Urdnot Wrex, Chora's Den

"...Fist told us to take you down if you showed up again, Wrex," the Krogan bouncer snarled, poking a finger at Wrex.

Wrex looked at the finger, then back at it's owner. The bouncer was young. Maybe no more than fifty. He was wearing that soft armor that some Krogan wore when they had more mainstream jobs. It had little carbon-ceramic plates in it, bust was mostly a ballistic weave. It was mostly worn by bouncers and the like. To look threatening enough to give drunk troublemakers pause, but not so much people wouldn't want to come to the club, or bar.

He was also a head shorter than Wrex, and probably two hundred pounds lighter. And Wrex was in heavy armor. And had a bit of a reputation. All in all, Wrex was rather impressed that the finger only shook a little bit.

"Well," he growled, taking one step closer to the young bouncer. So close that if the Krogan didn't pull his finger back quickly, it would have touched Wrex on the chest plate. "I'm standing right here. What are you waiting for?"

Locking eyes with the bouncer, Wrex took another step forward. Now he was looming over the smaller Krogan, close enough to smell the fear in him. "This is Fist's only chance." This time it was Wrex's turn to poke the bouncer in the chest, his single finger forcing the other Krogan back a step of his own. "If he's smart, he'll take it."

To the bouncers credit, he stood his ground. "He's not coming out Wrex, end of story," his voice only waived a little.

Grunting, Wrex took a step back, but his eyes narrowed. "The story is just beginning," he spat as he turned around to see three humans walking up. Two males and a female. He thought it was hard to tell with humans at times.

All of the humans wore decent body armor and carried heavy weapons. Though the one he pegged for female wore some horrid white on pink armor. It was bad enough he actually paused a moment to appreciate it's level of horrid.

"Out of the way humans. I have no quarrel with you," Wrex grumbled as he pushed past them. The pink one was female. He could smell the hormones. And they were directed at the male that seemed to be the leader.

He recognized the N7 emblem on the black armor, which appeared to have taken a bit of a beating. Recently too. The emblem was some sort of elite human unit, or some such. Wrex figured it was like a Battlemaster. Having faced a couple and coming away with scars to show for it, he gave this one a small nod of respect as he lumbered away.


John, Chora's Den

Approaching the club, John could see a small standoff between what looked like a Krogan bouncer, and a much larger Krogan in heavy red armor. The bouncer was big enough, Krogan just were, but the other made this one look small.

After a moment, the larger one turned around, and John could see some impressive scarring on it's face. Great gouges in it's head plate scoured down the right side, becoming three deep scars across the Krogan's face, all the way to halfway down it's neck.

"Out of the way humans. I have no quarrel with you," it growled as it pushed past. Though it seemed to hesitate for a moment, one red eye scanning over Ashley's armor, a hint of disgust flashed across it's face. John really needed to get her new armor.

But when the eye moved over John, it paused on the N7 emblem. It's eye moved back to John's face, and it nodded, a look of respect flashed across it's face as it stomped past.

"What was that about?" Ashley asked. Scowling at the retreating behemoth.

John just shook his head as he also watched the Krogan leave. "No idea." he paused a long moment considering. "Am I alone, or have either of you ever wondered about their little tails?"

Both marines looked at him, horror on their faces as their eyes darted between their commander and the bouncer at the door.

After a moment the bouncer began to laugh deeply, his hand slapping his thigh. "Ha! You're all right human, go on in," it said, chuckling. "But I gotta tell you, start any shit with those pea shooters, and we gotta feed them to you, got it?"

John turned back to the bouncer with a nod. "No problem. We are just here to talk to a guy." He started to lead the two into the club when he paused to look back to the bouncer. "Actually, maybe you could save us some time. We are looking for Harkin. He here?"

At the name the Krogan sneered in disgust. "Yeah, the little maggot is here. He is running dangerously close to losing a hand if he can't keep them to himself. May want to warn him."

John shook his head, with a smirk. "Nah, I have questions he will answer for me. Not here to pull his head out of his ass."

"Fair enough, human," the bouncer waved them in again.


Ashley, Chora's Den

"What the fuck was that?!" Ashley nearly yelled as they walked back out of Chora's Den. " 'Hey, baby, come sit on my lap and maybe I will remember something' " she quoted, disgust written clearly on her face. "I mean, seriously?!"

Ashley paused a moment on the way and turned to the Krogan bouncer. "You know what? Fuck Harking. Cut his hand off! No! Better, break each bone in his fucking hand!"

