Priority: Omega Meetings

The SS Gremlin was flying smoothly out of orbit and into the atmosphere of the space station Omega. Corvinus sat in the pilot seat, maneuvering the ship into the docking bay with ease. Large buildings crowded in on all sides, cars zoomed past on unseen routes in the air, and all around was a haze of moving smoke and who knows what else.

“Ohhh look at this place! It's so...neon! Look at all those lights and signs!” Mindy's high voice perked up from behind him, causing him to jump slightly in his seat. She moved so quietly for a human that he often never heard her approach. His three fingered hand reached up to scratch the thick crest of spikes atop his head as he tried to hide a small smile while listening to Mindy chatter on behind him. Omega did have a lot of lights, among other things. On a quick glance of the surface it seemed fine enough, but when you looked past those bright lights and attractions it was dark and seedy, corrupt to the core and home to the most ruthless gangs and criminals the galaxy had to offer.

This may be Mindy's first trip to the asteroid turned space station, but it wasn't Corvinus's. He knew better than to be excited to be docking here and venturing out into the streets. He was just as likely to be spoken to as to be killed in certain parts of Omega, and he was none too happy to be making this stop. The cesspool of the galaxy, that's what he had often heard Omega referred to on his travels. His misgivings would not stop him for finishing his job here, though, and after carefully parking the ship he stood up and walked through it until he reached the escape airlock.

“Can I come?” Mindy was following him again, already shrugging on a sweatshirt and getting ready to leave the ship with him. It was an act the Corvinus was familiar with; most places they landed she accompanied him, or went off by herself for some needed shore leave. Omega was a different story. This place was dangerous in all the worst ways.  

“No,” he said firmly. “Someone's liable to kidnap you, or you're going to accidentally sign up for a gang. You stay here with the ship.”

One look at Mindy's huge round eyes, a trait of humans that Corvinus couldn't help but find appealing, and he sighed in defeat. “Oh, fine. But we're not staying here long. I'll drop the supplies off, you go get any spare parts you think Gremlin needs and meet me back here. The mechanic market isn't far, but be careful. You stand out here, and that's not a good thing.”

As her eyes lit up and she began to climb her way out of the ship Corvinus reached out and touched her shoulder. His eyes softened as hers made contact. “I'm serious, Mindy. Call me immediately if you need me.” He felt responsible for her, in a way. She was young and idealistic, knowing little of the galaxy beyond her colony life; it reminded him of himself when he started his military training. Her outlook was precious, and Corvinus wanted so much for her to preserve it, but knew that sooner or later it would fade. He could watch out for her, though, and let her take her time finding the truth of life. It was the least he could do – she had stumbled into his life and now there was no turning his back on her.

One heavy sigh later Corvinus was closing the ship's door behind him and walking down the crowded port street. He was lugging two duffel bags full of supplies with him, back slightly hunching under the weight. At least he didn't have far to go with them, as his destination was easily accessible from the ship docking area. After a few minutes the somewhat clean streets began to clutter with unused crates and bits of garbage; the signs of many people passing through repeatedly. Another couple of turns and streets brought Corvinus to his destination: a refugee camp living in the squalor and cramped confines of a small apartment building.

The residents here were from all over the galaxy. After the war with the Reapers it seemed every race and planet had its share of dislocated families and individuals. Seeing so many of them living in need and despair never failed to instil a fathomless pain in Corvinus' heart, an urge to help so strong that sometimes he felt it physically spark through his body. That was why he was here; that was why he made it his duty to go to every place like this that he could. He had the means to help, and that made it his responsibly to not just his own race, but to every one of them. If he could do even the smallest act to lift the burden of these people, then he could feel as if all could be right in the galaxy one day.

Corvinus made swift time locating the woman in charge of the camp and dropped off the bags of medical supplies and food. She was gracious and warm, thanking him for his troubles and kindness. Her praise made him shift from foot to foot, slightly embarrassed. He was just doing what he could, and was not looking for the attention that apparently came with it. He quickly excused himself from her presence and roamed the ground floor of the building, making mental notes about what else he could salvage for this place on his next fly by.

