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[Cknarf]

Armali, Thessia.

 

The Vepr's arrival went smoothly, arriving at it's destination without issue

 

Spoiler

"What do you mean, 'or you will be fired upon'? Who do you think you are, talking to ME like that? I don't think you understand who you're dealing with. I-- oh hell no, b*tch, I know you ain't lockin' on to me!"

 

"I forgot how big of a pain in the ass this was." Daliax sighed, as the Vepr slowly crept along in the line of ships. She perked up slightly, upon passing by a certain asari vessel."Well hello there!" She leaned closer to the monitor for a better view. "I'm gonna need the name of that thing. Miiiight have to commandeer that bad b*tch later."

 

Glancing up from his omni-tool, Frank immediately rolled his eyes.

 

"Pffft. Good luck with that. That’s the CSV Janiri you’re lookin’ at." He spun in the co-pilot's seat.

 

"What?" Daliax looked back.

 

"Sao didn't send you any info on it?"

 

"No. Well, maybe... I don't read everything that crosses the desk, you know?" She shrugged, before turning back to the image. "I can't believe they gave that rookie T'Sarius command of that thing! And here I am, after 20 years of faithful service, in this fuckin'... rinky dink ass... Ugh. I've got some words for the council next time I see 'em."

 

Frank smiled the whole time Dax was complaining, as he thought of how hard VERA would troll any poor bastard who tried making off with the Janiri.

 

“What’s with the helmet, kid? You expectin’ trouble?”

 

Frank pressed at the side of the helmet, and the faceplate detracted.

 

“Better safe than sorry.” He shrugged. "I almost died last time."

 

When the Vepr broke away from the line, it was directed toward a hangar located near the center of the yard. It was clear that the size of the ship had been overestimated as it set down in the oversized structure.

=============================================================

 

For Kira, visits to the asari homeworld were few and far between. Aside from her most recent stops, only to drop and pick up the others, she hadn’t been for over a century. She was both excited, and nervous. Dressed in long, flowing robes of black, and wearing the traditional matriarchal headgear, she joined the others in the cargo bay.

 

“You goin’ to a funeral, or…?”

 

Frank’s comment was promptly ignored.

 

“Took ya long enough.” Daliax griped. “Open it up, sh*thead.”

 

Marius lowered the Vepr’s ramp. Outside, standing parallel with each side of it, were a platoon of commandos, about 20 in all. They were in formal military dress, and cradled ceremonial weapons in their arms. At the end of the line, there sat a long, black limousine. Four additional commandos accompanied it, but instead of dress uniforms, they wore heavy armor, and all but one was sporting a helmet.

 

“Damn. A limo? They really went all out this time.” Daliax chuckled, taking her first step.

 

“I believe that is intended for me.” Kira stopped her.

 

“Huh?”

 

Offering no further explanation, Kira concealed her face with an additional cloth that left only her eyes visible, and started down the ramp. The helmetless asari greeted her at the end of the line.

 

“Alright then…” A confused Daliax watched as Kira was whisked to the car, and taken away. “Still, this is nice…” She gestured at the other asari, as she hobbled her way down. The rest of the crew followed.

 

“What was that all about?” Frank asked quietly. Marius just shook his head in response.

 

Another asari appeared at the end to greet the Vepr crew. This one was far less military in appearance, and instead of a weapon, held only a datapad.

 

“Welcome to Thessia, Spectre Gavian. My name is Tahna, and I am a representative of the Citadel Council. Please, if you would come with me…”

 

======================================

 

“The scheduled upgrades were originally planned to take place over two Thessian weeks, but since your vessel is significantly smaller than we had originally expected, you’re now looking at only five to ten days of downtime.” Tahna explained, while looking at her datapad.

 

“Great.” Daliax sounded less than enthused, upset at the lack of a limousine.  She wasn’t really diggin’ the open-air, wheeled vehicle she was riding in.

 

“However, you will likely need those additional four days to recover.”

 

“What do you mean ‘recover’? I thought they were just slappin’ on some new legs?”

 

“Judging by the current state of your prosthetics, the procedure may turn out to be a bit more… invasive than we had previously thought.”

 

“Greaaaaat.”

 

“Let’s get back to the ship, shall we?” Tahna smiled.

 

“Please.”

 

“Aside from the scheduled armor, QEC, and armament upgrades, there appears to be room for additional upgrades to some of the non-critical systems within the ship. While the council was less than willing to spend any more on you than they had to, Yalson Sao insited.”

 

“I… actually had a few improvements in mind.” Adir leaned forward, and held out a datapad of his own.

 

“Excellent. I’ll be sure to pass these on.” Tahna smiled.

 

While Frank likely would have mentioned an upgrade or two, he wasn’t quite listening, as his mind was elsewhere. When the Janiri’s silhouette came into view, he became antsy.

 

“Excuse me, hey uh… Tahna, was it?”

 

“Yes?”

 

“Mind if we stop real quick?”

 

“We’re actually on a tight schedule, so I’m afraid that--”

 

“That’s all I needed to hear.” He smiled under the helmet. “See you later, old man.” He lightly elbowed Adir.

 

“What do you-- ” Adir watched in horror, as Frank hopped out of the moving vehicle.  After a less than graceful landing, accompanied by a couple rolls, he picked himself up and took off in a full sprint.

 

“Are you f*cking kidding me!?” Tahna shed her polite demeanor. “Stop the vehicle!”

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

Aboard the Janiri…

 

“Hey, Septerax!”

 

The quartermaster looked up from his work, catching only a glimpse of the red blur that flew by.

 

“Eli?” He asked himself, as the armored human in the elevator gave a thumbs up just as the doors were closing. “What in the name of…”

 

A pair of unfamiliar commandos were the next to pass by at full speed, just missing the elevator by a few seconds.

 

“VERA, where can I find Iole?” A winded Frank asked, holding the ‘door close’ button like his life depended on it.

 

“Iole Akros can be found on deck three.” VERA responded in her 'I’m totally not an illegal AI' voice.

 

“Preciate it.” Jamming the button for the crew deck, he chuckled to himself at the absurdity of the situation. Opening his omni tool, he made a few adjustments to the elevator that were sure to spare him, if only temporarily, from the inevitable asari beatdown that he had coming once the pursuing commandos caught up to him.

