6315 réponses à ce sujet

[Redbelle]

Jess felt unsettled all the way down to her quarter's. Approaching, she noticed the door was open with Anika in the doorway and Dahlia standing outside. Raising an eyebrow, she strode up. "You two behave now luv's". She said brushing past both as she walked in and flopped down on the couch. Reaching underneath she pulled out her portable terminal and put it on her lap before looking up. "And come in or step out. Anika she's a guest? We've got left over Chilli haven't we? We're setup for entertaining. Invite her in already"!

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"Oh, hi, Jess. I just met Anika, and I was looking for you," Dahlia entered Jess' quarters. "So, I've felt like a fifth wheel around here with Naleena taking charge of everything, and I hear we're going to this system to investigate a colony. You don't know..., well, obviously you don't because we haven't worked together. You don't know what I do and all that.

 

She grabbed a bowl of chili and tasted it. "This could use a bit more spice, don't you think?" Dahlia grabbed the seasoning off the shelf and started sprinkling it in her bowl. "There, that's better. Well, anyway, as I was saying, Naleena treats me as a gopher. You know go for this, go for that. And I'm a lot more talented than that."

 

Anika was having trouble keeping her eyes off her, but Dahlia was very focused on Jess. She knew Anika was forbidden. "Jess, if it wasn't for me getting an early start on those stasis pods, we might not have been able to open them as early as we did. And then, I can really help out in combat situations. Aria was working with me. You know how she does things, right? If you pass your tests you get rewards and pleasurable things. If you fail... well you don't want to ever fail because the pleasure is too nice. I use a Claymore and a Tempest. Just wanted you to know. Shockwave is one of my specialties."

[Redbelle]

Jess nodded her way through everything Dahlia said as she typed out a message for her forst officer Oda.

 

Oda. Job's nearly finished. Heading to Duellos. Offload what you can. Maybe a contract in the works. Get my ship over here and put the bubbly on ice.

 

The message sent Jess flipped the terminal lid down and set it aside to lean forward, regarding Dahlia. "Sooooo. you ever been in a firefight? How'd it feel? And don't give me bravado because I've been in plenty of fights and I know how it feels. You want to be more involved? I respect that. Qudos on the stasis pods. That was nice work. Saved alot of lives probably. But the question is why...... why do you want to get more involved in an entreprise where..... And I don't think this is overblowing the fact...... we're going to be fighting an enemy with superior technology of unknown origin's....... You'd have to mad to sign on for that".

 

Anika coughed. "Says the woman who signed on for that".

 

"Shaddup". Jess grouched. "We didn't know about the collector's then".

[Redbelle]

The message Jess sent went out of her terminal into the ships wireless network where it was routed to the ships internal message centre. Lines of text in the message underneath the actual content were scanned, hunting for malware and trojans before it was certified clean and placed into the messaging queue. From there the system alerted Aelias that a message was ready to be sent and after certifying the message was free of malicious coding, approved the message transfer. The message went into the approved for transmission queue and the ship pinged for nearby comm buoys. Finding one and shot Jess's message into the galactic extranet where the recipient address was analysed, compared to ship traffic through the relays and released into the system where the Medusa had transited to.

 

The Relay comm buoy picked up the message and sent out queries to it's neighbours. One, having fired off a general request to all shipping in the area, came back with a positive identification and the comm buoy relayed the message to the Medusa where it's own software searched the message, finding receit designator's that were classified as malware and scrubbed them to prevent anyone looking for them from knowing where the message had been picked up from.

 

Oda, first officer of the Medusa, read the message from Jess and sighed. The recent runs had pushed his funds into the end game zone for him. He wsa probably one run away from retiring and settling down with the love of his life. Just one more run.......

 

Jess though had called and the Medusa had to answer. Heck, maybe if she wrangled a good deal on Duellos he'd end his last run on a high. Jess knew his time was coming to an end. Already looking to Anika to replace him.

 

At least she couldn't be any worse than Luscious. Like Jess had said he'd locked him in his cabin with all the booze he could want. He'd kicked up a fuss about extra net entertainment, so Oda had given it to him and he'd immediately settled. Now all they had to do was offload their cargo here and take on their scheduled new cargo. They'd be in orbit for a few more hours at least. Jess would understand.

[Kel Riever]

Previously...( http://forum.bioware...res/?p=16729205 )

 

Omega Nebula, Sahrabarik System, aboard the Khukuri

 

Xhuan Setura always preferred to stand when commanding the Khukuri.  To always show strength was the first lesson she had remembered from her days as a commando, and it had only been reinforced during her time working for The Shadow Broker and Iyana.  Perhaps Iyana was extreme, but there was method, and method was what mattered.  Besides, Xhuan and Iyana knew how to deal with each other publically and privately. 

 

Golt was learning his own lesson in that regard.  The krogan was taking it out on one of the new batarians on board, in the training chamber.  That would likely be the second body Xhuan would have to account for, after the asari in Iyana’s cabin.  The reminder of the ways the white haired human liked to entertain herself gave Xhuan an internal shudder.  Outwardly, her stare, complimented by her black, bird of prey facial markings, were as hard as ever. 

 

Jrudek was in the pilot’s chair, so that left Xhuan surrounded by the minimal bridge crew of the frigate.  Many weren’t worth noting, but they were efficient enough and all were controlled.  Xhuan had begun a regime of grueling exercises and training for them, and they had come up to speed.  More would need to be done, however, so that when it was time to engage, the Khukuri would cut through its opponents like the sword of its name.

