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Post by The Hunter on May 12, 2014 1:16:31 GMT -6
Eight heavily armed Humans stood in silence, their white armor contrasting with the darkness inside the stealth shuttle as it rocketed towards its destination. Three months, it had taken them three months to finally figure out how the alien bastard was countering them. Every attempt at getting close to his vessel had either resulted in the ship's VI suddenly downloading and installing zetabytes of garbage information which overloaded everything from navigation to sewage control, or in the sudden decompression of the ship. Cerberus Lieutenant Haverson knew he had the Quarian this time. These shuttles were using the same stealth systems that had been used for the SR-2, there was no way he'd see them coming. "Sir, coming out of FTL in fifteen. Should I inform the El Dorado?" Haverson shook his armored head as he responded, "No, I don't want to risk anything. God knows what kind of detection capabilities the Quarian has." The pilot nodded, "Understood."
Andrei'Xen vas Nedas poured over the schematics again, making sure everything was in place and installed. He'd gone over the stolen information at least 50'000 times, what was one more time? Everything had to be perfect for when he flipped the switch. "Are the neural interfaces ready, Eygor? I don't want another mishap, I still have nightmares about that poor Varren's head exploding." The Salarian looked up from his work, his face displaying something along the lines of embarrassment, "N-no, Doctor. I-I mean yes, Doctor. They are ready, and I've taken the precaution of installing dampners to the dampners. I believe it will be safer this time around." The Quarian nodded his helmeted head, "Excellent work, Eygor. Prepare the security mechs. We'll try them fir-" A loud thump reverberated throughout the Kowloon class freighter. The two scientists looked at each other, "The supply ship isn't due for another week, Doctor. Who could that be?" The Quarian was up in a flash, his hand speeding across the green omnitool on his arm, "Its Cerberus, again." The Salarian's eyes went wide, "They're onboard!? W-what do we do, Doctor!?" Andrei'Xen grinned wickedly inside his helm, "Why, we welcome them of course, my dear Eygor."
Haverson levelled his Mattock as soon as he cleared the airlock, "Expect the unexpected, men. This alien is a technical savant, who know what we're going to come across in here." Seven other troopers moved through the airlock, their weapons ready and aimed at any cover in the room. Haverson's omni-tool blinked into existance, surprising him, he held the device up and glared at the screen that popped up. A Krogan's head materialized, a low, wicked laugh emanating from it, "Mwahahah! You foolish man! You have entered my lair, and now you shall pay!" One of his men shook his head, "That's Lord Korgan, an evil Krogan warlord from Galaxy of Fantasy. What the hell, sir?" Haverson deactivated his omni-tool, "Bastard's playing games. Team A, secure the bridge, Team B with me. Remember, I want him alive."
Team B cleared through the main cargo hold, moving past crates and boxes with expert skill. Several compartments were cleared, nothing in them except mechanical parts, disassembled droids, and a headless Varren corpse. Finally there was a single door left unopened, "Gotcha." Haverson hit the switch and the door slid open to reveal a very smug looking Quarian behind a kinetic shield. "Haverson, I assume? Cerberus get tired of sending two-bit agents after me?" The Human's face sneered through his visor, "Arrogant for a cornered rat. Why don't you drop the shield and come quietly?" The Quarian chuckled, "I may be trapped in here, but you, Human, are trapped out there. Take a look at your omni-tool." Haverson looked at the small screen on his wrist, it was a feed from the cockpit of the shuttle. In the distance a lone asteroid was getting bigger and bigger against the stars. He could see the pilot frantically trying to override the controls as a green light washed over the displays. His arms went up in an attempt to shield himself as the shuttle jumped to FLT... directly into the surface of the asteroid. "You son of a bitch, you think you are so clever. We can override your control lock. We'll take you back in your own ship!" The Quarian waggled a finger at the Cerberus agent, "I don't think we'll be going any where. As a Quarian, I learned early on that ships tend to stay put when this," he revealed a bundle of yanked wires and computer boards, "is removed. Granted, you gave me very little to be graceful, so the mess I made is probably irreparable. A shame really. I liked this ship."
