective as advertised. A day's worth of delay or two didn't matter much, but for the moment they were effectively grounded.
Saren's ship was parked at the space port, safely stored in one of the shielded hangars. They had taken up accommodations at a hotel to wait the storm out.
A thunderstorm that probably had nothing to do with the solar events was currently coming down overhead, and it made Shepard rather glad that she was inside, and dry. Off-world communication was out, of course, so there was no use in trying to check what state the rest of the galaxy had managed to get itself into while they had been busy with that last mission.
Shepard was sitting cross-legged on the bed, clad something between a bathrobe and a lounging robe, courtesy of the hotel. Judging by its cut, it was almost certainly not intended for humans, and the bright coloured pattern was putting a strain on her eyes, but it would do for the moment, especially considering the alternatives were less appealing. The undersuit of her armour was hardly comfortable, and while she had some spare clothing including civilian clothes in her travel kit, said kit was still on Saren's ship. She'd only taken their equipment pack from the rover to the hotel room, and then the thunderstorm had broken. Right now she didn't care to face the rain outside to get her things, although she probably would have to, later on. The pieces of her armour were spread out around her, as she was going over each piece individually to check for damage. An armour repair kit was balanced on her thigh. There was no major damage that she could find, which was good because there were limits to what she could fix with the resources she had at hand. She set the last piece aside and gave Saren a quick look. He was wearing a similar garment to hers, with the exception that it was designed for a turian and therefore actually fit him. He was standing at the window, staring gloomily outside into the deluge-like rain. Its sound was more reminiscent of a waterfall, and Shepard absently wondered whether it was going to get even worse.
She shrugged inwardly. There was no use in trying to push him. Whatever was eating away at him, he wasn't ready to share. He'd come around on his own, or not. It wasn't personal, though it had taken quite some time for her to learn that. There were still many, many things she didn't know about him, and maybe never would. Regrettable, but true nevertheless. Unbidden, she reached down and got his armour up from where it was lying in a rather tidy pile. She might as well do something useful. There were some weak points in the chest section of his armour, and she realised he'd taken quite a few hits more this time than she had. That probably had been when she'd gone down from that stun grenade, and he'd come back to help her out. It had been a close one, she acknowledged. She spread the resin-like substance from her repair kit over the damaged spots, waited until the colour changed and it hardened. The colour match wasn't exact and wasn't supposed to be. It only showed at close distance, so it didn't give away any weak points to an enemy, but it was obvious enough to the wearer of the armour to let them know that once the off-colour spots increased in number it was high time to replace that armour. She was almost through his set, too, when he suddenly said. "You didn't ask."
Shepard didn't look up from the gauntlet she was inspecting, although she could sense he had turned around. "You didn't want me to," she just said.
There were the familiar clicks of his bare feet against the floor as he came over and sat down on the bed, shifting some armour pieces aside to make room for himself. She set the gauntlet aside as perfectly serviceable and looked at the turian. It was still so damned hard to read him at all, but he seemed tense, in a non-aggressive way, and, again, vaguely uncertain. "I didn't." he agreed. "Nevertheless you probably should know."
She didn't answer one way or another. Not that she quite understood why he was so damned sensitive about this, but he apparently was.
"I did a favour to someone many years back. The details don't really matter. What does is that this someone offered me a biotic upgrade in exchange. I knew the technology was very advanced, and had seen evidence that it worked. More, it was something that could be applied to any individual, regardless of previous exposure to element zero, and give that individual biotic abilities. I was intrigued, and thought that this might give me an edge in fighting, so I accepted." He grimaced, mandibles lowering fractionally. "It was, on the whole, an ill decision. It worked, and turned me into a sort of biotic, but I hadn't taken my species' limitations into proper consideration." Saren growled. "There are not many turian biotics, Shepard. I assume you already know that." She nodded, and he continued. "Most will tell you that the reason for that is the lack of that special kind of mental discipline that's required. There's some truth in that, of course, but it's mostly slander. The problem is that biotics require a lot of energy, and all biotics have a significantly increased metabolism because of that."
"I know that from human biotics I worked with," she offered with a faint smile. "Had one on my team once. He was quite skinny, despite eating like a horse."
"For most other species that isn't much of a problem, but for turians it is. We're designed close to the limit in that regard. Most of us just can't clock up to that level. So turian biotics are rare, not very powerful compared to those of other species and while they are necessary in some situations, they're not very well regarded by the rest of the military forces."
"So you have good reason to keep it quiet. I get that," Shepard said easily. "I would have done the same thing, probably." She looked at him, calculating. "What implants do you have? What level?"
