DJAtomika

Mass Effect: Borealis

Hazan Volintis
Lafayette Station
The Doctor's Orders

Seated near the back of the café, with a piping hot mug of dextro-levo coffee, was Hazan. Way ahead of everyone else, he had kept an eye on the doors as the rest of the team had filtered in. The masquerade was easy enough to maintain; a mug of coffee and his datapad were enough to make him look like a casual tourist reading the news in his little booth. As the last of the crew trickled in, took their seats and got a drink, Hazan turned off his music and switched over to their private comms channel while pulling up the route map he'd drawn earlier onto his pad. With a few taps on the pad, he sent copies of the map to the omnitools of his teammates and synced them to his pad while waiting for everyone else to check in. Drono chimed in with the all important mission question.

“Alright. Now comes the tricky part. Getting me in and out without me dying. Ideas?”

"I'm glad you asked, Balto. Fellas, if you'd pay attention to your omnitools, I've just sent you a map of the station grounds where we're going to be operating."

He used a talon to circle the bar that they were in, a light blue circle appearing on the map synced to everyone's devices.

"This is where we are now. Crummy little bar out in the middle of nowhere."

He then circled the little box that indicated the clinic.

"And this is the clinic. Looks simple? Not really. Let me explain."

A talon drew a rather straightforward line that connected the diner with the clinic. The line itself had a few turns here and there, but it was the most direct route that he could plan with all the prep work he'd done. Bar cutting through service areas and avoiding patrols, it was fast and efficient. If a little dangerous.

"Our route is going to be on a direct course for the clinic, as planned. However, there are hazards I've identified along the way that might hinder our journey."

Hazan drew two red squares and two red circles on a section of corridor that made a slow left turn.

"A pair of guards with two LOKI mechs patrol along this section of the route. Coincidentally, it just so happens to be near a particularly expensive reconstructive surgery clinic. Related? Possibly, I'd imagine that Eclipse like to protect the businesses that pay them."

He then changed his colour to a bright yellow and made small rectangles in several corners and hallways along the route, followed by yellow cones that overlapped onto the drawn path.

"Cameras are stationed at these points all along the route, coverage as follows. All these hallways don't make for good concealment, so we're going to have to use the crowds to get by."

Another two red circles, a red square and a yellow rectangle were drawn onto the path a distance further.

"Another two guards and a mech are stationed here. Security checkpoint leading to some sort of service area. Camera here too."

Lastly he drew two more yellow rectangles that overlooked a small plaza area of sorts that held their destination plus a few extra shops and businesses.

"The clinic itself is rather loosely guarded. No patrols pass by, and only two cameras cover it from differing angles. The clincher is how we're going to get our sick Drell past the rest of security. And I've got a good idea how."

He panned the map back to the diner, zoomed in and marked each of their omnitool signatures with a dark blue square, save for Drono who he marked as a bright blue diamond.

"What we're gonna do is what we in the private security business call a staggered escort. Basically our VIP, that's you Balto, is going to be in the center of our escort column. From there, four of us are going to form a very loose square around him. Three of us will form an extremely loose wedge in the rear of the column, with one guy the furthest back we can muster without it looking suspicious. That guy's gonna be the rear scout. The remaining two of us will be out front, one just ahead of the square, and the other furthest out. That's the front scout, and that's my role in this. Now, the trick here is keeping suspicion away from us as a whole. If we do it by the book, 'hella suspicious' is an understatement. What I propose is that we maintain a modicum of our disguises as we head towards the clinic. Keep the formation as loose as possible, blend together with the crowd. Make sure we're spread apart enough not to arouse suspicion. Keep it relaxed but focused."

To illustrate his point, on the map he arranged the blue shapes into a rather messy looking formation; Drono's diamond in the center of four squares that were arrayed rather clumsily around him, followed by an equally clumsy wedge of squares behind him and two more ahead of him.

Hazan coughed softly and took a sip of his coffee.

"Now I suggest that we leave the diner one by one or in your small groups. As Dex can attest to, all of us standing and leaving at once is going to turn heads. Make sure you're all good and ready before we leave, alright? For those of you that asked for your stuff to be brought in, don't worry. Dex and I have planned three dead drop sites nearby with our gear. They're on your maps as the little green triangles. I've also marked each dead drop with whoever's kit is there. Collect them discreetly, then head out. Once we confirm that everyone's left the diner, we can start the mission clock and go all in."

Satisfied with the briefing he'd given, he smirked a little and sat back in his chair. Of course, he'd already retrieved his piece. The dead drop with his name on it held his Predator, which was currently stuffed into the back of his pants. His private security training had come with several perks, one of which was a concealed carry holster designed to fit into the back belt loops of civilian pants. His pistol was comfortably stowed there, no bumps or lumps to betray its position. The only remnant of his former life he was willing to keep.

Hazan took another sip of his coffee and folded his arms.

"Any questions?"

Baybridge: Halcyon Days [Superpowers/Semi-Sandbox]

---

The Orchestra Mall, Courtbridge, Prince Ed-Field.

"We do not have time for chit-chat, Kannix and other person. We need to get out of this mall! Before things get worse!"

Audrey grabbed onto Kannix's shoulder and whirled the girl around, intent on taking both her and their new stranger friend person to the nearest exit. But, due to the young lady's powers, she didn't move an inch and she instead yanked herself backwards and stumbled against her back. She swore in her native Russian and shook off the collision. Audrey glared at Kannix and pointed towards where an exit sign hung from one pole, half lit and flickering in the hallway.

"That way, Kannix! I do not care if I have to push you! Now move!"

"Psh, fine! Not like anything else could scratch me, let alone hurt me."

Together the two women made their way down the hall, hoping that their fire-throwing stranger friend was following right behind them. When they rounded the corner, they were greeted by a score more of the tumour-ridden monsters. With a roar, they charged the duo, and Kannix responded by throwing herself headlong into the fray. Her powers activated as a beast swung a forearm at her, stopping it dead in its tracks.

"We've got this! Just get them off me and I'll take them out!"

Wet from the sprinklers, all Audrey could do was charge forward. Her fist met the monster's misshappen face and drove it backwards while she shoved it away from her co-worker. She ducked and dodged a wild swing, returning a punch to the second beast. Kannix lowered her powers and ran forward to reactivate them like a battering ram, using her momentum to blast the last two things backwards over themselves. Audrey urged her onwards, sparing a glance to Jackson who was behind them.

