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[Cainhurst Crow]

"Someone tell me we have a fix on their locations." Essul said as he got his armor fully dawned, activating his coms as he sent the message to the Janiri crew, "What's the situations exactly? Are we going in hot or what?" He asked, reaching forward for his latest weapon aquisition.

 

The M-55 Argus fit on Essul's back, deciding it would be a better choice then the Kishock for this one. With the destruction of his Cazador, he was glad he could at least salvage this as his replacement.

 

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

 

The Malleus Ships had touched down on the former blue suns listening base, for which Machaera had taken to calling "Forward Base Easedrop", and most of the crew had unloaded, many choosing to stay close to their vessels of choice as Machaera stood in front of the monitors, secured transmission encrypted enough times that he was confident not even the shadow broken would have access to this information, at least not right away.

 

The transmission came through as a gathering of silhouette figures stared back at Machaera, all keeping silent as the feed came online. The makeshift holographic transmission allowing him to see the wartable where his superiors had gathered, and them to see him.

 

"Commander Fay'yar. It is good to finally see you again, face to face..." They bowed to one another, Machaerea returning the tilts of their heads with one of his own, able to read from the expressions around that few had been prepared for his appearance.

 

"And it is good to see you as well, General..." He said, bringing up his white colored right arm, flexing his fingers so they could see the cost he had paid in their service, "Though I doubt it is very pleasant at the moment. The incident on Garvug was...most unfortunate. We lost good men in that operation..." He tilted his head low, playing the part of the wounded, survivor guilted hero. The part was essential if he was going to pull this off.

 

"Ah yes, the operation to capture and neutralize the cerberus operative...the reports of the incident were unclear as to what exactly occured..." A new speaker said, bringing their fingers together in front of them as they leaned forward in their seat, "As I understand it, Captain Artonez Vaith perished due to some form of ailment...is that correct?"

 

"Yes, unfortunately. A stray anti-aircraft missle struck our vessel during our escape from the planet. The blast cause extensive damage to myself. Vaith was exposed to some contaminants on the surface of the planet. His wounds became infected, and there was little we could do..." He said as he brought a hand up over his chest, "His was not the only death. It was only through sheer luck that I managed to survive my own injuries and infection. A minor price to pay for continuing to serve the Hegemony..." He lied, making sure to look mournful as well, to soften his voice to make it seem hurt.

 

"But what were you doing on Garvug in the first place that you wound up costing so many lives?" Someone brought their hand down in the meeting, one of the naval branches by the look of his uniform, "This should have been a simple snatch and grab. What happened?"

 

"Unfortunate as it is to say...the blame lies with the late Captian Vaith. In order to gain access to garvug, and an easier chance to get our target, he arranged a deal with the warlord Hailot Wrund. His desire was good, to ensure we did not lose men. But the timing of his decision was poor..." Machaera said, knwoing now was the time to strike, "I managed to charter safe passage out of the world by informing Binary Helix of our intents, and arranging a deal with them. They have agreed to be economic allies for the time being, and that they will apply pressure to Hanar worlds to open new business dealings with Khar'Shan..."

 

There was a mummer throughout the crowd as one of the men spoke, "Is this really true, Machaera?" He asked, leaning forward in his seat as his eyes bore into the younger man, "Is that truly what occured?"

 

Machaera did his hardest to not show his emotions, simply nodding in an informative yes, "Of course, General Fay'yar. I would have no reason to lie to any of you. Let alone to you, Father..."

 

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

 

Vayne smirked as he got his order ready, "I'll take an Order of Thresher Maki, and some sake for my 2 friends here..." He said as the chef smiled, "Thresher Maki, comin right up..." He said. The man spun the knife in his hand as the other retrieved what appeared to be half a fish, a colorful purple and yellow specimen that certainly didn't look like an earth species.

 

Then the knife flashed, thin slices of the precious meat were being cut out with machine-like precision, the skin already sliced and pulled back in seconds as Vayne smiled greedily, watching his sushi being cut up and served before him and filling his thirst to see blood quite nicely.

[Redbelle]

Anika looked to Keith who was looking up at her as the conversation took place between Anika and her Captain. The connection shut down and Anika in turn commed Duncan.

