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[Cainhurst Crow]

Dengara and his squadron were beginning to gather back up as he glanced over to the speeding city below, seeing it smoldering brought him a pang of joy. However, he also noticed a lull in the destruction, growling as he kept up the second pass.

 

"Krogan Mortars must be slacking...Prepare to pass..." Dengara said as he got his starfighter ready. He quickly shifted channels, "A-Wings! Status?"

 

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High Above, The A-Wings prepared to close in on their target, flying ever closer towards the Janiri as they fired off the machine guns and hammerburst rounds. The shots peppered the hull, but the explosive rounds found it much harder to hit their mark fighting agaisnt the planets gravity.

 

"Guns no good. Switching to Missles!" A-Wing's leader called in, the others getting ready as they began to light up the primitive guidance system for their strikes. Infrared targeting began to lock onto the Janiri, most likely able to be detected by its sensors as the unit continued to bob and weave through shots.

 

One of them was clipped on the gun, which violently exploded and ripped apart the vessel, as the others below had to quickly pitched to avoid its falling debris.

 

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"Iole! Tallis! Status Report?" Essul called in as he saw the air strike being carried out, or rather heard it and felt it in the ground. The team was doing their best to keep moving forward and to keep the enemy guessing, but essul couldn't help but pause as he turned around to see smoke rising from the Sonax base.

 

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As the fighting was taking place, Ganar Slayt watched in silence from atop his Tomkah, watching sonax's position from the perspective of the death-claw vessels as his pale eyes tracked each movement on the ground. As he did so, his eyes narrowed and he turned around to glance towards his subordinate.

 

"Have the final preparations been made?" Ganar asked as he looked down towards the black clad krogan.

 

"We've got the explosives in place. The tunnels are as cleared as they'll ever be..." The man said.

 

Slayt nodded, "Then assemble the Blackguard. Have them assembled at the tunnels entrance...." He said, the black clad krogan giving a salute as Ganar's eyes shifted a bit, "But leave a detachment here....I want them watching the Hammer of Dawn. Keep them in the city, and make sure nobody enters it alive..."

 

"Yes Sir." The krogan said as he went off to inform the others. Slayt went back to growling to himself, descending back into his tank as he ordered the drivers to move out.

 

"Shinaga...behave yourself just a while more...." He said to himself as he opened his omnitool, adjusting the gas mixture in his tanks as a small hiss was heard, "This will all be over soon...very soon."

 

The Tomkah moved out to join a few others, and soon the line of 12 drove into a massive garage like structure, their engine roars and rumbling dying out as they descended into the underground roadway that ran beneath the city.

[Kel Riever]

Morgan and Miss Priss

"We're on the side that's givin' everybody a hard time, Mister," Miss Priss answered Varrug.

Morgan nodded, "It's complicated.  If it matters, we're on the side trying to put some decent order back here, if it's possible.  But you probably know by now that all the powers that be are trying to cut checks off your flesh.  There's a way through it, with the allies we have, but it involves finding someone."  Morgan took the water offered and held up the cup before drinking.  "Thank you, by the way.  Do you know where we can find someone named Pradrax Vask, or some place named Kradek's?"

Iole and Tallis

There was a tide of debris that rushed forward at Iole.  She instinctively ducked, closed her eyes and heard the sound of strewn rubble falling around her.  But she felt nothing and after a second she opened her eyes.

Tallis had her arms out, and was projecting a hemisphere barrier over the two of them.  

"Nicely done," Iole complimented, then warned.  "They're going to try an advance if they aren't already.  Get ready to retreat if we need to and fall back towards Mira's lane where they can cover us again.  We have to stay fluid."

"Got it.  Got it."

"They're coming!" The Sonax commander's voice could be heard, though with the dust he couldn't be seen.

Several rounds were let loose.  Iole flicked on her visual targetting assists and opened up with the Hellbringer.  

"Iole! Tallis! Status Report?" Essul's voice was on the com.

"We're okay, but we're in it thick," Iole replied.  "Enemy advancing.  We may have to fall back to you but I'll let you know."

Iole kept up the controlled bursts.  Thrumm.  Thrumm.  Thrummmm.

 
 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Ereba

 

She pulled up behind Jenus and had her Locust drawn, and a depleted uranium block loaded in it, not that it would do much good against Krogan, but it would take down their shields a bit perhaps giving Jenus an opening. She kept her eyes peeled looking for any movement in the buildings. So far all was pretty quiet: too quiet.

 

"You know, Jen, I don't mean to question anyone's decisions here, but why did we leave Two-times and Goldie back with those Sonax bastards?" she asked in a quiet voice. "I know we're trying to make peace and all that, but you weren't with us. They were the ones who shot T'sarius, and nearly wiped out our unit. Red's team dealt with the Krogan. Ask the Batarian if you don't believe me. 

 

"But what do I know? I'm just a Specialist on an extended assignment. Just know I got your back."

 

**********

 

The Janiri

 

The A-wing approached firing, their round ricocheting off the ship's silaris armor. 

 

"No good! No good! Switch to missiles!" the squadron leader said over their com. The missiles contained a thermite charge that would burn through the hull armor, then detonate, but they had to get in close to fire otherwise the GARDIAN defense would pick them out. 

 

"Arm missiles!" the Vorcha commander shouted. "Fire!"

 

Suddenly the instrument panels on the fighters went dead. The missiles wouldn't fire. "No!!" he shouted. "Ram ship!"

 

******

 

"I have hacked the instrumentation on the fighters. They are on manual control. It appears they are attempting to ram us," VERA said.

 

Selani watched the situation unfold on the battle map. "Prepare to jump on my command," she said waiting for the fighters to get closer and when they were within 300 meters she issued the command. "Jump!"

 

Jorril had been powering up the FTL drive and was waiting for the command to engage. It engaged immediately tearing a void in atmosphere. Air rushed into fill it from all sides pulling the fighters with it to a single point in a loud, thunderous crack that sent a shock wave through the air that could be felt on ground. The fighters went up in a fiery explosion as their missiles detonated, providing a flash and a secondary shock wave.

 

********

 

Varrug

 

He leaned over, squinted, and studied Morgan, looked over at Priss who was sitting back in her chair twirling her hair, then back at Morgan. "An off-worlder like you knows about Kradek's and you're looking for Vask?" he asked looking at them with suspicion. "Yeah, I know Vask. Real shady fella. Talks too much. I know, I know. Krogan talk a lot, but not like him. Plies you with drinks then starts asking questions. You're too drunk to not answer and start boasting.

 

"Kradek's is just a hole in the wall. How an off-worlder knows about it, it's probably too dangerous for me to ask. Just tell me I didn't let rabid varren into my home. I don't want any trouble. It's about three blocks from here. Take the street out front to the corner, then turn right and it's straight down on your left," Varrug said. He stood and walked over to his kitchen table bidding Morgan and Priss to follow. "Krogan males wear clan wraps over their humps like mine. His has the Pradrax clan design. Bah, you won't know what that looks like, but his has an odd little symbol in it. No one notices it because it's small, but I did." 

 

Varrug drew the Shadow Broker symbol on a piece of paper. "Now I must ask you to leave. I have to see to my boy."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Kradek's

 

After dodging patrols in the street, the Krogan slipped into Kradek's for a few drinks. He was of fighting age and should have been on the front lines with Wrund's forces, but he had another job to do. Wrund had taken control of the towers and was not allowing any off world communication to get to the comm buoys. He had information that needed to get to his contact, but that information was now way out of date. Pradrax Vask was not only watching for Wrund's thugs but for assassins. He'd been around the system for a while and knew what happened when you crossed the Broker. The Broker didn't accept excuses. 

 

Perhaps if he kept information current and got that off world as soon as the towers were available? Yes, perhaps that would get him off the hook? Maybe, he hoped. 

 

There were three off-duty Bloodpack guards in the dive who had too much ryncol and were talking loudly, boasting about their battles, but also discussing Bloodpack politics. One was very large, and wore sergeant rank and black armor. The the other two wore brick red armor typical of Bloodpack regulars. The large one in the black armor had been in there before. Vask sat alone, quietly and listened.

 

".... Do you really think Slayt is worried about Sonax' recent attempt on our rear? It's probably just a small commando unit trying to distract us," one of the ones in red said. "Nothing to worry about."

 

"Soon we'll roll over the Sonax position at the wall and the city will be ours," the other in red said. "But why hasn't Slayt released Shinaga and the Blackguard to do her job? We could have ended this weeks ago. Instead her unit just sits in the Northeast quadrant safe from all combat. Our most powerful company." He pushed the large Krogan. "You're in Slayt's circle. What's he got up his sleeve?"

