The Thief in the Night

Kasumi was nothing if not a bonafide kleptomaniac. Being a part of the crew gave her a certain measure of protection, so she had promised Shepard when she asked to stay on that she would not steal anything she wasn't supposed to.

That promise didn't last an hour. Kasumi did, however, manage to keep herself from stealing anything important to anyone and she didn't sell anything she pilfered. She just... kept it, kept it where it was nice and safe, where no one else would be taking it, and where its value could be truly appreciated. So when she was sneaking into the armory, it wasn't to grab anything that might endanger the ship or its crew, it was just to liberate some of its less sensitive contents for her collection.

She snuck up to the locked door in the middle of the ship's night cycle, punched in the code she had surreptitiously observed others use to unlock this door in emergencies, and darted inside. She was surprised to find it darker than usual. Yes, at night they dimmed the lights so that people could sleep, but there was usually at least a few emergency lights on. Instead all she had to go by was the dim red of some locked containers, which admittedly attracted her like a moth to an open flame. She didn't sense Ashley anywhere nearby, so she went for it. No sooner did she reach them than the lights came on.

"You know something Kasumi?" Ashley said, standing just by the entry she had snuck in through. "This door beeps when someone's unlocking it."

Reluctantly Kasumi dropped her cloak, put her hands behind her back, and tried her best to appear innocent.

"Um... Whoops," Kasumi smiled awkwardly.

"For a master thief, it seems like a rookie mistake to me."

"Well we all have our off days, er, off nights..."

"Uh-huh. Or maybe you thought I was too stupid to notice."

"That's... not true." It wasn't entirely untrue either but she wasn't sure she wanted to mention that right now. "Uh... Lt. Commander Williams. I haven't actually taken anything... Do you think maybe we could just forget this ever happened and definitely not mention it to Shepard?"

Ashley stepped forward from her spot. "Under normal circumstances... I'd have you thrown out the airlock."

Not a great sign.

"However..." She continued.

A better sign. Kasumi perked up.

"I don't think Shepard needs to know about this little liaison."

"Really?" Kasumi asked as Ashley stepped up to her.

"Yeah... It'd spoil the fun."

Fun? Before Kasumi could vocalize her confusion, Ashley's eyes started to glow, wisps of element zero drifting into the air. Kasumi was startled, but she found she couldn't move, or look away. She felt a tremendous pressure pushing down on her brain, squeezing her thoughts until they popped into nothing, and soon she thought she heard voices. They were strange, soft, sensual even, like a lover beckoning her to bed.

"W-What... What are..."

"See Kasumi, you're not the only who steals things. The Collectors stole things. They stole people. In fact, they stole me." She said, reaching out with glowing hands, cupping Kasumi's face as the pressure in her brain made her legs wobble. Ashley guided her gently to her knees. "Now I'm going to steal you. Mind, body, and soul."

Kasumi barely comprehended what she was being told. Her mind was being crushed by the psychic pressure. Her whole body felt numb, like it wasn't really there. What she did feel was Ashley's hands, holding the sides of her head. It felt warm, and it felt good. Ashley's touch anesthetized her, and after a moment on her knees, her eyes fell shut and her head went limp as she lost consciousness.

Ashley smiled. Her indoctrination would progress faster without any pesky conscious thoughts interfering. Now to make sure she looked the part. With a swift motion she lifted Kasumi just off the ground with a stasis field. She hovered there, rigidly held at attention so Ashley could have full access to her prey. She carefully inspected Kasumi, circling around her for a moment, before reaching out and squeezing her breasts with the same glow as earlier. They swelled as Kasumi's modest bust grew to the size of volleyballs in Ashley's hands while Kasumi's ass grew to compliment her new build nicely.

But the changes were not purely to make her more pleasing to Ashley. That was a bonus. Now the real changes started. Kasumi's body shuddered as her hair suddenly and rapidly fell out, disintegrating in the blue biotic flames. Within moments her skin was silky smooth, just in time for it to begin to fuse with her outfit. The uniform for which Kasumi was known was as much a part of who she was as the skin she was born into, so Ashley decided to consecrate their union. It became rigid in some places, expanded in others as it replaced her concealed flesh, while her exposed skin turned a silvery-grey. In moments the transition between the two became seamless. Her fingers grew long and sharp, as did her toes and heel, while curved spikes stretched from her elbows and knees. Kasumi's hood went rigid as it became part of her head, connected just behind her face by a cobra's neck of metal.

It was time for the final touches. Glowing segmented blue lines appeared all over Kasumi's body in an intricate pattern, accentuating her face like makeup as they stretched down from her eyes and mouth to connect with the others all over her body.

Ashley released the stasis field, and Kasumi reflexively landed in a crouching pose. She slowly looked up at Ashley with electric blue eyes, just like the husks wore. Ashley, for her part, merely grinned at her as the glow faded from her eyes.

"How do you feel... Haze?" She said, christening her convert.

Haze? Was that her name now? As she stood to her feet, she wasn't sure. It was all so overwhelming. She knew what had been done to her. She knew her mind had been invaded and subjugated. She knew her body had been violated and changed. Her very essence had been warped to fit the designs of missing, presumed dead gods. Yet she didn't feel revulsion. No, she felt reverence. How wonderful it was to be used in such a way, to be made into a devoted servant of a higher power. Why had she and the others resisted this? Her new body felt amazing, so strong, so nimble, and humming with power. Instinctively, she thought about turning invisible, and it simply happened. The technology was now as much a part of her as her heart had been; it was no longer beating, one less thing to give her away.

Haze... She liked it.

"Incredible mistress," she finally answered in a cybernetic cadence. "Thank you for this remarkable body. You've given me a great gift." She bowed graciously.

"I already like you better this way," Ashley grinned. "The servile attitude suits you so much better than your old independent spirit. Indoctrination. You've got to love it... In fact you have ****."

"Indeed, mistress. I am an instrument of your will. I will think only what you want me to think." It was true. Even now, the rapid indoctrination Ashley had **** upon Haze's brain was rigidly organizing her mind, eliminating any treacherous thoughts, and assuring that only those thoughts which Ashley permitted would be allowed to germinate. The best part? It was permanent. The woman she used to be was never coming back. "What would you have me do mistress?"

"I'm going to take over this ship, but to do that I need more power... Right now, you're going to do something very important for me."