Cantenelli's interest piqued when Milenya mentioned the books.<span style="color: blue">Books? May I see them?</span>When shown the books, he sighed and ran his fingers over their spines, reading them. He paused and lifted one of the leather bound tomes and examined it with the half smile of a younger man. His fingers ran across the embossed surface that read<br/><br/>Moby-Dick<br/>The Whale<br/>Herman Melville<br/><br/><span style="color: blue">'There are certain queer times and occasions in this strange mixed affair we call life when a man takes this whole universe for a vast practical joke, though the wit thereof he but dimly discerns, and more than suspects that the joke is at nobody's expense but his own.'</span>Cantenelli recited from memory.<span style="color: blue">Quite a treasure you have here. This archaeologist fellow must have been a well connected collector. Its not a first edition... the only one remaining is in a museum on Earth... this would be of the mid... 1860s or early 1870s. The first prints weren't leather bound, you see. It was in the following decade when the book had become known that its quality was determined, and a bound print such as this was commissioned. It is extremely rare, and remarkably well kept. I would venture that this particular volume has never been read, instead dancing between private collections its whole life.</span>The Captain observed.<br/><br/>He chuckled slightly embarrassed at himself.<span style="color: blue">I apologize... I had an interest in old world literature when I was a younger man. Contacts will be difficult. Not many collectors remain of classic Terran literature. Though, I could certainly drop a line to some old colleagues of mine, see if they could find homes for the rest of these... though this one, </span>He held Moby Dick,<span style="color: blue">This one I'll buy off you, though I'm ashamed to say, but at a pittance of its true value. 50,000 credits. Though in all honesty we'd be wiser to find it a wealthy collection. An old print like this would probably pay for a years supplies... but, as it says, “...and Heaven have mercy on us all - Presbyterians and Pagans alike - for we are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending.” </span><br/><br/>Firas approached after he discussion between he, Ashana, and Sorv had ended. Ashana had looked displeased with the result and departed. The Turian directed his attention at the Captain.<span style="color: red">Cantenelli... I'm as good for wiping out a some pirates as the next guy, but we just got off Zeona... I think it may be smarter if we wait -</span><br/><br/><span style="color: blue">No.</span>Cantenelli cut in, still holding the book. He looked at Firas.<span style="color: blue">I understand and respect the idea, and where its coming from, but no. We need this.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: red">We need this? We need to rest.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: blue">Firas,</span>he turned to face the Turian.<span style="color: blue">You should be dead right now. Milenya here, should be dead. Kala and Taseer and most of the rest of us should all be dead. We walked into hell's jaws, stared the devil in the face and lost. So what we have is a crew that's beaten, bloodied, and whose spirit has been broken. Time doesn't fix that. If we make port right now, this crew is gone. They pack up and leave right now because they just signed onto a ship and watched too many of their friends die on the first day. They don't need rest. They need a win. They need a <i>real</i> win. We're not going after Darion's slavers or his vendetta. We're going after a target that we can beat so that these people know that<i> we can </i>beat it. They've got time to rest, but we need them more than rested. We need them willing.</span><br/><br/>Firas said nothing. He was quiet for a long moment as he dissected Cantenelli's words then nodded.<span style="color: red">We'll be ready.</span><br/><br/><br/>***<br/><br/><br/>The elevator door to the bridge opened, and Ashana stepped onto the CIC. The others had already gathered in the cockpit. Ashana jogged to join them. Beyond the canopy window was the brilliant blue and green orb of the pre-garden world Casbin. The sun shone off its surface, making Ashana's gaze linger on the sight for a long moment.<br/><br/><span style="color: teal">Yeah... look at that. I don't know who your pirate buddies are Darion, but that's them. Pretty clever use of scan dampeners and emitters.</span>Mickey indicated a scan of the terrain below the ship. To Ashana it looked just like terrain, nothing unusual at all.<span style="color: teal">But, amateurs are amateurs. See the edges in these sections? A bit sharp for old mother nature's handy work... That's because...