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[Kel Riever]

On subvocal, Iole said to Jenus, "Cerberus?  What in void's cold space are they doing here?"

"Couldn't tell you, Goldie," Jenus replied as she assessed the situation.  She was least winded on the team after the double-time through the jungle to the trouble, "But we're not here to ask them politely.  We're getting into this and by the book.  They don't know we're here, so element of surpise is going to help us."

Then Jenus began doling out orders, "Ereba, you're up.  First shot of ours is going to be yours.  Get a position and when I tell you ,or at the first sign of us being spotted, you let it rip.  Tallis, Iole, for now you are moving up with me.  If I can, I'm going to get right up on them and kill as many as possible before they notice.  Too Tall, and Red, I'm leaving our far flank, opposite the Spectre's team, to you.  Handle it however you want, but Red, time for you to break out that knife of yours and spill some blood.  Everyone, when they finally get a clue, and Ereba drops that first round, it's open season.  Keep the tentacle heads out of your field of fire, and put down those Cerberus operatives."

Iole and Tallis looked at each other.  Did Jenus really just call the natives, 'Tentacle heads?'

[Cknarf]

While serving with the Alliance, Johnny heard quite a bit about Cerberus. Some negative, and some positive, depending on who he asked. He even knew a few guys who had signed up after ending their military careers, all of which were decent people, as far as he could tell.

 

"Orders, ma'am?" He asked, from his position.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"Right," Ereba said and spotted a rock outcrop concealed behind a large fern-like plant and motioned to Jenus she was heading over there. Jenus nodded. Ereba took up position and had what looked like a sergeant in her sights. I see you and have your head in my crosshairs.

 

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

 

Irina smiled and readied her weapons.

 

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

 

Naleena ordered her team in to position. "Cerberus? And a lot of them. They don't know we're here. We'll hit them hard, but try not to hit any of the yautja. Essul, you're with me. I'll line up a shot on the commander. The rest of you: Johnny, Vayne, Arian, try to drive the squad on this flank toward the Commandos. This should send them into chaos."

 

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

 

Burke stood outside the transport ship where they were preparing to load the yautja. He put his hand to his ear, nodded, spoke into the communicator, then issued an order to step up the operation. One fire team on each flank went on alert. Burke disappeared inside the transport and left his lieutenant in charge.

 

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

 

"Sh*t! They know we're here," Irina said. "I don't know how, but they know we're here."

 

"My guess is that they have a ship in orbit," Ereba said. "And they detected ours."

 

"VERA would have detected it," Irina replied.

 

"Not if it's a stealth ship," Ereba said.

 

Naleena lined up her shot on the lieutenant. "Everyone, we're outnumbered and we have to nail them. Pick your targets, line up your shots on my mark. I have the lieutenant."

 

"Sergeant on the right," Ereba said.

 

Everyone called their target.

 

"Three, two, one. Fire!" Naleena said and took her shot hitting the lieutenant in the head double tapping two shaving blocks from her Black Widow. His head exploded.

 

The sergeant was tallying a count on his datapad when his head snapped to the right and his brains flew out.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Essul froze when he heard the news, Cerberus. He stood still as he held his rifle, hands shaking as he did so, a look of realization and then anger growing on his face with each passing second as he seemed to not hear Naleena or her orders.

 

Cerberus was an organization for which Essul held nothing but contempt for. It was an organization that filled him with a rage he could not describe, one that boiled in his heart and burned at his mind. Much like slavers, Essul held no love and no mercy for the group, so hearing naleena's orders, Essul remained silent as he instead aimed his rifle.

 

Seeing the commander leave, Essul finally spoke, "No...no, no, no, don't leave..." Essul said, growling out the words loud enough for Naleena to hear as he tightened his grip, his breathing growing louder as he heard the new orders. He aimed his rifle for the target, aiming for the transport and its cockpit as he spoke, "...Ready." He said.

 

He fired his shot, the Harpoon striking at the right angle that it might have penetrated the transport ship, had its armor or perhaps shields not been as strong as they were. The harpoon stood impaled in the window as Essul reloaded his rifle quickly, Aiming and firing another charged shot without calling it out, his shot hitting one of the guards closet to the transport ships front. It wasn't a clean hit either, skewering the man through his pectorals, as he fired his gun and fell to the ground still alive.

 

Essul didn't seem to care as he simply jumped to a new target, a look of anger on his face as he switched to the next target to shoot, charging for the shot.

 

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Vayne aimed his chakram launcher for one of the outer flanks guards, calling out the shot as such as he charged up his chakram launcher, "Alright you racist sons a bitches...take this." He fired his charged shot at his target, hoping to hit the one he'd been aiming for.

 

He did, but hit his arm, the solider crying out in pain as the chakram detonated seconds later. He screamed as his avenger fired off its rounds, his severed arm clutching the gun and its trigger as it fired off shot after shot on the forest floor.

