aubergines | ( #002 ) FAKE MARRIED AU

[ Located on the planet of Solace, Refuge had been touted as the newest colony safe from the Reaper threat, open to all people from all walks of life, if they could afford it. Basically a luxury hotel, in addition to the usual amenities – free extranet access, several gyms, two pools, recreational facities, etc. – Refuge also boasted a suite of security protocols; shielding to protect its inhabitants; and a regiment of soldiers, a brigade of security mechs, and a squadron of fighter pilots on-call at all hours of the day. The price point, the brochure said, was far more reasonable than a certain other facility’s asking fee.

It almost was too good to be true.

Almost.

There hadn’t been any reports from the planet itself, but various reports from family and friends of those who had already taken refuge on Refuge stated that their loved ones or friends would maintain communication, tell them of all the comforts the colony had to offer and urge them to come and join them. Then one day, they would suddenly—stop. Out of nowhere. Sometimes even mid conversation, where message sent to omnitools were involved.

Representatives of the colony stated that due to the boom in settlers, they were having trouble keeping track of the comings and goings of their inhabitants. That it was possible that those who were “missing” were not missing at all, and perhaps they had lost track of the time and forgot to communicate? With all of the activities Refuge had on offer, it would be no surprise for one to simply forget themselves in the fun of it all.

Or perhaps the people who were “missing” had not existed at all, the representatives said. After all, their records, as behind as they were, simply did not show anyone by that name. Perhaps those reports had been fabricated by a mistrusting or jealous competitor, and perhaps it would be best if the authorities ignored such clearly falsified reports.

The authorities on Refuge clearly had no plans in cooperating.

Which is where “Mr. and Mrs. McClain” enter the picture, currently traveling by shuttle to take shelter from the war.

“Mr. James McClain” currently has his arm stretched out on the back of Mrs. McClain’s seat, looking entirely at ease; the shy, giddy smiles he casts his wife and his stubborn insistence on doing everything for her (opening doors, offering his hand on steps, getting up to retrieve drinks or snacks, etc.) is a sure sign of someone who has recently claimed the title of “husband.” The luster of the ring on his left hand only helps cement that little fact. ]

I think we’re almost there. It should be a fun time, huh, sweetie?

[ The grin he shoots her this time has more of an edge to it, crooked and sly and much more Peter than shy, excited James McClain. ]

I’m sure there’ll be lots to do.

[ "Mrs. Elena McClain," on the other hand, sits stoically beside her blushing bride of a husband. She appears to be the more level-headed one of the couple (perhaps balancing Mr. McClain's enthusiasm), and this relative calmness is emphasized by the way her face is almost completely obscured by a deep hood. Kasumi is wearing a somewhat flowy, robe-like hooded garment over her usual attire, allowing her a more civilian appearance to go undercover with while having the advantages of her suit in case things go south. There was no denying, after all, that her normal appearance would garner probably unwanted attention in a dubious sanctuary like Refuge.

As is her protocol for undercover jobs, she's come up with elaborate backgrounds. Mrs. Elena McClain (née Gunn) is the daughter of a self-made tycoon whose fortune comes from owning massive deposits and mines of Element Zero in the Terminus Systems. She was born with a rare condition that made her skin extremely sensitive to direct exposure (hence the hood) and Mr. Gunn, her father, accordingly kept her isolated. James McClain is an ambitious and savvy businessman for a trading company with long-standing relations with Mr. Gunn's Eezo business. He and his future wife met at a consequence of a business function and the rest is history.

All of this information was, of course, irrelevant to the actual mission at hand, which was to get to the bottom of the mystery shrouding Refuge without stirring things up. Kasumi mostly just had some fun thinking it all up. Plus, it gave them a more believable reason for her to be as covered-up as she was than "she's just really shy," in the event that her appearance would continue to stir suspicion.

In any case, Mrs. McClain looks up at her oh-so-loving husband, which is an "I adore you" gaze from Mrs. McClain but a "You are having way too much fun with this" look from Kasumi. ]

Why yes, darling. We certainly won't be running out of things to do, hmm?

[ James McClain's only response for now is a hum of agreement, but it's accompanied by the slightest twitch of his brow. Peter knows Kasumi will catch it -- they're both professionals, after all, both thieves who have survived as long as they have by noticing the smallest details; they've had to notice miniscule things like a misaligned tile there, a lack of dust here, the slightest sign of wear on a button, which could mean a trap, a hidden alcove, or the key to a pass code, respectively.

So in this case, the twitch is in response to her silent rebuff. It says, "Try and stop me, Goto."

Over the internal speakers, the pilot announces their approach to landing pad and expresses his thanks to his passengers for choosing Refuge.

