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[Kel Riever]

(Note:  The following installment was a collaboration with sH0tgUn jUliA)

Don’t be selfish!  Rea felt like pushing everyone away who she’d met. Of course Jan, the sweetheart medic, would be the target of Zia’s deeper affections. And in one fell swoop, Rea could have ruined it. At least it was possible that she could have ruined it; it didn’t matter whether she actually did or not. Rea tried opening a locker outside the showers, searching for something to wear besides her armor. It resisted. Rea’s anger rose and she focused on the locker, warping it. The light metal door crushed inward. Rea grabbed it and threw it to the floor. As she took the sports suit, jacket and shoes that were inside, Rea sobbed. But by the time she was done dressing, she had wiped away the tears. She threw her armored suit over her shoulder and walked out of the athletic center.

On the streets of Camp Bastion, Rea passed by the throngs of arrivals. She noted that the white, security armored humans kept to themselves and attempted to organize into some semblance of paramilitary units. Meanwhile, a number of the myriad youthful civilians became boisterous. Rea started towards the armory, out of the way of the clusters of people. She was unaccustomed to wanting to be alone, apart from the basic social interactions that typically gave her comfort. Before she reached the doors of the armory, she stopped. What if Rothan is in there?

Rhys strode into view, by chance, making notes on a datapad. Rea called to him. He noticed her and came over. “How are you doing, Lieutenant? I was just coming over from the pub. It’s a hell of a scene.”

Avoiding the question, Rea asked, “Rhys can you do me a favor? I need to get my armored suit back to Sully so he can work with it, and also return a key to him.”

“Sure, I’m heading there already.” Rhys took the armor and key.

Rea remembered Ereba and Shayrana. “You were at the pub? Are the asari still there?”

“I think so. Some have come and gone but I’m pretty sure they’re a fixture at this point.”

After thanking Rhys, Rea headed to the pub. The two Artemis asari she had talked to could help her. Rea needed to get her head clear, and they would be safe to speak with.

When Rea entered the pub, she had to push her way through the crowd to get to the Artemis asari. They had cornered off a section of the bar, and seemed to be making the best of their downtime. Two unfamiliar asari were with Artemis, and upon observing that one was ranked a captain, Rea saluted on approach.

The captain returned the salute and inquired, “Your name?”

“Lieutenant Rea Iallis.”

“Captain Marisa Soniri. At ease. Its hard to tell you’re a soldier in that outfit, but barring that, don’t I recognize you from somewhere?”

“Begging your pardon, Captain,” Rea hastily answered, “My armor is being refitted. As far as recognition, perhaps deployment? I was assigned as a force integration specialist with the Alliance 103rd, The Turian 43rd, and the krogan…”

Erikka hollered out, “Hey! L-T is back! Ready to mix it up?” Rea tried to look past her to find Ereba and Shayrana.

Captain Soniri slid again into Rea’s view to grab hold of her attention. “Before all that force integration assignment. Weren’t you a bodyguard.”

Rea hesitated, “Yes….Captain. I was assigned as a specialist to Matriarch Syra, a Thessian representative.” She folded her arms defensively.

Marisa squinched at Rea and examined her more closely. “You’re the hero that saved the representative from Cerberus.” The other asari Rea hadn’t met began eyeing her too.

Shifting back on her heels, Rea acknowledged, “Uh, yes, Captain…although it has gotten blown all out of proportion.”

Ranassa jumped in, “What? Are you serious? L-T is a war hero? You have got to be s***ing me.”

The asari were looking at her and Rea’s stomach became uneasy. Captain Soniri cleared her throat. “Lieutenant, you saved the representative by placing her on board a shuttle and staying behind to fend off Cerberus agents, did you not?”

Rea’s stomach felt like it was flipping upside down. The crowd at the pub seemed to press in on her. “Yes…Captain…any Commando would have done the same.”

Marisa placed a hand on Rea’s arm, “The modesty....By Athame you have spirit. Until you, there has never been a recipient of the Serrice medal who did not serve with the Guard itself, so I’ll differ, if you don’t mind, on the point of view that any Commando would have done the same. It may be true, but none have such a unique decoration.”

Forcing a grin, Rea did her best to hold herself together as Ranassa slapped her on the back, and T came over to find out what was going on. The asari Rea hadn’t met looked like she was mentally scrutinizing her. Before the unwanted attention unraveled any further, Rea heard Ereba shouting over. She was with Shayrana and the two injected themselves into the fray. “Excuse us, Captain, but we’ve had some tough times together with the lieutenant. Do you mind if we have a word with her.”

“Stop hoarding all the fun,” Ranassa jested, “When am I going to do a shot with the L-T?”

“Later, ‘Nassa,” Shayrana said, “Captain, may we?”

Captain Soniri bowed her head, “You may. I see you have good friends, Lieutenant.”

“The best, Captain.” Rea saluted and excused herself.

Ereba and Shayrana placed themselves on either side of Rea, and wrapped their arms around her shoulders as they moved away. Ereba spoke into Rea’s ear, “Sid has a bit of a more secluded environment down in the cellar. Why don’t go down there so we can talk. Nobody will bother us there.” Shayrana pointed out the door. Rea, who had paled, nodded rapidly and went towards it.

Shayrana held Ereba back momentarily to whisper into her ear, “Did you see Rea’s face? She looked like she wanted to run straight through a wall to get out of the pub when the Captain talked about her medal.”

