*OMEGA STATION*
SAHRABARIK SYSTEM
OMEGA NEBULA
Darner Vosque felt naked without his gun. Especially on Omega. But when Aria T'Loak commanded something, you either did it, or you died.
So, no gun it was.
It made sense, I guess. There was enough tension in this room to blow this damn station apart. Each of the twelve Legates of the Blue Suns, each of them with their ten Tribunes under their direct command: one hundred and thirty-two rivals. And now they were gathered all in the same room. It was the first full session that Dal'Serah had called in almost seven years. With each Legate having a knife to every other Legate's back, and not a few Tribunes eying their commanders' chairs, having this crowd be unarmed was the least he could do.
Having Aria T'Loak's people oversee the security was a stroke of genius, though. This way, if anybody even managed to get a gun past her guards and waste somebody, they'd be flipping the big middle finger to the Queen of Omega, as well as painting themselves a scapegoat for everybody else in the room. And people who did that usually ended up dead.
Plus, it gave Aria the feeling of being respected, and anything to stroke that woman's pride was an investment in your long-term health.
So far though, nobody had killed anybody, but Vosque was starting to wish they would: Dal'Serah had started the meeting with an auditing of the various markets the Blue Suns dabbled in: eezo mining, security, slave-rings, prostitution, red sand, smuggling, take your pick. Overall, everyone was reporting in record profits. The Blood Pack had started to try and muscle into Blue Sun territory on Omega, and Dal'Serah had decided to approach Jona Sederis to consider some kind of alliance to put those krogan bastards back in their place.
But now, they were about to hear from Helena Blake, leader of the Immortals. The Immortals had really jumped onto the scene when the Conclave hired them to run security for their colonies.
Should've gone with us, thought Vosque. Bad idea putting your trust in amateurs.
He seemed to remember Blake had run a crime syndicate on the Citadel a while ago. Small time shit: information, antiques, insurance fraud. Clearly, she had decided to up her game.
Blake and her two companions, a vorcha and an asari, were entering the conference room. Vosque couldn't help but notice the asari's curves. Damn. He loved asari. They were always into the kinkiest shit. Which was alright for a man of Vosque's tastes. Blake was a little too old for him to find her attractive, but he admitted, she didn't look bad. Probably right up Vido's alley, he thought. The "Co-Executive Officer" of the Blue Suns always did tend to go for the older human women…
The three Immortals now stood in the middle of the room, and were exchanging pleasantries with Dal'Serah. Their armor was top of the line, Vosque noticed. The black and gold color scheme caught the eye, too.
Wonder if they used the same P.R. firm that Dal'Serah hired to come up with their blue and white armor.
The Immortals were here to be shocked and awed by the Blue Sun's corporate muscle, to say nothing of its military strength. There had been some minor skirmishes with a couple of Blue Sun-affiliated pirate crews targeting Conclave vessels, and being captured by the Immortals. The pirates had acted without Dal'Serah's orders or permission, of course, but it still made Dal'Serah look bad that pirates who at least in name answered to his organization were now in Conclave prisons. It was high time the new kids on the block knew who exactly who they were fucking with.
And based on Vido's unabashed lustful look on his face, and the coy smiles that the leader of the Immortals was returning to him, Darner guessed that Miss Blake and Vido were probably going to be doing just that by the end of the day.
Oh, Jesus. Now Vido was doing that whole, "I'm-not-Jason-Morrow-I'm-actually-Dal'Serah's-boss" bit that he apparently thought women found attractive. Vosque just thought it was annoying as hell. But Vido had taken him back into the Blue Suns, even after that botched mission on Rabat. If Massani had had his druthers, Vosque didn't doubt that he'd have had a bullet in his head. But Vido had put his foot down, and in Vosque had stayed. So he owed him that, he guessed.
"Well, Mr. Santiago, since you have been kind enough to be honest with me, I supposed reciprocation is in order," Blake was saying. "I went ahead and invited my boss to this little meeting."
The fuck?
