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[Cknarf]

((Woo! Post 2000! Not as exciting as I had imagined... but hey, it's something!))

 

What is this bullsh*t?

 

"One moment please." Frank withdrew his gloriously orange pocket square, and wiped down the Tempest before placing it back into the glove compartment. He then began to carefully fold it back into its proper shape, before tucking it into his pocket. 

 

Frank lowered the windows on both sides.

 

"Sup?" He asked, looking back and forth once at each officer.

 

"License?"

 

"Huh?"

 

"I need to see your driver's license, please."

 

"What?"

 

Frank had never been asked for one of those. Then again, he'd never really had one. The closest thing he'd ever owned to a car was the Kodiak, and you sure as hell didn't need a 'license' on Ontarom.

 

"He's asking you to provide us with some identification." The man on the passenger side cleared things up for him.

 

"Well, sh*t, man. Why didn't you just say so?" Frank fiddled with his omni-tool.  "BAM!"

 

Their omni-tools illuminated simultaneously.

 

"Frank Eli. Engineer. Pilot. Handsome."

Modifié par Cknarf, 16 mai 2015 - 05:55 .

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Valhallan Threshold -- Paz System -- Garvug

 

“I need to meet with Rows,” Naleena said. “Essul, Vayne, Irina, and Arian will accompany me. Of the five of us only Irina and Essul will have their weapons drawn. I will be front and center and an easy target. However, confrontation is not our objective. Peace negotiations are.”

 

Naleena opened the map of the area on her omni-tool. “VERA, I want you, Ereba, and Tallis to set up in this building near where we came in. It’s a six story building. You’ll have a clear shot over the demonstration area and be able to provide covering fire. That rifle of yours should be able to knock a gunship out of commission if things get hot for some reason. Plus we might have sniper cover from the hospital if Wrund is really on our side.”

 

“So we have to freeze our blue and metal asses off on the sixth floor of a dark building with our rifles poking out a couple open windows?” Ereba asked.

 

“I do not perceive cold, Ereba,” VERA-Geth said.

 

“Lucky you,” Ereba said.

 

“Alright, let’s move out,” Naleena said.

 

Hailot Wrund bid the team good luck as they left the hospital out the main entrance, and they proceeded up the street toward the airfield where they arrived. There were several Tomkahs parked on the street in front of the hospital. Wrund was not about to give up one of those for transport, and Naleena didn’t want the opposition to think the Krogan were advancing either so it was on foot with the snow squeaking under their feet.

 

“This place reminds me of the time I was in training down in Antarctica,” Irina said. “We were on maneuvers and had a break at one of the temporary camps. One of the guys in the squad had to use the loo and of course there was no heat or nothing like that, and we warned him. ‘Don’t sit down.’ But he was a new recruit and didn’t listen. His arse stuck to the metal seat. Sergeant wanted to leave him there, but one of the gals packed a small battery powered hair dryer. Why they used metal seats, I’ll never know, but that’s the military for you.”

 

“We’ll be alright. VERA will warm up the seat for us with her death ray,” Ereba said.

 

VERA-Geth turned to face Ereba. “I told you once already that Geth platforms do not have death rays.”

 

When they arrived at the six story building Ereba, Tallis and VERA-Geth entered and climbed the stairs to the 6^th floor. Naleena’s group  went left toward the demonstrators.

[Cknarf]

“So… they’re not good guys? Like, at all?”

 

“They’re… it’s complicated.”

 

“What do you mean, complicated? Are they, or are they not bad guys?” Frank scoffed. "t's like, a yes or no answer.”

 

“They… handle business a little differently than other organizations. Does that make sense?”

 

“Not really.”

 

“Put it this way. They do everything that you’d expect from an international crime organization, but classier.”

 

“I think I get what you’re sayin’.” Frank nodded, while looking down at the limo’s mirror-like finish. He kinda got the feeling that this guy was talking out of his ass, so he prepared his own sphincter for conversation. “There’s some people like that back where I come from…”

 

“Yeah? And where’s that, kid?”

 

“Omega.” Frank leaned his back against the skycar. “Ya’ll ever heard of Aria T’Loak?”

 

Both men nodded.

 

“Thought so.” Frank smirked. “Had a little run-in with the queen herself awhile back…” Frank held up his right hand. He pulled at the tip of his index finger, removing the black leather glove and revealing his previous injuries. “I'd say got off easy, compared to the others…”

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Valhallan Threshold -- Paz System -- Garvug

 

The tall building lined streets opened up into an area that was alive with a large gathering of people off in the distance. The buildings on either side of the street had been destroyed by artillery fire from the coup. Further north was the airfield, but Naleena headed west. There were small groups of displaced Vorcha and some Krogan huddled around barrels burning wood and other fuel trying to keep warm along the sides of the road. They watched as Naleena’s group marched down the center with authority. Naleena didn’t bother to make eye contact with any of them. Her concern was ahead. The sound of the demonstration grew louder as they approached.

 

When they got close enough, they noticed that the area was contained by concertina wire and corporate guards had taken position behind it. Naleena’s group approached and the guards confronted them.

 

“Halt!” a guard, human, about 175 cm tall in black Kassa armor with a Sonax logo said.

 

Naleena approached the guards. “If I were you I’d put those guns away,” she said as she showed her Spectre identification. “I don’t believe your boss would want an incident. We need to get through.”

