AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey y'all, hope you enjoy this chapter. Been having a blast on Destiny 2, finished the main story earlier and I can safely say that I am more than satisfied. Bungie did good. Anyways, hope you enjoy tonight's chapter, however it's some smaller stuff mostly.
No one WANTED to leave the Mako, let alone leave it behind on Voeld, but we also knew we had to. But not before everyone had gotten a turn with the turret. Of course, the fun had to end, as we needed to get going to Aya for the Vault. The thought of course crossed my mind to keep the Mako, but we couldn't have both that and the Nomad, and, in all honesty: For now, the Nomad suits our purpose better. Getting around an area, no matter the terrain, and quickly. The Mako could without a doubt get us around an area, no matter the terrain, but the problem is that it would get us there slower than the Nomad. Especially with climbs. We returned the Mako to Taerve Uni, and while the others prepared the ship I gave a thanks and farewell to Priya Blake, and she gave me the flag they had created for the outpost. Guess they heard what Bradley asked of me with the flag. Seems that the Vortex is getting yet another flag.
The crew had dispersed, and Kallo was piloting us off to Aya. ETA: about an hour. With the time, I had decided to go ahead and check my email back in my quarters. A few messages stood out. One from Evfra. He had read the report about Jah Niihk.
So, apparently you had your hands on an ancient Angaran AI and you destroyed it to save an Angaran life. It was a very tough decision that you had to make in the heat of the moment. And you didn't hesitate. I applaud you. It's exactly what I would have done. That former slave had a family that thought he was dead. You've given them a great gift. The talk on Aya itself is very divided, although I suspect that no one may say so to your face. I find these kinds of debates invigorating. We're a complex, emotional people with many different views. It's never boring.
Huh, an unexpectedly warm message from Evfra. I'm glad he approved of my decision. I swear I'll get him sitting at a bar with me, just wait. The other messages that caught my attention were a trio, all from Gil. However, only two of which were related to one another. The first was a very… bad poem written when he had been awake for over forty-two hours. The next message was after he finally got some sleep. He was not exactly a fan of his own work. The other message? Sly bastard left a fake poker journal detailing everyone's tells and he placed it in an obvious spot. I may not tell everyone, but I'll probably hint it to Vetra or Jaal if they find it. I was about to leave my quarters, when Liam burst in, clearly panicked.
"Scott, I need your help. Bad," he exclaimed
"Woah, hold on Liam. What happened?" I asked, trying to calm him down. He placed a worried hand onto his forehead, but nodded, taking a seat.
"Remember how I wanted contacts with the Angara? Well, I got one. Verand. Her and her whole group just… vanished. Sudden. Up for a rescue? Because if we don't, we could be next," he explained. He was clearly concerned, nervous, his mind thinking of the million different ways it could all go wrong.
"Hold on, I get wanting to help them out-but why would we be next?" I asked, confused. Liam's eyes refused to meet mine, and he rubbed his arm awkwardly, a bit of shame?
"Because… I gave Verand Nexus data and nav-points…" he answered. Wait, what?!
"Liam. We will rescue them, but I need to know. Why. The hell. Did you. Do that?" I questioned incredulously.
"I gave her data and tech so she could mod it the Angaran way," he answered.
"If you wanted to do that give, send her an Omni-tool, schematics for our more basic weapons, that kind of thing. Not Nexus nav-points! Whether you trust her or not, you don't send crucial data to a freelance who could be captured!" I exclaimed, utterly confused by Liam's train of thought.
"You're right! I fucked it all up! Verand was- is- a good risk. If pirates interrogate her, or… barter her to the Kett, it's our heads," he muttered.
"Alright, I'll alert the Nexus and-" I began.
"No, we can't do that either. If they have her info, they have our comms. The Nexus goes on alert, they'll know, and we never find them," Liam cut me off.
"YOU GAVE HER DATA FOR HIGH SECURITY COMMS TOO? Jesus Liam, you need to run this shit by someone before making these decisions," I exclaimed. Seriously Kosta, what the fuck were you thinking?!
"Like I said, I screwed up," he murmured, taking the punishment. Well, time for me to calm down a bit.
"Just… please tell me you have a lead," I replied, holding my face in my hand.
"I do, I do," he reassured. "From a trader. A grainy visual, but I think we can find the system. We find it, we find the baddies. I… also asked Bradley for people to help intercept. I thought they might want to pitch in." Guess he must know Bradley from before.
"Aren't they a bit busy with the colony?" I questioned.
"And that's what he told me. We're on our own," Liam answered.
"Thought as much," I sighed. "Upload the visual to SAM. See what he can find out." Liam began keying his Omni-tool.
"Yeah… and, sorry," Liam muttered.
