The Red Moon Collection - 2 - Three Phantoms

Chapter 14

MSV Hyperion, en route to the Citadel, Serpent Nebula

"This is MSV Hyperion, requesting an approach vector and berth."

Shansa was somehow more giddy than usual. Will stood just outside the cockpit with his head through the door to look out the forward viewport. The Serpent Nebula was a gorgeous amalgamation of purples and blues accented by countless specks of light from distant stars. He did his best to hide his excitement as his eyes scanned the vista for a glimpse of the station.

"Request received, Hyperion. Please transmit your security clearance." The response came from a woman and was very flat and professional.

Shansa glanced to the copilot seat where Vayren was waiting with his omnitool. With a few taps of his fingers he sent the data and lowered his arm as they waited for a response. After a few seconds the traffic control officer replied, her tone much more accommodating.

"Welcome to the Citadel, Hyperion. Do you have a preferred docking zone?"

Vayren leaned forward. "Somewhere at the base of the wards. I'd like easy access to the Presidium."

"Docking bay C48 is located on the base of the rise that connects Tayseri Ward and the Presidium. Will that be sufficient?"

"Yes, thank you, officer." Vayren smiled and leaned back in the copilot's seat.

A few moments later a message appeared on the navigation console.

"Please proceed on the transmitted flight path to your berth. Normally, a C-Sec inspection team would be dispatched to meet you and perform a standard security sweep, but this action will be waived as requested by Spectre Corsin Rentarius. Enjoy your visit to the Citadel, Hyperion."

The transmission ceased as Shansa brought up the flight path and adjusted the ship accordingly. With his job done, Vayren stood from the seat and stepped past Will to make his way toward the crew's quarters. Will took his place and sat on the edge of the chair as he stared through the forward viewport.

"You actually look excited." Shansa glanced to her side briefly with a grin.

He smiled. "Maybe a bit."

She pretended to gasp. "Can it be? That elusive something that brings out the childlike wonder in cynical ol' Will?"

Will held his smile. "I barely remember when we came here during our immigration. I don't think we even left that processing terminal, remember?"

"Yeah, I do," Shansa nodded. "And we didn't have any windows with a view like this..."

It was almost as though she had timed the conversation intentionally to fall in place with the flight. The Hyperion rounded past a thick bloom of gas and rotated to bring its course in line with what at first looked like a hard-edged shadow. As they grew closer the sight of the Citadel came into view, starting first with the tips of the arms before slowly stretching down the length of the station, ending at the ring of the Presidium. Will and Shansa could not help but stare, enamored by the majesty of the very center of galactic civilization.

"Wow..."

Will looked over his shoulder briefly to see Tul'Sorrin standing in the doorway.

"I've never seen it before," Tul said slowly.

"I'm bringing us in," Shansa informed them.

The Hyperion soared into an arc that brought the ship flying past the tip of one of the arms. Will peered through the side viewports to watch as tiny buildings, skycars and other ships on the ward below flew by at breakneck speed. The ring of the Presidium grew larger in the forward viewport as Shansa began to decelerate and bring the ship down to docking velocity. Will looked over and watched as the pilot bit her lip slightly in concentration, clearly trying her best to fly as professionally as possible.

"C48..." Shansa muttered. "There it is."

The Hyperion slowly drifted into its berth as the magnetic locks that would hold it in place automatically adjusted for the size and shape of the ship's hull. Shansa brought the vessel to a near-perfect stop as the docking armatures reached for the Hyperion and locked into place. Will watched the external vid-feeds as two boarding ramps extended and adjusted to come flush with the ship at both her forward and aft airlocks.

"And that's all she wrote." Shansa smiled and ran her hand along the controls around her to put the ship's systems into standby. "I'll need a minute to be sure everything powers down properly."

Will nodded and jumped to his feet. "Alright, I'll go let everyone know we're docked."

He looked into the hallway to see Tul'Sorrin had vanished at some point during their approach. He shrugged to himself and ducked through the doorway and into the hall. After a few steps Will glanced into the crew's quarters to see Vayren and Corsin talking.

"Hey, we're here," Will informed them as he turned into the room. "What's the plan?"

