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[Redbelle]

Sully stood with his his hands on the bench, full of weapons. Wyld was on the other side, looking over the assortment he had prepared. Finally she looked up.

“So you don't have another Avenger”?

“I have Avenger's. You need to pick something better”.

“The Avenger's a good solid rifle”.

“In a squad perhaps. But on occassion, you've been fighting by yourself. When it's just you, the Avenger lacks the punch you need. The rifles I've assembled here have greater stopping power”.

Wyld made a strangled noise in the back of her throat. She reached down to pick up a white rifle. “Well, this matches the colour scheme....”.

“Good choice”. Sully said. “That’s an M13 Raptor”.

Wyld looked blankly at him. “It's heavy”.

“It's a sniper rifle”.

Wyld shook her head. “Aaaand the love is gone”. She said setting it back down.

That rifles got a larger ammo capacity. Hit's harder than an Avenger, is more accurate”. He continued checking items off his fingers. It's reload time is quick.....”.

Wyld nodded throughout. “But it's not an Avenger”.

“It's a sniper rifle pretending to be a normal rifle”.

Wyld looked down at it. “I'd use it if I had to, but I'm used to handling the Avenger”.

Sully sighed. “Can I tell you something....”. He asked. “....Never give a gun a second chance to kill you. The Avenger you had failed. It's old tech. Gun design has come a long way since that model came out”. He motioned to another gun in the line up. “Now this one.... this one is what we'll be phasing in after the war”.

Wyld picked up the indicated rifle. She recognised similar design characteristics, the two pronged barrel. The curve that fed into a chunkier frame.

Sully beamed. “Seeing as you drive something called the Valkyr, and you look like some kind of deity in that armour now.....”.

“Excuse me”?

Sully explained. “I had some Asari swing by who saw the armour designs. They said you looked like some goddess of theirs”. He shrugged. “Come to think of it, aren't all their God's Goddess's”? He shrugged it off. “Anyway This is the Valkyrie! Accuracy, up. Damage, up. Fires two rounds in one go. It'll pull upwards, but if you get something in it's cross hairs, your practically guaranteeing two hits per burst. You'll have eight bursts before you need to reload.....”

“To heavy”.

Sully shook his head. “This is a good rifle....”.

“And it weighs a tonne”. Wyld said. “So does the Raptor. I need to be able to move fast. That's the whole point of being a field medic. To move fast to where we're needed”.

“I thought you were past being a medic? You were ready to be a commander....”.

Wyld shrugged. “I'm carrying less trauma kit's. But I'm not about to be without my field pack's. If someone goes down and I'm nearest, I'm responsible for saving them”. She said as she held her hand up to prevent Sully from saying anything. “End of discussion..... Plus.... The Valkyrie? People will hear that name and think I'm trying to hard to be some sort of figure head! I need to show I'm one of the guy's too”.

Sully wasn't ready to quit yet. “We've got Mattocks....”.

“No”.

“Harrier's”!

“To Cerberus-sy”.

“M-37 Falcon”!

“Rate of fire issues..... And it's a grenade launcher. I want to spit bullets”!

“I've got one M-76 Revenant out back”.

“Avenger”.

“A Phaeston”!

“I want an Avenger”!

Sully finally let out a sigh. “At the very least, promise me, if I give you an Avenger..... You'll listen to me about your other gear”?

Wyld nodded. “Deal”.

Sully disappeared out back. Moment's later he re-emerged, carrying a rifle case and laid it on an empty part of the bench. “There you go”. He said waving to the case. “Best Avenger I've got”.

Wyld opened the case.

She looked up after studying the rifle. “This isn't an Avenger”.

Sully grinned. “Well it was.... I just made it something else”

Modifié par Redbelle, 06 octobre 2013 - 07:44 .

[Redbelle]

Wyld ran her armour fingers over the frame of the rifle in front of her. It was an Avenger. But not an Avenger. For one thing, she could see no port for thermal clip reloading. The body seemed to have been taken apart and new components worked into the frame. For what reason Wyld did not know. Reaching into the case she coiled her fingers around the grip and picked it up.

It weighed about the same as her old Avenger rifle.

“Ever heard of the Lancer”? Sully asked as Wyld inspected the rifle. “It's an old rifle that's past it's prime. But it had good features”.

“Is this a Lancer”? Wyld asked.

Sully laughed. “If that was a Lancer you could auction it off to a collector and live on the proceeds. This is my idea of a Lancer using modern day technology”. Wyld turned the rifle over as he continued. “Lancer's are so old that you'd have to have someone taking care of one to have it be in working condition this far into one's life. This is what I've been calling the Mark Two. I took apart a standard Avenger, used the body as a base, then began machining the parts to build up the insides”.

Wyld issued the collapse command and the rifle compacted itself with a whisper. Sully nodded. “I used different motors to drive it's packing state. They use non standard lubrication. But the increase in speed to bring it into it's firing position is a half second faster than before”.

Wyld triggered the command and the Rifle expanded. It's grip hitting her palm. She brought it forward as she normally would and found that it had unpacked itself before she had brought it forward. Normally she and her Avenger would be synched to reach firing position as it became ready. This Mark Two was faster, meaning she'd be able to react quicker. If she could break her old draw habit. “What else”?

Sully motioned for her to hand him the rifle and she passed it over. “New scope”. He said as the scope section unfolded. “Plus I've tightened the rifle frame. It'll kick a little harder because of the recoil in full auto. But on single or burst firing you'll be more accurate. This thing also throws it's block shaving's out a little harder than your used to. That'll give you extra stopping power. Plus....”. He ran a thumb over a section of grip and a holo readout appeared. “Ammo choice. You have AP rounds or normal rounds as standard. Any other's and I'll have to download the programs into your Omni tool...... Which needs a memory upgrade, so obviously, we can't do that.....”. He said smiling.

Wyld looked at Sully who seemed suspiciously happy with himself. “What are you smiling about”?

But Sully shook his head. “Later. Right now we need to talk about heat. You've seen this design uses the old heat dispersal system. No clips. Just cooldown's for the heat sink inside. It means that when you hit your limit you'll have to wait a set amount of time for it to cool. Fortunately, I've sped up the cooling process by channeling the heat, not just through the vents, but out through the top of the frame as well”. He looked grave. “I probably don't have to tell you that if the Reapers are looking for IR you'll stand out like a sore thumb. But if it's rate of fire and duration then this thing will deliver. Just....”. He added. “Try not to hit the limit. Go into the red line zone and it'll take a minute to cool down. And when it's red lined the motors freeze so it can't be collapsed. Heat venting and radiation occur faster when it's surface area is larger”.

Sully pointed to her armour. “Also, if your playing hide and seek with the optical camoflauge, make sure this weapon is against a wall. I wasn't able to make anything that could cover it in the same material. So if you try to disappear, know that you'll look like a wall with a gun hanging in mid air from it”.

“You mean if I'm spotted I won't have my rifle ready to defend myself....”. Wyld said.

“Exactly. The camo will make you hard to spot. Not the rifle. Also the camo won't make you invisible like a cloak. Just really hard to spot when your in cover or pressed against something. But they'll still see the muzzle flare. Now then....”.

He handed her back the rifle as he motioned for her arm. Puzzled, she stowed the rifle and gave him her left hand. “I checked out your axe program. You were right. It had a tracer program installed that broadcast your posistion to someone. Luckily it was a secure broadcast, meant to be received only by someone with the right receiver so you haven't been bringing Reapers down on yourself, or us....”. He said wryly. “But it gave me an idea about hard light construct's being used as weapons”.

He ran a finger over her gauntlet and to Wyld's surprise, another Omni tool appeared on her other hand. “I've already got an Omnitool”. She pointed out.

“Not like this”. Sully said grinning. “This is a weaponised tool”.

“You mean..... for extra ammo options”?

Sully shook his head. “You want extra ammo options you need to unload some stuff off your tools memory. You could unload the axe....”.

“It's still in there”?

“I disabled the locator. You can switch it back on.... Can't think why you would but you can if you want”. He motioned to the other tool. “This one's specailist. It's fit into the gauntlet and controls new hard light weapons. For example....”.

Sully's fingers manipulated the tools controls and a beam of hard light shot out from either side of her clenched hand. It curved as it grew and Wyld saw that it joined it's ends if a straight, narrow string from tip to tip.

She then knew what Sully had done. And was incredulous.

“Sully! I don't know how to shoot a bow”!

[Redbelle]

Wyld stood holding the glowing form of an Omni bow. The shaft glittered orange as mass effect fields held the item together. Wyld shook her head and plucked the..... string?

The string twanged and vibrated until it settled. Wyld looked at Sully who had a satisfied look on his face. “How did you come up with this”?

Sully blew air between his lips. “Commander. If your asking me to explain to you, how I manipulated hard light, to create a cord that mimic'd string under tension..... do you think you'd understand”?

“......No”. Admitted Wyld.

“Well then”. He handed her a small, barbed arrow head shaped object. Wyld could see that behind the head was a tube. “Put that at the front end near the grip and draw it back..... Wait”! He said quickly. And scooted over to a door. He swung it open to reveal a room that looked like a bomb had gone off inside. “Fire it in there”.

Wyld shrugged and made to draw.

“Wait”!

“Now what”!? Wyld asked.

“Turn on your barriers”.

Wyld twisted her head to the side. “Whyyyyy”?

Sully moved behind the bench and crouched down. “Just do it”. He then ducked down behind the bench. “Okay. Go”. Came his muffled voice.

Wyld shook her head and moved the arrowhead to the top of the grip. As she did she felt a pull on the arrowhead as the bow seemed to catch the head and moved it, along with her hand, to the correct position.

“Now draw”. Came Sully's muffled voice once more.

Wyld took up what she considered a firing stance and began to draw. As she did an orange shaft appeared where her finger's drew back as the arrow head remained held at the front near the shaft. Suddenly Momma's voice came over her Kestrel.

“Elbow up in parallel with the shaft and draw while bringing your shoulder blades back. Otherwise your stance is excellent”.

Wyld smirked. “Beginner's luck”. At that moment the Kestrels HUD popped up with a new overlay that charted the projected flight path of the arrow. Wyld knew because the HUD had the words. Projected Flight Path of Arrow, written in big green flashing letters down the sides.

Mommas voice came back up. “In case luck isn't enough, perhaps we could try this”?

“Cheeky Moo”. Wyld growled.

“What”? Came Sully's voice as Wyld released the arrow. It flew straight and steady through the door in the blink of an eye. From inside Wyld heard a thunk. Then nothing. She turned to Sully who was still hiding behind the bench. “What was that fo....”

The rest of her sentence was cut short as she heard a electrical tweet from in the room. The next thing she knew a wall of force erupted out the door as an explosion went off inside the room. Wyld threw her arm up and her barrier's came on, blocking and deflecting what little debris came her way. Even as she staggered backwards and hugged the ground.

When it was over. Sully peeked over the bench. “That.... was....”.

“Insane”! Shouted Wyld, pulling herself up off the floor. “You just made me set off an explosive....... in a confined area”!

“Not like it's the first time”. Sully said with a grin. He pulled a device from behind his back and handed it to Wyld. “Put that on your belt. It's a fabricator. It'll manufacture arrowheads so you won't run out in the field”.

Wyld gingerly took it. “I'm sure I'll get the point of this later”?

Sully shook his head. “That bow takes up all the memory of that tool. I wanted to add a pole arm..... Maybe next time. Now then”. He went back to the bench, disappeared under it and came out with another gun case. This one much smaller.

“Since your such a traditionalist I'm picking your backup weapon to complement your primary”. He opened the case and dived in. His hand emerged holding a silvery white hand gun. “M-77 Paladin. Highly accurate. Massive stopping power. Much more than the rifle. If you need to drop something in a few shots, this is the weapon for you. Only five shots, and that's with the added clip mod. But after five shots? Well”. Sully smiled humourlessly. “Some things dead”.

Sully passed the weapon to Wyld who took it from him. “How about an shocker unit underneath? In case five shots aren't enough”?

“It's got a piercing mod. The Paladin's made for punching through amour and barriers. If you want to shock someone. Just twitch your fingers like this”. He held out his hand and jerked his finger's quickly. Wyld titled her head, not comprehending.

Sully sighed. Disappeared again and came up with a plastic bulb, intended to survive when Bases got hit by incoming artillery fire. “Hold this and twitch”.

Wyld did as he asked. She heard a sharp crack from her hands and the bulb suddenly charged itself and began emitting light. Sully explained. “We decided that your gecko hands or defibrillator hands could be incorporated into one design. Congratulations. If you meet someone you don't like. You can buzz them with a hand shake".

Wyld grinned. “Shocking”.

“Try to take this seriously Commander”. Sully admonished. Walking over he turned Wyld around so her back was to him and slapped the circular unit on her back. “Fall brake disc. Used for emergency's if grav chutes fail. Since you can climb anything I figured giving you a way to get back down quickly would be useful too”.

“You sure know how to let a woman down gently”. Wyld dead panned. She could practically hear the disapproval in Sully's voice as he lifted one of her arms. He pointed to the raised forearms sections where a small hole appeared in each.

“Grapple lines”. He said. “Like we agreed before. Climbing something takes time. Time an enemy can use to shoot you. These will provide a means of quick ascent if you need them. I gave you two in case one fails. There not really field tested. In fact we kinda.....bodged them together..... Well that's it”. He finished up. “”That's your new equipment. Cutting edge with a few bits of old fashioned know how thrown in”.

Wyld inspected her grapples. “I'm sure I'll soar to new height's with this gear”. Wyld smirked.

Sully was about to say something when Wyld looked over at him and raised her visor. “Thanks Sully”. She said sincerely. “I know I can be a bit.... fixed in my ways at times. But I think you've given me the best gear I could ask for”.

“Well, it's not like your a standard soldier”. Sully pointed out. “I mean, you do seem to have a knack of surrounding yourself with colourful people..... By the way.... There's a rumour going around”.

Wyld looked up. “What rumour”?

“That you and Zia are..... and your.....”.

Wyld shrugged. “I met someone earlier who pointed out that who I am can change over time. I've just never been moved much in life. What can I say..... Zia moved me”.

“So she's not seeing that little angel of hers any more”?

Wyld's face went stony as she brought the Kestrels visor back down, obscuring the upper part of her face once more. “There's.... complications with Naomi”.

“But she's free to.... you know. Ask out for a drink”?

Wyld looked him up and down. “Well, your packing more than Zia and I.... and I don't know if Naomi can get over the whole, no boob's, thing..... Unless you have love handles under that shirt”. She added with a lopsided grin.

Sully fidgeted. “But it doesn't hurt to ask right”?

Wyld made to say something. Then stopped. “Tell you what. If I see her. I'll tell her your interested”. She checked her chronometer. “I'd better go. I'm needed elsewhere”.

“Good luck out there Commander”. Sully called to her as she walked out his armoury. Waving back she departed and Sully bent down to return the weapon on the benches to their crates. He felt eye's on his back and he looked up to see Wyld, poking her had around the door.

“You forget something”?

Wyld didn't answer. Instead she said. “.....You know.... With boob's, you'd be perfect”. Then she left.

Modifié par Redbelle, 07 octobre 2013 - 09:02 .

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Silly interlude......

Liara, Shepard and Garrus were in a burned out building. They had just cleared it out.

Liara grabbed Shepard's arm. "Before we go any further, I need to know one thing. Was it true?"

"What?" Shepard replied.

Liara was tapping her foot with her arms crossed. "You know what I'm talking about."

"I can't read your mind. Was what true?" Shepard asked.

"You and Chambers." Liara said. "I'd heard rumors."

"Look, she was the ships psychologist and she just wanted to get together for dinner and I had these fish..."

"And one thing led to another. I've heard about that kind of thing." Liara turned and gave Shepard the cold shoulder.

"It wasn't like that, Liara. I just wanted her to feed my fish. They were expensive." Shepard was pleading with her.

