Author Topic: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL  (Read 539607 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline Redtracer7

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2745
    • View Profile
Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« on: November 13, 2014, 07:57:46 AM »
Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL


Quote
Good Morning Hyetiana!  Looks like we've got another balmy day for ya, with a high of thirty four.  Much better than the biting cold we've had these last few weeks.  But with the warm front comes another round of snow, so spool up your defrosters, and expect light showers running right through the next couple of days.  About six to eight inches all together, if everything slows over the Tendrils of the Sun, as we expect.  We'll have the full week's forecast at the top of the hour, and remember to check the WIAX extranet site for the weekend and beyond!

Before we get back to the music, I have a programming note here, as well.  Those experiencing temporary communications outages in and around Port Lerama should contact their local police district as authorities are investigating a-- ....of ///#urbances in...


Signal Lost... searching... NO SIGNAL


"And in the end, said the witch to the drowning prince, you've been the one choosing the path of the Rose in spite of knowing where it lead.  To petals, yes, but the abyss of thorns as well."

Offline Redtracer7

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2745
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #1 on: November 18, 2014, 05:25:40 AM »
Prologue:
Destination Unknown

Spoiler for Message to: Devin Caulfield:
Mr. Caulfield,

Your application for admittance to the expedition has been received.  I am willing to offer you a probationary position on the team, after an interview in person.  Your credentials seem applicable to the intended goal, but I'm having some trouble validating some important pieces.  Hyetiana is not the Citadel, however, and the records I can access through the extranet alone are far from complete.  A meeting will be held in two days time, where we can address my concerns in person.  Please bring with you, at that time, everything you will need for a trip of indeterminate trip into potentially non-Council Space.

We will be meeting in Corinthia, one of the bars near Port Lerama's docking facilities.

~Alys V’nado

Spoiler for Message to Yan'Luos nar Tonbay:
Thank you for your interest in the planned expedition.

Your stated vocation and skill set are exactly the sort that I am in need of, and I will not waste time in declaring my intense desire that you accompany the expedition.  Consider this a formal invitation.  If you remain interested, please attend an exploratory meeting scheduled to be held in two days, to discuss the details of the planned mission and the part you will play in it.  Compensation will be explained as well, but let me assure you in advance that your profession will accord you additional specialist pay.

We will be meeting in Corinthia, one of the bars near Port Lerama's docking facilities.

~Alys V’nado

Spoiler for Message to Oliviar Valerius:
Ms. Valerius,

Thank you for reaching out, regarding the expedition currently in planning.  Your credentials and immediate availability seem well suited to the intended task.  Details, conditions, and payment will be discussed at a meeting planned to occur in two days time, at the Corinthia bar near the Port's interstellar docks.  Regardless, consider this a formal invitation, as it is difficult to find someone with professional combat training on such short notice.  The Valerius name, and the grades I can pull from your time at Apparitus both suggest you are exactly what we're looking for.

Bring everything you need for a potentially lengthy trip.

~Alys V'nado

Spoiler for Message to Seluj Temoi:
Temoi--

Turnout is not what I was hoping for, but we need to leave soon.  I will be collecting the others in two days time, at the Corinthia bar near the docks.  You will be there, with your gear.

Do not make me come hunting for you again.

~V'nado



Spoiler for Message to Expedition Members:
I apologize in advance for the short notice, everyone, but I will need to move our intended meeting place, for tomorrow.  You will find an apartment building address attached, along with a room number.  Please plan to meet with me there. 

I am also attaching a digital radio frequency you can contact me on.  I will activate it tomorrow, and we can use it throughout the expedition.

~Alys V'nado

Message Sent: 1:08PM
Message Delivered: 1:09PM




Spoiler for Message to Expedition Members:
Another change.  Meet at Black Hole Hot Springs in the morning.  Remember to bring all your gear, we need to leave immediately.

Don't forget the radio frequency.

~V'nado

Message Sent: 9:22PM
Message Delivered: 11:49PM

« Last Edit: November 20, 2014, 06:49:03 AM by Redtracer7 »


"And in the end, said the witch to the drowning prince, you've been the one choosing the path of the Rose in spite of knowing where it lead.  To petals, yes, but the abyss of thorns as well."

