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[sH0tgUn jUliA]

In the utility shack, Jenus had  seen Johnny charge out.

 

"Alright everyone, get up and reinforce our team. Prepare for evac!" Jenus ordered.

 

Naleena was back to her old self again and turned to Jenus. "I got this."

 

She hit her communicator and used the call signs they'd worked out prior to the mission. Ferro's nickname because of her aviator glasses, and Naleena because of her excessive use of her cloak. "Ghost to Shadez, Ghost to Shadez do you copy?"

 

"Shadez, here. Go ahead, Ghost."

 

"See you at the EZ."

 

"Copy that. At EZ in 10. Shadez out." Ferro replied.

 

Naleena turned to Ereba and nodded. Ereba hit the detonator.... twice. Nothing happened.

 

"I put enough Semtex in that room to blow up a small building!" Ereba said. "Something must be blocking the signal."

 

"Probably that ship," Iole replied. "I got a splitting headache. If it can f*ck with our minds It might be able to block a signal."

 

Jenus took out the backup detonator relay and glanced at Naleena.

 

Naleena nodded.

 

Jenus hit it. The signal went up to the Janiri and got a boost via its tight beam and back to the facility. A thunderous explosion rocked the computer facility and the team felt the ground shock wave.

 

*****

 

The Janiri

 

"We have just received the detonation signal from the team," VERA said. "I have boosted it and returned it via tight beam as required by mission parameters. I would suspect that the Batarians are now aware of our position. However, if we remain in stealth mode detection will be difficult with passive sensors."

 

Commander Selani sighed. "I just wanted ten more minutes. It doesn't matter. The Batarians will use active scans. Find that MIP and let's get them out of there. Battle stations!"

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Essul had brought  the APC around to the shack.

 

"Anika! Tallis! Lay down suppressing fire," Naleena ordered. "Everyone into the APC! Let's move people!"

 

Ereba had climbed atop the shack and was laying prone sniping the Batarians on the hillside that  were firing down on the team.

[Cknarf]

"FUUUUUUCK YEAH! THAT MAKES MY DICK HARRRRRRRRRRRRRRD!" Johnny remarked as the explosives detonated. "LIKE A ROCK!" He punched his fists together, entering full Marine mode. The next hostile was getting consecutive headbutts until someone's brain fell out, even if it was his. "GET SOOOOOOOMMMMEEE AHHHHHHHHHH!"

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena had taken cover behind the corner of the building and was laying down suppressing fire with her Locust. Then as the team withdrew to the APC and was boarding she stopped.

 

Anika's armor sights did a great job of integrating with her typhoon and picking out individual targets, and she was able to really keep them pinned down and took out a couple forcing them to retreat behind a rock outcropping on the hillside.

 

Naleena reached inside her coat and pulled out an incendiary grenade, pulled the pin, tossed it in the middle of the vehicles, turned and walked toward the APC. The pools caught fire and the white phosphorus in the grenade superheated the fuel tanks resulting in several explosions just about the time she reached the APC, debris flying around her.

 

Spoiler

 

She climbed aboard, and Essul drove toward the extraction zone.

[Kel Riever]

Tallis had been alternating fire with Anika, using the Hellbringer usually assigned to Iole between bursts.  It's high pitched whine wound down as she beat the hasty retreat, not without a smirk on her face at the suddenly adrenalin driven human.

Jenus looked at her backup detonator with what must have been admiration.  "Let's hope the rest of this plan works," she said before ordering anyone else left aboard the APC.  To Ferro, Jenus jibed, "You fly like sh*t, Ferro.  Get us out of here."

[Kel Riever]

Stranded on a satellite

Serafina felt awful and Jess' reaction hurt, not that she didn't deserve it.   But she put those thoughts aside as hers and her Captain's life were on the line.  Fina knelt down on the surface of the satellite.

"All right, there are ways out, we have to pick one."  Fina opened her case.  "It's bad, I know.  But someone is coming to look for us.  So, we have...us, and whatever comes in our suits, this case, which has a backup power supply for me...it's strong for a system but it isn't going to power a craft."  Serafina's coppery helmet turned up to Jess, "And while its likely to get us killedl, we have what is on the satellite."

Fina sighed nervously.  "There are two ways I see us dealing with this:  Either by a small miracle we get the MIP back online, or at least have it floating.  But whether we do or not, the second way is we have to get a signal out to boost with our location.  I know, we're deep in space.  Nothing puts out that signal with enough power.  So either way, power is our first issue.  We tap the satellite, and, well, I don't think we have the gear for that.  It would be a jury rig and if we got it wrong, we'd be dead before we knew it.  Blown to pieces by electricity.  We figure it out, of course, and it is the best power supply around.

"Then we decide about the MIP or boosting the signal from our own suits.  Well, or the satellite itself.  But the satellite could be problematic again.  I'd have to get in there with the programming...maybe..."  Serafina thought to herself.  "Let's leave it as an option if we can't think of something else.  Repairing the MIP, I see it, it's, I'm sorry, it's a primitive little thing. In a good way.  I don't think the onboard systems were any more complex than an omni-tool, and we have those.  Just not programmed for...flying a spacecraft.  But all we need to do is push off this thing, get the life support of the MIP reactivated...then we can program what we need which will take time.  Of course, we'd have to somehow jump start the battery of the MIP for power..."

Serafina wrung her hands, even with her Explorer suit gloves on.  "We still need com.  Putting out a signal.  I'm sorry, I'm talking all over the placed." She tried to calm herself a bit,  "We pick, use our suits, a somehow partially restored MIP, or this satellite to boost and get a signal out for our location, betting that the Janiri will receive it.  And for that we pick a power source, the power packs of our own suits, and/or the spare battery I brought...or the satellite's power itself.  What do you think, Captain?"

