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[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"Did you gag that tech, Morgan?" Dahlia asked, "Aria would have wanted him gagged. One of his own socks and some duct tape. Everyone has duct tape around. That's what Anto showed me. He's going to start shouting if you didn't. If that's the case we've got to hurry."

[Kel Riever]

"Yes, I gagged him," Morgan was trying to remember after he said it.  Then he remembered the technician had some utility tape he had used.  "Yes."

 

He then asked Dahlia, "Are you trying to avoid what I'm saying?"

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"Bar? In this place? Hell, no, Vayne!" Irina showed him her silver flask. "An sorry, for disappearing like that, but I had to take care of some personal business, if you know what I mean. Now, Judi. Yeah, she used to work at Isaiah's Bookstore until a couple of months ago, then she disappeared. We weren't close or nothing. She'd been talking about getting off this rock and going to some place like Terra Nova." Irina spit on the ground and kept walking with Vayne. "I thought she'd finally made it. The lucky b*tch. You can imagine my surprise when I sees her here. But you know what? She was about as popular as a dingo around town, so it's not surprising she joined this cult.

 

"Anyway, let's see if we can find a way of knocking out the targeting of these guns."
 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"No, Morgan. I'm not. I got what you said," Dahlia said. "We have to get out and get back to the Audron. All of us together. I'm thinking about those guns at the gates. If someone inside sounds the alarm we're dead."

[Cainhurst Crow]

"Bar? In this place? Hell, no, Vayne!" Irina showed him her silver flask. "An sorry, for disappearing like that, but I had to take care of some personal business, if you know what I mean. Now, Judi. Yeah, she used to work at Isaiah's Bookstore until a couple of months ago, then she disappeared. We weren't close or nothing. She'd been talking about getting off this rock and going to some place like Terra Nova." Irina spit on the ground and kept walking with Vayne. "I thought she'd finally made it. The lucky b*tch. You can imagine my surprise when I sees her here. But you know what? She was about as popular as a dingo around town, so it's not surprising she joined this cult.

 

"Anyway, let's see if we can find a way of knocking out the targeting of these guns."
 

 

"So, was she always so...creepy?" Vayne asked curiously as they arrived at the guns, a few short minutes later. It was a large portion of wall, protruding out in a way with extra layers of metal applied for armor plating. Vayne looked it up and down, giving a impressed whistle as he took in the details and compared mental notes of other colony defenses. "Solid armoring by the look of it. Ergonomic without putting a lot of strain on the walls exterior, but still capable of taking a hell of a beating....Gotta say, as a krogan I am impressed..." he said as he opened his omnitool, scanning the area for a telltale sign.

 

"Although, there is one problem with structures like these..." he said as he took a few steps closer, groaning as he bent down towards the dirt, "Damned hump...they need power, lots of it. That means there are cables, or a battery, supplying that power quickly. And most people, thinking with their heads now, put their hardware for their defensive guns near the power supply, armoring the whole area up, to save on material and manufacturing...which means..." he paused as he smiled, looking to her as he showed his omnitool, where a video feed showed a rather brightly glowing line running into the tower under their feet.

 

"If one gets compromised, the whole thing could be compromised. Very nasty when thresher maws get involved. Tend to tear the whole couplings and software matrixs out in a gulp cause of the energy." He said as he looked back towards the tower, where the line connected to the power, lied under their feet at the base. "now how do we get to it, is the question."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena was on the opposite side of the compound with Anika. "Anika, I need you to do what you do best. Be a distraction.... Just browse the outdoor stands and look gorgeous," she said, "I need to slip away for a bit. Be sure to make your way to the mecha-steeds. If we get the 'get the hell out of here' from Jess, here's the code for my steed: <code for steed>. And here's the code to make it follow you: <code to make it follow>. If it happens contact me on the communicator. I'm going to try to get up into the gun tower and disable the things. I'll feather fall onto the steed so have it in position, please."

 

Anika looked at her like she was crazy.

 

"Aw come on. It'll look cool."

 

Anika and Naleena walked over to one of the vendors that was selling silver DA jewelry. There was a nice pendant there, and Naleena bought it for Anika along with a handmade necklace. Souvenir, you know. They moved to the next one, and Naleena slipped away into a crowd and when she got into a shadow engaged her cloak. She made her way to the front of the compound, monitoring the power conduit on her ocular feed.

 

She found a maintenance ladder. Her ocular feed magnified the top of the tower 10X, and there was a guard at the top, as well as a camera. She smirked and climbed the ladder. There was a junction box about half-way up. She opened it. Inside it was the camera feeds for all of the perimeter cameras in the compound. Piece of pie. She thought. She tapped clipped her safety harness to the ladder and tapped her omni-tool and remained there for about three minutes recording a loop. Then she spliced that loop into the camera feed so that those watching would see the same loop every three minutes. She climbed the rest of the ladder.

