[h2]The Heart of Evil[/h2]

[i]On-board the Caelestis.[/i]

Everyone had finally made it to the ship. Naryxa supposed that they were all seeing themselves to their rooms. She’d spoken briefly to each of them, a greeting and a brief tour since MacLearie was still out of it. Him being out of it gave them several more hours to kill docked in Omega too.

Finally, with her new crew in, she went to allow herself a reprieve from the confines of her faithful ship. Omega was dark and grim as always - a low thrum in the atmosphere and the scent of trouble at every corner. It didn’t seem to worry the Asari; she’d seen most of it before. Behind every terse glance on Omega was just a soul on their way, afterall. Bark was worse than bite for the most part, and Naryxa also knew she had a strong bite when required.

As she moved over the crosswalk, she looked up at the ugly, but familiar structures, flashing in arousing colour from the strobe lights. If she was drunk, it might just entice her to cross the threshold into Afterlife again.  

She placed her hands against the railing and took as deep a breath in as she could. It wasn’t pleasant air, but it was air - and it was nice to take it in. It reminded her of her youth and the corners of her mouth turned into a smile. 

The Asari was peaceful until she heard snivelling at her side. Heavy sniffing and then panicked mutters under feminine breath. She opened one eye and glanced sidelong - observing to her right a human woman, and her male companion pacing back and forth. He may have been silent, but Naryxa sensed that he carried the most fear. The woman, for all of her muttering, was formulating a plan at least. 

“...Get back in, break her out, and then we leave this place for good.” She said before shaking her head.

He said nothing. 

“Or we hire someone to do it for’us. We can’t… We can’t leave her here. We never should have left in t’first place. What were we thinking?” She turned her face to the gentleman beside her, who was shakily nodding, wringing his hands with the worry. 

“I dunno, I dunno…” he muttered back before he noticed that the was being watched and found some kind of courage. “What?” he snapped, biting back his tongue as soon as he did so and looking down at the ground. 

“What happened?” Naryxa asked softly, her mature voice bringing a calm air to the conversation. 

The human woman spoke up. 

[hr]

Back on the Caelestis, Naryxa could see that the crew had certainly made themselves at home. Bags in the walkways, cups and plates scattered in the kitchen - although she knew that to have been MacLearie’s mess. Her omnitool flashed, and she called each of them to attention.

It took but a minute or two for them to all find their way back to the open kitchen, and at Naryxa’s side was a nervous looking civilian which probably wasn’t who they were expecting to see.

“I understand you’ve all been settling in, that you’ve just got here,” she began, looking each of them in the eye one-by-one. There was so much she wanted to say to them, individually. To spend time with them alone and work out their intentions… Later.

“This is Lauren,” Naryxa explained, and Lauren waved out. “She found herself in some trouble with Mercenaries over… Illicit substances,” she sighed with a shrug. They would know what she meant. 

“Her colleague is trapped now between two small factions battling it out with each other in the slums. I suspect she is not the only civilian in danger,” Naryxa looked directly at her nwly employed Drell doctor. “We could certainly use you out there, Satka,” she said - addressing him seriously. “And any of you who can hold a gun, or can help us. Seems like it will be more than a skirmish before long.”

With a hand on her hip, her eyes narrowed almost dangerously. “I know this isn’t what you thought you had signed up for today. I don’t expect you all to come and you will not be judged by me for staying behind with the ship.”

From the corner, a hoarse voice sounded; “off to play hero again, are ye?” It was MacLearie, looking pale and incredibly unkempt, hunched against the wall with a steaming mug of coffee in his bony fist.

“You know me,” Naryxa quipped back, almost nervously.

“Aye, ah do,” he answered with a nod. “Not a bad thing to put this bunch through their paces,” he continued in a deadpan tone, his own muddy brown eyes scanning each face. His distrust and displeasure was clear and purposefully spelled out in his words. 

Casting a stern look his way, Naryxa shook her head and shooed him away with a wave of her hand. 

“People are in danger and we can help. Lauren here will show us the way. Who’s coming?”