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[TheMajonese]

"That's bullshit, Cadi!" Naomi took off her helmet, causing her hair to wildly fall into her face. "We just barely made it out alive, thanks to Liz here, and now you want to go on a suicide trip to rescue people that are probably dead already? Lauren and our vorcha here are already pissing their pants, we are low on ammo and don't have the equipment to fight through hundreds of bloodthirsty vorcha! We're not going to risk our lives like that."

 

Chris remained surprisingly silent when Naomi spoke for him and didn't say a word. Even though he agreed with his sister about their odds of survival, leaving people behind like that felt wrong. He had no idea what to say and decided to let the others discuss this out because both options sounded really bad to him.

[Cknarf]

Kurik just let out a sigh.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"If we go back what will we use against that? Harsh language?" Lauren shouted pointing at the oncoming horde. "If that base is secure, it'll stay secure until we can get help. We need bigger guns. Now get aboard and let's get this bird out of here before it gets even more holes in it!"

[Cknarf]

"Even if it is secure, I doubt it will be for much longer. If we're going to get them, it has to be now." Kurik countered. "Either way, we need to move from this location as soon as possible, so... cut the sh*t and climb aboard already, you fucks."

 

The turian cleared his throat.

[Cainhurst Crow]

"So that's it...you're just gonna leave them to die like those people at the outpost? Just wash your hands of it, pretend it didn't happen and you didn't play a part?" Menos asked as he looked between the quickly forming two groups, his face obscured by his environmental suit, but by his tone it was clear he wasn't happy about it.

 

"I probably already know what you'll say on this, but I'm not playing by the acceptable losses handbook on this one. We either confirm the kills or not..." He said as he moved to stand with Kurik and presumably Cadi, "You can do us that at least, fly us over. You're gonna have to land anyway to Rendezvous with our scout." He pointed out, hoping to reason a bit of his point across.

[Kel Riever]

Cadi probably would have gone back alone if she had to.  But her confidence came from those who had also agreed to not leave others knowingly behind.  She grabbed a handhold and climbed aboard, oblivious to the wound she'd suffered.

"We are going back, and if you don't want to come, you can feel free to hop off and get in one of those Grizzlies.  Reith and Vihaan would do it for us, we are going to do it for them.  I don't want anybody coming along who doesn't want to be here but this isn't the time to split up.  When we're done, you can walk if you want, but not until we know we did all we could."

Though still helmeted, Naomi could feel Arcadia giving her a sidelong glance.  "I have a feeling that some people wish they hadn't ever been left behind, no matter what the reason."

Then she stepped up to Liz, who had laid off the machine gun for the seconds of Cadi's conversation.  "You're not in charge anymore.  I am, and until we are through this, you do as I say, got it?"

Liz, stuttering, answered, "G-g-got it..."

"Good," Cadi snapped, "Now get back on that weapon!"  She then headed to the front, strapping herself into the co-pilot's seat and syncing up with the com.  The pilot, a turian, looked at her.  Cadi demanded, "Your name."

"Rastus."

"Get back to that base, low and steady."

The turian nodded and lifted off as everyone who was coming had boarded.

[TheMajonese]

For a few seconds Naomi glared at Arcadia before she just shook her head in disbelief. "Good luck!", she eventually said, her tone of voice being unmistakably sarcastic. "Send me a f*cking postcard!"

 

"Naomi, you can't...!", her brother began but she immediately interrupted him.

 

"Go with them if you want to be the hero and risk your life for some strangers!", she spat at Chris and jumped from the back of the grizzly before she headed towards the other vehicle that hadn't been damaged from the ambush. Chris slowly began to follow her but his helmet hid the worried look on his face. "Oh, and Liz...!", Naomi shouted and turned around as the shuttle took off. "Let me return you a favor and warn you, because this is going to get you killed!"

