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[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Irina wandered back to the ship. She couldn’t help but think things really weren’t okay between her and Dahlia. It was going to take time for that to heal, hopefully her peace offering would help. Should she give it to her now? Or wait a bit? Waiting a bit might be better. Now might seem like I’m trying to buy her forgiveness.

 

She walked with a brisk stride through the main deck down to the wardroom where Chief Williams was finishing her lunch of a hamburger and fries.

 

“With everything on the menu, you chose those?” Irina asked and sat at the table.

 

Ashley smiled. “Well, these are the best I’ve had in a while. Kudos to your commander for getting some decent rations. Did you get done what you had to?”

 

“Yeah, about that…. Tone down the ‘kill the Batarians’ stuff.” Irina said.

 

“Don’t tell me you fell for that?” Ashley asked.

 

“Look, you and I went through hell with Batarians on Elysium, and I did on Torfan, but this isn’t an Alliance ship. We have to be a bit careful, here, with what we say,” Irina said, “ You understand? There’s a Batarian squadmate, and Dahlia, and who knows how many of the other Asari had Batarian family?”

 

“So you’ve gone soft on me?”

 

“No, Ash, I’m saying we do our jobs, but we tone down the rhetoric. That Asari Spectre is not one to hold back, and I would not want to get on her bad side,” Irina said, “I’ve never really seen her in action, but I’ve heard some rumors about her interrogation… especially the last one. She got or rather extracted information very quickly. The guy’s a babbling idiot down in the brig.”

 

“Sh*t…. Alright you made your point. I can do that,” Ashley replied.

 

** **

 

Another ship arrived and docked eight bays down from the Janiri. It was the Alliance Cruiser Nairobi. Magnificent ship. So different from ours, Dahlia thought. She watched the crew disembark and she shook her head wondering what was going on back on Omega. Part of her missed the asteroid and the routine tasks that Aria had her doing. One day, she hoped, she’d be one of Aria’s lieutenants. She could think of worse things to be in the galaxy, especially with the cards she was dealt at birth. Her last message would help.

 

Her hands dropped from the railing, and she began her long walk back to the ship. Naleena should be ready to start the meeting any moment. *sigh* I really wish Irina hadn’t said those things. I was starting to like her. At least she came out. I know she has a chip on her shoulder, but… I don’t know.

 

She walked up the spaceway toward the airlock and boarded the ship. Then slowly made her way back toward the conference room. She entered and found Naleena preparing the room for the meeting.

 

Naleena looked surprised. “Decided to arrive early?”

 

“Yeah, I mean there wasn’t anything else to do. Can I help with anything?” she asked.

 

“Not really, I’m about done…. Why don’t you call the kitchen and have them send up the food and beverages.” Naleena remembered it would be a good thing to give her something to do no matter how trivial.

 

“Sure.” Dahlia replied and opened her omni-tool to contact Grag.

 

“Thanks.”

[Kel Riever]

Previously...( http://forum.bioware...res/?p=17538924 )

Aboard the Khukuri, last known location:  Vem Osca

 

Xhuan sat at the ergonomic desk in Iyana’s outer chamber, working with the computer.  As a stream of data rolled across the screen, she informed her master, “All funds have been transferred.”  Xhuan’s voice was unusually humbled, “My superior….I had no concept…”

“Of the assets we had access to?”  Iyana lounged on the fainting couch, still in her dress from her QEC meeting with the Shadow Broker. “The sum you see is what I wish you to know about.  But that should provide some optimism, does it not?”

Xhuan coughed.  “There are more funds there than some developed planetary budgets."

Iyana drew an edge in her voice.  “None of which would have to be moved if it weren’t for this disaster.  Since when does the Shadow Broker not want information?  It is one thing to tell me to avoid handing over information to the Kings and Queens, and entirely another to not want the information for our own purposes.”

“Perhaps the Shadow Broker has the information already.”

“Then tell me!”  Iyana hissed.  “Never before has that been a problem.  If it weren’t for the lie, perhaps I would have had my doubts.”

“The lie?”  Xhuan peered curiously at the woman she was devoted to.

Iyana sat up and stared back at Xhuan.  “The lie, Xhuan.  The Shadow Broker cannot be lied to…at least the one we have worked for in the past.  You know about my affliction.  Yet the Shadow Broker I spoke with fell for the lie I spoke of.”

“You referenced your injuries.”