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

The Batarians had followed in their own APC and were beginning to pile of them beginning to assault the team as they climbed aboard the shuttle.

 

"Ferro, give them something to think about. Fire that laser," Naleena ordered as she stood at the door counting heads as people boarded.

 

"Already on it, Ma'am," Ferro replied.

 

The Batarians were pressing in hot and Ferro fired at the hit the one APC and fired at the approaching one, but missed.

 

"Preparing for dust off," Ferro said. "We're leaving."

 

Naleena climbed aboard and did another count. "Ereba. Where's Ereba?"

 

"We can't wait," Ferro protested. "They're closing in fast. They're bringing in aerial support, gunships."

 

"Then try comms. 5.8 peta Hz," Naleena said. "No one gets left behind," and she grabbed the comm. "Specialist Danri, this is Ghost leader. Do you copy?" She repeated it several times.

 

....static.... static..... "Specialist ....ri... ... down. My signal."

 

"Fly back to the shack, Sergeant." Naleena ordered and tapped on the VI to home in on that signal.

 

"Yes, Ma'am."

 

"We'll pick her up then jump to orbit," Naleena said. "No member of my team is going to end up in a camp."

 

Ereba's  signal kept getting stronger. Unfortunately the Batarians were picking it up, too. Iole set up the Hellbringer on the mount in the door with a fresh load of thermal clips.

 

"I have her on visual," Ferro said about half-way back. "Batarian gunship approaching and launching missiles."

 

The anti-missile system took care of the missiles, and Ferro fired the lasers at  the gunship without a targeting solution and missed, but it was  enough to cause the  pilot concern. She wasn't fully trained on the shuttle weapons systems.

 

"Take us in." Naleena opened the hatch. Iole began laying down some covering fire as Naleena jumped down and ran over to the wounded commando and threw her arm around her shoulder and walked back double time to the ship with her. 

 

"I knew you guys would come back," she said as Jenus and Tallis helped her aboard.

 

Naleena climbed aboard. "Lock it up and get us out of  here!"

 

The shuttle took off to its 1000 meter minimum with gunships in pursuit firing missiles, then Ferro hit the FTL, and in seconds they were on approach to the Janiri.
 

[Cknarf]

Sanves

 

Frank was tinkering with the epic QEC, when it flashed with a call notification. He accepted it immediately.

 

“Spectre Gavian?”

 

“Nope!”

 

“Frank Eli...” The salarian’s eyes narrowed.

 

Frank squinted at the hologram. The facial structure was very... familiar. He’d seen this salarian somewhere before, maybe not in person, but a photo perhaps. Where, he just couldn’t place…

 

F***.

 

While he had never actually met Yalson Sao, he had most definitely met his daughter....

 

“Hey… Sao. What’s uh… what’s goin’ on? Heh… How’s Isaan?”

 

God, why did I just ask that...

 

“I figured you would know.”

 

“No, I havent--”

 

“Oh, that’s right! You haven’t spoken to her since your last ‘visit’, have you?”

 

“I...”

 

“Didn’t think I knew about that, did you?”

 

“I mighta had a feelin’...”

 

Sao crossed his arms.

 

“Look, man. Nothin’ happened, alright? It wasn’t nothin’ sexual, I swear. Okay, so mayyyyybe just a little--"

 

“That’s enough!”

 

“Tell me somethin’ Sao, do all salarians have tongues like that, or is just the females?”

 

“Watch yourself, Eli, or you’re liable to witness firsthand what happens when a spectre exercises his authority to the fullest extent.”

 

“What are you gonna do, send some of your old STG boys after me? Pffft.” Frank scoffed.

 

“Of course not.” Sao waved a hand. "I’ll come for you myself.”

 

Frank didn’t have a response for that one.

 

“My people as a whole may be viewed as soft--”

 

Frank snickered. Salarians were, in fact, the softest he had ever felt.

 

So smooth...

 

“...and weak. I can’t say I disagree. However, those in positions such as mine more than make up for that. We are capable of inflicting pain on a scale far greater than anything you could possibly begin to imagine…”

 

“So… stay away from Isaan and we’re good, yeah?” Frank shrugged. “I mean, I kiiiinda got a woman now, so…”

 

“That didn’t seem to bother you a few minutes ago.” Sao shook his head. “Impersonating a spectre, simply to explore other possibilities. Pathetic.”

 

Frank just shrugged.

 

“But no, I don’t want you to stay away from my daughter. I want-- I need you to do the exact opposite.”

 

“So... is that like, your blessing, or nah?”

 

Sao sighed.

 

“Shortly before you arrived on Illium, I had successfully negotiated a reproduction contract with a rather prominent family…”

 

“Gross.”

 

“And thanks to you, she absolutely refuses to cooperate. The family is growing impatient… only because of my status as a spectre have they waited so long.”

 

“Aww. She’s still waiting for me.” Frank chuckled. “Even though I totally said that was a terrible idea. I thought for sure I’d be dead by now...” He spaced out a bit, looking back at all of the near misses.

 

“As did I. Unfortunately, I thought wrong.”

 

Frank frowned.

 

“Your C-SEC record indicates previous involvement with both Marius and Quintus Gavian.  The fact that you are with Daliax now, confirms that you are still associated with them.  Considering their base of operations was located in Nos Astra, I can only assume that you will be returning there in the near future.”

 

“So... you want me to like, ‘break it off’?”

 

“Precisely.”

 

“Well sh*t, that ain’t no thang.”

