"At least we're not breaking out the prisoner," Garrus mentioned as we sat back in the front batteries, "Though I wouldn't put it past you doing it anyway."
"You know how things go, Garrus. Nothing went to plan during our missions for Saren. Hell, just keeping Benezia alive wasn't something I expected when we'd arrived on Noveria."
"Not only kept her alive but spent plenty of time fucking her."
"Then there's that bomb on Virmire. Hell, I was nearly killed when bits of Sovereign fell through the Citadel Tower."
"And let's not forget the women, Shepard."
"What about you? Anyone special in your life?"
"Well… Um… I find myself drawn to two. Remember Chloe on the Citadel? The doctor?"
"Vaguely. That woman we helped when I met you the first time."
"I was never that oblivious to her obvious interest in me. I'm just surprised a human female is interested in someone like me."
"Garrus, I'm going to put this quite simply. When we were only on Earth, humans only fucked humans. We didn't fuck other animals. Well, most of us didn't. It certainly wasn't legal otherwise. It was only when we escaped Earth and then met others that we were like 'So who of you can we fuck?' Let's just say that meeting a race of human-looking blue alien babes…"
"We kind of felt the same, to be honest. It's a shame the salarians have absolutely no sex drives and only breed with each other anyway."
"Things got so bad so quickly with men only wanting to date asari that they worried about declining birth rates across every population. Men might have still been popping out babies with their asari wives though they were the wrong species. Anyway, there's Chloe. Who else?"
"I met a turian on Omega. Her name was Nyreen. Worked for a mercenary group called the Talons. Unlike the three that I was fighting, her group actually do some good on Omega. Protecting civilians without extorting them. And she told me about her history with Aria. I'm not sure if it was a genuine feud or just a falling out."
"We'll probably be back on both the Citadel and Omega eventually. Did you go and see Chloe this time?"
"Yeah. I hadn't seen her in months. She was pleased to see me. We went out for dinner and… You know…"
"Had some fun?"
He gave me a look and laughed. "I was so exhausted the next morning. And I loved turning off my translator and listening to her. I think it's called French?"
"French is sexy as hell when being whispered into your ear while making love."
"And as for Chloe herself, she's insatiable, Shepard. I was left limping this morning."
"Nothing like the morning after limp due to having sore balls." We shared a look and burst into laughter. "Glad to see you happy again, old friend."
"I have to find it somewhere, Shepard, otherwise I'll just be filled with hate and rage. There's something I must deal with, but it can wait. I don't have the information yet."
"Let me know when you do, and we'll deal with it."
"We'll be at the prison in a few hours. I'm taking the whole team. Not sure we'll need two snipers…"
"I haven't talked to her yet. You know I'm just as good with an assault rifle."
"Good man."
A couple of hours later, my squad was armed and most of them were wearing armour. Miranda suggested that she would start wearing armour when it came to the Collectors, but she preferred relying on her shields, and if completely necessary, could use her biotics to protect herself as well. Georgia wore what would be considered light armour. The armour that Garrus and I wore was thicker. Amelie wore no armour at all. Her clothing was as tight and revealing as Miranda's. I looked her up and down and noticed her smile in return.
"Okay. Cerberus has already got the funds in place to exchange with Purgatory. That's where we are picking up the prisoner. No idea what they've done to be placed there except they have a history of violence. We can also expect someone with exceptional biotic ability. Hopefully this is a simple exchange. Like usual, plan for the best though expect the worst."
"Spirits, I know this is going to tits up straight away," Garrus muttered to himself.
Joker reported in that we were given docking permission as we were expected. Once the ship was clamped in place, I felt everyone stiffen slightly as the airlock cycled. I was relaxed as they would either be cooperative, or we'd be fighting our way out with or without the prisoner. Striding out of the ship, none of us carried weapons as it was a prison though I knew what the first request was going to be.
In many ways, a reminder of Noveria. I wondered what Gianna was up to nowadays…
We were greeted by a trio of guards. Their armour was eerily similar to the Blue Suns armour that I'd seen back on Omega. Garrus didn't seem particularly perturbed by it. No one else really seemed to care. It wasn't a real surprise that the three greeting us were turians. The guard in charge demanded immediately that we relinquish our weapons.
"Fuck off," I replied simply while gesturing for everyone to remain calm.
"Come now, Shepard. Do you really think we're going to let a dead Spectre and his heavily armed companions into this prison while armed?"
"I'm not handing over my weapons. Give me the prisoner, we'll send you the credits, and we can part ways without a problem."
The door behind them opened and another turian marched forward. A turian carrying authority. He gestured for his guards to step back. "Commander Shepard. I'm Warden Kuril. It is standard procedure that all visitors hand over their weapons before entering the prison."
"And I'm telling you that I'm not handing over my weapons when I'm walking into a prison full of, well, prisoners as well as an unknown number of mercenaries. I wasn't born yesterday."
He glared at me. I just crossed my arms and looked at him. No glare. In fact, I was doing my best not to start laughing at him. I could just get back on my ship and leave. Sure, I'd be pissed about not recruiting whoever this prisoner turned out to be, but I wasn't going to be taken for a fool. And I knew that Cerberus wouldn't release the funds so this Blue Suns unit would be out quite a few credits.
"I've got all day, Warden," I eventually said, stifling a yawn, "We can either walk in there together and there won't be a problem, or I get back in my ship and take off, keeping the credits, or we can complete the deal, and you get a lovely little bonus for a few minutes work."
Kuril finally shook his head. "Very well, Commander. Just keep your weapons where they are and we won't have a problem. Follow me. We'll get the prisoner processed while we sort out the financial transaction."
As we followed Kuril, he explained how the prison worked. Each cellblock was a self-contained unit that could be ejected if shit got out of hand. We saw a demonstration of crowd control techniques. We passed by more than a few prisoners who were in their cells, Kuril stopping to explain what some of the crimes they'd committed were, how long each day they spent in the cell, and why many of them ended up in his cells.
