Circe was half-watching Tereani work the panels for a few minutes before she finally spoke again. "If... if I were to agree to fight on your side, what would I be doing?" She asked. "How much autonomy would I be given? What sort of supplies could I use? And how much support could I expect to recieve?" After her volley of questions, Circe fidgeted her arms a litte as she started to feel discomfort from their bound position.
"Nope. Just thought I'd be a bit different from every other Asari out there. They're specifically designed to have absolutely no meaning whatsoever. Similar to a dozen cultures, with bits of everything thrown in - just enough to let me get past with half a dozen mercenary groups, two crime lords, and one extreme religious cult, but nothing that marks me out exclusively."
Not entirely true, of course. But close enough to the truth that it sounded good. Not once during the explanation does she turn around, as Firelight nears in the distance, pacing implacably towards the base, but, at the next piece of cover, an abandoned ground vehicle of human design, she finally pauses, and turns back to her companions.
"By the way. I couldn't care less about your heritage, either of you. You've proved what side you're on, and that you can follow orders. That'll do."
For now, at least. The Engineer turns, as if intending to carry on towards the Base.. but something drags her back. As if with a mouthful of a broken glass, she continues..
"And I'm... sorry, that you've had it hard. Among the Asari, though, it's sometimes said. 'Curse not the past you are.' It doesn't translate very well, but.... it means that everything you've experienced has -formed- you. Made you what you are. Without your enslavement, your halfbreed heritage, you wouldn't be you. To curse your past is only to curse yourself, for you are the only product of your experiences."
Suddenly, she seems to realise she's said far too much, and the Asari shakes her head.
"We've stayed too long here. Let's keep moving."
Curt, and brisk once more, she starts back towards Firelight without a backwards glance.
Somewhere East of Firelight Base: Carmine Forest (Unknown Sector), Orc Encampment; Circe
Tereani stopped working at her terminal, moving one of the virtual windows away so she could look at Circe. A very thin smile spread across her lips as she heard the bioid's question, nodding a little.
"You would be working directly underneath me... specifically undermining Human targets, rooting out the strong of your kind... Probably even attacking that large city where many of your kind is still holed up. Your actions with us could, like I say, give your race an actual chance in our horde.
"Really, as long as you report to me every day... You'll be completely autonomous. And until I find if I can trust you... your supplies will be limited. I will, however, replace your outdated technology with something much more advanced.
"As for support... Well, you humans are not very distinguished in our Horde. You will receive help from other orcs, but don't expect anything from another Krushes out in the world. If I have soldiers near your position, I'll have them help you."
Cassie let out a bit of a grunt as Jethro grabbed onto her collar, giving the impression that she wasn't too surprised by the sudden change - and, more importantly, that she had been in his position before. Even as he lifted her off the ground she didn't really start to panic.
"Hey Archibald," She grunted, closing one of her eyes, "I'm glad to see you again.. And I assume that, even after a hundred years or so, you still remember what I do to AIs. Just set me down, we'll get to the command center, and I won't be forced to do anything drastic," The Commander said. Even as she spoke, Archibald could tell there was something different going on with his code - and it was definitely not a good change that would happen if he didn't let go of her.
Firelight Base: Sub-Floor 12; Marie, Laina, Ashley and Kalica
Combat Rolls:
Initiative Rolls: 10 vs 2; Heroines have initiative for 4 rounds.
Marie takes the lead, taking a few steps to the end of the hallway, her pistol at the ready. After making sure the coast was clear, she waved her companions over, the women following and crowding into the tiny space.
"Are we going to activate this area?" Laina asked, reaching up towards the sensor bar... when they heard the familiar clicking of claws on the metal floor.
"There's more of them?" The mechanic asked, the group leveling their weapons, pointed in the direction of the southern hallway...
...Only for the northern doors to slide open, one of the larger wolves clicking out into the hallway. It asn't the same as before - this one had dark black fur with a silver under belly, snarling lowly at the heroines who stood before him. As soon as everyone had turned to face their newest challenge, the claw sounds picked up to the south, as two of the 'tiny' wolves walked around the corner to growl and snarl at the women...