 

“I’m sorry, but I’m under orders not to allow any weapons in the compound,” the guard said with his assault rifle in his hands across his chest.

 

“And I must apologize to your boss, but these people are under my command and as representatives of The Council, we are authorized to carry our weapons,” Naleena said with a very calm demeanor. “Now if you’ll stand aside we’ll be on our way.” She began to step forward and with her left hand moved his rifle aside.

 

The guard to her right aimed his weapon at her.

 

Irina and Essul returned the favor and aimed their weapons at the guard.

 

Naleena gestured with her hand to them to lower their weapons. “Now this situation doesn’t have to escalate if you would grant me one indulgence and contact your superior.”

 

A call came over the radio. “Let the Spectre’s group inside.”

 

“Yes, Sir,” the guard holding the gun on Naleena replied. He lowered it. “Go ahead.”

 

The guard opened the makeshift gate and Naleena’s group passed through it. One could hear the shouts of “Sonax out now!” coming from the demonstrators. As their group made their way deeper into the peace demonstrator’s camp they were eyed closely by the people gathered there. What were these five heavily armed individuals doing here?

 

A three story building was close by and surrounded by the demonstrators. On top was a podium, apparently from which Isaac Rows addressed the crowd. Naleena turned to her group and raised her brow. “Shall we?”

 

They approached the building and were stopped by two armed guards at the entrance, apparently Rows’ personal bodyguards. “No one is allowed inside. What is your business here?”

 

Naleena showed her Spectre identification. “Would ‘take me to your leader’ sound too cliché? I need to speak with Isaac Rows: in person. These are my bodyguards.” 

[Cainhurst Crow]

The human bodyguard eyed up Naleena's group suspiciously, but still reached up to his comms. "Hey, its mike. We got some people down here, an asari, batarian, human, krogan, and turian. The asari's claiming to be a spectre, I'm sending her id for verification, over..." The human bodyguard said, waiting for an answer as he looked to the group, with their weapons still on them.

 

"Surprised those corporate bastards let you keep your weapons. Normally they've threatened to shoot people for trying to bring in just food or water..." The man said, apparently killing some time while the information was verified by the less efficient system the protesters were using.

 

"Probably cause most of you aren't council officials..." Vayne replied flatly, eye looking to the crowd as they continued to chant, seemingly all crowding for something up ahead. As he did so, he noticed something off, that being that there seemed to be a number of vorcha around their building. As they waited, someone approached them from the left, a group of 5 Vorcha, most of them being a paleish green color, but their leader apparently a dark blusish purple, and seemingly immune to the cold weather of the planet.

 

"You no cause trouble at demonstration. Keep your weapons, give us clips..." The lead one said, pointing to them before he began to walk towards them. Essul and Irina both trained their guns on the vorcha, who backed up as his other vorcha hissed, one of them deploying a set of claw shaped omniblades.

 

"We didn't give up our weapons up before. We ain't gonna do it now." Irina said with a glare. These vorcha could have been security, or they could have been just gang members looking for something to steal. Either way, that didn't change facts.

 

"Stand down, all of you. Their cleared to come up!" Mike said, waving down the vorcha as the dark purple one held up his arm, the others holding back, "No cause trouble. Boss work too important!" He said, pointing to naleena before moving back with the others.

 

"Boss? What boss?" Vayne asked aloud, looking just as confused as the others might be, "No way this guys got the vorcha working for him..." he said as they began to file into the building. The inside of the 3 story building was filled with people milling about, half of them on their omnitools or using portable terminals, others filming from either outside or through the windows, as footage was streamed to the comm bouys and out for the galaxy to see. It was an impressive system, one that implied a lot of coordination for such a small time organization. There were also, noticeably, a lot of human security officers, some dressed in medium elkos combine armor, some even simply pressed in civilian clothing, but all standing near the windows and the entrance.

 

The second floor of the building had humans, and vorcha. A lot of vorcha milling about, some chattering among themselves as they glanced up to watch the group ascend. They seemed to be armed as well, the vorcha wearing chestpieces and leg armor surprisingly, not common for vorcha to wear. Finally, at the top floor, was a flat surface with much less people.

 

Standing on the makeshift stage, was a simple human. Just as was said, he was about irina's height, and had broad shoulders and a heavier build, simialr to essuls. His skin was pale, almost pasty, and his attire was simple, a leather jacket, jeans, and what looked like a sweater underneath, with his hood pulled up in the cold air of garvugs snowy winds. He held a speaker up, shouting into it to be heard, and spoke with a passion and power in his voice that only a seasoned member of the miliatary could pull off. It seemed the group had come while Issac Rows was addressing the crowd, as he pointed to something below.

 

Spoiler

 

"These corporations think they can do whatever they want because they're oligarchies can throw money at the people in charge! They set the laws, and the terms, and because of their privileged place can decide whether to ignore them or now!! Whether they apply to everyone or just to us!!!" Issac appeared to be pointed down to the large human-shaped structure from before, made from various pieces of wood and building material, loose paper, anything flamable. On it were the corporate logos of Binary Helix, Gunghai Solutions, and Sonnax Industries, the big corporations bankrolling the invasion. As he spoke, people below were tossing liquid fuel onto the stories tall effigy.