</span>He hit a few keys and the most of the terrain vanished saved a series of three hills which, upon inspections did look rather jagged.<span style="color: teal">Its a false reading. Its repeating scan signals out for anything that may be scanning, telling our ship that its scans are seeing nothing but hills while the dampeners in the base just absorb or reflect our actual scan signals elsewhere. To most, they look, see nothing, move on... but we ain't no Citadel Peace Patrol. All we gotta do is shut off out emitters and the thing lights up as we receive only its signal, and none of our own that would return the rest of the surface. Like so.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: darkorchid">Can we see the actual facility or is this all we get?</span>Ashana asked, unsatisfied with the jagged hills.<br/><br/><span style="color: teal">Who do you think you're talking to? Some green ass jockey pilot? Please honey, I was second highest in my class. Only one better than me was this kid Jeff with like Parkinsons or some damn thing... but that's a whole other thing.</span>He began hitting keys, editing scan profiles. After a moment the hills disappeared and suddenly the exterior of a base was visible.<span style="color: teal">Ta-da.</span><br/><br/>Cantenelli let out a long breath of exasperation.<span style="color: blue">the Shadow Broker failed to mention that this slaver had an entire base... Mickey, put this up on the main display.</span>He began walking to the CIC where the Galaxy map had changed to an inflated view of the facility. Cantenelli indicated that the rest of the them should follow.<br/><br/><span style="color: blue">Mickey, what's Acheron got to say?</span>Cantenelli asked as the group gathered around. Ashana leaned on the railing. After a few moments the image clarified into a 3d render and the ship identified several potential objectives and hazards.<span style="color: blue">Right... alright ladies and gentlemen... here's the Op:</span><br/><br/><br/><span style="font-size: 15px">Operation Intel:</span><br/><br/><a class="externalLink" href="http://s934.photobucket.com/user/sirnoobsalot1/media/SotVAssault.jpg.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><img alt="[​IMG]" class="bbCodeImage LbImage" data-url="http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad185/sirnoobsalot1/SotVAssault.jpg" src="http://i934.photobucket.com/albums/ad185/sirnoobsalot1/SotVAssault.jpg"/></a><br/><br/>The facility consists of<b>4 sections</b>. Sections<span style="color: blue">A</span>,<span style="color: blue">B</span>, and<span style="color: blue">C</span>are large buildings that comprise the facility.<b>A and B are multi-level</b>. Section<span style="color: blue">D</span>is an airfield and vehicle yard.<br/><br/>Acheron has identified<b>2 potential obstacles and threats</b>labeled zone<span style="color: red">1</span>and<span style="color: red">2</span>.<br/><br/>Zone<span style="color: red">1</span>is<b>on the roof</b>of building<span style="color: blue">A</span>. Acheron indicates that this is the location of a<b>communications array</b>which is configured to<b>jam any outgoing signals</b>that are not explicitly routed through it,<b>making communication with the Acheron impossible</b>once inside the facility. To reestablish communications once near the facility, this array must be hacked, or disabled.<br/><br/>Zone<span style="color: red">2</span>is on the airfield indicated in section<span style="color: blue">D</span>. Acheron has detected<b>at least 7</b>heavy combat and transportation vehicles, including<b>2 M35 Makos</b>, and at least<b>3 small spacecraft</b><br/><br/>There are<b>3 primary entrances</b>into the facility. Entrances in both Sections<span style="color: blue"> A</span>and<span style="color: blue">C</span>lead directly onto the airfield. There is a back entrance into<span style="color: blue">B</span>. Life signs indicate constant activity around these entrances, they will be<b>guarded</b>.<br/><br/>Acheron detects only one other potential entrance into the facility through section<span style="color: blue">B</span>. The green zone indicates a<b>small air shaft which could be used as an access point.</b>Acheron indicates that this duct entrance is at least<b>8 feet off the ground</b>, making accessing it difficult for one person.<br/><br/>Life signs indicate a large amount of activity within the facility, with unusually high concentrated groups in section<span style="color: blue">B</span>.<br/><br/>Given the facilities composition, Acheron cannot produce interior images within acceptable degrees of accuracy.<br/><br/><br/><br/><br/>Cantenelli looked around the room.<span style="color: blue">Alright people, ideas?</span><div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>