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Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

"Hey, human!"

Ishale didn't have to look around to know that she was the one being yelled at. She hadn't passed any other humans since she exited the VIP lounge of Afterlife to let Markus get his things straightened out and in order. The voice behind her was deep and rumbling, demanding, and it sent a small shudder down her spine. It was hard not to pull her pistol or start running.

"Human, I'm talking to you!" the krogan growled, and her pace increased, just a little. The last thing she wanted to do was start a fight and get kicked off the station before she could get even half of her crew together. It didn't help that all she had on her was a pistol, which against a group of angry Blood Pack members after a hefty reward would be useless.

She could hear the heavy thud of booted feet gaining speed behind her, and in her concentration, it wasn't surprising that she barreled head-first in to another patron, only keeping her balance after years of practice.

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Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"Woah there, princess. You alright?" Esme said as she steadied herself, quickly sizing up the younger woman. She glanced over her shoulder, eyes settling on the Krogan hastily walking towards him. He looked angry, but Krogans usually did. Esme quickly stepped between the girl and the Blood Rage, her face unimpressed.

"Is there a problem here?" she asked the Krogan, hand on the pistol at her hip.

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

"I'm fine," Ishale murmured, her face burning. "Princess"? Her mother had called her that when she was a little girl. The woman looked older than her, but she wasn't sure if she was old enough to be her mother's age. "You don't have to help me," she said a bit softer, hand resting on her own pistol now that a confrontation was unavoidable.

"Yeah," the krogan grunted, looking almost amused that his target, a small human female, was being protected by an older human female. "She's my target. I don't think you two know each other, so unless you want to get in a stranger's business, I'd walk away."

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"I've got time to kill," Esme said coolly. "And I've dealt with far worse than some Blood Rage grunt. I suggest you reconsider your choices here, sweetheart," she told the Krogan, almost pleasantly.

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

"What, you think I'm going to back down because a human brat and a human grandmother told me to?" the korgan snipped back, taking a threatening step forward.

"I don't know how it is for krogans, but we're supposed to respect our elders," Ishale replied pleasantly, unholstering her gun. "Not that I think you're old or something," she added hastily. "Just older than me."

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"Ha, I've been called worse things than old before, don't worry," Esme said. She laughed, then in one swift motion spun the sniper rifle off her back and trained it on the Krogan.

"Do you have any idea what a anti-personnel rounds can do to your head at this range? You do anything but turn back around now and leave, you'll have about a quarter of a second before you find out," she said, finger on the trigger.

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

The krogan had seen enough of his comrades get their brains blown out with a sniper rifle at long-range to know that it would hurt like a bitch to get hit this close up. They'd be pulling pieces of his skull out of the ceiling for weeks. If he'd known that one of the damn humans had a sniper, and was going to use an anti-personnel round on him at close range, he would have waited to go after her. Growling low in his throat and giving the women a look that said he was not, by any means, giving up for good, he turned and stalked away.

"Thank you," Ishale sighed, taking in the woman's sniper rifle with an almost wistful look on her face. "Nice gun. I need to pick up a secondary arm while I'm here."

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"This baby has gotten me out of a lot of sticky situations, I can tell you that," Esme said affectionately, storing the gun back over her shoulder. "You look more like a shot-gun kind of girl, though," she told her, placing her hand on her hip and giving her a good-look over.

"The name's Esme. And what I'm wondering is what exactly you did to piss someone off so bad that a damn Blood Rage would be after you. They don't usually go for the small stuff," she said.

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

"I love shotguns," Ishale confessed with a laugh, rubbing the back of her neck. "Submachine guns too. I'm just picky."

"My name is Ishale," she replied after the woman introduced herself, and resisted the urge to go kick the stupid pack member in the back of the head. If the damn krogans didn't follow her around like she was a fertile krogan female, her life would be so much easier. "And let's just say that I'm not on the best of terms with someone who works with the Blood Pack and leave it there. I'm just trying to get a crew together and get away from their territory."

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"Sounds like a reasonable enough goal," Esme said approvingly. She didn't want to press the girl too hard for details right now, she'd been in a few situations like that herself. But as far as she could tell Ishale was only carrying a single pistol, and with the Blood Rage after her Esme couldn't just leave her by herself in good faith. Besides, she had just finished her last contract.

"You looking for any hired guns for this ship of yours?" she asked Ishale. "Because I'm good with more than just a sniper rifle. And like I said; I've got time to kill."

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

Esme seemed to be the first human she'd met in a good while who wasn't just concerned with herself or her money. And, given that the woman seemed to have years of experience on her, it would be an amazing advantage to have someone like her on board. "I've recently acquired a batarian trading ship that I need to get a crew together for. Because of these...extenuating circumstances, I'm looking for more than just muscle to move boxes. If you're as good a shot as you look, I could really use someone like you helping me out."

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"As long as I'm paid and you don't try and shoot me in the back, we won't have a problem," Esme said with a warm smile. "You seem like a nice girl, though, so I don't think we're going to have any issues like that. You got anyone else on this crew of yours I should know about?" she asked.

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

"I recently hired a turian, but he's taking care of business here before moving on to the ship. He was...ah, preoccupied with a group of asari when I left, so that's probably what he's "taking care of"," Ishale replied with air quotes around "taking care of", a blushing rising to her cheeks at the idea. Really! She kind of hoped that she didn't end up with any asari now if he treated all of them like that.

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"Ha! Sounds like my ex-husband," Esme said with a short laugh. "I've worked with Turians before. Always good for a fight, and they tend to betray you less than some other species. Well, I don't have any 'business' with Asari to take care of before I'm ready to leave. Just needs to grab some things. And I suggest that we get you a real gun," she said, eyeing Ishale's pistol. "Pea-shooters like that are good for close quarters, but they don't do too much in a real battle."

