Chapter 5! Enjoy!
Everything in this fanfic is owned by Bioware. No copyright infringement intended.
The adrenaline from the raid at Tony's was wearing off as Nicolas got in the sky-car. The lights of Omega's streets whizzed by and nausea began to well up in his stomach when he saw Afterlife outside the window. It's the hangover from the Pisco, he thought to himself, You'll get a Bloody Mary from Urvat and you'll be right as rain.
You're scared of seeing Aria again, you pussy.
"What did you say, Hal?" Nicolas looked around the sky-car, trying to pinpoint where the remark had come from.
"Say what? I didn't say anything," came the voice from Nicolas' translator. Nothing else was said for the rest of the trip.
…
"So that phone call proves you did your job. Tell me, what was it Anthony wanted to do with the credits I lent him?" Aria sat on her couch overlooking the club. She eyed Nicolas as the human massaged the bridge of his nose before answering, the last of the hangover fading out after taking the pill Urvat had handed him.
"He bought guns. Loads of guns. Looked like he was aiming to fend off whoever you sent to collect the money."
Aria shook her head with amusement, "Stupid humans, always thinking they can outsmart the other species when they're really showing off how far behind they are. Wouldn't you agree, dear?"
"Whatever. He still spent the money you gave him."
"He knows what can happen, so he'll have the money soon enough. Anyways, now that his sons are gone, I think he won't have a hard time selling the extra weapons he bought." Aria smiled to herself, swirling the blue liquid in a glass she'd just received from the elder turian that stood at her side.
A moment of realization hit Nicolas, followed by a pang of guilty nausea filling his stomach. Hal whispered into his translator, aware of the current situation, "Remember what we're here for."
Baker shook his head and swallowed down the excess saliva that his mouth couldn't stop making. He gave Aria a glare, hoping his eyes weren't watering, "You know, the apartment you gave me was nice and all, but I feel this job was a bit larger than my previous deed."
Aria raised her eyebrows, then smiled at her bodyguards, earning chuckles from them. She turned her head to address Nicolas, "Oooooh, the boy wants to talk business. Tell me, Jerris, what were you expecting to earn from this dangerous mission I sent you on?"
Unconsciously, Nicolas straightened his back in a feeble attempt to look more authoritarian, "I want information regarding the Normandy's crash site."
Again, Aria raised her eyebrows mockingly, "Is that so? Well, Nathan dear, that kind of information is hard to come by. Why would you think I'd know?"
"I don't, but I think you have a better chance of finding out than I do. The Normandy crashed in the Terminus. All information in the Terminus stops at Omega eventually, so you, being the Queen of Omega and all," Nicolas waved his arms at the word 'queen' to look unintimidated, "should hear about it eventually."
Aria's demeanour, to Nicolas' surprise, didn't become hostile. She gave him a curious smile instead, "That's awfully insightful for a human. What interest do you have in finding the Normandy?"
Hal spoke into Nicolas' ear and he repeated, "Anything that was a part of the Normandy will probably sell in Citadel space for big credits. I just want to cash in before anyone else gets to it."
The asari rubbed her chin before speaking again, "Well, Nathan, I'll be straight with you so you don't get your young hopes up too much," she emptied her drink in one swift gulp before leaving the glass in the turian's hands, "That kind of information will most probably be hoarded by the Shadow Broker as soon as it starts circulating. Now, most people don't know this, but I'll let you in on a secret," she winked before continuing, "Once something come's across the Broker's desk, it becomes really expensive. The value of information like that goes far beyond whatever you've been worth to me as of yet. I'll tell you what: I'll give you free drinks for the rest of your stay in Omega and five thousand credits for your job at Tony's. The information on the Normandy will have to wait, sadly. Now I've got other things to do, so go downstairs and enjoy the alcohol," Aria waved her hand dismissively at the human, who was now shaking, knowing that he'd probably never know where the Normandy came to rest.
