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>>43397334

After a few moments, the projector flickers to life and floats to the center of the room, displaying a greenish grey planet with a few wispy clouds here and there.

Palaven,” Vasir says, sitting down heavily across from you. “That’s where all this starts. About a month ago, we received an… interesting piece of info from a former Turian soldier. Close to thirty years ago, there was an Unsecured Bioweapon Emergency on Palaven, specifically at this site.” The image zooms in to some mountains and highlights a specific section.

“This is Valluvia, a Province on Palaven. It’s supposedly ‘holy’ land, forbidden to all but the Valluvian Priests.” The Asari continues, wincing a little as she shifts in her seat. “Those priests are extinct now, but the area remained restricted. Up until thirty years ago, or so my contact said.”

The picture switches to that of a Turian with blue facial markings and tinged crest, “This is General Desolas Arterius.” At your inquiring look, she nods. “Saren Arterius’s older brother. He’s dead now, of course.”

>[CONT.]

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>>43397362

“Anyways, the General had apparently made arrangements with a group of Valluvian Priests to land soldiers at a specific holy site called ‘Temple Palaven.’ My contact had no idea what was going on, up until the General made a display of what he called ‘The Future of the Turian Race.’ Turians who were stronger, tougher and utterly obedient to their commander. Here’s a picture my contact snapped, look familiar?” The projector switches over to a grainy image of a Turian head with glowing blue cybernetics implanted in it. It’s startlingly similar to the husks you fought on Eden Prime a year ago and you say so.

Vasir nods in agreement. “I thought the same thing after reading Shepard’s reports. Anyways, a few days later, the ‘Meta-Turians’ as they were called, went berserk and started attacking everything in sight. Saren Arterius called it in as a ‘bioweapon’ and ordered the entire area purged. Which mostly worked out, except for one thing.”

The picture switches again, this time to a blurry image of what is unmistakably a running male human. A human, on Palaven, close to thirty years ago. You give Vasir a disbelieving stare and she shrugs, “That was pretty much my expression too, but my contact backed it up. Said they picked the human up on Ilium, and he was accompanied by a woman. Didn’t know anything about him, but he said that the woman addressed the man as ‘Jack’ and the Turians called him as ‘Harper’ when they weren’t insulting him.”

>[CONT.]

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>>43397396

“Anyways, he, somehow, escaped during the chaos. After things died down, the troopers were sworn to secrecy and reassigned to other commands. Fast-Forward thirty years, and one of those soldiers has an attack of conscience.” She shifts and winces again. She should really get to a medic. “After seeing what Saren got up to and some of the footage of the Husks, he decides to come clean. He sends some info to the Spectres and I get to take a look. Two days later, Me and Edric, his name, are dropping into Valluvia, for a more indepth investigation. What we found was… disturbing.”

The image switches, and shows a large, twisting, blue device sitting in the middle of a cavern. It’s unlike anything you’ve seen before, and it deeply unnerves you. “We found this thing sitting in the middle of the ruins of Temple Palaven. Doesn’t match the designs of any known species, and the entire time we were there it kept putting out this… sound. We were going to leave and return with a science team, but things were taken out of our hands.”

>[CONT.]

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>>43397419

“You ever heard of Cord-Hislop Aerospace?” Vasir asks as the projector switches images again, this time to a symbol of sorts. “Successful engineering company with a few contracts with the Alliance. While we were leaving we were ambushed by a professional strike team. Managed to take them out and interrogate the leader, who told us the name of the one who hired him, one Morgan Flamel.

"Did some digging into the name and it turns out she’s a minor executive in Cord-Hislop. After picking up some heavier muscle and a science team, we visited the site again, only to find the entire place had been glassed. So, we retreated and I did some research. Turns out Cord-Hislop has been implicated in relations with Cerberus, thanks to some intel that Commander Shepard dredged up last year.”

“I was meeting with Edric again today, near the 133 Block when we were ambushed again,” Vasir continues with a grimace. “Edric died nearly instantly, and I tried to escape into the mall. I didn’t expect them to turn the entire place into a bloodbath. After that, I figured it was good idea to inform anyone who can help out, which means pretty much every Spectre”

She sighs, “So, what do you think Commander? Anything you need cleared up?”

>Response?

>>43397457

"So, Cerberus is hunting you because you learned something about some kind of ancient artifact that the Turian Government was hiding? How are these things connected?"

"So we basically have no idea who this "Jack" is or where he went from there?"

>>43397457
"What can we do with this info then? Anywhere we can search or people we can interrogate? How about this Flamel woman? Where's she at?"

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For a few moments, you just sit there, absorbing everything the Asari has just told you. It’s… pretty big, all things considered, but you’re having trouble pulling some parts together.

“So,” You begin. “Cerberus is hunting you because you found out about some kind of ancient artifact that the Turian Government was hiding?”

“Or something about that situation,” Vasir answers with a shrug. “Could be related to those humans as well.”

“And we basically have no idea who this ‘Jack’ is or where he went from there?”

“Oh, I’ve looked,” the other Spectre responds. “The name ‘Jack Harper’ doesn’t really narrow searches down, even if I limit them to people who lived 30 years ago. Nothing shows up for humans on Ilium either, even though one showing up there at the time would be pretty momentous.”

You frown, “Could someone have wiped all records of him?”

Another shrug, “If they did, they’d have quite a lot of resources to manage something like that.”

