Hannah sat contemplatively at Jules' kitchen table, gazing into the living room. Lucas and Jules were sitting on the couch, talking encryption codes and how to break them. Keta occupied the chair across from the couch, her assault rifle in her lap, staring at Jules, obviously guarding someone she still considered untrustworthy. Hannah had excused herself, wanting privacy to send a few messages. They had already decided on a plan. It turned out Keta knew the Shadow Broker's agent on Omega, Jeparn, because she'd had a previous relationship with him. Hannah got the impression Keta hadn't really loved the salarian, but had simply put up a front so she could pump him for information. They had "broken up" after one of Keta's missions four years ago. Keta noted that Jeparn wasn't entirely pleased with her, but still accepted her credits now and then when she needed tidbits of information. Keta thought it would be a simple matter for her to arrange a meeting with Jeparn. She'd lure him away from his home and then Hannah, Lucas and Jules would break into his apartment and peruse his data files.
The plan sounded so easy, yet Hannah was on edge. She glanced down at her data pad on the table, trying to wade through her jumbled thoughts. She didn't know who to contact and what to say. Jules, although pointing them in the right direction, wasn't exactly a fount of knowledge regarding Terra Firma and its interest in Jane. Hannah had read between the lines and determined that Terra Firma had purposely left Jules out of the loop, wanting to use him as a tool and nothing more. For this reason, she still didn't know if anyone on board Jane's ship was an underground Terra Firma agent or if Jane herself had been implanted with a bug. She still couldn't contact Jane and that made her uneasy and frustrated.
She next considered writing Maddock to tell him she'd found his boy and he needed to get to Omega ASAP. But she relinquished that idea when she realized sending that message would give away her own location. It would be entirely strange for Commander Shepard of the Kilimanjaro to be hanging out in a well-known criminal paradise. She didn't seriously think anyone was monitoring Maddock's mail, but still, the more people who knew where she was the more likely her mission would be found out, even if someone just made a comment accidentally (for example, Lourdes, who she knew wasn't exactly great at keeping secrets). So Hannah abandoned her thought to contact Maddock and instead vowed she'd tell him about Jules as soon as she was able.
Lastly, she did need to send a message to Steven. She wondered if his staff had also been infiltrated by Terra Firma's agents. Maybe, but at least Steven knew what she was up to and she could be discreet in her wording and inform him of her progress. She pulled up the screen to compose her e-mail.
Admiral Hackett, progress is being made. I'm currently following a lead. I'll let you know when I need you. Commander Shepard.
As Hannah pressed send, she hoped her message was short and sweet enough not to raise any suspicious eyebrows on Arcturus. Hannah looked up when she heard footsteps come into the kitchen. Jules had entered, glancing at her for a moment, then grabbing a glass and filling it with some water at the sink.
"You want anything?" he asked quietly.
Hannah shook her head. Jules took a sip of his water and made to move back into the living room, when Hannah stopped him with her voice.
"Jules, why don't you have a seat here?"
Jules narrowed his eyes uncertainly. "Why?"
"Just to talk."
Jules drew in a long breath. "I don't need a lecture."
"I'm not going to lecture you, I promise."
Jules slowly pulled out a chair from the kitchen table and sat down.
"I'm disappointed in you," Hannah started.
Jules plunked his glass on the table. "I thought this wasn't a lecture," he admonished.
"I don't want to tell you how to run your life, I just want to know why you would do this to Jane. She's your friend."
"She used to be," Jules said. "I don't want to be mean, but Jane pretty much dumped me once she graduated. I don't see her and I hardly communicate with her. It's like we never were friends at all."
Hannah read the hurt in Jules' brown eyes and found she could actually sympathize. "That happened to me, too, and I'm her mother," Hannah said. "Things change over time. People get involved elsewhere and you don't see them for a long time, maybe never again. But that doesn't mean you lose them as friends. Look at your dad and me."
Jules grunted, apparently disagreeing with Hannah's statement. There was a moment of silence and then he stared fixedly across the table at Hannah. "I may not be friends with Jane anymore, but that doesn't mean I would turn on her. I didn't write that program for the Normandy to get her in trouble, but to protect her from herself. Jane's just never understood what a danger aliens are to humanity. She always loved them too much."
As Hannah considered how to handle the prejudice Jules displayed, her mind recalled a memory from long ago when Jane had asked her if she hated batarians. "Jane understands aliens are individuals, just like humans. Some are good and some are bad. She's seeking to be friends with the good and defend the galaxy from the bad, human and alien alike."
