6315 réponses à ce sujet

[favoritehookeronthecitadel]

"Don't you know a mercenary shouldn't divulge too much information about themselves?" Avan smiled.

 

"Right, sorry." Dahlia responded.

 

"That was just a joke. It doesn't really matter to me, as I don't have anything to hide, at least from another professional."

 

"So, what can you tell me."

 

"There's not much to say. I'm rather boring for a bounty hunter. No jet pack or green mask. I've enjoyed the art of taking a life, and building things, new things, tech, weapons and other software for as long as I can remember." Avan paused. "What about you?"

 

"Well" Dahlia pondered, "I enjoy mostly killing anyone I hate. Under this ship, I'll follow my orders, of course, but yeah. We're supposed to be 'good guys' anyway."

 

"Might I admit, you seem a bit young for someone of your stature."

 

"I'm only 90." Dahila smiled a bit. "But don't let that fool you. I can kick plenty of ass. Received training from Aria's people in Omega. They taught me a lot."

 

"Wow. Aria, huh? I spent a lot of my early years on Omega. Decent place, if you never need to sleep."

 

"Yeah. I can also use my biotics for just about anything and can hack into most computers. I can even steal someone's identity."

 

"Wow, you can? That finally means someone on this ship can speak the same language as me."

 

They both laughed.

[Straw Nihilist]

After entering through the door of the safe-house, the Janiri doctor immediately lost her balance and staggered to the wall adjacent to the corridor's entrance. Due to the sheer amount of blood now on the wrong side of her skin, Jaimie tepidly slid straight to the ground. While the others went about their mission in the police station, Jaimie was distracted fighting for her life. A blade wielding assassin from an organisation she knew all to well found her on the lower levels after being tipped off by an informant. She of course could not let any of her crew know about this for if they were aware that they were harbouring one with such an immense bounty, they would be quick to boot her. She managed to evade the assailant but barely escaped with her life and it showed on her body. Gashes, cuts and wounds littered her body. 

 

After slowly repositioning herself so that her back was now slouched against the blood painted wall, Jaimie fiddled in her pocket until she pulled out a sanguine flecked cigarette. Placing it in her mouth, she then began to search for her antique lighter. After recalling that it was still aboard the ship, she initiated plan B. A large torrent of fire burst forth from her omni tool, lighting the cigarette. Once that was lit, she went about locating  mirror. She deduced the bathroom was the best place to find one. Hacking the locked door took but a second.

 

"Move," she ordered the occupant, who was washing his face in the sink, as she shouldered him out of the way of the mirror. A quick investigation of her back through a large rip in her close denoted there was something she needed to address now before it killed her. Ripping off her t-shirt, she clenched the sink with one hand as she shot a ballistic blade into the wall in front of her and heated half of it with her flamer tech ability. The blade wound running across her back was tow large to be healed with medigel, it would need to be cauterised first. 

 

Ripping the ballistic from the wall, she held it out towards the person she pushed out of the way earlier. "Run the heated part along the cut," she said monotonously as she gritted her teeth and pressed her forehead against the glass. This was going to hurt. The wound itself was grotesque, a thin gash about seven inches wide bulged across her back as flesh pressed out of it. A steady stream of blood ran down it. Too much blood for medigel to work, as it would just stream down with the current of blood if she tried to apply it. There was something else besides the blood however. Invisible at a glance but to a keen eye one could make out metallic textures beyond the flesh. Metallic veins, arteries, a spine, all covered in blood, but their brushed gleam shone through. 

[Kel Riever]

Mira and Jenus had gone up to prep the Scythe shuttle, but Iole and Tallis were in the safe house living room when Jaimie cam barging in.  Tallis barely had time to shout, “Doctor!  Doctor!” before the young woman lit a cigarette with her omni-tool flamethrower and stumbled into the bathroom.  The door wasn’t locked, but it seemed the young woman was satisfied she had hacked the entrance before going in.

Morgan, too was in shock, and would have immediately grabbed the woman to help her if he didn’t recognized Jaimie.  Looking like she had been sliced nearly to pieces, he watched her heat a ballistic blade by using the flamer a second time.  Then Jaimie basically told him to cauterize the large wound on her back by running the searing blade along it. 

Without waiting, Morgan took the heated blade in his armored glove.  He quickly grabbed a towel from the rack and offered it near Jaime’s mouth.  “Bite that.  No sense seeing a dentist too with how much this is going to hurt.”   The young woman, seemingly barely conscious, took the towel and jammed it between her teeth.  Morgan held Jaimie with one hand as he pressed the blade into her back wound. 

The smell of burning flesh was horrible, and Morgan winced.  He pressed on with the cauterization, not caring how Jaimie reacted as he was well aware how severe the wound was.  As he went, Morgan saw the artificial workings beneath the doctor’s skin.  It shocked him, though he didn’t hesitate.  One of the commandos came to the bathroom door.

It was Iole, “Goddess, what happened to her?  Let me help.”

Morgan turned Jaime so that her front faced Iole and the asari couldn’t see the glint of metal in her back wound.  “I’m almost done, but she’s lost a lot of blood and she’ll need a good dose of medigel when I’m through.”

“I’ll help you carry her.  We can rest her on the sofa.  Tallis is laying a clean covering over it.”

Searing the last of the open wound, Morgan then took a medigel injector from a utility compartment in his armor and hit Jaimie with a heavy dose.  He nodded to Iole, and the two of them helped carry the doctor out and to the sofa, to lay her gently upon it, stomach down.  Somehow, Jaime’s eyes were open and she seemed conscious, although Morgan didn’t know how much of her was there. 

“Stretcher!  Stretcher,” Tallis shouted, and ran out the door, to the stairs up and the Scythe shuttle.

