I don't own the Mass Effect.

Chapter 6: A Morning Star

I had just finished washing my hair, finally fully returned to its natural light brown after a few more dying incidents, when someone started pounding on the shower room's door. They were pounding hard enough to be heard over the coarse water blasting over me, and the lack of a voice shouting for my attention revealed who was trying to get my attention as easily as if she'd been able to.

"Voya!" My voice easily carried as I grabbed my long hair, making sure I'd gotten all of the soap out of it. "Two knocks if it's critical!"

Sure enough, two heavy pounds followed.

Athame's fucking... groaning, I reached behind me and killed the water stream before flailing around for where I'd left the towel on a wall rack. Focusing on my lower half, I did the minimal amount of drying required to not soak my pants and socks when I yanked them on. The important things covered, I continued to try and dry my long hair as I padded over to the door and unlocked it.

The Quarian glanced up at me from where she'd been looking at a tablet, her wide eyes barely glancing at my scarred chest before she offered up the thin computer.

Taking it, I glanced over what she'd written. "Tris and the Blades finally got back? They all make it?"

She nodded, a long finger pointing a few lines down.

"T'Ravt finally released them?" Shifting left, I leaned against the doorway and tried not to groan in relief. "It's about fucking time. Garm pulled his Krogan out three weeks ago."

Voya signed a few words at me.

"I know they left a few hundred Vorcha behind, but they're fucking Vorcha. She didn't need them for that." From the way she shrugged, she entirely agreed with me, but there hadn't been anything we could do about it. "Is Rane on her way back then?"

A quick nod was followed with a few numbers.

I grunted. She was probably stopping for food then, not that I could blame her. As good of a cook as Jarick was, there was only so much he could do with what the Talons bought. About the only good thing was that there were enough Turians with the group, including its leader, to insure that Voya had at least as much of a variety as we did.

Said alien woman took the tablet back, entering more text so that she didn't have to keep using sign language. How long until Sederis contacts us with the shuttle information?

"Hopefully not long." And wasn't that an understatement. We were all ready to get our asses off of this station and back to temperate Illium.

Goddess. Weather. Of all the things I missed the most, I missed having weather. Rain, clouds, real sunlight, actual air...

My longing was distracted by Voya typing out a few more words. How long do you think it will be before I can see your doctor?

"She'll probably want a consult first." I shrugged, finally resuming drying my torso and curtain of hair. "But I wouldn't think it'll be that long. I'll get in touch with her as soon as we land. If she can't I'm sure the Eclipse has doctors on staff with the skills to do it."

I'd rather not put my life in the hands of Eclipse doctors.

"Our lives are already going to be in Sederis's hands." I reminded her. "If a doctor tried to do something I don't think they'd survive long."

She winced a little, more at the former point than the latter. I'll consider it if yours can't.

"Either way, you should be able to properly curse at me in a month or two. Maybe three, I have no idea what the recovery time will be."

Assuming that I can remember how to speak properly. It's been over a year.

"Seriously?" I snorted, throwing my towel over her face. "Somehow I don't think you'll have any problems remembering how to swear."

A three fingered hand yanked the wet cloth off of her face, her lips twisted and twitching slightly. Suddenly I'm not as worried. You don't speak either dialect of Khellish, do you?

"No."

Good. It will be more fun if you have to look it all up later.

Rolling my eyes, I unfolded my shirt and pulled it on. "You're going to spend the entire trip to Illium trying to find the perfect things to call me as soon as you can, aren't you?"

She gave me a smile that was all ivory teeth, her double set of canines gleaming in the light, and then she spun on a heel and strolled back towards the living room. Rolling my eyes, I padded barefoot after her, heading into the kitchen while she took a seat on a couch.

"You want tea?" Her mane of white hair rustled as she nodded. "Usual? Got it."

I watched as the water started to bubble, trying not to sag in total relief.

We were going to be leaving this fucking station. We'd be going home.

Well, to Sederis's mansion slash headquarters, but it was still on Illium. And more importantly it was off of Omega. No more stepping over corpses on our way to buy food. No more hearing women be raped on our way back. No more cowering in a gang's lair, stuck sleeping in former slave's quarters.

