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[Cknarf]

"Are you sure you have to observe this?" Frank asked, briefly looking up from the can between his knees.

 

Tolus remained focused, ready to take notes.

 

"Do you mind stepping out for a minute? I promise to give you a full report when I'm finished." A small fart echoed in the toilet.

 

The doctor took a single step back.

 

Frank sighed.

 

"Can you close the door, please?"

 

Tolus stepped back into the bathroom, and closed the door behind him

 

"That's not what I--"  Frank vomited a dark, almost black liquid into the can.

 

"F***..."

 

I'm going to die.

 

He looked into the toilet, at the other dark liquid, and immediately spewed more into the can. Both cans.

 

Tolus moved closer to investigate. He sniffed.

 

"Vomiting and diarrhea..."

 

Frank exploded again.

 

"Simultaneous vomiting and diarrhea."

 

Sticking a finger in the rim of the can, he tilted it slightly forward.

 

"Gastrointestinal bleeding. Endoscopy is necessary to determine cause."

 

"E-endo wh-what?" Frank winced, as more water splashed into the toilet.

 

"Also, colonoscopy." Tolus left the room.

[Kel Riever]

Amy Hayashi looked up at the Captain and said, "Rawr!"

[Redbelle]

Jess sighed. "Okay.... Two situations". She said as the lift hit the bridge level and the doors opened. Slipping an arm around Amy's, waist she held her close as she half carried, half pulled her out onto the bridge in as dignified manner as she could. Exiting, she saw Sherie enter from the other lift on the other side of the wall. She had her sleeves rolled up with her pinny tied around her waist, pushing a trolly Jess had never seen before across the decking. It carried a hot water boiler on the top and below, were sets of the same china cups she'd had in the mess. Of course, two of those red and white cross hatched cloths sat on both surfaces.

 

"I'm sorry everybody". Sherie called out. "We seem to only have that instant freezed dried coffee aboard. I'll try and get some ground, but for now....". She sighed elaborately. ".... We'll have to make do".

 

"I think this one needs an expresso". Jess called out as she pulled Amy into one of the pull out seats by the nav table. "Oh....". She said remembering what she'd said to Amy in the lift. "Did you bring any cake"?

 

Sherie pulled herself up. "Captain, if you wanted cake you should have asked. And if you want any you can most certainly go down to the kitchen and make one yourself. I've been working over several hot stoves to prepare the crews meals when that lovely first officer politely asked me to bring up some beverages..... coffee, as you asked. I don't have time to go back down and come back up again and in future I'd appreciate you telling me in advance, everything, that you want so that I can.....".

 

Jess squeezed her eye's together and felt a slight throbbing in the side of her head. "Okay! Okay, no cake. It's fine. We only needed the coffee". She looked over at the coffee boiler and the trolly. then over at one of the deck hands. "You! Five deck magnet's! That access hatch! Get this thing magnetized to the deck in case we need to maneuver hard"!

 

With that out the way, Jess turned her back on Sherie who had begun to pour hot water into one of the cups filled with coffee granules as Jess quickly looked over the Nav table. "Still running, but he's changed his vector. We're still on his tail, but now he's maneuvered.....". She saw it then. "He's gone so that he's exiting the storms in this area faster. but even if he does get to where he can jump, jumping this far in system is risky. He can't guarantee there isn't something in his path. He'll have to go further out for any margin of safety.... We can pour on a little more speed and catch him, but when he see's we're gaining, his options dwindle to one of three. Either jump, and hope his path's clear. Turn, and try to engage us. Or keep going and hope we can't do anything to impede his progress....". Jess sucked her cheeks in thought as she saw Amy looknig over at her in confusion.

 

"Sorry....". Jess told her. "That ship melted ice from the comet your assessing and is trying to escape us. Since that comet is a protected object of scientific interest, we're trying to bring him to heel and recover the water he took. We'll be delayed in getting your satalite in place, but I thought you'd want to have that ice recovered, and the people who took it hauled in".

 

Looking back to the table, Jess decided to chance it. "Marshall! Bring acceleration up to oh point four five and bring us in over his engines and....".

 

"Bring acceleration up to oh point four five. Aye".

 

Jess opened her mouth, then shut it and turned back to the table. The Alliance trained people she'd grabbed had a way of going about business. One of those was to repeat orders back to show that they had heard them correctly. It was odd. Jess had never insisted to any of her old crews that they needed to repeat back what she'd said to them. But now one had, she had to admit, she liked the certainty of knowing she'd been heard, and her order carried out...... 'Oh great'. She thought glumly. 'Don't tell me their rubbing off on me'!

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Dahlia kept feeding information to the gunners.

 

"Jess, will you give the gunners a weapons free when they get a lock on the coordinates I send them?"

[Kel Riever]

"Hey!" A woman's voice came back to Dahlia over the com.   "You mean the gunner, right?  'Cause I'm doing everything down here myself!"

[Redbelle]

"If they have a clear shot at disabling that other ships engine block, I want them to take it. Just pass on that I want to take that other ship intact". She looked back to the visual display of the zoomed in system map. Saw the closing of the two ships as the Medusa gained ground. She'd have to remember to call into engineering when this was over. Find out how well the new engineer's had wrangled the engine into performing. Check to see if the engine systems had held up.

 

She was still musing when she noticed the image on the table on the other ship. "He's trying another turn". She said, checking the other ships new vector's. She watched as the other ship began to alter away from the path it had selected and grinned as she saw him sill turning. "He's left it to late. The other captain on that ship knows he can't get away so he's trying to turn to get his emitter's swung around to point at us. Only he waited to long. With the gap shortened he hasn't the space to make the turn before we're on him. We'll get some good shots off on......". She stopped as she then noticed the image on the display seemed to stretch. At first she thought the Medusa's sensor system was on the fritz and was about to ask for a system check when she saw the readouts on the other ship change dramatically and she cursed.

 

"Damn! Helm! Full Acceleration and adjust your course. Twenty-five degree's to starboard, up angle fifteen degree's! Roll along long axis 180 to bring our GARDIAN'S to bear before contact"! She pointed at the display. "Sonuvaguns ejected his storage containers! He's lost a lot of mass which means he's gained maneuverability. That turn would have brought him around at medium range to bear down on us. Hopefully he's turning at his maximum allowed ability so our course change and speed increase should throw him off but once we pass him, we'll be going to fast to turn quickly and brake hard enough enough before he can jump our tail and be on our aft with a clean shot at our engines....". Jess fixed Dahlia with a look. "Change of plans. Order the gunner to take out that ship by any means necessary. If it get's on our tail we're sunk". She paused. "Tell Morgan to stand by. If our gunner's don't destroy it I'll want them on standby to board and seize the ship and personnel". She managed a tight smile. "Much as I hate it, we don't leave people to mercy of space.... Even if they are trying to kill us.... Pirate code.... Our's at least anyway. Pass on the message Dahlia. Take that ship out".