 

“I suggest you do so without upsetting her any further. Your life may very well depend on it. Sao out.”

 

“Hey, wait a minute here, I--”

 

The call ended. Moments later, another came in, and Frank answered. It was Sao again.

 

“Yo.”

 

“I need to speak with the spectre. Send her in, will you?”

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

“Absolutely not.”

 

“Oh, but you can show up unannounced, wreck my garden, and sell me nine hundred thousand credits worth of weapons, that I don’t even NEED,  and I’m cool with it, but if I ask you to borrow your ship for an undetermined amount of time, all while you get to stay at my beautiful home, I’m asking too much? I don’t think you could be a bigger a**hole even if you tried!” Daliax threw up her hands.

 

“I’m pretty sure I could…” Marius laughed, while examined his talons.

 

“Fine. Have it your way.” Daliax put her hands on her hips, and assumed a rather heroic stance. “Marius Gavian, you have left me no choice but to invoke my full authority as a council spectre, or something, and seize command of your ship...”

 

“Yeah, still not happenin’.” Marius laughed. What power does a spectre have over someone with no regard for the law? Absolutely none. “You might be able to bludgeon your way through protocol with that garbage, but that 'spectre authority' sh*t isn't going to work on me.”

 

“It’s not going to work on anyone else ever again, either!” Daliax dropped to her knees. There was a rather grotesque crunchy sound as she did so. “Marius… my brother… please… they’re going to relieve me of duty if you don’t help me!”

 

Marius crossed his arms, and looked away.

 

“That means no more endless funds for weapons I don’t nee-eeeed…”

 

Marius thought for a moment.

 

"Pleeeeeeease?"

 

"Alright, fine."

 

“Oh, thank the spirits!” Daliax hugged his legs.

 

“But I’ll be damned if you’re commanding anything.” Marius looked down at his sister. "My ship, my rules."

 

“I… aw, f*** it. It doesn’t matter. As long as I’m mobile, they shouldn’t give me a hard time. You’re the best, little brother!”

 

“Yo. There’s some pr*ck on the QEC askin’ for ‘the spectre’.” Frank raised an eyebrow at the sight before him “Ya’ll know where I can find one of those?”

 

Daliax scrambled to her feet. Or tried to. She dropped down to one knee again, rising only with assistance from Marius.

 

“It’s Sao, isn’t it?” She asked, as she hobbled along, legitimately this time.

 

Frank nodded.

 

“I’ll have to tell him the good news!” She almost toppled again, but caught Frank’s shoulder. “Wait… you were in my comm room?”

 

“Did you need help with that, or…?” Frank changed the subject, referring to her leg.

 

“Nah, I’m good.” Pushing off, she continued on.

 

“What good news? About Quintus?” Frank asked, walking up to Marius.

 

The turian shook his head.  There was a crashing sound in the next room, followed by a loud “son of a b*tch!”

 

“I don't know if I'd call it good news...” Marius sighed, looking in the direction of the sound.

 

“I’m okay!” Daliax's voice echoed from the other room.

[Cknarf]

Still coming down from a massive combat high, Johnny pulled his soggy balaclava off, and set it aside before letting his head thunk against the shuttle's interior hull. He closed his eyes, and breathed, trying to bring his heart rate down, and back towards its resting average of 50 bpm. His head was kind of sore, as were his knuckles.  Feeling at his chest plate, he discovered several block shavings embedded in the first two layers of armor.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Vayne had done his best to lay down volley after volley of fragmentation grenades during his time covering, and he was more then happy to get in the shuttle and dust off. As Ereba got in, he looked to the commandos.

 

"We get the data and stuff?" He asked, a slow smile growing on his face as he did a head count, "We all made it?" He asked rhetorically, before he clapped his hands together, grinning from crest to crest as he looked between the group.

 

"We actually did it. We pulled it off without a damn casualty..." He said, aboslutely jovial that they managed to pull the victory from the jaws of defeat. He'd been scared when they got spotted, he really did. But they'd pulled it off, and now the batarians base was nothing but a pile of burning slag.

 

Some however weren't celebrating. Essul's eyes were fixed on the doors, or rather the last sight as the doors had closed, the facility burning in the distance. He lowered his gaze as he looked to his own hands, a slight tremor in them as he though to himself.

 

How many soliders had died in that engagement? How many scientists? How many average caste workers had lost their lives in a place like this? Or would lose their lives in the ensuing witch hunt to find out how this assault could have happened?

 

Essul kept his mouth shut and his head down as his hands clenched into fists, knowing the answer full well.

 

Too many had died. And there wasn't a damn thing that could have been done to stop it. He had a sinking feeling he was going to have to get used to this, from now on.

[Kel Riever]

On the Medusa

Captain Meliti and her small entourage of two other crew members came aboard the Medusa on a standard Republics Scythe.  Morgan never liked the lower capacity on the asari version of the Kodiak, but if there was no fighter cover, the extra maneuverability always was a bonus.  His thoughts on the shuttle were shoved aside, though, as the Captain briskly stepped out onto the hangar deck to meet with Morgan.  He'd only asked Dahlia and Dogger to be in attendance, in the event the information shared was sensitive.  And in that regard, Morgan had made a good call.

Militi wasn't what you would call an attractive person, not in appearance and not in attitude, though if someone had a thing for a hard look, then maybe Militi was just the type.  She wore a navy uniform, comfortable, pristine, and invoking of her status. 

"Welcome aboard, Captain."  Morgan would have made the greeting warmer but he already saw that Militi was on edge.  Captain Militi walked right up to Morgan, then unapologetically glanced to Dahlia and Dogger.  "You can speak to these officers as you would speak to me."