 

"Duncan. Get this image pushed into a C-Sec security alert. I'm going after the Captain". Shutting down her comm she paused to look at Keith. "I have to go. Cap'n need me".

[TheMajonese]

Arian had no idea how mach time had passed. Thirty minutes? Three hours? Or more?

 

When Arian left the bar, he realized that in a couple of hours, he was going to regret his excessive consumption of alcohol but at this moment, he couldn't care less. He took a moment to stop and check if he had forgotten anything inside the bar but he only carried his armor and his Typhoon with him. There was a message from Vayne on his omni-tool but in his state Arian doubted that he would be able to read it. He even had the familiar feeling that every slight move of his head felt like riding a rollercoaster, so every single step was challenge on its own.

 

Slightly lurching, he continued on his way, although he had no idea where he was heading and how could get back to the Janiri. 

 

Arian didn't pay much attention to his surroundings and when he passed by a parking skycar, he completely overlooked the human that had seemed to stand right behind the car and now took a step forward, bumping into the turian. Although he was completely taken by surprise, Arian somehow managed to stay on his feet after staggering a few steps backward. "You stupid idiot!", he yelled angrily and turned to the human.

 

"I'm really sorry!" A woman, much shorter than Arian, tried to approach him. Unlike Arian, she didn't look surprised at all but the turian didn't noticed that. "You alright?", she wanted to know but Arian already turned away.

 

"F*ck off!", he snarled.

 

 

 

In his state, Arian hadn't been able to feel the brief contact in his neck and therefore didn't know that there now was a tiny device attached to the back of his neck. It was contantly transmitting its position to the omni-tool of the woman who was still standing next to the skycar and waited until she couldn't see the turian any longer. Then she opened the car's door and grabbed her gear; a black, light set of armor with an unusual mask and a lot of additional gear attached to it, a silenced pistol, and a huge sword that she fastened on her back.

 

She checked her omni-tool for her target's position, then she followed him, staying off the streets and in the shadows.

[Kel Riever]

"I had this friend once, with this look that would kill people, and let me tell you he could back it up!"

The voice came from next to Arian, and he could swear whoever the owner was, spoke straight to him.  But when he turned, there was a dark grey turian walking next to him, not looking at him.  There were other people passing by, but the turian must have gotten his notice because he was the only person walking in the same direction and nearby.  Then Arian realized there was no one else the turian was talking to, even though the turian was simply staring straight ahead. 

The turian chuckled, "And I told him, 'Watch yourself, because one day that look is going to get you into trouble.  There's always someone meaner than you.'  He says to me, 'Who is that going to be, you?'  So I tell him, 'Me?  Not yet.'  And then I let out this laugh." 

Mimicking the laugh of his story, the dark grey turian cackled and roared in a way that made Arian's drunken head swim.  The turian was somewhat younger and a bit shorter than Arian (still making him very tall), dressed in the typical casual attire of a soldier, although there were no markings and his orange and black outfit wasn't a uniform.  The turian put the opposite arm from Arian out, as if placing it around an invisible friend.

" 'My advice,' I told my violent companion, 'Is that you're with the wrong people.  You've got some heat to let off, take that load right off your ugly face.  Talent shouldn't be wasted.'  You'd think he'd get mad, but he didn't, because he knew I was onto him, and I was speaking the truth!  He starts listening, so I go on. 'Get yourself a job that brings that shimmer back to your eye.  Not everybody's happy being a farmer, but some people are.  Not everybody's happy being a killer either, but you get my point, friend?'  He says nothing because he gets my point.  At first, I should say, because then he asks me, 'So you got this job for me, friend?'  And you know what I tell him?"

The turian started walking down a different hall intersecting the one Arian had been travelling along.

"I tell him, 'Not yet, friend'," the dark grey turian said with a snarl, that emphasized a scar from a previous fracture on his right mandible.  As he walked away, he still held out the arm around an imaginary friend for some time before finally dropping it.

[Cknarf]

"Yeah, I get that a lot." Frank snickered, because he is a child.

