Frank had tipped over, and was now laying on his side. He snored loudly, while his face rested in a small puddle of his own saliva.
Essul looked to frank as he fell over onto the ground, bolting to his feet as he rushed over to the humans side. He saw him asleep and let out a sigh of relief, before bending down and picking the human up, draping him over his shoulder.
Essul made his way away from the medbay with frank in tow, to the Janiri's crew quarters to drop off the slumbering human.
Anika jerked her head up as she sat with it resting on her palm.
"Nally? Comm's are back! Oh thank the Goddess. I'm in an airlock. The inner door's stuck. I'm fine but I'd really like to get out of here.... Can you come get me"?
"Jess, Anika is in the airlock. She says the inner door is stuck," Naleena said. "Let's get her out. I'll get a couple of commandos to toss this thing in the brig, a section of the Janiri of which the Turians were in charge of the design."
Jess led the way to the airlock.
Naleena had some questions. "Honestly, Jess right now I'm a bit overwhelmed. I don't know what you want to do with your vessel, but I have to take the Janiri to Caleston for repairs. There are some private shipyards there as well that can get your vessel back in shape. Then you'll need a crew, and an experienced first mate whom you can trust. And we have to get back to our mission of routing out the Collectors, looking for Prothean artifacts, and investigating the Reapers. What are your plans?"
Mira had left Tallis outside the Medusa’s medical bay, assigned to stand guard. Another team of Commandos had been brought over from the Janiri and was assigned to clear the bodies. Mira met them in engineering and gave them some idea of where to start looking, then she was taking the long walk back to the front hangar bay where she’d likely get a new set of orders after checking in with Iole.
Moving through the Medusa made no sense, as it’s former occupier had intended. Lighting was still low and though Mira had found one path reliably from fore to aft, her talk with the commandos had her inadvertently head the wrong direction. Once she knew she was lost, she tried to retrace her steps. In an unfamiliar part of the large ship, and after what she’d seen, Mira drew her Disciple out of precaution.
If she followed the old tales of Athame, Mira would believe the Medusa was haunted with the souls of those who had died horribly. For a moment, she thought she let those old tales get to her as she heard someone calling out. Then her crest really prickled up when she realized she did hear someone calling out. The sound was muted, and distant, as if calling from beyond the grave.
“…Can you come get me?”
Or beyond an airlock door?
Mira turned to the inner airlock door she had just passed by. It showed it was cycled for pressurization, but one of the ‘remodeling’ welds had scorched the control pad on her side. Mira took a closer look and saw the readout had been obliterated, but some of the buttons were still intact, including the ‘enter’ key. She hit the key and aimed her shotgun at the door, ready for whatever was on the other side.
It worked. The airlock door slid open. And inside was a very tall human in white armor sitting on the floor.
Mira lowered her gun. "Hello."
Anika burst out of the airlock and cycled it closed, reaching up to tear off her helmet before it had even finished closing.
"Oh thank you Goddess I thought I was going to stay stuck in there..... How did it go? Did I miss anything? I defused the bomb. Actually I re-purposed it. It'll go off when we want to whiiiich..... I'm guessing we don't anymore. What happened? Did we get the ringleader"?
Naleena arrived at the airlock and saw Anika. She was still shaken by what she saw from Luscious.
"Thank the Goddess you're alright!" Naleena ran to her.
"And you, too." Anika held her. "What did I miss?"
"Hell." Naleena answered. "Be glad you were outside. We had many casualties, but fortunately no deaths."
"Did we get the ringleader?" Anika asked.
Naleena looked up at her with disappointment. "No. I expected she would be wearing at least some cloth armor and that her barriers would be strong so I used AP rounds. I shot her three times and nearly killed Morgan. Iyana escaped on a small craft. We took a prisoner: Luscious. I've already interrogated him and extracted everything from that creature's mind. I wanted to execute him. Jess has other ideas, and they are not necessarily merciful. After hearing them, I agree with her. He's being taken to the brig on the Janiri.
"If you want to view the entire retaking of the ship, I am going to have VERA put together a mission summary video from our suit cams. Team members need to see how we did so we can improve our performance on our next mission. I think you also want to speak with Jess. When you're done talking with her, I'd like to walk back to the Janiri with you."
Jess looked between the two. "Alright.... you to luv birds you, simmer down. Naleena, soon as I clear the ship safe we'll be setting off with you. The Medusa needs tending to. And I'm going to reach out to some old friends. See if they fancy another stint in the old girl. Ship like her needs a familier steady hand who knows her quirks.....".
"Anika..... Escort Naleena where she needs to be and keep her company. But when we get to our destination I expect you back here helping to get the Medusa back in trim. And get those explosive's off my spine, I'm not jumping with a set of high ex on the hull".
"Oh, I didn't need to in the end.... The occupier's had one set up ahead of us. It's okay, I took it from them".
