Chapter Two

Shepard tried to suppress a yawn as they waited for the elevator. It had started down in E-Section, which meant at least a two minute wait, assuming it didn't stop anywhere else along the way. Obion, or "Iceberg" as the base was oh so affectionately called by its inhabitants, was a mammoth underground structure. The unusual radiation on the planet, of which Shepard was unfortunately all too familiar, made it nearly impossible for the Reapers to detect them, and the Alliance had therefore made a sizable investment in the planet. Aside from housing and training special forces, the base was also home to numerous research labs searching for new ways to combat the Reapers, and not the least of their interest was the knowledge in Shepard's mind, which they'd had only minimal success in unlocking the secrets of.

Standing next to her, Wrex was humming a tune she wasn't familiar with.

"What is that?"

He frowned. "Some stupid song they always played in the elevators at the Citadel. Now every time I even see an elevator I can't get the damn thing out of my head."

"I wish I could've seen the Citadel. Besides vids and pictures of course."

"You will. Once you figure all this out we'll have to head there and give Arterius the brutal ass-kicking he's earned." Wrex flashed a vicious grin. "It will be my sincere pleasure to rip his spine out through his mouth."

She sighed. "Yeah, once I 'figure all this out.' No pressure there, Wrex. Just the fate of the galaxy and all."

"Got faith in you, Shepard."

"You too, Wrex."

Finally came the long-awaited ding as the elevator arrived and the doors slid open. Shepard headed in, running directly into a quarian who was coming out with an armful of datapads that went crashing to the floor.

"Oh bosh'tet," the quarian muttered absently, too tired to really care.

Shepard cringed, this was not how she wanted to start the morning. There were only six quarians on the base, and she knew Lia'vael instantly. Her white and black enviro-suit with its silver-grey visor made her stand out. The other quarians wore them as well, but Lia'vael took exceptional pride in her suit, and it thus featured a highly artistic level of intricacy that impressed Shepard, who herself, based on her own opinion, had the artistic talent of a one-handed vorcha. Wrex was always quick to remind her that killing was an art all its own, and she was a master.

"I'm so sorry, Lia'vael," Shepard said, tossing her helmet towards Wrex as she knelt down with the quarian to help her gather up the datapads.

"Don't worry about it, Shepard," she said. "You've had a rough month I hear. I'll forgive you this time."

"Thanks. Ummm, so how are things down in E?"

"Good, good. I'm helping work on an experimental new drive core. If we can get all the kinks worked out, she'll make a ship quiet as starlight."

"That's… that sounds awesome, Lia'vael!" Shepard immediately bit her tongue. Why did she just gush like a sixteen year old getting her first hovercar?

"Yeah, it is very exciting. I didn't know you were interested in engines, Shepard. You should come down to E section sometime. I'll show you what we're working on."

"Sure, engines are the best. All the thrust, energy output, all that stuff is just… the best." Dear God it was getting worse! "So, Wrex and I are off on a mission. Keep an eye on the place will you?"

"Of course," she said and took the last datapad from Shepard. "Let me know when you get back, maybe we'll have the new engine up and running."

"Let's go, Wrex," Shepard said quickly and moved on into the elevator.

"Good luck you two," Lia'vael called out as she vanished down the hall, dropping another datapad on the way. "Bosh'tets, every one of you," she groaned at the datapads.

Wrex stepped inside the elevator and offered Shepard her helmet back.

"Shut up," she said as she grabbed it from him and slid it on.

Stepping out of the elevator and onto the surface of C-12 or Osira as it used to be called, Shepard was quickly reminded why they lived in an underground bunker, and it suddenly felt less tomb-like. C-12 was a desolate ice world, glaciers stretching into the distance only to vanish behind the massive blizzards that relentlessly bombarded the planet.

"I forgot how cold it was up here," Wrex muttered.

"Thought it was a hellhole," she replied.

Wrex merely grunted, which came out slightly robotic through the speaker on his helmet.

"Cold's already affecting our gear. That damn shuttle needs to hurry up." She tapped on her omnitool and bumped her armor's internal temperature a few degrees.

After five minutes, boredom getting the better of her, Shepard left the relative shelter of the small bunker and walked out into the snow. It was still early in the morning and the sky was filled with stars, though the constant presence of ice and snow meant it never got completely dark. There were storms raging all around in the distance, but their area was clear except for a few stray puffy clouds. Shepard knelt down and grabbed a handful of snow. It was fresh; a heavy storm had come through just the day before. Carefully she molded it into a sphere, stood, turned and pelted Wrex right between the eyes.

"That's got to hurt," she quipped.

He tapped the side of his helmet with his finger and shrugged.

"I meant your pride," she explained.

"Wait till we get to J-36," he said and clapped his hands together. "1000 creds says I kill more husks than you. Then we'll talk about pride."

"I'll take that action, but if I win I don't want creds," Shepard said.

Wrex crossed his arms. He didn't like the direction this was going. "What then?"

Shepard grinned; the suspicion in his voice was evident. "You know Lia'vael?"

"That squishy little quarian doing engine research down in E-Section? The one you were just talking to? Yeah, Shepard, I think I know her."

She nodded.

Wrex huffed and waved her off. "Not happening, Shepard. If you win, unlikely, you take your 1,000 credits."

"I'm not saying you have to make a big deal about it, Wrex," she said, trying not to sound desperate, that would only make Wrex happier. "But if you could just chat with her…"

"Nope. A krogan matchmaker I'm not."

"Wrex, don't be difficult. Didn't you say you always had my back?" She teased.

"Not fair. Besides, you're the great Shepard."

"You know how flustered I get with things like this." She was glad Wrex couldn't see the blush rising in her cheeks. "I mean you saw…"

He laughed. "Heh, yeah it was damn funny."

"Wrex…," she said, a slight pout in her voice.

He threw up his arms in surrender. "I tell you what. You kill twice as many husks as me, and I'll think about it."

Shepard sighed. "Fine. I thought you were actually going to make me do something challenging."

"Well, if it's a bet, we gotta make it official," he said as he approached her.

She straightened up as if to salute. "Indeed!" She slammed her forehead into his, their helmets clanging together.

"Damn, you're getting better at that," Wrex said with a shake of his head.

They both looked up as the roar of the shuttle's engines caught their attention.

Wrex rubbed his hands together eagerly. "Now, if we can get to some real fun. Let's go nab us an asari and a beacon."