 

Jess turned back to the table and tapped the spot where the container's had been ejected. They were still traveling forwards. Their inertia carrying them along their last heading before the enemy ship had detached it's linkages and separated to gain extra maneuvering ability. They'd probably figured that they could deal with the Medusa, then catch up with them and capture them before heading on their way. Now tagged, the Medusa would maintain a watchful eye on them so they could recover the containers later. Depending on what happened next of course.

 

Jess breathed under her breath. "Hope our gunner is good or hell knows how we'll get out of this". On the chance that something would go wrong, Jess leaned over the table and tried to come up with alternatives ideas should the gunner fail.

[Kel Riever]

Amy Hayashi was sitting in a chair on the bridge of the Medusa.

Sherie, the housewife she met in the kitchen offered a cup of coffee.  With saucer.  There was a disapproving look in her eye as she stood above Amy, but she said nothing.

Hayashi noticed she had been strapped into her seat.  She also noticed the enemy ship on the screens and listened to the animated talk around her.  Amy picked up the hair that fell in front of her face, put it up by her bun and completely missed tucking it in with her other hand’s fumbling fingers.  She let the hair go, so it fell in front of her face, right back where it had been.

Amy took the saucer and coffee, and pat what was left of her bun as she stared at the enemy ship on the screens.  Then she took a sip of the coffee, black and hot.  It probably burned her tongue but she didn’t react. 

Instead, Amy looked angrily at the enemy ship.  “My comet.  Nobody messes with my comet.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Babe was listening, as she tracked the ship with the Medusa’s short range ‘grapeshot’ cannon.  The targeter was feeding her information visually through the ocular on her headset, which sat loosely on her head of short blonde hair with a green dyed streak running through it.  The used stick of a blowpop was stuck to the edge of the targeting screen, and she cracked her gun as she watched.

The call came down from the bridge.  “Take that ship out!”

A grin split across Babe’s face.

“Received, honey!”  Babe’s hands, wrapped in leather riding gloves, went to work over the controls.  Servos whirred and lights blinked frantically as the gun came alive.  “You tell the Captain the money’s in the bank!”

From the starboard side, the Medusa’s close range cannon erupted.  Hyper velocity shot flew from the barrel in three salvos and ripped into the opposing vessel.  There was a blast of white energy that exploded out from its engine on the visual, and readouts relayed what had been massive damage to the target’s engine.

“Hell yeah!  Direct hit!”  Babe pushed her fists into the air.  “You ain’t going anywhere papa!”

Her headset now askew, Babe took a glance at the readouts, and then burst out of her chair.  The cannon was reloading, which would take more time than she needed.  She grabbed the bulkhead over the hatch to her gun pod and flipped herself into the connecting passageway.  Full run, she headed for the GARDIAN control room.

On the way, Babe called the bridge, “That boat should be dead in the water.  But close range, I’m getting to the GARDIAN.  If I’m wrong for some reason and that thing starts moving again.  In which case we’ll be ready.”

Babe punched the door control for the GARDIAN room.  “Unless you just want me to blow it up.”  She cracked her gun and smiled again.  “ ‘Cause I’ll do that for ya, no extra charge.” 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Dahlia pulled up the scans for the ship they were facing and obtained the locations of all the hardpoints on the ship, especially its main gun. Other locations, like the bridge would be heavily armored, so she wanted to target the weak points and especially those that could damage the Medusa. She sent those coordinates to the gunners.

 

But upon seeing the ship's main engine explode she sent the coordinates for its bridge. "Take it out. We'll salvage their main gun."

[Kel Riever]

“Hey, lady, shooting the bridge, that’s downright dirty,” Babe said hungrily. “I don’t know you but I think I like you already.”

Babe overrode the automated defensive targeting for the GARDIAN, meant to shoot down fighters and incoming missiles. While she did she cracked her gum again and received the data for the enemy’s bridge location. Hitting the bridge was definitely hitting the bull’s-eye on a vessel, so she carefully lined up the short range lasers and fired.

The GARDIAN lasers shot in rapid succession over the hull of the enemy ship, just as it was making a futile attempt to use the little energy left in its maneuvering thrusters to try and bring its main cannon to bear. The first few blasts hit the bridge, but then the rest walked themselves along the outside hull, to where some of the crew quarters likely were.

“Whoops.” Babe remarked in a bit of a surprise. Then she grinned ferrally. “Free air conditioning!”

Babe lined up the GARDIAN lasers again, which still were cool enough for another fusillade. The enemy ship was helpless, its auxiliary power spent, and Babe’s next set of shots ravaged the bridge. It was likely that the command crew had evacuated between the volleys, but if they hadn’t, they were ash floating into space.

“Sorry for the mess,” Babe called in to the bridge, “But that ship’s bridge has been compromised now, as per your request.” She sat back and put her gloved hands behind her head.

[Kel Riever]

(Note:  The following was a collaboration with Shotgun Julia)

The Conference Room:

 

Iole was about to say Frank’s last name when the doors opened. Naleena walked in.

 

“Dismissed, Commando. And thanks,” Naleena said as she entered.

 

“Yes, Ma’am,” Iole replied, stood and left.

 

Naleena walked over to the liquor cabinet in the conference room, took out two tumblers, and a bottle of Nevosian Ambrosia. “Sorry to have kept you waiting, Detective, but I had some Spectre business to take care of. I know you’re probably on duty, but I’m a Spectre, and you have my permission. Besides, you look like you could use one,” she said as she sat down, poured two fingers of the purple liquor in each glass, and lifted her glass. “To better times,” She took a large sip.

 

She took out another cigarette and offered one to Molly. She lit her cigarette and took a deep drag off it and exhaled a large plume of smoke. “I’m sorry that I cut our first meeting so short, but there was an emergency in the fusion reactor to which I had to attend. I think you also figured out that there is a certain protocol one uses when dealing with the Queen of Omega.

 

“Let me tell you why you’re here. You mentioned that a family of a dead agent is in danger. Family is important to me. I lost mine. If it is possible to protect this family I would like to help. What is also intriguing is this dead agent that you mentioned.”

Molly thanked Naleena for the offers of a cigarette and a drink, “I would love to, but I really need to keep my wits about me.  Trust me, I have a lot of steam to blow off so it isn’t as if I don’t appreciate it.”

In fact, Molly was pretty sure she was showing her frayed wires.  A full-speed run through Omega before riding in an over-packed skycar had her drab raincoat looking crumpled.  And while the bruise on the side of her face was gone thanks to medigel, the rest of the scuffles had her hair hanging free and rough marks on her cheeks.

“And as far as Aria goes, I’m pretty aware of the protocols.  Honestly, I pushed her for a reason and I think she threw me a bone without letting on to the people around her.  Besides, everybody needs someone to stand up to them every once in a while.”  Molly briefly smirked.  “We did each other a favor.”