Andrei turned and casually walked away from the shielded door, giving the Cerberus agent fully view of his lab. "So now you get to sit out there, and we get to sit in here, whilst we wait to see who's friends arrive first." Eygor tapped him on the shoulder, drawing his attention, "Yes? What is it?" The Salarian crossed his legs, "We don't have a bathroom in here, Doctor." The Quarian stood in contemplation for a moment, realizing that he too suffered from the weakness of the flesh, "Dammit!" he exclaimed loudly, pounding a gloved fist into his workbench.
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Post by Maelstrom on May 12, 2014 2:43:07 GMT -6
"Jonathan," Emily called, rousing him gently from his slumber. "Jonathan!" "What now, Emily?" Maelstrom asked. "I've stopped us per your orders. We've received a new message. Code one, urgent," she replied. "What?" he asked, puzzled. A sharp knock came at the hatch to his cabin. More like a pounding that stopped just short of denting the door. "Human! What the hell is wrong with your ship? The rest of the drop ships are already gone! It's just sitting next to the relay!" "Calm down, Werysr," Jul's voice commanded from beyond. Raising his voice, Maelstrom called, "Nothing's wrong with the ship. It's following its programming. I'll be out in just a minute to explain." Turning to the projection offered by his VI, Maelstrom said, "Emily, please, give me something to explain to explain to the angry krogan." Her projection flickered for a moment, before switching to a visual representation of an synthesized voice. Maelstrom was surprised when he noticed the modulation. Being contacted directly was rare for anyone but the top agents. "Maelstrom, are you reading me?" "Emily, is this a recorded message?" Maelstrom asked, pressing a button on his omni-tool that made it so only his VI would hear. "No," his VI replied. "Real-time via FTL buoys." Releasing the button, he said, "I hear you, Shadow Broker. May I ask why you've made a point of contacting me so... directly?" There was a several second pause. Even using the best FTL buoys, there would be some lag at great distances. That told him the Broker was nowhere near them. He would have Emily calculate just how far the Broker was by the lag. Later. "A situation has arisen which requires immediate attention. If you are still at the M-114 relay, that puts you at least ten hours closer than my nearest strike team." Pressing the button again, Maelstrom said, "Emily, position?" "Approximately two hundred kilometers from the M-114 relay." Releasing the button, he said, "Position confirmed. What's the job?" "Right up your alley," the Broker said. "A Cerberus strike team has managed to track down an individual I've been keeping tabs on for some time. I believe this individual to be in possession of information which cannot be allowed to fall into Cerberus hands." "What makes you think this person is still at the last place you knew, if a Cerberus strike team caught up with them?" He waited several long seconds for the lag. Then several more. He checked the connection and found it was still there. The answer was clear enough. I'm the Shadow Broker. I know."Right," he said. "Let's talk specifics. Where am I going, what am I walking into, and what is my pay?" "One jump, followed by about a two hour travel time at your vessel's top speed. I will send exact coordinates to your VI." He did not even bother asking how the Broker knew his vessel's top speed. Continuing, the Broker said, "I'm not sure just how many Cerberus agents to expect." That's surprising."But I imagine between six and twelve. It should be simple, given that you have several drop-ships worth of Blood Pack with you." "Actually," Maelstrom said, "the other ships are already gone. Guess they didn't feel like waiting. I have four krogan and one batarian with me here, and those ships are going to be out of contact for at least six hours now. Then there's the six hours back." "I can't wait that long," the Broker said. "This is Cerberus we're dealing with. We both know that if we don't act quickly, they'll head back into the mist." "I know, which brings me to the matter of pay," Maelstrom said. "Small team- that's high risk- and we're the only one close enough to suit you." "I've sent you on more dangerous," came the Broker's reply. "I'll cover expenses, plus sixty thousand to you." "And the Blood Pack?" he asked. "My arrangements with them are private. I'm transmitting a code. Show that to Jul, and he won't put up an argument about compensation. I'm also transmitting the specifics of the assignment to your VI. You can examine them on the way." "Always a pleasure," Maelstrom said, copying the code to his omni-tool. He quickly climbed out of bed, putting on his armor and grabbing his SMG. Armed, he made his way into the main hold, where he quickly explained the situation to the Blood Pack. Their mood quickly went from irritated to elated when they found out that the Broker was hiring them for another job. None of them except Jul even cared about the details of the assignment. As he punched in the coordinates and Emily took the ship through the mass relay, Maelstrom wondered if they were getting paid more than he was. ##### As the ship made its stealth approach to the Kowloon class freighter, Maelstrom