A/N: And today, we continue on our journey through the Obschesto. What shall it bring today? Let's find out, shall we?
Chapter Thirty-Six
Kalo was cuffed to a table rather quickly. He offered no resistance, but nevertheless he shot a baleful glance at the exions as they stepped back. He took the opportunity to glance around the room, seeing that there was not much in the way of security. He noticed a security camera in the corner, but that was about it. Kalo flexed his fingers, exhaling deeply as he turned his gaze straight ahead.
He thought back to the journey to this small room. He had been placed in a car with no windows, of course, and his view through the windshield had been obscured by a sheet directly attached to the back seats of the vehicle he had been transported in. It was a rather quiet trip, though the silence was almost more unbearable than when the exions spoke to him. He only heard hushed whispers, Kalo unable to capture the various fragments.
Nevertheless, Kalo went with it. And there he was, sitting and waiting for... he knew not what it was he waited for.
A door opened just behind him. He turned, seeing an aged human-looking man with stark white hair. This stranger bowed his head to the exions around Kalo, the quarian watching as the exions then exited the room. One exion looked at the old man, but the old man only nodded, giving him a thumbs up in reply. The exion promptly left the room, the doors closing behind him.
The older man then stepped forward, looking down at Kalo. The quarian wanted to say his face was kindly, but there was something insincere. He was not sure if it was the way his eyebrows quirked or the way his eyes seemed dim even for the lighting of the room, but Kalo noticed there was something off about this man.
"Hello," he said. "Can I have the pleasure of your name?"
Kalo frowned. "That depends," he said quietly. "I do not have a reason to give it to you."
"Not yet," the older man replied. He shifted his posture, one hand resting on the table. "I should introduce myself. I am Doctor Merath. I'm the main researcher here at the Imperial Research Labs."
"Imperial Research..." Kalo frowned. "So this is a state science center."
"Yes," said Doctor Merath. "Funded by the Shardan line themselves."
Kalo shifted. "I was not aware that there was a monarchy that still operated," Kalo replied.
The doctor nodded. "Not many from your galaxy would," he said. He then leaned forward. "But, it is fortuitous that you are here. You see... we have been watching your galaxy for many years."
"I believe I have gathered that much from what I have seen here," said Kalo. "But why am I here? Where are my friends?"
"Your friends are of no significance to us," said the doctor. "You are, however, given that you are a quarian." He then began to walk around the table. "Tell me, quarian, have you ever heard of Tali'Zorah?"
"The admiral's daughter, yes," said Kalo. "Why?"
"You know she is allied with our dear prince, yes?" the doctor asked. "They grew quite... close. But we have been watching the quarians for a while. We have seen their plight, Kalo." He turned, gazing at a point Kalo felt was just outside the room. "It is a sad plight. A people, forced to live on a fleet, never having a true home. We know of such a situation ourselves."
"Oh?" Kalo asked. "I doubt your people were nearly wiped out by genocidal machines."
"Electronic entities," said Doctor Merath. "Regardless, that does not change the fact that you have been ousted from your home, and forced to wear those... suits."
Kalo looked down at his hands. "What do you want?" he asked.
Doctor Merath turned away, before walking in front of the table Kalo was cuffed to. "I do not want anything," he said. "However, the guys upstairs asked me to make you an offer." He then stepped back. "You are a lone quarian. I assume you are on Pilgrimage?"
"Yes," said Kalo. "Why?"
"We have a great Pilgrimage gift for you," the doctor said. He then leaned forward. "Though I believe you have heard of it."
"The formula..." Kalo leaned forward. "So it exists."
"Yes," said the doctor. "We would have given it to Tali'Zorah, but circumstances... changed."
"Changed?" asked Kalo. "Changed how?"
"Tali'Zorah was... injured," the doctor said. "If not for Jon'ison Shardan's use of the cure on her at the opportune time, it would have resulted in her death. So alas, she had no physical sample to give to the Fleet." He then looked directly at Kalo. "However, we have another way. You."
Kalo frowned. "You wish for me to deliver this cure to my Fleet?" he asked. "After everything you have done to detain me?"
The doctor paused, smiling at Kalo. He knew it was meant to be friendly, but something was off about it as well. "I do not know what my superiors are thinking, myself," he said. "Though, I suppose I can see their reasoning. It will be difficult to speak to another quarian after this, we know, but... We want there to be no hard feelings. We wish to help Tali's people, with an alliance that will strengthen us both." He then leaned forward. "As a token of our good will, we have the formula ready for you."
He then pulled out a small grey pouch. It was sealed, the quarian frowning slightly as he leaned forward. "What is that?" he asked.
"The formula," said the doctor. "Nanomachines, mixed with various mutagens. The nanomachines are there to ensure the mutagens do what they're supposed to."
"So it is a controlled rewrite of our DNA..." said the quarian.
"Exactly," said the doctor. "At worst, you will only feel sore for a few days. But in time, you will feel healthy. And soon, you will be able to leave those suits." He then leaned forward. An alliance with the quarian people, in exchange for creating one of the greatest boons the quarians could ask for."
Kalo breathed in, looking up at the doctor. "And you are offering this with no strings attached," he said.
"No strings," Doctor Merath replied.
"And you expect me to abandon my friends," Kalo replied.
Doctor Merath frowned, before gently setting the pouch on the table. "Think about it," he began. "Your friends, or the well-being of your people? Isn't it true that, with a bolstered immune system, the quarians could settle anywhere in the galaxy? It would be a chance to rebuild, change their social stigma." He then leaned forward. "We may even have a few worlds your people can settle into. And we promise you, we will not scorn you the way the Council did."
Kalo paused. "That is true..." The quarian leaned back. "But I still do not understand why you did not just approach us with this directly. You know Tali, why not give it to her?"
"I told you why," said the doctor.
"That was not my question." Kalo leaned forward. "You could have sent the cure to her with an envoy, no? Why enlist me?"
"She is... busy," said Doctor Merath. "It is actually above my pay grade to know what it is she is doing, but she is on a very important mission."
Kalo leaned forward. "From the Fleet?" he asked.
"No," said Doctor Merath. "But it will have an impact on the Fleet."
And then Kalo frowned. What... that is treason! He breathed in. Why would the daughter of an admiral commit treason? This...
The doctor leaned closer. "I know what you are thinking," he said. "But it is for the greater good of the quarian people for you to do this. What she is doing is for the greater good."
"To join forces with you..." said Kalo.
"Yes," said the doctor.
