'Go, Commander,' said Bau. 'We'll handle things from here. I've already taken the liberty of alerting C-Sec of Esone's predicament, and authorities are on their way to secure Zymandis.'<br/><br/>John nodded and readied his biotics. 'If the meatbags could step away from the windows, that would be much appreciated.'<br/><br/>Kasumi and Bau traded a worried look then ducked, still jacked into their respective machines. Blasting the window would be hazardous in an area as densely populated as the Presidium. The transparisteel shards would simply injure bystanders if the window was blasted outward. Instead, John reversed the traditional path of a biotic shockwave, shattering the window and propelling the fragments inward. Transparisteel clattered on the floor. John clambered onto the windowsill, unharmed thanks to a combination of Exalted durability and his own Vanguard dermal biomods.<br/><br/>'Sit tight, Three, I'm en route. C-Sec backup's also on the way.'<br/><br/>He called Gold Experience to himself and leaped out, clearing streets and low buildings in a single bound. He saw the feed from Esone's armorcam. MJOLNIR armor was a rare and treasured relic of bygone eras, long since out of production. On the one hand, modern gear had vastly more advanced software and utility, thanks to the advent and rapid proliferation of omni-tools and alien programming. However, the MJOLNIR armor line had a major advantage in combat. Unlike the simple ceramics and ballistic fibers and kinetic barriers of modern armor, MJOLNIR armor had starship-grade plating and shielding that protected equally well against both energy and kinetic weapons, as well as more rugged and powerful muscle fibers and servo assistance. Add an advanced impact gel underlayer, an armored bodyglove, and treatment that allowed it to survive orbital reentry and you had a bipedal can of whoopass. Thanks to the wide array of parts available from military and private producers, it was also highly modular, providing amazing versatility and the inspiration for today's mix-and-match N7 Armor line. Simply put, it was harder, faster, and stronger than modern armor. Of course, that meant it cost a fortune and weighed about 450 kilograms, which made it untenable for all but the wealthiest buyers. And they were still mortal tech, inferior to the artifact suits built in lost ages.<br/><br/>'Is this really a good idea?' Joyeuse sounded worried.<br/><br/>'We'll make it. By the way, why are you named "Joyeuse"? I thought Prothean VIs were named--'<br/><br/>'I<span style="font-style: italic">used</span>to be called Valentine, but I changed it. "Valentine" sounded a bit too funny.'<br/><br/>Ah. Returning to the task at hand, John hurried forth, passing rooftops, panicked skylane drivers, and scenic gardens as he moved towards his squadmate's position. He checked the shotgun he'd retrieved from one of Zymandis' guards--high-cap heatsinks and high-velocity rails, perfect for the job. He neared the transponder signal. At ten meters, he jumped and charged from the rooftop of a nearby office into the midst of the troopers, crushing one of the greenshirts with his landing. The trooper was still alive, but the impact made sure he wouldn't be moving without months of medical care. A shotgun blast kneecapped another grunt. Riding the shotgun's recoil, John fired as the sight traveled up, headshotting the leader. At this distance, the shot would only take down shields and do minor damage to his helmet, but it would stun nevertheless. Flames erupted across Gold Experience as the big one landed a hit with an inferno grenade. Joyeuse actually laughed at that.<br/><br/>'Does this guy actually think firebombs<span style="font-style: italic">work</span>on artifact gear?'<br/><br/>'Careful. If one of them is a Fire Aspect, he might just be good enough to take advantage of it.'<br/><br/>This one wasn't, and the fire washed harmlessly over the blessed orichalcum armor. Ignoring the gunfire glancing across his barrier, John charged, grappling with the big Hunter. He pushed the guy back several meters as he connected and followed up with a vicious headbutt, shattering his shields and staggering him. John landed an open-palmed strike on the helmet's side, shattering the delicate circuitry housing the audio feed and in-built motion detector.<br/><br/>'Candygram for Mongo,' John remarked as he hurled the big man away with Crashing Wave Throw. The stun grenade John clipped to Mongo's belt detonated as he landed amid a cluster of mooks, scattering and incapacitating the mercenaries.<br/><br/>'He's still alive,' Joyeuse warned.<br/><br/>'I know.'<br/><br/>Focusing on one threat left the others to mob him. In an open space like this, John would be better off abusing his mobility to position his targets, isolate them, and spam biotic charges. Mister Steroid would be dazed for a few seconds more. That left the other two leaders as the priority threats. Surely enough, Burnie leveled his flamer at John while Sleeveless "Please Shoot Me" McVest focused on Esone. Humorously, it seemed like John's headshot took the pyro's helmet audio down because all John heard from the guy's helmet was, 'Hmmm hrduh hrrrh!'<br/><br/>Joyeuse gulped. Impressive, given the fact that she had no saliva or throat to begin with. 'Oh, please don't be a Fire Aspect.'