Just when the situation seemed to calm an Alliance soldier came in with a Revenant and a snarl, asking what their business was. With her nonstandard armor, weapon, and facial features; Aegon quickly knew that this was Salissa and that she was late. Temper strained as it was, a number of impulses flashed through his mind and were discarded. His first initial thought was to reach for one of his talons and flick the dagger into the Marine's left eye, burying the blade deep into her brain. At this range, it was very doable. But Aegon recognized that this was not a logical decision, it was one borne of frustration, and immediately dismissed it. He then thought of berating the Marine but knew that she was still acting within reasonable SOP. His next impulse was to rest his face in his palm in exasperation but knew this would solve nothing and he could not demonstrate any weakness in front of this gallery of cutthroats. 

At no point was he at all intimidated by the huge machine gun that could have ripped him apart. Instead he elected to let Jake handle it; he was Alliance and was more of a "people person", Aegon was surprised when Phalanx stepped in front of the group and made a mental note to add the odd behavior to the Geth's dossier. The Council would want to know about this. Jake handled the situation very professionally, talking down the Marine and getting her up to speed. Aegon appreciated that. But he didn't quite appreciate Jake's attempt to undermine his authority. He meant well Aegon was sure, but he was also proving to be naive. Jake would have to learn that being a Spectre meant making hard choices. 

There was also still Aegon's sneaking suspicion that Jake was keeping an eye on him for the Council. Aegon and the Council often disagreed, and it would be perfectly in character for them to saddle him with a partner so they could know what he was up to. Not to mention they would know that he didn't particularly like having to mentor a junior operative who actually could countermand his orders. He wasn't sure but the whole thing could have been both an insult and a ploy. However Aegon didn't let any of his displeasure show, rolling with Jake's statements. Whatever disagreements they might have, it wouldn't pay for the team to be aware of it. He had to focus on the mission first. Besides being a test run for this team, this mission would also give Aegon a chance to see how his partner measured up. 

Aegon only tersely motioned to Salissa to join the squad before returning the nod to Jake, appreciating the fact that his partner spared him the human platitudes. He motioned to his own fireteam and they were off. Aegon took point for now, leading them through tunnels choked with dust and debris. This path had been more accessible than the route the infiltration team took and it showed. The Reaper War had sent many resistance fighters and refugees scurrying to the underground for shelter and the evidence of their presence was keenly felt. Discarded rations, burned out fuel cells, empty crates of supplies, drained medi-gel syringes, more than a few shapes that suspiciously looked like corpses. During the final battle, the Underground had proved to be a life-saving shelter for many when the assault buckled. They could barely take a step without coming across what some civilian or soldier had left behind. 

Half a mile from their objective, Aegon held up his fist and gathered the team into a huddle, speaking quietly, [color=red] "We're almost at the front entrance. There will be sentries there, disguised, you won't see their arms or armor; but they will have them make no mistake. They may have automated defenses so keep an eye out. Ellis, you're in front. Distract them as long as possible while we get into position using all that debris as cover. Rykarn, Skarr, Salissa, you'll be the vanguard after Ellis. Try not to get spotted and once I give the signal, rush in and do your best to disable them nonlethally. If you need to, wipe them out. Same for you Ellis. Cerberus probably learned from the Reaper War and will have their troops outfitted with kinetic barriers, but they won't stop a fist or a hammer if you can get in range. Either way, soon after we attack, the doors will open and more of them will come, you heavies will get their attention while get the drop on them." [/color] One Krogan on the frontlines was bad enough, add another who happened to be a Battlemaster, a biotic powerhouse with heavy armor, and a Marine with an Omni-Shield and you had a nightmare of a vanguard element. He almost felt bad for the Cerberus soldiers. 

[color=red] "Vella, Tiberius, you'll be our biotic artillery. Stay at a distance and support the forward element as best as you can, do your best to put them down without killing them but don't put yourselves or the team in unnecessary risk. Giles, you're on overwatch with your sniper, take out anyone that poses a threat and can't be taken down with non-lethal force. I will be mid-ranks, putting flashbangs on them periodically and hitting them with concussive rounds. We hold the door and beat back the first few waves before moving deeper and keeping the pressure off of Anderson's team. You were all given blueprints. Ellis will have point once we go in, Tiberius you'll cover our six. We clear out all resistance cleanly and methodically with minimum collateral damage." [/color] He said the last with a pointed glare at Vella. 

It was basic but it was solid, with room to adapt on the fly. And it kept the more troublesome members of the team where he could keep an eye on them. Once that was done he gave the order to move out, letting Ellis take point. Besides for Ellis, the team maneuvered quietly, well as quietly they could with two krogan. They stayed in the shadows and ducked between alcoves and debris large enough to serve as cover until finally they reached their destination. It was a wide open tunnel, almost as spacious as the one the team had met in, but more cluttered with junk to let the distraction team take cover. Fourteen men and women in shabby coats and rags huddled around fires, rubbing their hands and speaking in low voices. Several crates were spread around the group, too regular to be random junk. The space ended in a large wall seemingly no different from the rest. 

Their coats were large but a trained eye could catch the telltale bulge of armor and weapons beneath them. Their posture was too rigid and their eyes were too alert. These were killers. And they all clocked Ellis moving forward with his bulky armor. All of their attention was focused on Ellis, and none of them saw the team taking up positions. Aegon loaded a flashbang into his rifle and waited as Ellis strolled up to the group. They were surprised, their eyes widening in shock then recognition. They evidently didn't take his presence too well as they all threw off their coats, revealing the telltale white and yellow Cerberus armor. Helmets snapped into place over their heads as they drew their guns and the crates, six of them in all, unfolded to display turrets which were still not yet erected. They shouted at Ellis telling him to raise his hands. One of them held a hand to his helmet and shouted urgently into his radio. 

Knowing this was the only chance they'd get, Aegon keyed the team's comm channel thrice and wheeled around the corner of his crate to fire a flashbang square in the middle of the group, hoping Ellis was quick enough to shield his eyes. The Cerberus troopers were all instantly dazed and Aegon started shooting at the undeployed turrets, trusting his team to take care of the troopers while he focused on the turrets. They knocked on the door, now they would see who answered.