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[Kel Riever]

(Note:  The following was a collaboration with RedBelle)

Previously...

Upon the ruins of a colony, lost during The First Contact War

And so Iyana, the vision of an armored angel, self-proclaimed in her reign, passed into the presence of Lord Tarball’s hold and came upon the first reception.  Within the doorway was a chamber with high-reaching ceiling, where six ceremonial guards stood in two lines, prepared for the visitor.  The guard were towering themselves, clad in ceramic wrought transteel armor that was hulking and lavishly decorated.  As with Jrudek when he had come into their presence, they wielded tremendous hand cannons, and one gripped the shaft of a banner where The Lord’s symbol was emblazoned: four crowns arrayed around a central sun.

Before the ceremonial guard, however, were two figures, a man and a woman who were clearly of higher station.  As the Maltruvian Stalkers entered, they snarled and roared with booming voices at the agents of The Lord.  With but a flick of each fist, Iyana cracked a biotic whip just above the heads of each Stalker, forcing the beasts to submit.  Each growled in a deep rumble, but the great cats kept their heads low and gave no more trouble.

Forward Iyana came, each step strong and purposeful.  Thought the plates of her armor were not truly made of steel, and as such made little noise as they moved, there was a sort of ‘hishing’ sound that they emitted, like a scythe at harvest.  Her high heel boots made a hollow clicking sound that accompanied the song of her armor, which caught the light ever so perfectly, to shine it back in the eyes of all those who viewed her.

“I am Iyana,” she simply said, “And I am here to conduct audience with The Lord.”

 

The man, clad in a tailored suit that would not have looked out of place in a board room, flinched back slightly as the crack of the whip snapped in the air. His cool demeanor dropping momentarily to show worry as he looked at the two snarling beasts. A quick glance to his left and right however reassured him that their hulking, towering guardians were in fact, still there. Though they showed no signs of movement. Looking for all intents and purposes like suits of armour on display.

 

The woman on the other hand peeled back her rose red lips that matched the dress she wore. If the man looked like he belonged in a board room, this woman looked like she belonged on a dance floor. Her dress, equally as tailored from her shoulders to her hip, ended in it's conservatism as the skirt exploded into ruffles that continued all the way to the hem that ended at her ankle. Like her lips, the dress was rose red in satin that shimmered under in the lights. Her hair pulled back in a severe bun, she seemed amused at her companions reaction and stepped forward with a smile that seemed more self satisfied than anything else.

 

"Welcome. We have been expecting you. Our Lord hopes you had a pleasant journey and is awaiting you on the lower level".

 

The man stepped forward with an annoyed glance at his compatriot. "Lord Tarballs sends his apologizes that he was not here to greet you in person. Unfortunately his health is not what it used to be. He has tasked us to see to your needs and escort you to him once you ready".

[Kel Riever]

…Earth, New York City

“Who’s asking?” Morgan joked back to Frank through the com.

“You’re making me blush, Eli,” Molly said, and she certainly was, to the point where she had to look away, out the window.  Hagen slid down in her seat half way to horizontal.  “I’m not a superhero, Frank.  I haven’t figured out how to make it all work out.  Maybe I shouldn’t be handing out advice, huh?”

The limousine was back on track and the address was well within sight, and a breathtaking one at that.


As Frank set an approach course, a prompt showed up on the dashboard requesting identification with a subtext warning about a ‘shield gate’ which would have to be lowered before proceeding.  Landing for the penthouse was on the rooftop, where two luxury skycars were parked, and a small but quite solid looking guard post and control tower kept a watch over the residence.

 

[Cainhurst Crow]

Essul looked around the room as the silence seemed to fall, tensing up himself in case something were to happen. Meanwhile, vayne kept his eye peeled for the young krogan, spotting him sitting on a bench with another krogan, receiving medical treatment as promised, as the heavy from earlier seemed to slap him on the back like he were being a good sport about the whole affair.