“What can we actually do with this info then?” You ask. “Where can we search? Who can we interrogate? How are we going to get more info on Cerberus or whatever that thing was?”

>[CONT.]

>>43398135

“What can we actually do with this info then?” You ask. “Where can we search? Who can we interrogate? How are we going to get more info on Cerberus or whatever that thing was?”

“I never got the chance to do much digging into beyond the surface for Cerberus, but C-Sec and the Spectres have a few files compiled on them,” Vasir replies. “Cord-Hislop was something that we were only getting started investigating. There are several leads, some you can take a look at yourself, seeing as you have a ship and team. What I’ve got so far is just the beginnings of something big, and I decided that getting the info out would make sure that someone manages to keep investigating if I’m killed.”

“Is that everything? I think I should get some medical attention soon.”

>Response?

>>43398154
Go ahead and get yourself looked at. It looks like I need to pay a visit to Morgan Flamel

>>43398154
"I'll do some research, see if some of those leads can help out. You should get to a hospital."

>Seems really dead today, should I keep running?

>>43398404
Keep going I was distracted for a bit

>>43398404
It might pick up in a few hours. Or it might not. Depends on whether everyone is out trick-or-treating with their kids or if they're out getting completely smashed at a party somewhere.

>>43398438
I'm such a loser, I have no plans on Halloween other than posting on 4chan and playing blood bowl.

>>43398558
>Comparatively, all my plans revolved around running a Quest.

>>43398583
and we appreciate it, Just give it a while, your quests usually take a bit before people show up.

>>43398583
Tbh this is the only quest thread to interest me in years.

>>43398154
>>43398255
I'll Support this. We should hit up Garus, he would know more about what Shepard knew about Cerberus, and we can follow up on asking him about the 'Reapers' maybe see of we can dig up a lead to follow and find evidence for or against their existence.

>>43398404
Please do, I just checked my twitter and saw you were running. I'm sure more people will show up soon.

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“Yeah, you should go ahead and get yourself to a hospital,” You answer as you rise from your seat. “I'll do some research, see if some of those leads can help out.”

Vasir groans slightly as she rises, “Thank you, Commander. I’ve uploaded my findings to the Spectre Network, so please see if you can share it with people who can help. I’ll see you around.”
_

Leo waits for you in the main area of the Spectre offices, still wearing his armor and carrying his weapons. You almost stop to explain everything, but remember that there’s an info pack you can show him instead. Logging into the Spectre Network, you load up the info and transfer it to Leo’s Omni-tool and begin doing research while he gets caught up.

The first thing you find is that Cerberus has been around for close to thirty years, and was founded as a human supremacist group. A Manifesto published shortly after the First-Contact War called for a “Cerberus” to protect mankind from any and all threats. The writer of the Manifesto was given the name “The Illusive Man” by various intelligence agencies for his seemingly ephemeral nature. And for thirty years, he’s evaded all attempts to find him, even as his organization grows.

>[CONT.]

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>>43399437

It was only after Commander Shepard’s attack on several compounds last year that shed a great deal of light on them. They possess enough manpower and resources to maintain a variety of laboratories for studying dangerous species, and a sizable military force armed with excellent gear. A few Members of the Alliance Parliament were discovered to be working towards some of Cerberus’s goals, both knowingly and unknowingly, and several of them were arrested. Some wealthy private individuals were discovered with ties to Cerberus and subsequently arrested covertly.

Cord-Hislop remains active, despite several probes into the company. They’ve never been found guilty of any wrongdoing and it's become quite frustrating for C-Sec. The Spectres have only uncovered a few leads, none of which have actually been capitalized on. The first is a research facility on Noveria where Cord-Hislop supposedly conducts Aerospace research. The second is a man on Omega who supposedly functions as an Agent for Cerberus, one Deacon Nall. The last is a more recent addition brought about by the addition of Vasir’s data to the system; Morgan Flamel, a young executive in Cord-Hislop and possibly another Agent for Cerberus, currently located on Ilium. You scan over the info, not sure which one you should pursue first.

>Action?
>Research Facility on Noveria
>Deacon Nall on Omega
>Morgan Flamel on Ilium
>[Write-in]

>>43399454
>>Research Facility on Noveria
This sounds like a good lead.

>>43399454
>Research Facility on Noveria
The people might just be unwitting pawns, and therefore fairly useless to us, but the research facility could easily give us cold, hard facts about what the fuck they're up to.

>>43399454

I'm not opposed to the research facility, but let's talk to Leo and Garrus first.

>>43399608
It just seems like the most spectre-y thing to do. I'm not opposed to going over everything in more detail.

>>43399608
I agree, we need someone who has experience in dealing with Cerberus, Garus has that. Plus it will allow us to gather more intel on the real events that surrounded Shepard, and could used to confirm or rebuke the issue of the 'Repears' if they do exist then we need to preparing for them in some way.

>>43399692
Agreed, but we should still get some advice first.

That research facility might have the most info and, at the moment, you’re in dire need of information. But it might be a good idea to get some advice on what the best course of action is.

Spinning your chair around, you find Leo leaning forward in his own, frowning as he reads up on the data pack you sent him. He looks up from his omni-tool as you approach him and asks “Yeah?”

“You done reading?”

He tilts his head in a confirmatory gesture. “Pretty much. What’s up?”

“I’ve got some leads and I wanted to know which one you’d recommend,” you say before giving him a rundown on the options as well as your opinion.