"Sorry, young man! Can't stop, else those things will attack again. Come Kannix, we go! Follow us if you can, young man! "

Without another word, Audrey turned heel and ran for the exit to the mall, barely avoiding one of the beasts as it swiped at her ankles. Kannix turned briefly to look at Jackson and gave him a cheeky wave, winked and stuck her tongue at him before following in her boss' footsteps. Hopefully they'd get to the exit in time.

Baybridge: Halcyon Days [Superpowers/Semi-Sandbox]

---

The Orchestra Mall, Courtbridge, Prince Ed-Field.

The sounds of fire and chaos rang in Audrey's ears as she struggled to find their source. The myriad hallways and floors of the mall made it feel like she was navigating a maze. Glass shattering, things breaking, people screaming...the madness was unreal. After running around like a headless chicken for what seemed like forever, she stumbled upon a monster being flung away by a stream of fire. Not every day that fire acted that way, so she ran towards the source.

What she found was two people: her employee Kannix being physically attacked by one of those things (but not hurting in any way) and a young man with flickers of flame dying out on his right arm. The monster in question had just rounded the corner ahead of her and set its sights on Kannix, and as the beast's oversized fist met the side of her body and did nothing, she dashed forward, put her thumb and index finger into her mouth and whistled as loud as she could. Her other arm burst into smoke as she reached the young man's side and she threw forward a desperate punch, her smoke form extending straight forward as fast as it could while her fist (still flesh and solid) collided with the monster's face. The impact sent it reeling backwards on its feet while she ran forward, ignoring both her colleague and the stranger as her smoke arm retracted and formed back into flesh and blood.

Not wasting a minute of her momentum, like her old boxing training, she drew back her right fist and threw it in a wicked hook, knocking the monster to the floor. Then, with both hands underneath its bulk, she shoved it away across the wet floor, her arms turning to smoke as it carried her hands all the way down the length of hallway, only stopping when it met wall.

Audrey spat what remained of her cigarette out of her mouth as her hands came back to her body, and she pulled a fresh stick out of her pocket and lit it with her Zippo lighter. She then turned to glance at Kannix.

"Stupid little girl! Don't run off on your own! You may be able to fend for yourself, but what if something happens and you can't force your way out of it? You could've at least slowed down to let me catch up! I cannot run as fast as you molodezh' these days."

Baybridge: Halcyon Days [Superpowers/Semi-Sandbox]

---

The Orchestra Mall, Courtbridge, Prince Ed-Field.

With Kannix right behind her, Audrey powered on her course towards Isaac's home, or more accurately his home away from home. His college boarding house was in Courtbridge, and she only made journeys up to Prince Ed-Field to visit him and that was it. She'd heard stories about the crap that had happened three years ago in that district, but never associated her little city home with the violence of the massacre. On the way to their destination was the epicenter of that conflict: the Orchestra Mall. The sprawl had seen better days, and was now a haven for the homeless and the drug addicts that populated that area of town. She tried to avoid such areas with her life; after all, her home country was basically one big back alley.

The instant she felt Kannix's arms leave her waist and the weight on her scooter vanished, Audrey realised something was wrong. She skidded to a stop as the hot-headed young girl charged right towards the old mall with nary a scratch on her after having left the scooter at speed. Ahead of her, a steady stream of people ran away from the mall, and past her helmet she could hear screaming. The sheer terror in the voices reminded her of the escape from Verthaven. The same feeling. It filled her with a sense of fear, but her concern for Kannix quickly overrode it. She threw her helmet aside, hopped off her bike and ran after her.

"Chert- Kannix wait! Idioty!"

As she pushed past the fleeing crowd, she emerged from the crush and into the mall proper. Kannix was nowhere to be found, and the flow of people running away from whatever was in there was thinning. The sounds of carnage were much more obvious up close, and as Audrey scanned the halls and catwalks for Kannix she spied a grotesque monster rearing up to pound a cowering young lady into the ground. She burst into a sprint and readied up a haymaker, and as the monster's club arm came down, she swung. Her arm burst into a pillar of smoke that extended towards the beast and socked it right in the face, making it stumble backwards and roar in pain as she caught up with her smoke-wreathed fist. Audrey immediately put herself between the beast and the poor young woman, while the gibbering wreck struggled to her feet. Without looking back she addressed the almost-corpse.

"Run, young one! Do not look back!"

The woman got up and ran off screaming. The beast, meanwhile, was shambling off into the mall, having perhaps forgotten she was there. Audrey shrugged and rubbed her knuckles where she'd punched the thing. Fleshy like a normal person...almost looked like one too. She sighed as she made off in the other direction, trying to scan the mall for her employee.

"Blyad... Where did you go, Kannix...?"

When she heard the sounds of fighting and more of those...things groaning like zombies, she ran straight for the source. As she ran, she yelled for the young lady she'd only known for less than a week like her life depended on it.

"Kannix! Young lady! Where are you, little tupoy shirokiy?!"

Hopefully she'd find Kannix at the end of all this. Alive, and not as another casualty.

She owed her that much.

Baybridge: Halcyon Days [Superpowers/Semi-Sandbox]

---

---

^{@DJAtomika & @Dioxide}

---

Greencrest Heights, White Coast.

Great. Fucking Great. Here she was having to back-track her way to the nearest bus station, praying that she hadn't missed the last bus after the weekly episode of Wenbitch and Friends - she couldn't hate her completely; Kannix volunteered to come out this late, and she's just a victim of unfortunate events much like her - so she could make it back home to explain herself to the almighty mastermind of the Cheng Household that is her mom.

It was a date, mom! Rein's too cute that I just had to be with him. I swear, I was going to come home as soon as I could but he just kept on surprising me again and again! He's such a sweetheart. That lie was utter BS: a fantasy that Kannix wanted (and is waiting for) so badly, but a truth that had to exist for her to literally not die.

...Yet, of all times, she lost her FUCKING wallet. At any given time, Kannix has the mental reminder to keep track of her items on her - a result of her excessive fidgeting and playing with small items. It wouldn't have fallen out of her unless she carelessly slumped down and it got pressed out of the thin pockets of her pretty little dress... which she did back at the cafe when she first sat down to awkwardly introduce herself.

So, after having borrowed what little small change Rein had on him ("I'll pay you back, promise!"), Kannix made it to just about near the cafe.

