Omega. When people outside the Terminus Systems think of Omega they use words such as shitpile, pirate station, gathering place for lowlifes and thugs, the Asari even call it "the heart of evil". The only ones who do like it are the Krogans. That in itself says enough. But Shepard had a soft spot for Omega. It was a good place to relax and suited to Shepard's tastes. He found a strange satisfaction in the stinking alleyways, rowdy population who could just as well shoot you as well as talk to you and liquor which was noted to the best in the Terminus Systems. On Omega there was no titled ruler and only one rule after all. That was not to fuck with Aria. Unfortunately, that was what Shepard had to do now. He needed to talk to Aria and he was sure that it would not be pleasant. So he brought the toughest he had at his disposal with him.
"And there I killed this drug dealer who thought he was going to take over Omega. We got the tip by this friend of mine, she was working for him for a short time and gave him up. I think he was taking too much of his own stuff but he did have a nice stash of weapons." Garrus told them and pointed to a broken down building.
"So.. a drug dealer, weapon stash, and this girl? Why didn't you blow it up when you were done? Every party deserves a proper finish!" Wrex said and laughed.
"Real men show their love with a 30-kiloton bomb." Jack said and elbowed Shepard. He just smiled. He never thought that Jack, Wrex and Garrus would get along so well. Actually, now that Shepard thought about it…. It seemed all too obvious. You had a vigilante, an ex-mercenary and an ex-prisoner, how could they not get along? But he needed them all here. Garrus with his sharpshooter and tactical skills coupled with first-hand knowledge of Omega's underground made him essential on this mission. Jack with her appearance and her tremendous biotic powers made her a good addition, plus, Shepard wanted to bring her along just because he liked spending time with her and Jack loved places like Omega. And lastly, he brought Wrex along because the Krogan was a former mercenary who once worked on Omega, looked frightening and was the most powerful Krogan Clan leader along with being a Krogan Battlemaster.
So they slowly made their way through the stinking streets towards Afterlife, where the Pirate Queen usually was.
Along the way they were stopped by Wrex who suggested s run-down looking bar with the name Fortune's Den.
"Shepard, come on. I used to love this bar before. My treat." he said and entered without waiting for Shepard or anyone else. Garrus looked at Shepard and shrugged, but before Shepard could decide Jack grabbed his arm and dragged him in.
"First drinks, then dealing with Aria and then you will get me laid. Is that clear boyscout?" she asked him, but her tone was telling him that it was not a question.
He laughed, "Whatever you say Jack." Not like Shepard had any complaints with getting laid.
As they entered it was exactly what Shepard expected. It was a dim, smoke filled room with most of the patrons being criminals or mercenaries. As they entered Wrex had already got a table. Judging by the knocked out Vorcha next to the table, it looked like Wrex cleared it himself. They took a seat. And when the bartender came he was carrying four glasses of a green liquor which Shepard knew only too well.
"Shit." Shepard muttered under his breath. Both Jack and Garrus looked at him and then at the drinks before they burst into laughter.
"What? Did I miss something?" asked Wrex, scratching his head.
"Well, let's just say that Shepard has a history with Ryncol." Garrus said and laughed once again.
"In normal words, Shepard drank it and the next thing you know he's there in the bathroom, puking his guts out." Jack said.
"Shit, Shepard. You can fight like a Krogan but never try to drink like a Krogan. I thought you knew that much." Wrex said and raised his glass, everyone followed suit.
"To what the fuck are we toasting to?" Jack asked with a smile.
"To us surviving the Omega 4 Relay and not losing anyone." Shepard said and they all drank to that. It burned their throats like liquid fire and it felt no better when it settled in their stomachs.
"Shit, heavy stuff." Jack said and smacked the table with her fist.
"I will give you this. You Krogans know your liquor." Garrus added. Wrex laughed. Shepard just barely managed his own. But now, he did not puke. That was progress.
"Now if only we had Pyjaks to shoot." Wrex said.
"Or a ship to hijack." Jack added.
"Wait, didn't you once hijack a military craft?" Shepard asked, remembering her saying something about that once.
"Oh, yeah, that was a funny one. It was a Mako though. Drives like shit."
"Hey, hold on! The Mako is the best transport there is and I don't want to hear any objections." Shepard said, smiling, and remembered all his adventures with the Mako.
"Jack, there is only one rule aboard the Normandy. Do NOT insult the Mako. I once shot a Krogan for insulting the Mako. You just don't do that." Wrex said in a joking manner.
