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[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Dahlia took a car to lower Omega where the real scum were. She had contacts there: the wrong kind, but she didn't care about that. To her this was a job, and while she was doing it why not take advantage of her perks. I work for Aria. No one's going to  **** with me. She thought. She pulled her car into the lot on level 20 and got out. Galon met her. Galon was a Turian thug. He belonged to the Talon gang, and they hated Aria, but knew that she'd rain hell on them if they tried anything stupid.

 

"What are you doing here?" Galon said clacking his mandibles.

 

"What the **** do you think? You got any ****?" Dahlia asked.

 

"How much you want?"

 

"Depends upon how good it is."

 

Galon waved her to follow him. Two more thugs flanked him. He took her down an alley by a food stand. There were poor begging in the streets as they passed by. One approached and was met by a rifle butt from his bodyguard.

 

"What I don't understand is why you come here for your drugs when you work for Aria. Did she cut you off?" Galon asked.

 

"None of your business. Would you want your employer knowing exactly how much you use?" Dahlia replied.

 

"I guess not. Here we are." Galon's bodyguard opened the door, and they went inside the dark storage bay. "Have a seat."

 

Dahlia walked around the unit while Galon pulled a package out of a locker. The unit was about  20 ft by 20 ft with a 12 ft ceiling. It had a single light over a workbench. There was a terminal on the bench and a safe under it.

 

"I said, 'have a seat.'"

Dahlia sat on a stool next to the work bench, and Galon brought a couple of small packets out and set them on top. 

 

"What the **** is this ****?"

 

"All the way from Earth, sweetcakes. Black tar heroin. You'll love it. 1000 CR. And I didn't even go through Aria. You'll be back for more, trust me." Galon said, then he walked her through how to use it.

 

She paid him and used it. "Nice. Thanks. See you around." She slipped her dark glasses on her nose and went about her job. She was a bit in a fog, but being a powerful biotic it didn't hit her as hard as it did humans.

 

She disappeared into another alley, then into another, then into where she thought the scum might be that would dare do anything against Aria. She stopped to get a beer at a stand and just listened to conversations people were having as they passed by. After about a half hour she heard what she wanted. "Patriarch." Two humans said the name quietly while passing behind her. She set her second beer down and followed. She felt good. Galon was right. This **** is good.

 

The men kept talking. "... our contractor arrives in a week. That's when we'll make our move. What's that?"

Dahlia ducked into the shadows and hid in an open vent.

 

"I know you're back there." The other human began to walk back and search.

 

"You're paranoid. It's probably a rat. This place is infested with them."

 

The second human looked around and turned back to the first. "You're probably right. Let's get out of here."

 

Dahlia had what she needed and waited for them to get a distance away, and then she reported back to Aria.

[siphernin]

"Yeah," Kanae replied to the med-lab question.  "Not sure I know anything about a check-up though.  Haven't 'officially' joined the rag tag group yet.  I'm not even sure what the mission is.  You lot did catch me in the middle of a job.  And from the feel of things, I won't be makin' it back home for supper either."

 

Shifting his weight forward as the FTL engines kicked in, he weathered the sudden acceleration.  Settling into the new gravity restrictions, he sighed.  "As for COLE, I rather like him on my side.  He's been my partner for awhile and he's a halfway decent field medic.  So... yeah, no aspirations of dismantlin' him.  I've already got some less than legal upgrades on him.  And I don't think he'd like it very much if strangers went pokin' about inside him.  Can't say I like it much either, but from the sounds of it, you're the Doc."

 

He followed her out of the lift, listening to her talk about medical jumbo despite him already saying he hadn't joined up yet. Things weren't exactly going in order since he was already off-world now.  He didn't even have time to grab a tooth brush.  He wondered if turians even brushed their fangs.  Some of their breath didn't smell like it, and he was on a ship of them now.  Well, he did always tell his sister that he was up for different cultural experiences.  This one was definitely off to a rocky start.

 

"Sorry! I'll be a minute," the asari in leather armor said.  The door locked behind her at what he could only assume was the medical lab.  

 

"She seems," COLE spoke, stopping for a moment to search for the correct word.  "Excitable."

 

"Yeah, a bit too much...  But she's a blue girl on a ship of Turians.  Even if one of her parents was one of them, it's not like there are any glaring similarities."  He flexed his injury arm then his hand while waiting against the bulkhead.  "Hey," Kanae spoke up a few seconds later in a hushed tone while his injured arm glowed a pale blue as he formed a mass effect field in the palm of his hand, a ball.  "Don't let what kind of upgrades you have out.  I don't think I've ever seen a Turian use a mech, so you're kind of the odd one out here.  They catch wind of geth tech, you'll be lucky if you get an airlock.  Clear?"

 

"Affirmative."

 

"And be seein' if you can raise the Alliance command on a clear channel.  Let me know the usual way when you do."

 

"Affirmative."

 

Catching a bunch of looks his way, Kanae waved to some passing Turians, even attempting at a greeting in their tongue.  They laughed at him and kept walking.  He didn't have mandibles, so he knew it'd be terrible, but he'd rather they were laughing at him then shooting.  He dissipated the mass effect field as the door to the med-lab shunted open.

 

"Come in, now," the asari doctor said, now in what he could only perceive was her lab attire.  The two shared a look, Kanae for reassurance and COLE in mimicry.  They followed her in and the doors snapped shut behind them.  COLE waited by the door, observing as Kanae went for one of the medical tables.  

 

Figuring it like any other check up after a fire fight, he started out of his upper armor.  The wrapping on his arm still moist but drying, he started to peel it away so the doctor could take a look at it.  Then the next one near his collarbone.  The bleeding had stopped thanks to the med-gel, but he figured it was better safe than sorry.  Tossing the lumps of fabric onto the table atop of his armor, he scratched the back of his neck, "Last time I was in the same room with an asari in a situation like this, she put two shots into me.  I hope you're not of the same mentality.  Not that I mind if you were.  Well, it was complicated back then.  Breaking up and playing on opposite sides... Ugh... nevermind.  Where do we start?"

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Dahlia was flying. She parked her skycar and strolled back into Afterlife. There were a couple of Batarians in the entryway who saw her approach and they moved. Dahlia was not someone to be trifled with, especially in her condition. Things always would get blown out of proportion, and Anto usually ended up pulling her off the customer and covering for her. Anto had been trying to get her to clean up her act for months to no avail.

 

The interior door opened and Dahlia made her entrance to the main level of the club. She bumped into a couple of customers on her way to the bar. 

 

"Hey, Talik. Gimme a Batarian ale," she said, "Put it on my tab."

 

The Turian bartender complied. "Aria's going to take it out of your hide if you don't pay off that tab soon."

 

"You worry too much, Talik. I just finished a job."

 

"Okay, it's your funeral, not mine." The bartender went back to wiping the bar and serving drinks.

 

Dahlia leaned against the bar and watched the dancers move while she drank. They were hypnotic. When she finished her drink she set down her glass and clumsily made her way to Aria's VIP section. She tried to pull everything together as she approached.

 

Aria watched her. "Back so soon, Dahlia? What do you have for me?"

 

"There's a plot against Patriarch. There are two humans involved in it on level 20," she reported.

 

Aria stood and approached. "What did they look like? Did you get their names?"

 

"One was tall, with dark hair, and... and..."

 

Aria reached up and took the glasses off Dahlia. She looked her in the eyes, and then slapped her hard across the face. "You're on  drugs! And you stink. How dare you do a job this important for me on drugs!"

 

"But..."

 

"Bray, search her!"

 

Bray went to grab Dahlia, but she put up a barrier. Aria reached over, grabbed Dahlia by the neck and slammed her face into the post and held her there. 

 

"Bray, search her!"

 

"Here," Bray said.

 

Aria snatched several packets from Bray. "What is this?" Aria demanded, and shoved them into Dahlia's face, then threw them onto her couch.

 

"I'm sorry, Aria. I'm... I'm sorry, Aria."

 

"I took you off the street, and I gave you a chance because you have talent. You are luckier than most on Omega. I've given you a place to live. I've given you a job. All you have to do is what you're told. It's that simple." Aria turned her back to her. "And you're throwing it all away." Then she turned and looked at her in the eyes. "Normally for the number of screw ups you've done in the past few months you'd be killed, but you're young. I don't know what I'm going to do with you. You need discipline, structure.

 

"Bray, take her into the back room and throw her into the cage until I figure out what to do."

 

"Yes, Aria," Bray replied.

