Work Text:
The Justicar lay dead on the ground.
Morinth stood over her, panting as she biotic power drained out of her. “Well, that’s been a long time coming.”
“Not bad,” Shepard said, reclining back on Morinth’s long couch. “I’ve got a mission, Morinth. I could use help, and I thought you might be more tractable than your mother here.”
“I’m curious,” Morinth folded her arms and turned in place. “What sort of mission are you concocting that would put dear Samara off?”
“We’re going after the Collectors. We’re going to wipe out every last one of them.”
“My mother isn’t beyond a little recreational genocide if she thought it served her Code.” Shepard just smirked. “That bad, huh? Alright Shepard, I’ll play along.”
“Not good enough. You’ve got a reputation, Morinth.” Shepard rose, stepping close to her. “You like to play, and you leave a lot of dead bodies behind you.” He stroked the sweep of her crest along the length of her head.
Morinth smiled, leaning into Shepard’s touch. “A girl’s entitled to a little fun, Shepard.”
“Not with what’s mine.” Shepard’s grip tightened, pulling her head back. “You don’t try to fuck with me. You don’t fuck with Yeoman Chambers.”
“Why don’t you tell me why I shouldn’t just kill you now?” Morinth grimaced.
Shepard let her go with a shove. “Because I make you damned excited, don’t I?”
“You’re cocky. Arrogant, I’ll give you that.” She shrugged. “Fine. I’ll leave Chambers alone. You got dibs on anybody else?”
Miranda’s face flitted through his mind, but he pushed it away. Might make things more interesting to keep her on her toes. “I need enough crew left alive to carry out my mission.”
“Trust me, after this long on the run I’m pretty good at avoiding suspicion.” She glanced back at Samara’s body. “Actually, you know what? Help me get that stripper costume off her. We’ll pitch the body out the window and I’ll fake being her. Nobody’ll be any wiser.”
* * *
He stood before her now, watching impassively as she took deep breaths and calmed herself again. Kelly took one last shaking breath and wiped the sweat from her palms. “I think I’m ready again, sir.”
“You think or you are?”
“I am.”
Shepard held out his hands: in his left a crop made of wrapped leather, in his right a slender vibrator. “Just like before. Choose.” Her hand came up, reaching for the crop, but she hesitated before she touched the leather. Her eyes flicked from one to the other, and she seized on the vibrator. “Going for variety?”
“Like to change things up a bit. Keep it fresh.” She slid the vibrator down between her thighs and flicked it on. A low moan rumbled in her throat as the sensation surged through her. Shepard smiled as she settled into a rhythm, rocking the slender device against her clit. Perspiration beaded on her forehead as she worked at herself, lips parting as the moan stretched out, filling the space with the sound of her arousal…
“Bad news, Shepard. Hey Kelly.”
Kelly dropped the vibrator with a yelp. Shepard glanced behind, irritated; Morinth leaned against the exposed pipes, crossing her arms to accentuate her cleavage. “I’m getting bored.” Kelly had contorted to cover herself, flushing bright red.
“Did I tell you to stop?” Shepard demanded. Kelly looked up at him, aghast, and when he didn’t back down she hung her head and murmured an apology as she began rutting herself against the vibrator again.
“We had a deal,” Shepard snarled, stepping between Morinth and Kelly’s kneeling form.
“And I intend to keep it. I can be good, Shepard.” Morinth folded her arms. “But I need some diversion. This ship is just so quiet. I thought Jack would at least be entertaining, but Miranda has her too wrapped to be any fun.”
Shepard didn’t budge. “I know what your fun means.” Out of the corner of his eye Shepard saw Kelly’s motions slow, looking back and forth between them in confusion; this Asari who was supposed to be Samara was definitely not acting like Samara. With a sharp gesture he put her back at her masturbation.
“Everything you know about me you learned from my mother,” Morinth snapped. “You think that frigid bitch gave you a straight story? I don’t have to go…all the way. I’ve led people on for decades.” She inclined her chin at Kelly. “What are you doing here?”
Shepard nodded at Kelly. “I…I’m not…vocal enough,” she answered Morinth, flush creeping up her face. “When I orgasm. The commander wanted me to…break the habit of being quiet.”
“All right. Perfect.” Morinth turned to Shepard. “I’ll give you a freebie. Show you what I can do.”
This is a bad idea, flashed across Shepard’s mind. But at the same time he remembered the allure he’d felt even briefly under Morinth’s spell, and he couldn’t resist the temptation of seeing how she could use it for him. “So long as she isn’t hurt.”