Saren shook his head again. "Nothing that is in use in Citadel space or has any designation you will have heard of. All I can tell you is that I'm not much use as a biotic. Precision isn't the problem, but energy is. The best it can be is a last-ditch defence if everything else has failed. That push I did back there...it took a lot out of me."
"I saw. You're still not quite over it," she said.
He gave her a sharp look at that, then lowered his head slightly again. "Should have known you know me well enough to tell." His voice was almost rueful.
"Well, I'm glad that you got that upgrade." she said, still easily. He looked as if he would disagree, and she continued. "Of course I might be biased there, but without it I probably wouldn't be here anymore. So...yes. I'm glad for it."
He growled, ungraciously, then unexpectedly admitted "Me, too."
Impulsively, she reached over and slowly cradled one side of his face, ran her fingertips over his jaw under the mandibles. His moods were as hard to decipher as his facial expressions, but she figured that under the current circumstances, this was appropriate. The touch seemed to startle him, but he didn't pull away immediately. He closed his eyes briefly, leaning into her touch, and that decided her. She carefully slid her fingers around to the back of his neck and very gently pulled him closer. He didn't resist, but seemed in some way apprehensive for a moment, then relaxed. Shepard smiled. That expression she could read.
She let go of him and loosened her robe, letting it fall open over one shoulder, then gave him another slow smile. He leaned in again, running the claws of his hand through her hair as he cradled her head, and nibbled against her jawline. His other hand cupped one breast, thumb stroking her in a slow circle. Her reaction to that was open approval, and she sighed and was about to reach for the back of his neck again when a unfamiliar sensation over her side made her jerk back. He let go of her immediately, and she looked down on herself, at the tiny but clearly visible field of dark energy that was crawling over her ribs. She gave a dismayed sound, instinctively brushing her hand over the affected area, although that of course did nothing to dislodge the field.
Saren growled, and shrank back, and the field fizzled and died. "I didn't intend to do that," he said. "Perhaps this isn't a good idea, right now."
Shepard frowned. "What is it, exactly?"
"Residual biotic energy."
"You're still charged up." When he didn't deny it, she gave him a searching look. "Will that tire you further?"
Saren shook his head. "No. But I can't reabsorb the energy either. It will dissipate on its own, over time."
He still seemed strangely reluctant about the biotics, not precisely ashamed, but as if he expected some negative reaction from her about it. True, she had been surprised, but she had no prejudice against biotics. An extra ability didn't change a person, and he should know that. True, she had shied away from that display just now, but it was surprise that had prompted her reaction, not revulsion. And he needed to know that. He wasn't usually that unobservant, but this obviously was a very touchy subject with him. "It's fine. I just didn't expect this. Go on." She suddenly smiled, her tone mischievous. Actions always spoke better than words. "Or we can experiment. Can you do that again, on purpose?"
He stared at her, and she knew she had surprised him this time. "You can't seriously mean-" His surprise even showed in his voice, which was even less common.
"Why not? Some asari do that as part of normal bedplay. Or so I heard." That should have gotten her either a sarcastic or teasing retort, but he remained silent. Maybe she had misjudged. She shrugged. "If it makes you uncomfortable, forget it. I just thought it could be interesting."
He seemed to consider. "It doesn't. I just wasn't expecting that." He gave her a measuring look. "You are aware that I have no experience at all in the application of biotics in this context?"
Shepard smiled again and lay back, stretching herself out comfortably. "If that's your only concern, don't worry. You know me. I am very capable of voicing complaint if I consider it necessary."
His reply was an amused growl at this. "Now that is true." He leaned over her, studying her again for a moment as if deciding whether she really meant it, then lowered his head slightly. "Very well." His hand brushed over her collarbone and in a lazy arc down to her breast. Then the dark energy field reappeared, crawling over her skin, over her side just below her ribs. It felt strange, like an electric current ghosting over her skin. Her muscles twitched, and Saren slightly shook his head. The field suddenly spread and seemed to partially sink into her skin, and that felt even more strange, like a stroke of a hand that went through her flesh without meeting any resistance. It didn't precisely hurt, but it felt vaguely disturbing, and she wondered whether this had been a bad idea after all. Then the field changed again, became almost invisible, and sudden warmth spread over the area of her skin it covered.
Saren gave a thoughtful sound, apparently doing some fine-tuning. "Maybe like this."
The warmth was joined by a pleasant tingling sensation travelling through her nerves, and she involuntarily arched her back.
"This might indeed have some possibilities." he stated calmly. "I wonder..."
The diffuse tingling turned into a more focused pulse that ran through her nervous system, and that was not only quite pleasant but also rather stimulating. Her next breath came definitely quicker.