Offline Redtracer7

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2745
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #2 on: November 21, 2014, 03:58:35 AM »
Time rolls by.  Slowly.  Slowly.

An expedition awaits, and the time to convene its first meeting rapidly approaches.  The venue, changed twice already, is now the Black Hole Hot Springs, a favorite haunt of the local universities-- although with classes ongoing the crowd is sparse, the mood subdued.

A rough half circle embraces the small lake formed by the eponymous hot springs, fenced in only to denote the rough extent of the provided warmth, as asari governments often took great pains to offer free civil services.  The black sand of the beach itself rises from crystal clear waters to quickly find most of the beachgoers, some in the water, more stretched out on the sand, bathing in the heat and occasional ray of sun.  Roughly at the halfway point a circular bar sits, one side lined with stools seated in the sand, the other mostly submerged for swimmers to take full advantage of.  A low drinking age and numerous nearby universities means alcohol, and several asari are gathered around, chatting and drinking in small groups.

Further back from the water, things spread out.  A shirtless turian sits crosslegged some ways back, a rare alien on this asari world, a large sand sculpture slowing coming into shape before him.  Along the side fence a human wearing a heavy winter coat speaks with several asari, a charming smile and his close proximity to the edge of the spring’s warmth keeping him cool.  The rear of the beach ends abruptly at a seawall, against which three small changing pavilions are constructed.

Of Alys V’nado, expectant of impending visitors, there appears to be no sign.  When the aliens begin to arrive, moving from cold and snow to the bubble of warmth the Springs provided, they get only curious looks and a few stares.


"And in the end, said the witch to the drowning prince, you've been the one choosing the path of the Rose in spite of knowing where it lead.  To petals, yes, but the abyss of thorns as well."

Offline Oliviar Valerius

  • PBP Player
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 987
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #3 on: November 21, 2014, 04:10:55 AM »
"Hm hm hm, hm hm hm..."

A young turian woman's head bobs along enthusiastically to a musical tune no one else can hear, a set of sturdy headphones resting on her head as she makes her way through the port and to the hot spring. While a turian in full armor was hardly a strange sight, she does gather a few stares and glances once she finds her way to the hot spring itself. This was an asari planet known for education and retreats. Someone wearing as much armor as her stood out here, amongst the students and vacationers. Equally out of place, of course, are the pair of pistols strapped to her thighs.

Glancing around at the bar, the turian woman ceases her humming, pulling down her headphones. "V'nado...?" she calls expectantly.

Offline Yan Luos nar Tonbay

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 838
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #4 on: November 21, 2014, 04:11:46 AM »
Stares were to be expected wherever Yan'Luos nar Tonbay went, although anything less might have been considered insulting. Cool breezes intermingled with the steaming warmth of the spring rising from geothermal vents far beneath the surface of the placid lake, shrouding in wintery mist curling at the booted ankles of the quarian even as he calmly, almost leisurely walked along the beach. Sleek and plated with cool metal glimmering in the grey cloud breaks far above, the man's suit whispers as he smoothly crouches to run a sifting handful of black sand through his fingers.

Volcanic silica, blissfully free of bacteria thanks to the heat of the lake simmering inches away and yet unfeeling beneath his layers of vulcanized metal and crisp, cool cloth trimmed in white fur. A smooth mask of colored glass replaces where the man's face should have been, only the rough cut shapes of his eyes barely visible as he brushes the sand from his six fingers. Alas, no lovely asari to share the stroll along the beach. Mildly disappointed, the quarian thumbs at the small silver charm hanging from his suit's neck, waiting with still patience as the breeze passes by him without a hint of sensation.
« Last Edit: November 21, 2014, 04:14:24 AM by Yan Luos nar Tonbay »

Offline Captain Seluj Temoi

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 880
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #5 on: November 21, 2014, 04:13:59 AM »
"No, no, Tala. Just keep the drive warm, eh? Can't imagine this'll take too long considering the last meeting." The comm is shut after that statement.

A petite asari steps just past the fenced part of the sand, heavy spacer boots digging into the pliant ground. Adjusting her rags of a brown duster coat on her shoulders, she pulls at the various belts adorning her from their slack on the long ride.

