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[Cknarf]

Irina, on point as always, led the team along the river.  Frank walked quietly beside Iole, as Essul and Naleena carried her. Occasionally, he’d glance back at Jenus, who seemed to be farther and farther away each time he did so.

 

Frank sighed, and slowed his pace a little, until Jenus was next to him.  She continued looking straight ahead, as she gimped her way along. Frank slung his rifle over one shoulder, and offered his other for support.

 

Jenus tried picking up the pace a bit, but her injured leg buckled, and she nearly fell.

 

“Come on, commando, your leg’s all fuckin’ bent. Let me help.”

 

She pressed on.

 

“Don’t think I won’t pick your ass up.” Frank matched her speed again. “I’m like superman in this sh*t.” He pounded his chestplate once.

 

Jenus tried walking a bit faster, but her leg finally gave in, and she fell to the ground.

 

“You done fuckin’ around?” Frank asked, while holding out a hand. “Let’s go.”

 

After staring up at him for a moment, she finally acquiesced. Frank pulled her up.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Jenus was able to make it under her own power and she and Irina carried the weapons while Naleena and Essul carried Iole on the stretcher. Frank took up the rear. They started the trek back to the ship.

 

“Let me know when you want a break from carrying the stretcher, boss,” Irina said.

 

“You don’t think I can do this, do you?” Naleena replied.

 

“Did I say that? No. I didn’t. I was just offering to change with you when you get tired,” Irina said. “Same deal goes for you, Essul.”

 

Essul grunted.

 

“What makes you think I’ll get tired?”
 

“May I speak freely?” Irina asked.

 

“Go ahead.” Naleena replied.

 

“Well you chain smoke for one thing. And you drink with the flies for another. Neither of which are conducive….”

 

“That’s enough,” Naleena said grumbling.

 

“Just saying. And you said I could speak freely,” Irina said. “But if you don’t want to discuss it, fine. I’m 37 years old, which in human age is about equivalent to yours, and I don’t think you could have made the trek back to the camp to get that stretcher in a dead run like I did.”

 

Naleena was dead silent. Her eyes bored through the back of Irina’s head. The sad part was that she knew Irina was right, but Irina didn’t understand the pressures and responsibilities. Irina dealt with her pain by having a death wish, but she wanted to die in battle… or did she?

 

“Fine, are you saying you want to carry Iole?” Naleena asked.

 

“I didn’t say that, boss. You’re perfectly capable, and you’re probably one of the best COs I’ve served under. I’m amazed you’ve been able to keep this rag tag bunch functioning,” Irina said as they arrived at a section where they had to climb over some rocks. Irina got into a position to help. “This is going to be tricky here. You get on the left side, and I’ll get on the right.

 

“Frank you’re gonna have to help here. Get up on the rock. Grab the handles and hoist her up. We’ll help. Now Naleena, we’ll hold her overhead. The three of us step forward. Frank you back up but watch your footing.”

 

“Got it.” Frank said.

 

“Good work. Now we’re on level ground again.”

 

Naleena took her end of the stretcher from Frank. Jenus watched holding her her ribs. Irina moved back up front with Jenus.

 

“Like I was saying, no one’s perfect. I got a few  ‘roos loose in the paddock, and I know it,” Irina continued. “You got your problems. And then there’s that new guy, Arian. I can’t figure him out. He never talks to anyone. Seems like he’s always mad, that one. Hell of a good shot though. I haven’t gotten to know that Quarian either. Essul? Who the Hell knew I’d take a liking to him? Frank, you’ve really started to come into your own since I met you.

 

“Then there’s people you’ve known for a few years, with whom you’ve played cards, gone bungee jumping, and all sorts of other things who suddenly go feral on one another. Sometimes I just don’t understand.

 

“So Jenus, what were you two fighting about?” Irina asked.

 

“Stuff. Just stuff. I don’t want to talk about it,” Jenus said. “And could you just be quiet?”

 

Irina looked over at Jenus and back at Naleena who had also had enough of her yammering. They met up with Vayne’s group and crossed the river. Mandu’s directions were flawless. Irina relieved Naleena carrying the stretcher.

 

**

 

Tallis and Ereba were on guard duty at the Janiri and saw Irina and Essul carrying a stretcher. Jenus was holding her side, and Iole was not walking among the group.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Vayne nodded as he went with Faed and Arian, walking silently as he marched along the path, taking point up ahead by virtue of walking briskly as he brooded about what happened. "Couldn't wait. Couldn't hold it in until they got back on the goddamn Janiri...Now they gotta be hauled out, and we gotta split up..." He mumbled to himself, though the worry on his face was evidently as he kept pushing ahead.

 

"They're going to be in for a world of hurt when they get back, not that they aren't already. But they'll be fine in the end...right?" He asked to himself as he glanced back towards Arian and Faed, "Those commando's, you seen em in action. They'll be fine with the others, right?" He asked them, keeping his voice low and under control though looking like he was waiting for an answer.

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Essul walked with Naleena as he held up his side of the stretcher, having no trouble lifting up his side and carrying it through the jungle trek. He was quiet as he kept his eyes looking down towards Iole, occasionally adjusting his grip or height he held up the poles to keep things as level as possible. He looked up towards Naleena after a few minutes.