"We generally take in the worst of the worst. Given that most species no longer execute people, we will imprison those who the likes of the Alliance or the Asari Republics no longer want to deal with. We're paid handsomely for it."
"And if they don't pay?"
"All it takes is the threat to leave said prisoner somewhere on their home world to make sure that the payment continues."
"What about Jack? What's the deal with them?" Miranda wondered.
"Jack is unlike any prisoner we've dealt with before. A ball of pure hate and rage. You've got your hands full with that one, of that I can promise you."
Speaking to the prisoners was a rather illuminating experience as they told us of their daily life. Some even took pleasure in describing their crimes. It was during those conversations that I'm sure more than one of us thought that putting a bullet in some of them would be quite deserving. Better off dead than governments paying whatever they were in keeping them alive on this prison ship.
We reached a junction; Kuril asked us to head for outprocessing while he would go and check the credits were being received for Jack's release. Jack was currently in cryostasis and needed to be taken out of it. We continued further, watching a couple of guards beating a prisoner. I may have said something had I not heard of some of the crimes before.
"What's he done to deserve that?" I had to ask.
"We were only escorting him to the showers when he tried to attack guards and prisoners alike. Had a shiv that ended up injuring three prisoners and a guard. We're now showing him the error of his ways."
"And his crimes?"
"Trust me. You don't want to know. Let's just say if it was my decision, I'd have brought back something like hanging."
What became obvious was the mental state of many prisoners. Some were probably already suffering mental health problems before they'd even arrived on the prison ship. But I reckon many more had fallen apart due to the constant solitude, heavy guard presence, and I wouldn't be surprised if many of them were beaten for even the slightest of grievances. I had no pity to give them.
We continued walking until arriving at a door, lettering above stating it was the outprocessing centre. It was almost empty except for one technician when we strolled on in, a square of lounges and some supplies nearby to make hot drinks. I wasn't going to relax until we had Jack in our custody, and we were back on our ship. More than one companion mentioned that they felt uneasy. I just told them to stay loose and calm.
"You'll want to go through the far door," the technician stated, "That'll take you where you want to go."
I walked over to the door, glancing behind before I pressed the button. It turned out to be a simple box room, almost like a holding cell.
"My apologies, Shepard. You're more valuable as a prisoner than a customer. Drop your weapons and proceed into the open cell. You will not be harmed."
I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. "Kuril. Get fucked and get bent. Weapons hot, people."
We spread out and took what cover we could as numerous guards flooded into the room. And straight into our bullets. Idiots. It was one of those short, sharp fights that barely lasts a minute or two. For a bunch of turians, their tactics were pathetic.
Moving out into the corridor, there were more Blue Suns waiting for us and that's when the squad as a whole got to work. Given the tight confines, Garrus and I worked with shotguns, getting in as close as possible. Our shields constantly took hits, but our armour was thick enough to keep us safe. Miranda and Georgia had biotics. Amelie was keeping back, and we heard the crack of her rifle. Kasumi had a cloaking device that made her practically invisible. She'd appear, put a bullet in the head of a mercenary, then immediately disappear again.
There was no sign of Kuril, left wondering where he got to. As we fought, I noticed a few human bodies among those we left on the floor. I could also hear the shouts of the prisoners as they figured out rather quickly what was up. I knew we were bound to start a riot and figured that would help us get out of there in the end. I didn't care what happened to the mercenaries or the prisoners. All that mattered now was getting off the ship with Jack. I wasn't going through all of this just to leave with them.
We walked into a room overlooking the entire cellblock. Miranda stepped forward and figured out rather quickly how it would all work. She keyed a few commands before looking at me with a smirk.
"That big green button will open every door on this cellblock, Shepard," she explained.
"And Jack's in cryostasis. I guess that'll get them out too?"
"Exactly."
"Right. Get ready for shit to hit the fan then."
"Never easy, is it, Shepard?" Garrus asked.
We watched as the machine got to work below us while a pair of larger mechs woke up and kept an eye on what was going on. The stasis pod was eventually pulled up from the freezer it was in to reveal Jack. She wasn't particularly big. Shaved head. Absolutely covered in body art. Barely wore a stitch of clothing over her top art, just enough to cover her breasts. She took a few seconds to wake up pulling at the restraints holding her in place.
"Wait for it," I muttered.
Her eyes didn't move to where we were standing. Her eyes were on the trio of large mechs in front of her. And she got to work immediately. The biotic power on display would have matched most asari. Mech parts went flying and the entire ship started to shake as it was obvious what her intention was. Kill as many guards as possible and get off the ship while she had the chance.
We followed her trail of destruction. She'd torn a massive hole in the wall. Kuril started to make announcements over the loudspeakers. Prisoners were rioting with the guards fending them off. He authorised the use of lethal force against everyone except Jack.
"Must be worth something to him," I suggested.
"He's only in it for the credits, honey," Georgia replied, "He's basically running an extortion racket."
"Oh well, another pile of dead Blue Suns for my record," Garrus stated with a hint of humour.
The ship computer started to report in the list of problems already affecting the station. Life support was already failing. Other cells were being spaced. The list of the dead was likely going to be enormous. Hell, if Jack or anyone else reached the core, there was a good chance that the ship was going to detonate. I figured that we only had a short space of time.
Fires had broken out and it appeared that the extinguishers had either failed or hadn't worked in the first place. Most of the prisoners ignored us with their focus on the guards. Any guards that did take note of us quickly found themselves dead on the ground. I assumed Jack was heading in the direction of the docks to get off the station.
In addition to guards, there were numerous mechs to deal with, including a couple of the larger sort that had both shields and thick armour. Although they were a bitch to take down, the numbers that I had by my side meant it slowed us down though didn't stop us. The number of guards had suggested that they must have outnumbered the prisoners.
