[b][u][h1]Left Tunnel: Vellios, Serena and Dex[/h1][/u][/b]
[sub][@Fallenreaper] & [@DearTrickster] & [@Rtron] [/sub]

[hr]

After Tonka and Haze were gone, Vellios breathe a sigh of relief. Honestly, he wasn’t sure how this was going to go down and he wasn’t keen on taking several innocents down with him. His hand reached for his comm, the one outside his helmet, then pressed it to his ear before activating it. The turian waited a moment or two until he was certain he has connected to Serena. His voice rang out pleasantly in a falsely chipper tone to his favorite mechanic. 

[color=rosybrown]“Serena… sweetie, I need a little help with a issue left over from our little skirmish. What do you know about defusing bombs?”[/color]
 
Serena knew something was wrong the instant she heard his false tone. [color=hotpink][i]Oh God, what did he do now?[/i][/color] She thought, slightly despairingly, that despair turned into severe alarm as he finished his sentence. [color=hotpink]“Aside from ripping out the wires and praying? Not much. Given time I could probably figure it out. How big is it and how much time do I have? I’m in the right tunnel with Tanya, Drono, Dex, Khosin, and Iosif.”[/color]

[color=rosybrown] “Well, I managed to wrestle the detonator and currently it’s the only thing that should set it off, but looking at the bomb… I’m questioning that very much. It looks like a bunch of plastic explosive looped together and wired with explosive caps for the big, bad boom. A job with my quality of work put into it if you know what I mean?”[/color] Vellios stated letting her imagination run before detailing it. [color=rosybrown] “Currently, if I recall right he mentioned one had about a 100 tonnes and there’s one...two... thirty-seven of them. Anything else?”[/color]  
 
Serena felt her knees go weak. 3700 tonnes of highly explosive material all slapped together in a hurry with nothing to guarantee it would blow up when you wanted it too, or any knowledge of when it would go off... Just what this mission needed. [color=hotpink]“Shit. Okay, hold on. I’ll give it my best but first I want to see if there’s anyone with actual demolition expertise on my end of the tunnel so we’re not stumbling completely blind into this unholy mess.”[/color]

She looked up and around, activating her local comms so Dex and Drono could hear her as well. [color=hotpink]“I don’t suppose any of you fine people know how to defuse 3700 tonnes worth of slapped together explosives?”[/color]

Dex was ushering slaves calling for them to hurry up while they picked supplies from the dead and all but groaned in reply at the prospect of a pile of bombs. “[color=007236]What fresh horrors have they set on us? Slaves, narcotics and now a ridiculous pile of bombs?[/color]” Dex replied sarcastically rather unfazed after the day they had spent with the [i]Twin Stars[/i]. “[color=007236]I’ll head over to help. Serena you might as well tag along, you might pick up some tips. Nobody is blowing up today.[/color]”

[color=hotpink]“What do you expect? They’re slavers. I’m fairly surprised we haven’t encountered vicious traps or somesuch yet.”[/color] Serena replied amicably, studying the area around her. [color=hotpink]“Really? I think, in fact I know, we’ve blown up several slavers already.”[/color] She smirked. 

Dex jogged up to Serena tapping her on the shoulder then pointed to her ears speaking over comms. “[color=007236]My hearing is shot so you’ll have to keep your communicator active so I can hear what you say.[/color]” 

[color=Hotpink]“Whatever you say oh bomb defu-WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE TO YOUR ARM!?!?!”[/color] Serena’s sarcastic title was suddenly cut off as she saw the terrible state of Dex’s robotic arm. Dirty, scratched, dented, and Serena thought she could hear a terrible grinding sound. She snagged Dex’s arm without anything more than a glare.
 
She started examining it, making sure there wasn’t any more than superficial damage. [color=hotpink]“How the hell did you do this!? How long have you had this arm?!”[/color]

Serena grappled Dex’s arm with a vice like grip that had her between feeling as guilty as the dentist makes someone feel for not flossing and bewilderment. “[color=007236]I-I uh? It’s fine! I just had a bad day![/color]” Trying to shake the human off and failing.

[color=hotpink]“[i]Liar.[/i]”[/color] Serena accused, merely tightening her grip in response as the Turian tried to shake her. Her initial examination showed it wasn’t in too bad of shape.  Nothing that wasn’t easily fixed. [color=hotpink]“This happens all the time to you, doesn’t it?”[/color]

“[color=007236]No![/color]”

“[color=007236]I’ve had grenades, bullets and overloads thrown at me today. I’ve had this thing for over tens years now. It has been through much worse![/color]” Dex said defensively a flustered blue blush growing across her face. 