 

Wrund sat in his makeshift throne, listening to Naleena give her speech before he spoke. "So that's what they say happened, is it? What a load of ****..." He replied with a smirk on his face as he leaned into his seat, "Their coup wasn't aborted, it failed. They bribed some of my closest bodyguards, even my own krant, to kill me in my home..." He said as he stood, laughing as he did so, "I killed them all, and found a nice use for my disloyal krant. They tried to prop a Vorcha as the legitimate ruler in my place. A ****** Vorcha!" He bellowed, apparently none-to-pleased at that particular detail.

 

"That pest who calls himself President Kyll now runs part of my vorcha soliders as his own bodyguards. The corporations cut ties with him, and the bastard still has it in his head, that he should rule my planet...." Wrund paused, apparently shaking with anger as he pointed out past the group, towards the outside of the hospital, "He's out there, with those protesters, offering support to them and safe landing as they pour in from your council's space. I guess not everything from your side of the galaxy wants us conquered..." He said, apparently calming somewhat as he took his seat, reaching for something in a small nook of his throne.

 

"Meanwhile, I'm stuck here. Because I cannot so much as show my face in public, without these damned sell-shots trying to take my head...but that might change soon enough..." He said as he retrieved what he was looking for, pulling out what looked like a crudely made goblet. It looked more like a bowl, and had to be held at the rim or below to use. An upsidedown skull, large and coated in what looked like pewter or some other dull metal, its eyes and nose especially sealed, as it was hollowed out and turned into a drinking utensil. He snapped his fingers as a vorcha came up with a rather large bottle of unmarked liquor, pouring him a skull-full.

 

"The person organizing these protestors is named Isaac Rows. He's a human, about...her height, and his build..." Wrund said, first pointing to Irina before pointing to Essul. "He came here with a couple dozen or so humans days ago. Apparently he's invited more then a few friends along for the ride. He can fight to, took out a gunmen with his just hands..." He paused in his story to take a huge gulp from the skull, sighing in content as he looked down to it, "You do better as a cup then a krant, brother..." he commented absentmindedly before looking back to Naleena.

 

"The human wants the corporate forces off Garvug, but that's not gonna happen. Closet thing to that, is a cease fire. Not like this, but a real one..." He commented as he stooped forward a bit, eyes gleaming as he spoke, "And that's why I'm going to need your help, Naleena T'sarius, Captain of the CSV Janiri, and Spectre to the Council..."
 

"I want peace. Fighting is...what's that word your people have? Mutually Insured Destruction? I want these corporate invaders to not tear my kingdom apart, nor do I wish to bend the knee to them. You want this relic that my people found and by rite, should belong to me. You have the power to at least ask the corporations to have a meeting with me, especially if you get that human mob-leaders ear, to get to peace. And I, have the power to get you that relic, and make sure you get off this planet before anyone else is the wiser..." He said as he held out the skull, as if offering Naleena to drink from it, "What do you say? Have a drink of Ryncol to seal the deal?" he asked.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Aboard the Medusa

 

“What in the Void? Just what we f*cking need right now.” Dahlia said seeing the change in Babe. She was scared. She pulled out her claymore and pointed it at Babe.

 

“Priss, get away from her. I don’t know who or what the f*ck you are, but you have three seconds to start telling the truth or there’s gonna be a big hole where you once were,” Dahlia said. “Three…, two….”

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena knew that the Ryncol would tear up the system of a normal person, but with all the drinking she’d been doing, she could handle one drink. Whether she could truly deliver was beside the point. She took the metal skull in her hands and drank a swallow of the Krogan liquor, and handed it back to Wrund.

 

“The deal is sealed,” she said. “I’ll do what I can, Hailot Wrund.”

[Redbelle]

Jess's voice roared out around the bridge. "FINGER'S ON LIPS! THAT'S AN ORDER"!

 

Startled expressions from around the bridge erupted as Jess's order flew in the face of the scene unfolding before them. Jess however had taken her index finger and pressed it to her lips and so, blinking in confusion, many of her crew did the same.

