The Helldivers
Chapter 3
[ 2184 CE – Omega / Sahrabarik / Omega Nebula ]
"So, how do we want to proceed? Do we stop the first person who passes by and ask them if they want to join in a potentially suicidal long-term mission?" asked Kan, already noticing some individuals who seemed to be able to use a gun.
"We can't ask just anyone; even if the pay is good, it doesn't mean that certain mercenaries won't try to betray us." said Ark, observing the Afterlife with an interested look. If the music that could be heard in the background came from there, it was clear that it was a place where you could drink and relax, the perfect place to get information, but unfortunately, it seemed like a place where you could only enter by invitation or after interminable waits.
"Let's split up and look around, this place is huge and we will certainly find someone suitable for the mission."
Kan shrugged and walked away to do as requested…
The quarian headed towards the stairs to descend to the lower levels, easily ignoring the unfriendly glances that were directed his way after less than a few meters. It didn't matter that this was a place where the laws were a nuisance at best, and a means to reduce you to poverty at worst, and where all manner of alien races could be found: if you were a quarian you were seen as someone to be avoided at all costs. Luckily Kan was used to it, but he still let out a silent chuckle when he saw a human and a batarian glare at him, knowing full well that, once he turned the corner, they would forget about him and return to threatening each other.
Quickening his pace slightly to reach his destination, having already been on Omega on a few occasions in the past, Kan found himself after a few minutes near a bar called 'The Drunken Maw', whose sign was a Thresher Maw lying on the ground with some empty bottles beside it. Entering the small place, he immediately headed for the bar counter behind which a turian, whose face was missing part of the left mandible, was currently cleaning some empty glasses.
When the quarian sat down, the bartender's gray eyes rested on him without interrupting the movement of his hands "Quarian drink or purified turian drink?"
"Purified turian." nodded Kan "Make it double." and without even waiting for his drink, he passed his credit chit onto the reader next to him after activating his omni-tool.
The turian watched the small screen from his side for just a moment before removing two glass containers from a small fridge under the counter and, after shaking them slightly, inserted a straw into each one (while removing a light film so that the straws were more sterile than normal) before placing them in front of Kan "All right." he resumed cleaning the glasses after glancing around the rest of the bar, keeping his voice low "What do you want?"
"My partner and I are putting together a team for a job." replied Kan after taking a sip from the first drink "I need people who know how to use a gun and don't mind getting their hands dirty. Better if they have a clean CV, if you know what I mean; they also must not be affiliated with the Blood Pack or other groups."
The bartender was silent for several seconds, before nodding his head towards a corner of the bar. Turning his head slightly, Kan saw a table near a window at which a single male human, perhaps in his late twenties, was sitting. Despite not having a good view of his entire body, Kan could immediately see that the human was as tall as Ark, with broad shoulders and an athletic physique; the quarian was no expert on humans but he knew that the particular shape of those hazel-green eyes was typical of the territory defined as 'Asia' on Earth, while his short black hair and goatee beard were particularly common.
Carefully maneuvering the straw of his drink to take another sip, Kan looked back at the bartender who shrugged "They call him Black Wolf, good mission record, not limited to just one type of missions. However, there are rumors that there is bad blood between him and the Blue Suns."
Kan nodded before finishing his drink and gesturing towards the man sitting at the table "A round of what he got."
The turian said nothing and pulled a bottle of beer out of the fridge before easily opening it with his claws, then placing it on the counter. Kan picked it up along with his second drink and walked towards the man sitting alone, noticing the M-22 Eviscerator resting next to him as well as the M-9 Tempest resting on the table next to an empty beer bottle and the helmet of his armor. When he was near the table, the quarian finally noticed the long slash scar on the man's right cheek but he didn't look up and remained focused on his drink. Without saying anything, Kan slid the beer across the table towards him before sitting down on the opposite side of the metal surface.
This time the human looked up at Kan, who focused more on centering the hole in his helmet with the straw before taking a sip. After swallowing, he let his gaze wander over the man's armor and immediately noticed that it was the same model used by the Blue Suns Troopers, but with the blue parts dyed black and a wolf's head instead of the mercenary group's logo.
He really hoped that the source of the rumors circulating about him and the Blue Suns wasn't the fact that he simply had the same armor as them. He knew the Blue Suns could be touchy about a lot of things, but that was definitely going too far.
"Well…" Kan began after several seconds of silence "…you still haven't told me to leave or threatened me or called me a suit rat. You automatically entered the small group of aliens with whom I could have a civil discussion."
"You gave me no reason to do any of those things." was the dry reply while the man's eyes did not move from the quarian's visor.
'Oh how lucky…another Mr Sympathy…' thought Kan with a mental sigh when he saw the human pick up the beer bottle and take a sip "Aren't you afraid that I poisoned it?"
"Saw and heard the bartender open it."
Kan then decided to cut it short and get straight to the meat of the matter, since it was now clear that that human was like, or perhaps worse than, Ark in terms of talkativeness "Did you hear what I asked too?"
"I deduced the question. You need a mercenary."
"Mercenaries." Kan corrected him without thinking twice "They must know their stuff, be ready for a long-term mission and not be members of the Blue Suns or other mercenary groups. Do you think you fall into this category?"
If the mention of the Blue Suns had bothered the human, he hadn't let it show on his face "I would say yes, I just finished a mission so I'm unemployed at the moment; however, I am not interested in missions involving slave trafficking."
Kan tilted his head to the side "Oh don't worry, if nothing else we might have to fight against slaver organizations." finishing his drink, he set the empty glass container aside "So, are you interested?"
The Black Wolf didn't even blink "Not really, you didn't give me many specifics and I prefer not to act without knowing what awaits me. If you really want me in your mercenary group, you'll have to tell me more."
"A fair point." nodded Kan before leaning forward slightly. One advantage of having his entire face mostly obscured was that no one could read his lips, however his helmet's speech system made it more difficult to whisper anything which forced him to be closer to his interlocutor than he wanted "I am ready to give you more information but I would prefer to do it away from prying ears. Say what you want about bars and pubs, but they are still the best places to eavesdrop."
The human turned his head slightly, taking a look at the rest of the room. Except for the bartender, intent on arranging some drinks on the shelves behind the counter, there were only four other customers: two humans busy chatting, a worried-looking salarian, and a krogan in the far corner, completely focused on the drink in front of him. Nodding to Kan, he stood up and, after arranging his weapons, went to pay for his beer since the rest had already been paid by the quarian, after which they both left the room and only after a few seconds the bartender activated his omni-tool.
Typing something quickly, he then brought his arm up to his mouth and whispered "He just left, but I don't know where he's headed. He is currently in the company of a male quarian." and after sending the message, he went back to sorting out his drinks as if nothing had happened.
Back with Kan, the quarian momentarily looked around to make sure no one was following them before returning his focus to his potential ally "Before I tell you more, don't you know someone in the same situation as you who would be interested in a job? It's clear that between you and me I'm the one who will have to carry on any conversation but I hate repeating myself too many times."
