The Intergalactic Adventures of Lawfirm and Taylors (Cerulean and Bear)

[Bears]

PRELUDE

In the year 2189 ARC (After Reaper Crisis) the battle tested galactic community found itself once more pressured by racially driven conflict. Just three years after the ultimate sentient beings known as the Reapers nearly completed their plan of wiping out all organic life from the galaxy, the Batarians infuriated by their lack of standing in the Citadel following the crisis announced their full retraction from the alliance.

In exchange for their absolute solitude the Batarians promised to avoid interaction with any citadel races by remaining solely within their home star-systems. Wishing to heal the wounds of their worlds before getting involved in a new conflict, the council was in favor for a peaceful recession. The Batarians as a whole disappeared.

It's now 2212 ARC and it has been nearly twenty-three years since direct contact was made with the Batarians. The Council, fearing the worse, broke their treaty obligations and sent Salarian STG members to monitor the race and what they found could bring the galaxy once again back to the brink of war. In the two decades the Batarians disappeared, they had quietly begun the process of uplifting the Yahg and through it, miraculously learned a way to control them.

With resentful ties towards the Council and now a large army bolstered with thousands of the incredibly violent and dangerous Yahg, the Batarians have officially become a threat to galactic peace. In order to have them dealt with as quickly and as discreetly as possible the Council has chosen two very different but skilled Spectres to commandeer a small stealth frigate directly into the fire -- much like the war hero Commander Shephard had done years before. Today is the day they set off and now they head for the Council chambers to be debriefed and introduced. This is just the beginning of their story. ​

 

[Bears]

ANNELISE TAYLORS woke up out of breath and drenched. Her apartment in the Wards was dead silent, the only light coming from warm neon outside the windows. She took a moment to catch her breath before laying there blankly staring at the roof like an unmotivated child who didn't want to go school. It was still just 3am.

A long tired groan escaped her lips while she rubbed her eyes. Insomnia was and would always be the biggest bitch she thought. Knowing that any more attempts at sleep would be futile, Taylors quickly began to search for some painkillers. Her head was throbbing and she couldn't tell if it was the hangover or the L5x implants.

But the pain in her head grew stronger and stronger each minute she failed to find the pills and before soon it became unbearable, the spectre crashed onto the living room floor with her head clutched tightly in her hands. Then that damn sound came. That deafening sound that drained the color from her face. She was paralyzed there, sprawled out on the floor in the Ward's neon glow. But then it descended, drowning her apartment in it's shadow. The pain in her head held her, she couldn't move or fight. She could only watch as the Reaper charged it's beam and fire.

And suddenly she was once again in her bed, sweaty and disturbed. Her first though was she couldn't wait to get back on a starship. Even though she had just come back from the field four days ago her nightmares were always worse on her off-duty hours. The woman sat up in her bed and decided she just gaze at the shuttles flying by until it was time.

Three long long hours later Taylors was showered, caffeine'd up and changed into her usual form fitting N7 body suit. She tied her blonde hair into a quick and messy bun and was out the door. The council hadn't told her much about the new assignment only that she would have a partner for it and it involved the batarians. Both notions were a bit weird to her. She was only eight when the Batarian's left Citadel space, they were completely foreign to her.

And regarding the partner? Well it wasn't exactly standard for her. The fifth human spectre hadn't worked along side someone since her time with Alenko. One quick shuttle cab and she was at the foot of the Citadel tower. Ignoring the journalists who had been camping out there for her, she went up and was told to wait for her partner as she approached the Council's chamber doors. It was a bit odd to hear but she obeyed, leaning casually against railings as she watched for the next arrival with an curious sort of feeling.​

 

[Cerulean]

Brandon James Scott-Harris-Reed

It was the greatest omelette in the history of breakfasts. Egg. Four different cheeses. Tomato and Celery chunks. BA-CON! The victory sizzled throughout the apartment, and the young man smiled at his achievement. Slipping the creation onto the plate, next to the buttered toast and some chocolate milk, he sat down for the feast.

"Oh ho ho shit I spoil myself."

Today was going to be a big one. He used to just be a captain on a border colony, trying to just make the galaxy a relatively safer place. Once the citadel caught wind of his deeds and skills, they scooped him right up for a mission involving the Batarian unrest. He couldn't remember what it was, only that he needed to be at the tower to meet his new partner. His SPECTRE partner. It was one thing to can have one, but two spectres gives way to how much this little incursion needs to succeed.

Lawfirm was going to have some fun.

"This is going to be fun!"

Once the meal was gone and a shower was had, he made his way to the tower. Standing outside the entrance, he looked at the full scale of the tower. It was massive, almost as if he had forgotten. Looking around, he managed to spot an N7 insignia. It was on full suit that was ready for battle. Her face looked familiar, but he couldn't place it. Either way, he had a meeting to attend.

Whistling, he slipped inside.

 

[Bears]

ANNELISE TAYLORS
A turian, two salarians and one asari secretary had arrived at the tower while she waited. Each one wasn't her partner and as each one passed by she began to feel a bit anxious. Annelise wasn't particularly sociable. Her childhood in Illium and Grissom Academy didn't really nurture her in that aspect.

But then he arrived and she felt even more anxious. While she waited near the council doors she saw a large figure of a man who's face she recognized. It was the sixth human SPECTRE walking through the grand architecture and towards her. Annelise was older than him but they joined the SPECTREs around the same time. She had seen him often as they went about the process of simultaneously but hadn't really spoken to him directly.