Hagen threw one leg over the other.  “So, this guy, Severn, and protecting his family.  The local police won’t do anything because there’s no evidence of a threat.  Now, with the kind of money they have, they’ve got themselves some security.  But I think you and I know that it only goes so far.  Someone who wants to get to them, and can pay enough, would.  It’s a cost thing at the end of the day to the authorities, and in the end, people like the Severns are not important enough and have enough money so they’re on their own.”

Blowing yet another strand out of her face, and letting her frustration cool, Molly admitted, “Maybe I’ve just got a soft spot.  That and…and I can’t let go of this feeling that solving this problem solves another, much bigger problem.”  Naleena was right about one thing, she was stressed.  “I don’t really trust many people, Spectre, it isn’t part of my job description.  So, when I thought you might be just blowing me off instead of really wanting to meet with me, I ended up tailing your group with Frank in it.  Let me say, you have some interesting people working for you.  And that seven foot tall bombshell on your team, I saw her in action.”

Naleena smiled at Molly's last remark, but it wasn't enough to override the unnerving she felt at hearing the name Severn. Morgan Severn had been reported dead. He was alive, well, and working on the Medusa. She took another drag from her cigarette, rolled the ashes in the ash tray, and looked up at the detective.

 

"Yes, I do have some interesting people working for me," she said, and took another sip from her glass. "I don't trust many people either, Detective. There are a total of three people I completely trust in this entire galaxy. I can't afford to trust any more than that. I'm going to need some details. You may not think them to be significant, but they could turn out to be. Cooperate and I can give you a name.

 

"You keep mentioning the money. I handled the transaction using my Brokerage Account on Illium. I mentioned that my assistant handled the transaction and sold the ship to an Asari Military contractor. The funds were routed through several legitimate Asari financial institutions, and laundered through a couple of shell companies I set up - one on Thessia, and the other on Cyone - then back to another Asari institution, and deposited into the Severn family account so that there would be no trace to the agent. What brought you to Omega? From whom and when did you learn that Severn was dead?"

 

She finished her drink, and poured another.

"Two leads got me to Omega.  One was the way the account was set up by Morgan.  He did it, not you.  Any transaction that size automatically has a bank perform due diligence on the source.  It was traced back to Omega, but with no other information available beyond the location.  Even the financial institution it was sent from was a negative."

Hagen's lips twisted as she thought.  "But that information, and his true name, linked up to another source we had.  Severn must have known not only about the red flags going off with the amount of money, but had some suspicion, or at least a belief, that he was being watched.  The informant is a woman who was also inside the Shadow network, low level, really a courier and nothing more.  That's who gave us his name and that's how the information was linked."  The detective put her elbow on an armrest and put a finger to her temple.

"It can't have been a mistake.  You said something like you knew about the people that were on the other end of this, or something like that.  About how dangerous they were.  You confirmed my worries when you did, that they'd be the kind of people who wouldn't let this go, and maybe they won't even if Morgan is dead.  There was an instillation on Noveria once, bunch of illegal activity going on in it, really bad things.  Shadow network was suspected of blowing the whole thing up, sky high, killed everyone inside.  I'm not a kid, I know bad things go down.  And not that it's your department as a Spectre to go around being a moral paragon, but at the same time, if you care about family, you know that its not okay to just let some good people die because they don't fit into the economic scale of winning the big picture."

Seriously, now I want to get hammered.

"Not in my book at least.  Not if you met them, the Severns.  You might as well cut your own heart out and let it die lying on the floor in front of you if you met them."

Naleena became visibly agitated. "That fool! I specifically set up that account so that there would be no trace to him. His family would have just suddenly 'hit the lottery,' and it was all legal. Anyone would have been chasing their tails all through Asari space. But he went and screwed it up and left a trail back here!" She extinguished her cigarette and lit another. She paused for a moment in thought.

 

She found out through the Shadow network that Morgan is dead? Avan? No, not Avan. He would have told me. We have yet another mole. But who? This one is protecting Morgan and that narrows the field considerably. Who would protect him and possibly be an agent? Jess, Anika, or Dahlia. Scratch Anika because I know her. This leaves either Jess or Dahlia as rogue agents with motives. Without motives? Could be anyone: Irina, Vayne, Eteon. I'll have to watch them closely.

 

She picked up her drink and looked at the purple liquid. "Detective, you may want that drink now. I don't know if you've ever had Nevosian Ambrosia, but unless you've frequented Asari space I doubt you have. What I'm about to show you is the sick mind and person who is the threat to the family. If you ever see her, kill her. Do not hesitate. Do not flinch. Even if the cost is your own life. Even if the cost is 100 others. Kill her. This creature doesn't kill, it devours. It turns friends, family against each other. It makes them want to curry favor. It tortures. I intend to terminate it with extreme prejudice."

 

Naleena drank half of the liquid in her tumbler, then took a drag off her cigarette. "VERA, please bring up an image of Iyana from our helmet cam capture on the Medusa."

 

"Yes, Boss." VERA replied, her image flickering for an instant, and then Iyana's delicate ivory complected face appeared as a hologram in the center of the table.

 

"Captain Stone of the Medusa took a shot at it on Omega, I assume to spare Morgan from being executed for his failure to deliver intelligence that I intercepted before I became a Spectre. Intelligence that saved over 300 humans. As payback for this, Iyana took over the Medusa, dismembered the crew, killed them, stuffed them in crates, and sent them to the ship on which we were serving. Notice I said dismembered before killing. You may want that drink, and another."

 

Naleena finished her drink and poured yet another drink. "VERA, show the edited helmet camera portions of what we faced on the Medusa."

 

"Yes, Boss." VERA replied.

 

"This is the video of our recapture of the Medusa: the highlights. Notice the nightmarish reconfiguration of the ship. Prior to this it was a normal, pre-FCW merchant vessel with a few retrofits.... Ah, here we are. Cannibalism."

 

Molly wanted to look away.

 

"Stay focused! You need to know your enemy. Notice the disfigured creatures let out of some asylum or were probably the result of some failed Salarian genetic experiment. And then we get to Captain Madman. The one who let this thing on board for his own gain. He wanted to be captain of the Medusa and ended up this creature's plaything. But wait, this gets better. Iyana teleports. Watch. And now the grand finale where I fire three rounds into the beast which pass right through and into Morgan Severn. She had this entire battle choreographed. She had detailed psychological profiles for everyone on my ship. We had a mole, and later he confessed.

 

"Iyana is a high ranking operative in the Shadow Broker network."

Hagen watched Naleena become agitated, then focused on the hologram.  While she stared at the woman with the white hair, her insides churning at what she observed, she said, “I wouldn’t blame Morgan too much.  He knew he was going to die and he thought the best way to protect his family was to send up a signal.  Sounds like he was playing his best odds in a game he thought he couldn’t win.”

As the detective studies the picture of Iyana, she stood, and began to shift her pose without thinking.  She put one shoulder forward, slightly turned her head into it and let her chin dip.  Molly’s eyes still stared forward, though, like a predator.  Like the woman.

“Our informant heard Morgan was dead through the Shadow network,” Molly continued, distracted by the images she saw.

