Garrus Vakarian (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
forgivetheinsubordination) wrote2037-04-27 09:49 pm
forgivetheinsubordination) wrote2037-04-27 09:49 pm
Entry tags:
IC Contact - Consignment
vakarian.garrus@cdc.org
(0) UNREAD MESSAGES
vakarian.garrus@cdc.org
(0) UNREAD MESSAGES
I've killed before. I'm a sniper.
[He's still processing what she's said, but the question is easy to answer.]
Been military for a long time, served in a few positions. What do you need?
[Dagger's core being cracked sounds pretty serious, but if it's just a matter of a few days then Garrus can switch his attention to the more complicated matters. Save the crew from what, who, why are questions he wants to ask sorely, and after a few moments he decides that the worst that could happen from him asking carefully was she'd refuse to answer.]
He thought he could save his crew by coming here. To this world. To the Neheda. Came for backup. Didn't find it. Not gonna be bothered if you tell me it's none of my business, but what I'm left wondering is why you? Gotta be a lot of captains. He sent a message to the Neheda, though, and he had to expect something.
[He's still processing what she's said, but the question is easy to answer.]
Been military for a long time, served in a few positions. What do you need?
[Dagger's core being cracked sounds pretty serious, but if it's just a matter of a few days then Garrus can switch his attention to the more complicated matters. Save the crew from what, who, why are questions he wants to ask sorely, and after a few moments he decides that the worst that could happen from him asking carefully was she'd refuse to answer.]
He thought he could save his crew by coming here. To this world. To the Neheda. Came for backup. Didn't find it. Not gonna be bothered if you tell me it's none of my business, but what I'm left wondering is why you? Gotta be a lot of captains. He sent a message to the Neheda, though, and he had to expect something.
When people don't pay attention to history they wind up making the same mistakes all over again. It's something we've known for a long time. Turians, I mean. History's a cycle. Gotta know it to break it.
[He crosses his arms, looking past Martin into the white (and way too cold) distance. They don't know the cycle here, don't know anything here. They've been dumped under threats.]
Saving my world is pretty damn important to me. I just redistributed our forces back home to keep it secure, keep the supply lines steady, and protect about 20 billion lives. The cost is gonna be a couple of colonies, and about ten million turians. Thing is, there's no assurance that even if I play by the rules here it's gonna be safe. What if I'd been eaten by a sharkthing? Fallen into the water and drowned?
[Garrus shakes his head.]
Serving their interests is no guarantee of protecting my world. Getting to the heart of what's going on here, that's what I can do. That's what I intend to do.
[He crosses his arms, looking past Martin into the white (and way too cold) distance. They don't know the cycle here, don't know anything here. They've been dumped under threats.]
Saving my world is pretty damn important to me. I just redistributed our forces back home to keep it secure, keep the supply lines steady, and protect about 20 billion lives. The cost is gonna be a couple of colonies, and about ten million turians. Thing is, there's no assurance that even if I play by the rules here it's gonna be safe. What if I'd been eaten by a sharkthing? Fallen into the water and drowned?
[Garrus shakes his head.]
Serving their interests is no guarantee of protecting my world. Getting to the heart of what's going on here, that's what I can do. That's what I intend to do.
So I'm third choice? You're wounding me here, Aran. But I wouldn't turn down the chance to take a look at the thing.
Does the shifting barrel shape require a lot of energy? And what's the changing do, exactly? Alter what it fires, rate, intensity, something else?
Does the shifting barrel shape require a lot of energy? And what's the changing do, exactly? Alter what it fires, rate, intensity, something else?
I figured I wouldn't inconvenience you. But if you're begging me...
[If there's someone who actually wants to perform maintenance on her suit, who is she to deny them the opportunity?]
Just promise you won't try to reverse engineer my equipment. I don't really appreciate it. [And the last people who did it ended up quite dead.
To answer his question, though.]
It takes no energy. When I shift the shape of the barrel, I'm switching through different beam settings just by changing my hand position inside. Currently I have a Power, Ice, Wave, and Plasma beam.
[If there's someone who actually wants to perform maintenance on her suit, who is she to deny them the opportunity?]
Just promise you won't try to reverse engineer my equipment. I don't really appreciate it. [And the last people who did it ended up quite dead.
To answer his question, though.]
It takes no energy. When I shift the shape of the barrel, I'm switching through different beam settings just by changing my hand position inside. Currently I have a Power, Ice, Wave, and Plasma beam.