James speaks again, and his voice is oh, so different from Peter's; where Peter's would be quick and clipped and babbled, with just the barest hint of his mother's southern twang, James' is low, quiet, and not slow, but deliberate, words carefully chosen. ]

I hear there's quite a variety already living here. I hope they'll be open to some negotiating.

[ "I know this is a stealth mission, but I really want to punch someone." ]

[ Oh, she notices, and she shoots back with a quick side-glance that says, "Just don't get too hammy," before the shuttle's landing sequence begins.

Elena McClain's voice is similarly low, airy, and agreeable--something befitting the sheltered daughter of a rich tycoon--when she responds to her husband. ]

Don't you think we should settle in first, darling?

[ "Let's assess the situation and find out what these creeps are up to before we punch anyone." ]

[ He huffs a good-natured sigh before nodding once. ]

Always the logical one, sweetie. It's why I married you.

[ There's a quiet thump as the shuttle lands, accompanied by a quiet chime as the doors unlock and open. The attendants allow the passengers to leave row by row, helping them to gather their things from the small overhead compartments before hurrying them along to the exits.

By the time it's the McClains' turn, Peter stands quickly, pulling down the two small suitcases they had brought with them (their luggage was on a separate shuttle, and would meet them in their assigned room). The cases looked innocuous enough, as Peter nobly carried them off the shuttle, pausing to give his lovely wife a hand as she stepped down, but seeing as how they contained the pair's weapons? Yeah. It was a pretty important for the couple to keep them close by.

Rocket had rigged something in the cases to make them appear as normal traveling items when scanned. Data tablets, music players, etc. The particulars were lost on Peter -- he just wanted to know that it worked, and that they wouldn't get caught.

The entrance to Refuge was as lush and elegant as the brochures and advertisements made it out to be. Guards are stood at the entrance, as well as entryway scanners and luggage scanners meant to weed out any potentially illegal goods, especially weapons, to "maintain the safety of the populace."

Peter has the sneaking suspicion that they just don't want anyone fighting back.

They step in line, and Peter sets the suitcases on the ground as they wait, putting an arm around Kasumi's shoulders. ]

I already feel safer, don't you? [ He tilts his head to the side, pointing out the guards in a high watchtower some distance away. ] They have so many soldiers protecting us.

[ His eyes narrow, though he doesn't drop the pleasant expression on his face. The guards at the watchtower have their sights trained on the newcomers, not on the perimeter, where one would expect the real threat to come from. ]

[ A quick glance in the direction he calls attention to makes her aware of the watchtower guards. Definitely an odd mode to be in for the haven this place makes itself out to be, but both Kasumi and Peter already knew that there was something fishier going on beneath the layer of luxury and respite from war being advertised.

Mrs. McClain smiles and gives a light pat to the arm of her husband's that's around her shoulder; Kasumi is trying to call her partner's attention to a few patrolling guards who, alike the watchtower guards, appear to be more suspicious of their guests than welcoming. ]

It's so nice, how they're making sure nothing gets in through the defenses for people like us. Oh, I think we'll be very much at peace here.

[ The other way to interpret that, of course, is that nothing gets out. And by "at peace," she means, "Looks like there's going to be a lot of work for us to do."

Before any of said work can be done, however, they have to get in, which shouldn't be a problem given the extensive backgrounds and documentation she's fabricated on their fake identities. Kasumi does, however, pick up on a guard passing by, making sure the line is kept in order. More specifically, the almost unnoticeable pause he takes when he looks at the McClains. It doesn't take much, just a minuscule delay in his movement and a slight quirk of the brow. Kasumi is frankly surprised at this point that the guards weren't in full-on armor with helmets as was typical for Cerberus drones, but she figures that this must have been one of their modest efforts at appearing like a safe refuge as opposed to, say, a prison. Her hand gives Peter's arm an oh so light squeeze, just to let him know, "Okay, I might be attracting some attention." ]

[ Peter gets the message and carefully glances around, as though taking in the scenery again. When his gaze just so happens to fall on another patrolling guard, this time staring outright at Kasumi's garb, Peter sends him a withering look; the guard immediately turns and continues on his way.

Perhaps James McClain may be shy around his new wife, but around the help is an entirely different matter.

The line starts moving, finally, and Peter releases his hold on Kasumi in favor of picking up their things. He continues to point out the oddities under the guise of small talk. Cameras at 3 o'clock, alarm triggers there, suspicious door along that wall.

It's not too long before they're at the front of the line, now, and Peter deposits their bags on the scanner (and he's desperately hoping that Rocket's tech doesn't malfunction, though he shows no outward sign of his nervousness). When the technician stationed there doesn't immediately pull a gun on him, Peter allows himself to be scanned.

He really wants to say something smart-assed, like "Don't wrinkle the suit, boys," but he keeps it to himself.