 

"Sonnax Industries kills people, and the people of council space do nothing!!! Binary Helix sets up a new colonial imperialist regime, and the systems alliance does nothing!!! Gunghai Solutions puts its death-ships above us to reign hellfire down on hospitals and schools, and the chinese government does nothing!!! These corporations think they can control this planet, that they have the right to control the people of the galaxy, just because of their money!!!" He reached into his pocket, pulling out what looked to be a stack of paper, bundled together by a simple piece of string.

 

"Well here's some money straight from earth!!! This is what I say their moneys worth!!!" He pulled out a lighter with his free hand, and with a quick motion, light the stack of bills on fire, holding it up as the cheers exploded below, "Here's what your money's worth, you corporate slavers!!! Compared to justice in society, your moneys nothing!!!"

 

The signal sent, the teams below stopped dosing the effigey with fuel, and backed up with the rest of the crowd. Seconds later, the whole thing was ablaze, lighting up the cold air as renewed chants and occasionally, what sounded like drums, sounded through the massive crowd, "Give us Justice! Give us Peace! Give us Freedom! Not Police!!!" He chanted, leading his supporters in a new chant.

 

Behind his stage, were a few others as well. More human security, but also a women in casual attire, holding a data pad as she watched the event unfolding with a worried expression. She had black hair kept in a tight ponytail, light brown skin and was dressed like most of the others in the crowd, shivering a bit in the wind. There were vorcha guards as well, 6 of them, and a 7th one as well who looked out to the scene, hands crossed behind his back. He was pale white, wearing heavy armor for vorcha standards and had purple markings along his body. He turned to look at the group arriving, waving off his guards as he approached them.

 

Spoiler

 

"You must be the spectre. Sorry to meet you like this, things not doing so good on my planet..." He was much more articulate then his fellow vorcha, bringing a hand out in front of himself as he gave an exagerated looking bow, trying to be polite, "My Name Kyll, I am President of Garvug...at least, I am supposed to be." He said as he rose back up, turning around to look at the human as he continued to work the crowd, "Elections mean little, when no one care about results. You look to talk to protest leader, go talk to Fray. She that one there, Rows listens to her..." He said, pointing to the human women, who looked over at the mention of her name.

 

"Oh...uh, hi...you must be the spectre..." She said as she walked over, looking a bit nervous as she got on her datapad, "Of course you are. What other multi-species team would be here, up on the roof...." She paused, looking a bit embassed as she stopped her typing, "I-I'm sorry, sometimes I say things without meaning to, mostly when I'm stressed or cold as hell..." she stopped herself there, composing herself before she moved on.

 

"My names Natalie Fray, I'm the spokesperson for Twin-Spirals. I handle all the talking after Issacs worn himself out..." She said as she turned around, seeming him just standing on the ledge, breathing heavily from all his shouting and staring at the fire below. She grimaced as she did so, "He's sweet, believe me. One of the nicest people around but this place...this whole situations, its got him a bit...on edge..." She said cautiously, looking like she were stepping over a pretty big pile of problems, "I can help you though. What is it you came here to talk to us about?" she asked.

[Cknarf]

"How 'bout you, cue ball?"

 

The bald security guard chuckled, while raising his left hand and revealing a black wedding band.

 

"You too?"

 

"15 years..." He shrugged.

 

"Poor bastard." Frank shook his head.

 

"Why don't you give it a shot?" The other guard spoke up, while twisting at his own ring. "'Cause by the way you're soundin'..."

 

"Pfffft. Nah, man. I'm just talkin' her up." Frank put a hand out.

 

Not that I should have to. Divorce your wives and date my friend, you married bastards!

 

"'Sides. I already got me a fine lady back home."

 

"Yeah?"

 

"Yeah. But I'll get to her in a minute." Frank pulled up photo of a salarian his omni-tool. "First, I wanna tell you about Isaan..."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Valhallan Threshold -- Paz System -- Garvug

 

“I need to speak with you in a slightly more private setting without people hanging over us.” Naleena led Natalie away from the group. “I’m Naleena T’sarius. I’m a Council Spectre and those are my bodyguards. I just arrived on the planet, and that was a lot I just heard from Mr. Rows. What is happening on this world isn’t what I expected to find: a coup attempt, and now this,” Naleena said and turned to look down at the activity below them.  “I never heard of your organization before I arrived and know little about it outside of its mission statement. What I do know is that this large gathering of people in addition to the press below is about the only thing that is keeping this situation from turning into a bloodbath. At least that fire will provide some warmth for those people for a while.

 

Naleena leaned against the railing overlooking the demonstration through the window, pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and blew the smoke out her nostrils. Then she turned to face Natalie. “You can’t win. You know that. This is a great show for the media at the moment, but after the story disappears from the front pages, the corporations will make their move. These people will be victims, and Mr. Rows will be run off this planet. So let’s lay our cards on the table while there is still time, shall we?

 

“Every party has something they want: Sonax, Guanghui, Binary Helix, Hailot Wrund, Kyll, Twin Spirals, and I. They're not going away. So what do you say we find out what each party wants and try to accommodate them peacefully? As a first step, I need to speak directly with Mr. Rows.” 

 

///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

 

“And now it happens. There they go inside a building that’s probably heated,” Ereba said. “And we’re stuck on stake out duty on the sixth floor freezing our asses off waiting for a call, hoping the boss didn’t forget about us.”