 

What had been brought on board since the last port of call were a number of agents who were veterans on the field.  Assassins, black ops, ex-pirates, a myriad of experts in planet-side as well as ship to ship boarding actions, all had been Iyana’s first agenda after securing the vessel itself.  Golt had, in fact, been one of the first of those…a krogan pirate with the perfect amount of greed and pent up anger. 

 

Mentally, Xhuan knew she was accountable for everything running like a well-oiled machine.  She purposely had pushed herself beyond a comfortable schedule to do so, also believing that pressing her own limits would assist in pressing others.  Later, when the work she was given was done, Xhuan would need her own time. She would go to her own cabin and consider the next piece of art to apply to her body. 

 

Xhuan conjured a fantasy of Iyana perfectly piercing another titanium surface bar through her spine dermal.  The touch of the human’s hand on her back…it was an enticing, but foolish fancy; to lie with a serpent was simply to tempt its nature.  Still, Xhuan couldn’t help but think about submitting to the power behind that human’s blue eyes, like being held by a dragon…

 

“Commander, we have received a return communication from the contact.”  The communications liaison interrupted Xhuan’s thoughts. 

 

“Put it directly to me.”  Xhuan pulled the small viewscreen to her left closer, and read the content of the message.

 

A diabolical curl came to Xhuan’s lips as she spoke her musings aloud, “Excellent.  It seems there is a discontent we can deal with.  Well, return a message that we will be more than glad to assist for our standard fare.”  Iyana would be pleased, her plans being executed at remarkable speed due to fortune.  Xhuan turned to the navigator.  “There is a ship that we must rendezvous with.  I am forwarding its coordinates to you.”

[Redbelle]

Lucious grinned as he wiped the sweat from his brow. Trapped as he was in the belly of the Medusa. Everyone seemed to have forgotten that this was his families ship. He knew her tricks as well as the hussy who had taken her from him. Extra-net access to the entertainment grid had allowed him to bypass and bridge into full extranet access. He wasted no time. The other's aboard wouldn't help him press his right to command. They were to blinded by their greed to fight for a just cause. Many of them would have to go when he took over. Perhaps a whole new crew. It all depended on what he found on the extranet. People to help him he hoped. Those who would take his credits and in return, give him back his ship.

 

Browsing the extranet lists of merc's and PMC's he ran down his options....... nothing was showing. Instead he tried a different track. He put up an ad. Not the most auspicious of options at his fingertips but with Jess off the ship.......

 

It was now or never.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Jess nodded her way through everything Dahlia said as she typed out a message for her forst officer Oda.

 

Oda. Job's nearly finished. Heading to Duellos. Offload what you can. Maybe a contract in the works. Get my ship over here and put the bubbly on ice.

 

The message sent Jess flipped the terminal lid down and set it aside to lean forward, regarding Dahlia. "Sooooo. you ever been in a firefight? How'd it feel? And don't give me bravado because I've been in plenty of fights and I know how it feels. You want to be more involved? I respect that. Qudos on the stasis pods. That was nice work. Saved alot of lives probably. But the question is why...... why do you want to get more involved in an entreprise where..... And I don't think this is overblowing the fact...... we're going to be fighting an enemy with superior technology of unknown origin's....... You'd have to mad to sign on for that".

 

Anika coughed. "Says the woman who signed on for that".

 

"Shaddup". Jess grouched. "We didn't know about the collector's then".

 

"I really didn't have a choice!" Dahlia protested, "I was working for Aria doing odd jobs working myself up through the ranks. You know how things are on Omega. I needed to get some names and locations. You know do some spying. I screwed up, and I show up late for a meeting with Aria, and she throws me in the cage. Do you know what it's like in there?"

 

Jess noticed the dilated pupils in Dahlia's eyes. "And what, perchance, were you doing that got you thrown in the cage, luv?"

 

"Uh..., well, uh..., I'd partied a bit heavy, you know how it is," Dahlia said, "And I slept a bit late... well it wasn't the first time. Aria was a bit angry. Then she has me brought out and there's Naleena sitting in a meeting with her and she says, 'Oh, and take this thing with you and teach her some discipline. Bring her back when you're finished."

 

Dahlia started pacing around with her hands on her head. "Like I said, all she has me doing is useless stuff. It's so frustrating. 'Clean up... re-order the files' - she's got an AI that could do that, but she wants me to do it. Look I can break into places. It's what I did on Omega for Aria. I'm going stir-crazy," she grabbed Jess by her shoulders, "Jess, can you help me?"

[Redbelle]

Jess took hold of Dahlia's hands and wrapped them into her own as she held them in front of her. "Help? Of course I can help you luv. The question is, when I'm done helping..... will you need more help? Or will you be able to help yourself"?

 

Jess let her hand go and motioned for her to sit, then nodded to Anika to do the same. "Here's the thing luv. I think I know what those two are up to. to put it into perspective.... have you ever tried to keep an ship's engine from exploding"?

 

"What"? Dahlia's eye's narrowed. "What that got to do with anything"?

 

"My ship, the Medusa. She has an old beat up engine cobbled together with part's we've had to acquire from here there and everywhere. It's tempramental and prone to shutting down when the safeties kick in. It needs alot of time and maintenance to keep it up and running. So guess who the most important person on the ship is"?

 

"You"? Dahlia guessed. "I mean... your the captain".

 

"Whose ship will sit in space as a hulk. It's the engineer luv. But not just any engineer. The engineer I have had to learn the engine. It's not standard. One of these military types couldn't hope to have it running in an hour. Mine just needs a spanner and some elbow grease".

 

Dahlia shook her head. "I still don't get it".

 

"What do the files your filing say?

 

"I don't know".

 

"Found anything worth taking while your cleaning up"?