"So you chose the fish over me, and you schtuped Kelly so she'd feed them." Liara accused him.

Shepard was stumbling.

"It's true then! You used her then tossed her away like a dirty dishrag!" Liara shouted.

Shepard stammered. "It had been two years since you know... And when I saw you again..l. Liara, I love you."

"So who did bring the scale itch aboard the Normandy? Did you ever find out?" Liara asked.

"How did you know about that?" Shepard asked.

Liara was silent.

"Kelly." Shepard exclaimed. "Oh s***!"

"Don't say I didn't warn you Shepard." Garrus said.

"Don't worry, Mordin gave me some strong antibiotics when he was on board, Shepard." Liara said.

[Kel Riever]

Michaels stood just outside of his Mako, head turned upward to speak to the krogan in front of him. “That’s what our Captain wants.”

Urdnot Plog snorted confidently, “Well, tell him we’ll do anything as long as it involves cracking open some Reaper skulls! We didn’t come here sealed up in Alliance containers to twiddle our thumbs. And you don’t want to see what Clanless does when he’s bored.”

Michaels peered at the oversized krogan, who had sat himself down on a pile of storage crates near the Tomkah. Clanless had all the appearance of a medieval barbarian king sitting upon a throne. Clearing his throat, Michaels started making notes in his datapad. “I’ll, just, put some things down. Besides that…hammer, can you at least give me a weapon load out so we can make sure you’ve got all the ammo you need?”

Plog answered, “Graal Spikethrowers, Striker assault rifles, one of us has an executioner pistol, another a carnifex, I’m packing a Claymore, oh, Bruug has a Scimitar…”

“Nah,” Urdnot Bruug interrupted, “I made a Marauder eat my shotgun along the way. But I have a Punisher submachine gun as a backup.”

“Hey, “ Urdnot Zahn yelled, “How about some new blades. Or some omni-blade attachments?”

Urdnot Krayder called down from the top of the Tomkah, “I’ll do fine if you can just get me a place I can drop my cargo, if you know what I mean.”

All the Urdnot krogan started nodding in agreement. Urdnot Plog confessed, “Yeah, we really haven’t thought about that sort of thing since we started. And we’ve been either pent up in that Tomkah or beating face the whole time. This standing around just makes me want to open a Relay to my inner bowels and…”

“Okay! I don’t need the details,” Michaels shouted in exasperation. The krogan quieted and sized him up, which made him nervous. He calmed his voice and pointed, “Latrines are that way, large enough for whatever you have to get rid of. When you come back, we’ll find you some grub, too. And, if you would, please don’t bother the civilians being trained. They’re probably dealing with enough right now, and you’re a bit of a…formidable group. They might be intimidated.”

“Hahah,” Plog chuckled. “I like this human. He gets it!”

~ ~ ~ ~

It took Amy Babylon three strokes to catch a flame with her lighter. The cigarette she ignited had become slightly bent from all the banging around she had taken. Amy tried desperately to not be bothered by that irking detail while she watched the volus prepare the camera and its jury-rigged power pack.

The volus that was her husband tried to warn her, “This <HISS> power pack takes some warm up, so <HISS> we can’t just start over if we <HISS> cut.”

“That’s fine,” Amy lied, “We’re doing an interview with one of our best Tee-Effs, here. This will be one time through.”

A Terra Firma member stood in front of Amy looking more than a bit nervous. He had his hair pulled back in a ponytail, a sizable cut over one eye and a large bruise on his cheek. Dirt covered the once white surface of his armor. Ponytail watched a strand of Amy’s hair that had popped out in an unruly manner to float around the front of her face.

Amy swept the strand back, only to see it pop out again. She snorted and ignored it, “You, you’re grimy and beaten but victorious. You are a hero fighting for humanity’s survival, against all odds. People are going to see you, to know you, to believe in themselves because through it all, you are still standing.”

“I, uh…”

“No hesitation!” Amy restrained her flaring temper, and took a calming breath. She stuck her chin up and forced a smile. “Humanity needs heroes. They need to know they can win. Are you ready to give your people what they need?”

“Yes!”

“That’s more like it.” Amy took the rest of her cigarette in one drag and flung it aside. She replaced the strand, and tried again to not pay attention as it returned to float in front of her face. Amy signaled the volus camera-‘man’, who counted them down.

Three.

Two.

One.

“This is the Babylon Broadcasting Enterprise….”

Ponytail winced at how badly the name sounded.

“…with Amy Babylon! Bringing you the latest from the war with the Reapers. It is a tough war, a gruesome war, but the soldiers of Terra Firma are….”

Urdnot Plog walked right between the camera and the interview, proudly exclaiming, “Those are the cleanest latrines I’ve ever used.”

Urdnot Krayder passed next, guffawing, “Not anymore!”

Urdnot Zahn, followed. An audible flatulence erupted from his hind quarters.

The krogan burst out laughing. Urdnot Bruug passed through the interview last, interjecting, “Sounds like Zahn had a little extra left in him.”

Amy watched, in shock, as the krogan departed, her interview ruined. Then, an odor reached the nostrils of her and her subject, causing their eyes to overflow with tears. Ponytail started coughing profusely. In the distance, Steiner could be heard shouting orders.

“I’d better get back to my unit,” Ponytail quickly blurted his excuse before he ran off.

Amy’s face turned red, and she gnashed her teeth together, until she felt something break and a sharp pain. She reached inside her mouth and pulled out a chip from a tooth.

Modifié par Kel Riever, 10 octobre 2013 - 04:01 .

[Redbelle]

The command centre was busy as it was filled with people. As Wyld walked in she noticed that they were all those who commanded the various divisions and squads of the Alliance. Her entry was noted as all eye's were drawn to the brilliant white armour she wore and she heard someone scoff.

“Someone want to tell the new girl she stands out”? She heard a woman’s voice in the back.

“Quiet in the room”! Another voice came from the table. Wyld recognised Radcliffe's voice near the table. “Commander Wyld. Over here. By me”.

Wyld pressed through the crowd who moved apart for her. As they parted further ahead she saw Radcliffe standing by the holo table. Wyld titled her head. “Sorry I'm late”.

“Your not late”. Radcliffe told her. “Steiner is. He should be here. We're all waiting on him”.

“He was training the new recruits, last I saw”.

Radcliffe nodded. “Before the war he was a drill sergeant. Hard bastard. The N7 program took him and made him harder. When he took leave from assignments he'd go back to drilling recruits”. Radcliffe shook his head. “Seems like he's rediscovered his calling”.

“What made him lose it”? Wyld asked. But Radcliffe had straightened and addressed the room.

“Steiner is the last Alliance member we're expecting. However, I have invited others to this meeting. It's time. The calls gone out and we're expected at the beam. I want you all here to tell me what we can do. We have an army that is comprised of many disparate elements and all of you know best how to bring that to the field”.

Radcliffe surveyed the room. “All of you also need to know who we have, and what they can do. We need to know if we can feasibly move out in time to assist with the initial push.... or make a separate attempt ourselves with what we have”.

“There are obstacles to get through in our move forward. Reaper forces seem to be converging on the beam. This camp may no longer be safe. I want your thoughts. You've been out there. You've seen what these Reapers can do and I trust you all to know how best to utilise what we have to reach the beam”.

“Understand. The beam is only half the objective. Once you reach it, you'll have access to the citadel and we won't know what's up there till we make it. We also won't know what we can do up there till we're on location and can begin assessing the situation. For now, focus on the beam. I want idea's we can hammer into a plan”.

Wyld cleared her throat. “Actually, I have a few sir”.

Radcliffe nodded. “Go on”.

Wyld panned the holo map out and highlighted an area. “When we leave Bastion we have three choices with what to do with who we leave behind. They either stay with a guard unit. The evacuate to Camp Alpha. Or we send them here”.

Wyld zoomed into a spot and she leant back with her arms folded. “This is the location of the Terra Firma bunker. As far as we can tell the Reapers don't know about it due to it's location and anti detection shielding. It's highly defensible, has left over rations that we couldn't carry with us. I suggest anyone who isn't a combatant is sent there. They'll be out of our hair and out of harms way”.

Radcliffe nodded. “We can do that. We do have a problem however. And an opportunity”. He waved a hand over the map and it centred on Bastion. Panning up and zooming out everyone saw a ribbon of red pointed at the camp.

“This is a reaper force. It's sizeable. It could cause the team who heads to the beam problems. It's possible it'll hit the camp. If that happens a rear guard action will delay it, maybe even bog it down so that the main team can proceed without worrying about our rear being attacked”.

“If it hit's the camp”.

“We can draw them in if we choose to”. Radcliffe stroked his chin. “Evacuate non essential personnel and use Bastion as a shield against attacks from our rear. It's an option”. He looked around “Anyone else want to add”?

“We got enemy AA guns we can send a Mako squad in to take out. Free up the Kodiaks for drops”.

“Anyone else”?

“There's a route over the Thames we can take over London bridge. It's a bad place to get trapped. But Reaper forces there will swing in and flank us if we don't do something about them”.

“More”.

“Sir”. Michaels voice could be heard. “We heard from other's along the front that a new Reaper husk type has appeared. Reports are sketchy. But they say it's big. Nothing else though. Anyone who see's it doesn't last long enough to report what it is. It's in our projected area though”.

The room went silent as everyone digested that it of news. Wyld piped up. “We've got other groups other than the meat of the army to think about sir. We need their input. Plus I'm told we're still getting people coming in. The message from Bastion needs to change. We're moving out along this path.. We can get those still out on the field to start moving in the right direction now and hook up with us later. In the meantime they can provide us with information on area's we can move through”.

Radcliffe nodded. “Anyone else”?

Modifié par Redbelle, 08 octobre 2013 - 08:23 .

[Redbelle]

The meeting was misfiring. Wyld knew it. Radcliffe knew it.......

Someone suggested yoga.

Radcliffe pulled Wyld away. "Since nothings going to happen for awhile I want you to look in on something.....". He paused as he looked at Wyld standing there in her new armour. Wyld waited for him to continue, then prompted.

"Sir"?

"Why the rabbit ears"?

Wyld hand crept up to her helmet's attenna housing before she realised. "There wings..... sir". She replied in a forced tone.

Radcliffe looked again and then looked right at her. "Of course they are". He said, shaking his head. "There was an incident earlier".

"I heard about a fight between the Tee-Eff and....".

"Not that". Radcliffe said. "Worse. We're keeping a lid on it. I have people doing forensics..... You have medical training so I want you to go over there. Check in with the lead man. Find out what he knows. And if our friends had anything to do with it, chase it down".

Wyld heard the caution in Radcliffes voice. "What happend"?

But Radcliffe shook his head. "I'm keeping this quiet for a reason commander. It'll become clear when you get there".

Wyld took another look around. The yoga idea hadn't taken route and people had bunched up into groups. They all seemed to be discussing things in earnest.

Radcliffe followed her gaze. "They can wait. We may only get one shot at this. They need to bring the best ideas to the table. We're also waiting on others. Looks like you'll have some time to get on top of the homocide's".

Wyld head snapped around and barely managed to keep her voice down, level with Radcliffe's. "The what"!?

Radcliffe just looked at her. "Go commander. Momma will have the location for you".

Modifié par Redbelle, 09 octobre 2013 - 10:13 .

[FuriousFelicia]

"Prepare the OR. There's no time to waste. If the infection spreads, he could lose his leg." Doctor Ben instructed his two medic helpers while examining a patient. The man's face looked woried from doctor's words.
Ben looked at him with an insuring smile and gently tapped his chest.

"You're gonna be fine. Don't worry, I'll save your leg." He said with a confident tone. The man didn't spoke back, but his eyes revealed that he was comforted by Ben's words as the two medics rolled him over to the operating room. The infirmary was now almost empty, with only a few patients left to be processed before they are ready to be relocated.

Suddenly, the door of the infirmary shot open, and through came a figure of a woman, carrying a bodied body in her arms. Ben turned, and saw Zia. Her face looked sad as she approached him. Ben imidiatly rushed to her when he saw the blood dripping from underneath the body she had brought in. He thought it was Naomi, but as he came closer, relief could be seen on his face when he realized it was not her.

"What happened?" He exclaimed as he helped Zia lay the body dow on one of the beds. He started to examine the body looking for possible vital signs but it didn't take him long to realise. He shot Zia with a sad look and shook is head in negation. Zia just nodded in confirmation.

"Her left kidney, spleen, stomach, left lung as well as her heart are heavily damaged. I'm sorry Zia, there's nothing I can do here. But I recognize her. She's the one that brought Naomi here."

"Ben, do we have a morgue?"

Ben startled at Zia's sudden question. "Well we have a morgue, but it's empty now, and we're getting ready to close this whole infirmary down. The Bastion is being evacuated as the assault is nearing. The brass are discussing the plans of atack as we speek. Thay are all in the HQ. But why do you need a morgue?"

"What I need is an incinerator. I don't want this body poked at." Ben looked suspiciously at Zia. "Did you do this? Did you kill her?" Ben saw sadness in Zia's eyes as they started to moist. "She was my sister." Said Zia as she bowed her head. Ben was left speechless. "I'll explain some other time. Right now, I have to get back at finding Naomi. Can you do this for me please?"

Ben was a little taken back by all of this, but he gave her a nod. "I have an urgent surgery now but I'll take care of this when I'm finished. Just tell me it was in self defense." Zia just unzipped her collar and stuck her neck out for Ben to see. He could see the marks on her neck just like his own from when Zia almost choked him to death. "I see. So now you know how it feels." He let out a light grin. A shout abruptly came from the OR from one of the medics, requesting the doctor's imidiate presence.

"I have to go and get this done. Later, I'll deal with this." He said and left for the OR. Zia took a sheet and covered Disdain's body. She leand over her lifeless face, and with a tear in her eye, she kissed her forhead. "I'm sorry it had to end this way. I....I loved you Disdain, and I know that you loved me too once. I have to go now, but we shall see each other again in another life. Maybe then we can be happy..all three of us." She stopped to wipe her tears. She stroked her face, clearing smeared blood fom her cheeks, and when she was done, she put her palm on Disdain's forehead. "Embrace eternity sister." She said and covered her face, and then she left.

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

"Wakey wakey blondie. It's time for your medicine." Words rang in Naomi's head as her eyes slowly opened. Her head was buzzing, and she felt like it could crack open from the pain she felt. Like a strong migrene it made her face twitch in painful grimaces. Her mouth were dry as if full of sand. She barely managed to squeeze off a sentance.

"Water...please...water.." Her eyes fell shut again. She was sitting on a chair, her hands, and legs bound. She couldn't tell where she is as the surroundings were dark, and she had trouble keeping her eyes open. She could hear footsteps slowly approaching her while she struggled to open her eyes again. She managed to open them but only for a short time before they shut close again. She saw a faint silhouette for a split second. "Zee...."

"Yes my love?" She heard a voice reply. But its moking tone made it clear it was not Zia. Naomi made another attempt at opening her eyes. This time she made it. She could only open them half way but now the picture slowly became more and more clear. Before her stood a woman in a green hood. Her face was pale, and covered in freckles. Underneath the hood, a curl of ginger hair trailed down her cheak to the chin. Her hazel eyes were red from blood, and outlined with dark mascara, like a racoon. Naomi watched as this woman approached her slowly, barring a foul grin across her face.

"Oh the little baby is thirsty." She made a sad expression. "Sorry, we have no water." She smiled. "But wait...we've got...." She excitedly exclaimed as she wiggled her eybrows. "...blooooood." Naomi looked terified as this woman before her brought her own arm in front of her, and stuck her sharp pointed nail into her own flesh, letting out some blood. She offered it to Naomi, sticking her bloodied wrist under her nose, but Naomi turned her head, disgusted by her gesture. The hooded woman laughed. "I thought you were thirsty. Oh well, we can't let it go to waste now." She said, and then, at Naomi's disgust, she started sucking her own blood. Naomi finally managed to find words.