Ereba whispered back, “I’ve seen plenty of humility and I’ve seen more than enough decorated heroes who didn’t want to talk about what had happened.” As Rea made her way through the door of the celler, Ereba watched the lieutenant put a hand to her head. “But something needs to be pulled apart under that crest.”

~~~~

After her peers left, Nasyra sat down at the bar next to Marisa and waved to Sid to pour for two. Sid placed the drinks in front of them.

"Small galaxy, isn't it, 'Mother?' There's something going on between you two and that lieutenant you want to tell me about? You made that woman very uncomfortable about something. And now it's affecting my squad: people I care about."

"I didn't think you cared about anyone but yourself."

"Oh, but I do. Do you see that group over there? Do you think those bonds happened overnight? There were seven others like them who died when Harvesters attacked our shuttles before we could get out of them to cover when we landed. That was just my squad. Erikka's squad lost eleven.

"It's my responsibility to make sure they survive this war. That was the trade-off that happened when I stole your daughter's identity and altered her history to become a Commando. Call it odd, but I'm looking at this as another contract. Jan Wyld gave me a chance to complete it. They will survive, or we will be the last asari. So start talking, and I want details."

Marisa picked up her drink and took a sip before speaking. “Rea Iallis saved Matriarch Syra from a Cerberus assassination attempt. Yes, the same Matriarch Syra who escaped the Reaper attack on Thessia. Iallis was with her then too. If Syra wasn’t such a firebrand, she’d probably be representing us on the Council.” Marisa watched as her ‘daughter’ absorbed every word. “Well, Narysa, you’ve probably seen the story on the news in one way or another. Syra was on Pheiros attending a meeting with the Turains to coordinate fleet refueling. Our 6th fleet was moving through the system on their way here and they were transporting the Serrice Guard. It was our mistake…we had no idea that Cerberus could pull off an operation in a Turian military base. The only guards present were Syra’s personal security.”

Nasyra cut in, “Someone let their guard down.”

“A fault of overconfidence, really,” Marisa affirmed. “Even after the attack on the Citadel, it is the tendency for us to deal with Cerberus as just human. Let’s not forget that we rely on the Turians as well. Resources are stretched and every warrior we pull from the front line against the Reapers can cost us. Of course, however, you are correct. In the end, Syra was saved, escaping on a shuttle. But Iallis sacrificed herself to save Syra.”

Emptying her drink, Nasrya pried, “What do you mean, sacrificed?”

Marisa looked up in thought before continuing, “The story goes Iallis took a bullet for Syra. A Cerberus agent had the Matriarch dead in his sights and Iallis jumped in the way. Then the facts get lost in elaboration. Some say she fought off tenfold Cerberus operatives. Others say she died and came back to life, but I really think that’s a bunch of nonsense left over from Shepard’s fame. The official report is that Iallis was wounded, she was not on the shuttle when it escaped, and Turian reinforcements rescued her when they arrived.”

“Someone has to know the truth.” Nasyra was suspicious. “The information must be buried somewhere.”

“Not necessarily,” Marisa suggested. “I don’t have to tell you the best way to hide data is to never enter it in the first place. I have a pretty high clearance and as it pertains to the Council, I have full access. There’s always a chance that I could be wrong, but further details were left off the books on purpose by whoever should have entered them. It never mattered to me. This war needs people to look up to, and sometimes at cost. But who wouldn’t want to be a hero?”

Nasyra’s expression darkened. “A few people I know.”

Modifié par Kel Riever, 19 septembre 2013 - 02:32 .

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Meanwhile back at the ranch:

Shepard moved her right leg a half a meter, and a bullet moved 20 meters toward a banshee. Garrus was in cover behind burned out car. Liara was next to him and was up firing her Tempest to cover Shepard. Two rounds had left her SMG while on full automatic fire.

[Redbelle]

Wyld was still fretting when she started climbing the building up it's elevator shaft. The cable was still good and her feet made anchoring a cinch. Probably would have been easier to find the stairs. But she'd come across the shaft first.

The exercise gave her time to think.

Zia was going to leave her. At some point in the future. It was inevitable. At some point Zia would get tired of her and leave with the one she'd picked. That meant Naomi. Naomi was now some super biotic. That meant she was the Alliance's top biotic asset. And Zia was her handler and trainer. She'd shown she could contain and channel Naomi's power. So those two were joined at the hip already.

Meanwhile she'd be reassigned once more. Probably lose the commander rank she'd been given. Return to bouncing around squads providing background support. Medic's were an important asset.

They have to leave each other sooner or later. It had already happened in a way. She'd been given an assignment and left Zia. For all she knew, when she got back, Zia and Naomi could have been on assignment and elsewhere. It was just the way soldier's operated. So it was to be expected that she and Zia would separate and then one day, never see each other again. While Zia and Naomi left for who knows where. Together. In love.

Only she'd told Naomi about that affair after Naomi had straight up asked her and now had every reason to hate Wyld. And maybe even Zia. So she'd driven a wedge between them?

Dammit!

She didn't want to lose Zia. She was sure of that. She just didn't see how she could, not lose her. And when she told Zia that Naomi was angry with her it would probably be the thing that would bring Zia to her senses and shut her out. Focus on Nay.

The cable bit into her hands as she neared the top. The strain was leaving her breathless and her muscles warmed. She had to tell Zia. If she didn't, she'd find out anyway. And know that she'd kept it from her. She had to be the one to tell her.

She came to the top of the shaft where an open door lay and she pulled herself up and through. Climbing out into an open apartment-esque room. Looking around she realised the walls had been torn open to make it appear thus. And there, at a gash in the buildings side.....

Stood Zia.

She stood facing out. Seemingly lost in contemplation as Wyld approached.

I may never see her again after tonight. She thought came unbidden and hard on it, came a sudden anger. Zia was one of the best things to have come into her life. And now she was on the precipice of losing her. As soon as she told her..... She walked towards her. Feeling her steps quicken as she sought to close the gap.

She didn't have to tell Zia right now. It could wait. It could all wait. She wanted..... wanted......

Zia heard Jan approach as she crossed the nearby table. She started to turn, her head tilting.

“Jan”. She said. “I wanted to talk to yo.....”. Her words were cut off as Wyld gabbed her the front of uniform with both hands and pulled her forward. Her arm snaked around her back as her free hand grabbed Zia's jaw and guided her to her lips.

Wyld pulled a caught unawares Zia over to where the wall looked solid. Gave it a kick as she wrestled Zia's tongue, who was groaning and batting at her chest. The wall held firm and Wyld crushed Zia's frame against it. Her mouth opening and closing as Zia's body guided her to do likewise.

Year's of what Wyld was unleashing upon her had honed Zia's instinct's on what to do and even as she tried to speak, she was reaching for and pulling Jan closer. But Wyld was having none of it.

Wyld grabbed one of her hands and pinned it up against the wall above her head. Her feet skidded from how much force she was putting into kissing her. Zia's body felt the occasional slips and her right leg came up and wrapped itself around Wyld's thigh. Pulling her in. At last Wyld moved away. Trailing her mouth across Zia's jaw. Words she had lost before now came pouring out.

“Jan. Please....”! She groaned. “I want you to....”. But her words were mashed back as Wyld grabbed the back of her hair, jerked her head back and devoured her lips once more. Zia felt like an eruption had gone off inside her. Her hooked leg kept pulling Wyld into her as she pushed Wyld's jacket off her shoulders. Once off, she threw it and only half noticed it landing on the couch.

She's changed her outfit.

The thought caused a ripple of laughter to come up and out, causing Wyld to pull away in surprise. The respite allowed Zia to pull herself up against the wall and say, in a breathless whisper. “I want you to listen, to me”.

Wyld grabbed at Zia's top and sharply pulled the material apart, causing fastener's to pop off and roll away as Wyld quickly snaked one hand around the small of her back. Her other hand grabbed the shoulder of her open uniform and tugged it with hard, insistent pulls. Zia could hear the lining of her uniform tearing till her shoulder was bared and Wyld dropped down on it. Zia took a shuddering breath as Wyld's teeth scraped the flesh as she nipped and licked along her, past her collar bone. Past her neck. Wyld came to halt with her lips next to her ear and growled. “Just shut up and let me **** you”.

Zia shuddered as the throaty demand dived into her. What had possessed Jan? She was animalistic. Demanding. Someone she cared for, deeply. Giving her exactly what she wanted.

Zia wrapped her remaining leg around Wyld's waist. Her words and thought's disappearing under a haze as she wrenched her arm off the wall, out of Wyld's grip and wrapped it around Wylds neck to reach down, under her underlay and down her back. She tried to bring her other arm around but found that her uniform had fallen off her shoulder in such a way that the material pulled uncomfortably against her back. She flapped her pinned arm around. Trying to get the fabric to slip off as Wyld's teeth grabbed the front of her vest.

Zia's head sank back as she moaned. Her hand dragging her nails across Wylds skin. Heard Jan hiss but made no effort to stop her. Then they were spinning.

Wyld slammed Zia down on the hard surface of the table and Zia felt her core shudder as Wyld stood on the tip of her toes as she brought her other leg up onto the table. Her lips ruthlessly claimed Zia's who took shuddering breaths, grabbing hold of the table top edge's as Wyld moved to press into her.

Look at her. Zia's mind seem to be saying. She's not trying to be with you. She's trying to be one with you. To melt into you.

Then they were face to face and Zia looked up into Wyld's eye's. Wyld looked into hers. And Wyld stopped.

Zia looked on as Wyld's mask dropped and there was the Jan she'd known and fought side by side with. Looking down at her as she gulped down lungfuls of air. She brought a hand up and slowly, gently, with just the tips of her fingers. Brushed Zia's hair out of her face before she placed her hand against it. Running her thumb over her cheek, just past her eye before coming to rest next to her ear. From the harsh treatment before Wyld now seemed beside herself with care with how she touched her.

Zia found her voice at last. Brought up a hand. Placed a finger against Wylds lips. “Jan”. She said, her voice unsteady. She modulated her voice with just the right amount of scorn. “Is that all you've got”.

Wrapping her arms around Wyld she found the fastener, on her back to her underlay and ripped it open. The tearing was there one moment. Gone the next as Wyld's eye's narrowed. Zia just flopped back and smirked. “So that's it”?

Wyld's mouth opened, more teeth showing then usual as she came down on Zia's and they crushed themselves together. Zia caught Wylds bottom lip in her teeth. Held it as she withdrew before letting go. Wyld pulled Zia up till she was straddling her, even as Wyld moved down, over the quivering muscle of Zia's stomach, past her naval.....

Zia pulled away from Jan mouth and gasped. Her hands wrapped her. Holding on as if her life depended on it. Her head came to rest on Wyld's shoulder with an expression that seemed half pain, half ecstasy. But Zia wasn't ready to go without a fight.

She turned her head and sank her teeth into Jan's shoulder hard enough to leave marks. Wyld, Zia thought to herself. Your Mine

Jan gave a howl through gritted teeth, but didn't miss a beat. If anything, she seemed spurred on and brought her face around to Zia's neck where she nipped and nibbled as she ran a hand through Zia's hair.

Thank you. Zia mind was a blur as Wyld pressed into her. Thank you. She didn't know who she thankful to. Or what she was thankful for. Just that at this moment, she couldn't think of any time or place she would rather be. Or who with for that matter. She sagged into her as Wyld, who just gripped her by the back of her hair, brought her head back for another soul destroying kiss, and Zia then realised that Jan had no intention of stopping now.

Zia rallied herself. Not knowing what would happen next but found she didn't care. “I love you”. She whispered.

But Wyld was to occupied to hear.

Modifié par Redbelle, 18 septembre 2013 - 10:27 .

[Redbelle]

Zia slowly awoke from darkness. She felt sore all over. She stretched and noticed that she could feel something rough and flimsy covering her. She opened her eye's and looked down to see that she was covered in a sheet. She was naked underneath. She remembered as her head flopped back to be met with a soft cushion. She looked around. She had been laid to rest on the couch, but couldn't remember how she had come to be here.

She remembered Wyld. She felt a lazy grin tug the corner's of her mouth. Oh yes, she remembered.

“Hey. Your awake”.

Jan. Zia brought a hand up to hold the sheet to her chest as she raised herself up. And there was Jan. Sitting on the other jutting section of the couch. Her clothes, likewise scattered around with her own. Jan only wore her underlay and Zia could see that it was not the same standard issue. This one only covered her upper and lower body. Her shoulder's and leg's were bare. Zia could see raised welt's where her nails had dragged across her skin before. The tooth marks on her shoulder. She blinked as she suddenly saw what Wyld held in her hands and she laughed. “Are you sewing”?

Wyld pulled a needle away from the fabric in her hands. A metallic glint shining in-between. “I kind of, tore the stitching of your uniform. Sorry. All I have is a suture kit”.

Zia laughed and flopped down again, her arms resting above her head as she ran a hand through her hair. “Worth it”.

Wyld let out a sigh. “Zee....”.

Zia abruptly sensed something was wrong. “Don't worry about the top. I'm sure there are spares”.

“You need to find Naomi”.

“I.....”. Zia found herself blinking. Staring at Wyld's back as she drew another stitch in her uniform. “Jan? What happened”?

The hand stopped it's motion and Wyld rested her elbow's on her synthetic knees. “I was talking to her. She asked me if we were cheating on her”. She went silent as Zia waited. “I told her the truth. Somehow, she already knew. She just wanted someone to be honest.... I think”. Wyld shook her head. “I'm sorry”. She tilted her head and nodded to where her jacket lay. “You can take mine. This'll take awhile”.

“Jan....”.

“Better hurry and.....”. She broke off again. A shuddering breath overtaking her. “I'm so sorry Zee”.

Zia opened her mouth to speak, then paused. She took her time to look at Wyld, sitting with her back to her. Wyld busied herself by drawing another stitch “Why”?

“I wanted to be with you”. She said. “I wanted you and now I made everything worse for you and Nay”.

That wasn't what she meant. Zia shook her head as she pulled the sheet around her. Knotted it as she walked over and knelt by Wyld side. Placed a hand on hers, stopping her from drawing the needle through the fabric of her uniform.

One thing at a time.

“Jan”. She said. “I want you to answer me. What happened with Naomi”.

Wyld lifted sad eye's to Zia. Goddess, she's been crying.

“Naomi suspected we were involved. I just confirmed it for her. She got angry and slapped me”.

“She slapped you”?

Wyld nodded and Zia took a breath. “Did her biotics manifest”? The one thing Zia was afraid. Please don't have let her have flared.

“Aside from hitting me she didn't so much as glow the whole time”.

Zia let out a sigh of relief. The fact Wyld was sitting here, and the camp was still standing...... “I guess that went about as well as we could have hoped for”.

Wyld gave her an incredulous look. “She's hurt Zee. I mean, really hurt. Deep inside. I think there was something about you she clung to. Some connection between you too”. Her head dropped. “And I was the one who broke it”.

Zia put her hand under Wylds chin. “Maybe”.

She lifted Wyld to look back into eye's. “Maybe”?

“Maybe we are done”. Zia admitted. “I'll talk to Naomi, but right now.....”. She took a deep breath. “Jan. It's okay for Naomi to stand alone. I'm sorry if she's hurt, but right now I want to be here. With you”.

Wyld straightened, ever so slightly. “With me? Why”?

“Remember what I said before”?

Wyld's eye's drifted off to the right. “I was..... occupied, to tell the truth”. She looked back. “Or are we talking about something further back”?

“Right here”. Zia smiled. “Before you threw me up against every solid object there is”.

Wyld winced. “So.....”.

“If you say sorry one more time I'm suspending you out that hole”. Zia snapped. “And my singularities last a long time”. She added with a raised finger, which she slowly placed on Wyld neck and ran down her throat. “Besides. If I didn't like it, do you honestly think you could stop me from stopping you”?

A little bit of Wyld's old self came back as a faint smile tugged her lips. “Well, I do have an axe”. She let out a breath and shook her head. “Okay. Not helping”.

“Jan”. Zia pushed her shoulder forcing her back so that she had to place her hands behind her. “There are things about me. Things that I maybe should have told you. I wanted to tell you. But there was something more important than telling you”.

“Which was”?

“Not telling you”. Zia said. “Ever since we've known each other you never pried into my past life. And I'm grateful for that. Because I wanted to leave it behind and be someone my past would never let be become”. She paused.

“You don't really know me. And I know I took a big liberty when I kissed you that first time. But it felt so good, and I never expected it to turn into this”. She gestured at them both. “You. Me. It's crazy when we're together. And when the crazy is over”.

“We need a couple of tubes of medi gel”? Wyld joked.

Zia gave her a wry look. “When it's over it's just us and..... I'm comfortable with it just being us. And I want there to be more of us. Because it's only ever really been me for a long time now”.

She took a seat next to Wyld who moved to give her room. Zia took one of Wyld's hands in her own. Felt Jan's firm grip, felt her squeeze as if afraid she'd let go. Zia squeezed back. Looked at Wyld who was regarding her with gentle eye's.

“Your beautiful”. Wyld said softly. “I mean it”. She added in a hurry. “I mean, I've seen people who look good, and people who just look great and then there's people on holo magazine's cover's who.....”.

“I love you”.

Wyld stopped talking. That was her voice abruptly failed her. Her mouth flapped a few times before that too came to a halt and she just looked at Zia who smiled. “I love you”.

Jan found her voice coming from a far away place. “That's just not right”.

Zia face fell. “Excuse me”?

Wyld went on. “You and Naomi are together. Not me”.

“Jan”!

“Is this just some unusual punishment? Because this is....”.

Zia grabbed Jan's and gave her a shake. “Jan. I love you”.

“....To good to be true”.

“I love you”!

Wyld shook her head. “This is isn't funny Zee”.

Zia froze. This wasn't how it was supposed to go. She knew Wyld loved her because Wyld had told her so. She was convinced that the feeling's she had were love, a deeper longing than anything she had ever experienced, and that they were settled on the woman sitting in front of her. It had to be love. It just had to be!

Because listening to Wyld reject her claims stabbed deep into her. She was speaking from the heart, now lying vulnerable before Wyld. And she wouldn't accept it?

Her hand cut through the air and there was a sharp crack. Wyld head spun around as Zia screamed. “I love you, you idiot”! She shot up and continued to yell. “I love you and you won't believe me”? She took a deep breath. “Why won't people believe......”! She ran out of steam. And just stood as Wyld shook her head to clear the ringing in her ear's. She looked up at Zia, who looked down. Saw disbelief in Wyld's eye's that she could not bear.

Zia turned away found her leg's bumping into the table. It stopped her dead. She could have called on her biotics. Knocked it aside. Shattered it where it stood. Instead she just stood. Feeling her eye's turn raw as tears began to stream from them.

Bringing a hand to her face. She covered her eye's as droplet's ran down her face. And for the first time in a long, long time. Zia sobbed at her rejection.

Modifié par Redbelle, 18 septembre 2013 - 07:58 .

[Redbelle]

Wyld sat, stunned. Mortified. Unable to process as she heard Zia weep. Her face seared with pain from where Zia had slapped her. But that was nothing compared to what she felt inside. Each sobbing breath she heard Zia take was like a wound.

I've done it again.

She was starting to get sick of hurting the people she cared about. Before she knew what she was doing, she was standing and crossing the distance between them.

She said she loves me. It was a hard concept to swallow on some level. No. She said it! She said, I love you. She thought as she pulled up behind Zia. And whatever else. No matter what. I have to believe......

Wyld wrapped her arms around Zia's waist. Zia tried to wiggle free but Wyld just kept holding her till her struggles and sobbing subsided. “Let me tell you a story. It's about a girl with no legs”.

Zia sniffed. “I've heard it”.

“But I bet you didn't know what she was like before. When she could walk on her own”. Wyld cast her mind back as she rested her cheek on Zia's shoulder. “She was wonderful. Dedicated. In love with her own body and the rhythms that drove her to find ways to express herself through her dancing”.

She sighed. “There were two people she loved most of all. Because she was young and that's what young people do. They noticed her passion and sought to give her the room to excel. She went to schools and met teachers. She was good. Those places and those people made her extraordinary. People talked about her. Some wanted to see her perform. Other's wanted her to break a leg so they could replace her. She kept on and on till finally, she broke the ceiling of where she was. And she was ready to go to the next level.

Memories continued to surface as she clung to Zia's frame. “You can probably guess the rest. The girl who loved to dance lost the ability to. It was a tragedy, some called it. Other nodded along and wiped tears out of there eye's, masking the smiles, knowing the competition has just gotten weaker. People flocked to her bedside and she hated it. It was a stage she resented. She hated so much it hurt her inside. And everyone around her just helped her remember how much she had lost. And then, slowly, she found fewer and fewer people came to see her. And then she found she'd been forgotten in the wake of some other idol or figure of public morning. And she was alone.

Wyld took a deep breath. “But not alone enough. Because those two she cared for most of all. One was able to help her. The other made life unbearable. Instead of understanding, she kept poking and prodding and needling and trying to make me see the world her way. She never stopped to consider how I felt. And after trying so hard to make that person I loved understand how I felt, and failing to, something else broke. Because loving someone should mean your prepared to spend time quietly understanding what their going through. The twice broken girl who couldn't dance. Couldn't find a way to gain the acceptance of someone she loved”.

Wyld fought back her own tears. She had to be strong now. “So I ran away. I joined the military and it was hard. They don't generally take cripples. I managed to find a loophole and a sympathetic ear. And it helped me.....”.

“How”?

“It helped me forget where I'd come from. I thought I was free of all the bad that had happened in my past and now here I am showing you just how much I turned out like my mother. By hurting someone I love so much that I just want to curl up into a ball somewhere”. Wyld clutched Zia tightly. “It doesn't make up for what happened. I know that. But if have a minute..... I've got something I want to show you”.

Zia wiped her tears away. “What”.

“Come on. I want to give you a private performance”. Wyld pulled her gently and Zia reluctantly followed. She saw they were heading to hole in the side of the building.

“You'd better not be thinking of jumping”.

“Sorry, no. And....” She added as they arrived. “....before you suspend me outside with a singularity. What do you see when you look down”?

Zia looked. “Bastion”.

“People”?

“A lot of small people from here”.

“Do you think they'll be able to hear us up here”? Before Zia could answer Wyld turned cupped her hands, took a deep breath, and yelled at the top of her lungs.

“I ' M J E R R Y – A N N  W Y L D !!! . . . . . A N D  I   L O V E  Z I A ”!!! She didn't see Zia's look of sudden shock. Or her lunging for her. “A N D   Z I A   L O V E ' S  M E”!!! Zia grabbed Wyld around the waist. Tried to get a hand over her mouth, but Wyld fended her off with one of hers as she continued yelling, at the top of her voice, that was fast becoming merry with laughter. “O N L Y,   S H E ' S  A  B I T  M A D  A T  M E  R I G H T  N O W”!!! Zia moved to one side and slid her hip past Wyld's till she was practically standing back to back and grabbed Wyld's free arm. “B U T  T H A T ' S  F I N E  C A U S E   I   S T I L L  L O V E  H E R     M O O O O O O R E”!!!

Wyld's last words became a shriek amid laughter as Zia pulled down on her hand. At the same time she used her hip as a pivot and flung Wyld over her shoulder, back into the building. Wyld landed on the floor. She kept her wit's about her enough to roll as she slapped the ground. She was still laughing as Zia came down on her and pinned to the floor. Her face locked in an expression of incredulous disbelief. “WHAT THE HELL JAN”!!!

Wyld found she couldn't speak. She was laughing to hard and Zia's look just set her off even more. “Be....cause.....”! She managed after a bit. “Because..... it's..... the truth”. Wyld managed to settle after Zia let her hands go and she propped herself up on her elbows. “Because.... it's the truth. I love you. And you said you love me! And what the hell else matter's other than that”!

“You just yelled at the camp”!

“I Know”! Jan squeezed her eye's shut and tried to hold back another fit of giggles. She heard them nonetheless. Managed to open her eye's just a crack and found Zia chuckling.

“You just.... yelled at the camp..... that we're in love! And..... Naomi's down there”!

Wyld's head thudded back on the floor. “Oh Gawd! Do you think she'll blow her lid on us”?

Zia bent her head down as she tried to hold back the tears that now ran from trying to stifle herself from joining Wyld in her amusement. “I think.... we got away with it”.

“She is a blonde bombshell isn't she”.

That did it. Zia scrunched Jan's underlay in her hands and erupted laughing. She buried her face in Wyld's chest. Tried to take deep, controlling breath's. She managed to bring herself back under control as she felt Wyld raise them both to a sitting position. When she looked, she and Wyld were sitting practically nose to nose.

“What's your name Zee”? Wyld asked. “I want to say I'm in love with you. But Zia who”?

“Just Zia”. She said. “I guess you could call me T'loak but that wouldn't be my name. It was just one I got to use for awhile”. She stroked Wyld's hair. “I like it when you call me Zee though”.

“My Zia”. Wyld said as she closed her eye's and inhaled. “My little strawberry Zee”.

“Seriously? You think I'm fruit”?

“You taste like fruit”.

“Your taste impaired”.

“I love you”.

“I love you too”.

Both sat and gazed into each other's eye's. The moment lasted and before both, they saw the promise of a brighter future for each other. Wyld broke the spell first.

“But I totally love you more”.

“No you don't”.

“I said it first”!

“I kissed you first”!

“I announced us first”!

“I bit you first”!

“Yeah”. Wyld looked down at her shoulder. “I should probably treat that”. She looked up at Zia. “But later”.

Zia ran her finger's over the marks. “Your mine”.

Wyld beamed. “No argument here”.

“Well then”. Zia pulled Wylds head forward to her neck line. Held her there. “Do it”. She whispered the command. felt Wyld brush her lips across her shoulder. Felt her mouth clamp down.

Zia hissed as Wyld marked her. She held her there for a moment longer than needed. Before she let go and Wyld gazed up into her eye's.

“Mine”. Wyld said with that fiery glint in her eye.

Zia smiled. “Yours”.

Modifié par Redbelle, 21 septembre 2013 - 07:08 .

[Redbelle]

“Steiner”!

Steiner groaned as the man with the needle pulled the implement away from his body. “Keep going”. Steiner told him. “I'm not going till this is done”.

He sat in front of an open packing crate. The tattoo man from the Misfit's adding new names to an extensive list on his body of rippling muscle. It was rare for him to ever take off the destroyer armour. Rarer still to find someone who knew how to spill ink. Both opportunities had arisen in Bastion and he'd found a quiet place, amid the bustle around him, to get to work.

And now he could hear the voice of Babylon calling for him.

Babylon emerged around a corner. The maze of crates that existed seemingly no match for her keen bloodhound nose. “Klaus”! She said beaming as she saw him. “I need to interview you. Preferably somewhere we can sit and talk”.

With Tee-Eff personnel in the background, amid groups of Alliance types. Some of the human Misfit's were actually scrubbing up quite well after their shower's, and with a change of clothes.... Best think about it later. Now she'd found the resistance hero she could...... She paused as she looked at his upper body where the needle whirred. And asked.

“What are you doing”?

“Names”.

Babylon took a step forward. Neither of the two raised an objection. She came close and walked around, looking at what was inked onto him.

She saw names of people. The vast majority beginning with initials she recognised as ranks in the military. So many on him.

“Klaus? What is this”? She peered closer at the one the artist was inking at present. Private Billy Cabaton. She looked at Steiner in horror. “Klaus, Billy was....”.

“Left flank”. Steiner affirmed looking straight ahead. “He was one of the one's that didn't make it”.

Babylon took a step back. Now she looked, she could see the entire left side of his body was covered in tattoo's. But not images or emblems. Names. Lot's of names. To many to count. Babylon felt her eye's misting and fought it off. “Klaus. Why”?

“Because I was supposed to save them and I didn't”.

Babylon shook her head. “That's not an answer”!

He turned his head. His eye's boring into hers. “Yes it is”.

“But there are memorial walls and.....”.

“Not here”. Stainer said patiently. “And nowhere else. I haven't seen one on Earth since the beginning of the invasion. To many.....”.

And Babylon understood. To many to count. To many to name. All those who had fallen, all those to come. The names of the dead would probably stretch half way around the Earth or more?

How many had died?

Steiner turned back. “At least, I'll know. Because I carry them with me”. He tilted his head. “It's important. I don't expect you to understand”.

Babylon stepped up to him. Placed a hand on his named shoulder. “I liked Billy too Klaus. But it was the Reaper's who killed him”.

“I know. But after all this time, I don't remember half the people who died at the start. This way, I'll remember. Or someone can pick me up and find out”.

Babylon knelt in front of him. Her eye's looking up into his dead cold one's. She looked down. “Just wear something to cover those when your interviewed. Your a hero. Dress like it”. She looked up as she felt an anger growing towards him “Act like it”!

She stormed off as the tattoo artist finished. He was about the put his tools away when Steiner shook his head. “LT Joe Roner”.

The artist shrugged and turned back to his task.

Modifié par Redbelle, 18 septembre 2013 - 07:48 .

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

BoL - The Lost Asari XLVI (Camp Bastion)

"You mentioned that the details were left off the books on
purpose. I’m curious as to why?” Nasyra asked.“I don’t know. I was left out of the loop,” Marisa replied.
“Sid, pour my mother and I another round, please, and ‘Mother,’ could I bum one of your cigarettes?” 
Marisa tapped Clark on the shoulder and asked him for a cigarette for the Sarge. He lit it, and she passed it down.
“Thank you. So what do we know about Cerberus?” Nasyra asked.
“They’re were or are a terrorist organization and have three ‘heads:’ scientific, paramilitary, and political. The scientific branch conducted horrific experiments on both Humans and non-Humans. We’ve been fighting the para-military branch during this war almost as much as the Reapers. They’ve been competing for the same resources we have.”
“And the political?”
“They seem to have tight ties with Terra Firma. Terra Firma denies it, of course. They say it used to be that way, but once Cerberus went rogue back in 2070 and started blowing up starships near colonies for the purpose of spreading refined eezo just for the sake of conducting field experiments on populations they said they cut ties. I don’t believe them, nor does anyone else.”
“Why do you say that?”
“We’ve followed the money trail, and it’s led to the same sources, and their agenda hasn’t changed.”
Nasyra sighed. “Do you know what I fear? After all the blood we’ve shed on this planet, all of us: Asari, Turian, Krogan, Quarian, there is going to be a backlash against us and a party like Terra Firma is going to win the first election. There’s not going to be a ‘thanks for saving our asses here. We couldn’t have done it without you.’ It’s going to be, ‘Okay we won, now leave.’”
“Sergeant! How can you say that?”
Nasyra leaned forward to Marisa. “Because they’ve always been one step ahead of us during the war, but we’ve always had fairly tight security. Someone is pulling their strings and feeding them information.”

“You don’t think….”
The Sarge downed her drink. “Has to be.” 
Nasyra slapped the credit chits on the bar, then left and mingled with her team and some of the humans. She knew Nasyra was right about this. She didn't quite trust the Sarge, but she knew the Sarge wasn't stupid. If anything she was a bit paranoid.

In the back of Nasyra's mind was how to help Ereba if she ran into difficulty. The lieutenant's problem was that she'd been to the other side and back, and she had become "disconnected." That's what Nasyra thought anyway, and she knew how to help. Did Ereba? Nasyra wasn't sure.

------------------------------------------------------------

Ereba held the door for Rea and Shayrana and they descended the rickety wooden steps that creaked under foot. Shayrana turned on her flashlight. "Hey, Rea, I know all that up there must have been pretty uncomfortable, running into the sarge's mother and all that hero stuff. It would have bugged the crap out of me, too."

Shay was shining her light around and found a room to the right. "There's got to be a light around here somewhere. Ah, there it is. I can't reach it. Rea, you're a little taller. See the string? Pull it."

Rea pulled the string and a single light dimly lit the room, and there was a slight noise that quieted down quickly.

Ereba looked around. "You know, this room looks mighty cozy. Half-eaten sofa, holes in the walls, table, microwave, radio, bed, chest, television, cockroaches. Kind of reminds me of my visit to Tuchanka with my parents to see my grandparents on my dad's side. I was 50 and my grandparents wanted me to go through the Rite of Passage to see if...."

"Ereba." Shayrana rolled her eyes.

"What?" Ereba said.

Rea laughed. "It's okay. Tell me about it later, promise?"

"Promise."

Modifié par sH0tgUn jUliA, 26 janvier 2014 - 08:31 .

[Khambilo]

Rothan half expected to find Wyld still arguing with Sully at the armory when he returned, but upon entering he found Sully in conversation with a marine.

“Back so soon?” Sully said, abruptly breaking the conversation.

Rothan marched straight toward him. “I need to know if this camp has any ground assault vehicles.”

Sully’s brow furrowed, a mixture of curiosity and befuddlement. “You mean like Makos? Mechs?”

“No,” Rothan shook his head. “Something smaller. Faster, but still outfitted with weaponry. Something not exactly standard issue.”

Sully smirked, walking deeper into the armory. “Step into my office.”

Rothan followed, stepping past the thinning supplies of weapons and armor towards a curtain along the back wall of the armory tent. Sully smiled wide as he peeled back the curtain like a showroom attendant.

The goods inside did match his theatrics though. Rothan remembered it instantly as the bike that Rea had examined earlier. By all standards, it appeared to be a newer model, even glossy in all the right places, though it had clearly seen better days.

Sully seemed a little giddy. “Don’t know exactly what it is... I’ve seen Hahne-Kedar bikes similar to this, but if you ask me it looks far more sophisticated than anything they’ve put together. Closest thing to this kind of engineering would be—“

“Turian. Armax Arsenal perhaps,” Rothan cut in.

Sully cocked his head. “How did you know?”

“It’s those support struts down there,” Rothan pointed. “We used to get parts in on the engineering deck from second hand Turian merchants with a similar design.”

He looked over the bike, walking around it to examine every inch, and even in it’s current state, it looked sleek and fast. The metal looked as if it had been sculpted into a single angular focal point at the front of the bike. Instead of a bulky design, the bike seemed mostly stripped down, opting for a more elegant design with it’s many stabilizer fins that protruded of the bike like the appendages of some marine animal. With its pointed front and attached fins, it looked like a bird about to launch itself into the air. Yet, there was not an overabundance of sharp edges, a typical hallmark of Turian design.

“The chassis though… It almost looks Asari,” Rothan remarked.

“Yeah, threw me for a loop too,” Sully muttered.

“Will she fly?”

Sully grimaced. “That’s the thing. Haven’t gotten her to work. She was brought in like this. Been the subject of some talk. Some of the boys think it may have belonged to an Alliance Infiltrator Unit, a getaway bike for a clandestine op. Others seem to think it belonged to a Specter who died in battle. Had an Asari come in here and swear she saw a Justicar riding one of these. Didn’t believe any of it though.”

Rothan turned to Sully. “What do you believe?”

He shrugged. “Your Asari friend called it a Viyera Starscreamer. Never heard of anything like it myself, but she seemed confident about it. She told me to try and fix it up, but I’m an arms officer, not a mechanic. I did my best though.”

Rothan squinted at Sully. “Then why did you show it to me.”

Sully looked at him as if the answer was obvious. “You’re a quarian. Can’t you guys fix anything?”

Rothan rolled his eyes but looked back to the bike in question. There was no telling if he could fix the thing up, but it was better than nothing. He looked back to Sully. “You better be glad the stereotype is true this time. I’m going to need tools.”

Sully grinned and departed back into the armory.

The task ahead of him would be daunting, considering the time constraints. Still he had work to do. Rothan remembered that the bike had some sort of VI programmed into. Rea had interacted with it to get it into the armory. Perhaps cracking that would solve some of the other problems.

Then there was the problem of the mounted gun, which Sully had clearly slapped on without a regard for the bike’s performance or balance. Rothan would need to start on square on for that one.

He let his hand drift over the curved chassis of the bike. He remembered seeing a bike somewhere like this somewhere recently. It took him a second to remember that it was one of the brief things he had gleaned from his joining with Rea. For a split second he allowed himself to remember the glimpse of Rea’s memory he had caught. The clear sky, the wind whipping by as she rode a through the air.

Then for a moment, he imagined her riding the marvelous piece of technology before him. Everything seemed to fit. He smiled, but quickly set to work on the bike.

Modifié par Khambilo, 19 septembre 2013 - 03:20 .

[Kel Riever]

(Note: The following installment was a collaboration with sH0tgUn jUliA)

The lone, dimly lit overhead lamp cast stark shadows in the cellar of the pub.  Sounds from the crowd at the bar above were muffled, and the three asari sat next to each other on the half-eaten sofa. Ereba and Shayrana were listening to Rea intently.

Rea, sitting in one corner of the sofa, took a deep breath. “It’s me. I can’t get over what happened in the tunnels.”

Shayrana asked, “Did you try to work it out with anyone aside from when you talked to us? Like the quarian?”

“Rothan?” Rea squirmed slightly in her chair. “I…no. I did, but…something odd happened on our last run out to find our krogan friend…and I ended up melding with him, again.”

“You mean you’ve melded with Rothan more than once,” Ereba then inquired.

“Yes,” Rea responded, glancing at Ereba. “Though the time before was at his request. He wanted to show me his experiences. And prior to that was to try to help him through the loss of his team. This last meld was…well…I melded with him and I think it was a mistake.”

Shayrana leaned forward, “Rothan came back to find you and pulled you out of those tunnels with Ereba. What could possibly have gone wrong?”

Rea looked briefly at Shayrana, and then back at Ereba, “Rothan doesn’t need to know what happened in those tunnels.”

Ereba reached over and placed a hand on top of Shayrana’s, while holding Rea’s gaze. “Easy… I know what happened to you down there, Rea. You were scared s***less. You were alone. Honestly, I don't know how you survived. Then IT  felt your presence, and it wore you down to the point where you were almost ready to succumb, then it felt my presence. And I felt it. It was crushing. It was f***ing with our limbic systems. It was going to indoctrinate us."

“Maybe it did,” Rea said anxiously. “It talked to us. I’ve got splitting headaches that come out of nowhere. And look what all those black ships are doing, systematically killing every living thing that matters or assimilating it into some sort of bloated, homogenous abomination. I feel like…I feel like my mind is going to fracture into a million pieces.”

“So,” Ereba surmised, “You were trying to protect Rothan.”

Rea bit her lip and became silent. She started to experience retreating to the shore in her dream, where the black-shawled form would come for her.

“I know what you need, Rea,” Shayrana interjected, “And I can’t do it. It’s not that I don’t want to. It’s that I can’t with my diagnosis.”

“I can,” Ereba suggested, “I’ve had additional training with melding. Shayrana, you’ve had treatment. And the negative effects will be lost as we split them between Rea and me. Not to mention, I can hold the meld longer and I can explore areas.”

Rea tepidly wondered, “Additional training? Where did you train, Ereba?”

“Sorry, I am not at liberty to say. But this I can do. Trust me; your life and well-being are precious. Quite honestly, I could use this too.

Ereba leaned over and spoke softly into Shayrana’s ear, “Shay, ever try a three-way meld? I don’t think Ardat-Yakshi Syndrome Type 1 will pose a problem with two of us. Besides, if I’m dealing with Rea’s issue, a third melding partner, like you, could help extract us.” Shayrana was uncertain, but looked like she was being convinced. Ereba went on, “Worst case? Rea and I need stims afterward. But I don’t think we will.”

When Ereba and Shayrana glanced back at Rea, they noticed she had placed her legs underneath herself and folded her arms. Rea’s bright eyes had lost their usual luster and her breathing was controlled. She spoke in a hollow voice, “Maybe this is one meld too many. Maybe I should think this through.”

Ereba and Shayrana shifted over on the sofa so they were close to Rea. Shayrana, who was directly next to Rea, put her arm across the elder asari’s shoulders and pulled her in. Ereba knelt on the sofa and stretched to embrace both. Shayrana and Rea turned as one to face Ereba, who pronounced softly, “Embrace eternity.”

Modifié par Kel Riever, 19 septembre 2013 - 11:30 .

[Khambilo]

“Voice command not recognized,” the VI said.

The twinge in Rothan’s head deepened as he leaned in and enunciated clearer, “Open. Chassis. Maintenance Overide.”

The bike remained motionless and Rothan waited in tense silence waiting for the bike to decide to give him access to the bike’s forward interior.

“Voice command not recognized.”

Rothan gritted his teeth and slammed his palm into the bike. His hand immediately flared up in pain and the bike bobbed in it’s hover mode. He was about to hit it again but then the front chassis opened, at last revealing the engine underneath.

Rothan exhaled. “I’m rewiring that bosh’tet VI.”

A chuckle sounded from somewhere behind him. Rothan immediately turned to find Mia, Cole, Navarro and Hugh at the entrance to what Rothan was calling the garage. Mia immediately covered her mouth, but continued to smile deviously.

Rothan eyed them for a moment. “How long have you guys been there?”

“Only a minute or so,” Hugh said.

“And the arms officer just let a few civilians stroll through the armory?” Rothan asked.

“He didn’t see us.” Cole explained.

“We snuck in,” Navarro further clarified. “It was like nicking candy from the corner store. Some of those pre-war skills can come in handy.”

Rothan shook his head and turned back to the bike. “Of course. Well I could use some extra hands here to get this operational.”

“We’d love to help,” Hugh stepped forward. “On one condition.”

Rothan glanced back to them, dreading where this was going.

“You take us with you when we move out,” Hugh said. “We want to fight. All of us.”

“Guys, this isn’t some sort of game,” Rothan said. “The danger out there is real. There is no guarantee that any of us will be coming back.”

Navarro leaned in. “Yeah, but we helped you guys with the missiles. We lived through Myrtle and everything that came after. In fact you needed us.”

Rothan shook his head again. There was some truth to that, but Rothan had spent much of his time trying to keep the civilians safe. They were brave, but they were not trained soldiers.

He knew instantly that if he was going to placate them he would have to lie. There was no way that the Alliance would allow kids to take up arms even now. And even if they did, Rothan’s conscience wouldn’t allow it. Sure he was not much older than them, but he had received substantial training. More than that, he realized the full weight of his decision, aware that the cost would all too likely be his life. And even if they had realized that, it still was not their fight. It just was not. It had to be that way.

Rothan looked down. “Fine,” he grunted uncomfortably.

They smiled walking forward and clapping Rothan on the shoulder and thanking him.

“Alright,” Rothan spoke up. “The engine is going to need some work done. Any of you have some experience with that?”

Navarro’s hand shot up. This other Misfits looked to him incredulously.

“What?” he said defensively. “I used to boost things like this before I met you guys.”

However he had obtained the knowledge, it was going to be useful now. “Whatever,” Rothan said. “Navarro, you and Cole see what you can do about the engine. Hugh, I need you to rip off that gun mount. Not literally, there are some tools over there. Mia, you can help Hugh.”

Then Rothan narrowed in on the bike once more. “I’m going to tear apart that VI.”

Modifié par Khambilo, 20 septembre 2013 - 04:04 .

[Kel Riever]

(Note:  The following installment was a collaboration with sH0tgUn jUliA)

The three asari stood under a star filled evening sky without any moons, on the beach of Rea’s dreams. Ereba and Shayrana looked down at themselves and saw they were dressed from head to toe in quarian suits. None of the vibrant electronic life flowed through them, though. Instead, the suits were stifling, begging to be broken out of. Rea waited nearby, wearing her commando leathers. She looked wary, as if watching for some unknown danger.

I’ll never know why I brought Rothan here, Rea said in a hollow voice. This is where she shows up.

A gargantuan shape materialized in the sky above. Ereba and Shayrana saw it as the Sovereign class Reaper starship that haunted the dreams of most everyone in the galaxy. Its red ocular lens stared down at the three insignificant beings beneath them. Rea began to play through the sequence of events as she always remembered them in the encounter.

Shayrana asked, How does Rea know it’s a, ‘She’?

Ereba put a finger to her lips.  Rea’s memory actively alters and she may not even be envisioning exactly the same scene we are. She’s using her mind to try to solve a problem.

Rea came to the part of the dream where gale like winds blew. She reached up to the Reaper and spoke. This is my dream now. I gave my word. I don’t need you to wake me. I will wake myself.

Ereba called to Rea, Don’t wake. You have to save Matriarch Syra from Cerberus.

A jet bike appeared out of thin air. Rea leapt on it, fired the engines and sped away.

Ereba quickly grabbed Shayrana and took to the air after Rea, free of any assistance. The three flew low, over rolling hills and grassland, and a sun’s morning glow spread across the horizon.

Why the jet bike? Shayrana couldn’t help her curiosity. We have no physical restrictions in our minds. We can go to another memory instantly.

Safety, Ereba considered. Comfort. It could link her to another memory. Maybe a happier place or time. If you find an urge to speak certain words, go with it. I have a feeling that we’re not strangers amongst Rea’s thoughts.

A murky patch of darkness opened in the ground to the right and spread out in all directions. To the left, the spires of Phileb touched the sky. Rea looked away from the darkness and towards the city.

Shayrana spoke and her voice came over Rea’s com. Avoid that for now. Head into the darkness. Rea banked to the right and dived, followed by Ereba and Shayrana. The growing patch yawned before the three and a split second later, they passed within.

The scene changed. Ereba and Shayrana were no longer in their quarian suits, but in their commando leathers. All three asari had weapons. They stood just inside an immense hanger, with a large, secured, bay hatch. Rea was ahead, running with Matriarch Syra. Rea covered Syra’s body with her own as best as she could, and they were making for a Scythe shuttle’s open side door. The shuttle was hovering, ready to go. Rea shouted to Syra, You leave immediately!

Rea got to the door and put the Matriarch on board, then paused shook her head. Ereba informed Shayrana, Watch, Rea is altering her memory right now.
 
Inside, Ereba and Shayrana could barely make out a shawled form taking shape.  It was holding a swaddled infant.  Rea shouted again, with mounting urgency, All of you, leave immediately!

The Scythe shuttle door started to slide closed, but jammed. Rea placed one foot on a strut, climbed up to block the door opening with her body, and then three shots rang out from behind Ereba and Shayrana. The rounds, meant for the passengers in the shuttle, flared against Rea’s suit shield. The shield held and she cleared the jam. As the Scythe door shut, another three shots impacted against Rea, slamming her into the side of the shuttle. This time, Rea’s suit barrier collapsed and three slugs entered her back in an angled pattern. She fell from the Scythe, onto the deck.

Red alarm lights sounded in the hanger. Three Cerberus assault troopers strode forward into view, firing at the Scythe with rifles. The shots could not penetrate the armor of the shuttle. Then another, taller figure in Cerberus armor, with no visible weapons, followed the assault troopers. He wore no helm, and Ereba and Shayrana saw his face. The taller man was brown haired, with a thick goatee, and looked as if he had enhanced cybernetics. Scowling, he commanded, They are gone. This place is going to decompress in a minute when that hatch vents into space. Grab that blue skinned troublemaker and disengage.

The assault troopers picked up Rea and dragged her with their taller comrade through a heavy door. Ereba and Shayrana went after them. They saw a lengthy, gunmetal-colored hallway. The bodies of two turians, two asari and a salarian lay along the corridor. One of the troopers closed the heavy door behind them and spun the lock. The other two threw Rea face down at the feet of the taller man. She groaned.

Shayrana asked, If Rea is experiencing pain, why don’t we sense that?

Because she’s blocking us from it, Ereba answered as she studied the scene, Don’t expect it to stay that way.

Hey, you little blue monster, the taller man called down to her. Let me tell you my name, see? My name is Gerald. But you can call me Gerry. Gerry the fixer, that’s what my friends call me.

Rea tried to push herself up.

Nah, we’ll have none of that.  Gerry stepped on Rea’s arm with a metal reinforced boot, and her bones snapped audibly. She cried out. Gerry put his hands on his hips, You stay still. Now, what you did there, see? What you did there is make sure my job was for nothing. You got your beloved Matriarch away, and you had her escape in the ride I was going to steal. Look at that hall of dead people. That was a lot of work. And now we all here have to die too. Because sure as hell, the turian fleet isn’t going to book us a flight home.

One of the assault troopers raised his gun and pointed it at Rea’s head.  Let’s kill her and get on with it.

Gerry pushed the gun aside.  You let me handle this. I like her. She’s got more guts than even her salarian STG friend. What we’ll to do with the lass is play a game, see? Gerry pointed to Rea’s back. That’s a nice pattern there. What kind of game do you think it makes me want to play?

Should we interfere, Shayrana asked Ereba. Ereba shook her head.

A golden energy sprung forth from the palm of Gerry’s right hand. It crackled and sparked, elongating as it coiled outward to the floor in a wide strip. Gerry drew his arm back and the elongated coil kept extending until it formed a whip of biotic energy. Connect the dots, lass. I’m going to rip you open and leave you stuffed in some hole nobody’s going to look in until your dead.  Gerry sneered as he swung the lash across Rea’s back.

Blinding light flashed, and the two standing asari dropped to their knees with hands held to their heads. Then all went black. Shayrana was shaking, but Ereba held her and she calmed. And that was with Rea blocking us, Ereba told Shayrana.

Goddess, was all Shayrana could say.

The body has a defense mechanism for pain once it becomes too great to bear, Ereba continued. Rea didn’t feel anything after that initial burst because her system shut down. She’s not dead, but she’s in a coma. We have to wait until she awakens, but this being a memory, it shouldn’t take long.

A sliver of blue light crept in from a small slit above and to the left of the asari. They could barely make out Rea’s form. Her back was split open from the whip’s wide wound, and she lay on her stomach across a large, alloy crate. Her hands and legs were cuffed to latches alongside the crate, leaving her immobilized.

Ereba stepped in front of Rea now, barely able to make out her bright eyes in the confines of whatever space she occupied. Ereba asked Rea, Where are we.

In a storage crate, Rea wearily responded, Locked in a loading area deep in the base.

Placing a hand on Rea’s crest and stroking it, Ereba asked, How long were you told you were here?

Two weeks, Rea replied.

Shayrana gasped. How by Athame did Rea survive?

Something drove her onward until she must have been discovered. Ereba contemplated. But there’s more occurring that Rea isn’t showing us. Or wants to, but can’t.  Ereba moved closer to whisper to Rea. Tell me who was on that shuttle.

Syra.

No, Ereba insisted, I mean the others.

Rea was silent.

Ereba cooed softly, Rea, before, when the Reaper spoke to you, who did it appear as?

I told you.

The shawled woman and the infant…Take me to them, Rea. The last time you saw them.

Everything around the asari expanded and drew back in. They were on board a Scythe shuttle, but not the one at the turian military base. They were on the Scythe that Rea escaped Thessia from. Ereba found herself in the robed regalia of Matriarch Syra, standing next to an asari captain. Shayrana was dressed in Rea’s commando leathers, grabbing a handhold next to Rea and only centimeters away from her face. Rea herself was in an asari naval uniform, harnessed to her seat. Shayrana and Rea were witnessing Tizzy’s last moments with Ben and their baby.

Rea was panicked. She yelled, Tizzy!

It isn’t the event that is the origin of the issue, Ereba explained to Shayrana.  It is what Rea decided immediately after the event. Rea endured her encounter with the Reaper. She endured her torture at the hands of Cerberus. What she couldn’t endure was what happened in this moment.

Shayrana watched the screen as Tizzy spoke her last words.  We love you both. All is one, Tizzy forced a smile. Ben squeezed her tight and they placed their bodies around their baby.

Rea screamed, TIZZY! She shuddered and broke down wailing.

Ereba reached forward and placed a hand on Rea’s cheek, gently turned Rea’s head to look straight at her and said, Right there.