Kaidan laughed, putting a hand on her shoulder and guiding her away. "Jesus, Ash, calm down before you bust a blood vessel," he attempted to mollify her.

She spun on him, glaring. "Oh no, fuck you, Alenko. And I mean that with utmost respect, " she snarled. "Sir."

John shook his head at the pair. "Come on," he said. "Let's get back to C-Sec. Maybe we can catch Garrus there before he goes to that Dr. Michelle's clinic.

Ashley grunted, still angry. "Whatever you say, Skipper."

John, C-Sec Headquarters

Going down the steps in C-Sec, John could hear what sounded like an argument. "Come on Wrex. We have a bunch of witnesses saying you were making threats in Fist's bar. Stay away from him!"

As John stepped into the main lobby he saw a small group of C-Sec officers, mostly Turian, but one human, who seemed to be trying to talk down the giant Krogan they had seen earlier at Chora's Den.

"I don't take orders from you, tiny," Wrex laughed down at the man.

"Seriously Wrex, this is your only warning," the officer said, taking a step back as Wrex cut him off.

"You should be warning Fist," the Krogan snapped. John chuckled as he saw the entire group of officers take a step back, their hands tightening on their undrawn weapons. "I will kill him."

Hearing the laugh Wrex turned his head to appraise John, and nodded in recognition.

The human officer swallowed hard, and screwed up his courage now that Wrex wasn't looking at him. "Do...do you want me to arrest you?"

Turning back, Wrex grinned. "I want you to try."

After a moment of silence as Wrex stared down the entire squad, he turned and walked over to John's group. "Go on! Get out of here!" the officer yelled at his back, trying to save face.

John shook his head at the man, thought he had to hand it to him. It took a lot of guts to even try to stand up to a Krogan of Wrex's size.

Turning to the Krogan in question John smiled. "You seem popular."

Wrex chuffed in amusement. "I seem to be. What do you want human. I doubt you are following me for a hug."

"Ha, no," John laughed. "I'm John Shapard. I came here to try to catch a C-Sec officer that might have some information I need." John eyed Wrex a little warily. "Though Barla Von did mention you as well. Von said you might have some information as well. I am looking to bring down Saren and he pointed me at you."

"Barla Von is a wise being. And now we share a common goal."

John frowned. "Enlighten me."

Wrex leaned against the wall and crossed his arms. "I've been hired to kill the owner of Chora's Den. A human male named Winslow Fist. He did something very stupid."

"Yeah, what was that?"

"He betrayed the Shadow Broker. See, a Quarian showed up here on the Citadel. She seemed to be running from something. She went to Fist, asking for protection. Said she would trade proof that Saren had allied with the Geth," Wrex explained. "Fist said he would set up a deal with the Shadow Broker, but contacted Saren's people. Seems they paid him a small fortune to bring them the girl. Or at least the information."

Running a hand through his hair, John sighed. "Why is it always so complicated."

Wrex shook his big head with a chuckle. "If it wasn't, the galaxy wouldn't need killers like you and me."

John laughed with the Krogan. "Well, I can't argue that point," John conceded, wiping his hands together. "Well, then It certainly does look like we have a mutual goal here."

"Tell you what human. We work together, I'll help you get into Chora's Den to get your information, and you help me get to Fist so I can kill him."

The human C-Sec officer turned around and yelled over to the group. "We are still right here Wrex!"

"I don't care," Wrex dismissed the man, not looking away from John.

Laughing again, John nodded. "Well, looks like we have a deal. But I have another one," John paused and Wrex looked interested. "I had been told that there is a Turian officer that is looking for a way to bust Saren as well."

Wrex shrugged. "So?"

"Well," John smirked. "He also is supposed to have gotten pass codes to Fist's security."

"I think we might have a new, good friend," Wrex chuckled. "Why don't we got have a chat with him."

"I heard he was going to see a Dr. Michelle at her clinic in the Wards. I had hoped to catch him here but it looks like we missed him."

Wrex cocked his head to a side slightly as he thought. "I think I overheard something about a Garrus going to talk to a doctor down in the Wards. Seems she patched up a Quarian a couple days ago."

"Well, sounds like a guy we double want to meet." John gestured to the door politely. "Shall we go, good sir?"

"Mmm," Wrex nodded playing along. "Yes. Let's."


Garrus Vakaian, Upper Wards, Clinic

"Just let her go human. Don't be stupid," Garrus mentally swore at himself. This was not how this was supposed to go. He was just coming here, getting a little info, and heading back out. He really wasn't planning to take on Fist's thugs.