 

Bray grabbed the crying Dahlia by her upper arm and forcefully dragged her into the back room and threw her into the cage and locked it. Aria took her seat on her couch and got back to business.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

About nine hours passed. The Audron traversed the relay, entered the Sahrabarik system and began its approach to Omega. Naleena awoke when the ship docked and dressed in her commando leathers and coat to do  some shopping, armed with her pistols and assault rifle, of course. She entered the elevator for the CIC, and walked to the front portside airlock, and disembarked the vessel.

 

While she was walking down the concourse a Batarian met her. "Well, well. Naleena T'sarius. I'd heard you surfaced again recently."

 

"How did you know that?" Naleena asked.

 

"Five dead STG on Illium? Your movements are not as subtle as you think. Aria wants to see you," Bray said.

 

"I'm just going to do some shopping."

 

"You're not getting it. Someone vanishes for five years, then kills five STG and shows up with a Spectre right after another Spectre, Aria wants to know why. Aria. Afterlife. Now." Bray turned and left.

 

Naleena smiled. Bray, I wanted to get Aria a gift, you idiot. She followed Bray down the concourse into the main part of Omega. Afterlife loomed in front of her like a temple, a shrine to Aria. There was a very long line outside of people waiting to get in, and they were testing the Elcor bouncer. Naleena entered. This was her kind of place. She paused and watched the dancers. She walked slowly with purpose through it past the clientele. Anto made eye contact with her and waved her past. She climbed the steps to the VIP section. 

 

"Aria T'loak!" Naleena smiled.

 

Aria got to her feet and the two embraced. "It's been a long time, Naleena. You've been ignoring me."

 

"Hardly, I've been laying low. You wouldn't want me to bring an entourage of STG into this establishment, would you?"

 

"Ha. Good call. Please sit."

 

Naleena took a seat on the couch. 

 

"So tell me, Naleena, what brings you to Omega with a Spectre?" Aria crossed her legs.

 

Naleena pulled a cigarette. "Do you mind?"

 

"No. Bray, bring Naleena an ash tray."

 

"Apparently the Council is having us investigate the vanishing human colonies." Naleena said while she lit her cigarette.

 

Aria looked a bit perplexed. "A Commander Shepard with Cerberus came through not that long ago about the same thing, and she's a Spectre. Why would the Council send two Spectres?"

 

"I really don't know. You'll have to ask our Spectre: Deidrus Androkan. But Cerberus is considered a human terrorist organization. Perhaps that's the reason. I'm just doing some shopping for some odds and ends. This could be a long mission."

 

"So you've got some down time before you go?" Aria asked.

 

"A little."

 

Aria turned to Bray. "Bray, bring her out. I have a request, Naleena."

 

"That sounds serious, and you sound a bit angry."

 

"Angry doesn't begin to cover it."

 

Bray brought a protesting Dahlia out of the back room. "Let me go!" Dahlia stood helpless in front of Aria.

 

Aria stood, walked around her looking her over. "I've decided what I'm to do with you. Naleena, this is Dahlia. Dahlia is undisciplined and a drug user. She thinks the world revolves around her. She has a lot of talent and she's wasting it," Aria said and turned to Naleena. "Sounds like someone else I used to know when she was a young maiden. This one, however, has gotten very sloppy, and has gotten into some bad stuff. Teach this creature some discipline. And she was in the middle of a job she needs to complete. See to it that she completes it. Then take her on your mission."

 

Naleena got a mischievous look on her face. "But what if Androkan doesn't go along with this?"

 

"Leave the Spectre to me." Aria smiled.

 

"Very well, Aria," Naleena stood and bid Aria farewell and left with Dahlia.

Modifié par sH0tgUn jUliA, 25 avril 2014 - 05:45 .

[Redbelle]

Jess waited as the diagnostic on her mechanical components finished. Her right eye went dark for a moment, then a line of text.

 

Rebooting

 

Her shoulder came back up from it's slouched position and her eye once again showed her what her remaining organic one saw.

 

Anika unplugged the cable from the small scar in her back and ran a finger over the flesh. “You know..... if you hadn't told me..... I'd never have known”.

 

Jess hmphed. “Alotta credits went to making it that way”.

 

“It bother's you”?

 

Jess turned and for a while, said nothing. Then she smiled. “Doesn't matter if it bother's me or doesn't bother me luv. There's no going back for me. So why worry”.

 

Suddenly the intercom came alive and both women heard an announcement that they would be arriving at Omega shortly.

 

“There goes our date with Naleena”. Jess grumbled.

 

Anika however stood and, still clad in her towel, headed to the bedroom, but stopped and turned. “You should let the medical staff know about cybernetics”.

 

“The diagnostic showed everything in the green”.

 

“I'm thinking more of your actual body. Your knitted together. Flesh merging with metal. You should see that the real you is doing as well as the mechanical parts”.

 

Jess sighed. “I suppose..... later though”. She said standing. “Looks like we've got a date with Omega”.

 

“I've never been”.

 

“You'll hate it.... you'll love it.... You'll probably get your credit chip stolen so tuck it somewhere safe. And luv? No armour”.

 

Anika protested like Jess knew she would. “Captain, if I'm guarding you I need it”.

 

“Soft protection luv. I need you to not attract attention. That means not looking like a threat. Or like a mark. The best way to slip around in Omega is to be part of the crowd”.

 

“Captain...... you never act like.... well, anyone else”.

 

“Flattery luv....”. Jess said as she thrust her arms out and pushed Anika through the bedroom doors. “....Will get you everywhere”.

[Kel Riever]

With all the flare of the distraction, Morgan would have to take advantage of it in the next seconds, or he’d never be able to move in on the Blue Suns.  If he stumbled too quickly onto the quarian, it would lead to problem of another kind, but that was the chance he’d have to take.  As quickly as he had activated his tech armor, Morgan switched it off, killing the glow of the hard light plates without detonating them.  He then sprinted for the vent, hoping the Blue Suns weren’t able to see him.

 

Morgan slid into the vent like Arrin had, and stopped, his Kovalyov ready.  The vent took an immediate turn and the quarian was no where to be seen.  Morgan steadied his breathing and listened, tuning out the distant commotion of the Suns outside.  He heard unsteady footfalls on the metal of the vent, much farther on.  Arrin had moved quickly, judging from the distance of the sound, but not quietly enough to avoid Morgan’s ears. 

 

Carefully, Morgan switched his assault rifle for his Phalanx pistol.  He wasn’t built for stealth, but he could be quiet when he needed to be.  Morgan moved ahead slowly and followed the vent shaft.  It took several turns and required him to climb upwards once.  Moreover, it wasn’t exactly built for comfortable travel.  Morgan was squeezed in from all sides, so it took him a fair amount of time before he came to a bend where he spotted Arrin.  The quarian had reached the end of the shaft.

 

Arrin was aiming a heavy pistol out of the vent.  He fired once, and there was a scream of pain from beyond.  Then the quarian shot again and there was silence.  Arrin looked like he was hyperventilating after the shots, but he seemed to calm himself down and exited the shaft.

 

Morgan waited a few seconds before moving ahead to follow.  When he reached the exit, he kept himself deep enough in the vent to peer out without being noticed.  Arrin had gone to a secondary door and opened it, allowing the krogan to enter.  Morgan would have to wait to see what they did, but he knew that he’d have to confront them soon.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Vayne looked at arrin with a smirk, the smell of burning ceramic and meat filling the air as he stepped through the doorway, "What kept ya?" he asked with a smirk before glancing to the left, taking a moment to recognize the the dead body laying away, head blown apart. Vayne looked to arrin, an eyebrow raised, "He your first then?" he asked nonchalantly, seeing he was a bit out of it at the moment he asked again, much clearer as he stepped through and closed the door.

 

"Is he your first kill?" Vayne asked bluntly, a look of mild concern on his face as he held his chakram launcher off to the side with one hand. The first kills were never easy, not even for the krogan. It helped to be taught from birth that killing another creature was a birthright, but there was always that initial queasiness and confusion as your hormones wore off and you realized what you did. Vayne had a feeling that nobody had taken the quarian out for a hunt and made him shoot his prey point blank before buying them a ryncol before, like he had. "The first kills never easy, but you get used to it..." he finally said, breaking the silence.

 

"Just tell me if you're still up for this mission. I don't need you putting yourself at risk when your not on your top game...not on my watch at least." Vayne said, glancing down the two corridor they now found themselves in as he looked to arrin, "Which ways the hanger?"