tried to keep his mind on the mission and not on how much he hated that particular class of ship. They just looked too angular and bulky for his taste. Obviously not designed by anyone with any sense of style. He checked to be sure he had all his weapons and grenades, though he would have to be careful when using explosives on a spacecraft. "Emily, take us in, but don't set down until we're out. I don't want anyone knowing we're here until we've already onboard," Maelstrom ordered. "Acknowledged," the VI replied. "Good hunting." As Maelstrom made his way into the main hold, with the rest of the mercs, Jul said, "I heard what you told the VI. Good plan." "Thanks," he said, before fastening his helmet and engaging the seals. They had read up on this quarian during the jump. He was tricky. Maelstrom did not know what to expect and wanted to be ready for everything. Even vacuum. The krogan were ready, mulling about. It seemed like it was all they could do to keep from screaming out battle cries, as the shuttle made its final approach. The batarian engineer was ready too, manning the turret. It had been decided that it would be best for him to stay with the ship, to make sure that no one tried to make off with the vessel. Maelstrom did not like leaving his ship in another's hands, but he supposed that, with the addition of the turret, this was better than leaving her alone. The hatch opened, and Maelstrom and the krogan quickly disembarked onto the vessel.
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Post by River Havens on May 13, 2014 10:15:05 GMT -6
To Miss Havens,
If you are well, you have no doubt by now discovered the pair of Collector SMG's I left for you. It was my way of repaying the debt owed to you for taking out that damned Praetorian. I've practiced with mine. They're decent weapons, and they don't run out of ammo like conventional guns. They should come in handy, if you choose to use them. If not, sell them for credits; they should certainly be worth a few.
That said, Miss Havens, I know you have a connection to them in your past. If you still work for them, then the day will come when you and I are at odds. Should that day come, Miss Havens, remember that my debt to you has been repaid. If I so much as catch a hint that you are working for them, then only one of us will be walking away. And it will be me.
Get well soon.
Sincerely, Maelstrom
Not exactly the message River was expecting to get the day she was released from the hospital. She was on her way to her dad's apartment when her omni-tool binged that she had an incoming message. Reading it, she instantly got a knot in her stomach. The way the letter read, it certainly wasn't the most well wishing letter she ever got. The way that them were in italics and mentioned several times confused her at first.
What could it mean?
She then thought about and suddenly realized what Maelstrom could have meant. Cerberus. Somehow he must have found out her connection to Cerberus...and must have thought she was working for them. Though that was farthest from the truth, she couldn't help but get a little angry.
Her past with Cerberus was a touchy subject to both her and Corwin. Living with the notion that you're basically a protect of sick genetic engineering and every experiment known to man doesn't exactly set one's self-esteem on a good start. River had been searching for years for more information on her past, gathering only bits and pieces along the way. The stuff she did find was the stuff of nightmares.
Judging from the tone of Maelstrom's letter, his experience with Cerberus was probably no better. Maybe even worse, so she couldn't really blame him. Still, this left her at something of a loss. Should she leave the matter alone or at least try to explain her position to Maelstrom?
It was highly doubtful that he'd even believe her. She didn't have that much evidence to help proof her case.
On the other hand, he did leave her some pretty nice guns. Just then, an idea came to her. A conversation starter if you would
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Post by Deleted on May 13, 2014 19:53:13 GMT -6
"Drell..."
Iskra felt the voice vibrate the very air around her, the deep base darkening the world.
"You should have been fully eradicated"
She groaned softly, unaware had long she had been laying in her rocky grave. Her body protested as she pushed herself up off the ground, rocks falling from her dark form as if she was raising from death itself.
"This changes nothing"
The young doctor looked for the source of this unholy sound, this voice that not only penetrated the air, but touched her mind.
There was a small glowing machine sitting on the ground not a few feet away, the ground around it scarred in a way that revealed this as the source of the radiation, the start of it all. The twisted metal curled up into the air like smoke, the soft blue glow a flicking light in the dark of the room.
Her fingers lightly touched the smooth surface and she cried out in pain, the radiation immediately eating through her glove and burning her skin. "The source..."she spoke to no one. Carefully, she grabbed a container from her bag and scooped up the artifact. The heavy air dissipated as soon as the lid snapped shut, her suits warnings started to fade as the levels dropped.