Suddenly, a green flash attracted everyone's attention. A soldier in an armor Vosque had never seen was suddenly straightening in the middle of the room.
Did he… DROP into this room? Vosque wondered. He looked up. There was no ceiling on the hall, sure enough, but the closest level was over forty stories above them. He would've had to….
No fucking way.
The next thing Vosque was aware of was the very clear, and very disturbing fact that he couldn't move. Flicking his eyes down, he saw the blue-ish glow around his armor.
Biotic stasis.
Glancing right and left, the next thing he was immediately aware was the fact that an Immortal trooper had done the exact same thing behind each member of the room. Some of them were humans. So of them were… definitely not.
The fuck are those things? They look like they have lobster heads!
Human or unknown alien alike, more were de-cloaking by the second. All of the Immortals were wielding energy swords, and all of them were flaring biotic stases around the Blue Sun members in closest proximity to them.
"HEY!" came the shout from one of Aria's thugs. Darner was never so glad to see an alien in his whole life. But as the salarian raised his pistol to fire, an Atlas mech came down out of the sky, crushing him underfoot. The mech's guns whirred to life, turning on the rest of Aria's goons.
"Any fuckers that are still alive and want to stay that way – drop 'em," came the voice from the Atlas' megaphone. The rest of Aria's men looked back and forth at each other, then slowly lowered their weapons to the floor. Helena Blake and the asari bitch warped the guns either over the side or into their hands. The Atlas mech opened, and a man in red and yellow armor stepped out. The vorcha replaced him in the Atlas' piloting seat. The Atlas pilot walked over slowly, removing his helmet.
FUCK, NO.
"Zaeed." Vido sounded like he was almost trying to convince himself that it couldn't be Zaeed.
"Partner." Zaeed reached behind him and pulled out an Avenger rifle.
"Now, WAIT, Zaeed…" Vido started.
"You recognize Jesse, don't you, Vido?" Zaeed asked. "These new friends of mine helped me cure what ailed her. But personally? I think she just talked me into coming back here and seeing you again."
"Zaeed…"
"SHUT the FUCK up." Zaeed turned to the rest of the frozen Blue Suns.
"If any of you ever decide to execute someone," he said, "Let me give you a free tip: don't shoot them in face. It only robs them of their good looks and their goddam patience. Then they come back, pissed off. You want to do it like this."
He placed the rifle's barrel where Vido's neck met his spine.
"IT WAS JUST BUSINESS! IT WASN'T PERSONAL!" screeched Vido.
"Fire upward," continued Zaeed, ignoring Vido's panicked squeals. "That way you sever the spinal cord as the bullet travels upward into the brain. It tends to make death more permanent."
"MASSANI, PLEASE! TAKE WHATEVER YOU WANT! WHATEVER YOU WANT, I'LL PAY YOU –"
Jesse barked once, and the back of Vido's head disappeared. The body, freed from its biotic hold, fell limply to the ground. Darner was pretty sure that warm feeling spreading across his lower half was him pissing himself, but he couldn't think about that now.
Zaeed stared at the body for a few moments, and then raised his rifle, firing two more shots into the inert corpse. He turned away, back to the first intruder in the golden armor.
"All yours, Voidwalker."
The man flared his biotics (was that green biotics?). Six of the Legates started screaming, and then… their heads exploded.
Yep. Darner definitely shat himself.
Edison. Moji. Wallace. Johnson. Isleta. Ramirez….
The six Blue Suns that held Massani down while Vido shot him in the face.
"I AM KO'LE VOIDWALKER" came the booming voice from the helmet. "And whether or not the rest of you live or die is entirely up to you."
Voidwalker. That's the guy who… SHIT.
"Mr. Massani here has just been promoted to Executive Officer," Voidwalker continued. "He will be appointing Legates to replace your six former comrades that are here on the floor. The rest of you may either follow his orders to the letter, allowing you to keep your current ranks in this organization. Or…" He left the rest of the sentence unsaid.
"You think the Blue Suns will just roll over and take it up the ass from a karking human?" hissed Solem Dal'Serah, still held motionless in his biotic stasis.