He knew Mindy was going to ignore his commands and wander off to explore, which left him plenty of alone time to fill. The clubs of Omega held no interest to him, especially the Afterlife with its reputation for drugs and not so subtle violence. He could stay at the refugee camp; they would welcome his help, of course. It was a tempting option, and one he almost took, but for the way one of the male turians was looking at him. It was a slim chance, but Corvinus wasn't going to risk being recognized. He wished the woman in charge luck and hope, promising to be back as soon as he could find more supplies, and left.

His feet led him through the streets filled with noise and lights, not particularly noticing he was wandering further and further away from the more heavily populated areas. The alleyways were becoming dimer, the noise more muffled and sinister. His mind was otherwise occupied, too wound up and far away to take in what was now one of the more dangerous parts of the the already crime infested station.

That turian back there, he couldn't have known him. Corvinus knew that now, and felt guilty for walking away from the camp without doing more to help. Sometimes he was too on edge. He was aware of that flaw in his personality, but unsure of how to phase it out. It wasn't as if he had no reason to be, though over the years the need to be so conscious of his situation must had faded.  He had done wrong, sure, but the memory of it and even of him must be too far back for anyone to coincidentally take notice of him and put two and two together. Even those whom he had been closest to thought him long dead, so why did he still worry so much?

The sudden sound of a spray of bullets firing somewhere near by jerked Corvinus from his reverie, making him acutely aware of how far he had wandered from the refugee camp. His hand instinctively went to the pistol he kept hidden in his jacket, the cold metal feeling reassuring in the eerie silence around him. He pulled his hand from inside the jacket, resting it against his leg with two long fingers curled around the butt of the gun. His eyes were glancing around, trying to determine the route away from this area with the least chance of running into a situation he would need to use his years of training with pistols on. With caution and hurried strides, he started off down the street.

Blaster fire whizzed passed Iyoku's head as she slid into the cover of a large crate. Now that she had compromised their project in this abandoned warehouse, the Blue Suns were closing in on her. With only a hand cannon to defend herself with, she had to move fast if she wanted to get out of here alive. The young drell dawned her hood, and gave a quick glance around. Spotting an explosive container near some heavy machinery, Iyoku took aim and fired, then immediately braced herself for the impact.

The explosion was fairly well sized, and sent several Blue Suns mercs flying across the room (Iyoku was simply knocked back against the crate, though it did hurt) and it left the perfect opening for her to run through the billowing smoke, where she could then activate her cloaking device and vanish from sight. "Anyone have eyes on her?" She could hear one of them say, then another one ordered the others, "Find the drell!"

As she made it outside into a small, and rather vacant alley, her cloak ran out of juice and was immediately disabled. She held up her omnitool and activated the coms, "Security's down, just as you requested. I'm making my way to the meeting spot now." Iyoku had to wait a few seconds, meanwhile moving down the alley before the Blue Suns realized she had made it out, but soon someone was responding from the other end of the coms.

"Understood. My men are moving in as we speak. I'll be waiting with your payment."

Iyoku returned her hand to her side, and the neon orange display around her arm faded. Beyond the alley was the main street, where a few turians trying to bargain with an elcorian store clerk, and a few other citizens were going about their own errands, or just minding their own business. None of them seemed bothered by the appearance of a hooded drell, so she continued on her way towards the meeting spot, which was a small courtyard a few blocks away where her client would discreetly pass off Iyoku's payment so Iyoku could be on her way and finally get off Omega.

But as she stepped into the courtyard, her gut instinct told her to turn back: something was wrong. Iyoku had been here a handful of times, but never had the courtyard been so empty. There wasn't a soul to be found, save for the lone asari Eclipse merc, the leader of the Eclipsemmercenaries no less. She gazed upon Iyoku calmly, as though nothing was out of the ordinary, and patiently waited for her. Iyoku, on the other hand, was frozen to the spot, as she glanced around the courtyard for any hidden eclipse members, though if they really were hidden, she wouldn't know by a mere glance.

"Are you going to make me stand here all night? I've got a schedule to keep you know." The asari, Jona Sederis, spoke irritably.

