Vasquez is in the rec room, in the process of getting her daily allotment of one cup of coffee secured. Her hair is still damp from her post-workout shower, and her Redrock jacket is worn open over a white tanktop. She barely has time to give the contents of the cup a sniff before her omni-tool starts going off, beeping urgently. She tenses, immediately setting the cup down and raising her wrist, giving her omni-tool a quick
#RedrockAgency – March 4, 2026
Philip is in the offices, wandering around curiously and fiddling briefly with some of the things left on the desks he passes as he waits to be called in for his meeting with Vasquez - he's been absent for some time, returned to his family's farm, but has been looking to get back on duty with Redrock. He's dressed in rugged gray winterwear, jacket unzipped, and looks much the same as ever, with short, auburn hair and a boyish
Jason is still in bed. A side effect of burning the candle at both ends the previous day. The loud chirp of his omni-tool indicating that something is very wrong is enough to stir him from his sleep. Jolting up, he shifts towards Vasquez' side of the bed. Empty. A few confused moments pass as he sifts through faded memories from a night of a little too much fun and a bit too much to drink, but buried somewhere in there- hidden
behind an image of Ten with a... bucket on his head?- is the recent memory of Vasquez slipping out of bed to get ready for work and a grumbled excuse for why he was gonna sleep in. He swings his legs over the side of the bed, his movement drawing the attention of Justice who hurries over to the bedside, likely believing it's time for the morning jog that's quickly become routine for the pair. He idly strokes the top of his
furry companion's head with one hand as the other reaches out towards his omni-tool on the nightstand, biting back on the panic that naturally accompanies the unwelcome sound bellowing out of his omni-tool. Thankfully Vasquez' voice erupts from the other end as soon as he activates the device, confirming it's not her in danger and bringing with it a temporary wave of relief. He opts to remain silent for the moment, not
Victoria 's comms "Chief, it’s Victoria. I need a team asap, Va’ynna was just taken right in front of me. I need a pickup with my gear. Trying to get what I can with an omni-tool."
Vasquez ' face twitches. "Shit..." she mutters to herself before activating comms again. "Understood. Give me details, Steels. Where are you? How many attackers? Are you under fire?" she asks while leaving the rec room, coffee left behind as she heads quickly towards the stairs. "Fergus, who do we have on site?"
Jason clenches his eyes shut as he listens to Vicky, mouthing a silent 'fuck' to himself. It was less than a handful of hours ago that they were together. He leans down, taking Justice's head in his hands and rustles his fur. "Sounds like it's time for me to clock in. Sorry, we'll go for a run later..." he assures quietly. He scoops his Phalanx off the nightstand, giving it a quick field check before tucking it into the back of
his pajama pants, and gets to work on finding his shirt from the previous night that was discarded on the bedside. He finds himself nodding alongside Vasquez' words as she gives voice to his own questions. "This is Wolfe." he says as he activates his omni-tool and tugs his shirt into place with his other hand. "I'll be ready for lift off in five. If you can unlock your locker remotely I'll grab what I can, Vicky." he
requests, a sense of urgency slipping into his tone as he steps into his boots, not bothering to lace them before hurrying out into the hall.
Victoria 's comms "Fuck, shuttle got away. Armored asari, used her biotics to keep me useless. Had a civvie shuttle waiting. Only saw the asari, so two man team minimum on the shuttle. It's unlocked, Jason."
Vasquez ' eyes scan offer the list with a scowl, listening intently as Victoria speaks. Since she never got a location from the ex-pirate, she pulls up a wider map display to make sure that they received a location from the distress call itself while storming down the stairs. "Give me a description. Can you get eyes on the shuttle? What does it look like? What direction is it headed? Get footage if you can," she instructs over
comms, before switching to company-wide emergency alert broadcast. "This is Chief Vasquez, we have an urgent situation. Any personnel near the marked location are instructed to get combat ready and converge. Stand by for details. Sullivan, get the shuttle ready ASAP." She stops by the office doorway and barks to Phil: "Lacour, you wanted to get back in action, right? Looks like you get your wish, gear up and head to the
Philip startles, knowing a folder of the desk he's standing by. "What? Uh, I mean- Yes, ma'am! Right away!" he replies, straightening up.