He growled again, satisfied enough by her reaction, then leaned in and drew his mandibles over the side of her neck, then cupped her breast again, traced his tongue from her jaw down her neck to her collar bone, then further down to curl around one nipple. All the while, he kept his touch slow, careful, his biotics adding a curious random element to the sensation as the field wandered over her. One hand spread her thighs, testing her reaction gently.
And she suddenly didn't want to take it slow. She wasn't quite certain whether it was the additional play of dark energy around her nerves or the leftover adrenaline from the fight and yet another close call, or a combination of both, but she needed to feel more of him than this.
She rose up to reach for him, shrugging off her robe in the process and drawing his open, running her hands over bare plates as she drew him down on her. He gave a vaguely surprised sound but didn't resist. The effect of his biotics became much stronger as she moulded herself to him, more direct contact, and it was no longer a single touch but something that seemed to roll all over her, the dark energy coursing through her like an electrical current.
"Like electricity. It's like I'm grounding you." she gasped out with a smile.
"You are. Literally, for once." he agreed, his voice strangely soft.
She ground herself against him, impatiently, feeling plates shift as he responded to the invitation her body extended to him. With a low growl, he gathered up her left leg, drawing it up over his hip as he pushed into her in the same move. She gasped, not surprised but still reacting to the suddenness of it, drew up her other leg and braced her foot against the spur on his leg. That made him throw his head back in a silent snarl, then he leaned in again, resting his weight on one arm, the other supporting the small of her back, drawing her close as he thrust against her. She raised her hips to meet his movement, and they found their rhythm, still slow, but intense. The biotic energy was a different rhythm, a much faster pulse that ran though her, making her arch her back. She gasped again as another stroke seemed to set her nerve endings on fire, spots of white hot pleasure in contrast to the ambient, more subdued effect of the biotics. The combination was incredibly effective.
His body had ceased to be a mystery to her long ago, and she found the spots where he welcomed her touch with the certainty of previous experience, stroked fingers over softer patches of skin. The growl he gave was as much enjoyment as amusement, and it dropped in pitch as she stroked the back of his head, just under the fringe. Of course, he knew her reactions just as well, if not better. His hold on her shifted, changing the angle of her hips, and his next thrust went deeper, increasing sensation even more. Another slow slide of his body against hers, and that ridge on his plates pressed against her clit in a delicious way that he knew to use to full advantage. She moaned in reaction, and the biotic field spiked, a fast rhythm that was both familiar and wasn't. Her own heartbeat was hammering in her ears, fast, but slower than the field's. That finally made her make the connection.
"Your biotics." she gasped. "In time with your heartbeat."
She heard his breath hitch just as she felt the pulse change. "I wasn't aware of that-" He started to draw back, the dark energy's sensation fading with the loss of full contact, and that wasn't what she had intended at all. "No." she whispered almost fiercely, drawing his head down to look into his eyes. "I like it. Very much. Don't hold back."
His eyes widened, then he growled again, and proceeded to do exactly as she had asked. The biotic pulse washed over her again, stronger than before, like something tangible force, and she moaned as he moved against her again. He reacted to her vocal approval, and she could feel that through the changes in the field.
It was a revelation in itself. She had known that he enjoyed her reactions; she hadn't known how much. The biotic field showed precisely just how focused he was on her and how much it excited him. Given how closed off he usually was, and how controlled his reactions were even in this context, the touch of his biotics in that way was more intimate than the simple act of lovemaking was. He had to know what it told about his reactions, if not emotions. He was doing this despite that knowledge, and that made her feel some emotion she couldn't quite put a name to. It didn't matter right now. She clung to him, matching him thrust for thrust, heard his growl deepen further until it was more a vibration through his body than a sound she could hear.
It was too intense to last long for either of them, but that was perfectly acceptable. She felt herself tighten around him, that familiar tension that told her she was close to breaking limit, and of course he could tell, because he held her even closer, then gently nipped at her shoulder as thrust into her again. It sent her over the edge, just as intended, and she cried out softly as pleasure peaked, her body arching, then shuddering against his.
Biotic energy continued to crawl through her, intensifying sensation, prolonging it, and the rhythm of that pulse increased, perfectly in time with the way he was touching her, moving with her.
He lost control of the biotics in the end, dark energy rushing through her in a wave that set her nerve endings on edge, and she suspected that if he'd been at even the toned-down level from before they'd started this, it would have been enough to throw her off him, or at least do some serious damage. As things were, it was like an electrical shock, just below her pain threshold, and she wasn't going to complain about that as she watched Saren's face as he found his own release. She held on to him, finding a whole different kind of satisfaction in the immediate certainty that he was enjoying this just as much as she did. He let himself fall on his side, drawing her with him, his arms still around her even as he slid out of her.