 

Assuming that Iole would be in her quarters, he took off again immediately after the doors opened, only to find her in the lounge… along with just about all of the other blue chicks that were assigned to the ship. He slid to a stop.

 

“Sup ladies?” He coughed, putting his hands on his knees while trying to catch his breath.

[Kel Riever]

Iole (and Jenus and Tallis and a bunch of other asari)

When Frank stepped into the room, Iole's eyes popped, and then in the best impression of a vanguard she'd ever made, Iole was across the room in an instant, grabbing Frank in a hug.

"Meeting adjourned.  Meeting adjourned," Tallis announced and grinned.

The asari started to get up and move.  One remarked, "We're 2 minutes over.  We're already on leave!"

Frank didn't notice Jenus until he got a (maybe too) hard pat on his shoulder.  It was meant to be friendly, though.  "Good move, Eli.  That's pretty sly showing up by surprise.  Made Iole's day."  She nodded his direction with encouragement.

"Hi Frank," The twins greeted as they passed.  It could have been a mistake but it sounded like they might be disappointed.

When Iole pulled away (and not after a kiss), she said, "Beans, let's get off this boat."
 

[Redbelle]

"This is completely unacceptable"!

 

To punctuate her statement, Amy threw her hands up in the air as she turned around  and ended up looking at Regina. "There's not enough room to swing a cat with a tail and leg amputation, let alone give any sense of depth on Camera. The visuals will look flat..... FLAT!!! I may be many things but FLAT is not one of them"!

 

Pausing Amy folded her arms and bit her lip in contemplation. "Okay.... There are other places. We can prospect. Go around the ship and see locations where we can make me look like a person instead of a child's portrait. I need to Mona Lisa on camera. You know the Mona Lisa? Of cause not. It's where you have your head to the camera but your body turned away slightly to side. Preferably facing the empty two thirds of the frame. You know the thirds right? Those two vertical and horizontal lines on your viewfinder? I need good composition and good composition is eye's on the upper or lower third where the vertical and horizontal meet. That's the sweet spot. I need you to make sure my face is always on that spot when we're rolling....".

 

Amy turned and scratched the back of her head. "And we need a desk.... A News Desk. With a polished surface. Plus a good sound setup. The camera I brought can do all that but it'll need setting up and maintaining. And we need a way to get our footage back home. I had problems last time....". She turned to Regina. "You'll be my ace int he hole. I'll keep everyone's attention on me. I mean, it's not like it'll be difficult. And you can find ways we can use to get our tapes back to the Citadel...... Sound good?... Good. Let's go prospect"!

[Kel Riever]

Amy Babylon had a strange way of talking, Regina had a millisecond to think while she was hauling around a new battery pack for the camera drone that would be following them and programming user level instructions into the back of the thing.  'Tapes', were the drives and 'back to the Citadel' meant a data transfer.  Unless she wanted the drives transported directly for ultra secure reasons.  That could be the case.  But Amy wasn't the only one.  Regina, an Earther, was familiar with the media's inability to get rid of old phrases, even when they didn't matter.  Her father, a stock exchange man, had reminded her that the computerized American market traded in fractions until the beginning of the 21s Century, despite fractions being a method of trade going back to gold doubloons. 

"Yes, ma'am!" Regina simply said in the most peppy of voices.  She was twenty years old, and she was going to be famous by the time she was twenty-three.  At least she was pretty sure of that.  At worst, 25 years old.  That's when you had to make it in media, otherwise you were over the hill.  Amy might have been there if she hadn't been so successful already.  Well, Amy could probably have a job until she was at least thirty five.  Thirty nine if she married right.

Regina typed the list that Amy was giving her into her Omni-tool, mid program.  She could remember the list of instructions well, but the instructions were coming fast and furious and there was no way Regina was going to forget one of them.  When Amy started walking, Regina followed, battery case over one shoulder and...miscellaneous bag of necessary items for Amy over the other.  Regina was going to develop strong calves from all of this.   Actually they were strong already.  Even more toned, though.  Which would make her look even more excellent.  Twenty three years old was possible to make it big...

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Irina

 

With tools in hand and the blessing of Septerax, Irina pushed her bike out onto the flight deck and prepared it for transport to the track by removing the last of the civilian required limiters on the machine. The Starstreamer was ready for the Class C time trials.

 

Septerax was seated at his desk going over some documents that the Navy had given him to complete. She approached. “I’ll need transport to the Armali Raceway, Septerax, and the military isn’t going to allow a civilian transport near this ship,” she said. “And… thanks.”

 

Septerax, who was about 50, put his data pad stylus down on the desk and looked up at her. “Not a problem. Look, let me give you a little advice from an old Turian. You can take it or leave it,” he said. “I can’t be covering for you and Jenus like this anymore. Word reached the commander anyway and she accepted my report with reservations. Tell your friend that there isn’t going to be a next time. Not on my flight deck.”

 

“You finished?” Irina asked.

 

“No,” Septerax said and his look softened. “I’ll loan you a shuttle. Specialist Cascian will be your pilot. She’s a mechanic and my best. She’s brilliant. One last piece of advice. Before your time trials and race, eat only human foods, not that Asari stuff even though it’s compatible. You don’t want anything that might upset your digestive system, understood?”

 

Irina smiled, antsy to get out of there. “Anything else?”

 

“Yeah, good luck. Do well. I’ve got credits riding on this.”

 

“Thanks,” Irina said, and trotted over to her bike.

 

Cascian and Irina loaded the bike onto the shuttle.

 

“So what kind of experience do you have with Starstreamers?” Irina asked.

 

“Photographic memory. I’ve studied the shop manual for the bike and can tell you how to tweak the performance of it,” the female Turian replied. “My dad raced Cisons. I was his mechanic.”

 

“Really?” Irina said. “Okay, then let’s go.”

 

Jenus jogged into the shuttle bay. “You weren’t going to leave without me, were you?”

 

“I was wondering when you’d show up,” Irina said. “Come on, give us a hand.”

[Cknarf]

“Already? But I just got here! Thought maybe I’d visit with some of the others first, you know?” He shrugged.