He runs a hand through his hair, pushing it back, only for it to flop forward again. “Out of all those, I’d go after the Executive. Flamel. She’s the one who’ll be easiest to get to and people like her rarely vary their schedules too much. We go to Ilium, scope her out, and try to capture her. If the facility gets attacked, then Cerberus’s network will probably get alerted, which would probably make other operations against them harder. Just my opinion, but I would seriously recommend leaving the facility for last.”

You nod, mulling the info over as you thank your XO. Another opinion might be helpful though. Opening your Omni-tool, you call Garrus Vakarian.

>[CONT.]

>>43400103

“You’ve reached Garrus Vakarian, please leave a message after the tone.” Your comm beeps into your ear. Well, so much for that angle. Briefly, you leave a message asking the Turian to call you back and hang up.

>Action?
>Stick with the Facility
>Switch to Nall
>Switch to Flamel
>[Write-In]

>>43400119
>Stick with the Facility

There's the same argument for Flamel and Nall- if we attack them then their network will get alerted. Might as well go for the big bucks first thing while it's possible.

>>43400119
Stick with the facility.
If the alert goes up from us nabbing an individual, the research gets scattered to the winds and we potentially lose that lead entirely. if the alert goes up and the people go to ground, then their operations are disrupted and we can catch them from their associates or continued business dealings.

>>43400119
>Switch the Flamel

It's hard to pack up a facility and we could capture Flamel and leave before any even knows she's gone.

>>43400219
What this anon said. We still know what Nall and Flamel look like, after all, and we can still nab 'em if they poke their heads up.

>>43400119
>>Stick with the Facility

>>43400119
Stick with the Facility. We can always get a second chance to nab someone cerberus, but if we do it now we will lose out on the research.

>>43400119
What do you guys say about splitting the team? One person for Nall, hopefully someone familiar with Omega like Jaro or Cath (They're mercs, after all) then one person for Flamel, and everyone else to the facility. Tell them to stay still until we get out of the facility, and then we can grab those two while they're reeling.

>>43400119
I say Flamel

>>43400303
Never split the party man, RPG 101

>>43400303
I'd be okay with that if we had more people but we're understrength as it is.

>>43400303
Never ever split the party. That way leads to bad ends.

>Sonovabitch, forgot the second choice
_

>Next Action?
>Do More Research
>Head Back to the Nakshatra
>[Write-in]

>>43400320
>>43400353
There's no point in having a crew if we don't use them.

>>43400329
That's a good point. If we could make three teams of two, that would be better, but we can't.

>>43400375
>Head Back to the Nakshatra

We're probably all sweaty now.

Does Leo smell the Lemon-Lime?

>>43400375
>>Do More Research
>>Head Back to the Nakshatra

>>43400375
>Head Back to the Nakshatra

>>43400443
Shower Scene?

>>43400443
>>43400525
I'm all for waifuing, but let's not waifu the Leo.

>>43400554
But the Leo is the superior husbando. And paid enough attention/knew enough about us to give us our callsign. Think about it.

>>43400592
I just want to see all the options, he is pretty though...

>>43400375
>more research.
> Then back to the ship.

We should look up what sort of upgrades are available for a ship, it's pretty good right now, but it could always be better, and even if we can't use them now it'd still be nice to know what is available.

>>43400668
Did we ever get around to sending that thank you note to the dev team?

>>43400646
I agree we should wait until we know all our available romance options are before settling for one.

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Ultimately, you decide to stick with your decision to hit the facility first, rationalizing it as not wanting that mission to get any harder than it already is. Letting Leo know, he acknowledges your decision, saying that your reasoning is sound. Standing up from your seat, you realize you’re stil armored up. Thankfully, the Onyx Armor is quite comfortable so you aren’t overheating or dying ot get out of it, but it’s about time you headed back to your ship. Your second-in-command falls into step as you head for the door.
_

It’s pretty late by the time you get back to the Nakshaktra, a little past 2100 according to Ship Time. You shower quickly after changing out of your armor, luxuriating in the hot water and private bathroom you have. Dressing in your fatigue bottoms and a tanktop, you see that you have a message, flagged as urgent on your Omni-tool. Opening it up, you find that it’s from the Asari Councilor, asking you to meet with her at your earliest convenience and lists an address on the Presidium. Checking the time, you see it’s only 1700 on the station.

>Action?

>>43400687
We should do that too!

>>43400715
>Action?

Send a response saying we'll meet soon.

Then show Leo & some others the letter and plan in case this is a trap.

>>43400715
This works >>43400757

>>43400757
>>43400715
I'll support this. Though she probably wants to thank us for saving her family.

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Pulling on your jacket and boots, you make your way into the commons area where Leo and Cath sit at the conference table, discussing some schematics on Cath’s Omni-tool.

“... if you add an S4 Core though, the overall efficiency decreases even though it’s higher quality,” Cath says as she points to a particular spot on the plans.

“Efficiency might go down, but output goes up which is necessary for higher end modules,” Leo retorts, pointing at a readout on the side.

“But if efficiency is…” the polymath trails off as she sees you approach and greets you. “Hello Commander.”

Your XO nods to you as well, “Hey Sona, what’s up?”

You smile in turn, sitting down at the table, “Hey guys, good job out there today.”

“Thank you,” Cath says, her lips twitching upward slightly. “I have to say, it’s the first time that I’ve had to push my abilities in quite a while. It was… enjoyable.”