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena tapped on her omni-tool and sent a message to Jess. "My apologies. Change of plans. I've picked up guttersnipe from Aria. She needs to learn some structure and discipline. She's Asari. Tell Anika hands off this one. I have a job to do here, then I'll be going shopping. We'll have that drink when we get back to the Audron. I promise. Turians have to believe in down time. - Naleena"

[Terca]

When Deidrus had been informed that the tethers were all in place he told the crew to be ready for a speedy departure and remain near combat stations in case someone wanted to play about this close to Aria's influence. It would be stupid and suicidal for anyone to make Omega even less of an attractive place to holiday at but he enjoyed being able to act at a moment's notice.

 

He grabbed his weapons from the lockers and told some of the members of Group One and Two that they could have leave with some of the secondary crew to make sure nobody got any funny ideas. A few of the members of his crew had been to Omega before, a couple with him themselves and knew that the place was hardly a nice port but it was something. Information was here, and that made it a necessary step.

 

An unsavory one.

 

He was fairly certain that Aria wouldn't want to have a large group of Citadel members in her station, even when he was a 'Ronin' they didn't like the numbers. It was somewhat beyond his concern now, he was more interested in this 'Silver' showing she was worth the investment.

 

Naleena was off the ship already by the time he was armed (Paladin and Mattock again) and walking out of Decon and into the galaxy's own little piece of anarchy. Despite disliking the station he couldn't help but enjoy being on it again. Nostalgia he supposed.

 

Being a council Spectre... Time to greet the Queen.

[Gabi_MuadDiB]

Arrin a little bit calmer now after hearing the voice of his Krogan companion had is mind in blank... "I... I'm still up for the mission Vayne..." after a few seconds of silence he added "Yes, it was my first kill.... but... it was him or me, right?" he was trying to find comfort in the concept of self defence... but he couldn't quite believe it much when his enemy didn't even knew about him 'til he shoot his brain out... 'murderer'... the word keept coming to his mind  and he sundenly realized that something had changed on him... he wasn't a child anymore...

 

"Ok Vayne... Let's do this... at the end of the corridor to the left there is a long balcony that overlooks the docking site..." he started walking in that direction "Just try to be quiet, there may be some more Mercs"

[Redbelle]

With Jess, clad in her customary green sleeveless outfit, and Anika deciding to sport a white jumpsuit that looked practically glued to her skin, the two made their way to the airlock.

 

Anika frowned and tugged at her barrier belt. "Won't people see this and think it's worth taking"?

 

"Sure will luv. But they'll also take a look at how you carry yourself and decide your not worth the risk. Trust me. You've got 'Don't mess with me' written all over you".

 

Anika's thumb traced the handle of of her M-4 Shuriken, now secured in a thigh holster that wrapped around her leg. "I'd rather take a rifle".

 

"This isn't open warfare luv. Just relax. It's not like we're planning on shooting anyone".

 

Anika eye'd Bernard strapped to Jess's leg and raised an eyebrow.

 

They came to the airlock and met the Turian standing guard there. "Two to depart luv. We'll just wait till the other's get here".

 

The guard made a noise in the back of his throat. "The captain already left. Guess you were late. The other one left too. Guess that one was early".

 

Jess looked over at Anika. "Guess we make our own way". She said and signed herself and Anika out off the ship. they stepped through the airlock and after it's cycle they emerged on the docking station the Audron had landed upon. The noise of the docks washed over them, from the clanking of metal on metal to the sound of heavy lifter's moving crates.

 

Anika had to shout to be heard. "Where too"?

 

"What"?

 

"I said where.....".

 

Something heavy and metallic clanged off in the distance and Jess grabbed Anika's hand and pulled her towards where the lift's connected the docks to the rest of the station. Once they were inside and the doors closed, they could hear themselves speak again.

 

"I said where are we going"?

 

Jess thought for a moment. "Not the main clubs. We need information. Not a dance scene. We going to a watering hole".

 

"You know one"?

 

"Sure do luv. There's a problem though..... you can't come in with me".

 

"Captain......".

 

"It's a bar for Captains only luv. I'm known there. I can talk to other captains and dig for information. You on the other hand, I've got a special job".

 

Anika groaned. Anytime Jess talked about special jobs...... "What is it"?

 

Jess pulled a data slate from her kit bag on the small of her back and handed it to Anika who, on activating it, saw a list appear. She thumbed past the first page. Then the second. Then the third.......

 

Jess ignored the look Anika gave her on looking up. "It's for your own good luv".

 

"Captain...... I don't need a new wardrobe".

 

"That catsuit and that armour are practically all you came on board with. Go get something nice. And while your at it, get some refridgeration coils. And don't forget the dresses for Eteon and Aelias".

 

"Are you really going through on that"?

 

Jess grinned and took her to the end of the list. "Just look what I've got in mind for Deidrus".

 

Anika looked, and her jaw dropped open just as the doors slid open and Jess stepped out. "My level luv. I've put a map in the slate. Just.... try not to look like a tourist while your here and I'll see you later".

 

The door slid shut on Anika's shocked expression and Jess turned to face the level of Omega she had come out on.

 

It was good to be back.

 

She just hoped Aria wouldn't notice her return.

[Redbelle]

Slipping through the crowd, Jess felt her Omni-tool rumble, silently alerting her to a new message. Ducking out of the main crowd she slid into a side alley and looked at her messages. Seeing one from Neleena she read it was surprised to see that Naleena had not only taken in someone.... but that she had done so from Aria. By the sounds of things, directly.

 

She also noted that Anika was to keep her distance. The poor girl.

 

Noting that drinks were in her future she suddenly realised that her cabin was bare in that department. While she was thinking what Omega stocked she heard the sound of footfall, obviously trying to mask there approach......

 

Not a good sign.

 

She turned and saw a young Batarian walking towards her. Straight at her. Jess cocked her head as he stopped in front of her and looked up blinking rapidly.

 

"Uh.... Everything you have".

 

"Sorry"?

 

The Batarian cleared his throat and from somewhere on his person he drew out a long, wicked looking knife.

 

"Give me everything you have".

 

"........ you been waiting long"?

 

The Batarian blinked more. The question totally unexpected. "I'm not messing around.....".

 

"Cause not luv. You've been hiding in this dismal alley for so long your probably the most serious mugger on the station".

 

"You want me to cut you"?

 

"Look down luv".

 

The Batarian looked down, and finally, he saw the executioner in it's holster. He blanched visibly, his body becoming tense as he realised he'd picked someone who could fight back if she wanted to.

 

Jess simply stood there. Not making a move for the gun which caused the Batarian to rally his courage. "Give me that".

 

"You want this"?

 

"Give it to me"!

 

"It..... has a name". She said, reaching down slowly and popping the catch that held the gun in the holster.

 

The Batarian watched. "Slowly.....".

 

Jess pulled the gun out of the holster.

 

"By the barrel". The Batarian's voice was half fear, half adulation. The prospect of the gun in his hands..... Jess could swear he was salivating

 

Jess spun the gun around till she was holding the barrel and held it up high in the air. "You want this"?

 

"Dont' mess with me"!

 

"Okay.... but you want this"? She wiggled the gun and the Batarian's eye's looked between her's and the guns.

 

"Hurry up and give it to me"!

 

"But you told me to go slowly".

 

"Just hand it over"!

 

"Do you know how to play conker's"?

 

"What"?

 

"What? What isn't an answer! Do you know the game of conkers"?

 

The Batarian hefted the knife. "One more word and I stick you. Hand it over".

 

Jess slowly lowered the gun and the Batarian's eye's fixed on it as he reached......

 

Jesss foot swung up and caught the Batarian neatly between the legs causing him to howl in pain as Jess brought the executioner's grip down hard across his temple. The Batarian went down hard and Jess took a step back and brought Bernard up in case he tried to lunge.

 

The Batarian had lost the will to continue though. He lay on the ground, whimpering as he clutched both tender spots that Jess had hit.

 

Jess took the moment to take a quick look around but saw he had no one to back him up. Poor kid. she thought. He's to green.

 

"Word of advice luv. Find a gang that'll take you and let them show you how to survive these streets. Find one that in Aria's good books and if you've any sense you'll be set for life".

 

The Batarian looked up and spat in her direction. Jess was sorely tempted to push Bernard in his face, just to see if that would ram the message home. Instead she slipped him back into his holster and backed up till she was far enough away to turn and disappear back into the crowd. The encounter had reminded her that for all Omega's glamour, it still had a dark, insidous underbelly that would tear your gut's out if you lowered your guard. She'd been lucky. If she'd been against a gang someone would have died and her presence on Omega would be known.

