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Post by spartan560 on Jul 16, 2017 22:31:35 GMT -6
"Not much just wanted to thank you for trusting me," Izahm says, "You didn't question what I said and trusted a complete unknown." He then smirks, "Nice to see you in your true form," referencing his Destroyer armor, "Can't wait to see it in action once again."
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Post by Joe Fischer on Jul 17, 2017 8:04:59 GMT -6
"I expect you won't have to wait long," Joe said. "As for trusting you, I have a very simple rule when it comes to dealing with people: Trust them until you can't--and then kill them."
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Post by spartan560 on Jul 17, 2017 17:50:01 GMT -6
"I follow a similar code of trust though mine is slightly less direct when it comes to breaking that trust," Izahm says, "And don't let me go against pirates. I will kill them all," he adds the last part with a dark tone his eyes hard.
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Post by Eric Lysander on Jul 17, 2017 19:34:39 GMT -6
Sure. Just let me stow my gear in the lockers first," said Thrak, agreeing to accompany Eric on following up with the other team members.
The senior N7 called out to him. "All right... I know Joe's dyin' ta talk to ya; was buddies with another krogan during our last mission. I'm hopin' to get ta get to know Gennenh in a... less life threatening situation."
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Post by Urdnot Thrak on Jul 17, 2017 20:21:01 GMT -6
Thrak moved into the hallway, stowing all but his AT-12 Raider, which he kept against his right leg. He found it a little unfair that a krogan of his size should have to use the same small space for his things that humans and asari used, but he knew better than to bring it up. From a long history of mercenary work, he knew that if he made a legitimate complaint about his accommodations, others would begin piping up with insignificant complaints.
"I'm hopin' to get ta get to know Gennenh in a... less life threatening situation."
Thrak shook his head. "Yeah. Always best to warm up to the techies. First mistake most new mercs make... at least the ones who know the basics of fighting. Get in good with the medics and the techs if you want to get out alive."
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Post by Joe Fischer on Jul 17, 2017 20:22:40 GMT -6
Joe nodded.
"Looks like we all have a certain type of person that makes us see red," he said. "Pirates for you, Cerberus for Mal, the geth for the old man and child abusers for me. I guess a Cerberus pirate with geth augmentation who trafficks in children is in for a bad day if he ever runs into us.
"I'm a little surprised at your choice of target," he said. "I thought for sure the Collectors would be at the top of your list."
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Post by Maelstrom on Jul 17, 2017 20:36:02 GMT -6
Maelstrom decided not to be finished with his conditioning after the fighting, though his limbs still felt as limp as cooked spaghetti. Rather than submit to rest, he forced himself into the ship's jefferies tubes. He was forcing himself through the cramped corridors as fast as he could while still going from memory, being certain to reach every section. He peeked into every room except the women's bunk and restroom, making sure he knew how to get from point A to B or E or G from anywhere on the ship. His experiences on the Valiant taught him the usefulness of that, both if he needed to make an escape or if he needed to fight an enemy infiltrating the ship.
He heard snippets of conversation, but he paid them no attention, rather pushing himself as far as his body's limitations would allow.
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Post by spartan560 on Jul 18, 2017 2:44:02 GMT -6
"They are believe me but I don't encounter them as much as I do pirates. Though the first Collector I meet will definitely feel my families justice" Izahm says pointedly deploying his hidden arm blade before retracting it, "But pirates cost me the only woman who ever truly understood and cared for me. And for that they will continuously pay a debt that can never be repayed," he says the last part in a slightly dark tone but only to convey his conviction.
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Post by Joe Fischer on Jul 18, 2017 9:12:23 GMT -6
"Take some advice who's been there, kid: Don't lose yourself to it," Joe said, taking off his helmet so the young reporter could see the grim look on his face. "I've seen my share of battle buddies get lost in their quests for revenge. They often turned into the very thing they were fighting against, and on more than one occasion I had to put them down."
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Post by Eric Lysander on Jul 18, 2017 19:44:24 GMT -6
"Get in good with the medics and the techs if you want to get out alive."
Eric grinned a mischievous grin. He was already acquainted with Naetilia Bolanis from the times with his former employer Esteban Bridges and from the mission to rescue Maelstrom and his family. But it was mainly on a professional level. He hoped to have better luck with Geenenh. Unless, of course, he managed to trip himself up like usual.
