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[Cknarf]

What over where?

 

Frank followed the rest of the group, not really sure what bivouac meant.

 

"I'll  just uh... be biv-whackin' over here, if anyone needs me."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"Just follow us," Iole said knowing that bivouac meant a temporary camp without cover.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Essul followed along with the others, trying not to look at anyone as he walked. He could feels eyes on him and knew that most would not have anything warm to say to someone of his kind, let alone anything productive.

[Redbelle]

Jess closed her eye's and sighed as she breathed. "Jess... Jess.... My name is Jess not Jessica that was......".

 

She kept muttering under her breath as she looked around and her eye's locked onto Flynn. "Okay. I need a hard line to the terrorists, map's of the complex enough tea to fuel a small army, a massage chair, fourteen colored pencils, a stress relief dummy a sloth and a plate of biscuits".

 

"I.... ah.....". Flynn managed. "I don't know if we can get all that".

 

"Just the sloth then. I'm not totally unreasonable. And the hard line".

 

"We have catering arriving in an hour. We don't know how long this will go on for..... The strike team get's hungry....".

 

"Fine, fine... Biscuits, Tea and a Hardline"!

 

"We don't really use pencils anymore"......

 

"Excuses excuses. Just show me where I'll be working from".

 

"Right this way, Miss"?

 

"Captain...."! Jess said sharply leaving the word dangling in the air. ".....Stone".

 

"Right this way, Captain Stone".

[favoritehookeronthecitadel]

Avan was still shaking off his hangover, having taken some medicine to increase the recovery. He looked at Frank.

 

"So...feeling ready to do some dangerous things?"

[Kel Riever]

While waiting for Naleena to come back, Iole took her Hellbringer and swung the light machine gun around on its automated harness.  She had kept her clear visor glasses from flying and linked the data from the gun’s motion sensor into her HUD.  The weapon was heavy by asari standards, but relatively light in comparison to other portable assault weapons.  With the harness and mass effect compensators, it was virtually weightless.

Iole walked up to where Frank and Avan were standing and gave a quick bow of her head to both.  She told Frank, “If you get concerned, you can stay behind me.  Tallis and I are rear guard, and we can also watch your back if you are picking anyone off with that rifle.”

Tallis nodded while she poured herself another cup of coffee from the thermos.

“I can take point for the assault team,” Jenus offered.  “I’ll tell Naleena when she gets back.”

Mira frowned, “I don’t think so, Jenus.  You’re sticking with me.

“Textbrain, I…”

“No, it will be Irina, Dahlia or Anika in the lead.  We’ll be right behind point.  You understand why?”

Jenus looked disappointed. “The Nova Dawn building.”

Mira reached her finger up and tapped Jenus lightly on the temple.  “Yes.”

[Kel Riever]

Morgan was sitting up.

“Staying laid up’s a killer,” Jobe said.  “We’re gonna get you standing.  Go on, I’ll watch you, and you can use the bed to brace yourself.  It’s heavy and it’s locked from moving right now.”

Lowering his feet over the side, Morgan let himself off slowly.  He could feel the loss of balance already, but it took him just a moment to get it back.  On the other hand, his wounds weren’t about to let him forget.  Even through the pain killers, he could feel a significant dose of discomfort.  The sensation had him hold on with one hand to the edge of the bed.

“See what I mean?”  Jobe pointed to Morgan’s legs.  “A hundred years ago, you’d be laid up for a week, at least, from surgery.  And you’d have lost a good part of your muscle mass, not the five percent or so you lost this far.  Your blood pressure’s lower too, which is a blessing in disguise for you.”

“Doc…”

“All right, all right.  I won’t rub it in.  Get yourself around the room some.  For what to wear, there’s this set of clothes they sent over from the Janiri.  I may be stepping out on a limb here, but I’m gonna say it ain’t your style.  And don’t ask me about the Predator armor, because son, that’s seen some better days.  Call it a lost cause.”

Morgan shook his head.  “I needed a new suit anyway.  Don’t get rid of it, though.  I need to transfer some equipment over from it.”

“Wouldn’t have thought of it,” Jobe responded. “If you think you can walk around without falling and banging your head, I’ll fish around to see if there’s something else for you to wear.”

Jobe left, and Morgan stayed standing.  He was shirtless and looked down to the pink scars that marked where he’d been shot.  Morgan grumbled, “Sonofa…”

[Cknarf]

"Is shitting my pants considered dangerous? If so, then yes. Yes I am." 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena saw the group gathered and milling about in designated area.