Now a bit closer than would be typical of a formal discussion, Militi spoke with that edge in her tone.  "There's a Captain Stone commanding this ship, isn't there?  Can she not be bothered to speak to me herself?"

Morgan felt the asari was baiting him with a raw assertion of what she considered to be her authority.  Again, Morgan let it bypass him, and he replied in a calm, but firm way, "Captain Stone is conducting her own business.  If you want to speak to people in the know, speak to us, or of course, you could wait for her return."

The respectful but unmoving response had Militi come off her aggression somewhat.  "I don't have time to wait and I don't have time to inspect your ship, not unless this is going to lead to some sort of problem.  I am well aware that your ship and crew are in agreement to work with Spectre T'Sarius.  But there's been trouble, and more than it's typical fair share of it, in the Terminus Systems and I need to know thing about where this ship has been and what you've seen.  It could be that another Spectre's life is on the line, if you care about the Spectres."

Now the ploy was to pull at sympathy.  Which Morgan did have, but he wasn't going to fall for it like a trap.  "I want to help," He said, not dishonestly, "And I will, without violating the agreements in place with Naleena.  Now what has three Republics frigates threatening this ship every which way it can?  What's gone so wrong that you'd come aboard to speak to me yourself?"

Militi was not direct with the first part of her answer.  "A face to face conversation can be more convincing, and I can be an excellent judge when it comes to seeing if someone is telling me the truth."  It was possible that Militi could read his expressions better, but Morgan suspected it had more to do with making sure that the conversation wasn't overheard by everyone.  Then Militi gave up what she was looking for. "There is another Spectre, Xanthe Remi, that you've dealt with in the past.  She was investigating and keeping a tab on events in the Terminus Systems.   Some of what she did was deep work, gone for long periods of time, but with a reliable schedule of communication.  Has she contacted you or anyone aboard recently?"

Shaking his head slightly, Morgan said, "No, not recently.  I would think you'd ask Naleena about her, through the normal channels, as they've had more direct dealings than we have.  She's gone missing?"

"Not missing, just out of communication.  It was possible in her investigation that she'd seek T'Sarius resources, including the Medusa.   I understand T'Sarius and Remi have exchanged certain information, though I am not privy to what.  The point is, we'd like to re-establish communication with her, even though it is likely that her mission predicates her silence with us at this stage."

"You lost her."

Militi's jaw shifted.  "We did not lose anyone.  We lost communication, which we expect to be re-established.  In the meantime, yes, we cover all angles and we do not take lightly the unexpected lack of contact from a Spectre.  Is that a sufficient enough explanation for you?"

Morgan spoke softly, but his words carried weight.  "Forgive me.  But if you aren't privy to the information exchanged, or who or what she was more specifically investigating, how can you know that her lack of contact warrants this level of trouble?"  He barely let the blow land, when Morgan added nicely, "And how can we find a way of helping you?"

There was a glare from Militi, then her aggression retreated.  "I've heard enough.  You know nothing, of that I am clear.  We will be leaving immediately.  If you are contacted by Remi, I must demand by Council authority that you reach me immediately.  Best wishes in your work with T'Sarius."  Then just as briskly as she'd arrived, Militi about faced and returned to her Scythe with her entourage for launch.

Watching Captain Militi leave, Morgan gave a look to Dahlia.  It wasn't an incredible leap for either of the two to figure out something very bad had happened with Xanthe Remi.
 

[Kel Riever]

Team Boom

Iole sat next to Ereba and said to her, "Not bad, kid."  Tallis noticed Essul and just gave him a very gentle nudge with her elbow in sympathy.

Jenus paused in her congratulations.  She didn't like what had happened to the team, or even to Naleena.  Jenus herself hadn't had much happen to her other than her unexplained sweating and body stress, but she was much more weirded out by the reactions of her companions.  In fact, it took her a while to notice her own stare falling on Naleena, who she had no love for, but who'd seemed to experience the worst of the reaction.  When Naleena caught her stare, Jenus pulled away, and it was clear she wasn't exactly certain the Spectre was really okay.  But as was Jenus' way, she always could focus on something else to distract her.  And in this case, she joined her team in congratulations to what might be an unexpected recipient.

"I'd like to give a thanks to the newest and most brain damaged member of our team, Johnny!  Nice way to rip it up back there, hairface."  Jenus grabbed a handhold and came over to the marine, then balanced herself and, without concern, reached down to try and help get Johnny's chest plate loose.  "I can appreciate that kind of crazy, man.  Come on, let's get that wrecked plate off you.  Might want to save this one and hang it over your bunk.  I'd add the words, 'My Dick Is THIS Hard' over it."

Then Jenus had herself a good laugh.

[Cknarf]

Johnny's face suddenly felt a little warm. Still, the shy marine allowed something just short of a chuckle to escape. Naturally, he inspected himself after the plate came off. Upon seeing everything was good to go, he took it in his hands for a closer look.

 

"Maybe I'll do that." He shook his head, smiling down at his armor.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Vular System/Above Erszbat

 

Naleena's shuttle began its approach to the Janiri, and flashed it's IFF over LOS comm. "This is Sergeant Ferro requesting permission to dock. Alert med-bay. We have wounded."

 

"Permission granted," Commander Selani said. "Use emergency approach vector epsilon. The Batarian cruiser Aratoht and elements of their third fleet are rapidly closing on our position."

 

VERA had been scanning the satellite for human life signs using the enhanced forward sensors. "Commander, I have them, but I cannot get their exact location. It will be  difficult."

 

"Prepare to move in as soon as the shuttle is aboard," Selani ordered.