Since he was wearing the helmet of his armor, Kan couldn't see his face but judging by the slight tilt of his chin upwards it was clear that the mercenary was thinking of someone "I have a couple of people in mind, but only one is here on Omega. He's a mercenary with whom I just finished my last assignment; he said he had some business to do at a bar not far away."
"Another bar?" Kan let out a small chuckle "Do all mercenaries look for a bar after a mission? I usually look at a gun shop for replacement parts and thermal clips."
"This bar is different. More private and great for secret meetings or exchanging goods. It is considered neutral territory."
"I'll take your word for it, lead the way then. Let's try to find this friend of yours!"
The two walked for several minutes, moving through what were mostly residential blocks, and much to Kan's chagrin, his 'traveling companion' had said literally five words in that entire time, with them be: 'not really', 'yes' and twice 'no'. Thanks to that enormous amount of information, the quarian understood that he wouldn't get a name until the end, that he could call him Wolf in the meantime, that he didn't live on Omega and that he didn't usually come to that place. Honestly, Kan was almost hoping that he wouldn't take the job and that his 'colleague' would be more social than him.
Finally, they arrived near a single building with dark metal walls, large mirrored windows and several cameras positioned along the perimeter. The building was two stories and Kan couldn't hear anything coming from inside which made him think that the place was very quiet or the walls were soundproof. Moving his gaze to the bland sign above the entrance, he read the words "Middle Ground" and couldn't help but snort at the simplicity of the name. He was no expert on Omega, but he knew well that the area where they were now was one of the few gray areas of the station, outside the control of the major mercenary groups.
When the doors opened, they were immediately stopped by two humans armed with assault rifles and wearing gray uniforms. The one on the right looked them up and down "What kind of business do you have here?"
Kan stopped himself from opening his mouth and looked at the human next to him. The Black Wolf, on the other hand, was simply scanning the interior of the room, only to then look back at the two guards "Dimitros Nivokis, is he here?"
The guard who had spoken picked up a small tablet and read a few lines before nodding, while his partner didn't take his finger off the trigger of his weapon "He is currently in room four. If you want to talk to him, you will have to wait."
"Can we wait inside?" asked Kan, all the while looking at some empty tables near the entrance.
The guard nodded but when Kan started to enter, the human raised a hand "As long as you are in here, you must follow the rules. Your weapons will be deactivated until you are in the building; the use of biotic or tech powers is strictly prohibited and, if in the main area you will be ordered to leave by the guards, inside the private rooms there are automatic turrets with perfectly calibrated sensors. The moment you try to use any powers, you will be shot down without any warning; brute force is discouraged but you will not be killed for it, and any damage you cause will be immediately charged. Have I been clear?"
"On don't worry, we are not here to cause harm. We come in peace!" said Kan, raising his right hand with the middle finger pressed against the thumb and the little finger separated to form a sort of V. When even his possible crewmate turned to look at him, Kan shrugged "What? You humans may not be the most advanced race in the universe, but your old movies were very interesting. Pure science fiction if you want my opinion."
The two guards rolled their gazes before letting them pass while Wolf said nothing, which made Kan shake his head but the quarian preferred not to comment and focus on the inside of the bar. It was all very bland but there was a clear division of the tables, with some very simple and equipped with metal chairs, and others that instead had sofas with high backs, almost forming small cockpits. Looking towards a table occupied by two salarians, Kan saw a kind of kinetic barrier acting as a 'door' to that compartment and, although he saw their lips moving, he could barely hear whispers coming from the two aliens.
'This place is definitely suitable for meetings. I'm willing to bet that those sofas have built-in jammers to render bugs and the like useless.' thought Kan before sitting at a table with the Black Wolf. Next to a large bar counter manned by two asari were two corridors and Kan saw five doors along one side of the corridor closest to them, with the first and fourth closed and a red light on above them.
"So, any idea of what your friend is doing here?"
"Not really."
"Why am I not surprised?" sighed Kan before looking at the asari who had approached them.
"Hello dears, what can I get you?"
"Oh nothing for me. We are here for a certain Dimitros Nivokis, we need to talk to him. The kind guards at the entrance told us that he is in room four." explained Kan before gesturing to the rest of the bar "Which seems strange to me, given that secrecy and neutrality seem to be the key words here."
"Normally this would be the case, but the bar manager has a particular sadistic streak when it comes to anyone who goes against the rules." the asari did nothing to hide her smirk "The rules that the guards told you are the most important ones but they relate to your stay in the bar; instead, there are more subtle rules that concern the privacy and neutrality of this place. Dimitros went against these rules and killed a customer as soon as he left the bar, about two months ago. From what I understand, that salarian was the target of him and there was a lot of money at stake, but this bar is neutral territory and it is obvious that killing someone at the front door would ruin the image we have created over the years; even large mercenary groups respect those rules and never use weapons before having moved at least two or three blocks away from the Middle Ground."
Kan hummed at her words "So having broken the rules he ended up on a blacklist?"
"The list that the guards check at the entrance if you ask for someone." nodded the asari with the smirk still on her face "If they are on that list, nothing stops the guards from saying whether that person is here or not, also if something were to happen to the people on that list...let's just say we might turn a blind eye to some broken rules."
"I guess you can't tell us why he's here."
"Correct. This would compromise the privacy of other customers, so all you have to do is wait for him to leave the room." said the asari and, just at that moment, the light above the door turned green, however the three, as well as the customers nearby, were surprised to see a bald man with a thick black beard fall to the ground with blood on his face. From what they could see, his armor had a lot of damage and his right arm was bent at an unnatural angle at the elbow, but they couldn't see anything else as he barely managed to open his mouth before being abruptly dragged into the room, and his cry of pain was interrupted by the closing of the door, the light of which turned red again.
The customers looked worriedly at the guards and asari, but when no one seemed to intervene, they all calmed down and went back to their business as if nothing had happened.
Kan looked at the asari "That's room number four, right?"
"Yes."
"Was that Dimitros Nivokis?"
"Also yes."
Sighing, Kan stood up before heading towards that room.
"It is not permitted to enter the private rooms unless you are expected." the asari admonished him with a certain steely note in her voice before going to serve another table but Kan had no intention of entering, he simply wanted to wait in front of the door so that he could see the inside of the room once it was opened; from what he could imagine, it wouldn't be a pretty sight. Absently, he heard the Black Wolf stop next to him and then lean against the wall with his arms crossed over the chest.
"From what I've seen and heard, this contact of yours doesn't seem like much to me."
The mercenary's black and white helmet moved to look at him before returning to stare at the door "He has good aim and knows how to follow orders, never had any problems with him."
"Yeah, you might want to start talking about him in the past tense." snorted Kan before suddenly becoming more attentive when the door opened again, only nothing could prepare him for what came out of the room 'Humans aren't supposed to be that big or am I wrong...?'
What stood before their eyes was without a doubt the largest human he had ever seen, standing at seven feet tall with broad shoulders and a muscular body, accentuated even more by the Heavy Duty Kestrel armor with green lights she was wearing, and it was definitely a she because the armor had no way of completely hiding her large bust. Her helmet instead had to be custom-made since it looked like a combination between the breather version of the N7 helmet and a mnemonic visor, with the blue visor covering most of the upper-face area. Finally, on her right side there was a heavy M-6 Carnifex pistol, painted black with the bottom half painted green, combined with a black N7 Crusader visible behind her, and that made Kan raise an eyebrow. That was a rather peculiar shotgun, how did she get one?