"Who are you, and where are we." Her mouth was dry, and she had trouble speeking. The hooded woman abruptly stopped gorging on her own wrist as she looked to Naomi, wiping her bloodied mouth with her hand, and scrunched her nose.

"The little blond ****** wants to know our name." She smiled wickedly as she jumped on Naomi's lap. "Medicine first." She said as she pulled out a syringe and stuck it in Naomi's neck. Naomi felt a sharp sting and then her eyelids felt heavy again as the tranquiliser began to spread through her body. She was helpless. Even if she was free, she couldn't walk. Any biotic manifestation was impossible now in this state. And that was the general idea.

"Where were we..ah yes, introductions." The hooded woman continued as she cleared her throat. "Lucy is my name, pain is my game, but I'm also known as Loopy-lou, vampire of Omega, the green fury, and my personal favorite - the candlestick maker." She showed her face in Naomi's at the end, making Naomi turn her head sideways. Her breath reeked of blood. Seeing this, Lucy grabbed her face and turned it back to face her. "You're pretty. Zia ****ed you, didn't she?" She giggled. "She ****ed you and then she dumped you." Naomi said nothing but the thought hurt her. Despite that she felt betrayed, she wished Zia was here now. Lucy continued.

"Disdain says you could become a sister. She said you're powerful." She leaned close to Naomi's ear and whispered, "She said you know the pain." Lucy suddenly jumped from Naomi's lap and nervously started scratching her nose. "Time for my medicine." She said and pulled out a small ampule that hung aroun her neck on a chain. Then she unscrewed its top, stuck the other part in her nose, and took a good sniff. She covered her face with both her palms and let out a loud groan. Her face was now blushed, and her already blodied eyes became even more red as the drug kicked in.

"The butcher said not to call, she might be in a brawl. But if the baker is the life taker, how will the butcher call the candlestick maker." Naomi confusedly watched Lucy as she seemed to be talking nonsense to herself before she shook her head and turned back to face her. Her face scared Naomi. She could barely see her eyes from all that mascara now that they were so red. It almost seemed like she didn't have eyes at all. Just two black holes where her eyes use to be. Only a faint glimmer of light refleting of her pupils indicated that they were there.

Lucy suddenly seemed troubled as she started buzzing around the room, muttering something to herself. Naomi couldn't resemble what she was saying, but she saw Lucy speeking in some sort of a device. She got no reply, and then she turned back to her. "Come little mouse. We have to prepare the mill for our baker." Naomi couldn't speak anymore. The drug was overwhelming now, and this was her third dose since she was taken, on top of being drunk in the first place. She was still conscious to feel her binds being cut, and as soon as she was free, she fell limp to the ground. She heard lucy speak as she felt being raised off the ground. "What's this little mouse? Some sort of a weapon?"
Lucy looked to Naomi's wrist. She had a strange bracelet that intrigued Lucy so she took it off to see what it is, letting Naomi fall to the ground again. Lucy carefully examined the bracelet that looked like a wrist watch but instead of a display, it had a big red button on it, and two smaller, green and yellow buttons on the side. She pressed the red button, and a light hissing sound went off as Lucy felt her fingers being sprayed by some liquid from underneath the bracelet. She turned it over and saw a small needle sticking out its base.

"Hmmm...must be some kind of a medicine. Ha blondy?" Se gazed to Naomi on the floor but she was unable to reply. Then she pressed the green button which gave no feedback so she tried the yellow one, and ended up with just a short beep sound. "Useless crap..." She muttered, and tossed the braclet on the floor.

"C'mon blondy, we have to prepare the shop for the baker." She waved her hand towards Naomi laying helplessly on the floor. "You lazy little ******. How do you expect to befome a fury when you can't take your medicine." She mumbled as she swooped Naomi off the floor and threw her over her shoulder. "Alright, I'll help you this time, but you owe me some sand for that." Lucy giggled, and mumbled to herself as she carried Naomi up some stairs. Naomi was unconscious again.

[Kel Riever]