Goddess.

A hand wave brought my attention back to Voya, her omni-tool gleaming as she sent me a message.

How much have you heard from Ayle?

I shrugged a shoulder. "Not all that much since last week. Why?"

Wondering how long it will be until we're fighting for our lives, again.

"Maybe you'll be lucky and still recovering." Reaching up, I snagged a pair of glasses from the simple cupboard. "Otherwise it probably won't be more than a few weeks before they track us and the other Reyja'krem there. Assuming the SIU is their usually competent selves anyway."

Did she receive any more agreements?

"Shyeel is in, she's sick of being hunted. And apparently she wants to meet me because the idea of someone else having a higher bounty is insulting to her." Voya seemed to silently chuckle at that. "She knows a pair of human freelancers that she wants to bring in as well, but Ayle is handling the negotiations. All I know is that the woman is a biotic and not exactly stable."

We aren't exactly stable either. She pointed out. Hardly a reason to dismiss someone who might be able to kill Hegemony assassins for you.

"Speaking from the Pillars Voya." Carefully grabbing one of the tea pots, I carefully started to pour it. "A Batarian male named Thul ul Aldaara is also open. He's a staunch traditionalist, and the SIU killed his cadre two weeks back. He's already on his way to Illium. Another Asari and two Turians are interested but are already under contract with other groups, they'll join if they can wrap up their own shit in time."

Which compromised most of the Reyja'krem still alive and willing to group up to take on the Hegemony hunting teams. Seven fucking survivors. Well, technically nine if you included Xerol Shaaryak's former Harath'krem. But Ghai was obviously not about to be getting into firefights anytime soon, and as far as I knew Iyate was still on the Citadel. Not that there had been all that many outside of the Terminus to begin with.

Most Reyja'krem were Batarian, and not technically exiled, so it was easy for them to find work inside the Hegemony. Others had already been killed before Ayle and I had realized that the hunt was on. Still more weren't really being targeted, or had left the Terminus for Citadel space to take more legitimate jobs.

So seven of us. Plus whatever cadres they had or freelancers that they apparently knew. The usual SIU team was ten or twelve strong, and we'd accounted for a few in the attack on Ironhold. More had probably died taking on Thul and the others who'd already died, so it was possible they'd be down to similar numbers.

We had a chance. Especially on Illium, where I at least knew the terrain and the people.

Voya apparently agreed with me. Not as many as I'd like, but its definitely workable. Especially with the Eclipse.

"Plus I-Sec. And Shaaryak's existing security forces." My lips twitched. "Fuck, if we can get them to try and attack her mansion it'll be a slaughter."

I would drink to that, but you haven't given me my fucking tea yet.

"Did you want it poured over your head? If so please do continue."

If you even look like you're going to I'm going to...

Her words ceased, her head cocking in puzzlement as her omni-tool began flashing with an incommoding message. Strangely, my own was doing the same, blaring in silent alarm. Flicking my fingers in a commanding gesture, the digits hitting the hardlight, I tried to make sense of what I was reading.

"The emergency alarm from Ironhold? What the fuck? Didn't we disable that when we left?"

The Quarian nodded, face drawing into a frown before she gestured a name.

"Calling her." Suiting actions to words, I killed the automatic alarm and called my lover.

She answered almost at once, which didn't surprise me, her voice rising over the background babble of a restaurant. "Reyja'krem. You're receiving it as well?"

"Voya and I both are, but she says she definitely disabled it on our way out."

"Could the Talons have reactivated it by accident?"

My current companion shook her head. "Voya says no. Did we tie anything into that system that might be triggering now? Maybe something you setup before you handed Voya the code?"

"Not that I..." Her voice trailed off. "Wait. Didn't we link Ironhold's alarms to the Blades headquarters? So that either you or Trisren would know if-"

"If the other was under attack... oh shit. How far are you away?"