 

“Let's see...Iole has claimed..." He opened his omni-tool, then glanced back up at the ridiculous looking, but still cool in their own way, weapons that she held in her hands. "Obsolete junk. Excellent choice." He teased, while taking note of her selection.

 

"I mean, it'd make sense if your biotics weren't so underdeveloped..." Frank began. Realizing that he may have just insulted her, he immediately recovered, by kinda sorta doing it again.  "They'd sure make one hell of a gift for someone more... talented?"

 

Ugh, Words.

[Kel Riever]

"Wow I should just totally kick your ass right now," Iole said, still admiring the Illuminators with admiration.  "But last time I did that, I got in a lot of trouble."

She grinned, then looked up at Frank.  "So, then, what isn't 'obsolete junk' around here?"

[Kel Riever]

When Essul stepped off the Janiri, he only barely caught a glimpse of a Commando in magenta leathers sprinting out the loading entrance for the dock.  Essul was informed by VERA of Naleena's likely last location, but as he passed down the gangway to the dock, it was clear things were changing on the Citadel.  At least in the general location he was in.  A corridor opened where one hadn't been before, much to the surprise of a couple of the dock workers.  There wasn't much time to pay attention to it, however, as Essul had to make his way as quickly as possible.
 

The location was the last skycar taxi terminal towards the Janiri's location, where Naleena would get off to walk the rest of the distance to the ship.  As Essul got close to the area, he saw a C-Sec officer, a male human, with his gun drawn, staring into one of the newly opened passageway.  He seemed to be debating if he should head down it. 

[Cknarf]

"I'm gonna have to say..." Frank headed towards the 'not for sale' section in the first hold. "Everything on this side." He finished, turning to face Iole as he continued walking. Backwards. In an area with low ceilings.

 

*thunk*

 

Frank played it off like he didn't just bump his head for a second time.

 

"Hey, I've been meanin' to ask. How do you feel about armor?"

[Kel Riever]

"I, uh, well, actually I wear regulation Commando Leathers in my custom colors.  Or wait, did you mean how much do I know about them?"  Iole was confused.  "What do you mean, exactly?"

[Cknarf]

"I don't suppose you mind sharing a room?" Septerax asked, as he stopped before cabin 9.

 

"I'm Alliance, sir." Johnny smiled. 

 

"Right right, of course." Septerax opened the door. "Spirits..."

 

Johnny wrinkled his nose a bit as he followed the turian inside the room, which was an absolute disaster.  Grimy clothes, old food wrappers, and various tools were strewn about. There was an 'industrial' scent about the place, that Johnny actually found somewhat pleasant.

 

"Apologies. I didn't expect it to be such a mess."

 

"I've seen worse." Johnny curiously picked up a completely trashed breather helmet from the table. "Beans?" He raised an eyebrow, and looked to Septerax.

 

"An apparent nickname. Some human thing that I don't quite understand." He shrugged. "I'm sure Frank will tell you all about it when he returns from his mission."

[Kel Riever]

Morgan

Morgan had gotten to the area in what he hoped had been in time.  He'd likely come from the opposite direction than Jess and Naleena, and when he saw a sudden darkness in the area he was heading two, combined with shouts of panic, he knew he was heading the right direction.

There was no time to figure it all out.  Morgan drew his Phalanx, needing the accuracy in an area filled with innocent bystanders.  He was about to make another, determined run when the wall next to him slid open and a keeper came wandering out.  The corridor beyond was mostly dark, with the occasional emergency light and Morgan took a guess that it might link up to where he needed to be.

Stepping into the darkness, there were some uncertain, and some scared, faces that confirmed things for Morgan.  He moved past people, quietly directing them out the way he had come, and then the place got much quieter.  Some people had crouched down, others had whispered to each other.  When Morgan rounded one particularly dark alley, he heard the sound of whimpering.

Getting closer to the sound, with his eyes adjusted and using the ambient light, Morgan saw a man crying on the ground, holding his nose.  His once neat suit was ripped by the shoulder from exertion and he looked like he'd run for his life.  Morgan bent down over the man and put a hand on his back to calm him.

The man yelped in panic.

"Take it easy," Morgan whispered.  "Tell me which way the trouble is."

