| abstract
| - It was a red sky on the horizon, painted with pink misshapen clouds dotting the view, a massive, rising, ever expanding red moon sat, peering at the civilization below. It was like, raising levels of structures, stacking above one another almost as the buildings reached towards the moon. They were worn down, but covered in construction materials, cranes, slings, all hanging off and attaching to one another, like an old city that was being remodeled. Several towers, well over a dozen extended between the buildings, smoke towers from the industry, bellowing out dark clouds of pollution into the skyline. Iyra took in the smell, smoke, pollution, over population, and water, she looked down from the landing pad the Aetherius had docked on. Open air, nothing but water around them for a mile before it reached the shores of the dull city in the distance. Old bridges stretched out to the city from the port, lined with streetlights, half of which weren’t working. She could see lightning strikes coming from the clouds, thunder rumbled the ground as a storm swooped in. Iyra flipped the hood of her jacket over her head as she watched several other crew members walk past her, heading into the town. There was a large number of shacks, stops, and shops dotting the crossings, as well as numerous people, humans, asari, multiple species, sitting, lounging, sleeping, makeshift tents and homes around them, refugees. “Altakiril” Taylor boomed out from behind Iyra as he approached, she looked back, greeting him with a light smile and happy eyes. “What a shithole.” He added as he stopped along side her, taking in the view. It was, a mess, but something about the skyline, the smell, it was interesting for Iyra, a whole different world from she was used to. “Yeah, Altakiril is something else.” She had been there before, years before, and was intent on not being seen by anyone who would possibly remember her. “Care to accompany me through this lovely little port?” Taylor smirked, he intended to, “Of course, however, I kind of invited some people…” “Oh?” Iyra asked as she heard more footsteps coming from behind the two. As she looked over her shoulder, she could see Erinn, whom she hadn’t spoken too yet, and the ever obnoxious Eliae approaching. Erinn was taking the sights in, it wasn’t like anything he had seen, a new world nonetheless and he was impressed. “Man, this is quite the view.” “Quite disgusting.” Eliae added, sucking his chin back and pursing his lips, “I feel like I’m about to vomit.” “Awh Eliae, well you can always do us a favor and stay on the ship.” Iyra mocked, not so jokingly as Eliae often got on her nerves. Eliae put on a smug look, “Iyra, you miss me already?” She rolled her eyes, “Poor Eliae, you’ve never done anything make me miss you.” Taylor intervened on the taunt session, “Alright alright, enough kids. How about we enjoy our shore leave?” “Here at Port Wumara, we can sure find enjoyment, sure we might get stabbed but” Iyra nugged Taylor with an elbow, “That’s all part of the fun isn’t it?” “Sure is!” Taylor agreed with a big smirk and confident look, as he lowkey judged the sloppy town ahead. Erinn shrugged, the thought didn’t bother him, “Maybe if I’m lucky someone will actually kill me.” As they trotted onto the bridge and towards the city skyline, Taylor bantered back with Erinn, “You’re not leaving us that early buddy, I’ll give you mouth to mouth if I have to.” “Don’t make promises you can’t keep big guy.” Erinn cracked back with a wink. Eliae shook his head, “Get a room you two.” Iyra rolled her shoulders and shrugged, “I think you two are cute, cute little dorks.” Taylor glanced over to her and teased her as well, “Don’t be jealous girl.” “Oh hohoho, someone’s got jokes.” She wisecracked back in a goofy voice. Erinn then targeted Eliae with a crack, “Only joke here is that fish smell, God we know its in you blood Eliae but mask it or something.” The Drell winced his eyes at the borderline racist quib, “Oh God, you compared me to fish, I’m so hurt.” As they had walked through the bridge, the group had taken a better look at the shops and people in sight. The shops were basically shacks, all made of portable materials, some of them closing, they parked them out here every day to try and sell whatever they could the ships arriving. The four did a good job to just tune out all the makeshift clerks yelling at them and trying to get their attention. The folk on the dock, just sitting around, sleeping, covered by their makeshift tents and blankets were a different story. Homeless, dirty, broken, some reached out for handouts, most however were broken, lost in their own minds barely noticing their surroundings. “What’s up with all the, homeless?” Erinn asked, as he attempted to think of a better name to call them. “Refugees.” Iyra answered, “From the Traverse, war refugees.” Both Erinn and Taylor, who hadn’t ever ventured from the peaceful streets of Earth, it wasn’t a sight they were used to, and it put both of them in a less than excited mood. “From what war?” Taylor asked. “The war between the Dominion and the Attican Resistance.” Eliae replied, he had seen plenty of this, both he