It's nearly three weeks later before I see her again. She strides through the door with more confidence than Aria, arms once again laden with food. Thane is at her side, but in Garrus' place a krogan towers over her head. I size him up as I step towards Shepard.

"My krantt returns! But what is all this for?" I peek inside a bag as she and Thane make their way to a table. It's soon spread with numerous foods, none of which were delicate asari dishes. My heart squeezes to think of how much Shepard has seen in her one visit. She knows as well as I do that I am malnourished, and that asari food doesn't have what I need to be healthy again.

As with last time, Thane has his own foods, and I find myself approving of his reserve. It is a strong warrior that doesn't need to show out in front of others.

Shepard looks over her shoulder and grins. "We celebrate!"

She seems to be waiting, so I bite the bait. "What are we celebrating, pup?"

Those glittering eyes fill with mischief as she leans in to whisper in my ear, "The leader of Clan Urdnot has given permission for you to return to Tuchanka, sand-born."

I freeze as her words sink in, and my eyes are wide as they meet hers. She nods slightly, and a grin of my own spreads across my face. I throw my head back and laugh in raucous, unabashed joy.

We gather at the table and tuck into food and drink, and she introduces me to Grunt, and they spend the better part of two hours regaling me with the tale of his Rite of Passage, interspersed with detailed memories shared by Thane. He laughs as he admits the celebrations lasted a week. And she has head-butted krogan before.

We continue well into the night, and dawn is breaching the sky when Shepard puts a hand to her ear, listening to someone on her implant.

"Alright people," her voice is low as she stands, "this is our opening. Patriarch, are you ready?"

I rumble my approval, but I tell her, "I am not as fast as I was a millennia ago, pup. I will need your assistance."

She nods. "It's why I brought Grunt. It won't be exactly dignified, but if it goes south he can carry you. Thane will scout ahead before circling back to cover our backs. Until then, we're going to take it nice and easy. You and your new friends are going out for a quiet walk after a night of drinking. You got it?"

I nod my understanding and we stand. She offers her arm and I snort at the absurdity of her escorting me safely across the floor. Though her inner strength is undeniable. Any time the ryncol hit me and I swayed, she braced her feet and supported my bulk until the feeling passed.

In this manner we slipped from Afterlife and down the docks. Omega never truly slept, but streets were mostly deserted this early. I half expected Aria to come pounding after us, but thankfully the walk to Shepard's ship was uneventful.

I marvel at the elegance of the Normandy. I had watched the salarians as they first landed on Tuchanka and I had watched as the first krogan left for the stars. To think back to those early ships and compare them to this one was almost a shame. For a moment, I realize how small I am in this universe. Probably the last soul in existence that could make the comparison.

I sigh sadly, and Shepard squeezes my hand. When I tilt my head to peer down at her, she is looking up at me sadly. She probably thinks I'm sad to leave Omega - after all, I had made friends over the centuries - but for this moment I imagine that she knows what I'm thinking and understands my grief.

She leads me into the airlock.

In my bunk that night, graciously shared by Samara, I open the small bundle I managed to sneak off Omega. I reach for the little box and lift the lid. I finger the fabric inside reverently before tugging off the threadbare shawl in asari purples and wrapping the gift of rebellion around my hump.

The difference is immediate. The cloth is thick and warm, and smells faintly of sun bleached sand. It makes me smile.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Shepard's ship and crew are impressive. Individual though they are, I watch with fascination as they set aside their differences to become a single being in combat, like pieces of a weapon; hilt, blade, pommel, they are useless apart but together they form a dangerous thing.

As deeply rooted in racism as Cerberus is, I am pleasantly surprised to find most of the crew agreeable and well behaved, even in the face of opposing views. From my quiet gatherings, I have learned that this manner of cohabitation is Shepard's influence entirely. It's a hard point to argue, watching Garrus tickle Shepard until she squealed in mirth and tears rolled down her face; her amusing nights walking little Tali to her bunk after a night of drinks; the serene companionship between her and Thane as they silently broke down and cleaned their rifles, thighs pressed together.

And if a crewman was stubborn and refused to see wisdom...well, they held their tongues anyway. For as kind as Shepard is, she holds an iron fist. Aggression is dealt with harshly, and petty arguments ended swiftly with the logic and eloquence of a skilled diplomat. Truly stubborn men and women earned a headbutt strong enough to put them in the floor.

So imagine my unease when the dark skinned human male refuses to release his ill intents towards Thane. And not even because he is drell, but because he is an assassin. I admit, I prefer a more direct approach to combat, but I am krogan. The quarrel of money makes no sense to me. The man uses his skills to survive, to provide. Where is the righteousness in a quarrel of such when even Jacob has done the same? When his precious Commander has done the same, admitted it?

I am in the mess hall when the simmering tension boils over. Thane had entered to make himself a mug of tea and sat across from me at my request. We speak quietly. I like his low tone. Sometimes the human voices raised their pitch, and it stung my ears, but never Thane.

We are having an especially intriguing conversation about krogan religion; apparently the shaman of Clan Urdnot had piqued his curiosity, and I am happy to answer his eager questions and debates with my own. Absently I think about Shepard and try to guess what she would get out of the conversation. Her mind always brought a new topic, or a different perspective to one we might have been stuck on.