 

“Aw, f*** it. I didn’t just run several hundred meters through a restricted area to see those other ass wipes, now, did I?” He smiled. “I'm here for a couple weeks, anyways. C’mon, then!” Turning to leave, he saw the elevator doors begin to open…

 

F***

 

“There he is!”

 

“Get ‘em, commando!” Frank shouted, diving for cover behind a table. Surely Iole would handle them.

 

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

Kira

 

Kira rode in the back of the limo, with two of the well-armored commandos. One of them refused to look at her, and had been staring out the window the whole ride. The other, having inadvertently made eye contact at the beginning of the journey was clearly nervous about something, and fidgeting.

 

“Is something wrong, child?” Kira asked her.

 

“Huh?” The young asari practically gasped. “W-who, me?”

 

Kira nodded.

 

“I-I-I… no, of course not.”

 

“She’s scared sh*tless. That’s what’s wrong with her.” The other commented, still focused on the Armali skyline.

 

“I am not!” The nervous asari snapped.

 

“Oh, but you are.” Kira removed the cover from her face, and gave a warm smile. “And why is that, child? What has frightened you so?”

 

“You.” The other answered for her.

 

“Me?” Kira looked confused.

 

“She knows who you are.”

 

“As do many others.” Kira shrugged slightly.

 

“She knows what you are.” The other asari finally looked over. “And so do I.”

 

Kira smiled, and looked away for a moment. “And what would that be?” she asked, staring hard the boldest of her escorts, who promptly looked away. “Is there a word for what I am? A certain term, perhaps?” Her tone changed noticeably. ”What would you call someone like me, hm?”

 

The car was silent for a moment.

 

“I believe I asked you a question.”

 

The bold asari turned, and opened her mouth as if to speak.

 

“If the next word to come out of your mouth is anything other than ‘beautiful’, you and I are going to have a problem. Understand?”

 

The asari closed her mouth, and looked away again.

 

“That’s what I thought.” Kira straightened herself out. “I’ll have you know, that whatever it is that you think you might know about me, is nothing more than a vicious rumor... One that has haunted me for over eight centuries."

 

"Our briefing said otherwi--"

 

There was a hollow thunking sound as a helmet thumped against the window three times in rapid succession.

 

"Is everything alright back there?" Asked a voice over the intercom. "Hello?"

 

"E-everything is fine, ma'am."

 

Kira just smiled, before covering her face again.

[Kel Riever]

Iole

"Whah?..." Iole barely uttered before two Commandos who weren't from the Janiri came charging through the door.   One was actually rather large.

The more regular sized one shouted, in about the fastest, word collision sentence Iole could remember hearing, something like, "NotAllowedOnTopSecretVesselWithoutClearance!"

Large, and severe jaw lined, asari Commando was about to grab Frank with a very hurtful hand, when Iole stuck one foot out.  The large Commando came crashing to the floor, just short of Eli, and her own size made the fall quite hard.

"Just hold on a minute!" Iole shouted at the other one, who just from Iole's tone of voice, came to a halt.  Still thinking she wanted to get Frank, however, she tried to step past Iole after the hesitation, but then came to another, this time permanent stop as Iole grabbed her hand and slapped it hard, as if she were a horrible school girl.  "I said hold on a minute!" Iole shouted again.

Regular height Commando stumbled on words.  "I, uh, we, uh, he's not supposed to be here."

"Uugghhhh," Large, severe jaw lined, Commando on the ground groaned.

Iole then was surprised at her own protective reaction.  She offered a hand to the Commando on the ground, who shoved it away.  "I'm sorry, you caught me off guard," Iole said to both Commandos. "But it's all right.  Frank is cleared to be on the ship."

Average height asari stared at Frank in shock and a heaping of disbelief.

 

[Kel Riever]

At the hotel

Thessia was arguably the greatest center of art in the galaxy, and it was on full display at the hotel where the members of the Janiri and Medusa were staying.   Tier upon tier of magnificent architecture would take anyone's breath away if they had even the slightest appreciation for it, not just for the sheer beauty, but for the seemingly logic defying of the laws of physics as its sound structure was the epitome of delicacy in appearance.  The lobby was open to the sky, likely shielded from rain with mass effect fields, but that was a guess as the star Parnitha blazed beautifully across a slightly clouded atmosphere.  

"Welcome to the Galaxy Hotel and Spa," the VI greeted all who stepped foot into the establishment, "We're here to take care of your every need.  Galaxy Hotel and Spa notes that you have already been checked in and has made accommodations for the transportation of your luggage.  Expect to find it in your room already.  Enjoy an ocean view in your reserves suites on the West side of our building.  As a special treat, the Astella Grand Prix is here this week at the Armali Speedway.  You'll catch a great view of it from your room with appropriate magnifiers, or please access our concierge menu for tickets.  Time trials and qualifiers are being run today and tomorrow!  It is our honor to host the racers and the teams themselves!  Please understand that for this reason, our north wing is inaccessible during this time, but as a top rated hotel, the Galaxy Hotel and Spa has every one of our regular services available to you, our guest.  Ask me if you'd like to find out more."

If it wasn't clear the jetbike racing wasn't an event of mega proportions from the announcements of nearly every VI from port to hotel, or from the invasion of every advertisement on Thessia, or from the asari fans that wore some sort of paraphernalia representing their favorite racers that filled the city, then it would have been from walking into the hotel.  Seventy Eight hanging banners, one for each team of pilot and SO, hung throughout the public areas of the hotel, most in the lobby.  Each banner had a life-sized image of the pilot and SO, along with a ghost image of their bike in the background.  The two favored racer teams, piloted by Silver Specter and Terminatrix, flanked the front desk, and were posed as if staring each other down, while their SO's looked confidently at approaching guests.  

Travel up to the suites was done by an elegant, open air elevator.  With a quick sync of an omni-tool, every bit of access became seamless.  Doors opened when needed, menus popped up automatically, and the occasional live staff would happen by as if at just the right time for anything that a guest might request.  Of course the rooms were extravagant by normal standards, likely only outdone by the ambassador level rooming at the top levels meant for VIPs.  Neither were the asari unprepared for lifestyles that weren't entirely their own.  It might have come as a surprise to someone from off world, but it made sense the moment a person stepped onto Thessia.  After all, the majority of asari with partners were with someone from off world, most being turian or salarian. Despite the location of Thessia deep in Inner Council space, there was still a representation from every known species present, if in small amounts.  Even the krogan appeared to like the place, in the way krogan might tend to like them, though.  

