Few words from author: Hello, I'm dikajos, and I would like to share my 2 stories in Mass Effect Universe with you. One of them is finished already and that's the one I want to post here.

I've got 7 episodes and an epilogue. The story's got really good opinions on a couple of Polish forums but here... It's going to be something else, because I'm Polish and I don't think my English skills are good enough to do it as good as I would want to, but I'm eager to learn and every comment, every opinion would be incredibly important to me. Don't be afraid to correct things if you've got time and you're bored. I live in England since about 10 months, so i decided that it's a practical way to improve my skills. I'm sure that there's going to be a lot of things you wouldn't like and the main cause here is my language knowledge. Probably even an English child wouldn't have some of my mistakes. I expect that the language level of 2 or 3 episodes is going to be low, but the story's gonna be understandable, I hope... Despite that, I hope (again) that my story will be entertaining and interesting for you and I'm gonna improve, with your help.

One more thing. The story is based on Red ending, but... I decided that the Reapers are defeated, yes, but their "pets" (banshees, zombies etc.) didn't vanish, at least not all of them, and they still exist in some areas. Commander Shepard is critically wounded and uncouncious but still alive. And that's the place which I'm going to start from.

Mass Effect:AfterEnding

Episode I

Before the storm

I

Private Ramirez entered the cantine. He looked elegant. He was wearing a leather jacket, which he found few days ago in one of the empty apartments in the neigbourhood. He liked it, so he took it. The previous owner probably isn't gonna come back, he's probably dead. "Huge krogan, Chief, I'm sure you will recognize him. Tell him word by word, what I just said." That's what she told him. He did not know her name. She gave him a bottle of vodka with one condition - he's gonna deliver the message, so he did. He looked around the room - it was full. Dozens of people eating dinner in almost complete silence. Ramirez knew why. They won the war, the Reapers were defeated. At least their main forces, which is those great living ships. In the first moments after the explosion at the Citadel, there was an euphoria. Most of civilians went crazy with joy and celebrations lasts until now, but the military could not. For this great victory, each of them paid a price, and the battle still ongoes. Dawson lost his father, Richardsson lost his wife and daughter, and Pugsleys family has been converted into zombies... Several other of the branch were killed in recent days during Operation Hammer. Ramirez was lucky, because the only trace of the war, which he wore, were gray hair,despite his age - he was twenty. He survived, and his family was safe at the ranch in Texas. Isolated ranch which, as it turned out, had saved them from death. Reapers focused on large gatherings of people from the beginning . They caught them, killed, put to use. He did not know why. He was glad that his relatives were not hurt.

Ramirez didn't look for long, because krogans stood out. Their table was the only loud one. Ha, they had a good reason - thought Ramirez. Genophage is cured, they can have fun. Although, he wonder, how would they return home, when he heard, that relays were destroyed or damaged. He didn't know, and was not interested in it right now. He wanted to deliver the message, and drink vodka. He recognized Chief immediately. He sat quiet, barely speaking. He wasn't wearing armor, and that allowed Ramirez to see the scars. A lot of large scars. They say krogan regenerate quickly, so how the fresh wounds must have looked like... A shudder shooked the Private.
He walked over, and began timidly, feeling respect in the presence of the great warrior:

- Are you the leader of krogan, Urdnot Rex?
- Wrex, man. This is the best Krogan leader since centuries. You could at least learn how to pronounce the name of the saviour of your rock! - Shouted one of the most drunk soldiers from the company Aralakh, which suffered almost one hundred percent loss during the war.
The chief remained silent, didn't even look at the messanger. Ramirez tried again:
- I have a message for you... Will you listen, chief? - His voice trembled.
- Do not be afraid, soldier - the Chief said. - My gun is dirty. Wouldn't try to shoot right now, and my hands are busy at the table. Message, you say? Hurry up, because, as you can see, Krogans celebrate your planets safety. What's the message and from whom?
- From whom, I do not know. Some black woman stands on the ruins of Big Ben, and told me to repeat it to you, "Rex, meet me at Big Ben. I have some very important news. It's about the commander. Need to talk, face to face."
- Heh... All rely on the commander - Krogan said. He looked tired- It's boring. Shepard is in the hospital, and the best human and salarian doctors are taking care of him. I see no point in talking to some anonymous woman.
- She expected you to say so - Ramirez replied. - She told me to add, that she's familiar with some guy, Jacob, which you're supposed to know ...