Though she was far from eager to approach such a dangerous woman, Iyoku bowed her head, removed her hood, and stepped forward. With only a few feet between her and the leader of a band of mercenaries, Iyoku looked her in the eyes and softly asked, "Have I violated our contract in some way?"

Jona chuckled as she closed the distance between her and the drell. Iyoku couldn't help but notice that Jona walked around her like she was a little fly caught in the merc's web, and though it appeared that Iyoku had every opportunity to flee, things couldn't be far from the truth. Jona had something Iyoku needed, and now that the drell had fulfilled her end of the bargain, she was at the asari's mercy.

"You haven't done anything wrong, if that's what you're asking. We're clearing out the Blue Suns now, and soon their smuggled goods will be ours. You did an excellent job, really." Jona ran her fingers along the length of Iyoku's shoulders as she circled around the young drell.

Iyoku was determined not to shudder under such an imposing and forward touch, and she then replied quietly, "So I can just take my payment and go?"

Jona's fingertips slid off the tip of her shoulder, "Not quite." The asari smiled as she walked off to Isoku's left, "See, from my perspective, instead of paying you, it's much wiser to just shoot you now and be done with it." Iyoku tensed and locked eyes with the looming threat hovering next to her, "But you could still... be of use to me- if you agree to be my little pet."

Anger sparked in Iyoku as she watched Jona carefully. The mercenary was unarmed, but she still had her biotic abilities to defend herself with. Still, Jona wasn't equipped to kill. Iyoku had a chance. But as she reached for her gun, she realized her mistake too late. She spun a moment before she heard the shot fire, and Iyoku watched as the bullet tore through the thin fabric of her sleeve, and the thick grey scales of her arm.

"What a shame."

Before Iyoku could react, Jona had sent her flying across the courtyard with a blast of biotic power. Iyoku slid across the ground, and when she regained her balance, three Eclipse gunmen had taken up position at the other end of the courtyard.

"And here we could have had a lot of fun. Now you won't be leaving her alive, let alone leave Omega."

Iyoku dashed forward, then heard another shot from wherever the sniper was hidden. She slid into cover behind a raised plant bed, and grasped at the bleeding wound on her arm; the second bullet seemed to have missed. The one that did make its mark, however, left a searing pain in her arm, but she poured all of her efforts into not screaming, or crying out and showing weakness. Iyoku had to take several even breaths before she could finally refocus, but once she did, she quickly activated her cheap, unreliable shields.

"Commander, we've overpowered the Blue Suns. The warehouse is clear."

Iyoku peered out from cover to see the Commander diverting her attention to one of her troops. She have him a curt nod, and before she looked back, Iyoku ducked back behind cover.

"I apologize, but I'm afraid I must be going. My men will take care of you, so don't fret. Farewell!" With a smirk, the asari turned and made her way out of the courtyard, presumably to head over to the warehouse.

Once the commander was gone, Iyoku could hear one of the Blue Suns merc clear his throat, "If you come out now, we'll end it quickly." Iyoku glanced down at her gun and observed the light shake of her hand. Was she already growing weak from blood loss, or was it her nerves?

The silence only grew as Corvinus approached an open courtyard he knew would lead him back to the docking area. There seemed to be no one around, despite his memory of this being a major junction on the station. Feeling uneasy, Corvinus opted not to walk into the courtyard, and was immediately glad he didn't.

Near the center of the open area stood an asari and a female drell, one relaxed while the other clearly tense. He spotted three figures near the far edge of the courtyard – figures that, with their top of the line looking weapons and armor, could be none other than Eclipse mercenaries.

There were words exchanged, but he could not make them out from this distance.  

A sudden blast alerted Corvinus to the location of a hidden merc on the adjacent side of the courtyard. The shot he fired hit the drell in the arm, who seemed to be taken by surprise. He watched as she was then flung through the air by the asari, landing hard on the brick beneath her. He cringed as she struggled to get up and rush to cover. Poor girl.

It was now obvious she was all alone. Probably no one knew she was here, or what type of trouble she had gotten herself mixed up in. Cursing under his breath, Corvinus knew he wasn't going to be able to sneak his way out of this situation without feeling immense guilt over the fate of the drell. He was going to have to help her survive this.

