Mass Effect - A Hero Rises Ch. 60

Book 3, Chapter 11 - Private Investigations

*****

"Energy signatures?" I asked.

"At least half a dozen capital ships, Commodore. Spread across Ilium orbit."

"Any near Nos Astra?"

"There are two... But there are at least two dozen friendly signatures, Commodore!"

"Read this, Shepard," Liara said, handing me a datapad. We were all by the cockpit, peering into the distance. We couldn't actually see a thing at this distance, but it made us feel better, more involved. Joker didn't mind, EDI liked the company. She'd had her body for a while but people were still a little weirded out from time to time.

Reading the report, it seemed the Illium Defence Force was more than holding its own against the Reapers. While Illium wasn't officially an asari colony world, the majority of the population was asari, so relief efforts and evacuations were already taking place. The volus, with turian assistance, were doing the same thing. As for Gianna, the last message said she was still in Nos Astra, doing what she could to help, but admitted she wasn't a soldier. That didn't mean she hadn't picked up a gun to fight though.

"Order, sir?" Vega asked over the comm.

"Your marines will secure the docking area. Liara, Garrus, Miranda and I will head into the city. Liara is returning to her old office to secure information, Miranda assisting and providing protection, just in case. Garrus and I will make for Gianna's office. If she's not there, we'll try her residence, but as soon as we're groundside, we'll try and establish communication. But just like Earth and Palaven, the Reapers have done a number on trying to contact the ground right now."

"If things get sketchy?" Joker asked, "I mean 'the ship might be attacked and blown up' sketchy?"

"You get the hell out of here and Cortez can try and extract us with the shuttle. But it looks like the Illium ships are keeping the Reapers at bay, so we head in silent, do what we need to do, then get the hell out of Dodge."

Ordering Joker to take us in, our group headed down to the armoury to get suited and booted, grabbing weapons, grenades, shield packs and anything else we might need. Garrus grabbed an assault rifle for once, figuring any fighting would be up close and personal. Liara and Miranda carried their standard SMG, though both would rely on biotics if push came to shove. Me? Shotgun, of course.

Entering the atmosphere and approaching Nos Astra, there were signs of fighting. Plenty of smoke billowing from where attacks had taken place. But there wasn't the endless destruction we'd seen on Earth and Palaven. We might have been silent, and the Reapers might have attempted to destroy all communication, but Nos Astra Traffic Control saw us coming. When they heard it was the Normandy, I think they believed it was a rescue mission. I had to give them the bad news that it wasn't, but we'd kill any Reaper monsters we came across. That satisfied them.

Once docked, we wasted no time equalising pressure so we could head out. Vega and his marines stepped off first, securing the docking area. He reported the area wasn't clear, but to his consternation, things looked somewhat normal. Following him outside, we looked over Nos Astra from our position and there were certainly plenty of crowds. Surprisingly, very little gunfire. We shared a glance, Vega shrugging at me.

"Liara, head straight for your office. Need anything from your apartment?"

"I would like..." She paused. "Do we have time?"

"Yes. Take anything you want, even if it's purely personal. We probably won't be back until after the war."

She smiled. "Sounds like we're going to win, Shepard?" I gave her a look that caused the smile to just light up her face. Times like that, I was reminded just how gorgeous she was, and I'd have that almost familiar pang of guilt, that I'd quickly shake off. "Come on, Miranda. No time like the present. See you back here, Shepard."

"Come on, Garrus. Gianna's office isn't that far away, but we'll need transport to her apartment."

Life might not have been exactly normal as we walked along but business still seemed to the most important aspect of life in Nos Astra. We asked more than one trader we walked by the situation, and they said that the economy had to keep functioning, but funds were being diverted where required, particularly when it came to the defence of Illium itself.

Gianna's office was only ten to fifteen minutes' walk from Liara's. I remembered other businesses had operated out of the same building, and many still seemed to be operating as normal. The lights were on behind her door, but it was locked. I knocked a couple of times, surprised when the door opened to be greeted by the friendly face of an asari.

"Shepard?" she asked in surprise.

"I'm afraid you have me at a loss, Miss..."

She smiled. "I'm Telavi. Miss Parasini took me on a few months back as an assistant. I recognise you from the pictures on her desk and on her wall."

"Ah. And where is Miss Parasini now?"

"At home. She received word of your arrival and figured our rather quickly while you're here."