[color=hotpink]“Oh God. [i]Ten years[/i] and you still treat it like this? [i]Worse[/i] than this?”[/color] Serena scolded, scanning the arm with her Omni-Tool. [color=hotpink]“Sarah, keep these schematics stored.”[/color] She reluctantly let go of the Turian’s arm, giving her one final glare. [color=hotpink]“After this mission you’re coming into the hangar, and sitting your happy ass down while I fix this.”[/color]

“[color=007236]You’re as bad as my prosthetic engineer.[/color]” Dex muttered eyeing Serena warily, “[color=007236]Thank you, Serena.[/color]” Dex said sincerely. “[color=007236]How much will I owe you? I can cover it before we get paid.[/color]” 

Dex was always prepared with her savings and emergency funds, enough to get her back in one piece.

[color=hotpink]“No,”[/color] Serena said with a grim smile, [color=hotpink]“I’m worse.”[/color] She gave a genuinely confused look at the Turian. [color=hotpink]“Going rates? We’re on a team. I’ll do it for free. Thouuuugh….”[/color] She said, looking thoughtful. [color=hotpink]“If  you [i]really[/i] insist upon paying me back, I can show you how to play chess?”[/color] She couldn’t keep the hope from her voice.

An involuntary shiver ran down her back after Serena’s grim turn of a smile. Her mandibles flicked irritably at Serena refusing payment but considered her counter offer, making a thrum through her throat, “[color=007236]I absolutely [i]hate[/i] free favours so if learning this chess thing will be enough then by all means.[/color]” Dex made a vague gesture with her left hand and the grinding sound was audible even to Dex’s ears. She cringed at the sound and Serena’s expression was that of horror.

Serena joined Dex on their jog over to the left side of the tunnel passing Tonka and Haze on their way down. The pair of them looked like they had seen better days sustaining some nasty injuries themselves. They were alive so that was something.

When they came up to the pile of explosives did Dex react albeit blase, “[color=007236]Now [i]that[/i] is one big pile of shit.[/color]”

[color=rosybrown]“Too bad it will turn us into a few blue smears or I wouldn’t touch the damn thing.”[/color] Vellios popped off, hearing them through comm and replying. [color=Rosybrown] “Also, Serena, did you happen to bring any medi-gel? I got shot in the chest with a Batarian’s fucking shotgun at close range, and I think my armor was cracked because of it. Through that scrap earlier with one of our teammates didn’t help much either.”[/color] 

His palm gingerly touched his sore chest as he hissed from the pressure, wondering idly if he broke or fractured something with that struggle with Kasyra. His face scrunched in pain with the movement while he looked at the approaching girls coming toward him. [color=Rosybrown] “Hiya Dex, take it you’re the one who is going to keep us from meeting the spirits sooner than needed?”[/color]  

“[color=007236]I am. Try not to be [i]too[/i] impressed.[/color]” Dex laughed good naturedly, “[color=007236]Who was scrapping with you? I wasn’t expecting miracles of blooming friendship but I would have assumed we can all agree on not shooting slaves and not blowing shit up.[/color]” Dex squinted seeing the shotgun shot on his chest, “[color=007236]But I’ve been known to be wrong.[/color]”

[color=rosybrown] “I wouldn’t really look into depth over it as I wasn’t the target, merely decided to butt in and, well, got a little banged up. One of these days, I’ll learn to mind my own business. Until then, I’ll just have to get use to getting my ass kicked.”[/color] Vellios commented, skirting past the direct answer and instead, gave a vague one. Naturally he was making light of the event because if he had let it happen, one of two things would’ve occurred: Kasyra would’ve blown them and the Blue Suns sky high or possibly been beaten near an inch of her life by Tonka. [color=rosybrown] “So, do I let you handle the bomb or do I and you instruct me?”[/color] 

“[color=007236]I can handle it. You two can watch and maybe pick up on a couple things. Mind handing me the detonator?[/color]” Dex held out her hand expectantly eyeing the pile noting the wiring and the pockmarks from gunfire surrounding the wall and even some dents on the casings.

[color=rosybrown]”More than happy to, sweetheart.”[/color] Vellios stated, then eagerly passed her the small device with surprising care. 

Dex’s mandibles twitched curiously in thought. Vellios had referred to her and others as sweetheart in the least condescending way, it was rather nice for a change. Usually pet names like that were steeped in arrogance and it usually sent her blood boiling. “[color=007236]I’ll still need your help to shift through the pile to see where wires connect and end, [i]sweetheart.[/i][/color]” Smirking, amusement humming through her sub vocals.