 

Dahlia noticed her approach. "What's the word?" she shouted.

 

Naleena entered the area, and she was all business. "It's pretty much as VERA described it. Chief Flynn, the local police chief, gave me this updated map. Download it to your omni-tools. We'll enter using the utility tunnel entrance manhole over there," she pointed to a police barricade. "They have instructions to let us through. Avan, I hope you're alright. I was going to ask you to be up with the infiltration team for this leg of the operation, but you don't look well. Hang back with the main group. I had hoped you'd be able to handle any IEDs we ran into for speed and efficiency, but I'll bring up Frank to handle them now. I don't expect the terrorists left the utility tunnels completely unguarded."

 

Then she stood in front of the group and began walking slowly. "The eyes of the galaxy are upon us. Over 200,000 lives are at stake and it falls upon us to save them. The terrorists don't want to detonate the bombs. That will make them look like monsters out for revenge, yet they will give the impression that they will. So what is their purpose here? Their purpose is to set an example, and recruit. They want to become martyrs. They want the Alliance to go in and kill all of them. We're not Alliance, and we won't do that. This is just the beginning of something larger. Our job today is to liberate this dome and free those hostages. I expect there will be bloodshed, but we will keep as little as possible. I want prisoners, especially their leader. We can interrogate prisoners. We will show the Batarian people living in this dome and elsewhere in the galaxy that they do not have to live in fear of the majority, and that by doing so we will blunt or at least slow this effort by extremists.

 

"But make no mistake, if they force my hand, I will authorize their termination with extreme prejudice."

[Redbelle]

Jess stood in front of a large bank of terminal's. All were online and sat on a table in front of a data pad that blinked with an empty text document's cursor.

 

"I can't tell you how releived we are you happened to be in the area". Said a bespectacled man who was pushing other pads onto the table. "The usual hostage negotiator's sick and... well? I was supposed to do it instead but.... I'm not really that good at it"?

 

"Uh huh".

 

"So where did you study"?

 

Jess looked over at Specs. "Study"?

 

"Yes. You travel with a Spectre. You must have studied at the very best police school there is, right?

 

Jess paused before answering and looked around. She saw faces looking up in her direction. All expectant. All waiting.

 

On her.

 

"Suuure"! Jess drawled. "I went to several schools in fact. The one on the citadel? It's got some good teachers".

 

"I didn't think they taught hostage negotiation on the Citadel".

 

"Don't be ridiculous. Of course they do"!

 

"Who teaches their"?

 

"Who knows. It was the middle of my tour. All the faces tend to blur. What's these"?

 

"The terminals will have up to date information on all the hostage's and terrorists as well as the current situation as it happens......".

 

"Fine fine.... Where are those biscuits"?

[Cknarf]

Fuckin' A.

 

Frank nudged Iole. "Almost as good as mine, huh?" He whispered.

[Kel Riever]

When Frank nudged Iole, she stared ahead and let out a long breath. 

Mira turned to notice the interaction, and Avan standing around looking a bit flushed.  She came over to the group of three and offered her best strategic advice.  “If Frank is going with Naleena’s team, we could really use Avan, then.  The stealth teams can keep moving if an area by a bomb is cleared, allowing us to clear the explosives.”

Iole looked down at her gun and swiveled it in its harness one more time.  “It sounds good.  We’ll be behind.  I’m hoping Terminus…”

“Terminus?” Mira asked.

“D-lightning.  I mean, Dahlia.  I hope she stays at least to the middle, with her barriers.  Not that she couldn’t handle point, but maybe Irina…actually I’m hoping Anika takes point.  And you and Jenus just behind poi…”  Iole stopped and looked around.  “Where is Jenus?”

Mira turned to where she left Jenus.  The commando was gone.  “She can’t have….,” she started in disbelief, then, “Oh, Goddess save us from that thick skulled commando!  Iole, you and Tallis stay here.  I’ve got a bad feeling I know where she went!”

Iole looked confused as Mira ran off.  She saw her team leader heading out of the meeting zone, towards the target building.  Then she realized what was happening.  “Oh this is not good….”

[Kel Riever]

Mira knew it wasn’t going to be easy to catch up.  All the commandos on the team were in top shape, but Jenus was the most all-around athletic of them all.  She’d have a lead until she stopped; Mira hoped it wouldn’t’ be too late.