The man looked up at Morgan, catching his face in the dim light.  His eyes looked surprised, in addition to panicked.  He said nothing, though, frightened into silence.

"Okay, you're going to be all right," Morgan said, leaving out the part about the man needing to get what looked like several bones, including his nose, taken care of by a doctor. "What's your name?"

"Nigel," the Man whimpered quietly, and nasally.

"Nigel," Morgan said in a low voice to put him at ease, "You get out of here the way I came, behind me.  Crawl so you can stay low, don't make any noise you don't have to, and head that direction to get to safety."  Nigel nodded emphatically, then winced from the pain of his own, rapid movements.  He then started to move to his hands and knees, but Morgan put up his hand to stop him.  "Before you go, can you please point me in the direction of the trouble."

Nigel nodded again, more slowly this time, and pointed to one of the two intersection corridors behind him.

"Thanks," Morgan said, before heading that direction, while Nigel proceeded to crawl to safety.
 

[Redbelle]

Nigel managed perhaps ten meter's before he stopped. The image of Amy in his mind with a look of fury directed at him in that way that said she'd spare no expense shredding his reputation if didn't go back with something. Turning around he started crawling back the way he came. He called out in a hushed whisper. "W-w-Wait! I have a message! An important message! I need to tell you"!

[Kel Riever]

Morgan turned. Are you kidding me?

"Listen, Nigel," he told the man, "If you haven't realized it yet, people here can be killed if they haven't been already.  What is it?  Spit it out and then get yourself to safety."

[Redbelle]

"I..... You don't understand.... She'll kill me if I don't.....". The last twenty minutes flashed before his eye's as he realized just how stupid he sounded and he instead said. "Amy Babylon.... my boss, was impressed with how you handled yourself in front our office today and she'd like to invite you to a meeting.... Her place. She hopes you'll call her". With a shaking hand, Nigel reached into his pocket and brought out an old fashioned card which he held out.

 

"Please.... Call her.... I.... I can tell she was right about you.... She usually is..... I..... think I should go now".

 

With that, Nigel turned on his hands and knee's and began crawling back in the direction he'd come from.

[Kel Riever]

Morgan looked at the card, dumbfounded.  He finally shook his head, took the thing and shoved it into a belt compartment, before he moved on with his search.

[Redbelle]

Jess had gone after where she thought the armed assailent had fled and now stood with her back to the entrance to the darkly lit allyway. The drones sensor suite had a tough time tracking the electronics. Even with her mod's she wasn't completely certain she had the right place.

 

The damaged ad signs nearby suggested she was on track though. The smell of electric burned out components buzzed her nostrils as she blinked in a rapid sequence and her artificial eye brought up an augmented reality readout. It was always distracting to use, but in the darkness it would give her a better chance of seeing the armed man she was after.

 

The other one had given her slip. Not that it mattered. A small niggling suspicion was arising in the back of her mind that he'd either been a hired distraction who really wasn't involved or..... he might have been who he said he was.

 

Morgan..... Why had he been after Morgan though?

 

The drone above her head warbled and Jess waved it forward before padding forward herself. Hardly the most sound plan she'd ever come up with, but she wanted answers. What was happening she suspected involved her crew. She just needed to find the advantage to get a drop on whoever she was after.

[Kel Riever]

Jrudek

The situation was compromised, and getting worse.  The cordon of responders closing was the least of Jrudek's concern.  He knew the asari Spectre could sense him while the dark channel worked away at him, but the effect would vanish soon.  Yet the pain of the drug cocktail was increasing, and even for Jrudek's exposure and tolerance for pain, it would eventually reach an unbearable level.

Be intelligent and efficient.  The area Jrudek had entered had several aisles and had gone dark.  He'd walked into a pack of civilians who were staring around at the power failure, until he's slashed one with a wound that had the salarian screaming and the pack fleeing in panic.  Most didn't even see the slash, they just knew there was danger and stumbled through the low light.  It helped Jrudek move while providing him with cover. 