All in all, the stay promised to be one not easily forgotten.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Irina

 

“This has been a dream, but qualifying for the Armali 200? That would just be too much,” Irina commented as she strapped into her seat.

 

“Do you think this is some kind of joy ride? Do you think you have a chance just because you can out run some unsuspecting C-sec cops on the Citadel and pull some stunt that nearly got some people killed in the hangar?” Cascian asked as she fired up the engines and lifted off. “You have no chance. But if you want to qualify for this thing you’d better follow my instructions and follow them to the letter.”

 

“Oh really?”

 

“Yeah, because in addition to getting this pile of crap ready for the race….”

 

“It’s not a pile of crap!”

 

“It’s a pile of crap!” Cascian shot back. “It’s a 2182 model. There have been tech advancements. Everyone is racing the 2186 models. But don’t worry. We’ll get her running.

 

“As I was saying…, I’ll be your best friend when you’re out on the track,” she replied with a severe look in her eyes. “I pulled some strings and got my dad’s old pit team together for you. You’ll have to pay them up front, and it won’t be cheap. Because without them, you don’t stand a chance of qualifying for sh*t. They’ll be here in a few hours.”

 

Jenus knew Turians had sticks up their asses, but this one was hard core.

 

“Turians?” Jenus asked.

 

“No, Elcor, what do you think, Service Chief?” Cascian replied, also known for being a smart ass. “Yes, I know this is mainly an Asari event. But let’s show interstellar cooperation. How about Turians pit crewing for a human? And since Sloane is the only human in the race, Ashland Energy has decided to sponsor her and provide security. I’ll bet you didn’t think of all this stuff, did you? You thought this was going to be another joy ride.

 

“What you two do in your off time is none of my business, but I need Sloane sober. They run drug tests on everyone. So no drugs and no drinking. Her reactions need to be razor sharp. The days are 27 hours long. This means don’t go by Asari time and party. I want you in the rack by 2300 hours and down her at the track by 0600. You’ll have plenty of sleep.”

 

During the flight to the race track, the shuttle flew over downtown Armali. The view of the beautiful skyline was tainted by Cascian’s lecturing about how things were going to be run during the race.

 

 “And as of this moment, Service Chief Stasia, you are as spectator. You will…,” Cascian said and paused. The light on her communicator went off. “Hold that thought… Yes…. What?.... You’re kidding me? …. I pulled the old crew together…. You know that? How did you.,.. Sonova…. Sorry…. Yes… See you in a few hours….. Love you, too. (end transmission)”

 

“Well f*** me!” Cascian said, balled her talons and slammed them on a flat spot on the control panel.

 

“What were you saying? You will….” Jenus asked with her arms folded.

 

“Never mind. It doesn’t matter,” she sighed as she guided the shuttle into its landing pattern at the racetrack. “That was the Marcus Cascian. My father. It’s his crew. He’ll be pit boss. You’re in for a real ‘treat.’”

 

Ashland security was already on site when the shuttle touched down. A skycar was waiting to take the three of them to the nearby Azure Hotel. This was a three-star hotel where most of the mechanics were staying. Like most Asari accommodations it was spotless and had a relaxing atmosphere. They served breakfast, but other than that you had to go outside to local restaurants for food.

 

Irina and Jenus shared a room on the 6^th floor with a balcony overlooking the Dilinaga River. It had a king sized bed with 800 count sheets, a bath and shower that had steam jets. Pretty basic accommodations for an Asari hotel, but not bad. This was an expensive affair for Irina, but was on her “bucket list” and what else was she doing with her money? The two unpacked and settled in for the night.

 

Two doors down, Alisa Cascian sat on the edge of her bed and prepared herself for the arrival.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena -

 

As I drove to Serrice, I couldn’t help but reflect on the peace I felt while visiting Mira. It would be very good to have her back aboard the ship. Her return got me wondering what would happen with Iole given how much she wanted to leave and be with Frank Eli. If Danri were permanently assigned, that would be possible. It would break up the team, and we’d lose a heavy hitter, but it would be possible.

 

I needed to focus my attention on Syra, and get centered as much as possible. This was not going to be an easy meeting. I’d made a number of mistakes and things were coming home to roost.

 

Serrice was different than Armali. While still a major city, it was more of a college town with the University of Serrice being its main employer. There was a lot of history here. This was where we first reached out to the stars. It was where the first interstellar drives were researched. It was from where Matriarch Dilinaga graduated. Only one of the buildings from that era still stands, and there have been extensive efforts to preserve it.

 

I parked my vehicle in the hotel’s lot. The Plaza was a quaint hotel decorated with wood instead of the metal and glass so prominent in the architecture of Armali. My appointment was at 10 00 hrs. I was tired, yet a bit wound up from the driver. I went into the bar, had a couple of drinks then headed upstairs to my room.

[Kel Riever]

Jenus

Jenus was shaking her head.  Clearly Cascian needed to pay more attention.  The model of fitness for the Janiri (well, that's one of the things Jenus considered herself, not that she was bragging or anything) wasn't about doing drugs and drinking the night before something big.  And while Jenus herself didn't care much for 'sports' that included mechanisms like jet bikes to get in the way of the natural body, mind and spirit on display, she knew that Irina loved it.  The speed was fun as a rider, too.  And what Jenus was interested in was certainly the competition.  

Plus Cascian must have thought a severe regimen was something Jenus didn't have any idea about, which was laughable in itself.  Still, it wasn't the time to set her straight on things.  Maybe Irina could use a little discipline in her life.  Jenus liked her wild, but Irina herself might take away a thing or two from Cascian out of the whole thing, using the excuse for something she loved.  Just having Red on the track was exciting.  Jenus didn't even recall another non-asari rider in any race, though maybe there was one she'd heard of in the past.  A drell?  Didn't matter.  Red was going to look great just buzzing around the track.