~~~~

Rea came out of the meld screaming. Ereba and Shayrana were locked with her, and squeezed her tight. Rea’s eyes were wide and she stared at the other two asari in shock. “What did you just do to me?!”

“It’s all right,” Ereba comforted. “We saw what you wanted us to see.” She could feel Rea’s heart pounding. “Take a moment and relax. Do you remember where we were last together?”

“I, no. Well, I…we were with the Reaper, and then you saw Syra escape. Then….I don’t remember what happened. But I was with my sister Layl. She needed me.”

“Layl, your sister in the navy,” Shayrana asked. Rea nodded.

“You went through a lot,” Ereba told Rea. “You need to rest. Shayrana and I will get something to bring you up to speed. Wait here until we come back for you. We won’t be long.”

Rea nodded and drifted off.

Ereba stood and then staggered off-balance. Shayrana caught her and held her up. “Goddess, I’m exhausted,” Ereba exclaimed, “Maybe we’ll need those stims after all.” She pointed towards the stairs up and out of the cellar.

“Why did you leave Rea’s meld?” Shayrana helped move Ereba away from Rea. Didn’t you want to move forward and help her resolve whatever happened?”

“Rea needed help finding exactly where her problem started.” Ereba explained. “What she decided to do about it, and resolving it is her job, not mine. But she will. Because she wants more than anything to be free. She’s a racer.”

Modifié par Kel Riever, 20 septembre 2013 - 09:18 .

[Redbelle]

Zia gave a soft sigh as she lay on the couch with Wyld sandwiched between her and the back rest. Somehow Wyld had ended up in her Fury top, and not much else, while she, lightly, rubbed a clear liquid into the bite marks on her shoulder.

Just something to keep it clean. She assured her. And Zia had just nodded and laid back on her side. The sheet pulled up around so it exposed the shoulder Jan worked on. And as she did, Zia just started telling her.

Everything.

Starting with the most recent. And working her way back. How she'd come to be in her shuttle that had been shot down. How she'd met Naomi. Further back to how she had come to realise that her life on Omega, though catered for, ultimately left her feeling caged in a world she knew she no longer wished to facilitate. How her sister's and her got on. How they had reacted when they learned she was leaving them. How she had felt in leaving the people she had known the longest in her life.

As Wyld finished she just wrapped her arms around Zia and held her as she told her of how she had grown up as Aria's on, off lover. How she'd been raised and pushed to be a powerful biotic as a child. She felt Wyld tighten her arms around her. “We don't have to do this now if you don't want”.