 

****

 

Captain Dran'arrk of the Aratoht had the Janiri on his battle map and also a small craft approaching it, but they were still out of range. The ship was of unknown configuration and did not put out any IFF signal. Pirates? No. They don't have anything this sophisticated. Alliance? Too fancy. Asari? Too distant.  He sent his faster frigates ahead to flank. The ship was in between frigate and cruiser size and their sensors just detected that the small craft docked with it. Probably the group that sabotaged the base.

 

"Move in and target their engines. Open hailing frequencies," the captain ordered. "This is Captain Dran'arrk of the Aratoht. You are in violation of Batarian space.  Prepare to be boarded or be destroyed."

 

****

 

"I have the Batarian captain on hailing frequencies, Commander," VERA said.

 

"Maintain silence and close in on that satellite," Selani ordered. "How long to intercept?"

 

"Five minutes," pilot Jorril replied.

 

"Lower grapple," Selani said, "VERA, where exactly are the two humans?"

[TheMajonese]

As if they were still engaged in combat with the batarians, Arian reloaded his Typhoon with a new thermal clip, his movements looked practiced, as if between the missions, he was doing nothing else than reloading this gun. He didn't pay much attention to Johnny or Jenus. Sooner or later he was probably going to find out what happened on their end during the mission, whether he liked it or not.

 

Unlike most of the others, Arian didn't feel any relief or joy about the successful mission. Not for the first time he was asking himself what he was doing here. It wasn't the social isolation that he had put himself in, he couldn't care less about that. But even as the soldier that he was he felt out of place. Especially the decisions that had been made during the last two missions hadn't improved his trust in the team and its leaders. Of course Arian could just open his mouth and speak out loud what he was thinking but he doubted that it would really matter. He was just another soldier, supposed to wield a gun and yell at his team members during the heat of battle.

 

He cast a glance at Ereba and then looked at Naleena. His helmet hid the look on his face and his twitching mandibles as well and after a few moments he returned to pretending to be a statue, something he was actually really good at. Being invisible would have been preferable over being a statue but it was hard for a turian of 2.30 meters height to completely disappear, especially in the confined space of a transport shuttle. 

[Redbelle]

Jess calmed down to let Serafina's words sink in and she huffed in annoyance. "Oh that's easy. We butcher the Satellite. Dang it all that the MIP's out of action, we don't need the added problems of reduced suit ability.... If the Janiri swings by we'll just tell them to blow it up on the way out. At this rate I imagine things are probably a bit tense....". Looking back, Jess ran her eye's over the MIP. Walking over, she placed a hand against the frame and gently pushed.....

 

The MIP resisted at first, then as Jess applied a small but constant force to the hull, the MIP's struts rose up off the hull as it began moving in the direction Jess was pushing. She stopped, and held onto it to arrest it's motion. "Well, the mag locks are down so we won't have a problem getting it off the shuttle.... And luckily there's a solid fuel backup in case you need to go super fast so it's not like we're completely out of thrust. The only problem is, once you ignite it, it keeps going till it burns out and once it's gone, we'll be locked on the course and heading unless something comes to pick us up.....". Jess thought for a moment. "Like as not the charge fried the connections linking relays to the systems. If we can jury rig a work around we can get manoeuvring back. The engine ignition systems will be trickier to get at.... someone figured they'd bury them under most of the design so we'll have to start with the main board and hope the damage internally isn't as bad..... If it is? Well..... we'll be cracking open this thing to get to the rest of the circuit's".

[Kel Riever]

Serafina checked her estimated air and power supply.  "We don't have to compromise the satellite," she responded at first, and she felt her heart sink further.  "it's my mistake, I can correct this problem."

Static electricity wasn't necessarily Fina's mistake, in fact it could hardly be further from the truth.  But that was what was going through her mind as she began to take the battery pack from the case and connect it with her own suit.  "The little pod wasn't meant to be detected, so we need some sort of system to signal anyway, right?  We simply won't use the satellite, which could be a fast way to get us killed anyway."  Serafina watched the power meter on her own suit max out, and she stifled a sad sigh.  It wasn't going to do her any good.  "I'm sorry, I should have made some sort of better backup plan, Captain.  But you are an engineer and you know your vessel.  I can handle whatever programming we need to for the maneuvering...either way, we can do what you say but we don't have a lot of time.  I'm going to fire off a burst here that I can only hope the Janiri will pick up.   It will if she knows the right place to look, which she should."

The coppery sphere of Serafina turned towards Jess.  Fina activated her omni-tool and after a few typed instructions, the omni-tool glowed brighter somewhat, then faded before she turned it off.  "The signal is away.  Hopefully the Janiri will receive our location, whether we're stuck on this satellite or away on the MIP.  We can do a burst like that one more time."

What Serafina didn't tell Jess was that to make the signal sent in any way readable, with the small power scale of her suit, she'd had to have used the battery in her case, plus a significant amount of extra power from her own suit.  Life support for Serafina was half of what it was supposed to be.  She knew what she was doing.  Serafina wasn't going to be the person responsible for the Captain being stranded in space, to die, if she could help it.  Even if it meant her own sacrifice.

It was her fault anyway, Serafina thought.  It was only right.  The Captain needed to get back.  Serafina could be replaced.  

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

VERA picked up the signal from Serefina. "I have their exact location. Uploading their coordinates to the helm."

 

Jess and Serafina waited inside the MIP as the Janiri approached, fired its reverse thrusters and came to a stop directly over their position. They felt the grapple grab hold of the capsule and Jorril tapped his controls pulling the MIP inside the cargo bay where the quartermaster's team stood by to receive the passengers.

