New Canton. If Gregor could could express some form of gratitude for having been rescued by Triala, he most certainly would have. But then again, he was a Collector - and Collectors not only had no emotions, but were also incapable of expressing such, or talking in general. He was capable of such - but considering the he had answered to a higher intelligence consistently, a thrall for its whim, only now did he truly have the opportunity to enjoy himself.
Which was the reason that he now stood here at the Citadel, Collector SMG and Sniper Rifle slung over his shoulder with crude straps of webbing made from the inventory there. He had chosen to step over to a bench and sit down, two Turians, an Alliance marine, and an Asari getting up for obvious reasons. As he could do very little else, he eyed a device loosely fit to his wrist that he had gotten from New Canton as well - an 'omni-tool' was what the scared human Triala had purchased it from called it. It lit up very nicely - and had many buttons.
Post by Ryori Holloway on Jan 29, 2015 22:56:40 GMT -7
Her thick brows furrowed together as her eyes narrowed. Ryori wasn't sure what to make of what she saw. Or rather, of what she wasn't seeing... namely, a mass panic. How had the Citadel citizens not erupted in chaos at the site of a Collector, even a lone one that was seemingly minding its own business?
Granted, she might have been a bit jaded. Most people outside of the Alliance probably didn't even know what a Collector looked like, given that most who ran into one wound up being collected (as their name appropriated). It was maddening trying to stuff her instincts. Even now, her fingers twitched over one of the guns she was carrying on her person. These creatures had kidnapped and killed thousands of humans, and here was one sitting bold as brass on a bench in the middle of the central political hub of the galaxy.
But it wasn't doing anything. It was just sitting there, playing with an omni-tool, fiddling with it as thought trying to figure it out. It would have been amusing, had she been preoccupied with the fact that he was a God-damned Collector. As it was, he was clearly making everyone uncomfortable. Was it a he? Did they even have genders? Whatever, Ryori didn't care. She just knew she had to address this one way or another. Duty demanded it.
The Colonel approached the creature with a confident, bold gait, stopping before it. She was close enough to be intimidating, but not so close as to make herself an easy target. She was currently dressed in one of her Alliance uniforms, complete with her rank, stripes, and N7 badge. Her weapons were accessible, but still holstered. For now. She peered at him, waiting to see how he would react. If he attacked her, she would respond accordingly. If he didn't...
Well, then they would see.
Last Edit: Jan 29, 2015 23:07:42 GMT -7 by Ryori Holloway
The omni-tool was so strange. So interesting. It seemed to have almost limitless functionality, along with a way to continually adapt. It was like what the Reapers did - assimilate new forms of biological data in order to evolve and create newer, more interesting forms. The difference, however, was that the omni-tool seemed to have far more options - a variety of applications as well. Currently he was operating one that was some sort of puzzle game, involving the human letters X and O. Despite continual effort, he was getting nowhere, and it seemed impossible to get three of the letters in a row.
Then came a human. An important human, from the look of things. Triala had explained that military people, the sort who fought back when the Collectors came to harvest a location, seemed to have a degree of uniformity in style and dress, and that there were certain features indicating the level of importance a type of military person had. It was similar to the Collectors in a way, with different body features fitting different positions. As this one in particular further moved towards the creature's view, he paused, looking up at her for a few seconds before returning to what he was doing.
Post by Ryori Holloway on Jan 30, 2015 12:23:45 GMT -7
It.... It ignored her.
Her eyes narrowed even further as she resisted the urge to feel indignant. Not because she was a colonel, she couldn't give a single crap about her rank, but because this creature and its brethren were responsible for so many deaths and disappearances of humans, and yet here it was without even trying to hide or be subtle.
Wait. Was it playing tic tac toe?
What the fuck?
Years ago, this would have been the point where Ryori would let her temper, tongue, and fists get away with her. Truth be told, she was tempted. But she has grown much over the past several years in her time with the navy.
"Why are you here?" She asked it. Her tone was not polite, but neither was it necessarily hostile. She didn't know if there were other Collectors nearby or not. Bringing up her own omni-tool, the item cast a faint white glow on her face. Keeping an eye on the creature, she punched in a silent command to one of her squads to start carefully searching the Citadel for other Collectors. Since the soldiers weren't near her, it shouldn't raise any suspicions for the Collector before her.
Last Edit: Jan 30, 2015 12:44:17 GMT -7 by Ryori Holloway
The continual playing of tic tac toe would eventually result in a degree of victory - the Collector had beaten the VI, and as the human in front of it was attempting to communicate, it switched off the omni-tool before picking up a datapad. Triala had showcased to Gregor how a text to speech system worked, and he quickly inputted text as quickly as he could with the clawed appendages other creatures called 'fingers.' Ryori would hear the mechanical voice of the datapad chortle out "Am Gregor. Came with friend." Such seemed to be the best way to respond, seeing as he was still learning about the language everyone spoke.