 

Tallis was shivering and huddled close to Ereba.

 

“That’s it sweetie, at least we can keep each other warm, but don’t get any ideas because I’m already taken.”

 

“No. No ideas,” Tallis laughed.

 

“See, VERA, now if I was stationed alone with you, it would be a situation where I could get my flesh stuck to you if any of it made contact,” Ereba said.

 

“Ereba, turn on your omni-tool and scan me.” VERA-Geth said.

 

Ereba had a look of disbelief.

 

“I must maintain a nominal temperature of 23 degrees Celsius throughout this platform for optimal performance. It does have moving parts and requires synthetic fluids,” VERA-Geth replied.

 

“Perhaps you could join us, then. Consider it a welcome to the team.”

[Kel Riever]

...Earth, New York City

Cue Ball leaned in to get a good look at the photo on Frank’s omni-tool.  “Really?  You have to be s**ting me.”

 

The guard with hair looked a lot less humored.  “Got a job to do.  So let’s wrap up the social call and get back to work.”  He furrowed his brow at Frank, then turned and headed back towards the booth, but he stayed outside once he got there.  At least for a moment, when something seemed to catch his attention and he went inside the booth.
 

Cue Ball watched his co-worker go, then said to Frank, “Go ahead, tell me about this salarian.”

~ ~ ~ ~

Anika saw Morgan turn to look at her, his helmet hiding his expression but it was clear he was reacting.  Molly followed behind Keith, giving a slight jerk of her head to signal the two ‘bodyguards’ to come along.  They passed two short hallways with a few closed doors off them and a spiral staircase down.  Keith passed from the hallway into a room filled with sunlight from an exterior wall made completely of glass.  The rest of the room was decorated mostly in whites, though it had a warm, lived in feel to it, fully furnished, with various articles tossed here and there.  One was a tray with empty glass, plate and crumbs.  Another was a half read comic left on the couch.  There was a tremendous viewscreen showing a control menu for the music that was softly playing from hidden speakers.  And another person was in the room besides those who had just come in.
 

A slender woman in her late twenties, with long, straight black hair and dark tanned skin, of slightly below average height, stood from a sofa.  She wore a form-fitting suit of silver that covered her up to the neck, except for her hands, and she held a datapad.  The woman smiled, though not as broadly as Keith, and said, “Hi, Molly, I suppose we’re pretty surprised, but I’m glad to see you.”  The woman looked to Anika and Morgan, her eyes lingering on him until Molly spoke and she turned back to the detective.

“Well, I wouldn’t come if it wasn’t important, and for once I’m not coming with awful news…”

“…That would be hard to beat,” the woman interjected.

“Yes,” Molly paused.  “Jen, I’m not one to keep people in suspense but it’s been a complicated road to get back here.  Everything that’s happened so far, well…I just want to tell everyone at once.”

Jen nodded, but stayed silent, her eyes moving back to Anika and Morgan again.

“Give me a sec,” Keith said, tossing the video game headset onto the sofa.  “I’ll get Mom.”

But Keith didn’t have to go anywhere far, because another woman was coming up the spiral staircase.  She was just pushing sixty, perhaps, but she seemed youthful in her appearance, and wore a nondescript outfit in dark blue, and she was carrying up what looked like a basked of clean laundry.

“Seriously, Mom,” Keith said with exaggeration, “That’s what we have a housemaid for.”

“Old habits die hard.” Mom put down the basket of laundry against the wall just inside the room.  “Now who do we have here?”

Morgan turned his head towards his mother, who in turned stared at him.

“Mrs. Severn,” Molly started, “I think you should sit down with Jen and Keith and let me tell you…”

Mom gasped and put her hands to her mouth.  “Oh my god…”

Keith looked confused.  Jen asked, “Mom?...”

“Mrs. Severn,” Molly said and took a step towards her before Morgan stopped Hagen with a hand on her shoulder.

With both his hands, Morgan reached up and pulled the helmet from his head.

There was a whimper from Morgan’s mother and she said, “I always knew.”

Morgan walked up to her slowly and put his arms around his mother, who was small in his arms.  She leaned into his embrace, her hands still covering her mouth, and started weeping.

“Of course you did, Mom.”
 

[Cknarf]

“Wait, you’re serious?” Frank was rather surprised at the seemingly positive reaction he received, at least from one of the men. His filler conversation was just going to jump to some random banter about something else, maybe baseball, or cars or whatever, but Cue Ball seemed generally interested in hearing about Isaan. Also, nobody that's sane gives a sh*t about baseball. Seriously.

 

Well, this was unexpected.

 

“Heh. Alright, man. Most people tend book it when the photo comes out.” He chuckled.

 

Closing his omni-tool, Frank leaned up against the car and crossed his arms.

 

“Awhile back, work brought me to Illium. We had a little business in Nos Astra, and we were gonna be there a few days, so the boss got us set up with some accommodations. Real nice place, I forget the name, but we all had our own rooms, and some time to kill.”

 

Frank shifted a bit.

 

“So I’m thinkin’, great! Got my own spot for a few days, and I’m in a city populated damn near entirely by blue women. You bet your ass I was the first one on that shuttle from the port to the city.” He grinned. “Anyways, I show up at the hotel, and there she is, workin’ the front desk.”