His attention shifted again to the asari and the mercs. There was something familiar with the way the leader moved that made Corvinus even more wary than he already was. After a moment she began to walk away from the center of the courtyard, headed his way. Corvinus pressed himself into a nearby alley, cloaking himself with shadow.

When the asari passed by there was no mistaking her. Sedaris, the leader of the Eclipse mercs, was not a woman Corvinus was liable to forget. Nor was she one he wanted knowing he was on Omega. While he had never interacted with her directly during his time spent on the station, he knew of her reputation and had dealt with some of her more unruly mercs on occasion.

Sedaris and Eclipse were the lead smugglers of the galaxy. They dealt in anything and everything; from heavy weapons to raw materials, if they could get their hands on it they could resell it at astronomical prices.

What they had that first caught Corvinus's eye was their medical supplies. During the first few months he had been living in the refugee camps on Omega he had seen firsthand the injured and sick that were denied proper care. He soon found Eclipse had huge stocks of medi-gel and other equipment, all of which would cost more than any refugee could ever afford.

Corvinus figured stealing from smugglers wasn't against any moral code he had, or any that had been instilled in him during training. It started out small: a few boxes of anti-biotics here, a package or two of medi-gel there. It was when he started lifting whole crates of supplies from the warehouses that he got on the Eclipse's radar.

Unable to remain reasonably safe on Omega, Corvinus fled. That didn't stop his regular heists on Eclipse ships and outposts across the galaxy, though. He was still known to the mercs, and of course to Sedaris. It made his stops back on Omega, such as this one, nerve wrecking experiences.

He wondered what the girl could have done to get Sedaris's attention in the same way.

After he was certain she was out of sight, he edged closer to the courtyard, keeping to cover and darkness. With a flick of his talon he switched on the shields that would hopefully protect him if shots were fired, though it was possible they would do little more than slow down an impending shot to the head. Though he wore casual clothes, no turian left home without at least some sort of protection and Corvinus was no exception.

He continued to creep his way to the side of the courtyard where first shots had been fired from. It was just like Sedaris to have snipers laying in wait, far out of reach of her target. Luckily Corvinus had been there and seen it – he was more than capable of taking out a distracted sniper. A few more sprints through the outskirts of the open courtyard and he spotted the lone merc, fully absorbed in his scope.

It was clear from the first few weeks of basic training that Corvinus was more adept at hand to hand combat than anything else. While he trained hard with pistols and the occasional shot gun, the bulk of his combat training had involved sparring and close quarter situations. His height gave him an advantage paired with the reach of his lean arms. He was quiet and quick: traits that had been refined by near constant use in training and his current escapades.  

The merc in front of him was still focused on the courtyard, sniper rifle balanced steady in his arms. Corvinus slid up behind him, leaving him enough time to spin around in surprise.

“Hey you're not-” the mercs words were cut off with a swift sweep of Corvinus's omni blade. The  body slumped onto the dirty street, no longer a threat.

While the sniper was out of the way, it still left the three mercs in the courtyard proper, along with whatever else Sedaris no doubt left behind. He still hadn't seen the drell move from her position of cover, and the mercs were getting impatient. He knew he didn't have the time to sneak up on them the way he did the sniper, nor the skill to take the three down at once. He did, however, have a clear shot on one of them. His omni-blade was gone as fast as his pistol was in his hand, aiming steady at the center merc.

A single deep breath and Corvinus pulled the trigger, sending his bullet imbued with tech disrupting signals racing through the air. It landed solidly in the mercs helmet rewarding Corvinus with a splash of blood and another dropped merc.

He could hear the chatter and shouts coming from the two remaining mercs through the dead sniper's radio. “She's got backup! Take them out!”

Well, he wouldn't be getting another surprise shot at anyone, now.

Corvinus had a moment to question his sanity as he dashed from one spot of cover to the next. Helping refugees, sure, that was normal. Helping random drell who may or may not be criminals themselves? Maybe not so much. He was already invested though, and truth be told he knew he would never had made the choice to walk away.

