Astella Garrison, Nevos

Day 1, 1225

"Lynus, how's it looking?"

"Drop's under way. Krogan and Araya offloading cargo now."

Andersen nodded, and made for the edge of the cargo ramp with the salarian close at his heel. It was hovering a few feet off the drop zone, a curtain of smoke and dust rising from the Cambrai's downdraft, and at the edge of the ramp, Yui was tipping a weapons crate down to Dax, as the little human vanguard watched on, shotgun resting casually on one shoulder.

"Alec? Aeryn?"

"Got the bay side covered," Carter replied, with a grunt. "T'Rel's got eyes on the city."

"Saffiya?"

"Right here, lieutenant."

Sure enough, as Andersen and Lynus jumped the few feet down from the cargo ramp, the justicar was hovering off to one side, inspecting an oddly-shaped pistol in her hands - her old Predator was still shoved through her belt as well. Behind her stretched the drop zone, a flat steel rooftop on the very outskirts of Astella. The Cambrai was hovering on the south side, occasionally swaying in the wind. To the west, a steep railing separated the platform, and those scurrying about on top of it, from the churning waters two or three storeys below. Service Chief Carter was on that side, rifle propped against the railing, helmet tilted up to watch the skies. Beneath his feet, a few stories down, a broad highway stretched off across Nevos' bay. The other three sides of the building were backed by the city, tall spires looming over the somewhat smaller guard post, warehouse… whatever it was. Aeryn T'Rel was off to the east, eyes on the city, conversing absent-mindedly with a few of the asari who had already come up from the cargo elevator in the corner. A dozen more were scrambling over to help the loaders with their cargo.

"Hurry it up, lieutenant…" murmured a voice in his ear. "Akito's watching the satellites, and he's getting nervous up here. I want to be clear and away in ten, before anything comes in-system."

"Copy that, Solov. Tell him to keep an eye on those feeds."

With a wordless nod to his companions, Andersen made for the far side of the rooftop, at a brisk walk. He had already pegged one asari hanging back, decked out in full armour and rifle unlike the rest and murmuring business-like to one of the others. As he approached, he called out:

"Captain Tarenna?"

"That… would be me," the asari nodded, slowly turning her head as her colleague scurried away.

"Lieutenant Andersen, Alliance."

She nodded again, and turned fully to face him, hands clasped behind her back.

"Lieutenant. Impeccable timing."

"Your scans picking up the same as ours, captain?"

"Oh yes. Imminent."

The both of them nodded, grimly, before the captain tilted her head to one side, cracking it with a sigh, and murmured:

"I'll assume you're hauling jets as soon as these supplies are down?"

"Afraid so. Can't risk our ship in the crossfire," he explained, awkwardly. Then, with a thought for his colleagues and a desperate wish to change the subject, he added: "Ah, by the way… Major Lynus Rilum, STG, in charge of your supplies. And this is Saffiya, a-"

"Justicar," Tarenna muttered, cutting him off as a pair of ice-blue eyes swivelled to focus on the other asari. "Colour me surprised. Wish I had a few like you on the ground, justicar."

"I'm sure your company's just fine all the same," Andersen interjected, with what he intended as an encouraging smile.

"Yeah, well… you'd be forgiven for thinking that," the asari shrugged, not taking her eyes off Saffiya.

"These asari are young…" the justicar noted, sombrely. "Very young. The captain herself does not appear to be out of her maiden stage… captain?"

Tarenna nodded, quietly, and her gaze flickered back to the human for a moment.

"Logistics company… little more than a platoons these days. Full of greenhorns, recruits and reservists. There's only one soldier here who's ever been on deployment, and you're looking at her."

"Would almost expect such a veteran to carry her rifle loaded," Lynus observed, speaking up for the first time. Glancing over, Andersen noted that the Vindicator hanging lazily in Tarenna's hand was indeed lifeless, ammo counter blinking zero.

"You'd also expect the head of a company to have ammo," the captain replied, deadpan. "Sadly, that's not the case."

"You don't have ammo?" Saffiya piped up, in mild incredulity.

"Not for ourselves," Tarenna muttered. "We've got trucks and fuel, but our job here's to funnel all the weapons and ammo we find to the fighting troops further inside the city. There's a full regiment dug in in the siari temple, the info stockade, the city spaceport… speaking of which, what exactly are you giving us here?"

She nodded to the crates coming off the Cambrai's ramp - her asari were helping the krogan and Araya haul them down now - and before Andersen could push the no ammo thing again, Rilum had spoken up, with his usual efficiency:

"Alliance arms and armour," he began. "Standard hardsuit components, Avenger and Viper rifles, fragmentation grenades. Also asari weapons, Disciples and Acolytes" - Saffiya held up her new pistol, to demonstrate - "as well as a small shipment of biotic amps. Serrice-made. Lots of ammo, too."

"We'll get it moving ASAP, then," the captain nodded. "Appreciate the drop, lieutenant, now get your bird clear as soon as those crates are off. Satellites are-"

"Ma'am!"

"Oh, what is it now?" the asari groaned, wheeling around as another of the asari came hurrying up to her, looking ashen.

"Satellites just went haywire," the young maiden reported, nervously. "FTL signatures in high orbit."

Tarenna bowed her head, swearing something in siari that made both Saffiya and the young squaddie wince, although Andersen's translators didn't pick it up. Slowly, he reached for his own comlink, and muttered:

"Yurai? Solov?"

"Yeah, we see them too…" Akito sighed. "I hate to say I told you so, but… actually, no, I kinda love it. Told you so."

"Smartarse."