Kalo paused, his fingers twitching slightly. He glanced to the side, his shoulders tensing slightly. Thoughts began to race through his head. And Tali was alright with... there is no possible way! She would never do that, not willingly! She is an admiral's daughter, and...
He shifted his posture. Something about all of this seems wrong, he thought. I do not like this one bit... He then looked up at the doctor. I wonder... Jodie knew they were hiding secrets, and I know that too. There is something he is not telling me. Why do they want...?
And then, a thought occurred to him. They have kept many secrets from me, and they are keeping secrets from me even now, he thought. What would Jodie do if she knew that...?
His hands tightened into fists. Keelah... I hope this works...
Kalo then looked the doctor directly in the eye. "I will accept your offer," he said.
The doctor smiled, clasping his hands together. "Excellent!" he said. "We hoped you would-"
And then, Kalo lifted a single finger. "On one condition," he added.
"What condition?" the doctor asked as he leaned forward. "Name your condition, we will do everything to fulfill it!"
Kalo breathed in, his eyes narrowing as he stared at Doctor Merath. The quarian then exhaled harshly, and though he knew it would do nothing to quell his heart's rapid pounding he felt more prepared.
"You are to be completely transparent with me, and with the Fleet. You tell us how the cure's nanomachines work, you tell us your intentions with the Fleet, you tell us everything. No secrets." He paused, staring the artician directly in the eyes. "That, is my condition."
Pravuil strolled up the street. He cast a glance across the way, looking at the various pedestrians moving about their day. He simply continued walking, stopping by a vehicle.
The aqueron walked a little slower than usual. Normally, his step was a little on the brisk side when he was in a civilian setting. But at that moment, he was too confused to move so quickly. His thoughts still tossed within his mind like a storm, and he simply remained quiet, hoping perhaps some motion would help.
He paused as he reached an intersection. Slowly, he turned around, looking back up at the Tayurmya. It was quite a distance away, but even on the curve of the Obschesto he could still see it in the distance. It was a rather imposing place, after all. He knew some more particulars of the design than most, about how it was intended to look intimidating no matter where in the Obschesto a person looked.
As Pravuil looked at the building, his thoughts once again turned to Sura. He was not certain what was happening to her in the Tayurmya, but he knew it was not anything pleasant. He wondered if they were already subjecting her to the worst of the tortures one could receive in the Tayurmya.
Pravuil cringed at the thought. He was intimately familiar with those torture methods, but had never thought anything of them. He was under the impression they had always been done to those who had wronged the galaxy. It was simply a way to gain information.
And yet, knowing what someone I know may be going through now... he thought. And knowing that they are not what we think...
He shook his head. I need to get these thoughts out.
He then paused, looking further up his curve of the Obschesto. Perhaps... Maybe Fu'yal is off-duty now?
The aqueron nodded, before crossing the street. His steps were faster now, filled with a renewed sense of purpose. Yes, he said. Perhaps I can tell him some of what I am thinking now...
He then looked up his curve of the Obschesto, seeing the Imperial Research Labs up ahead. The smaller white building was a welcome sight for him, though not the least because it was aesthetically much less intimidating than the Tayurmya. It was rather warm and welcoming, with various pieces of foliage on the outside of the lab. He pondered on the curves of the trenbala fronds, he looked back at the street in front of him, moving as quickly as he could through the crowd.
Yes, he thought. Perhaps she can help me sort my thoughts out.
The doctor reeled back in surprise. "Everything?" he asked.
Kalo leaned forward. "Yes, everything," he said. "We value trust on the Fleet, you know."
"No... we don't, actually," said Doctor Merath. He stepped forward, placing his hand on the table. "Everything?"
Kalo frowned. "Is my request truly so unrealistic?" he asked. "I simply want transparency between our peoples. That makes up an alliance in good faith, no?"
Doctor Merath's eyes widened. Kalo noted from the way his hands were positioned that the question had obviously caught him off guard. However, Kalo also noted how stiff the doctor's arms were: combined with the fact that the wrinkles around his left eye had furrowed a little bit, and Kalo could tell that the doctor was thinking hard on that.
"I..." The doctor's jaw clamped shut immediately.
However, Kalo had already caught the hesitation in the doctor's voice. "You hesitate," he noted.
The doctor seized up, one of his hands clenching into a fist. "I-I was simply... it's above my pay grade to authorize that," said the doctor.
"Then perhaps you can speak to someone who has the proper authority," said Kalo.
"I do not know if I could get him to do that, though," the doctor replied. "I'm... I'm just a doctor!"
Kalo leaned forward. "I am sure they could be convinced to make one concession to ensure this alliance is in good faith," the quarian replied.
"I..." The doctor clenched his fist. "I don't know anyone that high up. And that'll take some time."
And then, Kalo allowed himself a bittersweet smile. For once, he was grateful the face-mask obscured his facial expression. For in that moment, he caught the smallest tense of the doctor's shoulders, a miniscule motion anyone else would have missed. However, the way the tension remained told Kalo that the doctor was still holding something back.
"We'll think about it," the doctor finally said, and Kalo noticed the way his jaw tensed. The doctor then moved to the side, pressing an intercom button on the wall with a little more force than was necessary. "We are done here. Take him to the holding cells. There are... calls which must be made."
As a bunch of exions entered the room and uncuffed the quarian, he spared a final look at the doctor. Kalo noted the way his brows were furrowed, even as he was cuffed right back up. Kalo then turned, letting the exions lead him out of the room as he flexed his fingers.
I knew it, he thought. I must get out of here...
Kolyat had relaxed a little bit. He was still a little cold, and he suspected that such a long time would probably give him some kind of illness that he could not afford to have in these circumstances. Still, he was not clinging to his knees with nearly as much force as he had before, and when he closed his eyes he found himself able to think of better things.
Now that he knew Jodie was alright, it made it somewhat easier to swallow that he was alone. He had closed his omni-tool since the initial call and had made sure to turn it off so he could not get any more calls. The wait was still tense, but Kolyat was in somewhat better spirits than he was before. His gaze still remained on the wall, but it was easier, then.
He then heard footsteps approach. He still jumped upon hearing them, and dared not say a word until he saw someone through the end of the pipes he had hidden behind. He knew Jodie would be after him, but he had also picked up that the people of the galaxy had found where they were through a call with Kalo. He knew Jodie would help, but he dared not say anything.
The drell peeped through the pipes, tensing a little as he saw someone's legs. He breathed in nervously: he thought he recognized the patterns of denim on her pants, but he knew it was likely he was wrong about who it was. He still shifted his position, turning to face the pipes and subconsciously ducking.