 

"Commander...what kind of punishment are you going to give them?" He asked, sounding like he expected the worse as he spoke his words, "Are they going to continue to be part of this crew?"

[TheMajonese]

On the way back to the Janiri Arian still had his assault rifle ready, he wasn't going to trust this place even if they would burn down the whole jungle. He wasn't sure if Vayne was referring to the commando's physical condition or to something else. Naleena probably wasn't going to let this unpunished and he had no idea of what was going to happen to the two asari. "They'll be fine..." was all Arian could say.

 

Something else was keeping his mind busy. The turian didn't know the commandos, aside from the testing before he joined the crew and one weird encounter with Iole he hadn't really talked to them. But from what he believed to know they were both in the same unit, knew each other for quite some time...and were friends. So far he had always seen the four commandos as a whole group but now that Mira was gone...

 

What was it that made the two asari fight against each other until Iole got severely wounded? Would Jenus even kill Iole? Arian couldn't help but think about this the whole way back to the ship and he even felt a sharp pain in his spine.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Ereba and Tallis rushed to the exhausted Irina and Essul. Iole was lapsing in and out of consciousness. Tallis started crying. The thought of losing a friend and team partner of 30 years so quickly after Mira was too much.

 

“Tallis, pull it together and help me,” Ereba said putting her hand on Tallis’ shoulder. “We need to get her to Med-Bay and fast.”

 

Tallis took a breath, sighed, and grabbed the handles on one end while Ereba grabbed the other. Naleena contacted Med-Bay to receive one critically wounded and one injured Commando. Ereba shouted for everyone to get out of the way as they moved quickly through the ship.

 

Dr. Tolus had a bed ready for Iole when Tallis and Ereba arrived with her.

 

“Take her over there. I need to run some tests.” Dr. Tolus said. “And you need to wait outside.”

 

Tallis squeezed Iole’s hand and left.

 

“Take good care of her, Doc,” Ereba said and followed her outside nearly bumping into Jenus on the way in.

 

“What happened?” Ereba asked.

 

“Later. Not in here.” Jenus replied.

 

Ereba sighed and followed Tallis. Tallis stood outside Med-Bay shaking her head with tears running down her cheeks.

 

“Hey, hey, Iole’s strong. She’s gonna make it. I know it.” Ereba said and hugged Tallis. “I know you just went through a lot of pain with Mira, and she made it even though she lost an arm. If the doc is half as good as his rep Iole has no worries. And the shape Jenus came in. I know this planet is dangerous, but Goddess, I just wonder what they ran into out there.”

 

Irina showed up at Med-Bay. “Any news?”

 

“This is Commando business, human.” Ereba said.

 

Tallis grabbed Irina. “Friend. Friend.”

 

“We haven’t met. I’m Irina Sloane. I’ve been friends with these Commandos for nearly three years. I was a contractor working security detail,” she said extending her hand.

 

Ereba took her hand. “Ereba Danri. Do you know what happened out there?”

 

“No. I didn’t see it and no one seems to want to talk about it,” Irina replied.

 

Ereba glanced toward Med-bay. “Hmmm….”

[Redbelle]

Another Asari popped up from behind a console in the control room and fired off a warp effect at Anika who used the table she'd ripped off the floor as a makeshift shield. The table surface shattered into splinters as it took the brunt of the effect that showered her armor in composite fragments that pinged harmlessly off as the remains of the table were thrown in the direction of her attacker. The unknown Asari turned to dodge but she wasn't fast enough and the leading edge of the frame caught her in the back of the head.

 

As she fell Anika heard Yeli's voice shouting from the room over. "You two! Hold that door! I have to get the armature's online before we lose the whole op! Where's my communications"!

 

From the door Anika heard the buzz of a barrier and the door shimmered as a wall of force appeared, supported by two Asari who appeared behind it. Their skins glowing with channeled power. "She's here"! One cried.

 

"Hold her! Where's communications"!

 

"I think..... I think she's in with..... I think she's dead"!

 

Anika paused to look around the room she was in. Before she'd started tearing through the place this had perhaps once been a data center. Full of tablets, that had once sat on tables where Asari had once sat before many had simply ran  when word of a seven foot tall who had torn out the roof and dropped in had appeared. Stepping up to the door she examined the barrier before staring with her helmet's blank faceplate looking directly at the two behind it.

 

"Listen to me carefully". Anika told them. "I'm not here for you. I need to get to Yeli and find out what she's been up to. If you drop the barrier and just walk away I promise nothing will happen to you. Just lower the barrier and pretend this career choice never happened".

 

The yuonger of the two laughed scornfully. "Big words from a insignificant soldier who doesn't understand what she's stepped into".

 

"Lower the barrier". Anika repeated. Then when neither made a move she added. "...... please"?

 

Both didn't say anything and Anika sighed. "Look, there are several ways to break a barrier. Overwhelming force. Oscillation fields of reverse frequency. Even another biotic could take this down if given enough time.....".

 

"Your not a biotic". The older one scorned.

 

"Your right.... A biotic would take.... let's see.... twenty seconds to break this? Forty if it's both of you"? Anika looked between both of them. "I'm going to do it in five..... Last chance".

 

The younger one snorted her disbelief which Anika took as a refusal to comply. Shrugging, she stood to the side of the door, angling towards her. Activated her Omni Tool's kinetic gauntlet, took a stance and drove her fist through the wall.