[Kel Riever]

"Damnit!" Liz shouted as she watched Chris and Naomi jump off.  But as the Kodiak began to pull up and away, it was as if her feet were glued to the deck.  She sent off several more bursts of fire to make sure the twins were clear to get in before the first horde of vorcha coming down the road began hitting.  "We should be going with them!"

Cadi took one silent glance back at Liz.  Then she turned to the others.  "There are eyes on them.  They will not be hurt."

"How do you know?" Liz said, near panick.  "I don't care, fine, we go!  I'm only here because I know we have to stick together to get off world!  One look, just one!  Just one good look and when you see what I told you, we get out!  We have to get out...I'm telling you something has gone wrong, more wrong than you think."

Tolema said to Liz, "Enough!  The decision has been made.  Use that mouth to help you fire that gun if you can't figure out another way to use it."

Liz wasn't angry, she was scared.  The turian pilot said nothing.  As the Kodiak began to pick up speed, another message was invading the com waves on the general channel, between two unfamiliar voices.

"....seven...we're...taking...it....slower..."

"There...is...no....failure....you...ve...warned..."

"Yes..."

An image was breaking into the video, the form of a head, dark, against a grey background.  And the eyes glowed green.


 

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Lauren tried to clean up the image and the transmission so they could listen in.

[Kel Riever]

"Major, are you receiving?"  Cadi was trying to get Reith on an encrypted channel from the co-pilot's seat.  "We are on our way to you.  Are you receiving?"

Kamau, the only other person from the team not onboard besides Naomi and Chris, sent his own message by text to Arcadia:  The twins are away safely, I will monitor their vehicle.

In turn, Arcadia sent a text, but this was just to Chris:  We will come for you both if you need us.

Lauren worked to get  a better reception for the general com channel being used.  Because of her work, and the Kodiak closing the distance to the base from which it came, the picture cleared up for the most part, as did the conversation.  On screen was the image of a woman from the shoulders up, clad entirely in a black, close fitting, light armor of unfamiliar design.  Her head was entirely covered in what was reminiscent of a recon hood, but the optics were customized, and the lenses were more round, glowing with green light.  Ancillaries on what was visible were also odd, such as tubes with unknown purpose, or some sort of rod or arm coming up out of her back.  The overall image was eerie, made even more so as the voice of the woman came in, with a mechanical, vibrato filter that had nothing to do with the reception.

"I will address now..."

"We are on general com, as you requested," the unseen man responding to the woman said.

"All Palladium Control personnel, all members of mercenary companies employed by Teklia V'Siliou, are to throw down your arms and surrender immediately in the name of the Terminus Systems Empire.  Upon surrender, you will hand over any members of the V'Siliou family to our custody.  This is the only chance you will have to give up peacefully.  If you do not, you will be annihilated without mercy."

The end of the transmission was quickly followed by an exclamation from Tolema.  "Goddess, we're heading towards a ruin!"

Tolema was looking at another screen showing the image of the base the shuttle was approaching in the distance.  Smoke rose from countless fires and parts of the base had been ruptured by some explosions fully to the harsh external environment.  The giant earth mover that the team had ridden on had suffered from a similar, large explosion, with half of its front mangled, and now run into one of the sheer walls of the mining area.  No part of the base seemed untouched by the chaos.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Lauren started coming apart. "Well that's just great! That's just f*cking great! Now what are we supposed to do? We're in some pretty sh*t, now!" She said. "Is this Kodiak spaceworthy? I say we get the f*ck out of here."

[Cknarf]

"Perhaps you should have disembarked with the others when you had the chance." Kurik said, bending down to pick up a loose thermal clip on the ground. He inserted it into his Vindicator. "If you choose to remain aboard the shuttle while we attempt to recover Reith, I will be needing your thermal clips." He held out his hand, and made a 'give it' gesture with his talons.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"F*ck you!"

[Cknarf]

Kurik took Lauren's unwillingness to surrender her equipment as confirmation of her participation in the rescue.