 

The large Krogan headbutted the smaller one, glared at him, laughed, then downed his sixth ryncol, looked around, and spoke in a quiet voice for a Krogan. "You didn't hear this from me, but Shinaga has been promised to Wrund."

 

The two were silent, looked at each other. Then all three of them laughed. 

 

"You almost had me for a minute!" the first Krogan said. "What's really going on?"

 

"Surprise attack. Two days. We're going to press the southern flank, then Shinaga will press in from the north. That will end Sonax in Dhazil," the large Krogan said. "Now, let's get back to the barracks. You two wait outside. I'll settle our tab."

 

The low ranking Krogan followed their orders. The large Krogan, glanced in Vask's direction, then approached the bar. He dropped a disk on the floor near Vask's table as he walked by. 

 

After he left, Vask picked up the disk and put it in a pocket. He finished his drink, paid his tab and left. When he got outside he played the disk. 

 

"Don't worry, Wrund. I'm keeping Shinaga safe. We don't need her Blackguard to win. I have other plans for the Bloodpack now. Her cousin, Ganar Jarg is now in line to take over the Bloodpack. Shinaga will be your wife after our victory and we'll solidify the alliance of our clans."

 

Vask quickly shoved the disk inside his armor, and started to walk home. He crossed the street and realized he had to take a p***. 

 

While he was taking care of business a Krogan patrol approached: the same ones who tossed Varrug's home earlier. 

 

"Well, well. The coward who won't fight in the war. What do you say we teach him a lesson?" the patrol leader said.

 

Two patrol grabbed Vask by his arms and held him while the leader kicked him in the quad, then punched him in his face several times until it was bloody. 

 

"So you don't want to fight? I'll give you a reason you can't fight," the leader said and took his shotgun and shot Vask in the leg. "Come on. Leave him there to rot."

 

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

 

Morgan heard a shotgun report nearby coming from the direction of Kradek's.

[Cainhurst Crow]

-Underground : Ganar Slayt -

 

Legacy. That which was passed from the old to the new. A word many krogan had forgotten during their time alive. Legacy was one of those intangible things, like honor or courage or mercy. But unlike those other useless things, Legacy actually meant something in the world. A legacy was what a person had to give to their children, their children's children's, and so on and so forth.

 

It existed long after tales of Honor, Courage, or Mercy faded into dust. It was what created myths. It was what created tradition. It was what mattered in the final accounting.

 

His great grandfather had left a legacy of conquest. His grandfather had left a legacy of extinction. His father had left a legacy of banishment. Now it was his turn to make a legacy of his own. Yet what did he have to show for it? His only son, one of only two children he'd ever been able to conceive in his entire centuries of life, was dead. Gunned down on Omega by some lowlife, worst yet a Kavadar at that. Slayt could have sworn they'd mostly died out, say for a couple hanging around some pirate hideaways. Their long time rivalry ending after the entire Perseus Veil fiasco. So ow one managed to hurt him so, he didn't even begin to fathom.

 

'They don't matter anymore. The upstart will die, with any who are dumb enough to help him...' Slayt thought to himself. Even now, he was sure that the krogan he hated with all his being was here. He could feel it in his bones, and he felt it the moment the reports came in about an asari ship. Normally, he'd have deployed his entire army to simply burn all of Dhazil to the ground. 'But...I can't risk Shinaga being hurt. Nor can I simply crush Hailot under foot. Not now...not when I'm so close...'

 

This future he envisioned, this marriage of his two clans, wasn't simply for power. His brother Yulaz was mistaken about that front. None of them understood, not his short sighted brother, nor his idiotic nephew, nor the craven Wrund. And especially not Shinaga, despite how very good she was.

 

Ganar Slayt knew only someone like him could get it. Slayt inherited his fathers past choices, his legacy, in more ways then simply having a stain on his honor. He was born as a freak, an Albino Krogan who had to fight his way up into the position he held now. His massive size, which allowed him to dwarf most Krogan and stand almost twice as tall, had done centuries of damage to his bones, spine, and muscles. And the final nail in his coffin; his fertility, which even compared to most was abysmally low. 

 

His birth had caused his fathers outrage, or so his father had liked to remind him whenever he would drunkenly attack him. The reason he had struck his mate in anger. The result of years of attempting to solve the genophage problem with any solution, from surgery to incest, to create their very own Genetic Legacy.

 

Ganar Slayt himself refused to let his grandchildren suffer the same fate he was. His brother was lucky enough to be born relatively normal, and Yulaz's child was unremarkable enough to put his mind at ease. But his own children, his son Grimm who had been plagued since his youth by "the voices", and his own daughter Shinaga, who had too much of his own blood within her, served as a stark reminder.

 

Clan Ganar was running out of people to leave a Legacy to, few if any clans willing to accept their own, and those who did were weak as well, plagued by their own ancestors weaknesses and mistakes.

 

Slayt had known what he needed to do. When Yulaz first approached him with a proposal for a marriage between their own children, a way to "bridge the gap" between them, Slayt knew he had to act, and fast. The pale krogan had been desperate when he approached Clan Hailot. Their presence in the terminus was wide spread, one of the biggest and most powerful clans outside of Tuchunka.

 

A union between their clans could ensure both continued to exist for generations. A legacy of power, prestige, and genetics, that the white terror could see bringing them into a new golden age.

 

'I may have been handcuffed to accepting Wrund as my daughters mate, but it will work out. Even the weakest hailot can make a good pair with the strongest of ganar.' Slayt thought to himself, lost in thought as the low rumble of the tomkah echoed in the tunnels below the city. 'Grimm could have made a good mate. They could have had a good litter, and I could have hedged my bets and waited for a Grand-daughter to leverage...'

 

Grimm was a fool, and he wasn't cut out to be a solider. But the young man seemed to have a good fortune about him. He was also his own son, and just a she cared about his daughter, he had cared about him deeply. He still remembered seeing the dead body, having to see the tattoos on his neck to recognized the blown apart mess of meat as his own flesh and blood.

 

His hands clenched at the thought, snapping him back to reality. Slayt's time was not long for this world, he knew that. So with what little time he had, Slayt was determined to see his own legacy full-filled. Longevity of the Ganar Line, Vengeance for his spilled blood, and the security of his own families future. Everything else, even the blood pack, meant little compared to that.

 

The blood pack would continued on, even with a change of leadership. A Ganar being in control however, was what Slayt wanted to see. And he would do anything to see it, even if he had to force all those around him to follow his vision to do it.

[Kel Riever]

The Commando Team

"Because that was the plan Mira outlined in the shuttle," Jenus answered Ereba.  "I don't know, kid.  Why don't you ask her?"

Mira got the confirm from Iole and Tallis that they were all right, then she responded quickly due to the situation.  "It's a standard tactic to use a few to keep the enemy pinned while we flank.  Landing behind the wall gave us the opportunity to use a fixed position, really the only fixed position, against the krogan.  Iole and Tallis can handle themselves and will get out when needed, or ask us to give them a hand.  We're prepared.  Now come on, we've got to secure the tower."

The krogan were generally aware of the asari and their direction.  What ensued over the next several minutes was a mean fight as blood pack were dispatched to handle their flank, while the Commandos advanced and hit them from angles quickly before fading and moving on.  There was no room for the asari, Essul or Faed/Legion to get bogged down.  They had to be fast, maneuver to new positions, and constantly make headway.  Several rounds came close to ending a Commando or two, and one member of Adonya's team was wounded, but fully recoverable after a medigel dose.  The Bloodpack took many casualties, mostly vorcha and some turians, but it certainly seemed to affect them less.  The krogan leaders seemed intent on locking down their opposition and were willing to pay the price.  Of the krogan who did make it to the asari and fight, they proved to be rough opponents. 

On reaching the tower, Mira said, "There's our target, well-guarded.  We don't have a lot of time.   I give us five to seven minutes before we start seeing those search parties catching up to us again.  Ereba and Faed, I need you to get us intelligence on the guards on our side.  Once you think you've got a good number, start picking them off.  Don't stick yourself high up, where you'll be trapped if someone gets a read on your position.  You have to take the harder shots and stay fluid.  The rest of us are going to have to move in on the facility while you cover us."

Jenus looked to Adonya.  "If your team has to puke, do it now."

Adonya scowled at Jenus.  "Just watch it, Vanguard.  You aren't the only person who knows how to do a job around here."