Iole

"I swear, Frank, Selani is going to have a stroke figuring out how those two navy personnel guards got onboard without being stopped.  Maybe VERA was doing too good a job being a Virtual Intelligence?"

Iole walked next to Frank, who'd taken her arm.  She had a thing for the leather jacket from Earth she'd purchased on the Citadel before she'd headed off to play hookie on the Vepr, and so she wore it.  It felt good, even if Thessia was a bit overwhelming, even for Iole who hadn't been born there.  All of that was forgotten as they walked into the lobby of the Galaxy Hotel and Spa though.  Not only because the hotel was amazing, but because Iole was reminded of the race.

"Let's drop our stuff off and get down to the track!" Iole whispered excitedly, as if conveying a secret to Frank.
 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena - this time by me

 

It was morning in Serrice. The bells of the university’s Campanile woke everyone at about 07 00, that was if the birds didn’t. Naleena got dressed and headed out of the hotel and walked down the street toward Syra’s office. She had plenty of time so she stopped off at a sidewalk café for a breakfast of an Asari equivalent of a croissant and an omelet. Then she downloaded a copy of the local newspaper to her pad and read it along with having a couple cups of coffee and a couple of cigarettes, and being a university town, she caught a few glares and mock coughs for the latter. The indoor area was non-smoking; she was seated outdoors. The final mock cough prompted a deep drag and huge plume of smoke exhaled in the direction of the offender causing a real cough and quick exit.

 

Soon, 09 45 rolled around and it was time to head down to Syra’s office. Syra was located in a modern twenty story building downtown that had a spacious lobby with large tinted windows that let in plenty of light for the garden inside. Naleena headed walked past the waterfall fountain to the elevator, pressed the button for the 18^th floor. The address she had was suite 1801.

 

She scanned her ID at the door’s security and Syra’s administrative assistant, Tesha buzzed her inside. Tesha wore a loose fitting purple full length Asari tunic. The office had hardwood floors and throw rugs, leather sofas, and glass tables. Tesha brought Naleena a glass of spring water which contained the natural amount of eezo that was in Thessia’s ecosystem. Consuming native foods and drinks had made Naleena experience a mild high.

 

“Matriarch Syra will be with you shortly,” Tesha said, “If there is anything else I can be of assistance with, please let me know.”

 

Naleena nodded. “Thank you,” she said, sat, and awaited Matriarch Syra.

[Cknarf]

"Let's do iiiiit." Frank agreed, even though he was travelling light. Light as in he had absolutely no luggage of any kind. It was alright, though. He had already showered once in the past 48 hours, and the armor he was wearing was more or less fresh out of the crate.  The way he saw it, he had at least another 72 before he became offensive enough for a hose down.

 

As they rode the lift up to their floor, Frank suddenly remembered that his luggage, which he had left on the vehicle when he bailed out, included a rather large amount of a certain controlled substance…  He wasn’t too concerned about the authorities finding it, since he’s sure Daliax could handle any problems that might arise, but if Adir had taken it with him, which he likely did...

 

“Sh*t.” Frank said under his breath, moving over to the edge of the lift. While not exactly in a panic, it was clear that he was on the verge of a mild freakout.

 

God, I hope he doesn’t open that box.

[Kel Riever]

Morgan

Morgan had arrived at his room.  He was staring at one of the crystal tumblers from the wet bar in his suite, and finally realized he'd been looking at it for at least the past five minutes.  It was smaller than he was used to, perfectly clear, a good representation of the space around him.  Morgan turned about his suite, with far more furniture than he could take advantage of, a tinted glass wall leading out to the balcony and sunlight illuminating the place brilliantly.  The glass wall was half way open and an ocean breeze glided through the place, bringing the aroma of the sea with it.  One of the doors, currently locked, let to Jess' suite, whoever made the reservations had kept putting them next to each other in mind.  Morgan had seen Dahlia to her own suite, on the other side of his, though with no such connecting door.  

 

Tarus had decided to, well insisted on, coming along.  He'd gotten several looks cast his way approvingly since stepping off the shuttle to Armali, something he directly attributed to the little bird.  Tarus had alighted on the branch of one of the tall plants nearby and paused from a grooming only briefly to catch Morgan's glance.  With a shrug, Morgan finally poured himself a drink of whatever was in the bar that looked like rum, or scotch or whisky, and went out onto the balcony to appreciate the view for a little while.  Thessia made it easy to forget the myriad number of items that had to be handled for the Medusa, or the dark places of the galaxy, but perhaps that was the point.  Morgan took a sip of his drink and tried to let himself relax. 
 

[Cknarf]

Johnny

 

Johnny stepped into the hotel lobby wearing his latest purchase from the Citadel, a navy colored casual suit. While not quite as comfortable as his usual Alliance duds, the jacket fit a little tight in some places, the fact that he knew he was lookin’ fiiiiine more than made up for any discomfort he may have been feeling.

 

Instead of his usual eyewear, he had gone with contacts, covered by different pair of thick black frames. Removing the sunglasses, he hung them carefully from his breast pocket. Underneath his perfectly shaped brows, were eyes of hazel, instead of his usual brown.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Thessia - Serrice - Matriarch Syra (Kel & SJ) - pt 1

 

 

Almost immediately after Naleena took a seat, Tesha frowned at her omni-tool and activated it.  "Ah, it seems the Matriarch will see you right away."

Tesha went to the double doors of the office, made of real, native wood, and manually opened them for Naleena.  Beyond was a fairly large, though not ostentatious, office.  As Naleena passed through, Tesha bowed her head.

"Of all the things to waste time on, having a Spectre sit waiting on me is one on the list of things I am least fond of," spoke the powerful and aged voice of Matriarch Syra.  She was seated behind a desk much more modern looking than the door, in a simple red gown.  Matriarch Syra was old, very old for an asari.  Her wrinkles ran deep, and a face that was once likely attractive now conveyed its greater wisdom with its lines.  Syra stood, showing despite her age, a certain strength that contradicted her age, and she placed the fingers of her hands together.  "You may go, Tesha.  Whatever we need we can get for ourselves."