"Corsin and I were just discussing that." Vayren glanced to the human. "Unless you have any objections, we were planning on heading to the Spectre offices to look for any information we can find on these bank routing numbers."

Will looked to both of them. "So what should the crew do?"

Corsin shrugged and walked toward the door with Vayren following close behind. "We've got a lot of digging to do and it'd be too much trouble to get everyone access to the Spectre facilities for just a few days." He looked back over his shoulder as he stepped into the hallway. "Take the day off. There's plenty to see on the Citadel."

Will watched as the Spectres passed by and followed them into the hall. Corsin had already walked to the forward airlock and was reaching to open the inner door.

"You sure you don't need any help?"

The airlock opened, allowing the turian and salarian to enter and turn back to face Will.

"Captain, I'd say you and your crew have earned a day of shore leave." Vayren crossed his arms. "We will not hesitate to contact you if and when we find anything."

Corsin nodded in agreement. "Relax. Have some fun, Hume." He raised his omnitool and put in a few commands. "There, the whole crew should have the highest level of civilian security clearance. No need to let C-Sec waste half of your day at checkpoints."

The door slid shut and locked as the decontamination sequence began. Will smiled to himself as Shansa came walking up to his side, finished with her work in the cockpit.

"So?" The pilot tilted her head curiously.

"Looks like we've got some free time." Will turned to walk back to the cargo bay with Shansa hurrying to walk at his side. "'Shore leave.'"

They stepped into the cargo bay to see Kallux and Tul'Sorrin standing beside the Kodiak, talking to one another. Tyrixis stood at her armory locker, setting various pieces of gear onto the shelves therein. Through the door to the engine room was Eleena, looking through the post-flight data on the FTL core.

Will cleared his throat. "Hey, everyone circle up."

As he and Shansa came to a stop at the center of the cargo bay the others turned their attention and made their way over. Will crossed his arms as he waited.

"We're here," Will stated with a smile.

Tul'Sorrin came to a stop and nodded once. "Where do we start?"

"We will not be starting anywhere," he answered as the rest of the crew reached them. "The Spectres are going to get as much as they can out of their databases. Until then, we've got some free time."

Everyone exchanged a few quick glances.

"How much time?" Eleena asked curiously.

"A day or so," Will answered. "I think I'm gonna head down to the ward we docked on, Tayseri I think, and do some sightseeing. Anyone care to join me?"

Shansa, Tul'Sorrin and Eleena nodded in response. Will looked to Tyrixis who, after looking to the side and considering the offer for a moment, nodded as well. Kallux, on the other hand, did not answer right away.

"I'll prep the decontamination chamber," Shansa said excitedly as she turned and skipped off toward the forward airlock.

Tul, Eleena and Tyrixis followed after the pilot as Will and Kallux stood and stared to each other.

"I was hoping to do something else," Kallux finally replied. "From what I remember, the Presidium is very calm and quiet. I'd like to head up there for a bit. I need some time off the ship to just sit and think."

Will gave him an understanding smile. "You need to talk, Kallux?"

The krogan let out a small sigh. "I've had a lot on my mind since we left Tuchanka and I've still got a lot more to ponder." He smirked lightly. "When I'm done, yeah. Then I'll need to talk."

Will chuckled softly. "Alright. I'll give you call on the comms if anything comes up."

"As will I."

Shansa's voice came shouting from the forward hall. "You two coming or what?"

Kallux motioned Will along. "I'll head out to the Presidium in a bit. Go enjoy the sights. I've already seen plenty."

Will hurried to the airlock where the others were waiting patiently. He zipped in and pressed his finger to the panel on the wall that would activate the decontamination sequence.

"Sorry about that." He looked to them as white mist began filling the room. "Kallux is going to do his own thing for a bit."

Eleena's lips sank into a small frown. "I think something's wrong with him. He hasn't been himself for weeks."

"Can't blame him," Shansa said. "Sounds like he had a rough time on Tuchanka."

"He'll be okay," Will assured them. "I'm sure he just needs time to come to terms with everything."