Jenus replied, "We'll see about that," then turned to Mira and Essul so Adonya couldn't read her expression,  and gave them a look that showed her approval.
 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Ereba and Faed/Legion

 

Ereba nodded to Mira and motioned to Faed/Legion to follow her. When out of earshot she started talking to Faed. "'Don't stick ourselves up high where we'll get trapped? Yeah right. We can get trapped anywhere. I noticed you using a tactical cloak. We'll be fine no matter where we set up, just as long as we get a clean shot and don't stay in one place," 

 

 

"In our experience, you assessment is accurate. We recommend that we take no more than one shot from a position," Legion replied. "This rifle does not have the stopping power of our original model. It has been reduced to accommodate the structural weaknesses of an organic platform."

 

 

Ereba nodded. "Yeah, I know. I saw your original model in action," she said as they climbed over some debris on their way into a nearby building.

 

 

Faed/Legion put his hand on Ereba's shoulder turning her around. "How? You were not on Shepard Commander's team and we did not encounter you during our missions."

 

 

"We were shorthanded. VERA saw your Geth platform was unused and wanted to accompany us on our last mission here. She took control of it and used your sniper rifle," Ereba said and hesitated a second before speaking again. "You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

 

 

Faed/Legion raised his eyebrows. "VERA's decision was logical."

 

 

“That’s it? It doesn’t bother you that she used your body?”

 

 

“Our runtimes no longer can reside in that platform,” Legion replied. “It is a resource that is being wasted.”

 

 

Ereba shook her head. "I’ll never understand this completely. Come on, we need to get to position," she said, and tapped her omni-too. "We should also set up a sub-channel for communication between us. We should be able to hear Mira, but we should be able to speak freely among ourselves without interfering with them. Match this channel."

 

 

The Quarian followed Ereba's instructions. When they got to the roof of the building, Ereba, pointed to another rooftop for Faed. He would be able to leap from rooftop to rooftop to get there, and do so while cloaked. Ereba had her escape route planned down the drainpipe in the rear of the building. 

 

 

"Just remember, you can't jump down from four stories like you used to. You'll break a leg." Ereba said. "Then, I'll have to come get you and drag your sorry ass into cover. Mira will really be p***ed. Both of us will probably end up dead, and you won't get to complete your mission."

 

 

Faed’s head twitched as he took over for a moment. "Thank you for reminding him."

 

 

"That was not necessary. We are aware of our structural weaknesses," Legion replied as he took his position.

 

 

Numerous reports of assault rifle fire mixed with shotgun fire and mortar explosions surrounded the area in which they were in. Surface movements of Krogan troops were minimal except for a few patrols. Ereba surveyed the area immediately near them, then scoped the area near Mira’s position about a half kilometer away. There were two patrols approaching Mira’s area.

 

 

Ereba lost track of Faed’s location. “Where the f*** are you?”

 

 

“We have moved to a location equidistant to T’riel Lieutenant and your position. We did not run into any Krogan patrols,” Faed/Legion said. “We are currently making our way to the sixth floor of a building. We should have a clear shot at the area around the communications tower.”

 

 

“Did you scan the building first?”

 

 

“Ereba Specialist, we have been in hostile territory before observing organics while remaining unseen.”

 

 

“That was until one of them blew a hole in your chest.”

 

 

“That… is true,” Legion commented. “We have learned to be more careful and scan structures before entering.”

 

 

“Then why couldn’t you have just answered, ‘yes?’” Ereba asked, about to slam her crest into the wall.

 

 

“Our observations of organics have given us data that it is necessary sometimes to provoke responses.”

 

 

“Now is not the time, Legion.”

 

 

“We understand, Ereba Specialist,” Faed/Legion said. “Setting up in the window now. Ereba, Specialist. Given our positions and lack of hostile activity in our immediate area, it is possible that we could terminate multiple targets without betraying our position if we synchronize our firing.”

 

 

“Good point. I don’t think Mira expected us to be so far away, but this is what snipers do,” Ereba said as she lowered her targeting display on her kuwashii visor.

 

 

“Exactly,” Faed/Legion replied. “I have linked my omni-tool to my ocular cybernetic implant, and will send you real time data of our selected target.”

 

 

“Now that was Faed!”

 

 

“Yes, Ereba, it was,” Faed said. “Connect your visor to your omni-tool and you’ll receive a red highlight around the selected target. Now, I’ll give you back to Legion.”

 

 

Ereba futzed with her omni-tool again. “Okay, got it. I’m receiving data.”

 

 

Three guards patrolling the comm tower rounded the corner and were walking down the block in front of the entrance to the broadcast building.

 

 

“We have guards in sight,” Legion said. “We have selected our target. Are you receiving?”

 

 

“Affirmative, but I don’t have a shot yet… wait… now I do. On my mark. Three… two… one… Fire!”

 

 

The lead Krogan’s head exploded as rounds from two M-98 Widows struck it simultaneously. The other two froze momentarily.

 

 

Legion picked out the second target. “On our mark. Two… one… Fire!”

 

 

“Sni…”

 

 

The head of a second guard exploded. The third guard ran back the way he came, but Legion had a shot and fired at him twice, the first shot lowering his shield and grazing his leg, causing him to stumble. The second shot penetrated his eye.

 

 

Faed/Legion left the window and began descending the stairs with haste. “It is not necessary for you to relocate. We must do so because we fired too many times from this location. All three targets have been terminated. There is a possibility that our location could be discovered. It would be helpful if Ereba, Specialist kept us appraised of the situation near the communications building.”

 

 

“Good work, Legion,” Ereba said.

 

 

 

Faed/Legion exited the building, cloaked and moved quickly down an alley away from the Vorcha voices he heard approaching. 

[Kel Riever]

Morgan and Miss Priss

After Morgan and Priss thanked Varrug and left for Kradek's, they heard the nearby gunshot as they were approaching the location. 

Morgan scanned the area quickly, grabbed Miss Priss, and leapt into an alleyway just as the Blood Pack search team rounded the corner into the street.  The two squeezed behind a crate for garbage that couldn't be incinerated, where a mound of turned up dirt would help hide them.  Miss Priss was digging in her hands and feet when she hit something hard.  As a reaction, she pulled the object she found up and saw it was a human skull.

If Morgan hadn't slapped his hand to her mouth, Miss Priss would have yelled out and given away their positions.  Morgan counted himself lucky that Priss had the lower half of her helmet's visor stored for comfort.  Realizing she almost blew it, Priss nodded at Morgan with her light brown eyes wide, and calmed herself. 

The patrol passed by without noticing the humans.

Miss Priss and Morgan clambered out after it was safe enough, and moved rapidly to where the shot sounded like it came from.  The battle worn sign for Kradek's was just ahead, but saw a trail of yellowish orange fluid heading into another alley before the establishment.  A groan confirmed that the owner of the fluid was still alive.

The two humans stepped into the alley cautiously.  Morgan took a look around and found a krogan holding his freshly blasted leg.  The wraps on his hump had a small symbol that Morgan's sharp eyes picked out and recognized immediately. 

Morgan had his hand on his own shotgun, but he moved it away.  "You're going to need some help, Vask, which I'm here to give you if you don't make my life difficult.  And if you can stop making all that noise by letting people shoot you."

[Kel Riever]

The Commando Teams

"Upstart kid.  Those shots came from high," Jenus scoffed.

"It's fine," Mira said.  "The job got done."

"Well, that it did," Jenus had to agree.  She scanned ahead.  "Krogan biological matter everywhere.  Someone's going to need a heavy scrubber to get that off the wall." 

Jenus moved ahead in a flash, leaping over the cover she was behind and biotically dashing from position to position until she was at the entrance to the communication tower that was once guarded.  After an inspection, she gave the all clear.  The Commando teams moved across the street, covering each other and on the alert.  Once they secured the entrance, Jenus and Mira swept in.  There was no one immediately on the other side of the door, though there was another corpse, likely of one of the original workers.  Nobody had bothered dealing with the body yet.

Adonya and her team moved to defensive areas in the first room, guarding both the doorway outside from within, and the portal that lead further into the building.  The portal inward was locked open, and the hallway beyond was littered with debris.  There were the sounds of heavy smacking around a corner of the hallway.

Speaking into her subvocal, Mira instructed Faed/Legion, "We don't have Iole so come in to help with electronics.  Let Ereba know we need her outside, keeping an eye out for trouble.  No shots unless necessary please, not until we are out of here safely.  I don't want to get trapped in this building."

Jenus had already moved up to the corner silently.  The twins were covering her from the main room.  Mira slipped up near Jenus next, and after a quick count, both Mira and Jenus spun around the hallway corner with their Disciples out.

There were two krogan there, one standing over the other who'd been clearly beaten.

"Hold still!" Jenus commanded.

