[color=cyan]"So as much as I love admiring your handiwork, shall we get down to business?"[/color] Nik asked the batarian who watched the entire team with an almost predatory gaze eyes darting over each of them ripping them to shreds mentally as they looked for any perceived weakness. Nik though was just tired mentally at this point having run the gauntlet and almost killed several times over as well as some unplanned losses it was a miracle that the squad only got that tangent from him. Though that was his way, any sense of emotional grounding was ephemeral, he was as stoic as the mountains and unfazeable as the ground one walks upon. The only emotion he held onto for long bouts was anger, anger directed inward that he used to fuel his actions to be better, to stop people from dying, to stop failing. So yes he was tired and honestly at that point he just wanted these damn talks to be over with already. He wanted to be able to agree to terms with Jek, get briefed on the situation so he could deal with it. While watching displays of brutal aggression were all fun they were just wasting his time, time that he could be spent doing anything else, saving somebody else.

Jek seemed to sense his new "allies" eagerness to get things done with as he idly fidgeted with his knife spinning it within his hand. He was partly happy that the group had stumbled upon him when he was finishing up business for it give him a chance to gauge them. You can tell a lot of people from looks, appearances and reactions especially after they have witness something brutally unsettling. The slightest squirm or sense of enjoyment could tell you a lot about a person and from what Jek saw of the group as they observed him he mentally filed it away never knowing when something like that could be useful. Though his eyes then turned attention back to the Drell standing in front of him. The batarian gang leader was honestly expecting more, somebody taller maybe? The Drell seemed normal enough for a lizard nothing that would mark him as the ghost that was making every petty drug dealer from Ilium to Omega check under beds before they went to sleep. And yet there was something in the way he carried himself that the batarian took particular notice to for it was something he could see within his own self. The Drell carried himself with a sense of confidence this sense of gravitas as if he knew that if he wanted to he could kill everyone in the room without even much of thinking of it. It was this aura of something that you don't just learn, something that you have to be born with and those that are, are usually devils hiding out amongst men. Yes, the drell would be an interesting one to watch a better friend than enemy for at least a while yet.

[color=wheat]"Yes back to fucking business as usual. Though it would seem I'm a little bit undressed for talks of important manners. Look like a uncivilized bastard I do. "[/color] Jek explained with a wave of his hand towards his currently shirtless and blood covered body almost jokingly. [color=wheat]"Your lot will go to the meeting room and I'll meet you there in a moment. Now where is that bastard?" [/color] Jek explained as he searched around looking about them but seemed to not find what he was looking for. [color=wheat]"Amaandis? Where the hell are you you damn floating jellyfish?"[/color] 

[color=GhostWhite][i]"This one is right here and humbly ready to serve Mister Jek."[/i][/color] A strongly curt and articulate voice sounded as a hanar floated into the room holding a datapad with one of its tentacles. Nik raised an eyebrow at the entrance of the Hanar. Being a drell despite living on the Citadel for most of his childhood knew a handful of Hanar as even offworld the two races had a close relationship with one another. Hell Nik probably knew more about Hanar culture than he did his own culture due to the nature of this pact between the two. Though he would never imagine to find one of them floating about on Omega let alone working with a crime lord like Jek. Yet here the creature was in all its translucent and polite glory as it floated up to Jek. The Batarian seemed used to the Hanar's presence as he whispered something to the floating jellyfish and Amaandis made a twitching gesture with one of its tentacles in return. The utter juxtaposition of it all in any other situation could be considered comedic even the notoriously backwards and barbaric Batarian covered in blood and the graceful, floating, peaceful, Enkindler worshipping Jellyfish of the Hanar were two completely opposite sides of a coin and yet here they were. The two seemed to regard one another as at least close acquaintances. 

[color=wheat]"Oye, so this is Amaandis, my personal assistant and the one that makes sure all the cogs move as they should. He'll lead to the meeting room while I put on some new fucking clothes."[/color] Jek explained to the room as he turned and walked away without another word. Nik always had the problem with Hanar of never knowing when they were looking at you as was the case with Amaandis who floated silently in front of them for long enough for it to become slightly awkward without acknowledging them. Nik almost wondered if he had fallen asleep or died or something but that idea was whisked away as the datapad in its possession glowed and flickered with signs of activity. It seemed something else was preoccupying it for a moment but then it finally did speak to them in a calm waxing voice in direct opposition to the rough and jagged curse filled tones of its business partner.

[color=ghostwhite]"It is truly sorry for the daily Mr. Vos and Companions of Mr. Vos there was another matter that this one had to finish intending to before it could deliver to you its fullest attention. If you would please follow it at your pleasure."[/color] The hanar explained as it turned and began to float out of the blood covered room. Nik turned and looked at the rest of the team his face caught in a moment of "well this is certainly strange" before giving a tired shrug and following in suit. Amaandis spoke very little as he led them through the rest of the empty shell of the import and export building past abandoned hallways and cubicles with trinkets still left like snowflakes suspend in air before the blizzard. They came out of a back door that struggled to open as they stepped back out into the perpetual darkness of Omega. The interconnected pathways behind the building were like some sort of demented spiderweb all laying atop of one another in interlocking patterns, a maze of sort.