When Annelise realized she had been staring she turned away for a moment and cleared her throat. Reprimanding herself mentally with each step she then spun back around and helped closed the distance between them. Here's go nothing. She extended her hand when he was at arm's reach. Annelise had no idea how formally he acted.

"Taylors." She introduced with a smile. "If you are here to talk to the council, I think we are partners."

 

[Cerulean]

The young man just tried to get on with his day, and did not notice any starting. However, when the woman turned and started walking towards him, he wondered what the intention was. For all he knew, she wanted a cigarette, or a light. Or both. The citadel wasn't exactly a predictable place all the time.

When she introduced her herself, Lawfirm returned the smile and took her hand in a firm, polite handshake. His eyebrows shot up when Taylors implied that they would be partners in the mission. Given her attire, she seemed to be more of the finesse type. A direct contrast to his own style of combat. The fellow Spectre certainly seemed like a formal one. Of course, they had all the time in the world to find out otherwise. "Brandon Ja--just call me Lawfirm. It's so much easier, trust me."

Letting go of her hand he stroked his beard, thoughtfully. "I suppose we should get in there then. They don't pay us to stand around and look pretty."

 

[Bears]

ANNELISE TAYLORS
"If that was the case, I'd sure as hell be asking for some better pay." Anne jested with a warmer smile than the first. The man -- Lawfirm, he seemed a decent enough person. She was interested in how he fared on the field seeing as he was younger than her yet skilled enough to share her rank. She chuckled. "Let's go then, Lawfirm."

Turning around, the only qualm she had so far was that by standing next to him it made it so much more obvious how short she was in comparison. There could definitely be worse things to take from first meetings.

With her newly met partner alongside her, Annelise pushed open the doors and entered the Council's Chambers. Together the two Spectres made their way to the podium where they were greeted by the Citadel's leaders and by extension -- their bosses. Respectfully, the female Spectre assumed a soldier's stance.

Their race's appointed Councilor, Jeff Moreau offered them a grin. "Looks like you two are already acquainted. Good. Hopefully that will make this debriefing go a lot quicker."

****
​

So it turned out that 'a lot quicker' was a more hopeful sentiment than it was the truth. Half an hours worth of political spheel later they were released and the lightness that Anne had been feeling prior to entering had more or less faded. The thought of Batarian expansion troubled her. She turned to Lawfirm, a tiredness in her eyes.

"Er...did you catch anything about where our ship was docked? I stopped paying attention after Escheel started complaining about two humans handling the mission." ​

 

[Cerulean]

"I'll be honest, I was listening to music the entire time because I knew the non humans would have an issue with this not being helped by one of their own." He admitted, hanging his head a bit. Pursing his lips he debated something and turned to her. "Well, there can't be too many ships that would match the one we are looking for. Not to mention are both sort of stick out like sore thumbs. I think we can wing it." He said, before starting towards the docks.

When they arrived, the dock worked behind the console was a salarian who looked extremely excited to see the two of them. "Oh wow, I know you guys. The new human spectres right? Kicking ass and taking names for the the good of the galaxy? What can Laelon do for you?"

"Oh we just need our ship to head off to kick some more of that ass you were talking about."

Without another word, the door was opened and the kind salarian gestured. "Off you go. Your ship is down at dock D, good day, humans."

 

[Bears]

"Kick some more of that ass he was talking about, huh?" She repeated, amusement in her town and a slight grin at the corner of her lips. As they made their way down Dock D she took the opportunity to observe him. In truth she had heard his music from her position next to him on the podium and the entire time she was worried that the politicians could hear too. Luckily they didn't and she now knew he liked that ancient music. She could respect that.

The duo stopped when a young man in aviator goggles approached them with a formal salute. With a tongue so quick that it spoke volumes as to how nervous he was to be in their presence he introduced himself as Adams, their pilot. He seemed particularly awestruck by Lawfirm, which Taylors could understand. He was the most recent human to have his admittance into the Spectres broadcast across the galaxy, after all.

 

[Cerulean]

Lawfirm gave her a wink, before the heightened speaking patterns of Adams ended up engulfing them both. Immediately, he redirected his energy into introducing the other most recent Human spectre and Adams just completely lost it. It was like he won the lottery being able to pilot two of the newest badasses of the Citadel.

Following a few moments, of exchanging pleasantries, Adams lead the two of them to the ship. It was not quite the Normandy, but certainly had a finesse style to it. Speed is good for getting people like spectres around without worrying about detection or being surrounded. He nudged Taylors and chuckled.

"I think he likes you. Try not to use your womanly charms and body to entrance him. He is our driver after all." He said, trying to get under her skin. "I get first dibs on the bigger room."

Brandon lightly shoved Taylors away and ran toward the ship. It was alright, for a military ship. He scoured the ship for the bigger of the two spectre quarters.

 

[Bears]

She followed Adams with her arms crossed lightly underneath her breasts and observed the ship with interest as they approached. It was small, sleek but Taylors wondered just how big the quarters could be on the ship. The human spectre could admit that her position has allowed her to have pretty spacey quarters. Her fears of being cramped in only grew worse with Lawfirm's glibness.

She wanted the big room and so Taylors chased after him, leaving a very confused Adams at the front of the ship. Moving quickly through the ship she only saw Brandon as he entered the elevator. Cursing she sprinted through the CIC and barely managed to hop in before the doors closed. Wiping a single trickle of sweat from her forehead she nodded at him. "I want a rematch...preferably one where we both start running at the same time."

"Oh and I can't help if my body entrances those around me." She chuckled. "It's just something I've had to adjust to over the years, you know?"