“Sir?” Kelly asked, looking uncertainly at Morinth as she crouched down in front of her.
“It’s all right,” Shepard said. “She knows better than to try and hurt you.”
Kelly nodded at that and raised her chin to Morinth. “I’m ready.”
Morinth chuckled at that. “Think for a moment, Kelly. Think about the most erotic experience you’ve ever had.” Shepard could see the Asari’s eyes turn jet black as she pulled Kelly’s hands away from her slit. “Got it?”
“Y-yes,” Kelly quivered, her eyes drooping.
Morinth squeezed the other woman’s hands, letting them drop to her thighs. “Stay with it. Feel the sensation burning through you, filling you from the tips of your toes to the roots of your hair.” Shepard watched in amazement as Kelly fell forward, only just catching herself. She held herself up through supreme effort of will, panting and canting her hips up to meet her imaginary lover. Morinth gave him a knowing look, and leaned down to whisper in Kelly’s ear. “Embrace eternity.”
“SHEPARD!” Kelly screamed, collapsing to the floor. She quaked with the aftershocks of her orgasm, moaning lowly as consciousness left her.
“Got her to make some noise for you,” Morinth said smugly. “I did that in thirty seconds. Give me five minutes with a person and I can make them yours. Mind, body and soul.”
Shepard crouched, checking Kelly over. Her thighs were slick with spent arousal and she mumbled in her sleep as her brushed her sweat-soaked hair out of her eyes. “I think I know who,” he answered.
* * *
Shepard nodded, and Morinth spoke in her mother’s deep, resonant tones. “Hello, Kasumi.”
“You and Samara haven’t spent much time together, have you?” Shepard asked. He had no idea how Morinth’s mind tricks worked -his own time under her spell was hazy at best- but he knew that conversation seemed to be key.
“Well…no.” Kasumi squirmed on the sofa. “It’s nothing personal, Samara, it’s just…well, justicars aren’t known for being friendly with certain types.”
“Thieves,” Morinth supplied.
“That’s a word, yes.”
“You need have no fear. By the Code, I am sworn to Shepard’s command. His allies are my allies. I promise no harm will come to you by my hand.” It was an outright lie, but Morinth’s face remained as impassive as ever.
“I want my squad to get to know one another better,” Shepard said. “You two seem as likely a pair to start with as any.” Has she started? he wondered. Morinth’s powers were subtle; no flare of biotic energy, no darkening of the eyes. Kasumi seemed agreeable enough, but she was always fairly eager to please. I should have given her someone harder. Thane, maybe.
“I don’t know, Shep. I mean, a lot of what I do is pretty shady. Code or not, I wouldn’t want any of this coming back.”
“Please, Kasumi.” Morinth sat next to the thief, the leather of her outfit creaking as she reached out and touched the other woman’s shoulder. “It is important for the mission that we be able to trust each other fully.”
Kasumi hesitated a moment, but then shrugged. “Well, all right. What should we talk about?” That was it. The touch. Shepard thought.
“Where are you from?”
“Earth. A place called Japan…have you ever been there?”
“I have not.”
“It’s a beautiful country. Ancient history…well, not by Asari standards I suppose.”
Shepard coughed quietly, drawing their attention back to him. “Is that where you made your first heist?”
“I don’t…really talk about my first heist.” Kasumi shrugged. “I’ve got more interesting stories.”
Morinth observed Shepard cooly, her voice full of Samara’s judgment. “Shepard, it is for Kasumi to decide what she wishes to share. The purpose of this conversation is defeated if Kasumi is compelled to divulge.”
“Well…” Kasumi shrugged. “I guess it’s all right. My first heist was actually in Toranto. Also on Earth.”No touch this time, but damn if her attitude didn’t turn around. What’s the trick? “I got paid what I thought at the time was a lot of credits to steal a payroll from a local branch of a multinational bank. Some office worker suspected that his coworkers were getting raises and he wasn’t. Not really the work of a master thief, but then again I wasn’t a master thief yet.”
“We all start somewhere,” Shepard said with a shrug. Kasumi didn’t even look at him; instead she seemed to be studying the curve of Morinth’s crest.
The thief shook herself from her revere. “What about you, Samara? Where did you start?”
“I was…a socialite.” Morinth said, picking her words carefully. “I lived a good life on Thessia with all the comforts I could desire.”
“You sound sad about it,” Kasumi said, her lips pouting in sympathy. “What happened?”
“Someone close to me…made a decision. It was what she thought best, but it destroyed my family. I changed on that day. I could never again be the person I was.” Monrenthlay her hand on Kasumi’s, and leaned close to peer into the other woman’s eyes under her hood. “Can you understand what that is like, Kasumi? To have your life taken away from you by the choices of another?”