[Kel Riever]

Jenus scowled in displeasure behind her helm at the discovery of the teams.  "Wreck them!" she commanded tersely through the com.  

The good news was nobody cared what you did with a Cerberus operative.  That's where she was going to have her fun.

Knowing Ereba and her teammates had her covered, Jenus began sprinting towards her targets.  Most biotics, especially vanguards, didn't want to lose their power expending it in repeat biotic dashes, but Jenus was an exception.  She timed her dashes so that they got her through the open avenues and planned her route so she'd come out of cover, just in range and fully charged.  Shots cascaded around her but as some began drawing close, the retort of Ereba's Widowmaker answered and those incoming projectiles ceased.  There was a Cerberus operative taking cover around the corner of a temporary structure, focused on the Spectre's team, giving orders as it seemed the operatives needed to adjust their chain of command.  The structure was likely to protect against a flash storm, housing whatever important items were being used for Cerberus' mission.

With a scream, Jenus came blazing out of the jungle, full biotic charge.  She was lost by those supporting her for a moment; Iole saw the charge and Jenus disappear behind the building, followed not by one, not by two, but by three biotic explosions.  Perfectly focused, Iole knew Jenus could repeat biotic charge and the operatives had no idea what hit them.  The result of her assault became clear as one of her target's ragged corpse came flying limply out from behind the opposite side of the building, to impact with a crunch on a standing shield device.  

It drew Iole's attention to the device and she saw another operative was moving to activate the area shield.  "Tallis!  Barrier!" Iole yelled as she stepped out of her own cover, Hellbringer at the ready.  Her appearance caused several rounds to be fired her way, but Tallis had her covered, giving Iole the seconds she needed.  There was an electric whine as the machine gun spun up, and then a high pitched scream as the small, but extremely high velocity rounds of the Hellbringer discharged in a blinding rate of fire.  The shield generator went up in a shower of fragments and the Cerberus operative heading for it ran for his life.  

"Iole!" Jenus called over the com.  "The structure I just passed has no natives inside.  Looks like the operatives were using it for com gear and ammo.  Hit it!"

The Hellbringer still spun, but the fire ceased until Iole adjusted her aim.  More return fire came in but Tallis' barrier held.  Then Iole let loose again, sending block shavings to rip through the building as if it were simply made of canvas.  If there was any question of whether what was inside had value, first to the keen eye, a fine red mist could be seen exiting with the rounds passing through the structure, then there were sparks, and then something caught and exploded, sending a fire blossom vertically into the sky.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Chaos ensued among the Cerberus platoon.

 

"Take cover!"

 

"Man down!"

 

"We got wounded!"

 

"They're all around us!"

 

"Fall back and regroup!" the Cerberus Master Sergeant shouted. "Get those captives on board. Return fire, careful not to hit the captives."
 

About half of the village had been taken aboard the transport already. Cerberus troopers rained fire back at the assault team with Harriers. A few of them cloaked and took up positions where they could get clear shots and suppress the assaulting team with sniper fire. Essul saw a blinding red flash cross his vision, as did Vayne and Ereba.

 

Several of the captive Yautja used the chaos to break free and run for the forest. With their hands bound behind them they were no threat, and Cerberus did not waste the time firing on them. In any event they'd probably end up being caught by the Salarians. Several of the Cerberus troopers fired at the feet of the Yautja to get them to board the ship faster. The pilot in the mean time was warming up the engines for dust off.

 

"Press them hard!" Naleena ordered and fired at one of the other commanders.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Essul saw the red lights and knew what it meant, "Snipers In Play!" He warned the others as he activated his own tactical cloak as well. While he wasn't directly in the line of fire, trying to pick out the snipers cerberus was using would be difficult. The carnage going on in the jungle made trying to pick out movement difficult, the trees and brush constantly rustling around them.

 

But the shimmer of light, similar to that of heat waves, could still be made out. And in an area where they were prevalent, Essul made it a point to aim for them. He had already lined up his shot when he saw another red light pass his vision. It was heading for the commandos, and Essul had a split decision to make.

 

His hand ignited with biotic energy as he threw out his lash, the biotic line catching its target as he pulled them hard. Someone invisible went flying through the trees, their shot passing inches from Iole's head and struck the structure nearby. Essul's cloak had disengaged at that, and he returned his attention towards the other sniper only to see his own scope filled with the red light.

 

Essul's shields dropped to zero and he fell forwards, his strangled cough coming through as he crumbled to his hands and knees, rifle falling to his side. His heavy armor caught the round, the plates preventing it from going through, but it had been strong enough to crack the ceramic plates, and winded essul from the impact, knowing his breath out of his abdomen as he lay hunched over on the forest floor.

 

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Vayne knew bringing the chakram launcher for much longer when the real fight began to break out. He was working hard on firing his discs out as quick as he could, no time to charge the shots as the explosive discs struck their opponents, or the cover they hid behind. The charges were lacking, but they'd stumble whatever they hit, opening them up for battle.