((Since I'm still controlling Laina, she'll deploy a tech mine just to the south. Marie starts off the fight with one EP (I like to be generous-ish), so get through those actions! >.>))
(Okay, that works for me. Maybe it'll take out one of the smaller ones when they rushes at us. Also, Laina isn't grappled anymore. Im pretty sure. )
Ashley is about to respond to the question as to whether they'd reactivate this area when she heard the clicking of claws on metal. She instinctively turned to the North, even though the sounds were coming from the South, and so she only saw the larger wolf at first. 'Ohhh, so pretty. It's too bad they're trying to kill us, I'd love to see how soft that nice black fur is...' She thinks to herself, even as she positions herself between the large wolf and the rest of the women and readies her handgun. When she heard more snarling coming from behind, however, she turned and saw the two smaller beasts, and her heart sank. After turning back toward the larger beast, Ashley said; "Concentrate on the big one!" And she takes aim with her smaller handgun, firing three shots before reloading, preparing to keep shooting.
(Reposition so that Ashley is to the North, possibly taking 1 EP though it's only supposed to be a shuffling within the space, and take 3 shots at the Dire Wolf. Also, if the moving didn't take any EP, reload. If it did, ignore that part of the post.)
Jethro lets loose what seems to be a low-pitched whine, something similar to a device powering down, as the lights on his head and eye change back to their normal calm blue. "Sorry about that Cass. He still likes taking over when either my life or his skin's on the line. One of these days I'll find a way to survive without that bastard." he says, turning away from Cassie and crossing his arms. It would be at that point that Cassie would notice something new that hadn't been there on Thidnor: A bundle of three thick blue wires that ran up his spine, connected only at the base of his neck and just above his waistline. If Cassie looked carefully enough, she might see liquid moving through the lines as Jethro looked around, trying to find the elevator out. "How do we get out of here and to the surface? I want to start the search ASAP."
Circe nodded as she listened to Tereani, the orc woman confirming Circe's expectations. She paused a few more minutes, then spoke again. "You make some good points, but I'd like to know two more things before deciding. What is the reason behind this invasion, and why are you here?" Despite being chained and tied up with a collar around her neck, Circe still stared at Tereani's face with an unwavering gaze, betraying no emotion of her own.
In a quieter voice, Emily continues talking with Skora. "What do you suppose is up with Doc Ma <mumble>Lorry</mumble>... eh Doc Blue? She talks as if she has a stick up her ass instead of the orc cock that was just there. She kinda talks like Squad Leader Prak did, and didn't Prak get his entire squad and half of Azog's squad wiped out before Azog summarily executed him?"
Following along behind the Asari, Emily says louder, "I wonder what all those tattoos represent? Tribal markings?"
Skora's eyes seemed to soften just a tad, once the topic of conversation had shifted. Looking over to the Doctor, she didn't say anything in response to Emily before the blue woman answered.
Skora didn't sense an immediate threat from the blue one, but she felt no attachment to her, and it was evident she desired none from either herself or the human. Her job was to follow whatever orders she had. The elf didn't blame her for it, but she didn't consider following orders to be all that important a trait. It was what one did when no one was looking that truly defined a person. That was what mattered to Skora.
"My story was for Emily's sake, since she knows me only by what I seemed to be, not what I was," Skora did not hide the tinge of annoyance she felt at the blue woman now. Skora's orcish nature gave her a short temper, and she had begun to be irritated. "I follow you because I have no better choice at the moment, Doctor, and unless you have been born into slavery and sexual servitude, I'll ask you to keep your sayings to yourself, for I care about them as much as you care about my heritage."
Skora had not stopped moving, and had not been doing any of the tarrying, so she only snorted and let her eyes roam elsewhere as the Asari did her best to play the part of one in charge.
"Skora, so what are you going to do with your new freedom?" With a glint in her eye, she adds, "What do you hope to be when you grow up?"
"For myself, I'd like to start remembering what I was before... *this*," Emily says, gesturing towards her collar and naked body. "I'm not even sure what I am good at anymore... EXCEPT THAT!" she adds before Skora or Cassidy could make the obvious joke.
After spending the morning servicing a few orcs, running for her life, fighting, being used, and now marching off to places unknown, Emily was definitely feeling exhausted. If she couldn't see the base off in the distance, she would have been sorely tempted to ask in a nasally high voice, are we there yet?
"I'm going to rescue my mother, then I'm going to visit my people's homeworld," Skora said in answer to Emily's question, though she didn't rise to the childish joke. "Beyond that, I'll do and be whatever I want to be. I don't know enough about life outside the horde to say for sure."
Somewhere East of Firelight Base: Carmine Forest (Unknown Sector), Orc Encampment; Circe
The orcess pursed her lips together, nodding a little.. before standing up and walking around her terminal, the virtual displays disappearing. Moving in front of Circe, Tereani sat on her knees again, resting her hands on her thighs. Her armor was really quite revealing, and, for a fleeting second, Circe wondered if she'd have to wear the same type of armor...