 

Now to take care of the guard. The exterior is clear. The guard rail is only three feet. I'm sure guards have fallen. This guy is pretty big. She snapped his neck and pushed him over the outer wall. Now to work on the gun. Hmmm... it's a particle beam weapon.... a lot like the one I got off the Collector except a lot larger. I'll take an imaging scan. Can't break it, and cutting the power? It's high voltage. Perhaps I can reprogram the targeting matrix.

 

She tapped a code on her omni-tool.

 

"Hello, Naleena."

 

"VERA, I need you do to me a favor."

 

"You're alone and without that pesky Dahlia looking over your shoulder."

 

"Yes. I'm at a particle beam weapon. I need to sabotage the targeting matrix. It's complicated. Can you hack it?"

 

"Piece of cake, darling. Give me a link, and tell me what you want." VERA hacked into the weapon's computer with her charm.

 

"Now, I'm going to set it for 90 degrees off target and +/- 15 degrees random X axis. 75 degrees Y axis +/- 20 degrees, and 30 degrees +/- 60 degrees Z axis."

 

"You are nasty, boss."

 

"And lock it with a random passcode in 544768 encryption. That should really slow them down."

 

"Not a problem."

 

"Did I ever tell you that you're a sweetheart?"

 

"And my day of reckoning get's postponed again. Anything else, dear?"

 

"We're going to do the other gun."

 

"Ooo. This is fun. Can I have another memory upgrade? I like memory upgrades."

 

"I'll try to grab another chip next time I'm in a market place if they have one available."

 

"You really know how to make a girl feel wanted. Let's take care of that other gun."

 

There was a guard over on the other tower. Naleena approached him cloaked.

 

"Hey, Ezra. Wanna go get some coffee? Ezra? Where the hell did he go?" Mfff...

 

Naleena put him in a choke hold until he went unconscious. Well, let's give this one some drugs. Have a nice trip.

 

VERA and Naleena repeated the process.

 

Then Naleena got on her communicator to Vayne. "Don't worry about the guns. I'm done up here."

 

Anika's omni-tool vibrated. "I'm done. xoxo. Naleena."

Modifié par sH0tgUn jUliA, 07 juillet 2014 - 05:24 .

[Kel Riever]

Morgan flicked his glance towards Dahlia twice, wondering if she was shining him on.  She looked back with her innocent violet stare.  When Dahlia spoke, it made what Morgan said sound asinine.  'All of us together.'  Great, I bother to say something and I become an instant moron.  I should just keep my mouth shut.

 

Visibly, Morgan twisted his mouth.  Then he looked to Jess to see if anything he said made had any impact whatsoever.  Morgan was betting it hadn't.

[Cknarf]

"Before we head out, I need to grab some things.  I'll just be a minute."  

 

Frank squeezed back into his Kodiak.  Sifting through the foam, he found his old mechanic's pack from his Citadel job, and a few bottles of water.  He retrieved his rifle from the weapons locker, collapsed it, and shoved it in the bag.  "One last thing." he said to himself. He grabbed an old photograph he kept next to the controls, and slid it in an outer pocket, before exiting the shuttle.

 

Frank picked his helmet from the ground. Using a small amount of water, he rinsed the visor clean, before placing it back on his head  "Ready when you are."

 

The pair began their long walk back to town.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"Morgan, don't look at me like that," Dahlia flashed her violet eyes at him while they were headed back to the mecha-steeds.  "I know you said you don't want us splitting off without telling you first, and  you saying it's okay to do that. But you have to admit that it worked that time. I just wanted to show you that I can do things. Aria had me train on stuff. She just thinks I need to learn some discipline in my work routines, but I'm not some dumb bimbo maiden."

Modifié par sH0tgUn jUliA, 07 juillet 2014 - 07:03 .

[Redbelle]

Jess shook her head at the banter going on between the two. "Dahlia.... your look laxed. Relaxed is good. Don't get cocky. Morgan.... Your to stiff. You look like a robot. Whatever you two are on, consider sharing".

 

Jess's eye's flicked up to Morgan. "Together's good. But circumstance dictates......how to sneak a peak down the lower levels"?

 

Jess hmmphed and ground her teeth in frustration. Chacking on the progress of the others, she winced. "Looks like the break out's being prepared.... We're on another clock. Safest thing would be to leave now but......". She looked up at the two. "I really need to see this. In real life. Up close. I need to know it's real. It's just...... how can this be happening? People don't just start a cult and kidnap people to do what we saw the video file said...... I need to see.....".

 

She closed her eye's and sighed. "I need to talk to this Jeb. Maybe. Or go down the mine..... where's the nearest entrance"? Jess chekced the data on her omni-tool. "Okay. You two? I can't ask you to come with me. I'm going to go down there. If this is happening I need to believe it without any shadow of doubt. And I can't do that till I see it with the naked eye".

 

"Morgan? Dahlia? I can't order you two.... but I'm urging the pair of you to get ready to split. I'm going to figure out how to get down into the mine".

