Author's Note: Happy Valentine's Day! My boyfriend and I have a three day weekend so ... I probably will not be posting any chapters if you catch my drift. However I will be back on Tuesday. So I haven't really said what me schedule is for posting, but I've stayed somewhat steady at posting on every other day. I will be changing that to every three days. Sorry, but it's hard to keep up the pace. Enjoy your weekend lovely people. :)
Charlie almost walked past Nihlus on her way through the terminal. She probably would have kept on walking, but there weren't a lot of turians on Elysium. The short, for his species, brown plated barefaced turian hunched over a cup of chuile did not look like Nihlus Kryik. When he noticed her watching him, Nihlus motioned to an empty chair at the small café table.
"So barefaced then?" Charlie said with a wicked smirk.
"Doesn't your culture have similar misgivings towards redheads?" He asked while his eyes coasted over her transformation.
"So I have a new look, do I get a new name?" Charlie asked as she skated her hand over the omni-gel menu. If they were heading to Omega this would be the last time she would be able to find a decent cup of coffee for a while.
"Elizabeth Hill." Nihlus responded as he flicked his omni-tool and sent her a data packet.
"That's my middle name." Charlie said blandly.
"I'm so pleased that you picked up on your own name." Nihlus said dryly. "I assumed that you had been called by your middle name often enough that it won't feel strange when I, or anyone else, use it."
That made sense to Charlie, but the name also seemed a little dry. It didn't have any life to it. She considered telling Nihlus just that, but for once prudence won over jokes and Charlie instead said. "I hope you are aware of my inability to act. I'm not really sure how much help I'm going to be."
"I didn't choose you for your acting. In public, you will be my silent companion. I need you to be intimidating and when I give the signal I need you to be aggressive."
"I'm not going to be your lapdog." Charlie said with a frown. Although a secret part of her liked the idea of terrifying mercs.
Nihlus took a sip of his chuile and leaned back in the chair with one foot propped up on his knee. The effect was instantaneous, as Nihlus shifted back to his normal persona. "Do you want to know something interesting about the species in the galaxy?" He asked her in his normal languid tone. "Turians do not come in varied shapes. We can get unhealthy and lose muscle mass, but the effect isn't as apparent as it is on some of the softer species. Couple that with the fact that we force our young into military service and you get an interesting phenomenon. From outward appearance it's difficult to judge the dangerousness of any given turian. However, there are many turians who are not capable of serving in the military, either for medical reasons or because they live outside of Council space. So the best way to judge a non-threatening turian is by his mannerisms and those I can fake. Now let's look at the other species. If you meet a solitary krogan, you are safe to assume that he is aggressive, but not intelligent. If you meet a solitary asari, you are safe to assume that they possess biotic capabilities. Salarians are intelligent. Volus are shrewd, but harmless. Yes, I'm being racist, but you know I'm right. I'm only talking about first impressions. Now humans on the other hand are a different ball game. You are all so varied, but you wear your identity for anyone to see. Unlike turians, humans can get too fat or too thin. This means that your threat level is laid out for all to see before you can even shake hands. I'm not even going to get into the percentage of human biotics, because that's a whole other fear. However you, Nacht, are physically impressive and intimidating. It will be clear from your appearance alone that we should not be taken lightly. You're tall, for a human, and you're clearly muscular even in armor, but it's the way you carry yourself that sells it. With a few firm actions, you'll make this mission go smoothly. While I will play the role of a non-threatening businessman you will take on the appearance of my hired muscle."
Charlie heard the words and pointedly did not take the compliment that was nestled amidst them. She knew what she looked like, a finely honed machete. Not a precision instrument, but not one to be taken lightly. Crude, but effective. "Alright." She simply said as she sipped at her coffee.
G.
Entering Sahrabarik now. No injuries to report. Do me a favor and hack into the cameras I have placed in the house and check on lil G for me?
E
The ship they took to Omega had been cramped and smelt like shit. However the smell that assaulted Charlie's nose when they stepped out on Omega was somehow worse. A pervading stench of death, rot, disease, and musk threatened to knock her off of her feet. The worst of it was the wide range of alien colognes and perfumes that the citizens drenched themselves in to avoid reeking of the foul underlying odor. Charlie was suddenly very appreciative of her empty stomach.