Serena chuckled, watching the two Turians work. She wasn’t going to be any help here, but she could create a VI that was good at this, and have it run past Dex to make sure it worked well and didn’t kill anyone.

[color=Rosybrown] “Alright, though I’ll admit I’m not sweet enough to be called that really.”[/color] Vellios stated, then edged closer until he was looking over Dex’s shoulder at the mess of wiring. [color=rosybrown] “What exactly do you need me to do?”[/color]

Pointing to a mass of canisters that were dented and wires sprouting from it like a tree. “[color=007236]Can you toss me that particularly dented canister? It’ll be the easiest to open.[/color]” Then went to work prying open the back of the detonator.
 
[color=rosybrown]”This is at least safer than sparring one of Serena’s little projects.”[/color] Vellios commented softly as he moved to retract the cannister from the tangled mess, his talons careful not to accidentally cut one with their sharp edge. His tips remained steady and calm during the process through he was debating on the danger level. Finally freeing it, he passed it over with a quick flick of his wrist sending it darting into Dex’s directions, literally tossing it. 

She caught the canister with ease in one hand, “[color=007236]Thank you, Vellios. Serena’s brand of mad science is more volatile than these explosives.[/color]” Dex smirked at Serena.

[color=hotpink]“You have known me for literally, one day. How do you know my creations explode often?”[/color] She glared at Vellios, daring him to say anything.

“[color=007236]Drone’s exploding in the hanger make for a compelling argument.[/color]” Dex replied her thumb flipping off the back of the detonator. 

Vellios snickered at the comment Dex made, his eyes wiggled knowingly at his human companion and added. [color=rosybrown] “Knew that incident would come to bite you in the ass later.”[/color]

Motioning Serena over to let her see what she was doing, “[color=007236]There isn’t much to disarming bombs. Especially these shitty half assed plastic bombs. The plastic bombs need an electrical charge in order to detonate. Unplug the right wires and remove the battery caps then you have yourself a pile of junk instead of a bomb.[/color]” Dex said throwing a thumb at the battery tucked underneath some of the canisters off to the side. “[color=007236]Make sense?[/color]”

[color=hotpink]“Yeah. The only problem is the wires vary bomb to bomb, right?”[/color] Serena looked over Dex’s shoulder, genuine interest in her eyes. Not only was it practical, it was also kinda neat being able to make things that should explode not explode, rather than the other way around.

“[color=007236]They do, you want to be able to recognize what wire functions as what and then work at where it leads. Don’t rely on colour but use your head figure out where the charge is being carried in its innards.[/color]” Dex pointed at the trigger in particular to emphasize her point.

Naturally Vellios’ eyes were settled upon the rat’s nest, his vision drinking in the sight as she commented on the shitty workmanship of the device. Her thumb jerked over several areas then made the task off to be much lighter than it was, through likely for this shoddy thing it was compared to what she was use to working with. However, a bomb, even a shitty one, could still easily kill an individual who was careless. Thankfully, while on the Haides, no one was stupid enough to risk setting a bomb for fear they all be killed when sucked into space through a rupture and left floating as a cold, lifeless corpse.

[color=rosybrown] “Yeah, but even a shitty made bomb can still blow you up effectively if you’re not cautious. It’s like a delayed gun: if you don’t show it respect, you’re more likely to get shot then hit your target one day. A fact all turians learn early in life.”[/color]

Dex shrugged at his note then conceded, “[color=007236]All joking aside you are right. So let’s defuse this and get the hell out of this shitty mineshaft. I’ve seen enough of it today as it is.[/color]”

While taking apart the detonator she would slow to show what she was doing and explain why. With the detonator defunct she moved onto the cannister to show Serena and by proxy Vellios, despite her best attempts to ignore him while he entered her bubble to watch her work. It wasn’t a matter of having an audience but after the day she had all her senses were standing on end. Mixed between wanting to find the loneliest corner on Omega for herself to wanting to lose herself in something (or someone) entirely. Steadily she worked at the top of the cannister while her discomfort hummed through her sub vocals doing little to stop it.