The Almina and the Neheda were deployed to this star system together. After our crew, Bilchis would be the next closest; it also has a much bigger ship than ours, as Bilchis has a crew of two thousand at last check. Between us we could have accommodated maybe half of the Almina's crew, or hosted them on the planet until we could evacuate.
[ But she didn't. ]
They were not transmitting from an official channel. There was no crash report from HQ about their ship, the emergency warning system was not triggered for their ship despite the issues that crews like ours were experiencing — all the signs pointed to the Almina going rogue.
I would have risked this crew if I had helped.
I could never risk that.
[ She adjusts Dagger's thermal sheet, straightens out the creases. ]
I reported the signal instead.
[ But she didn't. ]
They were not transmitting from an official channel. There was no crash report from HQ about their ship, the emergency warning system was not triggered for their ship despite the issues that crews like ours were experiencing — all the signs pointed to the Almina going rogue.
I would have risked this crew if I had helped.
I could never risk that.
[ She adjusts Dagger's thermal sheet, straightens out the creases. ]
I reported the signal instead.
Sadly not many in my world care about history. [ Martin shivers, but he isn't cold. Perhaps his selfish act saved Tamriel in more ways than he could ever imagine. Empire after empire after empire, the same mistakes, the same wars, the same wounds. Take the emperor out, what does that leave? ]
Keeping my world safe is important to me too. I just died for it, as did a great many people. [ Jauffre. So many in Bruma. The thousands, perhaps millions, in other provinces. ] Considering they were able to pull me from death, perhaps they will do the same for you. [ The contract does not end with your death. Martin knows that better than anyone else here. ]
It'll be hard. You'll need allies.
[ A sigh, then a laugh. ] You can count me in.
Keeping my world safe is important to me too. I just died for it, as did a great many people. [ Jauffre. So many in Bruma. The thousands, perhaps millions, in other provinces. ] Considering they were able to pull me from death, perhaps they will do the same for you. [ The contract does not end with your death. Martin knows that better than anyone else here. ]
It'll be hard. You'll need allies.
[ A sigh, then a laugh. ] You can count me in.
[That's a way more thorough answer than he'd been expecting, and Garrus doesn't miss what she's doing with Dagger's sheets. This isn't something he expressly has experience with, working for an organization that considered its people expendable, but he knows what it means to lead, and what it means to be protective of your crew. And he's also got a glimpse into her priorities now. That helps. A lot.
He nods before straightening and taking a step back so he can lean against the rover wall.]
So. You need me to shoot something, or someone. This is something I know how to do. What's the mission?
[He has other questions, like how often ships go rogue, what it even really means to go rogue, but they're not crucial. What's crucial is figuring out where she's going from here, and what the first priorities are for her after something this big has happened.]
He nods before straightening and taking a step back so he can lean against the rover wall.]
So. You need me to shoot something, or someone. This is something I know how to do. What's the mission?
[He has other questions, like how often ships go rogue, what it even really means to go rogue, but they're not crucial. What's crucial is figuring out where she's going from here, and what the first priorities are for her after something this big has happened.]
You know that half the fun of working on new tech is figuring out how to adapt it to other stuff, right? You saying you don't want me to study it at all?
[That would be sad. Very sad. Garrus is always looking to improve things. But he doesn't want to piss off possible allies just yet, either.]
Ice beam. I'm sure that came in really handy. You could shoot ice at the ice.
Is the wave a shape? Or water?
[That would be sad. Very sad. Garrus is always looking to improve things. But he doesn't want to piss off possible allies just yet, either.]
Ice beam. I'm sure that came in really handy. You could shoot ice at the ice.
Is the wave a shape? Or water?
[ She'd been expecting more questions, truthfully. Perhaps this one would understand better than the others. But she also knows that he's gone to the statue, though she doesn't know what he's found yet.
Should luck decide to bless her with anything, he shouldn't have found much. ]
For now - shoot anyone who comes near this rover, unless they are an officer. Anyone. Give a single warning, and if they proceed, open fire. [ Then she stands up, unlocks the locker under her bunk, and reveals a frozen head inside it. Horns is still glowing. ] Until this has been evacuated, you will guard it.
And be ready for tomorrow.
Should luck decide to bless her with anything, he shouldn't have found much. ]
For now - shoot anyone who comes near this rover, unless they are an officer. Anyone. Give a single warning, and if they proceed, open fire. [ Then she stands up, unlocks the locker under her bunk, and reveals a frozen head inside it. Horns is still glowing. ] Until this has been evacuated, you will guard it.