 

"This is one of those I really wish we could use some bombs..." Vayne complained as he loaded up another block into his launcher. The villagers were hostages, and they couldn't just launch a volley of grenades at the cerberus troopers to break their lines, not without risking splash damage to anyone not a cerberus agent.

 

That left taking them out with guns, fists, and biotics, and vayne didn't like his odds moving up as he hid behind a thick tree for cover. "Anyone got a bead on these snipers?" Vayne called out, just as he heard something above him. He looked to see an armored woman dropping from the top of the branches, her arm and leg at odd angles from where she'd apparently been sling shot over.

 

She had a sniper rifle in her hands as she fell, and vayne looked down at her a moment before he walked over and kicked her square in the face, "One sniper down!" He called to the others, "Thanks to whoever sent them my way?."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

The fallen woman wore black leather-like armor with a cloaking web, and she carried a Raptor sniper rifle, a low recoil, rapid fire, lightweight semi-automatic weapon used in rapid deployment operations.

 

"Fall back to the ship," the sergeant shouted. "We got what we came for."

 

The Cerberus troops in the rear began laying down suppressing fire so that those in the front could fall back. They were using the few semi-tranquilized villagers not yet taken aboard the ship as shields.

 

Naleena tapped Essul on the back, then hit her TC and began to circle around the ship at run. The Cerberus snipers saw brush movement but only a heat-like appearance until they went to infra-red, when they saw her.

 

"Sniper moving behind to flank, Sarge," one of  the Nemesis snipers said over her com.

 

"Get a move on the evac!"

 

***************

 

Irina used her Harrier to keep the heat on the rear squad, but with the step up of suppressing fire she had to take cover behind some rocks, and was pinned down.

 

**************

 

Ereba hit her TC and moved to another position where she could better see Jenus, and had some better cover from the snipers. She saw a Centurion closing on Jenus and fired, hitting him in the ribs as he raised his arm for  a close assault, staggering him.

[Kel Riever]

Jenus was by one of the village huts, and saw the organized retreat.  She knew if they didn’t break the line they’d have no chance to stop Cerberus.  If the line was broken, at least they’d have a shot.  She crouched down and prepared.  Just inside the hut she saw a set of angry looking spears just inside the hut’s door, weapons used by the native hunters.  Holstering her Disciple while she crouched, she grabbed one spear in each hand.  On the end of the Cerberus line that was falling back, two operatives in armor were distracted by something to their flank.  It was the break Jenus was seeking.

With the sound of the very air being ripped apart, Jenus biotically charged, one of the wicked, barbed, heavy spears extended in front of her.  The first armored operative never knew what hit him as his head was literally torn from its neck as it was impaled on the spear.  The second just started spraying with his gun, knowing there was some threat but not what it was, but it was too late as he was struck in the skull by the sturdy shaft of Jenus’ side swing, then had his own throat impaled by the haft of the same spear.  As the nearby operatives spun to face what had hit them in the side, Jenus used the sharp blade of the long speartip to slice through the bindings on the arms of one of the Yautja, freeing him.

Jenus made a bet on that they’d know who their friends were.

[Kel Riever]

On the Medusa

Lomala was, in fact, extremely displeased.  This Captain sounded like she didn't know where the bridge was on her own ship, as far as she was concerned.  Lomala turned to look back at the security escort behind her, only to find herself banging her head against the maintenance shaft wall, unable to maneuver so much as to even see backwards.  

"Let's just get out of this emergency tunnel as soon as possible," Lomala fumed.  "I want this deal done and off this ship."

And the only guide Lomala had forward:  Stone's backside.  

Not exactly what Lomala had in mind for dealing directly with her new business contact.

[Kel Riever]

On the Kurinth

Xanthe felt like a dark nebula had filled her mind and she knew something was wrong.  She struggled to awaken, but her limbs were heavy and her eyelids refused to open on her first conscious commands.  She eventually willed herself to awaken and fell out of her bed, to land on the hard deck of her cabin.  There was no pain as her nerves lagged behind her body’s movements though, and she got to her hands and knees.

The first thing Xanthe noticed was the red alert.  The light had gone off in her room, cascading it in a dim glow.  She called out to the computer for a status, but there was no response.  However, there was a banging at her cabin door.

“Spectre!  Spectre! Get up!”  The muffled voice was that of Kheres.  “The ship is under attack!”

Pushing up with all her might, Xanthe’s mind began to become less clouded.  It wasn’t some sort of deep sleep, but had to be some chemical she realized, and a very high amount of it, to induce her state.  Now that she was conscious, however, she began to recover quickly, if not immediately.  Wasting no time, she got to the door.  If they were under attack, Xanthe needed to get to the bridge.  “I’m coming!” Xanthe shouted back to Kheris, punched the door control to open, and stumbled out. 