"I'm near the public lifts, not more than fifteen minutes away." Someone shouted something about being shoved. "I'm already moving"

"Don't get involved until we get there." I snapped, ignoring the tea to start moving back to the room I kept my armor in. Voya blurred past me, the pair of us nearly tripping over one another as she darted to grab her own equipment. "Report and tell me what's going on."

"Reyja'krem, I... understand." If she could help, she knew I'd let her. But if there were too many of whoever they were... I wouldn't let her throw away her life. "I'll contact you when I have a better idea of the situation."

She killed the line, leaving me to bang a cheap door out of my way before starting to grab at armor plates. It took critical minutes to get it all on, minutes I didn't know if we really had or not. Minutes I didn't know if Trisren and her people had.

Air hissed around my neck as I pulled my helmet on and sealed it, my HUD flickering to life as the armor began to draw power from the powerpack in my back plate. With that out of the way, hands seized my reliable sub-machine gun from its rack, and followed that up by attaching a traditional tech launcher to my belt.

After a moments hesitation, I still darted back to the bedroom I shared with Rane, shoving my partially upgraded pistol onto my right hip before I grabbed my cane.

"Voya!"

The Quarian emerged from her own room at my shout, her own heavy plates overlaid on her suit, eyes gleaming in the thin slits of her mask. Her sniper rifle collapsed after a momentary check, taking its place on her back as she nodded.

We were out of the airlock a few moments later, hitting the override to avoid having to wait. We'd worry about decontaminating the place later. Assuming the base was still here when we did, because as if our own problems weren't enough, the Talons apparently had their own as well.

I knew they did because the place's alarms began to blare before we'd taken more than a few steps, the irritating klaxons screaming as lights flashed.

What the FUCK was going on!?

Snarling, I accelerated as best I could, the hallways suddenly filled with gang members shouting and cursing as they struggled to get to their rooms and the armories. More than one was demanding to know if this was a drill or not, but none of them got an answer that I could actually hear.

Voya and I made it to the main hall maybe five more minutes later, my cane and armored elbows working to help us move through the crowd.

Not that it mattered, because the fucking main doors were very much shut and locked down.

"Athame's fucking... I need those doors open!" I shouted over the confused din, several figures near the controls whirling to stare at us as we emerged from the chaos. "We need to get out, you can shut them after us!"

"Kean." It showed how distracted I was that I didn't recognize Nyreen until she spoke. Her mandibles were flaring in inscrutable patters, though she was also having to shout in order to be heard. "Why do you need out?"

"The Blades are under attack, and Rane is out there." I snapped, trying to rein in my desperate impatience. "So if you could please open the fucking doors?"

"Kean, fighting is spreading throughout the station. If you go out there-"

"Red." Her mouth closed as I cut her off. "I don't care. Rane and Tris are in trouble. Open the fucking door. Please."

The Turian woman stared at me for a long moment, then nodded. "Their place is in our territory, we'll coordinate. The chef kid has your omni-tool information?"

"Yes."

"You, open the main doors enough to let them out. You, get to the kitchens and find that human. Jarick. Move!" Two other Turians promptly moved to obey, one stabbing at the door controls while the other darted away. "The news is chaotic right now. I'll update you when I can but my priority is going to be protecting the civilians in our districts."

"I understand." She gave me a look, probably having expected me to say something else, like offer to help protect the people or something. Which I'd be happy to do, once I knew that Rane and Tris were all right.

The heavy bulkhead doors began to slide before I could try and offer something more diplomatic, Voya already moving forwards. I moved to follow, calling back to try and leave a slightly better impression. "Thanks Red, we'll update you when the Blades base is secured! If we can help after let us know!"

That seemed to mollify the Turian a bit, the gang leader giving me a nod just as we passed outside of the base proper. The doors began to slide shut almost before I was through them, the dozen plus guards outside quickly moving out of our way as we accelerated into runs.

We were still in the same district as the Blade base, the problem was that they were at the top where we were damned near the bottom. So the question was did we take the lifts or did we go for an aircar? Shit, if Nyreen was right and there was fighting spreading across Omega, there was no way I was going to trap us in an elevator.