[Kel Riever]

Previously...( http://forum.bioware...res/?p=16864046 )

 

Cluster unknown, System unknown, aboard the Medusa

 

Luscious didn’t understand what was going to happen on the Medusa, but the mercenaries he hired seemed to have a well prepared plan.  Oda was escorted away, and Stron carried off, by a pair of mercs who talked about setting up an area for prisoners.  The krogan, who was named Golt, then led the greater part of the team of mercenaries onward to seize the Medusa.  They moved rapidly, and for the part Luscious could see, most of the crew was captured before they could respond.  A few shots were exchanged, but no extended fighting and Luscious presumed that the crew knew there was no point resisting.  Either that or he imagined that they figured out what happened and were thankful to be under their rightful leader.

 

After the boarding force had cleared the initial set of cargo bays towards the vessel’s fore, and was busy mid-ship, Luscious found himself trailing along behind Iyana and another pair of mercs.  She asked him about what the Medusa was carrying, but stopped after his third explanation that he hadn’t known because Oda had kept the information from him as a conspiracy.  Iyana went from one cleared cargo hold to another until she paused when spotting an object that caught her interest.

 

Almost forgetting about the stunts Jess Stone would pull, Luscious was reminded when he saw the ornate throne of former captain in the hold that Iyana had spotted.  Apparently, she approved, and had the two accompanying mercs begin to set up a ‘temporary workstation until the bridge was secured’.

 

For Luscious, Iyana said, “You know where the palliates are.  Bring me your finest.  And something clean to serve them in.”

 

Luscious found himself walking back to one of the previously cleared cargo holds where Stone had made a point of storing spirits.  He had raided it on a regular basis, and so was familiar with where the good stuff was locked away.  No longer fearing reprisal, Luscious broke into the stores kept from him unjustly.  In a few minutes, he held three bottles in one arm and in the other carried a brand new set of wine glasses lifted on a raid.  As Luscious returned to Iyana, he realized that he’d been ordered about like a common servant to get the drinks, and he had obeyed without question.

 

I’m the captain of this ship.  I hired these mercenaries.  Nobody is giving me orders!

 

A proper explanation of who was running things was necessary in Luscious’ mind, but when he came back through the doorway to see Iyana sitting in the throne, with a computer display and table already in front of her, he quieted himself.  Perhaps an aggressive demeanor wasn’t the best way to address the hires that had been so effective.  And besides, as he took in the seductively armored, unhelmed vision that was Iyana, he had base thoughts that she could become more to him.  Luscious placed the bottles and glasses on the table in front of the dream sitting in the throne.

 

Iyana peered up from her screen and at the bottles.  She snatched each, one at a time, and examined the labels.  For the first two, she shook her head and gave them back to Luscious.  “No.  Those are for you,” she said, dismissively.  For the third bottle, she spent the time to read the label, “This is better. Serrice Ice Brandy.  But no ice.  Pull up a few chairs Luscious, have a seat and drink your two bottles.”  With that, Iyana stared back at her screen, typed on her omni-tool interface, and ignored him.

 

Once again, Luscious obeyed Iyana’s commands.  He pulled three chairs from a corner of the cargo hold, had a seat in one, and opened a bottle she had handed back to him.  It was wine from Earth, which Luscious thought was decent, and while pouring it, he discovered himself disturbed a second time by Iyana’s demands.  Still, she had work to do.  He’d explain things to her when she had a moment.

 

Minutes became an hour, and Iyana paid no heed to Luscioius.  She read her screen, typed, spoke commands to her people through her com, and sat on the throne as if it were made for her.  Wanting to keep his head about him, Luscious made sure he stretched the wine from the first bottle through the hour.  There were disturbing sounds that sometimes came through the cargo bay door if one of the reporting mercs was entering or leaving, but Luscious chalked it up to the few resistors who were getting what they deserved, like Stron.  These mercs knew how to restore proper order and if that involved a bit of punishment, then all the better.  When Luscious took command again, he didn’t want to have to bother himself with a lack of discipline.

 

Odd items found their way into the cargo bay, Luscious noted.  Several cans of paint and lighting equipment.  The two mercs who stayed with Iyana were moving crates about, seemingly in a haphazard fashion, and though they were being fastened down, it was in a pattern that certainly made no sense for optimizing space for shipping.

 

Luscious opened his second bottle and decided it was time to have that conversation with Iyana, politely, “I can have someone get you ice for that brandy.  You know, while we wait for you to take the bridge, finish your operations, and hand the Medusa over to me.”

 

Iyana ceased her work, peaked up in contemplation, and said as if to no one, “Medusa, I so do love that name.  She has secrets, of that there is no doubt.”  Iyana spoke to Luscious as she returned to typing.  “Tell me all the passcodes.”

 

Taken off guard, Luscious stammered, “The…passcodes?”

 

“Yes, the passcodes.  I want all the passcodes for every bit of information stored on this vessel, so that drives are not inadvertently wiped by security when they are accessed.”

 

Luscious was dumbfounded. “I…those Oda would know.  Or if it was something privy to Stone, she’d be the only one who has it.”