 

She hurried towards her destination.

[ParkBom]

What was a the doctor's laboratory outfit, at least on the Turian ship, was a non-form-fitting science outfit. While protecting her from common hazardous materials and lined with medigel on the insides, even as comfortable the material it was made of was, it was in no way breathable. Meaning, after this, it seemed that she was going to change into her vacation clothing. Hopefully, the Turians wouldn't mind her walking around in casual clothing, considering how much hotter the temperature was on this ship compared to the that of an Asari or Human vessel. 

 

It wasn't like she was going to be working with anything dangerous anyways. Not yet, at least.

 

Turning to face her first patient, her childish side seemingly mellowed out into a professional calm, the Asari moved to aid him in removing the entirety of the armor and wrapping upon his wounded limb, placing the armor on a counter next to him. "That needs to be washed." she mumbled to herself, cobalt eyes glancing at the bloodstains on the armor before turning to the Human. His arm was muscled and carried its share of scars, traits she had come to expect when it came to Humans involving themselves with military operations. The male ones, at least. 

 

Chuckling at his wisecrack, whether he meant his story to be one or not, Elara biotically pulled a microfiber cloth towards her, pulling a grade-A bottle of medigel towards the counter as well. "Dating your physician is never a smart idea. I cannot tell you how many times seen my colleagues, erm... act rashly, let's say, towards patients with whom they were... close with. Luckily, I'm not quite as vindictive so you'll have nothing to fear from me." she replied, glancing up at the man while she poured some of the liquified medigel onto the cloth, the fabric absorbing it almost instantly. Taking the wet cloth, moved to clean the around the area of the gunshot, craning her neck around to find the exit wound. Both holes seemed to already be healing.

 

"Hm... it seems we have an aspiring physician on our team. Your wound has been cleaned quite well. Whoever did it, I'm guessing Naleena, is skilled with what he does." she commented, touching the area where the wound was healing as if to see test how satisfactory the application was. Eyes looking to the Human's face, she noted how he seemed to not respond to the stimuli of pain, a trait that no doubt required explanation.

 

"You're quite lucky. It looks like the gunshot missed anything vital, just tearing through muscle. That should heal quickly, with the skin having already accepted the medigel as its own." she noted aloud, scanning him with her omni-tool now. Moving right along to the bodily scan, the doctor decided to speak while doing so, the scan going to be taking a few seconds anyway. "May I ask about your resistance to pain? Quite the oddity, if I do say so myself." Blinking down to her omni-tool, she cocked her head at the results. "And it seems that there's evidence of several biotic amp blowouts. I'm guessing those two are related."

 

While she awaited an answer, Elara was still moving, tossing the cloth into a basket and the medigel aside, bottles closed. Now she was walking over to the cabinet, taking out several vaccines and eyeing which ones the Human would need aboard a Turian ship. As she chose the correct ones, placing others back, her eyes would occasionally glance at Kanae, to make sure he knew that her attention was not fixated on the injections rather than her patient.

[siphernin]

"Dating your physician is never a smart idea. I cannot tell you how many times seen my colleagues, erm... act rashly, let's say, towards patients with whom they were... close with. Luckily, I'm not quite as vindictive so you'll have nothing to fear from me." she replied.

Kanae chortled and said something in asari along the lines of 'wouldn't think of it.'  He had a thing for that asari, but she didn't need to know that.  "Though not sure if you're sayin' it's alright to try a woo you or if that fails, that you're not goin' to all the way kill me after my next bout with death," he joked.  "Not that its a big deal either way.  I don't have the best track record with doctors."  He readjusted himself at the touch of the rag and it's contrast to the heat of the ship.  The sensation tugged at the corner of his mouth but stopped there.  

 

Finding himself the object of interest, he stood mostly still as she scanned him.  It wasn't nervousness or apprehension, just tiring.  He would have usually been back on his couch in his flat watching the media circus unfold.  Instead, he would probably be watching the blue shift out of a porthole.  He loosely pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed.  "May I ask about your resistance to pain," she said, breaking into his distracted mind. "Quite the oddity, if I do say so myself." He was about to say something but he figured her reaction to her omni-tool had said it all. "And it seems that there's evidence of several biotic amp blowouts. I'm guessing those two are related."

 

"You found me out, Doc," he said comically.  He laughed to himself, turned to face her and leaned against the counter.  "Humans aren't as advanced as asari when it comes to our biotics.  Long story short, I managed to blow out a series of L2 implants in the middle of a dog fight.  Some serious nerve damage I was told.  Doctors back home call it Indifferent Congental Analgesia or just CIP.  Keeping it short, I can't feel most pain like the rest of the galaxy.  Can feel it, but if it doesn't otherwise kill me on contact, I don't react to it."  

 

"Agent 'Drop' should respond to damage with more awareness before functionality ceases," COLE remarked plainly in direct response to Kanae's words.

 

"Nice to know you care, Cole."

 

Glancing back to the asari, he watched her walk to the cabinets and take out her craft.  He didn't much mind a doctor going for a syringe but was a margin of evasive with this time.  "One sec, Doc," he said keeping a fair distance from her.  "I get it's your duty and all, but I'm not really one for needles.  Especially when I don't know what's in them.  Not for nothin', but I haven't heard nothin' for nothin' about the stuff I'm side-saddlin' off to go do, so I'm a bit iffy on the shots for jarheads bit."

[Redbelle]

Jess stood outside the bar down in the bowels of Omega. The name, The Captains Table, swung on a battered piece of sheet metal hung on a bar  sticking out of the wall of the establishment. Jess walked forward, out of the crowds of people and put her hands on the swing doors and pushed her way inside.

 

Unlike the outside, the inside was clad in wooden floorboards that were buried under boots and table legs. Whoever had gone to expense of shipping those in had probably cost a fortune as the hub bub of voices and the sound of a strato piano tickled away in the corner. A wrinkled Salarian weaving his fingers through the lights that sparked the chords. He looked up in Jess's direction as he noticed her walk in.

 

And stopped.

 

The conversations from around the smoke filled establishment petered out as folk noticed the music had gone silent and looked, first his way, then in Jess's till the entire room had gone silent. All attention fixed on Jess.

 

A Batarian, who had the look of a bouncer, all muscle with rolling folds of fat around his middle walked towards her. "I think your in the wrong place little.....".

 

Jess held up a finger as she took a step forward.

 

"From yonder star I've journeyed here,

braving all unknowns and fear,

turn the credits, protect the crew,

these things and more I swore I'd do.

 

But Captain's tire so here I am,

so much to tell of jobs and scams".

 

As she spoke, she walked through the bar and spying a full tankard of something golden, scooped it off the table and past, giving the owner no chance to object as she continued speaking the words of entrance.

 

"To those who do not give a darn,

sit back and let me spin my yarn.

 

So welcome all and welcome me,

a Captain before you now to see.

 

And those who know not what to think".

 

Arriving at the bar she tilted her head back, and chugged the golden liquid down in one go before slamming the tankard down and wiping her mouth with the back of her hand before turning around.

 

"Quit yer grip'en, let's have a drink"!

 

A cheer erupted from everyone in the bar as glasses were raised in recognition of one of their own. All but the Batarian she had snagged the drink off. Jess couldn't quite make him out though. Whatever he had been drinking was strong enough to make her eye's water as she turned to the bar keep. Rubbing her eye's she focused on a Volus behind the bar and held up a hand in greeting.

 

"Scoots luv. Pint of the usual".

 

"<hiss> Captain Stone...... <hiss> As I live and..... <hiss> Breath..... <hiss> You've been gone a long time". Stepping on top of a crate Scoot's grabbed a glass and put it under a tap. "The..... <hiss> Usual"?

 

"Ta luv. What's with the cold shoulder? Never had to give the entrance rhyme since the first time".

 

Scoot's finished pulling the pint and slid it over to her. "New faces replacing the old.... <hiss>. We don't get many of the old.... <hiss> timers here anymore. Guess you were the first of the new.... <hiss> generation of freighter Captains we're seeing now".

 

Jess picked up the glass and took a sip as she looked around. The faces were certainyl younger than she remembered. Seeing a table with a group of people and an empty chair she look over her shoulder. "Well luv.... As long as they can rhyme, I guess I'm okay with the new faces. Do you still have my tab"?

 

Scoot's paused. "Jess, I know... <Hiss> Aria and you had a..... <hiss> encounter. Your tabs still good here but.... <hiss> It may be smart to get what you need on Omega and get..... <hiss> out of Omega. Before she.... <hiss> notices".