 

For all the high tech advances of office construction the simple fact was that the one they were standing in was a temporary structure built at low cost. As such the walls were built of hardboard, painted over to look like standard bulkhead like the rest of the citadel. Anika's fist punched through and connected with the young Asari's chin, the gauntlet using the speed of movement to charge a pulse that knocked her back and to the side into the arms of her partner. Both went down, the young, unconscious one, disrupting her partner long enough that the barrier collapsed.

 

Anika stepped back into the door and tore her arm free of the wall, leaving a gash that had once been a solid surface while the door frame ripped free. Without hesitating, she stepped up to where the elder Asari was pushing her companion off of her when Anika's hand took the crown of her head in her hand.

 

Anika shoved her head into the floor. Once, twice. On the third she pulled back for a forth but saw the Asari's eye's roll up in her skull, out cold.

 

Releasing her Anika straightened and saw Yeli playing with a control panel. "Yeli, get away from there. This can go the easy way, or the hard way"!

 

"Your to late! I just inputted the code to activate the armatures! All around the Citadel other warehouses like this one will hear the call and our army will march forth! And in all the panic, we will do what everyone knows.... Must. Be. Done"!

 

Anika sighed. "Okay.... Hard way it is".

[Kel Riever]

...aboard the Janiri, Medical Bay

“There you are,” Doctor Tollan Linra said as he stood above Iole.  She was waking fully for the first time since being treated aboard the Janiri.  “Let’s do a quick check.  Tell me your name.”

Iole was disoriented.  Her last thought was of the green jungle trees above her, and being carried.  There was some jostling and some rough bumping, but she had been peacefully asleep.  A bright light had entered her field of vision shortly thereafter and she wondered what it was before realizing it was the lighting of the medical bay.  She remembered Tollan talking over her.  But those were like dreams now. 

“Iole.”

“And where is your home, Iole?”

Far away from here.

 “Lageta Turana.”

“Hmmn, I meant a planet, but if that is your birth city than it certainly will do.  I believe your cognitive functions are back, but we will wait a day or two before releasing you, to be certain.”

Iole rolled her golden eyes, which were somewhat dull than their usual state, like beautiful marbles.  “Jenus, is she all right?”

“Better than you, but that is simply a matter of luck,” Tollan remarked disappointedly.  “You two are such good killing machines, I believe you have underestimated your own capacity to do harm.  Pardon my opinion but as good as you are at ending lives, you are far better at saving them, and standing next to me rather than having me stand over you.”

There was a weak smile from Iole, but it was half-hearted.  “I feel like someone put a bristle up my nose and scoured my brain.”

“You know that is ridiculous of course and cannot feel your brain,” Tollan said conversationally.  “Of course you do. Severe head trauma, both from damage to your nasal passage and sadly, a skull fracture, cause the hemorrhaging that has you here.  I must say your recovery would not nearly be so swift without modern medicine.  Nor would it have been had you not such caring friends.”

“I really made a mistake, Doctor.”

“Several, but let’s not talk about that now.  As close as your injuries had put you on an irrevocable journey to your maker, your teammate Jenus was instrumental in bringing you back with us.  Of course, she could not do it alone, and you have others to thank as well.  Most importantly, Iole, is that this could have been far worse.  You’ll be walking around in a matter of days, rib healed, brain box healed, no ring around your neck from strangulation.  Almost too easily able to forget how close you came to death.  Placing yourself in such dire situations isn’t a formula for foolproof recovery.  Medigel systems fail, something snaps in that body of yours that was not meant to, from the extremes you were subjected to.  Must I go on about how many kilos per square centimeter a well-executed blow from a highly trained Commando can deliver?”

Iole said in almost a sigh, “No.”

“You are not ready to see Jenus yet. She has her own recovery to attend to.  But if you wish to see someone else you are close to, it may do you some good.  Please, I highly suggest refraining from discussion about your incident, not because it shouldn’t be addressed, but because you’ve just awakened.  Proceed gently, for there will be time for everything I am sure.  Remember, I’m saying this as a salarian.”  Tollan smirked.  “Is there anyone who you think might want me to have come visit?”

Iole stared at Tollan, knowing exactly who she could really use cheering her up at that moment.  But doubt about a reciprocal feeling had her refrain from saying whom.

[Cknarf]

“What do you think?” Septerax asked, as Frank was equipping his light armor. He heard the question, but remained silent, as his mind was elsewhere.

 

“Eli?”

 

Frank looked up to the turian, and then back to his hand. He ran a finger along the seam where the dark gray replacement gauntlet met the rest of his bright white armor. It took him a moment to respond.

 

“Looks good.” He displayed a half-assed smile that quickly faded. “Thanks.”

 

"You okay?"

 

Frank just nodded, and left without saying anything.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Medbay.

 

As Frank approached, he saw some of the others waiting outside the door.

 

Waiting? F*ck.That.

 

His fingers flew across his omni-tool, as he neared. He carefully stepped through the group, and waved his hand, causing the medbay door to open.  He strode inside like he owned the place, looking like a motherf**king boss.

 

“Hey, you can’t be in--”

 

Frank gently silenced the objecting member of the medical staff with a palm to the face.

 

“The F**K out my face.”