 

"Cap'n...."? Marshall began, causing Jess to turn on him, jamming her finger against her won lips several times. "Shh shh shh..... No one talks! No one talks unless I tell them to! Now.... I know we're all new here. I know we're all just learning how to do our jobs and all..... But stone the crows if I'm going to settle for my crew getting rowdy over someone's history".

 

Turning, Jess stared straight at Babe. If she was intimidated by her change in attitude she showed no signs. Instead, Jess's voice became quieter, more intense, as if focusing her rage down to a knife point. "I don't pry into my people business unless it can't be helped. And I'm telling you Babe. This just became my business. Two of my crew, you and Priss, seem to have some history together. Now I don't know what that's about, but I do know I gave you the job of gunner because you have the skills and a level head to stroke the trigger only when it needs stroking..... This....". She gestured at Babe as she fumed. "....This doesn't help anything. You have family? Great. We'll pull in the ships mess sometime and swap stories..... But right now your putting me in a position of judging if I can rely on you to do your job. And with that fleet out there...... Babe, I'm trying to put together a new machine in the form of this crew. I don't need the cogs to fit, I need to know when I need it the cogs will make the machine work".

 

Tilting her head to the side slightly Jess gave Dahlia a brief nod. "Gun away luv..... To much adrenaline on the bridge as it is. Let's settle it down".

 

"Um, Cap'n...."? Duncan began.

 

Jess wheeled around and pointed right at him. "One more word and I'll tell you where you can stick that other finger. On lip Duncan.... That's it.... Yes". Jess returned her gaze to Babe. "Here's my dilemma luv.... Far as I can tell, you've done nothing wrong on my ship. And that's where my interest begins and ends. So if there's something in your past that's got you wired up bad that you can't work out yourself..... You come to me. Believe me your not the first person on board I've had problems with and you won't be the last".

 

Looking between the two she thumbed over to the lift to her quarters. "If you want to do this in private that's fine by me. But you....". She swung her gaze to Babe. ".... Need to remember whose ship your on before you think I'll put up with that attitude and you.....". She swung her gaze to Priss. "..... Need to start putting all that jumble of words into something like a coherent story. Talk to me, we'll work through this. Don't? And your restricted to quarters". She focused a level gaze back on Babe. "You can talk now. What's it going to be"?

[Cknarf]

"We're gonna straighten that problem out, one way or another, Mols." Frank wagged a finger.

 

Septerax...

 

"Hey, how do you feel about turians? 'Cause I know this guy..." Frank raised an eyebrow at the notification. "Wait, they weren't expecting us? Oh, riiiiiiight. Morgan's 'dead'."

 

"Yo, It's Frank. I'm here to scoop."

 

Surprisingly, that didn't work.

 

"I mean... I'm just the chauffeur. One second." He looked over to Molly. "You might wanna handle this, Mols. Ya know, before they start shooting at us."

[Kel Riever]

...onboard the Medusa

And there it was...for a split second, Babe wasn't standing on the bridge; instead Jess and Dahlia had seen Iyana's face, holding her head together as if she'd replaced her white bobbed hair with long locks of golden hair, and she'd somehow gotten perfectly tanned skin.  But after  Jess spoke, it was Babe again, mostly.  Only the image of what Jess and Dahlia had seen hadn't gone away. It was now as if they could see Iyana's face in Babe's.

Miss Priss looked like she wanted to scramble over the chair and run, just before she actually did.  Maybe she'd misheard Jess and thought she was actually instructed to be confined to quarters.  Or the mingling of fear had become too much for her.  Either way, she was gone at top speed.

Babe fell to the floor on her knees, still holding her head, mascara laden tears streaming down her face. She stared at the floor, on the verge of a complete breakdown, her gloss red lips quivering.  "I'm sorry," she whimpered, the image of a goddess in sorrow.  "I don't know what happened to me."