With that, he scooted to the side, assuming that she might want some space to sit down. After all, he was likely the first Collector she had ever encountered who actually responded to something in the common language of the people.With that done, he returned to fiddling with said omni-tool, this time playing a game that appeared to have something to do with matching cards. A very strange sight indeed.
Post by Cross Hylan on Jan 30, 2015 23:46:49 GMT -7
The Citadel... Just being in the same system as that old construct gave Cross the creeps. It was so inviting, being the center of galactic civilization, but something about it made him want to jump the Red Bane to FTL and not stop until they hit the other end of space. The red-headed rogue didn't relax until the Bane was docked under the false name he'd used. He looked around at his crew on the bridge, and held his arms out in a shrug.
"Shore leave, I guess, gentlemen. Let's have some fun."
He made sure his Omni-tool was firmly on his left index finger, and his gun was holstered comfortably on his right hip. The ship locked into its spot in the hangar, and Cross climbed down the boarding ramp. Within a few minutes, he and Kava were casually walking through the citadel. Kava laughed at the realization that Cross' hair color was more sensational to the citizens of this gigantic space station, than the red-suited Quarian doctor walking next to him. Eventually, all the attention had the redhead grinning and winking at every vaguely feminine-looking creature that they passed. Cross could almost feel his friend smirking at him from behind his mask.
"You certainly got over your reservations quickly. Let's see if you can actually pick anybody up with that momentum of yours."
Last Edit: Jan 30, 2015 23:47:24 GMT -7 by Cross Hylan
Post by Alexandra Cinthra on Jan 31, 2015 12:30:40 GMT -7
Alexandra drank from her tea as she watched the scene with one leg kicked over the other and her free hand sitting in her lap. They were an interesting sort, first there was the collector that she was here fore and wanted dead for what it had done but the Illusive man needed it so she simply sighed as she tapped her finger on her leg. Next came the one who from stance and dress she assumed was military, what level she wasn't quite sure yet but she was military without a doubt. Lastly there was the newcomer with the red hair that came into view, who he was she wasn't sure but she was curious if he would join this dance between peoples. Who knows what show might erupt, and who knows. Maybe the Collector will be killed before she gets her chance to recruit it, the shame.
She smiled and ran her hand through her hair, silver white strands that she has had for years. It was something to do with the experiments that had been done to her, something she had yet to understand from her father's notes but she was dedicated to learning why. Mid way through her hair she started to shake again, thinking of him and closing her eyes for a moment before breathing slowly. Sighing she put the cup down and clasped her hands together, trying to stay still as she kept her head down. A hat and glasses also part of her clothing today, though the glasses are not truly needed by her, her vision perfectly normal.
Post by Cross Hylan on Jan 31, 2015 21:55:12 GMT -7
Cross felt somebody's eyes on him. He spun around, his hair waving around his head. The only people he saw were a nondescript-looking woman, who was only noticeable by her white hair. He smirked a little bit. Apparently he wasn't the only one around with weird-colored hair, and maybe also not the only one with genetic tampering. But it'd have to be some kind of tampering for her to be able to catch him. Not a threat.
What did seem like a threat was the odd four-eyed alien and the uniformed woman who seemed to be at a standoff with it. Kava muttered something under his breath that sounded like a muffled curse. Cross could agree with the sentiment. Freelance the crew of the Bane was, but military types never seemed to understand the difference between "freelance" and "mercenary". The redhead's hand unconsciously went for the activation trigger of his omni-tool, before Kava put a hand out to stop him. The doctor almost imperceptibly shook his head.
"A collector and a soldier. This does not bode well. Not at all."
Post by Ryori Holloway on Feb 2, 2015 19:36:38 GMT -7
"Am Gregor. Came with friend."
Typically, Ryori would have been puzzled by the fact that the Collector had given her a response. However, she knew little about the Collectors outside of what Commander Shepard had been able to pass down through the military. Even that knowledge was slim, given that the Commander had not been able to get much information, and many figureheads of the navy had fought to dismiss their very existence. If she had known, she might have been impressed. As it was, how a Collector had learned to communicate was not her question.
Her question was: Who in the hell befriended a Collector?!
Her face remained nearly expressionless, but inside the colonel was boiling with anger. If she understood the Collector's situation, she might be more sympathetic, but as of right now she didn't understand. She just knew the creature was here, and wasn't alone. Who knew who the friend was? Was it another Collector? She had a duty to humanity. In a smooth motion, Ryori drew the Phalanx heavy pistol that was strapped to her hip and trained the barrel right at the creature's head.