The person then turned. Kolyat then saw a bright light flash in his face, the drell covering his eyes with his hands. He cried out in surprise, turning his head away from the bright light.
There was a silence after his cry died away, but in that silence, Kolyat was able to turn towards the light.
"Kolyat!"
And that was when Kolyat released tension in his shoulders he had no idea he had.
"Jodie!" He then turned, slowly beginning to crawl out of the space of pipes he hid in. He grunted, being careful not to touch the pipes with his bare skin as he looked over to Jodie. She had turned the flashlight away, and Kolyat could see her smiling at him as he crawled out. It was a slow process, but eventually, he managed to crawl his way out of the confined space of pipes.
"Kolyat," said Jodie as she helped the drell out. "I hope you're not hurt..."
Kolyat sighed, shaking his head. "Not really, no," he said. "Still a little scared." He nodded, getting to his feet. As he looked around, he saw a humanoid being with blonde hair. "I hope these are your friends."
"They're resistance fighters," said Jodie. "We can explain on the way back."
Kolyat nodded. He sighed, looking down at the pistol still attached to his hip. "Please don't ever make me kill someone again."
Jodie looked at the gun. "That's Ashley's, isn't it?" she asked.
"I asked her to try to teach me so you wouldn't have to worry about me," said Kolyat. "I don't want to talk about it. At least, not right now..."
Jodie nodded, before turning to the other person there. "Silman, we can find our way back to the car, right?"
"Yep," said Silman, Kolyat looking at him. "We can get there and be out before anyone notices."
"Good," said Jodie. "Let's get to that, then. And in the meantime, we need to start figuring out where Ashley is."
"Ashley's okay?" asked Kolyat.
"That's our hope," said Jodie. She looked to Silman. "Jile's getting ready to prepare that, right?"
"Yes," said Silman. He then looked the drell over. "Hm, so that's a drell. Never saw a real one before. They do look a lot like an aqueron, now that Jile mentioned it."
Kolyat frowned. "You're not human," he said.
"Nope," said Silman. "Artician, here. But that's not important." He then turned to Jodie. "We should get back."
"Of course," said Jodie. "Lead the way, Silman."
And with this, Silman turned, walking down the sewer corridor. Kolyat followed, his gaze turning out to the water of the sewer immediately to his left.
"I've never known such seditious thoughts to come from you of all people, my dear Pravuil."
"I know, Fu'yal. But ever since I have left that ship..."
Pravuil sighed. He leaned back into the seat, looking back at the tolahña scientist in front of him. The tolahña adjusted her lab coat, looking to the door of the broom closet they occupied. Pravuil's eyes scanned the interior again, and he breathed out in relief when he saw no surveillance devices anywhere he could look.
"I see..." Fu'yal stepped towards Pravuil. "I haven't seen you describe anyone in that great a detail."
"Well, she left an impression on me," Pravuil replied. "In a lot of ways, she almost reminded me of Selaya..."
Fu'yal's eyes widened. "You haven't talked about her in years," she said, her hands coming together quickly.
"I know..." Pravuil shifted his posture, looking up at Fu'yal. "Do you... do you think I'm exaggerating, dear Fu'yal?"
"Well..." Fu'yal sighed, leaning against a shelf as she looked at Pravuil. "I suppose some people would chalk this sudden care for your captor up to Selyman's Syndrome, but I don't think this is a case of that. But they could also be manipulative, and all of what you saw could have been an act. You know how Cerberus was."
"Cerberus never had any asari, or other aliens from that place, for that matter," Pravuil replied. "And I doubt it was an act."
"You didn't catch the tells," Fu'yal commented.
"It is more that they were never there..." Pravuil chuckled darkly. "I believed they were lying at first. I was frustrated that I was not seeing the tells from them. Initially, I thought they were so good they had been able to get rid of most of the tells I could have latched on to."
Fu'yal nodded. "And I doubt an entire galaxy could learn to hide the truth so well," she stated.
"That would be ridiculous," said Pravuil. He sighed, pulling his legs closer. "So... I don't know, Fu'yal. We know what they did to us, but... The ones I encountered on the Lying Bastard were... They are good people. For the most part, anyhow."
"It sounds like they were," said Fu'yal. "Though putting a civilian in the line of fire is not a good move."
"The way they rationalized it, they were trying to keep him close to make sure we wouldn't capture him," said Pravuil. "I suppose there is some logic to it. After all, if you can keep an eye on such a person, it makes it easier to defend him directly. It puts him in danger, but he is close enough that you can make sure he isn't endangered more than he already is."
"Still flawed logic," Fu'yal replied. "Sounds like something an optimist would do when put in command."
Pravuil chuckled. "Their leader is quite the optimist, from what I heard," he said. He shook his head. "Regardless, everything the leaders have said was contradicted by that encounter. And even if this is a rather small group, it casts doubt on their assertion that the whole is as bad as Cerberus. In hindsight, I suppose that was confirmed by whoever joined Jon'ison Shardan on the Normandy."
"Well, I wouldn't trust what they say about the Great Purge," she said. "The guys who captured you, I mean. That could be a lie as well. But from the way it sounds... It may not be so wrong of you to think of them as people. After all, they treated you well." She then paused. "I suppose it all goes to show that galaxy has its good people as well."
Pravuil nodded. "And that is not so wrong to think," he said. He then stood up. "Thank you, Fu'yal. As always, your perspective is valuable."
"Well, that's what a friend does," she said. She then smiled, patting Pravuil on the shoulder. "If you need anything else, come talk to me, yeah?"
"Of course," the aqueron replied. He then opened the door of the broom closet, gesturing for Fu'yal to exit. "After you."
The tolahña exited, Pravuil stepping out after her. And as he did, more thoughts came back to his head.
Should I have mentioned her status as a spirit-touched? he asked. That sheds worse light...
He then shook his head, before turning to Fu'yal and waving as he walked away. No. Perhaps that is for the best. If they find out I hid that information from Admiral Kalpalan... Pravuil nodded, turning to himself.
He gripped his coat in this fist, before another thought came to him. And this means, they are sending us on missions on false pretenses... He stopped in the middle of the hallway, feeling his heart constrict. They may mean well, but this is unconscionable...
The aqueron nodded, before looking around at the hallway. There were a few other scientists in the hallway, but he knew there would be no issue with them. The real issue was the technology. He noted the locations of the surveillance cameras, and knew the cameras came equipped with technology that could ensure there was no blind spot. He knew this would not be an issue, though: he had manipulated those cameras for years before he had ever been allowed to step onto the field. He knew all things came with a weakness.