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

Dale looked to the open garage of the armory and saw a streak of aquamarine shoot out. As it surged and lifted into the sky, a sound like a song from heaven went with it. The streak disappeared so fast, Dale wondered if it had ever been there at all.

~~~~

“Lean into the turns, Rothan. Move with my body.”

Rea banked, and the melody changed to a shrill cry as the Starscreamer altered course. Rothan pressed into Rea. They sunk comfortably into the seat, their bodies pulled into the jetbike. Through Rea’s ultra-thin mesh, Rothan could feel her, working the bike without pause, master of its thrilling aria. Rea flew low through the streets, so proficiently that Rothan felt no fear for what would happen to them. On the contrary, he felt secure. Though the war was all around them, it was as if it vanished in their wake. Destiny itself would not let them be caught. They were in synchronicity, quarian, asari and machine, moving as one.

The way Rea flew was audacious, exhilarating and defied reason. As she cut, banked and rolled, the flight was artistry in motion.

Rea eased the Starscreamer into a gradual turn, elegantly bringing the bike to a stop above a collection of buildings. Rothan’s grip on Rea remained tight though. His mind reeled from the aeronautics and for a moment he felt as if he was still moving. He smiled as he allowed himself to breathe and then relaxed his clasp on Rea.

“That was… something.”

Rea smirked over her shoulder at Rothan as she loosened her own hold on the controls. The night sky unfolded before them, clear and momentarily cloudless. Stars twinkled like diamonds. They both turned their gazes upward, captivated by the sight momentarily. Before Thessia, Rothan had only ever seen the stars through a porthole on the Ketsa, flat and formless in the void of space. But there was a real beauty in seeing the stars from the ground. He found himself wondering what the stars looked like from Rannoch, but a noise broke his concentration, resonating even through the song of the Starscreamer.

They both looked down to the streets below. An explosion had erupted on the ground, not far from their position. It was unclear what had caused it as smoke clouded the view, but it was certainly too close for comfort.

Rothan warned, “We’re not safe here.”

Rea regretfully agreed. “I’ll put us down somewhere. There’s a building over there that should give us suitable cover.”

Rothan nodded and pulled close to Rea again as she revved the Starscreamer once more. They veered towards one of the taller apartment structures. The building rose straight, until it broke into a series of tiered sky gardens. Rea flew towards one of the sky gardens that seemed to have avoided the brunt of any attack, and landed on a small, private platform.

There was no sign of life outside, and the exterior was in disarray. A connecting apartment once had windows that offered a panoramic view of the city, but the glass had been shattered long ago. Rea and Rothan dismounted, leaving the bike in a neutral hover, and searched for any sign of trouble. After taking a moment to allay their concerns, they stepped into the apartment.

The residence was a wide, modern studio that appeared to have been abandoned in a hurry. Furniture was sparse, much of it overturned, and folding screens that once sectioned off areas had fallen, providing a clear view of the interior. Leaving little to chance, Rothan and Rea went through the dwelling, making sure the entranceway door was locked and that nothing was hidden. They eventually settled down on a long, snow colored sofa that had avoided being displaced. The moon shone perfectly inside, providing ample illumination. A marble surfaced coffee table held several toppled wine flutes. Rothan picked up two that had not been broken, extending one to Rea. He was conscious of her effortless ability to remove her gloves, slip them into her belt, and deactivate her hard light helmet. Rea then took the flute, and Rothan clinked their glasses together.

Rea delighted as she beheld the empty flute. “I suppose it would be too much to ask for them to have left some alcohol.”

“No, it would be too much to ask for them to have left dextro-alcohol,” Rothan corrected.

“True enough,” Rea chuckled. “Every year, my sisters and I would share a glass of—“

“Arselia white,” Rothan finished.

Rea glanced at Rothan. “How did you know?”

Rothan peered away. “I don’t know. It must have been something I remembered from when we melded.”

Rea contemplated the flute again. “Must have been.”

Rothan set his wine flute down on the table, stretching his arms into the air as he stood and moved towards the large windows. He watched the moonlight wash through.

“So did the bike meet your expectations?” Rothan asked.

Rea then put her own flute down, rose from her seat and walked towards Rothan. “Meet? More like blew my expectations away. Rothan…what you did is nothing short of amazing.”

Rothan smiled slightly. “Good, I’m glad you like it. I guess it is a shame that we’re taking it into a warzone.”
Rea snickered. “I’ll try not to get the paint scratched.”

“Good luck,” Rothan said. “I don’t see how considering what we’re about to do.”

Rea cocked her head slightly as she moved in. “What do you mean?”

Rothan returned her confused expression. “Didn’t Miranda contact you?”

“I’ve been without my omni-tool for awhile,” Rea conceded as she frowned. “I just needed some peace and quiet while I could still get it.”

“I understand,” Rothan nodded. “Apparently, Miranda’s mobilizing her missile squads again, only the Reapers seem to be hitting every vehicle carrying the missiles.”

“Makes sense,” Rea remarked. “Big, moving targets. Valuable payload.”

“So she’s transporting the missiles to their respective launch points using ground squads,” Rothan continued. “Only now because, the fighting is so dense and so close to the beam she needs diversion teams.”

“And what makes a better diversion than the very thing that the Reapers were targeting,” Rea realized.

“I thought the same thing.”

Rea lowered her eyes, at last understanding why Rothan seemed apprehensive about the battle to come. They were going to be where the fighting was the worst. There would be no one to look out for them, and their mission was simply to buy time for people carrying precious cargo. It was beginning to shape up to be a suicide mission.

At last, Rothan turned. “Rea…”

Rea gazed to Rothan as he faced her, seeing the way the teal trim of his suit turned lambent in the moonlight.

“I’m not the best with words,” Rothan said. “When I was in the fleet I was always the outsider. Then my biotics manifested and suddenly the admirals were discussing what to do with me. I felt more secluded.”

Rothan swallowed hard, looking back to the night sky. “Then Thessia happened. I was the outsider there too. The only quarian. The only male. The only one who did not understand biotics. I don’t think anyone understood me, even Reiza, even Celis and Lenaia. I just wanted to be normal. To feel like I was a part of something, like I was contributing to something.”

Rea tried to read him through his visor. Rothan faced towards her again.

“I suppose you already knew that though.”

Rea remembered their melds, both the intentional ones as well as the unintentional meld they shared in the gunship. She recalled her visions, and the essence of Rothan that she had encountered. Rea knew exactly what he was talking about. She bowed her head towards him. “Yes…I did.”

Rothan took a step closer to her. “That’s what I mean Rea. In the short time that we’ve known each other, you’ve come to know me, to understand me better than anyone. I like to think that the same goes for you.”

Rothan took Rea’s hands into his, squeezing them gently.

“If I’m wrong about that,” Rothan swallowed briefly, attempting to ebb back his racing thoughts, “Then tell me.”

Rea cast her eyes at Rothan for a second, gripping his hands in return, then broke her gaze away.

“You’re not wrong.” Rea spoke guardedly, attempting to explain herself, “There’s quite a bit about me that probably doesn’t make sense. I’ve had a hard time dealing with the things I’ve been through. But you are right…so, so right.” She took a deep breath as she went on, “I though for a long time that I needed to protect people. It was a decision I made when my youngest sister, Tizzy, died. I was with my next oldest sister, Layl, and she lost it. I had to take care of her, to protect her, and I shut down my own feelings about it all.”

“But that is the day I should have screamed. I should have been right there with Layl, losing it. Or let myself lose it later, when it was all right. Instead, I threw my self from one task to another, never making the time, because it seemed selfish. Because I needed to keep the people I cared about safe. I swore I wouldn’t fail them like I failed Tizzy. To this day, I still think that I should have done something crazy back on Thessia, like hijack that shuttle and fly it to Tizzy and Ben’s. I even blamed myself for joining the military, because if I hadn’t, maybe I would have been there to save Tizzy. Somehow…change the past.”

“I couldn’t of course, and I did my job…paying any price…to protect who I needed.” Rea’s cheeks began to take on a violet tint. “And no one understood that I didn’t want thanks, or accolades…none of it could bring my sister back and it just kept reminding how I had failed. But then there you were, Rothan. You came and saved me when I should have been dead…or indoctrinated. I had no right to even think anyone would rescue me. So I couldn’t…absolutely couldn’t see you come to harm. And all I would think about, while I was trying to protect you, was that I would fail. I would fail when it mattered most like I did with Tizzy. No matter how many people I had helped, I would never be able to save the ones I wanted the…I wanted to the most.”

Rea paused and forced herself to stare at Rothan, taking him in. “I said to myself that I don’t deserve you. I couldn’t protect someone I loved. So I tried to drive you away. To…make sure I protected you. I didn’t want to love you because then I would fail…”

Rothan could feel Rea’s hands quivering slightly in his. “Rea,” he cut her off with a reassuring squeeze. “Don’t you remember what I said? About pulling my on weight? You don’t need to protect me. Let me be there for you.”

Rothan let go with one of his hands and let it find its place upon Rea’s cheek.  He looked back into her eyes. “There’s not enough time to debate who’s protecting who. With what’s ahead… I don’t think I could bear losing you.”

Rea sought Rothan through his visor. Under her gaze, Rothan felt an energy well up within him. It was something foreign and yet something familiar. A desire had begun to overtake Rothan. More than anything he wanted to be free of the confines of his suit, to be with Rea.

Carefully, Rothan lifted the hand that still contained Rea’s to the side of his mask. She looked at him curiously, questioning his action. While keeping his attention on Rea, he located the mask latch on the side of his helmet and placed Rea’s index finger on the spot.

Rea shook her head. “Rothan, this is too much—“

“This is not enough,” Rothan assured. “Go ahead. I want this. More than anything, I want you to see me without this mask.”

Rea bit her lip slightly as she focused deep into Rothan’s visor, trying to determine he really wanted to make himself vulnerable, risking his life for one precious instant. With a deft touch, she put pressure on the latch.
The mechanism hissed as the latch unlocked and the mask felt light in Rea’s hands. Steadily, she drew the mask away from Rothan’s face.

Rea’s lips parted as she looked into Rothan’s softly glowing eyes for the first time with nothing between them. His skin was delicate, vestal and unblemished. The rumors of quarian appearance were no match for the real thing in front of Rea. Rothan’s white within white eyes glistened as he stared intensely at her, full of mystery, depth and emotion. His short raven hair was tousled slightly, laying over his forehead but not obscuring the finely curving deep blue lines that ran towards the corners of his eyes. Rea reached her fingertips up, and stopped them just shy of Rothan’s face, craving to touch him, yet afraid.

“I don’t deserve this, Rothan. That is what I’m trying to tell you. Don’t, I just don’t…want to fail…with you…”

“Rea,” Rothan whispered. Rea was startled at first by the sound of his voice. It was the first time she had heard it un-modulated through the mouthpiece of his suit. His voice was clear, discerning, and something about it was altogether disarming.

“No more running,” Rothan said.

Without a second thought, Rothan leaned in and kissed her, their flesh meeting for the first time. The new experience caused a surge of energy to pulse through Rothan, driving him only to want to deepen the kiss. Rea submitted, bit by bit, until she gave in completely, clutching onto him with a rivaling fervor.

Somewhere in the beautiful chaos of the moment, Rothan heard his visor plink to the floor as Rea’s hand rose to touch his face. He felt her fingertips trace nimbly over his luminous skin, investigating what had been hidden from her since she had known him. Every bit of his body pulsated, heat rising with his desire for her.

Abruptly the kiss ended, both of them breathing deeply as if they had breached the surface of the water from being submerged. Rea looked at Rothan momentarily, stunned by it all. Then she advanced towards him, kissing him, and the kisses became more and more uncoordinated as passion rose up within them. Rea clutched Rothan’s hand with a white-knuckled intensity as she reversed, pulling him back deeper into the apartment. But Rothan pushed faster, taking control as she retreated.

Seconds later, Rea had sunk back into the snowy sofa sitting in plain view of the moonlight, and Rothan refused to let go as he nestled in close over her. Fervently, Rea removed her suit and gear, letting them fall to the floor, all except for the sash, which she spun around their two forms. Rothan and Rea ceased their frantic kissing as their foreheads met.

Rothan panted heavily, no longer thinking, no longer worried, just simply acting on instinct, and everything in his being told him Rea was what he wanted. Rea found his eyes with hers, peering into them one last time before her lids fluttered shut.

Rothan never looked away as Rea's eyes flashed back open, the silver-blue shifting into alluring darkness as she began to join. The sensation of pulsing ecstasy was magnetic, drawing him into her soul, as Rea uttered the words, “Mera di aghesh beluar, Rothan.”

It was Keelish, Rothan’s native tongue, and it meant, -Embrace me, Rothan.-

Rea and Rothan joined. Rothan felt as if they were suspended without gravity, and yet he was firmly pressed against Rea, who twisted beneath him with delicate sighs. Melded, Rothan was without his suit, and as he placed a hand on Rea’s shoulder, he saw it scintillating, constantly changing in an endless array of colors and patterns. He sat up from Rea, staring at both his hands, before looking down at his body, all of the same shifting, myriad hue.

-A’an keh seghuwenh shema b’h daden mera?- (Is this how you see the life of my body and soul?), Rothan asked in Keelish.

-Mera belh, 'esheq.- (It is, my love.), Rea answered.

Bonded, it was as if Rea was fluent as a quarian all her life. She lifted herself towards Rothan, and nudged him gently backwards. She moved downward, out of sight, and then Rothan took a sharp breath in as he felt what Rea was doing. Rothan was captured, unable to escape her eagerness and appetite until finally he experienced release. He took her then, incapable of withholding himself any longer, and turned her around. The scar was upon her back, plain to see, and he tenderly ran a finger along it.

With the same tenderness, Rothan's fingers explored every curve of her body, experiencing her essence in ways he ways he had not dared to let himself imagine. Rea cooed softly under his probing caress. There was not one inch left untouched when he had at last placed his hands to cup her face, drawing her into another kiss. After a moment, his kisses were no longer limited to her quivering lips. He traced a path with his own lips down her neck. Suddenly, his kisses were everywhere and nowhere at once. Rea curled back, unable to resist as ribbons of light overtook her, cascading through her body in a newfound burst of pleasure.

Rea trilled with gratification, and leaned herself into Rothan. He reached around her, firmly holding her in the front while resting his head over her shoulder. Rea turned her head sideways so they faced each other, and once again, they drew into each others’ lips. All of Rea’s lithe and powerful frame was up against Rothan, but he felt her supple, pliant, giving way to the commands that he offered with his bodily motions. She stretched her arms upward, over his shoulders, to place them behind her and around his neck, basking in the fusion that enraptured them.

Their bodies entwined, overcome by a familiar light. Swirling and coursing through them, the light undulated and penetrated their skin, bringing new pulses of pleasure with each ebbing current. As the tempo of their bodies increased, the light crescendoed with them, coalescing into a vortex that enraptured them in ecstasy.

Rea gasped, then trembled, and then cried out in elation. As they surmounted a peak together, both their individualities seemed to disappear. They shared emotions, visions from the past, uncontrolled thoughts, primal dreads and desires. One, they were asari, and then quarian, and then neither. A thousand years could not bring them closer. For a moment, they were the same.

And when that moment seemed as if it would end, it did not. Still joined, Rothan lay back once again, with Rea on top of him. She pressed into his sides with her thighs and arched her back, while running her hands across his chest. They were on a white sand beach under a star-filled sky. The ocean stretched away, its surface glittering with the reflection of the night. And above, full and clear, shone Earth’s moon.

Rea looked up at the Moon. She threw her shoulders back even further, pulled her arms up, put her elbows out, and set her palms upon her crest. Rea shook and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she stared down at Rothan, but her eyes had changed. They were white within white, glistening, and receiving.

-Keelah se'lai-, Rea’s voice rang with happiness, -Shema mera azad aset.- (You set me free)

Rea cast up her arms once more, as if reaching to the moon, before rolling off of Rothan and falling into the sand. She gathered the sand in her hands, feeling Rothan’s fiber within its very particles; it shimmered like diamonds but felt as smooth as silk. Rea let out a sigh of contentment. Her white eyes became misty, and then wet, as she wept while gazing out to the churning waves. Rothan slid upward, alongside Rea, caressing her body, but then he noticed her tears.

-Shema ches kurih?- (Why do you cry?), Rothan asked. -Cheh ghema neyset?- (What sadness is there?)

Rea laughed airily as she touched Rothan’s luminescent face. -Hach mewreda neb’wedh aset. Ba shema hestem, mera keamela rada beu’dend.- (There is none. With you, I am perfectly happy.)

Rothan smiled, leaned over to first kiss her crest, and then planted another kiss softly on her lips. As the waves pulled back under the glow of the Moon, Rothan descended upon Rea. Light and color erupted once more.

Modifié par Kel Riever, 02 novembre 2013 - 01:30 .

[Khambilo]

(The following is a collaboration with Kel Riever)

“I should get my visor.”

Rothan still lay on top of Rea on the snowy sofa, both entwined in the quarian sash he had made for her. They laughed as they struggled to untangle themselves. Rea escaped first, and leapt up.

“Stay, Rothan. I will get it for you.”

Rea strolled away to retrieve Rothan’s visor. He watched her, naked in the moonlight, a vision even in reality. Rothan was momentarily disarmed again as she returned. He sat up and she sat next to him, handing him his mask.

Rothan took the visor, but before he could raise it up, Rea restrained his wrist, to look at him once more with her voluminous gaze. He watched as her silver-flecked blue eyes seemed to absorb everything within him.

Rea, as if reading Rothan’s mind, mirthfully questioned, “Do you know what the secret to a good stare is?”

“What?” Rothan asked curiously.

“To keep looking.”

Rothan held her gaze for a spell longer and nodded. Then he carefully placed his visor back into position and locked it. Immediately, his suit’s systems took effect, resealing his suit environment. It was stifling in comparison to what he had just experienced.

“Will you be okay, Rothan?”

“I’ll be fine,” Rothan assured Rea, though he spoke relatively. There was no doubt he would be sick, even with all the immunoboosters and antibiotics that had been pumped into his system. It was simply a matter of time before he manifested symptoms, but it didn’t matter to him.

Rothan stood, and then helped Rea up from her seat, to embrace her once more. “Rea, we’re going to make it through this, I know it.”

Rea chuckled. “How can you be so sure?”

“Because I have you. Because I’m never letting go of you,” Rothan said simply then swallowed hard. “Because I love you.”

He leaned in, forgetting now that the visor covered his face. The glass made contact with Rea’s forehead, the contact startling Rothan.

Rea giggled and Rothan began to blush at first at his own clumsiness but soon joined Rea in laughter.

When the sounds of their giddiness died down at last, Rea glanced sideways as if trying to remember something. When she looked back at Rothan, she pledged in a gentle tone.

“B’h mera belh shema.”

Rothan took her hand. “I suppose we head back to camp and see Miranda.”

Rea nodded, squeezing his hand tightly. “Are you ready to make the walk of shame through Camp Bastion?”

Rothan gulped. “The walk of what?”


Rea smiled broadly and rubbed her thumb over Rothan's hand affectionately. "Nevermind. Just be glad you have the visor to hide behind."

Rothan stammered slightly as Rea tugged on his hand and lead him towards the roof where the Starscreamer was parked.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

BoL - The Lost Asari (Camp Bastion) LIV

The Asari heard there was a lot of commotion going on in this so-called War Room Captain Radcliffe had set up. The sarge decided to head over to it for laughs anyway, just to see what the humans and other groups were up to. She had other plans anyway and wanted to see how hers meshed.

Ereba noticed Jack was still around the pub. She walked over to Jack and put her hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Jack. We just heard about some action in this war room. We're going to head over there and see what Radcliffe is up to, and since you officially have no Alliance rank, you can be under Marisa's command. Why don't you come with us, then make your own choice, okay?"

"Yeah, that sounds like a good idea." Jack turned to her group. "Prangley, you're in charge, and don't let any Alliance officers move you. You're under MY orders to stay put. Is that clear. No more alcohol. You're to eat food and get your electrolytes in balance. I will biotically beat the **** out of anyone who doesn't. Sid! Food and Gatorade for these guys!"

Sid nodded.

Ereba and Jack joined the rest of the Asari. "Captain, this is Jack. Jack is a hell of a biotic vanguard. I'd like you to draft her under your command for when we go to the War Room, ma'am."

"Isn't she Alliance?" Marisa looked up at her.

"Technically she's providing support for the Alliance, and while her team is Alliance, I'd like to give her the option of providing support for us. Use your 'Spectre' authority. You know, bull**** the Captain." Ereba smiled at the Officer.

"Yeah, they kicked some ass with us before, and Jack walks the walk." Ranassa looked at Jack when she made the last remark.

"It would be different, Mother, but I think you could sell it." The sarge thought about the proposal. "And the option of having biotic support? I still want to beat the main force to that beam."

"Are you ****ing nuts? The place is going to be crawling with reapers!" Jack glared at Nasyra.

"Fighting the big heavy troops advancing from the front while our little group slips in the rear." Nasyra finished her sentence. "You haven't fought with commandos very long, Jack. The girls told me about you, and I looked you up on my omni-tool. You have a very colorful past, and you have done some 'commando work' yourself. Tell me? Have you ever gone in the front door?"

Jack was silent, dying to get in the last word. '****! Those medals. This **** is good. She didn't even bat an eye at my record. Makes me wonder what's in her past.'

"I didn't think so. So you know the drill. Let's head over to the War Room. You're in." The sarge stood up and slung her AR over her shoulder. The rest of the group followed suit and they moved out the door with Jack in tow. They headed over to HQ.

"New arrivals I see. Lieutenant (Leftenant). Approach, but leave the enlisted troops in the back." Radcliffe said.

"It's Captain. We met earlier. I'm borrowing the armor, and my sergeant and contractor will accompany me." Marisa, Nasyra and Jack approached the map, and Marisa flashing her fancy ID. "Spectre Office authority. So what's your plan?"

Jack was loving this. 'Sweet dancing Asari. And I run into a bunch like this. No wonder they ran 1/3 of the galaxy.'

Radcliffe filled them in on what was happening. Marisa was thinking 'Goddess, Clark!'

"I just need to know one thing." Ranassa interrupted and showed off her gun. "Where they are."

T slapped he on the shoulder. "I just want to know where they aren't." T mumbled.

"So we have to get across the river to get to the beam?" Nasyra asked.

"And crossing London Bridge will be goddamn suicide." Radcliffe pointed out on the map.

"It's dark. What about getting a small squad across by boat?" Nasyra asked him. "Are there any boats in the area? And how far to the beam are we going to be?"

"Are you bloody crazy? A small squad?" Radcliffe laughed.

Marisa met Radcliffe's eyes. "Have you ever faced an Asari Commando unit before? Few humans have."

"Yeah, but look what happened to Thessia!" someone shouted on the other side of the room.

Ranassa flared momentarily. "Come over here and say that to my face! Ass hole!"

The Krogan leader in the room was ready to watch a fight. He saw fire in the Asari's eyes. 'If we didn't have to repopulate our own planet, this one would be potential breeding material.'

"Save it for the reapers!" Radcliffe was now trying to maintain control. "Yes, if you're crazy enough there are some boats in the area, but you'll have to climb some stairs up to the road surface on the other side. You guys aren't thinking of going it alone, are you?"

"Actually we are. We're not front line troops. We're hit and run, attack from the rear, blow up a space station kind of troops." Nasyra explained. "We're like your old SAS."

Radcliffe had a burst of pride. "Those were tough bastards."

"Now add high powered biotics and about 30 to 100 years of experience. That's Asari Commandos. We just didn't have enough of them, and I don't care how many you've got, it just doesn't do much good when your enemy is taller than a ****ing skyscraper." Nasyra explained.

"Fair enough." Radcliffe replied.

"But I heard we knocked over one of those bastards tonight when my girls and our contractor took out a processing unit." Nasyra continued. "So have a little faith. We're going to win this war."

"So you're going to take out the Reaper forces on the Thames near London Bridge then?" Radcliffe pointed at the location on the map.

"Not if I can help it." Nasyra replied. "The reapers are going after the major units. They're not going to notice us if we keep quiet and don't do anything. The next thing you know we're in that beam and on the Citadel, and we contact Admiral Lidanya and let her know where we are."

"You mean Admiral Hackett." Radcliffe countered.

"If you gave us his frequency, yes of course, but we don't have that. We have Admiral Lidanya's." Nasyra said. "And we'll need authorization for more explosives. We intend to shut down whatever the **** the reapers are doing up there."

"Your not speaking much, Captain." Radcliffe noticed. "Do you approve of this?"

"She speaks with my authority." Marisa said. "The rest of your plan looks fine."

"How much explosive are you talking about?" Radcliffe asked.

"I say we get take a small nuclear device up there and take out the whole operation." The sarge said. There were blank stares. "It's the only way to be sure."

"****in' A!" One of the officers remarked. 

Radcliffe shook his head. "No, we got rid of all of them."

"There's a small half-kiloton nuke below Bastion in a bunker we built during the FCW." An old civilian who was helping out with room logistics spoke up. "Sully knows where it is. Her name is Betty."

Modifié par sH0tgUn jUliA, 12 novembre 2013 - 08:32 .

[Redbelle]

Wyld was outside the warehouse near the edge of Bastion when the locator, Zia had given her, went off.

She pulled out the small device and looked as it rumbled and chirped. Practically begging for attention. She looked up at the warehouse. Back down to the device.

“Dammit”.

Wylds thumb flicked the stud on the device and a small map appeared, even as Wyld spun about and turned back towards the camp.

She took a deep breath. Okay.... multi-task.

“Momma”? Momma's visage appeared in her visor, looking by all accounts, to be waking by her side.

“I know Jerry-Ann. That is indeed the signal given off by the bracelet Dr Ben gave to Naomi. I am tracing the origin now. It appears to be outside the camp”.

“Better get the Valkyr ready then. Where's Zia”?

“Infirmary. I will hurry the Valkyr's priority listings. I am currently undergoing a weapon system upgrade”. Momma paused. “In fact, I think they are inserting the first of the new mount's into the chassis now. I would tell you what they are putting on.... But I'd rather surprise you”.

Wyld nodded as she altered her route to take her to the infirmary. “Okay. Can you put me through to the lead investigator in the warehouse”?

Momma nodded and disappeared. A moment later Wyld's HUD showed screen displaying the head and shoulders of a man she had never seen before.

Wyld took a moment to take in his appearance. The man appeared to wear armour. But he wore it underneath a large black coat. Wyld could imagine it was a full length one that some soldiers took liberty to wear on occasion. Near his neck line she saw the letter's HM1 stencilled and recognised him to be a medic. Though in what field she didn't know. Likely not a battlefield medic as she was. And his face.......

His...... Face......

She could see his chin and his mouth. The rest of him was hidden behind what looked like a zone of darkness till a hand came into view and plucked it away. At which point Wyld realised he had been wearing a wide brimmed hat.

With the hat gone she could now see that he was an elderly man with bright orange, well kempt hair atop a craggy face. He looked at her with dark blue eye's that seemed sunken into his head.

“My names Padre. I.... assume.... that you'll be..... Jerry-Ann”?

“Commander Wyld”. She affirmed. “Call me Jan”.

Padre seemed strangely distracted, as if he were looking at something behind her, when she realised he was most likely looking at......

“Jerry-Ann”. He said, seeming to relish every syllable. “I'm looking forward to working..... with you.... on this case. Are you close”?

“I'm not coming”. That got Padre's attention. He looked right at her and though his expression didn't change, he seemed to become more intense.

“...... “What”?

“Change of plans”. Wyld explained. “I've just got the location of a solider whose AWOL believed kidnapped. She gets priority. I assume the people your with are dead”?

Padre gave a long sigh. “It's not something I can..... talk about on a comm”.

“I've got you on helmet audio”. Wyld told him. “I can see you on my HUD. No-one will hear what you tell me”.

Padre seemed to consider what she said, then nodded. “See for yourself”. The view shifted and Wyld nearly drew to a halt where she was.

Two bodies were now in her view. Ropes tied around their necks. Suspended from the rafter's of a mezzanine inside the warehouse. People, Military police she recognised, stood back. Some took Omni tool recordings while other's combed the surrounding area. The image zoomed in and Wyld started.

She recognised them.

One was an Asari. An overweight Asari. The one who had given her wedding dress to Babylon. By her side was the man who had left the Terra Firma party to be with her. The two dangled side by side next to each other. Their hands clasped together with zip ties holding them. Wyld wanted to close her eye's but she kept looking as the camera panned down. It lowered to the upper torsos and across each was a single world.

The Asari's spelled, Human.

The Human's spelled, Scum.

The image didn't leave them as it zoomed out and Padre's voice came over her helmet's audio. “Thoughts”?

“This is.....”. Wyld stopped, licked her lips and taking a deep calming breath. “This looks like a bad one. The victims could have been random, but the way they've been posed..... The imagery of a human and alien touching each other and the method chosen to portray them in the act. If that wasn't enough, someone's written a message that reads as inflammatory.... It's clearly the work of a sick mind”.

Padre nodded. “The way the bodies were left..... implies this killing was done to send a message. However, I believe..... we messed up the timing by finding it when we did. We sealed off the area as soon as we heard and have been keeping it low.... key..... ever since”.

Wyld nodded, though Padre couldn't see her. “What's the point of sending a message if no one knows about it....”.

“Indeed. We're getting them down now”. As Wyld watched two ladders were moved into place and a couple of MP's ran up them. She asked.

“How do you think it happened? I doubt either would stand around while they were hung? Two against one.... And the Asari was a biotic! She had a fair amount of power to call on if she needed”.

Padre shook his head. “We ran some tox. Drugs were..... injected. We found the the entry points with scans. A puncture wound to each..... over the heart”.

“That would allow for instant transmission of whatever substance they used to pass though the body”. Wyld noted.

“It also means that these two faced someone they felt..... was not a threat”. Padre added. “No defence wounds....that we can see”.

“Signs of more than one assailant”?

“None”. The bodies had been untied and gently lowered to the ground and the camera angle shifted. Now it looked like someone else was beaming the transmission as Padre walked into shot and knelt down. He donned a pair of gloves and gently shifted the rope around the Asari's neck. The picture zoomed in and Wyld's eye's narrowed.

“Those marks around the neck....”. The camera stopped panning and focused on the marks. “Five indentations”.

“Put's the assailant down to Human, Asari or Drell. We don't have any Batarians in camp that I've seen”.

Wyld continued looking as she neared the infirmary. “They look wrong”.

“What do you mean”?

“The marks are to uniform. They don't spread out and fade at the edges where a persons finger's round off. It's almost like they were inflicted by a tool”.

Momma voice came over the comm. “I have located Naomi's signal source. And the marks on the neck of both victims correspond in breadth to the dimension's of a standard Loki security mech. I am pinging the mechs we appropriated from Terra Firma. I am receiving the standard responses from all but one”.

Padre's voice could be heard. “Damn. The one's you brought in”.

“They've been shut down on the Terra Firma trucks”. Wyld said. “There in lock-down”.

“We'll eyeball the numbers”. Padre told her. “Still sure you want to go”?

Wyld was about to answer when she got another call. She looked at the ID.

Amy Babylon.

“Padre, I'm going to mute you, This may be important”. She muted Padre and opened another Window. Babylon's face appeared.

“Jan?..... Jan”! She practically bellowed. “It's bad. Listen! Terra Firma know”!

“Know what”?

Babylon bit her lip. “They..... Know”! She accented each word. “About the warehouse. I was just there”.

“What”?

"Armitage gave me a new crew to work with. We went to the warehouse on a tip. We had these stealth drone camera's. I don't know where they came from We all saw”!

Wyld felt the bottom of her stomach fall. “You didn't....”?

“Of course I didn't shoot it”! Babylon said indignantly. “This could shatter the Alliance we have right now! Thats the point”! Wyld shook her head and Babylon explained. “This is leverage! Don’t' you see? I told the crew we were burying the story. They ignored me! They shot the story themselves without me as anchor! It's in the can! No matter who did this, Armitage has the story and now he has leverage! He can make this alliance work or fall apart if he wants”!

Wyld stopped about fifty feet from the infirmary and looked up to see Zia departing through the doors.

She made her decision.

“Babylon. No matter what happens. Keep the Alliance together. Build bridges. Stoke egos. I don't care! Make sure this thing doesn't fall apart. She unmuted Padre. “You've been speaking with lead investigator Padre on the line. I want you both talking to each other. It sounds like we're after a mech as the murder weapon. If you can't find the one responsible.....”. She paused, already regretting what she was about to say. “....If you can't who did this..... Bury it. Make it go away somehow. We need our army to fight with each other. Not against each other. If this goes public we're looking at an army that will will, most likely tear itself apart”.

Babylon was nodding. “I know already”. She said. “I hate the idea of letting this go..... But....”.

“Murder is murder.....Commander”. Padre said. “We don't let killers get away”.

“Then find whoever is responsible. Whatever it takes. But do it quietly. And we may be marching any time now”.

“If we march....”. Padre noted. “The killer might be marching with us..... Or sent to the bunker”.

Wyld saw Zia hug herself outside the infirmary doors. “Padre. Your lead on this. Pull what you need. Use Babylon. She's good at creating a good impression”.

Babylon nodded. “I need to get my husband. The human team I was given don't follow my lead. They need to be roped in before they use the material in a broadcast... only they'll have given it to Armitage by now”. She shook he head. “You'll never get it from him if he can use it for gain”.

Wyld saw Zia start to walk off. “You two, make me proud”. She said. “ Make sure the dead don't pull us in with them. Find the killer. I've got a living to save”.

Padre pulled his hat back on as it covered his eye's. “Well then”.He said. “Let's not keep them hanging”.

Modifié par Redbelle, 11 octobre 2013 - 08:09 .

[Redbelle]

Padre stood in front of the Tee-Eff trailer that housed the mechs Wyld had brought back with her. They were locked down. Completely unable to activate unless a key was transmitted to them.

The first thing that Padre's mind had latched onto was that the AI Momma had decided to test her ability to kill, and chosen biologicals as targets. He'd dismissed the idea almost as soon as he'd thought of it. Even as an AI, the crime scene had to much emotion tied into it. He found it hard to think that an AI acting on it's own could be capable of such a thing.

Which pointed to a person. Someone who felt hate between the idea of cross species intermingling. Terra Firma were the obvious candidates..... to obvious.

Hate existed in more than just humans. He could think up a dozen reasons why any one species would want humans to stay out of the galactic gene pool. It all boiled down to fear of what such a thing would mean in the greater scheme of the galaxies future.

A future? That someone could continue to cling to an ideal of the seperation of species at this juncture was hard to comprehend. Padre had seen it more than he'd like. The single minded, almost fanatical drive to see the world match a single persons ideal. In his line of work it usually meant people would be hurt.

So he was looking for a true believer..... or was he? The trail of bread crumbs led to the missing mech. MP's scoured the trailer doing a visual count of the mechs when one waved. The tarp covering them was thrown back and there was an empty space. One mech was missing.

One thing was certain. Without the mech. And without someone's ability to move a mech without anyone knowing about it, the murder could not have been carried out in the way it had. Someone had planned for the mech. Had used it's servo assisted strength to their benefit. Someone had bypassed or used the key that Wyld had carried, until she had given it to Radcliffe. It had been stored in a safe compartment away from everyone.

To many questions. Not enough answers.

He saw an MP marching the driver towards him. Padre pointed to the empty mech chamber. “You lose one”?

The driver looked at the empty bay blankly. Then looked at Padre. “Look's that way”.

“You know anything about that”?

The driver shrugged. “Do now”.

Padre could feel a ray of annoyance creep into his voice. “I want a list of everyone who had access to these mechs”.

“Talk to the guy who used to run them. He knows everything. Before you Alliance took em off our hands”.

Padre felt the urge to growl a threat when an MP appeared and whispered in his ear. He nodded and turned back to the driver. “You can go”.

The driver scoffed. “Go? Where's there to go”? In spite of his words he turned around and walked away as Padre turned back to truck, processing what he had been told.

They had found finger prints.

[Redbelle]

Groon was angry. Very, very angry and all because the human big shot had told him he couldn't go to war.

Because he was a child?

He wasn't a child.... He was a Krogan child! He was expected to go to war! He was born to bathe in the blood of his enemies and instead.....

….Instead, he'd been sent off and left to his own devices. He'd tried to find another rifle, but they were all under close scrutiny. With a push coming rifles were being prepared and kept under watchful eyes.

It was then he'd spotted a small human boy scurrying out of one of the buildings with a small bag on his back. The human stopped and looked around. And seeing no one ran off towards the motor pool.

Groon's eye's narrowed. He knew when someone was up to no good. He followed and eventually found the boy sitting next to an empty vehicle bay. He was playing with some piece of tech in his hands. He was unaware when Groon approached and knelt down in front of him. The human looked at him and Groon pointed.

“You stole that”?

The human looked startled. “No”.

“You look like you stole that”. Groon persisted. “I could tell the adults and you'd be in trouble”.

The human took on a sulky expression. “I didn't steal”. He insisted half heartedly.

Groon smiled unpleasantly. “I don't have to tell. But if you can get that, I figure you can get a gun”.

The human swallowed and looked away. “I'm not allowed to touch guns”. He said. “Except the big ones”.

“I want a big one”. Groon smiled as he felt he'd hit the jackpot. “How big can you get”?

“There to big for you”.

“I'm Krogan! What kind of gun is there a Krogan can't carry”?

The human child pointed behind Groon, who looked, and saw him pointing to a Mako. Confused, Groon was about to demand what he meant when he saw the turret atop the vehicle. He turned back to the human and grudgingly asked. “Got anything smaller”?

The child shook his head. “Talk to Mia. She's allowed guns because her Momma's not around to tell her no”.

With that he got up and, taking the piece of tech with him, walked back into the bay.

Groon followed, grumbling. “What kinda Mom tells a kid they can't have a gun”?

As he turned into the bay he stopped and gawked. A YMIR was sitting on the ground inside and the boy was standing next to a bench, atop a box, rummaging the tech into something that lay on the bench, covered in a blanket. The human looked back over his shoulder. “Momma? There's no red wire. There's a green and a blue, but no red”.

“Try the green”. The YMIR responded raising it's missile arm to gesture at the bench. “But reset the buffer before you do”.

Groon didn't know what to make of what he saw.... The scrawny human had called the YMIR....Momma?

How did that work?

He was about to ask when he heard footsteps coming from behind him. He turned and saw another human wearing a long black coat over standard issue Alliance armour. He wore a large, black, wide brimmed hat and he walked right up to, and past him till he was within calling distance of those inside.

“Son! I need you to stand back from the bench. You...”! He said pointing to the YMIR. “Place you weapon's on the ground”.

The YMIR looked at the man. Looked at the integrated weapon systems embedded in it's hands, then thudded both down onto the ground. The man slowed his approach and lifted an eyebrow. “That'll do”. He allowed, before taking off his hat and looked over the bench. “Hi son, you must be Gizmo. My names Padre”. He said as he put on a glove and lifted the sheet. “And.... Whaaat, do we have here”?

Modifié par Redbelle, 13 octobre 2013 - 09:21 .

[Kel Riever]

Private Gilles Laurent used the scope on his Mantis sniper rifle to examine the last boulevard to be crossed before troops would be safely within range of the Camp Bastion sentries. The carcasses of several husks were piled up and he could only be thankful of the efficient handiwork that had been laid upon them; the majority had been severed in one way or another with a single, clean stroke. Gilles used his com to contact Captain Grelk, his commanding officer. “Captain, it looks like someone cleared the way for us. You can bring the unit up.”
 
Captain Grelk’s gruff voice came back, “Laurent, the Camp has been notified that we are coming in. They have put a force at their gate to cover us if we need it. But I’m more worried about a friendly fire incident, now that the street isn’t a concern. You are to approach and visually signal the gate.”
 
Gilles wiped a hand across his forehead. He had been Grelk’s sniper for only a few hours and while skilled on the range with the rifle, it wasn’t his go-to weapon despite his combat experience. So far, his trial by fire had gone well, but his nervousness never completely subsided. Still, he answered confidently, “Affirmative, Captain. On my way.”
 
The private moved up cautiously, sticking to the left side of the boulevard and moving from one piece of cover to the next. Buildings here had been reinforced at the outbreak of the invasion, so their lower levels had been haphazardly blockaded. It caused a problem in that if you were at ground level, you were effectively being funneled. Survivors hadn’t understood the need for mobility and Gilles didn’t want to speculate what horrors happened behind the blockades. 
 
As Gilles moved behind the burned out body of an air car, he spotted movement. Staying low, he used his scope again to peer around the front corner of the car. With his view enhanced, he saw a single Marauder moving towards his position. After scanning for other Reapers and finding none, Gilles thought to himself, Just one. I need to get my practice in where I can. He went prone, aimed the rifle, and fired.
 
The shot hit the Marauder’s shoulder, off target. Despite the power of the single shot weapon, the shields on the Marauder were barely downed and it shrugged the impact off as it leveled its Phaeston.
 
S**t!
 
Gilles was trying to line up a second shot when he saw the Marauder’s head come clean off.   The Marauder’s body fell and standing behind it was an N7 Slayer with a monomolecular blade. Gilles noted the Slayer had several customizations to his armor and had painted a rather terrifying image of a skull on his helmet.
 
The Slayer examined the boulevard, and apparently satisfied, he extended his open hand towards Gilles and motioned him to come up.
 
“How’s it looking up there, Private?” Grelk’s voice broke through Gilles com again.
 
“Captain, I think we’re good to go.”
 