 

"Excellent." He slapped her on the back. "It's good to have you along."

Modifié par Cknarf, 16 septembre 2015 - 10:05 .

[Cainhurst Crow]

"What the hell was that? Someone playing a smoke and mirrors game to psyche us out..." He questioned, more to himself then anything. The bases condition was bad, and there was no telling how much fortifications inside might have occurred. There was one thing however that caught his attention.

 

"She called for everyone to lay down their arms and give them the asari...that means they don't have them. And that there are people still alive down there." He observed, finding it unlikely that this mysterious female would make this speech just for their lone craft.

 

"Even if we take off in this Kodiak, we'd need to rendezvous with Sally's Ship to get us out of this system...." He said as he looked to Lauren, "We can work on boosting the communication, set up an extraction for any survivors..." He said as he didn't look to her, sighing as he spoke, "Or an extraction for just this Kodiak...if it comes to it."

[TheMajonese]

"Hurry! If we reach the base at the same time as the Kodiak, our enemies might be too distracted with them to stop us..." Naomi sat down on the driver's seat and started the engine. The remaining vorcha tried to climb onto the vehicle but after Chris had closed the hatch, there was no way for them to get in. Their claws and teeth were useless against the armor plating of the grizzly. When the vehicle began to accelerate the vorcha quickly fell behind.

 

For a while neither Naomi nor her brother said a word and the grizzly just followed the street that led to the main base. It was a weird feeling to realize that they left this base just a few hours ago. Chris eventually broke the silence. "So...what's your plan?", he asked. It was obvious that his question was not about Naomi's plan but she didn't notice the sharpness in his voice.

 

"We go back to the base", she said without turning around. Her eyes were focused on the Kodiak shuttle which moved a lot faster than the grizzly. "From this point we head back to the spaceport. There might be still some shuttles or ships left to take us off world."

 

"And how do you want to get through the base? Didn't Liz say that it was completely overrun?"

 

"Unlike Cadi we don't have to get through the whole complex to search for some corpses, we can directly head for the train station. If we're lucky the others and the rest of Koehler's will distract the vorcha long enough for us to remain relatively safe. If not we will have to fight but it should be easier when we don't have to look out for the others..."

 

"So you would just let them die?", her brother asked in disbelief.

 

"HEY!" Naomi abruptly stopped the grizzly and jumped up from her seat to face Chris. "I didn't even want to be here in the first place! You just convinced me to do this one last job for stormhammers. But right now this isn't about the job, it's about getting out of here alive! You heard Liz, everyone for himself. So I won't try to play hero to rescue people that I don't even know, especially if they might be dead already! I just feel a bit sorry for Liz and that pilot that Cadi didn't even ask them if they wanted to be part of her personal suicide mission. If she wants to save her friends; fine! But leave me out of this..." Then she sat down and started the engine again.

 

Chris didn't know what to say or how to react. Maybe he knew that it would be pointless to try to convince Naomi that right now, their chances of survival weren't much better than Cadi's. Or maybe it was because Chris just realized that his sister was right about everything she said. Leaving the others was just wrong...but it made totally sense if they wanted to stay alive without having to fight through the hordes of mindless vorcha and the unknown soldiers that had taken over the base. It was either survival at all cost or risking the own life for the chance to save others. Naomi had obviously chosen the first option but Chris wasn't sure if he could accept that.

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

Lauren caught her breath. She was prone to some anxiety attacks not used to being in direct combat, but rather wearing a lab coat. "Sorry about that back there, but I'm just not used to this," she said. "I knew it was bad in the Terminus, but f*ck! What the hell is this Terminus Systems Empire? And what would they do to anyone who did surrender?..... Not that I'm thinking about it or anything like that. Probably sell us to the Batarians or something equally unpleasant. My kingdom for an Alliance dreadnought right about now."