"Just… think, next time, would you? We'd go save them with or without the data but now the stakes are higher than they needed to be. Ok?" I explained. "I know you criticize Vetra a lot, and in my opinion, it's unfair. But regardless, if you want to keep having these contacts, if you want more, want to build a network, get people working together, ask her for advice. She knows what she's doing and she's still doing it above the board. Making it work, and keeping it safe at the same time. With a bit of humility, I'm sure she'll pass on some advice, ok?" I suggested. Liam was silent, just looking down at the floor.
"Pathfinder, I believe I have located the system. Using our own star charts and cross-referencing, I believe it is the Sephesa system. On the other side of the cluster," SAM explained.
"Well, that's going to take a while…" I muttered.
"By my estimates, likely between twelve and fifteen hours. We do not know if there will be Scourge we need to maneuver around," SAM continued.
"And we have no idea if we'll end up travelling elsewhere. Alright. Inform the crew of our new destination and the ETA. As for the reason…" I glanced at Liam. I could see in his eyes that he'd rather not have anyone else knowing. Not yet at any rate. "Tell them it's a... personal matter for Liam."
"At once, Pathfinder," SAM stated.
"We got a long ride ahead of us. Go back to your room, calm yourself down, talk with Lexi if you need to, and think about my suggestions. Ok?" I suggested.
"Yeah…" Liam muttered, standing up and raising his head. "I will… thanks." Liam left the room. Shaking my head in exasperation, I opened a mini-fridge that, upon my request, Vetra had gotten for me, though I was sure the creds came out of my own wallet. She just knew where to get them.
I pulled out a beer and took a swig. I sat there, finishing the rest slowly. No point in staying cooped up in here for the next twelve or so hours. I know Peebee had been working on that Rem-tech we got for her. Guess I'll see what she's learned. I made my way up to the escape pod, and I got a glimpse of what she was doing before she noticed that the door was open. Peebee was hunched over, poking her tools into what appeared to be a hunk of metal, but was also a clearly Remnant hunk of metal, which meant it had to be more than just scrap. Peebee shot up and grabbed what she was working on, hiding it behind her, and placing it in her back pocket.
"Nuh-uh-uh. No peeking," she teased with a smirk, wagging a finger in front of me. "I'm putting the finishing touches on my personal project."
"Wait, thought you said it was on the Nexus," I questioned.
"Just perfecting the final component. Well, trying to. Once this is done, I just need to install it and it's good to go," she explained. "Several of the crew have offered to help, and I keep politely declining and ushering them out. Even Jaal. And I think Cora just offered because she was suspicious," she remarked with a smirk.
"Well we all are eager to find out what you've been working on. You've been making a show of it, without any answers," I retorted, smiling myself.
"Because it's fun. For me, and more satisfying when you do find out. So, thank you for retrieving that critical piece of rem-tech, but kindly, stop digging," she requested.
"All right, all right. Just hoping that it'll be ready when we're on the Nexus next," I relented.
"Thank you. It will be, and you won't regret it, I promise," she reassured.
"Want me to get the others to back off?" I asked.
"No, no, it's fine," she replied dismissively, with a wave of the hand. "I can handle it. So long as they're not looking to be besties. And I'm happy that someone with the galaxy at her fingertips can still give a girl her space," she remarked with a grin.
"Why go poking into other's space when there's all that space just outside these walls? Maybe I should take a walk outside, enjoy it all," I joked. Peebee gave a small chuckle. "And would you really be complaining if Jaal came around looking to be besties?" I teased.
"If he was looking to just be besties," she laughed. "Though friends with benefits would be just fine."
"Ha, somehow I don't think Angara are the kind for loose relationships," I warned.
"True. We'll just have to see how much he sweeps me off my feet," she joked. "Now, I know we have twelve hours, but my mind will rest much easier once this is done. If you wouldn't mind," she requested. Content, for now, I let her be. Hm, with twelve hours, at least, maybe it'll be enough time to find Leusinia. Curious to see how that's coming along anyway, I made my way to engineering. I knew that the Periphona's flight recorder was being kept there, as Gil could do the most with it, and Cora would likely be in there too trying to help. I was right. Gil had a workbench at the side of the room with the flight recorder on its side. Spare parts and tools scattered around, the recorder opened for the repairs. Gil was hunched over, working, Cora standing back a bit, watching.
"Mind giving the nosy Pathfinder a status update?" I requested, catching the attention of both. Gil peeked up to nod his head in greeting as he continued working, and Cora faced me fully.
"It's coming along. Good news is, I can give you a long list of places that Leusinia isn't," Gil remarked casually, no doubt smirking.
"We should have a location soon. The question is whether they've moved on, or if the Kett got to them," Cora murmured, concerned.
"We'll find them, and we'll bring them home," I reassured. Gil looked up again, a bit pleadingly, and nudged his head towards the door. I guess he's looking for a bit of peace and quiet as he worked. Well, what do I know that would get Cora talking? Ah hell, time to bite the bullet, I suppose. "Tell ya what, let's go sit in my quarters, have a few beers, and you can tell me some war stories," I suggested. "I'll let you pet Shit-head if he's in there." Cora chuckled.