Anto, the batarian assistant, nudged Nicolas towards the stairs when the human had remained idle for a couple of seconds. He batted the batarian's hand away angrily and snapped, "I know how to get to the stairs, prick."
Nicolas walked down and sat at the bar in front of Urvat. The human leaned over the bar and grabbed a bottle of rum and an empty glass, earning a disapproving look from the bartender. Hal didn't speak any words of reassurance as Nicolas downed his first glass with a grimace. The AI had looked into enough human psychology text books to know nothing could really be said that would help for the time being.
…
Nicolas had spent the better of three hours nursing the bottle he had taken from the bar and was thoroughly drunk. His hands hadn't stopped shaking since the conversation with Aria as he racked his head trying to come up with a way to contact the Shadow Broker and cheat him out of the information he definitely had to have.
That asari bitch knows where Shepard is.
Nicolas shook his head and looked around to find whoever said that. He found that all the other patrons sat far from him, and Urvat was attending someone else on the other side of the bar. It was just the music, he thought to himself.
His omnitool pinged, and Hal spoke into Nicolas' translator, "You've got a message from Aria."
The human activated the hologram to see the notification. The five thousand credits had been deposited and Aria's message followed: I've thought it over, and I think we can make a deal regarding the information you're looking for. How about we discuss it up here? Take an alcohol metabolizer, and don't bother showing up wearing your disgusting beard.
Nicolas looked at the almost empty rum bottle and got up after he gulped down the rest. He walked briskly (and dizzily) out of Afterlife and into the commercial district, looking for some sort of pharmacy. He ended up standing outside the weapon's shop he'd bought the plastic explosives out of and decided to enter.
The vorcha stood at the counter, rubbing his hands together, "So the human returns to see Korvos. Does it wish to make renovations in the apartment?"
"I'm actually looking for a metabolizing pill and a razor. Any idea where I can find that?" Nicolas looked around drunkenly.
The vorcha hissed and shook his head, "Korvos has the monomol blade, but not the pill. Has the human tried throwing up? It could solve problem."
"I'll have the razor, then. I kind of want to be sober and smell decent, though."
Korvos coughed out a laugh, "Korvos forgets other species care about smell. Drug store is a block that way," the vorcha tilted its head to the side, "the blade is ten credits."
After buying the sheathed razor, Nicolas walked to the drug store run by a volus in scuffed brown armour. He took the pill immediately after buying it, and the human jogged back home, feeling more sober each step he took.
…
"Maybe you should have a sober day, Nicolas. Taking metabolizers puts twice as much strain on your liver," Hal warned Nicolas as he carefully used the monofilament blade to cut his beard off.
He put the blade parallel to the flow of the tap water so as to not shatter it as the strands of hair slid off the razor as he hummed, agreeing, "maybe I should… not like buying metabolizers is doing my wallet any favours. It's just that," Nicolas paused as he dragged the blade across his face again, "being sober, Hal. It's boring when I'm alone."
"But I'm on your omnitool all the time," Hal spoke coolly, aware of the fact that the human wasn't taking him into account. His algorithms brought up data on Nicolas' medical reports from the Normandy. Apathetic.
"I know, I know, Hal. But you don't have a body, or a face that I can look at when I talk to you," Nicolas paused again, "sometimes I think you say things when you've been quiet the whole time."
"Really? Like what?" Hal brought up more data from the medical file. Possible withdrawal symptoms.
"Nothing in particular," Nicolas lied. He rinsed the blade and fanned it out to shake the moisture away before storing it. He gave his face quick look in the mirror before turning to leave for Afterlife, "I'll lay off on the drinking for a bit, though."
Gonna sober up, pussy?
Nicolas stopped abruptly at the door leading into his bedroom. With one swift motion he turned around to see himself in the mirror, a worried expression on his face. Hal spoke into his translator, "What's up?"
Without answering, Nicolas shook his head and walked out of the apartment.