 

Jess raised the glass. "I'll take that under advisement luv". Then, standing up from leaning against the bar, she saunted over to the table and planted her glass on the wooden surface.

 

"Jess Stone. Captain of the good ship Medusa. Mind if I sit with you lot for awhile"?

[Redbelle]

Drink's were ordered. Glasses were clinked and names and names of ships exchanged as the Captains talked over the sound of music coming from the corner. At last, Jess leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table.

 

"So luv's". She said eying each in turn. "I've been hearing things in the Terminus. People going missing". The other captains fell quiet and Jess saw it in their eye's. "You know, don't you". she prodded.

 

The captain across from her, a man with a shock of unruly blonde hair shook his head. "We don't talk about it".

 

"We're talking about it now aren't we"?

 

"Look". Blondy said, leaning forward. "None of that's affected us. So it's not our problem". The Asari sitting next to him made a noise in the back of her throat and he looked over at her. "Ellie"?

 

The Asari Blondy had named Ellie, a nick name Jess guessed, looked around the table. "One of my colonies went dark". She admitted. "I don't know if...... it could be communication failure. It happens. We're scheduled to make a stop next week but......".

 

"But your afraid you'll get there and find nothing". Jess finished. "One of my colonies went dark. And the grapevine is that alot of other's have stopped reporting in too". She leaned back in her chair, snagging her glass. "I've been flying awhile luv's..... and I've never heard of so many colonies going dark at the same time".

 

"Maybe it's faulty comm gear"? Blondy suggested. "The colony sponser's could have bought a bad batch of gear from a comm provider. You know they buy in bulk. They want the cheapest price possible".

 

The ginger haired captain sitting next to Jess thumped his hand on the table. "No. If it was bad gear then colonies would have used spare parts to fix it..... maybe not all of them, but some. It's the same story with every colony. They go dark.... they stay dark. What I want to know is, when is the bloody council going to start looking out for our colonies? They tell us they want us to settle the Traverse and the Terminus systems. Well that's what we're doing, but there's no security out there".

 

"It's the frontier. Of cause it's not as secure as the core worlds".

 

"That's no excuse for the lack of information. These are people, people with familes who are just going missing".

 

"We don't know that".

 

Ellie cleared her throat. "Well..... I think there might be someone who knows".

 

All heads turned to Ellie who shrank from the scrutiny. Jess leant forward and catched her hand. "C'mon luv...... Don't leave us hanging. You know something"?

 

"Not really. It's just that...... there's a group that's springing up, around in the Terminus. Maybe you know them? They call themselves the 'Drowned Aspire'".

 

Ginger made a dismissive sound. "She talking about that cult".

 

"Whatever you call them, I heard one of their ships came out of a relay, from a system where a colony stopped broadcasting. Maybe they know something".

 

Ginger grabbed his drink. "Let's just say what everyone's thinking. It's the Batarians. They want our territory. They want the colonies we have. I figure their grabbing our people and using them".

 

Jess tilted her head. "Using them how"?

 

"Labour. I heard from another frieghter. They saw an asteroid on their scanners. Long range, not a hazard to navigation, so they tagged it and put it into the system so other's would know it was there in case it became a hazard to others. The standard fare for objects in space. They got to the relay and did another scan before the jump. The Asteroid was gone. It wasn't on the projected path. That means it moved". Ginger stared around the other captains at the table. "Think about it! How else do you grab people and then get away with them? If there were ships carrying humans around, we'd know! You can't hide stuff like that for long. But stick all those people into an Asteroid and set them to work cutting out the interior for workspaces, and adding engines...... It's the perfect camoflague. A celestrial object no one gives a second look, allowing them to slip away, or slip into an area without anyone raising the alarm".

 

Blondy looked in Ginger's direction as he shook with supressed laughter. "An Asteroid ship"? He shook his head. "I think you've had to much".

 

Jess sat back, fingering the rim of her mug. "An Asteroid just upped and vanished you say"?

 

Ginger nodded. "That's what I heard. I know..... you think maybe it was an error. Maybe the operator screwed up. Or the sensor grid was faulty. I know the captain of that ship and he doesn't skimp on his ship's maintenace".

 

"That leaves operator error". Blondy pointed out.

 

"Well for my money, the Batarian's are making a play for the territories the council gave us humans, and the sooner they pull their thumbs out......".

 

"We don't even know if people are disappearing. It's all rumour and heresy".

 

"When are you going to admit there's a problem out there..... And we're the one's in the firing line".

 

Jess watched the interplay going on as she sipped her drink. Much of what was being said she'd already known except for two key points that the group had raised.

 

A cult was operating in the Terminus systems who apparently had been in the same area as a dark colony.

 

And asteroids that were there one minute and gone the next had apparently been spotted.

 

As leads went, it wasn't much..... but it was the best she had managed thus far. This cult..... the Drowned Aspire, she'd never heard of it operating in the Terminus. She'd look them up. Maybe she could check navigation logs from relay bouys too. See if anything  had been seen in the major shipping lanes. The bouys tended to be located near the major relays where traffic passed through regularly. Bouys outside of heavy traffic tended to be destroyed as the less reputable pirates destroyed them to prevent their movement's being tracked. Jess leaned back and drained her glass and slammed it down, getting everyones attention.

 

"How about another"? She grinned. She saw everyone's gaze move past her a moment before a heavy hand came down on her shoulder and gripped it tight.

 

"You owe me a drink Stone". Came a familier gruff voice behind her. "Can't believe you'd show your face here again".

 

Jess turned and saw a Batarian gripping her shoulder. Looking back, she saw an empty chair where she had snagged the drink coming in. Looking up, she saw a face from her past.

 

"Griff? Your one to talk luv.... Have you looked in a mirror lately"?

 

Griff blinked his eye's. Two milky white on the left side where he sported a wicked scar running down from his temple to his upper lip.

 

"I'm taking you to Aria. Time to pay up".

 

Jess sighed. Here we go again.

[Kel Riever]

“This is MSV Montague.  Compartment is depressurized and loading hatch is open.  You are clear.”

 

The pilot released the clamps holding her sleek, two-man interceptor to the customized cargo hold’s interior.  With two gentle bursts from maneuvering thrusters, the craft drifted out into space.  Another thrusting maneuver rotated the inverted wing interceptor and Omega loomed into the cockpit’s view.  The pilot set a course for the station. 

 

A growl rumbled from the seat behind the pilot. 

 

“Of course you’ll get to hunt, Maugrim, my darling varren,” the pilot cooed, “I know how much you enjoy it.  You’ve been cooped up far too long.”

 

The varren made a satisfied grumble, and then snapped its teeth rapidly.

 

“Me? No, I am not hunting on this trip.  Morgan knows better than to let down The Shadow Broker, and he’s aware of the consequences.”

 

Maugrim snorted.

 

“Of course, there’s always a chance he’s made a mistake.  It would be disappointing, but there can’t be any loose ends.  And if he did make a mistake, well, there might be some room for personal entertainment after all…”

 

The interceptor accelerated towards Omega.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"You are very lucky," Naleena said as they walked out of Afterlife to the skycars.

 

Dahlia was half jogging to keep up with Naleena's long stride. "What do you mean?"

 

"Aria usually dispenses with help that screw up repeatedly, and not in a good way," Naleena said, "She must see promise in you."

 

"I've done my work. Aria can **** herself." Dahlia said as they stepped outside the club.

 

Naleena turned, grabbed Dahlia by her arm and slapped her across the face. Dahlia winced. "Do not speak of her like that again. Am I clear?"

 

Dahlia was silent.

 

Naleena shook her. "I said, 'am I clear?' And don't try any of your biotic tricks on me either. I can crush you."

 

Dahlia nodded. They made their way down the stairs past the Elcor bouncer, turned right toward the parking lot. Captain Gavorn was standing at his post and noticed that Naleena still was pulling Dahlia along forcefully.

 

Gavorn stepped forward. "Is there any trouble, Dahlia?"

 

Naleena shot him a glare. "Talk to your boss. This is no concern of yours."

 

"Sorry, Naleena. I didn't recognize you. It's been a long time," Gavorn said and waved them on.

 

Dahlia stopped struggling. "Seems like they know you."

 

"15 years ago I worked for Aria for a couple of years. There were some very bad people trying to encroach on her territory. I made them disappear." Naleena spotted the skycar and opened the top. "Get in."

 

"So what are you going to do with me?"

 

"First we complete your job, report back to Aria, and then you will come with me on my mission.

 

"At least I get away from Aria for a while."