"Well I didn't realize I had attracted so much attention, sorry for earlier. He made it to the door when I got distracted by a call." came the amused voice of the young woman, eyeing the two in front of her before pointing behind her with a thumb "If you have business with him, you can come in, although I don't know how much you can get out of that."
Leaning to the right, Kan could see the room behind her and the broken form of Dimitros Nivokis, slumped on the ground with all his limbs broken in multiple places and his face covered in bruises and blood; judging by the sporadic spasms of his body and his irregular breathing he was not in good condition and the quarian would not be surprised if he died soon. Returning his gaze to the human, he shook his head "Not anymore. I wanted to offer him a job but judging by his condition I don't know how much medi-gel will be needed to save his life, let alone make him fit for action."
"Oh? What kind of work?" she asked, immediately seeming to take an interest in the conversation "Judging by your equipment, it looks like you're looking for someone who can shoot. Although, considering you wanted someone like him." she gestured toward the dying man behind her "I don't expect much from you. But maybe I'll change my mind, since you have the Black Wolf with you."
Kan raised an eyebrow "You know him?"
The woman nodded slowly "He may not be the most famous mercenary in the galaxy, but anyone with the right ears has heard that nickname a time or two."
Kan leaned in a little closer, his voice quieter but more deliberate "So, if I understand correctly, you're saying the Black Wolf is your ticket in, huh?"
She seemed to think for a moment, then smiled again, this time more genuinely "Well, in a way. If the job's interesting, the Black Wolf is the kind of man who turns heads. But it depends on what you're looking for. I'm not exactly one to be fooled by appearances."
Kan crossed his arms, watching the mercenary "We're not trying to fool you. We're looking for people who can get the job done."
She made a dismissive gesture, as if weighing her options, then turned slightly, looking at her favorite pistol "Get the job done? Exactly what job are you talking about? I'm not wasting my time on a boring mission if that's what you're offering."
Kan raised his hands, trying to calm the situation "We're not here to waste anyone's time. We need someone who can handle anything, and if you're interested, we can offer more than you might think."
She stared at him intently, as if trying to see beyond the words. Then, with half a smile hidden behind her helmet, she nodded "I like the sound of that. Maybe I'm too curious to pass it up."
Kan took a step back, aware that they were after the same thing. The mercenary was evaluating them, but she wasn't ready to make a promise yet. The woman glanced at the hallway "If you want to talk, we can use one of the empty rooms. Just not the one I was using." she added, her voice dry "The blood and soon-to-be corpse of Dimitros might spoil the atmosphere."
From behind the woman, a small, peculiar shape drifted into his line of sight. At first, he thought it was just a flicker of movement, but then it became clear. There, hovering just over her shoulder, was a floating object. It was about the size of a basketball, its body a curious combination of geometric shapes: square on the sides, with a pyramid-like top and bottom. The object had a single circular lens lit up, blinking faintly as if alive, and Kan's eyes narrowed, trying to make sense of it.
The other mercenary, who had remained silent, turned his head slightly, his sharp eyes observing the same sight. The thing seemed to have no real legs, no visible propulsion, yet it drifted with ease, as though it was simply another part of her environment.
"Is that...?" Kan started, raising an eyebrow.
"My assistant." she replied, without even looking at it, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
"I have a name." said the drone with a dry tone of voice "Name's Viz, and I'm this woman's slave and savior." ignoring the look she sent him from under her helmet, the drone added "I'm also quite touched by how her manners have improved. She would have bathed in all that blood once upon a time."
Kan looked at her "AI…?" he then asked with a subtle note of uncertainty in his voice.
"VI." replied her, perhaps also to reassure him given his race's history with AI "I made him, even if sometimes he's quite a smart ass. But enough of him…" she raised her voice, shouting toward the end of the corridor "Lidia! We'll use room five, the one next door."
The asari from before appeared from the hallway, briefly glancing in their direction. With a slight nod, she called back "Fine, but just so you know, if you're planning to make a mess…" her eyes briefly shifted toward the entrance to room four, where traces of blood were visible "…the cleaning and disposal of the body's on you."
With that, she disappeared from sight.
The towering woman then walked toward room five, Kan and the Black Wolf following close behind. The door slid open, revealing a simple metal table in the center of the room, surrounded by six chairs.
The room felt clinical, almost sterile, but in a way, it gave them the privacy they needed.
The three of them took their seats, each choosing a different side of the metal table. The room was silent for a moment, the air heavy with anticipation. Black Wolf kept his helmet on, his eyes concealed behind the visor, but the woman seemed to have no such need. With a swift motion, she removed her helmet, setting it down on the table.
Her face came into view, strong and marked by so many scars of past battles that Kan failed to count all of them, though the details were obscured by the dim lighting, but he still noticed a hearing aid in her left ear, a curved little metal plate behind said ear, while the upper and lower canines were distinctly sharper, slightly wider, as she showed off them with a little toothy smile. Her bright red hair, streaked with dark blood-colored sections, combed into a french braid, a bit messy from wearing the helmet. The green eyes that met Kan's were sharp and unyielding, with slit pupils and black sclera instead of white, framed by thick brows and a set jaw, with a presence that was both intimidating and effortless.
Kan didn't want to point fingers, but the first thing that came to mind when he saw her face was: genetic experiment.
Behind her, her drone, Viz, floated just over her shoulder, its small, pyramid-like body drifting silently as it whirred softly.
She leaned back in her chair, her arms folded as she regarded Kan with a grin "Go ahead." she said with a lazy gesture "I'm listening. Let's hear your offer."
Kan tilted his head slightly before speaking, a mischievous smirk on his lips "Before we get into business…" he began, his tone light "…how should I address you? Black Wolf here has a nickname, though it doesn't do much to help, if you ask me. Are you one of those people with a nickname too, or do you actually have a name?"
She chuckled for a moment, clearly entertained by the question. She leaned forward slightly, the air of casual confidence she exuded never faltering "You can call me Alara." she said simply, still observing Kan closely.
Kan nodded "Kan." he introduced himself, his voice steady as he finally leaned back in his chair "Now, I think we're ready to talk."
He paused for a moment, weighing how to begin. Alara seemed relaxed, though her posture was still alert. Her eyes, those sharp, almost predatory eyes, gave Kan the unsettling impression that he was in front of some kind of hunter, but not the kind that would chase you down like a Thresher Maw. No, this felt different. Her gaze was calculating, waiting, as if she was sizing him up with every word he spoke.
Meanwhile, the Black Wolf sat with a relaxed yet upright posture, his arms crossed over his chest. Despite his casual demeanor, there was something about him that suggested he was always ready for anything.
Finally, Kan spoke, breaking the silence "To put it simply, my partner and I are putting together a team." he began "I was the first to be recruited, and now I'm helping to find capable people to join us."
Alara raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued "And what's this team for?" she asked, the corners of her lips twitching as she leaned forward slightly.