Iyana stared coldly away.  “The Shadow Broker who commands us now is not the same.  There has been a change.  And I’ll be damned if anyone was supposed to make that move it was I!”

Xhuan stood from the desk, came over, and knelt before the couch.  “My superior, could this not simply be the opportunity you have always sought.  To lead us fully?  To answer to no one?  To become that which you have always sought to be?”

 

With a softening expression and a smile, Iyana leaned forward and took Xhuan’s chin in her fingertips.  “You are a beautiful fool, my hawk.  The Shadow Network is far greater than that of our vast relationships and resources.  It would have been better for us to usurp it.  Now, in fact, the network maybe in hands that will ruin its former glory.  If Morgan hadn’t left, I may have been able to make my move.”  She paused momentarily in contemplation and withdrew her hand before going on.  “It took too long to kill him, and that is if he is dead.  I must confirm that.  Stone, that Spectre, those people…they did cause me undo grief.

“Nevertheless, you are correct Xhuan.”  Iyana’s eyes brightened.  “We must accept what has happened.  I cannot allow this occurrence to alter our fate.  Allies must be contacted, drawn away from the Shadow Broker’s network where they can.  We must gather all available to us, as quietly as possible.  The Shadow Broker will know at some point, but by then it should be too late.

“We must retreat for now, Xhuan, in one direction while pressing out in others.  I must continue my attempts with the Kings and Queens, I must take advantage of Morgan’s death.  But first and foremost, we need a safe haven now, a place to fall back to.  Surely our ship has been made, and we have as well.  Even if we hadn’t, once we move against the Broker, we would be hunted.  So we must build our places of hiding, our own lair.  And from there we may rest our wings when they become weary, so that we may fly out and strike again.”

[Cainhurst Crow]

Vayne stretched as he listened to the cranking and cracking of his arms and back, yawning slightly as he shock his head.

"Stupid down time...." The krogan said as he rubbed his eye a bit, cracking his neck as he stood up from his heed, "Messing with my sense of time." Vayne had been given si me boosters to help spew up his recovery. And while he had no complaints for their direct effect, after all hed just woken up from a nice dream filled with crushing enemies and driving them from theIr homelands, he had to say waking up this late was pretty discouraging.


"Wonder whats on the menu for break....lunch?" He corrected himself as he dressed up in some casual clothing and he a out of his quarters. He walks through the halls towards the mess hall as he called it, arriving through the doors to spot a familiar and unfamiliar face.

"So how's my human krantt doing today?" Vayne asked with a grin, spotting irina as he looked to Ashley, giving a nod of his head, "Who's this? Dont tell me we got another member of the crew ready." He said only half joking.

[Terca]

EK Composites Facility, Hermes Ridge, Noveria.

 

"I'm calling it in." Octis Akvia murmured as she broke through the seal on the third wing and tossed a smoke grenade into the hall leading into it. There was gunfire, hectic and without direction before she tossed a second much more potent wide-array suppressive grenade. Soon the sounds of fire teams disappeared as those without helmets choked and those with helmets relocated.

 

She pulled through with her team and set up a perimeter on entrance as their UV scan pierced through the infrared jamming smoke to look for adversaries. After determining that none were left in their immediate vicinity Akvia raised her hand and hailed the Audron.

 

"Breaking radio silence. EK facility compromised, their east-bearing wing is being pressed. Requesting secondary fire teams to lock exit systems for south-east and western corridors." Finished she dropped her hand again and pulled out the HMWP handgun and firing into an incapacitated guard at her feet, compromising his lower abdomen.

'

"Understood. Octis, continue advancement. Androkan and fire teams B and G are on their way for suppression." The operator replied as the teams began to rappel down from the Audron and into the crack in the frozen steppe which had hidden the base from all but direct analysis. It had taken a tense hour, not time Deidrus wanted to waste so he left a fire team on the ground with each group so that the push could be made the moment someone hit a lead. Now, there was a time to make the push.

 

Akvia was responsible, learned, and despite being skeptical often was quick to complete objectives, a trait which is often cultivated into the young of the Turian. Mostly this lead to either filial piety or rebellion, but in Akvia it lead to a certain mettle. It made Deidrus much more comfortable with sending her off into the field without anyone backing her up. She was an Octis after all, someone who could lead an array of fire teams from the front or the rear. She had the skill.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

(Following is combined between JB and SGJ)

 

Vayne stretched as he listened to the cranking and cracking of his arms and back, yawning slightly as he shock his head.