I was confident that we were closing on Jack when the next announcement suggested that the power plant had taken considerable damage and that an entire systems failure was imminent. That would either mean a cataclysmic explosion or the failure of systems such as electricity and life support. Well, that would kill everyone else including Jack as all of us had breathing systems on our suits. Did the guards?
"All guards to Cellblock One! Find Jack! I repeat, find Jack!" Kuril ordered over the loudspeaker.
We made our way to Cellblock One. No sign of Jack there but Kuril was waiting with the rest of his guards. He had the high ground and wore tech armour. He fired in our direction. All we did was take cover.
"You're valuable, Shepard. I could have sold you and lived like a king. But you're too much trouble. At least I can recapture Jack," he stated.
"You're a piece of shit, Kurl. A two-bit slave trader and nothing but a criminal. You belong in a cell alongside these prisoners."
He did not like that. He did not like that at all. He tried to justify what he did. All Miranda did for me was collapse his shields as Amelie fired off a shot. Garrus and I fired at the same time. He staggered back though didn't go down, smart enough to finally take cover and stop talking. The firefight lasted longer as the guards were dug in. We had to reply on tactics, particularly biotics to drag them out of cover.
Kuril ended up being a bitch to take down as there were generators that repaired his shields whenever he was in cover. First thing to do? Destroy the generators. We did that rather quickly with a few well-placed shots. Then we just focused on Kuril again once we'd killed all his guards. We could have gone in close and gotten medieval on him, but we just whittled down his shields, and burned away his armour, with Amelie getting in the killing shot. Half his face practically came away before he slumped to the ground
We found Jack in the docking bay. A couple of guards were approaching her. She was too busy looking at my ship to see them. She only turned to face us after I'd shot the two guards. For a brief moment, she looked absolutely terrified. That was something I simply didn't expect to see. Then she shimmered with biotic energy, and I wondered if she was going to attack us.
"What the fuck do you want?" she asked.
"I'm Commander Shepard and we're going to get you out of here."
"I'm not going anywhere with any of you. You're Cerberus."
"And?"
"They've been on my arse for years. Anytime I get free, they put a huge bounty on me."
"Explains why Kuril was so desperate to keep her," Garrus suggested, "I bet he was keeping her to hand over to Cerberus sooner rather than later."
"Bingo. Kuril thought he'd struck gold when he got his hands on me," Jack confirmed.
"I don't work for Cerberus though at this point our interests are the same. I'm here to ask for your help, Jack."
She laughed at me. "Seriously? You show up in a Cerberus vessel and think that I'll help you. You think I'm fucking stupid or something?"
"You don't have any other options, Jack. This place is bound to explode shortly and we're your only way off. Before you go threatening us, there is one of you and more of us. But I'd rather we leave together. I'm asking for your help. Not demanding. Not ordering. Not threatening. I'm asking."
She folded her arms and tried to look tough. I almost chuckled. I'll admit, I liked her already. I liked snark sometimes. "Fine, I go with you, you do something for me. I come with a price."
"Name it."
"You sound confident that you can deliver, Shepard. What would the bimbo cheerleader behind you say?"
"That's Miranda. She's my XO." I'm sure Miranda was probably offended I knew who she meant though it wasn't hard to figure out who. "Make your request and I'll do my best."
She walked towards me, needing to raise her eyes as she was only a couple of inches taller than Kasumi at most. "I bet your ship's got loads of Cerberus databases. I want to see the files, see what Cerberus has on me."
"Miranda?"
"If that's what it takes, Shepard, I'll do what I can. The Illusive Man…"
"Fuck your Illusive Man, cheerleader. You want me on the team, you get me the files. Cerberus has fucked with me long enough."
"Deal?" I asked, offering my hand.
She looked at it and scoffed. "You fuck with me, Shepard…"
"Oh, he'll try and fuck with you a certain way," Garrus stated, laughing to himself.
Jack figured out what he meant, and I think nearly started to blush. I gestured to the docking arm and made sure that she was in front of me. The artwork on her body was something else. She was rather slim though and I don't think physically strong as all her power was through her biotics. I noticed the stares of the crew as we walked along the flight deck, telling Joker to get us away from the ship as quickly as possible.
Kelly didn't offer to show Jack around this time as Miranda suggested we meet in the Briefing Room. I knew what she wanted to do. Georgia followed Miranda and Jack as I told the rest of the team to take a few minutes. Joining the other three in the briefing room, it was obvious that Jack immediately hated the two Cerberus operatives. I knew that was going to make things awkward.
"Miranda…" I gave her a look.
"I just want to make sure that Jack understands what is going on here, Shepard. We can't afford to have a loose cannon on the ship."
"Look, you want me here, you've got me here. All I want is a nice, quiet place for me to bunk down and you to give me those files."
"Miranda?" She sighed before I met her eyes. "Come on, it probably won't be as bad as you imagined."
"You know he won't be happy."
"I don't care about that."
She took a few moments before nodding. "Okay. I'll get the files. I'll have them with you as soon as possible."
"Thanks, cheerleader."
Miranda muttered something to herself before she turned and left the room. Georgia looked Jack up and down. "Love the body art, sugar. I know a lot of people wouldn't like it. I think it's lovely."
Jack didn't know what to say to that before Georgia wandered out. She turned her eyes to me. Gesturing for her to follow, I wasn't surprised she pressed the button for the cargo bay though she realised there was nothing nice and quiet. We moved up one level to engineering where the only noise was the hum from the drive core. She followed the stairs leading underneath and was immediately satisfied.
"Can I get a bed in here or something?"
"Sure. Whatever you need, Jack. I'll leave you to it for now."
I turned to walk away when she called out, "Why did you agree, Shepard? You could have dragged me on here, sold me for credits…"
"I'm a bastard, Jack. I'm not an arsehole. Killed a lot of people, most of them deserved it. I'm with Cerberus at the moment because they're the only group taking the threat seriously. And I do need your help. I'm building a team, everyone bringing a special talent to the table. I've only had a glimpse of your biotic talents. I can only imagine how powerful you will prove."