and Iyra, every time they traveled, they saw the increasing effects of one the galaxy’s bloodiest ongoing conflicts. “I forgot, you guys are new blood, you aren’t used to the seeing the real suffering that exist out there. And this, this is just the tip of the iceberg.” Taylor knew of the Dominion, the war they had with the Alliance before he was born changed the shape of the galaxy, and a Cold War had lingered ever since. Everyone knew what the Dominon was, human supremacist, they controlled most of the Traverse, but he didn’t know of a Resistance, it was so hush hush, news like that never made it to Alliance space. These refugees, humans, batarians, and turians, they didn’t even seem like people anymore, just lost shells. “Damn, I knew the Dominion was bad, but this.” “It’s best if you just shut it out.” Iyra suggested, straight faced as she walked through. Erinn didn’t agree with the idea, “Don’t you think that’s insensitive?” “It happens all over the galaxy, you’re going to see a lot more of this. You can’t let it stop you though.” Iyra was no stranger to the struggles of the galaxy, she didn’t see her view as insensitive, she just knew wallowing over these people’s conditions isn’t actually going to help them. “But hey, we’re about to enter the city, focus on the sights and sounds, not so much the despair though, you’ll be a lot happier.” They approached the main gate from their bridgeway, it was wide open, a gateway into the massive construction zone that was Wumara Port, guards stood at the entrance, rag tag outlaws, members of the pirate organization the Wumara Gang, the folk who ran the city. Iyra, not wanting to be seen, just incase, pulled her hood a little further down in front of her face. Between the massive skyscrapers was a shanty town, huts, sheds, and poorly built structures decorated the roads, it was like an ecosystems within an ecosystem, the massive towers lookings down on the pirate town below. Taylor was in awe by the sight, “Wow, it’s, this is an amazing sight, I mean yeah disgusting and filthy...I need a shower but damn is it something.” Iyra made sure the guards didn’t notice her before responding to Taylor’s awe, “I can’t wait till you see places that are actually beautiful.” She enjoyed his reaction, his pure joy to just see new things was always going to be entertaining. As they walked through the town, the rain began to fall, but the traffic of people in the streets didn’t. They passed bars, drug dens, weapons, shops, and brothels, all one after another, multiple times. Several fist fights, people doing drugs on the streets, knock off high quality bags and shoes, a few that almost go the attention of Erinn and Eliae. It was a melting pot, not just the popular council species, but everything, beings Taylor and Erinn didn’t even know existed. “It’s unique.” Erinn remarked as he took it all in, “Never before in any 10 square feet have I had an equal chance of getting laid and getting stabbed. Remarkable.” “If you stand still for a moment, you might get both, at the same time.” Taylor jested back. Erinn only replied with one word in his monotone fashion, “The dream.” They couldn’t help but notice an infrastructure to the city, old, destroyed, war torn buildings hidden behind the shacks and beneath the towers. “So, these ruins, beneath everything, what is all of that about?” “Altakiril was virtually wiped out by the Reapers during the war some 85 years ago.” Iyra informed, “The place has, well it’s come back, despite being a dump, it is impressive the progress they’ve made from being absolute rubble.” Eliae chimed in, “And the fact they received no Alliance or Council help, they did it all on their own while pirates fought over the planet.” It was hard to imagine, just growing up on Earth that the Alliance wasn’t there, “Really? Why not?” Erik inquired. “The Terminus Systems were dangerous, and there wasn’t enough manpower to help every single broken colony out there.” Eliae had his serious moments, this was one, “So places like this, they did it the hard way.” Iyra was still being extra aware of her surroundings, it was then she spotted a couple of Wumara guards approaching, one with his omni tool scanner active, popping random refugees and anyone he wanted to. Not taking any chances Iyra looked around for anything to hide behind, spotting a short indent along a shack wall, she grabbed both Taylor and Erinn by the sleeve and to the wall, Eliae instinctively followed. She quickly pulled Taylor in close to her by the front of his jacket, “Hold on to me!” he attempted to ask why but she interrupted him, “Just do it don’t ask questions! And you two stand in front of us!” The three acted, doing as they were told, Taylor put his hands around Iyra’s hips, feeling slightly awkward yet charged by the situation. Iyra turned her head away from the oncoming guards and pressed it into Taylor chest. “What is going on?!” Taylor beckoned. “Ugggh fine, I’ve been here before, don’t want anyone to see me before… I see them, ya feel?” She explained hurriedly. Taylor, and the others were confused, but continued to play along, Taylor couldn’t help but ask questions. “Are you like, an intergalactic