Jess stared, then blinked, then sighed. "Jeez..... okay, Point it out to a demo crew or someone. Just get it off, see how it works then toss it into the gas giant or something. Either way, I want it gone. And let's get those MIP's back aboard shall we"?
"Aye Cap'n". Anika nodded and turned to Naleena. "Well captain. It seems I'm your escort this trip. Can I take you somewhere more comfortable"?
Anika walked off with Naleena. Left with Jess, Mira took a look at the Captain, who seemed to have a lot on her mind.
Mira smiled when Jess peered back her way. Mira shrugged her shoulders and asked, "Would you like me with you?"
"I wouldn't mind the company luv. I need to pop in and see Morgan first. I swear the man gets shot every time we see action! It's like he tries to attract bullets"! Jess shook her head, exasperated. "I just don't know what to do with him. I figure maybe asking him about his lady friend will help clear things up".
Jess set off to medical with Mira in tow and chatted as they walked. "So how are you and the gang holding up? With the way things have been we've kinda lost ground on the whole collector race for the colonies..... You ready to hit the ground running when we get back to it"? She asked. "Soon as I have the ship able again we'll be joining the effort. Right after I figure out howmuch compensation I have to hand out to all those whose goods that woman had torn apart and used as wall lining..... Grud, this could cost me the better half of a quarter of a million right there with the stuff we were hauling"! Jess clicked her teeth in annoyance. "There goes the yearly budgets. And I need new crew. I know some people who moved on wwith their lives when they did their stint on her I can reach out to. See who responds.... Can't blame them if they didn't want to but Medusa needs people who have the skills to pass onto the new bloods we bring on".
Jess grinned, showing her teeth. "And then there's that woman who did all this. She's not getting out of this with all the cards going her way. She took a lot from me. S'only fair I take something from her.... right"?
"No other way to work luv. If things get on top of the one making the decisions everyone under her is screwed. Sure the job has perks. you get to order people around. Get them to do the work you once did..... but the perks are offset by the fact that they are your responsibilty to care for and look after".
"Heh, lot of people in the galaxy with a lot of different outlooks luv. My jobs to do business with as many will let me". Jess sighed as they passed an unsecured access hatch to a group of cables and paused to dog it closed. "I haven't been up to my quarter's yet..... I bet that woman was in there.... Going through everything I own..... Picking up every last item and scrutinizing it....... I'm throwing it all out. Everything that's not bolted down. If they were here when it was here I want it gone. Every scrap of reminder of what they did to my bloody ship. At least the families of the crew can have some piece of mind but how do I tell them we let that animal escape"?
"I've been building up this part of my life luv.... That woman came into it. Spoiled it. She took what I have and made it her's. Then she mutilated everything till it wasn't what it was anymore..... And then, at the very end, she just gave what was left back and left......". Jess was quiet for a long moment before saying with a trace of pain in her voice. ".....And she had fun".
"Oh I don't doubt myself luv.... I just wish I knew what the hell that woman want's from me. She got away from me this time. Or she thinks she did. I think it's time to show her what it's like when you have everything you love taken away.... Speaking of the witch.....". She came to a halt outside medical that they had arrived at. "Time to find out what Morgan want's to share. Thanks for the walk luv. but this is going to get a little personnel....".
The Janiri Brig
Two Turian guards finished escorting Luscious down a short flight of stairs to his cell. An Asari opened the door.
"Let go of me! I order you to let go of me!" Luscious protested.
"Shut up! Throw him in there!" the first Turian said.
"But I'm your captain! I don't belong in there! I belong on the bridge! Where's Iyana?"
"I hope she's dead!" the Asari said.
"No! She's not. She can't be. She'll come for me. You just wait. You'll all be sorry." Luscious replied.
"Shut up!" the Turian threw him into the cell and kicked him and slammed the door shut. VERA locked the door.
"There's only a metal bench, a cot, and a toilet in here. Where's my throne? Let me out of here!"
The guards walked away.
*****
Anika escorted Naleena to the next shuttle leaving for the Janiri. Naleena was quiet, and unusually so. Anika was puzzled by it. When they arrived on the ship, Naleena led them straight to the elevator.
"Deck one," Naleena said and those were the only words spoken. The elevator stopped at the top deck. The exited, Naleena used her retinal scan on her cabin to gain entry, and Anika followed.
"Are you going to talk to me? or are you going to just brood?" Anika asked.
Naleena removed her weapons, coat, boots, and her armor and hung them in the leather cleaning closet where mass effect fields would remove the stench of Luscious and the Medusa. She put her robe on, lit a cigarette, poured a drink, and sat on the bed.
"It's not you, Anika. It's Iyana. I lost her. I made a mistake. I should have used my 9 mm. She'd be dead now. 'Ancient weapon kills monster.' And I have to deal with something else now," Naleena replied and looked into her eyes. "I need to meld with you, and I can't."