[Kel Riever]

Arcadia turned back to the passenger compartment, and in contrast to her tone when she got aboard, she calmly said, "This is a hard situation and it is going to take everyone here working together to pull through it.  There are people back there who matter, just like everyone here and we're not going to start making judgments on who deserves to be saved.  Having said that, we're going to be smart about this.  Risk, yes, calculated, yes, keeping together, yes, so we all have the best chance of leaving without abandoning others who we can save."  She then turned to the pilot.  "What about it, can we get to orbit if we need to?"

The pilot, Rastus, shook his head.  "We took a high penetration round to one of the thrusters, enough that we can't reach escape velocity.  Elsewhere on Parasc, yes.  Up to space, no."

Cadi thought for a minute.  "Liz, you said our ship left?"

Liz nodded, "I heard the Lucky Seven was making some other run in the meantime.  But there are other ships at the starport, including the Koehler's Brigade transport.  I can't confirm any of it because of the jamming, and I hope..."  She drifted off.

"You hope, what?"

Liz took off her helmet for a minute.  She was pale and now her fear could be seen in her expression. "It was mayhem.  We heard it, first, at that base, like a crowd shouting in a stadium.  I've done riot control before and when it sounded like trouble, that's what I thought it was.  But it didn't make sense.  These Siarists are passive.  When I saw them coming, I couldn't deny it and I ran with my comrades for Koehler's section."  Liz gripped the machine gun's blast shield, and her hair blew wildly with the wind rushing in from the open side door.  "But when we got there, we were turned on.  There were soldiers in black armor with weapons, standing alongside other Brigade members.  Josh was right next to me and died, shot by one of our own.  I had to run back the other way I came, so fast I didn't see what happened to the rest I was with.  Somehow I got to the shuttle, to Rastus.  We had to go, the vorcha were coming.  I didn't see anyone else when we lifted off.  One of those black armor soldiers took a shot at us when we did and I guess...I guess the vorcha ignored him.

"What I'm trying to say is I don't know who is on what side anymore.  The transport is supposed to be waiting, but they might not know what is happening with the jamming.  Or worse, they're in on it.  I don't know.  I wanted to link up with you because I knew...I knew you were honest."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"Your own people betrayed the people for whom they were working? Makes me wonder why I left the Alliance," Lauren commented. "Liz, do you know where any weapons caches are? Because we're low on clips and... "  she looked at her Hurricane and pistol. "These aren't going to be worth sh*t against any organized opposition. We need grenades and stuff.... and I have an idea.

 

"The Vorcha. They were turned violent and ran wild against the Siarists. Well, that's pretty much done now. The Terminus Systems Empire is just using them to meet their own needs. Why don't we convince them to rise up and truly be free? Tell them the Terminus Systems Empire will only enslave them. They don't need the Terminus Systems Empire. Tell them to tear them apart. In their bloodlust it should be easy. We just need to find a way to communicate that to them.

 

"Using that distraction, we can maybe get to Reith, if he's still alive, and and to Teklia V'Siliou, then to the ship and get off this ice ball."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

While trying to get comfortable, Lauren bumped her head on the side of the bulkhead and drew attention to things once again.

[Kel Riever]

Liz, distracted, didn't look at Lauren but did answer her.  "There are clips stowed in here, should be whatever you need that you can carry.  Take them."

"Reading two craft ahead of us, other side of the base," the turian pilot said, "Possibly more on the ground, more out of range."

"Can they intercept?" Arcadia asked.

"Negative...it seems there is an automated turret keeping them at bay from part of the base, including the wing where Stormhammer was quartered.   As long as it stays active."

"Good," Cadi responded with confidence, "Use it.  If I know Reith, he'll be within its protective cover if he can be.  If we can get in and out before they're able to circle us, we've got a chance to find out..."

A rapid, pinging alert sounded from the console.  The pilot quickly spit out, "Another craft!  This one coming in from behind us.  It isn't in range yet, but it is closing."

