The sun reached for the snow topped mountains of Gerallos as the Fox prowled through the brisk northern air. Maxine brought the shuttle below the clouds to get past any geo-scans and shroud them from orbital sensors. However, if you were on the ground there's no question about whether or not you could hear them coming. Their drive core echoing off the vast ranges as she dipped lower towards the needled trees that were dusted with snow. Sitting back in the foam seats' rubber cushions to relax her back as she worked the holo controls. Hearing the clanking of boots on metal as Sai'ira's head poked into the cockpit, her shining eye and bruised jaw facing Maxine.
"According to Ash's coordinates," Max swiping the GPS into view. "We've got another thirty minutes."
"Sounds good." Sai'ira slowly lowered herself next to her, Max caught her struggling to crawl into the copilots' seat and it wasn't because of the armor.
"You sure you're, ok?" The asari asked after settling.
Glancing at her missing digit Max nodded her head. "Right now, I'm as good as I'm goanna get, you?"
"Same." Wincing after a small yawn her summer sky-colored fingers clutching her face. Max turned on the view screen for her taking a second for it to adjust the light. Just in time to see them pass through a natural bridge as Max eased her wrist, pulling up over a green hill speckled with snow. The whole area seemed perfect for smuggling, stiff peaks and small valleys. With no one living in the frontier there's a lot one could get away with out here.
"Can I ask what happens to Dh'elia?"
Maxine didn't answer, at least not for a minute she parted her lips though said nothing. Shrugging off the question Maxine simply shook her head keeping her eyes forward. "That's not really a concern of mine, what happens, happens."
The asari nodded, deciding to change the subject rather than let that hang in the air.
"Where did you learn how to fly?"
"C-SEC, but my dad gave me lessons. Being on the Citadel gave me better access in my down time though."
"He taught you young, eh? Must've been nice."
Maxine narrowed her eyes for a moment, then nodded, "right...yeah. I um, sorry I brought that up."
"Don't worry about it, at least you got to know yours."
As she exhaled a long sigh Maxine noticed a small light blinking on the holo-controls while gliding a little too close to the ground. Hearing the wind weave through the cliffs and against the hull as it tried to push the shuttlecraft, with a careful yaw she braced the hull against the wind. They could see dark towers come into view above the mountains, only when the wind carried them away did Sai'ira know what they were. This was the industrial heart of Horizon where ships were built and the riches of the mountains stripped from the cold, rocky earth. The batarians massive sprawl of mega domes in the mountains capped by spires of antennae breaking through the ice and snow. The stark, gray tumors varying in size, the largest of the domes looked more like a moon that crashed into the planet. Perched miles above a boiling black lake, its waves churning against the rocks as a barge flew over dumping heaps of junk into the water.
"There must be a volcano underneath." Standing up to get a better look as Maxine lowered the Fox into a small clearing surrounded by trees and hovered.
"Yeah, or a mutant from all that garbage. Something tells me it's man-made, this right Ash?" Calling out into the bay of the shuttle, as her copper scalp poked up from the ladder the rest of her soon climbed up.
"Let me see..." Checking the coordinates on the GPS and looking outside she nodded. "Take us down."
"What's here?"
"Dead drop, I leave parts and some decent food here, and they let me in to the city without docking fees or registration." The drell slid down the ladder, placing her helmet on to activate the environmental controls on her suit.
"Normally I send a 'heads up' but since comms aren't getting through, I'll have to ask for my contact in person, no big deal...I think." She tossed Shepard her helmet and hit a button next to the cabin door, even under the armor Sai'ira felt the sting of the cold as it rushed in, scattering snow across the cabin floor. The Fox was hovering a few inches off the ground as Ashoro and Shepard unceremoniously tossed three crates from the cabin. She then reached for a camo net that was attached to the hull and draped it over the crates.
"You said there's food in one of those?" Shepard asked.