Peter gets through, at least, and collects their bags with a polite nod as he waits for Kasumi. ]

[ When it's Kasumi's turn to be scanned, she takes in a sharp but nearly inaudible breath. Her suit underneath has built-in masking tech for these sorts of scans, of course, lest she set off scanners everywhere (which would be particularly troublesome if she was cloaked). The problem was that there was so much mystery shrouding this entire operation on Refuge that she didn't know exactly what she was up against. They could have more complex scanners, for all she knows, or they could catch her neural implant on the scan, or worst of all... they could make her take off her hood.

She gives the technician a respectful nod to send a cooperative message, and the scan thankfully seems to be going by without a hitch. Or at least, it does on the surface. The way that one of the guards (the one that had given her a look earlier) started a low, quiet conversation with the technician does not escape Kasumi. She's at least, however, been at this long enough to be able to pick up on lip-reading and dissecting whispers.

"That lady in the hood, what do you think?"
"I don't know, the scans aren't picking anything up."
"No, I meant, what do you think she looks like under there?"
"...Get back to work."
"Just saying, she's probably either really ugly... or really hot."

It takes nearly all of Kasumi's strength not to either burst out laughing or roll her eyes--she does, however, take that liberty when the scan is completed and they instruct her to move and she makes her way over to Peter, definitely rolling her eyes. ]

[ The presence of the guard at the scanner definitely makes Peter narrow his eyes, and he has to keep himself from clenching his fists -- it would be dead giveaway of his nervousness to anyone who's watching. Instead, he fiddles with sleeve, brushing invisible dust off his coat as he watches the two men chat. Maybe they found something suspicious. Maybe Kasumi was recognized. Maybe they're realizing that the scans of their luggage had been faked.

Peter really fucking hopes not. It would kind of suck, after all, if they got caught so early in the mission.

But then they're letting her through, and Peter wants to sigh with relief, but he restrains himself again (and whoever said he doesn't have any self-control could shove it up their asses, booyah). For a second he envies Kasumi's oversized hood -- at least she could make any face she wanted under there. He offers his arm, then ducks toward her, smiling affectionately. By all appearances, it's a husband sharing a cute moment with his wife. It's a good thing only Kasumi can hear him, as his voice is just a hair above a whisper. ]

Do we need to worry about that guard?

[ She gladly hooks her arm around his, also placing her other hand affectionately on it. As a wife shyly talking to her new husband might, she leans in and whispers into his ear in kind when he lowers his head to whisper to her. ]

You might need to worry about him trying to seduce your new wife, darling, but it's fine. I'm devoted.

[ Peter Quill, ever full of himself, replies quickly, ] Please. I definitely wanna meet the person who could seduce you away from me. They oughta be dreamy as hell.

[ While she manages to stifle a laugh, her lips still curl into a smile. ]

I don't know if anyone can be dreamier than you, dear husband.

[ He grins, but only for the briefest second. ] Other than you, darling wife.

[ By the time he pulls away, his expression is schooled into something more restrained, but no less fond, and he leads them down the hallway into yet another pitstop, where they're obliged to hand over (forged) paperwork in exchange for two keys and the location of their suite. That done, they're finally directed down another hallway, and welcomed into Refuge proper.

The hallways leads them into what looks more like an outdoor park than a luxury hotel, complete with fields of grass and flower beds and trees and benches. The only difference is that it's walled in by floors and floors of what Peter assumes to be rooms. There's a decent number of people hanging around, walking, doing park-type-things, and judging by the quality of their clothes, toys, and/or omnitools (some of which Peter recognized as models that wouldn't be out for months yet), everyone here was obviously on the wealthier side.

He wonders if money buys naivety as he walks toward the elevators to get to their quarters. It's not like a handful of soldiers and fighter ships could protect all these people from Reapers. ]

Should we explore after we settle into our room, sweetheart? Or would you like to rest?

[ Kasumi listens to the sounds around them as they walk through the open space. Idle conversations, some music, and even laughter. Now that's something you wouldn't hear on, say, Earth. Kasumi just thinks, my god, these people really don't have any idea nor do they even care to find out about what's really going on out there.

She would never forget what it felt like to see the vids of the Reaper attack on Earth for the first time. She was on Illium, in Nos Astra, and she looked on in horror as the large screens on the trading floor, usually saturated with stock market numbers, ads, and inventories, were showing what could only be described as the utter decimation of London. She remembers the reactions around her: utter shock, disbelief, a few misguided attempts at sympathy that ultimately amounted to "At least it's not Thessia," and even a "Shepard was right all along."

When the shock wore off, she knew she had to do something. She couldn't bring herself to join Shep back on the Normandy, but all along she knew she could use her skill set for something useful for the cause. For Earth, and hell, the entire galaxy. Stealing expensive tech for the Crucible was only one thing and so was stealing otherwise-wasted money to improve conditions for refugees. Infiltrating a suspicious settlement that promises protection from the Reaper threat with frankly alarming rumors surrounding it was another, and possibly the most dangerous. And that's why she knew she had to bring Peter with her. Some jobs you just can't do all on your own--she learned that much from Shep.