Kan met her gaze from under the visor, his tone unwavering "A long-term mission." he replied. "No fixed end date. We need a team that can handle whatever comes up, and that includes more than just a quick payday."
He let the words hang in the air for a moment, watching Alara's reaction. She considered him for a second, her eyes narrowing ever so slightly as she processed the information. The other mercenary, too, didn't speak, but his gaze was focused, awaiting for more information.
Kan leaned forward slightly, his tone shifting to a more casual, almost playful edge "You'll have access to funding, a ship currently docked here on Omega." he continued, gesturing vaguely with his hand, as though it was no big deal "And you'll have pretty much free rein to do what needs to be done. The work won't be limited to any one thing; we'll be handling all kinds of missions, though you'll probably have to find some of them yourselves."
He paused, letting that sink in, then added with a chuckle "Don't expect a list of assignments handed to you on a silver platter."
Kan sat back in his chair, his gaze steady "As for who's in charge…my partner's the one who knows all the ins and outs of this whole operation. He's the one with all the details, even I don't get the full picture yet. But…" he leaned forward again, his voice dropping slightly for emphasis "…if it matters to you, this whole project is funded by the Systems Alliance."
There was a slight pause, as Kan let the weight of that last piece of information settle. He knew it was the kind of detail that could either grab their attention or make them question the whole setup, but he was willing to take that risk.
Alara seemed intrigued, though her tone remained almost casual, as if she were asking about something trivial "So, if this is something backed by the Alliance…" she began, her gaze flicking from Kan to the Black Wolf "…how come a quarian like you is actually part of it? No offense to the quarians but humans aren't exactly the most…welcoming race among those known to the Citadel."
Kan chuckled, the question something he'd asked himself when he first joined the team "I asked the same thing when I got recruited. My partner didn't seem to care about that sort of thing, He just told me it didn't matter what race the crew was. All he cares about is what they can do and how they fit into the mission. If you join, don't be surprised if there are other species aboard too. We're looking for a mix of people, not just humans or quarians."
Kan's tone shifted a bit as he continued, becoming a bit more serious "But there is one thing we're strict about. We need people with clean records, no past betrayals or failed missions that caused problems. This isn't a place for people who leave a trail of wreckage behind them. If you're in, you need to get the job done without bringing any extra baggage." he then looked at Viz "The drone is of course part of the package, don't worry!"
"Thank you, quarian." replied Viz "But you should think of my creator as part of the package, and me as the main article."
Both Alara, who glanced for a moment at her drone with a smirk on her face, and the Black Wolf nodded in agreement, likely having had their fair share of run-ins with mercenaries of questionable caliber. The unspoken understanding passed between them, Kan's point about clean records was one they both respected.
Kan took a deep breath, leaning forward a bit "So, are you two interested in joining the team?" he asked, his tone steady, but with a hint of anticipation and curiosity "I should reassure you, you'll probably be able to leave whenever you want. But there's a good chance you'll have to sign something, nothing too extreme, but something that'll keep you from spilling secrets around. It's not the best form of security, but it's something. And I'm sure my partner has something else in mind for that." he then glanced at Alara "Oh and just between you and me, but I really hope you say yes. Did you hear what Mr Black Wolf said here? Me neither, because he didn't speak! And my partner is like him, so I really need someone who can at least give a back and forth speech!"
Alara smirked "You're a funny one, Kan. Well I guess as long as I'm not banned from doing some side jobs…" she looked at him but Kan merely shrugged, indicating that he didn't know or it wasn't a problem "…I don't see why I should say no! Also, if it's an Alliance project, their pockets must be pretty deep!"
Kan's right eye twitched under his visor, thinking back to when he'd fired off a paycheck without knowing who the credits were coming from. He should have asked for more!
Kan shifted his gaze to the Black Wolf, his expression neutral as he asked "So, are you interested now?" he leaned forward slightly, his tone sincere "I told you before, we're not dealing with slaves, and if you want, we can go recruit the second contact you had in mind."
The other mercenary seemed to think for a moment, his gaze drifting toward the floor as he weighed the offer. After a few seconds, he finally nodded "Alright." he said, his voice steady "I'm in."
Kan nodded in return, pleased to have secured at least two members for the team "Good!" he said, the tension easing slightly "We'll need people like you, and I mean good mercenary, not the kind who never talks." there was a brief silence, then Kan raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued "So, can I finally know your name?"
The Black Wolf turned his head slightly, giving Kan a quick glance "You can call me Vin." he said simply, his tone almost casual.
Kan's expression softened into a smirk, thinking about the fact that there were now three people on board with a three letter name "Vin, huh? Good to know. Welcome aboard!" he then stood up, the movement deliberate as he brushed a hand over his suit "Alright, in that case, we can head to the ship and get settled!"
He glanced at both Vin and Alara "Do you have any personal belongings to pick up?"
Vin leaned back in his chair "I've got a bag left at a hotel not too far from here." he said, his voice casual. After all, he hadn't planned to stay on Omega too long so he was still traveling light.
Alara, on the other hand, seemed to consider the question for a moment before answering "I've got a few things stashed in an old warehouse, in another part of Omega."
Kan raised an eyebrow, curious "A warehouse? Why there?"
Alara flashed him a grin, revealing her sharp canines "Business." she said, the word dripping with a mixture of mystery and amusement.
Kan didn't press further, nodding in understanding "Alright, let's get moving. We can swing by your places on the way, or if you prefer I can send mechs to retrieve your things. We have quite a few on board, assuming the team won't be too large."
Vin had no problem giving the hotel address, while Alara had something to say "I'd rather go and get that stuff myself."
Realizing that she didn't fully trust them, which was normal since they had just met, Kan told her that she could lead the way and then send a message to the Nameless via omni-tool so they could retrieve Vin's bag.
The three of them exited the room, after Alara put her helmet back on, and made their way down the corridor toward the main area of the bar. The faint hum of voices reached their ears as they approached, growing louder with each step. As they neared the main hall, where the bar counter and tables were located, the murmurs became more distinct, an argument was unfolding.
Kan, Alara, and Vin exchanged a quick glance, then moved forward, drawn to the source of the commotion. When they reached the entrance to the main area, the sight that greeted them stopped them in their tracks.
In the center of the bar, a group of mercenaries had gathered. At least five members of the Blue Suns, five from Eclipse, and five from the Blood Pack were present, all standing in a loose but protective formation. The leaders of each faction were engaged in a heated discussion with Lidia and the two guards of the bar. The atmosphere was charged, the air thick with the threat of violence.
Kan's eyes flicked over the groups, taking in the situation. Alara's posture shifted, her usual casual demeanor replaced by a more alert stance. Vin remained quiet, but his gaze immediately fell on the leader of the Blue Suns, a batarian, engaged in the discussion.
Kan glanced at Lidia, who appeared to be trying to mediate the situation, though it wasn't going well, and she was losing her patience. The guards at her side looked equally on edge, fingers twitching near their weapons. It was clear that things were about to escalate.
Lidia stood her ground, facing the three mercenary leaders as the tension in the room escalated. She spoke firmly, though there was an edge of frustration in her voice "For the last time…" she said, addressing the leaders "…we cannot do as you ask. We won't tell you anything about our clients, and if you're here only to cause trouble for the rest of the patrons, you're welcome to leave!"
