[Citadel/Nimbus] A Party On The Rocks (closed)

Freh’ya realized Rahi’s words with a bit of a delay but she did. With clenching jaws she forced herself back into the here and now. Pulling the gun from the mouth of her former opponent, she just said with a flat voice “You are under arrest, remain silent.”

Trynessia just coughed and choked as the salvia was accumulating in her throat but said nothing. Her eyes were a mix of hate and desperation.

Freh’ya looked at Rahi by her side, nodding to acknowledge her presence. It was a silent this is over. They had o equipment to bind or even biotically restrain the prisoner…. Then her eyes met the matriarch’s who was resting against the wall, trying to regain her powers but still sporting the collar and the cuffs. It seemed like a fitting solution…

Arina was just approaching T’Veda.
“Lady T'Veda, are you alright? Arina, can you release the Lady Matriarch? We could need restraining devices over here.” She produced a weak smile for Rahi. It was a tired thank you in common understanding. She had not messed up and she was not carrying this alone.

She took the stairs two at a time, hurrying to get to the Matriarch. When she reached the upper level and turned to run down the distance from the top of the stairs to where the hoverchair was resting on its side. Next to it, sittin on the floor, upright against the wall behind her was T’Veda. She seemed alive and well and not hurt. At least she was moving and there was no blood.

Her second glance caught Freh’ya and Rahi who were taking care of the assistant… former assistant of Lady T’Veda. But first things first she thought as she crouched down next to T’Veda. The sight was not pretty with the angrily glowing devices around her neck and arms.

“Lady, are you hurt?” It was kind of stupid thing to ask, but well…

“Nothing I didn’t already have before, dear.” Was the calm reply.

Then Temria’s and Freh’ya’s calls drew her attention. She stood and looked downstairs where the two acolytes where comforting each other and the doctor was wielding her gun.

“She’s alright, Temria, but I think a doctor would be a welcome sight here… Nin, Tinay, come on upstairs, it is all over. And bring any restraining devices you have.”

She crouched again to have a closer look at the devices. Indeed, as she had though, standard military issue restraining devices. If Trynessia didn’t use customized encryption software, Arina’s omnitool would be able to figure this out. The tool opened and immediately the interface began to decrypt the locking mechanism. Eventually the collar deactivated with a flicker and the mechanical part snapped open. The holo interface of the cuffs just dissolved.

“Here we are, Lady T’Veda, a doctor is on the way.”

“Thank you, dear! That’s so much better.” The Matriarch was rubbing her awkwardly stiff left wrist with her right hand.

Arina took the device and handed it to Rahi, so Freh’ya could let go of their prisoner. Arina stood, arms crossed over her chest.
“I am Arina Caenis. Can’t say it is a pleasure to meet you, Trynessia. I have no idea what the tides is going on in your mind but what you have done here is going to have severe consequences.” That brought the need to contact Sunda to her mind. The Matron as looking back at her with empty eyes.

She turned when she heard footsteps approach the Matriarch…

Rahi returned Freh'ya's nod, relaxing as she felt her internal equilibrium come back. Nothing more needed to be said; she turned her attention back to their prisoner, keeping her secure so Freh'ya could take her eyes off her, take stock of the situation around them. The Madam was still pinned by the commando - that and Rahi's sidearm would be enough to keep her compliant, for now. She heard Lady T'Veda speak, not in any immediately critical danger by the sound of her. Oddly the voice sparked an uncharacteristic surge of anger in her, as she glared down at the woman who had tried to silence it.

What was it for? she wondered. You shot us down, tried to kill an ambassador and a doctor, tried to have us and the acolytes, loyal girls, kill each other for nothing, betrayed your Matriarch! She remembered the stories of indoctrinated, the ones the Reapers had gotten inside of. Could that have happened here? Trynessia left alone and mad after the machines had abandoned their war? It was almost easier to believe than that a Matriarch's right hand, among the most honoured positions an asari could have, would do all this without some malign influence forcing her to it. She studied the Madam's eyes, dull and impenetrable. Maybe she was naive for wanting there to be an 'easy' explanation. Asari had been capable of cruelty and spite long before the Reapers arrived.