criminal?” “What? No!” “A spy?” “No!” “Did you used to date a guy here or?” “Ha they wish.” Eliae chimed in, “You were a stripper?” “YOU wish! Eliae” He nodded in agreement with a smirk, the guards had walked by, not noticing the four, and Iyra looked over, and lifted her head off Taylor’s chest to make sure the coast was clear. She still had a hold of his jacket though. “Did you used to be a dude?!” Taylor asked mischiefly. Iyra looked up at him, questioning the stupidity of that joke, “We have one gender!” “Exactly, maybe you felt different! It’s okay to be different, I still think you’re cool!” He joked with a stupid grin. Iyra rolled her eyes, “You’re ridiculous, I can’t even.” Eliae noticed Taylor still had a hold of Iyra’s hips, and she his jacket, as the two laughed and joked to each other, not breaking eye contact. He gave Erinn a nudge and nodded towards the two, as they both watched their interaction humorously. “Well still, what was that all about? You got me wondering little bit now.” Taylor added, still confused over why Iyra needed to hide. She smirked, “I’m full of surprises once you get to know me cowboy, if you can get that far though.” “I’m up to the challenge. Maybe dinner sometime will get you talking.” Eliae decided to break things up, “Ahem!” he coughed out, catching both of their attention, “Y’all two lovebirds realize the goon squad is gone right? Or are you two just gonna start porking right here like a couple of dutch hookers?” Erinn looked disturbed by Eliae’s verbiage he mouthed, “Porking?” Iyra’s eyes got large as she felt slightly humiliated, she popped on an amused look and let go of Taylor jacket taking a step back before the two of them both popped out an embarrassed chuckle, Taylor scratching the back of his neck as he goofily winced his eyes and cheesed. “We should get moving!” Iyra quickly barked out, “Bars not far now!” she took off in front of the others. Eliae looked over at Taylor and just nodded, “She wants your pipe bro.” Looking disgusted once again Erinn spoke up, “Use less disgusting words. Ugh, let’s go to the bar!” The drell stared at Taylor for a moment, and after the human just gave him an emotionless shake of the head, Eliae yelled out once more, “Pipe bro! PIPE!” Before following them towards the bar. As they reached the pub, Iyra stopped, spinning on one foot to face the others and raising her hands to the sign above. In flashing lights, (not all functioning) it read “The Terminus’s End”, the shack was old, but in slightly better shape than most of the structures, that wasn’t saying much however, a window was still blown out, and two men were either unconscious, or dead lying out front. “Here she is, the most exciting whimsical bar in Altakiril!” She floated her arm down towards the door, “I hope you boys enjoy it!” “What, you’re not going with us?” Taylor pondered as Erik and Eliae wasted no time going into the bar, “Is it because of Eliae? I’ll turn him into frog legs if you want.” Iyra let out a laugh, “No not this time, I have some business to take care, but you can go ahead and do us all a favor and make frog legs out of him.” Taylor rolled an eyebrow pretending to consider the idea, “I don’t know if that’s all that sanitary hmph. Well shit, you’re up to some shadow business, do I even want to know?” Backing away, Iyra put on a devious smile, “I wouldn’t tell you even if you asked.” “So what about dinner?” Taylor called out, figured he might as well try, there was nothing to lose. The feeling and confusion of wanting to say yes but also wanting to say no sweeped over Iyra as she continued to back away, awkwardly now, she winced her eyes and put on a ditzy smile and threw her hands in the air, not saying a word before she turned around and continued to saunter off into the rain. Taylor just smiled as the raindrops dripped across his head, he decided he was going to keep trying, had plenty of time with this journey after all. He then turned, and headed into the The Terminus’s End. As he walked inside he was greeted by a stiff breeze of odd smelling air, like every bottle of liquor had been popped open and poured out onto the floor. There was a screen of haze that decorated the entire bar, red lights colored the room, and club music, pulsing out drowned out most any other sound. Several Vorcha, as filthy as ever were huddled in one corner, playing cards and howling out inaudible noises. A bar ran along the side of the room, the Hanar bartender worked to pour out drinks for the customers, his tentacles maneuvering in so many directions, Taylor couldn’t even keep count. Eliae and Erinn were already there as he approached. “What’s your poison?!” Eliae asked, elevating his voice to get over the sound of the music. “Water!” Taylor yelled back, he wasn’t a drinker, never had been. Erinn and Eliae seemed to look at each other in response to Taylor’s answer, “You don’t drink? I figured by the look of you.” Erinn remarked. “Yeah everyone does.” Taylor forgot, these people didn’t know him, he went through a phase back in the day of his friends questioning his reasons for not drinking, but they got acclimated to it. “I just don’t drink, never really