The outer airlock door pinged and hissed as it slid apart to reveal the long, enclosed boarding ramp that extended to the Hyperion from the docking area. The crew stepped out of the ship and Will closed the airlock behind them as the rest proceeded onward down the ramp. As they approached the end, a door opened into the ship's private docking bay. Will stepped in and came to a stop, his eyes slowly scanning the room. The color palette was a pleasing mixture of white, dark blues and grays and the furniture in the waiting area looked terribly comfortable. A small gasp to his left caught his ear, making him spin on his heel. It was Shansa. She was staring wide-eyed through the floor to ceiling window that lined the wall on the left side of the airlock, her hand raised and covering her parted lips. Tyrixis, Eleena and Tul'Sorrin had already grouped up around her as Will turned to join them.

Tul placed his hand on the glass. "Damn..."

Will stepped up behind the others and looked through the window for himself. The view was breathtaking. The dock was positioned hundreds of meters up from the base of the Tayseri Ward, allowing them to see the entire length of the arm as well as the other four that all together formed a comforting, protective, and almost nurturing circle. Thousands of ships and skycars bustled about in the lanes of traffic that cut through the airspace around the wards. Will looked across the length of arm and shook his head in disbelief of the size and quantity of buildings that dotted the surface.

"Look!" Shansa nearly squealed in excitement as she pointed off to the side.

Everyone followed her finger to see a behemoth of a ship, most likely of asari origin, on course to gracefully pass between the Tayseri Ward and the adjacent arm.

"I never thought I'd get to see the Destiny Ascension in person," Shansa remarked as she stared intently at the ship.

"I could spend years in those engine rooms," Eleena grinned.

Tul shook his head. "Forget the ship... I'll take this view."

"Don't let the beauty fool you," Tyrixis advised. "You've got to watch your back here."

Will gave her a sideways glance. "What do you mean?"

"She means there's just as much trouble here as there is anywhere else in the galaxy," Eleena explained. "On Omega it's the crime bosses that you have to watch out for. On Illium it's the corporations. Here? Politicians and bureaucracy."

"Well it's a good thing we've got two Spectres on our side," Tul'Sorrin countered as he stepped back from the window.

"Two Spectres who gave us top-level civilian security clearance," Will added as he turned for the exit on the far wall.

Tul, Tyrixis and Eleena followed Will. Shansa lingered for just a few moments longer before reluctantly pulling herself from the window and jogging to catch up with them. Will led them through the door and into a large room that served as hub for a half dozen different docking bays. The moment they stepped over the threshold they were yanked from the seclusion of their private docking station and thrust into the busy world of the ever-moving Citadel. People of every race talked and darted about in every direction, signing forms, maneuvering cargo and escorting fresh visitors to and from their destinations. Will spotted a terminal a few meters away with sign reading "Information" beside it. As they approached, a purple and blue holographic representation of an asari blinked up from a pedestal on the floor.

"Greetings, and welcome to the Tayseri Ward. My name is Avina, and I am pleased to be your virtual guide throughout this level of the Citadel space station." The VI turned to look at Tyrixis and nodded cordially. "Welcome back, Doctor Tyrixis Rentarius. It has been one year, eight months and six days since the Citadel last welcomed you."

Tyrixis shook her head. "Has it been that long?"

"So, you're like a... concierge?" Will reiterated to the VI.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. I am a fully functional guide, capable of directing and assisting you toward locations of interest."

Will shrugged lightly. "We just arrived... got any ideas?"

"Certainly," Avina replied. "My first recommendation would be Seraxis Tower. Located in the center of Tayseri Ward, Seraxis Tower offers a full range of amenities and services such as fine dining and entertainment, shopping, luxury hotels, the Amala Museum of Galactic Expansion, and of course, the Citadel-famous Seraxis Observation Deck, located on the top floor of the tower."

"Sounds good to me." Will looked back to the others quickly to see them nod in agreement.

Avina nodded. "Would you like me to hail a taxi for your party?"

Will smiled thankfully. "Yeah, sure."

"Please proceed to the taxi terminal located directly to your right-hand side. Your cab will arrive within two minutes."

"Damn, talk about efficiency," Tul'Sorrin noted with a small laugh.

Avina simply offered a diplomatic smile. "Is there anything else I may assist you with?"