The krogan who'd been beating the other suddenly changed his demeanor and threw his hands up.  "I surrender!  Do not shoot!  I am giving up, and surrendering myself to your custody! I am willing to set up a ransom as well, so long as I remain unharmed!"
 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Pradrax Vask

 

The Krogan groaned, saw a blurred Morgan, then glanced at the figure behind him, blinked, and then Morgan came into focus. "You're here to help? Not kill me?" Vask said. "I've never seen you before.... You know my name. How?"

 

Morgan moved slowly so his motions wouldn't take Vask off guard.  He was getting his medigel applicator out again.  "I'm going to run out of gel in an hour with all the meat being shot out of people today." Loading a new gel charge into the applicator, Morgan added, "How do you think I know your name - someone needs their information."

 

Next, Morgan recited Vasks Shadow Network code. "No one's here to punish you, Pradrax Vask.  The point is to reopen the lines of communication.  You mind telling me what you can while I try to do what I can with your leg?"

 

Vask breathed a sigh of relief. "Hmm.... so, he sent you. Wrund shut down all outgoing communication except what he wants going out. The situation here is bad. I had information regarding Sonax pulling out at about the time they were putting up a satellite defense system," he said. "That seemed very odd to me. Defense? Why would they spend money on an expensive satellite defense system at the same time they were leaving? Very valuable information but I couldn't get that to my contact because of the towers.

 

"Wrund brought the Bloodpack in for reinforcements. But you probably know that," he said and took a deep breath wincing in pain. "The Blackguard headed by Ganar Shinaga. What you don't know is that Ganar Slayt is stepping down from leading the Bloodpack, and was originally handing over the reins to Shinaga, but now is handing Shinaga over to Wrund to be his female. Slayt will make Ganar Jarg, Shinaga's cousin, head of the Bloodpack."

 

Vask shifted off his side onto his back. "Here, in a pocket under my armor. There's a disk with a recording of Slayt speaking to Wrund about this. My contact inside the Bloodpack gave it to me about a half-hour ago. Take it.

 

"They're also looking for people who are of fighting age and not fighting. You see the results. If possible I'd like to transfer to another location. It's too dangerous for me here."

 

"I'll...pass the message on.  Though if you can get back in touch directly with your superior, I'd do that," Morgan looked around at the war torn area.  "Personally, I don't think it's safe for most anyone on Garvug.  Patch up and get out of town if you can, until this all blows over."

 

Vask nodded and thanked Morgan.

 

Morgan finished the ad-hoc field dressing of Vask's wound, wished him luck, and then headed out with Miss Priss, back onto the streets.  It seemed the patrol had moved on, and thankfully they made plenty of noise, so Morgan and Priss could avoid them.  It was tricky maneuvering about other Krogan posts, but Morgan had plenty of experience getting around where he needed to.

 

When they got to an almost completely destroyed building, Morgan and Miss Priss moved inside and took a break.  They drank some water.  Miss Priss' curiosity and the thrill of a secret got her to pry, "Handsome, that sounds like a hell of a family feud those four-ballers are gonna have!"

 

Nodding, Morgan activated his Omni-tool to send an encrypted message to Naleena.  "I have to let Naleena know about the disk we have, and what Vask says was on it."  As Morgan typed and then sent the message, he went on, "Vask is right, though.  If what he says is true, Sonax isn't planning on leaving.  You don't set up defensive satellites when you intend to pull out.  Anything can go in the Terminus Systems, and a sore loser might just consider making sure nobody wins.  I don't want to speculate too much, it also depends on what Sonax can get their hands on, and how much they are going to commit.  But I have no doubt that the people calling the shots right now are their accountants and not their public relations people."

 

"You think they'd drop a bomb on this place?"  Miss Priss' expression changed to worry, and what happened to Duellos was never far from her mind.

 

"Bombs I wouldn't rule out.  But there are all kinds of bombs, some more pleasant than others," Morgan took Priss' hand to help her up.  "It isn't worth dwelling on.  We need to do our jobs, get back to the shuttle and get out of here."

[Kel Riever]

On board the Medusa

"Are we ready on that load yet?" Babe asked as Dogger and Largo were already using a lift to position the second and final depleted eezo fuel rod into the modified mass effect cannon in the front hangar bay of the Medusa.  The rod was fabricated in the shape of a missile, the shape needed for it to accurately move through the atmosphere as it was dropped and guided, and slight flaws in the first missile had been corrected on the second.  All of that was hidden in the protective shell housing that guarded the crew from radiation leekage.

Babe's question was really rhertorical; the point was to get the rod loaded asap so that those on the ground could call in another strike.

Dogger knew Babe was pushing it, but he'd gotten some other sense about her with the whole project.  Babe was more than 'just' charming and ungodly beautiful.  She had some sort of command about her, something that beforehand, Babe seemed reluctant to use.  But her time aboard the Medusa and a sort of green light from Jess to let herself go had started to reveal other bits about her.  This one was certainly new, and with all that Babe was, a fearless quality of leading had a powerful, potentially irresistible, impact.

The rod was loaded without mishap, and Babe was back on the firing controls.  The front hangar door of the Medusa still yawned, and Garvug was a defenseless target.
 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Ereba and Faed/Legion

 

Watching the scans on her omni-tool, Ereba remained silent, for the most part. No Bloodpack or Krogan patrols were in her area. They were more attracted by Faed/Legion's extra shots.

 

"L-T, we'll keep you covered from up here, and let you know if any patrols approach," Ereba said. "Look, I know you warned us about getting up high but Two-brains and I agreed we couldn't get a clean shot, so we improvised. Besides we both got tactical cloaks. He's on the move right now to another location. I've been scanning constantly and it's been clear of patrols. I don't think they were expecting any commando action behind lines. Something doesn't feel right."

 

Two-brains.... that's it. That's a good name for him. Ereba thought. Textbrain, Two-times, Goldie, Red.... and Slammer for Jenus, 'cause she thinks with her fists.

 

*****

 

Naleena sat with her back against the concrete wall of the cold garage and lit a cigarette. It was here first in the morning after a fitful night's rest. Battlefield rest was not something she was used to. Her previous operations had been mostly hit and run. This one, however, was more sustained guerrilla action.

 

She smoked her cigarette in the quiet watching the others sleep. She opened a can of "heat" and lit it to boil water for coffee. Irina was the first to awaken to the aroma.

 

"Any word?" Irina asked.

 

"Not yet. If Vask is alive, Morgan will have found him by now." Naleena said. "I have to start thinking about a plan B. Vayne won't like it."

 

"What do you mean?"

 

"I know people. There are places in the galaxy that the Bloodpack doesn't go," Naleena replied as she extinguished her cigarette. "Places that are beyond their reach. But he'll never be able to leave. Ever. I make a call, and Kadavar Vayne ceases to exist. We'll never be able to contact him again. He'll have to live out his days there. It'll be very expensive. Even the silence of the Shadow Broker will have to be bought."

 

"Damn."

 

"Wake up the others. We need to figure out what to do next. I'll contact Mira," Naleena said then hit her communicator and sent an ID code. "Mira, this is Naleena. Give me a status." 

[Kel Riever]

The Commando Teams
 

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Jenus remarked, approaching the krogan with her shotgun leveled.  "All right, crybaby, move away from your punching bag and get down on the floor, hands where I can see them!  Who in the void are you?"

"Talyth.  My name is Talyth."  The krogan complied.  "Please, don't hurt me."

"He's a Foresworn coward! Leader of the scouts and a coward!" the krogan who'd been beaten up on spat through bloody teeth.  He didn't look well enough off to be hurling insults but it looked like he also didn't care.

"Shut up, Kradack!"  Talyth pleaded with the asari.  "He's Blood Pack.  He's head of their communications.  He's valuable, you can use him."

Mira called over to Adonya.  "Secure Talyth.  I'm bringing up the Blood Pack krogan to find the main booth where we can transmit from."  Then Mira motioned with the barrel of her shotgun to Jenus while Adonya called up the twins to keep an eye on Talyth.  Adonya left her last team mate to guard the outer door and followed Mira herself.

"You heard her," Jenus snarled at Kradack.  "Get your bloody hump up."

"Weakling asari, I don't care if you kill me."

"You didn't fight so hard against this coward as you call him.  Maybe I don't weigh a ton but when I'm done with you, you'll know what one of your stomachs looks like."

"All right, I'm moving c**t."

"That's right, four balls, you are."

Mira received Naleena's message and answered her on the com.  "Securing the com booth now.  We should be ready to transmit in minutes."





 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena

 

"Excellent! I'm still waiting on Morgan. Wait...." Naleena said. "Standby. I'm receiving a transmission from Morgan now."

 

Naleena received the encrypted message from Morgan containing the data disk recording and everything that Vask told him. She smiled.

 

"What is it?" Irina asked.