Her gaze swept over the few remaining customers seated at the tables, who were visibly unnerved by the wall of mercenaries standing in the center of the room "As you can see, the customers are intimidated enough by your presence. I suggest you leave quietly, or I'll have to inform your commanders of what's going on here, and I'm sure they wouldn't want to be declared persona non grata in this bar!"
The krogan leader of the Blood Pack let out a low, guttural growl, his eyes narrowing as he stepped forward "I don't give a damn about your threats!" he hissed, his voice dripping with malice "What I want to know is where she is!" he said, his gaze flicking toward the others in the room, clearly searching for someone. The implication was clear, and his tone made it evident that he meant business.
Before Lidia could respond, the batarian leader of the Blue Suns spoke up, his voice cold and dismissive "I don't care who the krogan's looking for." he said, his eyes scanning the room, but not yet landing on anyone specific "What I do care about is that the Black Wolf came in here. I want to find him."
Kan leaned slightly toward Alara and Vin, his voice barely a whisper "Are they your friends?" he asked, eyeing the mercenaries as tensions rose.
Alara's response was quick and dry. "Not exactly." she muttered, her eyes flicking over the room, staying alert.
At that moment, Lidia was about to answer the batarian's demand when a human in Eclipse armor suddenly pointed a hand toward the trio, her eyes narrowing as she made a silent gesture to her superior. The asari leader, her skin a soft blue, immediately turned her attention toward Kan and the others, followed by all the mercenaries in the room.
The Asari's gaze locked onto Alara, her eyes darkening with anger. "Found you, bitch!" she spat, her voice sharp.
Kan nodded once, very slowly, as the situation became clear, and he muttered under his breath "Now I see what you meant, Alara."
Unfazed by the hostile words, Alara gave a playful wave, her tone light and full of amusement "Helora! Long time, no see!" she let out a small chuckle "I didn't expect to run into you here."
Helora's expression soured further, the anger in her eyes palpable "Oh, I'm sure you do." she sneered "Unless you're referring to that time you blew up the damn room where we were supposed to exchange the goods!"
Alara tilted her head, her grin widening under the helmet "Well, maybe you should've stuck to the plan and not tried to steal what wasn't yours!"
Helora opened her mouth to respond, but before she could speak, the krogan leader from the Blood Pack shoved her aside with a growl, his eyes locking onto Alara "You!" he snarled, pointing a thick finger in her direction "You're the bastard who killed six of my men last week!" he said, his voice full of venom.
Alara simply shrugged, her demeanor unfazed "They should've just gone their way instead of picking a fight with me right after I'd had a drink." her voice was light, almost playful, as if she were talking about something trivial.
One of the Blue Suns mercenaries suddenly stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he looked at Alara. He seemed to recognize her "Wait, you're the one who shoved a knife in my hand last week during that bar brawl!" he said, his voice dripping with anger. He turned to the batarian leader, adding "Boss! She's the one who injured the others too!"
Kan turned toward Alara, his expression almost incredulous under the visor. He couldn't help but ask "Did you really manage to cause trouble with the Blue Suns and the Blood Pack on the same day?"
Alara glanced at him, her grin widening "It was a bad day." she replied nonchalantly, as if she were explaining why she'd been late to work rather than causing an all-out brawl with two factions of mercenaries.
The batarian ignored Alara completely, his attention now fixed solely on Vin "Forget her." he spat, shaking his head as if dismissing the whole conversation "We'll let the Eclipse and Blood Pack handle her. As for you…" he turned his gaze to Vin, his voice growing colder "…did you really think you could come back to Omega and not expect a little 'courtesy visit'?"
Vin didn't respond, his expression unreadable under the helmet. The batarian's patience seemed to snap at the silence, his hand gripping the weapon at his side, even though it was deactivated inside the bar "What, no response?" he growled, his anger building "Well, I guess we'll have to make sure you understand your mistake, you fucking traitor!"
Before the tension could escalate further, Kan stepped forward, raising his left hand in a calm gesture. His right hand slipped behind his back, fingers subtly flexing as he prepared for the next move.
"Gentlemen, gentlemen!" he said, his tone smooth and almost mocking "There's no need to resort to violence. We're all reasonable people here, aren't we?"
While his voice remained polite, Kan subtly pointed toward the left with his right hand, motioning toward the direction of the large window. Alara and Vin both shifted their eyes to that spot without drawing attention to themselves. The window, large and unobstructed to their left, stood as a perfect escape route, offering an easy way out from the mercenaries who were positioned directly in front of them.
The krogan leader growled, his patience clearly thinning "This is none of your business, suit rat!" he sneered, his eyes narrowing as he dismissed Kan's presence "Why don't you go back to stealing spare parts and leave the real work to us?"
Kan sighed dramatically, his face twisting into a slight grimace "If you all really think that way, then I suppose there's no other choice." he said, shaking his head as if disappointed. He turned to Lidia, who was watching the exchange with wide eyes, and winked at her "Lidia dear, feel free to charge the cost of the window to the leaders of these three lovely groups!"
Then, with a quick motion, Kan swung his left arm toward the window, releasing a kinetic blast that shattered the glass with a deafening crash. The shockwave rippled through the air, sending shards scattering across the room.
Before anyone could react, Kan raised his right arm, his fingers clenched into a fist. A powerful Shockwave erupted from his hand, sending a series of kinetic explosions that blasted the mercenaries back, sending them stumbling away from the force of the blasts. As the kinetic shockwaves dispersed, Kan, Alara, and Vin immediately sprang into action. Without hesitation, they darted toward the broken window, sliding out onto the street below. They landed lightly, quickly putting distance between themselves and the commotion inside.
Alara glanced over at Kan as they ran, a smirk in her voice "Why didn't we just stay outside the window and shoot them from there? Our weapons should be working again by now."
Kan shook his head, his pace steady as they moved through the familiar streets of Omega's inhabited sector, although he was sure that, if she had wanted, Alara could have easily outdistanced them by running.
"I don't want to stir up a hornet's nest even bigger than this one. We've already made enough noise as it is." he looked sideways at her, his voice turning more practical "Do we really need to go get your stuff? You sure it's worth the trouble?"
Alara's gaze hardened with purpose "Yeah. We're going to an old warehouse. Follow me."
She pointed ahead, where the buildings began to cluster tighter together, and the abandoned warehouses and old, rundown structures loomed in the distance. The streets around them were bustling with activity, though more sparsely populated than the higher, more commercial levels. The buildings here were worn down and patched up with a mix of steel, scrap metal, and concrete. Some had multiple levels, connected by creaky stairs or external elevators.
Alara took a quick left turn, leading them through a narrow alleyway. The area was less frequented by the usual patrons of Omega, offering them the kind of cover they needed. The walls were covered in grime and graffiti, with the occasional flicker of broken neon lights casting dim reflections off the surfaces.
"This way." Alara said, her voice steady, despite the adrenaline coursing through her. She led them to an old, abandoned warehouse at the end of the alley. It had the distinct feel of an out-of-the-way location, the kind of place where things went unnoticed.