“I…I…no, Samara. I can’t.”
“You’ve never let anyone that close to you, have you Kasumi?”
“That’s not true. I loved Keiji, and when he died…but it doesn’t sound the same as what you’re describing. No one could force me to be someone I’m not.”
Morinth turned away, hiding a wicked grin that only Shepard could see. She regained her composure and looked back. “I think that some things can be worth being someone you’re not. Can you think of something beautiful, Kasumi? What’s the most beautiful thing you can imagine?”
“You are, Samara,” Kasumi blurted immediately. “Oh! That wasn’t…I didn’t mean to say that out loud.”
Morinth laughed, low and throaty. “Yes, you did, Kasumi. You flatter me, and I would offer you a gift for it. I have a name, known only to a few.” She smiled. “Call me Morinth.”
“Morinth,” Kasumi repeated. “It’s a wonderful name.”
“It’s served me well,” Morinth answered. “Would you care to meditate with me, Kasumi?”
“Oh absolutely.”Morinth stood and Kasumi hastened to follow. She doesn’t even remember I’m here, Shepard thought, amused. Morinth settled Kasumi in a cross-legged position, facing the thick viewport and the stars beyond.
“Aren’t the stars beautiful, Kasumi?” The thief’s only reply was a slight, mesmerized nod. “Do you trust me?”
“More than anything, Morinth.”
“Then feel the vastness of space, Kasumi. Let yourself spread to fill it, until you touch each and every star. Leave yourself open to experience it, and take to heart what they tell you.” Kasumi’s eyes widened, and she took in a shuddering gasp before she lapsed into silence.
“That’ll keep her busy for a while,” Morinth said, rising from the floor.
“I don’t get it,” Shepard said. “You barely touched her.”
“Touch works for some people. Smells for some others. Most people are mesmerized by space, it’s kind of a cheap trick.” Morinth shrugged, sitting on the sofa and leaning back. “Kasumi is in love with herself. Sure there’s that Keiji person, but he’s more of a side interest. Her love is why she steals; each successful theft is an affirmation, every time she bests the brightest security experts in the galaxy she is worshipping herself.”
Shepard understood. “You kept repeating her name.”
“Reminding Kasumi of herself, even a little bit, triggers those feelings of adoration. Narcissism is a powerful emotion, Shepard. You can ride it into a person’s very soul, and from there…” Morinth smirked, looking down at Kasumi on the floor. “Well, what do you want her to do?”
Possibilities exploded in Shepard’s mind. “What will she do?”
“Anything you want her to. You want to fuck her? She’s down, in whatever position or perversion you can think of. You want her to kill someone for you? Just tell her who and she will make it happen, consequences be damned. You want her to be someone else? If you tell her she’s your bitch Kelly she will dye her hair red, stick a plug up her ass and call you sir.” Morinth leaned forward, grinning. “This is foundational, Shepard. We are screwing around with the very essence of what it is to be Kasumi. I got bored of this a century ago, but I’d be lying if I said you weren’t making it fun.”
“I want…” Shepard paused. “I want Kasumi to crack Cerberus’ files on Project Lazarus. I want to know everything they did to me.”
“Don’t trust your Cerberus partners?”
“Of course I don’t.” Shepard scowled. “Cerberus’ main selling point is that they’re bigger bastards than everyone else. I’m not going to ignore that because we have the same goals for now.”
Morinth thought about it. “Sensible. What else?”
“I want the sight of me to arouse her, so that every time she sees me she gets a little bit more tweaked.”
“Glad to know we’re keeping it to typical power fantasies, nothing too inventive,” Morinth sighed. “What else? She can only get off if she’s having sex with you?”
“I like that one,” Shepard said, blinking with surprise.
Morinth rolled her eyes. “It sounds good now, but when you’ve got a dozen lust-crazed people beating down your door every day because they’re driven to distraction with need it starts to lose its charm. Anything else?”
Shepard shook his head, but something else occurred to him. “Yes. I want to be able to bring her back to…” he gestured to Kasumi sitting on the floor “…that whenever I want. When I tell her to look at the stars.”
“Wishing for more wishes, smart man.”Morinth stood. “All right, Shepard. Give me a few minutes to talk to her.”