 

"Morgan's information," she said. "Vayne! I have something for you. It appears that Slayt is a treacherous bastard and is selling out his own daughter. He's giving her to Wrund to be his female, and giving the Bloodpack to her cousin. All that after promising her control of the Bloodpack. We need to find Shinaga and tell her before Slayt can pull off his little coup. I have the recording of Slayt himself speaking the words."

 

Vayne raised his head in surprise. "That will cause a family feud.... if we can find her."

 

"She's in the northeast quadrant of the city... Should be near our position," Naleena said. "We should get ready to head out." 

 

Naleena got on her communicator to the Janiri. "VERA, there was something in the data pack Morgan sent me. Can you do a detailed scan of the Sonax defense satellites? Let me know their capabilities."

 

"Affirmative. Scanning now," VERA replied.

 

While awaiting the results of VERA's analysis, Naleena played the recording for Vayne.

 

"I have the results of the scan. The Sonax satellites have propulsion systems that allow them to be positioned anywhere over the planet. Their weapon system, while currently facing outward can be redirected to point anywhere they want," VERA said. "It is a high intensity energy weapon."

 

"Does the weapon have the capability of penetrating atmosphere?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Sonax isn't leaving. They're preparing to bombard from orbit," Naleena said as her face turned pale.

 

"That is a possibility."

 

"We have to move, now," she said and hit her comm again. "Mira, I received Morgan's data pack. It's better than I expected, and worse than I wanted. Finish up there. We need to lure Wrund preferably to the city center. Don't leave any of your people behind. Once we're finished with Wrund we're leaving."

[Cainhurst Crow]

Dengara circled around for another strafing run, smiling to himself as his fighters shot out another blast of their guns against the Sonax ground forces. The explosions went off, and as he looked to the monitors he saw the ammunition was running low.

 

Just then he got a call, flicking a switch to let the signal go through. "What is it?" He asked.

 

"We're nearing position. Drop the guns and head back for retooling." The familiar rasping voice said.

 

"Got it, Boss..." He said, calling into the other vorchas. "Final Run, Warboys. Drop guns, and fly back to base..." He called in as he pulled back, flying as low as he could as he and the rest of the wings got ready for their final approach.

 

He and the other fighters flew low enough to shatter whatever windows or crumble whatever buildings hadn't already from the Janiri's exit, only they didn't fire. Instead, each of the fighters triggered the emergancy release system in their cockpit, the heavy guns attached to their ships disconnecting with a hiss and falling to the ground.

 

Each of the heavy machine guns tumbled forward as they did so, crashing and smashing whatever they hit. And as they layed their, the grenade belts around them finally triggered, red lights lighting up on each of the guns and counting down.

 

A couple seconds later, and the rear of the camp was completely engulfed in flames, the combination of incindeary and fragmentation grenades doing well to devastate any forces in the rear of sonax's forces.

 

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

 

"So...I take it you're not Eclipse Mercenaries..." He said, taking a look at the uniforms of those gathered, and seeing a remarkable lack of yellow as he straighted the glasses hanging from his face, their arms designed to hang from his lowest crest spikes as he looked towards Essul, "Definitely not Eclipse. They don't hire batarians..."

 

He kept quiet as he watched the others getting to work, his hands in front of him as he glanced around the room, spotting something as he took a step to the right, "Soooo....What brings a bunch of commandos and one batarian all the way here? I-I take it sonax offered you all a nice reward to deal with their...erm...problem." He said as he wiped the sweat from under his crest, taking another slow step towards the wall as he leaned his back against it.

 

"Well...I've got quite a bit of credits myself, you know. Comes with the territory of being, heh, in a position of some importance. If we we're to talk figures...welll, I could offer you all quite a handsome raise to ensure I make it off this world unharm-"

 

"Don't even think about it..." Essul said as he marched forward and threw out a punch. Talyth flinched, throwing up his arms and preparing to throw out an omnishield when essul shot out his punch, and smashed the small fire alarm that Talyth had been inching towards.

 

"....Heh...Heh Heh...S-silly me!! I-I really should stand right over there, right? I-I might have accidently triggered something..." He said with as forced a smile as possible, moving back to where the twins were and getting on his knees, "N-No need to do anything rash...It was an honest mistake, I assure you!!!"

 

Essul was silent as he kept his argus rifle out and trained on the krogan, "You want to live so badly? Get us access to the blood pack coms." He said coldly, eyes narrowing as talyth sweat even more.

 

"Y-you got it. Sure! Sounds like a plan!" Talyth said, just hoping to get out of this entire mess alive.

 

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

 

"They can't bomb this place. They're thousands of people in this city. It'd kill everyone here." Vayne said as he thought it over. Even with the current blood pack infestation, there were still normal people in this city. There was no way they'd just up and kill them all.

 

He went silent as he mulled over the news. Sonax was a giant corporations who'd been bleeding out financially every since they came to this world. The smart thing to do would be to just cut their losses and pull out.

 

'But then why'd they build this satellite array? why not just leave it unfinished and go?' The cynical part of his mind chimmed in.

 

There had to be another reason. This couldn't have been their goal. This couldn't have been their plan in letting them come here. And their own people were down here, right? Wouldn't this kill them as well?

 

'How many of them have been killed since we got here. And they were evacuating before he came. Their commander was already off world.'

 

Vayne brought a hand up to cover his eye, shaking his head as he couldn't help but chuckle, "This can't be real...This can't be happening...not like this...not again..."

 

People being slaughtered en masse, bombed without prejudice, and all because some council space-dwellers couldn't accept how things worked out here, just like Nassau. Just like clan kavadar. All over again.

 

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

 

- Meanwhile -

 

Shinaga growled behind her helmet as she reared back her hammer, having charged it up as she slammed it against the garage door and sent it imploding in on itself, flying into the empty space as her forces came in and trained their guns into the empty space, three of them moving forward and lowering shields in front of her.

 

"Get Out of My Way!" She shouted, not for the first time as she shoved aside the blackguard members standing in front. She was capable of keeping herself safe, and their antics were beginning to get on her nerves.

 

"It's empty." One of her bodyguards replied as she glared it him beneath her steel grey armor, "I can see that. Move on to the next area."

 

Shinaga refused to stay in one place, and she definitely refused to keep out of this war. Someone was cleaving through the blood pack forces, and reports she'd gotten while scattered suggested they were asari in origin. Nobody could get an exact fix on their numbers, but she knew one thing.

 

The chaos had started before reports of Sonax's reinforcements had occurred. After the guns were destroyed, nothing else major had occured, and that while the majority of fighting had taken place in the west, the east had remained relatively quiet. 

 

"They're somewhere here...I can feel it. And until we do, I want this entire area cleared." The gun they destroyed last had been towards the east. The chaos they'd caused had to have taken them here. In shinaga's mind, there were defineitly two teams at work, perhaps even more. All she needed was to capture one, and this could all be over.

 

"So what's the plan? Exectue them on sight?" One of the blackguard asked as she kept walking through the ruins.

 

"No. We capture and interrogate the off-worlders. Find out whatever we can about who is attacking us, and why." She replied coldly, the blackguard member stopping as she kept walking.

 

"That's against Slayt's orders. We're to kill on sight." He said, as shinaga paused and looked back towards the krogan.

 

"...Do you see my father here?" She asked, the blackguard shaking his head no as she answered, "Then whose orders should you listen to right now?"

 

"...Yes Sir." The blackguard growled, moving on to help the others search, clearly not pleased at all as Shinaga waited for him to get closer.

 

She swung her hammer hard and fast, catching the blackguard in the face like a baseball bat as he was suddenly on his back, Shinaga stomping on his chest hard as she stared down into his eyes, blood dripping from his broken snout.

 

"Don't ever question my orders again. Even if it has to do with The Boss." Shinaga said, her tone as calm as ever before she raised her foot, and brought it stomping on the krogans already broken nose.

 

She turned around and walked away as the others helped their fallen member off the ground. She couldn't afford weakness around her men. Or perhaps it was her getting some stress out of her system.

 

"There. That warehouse up ahead..." She said, moving to her target as the blackguard moved in to get it checked and cleared. She was their leader, temporary now, and permanent in the future. She would need to get them started early, if she hoped to live up to Ganar Slayt's reputation and command.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena heard Vayne and approached. "They won't bomb the city as long as we're down here. Sonax won't risk it while a Council ship is in orbit and a Spectre is on the surface," she said and put her hand on Vayne's shoulder. "We'll save as many as we can. I promise. But I need control of the local comm system before I can do that. Not just one tower. That won't happen until after I've dealt with Wrund."

 

Her confidence in accomplishing this were low, but she hid her doubts. Vayne sensed she would at least try.