 

Iyana ceased her work again.  She stared with her blue eyes at Luscious and he didn’t like the expression on her face.  “Luscious, are you telling me that you don’t have any of the critical passcodes for the access to the data on the Medusa?”

 

An uncomfortable feeling grew within Luscious.  “Stone hoarded everything.  Or left it with Oda.  That was the problem…that is why I hired you.  Besides, Stone was always planning on returning.”  Luscious took a drink from his glass to calm himself down.  “Maybe we’re getting off on the wrong foot, Iyana.  But I’m the boss here.  I think you should have planned for cracking these systems.”

 

From her throne, Iyana squared her shoulders to Luscious.  First, she called over to one of the mercs.  “Pavlov, I’d like you to tell Golt to have someone bring me this ship’s doctor.”  Then she said to Luscious, “Dear, you really should have spent time asking yourself some questions.  For example, where are you?  And what is actually happening right now?”

 

“What are you talking about?”  Luscious found his anger.  “I’m here waiting for you to take over this ship like I hired you to.  When you’re done putting me back in place as the rightful captain of the Medusa, you’ll get your pay and I had half a mind for keeping you on.”  He then stood up, knocking over his glass of wine.  “That is if you stop this insubordination of yours.  I don’t care how good you are at what you do, or how pretty you look, the person who says what’s going on around here is me!”

 

The merc not raising Golt on his com stepped forward as if to intercede between Iyana and Luscious.  Iyana raised one hand up for him to halt, and the merc retreated.  “Luscious,” Iyana mocked, “You impotent drunk, you have no say in what is happening here.  If you can’t give me the passcodes you are as useless as that thing you call a d**k between your legs.”

 

Luscious knew what to do next.  Like Stone had done to him, and like Golt had done to Stron, he’d put Iyana in her place.  He lashed out across the table, to strike the woman on the throne with the back of his hand.

 

Through the alcohol and the rage was a burst of excruciating pain.  Luscious found his arm broken and his hand pinned to the table with a black knife blade sunk through it.  He cried out in a high pitched scream, trying to hold himself up with his good arm to stop the agony that every miniscule movement caused him from his wounds. 

 

Iyana sighed.  “Honestly, I don’t know why Jess Stone kept you alive.  But I’m going to as long as you behave, for one reason.”  The door to the cargo bay opened, and another merc brought in a wrinkly old man in with a full beard.  It was Jobe, the Medusa’s doctor, and his own face was red from crying.  “Ah, just in time,” Iyana approved.

 

Luscious sobbed, “What the hell just happened to me?”

 

Iyana ticked her tongue.  “Now that's the perfect question to ask yourself!"  She then beckoned for the doctor to have a seat.  The accompanying merc helped Jobe into a chair next to Luscious.  Iyana inquired, “Do you have your medikit with you, doctor?”  Jobe nodded, and Iyana gestured to Luscious, whereupon Jobe reached out to tend to his wounded hand.

 

Luscious was finding it hard to contend with his pain, but when he saw Jobe’s own weeping face, he couldn’t help but ask, “Jobe, what is going on?”

 

Jobe looked to Iyana as if to seek permission to speak.  She dramatically swept her hand again from the doctor to Luscious.  “The crew…,” Jobe begun, and then gave up.  “I…can’t…”

 

“There is no need to explain, doctor,” Iyana pardoned.  “This has to be a bit much for you.  Luscious is scarcely able to wrap his arms around what he’s done, so if you would, please tend to his affliction.  Then I would like Luscious to fetch that ice for my brandy himself, since I’ll have to procure a person of competency to hack into the ship’s data.”

 

Iyana reexamined her computer screen.  “Now, I’m very busy. I want quiet, except for whatever sounds must be made removing Luscious from my table.  And the weeping.  You may continue that.”

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena was tempted to make the grand drop, shook her head and sighed because her biotic field would be seen. She walked back cloaked across the top of the gate to the ladder and descended. A group of people had gathered at the base of the ladder and were chatting. She checked her power cell and it was at 30%. Come on, come on. Get the lead out of your asses and move on. She climbed back up to the junction box where it would be unlikely that she would be discovered should her cloak fail, and she might have time to swap out her power cell before anyone noticed.

 

"So what did you think of Master Jeb's sermon today?" a tall man asked.

 

"Well it's obvious that the end times are upon us. I mean remember only a couple of years ago there was that attack on the Citadel?" a woman replied.

 

"Yes. That has never been attacked before like that, and the size of that ship?" another man asked.

 

"And the colonies disappearing." another woman replied.

 

Yes, disappear for the sake of the Goddess. Kalahira, watch over me, now, please. 15%.

 

"That's why Master Jeb has us learning to live a simple life. He says that in the end times only those who have desecrated the lands will be taken while those of us who live in harmony with nature will be left. That's why he's trying to restore this world. After the apocalypse this will be our home." the first woman said.

 

"Amen, sister."

 

"Well, I'd like to stand around and talk longer, but I've got chores to do." the man said.