Jules snorted disdainfully. "But you can't always tell which is which. Aliens are slippery, seeking to advance their own causes all the time. They'd sell humanity out in a heartbeat if it was to their advantage." Jules shook his head. "The only way humanity can make it in the galaxy is to stand on its own, to look after its own interests and to do so we need to steer clear of alien influence."
Hannah sighed, sensing she'd never get through to the young man in front of her. "I think you've been on Omega too long if that's your only view of aliens," she commented quietly.
"Yeah, and you haven't been here enough," Jules came back. "This place proves that aliens work with humans until they don't need them anymore; then they throw them to the wind."
"Isn't that what Terra Firma's done to you?" Hannah questioned.
Jules twisted his lips and took another sip of water from his glass. "No. I'm sure it's a rogue cell that's done this. My friends aren't behind this."
Hannah leaned back in her chair, feeling conflicted. On the one hand, she hoped Jules was right, that it would turn out his friends were in the clear. On the other hand, she hoped his friends were involved so Jules would suffer the consequences of his arrogance.
"We'll see," Hannah said.
"Yes, we will," Jules declared, standing up from the table and moving back into the living room to talk with Lucas, sending Keta a look of contempt as he passed by her.
Keta left Jules' apartment first to keep her meeting with Jeparn. The salarian had willingly agreed to meet her, especially because Keta's message had been laced with seductive overtones. In five minutes time, Hannah, Lucas and Jules were to leave the apartment and head to Jeparn's dwelling, Keta having drawn a crude map that would lead them there. She'd also informed them that Jeparn kept his data files in a wall safe behind a picture in his bedroom. They'd have to break in through the door, then into the safe, then work on the data files.
Lucas replaced the tiny metal router, putting it back in the vent where he'd found it in Jules' bedroom. The fact that it had been found in his bedroom seemed to make Jules all the more uncomfortable. Hannah guessed not many of his friends went in there.
When five minutes had ticked by, they left the apartment. Lucas and Jules walked in front of Hannah, who insisted on taking up the rear to keep watch over her two charges. Actually, she still didn't entirely trust Jules and wanted to make sure he didn't alert someone to their mission.
The trek to Jeparn's apartment took about ten minutes time. Luckily, his home was hidden away at the back of another complex of apartments where no one loitered. Lucas hacked the door in no time and the group of three entered. Hannah whistled. The apartment was impressive, large and luxurious. Apparently working for the Shadow Broker was a lucrative business. Jeparn had gathered the cushiest furniture and amenities available to him and the work of several well known artists covered his walls.
"He lives well, doesn't he?" Lucas replied to Hannah's whistle.
"Better than on an Alliance Navy salary, that's for sure," she replied. "Let's get to it."
They found the bedroom, also sizeable and extravagant. The hide of some unknown animal decorated the bed and salarian artifacts filled the shelves of the room. Hannah pointed at the picture over the bed and couldn't help but smile humorously. It was just what Keta described: Jeparn stared out from the middle of the picture, an enormous, goofy grin on his face, surrounded by Asari maidens wearing almost nothing. Hannah concluded Jeparn must have a high opinion of himself to make that picture the center of his bedroom.
Lucas climbed onto the bed and lifted the picture off the wall, then began to work on the safe behind it with his omni-tool. "Wow. He's done a good job protecting this," Lucas commented after a couple minutes trying to crack it. "Keta was right. He's got it set up to send him a signal if someone breaks in. It'll take me a few more minutes to bypass his security." Hannah paced back and forth in the room, visibly impatient. Jules stood to the side, his manner calm, but his face apprehensive.
Finally, Lucas called out "Tada!" and the safe swung open. He reached in and pulled out three data drives. "These are old school."
"Jules…" Hannah started to say.
"I can handle them," Jules interrupted, taking the set of data drives from Lucas. He sat down at a side table next to Jeparn's bed, pulling out a small handheld device from his pocket. He plugged one of the data drives in and began to tap all over the screen of the device he held.
"What is that?" Hannah asked, looking to Lucas. Lucas shrugged.
"Something I made from scratch," Jules told her, not looking up. "Omni-tools can access remote storage, but if you don't want to risk someone breaking into your servers and gaining unlimited access, lots of people still use encrypted data drives." Lucas opened his mouth to respond but had hardly managed a syllable when Jules spoke again. "I work best if everyone keeps quiet."