 

"Naleena would beat me senseless if I did"!

 

"Would she? Maybe she's left something in her quarter's for you to find while your..... 'cleaning'".

 

Dahlia's mouth was half open, trying to think of a response. "I don't.....".

 

"Get it? Luv, when I had to learn to repair that engine the engineer at the time had me running through hoops. Turn's out it was part to make his life easier whle he tried to figure out what to do with me. Later, and it felt like years later, he showed me what to do when the flow regulator's started pulsing. From there the lesson's picked up". Jess grinned as she laid back with her hands across the back of the couch. "My point..... is that Naleena is a high flying operative whose got the skills and the guns to go into a situation with a higher than average chance of coming out the other side..... You don't. And she can't click her finger's and make you that way. It's got to come from you..... And the first step towards learning what she want's to teach you..... is figuring it out for yourself what the lesson is".

 

Jess shrugged. "Chances are good she wants to do something with you. Maybe she can't figure it out just yet..... In the meantime. I've got a freezer chest to build I've been meaning to gift her". Getting up she went over to a side section where two packaging chests lay. Grabbing one, she dragged it over and threw it open revealing nothing inside. Looking up at Dahlia she gestured to a group of parts on the coffee table. "Refridgeration. It's an integral part of ship engine design when you can't vent excess heat into space so easily. Gimme a hand with this and if your interested I can show you the big stuff down in the engine room. I figure I can wrangle a trip down there with you".

 

Just then the intercomm blared to life. "ETA to Duellos three hours. We are approaching the final relay now. Three hours till Duellos".

 

Jess looked at Dahlia and grinned. "Three hours.... I figure I can talk you through the work in that time".

 

"M-m-me"?

 

"Don't be nervous luv. The worst, the absolute worst thing that can happen, is you trap yourself in the chest when it's all done and freeze yourself for explorer's to find in the future. You got commando leathers"?

 

"Yes".

 

"Lose them..... Get yourself some plate. Takes more punishment and gives you a better chance to survive. When your learning how to fight, surviving a mistake helps you learn how to not make them in the future. And when your young it's basically a blank check to screw up as much as you can..... Now". She said handing her a tool. "Let's see how many mistakes we can cram into three hours".

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena was inside her shuttle working with the Collector Particle Rifle. It was fully charged again, and she had VERA examining it on the test bench. She was seated in her chair and had her tools and probes spread out on the bench.

 

"This is a fascinating weapon. I've never seen anything like it. What can you tell me about this weapon, VERA?"

 

"I have been analyzing this since you brought it here, and I've compared it to other attempts at beam weapon manufacture. It is unusual that the Collectors were able to pack the amount of power required for the beam into such a small area, and it doesn't drain as quickly as attempts made by Turian, Asari, and Salarian militaries. The power supplies used in human attempts are still quite large."

 

Naleena pondered it for moment. "Do you think it is possible for us to fabricate this design?"

 

"I have made a three dimensional blueprint of the weapon.... There is one downside."

 

"Firing it betrays your position."

 

"Exactly, boss. Actually there's another."

 

"And that is?"

 

"On small targets like a person, it will kill them instantly. On larger targets it requires maintaining a stream, exposing the soldier to return fire, but it will burn through armor quite rapidly."

 

"What about the specifications and materials needed for the power supply?" Naleena asked.

 

"Also included. Do you wish me to forward them to the Audron's Fabricator? It will take them months to figure out this otherwise." VERA replied.

 

"I would like to speak with Androkan first. It's about my immunity."

 

"Very well."

 

Naleena stood and left her shuttle. As she passed Septimus, she stopped. Septimus got a nervous look on his face.

 

"Septimus, I've been thinking. Captain Androkan mentioned that I should get myself 'something nice' for my work on the capture of the Collector ship and freeing of the 328 humans," Naleena looked at his terminal and what he was doing.

 

"I understand, and have confirmation of that order, Naleena," Septimus responded, his nervousness dissipating.

 

"Make a 50,000 CR donation to the AYS 'Search For A Cure Foundation' in my name, would you please?" Naleena said, and then walked off to the elevator.

[Kel Riever]

“Magnetic holster, thigh, human.”  It was the third time Morgan was verbally commanding the fabricator to produce the holster.  He had also fumbled the assembly of the Brawler pistol three times before he had put it together correctly.

 

What has gotten into me?

 

Morgan knew of course.  He tossed the two flawed holsters into the recycling slot at the right edge of the table and waited as the fabricator began production again.  The Brawler was in his hands, unloaded, assembled with ultra-light materials as he had requested.  He checked the balance, knowing it would feel a bit off to him, but that was on purpose.

 

It had been a while that Morgan was at the fabricator, and the Audron was now three hours out of Duellos.  Morgan examined the briefing on the planet another time, and still didn’t find any formal arrangements to disembark.  All the information was present for preparation except a place to meet.  And who was giving the directions.

 

I can figure that out.  Why am I so frustrated?

 

“Because you don’t talk.”

 

The last thought was said out loud, and a turian working at a table nearby glanced at Morgan.  He waved the turian off, “Just speaking to myself.  You know, the first sign of insanity.”  The turian didn’t seem to get the joke, but turned back to his tasks.  Morgan shook his head and pretended to watch the fabricator.

 

Jess’ voice sprung to Morgan’s mind, Actually luv I followed you because I think deep down you have a death wish and want little more than to die in a backstreet ally before flying into the cradling embrace of the baby Jesus. And I hate to see good talent go to waste.

 

In Morgan’s head, he answered Stone back, Yes, Jess, that’s the point.  If I’m dead and the money gets transferred without ties to The Shadow Broker, my family is safe.  Nobody needs to come for them.  Isn’t that obvious?

