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Atroxa & MellowYellow

Atroxa

Atroxa

Star
Joined
Mar 16, 2013
Location
USA
The Galaxy was in chaos, but here on Omega, things had always been dangerous and chaotic. That the rest of the galaxy was in disarray only meant that things would be easier to take advantage of. The one down fall had been with the Mass Relays temporarily shut down, things on Omega had gotten tight. It's usually shifting population had been stuck on the rock of a station, which meant that a bunch of thugs and mercenaries who were usually just passing through were suddenly stranded, crammed together on Omega. And with Aria still recovering from seizing power back from those Cerberus bastards, it had spelled disaster.

Omega had plunged deeper than ever into chaos and calamity. Loyalties changed, the balance of power shifted, and Aria was left on just barely clinging to the control she had once had so securely over the space station. She needed something to shift the balance back into her favor, she needed something to restore her control, to wipe out her enemies. She'd thought that when the Mass Relays were finally repaired that things would maybe settle down. She'd hoped the intruders would leave, but they were too invested for their fight to control Omega, and they stayed. Aria needed to act fast, or all of the work she'd put into reclaiming Omega would be a big fucking waste of time.

Thankfully, the Goddess saw fit to send her the weapon she needed. It was up to her though to get it into her hands and use it. So she arrived at the docks, flanked by a pair of Batarians armed to the teeth, and sought out one Garrus Vakarian.
 
After the sheer chaos that had come about from the Reaper War, Garrus had found that he couldn't stick with the military lifestyle anymore. The Normandy was a wreck, the battle for London had left the group traumatised beyond what words could describe, and Shepard...well the less said there, the better.

After the Relays were fixed up, there was only one place in the galaxy that Garrus would feel useful, feel like himself. Omega.

The scum on that asteroid all assumed that the mysterious 'Archangel' had been killed off in a battle against Eclipse, Blue Suns and Blood Pack mercenaries. No body was ever found, but most assumed he had been atomised in the crossfire. They wished. The identity was all set for him to reclaim.

It was the end of his first week in Omega, and things seemed to have only gotten worse since the last time he was here. new gangs, new punks looking for power...He had made several appearances, and while nobody wished to believe it they all knew that Archangel had returned.

In the daytime the towering Turian made his living as a dock worker, a good place to learn more about the criminals of Omega and learn what they were smuggling in. At present he was carrying two large crates under his arms, unaware of the dangerous Asari heading his way.
 
Aria waved off her body guards as she spotted the Turian she was looking for, the scar on the side of his face from that rocket launcher was pretty hard to miss. It wasn't as bad as it had been, but there was no mistaking the scar. The two Batarians hung back, but they kept a close eye on their surroundings, guns ready. The Asari approached, trying to make sure he saw her, “Garrus Vakarian, how does it feel to be back on Omega?” She asked him, her voice holding that ever present condescending tone.

“You and I need to talk,” She told the Turian, her violet eyes watching him with sharp interest. She had a predatory gaze, like a bird of prey. Her face was the same mask she always wore, that mixture of hard aggression and passive indifference. How she managed to pull of being indifferent and aggressive at the same time was something of a mystery to everyone.

Aria was completely aware that Garrus wasn't going to like what she had to tell him, but she didn't care. His feelings on the matter were unimportant. She knew what she needed to do, and she needed him to do it, and he needed to keep her happy to keep himself alive, though he didn't know that quite yet. Really, he was a fool for coming back here, knowing that she had something to hold over him.
 
There was that familiar voice. Aria T'loak, the one woman that Garrus hated more than a Reaper. She was, after all, the one who allowed Omega to become the cesspool it is today. "Feels about as pleasant as...what do humans call it? A rectal exam?" Garrus replied dryly, setting down the two crates he was carrying around.

He had a knife on his hip and a Carnifex pistol stashed inside his coat...but the question was, would he be able to draw either of those faster than Aria or her two mooks could spring into action? He wouldn't risk it, not until he knew Aria's intentions.

"And why would you need to talk to me?" Garrus asked, sitting up on one pile of crates the faint blue glow on his visor illuminating the various scales of his face. "I'm nobody important, after all." he added, keeping his expression as unreadable as ever. A common ability among Turian's.
 