have. Used to be straight edge back in my show days, I don’t throw triple Xs around anymore, I just don’t have the desire to drink.” The Hanar handed them their drinks and they headed for an empty Taylor, “Ah, so you were one of those kids that fought everyone at shows? Go to all the Horror shows?” Taylor laughed thinking back to those old days, “Uhh, yeah but I was like the anti-hero, I crowd killed the kids who crowd killed other kids, I wasn’t the” he put on a tough guy voice as he mocked the hardcore guys “I want a strong and healthy scene! If you don’t want to get hit don’t go to shows!” Erinn himself wasn’t ever big on that scene, but he enjoyed to meme about it, “God what a pitiful existence those kids have.” “Yeah but without them, I wouldn’t have anyone to make fun of.” Eliae wasn’t well acquainted with that culture, growing up mostly listening to whatever was on the vids or radio, “So what, is that like, Gothic music?” Both Taylor and Erinn mugged their Drell counterpart, “No, God you’re stupid, don’t tell me you’re one those guys that combines everything into Goth or Emo.” “It’s all the same man.” Eliae uttered back, taking another gulp of his drink, Taylor only rolled his eyes at his drell friend before taking a chug of his water. The three then went back to bickering, lost in the bustling sounds of the pub. Back in the streets of Port Wumara….. The rain continued to pour down, puddles collected on the street as the smell of wet dirt, mold, and concrete rose. It was thick, and right under Iyra’s nose, she didn’t want to risk breathing through her mouth however, better to smell than to taste whatever scent was. She kept walking, reaching the end of the crowded streets she now stood on the doorstep of one of the city’s massive, aging, under construction skyscrapers. Barricades decorated the range in front of it, and a massive banner hung down, the Wumara insignia, overlooking the city, their headquarters. Outside stood two guards, humans, both tall, incredibly muscular men. One rather pale in color, he had a mowhawk with strips of hair on the side of his head and a braided goatee, his hair was dark purple in color and he had a 40 in his hand, as he paraded around with some arrogant swagger. The other man, speaking with him, was more calm in composure, and stood several inches taller than the other, he was bald, clean, and had a strong face with a thin 5 O’clock shadow stretching across it. Neither men had an omni tool, so Iyra approached. The one with the mohawk noticed her, he spoke, sounding just as arrogant as he looked with a thick English accent, “Ello, look what we got ere’ Claudio!” Claudio shot him a fed up look, “Can it Angus!” He ordered before looking at Iyra, he too spoke with an accent, lighter, but central European, swiss, “Can we help you miss? Or sir? Whatever you Asari like to be called.” He seemed polite, unusual for a pirate. “Miss is fine, I’m just here to speak with Kalen Goddard.” Iyra informed, Kalen was the leader of the Wumara, Iyra just wanted to find him before his people alerted him to her presence. Claudio went to speak before shooting a curious look at Iyra, “You his consort?” Iyra flashed an even more disturbed look, “Oh God no, kill me.” “You can be my consort!” Angus blurted out. Claudio gave his drunk comrade a shove, “Shut it!” before looking back to Iyra, “Well what’s your business, I can’t just let you in, you understand.” “I work for his boss.” The two pirates eyes grew large as they looked at each other inquisitively “Really? Well I won’t argue then, here follow me up, Angus watch the door. Try not to pass out you drunk.” Angus gave a half hearted serious look before letting out a burp. Iyra followed behind Claudio, into the large tower. The lobby was half empty, half the room was encased in plastic wrap, just as incomplete on the inside as was on the outside. Some lights were out, the others flickered, quite a few pirates were in the room, playing games and drinking, a relaxed atmosphere for the men and women who ran this city. “Sorry about Angus.” Claudio said, apologizing for his ally, “He’s difficult to get along with, but uh, I’m getting used to it, boss stuck me with him a few weeks back. But the big idiot is growing on me.” Iyra, didn’t particularly care, but Claudio was friendly, so she went along with it. “I know that feeling all too well.” They entered an elevator and begin their ascent up the tower. “So, the boss huh? They didn’t send you here to.. I mean we haven’t done anything wrong have we?” “Uhh quite the opposite, I would just prefer, they didn’t know I was here.” She informed him with a smirk, she withheld that bit of information before, to make it easier to get into the tower. Claudio laughed, “Tricked me huh, well too late now, you’ll still get to see the boss.” The elevator stopped and they entered into a surprisingly well lit hallway, at the end was a power of double doors. They approached, and Claudio lightly pushed the doors open. “Boss!” He yelled out as they entered the room. It was dark, just two lamps on in each corner of the room, the darkening red sky bleeded into the room from the shuttered window overlooking the city. It