It took a while for her to catch her breath again, and she was perfectly content to abandon all further thinking and just be for a while. He seemed to be just as reluctant to let go of her, his hands caressing her back in slow, small circles, a sensation she found to be calming, almost hypnotic. He lifted his head slightly to study her, a look of concentration she knew from other situations, clearly trying to gauge her state. She smiled, letting him know that she was more than fine, and he relaxed again.
His eyes were half closed, and she unthinkingly stroked a thumb over the softer skin under the joint attaching his mandible to his jaw. To her delight, his eyes closed completely at that, the effect strangely reminiscent of scratching a cat's jaw. She felt it was a pity that he didn't purr. Shepard knew he could in fact make such a sound, but he very rarely did that. Maybe he considered it undignified, or maybe he just rarely relaxed that much. She'd never quite found the nerve to ask. So much of their interaction was based on deduction and observation and pure instinct, and going just by law of probability at least some of those assumptions had to be wrong, but somehow it still worked for them.
The movement of his hand on her back slowed, then stilled. She studied his face, and found to her surprise that he'd fallen asleep, his arm still around her. He'd never done that before. He could, and did, doze, but she'd never seen him fast asleep before. Turians needed less sleep than humans and could go for extended periods of time with only short periods of rest with very reduced awareness until they really needed to completely shut down. They had never discussed it, but her interpretation had always been that he usually didn't sleep unless he felt safe enough. It had to be one of his survival instincts, where alone equalled safe. Rationally he knew that she was no threat, of course, but instinct wasn't rational, and behavioural patterns ingrained over decades weren't easily changed.
That he broke that pattern now was probably just a sign of how exhausted he had been, and he simply had crashed once both the biotic energy and the tension left over from their fighting had wound down. Or maybe it just meant that he was finally able to relax with her. Whatever the reason, she was fine with it, she decided, shifting herself carefully to a more comfortable position that let her remain close to him without having the sharp and pointy bits of his plates dig into her skin. His higher body temperature made up for the less comfortable rigidity of his plates. It was possible to cuddle up to a turian despite the hazards of rough plates and sharp edges, she had found, if one kept one's movement slow and careful and wasn't discouraged by a scratch or two. Then again, she supposed that held true for most of her interaction with Saren. She leaned her cheek against his collar, comfortable enough.
The sound of the rain had become even louder. They would be stuck planetside for a day longer, and sooner or later she'd have to go outside and get the rest of her gear. But not quite yet.
Re: should have read Secrets 10 - end
anonymous
July 11 2011, 12:32:59 UTC
Not OP, but author!anon, you are my favorite anon on the internet. Of all time. I love your Saren AU fics. So much. And this was so. Awesome. I. Died. Every time you post something new here, i squee out of pure joy. Absolutely stunning work, as always!
Hnngghhh authoranon I wasn't sure what I would get from this prompt but I LOVE the idea of using his biotics as a tell for what he's feeling, and I thought it was interesting that they were a sensitive point for him. Ffffff
STOP APOLOGIZING WE LOVE YOU
And stop offering us more fics, you know we're just going to say yes yes yes yes.
Re: authoranon
anonymous
July 13 2011, 20:05:50 UTC
Oh my god, you still accepting prompts? Can I toss you one then? :D I'm not the op for this tho... But if you'd feel like writing it out, here goes nuthin:
What about a fic where paragon!Shepard saves Saren from a.. "compromising" position for once? 8D And then later for sexy times, something where Shep is somehow the dominating one?(not like bondage.. but just, The Boss B| Maybe she's just still hung over the adrenalin high of having to help him out of something dangerous) If you'd feel like filling that of course :D
Ooh, and I love your stories. So much. They should win best AU here, if there's ever a new competition. I'd nominate them for sure.
There were three levels, but only the uppermost one, containing the crew's quarters and recreation facilities, could be searched by them.
The two other levels, one for labs, one for maintenance, power generators and the VI core, weren't even accessible anymore, fire still raging through them. Their armour might have been able to take the temperature for a while, but the very low possibility of finding anything useful in there didn't measure up to the risk of getting trapped in a underground building that was just as likely to collapse on them as not.
They found their suspects, all of them, but none of them would answer the Spectre's questions ever again. Neither would any of the handful of mercs remaining in the base.
Shepard gave an angry growl as she examined the body of the last of their suspects. "Like the others." she told Saren, who was at a terminal, digging through the digital remains of the resident VI. "No visible wounds. Some sort of toxin, maybe?"
"Possible."