Omega always had been and always would be a cess pool, it wasn't her fault Garrus was idealistic enough to think he could possibly change that and she had the wisdom to know better. Without her in control though, things would only get worse. She kept the gangs in check, she kept order. Things were hard, they were dangerous, but they could be a lot worse. The current power struggle was resulting in a serious increase in violence, in innocent people getting caught in the cross fire. Not that she cared, but she knew he would.

“Well considering you came here willingly, what does that say about you and rectal exams?” Aria asked him, raising a tattooed brow. He would be stupid to try and attack her, she was the most powerful biotic on the station, she could rip him a part and not even break a sweat.

The Asari crossed her arms and sneered at Garrus, “Don't play stupid with me,” She hissed at him, her tone cold. “I would suggest we go elsewhere to talk, unless you want some one out here on the docks over hearing what I have to tell you. And I don't think you want that, unless you want to be hunted down and killed. Then again, if you enjoy rectal exams then maybe you'd enjoy that too,” she told him sarcastically.
 
"Well, I'm shocked." Garrus said, leaning forward slightly "Not that you know my secret, I mean Shepard likely would have blabbed long before now. I'm just shocked that you're as big a bitch as the rumors say. I didn't think it was actually POSSIBLE, but we do live in a time where giant space fleas come around to ravage planets."

Garrus got off his makeshift seat, smiling as best he could with his rigid facial structure. She wouldn't kill him, why else would she come to him if she didn't need something? She might have been a biotic, but she couldn't use stealth and subterfuge as well as Garrus could. Thane was the only person to ever really surpass him in that regard.

"The docks are pretty busy, in case you haven't noticed. So unless you've got a car on hand, then there's nowhere private to talk."
 
Aria rolled her violet eyes, “Was that supposed to hurt my feelings?” She asked him, then glared. “I am a bitch, that's not shocking to anyone. So get over it.” The Asari hissed at him, then gave him a tight-lipped smile when he spoke of the docks being crowded so unless she had a car, it'd be hard to get some privacy. “Really Garrus, think about who you're talking to here. Of course I have a god damn car,” Aria told him, her tone slightly incredulous, but cold. Always cold. She was 'frigid', as she'd heard people say.

“This way,” she turned and walked away, expecting him to follow. The two Batarians eyed Garrus dubiously but followed as Aria walked to her car, which was parked and waiting for her, she climbed in, and waited for Garrus to join her. He was right that he was too skilled in stealth and subterfuge for her to kill without good reason. But if he refused her, that would be a good enough reason for her.

This wasn't a game. This was Omega, and she would regain control of it. She had sacrificed too much, lost too much in her pursuit of power over this floating hell hole to just give it up now.
 
"I miss Liara." Garrus grumbled as he walked along "She was a know-it-all but she was tolerable. Hell I'd even settle for Samara or Morinth right now, even if they had man-eating vaginas or whatever." As serious as this all was, Garrus was going to maintain an air of nonchalance. The last thing he needed was to let Aria toy with his emotions.

He slipped into the car, taking the seat across from the purple Asari. The most dangerous woman on this floating rock, the person he was second only to on this rock. "So let's cut to the chase since we both know what's going to happen. You're going to present me a choice, except it won't really be a choice. You want me to do some of your dirty work for you, and if I say no then you're going to pop my head like a balloon. So, what do you need done?"
 
Aria leaned back into her seat as Garrus settled in, the entire was sleek and stylish, only the best for Aria. One of her arms rested along the top of her seat, looking at the Turian as he spoke. She crossed her legs as she listened, a hard to read expression on her face, trained into a mask. “Very observant of you Garrus,” she remarked, “I need you to keep doing exactly what you're doing now, actually. I will even help you, I'll provide weapons and equipment, I'll give you men who will follow your every order. The only difference will be that you will answer to me.”