Voidwalker just stared at him, and then suddenly a sword was in his hand and Dal'Serah's head was on the floor. The stasis around his armor flickered and faded, the body falling to the floor next to Vido's.
"FALL IN LINE," Voidwalker said simply. "OR FALL WITH THEM. The choice… is yours."
The stasis fields around the remaining Blue Suns faded, and they looked around at the sword-wielding intruders that had invaded their meeting. Voidwalker strode to the edge of the platform.
"Betray us, or seek to double-cross us, and there will be no rock in the Terminus Systems for you to hide under," he said. His arms outstretched, he leaned backward and dived over the side. The gasps from the room were quickly followed by the Immortals shuttlecraft that then appeared from beneath the platform. Two more appeared on the other side, collecting the Atlas, Helena Blake, and the asari. The sword-wielding assassins re-cloaked, disappearing into thin air. Suddenly, every man and woman's Omni-Tool pinged. Looking down, Darner Vosque saw that his private email had a new message:
We'll be in touch.
Congratulations on your new membership in the Black Suns, Darner Vosque.
- Voidwalker.
"Now I know where EDI gets her theatricality," Loras commented as we pulled away from the meeting platform.
"They understand brute force, and brute force only, Zabat," I replied, "I need their fear of me to overcome any dreams of personal ambition."
"Still, a little over the top, boss?" Helena Blake asked from the next shuttle.
"I thought the Imperator showed great restraint," Javik's voice answered for me. "In our own cycle, we would have simply killed EVERYONE. His offer of surrender was magnanimous."
"Here, here, sah," Pyke Morrell commented. "Had to give the rotters a bit of the ol' shock-n-awe, eh, wat?"
I turned to the mercenary standing next to me.
"Massani," I asked, "You ok?"
"Better than ok," he answered. He turned towards me and stuck out his hand.
"I still don't know if I'm cut out to lead this… Black Suns group. But I'll try. I owe you that much."
I clasped his hand firmly.
"You'll do well. There is no one else I would trust with this."
"There will be plenty of those bastards who won't take the black," Zaeed said. "Don't be surprised if we have a gang war on our hands pretty soon."
"I'm counting on it," I said. "Those who rebel against your rule, the Immortals will help to put down. The fight will help Cerberus and the Immortals meld together as a cohesive fighting force. Besides that, the Suns who chose to make the transition will get rewarded for taking out their old comrades. I think there'll be plenty of people who'll jump at the chance to settle a few of the old scores."
"The Blood Pack and the Eclipse will definitely take over the red sand and slave-shop operations when I cut them from the company," continued Zaeed.
"Then we'll leave them nothing to take over," I replied.
Zaeed nodded thoughtfully.
"I'll be in touch," the merc said finally. The shuttle set down on platform, and we both stepped out. "You'll be returning to the Virago? They'll be hell to pay from Aria when she learns what happened here today. I'll be in the clear unless she sees me as a threat, but you…"
"There will be hell to pay," I agreed. "But I like to pay my debts in person. And in full. I'm headed to Afterlife now."
Zaeed shook his head, chuckling.
"You've got balls, kid. Mind you don't lose the head they're attached to."
He walked away, chuckling at his own joke.
"I will accompany you, Imperator," Javik said.
"It would be better if I went alone, Avatar," I answered.
"Perhaps. But not if she decides to kill you. Show yourself as weak, and your enemies will…"
"…imagine themselves strong. Yes, my friend." I paused for a moment, then nodded. "Very well."
"I'm coming too," Morinth said.
"Absolutely not. Aria sees your face, and she can tell anyone that you were here, and where you are now," I said, glaring at her meaningfully.
Your mother, was the unspoken "anyone" referred to, but Morinth understood it.
"Fall in, Sergeant Major," I said, turning to the vorcha who was dismounting the Atlas mech.
"SAH!" came the sharp reply and the equally-sharp salute.
The three of us walked towards the famous Omega nightclub. People turned and stared at us as we walked past the line of people waiting to get in. Figures, I guessed. You can't just walk a Prothean in full armor down the street and not turn a few heads.