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

"If you happen to know anywhere we could go to look at decent fire arms, I'd really appreciate it. I keep getting lost," Ishale said with a slightly embarrassed laugh. "You were married before? If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?"

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"Forty-four, I think," Esme replied after a moment's thought. "Somewhere around that. It's hard to keep count moving around so much, all the planets have a different system of time. My old partner used to be able to keep track of it all, but I haven't seen him in a few years," she said, her expression souring a bit.

"Anyway, about your gun. I've been around here a while, so I know where to get you a decent discount. You said you were looking for a shotgun?" she said, intent on changing the subject. She wasn't too big on lingering on certain parts of her past.

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

Ishale recognized the desire to change subjects, and she understood it well; there were things in her life that she didn't want to reveal to a complete stranger (hell, there were things she didn't think she'd want to reveal to people she knew well). "Yeah, a shotgun would be great. I hope the shopkeepers won't pitch a fit over letting someone else use your discount, though."

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"I've got enough pull around here to work something out," Esme said, smiling. "C'mon, I'll give you the grand tour of Omega on the way," she told Ishale, with some measure of sarcasm.

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

"You say that as if there's something grand about Omega in the first place," Ishale teased, easily falling in to step beside, if not slightly behind, the older woman. "It's not the worst place I've been to, but by no means the best."

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"It has it's surprises. And it's a good place to find work, though usually that work is blackmailing or stabbing someone in the back. Frankly I think I've had my fill of the place." She sighed, brushing some hair out of her face. "Been taking out way too many petty criminals lately. A few years ago I was taking down slave rings and stormin' my way through the galaxy. Tch, I'm afraid I'm getting old," she joked as they headed into the market district.

"This way. There's a batarian merchant I've done more than a few favors for, and he carries quality weapons. None of that cheap, mass-produced junk," she told Ishale, leading her over to a kiosk tucked in the corner. "Grom! Honey! My favorite merchant on Omega!" Esme grinned as the grim-faced batarian behind the counter turned to look at them.

"What do you want now, Favre?" Grom asked her suspiciously.

"A shotgun for my friend here," Esme explained, leaning casually on the counter. "Something nice and with a discounts."

"You, I give discounts. I don't even have a reason to sell to her," Grom sneered, looking at Ishale.

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

"Sounds like you like to keep busy," Ishale said with a small smile. "I'm not sure things on my ship will be quite that exciting, but I'm sure we'll have our fair share of trouble if the Blood Pack is always so rambunctious."

Ishale tried to hide her amusement at the back-and-forth banter between Esme and the batarian. "I've heard that this is the best place to get weapons on Omega that aren't scrap metal, and I'm a pretty picky customer. But if you're trying to run me off because you can't back up your reputation, well..."

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"I never said I was trying to run you off," Grom said, seeming slightly flustered. "But I can't just sell to any damn human that comes prancing along, it'd ruin my reputation."

"Grom, sweetheart," Esme said.

"What?" Grom snapped.

"Just give the girl a shotgun," Esme said. The batarian sighed, but produced a datapad that he slid across the counter towards Ishale.

"There. It's a list of my special stock. The best you'll find in Omega, guaranteed," Grom told her, still frowning. He never liked how easily Esme could push him around, even if he did owe her.

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

Trying not to laugh, Ishale gave the batarian a sweet smile before taking the datapad with a murmured "thank you". Briefly she skimmed the list, biting her lip as she did so. "I've always been partial to the Hydra line, but I've heard good things about Sokolov too."

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"Always been partial to the Armageddon myself, but Sokolov has a nice kick to it. Go with your gut when it comes to guns. If it doesn't feel right chances are you're gonna get your face shot off at some point or another," Esme said.

"Oh, shut it, Favre, it's all based on the specs," Grom said with a sniff. "Sokolov has the highest damage stats, guaranteed to blow the armor off anyone that's after you."

"I'm telling you, it's the feel of the gun..." Esme pressed.

"And I'm telling you you're crazy," Grom snapped. "Crazy damn human."

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

"I managed to get ahold of some credits when I got my ship, so I might as well go with the Sokolov. It's got a nice look to it, and I might as well splurge on something that will keep me from getting my ass beat by the pack," Ishale said, handing the datapad back to the batarian.

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"Excellent choice," Grom said, storing away the datapad. He spent a moment rummaging through some crates before pulling out the shotgun and placing it on the counter. "Four thousand credits," he told Ishale.

"Grom..." Esme said warningly.

"Fine. Three thousand. Don't say I never did anything for you humans," Grom said grumpily.

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

"I'll make sure to tell the rest of my crew to stop by here to stock up before we depart," Ishale said honestly, fishing out her credit chit and passing it to the batarian. "I really appreciate it." The woman picked up the gun, running her fingers down the barrel. It had a nice feel; not too heavy, especially for a shot gun, but it promised a firestorm of damage. This would suit her nicely; a good partner for her Harpy.

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"Be good, Grom," Esme told the batarian as they left the kiosk. "Don't go upsetting any drunken mercs again or anything."

"Yeah, yeah, get out of here," Grom grumbled, turning back to his merchandise.

"He's a nice guy," Esme assured Ishale as they walked away. "Just cranky."

Ishale · Commander Joined: 03 Feb 2011 Posts: 67

"I've noticed that a lot of batarians are cranky," Ishale said with a snort, storing her new shotgun with a happy sigh. "Thanks for the help, by the way."

Esme · Joined: 04 Feb 2011 Posts: 29

"I've found it's always good to keep your employers happy," Esme said with a smile. "Who knows? Maybe I'll get paid extra," she added with a snort. "So, where's this ship of yours?" she asked.

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