((Collab between Letter Bee, Ceta de Cloyes, AWACS, Rune Alchemist.))

[quote=@Letter Bee]
[b][i]Mass Effect: Seraphim Post[/i][/b]

Ashton typed back to the cyber-intruder, [i]Your warning has been noted. Don't worry; we [b]will[/b] use that route if needed. Now either help us deal with these mercs, share how you penetrated my security, or face my prototype firewall program.[/i]

Flame, meanwhile, whirls around at Cicero, his eyes wide as he tensed; the crackle of biotic energies can be heard around him. "I remember you; I was a slave of the pirates pursuing your bounty, [i]Ka'Jem Khadorr[/i]. Now tell me why you're here posing as an outlaw -"

"Flame!" Ashton broke in, "Don't start a fight when we're going to be fighting in ten - wait, nine minutes now!"
[/quote]

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[center][color=d1001c][h2]CICERO[/h2][/color]
_ __ ___ ______ CICERO ______ ___ __ _[/center]

Cicero stiffened, freezing up at suddenly hearing his name from the lips of another after so long. It took a moment for the accusation to settle in his mind and be understood, unable to fully grasp what the boy was talking about at first, but of course the very last incident where he'd used his real name was one time too many. Even he, who wasn't a fan of the whole caste system and slavery practice, even he fell prey to the stereotype of dismissing lesser castes as unimportant. He'd forgotten all about those slaves on the ship, hadn't even bothered to figure out what happened to them after he escaped. He knew they'd probably followed after him, it had been a perfect oppurtunity and just enough chaos to work, but after that? Not a thought was spared.

Now that was coming back to bite him.

As soon as the threat of what he was facing permeated his thoughts, his Acolyte was suddenly in his hand, drawn without conscious thought, though more reflex than intent, and was pointed low, not quite at the human's center of mass. "What did you say?" He asked breathlessly. He hadn't expected his day to turn around so quickly, he'd grown complacent - after the first year of freedom he'd grown lax on having back up plans and escape routes.

That effectively left him one option: the boy had to die. The other one too, and anyone else they told. the alternative was getting found out and dragged back to the Hegemony.

But... he couldn't do it. How could he hurt a slave- a former slave even - after all he'd fought to oppose and escape from?

Returning to the Hegemony wasn't an option either.

"My [i]name[/i]," he ground out tightly, angry and tense, "is Cicero, and I owe you nothing."

A plan was formulating in the back of his mind, foggy and not well thought out, but all he would need was an oppurtunity... all he had to do was look away, to fumble a medkit... he was a medic by necessity, not by oath, if the chance came to him, he wouldn't kill, but he'd do his damnedest not to save either. That went for anyone who figured him out.

This was going to be a very risky and brief job, he was going to have to flee halfway across the Terminus to escape the rumor of his name- no, that was paranoid. It's been two years, the Hegemony was unlikely to have released his name freely, if anyone knew he was missing at all they probably wouldn't even pick up on it after so long...

He shot the other one a narrow look, four eyes and a row of needle-sharp teeth bared in threat. "Do not address me by that name again," he warned curtly, relaxing on his grip on the heavy pistol so he no longer looked as if he were about to shoot them- drawing had been an impulsive fear-driven instinct after all, it wasn't smart to get jumpy when meeting your supposed new allies.

[i]Supposed[/i] because anyone who knew was not truly his ally...

[center]_ __ ___ ______ ALEXIS ______ ___ __ _[/center]

What the actual fuck.

They hadn't even got shot at yet and they were already trying to kill each other. Cinnis was droning on about something with the Batarian and his name seeming familiar or something, but she didn't pay any attention to him for now. Alexis rolled her eyes.

"Okay, [i]Cicero[/i]." Alexis snapped sarcastically. "Point a gun at a kid again and it'll take a week for them to scrape you off the hangar walls."

[center]_ __ ___ ______ CICERO ______ ___ __ _[/center]

Cicero eyed the obvious cybernetics critically, but didn't turn away from the other two. "This is Omega, there are no kids here." He pointed out, annoyed, but retreated back a step all the same. She wasn't wrong though, especially since she confirmed his initial thoughts about their youth, "but that's a fair enough point." He acquiesced simply.