***

Kannix approached the glass window where she made that horrendous crack. She looked back at the knuckles on her right hand. Of course there was no damage. Her right hand reached down to her phone. How the phone did not fall out of her pocket, she had no clue - probably bigger, that's why. After sending a very quick message ("Mom, honest to god lost my wallet, but I found it - about to go get it back."), she stepped back to take in the establishment. It was closed, all lights off, and the lock on the welcoming doors were shut tight. Please to god let there still be someone inside. She knocked on the door loud and hard, threatening to crack the doors like she did to the glass window.

"Is anyone inside!? I need to get my wallet back! Please I need to get back home!"

If Kannix hadn't seen the little kitchen light on through the cafe's glass door, she could've been excused for being unobservant. But, as it stood, there was someone in. That someone being the cafe's owner and housekeeper, interrupted in her cleaning of the kitchen before she went home.

Audrey inhaled a long, hard drag on her cigarette and stepped outside, brushing back a lock of messed hair from her face as she saw the young lady standing at the door and pounding rather loudly on the glass. She flicked on a light switch and the cafe blazed back to life, with the exception that everything was closed, since it was late.

"Oh, you're the little gremlin that broke my window. What's this about wallet, eh?"

"Wha? Ho- I didn't break your window. What are you on- nevermind." She had to work on that bit - how this lady could have guessed that she broke her window was beyond her. "I can see my wallet over there by the chair! I was here with my friends earlier and I dropped it. I'm sorry to have to disturb you this late but I can't get back home otherwise."

Audrey craned her neck over to the table where the bunch of youths had been hanging out earlier in the day. That was where she'd heard the glass break and saw this young lady standing outside, fist on the window. She ambled over to the very obvious wallet sitting next to one of the chairs (how none of her employees had noticed it was beyond her) and picked it up.

"Oh, you mean this wallet? Sure you can have it back. As soon as I take my payment for replacing the damaged window. Can't have that on storefront, bad for business.'

As she said this, she opened up the wallet and rifled through the bills and loose change, pretending to consider actually taking money from this poor young woman's wallet while she walked back to the glass door. A puff of smoke escaped her lips from the cigarette that blazed between them as she pulled a few five buck bills from the wallet and held them up to the door.

"Consider this first payment. You get wallet back but you still owe me for window. Those things expensive, built to withstand car accident. I'm not sure how you managed to crack one with your fist, but you need to pay me or I start losing customers."

"Lady! Look at how little money I have in my wallet! If your windows are that expensive, how could I possibly pay you back? I'm from Spring Town! We have jack shit! This dress is not even second-hand! It's probably "sixth-"hand! Yes, I broke it, and I'm really sorry but I'm just a Spring Towner." Her fists had pounded on the glass door, exasperated and upset. There was fatigue and heaviness in her voice. It was late, and her mentioning her own pathetic background to this lady was nothing short of uncomfortable.

Audrey cocked an eyebrow at the mention of Spring Town. One of her employees was from there too, and she herself understood what poverty meant. She'd seen it, worse than this, back home in Russia. She kept her expression passive, but puffed thoughtfully on her cigarette.

"Hmm. Explains a lot."

She replaced the money into the worn wallet and closed it, holding it in one hand. "Tell you what, you work for me until I determine you've worked off your debt. That sound better, young lady? I will pay you, of course, but I will take a portion as what you owe me for the window."

Like the lady, Kannix puffed. She froze completely. Her fists still planted on the glass doors, her eyes wide open, crazy and teary at the same time, staring back at the tall, smoking woman. The mention of her possibly getting a job was so ridiculous, so other-worldly. Holy-

She turned around. Behind her was a straight road, empty of cars and obstacles save for this one scooter.

"SHIT."

Kannix energized herself. With her rush of emotions, she had to act out, a lot like a kid on a sugar rush cannot sit still and has to move about. In this case, she was all forms of scared, excited, worried, and shocked. She launched herself at the scooter side-first, absolutely obliterating it. It folded in on itself, her sheer, unstoppable force sending the hunk of metal flying across the length of the road. She straightened herself back up, and breathed to cool herself back down.

Shocked by the sudden display of power, Audrey backpedalled a few steps as the youth suddenly hurled herself at one of the scooters used for her food deliveries (and owned by one of her employees), completely demolishing it with nary a scratch on herself. She inhaled one long breath from her cigarette, burning out the white stick down to the filter, and blew the smoke at the door. Using the smoke and gathering it into herself, she stepped right through the spaces in the door frame and out onto the street, her smoke form dissipating into the air almost instantly as she withdrew a pack of Marlboro's from her pocket and pulled a fresh stick from the foil. She lit it with her lighter and breathed in a fresh lungful of smoke, breathing it out and up into the cold night air.

"Well, you're paying for that too. That was Ellen's, she was renting that from someone else."

Audrey pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head slightly in amusement and frustration.

"How am I going to explain this to her...?"

Kannix had a feeling that there was more shit to happen to her. Thankfully, there was nothing more to break, and tearing down the cafe would be excessive.

"I've never worked before. No openings in Spring Town and no one likes to hire a messy-looking Spring Towner." She turned around. "I don't know... how to thank you enough, and how to hate you enough." This realization, this grand moment was grounding her to the reality she has to face. Everybody just expects certain shit just from labels you own.

"I can work as soon as tomorrow. I just... want to go home now..."

Audrey nodded. She returned to her cafe's front door, unlocked it and picked up the girl's wallet from where she'd dropped it after turning into smoke to exit the building. With it in hand, she ambled back to the young lady and deposited the wallet into her hands. With a softer tone, almost motherly in intonation, she patted the lady's shoulder with a hand.

"Remember to be on time, young lady. We open at nine, but I expect you to be at the register by eight thirty, okay? My cashier, Ping, she'll give you briefing."

Kannix gave a small snort and chuckle, a sarcastic reply to try and brighten herself up. "Eight thirty? so late? Hah!" Oh she has no idea what she was in for, for sure, but she owed the lady.

"I never got your name, smoke metahuman lady. I'm Kannix Cheng."

"Audrey Novalik. A pleasure."

---

The Cheng Household,
Spring Town, Hedgemount.

"Did you guys have sex?"

"JESUS MOM WHAT THE FUCK."

"Well, why else would you stay out so late?"

"That's highly inappropriate, and we just met!"