The sound of the hydraulic cabin door closing behind her, Shepard felt a slight shift before the inertial dampers kicked in as Max took off.
"Yup, certain cuts of meat, fancy booze, some credits, they're a simple people, the batarians." Removing her helmet and adjusting her frills Ashoro sat down against the hull.
"The nice thing about Kriek is the black market...or maybe just the market, you can get just about anything pretty cheap."
"Seems more your speed, why live in New Horizon?"
"In a frozen dome?" Her brow raised, "it's a little too familiar, I like a certain amount of breathing room."
Sai'ira had an idea of what she meant, while Khaje isn't covered in domes it's filled with structures like them for the drell that live there. Suppose living like that could make anyone a little sick after a while. It did make her think however, how someone who has such a distrust of authority could live anywhere, no matter where Ashoro would go she'd always be under someone's thumb. Though perhaps her leaving Khaje was never about who was over her so much as who she was with.
"Max!" Ashoro called out from the cabin as she climbed into the cockpit. "Take us to dome thirty-two docking bay four."
"Got it." Her brow furrowed as she concentrated, swiping her hands across the holo-controls Max took them out of the clearing.
Bay four wasn't particularly busy though there seemed to be a steady flow of traffic, as Sai'ira stepped out of the Fox she watched hovering robots de-ice the shield projectors on the entrance spraying it with chemicals and wobbling as the wind pushed them. A truck flew in, landing near them, she could overhear arguing as a pot-bellied batarian yelled at a mechanic for not checking his shuttle fast enough. The hangar itself was sealed off from the city and above customs, a sign with the mayor standing in front of towers within the dome. A proud and stately stance with his arms behind his back as the words below him read; Welcome to Kriek, please be respectful visiting our great Citys. Sai'ira waited for Max as she grabbed her backpack, hopping out she looked around.
"Kriek, never was my idea of a vacation, and it still isn't. Did the broker happen to tell you where we should go?"
"Nope, didn't even name a specific dome. He made it seem like everything would all fall together...somehow." Shepard replied as they went to meet Ashoro at customs, Sai'ira carrying her bag for her.
"Well...this'll be interesting."
"Right, because everything over the last few days has been business as usual." She heard Max chuckle, progress Shepard thought.
"As always, pleasure doing business Tarik." Ashoro and a tall batarian who eyed them all up resting two eyes on Sai'ira long enough to annoy her.
"I never took you for the friendly type Ruen."
"She isn't."
Max replied as they waited behind Ashoro, Tarik laughed as he waved them away. "Please enjoy our fine city!"
"He didn't sound like he meant that." Sai'ira commented as they walked through the gate the scans were quick and they were moved along thanks to Tarik. She heard the whine of a engine as a skycar took off and flew by scattering loose trash with it. There were stalactite towers hanging from the top of the dome with bridges and suspended rails for trains strewn between them, like tinsel on a rather dour Christmas tree. While there are large windows above, due to the weather most of the light comes from buildings and billboards hanging from the half-towers. She felt like she couldn't take a breath without hearing an advert about toothpaste or ironically contact lenses.
As they walked down the metal streets of dome thirty-two from the outset it reminded Shepard of all the worst aspects of a city, crowded, loud, and the air smelled of grease from the food stalls. Which wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't accompanied by a hint of urine. The streets were not orderly, though each one was wide enough for a truck to land and sometimes they opened up enough for two or three, like the intersection where the hotel stood.
"I figured we ought to get a room, a place to figure out where we go from here." Ashoro stopped in front of a large black building, squished between brick-and-motor shops.
"I think we'll have to..." Sai'ira realized how loud she was talking once the entered the hotel lobby. It was quiet, except for the music playing, soft horns could be heard as they stepped into the lobby. There were stairs to their right labeled 'The spot' in large green holo-lettering, some kind of restaurant on a floor above.
"Well, this isn't what I expected."
Ashoro smirked, "Not every corner is covered in soot and grease."