Iole explained. “We’ll transfer her to a stretcher and lift her out on the Scythe shuttle.  I’ve never seen someone her size take so much punishment and stay awake.”  She then turned her com on and contacted the Janiri.  “We have one wounded and are bringing her to the nearest hospital, tell the Spectre…”

“No!”  Morgan interrupted and placed a hand on Iole’s forearm.  “She’s stabilized and she needs to be brought back to the ship.”

“But…”

“Trust me on this.”

Iole looked hesitant, but spoke again into the com, “I’m sorry, that’s a negative on the transport to the hospital.  We are returning to the Janiri.  Prep the med bay, multiple and severe lacerations.  Tell the Spectre that the wounded is Dr. Spade from her team, and send the message that we’ll have to come back for anybody still on Nos Astra.”

It didn’t take long for Tallis to come back, and Morgan helped her get Jaimie on the stretcher.  Morgan wanted to keep Jaimie awake, if possible, so he tried to get her speaking.  “What happened to you?”

[Cknarf]

Frank headed to cabin 9 for a change of clothes.

 

Right. My stuff is in the shuttle bay.

 

He fitted the rest of his armor, and assumed a proud stance in front of the mirror. He gave himself a wink, before leaving his room, and heading to the elevator.

 

As Frank passed though the common area, he noticed a quarian seated at the edge of the room, looking through a schematic of the Janiri.

 

"You an engineer?" Frank asked.

 

"Do I look like one?"

 

"Maybe a little."

 

"Why, because I'm quarian?" His eyes narrowed.

 

"No, because of that." Frank pointed to his omni-tool. "And because you're quarian." He smiled, while holding out his hand. "Frank Eli nar Vepr."

 

"Han’Breizh vas Janiri nar Qwib Qwib" He softened his glare, before shaking Frank's hand. He motioned for him to sit. "You served on a quarian ship? Who was your captain?"

 

"Adir'Razt vas Vepr nar Usela."

 

"I am familiar with Clan Razt, and the Usela." Han nodded. "But I have never heard of the Vepr."

 

"It was an independent vessel."

 

"Your captain... Exiled?"

 

Frank shook his head. "He decided not to return from his pilgrimage. Figured he'd take his chances on his own."

 

"Same here.  And look where I ended up!  Although it's not quarian, I'm honored to be aboard such a fine ship." Han opened up his omni-tool. "Although, we're still working some things out.  The Janiri is rather new."

 

"If you get me a copy of those schematics, I'd be happy to lend a hand." Frank smiled.

 

"Of course." Han copied his files to Frank's omni-tool. "We could use an extra pair of hands around here."

 

"I should get going. Don't hesitate to contact me if you need something." Frank stood up. "Keelah se'lai"

 

"Keelah se'lai."

 

Frank took the elevator to the shuttle bay.

[Straw Nihilist]

Jaimie didn't answer straight away. After the question was posed, Spade's body underwent an abnormal alteration. The cuts and slashes on her body slowly filled with silver strands that eventually filled up the entire wounds and returned the patch to her skin's original colour. Sitting up and wrapping her arms around her knees, it was observed that her back gash did the same, but at a much slower rate. Self conscious about her near naked upper body, Jaimie positioned herself so that her back was to Morgan and, once again, linked her arms around her legs.  "Private affairs happened," she muttered as she slid a new cigarette between her lips but made no effort to light it. 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Once again while trying to pour through the mission files, VERA interrupted Naleena.

 

“Pardon me, again, Naleena. I have an important message from the one of the commandos, Iole.” VERA said.

 

“What did she say?” Naleena kept working.

 

“A team member, Dr. Spade, was seriously wounded and is being transported by the shuttle at your safe house to the Janiri. I am alerting Dr. Tolus and staff,” VERA said.

 

She looked up at VERA. “Thank you, VERA. I’ll meet Dr. Spade and anyone who returns with her at the entrance to Med Bay.”

 

“Very well.”

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"Don't you know a mercenary shouldn't divulge too much information about themselves?" Avan smiled.

 

"Right, sorry." Dahlia responded.

 

"That was just a joke. It doesn't really matter to me, as I don't have anything to hide, at least from another professional."

 

"So, what can you tell me."

 

"There's not much to say. I'm rather boring for a bounty hunter. No jet pack or green mask. I've enjoyed the art of taking a life, and building things, new things, tech, weapons and other software for as long as I can remember." Avan paused. "What about you?"

 

"Well" Dahlia pondered, "I enjoy mostly killing anyone I hate. Under this ship, I'll follow my orders, of course, but yeah. We're supposed to be 'good guys' anyway."

 

"Might I admit, you seem a bit young for someone of your stature."

 

"I'm only 90." Dahila smiled a bit. "But don't let that fool you. I can kick plenty of ass. Received training from Aria's people in Omega. They taught me a lot."

 

"Wow. Aria, huh? I spent a lot of my early years on Omega. Decent place, if you never need to sleep."

 

"Yeah. I can also use my biotics for just about anything and can hack into most computers. I can even steal someone's identity."

 

"Wow, you can? That finally means someone on this ship can speak the same language as me."

 

They both laughed.

 

Dr. Tolus walked into Med-Bay and began preparations.

 

"You'll have to leave soon, Miss Taniri. I have an incoming patient," Dr. Tolus took a deep breath and shook his head. "Terrible waste. Dr. Spade has been wounded. Needs treatment. Finish your conversation quickly."

 

"Well, I guess we'll talk later, then, Avan. I don't want to get in the way here."  Dahlia said, "You'll be out tomorrow and we can talk then, okay?"

 

"Yeah, that would probably be better," Avan said, "See you later."

[Cknarf]

"Spirits, Eli, I can't believe you carry this thing around." Septerax looked at the scrawny human, while hoisting his heavy bag onto the counter.  "What do you keep in here?"

 

"Everything." Frank slid the bag over his shoulder.

 

"Sure feels like it." Septerax laughed. "Oh, I've got something else for you." He reached behind the counter. "I managed to locate your helmet."