Hannah resumed her pacing, trying to be patient. After a few minutes, Jules laughed. "The Shadow Broker thinks this encryption is good? It's child's play."
Lucas frowned, evidently upset he'd been shown up by a young kid in his twenties. "You broke it?"
"Not yet. But it's not that amazing. Please tell me this is only the encryption he gives to his lackeys. If he's protecting his own servers with this, he's vulnerable."
Jules kept working. Hannah flipped on her omni-tool. Keta had told her she'd keep Jeparn occupied as long as possible. She'd been gone for thirty minutes now. Hannah hoped her acting skills were keeping the salarian completely engaged.
"There. I've got it," Jules said.
"Can you copy the data files?"
"I have a lot of space in this thing," Jules said, pointing at his device, "But not enough for all of them."
"Alright, make a search for anything involving Terra Firma and Jane."
Jules went back to tapping on the device. Several minutes went by. Jules plugged in the second drive. As he skimmed it, his eyebrows rose and fell as he reacted to the data he was reading. Hannah wondered how much he was learning about the organization he had gotten involved with. The longer Jules read the data, the more agitated he became.
"I have some…no…no…"
Hannah walked over to Jules and snatched the device from his hands, wanting to know what he had found. An e-mail message was on the screen.
Athena, we've found a batarian to carry out the kill. The Spectre's death is assured. Make sure you secure the router, then report to me. Orion.
Hannah looked to Jules. His eyes were closed and, surprisingly, his lashes were wet. "Who are they?"
Jules put his head in his hands. "They're code names. I don't know who Orion is. Athena is…my girlfriend."
Hannah found that she wasn't half as satisfied as she thought she'd be now that Jules had been proved wrong to trust his friends. Actually, she felt sorry for him.
"I'm sorry," she said gently.
Lucas wasn't as kind. "She used you, kid. You meant nothing to her."
Jules didn't look up. "There's more," he whispered.
Hannah scrolled down the page, reading another message: Zeus, Athena's completed her mission. You can contact the batarian. I'll meet you on Mount Olympus as soon as possible. Orion.
One more message followed: Orion, you've done well. Humanity is blessed to be in your hands. Soon, human space will be cleansed. Find me at the usual place on Mount Olympus. Zeus. P.S. Tell Athena she can join me on Olympus.
"Mount Olympus?" Hannah questioned.
"The Citadel," Jules muttered.
"So, we're headed back to the heart of galactic politics," Hannah mused. "You're coming with us, Jules."
Jules looked up, rubbing his eyes. "I'm staying here. I don't want to see her and…"
"Stop acting like a child," Hannah spoke harshly. "You've gotten yourself into a mess. Now act like a man and get yourself out!"
Jules folded his arms over his chest, but didn't retaliate, just looked away uneasily.
"You know what 'Athena' looks like. We need you to come with us to the Citadel," Hannah explained in a gentler tone.
A sudden insistent beeping filled the room. Hannah tapped her omni-tool, turning it off and eliminating the sound. "Jeparn's on his way back," she declared, Keta having sent the signal that warned them it was time to get out.
"Did you copy the files?" Hannah asked Jules.
"Yeah," he spoke glumly. Hannah grabbed the data drives off the table and handed them to Lucas who set them back in the safe, then sealed it and rearmed the alarm with his omni-tool. The threesome headed back down the hall into the living room and slipped out of the apartment, making sure no one was lollygagging in the hallway to observe their departure.
They made their way back to Jules' apartment. When they arrived, they found Keta inside, much to Jules' chagrin who didn't like that she had gotten in through his locked door. Hannah ordered Jules to pack a bag and was glad when he didn't argue, but drifted slowly into his bedroom. While he packed, Keta, Hannah and Lucas swapped stories. Hannah informed the batarian her hire was most likely on the Citadel, a fact that both worried and relieved Keta. She realized she'd be going back to a station she was effectively banned from, not exactly a place she was comfortable being. At the same time, she knew it like the back of her hand, asserting this fact would make finding her contact all the easier.
Keta then regaled Hannah and Lucas concerning her encounter with Jeparn, laughing at how effortlessly she had led him on. She'd toyed with him, claiming she only came for info, then alluding to the fact she still had feelings for him. The meeting had ended when she agreed to come by Jeparn's apartment later that evening. Of course, Keta noted, she'd be long gone by then.