 

As he made his way across the medbay, he caught the end of a conversation.

 

“Is there anyone who you think might want me to have come visit?”

 

Frank smirked, and shoved his way through some curtains.

 

“Sup?” He asked, flicking his head up slightly, before coming all the way in.

 

"I'll take it from here, Doc."

[Kel Riever]

Iole's smile dawned as broad and bright as a rising sun.  "I like you best when you break into things."

Tollan did a final check on some monitors, perhaps legitimately, perhaps to seem busy.  "Hello Frank.  Don't worry, I told the counselor I didn't think you'd need a psych evaluation for a week."

Genuinely, Iole said, "I'm really glad you're here, Frank."

"All right, I must attend to a certain someone else.  Surely Mr. Eli has had enough of me pestering him, anyway.  Talk as much as you want, but calmly and without stress please."

Scooping up a datapad, Tollan headed out of the small, divided med bay area Iole was in, humming a cheerful tune to himself.

"Not exactly the model of valor and discipline that you might expect, right?"  Iole lost her smile and her words were tinged with regret.  But she regained her grin and said, "Enough about me.  How are you?"

[Kel Riever]

Jenus sat alone in her own small, med bay area, monitored and being cared for, although mostly by VERA at that point.  Tollan had worked with VERA to set up the medical devices that would treat Jenus' wounds.  The AI had said little to Jenus during the process, which was fine with the asari.  Jenus hadn't ever felt the pain she did, and that went well past the physical realm.

She had wanted to talk to Irina but what would she say?  The worst part now for Jenus was the waiting.  She couldn't care less if she received a  court martial, as long as she didn't have to wait.  But there wasn't much in her control now, and that did not sit well with Jenus.  

Jenus had let Mira down.  And Iole.  And herself.

Clenching her fists together until they trembled, Jenus just wanted to hit herself.  To hurt herself the way Iole had been hurt.  Anything to show how much she knew the awful mistake she'd made.  She even tried it once sitting there, cracking herself hard against her own temple.  VERA warned her to stop immediately.  Then, of course, the knots in Jenus' stomach had started.

Guilt.  And in copius amounts.  The kind that wasn't going to go away, maybe ever.

And so what was she going to do?  Frank had helped her for Goddess' sake.  Jenus would have felt a thousand times better if he'd hit her, preferably with the butt of a weapon because he was so scrawny he might need to so real damage could be caused.  Or maybe he could have shot her.   Do it quick, get it over with.  Jenus was never supposed to make it as a Commando anyway, given her family.  They knew, at the Republics Command, how to sort people.  Why give one try hard a chance when lives were on the line?  Maybe Jenus was trying to warn Mira.  Warn her why not to put her in the lead, even if protocol dictated it should have been so.

"On your way to getting better it seems," Tollan said as he entered the room.

Jenus simply looked at him.

"You can talk, you know.  In fact I require it to make a proper evaluation."  Tollan saw the expression on Jenus' face and changed his mind.  "All right, maybe later."

Jenus wanted to talk to Irina again, but what would she say?

[Kel Riever]

...on the Citadel

The sound of something splintering came from ahead of Molly and Miss Priss.  Miss Priss nearly jumped into the detective's arms.

"Sorry, Marshal," Miss priss said as she removed the arm she'd squeezed Molly with. "That was downright startling!"

Molly fought to not roll her eyes.  "Up ahead," she replied.  "Quiet."

The two moved cautiously forward but quiet wasn't on the menu for Miss Priss who had enough hanging jewelry and decoration that she made a soft jingle with every step.  They passed through the control room where it looked like an asari was unconscious or dead from the blow of a piece of table shrapnel.  Across the room they could hear someone shouting in a bit of a monologue, then Anika's voice.  The wall next to the doorway from where the voices came had been ripped out.  From where Molly and Priss were, they could see two asari forms in a small heap just beyond.

Miss Priss regained herself, pointing the pistol in her hands towards the doorway.  Molly levelled her Avenger rifle.  Both approached the room beyond, ready for anything.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Irina had been standing outside Med-Bay with Tallis and Ereba and saw Frank barge in without any problem. They didn't thrown him out so they must be allowing visitors now, she figured. She'd brought a deck of cards with her because she knew Jenus was not the type to talk directly about anything, but she might while playing a game of gin rummy. She walked into Med-Bay and Dr. Tollan pointed her to Jenus room. Tallis made a sign to Ereba indicating that Jenus and Irina were intimate.

 

"So you guys really were tight?" Ereba asked.

 

"Yes, yes." Tallis replied and went into a charade.

 

"And had a lot of fun together," Ereba smiled. "I see."

 

***

 

Jenus was sitting up in her bed with herself and her guilt.

 

Irina walked in. "Hey, so how's the walking wounded?"

 

Jenus looked up and smiled. "Better. Still hurts a lot though."

 

"Yeah, I bet. Hey, I brought a deck of cards. You remember how to play gin rummy like I showed you, right?" Irina asked.

 

"Yeah, I think I do. Refresh me a bit."

 

Irina went over the rules a bit, played an open hand with her so that Jenus would understand them, and then dealt the cards for real.

 

"I'm glad to see you're doing better, you looked pretty beat up back there," Irina said, then deflected the subject figuring Jenus would talk when she was ready. "But hey that was something we found in that archive wasn't it? I never saw anything like that in my life. And real live Protheans? Too bad we can't write home about any of this."