Of course, we only had her word for that. The local crowd seemed normal enough, at least, by Omega's standards. Lots of people wandering aimlessly, some purposefully, and only one mugging occurring within my line of sight.

Better to be paranoid than sorry, and an aircar wouldn't slow us down all that much.

"Left." I grunted into my mic, "Grab a taxi."

Voya promptly turned in that direction, the pair of us darting down the tunneled avenue that lead to the lot. Three minutes later had the pair of us shoving a Salarian out of our way to grab the last taxi, ignoring his indignant shrieking entirely as my companion overrode the VI to take control, my back slamming into the chair as she promptly put is into a straight climb.

"Hit the main throughway to the core, we can land at the station near the slave market and take the ramps up from there."

Her eyes narrowed, one hand leaving the controls to sign a rude sentence in my direction.

"Yes, you're driving, I'm just..." I shut up when her glare only worsened. Thankfully my helmet speakers crackled a few moments later, an incoming message distracting us both. "Rane?"

"Sorry Kean, it's Red. Found Jarick and got your information from him, and we have bad news for you. For everyone really." It was a fight not to snap as she seemed to pause dramatically. She didn't seem the type, so it was probably just her checking on something before she spoke. "Ganar Yulaz just released a video calling for the Blood Pack to rally to his side so that they can depose Aria. He says the Blue Sun war exposed her as nothing but a cheap whore unworthy of anything but death."

Oh shit. Oh motherfucking goddess damned shit. Athame's fucking azure this was... "How bad is it?"

"Garm is trying to force his way into Afterlife as we speak. He's got smaller groups counter-attacking T'Ravt in Gozu, and hit squads are going after the mercs she hired for the campaign." That explained why Garm had pulled his Krogan out of that district, leaving only Vorcha to contest the Lady Warlord. It hadn't made much sense at the time, the Blood Pack weren't known for strategic withdrawals. But they wouldn't have problems with retreating if the promise of a much bigger fight was dangled in front of them.

Nyreen continued as my mind raced. "News from the rest of the Terminus is chaotic, they're hitting everywhere they can get their ships to, no one's sure what's going on."

"What about the gangs?"

"The Brotherhood is using the confusion to go after the White Tigers, they won't be able to help. The Wave and Hunters are also fighting it out over hanger access in the lower levels." Irritation laced her words. "The latter is also encroaching on Fumi's lower levels which is limiting my ability to counter the damned Pack."

"And the Eclipse?" I tried not to wince, grabbing at a handlebar as Voya threw the aircar between a pair of trucks before banking hard to get us into the core. "What's Sederis doing?"

"Nothing at the moment, the Pack hasn't gone after them yet and no one wants to deal with them while she's on station."

Which meant our route off-station was still in place. If we could get to Rane and Tris, then help the Talons secure that area, we'd be able to hunker down until Sederis could get us off station. Fuck, cargo shuttles landed at the slave market every hour, we could just leave from there.

"Reyja'krem, it's Rane." My lover's voice cut into the channel. "I can't get within a block of the Blades, the Blood Pack is attacking anything that moves."

"Red is on the channel, she's updating us."

Said Turian wasted no time in speaking up. "Are my people there? We can't get a hold of the upper Tuhi teams."

"They are." The snap-roar of a sniper rifle split her words. "We've set up a barricade to block them from getting into Fumi. They're trying to raise the hotel near Ironhold, we need reinforcements if we're going to push them back."

"I'm routing them you way now. Kean, your location?"

"Still airborne, we'll be landing at the markets in..." Voya held up a pair of fingers. "...two minutes. Rane, were you able to contact Tris?"

"No, someone's jamming that area. I had to fall back nearly a block just to call you."

Shit. "Red, tell me you have people in the markets."

"That's Aria's turf Kean. We don't encroach."

Athame's fucking... "Shit, all right. I'll update you as to what the fuck is going on there when we land."

"Jarick will be relaying from this point, I have to coordinate our response." Before I could offer my opinion that that was a bad idea, she'd dropped from the call.