"Thank you ma'am," she said, taking the collar from Arina; she felt very tired all of a sudden, but reminded herself it wasn't time to rest yet. She studied the unfamiliar device for a second, to be sure of its workings, then fastened it around the prisoner's neck and activated it. That was that, then. She took a quick glance at the Matriarch, reassuring herself, then fixed her attention back on Trynessia, watching her carefully as Arina spoke to her. The moment felt over, but that was no cause to let her guard down until she was relieved.

Well, that was one source of stress dealt with... For a moment Temria just sat there breathing, sorting all the excitement, all the panic into a little box she could deal with later, or never. She folded the gun down to it's collapsed hip-mounted form, finding she needed to force it into position again with some annoyance, perhaps it was time to retire it after all.

Her whole body was protesting the exertion she'd placed on it, biotics flaring about hereto and yon on an empty stomach, it was to be expected. Her joints especially felt weak and sore, and it was only the hesitant expressions coming from the two young strangers that urged her to start moving at last. Climbing to her feet again she took careful care not to aggrivate her left arm, folded neatly across her abdomen, and with a stiff resolve opted to tackle the stairway despite her shaking legs and present herself to the Matriarch with all the dignity she could yet muster.

---

"I suppose this means we can at last contact Sunda Control...?" She wondered aloud, though clearly less to remind the others and more to simply announce herself. The doctor took a moment to look over the... other one, if only to marvel at the results of Freh'ya's handywork. The commando was something else entirely, something to be marveled at; but even from that glance she knew the matron would survive, which was well more than she deserved, in Temria's reckoning.

"Matriarch T'Veda..." she said reverentially. Coming at last to the object of their search, Temria took to one knee to meet the Matriarch face to face and bowed her head respectfully. There was something... something she'd planned to say... Something nice and formal and flowery and it was gone... she couldn't even start to think of what it was. Just start it and it'll come to you. "I-I am Doctor Temria Aujury. Third to the name in my lineage, and certified medical practitioner class Celtna Vanis by way of the Tira'Dan Medical School and Lerama Research and Applications Firm." Temria brought her eyes up slowly, confidence building even as she catches herself before she started listing off specific mentors, though for the life of her she still couldn't remember what she'd been preparing to say. "I'm gonna look after you."

Shrell.

The collar activated and the Matron was no danger any longer. The commando stripped the omnitool armband of Trynessia’s wrist with next to no resistance. Wasn’t it funny how helpless you were without this tool these days? You were nothing, probably couldn’t get through most doors without it.
“Yeah, hostile subdued.” Freh’ya said with a flat voice, getting of the limp body.

She grabbed the matron by the sleeves and shoved her towards the wall. “Sit still and don’t move.” She wasn’t even that curious about the motives of Trynessia, she was already sure they were crap and selfish, that was all she needed to know. One look into the faces of the two terrified acolytes showed her what kind of power game had been going on here.

She stood and rested against the wall, examining the Paladin. A nice example of a rare gun. Two rounds spent, one more in. She loaded it again, weighing it in her hand.
A quick check showed her that Trynessia was just silently staring into the distance, so she looked what happened with the Matriarch.

Arina eventually erected the hoverchair. A part of a handle had come off but that seemed like a minor thing, She then crouched next to Temria, introducing herself.

“Lady T’Veda, I am Arina Caenis of Thessia, emissary of the embassies on the Citadel. I apologize for my informal introduction earlier. We have come here to provide transport to Hyetiana for you, but we got attacked and had a crash landing… I assume that was an intentional attack from what we have found here. But we will contact Sunda now,“ She nodded to Temria for mentioning that. “Tell them what happened here so they can send assistance and transport. I do need a terminal in this house though.” Looking around her eyes fell on a com terminal next to the elevators, the ones that were used to display area plans and orientation or served as public extranet access points.
“But first we should get you back into your seat, I we may…”

Just when she tried to grab the Matriarch, a large shadow fell from the angled windows in the ceiling of the entrance atrium, a silhouette of a ship with firing hover thrusters!