"I want the files, Shepard."
"I'll get them to you as soon as I can. Miranda wants to keep me happy so…"
"Fuck her yet?"
"That's none of your business."
"When's dinner?"
"This evening. In a few hours. Hungry?"
"Starving."
"Will you join us?"
"I'm not playing happy fucking families with Cerberus, Shepard."
"Fair enough."
Kelly was waiting for me in the CIC, approaching me as I made my way to my laptop. I turned to face her as she leaned up to give me a soft kiss. I had no problem with it in front of the crew. They were well aware that Kelly was up in my cabin every night. They probably knew why she'd been placed on the ship. I placed my hands on the lower back and made her giggle when I moved them down to her arse.
"Wow… That body art, Shepard… But I'm not sure she'd say a word to me."
"I would suggest being careful. At best, she'll tell you to fuck off. At worst… She hates Cerberus with a passion. I get the feeling something bad happened in her past."
"I'll let her settle in and see if she'll talk to me in a day or two."
"Give it time and don't push it too quickly."
Mealtime was interesting as my ground team was there with me. Even Amelie joined us as did the ship crew that were currently on break. The ship was already on its way to picking up our last recruit so at least we were keeping busy. The mess did fall silent when Jack stalked her way to the bar where bowls of food were waiting. She picked up a tray and slammed each spoonful onto the tray. Once she was happy, she picked up a drink and turned towards us.
I wasn't surprised that she just walked on by without a word. "Just give her some time," I said once I heard the elevator door close behind us, "She's been through some shit."
"What I've been looking for has already been flagged, Shepard. I'm going to get questions."
"I know, Miranda. If it's a major problem, send anyone who is asking my way. I'll deal with them."
I had noticed that some of the crew and ground team would head off to one of the lounges of an evening. I hadn't really joined in yet as I was busy catching up on two years' worth of news. Miranda kept to herself most of the time as well though I knew she was doing her best to lose the 'ice queen' name. I'd heard more than a few whispered comments about how friendly she was trying to be, but what made me happy is that they did appreciate the change. Even Georgia had mentioned it to me.
"Shepard, she was queen bitch back on Lazarus," she told me when we were chatting that evening and I mentioned it, "She was abrupt and just downright rude with most people. Hell, part of me doesn't even blame Wilson for what he did. He wasn't the only one feeling the strain and quite pissed off with how she ran things."
"Not a good leader?"
"Not that. It was just the stress of bringing you back to life. I've already learned that you have a relaxed manner when we're here on the ship. On the ground, yeah, I wouldn't fuck with you for a second. But you know when to switch off. Miranda didn't. She was practically unapproachable at the best of times."
"Hopefully she might learn a thing or two from how I run things," I suggested.
I gave it time until I wandered down to check on Jack. A couple of crew members had found what she wanted. She was lying back relaxing when she probably heard my footsteps, sitting up and waiting for me to appear in the dim light.
"What do you want?" she asked bluntly.
"Just checking that you're settled in. Avoiding us at dinner was noticed by everyone."
"I don't give a fuck, Shepard."
"I know you don't, but being part of a team is more than just being out in the field. I'm not asking you to be everyone's friend or anything…"
She smirked at me and scoffed. "Jesus, Shepard. You sound like a pussy."
I took a moment and calmed myself. "I'm going to let that pass, Jack."
"Awww… Did I hurt your feelings… You're just like the rest of them."
She didn't expect how fast I moved for a big guy. I had my large hand around her throat, and I easily picked her up. That's when her eyes went wide, and she shimmered blue. I lifted her up and sat her on a chest of drawers, no doubt full of tools. I squeezed only enough so she could get a taste of how strong I was. I think lifting her up that easily told her exactly what she was dealing with.
"I get the attitude," I said, my face close to hers, "I get it. Have it out with Miranda. I'll step in, when necessary, but I get it. But you disrespect me for a moment, and I will come down on you like a tonne of bricks. Be blunt with me all you want. Don't give a fuck. But you do not fuck with me, Jack. Sit down here in the dark. Don't care. But you are part of my team. I will try and understand you if I can, but you've got to meet me at least part of the way."
I let go of her and took half a step back. I was breathing happily. Jack stared at me blankly before I nodded at her and turned around to walk away. I'd barely made it to the stairs when I heard her ask, "You just want to fuck me or something, Shepard? That what you want?"
I turned back to see she'd taken off the fabric that covered her breasts and taken off her trousers. She was almost without hair. Her body art was everywhere. No surprise her pussy was completely bald. She watched me drink her body in as I walked back towards her. She didn't step back though I could see her tense up with every step I took.
"That want you want, Jack? Think I'll just fuck you once and go away or something?"
"You're a man. That's what men want from me. Fuck me, use me, discard me. You're no different. I give you my pussy and arse…"
I raised my hand, and she flinched. That actually made me feel rather sad for her, that a man just raising a hand in her direction scared her. When I ran my fingers over her shaved head, not completely smooth though it was cut incredibly short, her eyes widened as my hand moved down to the back of her neck and rested down on her lower back before running my fingers up her back again. And I felt the scars. She knew that I felt them.
"You know, Jack… You are rather pretty when you're not being all angry at me…"
She looked away, I'm not sure because if she was embarrassed, upset or angry that I said something nice. "Fuck off, Shepard…"
That was said softly, not angrily. "I get the feeling something shit happened as to why you hate Cerberus. Did you believe me, Jack?" She nodded so that was something, at least. "Cerberus is a means to an end. I defeat the Collectors, and I leave. That's it. But I need your help doing it."
She nodded again and I removed my hand. It was only when I was walking away again that I heard her ask, softly, "Did you mean that, Shepard?"
"Absolutely," I replied, walking back towards her, drinking in every inch of her body.
