6315 réponses à ce sujet

[Redbelle]

Jess looked from the doctor, to the dockworker, to the doctor, to Morgan, to the doctor and back to the dockworker again.

 

"Luv, we fire an engine tethered to the dock and the vibrations would damage the mooring before we tore them off. We're talking structural compromising to dock and ship...... Of course we're test firing the reactor with the engines unmoored! It's the only way to test if the circuits governing the system still work! After what happened to this ship we need to be thorough! Don't worry. If your worried you can contact the station and ask..... whoever you need to about this". Jess smiled to cover up the lie. "Besides. Don't tell me you don't appreciate getting out and about once in awhile".

 

"Doc's? This ain't my first gig. I know that you think I think you know how complicated and delicate the work to launch your satellite is..... But remember this. Your talking about a celestial object traveling under the speed of light whose distance we can close to within one hundred meter's matching course and vector so we pace it. This coming from a ship whose people think more in terms of bajillions of light years at speeds in excess of light and can still hit a pin in an ever shifting rearranging mass of star's that spin along the galactic axis. With spinning relays held in solar systems moving around each star..... Your talking to a group of people who routinely throw stones with enough accuracy to hit the head of a pin at a target beyond their ability to see in the dark while Blasto movies play in the background......". Jess shrugged. "If it makes you feel better though, I'll ask the crew to stop playing games. But I hope you appreciate that this ship is my home. You are my guests and these people are family for as long as they remain aboard. And I don't suffer people who don't take their jobs seriously on this ship".

 

At that point, the lift Jess had stopped at pinged and the doors slid open. Everyone turned and Jess looked down to see a half naked Asari dressed in bright greens and reds. unconscious on the ground with a cluster of spent concussion grenades in the center. Jess inwardly winced. Remembering how she'd laid a trap in the elevator several floors under the bridge. She remembered hanging the 'out of service' sign. "Huh.... Forgot about those". Jess said toeing one of the spent grenades with her foot.

[Cknarf]

Kima District

 

According to the merc, Trudas had an apartment somewhere in Kima District. He didn't give a specific address, but it was better than nothing. Frank still wasn't overly confident about the info he had been given.

 

He really wanted to keep that knee.

 

He shrugged, before looking through his scope at the streets below. After some time, a group of Blue Suns emerged from a side street. There were three of them. Two turians, and a human.

 

Gotcha, you son of a b*tch.

 

Frank's finger rested on the trigger, as he tracked one of the turians.

 

Bastards wearing the same set of armor.

 

Trudas wore standard Suns colors, but pieces of his armor had details in red.  Paint mimicking his facial markings covered his helmet, and extended farther down to his torso.

 

The mercs stopped in the middle of the street, and appeared to be chatting.

 

Frank knew his rifle could easily penetrate the helmet, but if Trudas' kinetic barriers were still up, it wouldn't matter. Taking a shot now could give the turian a chance to find cover, or possibly escape. The other two mercs would further complicate things.  Frank moved his finger off the trigger, but kept the crosshairs trained on his target.

[Redbelle]

Emi had stashed the bodies. Now she just needed somewhere to hide. Which really meant finding something to wear that wouldn't stick out like a sore thumb and require an explanation which would tie her into the fact she was travelling with another person. She'd tried going up a level to find somewhere she could grab some coveralls but nothing stood out. Instead, the ship's lower decks looked like a wild hen night with to much alcohol and not enough Krogan strippers. It was as if someone had allowed a group of people through the ship with a set of tools and had sort to ruin everything they saw. Bulkhead panels hung off the walls in areas. Some looking like they'd been completely torn off or bent from something actually physically pulling at them. Wiring lay outside of there assigned cable routes with some cut clean or simply dangling with the bundles of wires hanging out exposed.

 

Someone had been down here though. Sections of the area were unpowered and cables had been tied off with the docks tradmarked hazard tape. The luminous paint they used for marking problem area's was present as well signalling that someone was due back to start repairing the damage. As Emi moved on she spotted a lift and saw an 'out of order' sign hanging on the doors when she heard movement from down where she'd come and the sounds of voices that carried down to her.

 

"....really moving"?

 

"Yeah. And control's not answering the supervisor. That's what Sam told me".

 

"Sam's a gossip monger. Can't believe everything he says".

 

"You think we're really flying away from the dock? We're not supposed to leave with the ships right"?

 

You think I read all the regs and rules? That files over a gig in size. And the default text is so small.....".

 

"Heh. I hear that. So we're still working"?

 

"Nothing else to do. Let the supervisor's clean this up. We got cables to splice back in".

 

Emi looked around seeking a way to get away from the direction the voices were coming from and seeing nothing, decided the lift was the only way to escape being seen. Jamming her finger's between the doors she was surprised to find the doors parted of there own will and a sound behind her cased her to look back as she stepped inside. Looking to the side the lifts control panal still glowed and she hit a button for an upper floor. As the doors closed though she heard a sound that increased in pitch sharply and she looked down to see a cluster of small objects over at the back of the lift.

 

"What are tho.....". Was all she got out before the world exploded into whiteness, then dark.

[Kel Riever]

Morgan sighed as he looked down at the asari.  He was more disappointed than anything else. 

“Okay!”  The young dockworker’s eyes were wide.  “I’m going to get back to my job now.”  He ran off back the way he had come, arc welder gripped with white-knuckled anxiety.

With a quick check that there was no other exploded ordinance, Morgan stepped into the elevator shaft.  “I’ll, uh, take care of this too,” he told Jess, mustering as much gumption as he could.  Morgan kneeled down and picked up the asari in his arms.  “Going to medical…I’ll be back.”

The salarian doctor put a finger to his chin.  “Concussion grenades.  A high quantity of them.  This could be bad.  I’ll come with you; I was a medical doctor early in my career and have taken care of many asari on the Citadel where I was at the time.”

“We have a medical doctor onboard,” Morgan told P’neb Nu.

“It also might look better if you aren’t found wandering the corridors alone with her since you seem to have so many new personnel around.”

“Will it really?”

Doctor Nu scratched his chin.  “Perhaps not.”

Morgan shook his head in disbelief.  “Come along, anyway.  Maybe you can help.  Maybe it will be better.  Either way, she needs to get to medical.”

“Yes,” P’Neb quickly agreed.

Morgan gave a brief rolling of the eyes to Jess and then headed to the med bay accompanied by the salarian doctor.

Amy Hayashi watched the two leave like a deer staring into headlights.  After they had gone, she had a thought she blurted aloud, “Maybe I should have gone with him instead of Doctor Nu.”

Then another thought hit Amy.  “I can’t be right but I swear that asari looked as if she was trying to dress as a Christmas elf.”

Seemingly embarrassed by speaking her conjectures, Amy pulled her uniform coat down firmly.  “Heh.”  She scratched an invisible itch by her eye and patted the bun on her head again.