“Stupid down time....” The krogan said as he rubbed his eye a bit, cracking his neck as he stood up from his heed, “Messing with my sense of time.” Vayne had been given si me boosters to help spew up his recovery. And while he had no complaints for their direct effect, after all hed just woken up from a nice dream filled with crushing enemies and driving them from theIr homelands, he had to say waking up this late was pretty discouraging.


“Wonder whats on the menu for break....lunch?” He corrected himself as he dressed up in some casual clothing and he a out of his quarters. He walks through the halls towards the mess hall as he called it, arriving through the doors to spot a familiar and unfamiliar face.

“So how's my human krantt doing today?” Vayne asked with a grin, spotting irina as he looked to Ashley, giving a nod of his head, “Who's this? Don’t tell me we got another member of the crew ready.” He said only half joking.

 

“Kadavar Vayne, this is Operations Chief Ashley Williams. She’s an Alliance Marine. We served together on Elysium during the Skyllian Blitz. Later she was at The Battle of the Citadel,” Irina said. “Vayne fought the biggest f*cker of a Krogan I’ve ever seen in my life, Ash. Bit as sh*t!”

 

“But you killed him,” Vayne commented.

 

“I went crazy and killed him,” Irina replied. “Anyway, with both you injured, and Morgan out, I thought we could use her on our next op.”

 

“Wait, what op?” Vayne asked, blinking in confusion as he wondered what she was talking about.

 

“Wait, the other human is lost here. What’s this Krantt stuff?” Ashley asked.

 

“It's a best friend who guards your back. Now what Op?” Vayne replied. It was the closet definition he'd found.

 

“I’ll explain it to you later, Ash,” Irina replied, then with a sheepish grin, “Vayne, I was watching the news and saw the report.”

 

“What report?” the Krogan asked, now sounding more confused.

 

“Batarian terrorists took over one of the domes and are demanding the return of the Armstrong Cluster to the Hegemony, otherwise they’ll detonate bombs that will destroy the dome killing all 200,000 plus inhabitants and workers inside,” Irina replied.

 

“Sounds bad...” Vayne said as he shock his head in disgust. Batarians were an alright species, but some of them could be downright evil sons a bitches when they put their minds to it. Hearing them doing another mass hostage situation made him wish he were in better shape to help, “And the Alliance isn’t up to the job? Figured this'd fall right up their alley.” Vayne asked.

 

“It’s a bit more complicated than that. There’s a lot of bad blood between the Alliance and Batarians. This dome is run by Eldfeld-Ashland Energy and they run the local government. Ashland hires everyone if they’ll work,” Irina continued, “But I think he’s afraid that if the terrorists see Alliance uniforms they’ll detonate the bombs. So... we went to the boss and talked her into another op. You know.... Well, we can't just sit here and do nothing. Naleena left and went to the conference room, probably to clear everything with the Council.”

 

Vayne nodded as he stroked his chin, gears turning in his head and were evident behind his eye, “I see...so better to send the council forces in, and maybe introduce a third party. Were I on this team, I'd probably try to convince them we were a legitimate peace force sent to negotiate with them, let them invite us in before blowing them away...” Vayne said as he snapped his fingers.

 

“We got a Batarian with us, good at sneaking and covert stuff. I take it Naleena's already gotten him aboard?” Vayne asked, smiling a bit as he did so, before his smile faded slightly. “Wait a sec....you gonna be okay with that, Irina?” he asked, seeing the evident discomfort on her face when he spoke about Essul.

 

“I… don’t know about Essul… yet. I mean it would be a great opportunity for him,” Irina said. “Naleena made a point. We fight a lot of humans doing bad sh*t, too. Look at our last job.”

 

“I thought you said he was Krogan?” Ashley asked.

 

“A human was the mastermind,” Irina was quick to point out. “So if Essul joins us, and we’re successful, he might show people that not all Batarians are… that there are good Batarians, too.”

[Kel Riever]

Iole had to check the Hellbringer three times, because she blanked out the first two. She was tired and forced herself to focus. Iole still didn’t recover from all her task oriented duties, and she hadn’t been able to sleep during her allotted time.

So out of it, in fact, Iole missed Frank exit the elevator to the shuttle bay.