Nihlus walked in front of her and Charlie had to constantly remind herself that the hunched, frightened turian was the famous Spectre. He was very good. Charlie only stayed a step behind him though and had to push him a couple of times to keep him moving through the crowd. A batarian mercenary planted himself in front of the two of them and Charlie quickly moved in front of Nihlus with a hand casually stroking the grip of her shotgun. Nihlus had carefully prepped her on the long flight there on how she should handle any interaction.
"Aria requests your presence." The batarian informed Nihlus ignoring the towering woman.
"Of course." Nihlus quickly responded behind her.
His message delivered the heavily armored batarian left. Charlie shared a brief look with Nihlus before she let him take the lead again.
Charlie was very grateful that she had never developed the customary "cop walk". She had always preferred a saunter to a walk. This served her well on Omega, because Charlie was very bad at faking. Most military or law enforcement types could be readily distinguished even in civvies. However, Charlie had been the first human C-Sec officer, which meant there had been no one there to teach her the customary walk of authority and command. Instead she relied heavily on her imposing presence and ability to label her. Without a uniform, Charlie could easily be mistaken for a mercenary.
Charlie was also extremely grateful for Ada. The orange glow wrapped around her eyes quickly laid out a map of Omega which she was going to have to rely on. Omega was a sprawling seedy metropolis with hundreds of almost invisible back alleys and streets. Charlie could already imagine getting lost in the dark station. Ada was working overtime between mapping the station and doubling her security. She hadn't been sure if it was a good idea to bring the VI with her to Omega, but Charlie was quickly labeling it one of her better plans.
Security intrusion detected.
Threat nullified.
Charlie darted a hand out to grip Nihlus' shoulder to make him stop as she scanned the crowd for the culprit. The tiny salarian boy was easy to spot sitting by a corner watching the crowd walk by with his large multi-hued eyes. Charlie skirted the edge of the crowd and easily took the boy off-guard. She pulled him off the ground and not unkindly forced him to stand. Without saying a word she held out her palm to the boy. The small salarian child went still and was clearly tensing up for a bolt. When he noticed the gesture he slipped the too large omni-tool bracelet off of his wrist and handed it to her.
Charlie held one finger up to the boy in a "wait here" gesture. She didn't smile or make any other sudden movements. Though he was clearly counting his possible escapes and her weapons, he didn't take any of the openings she left for him. Moving quickly she slapped the bracelet on her free hand and ran a system check and program sweep. It wasn't difficult to find the offending program and after she briskly made a copy of all the pertinent information she handed the device back to the boy. Surprised that he got to keep the tool he quickly darted when Charlie took a step backwards.
It was difficult to play with the program as she continued to follow Nihlus, so Charlie let Ada handle the mundane task of decrypting the software. Exactly one minute later Ada announced her success and Charlie implemented the information into her glasses. Glancing around at the members of the crowd told a completely different story than before. She bit back a smirk at the multitude of symbols the members were tagged with. Some of them were clearly labeled as affiliations with the various mercenary groups that called Omega home. However it was surprising the number that were listed as "gave me shelter once" or "do not trust" or "will pay for services" or "slaver". It was different from the use of tagging on the Citadel. It spoke to the darker undertones of life on Omega and of desperation.
A half hour of walking was all it took to arrive at the doors of Afterlife. There were certain details about the universe that Charlie now resided in that the games had gotten wrong or possibly just oversimplified. Afterlife was one of them. The sprawling building glittered violets and blues that stood out in harsh contrast to the rest of the dismal station. The most shocking aspect of the club was how impeccably clean it was. The building seemed to shine like an impossible beacon of civilization in an otherwise third world station. Charlie had a dark feeling that it was kept this way to draw moths into its all consuming flame.
They were expected at the door and the bouncer quickly stripped both of them of every weapon. For Nihlus this meant his solitary pistol. For Charlie this mean her pistol, shotgun, sub-machine gun, and both combat knives. The rough batarian gave a disapproving look at her omni-glasses and as a truce Charlie switched them off.
