Chapter 1: Link to the Past

[TetNak]

Arcturus Station is the headquarters for all of humanity. The Arcturus system is heavily guarded, and the main Alliance fleet is stationed here. This makes it an imposing place for anyone that is not human. For weeks now those caught up with Saren and his treachery have stayed here. The aliens, a Turian, Quarian, Krogan, and Salarian have each found themselves well treated, but guarded just the same.

Alexus Tai has been in contact with the Turian military, and has met with the local Turian ambassador. He is on leave until the council meets with local officials.

Argot has spent his time at the local bars and found himself little trouble. The ever watchful eyes of the guards keep him in check, and unfortunately, they are not letting anyone leave, not just yet at least.

Meanwhile, Mordin and Ral have undergone numerous tests and pre-surgical procedures. Ral has been fed multiple anti-bacterial and anti-viral medicines in preparation for the surgery. Local human specialists are also helping, obviously taking note of a Quarian's biology as they do so. A week ago Ral underwent a long, painstaking, surgery to implant a biotic chip into his brain. The surgery was a success due to Mordin's proficiency and expertise. The facilities and help of biotic and medical specialists on Arcturus Station didn't hurt either.

Kinney finds herself reinstated into the Alliance military as a second lieutenant. She is yet to be assigned, however, and remains on the base for the moment.

Lt. Grissom is the busiest, constantly debriefing various officials and military command. The artifact has long been handed over, and what its status is cannot be said at the present.

Yesterday, Ral was released from the hospital. He feels tired, and is sick, catching a cold despite their best efforts. However, the Quarian biotic knows he will now be able to control his gift, even if he has not yet strong enough to test it. Today, each of the group has been invited to a meeting with the Council and various Alliance personnel. Attendance is mandatory.

OOC

Welcome! Feel free to post!

[Hayabusa]

To say that Kinney had much to do would be an overstatement. In the past weeks there was almost nothing to do for her. She finally repainted her armor to reflect her reinstatement, but without knowing if she's going to be sent back into the field or get stuck on a base or office, her medium armor is colored with a basic, dark green, without any camouflage pattern and only added easily removable rank insignia. But since the human officer is on the headquarters of the Systems Alliance there's no need to wear the armor at all. Even if it is comfortable to wear it is just too odd to walk around in it all the time. So Kinney opted to don the service uniform of a SA marine officer and the Elanus Risk Control M-3 Predator heavy pistol on the space station.

A week after their arrival she decided to formulate a small message to the turian she met on the Citadel and who helped her get started with the investigation. She didn't mention details about the mission and only told him that Saren the Spectre didn't receive the artifact he was looking for. Despite meeting him only once she considers him friendly and he was helpful when she was fired from her C-Sec position.

With too much time and too little to do, she has joined the krogan in the local bars, keeping an eye on the huge alien who may be bothered by the constant obeservation through guards, although the human and the krogan both knew that they were never outside the guards' view. But at least they wouldn't have to stand behind Argot to remind him not to make trouble or drink too much.

As they are invited to the meeting, Kinney is curious about the quarian's surgery and current progress. She hasn't seen him since he underwent the pre-surgical procedures. On the way to the meeting she wonders if he was already instructed how to control his biotic powers.

[Vardaen]

Ral has been MIA, in deep quarantine for his protection as the medical procedure that he is undergoing mean opening up his biosuit in a human medical facility. That alone is enough of a risk to the Quarian's phsilology to make him more than nervous. The second thing going on is he's getting a chip implanted in his brain. Ral writes a short letter to Grissom offering his thanks and appreciation for the man did, and a request to tell the Flotilla of his death should the surgery go poorly.

Ral pulls through, the chip is implanted, and his ability to control the Element-Zero in his blood, and by extention his Biotic powers grown 5 fold from what it was. Even untrained and unimplanted he was profecient enough, now he should be more than a stable user of his powers.

Catching a cold is not something Quarians do, but Ral has one. The side effects are that he's contantly forced to drain his respirator on his mask into a small biohazard bag of muscus and a green slime that is instantly sent off to be incinerated. Tired, fatiuged, and sick, the Quarian never the less, arrives at the meeting on time.