Serena glanced at Dex as she began to hum in obvious discomfort when Vellios got close to her. [i][color=hotpink]I’ll have to talk to her about that.[/color][/i] 

Vellios noted the discomfort, his eyes shifted toward her direction and remained perfectly still. Almost too perfect that it might’ve seem unnatural to either of the girls. His talons rested on his head tilted in slight confusion at the cause until he realize her was standing too close. His voice spoke, quietly and with a soothing tone, toward her. [color=Rosybrown] “Hun, seeing where I am at  is a lot [i]better[/i] in this case. Trust me. I’m only observing what you’re doing so I don’t get in this situation again.”[/color] 
  
Dex grimaced realizing she must of sounded uncomfortable with where her thoughts had wandered, “[color=007236]Don’t worry for me that was an involuntary noise as my mind was wandering… somewhere else. Nothing to do with you, promise.[/color]” Dex lied then gave Vellios a strained smile. 

[color=Rosybrown] “Now you’re trying to lie to a trained liar.”[/color] Vellios stated calmly.
 
She sighed caught in her poor attempt at covering up, “[color=007236]I’m not uncomfortable because you’re watching me work it’s for something else entirely. You’re fine, I’m just on edge still keyed up from fighting.[/color]” Dex replied sincerely looking him in the eye to know she was being truthful. “[color=007236]Honest. Slaves, bombs and fighting are well outside my regular sphere of work.[/color]”

[color=Rosybrown] “Well, you’re not alone in at least two of the aspects. However, I know those Asari will have a hard time recovering from their experience but they will. At least they aren’t laying in a ditch somewhere with a bullet hole through their skull and they have you, and the others, to thank for that. That should bring some relief at least.”[/color] The turian commented quietly as he edged off a bit, bring some space between the two and hopefully giving her more breathing room. His right talon reached up and clawed, lightly, at his neck again. It naturally reopened the scabs he made after digging deep enough to hurt himself during the fight. He quickly hid the bluish tint on his hand from Serena’s sight by wiping them on his pants, creating a discolored stain on his thigh’s outside.

[color=hotpink]“I swear to God Vellios, if you got shot and injured and haven’t told me...”[/color] Serena threatened, having looked away from the bomb to watch Vellios as he replied. She examined his neck, scrutinizing it. [color=hotpink]“Nothing more than scratches?”[/color]

[color=Rosybrown] “More or less, the rest is just bruises. Through I have to get my armor repaired while we’re out shopping. It was cracked by a close range shotgun blast.”[/color] Vellios shrugged as he leaned over, bring himself into sitting position as he knew she wouldn’t be happy until she inspected nearly every inch of exposed flesh on him. His talon reached up again to make another run over his scarred neck on impulse.

[h3][b]Smack![/b][/h3]

[color=hotpink]“Stop that.”[/color] Serena scolded, as she kept examining him. [color=hotpink]“Here’s some Medi-Gel, and who were you scrapping with after you got shot in the chest with a shotgun. Don’t avoid the question or lie to me.”[/color] Serena handed the Turian some medi-gel, waiting for the reply.

Dex’s mandibles flicked trying not to laugh at Vellios being reprimanded. She let out a short snarky noise then studiously returned to disarming the cannister having delved into the bomb’s wiring while they talked. Multitasking coming rather easily. The scarring on his neck raised a few questions though this didn’t seem the place to be picking at old scars figuratively and literally in his case. He had already admitted his facial scarring to be from the Relay 314 Incident earlier that day, she figured it was just an extension of that.

[color=hotpink]“Don’t think I forgot about you, miss ‘I’ll just treat my delicate mechanical arm like a damn battering ram.’ You’re still in trouble too.”[/color]

Dex grinned cheekily in response to Serena.

[color=Rosybrown] “A slaver hit me when I was distracted, I was knifing the little one on the right. Haze got the little ass but not before the breath was knocked out of me. That is the honest truth.”[/color] Vellios stated taking the medi-gel where he applied it to his neck. He was  glad there was little visible scars on him from the moment that Kasyra and Tonka went at it. Else explaining it would’ve been harder than facing the slavers for round two. He noted Dex’s giggle, then flashed her a small smirk in return for the merry sound then continued to rub his slightly hurting hand, still stinging from Serena’s smack. 

[color=Rosybrown]“You know, for a human, you have some surprising strength behind that smack of yours.”[/color]

Dex smirked back at him the little bits of tension she had floated away. Flicking her talon blowtorch open she sealed off the cannister having finished up with disarming it. Holding it up to admire it then grinning at Serena and Vellios in turn, “[color=007236]A present, for you.[/color]”

[color=hotpink]“Comes from wielding heavy equipment in my parents’ shop for years.[/color]” Serena replied, perhaps too cheerfully, before frowning. [color=hotpink]“Funny. I remember you complaining about not minding your own business. Seems like fighting slavers wouldn’t make you say that… who were you really fighting?”[/color]

Dex replied echoing Serena’s cheerfulness “[color=007236]I said, a present [i]for you.[/i][/color]” Changing the subject before opening a can of worms in front of a pile of bombs. Pushing the cannister toward Serena.

