This choice: Morinth makes others tend to her every desire. • Go Back... [This is perhaps a liberal interpretation of this choice but I'm sure you all won't mind ;) ]
Jacquelyn Shepard hated Omega. To paraphrase one of her favorite movies, you would never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy. Violent, crime-ridden, full of miseries and tragedies too numerous to mention, it would have taken the most dire of circumstances, especially after almost losing Garrus to that awful place, for her to even consider going back.
That was before she met Samara, and learned the truth about the mysterious criminal she was hunting on Illium; her own daughter, a cold-blooded serial killer that destroyed the minds of her victims. Shepard gave the order to turn back to that hated asteroid in a heartbeat, and bring the criminal to justice...even if it meant Samara's version of justice.
Bringing along the other powerful biotic on her crew, Shepard and Samara made their way back to Illium, getting a vital clue from the pirate queen and making their way to the residential area to find information about the Ardat-Yakshi's latest victim.
"So who's gonna talk to the mom?" Jack piped up as Shepard knocked on the door, double checking the number to ensure it was right.
"I feel Shepard is more suited to that," Samara suggested in her usual cool tone. "I tend to be rather...blunt in these matters."
"Yeah no shit," Jack smirked. "I saw what you did to that merc on Illium-"
The two were shushed as the door opened, a middle-aged woman, the mother of the Ardat-Yakshi's latest victim according to Aria, staring at the trio in confusion. "I'm...sorry, can I help you?" she asked cautiously.
"Ma'am," Shepard began diplomatically, removing her helmet to be less distant about the difficult news. "I know this must be hard but...I'd like to ask a few questions about your daughter's killer."
The woman suddenly glowered at Shepard. "Is this supposed to be some sick joke?"
"N-no!" Shepard backed away slightly in surprise at the violent reaction. "We're investigating the murder and we were hoping-"
"Hey, company," The three women turned around sharply at the young, dark haired woman walking up to the door. "Friends of yours, mom?"
"I should hope not! These three just told me you've been murdered!" the woman said indignantly, her cheeks flushed with anger.
Shepard blinked and looked between the girl and her mother. "Uh...are you Nef?"
"Of course I am. What's all this talk about a murder?"
The commander glanced back to Samara, who looked genuinely frightened at this turn of events. "This wasn't supposed to happen," she muttered softly.
---
With Samara too stunned by this revelation and Nef's poor mother already taking a disliking to Shepard, Jack somehow managed to calm things down enough that they didn't get the door slammed in their face, and soon all five women were crowded around the mother's kitchen table. Samara and Shepard filled in the would-be victim on what they were there for (save for the Ardat-Yakshi business, instead painting her as a general serial killer) and the news they heard, Nef's mother pulling her into a tight protective hug as she realized how close she came to losing her. Nef herself was as pale as a ghost by the end of the story, gripping her mother in an equally tight hug the entire time.
"...and so we heard rumors that you were one of this woman's victims and we came right over," Shepard finished at last. "I'm sorry if we scared you at all."
"N-no, it's...God, I can't imagine it..." Nef's mother tearfully whispered, pulling her daughter in closely for a hug. "To think she could have been a victim of this monster."
"I-I remember her," Nef said fearfully. "I wouldn't have ever known...she seemed so enthralling."
"She has that effect on people," Samara remarked coldly, her grip tightening on the table in front of her. "Not to cause further alarm, but I am surprised you were not one of her victims. Do you have any idea why that would be?"
Nef pondered for a moment. "Well...when we talked at the club, mostly about my art, she seemed interested in my friend Caelip..."
"Caelip Faerlan? That nice young salarian?" the mother interjected.
"Yeah, him. We started hanging out after his brother helped me sell some of my art, really sweet guy." Nef suddenly looked terrified. "Oh God, is she going after him next?"
"If she is we better find him right away," Shepard insisted, jumping to her feet with Jack. Samara however seemed distant, utterly puzzled by her daughter's motivations. She should have been grateful that she managed to save one of Morinth's victims, but it only deepened the mystery; why did she let this victim live in favor of this salarian?
"Your friend, Caelip," she asked slowly. "Is he some sort of artist, like yourself?"
"No actually, he's a scientist," Nef said. "Of what I don't know, it seems like he's always discovering something new and chatting my ear off about it."
"You can listen to that sort of stuff?" Jack asked.
"I mean...he's cute," Nef shrugged.
"Any idea what he was working on last? Maybe it's what our killer is after," Shepard suggested.
The young artist pondered a moment before answering...  indicates the next chapter needs to be written. |
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