At the same time her omnitool…. Every omnitool gave an priority message alert, complete with Republican Navy IFF! After a second of shock she activated hers…

Vastra T’Veda smiled at the arrival of the doctor. The matron’s face was all concern and T’Veda noticed that with a sigh. It had been a while since anyone had shown such care towards her. Behind the doctor came, very reluctantly, Nin and Tinay, bowing their heads in respect but keeping a distance.

T’Veda looked past Temria and gave the two acolytes a stern look. This will be sorted out in due time. Now wasn’t the moment to fuss, important things had to be taken care of now.

“I greet you, Madam Aujuri. Tides blessing on your arrival indeed!” She replied with her calm and relaxed voice that was in stark contrast to the whole situation.
“I am very sorry I can’t offer you more hospitality than my mere words right now. I am handing myself to your care, doctor.” She was closely studying the face of Temria, seemingly reading every reaction, every motion with her very bright waterblue eyes.

Then she gave Arina the same look, as if taking in the essence of a person, examining it.
“You are welcome, emissary Caenis. No need to excuse, I do appreciate being free of these devices again, it has been so long.” She tried to remember but couldn’t a lot of the time had been a blur of drifting in and out a dreamy state, her nervous system being affected, subdued.

“Oh, yes, I would need a bit of help, my legs are a bit weak.” She realized a hunger and a lightheaded feeling developing. When was the last time she had been fed something? She couldn’t remember.

Then the unmistakable shadow of a corvette appeared. "Oh," she said while looking up.


On Arina’s Omnitool (and anyone’s who also accepted the call) opened a hologram of a fleet officer with a concerned look, a few times interrupted by an occasional flicker.

“…tatus…. hello, this is Trategos Defense Fleet unit 578, Captain Ruuita. I am calling anyone in mining site R-6 that may hear me. Indentify yourself! We are approaching for landing on the western cargo pad. We expect you to identify and state your status!”

Just when Freh’ya had decided to lend the doctor and arina a hand with the Matriarch, she instinctively ducked her head when the shadow fell on them like a bird of prey but she also recognized the familiar form of a republican design! But was it friend or foe? She still was cautious. But what brought them here, just now that everything was over? She wouldn’t complain if this was the transport to safety at last!

Then all omnitools rang with a priority message on all channels and Arina was the first to open hers.

“Goddess, eventually. The navy, just when you need a pickup.” The Commando exhaled, grinning towards Rahi. Someone should answer that call as soon as possible perhaps.

Hostile subdued…..

The situation had been cleared up with one vidcall!

TDF-578 landed and the captain and her armament officer had met with the group inside. They had been very surprised to find the crew of the Sala T’Era together with the Matriarch and her associates like this.

“We had been informed by Sunda control about suspicious movements. Mostly your not registering a relay exit was what caused suspicion. Eventually we took a coser look and found the Sala T’era… a real shame, it’s a really nice model.” Captain Ruuita explained. “We descended and it was pretty clear what had happened. We had fear that the station here could be taken by pirates! Just unbelievable but it was a possibility. This has caused a security alert for all TDF units, Sunda militia is on the way as well, the’ll be here in half an hour or so. So we followed your trail, found the camp and eventually approached the mining facility. The rest you know.”
She looked at Trynessia who was guarded by Freh’ya, then back to the Matriarch
“But what about her? What the fuck was going on in this place?.... with all due respect, Lady Matriarch!” She realized her inappropriate tone with a slight blush.

T’Veda sighed, slumping in her chair.
“Where should I even begin? This matron is a traitor.

She is in my household for over one hundred years now, she has been taking care of my office for almost as long and we even fought through the war together.” that last part was filled with disdain and disappointment. Not hate but disbelief and disappointment.
“I do not know when she began to change but it must have been a long time ago, someone should check her books. I did not realize how degenerate she had become until we settled out here a year ago. My condition had evolved and I needed to rest a lot… I could not take care of my office the way I should have, Trynessia was running it all, I never heard complaints about her work but…. I saw her real face pretty quick once we were alone out here.”

