Note: this chapter starts off with noble six's dream about reach and the rest of noble team.
Reach
August 2552
"Contact with visegrad relay was lost last night, all signals flat lined at 26:00 hours, I responded with trooper fire teams which have since been declared MIA" Colonel Holland said to noble one.
"And now your sending us" Carter replied.
"The Office Of Naval Intelligence believes the deployment of a Spartan team is a gross misallocation of valuable resources, I disagree" said Holland. Before noble six could move any closer Kat stopped him.
"Commander" Kat said.
"So that's our new number six" Jorge remarked.
"Kat you read his file" Emile asked
"Only the parts that weren't covered in black ink" Kat said about Six's highly redacted personal file. Carter continued to speak to colonel Holland
"Anyone claim responsibility sir" Carter asked.
"ONI thinks it might be the local insurrection, five months ago they pulled a similar job on harmony took out our eyes and ears, then stole two freighters from dry dock" Holland responded. "That cannot happen here, Reach is too damn important, I want that relay back online noble one" he gave carter the command.
"Sir, consider it done" Carter acknowledged his orders.
"Then I'll see you on the other side, Holland out" he replied. Carter looked back at noble six.
"Lieutenant" he said.
"Commander, sir" six replied.
"I'm Carter noble teams leader" he said. "That's Kat noble two, Emile and Jorge four and five" he said looking at them. "Your riding with me noble six". Six followed the commander out of the room. "I'm not gonna lie to you Lieutenant, your stepping into some shoes the rest of the squad would rather leave unfilled" Carter said speaking about Thom-B293's death. He continued "me I'm just happy to have noble back up to full strength". "Just one thing, I've seen your file even the parts the ONI censors didn't want me too" he said. "Were glad to have your skill set, but were a team that lone wolf stuff stays behind clear" carter knew about six. Before joining with noble team, six had made entire militia groups disappear single handedly. It gained him his reputation as a hyper lethal assassin.
"Got it sir" six replied
"Welcome to Reach" Jun said as the falcons began to lift off.
Six woke up noticing he was no longer on Reach. Despite only being with noble team for a little bit of time. He had gotten close to them, they were all a team and he was lucky to be a part of them. To him Commander Carter was the best leader anyone could have. The rest of noble team were the best Spartans he had ever fought with. Even though they were gone now he would never forget them.
"Lieutenant do you have a minute" said Liara as she walked through the door to his quarters. She noticed he was still wearing his armor, she began to wonder what he looked like under that helmet. Six stood up and nodded at Liara, he didn't want to get close to her. All these aliens were still a bit new to him. "I think I've found a way to help you understand this place better" she said handing him a data pad. " This data pad has a codex of everything you should know about this universe, it's much easier than having to try to explain everything" she said.
"Thanks" he said as Liara left the room
"Your welcome" she replied.
He sat on the bed and began looking at the data pad in front of him.
He sat there reading it for almost an hour, he learned more about all the species. He also read about the first contact war between the humans and Turians. It was nothing like the Human-Covenant war that resulted in the death of billions of humans at the hands of the Covenant. He also learned a bit more about the council, and more about commander Shepard. He read about the alliance and it seemed as they were the UNSC of the humans in this universe. The Alliance had a smaller and weaker military force than the UNSC that was for sure. The alliance ships also seemed tiny compared to Halcyon Class Cruisers that the UNSC had, and even smaller compared to the Covenant Super Carriers. He learned more about the Reapers and how they harvested organics and made soldiers out of them. He hated the Reapers for attacking Earth and turning humans into those husks.
"Lieutenant meet me in the conference room now" Shepard said as he opened the door. He met Shepard, Wrex, Primarch Victus, and Mordin in the room. They had already found a way to spread the genophage cure to the krogan. " Lieutenant get your gear and meet me at the shuttle". Six grabbed the mattock and made his way to the shuttle. He got to the shuttle and they made their way to the shroud.
"I've ordered the clans to assemble at the hollows" Wrex said. "It's our sacred meeting ground, well land there an take an armored convoy against the Reapers" he said. "This will be a defining moment in krogan history" Wrex said with his head up.
"Krogan history filled with defining moments most bloody, hope this one better" Mordin said.
"Commander you seem troubled" asked Eve the female krogan.
"I got a message from the…" before shepard could finish his sentence the shuttle shook violently.
"Wrex it's Wreav the reapers are already at the hollows, come out with guns blazing" Wreav said through the com. Once they got in to the temple there was krogan fighting husk.
"Everybody pick your targets and keep an eye on our six now move" ordered Shepard. Husks began running towards them, and they began to fire at the husks. Six made every shot count, using a single bullet for each husk. He aimed for their head with deadly accuracy. From the corner of his eye six saw three husks running at him he turned fire three quick shots and downed all three of them. Another husk leaped at six attempted to grab him, six grabbed the husk by the neck in mid air and slammed it to the ground killing it. Six looked around and saw Shepard, Garrus, and James moping up the remaining husks.
"They'll sing battle songs about this one day" Wrex shouted as he walked through the door. "Reaper blood has finally soaked our soil" and all the krogan roared.
