[Tayseri] A good day for a Stroll

"I'm getting a bit stiff Mrs Rondor, why don't you show me this shelter. It'll give me an idea of what to expect, then we grab the sensors and vid equipment. I found a decent second hand shop over by the makeshift market a few blocks away from Dilinaga Hall." The newly appointed 'security expert' stood and stretched for emphasis, his 183cm frame towering over Mrs Rondor. Snow glanced over at the window, seeing the same set of goons watching the door of the apartment complex, along with brief movement on an adjacent rooftop.

In truth, Julian Snow wanted to get a read on how Tayseri was reacting to 'Lady's' demise, not to mention if any of the gangs, syndicates, or rogue slingers had plans involving the duct rats. But Snow didn't want to spook Mrs Rondor too much, if they we're in luck, the two of them wouldn't encounter anything too serious, and would have the equipment installed at the end of work. But in Snow's experience, things always went wrong, whether it be a faulty seal on an EVA suit, getting caught on Thessia, or even the events on Benning. "Best to be prepared", thinking to himself as he pulled out a pair of fingerless work gloves. As Snow pulled them on, his eyes met Mrs Rondor's,

"Seems like a good day for a walk. And I could use the exercise."

Michelle looked up from her terminal and shrugged.

"Alright Mr Snow, it sounds like a good idea. The weather is..."

She looked out the window and smiled.

"...always the same because we're on the Citadel, I need to get used to that. Father Matembo, who heads the charity now, told me to come by anytime. I'll just send him a message saying we're on our way... There we go!"

Michelle led Snow outside and locked the door.

"After you. Also how many times do I have to tell you? It can be Michelle, miss Rondor, or even freaking Whiskers as long as we're not in public. Although the kids could like it. But why always Mrs? Makes me feel old."

As the unlikely duo exited the apartment complex, one of the suit wearing goons walked off, attempting to act like a businessman late for a meeting. The other sat down at a bistro across the street, gazing at Julian Snow and Michelle Rondor as they began to make their way to the catholic shelter. Snow glanced over at the man watching the apartment, the human wearing a suit that was a notch above cheap, yet it hung off him wrong. Turning to Mrs Rondor as the two rounded the corner,

"The man enjoying his drink at the bistro, he's been watching us for the past hour ", Snow remarked matter of factly to 'Miss Whiskers' as the two of the stopped at an intersection, above them a grey and green billboard advertised an company called Titan, with a fucking dragon as it's logo. The lower ward was bustling with workers, refugees looking for any work, a few buskers and street performers, and some gang muscle scattered amidst the bustling boulevard the two were walking on. Turning towards a human/hanar duo juggling kitchen knives Snow thought about what Mrs Rondor asked, dropping the 'Miss', Yeah right, he mused to himself as he tried to make the answer a touch more diplomatic.

"I don't think we're that well acquainted yet Mrs Rondor, but thank you anyway."

Michelle was dumbfounded. She imagined that at some point the local gangs would notice them, maybe send threats. But already commit someone to watch them all day, even before they talked to their first kid? That's crazy.

"Are you sure he's here for us? I mean we can't possibly be worth that trouble yet...

Also Mrs is for a married woman. I am not. I'm more than ok with staying formal, but it'll be miss, or the neutral ms."

"Well Miss Rondor, you did advertise Leaving the Ducts on the extranet. Some of the gangs do read CDN I'd imagine", Snow retorted, looking down at his fluffy boss as they resumed walking towards the shelter. It still amazed Snow that people thought gangs were dumb, loudmouth punks who did the bitch work for the syndicates, big three, or the top dog in the neighborhood. "Guess it's time for Miss Rondor to learn the facts of life", Snow thought as he got himself a water, and an asari juice drink for Miss Whiskers.

"Most of the time, you'd be right. But with what you have planned, it's going to diminish a gang's recruiting pool, not to mention take away the early warning system they use. Duct rats aren't just pickpockets, they watch trouble spots, create distractions, and in the case of the 'Lady', help keep track of a target. It's what I was used for when I ran with the DSC."


Taking a swallow of water, Snow looked at Miss Rondor intently, trying to gauge her reaction as he continued,

"So no, they're not going to just sit back at let us have our way in Lower Tayseri, not without coming to an 'arrangement' at the least. At worst, well, if the 'Tayseri Drug Queen' is fair game...",
Snow let his voice trail off, letting Miss Whiskers absorb the down and dirty explanation.