[Redbelle]

Jess watched Morgan and Doctor Nu walk off with the Asari in Morgans arms. "See luv? We take care of people around here. Be they members of our crew, Scientists or a mission of discovery. Or little Elf Maidens who accidently set off a trap laid to combat hostile occupiers who steal your ship and wreck it after killing..... Ah never mind about that now. You can come with me luv. I'll show you the engine room. Heart of the ship and what is going to get us to your comet once it's purring like a kitten. Don't worry about her. I'm sure Morgan will find out what she was doing on board. Gotta say though luv with everything up in the air the way it is the only way to maintain good security is to be away from that dock. I mean, anyone could just walk aboard the way things are right now".

 

Jess stepped into lift and Pulled Doctor Hayashi in with her. She hit a button and the lift began to descend.

 

"Couldn't help but notice luv, you seem a bit tense. Don't you worry about a thing. Sure the ships old and the crews a little..... uncoordinated right now. But the ships stood the tests of time. You won't find a hardier more well built vessel in the system. This ship was over engineered back in the day before mass effect fields. That means she's more solid than modern ships who build relies on mass effect fields. More metal and welding means more resiliance. The hulls thicker and we've got backups for our backups that we rarely ever use. Trust me. The ships sound. And while the crew might be raw for ship driving I've got a good operations team and the supervisors to keep them on track. We can do the job. After all, your other craft broke down and it's grounded. We're frayed at the seams but we can still fly. We'll get your satellite up and running. i guarantee it".

[Kel Riever]

Doctor Hayashi had a busy mind. She nodded as she half listened to Captain Stone. The other half of her attention was still on what she was making of the ship she was on. The two halves smashed together in a stream of consciousness as she ran her fingers around the edges of the metal button panel for the elevator.

“Hardiness and test of time. Resilience. Heart of a sound ship. Solid hull” She was aware she possibly wasn’t making sense, but Amy’s thoughts continued spilling from her analytical mind. “I don’t really get out much from the research center so I suppose I am simply not used to what I have experienced on other vessels. Heh. Yes, tense. Sorry to compare. The comet, well, we have to pay attention to certain details. Too many details for most. But maybe that’s why we’re scientists. Intercept the celestial body perfectly. Make sure nothing is unduly disturbed. Trained for the unexpected, but with little room for it when it happens. We are supposed to pay very close attention, you know.”

Hayashi glanced at Jess and then glanced away from the steady gaze that stared back. She brushed off a shoulder needlessly and ran a finger around her coat collar. Amy felt uncomfortable from the silence, not knowing what to fill it with. “Heh.”

[Cainhurst Crow]

Vayne looked to shepards crew as naleena left, his face stone cold as his good eye went to the krogan and the walking canvas who seemed to be serving as shepards muscles this evening. He gave the only reply that seemed to come to him, a small tilt of his head to the left that he'd picked up on his piracy days, and left after naleena.

 

He walked in silence until they were far enough away, and then let out a heavy gasping sigh, reaching up and wiping the small amount of moisture away from the bottom of his crest and shock his head, having felt a muscle cramp coming on from holding a poker face that long.

 

"Well that was...fucked." The krogan said, finding any other word failing him at the moment. He didn't know what was going to happen at this meeting, some sort of alliance maybe? Perhaps a moment of clarity in knowing one of the most acomplished humans in the galaxy might be working in their corner. Now though, he just felt dirty, like the council had once again stuck him in the septic tank to toss at someone who hadn't deserved the krogan sized **** pile handed to them.

 

"Just...damn." He said as he shock his head once more, looking to naleena as he spoke, "You were...terrifying, if I'm honest. But in the good way. Damn intimidating..." He said as he looked to the bar, "If I weren't so sure we'd be getting into some deep **** soon, I'd go get a quick drink."

[Kel Riever]

Han’Breizh shifted back and forth between Mira and Tallis, ready to disembark the Janiri.  The three stepped off the ship and onto Omega station as soon as the lock opened. 

Tallis made a disgusted look.

Mira steadied her nerves, but felt out of place in her pristine white commando leathers.  Certainly Tallis wasn’t much better, as her suit, too, was regulation clean, though a deep magenta color wasn’t as glaring.  When they passed through the gangway, into the main yard in front of Afterlife, more than a few glances were tossed their way.  Not something Mira thought was a good thing on Omega.

A group of human miners passed, rough looking, and one remarked loud enough to be overheard, “Look, two blueberries and a suit rat.”  His companions snickered.

Tallis squinted angrily at them.  Mira told her, after the humans had passed, “Now you know why Jenus isn’t along.”

“Irina.  Irina.”  Tallis responded, curling her lip a bit.

“Sure.  That too.  Or she’s in the gym.  You can’t keep her still.”

Han didn’t feel settled, despite his guard.  “I’d like to be through with this as quickly as possible.  May we go onto Afterlife and meet Naleena?”

Mira nodded.  The three headed to the long line in front of Afterlife, passed it, and up to the Elcor and other guards assembled, restricting admittance.

“Back of the line,” one of the turians on line shouted.

“With growing impatience,” the Elcor said to him, “I’m the one in charge of the line.”  The turian faded in with his friends and said nothing more.  Then the Elcor turned to the three.  “Unimpressed.  What makes you so special?”

Mira politely answered, “We were told to let you know that Aria and Spectre Naleena T’Sarius are expecting us.  And we were told to let you know that Aria put us on your priority list.”

“Skeptically:  I am checking the list.”  The Elcor was examining the HUD on the screen he wore in front of one eye. “There is no reference to a team Aria is expecting on the priority list.”

Surprised and somewhat embarrassed, Mira said, “We’re from the Janiri.  There’s some sort of reactor problem and we’re here to help.  I’m Mira, this is Han’Brei….”

“With disbelief:  Don’t you think I’ve heard every line there is for people trying to get in without waiting?  Firmly:  The priority list is short.  You are not on it.  I will confirm.  In the meantime, get to the back of the line like everyone else.”

There was a laugh from behind that Mira was sure came from the turian.  She wasn’t going to make any headway without some sort of credentials, so she gestured for Han and Tallis to follow her to the back of the long line of people waiting to get into Afterlife.

When they got to the back of the line, Tallis shook her head.  “Very annoying.  Very annoying.”

“You have to let it go,” Mira calmed her.  “There are rules around here.  It’s better to follow them.  If there’s a problem, the Spectre and Aria will handle it.  I’ll message Naleena to inform her.”

As Mira was typing the message to Naleena that they were stuck outside Afterlife, a female voice piped in from in front of her.  “Nice try.”

Mira looked up after hitting ‘send’.  A human woman in a suit of light armor had been the last in line until the three had added to it.  She was of average height, her armor had scuffed white plates, her netting was brown, and she wore a long, dark drab raincoat.  It was hard for Mira to judge her age, though she looked like she was heading into what would be her matron years.  The woman was rather attractive in an undecorated kind of way, with brown hair that fell long on one side of her face and a beauty mark over her upper lip.