"I can't tell you too much about our race.. or, really, why we're here," She smiled, "It's part of that trust I mentioned earlier. But... I can tell you this..." Tereani grinned, eagerly looking for any sort of expression on the Bioid as she explained: "Our Horde doesn't originate from the Milky Way Galaxy."
"This way," Cassie said, straightening her uniform's collar, "And stay quiet... We haven't cleared this section of the base yet."
The Commander looked around for a second, then began to head down the hallway, soon arriving at the Freight elevator that accessed every part of Firelight except for the Command Center. Stepping into the lift, she closed the doors as soon as Jethro was in, pressing the button for the ground level.
Jethro followed Cassie through the prison level of the base, quiet as could be save for his robotic whirring of his right arm as he moved and the thumping of his right leg on the floor. Once inside the elevator, and feeling it jerk as it went upwards, he decided to speak. "You're welcome." he says in a hushed tone, his left eye moving all around, surveying every inch of the elevator for escape routes in case something happened on the elevator. "What's really going on here, Cassie? Archibald's been shouting at me nonstop for the past minute that something's definitely wrong. And, for once in the last thirty years, I'm agreeing with him. You wouldn't wake me up for just a rescue mission. There's something else, isn't there?" he states, then turns his head to look at Cassie, expecting an answer.
Circe simply frowned at Tereani's revelation. "Well then... I'm afraid to say that the final choice isn't up to me." Circe would have tapped her head if her hands wern't still bound. "You've met others like me, you would know then we have an AI in our heads making sure we don't repeat Viola's actions. You've made some convincing arguements too, and I would have liked to have find out who was responsible for us Bionoids. I'd have a few words with them about free will..." Circe trailed off with that vague threat. In truth, being a Theta infiltration bionoid, Circe didn't have any problems with her AI as she planned to use the orcs' technology and strength for a while before turning on them. However, if the orcs thought she was really being hindered by her AI, that would make them much more likly to believe she was sincere. Still, she was somewhat sincere, she did dislike having the AI in her head, even if it was relativly relaxed as far as controlling her actions, Circe still saw it as an act of slavery almost.
Somewhere East of Firelight Base: Carmine Forest (Unknown Sector), Orc Encampment; Circe
"That's right, we have met others like you... and about 80% of the ones we found useful, we've been able to turn off that AI inside their brains," She leaned in, poking Circe's forehead, "I'll take care of that for you... In essence, make you free."
Tereani rose an eyebrow, smiling again, "Don't you want to be free, Viola?"
"I told you. We've been invaded," Cassie said, watching as the numbers ticked by on the elevator. As the doors opened, she looked out into the hallway, stepping out and heading towards the personnel elevator.
"We're losing, too," She tacked on, "No communications to the Alliance... Nothing."
Circe allowed herself a smile, though it was somewhat sardonic. "Free from one form of slavery and into another?" She lifted her head, exposing the collar around her neck for emphasis.
Somewhere East of Firelight Base: Carmine Forest (Unknown Sector), Orc Encampment; Circe
"No collars needed," Tereani smirked, "Unless, of course, you decide not to join us. That's when I upgrade you to a control collar and... well, you stop caring about quite a few things.
"Of course... to differentiate you from slaves, we'd have to give you different armor... and probably a tattoo, also."
"I think I'd prefer the no collar option." Circe replied, trying to outright say she would work with the orcs. "And I've got an idea for a tatto if you'll let me. New armor would definatly help as well, though without new ammunition, I'll need a new weapon eventually." Circe was already forming plans to make sure Tereani knew she was on her side.
*the sound of the wolf approaching from the north took her attention and at the realization of two more to the south the shouted suggestion of focusing fire upon the big wolf was met with agreement as Kalicia shifts to get a clear line of fire on the big wolf and unloads three quick bursts of fire at the wolf before trying to reload the gun right after*
"maybe if we down the potential alpha the others will back off. so lets ventilate this sonuva bitch!"
(fire 3 burst shots at the big wolf then reload. spending pts to move if neccesary for a clear shot.)
Jethro follows Cassie as she exits the elevator, knowing full well that no comms meant that the defecation had definitely hit the oscillation. "So, since we can't get in touch with the Alliance, I can't get my squad down here. Dammit. I left them back on Saturn without so much as a goodbye." he says, sighing as he finishes the sentence, wishing he had rotated home earlier so he wouldn't be in this mess.