"I'm not used to men… Just… I mean, I thought you would just want to try and fuck me…"
"I'll be honest, Jack. I do love to fuck. Nothing better than sex after a mission. All that adrenaline. But I only fuck the willing."
"And if I was willing?"
"I'd fuck you in a heartbeat, Jack. I'm sure we'd have a lot of fun if we did."
"I do love anal…"
"I bet that would be a lot of fun considering your filthy mouth and the fact that you have quite the cute behind. But you've got nothing to prove to me, Jack. Relax while you can, help out when we're on the ground. Try and get to know at least some of the crew or at least the squad that you'll be working with. Most of them are not Cerberus. They're here because they agreed to work with me."
"No one… No one has ever really cared, Shepard. Anyone that I've been close to, they've either died or fucked me over. Or both."
"Well, I've already died. I won't fuck you over."
I was surprised when she laughed to herself. "Shit, I haven't talked to anyone this long in what feels like years. Is this like your gift or something?"
"I listen, Jack. I ask questions and I listen. I like to learn how people tick."
"Okay…"
"I appreciate the nudity though."
That made her snort. "I'm tiny compared to you. I bet your cock would stretch me out something fierce."
"Careful, Jack…"
"Although I'm only teasing, I do wonder… I mean when your hand was around my neck, I got wet."
"Like it rough?"
"Only when I feel like I'm in control. The thing is, when you did that, I felt funny. Like I knew you weren't going to hurt me. It was weird. Men hurt me. Even those that I did end up trusting."
"I wasn't going to hurt you. I just wanted to show you my own strength. And that you had to at least respect me."
"I'll do my best, Shepard."
"Good. You okay?"
"Ummm… Yeah… I'm okay. The information?"
"You'll get it soon. I'll chase up Miranda for it."
I walked away for a third time and made it to the stairs without Jack saying anything. I took the elevator up to my cabin and felt better about things. I think we needed that conversation. Kelly turned up a little later and immediately stripped naked before joining me on the bed. She had my cock out of my trousers and her head bobbing up and down rather quickly.
"I've not had a drink as I wanted you to fuck me tonight," she stated before resuming her blowjob. I took off my t-shirt and made sure she moved around so her pussy was in my face.
I buried my face which earned a moan as I savoured her taste. She'd arrived in the cabin hot and wet, assuming that she'd probably been talking about our sex life or the topic of sex had been talked about generally. I didn't waste time licking up her slit and towards her rosebud. She moaned around my cock when I teased that. I knew she was up for a little anal in the future.
Her lips tightened around my cock in her eagerness to get me up, one of her hands fondling my balls at the same time. I moved back to her pussy and found her slit. I managed to position my arms so I could slide a pair of fingers into her pussy with one feeling up her arse.
Despite doing all I could, she made me cum first. I groaned loudly as I felt my cock unload into her mouth. And she almost made me chuckle as I knew she was gulping it down loudly for my benefit. As soon as I was empty, her mouth disappeared from my cock as she sat back and pressed her pussy down into my mouth.
"Yes, Shepard," she hissed, "Eat my pussy."
I did just what she wanted as her hand still stroked my cock though as she moaned and whimpered, I knew she was getting closed and closer. My tongue was now mostly working her clit, feeling her hips move to how my tongue was moving. I knew she was close, and when she warned me that she was close, I moved my hand to fiddle her clit with my finger at the same time and that set her off.
She enjoyed the one orgasm before sliding off my face and onto the bed, pulling her legs back and spreading them so I could continue to eat her out in a more comfortable position.
"Fuck… Keep going, Shepard. I love your tongue… Who should I thank?"
"Probably the asari," I replied, "I always ate pussy, but those older asari I was with… I learned a lot…"
"I'll be sure to thank them if I ever meet them."
I wrapped my hands around each thigh, and I made sure that only her hips could move. Her head rolled back as she cried out and another orgasm would be arriving soon enough. She cursed again and again, released more than one whimper, and then the climax arrived. Despite the excitement, she begged me not to stop, releasing one of her thighs and sliding two fingers back inside her. I wanted to put one in her bum as well though resisted for now.
With two fingers inside her and my tongue on her clit, the next orgasm almost made her scream with delight. Just repeating 'Oh God!' numerous times before her pussy squeezed my fingers and I think she nearly passed out. That's when I finally relented, removing my fingers and sucking those clean before I left a light trail of kisses up her glistening body.
When she opened her eyes, the smile on her face… I knew immediately what she was thinking and feeling. Her soft fingers caressed my cheek as I leaned down to kiss her, earning another whimper when I gently slid my cock inside her.
"Gentle," she whispered, "Make love to me, Shepard."
We did make love. All night. I wasn't in love with her yet. Kelly? I think she was already falling for me. I genuinely liked her a lot. She was warm, bubbly and ever so friendly. Add to that attractive and dynamite in the sack, and I knew that I was a lucky man. She was eager to ride me again and I'd never tire of watching her bounce and grind on my cock, and I did love watching her orgasm while I was inside her. We needed a shower when we were done due to the sweat, Kelly cuddled up to me when we were back in bed.
"You'll be up early?"
"Stay in bed, Kelly. I can handle the couple of hours. It's to do with the improvements."
"It is a very comfortable bed. Far better than the bunks down in the crew quarters."
"You think anyone is fucking down there?"
"Given the lack of men, there is definitely some dining at the Y, even between women who probably never gave it a thought."
"Would you have joined in?"
"Shepard, I'd join in now, make sure we video it, then we could watch it later."
"You are so fucking naughty sometimes, Miss Chambers."
"I'll do anything for you, Shepard. I hope you believe that."
I pulled her closer and left a soft kiss on her lips. "I do…"
I was up early again, probably having no more than two- or three hours sleep. Yet I felt absolutely fine. Revitalised. Full of energy once again. I dressed comfortably and rode the elevator to the mess. The lights were down low as usual. Barely heard the hum of the drive core below. I knew up on the CCI that there would only be a couple of crew members up and about. EDI would be protecting the ship while Joker was sleeping. We didn't have a rotation of pilots, and I certainly didn't expect Joker to burn himself out flying.