Ahh. The elcor bouncer.
"With falsely-assumed calm: Aria is waiting for you inside, Voidwalker," the elcor said.
I nodded, and moved past him. The place was full of Aria's thugs, fully-armed and fully armored.
"She is ready for a battle," Javik said in a low voice.
"We just beheaded a major crime organization on her station," I replied. "She would be a fool not to be."
We walked into the main room. The rhythmic pounding of the dance music and the flashing lights were a bit discombobulating, I had to admit. More so than in the game. I thought we were going to have to shove our way through the dancing crowd in front of us, but then suddenly the music stopped. The collective groan that followed was interrupted from the intercom.
"We're closed. Get the fuck out."
Aria T'Loak.
Every patron, no matter how drunk, buzzed, or wasted, instantly and quietly made for the door. Leaving only the three of us standing in the middle of the room. Surrounded by dozens of guns pointing our way.
"Give me one good damn reason not to blow your fucking heads off right now," continued the disembodied voice over the loudspeaker.
Pyke's hand began to stray towards the two SMG's on his thighs, but I raised a finger to stop him.
"If it's a fight you want," I said slowly, "Urdnot Wrex says that wrecking derelict space stations is a bit of a pastime of yours…. Aleena."
There was a long pause. Then there was a slow clap, and the blast doors on the level above us opened, revealing Aria's observation lounge. She was standing, clapping slowly.
"So that old lizard is still kicking, after all these years," Aria said, still over the loudspeaker. "How is he doing?"
"Well, last I saw him," I answered, Kevin letting out a huge sigh of relief.
THAT was a huge gamble.
Fan-canon confirmed.
"Come on up, Voidwalker," Aria said. "Leave your friends down there."
I nodded at Javik and Pyke, and made my way up the stairs. There was Aria, sprawled on her couch, exactly like the games.
Focus, Kevin. This is NOT the games. This is as REAL as it gets. One misstep, and we won't live to see the next Reaper invasion.
"Miss T'Loak," I said, with a bow.
"Oh, what manners," Aria commented coyly. "I must say, I like this entrance a lot better than the one you made to the Blue Suns meeting."
"The Blue Suns were a means to an end," I answered. "You are not."
"Flattery will get you nowhere," Aria said, shaking her finger.
"Then let us dispense with flattery," I said. "The Blue Suns have undergone a change of leadership."
"I should say so," Aria nodded, "You think you can control them?"
"Their leadership was not transferred to me," I said. "Mr. Massani requested the Immortals' help in carrying out this little coup. That done, my control of them is over and done with."
"Honestly, I don't give two shits who runs the Blue Suns," Aria said. "But changes in leadership like this are generally bad for my business. And people who fuck with my business fuck with me. And…."
"…Don't Fuck With Aria," I finished for her. "I have no intentions of breaking Omega's one Rule."
Aria stared at me for a few more moments.
"My arrangement with Dal'Serah," she said finally. "That will continue?"
"That is a conversation you should have with Mr. Massani," I answered. "I wasn't lying when I said that I have no interest in running the Suns. I just helped a friend of mine obtain a position to do just that."
"A lot of effort to undertake for a friend of yours," Aria commented.
"I am willing to go far and accomplish much for my friends, Miss T'Loak. And I will go equally far to put down threats from enemies. I think in that, we are very much alike."
"That is not as reassuring as you seem to think it is," Aria chuckled. But there was deep bitterness to her laughter, as her eyes pierced into mine, weighing whether or not she should kill me.
It's a weird feeling, knowing that the person sitting across from you is considering killing you with the same amount of consideration that she is giving to what she should have for dinner tonight.
"It makes me look bad: to have a meeting I for which I was running security end up in a bloodbath."
"Then own the bloodbath."
Her eyebrow arched.
"If anyone asks, tell them you took the head off the snake," I continued. "Make something up about Dal'Serah planning to overthrow you. With your reputation, they'll believe it. Blood Pack and Eclipse will think twice about crossing you, and you might even get concessions from both gangs out of it."