Morinth’s control is incredible, Shepard thought as Morinth crouched behind Kasumi, pressing her form against the smaller woman. With her at my side I could have anyone I wanted, any way I wanted. I could even put Miranda on her knees, holding her ass open and panting for me to fuck her. The very idea aroused Shepard, and he enjoyed the image for a moment: standing at his place before Normandy’s galaxy map, watching Miranda as she crawled naked the length of the bridge on her hands and knees, her heavy breasts swinging with each motion before she knelt before him. She’d beg me to let her take my cock in her throat. Or I could have Kelly lead her to me on a leash. How red would perfect, prideful Miranda’s face flush if I made her even less than my slave, how much would that bruise her smug vanity…
Except it wouldn’t, would it?
Shepard shook himself, and watched Morinth whisper in Kasumi’s ear. Morinth could make Miranda do all those things, she could even make her want to do all those things. But if she did, it would make Miranda boring. What Shepard craved about Miranda wasn’t her beauty, her genius, her acidic attitude, or even her submission to him. All of those things were secondary to her fire, how she challenged him and made him work to take what he wanted from her. That was something Morinth’s thralls could never give him. Sure he could order Kasumi to put up a fight, but in the end she’d give in because that’s what Morinth had told her to do.
With that realization, the fog of lust began to clear from Shepard’s mind. This isn’t what I want. And that Morinth talked me this far in only shows how dangerous she is. What if she’s begun influencing me?
Morinth pulled away from Kasumi, and the smaller woman let out a long sigh. “Give her a minute,” Morinth said, pulling open the zipper of her body suit and slipping out of it. “She’s still adjusting.”
“What the hell are you doing?” Shepard demanded as Morinth reclaimed her spot on the couch.
Morinth glanced down at her naked form, then back up to Shepard. “Do you really need me to explain?” She waved aside his angry protest. “Don’t worry Shepard, I’m not going to ruin your toy.” She said my name again. Is she trying to worm her way into my mind? “I won’t go full ardat-yakshi on her. I just want a little fun for all my work.”
At their feet Kasumi came to life. “Oh!” She exclaimed, her eyes settling on Morinth.
“Welcome back.” Morinth raised her chin. “What did the stars tell you?”
“They…they told me…” Kasumi twisted in place, stretching out to lay her head along Morinth’s azure thigh. “They told me I’m yours.” Morinth shifted, parting her legs for her thrall and Kasumi accepted the invitation. A look of sheer reverence warmed her face as she venerated the Asari with long, slow laps of her tongue.
“Mmm. See, Shepard? This is what I can offer you that mother never could. What’s her devotion to a cold, unfeeling Code compared to the devotion of my warm, tractable admirers?” Morinth leered at Shepard, petting Kasumi’s head as she worked.
For his part, Shepard stood arms folded, watching the lewd scene. There was no doubt that Morinth and her power could be a huge advantage, both against the Collectors and in more…intimate ventures, but that nagging doubt clung to him…
“Where are my manners?” Morinth purred. “She’s supposed to be your toy, Shepard. Kasumi, why don’t you make yourself available?” Kasumi moved to obey immediately, but without abandoning her ministrations on Morinth for a moment. She may be my toy, Shepard realized, but she’s your tool first. In a moment Kasumi had sat up on her knees and drawn her leggings down to her knees. “Well, Shepard? She’s yours. Dive in, take her. Once you and I are sated on her we can have a conversation about how things are going to go on Normandy from here on out.”
Shepard felt his breath coming in quick pants. He could see Kasumi’s arousal already slick against her thighs, could feel her clenching around the length of his cock. He fumbled for his belt…
She said my name.
Reason surged back through Shepard’s consciousness. She’s reading my damn mind, winding me up to do whatever the hell she wants. You can’t make a deal with the devil and expect to come out on top. Morinth’s eyes slitted at his delay, and Shepard shook his head. “No, Morinth. I’m not interested in sharing. Call me greedy.”
“Call you a liar is what I’d do,” Morinth said, resting her head along the back of the couch and closing her eyes. “Suit yourself, though. You’ll be back. The kind of power I’m offering you isn’t something most people are brave enough to take up.” Her lip curled in a cruel smile. “Too afraid it would make things boring.”
Shepard left the rec room, Morinth’s laughter chasing him to the lift. Kasumi’s display and Morinth’s temptations had left a painful tightness in his groin, and he managed to wait until the doors closed behind him to activate his comm unit. “Kelly. My quarters, now.”
“Yessir. Should I-”
“Just get up here!” Shepard snapped. The lift doors parted again and Shepard keyed open his quarters. His terminal awoke at a touch and a few keystrokes brought up the intraship communication.
Miranda answered at the second tone. “Commander. What can I do for you?”
“We have a problem,” he said. “It’s time for one of our unfortunate losses to happen.”