After pouring myself a cup of coffee, I noticed Miranda's door was open. Remembering what happened before, I walked up and listened. I didn't hear anything, but I opened it anyway. She was lying back on her bed on her side. But I could see movement. That intrigued me so I walked over to stand next to her bed. She was awake, moving her head to look at me. She removed her hand from underneath the sheets and held up her hand. Two fingers glistened before she slid them back down.
I pulled the sheet back enough to see that the top half of her body was naked and could only assume that she had nothing on down below either. Miranda moaned softly a few times, and I felt her shudder.
"Oh fuck," she whimpered.
"Surprised I didn't walk in to find a toy inside you."
"I was going to use it later. I thought you wouldn't be here yet."
"Want me to go out and wait?"
That made her chuckle. "Go on then. Give me fifteen minutes."
She noticed the bulge in my trousers when I stood up before I walked out to the mess and sat down. I put the timer on while I read over a couple of datapads. At fifteen minutes, I finished my drink and cleaned out the mug at the sink, putting it up to dry, before I walked back into Miranda's quarters. She was sat on her knees facing the door, one hand cupping one of her breasts, the other at her side. There was a thick dildo between her legs that she was currently impaled on, riding it nice and slow.
I stripped naked and watched her eyes light up, my cock swinging in front of me as I stopped before her. I leaned down to kiss her, Miranda moaning into my mouth.
"It's a mould of yours," she explained quietly, "Absolutely perfect replica."
"How far do you want to go?"
"Just watch… Jerk off for me. Cum on me."
"You sure?"
"I want to see how much you cum now. I bet you cum in buckets."
I'll be honest. With the amount of sex I had, I didn't find myself really wanting to jerk off much. Not that I didn't. All men jerked off. Sometimes you just wanted to clear the pipes. Occasionally I'd do it to clear my head, particularly if I was distracted by lustful thoughts. That's why they always joke that men should jerk off before making a big decision, particularly when it comes to romance.
What did make me grin was Miranda lubing up my cock for me, spitting into my hand and stroking me a few times before I took over. I did lean down and kiss her again, something that made her grin.
"I've never done something like this, a dildo in my pussy while a man jerked off for me."
"We can do whatever you want within reason, Miranda."
"I want you to see me cum, Shepard."
"Every woman I've been with had a beautiful cum face. I'm sure men don't look as gorgeous when they're climaxing."
Miranda did seem to take delight in watching me stroke my dick though she eventually laid on her back and started to really fuck herself with her dildo. That meant I could watch it easier as I moved around the bed. She made me chuckle when she fondled my balls with her free hand…
And then she came. And it was as beautiful as I thought it would be. When she moaned my name more than once, I smiled at her. Another reason to smile was that she kept going, her hand on my balls moving down her body to her clit. And her next climax was within a couple of minutes. My hand was now a blur, and I could feel mine approaching.
"On my tits, Shepard. Tits and then my face."
I was about to mention that I'd been with Kelly then realised that she already knew. Everyone knew Kelly was in my room and we were fucking. Miranda was genuinely happy for the young woman. She hadn't shown an iota of jealousy yet. Miranda's tits were absolutely perfect. Her nipples were hard, areola the size of twenty-cent pieces from our homeland. She licked her lips and I knew she was going to take a mouthful of my cum when I aimed.
"Fuck," I grunted as Miranda climaxed yet again, "Jesus, Miranda…"
"Cum on, Shepard. Coat me in your spunk. When we finally fuck… God, you're just going to get everything that first time. All night, we just fuck. Mouth. Pussy. Arse."
"Can't wait to fuck that arse of yours," I growled.
"Can't wait to feel that big cock back there."
When I came, the first two spurts were aimed for her breasts. I then moved my cock, and the first spurt went across her cheeks and nose. Then I aimed for her mouth, and Miranda opened her mouth to take two more spurts. And yet more came, two more landing on her face. Then I stepped closer and pressed the head of my cock to her mouth.
"Suck it," I ordered. She complied immediately, her eyes filling with desire as she continued to masturbate. She hummed around my cock as she licked the head and top of my shaft. "That's it, Miranda," I said softly, "You wanted to do that, didn't you?" She nodded eagerly, earning another smile. "Tomorrow morning, I want you on the floor waiting for me. Understand?" She nodded again.
I removed my cock and stepped back as she continued to use the dildo. She was slamming it into herself by now and the next orgasm was too much as she released the dildo and immediately relaxed on her bed, chest rising and falling though her eyes continued to gaze up at me, a sweet smile on her face.
"I haven't cum that much in so long," she admitted, "How do I look?"
"Sexy. Hot. Beautiful. I want to take a photo and have it as my laptop background. When I get here tomorrow, toy in your pussy, plug in your arse. Have you had things back there before?"
"Yes. I'm not a virgin back there but it's only ever been toys."
"My cock will be different…" I leaned down and ran fingers through her thick dark hair before I kissed her forehead. "Going to have a shower or wear it for a while?"
"I'll shower before everyone else is up, but I'm just going to lie here for a little while."
I dressed as Miranda relaxed, her legs still spread and showing off her glistening pussy. When I dressed, I returned to her head to see her still smiling at me. I sat on the edge of the bed and caressed her cheek, the one without cum on it. She grabbed my hand and held it to her cheek.
"Shepard… Thank you…"
"I should be thanking you again."
"This is fun. I don't normally have a lot of fun, but you're just so…"
"I get it. But I'd better go. I'm going to work out before everyone gets up. You'll be out in time for breakfast?"
"I'll probably still be smiling and they're going to know why."
"That's good. It means you're happy. Everyone deserves to be happy."
