A soft chuckle as Ven stroked his chin. “You are mixing up names, though it is a common mistake. The Aschen are a species of highly advanced technology. They manufactured the Ashlyn, who I believe you are referring too.

“I have little information on the bugs save for the fact that they have a hive mind and not too advanced. They are very aggressive from my understanding but you do make an interesting point. There may be Aschen that survived the crash but being stuck underwater in a ship that no longer functions they are stuck there.”

His movements, even the small ones, didn't seem natural. It took him less then three seconds to render his verdict on the situation though. “This is not a rescue mission. You are being hired to recover that engine. If there are survivors and they get in your way then kill them. Are there any other questions?”

He seemed so blase about the matter though the other two were nodding, cutthroats it seemed and it was fair to reason that Vye was one of them though Ven's gaze did linger on her other assets.

Gaia nodded understandingly, though she was still weary of the idea, especially now seeing that the Ashen created the bug like creatures. That was of no concern now, it was more concerning about this drive. Why only the drive,why not the other salvageable items. If the Ashen where truly highly advance, why not take anything all this ran trough her mind, as she noticed Ven Eyeing her. She eyed him only more for observation. His movements where too robotic like and wondered if it was because of cybernetics, or if what was before them was drone. Either way she didn’t like how he was eyeing her body.

She held her questions finding what ven Said satisfactory enough at the moment. Though she should really question the drive, but the others didn’t seem to care so why should Vnye. That thought settle it, she was going to do this mission, illegal activity or not, she was going to find out what was down there. Perhaps even find a way to save Vanessa, she was scheming a plan, and would spring it tonly when time was ripe.

“Then without further ado ...”

She and the others were escorted to an area close by taking a hover van to an area that contained a dock and a ship. Ven got aboard slowly, his movements a little clunky and he needed some assistance commanding Vanessa to do so.

“He's rather frail,” Bogdin muttered in a low whisper to his companion that Gaia could over hear.

“I don't care, he's paying well. Something isn't adding up though,” the fish-like alien responded and Bogdin shrugged …

They had been off. The ocean was pristine and until the waters got too deep they were clear and they could see the bottom. Some how during the trip Ven wound up at her side assisted by vanish.

“You are Vye? How would you like making fifty percent more than the others?”

Ven was indeed rather frail, if not half dead, why? It was not beyond her guess, she truly didn’t care however. He was a criminal after all, it was her job to put them in their place, or put them down. Bogdin and his companion seemed on edge, and it was painfully obvious that something was a mist. Even her people wouldn’t let tech go to waste, and just acquire an engine. Then almost as if it had been slowly planned Ven ended up in a seat next to her. She noticed that he still needed the help of Vanessa. It wasn’t a surprise he found a way to her, as his gaze had been mostly upon her since they had met. She felt the need or the want to be in the water as it be good excuse to not be next to the alien.

Though she didn’t quietlke how he said you are Vye. It was almost too distinctive like he knew something about her that Gaia didn’t. She was put on edge but didn’t so.”Fifty percent..” She said looking as a school of fish went pass the window.Her eyes following the movement like a cat that just saw prey dance before its face. She wasn’t hungry, but live food always caught a Qurrains attention. Though she rather not considering the fish looked a tad odd for liking.

“You’re willing to pay almost double what you’re paying now.” She said matter of fact not a question. Her tone was that of an experienced freelancer, and not some cop pretending. No the head Huntress who trained made sure she had what humans called a poker face.

” Sixty percent, and before you try and lower it, it is painfully obvious there is more to this salvage.” She said in a low enough voice to keep the others from hearing. This was her chance to see if there was anything illegal going on. She crossed her legs as she waited for Ven’s reprisal.

He mulled over the counter offer, reptilian eyes dashing to the others without turning his head. “Very well, sixty percent your worth it.” He pondered that of course and stroked his chin as if reflecting on how much he was going to relay.