 

No, Jess countered in Morgan’s mind, Because you didn’t tell me about that part.

 

That’s because I want to protect them, Jess, and I don’t want anyone else to know about them.  Besides, why would a pirate captain care?

 

I think you’d make a great chair.  And profit margins.

 

Morgan sighed.  Jess was forward enough to get to him and make something in him feel like an adolescent all over again.  But there it was, about business, always.  He had a hard time believing that every time he turned around, someone simply wanted to use him.  It didn’t feel that way, but Morgan asked himself whether it was more likely that Jess meant something more or that he was simply desperate; someone looking for a less obvious way out of the mess he put himself in. 

 

Right at that point Morgan felt helpless.  He had always thought there’d be some way out, some way to leave all the suffering behind.  What had he done, really?  Tried to save his family.  But his hope had always been for himself.  That in the end, there’d be an opportunity, where he could leave the ties of The Shadow Broker behind him, for the right price.

 

That was the part Morgan never bargained for.  The price he would pay was never about money. 

 

You’ve got what it takes to climb out of whatever hole I get a feel you think you’re in, Jess’ voice said again.

 

Maybe.  But why?  Morgan drew a blank to his own question.

 

The fabricator had finished.  Morgan picked up the magnetic holster, which would allow the Brawler to be drawn forward and straight up without any resistance. 

 

Maybe just to deliver a gun, Morgan finally answered himself.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Deidrus was seated at his desk handing some routine work that needed to be done before the ship arrived at Duellos. He heard the door buzzer. He was annoyed, but responded, “Yes? Who is it?”

 

“Naleena. We need to talk.”

 

“Come in.”

 

Naleena entered his office and stood next to his desk with a chair next to her waiting for the invitation to sit. “Before this mission goes any further, we need to discuss the terms of my contract in more detail. You gave me the vague ‘that’s up to the Council.’ I’ve yet to get an answer. And as a ‘reward’ for my services on the Collector job, I received a get yourself something nice. I had your quartermaster make a charitable donation for me. I don’t need money or nice things.”

 

Deidrus clacked his mandibles, and looked up at Naleena and he was clearly irritated. “I told you that your request is up to the Council. I have filed the documents.”

 

Naleena scoffed. “I know how those get shoved under the rug. All that has to happen is for a Salarian to get their hands on them and they’ll get lost. Do you not have a secure QE connection to them?”

 

Deidrus hesitated before responding. He took measure of Naleena, and chose his words carefully, “I want to be honest with you, Naleena, and I don’t want to make promises beyond my ability. You should know what you can count on from me, and what you can’t. That must seem fair to you, at least.

 

“To be even more straight forward, you are no longer dealing with only the Republics here. And while I do not find any particular grievances with my people, I find you seem to have had a certain problem with Salarians.”

 

Naleena walked over to his fish tank and turned her back to him. “Thessian Sunfish. How interesting. They’re quite beautiful the way the swim through the water with such grace,” she said, then turned to face Deidrus. “I have no quarrel with the Turians. Salarians? Yes, well I have a problem when their STG keeps taking shots at me and killing people. Nothing ever happens to them when they do that unless an outside person takes action, did you know that? It’s true.”

 

Deidrus stood, walked to the front of his desk, sat against it and folded his arms. “We all have our covert operators who operate outside the laws. Spirit’s know I am one by being a Spectre. And on the part of the Salarians, they do not have what we as Turians, or you as an Asari have. Covert is what they do, it is how they survive, it is, in fact, how they have succeeded. I am not naive and I know that much of what they involve themselves with could be considered wrong.

 

“But you, Naleena, when you kill one of them, you are seen as nothing more than a murderer.”

 

Naleena folded her hands and steepled her index fingers, closed her eyes, moved them to her face and touched her fingers to her forehead. “I see,” she said then she pulled her hands apart and looked at Deidrus with her palms toward him. “Then who polices them when they commit murder? Cold-blooded murder. No one.” A dark and sad look filled her eyes.

 

“If you want justice, you need a judge. I’m not that. I’m here because I am necessary. You are necessary too, if we are going to find out what is happening out there with the Collectors. If those humans who were disappearing were Asari, how would you feel? At least while you are with me, I can use my Spectre status to protect you. And that is not worthless.”

 

He’s not getting it, Naleena thought, and the frustration was apparent and she opened her hands with the backs of them to Deidrus. “Whatever race makes no difference. And after the mission? What then?” Naleena asked, “Don’t you think we tried the justice system? The investigation was going fine. The police said they had a suspect, then all of a sudden the investigation was shut down and all the files were confiscated. This was my sister who was the victim here. My only sister. Do you want to know who tortured then murdered her, Deidrus? He was the Director of the Salarian Special Tasks Group. He had his bodyguards with him.

 

“I’ll make a long story short.” She began to walk around the room near the fish tank, and approached Deidrus. “That was the day I became a contractor. I regret that decision. Five years of servitude later, my benefactor, an agent for the Shadow Broker, obtained the files from the Broker. I tracked down the person named in the files and killed him. I made a mistake. I was young. I missed a camera. The Salarians have been after me ever since. I extracted justice. I want a pardon in exchange for my service. I want to leave this business. I’ve caused a lot of pain in my life, and I want to do some good with what remains of it.”

 

Deidrus was silent while Naleena caught her breath.

 

She turned, walked back to the tank and watched the fish. “Fifty years later, they took a shot at me and hit my mother.... She was pregnant. She lost the baby. There were others... most recently Jenira on Illium.” Naleena turned her head back to look at Deidrus and her eyes were filled, “You’re a Spectre. Talk to the Council for me. Get them to make whatever STG charges go away. At least try. Do this and I may have something for you.”