[center]_ __ ___ _______ FLAME _______ ___ __ _[/center]

Flame had sheathed himself in a cloak of biotic energy, ready fo fling a Singularity at Cicero should he try anything. Glaring in rage at the Batarian, he opened his mouth to shout -

And was pre-empted by Ashton, who looked at all of them and said, "Enough. I took the liberty of recording this entire conversation, starting from Flame saying 'your bounty', and put in... Precautions for the information's release over the extranet should I not give a countermanding order in three hours. This means that if we die, everyone knows who you are, [i]Cicero[/i]."

His face relaxes, and his green eyes meet the Batarian's four ones. The young computer specialist sighs, and says in a conciliatory tone, "But, I am not so crass that I can force you forever through blackmail. So here is a deal; if we live through this, I will delete the recording as a show of good faith."

His look deepens, "I don't have a lot of experience yet, but I do know enough that you value your secrecy enough to point guns at us. But... We need you, plus we all need to survive, and we also need to stay a coherent unit for what this Saris guy wants from us. So, we're willing to make concessions after we survive."

A faint smile at that.

[center]_ __ ___ ______ CICERO ______ ___ __ _[/center]

Fantastic, somehow Cicero had managed to not only antagonize the team via his overreaction, but he'd also created a greater threat to his secrecy. That recording was going to make everything so much more difficult. There was no way to just leave now- and he had had half a mind to just turn around and walk away, seek employment on some other Terminus backwater, but that idea was nixed now.

At least they were negotiating, or one of them was, the ex-slave was decidedly a giant question mark on whether or not he'd comply with the other's deal to keep their silence.

...not that Cicero fully believed that one either. He'd have to find some leverage, some counter to the blackmail so they could make a proper bargain, there was no way the kid was going to keep his word. 'A show of good faith' he'd said, as if he wasn't standing in derelict Omega on the opposite side of the galaxy from civilized concepts like faith and trust.

"Fine." He agreed, short and sweet, though his tone was more gruding. He didn't trust them, but he had no choice to keep an eye on them, and maybe the woman too, though she seemed more experienced and less likely to give empty words of trust, or at least more likely to taken some kind of even bribery.

Ugh, he'd really gone native hadn't he? Threats, blackmail, bribery, [i]thank you Omega, for turning me into my father,[/i] he thought with disgust, but that was the reality of his situation, the price of his freedom. Unfortunately that price seemed to be going up.

He grinned sharply, a bit forced but he had the advantage of experience of long years faking his emotions, as well as the fact he was Batarian and the four eyes seemed to throw the other species' off a bit. "We have a deal then." He'd let the kid think he wasn't wise to his game, that this was just a ploy to get the medic to pay specific attention to him and his friend during the incoming fight, and then, when he managed to get his own leverage, he'd strike a real deal and make a run for it soon as he was clear.

[center]_ __ ___ ______ ALEXIS ______ ___ __ _[/center]

"Great, we're all friends." Alexis replied with a tired tone deciding that they were done. Honestly, she really wanted to find a good bed, get high as fuck and just pass out. Maybe drunk, too. Would at least make the migraine go away, but she'd have to settle for bashing some guys heads in soon. "Now how about we focus on not dying to some Blue Suns for now? I got a Hydra, some sentry turrets, a really cranky combat drone, and really great aim."

[i]"I am not cranky. I am simply tired of this fleshy prison I'm trapped in, and I would like to inform you, you are a terrible shot. I am the one doing all the work."[/i]

"Any ideas?"

[center]_ __ ___ _______ LOKEA _______ ___ __ _[/center]

[i]Wow I'm late to the party.[/i] Lokea thought to herself, having seen the aftermath of the conflict as she arrived. Taking a look at the ragtag group, even though she didn't have any expectations, she still felt let down. Having witnessed the tail end of the conflict, and hearing the hostile tones betwen several of the members, she already knew she was in for a rough ride, and her regrets of taking this job were slowly starting to sink into her mind. However, gathering the information she heard earlier, she turned to Alexis. "You said you got a Hydra?" Lokea asked. "I suggest you use that for the air support the mercs brought. They'll cut us down if they remain in the air."