Hagen activated her omni-tool, and scrolled through the reports she had mostly ignored in her work.  It took her a little while, but she found the entry she was looking for.  A picture of the white haired maniac she’d read about, the same woman in the holograms.  As the dots connected, Molly’s expression changed to shock and understanding.

“I’ll take that drink on the way out,” Molly said, her voice clear and certain.  “That’s who I’m looking for.”

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Warehouse Level -

 

Nyreen blended in with the crowd of people near the prophet's warehouse. She heard some chatter coming over her communicator.

 

"Ptero to raptor. Approaching LZ at rendezvous point echo. Do you copy?"

 

Nyreen tapped her com and whispered "Copy, Raptor out."

 

She made her way through several alleys, ducking past suspicious groups and saw the shuttle waiting at the LZ. She just had to make it. But she heard a conversation taking place. She needed to hear it.

 

"The arms shipment should arrive in a few days. Our captain will be pleased."

 

"We have nearly enough to take over the station."

 

"We'll bring everyone into the fold, and we can then spread the word throughout the galaxy. And we'll await our ascension."

 

It's worse than I thought. First the plague to weaken Omega, now this. I need to alert the Talons. We may need outside help. Nyreen thought, and she made her way to the shuttle. It dusted off and returned to the Gozu district, now Talon territory.

[Redbelle]

Jess heard the order to take out the bridge and raised a finger. "You should tell them to.....". Then GARDIAN fire lashed the hull of that other ship. Melting the plating to expose compartments to space, Venting atmosphere and ejecting anything inside not tied down to space. Jess watched even as she finished her sentence. ".....evacuate..... Damn"! She slapped the comm and called the hanger. "Morgan! Get the shuttle in the air now and prepare for orders"!

 

Turning to an engineering station she called. "Threat analysis of that other ship"!

 

The greenhorn who had taken up engineering as her station looked to her station. "I'm reading almost complete atmospheric venting throughout the ship. Internal temperatures are falling rapidly. Ship's power core energy output has crashed indicating emergency operating mode".

 

Jess nodded. At least the ship wasn't a threat anymore. "Tag anything leaving that ship and assess for organic. Maybe they were operating in their environment suits and sealed them. I want to make sure we don't leave anyone floating out here in space". She slapped the comm again. "Guns. Good job....". A little to good, but that can wait. "....Hold fire but make sure your covering our people in case that other ship tries something stupid". She looked to Duncan. "Find any comm's active on that ship and push a message through. Tell them they are under arrest as pertaining to galactic council law and that we're seizing their ship and cargo. If they surrender, we'll take them aboard the Medusa. If they don't, my boarding party has authorization to shoot them".

 

She took a moment. Then hit the comm again. "Morgan, we'll bring the ship in close to the other. Use the second shuttle to board and take the surviving crew into custody. If they resist your authorized to shoot on my say so. Proceed aboard and make sure engineering your first objective. I'll leave the rest to you".

 

She came to a halt and grimaced. "My bad luv". She said to Dahlia. "I should have been clear in what I wanted to happen. I should have said, disable by any means..... Yes we play the pirate.... But there are good ones and bad ones out there.... We play bad, but we're not the monsters we've faced...... It's more work, but it leaves less of a trail....". She sighed. "Still, that was good work. The logs will show this was a lawful action.... Good thing too. Amy's organization still has to pay us for the work we're doing out here". Jess thought to what would happen. How her plans had to change from simply sliding out of the system. The dock hands still needed to be given the chance to go home. The water would soon be in their hands, but then she would have to talk to Amy and the other doctor about keeping it, since it was technically an object they had particular interest in. Recovery and salvage of the other ship would make them more money, as would the police action they'd taken against an unseen action by the other ship against the comet. Already Jess's mind was trying to figure out the best way to maximize the return on this venture, then she set it aside and payed more attention to events as they unfolded.

 

The payout could wait until their recent actions ran their course.

[Kel Riever]

“Loud and clear, Captain,” Babe’s voice replied through the com.

Amy was still in her chair, drinking her coffee, which didn’t burn so much anymore.  She shouted, “Heh!  That’s right you’ll get paid!”  Hayashi pointed at the screen with the readout for the crippled enemy ship.  “Who’s the Captain’s b**ch?!”

The tiny woman of asian heritage with the hair exploding from a tight bun changed her expression then.  One of the viewscreens with a visual on the comet showed the heavenly body as it rotated.  As it did, Amy could see the comet’s surface scarred with straight lines from  the other vessel’s beam, when it had used them to melt the ice.

Tears sprung from Amy’s eyes uncontrollably.

“What did they do to my comet?”

[Redbelle]

Jess clenched her teeth slightly, but having Amy on the bridge had been her call, so she spoke to mollify her. "They dressed their ship up with a big, high powered energy emitter. Then used that to superheat the surface. The container's they carried were ramscoops. Real ones. Not like the containers we carry that can be modified. They planned this for a long time. Saw a point where the comet would pass through a section of space with no active sensors". Jess sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "This is mostly guess work, but I'd wager the group who did this either knew of, or arranged the destruction of your last satallite. Then arranged for your ship to remain grounded when you planned to put a new one up. That's just me guessing but it seems like a lot of things had to go just right for this group to make a mining run on that thing".

 

A cup appeared at Jess's side and Jess looked around to see Sherie turn away, back to her trolly before their eye's could meet. Jess raised an eyebrow. Then picked up the cup and took a sip. She missed her tumbler mug. Less prone to tipping and bigger, but somehow.... Sherie's choice of delicate crockery made the familiar insta coffee taste..... sweeter.

 

"Anyway, once we're done here I'll go after the container's and recover them. Their not under acceleration, and there's no one else nearby to intercept them or any obstructions for them to hit. I need to tell you though, that water now counts as salvage taken from the other ship. When we get hold of it, it'll belong to the Medusa. That's just space salvage law". She paused. "I'm not averse to opening up discussions on it's fate doctor.... It's origin alone will cause some waves. But if you have a preference you can convince me to go along with I'd consider it". Jess placed the cup down and then nodded to the display. Then, when we're done securing any prisoner's and salvage, we'll complete our contract and put that satalite in place for you..... Though you might want to ask yourself if anyone who had access to the timing of your schedule was a part of this event. If the other ships commanding officer survived, maybe you can find out who was involved".

 

Jess closed her eye's to consider. "This was an opportunity grab. Though someone opened a window to that opportunity. That says organised. Planning. They had resources. Though from what I saw out here, they weren't prepared to deal with anything unexpected..... The planet's security can find out more I'm sure".

[Kel Riever]

Morgan had been ready to go in the shuttle, and once Jess gave the go-ahead, it was a minute before they had launched.  Morgan wasn’t the best shuttle pilot, but he was better than the rest of the group, and he’d have to get better on the job.

Largo (the barbarian) had managed to find two emergency space suits, where he could commandeer the parts of each to get himself into something that would fit him and would seal.  He’d also found a spare for Morgan.  It was unarmored, but it would have to do.  Morgan was going to have to talk about the armor situation with Jess when the time was right.