Xanthe was surprised to not just immediately run into Kheres face to face but find her full Serrice Guard team standing on either side of her in the narrow passageway.  Xanthe was about to ask what was going on when a dull, crushing pain blossomed outward from the side of her head and she dropped. 

“What?...” Xanthe got out, trying to raise her biotic barrier, but too stunned to get it active before she felt a compacting agony over the entire surface of her body.  She cried out as she went to the deck hard, and blacked out.

It was probably less than a minute that Xanthe lost consciousness, though it was impossible for her to be sure.  The spinning and feeling of nausea was there when she opened her eyes and saw the four Serrice Guard, led by Kheres, standing over her, their biotics active and pinning her in place on the ground.  Confronted with the obvious, it was still difficult for Xanthe, even in her state, to fathom a complete betrayal by the most honored guard in all the asari military.  Then, as a fifth, glimmering figure came into view, Xanthe couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Kheres may have neglected to mention that your enemy was already aboard this vessel,” the white haired woman in the shining armor of barbaric design said.  Her porcelain skin, and blue eyes helped create a visage that was doll like in one sense, and absolutely menacing in another.  Her thin lips curled upward.  “This vessel that is now under my command.  Forgive me if I have not introduced myself.  I am Iyana.”

Of course, Xanthe attempted to fight back, despite the futility.  In response, the compaction of her form became excruciating and went right to the bone.  She remained only half conscious at that point, and was about to pass out again as she heard the last of the conversation above her.

“The rest of the crew is nearly subdued, my superior,” Kheres said to Iyana, “If only my battle sister was hear for this victory.”

“Xhuan, yes.  Rest assured that she will celebrate with you when you finally meet.  As far as the crew is concerned, execute any who put up the slightest resistance.  We do not need difficulties.  This vessel must be delivered in as intact as possible.”

“I understand.”  Kheres stared down at Xanthe as if she were talking about someone she never knew.  “And what about her.”

“Bind her, and place her back in her cabin for me.” Iyana replied as she stepped forward and placed one, shining, spike-heeled boot on Xanthe’s stomach.  “I have a special plan for her.”

[TheMajonese]

Spoiler

Wieder einmal hatte Arian es geschafft, durch sein fast schon absurd feindseliges Auftreten seinen Teammitgliedern gegenüber, jeden Gedanken der die Mission betraf für sich zu behalten, ohne, dass auch nur irgendjemand für eine Sekunde daran gedacht hätte den griesgrämigen Turianer nach seiner Meinung zu fragen. Der Trip auf diesen von den Geistern offensichtlich verlassenen Planeten war ein dummes und unnötiges Risiko und so sehr er sich auch einreden wollte, mit seinem Beitritt zu Naleenas Team das Richtige getan zu haben, konnte er die leisen Zweifel nicht verdrängen, die stattdessen zunehmend größer wurden. Die Entscheidungen des Spectres lösten bei ihm immer häufiger eine ungläubige Regungslosigkeit aus, wenn er die Pläne und vor allem Forderungen der Asari hörte. Der anfängliche Respekt ihr gegenüber war einem starken Misstrauen gewichen.

 

Während des Landeanflugs auf den Planeten gingen Arian immer und immer wieder die selben Fragen durch den Kopf. Was tue ich hier? Warum habe ich mich dem Spectre überhaupt angeschlossen? Und wo soll ich hin? Und warum ist das alles hier eigentlich in Deutsch?

 

(That text was supposed to explain Arian's thoughts on the mission and their attack on Cerberus but I'm not going  to translate this. Took me five minutes to write this in german, would have taken me fifty minutes to write something in english that would at least have the same meaning...   yep, definitely not regretting anything...)

 

 

Arian tried to make out the snipers between the dense vegetation but he could hardly see them. Hardly was good enough for him though and he emptied a whole thermal clip of his Typhoon on their positions, forcing them to keep their head down while effectively shredding through any cover that wasn't a rock. It was quite easy for him to control the massive recoil of the gun but low accuracy was nothing he was worried about. When firing more than a hundred shots at a target, at least one of them was going to hit.

 

The long reload time when the Typhoon began to overheat however was an actual problem and Arian got to cover to insert a new thermal clip, time that the snipers could definitely use to get to a better position. Arian had no idea how many of them were still alive and if he had actually hit or killed one of them.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

The Yautja, now freed, leaped up into the trees, attacking one of the cloaked Cerberus snipers, ripping her head off, looked at Jenus for a brief moment, held the head and roared for his remaining clan to see. This distracted the main Cerberus group for a moment, and allowed Naleena to get into position behind them where she unleashed a biotic flare in their center, shattering their resistance.

 

Seeing the situation deteriorating fast, Major Burke ordered the ramp on the transport closed, and dust off leaving the remaining Yautja and his remaining troops behind. He had sufficient specimens for The Illusive Man. Cerberus Operatives were expendable. They would do their duty. The lower level operatives knew nothing anyway. It was time to get them back to the cruiser.