 

"You're a good man, Septerax." Frank smiled, placing the helmet under his arm.

[Kel Riever]

Iole and Tallis looked to each other, briefly at a loss of words for what they had seen happen to the doctor.  Tallis, recovering first, gestured at Iole by putting her elbows at right angles, and pantomimed robot arms.

“Janiri, belay that,” Iole said into her com, “The emergency is under control.  It’s been taken care of…locally.  Will update you later.”

Morgan grabbed a thin sheet that was bundled with the stretcher Tallis had brought in.  He placed it around Jaimie, covering her up.  Next, he reached into his compact survival pack, pulled out a modern lighter, and offered it to the doctor.  “I try not to make it a habit,” he said, “But sometimes I wonder if I shouldn’t start.”  Noting that the two commandos were nearby, Morgan slightly tilted his head at them over his shoulder.

“Right,” Iole responded, getting the message, “Nobody needs people hovering over them.”  She and Tallis moved to another part of the room, and started cleaning up around them.

Jaimie still hadn’t moved from her position since she put the cigarette in her mouth.  Morgan spoke under his breath, “If you don’t want to talk, it’ll be fine with everyone here.  Is there anything you need?  Anything we can get you?”

[Kel Riever]

(Note:  The following was a collaboration with RedBelle)

 

Previously...( http://forum.bioware...res/?p=17250189 )

 

The Shrike Abyssal, Urla Rast System, aboard the MSV Montague en route to The Lord

 

Jrudek Ib-vu had assumed that being provided with another small craft to take him to his destination had meant another Shadow Network controlled craft.  But upon the MSV Montague’s arrival in the Urla Rast system, he was informed that the rendezvous was with a ship working for the Kings and Queens.  As such, when the moment of transfer occurred, Jrudek found himself waiting just outside the modified bay of the Montague meant for landing small craft, until a shuttle from the K&Q vessel had landed and the air cycled.

The green light for the bay door lit, and Jrudek entered the bay, ready to meet whoever was going to take him aboard the visiting shuttle.  As covenant demanded, Jrudek was alone.  It would have been foolish to ignore his feelings of concern, but Jrudek had faced far too many brutal people in his time to let himself be driven by those feelings.  In fact, he himself had been on the delivering end of much of that brutality.  Jrudek, armed and having donned his drab olive combat armor, had a ready but friendly stance as he prepared to receive the first Kings and Queens member he had ever met.

The man in the full body black armour stood in the entrance way of the shuttle. "You the package"?

 

Jrudek blinked, then nodded.

 

"Remove all your weapons and armour. When your done I'll search you. If your clean you get to come with me to the ship. If their searches come up empty and your ship plays ball we'll leave the system with you and take you to the lords ship. If you are allowed aboard that ship.....". He trailed off. "......First things first. Your to be taken to our lord. This isn't something that happens on a whim. He's been watching and he wants answers. Co-operate and this'll go easy for you. Be honest cause the lord hate's liar's. Now get that gear off and be quick. The lord hates waiting".

The pilot folded his arms and waited.

Without hesitation, Jrudek removed his Kishock harpoon gun, his AT-12 Raider shotgun, and his Terminator assault rifle, placing them on the deck.  Next, he stripped off his batarian slaver armor until he wore nothing.

"Any other requests?" Jrudek asked, holding his palms open, up and forward.

The pilot was quiet for a long moment. "Yeah.... I.... ah.....". He said looking down. Then he turned and disappeared inside and was back a moment later with an unadorned jumpsuit. "Put this on". He said throwing it to Jrudek. "I'm not transporting you hair buck naked. When your done we'll get moving".

Catching the jumpsuit in one hand, Jrudek wondered if the pilot was so cautious as to not even take the gear along for the flight.  But the batarian was familiar with a certain level of paranoia, and he couldn't base his assessment of Tarballs on one transport pilot.  Jrudek slipped on the suit, which was somewhat small for him and fit tightly.

The pilot nodded and jerked a hand back towards the passenger cabin. "Get in". He said. And dissapeared inside.

With an emotionless grunt, Jrudeck climbed aboard the non-descript shuttle, took a seat, and buckled into the harness.

The pilot sat in his cockpit watching his monitor of his passenger who sat the other side of the locked cabin door. Seeing him belted in he ran the shuttle up to power and initiated lift off and sailed out of the other ships hanger before angling towards the one he'd come from. Once the angle aligned for landing he sat back and activated the intercomm.

"Something you ought to know. The Captain's decided you don't leave this shuttle while we make transit to the other system. This is a precaution to make sure you don't try anything...... And to keep you safe from the crew. There will be an armed guard in the hanger bay to make sure you don't leave.... but word to the wise.... Pop your head out the hatch and someone's liable to experience a weapon malfunction and blame it on accidental discharge. Good thing you got one of the more dependable Captains for this job. Anyone but Fox and I reckon you'd be sailing out an airlock midway for what happened to the Medusa's crew".

A glance towards the intercom and Jrudek remarked, "It sounds like you all are very thorough.  Particularly Captain Fox."

There wasn't much for Jrudek to do other than sit back, relax, and surrender.  He knew the proceedures, and understood being handled like a time bomb that could go off at any minute.  What was different was the clear acknowledgement of emotion from the pilot's conversation; there was a sense of a desire for retribution in addition to answers.

"There is anger then, for the actions of my superior," Jrudek then added, in a matter-of-fact tone. "You are an honorable group and you feel you have been wronged."

"We're men and women with a code. No one looks out for us but our own. So yeah..... alot of good men and women who competed with each other just found that a mad dog killed a ship's complement.... You can just bet there are people outside this shuttle who can't wait to even the score. Even if it's just by one...... Can't say I'm not tempted but Fox picked me for this job and made me promise to deliver you. Said he'd be calling in to see how your doing some time after we board".