"She's gone home to pack?" She nodded. "What will you do?"

"Oh, I'll be fine, Shepard. Illium is safe, and if things get worse, Thessia has promised to evacuate us. And if not, then I can whip out the old commando leathers and fight the bastards off."

"Surprised you're not inviting her now, Shepard," Garrus joked.

Telavi smiled again. "Miss Parasini will be ever so excited when you knock on her door, Shepard. I'll not let her know you've arrived here."

"Thanks, Telavi. Stay safe."

"You too, Shepard. Everyone is watching the news and those articles being written by those journalists you seem to work with. Giving all of us hope we can win this."

Jogging towards the nearest taxi rank, I remembered her address, the taxi getting us there rather quickly. I'll admit, I felt a little nervous when stepping onto the elevator and riding it up. I hadn't seen her in months. I still loved her to bits, assumed her feelings hadn't changed, but I couldn't really be sure until I'd seen her.

The doors opened and I walked towards her apartment door, glancing to see Garrus hanging well back. I nodded my appreciation as he leaned against the wall. Knocking on her door, I heard her footsteps approach before the door slowly opened. Our eyes met and the grin that formed...

We stepped forward at the same time as I hugged her tightly, feeling her arms wrap around and hug me tightly in return. "God, it's so good to see you," she whispered.

"Sorry it's been so long."

"Missed you like crazy but I knew you'd show up." She made sure the next thing we did was kiss. And it was one hell of a kiss, enough that I almost growled into her mouth. When we finally broke apart, she asked, "You've come to get me?"

"If you're prepared to leave."

"Go to the office?" I nodded. "Telavi will keep things in order until she either has to leave or things improve. But I've told her not to put her life in any danger. But I'm not a soldier, Shepard. I can't..."

"We'll figure something out. Kelly is with me now, and she's barely Alliance herself."

"Shiala?"

"Still on Feros. She is a soldier, but if things get bad, I'm going to get her too."

She kissed me again. Normally, I'd have kicked the door shut and led us towards the couch, or more than likely, the bedroom. But while time wasn't exactly of the essence, while no doubt we wanted to be intimate immediately, we both knew we'd have to wait just a little longer. She eventually broke the kiss again, noticing the colour in her cheeks, and definitely that look in her eyes I loved to see. She took my hand and led me towards the bedroom, showing me what she'd packed.

"Wasn't sure how much I could bring. Where will I sleep?"

"In our cabin."

"Our?"

"Well, it'll be you, me, Kelly. I don't sleep all that much, to be honest, so you'll probably spend more time sleeping beside Kelly."

"Kelly won't mind?"

"Kelly will love it, Gianna. And she'll love it even more when Shiala eventually joins us. Trust me, this will work between us."

"Good, because I've spent long enough without you in my life. I promised myself, the next time you showed up at my door, I wouldn't stay behind."

She had two bags. I made sure I picked up the heavier one as she took a last look around her apartment. Even I remembered it fondly as I'd spent quite a few night's there, and we had enjoyed sexual relations in every room possible. Our eyes met again and she giggled, causing me to chuckle, no doubt both of us thinking the same thing.

Joining Garrus outside, he offered to take the other bag as we made our return towards the ship. Messaging Liara, she was at her apartment but wrapping thing up there, stating she'd be back at the ship within half an hour. All I told her to do was not weigh herself down, but assured me she was only bringing a few mementoes that meant the world to her.

Vega and his marines were kicking back next to the ship. They all looked worried upon seeing me, noticing they relaxed when all I did was return their salutes. Letting Vega know Liara would only be a few minutes behind us, I told Joker to ready the ship for immediate departure once they were on board, leading Gianna down into the CIC.

Kelly almost screamed with delight upon seeing Gianna, the two women sharing a long embrace. They'd established quite a friendship; one I didn't quite expect. The two were still chatting away when Liara and Miranda appeared, the pair making sure they also hugged Gianna. I felt the ship start to move as Vega led his marines towards the elevator.

The five of us headed down to the lounge a few minutes later, making sure we all had a drink before we sat down, noticing that even Kelly sat apart as Gianna perched herself next to me. "So I'm obviously going to sleep somewhere else the first couple of nights," Kelly said.

"What? No, you don't..." Gianna started to say.

"Hmmm, I wouldn't mind a little company," Miranda said, smirking away.