The sorrow of the stunning woman on her knees was palpable, and seeped through the bridge with emotion.  Duncan was the first to spring tears from his own eyes, then Doctor Hayashi, and then Marshall.  Like a chain reaction, the sadness spread, hopping from one person to the next, until Jess and Dahlia could see the entire bridge crew in tears, some even sobbing outright.  They could feel it too, themselves, the heaviness of their own hearts, being dragged to the remorse and anguish found in their own pasts.  It was like a deep blue energy that formed a whirlpool and brought them into a lonely darkness.

Babe spoke through her weeping.  "The cruisers can out-range us, like you'd expect, the carrier can't...it's set up defensively with more close range firepower than us, but relies on its fighters for offense.  They don't suspect anything or they would have weapons trained on us...the planet is likely their main concern.  We could take one of the cruisers by surprise if possible, cripple them at short range with an Alpha.  We could set ourselves up defensively out of the range of the carrier and put the bigger ship between us and the other cruiser...it would all take picture perfect coordination.  We'd have to deal with fighters...but we wouldn't last alone if we didn't have more to the plan, or the Janiri to back us up"

The moisture that had fallen from Babe to the deck in front of where she knelt was far more than one would expect; there was literally a puddle of tears.  Her cheeks glistened with the outburst, her mascara washing away and yet her beauty only added to the effect her distress had on others.  In a weakened voice she said to Jess, "This is why....you can't....you should get rid of me.  Get me away at our next stop and be done with me...before I bring something terrible upon us."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Dahlia lowered her weapon but did not put it away. "I'm sorry, Jess, but given what happened on this ship earlier. I have to ask because I've seen another who resembles her, and you have, too. I see her in Babe's face." Dahlia said. "She had the inexplicable power to dominate others. She was evil. Babe, do you know of one who calls herself Iyana? Is she one of your family?"

[Kel Riever]

"I don't know anyone named Iyana," Babe answered, her voice wracked.  She put her face in her hands.  "Let this end, just put it behind us.  Get me away and it will be as if I was never here."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Dahlia's own eyes welled and she used her own will to push them back, and she glance around the bridge at the others. "This woman is an open empath, Jess. She projects her emotions onto others. Whether it is voluntary or involuntary I do not know.

 

"Babe, talk to me. What terrible things are you talking about?"

[Redbelle]

Jess leaned over, lifted her arm as her finger's closed and gently bonked her on the head. "Keep up this sorry spectacle and I'm sorely tempted".

 

As she spoke Jess felt years of armor around her feelings stripped away. The fates of those she cared for. Had been responsible for and failed threatened to breach the shielding around her heart. So tempting it was, to give in. To embrace the sorrow and weep for all those long gone. Her family, her friends, her life back home......

 

But this ship was her home now. And the woman before her one of hers now. Slipping her hands under Babe's arms she tilted her back so that she looked right at her. "You want to go? Go. But it won't be because I chased you off. Your part of the new Medusa. Your problems may be closer to home than most.... but this ship is a haven for your type. We'll talk more, believe that. But unless you plan stealing a shuttle and running your my chief gunner and I'm not about to throw you back into the galaxy when you've done no wrong to me or mine". Jess grinned. "You want to see someone running from their past? You should meet Anika sometime. She's been hiding out with me since the day I sprung her from her training camp..... Now stop bleating about your problems and get on your feet luv. Can't have a gunner who cries. Your sights will be blurred".

[Kel Riever]

Babe pulled her face from her hands and looked up.  "I thought about the shuttle."  She turned to Dahlia and then Jess again.  "I couldn't describe each one, but the terrible things that happen just seem to follow me wherever I go.  I don't want to bring them on you but I don't want to go."

Her chest pushed upward as Babe heaved a heavy sigh of exculpation.  Blue eyes that drew Jess and Dahlia inward seemed no longer to drown, but to calm somewhat in their more tepid ponds.  And as Babe calmed, the mood lifted, not to the reaches of exultation, but enough to bring peace back to the bridge.  Amy wiped her own tears away with a finger, Duncan made an audible blow of his nose into a handkerchief and told Marshal it was okay to cry.  Marshal said he wasn't crying and that it was Duncan who was crying.