"I'm Lokea Zhu, by the way." She said to the group. "Sorry I'm late. Got caught in traffic." She used her biotic abilities to telekinetically lift her duffel bag behind the sturdy metal crate that sat in the back. After that brief show of her biotic ability, she immediately drew her Elkoss assault rifle, allowing it to extend itself into her hands. "So, did you all come up with a plan yet or... did I arrive just in time for that part?" Lokea asked, looking between the others.

[center]_ __ ___ ______ ALEXIS ______ ___ __ _[/center]

"Just in time to get on the fun bit if we don't end up killing each other before the suns get here." Alexis quickly replied, taking a quick look over Lokea. An Asari, huh? "Yeah, I got a Hydra ready to use. It'll turn those airships into scrap metal." She gave a quiet chuckle. "If it don't, that just means I get to hit 'em again."

[center]_ __ ___ ______ ASHTON ______ ___ __ _[/center]

Ashton then says to Lokea, "Hello, Miss Lokea, and we have a plan. Basically, I hacked into a lifter mech and used it as a makeshift fortification, thus saving us from having to endure a frontal assault for the first few moments. I can also perform cyber-security to ensure that we are not hacked in turn, as well as enter the enemy's communications so that we can hear what they're saying to each other as well. However, I have also been informed that one of the exits is open and besides you, we have two biotics - Flame and Cicero. So if worst comes to worst, we can get away using that exit if we clear the way first."

He frowns, "But if you're planning for [i]victory[/i] instead of just escape, well... We're going to need more firepower and staying power."

[center]_ __ ___ ______ CICERO ______ ___ __ _[/center]

Cicero forced himself to focus on strategy, usually that wasn't hard, but this wasn't usual was it? "Keep them tight, don't let them spread out." He advised, "Knowing the Suns they'll have superior numbers, but they're coming to us." An unusual change for him, he can't remember the last time he was on the defensive team, but he was actually interested in whether being in control of the terrain for once would make a difference.

"Deny them space, keep high suppressing fire to run down they're shields, grenades if we have them, and warps. I'm not really close range, I prefer to warp and throw, but if the other biotic- Flame, right? If you're quick and have good shields, you could keep them on their toes by getting in their faces if they try to gain ground." Cicero almost forgot his ire for a moment, thoughts on the incoming battle, but one glance at Flame made him tense again. He forced the feeling away, it was just a kid. A very unlucky kid. Who happened to know things Cicero would prefer he didn't - but still a kid.

He glanced around the area, the mentioned airships coming to the fore of his thoughts. What was their plan for dealing with attackers from the ships? They'd have mobility and the high ground... and speaking of airships, they made rather big explosions when they crashed and burned, he hoped their employer was on good terms with the Queen of Omega.

Sadly he didn't really have an answer for that- wait, a Hydra huh? "Nice plan," he muttered, gesturing to Alexis, they didn't really have anything else that would deal with the air transports.

"Here," he said, raising his arm and fiddling with his omnitool. A flick of his fingers dropped his contact information to the group. "If you're hacking them I want you to keep in touch, spill on whatever moves they're making."

[center]_ __ ___ _______ LOKEA _______ ___ __ _[/center]

Lokea raised her omni-tool, syncing up with the others. "Yeah, we should all keep in close contact on shortband, goddess knows what could happen if we're left in the dark." Lokea said. "But I agree with... erm... Cicero, right? Cicero's statement. My biotics are mainly through the power of force, so I can set up a pretty good defense with some barriers." She turned to Ashton. "I'd rather you stick with me. I can put up a bubble if things get rough." She starts adjusting her rifle's scope. "I could keep up suppressing fire and keep crowds under control. We can't let them gain too much ground, otherwise they'll have enough weapons on the playing field to fire at us." She looked around carefully. "But first thing's first, we're gonna need to find a place to hole up in. This ship will make us a sitting duck, and we'll be slaughtered if we stay out in the open." 

Doing a quick search around the area, she spots what seems to be a control center not too far from their position. "We might have better chances over there." She thought for a moment. "If we can strike at them and cripple them before they can land a hit on us, all the better. Keep your exits in mind, and keep in frequent contact." She grabbed her duffel bag once again, sighing. "Some test, huh?" 

[center]_ __ ___ _________________________ ___ __ _[/center]

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