Zia shook her head. “I want you to know”. And so she finally told her how Aria had told her of how she'd been found. How she'd been beaten and brutalised and maimed and stripped of all dignity. Of how her bloody body, clinging to life, had been taken to a doctor, and ultimately saved. “Though apparently, I was clinically dead a few times”. She said glibly. She grunted as Wyld's arms became tight as a vice. “Jan”!

“Sorry”. Said Wyld who relaxed a bit. “Just thinking”.

“What of”?

Wyld just shook her head. “Things”.

Zia sighed and rolled over. “Jaaan”.

Wyld sighed. “It's just. I am really, really, reallyreallyreally happy we got together.....”.

“But”?

Wyld sighed. “I wish we hadn't have had to go through all we did to end up here. I lose my legs. You went through what you went through....”. She cupped Zia face in her hand. “.......I wish I could see anyother way how we could have met. Without everything that happened, happening to us..... and....”.

Zia smiled. “...And your going to drive yourself crazy thinking like that”.

“I know”.

“We're together now”.

“Yeah”. Wyld tilted her head up and kissed Zia's forehead. “I've been meaning to talk to you about that”.

Zia sighed and mimed checking her chronometer. “Really? We just hooked up and we're already having, the talk”. She held her hand out to Wyld who took it, finger's interlacing. “Look. I've had a pretty colourful past and it's had a lot of people in it. But this is a good place for me now. Maybe a stopping off.....”.

Wyld interrupted. “Zee. If you say your going to commit to me full time I'm going to brain you”.

Zia blinked. “Excuse me”?

“You haven't thought this through. Have you”.

It was not a question and Zia felt an uncomfortable feeling growing. “What's on your mind then”?

Wyld pressed her finger's against' Zia's as they played a little push pull game. “This is wonderful right now. But we have to go outside again. And I'll be Commander Wyld. You'll be Lieutenant Zia. We'll be fighting Reaper's again and we may have to split off. Maybe we won't see each other till the end of the war. Or further. Because we have to focus on fighting for a future. Or there won't be future for us, or anyone else”.

Zia nodded. “Okay”.

“So we need to be at the top of our game. And we have been. But what we're doing here is changing the rules”. Wyld paused. “What I'm trying to say is that we shouldn't being pledging ourselves to each other. Not yet. We're still at war and so far, I think we've done a good job fighting by being who we are”. She took a deep breath. “So instead of telling me there won't be anyone else. Tell me that no matter what happens, or who with, you'll find me. We'll find each other again”.

Zia was quiet a long time before she spoke. “Is this because you don't think I can keep my...... urges under control”?

Wyld raised an eye brow. “Didn't we get together because of one of your urges”? She took Zia's hand and held it like a vice. “We got together because your you. And I'm me. And I can tell you now. I won't be the person who starts asking you to be someone else". Wyld took a breath. 

"I'm happy you offered. And if it's a decision you know you can live with I'll be happier still. But if your saying this out of some romantic script or some idea that I have expectation's of how you should be, then forget them”. Wyld rested her head against Zia's and spoke softly “I fell for you. Why, I can't tell you. But maybe......because you are so free. I won't be your cage”.

Zia wore a surprised look on her face. “Jan.... Do you really mean this”?

Wyld looked into her eye's. “Yes”. She breathed. “Because why make promises now that we don't know if we can keep. All but one”. She brushed Zia hair. “I love you and when this war is over I will find you again. I promise, I'll find my little strawberry Zee”.

Zia brushed Wyld's cheek. “That's..... more than I was expecting”.

Wyld drew away grinning. “Don't want to throw you off your game”. She said.

Zia rolled onto her back as her mind reeled. “So...... Say I go off and find a cute guy....”.

“How cute are we talking about”?

Zia pursed her lips. “Seven out of ten”?

Wyld winced. “That's not cute. You need at least an eight or a nine”.

Zia shrugged. “It's war. We can't be picky. So say I meet a cute guy and I feel all pent up”. She rolled her head over to Wyld who looked down at her. “What then”?

Wyld shrugged. “Be yourself. Spread a little Zia joy. Grab his vid com number. I don't know, what do you usually do”. She put a finger on Zia's lips before she say. “Don't answer that”.

Zia gave her a funny look. “Why are you being so okay with this. Really”. She asked.

Wyld sighed. “Because while I was off on recon I kept thinking about you and Naomi together..... Alot”. She admitted. “And the more I thought of it, the more I started to realise that I was being a possessive jerk”. She paused. “And then I started seeing you two as being good together..... Then I started seeing Naomi as being someone I wanted to get to know......”.

Zia winced. “Did you start falling in love with Naomi...... in your mind”? Wyld nodded and Zia covered her eye's with her hands as she let out a laugh of exasperation. “Jan! You did it again”!

Wyld shook her head in resignation. “I know”.

“You fell in love with someone, in your head. Again”!

“In my defence I did see her bottom”.

Zia spluttered with laughter as she kept on hand pressed against her temple. She shook her head from side to side till she settled and rolled back into Wyld. “Okay. I won't change who I am for you.”. She promised. “But that doesn't mean that nothings changed for me. I'll make you a deal. I'll agree to to promise to find you, and you me, after the war..... on one condition”.

“Which is”?

“We need to tell each other about the people we meet”.

“Meet as in.....”?

Zia pouted“Do I have to spell it out for you”?

Wyld just smiled back. “I think I know where your going with this”.

Zia nodded. “So, you agree?”

“Yes”.

“Good”. Zia paused. “Because I've got one to tell you about”.

Wyld's eye's widened. “That was...... pretty fast work”.

Zia just shrugged. “Meh. I met an Asari”.

“And”?

Zia paused as she took a deep breath. “And we had a shower”.

“Aaaaand”?

“It's not really a story. I kissed her. She held back”. She thought back to the encounter. “She was so beautiful. Water running down that body. She pinned me against the wall when I went for her. She just held me and I was helpless. Feeling her skin on mine”. She sighed. “But...... but neither of us really wanted it. We came apart and we talked. We talked about how we really felt. About who we really wanted”. Zia looked at Wyld with a serious expression. “I may promise not to let you shackle me in this relationship, but that doesn't mean I'm not tied to you”.

“Uh huh”. Nodded Wyld. “Understood”.

Zia went on. “So anyway. We talked, I made one last effort. It didn't work. Then I met up with you to talk and.......”. She smiled a wicked smile. “......Well. Let's just say you speak my language”.

“What did she look like”?

Zia told her. “I think we've met”. Jan said thoughtfully as Zia stretched and started to get up.

“We'd better think about making a move. We've been away to long”.

As she got up, the sheet draped around her, Wyld sat up. “So you don't want to hear what I got up too”?

Zia picked up her bit's of discarded uniform. “You? What could you get up to”? She paused as she draped her vest over her arm. “No offence Jan. Your outgoing. But your not exactly as outgoing as I am”. She started pulling on her uniform, then became aware that Wyld had not moved and was looking uncomfortable. “Jaaaaan”?

“There was.....”. She ground out. “Something.....”.

Zia cocked her head and walked over to kneel in front of her. “Jaaaaan”?

“In the armoury, something happened”.

Zia's eye's narrowed. “You mean with Sully”?

“No”! Wyld said quickly. “He just watched”.

Zia's mouth opened and closed several times before it snapped shut and she leaned in. Placing her elbow's on her prosthetics while she cupped her chin with both hands. “Okay girlfriend. Details”.

“It's not exactly what you think”.

“You couldn't possibly imagine what I'm thinking”. Zia said coyly. “Though by the year's end, you'll probably be able to”. She held up a hand. “Sorry, future plan's for you. Go on”.

“Well, there was this Quarian....”.

Zia shook her head. “I honestly wasn't expecting that”.

“Who was helping me design my armour”.

“Understandable”.

“And long story short, he put his finger in me”.

Zia was nodding along till Jan got that point. Then she looked stunned. “It's always the quiet one's to watch out for”.

Jan winced. “It's not like that”.

“Uh huh”.

“He just took out a bullet.....”.

Zia opened her mouth to say something.

….A bullet in the leg”. Jan noted seeing Zia's expression.

She sighed. “Well that's an important distinction you could have made earlier”.

“And I don't know what he did, but the leg's sensory feedback system must have glitched because he.....”.

“He what”?

“Kinda triggered....”.

“Yessss”?

Wyld sighed. “Let's call it a cascade reaction. And leave it there”.

By now Zia was quietly laughing. She started poking Jan's prosthetics. “So where's the spot”?

“Higher. And it doesn't work any more”.

“And you know that because”?

Wyld sighed. “Because I poked it for a minute after it happened. Nothing”.

Zia let out a final snort as she got up. “Maybe that Quarian just has a magic touch”. She dropped Jan's underlay in her lap. “Your wearing my uniform”.

Five minute's later, dressed and ready to rejoin the world below they headed back down. Hand in hand. Wyld looked down at where they held each other. “I could get used to this”.

Zia stopped them on the stairs before they reached the ground and turned her. “Me too”. She planted a small kiss on Wyld's lips and noted how Wyld leaned forward. She pulled back. “Now now commander. You can't kiss your girlfriend in public”.

Wyld snaked her arm around Zia's waist and pulled her close. “Good thing we're not in public yet”. She paused as Zia giggled and reached up to cup her face. “I have a Girlfriend.....”.

Zia waggled her eyebrows. “Surprise”.

“Not as much as my mother's going to be”. Zia grinned and leant forward again. And just before she connected, Wyld asked her. “So does this mean I'm gay”?

Zia pulled back as she looked at Wyld. She was clearly trying not to laugh, which was causing her face to turn red. She stepped back, flapping her hand up and down. “I gotta go”. She managed as she bolted down the stairs.

From above, Wyld could Zia begin howling with laughter from the ground floor. She followed her down in time to see the back of Zia's hood disappearing out the building. As she made a move to follow her however, she was greeted by a chorus of cheers and whistles and she looked over to see those working in storage applauding her as her eye noticed the hastily painted sign above their heads.

Two marines, a man and a woman, bumped into her as they raced up the stairs. The woman pulling the man along by the hand. “Sorry ma'am”. She said with a cheese eating grin on her face as they disappeared to the upper levels.

Wyld just stood there. The realisation of what was happening beginning to dwell on her. She could only voice the sentiment written on the banner. “Congratulation’s”?

Wyld stood for a moment before she began moving. She had a girlfriend. And a war to fight.

Then after the war....... She blinked. After the war?

There had not been an, after, for a long time.

What to do?

Spend time with Zia, obviously.

Keep soldiering.

Tell her mother she was gay now and had a girlfriend?

Wyld emerged form the building and shook her head. I'd rather fight another war than tell her that.

None the less. It felt like the right thing to do. But was it?

Shaking her head, she set off to the armoury. Her armour might be finished and she needed to prepare.

Modifié par Redbelle, 21 septembre 2013 - 03:52 .

[FuriousFelicia]

Zia was strolling happily towards the pub. Her face was carved by a satisfied grin as her mind went over the things that happened. She was in love. For the first time in her life she felt devoted to just one person. If this was any other person, they would have surely delved on the matter but not Zia. She took it for granted, and for her, there were no doubts, if's or scenarios about the future. Maybe she wasn't in love, for all she knew about it, but she couldn't get Jan out of her mind for some time now. And thinking of her made her feel strange. Something she never expirienced before, and she liked it.

Still, some other things Jan had said gave her another strange feeling. It was also new for Zia, for she never before expirienced jealousy either. She was going over their little talk in her mind. A quarian found her spot? A quarian?? And I thought I was a master in that department. Meh, no way Jan could really be interested in a forever suited quarian. Oh no, Naomi! Zia suddenly remembered about Naomi. How was she ever going to explain this to her. She was a wreck as it is, now she would be in total dismay. And her biotic were unstable.

Though Zia knew the worst part was over for Naomi, there was still a chance that Naomi could lose contol, especially if her mind was distracted. And knowing Naomi, she would be very distracted by this. She punched Jan. Called her names. There was no easy way out of this one. Zia knew it, but she couldn't have possibly known how Naomi felt really. If Zia was in her place, she would probably go and purge her thoughts through another person she would have ensnared in her seductive net. Without any thought of retaliation or regret. But Zia was never before rejected, nor did she ever feel honest affection towars anyone she engaged in her little passion games. And she would never trouble herself with how a person she had tossed away might feel later. Not even Aia had Zia's honest affection. To many people it seemed out of character but Zia would never participate in Aria's orgies, nor did it ever bother her. She was one-on-one kind of person for that matter. But those 'ones' were just tools for Zia. Some people had their cigarettes, some coffee, others would go and batter some poor soul to deal with their frustrations and stress. Zia had her sex games. And in those moments, there was only her and her parner, and she would make them loose their minds about her, but when she would have her fix, she would discard them like they were nothing. She had broken many hearts back on Omega, and she would never waste a thought on them later. But things were different now. She did it more than once with Naomi and Wyld both. But her thoughts were with Jan. She couldn't get her out of her mind. Still, Naomi was dear to her, and she knew she owed her something. An explanation, resolution, something, anything. She had no idea what she was going to say to her, or how she could make hings right, but nevertheless, she was determined to try.

When Zia entered the pub, she was imidiatly called by Sid who waved his hand to her to approach. She sat down at the counter and gestured him to pore her one.

"Well miss Zia you are looking radiant tonight." Said Sid handing her a pint of beer. He looked a little confused when he said it. "Sadly the same thing can't be said about your friend." He added, but Zia didn't register that part right away.

"Oh thanks Sid. It would seem that I'm in love." She said grinning to herself. Sid scratched his head. "Well that's great but how come your girlfriend is so angry then?"

Zia looked to him in confusion. "What? Jan was here? But I was just with her?" She muttered. Sid cocked his head and sighed. "Ah now I see what's this all about." He said as he looked to Zia and lowerd his brow.
Zia just looked at him baffled. "What?" She shrugged her shoulders.

"And what about Naomi? That sweet inocent girl you were here with earlier? I thought you and her were together."

"Oh no, no, you got it wrong. Me and Naomi were just fooling around a bit. Nothing serious." Zia laughed but Sid's face was serious. He leaned over to her and said. "I think you better find her, but I don't think that telling her what you just told me is a good idea." Sid hinted. Zia remained silent for a moment. What was this all about she thought to herself. "What do you mean? Was Naomi here?" She asked looking a bit worried.

"Your friend was here, and she was a mess. She kept going on about how she was stupid and naive. She was furious over something. Now I don't like to intrude on other people's problems, but I've seen this many times, and it looked like she was mad at you. I wouldn't give her a beer but she was persistent. Then she left with your friend." Sid explained.

"My friend?" Zia shook her head. "What friend? Dale, Farzam, Arok?" She counted the ones that may have gone with Naomi, since Jan was with her all the time.

"No. It was one of your fury colleagues I guess. Julie." Answered Sid.
Zia's eyes widened. "Julie who?" She raised her voice. Sid took up his data pad and scrolled through the entries. "Ah here we are...Julie Madison."

"What? Julie Madison, are you sure?" Zia squinted at Sid in doubt. "Yup, that's the one." Sid replied with a grin. Zia looked shocked. "Personally, I can't understand how could nice girls like you and Naomi ever hang with that awful woman. She's a proper devil that one. But I guess you have to make comprises in war. Still, friends don't go around blabbling about each other in that manner. Not my business but she was telling some really awful things about you to Naomi."

"She was never my friend in the first place. But how can this bee. I was told that Vila Militar was raised to the ground from orbit, and there were no survivors. Julie was still due one year at the academy. She is supposed to be dead." Zia was confused and in disbielif. She knew Julie from her days back in Rio. But if she was here, how come Zia didn't see her before. It wasn't like Bastion was a big place. She would have surely spoted her by now if she was here.

"I heard about Rio too. And I'm sorry to say it's true. Radcliffe told me himself, and he wouldn't joke with this things. I don't think anyone would joke about that anyway." Sid replied. Zia was thinking. All of this just didn't make any sense. Than she remembered Naomi telling her about some suprise she had for her. Maybe she met Julie and decided to suprise her. But that would mean that Julie had to tell Naomi she knew Zia first. And Zia knew Julie as a person who wouldn't be interested in that kind of a surprise. Especially when it was about Zia. If it was really Julie, she would behave exactly like Sid described. She hated Zia for her success in school, and she would take every opportunity to discredit her, or to make her look bad in front of her friends. But she was supposed to be dead. Zia was still a bit sceptic about all this.

"And you say Julie Madison was at Bastion? For how log now?" Zia asked Sid. Sid roled his eyes upward as he raised one brow, going through his head. "About the same time you came in I think." He answered with uncertainty. Zia shook her head, thinking, trying to put it all together but she was still in doubt.

"Well how did she look like, can you describe her to me?"

"She looked like a fury, what can I say. She never took her hood off, quite rude if you ask me. It was just like yours but dark red...maybe a slightly different cut but still a fury no doubt."

"Red hood? Are you sure?" Zia asked quickly. It was not so well known by everyone, but all furies from N7 program wore the exact same hoods.
Suddenly, Zia's eyes filled with concern. She hopped off her chair and slapped her palm on the counter so that everyone in the pub turned to see what's happening. Sid twitched at this gesture as Zia looked to him like she's about to jump over and strangle him. Shock and fear was now filling Zia's eyes as she shouted to him.

"Is there anything else? Her eyes, hair colour, a scar or something. Speak fast!" She demanded looking seriously at Sid who was now squirming in place from this sudden change in Zia's attitude. A couple of soldiers even got up from their chairs thinking there migt be trouble. Sid answered with a shaky voice. "I don't know, she was hooded all the time, maybe black hair...I'm not sure...wait.." He stopped and turned his head sideways trying to remember a detail. "Yes?" Zia demandingly shouted. "I think she had a black tear tatoo below her eye...I'm not really sure.." Sid was having trouble finding words, affected by Zia's sudden change of mood. Zia's eyes spread open in shock at his reply.

"Goddess! Disdain!" She screamed out, lookig as if she had seen a ghost, and without any more words, she ran outside in a flash.

Modifié par FuriousFelicia, 21 septembre 2013 - 07:32 .

[playoff52]

 Bastion
15 Minutes after arraival

Masters stood in the infirmery as a field medic tended to his side. Due to the medigel shortage he opted for a traditional field dressing. His injury wasn't life threatening and he felt the supplies would be better spent on others. Granted, the Reapers didn't tend to leave many wounded. Only dead or converted. Once the application of bandaging and gauze was finished he slapped it a few times and gave a nod of his helmeted head. 

"Good dressing. Is this your first one?"

"Yes sir." 

He gave the field medic a thumbs up and slid off the makeshift table. It was a filing cabinet turned on it's side for a long flat surface. He made his way out of what passed for the medical area and proceeded to where he could find a cache of weapons. He meant to go back out there soon. There were hostiles on his home planet. He meant to send them to the next life in droves. 

He found the area where the excess (not very many) weapons were kept. He knocked on the door frame. The sound hollow and subdued mimicking the spirits of those the Reapers hadn't yet snuffed out. A lower enlisted supply sargent glanced up from unpacking a box of thermal clips. He stood up and brushed off his hands on his trousers. Noting the N7 on Jon's armor he gave him a friendly smile.

"What can I do for ya?"

Jon nodded to the gun racks. "I need a couple guns. Optimal results at close in fighting. A Hurricane and Eviscerator if you have one in."

The buck sargent tapped his nose thoughtfully as he turned and made his way back to the cages. "The Hurricane I have. The shotgun though...that's a rare find. Not exactly standard run for militaries. Lucklily though scavengers have been bringing by excess munitions and weapons they find and we have one in." He lifted white framed shotgun up and brought it over. It telescoped out to field use size. Jon looked the weapon over approvingly. It was light enough he could haul it around with minimal effort, but still hit pretty hard. Didn't have quite the rate of fire the Crusader had, but it was more of a single use spread fire death dealer. Just the kind of solution he would need. He'd normally avoided the weapon until he was forced to adopt one in the field. 

It was sadly overlooked in his opinion. The sargent nodded towards his shoulder at the sword. "That standard issue?"

Jon glanced back and withdrew the weapon. "This? No. Personal touch you could say."