"Apparently."
"Welcome to the Haymor would you like to book a room?"
"Any adjoining?" Maxine asked.
"Yes, but we're still cleaning one of them, to get them both ready it might take more than an hour, might I recommend our restaurant just upstairs while you wait?"
"Works for me." Maxine turned her head to Ashoro who shrugged as Shepard nodded her head.
"We'll take it for three nights please." She pulled out her credit chit. Maxine didn't care about how much it would cost she just wanted a drink now that it was an option.
Dimly lit with light traffic and various shades of blue lights cascading the restaurant. The trio found a booth, the bar was by the stairs and Maxine knew what she wanted. While Ashoro and Sai'ira looked at the menu she saddled up to the bar. Placing her hand on the counter she saw her little finger...littler now. She shook her head; the hell am I doing? She thought, out in the ass end of the planet, far away from the comforts of home and privilege of her station. She didn't answer Sai'ira directly about Dh'elia mainly because she's sworn to secrecy about such matters. Nor did she want to explain how okay she was with the outcome. All Maxine wanted was a truce, instead she found herself in the beginnings of another war, fortunately and thanks to Sai'ira it was short.
"Can I get you anything, miss?" The batarian stared at her with one pair of eyes while he was making a drink for another customer.
"Yeah, bourbon no ice."
"Another human drink, can't promise it'll be quality, but we do have some."
"Fair enough, open a tab." She preferred the smooth feeling and smokey, nutty, flavors of dark liquor. Normally she had top shelf bourbon straight from the U.S. on Earth available almost everywhere in NH. Maxine had a feeling her head was going to hurt after this.
"Put the drink on mine."
She raised an eyebrow at the man next to her, she didn't pay much attention to him before. His shirt was undone revealing his white undershirt, tarnished from the grime of dome thirty-two. With an Earth accent and black hair that looked like it had just outgrown his last haircut. Taking notice of the stubble on his face she eyed him as he placed his arm down on the counter as he leaned forward a chair away.
"May I?"
Max nodded.
"Haven't seen another human in two days."
He said as he took the seat next to her. After spending a few hours in a pilot's seat, she felt like standing as she reflexively clutched her hand hiding her finger.
"Allen by the way, lass, what brings you to dome thirty-two?"
When her drink was set down, she sniffed it first, definitely bottom shelf, she was going to feel it later. "Maxine, and I'm a freighter."
"That's a bad lie Maxine." He smiled sipping his short glass.
"Fine." She eyed Ashoro and Sai'ira, they all wore armor. And Sai'ira may not have been but both Ash and she were armed. "I'm a mercenary, mostly deal in private security, investigation, occasional door kicking. And call me Max. "
"Apologies, Max." He didn't look like he believed her, but the answer seems more acceptable.
"Now you." Her throat burned and she winced, fortunately she didn't care how she looked at the moment. She was in a random hotel in Kreik not the Pantheon. Her hair felt loose, she had it in a crown braid, but she felt a few coily loose strands against her neck.
"Reporter, I've been stuck here since the communication lockdown trying to get anything from the batarian side of the tension. But ever since Vanipol pulled the plug on comms my job became ten times harder."
"Vanipol? New Horizon reports say it was the Alliance ships in orbit."
"The mayor shut down almost all unsecured communications as soon as the ships appeared. He even made a statement a few weeks ago."
Maxine bit her cheek, she set her drink down after another lip-pulling swig. She had no idea the Alliance wasn't responsible for the communication black-out, she knew exactly who would though.
"Thanks for the drink." She leaned off the counter and gently pushed the glass away.
"You sure? I could get you another, your friends seem fine."
She liked his smile, and the way his dark eyes looked at her. Any other time she would have taken him up on the offer, any other time she'd know what the hell she was doing. One thing was certain for Max, she was here on business, and she knew how to keep it that way.
"Maybe I'll see you around." She shrugged as she walked away.