"Strap on?" Kelly asked.

"Only if you fuck my arse nice and hard."

Gianna started to giggle. "I'm sorry, I don't know you as well, Miranda. It's just unexpected."

"That's nothing." She stood up, turned around, and showed her the new tattoo on her lower back. Gianna looked at me in surprise before I gestured back to Miranda, as she lowered her trousers over her arse and showed off the toy still inside her. "I wear this every day for him. Any time he wants, he can bend me over and fuck me."

"The choker and symbol?"

"For him. Another sign of the fact he 'owns' me. We signed a contract and everything. We get up to some very naughty things, Gianna."

Gianna looked at me again. "Are all your girls..."

"No, just Miranda. I like to think I share something special with all the girls I'm intimate with. That's not to say Kelly hasn't plugged herself up from time to time."

"I think we're all going to buying more toys next time on the Citadel," Liara added, "Sure, some of them are to purely use on Miranda but, well, we're all going to have some fun."

"Well, nice to hear things haven't changed too much then," Gianna said, relaxing back, "Still remember that month we all enjoyed. God, I walked to work the next morning so tender sometimes... And not always because of you, Shepard." She kissed my cheek. "Just most of the time."

"Occasionally, I just loved watching all of you have fun."

"Where are we headed now?" she wondered.

"Attican Traverse. We're looking for some krogan who have gone missing. Don't worry, you can stay on the ship, keep Kelly company." I looked at Kelly. "Not in that way... at least while you're in the CIC."

"One thing, Gianna," Kelly added, "Would you like to look the part? If you do, it's short skirts, no panties."

Gianna looked at me again. I tried to look innocent and failed. She burst into another fit of giggles, kissing my cheek. "That sounds like a lot of fun, Kelly."

"He'll come along and tease us all day, though Miranda likes to wander out and fondle my pussy too. Hasn't made me cum yet though. Liara spends all day in her office."

"Lots of masturbating, Kelly," Liara retorted with a giggle, "When Shepard doesn't come wandering in. Sometimes he'll eat me out, sometimes I'll give him a blowjob, sometimes we'll make love."

"How do you get anything done, Shepard?" Gianna wondered.

"As I said, I don't sleep all that much."

"We're not the only girls he's fucking. Emily is on board..."

"She is?" Gianna asked with a grin. "Good. Glad she's safe too. She's a sweetheart. And Karin? She's here?"

"In the med-bay right now," I replied, "Our relationship is what I would consider more professional nowadays. If things get a little wild, she'll be in the room, but we haven't had sex in a while now."

"Should just do what you do with me, sit her on the table and have your way with her. She'd love it," Miranda suggested.

We must have spent a couple of hours chatting away, Gianna catching up with the girls. Most of the conversation carried on with the same theme. Overtly sexual, which had them all giggling from time to time. Gianna enjoyed a couple of glasses of wine at the same time, certainly becoming more affectionate as time passed by. Kelly, Miranda and Liara were getting rather close and handsy on the other couch, and considering the short skirts all there were wearing, it was little wonder hands and fingers were soon disappearing as conversation ceased and moaning began.

Gianna happily sat next to me as we watched them really get into it, amused when clothing was eventually removed, Kelly ending on the floor as Miranda spread her legs, Kelly lowering her and going to town. Liara got behind Kelly and had her fingers buried inside her.

"You okay, girls?" I asked.

"God yes," Miranda moaned, "Eat my pussy, Miss Chambers!"

"And I'm definitely enjoying Liara's fingers."

"Want them in your arse later?" Kelly nodded. "And we'll have to fill Miranda up later too."

"Okay. Gianna and I are going upstairs now. You'll be okay?"

"We'll head up to my bedroom in a minute," Miranda replied, "I'm getting my pussy eaten by both of them."

"Arse too, if you play your cards right," Kelly added.

"Strap on," Liara giggled, "Definitely breaking that out tonight. Miranda is getting her arse fucked."

Chuckling to ourselves, I took Gianna by the hand and led her to the elevator. It had been quite a while since she'd been on board the ship, her visits rare as I'd always stayed with her on Illium. Kelly and I had done our best to make it liveable, fish back in the tank, a couple of pictures hanging up, a bit more life and colour than before. I found space for Gianna's thing in one of the cupboards before she looked at the bathroom.