"Stay strong, my Reyja'krem." Rane offered, her voice quiet. "We'll retrieve Trisren, and then we will be done on this sandblasted station."

"Yeah." Exhaling, I reached down and pulled my SMG off of my belt. "Stay alive Rane."

"I would not dare disappoint my Reyja'krem by dying. I will see you soon."

And then she was gone as well, leaving me and Voya in silence as the car hummed around us. Shit. The Blades headquarters wasn't large, but it was reinforced with only one way in and out. They could hold out for a while, but not indefinitely. And if the Blood Pack had explosives, or enough flamethrowers...

No. Stop fucking worrying. Tris could handle herself. They'd be fine. Focus on getting there and having a way to get them out.

I glanced out the window as the aircar roared down in a rapid descent, our destination coming into sight as Voya brought us down. The pad was rather chaotic, with far more aircars leaving rather than arriving. Probably fat slavers fleeing ahead of the fighting, saving their own skin while leaving their 'property' behind.

The fighting over the aircars still remaining became clearer as Voya nearly crushed several people bringing us down, the crowd practically swarming the vehicle as soon as it landed.

Growling, I shoved my door open and followed that up by shoving my gun in the face of a Batarian who looked like he was about to hurl himself into the car before I even got out. "Move!"

He probably couldn't hear me over everyone shouting that the car was theirs, but I thought my weapon made my point well enough. Giving me a subservient lilt of his head, he backed away as best he could, throwing his arms out to keep himself at the front of the pack.

On the opposite side, Voya had her own method for clearing space. There was a heavy crack of her gun firing, someone yowling in high pitched agony as suddenly no one was within three meters of our ride.

Glancing over, I saw a rotund human man in an opulent suit on the ground, his fat hands clutching at his stomach as blood spread. My companion didn't look repentant in the slightest, her sniper rifle held casually in both hands as she stepped over him. And honestly... in the moment, I couldn't bring myself to care. Tris and Rane were in trouble, and the man was probably a slaver.

"Move!" This time they could hear me, and soon enough we had an avenue through the crowd. We'd taken about five steps before people seemed to swarm around us, shouting and screaming accompanying the renewed fight for the way out of the area.

Flicking my omni-tool, I tried to contact Rane to tell her that we'd landed. It made several efforts to connect before finally buzzing as the device informed me it wasn't possible. Grimacing, I tried to link to the Talons' network and got the same result.

"Shit." Whatever was causing problems had to be nearby. The Blood Pack didn't normally go for tech, but just because Krogan were brutal didn't mean they were stupid. They could have easily hired or enslaved a few engineers to setup jamming fields in the areas they were attacking. Not that we'd ever be able to find them if they were any good, fucking Omega was riddled with utility tunnels and unmapped passages even in the more heavily populated areas.

I'd just have to hope that they pulled out when we pushed the Pack away.

Things opened up once we'd left the landing pad, the pair of us racing through the markets. Slaves cowered in their cages, the less beaten down ones shouting questions as we ran past them. I couldn't bring myself to respond, or look at them more than I had to. Fuck. I'd never wanted to come back here.

Voya had a better head for the twisted three dimensional map of Omega than I did, unerringly leading me past a pair of closed exits and then around a broad corner, skidding to a stop at the bizarre tableau that greeted us.

Much like the other streets, the barricades had been raised by Aria's people. But instead of a a few token guards nervously holding their weapons, there was a good twenty people bearing the Queen's logo. The reason became clear as I looked past them, seeing a moderately sized group of Talons trying to argue their way inside.

"Who the fuck are you?" One of the locals moved to block as we approached, the Asari glowering at us both. "We don't need more fucking problems, so sail on."

Something twitched in my cheek, and I didn't stop moving, my cane striking with every other step as I closed on her. "I'm here to reinforce the Talons, so get the fuck out of my way."

"Those idiots? I don't care who you are we're not letting them... woah, fucking stop!" She started to backpedal as I ignored her entirely. She was of average height for an Asari, which meant she needed several steps for every one of my own. "Sir! We've got a prob... fucking stop or I'll blast your four eyed ass!"