“The matter is rather time sensitive,” hence why the recovery of just the engine, the power source of the crashed vessel perhaps a necessity to other Aschen tech that hinted on the possibility he had other tech … maybe …

“Before the crash the Ashen managed to get off a distress call. Normally, from my understanding their tech is shielded from emissions at least any Aschen using it shields it some how. I'm not a scientist and don't know all the aspects of it but damage to their ship prevented this shielding.

“The use of Ashen tech draws the attention of the Ashlyn. No doubt the bugs are on their way and thus a complete salvage of the ship may not be possible. There is no telling when they will show up and they will. It may be ten minutes or ten days. Aschen space is far from here so it should be a while still,” he explained in a low tone.

Either her diplomatic skills where better than she expected or Ven was in desperation. Or there was something that Vye could the others couldn’t, It didn’t matter he wanted something more than just an simple engine. She listened intently as he gave her the details. In way she had hit the nail on the coffin when she mentioned the Ashlyn, it seemed the two species where so interrelated with one another the Aschen could summon a horde. How long would that take, minutes, days, weeks, all of it was sketchy and they where swimming on borrowed time. The only way to get a good estimation of such timing meant Ven either had tech that caused such aproblem before he did well research. Research that the ADD, and Qurrain Empire; found difficult to obtain without, embarrassing incidents.

“show there’s little time, but if I risk my ass, I could get something else of value… Which could be within the next two or more hours.” Out habbit she strokes one of her head tails. It was risky, but if it was something that broke galactic law, she could use that as evidence against him. Tricky as she would have to prove intent, but due able. Only problem was getting Vanessa out of her predicament.Plus the other downside she wasn’t sure just how well her coms worked underwater or if the Aschen would cause interference.

“Well worth the price.” She commented in a hushed tone, making sure Bogdin and his companion never paid attention that the two where even talking. “ You have anything specific or do just want me to get what I can?”

“The engine should be sufficient.” Ven relays to her. “Though what I had in mind was for when you get back.” He grinned patting her thigh briefly. It was strange as the touch did not feel scaly but smooth, almost as if just the smooth portions of his scales had been tracing against her, which may have been true with upward strokes but he was using downward ones too where scales should have been dragging along her skin.

He had made it clear where his interest where though but he was an opportunist though. “If you do manage to come away with anything else then you will be entitled to a bonus depending on what it is.”

But he would allow her to digest all that as he moved on going over a few details with Bogdin who seemed to have his own means down to the ship.

Soon enough they were coming upon the crash sight. Their vessel was a medium sized craft and as they approached Bogdin slipped off. There was a small submarine that she and the fish had been lead to as well as Ven (with Vanessa's continued help).

“The sub will get you there pretty quickly so you do not have to swim the entire way. Are there any last questions.”

It took everything the Huntress/ Priestess had to not snap those fingers. He was frail and she was angry enough she could do it, but she refrained from doing so. she did however show she wasn't pleased in being touched, even if his hands whee oddly smooth. She was clearly here for a job, and not pleasure. It still didn't mean she wouldn't bring him justice... Taking the time for quiet a quiet place, and using a data pad for video record, she began to transmit her findings to her handler as discreetly as possibly. Mostly by speaking in her native tongue.(Japanese mixed with Native American Language.) Even the best translators one could by on the black market would have a hard time translating Quarrin tongue. It was that rare, and very few ever heard it.

Acting as if she was fiddling with her earring she activated the pearl communicators, hopefully there was no way to pick up that she transmitting a signal.<"This ADD operative Gaia, I've made contact with Ven, and I am currently heading towards an Aschen ship to retrieve a engine drive. Except for illegal salvage without a permit there is no evidence of criminal activity..." >Looking to see that no one was paying attention to her, and, that they suspected she was just making a log of her work.