…
"So you decided to look decent. I'm impressed, Jerris!" Aria chuckled as Nicolas came to a halt in front of her. The asari looked him over with an expression of lust deliberately displayed on her face.
Nicolas felt goosebumps go down his spine but didn't let his expression of indifference change. He spoke sarcastically, "Nothing but the best for the Queen of Omega."
Aria's expression transitioned back to her characteristic smug smirk, "Wouldn't expect less. Since you're here to talk business, why don't you follow me?"
Nicolas arched an eyebrow, "I already know your little dungeon."
"Follow me somewhere else," Aria rolled her eyes as she got up, "and keep stupid remarks to yourself from now on, alright?"
The asari lead Nicolas down a corridor and up another flight of stairs. The music died down with each step they took until they reached a door with burgundy cushioned panels and a yellow lock hologram. Aria raised her omnitool to it and within a few seconds, the door whooshed open to reveal a sort of relaxation room. There was a round bed at the end, large enough to fit at least five people comfortably, and beside it was a bar embedded into the wall with more kinds of alcohol than Nicolas cared to count. Closer to them were a couple of sofas with a low table in the middle. A bag of Red sand rested on a silver tray in the middle of it. The music from the club was inaudible at that point, and in its place was a slower tempo tune, definitely meant for ambient rather than dancing.
Aria walked in and Nicolas followed. The door whooshed closed behind him and the hologram lock cycled to red. The asari walked over to a sofa and sat down, motioning for the human to sit on the one opposite her.
"The bar behind me has every liquor you can imagine, so if you want one, go get it before we start," Aria pointed a thumb over her shoulder.
Nicolas shook his head, "I'd rather be sober for this."
She smiled and raised her feet onto the table top. Her right hand glowed blue and a bottle from the bar floated into her hands. She inspected it quickly and pulled the plastic cork off before taking a swig of the Thessian wine inside. After a satisfied aaaah, she gave Nicolas a serious stare, "I can't give you the Normandy's location and let you keep whatever you find. It's bad for business. As I said before, I can't give you anything without losing money, so we have to find a way that makes my numbers favourable."
"And how can we get around to that?"
Aria rubbed her chin, as if she were deep in thought, "Everything you've done, I could have perfectly asked one of my people to do, which is why it's not really worth much. For your job to be worth something, it has to be something I wouldn't do with my people. Luckily for you, there are things here on Omega that I want to influence anonymously."
Nicolas nodded and Aria continued after taking another swig of the wine, "I already showed you what happens when you don't get the job done. From now on, just know that if anyone identifies you while you're working, you're as good as dead, so you're gonna have to lose the armour. Nobody can know that you work for me."
"Fair enough. What would my first job be, then?"
"There's an up and coming mercenary company in the higher levels. They mostly do jobs outside Omega, so they don't worry me… for now. I lend them money, and they pay back on time. To them, I'm a benevolent bank, and I want to keep it that way. The problem is that they're growing too quickly, so I need them to be put down, hard. If I asked another merc to do it, they could talk too much, but I'm sure you know what is at stake and what you stand to win if you do things right, Nathan."
Nicolas frowned and looked at his feet. She wanted him to take down a merc company. Aria spoke up again, "I need you to kill at least thirty of their sixty person workforce and destroy whatever weapons they have stored in their headquarters. Take all the time to want. When you're done, message me evidence, and I'll have a ship waiting for you in the lower docks with a crew ready to take you wherever the Normandy crashed."
Nicolas faced Aria, meeting her stare. She seemed to know what the human was thinking, and smiled, "Trust that I can deliver, Nathan. I know for a fact that the Shadow Broker has the info. I've asked around already. I just need something to persuade me to pay the price. Get the job done," Aria stood up and Nicolas did the same. They walked together back out into the club in silence. When they were about to reach Aria's sofa overlooking the dancefloor, the asari put a hand on Nicolas' shoulder, squeezing lightly between the ceramic plates, "I'll send you all the info I have on them soon. Get another suit on the extranet and have it delivered to your place before you do anything."