"I had wondered where all the future wageslaves were hiding on the planet." She muses to herself, walking over to the bar and resting a machined right hand onto the countertop. A sharp click-clack on the bar's surface serves to summon the keeper. As she waits, the asari pulls up her goggles, yellow orbs set amongst deep violet skin staring up for a drink.
« Last Edit: November 21, 2014, 04:20:37 AM by Captain Seluj Temoi »

Offline Devin Caulfield

  • PBP Player
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 892
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #6 on: November 21, 2014, 04:14:48 AM »

Dressed in a fine, dark suit, shoes shined to a mirror gloss, and wrapped within the confines of a leather trench coat that just screamed 'tailored to perfection', the human man named Devin Caulfield could not have appeared any more out of place within the little oasis the asari had built. The sudden and frequent change of meeting locations had left him no time to change since his arrival at the dock a few hours ago. He had been dressed for the hotel (which would have been fine) and even the bar (which would have been better), but standing here on the shores of this impossible little beach, all the man could was stand around like a jackass waiting for their contact to show up and worry about getting sand down his shoes.

"Bunch'a bull," he muttered under breath, a soft accent harkening back to the Earth city of Chicago flavoring his words.

Two different changes to the meet-up as well as a late host? There wasn't a thing about this that wasn't setting off an alarm inside Devin's head. If the payout hadn't seemed so promising, he would have walked out ten minutes ago and never looked back.
« Last Edit: November 21, 2014, 04:21:31 AM by Devin Caulfield »
Eight of Clubs, Ace of Spades, Ace of Clubs, Eight of Spades

Offline Redtracer7

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2745
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #7 on: November 21, 2014, 04:17:20 AM »
"Hm hm hm, hm hm hm..."

A young turian woman's head bobs along enthusiastically to a musical tune no one else can hear, a set of sturdy headphones resting on her head as she makes her way through the port and to the hot spring. While a turian in full armor was hardly a strange sight, she does gather a few stares and glances once she finds her way to the hot spring itself. This was an asari planet known for education and retreats. Someone wearing as much armor as her stood out here, amongst the students and vacationers. Equally out of place, of course, are the pair of pistols strapped to her thighs.

Glancing around at the bar, the turian woman ceases her humming, pulling down her headphones. "V'nado...?" she calls expectantly.

The bar is just as quiet as the Springs themselves.  Nearby, a pair of asari break from a heated discussion to look the turian's way.  Their eyes fall quickly on the pistols, but the Port's laws were liberal there as well-- many aspiring huntresses openly carried.  On the far side, seated on one of the stools planted in the water itself, another asari sits with her head resting on the bar.  Asleep or passed out, it seems.

The bartender, however, is much more lively.  "Have a seat," the blue-skinned woman offers, a half-washed glass in hand.  "Can I get you anything, miss?  Never heard of a v'nado, though.  Some kind of dextro drink?"


"And in the end, said the witch to the drowning prince, you've been the one choosing the path of the Rose in spite of knowing where it lead.  To petals, yes, but the abyss of thorns as well."

Offline Redtracer7

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2745
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #8 on: November 21, 2014, 04:19:12 AM »
"No, no, Tala. Just keep the drive warm, eh? Can't imagine this'll take too long considering the last meeting." The comm is shut after that statement.

A petite asari steps just past the fenced part of the sand, heavy spacer boots digging into the pliant ground. Adjusting her rags of a brown duster coat on her shoulders, she pulls at the various belts adorning her from their slack on the long ride.

"I had wondered where all the future wageslaves were hiding on the planet." She muses to herself, walking over to the bar and resting a machined right hand onto the countertop. A sharp click-clack on the bar's surface serves to summon the keeper. As they would come over, the asari pulls up her goggles, yellow orbs set amongst deep violet skin staring up for a drink.

Shifting her gaze from the turian, the bartender gives a crooked smile.  "Looks like you're both overdressed for the Black Hole."


"And in the end, said the witch to the drowning prince, you've been the one choosing the path of the Rose in spite of knowing where it lead.  To petals, yes, but the abyss of thorns as well."