The wide corridor to the dome where the terrorists held the hostages had been evacuated, but the scene of chaos in the streets was still there.  Abandoned cars, empty quick stop shops, moving sidewalks that had ceased and flashing signs that attracted no one’s attention filled the area.  Someone with a magnifier in the dome entranceway could spot motion at this distance, so Mira darted from once piece of cover to another, out of sight.  Fortunately, there was enough blockage to avoid a spotter if she was careful.

Minutes passed as Mira advanced.  The idling eezo engine of a truck helped hide her sounds.  She had gotten close, within fifty meters of the vehicle sized gates to the dome’s entrance area and juncture where another corridor came in, and she began wondering exactly how far Jenus had gotten.  Then Mira spotted her teammate, behind a small vendor booth waving her over.

With a quick check to make sure her path avoided line of sight to the entrance, Mira ran as quickly as she could crouched over, until she was next to Jenus.  In a low enough voice for only Jenus to hear, Mira said, exasperated, “Are you out of your mind?”

“Keep your leathers on,” Jenus replied under her breath, “Somebody needed to get a look at where we are going without being seen.”

“Jenus, those weren’t the instructions, I could have you…”

“Look up ahead, Textbrain.  They’ve got only one guard watching the outer approach.”

Mira was angry, but she needed to know where the enemy was.  Jenus had made use of the booth’s tinted glass to angle a view where she could scan ahead without being noticed.  Mira followed her eyes and pointing finger until she spied the target.  “I see him.  What about others.”

“It’ll take a couple of more minutes to be sure, but I’ve been watching and I’d say they are more concerned watching the chokepoint beyond that actually gets into the dome.  The one here is simply to make sure nothing large is moving up, like a big troop movement or a ram vehicle or something like that.”

“VERA was right,” Mira finished the thought, “They don’t know about the underground access or they would post more people on the outside, ahead of the access.”

“We could nail this guard, textbrain, with a perfect rifle shot.  Or we could get in close and quiet, put him down in hand to hand.  More insurance that way.  No chance of a misfire if I’m right behind him, with my hand on his throat.”

“Jenus,” Mira said with disappointment as she wiped her face with her hand, “What you did is not all right.”

Jenus looked to Mira, her eyes above her purple cheek markings becoming softer.  “Come on Textbrain, get my back on this.  I didn’t screw it up, and I didn’t blow up a building.  We were going to have to do this, anyway.  There are hostages in there and I didn’t want to wait around to at least see what was happening.  You can go back and get the others up to this point.  I won’t go any further, and I can keep watch while I wait for everyone else.  I promise.”

Mira stared hard at Jenus.  “I’ll return and let the others know.  But you need to do what you said, now.  You stay right there, and do not blow this.  The consequences from here on in are as severe as they get.”

Jenus nodded.

Clenching her jaw, Mira nodded back.  “Stay put.  I’ll be right back.”

 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Mira crouched and ran over to where Naleena was and informed her about Jenus.

 

Naleena got on her com channel and spoke in a low, very angry voice. "Jenus, get your blue ass back here on the double! And stay low." Then she turned to Mira shaking her head. "What a f*cking idiot! Don't worry, beating subordinates with their own spines in front of the troops is bad for morale."

 

Jenus finally made it back to the area, and knew what was about to happen, but she tried to sneak in anyway.

 

Naleena approached her, and Jenus was standing. "What the hell were you thinking, Commando?"

 

"I had a clear...."

 

"Did I say you could speak? And snap to attention!" Naleena shouted about six inches from her face. "You could have blown the entire operation. What if they saw you?"

 

"I thought...."

 

"Did I say you could think?" Naleena shouted, "You're to follow orders. Who is your fire team leader on this op?"

 

"Red?"

 

"No, Anika. Normally it's Mira, but on this op it's Anika. You follow her orders. Am I clear?"

 

"Yes, Ma'am!"

 

"Good. Now tell me exactly what you saw."

 

Jenus repeated what she told Mira, and went into detail about the surroundings. Naleena listened and nodded, then turned back to Jenus. "Good work. Using initiative is fine as long as you inform your team leader and don't go Wasea¹. You understand? She'll clear it with me."

 

Jenus calmed down. She knew she should have cleared it with Mira, first. "Yes, Ma'am."

 

"Alright, get to your team, we're moving out," Naleena said and got on her communicator. "VERA, drop the blanket."

 

"Acknowledged. Dropping blanket, Boss." VERA replied.

 

"Jess, the blanket is down, and you're on," Naleena said and walked by Frank and put her hand on his shoulder. "Frank you still hang back with the assault team, but be ready to move up if we need you."

