[Dolo Station, Shrike Abyssal] Kai The Liberator

Kyle welcomes the help, limping into the chair with the Quarian's assistance. He settles in uneasily, like he might fall out, but manages to steady himself.

"Thank you," he says after Kai explains himself, "I...I don't think I'd survive out there." There's a moment of, not connection, that's sappy garbage from knock-off holos, but...identification. Two horribly mistreated types, fresh out of the dregs of society, stuck in a room being human to each other.

This is, naturally, when [R] practically skips into the room, a jaunty tune playing on low volume over his voice synth.

"DAYAN pulled through!" says [R] as he approaches the two, "The good news is that, with this information and the identities our salarian friend has donated, we can probably cripple the slave market in one fell swoop, the bad news is, well,

How do you feel about field operations?

...And also crossdressing."

Ancestors above, it may as well have been. Sad as it sounded, that single moment of identification with Kyle was possibly the most meaningful connection Kai had had with another person in who knows how long. It was this part of him that was happy to talk to someone - that wasn't, you know, a VI - that felt an uncharacteristic twinge of anger when [R] chose that moment to saunter back in.

"I don't-"

Loooooong silence.

"What."

Kyle echoes Kai's sentiment, and seems ready to say something more, but [R] rather rudely interrupts him. "Did I fucking stutter?" it says.

About three hours later, Kai is dressed up as a female quarian slaver, spikes everywhere, ludicrously exaggerated silicone glued onto the front of his suit to emulate breasts, and at least one salarian skull hanging from his belt, as well as the skull of an indigenous race he didn't recognize. He'd gotten a new paintjob, all red and black and stupid-looking decals. Really, the nine-pointed hat [R] had given him before donning a very fancy suit with a face-concealing helmet was the least embarrassing part of the ensemble.

While Kai stood in a corner and felt miserable about his disguise, [R] loaded a festively gift-wrapped package the size of a small car onto a hover-trolley. Kyle is watching with something approaching amazement.

"See, most holos? They think you need some elaborate plan with men on the inside and a mind like a razor's edge to infiltrate a gathering," says [R] as it manhandles the package, "Really, that's bullshit. All you need to do is look more-or-less like you belong there and not let people ask you too many questions. Ergo the crossdressing. And hat.

Now, you remember the plan, right? I'm not going to be able to remind you after we separate, so it's critical that you remember exactly what you're supposed to do."

Kill me now.

It was bad enough that he had to play-act a slaver. Just... just to set aside the problems with that for a few moments. But the utter ruination of his beloved envirosuit was something that he struggled to even comprehend. It was bad enough that the midriff of his suit had been cinched tight. It was bad enough that there were fake breasts dangling from his chest. It was bad enough the suit had been modded to give him child-bearing hips. It was bad enough that he was wearing a female headwrap (he took that kind of thing seriously). It was bad enough that this horribly scarred suit was black and crimson, covered in ceramic spikes and a belt of skulls he fervently hoped weren't real.

"Why did I need heels," he moaned piteously. He should have been grateful, in a way. Before, he had been worried he'd go down in history as a traitor to his family, a conscientious objector, a coward. Now he'd just be the silly young pilgrim that got killed dressed as a woman. Kai tottered forward a few more steps on the four-inch heels, arms out wide to balance himself. Oh Keelah his gloves even had monomol claws attached to the fingers who even does that.

"I... I remember, but, I mean... why?" Chance to back out was long gone but gosh darnit he had to try. "I'm going to get us both killed."

"No you aren't," replied [R], "I'll be with you almost fifty percent of the way. All you need to do is pretend to be confident and yell at people. Oh, yes, speaking of which, I do need to give you this." It waved its omnitool in Kai's direction, and a download acceptance notification popped up on his helmet's display. "It's a tone changer, it'll make you sound female and scary. You're going to have to do the confidence all on your own though," explained [R], "Remember, confidence, and you'll be fine. Anything you want to grab, or are we good to go?"

The download was accepted pretty much the moment it popped up on his visor.

"Confidence. Sure. I'll g-et right on tha-..." He started visibly, his hands on his vox as if he'd just spat out something vile. "This... this is too strange. How do you do this? I... K-Keelah..." The voice is a rather good reproduction, distinctly feminine yet hanging out in the lower register. One would get the impression that it'd be hard-edged and cruel without a confused and frightened pilgrim operating it.