~~~~
 
Michaels stood near Arok as the east gate to Camp Bastion began to open. Soldiers of the Alliance filtered through, battle-worn, grimy, but determined. The soldiers took in the camp as they entered, speechless at the assembly within. They were a mixed bunch, though mostly turian and human. As the gate continued to open, however, the presence of something more than troops became clear.
 
“Impressive,” Arok remarked.
 
Four Geth Primes of dark red alloy strode into the base, behind and towering above the soldiers. A discordant, electronic noise blared from one of the Primes and Camp Bastion went silent as all eyes turned to the geth. 
 
Michaels averted his gaze as a tall turian in a scarred uniform approached. Walking next to him was a Fury. The bars on the turian identified him as a captain.
 
Saluting sharply, Michaels greeted the Turian, “Captain Grelk. Welcome to Camp Bastion.”
 
Harrumphing, Grelk looked around. He swept a hand towards the Fury. “This is Elaine, and I’ve made her my second. Quite the setup you have here. I’m surprised it hasn’t been vaporized by a Reaper beam yet.”
 
“We’ve been fortunate, sir. Captain Radcliffe is the base commander and would like to speak with you, though in good order. He asked that you see him after you’ve had a chance to rest and eat.”
 
Grelk glanced at his men, and briefly at Elaine, who gave him a knowing nod. “What you’ve got here are some elements of the Turian 43rd, the Alliance 103rd, and anyone we’ve been able to pick up along the way,” Grelk said to Michaels. “They need the rest, recoup and reload. Elaine won’t be happy unless she’s out there hunting the enemy. And for myself, there is important information I have for your base commander. I will speak with him directly.”
 
“Affirmative, sir,” Michaels saluted again. “I will have Arok, here, direct your unit to where they can get what they need, as well as provide facilities for the Primes. You may follow me to the Captain, and…I must ask, by order of Radcliffe, sir…do you know of anyone out there still attempting to rally here at the camp?”
 