Kan and Vin followed her closely, their footsteps echoing in the empty streets. The old industrial zone of Omega stretched out ahead, with its rows of derelict buildings and half-abandoned storage units. They'd have to move fast, knowing that trouble could show up at any moment.
Alara stopped in front of a large, rusted door, activating her omni-tool with a quick motion. A soft hum filled the air as she swiped her hand in a smooth, practiced arc. The light above the door shifted from red to green, signaling a successful override. The door creaked open with a low groan, revealing the dim interior of the warehouse.
"Here we are!" she said, stepping inside. The place was filled with crates, old machinery, and boxes piled high, a perfect hiding spot for anything she didn't want others to find. Alara raised a hand, signaling for them to wait, before disappearing behind a stack of crates with her drone following closely. She was out of sight for less than a minute, and when she returned, a new bag was attached to her armor, and her shotgun was firmly gripped in her hands, revealing that in addition to being black it also had three thick dark green diagonal stripes on the body, and a dark red grip and trigger area, with the word 'goodbye' written on the side in small loopy writing.
"Alright, we're good to go." she said. Just as they began to move, a distant, familiar growl echoed through the streets: varren. The sound was unmistakable, and it quickly became clear they were being hunted.
Kan frowned, his pace quickening "Probably the Blood Pack." he muttered, scanning the area. He turned to Alara "Do you know a fast way to Afterlife? The ship's docked right in front of it."
Alara nodded without hesitation "I know a shortcut!" she began running, leading them down a narrow street. The path was familiar to her, but as they ran, the sound of footsteps grew closer, and Vin tensed.
"Enemies ahead." he said, his eyes sharp.
Without missing a beat, Alara shifted direction, veering off the main path. They sprinted toward an abandoned, multi-story building in the distance. As they approached, she turned on her omni-tool again and, with a quick swipe of her hand, activated the door's security system. The lock disengaged with a soft sound, and the door was open for them.
Kan looked at her in surprise, impressed by her speed "That's fast. You sure you're not cheating?"
Alara shot him a quick grin "For an Engineer like me? This is child's play!" before Kan could respond, a few shots rang out, hitting the wall near the door.
"We're not staying here." without waiting for a reply, she darted inside, the others following close behind while Helora's voice could be heard nearby barking orders.
The door slammed shut behind them, and Alara quickly deactivated the lock entirely, ensuring it would slow down their pursuers. They were inside, but the chase wasn't over yet. The mercenaries and varren were still close behind, and they had only a few moments to regroup before they had to move again.
Kan turned to Alara, his expression grim "So, what now?" he asked, the urgency of the situation clear in his voice.
Alara didn't hesitate "On the third floor, there's a small bridge that connects this building to the one next door. We can use that to get out!" she explained, but then she paused. Turning back toward the door, she reached into a pocket on her armor and pulled out two small mines, which she swiftly planted next to the sealed door.
Kan watched, raising an eyebrow "You think that'll be enough?" he asked, noticing the mines were likely only strong enough to take out a couple of enemies, if they weren't a krogan, but probably not much more. Alara shrugged, her fingers working quickly as she adjusted the placement.
"I wasn't planning on dealing with this many assholes today." she said, her tone light but biting "But hey, I'm happy to stay here and take them out one by one if you want. They're nothing but hysterical little bitches anyway."
Kan shook his head with a sigh, clearly not impressed by her casual approach "We don't have time for that." he reached for his shotgun, drawing it with practiced ease as he turned toward the stairs.
Vin, too, was already preparing. His hand shifted to his M-9 Tempest, his expression unreadable but focused. Without a word, the three of them moved toward the stairwell, the sound of pounding on the door echoing through the building while some windows were shattered by their shots. The mercenaries were already outside.
As they reached the top of the first flight of stairs, the group found themselves in a large, open space that looked like it had once been a communal area. The furnishings were a testament to the building's decline, decaying or rusting furniture, old desks, and what remained of broken-down vending machines, all of them now empty and gathering dust. The room felt abandoned, its once vibrant atmosphere now hollow and worn.
Without wasting time, Kan glanced around the room, assessing their options. He quickly used his biotic powers and, with a swift motion of his hand, lifted some of the old furniture and the empty vending machines. He hurled them down the stairs, blocking the entrance and hopefully slowing down the mercenaries following them. The noise of the furniture crashing down echoed in the building, a temporary obstacle that might buy them a little more time.
"That should do it." Kan muttered, before turning back to his team, but before they could move forward, Kan noticed a figure emerging from a ladder that appeared to lead down from their floor to the lower level. He couldn't get a clear look at it from where he stood, but he assumed it was a step ladder. She was one of Eclipse's own, already reaching for her weapon when Alara's sharp eyes caught her.
Before the woman could even raise her gun, the bigger woman was already one step ahead. She fired her shotgun with brutal precision, given the short distance between them, the blast ripping through the mercenary's chest in a burst of crimson. Almost simultaneously, Vin unleashed a brief burst of fire from his submachine gun, the bullets tearing through the woman's body. The force sent her flying backward, and she crashed down to the ground below.
Kan blinked "Okay, maybe blocking the stairs won't do much," he admitted with a sigh, watching as the Eclipse mercenary fell. Without another word, they sprinted up the stairs, moving swiftly toward the second floor. The sound of Helora's voice echoed through the air, mixed with the harsh words of other mercenaries, making it clear to Kan that they were likely surrounded by Eclipse forces.
Alara, her eyes scanning the surroundings, nodded knowingly "Yeah, this area's definitely under their control." she said, her voice calm as if that situation wasn't a problem for her, in fact she almost seemed to like it "We're close to the Afterlife zone, though. It's considered sacred ground by all of Omega, no one dares make a scene near there. The Queen doesn't like trouble near her club."
As they reached the second floor, the voices of the mercenaries continued to echo below them, followed by the unmistakable sounds of two explosions, signaling that the mines Alara had set up had worked. The noise was enough to confirm that their delay had caused some serious chaos for the pursuers.
The second floor they had reached was a long corridor, with several closed doors and a few semi-open ones leading into what appeared to be abandoned apartments. They quickly moved toward the next set of stairs to continue their climb when suddenly, one of the doors opened, and a batarian stumbled out.
It was clear from his disheveled appearance and the smell of alcohol that he was a homeless resident of the building. He squinted at them, his voice slurring with drunken anger as he stumbled forward.
"Get out of my property!" he barked, clearly expecting them to leave.
Alara didn't waste a second. With a simple push of her hand, she sent the batarian stumbling backward into the room with little effort, but it was enough to send him crashing to the ground. He hit the floor with a thud, cursing loudly in his native language, his words barely intelligible as he scrambled to get back up. She looked back at the batarian, still swearing on the floor, and smirked "I should really go back to studying languages." she said, her tone light as she observed his angry mutterings "The insults from the batarians have always been so amusing, but I can't quite tell what he's saying."
Vin shot her a sharp look. "You don't want to know." he said curtly, his voice flat as he continued his ascent up the stairs, submachine gun aimed ahead toward the third floor.