Leo just gives you a shit-eating grin and rolls his shoulders a bit, “Honey, I always do my best.”

You roll your eyes and hold out your omni-tool, the message you received earlier displayed on the screen, “Anyways, I just got this message and was planning to head out now. Just letting you guys know in case it turns out to be a trap.”

Leo blinks, “Uh, okay then. You have a panic signal, right?”

You nod in the affirmative.

“Do you want anyone to come along, just in case?” Cath asks.

>Bring anyone with you?

>No
>Leo
>Cath
>Jaro
>One of the Crew (Johann, Artesia, Ai)

>>43401478
>No

We'll be Fiiiiine.

We did check it's actually the Councillor's address, right?

>>43401478
>Leo
>Cath
>Jaro

>>43401526

>It's her address.

>>43401478
>No, but have them on stand by nearby just in case.

>>43401478
>>No

>>43401478
Seconding
>>43401583

>>43401478
Have a 3 man QRF on standby

Who else is expecting the Councilor to get assassinated and us being framed?

>>43401725
The Councilor.

>I even set up the assassination and framing for you too. Ta-ta.
>Head-shot!

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>be monitoring the Drawthread
>See this: >>43399234
>Then this: >>43401745

Valor, you sly dog you.

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>>43401971

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“Nah, it’s fine,” You say as you stand up. “It’s her actual address. Although if you guys wouldn’t mind staying on stand-by?”

The two of them exchange glances before Leo sighs, “Sure, we’ll be ready.”

“Thanks guys,” You say as you head for the airlock, making sure your Cobra is tucked inside your jacket. “I appreciate it.”
_

The flight to the Councilor’s residence is uneventful, and you take the time to just watch the view. The Citadel truly is breathtaking when you stop to enjoy the vista. All those lights, all those lives. Lives you’ve sworn to protect, through any means necessary. It’s a sobering thought.

Even though it’s been quite a while since you’ve slept, you feel fine, a result of your augments no doubt. As the aircar touches down, you are caught a little off guard by the modest nature of the Councillor’s dwelling. It’s a townhouse, just another in a line of similar buildings. You double-check the address, just in case, but it’s the right one. Disembarking from the vehicle, you approach the front door and wave your hand over the inactive holo-screen mounted on the door.

>[CONT.]

>>43401971
>Lewd was there and I couldn't resist.

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>>43402121

It flickers to life, displaying the face of Councilor Tevos, who smiles as she sees you. “Hello Commander. Please come in, I’ve just unlocked the door.” And the screen disappears as the door swings open. Huh, this might not be a trap.

Entering the foyer, you’re struck by the eclectic nature of the decorations. You can see quite a few inspirations, but the predominant one appears to be Japanese, judging from the ink paintings and floral patterns and the soft music playing over the speakers. A few moments after you enter, an older blue-skinned Drell enters from another room. He’s not dressed like a servant, instead wearing grey armor and carrying several blades on his body. Probably the Councilor’s bodyguard, you’re guessing.

“Greetings Commander,” the Drell intones, his vibrato voice deeper than the norm for his kind. “The Councilor is waiting in her study. If you could turn over your sidearm, it would be most appreciated.”

>Action?

>Turn over your Pistol
>Try to convince him to let you hold onto it

>>43402136
>Turn it over, we're still deadly even unarmed

>>43402136
>Turn over your Pistol

We still have biotics and we're also strong as fuck.

We'll be fine.

>>43402136
>Turn over your Pistol

We've got our Biotics and Tool.

>>43402136
>Turn over your Pistol

Say hi and ask his name while we're at it.

>>43402136
>>Turn over your Pistol

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“Uh, hullo,” You say, as you unholster your pistol and hand it over to the Drell. “I’m sorry, but I don’t know your name.”

“Ah, my apologies,” he responds as he takes the weapon and attaches it to his belt. “I am Mektar Voris, Bodyguard and Head of Security for Councilor Tevos. A pleasure to meet you Commander.” He holds out his hand.

You grasp his hand and give a firm shake, “Likewise.”

“Please, follow me,” He turns around and begins walking toward the back of the house.

As you follow, you take a good look at your surroundings. The untrained eye would never notice the fact that the furniture is arranged to form cover for the house’s defenders. It’s pretty impressive how well they’re disguised.

Soon enough, the Drell leads you to a wooden door and knocks twice before waiting. A moment later, a familiar voice says “Enter.”

The Councilor’s study is decorated similarly to the rest of her house, namely with paintings and such but there are several bookshelves filled with actual books. A large holo-screen occupies the wall behind her desk, displaying a beach at sunset on what appears to be Thessia. The Councillor herself sits in a comfortable looking armchair behind a large mahogany desk that it occupied by several computer screens, a few datapads, and a cup of what appears to be tea. In front of the desk, two more armchairs are situated, both appearing quite comfortable.

>[CONT.]

>>43402517

“Hello Commander,” the Councilor greets with another smile, clearing away the screens and datapads on her desk as she does so. “Please take a seat.”

“Councilor,” you return as you make your way to the left chair. A moment later, the Councilor’s Bodyguard takes a seat in the other chair.

The Councilor sips from her tea before speaking. “I heard an interesting story from my youngest daughter today. Apparently, you and your team rescued her and number of other hostages from a rather dangerous predicament. For that, you have my thanks.”

You cough, shifting in the comfortable chair, “You’re welcome Councilor.”