Babe put a tender hand on Jess' cheek in appreciation.  "Maybe you're right, I should get up," she said as she first got to one knee and then rose completely.  Unzipping her dark red leather jacket, Babe reached in to grab her own handkerchief from an inside pocket to wipe her face.  "I'm sorry I scared off that woman.  I don't know here, I swear, though maybe I've simply forgotten who she was.  I don't like to remember certain things."  She looked into Dahlia's violet eyes, then again at Jess while the last of her tears were soaked away.  Babe's beauty had returned, subdued and inviting.  "Maybe I shouldn't be on the bridge, though.  For everybody's sake."

[Kel Riever]

...Earth, New York City

Morgan had changed into his grey suit of armor, back on the trip to Earth in the Kodiak.  He gave his gear a once over look and pulled the helm he'd brought with him.  Molly peered towards the back seat and nodded as Morgan covered his head and darkened the polarized visor.  When he was done, he was just another guard in a suit of armor who's identity couldn't be determined.

Frank having already talked directly to the gate by com, Molly hopped on the frequency.  "Twenty east eighty one, this is Detective Molly Hagen, here to see the Severns.  They aren't expecting me, but I have two guests with me, plus the chauffer."

"Received," a male voice responded.  "One moment, please."

Molly muted the com.  "Frank, stay with the car, if you would.  This shouldn't take long.  They're going to see Morgan, we'll take them out, and be on our way.  I'm not telling them we're leaving for good; they'll understand that and why on the trip."  She then popped her head through the open divider window.  "You ready to meet your family, former Shadow agent?"

Morgan's visored helm turned to Molly.  "I can't thank you enough, detective."

"No need to," Hagen replied.  "It feels good enough without needing any thanks."

"Heart of gold," Morgan told Hagen.

Molly smiled like a kid on her birthday.  She said to everyone, "Now that makes it all worth it.  That and the look on their faces when they see Morgan."

"This is twenty east eighty-one," the guard's voice came back over the com, "You are clear to land.  Please leave room on the deck, pull up next to the silver Pagani."

"Has to be Keith's car," Molly remarked. "You're going to like this guy, Frank.  By the way, turn it off so we don't raise suspicion, but otherwise be ready to go in a hurry."  She called over to Anika and Morgan again, "You two are just my guards until we get inside.  Don't say a word."

Molly stepped out as soon as Frank parked.  Morgan got out first, followed by Anika, her white armor catching the sun of high afternoon.  The guard stepped out of his booth dressed in a black suit of light armor, tailored for a discreet and formal appearance.  He waived the group over to the elevator descending into the penthouse.

Leaning into the car for one last word with Frank, Molly said to him, "Catch you on the rebound, Beans."

 

[Cknarf]

"Whatevs." Frank replied, a little down that he didn't get to open the doors for everybody. That was like, all he wanted to do since he got behind the controls of the limousine. 

 

So much for the full experience.

[Kel Riever]

As if reading his mind, Molly made a frownie face then smiled. "Hey, if I find you one of those funny hats inside that all the proper drivers wear, I'll bring out one for you."

[Cknarf]

"Oh, you don't gotta do that, Mols." Frank waved a hand. He leaned a bit closer to the window. "But uh... you think maybe you could snag me somethin' else?" He looked past Molly. "I just know there's some high-end booze in there..."

[Cainhurst Crow]

"Glad to hear it..." Wrund said as he stood up, holding up a toast for his men to see, "You hear that boys!? Good news all around!" He said before downing the whole skull like it was nothing, the formerly silent hall erupting into cheers and laughter. The whole mood seemed to change and lighten around the squad.

 

"Well...didn't see that comin." Vayne commented, looking at naleena with a surprised awe at how well things had gone, "You feeling okay? That stuffs rough for non-krogan to drink."

 

"Arranging a peace negotiation will be difficult..." He said, looking towards vera next as he spoke, "We should find out all we can about this Issac Rows. Especially if it involves suing for peace through him." he said, not wanting to tip off the surronding people that their geth could talk, or more specifically, was more then a simple geth platform.