"Want a shower?" she asked, "We can have one later after we make love too."

That sounded like a splendid idea, taking her in my arms again as we made out and slowly undressed each other. Her skin was still a glorious olive colour. She was still fit as a fiddle. I drank in her body as more of her skin was revealed. She started to get a little emotional once down to her underwear, resting her head against my chest, admitting she just loved how I looked at her at times. She ran her fingers up and down my back, cooing about how defined I was now. I admitted it was a lot of gym work due to the frustration of being stuck back on Earth for so long.

After enjoying a steamy shower for more than one reason, though we didn't actually do anything sexual, just a lot of making out before I spent time soaping her up, making her giggle constantly, we dried off and wandered back to the bed, simply letting nature take its course. What she seemed determined to do was give me a blowjob. I wasn't going to say no to one from her, and I was soon lying back, heads propped up on a couple of pillows, as she made love to my cock with her mouth.

Watching her tongue run up my shaft, her eyes gazing up at mine, a smile on her face, was beyond mesmerising. And when my cock mostly disappeared, her eyes still gazing up at mine, I knew I probably wasn't going to last long. "Returning the favour," I managed to mutter.

"I want more than a mouthful, Shepard," she breathed, feeling her lips quickly wrapped around my shaft again. God, she was wonderful. Had me quickly to the boil. Half of it was because she was just really good at blowing me, but the other half was the fact it was her. I'd thought about her nearly every day since the last time we'd seen each other. I was just happy to be in the same room as her again.

I warned her I was about to cum, and that just made her double down. Groaning as I filled her mouth, she practically formed a seal with her lips around my cock as I emptied myself, her free hand caressing my chest, her other wrapped around the base of my cock. Her eyes still never left mine, the smile always in her eyes, delighted to be intimate with me again. Removing her lips, my cock flopped back as she ran her tongue up the shaft, spending a couple of minutes licking it clean.

"Forget how much I loved sucking your cock, Shepard," she whispered.

"Uh huh."

She giggled. "So it was good?" I managed to nod as she kissed up my body, feeling her body press into mine as she relaxed on top of me. I managed to lift a hand to stroke her back, making her smile again. "You said something about returning the favour?"

"Couple of minutes here, Gianna. I'm empty."

"I know. I just swallowed a lot of cum."

That earned a chuckle. "Well, a woman I love and adore had just given me one hell of a blowjob."

She started to slowly rub her pussy up and down my shaft, pleased to feel how excited she was. And that got me excited again, slowly rolling her over as she smiled at me. Feeling her hands run up my arms and over my shoulders, she cooed again about my physique as I showered her body with attention. I couldn't stop smiling every time I found a new piece of skin to kiss. I'd always loved her curves, definitely the heritage in her bloodline.

When I found a rather hard nipple to suck on, she released a mixed giggle and moan. While doing that, my hands found their way up and down her legs, eventually moving one to between her legs, giving her pussy the softest of touches. Just that made her almost jolt in delight.

I finally made my way down between her legs, looking up and smiling as she'd shaved completely. It was unusual, as she'd always kept hair neat and trimmed. "Little surprise," she whispered, "Kept it shaved ever since I was sure you'd come for me. I'll let it grow again soon, but I'm surprised at how much I like it."

"I do too, but it's your choice."

"Going to pleasure me now?"

"For as long as I can, Gianna."

She was ever so excited and her first orgasm didn't actually take that long in arriving. While I might have given myself a little fist pump for it, I knew why. But she looked down at me with a smile, asking me to keep going. I savoured her taste as always, enjoying the way her body reacted, certainly enjoying how much I simply enjoyed doing it to her again.

Spreading her legs even wider, she helped me by holding them back as I looked up and grinned, then slid a couple of fingers inside her for good measure. "Oh god!" she cried softly.

Once my fingers found the right spot, and I ever so gently focused on her clit, Gianna knew she was in for a good few minutes. She cried out a few times before the next orgasm hit her, and there was no doubt it was even better than her first one. I knew that because she begged and demanded I don't stop for a second. So all I did was double down, trying to make sure the next one was stronger still.

It was, and in between the moans and cries of delight, were exultations of how much she loved me. Made me smile as I didn't relent for a second. I could see Gianna was already flagging, no doubt in two minds about asking me to stop, and also for the fact she'd want to make love a little later, and would want at least some energy for that.