I usually worked out before anyone else on the ship was up and about. I put the music on loud and warmed up with either a run or a cycle before I went through the standard weight regime though I was putting on a little more weight each time as I didn't seem to be reaching any sort of limit just yet. I didn't want to become sort of ultra-muscular soldier as that would come at the cost of speed and agility, but I liked testing my limits.
Kelly was just waking up when I returned to my cabin for a shower. She joined me in the shower and wanted to get frisky when I told her what I'd been up to earlier. I think it aroused her even more as I explained in detail what I did.
"Keep doing that. Keep playing with her, Shepard. I've seen her smiling so much. I never thought you two would ever be so close."
"She's admitted more than once that she thought I'd hate her."
"We were all worried, to be honest. Most people don't exactly have the most favourable opinion of us. You heard that the Council considers us terrorists. The Alliance will still want us destroyed at the end of the day."
"Does that worry you?"
"Not at the moment because you're here to protect us all."
She started to play with my cock which made me chuckle. "Shame I won't taste her pussy on your cock, Shepard, as I'm thinking that I give you a blowjob every morning from now on. And if I taste pussy, even better."
"What about at night?"
"Same rule. Don't shower if you've fucked someone. I want to taste her… Although if you've had anal… I'll think about it…"
I was amazed whenever a woman eagerly sucked my cock. For so long, so many men were told that women hated giving oral sex though were happy to get it back without questions. I'd rarely had that problem. Maybe it was just me? Again, comes back to the Asari. As soon as they met humans, they were eager to give sucking our dicks a go. And they never complained. If we ate pussy in return…
That is why men had proven so popular. Word spread that eating asari pussy was one of the most pleasurable things a man could do.
Kelly gazed up at me lovingly while my cock filled her mouth, head slowly bobbing up and down, tongue working my shaft. She drew it out for as long as possible, my fingers running through her slicked-back hair. I warned her when I was close as always. Hearing that I had cum on Miranda's face, she pulled her mouth away and didn't have to say a word. I jerked my cock until I was about to cum.
"Close your eyes," I warned.
I had to rest a hand against the wall as I left spurt after spurt of cum on her face. Miranda had been ever so excited by how much I came. I think she was going to have me checked out soon enough, probably by Chakwas. I didn't particularly want to do that in front of Mordin.
Kelly was ever so excited that she had my cum dripping down her face. I helped her to her feet, asking if she wanted to wash it off straight away. "Part of me would love to go to breakfast with it dripping… We can have fun like this another time."
After we'd washed each other down, we cuddled under the warm water. I stroked her soft skin and felt her sigh as she moulded against my body. The only reason we left was that I checked the time at my wrist and realised that it was time for breakfast. I made her giggle as I easily picked her up in my arms and carried her back to the bed.
"So if I told you to remain naked all day…"
"Want a toy up my bum too?"
She gave me a look that had me chuckling. She giggled again before we shared a soft kiss. "I like seeing you smile all the time, Shepard. You seem content."
"Surprisingly, I am. Even the circumstances don't bother me all that much. It probably helps that the Illusive Man leaves me alone to just get on with it."
We arrived in the mess hand in hand. Miranda met Kelly's eyes and smiled at her. I gave Kelly a pat on the bum and gestured for her to sit next to Miranda, walking over a couple of minutes later with a tray for both of them. I sat next to Miranda with Georgia to my other side. The latter immediately kissed my cheek.
Jack appeared a few minutes later. She looked well-rested, at least. Grabbing her tray, she stood before the table. No one paid her much attention, and she turned to walk away back to her cubby hole.
"Jack!" I called. She froze and looked ready for a bollocking. "It's okay. I'll be down later for a chat, if that's alright."
"That's… That's fine, Shepard."
"Good. Enjoy your breakfast."
Conversation flowed easily. Garrus was getting along with everyone just fine. Kasumi was already friendly with Kelly and Georgia seemed to like her as well. Amelie was quiet though would answer any question in her direction as long as it wasn't too personal. Even Doctor Chakwas was getting along with everyone, not that I could imagine she wouldn't.
Given the nature of my return, Chakwas did ask to see me every couple of days to run through a series of tests and check how my body was healing. I hadn't been meant to be woken up for at least a few more weeks. Given the overall lack of stress that I was feeling, she thought that was helping my healing process the most.
"You also seem quite pleased with things, Shepard. Good. I thought being with Cerberus…"
"How are you finding it?"
"Everyone is very friendly, yet I don't think it's an act. I think the people we have with us are genuine. They believe in the mission, and they believe in you."
"Helping Mordin with anything?"
"One or two experiments though I'll be the first to admit he is one of the smartest people that I've ever met. But he seems to appreciate my input nonetheless."
"And I get a clean bill of health?"
"Shepard… You are the perfect specimen. I mean, even before what happened, whenever you did end up in the med-bay, your powers of recovery were simply remarkable. You had strength. Stamina. And an iron fortitude that meant you simply wouldn't allow failure. Now that you're back and improved…"
"If you need anything else from me…"
"Miranda has made a request that I'm sure you already know about. She wants to test your ejaculate. How much you discharge, the consistency and whatever else is on her mind."
"Is she worried that I might be sterile?"
"Maybe. I mean, I gather all that down there is also new so I would understand the concern."
"Just tell me when you want it. Want me to just cum in a cup?"
"Well, um, Miranda wanted to make it a little more fun rather than just jerking off into a cup."
I couldn't help laughing. "Yeah, I can only imagine now. Let me know when and I'll cooperate."
"If you do prove rather virile, Shepard, I'd expect asari to be lining up out the door to get a dose. You might just father little blue babies all over the galaxy."
I knew we were perhaps a day away from the next mission, so I spent the day busy with 'paperwork' even though there was no longer any paper produced, or I'd chat away with my companions. The crew still seemed rather overjoyed that I showed an interest in their lives. Joker still wasn't happy about EDI though I could already see their relationship was turning to one of banter with a dose of sarcasm. Kasumi was happy to relax in the lounge and was already full of gossip about those on the ship.