T’Veda focused on Trynessia now.
“Being isolated, you kept me from contacting anyone, that damned collar... This was where you took full control, right? Lying to my acolytes, to everyone else about me. You wanted to inherit my position, didn’t you? I would eventually just die unexpectedly and suddenly and you could continue to run my office from Trategos throughout the Cluster.

Oh, the Cluster… too bad it got reconnected so quickly, isn’t it? You had not planned on that, speculation the isolation would continue and you and your…. connections could run business your own way. I have no idea what information you sold to pirates and who else for just… greed.” she spat out that last word, in stark contrast to her otherwise calm voice.

“You are not better than any of those pirates who fly the ships out there and assault others. But your and their days are counted, your bet on the continued isolation and your petty little empires are falling apart. How does that feel, Trynessia?

Did you really believe you could get away with making this look like a pirate attack with you as the only survivor? Depositing all the corpses in the wreckage of the Shuttle and blow everything up beyond recognition? On Trategos itself? You thought I was too drowsy to follow all your rants…. But I listened very well, I know all your plans and I will testify.” She looked over to Nin and Tinay who were keeping in the background, very daunt.

“You would have sent these two kids to their death or killed them yourself without a blink, Trynessia. You shot down a diplomatic shuttle with the intention of killing its crew, just to cover up your criminal activities, your high-treason.

I feel guilty for not seeing beyond my illness at times, not being able to see your sick mind earlier, Trynessia. I have trusted you; we have saved each other’s lives and those of many others during the war…. When did you degenerate to this? You are dismissed from my service. Captain, we hand to you a traitor, hostage-taker, no better than a pirate.”

Trynessia looked at T’Veda with cold eyes.
“You are a delusional old sick woman, sitting on your throne for all eternity. You should just have died a long time ago. I have nothing more to say.”