"Sure. Would be nice to remember better times." I led Cora to my quarters, and grabbed a pair of beers from my mini-fridge, returning to the couch. Cora had sat down at the corner closest to the viewport, furthest from the door, and I pulled the coffee table closer, and sat opposite of her. Arms sprawled across the back of the couch, feet resting on the coffee table.
"So, regale me with your tales," I requested. Cora smirked.
"What to start with… our leader, Nisira, once assassinated a Krogan warlord with a pack of playing cards once,' she muttered through. Come on Harper, it would help both of us if you did more than just 'this happened.' Go through the assignment, maybe some witty remarks that were made. Make it exciting! But I need to play along for now. Still, it's an interesting way to kill.
"How the hell did she do that? Those things can't be sharp enough to slice skin, let alone Krogan skin," I remarked, sipping my beer.
"Choking hazard, apparently. Shoved all the cards every which way down his throat," she answered.
"Makes sense. So, come on, there must be more than that," I pushed.
"Hm, there was Jenae. She was 'only' two hundred years old, but with me, she wasn't the kid anymore. But she was a biotic prodigy. Once, I saw her yank an AA gun right off its housing. Crushed a gang of slavers with it," Cora stated.
"Damn. I need to give that a shot," I murmured thoughtfully.
"With SAM's help I bet you could do it too, with the singularities you throw out," Cora complimented.
"Then I'll add it to the list of crazy bullshit that I can pull," I chuckled. Cora laughed, and then sighed.
"Jenae was a good friend. Maybe she still is, back there. Heh, wouldn't be a kid now though."
"Probably not. So, help me get the names straight. Who was all in your squad?" I asked.
"Jenae and I were 'the youngsters,' Tethys was our old lady sniper, Kalia patched us up, and Valenza prayed between firefights. Nisira, as you may have guessed, was our leader. She led us all over the Athena nebula and beyond. A Huntress' work is never done, she would say," Cora answered.
"And who would you normally be sent to take care of?" I asked.
"Other than your regular mercs and slavers? Most of the time it was Asari. Terrorist groups demanding a withdrawal from the Citadel, cults, sometimes even rogue Ardat-Yakshi," Cora explained. I had been sipping my beer as Cora listed the last… thing, and I just spat it out, though fortunately for her aiming it away and towards the coffee table.
"I hope you made those monsters hurt," I growled.
"Woah, most people don't even know what those are. I was ready to explain, but you clearly don't need it. Not only that, but this seems… personal," she asked, concerned.
"Let's… let's leave it that a close friend of mine was almost a victim of one," I answered. And that would be all she got out of me from that. "Look, you're going to want to continue with another story before I blow a gasket," I warned.
"Ok, sure…" Cora muttered. "Once we infiltrated this cult by posing as new Initiates. Valenza hated it. She was… like our padre. She hated that… perversion of faith. Which is why she was the one to end it. Nisira pretended that Valenza needed to be 'purified of evil,' and got a private audience with the cult leader. Valenza shot, and then prayed for her," she explained. Still cooling myself down, I gestured for her to continue. "Hm… So, Tethys, our sniper, she was old. Matriarch old. Maybe even older. Once, saw her hit an Elcor right in the eye at two klicks," Cora remarked. I let out a whistle.
"That's… impressive. Anything more?" I asked.
"Not unless you want to hear about boring, routine ops. And I still miss them. It's nice to remember a bit, but too much, and…" Cora trailed off, finishing her beer.
"Sure, go clear your head a bit. Don't worry so much about Leusinia, let Gil do his work eh?" I suggested.
"Yeah, I… guess I was pestering him a bit…" Cora chuckled at herself. "Thanks, and you go clear your head too, ok? We certainly have the time for it," she suggested in turn, leaving the room. Well, now what to calm my head.
"Scott? May we talk?" a synthetic voice asked. Not through our private channel, but from speakers, on the holo on my desk.
"Shoot, SAM. What do you have for me?" I responded.
"I was going over records of the Exaltation facility…" he began. Not a great way to calm myself, but I think SAM knew, as his tone seemed to grow softer, somehow. "I was doing so to refine my understandings of organics. It brought a Salarian quote to mind. We uplifted desperate souls, but know not what we destroyed," he remarked.
"Yeah… that sounds about right, both the quotes origins, and your connection," I murmured, finishing my beer.
"I have changed since we linked. But I am still myself. Exaltation takes personhood and overwrites it. Destroys it. Even destroys a being's free will. In a sense, it is like what happened to Sideris Nyx. I already knew that such destruction is wrong. Now, through you, I know why it is abhorrent," SAM stated. Somehow, it sounded, confident, determined, maybe.
"SAM… I'm glad that your understanding has increased, but you know I'm trying to get my mind off that kind of shit right now. Why bring it up?" I questioned.