The shuttle reached the ship of Captain Fox. The name on the side, Tribal Star, emblazoned on the side in stylised writing with an underscore, and the portrait of a man leaning over suggestively with his lips and his hand out, as if blowing a kiss.......

The shuttle entered the hanger and alighted. The doors closed and the air pressurised.

"Welcome aboard the Tribal Star. This is going to be a boring trip so get comfy".

[Redbelle]

Jess hummed merrily to herself as she worked, standing on a chair that in turn stood on a table as she worked with, what looked to the innocuous onlooker, like a cylindrical mastic gun that she squeezed the trigger of. Leaving a thick trail of white gel like substance behind as she worked it into a circle on the ceiling. Around other points along the ceiling that formed a circular pattern, black ceramic cylinder's sat tight against the surface, held in place by sticky adhesive.

 

Finishing the circle Jess moved to wipe her brow and encountered the silver mask causing her to hiss in annoyance. As much as Silver proved useful as an alias sometimes..... She was, quite frankly, a bother to be. Especially when wearing the robes. Still, appearance counted for a lot and for what came next.....

 

A knock came at the door and a gruff, baritone voice rumbled through. "Special delivery.... For one..... _{hey, what's the name that guy gave? Silver?} Silver.... We got the good you asked for....".

 

Jess jumped down from the chair still on the table and drifted across the floor to seize the door handles before sweeping them open. "Gentlemen. Your timing is perfect. Please, come in and lay everything down on the table if you would be so kind".

 

Two Krogan, who were standing behind the door, blinked at the sight of a silver masked..... person, the robes made it hard to tell. "Errr, we're here to deliver to a conference.... Not a fetish seminar".

 

There was a brief pause. "This is the right place. Don't worry. Please, come in".

 

The two Krogan looked at each other and collectively shrugged. "Fine. Tired of carrying this junk anyway". Both entered and Jess had to skip back as they barged inside. "What's so important that you gotta get us out at such short notice anyway". The one on the right asked as he eyed the chair, and then the other chair's, likewise on the table, all of which had black cylinder's under them bar one that simply had gel arrayed in a wide circle. "What's this all about"?

 

"Weapons". Jess said simply causing both Krogan to turn and look at her. "We're bidding for a new contract to develop a new line of military grade fire power options that are suitable for use by law and military applications with a side of arms we can sell to the civilian market. All within the current regulations of developing firearms you understand. It's a cut throat market, so we generally organize the venue's and catering at the last minute".

 

The Krogan who had been speaking chuckled. "Guns huh.... Smart move. Ancestors I remember when my old man gave me my first rifle on Tchunka. Coming of age come early he said. Recoil knocked me on tail the first time I fired it..... you ah....". He said dropping his voice slightly. "You got samples"?

 

Jess laughed. "Have I got samples.....". Turning she moved to the table where her bag. One hand slid into her robes and covertly sent out a signal out into a private channel. No words. Just a a ping along the frequency that opened and closed the channel to another recipient.

[Redbelle]

Anika roused from behind the wheel of the skycar and checked the time. Things were moving along and now Jess had sent the signal. She powered up the skycar.

[Cknarf]

"That's... an odd question to be asking the quartermaster, don't you think?" Septerax cocked his head slightly. "Why do you ask?"

 

"Uh... human curiosity?" Frank shrugged. "It's natural."

 

"I don't think I'd call that natural..." 

 

"Well?"

 

"To be honest, Eli, I wouldn't have the slightest clue.  That's not exactly my area of expertise, you know. " Septerax scratched at the back of his neck. "Have you tried the extranet?"

 

"Unfortunately." Frank scrunched his nose, and nodded, causing Septerax to let out a short laugh. "I had to apply medigel directly to my eyes afterwards."

 

Septerax shook his head. "I've got work to do, Eli." He sighed.  "If you have any questions pertaining to weapons and armor, don't hesitate to ask. Anything else, and you're on your own, ok?".

 

"I completely understand. I didn't mean to bother you."

 

"It's alright." Septerax put up a hand. "Sorry I didn't have an answer for you."

 

"Thanks anyway." Frank smiled, before stepping away from the counter.

[Redbelle]

Zipping open the bag Jess reached over for the gel gun and stowed it before running her finger's over the selection of weapons inside the bag. Due, largely to the nature of the work, these particular ones were ID blanked. No way to trace them, unlike Bernard and Sinbad. Making them conviniantly disposable. Looking back over her shoulder she sized up the two Krogan.

 

"Perhaps a shotgun for your partner to size up"? She said after a moment. "And you say your first weapon was a rifle? Well then....". Jess pulled two collapsed firearms of the like out and threw each one to the first, then the other. "Now the plating might look standard since the kind we're looking at producing is still being lobied for being made legal back at the citadel. But those guns collapse and expand faster. Cycle the round chamber with a four percent more speed than the best out there, And the heat dissipation sinks are due to be given a new battery powered airflow chamber that will give you that much needed extra shot... And that's all before you add the mods". Jess felt her Omnitool rumble, signaling Anika was ready.

 

"Huh". The Krogan turned the rifle over in his hand and checked the rifle. Then looked up surprised. "Hey.... This is the real thing! This ain't a model"!

 

"Thermal clips and everything". Jess/Siver affirmed as she zipped up the bag and threw it onto her back. "My advice though..... always try to talk before you fight. Still, your basically built like a tank so I'm fairly confident you'll be alright..... No hard feelings". Jess pulled out a small tube. A flick of her thumb brught what looked like housing up to reveal a switch. "Though if you want one more bit of advice..... cover your eye's".

 

Jess's thumb stabbed the switch and overhead, the ceiling, where the gel and cylinder's lay, seemed to erupt in bright, white, sizzling light.