"O-oh. Right." He picked up a gun from a nearby table. A Paladin. It was obscenely big, looking like a toy in his hand, and he held it like it was liable to explode at any moment. He inexpertly checked the chamber for a heat sink, the let it snap to the mag-strip on his (distressingly wide) hip.

"R-ready," he said finally. "As... I'll ever be, I suppose."

A pause.

"Can the Narasimha come with me?"

"You get over it after the first few times," said [R], "Becomes natural as breathing, eventually. I can spend months or a year or two being...someone else. Any gender, any social class, even a different species with some cleverness and a small investment. Kind of relaxing, really." After a moment it seemed to recognize its audience and added, "You won't have to do that, off course. I don't think it's for everyone." It turns back to Kai after it finishes loading.

"Sure, it can be your vicious attack mech," says [R], "But grab a gun you can fire without snapping your damn wrist. Professionals rarely walk around with a Paladin. Especially quarians."

"If you say so." Still, he's visibly more at ease knowing he can bring the Narasimha. The drone was fully repaired now, not exactly 100% official parts but you'd never be able to tell just from looking. It sat at Kai's side, a reassuringly heavy presence. He chewed his lip and looked down at the Paladin at his hip.

"I don't want to have to fire it at all," he replied. "Not a very good shot anyway."

A deep breath, sounding like a rush of static through his helmet vox. "I'm ready." No I'm not.

The trip over was... tense. To put it mildly. Kai didn't need his suit biometrics to tell him how hard his heart was pounding, how hilariously over-oxygenated his blood was from the 'flight' half of 'fight or flight' screaming in his ear. Didn't help that his only companionship was the ever-enigmatic [R]. He used the time as best he could to practice, walking back and forth across the ship bay in his literal stiletto heels. He could almost imagine [R] and the Narasimha silently laughing at him.

Then they came within range. Reyni giving the docking control people the necessary codes to have them not be blown out of the sky. Space. Whatever. That vague, almost imperceptible wave as they passed into the station's ME bubble, artificial gravity beginning to tug at the craft. A hiss as the back of the ship unsealed, the cargo ramp slowly descending to scrape against the dock. First challenge of the lengthy infiltration - descend the ramp without falling over yourself.

Tink. Tink. Tink. Ti-careful... Tink. No don't lift your arms this is meant to be easy for you. Careful, careful, keep your weight on the front of your feet. Annnnnnnd... There! Bottom of the ramp. You're safe. Cover not blown yet. Not...

Kai looked up.

Nobody was even looking.

Bosh'tet.

The guards were either too busy checking people's credentials at the door, or welcoming ships with new arrivals. And, naturally, Reyni had parked at the very end of the dock keelah is she doing this to me on purpose- no calm down calm down. No turning back now. Kai's eyes bounced around like nervous jackrabbits as he walked, struggling to keep his gait measured. The Narasimha settled into step with him perfectly, matching his every heeled 'click' with a heavier 'clank'. Where's [R] did he leave him on the ship no don't turn around don't turn around be assertive.

In what he hoped was a presumptuous gesture, he lifted a hand and beckoned [R] over his shoulder without turning around. Halfway down the dock now. Keelah one of the guards looked at him act natural act natural...

This was going to be one long job.

[R] no longer looked like an anonymous information broker or guard drone. Its suit had been bulked up, with almost comical holo-pauldrons floating above its shoulders, and the physiology had been changed so that, for all intents and purposes, it appeared to be some massive indig, looming despite just-above-average height, with its face concealed by a warmask fit to give a fat man a heart attack.

The guard looked like, well, hired help. Reasonably professional, but someone for whom 'quarian slaver queen, attack drone and brutal, savage indigenous bodyguard showing up without explanation' wasn't the most interesting part of his or her day. They held up a hand, barring Kai and company from entering the station proper, but didn't seem particularly suspicious of the young cross-dresser.

"Name and business," asked the guard, visibly bored.

Oh Keelah he spoke to me what do I do what's my name supposed to be I don't even remember why I'm here oh Keelah how long has it been since he asked me I must seem like a moron, he can see right through me, I...

... am not being shot at. It was with a curious sense of elated detachment that he realized that the guard had no idea what he was thinking. His visor had been switched to full opacity to bring out the new blood-red tint. He couldn't even see Kai's eyes, luminous and wide with fright. In fact, to any ignorant observer, it appeared that the quarian slaver queen was regarding the man like he was something unpleasant stuck on the bottom of one of her (literal) stiletto heels.