"Looks pretty nice. Hope you put it to good use." The supply sargent said and went back to his work.

Jon placed both weapons in their collapsed travel modes onto their hardpoints on his armor and made his way out. It was dark out, which made things seem infinitely more worse and dreary. It drove home his sense of urgency. The need to be out there and fighting. He didn't like not doing his part. He understood though that sometimes one had to take a few minutes to prepare themselves before they could thrust themselves back into the breach. It didn't mean he wasn't capable of helping though. He figured he'd walk the perimeter some. So off he went. Slowly moving from gate to position and so on. A walk of death of sorts. Similar to the types of tours a naval captain would make before entering a battle he knew they wouldn't walk away from without heavy losses.

[FuriousFelicia]

Zia stood in front of the pub entrance. Looking nervously around herself, she pondered what might have happened to Naomi. Zia was sure that Sid didn't lie to her when he described the person that Naomi left with, but if it was truly Disdain, why would she have done that. What would Disdain be doing on Earth anyway. It just didn't make sense. Zia knew she should probably warn Wyld, but she could have easily been wrong, and maybe Naomi really did leave with Julie. Where to start looking, Zia thought. Bastion wasn't that big a place, but it was now packed with people. Zia quickly remembered momma. She pulled up her omni tool, and raised momma's hologram. The holo image of an asari appeared on her wrist.

"Helo again Zia." Momma's digitalised voice chearfully greated her. "What can I do for you this time?" She asked.

"Momma quick, can you locate people in Bastion?" Zia nervously asked. "I can locate anyone equipped with an omni tool." Momma answered."Quickly, I need to know where's Naomi." Zia panted. "A moment please.." It took just a blink for momma to return with results. "Naomi Brooks' omni tool is curently offline." Momma responded.

"Offline?" Zia exclaimed. Than she had another idea. "How about Julie Madison, can you locate her?" Again it took just a split second for momma to respond.
"Alliance records show cadet Julie Madison deceased. She s listed in the list of casualties of an orbital strike three weeks ago in Rio de Janeiro." Zia felt her heart skip a beat. So the chances that Naomi was with Julie were slim to none.

"Momma can you give me Naomi's last known location?""Last known location...infirmary, less than three hours ago." Momma responded in a flash. "Thanks momma, stand by for more." Zia hastly turned off her omni tool without any more words, made her way towards the infirmary.

The infirmary was now crowded with people. The number of wounded exceeded the number of beds available so they had to improvise with furniture. Others, less needy, waited their turn standing around or sitting on whatever they could find as a substitute for a chair. At least the doctor got some help. There were a few field medics that were helping the doctor with the patients. One of them jumped in front of Zia as she barged in. She almost knocked him down when she bumped into him. He staggered a few steps back. Zia didn't even stop to say excuse me. She tottered hastly pass him and headed straight for doctor's office. The medic jelled something to her but she maintained her charge regardless.

Zia stormed through the door of the office, and found Ben and his helper Bob analyzing some data."What do you want now?" The doctor snaped brazenly."I need to find Naomi, she might be in trouble. She was last seen here." Seriously replied Zia. Ben smirked back. "So the girl finaly came to her senses and left you. I'd say she's out of trouble now." He remarked and laughed.

Zia stepped forward and with a growling voice rephrased her inquiry."Listen, I don't have time for a twenty questions with you. If you know where she is, tell me now!" Shouted Zia. Her face was beginning to steam up as she began squeezing her fists.

"You don't have time?" Screamed out Ben. "No, I don't have time, and wherever your friend is, I'm sure she's better off than with you. I struggle working day and night helping these people, and you just barge in my office saying you don't have time. Well screw you. Now go, leave me, I have nothing more to say to you." Ben muttered, and turned back to his work.

Zia gritted her teeth and stepped closer."You will tell me where she is now or I swear I'll..."

"You'll what.." Ben turned around to finish his thought but when he turned, he found himself breathless as Zia's hand grasped him by his neck and started squeezing tighter and tighter. Her eyes were now red with rage. He grabbed her hand, trying to shake her grip but Zia held him so tight that he couldn't even breathe out. He struggled to break free but she didn't loosen her grip. She squeezed him even tighter. So much that Ben could feel his blood stoped flowing to his head as his face paled.

"Listen you oversized pompous tadpole, if you don't tell me where she is in three seconds, I swear I'll sqeeze what little life is still left in you." Zia was now unrecognisable. Her face was red from rage, and her skin started to glow blue as she redied her biotics. Bob flew to her side and zapped her with an electric burst trying to help Ben. Zia just flinched and hurled a thow at the drone, smashing it in to a wall.
At that point two medics came rushing through the office door as they heard the noise. When they saw Ben squirming in Zia's steel grip, they imidiatly jumped on her back in an attempt to free the doctor, but juat as their hands fell on Zia's back, they were blown away by a biotic burst that blasted from Zia's body and smashed them to the floor. Ben's eyes slowly started to close as he was running out of air. His hands that held Zia's hand gripping his neck, started to loose grip and finally they fel lifelessly down.

Something in Zia snapped as her eyes rapidly flinched a few times, like she was just comming out of a trance. She saw Ben, eyes closed, his face almost green in coolur. She startled and released her grip, dropping to her knees together with Ben. He caughed out, holding his neck with one hand and supporting his body with the other against the floor. He couldn't speak. Zia held him so tight that her grip left grooves on Ben's neck. If she had held him for just a little longer, she would have killed him. The two medics managed to stagger up and rushed to Ben. They helped him off the floor and on the table. Zia slowly got up from her knees, and saw what she did. The drone Bob was gone. All that was left was a small holo module on the floor. Zia opened her mouth to say something, but she couldn't find words. Her eyes filled with tears when she realized what she had done. Ben saw one tear rushed down her cheak as she finally managed to squeeze out two words.

"I'm sorry..." She halted when she saw Ben's face. His big black eyes spelled disgust and hate. The two medics watched her the same way. As if they were looking at a monster.

"I..." Zia stammered but she couldn't say more. Words couldn't justify what she had done. For a brief moment she let that violet fury she once was take hold of her again. And she almost killed poor Ben, and injured his medics, not to mention destroyed the only medical drone in the camp. The feeling of guilt and shame overwhelmed Zia.

She wanted to apologise but seeing how those six eyes watched her, she just turned and ran outside as fast as she could.She stepped outside on the street and mindlessly started looking around herself. Her eyes were red from tears. She betrayed herself, and Naomi as well. In that moment she cracked. She fell to the floor, covered her face with her hands and stared sobbing. A few people passed by her but no one approached to comfort her. But then, the most extraordinary thing happened.

She felt a hand drop on her shoulder. She turned her face, smeared with tears, and saw Ben, standing behind her. His face wasn't cross anymore but filled with compassion. Somehow he felt sorry for her. Zia looked at him. But all traces of rage were wiped from her face now. She watched Ben, and for the first time he saw gratitude instead of contempt in her eyes. She wraped her arms around Ben's legs and pressed her head against his body. He held her head and stroked her hair in comfort. She looked at him from below and sobbed.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry,  please forgive me."

" Firs words of honesty Ben ever heard from her. He felt sorry for her for some reason. He shushed her and helped her up.

"Come." He said with a calm voice, and took her back inside. He sat her down on a bench and sat beside her, giving her some time to calm down before he spoke.

"I hope you'll start looking at salarians with different eyes now. I don't know how my kind wronged you but there are rotten apples in every species. You could have killed me back there and for a moment I was sure you would." Zia watched him silently as he stopped for a moment. She couldn't find words to express her guilt. "Listen...maybe you needed that...I don't know, maybe I needed that as well..." Ben was struggling trying to find the words but before he could continue,

Zia grabbed him and embraced him in a tight hug, resting her head on his chest. That was the first salarian she ever hugged. Ben was suprised but he accepted it and crossed his hands behind her back, stroking her. They sat like that for a while, hugged and in silence, and then Zia finally broke the silence with a light laugh. She looked to Ben and with a smile she started to speak.

"I'm sorry, but if someone said to me that before this war was over, I'll be hugging a salarian..."

"You woud have strangled them." Ben bluntly finished her sentence. Zia laughed. "Something like that, yes."

"Okay, are we done with this musshy stuff now? You have a reputation to look after you know." He said jokingly. Zia smiled.

"You're alright, Ben." She said. "And I hope I can make things right between us."

"Don't wory about that now. You have a friend to find first."

"I think I found a new one. If you accept." Zia added and offered her hand to Ben. He closed his eyes and nodded as he took her hand and shook it."Glad we sorted that out. But you still owe me a medi-drone."Zia smiled. "Deal."

"Good. Now let's see if I can help you find your friend. She was here. She was drunk and mad, and from what I could hear she was cursing some fury.""Yeah, that would be me." Said Zia."I thought so. She was with another fury. Though a little differently dressed than you, and her hood was red. They asked for something to help Naomi calm down so I made her some of my sobering serum, and then they left. Later, Bob informed me that a whole box of tranquilisers were missing from the storrage. With all this people here, I figured anyone could have taken it. But whoever took it, now has enough tranquiliser to put down a harvester, if not two. I figure I should report this to Radcliffe."

"No!" Zia abruptly protested. "Don't go to the captain please. If I'm correct about what happened to Naomi, alarming the captain could lead to an investigation that could only hurt Naomi and bring down my chances of finding her. Please Ben I need you to trust me on this." Zia pleated. She knew that if the captain heard of the theft, he would find out about the incident at the infirmary, and about missing Naomi. She was Zia's responsibility, and Radcliffe would have held Zia responsible for anything that might have happened to Naomi. And Zia knew she was the only chance Naomi had, if she was still alive. Zia hoped so. The doctor agreed not to tell the captain.

"Alright. But only until you find Naomi. Then I'll have to tell Radcliffe."

"Trust me Ben, when I find Naomi, I'll find your stuff. I think I even know who did it." Zia said with a grin. Ben snapped his fingers as he remembered something.

"Hey!" He excitedly exclaimed as he shot up from the bench, and held up his hands in front of Zia, gesturing her to stay put. "Wait here, I've just remembered something." He said smiling, and rushed to his office.He came back shortly after, carrying a small device in his hands. He handed it to Zia. It had a small display on it, and just a speaker and an on-off button.

"I gave Naomi a bracelet for emergencies for her biotics. It's also a pager-locator device. With that you can locate her anywhere within two miles radius from the camp." Explained Ben, though by the way he finished, Zia sensed there was a catch.

"I'm sensing a 'but' comming."Ben stroked the back of his neck as he nodded. "Yes. She has to page us first."Both sighed in acknowledgement of disappointment. The locator was useless unless Naomi engages the distress beacon on her bracelet. If she still had the bracelet, and if she's still alive.

"Thank you Ben, it's better than I could have hoped for, and..not just for that.." Zia paused for a moment, lowering her chin like taking a moment too look inside herself. Than she looked up to Ben."I'm a little off...if you know what I mean."

"All you biotics are a little off." Said Ben with a smirk. Zia laughed, "Well and I'm a fury. That would go double for me. But no, seriously. I've been going through some strange stuff lately that showed me there is more to me than I knew, and I think you helped me understand a little bit more of me. So thank you doctor Ben O'reilly."

"Thank you for not killing me and letting me hopefully live out these 7 or so more years I have left if we win this war." Zia blushed from Ben's sarcastic remark, but then he softened his face and smiled. Zia smiled back and nodded as she got up.

"I gotta go now. Please wait for me before going to Radcliffe." Zia said and rushed outside leaving Ben slightly confused. He almost felt like being hustled by Zia, given the way she left, but Ben knew better. It was either honest or Zia was the ultimate actress in the galaxy.
He was ultimately happy with the outcome, and he felt content being able to help another patient, although the the remedy could have been a bit to costly for his taste.

Modifié par FuriousFelicia, 23 septembre 2013 - 04:54 .

[Redbelle]

Armitage glared at the queen.

The Queen stared calmly at Armitage.

Radcliffe looked between both of them. Sensing the tension between the two. He was trying to find a way to break the ice when Armitage spoke.

“I was under the impression our meeting would be private, captain”.

“I wanted him all to myself too”. Said the Salarian in that falsetto voice, that spoken in the all ready high pitched voice of a Salarian.......

Odd, didn't cover it, decided Radcliffe who cleared his throat. “I wanted you both here. I've read Wyld's report and the report of everyone involved”.

“And....”? Armitage leaned forward, eager to hear the verdict. Radcliffe noted the Misqueen also looked more interested than her outward appearance would imply.

He cleared his throat. “I can find no reason to take action against Commander Wyld. While her action's were..... outside of what we generally accept as proper behaviour. She did not break any laws, rules or regulations. Her action's obviously ruffled a few feathers. And I apologise on her behalf. But she had a job to do and she did it. If anything, her action's are on me as she was following my orders”.

The queen clapped her hands together. “Truly captain, you are a man of virtue to admit that”.

Armitage however was not so easily swayed. “Wyld stole our mechs.....”.

“Poof”. The Salarian waved her hand as if swatting a fly. “From what I can see they are still on your little lorries”.

“They won't respond to our instructions anymore”. He went on. “Then there's this sham marriage she arranged between that Volus and my Campaign Manager”!

“She looked so lovely in white”. The Salarian said, dreamily. “I'm afraid that may be my doing. I asked for a token of good faith. She proposed marriage. I accepted”. Her shoulder's shook as she laughed. “I'm just amazed that dress fit her. It was made for an Asari who was a little more ample than your Ms Babylon”.

The image of a fat Asari came and went in Radcliffe's mind as he leaned forward. “Why a marriage at all though”.

“Why? To show that these awful Terra Firma people could accept us of course”.

“We've been nothing but accepting”. Armitage interrupted.

“Perhaps of the humans in our group”. The Queen said. “For those of us are not.... you tried to segregate out the humans from the aliens and include them into your party”.

“It was a matter of practicality”. Armitage insisted to Radcliffe, who had leaned back and was giving Armitage a hard look. “Everything in Terra Firma is geared towards supporting humans. It's the equipment. The supplies. Everything. We never expected to suddenly have to shelter a large number of aliens. We don't have the supplies”. He shook his head. “For goodness sake. They tried to offload Turians onto us. Dextro's! If they'd walked into our bunker they'd be dead from starvation in a two weeks”.

“Not that it would have made any difference”. She turned to Radcliffe. “They were preparing to wipe us out on their front gate”.

“Their activity would have alerted the Reapers to our presence”. Armitage insisted. “I had to put those in my care above those who were not. They were told to leave. They refused. They killed some of my people”!

The Queen spun around. “We did no such thing”!

“We have a witness”!

“The one we allowed through our ranks”? She shook her head. “He told you what he wanted to believe. The man he said was dead is alive and well in our group”.

“Then why did you keep him”.

“He chose to stay”.

“Why”?

“Because he was smitten by a plump Asari and, as it turns out, he's a bit of a tubby chaser with a taste for the exotic”. She smiled. “It seems not all your men share the same view of those who are not human..... when they meet the right alien. For goodness sake. Why do you think we had a dress for Babylon available on such short notice”!

“Babylon's not fat”!

“And the number of safety pins I'm told were used was enough too......”.

“Please.....”. Radcliffe said. Restraining himself from shouting. “I'm sure we have more important things to discuss than a wedding dress”.

Armitage and the queen glared at each other one last time..... Or at least Armitage did. Who can tell with a Salarian. Radcliffe thought as Armitage turned. Apparently making one last effort to gain some credibility back.

“Commander Wyld sold out our bunker to the Reaper's”.

“Making our little dispute a little pointless, wouldn't you say”? The Queen said idly.

Armitage shook his head. “It was our bunker. We had every right to be there. And Wyld turned our refuge into a target”. Armitage shook his head in disappointment. “I respect that the military have there own way of doing things. But she sold a secure location to the enemy. We would have been safe there”.

“Safe is a relative term these days”. Radcliffe noted dryly

“Regardless. Is it not clear that through her action's, she endangered the live's of civilians? She must be made to answer for that”.

Radcliffe let the silence stretch on for a moment longer than needed. “Mr Armitage. I've already been clear. Commander Wyld”. He said, pointedly using her full title. “Breached no regulation's in her actions. That is all I can say at this time, as telling you what she actually did, would break certain security regulation's. Your not cleared to know what she did to convince you Reaper's had found you. But I assure you. Her action's placed you in no danger. It was your inaction in confirming what was going on that led to your believing Reapers had discovered your location”.

Radcliffe let that statement hang in the air as the Misqueen began chuckling as Armitage took a deep, calming breath. And then a few more besides. “Are you telling me, she tricked us”?

Radcliffe kept his face neutral. “You could certainly imply that's what could have happened”.

“So the bunker is still safe”?

“Perhaps....”. Radcliffe said. “It's not safe to return however. Reaper forces seem to have noticed your procession. They've moved forces along your route. We don't know if they discovered the bunker.....”.

“Of course they haven't”! Armitage insisted. “It's so well shielded the Alliance couldn't have found it if they went looking”!

“Which bring's me to the question. Why did you have a weapon stockpile in London at all, Mr Armitage.....”. Radcliffe asked with a hard edge in his voice. “Political parties with guns? Some might say you were getting ready for a revolution”.

Armitage smiled, splayed his hands out. “Some might say we are in the middle of one, perpetrated by an alien force. And who out of all the parties are still standing”? He asked with a smirk. “Bottom line Captain. We were ready for something like this. We weren't expecting anything on the scale that happened. But we always knew that one day, an alien force would come to Earth and attempt to dictate our actions”. He straightened in his chair. “This is a time of great change. And only those with the foresight and determination to carry the human spirit through will prevail. What I want is to see humanity survive”. He cast a glance over at the Queen. “If that means we have to leave behind those that would drag us down and leech off our resources, then so be it”.

The Queen shook her head. “Pretty armour and guns are not at the core of what a species is, Mr Armitage. It's what's left when you strip everything away that will carry you through. All the rest is window dressing”.

“We are prepared”.

“You think your prepared. My follower's have experienced the horror's of this war and emerged the stronger. Any one of mine is worth ten of yours”.

“You take in the one's that survive you mean, and throw the rest to the wolves. If you were half way decent leader you'd know how how aberrant that rationale is”.

“Weren't you saying something similar just a moment ago”.

“That's different”.

“It always is, darling”.

Radcliffe interjected. “Lady. Gentleman. I appreciate the different philosophies you have. But at this time. They weaken us. We are in the fight for our survival. As difficult as it is, I need your assurance that you will aid us in our effort's to win this war”.

Armitage sat back in his chair. “The military will alway's have the highest support we can give in protecting our way of life, Captain”. He assured Radcliffe. “But so far, I have yet to be assured that victory can be achieved by any means”.

“What I think we both wish to say”. Said the Queen, as Armitage flashed an annoyed look at her. “Is that so far, we are simply keeping our head above water in this conflict. Yet our effort's are not bringing us closer to the shore”. She said, her voice growing a hint more earnest. “And our strength is slowly ebbing away. Is shore very far away now Captain”?

Radcliffe repressed a sigh. Civilian's seemed hell bent on knowing the outcome of conflict's before they were fought. As a soldier himself, he knew that the outcome was never decided till the got home. And perhaps, not even then. Some battles had no beginning, middle or end. They just happened. And people like him and Wyld just had to grab the bull by the horns and hold on till it was time to get off. He blinked, remembering what the Queen had whispered to him. Kreegan. Retired STG.

He locked his eye's on the Queen. So over the top was her.... disguise? That he'd been lulled into taking her at face value. But if she was STG that meant she knew......

He turned to look at Armitage, who looked at Radcliffe in earnest, waiting for his answer. And it clicked. She want's me to say what he wants to hear. Only what to say? He could lie outright and say they would win. But his inner soldier bawlked at the notion.

Tell it straight.

“We are vastly overmatched”. He told them as Armitage blinked in surprise. “But away from Earth there has been word of a plan set in motion that will end the Reaper threat once and for all. We have details coming to us on a need to know basis. Right now, all we know is that we need to put personnel on the Citadel and retake it from Reaper forces”.

