Elena replies with a simple "Yeah?" without looking away from the screen of her omni-tool as she runs a system check, leaving it in the asari's hands whether to elaborate or not.
#MSVJackOfDiamonds – August 2, 2026
Ehanis glances to the readouts on her omni-tool in thought, as she hesitates about getting into detail. "Eh, just a bunch of things at once," she says with a shrug. "I didn't plan on going back to Freedom Falls, though."
Elena hums in acknowledgement of Ehanis' words. "And yet..." she lilts as she works, scrolling over the diagnostics and saving a copy for Redrock's mechanics - a circle of which she is the newest member, after the recent deal - to know what the state of their new acquisition is.
Ehanis frowns. "Plans don't always work out the way we want," she says and takes a step back, and casts a glance up. "So, are you guys working for Redrock now?" she then asks, likely trying to deflect from the questions about her.
Elena offers an "Mmm-hmm..." as she starts to walk slowly around the APC, examining the exterior of the vehicle. "After... well, you know. Change made sense. We weren't flyin', and I can't afford to sit on my ass and not bring in any credits. Redrock seemed more our style than any other option. Gonna tell me to get out, that it ain't what it's cracked up to be?"
Wrench gives Ehanis a wave and a smile when the asari looks up, her other hand holding onto the railing above her as she sits on the ledge of the walkway.
Ehanis returns the wave and the smile to Wrench, but the question from Elena gets a shake of her head. "No, I quit because I was leaving," she says. "They're not a bad crew to work for... or with, like yesterday. I might actually apply to get my job back at some point, maybe in a few years."
Elena chuckles quietly to herself at that uniquely asari lack of urgency she's had to get used to since joining the Jack's crew. Of course, the Doc probably has half a milennia on Ehanis, which hurts her head to even think about, so she's quick to move on. "How you mixed up in all this anyway?" she asks as she comes back around into view from the other end of the APC, giving the rungs of the ladder to the roof a couple of
Ehanis ponders how to put it, then sighs. "It's a long story," she says, "but I ended up working for the same people as one of the two that were kidnapped. I don't know how much you've been told about what happened back there, but I and the krogan was already on our way when the Chief contacted us."
Elena hums quietly. "Small planet, huh?" she comments, crossing the cargo hold floor to her little workshop corner nearby, sitting down on a crate. Her gaze turns upward to Wrench. "Stop lurking, mija!" she calls out with mild amusement. "Either come say hi or get back to work."
Elena shakes her head to herself with a faint, fond smile, tinged with a bit of sadness. "What kinda work you doin'?" she asks as her attention returns to Ehanis, reaching over to drag out a cooler, from which she pulls out a couple of beers, holding one can out in a silent offer to the asari.
Ehanis raises an eyebrow as Wrench is chased away, frowning, but she takes the offered beer with an appreciative nod, then steps back to lean against the APC. "I was mostly doing security for the colony we live in, actually," she says, "which means helping out with whatever they'd trust an amateur with, while carrying a gun." She smirks, speaking quite fondly. "It was a pretty sweet job, actually." She then opens
Elena furrows her eyebrows. "'Was', huh? Guess this ain't a job then?" she asks, cracking her beer open and taking a sip, leaning back against the larger crate that forms the 'wall' of her workshop area.
Ehanis smirks, then takes another sip of her beer. "Maybe, maybe not," she says lightheartedly. "Or maybe I'm just going to see my sister and Li." Her tone and expression did grow more serious partway through that, and especially as she adds, "They probably know about this already."
Elena 's expression turns somber - perhaps because of the mention of Li and Ilyna, gaze falling away as she takes a slow sip from her beer. "Shiit, right, you guys are family. You close?"
Ehanis hesitates again before she starts talking. "It's-... yeah," she settles on. "We did stay in touch while I was away, but I could only write to her. The extranet access was pretty bad in the colony."
Elena smiles, some heavier emotion weighing it down a little. "I know what that's like," she admits, shrugging a little as she looks down at her beer. "The kind of jobs the Jack takes, we're totally off the grid a lot of the time. I record a lot of vid messages for my sister, yeah? Queue 'em up for whenever the ship comes in range of a beacon with a solid line. Get some from back home in return. Become our thing."
Ehanis looks down for a moment as well, seeming a bit affected despite her attempts to hide it. She can't fault her for taking the wrong impression from Ehanis' reluctance to go into detail, even if it makes her feel guilty. "That does sound nice," she says, sounding sincere. "Do you get to see her in person often enough?"
Elena shrugs slightly, smile a bit uneven. "Often as I can, but... it's hard. Usually gotta wait 'til a job takes us that way. Expensive to keep this bucket floatin'. Was gonna go for Christmas, but with what happened..." she trails off, expression darkening, the events of the previous month speaking for themselves.
Ehanis looks at Elena, feeling a bit guilty as her attempts to keep away from that topic failed. Her mind starts wandering back to the ordeal, a fresh wound in her mind that she has been running from. "I'm sorry," she says and looks down at her beer, falling quiet.