 

Not good, was the thought that passed through Deidrus’ mind. A soldier’s answer was not going to satisfy the Asari in front of him. He had to be removed, professional, and yet on this issue it would be impossible.

 

“I...will speak with the Council, on your behalf. I will make my appeal with the Turian representative first, and then perhaps we can face the other members of the council together. This will not be easy, but I will use whatever power I have to grant you your wish.”

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena thanked Deidrus and left to prepare for their arrival on Duellos. When she returned to her quarters Dahlia was gone and her chores were not finished.

 

Naleena activated her communicator. “Dahlia, get your blue ass back to my quarters immediately!  You have two minutes.”

 

Jess heard it. “You’d better go, luv. She doesn’t sound too happy. Oh, well, the refrigeration unit will have to wait. Come back when she’s finished with you.”

 

Dahlia sighed, shook her head. “I can’t ever catch a break. Thanks for listening.” She walked slowly back to the Starboard Observation Deck and entered.

 

“I can explain, Naleena,” Dahlia said when she entered, “but this stuff is boring. I want to do something important.”

 

“You mean helping figure out the Collector pods wasn’t important? Did you even look at these files I was having you sort?” Naleena asked.

 

“You could have had VERA do it. It’s menial work.” Dahlia protested.

 

“And VERA is an AI computer. You’re not. You need to learn. If we start relying too much on AIs and VIs to do everything do you know what will happen to us? We’ll become stupid. I rely on her for the time consuming stuff, but I examine everything that goes in and everything she discovers,” Naleena said. She sat at the desk and looked at the files. “Do you see this? These files are everything that VERA discovered about the Collectors. Now, if VERA puts them all in order, only VERA knows why they’re in that order. But if you or I look through them and put them in proper sequence, who learns about them?”

 

Dahlia was silent.

 

“Answer me!”

 

“We do?” Dahlia asked.

 

“That’s right, and then we have something to contribute to the mission. We’ll give them to VERA to check, and she’ll fix any mistakes we make. And we’ll look over the data again. Do you know why you’re here?” Naleena turned her head and looked Dahlia in the eyes.

 

“Because Aria told you to teach me some discipline,” Dahlia sighed.

 

“Exactly. I know it’s painful, and that it doesn’t come easy especially for maidens, but….”

 

“Do you have to be so strict? You’re always yelling at me.” Dahlia said.

 

Naleena stood, walked to the window and looked out at the stars. She took a deep breath. “Dahlia, I had a difficult life that isn’t like normal Asari. I’ve not had time to play much. And then over the past few days I’ve been studying what has been happening to these human colonies, and this business with the Collectors. It scares me, Dahlia.” She turned to face her. “Have you ever seen anything like those monstrosities? They didn’t even seem to be completely organic. How many of them are there?

 

“The work you’re doing with those files is important. Very important work. You need to be looking at them as well. Look for patterns hidden in the details. Information is going to be our key to success,” Naleena said. She put her arm around Dahlia and kissed her crest. “You’re a bright maiden; otherwise Aria wouldn’t have cared for you. She would have simply cast you back on the streets, or worse. You are not a mere dancer. There is something special about you, but only you can figure out what that is. Do you understand me?”

 

Dahlia hugged Naleena platonically. “Yes.”

 

The two let go, and Naleena asked, “So where were you? I won’t be mad.”

 

“I was over to see Jess. I was looking for something more interesting.”

 

“So a pirate’s life for ye, eh? Swab the deck and all that rot. No more file sorting for Naleena.” Naleena laughed, “What did she tell you?”

 

“That you might have a plan for me, and the other thing I shouldn’t say.” Dahlia looked away.

 

“Was it good or bad?”

 

“It wasn’t bad. I think it was good, but I shouldn’t say.”

 

Naleena nodded and smiled. “So why don’t you take a break from the files. We’ve got to get ready for our mission. We’ll be there in a couple hours. Get into your leathers and I’ll show you how to fine tune your barrier."

[Redbelle]

(Earlier)

 

"No no.... That bit there. This bit here".

 

"I know what I'm doing".

 

"If your trying to backlog the pressure valves....".

 

"I am NOT"!

 

"LOOK"!

 

Dahlia huffed and took another look at what she was doing. The air pump she was attaching to the small valve system she had installed in the crate was small. Jess's instructions had made it seem easy. But then Dahlia had seen the time and noticed that at her pace, she wouldn't have time to take the tour with Jess to see the engine room. So she'd tried to get it done faster. Adn now Jess was..... was......

 

Right, actually. flipping the motor over she saw the tiny stencilling that told her which way up from the ground it should be put in. "Well..... ". She temporised. "..... Down's relative in space"!

 

She expected a sharp retort and was surprised to hear Jess erupt in laughter. "Maybe we should think about teaching you piloting"! She managed after getting herself under control. "Seem's you've got the basics's down".

 

"Can we"?

 

"You betcha". Jess said grinning. "But we started a job and by gum..... If we leave it to the wayside where are our cold drinks going to come from".

 

"The galley has a fridge".

 

"Mmmm'yeah but then you have to walk there".

 

That actually drew a smile from Dahlia as she held the pump up to the connectors, now the right way around, and began turning the bolts that would fasten it to the pipes.

 

"Good girl". Jess encouraged. "We'll bolt it in place after to hold it steady. Then we'll seal this up and see if the ice hasn't melted yet. "She said, looking over to the other container.

 

"We're not going to get to see engineering are we".