Anika sat next to her and put her hand her shoulder. "Why not?"
"Luscious Kennedy. I needed everything he knew about Iyana. I knew he wouldn't give it to me, so I took it. It is in my mind now," Naleena said.
"I'm sorry."
"You... have... no... idea! I compartmentalized it the best I could, but I saw it. I saw all of it through Luscious' eyes. I heard all of it through Luscious' ears. Iyana is a monster," Naleena said. "Do you know what scares me the most? When I finally kill her I will enjoy it. I will need to meditate and rebalance myself soon. I need to lock parts of it away.... And I need to see the ship's counselor. I don't want you to see what I saw."
Naleena extinguished her cigarette and leaned over onto Anika's lap.
Anika held her, and looked around Naleena's quarters. She noticed several figurines arranged on a small bookcase with candles on either side of them, it was like an altar. She didn't see this on the Audron. Three of them were Drell, one was Asari.
"It looks like you have an altar in here. I didn't know you were religious." she said.
Naleena smiled. "I am a Siarist. We believe that all is one. Yet, my father taught me the meditations to the old Drell gods. The one on the right is Amonkira, Lord of Hunters. The one of the left is Arashu, Goddess of Motherhood and Protection. The one in the middle is Kalahira, Goddess of Oceans and Afterlife. The figurine above them is Athame, an ancient Asari Goddess. Few practice the Athame doctrine anymore. There is a Temple of Athame in Armali on Thessia that has been restored. It is thousands of years old. Perhaps when this is over, I'll take you there if you'd like to see it."
Frank sat up, and looked around. He was back in his cabin aboard the Janiri.
How the hell did I get here?
He sniffed the air.
F*ck it stinks in here.
He looked down at himself. "Ugh." Using a finger, he scraped away some of the volus residue from his chestplate.
Frank stood, and stretched a bit, before grabbing his helmet and heading for the showers.
--------------------------------
"That's the last time I shoot at one of those little f*ckers." Frank grumbled, fiercely scrubbing at his armor with a wire brush. Dull spots were left in the finish as bits of volus were scrubbed away.
"Not right now, I'm kind of busy."
Frank looked up.
"Ugh. You again? Did you really follow me here? What do you want? These?" He picked up the dog tags from the corner of the shower and chucked them. "There. Now p*ss off."
Irina's treatment was complete and Dr. Tolus disconnected the IV. "Now Irina, no headbutts. No alcoholic beverages. And no impacts to your head for a couple of days."
"Yeah, yeah." Irina said as she sat up on the bed with her legs hanging over the side.
"I mean it. Serious business. You could injure your brain again. Could be bad. Worse this time." the doctor said.
"Anything else?"
"Your wrist healing very nicely. Should be as good as new in a day. Now you can go. Get some food. Doctor's orders."
Vayne sat up. "I'm feeling better, too. When do I get out of here?"
"Hmmm.... You? Possibly this afternoon. You're doing well. Natural Krogan regeneration taking over." the Salarian smiled.
"Hey, Vayne, I'll see you around. Go easy on the doctor," Irina said.
"I suppose. He's alright. For a Salarian." Vayne replied.
Irina walked past Jess' crewman on her way out and asked the doctor, "What about him?"
"I've taken tissue samples, and we'll send out to have a new leg and arm grown. That will take a month. Meanwhile I will fit him with a leg prosthesis," Dr. Tolus said, "He will see counselor tomorrow. Tortured. Very bad shape."
***
Irina nodded and left Med Bay. She headed over to the main wardroom. She was starving. Eggs and toast with coffee sounded good to her. She picked that up and sat at a table. Jenus and Iole were off duty and walked in. Jenus saw her, pointed her out to Iole, and the two walked over.
"Hey, I went looking for you in Med Bay. They said I might find you here." Jenus said.
"Yeah, that was some sh*t on that ship," Iole said. "I heard you guys went through hell."
"You don't know the half of it. Eteon got bit by some mutant and poisoned by it." Irina said.
"Get the f*ck out of here. What put both you and that Krogan in the hospital? Tell us about it." Jenus asked.
"No, really guys. Eteon almost died. And I heard that Morgan is in critical condition on the Medusa." Irina replied while trying to eat.
"Irina!" Jenus said and leaned toward her.
"Alright. You really want to know? Okay, we’d been fighting our way through the dark madhouse that consumed the Medusa, and finally made our way into the bowels of the ship: the Engineering Deck. Vayne had gone down. I found myself facing the biggest monstrous thresher humper of a Krogan I’d ever seen. Big as sh*t! There he stood, a towering tank, surrounded by carnage. He had a hole in his chest and half his face was gone. His eyes burned like the pits of Hell. He’d taken wounds that would have killed even the toughest Krogan, but his regenerating power was beyond any I’d ever seen before, and he was ready to give a thousand times more.