Her eyes half drooping, Iole walked right past Frank, mumbling “Why did they call it a Hellbringer? Such a human name. I’d have called it a Voidbringer….” Tallis and Jenus had done their own gear check, and were once again playing five-finger wrestling. Iole felt like her feet flopped more as she walked. She didn’t care.

Jenus got distracted when Iole came over, which allowed Tallis to flip her off balance sideways. The two of them laughed. Jenus accused Tallis, “Cheater. Is that the only way you can win now?”

Tallis did a wiggle as she gloated, then threw her arms over head.

Jenus noticed Iole’s lackluster expression. “Goldie, if you’ve got to keep on your feet, hit yourself with a stim.”

Furrowing her brow, Iole sat on one of the long weapons crates lying about, put her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands. “Just give me a minute. It happens. I’ll be good to go when everything starts.”

“Suit yourself,” Jenus said, then quickly reached over and pulled one of Iole’s arms out so her head fell, suddenly unsupported.

“Hey!” Iole snapped.

"Hey, Tallis got shot and look at her."

Iole made a 'V' with two fingers and stuck her tongue through it. "Tallis also slept when she came back, after she got gelled up."

"I did. I did." Tallis acquiesced.

“All right, Golden Eyes. Don’t get cranky with me,” Jenus said, then set up to face Tallis for another round.

Iole watched them briefly, before she lay back down across the crate. The idea was to think to herself for a few seconds, but she closed her eyes and drifted off.

[Cknarf]

Frank leaned against his usual crate, watching the commandos horse around.

 

You wouldn't see that aboard the Audron.

 

He couldn't help but smile at the sight of highly-trained killing machines playing, what looked to him, like a children's game.

 

That actually looks kinda fun...

 

Frank shrugged, and made his way over.  He cracked his knuckles. "I've got next." He smiled, before striking a pose.

[favoritehookeronthecitadel]

Avan got up from a nice sleep. Stretching and yawning, he casually left the room.

 

"Hello, Avan." VERA said.

 

"How are you doing, VERA? Well, I mean, in terms of...however you feel." Avan asked awkwardly.

 

"I'm doing good, as per usual."

 

"So...there's a mole on the inside. Any thoughts on who that might be?", 

 

"Not at the moment. It could be anyone, depending on the motive or reason. And I can do a lot of things, but reading someone's thoughts isn't one of them." VERA explained.

 

"Well, thank goodness for that." Avan smiled.

 

"I suspected it might be you, but detect no change in heart rate or lie when you just asked me this question. Therefore, I don't suspect you as much...but it could be anyone on this ship, except for Naleena."
 

"How? I mean, I would assume she didn't either. It would be quite a logical jump and not make much sense if she was setting up all of this just to be working for Iyana. But I wouldn't put it past her. What makes you certain she's not the mole?" Avan asked.

 

"I know her." VERA responded.

 

"Do you?" 

 

"Yes, I do. Better than anyone. If she had any involvement, I would know."

 

"Well, that's one suspect down. If you do think it's someone in particular, or someone stands out...and if you want me to interrogate them myself, just say the word." Avan explained. "Even for a mercenary such as myself, working with someone who's a traitor to the cause is very bad for business...next to suicide. They need to be discovered, and I don't know if anyone cares enough to really do anything about this." he continued lying. He nearly started to believe himself.

 

"When the first substantial thread of evidence is linked to someone specifically, I will let Naleena and you know. If she's ok with you assisting her in getting information out, you can do whatever is needed. But I doubt Naleena will need help. If she wants the truth from a traitor, she'll get it." VERA explained

 

"No doubt. But I can make it painful." Avan grinned.

 

"By the way, I was listening to the conversation as you all were reviewing the Medussa post-mission. Mira was attempting to make conversation with you, and you appeared to ignore her. Her feelings were pretty hurt. You might want to go and try to make it up to her. She's very friendly and easy to talk to, from my observations."

 

"Goodness, I didn't mean to ignore her!" Avan exclaimed. "I must not have heard what she said. Thank you, I will apologize."

 

Avan left to go find her. 

[Cainhurst Crow]

"Funny, that guy." Vayne said, commenting about essul as he observed irina's reaction, "Not sure I pegged him down myself. At the very least though..." vayne said with a cocky grin as always, "If he does join up, you'll be able to peg him down." he said as his stomach growled, looking down to it with a chuckle.

