Vasquez leans back against her desk, letting out a deep sigh, one hand gripping the edge of the desk and the other reaching up to rub her face. "I'll never understand how someone can live for damn near a century and still be so..." Her muttering trails off, leaving what exactly she judges Ehanis to be unheard.
#RedrockAgency – October 8, 2026
Ehanis eventually reaches the lobby, and goes to collect her things. She looks exhausted more than anything else.
Ilyna frowns and closes the door once Ehanis is far enough down the hallway. "I don't understand it, either," she says, her shared frustration with the others coming through in her voice. "She wasn't easy to talk with before, but I don't think I've ever seen her be this... difficult to work with."
Jason draws in a deep breath, holding it for a moment before letting it out in an attempt at alleviating the lingering frustration that's festering. "I just-..." he starts and stops before shaking his head. "She has to know what position this whole situation put us in." he muses aloud. "And she's known these people for all of-... what? Ten minutes? And she's already willing to butt heads with us on the Matriatch's behalf? If I
was in her position you can bet your ass I'd want to know why this Matriarch friend of hers is so willing to take her sweet time on all of this while the rest of us dangle off a fishing line for Rellis." A moment passes before he seems to realize he has more to say on the subject, causing him to gesture idly. "And she said it was the Matriarch's decision to put off sending us valuable intel! Ehanis was just okay with that..?
Vasquez nods in agreement as Jason speaks, lowering her right hand to the edge of the desk as well, a little hunched as she remains leaned against it. "Clearly she's more inclined to listen to this Matriarch's orders than she ever was at Redrock. But it doesn't matter. Fact is we can't afford to turn down allies when it comes to dealing with Rellis. Even if they're... questionable ones."
Ilyna tilts her head, looking thoughtful as Jason talks about the Matriarch, but shakes her head slightly to herself. "It does not sound like she is following every one of the matriarch's orders, either, if she speaks truly about her and Syld going to Aroste against orders," she says. "I'm not defending her, I just think they're working with the same Ehanis that we do." She feels guilty about speaking behind Ehanis'
back, even if it's for the sake of Va'ynna and the others that are still in danger because of Rellis' organization.
Jason returns Vasquez' nod with one of his own. "Can't disagree with that." he says with a glance Vasquez' way. Ilyna's addition garners a shrug, opting not to voice any further thoughts on Ehanis' behavior. "At any rate, we're no better off than we were an hour ago." he sighs.
Vasquez nods a couple of times, gaze on the closed door. "Fergus, keep a close eye on our guest," she instructs with a look upward, leaving no ambiguity about her current level of trust for the young asari. "Ilyna," she says with a sigh, looking to the asari, eyebrows furrowed in an almost apologetic expression. "I understand that she's family, and you'll want to speak more with her, but I'm going to ask that you do not discuss
Redrock operations with Ehanis, and that any further meetings take place off-base." It seems like she has more to say, but she waits for the asari's response to this first.
Ilyna looks a bit uncomfortable at first about the suspicion towards her sister. No matter how frustrated she is with her, it still feels awful to her to treat her as a suspect, and she really wants to believe that she is on their side. But she can't argue with the facts, the matriarch has yet to prove herself, and most of all, she can understand Vasquez' perspective. "I understand," she says after some hesitation. "I
don't discuss sensitive Redrock information with people outside our organization, but I'll be more careful around her."
Ehanis picks up her bag and brings it into the bathroom by the lobby, where she begins taking off her armor plating. She is not leaving right away, it seems.
Jason gives a small nod at Vasquez' words, looking no more happy about it than the others, but it's better safe than sorry. "At least until we get a handle on what we're dealing with here." he adds, as if an addendum to Vasquez' resquest. He doesn't want to distrust Ehanis. Hell, they've been through the ringer together. Came back from things they probably shouldn't have, in no small part due to having each others' back. Those are
the sort of things that forge bonds whether you want them to or not. "In the meantime, maybe you can see if you can shake anything loose from your sister...?" he suggests, casting a glance to Ilyna.
Vasquez looks curious about what Ilyna's response will be to the suggestion. "Could be worth a shot," she chimes in, but it seems she has no intention of pushing the issue. Whatever else she has to ask, she leaves it Ilyna has responded.
Ilyna looks thoughtful about the idea, worrying what blurring her role as sister and as a Redrock agent might do to their already strained relationship. She sighs, casting a glance at the door as if checking if Ehanis is there before looking back at them. "I will," she says. "I'm worried for her,... the meeting today made me doubt everything I had accepted about her sudden departure and her new job. So, I would have
tried to 'shake something loose' anyway, and I wouldn't have kept it to myself, but... Ehanis is distrustful, and now I have to lie to her if she catches on."
Jason lets out a sigh, well aware of the difficult spot it puts Ilyna in. "I'm not saying you need to lie to her or watch your words. Hell, honesty might be the best approach. We're concerned and we have plenty of reason to be. She's gotta understand that."
Vasquez nods, looking off at the door again and then back to Ilyna. "What's your take on the Matriarch? Between the paranoia and the half-assed attempt at an olive branch, I'm not sure how much we stand to gain from working with them."
Ilyna smiles slightly at Jason's assurance, as it does make sense to her: maybe it'll even help knowing that it's not just Ilyna that wants to help her. The question from Vasquez makes her think for a moment. "All it takes to become a matriarch is survive long enough," she says, "but I still think we should assume that she chose not to help us for a reason. Not thoughtlessly, I mean." She frowns, and glances at the
door again. "Ehanis hasn't talked about her in her messages to me, so I don't know more about her than you do."
Jason gives a shrug of his shoulders. "I don't doubt she had her reason for not helping us. Given what the others have said it sounds like she might be a bit on the paranoid side." a smirk tugs at the corner of his mouth, a silent acknowledgement that it's probably an understatement. "Hell, if Wenera is to be believed, the Matriarch has had her investigating Piros' operation for years and hasn't even clued her in on why." He leans
back a bit heavier against the desk, propping himself up with the palm of his hand as he continues to take stock of all the dead ends and stonewalls they've run into. "I'm not even sure how you investigate someone for years without knowing why you're investigating them, so could be bullshit, but-..." another shrug to cap off the point that he's just spitballing. "I wouldn't be surprised if the Matriarch was just hoping
Vasquez seems to be of a smiliar mind to Jason, his last remark drawing a nod from her, lips twisting to the side, distorting around her scar. "That's what I'm thinking. Still, we need intel. With some luck, she'll have something worthwhile, but we can't count on it. Playing it slow isn't an option for us, we need to find a way to deal with Rellis before he comes looking for payback," she says, eyes on where the door meets the
Ilyna frowns as she listens to Jason's speculations, as it gives voice to the incomplete picture they have. "Ehanis mentioned an operation to extract Wenera and Natalie, so maybe the matriarch miscalculated," she says, then sighs and looks past them at the window in thought. "I don't know what else we can do in the meantime. Ehanis may know where to find Wenera, but bringing Wenera in could make them even less
Jason is quick to shake his head at the idea. "Wasn't implying that we should start snatching up the Matriarch's people for questioning you maniac." he teases, propping up a lopsided smirk as he attempts to inject a little levity into an otherwise frustrating situation, but it quickly slips away. "Last thing we need right now is more enemies. Just saying that I'm taking everything they've said with a grain of salt until we know