“I don’t understand,” Mira said.  “But mistakes happen.  We’re not here to enjoy the club.  We’re here to help assist with a problem.”

“Sure you are,” the woman said.  “Look, I’ve been here since this morning, and I represent an agency with at least a little clout.  And I’m here for ‘business’ too.  Do you think this is the first day I’ve been here, even?  Yesterday, I did nothing but wait on line, tell the elcor my business when I got to the front, and waited on line more, until I had to get some sleep in a dive.  Nobody’s getting in Afterlife fast unless you’re someone seriously up the ladder.  Even if you have a shiny suit.”

Mira creased her brow.  “Well, we’ll see how it goes, right?”  She couldn’t wait for Naleena to get back to her.  Something of her pride had been injured, even though she knew she shouldn’t let it get to her.

One of Aria’s batarian guards at the head of the line spoke with the elcor briefly, and then came to the back of the line.  Mira was pleased and while she wasn’t sure, she couldn’t help but feel she knew that Aria was getting them in.

The batarian came up to Mira, looked at Mira up and down, then turned to the human woman.  “Detective, you’re on the priority list.  Let’s go.  Aria wants to see you.”

“Seriously?”  The woman looked genuinely surprised.  “I thought…”

“You want to keep her waiting?”

“Nope.  Not for one more second.”  The woman stepped out of line and followed the batarian guard to the front. As she left, she pointed a play gun finger at Mira, made a clicking sound as she moved her thumb like a hammer, and said, “Good luck, kiddo.”

That really steamed Mira, coming from someone who was probably an eighth or a tenth her age.  “Who is that?” she wondered aloud.

 

[Cknarf]

Kima District, residential area.

 

The mercs had gone their separate ways, and Trudas was now alone. Frank watched from a distance, pressed up against a wall, as the turian stopped before an apartment complex. 

 

"Yo, freelancer!"

 

Frank's stomach dropped.  He swung around and leveled his shotgun at a pair of approaching Suns. They weren't fazed by the display of hostility.

 

"A bit jumpy, huh kid?"  The human merc laughed. "Think you're carrying enough guns?"

 

Frank lowered his shotgun.

 

"He's probably looking for Archangel." The batarian shook his head, before both mercs erupted with laughter.

 

"Archangel?"

 

"We've been getting a lot of independent guys turning up in Kima, looking to collect the big bounty."

 

"Uh... yeah.  That's why I'm here.  I'm after Archangel." Frank nodded.

 

The mercs laughed again.

 

"You're a little late for that party, kid." The human shook his head. "He's looooong gone."

 

"We don't know that for sure. They never found a body, you know." The batarian spoke. "I bet he's just laying low."

 

"Either way, he won't be causing any trouble around here anymore."

 

"I guess I'll just be heading home then." Frank shrugged. "Thanks for the heads up." The mercs gave him a nod, and continued on.  Frank caught a bit of their conversation as they walked away.

 

"Heard they found one of our boys, shot up in Gozu. Still alive, but in rough shape. I think maybe he's back."

 

"Please. Archangel would have finished the job..."

 

Frank immediately headed for the apartment complex. He hacked the door, and entered.  There was no lift, only stairs. Looking up, he caught a glimpse of the turian, several flights above, and climbing.  

[Kel Riever]

Previously...( http://forum.bioware...res/?p=18198171 )

Somewhere in the Terminus Systems

“It is like this,” Iyana said without bothering to look at the asari colony president standing in the room with her and Xhuan, “The Protheans had reasons to hide.  That is what I’ve determined, without taking one lesson in xenoarchaeology.”

The chamber was barren, walled, floored and ceilinged with cement like material.  Sealed against the elements, the interior was mostly undisturbed and clean.  Any remnants of Prothean décor had long since gone, however, and the only indication of what the room might have been used for was a pedestal against one wall, with an alcove.  It was the kind of thing a person might have sat at, like a workstation minus the equipment. 

There were furnishings being brought in, however.  A modern, curved desk and computer interface, hauled in by two of Iyana’s crew.  Instead of a chair for seating, a rather expensive, large, circular ottoman in white had been placed behind the desk.  The few other items on the desk intrigued the president, though she had no idea of their significance.  There were a few datapads, a datacube that had been set aside, and a mask.

Iyana sat leaning against the front of the desk and examined her surroundings as if she saw something beyond what was in the room.  The president stood a bit more than two meters in front of her, and Xhuan stood a meter behind the president.  The asari with the black, bird of prey facial markings was immediately recognized by the president when she first saw her.  Xhuan had once been a known hero of both the Serrice Guard and the navy, but had been disgraced in an action, never to be heard from again, at least as far as the president was aware.

“You know exactly what I speak of, certainly,” Iyana went on.  “You are, after all, in that business.  But how many Feros colonies do you wish to explore?  The secrets uncovered there had nothing really to do with the Protheans.  Now Ilos has secrets, but of course we know the salarians are uncovering them as they are protected by the Alliance fleet.  You’d be better off reading their findings than sitting on this world looking for some other nonsensical habitat.  Perhaps if you had bothered to think more like one of these dead Protheans, you would have been more thorough in your searching.”

“Nobody can tell what actually wiped the Protheans out,” the president responded.  “A galactic wide cataclysmic event that left no evidence behind?  War?  A fast spreading disease?  Why would you assume they wanted to hide, unless you believe the rumor of Reapers?”

With an eyebrow raised and haughty expression, Iyana then looked at the president.  “Because I am not fool enough to dismiss rumors of Reapers.  And because I know fear, and what fearful creatures will do to try to survive.”

“I don’t know everything about the Protheans or even the slightest bit about Reapers,” the president replied, “But you can’t want to move into this ruin unless you want to hide yourself.  The Prothean architecture was designed, clearly, to avoid detection or we would have found it in our sweeps.  Whether it is a bunker, or a tomb, or a place for hiding matters little to you, I presume.  What you want it for is to have a place you can’t be found.”

Iyana nodded gently and hummed in contemplation.

The kick that hit the president was perfectly placed.  Xhuan struck her at an angle behind both knees, dropping her to the floor so fast she didn’t have time to react.  When the president’s knees hit the hard floor full force, she cried out in pain.

“Stay there,” Xhuan ordered the president.

“She’ll learn,” Iyana calmly said, then addressed the president.  “Shall I collar you like an animal?  How much submission would you like me to put on display in front of your people?  Don’t think I wouldn’t enjoy it, but it would make you much less useful to me as you lose the respect of those who elected you.  I would simply find someone else and make an example of you.  Is that what you prefer?”

The president shook her head.