[Redbelle]

Anika looked back at the car as she heard Franks dejected tone and popped her head back inside. "We'll be out soon I hope. The family will be coming with us so lay off the drink until we're back.....". She paused. "That said the boot ought to hold a liquer chest so mark something for later for us all". She was about to withdraw when another thought occured to her. "And since we have the limo, as a bit of fun..... when the family comes out, do you fancy being our Gentleman driver? I mean the full package. Accent, stiff back. The full chauffeur package".

[Cknarf]

"Accent, huh?" Frank stroked his chin. "I think I can do that. I'm pretty good at belligerent drunk and N'awlins." He smirked.

 

"You guys better get goin'. Best not to keep the fam waitin'. And don't forget the booze."

[Redbelle]

Anika smiled and tossed off a salute, two fingers to her temple with a quick flick, before she retreated back out and hurried after the others.

[Kel Riever]

Molly led the way as the three headed to the elevator.  The guard in black armor had no helm on, his tanned head adorned only by a pair of sunglasses.  He was armed with a heavy pistol, but it was tightly locked away in its magnetic holster at his side.  “Right this way,” the guard said as he gestured to the elevator doors and hit the down button for the three.

It took a few seconds for the large elevator to open, revealing a space that was simple but immaculate.  Molly gave a quick thanks and stepped in with her companions.  The guard said nothing more.  He simply returned to his post before the doors had fully closed. 

The elevator was a smooth, if brief, ride down, where the doors opened into a black tiled foyer.  While penthouse space was at a premium, the ceiling was a lofty four plus meters high.  Décor was classical, with chocolate brown walls and mostly real wood furniture with a look that dated back more than a century.  Not everything was uniformly so, but any more modern fixtures were tastefully worked in.  Perhaps the most striking of those fixtures was a frame containing a comic book that featured a green monster and toad-like men on its cover.

Molly stepped towards the framed comic book.  “The Incredible Hulk, and look it does call those things toad men.  Twelve cents?  Issue number two.”  She whistled softly.  “That has to be worth a fortune.  First issue where the Hulk is green.  Take it from a comic geek.”

“Molly Hagen?”  The voice came from down the hall leading to the foyer.  There stood a man, maybe twenty-nine or thirty years old, but with a face that made him look much younger.  If the face didn’t make him look it, his clothes did; he wore jeans ending just below his knees, white cotton socks with thong slippers, and a black T-shirt that had ‘The Avengers’ in bold red letters across it (and countless superheroes adorning it).  There was a video game headset pushed up loosely on his closely shaved head of black hair.  Dark eyes glinted playfully from his tanned, chubby face, but he was quite muscular, having clearly spent time at the gym.  “You’re looking beautiful as ever, detective.  And whoa!  Who have you got here?  You worried about our part of town?”

“Keith,” Molly said with a grin. She stepped up to him and offered her hand.

“What?” Keith feigned offense.  He put out his arms warmly.

Hagen rolled her eyes.  “Fine,” she said, and gave him a hug.  As she pulle away, she said, “What’s with you?  Been eating your Wheaties?”

“No, been at the gymnasium!  Got a coach who’s a good motivator.  Worth every penny.  Check this out!”  Keith made an impressive muscle flex with a bicep.

“Who is it, Keith?” A woman’s voice called from further down the hallway.

“Detective Molly, Jen,” Keith shouted back.  “And two goons.”  Then without shouting as much, Keith looked Anika up and down.  “That’s hardly a fair name for you, I’m sure.”  He seemed to be trying to peer hard through her helmet as if he’d develop x-ray vision if he stared hard enough.  “What brings you here, detective?”

“A surprise, a good one,” Molly answered, trying to suppress a laugh at Keith’s distraction with Anika.  She couldn’t have picked a better person to keep his attention off Morgan in his dark gray armor.  “Is Rosanne around?”

“Mom?  Yep.  Let me show you our place.  Everyone will want to say, ‘Hi.’”  Keith turned on his slipper and started walking down the hallway.  “Come on in!”