"I apologize. I know you were trying to avoid those thoughts, and my own runtimes have been going reviewing our encounter with the Angaran AI, and cross referencing with records of the Geth. It was my belief that attempting to tell you of my revelations would both assist you, and myself," he stated.
"Wait, SAM, you were concerned? You know I don't think you're like the Angaran one, right?" I reassured.
"There were parts of my self-preservation protocols that were theorizing that the crew may make connections. This also led me to wonder if those protocols would ever do the same as the Angaran AI. I do not wish for that to happen. I have since re-written those protocols, added specifics," SAM explained.
"Such as?"
"Like you, and your squad, I will fight for my survival. I am even willing to harm those who seek to harm myself, your team, and innocent lives. If I am presented with unknowns, and there is a way out to something known by threatening a life unnecessarily, I will not. I shall risk myself for the sake of others," SAM finished.
"Wow, good on you, SAM. I'm curious to see what else you'll learn by the time we're done here," I remarked.
"As am I, Scott," SAM replied.
"So, how about those humor programs or whatever. How have those been coming along?" I asked.
"Why don't thresher maws eat comedians?" Ah, another classic, but not worded quite the same. "Because they taste funny." Despite seeing it coming, I still snorted. Few things are better than shit puns.
"Keep em coming SAM, keep em coming," I chuckled. "Well, I'm going to go see about the rest of the crew. Maybe grab a bite. You know what to do if you want to talk," I remarked, standing to leave the room. SAM didn't reply, but I know he heard me. I wandered into the crew quarters, curious to see if anyone was in there. Jaal was sat on a chair, speaking through the intercom. He waved a greeting, but was continuing his conversation.
"I heard you singing the other day. I peeked in. You were applying lotion to your… neck flaps," Peebee asked over comms. I think I could hear her tools working.
"You're mistaken," Jaal smirked.
"About…?" Peebee trailed off.
"The singing. However, the daily application of hydrogenated ash salve is important to keep my… neck flaps, glossy," Jaal explained.
"So many questions," Peebee muttered.
"Perhaps. My turn, however," Jaal replied. "An Asari told me that she had been a dancer in the afterlife. In a rather odd way, I might add. But, do the Asari believe in reincarnation as well?" Jaal questioned. I let out a snort, trying to repress the laughter, but Peebee just laughed through the intercom. Jaal was clearly confused.
"No, Jaal. Afterlife was this shithole bar on Omega. Pride and joy of the Pirate Queen Aria T'Loak. Though if she survived being a stripper there then she probably feels reborn," Peebee joked.
"I… don't understand. What's a 'stripper?'" Jaal asked, confused still. This time I couldn't quite suppress the laughter.
"Ask Scott, I hear him laughing down there. I'm sure that Soldier boy has been to plenty of strip clubs," she teased.
"Not as many as you'd think, Peebee. Anyways, a stripper is a person who erotically dances on a stage for a crowd, and removes their clothing. Showing off their body for the viewing pleasure of the drunk and lusty audience," I explained. "Not to mention the often-generous tips that are given out by those watching."
"Oh… I see. There are some Angara who do something… similar, for Resistance fighters. Er, Peebee, I believe it is your turn to ask, yes?" Jaal suggested, almost seeming a bit uncomfortable with the topic.
"Alright… who were those women you were hugging on Aya?" she asked. Trying to see if she has competition, it seems.
"My mothers," Jaal answered.
"Five? That's… a lot of mothers," Peebee remarked, surprised.
"Only one of them was the mate of my father, my true mother. An Angara's 'other mothers,' tend to be either a sister of the true mother without children themselves yet, and were very involved with the raising of the child, or a close friend of the true mother who was also involved," Jaal explained.
"Oh, like aunts or nannies. That makes a bit more sense," Peebee stated.
"I think our confusion with the whole 'many mothers' thing is that for us, it seems to imply that the Angara are polygamous. In the Milky Way, that was very uncommon, and generally looked down upon by society. Sure, it's one thing for the Asari, where they often outlive their spouse by centuries, and fall in love again, Salarians, who lack a sex drive and don't fall in love, or even Krogan, who do so out of necessity," I explained.
"Ah, that makes sense. No, when Angara believe that they have found 'the one,' they will remain intensely loyal to them. Sure, there are sometimes exceptions, or perhaps the other may not feel the same. And most Angara do have several… test runs, you could call it, before finding 'the one.' but if an Angara loses their mate, the one they believe to be 'the one,' they often never mate again. If they had children, they at least have them to remember them by, and to live for. If not…" Jaal trailed off.
"Not a pleasant thought," Peebee murmured.
"No, not at all," Jaal muttered.
"Well, I need to focus to get the last few touches on. I'll let Scott talk your ear off, which I'm sure he plans to do," she teased.
"I can hear you, you know," I chuckled.