Her gun was pointed at me for about a second before my cane lashed upwards, sending the weapon flying from her nervous fingers. "I told you to get out of my way, maiden. I don't have the time."

"Hey, Highborn asshole!" My eyes flicked up and to the left as a Batarian strode forwards, his chin set to the right in pure condescension. "You just assaulted one of Aria's people."

"I knocked the weapon out of the hands of a female too young to hold it." I snapped back at him, slowing to a stop as Voya casually strolled to stand on my left. "Now why don't you open the fucking gate before the Blood Pack gets here."

The asshole actually sneered. "What does Aria care if those Krogan kill a few Talons?"

"Maybe the fact that Garm is trying to kill her? What the fuck do you think is going on right now!?"

"I think you and your little friend should surrender your fucking weapons. And your armor." His eyes split between us. "We already had to close down the markets when those pathetic creatures tried to flee in here. It's costing Aria credits she'll be furious to lose... but a Highborn and a Quarian? By yourselves you might make some of it back."

I'd only ever killed one person in cold blood before. A brain damaged sex slave whose terrified expression still gave me nightmares. It... had been about the most merciful thing I could do for her.

Somehow I didn't think I'd have as many bad dreams about number two.

He didn't have time to do more than open his mouth in shock as my gun arm snapped up, my finger tightening as the Asari built weapon put a three-shot burst into his unguarded face.

Voya snapped her gun up before any of the guards could try and bring there's around, while I kept mine upright in a clear threat. "Anyone else care to insinuate that we would make good slaves?"

Shockingly, nobody did. Or maybe they were too stunned to respond. There was a lot of staring at their former leader's body as it leaked on the floor.

"About fucking time Reyja'krem!" A Turian shouted from the other side of the barricade, her voice relieved. "I thought he'd never shut up!"

Of the nineteen or so of Aria's people remaining, maybe six were Batarian. They universally flinched at my title, most of them carefully moving their hands away from their guns or holstering them entirely. That was something, but we'd still get torn apart if I didn't play the rest of this right.

"Glad I could be of service. Who's in charge here now?"

"Me." Another Asari spoke up, a shotgun held casually in her hands as she stepped forwards. "You really have that title?"

"Yes, and the Blood Pack really is trying to kill your boss. Ganar left a rant on the extranet."

She grunted, barley glancing at the cooling corpse. "I can't do shit until we confirm that, and there's barely enough of us to police the markets as it is. That idiot wouldn't send a runner to Afterlife, wanted to wait for the jamming to end. Thanks for the promotion by the way."

It was my turn to grunt, relaxing slightly as I lowered my gun. Slightly. The words were about as close to an offer of truce as I was going to get, but there was no sense in taking chances. "Not a problem. I need through the barricade, the Talons are trying to push through from Fumi."

The new leader glanced at my companion, then at the gate, then back at me. "Fine, but only you two going through. The Talons don't get to come in until I get confirmation that we're at war, and maybe not even then."

"Fine." Flicking my fingers, I used my omni-tool to cut off my external mics. "Voya, stay back-to-back until we're through."

She vanished from my peripheral vision, the back of her suit clanking quietly against the back of my armor a few moments later. In front of me, the Asari carefully backed aside as the barricade began to lower into the ground, her blue lips curled into a little smirk as Voya and I carefully moved forwards.

Nobody said anything to us, the guards standing closer to the retractable wall shouting for the Talons to stay back as it came down.

Excepting a single Turian female, her helmet tucked under one arm, they stayed well clear. And for her part she was careful not to approach until Voya and I were on the Talons side of the line and the gate was rising back up behind us.

"I don't think you remember me, but I was on Reyja'krem Ayle's team when we took the main base." She was right, I didn't, but I tilted my head politely all the same. I was pretty sure I would have if I'd seen her without her helmet, her facial markings were done up in vivid red, the sharp patterns and strangely delicate carapace making her the first Turan woman I actually found to be rather exotic.

She gave me something vaguely like a Batarian bow of respect in return as she continued. "Spirits it's good to see that we got any help at all, but I was hoping for more."