It's a surprise to me when something bumps into Thane with enough force to knock the mug from his hands. Tea spills across the table, and before I even know what's about, Thane emits a dark snarl, snatching the offender faster than I can see. For him to have acted so quickly, I know it has to be Jacob.

Thane's hands are a blur as he jabs ribs, grabs and twists a wrist, and slams his opponent's face down on the table before me, the free hand gripping the back of Jacob's neck. I watch with disinterest as shock crosses Jacob's face. He should not be so surprised.

With one hand twisting Jacob's arm roughly behind his back and the other holding his neck a hairs width from enough pressure to snap it, Thane has the fool thoroughly trussed.

The mess hall falls silent, save for an ominous set of footsteps making their way across the floor. The slow and deliberate steps send a shiver down my spine, and the dark tone of voice freezes my blood. It has been a long time since I was afraid of a person.

"What exactly is going on here?"

Thane releases Jacob, bares his wrists. "My apologies siha. I lost my temper."

Shepard tilts her head to one side, and Thane bows his head and steps away.

"The hell do you think you're doing Jacob?"

"With all due respect Commander, he grabbed me."

"Your respect can kiss my ass Jacob. Did you really think you could keep pulling his tail and he'd never bare his fangs? Or did you honestly think you could get away with your bullshit just because you're human? I've been watching you, and I know exactly what goes on when you think I'm not looking."

"I haven't done anything."

"Oh, really? That's funny, because in the whole time Thane has been a member of this crew I've never known him to spill a single drop of tea. Cut the shit. What's your problem?"

Jacob grits his teeth before muttering, "No problem, Commander."

Shepard is quiet for several long moments, and no one moves. I don't even think nearly half the crew is even breathing.

"Very well, since this can't be resolved in a civilised fashion, well be doing this the hard way. Both of you meet me in the cargo hold in five minutes. Garrus, on me."

Garrus is out of his seat and at her side in an instant, and the room watches until the elevator doors shut. Jacob slinks out of sight and I watch as the tension drains from Thane's body.

I don't let the silence hold. "Here, I'll help you clean the tea up. Wouldn't do to be late with a battlemaster in a mood like that."

I wave off his apology and we wipe the table down quickly. The mess is a flurry of activity, with people cramming their way into the elevator. I shake my head. The nosiness of other species is something I will never understand, though in this instance, I can appreciate the curiosity. I ride down with Thane, and I have an inkling of what is about to happen.

Sure enough, when the doors slide open, I can see Shepard and Garrus dragging mats from a rarely used closet and laying them out on the floor. People are gathering in a loose circle around the area.

I watch Shepard's eyes scan the faces around her.

"Get up here both of you."

Thane leaves my side to weave through the crowd and I see a sullen Jacob step up on the other side.

"Alright, since the problem can't be resolved kindly, you two are going to duke it right out of your system. Rules are simple; no deaths or major injuries, hands only. You go until one person is unconscious. EDI is going to act as referee, and Garrus is going to be acting on her behalf. All that means is he's going to break it up if it's clear there is an injury. Any questions?"

"This is ridiculous, Commander, I don't have to fight like this." Jacob whines.

"Well, this is my last peaceful option. If you refuse to do this, then I have no choice but to put you off at the next planet we come across. And it will have to be you, since you're the instigator."

Jacob frowns. "We've been mining resources for days, we're so far out in the system none of these planet's are even colonized."

Shepard smiles as sweetly as the shine on a double edged blade, showing all her teeth in that one motion. Her message can be no clearer. Jacob huffs and steps into the makeshift ring; he settles into a fighting stance. Thane does the same.

Thane dominates the floor, clearly taking advantage of the rules of engagement to exact brutally precise revenge for all of Jacob's shoving, tripping, and attempts to sabotage Thane's guns by swapping gun oil for glue. Grunt had picked it up instead, and had been inconsolable for nearly a week when he found the shotgun Shepard had given him ruined. Upon her return from her ground mission, Shepard had been less than pleased at her pup's state.

I hear a rib crack, but it was apparently too soft for humans to hear. Garrus did step up and shove between the two fighters, however. Either he also heard the bone snap, or EDI informed him of the injury.

With Jacob being carted off to the med bay, the people milling about broke out into chatter. Until Joker came over the comm.

"Hey Commander, why don't you go a round with Thane?"

Shepard straightens and cocks her head to one side. "Are you...implying something, Joker?"

"Not like that," Joker backtracks to a background of giggles, "I just thought it'd be a shame to cram those mats back into the closet. Besides, I haven't seen you spar with anyone since you beat the hell outta Wrex that day."

Shepard snorts at the memory. "I didn't start that; you know ryncol was involved."

Before Joker could reply, I speak up, "Give us an ammanasse, pup. He is your krantenal, is he not?"

It was a tease that did not disappoint. Shepard choked and whirled around to me, eyes wide. Thane steps up and her face flames, making me chuckle deep in my chest.

"What does 'krantenal' mean? My translator didn't pick it up."

Shepard gives him a cheeky smile. "Maybe I'll tell you one day. What do you say, Thane? Got one more in you?"

More giggles, but Thane smiles.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Since their are literally like five words in krogan on the wiki, I am making most of these words and culture bits up.