He stopped behind one of the tall pillars that offered a clear view of the girls position and peeked around the side. From his vantage point forward and up from her he could see clearly two more mercs closing in from behind. Judging from their forms under the armor he suspected asari, which meant the drell was going to get a biotic blast as a surprise anytime now.

He needed to get a message to the drell, and fast. He couldn't very well shout across the courtyard without expecting a heat sink straight to the head, though. His eyes lowered to the faint orange glow of the omni-tool on his forearm. Of course. With any luck she would have one, too. Corvinus stole another glance at the drell and the mercs before pressing his back to the pillar once more. His talons clicked nimbly through the interface that popped up and his mandibles shifted into a concentrated frown.

He wanted to broadcast the message only to the drell, but without knowing the code for her personal omni-tool it would be difficult. He needed to access the wireless information system that buzzed through the air of nearly every planet with advanced species and pick up the signal emitted from the drell's location. It took a minute for him to hack his way through the privacy restrictions and safe-walls, but he finally managed to pinpoint the transmissions associated with an onmni-tool from her location.

Once he secured the connection between the two omni-tools he spoke into his, cutting out any pleasantries and getting straight to the point. “Two mercs on your six, watch out!”

He hoped his message got through to the drell, and that she was able to do something to shake them. There was little he could do now except keep the mercs that were now aware of his presence from taking him out. The pillars offered protection, but no room to maneuver to take out the enemy. He would have to move soon, but first needed to make sure the drell escaped the attack of the advancing asari.

Iyoku flinched as another shot was fired, but she was shocked to discover the gunfire had not come from the mercs. Someone in the courtyard was aiding her, though she couldn't understand why. There was no time to ponder, however, and there were still some mercs left who were ready to kill her at a moment's notice. Ducking low behind her cover, she activated her omni-tool and began applying medi-gel on her arm; it wouldn't be enough to heal her, but it would stop the bleeding, and hopefully allow her to fight her way out of this situation.

She was just about to put her omni-tool away when another call came through, revealing a husky voice that warned of her of two enemies closing in on her. Trusting a stranger in a life or death situation was surprisingly easy, and she immediately took another swipe at her tool and cloaked herself just as the two mercs flanked her on either side. They stopped in their tracks for a moment giving just enough time for Iyoku to appear behind one, and land full-force side kick to the back of the asari's head. She crumpled to the ground, and just as the other asari spun around to react, Iyoku reflexively drew her pistol and aimed a shot through the merc's skull. The woman dropped as well, albeit it was much more permanent.

With the help of the stranger, she survived- it appeared her time under the Compact had not been for nothing. She pointed the end of her barrel at the collapsed asari at her feet, but stopped herself. With the rush of adrenaline gone, her hand trembled, and she slowly lowered her gun. Perhaps this asari would reconsider her life as a mercenary after this encounter. Maybe she too, could become more than what she was now.

Iyoku glanced around the clearing now in search of the one of saved her life, and holstered her pistol as she stepped away from the two bodies crumpled on the ground. "Hello?" She spoke quietly into the comms on her omni-tool, unsure if the man was still somewhere in the clearing. A part of her wanted to be more cautious, seeing as how she didn't know this man, but logic won over in a heartbeat. He wouldn't have saved her if he planned to kill her as well, and cowering was no way to repay his kindness.

From his vantage point next to the pillars Corvinus watched as the drell shimmered and faded out of existence, leaving the two mercs confounded. A sudden flurry of action sent one asari crashing into the hard ground, and another with an extreme close ranged pistol shot to the head. Blood spraying out over the bricks, and the drell was once again visible, this time standing, gun drawn, over the wounded and dead mercs.

Corvinus found himself holding his breath as he waited for the strangers next move. The downed merc was unconscious, and although she had attacked the drell without question, she was now helpless and vulnerable. Would the girl he has just risked his life to protect turn out to be no better than the ones attempting to end her life?

He breathed a sigh of relief when the gun lowered, and he felt just a little more justified in helping the girl surive. She was no cold blooded killer, and that was good enough for him.

Static from the comm rushed out of the omni tool held near his waist, slowly clearing into what he assumed was the voice of the drell. She was quiet, and had every reason to be. Corvinus quickly answered back, giving her little time to wonder over his intentions and motives behind aiding her. “Glad you're ok. Quick, I'm over by the east exit.”

