Date: May 28th, 2357
Time: 21:02 Galactic Standard
Location: Widow shuttle en-route to Daratar drop site

I check my Mastiff one last time and holster it, to CV's relief.
"You've checked your shotgun almost two dozen times now. I think that's a record for nervous firearm checks"

I chuckle. "You're probably right CV. Still, I can't help it. Even after everything else we've been through…"

"You're worried he'll escape?"

I nod. "Even with a Spectre helping David, he got away last time. And now…"

"Now we have Bravo Squad and Lieutenant Kirrahe's STG team, plus Nax and myself. You worry too much, Melissa"

I nod. "Yeah…"

Lieutenant Kirrahe punches the drop button on the hatch. "Approaching drop point one. Pilot-Commander Cooper, Pilot-Sergeant Anderson, you ready?"

I see David nod. I nod as well. "We're ready, Lieutenant. See you groundside" I say, climbing up into CV's hatch. The right side of the Widow opens up, and David and I step out into the air. Our drop point – a large clearing in the middle of a forest – is about a hundred meters below us – a short drop. We hit the ground and activate our cloaking fields.

"Bit of a hike to the Eclipse facility" David says, his face appearing in the upper right-hand corner of CV's active display.

I nod. "Yeah, but we got plenty of time to get there. Comms secure?"

David checks the communications display in his hatch, then nods. "Yeah. Activated at the same time as the cloaking module. Should be active on your end too"

I double-check to make sure it activated, and nod. "All's good on my end. Once we reach our destination, we should contact Lieutenant Kirrahe. He, along with Bravo Squad and his STG team, should be all set up by time we get there, unless something goes amiss"

David nods. "Alright. Let's get going"

[-]

Time: 23:19 Galactic Standard
Location: Daratar, en-route to Eclipse facility

"I see the facility on radar. Large stretch of barren land in the western side of the scope"

I nod. "Copy that David. We'll disembark here and move in. Any sign of things going wrong?"

"Not that Nax can see. I'm disembarking"

I see David hop out of Nax, just a few meters from me. I disembark and walk over. "Gonna be a while before Vyrrnus shows up. You want to take the first watch, or should I?"

David shakes his head. "I'll take the first watch. You get some rest. I'll wake you up in four hours, or if something interesting happens"

I nod. "Okay. But first, let's contact Kirrahe, let him know we're in position"

David nods. "Agreed"

I check my comms status – unencrypted. "Gimme just a moment. Need to sync with CV's communication module"

I open up my communications module and start syncing with CV's. "You ever think about the future, David?"

I hear David chuckle. "Occasionally. Not nearly as much as a few years ago, but now and again I find my thoughts centering on life after…" David waves his hand. "After this. Why do you ask?"

I shrug. "Just curious"

The communication module finishes it's syncing process, and I call Kirrahe. "Lieutenant Kirrahe, do you copy?"

A few moments quiet, and I hear, in a whisper, "I copy, Commander Cooper. Are you in position?"

"Yes. The sergeant and I have reached our destination. Best get some sleep – going to be a few hours before the meeting"

"Agreed. We'll take up watch here – let Bravo Squad get some rest"

"How often will you swap watches?"

"Every three hours – we Salarians don't need as much sleep as you humans do"

"Alright. See you in the morning"

[-]

It's not dead, I swear! I'm just having a major case of writer's block… I'll try and get another chapter out soon, with a substantially higher word count ( hopefully ). In any case, check out my other Fanfic "Noble Redemption". I think you guys will like it