 

“Now I know what you’re probably thinkin’. Why a salarian?” Frank shrugged. “Well I’m gonna be perfectly honest. She was the first thing I saw. Yeah... I was goin’ through a bit of a dry spell.”

 

A life-long dry spell….

 

“So I figured, why not? Not to mention, salarian chicks are hella rare outside of salarian space, and I’m not one to pass on such a rare opportunity.”

 

“While I was checkin’ in, I dropped some kinda line on her. I forget exactly what I said, but knowing me, it was probably pretty slick.” Frank smirked. “I ended up leaving her the spare key, and didn’t think any more about it.”

 

“Got back later that evening after hittin’ a few bars, and it turns out, she put that key to use. Missed her by a couple hours.” Frank shook his head. “Ended up meeting at her apartment a bit later.”  He looked at the bald man, who still appeared to be listening intently. For whatever reason, that made Frank feel a bit uneasy.

 

Why do you care so, bald man?

 

“We went to dinner, and returned to the apartment for tea. We watched the last half of a shitty movie, and went to bed. Nothing happened, and I never saw her again.” He scratched at the back of his head.

[Kel Riever]

Cue Ball lowered an eyebrow below the rim of his sunglasses.  "Nothing happened?  Come on, you tell me this whole story and it ends in nothing happened?"

Before Frank could answer, he saw an NYPD patrol car with lights on flying its way to the penthouse.  When it got in range, it turned off its lights and banked to position itself for a landing.

[Cknarf]

"Yo, Mols." Frank began, as the police car was landing. "Everything okay down there? The cops just showed up." He casually stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets, while keeping an eye on the cruiser.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Garvug (mostly written by Jensaarai)

 

Natalie looked at Naleena, as if she wanted to debate the point, but kept whatever she had to say to herself, listening to her words on the situation.

 

“You’re...you’re right. I know you are. But Isaac, he really believes in what we’re trying to do here. I know it doesn't seem like it, but we want peace on this planet. We've been trying to organize some sort of effort, but nobody wants to listen. Not Wrund and not the corporate forces. It’s all just so...” She stopped when she heard someone’s deep voice speak up behind her, sounding a bit strained as he spoke.

 

“It's frustrating...I know.” Now that he stood in front of them, walking away from the balcony and the crowd below, it was clear just how pale and sickly the man looked. He shook slightly as he stood in the cold air, his breath like a trail of white smoke as he looked to the group, his eyes seeming to zone out a second before they snapped back into clear focus on Naleena.

 

“You said you wanted this to end peacefully? You really mean that?” He motioned for something, one of the guards getting him a bottle of water. He drank some, holding his mouth as a bit of a coughing fit came on. Still, he kept his focus on Naleena, his eyes like a hawk as he regarded whatever she'd say or do.

 

Naleena stood to face him. “I wouldn’t be here otherwise, but we need to speak in private.”

 

Isaac looked towards Natalie, the two sharing a wordless exchange. She looked at him worriedly, and he simply nodded, letting out a sigh before he looked towards Naleena.

 

“I got a place. Follow me...” He said as he led the way slowly towards the stairway, Natalie following close behind like a shadow to Isaac. The two travel back down to the third floor, towards an office area with a functional door. As Isaac entered, Natalie stepped aside, to a seat set up outside the office like a waiting bench, looking worried as she watched Naleena enter. Isaac went over to a small chair, taking a seat as another small coughing fit came over him.

 

“I'm sorry...the cold air...it rips through my lungs like I'm breathing dust...” Isaac said as he swallowed hard, the fit subsiding as he looks towards her, an intense focus as he spoke, “It doesn't seem like the Council sent you...not officially at least. We would have picked up your ship coming in otherwise...,” He said as he leaned forward, hands coming together as he looked Naleena in the eyes. “So that means you're here for something else. Something off the record...that's shady. Real shady...” he didn't approve, that much was obvious, but he closed his eyes, sighing in resignation as he spoke.

 

“But...you're pretty much the closet thing there is to a proper authority on this frozen rock...so I won't pry too much into your ulterior motives...yet,” He said as he reopened his eyes, eyes which didn't speak of some misguided kid trying to fight the power. But a solider, one who had known what it was like to fight, and fight long and hard in the dead of space, “I just want to know...who was it who gave you the idea to broker peace?” He asked, still staring Naleena in the eyes as he spoke.

[Redbelle]

Anika shifted awkwardly on the spot as the emotional reunion took place before her and found her eyes wandering till Keith swung into view.

 

"Sooo....". She quickly searched what she admitted was her woeful supply of icebreakers and quickly gestured around. "..... This is a nice place. Buy or rent"?

[Kel Riever]

...Earth, New York City

Keith's chubby face had the illusion of suddenly going gaunt as he watched the brother he thought was dead appear in front of him.  When Anika spoke, he looked over at her with his shocked expression and blurted, "What?"

"I don't feel so well," Jen said.  Her eyes rolled halfway up and she started tilting sideways, off balance. 

Morgan looked over to Jen, but Keith, who was at her side, reached out and caught her as she feinted.  "Whoa!," Keith said.  Jen hadn't completely gone out.  Her eyelids fluttered and she looked like she was already trying to come out of it.  "Okay, sis, take it easy."  Then as Keith helped Jen over to the sofa, to lie down, he started shaking his head and said in confusion, "This is crazy.  Crazy, I can't even...so crazy."