Victoria 's comms "A blue green shuttle, between a skycar and kodiak in size. It's sounds like it is going south-south-east. Fuck, that bitch said wheels up in fifteen like fourish minutes ago. Giving chase on foot, to see if I get eyes on again."
Jason exhales a frustrated sigh as Victoria confirms that their newest headache has escaped. He has to turn back to keep Justice from following outside of the room, placating him with a few more hurried pets before locking up. He catches sight of Vasquez already on her way down the stairs at the end of the hall and he hurries to follow, taking the stairs two at a time. Her stop at the offices gives him time to gain some ground on
her. He makes his own pit stop in the doorway to her office after she disappears inside before the door can close behind her, tapping a hand against the doorframe to get her attention. "You heard what she said! If they've got biotics I want biotics. Not looking to get outgunned. So-..." he shakes his head, realizing he doesn't have time for this, "...whoever we can get operational quick." He doesn't linger, already on his
Leah (Redrock-wide Comms): Just arrived at the Respite. If I gear light, I should be able to reach the location in under ten minutes-.... [A few seconds of silence follow before her voice chimes back in] ....make that five minutes.
Vasquez makes her way into her office, grabbing her pistol from her desk and securing it to her hip. She turns her head on noticing Jason and nods in agreement. "Go, Mercier," she instructs before turning her attention to the building VI. "Fergus, put the base on alert and make sure defenses are ready to deploy if needed." While it's unlikely that this is targeting Redrock, it's better to be safe than sorry. "Steels, switch to
emergency operations channel and keep us updated," she instructs to Victoria before switching back herself. "Miner's Respite employee Va'ynna Atana has been abducted in a shuttle currently heading south-south-east from marked location. Confirmed attackers include armored asari with combat-grade biotics, and pilot," she informs while leaning over her desk to type on her terminal. A moment's thought leaves a singular
conclusion. "We have reason to believe they may be heading for a larger ship, possibly the port. Velrin, Mercier, D'Kira, eyes open, report any sightings and intercept if possible, but remember there's a friendly onboard. Shuttle with reinforcements is being dispatched shortly."
Philip rushes over to the armory, grabbing an Avenger, a sidearm, an armor-vest, a couple of grenades, a medigel canister and some thermal clips, stowing the gear in the pockets of the vest, which he wears over his winter wear.
Jason is quick to get to work unlocking his gear as soon as he reaches his office. Undersuit. Plating. Sidearm on his thigh. Omni-tool slotted into his suit's systems. Combat knife sheathed across his chestplate. And last but most certainly not least, the big beautiful hunk of destruction mounted on his wall gets stowed on his back. "Any chance of you getting ahold of someone from the Foundation on short notice, Linda?" he
continues over comms as he gears up. "Maybe see if they can do anything about delaying any flights out of the spaceport for the next 20 minutes or so?"
Leah (Comms): Copy. I have someone willing to give me a ride. Do you want me at the site of the attack or should I move to intercept at the port, Chief?
Vasquez nods to herself. "Worth a shot," she replies, starting up a call to the spaceport administration, speaking again over comms while waiting for someone to pick up. "Move to intercept if you can, Mercier."
Lucy (Comms): "Ngh... this is Captain Crawford. Want me to send some of my folks to keep an eye out around the port?"
Vasquez pauses for the briefest of moments. "Captain. Yes. Send them out, but try to keep a low profile," she replies, too busy to notice the message just now.
Jason rises from his seat once everything is (relatively) in place, paying close attention to the updates coming in over comms. He returns to Vasquez' office, once more stopping in the doorway, this time with his helmet tucked under his arm. "I'm-... uhh-..." he nods back over his shoulder, one hand still working at the straps and magnets on his plating to get a secure connection. "...gonna grab Vicky's shit and get going as soon
Jasper can't be seen in the hangar, but his presence is confirmed when the Kodiak comes to life as Phil enters.
