Love and War

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"Maggie, you were attacked." Kandros replied firmly, though he still didn't open his eyes. "I never hated you, only what that bastard did to you."

"Brave? That woman?" Quinn snorted. "I hardly think so. She was a brainless idiot who only cared what would make her dear husband happy."

Tyros threw back his head and laughed. "You really are stupid aren't you?" He snorted. "You 're not going to get anything do you hear Me? Nothing." 

"Then why did Tann send out wedding invitations this morning?" Maggie demanded. "Brutus, we had a deal. He's happier than ever!"

Ana continued to wear that infuriating smile as she again patted Tyros on the head. "More than you and your whore, my sweet."

"Really?" Brutus asked with an amused grin as he pulled the bed sheet around his lean waist. "Well now, isn't that something." He added, imagining Tann's face if he found his bride in a compromising position with her bodyguard, on the day of the wedding.

"Kalahira will damn you for your treachery. You will never be at peace. You are going to hell and I promise I will deliver you myself!" 

"I want him ruined. Do you remember what we agreed on?" Maggie asked. Someone was  trying to click through. It was the General, demanding to know why his daughter was alone in the docks, facing down a group of angry krogans.

Ana grabbed Tyros's chin between her fingers in a bruising grip this time. "What can you do? You say you love the girl, but left her to be butchered and deformed by her own mother."

"I remember what an irritating, self entitled brat you are." Brutus muttered before cutting the connection so he could retrieve his clothing and get to Lori.

"I didn't know..." Tyros breathed, wondering if Ardwin would be strong enough to keep Quinn safe from such a monster. He loved her but he was beginning to see it had never been all that she needed from him. It was too late to fix it now.

Lori shook her head at the massive krogan who was trying to barrel past her. Like her father she could come up with some aggressive facial expressions when she needed to. "I told you you can't dock here, Kronk." She said firmly. .
"I'll park where I want, girly." Kronk snarled.  "Ain't nothing you can to do to stop me."

"Didn't know isn't an excuse, my love." Ana chided. "Did you even look for her? How many months was she tortured for before you finally had the balls to make that delicious trade of her sister?"

Brutus was at the dock now, though he hadn't made himself known to Lori. He was a few feet away, arms folded across his chest as he glared the Krogen down.

Ardwin watched Quinn as she laced her boots. He couldn't help himself. He was already thinking of the things he was going to do to Betty when he got his hands on her. He wondered if Quinn had the same thoughts.

Upon seeing the massive turian, the krogan took a step back. He motioned for his crew to head back toward the ship. "Give me the assignment, short stuff." He grumbled at Lori who was pretty sure she'd just bullied a krogan all on her own.

"What?" Quinn asked bluntly without looking up from what she was doing. Though Betty has actually made her daughter physically stronger with what she had done, Quinn still wanted to use that strength to rip the other woman's spine out, as her lover had done to Quinn's father.

Brutus knew that's how she would react and backed off, only rounding the corner once the krogan was gone. "That's it? Got what you wanted from me and slipped out without a word?" He teased.

"You are lovely. A wicked goddess." Ardwin told her, his fingers wrapping around her wrist and pulling her into his arms. " That drell didn't deserve you."

"You were snoring hard enough to yank the mechanics out of the walls." Lori said with  sheepish grin. "You looked like you needed the rest."

"I think you have that backwards." Quinn breathed, something that looked very much like shame in her lavender eye as Arden pulled her close. She knew it made her an awful person to regret helping Tyros find his memories, as all it had done was steal him away from her.

"After last night? Of course." Brutus purred, though he knew he couldn't reach out and brush Lori's cheek like he wanted to when they were in public.

"Let him go, sweet heart!" Ardwin said firmly. "He is too weak to stop Betty. I, on the other hand...come on." To show that he no longer distrusted her, he gave her a line of his most deadly looking weapons to choose from.

"What happened last night?" Tann appeared as if from nowhere and pulled Lori into his arms. Before she could protest his lips covered hers.
 Lori closed her eyes, fighting disgust. But Tann was watching Brutus, daring him to iintervene.

Quinn looked over the weapons, though hesitated as she reached out, afraid it was all some cruel joke. "You have all this firepower... why do you need me to kill her?"

Brutus simply turned his face away. It would seem like it was because he was uncomfortable with the display of affection, but in reality it was to keep himself from tearing the other man's head off. "You told me to leave." Brutus replied bluntly, not even catering if it was him Tann was taking to.

"Do you think this will work against her? I mean really? She is a monster. It's going to take all the wits you have." He told her, tucking her dark hair behind her ears.

"It's going to me and you alone in that apartment soon." Tann purred in her ear. "Two weeks. I've already sent out the invitations. We are so close to perfection."

"That that will make for a very short battle." Quinn replied, one corner of her mouth curling into a slight grin as she looked up at Ardwin.

"Are you having a traditional human wedding?" Brutus asked, seeming overly cheerful, though only Tori would most likely notice this.

"I suspected as much." Ardwin chuckled. "Maybe we should just use the weapons and hope for the best. But first we'll have to find her..." 

"Only if that's what would make her happy."  Tann purred kissing her again. Lori was trying hard not to make a face.
For some reason she felt that she was suddenly waking up. She no longer wanted to do what made others happy. And kissing Tann was something that made others happy.

"She took control of the ship Hunter was commanding." Quinn informed Ardwin as she finally picked a sidearm and slid it into the holster at her thigh. "She would never give up that kind of power."

"Then shouldn't you be leaving her well alone?" Brutus asked. "Traditional human weddings had very little contact between the bride and groom, if the information I read was correct."

"Do i need to call for back up then? I have quite a few people on the Nexus who owe me a favor or or two." Ardwin said, speaking in a proud tone.