 

"We all do. See you at dinner." the first woman said.

 

Finally the group dispersed. Naleena checked her power cell - 5%. She checked the ground nearby and quickly descended the ladder, found a shadow, and decloaked. Then she swapped the power cell with the one that Jess gave her.

 

She walked out into the common area from behind one of the stores and saw Anika had moved further toward the steeds than she'd thought. She contacted Anika on her omni-tool. "Anika, go to about ten meters in front of Ruth's General Store. Take a soil sample and act like you're analyzing it. I'll meet you there."

 

Ruth's was not too far from the steeds, but also not too far from where Naleena was thinking of going next. Anika made her way to that spot. A few kids gathered around her.

 

"Wow, you're tall," one of the young girls said.

 

"Yeah, you're a giant, except giants are supposed to be ugly." another child said.

 

Naleena arrived, lit her pipe, and spoke in a stern tone. "That's only in fairy tales. And she's as human as you are. Now run along, we have a lot of work to do."

 

The children left, afraid of the Asari in black.

 

"Thanks," Anika said, "Glad those guns are taken care of."

 

"It was close," Naleena replied, "I wonder if Jess still wants that transponder removed that I attached to the mainframe? You know Jess. What do you think?"

[Kel Riever]

Morgan was now confused between actual words being spoken and their underlying meaning.  He peered at Dahlia, “When did I ever give off that I think you are some dumb bimbo?”  Then he caught Jess looking at him.  He put his head down and breathed out.

 

“I said my part.  Past that, it only matters that we all agree.”  Morgan lifted his head to Jess.  “Tell us what you want.  Speaking for myself, I’ll do it.  I won’t have anyone someplace they have no interest in.  While I’d rather stay together, if we get what we need splitting then I’ll adjust.  But I do not prefer it.”

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"Sorry, Morgan. Now I made you feel bad. It's just that I'm used to, you know, most people see an asari maiden and they think: 'oh, look a maiden. She must be another dancer,'" Dahlia sighed, "That's because most maidens people out here see are stupid. They're dancers. Or they think they're hot shots by joining a merc group. They didn't have to scrounge and help support their family. I know you don't think that way. You're not most people. I've got to get over having those feelings. I'm sorry I said that."  She gazed at Morgan warmly with her big violet eyes.

 

"And I'll go with you. You're not twisting my arm, either."

[Cknarf]

Eteon guides Frank from behind, keeping any eye on him.  Although he seemed harmless, she wasn't taking any chances.

 

Tired of walking in silence, Frank tries striking up a conversation.

 

"Sorry about that back there. Pulling a gun on you like that.  Nothings gone right since I got here, obviously, and I was expecting the worst.  Thanks for not taking my head off."  

 

Eteon sighed. "It's okay.  A crash like that is enough to put anyone on edge. Especially here.  They seem to treat law and order loosely on Duellos.  You're lucky I found you and not one of the raiders."  

 

Frank's distress beacon likely would have drawn raiders to his position.

 

"Speaking of which, we need to keep moving." Eteon urged.  "Atmosphere's thin here, so try to keep your helmet on. Without a rebreather, Even the lightest physical activity can wear you out."

 

"You don't say?" Frank replied, still looking ahead.  "I've never thought I'd be so happy to be wearing this."  With a fist, Frank struck his helmet twice.  "So... is there anyone waiting for you back home? Family?"

 

Eteon blinked at the sudden change of topic.  She wasn't expecting such a random question    "I have... some". She admitted. "We don't exactly talk." 

 

"If it's a sore subject, we can drop it."

 

Eteon continued anyway.

 

"I'm what you humans refer to as... the black sheep of the family?"  

 

Frank nodded his head in understanding.

 

"Our culture is very militaristic. Respect for authority is extremely important, and I... Sometimes get into head butting matches. Usually about the wisdom of conventional tactics". She paused.  "We really need to pick up the pace."  With urgency in her voice. 

 

Eteon was starting to wish she'd hired a Mecha-Steed. Walking back in the hot sun was entirely unappealing at this point.  This talkative human wasn't exactly making things better.

 

Frank turned and faced Eteon. Walking backwards,  He reached into his bag. "Here's mine."  He revealed a photograph.  "This is my old crew.  They took me in after my parents died."  He pointed to a Quarian in the picture.   "That's Adir'Razt, I learned a lot from him. As his assistant, we made countless repairs together.  Nearly every time we made a run in the Terminus, we'd have to stop to patch up our ship." 

 

Frank placed the photo back in his bag "You mentioned something about armor earlier?" He pulls out a bottle of water, and offers it to Eteon.  She responds with a shake of the head.  With a shrug, he returns it to the bag.

 

Eteon sighed. Conventional wisdom be damned. What could it hurt? "Our ship encountered some powerful weaponry, it's armour was no match. We're anticipating conflict, most likely sooner than later, and we need to make sure we're prepared. We're investigating Silas armour... and where to find some."

