[h1][center]Elysium - Dex Checking In[/center][/h1] [b][center]---[/center][/b] “[color=007236]Yes, mother… No I haven’t. [i]No[/i] mother, I am being careful. For the hundredth- Mom! [i]Please[/i] I’m begging you to not make me say it out loud.[/color]” Dex spoke exasperated with her mother over her omnitool. Outside the Borealis on the docks at Elysium. The start of their temporary shore leave. Dex took the opportunity to stretch her legs outside the ship and take advantage of the chance to call her family. Away from eyes and ears on the ship. Talera Noratus was well aware of her daughter’s dangerous line of work as well had been exceedingly worried as of late. The check ins were coming few and far between now her daughter was running with a mercenary group. Anyone would have noticed the years pulling at Talera’s eyes. How proudly she wore her facial tattoos, especially after she had been redone the month before. It gave her face a fresh look while celebrating her home and colony. It was to mark 25 years spent voting and campaigning, courtroom debates, Hierarchy peaceful protests for the lawful separation from the Hierarchy for Taetrus. One of the many proud and quietly rebellious turian colony worlds. Talera appreciated Dex’s honesty but it worried her endlessly. The connection wasn’t very strong but she could make out her daughter’s features over the projected screen. A pair of her husband’s light honey brown eyes rolled whenever she asked if she was using protection. While even through the bad quality of the projection she could clearly see her dark green facial tattoos spiraling along the length of her mandibles and under her eyes. Dex was the oldest of Talera’s children, always the most outgoing and boldest among the four. Even as a child Dex set a wild example for her younger siblings. Despite the awful turns Dex’s life had taken Talera was proud, the drive Dex had showed was unprecedented. “Dexuret do not give me that tone. I worry for good reason, your siblings lead normal lives. They’re not rubbing elbows with criminals and working in the Terminus Systems.” Talera replied scolding Dex. “As we have been telling you for [i]months[/i] to come home. If Medus is dead then there’s nothing to worry for, not anymore.” Dex’s mandibles flicked irritably having already explained to her mother several times why she stayed away. “[color=007236]You know it’s not that simple. The moment I step foot on Taetrus the Hierarchy’s counter-intelligence will be watching me, not to mention the extremists. The Hierarchy will track me but the extremists will be all over me and then you guys. They’re pissed-[/color]” “Language, Dexuret.” Talera snapped. Dex sighed rephrasing, “[color=007236]They’re [i]mad[/i] after what I did to Medus. After accepting the pardon for selling me out he reconnected with the extremists to dig new moles deeper into the Hierarchy. They relied on him and needed him alive. They have no evidence to pin anything on me, but they [i]know[/i] it was me.[/color]” “[color=007236]Mom, don’t you think I’d be there if I could?[/color]” Talera paused in her retort then agreed reluctantly. “Yes I do know… We miss you.” Dex’s voice softened considerably as did her eyes, “[color=007236]I miss you too. I miss you everyday I can’t be there. Just believe me when I say that working in this merc group will be good for me. I won’t be on my own anymore.[/color]” “That’s true. I was more worried when you were wandering alone.” Talera said. “[color=007236]See? Silverlining.[/color]” Dex said brightly hoping to ease her mother’s concerns. “[color=007236]I have a few more calls to make before we head off again. Love you, tell everyone I said hi. Especially little Jin, tell him his Aunt Dex loves him and loved the vid of his monologue reading that Vesca sent me. Oh and tell Yara I’m sending her some money. She was late on her loan payments last month.[/color]” Talera fumed, “She said she was fine when I asked, Yara never wants to ask for help.” Dex laughed her sub vocals hummed happily, “[color=007236]She’s proud that way. I would be too if I just bought a housing unit.[/color]” Talera smiled and hummed contently, “Of course. We love you so much and miss you. [i]Please[/i] be careful.” “[color=007236]I promise I’ll try my best.[/color]” Dex assured then said another goodbye ending the call. Sighing heavily leaning back looking off at the [i]Borealis[/i], she saw the crew filing in and out of the ship going about their own business. The cockpit was cohesive, Iosif and Haze knew what they were doing and made for great company. Between the three of them the Borealis was in good hands. She tried to catch up with everyone on the ship to some degree. Leaving dinner plates outside Vellios’ room, giving him his space. She kept a close eye on Khosin. Serena had leveled out her intensity when she wasn’t running around with severe injuries and pain medication. Drono was a wild whirlwind. She suspected his enthusiasm was probably attributed to the very stark reality of his spinal bullet wound, the pain growing worse until the day he saw his doctor. However she never said a word. Providing distraction was something she was willing to do. In spite of running headlong into some serious issues with Khosin especially, joining the crew had helped her feel the closest to normal she had felt in months. Holding the pilot position on the Borealis kept her focused while restlessness was held at bay with spending time with the crew. For once being apart of a crew meant actually being apart of it and not infiltrating it. Her eyes tracked down to the long list of missed calls and messages from Galentos Lorthan. Her previous employer and ex boyfriend. He had consistently been trying to contact her after joining The Jury Riggers. Dex had all but avoided him after they broke up and now months after the fact suddenly he was desperate to speak to her. “[color=007236]Fuck, may as well get it over with.