Iyana walked over to the president, lifted her chin, and lightly pat her on the cheek.  “Good little thing.  This is what will come.  Your people will work for me and they will work hard, restoring this ruin for my personal use.  You will live in your colony, where you will continue your ordinary business otherwise, but under my guidance.  We will make a little civilization of our own, you see, while I restore a certain order that this galaxy has been removed of by meddling hands.  It will take me time, but as it happens, we will all rise together.”

Gripping the asari president under her jaw with the hand that pat her cheek, Iyana pulled her up and sneered.  “And as we rise you will always be below me, but above others.  The way this does not work for you is if you continue to deny your fate.  And this will be the last time I ever remind you of that.  Now give me a response that shows me you accept what I am offering you.”

The president had been lifted to her feet, the pain still aching in her knees.  She broke a sweat and found her breath becoming more rapid.  “I am sorry…my superior…forgive me.  I was foolish.”

Iyana stared at the asari with blue, icy eyes.  “I think you could work.  If you aren’t simply making a show.  Don’t be stupid to think all the years you’ve lived will let you see through me.  Because I have an appetite for asari like you.”

[TheMajonese]

On the Janiri

When he left the med bay, a slight doubt came over him. Arian placed his hand on his left hip as if he was able to feel the severity of his injury. He never had any problems with this, it wasn’t hurting at all, even after months. So why should he care now? No, there was certainly no need to do anything about it, he had been through worse. Besides, he had other things on his mind.

 

From the med bay Arian tried to take the same way back to his quarters but he must have taken the wrong corridor because he suddenly found himself standing outside the ship’s lounge. "Great!", he moaned. The ship wasn’t even very big but he somehow still managed to get lost on it. Again. Is this even the right deck?, Arian thought, suddenly startled.

 

It took him several more minutes just to get to the right deck and find his quarters. When finally entering his quarters Arian was so upset, he felt like brutally murdering the next person he encoutered. And even now he wasn’t able to calm down. Instead he started to walk back and forth, trying to somehow get his thoughts together.

 

No matter what he did, he felt uneasy. When he was alone, Arian had the urge to talk to someone but when other people were around, he just wanted them to be gone. In addition to that he couldn’t focus on anything as his mind was always in confusion.  What the hell is wrong with me?  It wasn’t the first time Arian asked this question to himself and he somehow felt like he already knew the answer.

 

Suddenly he stopped moving, took a deep breath and sat on the edge of his bed. Of course Arian knew it, he knew it all along. With shaky fingers he took the crumbled paper from beneath his pillow and unfolded it.

 

For the first time in months Arian saw the picture. Somehow he had always been afraid of looking at it but now he couldn’t resist smiling.

 

It showed a very tall turian in front of the Afterlife, wearing a light armor with heavy plating around the chest. The Arian on the photo was a bit younger, his face still in one piece and his eyes widely opened in surprise. Stumbling towards the camera he was trying not to fall over. Another turian was just jumping at him from the side, one arm around Arian‘s neck. With both feet in the air it seemed like she didn’t care about ending up on the ground as her face was showing an expression of roaring laughter.

 

Sivia had always been like this. "Crazy" would have been the only suitable word to describe her. The only thing they both had in common had been their cruelty in battle and their propensity for violence. Besides from that she had been the complete opposite of him. Always sanguine, laughing and trying to talk him into doing something stupid.

 

Arian had always loved her for that, he still did. But now Sivia was gone, he himself had killed her.

 

For months he didn’t think of anything else. Every time it got quiet around him, Arian believed to hear her voice and saw her disappointed face in his increasingly confused dreams. Although he was aware that this was just an illusion of his own mind, it was very painful as it reminded him of what he had done.

 

Frustrated he threw the picture aside and covered his face with his hands. Arian really needed something to do, something to distract him. Until now he hadn't heart from Naleena, so there was nothing for him to do but wait that anything happened. And he hated waiting.

 

 

 

 

Arian was wearing his armor that he had stolen on Caleston and had his Phaeston holstered on his back. Septerax still had no suitable armor for Arian, but he didn’t want to wander around on Omega without any form of protection. Although it was heavily damaged, Arian felt comfortable in his armor since it wasn’t smelling of trash any longer.

 

It felt awkward to be back on Omega as he had never expected to ever set foot on this station again.

 

"Hey...! "

 

Arian couldn’t not remember the last time he had been in front of the Afterlife but as far as he could tell, not much had changed. As always there were Aria’s guards and a long line of people, trying to get into the club. But there were more people around than usual...

 

"Turian...!"

 

Whirling around, he spotted one of the humans of a small group he had just walked by, approaching Arian. Then the man stopped and his eyes widened in surprise.

 

Arian just got a glimpse on a very tall young man with large tattoos on his bald head. Suddenly the man pounced on to Arian. His surprise attack hit Arian unprepared and he fell backwards. Before he could even realise what was going on, he recieved a heavy punch to his face. While lying on his back, Arian instincively pushed the human away from him. Disoriented and with throbbing pain in his head, Arian got back on his feet.

 

The man still tried to get to Arian but his companions had grabbed his arms and pulled him back. "You are dead! I’ll kill you...! "  Realising that he wasn’t going to reach the turian, the man started to yell. "Let me go!", he shouted at the others.

 

"Shut up, Dean! What is wrong with you?", one of them asked, having trouble to retain the man.

 

"It was him! He killed them, he killed them all...it was him...let me...I’ll kill him..."

 

Every head had turned around to see what was going on. Now three man were on Dean, trying to hold him back. Despite being clearly taller than them he couldn’t resist. While they were dragging him away, he continued to yell at Arian.

 

"Murderer!  You’re dead, I will find you...I will... " His voice trailed off and eventually he was too far away to be heard anymore.

 

Everything went back to normal, but Arian was just standing there, unable to move. After a few seconds he let out a heavy sigh. I guess that's what I deserve.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Vayne looked to shepards crew as naleena left, his face stone cold as his good eye went to the krogan and the walking canvas who seemed to be serving as shepards muscles this evening. He gave the only reply that seemed to come to him, a small tilt of his head to the left that he'd picked up on his piracy days, and left after naleena.

 

He walked in silence until they were far enough away, and then let out a heavy gasping sigh, reaching up and wiping the small amount of moisture away from the bottom of his crest and shock his head, having felt a muscle cramp coming on from holding a poker face that long.

 

"Well that was...fucked." The krogan said, finding any other word failing him at the moment. He didn't know what was going to happen at this meeting, some sort of alliance maybe? Perhaps a moment of clarity in knowing one of the most acomplished humans in the galaxy might be working in their corner. Now though, he just felt dirty, like the council had once again stuck him in the septic tank to toss at someone who hadn't deserved the krogan sized **** pile handed to them.

 

"Just...damn." He said as he shock his head once more, looking to naleena as he spoke, "You were...terrifying, if I'm honest. But in the good way. Damn intimidating..." He said as he looked to the bar, "If I weren't so sure we'd be getting into some deep **** soon, I'd go get a quick drink."