Informative, but not too informative. Spirits be damned if she was going to walk back to town in silence because of some rule that forced her to parrot the 'classified' line.

 

"Take me to your ship, and I'd be more than happy to lend a hand. I can't tell you how many times I've had to repair armor."  Surely it couldn't be that hard, he thought.  "If your superiors have any doubts about letting a strange human onto their ship, I'd understand.  But they'd be making a huge mistake."  Frank turned back around.  "Because I'm the best damn Engineer in the--"  Frank trips on a rock, and falls face first into the desert sand.  "...galaxy."

 

Eteon walks on, shaking her head, as Frank dusts himself off.

[Redbelle]

Anika nodded. "The captain said to make sure that device was gone when the job was done. It's how she works. No evidence that anything was going on means we can play them again while they are none the wiser. If they find it..... if we need to look into this group again, they'll be harder to win over. We need that device back".

 

Anika's eye's crinkled as she moved a hand to grasp the back of Naleena's head. "But..... be careful. It's more risk. I know your good. There's always that outside chance right"? She held her forehead against her's and smiled. "That quiet place..... I like it..... I'd like to go back there with you..... if you want me there"?

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena, knowing that time would stand still for them, gazed deeply up into Anika's eyes. "Yes." Naleena's eyes blackened, and the compound vanished for the two of them. There was no discussion of the job. Just the two of them together for what seemed like a quarter hour, yet it appeared like two people were standing looking into each others eyes for about 15 seconds to everyone in the compound.

 

"Anika, what ever happens, you need to know one thing. I love you, Anika," Naleena was baring her soul.

 

(will add more to a later post)

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Naleena eased out of the short meld with Anika, kissed her, then walked over to a busy food stand with her and slipped away. Once in the shadows she cloaked and moved quietly back toward the server room where she placed the short range router. It was much easier this time since she knew the way there. The computer tech should still be enjoying his trip unless he's been replaced, in which case this could get tricky, but nothing that I can't handle.

 

She rounded a corner and heard a familiar voice.

 

"Drugs? What's this? We give yuh da solution to life's woes, man, an' yuh take de drugs?" Samacen slapped the technician.

 

"But I..." the technician tried to say.

 

"I don' believe you man. There are more on de desk."

 

Sh*t! Would you just hurry up? Drag him out of there!

 

"But I..."

 

"Shut up! We go to see Master Jeb, now. See what Master Jeb say about dees." Samacen grabbed the tech by the arm and pulled him to his feet. He grabbed the other pills off the desk, exited the room and started down the hall toward Naleena. She held her breath as they walked past her.

 

"There's someone....  here." the technician said.

 

Samacen looked around. "Nonsense man, you seein' things.

 

"No I see someone... pretty girl...  in colors."

 

"You on de drugs. Let's go." Samacen hauled him onward.

 

After they went up the steps Naleena breathed a sigh of relief, and then she went into the server room, grabbed the router and left. Remind me not to give someone Hallex and cloak around them.

 

She made her way back to a shadow, decloaked, and found Anika.

 

"It's done." Naleena said.

 

"Any trouble?" Anika asked.

 

"It was... close."

[Cainhurst Crow]

Vayne looked to his omnitool as it chimed, ready to ripe open one of the panels as he heard the message. "Son of a ******..." he muttered to himself as he looked to Irina, "Seems we've been beaten to the chase..." he said as he got up and stretched out his back. "Sorry for takin ya out here for nothin. Let's get back to the others, maybe ride out of this place even.." he said as he made his way back out of the alleyway.

 

The trip back seemed uneventful compared to all the tension of getting there undetected. The people were milling about like before, chatting or doing business, and all of it seemed...normal. It was perfectly normal seeming, and it felt strange to vayne to just be walking back to their steeds like this, without some thing going wrong. He shock it off as them being lucky, as he saw his crimson monster in the distance and began to make his way towards it, spotting the others a close ways away.

 

"Yo..." he said as he gave a wave hello, walking up to his steed as he put a hand on the reign, "Did I miss anything?"

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

A child was wandering around away from the group she was with. She seemed like she was looking for something or someone. Irina recognized her. It was the one Judi had taken away earlier in the day.

 

"Vayne, there's Zenon. Over there!" Irina pointed. "She's by that food stand. I think she might be hungry. I'm going to wander over that way and talk to her."

[Redbelle]

"Well now, if your in your in". Jess turned and headed towards the main building. "Damn fools". She muttered under her breath out of hearing of the others.

 

For all her outwards confidence she was cursing her own role in this matter. She wanted out. She wasn't supposed to be here except for a Spectre and his flunky essentially prising her loose of her ship. This had been the longest amount of time she'd spent away from the Medusa and she found she was starting to pine for those familier vibrations of her engines. The long walk up the spine from the main dock to the ships vital areas. Hell, she missed her wardrobe the most..... okay not the most. But her outfits were up there along with her larger than life room with the transparent roof. Doc's gravely voice complaining that the crew needed a better diet while Oda just stood around, watching, taking in..... It would be a shame to lose him. But he had served his contract and his girl was waiting. Their life was going to take off thanks to the credit's Oda had earned. Jess's involved flying the spacelanes while searching for a new XO.