"That doesn't answer my question," she informed it in a low, clear tone. Her voice was quiet, but the danger in her temperament was nearly palpable. Her unnaturally pale eyed glare that was often declared downright unnerving by those who'd been on the receiving end of it bore steadily into him. She did not pull the trigger. Yet. "I know what you are, Collector. Your species is responsible for the deaths and disappearances of thousands of my people. Give me one reason why you don't deserve to be shot down like a rabid, flea-bitten varren."
She had not yet noticed the Cerberus agent, nor the red-headed freelancer. She was aware there were others around, but she already had men out patrolling the areas. For now, her focus was solely on Gregor.
Gregor looked at the gun barrel pointed towards his head as best he could, the six eyes of his modified form all focusing on the small end of barrel protruding from the gun's upper slide. He then looked back down, typing something else out into the text-to-speech program. "Have done nothing here... No kill. Just relax. Triala say free time. She nice Asari. Save me. Wings still hurt, but not dead. Please no." He put down the datapad with the text-to-speech and again looked up at her. While he did have his weapons strapped behind him, there was zero chance of him being able to reach for them and fire at Ryori. He was completely helpless, and unless she chose to back down or someone else intervened, he would be unable to respond if she fired.
He did try to say something in the chittery language that Collectors used to communicate with one another, but wasn't sure if that would get through. Hopefully he wouldn't die.
Post by Alexandra Cinthra on Feb 3, 2015 17:26:07 GMT -7
Alexandra sighed and stood, making sure to keep the Cerberus crest hidden completely as she moved over with much of her body covered by a grey cloak that she had worn. She didn't know why but she rather liked to wear the sort and robe like outfits. But who knew why she did.
No she was more focused on talking to the red haired man that was observing the scene as well, pulling the hood of the cloak up over her ears while she approached him. "Excuse me my ginger haired friend, quite a sight this one makes out to be is it not. How much do you bet the woman will shoot it in the middle of a public place, even if the collectors were mass murderers, it in itself will not be counted as Murder, would it?"
Post by Cross Hylan on Feb 3, 2015 22:00:30 GMT -7
Cross raised an eyebrow as the white-haired woman stepped over to him, now hooded. Kava tilted his head questioningly, and then looked back at the Collector and the soldier, deciding that it might be a good idea to stop the confrontation, but unable to figure out a way to intervene without being shot. The red-headed smuggler smiled at the pretty woman's description of the situation.
"Well, I wouldn't take any odds on our carapaced friend, there. If he draws, that woman'll be on him before he can do anything. And if she takes it upon herself to rid the universe of another bug-faced Collector, he's dead. There's no question. The only bet would be whether or not her confusion is enough to make her shoot."
Post by Ryori Holloway on Feb 6, 2015 1:03:37 GMT -7
Ryori found herself... disappointed. This creature didn't even come close to the reputation she'd heard of the Collectors. Brutal, mindless drones that left nothing behind, responsible for so much slaughter and bloodshed. And yet, here was one right before her, under the unwavering barrel of her gun.
And it was sniveling. Begging.
She shook her head, disgusted. This was one of those creatures? So much of humanity had been destroyed by a whimpering humanoid cockroach that couldn't even defend itself? Needless to say, Gregor was not meeting her expectations. For some time, Ryori pondered on what she should do. She absolutely wanted to kill it. At the same time, her intuition told her that there was some kind of bigger picture that she wasn't seeing, information she didn't have that was important toward helping her address this.
"I have questions, and they need answers," she informed him with little to no sympathy toward his plight and pleading. Her face remained completely passive. "It is my intention to take you somewhere to see if you can provide me with those answers. Come without a fuss, and I won't attempt to hurt you. I'll even put the gun away."
Were Gregor to have any viewpoint emotionally, he would've been very thankful regarding the fact that Ryori hadn't fired her gun through his head. He nodded roboticly in response to her words, standing up and giving her a very slight nod. He had no intentions of dying today, and solely wished to answer these questions so that he could return to further learning about the functions of the omnitool.
He eyed her, still with a degree of suspicion as she put down the gun. He grabbed the datapad, opened the program up once more, and asked her a very disjointed, almost Elcor-like question. "What your name?"
After all, he felt that he at least could utilize her name when talking to her, though he doubted she would want to be anywhere near him for long. She seemed particularly agitated simply by his presence, as though there was some form of underlying presence that explained the rationale.
Still, he supposed that the talking was better than doing nothing. Perhaps he could get some questions answered.
Post by Ryori Holloway on Feb 7, 2015 17:48:18 GMT -7
After he nodded and stood, Ryori kept a keen eye on him but lowered her pistol and holstered it. Her stance was still defensive, if he was able to tell such things. He didn't seem much like a combatant, so she wasn't sure how well he could read her body language. All she knew was that she didn't know what to expect out of him, and so she kept up her guard.