 

"You'll have to excuse me, I still haven't had breakfest...or brunch, I guess." he said with a shrug of his shoulders, looking back to his partner as he held out a clawed hand for her, "Whatever happens, kick some ass for me, would ya?" He asked her, wanting to let her know she had his moral support.

 

============================

 

Essul splashed water on his face, the cold liquid helping to clear his head as he looked to the sink, watching the water slowly spiral down the drain. He clutched the sides of the sink, dressed in armor as he worked to clam down his breathing and heart rates. After his talk with naleena, this had been his first stop, having needed to orally empty the facilities, as it were. Now he was here, trying to regain his composure, alone and hopefully unwatched.

 

He looked up to the mirror in front of him, cringing at how he looked. His color was paler then normal, he had dark rings under his eyes, and looked sicker, as if his fear and stress were starting to actually physically alter him. He brought a hand to his forehead, enjoying the cold feel of his gauntlets alloy mix against his skin.

"You can do this...you have to do this..." he said as he grabbed a nearby towel and wiped off his face of moisture, reaching down to turn off the running sink as he turned to walk out of the bathroom.

 

Slowly, he made his way to the conference room, repeating the mantra in his mind.

[Redbelle]

"So there I was in my underwear with a duffel bag full of the mercenaries cred chits in one hand and a martini in the other facing down an Asari Commando Unit with their weapons out and biotics humming and all I had with me was a smile and beach towel...... and I says to them, 'Oh.... my.... Goddess, did Chad order to many stripper's AGAIN"? Jess threw back her head and laughed as she walked with her arm around Mira's shoulder. "The lead commando didn't like that but she soon changed her tune when I offered to show her what Chad liked. They went in and busted him and afterwards I must have used half the chits entertaining the troops. They never once wondered where the creds were coming from. The loved the pent house though. Had a pool and everything. I think two of them got married because we woke up the next day with a priest with his legs dangling in the fish tank".

 

Jess sighed as she slipped her arm from around Mira's neckline. "That was the day I faced down an Asari Commando Unit and lived to tell aobut it.... And then some..... I wonder if those two stayed married? I mean who can really say that about people these days"? Jess shifted. "Hacked their omnitools of course and deleted all the recordings. Mostly to get rid of me from the data trail but if  they'd seen what the heavy gunner did with that Bellhop..... Cage and all..... Which was handy since we needed it to block the door to keep the hotel security out.....".

 

Jess looked over at Mira. "Sorry, not boring you am I"?

[Kel Riever]

“No…”

Mira’s meeping voice blew the cover on her awkwardness so much, she immediately felt compelled to add.  “So…you went commando with the Commandos?  heh….”

That doesn’t even make sense.

Mira turned purple. 

[Redbelle]

"Heh! Commando on the commando's.... I like that. How about you luv? You go commando when your girls are commando"?

[Kel Riever]

Mira smiled like she had just been electrocuted.

Her head started shaking diagonally.  It was like she was caught between a 'no' and a 'yes', so she opted for a forty-five degree angle shake instead.

And of course, her pupils were almost completely contracted.

"I read books!" Mira sputtered.  Then it got bad, because Mira tried to rescue herself. "I mean, uh, so, I like books to relax.  You know, by myself.  When no one is around."

[Redbelle]

"Ever read Moby Dick commando"? Jess asked deadpan.

[Kel Riever]

"Nnn..I don't...I mean I don't read those sorts of...what is Moby Dick Commando?"  Mira's expression became slack and she stumbled. 
The hall looked like it was moving to Mira. Captain Stone's arm felt really warm (or was it even around her anymore?). "Uh, I feel woozy."

[Cknarf]

"Ready? Ready?" Tallis smiled, their fingers interlocked.

 

"Ready to win." Frank squinted. "Let's do this."

 

The first round ended after about ten seconds, with Frank victorious.

 

"Pffft. Weaksauce." He scoffed. "Were you even trying?"

 

"Rematch. Rematch."

 

Frank nodded, and they got back into position.

 

"Come on, quit messin' around." It didn't take him long to realize that Tallis was just toying with him, easily forcing him back when he made it to a certain point. "Don't hold back, I can take it."

 

His eyes widened, as her expression changed from a playful smile, to a focused stare.

 

Oh Sh*t.

 

Frank ended up headfirst in a pile of crates.

[Redbelle]

"Hold up there girl". Jess said sidestepping close. "Let me look at you. You do seem a bit flushed.... Maybe all this actions catching up with you. When was the last time you went to bed"?