 

The surviving fire teams watched helplessly on the ground as the transport took off. Seeing their situation hopeless, they lowered their weapons.

 

"We surrender!" Sergeant Pryce shouted from his position behind a rock near a growth of trees.

 

"The Alliance accepts your surrender. Lay down your weapons and put your hands behind your heads, slowly." Commander Timoshenko said.

[Redbelle]

Anika emerged from the foliage. A white figure emerging from seemingly nowhere. Her own Typhoon's muzzle smoking from the suppression she'd laid down. "Oh, I don't know if we should accept that surrender so readily Commander. I imagine the Yautja have a formal process to lodge. Perhaps we should let them have a few moments alone...... Sort out some of the issues...... sort out compensation...... Make them pay.....". Her helmed head swung to regard the headless body of one of the snipers. "..... Unless these gentlemen feel they have something we'd be interested intervention would obstruct closure on the matter between the two parties".

[Redbelle]

Meanwhile, somewhere inside the Medusa.

 

Finally, after much crawling, with the air temperature rising inside the crawlspace, they came to a hatch and Jess looked behind her at Lomala and grinned. "There we are! As promised. Hang back a bit, let me get at the lever".

 

Crawling forward to the hatch Jess reached forward to the metal lever and tugged. Nothing happened and Jess frowned before tugging again to no avail. "It's stuck..... Hang on.... Lets get some....". She twisted in the small space and placed her back against the side of the hatch as she gripped the lever. "...... Brute force..... into.... the ..... Mix"! Jess pulled and the lever seemed to move slightly before stubbornly refusing to budge an inch futher. The muscles on Jess's arms stood out in stark contrast to earlier as she kept up the pressure before letting out a sigh and relaxed. "Great.... just great.... Somethings wrong with the hatch. Bloody nuisence.... How are you back there! You all right? Walls not closing in? Shortness of breath? Don't worry if it is, perfectly normal to being stuck in the corridors where a sodding hatch doesn't OPEN UP WHEN THE BLOODY CAPTAIN WANTS IT TOO"!!! Jess's foot clanged off the hatch in a kick aimed at the lever which once more, resolutely refused to budge.

 

Jess took a few moments to calm down before looking back at Lomala. "Sorry.... This is embaressing.... I don't know what to say..... We can keep going. Find another hatch..... Could.... HEY BACK THERE! COULD YOU BACK IT UP! THIS HATCH WON'T OPEN"!!!

 

*******************************************************************************************************

 

On the other side of the hatch, Keat's stood with a wrench that he'd been told to use to jam the hatch's opening wheel. Holding it between his hands the person on the other side had tried to open it, only for the wrench to catch betwwen the wheel spokes and the hatches metal molding. Finally though all efforts on teh other end ceased and a voice piped in through his ear piece.

 

The rumbling tones of Aelias came through. "Mr Keats, hold that position until the group have begun moving off. Get ready to move to another hatch when they do".

 

Keats stayed quiet as he grinned. Locking the Captain up in the tubes.... Keeping the Batarians away from the hanger? He didn't know exactly what was going on but suddenly he couldn't think of anywhere else he'd rather be.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Vayne looked around at the scene, giving a whistle as he looked from the natives surrounding the group to the cerberus operatives, resting his gun on his shoulder with a smirk, "Well, looks like we got out of that one on top..." He said with a chuckle as he looked to Anika come out of the bush, "I'm pretty sure we've introduce them to enough of our presence, right? Technically we're all breakin the law by having this friendly moment..." He said jokingly as he looked behind.

 

Essul come out of the brush and heading towards them, his own kishock harpoon gun being holstered as he briskly walked towards them. "Oh hey, just in time for clean up." He said, before essul walked past him, vayne blinking in surprise as he looked to the batarian, "Hey, you alright?" he asked, noticing the stern look on his face.

 

Essul said nothing to any of them as he walked forward, his pace quickening as he made a b-line past the commandos, past anika, past any of the yautja. He came towards Timoshenko as he held the cerberus operative on point, and that was when he reached up and drew his knife.

 

Vayne only had a view of essul's back, but he saw him move to grab Pryce's head, and he had his gun drawn and aimed for the other operatives as he moved in towards essul, "Hey! What the hell are you doing!?" He asked as essul ignored him.

 

Essul had shoved Pyrce to the ground and held him by his hair, the knife forced into his mouth and resting against the inside of his cheek. Essul looked the man in the eyes, "The alliance accepted your surrender...but I'm not sure I do..." He said in a cold voice as he slowly drew the knife back, a small trail of blood forming from the edge of the mans mouth.

 

"Give me a reason to let you live..." He said as he held the knife in place, making it near impossible for the man to get anything coherent out, "You're gonna have to speak a bit clearer then that..." he said, giving more pressure as the look in his eyes made it clear, he didn't intend to let the man live.