Molly felt the alert on her Omni-tool, which was set to vibrate, go off.  She picked up Frank on her two-way.

Rosanne was holding her son tightly, "You're safe."  She was crying, but it was a soft, whimpering sound.  "The things we heard were so scary..."

Morgan's eyes welled up, and a tear made a run for it down the side of one of his scarred and rugged cheeks.  He didn't look like the kind of man who cried at anything, nor had he since he could remember.  "Forgive me, Mom.  I would have come sooner if I could.  This is the way it had to happen."

"I don't care," Rosanne said.  "I don't care I have you back."

Molly spoke to Frank, but her conversation could be heard by the others.  "The police?  Nothing is wrong down here, everything is fine.  Better than fine.  Don't be alarmed, it could be Richards...you don't know him.  NYPD officer.  He was helping me even though his department didn't want him to.  Might have kept an eye on the place after all."

Keith looked towards Hagen.  "Pete?  Oh yeah, he's been helping us out.  That guy was good to us with everything we've gotten set up here.  Holy Jesus f**king Christ, my brother's alive!"  He then looked from Molly to Anika.  "He's wearing armor and he brought some f**king hot amazons with him, too!"  Somewhat apologetically, but not too much so, Keith then added to Anika.  "Sorry, I mean, uh, fine warrior women who are seven feet tall.  We, uh, we own this place.  Because my brother apparently is sick rich."

Jen was pulling herself up to a sitting position, though she didn't look like she trusted herself to get up yet.  "I don't understand," she said feebly.  "I don't understand was there some sort of mistake?"

"Everything can be explained," Molly replied.  "In due time."

~ ~ ~ ~

Cue Ball stepped to the side to clear a path between the patrol car and Frank.  Meanwhile the other guard stepped back out to stand next to the guard house, his arms folded.

The blue and white NYPD patrol car came in for a skilled but hurried landing.  Once it was down, a few seconds passed as the two men inside could be seen taking a moment to put on their gear and helmets.  The officer on the passenger side exited his car and stayed next to it, while the officer on the driver side stepped out, popped the visor up on his helmet so his face could be seen, and started heading over.  The patrol car had positioned itself on the other side of the pad, away from the limo and Severn's vehicles.

Certainly taller than average, the approaching officer had a lean face, dark eyes, and an unfriendly expression.  He seemed practiced enough to restrain himself, but ready to go on the offensive.  When he spoke, what might normally have been a warm voice was hard and trained to rile.  "Who the hell is this?" He asked Cue Ball of Frank.

Cue Ball answered immediately, apparently feeling responsible for the chauffer who he'd become intrigued by.  "Driver, came with Hagen.  He's been cooperative."

"Is that so?"  The officer came up to Frank and looked like he was going to get pretty close inside his personal space.  "Well, mister cooperative, maybe you don't exactly know how much we screen people to come up to this penthouse, but I'm going to guess that since you haven't been frisked yet, thrown against the side of your vehicle and cuffed, that you must be with the detective after all."  He glanced sideways at Cue Ball.  "You didn't frisk him, did you?  Neither did Norman, did he?"

Cue Ball looked down and breathed out hard in shame, but he activated his omni-tool as he saw the officer doing.

"Frank Eli," the officer said as he read his omni-tool.   "Came here with Molly Hagen and two others."

Frank could see the officer's badge and nametag clearly, which read: P. Richards.

[Redbelle]

Anika's eyebrow raised at the mention of the officer downstairs and nodded to Keith. "Yes.... He is". And moved to Molly so that her back was to the family. "Who is he"? She asked quietly so the family wouldn't notice. "The officer downstairs..... And why would he show up now"? Anika's instincts were now in effect as long years as a bodyguard came to the fore.

[Cknarf]

“Sup?” Frank asked, slowly moving his hand from the pistol in his jacket pocket, and letting it drop to his side.

“You must be Richards. Mols said you’d probably show up.” He extended a hand for a shake.

[Kel Riever]

"Yes, I'm Richards," the police officer said.  He watched Frank's hand come out of the jacket pocket, but stepped away from the handshake.  "Mister Eli, I'm not going to get into the details with you, but I'm tasked to watch this place and there are important people here.  While my suited friends here don't seem to be taking their jobs seriously, I do.  I'm not here to make acquaintances, so I hope you understand that until I sort this out with Detective Hagen, I'm going to ask you to comply with my orders."

Cue Ball seemed to be pretending he didn't just have an in-depth conversation with Frank about salarian rendezvous.  'Norman', the other guard, was already back to being a hard nose.

Richards looked warily at the two private guards, then back to Frank.  "Mister Eli, turn around and put your hands on the car."

~ ~ ~ ~

"Upstairs," Molly said, pointing a finger up.  "Richards probably came in by roof, same way as we did.  This is the only guy who helped me with the Severns.  I don't have jurisdiction here.  He's a bit of a jock, and that's putting it nicely, but he's the guy I asked to keep a look on the family when I couldn't get any help from local law enforcement.  I'm imagining he did what he was told, so that's why he's here."

Keith, still in amazement at what was happening, overheard the mention of the officer.  "Richards is cool.  He's kept in touch and helped us figure things out.  Oh and he got me my trainer.  He's with Molly...I thought you'd both be showing up together like you did?"