[Cknarf]

"Oh, you know. Fine as always." Frank flexed, before taking a seat at the foot of the bed. He received an eyeroll in response.

 

"Seriously though, I'm feeling much better, now that I see you're not a goddamn vegetable." Frank smiled. "For a minute, I thought I'd lost you back there." He pursed his lips, and turned his attention to the floor.

 

You almost died. And for what?

 

He had much to say, but now was not the time. He wasn’t one to care much about what other people did, but he couldn’t help but feel disappointed about how things turned out.

 

Beating each other to death over some petty sh*t…

 

As much as he wanted to tear into her, he didn’t. His originally planned ‘What the hell is wrong with you?’ was replaced by some feigned feeling of guilt bullsh*t.

 

“I shoulda stayed back.” He shook his head. “I feel like I coulda prevented this…”

 

Yeah, right.

 

“I’m sorry.”

[Kel Riever]

"Home," Jenus repeated Irina's word in reflection.  She was staring at her cards, in all likelihood not thinking about her hand.  Jenus was somewhere at least five centimeters shorter than Irina, but the Commando had a quality to her that usually made her seem much larger than she was, like Morgan did when he was in combat, and even Irina probably seemed a lot larger when she opened up Golt's face.  But now, despite being more than three times older in Irina in roughly Earth or Thessian years, Jenus looked younger than ever when Irina looked at her.  Like a teenager who didn't know what to do.  Jenus, the asari who could measure time with her heart rate rather than the other way around, who would probably be an Olympic athlete on Earth, if she was human and wasn't a Commando, Jenus who looked straight at an Atlas mech without fear and shut it down with a move that could have been studied in a military school if it had been recorded decently...that same Jenus was like a child in front of Irina as she dealt with her emotions.

"I don't know about bug men, Red, because right now I'm the biggest void sucking *ssh*le on this ship.  They should court martial me, and then I can carry my sorry blue *ss back home."  Jenus appeared as if she was going to say more, but clenched her teeth and slid her lower jaw to the side.  The purple facial markings under her eyes seemed more like additional bruises than the threatening image of warpaint that they typically invoked.  "I told Mira I wasn't ready," she added at last, staring at her cards again and not playing her hand.

~ ~ ~ ~

"You probably could have," came Iole's response, "You've got this great thing about you.  I like it, the way you make things seem so easy, no matter what's going on.  But come on, this wasn't your fault.  You aren't the one who should be apologizing.  I should have known better.  I've known Jenus for thirty years, and she got me, she did.  I was stupid not to see what was going on with her, but I understand it now.  Nothing like a fractured skull to make me really start thinking deep thoughts."

Iole shifted uncomfortably.  "But that thought that you'd lost me?  Never."  Her eyes were warm and lines of happiness wrinkled alongside them.  "I'm too stupid for you to get rid of.  And I make too many mistakes.  You, should...feel sorry for me. Kind of like the...well let's just say I'm...."

There was a hesitation as Iole wasn't sure she really wanted to say what she had to in words.  Her eyes looked around the room to see if anyone was nearby or listening in, and when she was convinced there weren't, Iole went on.

"What happened, I don't know how it's going to turn out.  It could be very bad.  Relatively speaking, you know being dead is much worse.  But seriously, Frank, maybe we don't have as much time as we thought, and I really wanted you to know how much you mean to me.  It's just, well, it's easier if I...what I'm trying to ask is can you...will you meld with me?"

It seemed stupid for Iole to come out and say, but at the same time she was relieved in being so honest.  She'd asked, and whether Frank would agree or not was up to him, but she hoped at least even saying what she wanted would let him know how she felt about him.

[Cknarf]

“Will you meld with me?"

 

That was one of the last things Frank thought he’d be hearing in the medbay. He had expected her to be out cold, if anything, and was hardly prepared for a conversation, let alone that.

 

Frank opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out. He looked away, and was quiet for a moment as he thought. Melding, from what he understood, was kind of a big deal. The instantaneous sharing of thoughts, memories, and possibly secrets… He wasn’t sure he was comfortable with something like that just yet.

 

Frank shook his head. “I’m sorry, commando, but I don’t think I’m ready for that.”

 

And neither are you, with that head injury. I don’t need you hemorrhagin' all over the damn place.

 

He looked back up to her. “Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I don’t want to, it’s just…” Frank sighed.

 

“We don’t need to meld for me to know how you feel, Iole.” He stood from the bed, and moved closer. “And if you’re worried that the feelings aren't mutual…”

 

Frank leaned in carefully, because her face was still kinda f**ked up, and kissed her.

[Kel Riever]

Iole watched Frank with open eyes the entire duration of the sweetest kiss she'd ever had.  "I guess I'm not worried anymore.  Maybe you're right, we don't need to meld, but umm, let's be sure."  She leaned forward again for a second kiss with Frank.  Briefly she pulled away, "You're not turned on because my face is all a mess, are you?"

The joke was interrupted by the sound of the door to the area sliding open.  Tallis was there, with a surprised expression.  Then she pushed her hips out to one side while leaning against the doorframe with her elbow.  Sly eyes and double pumping brows made no error that Tallis was aware of what had happened.