Approaching the enemy vessel revealed a rather drastic scene.  Each of the grapeshot canisters had impacted the engine, dead on target, ripping from one side of the hull clear through the other.  White plasma vented in areas, meaning that anything near the engine was cooked for good.  On approach, Morgan had to come over the hull, as the other ship’s shuttle bay was located centrally, and on top of the vessel.  Spotting the damage to the hull, and particularly the gaping punctures through the bridge made Morgan wince.

Largo was in the front of the shuttle with Morgan.  He grunted. “Lots of holes.”

The other ships shuttle bay was open, as if whoever was on the other ship was ready to receive them.  Morgan broadcast to the other ship on a general channel.

“This is the boarding party from the Medusa.  You are to stand down and surrender.  We’re seizing your ship and cargo.  According to Galactic Council law, you are under arrest.  Do not resist, or you will be met with lethal force.”

There was no answer.  It was possible that the crew had opened the bay in an attempt to surrender or escape, but died before they had the chance.  Or it could be a trick.

As Morgan guided the shuttle in, he saw the bay was empty.  The moment the shuttle was in and low enough, the hatches opened and the team disembarked by jumping out.  Gently, Morgan touched down, a pretty decent landing for someone who hadn’t flown in years.  He was the last to exit, his Kovalyov at the ready.  One of his team was by the control station for sealing the bay and cycling the pressure.  Morgan nodded to him, and the team member threw the switch.  Only emergency lights and the shuttles own lamps lit the area.

Once the bay pressurized, Morgan led the group to the main hatch into the ship.  He told Largo and the rest, “Be ready, in case anyone is still alive.  Largo, you take three and get to that engine.  Don’t bake yourself trying to get in there.  If anyone is left alive, they’ll have made it through the safety hatches, and if they are, they can tell you where auxiliary control is.   I’m taking the other two teams forward to search for survivors.  As the passageways widen out, we’ll split up, but stay close enough to respond if there is trouble.  Got it?”

There were several, ‘Yes sirs’.  Largo said.  “Yeh.”

Morgan motioned for people to turn their suit or armor lamps on.  He checked the hatch, which was sealed, but now unlocked.  One of his team pushed the door control button, and the portal opened, revealing dimly lit passageways beyond.  Morgan stepped through first, and made sure they were clear, and then one by one the boarding party stepped through.  Two were left behind to guard the shuttle.

Using hand gestures, Morgan directed the teams to split up.  After Largo’s team left, and the two guarding the shuttle, Morgan had four others with him.  He was in the lead and went forward.  There was an intersection after about ten meters and Morgan was going to split off the second team after he cleared the intersection, when he noticed their lights catching slight movement in the corridor beyond the intersection.

When Morgan raised his weapon, the other team members did so in kind.  Morgan shouted, “Whoever’s out there, stand down!”

A thin man in a blue suit of light explorer armor was aiming a Striker pistol at the boarders and taking cover in a shallow doorframe.  “You take what you want but we’re not getting arrested!”  His voice was high and panicked.

Further down, barely at the edge of the light, a volus in a yellow-green suit said, “That’s <HISS> right, sailor.  Nobody here <HISS> is going to get locked up without <HISS> a fight!”  It was a female voice, and the decorations on the volus’ suit were familiar to Morgan…

“Wait a minute!” another woman’s voice exclaimed.  “I know that voice!”

Out from the darkness of the corridor walked a woman in a bright pink survivor suit.  She had a small holdout pistol in her hand, lowered to her side, and colored bright pink to match her suit.  The woman let the holdout fall to the floor, started walking faster towards Morgan, and then broke into a run.

Several of the boarding party team took aim, but Morgan pushed down their guns and waved them off.  He lowered his own assault rifle as the woman approached, and then had to drop it as she jumped into his arms.

“Morgan!”

“Miss Priss?”

The woman in pink giggled loudly.  “At your service, handsome!”

[Cknarf]

Frank shuffled out of the bathroom for a third time.

 

"Anything else you gotta shove up my butt, doc?"

 

Please, god. No more enemas.

 

Tolus just smiled.

 

"You're killin' me, doc. Killin' me!" Frank took a seat on the table.

 

"Lie down, please."

 

"What the f*** is that thing?"

 

"Colonoscope."

 

"Okay... and how does it work?"

 

"It is inserted into the rectum, and--"

 

"God dammit." Frank sighed. "Just do what you gotta do, doc." Frank rested on his side.

 

"Normally, I would first administer a sedative, but..." Tolus prepared his equipment. "I am unsure of how it would react with the drug still present in your system."

 

Never again.

[Kel Riever]

“It was our <HISS> plan all along”

“Miss Dila, all we did is put the final touches on.”

“Don’t you be modest Miss <HISS> Priss!  Until we got involved, the Captain couldn’t <HISS> tell his *ssh*le from his elbow.”

The thin man in the blue explorer suit put his gun on his back, folded his arms, and said, “Those girls are smart.  If it wasn’t for the bossy pants Captain, who is now cinders in space, we wouldn’t have turned around for a tussel.  Miss Priss told him otherwise, and bossy pants Captain wouldn’t hear any of it.”

“That’s Mister Charles.  He’s with us now that Miss Shiana’s gone, bless her soul.  You’re ship’s got some sharpshooters onboard, Morgan.  Engine’s gone, life support and basics will be out in a few hours, and most of the other crew, including the Captain, ain’t got their boots anymore, if you know what I mean.  There’s maybe six more, just regular folks, trying to make a credit or two, like us.  They’re no threat.”

Morgan nodded.  “Well, if they’ll come along quietly, we’ll do a couple of shuttle runs to get them back aboard the Medusa and ask Jess what to do to sort everyone out.”

Miss Priss’ elbows drew into her sides, and her fists clenched and shook with glee.  “You’re with Jess?”

The squee that came out of Miss Priss’ suit com was ear piercing.

~ ~ ~ ~

Two shuttle trips back, half filled with team and captives, all the crew on the opposing ship were under watch in the hangar.  No one gave a hint of a problem.  In fact, Miss Priss wouldn’t stop talking to Morgan the whole way on each trip, and insisted on sitting in his lap for the second.  It made landing a bit slow, but Morgan let it go.

A quick message to Duncan was meant to be relayed to Jess so she knew the status of the ship, and that everyone from it was taken without any issues.  He didn’t want to spoil the surprise so he had Duncan tell her that he was bringing the ‘current commanding officer’ up to the bridge himself.  Priss was practically leaping out of her suit with excitement and assured Miss Dila and Mister Charles she’d be right back.  Priss and Morgan took the main spine passageway to the bridge.  The door opened and Morgan made a motion for Priss to go through.

Miss Priss took two steps in, put one hip out and placed her same side hand on it.  With her other hand, she flung off her helmet, ran through her long brown hair with her fingers, and hollared with a smile, “Captain Jess Stone!  You get your britches over here and give me a proper howdy!”