was like a research center in there, desk, computers, all sorts of tech, and even weapons. Standing in front of the window was Kalen, his back to them. He had his hands clasped behind his back, rocking a sleeveless jacket, his pants were rugged and had all sorts of equipment latched on. “This betta be good Claudio.” Another accent, thick and Australian. He turned around, a patchy almost pirate beard covered his tan rough face, and a short fohawk stood atop his head. A massive scar stretched across his right eye, and eye that was no longer organic, it was blue, prosthetic, circled by a metal plate implanted onto his skull. As he saw Iyra a devious, semi creepy smile resonated across his face, his one functioning opened wide. “Well well well, lil Iyra, to what do I owe da fuckin pleasah? Finally taken me up on that offa to be my girl?” Iyra sneered at the outlandish pirate, he was always belligerent, quite inappropriate, “Awh Kalen, still just as disgusting as ever.” He smirked, “You know it doll face.” He walked to his desk and lit up a fat cigar, taking a hit from it before turning back to the Asari, “So what can I elp you with? Your mum sent you? She ain’t contacted me about nuffin.” “Quite the opposite Kalen.” Iyra answered as she stepped into the room, looking out the shuttered window at the Wumara skyline, “I wanted to make sure she doesn’t find out I’m here. Figured I’d come let you know I was here before one of your goons did” Kalen scoffed, taking another hit as he kept smiling, unpleasantly looking Iyra up and down. “Wha? Little wing ran away from home huh?” Waving the cigar smoke from her face, Iyra answered back, “I’ve been away from home for a long time Kalen, I just don’t need her worrying about me being in the Terminus systems.” “Ha!” he laughed out, “Mum still worries for her little girl does she? Tell you what.” He approached, an insidious smile on his face, “You can make it worth my wild I won’t tell your parental unit about you being, so what can you do for me?” “I can kick your balls through your throat.” She flashed back with an equally mischievous smirk. Kalen’s expression turned into a laugh as he stepped back and chuckled, “You got spunk still I’m glad to see that.” He looked over to Claudio, who looked to holding back a chuckle, “Something funny Claudio?” His expression snapped to worry as his boss asked, “Uh no sir.” “Good, go get me and the lass here a latte.” He ordered as Claudio left the room, following his command, Kalen then looked back to Iyra, “Don’t worry, I won’t tell your mum you’re here.” He walked to his desk and plopped down in his seat, motioning for Iyra to sit across from him, “Come on, sit down aye, let’s catch up.” “Catch up? Now you want to be polite? Is this really Kalen speaking?” Iyra teased as she sat down. He gave, an honest smile, a strange sight for the robust pirate lord, “Don’t chap my ass girl. I’m just fuck’n with you when I make these jokes. I’m not the same man I used to be.” “Oh yeah, what’s different now? You bathe?” He let out another laugh, “Clever, no, still not big on the bathing though. But things have changed since the last time you came here, ain’t ya noticed doll?” The only thing she noticed was the influx of refugees, “Yeah, you have a lot of homeless war refugees out there. Taking advantage of them now too?” That look of humor was gone from Kalen’s face, now just disappointment as he shook his head, “Come on now luv, I’m not that heartless, I’ve given them a place to live.” “Yeah, the streets of this beautiful town.” “Bettah than getting killed by the Dominion though.” He cracked back defensively, “Yeah yeah, I’ve terrible tings, I’m a bloody pirate, shit I still do terrible tings. But these people, they’re plight, it’s been opened up to me.” He stood up, walking to his window and glared at the city, “They might be living on the streets, but at least they’re living on the streets of people who ain’t tryna kill em. Believe, I’m trying to help tese people, half of our raids become rations for dem.” Iyra was sensing some sincerity in the pirate, but remained skeptical, “So you’re a modern day robin hood?” He walked back to his desk and gave a little shrug, “More or less. The filthy pirate version. Yeah I’m still a criminal, but I’m nowhere near the piece of garbage I used to be.” He sat back down and looked to the ceiling for a moment, “Probably workin for your mum made me this way. Constantly threatening me over my eticate got me in the right direction.” Iyra knew her mother, in recent years had a way of ‘pushing’ people in the right direction, “She does have the kind of influence.” Kalen put out his cigar and looked over to Iyra, “So tell me Iyra, what’s been going on with you, why you all tha way out in ma parts?” Knowing she didn’t have much other use of her time, and not wanting to return to the bar, over the awkward feelings that were starting to surface over Taylor, she opted to stay and chat with the old pirate, why not. “Well Kalen, it’s a long story, and you asked, so buckle up.” She suggested enthusiastically as she proceeded to telling the epic of her past 10 years.
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