"Then why were you out so late? What could you two have possibly done that took so goddamn long?"

The lie had to be convincing. Kannix couldn't say to her mom that they, and here being more than two, broke into someone's house and discussed about powers and events far beyond their simple lives. Nothing physically could betray her facade of innocence of a first date.

"We went to Silverhills."

"What the fuck's in Silverhills?"

"Uhm... Rosalyn Street!" That name she remembered off the top of her head. Wenbitch and Friends had driven through it. She had noted how hipster the whole place was. The perfect cover for a freaky freak like Rein. "It's got record stores and people there wore clothes like from your dynastic era some 10,000 years ago."

"Fuck you. Why would he take you there?"

"God I know, right? Bless the Lord he's charming and pretty. I'm in charge of the date next time, no worries mom."

Kannix's mom had no reason to suspect anything foul out of her daughter's story. This was perhaps the first positive thing to have come out of from her child's life, albeit a weird one, in a long time. She was confused, but delighted for her.

"Oh, and I also have a job now!"

"...What?" her mother spoke not with a tone of shock, but of astonishment. "How?"

"Rein took me to a cafe and they had openings! Audrey, the lady manager there, accepted me!"

"A cafe? What's it called?"

"The Haven. I start tomorrow morning, in fact!"

For a while, her mother did not speak and gave only a soft smile. Through her scars and ruined body, out permeated a release of pressure so visible in her body's relaxation.

"Good. Go sleep, get ready, and do well."

Kannix, shocked at her own mother's pleasantness, shook away her apprehension, and took in the respect at the words of guidance and support she was given. She nodded and smiled, then went to bed.

***

Oh my God what have I done?

Was she really ready for a job? Kannix had no idea in the slightest on what to do in a cafe! She can't cook and customer service might as well be a mathematics concept. She thought and shivered at every aspect she thought of herself that was not helpful at all for her job. She finished dressing up - lacy dress under a thin, mustard brown leather jacket, coupled with dirty white army boots and a camouflage-patterned bag on her back - and was ready to head out the door, knowing that it would too early to wake up her mom. She already knew she was heading out for work. Wow, a sentence I never knew I'd ever say.

She passed the table before realizing there was a note on the fridge.

'Don't fuck this up. I packed lunch for you.'

Kannix's heart suck in at the thought of her mother's care. She opened the fridge to see a brown paper bag. In it was two very old, soft slices of bread with the thinnest layer of liver-spread and dry cabbage leaves. To the two of them, this was okay for two meals for the both of them, costing them so much. Here she was, having it as a single meal. It's so much... she thought, but the decency to have a meal, to be respected in front of her new colleagues was what her mom must have had on her mind. She smelled the sandwich deeply before packing it into her bag, and rushing out to catch the bus. To work!

---

The Haven
Greencrest Heights, White Coast.

Fucking hell the place was huge. No customers yet, but with the life waking up around her in the neighbourhood, there must be service soon. She could feel the stress already, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to enter or not. She's not ready! How could she be!? She walked over to the doors, but positioned herself just right now so she couldn't be seen from the outside world, and the people inside wouldn't mistake her for someone who wants to enter, and rather just idling around, pretending to not have to be there.

Please someone make me come in. I can't enter by myself...

"Door is unlocked, you going to stand outside and lollygag or come in and help set up?"

Drying her hands on her towel, Audrey popped up from behind the counter. She spotted Kannix outside and waved for her to enter.

Kannix's eyes grew wide and her stance straightened. At least she was invited in, but the harshness in the tone, like a reprimand, got her scared and worried. She was fucking up already. She was internally screaming. Kannix pushed the doors open and took in the cool air conditioning and unobtrusive lightning. She basked in the atmosphere that she had failed to notice on her first time here. It seemed busy and full of life even when there was no one here yet. The titles were so well-designed, furniture complementary with each other, and colours so soothing to the eye.

Kannix walked over to the counter, the grandness of its berth that it had, encompassing a great length of the cafe as it hid its machinations for a great business. It had to be great - how else could Audrey afford all the decor?

"Good morning, Audrey. Sorry, I'm really nervous."

"Everyone is nervous on first day." She nodded and gestured to a rather young lady to her right.

"Ellen, meet Kannix. Kannix, meet Ellen. You two will be on counter duty today. She'll walk you through it."

Kannix gestured a small wave actioned from her wrist. "Oh. Hi... sorry about trashing your scooter... I'll pay you back, I promise!" Fuuuuuck I have to work with the person whose scooter she destroyed. If she doesn't poison my water or food, I'll be legit surprised.

"It's cool. I'll just have to delay our food deliveries for about forever."

Ellen ran a hand through her long, blonde hair and gave her a rather "I'm so done with this" huff.

"Ah... haha... that's funny... So... what do I do now?" Kannix's eyes darted everywhere but the look Ellen gave her.

She gestured to the two identical computer slash cash registers on the counter and stood in front of one of them.

"Registers are here, and customers are gonna come up to place their orders with us. Menus are behind us on the big chalkboards above our heads. When they come to place an order, just find what they're ordering on the big colourful buttons on the computer screen and tap 'em. Once you've finished up an order, tap the big green "Process Order" button and it'll print a receipt, at which point you'll ask them to pay however much their order costs. Just read out the amount on the screen and then wait for them to give you money. When you press the button, the register will open. Take their money and put all the notes in those little bins according to their denomination, along with any coins they give you. Then when the receipt's done printing, hand it to 'em and give 'em back their change if they have any. Then they'll wait for their order and give it to them if they're waiting at the counter. Otherwise, pass it to Isaac. He's the giant dude over there with the dreadlocks, and our waiter. He'll get it along. Just remember to get the customers their change and their receipt and you won't go wrong. And don't wrongly charge someone or order something wrong."

Shit.

*** ***

The morning-to-afternoon started off poorly. Soon after Kannix had found a box high enough so she could see the register and over the counter (no time to throw a fit), the first customer came in, followed by several others, all here for their very quick breakfasts and shots of caffeine to beat consciousness into their zombie-like trances.

Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck will you guys just fuck off please don't buy here just fuck off

The buttons were huge and had clear names written on them, and they were all neatly organized and categorized. By all means, it wasn't supposed to be hard. Yet, when it came to grumpy people, with the occasional halitosis and shit attitude, all confidence breaks, and Kannix suddenly would fumble and stumble. Soon, the lines were long, and there was a bit of chaos. Ellen did her part at the other register, and holy shit people were quick to change queues. One customer in particular though... Wooo...