<"There is other Aschen tech aboard, but nothing that seems to peek Ven's interest, or the person who truly seeks this drive. I will try to find more of this employer and his connection to Ven, I suggest you do the same. Also, cross check the ASchen and whether or not a ship was lost in this sector, also I need medical records of Ven delivered to my data pad. He seems to be suffering from an illness or some sort medical condition..." >

Requested the medical information not as concern, but as tool to use against him when the time came. Dying men typically did whatever it took to keep living, and she wasn't entirely sure this mission was to salvage an engine or even the ship. No he wanted something, other Gaia's womanly company that she was sure off. It seemed as if the deeper they went, the more she inched to what humans called Pandora's box.It was too late to turnaround and leave no that shipped sailed upon her arrival, she was in this. With a deep breath she continued.

<" If I don't make another update in four hours assume I have been compromised or captured by the Ashlyn..."> By the time she got that out, Bogdin had already gone into the water. They had come across the crash site. 'Terra comfort me and keep me safe' She though as she closed coms and the data pad, careful to encrypt the recorded call, she also took the time previously to encrypt anything recorded, and set up a auto delete if hacked or used by anyone else.

It would do no good to get busted so easily with incriminating evidence. "This employer of yours. You are sure he only wants the engine? As you said that ship carries high-end tech." She said trying to judge whether or not she being toyed with in regards to him having employer souly interested in the ship., it also served as a back lash for him touching her, she obviously knew what he was hitting at early when he offered to pay more.

“Illness?” Luna's voice chimed in her ear. She seemed surprised. “It has been too long since the experiments he under went for this to be a side effect. I'll have the logs check on my ship though, I keep a wealth of info here. What are some of the symptoms?” After getting a run down of them Luna could take a look to see if this was a specific Hel'Corian alignment.

“He's only after the engine. Find out who he's working for, I have a suspicion that it's not for himself. He doesn't strike me as the scientific type but -” Luna paused and shook her head back on her ship though the action would go unseen. She had her own suspicions that she had hoped were untrue. In fact agent Natalya had destroyed that deadly Ashen device and she wondered if the engine might provide a power source to another, she didn't know.

“The Ashlyn? Oh boy … got it.”

Bogdin had since disappeared. He had his own means of travel and had launched into those murky depths ahead of them. Ven regarded the other two at the sub that had been fully automated to take them to the crash site and even return here though it would be easy to over ride it if necessary.

Ven regarded the two and grinned beside the sub. “The engine is more important than anything else on the ship. Seeing how we intercepted the distress call I've been working under the assumption that others may have intercepted it too and well, we may not have the luxury of time before do gooders or worse show up. Once the engine is secured then we can renegotiate terms if it is feasible to stick around longer or not. I have a ship in orbit keeping appraised of the situation as it develops as well as a few sensor buoys that will alert it if a ship passes within sensor range. Seeing that a ship has to drop into real space at the edge of a system we should have half an hour or so notice.”

Despite her really good hearing Luna’s voice came in as whisper, she didn’t know if that was a blessing or curse, perhaps both. Gaia nodded understandingly, she wanted to press for the employer’s information, but there was little time for it. There was no harm in open discontent on the matter, she simply couldn’t understand why any would pass up on the ship as a whole, and take a drive. If the real Vye was here she would more than likely question it herself.

“Fair enough, but forgive me for having doubts about this employers intention. .. It makes more sense to use what time have getting the darn thing out of the water.” She commented with a shrug of her shoulders, as if saying there no use prying. “Saves time. ”

“I simply take on the jobs the client asks. Of course everything else is gravy. The sub should take you there within five minutes. Should the authorities show up we can easily say we're here in response to the distress call or bail out depending on how far into the salvage we are. If things are obvious that the engine was ripped out of the vessel then we bail.”

The sub would take the pair to the crashed ship. The water was alive with a plethora of strange fish many large predatory ones akin to sharks on other worlds. Out through one of the transparent windows they could see a huge red mechanical crab shuffling to the ship. Water jets allowed it some maneuverability and those enormous claws ripped open the cargo bay doors. There was a laser beneath the crab that cut and loosened metal and it was clear that the crab would breech the ship in no time.