"No," Molly said, "I didn't want to tell anyone Morgan was coming and will let you in on it all later."  She turned back to Anika.  "Maybe I should go up there and clear things up, before he gets down here.  I'm friendly with him, and if he doesn't know what's going on, he might just end up being a dick.  Not that he doesn't have a little of that in him anyway."

[Cknarf]

"Heh. Just like in the movies." Frank looked to Cue Ball, while pointing a thumb at officer Richards. The bald man didn't seem very amused.

 

Is this guy serious?

 

"Alright, alright. I'll turn around..."

 

And turn around Frank did... before dropping his trousers and exposing his bare ass to officer Richards.

 

"So you can kiss my pasty white ass!"

 

Spoiler

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Garvug - demonstrator compound - main building (Jensaarai & SJ)

 

Vayne scratched his head as he watched the protest leader descend down the stairs, glancing to the others as he did so. “Did that guy seem off?” He asked, not being able to tell if it was the pale skin or the coughing that really unnerved him about that human.

 

“He's sick. His assistant is worried for his health or worried in general. They've discussed it before...” Essul stated flatly, looking towards the others as he gave his assessment, “He's young as well. He speaks like some of the preachers on Khar'shan, trying to encourage uprisings...or war.” He said, the language he used was all too familiar for the Batarian.

 

“Oh right, your people have that talent for body language...” Vayne said, honestly forgetting sometimes how his battle companion was a Batarian. Between the full sealed armor, and the lack of constantly cursing humanity, it was pretty easy to make the mistake.

 

Vayne turned suddenly as something caught his peripheral vision, seeing Kyll standing next to him, looking to the group with a tilted head, obviously curious, “You should all head inside. It's warmer, you people like warm places, yes?” He asked, evidently the cold being something normal, “We Vorcha used to cold. Forced to live in it, while Hailot men live in well stocked bunkers...” he clenched his fists, and growled which for a Vorcha was a pretty tame reaction when it came to anger.

 

“Still, go inside. Is better for you...” He said, remembering his manners as he turned his attention back to them, “Why you come to Garvug, anyway? Most we have heard from Council, they're okay with corporations’ efforts...”

 

Irina and the group followed Kyll inside. “I don’t know exactly why we’re here. Something about a hunk of junk. I’m just a grunt. I just follow orders. What do I know?” Irina said. “But what exactly did the Council say to you?”

 

Kyll looked towards Irina, eyes looking up to the ceiling as he recalled the words. “The council cannot interfere in the commercial endeavors of its private economic entities unless direct authority is given. And since these companies activities are in the terminus systems, they are outside of jurisdiction to resolve...,” He turned back towards the others with a deep frown, “In other words, your problem….”

 

“How the heck did you do that?” Vayne asked, sounding pretty surprised. Vorcha weren't supposed to be smart, or have good memories, or manners of any kind. They were pretty much varren, if varren could talk and learned to shoot guns.  In fact since varren lived longer then Vorcha, technically the later was higher than the former. But now here they were, listening to a Vorcha reading off a council directive word for word.

 

“Not all Vorcha as dumb as some think. I’m from a different family, came here 20 years ago. We teach, we learn, as well as fight. I am not smartest, not like Salarian or Asari. But I smart enough to know things, remember things...,” He said with a grin, one that seemed a bit menacing as he did so. “Smart enough know, that 40% of population on bottom, while 30% on top everyone else.”

 

“Those numbers: they're the population divides between the Vorcha and Krogan...,” Essul said, equally taken off guard by the Vorcha. The impression he'd gotten was that Kyll was a puppet of the state and of Isaac. Now however, he wasn't so sure. “You called yourself president before. Why is that?” He asked, curious on that point.

 

“Because I am President,” Kyll said with a roll of his eyes, “I elected: Vorcha/Turian majority block.”

[Kel Riever]

…on the Medusa

Miss Priss had wanted to flee to Jess’ quarters.  It was the strangest reaction for herself when she’d gotten to the elevator and started trying to find if there was a way she could get up to the Captain’s quarters, but of course the button to Jess’ personal quarters was locked.  And there was no way she was going to be able to find out how Doctor Hayashi got up there, not that the thought didn’t cross her mind.  It was, well, it just wasn’t her. 

But her panic hadn’t lessened and equally strange, when she’d gotten back out of the elevator and headed to the cabin she shared with Miss Dila and Mister Charles, she was relieved to find neither was present.  Miss Priss wasn’t one to be without at least one companion, or to be particular about which one, but suddenly she felt herself very particular and very alone.  Alone in the sense of she wanted to be with someone and yet at the same time couldn’t stand to be with almost anyone.

Cut off was a better description of it.

Priss entered her own cabin, locked the door, then tried throwing the bunk down in front of it, only to remember that she was on a starship, so the bunk was built in (or if it wasn’t, it would have been bolted down anyway).  She satisfied herself by taking her own suitcase with personal belongings and tossing it in front of the door.  Then she found a corner between by the table and far wall to hide in.  That even wasn’t good enough, so she crawled under the table until she was the farthest from the cabin door she could possibly be.