 

"Trust me, you will wish you were on Omega with Aria," Naleena said and took off with her in the skycar.

 

Dahlia flared with anger.

 

With lightning quickness, Naleena reached over and grabbed Dahlia's wrist. "What did I tell you about that? Now tell me where you found saw the people who were talking about killing Patriarch."

 

"I was on level 20, near the marketplace. We should start there. I'll know them when I see them."

 

Naleena released her grip. "Are you sure? From what I've heard you were on some human made drugs at the time."

 

"They were nice, but didn't affect Asari physiology as much as they said it would."

 

Naleena glanced at her. "You were lucky. Just because our systems may be able to handle the molecular configuration doesn't mean we'll react well to them. Here we are. I'll park here. Let's just walk through and browse wares. Let me know if you see them."

 

"Damn, you're a hard ass."

 

"You think so? Do what you're told right now, and we'll get out of here," Naleena said, "Play your cards right, and I'll teach you things. I can be quite fun. Play your cards wrong, I can be quite nasty. The choice is yours."

 

The two wandered through the marketplace, and Naleena spoke with vendors about their wares. She haggled with several of them over some odds and ends and made a few purchases under an alias and had the items delivered to the docks. One item was an oddball. The vendor had it for months and couldn't sell it. She recognized it as something very valuable, and picked it up.

 

"What do you want with that piece of junk?" Dahlia asked.

 

"Feel the weight. You've seen my bookshelves. You know that one shelf all the books keep falling over every time my ship hits a certain number of gs on a turn?" Naleena asked, "This will solve that problem. Plus it's quite funky looking." She kicked Dahlia in the ankle.

 

"It's crap. I can get you something else a lot cheaper that'll do the same thing," Dahlia said.

 

The Hanar vendor approached. "This one is pleased that you have stopped by its shop. This one does not sell what your friend calls 'crap.' This one sells quality merchandise."

 

"No offense, but this is a rather odd looking piece. It's container is quite dusty, which means you've had it for quite a while," Naleena said.

 

"Alas, this one has had it in its inventory for two years, and this one is not willing to part with it as a mere bookend," the Hanar vendor said.

 

"Really?" Naleena said, and then whispered to Dahlia. "You keep an eye out. If you see them, follow. Stay in contact with me. I'll catch up. Don't lose them. Understand? I will make it worth your while."

 

Dahlia caught Naleena's gaze, and nodded.

 

"How much do you want for this piece of junk?" Naleena asked.

 

The Hanar bristled. "It is not a piece of junk. 50000 CR"

 

Naleena took it very gently by a tentacle into the back of its shop. "It is essentially a piece of junk to everyone who passes through here."

 

"But obviously not to you. This one senses a deal is in the making." Colors flashed over the skin of the Hanar. "This one is willing to make a deal with the right buyer."

 

"Look, I know what this is. It is a memory module for an 'illegal' AI," Naleena said, "You've had it for years. No one will buy it because they don't know what to do with it. I have a VERA 2251A that I bought on Kahje and had installed on my ship. Vera wants an upgrade."

 

The Hanar got excited. "This module is compatible with the 2240 - 2260 series. This one is willing to part with it for 45000 CR."

 

"I was thinking 25000 CR, but knowing that it's illegal tech, you probably didn't obtain it through legal channels in the first place," Naleena said, "You're lucky to be getting that much."

 

The two negotiated the price and finally settled on 35000 CR. "Have this piece of 'art' delivered to the Audron on the upper level of the docks. Make sure it is labeled "Sculpture" because I'm already known to have some eccentric tastes, and address it to Lady Sonira. The quartermaster will understand."

 

"As you wish. This one thanks you for your patronage." The electronic tranfer went through and the Hanar arranged delivery.

 

"Psst. There they are!" Dahlia said, pointing to the two men. 

 

Naleena crouched behind her and put her hand on her shoulder.

[Cainhurst Crow]

"I'd be more worried about what'll happen once we reach this balcony..." Vayne said as he nodded to arrin, glad to see the kid pull himself together as he kept his chakram launcher at the ready, holding it aimed down the halls as he advanced. His gun wouldn't do much damage within a charged shout, but a good well placed disk to the head, and the explosion would be enough to at least stun. "If there isn't any cover, or not enough room to maneuver, it'll turn it into a shooting gallery if we need to engage a lot of suns, even with the height advantage." vayne finished explaining as he slowed down, coming to a corner of the corridor. Vayne pressed against the wall, holding his clawed hand out as he slowly counted down to three in front of arrin, letting him know what was up before vayne popped out of cover, launcher at the ready and scanning the hallway.

 

They were in luck, there weren't any mercs in the corridor, and after another bend they came to a large, door, the entrance into the hanger and the long balcony that would serve as their vantage point. Vayne looked to arrin as he pointed towards one end of the door, "Press your back against it, turned away from the door. If theres anyone on the other side, they'll fire at me first. I'll be counting on you to help pick them off and giving me support." he said, getting his gun at the ready before taking his own position at the doors controls, opposite arrin. He touched the panel, the door sliding open with a slight hiss as vayne got ready for a potential fire fight, and found no one in front of the door. He still held his gun as he angled himself to see out from the doorway, no sign of anyone else on the balcony for them to have to deal with, at least at the moment.

 

Vayne took a look at the balcony, it had paneling and a guard rail system to prevent people from easily climbing over the ledge, probably to keep folks from jumping from up here. It would also serve as a decent cover should they need it, which was a plus. The balcony had a decent dimension to it, extending 20 ft outwards and traveling the length of the docks until it ended in a staircase, and what appeared to be an elevator nearby the stairs. Vayne signaled for arrin to come with him as he walked towards the balcony's edge, looking out at the dock before them as he saw the vast operation taking place below.

 

The dock stretched on for what vayne estimated was a good solid mile before them, a large docking platform for loading and unloading cargo on the interior of the old mines hangers, ending with walkways that extended outwards towards where 12 decent sized cruiser vessel could have managed to docked individually. The whole thing was massive, and extended out into a seeming drop off from the walkways into a vast emptiness below, and keeping the entire thing safe was the mass effect field that served as the docking bays atmospheric barrier, keeping everything within the field from being sucked into the vacuum of space, that wasn't magnetically bolted down. 

 

As stunning as the vastness of the hanger was however, it paled in comparison to what was occupying that hanger. Dozens of cargo trucks lined the docking platform, lining the entire length of the massive dock from their vantage point tens of feet above the docks platform. Each one seemed to have been filled with cargo that was being unloaded one by one, forming artificial structures all around as one container was stacked upon another. Blue suns could be seen working the trucks and unloading the cargo, operating equipment, checking over the containers, some even inside the vehicles as emptied trucks took off and flew off towards one of the hangers exits back into omegas interior. There were at least a decent 140 containers already unloaded and sitting on the docks, and by the look of the still full trucks, at least as many still layed in their transport vehicles, waiting to be unloaded.

 

"Kalros's egg sack..." Vayne said as he saw the operation unfloding below, counting up the blue suns who were working down at the docks, finding at least 20 guys he could spot from where he stood as he looked to arrin, a smile on his face as he took a step back from the balcony, "This...could be harder then I thought."

[Redbelle]

Jess brushed Griff's hand off her shoulder. "You know the rules luv. You leave your problems outside the door. You want to talk about it after I leave? Fine. But not in here".

 

Griff scoffed, his hand moving to the grip of his gun. "Maybe the rules changed while you weren't here. Maybe now, My side of the bar make the rules, and maybe I just don't like pink hum......". He stopped as Jess shot him a look that had him stumble to correct himself. "I don't like black humans in our bar".

 

Jess sighed. "And he say's I'm out of date". She quipped to those at her table. Blondy and Ginger chuckled while Ellie looked between them.

 

"I don't get it".

 

Griff apparently didn't either. Furthermore he was out of patience. His hand came down on Jess again. "Aria want's you. Maybe alive. Maybe not. Either way. Time you paid for making me look bad in front of her".

 

Jess set her glass down, stood up slowly, and turned to face him, noting his hand on his holster. "You attacked my ship remember? You and your little gang. If you hadn't a forced me to dump the cargo and have it burn up on re-entry, I'd still have the Eezo to sell and neither of us would be the poorer. But your right about one thing luv". She added quickly as Griff tensed from her words. "I do owe you a drink".

 

Pacing off towards the bar before he could stop her Jess held up a hand. "Scoot's luv! A bottle of your finest whisky! And drinks for everyone"!

 

A cheer went up around them as Jess arrived at the bar and waited. The whisky arrived as Jess sensed Griff walking up behind her. She heard the faint pop as Griff unlocked the holsters safety catch.