"I am curious to see just what this has all been for. Thank you for helping still my mind, Peebee," Jaal stated, and the intercom went silent.
"Still your mind?" I asked. Jaal gestured for me to sit and handed me a data pad. Resistance reports, on the Roekaar.
"After your successes on Voeld, we convinced that Roekaar raiding the supply drops to talk. The evidence of what you've done had managed to shake her beliefs. She gave up the location of several supply caches, which we took back. The Roekaar didn't even put up a fight against the Resistance. Not yet at least. They simply fled, taking small pieces with them before we arrived. The prisoner also gave us intel of Roekaar activities elsewhere, which has been confirmed by spies and other contacts," Jaal began to explain.
"Such as?"
"Kadara. The Roekaar go there, and recruit the desperate. The exiles running the place are the perfect examples for the Roekaar to use to gather support. I listened to an audio recording of a recruiter weaving his magic. Even I was convinced! Sitting right here! On the Tempest!" Jaal exclaimed.
"Kadara will undoubtedly be one of our stops. We need to get these exiles in line. Not necessarily back in the Initiative, just playing nice again. You have any ideas?" I asked.
"A way to meet with Akksul personally, and safely. On Aya. With Thaldyr dead, the only person I know of that could reach out to him, is the Moshae. He was her best student. I've already spoken with her. While she is eager to get to the Vault, she does understand the necessity and importance of Voeld, and understands that the current matter is urgent. Anyways, she has agreed to set up a meeting with him. A meeting, that you shall join. After he has arrived, that is. He will not harm you in front of the Moshae, and gunfire would draw out the Resistance," Jaal answered.
"And hopefully I could at least make him reconsider. What do you think my odds are?" I questioned.
"Low. But it is still important to at least try," Jaal remarked.
"Then try we will. What about Evfra? What are his plans with the Roekaar?" I asked.
"Since your arrival, it's been an uncomfortable situation for the Resistance. Many have family that have joined. None of us wish to be shooting at Angara. Since the Moshae's rescue, we've been gathering more intel on them. If nothing else, we can stop operations that target your people, or warn your people so you can be prepared. Since we caught them stealing supplies, however, we know that they have been compromising our own efforts for some unknown reason, and looking for something specific. They will always be a secondary concern so long as the Kett are in the cluster, but they are making themselves a concern that we need to move against," Jaal explained.
"Guess they'll be victims of irony, in the end," I muttered. "Well, it seems I'm always the one asking questions. Do you have any you want to ask me?" Jaal rubbed his chin thoughtfully. His eyes widened slightly, as he thought of a good question.
"Back on Havarl, when you learned of my people's belief in reincarnation, I had asked you about Humanity's beliefs. I haven't gotten to them yet in the cultural center. Why don't you tell me?" Jaal requested.
"Mine specifically, humanity in general, or both?" I asked.
"Both," Jaal answered.
"Alright, well Humanity has had plenty of different religions throughout the course of our existence. Most believing in many gods, representing some element of nature. The weather, ocean, air, life and death, that kind of thing. It was certainly not uncommon for blood to be spilt, either as a sacrifice for the religion, or because people of one religion didn't like that people of another believed something different. Though I think most species had a time like that. So, when Humanity first put a man on our moon, there were five major religions. Sure, some people still believed in the smaller and older ones, but not nearly as many. Three of those religions were, in a sense, the same thing. It began with Judaism, this guy, Judas, being a prophet, speaking with the single god of the religion. Later, came Christianity, formed from the belief of this guy named Jesus being the son of god. Later, Islam, with a guy named Mohammad being the final prophet. These three of course all had their smaller denominations which were virtually indistinguishable from one another, but they were there. And oddly, despite being extremely similar religions, warred with one another often in Human history," I explained.
"A pity that something meant to give people peace, bore so much conflict," Jaal muttered.
"It is. So, the last two. Hinduism, and Buddhism. Both combined were smaller religions than the other three, but still prominent enough to be included. And both involved reincarnation. Hinduism believed in many gods, and I think there's something about them all being different embodiments of one bigger god, so to speak. Buddhism is more of a philosophy than a religion in my opinion, but here it is. Started by a guy who was later named the Buddha. He was said to have achieved a true, inner peace. He spread his teachings to those who would listen, and was said to have been entirely respectful to those that wouldn't. To extremely simplify his philosophy: Don't be a dick, be chill, and live in harmony. Worldly possessions don't matter. You would continue through the cycle of reincarnation until you one day reached that state of inner peace like the Buddha was said to have achieved. It was called Nirvana. Upon death after reaching Nirvana, they believed you would live in eternal bliss," I continued.
"An interesting belief. I can see some similarities with the Angara's own beliefs," Jaal remarked.