"The same reason everyone else is here." The words came... surprisingly easy. The complete lack of face-to-face connection was like a safety net. He spoke slowly, enunciating carefully so as not to let the fear creep in, but through the filter it sounded alarmingly mocking. In a hurry, he called up the mission briefing on his HUD.

"Aral'Karras. Anything else?"

The guard gave Kai a look at the first line. Yeah, it was a formality, but you just didn't-

Theeeen the name came out. And things clicked. It was one thing to give a Quarian a hard time for sassing you, it was a different thing altogether to give Aral'Karras a hard time for sassing you.

They say she ate people to build up her immune system. O.O

"My apologies Ma'am!" they said, tripping over themselves to open the door and get out of the way, "It's an honor to have you on board ma'am!" Kai was practically ushered in, and [R] used the opportunity to terrify a guard by suddenly stepping at him and hissing in an impressively real display of anger.

Then...they were in the station proper. It was enormous, though thankfully well-labelled, even without Kai's map. There were small crowds, gaggles of attendants and bodyguards and mercenaries and slaves, attending potential purchasers, promising deals, weaseling numbers, delivering drinks, making the sort of person who would buy a sapient being as property enter the state of mind necessary to buy as many sapient beings as property as physically possible. Capitalism without limit, with the most disturbed of products.

The walls were whitewashed, scrubbed clean by bots and slaves save for the occasional advertisement or piece of scenery or furniture placed with unerring precision exactly where a psychologist or sociologist or sales specialist decided it would have the maximum impact on potential buyers. It was bizarre, creepy, almost like parts of the Citadel, really, if it wasn't for the 'selling slaves' thing.

After a while, the pair reached an intersection, one of many. Their split off point, where Kai would go to save slaves and [R] would, uh...do something. Kai wasn't actually sure what. [R] turned to the quarian. "Good work so far," it said, "Stick with the plan if you can, but don't be afraid to improvise. Narasimha, keep him alive. Trusting you here.

Oh, and one more thing." It reached over and plucked the hat off of Kai's head, "I'm going to need that for this bit. You'll have to make do without, somehow."

Pretending to be a slaver (and a woman) was disarming enough. But the way the guard reacted to his (fake) name, the way he grovelled and tripped over himself to please him... For a perma-Pilgrim like him, it was fucking surreal. Yet again he was immensely glad for his full-opacity visor, disguising his shock at being treated like royalty. As he entered his steps were measured, ever wary of the risk of tripping over the heels and looking like an absolute tit, but to the outside observer Aral'Karras appeared regal.

Well, until 'she' was alone with [R] and Kai started shifting from foot to foot nervously. It was only a small thing, but [R] taking the hat back felt like a crucial piece of the disguise had come free. Like it would all fall apart the moment someone saw him next, see him as a pathetic little man trying to sneak into a slaver den and be a hero. He wrung his hands.

"Improvise. Improvise. Sure. Of course. I'll... I'll do that..."

"Affirmative," the Narasimha drone replied in a synthesized voice. And it was with great regret and mounting dread that Kai watched [R] turn and go, leaving him alone with his synthetic companion. He took a deep breath, balling his fists tightly, and stiffly walked down the corridor in the opposite direction of [R].

"Do you uh... are there any combat subroutines left in there?"

"Affirmative."

"Good. Um... use those."

And maybe I won't wind up dead, keelah se'lai.

[R] strode into the auction floor, giant box in tow. It nudged, pushed and kicked people out of the way as it pulled the giant box backstage.

And now...it waited.

Kai, meanwhile, had found something he was utterly unprepared for.

A fork in the hallway he hadn't planned for. The corridor to the left was labelled 'deep storage' and the one to the right was labelled 'transitional storage' and he had no idea which one he was supposed to be going down.

And, of course, he had no omni reception out here. Great.

"... bosh'tet."

His eyes flicked back and forth madly, like a nervous bird trying to keep two prospective predators in sight. He reached down blindly, patting the reassuring solid weight of the Narasimha drone at his side.

"Any... any ideas?"

The Narasimha froze entirely as it 'considered' the question. "Clarify."

"Well... there isn't just an easy 'slave' label and if I pick the wrong one I'll probably ruin the plan completely but if I don't pick one quickly that'll probably ruin the plan too and I have a fifty-fifty chance which doesn't seem that bad but for me those odds are closer to ninety-ten so I have to work out what the difference between 'deep' and 'transitional' storage is before I get us all killed and I just want to be back at the station working on you and-"

Clank clank clank clank clank clank. The Narasimha set off down the corridor indicated by the 'transitional storage' sign. Kai thanked the drone profusely for actually making a decision and quickened his pace to catch up.