 

Frank nodded. "Whatever, Boss."

 

Naleena gathered the team together and led them over to the barricade. The utility workers pulled the manhole cover off, and Naleena cloaked and was the first down the hole.

 

It was dark except for a light ever 50 feet. The tunnels weren't designed as places to hide, and they were fairly narrow. Along the walls were sewer lines, hardline backups for computer and communications networks necessary to counter the flares from the star that disrupted wireless systems; dome powergrid infrastructure. The tunnel was about 20 feet wide with not much cover. Naleena moved ahead a bit, then called back for the team to descend. After the team caught up she continued moving along the path VERA had mapped toward the northwest exit in that alley.

 

 

 

¹Wasea was an Asari movie similar to the 20th Century film Rambo that starred an actress playing a very buff and extremely powerful biotic former Asari Commando who had received the highest honors for her actions before being discharged from the Asari military.

[Redbelle]

Jess toggled the comm. "Gotcha Naleena.... Anything I should know? Plan you want to go through? Things you'd like these guy's to not do? Can't promise anything but if you want anything to ping on my radar now's the time to say".

[Cainhurst Crow]

Essul looked to the sewer as he involuntarily gulped. He was nervous, he couldn't deny that. The stunt with the asaris earlier had his heart jumping as he stayed away from the others, getting used to the weapon he hoped he'd need for this mission, the primitive firearm still strange in his hand as he kept it attached next to his combat knife.

 

As he got the orders, his eyes glanced towards the alliance officer of this mission, face hidden behind his skull etched helmet as he finally spoke his first words to her directly since starting this mission. "Let's hope fortune is in our favor." He spoke solemnly, hoping the wish of good luck would be well recieved as he activated his own tactical cloak and moved to the sewer, pausing a moment before he descended into the cramped space.

 

Essul hated cramped spaces, often times they'd make him nervous, especially if they were dark. But he'd learned to keep it under control, and to not let it interfere with his judgement. The tunnels however were wider then he'd anticipated, and the environmental seals of his armor helped keep any pungent odor of their chosen route from distracting him, a small comfort he was appreciative of.

 

He advanced with the others in silence, keeping to naleena's right and staying behind her, allowing her to lead.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

(The following is the work of SGJ and Maj0nese)

 

Arian was taken at gunpoint outside the communications building. The Batarians zip-tied his hands and walked him to a windowless office down a long corridor inside the building. When they got to the room they zip-tied his feet and threw him in the room.

 

“I have no quarrel with you, Turian,” the Batarian said, “Wrong place at the wrong time. Pray that the Council comes through.”

 

The office was smallish, about 10 feet square, and  all of the furniture except the desk against the wall had been removed. It was stuffy in the office. The ventilation, although it was working didn’t seem to be enough when the door was shut.

 

A few minutes later there was a rustling of footsteps and some voices.

 

“Let me go! I didn’t do anything to you.” A human voice said.

 

“Shut up!” a Batarian voice answered followed by the sound of a body blow and a groan.

 

The door opened, and a human, bound the same way as Arian was thrown into the room.

 

“Human scum! I should kill you now!” the Batarian said, and shut the door.

 

The Batarians always kept one of their four eyes on every of his movements so even if he had been successful getting rid of the zip-tie around his hands and his feet, they would have already killed him. It was pointless, Arian knew it and still he kept trying to break free. He was kneeling in a small office room, the chairs had been removed and only a desk with some stuff on it that was necessary for a desk job remained. Nothing here was going to help Arian to escape or even better; to kill those Batarian terrorists.

 

Obviously the hostage-taking was an act of vengeance against the humans and the Alliance for the destruction of an entire batarian colony. For some reason, the Batarians blamed the Alliance for it.  Arian didn't care about a conflict between humans and batarians, he wasn't part of it but he would still die if the council failed to negotiate with the terrorists. The Batarian who put him on his knees even mentioned that Arian had just bad luck showing up in front of this office building when the Batarians took the hostages. As soon as they had seen him, they disarmed and took him with them.

 

Furiously he glanced at the human beside him. Maybe it wasn't that guy's fault but for the moment Arian liked blaming the human and taking his anger on him. It wasn't going to help him either but what was? He could only hope that the Batarians wouldn't kill him.

 

To do anything but just staring around, he turned to the side. “Hey you, Human! You have any idea what they want from you?”