"You shut up, lizard man!" the human spat. Garrus could hear the fear in the man's voice. "You drop your gun and I walk out of here with the doctor, or else!"

"Seriously? Why do you morons always say that?" Garrus mocked. "Where is it you expect to go to? You do know you are on a space station, right?"

"Turians are avian divergence. Krogan are the reptilian ones," Garrus heard a human voice from behind the thug.

"Hey, I don't even know what reptilian is!" came the indignant rumble that could only come from a Krogan.

"What?" the human thug turned his head to look toward the door behind himself.

That was the moment Garrus had been waiting for. He fired one shot from his heavy pistol catching the human in the side of the head, right in the...what was the human word for those weird flaps… Ears? Something like that.

The thug dropped like a stone, as Dr. Michelle cried out shortly and danced away from the dropping criminal.

"Okay, that was a good shot," A human said walking in clapping quietly.

Garrus kept his hand tight on his pistol. He didn't know if this human was with the thug yet or not. Though, honestly, he suspected not. This one was far over dressed for one of the petty morons Fist usually hired.

"Huh. Well. I suppose Turians have to be good at something," the largest Krogan Garrus had ever seen, said, walking in behind the human.

Garrus' eyes widened as he saw the Krogan dragging another one of Fist's thugs in, the poor man's head covered in one of the Krogan hands. Who ever these two are, they clearly don't work for Fist, he thought lowering his gun and placing it back on his hip.

"I do try," Garrus said. Moving over to the stunned doctor. "Dr. Michelle, are you alright?"

"Yes, yes, I am alright," the doctor assured him. He found the doctor's accent to be rather interesting. More melodic, smoother, than most humans. He was pretty sure one of the other officers mention it was because of the place she was born, some colony called 'France'.

Nodding to the woman he patted her arm, in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. It was hard to tell with humans. The didn't have mandibles, how was he suppose to tell one mood from another?

"Are you Garrus?" the human asked.

Garrus turned to the man. Black armor, military grade, seen some use. Weapons, also military, probably Alliance. His, fringe… hair, whatever it was called was cut short and a strange yellow color. Eyes, blue. Like deep ocean. Some fire in them though. Darkness too. This human has seen some nasty things. N7 emblem on his armor. That explained it.

The Krogan he recognized. Urdnot Wrex. Krogan bounty hunter. Rumormill had it he was once a Battlemaster. It was the size and facial scars that gave him away though. His armor was heavy, and he had a small cannon of a shotgun clamped to his lower back over his tail. That stubby little tail. So weird….

Looking between the two, he nodded. "Yeah, I'm Garrus."

The human looked pleased. "Perfect. I'm John Shepard, Alliance military, Commander. Wrex, here, and I would like your help with a Fist problem."

"Huh, I know you Shepard, I was in the Council Chamber when you went to talk to them about Saren," Garrus worked his mandibles as he thought. "I was doing an investigation into Saren myself. I know he's dirty, I just couldn't prove it in time. I heard about the Quarian, so I came here to talk to the doctor about it."

The human, Shepard, nodded. "I had heard. I also know that Fist is working with Saren, and planning on killing the girl for her information."

Garrus felt his mandibles pull tight against his face. "Spirits, that's the last thing we need."

Shepard nodded again. "Wrex and I hear you might have a way to get to him."

"I do," Garrus confirmed. "I pulled his security codes off one of his boys a couple days ago. Have not been able to do anything with them though. He still has a lot of thugs with guns. Even without these two." He gestured and the dead men.

"Ha ha," Wrex laughed. "More like five." The Krogan dropped the body as he jerked a thumb behind him, out the door.

"Well," Garrus said wryly. "Five down, only like, twenty to go."

"I have a couple of my people keeping an eye on the place," Shepard said. "Apparently they locked it down. So, if nothing else, it will be exciting."

"Ha ha!" Wrex laughed.


John, Chora's Den, Fist's Office

"...When she gets there, it will be Saren's men waiting for her," Fist whimpered.

John reached down and pulled him up by the front of his tailored jacket. "Give me the location. Now!"

Fist cowered in John's grip. "Okay, okay! It's here, in the Lower Wards, out in an alley behind the market!"

Dropping the man, John wiped his hand off on the side of his leg armor. It was probably his imagination, but it felt slimy.

Wrex stepped forward and looked a John. "We done with him?"

"Hmm, oh yeah," John stepped back and gestured at the criminal. "All yours."

"Ah, good," Wrex said. The Krogan pointed his shotgun at Fist's face and fired point blank. The head disappeared into a fine mist all over the back wall of his office.