Vasquez moves around the desk, stepping over to Jason and pulling him in by his chestplate for a firm, quick kiss. "See you soon," she confirms with a nod. Her call to the spaceport administration is still ringing.
Philip hustles over to the Kodiak, sitting down only to curse as his rifle clanks against the seat. He removes and stows it before strapping in.
Victoria comms "Chief, it was fucking Sala Piros. She assaulted a salarian on the street before taking Va'ynna."
Jason leans into the kiss, but turns on his heels as soon as Vasquez steps away. No time to waste. His next stop is the armory to collect a duffel bag and get to work heading to the locker room to grab Vicky's stuff. Vicky's latest update comes as no surprise, but it still garners an eyeroll from him. Still, at the very least it means she's here herself. So long as they can catch up to her, maybe they can get some actual
Jasper emerges from the cockpit as he hears Phil settling in. "Hey-..." he begins, seeming a little rattled at the sudden emergency unfolding, but then confusion settles in, causing him to furrow his brow, giving the young man a double-take that causes a hint of a smile to sprout. "Phil?"
Vasquez curses quietly and replies with a quick "Copy that," to Victoria, returning to her desk to check that the call hasn't connected. She notices a notification and pulls up the message from Kirev, of course it does little but reinforce Victoria's intel. She grabs her headset and puts it on, routing comms through there now, both hands planted against the edge of the desk, as she watches tracking dots for the active response
Philip flashes a smile of his own, tinged with nerves. "Yessir, I sure picked a day to come back on, didn't I?" he says with a slightly sheepish chuckle.
Jasper gives a hearty chuckle of his own, the interaction helping to ease his own nerves. "Looks that way! Reckon it's gon' be a lively one." He shakes his head to himself, glancing out the shuttle door for any sign of others. When he doesn't spot anyone, he returns his attention to Phil. "Well, welcome back all the same, son."
Jason makes his way upstairs and B-lines it straight for the locker room. With Vicky unlocking the locker already, it's just a matter of sweeping everything out of her locker and into the open duffel bag. As he nears the hangar from the second floor, he overhears the voices downstairs. "We ready for liftoff, Jasper?" he calls out to pre-empt his arrival.
The spaceport administration call finally connects. "Freedom Falls Spaceport," answers a tired-sounding feminine voice. "How can I help you?"
Vasquez lets out a breath as the call connects. "This is Chief Linda Vasquez with Redrock. We're in the middle of an ongoing operation and need you to ground all flights for the next half-hour," she says with a tone of authority that she most certainly does not actually possess.
Philip smiles again. "Thanks," is all he has time to say before Jason's call draws his attention towards the shuttle hatch.
Jasper gives a few nods, reaching up to adjust his old oil-stained cap. "Sure are. This it...?" he asks, stepping out of the shuttle and giving one more glance towards the corridor, as if expecting others to emerge, before looking up at Jason.
Jason gives a nod as he makes his way towards the ladder and starts his descent, duffel bag slung over his shoulder. "We'll pick up the others en route." he explains, unsure of where exactly they're even 'en route' to, at the moment. Sounds like the odds are on the spaceport if their assumptions are correct. But if they are and they're unable to stop Piros from leaving Freedom Falls... No, can't think about that right now.
"Guessing you heard the comms chatter...? Just get us to Vicky and we'll figure it out from there." he continues, lowering himself from the ladder and making his way to the shuttle. He clasps a hand on Phil's shoulder as he spots him, giving him a brief pat- a silent welcome back into the fold- and stows the duffelbag under a seat before sitting down.
Jasper follows Jason right back into the shuttle, nodding all the while. "Got it. Alright, strap in, ya'll." he says, picking up the pace as he returns through the cockpit door.
Victoria (Comms): "Chief, I believe the injured Salarian here was trying to warn Wenera about Sala."
(Spaceport Call) "I'm afraid you-..." the begins as she sounds a bit distracted. "You're in luck, the spaceport has no scheduled departures until eight." She pauses for another moment. "I'll forward your request to Syram Arius' office, but no promises about what they'll do with it."