 

The large mining ship loomed and she marched up to the door. She called into the comm by the door. "Heya. We're nearly done sampling here. Just need to take a look at your mines. Those maps ready yet"?

[Redbelle]

Samacen was listening to Jeb talking to the new arrivals. His gruff voice and worn features seemed to unerve some of the new prospects but sat in this tropical paradise, they seemed to warm to him.

 

Everybody warmed to him eventually. Even him. He'd been a quiet and angry man before Jeb had accepted him in from the outside world. He'd only spent the night out near the walls on a bet. He'd been all ready to turn around the next morning and go back to town when the gates had opened and a wrinkled old codger had walked out, unmasked, and held up his hands.

 

"Brother's! Sister's! I welcome you to this place of renewal! Of Rebirth, and rejoicing! And of some of the best own brew produced this side of the planet! Thogh I'm afraid those who are to young to partake will have to wait till your a little older huh"?

 

The merry twinkle in the old mans eye's had bothered him. But now he had shed his old life, he saw Jeb for who he truely was. A young childlike boy with the wisdom and commitment of an older man trapped in a body that was slowly wearing away to the patient trot of time.

 

Samacen's comm beeped and he gave a glance to see that Ol'Jeb had stopped and was looking his way with an amused look. "Now what did I tell you about turning off your comm's before the talk? I tell you. Kid's today. Always with their fancy gadget's and always trying to get in touch when the grownup's are trying to tell them something important".

 

Samacen's cheeks coloured as Ol'Jeb ribbed him, even as he turned and walked a little far's away. He activated his Comm. "Is this important"?

 

"One of the Thresher experts want's access to mine information".

 

"So give it to her".

 

"Including access down into the mines".

 

"So"?

 

"Sir, she want's access to all the mine area".

 

Samacen was about to retort when Jeb's gravelly voice came from behind. "Give it to them".

 

Samacen turned. "Brudda.... de mines..... the parts where de conversion happens....".

 

Jeb sighed. "Stop. Brother..... I'd like to meet some of these people. And I'd like to bring them down into the mine. I have my reasons. In fact, I think I'll go down there myself. I'm overdue...... You'll look after the place when I'm gone, won't you Sam"?

 

Samacen felt a chill. "Brudda, I don't like the way you sounded just den".

 

"I'm an old man Sam. I've still got things to teach. Don't you worry. I just need.... something to keep me going awhile longer. In the meantime, I rather like the idea of taking some raw prospects down to see our work. Call me curious. All the work we do up here to prepare people for the coming conversion. I wonder if they would have the same reaction"? He mulled it over in his mind. "Yeeees. I'd rather enjoy seeing that look on their faces. You take over the lessions now Brother Sam. I'll go and attend to our guests".

 

As Samacen watched Old man Jeb walk away he felt a pang. Like something had just excaped him and left his body. Walking back to the group he sat and looked at all the expectant faces. Forcing the feeling out of him he smiled. "For some..... de greatest honour is to accept no honour. To do the bidding of another, not in servitude, but in deference to the greatness that other's could acheive. That is our place. We aspire to be greater than we are. And you and I will be if you choose this. But it is only the first step. For then the work truely begins of raising those who would rather waste their lives up to even greater heights. We here consider ourselves to be only the forerunner's of the ascention of all those who are worthy to attain greatness. And when you learn how great you can be, you will take our borther's and sister's..... and you will take them to a place where we cannot go. For that reason, because we strive for a goal that we cannot reach but can throw other's towards..... That is why we call ourselves drowned. Tis something we cannot change. But our aspirations will live on in the very fibre of the being...... of the people we guide towards ascension. And if you choose to stay. We will house you, clothe you. show you the beginning's of what you could be that you may see the end of what we as people could become".

 

There were confused looks, awkward glances. A couple looked at each other nervously and took each others hands.

 

It was to soon for them. Better to talk about the free food and lodging. That always won over a Duellos crowd.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"I don't think that's a good idea..." Vayne said as he looked to where she pointed, his body language saying he wanted to go over there to her as well. "She doesn't seem stable. And talking to her here, could end up messing her up and causing a scene."

"I'm going to talk with her, Vayne," Irina insisted, "I didn't get that she really wanted to stay here. Besides, I'm just going to buy her a hot dog, and ask a few questions."

"Wait a minute. You don't know what happened to her. The stuff she's been through could have made her a lot less reasonable then you think." he tried to tell her, but she was already heading over as he stared at her back getting ever smaller to him, "Damn."

Irina made her way over to the food stand. Zenon was still wandering in the general area. She appeared to be a bit confused. Irina casually walked up to her.

"Hi. Is the food any good here? I'm getting a bit hungry." Irina asked.