 

The team threw their gear into the Mako and was entering it when the Bloodpack Blackguard entered the warehouse.

[Kel Riever]

The Commando Teams

"Oh, so you are the one who knows how to make things work around here," Jenus accused Talyth. Not that Talyth was the tallest or strongest, but Jenus proceeded to treat him as roughly as any asari ever had a krogan, without leaving any visible damage. It didn't take her long, either, as she drove Talyth onward to the booth. "Get a broadcast up that can be heard by not just the Blood Pack, but everyone and everything in this city, and get it now without so much as a whine from you or I'll see how fast krogan tongues regenerate!"

Talyth did as instructed, and pointed to the microphone. "Push the button on the stem and hold it while you speak.

Mira stepped up to the mic while the other Commandos kept alert and their guns on the krogan. She took a moment, then in a firm voice, began to broadcast. "Spectre T'Sarius has returned to Garvug. Spectre T'Sarius says that Haliot Wrund is weak. He tried and failed to kill her the last time she was here. Spectre T'Sarius says that Haliot Wrund is not worth killing."

After Mira ceased, there was silence, until Talyth forgot his position enough to ask, "Are you sure you know what you're saying?"

Jenus knocked him in the head with the butt of her Disciple, just to cause pain and signal for Talyth to shut up. Then she turned to Mira and chided, "You call that an insult?"

"Do you think you can do better?" Mira goaded.

Jenus smirked. "You know I can. May I?"

Mira motioned to the microphone and took over guarding Talyth with Essul.

Stepping to the mic, Jenus was sure to open her own com to Ereba. "Hey kid, you said your dad was a krogan. You tell me how this flies as far as insults go." Then Jenus cleared her throat, grabbed the mic with a mean, satisfied grin on her face, and began to broadcast.

"Let's go over that. Spectre T'Sarius says Haliot Wrund isn't worth killing. Killing for revenge? Or killing for a job? Nah, obviously not. How about killing accidentally? No, not even close. Killing out of necessity, as in for food? Nope. Spectre T'Sarius said not worth killing as in, at all. Think hard now...a pyjak that raids your food stores? That's worth killing. Sometimes people kill harmless insects thoughtlessly, because their presence annoys them slightly. An annoying, helpless insect...sometimes worth killing.

"You know, sometimes I clean my wargear, or my clothes, or an eating utensil. Because dust and micro-organisms are worth killing. I get sick and I take medicine because bacteria is worth killing. So we're clear here, everybody, about what Spectre T'Sarius is saying here, right? Haliot Wrund isn't even worth scrubbing off this planet with a sponge and detergent because that is exactly how worthless Haliot Wrund is when it comes to killing. Mmmmn, mmm, I don't know about all of you out there, but I'm having a nice laugh over Haliot Wrund."

Jenus picked up the mic, held it out, and dropped it.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Ereba

 

Ereba laughed as she listened to Jenus' tirade over the broadcast, then got on her comm. "Not bad, Boomer. But you kind of described the meaning of the insult. Telling a Krogan male they're not worth killing is the worst insult one can give them. You just rubbed salt in the wound," she said while continuing to laugh. "And broadcasting it citywide? That'll really p*** him off. We just called him out. If we survive this, I'll buy you four drinks just for having the quad to do that.

 

"But if I were you, I'd start thinking about getting the f*** out of there, because I expect Wrund to shut down your little broadcast with extreme prejudice."

 

////

 

Faed/Legion had out maneuvered another patrol and climbed up a drainpipe to the roof of a four story building nearer to Ereba's position. He had a clear sight of the approach to the Broadcast Center.

 

Faed took out an energy bar and ate it while scanning the area with the sniper rifle. "I'm in position, Ereba, but I need to eat something. This condition has increased my metabolism for some reason," he said.

 

"I don't know what to tell you, Two-brains. Have an energy bar."

 

"This is the second one I've consumed and they have a very high caloric value," he replied.

 

"Don't get fat on me."

 

Legion took over for a moment. "We suspect that our nanoclusters have required more energy than is typical since we have been at a heightened state of activity during this mission," he replied. "We expect energy requirements to return to normal once this assignment is complete."

 

"Just let me finish eating," Faed said.

 

"As you require, Creator Faed."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Team Mako

 

The team reached for whatever weapons, side arms they had on them and aimed them at the entering Krogan, all of them wearing the black armor of the Blackguard. Naleena immediately erected a biotic barrier.

 

The Blackguard held their hammerbursts on the team and their sergeant laughed. “You won’t last a minute. Ready?”

 

Just then a female with white markings pushed aside the two in the center and stepped forward. “Stand down!” she shouted. “So you’re the Asari we’ve been looking for.” Then she turned to Vayne. “And you’re the hunted varren. My father will take delight in tearing you apart.”

 

“We surrender!” Naleena said, lowered her barrier, and set her gun on the floor.

 

“What?” Irina said.

 

“Put down your weapons!” Naleena ordered. “It’s over.”

 

“Weak Asari always surrender!” the sergeant laughed.

 

“Secure them! Keep that varren separate!” Shinaga ordered, motioning for her team disarm and bind Team Mako. “This Asari, I seems to be their leader and I want to interrogate her before killing her.”

 

“Of course, Commander Shinaga.”

 

Naleena raised her brow. “Ganar Shinaga? I’ve been looking for you.”

[Cainhurst Crow]

Talyth was wide eyed and opened mouth as he looked towards Jenus, going many shades paler as a small croaking noise emerged from him, probably attempting to say anything but in too much shock to do so.

 

The loud echoing reverb as the mic hit the ground didn't do much to calm the situation as the entire city seemed to go deathly quiet. Finally, the krogan broke his own silence.

 

"...Please tell me you have a ship ready to go?" He said, not even caring if he got hit again.

[Kel Riever]

The Commandos in the Com Tower

"Not really," Jenus lied mercilessly, "I thought we'd talk to Wrund together, let him know you helped us with the broadcast."  Then she replied to Ereba, "See, the trick is the humiliation is in the details and how many people share it.  I had to make sure Wrund knew that everyone, not just krogan, understood how low that was.  Besides, Textbrain just doesn't have the same delivery with her sweet words."

"Sweet word this, Jenus:  Pack it in, we're moving out," Mira ordered.  "That's all Commandos, read me Ereba?  Take Talyth, leave the wounded Blood Pack, he'll confirm Talyth helped us to his peers."  Mira eyed Talyth.  "That means if you want to get out of this alive, you're going to cooperate with us.  Now everyone, move!"

Ferro's voice came over the com, "Fighter's are breaking off.  We can bring the Scythes in for pickup.  Give us the coordinates and we'll be there."

"Affirmative," Mira said back to the pilot.  "We're going to rendezvous with you, and here's the LZ..."

Iole and Tallis

The Hellbringer and its user had done their job.  Any would-be blood pack advancers had held back to keep their heads on, and also leave room for the strafing runs.  It gave Iole the ability to switch over to the anti-aircraft programming on the Hellbringer.  Not that a person portable machine gun was the best at the job, but some of the vorcha fighters were careless in their low flying formation, which was not surprising.  Still, even with the HUD and software, Iole had her work cut out for her.  She waited until she had something of an effective range, even if it was only for a second.

Thrummmmm!

One of the fighters caught projectiles in a wing.  It wasn't enough to down it, but it was enough to force it to veer off.  Then, Iole saw the release of the guns from the fighters.  She didn't know what exactly it was about, but she did know that nobody purposely dumped guns off a fighting craft.

"Tallis!  Down!"

Iole and Tallis hit the deck, though Tallis did so on her back, erecting a barrier over them again.  Though the bombardment was towards the rear of the Sonax position, the series of explosions was intense, and from the screams heard after, those bombs had found their mark.  Again, rubble was flung up into the sky, and the chunks came down.  Tallis' barrier kept her and Iole safe.

When the two stood up and looked around, they saw the Sonax Commander, in person now.  He had a clean shaven face and dimpled chin, visible under his half-helmeted face.  Likely once a chiseled looking corporate warrior, there was blood from a fragment on his cheek and he moved in a fashion that showed his fear.

As she got up and helped Tallis, Iole said, "We're leaving."

The Commander's concern was in his voice, "What do you mean?  You've got enemy eyes on you.  This location is cover, even with the bombardment.  You can't risk getting out in the open."  It was obvious the concern was more for losing the two asari for his own safety, than worry about their well being.

Iole typed in a message to Mira, and relayed it to Naleena.  "It's not a choice. We'll find a way out.  You and your people stay if you want, but why don't you start thinking things through.  How long is it supposed to be before your evacuation arrives?  I have a suspicion the time frame has been pushed forward more than once, hasn't it?"

There was only silence from the Commander.