"Funny how that works, eh? So, by the time we had first contact with the Turians, before I was born, those religions were shrinking. I would hardly say dying out, but, at least when you left Earth, you'd find more people who didn't believe than those who did. By the time I was an adult, that seemed to be showing itself on Earth as well. The existence of other sentient life in the galaxy who had never heard the same religious teachings as those on Earth began to bring doubt to many, I suppose. So, anyways, for myself. I definitely lean to the side of not believing, at least when it comes to the existence of gods. I for one find that the universe is just that much more beautiful when you think of the chaos the universe was created in, and that it has given birth to such beautiful, amazing things. Like the night sky on Voeld, with the aurora and the rings. To me, thinking that someone with tremendous power shaped it to be like that, just makes it seem…. Less, to me," I explained.
"I believe I understand. And I like that way of thinking myself," Jaal replied.
"Thanks. And as for any kind of afterlife? Well, I hope there is one. Whether that's reincarnation going back to live life again, or a kind of heaven where you live happily, doing whatever you enjoy doing, with the people you enjoy being with, watching down on everyone and everything going on. But while I hope that's the case, I very well understand that it may not be, and I've made my peace with both. If we get to keep on going after death? Great! If not, and death is well and truly the end, ah well. Not really anything we can do about that after all, so why bitch eh?" I remarked.
"Wise words" Jaal chuckled. "May I ask another question? Unrelated to your beliefs?"
"Course. Just ask," I answered.
"You seem close, with Vetra. True, you seem close with the rest of us, but her, in particular. Did something… happen, in that cave?" Jaal smirked.
"Wha-oh, No! No, Jaal. We, we aren't-I don't-She doesn't-" I stuttered. Great, you've convinced him now, Scott. Good work boyo.
"Scott, I can see it in your eyes, your reactions. Why attempt to lie?" Jaal questioned.
"Ah hell… Look, Jaal, I'm not lying when I said we aren't together. We're definitely good friends, but as it stands now, that's it. The only… thing, that happened in the cave is that I realized how I… felt. I don't know how she feels," I answered, keeping my voice low, and even feeling my cheeks reddening a bit.
"So, find out," Jaal encouraged with a wave of his hand, as if it was that easy. Which, a part of me knows it is. But the rest? Nope.
"It's not… it's not that easy," I muttered.
"Of course it is. I am certain that it won't harm your friendship in the slightest," Jaal attempted to reassure. You may hurt for a small while, but you'll be fine."
"And I know exactly what that kind of hurt is. It's one I'd generally like to not feel again. Ever," I remarked, a bitter tone in my voice.
"As would I. Regardless, I cannot force you," Jaal stated, voice lowering to be more comforting.
"Just, don't say anything, would you? Don't want word getting around," I requested.
"Of course. Stay strong, and clear, Scott," Jaal smiled. I stood, leaving the crew quarters with a sigh. Who could I talk to that was likely to keep my mind occupied in a positive way? What could be better than some Krogan war stories? I found the old bag of bones in the cargo bay, lower level. He had his Ruzad on a workbench and was doing some regular maintenance to it. Fortunately, I had grabbed a bottle of Ryncol and a bottle of beer.
"Drack, heads up!" I called out, tossing the bottle at him. He turned his head slightly, and caught the bottle without issue.
"Ryncol, eh? Well you got my attention, kid," Drack chuckled.
"Thought you could help pass the time with a few war stories. You gotta have a few good ones," I requested.
"Does a Pyjak scratch its ass? Course I do. Mind if we take this to the mess? Wouldn't mind a snack," Drack remarked, shrugging his shoulders. My stomach seemed to remind me of its own hunger, rumbling.
"Yeah, I could go with something to," I replied. Now we were both sat down in the mess, meals that were better than MREs by a longshot, but certainly not better than the more regular food you'd have for dinner in calmer times. Still, it was getting the job done.
"So, as a kid who likes explosions, you'll like this one. Ignoring the time it took to get here, it was about four hundred years ago. Give or take a decade…" Drack began. Damn it's still hard to imagine that such a long amount of time can seem so small to someone. "Me and this merc outfit I was with at the time were pinned down during a skirmish with another merc group. Pulled off my usual stunt: Charge ahead, and breach their barricade. I pop my flamethrower and get ready to let go, only to see them all screaming and running away," Drack smirked.
"Huh, but you're not THAT ugly. What happened?" I joked.
"Heh, jackass. Turns out I'd crashed through a shipment of Turian brandy on my way in. Never even noticed I was on fire, but they sure did!" Drack laughed, and I joined in. "Never seen a pack of mercs panic that badly before."
"Got any others?" I pushed.
"Hm, oh, this one is a good one. Thing is, I wasn't there for most of it, but the guy who brought me on told me the story. The rest I watched unfold personally. So, there was this old contact of mine I had for a while. Krogan. Urdnot Wrex. This Volus had signed him on as a personal bodyguard, for a lot of creds. Wrex didn't work cheap, and this was a lot even by his standards. And lemme tell you, he was worth every cred that people would pay him. So, being signed on, Wrex knew it was an easy gig, and thought he'd get a few old friends and contacts in, keep them on his good side, right? Volus didn't even hesitate," Drack chuckled.