 

"Maybe not this side of Duellos luv. But afterwards...... Make me remember and we'll see if Deidrus will let us down there".

 

"And if he doesn't".

 

"Luv..... I've lived my life on ships. If there's a door between us and engineering it'll rue the day it messed with Captain Silver"! Jess gave a wolfish smile. "Afterwards, in the brig, we can discuss how we're going to get you some shuttle time".

 

Dahlia shook her head. "You don't really plan much ahead do you".

 

"I anticpate being in a brig..... How much further ahead is there after that"?

 

"Naleena could get in and out without being seen".

 

"Then you'd learn nothing except how to sneak into a secure area of a ship. And you'd learn nothing about how the ship.... goes". Jess shrugged as she leaned back to rest on her arms as she and Dahlia sat on the floor together. "I'm showing you how to build. So you can make what you need when you need it. Naleena..... I think would show you how to act, how to anticipate and react before a situation get's out of your control. But word to the wise luv. That can take years of training. Right now, your best bet is to watch what she does. But key is.... understand why she does what she does when. Patience will serve you luv. After all, the good times are coming whether we want them or not".

 

Dahlia sighed and reached for a bracing rod. The drink's cooler she made was nearly finished. Afterwards, Jess said she could take it to her quarter's and give it to Naleena.

 

Wouldn't she be surprised by what she'd done. And then Naleena's voice came over her comm. “Dahlia, get your blue ass back to my quarters immediately!  You have two minutes.”

[Redbelle]

Aelias commed Deidrus. "Captain, navigation reports we're on orbital insertion approach. I've called the space port and they've assigned us a berth. They sound a little curious sir. Like they can't figure out why a ship running Spectre credentials would come".

 

"No doubt afraid I'm going to sweep the place clean of illegal activity".

 

"We've been asked to assemble for a meet and greet at the port. We're going to be meeting a Deputy Daog. The Sheriff sends apoligise but apparently he..... it..... has it's tentacles full".

 

"As long as they grant us leave to go about our business. Issue a final alert and have those of our new recruits who are interested ready to assemble in the loading bay for disembarkation. And make sure Stone is there".

 

"Yes Captain".

[Kel Riever]

After the Audron had docked, Morgan walked out into the Audron’s loading bay, quickly avoiding a turian load lifter as it drove by with a crate.  The bay was busy, but no one seemed to have arrived yet for the disembark and meet with Daog.  So Morgan pretended to be busy by checking his gear once more.

 

The Predator armor had been restored to its original urban camouflage color scheme.  Any damage to it had been repaired well, though the seals overlaying punctures stood out a bit.  Morgan’s Kuwashii visor was active, and the rebreather module for the suit hung off the collar plate, close to his mouth.  The Kovalyov assault rifle was stowed on his back and his Phalanx was at his side.  As for the Brawler and its holster, Morgan had placed them next to the Kovalyov on his back, wrapped in a green cloth.

 

Morgan stopped checking his gear when it started to become ridiculous, even for him.  Instead, to pass the time, he pulled out his deck of cards and started shuffling it.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena helped Dahlia into her commando leathers. 

 

"Jess said I should get a hard suit," Dahlia said, "She said it would provide better protection."

 

Naleena fastened the suit, and zipped it up. "True, it would, but it's also not as quiet, or as flexible," Naleena replied, "You're going to be with me on this mission, and use stealth. You did too on Omega. It's what we know. You do that very well, by the way."

 

Dahlia smiled. "What's our plan?"

 

"I really don't know. Jess is running the show," Naleena said, "Give me your left arm. Do you see this flap? Underneath it is where you adjust your barrier shield and tune it to your biotics."

 

"They didn't tell me that," Dahlia said. "They just had me try on the suit, and sent me out the door."

 

"They never tell us this. I learned this when I was inside a facility where they make this armor," Naleena smiled. "Now watch the gauge, and put up a barrier.... Good. Do you see that green zone and the yellow bar? Take the screwdriver off the table and turn the adjusting screw until the yellow bar is in the center of the green zone. Excellent. Now push the lock, and close the flap. You're ready to go. I should do mine."

 

Naleena checked hers and had to adjust hers slightly. 

 

"So your biotics are a little stronger and your suit can use more of them to protect you? So I should check it regularly?" Dahlia asked.

 

"Good insight. As we age our biotics get stronger. Also our suits can go out of adjustment," Naleena said, "Power supplies. I like the Serrice Council ones. They last longer."

 

Dahlia put on her leg holster for her Phalanx and her Tempest, and put her Claymore in her back holster. Naleena had a in a leg holster, her SIG in her belt holster, throwing knives in the neck sheaths of her armor, and her Black Widow in her back holster. She put the Collector Particle Beam on Dahlia's back. 

 

"Hey! Am I your pack mule?"

 

"Dahlia, the weapon doesn't weigh as much as your shotgun. We might need it, and I'm carrying enough," Naleena said, "Besides it says 'don't f*** with me.'"

 

Naleena picked up her pack of cigars and strike anywhere matches. The matches were a rarity in the 22nd Century. She picked them up on a backwater low-tech world that was off the grid where she traded for ammunition and other goods in exchange for Asari benefits: alien visitation and all that stuff that would get written up in their tabloids.

 

Dahlia thought about it a minute and smirked. "Shall we?" 

 

Naleena nodded and they headed down to the Audron's loading bay. Naleena was decked out in her black coat. The inside of the coat held extra magazines of thermal clips and bullets. When they arrived in the loading bay, they saw Morgan standing shuffling a deck of cards. Naleena made noise with her heels so as not to startle him.

 

"You heard anything more about what we're going to be doing here?" Naleena asked.