"Oh please no. I had enough shooting for three months at the Suicide mission. I think that me and Grunt actually managed to make a hill of corpses." Garrus interjected. Wrex groaned loudly.
"Thanks for reminding me. Shit, Shepard, I wish I could have been with you on that mission. It sounded glorious. Mountains of dead, none of our have fallen and from what I hear a big ass explosion to top it off. The only ones who went there and lived to tell the tale. Shit, now that there is a fucking story!" Wrex said and smashed his fist on the table. There were cracks left where his hand landed.
"Maybe next time Wrex. When you're not busy leading your entire race to prosperity." Shepard said and laughed. Garrus taunted Wrex.
"Fuck you too, Shepard. And what you laughing about, Archangel?" Wrex said with a smile. The smile vanished from Garrus's face. Garrus and Wrex went into a staring contest.
"Oh, alien fight! Can I fight the winner?" Jack asked, clearly drunk. To be honest, they all were. Ryncol has that effect.
"There will be no alien fight. Hey, calm down. We do not want another Krogan Rebellion." Shepard tried, both looked at him. Now if someone else said that to Wrex and Garrus they would be torn to pieces but Shepard received just grins.
"oh, look at this human talking. Remember how we… how do you humans put it? I believe it's "opened a can of woop ass" during the Relay 314 Incident, right?" Garrus responded.
"You wish, Vakarian." Shepard said, a cheeky grin on his face. They were battlefield comrades, things like these were jokes and nothing more.
"Enough of this bullshit! Time to do some partyyyyiiiinnnnngggg!" Jack screamed and using her biotics removed the glasses from the table, before getting on it and starting to dance. Garrus, Wrex and Shepard took a step back and looked at her.
"Shit, Shepard, you know how to pick them. This one is crazy by Krogan standards."
"You have not seen the half of it Wrex." Garrus added.
"No one can't say that she is no fun at parties at least." Shepard joked. By then, other people were gathering around the table to watch and the music volume increased. Others followed Jack's suit but no one was as good at it as Jack. Shepard was feeling a little jealous when he saw all the people staring at Jack like that and Jack dancing the way she was but he knew her to be like that, she didn't do it on purpose and she would kill any of the idiots if they dared to touch her.
"Who is the human slut?" asked one Batarian another next to Shepard. Shepard turned to him, and punched him in the face. The Batarian fell to the ground, unconscious. His friend took a step back and raised his hands in surrender. Shepard had a dislike for Batarians ever since what happened to his colony. Not to mention that he fought them on Elysium and that didn't do anything to improve his opinion of the four-eyed aliens.
"My girlfriend." Shepard said and climbed the table and started dancing with Jack.
"Oh, Shepard, I beg you! Not dancing, anything but that! Hit me with a rocket but not that!" Garrus pleaded.
"Let it go, Vakarian. Just grab a drink and if angered punch something." Wrex demonstrated both things, by taking a Volus' drink and throwing said Volus to the other side of the room and through the wall. A Krogan bouncer approached Wrex, but Wrex just whispered something and the bouncer left like he was scared.
"I was waiting for you to join in." Jack whispered in Shepard's ear in a sensual way.
"Oh, yeah?" Shepard raised an eyebrow, "You looked like you had fun without me."
"I was, but it's better when you're around, boyscout." she said and kissed him deeply. Her tongue entered his mouth violently. That was the last thing Shepard remembers.
They all awoke in a dirty alleyway. Shepard noticed he was hugging Jack who was snuggled next to him as they both were leaned against a wall. On the other side of the alleyway were Wrex and Garrus, the Turian leaning on the Krogan's shoulder, both were still sleeping. Shepard's head hurt like hell but he managed a grin at seeing such racial tolerance and camaraderie. In his head there flashed an image of Wrex and Jack destroying a bar using biotics while he and Garrus watched from the sidelines. Shepard could also smell the faint trace of something burning but he ignored it. Instead he closed his eyes and fell asleep again, hugging Jack tighter. He also had a blurry image of him and Jack in a bathroom.
"Aria can wait. Not like I had a scheduled appointment anyways." he muttered and fell asleep.
Author's motes: So, tell me what you thought. Did you like it? I am next thinking of doing a Mass Effect fanfic about the Skyllian Blitz which was in the War Hero background. Would you be interested in such a thing? Message me if you have an idea as to what to write and if it's good I will think about it.