Offline Redtracer7

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2745
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #9 on: November 21, 2014, 04:23:17 AM »
Stares were to be expected wherever Yan'Luos nar Tonbay went, although anything less might have been considered insulting. Cool breezes intermingled with the steaming warmth of the spring rising from geothermal vents far beneath the surface of the placid lake, shrouding in wintery mist curling at the booted ankles of the quarian even as he calmly, almost leisurely walked along the beach. Sleek and plated with cool metal glimmering in the grey cloud breaks far above, the man's suit whispers as he smoothly crouches to run a sifting handful of black sand through his fingers.

Volcanic silica, blissfully free of bacteria thanks to the heat of the lake simmering inches away and yet unfeeling beneath his layers of vulcanized metal and crisp, cool cloth trimmed in white fur. A smooth mask of colored glass replaces where the man's face should have been, only the rough cut shapes of his eyes barely visible as he brushes the sand from his six fingers. Alas, no lovely asari to share the stroll along the beach. Mildly disappointed, the quarian thumbs at the small silver charm hanging from his suit's neck, waiting with still patience as the breeze passes by him without a hint of sensation.

Yan's isolation doesn't hold for long.  Three asari and the human with the winter coat remain near the far fence, while the fifth of their number had broken off, approaching the newcomer carefully.  She pauses, several feet away, waiting until the glowing almonds hiding behind smooth glass slide her way.

"I've never seen a quarian before."  Is it a statement?  A question?  Wide eyes hardly give an answer. 


"And in the end, said the witch to the drowning prince, you've been the one choosing the path of the Rose in spite of knowing where it lead.  To petals, yes, but the abyss of thorns as well."

Offline Captain Seluj Temoi

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 880
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #10 on: November 21, 2014, 04:23:56 AM »
Shifting her gaze from the turian, the bartender gives a crooked smile.  "Looks like you're both overdressed for the Black Hole."

"Sensitive parts!" The woman replies cheerily, resting her elbow on the counter. "Brandy, if ye got it, yeah?" The asari flicks up a green chit in her right hand, its fingertips carrying a dull metallic sheen in the light.

Offline Oliviar Valerius

  • PBP Player
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 987
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #11 on: November 21, 2014, 04:26:30 AM »
The bar is just as quiet as the Springs themselves.  Nearby, a pair of asari break from a heated discussion to look the turian's way.  Their eyes fall quickly on the pistols, but the Port's laws were liberal there as well-- many aspiring huntresses openly carried.  On the far side, seated on one of the stools planted in the water itself, another asari sits with her head resting on the bar.  Asleep or passed out, it seems.

The bartender, however, is much more lively.  "Have a seat," the blue-skinned woman offers, a half-washed glass in hand.  "Can I get you anything, miss?  Never heard of a v'nado, though.  Some kind of dextro drink?"

Music still pours out of the turian's headphones, now resting back on the femininely long, hooked portions of her mandibles, the tune muted but sounding nonetheless loud and garish. "An asari," she explains, leaning on the counter, arms crossed over it, though she doesn't take a seat. "She was supposed to meet me here." Glancing over at the passed out asari, the turian's mandibles flicker. "Probably just late," she muses, silently.

Shifting her gaze from the turian, the bartender gives a crooked smile.  "Looks like you're both overdressed for the Black Hole."

The turian glances over at the asari, only glancing for a moment at her prosthetic limb. "You're not here for the job, too, are you...?" she asks dully, sounding supremely bored, now.

Offline Redtracer7

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2745
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #12 on: November 21, 2014, 04:27:49 AM »
Dressed in a fine, dark suit, shoes shined to a mirror gloss, and wrapped within the confines of a leather trench coat that just screamed 'tailored to perfection', the human man named Devin Caulfield could not have appeared any more out of place within the little oasis the asari had built. The sudden and frequent change of meeting locations had left him no time to change since his arrival at the dock a few hours ago. He had been dressed for the hotel (which would have been fine) and even the bar (which would have been better), but standing here on the shores of this impossible little beach, all the man could was stand around like a jackass waiting for their contact to show up and worry about getting sand down his shoes.

"Bunch'a bull," he muttered under breath, a soft accent harkening back to the Earth city of Chicago flavoring his words.