Through this maze was a welcome change to what the others had been dealing with in that it was brimming with life. As the recent Crimson Fist attack had been faltered the people living within Jek's territory had received the all clear to continue their day. Like the rest of the damnable asteroid it was a collective melting pot of different races, ages and backgrounds scumming their way to the finish line. The merchants had already reopened their stalls and stores and voices of all kind were intermixed with one another as the argued, talked and went about their day. It was almost an odd thing how easily life seemed to return back to its normal grind, it's normal day to day operations of do that and now do this after such a brutal onslaught. But was part of the hidden majesty in a place like Omega people learn not dwell on the terrible things for too long because if they did then all the pain and suffering would become too unbearable to deal with too quickly. No their conditions forced themselves to be able to adapt to not let the things that go bump in the night effect you all that much. It was a strange antiseptic, it was. The people seemed to pay little notice to the group following the hanar as they became another small drop in the large and churning ocean around them. These sounds of talking and bantering seemed to clash more within Nik's head than the explosions and gunshots of earlier each voice hitting with the ferocity of a cannon and then fading away like a dying breeze. Talking that is what he realized was strange his head had gotten so used to combat that normal talking on this scale had become the audible dissonance that his ears had to adjust to. 

Amaandis lead them to a building that towered over the rest in the area by a few stories and would be in the center of this proviable spiderweb were all the interconnecting roads and pathways ended up meeting. It was the focal point, the genesis of the area upon which all others stemmed from. It was almost unassuming in its appearance on the ground floor it looked like any standard dive bar, neon sign in the window displaying a changing dancing visage of an Asari and no discernible name expect in the other window in bright red neon it stated simply [color=Tomato][b]Jek's[/b][/color]. The floors above it were nondescript looking like any other building in Omega though the brightened windows suggested activity of some sort. Nik was almost expecting something else for a ganglord but no, it made sense Jek seemed to appreciate the more... simple things in life.

Amaandis approached the front door and they entered into a smoke filled room of shouting and yelling. All around them were Revenant, still dressed in their armor celebrating their recent victory. The boom of some loud  nondescript technobeat in the background automatically filled thier bodies and pulsed with each individual upbeat. [i]Thump, Thump, Thump.[/i] At the bar a Turian was serving out drinks with a fluid profecency about him skilled hands moving in every which way as his attention remained on the crowd. On the bartop two scantily clad dancers moved to the ever present beat  one human and a Asari bodies moving in an enticing visceral passion. The Revenants all looked towards the door as it opened hands automatically going to their holsters but upon the sight of the Hanar they visibly relaxed and soon went back to enjoy their respective vices. Ammandis lead them through the swath of people to the back where open pressing a hidden switch the door pulled back revealing an elevator. They all stepped inside and the door closed behind them instantly muffling the voices and music beyond it as a much simpler musicle arrangement was pumped into the elevator as it silently ascended. Nik notted that the elevator had no buttons and seemed to move on its own, probably used for VIPs only a direct line to the butcher himself. They was a soft click as they reached the top floor and the doors slid open silently and out they walked.

The top floor consisted of one uninterrupted room with large glass windows surrounding every wall looking out down upon all the territory below. Some might even call the view impressive as the mixture of utter darkness and bright neon stretched out as far as the eyes could see in any direction. The scale of Omega was something that few perceived until they actually arrived upon the station of truly how massive it all was. Directly in front of them stood their host his back facing them as he looked out upon his dominion seemingly in deep thought, the cool blue lights casting an almost ethereal glow upon him. Jek let out a deep laugh that seemed to fill the entire room appearntly due to his own observations as he turned back around and faced them the same devilish smile upon his lips. He was dressed diffrently now like a proper businessmen in a three piece suit that clung to his muscular form, a scientist may even call him a perfect speciem of sorts perfect portions, all muscle all the dwon that seemed to try and bulge out of the stitching with every movement. Nik was impressed, Jek owned the corrupt copreate executive look just as well as the crazy mass murderer with a knife look. Though through a quick observation one could notice the knife from before now perfectly clean hanging at his side in what seemed to be a homemade leather holster of sorts attached to his left leg,