Awkward silence and shuffling feet….

~~~~~~~

The small corvette was a bit cramped after everyone had boarded but getting back to Sunda was what everyone was looking forward to (Maybe with the exception of Trynessia). But Arina made Ruuita make a detour, visiting the downed shuttle so everyone could get their personal belonging that had been stored away.

The Sala T’Era was even more covered in snow by now, they had to shovel a bit to clear the airlock but everything was still as they left it. Ruuita took the opportunity to have a closer look at the type while everyone was getting their belongings from wherever they had been stored.

“Damn, looks not pretty. But we can’t let her sit out here; I’ll request a recovery team, if nothing else for security reasons. Maybe she’s not a total writeoff. I mean, you came in at a pretty flat angle… nice work with that kind of damage, pilot!” The Captain patted the seemingly depressed Rahi on the shoulder.

"Thank you Captain," Rahi said, managing a small smile as she nodded in acknowledgement. "On behalf of Epira fleet you're authorised to take whatever measures with her you deem advisable, of course." She was remembering the sight of Sala when Aliza had taken her - with no explanation beforehand - down to the Harbour Song dock to present her with her craft; now, standing in the airlock out of the wind, those of her personal possessions that had survived packed into a shoulder satchel, watching a tech from the corvette working with a portable power and diagnostic unit to assess the damage for when a full salvage team returned to lift her out of the snow, it was difficult not to feel the ship had deserved better than she had got.

Maybe that wasn't being fair on herself, Rahi mused. Sala was a huntress, in her own little way - she had taken the blow herself, and kept her charges from harm. And the mission hadn't been a loss, far from it. She, along with the others, had the personal thanks of a Matriarch - Rahi felt a warm glow within her chest despite the chill in the air - and she hadn't let Freh'ya down, even stuck on the ground, out of her element. She wouldn't take any shame home with her.

She glanced down as the tech's unit completed its hook-up, and several of the shuttle's own readouts came online; mostly showing blacked-out areas of damage or system failure, but it was better than nothing.

"iiiinnff...Informative: Virtual interface restored," the tiny holographic elcor announced, fading into view as its voice resolved from static to clarity. Rahi couldn't help but smile, and genuinely, this time.

"I'll download that," she offered. The tech nodded wordlessly - her equipment's direct readouts would be more use to her than a speech system - and Rahi opened her omni-tool and started the process of transferring the VI to portable storage.

Though the Sala may have still had the air of home to the younger pilot it bore no such sentimental affections from Temria, to her the downed craft seemed like a haunted house, its once graceful if not overtly elegant angles making it feel like some lost alien derelict with a dark secret slumbering within... At least, that's how it looked on the monitor.

The doctor had not been keen to enter the shuttle again, to stumble through slanted hallways in search of frosty knick-nacks was a task for younger asari. At least that's what she told herself- that a selfish discomfort kept her from braving the cold again and not the sharp disquiet the very thought of being there again stirred in her. The argument had been easy enough to make of course, the Matriarch needed attending, now in particular when there was so much to do, so much she was keen to coordinate and prepare for, the fact that the corvette was so small the crew were practically climbing over each other made it no less simple. So Temria jumped at that excuse, and if she felt guilty for leaving recovery to the others, she need only look back at that slumbering ghost ship and it was quickly driven away.

"Rahilan..." Temria called out to the pilot over the communications band, "Please let me know if you can recover the package I stowed in the survival pod..."

For a moment, there was silence, and looking half-surprised she opened the band again, "Also, one of my bags, the larger one. It has my travel clothes, I'll need that for the return trip, I expect."

"... And, if you can find it, my coat should be somewhere near my bunk, I think. If you see it, grab that too, would you?"

She smiled hopefully as she closed the channel. She really did like that coat...

Inside the Sala T'Era a lot of equipment had a very thin layer of ice on them. Basically everywhere outside the medbay, which had been sealed off and was sustaining some sort of environmental control after two days it looked like nature was trying to cover it's prey.

Arina entered the crew quarters when she heard the doctor's voice on the intercom, interrupted by static crackle. Goddess, she needed to get back into civilization!

There was the bag the doctor mentioned but where was that coat... she was crouching down, looking under all the bunks, one near the outside wall had broken loose and had fallen on it's neighboring one. Under there... Arina had to stretch to reach inside but eventually got a hold of the jacket.
"I have your gear from the crew quarters, Temria, coming back now." She announced on the com.
With two bags over each shoulder and the coat under one arm, she hardly fit the doors and had to move into the airlock section sideways.

Outside the virgin bright snow was glistening in sunlight which made her blink. With a deep sigh she climbed the gangway to the loading bay door of the corvette.

She needed something to eat, a hot shower and a bed. But it was clear to hear she would have to spend a couple more hours with the Sunda authorities. Arina tried not to think about the paperwork now.

Freh'ya and an officer from TDF-578 had been loading all weaponry and other movable military grade gear from the Sala into the now extremely cramped cargo bay of the corvette.

"Alright, speaker. I think that's it, last crate with heatsinks.... Goddess I wish they had never introduced these, they take away so much space and are just a pain. I mean, how do you commando's cope with this shit?"

"We manage," was Freh'ya's dry reply as they dropped the box. "As long as you guys keep flying in supplies."

She opened the com.