Modifié par sH0tgUn jUliA, 14 juin 2014 - 05:22 .

[Redbelle]

Anika was pulling her new shiny armour off the stand when Jess came out of the bedroom. Clad in her usual green sleeveless body suit.

 

"Lose the armour for now luv. We're meeting a law official. Let's not show them what we have till we know what we've got to deal with here".

 

Anika sighed. "The armour makes an impression".

 

"Just because you can doesn't mean you should every time. We need to get the official types thinking we're harmless to be let loose in town".

 

"You know the other's will be fully kitted out".

 

Jess made a sound in the back of her throat and threw Anika her equipment belt. Watching her pull it on and clipping it around her hips she grinned as her hand came down to the weapon in the holster. "That's right luv.... It's that collector SMG".

 

Anika stroked the handle as she half turned and drew in one fluid motion. "It's..... not bad". She admitted. "I'd rather have a proper rifle".

 

"There's those Turian.....".

 

"I said a proper rifle......". Anika said with a little to much heat before her cheeks reddened as she remembered who she was speaking to. ".....Captain".

 

"That things as good as it's going to get for now. Check your shield cells then come follow me. We're meeting in the loading bay".

 

Both women headed down into the belly of the ship. As the lift doors opened to reveal the bay they saw Naleena and Morgan waiting with Dahlia pacing around looking bored.

 

"Heya cheeky darlings"! Jess called out as she strode inside. "This the landing party? No more"? She looked side to side as if expecting a people to pop out from behind the crates and shout boo! Seeing no one she shrugged. "Oh well. While we're here, any questions while we wait? Keep in mind I've never been here so I imagine we'll be winging what we do".

[Kel Riever]

Morgan stopped shuffling and put away his deck of cards.  He eyed the well-armed group of asari arrivals quickly, then slowed his gaze as he saw Anika unarmored, wearing the captured Collector weapon on a gun belt and otherwise unarmed.  Then his gaze slowed even more as he saw Stone without any armor or armament at all.

 

Right, Morgan remembered, The Law…

 

Morgan stared a bit too long at Jess and she caught his eye. 

 

Fumbling to come up with something to say, Morgan responded, “Winging a story for a well-armed entourage might be a good idea for the deputy.  Once we’re through with him, I’d say we find a good local place we can operate from, before we split up as best we can into a couple of groups and get a look around.” 

[Redbelle]

"Sounds good luv". Jess affirmed before looking down at where she judged Morgan had his eye. "Awww spawn it. I left Bernard in the quart.....".

 

"Here you go captain". Anika said, pulling her red, skull and crossboned exectutioner from behind her back. "I wondered when you'd notice".

 

"Gimme a break". Jess said snatching the gun from her hand. "I'm juggling alot of balls right now".

 

"And dropping your favourite". Anika replied with a hint of amusment in her tone.

 

Jess growled. "You are so getting tied to the bed tonight". Slinging Bernard to her thigh holster that was supported by the belt shield, she strode forward. "The armour might come out later luv's. I don't anticipate a fight coming out the bay. That said.....". She said eyeing Morgan's attire. "Never hurt's to flex the muscle. Or keep them guessing". She said tilting her chin towards naleena and Dahlia. "Now let's see whose waiting to greet us shall we".

 

Signalling the bay operator the door began to swing down, revealing the first glimpse of Duellos.

[Redbelle]

Daog stood a little further away from where the ship calling itself the Audron had landed.

 

It smelled like trouble that ship.

 

Daog hadn't been around as long as he had without developing a knack for knowing which ships, coming to Duellos, bore the trouble makers. This ship was trouble. The faint itching under his scales came and went, and came back as he blinked. He saw another ship, perfectly detailed in his minds eye. Sat where the Audron had once sat. The doors opened. The cargo began to be wheeled out. His scales had itched, and that was all the warning he had before someone on the ship had seen him and his group of guards and panicked. The cover's on one third of the container's had flown off revealing armed men. When the fighting had ended he'd found the other's contained enough drugs to keep the mining community happy for months.

 

He came out of the memory. The loading bay door hit the ground and he saw figure's emerge. He looked back over his shuolder at the four armed guards behind him before looking back at the group.

 

Trouble was on, and perhaps now disembarking off that ship. Looking at them they seemed a motley crew. All armed. Some heavily. Some lightly. And two Asari?

 

As much as he wanted to tell them to turn around a get off world, that ship bore Spectre status. Chances were one of these people was the spectre.......

 

A Spectre....... could be trouble.

[Redbelle]

Jess strode down the landing bay door with Anika by her side as she looked around the open air berth the Audron had been assigned. High walls existed on the left, right and back of the ship, to prevent non port personnel from sneaking into and interfering with the ship, and also, to prevent anything from the ship from spilling out into an unconfined area. Ahead was the main port building that was connected to their bay by a long tubular walkway while off to the side, Jess saw port personnel dragging hoses to the ship so the ship could dial down it's power generator and run off the port generator. Meanwhile other's set to work fixing the mooring's in place.

 

Looking ahead Jess saw a Drell standing in front of a group of what looked like station guards. All armed and armoured. Standard procedure she supposed as she threw open her arms and greeted them.

 

"Darlings"! She crowed as she stepped off onto the dirt and grit that made up Duellos's surface.

[Redbelle]

Daog eye'd the woman in green suspiciously. Noting the sidearm she wore. The other one. The one in white. She was likewise attired but carried a weapon the likes of which he'd never seen. Probably illegal he thought. The one the other carried was certainly illegal.