"That'll do for now," Will answered. "Thanks for the help."

"Goodbye, and thank you for using Avina." The VI stared straight ahead as the crew turned to leave. "Please enjoy your visit to the Citadel."

The Spectre offices were unusually quiet when Vayren and Corsin arrived to begin their work. They quickly set to work on one of the terminals designed specifically for Spectres to pull information off of virtually any network on the Citadel. Vayren finished setting up the scan and sat back in his seat with Corsin standing beside him.

"It'll take a few minutes," the salarian mentioned.

"I'd expect as much." Corsin glanced around the room to the handful of other agents as they worked or talked among one another. "That was a damn great find, by the way." The turian looked back down and nodded to the half-destroyed datapad that sat on the desk. "I probably would have just left the thing on Neidus."

Vayren nodded. "I almost did as well. Tul'Sorrin is the one who grabbed it and insisted that we give it a look."

"Glad he did," Corsin remarked as he finally lowered himself into a seat beside Vayren's. "Even so, you've done great work." He paused and gently cleared his throat. "I feel as though I should apologize. I've been a little... quick to judge you on your lack of experience with the Spectres."

Vayren shrugged. "Well, I can't blame you."

"You should," the turian laughed. "I looked into your service history. Your record with the STG is impressive."

"It's funny that we find ourselves on this topic." Vayren gave him a small smile. "I was just talking to Captain Hume about the difference between the STG and Spectres." He looked over to Corsin. "I still have a lot to learn. It's nice to have someone around who knows the ropes."

"I know the ropes?" Corsin asked with amusement.

The salarian nodded. "More than I do. I still have no idea how far is too far when it comes to pushing our Spectre authority."

"That's an easy one," Corsin chuckled. "You push it until the Council itself tells you to stop. Then you push a little more."

"I see." Vayren adjusted himself in the seat.

The turian gave him a quick glance. "Don't sell yourself short, though," he reassured. "You performed well and stayed cool on Neidus when that bastard reared his disgusting head."

"I'm just glad Antarian had the sense not to kill a pair of Spectres in cold blood." Vayren let out a defeated sigh.

"Well, he was a Spectre himself. He knows that the Council doesn't take the death of its operatives lightly." Corsin looked down and shook his head. "Still... something doesn't feel right. He was insane enough to start two conflicts for war profiteering, yet he had the forethought to recognize the consequences of spurring the Council to greater action."

"Perhaps he didn't think the Council would notice or care about what he was doing in the Terminus Systems when he started the wars," Vayren reasoned. "Now he's had his Spectre status revoked and the Council has sent two agents to bring him in. He's scared."

The turian let out a disapproving sigh, unconvinced. "But he started the second war after he was declared rogue. No, there's still something we're missing here."

The terminal blinked green.

"Now, what did we find." Vayren leaned forward to scroll through the data. "Addresses associated with the accounts. I'll check to see where they're located."

The salarian typed in a few commands and blinked in surprise. "The Presidium. Corsin, this address is..."

The turian's eyes had grown grim. "I know. Damn it."

"Should I contact Hume and the rest of the team?" Vayren raised his omnitool.

Corsin quickly shook his head. "No, not yet. We need to double check this. Triple check it. There's no point in risking a diplomatic incident if we don't have to."

Vayren nodded understandingly and began to recheck their work.

"Now that is a lot of options."

Will stared at the map of the Seraxis Tower with Eleena, Shansa, Tul'Sorrin and Tyrixis standing around him. Tul raised his wrist and downloaded the omnitool map that was advertised at the corner of the screen.

"This might come in handy," the quarian mentioned. "I have a feeling we're going to get lost."

"Well we could go to the observation deck," Shansa suggested as she looked down the list of attractions. "Or that museum." She reached forward and tapped a box to bring up a description of one of the restaurants. "Oooh, look! A fusion cuisine restaurant called Meld that pulls from all of the galactic races!"

"'An exciting and unique blend of asari, salarian, human and more with dining options for turian visitors,'" Will recited from the screen. "And it has a casino. Could be fun for dinner in a few hours."

Shansa tapped through a few pictures and frowned. "I don't know if I have anything nice enough to wear to this place, though."