[color=wheat]"Finally here eh? I assume you liked the little tour through my neighborhood."[/color] Jek explained as he made a motion for them to follow him. He lead them to a large round wooden table a dark brown, almost red in color like the color of dried blood. It looked more in place with the bar downstairs that it looked in this neo-ciche business executive space. They all sat around it with Nik and Jek facing one another as Jek summoned serving staff out of nowhere who presented the group with a large plethora of selection of their own alcoholic vices. Nik declined any as he at least wanted to preserve this idea of professionalism. Jek looked at Nik having gotten his own bottle of very old and very expensive Batarain liquor as he poured himself a glass he spoke calmly and fluently as if he was used to these sorts of things. [color=wheat]"So I suppose you know why I've asked to meet you and your motley crew of fuckers Mr. Vos"[/color]

[color=cyan]"Well if I had to guess, i would assume it had to do something with you wanting us to kill somebody for you."[/color] Nik explained dully his eyes never leaving the Batarian who seemed amused at this statement. The Drell wasn't one for business intrigue and mindgames, he got to the point as quickly as he could just made things easier.

[color=wheat]"Well you're a blunt bastard aren't you?"[/color] Jek declared with a laugh as he took a swig from his cup of liquor letting the liquid fire burn a path through his insides clearing his mind. [color=wheat]"I assume you know of Qiyrloc Sirn or at least you've been acquainted with his spineless men by this point. Those damn Crimson Fist Bastards."[/color] 

[color=cyan]"Oh I'm well aware of our Krogan Friend. He's wanted throughout Citadel Space for ties in many illicit activities most of them sicking beyond redemption. And as the word on the street goes he was also your partner."[/color] Nik explined casually as even the mention of Jek and Sirn's former business status seemed to agitate the Batarian greatly.

[color=wheat]"[b]Former[/b] Partner. Bastard stabbed in the back literally and figuratively and left me to bleed out in some fucked alley with the hookers and drug addicts."[/color] Jek explained noticeably still angry about the whole affair.

[color=cyan]"Ah yes you two did have a falling of sorts. But where not here to deal with the past, I'm here to deal with the present."[/color] Nik explained trying to stop Jek from losing his cool.

[color=wheat]"Hmph, yes the present. As you can see the bastard still wants me and my livelihood dead. I'm just a fucking businessmen Drell, I make sure that everybody in the area that I control get's protection for a nice flat rate of 15% of their income or else they get their heads beat in. We don't deal in drugs, slavery and only willing prostitution. Compared to Qiyrlock I'm a fucking angel and I'll I really want is for him to be dead so I can live the rest of my life in peace, fuck who I want and drink when I want wihtout having to look over my back for one of his damn hired killers."[/color] Jek explained as if the act of asking for a hit on somebody was something of a normal everyday occurrence a simple as mowing your lawn.

[color=cyan]"Of course, of course you make a reasonable request. Everybody wants some peace and quiet now and again."[/color] Nik explained as it was true and the words Jek spoke did hold a value to them he wasn't Qiyrlock compared to most gang leaders in Omega he wasn't even that bad if overly brutish.

[color=wheat]"Of course the request is reasonable Jek don't make fucking wishes, he makes actions. Now you see in the next couple days I'm planning an attack straight into Crimson Fist Territory, I've got three other local gangs in the area ready to help as they all have lost territory to the bastard. We are going to push until I get to cut that fuckers head off with my knife!"[/color] Jek declared excited by the thought of drawing blood on Qiyrlock .

[color=cyan]"Well that's just fucking crazy enough to work. But if you have all this help why do you need us?"[/color] Nik asked intrigued by the idea of an all out onslaught but needing to know more.

[color=wheat]"You see while the rest of us push up against his defenses to put the cracks in the wall his men will be diverted. Your team is going to go around the back and fuck him up the ass. Your group should be small enough so that any actions you take will be undetected in our onslaught and you'll be able to take out thier defense from behind. We will all meet in the middle and take the fucker out."[/color] It sounded simple to Jek, so simple and so crude that it would probably work. The simplest plans are the ones with the most success rates after all. And it wasn't like Nik didn't want to crack in some Crimson Fist heads.

[color=cyan]"Hmm, an infiltration team. We can do that. Of course we have to get paid."[/color] 

[color=wheat]"Of course, of course. Will talk about more planning later but for now you should all relax you all seem like you had a long fucking day."[/color] Jek sated with a brutish laugh.

[color=cyan]"You could say that again."[/color]

[color=wheat]"Tonight my entire territory will be alight with celebration at beating the Crimson Fist bastards back. There will be drinking and celebrating abound and I implore you all to act as if a demon has taken root inside of. I myself have some business I must attend to but Amaandis will be able to take care of discussion of pay and your tempory dwellings as your stuck with us fucks."[/color] Jek explained as he ushered them out and back into the elevator the sound of the music below in the bar beginning to reach back up to them.