"Yes I did Mr Snow, and not only on CDN, far from it. And I'll keep advertising. Even if I'm bankrolling our charity for now, we need donations to make it sustainable. That implies publicity. It's just that we're not the only people asking for money. I hoped we wouldn't make their radar until we scored some successes with the kids... ho well."

Michelle scowled at the rest of Snow's explanation.

"What kind of arrangement are we talking about? I'm not paying these thugs to let us work, they'd just use the money to do even more damage."

"Agreed, paying tribute is a no go, which means having to negotiate with the local block captain, top boy, whatever the person in charge is called.", smiling at Miss Rondor's acumen. And it was the truth, pay a gang tribute, and they'll bleed you white. Snow thought for a moment, his eyes moving from the line at the transit station, then back to Miss Rondor,

"We'll just make sure that it isn't money they want Miss, because a show of respect may suffice, along with an agreement not to interfere beyond vocational training", the two of them continuing to the catholic shelter. Despite the crowds, signs of poverty in the slums, and C-Sec patrolling in force, or rather because of it, Julian Snow was starting to feel at home. And it showed in his posture,

"Are we getting close to this catholic shelter yet?"

Michelle didn't like having to pretend to the local man that they wouldn't interfere with their business, because if either they would lie and the gangers wouldn't like it when they realized it, or it would be the truth and it means the charity would be a sham.

Well, even more of a sham...

"So we stall... We'll have to find something better in a while, but for now it works for me. And yes we're pretty close. We'll have someone else to meet there, a CDN member who asked our assistance finding and helping a kid. I didn't promise anything, but it might be a good start for us."

They arrived at the Saint John Paul the Great church of Taseyri, a beautiful building under which the shelter was located.

Michelle gave an impish smile at Snow.

"Ready for some spirituality?"

"You mean religion", Snow dryly commented as he looked up at the two level edifice, complete with a steeple and bell. An amused laugh escaping Snow's lips, reminding him of the rescue shelter on Dekum, and the nuns and laypeople yelling at him when he tried to climb up the building. Walking through the doors, Snow was content to follow Miss Rondor's lead, walking through the foyer. Apparently Miss Whiskers had been here before, judging by her renewed energy and bounce to her steps, the two making their way to a man clad in an archaic cassock, as if he was expecting a fluffy do-gooder and a recent convict,

"Called ahead did we?" Looking over at his boss, then the tall priest as they met in the middle of the narthex.

Michelle only smiled at Snow.

Father Matumbo was a tall, lean man, with black skin and a perpetually tired but kind expression. He beamed at Michelle and Julian and took the former's hand in his.

"Welcome back Michelle, it's a pleasure to see you again here. I don't imagine you came for mass?"

Michelle smiled back.

"Sorry father, we came for business as you expected. This is my colleague I told you off, Julian Snow."

The father turned to Snow and offered his hands.

"It's a pleasure to meet you mister Snow. You undertook a very noble task."

"I suppose that is one way to look at it Father", Snow whispered as he shook Father Matembo's hand, removing his his hood as a sign of courtesy. The three of them walking through the sanctuary to a pair of double doors leading to the shelter. Going through the hall to the shelter, all Snow heard was Father Matembo's and Miss Whiskers's footsteps, along with the street noise. No duct rats in the shelter at the moment, Snow found it strange, but he'd wait to inquire until they entered the shelter proper.

Thank you for meeting us here on such short notice. Miss Rondor has told me about the shelter here, but seeing it, it..." looking at a sealed off section, the shelter still being repaired as Father Matembo showed Snow and Mrs Rondor around, the lanky young man looked up at the tall ebony skinned man of god with a knowing look, "seems a bit empty for a facility this widely known." Courtesies taken care of, it was time for work. And Snow was glancing around the dormitory, seeing only a few laypeople here and there, a nun attending to the unused beds, nothing to suggest that the shelter was at full capacity. Julian Snow turned back to Father Matembo, looking up at him with a slightly curious stare,

I thought with lower Tayseri still trying to rebuild you lot would be swamped."

Father Matembo started to look a bit uncomfortable.

"Actually at night we have a lot of young people here, don't you worry. They just don't feel like staying here at day."