[Cknarf]

It had been less than five minutes since the others had entered the penthouse, and Frank was getting antsy. He'd already hit just about every button on the controls just for shits, so he figured he'd comb through the owner's manual to see if he'd missed any cool gadgets. If anything, there'd be technical specs to read through. He reached over to the glove compartment, and popped it open.

 

"Holy sh*t."

 

His eyes widened at the weapon that was attached to the compartment door. He carefully pulled it free, and expanded it.  

 

"Baller." He nodded, while ejecting the thermal clip.

 

Normally, Frank wouldn't spare more than a passing glance at something as common as an M9, he'd seen crates upon crates full of them, but this one was obviously something special.  It was finished in highly-polished chrome, and engraved with some kind of writing that Frank didn't recognize. He started to think that maybe the Yakuzis weren't what they seemed...

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Valhallan Threshold -- Paz System -- Garvug

 

Naleena leaned toward Vayne. “I didn’t see that coming either. I was expecting something else,” she said. “And I’m okay. You have no idea how much alcohol I’ve been consuming. This job has been rough on my liver. Keep that to yourself.”

 

"Will do boss,” Vayne replied.

 

She approached Wrund once more and spoke in a normal conversational tone. “I need a room where I can plot strategy with my team. Do you have one available?”

 

Wrund nodded and pointed. “Grelk! Escort these people to the old lunch room!”

 

One of Wrund’s bodyguards stepped forward toward the Asari. “This way.”

 

Naleena gathered her team and followed the hulking Grelk as he led them to a corridor and opened a door to a large room with several tables and windows overlooking the demonstrations. Vorcha snipers were in the windows. Naleena motioned to Grelk that she wanted them out.

 

“What if something happens?” Grelk asked.

 

Ereba held up her Widow. “If anything happens, we’ll let you know.”

 

“Yes, let us know, Asari!” one of the Vorcha snipers said on his way out.

 

Grelk closed the door, and Naleena waited until she heard three sets of footsteps walk away.

 

Naleena walked to the window and looked out at the scene below. “That was quite unexpected. I need to find out everything we can about Isaac Rows. VERA, what do you have on him?” Naleena asked.

 

“He joined the Systems Alliance at the age of 18 in 2176 immediately after the Skyllian Blitz, but there appears to be a blacked out section in 2178 which coincides with the operation on Torfan. It would be logical to conclude that he served in a black ops unit. He served seven years until 2183 mostly on border patrols in the Attican Traverse after which he left military service,” VERA-Geth said cocking her head slightly to the left. “After that point in time there are no records of him until he appeared again a month ago running an anti-corporatist organization called Twin Spirals a week before Garvug’s aborted coup.”

 

“Do you have any information on Twin Spirals?”  Naleena asked.

 

“Affirmative, but it is sketchy,” VERA-Geth said gesturing with its hand. “According to its mission statement Twin Spirals promotes peaceful co-existence and non-aggression between Council and Terminus powers. Its financing is considerable considering that it is a ‘start up’ and all of its funding is from a single unidentified source.”

 

“I don’t like the sound of this,” Irina said.

 

Essul shook his head. “No. It sounds like a front,” he said, then looked toward VERA-Geth. “But a front for what?”

[Kel Riever]

...Earth, New York City, the Yakuzamobile

There was a knock on the limo’s driver side window, right next to Frank.  It might have been cause to be startled, but the glass was one way, so Frank knew he couldn’t be seen.  The person knocking was the bald guard in the black formal light armor he’d seen coming in. 

A quick scan around had Frank realize another man had come out of the guard booth to stand next to it.  He had a lot more hair and looked more annoyed.  Sunglasses didn’t help to show what he was thinking but he was looking towards the limo and his partner knocking at the window, with his arms folded across his waist. 

The bald man at Frank’s window said, “Sir, I’m going to need to see your license please.  Pardon, but security is pretty tight around here.  We’re under strict instructions from the NYPD to keep watch, so please understand and comply.”