[Redbelle]

Anika spared Essul a single look before returning her gaze to the rest of the prisoners. "Sir..... I don't believe a prisoner can speak sufficiently clearly enough when the prisoner has a knife in his mouth. Just saying, this is something you people who earn the top pay get to decide....... Though if you decide to give him an extra wide smile perhaps it would be better to do so in private, away from those who rely on an even temprement in the one the Spectre chose as her second in command...... Sir". She added, with a bit more force than was neccessary.

 

Turning her back on the scene, Anika then tapped her comm and called up into orbit. "Janiri? Anika. We have a Cerberus craft took off from the planet's surface about a minute ago at our co-ordinates. They'll need time to clear the atmosphere so you have a good position to intercept them if you can find them. Be advised.... They were picking up natives to this planet and may have some on board".

[Cainhurst Crow]

Essul scowled as he turned to look towards anika, still holding his weapon in place as he looked back to the man he was holding.

 

Paragon: Essul closed his eyes and withdrew his knife, shoving the man down and away from himself as he stood looking at what he'd done.

 

Essul looked down to his knife as he wiped it off, sheathing it as he shock his head. He looked towards the seargent on the ground before he turned around, storming off and activating his cloak as he did so.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

The transport had dusted off and was on an approach vector with the cruiser.

 

Commander Selani contacted the Spectre. "We copy the transport leaving the surface. VERA has picked up a Cerberus Cruiser identified as the Colchain in orbit moving into position for rendezvous. It just appeared on our sensors. She said it does not match older Cerberus ship designs. What are your orders?"

 

"Do not engage. Repeat. Do not engage," Naleena ordered and turned to the Batarian. "Essul, stand down. This is Alliance Space, and they'll decide what to do with them.

 

"And the last thing I want right now is a space battle with a cruiser that could possibly match our own ship. We still have a mission the Council wants us to complete."

 

Irina wasn't satisfied. "So what are we going to do with these? Let them go?"

 

"No, we'll transport them to the outpost and Commander Timoshenko can use our QEC to arrange for their transfer to an Alliance vessel," Naleena said. "I doubt Cerberus will be back in the system for them. They're not an outfit that leaves no one behind.

 

"Commander Selani, arrange for the second shuttle and security team to arrive at our position and tell them to prepare for transport of two fire teams of Cerberus prisoners," Naleena ordered.

 

"Aye aye, Ma'am." she replied.

 

A half-hour later the shuttle and security team arrived and the prisoners were moved aboard, and departed  for the Janiri. Naleena had the team search and clear the  area of any advanced technology that Cerberus may have left behind. The yautja Jenus cut loose gave her his spear.

[Kel Riever]

At the time of Essul nearly carving a new mouth on Timoshenko, Jenus was watching not four meters away with interested eyes.  She also had the distinct look as if she wasn't going to lift a finger either way.  When Essul let up and went away under cloak, she said loudly enough to hear, "No, go ahead, don't let Too Tall slow you down, I want to see what it's like being outside of Council protocol."

The provocative statement was obviously less directed at Anika, and showed that if Essul had given in, he likely would have only given evidence to Jenus' biased beliefs about him.  Iole and Tallis had been too surprised by Essul's change of mood to interfere, so his walking away likely saved their view of him as well.

Later, after the sweep, when the Yautja came up to Jenus, she took the spear with a bit of reverence.  Tallis was nearby and made a fist motion over her head.  Unsure at first what she meant, Jenus caught on.  She looked at the Yautja, and raised the spear over her head as a sign of appreciation.

[Kel Riever]

On the Medusa

Lomala, at the suggestion that they start going back the way they came through the maintenance shaft, had hit a limit and she was going to need convincing to go on.

First off, she wasn't some batarian enforcer.  She had earned her position, albeit with a bit of ruthlessness and even more family favor, a long time ago when she was in much better shape.  She didn't do things anymore like run, or exercise, or clamber around the insides of things to fix them.  And the temperature was not cycled well in the shaft.  Lomala was sweating and she did not like it.

"Captain, I've had enough.  The idea of being in her in the first place was that getting out would be easy.  It isn't and for one reason or another, I see you've got a few things to get in line.  Extending, and I think I'm being generous here, my goodwill, I'm withholding the doubt on your ability to deliver the product you are selling me, since I have been shown a high degree of competence in your display.  But I don't think your handling of merchandise extends to your ability to get us out of a quick problem with your ship.  I'm going back now, with my escort, the way we came, back to that room we were in, and see if the door can be opened.  At this point, I think we'll smash through your bulkhead faster than we will find a way out of this maintenance shaft."  She called behind her to her escort.  "Let's go.  Move back the way we came."

There was an uncomfortable silence.

"What are you waiting for?" Lomala asked.

"I...," the security escort fumbled for words, "I...forgot the way we came."

~ ~ ~ ~

Back in the room where the remaining batarian security escort waited with Morgan, patience was wearing.  "They've been gone a long time," the escort said to Morgan, a bit of a veiled threat in his voice.  "I would have thought your Captain would have gotten us out by now."