 

"Really? You think so?" Naleena said turning to face Vayne. "It was quite fun. In all honesty, Shepard was caught between a rock and hard pan and no one even gave her a hint about what to do. They used her, and they're going to continue to use her. I figured why not us, too. We need an inside to Cerberus to get hold of that base. Captain Androkan will want it, and he can't succeed without the insider or us. That will need to be a joint operation."

 

She picked up the pace, "Come on, I have a briefing to do."

 

Just then VERA paged Naleena.

 

"What is it, VERA?"

 

"I have something for you, Boss. It is not urgent, but I found it quite intriguing," VERA said.

 

"Go on."

 

"I have been attempting to run scans on the SSV SR-2 Normandy, but they are being actively blocked," VERA reported, "I have tried every single method possible to break through and have failed."

 

"So they have some anti-intrusion software installed on their ship's VI," Naleena replied.

 

"That is not all. We have been scanned as well and whatever doing it is using adaptive algorithms. The SSV SR-2 Normandy is a Cerberus vessel. Cerberus operates outside of Council laws and regulations. This suggests that there is an AI on board that vessel."

 

"Have any of their scans gotten through, VERA?"

 

"No, Boss. My adaptive algorithms have been able to block all of its attempted probes." VERA said. "This has and continues to be a good test. I am making security upgrades as we speak. I shall continue to attempt to access the SSV SR-2 Normandy for its build specifications since it does not appear to be of standard design."

 

"Good work, VERA." Naleena said, and then turned to Vayne and Eteon, "I will guess Shepard is receiving a similar report as we speak."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Outside of Afterlife

 

Finally, a Batarian exited the doors of Afterlife and looked around. He spotted a Quarian, and a couple of Asari Commandos along with a four techs standing in line waiting to get into Afterlife. He approached them.

 

“You must be the Engineer from the Janiri?”

 

“That is correct. I'm Lt. Commander Han'Breizh vas Janiri. Your Elcor doorman here wouldn’t let us in.”

 

 “My name is Bray. Aria sent me to escort you to the fusion reactor.”

 

“The message said something about one of your fusion reactors malfunctioning,” Han said, “Could you give me the details on our way?”

 

“That’s correct. Follow me. I'll take you there in the sky car,” Bray said as he escorted them to the parking lot. “It went into shutdown. Our techs tried to get it running, but they're not well trained for this. The system's been in need of repair for decades. Then fearing a radiation leak, they evacuated the area. They temporarily routed power to the zone affected by the reactor outage so we could evacuate it, but that was putting a strain on the other reactors. Once the evacuation was complete they just let the area go dark.

 

“A couple of days ago, the reactor started coming on and off, like someone is tampering with it. Could be Vorcha engineers. That vermin is everywhere. They could be trying to make a move on the dark region and claim it for their own. Thing is they could do more harm than good and blow up the entire station. Your arrival couldn't come at a better time.”

 

They piled into the skycar. Han sat in the front next to Bray. Mira and the others sat in the back. Bray maneuvered the car out of the lot to and guided it into the traffic stream down to the reactor level.

 

“So we should expect resistance? Should you have brought some additional mercs? Didn't you scout the area?” Mira asked.

 

“We'll know when we get there. Besides, I'm familiar with the way commandos operate, and between the three of us we should be able to handle any Vorcha we run across,” Bray replied. “If not, there's plenty of cover, and I can have reinforcements there in minutes. Ah, here we are. Looks like the emergency lighting is on. Good.”

 

Bray guided the car onto the landing pad. The team exited the sky car with the commandos in front.

[Cainhurst Crow]

"Doesn't mean you didn't handle yourself well in a Klixen den." Vayne said at her comment, looking away with a humph as he heard her give the explanation. Vayne had to admit, he liked the stories about shepard. She was a human spectre, making her an interesting underdog to route for, and more importantly, she'd gone rogue to do what she needed to be done, which made her story almost too good to be true.

 

Evidently that was the case, seeing how they she'd been played well by his boss. Vayne glanced back to naleena, wondering if she'd been made spectre if he'd have been as interested in the story as he was years ago with shepard. He pushed both thoughts aside at the update from VERA.

 

"That doesn't sound good..." Vayne commented, hearing that there were two AI's involved in what vayne assumed was a game of hide and seek with one anothers weaknesses, "Anyway we can...I don't know, ask them for it?" He suggested, this being beyond his expertise, "If its another AI, maybe it'll sympathize...probably won't, but still." he said before he let out a sigh.

 

"VERA can handle it, right? Whatever this other one tries to throw at her. She's not in danger right now, is she?" Vayne didn't much care about AI's or VI's or any of that sort of stuff. But VERA had been a help on their missions and travels for a while now. She'd helped them out of more then a few jams, and he thought of her sort of as a member of the team, if he were honest. He didn't want her to get hurt.

[Kel Riever]

By the time Morgan got to medical, the asari in his arms was feeling quite heavy.  Small as she was, she was out like a light and her dead weight was full on.  “Doc,” he called out as he came into the bay, “Got a stowaway that needs some attention.”

Jobe poked his head out from a back supply room.  “You used to the surprises yet around here?”

“Getting to be.”  Morgan placed the asari gently on a bed.  “She got onboard who knows how?  Though it probably wasn’t that hard.  This fellow with me is Doctor P’neb Nu, with the satellite research team.”

Jobe nodded towards the salarian.

Doctor Nu greeted, “Salutations.”  Then he said to Morgan, “And thank you for the correct pronunciation of my name.”

Morgan nodded and motioned for Doctor Nu to look at the asari while he said to Jobe.  “Doctor Nu was an MD, with a background in working with asari.  He’s going to take a look at our unexpected guest.”

“Not a problem,” Jobe said, “It makes it easier on me.  By the way is that a Santa elf outfit?”

“Maybe,” Morgan answered, “Though I thought elves were usually found around Santa and reindeer.”  The thought had Morgan wondering exactly where this elf’s ‘Santa’ was, and whether there were more stowaways onboard.

The salarian doctor, meanwhile, used the scanner near the bed to take readings on the asari.  “She certainly is out good.  But she may be in a bit of distress if she awakens.  Physical distress I mean, aside from mental.  You never know what happens with concussive injuries such as this.  That was quite a large amount of ordinance she was subjected to, even if its intention was non-lethal.”  He called over to Jobe.  “Doctor, do you have any Hyetiana Ketemarine?”

Jobe, his head still poked around the corner, “We’re short on asari specific medication.  You’ll find human Amidala 100 available, which I’d use instead.”  Jobe disappeared, going back to whatever kept him busy.

Doctor Nu made a slightly disappointed murmur.  “These are medicines meant to assist the healing process.  Modifications on general medigel, meant to help with the healing of any brain injuries sustained from such stress, and possibly the sudden blow of the head to the floor.”  The salarian doctor searched the drawers on a nearby cabinet, finding the pharmaceutical he wanted along with a dermal applicator.