…
Nicolas sat on his bed, robotically loosening the bolts on the joints of the leg prosthetic he'd just removed. He laid the components out on the bed and inspected each one for signs of wear. His omnitool sat beside him, its hologram showing the receipt of the armour he'd just bought. He had no idea Cord-Hislop manufactured armour sets, but they were the company that asked for the least billing details so it was the obvious choice. Delivery was set to arrive two days later, so he had ample time to prepare everything else he needed. Hal had made a handy shopping list for Korvos to look through and hand Nicolas the day the following morning.
"Think we'll be able to pull it off?" Hal asked.
"That's a really useless question, Hal," Nicolas scoffed as he re-tightened a muscle cord to his ankle, "We have to pull it off. It's just a question of how, and you answered that question with the shopping list you sent Korvos."
"You're getting really hard to talk to, you know that?"
"Well, I'm not in the happiest of places, Hal. I don't know if you can load some pictures of a Caribbean world or something and get your virtual consciousness lost in it but I can't. I can't get Jane out of my head and finally I have a shot at finding her. Being nice isn't on my top priority list, and I'm sorry that you have to deal with it. I'll make an effort to be more talkative if you want."
Hal didn't answer and instead brought up the schematics for Nicolas' prosthetic, showing the human he had attached a muscle cord upside down.
…
Nicolas looked over his shoulder as he walked towards his apartment from Korvos' store to make sure the corridor was empty. He held a crate in his hands, which he tossed in through the front door before hauling the armour crate that had been delivered to his place inside. Opening the hard plastic crate with the Cord-Hislop logo on it, he found the components of the new set of armour. The first layer was a pearly white fabric, meant to saturate in medigel once the rest of the suit was on. A second layer of coarse grey fabric would then saturate in omnigel, acting as a quick way to seal armour breaches, and the third layer was a metallic mesh that would cling to the second, with armour plates welded to their respective places. The shield module was attached to the small of the armour's back to keep it away from the main line of fire it would probably receive. Nicolas pursed his lips as he stripped and tried it on, letting Hal interface with the life support and shielding systems.
"It feels a bit on the light side," the human remarked as the layers tightened around his body and the armour plates shifted into place.
"That's because it's not charged with medi or omnigel yet. Get the canisters out of Korvos' crate," Hal instructed.
Nicolas opened the crate he'd come with and took out a large grey tube and a transparent green pouch. Attaching them to a universal port on his right forearm, the recipients emptied quickly into the suit and a wave of goosebumps covered Nicolas as the cold medigel seeped into the first layer of the suit. His arms and shoulders started to weigh down on him as well as the suit saturated in omnigel.
"The shielding system can be redirected to provide more protection in areas more likely to get shot at. Get the micro cameras from the crate and weld one of them to your right forearm and the other to your left shoulder," Hal said through the helmet's speaker, which was lying on the human's bed, "That way I can see your surroundings and manage the shield system.
"What would I do without you, Hal?" Nicolas smiled as he looked at the helmet, which also seemed disappointingly light and flimsy.
"You would've died from blood loss after getting your legs shot off by a batarian," Hal replied in a very matter-of-fact tone.
"Ok, this got really dark, really quickly," Nicolas looked down at his legs, concealed by the armour. He rocked his weight from his heals to the balls of his feet idly before looking at Korvos' crate again, "So what else did we buy?"
"We have tungsten cubes, medigel, explosives, standard multipurpose grenades, a shotgun, a silencer module for your pistol, grey spray paint for the armour and Kevlar pouches to attach to your armour and carry everything. Organize everything so we can go and scout the mercenaries. Aria sent us pretty much all the info there is on them, so we won't have to do much research."
"Oh, Hal. You make me feel like Blasto."
"Just make sure you shoot like him later."
So that was chapter 5! I wasn't able to write much these past few weeks. Exam season has come, and it is not pulling its punches!
Let me know what you think!