The Spectre was good, and Jrudek knew it would be a war of wits over skill.  She had a cloak, she clearly had skill and powerful biotics.  Jrudek could try to offset that with the shadows that worked against or for both of them, he had the civilian cover, he had his ruthlessness.  But where he could definitely draw a line of balance on the battlefield against the Spectre was with strategy.  Time was against him in one sense, and yet she had to come for him or he could escape.

While the civilians were running, he caught a glimpse down one of the aisles he had come from, past the panicked crowd.  It was Stone, the light of the drone next to her shining into the dimly lit area, her gun drawn. 

From behind a bend, with a couple running past him, Jrudek called out in a rough voice, "Captain Stone, I have something for you!"

It was a message easily misunderstood, but Jrudek wanted her to know, and he had to get the cube to Stone quickly.  He had also given his position away, somewhat on purpose, as he lined himself up in an aisle where he could spot the Spectre or anyone else moving in on him.

Jrudek still had to guess the direction of the Spectre.  He pushed his back to a wall in the aisle, using the shadows to obscure the immediate view of him.  In one direction was Stone.  He needed to incapacitate her, but he needed his net as his best weapon against the asari.  So Jrudek aimed his Kishock towards Stone's legs.  It would be a hip shot, with one hand, but Jrudek could make it, with the intent of pinning her to the wall behind her.  His other arm, with the Omni-tool, was aimed across him, in the opposite direction down the aisle where he expected the Spectre to appear.  Precious seconds passed, and then Jrudek sensed his moment.

In anticipation of Naleena coming into view of his aisle, Jrudek launched the submission net just at the corner he though she would round.  At the same instant, Jrudek fired the Kishock, arcing it so it would sink into one of Stone's thighs.  His aim in both directions was perfect, and so was his anticipation.  The Spectre rounded the corner, her weapon ready, in cover but the submission net was already on its way.  And in the darkness, Stone didn't see the harpoonuntil it was too late.  A superb set of shots.

But Jrudek failed to account for what he himself could not see.

First, as the submission net came at Naleena, Morgan had seen Jrudek from his position.  He had sprinted and dived, already midair before Jrudek shot.  Naleena was caught at the waist by Morgan, and knocked back behind cover, the net just missing both of them, although it spilled Naleena and Morgan on the floor.

Second, Jess saw the air in front of her seem to lose focus and then regain, but as if she were looking through a lens.  The harpoon slammed into an invisible field just in front of Jess's thigh, then clattered to the floor.  Tallis had caught up with Jess from behind, and gave her a wink as she held the biotic barrier that defender her from a wound almost exactly the same as the one once inflicted by the Captain on herself.

Jrudek growled in frustration, and now a steadily pounding agony.  He was almost out of time, and he had to get to Stone.  Jrudek dropped his Kishock, and charged in Stone's direction with his head down, drawing his AT-43 Raider as he moved.  He pulled the Raider up to aim at the new asari on the scene, in magenta leathers.


 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena on the docks

 

"Thanks." Naleena said as she recovered and took cover behind a metal-composite barrier. The ocular read out from her omni-tool set now to thermal showed Jrudek in plain sight. She hit Jrudek with a warp, then fired three rounds from her 9 mm: AP, hollow point, AP. The tungsten jacketed and hollow point rounds slammed into Jrudek's right side, the AP rounds penetrating into his lungs.

 

Then while wincing in severe pain from the bullet wound, Jrudek saw the Spectre closing with lightning speed, leap like an acrobat and felt the impact of her heel on his cheek. Naleena had seen his blade armor and so quickly retreated out of range. Jrudek was staggered and his armor now weakened with the warp. Still the Batarian had his submission net so Naleena took cover again.

[Redbelle]

Jess saw the approaching harpoon. Or thought she saw it.

 

In hindsight all she could remember seeing was a blur of metal coming at her. Then a wave of..... something, snapped into existance in front of her and the harpoon impacted off the force shield. A glance to the side revealed Tallis as Jess grinned and pulled Bernard to pair with Sinbad and with both guns out and pointing at the assailant Jess stepped up.

 

"Down your weapons luv and you won't be harm....".