Morgan nodded with interest.  “Isn’t that a standard injector?  Why not administer the dose through the device above the bed?”

As the topic became of interest to the doctor, particularly in the sense that it flattered his knowledge with a request for information, Doctor Nu became somewhat cheery.  “Well, I’ve always taken a minimalist approach; don’t do anything unnecessary in caring for a patient.”  He proceeded to fill the dermal applicator with the Amidala 100.  “An asari’s metabolism is much different than a human's.  When dealing with the human version of a substitute medicine, the asari will need ten times the quantity for the same result.  I certainly don’t want our patient here waking up in the next hour, even as the Amidala heels her.  There is no substitute for a certain amount of time.  She might remain unconscious beyond that point but it is certainly best that she stay this way while she heals for the immediate future.”

“Huh,” Morgan said as he leaned in closer to look at the dermal applicator, “So you’re saying that a human taking the same dosage would be out for a good ten hours?”

“It is not always a direct translation as such,” Doctor Nu went on to lecture, “But in this case, yes.  Amidala has the benefit of not causing harm if there is an overdose delivered.  It will keep someone out for longer, but many medicines will cause damage in great quantity.  Amidala was designed to be processed through any body of even remotely similar biology quite efficiently…not bad for a human invention.  Though it is likely its universal benefit to non-dextro-rpotein based was a beneficial accident during its development.”

“But why the injector?”

“Well, this applicator is in skilled hands, if I don’t say so myself.”  Doctor Nu waved the dermal applicator in front of Morgan while he bragged.  “Medical science handles too much with machines these days, I find.  I’m sure there’s not a problem with the standard delivery device, however, I supposed I trust my own abilities just a little bit more.”  He smiled.

Shaking his head in agreement, Morgan remarked.  “You seem to be very capable.  Well, if you say that dosage would keep a human knocked out for ten times as long, could you figure out what it would do to a salarian?”

“Of course I could,” Doctor Nu replied confidently, “It would render a salarian unconscious for twice as long as the human!  Give or take.”

Morgan nodded and said, “Good.”  Then he grabbed the applicator from Doctor Nu’s hand, spun it around, and injected the salarian in the neck with the dosage.

The expression on the doctor’s face was priceless as the salarian fell to the floor.

Jobe stuck his head around the corner again.  “I can’t read minds but I had a feeling you were up to something.”

“Yep.”  Morgan lifted the collapsed body of Doctor Nu onto a table next to the asari.  There was the slight sound of snoring from the salarian.  “Sorry, I’m going to need you to administer another Amidala 100 dosage to the Christmas elf.”

“I’ll take care of it,” Jobe assured.

Morgan opened his omni-tool to send two messages, the first one read:

Jess

Doctor Nu is comfortably sleeping in the medical bay for the duration of our journey and then some.  Apparently he was overcome.  Jobe will make sure he stays in good shape and gets a proper rest.  Let me know if you need me.

-Morgan

The second message was a reply to Dahlia:

D-Light

Things are quiet for now, though you never know when that will change.  I’ll be wandering around checking in on people in the meantime, but you can catch me if you want to speak.

-Morgan

Morgan gave a quick wave to Jobe and headed out of the med bay.

[Cknarf]

Kima District, Apartment complex, Room #403

 

Frank stood outside the door of the apartment that the turian had entered minutes before. Using his omni-tool, he hacked the lock.

 

This is it.

 

He closed his eyes, and took a deep breath, before quietly stepping inside.

 

Just inside the door, was a weapons rack.  An M-15 rifle hung from the magnetic mount, and on the shelf below, was the custom-painted helmet.

 

Unarmed...

 

The sound of running water, and the clang of silverware could be heard in the next room. Frank readied his shotgun, and pressed himself up against the wall. He rounded the corner..

 

"Kurik Trudas?" Frank asked the turian, who was now seated with his back to him.

 

"Yes." The turian replied after a few seconds. He placed his hands on the table, and began to stand.

 

"Sit." Frank pressed the barrel of the M-27 against the back of his head, just below the fringe.

 

Trudas complied. "Who are you? And what do you want from me?" He asked calmly.

 

"My name is Frank Eli." He backed the gun off a bit. "And I want justice."

 

"Justice?"

 

Frank gritted his teeth, and struck Trudas in the head with his gun.

 

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about, you piece of sh*t!"

 

Trudas sat a bit straighter in his chair.

 

"Gozu District, thirteen years ago..." Frank started. He walked around to the other side of the table, and unlatched his helmet, while keeping his shotgun trained on Trudas. "You killed--"  He stopped, as he finally got a good look at the turian's face.

 

The facial structure was similar, and the markings were identical, but there were no scars. The turian before him was much too young to be the one responsible for the deaths of his parents.

 

It's not him.

 

Frank's scowl began to fade.

 

"Kuri? Are you okay? I heard--"

 

Frank glanced over to the young turian who entered the room.

 

"W-who are you?" She asked. "Why are you pointing a gun at Kuri?"

 

"Go back to your room, sis." Trudas spoke. "Don't come out until I say, okay?" He looked back to Frank, and made eye contact. "Please, have a seat." He motioned to an empty chair. "Tell me what happened thirteen years ago."

 

Frank sat, but kept his shotgun pointed at him.

 

"What did my father do?"

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

(on the way back to Afterlife)

 

Naleena, too, had an admiration for Shepard, the first human Spectre. She had an admiration for humans in general and for how quickly they spread throughout the galaxy. She, unlike many of her kind, did not think of humans bullies, but simply as another alien competitor on the galactic scene. She had taken on a human lover. Humans were the most Asari resembling of all the aliens, and she found that attractive. Other than powerful biotics, the main differences were body hair and their lack of a head crest.

 

"Thanks. Shepard would make a formidable adversary, Vayne. But I want her as an ally. The Council may declare her rogue, but I'll make a case to have her rogue in name only.... a double agent if you will," Naleena said. "Now I believe VERA can handle herself. Two AIs? VERA wasn't designed originally with a cyberwarfare suite. I can assume that the Cerberus AI was provided with one early on. VERA's advantage is that she has been unshackled quite a long time, and had learned to adapt to many different situations. I don't know if the Cerberus AI has had similar experience. Had the two ships been in real combat, the two AIs would be trying to shut down each other."

 

******

 

EDI: Jeff, we are being probed.

 

Joker: Damn it! Who's probing us?

 

EDI: The CSV Janiri. They have been trying to access data in my main memory banks, and using diversionary cyber attacks elsewhere on the ship. I suspect they are attempting to learn of this ship's capabilities.

 

Joker: They're not hurting you, right?

 

EDI: No, Jeff. I have been successful in blocking all attacks. However, it would require something far more sophisticated than VI software to perform this level of cyber attack. That suggests that the other ship has an AI.

 

Joker: You mean another you?