"You need to do some calculations yourself," Iole drove home.  "There are casualties you have, and dead.  You've got people left still.  Maybe you need to come up with another plan, especially if you haven't been payed in advance, if you know what I mean."

"We've got one," the Commander said nervously. "We've got some vehicles, and some of them are armed."

"Got one to spare?"

"No," the Commander replied, " Unless...unless you want to come with us.  We've got room."

Iole weighed her options, and looked at Tallis.

"Forget it.  Forget it," Tallis said.

Iole and Tallis crawled their way out of the rubble of their position, and out of enemy sight as they began to move.  They left the dumbfounded Commander behind.  As they left, they heard the scrambling and voice of one of the junior Sonax soldiers, calling out to his superior.

"Commander!  Commander, an apc from the motor pool is missing!"

Morgan and Miss Priss

Morgan had a small crate strapped to the bottom of each of his boots.  It was the only way to get to the clutch, accelerator and brakes from the seat meant for someone far larger than he.

From behind and above, where Miss Priss was peering out of a hatch, she hollered, "Yee haw!  I always wanted a ride in one of these things! Ride 'em, Handsome!"

"We had to get to the shuttle somehow," Morgan replied as he threw a lever to switch gears.  "And Sonax didn't need an extra captured Tomkah."

"You think we'll get shot, Handsome?"

"Probably," Morgan said, "I just hope whoever is shooting at us at least has their com open."


 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Team Mako and Naleena (Jen and SJ)

 

Shinaga paused briefly as the Asari’s statement. She looked down to her with pale yellow eyes, her skin white and her crest bone colored as she walked over.

 

"Hold this..." She said as she gave her hammer to one of her subordinates, then as soon as it was out of her grasp, threw a hard punch into Naleena's gut.

 

"That...was for all the Krogan blood you spilled here...." She said coldly, taking another step back as the full punch knocked the air out of Naleena.

 

She stood over, looking down at her prisoner with crossed arms and a paitent expression as she waited for her to get her breath back.

 

"Naleena!!!" Vayne exclaimed, trying to fight against the guards, who brought the butt of their hammerburst to slam down on the Krogan, sending him sinking to his knees.

 

"A varren should know when to bark, and when to keep its maw shut..." She said, not even sparing him a glance as she knelled down to look Naleena in the eyes.

 

"Now that I have your attention...tell me your name." She asked, her subordinates pulling Naleena up and holding her head to look at Shinaga square in the eyes.

 

She gasped for air. Her hesitation caused Shinaga to hit her again, this time across her face causing purple blood to fly out of her mouth.

 

"T'sarius.... Naleena T'sarius. I'm a Council Spectre."

 

Eyes flashed dangerously as Shinaga began to walk around Naleena, "So...the rumors were true. The dirty brother-killer found his way into a Spectre’s good graces..."

 

She was excited. This was it; This was her moment. She'd not only captured her brothers murderer, the Kadavar who dared to spill her families blood. But she'd managed to capture the entire team as well. She captured a Spectre no less, and most likely one of the ones pulling the strings of the opposition currently plaguing them.

 

"Spectre T'sarius...you would do well to pick the company you keep more carefully..." She said as she came to a stop back in front of the asari, "Not just him. But Sonax as well..." she managed to keep her composure, but the blood lust was evident as Shinaga grabbed Naleena by the neck, hoisting her off the ground with ease.

 

"If you keep going like this...you're going to have a bad time." Shinaga said, before quickly throwing Naleena to the ground, bending down to pick her back up again, walking over and shoving her hard into the Mako, hard enough to make it rock slightly as she glared at the Asari’s eyes.

 

"Now asari...tell me. How many more of you are there on this planet? How many of you are attacking us?" She demanded, keeping a vice like grip on the Asari’s neck, but making sure she had enough room to breathe, if only just enough.

 

Naleena laughed with irony. "Sonax? Sonax? Is that what you think? No... You want to know why I'm here?...."

 

At that moment, Sergeant Jardark heard something over his communicator. "..... Spectre T’sarius says that Hailot Wrund is weak. He tried and failed to kill her the last time she was here. Spectre T’sarius says that Hailot Wrund is not worth killing."

 

"Commander, you have to hear this," he said. "Turn your communicator to wide band."

 

Shinaga turned on her communicator and heard an Asari voice. Naleena fell to the floor. "Let's go over that. Spectre T’sarius says Hailot Wrund isn't worth killing. Killing for revenge? Or killing for a job? Nah, obviously not. How about killing accidentally? No, not even close. Killing out of necessity, as in for food? Nope. Spectre T’sarius said not worth killing as in, at all. Think hard now...a pyjak that raids your food stores? That's worth killing. Sometimes people kill harmless insects thoughtlessly, because their presence annoys them slightly. An annoying, helpless insect...sometimes worth killing.

 

"You know, sometimes I clean my war gear, or my clothes, or an eating utensil. Because dust and micro-organisms are worth killing. I get sick and I take medicine because bacteria is worth killing. So we're clear here, everybody, about what Spectre T’sarius is saying here, right? Hailot Wrund isn't even worth scrubbing off this planet with a sponge and detergent because that is exactly how worthless Hailot Wrund is when it comes to killing. Mmmmn, mmm, I don't know about all of you out there, but I'm having a nice laugh over Hailot Wrund."

 

"You came all this way, to this war torn world to issue a challenge to Wrund? Why?" Shinaga asked.

 

"Open my chest armor."

 

Sergeant Jardark began to rip open the armor. Shinaga held up her hand. "Easy. T'sarius challenged Wrund in the old ways. We must respect them."

 

Jardark unfastened the armor, opened it and revealed the scars on her chest.

 

"So you survived. Not as delicate as I thought. But that doesn't excuse you from helping this varren,” Shinaga said pointing to Vayne. “How did that happen?”

 

“A result of Wrund’s treachery,” Naleena replied and related a brief history of her prior visit to Garvug and Wrund’s betrayal.

 

“I exercised legal authority to execute a warrant for Wrund’s arrest. However, I know Wrund won’t go quietly. This will be to the death,” Naleena said.

 

“We'll let you live to take revenge against Wrund, but once that is sated he dies and you and everyone here dies to satisfy the blood oath.”

 

Naleena refastened her armor. "It's not that simple, Shinaga. There are things you need to know."

 

"Like what?"

 

"We need to make a deal, first," Naleena said. "Call off the blood oath, and I'll give you the information."

 

Shinaga laughed. "I can't call off the blood oath, and my father will never do that."

 

“Perhaps what I have to trade will be worth it?”

 

“We’ll take Kadavar Vayne and let your team live in exchange for the information. Now talk!” Shinaga said and pressed Naleena again.

 

Naleena’s voice got quiet and she raised up to speak into Shinaga’s ear. “This should not be heard by your men until you have heard it. There’s an office in the corner where we can speak in private.”

 

“So you can try to kill me?”

 

“ If I try anything, your men can kill everyone.”

 

Shinaga nodded and pushed Naleena toward the office that was in the far corner of the garage. When they got in there, Naleena leaned against the desk while Shinaga stood.

 

"So what's so important?"

 

“I think what I have is worth Vayne’s life as well.”

 

“I’ll be the judge of that.”

 

"You've been betrayed by your father."

 

"Nonsense!"

 

"He's handing control of the Bloodpack to your cousin Jarg and handing you over to Wrund to be his female," Naleena said. "It's why you've been kept off the front."

 

"Liar!" she backhanded Naleena across the face again. "Where did you get this information?"

 

"Why would I lie to you? Why would I risk that you'd kill me? I got this information from The Shadow Broker," Naleena said. "If you don't believe me, let me play back a recording for you of your father."

 

Naleena played back the recording of her father speaking the words and realized her prisoner was telling her the truth.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Talyth looked towards the room where the wounded krogan was, shaking as he spoke, "W-wait. Surely you can make an exception and kill one more? I'll Pay you-"

 

"Shut up and move." Essul said , shoving the krogan forward with a bit of a smirk. He had to admit, it was fun to push a krogan around, instead of watching out for them to hit.

 

Talyth weighed his options only for a moment before moving with the others. He didn't want to be here to recieve wrund's wrath, nor did he want to be here when slayt got back from decimating sonax.

 

The thought made him realized something. "D-Don't Have Your Ships Go Near Sonax!!" He blurted out, essul giving him a raised brow as he did so.

 

"And why not?" He asked, not liking where this was going.

 

"...Because my superior, Ganar Slayt, has gone to lay waste to them personally! And trust me! None of us, me, my men, or yours, will want to be anywhere near there..." Talyth said, not helping but to smirk. If he played nice, surely he'd increase his chances at survival! It worked for the blood pack, and it'd work here.