"Alright, we are done here. Rahi, anything else you need? If not, I'd like to get to Sunda with the express line."
She sat down on the box, propping one leg and bit a piece of an energy bar ... tone of ten thousand she must have eaten now.

"Yes Doctor," Rahilan replied, glancing up at Ruuita - the Captain nodded, and Rahi headed down the portside hallway, around towards the entrance to medbay, opening her omni-tool as she went.

"Status of survival pod?" she asked, more out of habit than expecting a surprise - it was obvious enough now that the Madam hadn't ventured anywhere near the downed shuttle.

"Reporting: Sending query signal," the VI announced, floating over her arm. "Informative: Survival pod partially within ejection chute, structural damage to chute obstructing further progress. Pod undamaged. Last access marker at 11:18:77 day 07-five-89, Rahilan Eleis. Deadlock code in place."

Rahi opened the access hatchway to the chute, listening in on Temria and Arina's discussion as she did.

"Pod's right where we left it, Doctor," she said once the line was clear. They hadn't been able to move the pod fully into the damaged ejection chute when they had stowed it - a blessing now, since it meant Rahi could still get to it and, with the aid of a hand countergrav, slide it back up far enough to enter the release code she and Temria had chosen and open it.

"I have your package, Doctor," she said, hefting it awkwardly under one arm and heading back around to the open airlock, while with her free hand she switched the channel to Freh'ya. "Nothing more to be done, ma'am. Returning to the corvette now."

With everyone back on board, TDF-578 took off towards Sunda, leaving behind the snowed in shuttle and a now deserted mining facility.

Sunda was a city that did not look like much on the surface. Only scattered and few buildings above the ice, some as old as the settlement itself. Spaceport docks, communications facilities, defense towers, a congress hall and the stadium as well as the older living districts, some still showing scars from the Reaper attacks.

When they approached the docks reserved for military vessels, a large shaft opened, leading down into the eternal ice towards the submerged part of the city. It was built on hot springs and extended into various arcologies along the continental shelf, opening into the ocean of liquid water underneath kilometers of ice above.

The ship was greeted by representatives of the defense force, a matriarch among them. Trynessia was taken away to a prison and interrogation.

Arina, Temria, Rahi and Freh were assigned quarters and after a quick debriefing given some rest and the T'Veda eventually invited the crew of the corvette and the Sala T'Era for a proper dinner.

The next two days were reserved for getting reports done, rest and a bit of sightseeing in Sunda.

The temporary housing 'district' was a maze of bulkheads arranged in identical spartan corridors with naught to identify them with but numbers, directions pointing to major junctions and the occasional bit of graffiti. In times long past it had been a shipping vessel by the name of Tagus, but even in the early days of the war it was less than half of what it once was. Docked in a berthing well one last time, its vital systems had been stripped out and sold piecemeal, seeing continued service in the bellies of only slightly less venerable ships to squeeze a bit more life out of them, or simply scrapped down for the raw materials as had been done for most of the upper decks by the time the Reapers arrived.

Today, the vessel was a haven, a dutiful shelter to refugees from the larger residential structures which had taken damage, losing environmental containment in sections or in some cases entirely, for all its problems it was a welcome alternative to the brutal cold of Trategos creeping inside. As such, it had undergone some hasty repairs, its electricals wired into district power, fittings replaced hastily, doors replaced with ones that could be operated manually if possible, curtains or sheet metal where it wasn't, Temria did not want to dwell on those implications... Now though, the place felt unsettlingly empty, doors stood open with rooms hastily emptied, the steady if uncertain reconstruction of Sunda was slowly putting the Tagus back to sleep...

The sound of air circulators laboring to function made Temria feel tense, their constant droning lending an air of stark, mechanical oppression to the atmosphere here. Somewhere in the distance a loud metallic bang, like the sound of a door slamming rattled through the halls, startling the doctor when she'd first arrived but having since gotten used to it, its rhythm too was steady and mechanical.

Swallowing hard, Temria brought her hand up to wall-mounted console, it's flickering interface shifting intermittently between on, off, skewed left or right, to the point where Temria couldn't be absolutely sure where it's contact points were being read from. "It's me." she said softly, her voice cutting out a bit at the end as she surprised herself by just how dry her mouth was.

“Isn’t she a beauty?” She wasn’t really.

The Cyan Sun was a small and aged freighter, built when the quarians still had an embassy on the Citadel and were walking without suits. But it was, like many of her type, a rugged and sturdy vessel, built to last half an asari life. While showing some wear and tear, she was carrying it like a miner was proud of her calloused hands.

Technically it was owned by the Matriarch’s industrial holding but it had been on lease to the relief fleet. It had been in dry dock for minor repairs, now Vastra T’Veda, together with Freh’ya and Rahi was meeting with the responsible dock officer, a stout and grim looking asari who barely was Freh’ya’s breast height.

They were standing in the shadow of the hull, in the background, the sounds of welding, grinding, hammering was going on. Mixed with additional harsh words and yelling of orders as was usual business in a dock.

“We need this ship released within thirty hours, officer. Would that be possible?” T’Veda was standing there with a cane and one arm hooked into Freh’ya’s. The Doctor’s medications had already helped her, some sleep and decent meals had very much revived her to a state so she could at least walk a bit without the stupid chair.

The officer frowned and threw up her hands, kind of in mix of annoyance and resignation.