Who could have made such a thing?...the Collectors? They are the only one with technology this advanced...Maybe the Protheans.
Iskra sat quietly with the small cylinder. Unsure of what she would do now. She had no skills in this field of study, it wasn't something she could dissect and pull apart.
Esteban...He was an engineer. She stood and started towards the pick up point, looks like I will have to cut my trip short.
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Post by The Hunter on May 18, 2014 1:20:55 GMT -6
Private Boeker stepped out of the restroom, finishing strapping his armor on, grumbling about how long they had been waiting, when the krogan's fist smashed into his face. He tumbled backwards, his skull fractured, his life ended due to the trauma to his brain. The Cerberus troops had no idea what was storming onto the ship. But they reorganized quickly, fighting for every inch the Krogans took.
Haverson swore as he fell back to the doorway leading to his quarry. "I swear to God, I am going to kill you, you son of a bitch! These are good men dying out here and you are the one who called these Krogan!" The Quarian shrugged, "I called no one. However, there are quite a few insterested parties who probably do not want to see me come to harm. They are the ones interveneing, just as I calculated." The Cerberus lieutenant's face twisted with uncrontrolled rage as he overheated his Harrier's clip into the barrier blocking the door. Andrei's head cocked, "That is the second time you've done that. Why do you waste your time and energy? You should probably pay attention to the fact that your team has gone silent and that there are two individuals standing behind you that are well armed."
Haverson spun around, his gun leveling at the Human and the Krogan, he pulled the trigger expecting the gun to rip into them. All that he was rewarded with was an devastating *Click*. He lowered the weapon, "Well then, now that you've finished slaughtering my men, I don't suppose you'd be willing to let me live?" In the tick of a single second, the barrier dropped and an Eagle unloaded into the back of the Human's helmet, sending blood and brain matter spattering all over the Krogan and the Human. "Annoying creature, I've been waiting for that chance for HOURS. I assume you have been sent to assist me? Who sent you? Shadow Broker? Haliat Armory? That deranged machine from Sirius 6B?"
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Post by Maelstrom on May 18, 2014 1:38:02 GMT -6
Maelstrom coolly wiped the brain matter from his armor. He was not in a particularly good mood. There was so little to do on this little mission. With the krogan along, he had only gotten to kill two of the Cerberus troopers. Still, it had been good to watch them fall, to see their blood splatter against the bulkheads as they were systematically cut down. It had not been a fight. To call it anything short of a slaughter would have been an understatement.
"The Broker," Maelstrom said, when the last particle of brain matter was removed. The blood did not bother him. Turning his full attention to the quarian, he added, "We shouldn't stick around here. Come with me."
He had received an urgent call from Mr. Bridges. Maelstrom was wanted on a distant station. To make it in time for the meeting, he would have to push his shuttle's engines.
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Post by Esteban Bridges on May 19, 2014 22:47:36 GMT -6
[Joint post for Esteban and Iskra]
Esteban stood quietly behind Thomas Torrez, patiently observing the pilot while he flew the Valiant out of the Relay system. Esteban was donned in his light gray business power-suit with a soft brown tie around his collar. He finished running an extensive background check on everyone that was hired for this trip. He would not have a repeat of the last mission. Esteban's eyes flickered between the spry pilot and the holographic interface the pilot used, making sure nothing at all was out of line. Yes, Thomas' background check turned up nothing, but there was something in the urgency of the latest message he received that made him feel on edge.
Paranoid.
And in a galaxy like this, paranoia was often the only thing that'll keep you alive.
"Now entering the Hectate system," Tom announced, looking up over his shoulder at Esteban. Esteban nodded his approval, turning his chiseled face away from the pilot and out the window. Massive amounts of stardust hovered outside of the system, blocking out many stars around the galaxy.
The surrounding darkness made everything feel isolated to Esteban, safe. He took one breath before raising his left arm and tapping his wrist. His light gray sleeve was immediately consumed by bright orange holographic light of his omnitool. With a couple of taps on the hard-light interface, he typed his message. He made sure to be intentionally vague, as was agreed in their previous messages.
'I
Arrived.