Two different changes to the meet-up as well as a late host? There wasn't a thing about this that wasn't setting off an alarm inside Devin's head. If the payout hadn't seemed so promising, he would have walked out ten minutes ago and never looked back.

Of the newcomers, only the slick-suited Devin isn't directly approached.  A rarity, but he had the misfortune of arriving a few steps behind a quirky turian, a suited quarian, and the oddly dressed asari.  Some things couldn't be helped.

The human remaining along the far fence, however, does make the effort to meet his gaze.  Its not a gesture of invitation, but it was rare enough to see another of their shared species on Hyetiana.


"And in the end, said the witch to the drowning prince, you've been the one choosing the path of the Rose in spite of knowing where it lead.  To petals, yes, but the abyss of thorns as well."

Offline Yan Luos nar Tonbay

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 838
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #13 on: November 21, 2014, 04:31:35 AM »
Yan's isolation doesn't hold for long.  Three asari and the human with the winter coat remain near the far fence, while the fifth of their number had broken off, approaching the newcomer carefully.  She pauses, several feet away, waiting until the glowing almonds hiding behind smooth glass slide her way.

"I've never seen a quarian before."  Is it a statement?  A question?  Wide eyes hardly give an answer.

Whatever thoughts the mind of the masked man held as he contemplated the surface of the placid, milky lake were his alone, the clouded gaze of his eyes reflecting some small measure of mirth as he turns to address the asari properly. The metal of his suit clashes against dark greys and blacks, all smooth and crisp lines coming together with white fur trimming at his thick cloth, rugged and simple yet... mysterious and roguish to the wide, impressionable eyes of the young woman.

"Is it all you were hoping?" the quarian answers, his voice tinged with metallic reverberations passing through his mask and heavily-accented even post-translation. A three fingered hand reaches forward with an open palm while Yan himself offers a small, simple bow with a hidden smile on his lips.

"Yan'Luos nar Tonbay," he announces, the words almost artful as they roll of his tongue, "And you must be the sole reason I came here, truly. I can't recall anything else in the sight of such beauty."
« Last Edit: November 21, 2014, 04:41:22 AM by Yan Luos nar Tonbay »

Offline Devin Caulfield

  • PBP Player
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 892
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #14 on: November 21, 2014, 04:31:50 AM »
Of the newcomers, only the slick-suited Devin isn't directly approached.  A rarity, but he had the misfortune of arriving a few steps behind a quirky turian, a suited quarian, and the oddly dressed asari.  Some things couldn't be helped.

The human remaining along the far fence, however, does make the effort to meet his gaze.  Its not a gesture of invitation, but it was rare enough to see another of their shared species on Hyetiana.

Having caught the attention of the other human further along the fence, Devin gave the man a quick once-over, using his years of experience and personal intuition to decide in that moment if there seems to be anything interesting or useful about the man that would make him worth Devin's time, or if he should just be ignored as another stranger.
Eight of Clubs, Ace of Spades, Ace of Clubs, Eight of Spades

Offline Redtracer7

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2745
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #15 on: November 21, 2014, 04:35:14 AM »
"Sensitive parts!" The woman replies cheerily, resting her elbow on the counter. "Brandy, if ye got it, yeah?" The asari flicks up a green chit in her right hand, its fingertips carrying a dull metallic sheen in the light.

Blue eyes narrow, flicking between the replacement arm and the customer's face it belonged to.  Further questions arise, but the bartender was not about to ruin a quiet day.  "Sure," she murmurs, digging out a clean glass and the specified alcohol.  The chit is seized before the drink is provided, this was a college town after all, but the chit is returned merely lighter than before.  College towns meant cheap booze, too.

Music still pours out of the turian's headphones, now resting back on the femininely long, hooked portions of her mandibles, the tune muted but sounding nonetheless loud and garish. "An asari," she explains, leaning on the counter, arms crossed over it, though she doesn't take a seat. "She was supposed to meet me here." Glancing over at the passed out asari, the turian's mandibles flicker. "Probably just late," she muses, silently.

The turian glances over at the asari, only glancing for a moment at her prosthetic limb. "You're not here for the job, too, are you...?" she asks dully, sounding supremely bored, now.