Completely under the table, Miss Priss pulled her legs in, pulled her Stetson well over her eyes, and wrapped her arms around herself.  She cried a moment, but didn’t know why since she’d had control over most of her own emotions.  After she forced herself to stop shedding a few tears, Priss remembered the two figures from her past:  Serendipity and Midnight.  The names had come later, because from a two year old’s perspective, all she really had known was that she was scared.  And for good reason.

~ ~ ~ ~

Babe had gotten off the bridge.  It was bad, this time, as bad as it had ever, ever been.  She had left with Jess’ blessing, to go the short distance to the GARDIAN laser control room.  Back at the first fight, where she’d worked with Morgan, she’d linked the controls to one of the main turrets so she could work both weapon systems in a pinch.  After her time with Yori, the system was much better linked and with more than just one of the main cannons.  It wasn’t even necessary now; there were trained crew, at least trained well enough to act as good as she was multi-tasking.  Hayashi was the most promising of those she’d taught, and Dahlia, but they were on the bridge doing other things.  Still, they’d be fine as long as she was coordinating the weaponry.

Yet Babe just had that feeling, that one that she didn’t want to bother with.  She pulled out and unwrapped a blowpop, to try making herself happy.  It was Cherry, and Babe looked at it, wanting to enjoy it, desperately doing her best to forget about her sister and her family.  Finally, she let it fall to the deck and watched it fracture on impact.

With her hands, Babe began to feel herself, as if the tactile sensation of her own body would be a good check that she wasn’t dreaming.  Or, more accurately, having a nightmare.  She placed her palms on the tops of her thighs, then her flat belly, then her shoulders, and finally her cheeks.  Babe let out a heavy breath, but didn’t feel the emotions she had on the bridge.  Which was good.  Back to being simple, and maybe numb.  Numb kept things safe.

It was an unhappy thought that sprung into Babe’s mind next.  Her sister, who liked to figure things out like Babe, and pull apart her toys.  But her sister had a different idea of what toys were…

“No!” Babe shouted out loud, to no one.  She closed her eyes and forced the memory away, as far away as she could.

[Redbelle]

Anika looked at Molly before shaking her head. "I can handle dicks". She said before pulling on her helmet and turning without further preamble towards the lift.

[Redbelle]

Anika went back to where she'd left Frank. She made sure the helmet's fastener's were sealed and her weapons stowed. Talking to a police officer carried it's own risk from her walk of life. If he was who Molly said he was that was fine......

 

Didn't mean he wasn't a potential risk regardless.

 

She remembered a job she and Jess had carried out with an old friend of hers. The job had been simple. Divert VI driven freight to an abandoned warehouse. Kill the tracking in the vehicles and load up on all the goodies. It was supposed to be an even split. But Jess's friend got greedy and had tried to take more. Calling in another group who were willing to take a lesser share.

 

Jess hadn't seen it coming, to wrapped up in the details of the plan to notice her friends nervousness. Anika though was always the consummate outsider. Standing back to observe the situation with suspicion and incredulity. It made her hard to get to know, but she'd pulled Jess out of the fire more times than she could count.

 

Now her senses were telling her that this man could be a potential problem. So to the ones at the gate, though to a lesser degree. One thing was sure. He wasn't getting in until she herself was satisfied he checked out. If she had her way she'd throw everyone in the back of the limo and head off right away. Let them bond in the back seat while she moved them to a place she knew to be safe. Overkill? Maybe. But like her trainer had once said..... if the one your supposed to protect get's killed, there were no do overs.

 

The door's to the outside opened before her as above, the cloud cover overcast the sky and Anika stalked out as the start of a heavy downpour began specking on her armor.

[Kel Riever]

Morgan looked over towards Molly as Anika walked towards the elevator.

"Don't worry about it," Hagen said to Morgan.

Turning back to his mother, and pulling away a bit, Morgan said, "Mom, I want to go ahead and tell you everything, but I need us to go for a ride.  Jen and Keith too.  Not a short one so, we need Jen's device for her care.  A friend of mine has a car up top."

"Wait a moment," Jen said as she seemed to recover.  She still had lost color and seemed feeble, but she was pushing herself to recover.  "Why can't we talk about this here?  You're gone, we think you're dead and you show up suddenly, with people we don't know, and now you want us to go somewhere?  We're fine right here."

Morgan looked to Jen and said nothing, but his expression was grim.

"He's right," Molly said to Jen, her voice lower.  "We need to get going.  At least to talk."

[Redbelle]

As Anika emerged the heavens opened and a downpour began. Ahead of her she saw the two guards and the man Molly said was her friend. He had Frank out the car with his hands on the side of the bodywork, legs apart as he was being frisked.

 

Not a good start to their relationship.

 

"Sir". She called out, twisting her hip so that her sidearm was facing away from him as she held up an outstretched hand in the 'stop' position. "Sir, please stop what your doing and turn around please".

 

The two guards who had spotted her first seemed taken aback by her sudden appearance and her sudden demand that a law official follow her instruction. The rain was sliding down their necks into their own lighter armor but neither seemed in a hurry to get out the rain. Transfixed by the sudden situation unfolding before them.

[TheMajonese]

Snorting with disbelief, Arian crossed his arms. "Sure, a vorcha is the elected president of this planet." He turned away from the others. "And I'm the shadowbroker." Even though he was more speaking to himself, his deep and loud voice could also be heard by the vorcha and the rest of the team.