Eleena smirked. "Neither do I, thank the goddess."

Shansa's eyes widened and she spun to face the others. "We could buy dresses! I've wanted to get something nice for myself forever."

The asari let out a groan. "Dresses? I thought you'd have noticed by now... I'm not a dress person, Shansa."

Will looked Eleena up and down quickly. She was wearing one of the black jumpsuits that seemed to make up the bulk of her wardrobe. He couldn't hold it against her though, as they were great for getting down and dirty with the equipment in the engine room.

"It doesn't have to be a dress!" Shansa argued. "Come on, if nothing else you can tell me if I look good in my selections."

Eleena sighed. "Okay, fine."

Shansa beamed and looked to Will. "I know you don't have any nice clothes."

"Eh, I'll just wear this," he replied. "I'm sure there are some businessmen on this station who go for that 'rogue merc pilot with a hint of class' look."

Tul'Sorrin laughed. "Oh, is that what you call your style?"

"Fine," the pilot didn't bother arguing and looked to Tyrixis. "What about you, doctor?"

The turian had been almost completely silent since they had left the ship. She stood with her arms behind her back as though she were at ease in formation.

"I will have to pass on the invitation for dinner, unfortunately. I have some personal matters to attend to tonight."

Eleena gave Tul'Sorrin a quick look over. Before the asari could make a quip about his clothing options, he spoke up.

"I would be happy to attend," Tul stated as he looked to Will.

Will pulled up his omnitool. "I'll make a reservation for four then."

Shansa grabbed Eleena by the hand. "Let's go!"

The asari smirked softly and followed the pilot as she dragged her toward the elevator.

"Just message me the time of our reservation," Eleena called as they disappeared into the crowd.

Will finished reserving their table and lowered his wrist to see Tyrixis and Tul'Sorrin standing idly at his side. He turned to face them with a small smile.

"So, we've got a few hours to burn."

Tul'Sorrin nodded in agreement. "Meld is on the forty-first floor, so we'll be up there tonight, why don't we head down to the lower levels and see what's down there?"

"Sounds good," Will looked to the turian. "Tyrixis?"

"After you," she answered.

After a quick elevator ride they found themselves on sub-level six of the Seraxis Tower. Will was surprised to see that the "ground" floor of the building seemed to just be a rough estimate. Through the windows one could see deep gorges crisscrossing from end to end of the ward. Tyrixis informed him of a myth that buildings and structures on the Citadel could once be moved by the keepers using the space provided by these gorges. However, such activity has not been witnessed for hundreds if not thousands of years. The trio continued to wander through the aisles of shops and bars for a good hour before stumbling across an arms store that caught Tyrixis's eye.

"Armax Arsenal," she read. "They produce the rifle that Corsin and I use."

"They do?" Tul gave the store a curious look. "I've never seen a rifle like yours before. I didn't know it was mass produced."

"That's because it wasn't," Tyrixis stated with a small chuckle. "He managed to get his hands on a few limited release models through the Spectre Requisitions Office." She looked over to Will and Tul'Sorrin. "He was... kind enough to send me one."

Will smiled as they stepped past a pair of asari looking over a floor to ceiling advertizement. "Sounds like he's a thoughtful guy."

The doctor nodded. "He is. For all the disagreements between us... he's still a good man."

The group continued further into the depths of the building, passing by a few bars that looked to cater toward the less-than-friendly crowd that would be up near the top of the tower. As they passed by a few maintenance alleys a distant shout caught Will's attention. Tul and Tyrixis heard it as well and the three came to a stop as they listened for the source.

"That didn't sound right," Tul'Sorrin muttered.

Another shout came echoing from down the alley to their left. This one sounded much more frantic than the first and bordered on a scream.

"Someone is in trouble," Tyrixis said firmly. "Come on."

The trio hurried down the alley past crates and boxes stacked in every possible position. They came to a fork and looked down both directions to see a group of people off to their right. Shouting could be heard as a group of similarly-dressed individuals circled around someone or something at the center of the alley. Will, Tyrixis and Tul walked side by side as they approached them. As they grew closer it became apparent that the group consisted of four or five turians, all males, dressed in a dark blue attire. Will recognized the getup as the casual wear that many of the members of the turian military wore when off-duty as a way of representing their position. At the center of the group was a pale-blue asari with frightened eyes, throwing weak kicks and punches at the turians.