The turian has a more direct question, and receives the bulk of the asari's attention.  "We get a lot of asari here, you should know.  It sure ain't Denna, I would think."  A gesture over her shoulder indicates the passed out asari, a name that matches the nametag piled on the clothing stacked nearby.

"Got a description?"  The bartender continues, glancing around at the rest of the beach.  "Most those here are regulars, so if you're looking for a college girl you're going to need to be more specific."


"And in the end, said the witch to the drowning prince, you've been the one choosing the path of the Rose in spite of knowing where it lead.  To petals, yes, but the abyss of thorns as well."

Offline Captain Seluj Temoi

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 880
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #16 on: November 21, 2014, 04:37:08 AM »
Music still pours out of the turian's headphones, now resting back on the femininely long, hooked portions of her mandibles, the tune muted but sounding nonetheless loud and garish. "An asari," she explains, leaning on the counter, arms crossed over it, though she doesn't take a seat. "She was supposed to meet me here." Glancing over at the passed out asari, the turian's mandibles flicker. "Probably just late," she muses, silently.

The turian glances over at the asari, only glancing for a moment at her prosthetic limb. "You're not here for the job, too, are you...?" she asks dully, sounding supremely bored, now.

She smirks over. "Ahehe, job. Right, sure. Hoping it's not on this forsaken planet for longer though. Already burned enough of my life here." She clicks on the frequency provided with her left omni-tool, testing it.

"You said you were in a rush, right?"

The chit has been replaced by cheap drink in her hand and she scans over the crowd for their benefactor, eyes narrowed. A sip is taken.
« Last Edit: November 21, 2014, 04:42:54 AM by Captain Seluj Temoi »

Offline Redtracer7

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2745
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #17 on: November 21, 2014, 04:41:12 AM »
Whatever thoughts the mind of the masked man held as he contemplated the surface of the placid, milky lake were his alone, the clouded gaze of his eyes reflecting some small measure of mirth as he turns to address the asari properly. The metal of his suit clashes against dark greys and blacks, all smooth and crisp lines coming together with white fur trimming at his thick cloth, rugged and simple yet... mysterious and roguish to the wide, impressionable eyes of the young woman.

"Is it all you were hoping?" the quarian answers, his voice tinged with metallic reverberations passing through his mask and heavily-accented even post-translation. A three fingered hand reaches forward with an open palm while Yan himself offers a small, simple boy with a hidden smile on his lips.

"Yan'Luos nar Tonbay," he announces, the words almost artful as they roll of his tongue, "And you must be the sole reason I came here, truly. I can't recall anything else in the sight of such beauty."

"You're really shiny."  Age meant less to the asari then it did for other races, but she was certainly young and impressionable.  College freshman, if a guess had to be made.  Folding her arms behind her back draws one's eye naturally to the woman's mostly exposed skin, her bikini leaving little to the imagination.

Her face scrunches up, somewhat ruining whatever allure she may have been fostering.  "You're lying, though.  I don't know you.  But... umm, can I like touch your suit or whatever?"


"And in the end, said the witch to the drowning prince, you've been the one choosing the path of the Rose in spite of knowing where it lead.  To petals, yes, but the abyss of thorns as well."

Offline Oliviar Valerius

  • PBP Player
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 987
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #18 on: November 21, 2014, 04:44:43 AM »
Blue eyes narrow, flicking between the replacement arm and the customer's face it belonged to.  Further questions arise, but the bartender was not about to ruin a quiet day.  "Sure," she murmurs, digging out a clean glass and the specified alcohol.  The chit is seized before the drink is provided, this was a college town after all, but the chit is returned merely lighter than before.  College towns meant cheap booze, too.

The turian has a more direct question, and receives the bulk of the asari's attention.  "We get a lot of asari here, you should know.  It sure ain't Denna, I would think."  A gesture over her shoulder indicates the passed out asari, a name that matches the nametag piled on the clothing stacked nearby.

"Got a description?"  The bartender continues, glancing around at the rest of the beach.  "Most those here are regulars, so if you're looking for a college girl you're going to need to be more specific."