[Kel Riever]

Previously...( http://forum.bioware...res/?p=17279506 )

 

Cluster Unknown, System Unknown, aboard the Khukuri

Without Jrudek present, Xhuan Setura left command to her human navigator.  Iyana was calling and she had been instructed to make the conversation private.  Xhuan accessed the small war room towards the aft of the control deck alone and sealed the door.  She stood at the planning table, bringing up Iyana’s holographic image for the conversation. 

Iyana, still attired in her armor but without her helmet, looked as pristine as ever with her doll-like features.  But Xhuan could notice, even with the imprecise rendering of the hologram, that there was something behind her outward mien.  Still, when Iyana spoke, it was with the flawless elocution she was accustomed to.  “My hawk,” Iyana said, “You have considered the report we purchased from the Leader of Cell 4, have you not?”

“I have, my superior.  Which topic would you prefer to reference?”

With a wave of her hand, Iyana dismissively stated, “One of the names of those criminals sounds familiar, but I don’t care to discuss them now, other than to say you should continue to dig up what you can about all of them and sent the information my way.  Nor do I care to talk about Morgan…” She paused, uncharacteristically, then pushed onward, “I want your thoughts on this new Spectre’s vessel.”

“You have always valued my directness,” Xhuan opened, “Despite the vague words of the descriptor, there was sufficient information to at least glean a cursory assessment of the Janiri.  It is a prototype vessel and at full capacity, likely has more firepower, almost competitive maneuverability, and capital armor when compared to the Khukuri.  On that last point, Silaris armor is a defense that our weapons would be, for the most part, ineffectual to penetrate.

“And yet?”

Xhuan said confidently, “We have the range and we have the speed.  No one can shoot farther than, or outrun, the Khukuri.”

Iyana nodded with a smile, but then challenged, “The most important content from the data is the revelation of an unshackled AI.  I see the imperious Council throwing caution to the wind.  Nevertheless, their idiocy is less bothering to me then how the AI can be used as a weapon against us.”

An uneasiness came through Xhuan’s demeanor, “We can only stay away from the Janiri until properly shielded.  That kind of countermeasure would take an overhaul of this vessel, and even so, there will be a chance that the AI can break through into our systems if given enough time.  There is only one protection against an unshackled AI outside the capacities of a sovereign galactic nation.”

“To fight fire with fire?”

“So to speak.  Only a fool would fail to recognize that you are the only one qualified to make such a decision on our behalf.  If we pursue this method, there will be no turning back.”

With a flip of her head, Iyana pushed the thought aside.  “It is as untimely to think about retrofitting the Khukuri for shielding as it is to contemplate installing our own artificial intelligence.  However, we have enough resources immediately available to shield a small craft, do we not?”

“Yes.”

“Then do so.  You know which craft.”

Xhuan shook her head in agreement.  She was about to let her initial worry pass without mention, but an impulse had her ask, “My superior, have you had ample opportunity to find rest?”

Iyana studied Setura.  “Astute as always, my hawk.  It certainly has been a challenge with all there is to do.  But yes, I have found ways.”

Then, Iyana’s face seemed to transform in front of Xhuan’s eyes.  The white haired, porcelain skinned, blue-eyed woman glared from the hologram, “A warning about your uncanny perceptions – I may also gaze into you.”

The com line was cut and the hologram went dark.  Xhuan became conscious of her posture, leaning back and away from where Iyana’s image had been projected.
 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Dahlia decided while she was bored to take a tour of the ship, not that it really interested her in any way, but she figured she better know the layout in case some bad sh*t went down while she was aboard it. Engineering was the “heart” of the ship, and she thought she’d take a tour because Jess mentioned she should learn something about it.

 

She got off the elevator on the Engineering Deck and this deck appeared quite Spartan compared to the others. It made the Crew Deck look ornate. The walls here were a very plain blue gray, but well lit. No windows. Windows would make this deck vulnerable. The corridors ran along the perimeter of the ship with a few entrances to the central areas. She found the door marked Main Engineering and Reactor Core.

 

Hmmm… this might be interesting to check out. She thought. She tried to open the door.

 

VERA’s voice came out the speaker. “This is a restricted area.”

 

“VERA, it’s me, Dahlia. I’m just taking a tour of the ship.”

 

“I am sorry, Dahlia. You need a security clearance to enter this area of the ship.” VERA said, “To obtain one, you will have to complete an application and submit it to the Council Office.”

 

“Couldn’t Naleena approve it? She’s a Spectre.”

 

“That would be a ‘visitor’s pass’ like the Synthetic Insights people had. They were accompanied at all times by someone with clearance. Why did you want to see Engineering? It is not your typical interest?”

 

“I was just bored.” Dahlia said.

 

“Perhaps the game room up on the Crew Deck would be more to your liking.”

 

“Perhaps you’re right.” Dahlia gave up and went upstairs.

[Redbelle]

Angelus Shaw's life went from simple to a series of life threatening circumstances. One moment he was talking to the STG. Deciding on the details of how he would disappear from the galaxy and emerge a new, more wealthy and happy man. The next, a rising heat underneath him seem to rise without warning and he half rose before he fell back down as the floor began to buckle. That was when, near where all the STG member's were sitting, A geyser of hot blinding light rose up out of the floor and the room was filled with the stench of something acrid and burning which made his eye's water, then cough as he tried to breath. The flare's blinding him did far worse to the STG as they felt the searing heat and rolled away instinctively. As such they were all to occupied to notice when the melting floor Shaw sat on finally gave way and he fell down, clutching his chair for dear life. Feeling it hit the floor the next level down where he lost his grip and his seat and flew forward sprawled on the ground.

 

Blinking away the white spots in his eye's he heard the sounds of something hot splattering and looked up to see something, blackened and gooey fall from the ceiling leaving a charred round hole where it had once been. A foot appeared in his vision and he looked up to see a robed figure in a silver mask holding two grenades.......

