January 22nd, 2185, evening -- The wind is not as severe as during yesterday's storm. The rain has gotten worse, however, and has gathered in pools on the field. While visibility is poor, it should not block a landing since other sensors can pick up the slack.
#Aroste – July 28, 2026
The building is still standing, but the fire and smoke is gone by now. The facade does seem to have survived, but it's too dark to see much of anything inside. The building's interior is still quite hot on sensors, however.
There is some traffic on the roads on the island, but no vehicle is nearby at the moment. The nearest road passes by 150m/500ft to the south, leaving more than enough room for the Jack to land by the tarp-covered APC.
Ehanis is stood on the leeward side of the APC, wearing her armor and helmet to keep the weather out. She has a duffel bag in her hand and has a holstered Phalanx.
It's a gradual thing, the whine of engines growing loud enough to be heard over the weather. The boxy shape of the Jack of Diamonds appears soon after, its frame thin without an attached cargo unit. The familiar old ship slows to a stop overhead, illuminated by the glow of its engines and the landing lights that shine down on the ground below as it descends into the opening with the help of mass effect fields and maneuvering thrusters working in
Ehanis looks up at the ship, recognizing it despite the weather and the missing cargo module. She does step away from the vehicle to make herself visible to the landing lights, hoping they've been told that she's coming with. She then brings up her omni-tool to contact the ship.
The cargo ramp opens with a whine, warm light from within the hold streaming out and illuminating the falling rain as it descends, revealing Elena, Senya, and Niklos standing within. The latter two are armed, but Elena's hands are empty, although she's partially armored, having donned her loose-fitting undersuit and her chest plate.
Elena raises an arm in greeting to the asari and starts heading down the ramp once it thuds against the ground, rendering the attempt at radio contact moot. "Really coming down out here, huh?!" she calls out, voice loud to be heard over the weather.
Senya steps out into the rain as well. She's wearing a rain poncho with the hood up, her antique rifle held at a casual low ready as she surveys their surroundings with her good eye.
Niklos lingers in the cargo hold, near one of the edges of the ramp, scowling out into the rainy dark.
Ehanis cancels the contact attempt when the Jack's ramp opens and she sees the people come out. She smiles slightly behind the visor. "Yeah, and sideways too!" she shouts back, the helmet speaker amplifying her voice slightly. "Did the chief tell you I was coming?"
A rusty old wheeled truck does come up the road to their south and slows down as it starts to pass the scene. It's too dark to identify further. There is nothing else that stands out around them.
Elena snickers and nods in confirmation. "Yeah!" she calls out while approaching more comfortable speaking range. "That the salvage?" she asks, pointing towards the APC.
The truck passing by is dark inside, so it's hard to see more than that they driver's seat and the back seat behind it aren't empty. They do seem to take the hint of the rifle pointed at them, and speed back up. The vehicle is soon obscured by the forest to their east.
Ehanis nods and turns slightly towards it. "Yes," she says. "The rest they were able to bring back with them yesterday." She keeps holding her duffel bag in her right hand, not wanting to put what little she had packed with her on the wet ground. "So, how are we doing this?" she asks with a glance into the Jack's cargo hold.
Elena nods in the direction of the cargo hold. "You get out of the rain, I'll drive that thing in." she says, already taking the first couple of steps towards the APC.
Elena nods in the direction of the APC. "Help me get the tarp and I'll drive that thing in," she says, already starting to head towards the covered vehicle.
Ehanis nods. "Got it," she says. "We best hurry, I don't think the locals are big fans of what happened here yesterday." She nods to the other two as she runs up to put her bag down on the relatively dry ramp before returning to the vehicle where she starts to get to work unhooking the cables it was tied down with.
Elena hums in acknowledgement. "Sounded like these pendejos had it coming," she comments as they remove the tarp. After it's rolled up she hands it to Ehanis and climbs into the vehicle to start it up.
Ehanis is surprised by the weight of the tarp as a gust of wind pushes it towards her, and she takes a step back to prevent herself from stumbling. "They sure did," she says, "but their friends probably don't know that." She drags it a bit away from the APC to not be in the way and quickly get to work rolling it up before the wind gets any more ideas.
The vehicle starts successfully. It has sunk slightly into the frozen ground, but it should be able to drive out of it.
Their surroundings are still clear, though with such poor visibility and loud weather it's hard to really be sure.
Elena takes a moment to look over the controls - it's been a while since she was behind the wheel of something like this, but it's not unfamiliar to her. After verifying that Ehanis is clear of the APC, she starts to drive it up the ramp, the metal reverberating loudly as the heavy vehicle drives across it.
Ehanis uses a biotic field to steady the unwieldy rolled-up tarp over her shoulder as she walks up the ramp, stopping only once to pick up her bag on the way. She is far enough behind the APC to not get in the way of any maneuvering inside the hold.
The observers on the ramp might be able to glimpse some movement beyond the treeline across the field to the east (120m/400ft away), but not clearly enough in the dark to identify who, what or how many it might have been.
Elena brings the APC to a stop inside the cargo hold, soon enough emerging from the hatch, boots landing on the floor with a thump.
Senya 's eye narrows at the darkness and she starts stepping back, one hand leaving her rifle to activate her omni-tool. "Our salvage is secured. Let us not overstay our welcome," she says over comms.
Niklos presses the button to close the ramp, and it starts its slow ascent with another extended whine, jostling the two asari on the ramp slightly, although Senya has experienced spacer's legs, adjusting to the shifting slope with ease as she walks into the hold.
Wrench is sitting on the walkway above, dangling feet clad in chunky boots as she watches the others below curiously.
Ehanis does not share the other asari's experience, and the slight jostle is enough to make her stop for a moment before she resumes her walk along the shifting ramp at a slower pace. She barely makes it into the hold by the time it starts to slope downwards. "I've been standing out there for half an hour," she says, glancing towards Senya. "I can't recommend it." She puts the tarp down along the side of the hold with her
Senya relaxes once they're sealed in, lowering her rifle and slipping the poncho off. "Indeed," she replies, starting to cross the hold towards the stairs.
Elena , on the other hand, remains by the APC, inspecting the vehicle curiously. "Sounded like there was some beef between you and the chief," she comments off-handedly as she does. "Qué onda?"
Ehanis glances back at the shut ramp before she walks up after the others, leaving her bag near the wall by the APC. "What do you mean?" she asks as she look to Elena, taking off her helmet. "Did she warn you about me?" She casts a glance to the side, frowning and looks briefly uncomfortable before she pushes that down.
Elena glances Ehanis' way as the helmet comes off. "Eh, nothing that dramatic," she comments, although the asari's reaction draws a bit of curiosity from her. "Just made it very clear you're not with Redrock anymore," she elaborates. Whatever Vasquez said, Elena doesn't seem all that fussed about it, activating her omni-tool and synching up with the vehicle's computer as she awaits the asari's response.
Ehanis sighs, seeming a bit relieved at the response. "Oh, that's because I quit," she says and turns away to set the helmet down next to her bag, "but not because of her." She sighs as returns her attention towards Elena.