“This does not work like that, Lady Matriarch! We have a detailed plan about the things that need to be done and we are at about 80% but this can’t be accelerated with the snip of a finger. We need at least one more week to finish.”

The Matriarch frowned, pointing at the ship with her cane.
“You keep telling me this but I don’t need the new cargo fixtures, the array containment or the revised hydrogen tubings. I just need it fixed for transportation of a few passengers. We are not going into the terminus, just another Republic. Can you at least finish drivecore and life support?”

“We already have the tubing ripped out, so we will have to reinstall the new ones, sorry Matriarch. I also can’t release the ship without the GARDIAN upgrade, that is mandatory, the ship won’t get clearance otherwise.” The officer was snorting.

“Then prioritize the hydrogen supply and the GARDIAN and leave everything else. Give the ship a safety two as soon as you can. Make me a list of what you skipped; I will let the rest of the rework being done on Hyetiana.”

“As you wish, Lady T’Veda,” the weary officer replied. She hated to release half finished ships but at least in this case it would not be unsafe. She scrolled through her datapad, clicking a few things, rearranging them in a schedule obviously. She snorted again, then looked up.
“I can give it level two release with a limit to Republican space as early as tomorrow morning. Will that be sufficient?”

“Absolutely, dear, thank you, good work!” T’Veda smiled very contempt.

Earlier

"Signal accepted. RFTL channel open to Harbour Song, Epira."

Rahi nodded reflexively to the distant cousin of an AVINA that oversaw visitors to Sunda's huntress base, and made a conscious effort to smooth her face and not look like she was fretting. It wasn't unexpected that Epira, having received her report via Sunda, had asked her to make real-time contact once she was able (a word from Freh'ya had made that happen quickly enough), it was just that... well, she had a way of making Rahi feel twenty-five years old, even though she obviously didn't set out to do so. And Rahi had lost Sala, even if all had come right in the end.

Taking a deep breath she stood up straight, tugged the bottom of her jacket to straighten it out, and stowed her hands away behind her back where they couldn't embarrass her by fidgeting. It was only a few seconds before an image flared into view in the holo-kiosk in front of her, quickly resolving into a commando, in a naval-style uniform much like hers.

"Speaker Aliza," Rahi said respectfully, quickly whipping out hand out to place a palm over her chest before withdrawing it again.

"Rahilan," Aliza replied, returning the gesture. "You're a welcome sight. I've discussed your report, and Sunda's findings, with the Select here."

"Yes Ma'am," Rahi replied flatly when the Speaker paused. The older asari's lips moved slightly, just at the corner, in what might have been a smile hidden under the discipline of formality.

"At ease, pilot," she said. "In light of your performance during this mission, as well as your past record, I'm recommending to the Fifth Lady's office that you be assigned to a new command, where your talents will flourish, and the promise you've shown will have the opportunity to be nurtured. The command is mine, hence my desire to tell you in person."

"Thank you ma'am!" Rahi said, grinning wildly. Well, that was promising - she was honest enough to admit she'd miss the freedom of being her own ship's mistress, but that was a trifle against the comfort of a regular asari crew around her. And being taken into Aliza's circle was quite the endorsement, even if she was (unsurprisingly) obviously going to be one of the junior trainees of the group - just the fact that the Fifth Lady would see her recommendation... the Fifth Lady, not Third Lady's sector fleet office, Fifth was...

Oh, I see... Rahilan said nothing - it was a secure channel, or Aliza would never have told her as much as she had to begin with, but she strongly suspected the Speaker had let that little point slip through as a gift, not a topic for discussion right now. The knowledge must have shown on her face though, as Aliza inclined her head, very slightly, and gave one of her rare smiles.

"I understand further transport will be arranged for you there?" she asked, and at Rahi's nod continued: "Very good. Complete your mission, and report to me on your return. We look forward to seeing you on the Valhawk."

-----

Rahi was still buoyant later, when she again met Freh'ya to escort the Matriarch to the docks, and not even the awkwardness of how out of place she must have looked - her still in her uniform, as pristine as she could manage for the brief communication with home, now among the rough-and-ready dock workers and their utilitarian surrounds - could entirely bring her spirits back to ground.

Cyan Sun was no Talith hull, that was for sure, but Rahi wasn't discouraged on that account - with all the odd helm jobs she had moved through between her initial huntress training and returning to service during the war, she had seen her share of trusty old workrauses, and for all its age and the wear of decades or more of service, there was no stain of neglect clinging to her hull. She met a glance from Freh'ya with a confident smile, and otherwise concentrated on keeping her place, and staying clear of the argument about the ship's readiness.

[connection: Taleeze Driana – CIT0627345872-ABC]
….
“So, it will take a bit longer than expected, huh?”
“Yeah, there have been a couple of complications… I’ll explain later, but we only will be able to leave tomorrow, earliest. After Hyetiana I’ll be heading to the Citadel immediately.”
“Please let me know when you know the date of your arrival here, kay?”
“Sure. I am definitely looking forward to that, I can tell you. I have enough of ice and snow by now…”
“Hahaha, come on, I am sure you are just enjoying the view from a cozy guest room at the Matriarch’s place.”
“Yeah… sort of… we are in Sunda, Glacier Quarters right now.”
“Oh nice… how’s the Glacial World Aquarium nowadays? If you have the chance, go see it. if it's still standing.”
“Thanks, I will try to. … Oh, I left Skylar a voice message, it was midnight Nos Astra time. Give her a kiss when you talk. But I have to run now, take care, Tal! Hugs and kisses.”
“Kisses, love. Take care too.”
[connection terminated]