“Why”?

“Because the Citadel is the key”. Radcliffe stated bluntly. Our people will most likely be informed of what they need to do up there when arrive via comms. Since getting anyone up there is going to be hard, we have to be flexible. But the Citadel is the prize”. He paused. “The Reaper's wouldn't have brought it to Earth if it wasn't”.

“The Citadel's here”? Armitage seemed strangely agitated. For good or not, Radcliffe couldn't say. “It's here? Above Earth”?

Radcliffe nodded.

“And it's the key to our total and assured victory”?

“I've been told that taking it could win us the war. Apparently there is something about it that could end the Reaper threat. Some say, destroy them outright”.

Armitage took a moment. Then rose to his feet. “Then I should feel privileged to have my party join the military in this endeavour”.

The Misqueen also rose. “While many of us were not born on this planet. Those who were accepted us as brothers and sisters. We will all fight for the home we have come to know”.

Radcliffe rose along with them and shook their hands. “Thank you. I need to start getting our people talking. We have a lot to do before we're.....”.

At that moment the door banged open and an MP came in, flushed and agitated. Radcliffe took one look at him. Read his face. “What's happening”?

The MP saluted. “Excuse me sir. But it's the new people”.

Armitage made an annoyed sound. “We are Terra Firma son. We're here to help. Now what's going on”?

The MP looked at Radcliffe who nodded.

“Terra Firma and the Misfit groups, sir...... There's been an incident”.

Modifié par Redbelle, 23 septembre 2013 - 06:03 .

[Redbelle]

Modifié par Redbelle, 23 septembre 2013 - 05:49 .

[Kel Riever]

(Note: The following installment was a collaboration with favoritehookeronthecitadel)

The light stim dose administered by Ereba was more than enough to fully awaken Rea. She stood and hugged the two younger asari. “I would stay but there are some tasks I need to get done. And if I can move on without delay, I’d like to.”

“We understand,” Shayrana empathized. “It might be a tall order with a crowded pub, but let’s see what we can do.”

Ereba led the three up the cellar stairs, and peeked out a slightly opened doorway. The pub was as crowded as ever. This is going to be a challenge, she worried. Then Ereba saw Nasyra pop out of her chair and grab Ranassa by the wrist. ‘Nassa looked surprised, but the Sarge mentioned a few brief words before dragging her to the dance floor where the makeshift pole had been installed.

“I think we’ll be fine,” Ereba commented with a smirk. “Let’s go.” She gently pushed Shayrana and a nervous Rea out.

Nasyra placed Ranassa opposite her so that her back was to the cellar door. Then the Sarge whistled loudly. “Who here wants to see a show?” A loud cheer rose as the patronage of the pub became an enthusiastic audience. Nasyra placed one hand against the pole, stretched her legs and arched her back. More cheering erupted.

Shayrana gave Rea a short wave to go, and Rea headed towards the exit, behind the distracted patrons. She glanced at Nasyra, who gave a wink and blew a kiss; mannerisms mistaken by the crowd as directed at them, though Rea was well aware she was the intended recipient. Rea returned a knowing nod, mouthed the words, “Thank you,” and slipped out of the pub.

On the streets, the situation at the camp did not look good between the white uniformed humans and the scruffier Misfits. The uniformed humans were trying to organize themselves into paramilitary formations, whereas the Misfits were becoming boisterous and unruly. With a desire to avoid any kind of trouble, Rea maneuvered her way around the groups and made her way to the infirmary. She wanted to check in on Arkeer. When Rea got to the infirmary, however, the scene was chaotic, with a large crowd gathered outside. Getting through the front door would take time that she didn’t want to spend.

Rea worked her way around the building that the infirmary was set up in, and was fortunate to find a rear alleyway still within the camp perimeter. All of the ground floor entrances and windows had been sealed off, but a low enough hanging section of a fire escape allowed her to leap up to the second floor and through a blown out section of wall. It didn’t take Rea long to find a stairwell down. It had been blocked, but not substantially enough that she couldn’t slip through.

In her sports outfit, Rea looked like any other civilian at first glance. She pretended as much and made her way, past the mass of patients and caretakers, to the chamber where she remembered Arkeer was. It was unusually quiet when Rea reached the partition sectioning the krogan off, but his steady breath was easily heard from beyond. She pushed her way past the partition to see her friend.

Arkeer was sitting up, with a suitably grumpy expression on his face. That all changed when he saw Rea standing in front of him. He laughed, then winced, then laughed again. “I knew you’d bother me before I had the chance to stand on my own two feet.” The krogan paused as he took Rea in, wide-eyed and standing in her civilian clothes. “What happened to you? You look like you got hit by a flash bomb and decided to jog it off.”

Rea self-consciously tried to relax. She joked, “Then I don’t look half as bad as I feel. What are you doing still sitting around?”

Disgruntled, Arkeer replied, “Doc tells me I’m supposed to be here another half-hour. I was going leave but when I get up, there’s enough of a pain to keep me stuck.” He lowered his voice, “You know I only tell you that stuff, right? And if I really felt like ignoring the Doc, I’d just bleed through it and scram.”

“Well, for once I’m glad you took some advice,” Rea grinned.

“We’re both stubborn,” Arkeer confessed and accused in the same breath. “That’s why I’m not ashamed to say I had some other aspirations with you crossing my mind. Until I saw you with Rothan.”

Rea was dumbfounded. “How? I mean…”

“Oh, come on, Rea. Haven’t you been around krogan before? I could sniff it out.” Arkeer guffawed at Rea’s surprise. “He really likes you, you know. But I don’t think he was ready for that thick crest you’ve got sitting on that pretty little head.”

Shifting uncomfortably, Rea stammered, “He needs more protection. His suit could be breached, and besides, he’s an important asset, for his people and for the war.”

“You’re such a bad liar,” Arkeer chuckled then winced. “Rea, this is a pile of pyjak poo. We could all be dead soon.”

“Everyone keeps saying that.” Rea felt annoyed. “I’m just supposed to tell him, ‘Hey Rothan, lets do it!’ and then strip off my clothes and make love to him in the street? I suppose I should go about sanitizing the rubble first. I wouldn’t want him to get an infection.”

Arkeer stared at Rea with one eye. “Did you two plan this?”

“Plan what?” Rea then squinted, “Wait…did you and Rothan talk about me?”

“Maybe.”

Throwing her hands up, Rea shouted, “Behind my back, Arkeer? You? You didn’t tell him to talk to me instead?”

“I did. I told him what I would do if it was me. It might have even sunk in, unlike when I talk to a certain asari.”

Rea fumed, “Well, that is just perfect. And I haven’t seen him searching for me.” She sighed heavily. “It’s fine. He’s too young.”

“That’s a handy excuse coming from an asari who outlives almost everyone. Rothan’s adult enough. Who is it you are really protecting here, Rea?”

Rea shook and clenched her teeth. “You….overgrown….thick-skulled…varren!” She spun on her heel.

Arkeer growled, “Rea!”

The asari froze.

With a lower, but determined tone, Arkeer spoke. “I’m your friend, Rea. And you are mine. We owe each other more than leaving this way.”

Rea sagged her shoulders in defeat. Then she whirled around. “We do. To the void, Arkeer. At least you are right about that.” Rea then rushed up to the krogan and clasped him with all her might.

“Hah, you softie,” Arkeer rumbled satisfactorily. “Now that’s more like it.”

“You know neither of us would have left you behind, Arkeer. We would have pulled you out of a Sovereign class Reaper starship if we had to.”

“Maybe I would have done the same,” Arkeer admitted. “Rothan actually did for you, though, what you both did for me. Do me a favor and keep that in mind. He may be young, but he came to get you. And he didn’t ask anyone to go with him.”

“I will,” Rea agreed.

“Good. Now get out of here. You’ve got to have something better to do than harass a wounded krogan!”

Modifié par Kel Riever, 24 septembre 2013 - 04:18 .

[Khambilo]

“Authoooooooriizzaaaationnnnnnn,” the VI whined.

Rothan hovered his omnitool above the holographic access display. He looked briefly over to Navorro, hands soiled with grease, as he worked away on the engine before he glanced back to the task at hand. The VI sputtered in its death whine as Rothan steadily stripped the VI’s intrusive programming away.

“Nooooooooooooooooooottttttt. Rrrrrrrrreeeeeeeecccccoggggniiii—“

The program sputtered once more before completely dying. Rothan could not even suppress the grin that slipped across his face. Success.

Sudenly the bike rocked, disrupting Rothan’s temporary celebration.  He whipped back to Navarro, an expression of guilt coating both his and Cole’s face. “Watch it guys!”

“Sorry,” Cole apologized.

“Stupid coupling,” Navarro grimaced. “I can’t get to the primary manifold because it won’t come undone!”

Rothan moved towards them. “Well don’t force it! You’re risking the integrity of the engine block.”

Navarro rolled his eyes. “I should just smash the coupling. A camp like this is bound to have parts just lying around.”

“No.” Rothan shook his head. “We can make do with what we have. Let me see.”

Navarro stepped out of the way begrudgingly stepped out of the way, wiping the grease from his hand on his pants. Rothan glanced briefly to see that all eyes were on him, even Hugh and Mia. Had he really created that much of a scene? Surely he had not.

He was instantly reminded of all the lessons his parents had taught him during his time on the engineering deck. The fleet was always under pressure to make do with the resources they had, improvising only when necessary.

“The best repair is the one that will last the longest.” His father had told him. “A quick fix can be dangerous.”

The words were true enough. Rothan had heard more than one cautionary tale about an engineer who carelessly fixed a seemingly minor problem, only to cause a major problem later. One story ended with the engineer blowing himself and several civilians out into space over a air duct malfuction.

But the availability of quality parts in the fleet was always in question. Sometimes a jury-rigged fix was necessary. Rothan remembered on particular instance where is father chewed out a deckhand for repairing a containment tank with a sheet of scrap metal. The problem was that the metal the deckhand used contracted under the temperatures that the coolant within was usually operant at. The plate would have torn itself clean off the moment the Ketsa’s FTL drive turned on, causing a massive and dangerous coolant leak.

“There’s nothing wrong with a little ingenuity,” his father often said. “Just make sure it’s ingenious first.”

Rothan quickly learned that being detail oriented was the way to succeed at a job in engineering, a lesson that he applied when his biotics manifested. Instead of researching different machinery or the quality of one particular type of metal versus another, Rothan turned his attention to element zero and the effects of mass effect fields when applied in varying ways.

It was all preventative policy in his eyes. Being as informed as you could possibly be prevented loss when unsavory circumstances arose. In the fleet, it was necessary to prevent loss of valuable resources such as element zero. In the field with his squad, it could mean the difference between life and death.

Knowing that it would not always be possible to know all the relevant data to a mission, Rothan designed his battlefield anomaly program in order to stay on top of things. Celis and Lenaia teased him on occasion when the anomaly program alerted him to the presence of small rodent or stray clump of unordinary plants. Kinks in the program, of course that had to be worked out, but now that Rothan was thinking about it, he realized that the anomaly program was the very reason he was here now.

The program had detected the missiles, which lead Rea, Arkeer, and himself into meeting the Misfits, which lead to Rea getting separated from the others and Rothan going after her. And of course, that lead to Rothan’s realizing he had developed feelings for Rea that resulted in what he was beginning to fear was a catastrophic failure to communicate.

He sighed heavily as he carefully rotated his omnitool around the troublesome coupling. Deep breath. The problem at hand first.

A second later, the coupling detached.

“Okay,” Rothan turned his head to Navarro. “Hand me that spanner. We’ll see what’s going on with the engine.”

Rothan and the Misfits continued to work on the bike. Sometime before Rothan finished with the engine, Hugh and Mia had detached the gun mount and sat awaiting instruction. The major problem with the engine was a failure to respond to the bike’s computer. It was a problem of corrupted software not broken hardware and luckily, Rothan was able to fix it. Navarro happily accepted the responsibility of tuning up the engine afterwards.

The gun mount was the last thing to finalize. Rothan called up a holographic level with his omnitool to help find the appropriate position for the gun mount. Hugh propped the gun mount up while Mia helped Rothan align the mount to precise anchoring points on the bike.

Soon the Misfits and Rothan stood before the Starscreamer, admiring their handiwork. Even here, in the middle of a warzone, it looked glorious, gleaming as if recently polished in the work lamps.

Navarro in particular marveled at the bike, running his hand over the bike’s surface so lightly that the hovering bike never moved in the slightest.

“She’s light,” Navarro said breathlessly. “Throw on the seriously powerful engine and this thing is probably screaming fast.”

Rothan nodded. “The arms officer, Rea… they called it a starscreamer. Guess the name’s appropriate.”

Navarro at last finished his sweep along the bike. “Can’t believe you’re taking something this pretty into battle.” He sighed. “I mean what if it gets shot?”

It was clear that the bike was built for speed, a luxury item in the civilian sector, not a combat vehicle. Rothan figured the bike’s speed and agility could make up for such a fault, but Navarro did raise a good point. The bike was not made to take hits. One well placed shot from even a marauder or a cannibal could cause the whole bike to blow apart. Vehicles like the Krogan Tomkah or the Alliance Mako make up for that particular flaw by havingshields and armor. Even if the shields drop, they can still withstand a large amount of damage just by virtue of the armor. But a solution like the would not work on the Starscreamer. Armor plates could slow the bike to a point of rendering it’s agility inert. Plus, plates would take a long while to affix, more time than he had. Miranda could call at any moment.

Suddenly the solution hit Rothan. Without a word to the Misfits, Rothan scurried back into the front of the Armory.

“Sully,” Rothan called.

Sully rounded the corner from his desk to the back, trudging all the way. “What now?”

“Do you have hard light emitters?”

Sully’s face contorted. “You mean like tech armor modules?”

“They’ll work if you have them,” Rothan said.

Sully moved for a crate along the tent wall and began rummaging through it, haphazardly tossing the small round emitters out and onto the ground. Rothan quickly gathered them up as he did so. “Take all you need,” Sully sighed. “No one is requisition the damn things anyway.”

Rothan was already back with the starscreamer, setting to work on reprogramming the emitters by the time he called back. “Thanks!”

Modifié par Khambilo, 24 septembre 2013 - 07:06 .

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

(it's not much but it's something)

BoL - The Lost Asari (Camp Bastion) XLVII

Nasyra hopped off the table and called her squad over to one of the tables, and she asked a couple of the marines to go over to another table so she could pull the two tables together explaining that they had to have a strategy session. The marines understood and cooperated since the Asari had put on a good show for them for the past hour.

The sarge was all business. "Gang, I'm cutting everyone off. No more alcohol."

Protests rang out from the group.

"I'm sorry. We've got to stay sharp. Shay, you're going to be in charge for a minute. I need to talk to my mother, and I'll be right back." Nasyra said urgently. She didn't usually sound like this unless she had a plan.

Marisa was still at the bar sipping on her Scotch and smoking a cigarette.

Nasyra walked over and put her hand gently on Marisa and sat down next to her. "Sorry I was so hard on you earlier, but I had to get that information. It was important. I have a feeling we're going to win this war tonight, and there are going to be some power shifts in Asari government. Rea's Matriarch is a good woman, and if someone got that close during the war, they can do it again after. I know these things. That used to be my profession."

"I know. I just wasn't expecting it. You were right. Perhaps there is someone." Marisa put out her cigarette. "It's going to be tedious work going through one person at a time tracing this. It'll be like finding ghosts."

Nasyra smiled. "I'm good at that." She paused, then looked at Marisa. "Have you seen any combat at all? What's your biotic rating?"

"You're kidding me." Marisa laughed then saw the look in her eyes. "You're not kidding. L4, why?"

"That's good enough. I can get you fitted in some armor with a submachine gun and a pistol." Nasyra looked kind of sullen. "I don't feel good about leaving you here alone, and it has nothing to do with trust. It's safety. You'd be with the toughest squad in the Asari military. Hell, we protected a squad of screw ups for months; we can protect you. I think you'd be safer with us in case the camp got attacked.

"Besides, I need you alive at the end of this, and you know it. There's only one way I can be sure."

Marisa chuckled. "Odd it would come down to this, isn't it? Me, going into battle with you."

Nasyra, smiled. "Yes, it is. But you'll see Ranassa, the baddest of the bad, and her buddy T. And the Ereba and Shay team. Erikka and I, and all you have to do is throw Warps and shoot at bad guys. We'll keep you alive, Captain. And when we get to the Citadel and end this thing, they'll be pinning Serrice Medals on all of us."

"I'll let them know I'm deferring my authority to you, sergeant." Marisa said.

"Thank you, Ma'am." Nasyra said. "Now I'm going to have to go back to calling you 'Mother,' but I'll make sure everyone else shows you respect, Ma'am."

Marisa got up from her seat. "Hearing you go all respectful suddenly is odd."

"Just make sure you keep our cover going, okay?" Nasyra smiled. "Now come on and let's join the others."

[Ice Cold J]

The sight of a Turian entering any Krogan dwelling was hardly accepted.

Times of near-extinction tended to change things.

A tall figure walked through the Krogan section of the infirmary, until he found whom he was looking for.

"Arkeer," he said quietly, "YOU'VE had a busy night."

Arleer knew the voice, but he couldn't place it at the moment. He did, however, associate the sound with being one he couldn't trust under normal circumstances.

"I know you," Arkeer said, half buying time to think of the Turian's name, half hoping he'd offer up more information willingly.

"Then you're more badly injured than I thought. Otherwise, I'm sure you'd be ready to throw me out." hissed the figure.

Arkeer had a Revelation, "Zursuos."

Zursuos was a Turian biotic, held in both high regard and complete suspicion. He was a top lieutenant in the 85th Platoon; the youngest to achieve that rank in decades. Though not quite an "angel" of a marksman, he was more than capable with a rifle. He was a talented biotic, rumored to have been enlisted to train Eclipse mercenaries when the group was started several years ago. In summary, he was a hyper-deadly being.

All that would normally be a welcome thing here and now. The more expert killers fighting Reaper forces, the better in one's eye. Zursuos, however, had his genetics and history working against him. In fact, many of his fellow troops had recently wondered whether he had a predisposition to becoming Indoctrinated. After all, his first combat trainer was none other than his now infamous cousin, the late Saren Arterius, former Spectre and, as some dared to call him, "Sovereign's Puppet."

"So, what exactly happened? Did a Marauder catch you with your missle launcher holstered?" Zursuos was cocky, but he didn't mind semi-respectfully trash-talking a fellow warrior when he had the chance.

"Decapitated a Brute with my bare hands," Arkeer replied. "You know, sometime after I killed off about 5 cannibals."

"Batarians have always been easy targets: they go cross-eyed so easily." Zursuos jabbed. "The Reapers made them bulkier and slower, too. How many clips did that take you?"

"Don't you have something better to do?" Arkeer was short on patience when he wasn't in peak fighting form.

"Depends." Zursuos began pacing. "I've seen an awful lot of things happening tonight. It's a mess out there. Granted, this wasn't going to be the cleanest, most tactically proper battle ever, but troops are running around with a lot of p*ss and vinegar, but no purpose, and THAT is costing us lives that don't have to be thrown away."

Arkeer saw an opening. "Never took you for caring about sacrificing soldiers."

Zursous turned, agitated, "When every soldier you lose becomes a soldier for THEM, it MATTERS!" He was face to face with Akeer now, finger pointed inches from the Krogan's nose.

Arkeer was this close to starting a fight he knew he had a good chance of losing in his current condition. "You're talking to the wrong guy. I did a pretty good job of staying alive. So guess you sadly won't have an excuse to try and kill me tonight."

Zursuos backed down a little. "As I said, they have courage." He turned a took a few steps away from Akeer. "But courage alone will not win this battle. It will take planning, execution, and... painful decisions and actions." He turned slightly to look back at Akeer. "Do you think they're ready for that?"