"Hubba hubba," Tallis said, in a satire of bawdiness.

[Cknarf]

Frank straightened up. There was a hint of redness in his cheeks, as he cleared his throat.

 

"Guess I should be goin' now." He rubbed at the back of his neck.

 

"I imagine ya'll probably wanna talk or somethin'." He shrugged, looking between the asari. "So... yeah... Get well soon, commando."

 

"Commando, commando." He acknowledged Tallis with a slight inclination of his head as he passed. Something about her expression prompted him to smile, which he tried, and ultimately failed to conceal as he slipped out.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Essul was leaning on the wall near the medbay area, back in his fatigues as he stood with his arms crossed, his 4 eyes looking to Frank with curiosity as he kept his expression mostly blank.

 

"So..." He said as he looked to the human, watching him approach and leave the medbay, "How are they?" He asked plainly, curious for an update. He stood a bit tensed, shoulders raised slightly, hands gripping the sides of his arms tightly, but he looked more confused then anything, espeically as his eyes looked Frank up and down.

[Cknarf]

“Oh, hey buddy.” Frank took position near Essul, with his back to the wall “She’s still a little roughed up, but she’s awake and alert now.” He smiled, while fiddling with something on his omni-tool. “I wasn’t expecting that at all.”

 

“I didn’t check on Jenus, but since she made it back on her own, I’d assume that she’s doing just fine.”

 

“They’re ready for visitors, if you wanna go see for yourself.” Frank gestured back towards the medbay with his thumb. “I’m sure Iole's got some kind words for the guy who helped drag her back home.”

 

“I know I do.” Frank looked up at the batarian. “But I ain’t trying to get all sentimental about it, so…”

 

He pushed himself off the wall, and faced him. He extended a hand.

 

“This’ll have to do.”

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

The following done by Kel and SJ

 

"I don't know about bug men, Red, because right now I'm the biggest void sucking *ssh*le on this ship.  They should court martial me, and then I can carry my sorry blue *ss back home."  Jenus appeared as if she was going to say more, but clenched her teeth and slid her lower jaw to the side.  The purple facial markings under her eyes seemed more like additional bruises than the threatening image of warpaint that they typically invoked.  "I told Mira I wasn't ready," she added at last, staring at her cards again and not playing her hand.

 

***

 

"You gonna play your card or not?" Irina asked.

 

Jenus finally layed down a sequence of cards: 7, 8, 9, 10 in hearts.

 

"Nice. I gotta shuffle better," Irina said. "You're next in rank after Mira. Having all that dumped on you at once is tough, but you're not alone. Jenus, you try to handle all this stuff by yourself because you think if you don't people will see you as weak. I ain't saying go see the counselor. I hate counselors. You got friends here. You got me. And.... I'm here now."

 

Jenus watched Irina as she spoke, then did something uncharacteristic that Irina had never seen before.  Jenus pushed the hospital bed table with the cards on it aside, swung her legs over so she was now sitting next to Irina, and her dark eyes were wide to stare into Irina.  With her Commando leathers torn from the fighting, and some of the bruises still visible, even though they were healing, she looked like a little creature who'd been through a storm.  Jenus lay her head on Irina's shoulder, snuggling her crest into Irina's neck and hair.

 

Irina put her arms around her and held her.

 

The difficulty in Asari - Human relations is that for every year that passes by the Asari ages 1/10th that of the Human, and it's not just on a physical level. Because of long life spans there just isn't the urgency to mature, but now being thrown in with combat situations, other shorter lived species, and losing a teammate, Jenus was having to grow up fast the pressure was getting to her. She was barely an adult by Asari standards. Irina knew this. She'd figured out what happened, but needed to hear it from Jenus. Iole was in the same age group, so it wasn't much different of a situation.

 

Irina knew Commando training was tough. She was the veteran Gunnery Chief herself, and she'd been through Hell during two campaigns. She just hoped that Naleena didn't come down too hard on these two, and gave them a second chance, but she knew that they would have to suffer some kind of discipline.

 

Meanwhile she just held Jenus and stroked her crest. "I'm not going away."

 

“I didn’t mean to hurt Iole.”  It was a statement that didn’t make sense, and yet Irina knew exactly what Jenus meant.  The asari knew better.  She hadn’t been able to stop her emotions from overcoming her, though.  “It was like a panel got pushed and I couldn’t stop myself.  I wanted her to come at me…I made her…and if she hadn’t, I would have gone after her.  What is everyone going to think of me now?”

 

"I know you didn't. You love each other like sisters, but you're like oil and water as a doublet. No offense, but Mira was always there to run interference and keep things in balance. And now with one of you in command the friction is amplified. I don't think it would have mattered who had command," Irina said and looked Jenus in the eyes. "Now I'm sure Iole feels pretty bad about all of this, too. So when the doc says she's ready, we'll go in and meet with her and settle this so it doesn't happen again.

 

Irina sighed. "As far as the rest? You're fire team leader by rank. Now it's time to earn that spot. True leaders take ownership of their mistakes. You need to own this, and that means with the boss and the team. Do that and things might turn out better than you think," she smiled at Jenus and kissed her bruises.