~~~~~

Sure, the Cyan Sun wasn’t in the same league as the Sala T’Era but for the commando, any sturdy ship would do. She had spent enough time in cramped cargo bays to not complain about anything.

Eventually, they left the docks for the quarter of Sunda they had been given a spacious hotel suite in. Freh’ya had to limit her stride as to not overpace it for the Matriach at her side. When they had arrived at the hotel, the Matriach was excusing herself to her room, leaving Freh’ya and Rahi sitting in the hotel lobby.

“I don’t know about you, but I have nothing else to do now. My gear is packed, the reports are submitted. Would you like to take a walk around the city? The harbor area maybe? There’s an aquarium we could visit… maybe we find some exquisite food places too. I admit, Trategos cuisine is something I am not too familiar with. Mostly chilled seafood I guess.”

The message had been received, that much was certain, the little button on the com panel had lit up properly even if Temria hadn't actually touched it. The response, however, was not forthcoming, and the relative silence that now punctuated the scene left her feeling nervous and exposed. Pursing her lips uneasily, the doctor tightened her underarm grip on the package despite the pain in her arm, she tried to tell herself she was letting a silly prejudice about this sort of place get the better of her, that the people that remained here were the last unfortunate victims prepared to return to a normal life. But Sunda was a city after all, party to the best and worst of people, and tough times could drive them both in similar directions.

"Sorry." a voice called out from the other side of the terminal, carrying a familiar tone despite the distortion that it momentarily distracted Temria from her musing to the thought of urban decay... "I had to check. Hold on..."

With a hiss the doorway before her split along a diagonal line, its upper half slipping into the recess of the wall smoothly, while the other only receded about half way in the other direction in a way Temria couldn't dwell on long enough to tell if it was intentional or not. Across the threshold familiar eyes stared back at her, familiar everything. The arching brow, the strong jaw, that intense face that the intervening decades of wear could not conceal... but most of all it was the eyes that struck her, just as they'd always been, intense and a little frightening, she felt a swell of pride that she could still read them when their expression as they eased away from sheer surprise to a duller, if still bewildered expression.

The silence could have stretched on for an eternity... although on reflection Temria might have deduced that it only lasted four and a half seconds until the next slamming sound seemed to snap them both out of it. "H-hiy Tizine..." she blurted out, slipping into the old accent like a glove, "It's... it's good to see you again."