"Okay," John said, wrinkling his nose. "For some reason, I didn't expect it to be quite so messy."

Garrus clapped him on the shoulder. "Really Shepard? A Krogan tells you he it going to kill somebody, and you didn't expect it to be messy?"

"Ha ha!" Wrex laughed.

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya, Lower Wards, Alley

Her hands were winging at her waist. They did that when she was stressed. She was trying to lean against a wall of the alley. Trying to look like she belonged, was a tough woman. Not the scared young girl she was. What the hell had she been thinking, coming to the Citadel? All she had managed to do is get shot.

Tali's hand lightly brushed over the patch in her suit, the wound still tender. At least the fever broke last night, she thought. Probably would be a bad first impression to meet the Shadow Broker with a nose full of gunk.

With that thought she frowned. Where was the Shadow Broker. He should be here by….

She heard footsteps coming down the alley and stepped forward, seeing a turian. He was wearing the stiff clothes most Turians wore if they weren't armored.

The Turian approached her, looking her over slowly. She shivered involuntarily. His look felt...off. This was a cruel man.

"Did you bring it?" he asked, his voice a purr. As he spoke, he ran a hand down her upper arm, his eyes going to her waist.

It was a setup. She knew it! "Where's the Shadow Broker?" she asked, slapping away his hand. "Know what? Never mind, deals off!"

She turned to walk away but the taloned hand grabber her wrist. "You aren't going anywhere. Saren gets what he wants!"

Tali fought down the urge to scream, as she saw another Turian and a pair of Salarians step into the alley, weapons drawn. She struggled knowing it would probably arouse the criminal even more. Besides, even if she did scream for help, nobody would waste their time to help some Quarian girl.

"Hey! Leave her alone!" She heard a male voice yell from the opposite entrance to the alley.

When the Turian froze and looked up in shock, Tali made a move. Pulling a stun grenade she had cobbled together from some scrap parts, she threw it at the Turian's feet.

When it flared up with a flash and a small plume of smoke, Tali tumbled to the ground as the Turian pushed her away.

Her victory was short lived as she saw the Turian level a pistol at her visor. "Die, suit rat!'

Tali cried out as she scrambled backwards until she hit the wall behind her. There was an air vent on either side of her. Now she had no place else to go. She couldn't even close her eyes as she stared down the guns barrel.

Before the shot came however, the Turian was ripped clean off his feet in a rippling blue corona, and sent hurtling down the alley. Tali tried to scramble to her feet, but as she attempted to stand assault rifle rounds peppered her hiding place, making her shields flare and and quickly collapse as she ducked back into her nook.

Reaching back, Tali yanked her old, worn shotgun from her back, feeling unfold into her hands. It had been a gift from Han'Gerrel. He was her father's best friend, and an Uncle to her. Though, to be honest, he was more of a father than Real'Zorah was…

She shook her head. This was hardly the time to feel sorry for herself, people were trying to kill her! And right now, all she had on her side was an old shotgun and some crazy human, who probably ran off once he realize how over his head the situation was. Of course, you are Quarian, you stupid girl, she cursed herself again

Taking a deep breath, Tali prepared to get to her feet and run. Her shields had recharged, and maybe if she fired a couple shots, they would duck down long enough for her to get away….

Then she saw a back clad in black armor. It was broad. Well, noticeably more broad the a Quarian male's anyway. She noticed the white/red/white strip the ran up the armors right arm up to the shoulder. Her eyes followed it to the male's head. She realized it was human. It must have been the human from earlier.

Her eyes widened when she looked at his face. It was true! Humans did look more like Quarians than any other known race! The face was a bit more square than a Quarians, she noted. Not in a bad way, it kind of gave him a rugged, dependable look. He had hair. She remembered that in the Pilgrimage brief. They were like Quarians in that. This male's hair was cut short, maybe a couple inches on top, but shaved completely off his neck. But it was the brilliant shade of gold, that for some reason made her want to run her finger through it.

When she looked into his eyes, she was captivated. They were a deep blue that reminded her of the pictures she had see of the the Home World's oceans. They were at once kind, but also hard. His eyes made her feel safe, for the first time since she had left the Flotilla. Silly girl! She thought. You haven't even spoken to him!

Then the world snapped back into real time. Weapon rounds hailed down around the two of them as she human slapped a small device on the ground and struck it with the underside of his fist.

A field sprang to life from the device, small hexagons forming a half bubble over the two of them. It absorbed the rounds coming at the pair as the human glanced over his shoulder at her.

"You hurt?" he asked, quickly.