As Tesha left, bowing her head and closing the doors once more, Naleena could take in the office.  It was clearly a working space and though clean, it was hardly neat, the Matriarch's countless projects shown scattered around the place with stacked datapads, or the occasional screen scrolling information at a rapid pace.  In other areas were certain aesthetic additions, plants, bookshelves made of more real wood, and with equally real, ancient tomes in them.  There were pieces of art, paintings, sculptures, in cases some, others open to the touch.  It was hard to fathom how much a collector would pay for some of the items, as they seemed priceless.  Still, nothing as important as it seemed was hidden, or protected to the point of being inaccessible.  If Naleena wanted, she could simply have reached out and, at most removed a dust protecting glass, to touch the objects.  

"Come in and relax," Matriarch Syra invited in her cracking, yet full of life voice.  Sunlight from large windows was behind her and Naleena finally spotted the garb she had always remembered seeing the Matriarch in.  Hung by a window on a stand was the Matriarch's long, flowing, ornate scarlet robes of her office, and partially under a black velvet cover was the headdress of shining gold.  It was a unique outfit, that stood out from the typically somber colors that Matriarchs wore.

Following Naleena's eyes, Syra looked at the outfit.  "Oh, that nonsense," Syra said scornfully.  "Well, it is nice to look at.  But the district insists I wear it.  Voter confidence and all that.  Serrice has its traditions.  Dare I stand against them?  Of all the problems I've caused, surely that would be the worst.  I'd tell you how much wearing that headdress hurts after an hour but it would be a further waste of time.  I'd rather spend it, I don't know, breathing or something more useful like that.  Anyway, it is a pleasure to finally meet you Spectre.  I'm glad you could make the trip."

 

“As am I,” Naleena replied and smiled at the Matriarch.

 

Naleena for once felt comfortable removing her coat. She used the hanger on the coat rack and also removed her holster so that she would be more comfortable for their session. The outfit she wore resembled a long sleeved black leather cat suit with an armored torso and knee high low heeled boots. In reality it was modified stealth light commando armor that relied more on barrier shields than weight. The added polymers in the material allowed it to flex with every movement without restriction.

 

She walked over to the comfortable leather chair in front Syra’s desk, sat, and crossed her legs at her knee.

 

“I know you’re quite busy, so I’ll get to the reason for my visit. I had a session with Sha’ira recently. I fear I have become disconnected. Too many things have happened in too short of a period of time,” she said and took a sip of her water. “I’ve done things…, terrible things in the name of galactic security. There are things I did not show Sha’ira because of galactic security. You, however, have the security clearance and we can speak freely.”

 

Naleena went on to tell her about the Medusa, Iyana, and Luscious, about what really happened on Omega where 4,000 people died, about Garvug where she was sent to retrieve an artifact and was played and nearly killed, and Lorek where she blew up that research lab. During the course of the conversation, she stood and walked to the window overlooking Serrice.

 

“…. All that to protect this…,” she said and gestured toward the city below. “And none of these people know what we have to do, nor do they understand. My doctor told me I need time off to be Asari. What is even being Asari anymore? The galaxy runs too fast, now. Sha’ira told me I needed to see a Matriarch.”

 

She turned to face Syra. “The Council uses us. They play us. We’re nothing more than tools. Our job is to be the left hand of The Council. To uphold the laws of the galaxy, and get our job done no matter the cost. But what is that cost?”

 

“I’ll let you in on a dirty little secret, Syra,” Naleena said in a very serious voice as she sat in her chair. “The toughest part of getting played is losing your dignity. Feeling like you're not worth the oxygen you're sucking down. You get used to it. You start to believe it. You start to love it. It’s like a bottle that never runs dry. You keep reaching for it over and over and over again.... Then one day, you just decide to get up and walk out of your room.”

 

"Well," Syra stated and stopped, as if that were the entirety of what she had to say.  When Naleena had begun speaking, she had leaned forward to listen.  Then as the time went on, she sat at her desk, eventually leaning back a bit, settling in and at last resting her hands folded together across her stomach.  There was a moment or two where Syra raised a brow, but she neither seemed to be shocked nor did she loose her attention.  Naleena noticed the shadows in the room had shifted, and that she'd been speaking for some time.  But she couldn't have told that from the Matriarch who took in all her thoughts.  

Matriarch Syra sighed, as if allowing all Naleena had told her to pass out in her exhale.  Her eyes searched the room and then her desk before returning to Naleena. "Moral dilemmas," Syra began again, "Regrets.  Things you wish went a different way.  There was a Turian Spectre, I can't remember her name.  Lost a leg, at least.  Put it aside...being a Spectre I mean, not the leg.  I heard about her, somewhere, living well the rumors had it.  I wouldn't be surprised if Sao talked her back into doing something.  At least for a while there, though, she was through with being a Spectre, and she did quite well for having no leg.  At least.  So, Naleena T’sarius, why don't you quit?"

 

Naleena leaned forward in her chair and looked into the Matriarch’s eyes with dead seriousness. She took a deep breath before she spoke. “Because I can’t. There’s something out there that’s bigger than us,” she said. “Do you remember the Battle of the Citadel? Sovereign… it’s a Reaper ship. It wasn’t Geth like the Council told us. The Batarians have one and they’ve brought it back to life: the Leviathan of Dis. I saw it with my own eyes. I recorded data. It touched my mind. These machines are what wiped out the Protheans.

 

“I know we’re doing all we can, but I know it won’t be enough,” Naleena continued. “There has to be something…, some way of stopping this cycle of extinction out there, and I hope we can find it in time.”

 

“And there is something else… A case I’m working on: Reine Melanie Reith, alias Iyana. She is a former Shadow Broker Senior Operative, serial killer… I can show you what she did directly from my mind…, who has retained a large part of her former network of operatives. She has fierce loyalty among her followers and is extremely dangerous,” Naleena said as she handed the Matriarch a data pad with Iyana’s files. “She received her initial training under Sha’ira at the age of 12, but her mother pulled her and her younger sister, Jocelyne out of training,” Naleena said. “Reine goes exclusively by the name Iyana now. (She has a ship commanded by an Asari, Xhuan Setura. Xhuan’s trail led to the Serrice Guard where her records were sealed.)