The good news: The narasimha picked technically correctly, Kai managed to sidle up to a room filled with pens of slaves without incident.

The bad news: It was guarded, heavily. A transgression wardrone with a monstrous, back-mounted autocannon, three LOKIs on a standardized patrol route, and a turian overseer with a shotgun. There was a terminal on the far side of the room, btu ancestors knew if it actually had anything usable.

Oh Keelah oh Keelah oh Keelah the turian alone would have been bad enough but there were those LOKI mechs and that Transgression it was the first time he'd ever seen one in real life and Keelah the pictures didn't do it justice oh ancestors he was going to die and he'd go to the afterlife looking like this and-

And... you're not Kai. You are not Kai'Fenrer nar Tonbay the coward, the weakling, the Pilgrim that can never come home. You are Aral'Karris, the fearsome slaver queen. Everybody on this station is afraid of you. You go where you please. You do what you please. This turian has no right to bar your way.

Kai stepped out into the open. With careful, measured steps, he walked into the middle of the room and stood face-to-face with the turian overseer. At least with the deep crimson faceplate, the man wouldn't see his nervous glances at the Transgression.

"Inspecting the merchandise," he said in a voice that was not his own. "Tell me how many there are, how many of those are in subpar condition and why, any notable incidents in the last three months, and how many more you have in stock. I'm considering a large purchase. Quickly."

The words just spilled out of his mouth. He couldn't stop them. It wasn't him speaking, it was some cosmic puppeteer making his mouth move. His stomach felt cold and knotted, as if everything inside him had shrunk and coiled like a spring. Ready for action, as unlikely as that sounded.

The turian blinked, surprised at the sudden questioning. "Uh, OK, sure," he said, "Follow me."

He lead Kai into a small office, ringed with computers and decorated a couple of posters and a small picture of what Kai assumes is the guards family.

"A moment, ma'am, just need to check the records." He boots up the computer, logs in, and a chat window pops up. The channel itself is inconsequential, what is less inconsequential is the message that pops up before he can close the window.

"Yo, did you hear? Aral'Karras got murdered. Just found corpse."

Aaaand there goes Kai's cover.

Kai was glad he was, in all likelihood, developing some kind of mental disorder from the utterly insane cognitive dissonance that was rattling around inside his head at that moment. He remained a passive voice in the back of his mind as 'Aral'Karras' swanned into the turian's office like she owned the place, standing with her arms folded beside the turian.

"Be quick about it," she snapped irritably. The sooner this could be resolved, the sooner-

...

oh.

Poopy.

Quite suddenly, as quickly as she had come, 'Aral'Karras' decided to pop back off to the ether and leave Kai'Fenrer nar Tonbay, incredible wimp extraordinaire, in a small office with an armed turian who literally just discovered that he was an imposter. Maybe if he stayed very very quiet the turian would ignore that IRC message.

Several things happened at once:

The guard signaled for the Transgression to hold fire, it had a minigun and he really didn't want to get shredded. The LOKIs, recognizing the kill-order, raised their guns and opened fire as they approached the office. The guard grabbed for a combat knife with his free hand, trying to bring it around and stab Kai in the faceplate in one, smooth motion.

Several floors above, blissfully unaware of the clusterfuck below, the last would-be-slave-buyers slipped into the auction hall, and a guard sealed the doors shut.

Kai only had the mental bandwidth to process ooh, say, one of those several things. So he staggered back from the turian, knowing already that he was dead meat, and tripped over his absurd stiletto heels. The knife was definitely going to at least pierce his faceplate no matter what, which would surely be a death sentence, if not for the Narasimha.

The turian's motion was suddenly arrested as a ton of dog-mech leaped on him all at once, smashing him against his own desk and sending him crashing to the ground. The Narasimha remained on top of him, bringing its jaws down on the turian's neck and worrying it in an attempt to break his neck. Which, while useful in keeping the guy out of the fight, still left the LOKI mechs.

Luckily the aforementioned stumble sent Kai down hard on his ass, so that the flurry of SMG fire form the clunky humanoid mechs went sailing over his head. He huddled against the wall, trying not to look at the Narasimha's handiwork, frantically checking his HUD to see if even a tiny chip of shield integrity had been lost.

Right. Shields at 100%. Now it's just the five mechs outside. Kai flicked his wrist out of cover for only a fraction of a second, sending an Overload charge crackling through the air to chain between three of the LOKI mechs.