She takes note of all the details in their surroundings as they make their way to their quarters with much of the same results hat Peter found when they were entering Refuge: here's a camera, there's a few guards, probable location of a secret entrance over there, and so forth.

When they finally enter the McClains' quarters, the first thing she does is look for any more suspicious elements. She wouldn't put it past this place to have hidden cameras or at the very least audio surveillance and she's sure that Peter doesn't either, and so the act continues even in the privacy of their own "home." ]

Why don't we rest first, darling?

[ Let's see what we have to work with here. ]

[ For Peter's part, the footage had been terrifying, and brought to mind his annual "should I, shouldn't I?" decision in visiting Earth. He decided not to every time (what would be waiting for him, at this point?) and now he's regretting it.

He never did get check up on Gramps. Now it's probably too--

Peter always squashes that line of thought when it crops up. This time around, he busies himself with sending Kasumi a quick smile. ]

Of course. I know how exhausted you are after long trips.

[ He sets the suitcases to the side and moves further into their quarters. It's basically a small suite with a kitchen, a living room, a bedroom, and a bathroom, and it's way fucking bigger than any place Peter's ever stayed, that's for damn sure. It's well-decorated in stark shades of white and black, and everything looks so expensive, that Peter's a weird mix of don't touch anything and take everything and sell it.

He gets over those warring instincts and checks for bugs under the guise of exploring and checking their new home for issues, checking switches and faucets, etc. ]

I'm just going to make sure everything's in working order. You remember the fiasco on Illium, don't you? When the shower wouldn't get hot enough?

[ He wants to punch himself in the throat as he says it. ]

[ She grins and shoots him a coy look because she just can't resist the comeback, even under the guise of Mrs. McClain. ]

Darling, I thought we did a great job of making up for the cold water, did we not?

[ Who says you can't mix work and play, anyway? In any case, Kasumi doesn't find anything telltale or alarming about their quarters just yet, but it's still better to be safe than sorry, so she doesn't make any moves to remove her disguise or drop the act. ]

[ Peter returns the look and smile in kind. ]

That we did, sweetie. I remember the knocks on our door, asking us to keep it down.

[ For his part, Peter shakes his head, both in amusement and as a signal to Kasumi -- Don't see anything. ]

[ She nods in response; I don't see anything either. ]

So, it looks like our quarters will do just fine for us, hmm?

I'd like to think so. [ He shrugs. ] But, as always, I'll defer to your tastes. You always did have the better eye than I did, sweetheart.

Edited (accidentally a word) 2014-11-03 01:25 (UTC)

[ She gives her husband a playful but loving swat on the arm. ]

Oh, you are such a flatterer, darling. Why don't we take a walk? I'm feeling a lot better.

[ Let's check out what else is going on here. ]

[ He laughs, then takes her hand in his and leads them to the door. ]

If you're up for it. It would probably do us well to meet with our new neighbors.

[ She knows it's all part of the act, but Kasumi can't help but let herself smile a little bit at the gesture. ]

You're right. Maybe they can show us around.

[ And maybe they'll know something about the rumors about this place. ]

Just be sure to tell me if you get tired. [ Tell me if you spot anything. ] I don't want you to exhaust yourself on our first day.

[ He leads them out again, walking back toward the elevator. ]

I think the courtyard may be a good place to begin, unless you have other ideas?

[ She nods her head in a way to let him know she got the message. ]

Courtyard sounds perfect, darling. Let's go.

[ And to the courtyard they go, Peter leading them, hand-in-hand, along the pathways, passing by people having picnics or families playing games. For a second he kind of sees the appeal in pretending none of the shit beyond this little planet is actually happening, and wouldn't it be nice to just flip the bird to the galaxy at large and just say, "Not my problem"?

Maybe a year or two ago, Peter would've been in the same boat. Maybe he would've conned himself into a place like this, or maybe he would've taken himself and his ship and ran as fast and as far as he could. Or maybe not. Maybe he would've helped where he could, at least to save his own ass. Self-preservation is a pretty big motivator, after all.

They're stopped along the pathway by another couple -- evidently, the couple recognize Kasumi and Peter as "newbies," and decided to introduce themselves. Several minutes of mindless smalltalk about the weather and how this place has done well to weed out the "riffraff" later (the majority of which Peter spends most of the time wanting to blow his brains out), they finally hit upon something useful.

"Be sure to stay away from the west wing."

Why? Is there some issue there?

"It's restricted."

It takes several more minutes of mindless chatter before the couple finally say their goodbyes, and once they've walked away, Peter turns to Kasumi, eyebrow raised. ]

They seemed nice, didn't they?

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