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Dahlia turned to Jess. "Sorry about that. I thought you said to 'take them out,' and I remember what happened on Duellos and what you said afterward. And I originally was going to target their main gun and remembered about Duellos. I also thought we could salvage their main gun, maybe give the girl more firepower, so I made a call. Sorry."

[Kel Riever]

(Note:  The following was a collaboration with Shotgun Julia)

The Conference Room
 

Naleena saw the expression change in Molly's face. She reached across with her mind and touched Molly's like she did with the large bird in the pond when she was young: gently so as not to frighten the bird. Molly felt a strange connection to the Asari sitting across from her. She was entranced. Naleena was very gentle and caressed the detective with her probe while she searched for any connection between Molly and the Shadow Broker network. She saw images of the Severn family and a brief encounter when Molly first met them. She felt Molly's thoughts and emotions surrounding the case. She needed to know if she could trust her because a friend's life depended upon it. A friend's family depended upon it. Naleena released it. Molly felt like she snapped back to reality out of a daydream.

 

"Sorry, the herbs in this just hit me. I was just thinking about everything that happened, and Morgan's family, wondering what they're like," Naleena said, and shook her had a little.

 

"Detective, if you were able to track things here to Omega, get tossed out of Aria's alive, and manage to get onto my ship and pump a member of my crew into almost giving up some very sensitive information, go through your files and already have one on Iyana, you're very good indeed, and you'll find another trail sooner or later: a very dangerous trail, so I might as well save you the trouble so you don't lead an undesirable there in the process of overturning rocks," Naleena smirked and leaned forward. "I'll be straight with you. Have you ever been dead, Molly? Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything. I don't mean it that way. I've been 'dead' a few times trying to stay a step ahead of Salarian Special Tasks Group. They found me eventually. This is my greatest concern right now. This is a secret. The Shadow Broker Network thinks Morgan is dead. His family must continue to think he is dead. You must document that he is dead, that his body was cremated and we released his ashes into space as was customary under local religious practices. The body is merely a vessel for the spirit, Detective. There is no need to keep it once it ceases to function, don't you agree?"

Hagen felt disoriented.  "Morgan Severn is alive?"

The omni-tool on the detective's arm deactivated as her arms dropped to her side.  Her lips parted as she made a silent gasp.

"No, I don't agree," Molly said, almost a fight against what Naleena was saying.  "A mother thinking her son is dead? Do you have any idea of the grief?...And when they find out he's alive, the betrayal?...How wrong it is?..."

Morals in Hagen's way began to lose ground.  "But...I understand.  It would be worse...if that woman knew he was alive.  Maybe she's biding her time now, but she might...focus on it if she thought it would get her something."

The image of the white haired woman and what she did were fresh in the detective's mind.

"I...can go along with it," Hagen acquiesced, as she struggled against her own ideals, "If  this only lasts until Morgan can know his family is safe.  It may take a long time but it can't be a promise forever.  If that man gets free of his threat, the family needs to know.  For their sake.  The truth has to be told, when it is safe to do it.  I can't let it go on any longer than it has to, Spectre.  It wouldn't be right."

Closing her eyes and putting her hands over her face, Molly let a long breath go.  "You don't have to worry about the paperwork.  As a Spectre, you only need a good reason why there was no body found.  With your authority, Morgan will be declared dead, and a judge will issue a document in lieu of a death certificate that will render him legally deceased.  Or...I won't go into detail if you need a body, but I'm sure you can fill in the details of what someone would do if they were going to excessive lengths for an actual death certificate.  You'll need a coroner to agree..."

Molly pulled her hands from her face, strode over to the tumbler of ambrosia that Naleena had poured for her, and snatched it up, causing the purple liquor to splash wildly. Molly threw back the glass, drinking the contents in one go.  Her eyes closed, her brow creased, and she shuddered as the ambrosia shot through her.  Molly barely tasted the exceptional drink.  Instead, she felt the warmth expand threw her.

"F**k this job," Hagen said, as she put the tumbler down hard.  "I have to convince C-Sec to give me resources.  To put this thing together.  This Iyana...she's...do you have any leads on her?

"And Morgan.  If it's possible.  I'd really like to talk to Morgan."

 

Naleena poured another two fingers of ambrosia in Molly's tumbler and two more fingers in her own. "Consider yourself off-duty, Detective, or I'll call you Molly now. We're just talking. Call me Naleena. I consider Morgan a friend. A while back, before the incident on the Medusa, I vowed to protect him and assured him that nothing would happen to his family. Morgan is no longer part of my team. But he is part of my fleet which will be joining me shortly, I hope. Now, I want to introduce you to one of the three people I trust. She is also top secret."

 

Naleena pressed a button on the console in front of her. "VERA, you may show yourself."

 

"Yes, Boss," VERA said and her holoimage appeared in the middle of the table. She sat on the oak desk in her office with one leg thrown over the other, smoking a cigarette.

 

"VERA is my synthetic assistant. She runs things. She's been with me for nearly four years. She wasn't originally part of this ship, but was on my shuttle. I had her installed and upgraded in the VI core," Naleena said and was observing Molly's expression. "Yes, this is the same VERA who handled the sale and financial transactions. I assume you've been listening, VERA."

 

"I am always listening, you know that."

 

"VERA, I'd like you to meet Detective Molly Hagen of C-sec."

 

"It is a pleasure, Detective Hagen."

 

"VERA, what do you think we should do about Morgan?" Naleena asked.

 

"Pardon me, I do not want to be left out of the party," VERA said while pouring herself a tumbler of bourbon. "As far as the records go, to keep things legal, I will draw up documents necessary to have him declared officially dead. I am sure the Boss can get Aria to pull a string or two and have a judge issue a death document. I also suggest that you find a body approximating the size and weight of Morgan which I do not think should be too difficult a task to accomplish on Omega and take a DNA sample back to Med-Bay. I will search the galactic DNA database for a match. Morgan's DNA is on file. It is a simple matter of hacking into the database and swapping the two. Then I will alter the identity history to give Morgan something more savory. I should be able to accomplish that task in approximately 12.42121 minutes," VERA paused, took a sip of bourbon and a drag from her cigarette.

 

"After that it is a simple matter of having a coroner, again one of Aria's, issue an actual death certificate. Then take the body to a crematorium, burn it, and scatter the ashes in space."

 

Naleena blushed purple for a couple of seconds. "You'll have to pardon VERA. She helped me become 'dead' once between jobs."

 

"Then there was the time when the boss needed help on a museum heist."

 

"VERA!" Naleena said, "Thank the Goddess for blanket pardons, right?"

 

Molly knew about Naleena's past, but VERA was something else.

 

Naleena continued. "Morgan only has to remain dead until we've dealt with Iyana. Would what she proposes satisfy the authorities? Once Iyana has been dealt with we can take Morgan to see his family. I'm sorry to say I have no leads at this time. After the encounter she vanished. I'm sure she will surface again. If you need help getting resources from C-sec, let me know, and I'll use some diplomacy.