 

"Keep your eye's peeled". He told the group behind him as he strode forward.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena took a cigar out of the inside breast pocket of her coat, and stuck it in her mouth on the left side and held it between her teeth. She struck a match against her thigh, lit the cigar, and tossed the burned out match on the ground. Then she followed Jess and stood on her left. Naleena was quiet and observed everyone.

 

Dahlia walked up on Jess' right.

[Redbelle]

Daog tilted his head this way and that taking in the group before him. "Welcome to Duellos". He intoned in his throaty bass laden voice. "To whom am I speaking"?

 

"Captain Jess Stone"!

 

Daog blinked, as if comitting her to memory. "You are not the Spectre. There is only one human with that title. Likewise I find it unlikely that you are the captain of this vessel. Turian markings on the ship. Part of their fleet. Human Turian co-operation and your lack of uniform..... I ask again. Who are you"?

 

Jess sighed. "Cap-tain.... Jess..... Stone". She said slowly. "We're here on council business concerning a cult group. They may have, or know someone who has information we need".

 

"What information"?

 

"That's between you and the Spectre. We're not at liberty to say".

 

Daog turned and spoke to one of his guards who was reading information off a handheld slate. "Specter status"?

 

The guard pointed at Jess and Anika. "Not these two". He said.

 

Daog sounded unimpressed. "I know the human's aren't. Who is the Spectre"?

 

The guard turned his head down to his terminal again. "It doesn't say. The database is month's out of date and.....".

 

"Quiet". Daog growled. Jess raised an eyebrow, noting what the guard had said as she grinned.

 

"Didn't catch your name luv".

 

"To you, I'm the Deputy of this town".

 

"Deputy......"?

 

"Daog".

 

"Well how's about that". Jess smiled. "Well to cut throughthe red tape, we have business.... We have pleasure..... and then we have more business planned. If your curious about us we have Turian military officials who will voach for us. As for the Spectre.....". Jess hesitated. "Look, the Spectre want's to stay low key. If you don't trouble the Spectre the Spectre won't make trouble for you".

 

"Spectre authority begins and ends at the end of a barrel, Miss. In town you might find that status lends you some credence but know that the people of this town won't stand for being pushed around. Humans think this planet was robbed of them. The other races want to pull as much resource out from the planet than the others as they can for low costs and maximum gains. The sheriff department has enough trouble keeping the resentment's from spilling out. That's not counting the raider's and bandit's outside of town. You go travelling? you do so at your own risk. You cause problems? You spend a night in the cell and the judge see's you in the morning. Spectre or no Spectre. We have our own way of doing things on this planet".

 

Jess grouched. "We're all on the same side here luv".

 

Daog cast one more look at the group. From Morgan to the Asari, noting with annoyance that the elder Asari was smoking in a non smoking area and, seemingly deciding that he had no reason to hold them any further, turned his back. "On this planet, everyone's out for themselves. And us lawmen are all that holds the line. Don't cross the line".

 

And with that, he and the guards marched off, into the port's docking corridor and down, into the colony.

 

Jess sighed and turned to the party. "I need a drink".

[Kel Riever]

Morgan watched the lawmen walk off, wondering if the warnings they issued really had any meaning on the planet. He’d been to all kinds and unfortunately, it usually took something bad happening to tell whether the lawmen really did draw any lines at all, or if they were there simply to clean up messes.

The group from the Audron wandered forward into the station without much else to say. It was dreary inside, with few passengers coming or going. There were no windows to the outside, so except for the dusty sky, the only experience of Duellos anyone could get was that the air was thin, dry, and dirty with a steady, hot wind.

Leaving the terminal was nearly immediate as the station was shallow from arrival to exit. Once the landing party stepped beyond the walls of the station, they caught their first close-up glimpse of the planet. If there was a charming, quaint, serene planet in the galaxy, Duellos wasn’t it. Beyond the station, the town, if one could call the cluster of monochrome buildings that, was built for functionality. Occasionally, a garish sign would poke out from the brown-grey metallic constructions, attempting to lure in a passerby.

Morgan took a few steps into the street by the station, and nearly had to jump back as the plodding of something mechanical and heavy raced past. He had to look twice, out of disbelief, at the vehicle that nearly hit him. It looked like a horse, but was completely artificial and mechanized. A rider haphazardly steered the alloy beast. Further down in the direction it had headed, he saw more of the mechanical horses out front of what looked like a shop that sold them, named ‘Calvin Brisbane’s Mecha-Steeds’.

There were other vehicles of course, and plenty of people from all species moving by, but nobody else seemed to be in a rush. As with architectural style, attire was similarly functional, with most in neutral colored spacer outfits. A trio of women in the distance was the exception clad in bright, expensive clothes; an asari in light blue, a human in pink and a volus in a yellow-green. It didn’t take Morgan a long time to figure out what the overly friendly women were up to.

The woman stood in front of a structure, which was noteworthy in that it had many more windows than most in the area. A multicolored neon sign identified the place as Big Nose Gullet’s Saloon. There was subtext that Morgan had to enhance with his Kuwashi visor to see. The subtext read, “Normal atmosphere for all.” Zoomed in, Morgan saw a nostalgic and ancient set of wood bat-wing doors set as the entrance. Dust seemed to bounce off the air in front of the doors, indicating a barrier shield likely maintained a controlled environment inside.

Naleena’s boot crunched next to Morgan on the hard, gritty packed street surface. She took a long drag from the thin cigar in her mouth and let the smoke out through clenched teeth. Dahlia unconsciously seemed to nod, Anika looked like she was watching Naleena more than Jess, and Jess, well…

…Morgan still couldn’t read Jess.

“You want a drink?” Morgan said to Jess, with far more drawl than he intended, “Looks like you don’t have to go far.”