The club was deafening. The music, noise her brain argued, threatened to become a physical entity. The force swept through the room and everyone moved to it, with or without their consent. Wading through the mass of differently colored flesh was a chore that Charlie had some begrudging experience with. An asari mistook the woman for a dance partner and promptly attached herself to Charlie's side. A long hard glare caused the girl to jump and back off.
Probably isn't even out of her maiden years. Less than a hundred, probably less than eighty years old.
Charlie's face showed her inner repulsion at having what was little more than a child grind against her. She had to bite back hard on her sudden impulse to "fix" Omega. It was the depraved cousin to the Citadel and had a way of pulling at every string of her resolve.
Aria's loft hung over the crowded club and it wasn't long before Nihlus and Charlie reached the ground level entrance. Another silent batarian scanned them both before they were allowed to enter. Aria slouched easily against the lavish comfort of her couch. A small grin pulled itself slowly over her violet skin, so that by the time she acknowledged them she was grinning. Charlie found it to be entirely unsettling.
"My, my Nihlus Kryik aren't you all grown up. I'd ask you what you doing back here, but that takes all the fun out of guessing. So I'll settle for asking how big of a bloodbath is this going to be?" Aria's voice was rich velvet coating a jagged edge.
"It shouldn't be much of one. Unless you want it to be." Nihlus had completely dropped the pretense and was standing lazily leaning against the wall.
"Hmm … now why don't I believe you? Carnage and death follow you, but I suppose it will be entertaining. You do look positively drab without your colors though."
"Such is the life I lead, my queen." Nihlus replied with an insincere grin.
"Are you going to introduce me to your associate? I haven't had the opportunity to meet the ex-Detective Nacht." Aria's azure eyes found Charlie's and the world stopped.
Charlie tried to find her breath, but there was none to be had. The pulsating sounds of the Afterlife faded away and she existed in a suffocating empty space devoid of color or shape. A soft sound of music pervaded Charlie's mind and she recognized it immediately. Terrified and blind Charlie latched out and held onto the song of the black pillar and it carried her out of the miasma and forced her jarringly back into her own body. Charlie stumbled forward as the sudden existence of her senses scratched painfully on her mind and she gasped for air. Aria's cool demeanor vanished instantly and she stood up and yelled at the gasping woman. Charlie managed to get her body under control and anxiously fingered the empty holster on her thigh.
Looks like Aria's prediction of a bloodbath was truer than either of us realized.
However, after the confused and pained outburst Aria resumed her original position. She stared intently at Charlie, who tried not to wither under the gaze. "Well aren't you a little ball of secrets?" The once soft velvet of her tone laid in tatters and all Charlie heard was the steel edge.
Though her body was once again hers, Charlie's mind was still reeling from the experience. Anxiety ran rivulets of perspiration down her back which her new armor eagerly wicked away. Charlie stared the violet woman who had left her in this state. Even though fear threatened to take her, Charlie defiantly glared at the powerful asari. Gradually, fear was replaced with rage and her surroundings and situation came into sharp focus. Nihlus continued to talk to Aria as if nothing strange had transpired while Charlie calmed herself by making plans in case this meeting went wrong.
Two steps to the right. Shin to the knee and a palm heel to the throat, the batarian is shortly incapacitated. Acquire his pistol. Now the turian on the left set of the stairs is charging you. Take a quick step behind the injured batarian and unload the pistol into the turian and save a round for the kneeling man. Acquire the turian's assault rifle. Spare a glance at Nihlus and Aria. Is she distracted? If, yes, proceed to the deal with the guards on the right set of stairs.
This mode of thought continued until Nihlus gracefully bowed away from Aria and gave a short nod to Charlie. She mutely followed him out of the club, down the always darkened streets, and to the shabby room they were going to call home for the next month. Once safely alone, Charlie sat heavily down on the hard bed and scrubbed her face with her palms.
Nihlus carefully unfolded his hunched stature and grew four inches. He sat on the desk across from Charlie and said. "So that was a useful trick. You'll have to teach it to me some time."