Akeer believed in them. Rea, Rothan, and all the others. But this was it. There was nothing as dire as the circumstances facing them all RIGHT NOW. If they faltered, even slightly...

"Do you think you're ready to go into battle with all that hardware?" Akeer diverted the question, referencing all the weapons Zursuos carried on his back.

Zursuos thought for a second. "It might slow down my biotics a little, but we'll need every gun we can bring. We have no idea what's waiting for us out there."

"Well, a bunch of banshees, a few more Brutes than that, whole platoons of Mauraders, and whole armies of husks and cannibals." Akeer offered bluntly.

"Not to mention those dammned Rachni creatures," Zursuos reminded him.

"Damn Shepard..." Arkeer said under his breath.

Zursuos unholstered a rifle from his right shoulder, "At any rate, THIS should help a little bit. Ever seen this weapon in your limited action?"

Arkeer growled slightly, took the weapon as handed to him and inspected it: fully automatic, .38 caliber rounds... and a Cerebus logo on the side.

"Picked it up during a stop on Noveria. One of the, what are they called, "centurions?" He was using it."

"Obviously using it wrong if you managed to kill him," Arkeer said and pushed it back at the Turian.

"A weapon is dangerous in the hands of an amateur," Zursuos said. "In the hands of a master, it is the reaper's scythe."

"Did you have to say 'Reaper?' " Arkeer said, in full honestly.

"After tonight, there will be no such thing," Zursuos began looking intently at his trophy. "They will PAY, Krogan. For every life they've taken, for every lie they've told, for every good-"

He stopped for a second. Arkeer could've sworn he was choking on the words or... holding back tears?

"For every great soldier who they forced into an ending unbefitting them. They. Will. Pay."

Arkeer feared nothing, but at this moment, he was nervous about saying something that might set Zursuos off. Still, he volunteered, "So, what's your plan?"

Zursuos holstered his weapon, "Right now, I'm going to follow some of these troops. Keep an eye on them and keep them alive as long as I can. Then, when it's time to deliver the killing blow, I will personally send every last Reaper to the deepest, darkest hell they, in all their supposed intelligence, can imagine."

Zursuos left the infirmary and slipped off into the night, ready to do whatever the Spirits required him to.

[FuriousFelicia]

Zia hastly worked her way towards the armory where she hoped to find Wyld. Wyld was familiar with her sisters, and Aria before Zia opend up to her and told her about her life at Omega, but Zia was unsure and confused why were the sisters on Earth. Disdain wasn't really a military type, and she couldn't care less about what happens to Earth. Lucy was the same, though she didn't have a mind of her own as she allways looked up to Disdain, and danced to her tune. Then again, it's been more than three years since Zia hadn't seen them. Maybe they've changed just like her. Tough chance, Zia thought, but the reason why they were on Earth baffled her. Maybe Jan had some answers for her.

It looked like things were busy at the armory. It was now packed with people unloading amo crates, and guns and equipment was being sorted for distribution. A quarian Zia saw earlier with Rea was now working on some sort of a bike with some kids helping him. Sully was no where to be seen. He must have had his hands full now. Probably working on Wyld's new armor since Zia found her sitting on a bench, still in her undergarments.

She waved chearfully smiling to Zia when she spotted her walking in. Her smile slowly faded away when she saw Zia's troubled face. Zia marched towards her looking urgent. As she walked up to Jan, Jan gave her a wide smile and just as she wanted to say something, Zia hastly grabbed her wrist and pulled her up.

"Jan I need to see you alone for a moment." Zia urgently said and started pulling Jan by her arm.

"What...Zee.." Jan confusedly shouted out, tottering behing Zia as she pulled her hand. She looked woried. Unlike Zia to behave so strange and hasty. She pulled Jan out of the armory, and into one of Farzam's gunships where they could speek in privacy. She closed the cockpit door once they were in. Jan looked at her, bulging her eyes in confusion.

"What's with you Zee? Is something wrong?" Jan asked with concern. Zia grabbed her hands and looked seriously at her.

"Jan quickly, I need to know what you know about my sisters."

"I thought they weren't really your sisters." Jan smiled but Zia remaied serious. "They're not, but please just tell me what you know."

"Okay." Wyld said suspiciously seeing worried look on Zia's face. "Aria told me that you had two sisters. That you left them. You told me about them". She tilted her head back and cast her mind back to her conversation with Aria. "She told me that you were on Earth and that eventually, I'd find you. I don't know how she knew I would.... but she said she wanted someone by your side. I'm guessing because she's worried about you. She said she wanted me by your side. To save you if need be, from who I assume, are two very messed up people who didn't take kindly to your leaving them behind". She pasued. "They must have really been into you, to take your leaving them so badly. Want to talk about it?"
 
Zia rolled her eyes about, trying to make sense out of all this. It is true that Disdain and Lucy weren't exactly the kind of people someone would take out for a drink, but if they were on Earth just to settle some old score with Zia, then they were really deranged. If anything, Zia thought that Disdain would be delighted to have Zia out of the picture. Now she could be the boss like she allways wanted.

"Zee...what's going on?"

"Jan...Naomi's gone."

"What? What do you mean gone? Gone where, we're surrounded by reapers from all sides, and the final push could to go down any minute now." Jan was confused by Zia's words. And what did her sisters have to do with Naomi anyway.

"Listen Jan, I think Disdain and Lucy are here, and they might have Naomi." 

"What here? On Earth? Now?"

"Yes here, now, in this very camp." It baffled her just as it did Zia. Even though she was told by Aria that the sisters would be after Zia, she was still sceptical about that. Sure maybe in some other time, but now, here when there's war raging. It didn't make a lot of sense.

"But what does that got to do with Naomi? And what do you mean she's gone." Jan was confused by all this, but at the mention of Naomi, her tone abruptly became troubled. If anything happened to Naomi, she would undoubtedly feel guilty as in her mind she was the one that stepped in between Zia and her. She felt responsible for Naomi even though that was Zia's job.

Zia hugged her tight and then moved back to see her face. Jan looked woried and confused. Zia gently put her hand on Jan's cheek and softly smiled. "Look. I don't know where Naomi is but she was seen in the pub and the infirmary with a fury. A red hooded fury with a tear tatto. That is the description people gave me and if it's true, than Naomi is with Disdain. Why she needs Naomi I don't know, but whatever it is, it's not going to bee good. I don't understand why would they be angry with me or why would they come here now. It's true that things got a little tense back at Omega in that last year before I left, but we parted our ways in an orderly fashion, and I actually thought Disdain would be glad to see me leave. This just doesn't make sense to me but I'll figure it out somehow once I find them and Naomi."
 
Jan listened to Zia as she talked, and when she finished, Jan opened the cockpit hatch and stepped outside.

"Alright, where do we start looking?"

"No. You're not comming. I need to do this on my own." Zia answered as she stepped out of the cockpit. Jan grined and shook her head. "Oh no you don't. I am just as much responsible for Naomi as you. This is all my fault anyway. If it wasn't for me, this all thing would never happen. She's mad at me. And I don't blame her, she has every right to be." Jan lowered her chin as her eyes moistened. She felt guilty for what happened. Zia crossed over to her and took her by her wrists and leaned her head against Jan's forehead.

"Listen Jan. I care for what happens to Nay, but I love you. Not Naomi, not Aria or some asari I just met. I love you. And if anything happened to you I...." Zia stopped as now her own eyes started to glitter. All this recent emotional developments were new to her. Just a day ago she was a free spirit, and now she was in love, and hugging salarians.

Jan smiled. She wraped her arms around Zia's waist and landed a gentle kiss on her lips. "I love you too Zee. But right now Naomi needs our help. How can I stay out of this when I'm just as guilty as you. Let me just find a barrier belt and grab my gun..."

"No Jan!" Zia shouted out. "I'm going alone. But you can still help me." She said and pulled out the locator device Ben gave her. "This is a locator. It will show us Naomi's location if she sends out the distress call. We can stay in touch through momma. Please Jan, just let me take care of this." Zia knew that Jan would protest but this was her erea of expertise. And if anything would happen to Jan, she would never forgive herself for dragging her into this.

"Okay." Jan said reluctantly. "You go find our girl, and if you need help, don't be shy."

"Don't wory, I will keep you in the loop. And if Naomi attempts to contact us, you tell me straight away. That locator is our best chance." Said Zia and then frowned, like she had something on her mind.
"What is it Zee?" Jan asked seeing Zia's mind wondering. 
"It just...how the hell did they find us in all this mess. I mean, Disdain was good at executions and intimidation, but tracking was never her thing. And how did Aria know you'll find me.." Zia pondered as Jan just shrugged her shoulders. "I know, strange right." She added.
 
"Did Aria give you anything? It could have been anything." Zia asked. Jan thought for a second and then remembered. "Yeah, she gave me that omni axe."

"You might wanna check that for bugs." Said Zia but Jan's response was halted by an abrupt ring from Zia's omni tool. It was momma with an urgent message from the doctor. Zia engaged her omni tool and mommas asari hologram appeared.

"Helo Zia. The doctor issued me to tell you that he found some new clues for you. He asks that you come to infirmary as soon as you can." Momma quickly explained.

"Hi momma." Jan chearfully waved her. "Helo again Jerry-Ann." Responded momma.

"Momma tell Ben I'll be there shortly. Any luck in locating Naomi?" Asked Zia. "Negative, her omni tool still shows as offline." Answered momma. Jan looked confusedly to Zia. "Ben?"
 
"Oh yeah, I think I made a new friend. Go figure." Answered Zia. Then she hugged Jan tight and kissed her like there was no tomorrow so that Jan almost felt like she was going to smother her. When Zia finally broke off, Jan was left by a suprised face. "What was that?"

Zia smiled at her as she turned to leave, and winked. "That's just a substitute for what words can't express." Jan smiled back. "Just be careful Zee."
"Will do. You too." Zia answered and with a smile, then she turned and left. Back to the infirmary to examine this new evidence. 

Modifié par FuriousFelicia, 27 septembre 2013 - 05:22 .

[Redbelle]

“I want to keep this informal”. Babylon explained as Steiner took a seat the other side of her. And thank God he took the advice on covering up. Steiner still wore his destroyer armour leggings, but whereas before he had been undressed from the waist up, as he had the names of his dead platoon members inked onto him......

Now he wore a light grey vest that covered everything. But did little to hide the fact that Steiner was practically all muscle. Babylon chewed her lip as she watched him raise a hand to attract the server. They sat outside the pub. Tables and chairs had miraculously appeared outside. Probably due to demand as the inside of the pub was getting crowded. As the server took their drink preference's she watched Steiner turn around to face her.

Even his muscles have muscles. She thought as she bit the tip of her pinky. Bulging in places they shouldn't. Ready to take charge and assume control of.......

She wasn't fantasising about him of course. Nothing so crass. She was figuring out how to sell him to the camp. Over the course of her time with the Ensfield Rifle platoon she'd passed word of mouth, holo recording's of his exploits, even managed a few transmission's of her testimony as to what she had seen Steiner do in the field. All to bolster his reputation among his peers.

And it had worked. Klaus Steiner. Hero of the resistance!

People in the camp looked over at him and knew who he was. All because of her. And it was no mean feat. Not by any stretch of the imagination. Because she knew something no one else did.

Klaus Steiner was the most brutish, hard nosed Neanderthal man she'd ever had the misfortune to meet. Not that she could tell him that. Just the opposite in fact. She had to draw out his inner person. The person she wanted him to be. The person his action's told her he could be if he'd just drop the attitude and act like a normal human being.

Well, maybe not normal. People didn't fawn over hero's because they were normal

Definitely not the Steiner who was just sitting there with a blank expression with his eye's half lidded. With a mug of steaming coffee in hand. Looking like this interview was the least important thing he had to do with his life.

A mug of coffee?

She looked down and saw another mug before her. She cleared her throat as she picked it up and took a swallow.

Definitely hadn't been fantasising.

She mentally shook her head and opened her Omni-tool's voice recorder function. The three Volus had disappeared. Off to repair the camera they had no doubt broken with their clumsy fingers. Well whatever. This was a character piece. She knew much of him from the time she had spent in his platoon. Now it was time to get to the real Steiner and peel him apart. To get to the true man behind the armour.

“So..... N7”. Babylon said. Figuring it was as good a starting point as any. “We hear stories about people like you. Men and women who are above the rest”.

“Hmm”. Grunted Steiner.

“And I'll bet you've got all kinds of stories you could tell me about how you made it through the N7 program. The challenges. The trials. The death defying action's of a man living on the edge”.

Steiner took a long, slow pull of his mug. Slowly set it down on the table. Let out a short, contended grunt..... “Not really”.

“But you were abandoned on a deep space asteroid right? Every N7 is.... aren't they”? She leaned in.... “How was it? Staring into the void. Knowing that your oxygen would only last so long. That it was you against the hard, cold vacuum of spa.....”.

“Cold”.

“Go on”. It was the first time he'd offered something on his own. A good sign he was warming up, she thought as she leaned in.

Steiner took another pull of his coffee, went through the same motions as before as he then looked up. “It was very cold”. He finally said.

Babylon could actually visualise taking his head between her hands and slamming it against the table till blood ran out of his squashed, flat, repeatedly broken nose. Instead, she let out a sigh as she rubbed her hand over her eye's. She looked up to see Steiner wave to someone behind her. She looked around and saw a mass of people going about things.... “Someone you know”?

“Guy from the program”. Was all Steiner offered.

“Klaus”!

“What do you want from me”? He asked her. “When I rescued you....”.

“I was fine”. Babylon insisted.

Steiner gave her a impatient look. “When I rescued you”. He repeated. “You started turning me into this..... thing. This person I'm not..... Why”?

Babylon leaned across the table and thudded her finger on the plastic surface. “Because..... In this war there are people who will emerge as hero's. People who can grow to become icons. Event's are flowing around us Klaus. And event's like these can make a man into a superman! Someone people will follow! You have the gift! I'm just polishing out the kinks”. She said. “It's fine Klaus. Really. I know how...... busy you must be”. Trying to say that as if she meant it was a challenge, even for her. “But I know you must be busy thinking about what to do from here on. How to bring this war to an end. I look around and I see people who want a leader. Who need a leader to give them direction”!

“Yeah. He's called Captain Radcliffe”. Steiner said blankly.

“He's not caught the people's imaginati....”.

“And the troops all have their section commander's. And their platoon leaders. And their squad leaders. You think everyone in the military gets there order's from one man”? Steiner shook his head. “It gets filtered down through channels. Bastion's turning this offensive back into a modern day army with getting central command and communication back up. We move out.... We'll be able to call for help. We'll have people who can support us”. His finger's abruptly turned white and there was a slight crack as a black sliver appeared in his mug. “It just won't be enough. We're outnumbered out there. And this army....”. He gestured around the throng of groups that stood around, keeping away from the each other. “It looks impressive. But your Tee-Eff troops aren't cut out for real action.....”.

“We all did the courses....”.

Steiner actually slapped a hand against his face which he pulled downwards. His eye's appearing as he looked at Babylon with about as much emotion as he had ever shown.

“Courses”? He said incredulously. “You mean you've been shown how equipment works”.

“And been given hands on training how to use it”.

“In combat”?

“What does that matter? If you know how to fire a gun.....”.

Steiner pulled his pistol off his hard point. It was still unfurling itself as he put it down heavily on the table. “Imagine your out on the field. And you see someone pointing that at you”. He said. “What do you feel”.

Babylon looked down at the pistol and shrugged her shoulder's. “What's there to feel. If someone tries to shoot me. I shoot them first. That's how it works right”?

“Right...”. Said Steiner. “And wrong. There's something everyone feels when someone pulls a gun on them the first time. Fear”.

Babylon thought back to time with Wyld. Running for their lives ahead of the Reaper army. Then as they'd hidden in the roof. Then as the Banshee had pursued her.

“Okay. So you feel fear. That doesn't stop you from....”.

“It stops you thinking”. Steiner said firmly. “It makes you stupid. Your reaction time slows as your mind looks for a way out! You may know what to do with your gear, but the moment you feel fear. Your heart rate goes up. You start to sweat. Panic set's in. Sure, you think. I know how to fire a gun. I've done it so many times that it's basic”. He paused. “But working the guns only half of it. You've got to get comfortable with the fear. Feel it so many times that you begin to own it. Know it inside and out. Know you can feel it and not let it slow you down. Knowing what to expect in a fight is a big plus for us. Fear's a part of the fight. It can come from anywhere. Performance anxiety maybe. Maybe you start to think about that fella you left behind and what'll happen to him if you die. Maybe you just think of a big black void and watch as the world goes on around you”.

“You might freeze”. He went on. “You might run. You might throw up. You might not. Maybe you'll fight. Maybe your gun'll jam. Maybe the bad guy's will. So many things that could happen and an untrained mind can focus on all that, as a way to get around the fear that comes when you know that someone has a gun pointed right at you and wants to kill you. One guy I knew froze in basic. Said he'd thought about not being able to tie his shoelaces when he was a boy”. He picked up the pistol. “Ever stared down the barrel of a gun before”?

Babylon shook her head.

“Want to”?

“That's not proper gun discipline”. She said automatically. She knew that much form her course in how to handle firearms.

“Right answer. To bad the bad guy's don't give a crap about what some fire arms instructor told you on a course”. He began slowly moving the pistol across that would have intersected with her head had Babylon not brought her arm up and clasped his hand.

“Stop that”!

“You gonna tell that to the Reapers”?

“This isn't safe”!

“Your right about that”. Babylon heard a click. Realised that he'd taken the safety off. “Now it's just the man holding the gun. So how do you feel Amy? Still think you can brave the Reapers when you can't even stare down the barrel of gun held by a man who has no reason to shoot you? This is just a piece of equipment though right? Something your course taught you all about. So why are you stopping me”?

Babylon glared at Steiner even as she felt her lip tremble. “Get that thing away from me”. Steiner shrugged, clicked the safety back on and put it back on under the table. Babylon placed both her hands on the hard surface. She could feel them trembling. She had known she wasn't in danger but still.....

Part of her had felt......

Steiner drained the last of his coffee and, putting it on the table, looked at her. “All the gear and no idea. I went through simunition training. Simulated rounds that get you used to the idea and physical reality of getting shot. They fire the same as real bullet's do so you can get used to shooting at another human being.....”. He paused. “Can you really shoot another living thing dead Amy”?

Babylon looked up, still feeling the tremors in her arms. “I already shot at Reapers”.

“I knew a sniper who got up close with one of his targets. He'd never seen the aftermath up close before. He hung up his rifle the next day. Reapers are monster's who used to be people like you or me. Can you really shoot them and wonder if you haven't just snuffed out the innocent life of the person under the Reaper”?

“I.....”. Babylon could feel boiling white anger surging through her. Yet she couldn't force it out. Couldn't give Steiner both barrels of what she thought of him right now. She felt paralysed. She never froze like this! She was supposed to be a predator and Steiner had turned her into a frightened kitten. She felt warmth and she looked down to Steiner holding her hand.

“You didn't sign up for this. Now take a deep breath. Real deep. And do what it takes to get it out of you”. He told her. “Because if you can't do it now. You never know if you can out there”.

Babylon felt her jaw begin to quiver. Rage was all she was feeling. She shook off Steiner's grip and grabbed his hand herself. Felt herself squeezing it. Forcing her finger tips and nails into his flesh so hard they nearly broke the skin.

Steiner just sat there taking it. No sign he was under any stress. “Not enough”. He said at last. “This is everything? Caught in the head lights and this is all you can dish out”? Babylon's felt herself stretching, tight as a band as she heard the casual indifference in his voice. “You act like you can hack it when you surrounded by my people”. She heard him say through the blood rushing through her ears. “But alone, your weak. You need someone looking after you”. Her other hand balled into a fist as she knew what she wanted. Her look warning him that if he pushed once more.

“Guess that's why you married a Volus”.