[Shurijo]

It's been several days since Lieutenant Jack Grissom has had time to rest and relax. Between the meetings and debriefings, he's tried to check in with the former squad members to make sure they are comfortable and have everything they need at the station.

Grissom sets at a desk entering debriefing notes into the Alliance intelligence dossiers for Aria, Omega Station, Saren, David, and other individuals that he encountered over the last few weeks. He's spoken to others about this information in person, but now comes the part of entering everything into the system so that others can query and update their intelligence.

When the alarm on his omni-tool goes off, he takes the time needed to complete the paragraph of typing, saves the record, and then logs off the terminal.

The lieutenant arrives at the designated meeting a few minutes before it gets started and takes a glass of water from the room's refreshment selections.

"Congratulations on the promotion, Lieutenant. It's good to see you in uniform. Did they assign you to a command yet?" he asks Kinney.

As he talks with the others, he finally gets the change to give back the letter to the Flotilla. He hasn't opened it. Talking to Ral, he says, "It's good to see that you're alive. At least, it looks like you're alive under that mask. Hopefully, the recovery will be less painful than the surgery. We do not have much information about Quarians and it seems like our scientists have learned a great deal more since your arrival."

[Hayabusa]

"Thank you, sir," Kinney replies after meeting Grissom and Ral. "Though it feels weightless and I got the strange feeling that any MP is heavily armed compared to me. But no, I haven't been reassigned yet. It looks like the Systems Alliance doesn't have much use for one more Scout Sniper. Hell I felt kinda useless these past weeks."

She shifts her shoulders as she's used to wearing her armor most of the time.

"Maybe it's my C-Sec history or my damn AWOL father that keeps them from assigning me to something else than walking around on this station and trying not to get drunk one hour after rising up every morning," Kinney shrugs.

[Vardaen]

Ral takes the letter back and disposes of it now that he has managed to survive. With a head full of mucus he replies, "Hank you bery munch. I will surbibe this." He empties his mask resperator once more before the meeting starts, and other wises tries to stay out of the way, quite and not feeling well.

[Shurijo]

Grissom responds to Kinney saying, "There's always room for a scout sniper somewhere in the field. I'd bet there's a dozen units with open personnel requests."

As she continues on about her feelings and mentions drinking, he replies, "Don't give up yet."

[Wargie]

The krogan does indeed spend his time in the bars, and he quite enjoys the company of Kinney who is a warrior like himself, and warriors either kill each other or share stories over vast amount of drinks.

For now it appears as if Argot decides that stories will be enough, even though he plays with the idea of going berserk on the station, killing as many humans as possible and then go down in history of the Krogans as one bad ass warrior. But he sticks to drinking and the occasional glare upon the guards who follow him like his own shadow, more to keep them on their toes than anything else, and to enjoy himself.

But after a few days the temper of Argot is wearing thin, since the drinks are weak, no krogan women and he has an entourage of humans who doesn't really speak to him, but who stick around in case he intends to do someone else harm. The situation is beginning to stink in his eyes.

[Bo]

OOC

I should be back in business from here on out

Alexus Tai, being a Turian, was quite disturbed when he experienced the full effect of Saren's treachery. After arriving in Arcturus Station, he was quick to fill in the Turian Military of the goings on.

".. and at last we've arrived here," he says. "The artifact is in hand, but Saren, now apparently a Spectre gone rogue, is still at large."

Many Turians that Tai speaks to are doubtful. A race of tradition and honor, many find it hard to believe that someone with Saren's talents and upbringing has been corrupted. "If what you say is true, Alexus, then our race will be cast in a poor light, not to mention our involvement with affairs at the Citadel. Perhaps Saren is operating under deep cover or in some other sort of trouble."

Shaking his head, Alexus answers. "Doubtful, sir," he says. "There is little left that is honorable in him."

"Yet you lack hard evidence at this time," replies the Turian official. "We must wait for other developments. Speak with our Ambassador on Arcturus and take some well deserved rest."

And now, with this conversation in mind, Alexus Tai enters the meeting room. He gives a politically correct nod to all those present and takes his place at the table.

[Hayabusa]

"Don't worry, sir, I won't give up drinking until I leave this place," Kinney replies with a confident smile. "Maybe today will bring some good news. I haven't been to a briefing since we arrived here. Except the one right after our arrival and about the Omega/artifact-incident."