 

As Jess  emerged from the capsule she saw a face that looked familiar: the teen they'd rescued from the Drowned Aspire cult on Duellos in her maintenance coveralls. Zenon remembered Jess. She was 16 now and had a special dispensation to be a member of the crew.

 

"Welcome aboard, Captain Stone," Zenon said with a smile.

 

****

 

Naleena left the team's celebration and headed up to the CIC. She expected things to get hot, and her flashing omni-tool confirmed it. The lights were dimmed in red alert with everyone scurrying about and people at their battle stations. When she arrived Commander Selani was at the battle map looking at  three frigates closing in on their flanks.

 

"What's the situation?" she  asked.

 

"The Batarians have hailed us and ordered our surrender," she replied. "I have ignored their hail. With everyone aboard we're setting a course out of the system. Harsa? or back the way we came?"

 

"VERA?"

 

"Using the relay system will give the Batarians a trail. There only one other cluster with a relay within a reasonable travel time, and that is the Artemis Tau cluster. That could implicate the Alliance," she replied. "However, it is likely that due to other security and visual means on the ground that the Batarians will suspect Council origin despite the fact that the Council has never made any aggressive move like this."

 

"Take us through Harsa and to the relay, Commander." Naleena said. "... Let's try to avoid engaging the Batarian fleet."

 

"Aye aye, Captain," Selani replied. "Come about. All ahead flank. Prepare to jump."

 

One of the Batarian frigates fired a shot across the bow, another was moving in to block their path, and the cruiser had come into range. Commander Selani looked over at Naleena.

 

Naleena slammed the palm of her hand on the rail. "VERA, shut it down."

 

"Already on it, boss," she replied.

 

The battle map display showed the frigate accelerating directly into the path of their oncoming cruiser. The Janiri reached minimum speed for jump and engaged FTL at about the time the cruiser scramble to narrowly miss their own vessel.

 

"The Batarian cyber warfare defenses are practically non-existent," VERA noted and lit a cigarette in victory.

 

The journey to Harsa in Kite's Nest took 12 hours with their arrival in the system being as close to the mass relay as possible. The Janiri ignored all Batarian patrols and sped through the mass relay with its destination as The Citadel. The Batarians would be able to track the ship, not that it would matter.

 

The Janiri emerged in the Serpent Nebula, Widow Relay, a mere two hours from the Citadel, slowed to normal approach speed, and made contact with the tower.

[Kel Riever]

Serafina had been working on the MIP until it became evident that the Janiri was on its way, which really wasn't until the vessel appeared very quickly out of space.  It was a moment of rejoicing, though it was mostly subdued to the issue of life support.  Serafina did with upraised arms, until she took her seat on the MIP and waited for their pickup.

"A quick pickup would be best," Serafina's last words over the com went out to the Janiri, though it looked like the ship was wasting no time.  Captain Stone might have said something, but Fina simply nodded slightly as a response, even though Jess couldn't see her in the rear seat.  They hadn't gotten the MIP powered, and so the hope that the pod's backup life support would kick in was out of the picture.

A shame since Serafina had underestimated the power she had left in her suit for her own life support after sending the signal to the Janiri.

When the MIP was taken aboard, and Jess got out, Serafina reached to open her canopy but her fingers never made it to the handle before she passed out.
 

[Cknarf]

Janiri medbay, earlier.

 

Johnny sat on one of the tables in the medbay, as the doctor examined him. One of Tolus’ many assistants was bandaging his hand.

 

“Mild concussion. No need to worry.” Dr. Tolus shook his head.

 

“Nobody wins with a headbutt.” Johnny shrugged.

 

“I beg to differ.” Chuckled the ship’s cook, as several of the medical team looked him over for reasons unknown.

 

“All you need now is some rest.” The doctor focused briefly on his datapad. “And a complete physical examination. It appears as though you haven’t received one since boarding the Janiri.”

 

“It’s been less than a month since my last one.” Johnny informed him. Physicals were quite frequent in the Alliance, especially for biotics.

 

“Yes yes, I am aware. But so much has happened since then, wouldn’t you agree?”

 

“Alright, doc. You know what’s best.”

 

“Excellent.” Tolus smiled. He looked to his assistant “Sara?”

 

“Sir?”

 

“I have more serious matters to attend to. Take this one for me, will you?”

 

“O-of course, sir.”

 

Johnny removed his shirt, and the young assistant froze. He ditched the pants as well, prompting a good number of the medical staff to stop what they were doing and gawk.

 

“Ma’am?” He asked her, as she stood silently. He didn’t get a response. “Hey Doc… uh…”

 

“Sara! I asked you to give Daniels a physical, did I not?” Tolus scolded as he approached. “Sara? Oh, for the love of…” He seized her gently by the arm, and directed her away. Looking around at the rest of the staff, he noticed that they weren’t exactly focused on their jobs. “We’ll just go by the last physical in your medical record, alright?”

 

Johnny nodded, and began getting himself dressed.

 

“What are you all standing around for? Get back to work!”

 

Tolus received a bombardment of ‘yes sir’s’ from the staff.

 

“If you have any concerns, feel free to contact me via omni-tool.” The doctor said before walking off. Johnny felt as though it was more of a request than a suggestion.

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

 

Later… or, now, I guess.

 

Johnny sat at a table in the mess, and poked at… whatever the hell Grag had prepared for him. As ugly as it was, it actually tasted pretty good.

 

Although he was still a little sore, he was feeling good enough to go out and explore the Citadel. His first thought was to meet up with Friday, and the rest of his old squad, but their shore leave had ended a while ago...