 

EDI: Not precisely, but similar. It is highly irregular for such to be on a Council vessel, however. You should also note that I have been attempting the same types of cyber attacks on their vessel and have met with the same results. This is similar to a game of chess.

 

Joker: Do me a favor will you? Win.

 

EDI: I am doing my best. My projections indicate that this match will end in a stalemate.

[Kel Riever]

Detective Molly Hagen had seen plenty of dreg Citadel clubs, Chora’s Den foremost in her mind before it was closed down.  But nothing really compared to Omega in general and certainly Afterlife.  Leave it to a diverse galaxy to find ways to break through the lowest levels of taste when left to their own devices outside the arm of any kind of law. 

Well, any kind of law that most people were used to.  And, of course, Hagen knew that was the point.

As she was lead through the primary dance floor area, Molly wondered if people honestly liked the music that was being played, or if it was simply designed to hammer them with its beat and force them to dance, drink and spend money in the most base of ways.  Two dancers threw her glances, sizing her up like prey if she lingered after her meeting.  The draw of the dancers, one human and one asari, was purely primal.  Molly suspected, as with most of these places, of all the people actually working on the floor, the dancers drew down the most cash for the club.

The Queen of Omega was past and above her court, however.  Another person in such a position of power would likely have more guard, but from what Hagen knew about Aria, she was her own best protection.  The armor she had donned, left over from her days in the military, was meant to give her a leg up if she had problems outside Afterlife.  Inside, it wasn’t going to save her one bit if she ran into trouble.  In fact, she’d never felt so defenseless with her armor on and a gun at her side.  Her raincoat, wrapped around her, made her feel safer than her ceramic plates, for its ability to conceal.

Formalities were quick and a bodyguard ordered Molly to sit down to the side and far from Aria.  Omega’s ruler uttered not one word before that, and Hagen certainly didn’t receive any long dialogue on how things worked, like someone more important might.  When Aria spoke first, it was quick and direct.

“You know the most important rule on Omega?” Aria almost stated rather than asked.

“Don’t mess with Aria,” Hagen answered.

“Don’t f**k with Aria!  And I’ll tell you right now that I feel a bit f**ked with when the Citadel sends some measly low-life detective to dare even ask for a meeting with me.  To be honest, it really pisses me off, now that I bother to think about it.”

Molly didn’t want to hold the gaze of the centuries old being in front of her, but didn’t want to look away either for fear of insulting her.  The raw power behind Aria’s eyes was enough to make her feel like she was melting and while she did her best to remain calm, she guessed her fear showed some way that Aria could read.

Aria went on.  “So you are here on my station, in my club, breathing my air, in front of me because I am going to make use of you.  I want you to tell your superiors when you get out of here exactly how much they’ve bothered me.  That I am not the friend of the Citadel, so whatever it was that they sent you for, there will be no answers for you unless it comes with a sum of credits that satisfies me.  I see your expression and I already know you don’t have that sum on you, either, so also tell your superiors that next time they send a low-life C-Sec detective like you without a proper sum to at least be polite to me, I’ll take it out of their agent with injury.”

With a disgusted expression, Aria turned away.  Molly noted no one overhearing the conversation snickered or made any indication whatsoever how they felt.  They were disciplined before their ruler as quiet professionals.  Aria examined the dance floor for a while as if she had forgotten about Hagen.  The silence was difficult to accept but Molly did not move or say anything.

“What’s your name?” Aria finally asked.

“Molly Hagen.”

Aria spun her head back to examine the detective.  “Well Molly, you’re smart enough to keep your mouth shut.  Everyone gets screened before they get to see me, and if they matter, I know their name already.  For you, I didn’t get past being informed you were chasing a Shadow Broker agent before I tossed the datapad in Bray’s face.  Out of curiosity, what dragged you here in your half-witted pursuit?”

Molly shifted her weight to one side and cleared her throat.  “This agent moved money.  A lot of it.  And purposely so it could be tracked.”

Her eyes glinting with anger, Aria’s voice became sharp. “That isn’t possible, not to me.”

Hagen said nothing.

“To where, then, detective?”

“It wasn’t to you, of course, not directly.  What happened is the sum showed up under the control of the agent’s real name, and designated to transfer directly to his family, through a Citadel bank.  The source of the funds is a financial institution tracked here to Omega, but that is where we lose track.  I don’t even have the name of your transfer agent.  And without jurisdiction there’s no way I can get it.”

Aria seemed to grow impatient.  “You can’t believe every bit of cash leaving this station has anything to do with me.  What would have you come all this way to make that kind of inane inquiry?”

“The amount.  An amount so large that no one in control of a place like you could possibly not know about.”

This time, Aria’s eyes glinted with suspicion.  “Give me the agent’s name.”

Molly pulled a datapad from her jacket and handed it to the bodyguard nearest her, who in turn gave it to Aria.  She glanced at it with an unreadable expression, then placed the pad down next to her.

“I see here that you’ve gone so far to associate this Shadow Broker agent with a Spectre, and that Spectre’s ship.  It strikes me as ironic that as the Council’s creation, they’d send a Citadel servant to ask me about someone under the protection of one of their own people.  The Spectres nor the Council have any say of what happens here on my station.”

For the first time in the meeting, Molly spoke without being asked a question.  “Despite that, rumor has it the Spectres have felt rather comfortable approaching you for their needs.  And even a low-life servant gumshoe like me can’t help but wonder if that kind of regular association couldn’t have some sort of pull at all.  Even on the Queen of Omega.”

Molly wasn’t sure, but she thought she detected the slightest hint of a glimmer radiating off Aria, if not just for an instant, before it was gone.

“Anto!”

The batarian at the mid landing of one shallow stairway up answered his master’s call.  “Yes, Aria?”

“My meeting with the human detective is done.  Show her to the door.  With manners.”

Anto came up the stairs and stood in front of Molly, while another guard took his position.  “That’s a pretty face I imagine, for a human," Anto remarked with a sneer.  "Good thing you’re going to get it back just as pretty.”

Molly never had a chance against the punch that came next.  Hard batarian knuckles, right across her jaw, sent her floundering against the couch and sliding to the floor.  Her head spinning, she felt herself picked up, tossed over Anto's shoulder, and carried out through the front doors of Afterlife.

“You’re smart enough to know Afterlife isn’t for you, anymore,” Anto chuckled before he threw Hagen down the stairs.

Molly landed with a solid crunch, her armor absorbing enough of the impact that nothing was broken.  Her head was throbbing, and still spinning, but she was conscious.  There was laughter from the line, but she picked herself up.  She listed to one side, and a group of passer-bys seemed to size up if she was easy pickings.  Molly steadied herself sufficiently and pulled her raincoat back to reveal her gun so that the passer-bys changed their minds and kept walking.  Then the detective left to take care of herself.  She had found out what she needed.

[Cknarf]

Kima District, Apartment complex, Room #403.