She gritted her teeth in frustration. "Is there anything left in the VI's storage?"
Saren shook his head. "Looks like a decay virus got the VI. There's only fragments left. I tried to make a copy, but whether we got anything useful is doubtful at best. What do you make of this?"
She left the body of the scientist and went over to the terminal. Saren pointed, and she scanned the lines of code quickly.
There was much fragmentation, but what was there was disturbing.
"Looks like the VI killed them." she said slowly. "Which shouldn't be possible."
"Except if it's been hacked by an expert. Or specifically designed to have some hidden subroutines that can be triggered by either previously defined specific events or outside signals."
They looked at each other, and Shepard put into words what they both were thinking. "Cleanup. Somebody noticed we were coming and was afraid that we'd find out too much about this. So they just wrote this place up as a total loss, had the VI kill the staff, set fire to the place and self-destruct, and moved on. Well, it at least explains why they were coming at us like that. They must have thought we were the ones who turned this place into a death trap."
The turian Spectre growled. "It sounds like it, yes." He looked around, just as dissatisfied as Shepard, although he was more calm about it. "We were too late. We found our rogue biotechs, and the immediate threat is removed. I doubt we'll find anything here about the identity of the ones who hired the scientists or the real reason behind it."
"It sounds familiar to me." Shepard said. "I think I ran into one of their operations before. The style seems familiar."
"I thought so, too." Saren stepped away from the terminal. "All we can do is remain alert for another sign of activity from this entity or group. I will be very interested to question them in person about the motive behind all of this." His voice was even, but with an undertone that didn't bode well for the continued existence of anyone responsible for this operation once he got a hold of them.
He didn't take well to disappointment, and he hated being too late at least as much as Shepard did.
They hadn't exactly lost this one, but it wasn't a success either. There was just enough evidence in the remains of the VI, some fragments of personal data in the comm system and a data chip one of the scientists had had on him to prove that they had found the right place, only too late.
She refused to give in to frustration, though. Saren was right, their only option was to be patient and wait for their opponent to make another move, and figure out their angle sooner than this time. It wasn't very satisfying, but it was how this game was played.
Shepard nodded. "Me, too. Well, let's get out of here."
Reply
Saren opted to remain on the cautious side as well. Shepard approved, she had little desire to find herself stranded in space with the electronics knocked out if the shielding on the ship's systems maybe wasn't quite as effective as advertised.
A day's worth of delay or two didn't matter much, but for the moment they were effectively grounded.
Saren's ship was parked at the space port, safely stored in one of the shielded hangars. They had taken up accommodations at a hotel to wait the storm out.
A thunderstorm that probably had nothing to do with the solar events was currently coming down overhead, and it made Shepard rather glad that she was inside, and dry. Off-world communication was out, of course, so there was no use in trying to check what state the rest of the galaxy had managed to get itself into while they had been busy with that last mission.
Shepard was sitting cross-legged on the bed, clad something between a bathrobe and a lounging robe, courtesy of the hotel. Judging by its cut, it was almost certainly not intended for humans, and the bright coloured pattern was putting a strain on her eyes, but it would do for the moment, especially considering the alternatives were less appealing.
The undersuit of her armour was hardly comfortable, and while she had some spare clothing including civilian clothes in her travel kit, said kit was still on Saren's ship. She'd only taken their equipment pack from the rover to the hotel room, and then the thunderstorm had broken. Right now she didn't care to face the rain outside to get her things, although she probably would have to, later on.
The pieces of her armour were spread out around her, as she was going over each piece individually to check for damage. An armour repair kit was balanced on her thigh. There was no major damage that she could find, which was good because there were limits to what she could fix with the resources she had at hand.
She set the last piece aside and gave Saren a quick look.
He was wearing a similar garment to hers, with the exception that it was designed for a turian and therefore actually fit him.
He was standing at the window, staring gloomily outside into the deluge-like rain. Its sound was more reminiscent of a waterfall, and Shepard absently wondered whether it was going to get even worse.
She shrugged inwardly. There was no use in trying to push him. Whatever was eating away at him, he wasn't ready to share. He'd come around on his own, or not.
It wasn't personal, though it had taken quite some time for her to learn that.
There were still many, many things she didn't know about him, and maybe never would. Regrettable, but true nevertheless.
Unbidden, she reached down and got his armour up from where it was lying in a rather tidy pile.
She might as well do something useful.
There were some weak points in the chest section of his armour, and she realised he'd taken quite a few hits more this time than she had.
That probably had been when she'd gone down from that stun grenade, and he'd come back to help her out. It had been a close one, she acknowledged.