***

A man in a rather long coat approached the counter, his grizzled visage sweeping over the menus displayed above. His hand rubbed his stubble-covered chin thoughtfully, before he strode forward and placed both hands on the counter, eyeing the rather fetching young lady behind the register.

"Gimme the usual."

After Kannix had somewhat understood the flow of things, here was a man who just had to ruin it.

"Uhm.. right..." She wanted to ask Ellen what the 'usual' was but she was busy handling customer after customer on her hand, fluid and instinctive in every transaction, so positive and natural in communicating with the person on the other end. Kannix turned her attention back at this man who looks like some wet uncle and asked:

"Sorry uhm... what's the 'usual'?" Kannix offered the creepiest, most fake smile she could offer in an attempt to make chat with the man.

The man gestured rather vaguely at the menu right above her head.

"Y'know...the usual. What I always get when I'm 'round these parts."

"I don't know who you are. This is my first day. No, sorry, first two hours here. I'm not a mind-reader, sir." The other customers had been grumpy and rude, but they were mostly obedient and would repeat their orders - angrier, and more rushed, but not too difficult, and otherwise not bad. This dude, though.

"Do you mind telling me which of the myriad items here is your 'usual', sir?"

"Uh...the uh...that green tea thing with the milk and shit, I dunno what the hell you young people call it these days."

Green tea... at least something to work wi-

Shit.

"Sir, there are at least ten fuc- ten items that are green tea, all with the 'milk and shit'. You're really going to have to help me out here." Kannix tried her best to look through the long list of items but to no avail. Ellen was still handling her end of things, and the lines were still coming in. It was getting noisier in the cafe, livelier and hotter too. Her apron was huge on her, and the grunts and looks people were giving her were not helping.

"I- it's the thing! That green tea thing, um, iced? I always order it when I'm here!'

"AM I SPEAKING ANOTHER- I just said I got here! I'm being really patient as it is. I. Just. Got. HERE."

"Kannix! Jim! Cool it!"

Audrey took a deep breath from her cigarette and exhaled plain air, holding the smoke in her lungs via her power while she emerged from the kitchen, Hands on hips, she glared at both the young lady that she'd just hired yesterday and the coat-wearing old man that she knew almost by heart. With a shake of her head, she strode forward and keyed in an order for an iced green tea frappe. The cash register dinged open and the old man dropped a handful of notes and change into hers. Audrey gave him another glare and shook her head.

Kannix had turned sharply at the loud command. All attention averted from the two, and went towards the new, serious voice. Audrey came to intervene, and the tall lady whose lips seemed perpetually paired with a cigarette met with the little girl's steel-like look that told five definitions of 'pissed-off'. Kannix in the instant of meeting her superior - a kind, generous, understanding, and more deserving one at that - gradually melted into submission and embarrassment, but not without the grounded reservations of being upset about a situation out of her control. Her lips quivered in shame, but her hands gripped the counter table saying a contrary emotion.

"Of course you are the one picking on my new hire. She does not know your 'usual', Jim. Don't hassle her."

The old man called Jim shrugged his shoulders and collected his receipt.

"Then she can at least learn some god damn manners and ask politely. I don't come here to get lip from you young folk."

"Well, I came here to work and serve foods and beverages, not deal with mental lapses from rugged, senile men." Kannix rebutted, eyes bulging out from her pudgy, doll-like face, hands on hips mirroring her senior. She stood her ground, and truthfully she wanted to storm out of the register area - into the back room, to the outside, back home, anywhere! - but Kannix stayed like a bulldog latching on to its bone with its mangy jaw. Her stubbornness has gotten her into senseless trouble before. While she could not afford to have that on her first day of work, she kept on. She won't back down.

"Well that rugged, senile man is one of our most regular customers, Kannix."

"...doesn't make him a nice one..." muttered under her voice in her lightest voice, but the message was still directed to Audrey, Kannix's head down but eyes up and piercing her new boss - though hopefully Kannix could still call her that.

"But a customer is a customer, Kannix. Come, into back room. I need to talk to you."

Audrey gave Kannix a "come here" motion with her hand and turned on her heel, disappearing into the kitchen.

A crinkle of her nose towards Jim showed Kannix's dissatisfaction, gestural and expressive, and most definitely instinctive and reactive by all means. She followed Audrey into the kitchen, stepping off her block and impacting the floor hard with her heavy boots. If she wasn't careful, she could have broken the door as it swung open. But, she chose to be tame - she caused enough trouble today, and the day wasn't even half way over yet.

Kannix crossed her arms and looked up, face full of expressed putrid annoyance. By all means, she thought she wasn't in the wrong.

"Hi."

Audrey turned to face the young woman, hands on her hips as she took a long drag of her cigarette. Frustration creased her brow as she pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head.

"Kannix, the first thing about serving customers is maintaining your cool. Jim's a cranky old coot, so I understand your frustration. However, dealing with Jim is the best way to learn how to keep a cool head. In this business, no one likes a server who yells at their customers. It projects bad impression."

Kannix resigned from her combat stance of righteousness to a loud, quiet sigh. In the face of humility, Kannix becomes easily embarrassed. She will keep her opinions and values on things and people like Dim-Jim, but she can be a lot tamer.

"Can I at least bitch about them to you surreptitiously? I promise I won't spit into drinks - not that I was planning to, of course - or anything malicious. I still want an outlet." The manic, irritable tone and message delivered by a cutesy, dolly face provided just enough juxtaposition that Kannix hoped Audrey would understand that this was how she was, and is going to be. Fuck being fake.

Audrey nodded, her firm, strict expression softening just a little that she could pick up on the change. This was a complaint she'd had before. From Isaac, from Ellen, from Ping, from anyone who'd ever worked with her. Her response, of course, was the same.

"Of course, Kannix. I am your boss, and I must be strict in your conduct. However, if you want to complain or have an outlet, I can be that too. The one thing I promise all my employees is that they can talk to me whenever they want to if they have a problem that they want to...get off their chest. I do not care who you are or what your game is, but if you come to me with a problem, I will do my best to listen and understand."

"Cool. So..." Kannix spun a full rotation on her heel - random as random can be - and continued her thought: "Do I... go back to register? From the sounds of it, the morning wave has died down." Her hands were busy tracing the patterns on her lacy dress, keeping her high energy in check.

