[center][i]2160 CE, Three Years After First Contact Milky Way / Omega Nebula / Sahrabarik Omega Station[/i][/center] Nikusiil clung to the wall fighting for breath as he found a moment of peace in the midst of the firefight. Things had gone to right shit as quickly as one could imagine. It was supposed to be easy, in and out but instead they had been ushered into a killing field. Outmanned, outgunned and running out of time. They had held out reasonably well taking out solid chunks of their aggressors before they had to push back. The blood stained floor in front of them was a testament to the extended skirmishes that had commenced. But they couldn't last forever, each push they got a little closer and by this point their support had been hammered as well suffering heavy casualties. Soon the flanks would collapse and the team would be surrounded, all over in an instant. It wasn't time to die yet. A war cry was heard breaking the sequence of panting staggered breaths. It was a shout they had become quickly accustomed to in their time. [B]”Blood for blood!’[/B], a shout to encourage the next wave as they came to smash against their defensives. Nikusiil looked around at his team and nodded to them, it was all they needed no need to waste their breath. Jek and his men called in from the flanks, heavy resistance. It seemed they wanted this to be their final push. The drell checked the heat sink on the Terminator it was holding up at the moment but unless they give him a moment to swap it out he was going to run into problems. To some the Batarian rifle was considered crude almost barbaric in its design but it was tested and it go the job done. He swung up from behind the wall and looked out down the path waiting. The brawlers came through first, lightly armored they were little more than cannon fodder to cover up the real brunt of the work moving behind them. Knives, bats and shotguns they had little in terms of range. The team waited as they ran across detonating the few remaining trip mines. A splatter of black and red as screams vanished in smoke. Those that made it through were quickly taken down by the team. Bodies making bloody pirouettes as bullets tore through flesh severing tendons and capillaries, punching through bone. None made it within a few yards Under the cover of this carnage the main assault force moved in. Decked in blood red armor with loads of weaponry. These were not Brawlers. Nik's side fired the first shot, a terrible roar as a sniper round tore through the shields and helmet of a Crimson Fist. The ensuing splash of red marked the start of the carnage. Bullets and ezo fueled biotics sounded off with a ravenous thunder. The Drell fired off several rounds into the chest of one of them. The first volley took the shields, the second punched a hole and the third found home meeting organs and soft tissue. He staggered and fell another rushed to take his place. The cycle of blood continued, but they couldn't last forever. Jek's voice came over the commlink, angry and filled with distortion. They were getting hit hard, a slaughter. Nik's team was doing just as well their opponents closing in. Switching from his rifle to his shotgun he fired into the storm of bullets as his eyes darted around. Something caught his eye coming up the enemy lines. A group was laboring up the center lane with a rocket launcher. A big rocket launcher. A rocket launcher that fired moments later. The Drell turned and yelled to fallback, but it was too late. The rocket hit the leading barricade just as the team began to move. Nik felt the heat behind him and then a great shove. He saw the far wall and tried to brace himself as he flew foward, a bat from hell. Darkness followed in close pursuit. [Center][Color=Red][U][H1]Mass Effect: Omega Serenade[/H1][/U][/color][/center] [center][I] Omega Several Days Prior [/I][/center] The transport shuttle rumbled as it swerved in and out of heavy traffic. The darkly lit pathways lit by an oppressive red glow. Inside the team was getting ready, suited up going through final weapons checks. Nikusiil made another headcount almost absent mindedly as he made one more check. One faulty hook or lock was the difference between life and death. Finally satisfied he nodded to himself before moving to the front of the shuttle. Looking back he put a hand behind his head as he began to speak. His tone was rather blunt and matter of fact. "As most of you know our target is Qiyrloc Sirn. Krogan, he is a big son of a bitch. About ten years ago through a rather bloody revolt he took control of the Crimson Fist. Under his control they went from a small mercenary group to a growing criminal empire. Today we have a meeting with Jek The Butcher." The shuttle rumbled as it made a sharp turn around the corner. Nik put a hand against the wall of the shuttle grumbling as it straightened out again. "Jek used to run the Fist with Qiyrloc before he was removed during Qiyrlock's revolt. Apparently they disagreed upon how a criminal empire was supposed to be run. Jek afterwards started up the Revenants, a rival gang soon after as a response. Over the last ten years the two have been engaged in a long series of turf wars for some of the most worn down sections of Omega. Unlike Qiyrloc Jek at least has some morals and likes to imagine himself as a [i]"Pillar of the Community."[/I] So Olan and I have been putting some feelers out and it turns out Jek would very much like to meet us." The craft shook as something pinged against the wall, followed by another and another. Nik raised his voice over the noise so he could be heard as he continued. "Problem is that at the current moment the turf war between Jek's and Qiyrloc's crews have escalated. The Crimson Fist have pushed deep into Revenant territory and been fighting it out over the past few days. We are essentially going into a small war zone. Information coming out from Aria's informants has it as pretty bad. Mostly close quarters so expect to get nice and close to the guy trying to kill you." There was another jerk as the shuttle decelerated as it came in to a hover. A green light flashed on drawing everyone's immediate attention. The Drell looked up and nodded the ever small presence of a smile upon his lips. "This is our stop." He shouted as he hit the release on the shuttle doors. They were several feet up hovering over the mixture of shadow and neon. Nik didn't want to risk the shuttle being hit so they were going to have to jump. He turned back to the team giving them a thumbs up before leaping out. The darkness below greedily swallowed him up from view.