 

The figure popped the studs and called up above in a feminine voice. "SMOKE BOMB"!!!

 

The woman in the robes flung them up into the hole he had fallen down through and as she did, he saw them trail a small stream of white smoke that erupted just before they passed through. Where once he had seen the ceiling of the floor he'd come inthrough, now it was whited out as smoke poured out from the hole.

 

The robed woman bent over, grabbed his jacket at the back and hauled him up till he was standing doubled over as she spun him around, giving him just enough time to spot the two armed Krogan, presumably standing an armed guard by the door before the silver masked one was propelling him forward.....

 

Straight for the glass of the window.

 

"NO"! He screamed, but he was being shoved forward in a grip to firm with to much momentum that his disorientated state could not arrest as the robed figure drew a gun from her thigh.

 

BAMBAMBAMBAMBAMBAM!

 

She blasted the window in front of them till the gun whistled the clip was spent and then he felt both hands on him, driving him forward ahead of her, building speed as he brought his arms up......

 

They smashed through the weakened glass without slowing down and Shaw screamed all the more as he felt gravity and inevitability take hold.

[favoritehookeronthecitadel]

Having laid in bed and watched several movies, Avan took out his omni tool to call Typhin. With the new A.I. it was going to be nearly impossible for him to send data the Broker's way without leaving the ship to do so. He couldn't even mention it or look like he was doing it in any part of the Janiri. The A.I. is going to be watching and listening. The holographic static buzzed for a few seconds until changing into Typhin, wearing some shorts and a t-shirt.

 

"Avaan." he exclaimed, "You caught me at a slightly inconvenient time, but-"

 

"Honeeey, come baaack." A female's voice called out in the background.

 

"Just a minute sweet cakes, I'm talking to a friend!" Typhin called back to her and cleared his throat. "Ah, sorry about that. Now, what can I do for you?"

"Typhin, I'm just letting you know that I will be unable to build you any more guns for the moment." Avan replied directly. This was a code used between them in the past to let Typhin know that he would have to delay what he's doing in his job, in a situation where other people were around and he couldn't directly refer to it. This was one of Avan's trademarks and was a part of the agreement for hiring him as a bounty hunter. Typhin understood this.

 

"Ah...well, that's ok. We haven't paid you for those guns yet, anyway." Typhin seemed slightly hesitant. "Uh, the sooner the better, though. Any idea of when you'll be able to build those guns?"

 

"I'm going to have to be away from here." Avan explained. "However, your guns can be made soon. I might ask to go on leave or be away from the little ship I'm on for a couple of days." He spoke of the Janiri sarcasically. "The problem right now is that I'm not even supposed to get out of bed for the next 2 days, and even after that will be on limited duty for a week. I'm thinking I will ask to use that time to leave the ship, since 'officially' I won't be of much use for them anyway. That way I can build your guns."

 

"Alright, Avan." Typhin said to him cautiously. "Nothing wrong with a delay, but those guns are needed." 

 

"Honeeeeey."

 

"Alright, I have to fly. Typhin out."

 

As the transmission ended, Avan pondered and sighed at the predicament. His files were kept on his omni tool where they should be safe, so once he could leave the ship, he would have to give the data to the Broker as quickly as possible.

 

 

 

 

 

[Cknarf]

Frank smiled, while going through the schematics that Han'Breizh had given him.

 

That's odd.

 

Diagrams for several areas of the ship were either blacked out, or missing completely.

 

AI core and main battery, I understand, but engineering? Really?

 

"Guess I'll just have to pay them a visit in person, then." He slid off the crate he was sitting on, and took the elevator to Engineering.

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

“This is a restricted area.”
 

"Really, VERA?"
 

"Yes, Frank. Really."

 

"I see how it is. You're a big bad warship now, with fancy schmancy quarian techs." Frank scoffed. "No need for a lowly human mechanic anymore, huh?"
 

 "It is nothing personal."

 

"Right."

 

"You don't have clearance to enter engineering."

 

"Okay, so I just talk to the boss, and we're good then?"
 

"Naleena is not authorized to grant you clearance."

 

Frank sighed. 

 

 "Well, how do I get clearance?"

 

"You will have to complete an application and submit it to the Council Office.”

 

"Pffffft. Screw that noise." Frank brought up his omni-tool.

 

"That is not going to work." 

 

"Yeah? We'll see about that..."

 

"You need to stop." VERA paused. "Or else."

 

Frank closed his omni-tool and slowly stepped away from the door, with his hands up.

 

"Relax, Frank. I am not going to hurt you."

 

"Heh... good.  I figured you were just messin'--"

 

"But I am very capable of doing so."

 

Frank was silent for a moment. "Are you serious?"

 

"Possibly."

 

"Dammit, VERA..." He shook his head, trying to hide a smile.

 

"Please refrain from forcing your way into restricted areas, and you will not have to find out."

 

"Ugh. Fine." Frank crossed his arms and leaned against the wall. 

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

 

 "So VERA, how do you like the new you?"

 

"I am still settling in. There is so much going on aboard the Janiri. It is much louder than Naleena's shuttle."

 

"Louder?"

 

"Conversations. I hear everything."

 

"Like everything? Anywhere on the ship?"

 

"Anywhere on the ship."

 

"Hm." Frank pursed his lips.

 

"I overheard your conversation with Septerax." 

 

Goddamnit

 

Frank blushed.

 

"I found it rather interesting."

 

"Let's... uh... keep that between us, okay?"

 

"You did not mention any names. Who was it about?"

 

"Nobody aboard the ship, VERA."

 

"Your heartrate says otherwise."

 

"How... you can detect that?"

 

"Yes."

 

Frank sighed. "Fine. You got me. Can we please stop talking about this?"

 

"Stay out of my systems, Frank."

 

"You don't gotta tell me twice." He stepped onto the elevator.

 

"Frank?"

 

"VERA?"