Audrey sighed and nodded. "Yes, yes you can go back to register. There is still rest of day to do."

***

The rest of the day did not get any less harder, but Kannix had made it somehow. There was the occasional jackass and whore-face who thought they had to get their way, and with each encounter Kannix found herself retreating back to the kitchen and cooling herself down.

When the evening died down and customers were no longer coming in, Kannix found another kind of pressure; in that, she could not kill the time by trying to make small talk with her colleagues. She did her duties to clean up the cafe all the while the others talked happily and worked together like a team. Kannix tried to not think they were talking about her, but it's hard not to imagine that when she was more than a handful the whole day.

Most of the others made their way out, greeting their boss goodnight, all to repeat the cycle the next day. Some bothered to exchange a glance at Kannix's direction, whom was looking at her colleagues intently having hoped they would notice her. Kannix waited for Audrey to dismiss her, if not out of permission then out of kindness and obligation for her bad first day. Kannix eyed the food that was brought in from display that were not eaten. Presumably someone was going to take them out to trash, but Kannix was going to ask if she cou- no, that would seem desperate and pathetic. If only her inner thoughts could get her to stop staring at the leftovers so much, that would be nice - her person atop the kitchen table. She listened to the quiet, the new life in the empty cafe, scared at the serenity, and perhaps her permanent dismissal.

Audrey stood outside, taking her first free puff of her cigarette now that it was closing. Her arms were crossed and smoke enveloped her body as she contemplated her new hire. Sure, Kannix was a bundle of fire in a young lady's body, but Audrey believed she had the potential to be a proper young lady, one whose temper and attitude were kept in check. All she had to do was, well, practice keeping that fire stoked low and not have it burn too brightly.

As she turned to re-enter the cafe and let her knock off work, she caught Kannix staring rather needily at the leftovers in the display cabinet. Her policy regarding extra food was always to have it consumed before they closed the shop, but sometimes her word just fell on deaf ears. Normally she'd take the food and pass it on to the homeless shelter a few blocks away before heading home, but seeing Kannix...

Without a word, she strode past the young lady and went into the kitchen, returning with a few plastic Tupperware containers that she loaded with a few leftover pastries and a slice of cheesecake. These she handed to Kannix in a plastic bag.

"Here. Store policy to never have leftovers. Take home. You earned...some of it."

Kannix barely contained a violent response - a cough of surprise, a giggle of thanks, and a shudder of refusal. She was very animated in this reply for the right reasons, though they were unknown to her. Mixed messages seemed to course through Audrey's generosity, and Kannix had no clue how to react. But, in this case, she had no reason to grossly assume anything contrary in the politeness, though it was difficult.

"...Thank you." Kannix cleared her throat. "How was I today?" In this question she sought approval and acceptance, and the knowledge to be told that she was on the right track, and not some lost animal on a proverbial railway track unaware of a train that could come in at any moment and strike it down. She would be that animal and the train would be... literally anything. She was scared.

Audrey thought for a moment before opening her mouth to reply. She hoped what she'd say wouldn't totally destroy the young lady's feelings.

"Good. But still need improvement. Come back tomorrow, same time. We open shop."

Kannix managed a light smile and looked at Audrey face-on. In the lady's seriousness she heard just enough heart and compassion, the likes of which she was familiar with with her own mom. Heh. Two moms. Not to get carried away, but Kannix was already busy contemplating the likely and fun attachment they were going to have.

"I will, ma'am. Mom and I will enjoy these fine selections of ambrosia." She spoke as she gestured at the foods with exaggerated grace and obnoxious highlight, her eyes disappearing to a line as she smiled a big smile.

Audrey sighed and shook her head, trying to stifle a chuckle.

"Yes yes, enjoy. Now go home. Long day again tomorrow. Do not be late."

***

The Cheng Household,
Spring Town, Hedgemount_

Kannix got back home earlier than the night before and her mom was on the sofa barely awake, waiting up on her, perhaps in slight doubt that her daughter did in fact get actual work, but purely in motherly instinct to see her young one fully intact.

"What's that?"

"Leftovers! Here." Kannix placed the Tupperware container, and her mother shuttered a reaction not too different from what she herself gave.

"Wow... that's great. How was work?"

"Well, it was tough, and I have a lot to get used to; the flow of the place, the functions on the register, how to be nice..." That last clause made her mother mockingly sigh, accepting that, of course, there would be that issue.

"I'm glad. You have work tomorrow?

"Yup, sure do." Kannix yawned.

"Then go to bed."

"How was your day though?"

"It's fine; same old, same old. We'll talk more when you get a day-off." Her mother pinched her ever-bubbly cheeks lightly. A slight bit of pride bespoke itself in her mother's eyes as Kannix looked up to see her. She was happy that she was happy.

"Okay, mom."

---

The next day
The Haven
Greencrest Heights, White Coast_

Kannix was getting the hang of the rhythm of the cafe's business, and the life pulse of the customers and its staff as it all functioned in the one cyclical motion of purchase, service, and clean-up. Though getting the feel of the place did not mean that she got any better at the whole "customer service" B.S.. If the cafe was really that good and popular, surely they could ignore the several difficult, fucking annoying frequenters, and take care of the nicer ones. Kannix found herself swearing under her breath more and more, and more than once did she jam forks into the temple of her skull, bending into contorted shapes against her empowered exterior ("I'll fix it back..." - "You'd better, young lady.").

During the quiet times, Kannix made herself busy, but not to the point of discomfort, always following the lead of her seniors. Ellen would still not talk to her, but the others weren't as hostile. Even Audrey was teaching Kannix some things like how to read the ingredients list, how to make a sandwich ("Wow, check out that guy's huge nose." - "Yes, very big, must be like his wallet, now focus."), and how to quickly brew a coffee ("How'd you get so tall?" - "I drank my milk like good little girl when I was growing up. That, and I took up boxing.").

The end of the day came. Kannix propped herself on the kitchen table again, awaiting her senior to dismiss her again for the night. She hopped off the table towards the leftovers again, and ogled a very attractive custard-filled bun. She'd been eyeing the selection the whole day she'd been working, and though her lunch was one of the leftovers from last night, she was still hungry. With a myriad options, who could control themselves?

She quickly grabbed and stuffed her face with the bun, only for Audrey to come in at the second her mouth barely contained the pastry and its custard filling was dripping down her cheek. Kannix froze, and worked a smile, yellow and filled with flaky crumbs.