 

"Ow," Jenus said, the contact with Irina causing a healing injury on her hip to pinch like a deep needle.  "Ouch," she exclaimed again at the next touch, sounding much less convincing than the first time.  On the third brush of Irina's lips, this one on a neck bruise, Jenus didn't protest at all.  

[Cainhurst Crow]

**Previous Day on the Janiri**

 

Essul's shoulders relaxed and he let out a sigh of relief as he heard frank talk about Iole and Jenus's conditions. "Good..." Was all he had to say on it, though his mood did brighten a bit at the news. He'd been worried there would be serious damage, or that they'd have to discharge the commandos for medical treatment, his own experience knowing that wasn't fun.

 

It did him good to know that at least medically, they'd be okay. Hearing frank go on though, made essul raise a brow at what he was getting at, before he offered a handshake. Essul looked down towards the offered hand then back towards frank, and he finally smirked as he returned it with his own, firm and much like a vice as he gave a single strong shake to it.

 

"Thank you, Frank. It was nothing, really..." He said, letting go as he looked towards the medical area, "I might visit, though it looks as if the commandos are having some time to themselves. Later perhaps, after they've had their moment..." He said, beliving that close friends or comrades should have some privacy before others got to visit them, an old batarian custom but one he still followed none the less, even if it was a bit old fashioned.

 

---------------------------- * Back to the Present * ----------------------------

 

Vayne sat in the crew lounge area, in his more casual attire as he leaned in his seat, with a can of tupari to drink as he had his omnitool open, reading an e-book he'd bought. Some might consider it odd, a krogan reading calmly and showing proper manners in doing so, but Vayne was funny like that. Even at his worst as Captain Sangar the Red Terror of Nassau, he'd always unwound after a stressful event by locking himself in his quarters and sitting down to read a good novel.

 

After usually beating down a few of his crew for insubordination or just for the hell of it. He'd matured since then however, gotten older, less raw energy crackling inside of him then when he was younger, and a full set of functional auxiliary organs. Now he could relax, unwind with a good read, and not act on such immature impulses as before.

 

"Kavadar! What in the hells did you do!?" Essul's voice came through, with what sounded like a massive blitz of gunfire in the background before it suddenly ceased, and a very angry batarian continued, "I understand that you can use the simulators just like me, but you didn't have to use my personal settings. And you certainly could have set the settings back to how they were, or at the very least warned me!"

 

Vayne smirked to himself a bit as he simply took another sip of his tupari and flicked to the next page of his book, Essul's voice blending into the constant ringing in his ears from centuries of firefights and explosions, as he leaned comfortably into his chair.

 

Perhaps he wasn't all mature and old, but at least he'd moved on to using virtual targets to hit. That was something at least.

[Kel Riever]

...onboard the Medusa

"Duncan, that can't be correct,"  Morgan said to the man on the bridge com station.

Duncan stared at Morgan with reticent fear.

"You're going to have to get over that and start learning more, now let me in that chair and figure out what's going on."

With nearly a leap, Duncan got out of his seat.

Morgan confirmed the settings for messages sent out by com buoy.  They were correct.  He looked up at Duncan quizzically, then typed a repeat message:

To:  Naleena T'Sari
From:  Morgan, on behalf of the Medusa

We've been attempting to contact you and have not received any message back.  If able, please update status or confirm situation normal. 

The Medusa is still in port at the Citadel.  We'll also let you know as soon as we have an ETA on departure.

"You had everything right, Duncan.  I'm just surprised that no one from the Janiri has responded to our message.  It isn't like them."
 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Eingana - Janiri AI Core

 

Han Breizh and his work detail finished up the work on the ship, and ran static tests on everything to make sure they passed.

 

Naleena showered and told Faed to meet her in the AI core. There were some things they needed to discuss in private with VERA.

 

VERA waited patiently for their arrival. Since this meeting was of scientific nature, she dressed appropriately in a lab coat with glasses in front of an ancient looking computer. Naleena and Faed arrived.

 

“So what is so important that you decided to meet in my office for a change?” VERA asked.

 

“It has to do with the archive. We need to transfer the data to storage drives so you can analyze it,” Naleena said.

 

VERA raised an eyebrow. “You mean you are not informing the Council of its existence?”

 

Faed scoffed. “You know how the Council is. They let politics dictate research policies. They’ll dole out what they want us to know, and keep secret what they don’t want us to know.”

 

“I’ll inform the Council in due time. I have to,” Naleena said. “But I’d like to know what’s in there. The VI, Vengeance said there isn’t any technology in there than is already known. And what if there is more in there than the Council or any of the other races have made public. Shouldn’t we be able to make use of it?”

 

“Or there might not be anything more in that archive than we already know,” VERA said playing Devil’s Advocate.

 

“True, VERA, but what harm is there in looking?” Faed said. “Perhaps there’s something in there that will help my people get out of their suits. For that alone it would be an examination.”

 

“I’d like to obtain a local copy of the data, then we’ll inform the Council.” Naleena said.

 

Faed put his hand under his facemask. “How much fiber optic cable do we have?”

 

“There is 1000 meters of it in the Port Cargo Bay,”

 

“Storage capacity?”

 

“Once I know the file algorithms I can write data compression programs,” VERA said.

 

“What about encrypted files?” Faed asked. “We might encounter something that has a timed encryption lock on it, one that could destroy the data unless we work together.”