"... very good advice there, Thor!" Eric concurred. "Anyone who can put a rogue AI in it's place right quick is worth gettin' ta know in my book..."
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Post by Urdnot Thrak on Jul 19, 2017 0:16:19 GMT -6
"Biggest problem my people had, back in the Rebellions," Thrak said. "If we'd had more like her on OUR side, the war wouldn't have lasted long enough for the salarians to develop that damned plague. Instead, most of our men think of nothing but bloody combat."
He grunted a humorless laugh, "Not that I'm much one to talk. Look at me. Not exactly an intellect."
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Post by spartan560 on Jul 19, 2017 0:53:48 GMT -6
"I won't turn into a monster," Izahm says accepting the advice, "I owe it to her memory and that of my family's. Justice will be done but I am not going to compromise myself to get it," he sighs then nods to Fischer, "well I came to say what I wanted to say and then some. See ya around Fischer." With that he leaves to wander the ship once more too worked up to relax in his shuttle but with the only simulator on board occupied he had nothing else to do.
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Post by Eric Lysander on Jul 19, 2017 19:06:33 GMT -6
"Not that I'm much one to talk. Look at me. Not exactly an intellect."
"Don't sell yourself so short, big guy!" Eric reassured Thrak. "You know enough to have realized that much. The rest are being used as pencils with th' amount o' lead they've absorbed. And, as you pointed out, none of them the least bit sharp... yeah, you n' Joe should get on just fine."
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Post by Urdnot Thrak on Jul 19, 2017 19:13:27 GMT -6
Thrak grunted skeptically. "So far, I haven't seen him use any more brains than your average krogan soldier." After a pause, he added, "Except maybe that he doesn't get into a headbutting contest with anything he sees moving."
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Post by Joe Fischer on Jul 19, 2017 19:54:19 GMT -6
Joe looked after the reporter, wondering if he would keep his vow or get lost like so many others who made revenge an important part of life. He told himself to keep an eye on the young man and try to head him off if he looked like he was heading down that slippery slope.
The systems check of his armor complete, he removed it.
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Post by Geneenh T'Loris on Jul 19, 2017 20:01:24 GMT -6
Geneenh staggered out of the training room, panting for breath and covered in sweat. She was barely able to move, but that only meant it had been a good workout.
*****
Freshly showered and wearing a set of casual clothing, she made her way to the galley, where she found Lysander and the krogan talking. She grabbed some breakfast and sat down an equal distance between them.
"So, how does this ship compare to the last one you traveled in?" she asked them, taking a sip of the human concoction known as coffee.
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Post by Maelstrom on Jul 19, 2017 20:58:06 GMT -6
Suddenly, Maelstrom felt claustrophobic. The dark tunnel became the sensory deprivation chamber he last found himself in. Despite the lights coming from the grates, the room to move, and even the echoes of his movements and breathing, he felt restrained and unable to move. He scrambled forward in increasingly panicked motions, ineffectually slipping through the tube as often as moving forward.
At the next access point, he turned to brace his back against the tube. He kicked his legs at the hatch, flaring his biotic power with the movement, and the hatch flew open, banging loudly against the bulkhead. Maelstrom spilled out of the tube on his hands and knees, surprised to find himself hyperventilating. He clutched at his throat for reassurance that nothing was there.
As he gained control over himself, he looked about, finding himself alone in the men's bunk. His breathing slowed, and he pushed himself to his feet and straightened his posture. Coolly, he moved back to the hatch and closed it, glad to find that the mechanism was not broken.
With that, he strode silently from the room, heading to the locker where he had stored some of his foodstuffs, as much a claim of territory as for the convenience of having some food close to the kitchen rather than stowed in one of the many places on his shuttle.
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Post by spartan560 on Jul 19, 2017 23:31:33 GMT -6
As Izahm wanders the ship he passes the galley spotting Lysander Thrak and Geneenh. Not wanting to possibly upset the Asari engineer once again with careless words he continues on. He then descends the stairway leading to the hallway overlooking the shuttle bay to return to his temporary shuttle. After just reaching the foot of the stairs a muted bang from behind catches his attention. Fully alert he stealthily moves partially up the stairs crouching down silent as a ghost. Listening carefully he hears a locker being opened then closed. Recalling the locations of everyone else Izahm realizes it was more than likely Maelstrom. Not intent on aggravating the powerful Biotic Izahm continues his trek towards the hangar though now he moves with near absolute soundless precision. He doesn't relax his focused near silent movements until he is inside his shuttle and the door is code locked. Once inside the relative security of his temporary home he begins taking off his armor with the exception of the Rosenkov Materials right arm and placing the pieces in containers he took from one of the storage compartments. With that done he lays down on the heavy gel mat he had brought himself long before joining the Okinawa crew sets an alarm on his Omni-tool and promptly falls asleep.