Wrex became serious, he looked at his company and silently stood up, and walked out of the cantine. They stayed silent, and knew that they should not ask any questions. Ramirez figured it out by himself. He came out of the cantine and smiled, as after a deadly mission, moving towards the Thames. He pulled a little bottle from his leather jacket, and drank a bit.

II

- I'm doctor Brynn Cole. We need to talk - black woman said, turning around and walking fluently toward the house. Wrex would have sworn it was a nice building. Before the war... They entered through a hole in the wall. Brynn sat on the hard dusty couch. Krogan looked around the room. He felt a slight breeze, floating torn pieces of old newspapers. Ragged curtains wavered slightly, revealing a body of zombie, riddled like a sieve by some wapon. Some printing equipment stood around, it hadn't been used since a long time, but the smell was still here. Wrex crossed his arms, and glared at the doctor's eyes. He waited.
- We don't know each other, but I know Jacob well. We are together. I owe my life to the commander, and many of my friends too. From the look of your face, I recognize, that you're aware of Shepards condition?
Krogan remained silent.
- Listen... At the moment, doctors are doing everything they can to save him, but... - Brynn paused - they're gonna fail...
- What do you mean? Speak, quick.
- I think you already know, that I worked for Cerberus. I was in contact with Miranda Lawson, which, as I conclude from Jacobs story, you've met at a party in commanders place at the Citadel.
- You're wrong - he denied - I met her before, when she came on Tuchanka with Shepard and Grunt, to help this little pyjack with the Rite of Passage.
- Doesn't matter. My point is, that Jacob told me this and that. Once, he and Lawson were close, and he was the head of security at the complex, which rescued the commander. I learned from him a bit about the Lazarus Project, which was led by Miranda. I know how Shepard has been improved. I also know that the actions of doctors, even the greatest, will not and well.
- Tell me briefly, what you mean - Wrex said impatiently.
- We need to find Lawson ... She fixed commander and she's the only one who's got the knowledge you need to save him. The changes, things that have been used in order to save him after the disaster of the first Normandy, were too serious. Few slices or a blood transfusion wouldn't help... He's no longer an ordinary man so he needs special treatment and only Miranda could provide that.

Wrex stopped his eyes on the hole, which the've used to get into the room. Lawson? After all, she's somewhere in the area, at least she was, a few days ago, before the offensive.
- I guess you know, where to look. Otherwise, you probably wouldn't bother me, huh?
- I saw her the day before yesterday ... She is suppose to act behind enemy lines, find some kind of factory ships, and liberating the prisoners. For this purpose, she has been moved to France, to the vicinity of Marseilles. Shortly after the outbreak of the Citadel, our command has lost connectivity with multiple locations. Lawson group is in one of them.

Wrex thought about what Brynn told him. Factory ships ... Macabre thing. A few days before a team of scouts came to his quarters and reported the location of one of them. Engines've failed and it was grounded. One of the Krogan teams, with Wrex in the lead, was on the spot after a few hours. They came too late. When they have opened the place, a dozens of Reapers creatures ran straight into them. The fight did not last long. All in all, it was hard to call it a struggle. Experienced, veteran team of Krogan had no problems with killing the zombies. This ship processed only humans, and zombies are the weakest type of enemy, with whom they had to fight.
- Hmmm, I would say, that Lawson is probably already dead, but ... Shepard said that she's a hard chick. Okay, I'll give orders. We go tomorrow, at dawn. Get ready.
Brynn stared at the ground, not saying a word. Wrex realized in the blink of an eye. During the party few weeks earlier, Jacob said, that his baby is on the way, and yet he was with Brynn. Krogan realized his indiscretion. The doctor wanted to open her mouth and say something, but Wrex started first.
- I'm sorry. Take care of yourself and... - He looked at her belly - of little Shepard.
He knew - Brynn thought, smiling slightly. She planned to give that name to her child.
Of course, if it will be a boy.