"What," she asked and shook her head. "Fine. I'm fine. I can take care of myself!" Her voice sounded harsh to her own ears. Get it together, Tali! "I, uh, I mean, not that I don't appreciate the help…." Not helping, Tali, she berated herself.

The human chuckled and grinned at her. Tali marveled at how expressive his face was. She could see his emotions flow over it. It was… Well, she thought he was kinda...cute, actually…

"I have no doubt, miss," he said. For some reason she felt he truly meant it. He wasn't belittling her. "Tell you what, when the shield drops, I'll pull the bad guys out of cover and you let them have it. Work?"

Tali adjusted her grip on the shotgun and nodded. "Let's do it!" she said, hoping she sounded more confident than she felt.

"Grenade!" Tali yelled seeing the explosive slide along the floor to rest next to the shield.

The human saw it and yelled, "Shit!" As he grabbed her, pulling her close as a blue biotic barrier erupted around them.

The explosion collapsed the shield and shove the male hard into Tali, but he braced his arms against the wall, over her head, keeping himself from crushing her with his weight.

"You okay?" he yelled down at her. He probably can't hear well right now, she realized. Her helmet's audio pick ups automatically dampened the sound of the grenade going off, but the human wasn't so lucky.

"I'm fine," she yelled back, nodding to him. She froze then as something dripped onto her visor. She looked up at the male and gasped as she saw blood running from his nose. It was red. Just like Quarian blood.

Rounds began to bounce off his barrier causing him to wince with each impact. He is burning himself out to save you, idiot girl!

Before she could stop herself, Tali reached up and wrapped both her arms around the Male's neck and pulled him into her. She pushed herself as far back into the small cover she was in, dragging him nearly on top of her, trying to get him out of the line of fire.

His eyes widened as she pulled, but he seemed too surprised to stop her, as he fell forward.

As she settled back, Tali threw her shotgun over his back, aiming out, in case one of the assassins rushed them.

But, instead, a Krogan rushed past, roaring out a battle cry as rounds bounced off his own barrier.

Then a Turian was there, this one wearing blue armor and firing back at the thugs with a heavy pistol. He stopped and knelt just outside the little spot that Tali had pulled the male human into.

"Really, Shepard?" His dual toned voice dripped sarcasm. "You save the girl then leap on her? Hardly a dashing hero now."

The human sighed in her arms and sat up on his heels, and looked at the Turian. "You know Garrus," he said. "You can shut up." The Turian, Garrus, snickered at him. "No really, Garrus, shut up. Is Wrex done?"

Garrus looked up as the Krogan strode into view, his armor was covered in the blue blood of Turians and the greenish of Salarian. "I am indeed, Shepard," the Krogan, Wrex said, looking down at the pair. "Now, if you two are done mating?"

The human, called Shepard looked down at Tali, their eyes met for a moment before they both looked down farther, realizing the position they were in.

Shepard was between Tali's legs, one of her own, wrapped around one of his. As he had sat back, she had settled against the wall, her hips pressed against his thighs.

"Ah, shit!" he said, scrambling to get up. At he moved, his leg caught on her and he tumbled forward. His face landing between her breasts. They sat there a moment more as he slowly pulled himself upright, Tali saw his face had flushed a red color. So, that's how humans blush… she thought to herself, blushing madly under her helmet as well.

Shepard cleared his throat as he slowly, but carefully, this time, extracted himself from her. As he stood and backed away a couple of steps, he extended a hand to her. "Well, not exactly the daring rescue I had planned," he said calmly as he helped he to his feet. "I was hoping I could ask you to help me. I understand you have information that could bring down Saren. I would like to present it to the Council, so that Saren can be hunted down like a dog."

As she released Shepard's hand, Tali stepped back and wrung her hands together a couple of times as she nodded. "Um..Ye-Yes! I do!" she said quickly, trying to sound calm. But she knew she wasn't convincing. "I would gladly give it to you. As you, um, as you saved my life…."

Tali and Shepard stood a moment looking at each other before Shepard pulled a small cloth from a pouch at his belt and wiped at her visor. "I, uh," he said. "I got a little blood on you there…"

"BWA AHA HA HA HA HA!" Garrus doubled over laughing and slapping at Shepard's back. He had been fighting hard to keep from losing it, he fought so hard he had been quivering. But nobody could survive that last shot.

Shepard's brows furrowed flat over his eyes. As Wrex began to laugh in a booming laugh, that echoed down the alley. Both aliens looked like the might actually die of suffocation.

"I hate you both," Shepard said quietly, sending both of them into fits again.