"What the hell is going on here?" Tyrixis demanded as she, Tul and Will approached.

The turians turned in surprise. It was obvious from the way they swayed from side to side that they were at the very least mildly intoxicated.

"Fuck off," the closest, a corporal by the insignia on his shoulder, declared.

Will narrowed his eyes. "What are you doing to that woman?"

The asari was grabbed by one of the turians to hold her in place. "I'm just a waitress," she pleaded. "I left the bar through the employee entrance down the street and these assholes were waiting for me."

"Let the girl go," Tyrixis ordered.

"Get outta here," the corporal advised through slurred words. "If ya don't, we'll beat yer asses to a fuckin' pulp."

The other soldiers laughed and shouted approvingly at the taunt.

Tyrixis stepped forward, her voice calm and deliberate. "I order you to release that woman, Corporal."

"We're on shore leave," a private shouted boastfully. "And even if we weren't... we don't take orders from old bitches, suit-rats and varren-fucking humans."

"That's Major Old Bitch," Tyrixis informed them with a growl.

"I'll say!" The drunken corporal shouted, clearly not understanding the assertion from Tyrixis.

He raised a fist and lunged toward the doctor.

Tyrixis dodged to the side and threw a deep punch into the attacking soldier's side, sending him toppling forward and to the ground. Unfortunately, his friends had jumped after him and were closing on Tyrixis. Will and Tul'Sorrin stepped up to her side as the soldiers charged, the asari jumping behind a pile of boxes to hide. Will lunged forward to meet the closest turian soldier and sent a hard punch straight into his face. Both shouted in pain from the impact as the turian tumbled to the side and Will felt the skin on a pair of his knuckles split from the rough surface of the turian's face. Tul raised his omnitool and sent his pair of holographic drones into the fray to discharge a small burst and shock one of the soldiers.

Will ducked as a punch from a dark-skinned turian soared past his nose, barely missing him. He sent a kick into the turian he had punched just to make sure he fell onto the ground while Tyrixis found herself locked in a one on one with the loud-mouthed private. The corporal that had instigated the brawl had collected himself and jumped to his feet. He threw the private aside and grabbed a knife from his belt as he charged Tyrixis with eyes full of rage. Will caught sight of the knife in the corner of his eye and turned to tackle the wielder away from Tyrixis. Before he could, however, the doctor pulled her sidearm from the holster concealed under her short medical jacket and fired a shot into his leg, sending the corporal to the ground wailing in pain.

"Get on the ground!" Tyrixis bellowed as though she was a drill sergeant.

She swung her sights toward the four remaining turians as they quickly raised their hands and backed away from Will and Tul'Sorrin. Tyrixis stood patiently as they dropped to the ground, their hands still visible.

"You all are a disgrace," she lectured, her voice still elevated. "No, no I take that back. Disgrace is not a strong enough word to describe you disgusting pieces of filth."

The asari poked her head out from behind a crate and, upon seeing her attackers subdued, turned and ran as fast as she could down the alley. Will watched her run before glancing over to Tyrixis with a nod.

"Didn't know a civilian could carry guns on the Citadel."

Tyrixis gave him a quick look. "Most members of Citadel security are turians. Being a retired officer of the turian military has its perks." She looked back to the cowering soldiers. "Why did you do this?"

The drunken private shook his head. "I... I dunno..." He blinked a few times as though his vision had become blurred.

"I've already called C-Sec," Tul'Sorrin mentioned.

The doctor shook her head and lowered her weapon. "This is what twenty years of peace does to your military. Impatient, itching for action, and ready to jump on the first fight that comes their way."

Will smirked slightly. "Like the way your people attacked us during first contact?"

Tyrixis continued to stare at the soldiers but gave one small nod. "In hindsight... yes."

The sound of sirens began to echo through the streets and alleys around them as at least one C-Sec squad car approached. Will let out a sigh and leaned against the nearest wall.

"Hope this doesn't make us late for dinner."