Morgan curled back the corner of his mouth neutrally.  "You think it would be better if you went down in there and found out how they're doing?"

"I think it'd be better if you got us out of this room sooner rather than later."

Unfazed, Morgan sat back.  "I don't like sitting around either, but this isn't going to go faster if you get angry about it."

"On a batarian ship, someone would pay for this.  These kinds of mistakes tend not to happen, and when they do, they happen once."

Morgan nodded, "And yet, that kind of harshness has you buying someone else's Omni-tools, because you can't make a Cipher, let alone a Nexus, on your own, right?  This ship takes a different approach, that is if you want to get through this as fast as can be done."

The batarian scowled.  "We'll do it your way, human, for now." 

There wasn't much for Morgan to do, other than let this chip on his shoulder security escort vent some steam.  Anything more and Morgan was going to have to resort to some options he wasn't looking forward to. 

[Cknarf]

Thessia

 

“Look at this place, man. All the trees, pretty flowers and sh*t… You know there’s bound to be hella girls in there.” Quintus nodded, standing with Frank outside of the park, which included an extensive botanical garden.

 

“We’re on Thessia, Quintus.”

 

“You know what I mean. C’mon.” Quintus gestured onward with his guitar.

 

“You go on ahead. I’ll catch up.”

 

Quintus shrugged, and continued on, occasionally plucking the odd string as he walked.  After a few minutes, he came to a clearing that opened to reveal a small amphitheatre. It was semicircular in shape, with seats and steps that appeared to be one in the same. There was a stage at the bottom, with a large, irregularly shaped bandshell.

 

“Hm.” Quintus briefly scanned the deserted venue, before making his way down the steps, and up to the stage. He slung his guitar, and pulled himself up.

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

 

Frank stepped out of the restroom, and back into the park. He sniffed while rubbing at his nose, having blatantly ripped a huge line of sand off the counter just moments earlier. He slid his sunglasses down over his eyes, which now saw everything in a faint shade of red.

 

As he walked deeper into the gardens, he could faintly hear an absolutely terrible noise coming from inside the park, no doubt the signature sound of Quintus’ guitar playing.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Lorek - Jalnor

 

The wing off the prison was an unusual design, shaped like a massive Octogon, each cell was built into the wall and kept behind a mass effect field, all prisoners wearing collars that would shock them if it detected the presence of dark energy, such as with the mass effect field barrier or the asari's own biotics.

 

There was little to do in the holding cells, and many of the asari had simply grown bored of the forced confinement, staring at the walls, some attempting to hold conversations. There were no guards, none that weren't LOKI mechs at least, so interaction was simply not going to happen.

 

So when a hooded man came walking into the cells, it got a lot of attention, some of the asari trying to shout down at him from their cells, others watching cautiously or simply deciding to glare at the man from their cells.

 

Machaera looked around the room, hearing the mixes of noise as he closed his eyes, clearing his throat as he turned up his audio systems to be heard by all. "Asari...Members of the Esan Movement...proud citizens of this planet." His digital voice was heard by all here, echoing as he spoke, eyes going across the many rooms as he addressed them all, "You have all been accused of the crime of terrorism against the hegemony. Or destroying a facility which housed hundreds of people...of senselessly ending the lives of those who lived on this world. Of innocent workers, brilliant minds, and brave enforcers of the law..."

 

The protests began already, shouts of lies and demands for justice, machaera simply ignoring it as he spoke.

 

"Crimes, which we all know, you did not commit..." The noise died down nearly unanimously as he spoke, his words unexpected and making many do a double take, including commissioner Yudas. "No, it was not your movement who did so...nor would it have been any loyal member of this beautiful world...This was the work of one organization, of one entity who is capable of acting with such impunity and disregard for life..."

 

"Spectres!" Machaera cried out, eyes scanning the room to see looks of confusion, of intrigue, of anger, "An asari and a human, worked to break into this facility. Then destroyed it...and left you all to take their blame...to be punished, in place of a council, of a republic, who weighed your lives and found them worth sacrificing to the wolves..."

 

As Machaera spoke, his men began to move, the security room had been first, and its guards were detained as machaera continued to speak. The guards along the hallway were dispatched, none of them killed, but all incapacitated and knocked unconscious from the surprise attacks of Machaera's troops.

 

"You sit here now because of the actions of the Council. The actions of their special agents...but you do not deserve such a fate..." As he spoke, a new sound entered the fray, the sound of cheers, of support for what he spoke, one or two cells for now, but enough for machaera to know what he was saying was getting traction, "No, you deserve more! You should have more! You should have freedom!! You should have compensation for this scorn!!"  More and more voices began to cheer as machaera turned to look towards the eyeless asari, who hadn't moved since he began his speech.