E"
Before sending it, Esteban read and re-read the brief message. "I" was for Iskra. "E" was clearly Esteban. But how would she take Arrived? Would she go to the port immediately? He didn't want that. That could mean she would expose herself prematurely, assuming she was hiding. So he deleted and retyped his message.
'I
Arrive in 15
E'
He smiled very slightly. That was better. He almost wanted to double check with Thomas to make sure it was properly vague, but he thought better of it. He could see Thomas working hard piloting the Vengeance. So he decided to trust himself and hit send. He watched the holographic screen as it flickered and shifted, moving quickly between screens at it interfaced with the local comm buoy. Once the screen went back to the homepage, he knew the message was sent. He deactivated his omnitool with another tap on his wrist and went back to standing at attention, waiting to hear a response while Thomas flew the refurbished Turian vessel through the muted vacuum of space toward the fueling depot.
Esteban heard a faint ping from his wrist. It was the sound he expected to hear, signaling that Iskra received the message and will be ready.
"Take us in," Esteban patted his pilot on the shoulder over the plush leather chair before heading for the docking bay. "And as always, listen for any communications using Alliance-based encryption. I don't want to be surprised by Udina here."
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The Valiant slowed dramatically, the forward thrusters flaring to life to provide the necessary counter-thrust. Thomas turned hard to port, the Valiant's VI making microscopic adjustments to the flight to line up the fueling dock with the refurbished Turian vessel. A small tube extended from the fueling station itself, connecting to the main exit of the ship. Esteban headed out, walking down the path...
He spotted Iskra waiting for him on the dock. One hand was in her coat pocket, the other holding a datapad. Her skin was the most perfect shade, appearing to Esteban to be something like a sand statue. He liked the way she looked. Her eyes searched the pad, standing close to a sizable metal crate on wheels. He approached her, walking confidently. She looked up at the businessman and then exchanged formal greetings. They shook hands and made the briefiest of small talk before Iskra pulled the crate down the path into the Valiant.
"Did you notice any additional activity from the object?" Esteban asked while they headed for the docking bay.
"Seemed like a voice emanated from the object but that might of been the fall I took."
"I am going to put a frequency dampener around it," he continued after a moment's pause. "It will prevent it from emitting any additional signals."
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Post by Esteban Bridges on May 21, 2014 0:15:05 GMT -6
[part 2 of the joint post]
Iskra and Esteban wheeled the crate to the middle of the vacant docking bay within the belly of the Valiant. The wheels clanked loudly against the rickety metal floor, announcing their presence to the rest of the crew on the refurbished Turian vessel. Outside of the clanks, the Valiant was as quiet as a morgue.
Clank. The wheels hit another rivot.
Clank. The crate bounced from the impact.
Clank.
Clank.
Clank.
Silence.
Esteban held up his hand, signaling that they should stop. "Here will be fine," he said quietly to Iskra, his voice unable to go above the deafening volume of the silence. "I want you to open the box. I will go set up the frequency dampening field."
He stood there as she opened the box with ease, showing zero signs of stress. Esteban was inwardly surprised at this, as she seemed upset when she communicated with him earlier. The device was not glowing like when she described it to him. the containment case only now protecting them from the lingering radioactive isotopes would set it in the field and back out with no commentary. Allowing him to study it.
He walked away from the crate, over to his private work station he had set up after the first mission. There on the smooth polished titanium surface sat an innocent crystal rectangular prism. It was his frequency jammer, one of his own design. He extended his right hand, wrapping his fingers carefully around the flawless crystal. His fingertips passed over the the activation area, dampening every frequency within a fifteen meter area. He turned, heading back to the crate.
"I activ-" he stopped mid-sentence. No. He stopped in his tracks, staring blankly at the device. He wasn't positive what he was looking at. Was it a sculpture? Perhaps some sort of power source? Nothing about the design made sense. On the surface, it looked like two flames interwoven to each other, made by an unknowable metal. He blinked. There was something off about it. He wasn't even sure of the color of the thing.
"I have never seen anything quite like it," he whispered in awe, walking forward again. His dress shoes tapping loudly with each step.
"It matches nothing on my planet, nor many others. My closest guess would have to be Collector or Prothean."
Esteban's eyes were locked on the alien device, transfixed. His hands, however, seemingly moved of their own volition. Hetapped his wrist, activating his omnitool. His hands worked on memory, punching in the code to access his personal VI. "Data," he whispered, his lips barely twitching. "Run a comparison between all known Prothean and Collector devices and Iskra's discovery. I need a starting point on the origins of this object."
