Chapter Six: Val-tafn
"Action without thought is empty."
Esel made it to her perch inside the warehouse in the Zeta district. The warehouse was cold, which was unusual for Omega. Frost collected in the wall from the condensation with the outside. Esel thought this was probably where some food or other materials were shipped. Whatever the case, she turned up her suit's heating unit to compensate.
"Es, are you set?" Esel had her M-92 Mantis rifle set up on a catwalk on the back side of the warehouse. She was under a broken light, lying down, although a bit awkwardly, to try to reduce her silhouette. "Affirmative." Her high-pitched voice confirmed over the comm.
"Good, just wait for my word." Esel had no idea where Bekar was; they had split up almost a half hour ago. The warehouse wasn't huge, but then again, it wasn't small either. There was plenty of cover, but not from above.
Esel waited patiently. Her three-digit hand griped the rifle as she put her eye down the scope, her other eye open for better peripheral vision.
A large door on the other side opposite Esel began to open. She turned her rifle over, seeing a female Turian leading a group of heavily armed Turians behind her. This Turian leader's armor was grey with blue highlights, and on her face was a single white stripe across her face just below her eyes.
The group gathered around the center of the room and stood there waiting. "I wasn't expecting this many combatants," Bekar commented over the comms. "They wouldn't have brought this many if it wasn't important. This kind of protection would have tipped off every Merc on the station," she whispered back.
"Something's not right; they don't look like mercs.". Esel panned her scope over their armor and uniforms. Bekar was right; they weren't Mercs. "I think they are Turian military."
"Aria would blow a gasket if she ever found out." Bekar snipped. Their conversation was interrupted when a smaller personnel door opened from the other side. "Quarian, that's our target; we need them alive. Turians are not our problem." From Esel's view, she saw Bekar finally as he moved slightly behind some crates to get closer
The Quarian moved to meet the female Turian. Esel watched on, putting the Turian in her sight, ready to go as soon as Bekar was ready. Words began to be exchanged between the two. The Quarian's body language was stiff and awkward, maybe nervous. The Turian, on the other hand, was commanding, confident, if not a little laid-back.
The Quarian reached into her pack and handed off an OSD to the Turian. Their demeanor changed quickly. It wasn't an OSD.
The Quarian ducked out of the way and behind cover as the Turian caught the device. Upon realizing what she had in horror, she tossed the grenade unknownly toward Bekar. It exploded, sending Bekar and the pallet he was hiding behind back about ten feet. The other Turians spread out and began shooting at the Quarian. Seeing enough of this, Esel started to fire at the Troopers. Her mind seemed to switch into combat as if it were nothing. Esel's first three shots made their mark on those closest to Bekar. She had to keep them away from him. If he was still alive, she needed him. The Quarian also began to return fire with her pistol and omni-tool, firing off incinerator blasts trying to keep the Turians at bay. Bekar finally re-ordinated himself from the explosion and defended himself from the fire heading towards Esel. The rounds bounced off the wall around her. Impacting with a loud smack. She couldn't move; standing up would make her a larger target, and there wasn't anywhere to go regardless. Esel kept her calm despite everything and kept firing.
The Woman Turian crawled around cover to conceal herself from Esel and then yelled to the others to fall back. The few that were left started to withdraw in an organized fashion, leapfrogging and laying down covering fire for their comrades, pulling the wounded with them.
When the shooting stopped, Esel stood up and quickly headed down the catwalks. Frantically trying to get to Bekar. She leaped off the last set of steps, chasing after the two as they ran down the corridor.
The Quarian was some distance ahead. Esel lost sight of the two with every corner they took. She had never seen a Quarian move so fast. Esel knew where she was headed. The Quarian could hide in the crowd outside, but they were losing her.
Esel sprinted through the warehouse's labyrinthine corridors, her heart pounding with adrenaline, but the Quarian was slipping away. As she rounded another corner, she saw movement up ahead. She pushed herself harder, her breath coming in ragged gasps through her helmet's rebreather.
Finally, she burst out into an open area near the warehouse's entrance. The Quarian disappeared, blending in seamlessly with the chaotic hustle of the people before them. Esel skidded to a halt; her rifle gripped tightly in her hands.
"There!" Bekar's urgent shout echoed over the comm. Esel's eyes followed his voice to a narrow alleyway where the Quarian disappeared into the shadows. Esel plunged into the crowd without hesitation, weaving through aliens of all shapes and sizes.
She was gaining ground, closing in on the Quarian, who darted through the narrow space between two looming buildings. Esel pushed herself harder, her muscles burning from overuse. Just as she reached the alley, a deafening explosion rocked the air behind her.
Esel stumbled forward, momentarily disoriented by the blast. She turned back to see smoke billowing from the warehouse's entrance, flames licking at the edges of the structure. Bekar's urgent and strained voice cracked in her earpiece.
"Esel! Are you okay?"
"I'm fine," she replied tersely, focusing on the alley ahead.
The Quarian was nowhere in sight. Esel cursed under her breath, frustration boiling within her. She knew she couldn't let her target slip away, not after everything that had transpired.
But as she stood there, catching her breath amidst the chaos of Omega, her body aching, her lungs burning, and the glass of her helmet fogging with every breath, she began to question what she was doing here—almost.