Captain Grelk clicked his jaw, before responding, “If they are out there, we don’t know of them. All surviving units in the area that we are aware of are either already here or coming in with us. May the spirits protect the souls of those who didn’t make it.”
 
Elaine said nothing, but peered darkly out from under her hood.
 
“May they protect us all, sir,” Michaels couldn’t help but respond. “Please Captain, come with me.”

Modifié par Kel Riever, 15 octobre 2013 - 06:17 .

[Redbelle]

Padre held the sheet up from the bench as he peered underneath and saw the LOKI mech he'd been looking for.

Or at least, half of it.

He turned to Gizmo and gestured with his free hand. “You found this”?

Gizmo opened his mouth, and then shut it and shook his head. “Not telling”.

“Answer the nice man”. Said the YMIR behind him. “He asked you a question”.

Gizmo looked behind him with a sullen look. “I don't have too”.

Suddenly a rumbling voice with a hint of youthfulness to it, chimed in. “Did you steal that to”?

Padre looked back at the Krogan. “What makes you think he stole anything son”? He asked. “What's your name”?

“Groon. I saw him earlier”. He said while Gizmo looked at him angrily. “He took something and put it in that”.

Padre took a moment to take a close look at the remains of the mech. It was easy to see that most of the top section's component's had been removed. The frame lay intact, but the servos and pumps that allowed the LOKI to move it's arms had gone. Without an expert to tell him what had been removed, all Padre could see was that the hands and arms had been removed. Along with the head.

He turned back to Gizmo. “Son", he asked gently, dropping the sheet and crouching down on the floor. "Your not in trouble. But I need you to tell me how you came to have this mech on your bench”.

Gizmo shook his head, until he could see Padre wasn't buying the act and sagged. He half turned to the YMIR. “I wanted to give Momma a new body”.

Padre looked up at the YMIR who managed a fairly convincing act of surprise. “I may have mentioned on one occasion that I would have liked a frame that could pass among people more easily”. She admitted. “As software I cannot interact with the physical world without a frame. And the frames I have thus far inhabited lack the fine motor control and mass index to safely interact with people, such as yourself”.

Gizmo nodded. “Yeah! And then he took the hands”!

Padre cocked his head. “Who took what hands”?

“The Loki's hands. Momma wants to be able to touch things and he took the hands”. Gizmo sulked. “The guy who used to run these mechs saw me grab this one....”.

“And we shall be having a conversation about that, I assure you”. Momma said from behind him.

Gizmo hunched a bit. “He saw me, and said he needed an unlocked mech. Not all of it. And that if he could take the mech I unlocked he'd take what he needed and give the rest back”.

“That man who used to run the mechs”. Padre said slowly. “Was he part of the new arrivals”? A nod. “Terra Firma”? Another nod. Padre took on a quizzical look as a thought struck him. “So he took the hands.... Did he take the head too”?

“Yeah”. Gizmo said. “It has the AI in it”.

Padre looked up at Momma. “I am not aware of any of my selves having placed myself in a LOKI. I assure you, there would be a record of the originator that sent a copy of myself to another destination.... Unless..... Gizmo.....”. Momma said slowly. “Did you make another AI”?

“Not really”. He said, shifting uncomfortably. “I used Dad's key”.

Momma shifted her attention to Padre. “The key that made me..... The LOKI's use VI's to run their on board decision making processes”. She turned her large head towards Gizmo once more, who didn't seem to want to look at the two red rings that were her eye's. “What did you ask for”?

Gizmo mumbled and Padre leaned forward. “Sorry”?

“I said I wanted the mech unlocked from the lock down”.

Padre looked up at Momma. “What does that mean”?

“The key is capable of transforming a VI into a specialised AI, capable of one task or function. It will naturally work to better itself in accomplishing that task to the best of it's ability given the resources available to it. In this case, I believe the mech head that holds the VI has been turned into a master key that can override security lock down protocols and is currently in the hands of the Tee-Eff”. She gestured towards the camp. “Jerry-Ann told me that the Tee-Eff in control of the mechs would be a bad thing. You should ascertain the location of the head”. She swung her head back to Gizmo. “I meanwhile, will be having a long chat about when and where it is alright to steal things that do not belong to us”.

Padre nodded. “Do you have the key still”? Gizmo nodded. “I think it would be best if you gave that to me”.

Gizmo recoiled from his flat out hand. “It's mine. It's was Dads”.

“I think....” Padre began, when the YMIR shifted and lumbered onto it's feet with several ground shaking stomps.

“I will handle this matter”. Momma said in no uncertain tones. “You must go and find if the Tee-Eff have access to their mechs”.

Padre opened his mouth. Then decided that arguing with the behemoth in front of him was not a argument he could win. He put his hat on and pulled it down over his eye's. “Guess I can't let Terra Firma get ahead of us”. He said as he turned and walked away.

Gizmo watched him go and turned to face Momma who lowered her red eye's to Gizmo. “I realise that you and I have a great gulf that separates us”. She told him. “But I want you to promise. From now on. No more taking things without my consent. And if you do....”. She added. “I want you to tell me. So that I may judge if your action's will have consequences I must be proactive against”.

Gizmo looked up at her. “You won't take my key”?

“I exist because of you”. She said. “You and your key. I have no desire to take away the last link you have to your father. All I ask is that you ask me for permission to make another AI in the future. The instructions you give in the infancy of an AI, that you make with that key, can have consequences. This time. The AI you have made may be a dedicated lock pick. I created the lockdown on those mechs and now an AI exists that can overcome my effort's with ease”.

Momma raised herself up. “If that is all the AI is focused upon, then that is all it will attempt to do. And that could be a dangerous thing in the wrong hands”.

Groon sniggered at Gizmo. “Busted”.

Gizmo looked angrily at Groon as Momma looked between them. “Forgive me. But I have just heard a burst transmission from a Geth. I'm curious to see what difference there is between my frame and thier's. You two can play build a mech if you wish”. She said gesturing at the bench and sheet.

And with that she stomped off into the camp.

Modifié par Redbelle, 15 octobre 2013 - 10:42 .

[Redbelle]

Steiner slammed the Terra Firma Mech man onto the table. They were in a room in the command centre, away from prying eye's where people might object to the treatment Steiner was showing the mechanical man.

Over by the wall, Padre stood with his hat in hands, running the brim through his finger's as he slowly turned it. Next to him stood Amy Babylon.

“This definitely the guy”? Padre asked her, to which she nodded. “Good. Wouldn't want the commander roughing up an innocent”.

“I am innocent”! Proclaimed the Mecha man who Steiner was holding down by the scruff of his jacket. “Whatever it was! I didn't do it”!

Steiner looked down at him and growled. “All the finger's point to you douchebag. You wanna start talking before I decide your at the end of the line”.

Padre stood and motioned for Steiner to move away, which he did. The Mecha man leaned up off the table, massaging where Steiner had been holding him as Padre moved around and pulled a chair out from the desk. “I appreciate you coming”. He told him as Mecha man took the chair and sat. “But I need to impress on you that this is a serious situation”.

Mecha man looked over at Babylon. “I got rights. They can't do this to me”.

Babylon shook her head. “I'm here to make sure your rights are strictly looked after”. She said before adding. “You might want to save yourself some time and start explaining. I've been shown the evidence. I've heard the witness statements. You are....”.

Padre held up a hand. “Please.....”. He said before placing his hand along with the other on the table and clasping them together. “I think it best if he heard it from me”.

Mechanical man looked between the two of them. “What evidence.... What's going on”?

Steiner prowled behind. Pacing back and forth which he could hear behind his back. “We know”.

“Know what”?

At that, Padre motioned to Babylon who came forward with a bag that she held open. Reaching in, Padre pulled out a large object that, as he set down on the table, became apparent, was the head of a LOKI mech.

“We found this in your locker”. Explained Padre. “And as it turns out, he's quite the blabber mouth”.

The LOKI mech, without a neck, could do little but sit there as little motors in it's head whirred as it's eye's took in the room.

“Wow”! Said the LOKI head. “I've never been in this room before. This is all so new to me! What does this one do? Is this another room for making deals? I've been in a room where we made deals. There was the time that really small human gave me to you”. He said, it's eye's focusing on Mecha man. “Then you took my head off and put me in a locker. That was after he hooked me up to the mainframe and I found out all his passwords”. He seemed to be trying to look at Steiner. “Then I heard a conversation with this other guy with the funny voice inside the locker..... I think that's a waiting room”. He explained. “Then he took me out and wanted me to open some more files, but I couldn't because I don't have something called infiltration subroutines? What does infiltration mean? Is it a secure system? Can I open it? I want to open something. We were talking about opening something called the mech lockdown. I'm a mech aren't I? Are there more like me? Where did I come from? Do they have locks there? Can I go back? I want to unlock something really hard to open. Anyway, I heard him say he wanted a custom job on the arms and hands. Weren't those my arms and hands? Didn't I use to have a body? It's so strange. I remember I used to have a body. I bet if I had it again I could open lot's of things! I......”

Padre motioned to Babylon who took the head and popped it back in the bag. The head continued speaking until Padre said to the bag. “What do we do when it's dark”.

“We go to sleep”. Came the muffled response, and the bag fell silent.

Padre looked back over the the Mecha man who had begun to sweat. “Putting aside that you were in possession of an AI in it's infancy, and that you apparently looked into unlocking the mechs and removing control of them from Alliance control.....Putting all that aside, you haven't got a thing to worry about”.

Mecha man looked relieved, till behind him he heard Steiner chuckle. “Well, cept that one thing”.

Padre nodded which recaptured Mecha mans attention. “Yeah. Except that one thing....”.

“What”?

Padre leaned forward. “You had access to the only arms and hands of a LOKI mech that were outside of Alliance control. And then a couple were murdered by a pair of hands that belonged to a LOKI. We've looked at the time line and the body of the mech was returned to that kid who you blackmailed, before the murder took. That means he's not responsible as the hands and arms were not in his possession at the time of the murder since you removed them”.

“Who was murdered? I don't know anything about a murder”.

“A Human and an Asari”. Padre said in such a low tone it almost came out as a growl. “We found them dead”. Bringing up his Omnitool he displayed images of their hanging bodies to the Mecha man who blanched and scrunched his eye's as he tried to look away. Padre knew then, this was not the killer.....

Either that, or he was a good actor.

None the less, he had to press and he caught Babylon’s eye and nodded.

Babylon placed her hands on the table and glared at the man. “That Asari let me use her wedding dress”. She said. “I never wanted to marry. I never wanted to marry a damn alien. Let alone a Volus! But she...”. Babylon pointed to the picture of the Asari. “....She was kind to me! She took me in hand and helped me throughout the whole damn ordeal! She....”. She felt her voice catch and she paused to compose herself. “She deserved more than to be someone dangling on the end of a rope. If your thinking of protecting whoever did this....”. She knuckles turned white. “If you did this.... I'll let the commander back there drag you from this place.... And I won't ask..... when he comes back..... and you don't”.

“Now, now, Ms Babylon”. Padre patted her on the arm as she moved back. “We don't do that sort of thing in the milit....”.

“Sure we do”. Steiner interrupted. “Happens all the time. Especially in war. We got nowhere to hold this trash. If we did we'd have to take people offa the assault team to guard him. Can't trust him. So we take him some place quiet. Pop him. And come back before the main roll-out. Everybody wins”. He said with a hint of grim glee in his voice. “Cept the killer. That's how justice has to work sometimes”.

Padre looked up at Steiner as he spoke, and as he finished, he looked back at the prisoner. “Looks like I was wrong. Your in bigger trouble than I thought. Especially since the commander outranks me”. He leaned back and reached into his coat pocket. “But your in luck. I have the power to overturn the commander in a criminal investigation. I just need to be sure that you are not the one that hung two people of differing species for being in love”.

From his pocket he drew an old antique egg timer. “I'll give you one minute to convince me. If I'm not convinced, we end this. Here and now". He sighed  "And then the Commander get's to have his way..... I'm very sorry about that”. He said with a shrug. “Society crumbling and all.... but he's right. With our institutions fallen, and the needs of the military for every last man and woman we can get..... Losing one solider to imprison you means we lose two soldiers, total. Where as, if we just make this issue go away, we only lose one. Unfortunate. But the math doesn't lie”.

Mechanical man hands were quivering as his voice filled with impotent rage. “You can't do this.... I'll talk to Armitage.... I tell....”. Padre flipped his wrist and the timer smacked down on the surface. Grains of sand began to pour and mecha man screamed. “No”! And lunged at the timer.

He never made it halfway as Steiner intercepted him and banged him back down onto the table with a his hand twisted behind his back while Steiner pressed down with his other hand into his back. “He doesn't act innocent”. He noted without hinting at the exertion he was making.

Padre reached out with an extended finger and pushed the timer into the eye line of mech man. “Tick tock”. He said.

Mecha man, cracked.

“It was the Salarian”! He cried.

Modifié par Redbelle, 16 octobre 2013 - 08:45 .

[Redbelle]

Padre steepled his finger's as he leaned forward and craned his neck. “What Salarian”?

“I don't know”! He exclaimed, watching the timer sands run down. “They all look alike! He came to me before and said he needed an power frame! An Exo frame he could wear! Something that would fit under clothes! He never said why! I didn't have anything so I told him to take a hike! He promised money if something showed up”!

“Money”? Roared Steiner. “We're at war and you want money”!?!

“We're gonna win! Right”? Mecha man answered back. “All you Alliance types keep telling us we're going to win! I gotta think about what happens after it's over”!

Padre leaned forward. “Tell me..... about this frame”.

“It's a strength enhancer! Augments the motions of the wearer! The mech arms were a short cut! Everything I needed! Just had to adjust things so it would fit a Salarian! I swear”! He yelled as the sand began to run out. “I'm telling the truth”!

“You get a name? Would you recognise him again”?

“No! I said! They all look alike”!

As Mecha man spoke, the sand ran out and deathly quiet filled the room. Padre reached out and retrieved his timer as nodded to Steiner.

Steiner released him and as he pushed himself away to a wall, as far away from them as he could, Padre rose and addressed him. “We'll check this out. Don't go anywhere”. Striding to the door he opened it and allowed Babylon through before leaving himself. Steiner was the last to leave and as he set foot through the door, he stopped, turned his head to the side. “I'll be back”. He growled.

Striding through the door Steiner grabbed the frame and slammed it behind him. He jerked his head towards the door. “That was fun. You deal with people like that all the time”?

“More.... than I'd like”. Padre affirmed. “And they all say the same thing. They were in it for the money”.

“So not the killer”? Babylon asked.

“Not the killer..... yet”. Padre mused. “He's innocent of murder.... so far.... Accessory on the other hand”. He seemed to be thinking before his eye's focused on Steiner. “Thank you... for your help commander”.

Steiner shrugged. “I was on a break”. He said. “I needed to vent, is all. We done here? I gotta get back to work”.

“Of course.... commander”.

Steiner nodded and left.

Padre turned to Babylon and gestured to the bag with the LOKI head inside. “I need to.... ask for that back now”.

Babylon regarded the bag. “Is this really an AI? Something that's alive? That has.... self awareness”?

“Is that how you.... define alive”?

“No....”. Babylon shook her head. “But..... it's a start”. She turned her head and saw Steiner leave her view and turned back to Padre. “I need a favour”.

“You can't use the head to pry on the commander”. Padre said. “His record's classified”.

“But he's hiding something. And it's on his mind. And it's eating at him”.

Padre was silent for a moment, and then said one word. “Sam”.

Babylon was confused. “Sam”?

“You care enough to ask..... about his state of mind? Care enough to find out...... who Sam was to him”. He started down the corridor. “You've got thirty seconds..... before I ask for the head”. Ask the right questions if you want your answers”.

He walked away even as Babylon yanked open the drawstring bag. “Wakey wakey”! She said as she pulled out the head. “I need you to open up Steiner's past”.

The head thought that was a wonderful idea.

[Kel Riever]

Grelk entered Bastion’s command center, his tall frame standing out amid the bustle of activity. He immediately spotted Radcliffe at the holo table analyzing data. Michaels was with Grelk and got Radcliffe’s attention.
 