"Of course sir," the VI responded in an almost cheery voice, sounding exactly like Brent Spiner. "I will need three minutes, forty six seconds."
"Very good," Esteban muttered, sighing. This was the worst part of any investigation. The waiting. He shook his head, moving over next to the device. He set his crystal frequency dampener down on the metal base. "This will keep any potential threat from activating within the thing."
"It has yet to do anything yet but...I understand your caution" She seemed to pale, her eyes searching the air for something that Esteban couldn't see. He was amazed to her do something he always assumed was a human characteristic.
"It is better to be cautious for now," he replied stepping around, getting a better look at the object. It still was an assault on his senses. The color was indescribable. It was like red, but not. He hoped Data could tell him something about it, but he had to wait. "There is something about this that makes me feel disquieted. On edge, I suppose."
"Well how do you think I feel? This clearly had some involvement with the fall of the homeworld" The young doctor swallowed, her eyes falling. "Apologies. This find has rattled much of my research"
"That is the thing. You have every reason to feel uncomfortable in the presence of this thing," he made an open-handed gesture to one of the two sharp edges on the tip. "I do not. But I can feel my heart beating a little bit faster than normal. Sweat forming all over my body. Even my breathing has grown a little shallow."
"But it was producing radiation when I found it. Wouldn't this be the signs of the radiation affecting you?"
Esteban stroking his chin thoughtfully. "It is possible," he conceded. "Though if it was producing any radiation, or if any were lingering, the Valiant's systems would have initiated counter measures. At least I believe it would have initiated. There are too many unknowns right now."
Iskra lowered to the balls of her feet, out of sight. Esteban peeked around the device, making sure she was alright. He saw she was balancing with ease with her elbows rested on her knees. She saw him looking at her and asked, "What are your first impressions?"
Esteban sucked in a deep breath through gritted teeth, attempting to collect his thoughts. "Most machines are designed with their users in mind...." he started with one of the obvious maxims of crafting machines, to see what he could discover. "This machine, if it is that, does not match anything that I know of on the Protheans. It does not have access panels at the usual locations..." Esteban pointed at the solid base of the machine. "Nor does it bear any of the usual signs of Prothean artifacts. It could be Collector in origin."
"Is there a way to get into their databases and find out for sure?"
"Maybe," he scratched the back of his head. "Though I want to wait for Data's analysis before proceeding with any further investigation."
"Sir," Data spoke up, forming a holographic image before the two. "The findings show the exterior does not match any known Prothean device. It does bare some similarities to Collector devices, though not enough to definitively say anything about Collector origins."
Esteban stood still, staring at the device quietly. His eyes were unfocused, lost in his own thoughts for a few seconds before talking. "It wouldn't be wise to take the device apart without first confirming if it is or is not Collector," he said mostly to himself. "I may have access to a Collector database within a month, if you wouldn't mind waiting?"
"I have no choice."
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Post by River Havens on May 21, 2014 0:19:11 GMT -6
'Hmm...how to approach this?'
River had to choose her words carefully. She had been muddling over her omni-tool for quite some time, trying to come up with correct way of sending a message to Maelstrom concern her connection to Cerberus. Judging from the tone of his message, it didn't exactly sound he was one of their biggest fans. Not that River could blame him, but at the same time, he made it clear that he had pretty much considered her part of Cerberus as well. That if he suspected her having any part in their current dealings, then there were going to be major problems between them.
In the time that she had to think about it, River had come to the conclusion that she could say whatever to Maelstrom and he could not believe a word she said. If the roles were reversed, River doubted she believe anyone either.
She opened up a blank message tab in the personal message, activated her audio recorder and began her message:
To Maelstrom,
Your delivery of Collector SMGs was greatly appreciated. Most people would generally send flowers or get-well balloons to someone when they're in the hospital, but I suppose weaponry works just as well. I'm sure should the occasion arrive, they will come quite handy. Thank you.