She shifted slightly in her seat, violet eyes hooded, “You think I'm a cold hearted bitch, well, I am. But these men trying to take power from me are even worse. I may not do much to help the people of Omega, but I don't go out of my way to make them miserable, to make them suffer. These men will.” Aria studied Garrus for a moment, before continuing, “You will never change Omega. It has always been the way it is now, but if you're really interested in helping people here, you'll help me keep my power. And of course, it's in your best interest as well. If you refuse to help me, I'll simply let it slip to certain mercenaries the true identity of the vigilante Archangel, and there will be nowhere in the universe you can hide from them.” She regarded Garrus coolly, watching the Turian while she spoke, and waiting for his reaction.
 
Begrudgingly, Garrus had to admit that this was a nice car. Better than taking a public car which were more often than not coated in graffiti of filled with trash on the inside. Still, Garrus didn't use those much either. Knowing the layout of this asteroid was the key to moving around stealthily and getting his marks, with only a few areas on the station that couldn't be reached on foot.

He listened carefully, taking in everything Aria said and wanting to see if there was some ulterior motive. She could be leading him into a trap, but if that was the case then she would have done him in as soon as she saw him. Of course there was still the possibility of her betraying him once he had done her dirty work.

Garrus wasn't overly fond of either option.

And he was even less fond of admitting that Aria had a point. Plenty of scum had moved in to try and claim Omega, people even more morally bankrupt than the Asari bitch and the Illusive Man put together. He'd rather put Aria's head on a pike than work for her, but it seemed he wouldn't get a chance for the former any time soon.

"I'm in. Give me the supplies and the targets and I'll break up your rivals in the span of a fortnight." Garrus replied calmly, netting his fingers under his chin and leaning forward. "I won't need any of your goons though. I'm used to working with the galaxies finest, the best trained specialists the Alliance can find. Batarian thugs will just slow me down."
 
Aria knew the layout of Omega like the back of her hand, she'd been here for hundreds of years. No one knew Omega like she did. She was Omega. And nobody was going to take it from her. She'd kill anyone who tried, or have them killed, as was the case with Garrus. She waited a moment as he seemed to contemplate her offer, obviously a little unhappy with his options. It was either work for her, or run for his life. Aria didn't like being told no though, and she wasn't going to just let him stay to work against her. What she did with him when the dirty work was done she didn't know, killing him was certainly an option, but if he didn't make himself a nuisance she might very well just let him live.

She knew she was right though, about these thugs that were trying to wrestle power from her. They were mindless brutes, unnecessarily cruel because they didn't have the intelligence to know how to restrain themselves. Aria was the lesser of two evils here.

The Asari showed no hint of surprise or pleasure when he agreed. She'd known he would, it was a simple fact, nothing to get excited over. She inclined her head slightly though as he refused the offer of her men. “Have it your way,” She told him, “Come to Afterlife tonight after your shift.” Aria told him, gesturing to the door of the car, dismissing him. She'd give him what he needed as well as his orders that night.
 
He supposed he only had himself to blame for getting into this mess. He wanted to help people in a way he couldn't as a C-Sec stooge, and vigilantism seemed the only process that worked....but he should have known Aria would have sussed him out at some point, gain leverage on him. He'd do her dirty work and leave, simple as that.

The Vorcha beneath him gurgled out his last, his throat slashed wide open by Garrus' jagged blade. Any Vorcha could heal, that was obvious, but hit them enough and even they stopped regenerating. This one was Blood Pack, a truly wretched individual who had taken part in raping and pillaging throughout the galaxy. A perfect person for Garrus to vent his frustrations out on.

He kicked the mangled body behind a pile of rubbish, and Garrus promptly sheathed his dagger. He had some stains in his coat from the dirty deed, but the people of Omega were so apathetic that they'd never care if they saw a man covered in blood. The Turian was quick to make his way trough the winding streets of the space station, heading up and up until he reached afterlife. The bouncer knew he was coming, let him in right away, and the Turian ignored the pumping music and gyrating dancers as he strode to Aria's private booth.
 
Aria had returned to her lair, to Afterlife, giving orders to a few of her men to let it trickle through the ranks that Archangel was off limits. She didn't tell them that he was working for her now, but they weren't allowed to kill or harm him. She mentioned nothing about Garrus himself though. Afterlife was much the same as it ever had been, the dark throbbing music, the patrons, the dancers, though the guard around Aria had increased. There was no way to tell if people among the crowd worked for the men who were trying to kill her and take Omega for themselves.