"That's only necessary the last few days before the ceremony." Tann said. "We have two weeks left." His long fingers were burying themselves in her azure hair. "Tonight we have dinner with the General and then Denis at my place. Then...who knows..." He breathed against her throat.

"Well aren't you just the upstanding citizen?" Quinn remarked with a snort. "Call in your favours... I need to go and buy some equipment... my armour was left on the ship I came here in."

Brutus was fighting to keep his fists from balling up. "Who knows nothing. Humans required their females to remain... untouched. Isn't that right, Lori?" He asked, hoping she would play along, despite what they had gotten up to the night before.

"Here. Take my credit chip. I promise Not to steal it back from you like before." Ardwin said softly. "We'll meet back here as soon as a thing has changed."

Lori pushed the salarian away from her,  taking in a shuddering breath. She was dangerously close to throwing up. "Untouched..." she wheezed. "Completely...untouched..." which was exactly what she was not.

"What makes you think I won't just run off with the credit?" Quinn asked, her brown arched in question.

Brutus tried not to smile. "There you have it, your bride'snwishes for her perfect wedding."

"Because it takes more than credits to go after those who have hurt you. And you know that I am among those that deserve your scorn. Two birds with one stone. Right?" Ardwin chuckled. "You're not stupid. Don't try to make me think you are. It doesn't serve you well at all." He grabbed a handful of her hair and kissed her roughly. That done he turned her and shoved her out the door of his apartments.

Tann gave Brutus a suspicious look, already deciding it was time this guard was replaced. "We still have dinner with the General. There is no getting out of that. Don't want to disappoint your father after all, do you?" He purred, patting her bottom as he turned to leave. "Give your overweight krogan there the night off. I have my own people to protect us." He added with an odd hiss before striding down the docks seemingly alone. 
Lori waited until he was gone to let out a soft gag and a shiver of disgust. The action instantly left her feeling ashamed. What if her father saw? That was her future husband after all.

Quinn was scowling at the door as it locked behind her, and she childishly stuck her middle finger up at it. "Asshole..." She muttered none too quietly. Ardwin may have had her body for the past day, but it by no means meant he had the broken young woman's trust. Quinn had been burnt far too many times now to believe any part of this deal benefitted her in the least.

"Need some mouthwash?"  Ruth's asked with a chuckle. "Are you really going to go through with the wedding?" He added, longing to reach out and touch her, though knew he couldn't, lest someone saw.

Tyros knew he had no right to be standing before this woman, again asking for a bargain. In truth he had nothing to trade this time. He had nothing she might possibly want. But he had to try. He needed to be strong again. 
"Please, Betty. I'll give you anything. Just...return me to the form that is more powerful. Better suited to protect her..."

Lori nodded, not daring to look at her guardian. "I have to. My dad set all this up. He would never forgive me if I didn't." She wrapped her arms around herself as she turned to walk back to her station. "Nothing like a lizard to ruin a moment." She muttered. "And for the record, I totally knew you were the one that bullied that krogan, bull."

Betty actually laughed at the Darell stood before her.  After all the inconvenience you cause me, you think I would do anything but kill you?" She sneered. "You have nothing I want, Drell." Though she told him this, there was still one thing she wanted.

Brutus grinned, though was following Lori. "I don't know what you mean, princess." He mused. "But I'd just say... if he scares you this much, if this man really deserving to be your father? Doing something just to make him happy means he cares very little for you... only for himself."

"I realize this."  Tyros said gently. "But there must be something...i am prepared to beg." He added softly. "I will do anything for her. Please..."

"My father is trying is save everyone. Making alliances that benefit that goal makes sense." Lori shrugged. "If I had been born a man this story would end differently. But...you get he idea."

"To what end? Clearly you're here because you lost her." Betty remarked. "You think by rejoining the hive that she will come back to you?"

"Do I?" Brutus challenged. "If that is his main concern... Why doesn't he find himself a marriage into power?"

Tyros nodded. "This form isn't useful to her. It's weak. She can't stand it. She loved me when I was a kett. I need to be that way again. I'll do anything..." He said, his voice shaking.

"He's done that. Twice, in fact. Both times ended in disaster. My mother killed herself. Betty...Betty went nuts. I don't even know what to say about that one. Besides, this is a new galaxy. The new power wants his daughter. What else can he do?" Lori shrugged.

"You seem so certain that was her reason." Betty had eyes and ears in many places. 

"Offer one of th step daughter he doesn't actually like?" Brutus suggested. "You're letting him take your life from you. Why do they get to run free, and you get punished"

"Please! I need her!" The thought of her in Ardwin's arms was eating him alive. He'd seen it once already. He couldn't stand it anymore. He needed his Quinn and she needed him to be strong. 

"My father knows he can trust me. That's why. Have you met Quinn? I only knew her for a few years and that girl was as crazy as Betty. She couldn't be trusted. And Maggie...the poor girl was so sick all the time. She couldn't be bothered with something like that. But I did hear she finally got better and married that turian Captian she was so in love with. I'm happy for her. " Lori smiled at the thought of a happy ending as she pushed open the door to her office.

Betty seemed to be enjoying Tyros's pain a little too much. "Right, but does she need you?" She countered. "So far all I have heard is a pathetic drell crying for a woman he couldn't protect even when he was kett. Perhaps Ardwin is exactly what she needs? Girl always did like a little monster in her man."

That last part was like a kick in the stomach to Brutus. What he had been paid to do sounded much more like something Lori would expect of Quinn, not the sister she had just expressed fond wishes for. "I heard Quinn was kicked off the nexus for betraying the initiative, is that true?" He asked, hoping to steer his mind from his thoughts of regret.