 

"Quit stallin".

 

"On my world. The condemned get a last drink luv". Jess said as she uncorked the bottle as poured two finger's of the brown liquid into the tumblers scotts had put out. Jess took a look at Scoot's while she picked her's up. Hard to read as he was, she could tell, he was nervous. Taking a moment before drinking she looked around. Griff had mentioned his side of the bar. Now she was looking, she could see that on one side sat largely Batarians and Vorcha, as well as a handlful of other species. On her side, many of the council races and those who were simply not disposed to violence from a cultural standpoint sat. She turned back to the bar as Griff picked up his tumbler.......

 

Perhaps the loss of the colonies were putting a greater strain on the galaxy than she had oringinally thought. Ginger had said it first. Batarians. With the things that were happening and no obvious culprit, old wounds were being peeled back open. The excuse of the colonies going dark being all it took revive the grudges species had with one another.

 

Jess knocked her whisky back and felt the liquid burn it's way down her throat before smacking it back down on the table and pouring another one. Griff lifted his. "You only get one". He growled before knocking his back.

 

Jess finger's were already curling around the bottle neck as Griff's glass was descending. The bottle covering the distance as Jess swung it around and up into Griff's face. The bottle made a loud thunk, but didn't break as she bashed him in the temple before she dropped the bottle and squatting down, planted her shoulder into his midriff and propelled herself forward. They flew across the floor and hit a table whose occupants scrambled out of the way as both went flying over it. Griff managed to get his feet under him first and dragged himself up, dragging Jess up with him as he got a hand between him and her and shoved her back before his other went for his gun.

 

His hand grasped empty air and he looked up. Jess stood, the rest of her side of the bar having stood as well. Blondie had caught her as Ginger stood by his side, his face a mask of rage. Jess righted herself and held up the gun, by the muzzle, that she had snatched off Griff in the scuffle before dropping it to the floor and kicking it over towards the bar.

 

Griff, seeing the ensemble arranged against him took a step backwards and bumped into something. Lookign over his shoulder he saw his side of the bar, likewise up and bristling. knowing he had as many as Jess he smiled and looked back.

 

Jess was grinning broadly. "A real captain"..... She announced as she brought her left hand into her right. "..... Speaks with her fists". She cracked her knuckles and the sound was audible throughout the room that had gone silent. Looking over briefly Jess called to the piano man. "Play us a tune luv. Something lively, fast and short. This won't take long".

 

As the wrinkled Salarian sighed and turned to start up a tune, both sides charged.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

“Which ones?” Naleena asked.

 

“Do you see the two buying varren skewers? Those two.” Dahlia pointed at them.

 

“You’ve got the lead,” Naleena said.

 

One of the men had short brown hair like Dahlia had described. He had a scar on his left cheek, and wore an eye patch. The other wore his black hair in a short braid, had a beard and wore a long coat. They were too far away, and it was too noisy in the marketplace to hear anything they were saying. In the event they had seen Dahlia, Naleena motioned to her to stay hidden, and she walked over to buy a varren skewer.

 

“I’ll have a varren skewer and Batarian ale,” Naleena said.

 

The brown haired man turned to Naleena. “What’s an Asari doing down in these parts? And a Batarian ale? Shouldn’t you be up dancing somewhere?”

 

Naleena laughed. “I’m just shopping for some odds and ends for my ship. I got hungry so I thought I’d grab something to eat.”

 

“Well, get hungry somewhere else.”

 

Naleena pulled out a cigarette and lit it. “I’m not looking for any trouble: just some lunch. I’m sure you boys have more important things to do than give a girl a hard time over where she has her lunch.”

 

The black haired one grabbed the one talking to Naleena. “Come on, Brian, leave her alone. We’ve got things to do. Sorry, ma’am, my partner gets a little uneasy around other species. This is a very dangerous part of Omega. You probably shouldn’t be here alone.”

 

“Thank you…,” Naleena said and extended her hand.

 

He took her hand. “Franklin.”

 

“Enyala. And thank you.” Naleena’s varren skewer and ale arrived on the counter. She extinguished her cigarette and watched the two men vanish from sight. Then she waved Dahlia to approach.

 

“What are you doing? Aria is going to kill me!” Dahlia whispered.

 

“Are you hungry? The skewers are quite good,” Naleena ordered the same for Dahlia. “I got one of the names: Brian. I’m pretty sure Franklin was fake, but I’m pretty sure that he knows.” She tipped her head in the general direction of the Batarian running the stand.

 

Dahlia’s order arrived. “Will there be anything else?” the Batarian asked.

 

“As a matter of fact, yes. I was wondering if you could help me with something?” Naleena asked.

 

The Batarian sized up Naleena. “That depends upon what.”

 

“Those two humans that were here: do you know who they are?”

 

The Batarian was nervous. “That depends upon who wants to know.”

 

“I do.”

 

“A person can get themselves killed in these parts of Omega giving information to the wrong people,” the Batarian said, “I don’t know you. And I’ve only seen your friend skulking about once. I guess she’s one of your crew?”

 

“Yes. I’m Captain Enyala of the Vera. And this is Lara. She’s my engineering technician. I had her scouting vendors in the area,” Naleena said, “Now back to the business at hand. Those two humans intrigue me. One the bearded one called Brian is a racist. His skin must have been crawling sitting here. Imagine the faux stench he smelled. You, a Batarian handling his food, and me an Asari sitting next to him. I can’t even imagine what he was doing on Omega, let alone this level. The bearded one gave me the name Franklin, but….”

 

The Batarian began cleaning the area where the humans were sitting, and then spoke in a low voice. “I know them, and I can give it to you, but it will cost you. I could get killed if anyone finds out.”

 

Naleena looked at the poverty in the area. “Would 100 CR cover it?”

 

“500 CR and I’ll give you what you want.”

 

“250 up front. You talk. And I’ll give you the rest after if it’s worth it. Deal?”

 

The Batarian nodded. “The two are real bad. I’ve heard them talking about an assassination on someone they called Patriarch. The guy is a Krogan. If I’m right, it’s one of Aria’s gang. That could bring some bad **** down our way. We’ve got enough problems. The one called Brian I’ve heard him also call Miller. He’s called the bearded one, Steve and Taylor.”

 

“When is this supposed to take place?”

 

The Batarian held out.

 

“You’ve been around the block,” Naleena paid the full 500 CR, and queued up another 250 CR. “When is this supposed to take place?”

 

“In three weeks, and there’s four involved. I don’t know the names of the other two. Now just keep me out of it.”

 

Naleena gave him the 250 CR. “Don’t worry. Your secret is safe.”

 

“What are you going to do with this information?”

 

“As you know, information is currency,” Naleena said, finished her drink, and checked to see if Dahlia was finished. She was, and they left.

 

As they walked back through the marketplace to the entrance Dahlia knew that she’d never had been able to get that information. “Naleena, you just bought the information. I would have had to follow them back to their hideout, break and enter, and hide and listen in on one of their meetings. Chances are I would have been caught.”

 

“Chances are that Aria would have been satisfied with the names Brian and Taylor. This other information is a bonus. I’m going to expect a payment from Aria. She gave instructions to help you complete your assignment. I did. Why don’t you give her the detailed description of the men, and I’ll give her the rest.”

 

The two entered their skycar and returned to the upper level of Omega.

[Terca]

It was an interesting thing to watch, the dual greed and apprehension of Omega's less desirable. In full armor Deidrus was almost wort killing and taking the corpse for the sake of scavenging the armor, but being armored in the first place made him a bit harder to kill, wearing obviously high-tech armor made him more likely to have some people in an entourage. Fortunately for Deidrus most people decided it wasn't worth it, the rest saw the guns already primed and decided that they'd rather not have to deal a firefight in the streets.

Reaching afterlife the Turian walked past the Elcor bouncer and approached another Turian who was leaning against the wall near the hall-entrance to Afterlife. A back-end for people who didn't need to wait for the Elcor to let them pass. "Yeah?" The man asked as he looked up from where his gaze had landed on the floor. He had a bored expression, his eyes not looking completely at Deidrus. He looked almost to be under the effect of drugs... But his stance was to measured for that. "Got a problem?"

 

"Do I need one?" The response was without humor and the Turian glanced Deidrus up and down before shrugging.

 

"Already do." The man muttered before waving off Deidrus. The Turian smiled behind the lip of his armor as much as he could before entering into the hall entrance way of afterlife. He was only here to make his intentions clear then move back to the Audron to let them know that they were free to walk around and get as much shore leave as could be had on Omega.