He moved slightly, letting the weak light of the street lamps and tall buildings wash over him. His black hide was no longer part of the shadows, but stood out as a shadow itself on the edges of the courtyard. He swept his eyes about and kept his talons firmly on his pistol, ready for reinforcements to arrive at any moment. All seemed clear, but still Corvinus did not intend to linger. He was nervous remaining where he was, positive that Sedaris would some how find out about the girl's survival and be back before long.  

He gave a slight nod of his head when he saw the drell find him across the brick expanse of the courtyard. He hoped she would hurry over, both for her safety and now his own. For better or worse he had tied himself to her for the time being, or at least until he saw her safely on her way. He could direct her to a safe house if needed, make sure she had a place to lay low. Being on the run from Eclipse Mercs was no easy task, and he had at least some experience with it to pass on.  

As he watched her make her way toward him he lifted his omni tool and spoke into it again, too anxious to wait until she reached him to begin what he hoped was to be a short conversation. “Watch out for more mercs, Sedaris won't give up easily.”

He paused, considering his words. The drell knew his location now, was headed to him, so he melded back into the shadows. The instant he was no longer in the pool of light he felt more relaxed, though his mandibles were still set in a rigid frown of concentration. He was clicking away at the omni tool on his wrist, sending a message to Mindy to prepare the ship to take off as soon as he returned. With any luck she would receive the instructions, but Corvinus could not help but conjure up memories of her absent-mindedly leaving her own omni tool in various locations through out the ship for days at a time.

Heeding his directions, Iyoku glanced to her left, and saw the man, or alien, in question: though the street lamp behind him wasn't enough to reveal his face, his figure alone was enough for Iyoku to identify him as Turian. Who he was beyond that, she was sure to find out soon. She sprinted down the courtyard with one hand over her wound; already the medi-gel was wearing off, so she had to apply another dose. She only had one more after that. As soon as she reached the end of the courtyard, she ducked down behind the plotter, kneeling beside her Turian ally.

"Thank you. They call me Iyoku." She glanced back at the limp bodies they'd left behind, and couldn't help but feel a sense of defeat. It was bad enough she was now considered an enemy of a powerful gang leader, but now she was stuck here on Omega. This deal with Sedaris had been her only chance off this gang infested rock, so Iyoku had no idea what her next move was.

She turned her gaze back to the Turian, the hood over her face concealing the panic racing through her. She spoke softly, "I owe you my life, but... what now?" This Turian may have been a stranger, but he seemed to be her best chance, given the circumstances. She glanced around again, certain that more Eclipse mercs could appear at any moment, and held her finger over her pistol's trigger, just in case there were ambushed again.

Just as he finished with his omni tool and put his hand back to his side, the drell slide into position next to him, crouched low and out of sight. Corvinus glanced over at her, taking in the slender form of the alien, the cloak that hide her features. What was he doing? She could be anyone. She introduced herself, but what was a name, really? He didn't go by his true name anymore, figured half the people on Omega were the same. That she felt she owed him her life was the only thing he dared believe about her just yet.

“Corv.” He said tersely, giving her his name as well. He followed her gaze back to the courtyard, scanned the area as best he could. She was likely thinking the same thing he was: the mercs would be back, and soon.

“Now we get out of here.” He quickly got to his feet, hesitant to leave the safety of the shadows but knowing it was the only option. He offered a taloned hand to the drell to help her up; she had been holding her side and Corv knew only too well how an injury could effect one's movement.    “Come on, it won't be quiet for long. Eclipse doesn’t just let people get away.”

Once Iyoku was up Corvinus wasted no time. He sprinted towards the nearest street, recalling the layout of the area in his mind as he went. This should lead them into a more populated area, somewhere they might be able to get lost in a crowd. It wasn't a rare sight on Omega for a turian to be wandering the busy streets – a drell on the other hand, well, it was a good thing she had that hood pulled over her head.

As they made their way through the streets, staying to the shadows as much as possible, Corvinus spoke to Ioyku, his voice coming easily and steady even as he ran. “Do you have somewhere safe to go? A way to get off planet?”