[color=Rosybrown]”What is it Dex?”[/color] Vellios asked, trying to shift Serena’s attention back to the turian and hopefully save his carapace. His talon held out for her to drop it within as he would examine it with curiosity. 

[color=hotpink][i]”Vellios.[/i]”[/color] Serena’s voice was laced with reproach and warning. [color=hotpink]“Who were you really fighting.”[/color]

Vellios tilted his head as he heard the tone of Serena’s voice. His eyes turned to face her and look innocent as he darted around the question again. [color=Rosybrown] “I was killing Slavers. As for me not minding my own business, I got into the middle of a disagreement between two anonymous individuals. I managed to get out of it with… a few bruises. I figured you would be more pissed I let my guard down and got shot, namely with the way my shield readouts operate. An issue you haven’t yet fixed. So don’t give me those evil eyes. I have them too.”[/color]

[color=Hotpink]“Which of our teammates went at each other’s throats. And you’re always doing stupid things like letting your guard down enough to get shot in the chest. Yelling at you fixes nothing.”[/color]

[color=rosybrown] “Does it matter? I’m sure if you watch people’s interaction with each other, you’ll figure who has the biggest grudge and toward who. Now stop pestering me.”[/color]
 
Dex’s eyes darted between the two of them retracting the cannister to toss it in the pile. “[color=007236]You two will have plenty of time to argue when we get back to [i]The Borealis.[/i][/color]”

Serena’s eyes narrowed. [color=hotpink]“Not until you tell me. I’d like to be aware of situations before they explode in my face. Like, what brought about said conflict. Why the conflict happened. So I’m not stepping in the minefield next.”[/color]

Vellios was slowly losing patience with this conversation and ti showed, his face became neutral from his usually charming smirk. He rose upright, and stared down the smaller human. He wasn’t intimidating or forceful with his next reply, but she would know he was clearly dropping the subject and hard. [color=Rosybrown]“You stepped into a minefield when you picked this mission, don’t you think? I haven’t complained once and personally, I wish you would trust me to know that should anything happen and it causes me concern then I will let you know. So, Serena, please trust me it wasn’t that big of a deal.”[/color] 

“[color=007236]How about we go back up the mineshaft accept that we’re dealing with all levels of assholes here, myself included.[/color]” Dex suggested trying to defuse the rising tension between the two of them. “[color=007236]And end this conversation.[/color]”

[color=hotpink]“What causes you concern is often entirely different from what causes [i]me[/i] concern.”[/color] Serena hissed. [color=hotpink]“But fine. Keep your damn secrets.”[/color] With that, she left, heading back towards the others.

Vellios sighed, watching her stomp off like some child tossing a temper because he wasn’t about to tell her latest gossip. It would’ve bothered him if she was one to hold a grudge or personally avoid him for years, but due to the fact he was much better at storing up money, she would be back at some point. It wasn’t in her nature to hate someone for long periods of time and usually after her little fit, she would be right back to pestering him. So Vellios wasn’t worried. 

His eyes shifted over to the currently assigned bomb expert, noting her discomfort then replied. [color=rosybrown]“She’ll be fine. Serena doesn’t hold grudges, she barely stays mad for longer than an hour. However, I don’t want her becoming paranoid with two members of our team.”[/color]

“[color=007236]Is it that bad you need to keep it secret?[/color]” Dex asked curiously.

[color=rosybrown] “Is it really my right to tell?”[/color] Vellios began, his eyes stared after Serena, his voice relaxed and thoughtful again. [color=rosybrown] “Would you want your issues aired by me to someone else and behind your back?”[/color]

Dex considered that knowing her answer immediately, “[color=007236]No, I wouldn’t. We’ll probably find out what happened otherwise just not from you. We’ve got more important things to worry about besides who is picking fights.[/color]” 

“[color=007236]Besides, the longer we wait down here the more Serena is going to yell at me for damaging my arm.[/color]” Dex handed Vellios the defunct detonator with a reassuring smile, “[color=007236]Or has the witty banter run dry for the day?[/color]” She asked, issuing a small challenge.

[color=Rosybrown] “The only question, could you keep the pace or need I slow down for you?”[/color] Vellios commented taking the device  then held out his arm, gesturing for her to take as he would lead her up to the tunnel and back to the rest of the crew.