 

“We suspect Reine had training in the Alliance L2 program but all records are sealed. Sha’ira also suspects that she had training by Asari, perhaps in a private Asari biotics school. Again, we will find the records sealed. A Matriarch’s authorization would unseal both types of records under Council Law. I’m asking for a blanket warrant covering anything pertaining to Reine Melanie Reith and Xhuan Setura.

 

“One other thing before you make your decision. I gave Spectre Xanthe Remi all the information I had on Iyana before she went on her last mission into the Terminus, the region where we suspect Iyana is hiding. Xanthe disappeared shortly after. Coincidence? Perhaps, but I my gut feeling tells me otherwise.”

 

It was this case that disturbed Naleena the most and had her visibly shaken. Syra saw Naleena’s aura flash blue at times, and saw her eyes well.

 

“Please, Syra, help me.”

 

The reaction wasn't instant as Syra weighed the further content of what Naleena said.  When she did react, the Matriarch leaned forward on her desk and typed a number of keystrokes on the terminal at her desk.  "Clearance is an easy matter.  I am approving it for you to secure all confidential records in regards to your investigation into this criminal and the L2 program, all associated matters, and even in matters of Republics secret programs.  I understand the delays, despite your position, and this should push aside any interference you might receive."  There was a hesitation, then more typing.  "The Serrice Guard matter is easier in the technical sense, but I warn you that Xhuan Setura was a highly regarded soldier before her fall from the heavens.  You may find that there are old allies, still loyal to her, that believe what the Navy did to her was very wrong.  In both investigations I would watch your back, which I'm sure is something you already do.  But I can say that as with any elite group, you will be viewed as an outsider by the guard, and digging into the ugly past of one of their own may not be viewed by all as an honorable enterprise.  All of this on the condition, Naleena, that you are to keep me informed of these investigations."

Syra stopped typing and folded her hands again.  "I am no friend of the people I work with, either.  It is lonely, but of course my question before was obviously nonsense.  My presumption is that neither you, or I, quit what we do because the necessity of our work far exceeds our self interests.  They do no like me much on The Council.  I am a trouble maker, as I am often here on our home world.  People do not like when you usurp the way of things.  But for all the sleepless nights I have in my profession, none prevents me from looking at myself and being proud of the things I do."

With a glance at the ornate robes and headdress, Matriarch Syra went on.  "We can be useful to each other, perhaps.  I am giving you permission to open certain doors, and I believe you will open doors for those who want to keep them closed from me.  I worry about certain movements to overstep authority on the part of my peers.  This disappearance of Xanthe Remi disturbs me, and brings to the forefront a warning I had for Tevos that went unheeded.  I believe that what you discover in these investigations will be useful for us all, Spectre."

Matriarch Syra stood, and invited Naleena to join her.  She moved to change into the ornate garb of her position.  "Come meditate with me.  The Academy is across the campus, a short trip.  I find it more pleasing than the small areas of the university that often see more traffic. There is a training ground, then the old temple in which there is a chamber where we will not be disturbed.  The other matter you mentioned, the one about the Reapers, is best discussed there."

[Kel Riever]

The Galaxy Hotel and Spa lobby

There were two asari friends of wealthy heritage who's parents had made reservations to see the races.  Both, barely post adolescents, stood in the lobby with their heads moving back and forth slowly in sync like kittens.  In one direction was a human in navy suit that they couldn't stop looking at, and in the other was a human woman in, well, they couldn't really describe what she was in but it looked awesome.  Between the two, the asari adolescents had totally forgotten all about the racers they were so smitten with up until they'd seen the two.

"I like this," Babe said to Priss and Jess who were nearby.  Babe had stopped at one of the stores in the lobby.  It was the typical priced to perfection establishment one found in a place like The Galaxy Hotel and Spa, taking advantage of guests and convenient proximity.  For the Astella Grand Prix, the place was filled with racing apparel and souvenirs.  Some of the apparel even included outer racing suits and helmets that were official copies of the gear the racers themselves wore, costing thousands of credits.  But Babe had her eye on the jackets, more like the flight jackets of Earth, designed for fashion in colors of the racers with names and logos emblazoned across the back.  "But should I get something in my colors or go with one of the favorites?"  The Silver Specter jacket had two options, one predominantly in white, and another in silver closer to the racer's colors.  Nearby was a Terminatrix jacket in black with blue highlights.  Longbow also had a jacket in her colors, and one hand of Babe's was on a navy, white and red jacket for a racer named Gallant.  "What do you think?" Babe asked, turning towards the other two, and just then noticing that Miss Priss was no longer around.

Johnny was through the lobby, no need to pause with his automatic check in done.  He was free to go wherever he'd like, and might have been contemplating that when he heard a woman's voice from behind him say, "Hey, Suit.  Where are you going with all that good lookin?" 

Miss Priss, in all her pink denim and leather cowgirl attire, complete with Stetson, was the owner of the voice.  She gave Johnny a look that had no doubt about its intentions.

[Cknarf]

As a native of a rather prominent speedway town himself, Johnny seemed somewhat unfazed by the insane amount of fans and racing memorabilia that filled the lobby area. The hotel was looking very much like home during the last week of May. Still, to say he wasn’t impressed by the apparent scale of things would have been completely false.

 

“Hey, suit. Where are you going with all that good lookin’?"

 

Johnny looked to his left, and noticed a woman in pink, giving him an obvious eye. Johnny himself gave her a once over, but for a reasons other than you would expect.

 

Oh my god, what were you thinking when you put on that outfit? Girl, you need some help!

 

Of course, Johnny would never risk confrontation with a complete stranger in public, so he kept his opinion of her attire to himself. Instead, he simply answered the question in the standard Johnny fashion.

 

“I was just uh… heading up to my room.” He looked toward the lifts, then back at her. “I’m hoping it’s as beautiful as I expect it to be.” He smiled a bit.

[Kel Riever]

"Well, they say this is a top rated establishment,"  Miss Priss replied.  She didn't think twice about considering the response coming from the man to be positive, so she sauntered up to his side.  "Me, I always think things look better with some company."

Miss Priss slipped her arm into Johnny's and batted an eyelash slowly at him.  "Pardon if I seem forward but I admit not expecting to run into a man such as you here.  Need any help with...luggage darlin', if you know what I mean?"