"Convenient, except for the part where I'm the scapegoat for anyone looking for revenge."
"There were only eight bodies on that floor, out of a room of one hundred and thirty-two. Anyone looking to exact revenge will know exactly who go after." I patted my armor. "I was very clear as to who I was. The only people who will believe your story are the people who are stupid enough to be cowed into falling in line."
There was still indecision.
"You appear stronger than ever in the eyes of the underworld," I continued. "The asari boss who took the heads of the two Blue Suns commanders without flinching. I avoid the wider galactic spotlight, which suits me fine. And everyone who matters will believe the story that you pulled it off, based upon the illustrious reputation you already enjoy. And best yet: We both walk away happy. If not friends, then at least we'll be... not enemies."
"You've thought this through, haven't you?" Aria asked. I'm impressed, is what her eyes said.
"As I said, I have no intention of breaking Omega's Rule," I said. "You can either chose to believe that, and we both walk away. Alternatively, you can… not. But I do know this: we would both lose that fight."
"Plenty of men have thought they could beat me before," Aria said dangerously.
"Honestly? I don't think I can beat you, at least in a straight-up fight," I answered. "But you should know that I would not die easy. If you test me, Aria T'Loak… you will fail. And your kingdom would burn around you, even if you stood over my lifeless corpse."
There was another moment of silence between us. Then I saw her eyes come to a conclusion.
"Honest men are hard to find these days, Ko'le Voidwalker," she said. "It would be a shame to kill you and rid the galaxy of such a rarity."
I exhaled, relieved beyond words. I started to take a step back, but then paused. I slowly bent my knee before her, bowing my head.
"In that case, I would venerate the name of the Pirate Queen of Omega," I said solemnly. "If you have need, you have but to summon. And the Immortals shall answer, Aleena T'Loak."
I looked up. Admiration was on her face, hidden behind that thin ghost of a smile she always wore.
"I haven't gone by that name in centuries, Voidwalker. Here, I'm Aria."
I nodded, and walked backwards to the head of the stairs. Gesturing to Javik and Pyke, we left the nightclub.
"Trouble?" asked Javik.
"Not today, at least," I answered honestly. "Not today."
"Back to the ship then, sir?" Pyke wondered.
"We have one more stop to make," I said, bringing up my Omni-Tool. I dialed the number.
"Sir?"
"Mr. Leng, have you found who we're looking for?"
"Yes, sir. He's holed up in an apartment down on Shaka Level. Roil Street, Apartment 7B."
"He is there now?"
"Yes, sir. You should know, he's not alone. You'll never guess who he's shacked up with."
"Liselle T'Loak?"
"Damn. You are good."
"Keep watch until we arrive. Alert us if they leave."
"Oh, I doubt there's any danger of that happening anytime soon, sir. Unless Grayson is just a really bad lay."
"Who is this…Grayson?" wondered Javik.
"He used to be the Illusive Man's best agent," I explained. "Until Harper tried to betray him and kidnap his daughter."
"Then he was a fool, for allowing his former master to live. Why do we want anything to do with a warrior who decides to hide rather than fight?"
"Because he is one of the only people to have seen the Collectors up close and in person, and lived," I answered. "I need information on the warriors who risked so much to steal my friend's body. Information only he has."
The shuttle down to Shaka Level was uneventful, but gave a great view of the dilapidated, overcrowded mining camp-turned pirate station.
"In our cycle, we would have bombed a place like this from orbit," Javik said, looking at the thronging masses moving beneath us.
"But in this cycle, it is the bitter shell of an alba nut that hides the tender flesh within."
Javik huffed.
"You are cruel to bring up a delicacy that has long gone extinct, Seneschal."
Kai Leng stood up as we approached.
"They're still inside, Boss."
"Very good, Mr. Leng. Escort the General and the Sergeant Major back to the ship. This errand I must do alone," I said, before Javik could object. Kai Leng nodded, and the three of them turned away to return to the shuttle.