Her first response was a loud groan into the synthetic mesh surrounding her hands. "I would have to know what I did, first."
Nihlus absorbed this information with a quiet nod. "Are you alright?"
No, she wasn't alright. The pain and damage was not physical. Charlie could not point to the offending nerve cluster and demand an explanation of what happened. Instead it was her mind that seemed to have an open wound. However, she couldn't quite figure out how to convey this Nihlus so Charlie said. "I'm fine. What did she do to me?"
The feint concern shifted into humor as Nihlus smiled at her. "What have you never 'embraced eternity'?"
"No. Asari aren't my tastes." Charlie immediately regretted the response as Nihlus gave her a knowing private look that told her that he knew what her tastes were. In attempt to cut off the turian's thoughts she added. "I thought they had to touch you or fuse nervous systems or something like that?"
Nihlus shook the stray thoughts from his head and responded. "Well, yes, they would if what Aria had done to was sexual and loving and not an attack. What she did was intrusive and I admit I probably should have warned you. Aria T'loak is a powerful matriarch and should not be underestimated, because she will use every tool in her belt to get what she wants."
"So, did we get we needed from her?" Charlie followed his sentence quickly with her question. Silence seemed to be more painful and listening to Nihlus talk drew her attention away from the pulsating wound invisibly etched in her brain.
"Well we didn't get shot, so this is already starting out better than some of my trips here." Nihlus said with a smirk. Charlie thought she may have picked up some residual concern around his eyes. "But, no. We did not get any leads. Our first job tomorrow will be to genuinely become businessmen."
Charlie groaned under the tediousness of this mission. It quickly was becoming evident exactly why Garrus had been so concerned about her well being. A glance at the filthy bed and Charlie decided to sleep in her armor. Nihlus took the narrow bed next to her, but shirked his armor. Apparently he had no such reservations about the questionable living quarters. Before she went to sleep Charlie checked her messages.
E
Lil' G is fine. I'm not hacking into your security system to spy on her. I will call her everyday like I promised.
G.
Charlie twisted her lips in mild frustration. She had been seventeen once too and she had had many a boy slip into her room after hours. She wasn't trying to hold Grace to a higher standard than herself, but her childhood had been far too relaxed and there had been too few rules. Between a mother who could barely stay conscious for an intervention and too old grandparents, her childhood had been rife with her pushing the lax rules as hard as she could. Charlie didn't fool herself into imagining that Grace was still an innocent child, but she also didn't think it was prudent to leave a teenager alone in an empty house. It was like leaving the keys to a Ferrari on the counter next to a bottle of vodka and simply saying "Don't do anything crazy". Charlie smirked at the old reference that bubbled up within her. It's true that she trusted Grace and Micah, but she didn't necessarily trust them alone together.
G.
You've seen the way M looks at her. Just check occasionally during the night cycle to make sure there are not any overnight guests. I met a queen today. I wouldn't say she was very nice, but I don't have any injuries to report.
E.
The next week was harrowing in how it stretched Charlie's patience to an almost breaking point. They were getting nowhere. Nihlus was actually a legitimate businessman and continued to buy and sell goods on behalf of a small turian colony. Charlie mutely followed the turian around the massive station as he expanded his false empire. Nihlus' original statement that she might have to show some force was entirely overstated. The most Charlie had had to do while on the station was gently stroke her sidearm. That was enough to make most challengers back down.
Left to live entirely inside her head was driving Charlie to madness. To preserve her own sanity, she played a silent and invisible game with the many children of Omega. The salarian boy the first day had hardly been the only attempt to break through her firewalls. Now that she had access to the network the kids were using, Charlie would test the tiny hackers' skills during the long hours of following Nihlus. If she deemed the attempt impressive enough, Charlie would send a few credits as a reward. Because of this action, Charlie and Nihlus had gained a small following of filthy children who would hide in the shadows around them. She never actually conversed with any of them, but she also didn't remove the tag they had placed on her, "fellow gamer".