She spread the resin-like substance from her repair kit over the damaged spots, waited until the colour changed and it hardened. The colour match wasn't exact and wasn't supposed to be. It only showed at close distance, so it didn't give away any weak points to an enemy, but it was obvious enough to the wearer of the armour to let them know that once the off-colour spots increased in number it was high time to replace that armour.
She was almost through his set, too, when he suddenly said.
"You didn't ask."
Shepard didn't look up from the gauntlet she was inspecting, although she could sense he had turned around.
"You didn't want me to," she just said.
Reply
She set the gauntlet aside as perfectly serviceable and looked at the turian. It was still so damned hard to read him at all, but he seemed tense, in a non-aggressive way, and, again, vaguely uncertain.
"I didn't." he agreed. "Nevertheless you probably should know."
She didn't answer one way or another. Not that she quite understood why he was so damned sensitive about this, but he apparently was.
"I did a favour to someone many years back. The details don't really matter. What does is that this someone offered me a biotic upgrade in exchange. I knew the technology was very advanced, and had seen evidence that it worked. More, it was something that could be applied to any individual, regardless of previous exposure to element zero, and give that individual biotic abilities. I was intrigued, and thought that this might give me an edge in fighting, so I accepted."
He grimaced, mandibles lowering fractionally. "It was, on the whole, an ill decision. It worked, and turned me into a sort of biotic, but I hadn't taken my species' limitations into proper consideration."
Saren growled. "There are not many turian biotics, Shepard. I assume you already know that."
She nodded, and he continued. "Most will tell you that the reason for that is the lack of that special kind of mental discipline that's required. There's some truth in that, of course, but it's mostly slander. The problem is that biotics require a lot of energy, and all biotics have a significantly increased metabolism because of that."
"I know that from human biotics I worked with," she offered with a faint smile. "Had one on my team once. He was quite skinny, despite eating like a horse."
"For most other species that isn't much of a problem, but for turians it is. We're designed close to the limit in that regard. Most of us just can't clock up to that level. So turian biotics are rare, not very powerful compared to those of other species and while they are necessary in some situations, they're not very well regarded by the rest of the military forces."
"So you have good reason to keep it quiet. I get that," Shepard said easily. "I would have done the same thing, probably." She looked at him, calculating. "What implants do you have? What level?"
Saren shook his head again. "Nothing that is in use in Citadel space or has any designation you will have heard of. All I can tell you is that I'm not much use as a biotic. Precision isn't the problem, but energy is. The best it can be is a last-ditch defence if everything else has failed. That push I did back there...it took a lot out of me."
"I saw. You're still not quite over it," she said.
He gave her a sharp look at that, then lowered his head slightly again. "Should have known you know me well enough to tell." His voice was almost rueful.
"Well, I'm glad that you got that upgrade." she said, still easily. He looked as if he would disagree, and she continued. "Of course I might be biased there, but without it I probably wouldn't be here anymore. So...yes. I'm glad for it."
He growled, ungraciously, then unexpectedly admitted "Me, too."
Impulsively, she reached over and slowly cradled one side of his face, ran her fingertips over his jaw under the mandibles. His moods were as hard to decipher as his facial expressions, but she figured that under the current circumstances, this was appropriate.
The touch seemed to startle him, but he didn't pull away immediately. He closed his eyes briefly, leaning into her touch, and that decided her.
She carefully slid her fingers around to the back of his neck and very gently pulled him closer.
He didn't resist, but seemed in some way apprehensive for a moment, then relaxed.
Shepard smiled. That expression she could read.
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He leaned in again, running the claws of his hand through her hair as he cradled her head, and nibbled against her jawline. His other hand cupped one breast, thumb stroking her in a slow circle.
Her reaction to that was open approval, and she sighed and was about to reach for the back of his neck again when a unfamiliar sensation over her side made her jerk back.
He let go of her immediately, and she looked down on herself, at the tiny but clearly visible field of dark energy that was crawling over her ribs.
She gave a dismayed sound, instinctively brushing her hand over the affected area, although that of course did nothing to dislodge the field.
Saren growled, and shrank back, and the field fizzled and died.
"I didn't intend to do that," he said. "Perhaps this isn't a good idea, right now."
Shepard frowned. "What is it, exactly?"
"Residual biotic energy."
"You're still charged up." When he didn't deny it, she gave him a searching look. "Will that tire you further?"
Saren shook his head. "No. But I can't reabsorb the energy either. It will dissipate on its own, over time."
He still seemed strangely reluctant about the biotics, not precisely ashamed, but as if he expected some negative reaction from her about it. True, she had been surprised, but she had no prejudice against biotics. An extra ability didn't change a person, and he should know that.