I braced, and then crossed the street, activating my cloak, a new toy from the R&D department. It was basically identical to Kasumi's. And totally awesome, to quote Kevin.
I rapped three times on 7B, and then stood to the side. A panel slid open at the top of the door.
"Mr. Paul Johnson?" I asked.
"Who's looking for him?" a female voice asked.
"No one who wishes him harm, Miss T'Loak," I answered, deactivating my cloak. It made for a good entrance, and also put people on edge.
"Who are you?" Liselle asked.
"Someone with news of Mr. Grayson's daughter," I answered cryptically.
The panel slammed shut and I could hear muffled voices coming from inside the apartment. Then I heard the lock turn on the door, and it swung open. A human male stood in the door, pistol in hand.
A pistol that was pointed squarely at me.
"I told the Illusive Man a year ago: anything happens to me, Gillian, or Kahlee Sanders, the Alliance will get a file automatically sent to them with EVERYTHING I have on them," he said.
"The Illusive Man is dead, Mr. Grayson," I answered.
There was a flicker of hesitation and surprise on Grayson's face.
"Bullshit."
"No shit of bulls, Mr. Grayson. I killed him, and buried him in an unmarked grave. Jack Harper is dead."
The pistol dropped from between us, but the guardedness behind his eyes did not.
"So who are you, and what do you want with me?"
"First off, to convey exactly what I said earlier: that Gillian is in very good health, and she has been accepted onto the quarian crew of the Idenna. Hendrel Mitra sends his regards."
"You've seen her?"
"I just returned from the Migrant Fleet. Yes, I have seen her, but I did not speak to her."
For the first time, the suspicion flickered.
"She's…. she's ok?"
"In very good health. From what I gathered, she is a beloved and valued crew member of her ship. They call her Gillian 'Grayson nar Idenna now. She's a healthy thirteen-year-old human girl."
Relief washed over Paul Grayson's face. Liselle even walked over and touched his arm comfortingly. Not seductive or clingy, just… to be there.
"Um… will you come in, friend?" asked Paul, stepping back to open the door wider. "I still don't know your name."
"My name is Ko'le. I am sometimes called Voidwalker," I answered. Surprise flickered on Liselle's face.
"The Leader of the Immortals," she said in a low voice. "Mother says you attacked the Blue Suns just this morning."
"You're well informed," I confirmed with a nod.
"Second?" Paul asked.
"I beg your pardon?" I asked.
"You said that the news of Gillian was 'first off.' What is second?"
"What do you know of the Collectors?" I asked.
Unmasked fear flashed across Grayson's face.
"Enough to stay as far as hell away from them," he said. "Almost got sold to them, in that mission with the Migrant Fleet. Believe me friend, whatever you think you want with the Collectors, or whatever they've promised you, run like hell. You want nothing to do with those monsters."
"I want to hunt every last one of them down and wipe them from the face of the galaxy, Mr. Grayson," I said. "That is what I want from them."
Grayson's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Good luck with that," he said. "Nobody has ever gotten close to them and lived, much less found their home base."
"Do you have an image of one? Or any kind of recording at all? Please. I can't tell you how many lives might be at stake."
"Forgive me, friend, but I've heard that particular line of bullshit before," Grayson said. "That's why I'm her: No lies on Omega: good, bad, ugly, beautiful – everyone just is what they are."
"I have reason to believe that the Collectors will be targeting human colonies," I answered simply. "I need to find them and to kill them before that happens."
Grayson looked at me, and then walked into the back bedroom. Liselle and I stared at one another for a few awkward moments.
"His red-sand addiction?" I asked.
Liselle nodded her head. "It was a rough week…. But the withdrawals have stopped."
"I'm glad," was my sincere reply.
"So… what do the Immortals want on Omega?" Liselle asked.
"Helping a friend. Don't worry, Miss T'Loak. I have no designs against you or your mother."
Liselle opened her mouth to say something, but Grayson walked back into the room. He handed me a small OST.
"This is a copy of what I have on the Collectors," he said. "Sorry there isn't more.