It was the truth, but not the whole truth, Michelle thought while they walked. Then it clicked in her head.

"Father, are those the classrooms? Why are they locked?"

That's why there was no kids at day. Usually some of them attended basic classes, something Michelle wanted to be a part of. But the doors were shut down, and apparently had been for quite a while.

Now the father was really agitated.

"Ho yeah, the classrooms... Hu we just can't provide that service here anymore... The rooms have been badly hit by the fighting, and wouldn't be safe... Also we don't have volunteer teachers like we used to..."

Michelle exchanged a knowing look with Snow. Something was up.

Listening to Father Matembo's 'explaination', Snow knew he wasn't telling the whole story, the way the priest shifted his weight and change in voice, he was hiding something. The ex-salvager walked over to one of the adjacent tables, outwardly Snow was placid but inwardly, he was starting to get irritated. Father Matembo was giving him and Miss Rondor the runaround, and that was unacceptable. Giving the man of god his thousand yard stare, Snow decided to jump in,

"Father, what's really going on? If the classrooms were under construction, there would be signs of it. And your staff is walking around as if preparing for a funeral, not a fuckin' shelter...no offense." Snow pausing for a moment before finishing,

"Now I'm going to give you a choice, you're not going to like it, but here it is. You tell Miss Rondor and I what is going on, or I start walking around looking for answers.

The father was obviously shocked at Snow's bluntness. Mouth agape, he turned to Michelle, hoping for support, but expression provided none.

"Sorry father but he has a point. What's going on here?"

The father hesitated for a second, looking around him, obviously worried. He finally invited Snow and Michelle in an empty room and closed the door behind them.

"I'm... I'm sorry... They told me to close the classrooms... The gangs. They said that school was taking too much of the children's time, time they employed to... Scout for them, steal for them, who knows what else?
I'm sorry, I know it's cowardly, but what can I do? C-Sec can't protect us all the time! And they said if I called the police, they would... execute kids. They're brutes!"

The father was obviously ashamed of himself, Michelle looked at him in sympathy. She was extremely worried.

"it seems that it's worse than we thought, Mr Snow."

"Gangs...or gang priest? Because right before the war, clergy were left out of underworld squabbles, for practical purposes." Hearing the holy man's explanation did nothing to ease Snow's irritation, that a crew was crazy enough to threaten a priest just to bolster their numbers meant trouble. Not to mention C-Sec had 'higher priorities', which meant Father Matembo had to choose. Not a desirable decision, but without any security or protection the shelter was shit out of luck. "I'll just let him tell it how it is", Snow thought as he took a seat across from Miss Rondor and Father Matembo, trying to keep cool, hoping the priest would know the name of the idiotic crew that braced him,

"Look Father, you're in a fucked situation, I get it. You had to choose between keeping the shelter open or being a martyr, I'm not going to judge you, but I do need to know the name of the gang that gave you the 'proposal' ", Snow spitting out the last with disgust before finishing. "Because the same people might, no, will come after Miss Rondor, and I will be ready."

The father was obviously hesitating. He was scared really.
Michelle took his hand and spoke with a soft voice.

"I understand your concern father, but we need to know what we're dealing with here. If you don't tell us we might end up in a lot of trouble, and if you do we may help with the situation?"

How? Damned if she knew. But it didn't show on her face at least.

Listening to Miss Whiskers use the soft sell on the priest, Snow walked over to another table, mentally kicking himself for bracing Father Matembo like he did, "Like I have any fuckin' right to judge", thinking as he calmed down, walking back to where Miss Rondor and the gaunt man of god were seated. Keeping his face a neutral mask, Leaving the Ducts 'security' expert stood beside his fluffy boss and let Father Matembo tell them who intimidated him,

"It was not long after you arrived Miss, when I was visited by two thugs wearing cheap suits. They told me that the Lower Tayseri Elite had plans, and that St John Paul's school had no place in the new order, is how they put it. They made it clear that if I re-opened the school, they'd kill one duct rat a day, along with 'punishing' my staff. Your colleague is right Miss Rondor, I had to make a choice, become a martyr, or do the best I can with what I have..." the priest finished, cradling his head with his hands in a mixture of guilt and relief.