Jules came back into the living room, his eyes red. Hannah once again pitied the poor boy, used and tossed away by a girl he'd loved, but heartened that he had decided to act like a man and come with them to see what he'd started through. Hannah stood up, ready to exit the door when Keta's omni-tool beeped.
"What is it?" Hannah asked.
Keta laughed. "A recorded audio message from Jeparn. This'll be fun. Full of sweet nothings and promises he doesn't intend to keep." She played the message aloud for all to hear, but what Jeparn said didn't cause anyone to laugh.
"Keta," Jeparn's staccato voice spoke into the room. "I didn't think you'd come all the way to Omega just to see me. You've always been too devious for your own good. You think I learned nothing from our encounter on Dagnes? You were good, I'll give you that. I didn't receive any warning while I was with you." There was a pause and everyone in the living room eyed each other uncomfortably. "I see you've taken up with humans. I'm watching my security camera feedback right now. A man, a boy and a woman. I recognize the boy. Why you've hired these humans, I have no idea. I'm not certain why you want my files, either. I assume for your own gain, selling the info for yourself." There was another pause. Hannah put her hand to her neck, listening intently. "Anyway, I thought, for old time's sake, I'd give you a chance to make it off this station. I called the Blue Suns. They'd love to turn you in, dead or alive, and receive the bounty on your beautiful head. They're looking for you. Do what you can, my dear. If I never see you again, I'll look for you in the next life. Jeparn out."
Keta angrily shut down her omni-tool. "That he'jas, that…" She started raging around the room, cursing and yelling. Hannah's translator went dead, unable to translate whatever Keta was saying in her batarian language.
Jules chuckled. "I see I'm not the only one who's been had."
Keta reached behind her back in a flash and pulled out her assault rifle, leveling it at Jules.
"Keta!" Hannah called out, stepping in front of Jules. "Put it away!"
Keta's chest moved in and out rapidly, but she obeyed after a moment, lowering the rifle and clipping it behind her back again. "We need to get out of here now," she spoke in a low and dangerous voice.
"I agree. Let's go." Hannah pulled the hood of her cape back over her head. Keta did the same with hers. They stood in front of the door, ready to exit. Hannah prayed they'd make it back to the ship without being gunned down first.
As they exited Jules' apartment, Hannah wondered how much a head start Jeparn had given them. She didn't have long to find out. Within five minutes of leaving the apartment, Hannah became aware of a contingent of approximately ten armored bodies following several meters behind them. They were a mixed group, two humans, three turians and the rest batarians. Hannah's heart beat quickly. The group was taking its time, not making a move, presumably waiting for an opportune moment. She turned her head to glance at Keta and Lucas. Both nodded to her, confirming their awareness that they were being followed. Jules didn't turn his head, but kept walking quickly, his hands shaking. How he'd managed to live on Omega and not be eaten alive was beyond Hannah's comprehension. He must have kept a very low profile.
They passed the club with the booming music. Hannah was certain the group behind them wouldn't attack here, not in front of the club. Omega might be lawless, but she figured whoever was in control wouldn't take kindly to the station being shot up in the open. The only place that made sense to launch the attack was the elevator down to the hatch where the Agrippa was docked. A narrow hallway led to the elevator and afforded little place to hide, making it the logical choice. Hannah pulled behind her three companions. As they neared the narrow hallway, she called out suddenly, "Run!"
She watched Keta and Lucas sprint down the hall, unhooking their guns as they did so. Jules hurried right behind them, defenseless and desperate to take cover. Hannah knew putting herself in the back meant she was a prime target, but she'd wanted to be the first to fire her gun, giving her team time to cover themselves. In a split second, she had her pistol in her hand and had turned back while running, sending a spray of projectiles into the group that was now breathing down their necks as she pulled the trigger repeatedly.
None of the Blue Suns went down, but they were taken by surprise, trying to shield themselves more than fire back at first. However, they armed themselves in no time. Lucas and Keta had hunched behind a couple crates, each of them across the hall from one another. Jules was hunkered down next to Lucas, his hands covering his ears.
Hannah slid in next to Keta. The next several minutes consisted of shoot and cover movements. The Blues Suns had come prepared, erecting several kinetic barriers within seconds. After a while, Hannah cried out to Lucas.
"We won't be able to take them out, not at this rate. We're going to have to make a run for it."
Lucas nodded at her. "Tell me when!"
Keta nudged Hannah's arm. "This will help." She held out a lift grenade.