He shook his head This may very well be treason, he thought. But if Fu'yal's observations were correct, my honor has been sullied. And now...
He then took a deep breath, remembering a whisper he had overheard from some scientists while walking down the hall with Fu'yal. They had said something about a quarian being detained right in the research center, to prepare him for a procedure. Pravuil had a feeling he knew what it was, and as he walked down the hallway, he began to look for a less populated area for him to sneak off.
I still have questions, he thought. Perhaps this quarian can give me answers...
And with this, he moved to a particular alcove. As soon as he was sure nobody was looking, the aqueron ducked into the alcove, and a few seconds later he vanished from sight.
Kalo sat on the floor of his cell. His hands were cuffed in front of him, and he noticed there was no place for him to lay down except for the floor. The quarian also noticed there were no guards posted outside, which gave the containment room a sense of eerie quiet.
This may not have been meant for permanent holding... he thought. He paused, looking down at his hands. They may not keep me here for long...
He then breathed in, before he began to feel around his various sashes with his hands. I know I put it somewhere... he thought. I am now very glad I was made to take that extra omni-tool with me. Where is it...?
He rummaged around, before he felt a slight bump somewhere on his suit. He nodded, before he then reached a hand into his sash and pulled out a small little tool stick and a black glove. He laid the glove on the floor, before pointing the tool stick at his handcuffs. He cast a glance back up at the area surrounding him, making sure nobody had come in without his knowledge. When he was satisfied, he then pushed the tool stick close to the part where the hand cuffs remained together.
He then pressed down on a notch on the tool stick, and he watched as a very small blue flame shot out from the end facing the handcuffs. Kalo shifted his wrists a little, holding the stick so the link between the handcuffs was right in the center of the flame. He then held his hands steady, looking up at the area in front of him again to make sure nobody was watching. He heard no sound, except for the rush of the flame as it heated up the handcuffs. He exhaled, his heart pounding while he turned back to the handcuffs.
It was then that he saw the handcuff link grow red. I must act now...
He then released the notch, before suddenly yanking his arms apart. The first go was unsuccessful, but on the second pull he saw the link weakening. Thus, on the third pull, he accidentally pushed himself back as his wrists came apart from each other.
He laid there in a daze for a few seconds, before chuckling. I am very glad I have this now, he thought. I should thank the salarian shopkeeper when I return to the Citadel...
Kalo exhaled, before pushing himself back to his feet. He then picked up the black glove, quickly pulling it back on. He then smiled, opening the spare omni-tool as he flexed his fingers. Thank goodness, as well, for this, he thought. I do not think it-
"Escaping, are we?"
Kalo froze, looking up. At first, he was shocked by the presence of another person there, and how suddenly he had snuck up on him. However, when he took a second to actually look, he realized that the person looked somewhat familiar.
"You..." Kalo said.
The familiar aqueron nodded, holding his hands behind his back. "Intelligence did tell us quarians were rather crafty," he said. "I suppose even the nice ones are, to some extent."
"It is a tough galaxy we face," said Kalo. "We grow used to it." He then leaned forward. "Where's S... the asari?"
"Sura?" Kalo's eyes widened at the aqueron's question. "I suppose keeping up that pretense is no longer necessary. Aqueron hearing is much better than any of you knew. I know Sura's name, as I did for your pilot and the gunnery chief." He then frowned. "I never caught the rest of yours. Either way, most are in custody now."
Kalo frowned. "Then you planned for that..." The quarian leaned forward. "If you are here to gloat, I will not hear it."
The aqueron shook his head. "It is dishonorable to gloat," he said. He then glanced to the side, his expression softening. "As is giving false information. Perhaps it makes me a hypocrite, considering I never told a superior officer about your human spirit-touched, but..."
Kalo blinked. "You...?" he asked.
"I... Being on your ship has made me see things very differently," the aqueron replied.
Kalo's frown returned. "And you expect me to believe that," he said.
"Perhaps not," said the aqueron. "But I do have questions."
"If it is about who sent us here, I will not speak," said Kalo. "For all I know, this could be a trap."
"It very well could be," the aqueron acknowledged as he glanced to the door. "But you do not know that." He then leaned forward. "They brought you here for the cure, no?"
Kalo nodded. "They asked me to deliver it to the Fleet, yes," said Kalo. "But I do not trust them. I offered my cooperation in return for transparency with the Fleet, and the man I spoke to was hesitant to offer."
"He could have been genuine," said the aqueron.
Kalo shook his head. "You know that, because of our suits, the quarian people are much better at reading body language than most?" he asked. "He looked unusually tense for someone telling me he would tell his superior officers. He was tense enough that I do not believe this offer to be genuine. There must be something they are after that they do not feel comfortable telling me."
The aqueron nodded. "On my way here, I heard whispers about preparing you for surgery of some kind," he said.
At this, Kalo jumped back. "They said that?" he asked.
The aqueron frowned. "And they did not inform you..." He nodded. "I see..."
"Why would they do that?" he asked. "It seems odd that they would..." He shook his head. "Perhaps it is so I can see they are genuine?"
"But they would tell you, first," said the aqueron.
"True..." Kalo paused as he leaned against the back wall of the cell. "Damn. I was right to suspect him..."
"You never know where danger can come from," said the aqueron. "Perhaps there is something I can do to aid you."
Kalo's frown deepened. "And why should I trust your word?" he asked. "If you are standing here, you have already put us in a bad situation."
"We are a very... angry galaxy," the aqueron replied. "When I first came to your galaxy, I thought that it was full of people willing to brush atrocities under the rug and pretend they never happened. But from what I have seen and heard lately... I may have been very wrong. And much of that has been based on information fed by above. I have... questions. Perhaps you are the only one who can answer that, perhaps returning there under a different eye would answer that. Either way... I am no longer certain of what to think about your galaxy, nor of this one. I suspect your galaxy, but given the information I have been told, I suspect them, too."
Kalo shook his head. "I do not believe you," he said.
The aqueron then nodded. "Pravuil Soryel," he stated, placing his hand on his chest.
Kalo blinked. "What?" he asked.
"That is my name," he said. "A name can be used against you. It can tell untold information, particularly as far as government documentation goes. You give up your name, you lose everything." He paused for a few seconds, letting those words sink in. "But that is why I entrust it to you. I believe I may be able to gain answers to the questions I seek."
"You still want to protect your people, though," said Kalo. "I know that instinct."
"Naturally," Pravuil replied. "But perhaps your leader is the only one looking for a true solution. One that will benefit the good people of both galaxies."
Kalo paused, narrowing his eyes. He then looked up at the aqueron, standing proud. "Kalo'Veera nar Idenna," he said. "That is my name."