For the first time the fish showed a bit of life looking out at the crab. “Bogdin and his toy. At least he doesn't have to worry about flooding out the ship,” of course if there were Aschen survivors that made it less likely for them to survive if they could not breath. Hopeful for their sake they had retreated to areas in the ship that they did not need to access.

“Getting the engine to the surface with that thing will be easy though hopefully he doesn't trip any security alarms along the way.”

The sub docked and Farin (the fish) was able to access the doors easy enough. He seemed to be the security guy given the tools that he had. Lighting on the interior of the ship was dim, emergency lighting was one.

Farin sighed. “Minimal power. I hope that's enough or else we'll have to have Bogdin tare apart the ship. Let's get to the security station first and I'll shut down any security that might be in place. I was on one of these ships once and security is a bitch. This way -” he went to proceed when a scurrying sound could be heard in an air duct above and some distance away. “What's that?”

“Impressive” Gaia said as she saw the giant mechanical crab tearing into the ship. The predatory fish didn’t bother her, there ws plenty of such species on her home planet, and she could out swim them if needed be. In the long run they might have to contend with the now rising waters in the ship. As well as those fish, she noticed her companion perk up when he saw the crab.

“Getting it to the surface isn’t the problem now, its making sure the engine doesn’t drone. “ She commented, impressed but not too impressed. Once the sub docked Gaia too a quick look around, as Farin took care of the door, the lights where dim showing signs of little power. She took a quick look at Farins, tool belt he had instruments that helped take care of the doors, well that his job, bogdin job was to get the engine out. Hat left her, at what?! The Engine perhaps, well depending she didn’t lack for knowledge in that department, but she was no engineer. She began following Farin when he stopped mentioning the sound, in the ducts.

“I have three guesses, both not so pleasant.” She said with an edgy tone.” Guess on is based off of fact. This An Aschen ship, so I take it they are scientist who experiment on things. So what are the chances their experiments survived and got loose…” She listened to the scurrying more, trying to track it by sound alone. She could tell it was small, but not too small”Gues two the Ascen might still be alive.. Three, The Ashlyn may have gotten here before VEn set up his advance warning system…”

“It could be survivors but that sounds like the vents. Why on earth would they be in there?” He looked up pondering that though her guess at another experiment or even the Ashlyn was a little unnerving. Farin glanced back towards the dock. They were not far from it but at the same time nothing else had looked bad.

“It's not the Ashlyn. They would still need to get here and there were no ships docked with this one … a saboteur?” That would explain the sulking around but it was not his concern. The sound was getting fainter and coming from the central vent.

As Gaia pondered her role and assessed the role of the two others Farin gathered up his nerve and pressed on leading them to a security room. The computers were in a strange language and he had attached wires to it to a simple wrist computer. Farin worked fast (and one handed) unlocking doors and shutting down security systems.

“Odd ...” Farin was reading the translations in his native language on his wrist mounted computer. “All the security measures are offline already … straight down to the firewalls on the computers, almost as if someone shut them off. Sabotage is making more and more sense but in that case wouldn't a saboteur get off the ship before it crashed?”

It didn’t long for Farin to give up his nerve, and move one, after all the noise had moved on. He mention a saboteur that seemed more likely. Even sensible, but hard to believe. The ship was well advance perhaps more so than her peoples. So security would be a bitch to get around, but every door seemed to open within in seconds. She was no master lock smith, but she knew about security doors know it was too quick. It took Farins wrist computer tell him that security was wonky. Off wasn’t what she expected.

“Depends on what the Sabatour was after, they may not have gotten it before the ship crashed.” She commented realizing something was very off. There was no more noise from the outside, perhaps bogdin had decided to settle down till needed.”Can you pull up the security video files… If there’s a saboteur, he or she might have been seen on camera.”
She suggested, she wasn’t sure of her job, here and she couldn’t think of anything other than engine. What skill did Vye have other than salavage. It was more used for gathering large object, like ships, or instruments. Not a single engines unless said engine was massive.