I grimaced inside my helmet. "Be glad we're here at all. Your boss has problems with other gangs trying to expand in the chaos. We're trying to get to the Silver Blades."

"The merc team you support? That's... not going to be easy sir." Turning, she waved a clawed hand towards her people. "I've got ten guns, plus me. Another nine who are too beat up to fight. The Krogan just... we didn't have any warning. They and the Vorcha just..."

"They didn't pursue you?"

"Not for long. Aria's people and a few of the market crowd shot at them when we pulled back here, that's when that asshole brought the gate up." She exhaled, mandibles flaring. "They pulled back after that. Maybe thirty minutes ago now."

Thirty minutes. Shit, it had to be nearly forty or fifty since we'd gotten the alarm. We had to fucking move.

"Right. One of my people is helping coordinate the team from Fumi, they are pushing our way but we have to support them." I glanced at the ramp that lead up, only now noticing the dead Vorcha and Talons scattered across it. "If the Blood Pack stay true to form they'll turn to hit that move head-on."

"So we hit them in the back. I'd love the plan if there was more than thirteen of us sir."

I exhaled heavily. "So would I, but my friends are out there. I'm going."

Her mandibles quivered as she turned back to her people. "I... there are still civilians up there. I joined the Talons because they believed we could make Omega better. If I stay here, cowering next to this gate, I'm not doing that. We're with you, Reyja'krem."

"All right then." Flexing my fingers, I made sure I had solid grips on both my SMG and my cane. "Get your people up and let's go."

Secure Communications Log

Omega – Illium RI pipeline

User 1: Trena, it's Tris. I know it's the middle of the night for you, but... shit. The Blood Pack has gone insane, Ganar Yulaz declared Aria to be a whole bunch of shit that she'd love to skin him for. Their jamming everything, but the old hardline we rigged to the support team's place is still intact. We tripped that, hopefully they receive it and can warn their protectors.

User 1: The fighting is quieting, growing more distant. We can hear them outside, doing something to the doors. Maybe trying to rig charges. If they get in... shit. I should have followed our friend's example and bought a place with utility access. Lorth says we can't try and blast out the floor to drop down a level. There's solid rock beneath us. Sideways won't help, and rock again above. We're trapped in our own home.

User 1: They tried to blow the doors, the reinforcements held, but not by much. We've layered it with directional charges to blast it outwards when they stop working. Workbenches and furniture layered as barricades for cover. Maybe it will help.

User 1: I'm going to destroy the link, might not have time later. The fighting is picking up again, the Talons could be pushing back... but I don't know if they'll make it here in time. If they do, we'll find a way to Illium and our friend and I can tell you all about this, and a few other plans we made. If they don't... I'm sure Athame has a bar. We'll be waiting.

Communications Failure – Secure Link Terminated.

Next up is Chapter 7: A Demon's Rise

So... the chapters are getting harder to write as things start to unfold. Those of you who have read Semper Victoria might recognize some of the chapter titles, it should give you a pretty good idea of how things are going to go over the remainder of the act.

Please read and review, criticism is welcome, flames not so much, as usual. Reviews are my lifeblood as a writer.. every-time my email goes off with a review it makes me want to write more, so please take the time to leave one. Guests can leave them as well, and it only takes a minute, so please. Even if it's as simple as "I enjoyed it, please continue."

Thanks, Kat

Review Responses:

Adam Pitlik → He does remember the Prothean VI, what he forgot is that Athame was a Prothean.

Elidan1012 → It's... I can't really say much without spoiling things.

Fan-Rei → Yes, but unlike most of the rest she didn't do much to piss the Hegemony off. She's also staying at Sederis's mansion at this point, so even if they did go after her it wouldn't go well for them.

Ranger Station Charlie → At this point it's more or less healed entirely. He might have aches and pains from time to time, but nothing too bad. I'm honestly not anything close to a doctor, and the ME verse isn't terribly consistent when it comes to healing rates so I'm more or less making it up as I go.

Tusken1602 → The Shadow Broker will definitely be involved, but very likely not in the way you think.