"Then allow me to begin by doing this." With this, the aqueron lifted his hand, opening up some kind of hand tool. He tapped a few holographic buttons, and shortly afterwards the doors in front of him opened.
Kalo blinked in surprise. "I..."
"You did wish to escape, no?" asked Pravuil.
The quarian frowned, before he exhaled and exited the cell. "I hope my trust in you is not misplaced." He then turned, opening his omni-tool. "If I am going to leave this place, I am not leaving without this cure."
Pravuil nodded. "I think I might know where to help you there," he said. He then opened his own hand tool. "If they were taking you to surgery, they would have already prepared some in the surgery area."
"And I assume you know where that is," said Kalo.
"No, but I can find out on the way." The aqueron nodded, before gesturing to Kalo to follow him. "Keep your head down, and I will take you there. Once we have the cure, we leave."
The two of them exited the holding bay. Pravuil looked around, checking his hand-com once again. He then glanced up at a nearby security camera, before looking back at the hand-com. He looked back to Kalo, watching the quarian as he looked up at the camera.
The aqueron smiled, twitching his finger. He then nodded. "Smart one," he said. "Quickly, that camera isn't "seeing" us."
With this, the aqueron stepped forward, quickly darting down the nearby hallway. Kalo followed immediately, the quarian staying close. Pravuil glanced back at him long enough to see him checking behind them, before he began to move forward. As he reached a fork in the hallway, he flattened his back against the nearby wall, his hand-com at the ready. When he felt Kalo flatten himself against the wall behind him, he peeked out at the security camera behind him. He flicked his hand-com, smiling in satisfaction as he-
"Move." Pravuil turned at Kalo's whispered declaration. He then turned back to look behind them, though, and just as quickly as Kalo rushed past him, Pravuil vaulted around the corner. He glanced past the corner, seeing the lab coats of a pair of scientists as they walked back. They looked too concentrated on their clipboards to have noticed anything, but Pravuil knew to be careful.
"Keep an eye on the corridors," Pravuil commanded, before he flicked his hand out. A display came out from his handcom, and there he could see a feed from the cameras. He noticed the pair of scientists walking along, and then they turned to the right upon the next corridor. He could not make out what was on the clipboard, but he knew from the way they turned right they might walk by.
Pravuil then waved his hand again, the display disappearing as he gently nudged Kalo. "Back," he whispered. The quarian obeyed, both of them hiding around their original place on the corner. Pravuil then saw the two scientists walk past an opening further down the hallway, still too concentrated on the clipboard to see them.
The aqueron nodded, peering down the hall for more security measures as he gestured to Kalo. "Follow me."
He then moved quickly down the hall, slinking across to the other side. The quarian followed, his movements a little clunkier but nevertheless quick. The aqueron then moved quickly to the intersection the scientists had passed by, being sure to check for cameras and other bystanders as they moved on. He quickly rounded the intersection, flicking his hand-com once again as they moved through the facility.
And slowly, Pravuil moved closer to the two scientists. Kalo followed along, Pravuil keeping constant surveillance over their surroundings even as he grew closer. The scientists, two articians from what Pravuil could see as they approached, suspected almost nothing as Pravuil approached. Even so, he kept his distance, always glancing at the hallways while looking for that perfect opportunity to strike.
The scientists turned left. And right as Pravuil rounded the corner, he saw it: a small, unassuming janitor's closet. The good news was, it was out of the way enough that perhaps something could be done. The bad news, was how close it was.
Pravuil frowned, his pace increasing. If I can time this right...
He glanced behind him, seeing Kalo relatively close. He then gestured to Kalo with a finger, beckoning him forward. Before the quarian could act, though, Pravuil lunged forward, his hand snapping out. He caught one of the scientists in the side, the scientist falling to the floor with a grunt. The second scientist whirled around, but before he could say anything Pravuil was behind him, one hand clamped over his mouth as he slammed his back right next to the janitor's closet. The aqueron then turned to the janitor's door, his hand-com opening it quickly as he ducked right in.
As soon as he did, he saw that Kalo had taken the hint. He grabbed the other scientist's arm, dragging him to his feet before shoving him into the closet. It was done with far less finesse than Pravuil thought safe, but it got the job done as the quarian leapt into the closet. The aqueron then closed the door behind him, Kalo pinning the other scientist to the wall behind him.
Pravuil then turned to the scientist he held. "We do not have much time," he whispered. "Which room are you performing the quarian's surgery on?"
He then slightly parted his fingers, the webbing between them giving the artician in his grasp a little more room to talk. Despite this, all he heard was the frenzied breathing of his captor. "I... I don't..." The artician squirmed a little. "What do you-?"
"I won't ask again," said Pravuil, flicking his hand-com on. He rested his fingertips against the artician's wrist, and it was then that he knew the artician would be aware of a small buzzing sensation. "Which room?"
"Uh... uh..." The artician looked down at the floor, before turning his attention to his assistant, who was still held in place by Kalo. "What was it?"
"32-A," said the other artician. "Please, let me-"
"I wish to hear you say it," Pravuil insisted.
"He's correct!" the artician in Pravuil's grasp said. "I just didn't remember, I swear! ack!" He then squeezed his eyes shut, whimpering softly.
But nothing happened. Pravuil nodded, flicking his hand-com closed. "And I believe you," he said. "Apologies, but we must be going."
Faster than anyone could blink, Pravuil pulled out a pill from his jacket. The aqueron then quickly parted the artician's mouth, slipping the pill in and clamping his mouth shut. The artician's eyes widened as he swallowed the pill, but he could not do much else before he slumped down, unconscious. As Pravuil gently set him down, he heard a loud hit from beside him, and then he watched as the quarian gently set down the then-unconscious artician down.
"Careful, Kalo," Pravuil said. "You might have given him a concussion!"
"Sorry," Kalo said. "I have not done stealth so much."
"It shows," Pravuil said. He then nodded, flexing his hand-com as a blue holographic projection of a building came on. He then brought his other hand to it, his index finger and his thumb held together as he approached. As he spread the two fingers, Kalo watched as the projection zoomed in, and Kalo recognized the projection as a possible floor plan.
"Alright... 32-A..." He brought his other hand over, typing in a few commands quickly. He then looked up at the display, seeing a green dot appear. "That is us." Pravuil then brought his index finger back to the projection, bringing the finger upwards as he looked. After a second, a red dot appeared two stories below the green dot. Pravuil nodded, before he then brought his hand down to type some more things.
"That is our destination," Kalo said.