Charlie was one step behind Nihlus as they walked down the filthy corridor. A sudden distress message beamed out in front of them and she roughly dragged Nihlus to a corner, forced him to sit, and drew her shotgun. One of the Omega rats had let the message fly and Charlie only saw it because she had the access to their network. There was a brief pause where nothing happened and a few Omega citizens scoffed openly at the easily startled woman. The sound of an exploding grenade echoed off the walls and the disdainful faces turned to fear as they scattered. Remembering her orders from Nihlus, Charlie stood her ground over the crouched turian and charged her shields.
The brief battle unfolded before her as twenty Blue Suns mercenaries stormed a storefront. Charlie forced herself to not intervene. This was not her fight and she would only succeed in getting both her and Nihlus killed. Surprisingly several armed men opened fire from within the store. She didn't have a decent angle on the firefight, but Charlie could tell that the defending men were outnumbered and outgunned. A common red stripe across the varying armor styles labeled the defenders as an upstart merc group. The Blue Suns, however, were professional mercs and they quickly cleaned out the offending group.
Charlie muffled a curse when she saw the tiny salarian boy pressed against the corner of the building. He had been the one to first send the distress message and he was trapped. He laid there shaking and attempted to blend in with the surrounding filth.
Don't move. Just stay calm.
An observant Blue Suns member spotted the shaking boy and roughly gripped him by the arm. "Hey we got somethin' here. Whaddya think? An informant?"
A bored gruff voice called from inside the smoking building. "Sure, why not. Just get in here and help clean this shit up."
Charlie could not stop her legs from moving when she saw the gun come up in the merc's hand. She charged the man, grabbed the offending arm, and brought her elbow down on the limb to break it at the joint. The man screamed in pain and released the salarian boy who quickly darted away. Using her momentum, Charlie expertly dropped the man to the ground and had pulled both her shotgun and pistol before his armor clattered to the metal floor.
Her shotgun was pointed at the prostrate man and her pistol was directed at the rest of the company of mercs, who had quickly drawn their own weapons. She scanned their faces for any information, but she found only hardened resolve. They would easily let her kill the wounded man.
"What the hell is going on out here?" A deep and distinctly batarian voice called from within the shattered store. There was a heavy sound of footsteps on shattered glass before the owner of the voice made his presence clear.
"We missed one of them, boss. They've got Caleb pinned down. Should we take the shot?" The voice belonged to a younger human male and Charlie could hear the slight falter of indecision and panic seep through his tone.
With a grunt the older batarian stepped out through the shattered window and quickly assessed the situation. "Put your goddamn guns down. She's not going to shoot anyone." Neither Charlie nor the mercenaries shifted their position. With a growl the batarian cuffed the closest mercenary and gradually the Blue Suns lowered their weapons. "Now what the fuck is happening out here? This human female is not a member of the Cutlasses you fuckin' idiots. So what happened?"
When none of the members spoke up, Charlie did. "I don't give a fuck about your turf wars, but this one was going to kill a kid whose only fault was poor timing."
"There are no innocents on Omega, which should have been your lesson on Day 1." His eyes darted to the prostrate Blue Sun. "Do you require his death?" The batarian's eyes closely followed Charlie's minute move. She was not very fluent in batarian mannerisms, but she clearly felt the empty question.
"Let him nurse the broken arm. There was no harm done here." Charlie was not surprised to hear the steady sound of her own voice.
"Who holds your leash, girl?" The note of derision towards her gender bounced off of Charlie's impassive face. She refused to let the batarian see the flash of Mindoir it recalled to her mind. The panicked screaming of Jess while the batarian slavers beat her, sounded within Charlie. However she only jerked her head in the direction of Nihlus.
"You are?" The batarian barked the order.
"Jaeson Rellan, sir." Nihlus responded with subservient undertones laced in his unsteady voice.
"Bring your pet to Fight Pit tonight. She'll make for interesting sport." The batarians top set of eyes held Charlie's own, but his lower set slid unsettlingly across her form.
"Yes, of course." Nihlus hurriedly agreed.
Charlie held the batarian's eyes for a moment longer before she fell in behind the turian and they walked off.