Precisely thirty minutes later Izahm's Omni-tool goes off and he gets up stretching to relieve any tension. Once he's done with that he then puts his armor back on and leaves his temporary shuttle. After code locking it he then makes his way up to the mess. Entering it he leans against the wall just the right if the entrance observing and listening to people but close enough to answer questions should he be asked.
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Post by Joe Fischer on Jul 20, 2017 4:23:33 GMT -6
Joe made his way down to the Vengeance, his thoughts on its female passenger. Ever since picking her up on the rescue mission, his thoughts had rarely strayed from her.
He repeatedly told himself that she was with Maelstrom, not to mention she was still recovering from her ordeal as an unwilling guest of Cerberus—but he was not entirely sure he believed himself.
A redhead with green eyes.
Shit.
Be cool, just be cool. Don’t try too hard or you’re just going to scare her, and that’s the last thing she needs.
*****
He reached the Vengeance. Now considered a trusted ally by the extremely cautious biotic, he could have entered the shuttle without the VI trying to terminate him with extreme prejudice.
But that would’ve been too aggressive—so he did it the old-fashioned way: he knocked on the shuttle’s door.
"Can Emily come out and play?" he called out.
A brief exchange of voices which sounded exactly the same, aside from tone, was heard within the shuttle. The hatch swung open a moment later, showing Emily in a standard Cerberus bodysuit, designed to slip on under phantom armor. Though its form-fitting nature was designed to promote comfort and minimize chafing under one's armor, it was also clear that the designer had a more than passing interest in the female form.
There was a cautious look in her eyes, even though she wore a genuine smile. She held a towel in her hands, running it down her lengths of hair, ropy and wet from having just been washed.
"Hello," she said. Seeming a little self-conscious of the opened shuttle, she added, "I think Maelstrom headed to the simulator."
"Didn't come to see him," he said. "I came by to see how you were doing and to see if you wanted to take a tour of the ship. You know, see the spoils of victory."
Look her in the eyes, look her in the eyes...
She hesitated, looking back to the VI, hovering in a standard column and orb configuration.
"I don't know about the whole ship," she said when she looked back to him. Averting her eyes again and looking to the floor, she rubbed one hand up and down her opposite upper arm. "Small spaces—at least unfurnished ones—they still make me nervous."
Her fingers slipped from her arm to a nondescript holster on her hip, holding her pistol and some of the throwing knives Maelstrom took to the Collector base. The gesture was similar to how the biotic in black occasionally reached for his SMG.
Her expression brightening some, she added, "But it would be nice to see more of it. Maybe the CIC?"
"Sure," he said. "I'll wait out here while you finish getting ready."
Emily smiled, motioning with a hand. The gesture caused the hatch to close. More arguing was heard between two identical voices before she reappeared.
She was wearing what appeared to be a combination of pieces of nemesis and phantom armor, though the cloaking systems were absent from the suit. Of course, it was painted matte black. Her holster and weapons were where they were before, save on the outside of the armor.
"Let's go," she said, jumping gingerly from the shuttle and ordering the hatch closed with a subtle hand-sign.
There was nothing he could put his hand on, but the VI seemed in a bad attitude as the shuttle sealed again.
NOTE: Other characters appear courtesy of their respective players.
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Post by Eric Lysander on Jul 20, 2017 7:56:29 GMT -6
Snorting at Thrak's commentary about the younger N7, Eric raised a bit from his seat in preparation to leave when to his surprise Geenenh entered the room with a breakfast tray and a cup of freshly brewed coffee.
She took a seat midway between him and the krogan and asked "So, how does this ship compare to the last one you traveled in?" before taking a sip.
She asked a question, knucklehead!
"Oh, the Valiant?" began Eric, adjusting to the new face in the room and trying hard not to seem too eager. "Last ship waaas a modified turian cruiser. Some o' th austerity was still left over but it was a good ship where it counted and it was home. This boat... has a bit more room and gear to work with but like the last ship..."
He remembered the sonic showers. "Lacking in some places."
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