As they reached the top, they were greeted by the sight of another common room with a large metal door that separated them from the bridge that would take them to safety. Alara immediately moved toward a panel next to the door, quickly pulling out her omni-tool and working efficiently. She manipulated the controls, restoring power to the lock, the faint hum of electricity returning to the system.
Kan stayed near the stairs, his gaze flicking down the corridor, watching for any signs of pursuit. He was alert, keeping his weapon ready, prepared for any surprise that might come their way.
Meanwhile, Vin had moved to one of the nearby windows, glancing out to check their surroundings. He didn't stay long, quickly pulling back as several shots rang out, the sound of glass shattering filling the air.
"There are at least two Eclipse squads below." Vin reported, his tone calm despite the danger "They've got the street covered."
Alara smirked, shaking her head "They can keep the street." she muttered, before quickly working the metal door open. But as she stepped forward, she found herself face-to-face with a vorcha. Well, to be accurate, he was more at eye level with her chest, but the point remained. The alien let out a garbled scream, clearly ready to charge, but before he could get a word out, Alara swung a powerful fist at his jaw. The sickening crack of his jaw shattering echoed through the corridor, and with a snarl, she followed up with a blast from her shotgun, the shot instantly obliterating the vorcha's head into a bloody mess.
The body slumped lifelessly to the ground, and Alara swiftly moved to the side, using the door frame for cover, staying within the room. She peeked her head out, cautiously glancing down the length of the bridge that stretched ahead.
"We've got company!" she called back to the others.
Kan, near the stairs, turned his attention to her "Is it good or bad company?"
"Blood Pack!" Alara replied with a grin, the words carrying a sense of dark amusement.
"Definitely bad." Kan muttered but then his shotgun came up, and without hesitation, he fired at the Eclipse asari who had just reached the base of the stairs, the first shot disabling her barrier with a single blast. The second followed immediately, hitting her square in the chest, and sending her collapsing backward in a spray of blood.
Vin moved quickly toward Alara, ducking low before rolling to the other side of the open door, narrowly avoiding a few bursts of gunfire. Once safely behind cover next to the door, he peered around it cautiously. He spotted five vorcha advancing toward them. After a few tense seconds, he stepped out slightly and unleashed a shockwave down the bridge.
The shockwave rippled through the air, sending the vorcha tumbling off the edge of the bridge with startled screams as they fell to the ground below. The sound of gunfire pinged off his barrier, but it held firm, with none of the shots managing to break through. Vin glanced back at Alara "Why is the Blood Pack here? It's Eclipse's turf."
Alara gave him a quick shrug, her grin never faltering under her helmet "It's not uncommon when they've got a common enemy. Though, I'll admit, it's rare for them to have one in common!" she replied, her voice light. Then she gave him a quick victory sign "But you know, I'm that special!"
Vin didn't share her enthusiasm, his face still serious. He simply nodded, then leaned out to fire at a varren that had been charging toward them. With precise aim, he helped Alara bring the creature down, the two of them working in tandem to eliminate the immediate threats.
Kan, having been pushed back slightly, quickly took cover behind a column. From his position, he spotted a salarian emerging at the top of the stairs. With a swift motion, Kan used his biotics to toss the salarian back, sending him crashing into two other Eclipse mercenaries. The three of them tumbled to the ground at the base of the stairs in a tangled heap.
Kan shouted toward the others, his voice urgent "How's the situation on the bridge?"
Alara, focused on the task at hand, glanced over at him and replied quickly "We're working on it."
Just then, two vorcha appeared from the other side, both armed with flamethrowers, their menacing figures outlined by the flickering light of their weapons. Alara exchanged a quick glance with Vin, a silent agreement passing between them. Without missing a beat, she reached for her Carnifex and aimed at the vorcha on the right. Vin did the same, lining up a shot on the left.
In an instant, both fired. The sound of the shots was followed by two powerful explosions, sending a wave of fire across the bridge. The vorcha were instantly obliterated by the blasts. Those closest to the explosions were sent flying, their bodies dead and carbonized by the intense heat and fire.
Alara let out a low, wicked chuckle "Well, I think we've got them all!" she said, watching the flames slowly die down. But her grin slightly faded when she spotted something moving through the dissipating smoke. The krogan from earlier emerged from the fire, shotgun raised and aimed directly at them. He fired without hesitation.
Fortunately, he was still far enough away that his shots scattered too much to cause any real damage. Alara and Vin both fired back, their bullets cutting through the air, but the krogan didn't falter. He was still moving forward, returning fire as he came.
Then, behind him, there was a sudden burst of gunfire from a different direction. The krogan turned in confusion, just in time to see the last two of his vorcha drop to the ground, blood splattering from the holes now in their heads.
From behind the corner at the far end of the bridge, Ark appeared, assault rifle in hand, his eyes locked on the krogan. But before the krogan could respond, a loud, heavy sound caught his attention. He turned back toward Alara, who had closed the distance between them.
Without hesitation, Alara was face to face with the krogan. In an instant, she fired at point-blank range, the shotgun blast tearing into his chest. The spray of blood was almost immediate, but the krogan, surprisingly, was still standing. His massive frame took the hit, but he grimaced, trying to fire back with his own weapon.
He squeezed the trigger, but the sound of an empty chamber echoed instead of the usual shot. The krogan's eyes widened in realization, and before he could react, Alara dropped her shotgun, empty as well, using her strength to charge at him. With a quick, brutal push, she sent him stumbling backward toward the edge of the bridge.
He fought to resist, planting his feet firmly on the ground, trying to stop his momentum. But before he could regain his balance, Ark and Vin opened fire, sending two bursts into his legs. The krogan's balance faltered, and he was weakened enough that Alara, using every bit of her strength, gave him one last push, sending him over the low railing of the bridge.
The krogan screamed as he fell, his body disappearing below them, crashing to the ground far below.
Alara let out a laugh, clearly enjoying herself as she backed away from the railing, narrowly avoiding a few stray shots fired from the street below. She quickly reached down, retrieving her shotgun and reloading it with a practiced motion. The sound of the thermal clip clicking into place seemed to satisfy her as she turned toward Ark, who had just finished his shots.
"Thanks for the distraction." she said with a grin, clearly in a good mood "It's been a while since I've had a proper scrap with a krogan." she paused for a moment, eyeing Ark curiously. "So, who exactly are you?"
Before Ark could respond, Kan stepped into view, having already crossed the room and come up to join them. His usual grin clear in his voice as he waved toward Ark with mock excitement "Ark! I'm so happy to see your grumpy face!"
Ark simply rolled his eyes in response, not even bothering to reply.
Kan's expression shifted to something more serious as he quickly scanned the area behind him "We've got more Eclipse coming up the stairs. We don't have much time."
Ark glanced at the group and then toward the stairs "Then we better move fast." he said, his voice calm but urgent "Follow me."
They quickly made their way into the building from where Ark had arrived. As they moved through, Kan and the other two noticed several vorcha bodies sprawled across the floor, their grotesque forms lifeless. The group continued down another set of stairs, eventually reaching the ground floor.
There, they found Jek and Alison. The albino glanced over at the vorcha and raised an eyebrow "How's the situation here?" he asked, his voice low but direct.
Jek looked up from where he was working, nodding once "Explosive charges and mines set and ready."