 

"You...Deserve Revenge..." Her head moved, looking in Machaera's direction as he smirked, "Revenge against the council...against the ones who have ruined your lives...your ambitions..." By now he was raising a mob, the asari who'd been imprisoned for weeks liking what they were hearing as Yudas looked towards him.

 

"What the hell do you think you're playing at here!? This is gonna be a prison riot at this rate!" He called in alarm, machaera looking towards him as he smirked,

 

"No, commisoner...this is a recruitment plan..." He said as he looked back towards the asari, "And I think it's time you were given that chance! Join me! Join my special forces, and I will promise you revenge, and a clean slate free of all crimes...and all I ask, is for you to aid my fight against the ones who betrayed you...What say you?"

 

There were cheers now, many of the asari showing outright support, a few more hesitatant then others. Machaera turned his attention to the one he'd had his eyes on this whole time. She was standing in her cell, looking to Machaera even without eyes. She put a hand up towards her chest, and bowed.

 

"You're insane! This isn't some rally, this is a prison! You can't do this." Yudas said as machaera turned around to look at him, his eyes glowing red as he spoke.

 

"I'm sorry, Yudas Phrii...but I can..." he looked towards falling leaf, as Yron and the others caught on, moving into position between them, and the guards who'd accompanied Yudas.

 

"Falling leaf, if you would be so kind as to restrain Comissioner Yudas for the time being..." Machaera said as he turned to look towards the cameras, "And drop these cell doors. I think these asari deserve some fresh air."

 

"Don't you dare!" Yudas said as he drew his service pistol, training it dead center on Machaera's head, "I'm in charge here! I'll say what does and doesn't happen, got it!?"

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

VERA detected that the Cerberus cruiser went to FTL after taking the transport aboard, its mission accomplished.

 

The prisoners were loaded onto the second shuttle along with Commander Timoshenko and taken to the Janiri shuttle bay. Naleena contacted Sgt Ferro to bring their shuttle to the current location, and upon arrival they loaded and returned to the Janiri.

 

Upon arrival the human and asari contingent went to the locker room, removed their armor and showered. This being an asari designed ship, the mere idea of modesty was an afterthought.

 

“So, Jenus, Warrior Princess,” Irina ribbed while standing under the tepid water. “I have to admit, you’d look good in a loin cloth holding that thing.”

 

“We have hot water here, Red. Why you insist on using tepid water?” Iole asked.

 

“Because that’s what I got used to on Alliance ships,” she said. “The women’s showers were an afterthought.”

 

“And they still are,” Sgt. Ferro chimed in. “We’re lucky they clean them once a month.”

 

“That frequently? That’s an improvement.” Irina said.

 

“That’s disgusting!” Ereba replied. “Now I know why Red rarely takes one.”

 

“Hey, I don’t stink!” Irina replied.

 

“To the void you don’t.” Ereba said and laughed. “I don’t know how Jen can stand it. I’m surprised you took a shower after this mission. You know you won’t melt.”

 

Tallis broke out laughing. “Stinky Stinky”

 

“Hey, back when I was in, on the early model ships the water recycling wasn’t the best, so we had to conserve water,” Irina protested.

 

“But there’s no excuse here,” Ereba said.

 

“At least I smell decent when I sweat. Now the new pilot? Ferro? Damn!” Irina said and laughed.

 

“Watch it, Red!” Ferro shouted from the other end. “At least I shower every day.”

 

“You wouldn’t know it,” Irina joked and sniffed the air. “What’s that smell? Oh, it must be Ferro. What about you, Johnny? What do you think of these monogendered showers on Asari ships?”

 

**

 

Naleena allowed Commander Timoshenko to use the QEC to contact Alliance Command in regards to the disposition of the Cerberus prisoners being held in the shuttle bay. Upon docking with the fuel platform the they transferred the prisoners to the brig where they were held until an Alliance Frigate showed up a day later. The Janiri would not remain behind, but would continue on its course.

 

Naleena called Essul to the conference room to discuss mission protocols in private.

[Kel Riever]

Lorek - Jalnor

The snick of a blade was something Yudas was familiar with, and he was trained to react.  But by the time the signal travelled from his brain to his fingers to pull the trigger, the tendons of his inner wrist had already been severed, a flash passing by it before blood sprayed from the wound that had gone past his armor.  Instead of his fingers pulling the trigger, Yudas' hand went numb and the pistol dropped from it.  Before his next reaction, there was the press of a barrel against his neck.

"I'd say the last person in charge here is you," Falling Leaf said quietly to Yudas from behind him.  She held the pistol, and the monomolecular knife that had sliced open Yudas' hand.  

Tyrius, though not expecting Machaera's move, yet acted as if did not take him by surprise.  It was the ruthlessness which he admired, needed in fact, and came to predict from those few whom he had ever followed.  The turian walked up to the cell door, finding the panel for release.  "Here we are."

"Your life is for my master now," Falling Leaf whispered to Yudas.  "If I were you, I'd quickly recognize your position, though you should have known it the moment we arrived."