And be ready for tomorrow.
[Guard a head. And Dagger. He won't shoot a member of his crew for hers. That's one line he's not crossing. But he's also sure that if he tells them now's not the time, they'll listen.
Of course, now could be the time. Dagger's vulnerable, the head's valuable... but that's not his way.]
Orders sound easy enough. And that's an interesting glow there.
[He may have seen a glow just recently.]
What's causing it?
[And then it hits him, and maybe he should have had this guess before when he'd failed to find a power source for the statue. What if the statue... hadn't always been a statue? What if the sentient people of this world didn't make it; it had been one of the sentient inhabitants?
It's a long shot. And he's glad that most of his face doesn't move, because if he'd been human there would have been a whole lot of facial expression going on right there.]
Of course, now could be the time. Dagger's vulnerable, the head's valuable... but that's not his way.]
Orders sound easy enough. And that's an interesting glow there.
[He may have seen a glow just recently.]
What's causing it?
[And then it hits him, and maybe he should have had this guess before when he'd failed to find a power source for the statue. What if the statue... hadn't always been a statue? What if the sentient people of this world didn't make it; it had been one of the sentient inhabitants?
It's a long shot. And he's glad that most of his face doesn't move, because if he'd been human there would have been a whole lot of facial expression going on right there.]
Edited (Stupid html) 2014-05-31 08:05 (UTC)
First of all, I'd be impressed if you could flawlessly replicate Chozo technology without any malfunctions or weaknesses. Second, some of my suit's abilities are too dangerous to attempt to replicate.
[She knows attempts at recreating morph ball mode horribly mangled quite a few Space Pirates in the past. She liked Garrus enough not to want the same thing to happen to him.]
Trust me, the ice beam saved me more than once out there. Also the wave beam has a wave shape when fired from my cannon. It's a powerful electric blast that can pass through walls.
However, I can combine it with any of my other beams to give it the shape of the wave beam and ability to pass through walls.
[She knows attempts at recreating morph ball mode horribly mangled quite a few Space Pirates in the past. She liked Garrus enough not to want the same thing to happen to him.]
Trust me, the ice beam saved me more than once out there. Also the wave beam has a wave shape when fired from my cannon. It's a powerful electric blast that can pass through walls.
However, I can combine it with any of my other beams to give it the shape of the wave beam and ability to pass through walls.
[It will be hard. And they're going to need a lot of allies indeed. Garrus nods his head in thanks, though he's intrigued by the laugh.]
Appreciate it. Welcome on board.
[His mandibles flare, and then it's his turn for a chuckle of amusement.]
Never worked with a dragon before. Had a few dragon-like creatures try to kill me, but they didn't succeed. ...As far as I know. Can't say I really know if I'm alive or dead.
Appreciate it. Welcome on board.
[His mandibles flare, and then it's his turn for a chuckle of amusement.]
Never worked with a dragon before. Had a few dragon-like creatures try to kill me, but they didn't succeed. ...As far as I know. Can't say I really know if I'm alive or dead.
Almina's race ate stars to live. They cannibalized each other after a while. [ She shuts the locker then. ] He was the last of his people.
[ In time, Garrus might just find out what those pillars were, and what they are for, but now is— complicated.
Gliese stands up and wipes her face clean of tear tracks, smudging the paint under her eyes as she does; she'll paint them again later. For now she has to make a number of calls, has to yell at a few people, get ready for tomorrow.
She whistles, and Hetr, the bigger, scalier cat, comes into the rover; he takes the whistle as permission to sniff at Garrus. ]
He'll keep you company. I have to make some calls.
[ In time, Garrus might just find out what those pillars were, and what they are for, but now is— complicated.
Gliese stands up and wipes her face clean of tear tracks, smudging the paint under her eyes as she does; she'll paint them again later. For now she has to make a number of calls, has to yell at a few people, get ready for tomorrow.
She whistles, and Hetr, the bigger, scalier cat, comes into the rover; he takes the whistle as permission to sniff at Garrus. ]
He'll keep you company. I have to make some calls.
[Almina. So the head belonged to the captain that Dagger fought, then. That Dagger killed to protect Neheda and his crew. There's a lot of politics here. It's almost human.
He stands up straight as she gets ready to leave, nodding.]
Good, good. Me, a head, a cat, and an unconscious guy. We'll try not to party too hard and mess up the place.
[There's a little humor in his voice. Garrus crosses back to the door and takes a seat next to it. He's got a clear view of anything that approaches, and he figures the cat will give him warning too.]