"We've got to get under that turret's protective umbrella!  Give it full speed!"

"I am!  It's going to just catch us before..."

One of the viewscreens picked up a visual before any kind of other alert or warning went off.  From outside, there was a fast travelling contrail heading the direction of the Kodiak, but it went wide and past.

"Friendly missile!" the pilot shouted.  "We're good!"

Only a few seconds later, another screen showed the target of the missile.  It was the pursuit craft, which attempted to evade, but failed.  The missile struck it, and the zoom showed a devastating explosion.

"That's the Major," Cadi said with satisfaction.

The com line broke in for the team then, with Reith's voice on the line. "I'm glad you could make it.  Keep heading to the end of the wing we were staying in, coordinates being sent now.  You're covered the rest of the way in, but when you get here, know that the zone is hot.  Watch it when you land, you're going to need to come out fighting."

[Cknarf]

Kurik gained about fifteen pounds en route to the LZ.  He had stuffed thermal clips just about anywhere he could.

[Cainhurst Crow]

Menos holstered his weapon and went on his omnitool, his Omni-bow materializing as he looked to the others, "Lucky for me, I can conserve ammo. Load up whatever you can carry, I'll take whats left." He said simply, turning to look towards Cadi as he glanced back towards the others. He slowly walked towards her, standing close as he whispered loud enough for her to hear.

 

"Do you know if you double checked everyones files in stormhammer? Our contacts, associates, liasions on this world, that sort of thing?" Menos asked as he glanced back to the others before looked to her, "It might be nothing...but that story from liz, about double agents in their ranks...I want to make sure whoever we find in there is actually someone we want to save. If you know what I mean." He said as he back off, taking a look at Lauren, as the missle threat passed.

 

"You really think we can get through to them to turn on their leash-holders?" Menos asked, sounding skeptical at the whole idea, "I'm not even sure they'll be united much longer. Judging by the previous gore and steroids, they might be close to tearing each other apart. I've seen bloodpack have similar problems, usually a krogan is needed to break up the fights..." He said as he looked to the others, "Whose got the heaviest gun? We may need to shoot a krogan, worst case scenario."

[sH0tgUn jUliA]

"Do you have a better idea,  Menos?" Lauren asked. "I don't care if they remain unified. Let's create some chaos. Get on their comm systems and tell them that their new masters just want to use them as slaves. True Vorcha aren't used. Fight for me against your new masters and you will be free like true Vorcha!... you know, something like that. I know it doesn't make much sense, but they're in blood frenzy right now."

 

Lauren found a grenade launcher in the weapons locker. "This looks like it might pack a punch. How do you use this thing?"

[Cknarf]

Kurik pulled the launcher from the case. "This end goes towards the enemy." He slapped at the front of the weapon. "Safety is here. Forward for fire, backwards for safe." He raised the launcher, and pointed it out the door. "Hold, and release to fire. There is a one to ten second delay before the projectile launches, depending on how long the trigger is held down. You have ten seconds to decide whether or not you wish to fire before the trigger automatically resets. If it does, you will have to pull the trigger again in order to shoot."

 

Kurik held the trigger down.

 

"You may also engage the safety at any time in order to cancel, if you do not wish to hold for an entire ten seconds." By engaging the safety, the launcher returned to its normal state. "Be sure to keep it pointed in a safe direction at all times, preferably horizontally, especially when using the safety to cancel a shot.  If it fails, things can get messy. Trust me." Kurik tossed the weapon to Lauren.

 

"Are we there yet?" He then asked the pilot. 

 

"Approaching LZ. Thirty seconds."

 

Liz provided cover with the shuttle's door gun, doing her best to thin out some of the vorcha, as well any hostiles with ranged weapons. She flinched slightly, as a burst of mass accelerator fire pinged off of the gun's armored plates, but didn't stop firing. Rastus set the shuttle down, and Stormhammer piled out.