True, she had shied away from that display just now, but it was surprise that had prompted her reaction, not revulsion.
And he needed to know that. He wasn't usually that unobservant, but this obviously was a very touchy subject with him.
"It's fine. I just didn't expect this. Go on." She suddenly smiled, her tone mischievous. Actions always spoke better than words. "Or we can experiment. Can you do that again, on purpose?"
He stared at her, and she knew she had surprised him this time. "You can't seriously mean-" His surprise even showed in his voice, which was even less common.
"Why not? Some asari do that as part of normal bedplay. Or so I heard." That should have gotten her either a sarcastic or teasing retort, but he remained silent. Maybe she had misjudged. She shrugged. "If it makes you uncomfortable, forget it. I just thought it could be interesting."
He seemed to consider. "It doesn't. I just wasn't expecting that." He gave her a measuring look. "You are aware that I have no experience at all in the application of biotics in this context?"
Shepard smiled again and lay back, stretching herself out comfortably. "If that's your only concern, don't worry. You know me. I am very capable of voicing complaint if I consider it necessary."
His reply was an amused growl at this. "Now that is true." He leaned over her, studying her again for a moment as if deciding whether she really meant it, then lowered his head slightly. "Very well."
His hand brushed over her collarbone and in a lazy arc down to her breast. Then the dark energy field reappeared, crawling over her skin, over her side just below her ribs.
It felt strange, like an electric current ghosting over her skin. Her muscles twitched, and Saren slightly shook his head.
The field suddenly spread and seemed to partially sink into her skin, and that felt even more strange, like a stroke of a hand that went through her flesh without meeting any resistance. It didn't precisely hurt, but it felt vaguely disturbing, and she wondered whether this had been a bad idea after all.
Then the field changed again, became almost invisible, and sudden warmth spread over the area of her skin it covered.
Saren gave a thoughtful sound, apparently doing some fine-tuning. "Maybe like this."
The warmth was joined by a pleasant tingling sensation travelling through her nerves, and she involuntarily arched her back.
"This might indeed have some possibilities." he stated calmly. "I wonder..."
The diffuse tingling turned into a more focused pulse that ran through her nervous system, and that was not only quite pleasant but also rather stimulating.
Her next breath came definitely quicker.
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All the while, he kept his touch slow, careful, his biotics adding a curious random element to the sensation as the field wandered over her.
One hand spread her thighs, testing her reaction gently.
And she suddenly didn't want to take it slow. She wasn't quite certain whether it was the additional play of dark energy around her nerves or the leftover adrenaline from the fight and yet another close call, or a combination of both, but she needed to feel more of him than this.
She rose up to reach for him, shrugging off her robe in the process and drawing his open, running her hands over bare plates as she drew him down on her. He gave a vaguely surprised sound but didn't resist.
The effect of his biotics became much stronger as she moulded herself to him, more direct contact, and it was no longer a single touch but something that seemed to roll all over her, the dark energy coursing through her like an electrical current.
"Like electricity. It's like I'm grounding you." she gasped out with a smile.
"You are. Literally, for once." he agreed, his voice strangely soft.
She ground herself against him, impatiently, feeling plates shift as he responded to the invitation her body extended to him. With a low growl, he gathered up her left leg, drawing it up over his hip as he pushed into her in the same move.
She gasped, not surprised but still reacting to the suddenness of it, drew up her other leg and braced her foot against the spur on his leg. That made him throw his head back in a silent snarl, then he leaned in again, resting his weight on one arm, the other supporting the small of her back, drawing her close as he thrust against her.
She raised her hips to meet his movement, and they found their rhythm, still slow, but intense. The biotic energy was a different rhythm, a much faster pulse that ran though her, making her arch her back. She gasped again as another stroke seemed to set her nerve endings on fire, spots of white hot pleasure in contrast to the ambient, more subdued effect of the biotics. The combination was incredibly effective.
His body had ceased to be a mystery to her long ago, and she found the spots where he welcomed her touch with the certainty of previous experience, stroked fingers over softer patches of skin. The growl he gave was as much enjoyment as amusement, and it dropped in pitch as she stroked the back of his head, just under the fringe.
Of course, he knew her reactions just as well, if not better. His hold on her shifted, changing the angle of her hips, and his next thrust went deeper, increasing sensation even more.
Another slow slide of his body against hers, and that ridge on his plates pressed against her clit in a delicious way that he knew to use to full advantage.
She moaned in reaction, and the biotic field spiked, a fast rhythm that was both familiar and wasn't. Her own heartbeat was hammering in her ears, fast, but slower than the field's.
That finally made her make the connection.
"Your biotics." she gasped. "In time with your heartbeat."