Enjoy the calls.
[The gun comes off his back, and Garrus takes up position with practiced ease. Dagger will be protected through the night.]
He stands up straight as she gets ready to leave, nodding.]
Good, good. Me, a head, a cat, and an unconscious guy. We'll try not to party too hard and mess up the place.
[There's a little humor in his voice. Garrus crosses back to the door and takes a seat next to it. He's got a clear view of anything that approaches, and he figures the cat will give him warning too.]
Enjoy the calls.
[The gun comes off his back, and Garrus takes up position with practiced ease. Dagger will be protected through the night.]
[ She puts one hand on the lip of his suit's collar and puts and another to his mandible. When her hand comes away, there's a smear of faint red. ]
For blessing.
[ She leaves him to his chair and the rover.
She might have lied a little, about making the calls. She will make them - after she breaks a few mountains, and reshapes some of the landscape. Anger is best dealt with alone. ]
For blessing.
[ She leaves him to his chair and the rover.
She might have lied a little, about making the calls. She will make them - after she breaks a few mountains, and reshapes some of the landscape. Anger is best dealt with alone. ]
[He's not unused to being touched, what with serving with so many humans, but it still surprises him a little. Especially when it's someone he doesn't know all that well. A blessing. Huh. She is... Yeah. Garrus doesn't know. What he does know is that he can definitely respect devotion to one's crew.
And right now, while he sorts out what all is going on, that's enough.]
And right now, while he sorts out what all is going on, that's enough.]
Doubt I could replicate it quickly. But I can see patterns, the way energy is routed, materials used, that sort of thing, and possibly adapt some things with the new knowledge.
I'd need a whole lot of tools I don't have here to actually replicate things.
Really want to see this gun in action. And open. Because damn.
I'd need a whole lot of tools I don't have here to actually replicate things.
Really want to see this gun in action. And open. Because damn.
[He's being laughed at. He knows humans. But he doesn't mind. There's no malevolence behind it.]
Good point. On both counts. I just... A couple of people here. They're dead. And they didn't know it. It has me wondering.
Good point. On both counts. I just... A couple of people here. They're dead. And they didn't know it. It has me wondering.
You know those skeletons that were...helping us in the rendezvous point? [ A shiver courses down Martin's spine. ] I didn't make the connection at first, since their presence offended me. But you know how death doesn't cancel our contract? [ A pause, a heavy swallow. ] I wonder if those skeletons were dead recruits brought back to life.
[Garrus does not like that thought, at all. He looks back toward where the rover with the mess hall had been, remembering the skeletons.]
They didn't talk.
[Was there anything left of them, if they were indeed former recruits? Or were they just shells, here to perform tasks until they fell apart?]
Been hoping they were another species. That they just looked like bones, since they all looked like the same type. No turian skeletons, nothing krogan or prothean. But a majority of the people here are human. Or human-looking.
[The last is added with a glance at Martin.]
But it's possible. It's... Yeah. I don't even know how someone's supposed to fulfill their contract.
They didn't talk.
[Was there anything left of them, if they were indeed former recruits? Or were they just shells, here to perform tasks until they fell apart?]
Been hoping they were another species. That they just looked like bones, since they all looked like the same type. No turian skeletons, nothing krogan or prothean. But a majority of the people here are human. Or human-looking.
[The last is added with a glance at Martin.]
But it's possible. It's... Yeah. I don't even know how someone's supposed to fulfill their contract.
If I get to know you a little better first, I'll see about letting you get an in-depth look. Forgive me, but I've had some bad experiences with pirates reverse engineering my equipment in the past.
I promise I'll let you get a better look, though, once we get some downtime. We can even do some target practice, and I can get a look at how that omni-tool of yours works too.
I promise I'll let you get a better look, though, once we get some downtime. We can even do some target practice, and I can get a look at how that omni-tool of yours works too.
Rover's shaking but intact. Kids aren't crying. So decent. You?
Rover situation is the same. Got all my rovermates and my lieutenant accounted for but.
...
He mentioned he saw others outside, possibly not to rovers in time.
...
Should we do a quick message tree among the rest of us and try to put together a more comprehensive status update?
[The 'rest of us' meaning those who received Gliese' encrypted orders.]
...
He mentioned he saw others outside, possibly not to rovers in time.
...
Should we do a quick message tree among the rest of us and try to put together a more comprehensive status update?
[The 'rest of us' meaning those who received Gliese' encrypted orders.]
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