 

Naleena was satisfied. “Good. We’ll relocate the ship using thrusters to the temple. Faed, you’ll work with our tech crew and connect VERA to the archive, and we’ll copy the data into our storage banks. If needed we’ll use the ship’s power as backup.”

[Kel Riever]

Previously...

...aboard the Khukuri

Foteni, bound as if some slave with her wrists behind her back and her ankles tied, was in a cell barely large enough to hold her.  She had been rendered unconscious for her delivery to her confinement, but she was aware she was on board a ship of some sort.  Currently, the force field that served as the front wall to the cell was deactivated.  It was so the woman outside her cell, the woman who abducted her, could have access to her as she willed.  That woman, Iyana, was now in her outlandish armor, playing curiously with a data cube in her fingers.

"I think I will need a new ceremonial garb," Iyana said aloud, though it seemed to herself. "Something that makes a proper statement of affairs."  She frowned and addressed the cube, "Why am I talking to you?"


Iyana then turned to Foteni.  "Or you, Doctor?"  She smiled wickedly.  "Because, of course, you'll listen!"

Along the way, Foteni has been administered medigel, enough to heal most of the wounds on her face, though they still hurt and the memory of what caused them was fresh in her mind.  "Whatever you attempt to gain from me is forfeit if you break your end of the bargain and harm comes to Gille or her daughter."

"I can admire a person who maintains good business sense, even when on their knees and under threat of death or worse."  Iyana stared down at Foteni.  "Let me explain that I go to great lengths to achieve what I must.  You should consider yourself fortunate to be an asset, but not one that I could not do without.  There are great events to transpire, and you are to become part of them, but I've always warned all who have met me that you will never return to your previous life."

Foteni cast her eyes down, away from Iyana.

"I see you are abundantly clear of that," Iyana crowed, and a smile split her face. "You bring me hope, Foteni!  It took Gille much more time to realize that.  This is but an interlude to what will become of you.  I feel it is as if destiny itself brought you my way, when I found out who you were through your niece and one of my very qualified subordinates."

With both fear and disgust in her voice, Foteni said, "You speak of that criminal Xhuan Setura.  I recognized her the moment I saw her."

There was an expression of mock disappointment from Iyana, "Why you still fly the Republics flag in your heart I see.  Yet at what personal cost?  Surely your ambitions did not stop at being the head of some desert production facility for secret projects.  That thankless, repetitive job that was a waste of your abilities.  Yes, among the smallest of circles you were highly regarded, but even your work on Duellos was doomed to be used by the hands of the greedy and the exclusionsists.  I must say, Foteni, that your work deserves to be shared, and demands a far wider audience.  With the greatest of confidence, I dare to consider that I may have been the best thing to come your way!"

In disbelief, Foteni looked up at Iyana.  "Who is it that you work for, if not Cerberus?"

"Ah, you see?  The question is not who I work for, but who works for me.  Now, I want you to feel something.  I want you to have a morsel, a delicate piece of why." 

Iyana reached out a hand towards Foteni, her fingers like claws.  As she did, Foteni felt a coldness grip her, like her soul was being syphoned away in wisps and slivers.  The white haired woman's eyes shimmered with biotic power.  The doctor arched her back, unable to control herself, and she shuddered as if a loosely held rag doll.

After a few seconds, Iyana released Foteni from the grasp of her power.  "There, Foteni, you now come to understand that there is far worse that can happen."

[Kel Riever]

"So, when I put out the ship wide call for anyone familiar with a Quantum Entanglement Communication system, you are the only one from the new crew who responded?  No one else?"

Doctor Amy Hayashi looked at Morgan nervously and patted the bun on the top of her head.  She didn't know quite how to respond.  "I've used the QEC system at the facility of my...former employer.  For the purpose of sending certain studies out in real time.  It was only twice, or thrice, well it wasn't frequently.  But I did get a good feel for the system."

None of Amy's words made Morgan feel much better.  Dogger was out, Jess was busy, Naleena was busy, and he had a funny feeling if anyone else was familiar with the systems, they simply weren't making themselves available.  "That's fine, come with me."

The newly installed QEC on the Medusa was pristine and untested.  Nothing looked out of place, but Morgan had low expectations for some outside firm trying to put the QEC in and interface correctly with the old systems of the ship.  He was sure Dogger likely had a fit trying to explain to the techs more than once that no, the Medusa did not have every little device magically connected to everything else, which was the point of the vessel in the first place.  Regardless, Morgan stood in front of the QEC and looked for the manual activation panels. 

"Just take a look around, Doctor, and if something looks wrong or out of place, let me know."

Amy nodded.

"Really, Doctor Hayashi, cable out, funny looking indicator lights, anything.  I'm trying to see if I can get the Janiri to respond, and I don't want to get in a panic because something isn't working correctly with the QEC."

Amy nodded again, and pulled down a bit on the front of her kimono.

"Okay," Morgan said, as he used the manual panels to attempt to raise the Janiri.  The panels lit in orange under his fingertips as he got to work.  Morgan sent one request, followed minutes later by another.  He waited twenty minutes to send a third. 

"Nothing?" Morgan asked Amy.  "Nothing at all seems out of place?"

"Everything looks to be normal.  You are using the system correctly."

Morgan grunted.  He had no idea why the Janiri wasn't getting back to him.