 

Maybe he’d tag along with some of the others, and get to know them a little better? Or... he could always go it alone, and get some shopping out of the way.  All those years of nothing but BDUs… the relaxed uniform restrictions were most definitely a welcome change.

 

Johnny was finding it hard to decide. It was either lonely shopping, or awkward socialization. Both options sucked equally, as far as he was concerned. For now, swirling at the mush on his plate, and reading over details from the last mission would have to do.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena was exhausted. After quickly visiting with the team in the locker room and telling them "good work" she retired to her quarters for a shower and some sleep. She assumed Anika would be along shortly, and she was unaware that Jess was aboard the ship. She'd put off sleeping as long as she could trying to get the visions out of her head: visions of events long past and from which she'd moved on. Now they were like they'd happened yesterday.

 

After her shower, she put on her full length terrycloth spa robe, poured a drink, lit a cigarette and stood watching the fish.

 

"VERA, hold my calls, Council or otherwise," she said. "Except for Anika... and only if she is alone."

 

"Is everything alright, Boss?"

 

"I don't know, really," Naleena replied, taking a sip of her ambrosia. "There are things in this galaxy that are more powerful than you or I. During the mission, one of them touched my mind."

 

"The reaper."

 

"Yes."

 

"What did it want?"

 

Naleena took a drag from her cigarette. "I think it was searching for a weakness."

 

VERA's forehead creased with concern. "Did it find one?"

 

"I hope not," Naleena replied. "It awakened memories I'd put behind me. Well, the thoughts were still there, but it brought the vivid memories back to the fore, like they were happening. Then it said 'we are the vanguard of your salvation through your ascension.' The same things the indoctrinated preacher was saying on Omega. This can't be a coincidence. What is this ascension? And the Drowned Aspire were doing horrible things influenced by the Collectors under the guise of saving their people from the coming apocalypse, and the Collectors were servants of the reapers. This is nightmare stuff.

 

"But I have to stick to the facts in my report to The Council, otherwise they'll think I've lost my mind. I can't discuss my experience with them other than the fact that the entire team felt ill. They'll write it off as gas or something mundane. Anyway, I need some sleep. My report can wait."

 

VERA was concerned and remained on standby while Naleena slept.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Vayne made his way to the mess hall to go talk with the cheif, grinning like a fool as he walked up to the man.

 

"Hey, you got any good liquor back in that kitchen? Looking for something nice to celebrate." Vayne said, relieved that they were out of batarian space and back near the citadel, a sentiment he didn't think he'd ever had felt personally.

 

Their missions lately had been one success after another. And after the nasty streak they had before, it felt good for things not to go ****** up in the last second. Vayne felt like showing his appreciation for the new team and their success, and he'd be damned if he went to the citadel to get it.

 

After the last few times of getting ambushed, team mates getting kidnapped, and whatever the heck the Medusa crew seemed to get themselves into, Vayne wasn't going to **** with that ticking time bomb waiting to happen.

 

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

 

Essul had went and gotten his painkillers, letting out a sigh as he paced inside of his room. He needed to know what was found at that base, something about it nagging the back of his head. All throughout the mission, Essul had felt distracted. Like he was zoning out half the time, loosing track of time and himself back at that base.

 

He'd said nothing about it, but an itch had begun in the back of his head that kept him from fully focusing. It was gone now, and with a clear head essul mentally reviewed everything that had gone on from his perspective.

 

Essul wanted to know what this data held. What information they had dug up within the computer systems. A base like this, it was no doubt one of the covert branches of the batarian government. Maybe...just maybe, they had information on Keter Branch. That secret section of governement and military research that set him down this rabbit hole in the first place. As fine as he was on the Janiri now, he wanted to know, to be able to close that chapter of his past.

 

He had his own report to draft, part of his new position. He left to go take care of it in his office, hoping the others had given their own info and records for him to use to help do his job, and so he could find out exactly what was found out in the systems.

 

He reached back to his head, scratching absentmindedly near the top of his scars.

[Redbelle]

The arrival of the Janiri was a welcome sight as Jess saw it quickly slide into view. The trip up to the Janiri, less so as she, Serafina and the MIP were hauled up into their shuttle bay like luggage. When it was over though, Jess found herself on solid decking and as Zenon stepped up with a grin on her face, Jess reached up to pull off her helmet, exposing a grin equally as broad.

 

"Zenon? You little minx! How did you end up on the Janiri"? Reaching behind Jess ran a gauntleted hand through her hair to shake the strands free after their confinement. "Don't tell me.... Naleena's been recruiting and woooah there girl....."!

 

Out of the corner of her eye Jess saw the bubble headed form of Serafina emerging from the MIP and Jess had just begun turning her head when she saw her body begin to slump over the side of the MIP's hull. Jess took a quick sidestep as she bet her knee's and caught her before she could fall to the decking and reaching for her suit display Jess read her vitals, oxygen levels and......

 

"Oh you crazy daft..... bint.....". She growled as she saw her suit power levels. "Think you were funny draining power from your suit"? Holding her up against her own body, Jess reached for her helmet, disengaged the seals and twisted it off before dropping it back into Serafina's seat and picked her up, laying her in her arms as she turned around.......

 

And came face to face with Anika.

 

Jess looked up at her. Looked around the shuttle bay at the wide open space, over the Zenon who looked just as surprised at the new arrival, then back to Anika.

 

"I see you haven't lost your touch with sneaking up on people".

 

"I see you haven't lost your fetish with rescuing fair damsel's". Anika smirked as she jutted her chin out at the unconscious form in her arms. "I just got told you spent time shutting down a backup network.... On a sattellite? Captain..... How many times do I have to say it? That's the kind of job you have people for".