She was in her usual place, the throne-like private booth overlooked the upper level of the club and Aria sat sipping a drink, thinking. She looked up though when one her guards approached and told her that a Turian was there to see him. “Let him through,” she told him and he nodded and walked away.

Aria took another sip of her drink, her violet eyes staring at nothing really as she thought. Maintaining her control over Omega was getting harder and harder. First Cerberus, now this. She sneered softly to herself, annoyed. These thugs were a nuisance, and she hoped that Garrus was as good as he thought he was. He'd certainly been effective as Archangel before, but he'd had a team of men, now he was alone. She supposed she'd see just how useful he was, and if he didn't live up, then she'd retract her promise of keeping his identity a secret.
 
The Batarian was quick to let Garrus in once he's been given the proper clearance. He passed by what must have been a dozen of the hegemonic bastards by the time he reached Aria. "Nice place you got here." he remarked idly. And that was true enough, she at least managed to keep her own ass in the lap of luxury in turbulent times like these.

Garrus took a seat across from the Asari, deciding not to get too comfortable in the plush sofa. He doubted he'd be here long, likely he'd be given a target and sent on his way. It was tempting to call in a favour from Samara or Jack, have a psycho biotic on his own side for when shit inevitably hit the fan with this vile woman.

The scarred Turian placed his hands under his chin, the jaw bones pressing into his steepled fingers. "Alright, who's the first fine upstanding citizen you want me to take care of?" at the very least he was getting to kill people worse than Aria, it made this whole thing less awful.
 
Aria gave the Turian a sharp eyed gaze as he approached and remarked on her surroundings. She glanced around, then looked back to him. “I suppose they're nice enough,” She told him in an uninterested tone. Afterlife had been here for a long time, it'd always been her lair, her throne, she'd been thinking she needed a change. She liked having such a public place as hers though, it let her watch people, and let them see her, it reminded them who was in charge. Maybe she'd open a new club once all this nonsense was done with.

She looked back to Garrus when he sat down and asked her who she wanted to take care of first, leaning over, Aria picked up a datapad and then handed it to the Turian. “Verron Dor,” She told him, “A Batarian currently in charge of the Black Dogs.” On the data pad was information on Verron and his men, who were all Batarian, given Verron's racist inclinations. “Verron plans to convert Omega into a giant processing station for slaves, he's been carrying out raids since he's arrived, kidnapping entire families.” Aria frowned and actually looked a little disgusted, “I've been trying to take care of him first, the man is a religious zealot of the worst kind, his men are incredibly lower. Not just your average mercs, they're dedicated to him like he's some sort of fucking prophet.”

Aria rolled her violet eyes, then continued, “That datapad has all the information on Verron we have, as well as his territory, routines, and his higher ups. There's also a lay out of his chosen base of operations.” Aria had layouts and blueprints for every square inch of Omega, information she kept tightly guarded. “When you're done, come and find me, I don't care where I am or what I'm doing, I need to know,” she told him, her tone commanding.
 
"Verron. Sounds vaguely familiar." Garrus replied. He lazily reached over and plucked the datapad up, scanning over the contents scrolling along. Meanwhile the visor on the side of his face was copying down all the data Aria's forces had gathered on the Black Dogs, just for future reference. "I think he made some waves a few years back before vanishing into obscurity again. What a shame that I couldn't meet this gentleman earlier."

Garrus stood up fully, continuing to read over the information. Then, once he had the information fully recorded on his headset he put the pad down where Aria had left it. "I'll catch him soon enough. Probably by the end of the week, likely sooner than that." he was confident enough in his abilities, and he had every right to be. He'd accomplished more than most of Aria's grunts ever would.

With that he made his way out, giving Aria a dismissive wave over his shoulder as he passed by. As he left Afterlife he pondered his next course of action, thinking of how he'd get through to Verron. Sniping his two sentries would be trivial, but then there was the matter of the hostages. If he freed them and gave them the arms of the Black Dogs, well then he'd have a little force of his own for when he dealt with the Batarian...
 
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