The sneer in his voice finally caused Babylon to snap. Her fist lashed out. It was uncoordinated and without power. Just a straight up jab from where it rested on the table. It caught Steiner in the cheek and he just looked down at it as Babylon held it there. Trembling.

He looked at her, with what she thought was a hint of pride. “Weak Amy”. He said with a smile. “But at least you tried. Means you might have a shot at learning how to soldier after all”. The hint of pride, that Babylon thought she'd seen, abruptly dried up. “But If I'd have been a Reaper, I'd have got you first. Don't hesitate next time. You found your trigger. Remember it. Reach for it. And don't hesitate”. He nodded over to where a group of Tee-Eff in their armour stood. “Or you'll just be another toy soldier walking into a grinder”.

Modifié par Redbelle, 27 septembre 2013 - 06:02 .

[Kel Riever]

(Note:  The following installment was a collaboration with RedBelle)

Rea watched the comings and goings from the armory. Soldiers were out front sorting equipment, the gunships were ogled by passer-bys and a Tomkah was flush with the building while krogan moved about helping with the heavy lifting. There was a good chance that Rothan was inside and as much as she desired to talk to him, Rea’s irrational uneasiness had not subsided entirely. Right then, all she wanted to do was get the armor Sully had likely finished with from the locker she had asked him to leave it in. Rea didn’t expect that Sully would be able to accomplish much from the list she gave him, but the armor needed more than repair, and if he got anywhere with it, she would be happy. Remembering that the room with the locker was placed towards the side of the armory, close to the pub, Rea snuck down the alleyway between the two buildings.

Luck was with Rea. She found a door into the armory, fastened shut. Guessing where the internal bolt would be, Rea concentrated and warped the door. It buckled slightly and there was a discernable snap of metal. She tried the handle and the door swung open freely to reveal the very room she wanted. No one was present, so Rea entered, went to the locker, and began to undress.

A thick curtain hiding the portal that led further into the armory was suddenly swept aside. Rea snapped around to see who had arrived. It was Jerry-Ann Wyld, dressed down in civilian clothes. She was alone. Wyld looked startled as she saw Rea, then sheepish as she asked, “Mind if I come in? I was told some of my gear is in here.”

Rea shook her head and Jan headed over to another of the lockers close by. Guilt crept into Rea as she remembered what happened at the athletic center with Zia. Rea wondered if Zia had gotten to Jan yet, or if she did, if she had let her know everything. And had Rea ruined something? Not knowing was becoming unbearable in Jan’s presence. Wyld stood counting lockers, searching for hers, while Rea wrestled with whether she should say anything at all.

Rea opened her mouth to speak, hesitated, and then began, “Jan, I owe you an apology. I don’t know if it’s the best time to go over this with everything that’s happening, but I need to clear the air with you.” Wyld look at Rea from over her shoulder. Her expression puzzled as Rea inhaled deeply, then continued, unable to halt the flow of words. “Zia. Your Zia. I didn’t know then but I know now…we were just trying to get cleaned up and one thing led to another. I tried to stop it, but I couldn’t before we…nothing happened, but it did…and I didn’t know it was your Zia…I have to remember what it is like for someone else to have another person exclusively, and I’m sorry, it’s my fault…”

Wyld cocked her head, her eyes seemingly looking through Rea’s for a moment. "So it was you.” Rea tried to respond but Wyld was already crossing the room until she was standing directly in front of her. "I've only got one thing to say.”

Wyld reached up, clasping her hands lightly over the sides of the asari's face. She leaned forward and for one moment Rea had a flashback to how Zia had kissed her in the shower. Goddess! Why do humans want to kiss me all of a sudden?

Wyld tilted her head down and lightly kissed Rea’s forehead. "Thank you.”

Rea looked up in surprise as Wyld let go, and let her hands fall to Rea’s shoulders. Wyld leaned back. "Thank you". She repeated softly as a grin began to overtake her features. Then she was wrapping Rea in her arms while she laughed as she held her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

"What are you....," Rea began as she tried to push Wyld away. Wyld, though, let her go and grasped her by the arms.

"Zia's my girlfriend! She finally said she loved me! Because of you!......Maybe,” Wyld trailed off as she looked thoughtful. "I mean, it may have happened if you hadn't been there. But you were and....well......” She let go of Rea and stood there, grinning. "Let's just say that you had a hand in me and Zia finally getting together.” Wyld took a step away, and before she turned, she looked up at Rea's forehead where she kissed her. Wyld then looked at the floor as she licked her bottom lip. "Huh, how about that. Plum."

Rea missed the reference as her normally cerulean face blushed a deep violet. “Why do you humans make me feel like I’m two decades old?” She crossed her arms defensively, but then lowered them and started laughing at herself. Rea turned her back to Wyld as she continued removing her sports outfit, speaking over her shoulder, “I hope you understand. I didn’t want anyone to get hurt. Especially not someone like you.”

Wyld smiled. "To be only two decades old, again,” she said as she started to turn away. She cast a look back, however, as Rea continued undressing. "Seems a lot of people are feeling randy tonight,” she said with a chuckle. “Just head over to storage and liste....." Wyld stopped talking as Rea finished unzipping her sports top and removed it from her shoulders. The scar lying across the length of Rea's back stood out in stark contrast to the rest of her. It was deep, running into the soft tissue. In places Wyld could see the faint outline of bony protrusions as Rea’s skin flexed against her skeleton. Wyld sucked in a breath and felt a shudder go through her own spine. Her hand moved involuntarily, reaching out, seeking to assess what she saw as she breathed. "Jeez. Rea. Does the doctor know about this?”

Wyld’s fingers caused Rea’s body to constrict. No one else had ever touched Rea’s wound, even for medical reasons, as the surgery and healing process had been completely automated. Her most intimate encounter since the scarring had been with Zia and somehow, the Fury’s hands never managed to contact the disfigurement. Withdrawn, Rea answered, “It’s been taken care of.”

Wyld jerked her hand away. "Sorry. Sorrysorrysorry. It's just...." Wyld took a deep breath. "Look. I'm a medic. I look out for everyone here and that includes you. I need to check you out.” She activated her omni-tool medical scanner. "Doctors can overlook things sometimes. It can't be helped when things get busy.....I'm guessing this is relatively old and was taken care of at the time, but still......" She paused. "Look.....please. Let me examine you. Aftercare's hard to come by with the war going on. I just need to see how the treatment's taken." She smiled. "After I'm finished, if you’re still uncomfortable, you can tell me to take a hike.”

Rea studied Jan, saw the genuine concern in her expression, and remembered how she took care of Arkeer. “Sure,” Rea replied. She did her best to settle herself. “You know what you are doing.” Memories of the Cerberus agents who tried to assassinate Matriarch Syra played through Rea’s imagination while she slowly spun around again, so Wyld could examine her back. Rea put her chin down and admitted, “It wasn’t that long ago, actually. And I shouldn’t worry. These things come with the job.”

Wyld began running her scanner up and down Rea's back. "Corpsmen come with the job too. To make sure past injuries stay in the past. So they don't persist into the future. Hmmmm.”

Wyld placed her fingers on the side of the scar, where the skin was unblemished. She gently moved the skin. "What kind of food are you getting these days?”

"Mainly ration packs. Like everyone else.”

"Any kind in particular?”

Rea looked confused. "What do you mean?”

"Asari rations?”

"Aren't all ration's the same?”

"Not if you’re a dextro.” Wyld pointed out. “An extreme example, but all species have slightly different needs.” Her probing finished, Wyld examined her results. "Has what you've been eating been human rations?”

Rea shook her head. "I suppose. I don't know. Mostly it's what I can get.”

"So chances are, you've been eating food made to cater for human dietary needs.” Wyld ran her results again to be sure. "Asari dietary needs are similar, but slightly different. If you've been chowing down on human stuff, then you’re lacking certain intakes and suffering from a vitamin imbalance.” Wyld shut down her tool and waited until Rea turned her head to look at her. "You need proper food. Maybe some vitamin supplements. Your skin’s a little dry despite your shower....." Jan noted with a little humour in her voice. "You could do with a moisturizer. Especially on that scar.....scars,” she said as she looked down and spotted the other on Rea’s leg. "It'll help the healing and keep the skin supple.”

Wyld ticked off the requirements on her fingers. "Food, booster shot, moisturizer and massage. We must have a pizza place in camp somewhere. There always is.”

Rea tilted her head. “Pizza place? What is that? Some sort of specialized medical facility? Its really fine. Isn’t the damage just cosmetic?”

Wyld nodded forward and Rea turned back around. She felt Wyld's hands run up her back, pausing over the muscle that lay along her route, up to her shoulders. Once there she lightly clamped her hands over Rea's shoulders and squeezed, noticing the muscle refused to give in easily.

"Pizza's food,” Wyld said absent-mindedly. "And yes, the damage is cosmetic.....It won't stop you from doing what you've done, up till now....." Wyld pressed her thumbs lightly into the back of Rea’s shoulders, feeling the hard muscle there as well. ".....But if you don't keep on top of it, this injury could have other consequences. If your skin becomes too dry the scar could develop cracking. It's not a problem for small ones. But with this one....I wouldn't chance it. You could also use some massage to loosen off that muscle.” She ran her thumbs in circles on the spot's behind Rea's shoulders, pressing down as she went.

"I'm not kidding Rea, you’re like rock back here. The tension's building up. The body has a habit of compensating for injuries. Sometimes it compensates in the wrong way. In this case, the injury may be causing muscle tension in the surrounding tissues to react. Have you been getting headaches or dizzy spells lately?”

Rea nodded.

"Too much tension can do that. Excuse me". She ran her hands up the sides of Rea's neck and pressed gently. "Neck muscles are tense too. That's usually a sign of trouble.”

It suddenly dawned on Wyld that she was standing in close proximity to a half naked asari who was exquisite to look at. And she was touching her.

Back off Jan. Her mind said. Don't go there.

Zia did. The other half of her mind said.

But.... why didn't Rea?

Wyld took her hands away. "It's like this,” she said as Rea turned around. It was all Wyld could do to keep her mind on track.

"Like.....this.” She cleared her throat. "You can go out as you are now. But you'll grow tired faster and have difficulty performing. Or I can massage out the tension. Oil you up. And then we either have the doctor stick you with needles for that booster...." She held up a finger. "Or.... and I promise this is a much better idea. We trawl the camp looking for someone who can make pizza.”

At that moment, Wyld's omni-tool flared to life and the pint sized avatar of Momma flared into view.

"If you require, I can locate the food stuff and personnel for this endevour.”

Wyld just stared at Momma. "How many times have I told you not to do that?”

"Never.”

"Well I'm telling you no...."

"I shall see what I can find.” And Momma winked out of existence.

Wyld shook her head. "Sorry. She's never done that before. She's probably adjusting to her new role” She looked up at Rea's questioning expression. "That was Momma. The new camp AI.” She blew out a long breath. "It's a long story.”

At that moment Wyld’s tool flared once more and Momma stood there. She looked Rea up and down before turning back to Wyld.

"She seems nice.”

And then Momma disappeared once more.

“You have an AI in your omni-tool?” Rea was incredulous. “Never mind.” She squinted her eyes suspiciously. “So, Jan, what you are saying is you want to massage me, oil me, stick me…with needles…and feed me. And this is your advice as a medic looking out for my best interest?” Rea searched Wyld with silver-flecked blue eyes.

Wyld was about to respond when she stopped short. "Well I suppose when you put it that way it does sound kinda....." She groped for the word and eventually settled on, ".....Kinky?”

Wyld shook her head. "Look. You don't need me, personally, to do any of this. You can go to medical. I'll fire off my report and they can help you out.” She sighed. "But I'm guessing you've seen how medical's swamped. They should have picked up on your nutrient imbalance and......"

Wyld stopped and held a hand to her forehead. "Okay.....honest truth....the real truth? Yes. I'm looking out for your best interest. I'm looking out for you because.... you pushed someone into my life who I was afraid of never having. So I'm inclined to give you more attention than most because...I can't....stop myself from wanting to make sure you’re all right.” Wyld took a breath. "Then there's what I'm feeling when I see that scar on you....and I can't make that go away. But I can tell you how to manage it, until the war's over and people aren't prioritizing who gets what treatments. Because I know from experience how badly injuries like that can affect people without them knowing it.....and......" Wyld’s face became pained as she searched for the words.

"This may not make sense. But that scar doesn't seem right, on you. We haven't known each other that long, but.....someone ugly inside must have done this". Wyld ground her teeth. The words were drying up. "I've cared for people who have scars like the one you have. I've seen how badly they were hurt from the beginning. So I can imagine how bad it must have been for you. I can sympathize because something like that happened to me once. And....”

Wyld struggled with the words that were coming closer and closer to home. “I can only......be there to help in my own way. Because with all the war playing out across Earth, I'd like to think I helped someone like you who made my life brighter.” Wyld finished. She waited for a few moments, as Rea seemed to stare into her soul through those eyes that she couldn't hide anything from.

Oh go on.... you want to say it.

"I might also be gay and you’re smoking hot and might know a bit about that and......dammit!” Wyld turned around and walked over to where she was told her locker was. "Let's just forget I saw the scar. I'll send my report off. Doctor Ben can decide what to do.” She shook her head. "I'd have not gone with the needle approach though.”

Wyld opened her locker with just a bit too much force, which surprised her as she half stepped back and looked. Inside was a new full body underlay and a few small pieces of armour. Nothing else was there as she stripped off her jacket and hung it up. She figured she could at least lose the leotard one she wore. Her mind, meanwhile, was a whir.

You are quite possibly the biggest idiot this galaxy has ever produced, her mind admonished her.

Shut up brain.

Wyld reached in for the small bits of armour and discovered they were leg sections. Only these were pads held with heavy duty elasticated fabric. It looked like Sully had fabricated something for her prosthetics at least, even though she'd asked him not to. She sighed. Tossing the leg pieces back inside, she reached down and began unbuckling her trousers.

As she undid the first fastener, she sighed. "Maybe I just hoped that after what happened between you and Zia, that you and I could be friends. I'm sorry if I offended. I just felt like we had a connection.” She shook her head as she undid the last fastener. "I've been known to imagine those though. I mean, we barely know each other and....” She sighed. "Never mind.” She stripped out of her gear as she pulled the new underlay out.

Wyld cocked her head as a thought struck her. "Seriously though. I didn't even know you had a scar. So if I'd missed it I'd just be taking you to dinner somewhere. Or sticking you with a needle. Your choice.”

"Or actually, I probably would have just thanked you for what you spoke to Zia about and indulged in some locker room chat.”

"Or we could talk about something else. There are a lot of things we could talk about. We......” She saw Rea looking at her with that incredulous look of her. Wyld turned away. "Right.....shutting up now.”

Rea had just wanted to jump in, stop Jan at some point during her rambling and tell her that it was all right, that she was just joking. But uncapping the bottle of words that flowed from the woman stunned Rea into silence. Stunned her, at least, until Jan removed her trousers and Rea realized, for the first time, Jan’s legs weren’t a covering of armor, or any kind of covering at all, but a pair of sophisticated prosthetics. And at that moment, Rea moved straight up to Jan and embraced her.

Wyld felt Rea's arms whip around her and felt a thrill run through her. Something inside of Wyld felt warm as her body enjoyed the closeness.

“You speak like I think,” Rea said with a sob of relief in her voice. “Let’s not forget what we saw at all. I do need you. I need someone who is bold, who is generous, who talks more than she thinks she ever should….so badly I can’t even say. But I’d like to try and say, over a massage, oil, and food. Or whatever the medic orders.”

As Rea spoke, Wyld could feel herself relaxing into the embrace. Wyld let go of the underlay with one hand and moved it over one of the arms Rea had around her.

"Ree.... Can I call you Ree?” Wyld went on. "I think I'd like that.” She looked at her next to the empty locker. "I have to admit. It's been good to walk around as myself for a change. The armour wears on you after awhile.” Her mind went back and forth between duty and the person with her arms around her waist.

As Rea felt Jan calm she remembered the reason she had come to the armoury in the first place. At Jan’s mention of the word armour, Rea tilted her head around to glimpse at her own locker. Supposedly it contained her refurbished armor, and yet it remained untouched. She released Jan. Grabbing the sports outfit she had just removed, Rea had a change of heart. “Forget the armor. Right now, I don’t need to tie myself down in some restrictive suit. I need to get away from all of this and I swear if it kills me, at least I’ll die free of all this unbearable protection. For once I want to be selfish. Let’s get out of here before the void takes us all!”

Wyld threw her underlay back inside. “We could use some girl time, right? The war will still be there when we're done.” She shrugged. "I'm supposed to be on light duty anyway. I could use some time to unwind.” She thought back to Zia. Her plan to suit up, regardless of what Zia had said, was now in tatters. Her armour wasn't ready. And Zia explicitly told her to do nothing. It was a biotic matter.

And who knows biotics better than an asari......?

No. Rea was someone who needed her. As a corpsman. Maybe even a friend. Treating her scar had to come first.

Wyld turned and looked about. "I think I can get the Valkyr here and we can move somewhere else...." She trailed off as she saw Rea pulling her clothes back on. Her bare back and shoulders disappeared beneath her garments.

Wyld was surprised to find herself disappointed. Scar or no scar.... there was no denying.....

.....Wyld sucked in a deep breath. "About Zia...." Rea looked inquisitively at her. “What happened between you two…I'm okay with what happened. Even if something had happened....” She blew out a breath.

“Zia and I have had a long and bumpy road to get where we are now. It's... complicated. And potentially uncertain with the war going on” She took a deep breath. “But I want you to know that Zia and I have this thing. We both know that we're soldiers. We can be separated at the drop of a hat with no warning. We need to perform at our best to survive the war. No matter what. When it’s over, we'll find each other again. Zia was seeing someone the same time she was seeing me. And I learned to accept that side of her. It just made the time we could spend together more precious.”

Wyld looked into Rea's silver-flecked eyes and smiled. “We've agreed to tell each other everything if one of us does end up with another person. Zia's full of passion and energy. She's a dynamo. She can't hold herself back sometimes and I can't hold it against her if that erupts and I'm not there. And it would hurt me if she felt guilty, if that happened on my account. I adore who she is. Sooooo.” Wyld held up a finger. “If you and Zia do get horizontal, consider yourself forgiven. And know that I'll get to hear the details later.”

“Don’t worry Jan, I've got other things on my mind,” Rea assured. “Now are we going to stand here until a Reaper beam vaporizes us or move out?”

Wyld grinned, even as she felt her cheeks burn crimson. "Let's go get girly.”

Modifié par Kel Riever, 28 septembre 2013 - 01:00 .

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Nasyra tapped Sgt. Clark on the shoulder. "Hey, would you do me a favor?"

Clark turned his red haired head. "Sure mate. What do you need?"

Nasyra was pinning her combat medals on while she was talking to Clark. "Take my mother over to the Armory and get her fitted properly for a suit of armor. She's not been in combat before, but she'll be safer with us. And pick her out a good side arm and a submachine gun. I'm thinking something like a Kassa Locust if he's got one or something that doesn't kick much. Have them put a biotic amp booster on it if he's got one."

Clark eyed the medals. "Hey, if you don't mind when did you get those?"

Nasyra put her hand on Clark's shoulder. "All fighting reapers in the last six months. I was a desk jockey before then."

"From desk jockey to war hero?" Clark asked.

"It's amazing what fear, adrenaline, and creativity will do, Clark. Take good care of her."

Marisa got up with Clark. "I will, mate." And he escorted her out.

"So you're really going to do it? Take her out into the thick of it?" Sid had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth and was toweling out some glasses.

"Everyone's here right now, Sid, but what about later? What about when we all leave?" Nasyra leaned on the bar.

"But who's gonna keep me company? Your mum was awfully cute for her age." Sid smiled and winked.

"Hey, set up about six shots for my table. The best. We're headed out. When we get back I'll teach you how to make Asari gel shots. Don't let the umbrella fool you. They're sweet, spicy, and they'll kick your ass."

"You got it. On the house."