 

The human coughed. “I don't know. My name is Chris. Chris Proctor. The took my equipment, my camera, and dragged me out of a nearby building. I'm just a reporter. They probably want me to video everyone's execution or some sh*t like that. All this because of that Bahak incident. Can't say I blame 'em for being p*ssed. I'd want revenge, too. But Jesus Christ, why the f*ck us?”

 

“Not us”, Arian mumbled, “just you!”

 

He gave up his pointless attempts to break free and tried to calm down. To get into a less painful position, he fell backwards until his hands touched his lower legs. Suddenly one of his claws got entangled in the zip-tie around his feet.

 

Maybe I can...that's it!

 

Slowly Arian began to rub with his claws against the zip-tie. The position he got himself into was even more unpleasant than before and he actually had no plan what he could to do if his was able to get his legs free but he didn't care. If he was able to surprise the Batarians, he could escape. Somehow leave the building, before they kill him. Some distant voice in his head, probably the voice of rationality, tried to warn him, told him that it would be suicide but Arian ignored it. All he needed was a bit luck and good timing. But for now, he was still tied.

 

They must not notice what I am up to!

 

To distract the Batarians from his movements, he started to speak to Chris. “So do you have any idea what they want from the Alliance to stop this?” Arian asked loudly.

 

I can just hope that idiot does not give me away somehow! And that my claws are sharp enough...

 

“Hey, you're in here, too, so it's us!” Chris shouted at him, and then calmed down. “They made a demand that the Council isn't going to meet. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but it's big.”

 

They could hear some voices outside the room. “What the f*ck just happened? I can't get hold of any of our teams. Must be this f*cking communicator.”

 

There were some quick footsteps. Running. “No. Com systems are down. I can't even pick up anything from outside.”

 

“Sh*t! I knew the Alliance would make a move. You, go outside and take a look. I hoped they'd leave the airwaves open for the towers. They blacked out everything.”

 

More pacing outside....

 

“Still clear. What the f*ck do we do now? Killing hostages does us nothing if no one can see it.”

 

“You're right, but what do we do with them. Now they just keep us bogged down.”

 

“I told you that was a bad plan.”

 

“Shut the f*ck up! We can still use them. Get upstairs and watch the streets.”

 

“How many voices did you count?” Chris asked. “I counted four.”

 

Arian stopped moving and listened to the voices. “I dont know, they sound all the same to me...”, he ansewered. “Let's hope they don't get desperated. That's when they start shooting the hostages.”

 

Something was going on, that was obvious. It seemed, the Batarians had problems with their communication and were on alert. 

 

Come on... He doubled his efforts to cut the ties but still to no avail.

[Kel Riever]

Mira was trying to get herself centered again.  Even though Jenus needed to hear the hard news, Naleena’s dress down of Jenus left Mira feeling some sympathy for her team mate.  She didn’t want Jenus to go through that kind of lecture, but Jenus absolutely had to.

Shaking out her arms to get rid of some of the tension, Mira stepped over to Anika.  The human towered over everyone, including her.  “We’re yours,” Mira said to her.  “All is one.”

[Redbelle]

"All is one". Anika said back. "And as one is for all, all are for one. Jenus? Good idea. Bad execution. It balances out. By way reward and punishment I'll just hammer a medal into your skull when this is over after I buy you a round. Okay ladies. Mira? You know the team best so you'll handle how we deploy. Put a scout up ahead of us. I'll stay with you. We're going in, silent, but deadly".

[favoritehookeronthecitadel]

Feeling a bit jittery, Avan kept shaking off the hangover. As they were carefully walking, he looked at Mira. "So..I never got a chance to apoligize. VERA informed me that you had asked me something and I ignored you. That was just being tired and not hearing you."

[Cknarf]

Frank stood on one leg, and stretched his thigh. After a few seconds, he did the same for the other side.  He planted both feet, and stood quietly.

After a few minutes, he got bored, and began shifting his weight from side to side.  When he got tired of that, he picked his nose.  After examining his findings, he flicked them away and sniffed.

"I can't believe people eat those."

[Kel Riever]

The asari commandos hadn’t noticed Frank’s rather crass moment of clearing out his nostrils, which was probably all for the better.

Mira was surprised by Avan apologizing for missing what she said during the meeting, but pleasantly.  “Thank you, but I should have spoken up, surely.  I don’t even recall what I was saying.”  She smirked briefly.  

Anika’s request to position the team weighed on Mira next.  “With the infiltration team ahead, our point is also watching their rear.  Let’s go with Tallis and Dahlia up front, scouting and on point.  They’re seven meters ahead of the rest of us.  Frank needs to be available if Naleena needs him, so he’s next with Jenus at his side.  Anika and myself next, and in the rear, Avan and Iole.”