[hr]

[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVJkxurNwTU&list=PLAkn95RCFE2ujrDEUQHZILgbJjqOQPVnY&index=5[/youtube][/center]

[b]Omega
Some hours later
That odd twisting period between Late Night and Early Morning [/b]

The Drell sat at the foot of the small bed his hands tending to the bandages and medi gel that he applied to his body. Amaandis had supplied them all with rooms side by side within a shoddy run down apartment building that Jek's men used as a makeshift barracks of sorts. Each room was identically the same, small and square in shape with an adjoining bathroom and shower combination that was tiny enough that if Nik outstretched his arms his fingers would brush each opposite wall. Sparsely furnished except for an old bed and a half working computer state of the art in 2150 and barely functional by 2151 simplicity at its crudest. The rooms each had one small window to let the air circulate but beside that they did not have any real air circulation system and so they were consistently of terribly hot temperatures with an unbearable level of humidity so the air stuck to the skin like an adhesive.

Nik's armor was in one corner of the room having been discarded long ago to at least let his skin breath for a little bit. He was dressed now in a pair of pants and not much else as he was currently attending to his own bruises and wounds from their sojourn for the day. He could of asked Daro to help him but if it wasn't anything too serious he delt with it himself not wanting to further stress her out and limit her supplies. This career of makeshift doctor has left its mark upon the Drell as all the little scrapes and bruises have a peculiar way of adding up. His skin was a patchwork of scars and bruises in states of being healed and fresh, each with its own story and own tale. A life time of stabbing and killing did that to a person and the wear and tear has a way of showing through. But Nik couldn't stop, he wouldn't stop.

[color=cadetblue]"Well you look like shit don't you Nikusiil?"[/color] A voice asked and it drew Nik's eyes upward. It seemed to be a ghostly apparition of a Drell looking very similar to Nik but much younger, more full of life and bright eyed. His arms were crossed and he looked down at the Drell tending to his wounds with a dissapointed gaze. Nik could only let out a sigh and continue to work on has bandaging as he spoke.

[color=cyan]"And your my fucked up brain trying to create a tangible appearance to my guilt so that I may try and accept it. So just leave me alone."[/color] Nik voiced sounding more tired then anything else at this point as he continued to wrap the gauze as he watched the other Drell.

[color=cadetblue]"Nik, Nik is that any way to talk to your brother?"[/color] The spector asked in a hurt voice as it moved closer to him and sat down next to him on the bed. Nik moved over away from it and its touch as he glared at it his eyes now somewhere in a mixture of anger and tired as they bore down at the ghost.

[color=cyan]"My Brother died close to twenty years ago, because I couldn't save him. That's the reason I'm doing this if you've forgotten your just a hallucination that I'm not sure why I'm talking to."[/color] Nik voiced as he sat up finishing the bandaging and moved towards the bathroom he stepped inside and turned the faucet on cupping the water in his hands he tossed it up into his face but in the mirror the apparition was still there.

[color=cadetblue]"All true Nik, all true indeed and yet I'm still here talking to you, meaning your head has something to tell you."[/color] The thing asked sounding condescending as if it was talking down to the Drell who could only glare at him angrily through the reflection.

[color=cyan]"And what would that fucking be?"[/color]  Nik asked clearly not amused at anything happening in this conversation.

[color=cadetblue]"This whole idea of your vigilante suicide squad. Going up against somebody like Qiyrlock who has more money and resources then you could imagine. The fact that in your path of revenge as you look for some sort of redemption is going to drag all the others down with you? Is that really fair, fair to Daro, to Raya, to all of them? How many of these hopeful souls that you've recruited have ended up dying because of you."[/color] The apparition of guilt asked questioning, interrogating and never easing up.

[color=cyan]"Too many.."[/color] 

[color=cadetblue]"Exactly. And how many more most die before you get it through your thick head?"[/color] The voice asked tone rising and anger as Nik visibly became more agitated clutching the corners of the faucet arms tense as he looked down breathing deeply. The apparition continued to speak but Nik did not hear any of it.

[color=cyan]"shut up.... Shut Up.... SHUT UP!"[/COLOR] Nik yelled at the apparition and brought a fist up and without thinking slammed it hard into the mirror where its face was over his shoulder. The sudden pain made him curse as he pulled back the glass being embedded in his hand. Blood began to drip down into the sink in lazy circles. The Drell looked up at himself and the apparition was gone all that was left was a broken and splintered mirror casting a corrupted and confused reflection of Nik back at himself. The blood dripping across the glass coating the face distorting it more as it fell down, [i]drip, drip, drip.[/i]

[color=cyan]"[i]Fuck.[/i]"[/color] Nik muttered softly to himself as he stepped out of the bathroom and sat back down at the foot of the bed heavily. He grabbed the medical kit left where it was and began to process of slowly pulling the glass out of his hand. The lone window opened casted the soft orange glow of the outside neon within illuminating the tiny drips of blood leading from the bathroom to the bed. The sounds of the still continuing celebration drifted in and as he tended to his new wound Nik wondered how the others were faring.