“She also mentioned that you were interested in recruiting her bodyguard, Airon.” The Asari continues, as she leans back in her chair. “Any particular reason why?”

>Response?

>>43402532
"Didn't realize it at first Ma'am, but I caught a glimpse of him in action and found myself impressed, I could use someone that talented on my team while in the field. I understand that he isn't available, but you can't blame me for keeping an eye for talented personnel."

>>43402532
This >>43402587

It was an in the moment thing, his blade-work is amazing.

>>43402532
Seconding
>>43402587

Pretty good explanation.

>>43402532
>>43402587
this

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“Well,” you begin, leaning back into your seat slightly. “I didn't realize it at first Ma'am, but I caught a glimpse of him in action and found myself impressed. His bladework is amazing and I could use someone that talented on my team while in the field.”

The Councilor looks pleased, and, oddly, her Bodyguard does as well.

Shrugging, you continue, “I understand that he isn't available, but you can't blame me for keeping an eye for talented personnel.”

“Indeed I can’t,” the Councillor concurs. “And in fact, I’d very much like to place him in your service.”

That’s a surprise.

“But you’ll need to understand something about Airon before you take him on,” she continues. “A bit of history, if you will. Mektar?”

The Drell next you clears his throat before he begins speaking, “A few years ago, Airon and I were in the service of the Hanar Ambassador, Ilynan. As a token of good faith, we were transferred to the service of Councilor Tevos who became our new patron. This was fine by me, as I am far too old to undertake active missions and generally serve as an instructor.”

>[CONT.]

>>43403229

“But Airon didn’t like it?” You guess.

Mektar frowns. “Not exactly. Perhaps it is best that I start from the beginning.”

He takes a deep breath and seems to zone out a little. His voice is a little ephemeral. “My daughter gave birth to Airon close to twenty three years ago. He did not make a sound for close to year, until he was able to speak. He did not laugh or cry like the other children and soon enough, we found he was sira’fa. Soulless.”

That… doesn’t sound good.

The Drell must see the expression on your face and raises a hand, “It’s not what it sounds like. Ah, how do I explain this…”

“The Drell believe that the body and soul of an individual are separate entities,” Tevos interjects. “The body is a tool and can be directed without a soul, but the soul is necessary to be considered ‘Whole.’ A person without a soul is… lesser. Damaged, and incapable of experiencing life as a complete being.”

Mektar nods in agreement, “Yes, exactly. Airon is uniquely suited to be an Assassin because of that trait. He did not need to be trained to separate his body and soul and acts with fear or hesitation. Given any instructions, he will carry them out to the best of his ability. He excelled under our old patron but has languished under the Councilor’s command. She has no need of a Professional Assassin, so Airon was relegated to bodyguarding duty, something he would detest, if he were capable of disliking things.”

>[CONT.]

>>43403238

Well, that explains the complete absence of feelings you were getting off of him. He was more of a robot that a sapient.

“He’s an excellent bodyguard,” the old Drell continues. “But he’s deeply unnerving to his charges. He can only imitate emotions but eventually the facade will slip. Spend enough time around him and he will begin to disturb you. The Councilor’s daughter actually requested that he be transferred over to you as she cannot stand him.”

“And that is why we are not opposed to giving him to your command,” Tevos declares. “We only wish to inform you of what recruiting him actually entails. Knowing of his… deformity, do you still wish to take him with you?”

>Response?

>>43403247
Shit I dunno guys, an Assassin would be handy but is it worth this baggage?

....I'll vote yes

>>43403247
"Well I'm certainly sure that my work will be much more suited to his tastes. What is he like when not on the job as it where, in downtime? If he's to be under my command I'd like to know how he is at all times, and I already know some of what he's like in combat."

>>43403255
I'm inclined towards yes currently, but more info would be good

>>43403267
I can go along with that, he's certainly an interesting character.

The Drell also have one of the coolest backstories and designs in the game as well.

>>43403267
here again, just toying around with ideas and I reckon when we don't have immediate need for him, if he doesn't like downtime on the ship, we can always contract him out for work that we approve of, be a way to keep him occupied and content, and an extra source of income though we would have to vet his contracts carefully

>>43403247
"Well, that doesn't sound all that bad, it kind of sounds simular to Autism that exists among humans, I don't think taking him into my crew will cause problems at all. Thank you Councilor for your generous offer."

>>43403287
.....Did you just say Autistic people don't have a soul or feel emotions? Dude....

>>43403247

Backing >>43403267 we need a lot more info. What does he, you know, do when he's not working?

>>43403286
Well, he apparently is incapable of disliking stuff. He'll be fine on the ship, but will the rest of the crew?

>>43403286
I think if accept we'll be take him with us. From what she said he isn't capable ofbliles or dislikes, and normally has a rather placid or flat personality, kinda like a robot.

>>43403287

It seems more like sociopathy than Autism.

>>43403287
He's more of a sociopath with little motivation than autistic.

>>43403309
No he didn't, learn to read.

>>43403309
No I didn't, I said that they we're simular, but that's probably only in outward appearance. I'm autistic myself (tough high functioning) I can speak from personal experience.

>>43403318
>Well, he apparently is incapable of disliking stuff. He'll be fine on the ship, but will the rest of the crew?
Thats what I mean, if the environment onboard the ship when not in combat or preparing for it is not entirely healthy for all involved, and we don't have a job for him at hand, we can send him on work abroad.

>>43403338
Though*

>>43403338
What he was describing was closer to Sociopathy I think.