"Yes," said Pravuil. "And to get there, we have to pass by thirty-two surveillance cameras."
"Take the air vents?" Kalo suggested.
Pravuil shook his head. "Only someone who watches vids would say that," he stated. "It won't hold our weight, and the noise our shuffling will make will attract attention." He then frowned, looking at a small shaft connected to the hallway close to the red dot. As he looked on, he squinted, scrolling up while keeping track of where the shaft was. "But..." He then nodded. "Kalo, how good would you say your grip is?"
"How good does it need to be?" he asked.
Pravuil flashed him a smile, right as he saw that the shaft passed by not too far away from them. "Good enough that you won't fall too far past a certain point."
The aqueron swung into the shaft with extreme ease. Kalo glanced around the hallway once, before peering into the shaft.
"Are you certain this is a good idea?" Kalo asked.
"We dodge all but one of the surveillance cameras this way," said Pravuil as he pushed his legs against the walls of the surprisingly wide shaft. Already Kalo could see the exhertion the aqueron put into the movement, though. "As handy as my hand-com is, it can't take on the task of rerouting so many cameras at once."
"Is that what it is called?" asked Kalo.
"Yes," said Pravuil. "Now, I don't think you want to be caught out there." He then began to move down. "We go down two floors. Just keep your legs propped, and don't slip."
Kalo sighed, before he slowly peeked his head in, looking around for something to grab on to. Pravuil nodded. "When I get to the next floor, grab the edge of that," he said, pointing at the slot Kalo's hands rested on. "You can use that to get into this position. It's the best way."
Kalo sighed, nodding as Pravuil continued to ease himself towards the next flap slowly. When the quarian saw he was of sufficient distance away, he slowly pulled himself into the shaft, the quarian admiring that it felt much larger in person. He then propped his feet around the shaft, holding on for dear life as he pushed himself to a position where he could easily shove his back against the opposite side. He then took a breath to steady himself, closing his eyes.
Breathe, he thought, exhaling rather loudly.
He then let go. In the same movement, he pushed down on his legs. Before he knew it, his back had hit the opposite end with such force that his feet briefly left the wall. The quarian squirmed, shoving his feet onto the shaft with a loud clang. He breathed in and out for a few seconds, before he faintly realized he was still in the same place. He sighed, looking up at the shaft above him.
"Keep moving," he heard from below. Kalo glanced down to see that Pravuil was nearly there. The aqueron moved very quickly, his movements calculated. He then looked up at Kalo. "I will be out soon. I can manipulate the one nearby security camera, and you should be able to come down in time. Just don't fall."
And with this, Kalo watched as Pravuil braced his hands against the wall. The aqueron then pushed off of the wall, his hands coming forward and quickly grabbing the slot. He then released his feet, planting them a little further down before he pushed off and rolled out of the shaft and out of his sight.
Kalo remained, staring in awe at what he witnessed. How does he move like that? he thought. It is almost like...
He shook his head, taking a breath to steady himself. Slow and steady...
He began by moving his right foot down first. His left leg shook a little bit, but as he planted his right foot back on the wall, he let out a sigh of relief. He slowly inched down, his hands tensed up against the wall behind him as he slowly moved down. He then moved his left foot, planting it down shakily. He breathed in, already feeling his legs burn a little as he slowly worked his way down.
It was when he had finally inched down to the next level that he felt his right foot slip. In a panic, the quarian stamped on the wall extra hard, his right side leaning to the side a little bit as he panted. All was still for a second, and he felt his legs begin to burn. He then held still, his eyes wide as he glanced back down at the opening he had seen Pravuil vanish through.
He then slightly shifted his left foot, pressing perhaps a little too hard. He then began inching back down. He looked down, seeing Pravuil look up as Kalo kept on moving.
That was when Kalo heard something drop from a few floors up. He then glanced up, seeing what looked like a bag of trash sailing straight towards him. His eyes widened, watching as the bundle grew closer. And then, his right foot completely slipped, and the quarian lost his balance pretty soon afterwards. He tumbled forward, faintly thinking to stretch out his right hand towards something, anything that could provide him with purchase.
Thankfully, he felt someone grab his wrist as he fell: instinctively, Kalo grabbed on, even as his body slammed into the shaft in front of him. He heard the bag pass him harmlessly, but before he could react, he felt the hand pull him through. Kalo kicked at the air with his legs, and he reached for the edge of the shaft's opening with his other hand.
After a second, he grabbed it, and managed to help Pravuil pull him out. He then landed on the ground, suddenly aware of the way his legs burned.
Eventually, Kalo pushed himself up, noticing that Pravuil was already moving towards a nearby door. "That could have gone quite a bit better," Pravuil commented.
"Indeed it could have," Kalo agreed, slowly walking towards the aqueron. "I-"
"We will have to work quickly," said Pravuil. "We get in there, get the thing you want, and then we get out of here. No hesitation. If they were not suspicious because two of their friends have gone missing, they will be after that ruckus in the trash shaft."
Kalo nodded. "Of course," he said. He then gestured to Pravuil. "After you."
The aqueron nodded, lifting his hand and twitching a finger to open his hand-com. He then brought his ear closer to the door, nodding as he listened for anything. He heard very little, but just in case he pulled a flap on his jacket out of the way. Kalo saw a handgun there of unusual design, but he paid it no attention.
And then, after a second, Pravuil opened his hand. The door immediately opened, and Kalo looked to a lab. There was a bed right in the center, one with wrist straps involved. He also saw a doctor, the very same one who interrogated him earlier. He looked up from his clipboard, turning his attention to Pravuil.
"Hey, you are not-"
But before he could say much else, Pravuil darted forward. He forcibly grabbed Doctor Merath's wrist, slamming it down onto where the restraints were and slamming the cuff shut. The doctor cried out in surprise, but before he could react, he was forced face-down onto the bed, Kalo quickly stepping in and slamming the cuffs shut on the other wrist. The aqueron quickly cuffed Doctor Merath's ankles to the table as well.
All was silent. Kalo nodded, turning to the bed and looking at the doctor. He glanced over at a surgical table, seeing a hypodermic needle and a small sealed-up grey bag as well.
"That is the immunobooster on the table, is it?" asked Kalo. "The item in the grey pouch."
"How... how did you...?" the doctor asked.
"That is irrelevant," said Kalo. "Answer my question."
"Yes!" The doctor nodded. "Yes, it is! Let me go this instant!"
"I am afraid I cannot," said Kalo. He then nodded to Pravuil. "Make sure he is indisposed."