"I am Colonel Holloway," she advised him simply. There was absolutely no way she was going to be on a first name basis with this thing. Ryori was not here to make nice with the creature. She was talking to him to get answers.
Pulling her omni-tool back up, she forwarded more instructions to some of her crew members. "I'm taking you to the Human Embassy room," Ryori advised Gregor. "If you want your Asari friend to know where you are, she alone will have permission to join us." Leading him to the embassy room, she walked directly beside him at a cautious distance. She did not trail behind him, and she did not let him get even a step behind her. When they arrived at the room, there were a couple of her men waiting in front of the door. They were armed, but not aiming at anything; just at the ready. They saluted her.
"An Asari by the name of Triala might show up eventually. She may enter, but no one else." Ryori returned the salute and walked inside, locking the door behind them. The room was empty, and Ryori motioned for Gregor to have a seat on one of the couches. For now, she would stay standing. It took her a while to form her first question, seeing as she had so many.
"My knowledge of Collectors is limited to what we've experienced in the Alliance," she told him with a neutral tone. "What can you tell me about you and your species?" A general, open ended question. She wanted to see how it would answer, and what topics it would touch on.
Post by Alexandra Cinthra on Feb 7, 2015 20:50:23 GMT -7
Well this seemed to have sorted itself out... hopefully though the collector would still be alive when she caught up to it but for now her eyes turned to face the man beside her and she spoke. "Well, that was interesting, what is you and your friends names, i must say you are an interesting pair." She smiled at them and crossed her arms over her chest and her silvered grey eyes peered out from under the hood with a wide smile.
Gregor would've smiled if he was capable of doing such, but truthfully, he wasn't. He did however walk side by side with Ryori to the embassy, where he sat down on the couch, placing his weapons on the farther side while still leaving room for Ryori to sit down. Pausing, he attempted to sync the omnitool's neural reading system with the text-to-speech, which hopefully would allow for much more fluent communication than his futile efforts at typing had pulled off. He hardly had fingers, after all.
"We are Collectors, Colonel Holloway. We collect all species throughout the galaxy and preserve them. We study them so that we may understand their genetic potential. We are what your scientists consider an insectoid species, and we come from a place beyond the device you know as the Omega 4 Relay. We always pay for the samples we receive - we are a species that believes in proper compensation. This is why we have always given you the technology you crave in exchange for samples. We are all very alike, but some are different. I am different from the others. If you wish, I will explain what differences there are."
With that, he would stop, waiting to hear her response.
Post by Cross Hylan on Feb 8, 2015 18:39:26 GMT -7
Cross smiled at the hooded woman, all his worries melting away with the departure of the Collector and the woman who'd accosted him. He took a theatrical little bow, and his red hair fell around his face a little bit.
"I'm Cross. My poker-faced friend here is Kava. We're uh... what's the politically correct term?"
He looked at his Quarian friend, and the red-suited doctor looked back and replied.
"Freelance transport providers. Lovely to meet you, Miss...?"
Post by Ryori Holloway on Feb 18, 2015 0:06:33 GMT -7
The technology we crave? Ryori questioned silently. She would have narrowed her eyes, if they weren't already so. "I don't recall humanity asking for our people to be kidnapped and never returned. What technology are you talking about? No one in the galaxy even knew about the existence of Collectors until human colonies started disappearing." Clearly, she was suspicious. He made it sound like this was something they were known for, but the issue was that no one knew who Collectors were. Even now, he'd been able to stroll around the Citadel without much fuss because no one recognized him for what he was.
That piece said, she nodded for him to continue. She wasn't sure what to expect out of this conversation, and Ryori was still far from having decided if Gregor would walk away from this encounter, but she would give him a chance. It was better than he and his kind had given her people; better than he deserved. But, she wanted as much information as possible. Any bit of knowledge could help the Alliance in the future. "Go on," she instructed him.
"We have performed such trades with humans, but you are the first I have seen from this Alliance you speak of." Such were Gregor's views on things, particularly since the only interaction the Collectors had peaceably had was with groups such as the Blue Suns, or occasionally Cerberus. "Your kind are new to the stars. Newer than the Asari. They know of us from tales and legends. We venture forth rarely. And yet it was humans who entered our sanctum. We lack communion thanks to the Shepard and the Creators."
Then she referenced how no one knew. "The one you know as the End knew of us. She killed us, made us break our trust with the new stars. And so we moved forward on our own. I was one of those at the colony you call New Canton. An Asari there assisted in the healing of my wounds and the recuperation of my body. I came with her here to the citadel, free from Harbinger and the Created due to the Creators."