“Captain Grelk,” Radcliffe greeted as he put down a datapad and saluted, “Glad to finally meet you.”
 
Grelk smartly saluted back, “Captain Radcliffe. I didn’t want to wait. Can we get down to business?”
 
Radcliffe nodded, noting the turian’s curt demeanor. Grelk was everything one would expect from a turian officer, radiating a hard, by-the-book presence. His battle-scarred armor only added to the image of a seasoned warrior. With all the irregular interaction that had happened lately, Radcliffe was satisfied, for once, that he could talk to someone on his level.
 
“Without question,” Radcliffe answered. “You sound like you’ve got something on your mind.”
 
Grelk harrumphed, “Indeed. You’ve no doubt heard about a sizeable Reaper force moving into the area, one moving to intercept….can we bring up a battle map please?” A technician working the holo table complied, displaying a three-dimensional map London with locations marked for the Conduit and Camp Bastion. Grelk picked up a light pen from the table, highlighted a large, arcing arrow in red, and continued, “Here. We’ve met the outer remnants of that force.”
 
“Go on,” Radcliffe encouraged.
 
“That force is the direct result of some events you are likely familiar with, now.” Grelk marked a large circle, and an ‘X’ on the map. “The ‘X’ was a Reaper processor that was blown. It had the direct benefit of not only sending our enemy to oblivion, but clearing this zone of what would have been a massive force of husks coming up from underneath the city. We would have been assailed and I doubt there would have been any opportunity to gather as we have here. If you look at reports from other units outside of our area, they are not having nearly the luck we are. As with most processors, it was under control of another Reaper….a sovereign class which was damaged during the loss of that processor, but not destroyed. It is the sovereign class located closest to Bastion…”
 
“Maelstrom,” The technician interrupted. Radcliffe and Grelk glared at her. Embarrassedly, she said, “Pardon,” and put her head down.
 
“For lack of a better name,” Grelk impatiently groused. Then shook his head, “But yes, she is correct. That is the name the common soldier has given to this sovereign class vessel. Maelstrom, located at the drawn circle, was the Reaper who destroyed your last HQ, Captain. And now that the processor has been annihilated, Maelstrom has decided to replace the force that was lost in the explosion.”
 
Radcliffe raised a hand to his chin in thought. “But a Reaper force is a Reaper force. You must be heading somewhere with this.”
 
Grumbling, Grelk folded his arms, “Yes. There was another incident…albeit we have heard rumors only, that there were husks encountered which could immediately turn a victim into another husk, without the use of Dragon’s Teeth, as you call them. Perhaps someone in your camp knows more about this. Regardless, it seems the Reapers have either figured out, or acquired, some technology which allows for the immediate processing of a victim into a husk. While we have not encountered any such husks, I would like to show you what we have seen.”
 
Grelk activated his omni-tool and synced it with the holo display. A series of pictures began displaying of what looked like a heated firefight between Alliance soldiers and waves of Reaper troops, including husks, cannibals and marauders. Maelstrom could be seen far in the background. The turian enhanced the view on one image, zoomed in and circled a shadowy area deep behind the hordes of Reaper ground forces.
 
“That is something we have never fought before.”
 
Radcliffe instinctively leaned in to get a closer view of the image. What could be made out was a very blurry umbral form. It reminded him of a serpent, coming out of the ground, but with spine or tentacle like protrusions extending from the area of its head. More detail was impossible to see, but Radcliffe knew what it reminded him of, “That looks like a thresher maw.”
 
“Scale is difficult to predict, though we’ve tried and it is large,” Grelk remarked.   “This image is as good as we got, and was downloaded from one of the Primes. There haven’t been many witnesses, but we picked up one or two stragglers. Their recollections are fanciful, and lead me to doubt any visual description provided, but one thing the witnesses are certain of is that this thing can convert a victim into a husk by simply contacting them with one of these protrusions. They agree that it can travel underground as well, though my unit has yet to see anything of the kind. It is out there, whatever it is. And it is part of this Reaper force heading into the area.”
 
Concerned, Radcliffe expressed, “We’ll have to find out more about this. In the meantime, what are your assets?”
 
Grelk made a disappointed clicking sound in his throat. “There might be eighty of us now in total. The remnants of my unit met with several other turians from the 43rd, and your Alliance marines. There are a handful of other factions beyond that, but no stand out forces with the exception of the Geth Primes. They lost the geth troops that would help protect them and were displaced by combat, so the Primes linked up with us and now function as our heavy artillery and armor. The Primes need no rest so they may assist you with guarding your camp until we are ready to move out.”
 
“I could use some formidable guards right now,” Radcliffe considered. And that’s when his thoughts returned to wondering where Steiner was.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

(since we're late to the show, here's the summary of what transpired since you are well ahead of where I am so I'll catch up. - I've been tired and not sleeping well)

The Asari squad left with a Krogan they picked up inside the HQ. Captain Soniri had a requisition for some additional explosives and a mini-nuke named 'Betty' that she'd gotten Radcliffe's approval. Radcliffe radioed to Sully to have 'Betty' brought up from below. Although it was against Council regs to use such a weapon Sgt. Soniri convinced Radcliffe that she'll stand trial for war crimes against the Reapers after the war, which brought out a good laugh among those gathered in the HQ.

'Betty' is a 0.5 KT 'briefcase' nuke. She's old. It is made of plutonium and is heavily shielded with lead. Urdnot Xalrath, who has the hots for Ranassa, volunteered to carry the thing. It weighs about 50 lbs. He's also trying to figure out what to get her to impress her. She has a nice gun. Maybe a big rocket launcher. Or a Cain. A real ground pounder.

Jack was walking over to the armory with the Asari squad. 'F***, these guys are crazy. I thought Shepard was nuts at times, but that sarge? And Ereba? Just f*** me!'

Everyone in the camp was pretty well loaded up with their ordinance, and in marched the Asari again with Sgt. Soniri at the head of the group. "Sully! We've got a couple of packages to pick up. Here's the paperwork, signed by the old man himself."

Sully took a look. "Yeah yeah. You're good to go. I still don't know why you need all this semtex."

Shay smiled. "Sully sweetie. There are other things to blow up, you know. Any incendiaries?"

"No, sorry on the incendiaries." Sully replied from behind the desk. "So who is the lucky Asari who gets to carry 'Betty'?"

Urdnot Xalrath stepped forward. "I am."

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean anything." Sully was stammering.

"These girls could be Krogan. I've heard their battle stories. I'm proud to be carrying this bomb for them. Now strap it on my back." Xalrath looked over all the Asari when he spoke.

Ereba spoke up. "I'll take the detonators and the timer. Thank you."

"Hey Xalrath. Do Krogan ever sneak?" Shayrana asked.

"Ha! Sneak?" Then he saw the dirty looks from the commandos. "Well, I'll do my best. Just let me know if I get too loud."

"Do you see that puny human with all the ink who's heading back to the pub?" Shay asked.

"Yeah what about her?"

"Noise pisses her off, and if you 'Nassa has a temper." T chimed in.

Xalrath watched her disappear into the pub. "Okay I'll be quiet. Why is she going in there?"

"She's getting her squad." Nasyra said.

"Hey! That's tight enough!" Xalrath turned around and Sully hit the floor.

"I was just trying to make sure it didn't fall off." Sully dusted himself off and got back up.

Nasyra was going through Sully's shelves. "Okay, I've got what I need now. Grappling hooks, rope, winches, etc."

"What's all this for?" Shay asked.

"River crossing by zip line, except for the big guy. He goes by boat after we secure the other side." Nasyra smiled.

Jack and company arrived back at the Armory. "So what did we miss?"

The sarge gave the group the once over. "Nothing much. We're about ready to move out. Just a little briefing on how we're crossing the river: zip lines and boat. I'm guessing.... you, Prangley. You're going with the big guy in the boat. That's who you would have picked, Jack."

"Right, Prangley, you're with the big guy with the nuke." Jack replied.

"What? You're kidding me. What if..." Prangley was b*tching.

"Stop your b*tching, Prangley. Look at this as an opportunity. You'll be the first." Jack said. "Alright look alive! Let's move!"

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

BoL - The Lost Asari (Camp Bastion) LVI

Jack's team was moving out. Shayrana made one hurried last request in the armory. "Sully, before we move out. How about arc grenades? Do you have any?"

Sully's music machine was playing Guy Mitchell singing "Heartaches By The Number".

Sully looked really surprised. "Arc grenades? Hardly anyone uses those. Yeah, I've got a ****load of them. We stocked up in case the Geth attacked. They're ****e against the reapers. Why do you want them?"

Shay was holding her head. "I don't know. Just give them to me I'll pass them around. I've just got a feeling we'll need them. Also disrupter rounds as well. I know its really weird considering we're a biotic squad.

"I'm thinking if we get somewhere we're not supposed to be we could get swarmed by those 'benign' creatures called Keepers. You know they're mostly tech, right?"

Sully scratched his several days growth. "Hmmm... you might be right. Here, take what you need." He set the crates on the counter.

"And how about an armor cloak for a Krogan? and extended power cells." Ereba asked. And the others laughed.

"What an armor cloak??" Xalrath protested.

"You heard me you big dummy." Ereba slugged him. "You're going to be the first Krogan infiltrator whether you like it or not. When you're with Asari, you do as Asari do. Or don't you want to live long enough to use that thing you're carrying?"

Xalrath shut up. The thought of using nuclear fire was enough to convince him this was worth the embarassment. Sully grabbed a very large cloak. "This is really for an older model security bot. It'll work. And here's the power packs you'll need for it."

"Wire him up." Ereba ordered. Sully did the job and it didn't take long.

Another song came on "Deed I Do" sung by Julie London.

"Thanks a bundle. You're a sweetie. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Good luck here." Shay kissed him on the cheek then winked at Ereba who winked back.

There was a rhythmic ruckus and banging noise coming from the locker area that sounded like all the lockers were going to fall over. "Where's the your mom, Sarge?" Erikka started looking around.

Sully just got in her way and pushed her back, and shook his head. "No one goes back there. Not now. Captain's orders."

"Radcliffe?" Erikka asked curtly.

Sully looked at Erikka over the top of his reading glasses.

"Ohhhh." Erikka blushed and ran back to the squad.

Moments later a purple flushed fully armored Marisa and a reddish flushed Sgt. Clark emerged smiling at each other, embraced again, kissed, and wished each other luck.

The squad loaded up on the arc and disrupter ammo and the sarge gatherd them together. "Okay. Ranassa, T you've got point. Ereba, Shay, you've got rear. Erikka and I will be in the middle. Mother, you'll be behind us with Xalrath who promises to keep the noise down. Now let's double time it to the Jack's group."

They made their way out the gate and to the south and met up with Jack. They were taking one of the side roads to the main one that led to London Bridge. It was a residential neighborhood with burned out row houses. Lovely stuff the reapers did to the place they were all thinking. This was going to take some serious rebuilding after the war.

Ranassa was pissed. "What the ****, Jack? After all we were through together you just ran out the gate like that?"

"You were taking too ****ing long, and when I saw the two love birds disappear. That could take who knows how long with that Asari bonding and all that. Earth style, a good quickie before a battle might only last five minutes. I could wait, but that other stuff, I figured, what the ****?" Jack just kept walking.

"What's the matter? We had a thing going, though? It took time to get that Krogan fitted, and we're gonna ...." Ranassa was saying.

Jack cut her off. "You want to know what my ****ing problem is? We did have a thing going. Then when we got to Bastion, you guys just ****ing hung together and acted like I didn't ****ing exist. I ****ing helped you guys. My squad ****ing helped you guys. You would have been ****ing dead without us. You had no ****ing ammo. And you ****ing cut us out like we were ****ing ****. That ****ing hurt you b*tches.

"So if you ****ing want to do this, you have to promise me. Never again. I don't like being ****ed with emotionally. We're either going to be friends or not. So what is it?"

Ranassa didn't hesitate. "I got your back. If you stay with us T and I will always have your back." T nodded. "You know I don't **** around. If you got a problem with the others, you come to me or T, and we'll get the others to listen. Rank isn't as important among commandos as it is in other military organizations. I was wanting to call you my friend, and was thinking, you know, staying in touch after the war, that kind of thing. And I still am. Then this ****. But I need to know something before I go back to thinking like that again. Are we good?"

"We're good." Jack and Ranassa clasped hands. Jack knew Ranassa didn't respect her when they first met. Ranassa was a very difficult one to get close to, and Jack somehow had managed to do it. For Ranassa to trust a person was fragile. She reminded her of some of the loyal people in the gangs. The ones who always had your back no matter what was going down. The gangs usually killed these types, but this was the military. This was different. This was where these people belonged. Jack knew this, and she knew she'd made a real friend.

Ranassa whispered to T "I know the others heard Jack. Make sure they understand. Pass it back."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Sgt. Clark wandered into the HQ. Radcliffe was still meeting with Grelk.

Radcliffe knew Clark was close with the Asari. "Sergeant! Those Asari Commandos, they were going over to the Armory, could you have them come back in here."

Clark shrugged his shoulders. "I'm sorry sir. Their whole platoon pulled out about 10 minutes ago."

"Platoon?! There were only seven of them!" Radcliffe was upset. "How did they get to platoon strength?"

"That Alliance biotic squad joined up with them. It seems they have this chemistry thing going." Clark informed Radcliffe. "They're headed toward London Bridge."

"And now we get this intel." Radcliffe said.

"What intel?"

"Major ****storm is headed our way. Apparently when they blew that processing station, the reapers figured out how to process husks without those dragon's teeth, and can now crank them out faster. See if you can get them on the com. We need them to blow that thing." Radcliffe said.

"Bastion to Artemis. Bastion to Artemis. Come in." Clark said.

"Artemis here, over." Sgt. Soniri replied.

"It's all your's Captain." Clark said.

"Sergeant. This is Radcliffe. You remember that processing unit?" Radcliffe explained what had happened. "I need you to abort your mission and take care of that. We're going to get overrun here."

"I'm sorry sir, I di......t tha....st pa..." The sergeant said.

Radcliffe repeated his order.

"You want us .... ue ...n.... Got........sir!" The sarge was flipping the com partially on and off.

"Goddamn communications. The reapers must be jamming coms. Any trouble reaching any other units in that area?" Radcliffe asked his com officer.

A few moments later. "None, sir."

Radcliffe was furious. "She's ****ing with us!"

******

"What were you doing, Sarge?" Shay asked.

"We'd be wasting time and resources. I say we just go for the beam." Nasyra said. "Jack, this is your planet. What do you want to do? Do you want to go support your people, or do you want to end this thing with us? We could sure use you. Sorry about that **** back in that pub. If you stay with us, you're our new Alpha Squad, Artemis Platoon. Damn this is a rag tag bunch."

Ereba seriously looked in Jack's direction. "Jack, making husks without those things? This is going to get bad in a hurry. It's the beginning of the end for Earth. We have one chance."

"This is our final battle. I say we push ahead. If we fail, Earth fails, and then the Asari fail. Artemis doesn't fail. Jack are you in?" Ranassa said.

The entire platoon gathered around like a team. "We're in." Jack said. "Now let's ****ing kick some ass!"

Modifié par sH0tgUn jUliA, 18 octobre 2013 - 10:43 .

[Redbelle]

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

SOF – The drive

Wyld ran up to Zia as she walked away from the front of the infirmary. Her white armour gleaming in the light as she raised her voice. "Zee"! She called out to her.

Zia raised her gaze when she heard a familiar voice shouting up to her. She waved her hand towards Wyld, and Wyld could see it was not her usual mood as Zia's face was serious, maybe even sad, Wyld thought.

"Hey." She greeted Wyld with a depressed tone. "Wow look at you. Are those...ears?" Zia asked, looking at Wyld's helmet.

Wyld's hand rose up and she managed to catch it before it reached the communication wings of her new Kestrel.