[/color]” Dex grumbled reluctantly calling Lorthan. He picked up immediately with a growl, “[i]Finally.[/i]” Bright yellow eyes glared at Dex through the projection backed by deep teal face with yellow Palaven facial tattoos. “[color=007236]Hello to you too.[/color]” Dex replied drily. “[color=007236]What do you want?[/color]” “Are you serious right now? You haven’t spoken to me in months and I gave you all the space you could want. Now that I need to talk to you about something important you ignore my calls and messages. What the fuck, Dex.” Gal went into a rant like she had expected. He rarely lost his temper but ignoring him was usually the sure fire way to piss him off. She let him rant and get it out of his system while her mind wandered back to the night before spent with Drono. Accidently letting out a warm sigh. “I’m glad I have your full and undivided attention.” Gal snapped. She shook her head letting the images of them tumbling in the sheets recede. “[color=007236]I’ve been busy. I joined a mercenary-[/color]” She replied then he cut her off. “I [i]know[/i]. I’ve been keeping tabs on you.” Gal said. “It didn’t take you very long to move on with someone new either. Vellios Malkai, turian mercenary and former soldier. An impressive service record within the Hierarchy, unfortunate thing about his family though-” Dex growled, “[color=007236]How dare you spy on him![/color]” “I worry, so I need to know the people my ex girlfriend likes to fuck. I’m surprised you don’t know any of this. Didn’t you do background checks on anyone?” Gal said curiously ignoring her obvious ire. “[color=007236]No! I’m not infiltrating this crew, I [i]joined[/i] it which means respectfully not digging through their shit![/color]” Dex yelled irritably pacing her fist clenching. Gal smiled smugly, “You decided to fuck the turian with the most issues I have ever seen. His entire family was slaughtered in a single night. Wife, two kids. Seven or so years ago. Some Krogan became the main suspect after evidence revealed it wasn’t Malkai himself. His files after that were [i]heavily[/i] classified. I feel like you would be able to crack it.” The information broker laughed, the noisey shift in an old office chair, the squeak of unoiled hinges grating further on Dex as her fury built with every word. Gal carried on, “The drell too, huh? Fucking nuts career criminal, not sure what possessed your dead Captain to hire him. You should read some of the shit he got himself into.” He paused then shrugged with a condescending flick of his mandibles, “I hope you enjoy sleeping with a paraplegic-to-be.” Dex’s face contorted into something ugly and incredibly angry. “[color=007236]Gal, you can go fuck yourself. You jealous prick.[/color]” Ending the call, her mechanical fist shook with restraint then letting out a singular roar, turned on the spot she punched the steel crate she was leaning against leaving a dent. She earned herself a few glares and curious looks from passerby’s. Stalking away from the ship allowing her anger to cool. Dex’s teeth were clenched and her mandibles flared. Gal knew how to get under her skin and hated that she allowed him to do it. A gun held to the back of her head wouldn’t be enough to force her to go back to him. [hr] Galentos Lorthan stared at the screen, [color=ed1c24][b]DISCONNECTED[/b][/color] flashed brightly in red, he heaved a deep sigh. “Smooth, Lorthan.” He stood up from his seat safely tucked away into one of his many safe houses littered throughout Palaven, the safehouses were officially off the grid stocked with emergency supplies and small comforts. A handful more were in key systems throughout the galaxy, his cells and spies were free to take advantage of them when they were working. Gal and Dex would often meet in the safehouses, shut behind doors for days between weeks of seeing the other. Dressed rather formally in a deep blue suit, expensive at first glance but a rather traditional choice for turians living in the homeworld’s capital city. Cipirtine’s horizon was dawning a new day, another day to flounder with his remaining assets battling against the weight of a Specter’s scrutiny and investigations. It was a terrible mistake to send T’Kaula and Xerxes, convincing them they could easily infiltrate the asari’s councillor housekeeping team. They were caught and grilled by a [i]Specter[/i]. The last organization he wanted to have investigating him. His omnitool pinged with a new message, it was surprisingly from Dex. [color=007236][i]If you spent less time rooting through my crewmates histories you’d get your head out of your ass. I’ve been keeping tabs on you too, I have to say I’m very impressed. You lost two spies to fucking Specters. 10 out of 10 would highly recommend Lorthan Brokerage to fuck over your life. Sincerely Dex Your fucking EX P.S I’m still going to fuck Vellios P.P.S Drono too P.P.P.S GO FUCK YOURSELF![/i][/color] Galentos was a businessman, rarely on any end of a gun. Happier navigating through cyberspace than on a starship. Patient by trade while pragmatic. Jealous sure, it’s not easy to move on after spending nearly four years with one person. Dexuret Noratus had him wrapped around her mechanical talon tighter than a wound spring. A grin and flush through the turian’s face was distinguishably blue. Spirits, he missed her.