But I suspected that you are more interested in talking about my past rather than about weapons, am I right? As you stated in your message, you have discovered quite a bit about me and my connections with a certain group. Or 'them' as you put it. Let me first start off by saying that, I know what 'them' you are referring to. Secondly, you needn't worry since my connections with this group isn't as what you may think it is. I understand that me simply saying that will by no means put your mind at ease. I can't outright blame you for that. I may not know of you past with this group and honestly, it's none of business to even ask. what I will ask is that you give me an opportunity to speak to you. I request a meeting with you in the engine room of the Valiant next docking. We can get everything out in the open then.
Sincerely,
River Havens
Pressing send, River wondered if she did the right thing, or if she was just poking the bear by doing this. She wanted to clear her name, to ease whatever tension there was between her and Maelstrom. 'A bit too late to have any doubts now' she said to herself. All she could do now was wait and see what happens.
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Post by Corwin Havens on May 21, 2014 0:35:19 GMT -6
River never really understood Corwin's skill-set. She was always too confident in her own biotics that she never took to the lessons he tried to impart on her. It was never so apparent to him than at this moment, with him reading her message over her shoulder. He was less than three feet away from her, and she had no idea he was there. It wasn't until he spoke that he gave away his presence.
"I'm going to kill Maelstrom," Corwin said matter-of-factly, his electric blue eyes glued to the screen. "I'm going to first murder him. Then kill him. Then execute him. And if he's lucky, I'll slay him."
"I can handle it dad," River rolled her eyes, rising up to kiss her father on the cheek. "I'm a big girl now. I can handle this."
Corwin scowled, feeling protective of his baby girl. "Fine," he half-conceded. "I'll only kill him."
They exchanged a look with each other, saying far more than any words could. River was still Corwin's daughter. And Corwin would always be River's father. The look was one of understanding, an unspoken agreement... a bond.
"Half kill him," Corwin said, finally starting to smile. "Come on, we have a mission to get to."
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Post by River Havens on May 24, 2014 2:57:34 GMT -6
Grumbling under her breath, River closed down her omni-tool and followed closely behind her dad.
"So what's the job you go for us? I take it that this is just going to be another one of our typical father-daughter day out?"
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Post by Corwin Havens on May 27, 2014 10:57:44 GMT -6
Corwin shook his head, heading for a private shuttle that he purchased just for this mission. He wasn't going to tell River it was her birthday present. He spared no expense, purchasing and modifying an UT-47 shuttle. It was equipped with Spitfires, a variety of missile launchers (including Hydra, Cobra, Javelinand several others), LADAR system, GARDIAN lasers Thanix, and railguns capable of launching shrapnel at 80% the speed of light. It had Silaris armor, so it could take a number of hits without problem.
He had no idea how the engineers managed to fit everything, but he didn't care. Corwin wanted the best for his daughter. He turned a corner, keeping a deadly serious look on his face, getting on the elevator to Docking Bay 93. He was going to make sure she earned it.
"So what's the job you go for us?" River asked her father, exasperated. "I take it that this is just going to be another one of our typical father-daughter day out?"
Corwin shook his head, leaning back on the elevator wall. He kicked a foot up, pressing it against the solid metal surface... crossing his muscular arms across his chest. "No River," he replied with a slight smile. "This one is a search and rescue mission. A very wealthy family's daughter was kidnapped and is holding her for ransom by the Blood Pack. We're getting paid well over a million credits each to bring her back safely."
Corwin's head fell back against the wall, making a faint thud. "He's afraid the Blood Pack will execute his princess after the ransom is paid. So we're heading in to deliver the credits personally. I'll handle the transaction. You rescue the girl."
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Post by River Havens on May 28, 2014 2:43:30 GMT -6
No River. This one is a search and rescue mission. A very wealthy family's daughter was kidnapped and is holding her for ransom by the Blood Pack. We're getting paid well over a million credits each to bring her back safely. He's afraid the Blood Pack will execute his princess after the ransom is paid. So we're heading in to deliver the credits personally. I'll handle the transaction. You rescue the girl."
"Hmm...your basic snatch-and-grab huh? Sounds like rookie stuff but okay. I still have the cloaking amp that Uncle Benny gave to me so that'll help me get in unnoticed hopefully. I might need a scanner to help me look out for boobie traps. Can't put anything past The Blood Pack. And God willing, little Miss Mega-Millions won't give me any trouble."