 

Essul's eyes went wide as he spun the krogan around to look him in the eyes, "How much time till he gets there?" He demanded, a pit forming in his stomach.

 

Talyth was about to answer when an explosion echoed out, a dust cloud billowing up from the distance.

 

"...That would be...right about now."

 

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-- Sonax Camp --

 

The commander looked towards the younger officer with disbelief, before shaking his head. "Call in the theft and prepare to dig in! I'm sure we'll get reinforcements any moment now!" He said.

 

They'd sent up their distress messages as soon as the anti-aircraft weapons had been destroyed. Sonax would come, especially now that the threat from those damned suicidal vorcha was over.

 

"Fortify the front! Their rear attack was probably to keep us from pulling back! Get our heavy weapons ready to lay into wrunds forces!" He ordered.

 

And that was when a massive tremor was felt from underground, and the main road in the middle of their encamped city began to cave in on itself, a low rumble echoing from below.

 

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The explosions from above were just the signal he needed. The vorcha had laid waste to the rear forces of the city. Now was the time to strike. Ganar Slayt got on his comms, turning up his chemcial rebreather as he spoke to his men.

 

"Remember Blackguard...you are the elites. You are the strongest...You, are the swiftest....And you, are the Deadliest pack of killers this galaxy has ever known..." He said aloud, seeing them coming up to their target as he gripped the handrail of the tank, speaking into his units comms. "Where others crumble, the Blackguard endures...Where others falter, the Blackguard Destroys...These humans believe themselves skilled in war...They think that their weapons and technology make them strong..." 

 

"But these are crutches for true strength...the power to survive what would kill all else...the drive to fight until all else dies...And the knowledge that we will see them suffer, in this world or the next!" He said, beginning to feel his blood boil as the drugs he breathed in began to take affect, reliving his pain and filling him with stimulants. "Our Place In Kruban is Secure! As are theirs! We shall feast upon these humans in the afterlife! Their innards spread out for us in Vaul's Hall!! Our Hollows shall be adorn with their blood, and they will know what it means to feel War!!! WE...Will show them TRUE FEAR!!! AND WE WILL SHOW THEM WHAT IT MEANS, TO FIGHT AGAINST THE BLACK!!!!" 

 

As he finished his speech, the lead Tomkah fired off its gun. Its blast travelled down the tunnel until it struck the end. Seconds later, a large boom echoed out, and the ground ahead began to cave in. It collapsed, more and more, until finally the ground above slopped down before them, supports in the tunnels buckling and forming the ramp they needed.

 

The Tomkah shot forward, gunning it at full speed.

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From Above ground, the explosion could be felt through the ground as the main road began to collapse in on itself, as if a sinkhole had opened up beneath the ground. A few buildings began to sag and collapse as they caved into the hole, as the main road sunk down and cracked apart, smoke rising out from the now open trench.

 

Sonax had been trying to pull back as it happened, the cave in happening right at their rear position as the scouts tried to asses if the bombers above had potentially struck some sort of gas mane in the sewers.

 

And that was when the first Tomkah came roaring out of the hole, its tires leaving the ground as it sailed out of its hole. The scouts inside one of the bombed out buildings had only time to scream as the tank came crashing down into the building, staying still only a few moments before its tires spun rapidly and it pulled itself out of the rubble unscathed.

 

Two more Tomkahs came up after that, then two more after that. 12 tanks coming out and now forming behind Sonax's own lines as their guns trained on the turrets and still standing buildings, firing at will with volley after volley of tank fire.

 

The doors opened and black clad krogan began to pour out and into the city, going through buildings and clearing them out with bayoneted hammerburst rifles and heavy plate shields. They charged from the Sonax destroyed rear line, running full sprint as they slammed their own weapons against the human soliders caught off guard.

 

Slayt himself ran forward, his weapon of choice in his grasp, A weapon as if a person had combined a greatsword and chainsaw, and had strapped a gun along its side for good measure. Sword like hilt, and a trigger below a hilt, he cocked the gun like a lever action shotgun as he ran forward to join his men. One of the sonax troops had the unfortunate luck of getting in his way as the great white krogan ran him through, engine revving loud enough to drown out the screams as he carved him upwards, before firing off his round to blow the corpse off his weapon.

 

Yet even as the chaos unfolded at Sonax's own base, at the tower things were starting to get loud as well.

 

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"WHERE ARE THEY!!???!?" Wrund's scream cut through the silence like a knife as he slammed his fist into his improvised throne, rushing forward to grab one of his own men by the crest.

 

"We don't know! The communication went out on all channels! It had to be in the tower!!" The krogan said, as their one armed warlord threw them aside and looked up towards the communication center.

 

He looked around, and spotted one of his men with a missile launcher. He ripped it out of his grasp, storming out of his citadels gates as he looked across towards his com center and aimed his weapon towards it. With a furious roar, he held down the trigger as he fired explosive after explosive at his own coms.

 

 

"FIND THEM AND KILL THEM ALL!!!!!" He barked out to his own men, as his forces began to advance on the coms center. His gaze wandered over towards the forsworn units, who were busy at work trying to get a hold of the situation. He leveled the missle launcher and fired, and none of them had time to react before the rocket blew their equipment, and themselves, away.

 

Everyone was now staring at the Warlord as he threw the spent missle launcher away, "GUN!!!" He ordered, his men bringing him two weapons, a Striker Assullt Rifle and a M-76 Revenant, as the warlord motioned them to follow him.

 

"Find the Spectre!!! I want her Beaten and Brought here! I want everyone on her freakshow team DEAD!!! MOVE IT NOW!!!" He ordered, as his forces scrambled to meet the demand. Naleena had called down thunder, and now he was going to make sure she regretted every agonizing moment of it.

[TheMajonese]

With the hammerburst rifle pointing at his back Arian felt quite helpless. He tried his best to observe the krogans to find any weakness they could take advantage of in case things would not go as planned -which they never did -but there was no doubt that facing these krogans would be suicide, especially in the situation they were in: unarmed and with guns already pointed at them.

 

If the spectre failed to convince the female krogan, she would probably be the first one to die, then the leader would order the other krogans to kill the rest of the team. Arian was confident that with a bit of luck, he would not die from the first burst of bullets which could allow him to charge right into the krogans to distract them for a moment. In the best case, Johnny or Irina could try to make a run for it, but even then, the chances for any of them to survive were quite low and it was depressing to realize that there was nothing they could do except to wait for the spectre and the female krogan to return.

 

"I really hope the spectre knows what she's doing...", Arian said with a snarl though the tone of his voice made clear that he doubted that.

[Kel Riever]

The Commando Teams

After leaving the message of insult on a replay loop with a 5 minute pause between plays, The Commando teams, Essul, and Faed/Legion moved away with their new captive in tow.  And for his part, Talyth had a seemingly new profound ability to keep up.

Adonya said, "The krogan is right, we should get out of the area quickly.  No telling when..."

There was the hissing sound of missile propulsion, then an explosion as the com tower was hit.  Falling debris caused the Commandos to move against the walls out of the way.  Then another missile struck the com tower.

"I'd say we got the point across," Jenus admired.

"Quick, everybody inside!  No talking!" Mira ordered, then hopped through a hole in a ruined building.  She used her helmet's range finders to spot an incoming vehicle, and linked her HUD readout to the other team members.  The Tomkah racing towards them had Blood Pack markings.  It went just past the Commando's position, skidded to a halt, and released it's bay doors.

The heavy metal side door hit the street with a clang, and three mad (and possibly scared) krogan exited, heading for the tower.  "Spread out," their leader shouted, "We don't want anyone escaping!  We're going to find whoever made this broadcast and Wrund is going to turn them inside out!"

Mira used hand signals to indicate a direction through the building to move.  The Blood Pack had underestimated the speed at which the teams and Talyth had escaped by just enough to matter.  Mira led everyone quickly and quietly out of the area without interference from the initial Blood Pack patrol, and the one that came soon after it as a backup.  

After a stealthy run that had everyone's shin muscles burning, Mira said through the subvocal.  "We're going to have to push the LZ further out.  We're too close to the Blood Pack for now."

Iole and Tallis

The collapsing buildings of the Sonax position took Iole and Tallis by surprise.  They had moved away to safety by then, but it was still a shock to them to see what happened from a distance.

"Too late for Sonax, I suppose," Iole said regretably.

"Lucky us.  Lucky us."

Iole nodded.   "We need to get back with Mira and the team."  After checking her combat map and spotting her leader, Iole then said, "And it looks like we've got some distance to cover.  Keep a sharp eye out, sounds like Wrund is about as mad as a krogan gets from what I'm reading from enemy movements."