She heard his breath hitch just as she felt the pulse change. "I wasn't aware of that-" He started to draw back, the dark energy's sensation fading with the loss of full contact, and that wasn't what she had intended at all.
"No." she whispered almost fiercely, drawing his head down to look into his eyes. "I like it. Very much. Don't hold back."
His eyes widened, then he growled again, and proceeded to do exactly as she had asked.
The biotic pulse washed over her again, stronger than before, like something tangible force, and she moaned as he moved against her again. He reacted to her vocal approval, and she could feel that through the changes in the field.
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It was too intense to last long for either of them, but that was perfectly acceptable.
She felt herself tighten around him, that familiar tension that told her she was close to breaking limit, and of course he could tell, because he held her even closer, then gently nipped at her shoulder as thrust into her again.
It sent her over the edge, just as intended, and she cried out softly as pleasure peaked, her body arching, then shuddering against his.
Biotic energy continued to crawl through her, intensifying sensation, prolonging it, and the rhythm of that pulse increased, perfectly in time with the way he was touching her, moving with her.
He lost control of the biotics in the end, dark energy rushing through her in a wave that set her nerve endings on edge, and she suspected that if he'd been at even the toned-down level from before they'd started this, it would have been enough to throw her off him, or at least do some serious damage. As things were, it was like an electrical shock, just below her pain threshold, and she wasn't going to complain about that as she watched Saren's face as he found his own release.
She held on to him, finding a whole different kind of satisfaction in the immediate certainty that he was enjoying this just as much as she did.
He let himself fall on his side, drawing her with him, his arms still around her even as he slid out of her.
It took a while for her to catch her breath again, and she was perfectly content to abandon all further thinking and just be for a while. He seemed to be just as reluctant to let go of her, his hands caressing her back in slow, small circles, a sensation she found to be calming, almost hypnotic.
He lifted his head slightly to study her, a look of concentration she knew from other situations, clearly trying to gauge her state.
She smiled, letting him know that she was more than fine, and he relaxed again.
His eyes were half closed, and she unthinkingly stroked a thumb over the softer skin under the joint attaching his mandible to his jaw. To her delight, his eyes closed completely at that, the effect strangely reminiscent of scratching a cat's jaw. She felt it was a pity that he didn't purr. Shepard knew he could in fact make such a sound, but he very rarely did that. Maybe he considered it undignified, or maybe he just rarely relaxed that much.
She'd never quite found the nerve to ask. So much of their interaction was based on deduction and observation and pure instinct, and going just by law of probability at least some of those assumptions had to be wrong, but somehow it still worked for them.
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She studied his face, and found to her surprise that he'd fallen asleep, his arm still around her.
He'd never done that before. He could, and did, doze, but she'd never seen him fast asleep before. Turians needed less sleep than humans and could go for extended periods of time with only short periods of rest with very reduced awareness until they really needed to completely shut down. They had never discussed it, but her interpretation had always been that he usually didn't sleep unless he felt safe enough.
It had to be one of his survival instincts, where alone equalled safe. Rationally he knew that she was no threat, of course, but instinct wasn't rational, and behavioural patterns ingrained over decades weren't easily changed.
That he broke that pattern now was probably just a sign of how exhausted he had been, and he simply had crashed once both the biotic energy and the tension left over from their fighting had wound down.
Or maybe it just meant that he was finally able to relax with her.
Whatever the reason, she was fine with it, she decided, shifting herself carefully to a more comfortable position that let her remain close to him without having the sharp and pointy bits of his plates dig into her skin. His higher body temperature made up for the less comfortable rigidity of his plates. It was possible to cuddle up to a turian despite the hazards of rough plates and sharp edges, she had found, if one kept one's movement slow and careful and wasn't discouraged by a scratch or two.
Then again, she supposed that held true for most of her interaction with Saren.
She leaned her cheek against his collar, comfortable enough.
The sound of the rain had become even louder. They would be stuck planetside for a day longer, and sooner or later she'd have to go outside and get the rest of her gear.
But not quite yet.
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Fantastic fill!
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STOP APOLOGIZING WE LOVE YOU
And stop offering us more fics, you know we're just going to say yes yes yes yes.
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Well, if you want anything more, toss me a prompt.
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What about a fic where paragon!Shepard saves Saren from a.. "compromising" position for once? 8D And then later for sexy times, something where Shep is somehow the dominating one?(not like bondage.. but just, The Boss B| Maybe she's just still hung over the adrenalin high of having to help him out of something dangerous) If you'd feel like filling that of course :D
Ooh, and I love your stories. So much. They should win best AU here, if there's ever a new competition. I'd nominate them for sure.
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