Ark gave a short nod of approval "Activate them." he ordered. Without hesitation, Jek activated his omni-tool and began inputting commands, ensuring the devices were primed. Once the charges were ready, Ark motioned for the group to move out. They made their way to a street that was more populated, but they didn't slow down. Afterlife wasn't far now.
Ark asked how powerful the charges were when a massive explosion suddenly rocked the area, causing the ground to shake. The blast was so intense that it sent tremors through the street, sending civilians running in panic, scattering in every direction.
Jek, his expression impassive, spoke up calmly "Charges sufficiently powerful."
Alara couldn't help but laugh at the reaction "I definitely like this guy!" she said with a grin, nodding toward Jek "He knows how to make an entrance!"
Alison shook her head, casting a disapproving glance at Jek "I only approved this plan because there were only mercenaries in that building and nothing more."
Ark gestured forward "Let's keep moving."
They continued at a fast pace, their footsteps quick as they made their way through the streets of Omega. After several minutes of running, they finally neared the Afterlife. With no time to waste, they veered toward a corridor that would lead them directly to their ship.
The door to the ship slid open with a soft hiss, and the group quickly filed inside. Ark turned toward the cockpit "Cassandra, prepare for immediate departure."
Cassandra didn't respond verbally. Instead, her fingers danced over the controls, activating the ship's systems with practiced ease. The ship gave a slight shudder as it detached from the gravitational hooks of Omega. Moments later, the ship began to slowly pull away from the station, the distant hum of engines signaling their departure.
Once everyone was safely aboard, Ark took a deep breath, finally allowing himself to relax a bit. He turned toward Cassandra at the controls and asked "Is everything alright?"
In her usual monotone voice, Cassandra replied "Yes. The Loki mechs were able to retrieve Alison's and Vin's gear, as well as the few things from Jek." as Ark had sent her the coordinates provided by Jek as they headed to support Kan.
Ark nodded, satisfied with the response, but before he could say more, Kan clapped his hands together "Well, all things considered, today's not going too badly after all!" he turned to the others "I think it's time for some introductions. Let me introduce you to Alara and Vin. They're mercenaries, but Alara here is a hell of an Engineer."
Ark gave a slight nod and reached out, shaking both Alara's and Vin's hands in turn "Good to meet you both."
Then, Ark gestured to Alison and Jek, who were nearby "This is Alison, our new doctor on board…" he said, before turning to Jek "…and this is Jek, an explosives expert and skilled with electronics."
After removing her helmet, Alara flashed a grin, her eyes glinting with interest as she turned to Jek "I've noticed that about you." she said with a playful tone. "So, Jek, how about we swap some notes on explosives? I like to tinker with them myself!"
"Before you two decide to blow something up…" Alison said after carefully examining Alara's face and all her scars, then walking towards the inside of the ship "I'll go check on my stuff and the state of the infirmary."
"The infirmary is on the lower deck. You can reach it via the side stairs at the back of the tactical room." Ark then turned to the others, continuing "The quarters are down there too. We've got two big rooms, divided by gender. So, nothing too fancy, but it works. From there you can take an elevator that will take you to the hold and engine room." he glanced at Alara, his tone becoming slightly more practical "We'll probably need to stop somewhere soon to get a bigger bed for you, Alara. You might be a bit too tall for the regular ones here."
Alara gave a playful shrug, her usual grin not leaving her face "I'll manage. No need to make a big deal of it, but I wouldn't mind a personal room." she stretched a bit "I'll catch up with Alison to see the rooms then we can talk about my payment." she said, heading toward the back of the ship with her drone behind her, where Alison had already started walking.
Meanwhile, Jek spoke up, looking to Ark "Me go to cargo bay, large place. Preferable for check equipment." and headed off after the two women as Vin finally took off his helmet.
"So you are the captain?"
"There are no ranks here, but if it helps you adjust, then yes."
Vin nodded and Kan could only groan "You really are two peas in a pod…your conversations will be fun to follow."
Ark raised an eyebrow, wondering how Kan knew that human saying, then looked back at Vin "Sorry about my friend, he's a bit of a chatterbox unfortunately."
"I noticed."
Kan muttered a curse under his breath, first toward Vin and then Ark, though his tone made it clear he wasn't really angry.
"Go to hell, both of you." he grumbled, shaking his head, before walking off toward the rest of the ship.
After a moment, Ark and Vin followed him, but as they walked, Vin spoke up "I take it the team's still just getting started?"
Ark nodded "Yeah, we're still putting it all together. Got anyone in mind who might be a good fit?"
"I've got a contact, a friend of mine. A drell, currently in the Terminus Systems. Last I heard, she was about to start a job to eliminate an Eclipse cell. She's an excellent assassin."
Ark considered this for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly "Do you have the coordinates?"
Vin nodded again and activated his omni-tool, sending the coordinates to Ark's device. Ark quickly accepted the data, inputting the information into the ship's computer. With a brief glance at the screen, he said to Cassandra, who could still hear him thanks to the ship's systems
"Set a course for these coordinates." Ark ordered. Cassandra nodded, even though he couldn't see her, and the ship headed for the nearest Mass Relay so they could reach their objective. With their course set, Ark headed downstairs to the quarters with Vin to rest or sort out their gear.
Now all they could do was wait to reach their destination, and their journey was only just beginning.
TO BE CONTINUED…
I can hardly believe it myself, but this fic is alive! It's still alive! It's always been alive actually, but inspiration has always struck me more with my other two syocs, but that doesn't justify the silence that lasted more than a year. For that I apologize immensely.
I had even half a mind to simply delete this story but it wouldn't have been fair to those who created the OCs, so I decided to go ahead anyway and finally the block I had on this fic was lifted!
That said, we've finished the first round of enlistments and I sincerely hope I've done a good job of rendering the OCs that appeared in this chapter, a chapter that I hope you enjoyed!
At some point you might notice a change in writing style since I wrote this chapter over the course of a year and recently I wanted to try to change it up anyway.
Now, for the more puritanical of the series, I just want to warn you that Alara and Ark are the two most borderline OCs as far as the Mass Effect universe is concerned due to their appearance/abilities/pasts etc... which will be discovered gradually. All the other OCs are perfectly normal by the standards!
Also, in the last chapter as it was pointed out to me, Alison seems to have accepted Ark's proposal too quickly, so I added a piece to that part too to make it more believable!
With this I conclude these notes and I apologize again for the delay! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! See you next time!
HELLDIVERS LIST:
Ark (by: SoImAWriterSoWhat)
Cassandra 'Cassy' Thompson (by: SoImAWriterSoWhat)
Kan (by: TheDapperCat)
Jek (by: Lawrence Cartwright)
Mercury (by: Lawrence Cartwright)
Soryana T'Namyek (by: Cellenia2)
Alison Athenius (by: Cellenia2)
Alara Khesh (by: Outcast001)
Marcus Graves (by: AdaviantheBear)
Kiyala Marios (by: Mandalore the Survivor)
Vin Nilsson (by: Mandalore the Survivor)
Wator'Lofor vas Caram (by: zetsunaflames)
Carn Dran'fapos (by: 101romansoldier)