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Post by River Havens on May 28, 2014 3:02:18 GMT -6
(Sorry for the double post. Computer problems)
Arriving at the Docking Bay 93, River was too busy going through the mission plan in her mind to notice the surprise awaiting her. When she did, she stopped dead in her track to see a UT-47 shuttle that was built like a hulking beast. By the looks of it, the shuttle was equipped with Spitfires, a variety of missile launchers, an LADAR system, GARDIAN lasers Thanix, and railguns as well as Silaris armor. None of were cheap by any means. Ask any mechanic in any system, and you were looking at a half a million just for the first down payment.
She stared wide-eyed and agape at the moblie killing machine before before turning to her dad. "Soooo...is this to make up for all those years that I asked for a puppy and never got one?"
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Post by Corwin Havens on Jun 18, 2014 11:05:28 GMT -6
"Soooo.... is this to make up for all those years that I asked for a puppy and never got one?"
Corwin glanced over at her out of the corner of his eyes as he walked over the small bridge onto the shuttle. His lips wore a knowing smile. "Now, now," Corwin said wryly. "Who said this would be yours? You have a mission to complete. If you do well... you might... might get this."
Corwin patted the hull's side as he stepped in, his hand dragging over the smooth finish with each measured step. "This baby could probably stand up to nearly anything in a firefight. Not sure if she'd win, but she'd survive long enough to get away." Corwin turned right, walking past the dimly lit sleeping area to his left. The shallow light caressed the off-white compressed egg-shaped pods fastened to the wall. Corwin's bright blue eyes lingered on the area for the briefest of moments before turning back to his daughter.
"Having a ship like this is a huge responsibility you know," he sounded like the traditional overly protective father, sliding down onto the pilot's seat. "And no, it's not what you think it is." He shook his head, imagining what could have gone through her mind. Corwin pulled up the main menu of the cool orange neon hard light display. The screen flared to life, expanding nearly instantaneously to encompass his field of vision. "A shuttle like this will make you a target if you show it off. So you would have to be careful with that. But you also need to maintain her..."
Corwin's voice trailed off, his handsome features hardening subtly as he concentrated on the display menu. He tapped an icon, opening up the subroutine that, he was told, automated take off from the Citadel. The shuttle noticeably trembled while power was being cut to legally questionable systems. Plates of armor extended out from underneath the ablative armor and a good number of external armaments retracted into the hull. Within moments, the shuttle appeared to be like any other shuttle out there.
"And that's a headache in of itself," he continued on, swiping his hand over the display to pull up another menu. "There are very few engineers out there that we can trust not to help themselves to something here, including schematics. So you cannot hire a Quarian to do any work unless you know them personally. It's their mission to bring anything they can back to the flotilla. I don't want this technology to get out."
He smiled, leaning back in his chair while the shuttle did all the work. It began to interface with Citadel control, taking care of all take-off procedures.
"Ready for the mission?"
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Post by River Havens on Jun 28, 2014 4:31:14 GMT -6
Looking over the interagency and complex control system, all River could think about was the sheer powerhouse of a ship she found herself in. Appearences aside, it looked like it could handle itself pretty well in a firefight, not that she was planning on it. She wasn't the type of gear-head that fussed over their ships like they were their children. On the other hand, the ship was a beauty so avoiding a battle was definitely a must if just to spar the expensive paint job.
Her dad was right though. Maintaining this thing was going to a bitch and a half. River thankfully knew some trustworthy Quarians who had completed their pilgrimage whom she could hire to keep the ship ship shape.
Folding her arms across her chest, she gave her Dad a smirk. "Take her to sea, Mr. Havens. Let's stretch her legs."
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Post by Corwin Havens on Jun 28, 2014 23:04:14 GMT -6
Corwin smirked right back at his daughter, quickly becoming a trademark for his family, before giving the launch command to the ship's VI.
"Computer, take us out," he declared, more or less before leaning back in his seat. The shuttle lurched forward, disconnecting itself from the Citadel's docking bay before coming to a full stop. It floated in space as if it was on display for the world before the engines kicked on. The ship flew, turning slightly to the right and then to the left to avoid other nearby ships as it went outward. The Havens shuttle swerved like a fish in water, bursting out from the Citadel and right into the relay system.
Corwin got out of his chair and stretched his arms out, rolling his shoulders. "Do you want a drink?" he asked, stifling a yawn. "Or do you want to train a bit before we arrive at the destination?"
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