Rather than respond with the anger their little half-orc was expecting, or attempting to assert her authority, Cassidy... laughs. For one breath, then two, paroxysms of amusement drowning out any attempt at words. It's not happy laughter, though, not a sound that expressed the simple joy of being alive, but entirely more cynical. Even bitter.
"Oh, you're too funny, green. Without going into detail, I know a little about sexual servitude. I'm Asari, after all. As for your people? If they're still around, they've pissed off like the rest of the 'civilised' races. Including, by the way, my people. "
A pause as, without an obvious way round, the scientist is forced to clamber over a still-smouldering wreck of what once might have been an aerial vehicle of some sort, and as she pauses to let her erstwhile companions do the same, she continues..
"Sorry. Still stings that they abandoned me. Not to mention dumped me in handcuffs and packed me into a pod for the humans to collect without so much as a pity fuck. Tell me more about this Horde. Numbers? Approximate racial gen... no, you won't know that. What about sexual compatibility? Obviously, they can impregnate -me- and mine... what about humans? Elves? Do you know how many chromoso... ugh, no, you won't know that either. What about disease? They ever get sick? STDs? What's their tech level in terms of medicine..?"
Question after question, fired off in rapid succession as the Asari goes into proper scientist mode, proving her credentials in traditional fashion. It's only after the fourth or fifth question that she takes a breath, and turns her gaze on the women behind her in expectant fashion.
"..Well? Don't just stare at me like that. I know my armour's shredded, you're welcome to examine it up close later."
((Yes, I know. She's a crazy bitch. What can I say?))
Somewhere East of Firelight Base: Carmine Forest (Unknown Sector), Orc Encampment; Circe
"And all of that will be provided for you, Viola. As for the tattoos.. well, I'm afraid we'll have to use a very specific design," She smiled, poking Circe's collarbone, "One will go there... and there will be a few others, just to show other Orcs you are a warrior for our Horde."
She paused, drifting off into thought for a second, before smiling warmly at the bioid, "Heh... I never thought I'd be so honored to have, of all things, a Human fighting in our Horde and wearing the same warrior tattoos I have adorned on my body.
"Now... for safety reasons... I'll be taking you to our outfitter's on this chain," She reached behind Circe, giving the bioid a face-full of orcess breast, her skin smelling odd... It was hard to describe, but it attracted Circe so much she almost became lost in the smell, barely even noticing that her arms had been freed, her chain let loose from the column in the ground (now securely in Tereani's hands); the orcess was even helping Circe up. The numbness left Circe's head, the bioid suddenly realizing they were outside and moving through the small encampment, her head still a little foggy.
Tereani directed Circe into the second largest compound, which she quickly realized was an armory of sorts. There were weapons, armor, and it looked like more than half the walls were filled with compartment doors. The orcess lead Circe over to one of the terminals, another orc female working on a virtual screen. Circe was a bit surprised to see this one had purple skin... Come to think of it, there were a few different colored orcs in the encampment...
"We'll take care of your AI first of all," Tereani explained, "We can't remove it without damaging you... but we can change it's definitions."
"Is your internal clock not working correctly Jethro? It's... been a very long time since your squad," Cassie said, waiting for the Marine to enter the small personnel elevator, "Your squad really... hasn't been around for about fifty years."
The Command Center was just as Cassie had left it, with Annerose still losing at another card game with Kiera. Glancing over at the pair, Cassie moves over to a locker on the side of the room, typing in the secure code. The locker swings open, revealing a Jennings SA Rifle, a DX8 pistol, and some extra clips for each. She hands each weapon to Jethro, as well as the extra clips. Kiera popped up next to pair as her human representation, eyebrow raised.
((Jethro now has SA rifle with 5 clips, DX8 Pistol with 3 clips.))
"Hello Jethro; it's been a while, if I recall."
"Don't bother him Kiera.. Would you mind crafting medium sized fatigues based off my omnitool, please? We'll need it sent up in a few minutes," Cassie said.
The AI disappeared for a few seconds, before reappearing next to Jethro again.
"Done."
Firelight Base: Courtyard; Cassidy, Emily, Skora
Cassidy didn't have time to ask too many questions, as they soon reached the courtyard of Firelight Base. As she arrived, a representation of Kiera popped up in front of the women, a smile on her face.
"Welcome back, Cassidy. It's so good to see you let lose with your primal side and just go natural.
"Are these our new friends?" She asked, looking to Emily and Skora.