Vasquez seems prepared to push for something more definitive, but Victoria's update draws her attention, and she closes the call with a "See that you do." before turning her attention to the comms channel in her headset. "Understood," she says, scowling at her screen as she thinks for a moment. "I'll try to reach her. If Piros is going after her too, we may be able to use that to intercept them," she says before navigating through
Redrock's database to pull up Wenera Leren's contact information and initiating a call on her terminal.
Victoria (Comms): "Chief, we might also need a medical assistance here. The Salarian is looking pretty rough."
Jason winces as he hears Vicky's voice, cussing softly under his breath. As the shuttle door closes, he lifts his arm, the glow of his omni-tool reflecting off of the Kodiak's interior as he prepares to dictate a message to Wenera but Vasquez confirming that she's already on it stays his hand. As the Kodiak begins to lurch towards the hangar bay door he speaks up again: "We're lifting off now, Vicky. Should be at your location in
a few minutes." he assures before addressing the new intel, "And yeah, that sounds like a solid lead. If Wenera is still in town, I'd say there's a good chance that's Piros' next destination." Assuming it wasn't her first destination, of course... But right now shaky leads are the best they've got.
It's 06:54 (8m). Wenera's call connects, and her face comes up on the video feed for a moment before she turns that off. "Hello?" she asks drowsily. There are background sounds of her getting out of bed and taking a few steps.
Vasquez leaves her video on, still standing by her desk, leaned over her terminal with a hand on either side of it. One hand reaches up to her headset to mute her comms as she speaks over the call. "Wenera Leren? This is Chief Linda Vasquez with Redrock Security. We have reason to believe that Sala Piros may be coming for you," she starts, voice urgent but steady, ready to keep going if not interrupted. Victoria's update goes
Jason bounces his knee, focused look on his face as he stares a hole into a spot across from him and listens for any updates.
Wenera (Call with Vasquez) gasps. "Oh, Goddess...," she mutters before answering. She is unable to hide the fear in her voice. "We'll hunker down; what else do you know?" She speaks away from the omni-tool in a sharp hiss. "Wake up, Natalie, Redrock says Piros is coming!" After another second, her location is transmitted wordlessly. It's in a small two-story building by an intersection on the central-most side of the
residential district to the east of the town's core. The exact navpoint is on the second floor unit above where Jason and Oxaris went to retrieve Va'ynna's omni-tool from Kirev.
Vasquez opens her mouth to ask for Wenera's location, only to find it already coming her way. She looks over the navpoint before speaking again. "There was a firefight downtown. She's already grabbed someone else. If she comes, it'll likely be by shuttle. I have a team en route to your location, just stay put and keep this line open," she instructs before muting the call and speaking over comms: "Jason, I've got Wenera's location.
Once you've grabbed the rest of the team, head there ASAP. See if you can get eyes on the shuttle from above. Fergus hasn't seen anything, they must be flying low. Mercier, do you think you could get there before the Kodiak?"
Jason is quick to look over the new intel on his omni-tool. He nods to himself a few times before giving the wall a few clanks with his fist. "You hear that, Jasper?!"
Jason gives a firm nod which very quickly becomes less confident. He looks Phil's way as if maybe he can decipher whatever the man responsible for their lives just said. "I-... I don't know?!" he asks, panic entering his tone as if he's been asked to disarm a bomb and he can't find the right wire.
Jasper gives an exasperated sigh. "Pick up Vicky an' the others an' then head to the navpoint. I'm on it." he says, his tone almost as if he's repeating exactly what he said before.
Jason seems to relax a bit, a bewildered expression lingering on his face. "We'll be touching down soon. Zaylus and D'Kira, hustle. I want you both ready for takeoff by the time we arrive.
Wenera (Call with Vasquez) mutters, "Oh no," when she hears about someone else being grabbed before replying properly, "Thanks. I'll keep an eye out for a shuttle." She sets the omni-tool down on a table, and there are some sounds around her like things being put on the table and partially filtered sounds from their frantic preparations.
Vasquez ' attention turns briefly to the call, satisfied that Wenera is doing as instructed. She turns her attention back to the team comms. "Say again about the injured salarian. We don't have time to play ambulance. Has anyone called the hospital?"