"...have it, just make sure not to leave mess."

At this point Audrey wasn't too surprised that Kannix was pigging out on another of her handmade pastries. She wouldn't have been surprised had the young lady been buried in the pastry cabinet either. But she had other concerns. Her main waiter, Isaac, had called in sick earlier today and so the rest of her employees were pulling extra duty filling in for him. She was planning to close the cafe for the next day or so to visit him, make him feel better. And maybe help Kannix get used to working with the big guy.

"So, Kannix. I have proposal. Our big waiter man, Isaac. He is sick. I plan on visiting him in Prince Edfield. You are coming with me. Good opportunity for you to meet him in person."

"Oh?" Kannix's face crumpled into a mixture of confusion, initial decline, then hesitant acceptance. She swallowed the rest of the bun, and cleared her thought. "Sure, sure."

---

Wednesday
The Haven
Greencrest Heights, White Coast_

The two had agreed to meet up at the cafe before heading out for Courtbridge, Prince Edfield ("Stay out of trouble." - "Yes sir!"). Though her sample size was small, the sight of a closed cafe on a weekday was weird, if not unsettling. A giant sign was posted on the door, saying they were closed for the day. Patrons would then look for other alternatives, mumbling and grumbling as they redirected themselves.

Kannix walked around the back, to see Audrey in a plain black hoodie, shirt, jeans and sneakers, her ever-present cigarette clamped firmly in her mouth. Two motorcycle helmets were draped on her arm, and a little blue scooter was behind her. Kannix herself was donning a black, over-sized, tribal-patterned shirt that drooped so low that it hid her shorts, sleeves almost reaching her elbows, and accompanied with a white long-sleeve undershirt that reached her palms in length. Her shoes were simple in design, but stark in colour: blue, against all the black and white.

"Huh. I've never been on one of those."

"It's simple. Like riding bike, except bike does not have engine. Well, old bike. Not those newfangled things with the electric motors. Here, wear." She tossed one of the helmets rather gently at Kannix, a faded blue helmet that had seen better days.

Kannix fit the helmet on herself. "I'll try to not break this one! The scooter, I mean. This, I could crus- nothing."

Audrey gave her a "oh please don't make me" look and buckled her own helmet onto her head. Then she straddled the scooter, twisted the key in its ignition and it rather roared to life, not fitting a scooter of its size. With Kannix onboard behind her, she kicked off the stand and off they went towards Prince Edfield.

Mass Effect: Borealis

The Giftening: Hazan Edition
Some time during the flight

Serena made her way down the ramp, humming a light tune to herself as she carried Hazan’s gift in her hand, smiling as she saw the turian approaching from the opposite direction. ”Hi Haze! I have that gift for you!” She waved the box excitedly, frowning as she looked at him. ”You look despondent again. What’s wrong? Her eyes narrowed. ”Did Vellios threaten you? If he did I swear I’m going to pin his mangy carapace to the damn wall.”

Hazan was approaching the ship, his tool bag hanging from his shoulder and rifle case clasped in a talon, when Serena met him on the ramp. He did look despondent, yes, but only because of the funk he was in. He shook his head in response to her question and chuckled softly.

”Nah, he didn't. He helped cheer me up yesterday, so there's that, I guess. I still feel really bad about everything, but the feeling will pass.”

Hazan gestured at the little box that Serena was holding and raised an eye ridge.

”A gift? For me? Ya shouldn't have, Serena.”

Serena begrudgingly accepted his response, brightening as he gestured at her gift. ”I get that a lot. Here.” She handed it over to him, explaining it as she did so. ”I noticed that you like to listen to music, music I don’t understand but music nonetheless. You don’t seem to have headphones to listen to it, or anything to store it on, and I imagine there’ll come a time when you want to block Dex and Vellios out. So I got you something for that problem.” She ducked her head in shy embarrassment, continuing on in a mumble. ”It has a couple ear buds that can be disconnected if you don’t want to lug around the player itself. It can also store upwards of a thousand songs and voice recordings if you ever need to make a memo or something.

She fidgeted for a moment more. ”If it’s a stupid gift tell me so I can take it back and get you a better one. I’ve been known to make stupid decisions.”

Hazan blushed a dark blue as he took the box and stood there rather awkwardly, not knowing what to do or say.
”I...uh… Thanks, Serena...”

”Is this something that’s a terrible gift? I can take it back if you’d prefer something else. It’s okay to say you don’t like my gift. Really. I’ll take it back and get something you actually like.” Serena said, looking at him anxiously. It appeared that she had made him uncomfortable, which was exactly the opposite of her goal.

He shook his head rather rapidly and smiled.

”No, no! It’s a good gift, Serena. I’m sorry. I’m just...distracted. Heh...I don’t know what possessed me to not buy a music player all these years. I’ve just been using a...y’know what, why don’t I show you? C’mon.”

Hazan chuckled and brushed past Serena politely, making his way into the ship. With her behind him, he made his way to his room near the cockpit. The turian’s quarters were sparsely decorated. Simple colours, no attempts to decorate apart from the cases of equipment and clothes he’d brought with him. A small, cylindrical device sat on his bed, which bounced gently into the air as he sat down. He grabbed the cylinder in his talons and twisted it, which made it light up in a bright blue as music played from both ends. Hazan held up the portable music player and kinda grinned.

”I’ve been using this a lot. Portable speaker synced to my omnitool.”

Serena followed, a small frown of confusion on her face. She glanced only briefly around the room, noting the militaristic style that seemed to be typical of all turians. She made a small note to herself about it, then focused back on Haze as soft rock music began to play. She grinned back at him, eyes darting over it as she tried to unlock it’s secrets by just staring at it ”I like it! Pretty and functional. The best of both worlds!

”I”m glad you like your gift. I worried about it from before purchase up until now.” She smiled sheepishly. ”Anyways, before I run off to give one of the others their gifts, what’s the deal with your bounty? Are we going in blind or do you have a blueprint and patrol patterns of the place hidden around?

”Not totally blind. I have blueprints of their hideout, and where to go. Tonka’s been filling my head with ideas about an ambush though...not sure which I should decide on, really.”