Pravuil silently nodded, his hand having grabbed another pill. He then turned to Doctor Merath, feeding him the pill immediately. The doctor stopped struggling after a little bit, but Kalo could see that he still breathed.
The quarian nodded. "What are those, anyway?"
"Sleeping pills," said Pravuil. He then frowned. "I am afraid the risk of using them is quite great. If they look at the chemicals in the blood afterwards, they can trace it back to the DGI. They will know for sure there is a turncoat after that."
Kalo frowned. "So why are you using it?" he asked.
"The scientists here are not a threat," said Pravuil. "They are just doing what they are told." He then turned to the bed, gently picking up the grey pouch. "Amazing that such a marvel can be held in such a small pouch." He then held it out to Kalo. "I believe you may want to store this in a safe place."
Kalo nodded, gently taking the grey pouch. He held it in his hands, marveling at how small it was. "This is what will help my people..." He looked up at Pravuil. "I... I have no words."
"Very few do when they have a cure for a horrifying disease," said Pravuil.
"No." Kalo shook his head. "It is not just that. This is the future..."
"Do you really believe it will change so much?" Pravuil asked.
"It will change everything," Kalo replied. "Our culture has revolved around our suits for centuries. To see us shed our suits..." He paused, glancing at Pravuil. "This cure holds the future of my people." He then frowned, before he gently placed the pouch in a pocket of his suit that he knew he would not sit on in the near future. "And it will be utterly useless if I cannot return to them."
Pravuil nodded. "Then we should escape." He then opened his hand-com, the projection of the floor plan appearing again. "We don't want to take the obvious exit, but I know of a service entrance we can use to make our escape. Of course, we'll have to move quickly. By now, we've called more attention to ourselves through some of what we have done, and if we don't hurry, we may face-"
And at that moment, a warning klaxon went off. The room began to flash between intense red light and some small darkness that did not last very long. Kalo stiffened, before Pravuil sighed.
"...them," he finished. He shook his head, walking to a nearby window and peering out of it. "The coast is clear, we may still be able to make it out alive." He then pointed to Kalo. "Does that omni-tool do anything useful?"
"It can disable shields and hack," he said. "I must warn you, though, that I do not know most software in this galaxy."
Pravuil nodded. "Then you will have to improvise," he said. He then nodded, grabbing his hand gun. "Come on. We have to move, now."
The two exited the room, rushing down the hallway as Pravuil looked for the way to the nearest staircase. He nodded, raising his gun as Kalo opened his omni-tool. The two of them then approached a door, noticing that there was a red hologram in front of it.
Kalo blinked, getting on his knees. "Watch my back," he said. "Let us see..."
Pravuil nodded, holding his hand gun out in front of him and watching the halls for any units. Kalo knelt down, frowning as an interface came on his omni-tool. "Interesting," he said. "It is rather similar..." Kalo nodded, bringing his other hand forward and beginning to tap on holographic interfaces. "This should only take a-"
"There they are!"
Pravuil turned to his right, looking down the hall to see a group of four guards approach. Pravuil shifted so he stood in front of Kalo, and that was when he held his weapon in front of him. The soldiers raised their weapons, aiming them right at the aqueron as he stood in front of Kalo. The aqueron stood perfectly still, knowing even the slightest movement would cause them to open fire.
A second afterwards, though, the door behind them flashed green. Kalo abruptly stood up, slamming his fist against the door's controls.
Right as soon as he moved, the four soldiers opened fire. Pravuil returned fire pretty quickly, but he only got off a couple of shots before Kalo grabbed his arm and dragged him into the stairwell. As soon as Pravuil was through the doors, though, they both turned, running down the stairs as quickly as they could.
"So where is this service entrance?" Kalo asked.
"In the basement," said Pravuil. "We just have to hope we don't run into any more guards."
"And what are the chances of that?" Kalo asked.
"Very... minimal," the aqueron admitted.
"Then we may have to fight out of this," Kalo replied. "I need a gun."
"There should be an armory on the way there," said Pravuil as he looked up at a floor number. "Problem is, it's heavily fortified."
"We could also grab a weapon from a downed soldier, no?" Kalo asked.
"Of course," said Pravuil. "That might actually work better. We'll worry about the armory as a last resort. If we can down someone and you can get their weapon, get it."
They continued to rush down the stairs, Pravuil glancing at numbers. After finally arriving at the designated floor, he flattened himself against the nearby wall, pushing Kalo against it. He then paused, his pistol out.
"I need you to disable their shields as we go," said Pravuil. "Can you do that?"
Kalo tapped on his omni-tool, before nodding. "Whenever I use it, I need to wait a few seconds for it to charge back up again."
Pravuil nodded. "Good to know." He then looked at his gun, looking to the container of liquid on the side. It was built into the gun, of course, and Kalo knew the sickly green-looking substance inside. It was still mostly full, the thick liquid only showing a minor air bubble inside. The aqueron nodded, before looking at the door controls and noting it was green.
"They're expecting us," he commented. "Keep your head down."
Kalo nodded. "I am ready when you are."
Pravuil nodded, before reaching over and opening the door.
On the other side was what looked to have been a cafeteria. Of course, tables were turned over as improvised cover, with about four guards posted behind each table. As soon as the door opened, streaks of plasma raced past the opening. As the rounds left scorch marks on the opposite wall, Pravuil nodded, glancing at a praetorin situated rather close to the wall, who was kneeling on one knee who was perhaps too far out of cover.
Sloppy, Pravuil thought, before he nodded. "To the left," he whispered to Kalo. "Don't leave cover until I shout go, and do not inhabit the same piece of cover I'm at."
The quarian popped out of cover, pointing his omni-tool at the offending praetorin. He quickly mashed a holographic button, and then a shower of sparks emanated from the praetorin's armor. He barely had time to blink in confusion before Pravuil turned, shooting the praetorin in the leg. He released his weapon with a loud cry, nursing his wounded leg as the artician next to him turned in shock.
Pravuil slinked out of cover then, rushing straight for that artician. He took a few plasma rounds to his shields, and he only barely managed to leap into cover right when his shields broke. He leapt in next to the artician, and Pravuil immediately hit him in the face with the back of his fist hard enough to knock him out. He then turned to the praetorin, kicking him in the jaw to the same effect, before grabbing the praetorin's assault rifle.
"Go!"
Kalo broke cover, his omni-tool extended. He disabled the shields of an artician across the room from where Pravuil was, before rolling and dodging some fire. He quickly flipped a table over just in time to catch a plasma round that would have caught him in the chest, before he ducked down behind it.