 

"Whatever you have seen on board this ship is top secret. This ship was designed for long term deep space exploration. It is a military ship but civilian comfort by design. Part of the crew is civilian. The other part is military. This also is a one of a kind ship."

As Molly listened to VERA, there was a flip in her stomach, and the hand with the tumbler in it began to shake slightly.  Even if Naleena hadn’t said anything, she knew…

“Too much information,” Hagen said, lifting the shaking glass to her lips and drinking again.  “That’s enough,” she said, in reference to the drink, and a few other things.  She put her free hand to her head.  “I feel like my noodle is going to explode.”

The AI.  The Spectre was responsible for it.  Did she even know what she was doing?  It was out of her hands, Naleena was responsible for it.  There wasn’t time for Molly to sort it out now.  “I got it.  Top secret.  Not a word.”

Hagen’s eyes watered from the stress.  At the same time, to finally put everything she had been working on for years together gave her purpose.  “I really want to talk to Morgan, to everyone you know who has information on the Shadow network.  About what they’ve gone through, what they’ve seen, anything they know no matter how small.  We ultimately work for the same people, so you can count on me to keep things under wraps that need to be.  I’ll talk to my boss, getting what I need from C-Sec won’t be a problem, but I’ll need a good communication priority level.”  Molly turned back to the image of the white haired, blue eyed doll like beauty in the hologram.  Still holding her head with one hand, she lifted the other with the tumbler in it, and pointed a finger out at Iyana.  “That monster may have run, but I’ll find her.  She can’t hide from me.”

VERA's eyes narrowed. "I, too, have dedicated part of my processing power to finding her. She is a threat to the organics on this ship and elsewhere."

 

"One last thing," Naleena said. "If you find her location, do not make a move on her before contacting me, or VERA. She doesn't play by C-sec rules. I will have VERA send you the detailed profile we have on her. Iyana will use your team against you, and turn you into her servant like she did with the Medusa's second in command. Like I said, if you have her in your sights, kill her, even if it costs you your life, or the lives of your team. Do not flinch. Do not hesitate. Because she will not flinch or hesitate."

 

Naleena paused, thought for a moment and decided to give her another. "Avan, a former Broker operative, is aboard the ship. I can arrange for you to meet with him. He was the mole. After the attack on the Medusa, he killed his handler and requested asylum on this ship. The others who are here: Vayne, an old Krogan knows things. Morgan and Jess are on the Medusa, and like I said, it should be here in several hours."

 

"You can interview me," she said, and smiled. "But I'll simply tell you what I know. Over the centuries, I worked through an agency. I took care of things... all kinds of things. After a while I could tell for whom I was working. I did things for governments, criminal organizations, the Council, industry, and for the Shadow Broker. I did industrial espionage, assassinations, and other types of enforcement, and made a very good living. I'm not proud of it either. I have never harmed innocents to my knowledge.... Not until Morgan.

 

"Here is what I know about the Broker Network. It has been around for about 1500 years. Every corporation has a CEO. Every CEO has their own vision of how their corporation operates. When the CEO is replaced the vision changes. A Turian operating the network would have a very disciplined and rigid approach. A Salarian a very quick and analytical approach. An Asari a thoughtful and long game approach. Periodically a Broker will get overthrown. It is not run by investors. It is a dictatorship. However, those in charge of The Network understand that it needs to be run like a well oiled business. Information is a commodity like everything else. There have been three Shadow Brokers in my lifetime. All have had the need for enforcers and assassins. The latest change was within the past 5 years and he has been particularly sadistic. When agents start going rogue, it means something is wrong at the top."

 

Naleena paused and watched Molly make sure everything was recorded onto her datapad. "Remember what I said about Iyana. Do not go after her without contacting me first. You need us. And only use encrypted channels. You never know who is listening."

"You'll be in the know, first," Molly assured Naleena.  "Right now, I'm not going anywhere.  I'm a wreck and I need to talk to a few people."

[Redbelle]

Jess gave her a grin. "Hey, ships still safe and the so's the crew. That's a win in my book. Now let's make sure we don't leave anyone on that ship behind..... Still a nice setup though. Get the name of that gunner. And again, good job on the plotting".

 

The salvage operation began and Morgan's shuttle's exited the ship. One went out among the debris and snagged several bodies out of the field. Looking over the reports coming in Jess saw that none of those who had been subject to explosive decompression had lived. Some hadn't had time to get into survival suits. Of the two that had, one showed jagged tears in the suit. Probably from being dragged against something as he was thrown clear of the ship. The other had his suit half on. Obviously just getting into it when the GARDIAN beams had struck. Their search compete the shuttle indicated it was coming home with their cargo. Jess felt down about the news. She hadn't wanted to kill those sailors, but the game they had played when they'd tried to attack her ship had been a dangerous one with high stakes. They'd lost that game and paid a heavy price. The only consolation was that the bodies could be handed over to the authorities and next of kin be informed once identification had taken place.

 

It was her own fault, she thought. She'd insisted on their current course of action and led an ill prepared crew who hadn't had time to get to know her or how she ran things. To many people new to all the old posts. She had her work cut out trying to get a feel for who all these people were. At least they'd pulled together and shown they could handle their roles. Though some obviously needed to be acclimatised to the older ship board systems. Jess smiled as she thought. Some of the people on board were likely to be thinking about how nice it would be to have the modern luxury of VI's and modern specced computers. Jess had to admit, it would be nice to have more up to date equipment. The problem was getting the new stuff to talk to the old equipment that was serving aboard already. Then again, a lot of that older stuff was proving more reliable because it was less complicated and more robust by design.

 

Another comm. This time signalling Morgan was on board and moving in. Jess chewed her lip, wishing she could go aboard as well when a watch stander came forward uncertainly and handed her a padd showing a report from the engine room. Their last 'sprint' had caused a few faults to reveal themselves as the engines had surged to fulfill the power demand. Pressure leakages, one's unseen when operating on lower power, but manifest when hi power loads were required had been identified and ships stores were being looked at to identify if they had parts aboard to fix some of the problem parts. Jess imagined they'd get a list of parts before long that they would need and signed off on the report. She was tempted to head down herself to look over the engine, but decided that if nothing was obviously wrong that was critical to engine operation, she had no business looking over her new engineer's shoulders, bothering them while they worked.

 

Another comm came in. Alerting Medusa that Morgan had found survivors and was bringing them aboard. Half an hour rolled by while Jess organised a beacon to be placed near the wreckage, staking a K&Q claim to the ship before ordering a course to pursue the water container's laid in and engaged once the shuttle was docked.

 

Another message came in telling Jess that Morgan was coming up with company and Jess quirked an eyebrow. Bringing the highest ranking officer aboard? She looked over at Amy and was about to send a message that she'd come down to him when the lift doors whirred and Morgan stepepd out with.....

 

“Captain Jess Stone!  You get your britches over here and give me a proper howdy!”