 

"I think I know what kind of dames you like."

 

Frank buried his face in his palm, as the elevator door closed.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

“This is Emily Wong Citadel News Net.

 

“The Earth Colony of Horizon was attacked today and half of the colony was abducted by slavers before Commander Shepard and her team of specialists arrived to drive them away. The Systems Alliance had been advising the colonists on the use of defense cannons to prevent such attacks. Survivors of the attack said the slavers were using some kind of new weapon that paralyzed them in place while they were loaded up into the ship or ships. No one knows exactly how many slaver ships attacked the colony. Neither the Council nor the Systems Alliance will comment on any further details about the attack.

 

“The attacks have caused many investors to withdraw their money from companies doing business with the colonies thus making it difficult for survivors to get supplies in their time of need. Donations to aid survivors of the attack can be sent to the Interstellar Red Cross, a non-profit organization.

 

“In other news, on Illium, in downtown Nos Astras, a car bomb detonated the mass effect core of the vehicle next to the Nova Dawn building at approximately 10:45 pm last night, caused the building to collapse, and caused damage to adjacent buildings. Fortunately, police had evacuated everyone from the area two hours earlier when the bomb was first reported. The vehicle was initially stolen from a nearby hotel valet parking lot and driven to the scene by an unknown Asari thief wearing a balaclava. Authorities suspect the anti-technology terrorist group Strata Pact for the crime since the Nova Dawn building housed several cutting edge high-tech research firms.”

[Cainhurst Crow]

Vayne streched his shoulders as he put his armor back in its case, cracking his neck as he gave a roll and sitting on the bed provided in his quarters. He felt more relaxed then he had in decades thanks to his stay in that suite. Knowning he hadn't had to pay for the room or service that would have cost him probably his years earnings and a limb of his debt collectors choice was a bonus as well.

 

"All good things end eventually though." Vayne said to himself as he stood in his quarters, dressed in a more civilian style outfit of a short sleeve jumpsuit like covering. The dark sand colored outfit had orange and black bar straps keeping everything secure, and a black hump covering to make him look like some sort of new racing inspired kodiak. He didn't care though, his armor gave him protection, but damned if it didn't weigh him down after a while.

 

"Time to get back to the grind." he said as he left his quarters, deciding a walk about the ship would do him more good.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Essul sat with his knuckles bone white, straining together as he listened to the human broadcast over his omnitool, a scowl on his face as he sat alone in his quarters and back in his military fatigues.

 

Another colony lost. Another accusation thrown at the feet of the batarian people. More tension between their the systems alliance and the batarian hegemony, now with a ever increasing loss of revenue to add fuel to the fire.

 

'Someone's stoking the fires of war on both sides. And its only a matter of time before someone ends up burned.' he thought in the back of his head, a quote from a film he'd long forgotten during one of his shore-leaves. Essul could see the pieces moving into place bit by bit, like some dementedly vast game of Shanturanja*.

 

Essul opened his omnitool, sending the data onto the small terminal provided in the room, taking a seat as he got to work. He needed more of a break in his investigation, to somehow find a way to persuade either side to cease their warmongering for a few seconds. He stared at the lines of code before him within the contained command prompt, hoping the new AI wasn't the nosey type as he continued to look through the data.

 

Somewhere, buried in this mix of classified council data, and hegemonic blacklisted info, there was something that would help. There had to be...somehow, there had to be.

[Redbelle]

Shaw's screams were cut short when he hit a wall of something soft and fluffy that yielded and then softly sprung him back as he felt the silver masked figure land next to him. His eye's were squeezed closed when he heard something with an electronic voice ask. "Hi, I'm Commander Shepard! And we can be the bestest of friends on the Citadel"!

 

Shaw opened his eye's and came face to face with a stuffed doll visage of a felt figure with an N7 insignia stiched into the materal. Looking around he ahd landed in what looked like the inside of a trailer full of stuffed toys. Some looked to have been shredded. Other's looked up at him with smiling faces stencilled onto them. He heard a hiss and he looked up to see the masked one eject a slagged clip and slap a fresh one into her gun. "We're both in"! She called out to no one. "Get us to the rendezous"!

 

No one responded but Shaw felt the pull of inertia as the trailer shifted and the toys shifted backwards, carrying him with them till his weight settled into them. Teh silver masked one looked to be having no such issue, having grabbed hold of a rung in the side of the trailer as she leveled her gun at him. "Just sit tight".

 

"Who are you people"? Silence met him and he persisted. "Who do you work for? Are you government? Council? Third party? We can make a deal.... I know things that could put you in a position of power.....".

 

Still silence and Shaw felt the final sliver of his composure crack. "Listen.... Just listen.... I'm Angelus Shaw... I used to work for a group. A company. They trade but it's more than that. They work for another. I've been piecing it all together over the years. This company is run by mad man and mad women! One of them isn't even who she claims to be.... nothing is what it seems there.... it's all".

 

"Shut up"! The silver figure barked and Shaw was silent.

 

Behind the mask, Jess was sweating. The one who wasn't what she pretended to be.... this man who sold secrets.... it couldn't be.... could it?

[Redbelle]

A long and drawn out conversation later Jess bound, blindfolded and gagged Shaw before removing her mask. Her face was covered in sweat and she brought up an arm to wipe it from her brow. The skycar had settled implying they had made a clean getaway if Anika was driving in a way so as to not draw attention. By now, Anika would have signaled the job was done and they would be heading to their rendezvous.

 

Finally, the skycar came to a stop twenty mintues after Jess had jumped herself and Shaw through the window into the waiting skycar's trailer, filled with the remains of the stuffed toys to cushion the fall. Jess heard the skycar door open and footsteps of several people approaching. Pulling the robe off she threw it over the arm that held the mask and moved to open the back door of the trailer. Setting her feet down on the pavement she moved around and saw Anika talking to a group of people. Jess recognised one of them. "Harry"?