At the mention of the Lower Tayseri Elite, Julian Snow perked up, his eyes meeting the priest's, "The fuckin' LTE? The same bunch who were chased out of the New Dillinaga baazar for slinging Slant? Figures". Snow had heard that little rumor at the hostel he was staying at, apparently the LTE were not only stupid, but desperate to expand into another crew's territory, according to Father Matembo's account.

Snow glanced over at Miss Rondor, hoping she knew what to say or do to comfort the priest, he knew fuck all about consoling people.

Thug in a cheap suit? Michelle thought immediately of the one whom Snow said was watching them. Apparently Julian's instinct were not to be doubted. She was amazed at how out of her speed all of this was. If she knew what Alliance pencil-pushed had sent Julian her way, she'd send them flowers.

But for now she had to look in control.

"You did well father. No sense endangering yourself and the kids, it wouldn't have changed a thing. Please keep staying low, and Julian will set up a plan of action to get these thugs of our back. Please keep the shelter running, and keep the kids' trust. Ho, speaking of which, before we go, do you know a kid named Alonso Cutri? Human, around 12 years, pale skin, black hair. He may or may not use that name though so..."

The priest thought about it for a second. The change of subject, especially for one he had control over, eased his tension a little.

"it rings a bell actually... I had for a few night a pack of kids, and once one of them called the other Alonso, and got shushed. Corresponds to your description too. They haven't been around for a while, but they hang out in the old clawball field near the third Spirits Communion Center!"

Michelle smiled warmly at him.

"Thank you very much father. And trust me, it will be alright!"

Michelle and Snow went for the door, and Michelle opened it while saying to Snow :

"So now how do we deal with those LTE buggers?"

"I think we're about to find out Miss Rondor", Snow replied, pointing at what was awaiting them, the two thugs that had been watching them, walking towards the church...and the ex-salvager and fluffy do-gooder. One of them was the human sitting at the bistro, his buddy was a turian, a bareface fittingly. But both them were wearing those suits instead of street gear, and the same air of self entitlement as the tried to barge past Snow and Miss Whiskers, evidently to visit the good Father, but Snow was having none of it. A feral grin starting to form on Snow's angular face as the ex-salvager stopping in his tracks, leaning in the doorway with the same air he possessed the day he met Miss Rondor,

"Good afternoon gentlemen, do you have business with the good father? Or is this a social call?" The ex-marine flashing a cold grin to the two goons, making them stop right in front of the doors.

"Out of the fucking way beanpole, we have business with the priest, we'll deal with you and the bitch later", the human thug snarling as he attempted to brush past Snow, only for the charity worker to push him back, "listen, I don't know what cave you crawled out of, but here, you don't fuckin' barge into the Lord's house and threaten a goddamn priest, You, and the fuckin' mandible, Snow pointing to the Turian who was keeping an eye on Miss Rondor, the young man's voice a threatening rasp, "will give Father Matembo a respectful call, and he'll decide if he wants to talk. If so, he'll fuckin' see you. But not before then." Finishing his little rebuttal to the two goons, Snow could see he had their undivided attention. The human was in shock, as if this goddamn hoody was giving THEM orders? The turian gave Snow what could be considered a smile before responding,

"Human thinks he has some balls, very well furhead, we'll fucking call the priest...then we're going in." Snow gave Miss Rondor a knowing look as he saw Father Matembo right at the door, the turian reaching into his suit jacket, his fucking buddy flanking the ex-salvager, Snow removing his coat as he stepped aside, letting the ebony priest come out as the two thugs stepped back, giving themselves some room. A part of Julian Snow wanted Father Matembo to successfully intervene, but the darker part, the Butcher of Joughin, hoped that the two badly dressed fucks would try something, for the exercise if nothing else.

The turian then produced a blade from his jacket, and started walking over Michelle and Snow, blade in front.

Michelle was having none of it though.

"Alright boys, that's enough!"

With a defiant look she pulled her mace, pointed it at the turian who had a look of surprise, and she pressed the button.

Father Matembo, who was on her side, got his face covered in debilitating spray.

"What the hell?"

"HHHHAAAAAAAAA! WHAT DID YOU DO YOU-" the rest of the sentence was lost, the insults in Swahili being yelled too fast for the translator to keep up.

Michelle looked at her spray in confusion, and realized she somehow activated a side-spray function, probably invented to incapacitate someone waiting for you in ambush.

The two thugs looked at each other, having no idea what just happened.