 

'I don't believe it'. Jess's grin was broad as she crossed the bridge, grabbed Priss's hand with her own, and threw another over her shoulder with a laugh. "Priss! You Randy Rover! Don't tell me you were on that other ship"? Jess leaned back and looked her up and down. "You look good for someone who had their ship shot out from under them. What are you doing here"? Her smile fell a little as she asked in a hushed one. "You didn't have anything to do with this incident..... did you"?

[Kel Riever]

“Honey Bee, if it were up to me, we’d have run like the dickens!” Miss Priss’ tone was warm and sensual. “After Duellos, Sally’s Lucky Seven, dropped us off at Caleston ‘cause she needed a quick refit. Then we were on our own. Money was good but everything runs out. So we got in with this ship. Girls gotta work you know.” Priss gave a long, slow wink to Jess.

“We helped put this plan together when their captain told us what he was up to. He had more holes than a hunk of Swiss cheese in that brain. But the pay was gonna be good. We didn’t have any idea who was after us. I told the cap’ to run, leave brushing up the footprints to Miss Dila and me. But he wouldn’t listen. Hey, I’m just happy we saw it coming! Got in our suits just in case, and here we are.”

Miss Priss looked around at the people on the bridge. “Sakes, you got some lookers here,” She said as she batted her eyelashes at Marshall. When she came to Dahlia, her smile brightened. “Hey party crasher! I see you stuck around too!” Finally, Priss eyes wandered to the doctor, and while her smile lessened, her eyes were keen to notice she was strapped tightly into here chair by the seat harness. “I see tying people up never gets old…”

Then with a long sigh and a reminiscent look, Miss Priss turned back to Jess, “Well, I sure am glad to be all in one piece, and this went a lot better than it could have gone. But I guess we’ll have to pick up the pieces again. Shame. Those people were easy pickings in a way. Gonna have to start all over.”

[Redbelle]

Jess groaned and said softly. "Guess I could put in a good word for you luv. But this is official business. We're in a contract and....". Jess stopped abruptly and thought hard. "Priiiiiss....". She drawled. "This situation could be turned around. Out of old times sake".

 

Jess chewed her lip thoughtfully. "We might be able to sort this out..... to mutual.... satisfaction. But I need to know, how you got involved and who knows you were on that ship that is still alive". She held up a hand. "Not here. My quarters. You too Morgan. I need to know what's happened before I can see if I can help. After all, a quick score is something I can appreciate and bad luck in getting it.....". She sighed. "C'mon you two. Dahlia...."! She called out. "....Watch the shop. I'll be in a meeting! Just follow those container's and let Dogger organize snagging them. Anything urgent come get me".

 

With that, Jess pushed Priss and Morgan back into the lift and the doors closed as the lift whirred upwards.

 

Marshall watched them go and shook his head. "Geez. Up, down, up, down. Her quarter's must be real nice if she keeps going back to them".

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Dahlia turned to Priss. "Sorry about nearly killing you back there. But that's over with. You're here and alive, and that's a good thing. The last shot was my call. How difficult do you it'll be getting that microwave off that ship?"

 

Dahlia walked onto the bridge and back to her station.

[Kel Riever]

Miss Priss called out to Dahlia, “It’s fixed to the axis, gonna take a lot of work and dock tools.”  Then she was swept into the lift.

After the doors closed, Priss said to Morgan, “Someone’s got eyes for you, Handsome.  Can’t say that I ain’t agreeing with ‘em.”  Her grin widened once more as she then spoke to Jess, “Sounds like you can read minds, girl!  By the way, you got that lady in light blue all wrapped up in a chair.  She looks like she’s ready to jump out of it and onto you!  She looks like she might need to break out real bad, if you know what I mean.”

It was only a moment later that the lift doors opened and the three crossed the threshold to Jess’ cabin.  Morgan and Priss, seeing it for the first time, stared out through the ceiling at the stars in awe.

“You sure know how to pick ‘em,” Priss complimented.  “I see your still working on some of the décor, but I like the bed.”  She started to undo the fasteners on her pink suit.

Morgan laughed, “You just got aboard…”

“…And I ain’t wasting time.  Listen, my business is my pleasure, especially when it comes to you two darlings.  Don’t pretend you can’t do two things at once Morgan, ‘cause I seen you do three!”

Even with his self control, Morgan couldn't hide a smirk.

“Listen, Jess, Morgan, this one’s on the house.  All's right as rain and we need the transport anyway.  As far as just getting onboard, you know what I mighta hadta do to survive if, say, it wasn’t anyone as friendly as you two to pick us up?  You better believe I’m ready to go, at a moment’s notice.  If you want to stop me, go ahead, but that’s on you and I gotta say, I might take it a little personal.”

It was evident there wasn’t much under Miss Priss’s suit as she opened it in the middle down to her belly and let a shoulder bare.

“Honey Bee,” Priss said as she pushed herself against Jess and put a gentle hand to the side of the Captain’s face, “It’s me, Miss Dila, Mister Charles and the rest you picked up who know about us being on the ship.  Ain’t like we left a calling card for anybody else back at Calleston.  I don’t know what you gotta ask me about how we got involved but if you need more details then I gave ya, you might have to be more specific.”

Priss planted a long kiss on Jess' lips, before she went on.  “ ‘Cause I like more specific, Honey Bee, you got me?  And maybe you and Morgan can fill me in too…”

[Cainhurst Crow]

- Warehouse Team-

 

Essul, Arian, and Eteon, had returned to the ship while Griss had gone back to Aria, no doubt to report what he'd seen to her. The group had made a b-line for the labs, giving the salarian there the food, drugs, and a single bottle of water that had been obtained on their mission, expecting to discover something new.

 

What they didn't expect was what Tolus had to say to them.

 

"Strange. Food contains various compound, but also trace amounts of an iso-PrP. Same compound found in Hallex analyzed earlier." Dr. Tolus said as he examined various samples of the food, frowning as he did so.

 

"What do you mean a "same compound"? And what is an iso-PrP?" Essul asked as he regarded the salarian, a pit in his stomach as he listened to the results. He wanted to be present when the results were found, to hear first hand what the situation was.

 

"PrP natural protein in body. Everyone have them. Certain iso-PrP configurations have folds... prions. Some get into nerve tissue and into brains." Dr. Tolus said, "This protein one of those type, but different kind. Explained this to the Captain when samples analyzed." 

 

Solus paused as he looked to the team, "Did your team encounter subsonic frequencies in field?" He asked, as essul blinked in surprise.

 

"Yes...we did." He said, able to tell by looking at the salarian that he had heard this before, a shudder going up the batarians spine. One spout of this weirdness was enough, but two instances? On two different teams? That was too much to ignore.

 

"Fascinating. Will need to do more research. But, now have large source to work with. Should not take long." He said as he motioned to the food, essul nodding as he took his departure.

 

He'd need to see naleena about this, give her a debriefing and find out what the other team had learned.