>>43403353
Sociopaths feel emotions, just very differently wired and don't show them.

>>43403353
You're probably right.

>>43403366
I though their whole deal was that they were detached from their emotions? Or is that a Psychopath?

Regardless, I don't think Autism was the right comparison.

>>43403396
Sociopaths are indeed detached from their emotions, doesn't mean they don't have them.

Psychopaths are a whole nother kettle of fish.

Gonna point out it's alien biology and something known among Drell. Maybe we can do some research on it later.

>>43403402
I guess there isn't a great human comparison then.

>>43403417
Seems like something Sona would do

“Well I'm certainly sure that my work will be much more suited to his tastes,” You start, mulling it over in your head. “But I’d like some more information before I take him on. What is he like when not on the job? In downtime, as it were.”

“Hmm,” Mektar steeples his fingers under his chin and looks contemplative. “When he was not on assignment, he spends quite a bit of time training and practicing his skills. He’s almost mastered the tano blades, which is something that took me decades to accomplish. Social activity is not something that he seeks out. Meditation is something of a pastime for him but I do not know what actually goes on inside his mind when he does. He has no real likes or dislikes, but will inform you of any issues should they arise.”

The old Drell sighs, “That’s all I remember.”

>Response?

>>43403550
Tell him he has a new job, thank both of them and leave I guess.

>>43403550
>>43403572
this

>>43403550
What is his skillset in combat? I've seen his Bladework and some of his Biotics but can he do anything else?

>>43403550
>>43403572
Supporting

>>43403550
>Response?

Take him in, thank them, leave.

If he turns out to be a bad fit, we can just dump him somewhere or lock him in a room and pump in poison gas. Or water vapor.

>>43403608
Dude what?

>>43403614

I think he might pose a problem later on and, in case that happens, we dump him somewhere or kill him.

>>43403595
Wouldn't mind asking this as well.

>>43403608
Or we can not be fucking retarded and send him out on contracts like we've discussed.

>>43403550
>>43403595
This then ask if the Councillor had anything else for us, and if not then >>43403572

>>43403707

I mean if we do that and he's still weird or a problem, then we take him out.

>>43403726
>he's still weird or a problem
You have not been reading this quest have you because you very clearly have no fucking idea about this character

>>43403736
>You have not been reading this quest have you

I have.

Just saying, a sociopath might not be that great of a teammate.

>>43403759
And yet you still have no idea about this character who you try to speak 100% FACT about...

>>43403759
Then you have crappy reading comprehension. The guy were getting isn't a sociopath, he's more like a living robot.

“What is his skillset in combat?” You ask after a moment. “I've seen his bladework and some of his Biotics but can he do anything else?”

“He’s a very skilled hand-to-hand combatant as well as a talented marksman, primarily with pistols and semi-automatic weapons,” Mektar answers, something similar to pride entering his voice. “He has a slight preference for close-combat . He is moderately proficient in Tech use, but not an expert by any means. His Biotics are built around maneuverability with a few offensive abilities as well.”

You mull it over for a while, weighing the pros and cons. On one hand, you have an extremely skilled Assassin and a roster that needs filling. On the other, you have an emotionally dead and extremely disconcerting killing machine. It seems like it would be a tougher choice, but it turns out that it isn’t.

“I’ll take him,” You declare, which elicitates a smile from the Councillor.

“Excellent,” Tevos says as she stands up. “I’ll inform him that you’re his new patron and where to report.”

>[CONT.]

>>43403759
You're the one saying that we should just murder him for being a problem without looking at other solutions. I don't think you're qualified to judge potential sociopaths.

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>>43403793

“Will that be all Councillor?” You ask as you get to your feet.

“Indeed it will Commander. Thank you for your assistance.”
_

From there, you’re led back outside and your pistol is returned to you. Bidding the Councillor and her Bodyguard farewell, you fly back to your ship. It's been a long day, but you’re not all that tired.

As you enter the crew lounge, you see Leo, Cath and Jaro enter from the elevators.

Jaro waves, “Hey Commander, what’d the bigwig want?”

>Response?

>>43403800
"We've got a new teammate."

>>43403798
>should just murder him for being a problem

IF he becomes a problem.

>>43403783
>>43403778

I have been reading.

While he might be the Drell version of autistic, it seems more to me like sociopathy.

>>43403800
Got a new recruit. He has some personality issue's but it's nothing that will affect mission performance. I'll explain more when we get back to the ship. It should be interesting."

>>43403800
>Response?

"New crewmate. Good news is, he's very good at what he does. Bad news is, he's pretty damn creepy."

>>43403800
"Remember that Drell bodyguard we met after fighting in 133 ward? I'm now his patron and he's a part of the team, turns out what makes him so good as an assassin makes him a rather poor bodyguard from a clients perspective, they find him disconcerting, so do be warned, he doesn't show much if any emotions."

>>43403800
Haha this >>43403831

>>43403820
You're not making a good case mate, just drop it.

>>43403820
and sociopathy isn't a problem anon, its not a switch that immediately makes you a serial killer, its a fair bit more common than you think and people have been dealing with it well for a long time so stop being all Hitler about it

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>>43403843
>and sociopathy isn't a problem anon

>>43403839

You quoted me twice in that post.

>>43403800
>>43403831
this

>>43403858
You really should just stop talking about things you don't understand anon.

>>43403877

I do know that sociopathy is a pretty shitty thing.