[Kel Riever]

"Uh...required 9 hours rest...followed orders....woke up right before the meeting...uh...mooplesiesoup..."

[Redbelle]

"Is that what you had for breakfast"?

[Kel Riever]

"Wha?"  This time Mira shook her head to clear it.  "No.  No.  Back to business, back to business."

Did I just say 'Back to business' out loud? Twice?

"Um, I'm not sure I followed you...there.  The only human...fiction...I've read is the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."  Mira steadied herself, though still felt her mind flipping about, like she wanted to run to a corner and curl up. "Not, uh...well, the story about commandos you were talking of.  I didn't know there was a human book about a commando named Moby Dick."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Caleston - Janiri: Conference Room

 

“Dahlia, are you about done?” Naleena asked.

 

“Yes, and I’ve sorted and divided the material packets for each team member,” Dahlia replied.

 

Naleena was a bit surprised. She hadn’t asked Dahlia to do that. “Could you contact the team members and have them come to the Conference Room. I’d like to get this meeting started. And thank you for your help. You saved me a lot of time.”

 

Dahlia looked up. “Naleena, what are we going to do when we reach the dome?”

 

“We’re going to do everything we can to ensure the safety of the inhabitants. That means disarming bombs, and neutralizing the terrorists. Why? Something bothering you?” Naleena asked.

 

“I just had a discussion with Irina. Two exactly,” Dahlia replied. “The first one was with that Alliance Marine and they were talking about the ‘Batarian bastards.’ Then later Irina talked to me outside. I’m Asari, but I’m part Batarian. It hurt. Irina is part of the team.”

 

Naleena sat on the conference table. “Dahlia, people like you and me: Asari, we’re different than most other races. A majority of us have mixed parentage with races spanning the galaxy. Humans have only been galactic citizens for 30 years. This doesn’t make us better, nor is it an excuse for prejudice. Yet, all of us harbor prejudices. Did she apologize?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Then accept it and move on. Give her another chance.”

 

Dahlia nodded. “I’d better contact the team,” she said, and got on the intercom. “All active team members, ‘Team Boom,’ and Commander Selani report to the main conference room.”

 

Grag’s staff brought up the coffee, snacks, and other beverages.

 

Naleena received a private message from VERA. Essul had transmitted a message using Hegemony encryption. Naleena had the exact contents of the message. Sh*t! I’ll talk to him after the meeting.

 

** **

 

Team members arrived in the conference room, and took their seats. Ashley Williams sat next to Irina. Dahlia sat at Naleena’s right at her end of the table simply because she’d helped get everything ready.

 

Naleena greeted the team. “Good afternoon. As many of you heard, Dome 410, was taken over by Batarian terrorists who are demanding that the Council turn over the Armstrong Cluster to the Batarian Hegemony. This is most likely a reprisal for the destruction of the mass relay in the Bahak System that killed 300,000 Batarians on Aratoht. This is a demand that everyone, including the terrorists, knows won’t be met. The terrorists say they have planted bombs and are threatening to blow up the dome that houses over 200,000 people, over 50% of them human, if their demands aren’t met. Destruction of this dome would shut off access to one of the most productive eezo mines on the moon. Eezo that is used by the Alliance for building drive cores.

 

“Operations Chief Williams, an active duty Alliance Marine who is currently on leave will be joining us for this operation. But before we continue, Chief Williams, I need you to sign a non-disclosure agreement.”

 

Williams looked a bit puzzled. “What?”

 

“I need you to sign a non-disclosure agreement that you will not divulge anything you see or hear on this ship to any of your superior officers, or any of your colleagues, family, friends, enemies, acquaintances, priest, psychologist, anyone, until such time as these things have been officially declassified by the Council. This is a Council Ship its build is classified, and our missions unless otherwise stated are classified.”

 

“Understood, Spectre,” Williams signed the NDA that Dahlia handed her.

 

“VERA bring up the map of Dome 410.”

 

VERA had partitioned and erected firewalls to prevent Alliance personnel from detecting her AI activity in the conference room. The Alliance personnel and contractors working in Engineering were interacting with VERA the VI. Everywhere except in the private quarters of the team and at this moment in the conference room, VERA the VI was being shown.