"And why didn't you mention this sooner?"
"It's the only one I have," Keta explained, a smile on her face. "I was reserving it for the right moment."
"Well this is it," Hannah affirmed. She looked to Lucas and pointed to Keta, who held up the grenade. He nodded, understanding that they would rush for the elevator the moment the grenade was thrown. Hannah held up her hand, lifting her fingers to count to five. When her thumb went up, Keta lobbed the grenade over the crate.
No one paused to watch the results. All four took off running towards the elevator immediately. As they closed in on the elevator, Hannah counted their number. They were one short. Looking back, she saw Keta limping behind them, clearly wounded. Three of the Blue Suns were already recovering, grabbing their guns and pushing themselves up off the floor.
"Keta!" Hannah yelled down the hall.
One of the Blue Suns, a batarian, regained his equilibrium faster than his other companions. He began to move down the hall with astonishing speed. In but a moment, he'd be on Keta and have her in his grasp.
Hannah saw a blur surge passed her. Lucas charged back down the hall, reaching Keta in seconds. He lifted her, throwing her over his shoulder. As he turned, Hannah heard the rat-a-tat of Keta's assault rifle as she fired while Lucas carried her. The batarian tried to dodge the projectiles that pinged his armor, but he suddenly dropped, one of them striking home, ripping through his left cheek. He cried out in pain.
Lucas had reached the elevator which was just now opening. He was about to step in, when he faltered and fell to the ground, Keta rolling off his shoulder and into the elevator. A knot tightened in Hannah's stomach as she perceived the back of Lucas' black shirt becoming darker with blood. He groaned, pulling himself forward into the elevator.
"Help me!" Hannah called out to Jules.
With Jules help, Hannah managed to pull Lucas into the elevator. As the door began to shut, Hannah yanked her sniper rifle off her back and fired, striking the batarian who had shot Lucas dead in the forehead. As the elevator descended, Hannah knelt down.
"Lucas?"
"Yeah," he moaned.
"Hang in there."
"I'm trying, Red," he muttered, his voice faint.
"Keta?"
"I'll be fine," the batarian spoke through gritted teeth. Her lower right pant leg also boasted the stain of blood.
Hannah activated her omni-tool, tapping quickly. "Pat! We're coming in. We've got wounded and we need to get out of here ASAP."
"Yes, ma'am," she heard Pat's rough voice answer excitedly.
When the elevator opened, Hannah helped Lucas stand. He leaned on her, moving at a snail's pace. Keta limped alone, Jules refusing to aid the batarian. Hannah felt it took hours to get to the Agrippa's docking hatch, but it was only a few seconds.
Once they were on board, Hannah instructed Jules to get Lucas back to medical and Keta to follow them. Lucas had gone as white as a sheet, and Hannah feared the worst. As he'd leaned on her, she'd felt the back of his shirt, completely soaked in blood.
Hannah bolted into the cockpit. Pat was sitting at the controls, his hands moving rapidly.
"They won't give us clearance," he reported.
"We need to…"
"I got it, Commander. They can't keep Pat Morales from flying outta here." The Agrippa began to move, Pat ignoring the angry shouts from docking control. As he pulled away, he had to dodge a couple ships, but he deftly moved passed them safely. When they were out in open space, he headed immediately for the relay.
"I don't think we need to wait in the queue," he muttered, passing ship after ship waiting to use the relay.
An angry voice spoke out over the comm. "SSV Agrippa. Stand down. I repeat, stand down. We have a ship ready to pass through the relay. Stand down now."
Pat tapped a button on his console. "You'd better get the heck out of our way! We're coming through!"
Hannah watched breathlessly as Pat maneuvered to the relay, shooting passed the turian ship ready to jump through the relay. The energy of the relay caught the Agrippa and sent it sailing through, depositing it light years away in the Crescent Nebula.
Pat whooped and laughed, pushing back in his seat. "This beats shuffleboard!" he cried out, then looked to her. "Where to, Commander?"
Hannah's hand was over her heart, thankful she was alive, making it through both the firefight on the station and the close call with the turian ship. "Citadel," she commanded, her voice shaking.
"Hannah," she heard a voice in her ear.
"Jules?"
"You'd better come. Your friend's hurt bad."
Hannah turned on her heel, leaving Pat on his own. As she walked through the conference room she spoke to herself, willing Lucas to live: I'm not losing Lucas. I won't lose him. I refuse to lose anyone else for the rest of my life!