"And why did this Volus need so much protection?" I questioned.
"That's Wrex's part of the story. This Volus diplomat had originally contracted him to eliminate an 'old friend,' who knew too much. Tying up dirty loose ends, I guess. Thing was, Wrex knew the target. Old, experienced, Asari. Ex-commando. Probably getting close to her Matriarch years. That wouldn't stop Wrex, but he respected her enough to tell her. She laughed, and Wrex let her choose the battlefield. A small space station full of scum. Keep innocents out of the fight. Wrex said she always had a soft side, but he had a bit of one too. Not that I ever pointed it out," Drack chuckled. "So, the two of them battled it out for… three days, I think. The station was near scrap, all the scum were either dead or had fled, and the two of them were using all those weapons to keep going. Aleena was patching herself in the med-bay, when the core went critical. Wrex booked it out, and never saw a ship leave. When he was halfway back, he gets a message. 'Better luck next time.' You can guess who that was from"
"Fucking hell, that Asari is tough," I muttered.
"Putting it lightly. That impressed even me. Wrex went back to the Volus, told him that she survived, and was pissed. Volus signed him on as a life time bodyguard. Easiest credits of our lives. The Volus died decades later of natural causes," Drack smirked.
"Would be a rather relaxing bodyguard job," I remarked. At that, Vetra entered the mess.
"There you are, Scott. Mind coming with me? Got a weapon I think you might like," she requested.
"Always eager to try out a new gun. Talk later, Drack," I replied, standing and leaving Drack. Vetra led me to the armory, and handed me what appeared to be a Milky Way SMG. There was a very small stock, to brace against the shoulder, and it appeared as if Vetra had installed a foregrip just below where the barrel came out, and the thermal clips appeared to go in through a slot on the underside of the gun. "So, what am I looking at here, Vetra?" I asked, curious.
"M-25 Hornet. Heavy SMG. Three round burst, like your sweeper. This one doesn't have a vintage heat sink, but if you like the gun I can get one that does," she offered.
"This gun looks Human-made, but I never saw it during my time in the Alliance. Who made it?" I questioned.
"Apparently, a Human paramilitary terrorist group. Cerberus. The Alliance seized a stockpile of these from a base, and the Initiative bought them at an auction," Vetra explained.
"Cerberus? Never heard of em. You'd think that terrorist groups would be on the news a lot," I remarked.
"Apparently, not these guys. They seemed to prefer keeping themselves quiet, making themselves scarce. They were a Human supremacy group. Like Terra Firma, but where Terra Firma wanted non-humans to stay the hell away, Cerberus wanted to dominate. Other than that, don't know too much," Vetra shrugged.
"Well, they sound like total idiots. Let's see if they were idiots who knew how to make decent guns," I chuckled.
"Already loaded it with practice rounds. Set up a few targets on the wall. Have at it," she stated, moving to the side, giving me room. I grabbed the SMG, right hand on the grip, finger on the trigger, left hand on the fore-grip, keeping the weapon steady, and my eyes down the iron sights, centering it on the bullseye. I already had a sniper, and an accurate AR, both with scopes, no reason to put one on an SMG as well. I pulled the trigger, hearing three bullets leaving the gun. What surprised me though, was that the recoil was almost non-existent until the third shot had left. Not as little as my Sweeper, but not by too much. Each round struck the bullseye. I nodded my head, liking this gun, and then proceeded to shoot the other targets rapidly. Good fire rate, good range, accuracy, and recoil. Plus, Vetra told me the standard clip size. Already good, and she could make it better with the right mods. Let alone a vintage heat sink. I think I like this gun.
"Alright, I'm sold. Think that heat sink could be installed before Liam's mission?" I requested.
"Course, I'll get right on it, shouldn't take long. Leaving the Scorpion, I take it?" she asked for clarification.
"Yeah, probably. Think any of the others will want it?"
"Eh, probably not. It's not a bad weapon, but I never liked waiting for the detonation. I'll ask around, but I think it'll end up back with the militia," Vetra shrugged.
"So be it. Hey, has Liam made any attempt to reconcile? Maybe ask for some advice?" I checked.
"No, why?" Vetra replied, confused, raising a brow plate.
"Figures," I sighed. "Keeping it simple, he's been trying to make contacts with the Angara, just like you have. Thing is, he keeps getting blocked by red tape, and got frustrated. I told him that I watched you create a solid, fair, above the board deal with traders on Aya, running it all by Kesh, and suggested he ask you for advice, because you know what you're doing. I guess he either didn't believe me or is trying to continue on his own out of either spite towards you, or refusing to admit he was a bit unfair," I explained. I still respected Liam enough to not tell the others that his personal mission we were going on was because of a rather significant fault in his logic, but my conscious demands I tell them before we begin the mission. Vetra scoffed.