The turian just shrugs. "I have no idea what she looks like. She put out an ad for an expedition and wanted some security. Her message said to meet her here."

She smirks over. "Ahehe, job. Right, sure. Hoping it's not on this forsaken planet for longer though. Already burned enough of my life here." She clicks on the frequency provided with her left omni-tool, testing it.

"You said you were in a rush, right?"

The chit has been replaced by cheap drink in her hand.

The armored woman merely quirks a brow ridge under her headwrap, regarding the mechanized asari much like one of the students might stare at a pitre dish culture that had undergone a supremely perplexing reaction. "Uh... no?" she replies, wondering if maybe her translator had simply glitched and the asari had misheard her.

Looking between the cyborg asari and the bartender, the turian woman hangs her head, letting out an exasperated sigh, silently cursing aliens and their lack of punctuality.

Offline Redtracer7

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2745
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #19 on: November 21, 2014, 04:46:13 AM »
Having caught the attention of the other human further along the fence, Devin gave the man a quick once-over, using his years of experience and personal intuition to decide in that moment if there seems to be anything interesting or useful about the man that would make him worth Devin's time, or if he should just be ignored as another stranger.

Its a quick read.  The three asari surrounding him are scantily clad, befitting the locale.  All are young, their attention somewhat fawning.  Humans weren't as exotic as quarians though, that explained the one that had broken off to speak with the one near the beach line.  Of the human himself, he's older, probably nearing forty.  Dark features, black hair, a vaguely asian look.  More importantly, his heavy jacket and bored expression suggest his purpose here at the Springs was altogether different.  The golden-filtered cigarette slipped between his lips, meanwhile, indicates little beyond expensive tastes.  Midas Gold was not a cheap brand.


"And in the end, said the witch to the drowning prince, you've been the one choosing the path of the Rose in spite of knowing where it lead.  To petals, yes, but the abyss of thorns as well."

Offline Captain Seluj Temoi

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 880
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #20 on: November 21, 2014, 04:51:09 AM »
The turian just shrugs. "I have no idea what she looks like. She put out an ad for an expedition and wanted some security. Her message said to meet her here."

The armored woman merely quirks a brow ridge under her headwrap, regarding the mechanized asari much like one of the students might stare at a pitre dish culture that had undergone a supremely perplexing reaction. "Uh... no?" she replies, wondering if maybe her translator had simply glitched and the asari had misheard her.

Looking between the cyborg asari and the bartender, the turian woman hangs her head, letting out an exasperated sigh, silently cursing aliens and their lack of punctuality.

Raising a brow, she simply tilts the palm of her tool to the turian, the caller ID reading "Citadel Watchvarren" to indicate the intended recipient.

Offline Yan Luos nar Tonbay

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 838
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #21 on: November 21, 2014, 04:51:17 AM »
"You're really shiny."  Age meant less to the asari then it did for other races, but she was certainly young and impressionable.  College freshman, if a guess had to be made.  Folding her arms behind her back draws one's eye naturally to the woman's mostly exposed skin, her bikini leaving little to the imagination.

Her face scrunches up, somewhat ruining whatever allure she may have been fostering.  "You're lying, though.  I don't know you.  But... umm, can I like touch your suit or whatever?"

The amusement Yan might have felt faltered and then withered at the asari's blunt words, straightening his posture with a little huff of laughter leaving his mask, unclear if it was directed at the asari or himself.

"I will do you one better," the quarian man offers, holding up one finger as he steps closer to the young woman and shamelessly runs his gaze up and down her blue-skinned body, "I will teach you something."

Bending down, Yan's hands brush gently at the surface of the black sand between the two of them before rising, a small speck of glimmering crystalline mineral the size of one of the asari's fingernails between his thumb and index finger, metal tips trapping it glimmering in the light.

"This is a zircon. It is a neosilicate created by the heat and pressure at the deepest part of this lake bed and eventually found itself on this beach by tidal patterns formed by the geothermal vents even further down that allow these volanic springs their soothing temperature. This crystal appears beautiful, no? Shimmering. Gleaming. So many facets. But it is common. Mundane. Bland. Utterly without remarkable features. And it is my gift to you."