Iole confirmed, “Tallis and Dahlia, seven meters ahead.  Frank and Jenus.  Anika and Mira.  Avan and me in the rear.”

“That’s right,” Mira acknowledged.  “Paired up, stick to the sides of the sewer tunnel.”

“If I yell ‘down’,” Iole added, “Drop to the floor.  It means I’m opening up and I don’t want to knock heads off.”

Mira motioned to Iole’s Hellbringer.  “Let’s hope you don’t need to use that.”  She addressed the rest of the group. “There’s a motion sensor on the gun, so Iole will tell us if she detects movement.”

The infiltration team had already entered the tunnels.  When they received the all clear from Naleena, the assault team began their entrance into the passageway below.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Irina was standing there in the middle of the assault team being totally ignored by everyone, despite her heroics on the engineering deck of the Medusa. She let out a sigh. "I think I'll go see if Jess needs a hand with the negotiations."

[Kel Riever]

"So that's what it feels like," Mira said as she rolled up behind Irina and gently took her arm from behind.  "You're with us, Red.  Come on.  Why don't you stay up next to Jenus?  You'll be three wide, she'll be happier, and I couldn't keep you out of the action if I wanted to."  

Mira felt awful.  It was one thing to make a mistake.  Another to have your mistake coupled with decades of social awkwardness.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena thought about Jess’ remark. She was even wondering whether or not it would be a good thing to talk to them at the moment. Perhaps it would be best to wait and see how the terrorists were reacting.

 

“Jess, sit tight. I want to see how they’re reacting. They’ll be on the alert, and their coms are down right now, so each of their fire teams is independent,” Naleena said, “If we run into trouble, I’ll contact you and you can start negotiating.”

 

“Whatever you say, Luv.” Jess replied over the com.

 

The team pressed forward through the tunnel toward the exit near the Northwest support column. Crates were stacked up randomly in spots and the tunnel wasn’t straight. Some of the lights were burned out. Others flickered. Apparently it had been a while since anyone had been inside.

 

Naleena had been out in front of the rest of the infiltration team, and she heard some voices ahead around a bend: Batarian voices. She held up her hand and cloaked and drew her SIG.

 

“Are we in the right tunnel?” one voice asked.

 

“I think so, but I’m not sure.” The other replied.

 

“I told you we should have taken the left junction about a quarter click back.” Another commented.

 

“Shut up! We’re heading in the right direction. I’m sure of it. I just want to get the hell out of here before those crazy bastards blow up the place,” the first replied.

 

Naleena decloaked and had her 226 aimed at the leader. “Turn around very slowly.”

 

“Sh*t! Who the f*ck are you?” the group leader said aiming his Predator at Naleena.

“Put your gun down! She’s not one of them!” another in the group said, but the leader waived him off.

 

Naleena maintained focus. “I could ask the same question. I’d advise lowering your weapon.”

 

“Or you’ll what? Tickle me with that toy?”

 

“I assure you it is not a toy. I also don’t want to hurt you. I am a Council Spectre, and there are three other weapons aimed at you,” Naleena said and lowered her weapon. “What can you tell me about the situation inside the dome?”

 

The leader nervously looked around, and then lowered his weapon. “Not much really. As soon as things started getting crazy everyone cleared the streets. We heard they sealed off the exits so we ducked down a manhole and pulled the cover back over. We’ve been trying to find our way out ever since.”

 

Naleena sighed, turned to Essul and nodded, then turned back to the Batarian. “You holster your weapon, we’ll holster ours.”

 

** **

 

“What the hell is going on up there?” Jenus asked.

 

Dahlia turned around. “Naleena ran into some refugees and is speaking with them. They’re a bit nervous. They’re Batarian.”

 

“Really? She’s buying that?” Jenus asked.

 

“If Williams hasn’t put a bullet in them by now, they must be … refugees,” Irina said.

 

** **

 

The Batarian took a deep breath and holstered his weapon.

 

“You’re on the right path out. Just follow this tunnel and stay left. When you reach a main junction take the ladder up. You’ll be at the exit. I’ll radio ahead.” Naleena said. (PARAGON + 5)

 

The Batarian smiled and breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Asari. We’ll be on our way.”

 

The Batarians made their way past the team toward the main junction. Naleena radioed Chief Flynn that he should expect three refugees and they were armed with one Predator pistol.