Sorv listened to Darion and Milenya, but nodded only when Maethia interjected with her observations.<span style="color: DarkOrange">Exactly. And I don't think the black box would have anything on it. Its just got telemetry data, power reports... Its just there to record crash data if a ship goes down.</span>Sorv looked around the cockpit.<span style="color: DarkOrange">And I'm pretty sure this thing didn't crash. If it was a VI...</span>he looked at Milenya.<span style="color: DarkOrange">Then where are all the bodies?</span><br/><br/>Ashana stared at the dead Turian.<span style="color: DarkOrchid">Do you think he opened all the doors?</span><br/><br/>Sorv nodded.<span style="color: DarkOrange">Its possible... though...</span>He craned his head to one side.<span style="color: DarkOrange">The question is why he would vent the ship like that. If he was trying to get away from something... why would you open every door?</span><br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrchid">Try to kill it.</span>Ashana noted.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrange">That would be my guess. But that would mean he had reason to believe whatever it was that he wanted to kill breathed oxygen. Horror movies right, Darion... but only if the evil alien breaths.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: blue">Well, whatever happened, I think we missed it.</span>Firas interjected, lifting his rifle to his shoulder.<span style="color: blue">Acheron, this is fire team... this ship is dead. Only crewmen we've got sealed himself on the bridge and killed himself. Taseer, if you want to unload some equipment, this would be the time to get it done.</span>Confirmations from Taseer and Cantenelli followed.<span style="color: blue">Alright,</span>Firas looked at them,<span style="color: blue">Let's get down to that site and figure out what we can, then get out of here. The sooner the better.</span><br/><br/>Ashana nodded, still looking at the dead Turian.<span style="color: DarkOrchid">Yeah. Let's do sooner.</span><br/><br/><br/>***<br/><br/><br/>Falkris paced slowly across the makeshift firing line that the crew had established in the Acheron's bay. Beyond the few updates from the fire team, there was very little to do but wait, with the blackened plane of obsidian beyond. Once word had come that the fire team was confident the ship was empty, Taseer's voice came over the comms.<br/><br/><span style="color: Navy">Alright, Kala... Bring five others with you and get over here.</span>She told Kala.<span style="color: Navy">And bring a few loaders with you. </span><br/><br/>The loaders, which were essentially just large claws with handles designed to latch onto heavy crates and induce mass effect fields to allow for easier transport of cargo, were nearly new - having only been purchased and used during the Acheron's refitting. As Kala designated who was to come with her from the crew, they grabbed the loaders and activated their mass effect fields, then followed her off the Acheron and across the volcanic field to the freighter where Taseer was already directing the crew she had brought to begin unhooking certain crates and moving smaller elements so that they could access much larger ones.<br/><br/>The cargo bay was still utter darkness, except for the light emitting from the flashlights on the rifles of those looking through the cargo. As Kala entered the bay, the fire team was emerging from the depths of the ship. As they finished reentering the portal, Sorv jacked into the airlocks systems and closed it behind them.<br/><br/>Ashana knew that the gesture was pointless since the ship was empty, but it still made her feel slightly safer. There were too many mysteries on board the freighter. Too many things that didn't add up in her mind. Having any barrier between it and her was preferable.<br/><br/><span style="color: green">Hey, hey!</span>One of Kala's arriving crew said as they saw the vehicle parked in the freighter's bay.<span style="color: green">This thing's gonna make loading easy!</span><br/><br/><span style="color: Navy">You wish.</span>Taseer interjected, walking across the bay to meet Kala.<span style="color: Navy">They're using it to get to the Prothean whatever-the-hell.</span>He gestured to the fire team, now making their way back through the bay.<br/><br/>She looked from Kala to the cargobay around them.<span style="color: navy">I don't like being here any more than you do. </span>She started toward one of the rows of crates, stopping before one that was taller than she was, and at least ten feet long<span style="color: navy">And it would be great if we had something better than damn flashlights... but this cargo,</span>she ran her fingers across the crate's contents codes.<span style="color: navy">is worth our time. I want to see what's in here. Let's get this stuff moved!</span><br/><br/>Ashana followed Firas, looking around at the swelled number of crewman milling around the cargobay, looking at crates and unstrapping them. As they neared the land crawler, she wondered if staying and unloading would have been preferable to their next destination. But she was curious. She wanted to know what secrets were hidden away in the Prothean dig site. She wanted to know what had damn near cost her her life.<br/><br/>The land crawler's cabin was only wide enough to seat 2 people, leading the open bed of the vehicle as the only other place to sit.<span style="color: DarkOrange">I'm driving.</span>Sorv announced as they examined the vehicle.<br/><br/>Ashana lost her opportunity to take the second cabin seat when someone else called it before her. She sighed slightly, and climbed onto the back with the others. Either side of the vehicle's bed had a railing, and a shallow shelf which could act as uncomfortable seating. Ashana sat down as best she could close to the cabin so that at least she wouldn't be pitched off the back if something went wrong. The edge of the shelf was mercifully dulled against her ass by the stiffness of the suit she was wearing.<br/><br/>Sorv opened the drivers side of the vehicle and looked around inside.<span style="color: DarkOrange">Well, at least this things intact.</span>He said, then hauled himself up the short rungs of the ladder to get inside. He sat down and closed the door, testing the seals. They were functional, which suggested the cabin could still maintain an atmosphere. He flipped and jiggled switches to see what worked. To his relief, the engine started whirring on que, and the various other systems onboard all seemed to be working properly.<br/><br/>He waited for whoever had claimed the passenger seat to get in before flipping on the powerful headlights of the vehicle and got ready to get it moving.<span style="color: DarkOrange">Everyone ready to go?</span>He asked.<br/><br/><span style="color: blue">We're ready Sorv. Acheron, we are disembarking.</span>Firas said, trying to get himself situated in the back.<br/><br/><span style="color: DarkOrange">Alright... here we go.</span>He muttered quietly.<br/><br/>He started the land crawler forward, keeping it slow as it came over the slope of the bay doors, then reached the obsidian plane below. The tires bounced along the uneven ground, the suspension managing to make the ride smoother than it would have been otherwise, but Ashana decided it was still safer to grab hold of the railing firmly.<br/><br/>Sorv opened his omni-tool, getting a good look at the distance to their destination.<span style="color: DarkOrange">ETA 10 minutes.</span><br/><br/>Ashana jostled around in the back, watching as they passed out from under the freighter's shadow, fully beneath the turbid black and grey smoke filled sky. She couldn't help but feel small and exposed beneath it. She steeled her nerves, closing her eyes and taking calm, even breaths. When she opened them again, the freighter was growing steadily smaller as the crawler rumbled on over the terrain.<div class="messageTextEndMarker"> </div>