"What food?" Zenon asked as she suddenly jumped back, looking at Irina like a deer caught in the headlights. She looked around, took a step back, eyes looking this way and that as if afraid the food items might suddenly come alive and jump at her. "I'm not the one who is food here." she said in a whisper, sounding like she might have meant it.

Irina smiled for everyone else around and whispered, "Zenon, smile nice for everyone like I am. Are you telling me that this... stuff... is not fit for eating? Are you afraid?"

"What?" Zenon asked startled as she blinked a few times, eyes seeming to come into focus for the first time talking. "I...I'm not...I'm not afraid." she said, sounding less confident then she had looked moments ago as the brief flash of indignation gave way to sadness. "I thought this place would help...that it'd make the memories and voices stop...but it's not helping. I can still hear them...still see them." She said as she closed her eyes and shook her head, as if trying to wake up from a bad dream.

"You seem to be afraid of something. It's okay to be afraid. I was an Alliance Marine once and I was afraid sometimes, too. I helped save young people from slavers and worse. You can talk to me."

"This place is wonderful, and everyone's nice, and its not helping...they're not going away..." she said as she brought a hand up to her face, covering over her eyes as she tried to take in a breath. "I...remember you. You were with that krogan...the one from before." she said as she reached towards one of Irina's hands quickly, making a move to snatch it as she looked to her, fear and hope in her eyes as she looked right into Irina's, "Is he the one from before? Is he the one who saved me? Who killed the glowing eyes?" she asked, her voice a desperate whisper as she squeezed with an almost unnaturally strong grip.

"I was standing with a Krogan, yes," Irina placed her other hand gently over Zenon's. "I'm from the nearby town. I hired on as a guide for this group. He mentioned that he rescued you once before, but no one said anything about glowing eyes. Keep smiling and nodding," Irina gave her a look of complete understanding. She'd seen and helped recover victims of Batarian slavers, and cult survivors. "What can you tell me about the voices and the glowing eyes?"

She tried to smile, and seemed to be actually happy, at least for the moment. "I didn't think he'd come here. This group..., are the others from before with them?" She asks be for her smile dropped at her next question. "The blue suns...the Aspire said we'd stand tall and weather out the end times when they came and took us." she said as she visibly worked to keep herself calm, "They took our credits...our clothes. I thought they would rape us or sell us to slavers....thats when I saw the eyes." she held onto Irina and the shelf for support as she dug her fingers into Irina's hand. "Yellow eyes filled with light. And a dark voice telling me things. It read me." she said looking into Irina as she whispered, "It read everything about me...and about my body and my mind and my soul and it...it....it made them put me into the cold place....so cold...everything so cold...its voice and the pod and....heaven earned lasting peace....the words kept the voice away, but I can still hear it...H.E.L.P. all I could do...all their way in the cold," she said. She seemed so much older, weaker, fragile, then one her age should.

"The Aspired....they helped me at first...," she began standing, giving a smile that was faked and forced, a pain filled laugh of dismissal,  "Father Jeb said I was touched...touched by those who'll bring end times. I'd survive it here, he said. The Harbingers would not get me here, but they did, and I can still feel the cold." she said as she looks to Irina sea in the eyes,  "I cant leave here....I cant let them take me back to the Cold."

Irina shuddered, smiled, and whispered. "Zenon, listen to me closely. Stay right by me. I'm not going to let anything happen to you. No one is going to take you back to the cold, or if they do it will be over my dead body. Do you trust me?"

"I... think I can," Zenon replied, "I... don't have much of a choice."

"It's a start," Irina said, "Do you see any others you saw before here?"

Zenon looked around the courtyard and spotted Naleena. "I think so...," she said and looked more carefully at Naleena. "Yes. The Asari in the black coat. She let me out of the pod on Omega. I remember her. Is she going to help?"

"She'd better," Irina said, "So I'm to assume you want to leave this place?"

Zenon nodded. "What about after we're out? What then?"

"I have a small place in town. You're welcome to stay with me until we figure out what to do next."

"What about the Aspire? Won't they come after us?"

"They won't dare." Irina patted her shotgun, "Come on, let's wander over toward the steeds. You'll ride on mine in front of me."

Zenon smiled. It was genuine. Her grip was warm as the two of them walked toward Vayne and the mecha-steeds.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Vayne looked to see irina coming back from the food court, and did a double take when he saw who was coming with her. Vayne's face was slack and surprise was evident on it as he watched the two come closer, waiting until they were in earshot before he spoke up. "You...how did you do that?" vayne asked softly, blinking a couple of times as his eye went between irina and zenon both.

 

Zenon looked up to the group as she approached, staying close to irina but eyes moving between him and naleena, "You were the ones...all of you." she said, sounding like she were awestruck looking up to the group on their steeds, "I heard them dying. Saw their glowing eyes die..." she said as she looked between the group, taking a breath as she looked to irina, seeming to be a bit more confident as she spoke, "I think...I think I'm going to be okay..." she said, sounding as surprised as she looked as she said the words aloud.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Irina spoke quietly to Vayne. "It was easy, Vayne. I listened to her."