>>43403800
"Remember that Drell I tried to recruit earlier today? Turns out Councillor Tevos wants him out of her hair. Er, headflaps. Whatever they are."

>>43403831
Can we say "Bad news is, you're more likely to get an emotional response out of a Geth."?

>>43403892
I like it.

>>43403892
>Can we say "Bad news is, you're more likely to get an emotional response out of a Geth."?
YES

>>43403892

Oh shit, good line.

>>43403800

I hope you add the line in, Valor.

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>>43403858
>mfw I liked a line from a dumb-ass

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>>43404001
>guy who thinks having a plan in case a probable sociopath goes rogue is ad

>>43404080
>ad

Meant to type bad.

... For some reason, I feel like shipping Tevos and the Old Drell guy. Like, Tevos is a MILF and it seems like an old retired Assassin would be right up her alley.

>>43404128
Hah, I don't think Drell that feel that way about their patrons though. It's probably taboo

>>43404128

I can kinda see that.

It's giving me vibes of Carson and Ms. Hughes from Downton Abbey.

>>43404128
I think she could probably afford to get high as fuck without having to resort to licking a Drell.

>>43404181
Ah, but they's a difference between getting high as fuck and getting high as fuck from sucking a dick.

“Hey guys,” you greet as you recline into one of the swivel chairs around the main table in the lounge. “Remember that Drell bodyguard I tried to recruit after the fiasco in 133 Block?”

“Yeah,” Leo responds as he sits down across from you. “The creepy one.”

“Turns out Councillor Tevos wants him out of her hair,” you pause. “Er, her headflaps. Whatever they are.”

“Semi-flexible, cartilage based, scalp crests,” Jaro says as she puts her booted feet up on the table.

Immediately, everyone turns to stare at the musclebound woman, causing her to blush slightly. “Hey, I read.”

“Right,” You say. “Anyways, I'm now his patron and he's a part of the team. Good news is, he's very good at what he does. Bad news is, you're more likely to get an emotional response out of a Geth.”

“Wait, why’s he joining us?” Cath asks as she leans forward and puts her arms on the table.

“Turns out what makes him so good as an assassin makes him a rather poor bodyguard from a client’s perspective,” You answer. “They find him disconcerting, so be warned, he’s pretty damn creepy.”

>[CONT.]

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>>43404171
>>43404181
>>43404202
Pffft hahahaha

>>43404227

At that moment, the intercom beeps, and Johann’s accented voice filters in from above. “Commander? There’s a Drell knocking on the port airlock. Should I let him on board?”

“Yes, let him in Johann,” You respond as you stand up. “I’ll be right there.”

Looking at the uneasy expressions on the faces of your squad, you give them a wicked smile, “Let's go greet the newbie.”
_

Airon Voris is still taller than you, and his eyes remain as empty as ever. He’s wearing his armor and overcoat, and carries a small duffle bag in one hand. His eyes immediately lock onto you as you approach but he makes no effort to move away from his position near the airlock.

“Greetings Commander,” he says, no emotion coming through his vibrato voice. “I was informed you are my new patron. I am eager to serve.”

>Response?

>>43404238
>Response?

Greet him, say that we are his new patron, and show him where his quarters will be.

Or just give him a tour and end it with his quarters.

>>43404259
I can get behind this.

>>43404238
This>>43404259
But shake his hand, show him some courtesy. Also let him know he may be getting some assassination jobs.

>>43404238
"Welcome to the team and my ship, I'll introduce you to my crew and then show you to your quarters, if you have and questions or require anything, just ask."

>>43404238
Introduce him to the crew.

Ask him about himself and anything he might need.

>>43404275
here again, add in what kind of work we expect to be doing and the missions he'll be going on for us too

You hold your hand out, “Welcome aboard the Nakshatra, Airon.”

He grasps your hand, giving it a single shake but says nothing in response. His secondary eyelids blink once.

You sigh internally and gesture for him to follow you, “I'll introduce you to my crew and then show you to your quarters, if you have questions or require anything, just ask.”
You gesture to your squadmates, “I believe you’ve met Leo and Cath. Jaro is the tall one.”

The Drell simply nods once to them, a gesture they return in various degrees. You sigh externally, it’s going to be a long day.
_

The following tour is a decidedly taciturn experience for all involved. Starting at the bottom, you give a tour of the entire ship, Leo being the only one to accompany you, with both Cath and Jaro claiming they have other duties to attend to. Airon doesn’t say more than half a dozen words of his own volition through the whole thing, even when Ai keeps badgering him. At the armory, he pulls an M-99 Saber out of his duffle bag and places it in one of the empty lockers. His duffle is deposited on one of the lower bunks in the crew quarters.

>[CONT.]

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>>43404496

You make small-talk as you walk, explaining the nature of the missions you’ll be carrying out along with the current objective of raiding a science facility on Noveria. At that, he asks when you’ll be departing at which you answer that you’re waiting for the rest of your crew to arrive tomorrow. He nods and leaves it be.

The tour ends at the Med-Bay, with you opening the door to show the small space to the assassin. Artesia works on a terminal inside and she perks up at the sight of you.

“Ah, Commander, it’s good to see you!” Her eyes slide to Airon and an odd look crosses her face. “Oh, who’s this?”

“Airon Voris,” you answer. “He’s our newest crewmember.”

“Ah, then he’ll be needing a physical?” She asks, somewhat eagerly.