Stepping forward, the quarian man smiles behind his mask as he places the small piece of crystal in one blue palm, closing her fingers around it with his own gloved hands and, with a final remark, walks away towards the slowly-growing bar crowd. "Think on it."

Offline Redtracer7

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2745
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #22 on: November 21, 2014, 04:52:34 AM »
She smirks over. "Ahehe, job. Right, sure. Hoping it's not on this forsaken planet for longer though. Already burned enough of my life here." She clicks on the frequency provided with her left omni-tool, testing it.

"You said you were in a rush, right?"

The chit has been replaced by cheap drink in her hand and she scans over the crowd for their benefactor, eyes narrowed. A sip is taken.

Of those Seluj can see, none match the asari she had expected to meet.  A fresh prospect emerges from one of the dressing tents, but its a disappointment-- just another young asari, wasting her life so deep in Citadel Space.

The message she sends is a more acute disappointment.  Shortly after being sent, it returns, a warning attached:

Spoiler for Return to Sender:
Message delivery failed.
NO SIGNAL

Its only then that she notices the small vid screen built into the interior of the bar, its screen flickering with a loss of signal warning.  Experience in electronic warfare provides a tickle down her spine.  Jamming of the local comms? 


"And in the end, said the witch to the drowning prince, you've been the one choosing the path of the Rose in spite of knowing where it lead.  To petals, yes, but the abyss of thorns as well."

Offline Redtracer7

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2745
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #23 on: November 21, 2014, 04:59:07 AM »
The amusement Yan might have felt faltered and then withered at the asari's blunt words, straightening his posture with a little huff of laughter leaving his mask, unclear if it was directed at the asari or himself.

"I will do you one better," the quarian man offers, holding up one finger as he steps closer to the young woman and shamelessly runs his gaze up and down her blue-skinned body, "I will teach you something."

Bending down, Yan's hands brush gently at the surface of the black sand between the two of them before rising, a small speck of glimmering crystalline mineral the size of one of the asari's fingernails between his thumb and index finger, metal tips trapping it glimmering in the light.

"This is a zircon. It is a neosilicate created by the heat and pressure at the deepest part of this lake bed and eventually found itself on this beach by tidal patterns formed by the geothermal vents even further down that allow these volanic springs their soothing temperature. This crystal appears beautiful, no? Shimmering. Gleaming. So many facets. But it is common. Mundane. Bland. Utterly without remarkable features. And it is my gift to you."

Stepping forward, the quarian man smiles behind his mask as he places the small piece of crystal in one blue palm, closing her fingers around it with his own gloved hands and, with a final remark, walks away towards the slowly-growing bar crowd. "Think on it."

She preens under his attention, but the resultant smile is short lived when she's left with a rock in her hand and a rapidly retreating quarian.  "Thinking on it" never comes to mind.

"I'm a philosophy major, not geology!"  She shouts, drawing a chuckle from the sand castling turian and little else.


"And in the end, said the witch to the drowning prince, you've been the one choosing the path of the Rose in spite of knowing where it lead.  To petals, yes, but the abyss of thorns as well."

Offline Oliviar Valerius

  • PBP Player
  • Hero Member
  • *
  • Posts: 987
    • View Profile
Re: Mass Effect: NO SIGNAL
« Reply #24 on: November 21, 2014, 05:00:38 AM »
Of those Seluj can see, none match the asari she had expected to meet.  A fresh prospect emerges from one of the dressing tents, but its a disappointment-- just another young asari, wasting her life so deep in Citadel Space.

The message she sends is a more acute disappointment.  Shortly after being sent, it returns, a warning attached:

Spoiler for Return to Sender:
Message delivery failed.
NO SIGNAL

Its only then that she notices the small vid screen built into the interior of the bar, its screen flickering with a loss of signal warning.  Experience in electronic warfare provides a tickle down her spine.  Jamming of the local comms?

At first, looking at the red letters pop up on the asari's omni-tool, Oliviar's first thought is that asari tech was naturally finicky as it was designed to be elegant over reliable. Letting out another sigh, she gets ready to take a seat but her eyes catch the same letters blinking up at the bar's interior screen.

"Does that happen often?" Oliviar asks the bartender, slowly seating herself and indicating the bar screen.