"Thank you, Mr. Grayson," I said.
"Is it true, then?" Grayson asked. To my inquiring look, he continued, "That the quarians are applying to the Conclave?"
"Oh, yes," I answered. "There's still talk about which colony they will set up on, but you should consider visiting your daughter when that happens."
A pained look came across Grayson's face. He shook his head.
"No. Cerberus may be crippled, but there's sure to be a power struggle going on right now. And the Illusive Man's former right hand," he grimaced, "would go far towards setting any of them on the road to securing the rest of Cerberus."
"I can guarantee that Cerberus will no longer interfere with you and yours, Mr. Grayson," I replied.
Grayson smiled, but it was a mirthless one.
"Oh? And how can you do that, Mr. Ko'le?"
"Because they generally do what their Illusive Man commands. And," I opened my hands in a disarming gesture.
Realization slowly dawned on Grayson's face, followed by anger.
"You sonova – "
The pistol started to raise again, but I lashed out with a kick, sending it from his fingers. I spun on my heel, knocking him back away from the weapon. Liselle, startled but determined to help her boyfriend, flared her biotics, coming at me with biotically-enhanced strikes. I activated my cloak even while I was blocking her attacks. She swung at empty air, and missed. She and Grayson shared a look, focusing on the seemingly empty room. Suddenly, a sword was in the air, and I de-cloaked, sword to Liselle's throat.
"NO!" Grayson yelled. He took a step towards us.
"Mr. Grayson," I said in as a voice I could muster. Grayson stopped, never taking his eyes off Liselle. I removed the sword and gently nudged her forward. Grayson wrapped her in his arms, and then turned back to me.
"Dead or no, my deal with the last Illusive Man still stands. Anything happens to me –"
I waved a dismissive hand.
"I have no intention of hurting you, Mr. Grayson. And don't worry, this is not a job offer. You've been wronged by this organization enough. But I am moving Cerberus towards its original goal and more: the protection of not only the humans of this galaxy, but every species, and every race. The Reapers are coming, Mr. Grayson. A war like you won't believe. And I am trying to prepare for it. Every word I've ever said to you since you opened that door has been the truth. Believe me…"
I cloaked again.
"… or don't. The choice is yours. But that does not change the facts."
As I made my way into the back of the house, I saw the unsure looks they gave each other.
"Everything go okay?" Miranda said over the comlink.
"He was… suspicious. As you might expect."
She nodded.
"Damn shame, how Cerberus treated him. Did you get the data?"
I scanned the OST.
"Sending you the data now. See what EDI can make of it. How is she doing?"
"I must admit, I've been impressed. Since she has integrated with Lazarus Station, air quality has improved by nearly 7%. Power distribution has normalized as well."
"I'm just trying to help, Father," EDI said.
"EDI… what did we talk about? About you eavesdropping on other peoples' conversations?"
"…Sorry."
"I'll see you soon, ok?"
EDI smiled.
"Alright." Then her avatar disappeared from the holo-projector.
The holographic image of Miranda shook her head.
"I have to say, I was hesitant about allowing an unshackled AI on this station," she said. "But she's… sweet. Very ingratiating. The rest of the staff here already love her."
I smiled. "I'm glad. I will be there shortly. I have one more stop to make here on Omega, then the Virago will be moving to rendezvous with you."
"Very good, sir. Lawson out."
The transmission ended. I turned and walked into the club. This was a small hole-in-the-wall club, but it was the favorite hang-out of my target. When he wasn't in the lower level of Afterlife. I walked in and moved towards the back. The two guards on the back room were apparently too distracted by the two salarian strippers on the stage to notice me. I didn't even need to cloak as I walked past them.
"This room has been reserved, human," a deep bass voice rumbled.
Ok. The game definitely did not do this guy justice. This krogan was ancient.
His headplate covered his entire head, and then arched up, like some kind of ornate head-dress. He leaned heavily on a cane, and the scars of battles past covered literally every inch of skin. He was not clad in armor, either. He wore an exquisitely-woven robe that looked for all the world like it belonged on some kind of wizard cosplay costume.