“Uh, I think so,” You reply, giving Airon a questioning glance.

He nods, “I believe a physical would be prudent.”

Artesia smiles, “Then come in! Oh, you’ll need to remove your armor for the scanners to function properly.”

Airon places his coat on one of the tables and begins removing his arm and leg plating.

“You may want to come back later Commander,” Artesia says as she preps a machine. “This may take a while.”

You shrug and bid the Doctor and the Assassin farewell before leaving the room. As the door clicks shut behind you, you recall something. Those scanners are supposed to be strong enough to penetrate through damaged armor that might be stuck to a patient.

>Action?

>>43404506
let the doctor have her fun though afterwards subtly let her know we know what she's doing

then go and see if we can find anything on the extranet about the facility we'll be raiding, we can probably get Cath to hack some stuff for better intel, maybe a facility layout and such, so we can at least plan our infil and exfil

>>43404506
Eh, there are worse ways to get a Drell naked, Though we'll need to inform the good doctor of his condition so as prevent any miscommunication or misinterpretation.

>>43404506

... She just wants to see him naked, doesn't she?

Should we interfere?

>>43404535
She's clearly trying to get her hands on some Drell juice.

>>43404535
We'll tell her afterwards, I doubt he'll do anything.

But go Doc, damn girl.

Sighing to yourself, you decide to let it slide for now. In the meantime, you want to get started on some reconnaissance for that Cord-Hislop facility. Pulling up a seat in the lounge, you log into the Spectre Network and pull up anything you can find on this “White Ravine” facility. Located in a valley about a hundred klicks away from Port Hanshan, the planetary capital, the White Ravine Research Facility is a partially underground facility designed for testing air and spacecraft. The formation of this particular valley is useful for field testing any experimental craft devised by the facility. A set of blueprints you find, shows that the lab has twelve levels, the upper four of which are taken up by a hangar, garage and ship development facilities and the lower eight occupied by various offices. The hangars form one entrance point, with another in the road that leads up to the garage.

You’re in the middle of figuring out an of entrance plan when a sudden yell of “Fuck Yeah!” snaps you out of mission mode. Looking up from your Omni-Tool, you see Leo standing in front of the Food Synthesizer, holding a literal armful of bacon.

He sees you looking his way and grins at you, “I got it to work!”

>Action?

>>43404692
Eat some goddamn bacon, then punch Leo for distracting us.

>>43404692
>Action?

Take some bacon and give him a charley horse.

>>43404692
Take some bacon to eat, and while eating take some more bacon and make a scale model of the facility out of bacon.

For few moments you watch him struggle to place the giant pile down somewhere before deigning to help him (and snag a few pieces for yourself). The former armload, now platterful, of bacon, is surprisingly tasty for compressed nutrients and filler. As you take a bite of a piece, you punch Leo in the shoulder.

“Ow!” He shouts as he staggers away. “What was that for?”

“Distracting me,” you answer simply, finishing off your piece and grabbing another.

“Is that bacon?” Jaro asks as she enters the lounge.

“Yessirree,” Leo answers as he takes several pieces and begins munching on them. “Courtesy of yours truly.”

The tall woman takes a piece and bites into it before hmming appreciatively. “Not bad.”

“... And please stop by anytime,” you hear Artesia say as the Med-Bay doors open.

Airon simply nods back to her as he exits, carrying his coat in his arms but otherwise fully dressed. He pauses upon seeing the platter of salted and fried “meat” but approaches when you beckon him over.

“Try some,” Leo says, handing a piece to the Drell who stares quizzically at the morsel before biting into it.

He doesn’t react visibly, but finishes it off before taking another.

“Like it?” Jaro asks.

The Drell shrugs, “A little.”

Huh, would you look at that.

>[END THREAD]

>Awfully tired but glad I managed to run this Weekend
>Can stick around to answer questions for a bit before I go to sleep.

>>43404914
Night Valor, Have a good one.

So does Doc. have a thing for drell? Or just tall dark and mysterious guys?

>>43404931

Just Drell. It might be a fetish.

>>43404914

Thanks for running, Valor.

>>43404914
thanks for running Valor

I hope we get to do >>43404791 tactical planning with bacon

So, TevosXMektar yes or no?

Asari MILF getting high of of sucking dick is too funny to pass up.

>>43404943
Hah she likes space lizards. Wait, space amphibians? Wait space.... ah fuck it

>>43404960

They're reptiles, yes.

Who have breasts for some reason. I'd rather they not have much sexual dimorphism at all.

>>43404957
I bet she would also have a compound that neutralizes those effects so they can have regular lovey dovey sex

>>43404971
Space ain't gotta explain shit.

>>43404971
It's just weird to me that they made two space lizards. Drell look more like amphibians, I was shocked when I learned their planet was a desert.

>>43404957
Asari will fuck anything and everything

>>43404983
well it kind of makes sense for them being amphibians if they planet's water dried up or something happened and they had to evolve to cope

>>43404983
Yeah, I wish they were scalier.

>>43404994
Nope, they're full on Reptiles with incredible Eidetic Memory.

Oh, before I go, honest thoughts on the characters so far?

>>43405031

If I had complaints, I'd voice them.

>>43405031
creepy Drell is creepy, bro Drell is a Bro, Tevos milf a bro milf

so far alls good, though I'm interested to see Airon in action

>>43405039
>>43405049

Thanks guys, gonna go pass out now.

Night.

>>43405072

Night.