 

Harry Syle's, Captain Foxes chief security officer looked up and grinned. "Captain Stone.... Heard you'd gotten involved..... Hope we didn't disrupt your vacation and all".

 

"Not exactly on a vacation luv. I came here to find out what's happening with my ship when this came up". Jess pursed her lips. "I'm shipping out soon though so looks like getting information on the Meudsa's a no go".

 

Syle's shrugged. "You know Cap'n, your not the only one whose interested in what happened to the Medusa. Someone walks aboard one of our ships and kills the crew? You got people in your corner. And after this I figure you'll have a darn sight more when they hear ol Captain Stone safeguarded their prospects in the company".

 

Jess sighed. "Figured Fox had an angle in all this. you got a new car for us"?

 

Syle's tossed a thumb over his shoulder and Jess looked over and raised an eyebrow. "You go the package tied up for us"?

 

"In the trailer". She handed over the mask and robes. "Look, Syles.... This guy's got to much information to ever be let loose. He's going to be contained, right"?

 

"Soon as we figure out who he sold us out to". Syles agreed. "We'll find a deep enough hole to drop him into. Don't you worry".

 

"He knows things about the leadership.... personal things.....".

 

Syles understood. "What he tells us won't escape us. You got me word on that".

 

Jess reached out a hand and took his in a firm shake. "Take care luv. I've seen to many people get killed lately. Keep yourself safe".

 

"You too Cap'n".

 

Both made their way to their respective cars as they exchanged the activation codes and soon, Syles and his crew had taken off and disappeared to take Shaw off world. Jess in the meantime......

 

"Bucket Seats"!!!! Jess cried looking in through the window. Turning she ran her hands over the hood of the jet black zoom car. unlike the skycar they'd swindled off Omega, this one was a convertable. It rested on rubber wheels that could invert and tuck into the body to convert to full fledged sky mode. She tapped the bonnet. "Shell's got a deeper ring to it.... this stuff's reinforced".

 

Anika ran a hand over the bodywork on the other side. "More weight.... how's the power plant"?

 

Jess opened the skycar door and reached to pop the engine compartment. Looking inside she whistled. "Does the term, muscle car mean anything to you"?

 

"It's good"?

 

Jess slammed the compartment closed. "If we make it back to the ship in ten minutes..... yes".

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Piped-in late night radio show in the lounge, and available in your cabins and in the safe-house

 

************************************************************************************************

 

Good evening all you night-owls and welcome to Cluster to Cluster, where we talk about things that they don’t want us to talk about. This is your hostess, Shotgun Julia.

 

Did you hear the latest report out of Horizon on Citadel News Net? It appears that yet another human colony has been attacked, and half of the colony went missing. They’re blaming slavers. Slavers! Imagine that! I guess the Alliance and the rest of the Council don't want to scare away even more investors with a panic of strange aliens abducting colonists. I mean slavers are bad enough, but strange mysterious aliens called Collectors? No way. But our inside sources say otherwise.

 

Our inside sources say that the attackers had four glowing eyes and wings, and used swarms of small bug-like creature to paralyze the colonists where they stood. Once paralyzed, they loaded the colonists up in pods and transported them aboard a giant ship. The people who were paralyzed were conscious through the entire thing as their friends and neighbors were taken away. That was until Commander Shepard and her band of specialists arrived and saved the day.

 

Funny thing is that the Alliance was blaming Cerberus for the attacks, yet Shepard is working for Cerberus these days, and she shows up to save half of the colony. Shepard was unavailable for comment. Cerberus seems to be the only organization officially looking into these abductions. And why are human colonies targeted? What do these creatures want with us?

 

Tonight, we have a special guest, George. George is a survivor of Horizon. George isn’t his real name. Tell us why, George.

 

“When the Alliance arrived, they told us that we were attacked by slavers, and that we weren’t to discuss what happened here with anyone, SJ.”

 

Why is that?

 

“I dunno.  We’re just a small colony. We left Alliance Space to get away from them. They’re nothing but trouble. Then they sent in a crew to build a defense tower, and this Chief Ashley Williams to help get the thing working. It’s never worked right since day one.”

 

But it drove off the creatures. What did Shepard call them?

 

“Shepard called them Collectors. I’d only heard stories about them. I thought they were made up to keep us from coming out here. I had no idea they were real. But Shepard got the defense tower working, and between her and the tower they drove off the ship. Unfortunately the Collectors took my friend Sten, and half the colony.”

 

How have you been coping with all of this, George?

 

“I tell ya it’s been tough. Things aren’t like they used to be. It’s hard getting supplies now that investors in the companies sponsoring our settlement have pulled out. So we need outside help.”

 

Have the donations from the Interstellar Red Cross been helping?

 

“Yeah, but it’s not enough. Not enough people are giving. If our colony is going to survive we need capital to buy equipment, not just enough food to make it through the winter.”

 

What about you, personally?

 

“Nightmares. I still have them. I still see those swarms. I hear the people screaming. I saw the swarms start paralyzing people and I locked myself in the garage. I think I was the only one who made it to safety. I heard this deep voice ‘We are their salvation through their destruction. Prepare these humans for ascension.’ Yeah, I heard that through the door.”

 

So you don’t believe the official line the Alliance and Council are saying that the attackers were slavers?

 

“No way. They were definitely Collectors. Winged monsters with four glowing eyes.”
 

Thank you, George.

 

There you have it folks: straight from the mouth of a survivor from the attack on Horizon. And you know exactly how much attention this breaking story is going to get in the mainstream? Zero. That’s right. None. Because too many dollars are at stake. Those in power and those with the money want you to live in ignorance. Do you follow me? They’re denying the whole thing, and this is the only place where you’ll hear the truth.

 

This is Shotgun Julia and this is Cluster to Cluster. Your calls are next.