[Kel Riever]

Morgan overheard the conversation between Arrin and the krogan, apparently named Vayne.  Whatever they were after was on the docks, and they were going to a balcony for a vantage point.  Leaving enough distance to avoid detection, Morgan followed the two when they began to move.  Vayne and Arrin were on guard, going around a couple of bends before coming the balcony door. 

 

Arrin and Vayne seemed to be lucky, encountering no Blue Suns on their way.  When they passed through the balcony door, Morgan moved as quickly as he could without giving himself away.  Just as the doors were about to automatically close, Morgan placed his fingers on the doorway’s edge, causing the doors to remain open.  He breathed a small sigh of satisfaction as he saw the quarian and krogan had moved away, further down the balcony.  Then Morgan looked into the dock area, and down at the activity under way.

 

This is not good, Morgan said to himself.  He pressed himself against the side of the doorway outside the balcony, keeping as hidden as he could while holding the door open. 

[Redbelle]

The tune was in full swing as Jes's knuckles cracked into Griff's face, as around her, the Captains Table patrons flew into a violent frenzy.

 

Ginger had been right behind Jess and body checked one of those who had tried to strike at Jess. From overhead a bottle flew overhead and landed somewhere with the tell tale sound of glass breaking as Jess's hands came down on a chair nearby. Griff was swinging around towards her by the time she had it over one shoulder. As Griff punched at her she brought it down, hard, over his head.

 

It didn't even seem to faze him as he reached through the splintering wood to grab her collar, and then she was being hoisted into the air with apparently little effort on his part.

 

From up high she could see the bar patron's. Both sides had met, and were now clashing. Individuals caught up in seemingly personal disputes by some of the snatches of the shouting Jess heard over the sound of bone cracking on bone and the sound of flesh echoing on impact as those who had taken a bad one stood off to one side, gasping for breath.

 

Griff wasn't interested in what was happening around him though. With Jess in his hands he flung her towards the bar, made to follow, only for some hapless person to get in his way as Jess hit the bar. Her feet hit the ground as she lay over the counter with the wind knocked out of her. Her mind rolling until her eye alit on the tumbler of whisky she'd poured for herself before she'd hit Griff with the bottle. She grasped it and threw her head back, gulping it down. Feeling the familier burn that focused her on what was happening all around her.

 

A familier weighty hand came down on her neck and twisting around, she brought her right hand around with the glass still in it and smashed it aross Griff's face. His howl of pain soured above the rest of the commotion as he grabbed Jess once more, pushed her back across the counter and ran her across it, sending drinks and glasses flying until he let go and Jess ran out of counter work surface to skid across. She sailed off the end, landing with a crunch at someones feet. She looked up in time to see a Batarian, whose feet she'd landed under take a right hook in the jaw by none other than Eliie who then swung a bottle over her head and bringing it down over the Batarians. The Batarian tripped backwards over Jess body and landed, his eye's rolling up in their sockets as he passed into unconciousness. Ellie put a hand out of Jes who grasped it and pulled herself up.

 

"Nice shot"! Jess shouted.

 

"Thanks...... I think I broke something".

 

"As long as your standing......". Jess started to say when the people in front of her who were grappling together got thrust apart and thrown. One into the melee, the other crashing into the racks of drinks behind the bar. "Sorry luv. My partner wants to dance".

 

Leaving Ellie behind cradling her hand Jess stalked towards Griff who reached inside his jacket. He flipped his arm out and a baton snapped to full extension and beat down another hapless victim who staggered backwards into Griff's path.

 

Jess brought her fists in a defensive stance as both prepared to clash.

 

An almighty boom resounded around the bar that shook the air and caused everyone, Jess and Griff included, to look around.

 

Scoots stood atop the bar, An M-300 Claymore, lying in his hands. The barrel still smoking as Scoot's racked another heatsink into the chamber. "This is...... <hiss>..... My bar...... <hiss>...... And your all...... <hiss> Breaking the rules"! He looked over the bar that had gone quiet except for the crinkling of broken glass shifting under everyones feet.

 

That was when the doors to Omega swung open and the pounding of feet could be heard before the crowd parted and Jess could see who was making the racket. She groaned.

 

Aria's enforcer's had arrived.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Dahlia piloted the skycar to its place on the upper level of Omega and the two exited and began the short walk back to Afterlife.  Gavorn nodded to Naleena as she passed him, and she ran her fingers down the side of the Elcor.

 

“With joy, greetings Naleena,” the Elcor said.

 

“Hey! How come they get to walk right by?” a human shouted.

 

“With loss of patience, they have business with Aria, and you do not,” the Elcor said.

 

They entered the foyer of Afterlife, and the music grew louder. The pounding of the bass could now be felt in ones chest. Naleena smiled. She loved it here, but she knew she couldn’t stay.

 

“You really like it here, don’t you? Why don’t you stay?” Dahlia asked.

 

“Aria and I both have strong personalities, and eventually we’d clash,” Naleena replied, “We both know it. I respect Aria too much and I value our friendship too much to put that in jeopardy.”

 

“So this arrangement of occasional visits works for you, then.”

 

“Precisely.”

 

“You have different view about how to run Omega?”

 

Naleena stopped before opening the door to the main floor. “I don’t know that I’d run Omega any differently. I think the confrontation would be more personal. I might want something she might not be willing to give.”

 

“I see. You do not share the views about pureblood relationships that other Asari share, then.”

 

“No, I do not. I don’t think mating outside our species is necessary even though my father was Drell. Do not get me wrong. I loved my father.”

 

“You think our species has made mating outside our species some kind of religion.”

 

“Precisely,” Naleena said, opened the door and entered. She and Dahlia made their way through the crowded nightclub. Naleena glanced up and smiled at the dancers. She glanced around the club as they walked toward Anto, and she noticed that Deidrus was on the opposite side of the club approaching the other bodyguard. Anto waved Naleena and Dahlia through, and they climbed the stairs to Aria’s private section.

 

Deidrus also climbed to the head of the stairs but was stopped by Bray and told to wait. He saw Naleena take a seat on Aria’s couch, cross her legs and light a cigarette. The two were obviously on friendly terms. He was not close enough to hear the conversation. Another Asari stood in front of Aria.

 

“So, Naleena, tell me, did she complete her job as I asked?” Aria inquired.

 

“Dahlia, why don’t you tell her?” Naleena motioned to Dahlia.

 

Dahlia related the details to Aria about the two men up to the point where Naleena had and she had discussed.

 

“Was that difficult, Dahlia? You could have done that the first time,” Aria said, “Keshek, pick up the two of them and bring them in.”

 

“Wait, Keshek.  Aria, there’s more,” Naleena interrupted.

 

Aria looked annoyed. “Go on.”

 

“We followed the two of them, and they stopped for varren skewers at a stand across from a Hanar vendor,” Naleena said, “I thought I’d go have some lunch and told Dahlia to stay put. One of the humans was quite rude, and after they left, I spoke with the Batarian running the stand. He was scared. I bought information from him. The humans are bringing in extra muscle for the assassination.  They are planning to do it in three weeks. The Batarian mentioned the name Patriarch. It cost me 750 CR.”

 

Aria smiled. “Reimburse her, and pay her 1500 CR. They’re going to do this in MY club?” Aria flared with anger. “We’ll sit tight until they have everything in place, and then we’ll make our move. Thank you, Naleena.” She stood and looked over her nightclub. “Can you tell me anything about this Spectre you’re traveling with?”

 

Naleena got up and leaned on the railing next to Aria. “Only that he’s got a stick up is ass like every other Turian I’ve met.”

 

“Ha!” Aria shook her head.

 

“He’s strictly by the book. I’m going to have difficulty moving the drugs I have on board the ship, but I will move them,” Naleena said.

 

“How?”

 

“I learned from you. They cleared customs on Illium, but you know everything is legal there. I have the quartermaster in my pocket. He’ll look the other way while we move things on and off the ship,” Naleena said, “We’ll distribute in human ports of call, or any other place we stop, except here, of course.”

 

“That’s what I’ve always liked about you, Naleena. You know your limitations.”

 

“And how to stay alive.”

 

Aria laughed.

 

“Aria, would you recommend a vendor to fit Dahlia with some commando armor?”

 

“Try Harrot’s. Tell him I sent you. He’s got a few suits, but he doesn’t sell them unless I say he can. He’ll call to verify,” Aria said.

 

“Thank you, Aria.”

 

“Good luck out there, and keep her safe.”