 

A ball of biotic energy shot out, hitting the man as right behind three shots rang out in the dimly lit area. Jess had just enough time to gape as Naleena suddenly appeared, flying through the air like gravity could not claim her as she covered the distance between her and the attacker to fast and plowed her heel into..... and then she was flipping backwards and landing.... and then like that she was gone. Jess blinked a few times. Comforted that her AR was not showing after images of the speed of Naleena's assault.

 

".....ed. You won't be harmed..... Much more. Really. Pinky promise. And you'd better hurry up with dropping what you have or she'll probably take your pinky too.... Damn it Naleena! We were talking"!

 

Carefully sidestepping with the barrier still in front of her, tracking her movements, Jess moved so that she was standing in front of Tallis. Figuring that if the man had any more tricks up his sleeve the she'd be able to finish him off while Tallis could focus on keeping her safe.

 

"So you have something for me? I love surprises. I've got something for you to. Might not like it.... Tell you what. You show me yours and I'll decide if I should show you mine. Sound like a deal"?

[Kel Riever]

Jrudek felt the side of his face crush in.  His Blade armor was detonated, but too late to catch the Spectre, or at least substantially, as some of the blades simply lacerated her armor.  Others were deflected harmlessly by Tallis' barrier.  No one else was hurt as the civlians cleared the darkened aisle in terror for their lives.  Then Jrudek crashed to the ground, rolling on his back in agony. 

Looking up at Stone, with the side of his face partially caved in, Jrudek was grinding his teeth in agony to the point that one chipped.  Strain was clear on his face and his body was rigid from more than the warp that buckled his armor.  Internally, he was being devastated.  But while his mind was overcoming him with every nerve ending screaming for help, Jrudek would complete his task, loyal to the very end.

The hand that had braced the Raider (now sprawled far from him), slowly and very visibly went to a belt pouch in the front of Jrudek's slaver armor.  His body was seizing up, his hand shaking, but he forced himself to show he was no longer a threat, and he opened the small pouch.   With trembling thumb and forefinger, Jrudek removed a datacube.  He blurted a rough groan, and spat through his clenched teeth as the course of his drug was now irreversible, but with his dignity behind his last actions, he held the cube up towards Stone.

Jess recognized her datacube immediately.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena rushed out of cover toward the fallen Batarian, knelt over him. "Where is Iyana? Talk!"

[Kel Riever]

It looked like the choice of talking was no longer an option for the batarian on the ground.  His fingers holding the datacube were pinching it tightly, and perhaps Jrudek's greatest effort was not simply crushing the cube in his immense torment.

[Redbelle]

Jess stared at the cube. "Where did you get that"? She said finally.

 

Holstering Bernard but keeping Sinbad trained on him, Jess gingerly stepped forward. Arm outstretched. She grabbed the cube from his hand and she looked at it long and hard before turning her attention back to him.

 

"Who. Are. You". She hissed, each word seemingly coming from somewhere that made the dark around them curl around her. "How did you.... get your hands.... on this"! She held up the cube in emphasis. Shaking it as her face betrayed cold, calculating fury.

[Kel Riever]

Jrudek's eyes were beginning to glaze.  He looked up at Stone, and then sensed another form arrive to those surrounding his dying body.  It was the Shadow Broker agent he once worked with long ago.

"That is Jrudek Ib-vu," Morgan said to Jess as he caught up to her and Naleena.  He watched as the batarian he had once served with under Iyana was coming to a tortured end.  "He was Iyana's pilot, and also handled negotiations from time to time.  Loyal to the last, though I'm not sure what his purpose is, other than whatever it was came under direct instruction from Iyana."

[Cainhurst Crow]

Essul looked at the opening, taking only a second before he decided to do what he believed the right course of action.

 

"MOVE!!!" He barked out as the c-sec officers turned to see the heavily armored man holding an assault rifle running towards them. The human officer looked surprised as he moved out of the way, a second later seemingly realizing what he was doing as Essul ran past and into the tunnels.

 

"S-STOP! C-SEC!" He said as essul ran full sprint down the tunnel, not caring what the man had to say, or that a few seconds later, shots rang out from behind, all of them missing as he disappeared into the depths of the dimly lite tunnel. "This if Officer Lang, reporting a heavily armed individual joining hot zone. Proceed with caution, over!"