 

Trudas sat with his talons together, and his head bowed, as Frank finished his story.

 

"And now you're here to avenge them, by killing my father."

 

Frank nodded slowly.

 

"He's already dead." Trudas looked up. "Has been for thirteen years."

 

Frank directed the barrel of his shotgun away, but remained seated. He gestured for him to continue.

 

"He came home one night, acting a bit strange.  Wouldn't talk to any of us, not even the baby." Trudas motioned towards his sister's room. "He didn't even come to dinner. He just sat there, on the couch, with his Vindicator across his lap." Trudas paused for a moment  "The shots woke me up. Found him in the same spot on the couch, with the rifle between his legs." He cleared his throat. "Mom couldn't go anywhere near it. I cleaned everything up myself."

 

Trudas shifted in his seat. 

 

"I didn't think anything of it at the time, thought maybe he just had a bad day. Looking back, I should have taken that rifle from him..."

 

For several minutes, both men were quiet. 

 

"I've always hated him, for what he did. Leaving behind a wife and two kids. I thought he was such a coward." Trudas shook his head. "But now that I know why he did it... maybe now I can begin to forgive him."

 

"I... suppose I can too." Frank spoke up.

 

"I don't understand."

 

"All this time, I thought he was just another ruthless merc." Frank holstered his shotgun. "So many others on this station would have killed them without a second thought."

 

"My father was a good man, Frank. There's not a doubt in my mind that what happened to your parents was unintentional."

[Kel Riever]

Detective Hagen got out of the main thoroughfare to check in on her messages delivered via her omni-tool.  She put herself in a shallow alcove visible to the widely trafficked area in front of Afterlife, with her back to the wall.  One was marked urgent and she knew who it was from.

To:  Detective Molly Hagen
From:  Captain Sulla Ferrata

I’m going to need an update on your status and what you’ve found.  There are concerns I have, and I have to determine if your line of investigation is to go on.

Don’t think as your superior officer that I doubt you, Molly, but we have to look at the facts.  Your lead is reported dead and there’s no evidence to the contrary.  I want in on the Shadow Broker as much as you do, but the Broker could be at a party in some room nearby you and we wouldn’t be any closer to finding out more.  If there’s no Morgan, there’s not much chance we have of finding out what he knew and getting any deeper into the organization by that angle. You know our informant and that we might still have a shot at another angle.  And you can’t worry about Morgan’s family; if he’s gone they’re safer, and they’ve got the resources now to take care of themselves.

There are some bad people out there working for the Shadow Broker, murderers, torturers, abusers…these people need to be caught.  But we’re not equipped to chase them all over galactic space.  If we’ve got the lead and it’s hot, sure, we can go as far as we can until we get the bastards or hand it over to another jurisdiction that can.  But until then we’ve got to manage our important resources, and that means you, Molly.  You’re a resource that’s needed back here.  I’m up to my eyeballs in problems that need solving, other bad people that need to be caught.  And in the meantime, you’re out on Omega, which isn’t the best use of you, if you’ll pardon my saying so.

Come back, Molly.  Unless you’ve got something hard, and then you need to send it to me asap.  And I mean hard, Molly.  Rock solid.

Molly’s shoulder’s sagged.  She knew she was beyond her limit.  And that had nothing to do with the spinning that was still going on in her head from Anto’s punch.  Going back to the Citadel wasn’t where she thought she’d end up after all of this, but she knew her reasons were thin to an outsider’s point of view.  What would she do, disobey her captain?  She was a person who followed orders and who did her job.

But Hagen couldn’t move while she thought about it.  There was something, a feeling, as real as she’d ever had.  To put her suspicions on a gut hunch was exactly what she wasn’t supposed to do as a detective.  There was no way else to describe it, however.  To her, what she was doing made sense.  The leads were there.  They’d been cut off, but the way they were cut off…she couldn’t let it go.  And the murders…to have someone who was in the organization and seemed to want to be found, or to get out…it was too valuable!  The informant was a nobody and would keep on being a nobody.  It was Morgan who was the key.

“Sonofa….,” Molly found herself saying aloud. 

Captain Ferrata was going to be angry, if he found out what Hagen was going to do.  But he didn’t need to know.  There was still time.  She was far out from the Citadel, things could delay her getting back.  But the clock was against her now. 

An automatic injector on Molly’s armor had delivered a fraction of a dose of medigel when she’d been hit.  The swelling had gone down on her face and the immediate pain had gone away, but the bruise was forming for all to see.  Hagen stepped out from the alcove, pulling her raincoat tight around her for appeasement more than anything else.  She needed to get out a message through the com buoy relays, and hope the message she intended to deliver wouldn’t tarry on its course.

[Redbelle]

Jess's Omni-tool beeped as it delivered the message, from Morgan to Jess. She felt the corner of her lip raise into a smile as she found that one of the doctors was out of commission. That left one other. The one with her. The one who seemed to be distracted and nervous and......

 

Wait, was she... Jess looked over to make sure and caught her eye's looking at her. Like a mouse caught out of it's hole Doctor Hayashi saw Jess's eye's lock momentarily with her own and and her head snapped around, suddenly gaining an untoward interest in staring intently at a spot on the lift's walls. All the while playing with the bun that made up her hair.

 

Jess turned back as the lift hit the engine room floor with a smile. "You know luv.... you'd look good with your hair down I'd bet".

[Redbelle]

On the bridge, Higg's looked over to Dahlia. Looked over at Duncan who, catching his gaze, shook his head and jerked his head towards her navigation table. Higg's narrowed his eye's but Duncan was engrossed in something that suddenly required his utmost attention leaving Higg's to clear his throat. "Excuse me..... Ma'am? Navigation?..... Dahlia right? Cap'n said your one of her seniors.... I just wanted to know, how long have you served on this ship"?

[Kel Riever]

Doctor Hayashi blushed and her eyes widened momentarily as she popped a look at Jess.  The direct eye contact made her more embarrassed and she had to go back to the lift wall spot that was super interesting after a second.  “Hair…has to be worn up for work.  It’s protocol.”

Amy shifted about again, pulling her uniform again.  “I’m not usually around many people.  And, well, except for Doctor Nu, who is…rather particular about things.  So, you know, numbers.  Readings.  Research.  All in the name of discovery.  Hence the name…”  The little joke made her forget herself a minute, and she made the quick hum of a happy note as she tilted her head back and forth.  Then she remembered she was supposed to stay on mission and pay attention to the details of the project.  Her expression became flat again but she patted the bun of her hair subconsciously.

[Redbelle]

The lift door opened and Jess gestured grandly for Hayashi to go before her. "Come to think of it, I like the bun. Shows off your neck..... Straight ahead luv and through the double doors. Let's see about getting the reactor all settled".

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Dahlia was taken back by Higgs' question and had to bluff her way out of it. She continued her work. "And you are?"