III

The next day at dawn, Wrex dressed up in his red armor. He stepped in front of headquarters, sat down on a piece of destroyed wall and began to clean the gun. He already did that yesterday, after talking to the doctor, but did not perform this operation to remove dust. It shines like Liara's teeth - he thought. He wanted to occupy his head with something. Brynn is pregnant, and will have a baby. He's gonna have one as well. Bakara, the first krogan who became pregnant after recovering geno****e, was carrying his child. Krogan has got the future before them again.
Sterilization of the entire race. What a terrible genocide. During the Krogan Rebellion, soon to be defeated salarians and turians has developed and spread the genophage, which caused 99 out of 100 pregnancies ended in miscarriage. It took many hundreds of years, depriving the race meaning of existence. A few months ago, the curse was over.

Tuchanka. Wrex, Bakara, Garrus. Mordin. Shepard ... And Kalros, the mother of all thresher maws, in dance with the great Reaper. Oh, what a ride - thought Wrex, moving a damp cloth on the surface of his shotgun. Within a hundred yards, a dozen Krogans were preparing. They stood up straight at dawn, disciplined and getting ready to go. Wrex organized the transfer of two platoons of troops to Marseilles. He used Shepard's fighting technique for his actions. Small teams, quick, decisive blow. Fast action and withdrawal. This tactic has proven itself many times during the war with the Reapers, and even more often during his cooperation with the commander. Kodiaks were waiting, and the soldiers loaded the equipment suitable for the mission.

He began to talk to himself:
- Ah, Wrex ... You could use some of the old crew ... Garrus to ram enemies from a distance, Tali to use sabotage on their weapons or distracting them with a probe. A strong biotic would be usefull as well. Or Grunt, but I've sent him elsewhere. I wonder how he's doing...

He stood up. The soldiers completed the bustle and waited for the final order. They're supposed to be thrown on the ground, that has been out of contact for a few days. According to scouts reports, southern France was occupied by the enemy. Reapers as such were already eliminated, but their servants were still alive and resisted. Zombie, cannbals, banshees, brutes ... Those last ones were Krogans, mutated and mixed with other species. Shuttle's been loaded with only two incomplete platoons, about two dozen of Krogans. Not many, because the army did not manage to regroup, but Wrex knew, that it should be enough for that kind of mission, and if there is a slightest chance to help Shepard, then he need to take it. Find Lawson, answers, and pay off the debt of his race to the commander. To be able to talk to him and thank again? It's priceless. They were friends, after all.
Wrex boarded the shuttle as the last one, making sure that everything is as it should be. As he walked toward the Kodiak, he heard a sensual female voice behind him. Calm, but firm.

- Hold on, Chief.
He turned and saw an elegant Asari in light, red armor with a deep neckline.
- Don't you need some assistance?
- Samara! Ha! What are you doing here, you though blue girl! - He shouted, totally surprised by her presence, reaching out and grabbing a slender hand of Samara, before she had time to undo it. Executor was not used to such greetings. She stayed cool, but didn't push Wrex away. She smiled gently.
- I'm here accidentally. I meditated on the banks of the River Thames since the time of the battle. The sound of the water calms me down. But some drunken man were constantly shouting. It was hard to ignore them, so I decided to ask for silence. Two soldiers were sitting with a young Latino in shiny jacket. They drank vodka and screamed a lot. Especially the Latino. He talked about some news, Krogan Chief and commander. I listened for few secons until I understood he talked about you. At first, he did not want to say anything, but I pressed him with biotic. His colleagues fled, with vodka, of course. Latino sang everything I asked him for. And here I am. I want to help you. I want to help Shepard. What would you say?

Wrex kept silence for a moment, then pulled out his shotgun from behind his back and gave it to Samara, saying:
- Twenty-two krogan and an Asari Executor. If the Earth has got some equivalent of Kalros, it could be fun.
- I think there is no such vermin here, Wrex.
- Well, anyway, it's not going to be boring. - He smiled broadly.
- Tell me where we're going and for what purpose.
- Put your blue ass on Kodiak and listen ...

It was morning. The sun gently floated above the horizon. The sky was bright red. The storm was coming. Wrex didn't know, whether it was a symbol of the past, or the announcement of the future.