 

A holographic map of Dome 410 appeared in the center of the conference table and VERA began to speak. “This is the representation of Dome 410. According to what I have been able to put together from the news streams, the terrorists have been watching all of the main access points”

 

 

“Wait,” Ashley said, “An illegal AI? Those things are dangerous. That’s why you had me sign that?”

 

“The terms of the NDA are air tight, Chief.”

 

“VERA could have killed everyone long ago if she wanted to, Williams,” Naleena said.

 

“That is true. However, had I done so, there would be a high probability that I would not survive to my day of reckoning.”
 

“Did I mention she has a sense of humor?”

 

“Who said that was a joke?”

 

Naleena hesitated a moment. “And she’s a smart ass.”

 

“I almost had you. I should continue.

 

“Government officials have erected barricades at all access points and press cameras are behind them. However, there is one reporter that is inside the dome in one of the buildings nearest the mine access. Terrorist activity is heaviest in that area. Before being captured, the reporter estimated between twenty and thirty heavily armed Batarians. There could be more.

 

“I have done a structural analysis of the dome. In all likelihood, they placed bombs on all of the main support columns. I have marked these in red. Also as a failsafe, to prevent access to the mine, they would place more explosive devices here at the mine entrance.

 

“This reporter indicated that the terrorists took some people into a building located here as hostages. The reporter recently went on the air stating that there are thirty people in the building and one per hour would be killed until their demands were met. Once they run out of hostages they will detonate the bombs.”

 

“So what’s our way in?” Irina asked.

 

“It would be logical to go in unseen. I recommend entering via the main dome entrance. It seems unusual to use the ‘front door,’ but there is a service tunnel entrance there. I have marked the service tunnels in gray. Possible access points that you could use to enter the dome I marked with a four-pointed star.”

 

“Thanks, VERA,” Naleena said, “So let’s discuss how we want to do this.”  

[Terca]

Eteon scratched the back of her neck before raising her hand momentarily.

 

"If the reporter was captured it is likely those on the inside are now aware of at least one of the access points. That heavily compromises that approach since they may very well have fortified around those entrances to make sure no escape or infiltration can occur." Eteon said before quieting again. "It is a setback but to enter into a direct firing line would have rather disastrous consequences."
 

[Redbelle]

Jess shrugged. "Sneak in out of sight, sneak in right under their noses, or sneak in like a wolf in sheep's clothing...... I know which I'd prefer. What's the situation with the reporters? Are they being allowed freedom to broadcast? Or are they being added to the hostages"?

 

Jess paused. "And does VERA have a copy of 'Moby Dick goes commando' in her library"? Jess asked straight faced.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"There is only one reporter inside the dome, and he was already inside the dome when the terrorists seized control. The others are outside the barricades with government authorities." VERA replied.

 

"This is going to be a stealth mission. Our priorities are 1) Diffuse the bombs; 2) secure the hostages in that order," Naleena  said. "This means any terrorists we encounter must be dealt with stealthily. VERA has a copy of my SIG 9mm in the weapons fabricator. It can fire tranquilizer darts. They are silent, however over 15 meters you must account for gravity. We must also hide any bodies. Others may be taken out by other means if necessary.

 

"We are not going in to 'kill the Batarians.' We are going in to liberate the dome. Once the primary mission objective is successful, we'll proceed to the secondary mission objective. The tertiary mission objective is to eliminate the terrorists. Once they know their own mission has failed, we will give them an opportunity to surrender while we're encircling them. I expect them to open fire on us. At that time we can and will respond with lethal force.

 

"Going in under their noses is probably the best way. But where?"

 

"Reports have stated that the areas nearest the main entrance have the least visible terrorist presence. Probably out of fear of being seen or killed by authorities."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"I'm somewhat familiar with Dome 410," Ashley said, "Well I don't know all the details, but I know my way around inside. I periodically had to escort VIPs through through the dome from the mining complex to the shipyards. I can tell you that the point marked by your AI nearest the NW support column has fairly good cover and would be a good place to start. There are a lot of buildings and alleys in that area. Lots of places to hide. My guess is that the streets are going to be pretty deserted except for the terrorists right now."

 

"Why do you say that?" Dahlia asked.

 

"Some of the buildings have shelters in them and a supply of air so that authorities would have time to evacuate their inhabitants."

 

"Chief Williams is correct. However, if there was a catastrophic dome failure, such as a collapse, the seals on these structures have a high probability of sustaining severe damage, and their occupants would die from anoxia."