"...and while the Praetor isn't a ringleader of the lithium smuggling, he's definitely getting some sort of kickback from it," Calitina reported as she slathered a cake with thick chocolate frosting. "I managed to snoop around in some finance forms and there's definitely some extra spending money he's trying to hide."
The holo-projection of a Turian too grainy to make out clearly nodded. "Send us the files the usual way, we'll have the Praetor picked up within the week. I'd love to crack these smugglers before the year is out. Anything else to report?"
"Yeah," Calitina said, momentarily distracted by the oven timer going off. "There's an Asari that arrived here a couple weeks ago, going by the name Sarestea Atenis. Any records on her?" There was a momentary pause as she tugged on a pair of oven mitts and carefully extracted a steaming macaroni casserole.
"None that I can find, why?" the grainy Turian asked. "Think she's involved in the smuggling ring?"
"No, but I'm pretty sure she's an Ardat-Yakshi."
Even through the distortion the Turian projection looked shocked. "That's...not good. The Republics usually keep their little purebred mutants on a tight leash. You're sure that's what we're dealing with here?"
"Positive, I recognize a biotic domination when I see one," Calitina said with certainty as she scoured the drawers for some clean silverware. "No slouch either, this one's clearly gotten a lot of practice in. She arrived here looking like she got trampled by a Krogan assault squadron and her biotics were still pretty potent."
"Well, what's your plan then? Standard cleanup?"
"No, I want to know what she's doing here before she goes away for good," Calitina said, activating a hidden component of her omni-tool. "I'm certain that she's using a fake name, I'm sending you her picture for verification. Figure out who this night demon is and where she came from, I want to know all the players on the board before we make a move."
"I'm on it. Just try to make sure this thing doesn't try to kill anyone while I'm looking, Cali."
There was a sharp knock at the door, and Calitina looked up with a smile.
"Don't worry, I think I can handle her," she said quietly, disabling the projection and folding the holo-emitter back into a pen before stuffing it in her pocket. "Cooooomiiiiing!" she called out, this time in performative sing-song tones. Contently humming to herself as she sauntered over to the door, she could sense her standing just outside from the ambient biotic energy alone. Calitina had gotten lucky that her cover story was so convincing; if this Ardat-Yakshi knew that the modest logistics clerk was aspecial agent working in an Internal Security Cabal, trained as a biotic empath since childhood, she might have tried a little harder to enthrall her. If she wanted to, Calitina could eliminate this threat to Turian society with a quick shot to the back of the head, and this powerful mutant asari wouldn't know what hit her.
Calitina had other ideas for her. And it had nothing to do with what she told her contact.
"Sarestea!" she cried out as she threw the door open. 'Sarestea' put on a convincing smile that Cali knew was hiding mounting frustration as she gave the dangerous serial killer a big, enthusiastic hug. "I hope you're hungry, I prepared a real feast for you tonight!"
"Oh...I can't wait!" the Ardat-Yakshi said, rubbing her stomach as she stepped out of the cold. She didn't need to be told to wait at the table; after many nights being stuffed silly by her 'quarry', the Ardat-Yakshi was well aware of the routine. Making her way into the kitchen while spouting off the names of all the dishes she made, Calitina looked out the corner of her eye as the asari sat down, putting the effects of the constant feasting on display as a chubby little belly pooched into her lap, a squishy counterpart to the extra meat on her arms, the added heft on her thighs, the extra volume on her cheeks...
Calitina had to break away before her open gawking got too obvious, remembering how she needed to keep up the facade. Be more discreet, she's still dangerous, the turian told herself. You're not gonna get her well and properly fat if she catches on and kills you before she needs to start using multiple chairs. Might not be too far off, at the rate she's going.
"You're gonna love the main course, it's one of my absolute favorites!" Calitina said as she hefted the macaroni casserole into her arms. "And I'm sure you're gonna want to eat every single bite!"
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