"Catch!" Kalo turned, watching as an assault rifle sailed towards him. He held his hands out, barely catching the rifle. The quarian took a second to analyze the weapon, before he peered out over cover. He saw Pravuil leap right over enemy cover, slamming the artician's head down against the floor as he kicked the only remaining guard away. Kalo turned towards that guard, shooting at it with his new-found weapon. He was surprised at the large blob of superheated fluid that shot out of his rifle, and he was even more surprised when it slammed against what he assumed were the enemy's shields, which flared up as a ring of heat. The distraction did not last long, though, for Pravuil then turned, leaping onto the last remaining guard and slamming his face against the table.
Before Kalo could react, a door burst open: in rushed a couple more guards. Kalo ducked right under cover, hearing the splash of the hot rounds against his cover. He then opened his omni-tool, looking at the first one to enter, popping out of cover to take out his shields. Pravuil caught on immediately, rushing out of cover and firing his pistol at the one whose shields were down. Kalo quickly saw the man grab his stomach and tumble forward, before he turned back to the other as Pravuil rushed him and kneed him hard in the head.
Wasting no time, Kalo followed Pravuil as they both rushed to the knocked-down door. They quickly scanned the hallway for more guards, before both of them rushed down the hall, Kalo following Pravuil as they both began to run.
Kalo looked at the weapon a little more, seeing the liquid container had depleted a little, though not much. "How far are we?"
"One more stairwell, and we'll be there," Pravuil said. The aqueron then looked up, just in time to dodge fire from a pair of guards.
Kalo rolled forward, his omni-tool hand outstretched to the closer guard. His shields went down, and Pravuil shot him down while he rushed to the other one and knocked his head hard against the wall. As soon as he did, Kalo began running again, following the aqueron around a corner.
Pravuil then came up to a door, Kalo noticing that the door was locked. He immediately knelt down in front of the door, opening his omni-tool. "Cover me!" he stated.
The aqueron nodded, looking down the hall as he stood in front of Kalo. The quarian worked feverishly to get the door open, Pravuil looking up to see a pair of guards approach them. He then rushed forward, ducking under the plasma fire of one of them. Kalo had to duck his head as he hacked away, some of the hot liquid splashing across his suit. He gritted his teeth, simply hacking away as he heard Pravuil dispatch the two guards behind him. He then heard footsteps coming from the hallway they had just came from, seeing more guards.
Kalo gritted his teeth, but before anything else happened, he looked up to see the door lights go green.
He then turned, smashing his hand against the door. As he leapt in, though, he felt a searing pain on his leg, the quarian losing his footing as he hit the top of a flight of stairs. He tumbled down, his back hitting the wall right at the foot of those stairs. He did not hear anything else crack, but nevertheless he still remained dazed.
A few seconds later, he heard a few thuds, before seeing Pravuil rush towards him and pull him to his feet. Kalo found he could walk just fine even despite the searing pain, but he also noticed a throb in his upper right arm.
"You can walk, no?" asked Pravuil.
Kalo nodded, before looking back up. "I... Oh Keelah, I think I got wounded."
"We don't have time to treat it now," said Pravuil. "Come!"
He then rushed down the remaining stairway, both of them glancing back. They broke through the door to the basement, Pravuil running through the various halls.
"Service entrance, service entrance... Come on..." Pravuil cursed under his breath as they navigated the hallway. Eventually, they came upon an unassuming door, Kalo frowning as Pravuil shoved Kalo through.
The quarian stumbled through, looking back at Pravuil as he lifted his pistol and aimed it at a nearby pipe. "Kalo, move! Now!"
The quarian rushed into a nearby stretch of sewer. He barely heard the footsteps behind him, before he was thrown from his feet and flung several feet away. As he flew, he thought he saw a bright orange fireball, and Pravuil's form just barely rushing ahead of the flames.
And then, his head hit the opposite wall, and Kalo blacked out right at that moment.
Jile fiddled with the controls a little, the aqueron leaning against the control pad. He cast a glance back outside, his eyes narrowing and looking for any trace of the guys from upstairs. When he failed to notice anything, he nodded, turning his attention back to the comms chatter he had been keeping track of for the past several minutes.
"How deep did they have to go...?" Jile wondered out loud. He frowned as he listened to the comms chatter, frowning at what he heard.
He did not get to dwell on it long, though, for immediately he heard a loud rapping from the transport door. Jile jumped in surprise, but after a few seconds, he heard the signature knock that Silman used on him all the time. The aqueron smiled, and then pressed a button on the controls that would open the door.
As the door opened, Jile stepped out of the pilot's chair. "So you're finally back," he said. "Took you guys long enough."
"Sorry, it was really twisty," said Silman. Jile watched as Jodie and someone he did not know entered. "Bloody twisty sewers sometimes, right?"
Jile nodded, standing up and looking at the newcomer, who looked rather like a desert lizard. "So this is one of their famous drell, eh?"
"Yes," said Jodie. She then looked back at Jile, sighing. "Be mindful of him, he's not a soldier."
The drell nodded, silently walking to the seats on the transport and sitting down. Silman sat next to him, remaining silent as they both looked up at the ceiling.
Jodie turned to Jile. "So, now we have to go find Ashley, right?" she asked.
Jile shrugged, gesturing for Jodie to come forward. "Well, I'd say yeah, but..." He frowned. "While you were busy running around those sewers, comms chatter really picked up. It probably isn't safe to try anything right now."
Jodie frowned. "Why?" she asked.
Jile leaned forward, opening the comms chatter. "Something about an escape?"
"An escape?" Jodie leaned in, her pulse picking up just a little.
"...missing, presumed traitor. Quarian has escaped, I repeat, quarian has escaped."
And then Jodie's eyes widened. "Kalo..." She then turned to Jile. "We have to help him!"
"I don't know if that's possible," Jile replied. "Some of the other comms chatter I heard reported an explosion. Some of them are listing them as missing, rather than escaped."
"Them?" asked Jodie. "So that could mean he had help..." She paused. "We have to try regardless. Even if they died in the explosion..."
"There's too much risk," said Jile. "They could've confiscated his omni-tool when he was captured, and your quarian friend may not have gotten it. Even if they had, would you risk that?"
Jodie paused, squeezing her eyes shut. She turned away from Jile as she took a deep breath in. "Point taken," she said. She then turned away, placing a hand on her heart. "I hope he's okay..."
Jile nodded, bringing a hand up and patting Jodie gently. "He'll be fine," he reassured her. "I'm sure he'll be fine."
Jodie nodded, though Jile noticed the lump in her throat she swallowed. "I hope you're right," she said. "I hope you're right."