"Those two engineers downstairs need to just get naked and in bed," she said to my laughter, "I mean, it's obvious, isn't it?"
"Well, let's see what happens. Having Jack below them might put them off."
Mordin was still researching. I asked him about joining my team for the next mission. He gave it some thought and then agreed. I was a little surprised as he seemed quite happy in his lab. He admitted that he didn't want any skills going rusty, and he hadn't done anything 'exciting' in quite a while. We discussed my tactics and what skills he would bring to the field. His tech skills were off the charts so I knew he'd be a fantastic addition.
It was after lunchtime when I headed downstairs to chat with Jack. I caught her in a private moment though I think she knew I was coming, her trousers unbuttoned and unzipped with her right hand inside them. She was clearly masturbating as I slowly approached her. She wasn't wearing a top and I could see her hard nipples in the cool air.
"Oh God!" she whimpered, turning her head when I sat down next to her on the cot. Her eyes remained on mine as she continued to masturbate. She looked stunning at that moment. No hatred nor anger in her eyes or on her face. Just totally caught up in the moment. When I leaned over to caress her cheek, her lower lip trembled for a brief moment.
"Enjoy yourself," I whispered, "You hear my footsteps?" She nodded, and I couldn't help chuckling, "I appreciate the show."
"I'd fuck you in a heartbeat, Shepard. I know you're a boy scout. Maybe I need that in my life, instead of guys that'll just treat me like shit."
"Not quite a boy scout. You'll learn that soon enough." I leaned down and kissed her forehead. "I want you to cum, Jack. Understand?"
She whimpered and her hand moved faster. Her back started to arch as she cried out more than once. She was absolutely beautiful, but I knew a tortured soul. I'd seen one in the mirror more than once for a long time. It was only during my time chasing Saren that I found balance. I put the past behind me. I wasn't sure that could be Jack, but part of me wanted to help her.
When she came, she released a guttural moan and kept on going. I stood up and pulled off her trousers, Jack spreading her legs to show off her smooth, glistening pussy. I sat back down and ran my hand down her side towards her thigh.
"Shepard," she whispered.
"I'm not going to touch anywhere. This is for you right now. Enjoy yourself. Be free just for a moment."
I looked down to see she had two fingers in her pussy, using her palm to fondle her clit. Her hips were moving as she fucked herself. I moved slightly so I could see her whole body. She was very slim. Her breasts were no more than a B-cup though suited her body perfectly. Although slim, I didn't think it was worrisome. She didn't need to bulk up or anything.
She came again and smiled at me. I don't think she was ready to stop anytime soon. "Long time in cryo?"
"Too fucking long."
"Before that?"
"I'd put on shows for the guards to entice them. A lot of men are stupid. Show them some pussy and a show and they think you want to fuck them. The first couple learned their lesson. The third time, I escaped though they caught me. That's why I was in cryo."
"They ever… You know…"
"Nah. They weren't stupid enough to try that shit. I'd kill them in a heartbeat if they even thought about it. I was too valuable."
Another orgasm tore through her body and I could see she was tiring. But she wasn't going to stop just yet. Her fingers were almost a blur sliding into her pussy. I could see the sweat on her body glistening in the dim light. I could definitely inhale her scent. Part of me wanted to pleasure her, at least give her a moment of complete bliss, but I knew she wasn't ready for that. I knew that if I just fucked her, that would be it. She'd never learn to trust me. I wouldn't touch her intimately for now.
"Shepard," she whimpered.
I leaned down and kissed her forehead again. The smile that formed when I leaned back… She didn't trust me yet. Maybe she'd never trust me. But for a brief moment, there was understanding. Then she climaxed again and that's when she finally stopped moving. Relaxing back on her cot, she took a few deep breaths before she turned me on by sucking her fingers while retaining eye contact with me.
"I do love it when a woman does that," I said softly.
"I normally don't eat pussy. Always been more partial to men. I prefer dick. But given that asari only have a pussy…"
"Have you?"
That made her snort. "Of course I have. Who hasn't gone down on an asari?"
"It's probably a list that grows shorter with each day that passes. What about a woman?"
"Nah. Not met one that moves me that way. Not saying no, but as I said, I prefer dick." I ran my hand up and down her side again, Jack eventually rolling onto her side so I could stroke her back. "That's nice, Shepard. I don't think anyone's ever just touched me softly like this."
"Tired?"
"Yeah. A bunch of orgasms will knock anyone out."
"You feeling okay about everything?"
"Yeah. Miranda actually talked to me earlier. I'll get the information after our next mission. She's pissed off about it."
"I'll deal with Miranda. I'm sure you've noticed that we get along okay."
"Bullshit, Shepard. She totally wants you to fuck her."
"Well, yeah…"
"Wonder if it would piss her off if I fucked you first?"
"Jack," I warned gently.
"I know. I know. Still… Anyway… I'll try not to piss you off, Shepard. If I do… Well, maybe getting rough will help me learn while also making me horny."
I laughed. I couldn't help it. Leaning down to kiss her cheek, she turned her head, so I left a soft kiss on her lips. That made her blush. She couldn't hide it. "If you feel confident enough to join us for dinner, you know the invitation remains."
"I'll think about it. I don't know… Sitting with Cerberus people…"
"I understand. You don't have to, but I think you'd like Kelly. And also Kasumi. She's delightful company. Everyone needs some friends. Just give it some thought."
"I'm going to nap, Shepard."
"Okay. I'll see you later."
I walked away but looked back at her, almost curled into a ball on her cot. I walked back and made sure the blanket she had was covering her. I knew an act when I saw one. Aria had an act on Omega. Kira had an act as councillor. And this young woman in front of me was an act. I promised myself that I'd protect her going forward. She wouldn't have to live in fear nor have to live with hate any longer.
It was the least I could do, perhaps a thought that I wished someone had been there for me so long ago.