Oh. My. God. He's the krogan version of Gandalf the Grey.
Or maybe Saruman the White.
"Patriarch." I bowed my head, tapping my throat twice and then my forehead.
Patriarch's eyebrows raised at the gesture, and he chuckled in his throat.
"You know krogan manners very well, human. Very well, I bid you sit, if you will."
I took the seat opposite him.
"What can I do to help the leader of the Immortals, especially after he has dealt such a crippling blow to the Blue Suns?"
"Word travels fast," I commented.
"I'm old, whelp, not dead."
"I have come to ask you for your help."
"Advice is about all I'm good for these days."
"Not advice, Wise One. Honored as I would be to receive raogjof from you, I come to ask aosta of you."
Now the eyebrows narrowed.
"Aosta? What 'military aid' do you think an old krogan like me can give you? You honor me by the naming, but I am what you see before you."
He stretched out his arms gesturing to himself.
"I am an old starik, not even worthy of being counted an enemy anymore."
"Shortly, there will be a turian arriving on this station," I continued. "He will go by the name of Archangel. I need you to get this to him."
I slid a data drive across the table to him.
"What makes you think I can find him? Thousands of turians come through this station every day."
"You may be old, but you are not dead, Mudret."
He chuckled.
"Your knowledge of krogan titles is impressive, Seneschal…"
He took the data drive.
"It makes an old starik feel good to be considered in the schemes and plans of this station again. Might even give me a chance to die a death other than a bed-passing."
"True krogan do not die, Mudret. They just fall back to Hell to regroup and counterattack."
Now the old man laughed outright, slamming the table with his cane.
"HAHAHAHHA! Well spoken! I like you, human. You have surprised an old krogan. Which at my age, is quite a feat. I will help this… Archangel, if I am able."
"Thankee-sai, Mudret."
I stood, bowing low again, repeating the gesture I made upon my entrance. I then turned on my heel, and walked past the two gawkers still on "duty."
As I walked back towards the shuttles, my Omni-Tool pinged. I looked down. The Extranet address read:
0RDA1n3d.
Curious.
I opened the message:
Help. They are killing us.
-Mira.
FUCK.
Author's Note:
As promised, here is the next chapter for your reading pleasure! Read, enjoy, and please leave me your thoughts, even if it's only, "Good job, I liked it."
Or, if there's something you didn't like, or even something you'd like to see in later chapters, send me your PMs and your ideas! I never would have made this far by myself, and I certainly can't finish this task alone. You guys: the readers, are what have made these two stories possible. Without you, the chapters just don't get done. I'm serious. You guys are inspirational, and for that I am very humbled, and very grateful.
Special shout-out to my friends Appbeza and Blaze1992, for sending me some awesome ideas. I can't guarantee that they'll all be used (on account of I'm still trying to hammer out where this story is going) but I am always appreciative of other people's creative genius.
- Tusken1602
Reviewer Responses:
shugokage, Tahkaullus01, redcollector, Appbeza, general-joseph-dickson, 5 Coloured Walker – I actually wrote the StarView chapter after watching a Fox News segment. I think I'll probably be inserting our good friend Aiden Polonius in between every few chapters, just to give a unique perspective on what the rest of the galaxy could be thinking.
Agent Klyntar – That is the question, my friend: Do you jeopardize the timeline to do a good thing, or allow people to suffer, so events will transpire in a way that you know will happen? I'm not even sure, and neither is Kevin/Ko'le.
METALHELLSPAWN – Don't worry. War makes strange bedfellows, so we will see alliances made and battle lines drawn before all this is over.
Deathknight999 – MIRA will be joining us shortly, never fear.
Asahar4 – Hope I didn't disappoint with the Paul Grayson/Liselle bit.
alurker – Ko'le has given the videos to the Alliance, at least. What steps he will take after that… we'll see.
diet docelb, Nagato21, masterdude94 – Thanks! My story is the result of a bunch of people's encouraging words, like yours!