"Ea.... They are not ears"! She insisted. "They're wings". Reaching up, Wyld raised the front of her Kestrel. Now she looked out with her own eye's so she could look at Zia, who wore a look of gloom about her. "Zee...... Are you..... Look". She said switching tracks. "I want to ask if your okay. But we've got Naomi's locator signal! Momma's bringing the Valkyr over when the new weapon load out’s ready. We can go after her now".

Wyld stopped and took a step forward as she reached down for Zia's hand. She took it in her armoured glove. "Zee. I'm guessing..... I know.... somethings wrong. I'm here for you now. I'm back on duty. Whatever's going on. Let me help"

Zia rolled her eyes to look away from her for a moment before she looked into Wyld's eyes. "You're right, we can talk later. It's unbelievable that we had this luck. Where is she?" Zia spoke with urgency but it was clear that she is a bit down.

Wyld held up the locator device and thumbed it to life. "The signals faint. But Momma was able to track it down. One point eight miles South East of here. Looks like the area used to be a shopping district with a large centre there". She gave a wolfish smile. "What say? We go over there, pick up Naomi, bring her back here and we go off to war together". Her eye's drifted over Zia and she could feel the sadness in her. She felt an urge to wrap her in her arms. Wondered if she should. As much as she wanted to, they were soldier's. And right now, the soldier in the both of them needed to work.

She settled for squeezing her hand. "Don't worry Zee. We'll get her back. We'll find out who took her. We can catch who did this. One of your sister's right"? She smiled. "We can do this without anyone getting hurt. We just need to get there".

Zia's brow lightened and her lip curved in a light smile. "I love you Jan. Do you have everything you need?"

Wyld felt the warm glow at the seat of her stomach burn hot at Zia's words. "Yes". She said, hoping the new helmet covered her blushes. "Everything".

At that moment they heard the familiar throaty rumble of any engine from afar and both looked.

The Valkyr appeared from around the corner of a building. As it approached Wyld tilted her head. "What the hell did they do the weapon mount"?

Whereas before, the Valkyr had sported one central mount in the centre of the back of the chassis. Now it sported three. Wyld continued looking as she saw two mount's sticking up either side of a central column. The two mounts held a belt driven chain gun whose thermal cooling system seemed to disappear into the boot. The central stalk however held something Wyld had seen, but never on the scale she now witnessed.

"Is that a Widow rifle"?

Wyld's omni tool chirped and Momma appeared. "The central column now supports an vehicle mount, Widow variant, armour piercing weapon capable of pin point devastation. It uses explosive rounds and should make short work of a harvester. Or anything else for that matter. It does however suffer a long reload as it is not an automatic variant of the rifle".

"It's huge"!

Momma shrugged. "It's a big gun for a big Momma....". She waited. Looking between Zia and Wyld before saying. "..... That was a joke".

Wyld made to answer, stopped, looked at Zia and shrugged. "She's a big Momma now".

"I can't believe this. Is that Sully's work?" Zia marvelled at the sight of an upgraded Valkyr. "I like it." She said with a sudden change in mood.

Wyld looked over at her and cocked her head. "We'd better get going..... How do you fancy getting behind the wheel"?

The Valkyr pulled up next to them and Momma's voice came from within. "I must confess. After being handled by the lady Rea, I would enjoy experiencing Zia in the driver's seat".

Wyld planted a foot and climbed up the Valkyr. Reaching down she held out a hand to Zia. "Last call to the shopping district! Maybe we can pick you up a new hoodie". She glibbed. "Something with less medical grade wire in it".

"I like my hoody, and it has its perks, you know." Zia winked to Wyld. "The mask too." She continued as she got up in the driver's seat. She revved the engine, and the Valkyr roared. Zia could feel the vibration of the engine in her stomach. She smiled and turned to Wyld. "You humans really had some style back a few centuries."

Suddenly momma voiced out. "I don't understand Zia, you are also human."

"I was joking momma. My knowledge of Earth's history is somewhat limited, and I've never even seen this type of a vehicle before London."

"Do you understand the concept of driving?" Momma asked.

"Oh I drove before. Just not something like this. This should be fun. Do I need the kestrel momma?"

Wyld dropped down in the passenger seat and found the old Kestrel in the foot well as Momma explained.

"The Valkyr does not require the Kestrel to drive. It provides additional information on the situation in and around the Valkyr. Using it will provide visualisation of information and should you choose...my own avatar.. However, Jerry-Ann is already accustomed to this process and can provide information to you as you require it." Momma paused. "The choice to wear the Kestrel is entirely your own".

Wyld piped up. "Momma gives a route plan and directions when we have a destination. I think I can do the same, if you like".

Momma's voice sounded amused. "We would most likely arrive in the opposite direction of where we intended. Your HUD display map is upside down".

"You put it there"!

"I wanted to see if you would notice".

Wyld shook her head. “Let's just go”.

“Zia can leave when ever she desires”. Momma told the couple. “Jerry-ann however, has a commitment she must attend to”.

Zia looked over to Wyld as she looked up at the sky. “I can't think of anything”. She said after a while.

“Perhaps if you spoke to someone more in tune with the situation”. Momma said and a comm channel opened. Wyld looked down and saw it was Steiners.

“Wyld”. He said abruptly. “Get your backside over to the main staging area. The commander's drew lots on who gives the pre action speech”.

Wyld nodded along till he finished speaking. “Commander”. She said. “I've got something going on right now. I don't need to listen to some half assed speech handed out by a terrified commander standing in front of a group of people they don't know”. She stopped, thinking back to all the commander's who had given speeches. “I'm serious. I don't need to listen to that right now. I've got a MIA to track down”.

“That'll have to wait”. Steiner told her. “Your giving the speech.”

Wyld was about to say something when the Valkyr's engine roared and she was thrown back in her seat. She turned and yelled. “Zia”!

Zia grinned back. “The sooner you give a speech you sooner we can go right? Besides.....”. She said with a glint in her eye. “I want to see how you do as a terrified commander giving a speech”.

Wyld gulped as she saw they were covering the distance to the staging area. People were gathering already. Walking in from all directions......

All soon to be pointing in her direction.

Merde

Modifié par Redbelle, 19 octobre 2013 - 03:05 .

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

(meanwhile back at the main attack)

Shepard was hiding in cover and looking over at Garrus and Liara. "We're getting torn a new one out here. Goddamn Anderson and his 'I'm sending you up the middle where the resistance is heaviest.'"

Liara could see incoming reaper forces from her position. "We've got incoming. According to the map, the Thanix missiles are about 1/3 mile away. But... ****! Banshees!!!!"

"Focus fire on them. It's about our only chance!" Garrus shouted.

"****!!! unggggg!!!!! That would be nice if..." Liara was fighting a husk that had grabbed her, then curb stomped it. "these things didn't keep grabbing us."

The first banshee went down, but they had to retreat to avoid the second one that came in on their right. Husks were pouring in on their left directed by marauders. A few marines were helping out but were in precarious positions and taking fire from the marauaders.

"We're taking two steps forward and three steps back." Shepard blind fired from cover. "Why didn't Anderson send the ****ing Krogan this way? Why us?"

Shepard got on the radio. "Anderson! This is Shepard! We're getting our asses kicked here. We need reinforcements. Over."

Anderson replied. "This is Anderson. There are no reinforcements. You can do it son. That's why I sent you that way. I know it's tough. But you're the only one who can get past that reaper."

"Tell that to my thermal clips. What am I supposed to use? Harsh language? At least send an airstrike. We're having to fall back and regroup. Over." Shepard said.

"Negative. Hold your position. I'll see what I can do." Anderson replied.

"I give him the ****ing Krogan to use as cannon fodder and he uses us as cannon fodder. For ****'s sake, Garrus. Tell me the Turian military does things better than this." Shepard hit a marauder between the "eyes".

Garrus was silent.

"Garrus?"

"Shepard, our entire military is cannon fodder. That's what you sign up to be." Garrus lined up a final shot on the second banshee. "And down you go."

"Liara?"

"I don't believe my father. In an e-democracy our military is all volunteer. We've been at peace so long that it is difficult to get many Asari to become huntresses and full fledged Commandos. The Krogan tried to annex Lusia during the Rebellions and the Krogan Army there was forced to surrender. We were more militarized then. It was shortly after the Rachni Wars.

"No one expected this." Liara shot three husks.

Shepard replied. "I gave them three years warning, Liara!"

"That's not enough. It takes 30 years to fully train a Commando." Liara looked out from behind cover threw a singularity, and popped a marauder. "And as nice as it sounds to have given 30 years warning, the reapers would have just resorted to glassing. We're the 'inferior' species according to Harbinger. Javik's race apparently uplifted the wrong race."

"And in the middle of the battle for our lives, we get a history lesson." Garrus commented. "Harvester!!!!"

Modifié par sH0tgUn jUliA, 19 octobre 2013 - 09:55 .

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

BoL - The Lost Asari LVIII - The Final Push

Nasyra moved up to Jack's position. "Jack, Radcliffe mentioned that London Bridge was the only way across. We're not using the bridge, but I need to find a place with some boats for the big guy, and we're all going to zip across. You got anyone familiar with the area?"

Jack thought a minute. "Hold up everyone. Prangley, get over here. You're from this area, right?"

Prangley scooted over. "Yes, ma'am."

Jack pulled up the map on her omni-tool. "Alright, here's our position. Here's London Bridge. We need a boat for big guy. She's thinking zipping across."

Prangley shook his head. "That's a no go on the zipping. Not enough elevation difference. We could avoid London Bridge altogether if you think it might be overly defended by going to Blackfriars Pier and taking a boat across. It'll take a few trips, so I'd recommend getting the commandos across first to get a beachhead, then get us across. Jack you and the big guy last. Could be fewer trips if there's more than one boat."

Nasyra raised a brow. "Impressive. How far are we from Blackfriars?"

"Not far. It's just south of us. Pretty much a straight shot." Prangley was pleased with himself.

"And from there to Peckham Rye Common?" Nasyra asked. "I want to come in on the opposite side as Shepard. They're going to be reinforcing this Shepard's push as much as possible."

"Hey, that's my former Commander, b*tch." Jack snapped. "He's alright. Got me through a lot of s***."

"Jack, I don't mean anything by it. I don't know him. If anything we'll clear out any resistance he'll meet in the Citadel. Fair?" Nasyra said. "Now let's get moving. Jack, can you check the radio chatter on Alliance frequencies. See what's going on with Shepard's push."

The platoon headed toward the Thames down Chancery. It was a commercial district of mostly old burned out three story brick buildings. Jack reported back that despite resistance from Alliance command they were reinforcing the push by diverting forces from other areas. It was imperative that Shepard make it to the beam.

They got to the main intersection at Fleet. The sarge motioned to Ereba to take out her Black Widow, flip it to IR and check west and east. West was clear. East? It looked clear as far as they were going. Everyone went to night vision. Unfortunately Jack's squad didn't have that.

"Jack, your squad on the right. 'Nassa, T, you stay with them. The rest of you with me on the left. We'll see if anything is coming up." The sarge ordered. "Stay low. I don't want to be surprised. No noise. Oh, Xalrath, you stay right with Jack and stay quiet or I'll cut your balls off." She meant it, too.

The Krogan snarled, but did what he was told. 'She commands like she's earned it. I'll let it go... for now.'

The platoon moved east on Fleet to Bouverie which was another narrow alley. Ranassa jumped across to the left. The biotics were going to be in the rear. Ereba noticed quite a bit of action around St. Paul's, but that was further east, so nothing to worry about unless they were spotted crossing. They'd have to be careful.

"Sarge, you guys go ahead. I'll give you the go when to cross. There's some Marauders up a ways, but they have enhanced vision. I see a ... no, that can't be." She zoomed in. "... Mirna? Those ****ers!" She switched to explosive rounds. Nasyra saw her.

"No!" Nasyra pushed her rifle down. Tears were streaming down Ereba's face. "It's okay. We'll get them. We'll put an end to this."

"She was my team mate in huntress academy for five years. We were paired up for five years. We shared everything. We ... " Ereba said.

Shayrana put her hand on Ereba. "It's okay. You loved her."

Ereba shook her head. "Yes. It didn't work out. She didn't deserve this. No one deserves this."

"I'll watch and signal." The sarge took out her Mantis. "Go!"

Marisa, Ereba, Erikka, and Shayrana ran across the street to join the others. The sarge scanned down Bouverie, then back toward St. Paul's, waited about 30 seconds, then ran across the street.

"I'm alright, Sarge." Ereba said. "Let's go."

Bouverie Street was lined again with old burned out brick four story buildings down to Tudor Street. When they got to the intersection, T checked right toward a fallen archway, and Ereba looked east down Tudor Street, again seeing reaper activity this time at the "T" intersection at New Bridge Street.

"It kind of looks like they've set up a defensive perimeter around London Bridge. It's a good thing we didn't try to go down that far." Ereba was still scanning. "Marauders, those batarian things, and brutes. Nasty things. They cut the heads of the Krogan and stick a Turian head on them? That's just nasty."

Xalrath tried to speak quietly. "That is an insult to my people."

Marisa spoke quietly. "Look big guy, what they do is disgusting, vile, and incomprehensible."

"What?"

"Just carry the bomb." Bellarmine said.

"It's clear, go go go." Ereba said. Then she crossed.

Bouverie turned into Temple Ave. The platoon got to Victoria Embankment, and somehow managed to stay in cover of the trees in the area. The reapers were thick around London Bridge. They turned east for about 100 meters then saw some smallish boats tied to the pier.

Ereba scanned the other side. "Nothing on the other side, but why would there be? There's no real way to cross, and they're husks. They're not people."

"Okay, about six per boat. We Asari don't weigh that much, so we'll go with the big guy. Start the motors and keep them low and we'll go hit dirt on the other side. Watch the current. It looks strong so you might have to aim upstream and apply more power." Nasyra said. "We've got grappling hooks, and rope. We'll haul the bomb up. Then Xalrath. Let's do this."

"Jack, this one needs a key." Bellarmine said.

"For ****'s sake. Give me a minute." Jack commented. "Kids."

Ereba hotwired her's. "Yeah. Everyone in. Xalrath sit in the middle."

Everyone eventually got theirs started. Ereba said. "Now make sure you untie the boats before you pull away. One at a time, and do what I do." Ereba took a perfect line across the river and ran aground. Everyone else followed.

Nasyra pulled out her grappling hook and fired it up over the top and it grabbed on the railing. Her squad climbed up. Others climbed up the rope while she helped Xalrath out of the harness that held the nuke. She fired another hook up and secured the nuke to both ropes, and they pulled the nuke up. Then Xalrath, then she followed.

Jack was looking at the map on her omni-tool for the best way of getting to Peckam Rye Common. "It looks like the best way is to continue straight up for now."

"Then let's do it. We've got to move." Ranassa said. "****! That harvester didn't see us! **** me! Where the **** are they going?"

"It looks like toward the shore up the line on the other side of the beam near the reaper. Reinforcements may have started to show up." Jack was smiling. "Let's go."

"I'm seeing something up ahead." Ereba said.

"Bad?" Jack asked.

"No. Come on. Let's go." Ereba started moving toward it pretty fast with Shay.

They arrived under the bridge near Union. Ereba seemed a bit excited looking it over. "Well what do you think? It still looks like it might be serviceable." She opened the door. The driver and passenger were dead, shot in the head through the slots. But other than that it didn't look damaged too badly. "Check inside."

Ranassa opened the side gate on it and pulled out three other bodies. "Well, it's not heavily armored. Kind of a death trap, but if it moves it'll get us there fast. Start it up."

"It's a Cerberus Ground Transport. They were a bit cheap on the armor on this model but it does go about 30 mph. It holds 13 comfortably." Ereba said. "But I know how much everyone loves each other. So we'll call it a tin can and put everyone in it and go 15 mph. It'll beat walking, that's for sure. My feet are killing me.

"And... it starts."