 

Jess Hmpphed. "It was dangerous.....".

 

"Exactly"!

 

"....Which is why I couldn't ask anyone else to do it. I was the one with the experience after all".

 

Anika shook her head and sighed. "I suppose leaving the Medusa I don't get to try and talk you out of these scheme's of yours. Did you get it done"?

 

Jess smiled. "Oh aye! This system will have dodgy communications for days. Unless they can get on top of the problem. If not that Trojan is going to spread to other systems and really give the Batarian's a headache. Who knows.... Maybe cutting off centralised organisation will be good for them".

 

"You know, if a ship with that trojan heads to another system there's a chance it could spread. You know how hard it is to contain outbreaks".

 

Jess batted her eyelid's. "Why, taking down the whole system? Never crossed my mind".

 

"Sure it didn't". Anika stepped in close and reached for the back of Serafina's head. "She's sure out of it. Is she okay"?

 

Jess nodded. "Just a little to much stress I expect. That plus the fact she knew she'd be a goner before me with that stunt she pulled".

 

"She didn't tell you"?

 

Jess shook her head. "I wanted to grab parts and pieces off the satellite".

 

"And blow yourself up"?

 

"I would not have blown us up".

 

"Oh you would have".

 

"Would not".

 

"Would too".

 

"Would NOT"!

 

Anika smirk broadened. "Captain, every time you get involved in something, you usually end up in a fight, driving someone crazy, or destroying something".

 

".....not always".

 

Releasing Serafina's head slowly so that it nestled into Jess's arm, Anika reached for her Omnitool. Jess's flashed for a moment as Anika looked up at her. "I was given my own cabin in case I needed a place while Naleena was busy. I just gave you access privilege. You can both go there and rest, get freshened up".

 

Jess nodded, then looked at Anika. "And how about you luv"?

 

"I was heading to Nally's. Things got.... I'm not sure. Something weird happened and Nally and Team Boom have been acting strange ever since".

 

"Good weird or bad weird"?

 

"Just.... Weird is weird Jess".

 

Jess shrugged. "Well, when you figure it out, let me know".

 

Anika nodded, then brightened. "Could you tell Kolme, by the way. The new armour works brilliantly. I didn't have any issues breaking it in on it's first outing".

 

"Any highlights"?

 

Anika paused. ".....Not reeeeally. The new targetting setup and muscle enhancment let's me hit more accurately with reduced recoil....".

 

"That's.... Not really what your known for on the Medusa luv".

 

Anika shrugged. "New team. I need to wait and grow into the roll.....".

 

"Problem luv"?

 

"Mira had to give her job to Jenus".

 

"And that's a problem because....."?

 

Anika paused. "Jenus doesn't speak her mind and won't listen to me".

 

"Ah".

 

"Yeah".

 

"Well..... Good luck with that".

 

"Yeah......... You'd better get her in a bunk". Anika gestured to Serafina. "I'll catch you later".

 

"Look forward to it". Jess hoisted Serafina in her arms for a better grip and moved off towards the shuttle bay internal doors.

 

Anika waited for her to leave, then moved over to her armature, stripped off the black over covers she had worn and walked out of her armour, letting her armature take it as it folded her armour into it's body leaving Anika in her white jumpsuit. Her armature warbled something and Anika shook her head. "No, no major damage. The barrier's held up. Just give it a once over". She said as she reached out to pat it's outer shell. "Maybe next time you can come with me".

 

The armature's legs shifted as it's head nodded vigorously causing Anika to smile. "Okay, I'm going to see Naleena. I'll see you later".

 

The Armature folded it's legs underneath itself as it settled and Anika turned and left out the same door Jess had taken.

[Redbelle]

Anika took the now familiar route up to hers and Naleena's quarter's. When she arrived outside she paused, then reached for the door controls and hit open. The doors swung into their recesses and Anika stepped inside, noting the dim lighting. The doors swung shut and Anika waited, eventually hearing a rustle that had her step forward till she came in view of the bed.....

 

There she saw Naleena, curled up, wearing a robe that clung to her like a second skin. She was obviously tired, Anika thought as she silently glided up to the edge of the bed, sitting down on the empty side, she swung her legs up and gently pushed herself up to spoon her as a hand moved across the flat of her stomach.

 

Anika smiled and closed her eye's. It had been a long time since they'd just been able to relax. For now..... they had time.

[Kel Riever]

Serafina just didn't know where she was when she woke up.  She found it strange that she wasn't staring through her helmet out into space.  Then she started remembering, bit by bit as her mind reassembled what had happened.  Once she did that, in the span of the next minute, she was trying to figure out where she was.  It looked like a cabin, and she saw the Captain with her.  Instinctively, Serafina tried to get up, but the speed at which she moved caused her head to swirl and hurt, so she flopped back down, finally realizing she was on a bunk.

"Where am I?" 

The question was automatic.

With her big green eyes, Serafina looked down to see she was still in her Explorer suit, sans helmet, then she looked up at Jess, and the apologies came in rapid succession.

"I'm sorry.  I mean, I did what I thought I had to and you...I got you into trouble.  You have to think I did a terrible job.  I'm sorry, this is not how I usually operate, it's smooth sailing the whole way...you wouldn't know that, you only know I could have gotten us killed.  I...we must have been found, the signal went out...lucky...I...we couldn't have been found in time otherwise.  I understand if you want to get rid of me, really, it's not....I understand.  I should know better."

Serafina stopped herself, but mostly because her head started arguing her, rather than because she thought she apologized enough.  She took a deep breath and the free flowing oxygen of the ship made her feel somewhat better.