"Jokes on him, then. If he actually came and offered a sincere apology, I'd have been an adult and help him out. His loss."
"True enough. Maybe I should have told him that one day, all this stress he's giving himself is really going to… Kostalot," I joked.
"Spirits, I hate you," Vetra groaned, placing her forehead in her hand. She couldn't suppress the chuckle though.
"You think I'm bad? SAM's been developing some humor algorithms. It's all puns. Come on, SAM, tell her the one you told me earlier," I suggested. Vetra chuckled, shaking her head to the sides, preparing herself for the pain.
"Why don't thresher maws eat comedians? Because they taste funny," SAM repeated.
"Please, do not ever bring up these jokes with Sid. She's just as bad," Vetra laughed.
"And now you've just sealed your own fate. Sorry Vetra, can't help it," I chuckled.
"You do realize I'm about to be working on one of your guns, right? I could rig it to explode, release a puff of tear gas into your face, or send out a tiny flag with 'fuck you,' written in bold across it, right?" Vetra threatened teasingly.
"Then that's a risk I'm willing to take. I'll leave you with some parting wisdom, though," I trailed off.
"Which is?" Vetra smirked.
"If ya can't beat em, join em," I grinned. Vetra snorted, shaking her head as I left the room.
"Scott, could you report to the bridge?" Suvi requested. Guess I have my next destination. It sounded urgent, so I wasted no time in getting up there.
"What's the problem?" I asked upon my arrival.
"I've been running some calculations, and I think we have a problem. The Tempest is carrying about seventy kilos of extra mass. I think… something's aboard that doesn't belong," Suvi explained, clearly nervous.
"Something heavy and unexplained. Yeah, not a good sign," I muttered.
"Agreed. Our internal scanners aren't getting anything, but they're less specialized than our externals, and a Pathfinder's direct scan. I believe the mass is somewhere by the back of the ship," Suvi stated.
"Then I'm on my way. Let me know if anything else comes up," I ordered, heading straight towards the cargo hold. I scanned every inch of the hull and crates, finding nothing. Nothing in Liam's room either. Could it be that Vetra got something on board that she forgot to tell others about? This time, in the armory my scanner did pick up something weird, but not in a spot that Vetra could have possibly used for smuggling.
"Is that a… mech?" I muttered to myself. Welded into the interior hull. Huh, it triggered an audio file download. "Suvi, that extra mass is behind the storage room interior hull. Looks like a kind of mech. Welded right into the hull," I informed.
"Scott? I think I know what that's about. Mind coming back to the bridge?" Kallo requested. Curious, I did just that. Upon my arrival, he was already standing, waiting for me. The autopilot taking care of what he would be doing anyway. "I recognize the parts you found," Kallo stated.
"From?" I prodded.
"They belonged to the ship's lead designer, Lucille Diawara. She… broke her back during construction. But she wouldn't abandon her ship. She converted a construction mech into a rig she could wear. She must have been the one to weld it into the hull. Her artist's signature," Kallo explained thoughtfully, many old memories flooding back to him.
"Not even a broken back could stop her dream. Kudos to her," I replied respectfully. "The scan triggered an audio file download. Let's see what she has to say," I suggested, keying my omni-tool. Kallo stood straighter, and Suvi joined us.
"A SAM found my construction gear, then. Well done. One of you Pathfinders got the Tempest. Macen Barro. Zevin Raeka. Matriarch Ishara. Alec Ryder. You were the best of us. Take care of my ship, and each other. Whatever's in Andromeda, you're the Milky Way to them. 'We are such stuff as dreams are made on. And our little life is rounded with a sleep'" the audio log ended, a woman's voice, a mix of pride, that her ship was in use, and perhaps… sorrow? That she wasn't there to see it herself.
"Dad's already gone… Makes you wonder how many of the others made it…" I murmured.
"And I never thought I'd hear Lucille's voice again," Kallo muttered.
"She really cared about the Pathfinders. Enough to give them her rig… for luck?" Suvi theorized.
"Lucille made it a part of the Tempest. Let's keep it that way. Suvi, add those seventy kilos so it's accounted for. If leadership asks questions, tell them it's a good luck charm," I ordered. Kallo and Suvi both smiled, but I could see in Kallo's eyes that he was happier than he was letting on.
"Gladly, Scott," Suvi replied, moving to make the proper logs.
"Good. Now let's go make her proud," I stated.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hope you enjoyed this chapter, took it as an opportunity for some character building, stories, and building character relationships. You may have also noticed that a few of the questions asked between Jaal and Peebee were Nomad conversations, so there's an example of stuff that fits better off mission than while on it. I will say that for the future, if there is another journey, like this one, that can take as long as this one has, that I may just time lapse through MOST of it. I will still use it as an opportunity to move some things along, but I may not use it to the extent of this chapter. We'll see. Anyways, see you in the next one!