[Cknarf]

Johnny knew exactly what she meant by luggage. He began to feel a bit warm.

 

"While I do appreciate the offer, ma'am, I'm afraid I'm going to have to pass." He gently pulled his arm free, fighting back a smile. "Please, don't take this the wrong way..." Johnny was prepared to vacate the premises if necessary.

 

"I'm not saying you're not pretty, or anything, because you are. And I mean that!"

 

Aside from that absolutely horrid outfit. Ick.

 

"But... you're just not my type." He shrugged.

[Kel Riever]

"Ain't no reason to be afraid of me," Miss Priss said.  "There's all kinds out there.  Can't imagine you not finding something you like here."  Miss Priss let her eyes wander the lobby.  "Just a little let down for me is all."  Priss started to walk away.

After a few steps, and a seeming second thought, she turned around, looking Johnny up and down.  "My manners being what they are, I apologize in advance for the intrusion good lookin' but mind telling me what you're type is?"  There was a genuine curiosity, if not a certain insinuation, with the question.

[Cknarf]

This wasn’t the first time that Johnny had faced such a question. In fact, it happened to him quite often. Smiling, he provided the pink nightmare with the same answer that he had given to many a disappointed female over the years.

 

“Those who have a little more in common with myself.” Johnny winked. “Now, you have nice day, ma’am.” He nodded, before turning to leave. “And please, do something about… whatever that is.” He said, now walking backwards. He wagged a finger up and down at her outfit. “That really isn’t your color.”

 

Johnny smiled one last time, before being on his way.

 

Nor is it anyone else’s...

 

He wrinkled his nose a bit.

[Kel Riever]

There was a bit of an 'o' mouthed expression of surprise from Miss Priss, but then she snapped her lips shut and peered slyly at Johnny.  "I beg to differ, darlin',"  As Johnny moved on, Miss Priss growled and said under her breath, "Hard to get...nothin' like a little challenge."  

Priss caught up with Jess and Babe after that, though she was a little distracted when they were talking to her.

[Kel Riever]

As the hours passed, the activity at the speedway grew substantially. 

Grav haulers were coming in.  Many were mini-garages in and of themselves, but most were bringing in veritable mobile facilities.  The average pro-racer saw at least 4 haulers come in, setting up their personal garages in their team colors, logos and artwork adorning every surface.  Second and third tier racers had their own, less extensive, facilities, still occupying one or two haulers.  Even the lowest tier racers had their bikes brought in on grav sleds, with mini-garages as part of the load.  What were flat, expansive, and open fields were becoming filled quickly like an army of pavilions for knights at a tournament.  The infield of the raceway across from the main set of stands was most active, with command posts rising for the racers alongside the actual activity of the first day on the track.

There was an electricity in the air beginning as almost wherever you were in the city, you could hear the distant booms of racing jetbikes break the sound barrier.  And almost wherever you were in the city, you could spot the vapor trails of the jetbikes moving through the sky.  The trials were on, and racers took to the air in pairs as they attempted to best each other in preliminary events.  For now, the top tier of pros were not to be seen, but everyone almost felt they had already arrived, and were watching.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Thessia - Armali Raceway

 

 

Irina and Jenus walked into her pit area at about 0730 hours to find her bike being reassemble by a team of Turian mechanics and a tall Turian watching them from a distance drinking something that resembled coffee from a paper cup. Alisa noticed the two and walked over to greet them.

 

“Irina Sloane, Jenus Stasia, this is my father Marcus Cascian,” she said.

 

Irina extended her hand. Marcus stood holding his cup.

 

“My daughter tells me you want to race this pile of crap? Have you ever raced before?” He asked then turned to face her.

 

“I did some street racing and entered local races at the track on Duellos,” Irina replied while she was braiding her hair.

 

“I’ll take that as a ‘no’ then,” Marcus said. “Do you see this track? Do you know the history that’s out there on every single turn? I’d sell my spirit to be out there this week, but I’m too old and my reflexes too slow for the main event. It’s an event for the young, and you’re getting a little long in the tooth for this.

 

“Unlike your so-called races on Duellos, you’ll have your bike flat out for a good portion of the track,” Marcus continued while taking in the Asari marvel. “Then you’ll hit the cork-screw where you’ll be upside down for half of it, so you’d better be able to take the g-forces. It’s the most challenging section of the track. That’s followed by a drop and a banked hairpin, a climb, another hairpin and a drop into the speed section.

 

“But before we continue, there’s a matter of our fee. A pit crew like mine will cost you some money. There’s five of us, and we’re 50,000 CR for the week,” Marcus said.

 

Jenus’ eyes opened wide. Irina’s mouth dropped.

 

“Either that or your bike breaks down after 20 laps, and you’re out of the race, because as good as my daughter is, she needs help,” Marcus said.

 

Alisa’s eyes went into a squint. “Dad, I had the team here for 25, 000 CR. Then you decided to drop in and the price doubles? I didn’t hear anything about us getting a 5,000 CR bonus,” Alisa said and spoke loud enough for the crew to hear. “You just got a call from Septerax and decided to show up, get some publicity for your sorry ass, and some money for standing around giving orders.

 

“But Sloane, it’s up to you. Because of my dad just being here, we got sponsorships from Maliwan, Hyperion, Davarian, and Denso that will cover this ‘fee.’”

 

Irina nodded. “Alright, I’ll cover it. I’ll have it to you at the end of the day.”

 

“Good,” Marcus said.

 

“But bear in mind accepting sponsors makes you a pro and puts you in a different class,” Alisa said, and a delivery bike pulled in with a box. She signed for a package and handed it to Irina. “I took the liberty of buying you these out of your racing account. VERA sent over your measurements. Go in the shuttle and change.”

 

Irina opened the box. It contained leathers with large white panels and black accent panels with red piping and a black helmet. Her sponsors’ names were plastered on the back. Sh*t was getting real.

 

Marcus turned to Jenus. “There’s a spectators area just outside the pit. I need you to go there and stay out of the way,” He said and shook his head. “I have to turn your girlfriend into a racer and spirits, that’s going to take a miracle.”