He smirked a little and stretched, placing his speaker back on his desk as he unwrapped the little gift box Serena had given him. The wires and earbuds sat within some foam casing in the box, along with a few connection jacks and wireless dongles. Hazan removed the wires and assorted gadgets from the box and smiled to himself.
”These are perfect, Serena.”

Serena grinned, pleased that he was happy. ”Good. As for the ambush…” She shook her head. ”I don’t think we need to add ‘Wanted for breaking into and killing members of the bounty station on Omega’ to our list of reputations. We just need to go in quick and get out clean, leaving you with a clean slate and a VI that automatically deletes you whenever you’re put in. Serena smiled smugly as she continued. ”Which I happen to possess the skills for.

”All of these plans sound good, dammit! Now I can’t decide on anything.”

He chuckled and sighed, shaking his head.

”Well, ask yourself this. Do you want to just put this all behind you, or do you want blood and vengeance? If you want the former, go in quick and get out clean. The less blood the better. If you want to wreak vengeance and spill a lot of blood, take Tonka’s approach and ambush people. I would prefer the former, but it is your choice not mine. Make your decision on how you feel, not how others do. “

”Mmm...I’ll think about it then, Serena. Thanks for the input. To be honest… It’s kinda the latter, but I really need to just leave a mark, y’know? Tell these people that messing with me isn’t okay, and messing with the people I care about isn’t okay either.”

”Not to pop your touchingly ominous bubble, but the people you’d be ambushing. They’re just Blue Suns and bounty hunters right? You kill a bunch of them, and you’re just going to make the Blue Suns more irritated and raise your price for the bounty hunters, bringing in the more skilled and the less intelligent.” Serena gestured in a vague direction.

”Tonka is thinking like a krogan. And krogan logic dictates that you either kill your enemies or make yourself scary enough not to go after. Which works on Tuchanka. I don’t think it will work with the Suns or your bounty. Proving yourself dangerous will just make you more profitable to take out, and build their reputations as bounty hunters.”

”Mmm… True. I guess… I dunno, I’ll figure out once I actually start dealing with them, Serena. But thanks for the advice. And the headphones.”

He smiled and nodded to her.

”And, um...thanks for everything else, I guess. I still feel sore about letting you down, but at least...I don’t think I blame myself as much any more.”

”Progress! I was beginning to think I’d have to smack you ever time I saw you looking guilty at me.” Serena teased, flicking him lightly on the forehead. ”No need to thank me. You’re my teammate Haze. I’ll go help you fix your problems. I gotta go. Try not to wallow in self guilt to much.” Serena smiled, turning on her heel and beginning to head out the room.

”Ow- hey!” Hazan started a little from the flick to his forehead, but he returned the smile. ”I won’t, Serena. Thanks.”

---

Hazan Volintis
Now
Lafayette Station
Doing The Ol' Sneaky Sneaky

Hazan strode off the deck of the Borealis and onto the docking bay. Dressed casually in a plain shirt, jacket and pants, with earbuds in his ears and attached to a spare (if lifeless) music player, he made his way towards the checkpoint. Hands in pockets, he joined the queue of people lined up to gain entry and reviewed the plan in his head.

During the trip to the station, he'd carefully pored over the maps of the station. Checkpoints, alternate routes, committed to heart and stored within his visor's memory chip. The scout knew he would be unarmed during the course of his infiltration, and even if he could carry a weapon, it'd have to be small. His Predator would suffice, but the other infiltration team would be carrying it, disguised as medical supplies en route to a clinic within the station. In the meantime, he had to rely on his fists and his wits to get past security. No mean feat, considering this was Eclipse they were up against. He and Dex were going to be the first in, doing a sweep of the station floor to identify hazards, other checkpoints and the whereabouts of the merc personnel that patrolled the station. Once they were both in, they were going to split up; while Dex went off to find a place where she could tap into the station's security systems, he was going to plot a route for the others to take to the clinic.

It was going to be a step by step process, just like he'd been trained in. First, he was going to establish a place where he could maintain overwatch on the Infiltration team as they made their entry. A point further ahead of a route he was going to walk alone before the others travelled it. Then, he had to link up with the team as they made their way to a rendezvous point further in the station. Preferably somewhere discreet, like a diner or an eatery. This was where everyone would meet and assume their roles for the second part of the escort. He'd be head of the pack, keeping an eye out for any Eclipse in their way while the rest took Drono to their intended destination. Professional, discreet and organised.

"Sir?"

The nudge to his back snapped him out of his reverie. He glanced around at the giant gap in the queue ahead of him, the irritated human behind him, and chuckled sheepishly.

"Sorry. Was, uh, lost in thought."

Hazan made his way to the checkpoint counter and presented his ID chit, synced to the omnitool on his left arm. He stood still as the LOKI mech behind him did a cursory scan of his body while the official at the counter analysed his ID. The chit was a fake, of course, engineered by Dex to identify him as Neiman Vokil, a tourist from Palaven here for a routine check-up with a family doctor that had moved here from the Citadel. The ship he was on was registered as the Tarvaen, a Turian passenger shuttle and cargo freighter that just so happened to look like everyone's favourite rust bucket, the Borealis.

"Nature of your stay here, sir?"

"Strictly business. I've come to see a family doctor here, moved after he lost business in the Citadel."

The checkpoint officer gave him a once-over, then digitally signed his chit and handed it back to him.

"Have a nice day, sir, and welcome to Lafayette Station."

Hazan gave him a mock salute and grinned as he casually walked off. Unbeknownst to the checkpoint guards, his earbuds weren't actually attached to his broken music player. Instead they were wirelessly synced to his visor, and as he made his way into the throng of people within the station, he tapped a button on his omnitool and opened up the crew's private comms channel.

"This is Haze. I'm in. Plotting a route now, will keep in touch."

New Beginnings Tournament.

Daniel, probably. I think he's seen/met Liason before?

I really can't remember. XD

It was either him or Cho.

New Beginnings Tournament.

Are these additions good to add? Also is there any timeframe for when combat can begin? Also Also, any mentors out and about? I'm still lacking one if someone feels so inclined, though I wouldn't object to going el solo lobo if needed :D

@Eklispe

If you would have me as your mentor, I'd be happy to provide.

New Beginnings Tournament.

<Snipped quote by DJAtomika>

You already know the answer to that.

But, I'll reiterate that we could use another mentor.

@Guru

So to mentor or to fight, that is the question. XD

New Beginnings Tournament.

If there aren't enough participants, I could drop in for a few rounds.