Ghost Town

*Syn puts her pistol away and turns around.*

Syn: "You take orders really well for such a tough guy, you know that?"

*She continues heading down.*

"I'm a soldier. Taking orders is what we do."

*Syn shrugs.*

Syn: "Well I'd bet you make a better partner than pawn. Hey, maybe if we get out of here alive, you and I can travel the galaxy together! Lot to see, I could use a bodyguard."

Gazelle pretended to think on that for a moment, "I'd love to. You've got yourself a deal."

Zell sees the shuttles and begins to return to Noct, thinking she may have found a way to get the civilians off of this rock, as well as them.

--

Noct shakes her head, though Ryder isn't there to see it, "That would be slightly worse than unfortunate. I'm standing over the body of Councilor Jelda Marlitha, at a Vexil security checkpoint. She died only a few minutes ago, but was bleeding out for far longer than that."

"Shit," Mortal said before letting out a sigh, "Then that is it, they're all dead."

Noct didn't know who the voice was on the other end, but assumed she was with Ryder's group, "What do you mean? Have you found the other councilors?"

"Yes, this is Sgt. Dulces," Mortal answered, "We found the bodies of the other councilors recently." She then looked at Ryder, "Where does this leave us?"

--

Dura and Iliad followed behind Krast.

*Ryder leaves his Omni-Tool open for Noct to hear.*

Ryder: "Officially, our mission is over, but the Zermic's isn't. The priority is those survivors but we can still stop --"


Krast: "She what?! No!"

*At that moment, Krast charges over to Jedla, knocking Linox on his ass and nearly taking out Noct. to get to her. He kneels down beside her and just stares. Zell returns to this scene.*


Syn: "Good, I could use the company on these long missions."

*She looks back up the stairwell.*

Syn: "What is taking them so long?"

"We should go see. And its not a problem. I've been pretty much wandering since I left my homeworld."

---

"Hey Jade. When this mission is over I can help you get a better grasp on your biotic powers."

Syn: "Will you go get them? We're almost at the first floor, I'll check it out."

*Syn keeps heading down the stairs.*


*Jade smiles at him.*

Jade: "Thank you. Though, that'd mean you'd have to come back to the Academy with me."

"Better than listening to some stuck up Turian commander. Though I don't think my parole officer is going to like it."

---

Gazelle nods and goes back up to get the rest of the team.

*Jade frowns and looks over at the group huddled around Ryder's Omni-tool.*

Jade: "He's not so bad. He's just dedicated to his mission. Can you blame him? It all fell apart with in minutes."


*Gazelle can see most of the group huddled together as he climbs the stairs. They are all looking at Ryder's Omni-Tool.*


*Ryder looks around at the group a little concerned.*

Ryder: "Noct, what's going on?"

"What's going on?" Gazelle says almost at the same time as Ryder. He then imediately follows with a sigh and a, "No, don't tell me, the situations gone from middling terrible to FUBAR again."

~~~~

"I guess so. Then again it might be because it seems like half the group hates me. Not that I blame them. I'm still technically a criminal, reformed, but still a criminal."

*Jade sits down against the wall while the adults talk.*

Jade: "I don't think they hate you. We're all strangers, they just have to get to know you."

*She looks up as Gazelle runs up.*

Jade: "The last Councilor is dead."

*Jade's eyes go wide as she realizes something.*

"What's wrong Jade?" Quill asks.

Jade: "Script still hasn't posted I was supposed to get them out...I failed..."

*Jade lets her eyes fall and stares at her boots.*

"I don't think you even had the chance to try. Don't think on it too hard. There's nothing you, or any of us, could have done given the current situation" he pat Jade on the back gently.

Noct bent down and put a hand on Krast's shoulder, "Don't worry. After we get these people off this world, we're going to pay back whatever did this."

Zell put a hand on Noct's shoulder, "Ma'am, I found a fleet of shuttles that should be able to evac the civilians."

--

Sab looks defeated, and Mortal does as well. Mortal simply nodded, "It appears that way. All the councilors are DOA."

Jade: "I guess you're right...still, I wish I could have helped."


*Ryder looked up at them and shook his head.*

Ryder: "We're not done yet. The Council was our job, we didn't make it in time. Fine. But, we can still help the others."

*Jade stands up, grabs Quill's hand and brings him over to the others.*

Jade: "The Zermic is here to save the colonists, and some of them are still alive. We can help them!"

*Ryder directs his voice to his Omni-Tool.*

Ryder: "Noct, send us your coordinates, we'll meet up with you and get those civilians off this rock. Ryder, out."

*As Ryder is about to direct the others, another beep comes from his Omni-Tool and Syn's face pops up.*

Syn: "[i]Hey, you guys get down here. I think I know where they are, but we've got trouble along the way.[i]"


*Linox rejoins the group and looks at Zell.*

Linox: "Was it safe? Shuttles will likely be tampered with like rest of systems. Will need time to get them back online."

*Krast finally stands up and turns back to the group, his face strong, his eyes dry but hurt.*

Krast: "You take all the damn time you need, Doc. I'll kill every last one of those things in the meantime."

"There's always trouble. Why wouldn't there be?" Gazelle says with dry sarcasm to Syn's statement.

Quill holds Jade's hand and nods in agreement with both her and Ryder.

Zell shook her head, "Wide open area, one of me, lots of unknown enemies. I wasn't going to go too far before I had some back up."

Noct nodded, "Good. We play it smart from here on, and we're all going to make it out of this." As she was talking she forwarded Ryder her location.

--

Mortal simply chuckled, "Oh great, more bad news."

Syn: "Well...at least you can say there will be a change of pace..."

Ryder: "Right we're on our way."

*Ryder starts down the stairs.*


Krast: "Only if being smart means we rip apart everything out there."

*Linox frowns at Krast's anger. He heads for the door and peeks outside. The sun is starting to come up and the apes have littered the streets, asleep. The mist is no where in sight.*

Linox: "Not this time Krast. We may be able to do this quietly."

Mortab follows, obviously.

--

"Once we get the civilians to the shuttles and out of here no one is going to care if you attack them. Right now though we have to worry more about their safety," Noct said.

Quill and Gazelle follow as well. Quill stays close to Jade however.

*Krast says nothing for a moment then finally nods. Linox opens the door wider.*

Linox: "Zell, come with me. Noct, get the colonists ready. Give me ten minutes to get the shuttles ready then bring them over."

*He starts to head outside.*


*The group arrives on the first floor to find Syn sticking her head out the door.*

Ryder: "Syn, what's going on?"

*She shushes them and opens the door to reveal a minefield of sleeping apes between the building and the shuttle.*

Jade: "They're nocturnal?"

"Maybe we should take the rooftops instead?" Gazelle suggests.

"If we can find a car we could fly right over them," Sab suggested.

"Do you see any cars that fit a group of this many people around?" Mortal countered.

--

Zell tags along with Linox after Noct gave her a small nod. Noct, for her part, found Iliad and Dura, and told them to ready up the civs. They both spread out, Dura finding the biotic that helped her before, and Iliad the woman from the building.

They both gave a version of, "There are shuttles close by we're going to use for evacuation. Once we know the area is secure we'll all head over and get you to safety. I need your help to prepare everyone to move there quietly and orderly once we get the 'all clear'."