“He turned and stalked me. If I was going to die he was going to remember one crazy human female the rest of his life. I held my shotgun, yeah, this old sawed-off double barrel in my right hand, and I prepared a grenade with my left, pulling out the pin with my teeth. I charged at him screaming at the top of my lungs ready to ram the grenade into his chest, and roll away before he could grab me. But he was faster. He grabbed me, ran, and slammed me into a wall.
“’Now the fun begins,’” he said.
“With my right hand, I shoved the shotgun under his neck and said, ‘Yes, it does,’ and I blew the top of his skull onto the ceiling. He staggered back, confused, and dropped to the floor. It was then that I noticed I had a live grenade in my hand, and I tossed it out the door and killed a sniper who was lining up a shot.”
Jenus' jaw hung open. "No sh*t?"
"No sh*t. After that, a barely conscious Vayne said 'Tell that woman she's officially Krantt.'"
Jess nodded to Mira and tossed off a salute to Tallis. And then she entered the med bay.
It smelled faintly of antiseptic and beds lay against a wall with condition monitors over each of them. Of to the side, a privacy screen seperated those outside from the doctors office. Jess cleared her throat.
"Doc"?
There was a long sigh. Then a rustle and a scrape. Then a moment later the Medusa's doctor stepped out. The oldest serving member aboard. Now the only serving member alongside Jess, Anika and the survivor....
"Well I ain't about to to say it your face cap'n but you done sure goofed the scootch outta this one".
"Say it anyway".
Doc sighed. "Crew's dead. Those of us who ain't gonna be having nightmares and rehabilitation and surgery and councilling and all because a you and your damn fool ethic of getting involved in things that ain't your business.... You'd think Rasgul's example woulda taught you.....".
"...... Is that all doctor"?
Doc stopped and looked at her. "Nah.... but it's to late anyhow. Side's..... What good is it to beat about the past". He looked around. "I served on this ship when we took on the first contact war. Now look at it..... Always figured the old girl would outlast me. Never seen her so wounded before".
"Wounds heal. Speaking of which, I'm looking for Morgan".
Doc jerked a thumb over to a bed with a curtain pulled around it. "Over there. Pulled the shavings out of him and put him back together as best I could. He's out of danger but he's not going anywhere soon. Just try not to get him riled up would ya"?
"Me"?
"You have a tendency". Doc said. And with that, he turned and disappeared into his office behind his partition.
Dahlia heard Jess and the Jobe talking and stirred. Then Jess walked behind the partition to visit Morgan.
She sat up on the bed, legs hanging over the edge, and yawned She spoke quietly to Jess, and she was aware that Morgan could hear what they were saying. "Hi, Jess. He's been slipping in and out of consciousness. I've stayed with him except to go back to the Janiri, and change," Dahlia said. "You might as well know, too, because it'll get around to you anyway. I used the QE to contact Aria and warn her about Iyana, what she did here, how evil and insane she is. I told her to kill Iyana so that the Broker replaces her with someone who is at least sane and less dangerous."
"What was her response?"
"She was appreciative, but I am not naive. She'll use that information to her own advantage," Dahlia said. "Perhaps it will deny Iyana a safe port? Morgan lying here is her fault. Goddess, I hate that b*tch!
"I guess you'll want some privacy. I'll wait outside."
Most of the dreams Morgan had when he was out were strange and unexplainable. The one he did seem to get a grasp on were those of his much younger sister Jen, and the time they had spent together when he last saw her. She was brilliant, and she’d be a doctor. Morgan had asked if she planned to study a field related to her affliction and he remembered her answer: "If they come up with a cure for that, fine, but I want to study neuroscience and work for the Alliance!" It was a strange thing to say, Morgan recalled, but he supposed that Jen knew what she wanted. Or at least what she wanted would get her on the path to wherever she needed to go.
Remotely, without being aware of what time had passed, Morgan head Dahlia speaking. As Morgan awoke slowly, it took time for him to make out her words and realize she was speaking to Jess. He opened his eyes, letting them come into focus, and caught the tail end of Dahlia saying, “…I’ll wait outside,” before she took her leave.
His faculties returned to him, Morgan looked up at Jess. She was still in her black and yellow armor, though her helm was gone. His mind wanted to jump out and say something, but the feeling of three bullet holes punched through him and sealed with a bunch of medigel goo shut down the idea of doing anything fast immediately. Instead, he gulped from his dry throat and sighed.
“F**k, Jess,” were the first words Morgan said to Stone. They sounded exhausted. One of the monitors blinked and administered some sort of painkiller, but Morgan fought through the feeling of numbness that hit his system and threatened to have him pass out again. He wanted to know about what he thought Jess cared about the most. “Your ship. Will she be all right?”
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