"We have to get to the shroud the air strike is on it's way" said shepard.
"The female is safe Shepard, vitals are strong" Mordin said
"What's a salarian doing here, nobody said anything about this" Wreav said.
"Multiple krogan problematic" Mordin said worried. At this point six was ready for anything.
"The salarian is not your enemy, he's here to help cure the genophage" said Shepard.
"His kind gave us the genophage, why should we trust him" said Wreav.
In an instant Wrex head butted Wreav "because I do" he said. "And so will you"
"Enough" Eve shouted at the angry krogan. "You can stay here and let old wounds fester as krogan have always done" she said. "Or you can fight the enemy you were born to destroy, and win a new future for our children".
"I choose to fight, who will join me" she looked at the krogan.
"I will" said Shepard.
"And so will I, now hold your heads high like true krogan, there's a Reaper that needs killing" yelled Wrex. The rest of the krogan yelled. They made their way back into the truck.
"Wreav isn't the only krogan who wants revenge for the genophage Wrex" Eve said concerned about the krogan
"I'll demand the council return some of our old territory, we'll need room to expand" said Wrex, "recapture the glory of the ancients".
"Glory of ancients led to krogan rebellions, countless deaths, creation of genophage expansion plan problematic" said Mordin.
"I'd say helping defeat the Reapers is worth a new planet" Shepard said.
"Or ten, you haven't seen how fast we can pop them out" said Wrex
"Wrex" Eve said embarrassingly
"What? With the genophage cured, we'll have a lot of… catching up to do" said Wrex. Noble six felt really uncomfortable hearing them talk about krogan reproducing.
"Commander earlier in the shuttle was there something you were gonna say" Eve saw a worried look in Shepard's face.
"Dalatrass tried to cut a secret deal with me" Shepard started
"What kind of deal" Wrex asked.
"She said they sabotaged the shroud years ago" Shepard began playing the recording.
"And she thought we wouldn't know better" Wrex said.
"Correctly likely have fooled tests, but familiar with STG work can adjust, did not come this far for nothing" Mordin said.
"You just sparred our race another genocide commander" Eve thanked Shepard
"I told you we could count on him" Wrex said. "Why are we stopping" Wrex said as the convoy stopped.
"Wrex you and Mordin and the lieutenant stay with eve, it's looking ugly out here" Shepard said
"We'll do" responded Wrex.
"Turian wing artimec hold off your attack we've been delayed" said Shepard.
"Negative commander our approach is locked, the Reaper already knows were here" said the pilot as the air strike began.
"An air strike alone won't do it, we have to get in that fight" said Garrus. The air support began firing at the Reaper, but it was too powerful. Six heard an explosion outside as a turian ship crashed nearby.
"Wrex get the female out of here now go" Shepard shouted and they began to move. "Wrex are you okay" Shepard said through the comm.
"Yea just a few scratches nothing the salarian can't patch up" Wrex said.
"Wrex are you guys feeling these tremors" said shepard
"Not up here" said Wrex.
"It could be something else commander, It is said that Kalros the mother of all thresher maws lives in this region" Eve said. Six remembered reading about thresher maws, they were some sort of giant worm he thought.
"Which is another reason to get your ass out of there Shepard step on it" Wrex shouted. After a few minutes they finally met back up with shepard. "Shepard get over here" Yelled Wrex. "Wreav keep an eye out for that maw".
"Make it quick Wrex" said Wreav. The thresher came from under ground and devoured Wreav's truck. Once shepard got in the truck they sped off.
"What about Wreav" asked Eve
"There's no way he survived that, besides he was a pain in the ass anyway" said Wrex. They made their stop to make a new plan. "We're curing the genophage no matter what it takes, everything my people will ever be depends on it" Wrex said
"Then I hope this idea you were talking about is a good one" Shepard said looking at the enormous Reaper. This was the first time six had seen a Reaper in person, it was really big and looked like a squid. These were the things that were destroying the galaxy he thought.
"It was hers actually" Wrex pointed at Eve.
"Kalros we summon her to the Reaper" Eve said.
"Would that even work" asked Shepard.
"Already discussed strategy just need to distract Reaper, draw it from tower while cure synthesized, released" Mordin said.
"We flew through the Omega 4 Relay and survived" said Shepard.
"That's the spirit" said Wrex.
"How do we summon her" Shepard asked.
"There are two maw hammer's there the largest in existence, if you can activate them kalros will come, that should distract the Reaper" said Eve.
"Meanwhile laboratory nearby will finish synthesizing cure" said Mordin.
"Let's make sure we all get out of this alive, were going to have a hell of a story to tell" Shepard said.
"Wait… I want you to know that no matter what happens, you've been a champion to the krogan people, a friend to clan Urdnot, and a brother to me" Wrex expressed himself to Shepard. "To every krogan born this day, the name Shepard will mean hero!" Wrex said as he and Shepard shook hands. "Now lets show them why". They turned to see Rachni approaching them. " Go I've got this" said Wrex. He engaged the Rachni yelling "I am Urdnot Wrex and this is my planet!". Shepard, six, James, and Garrus moved forward towards the Reaper. They met little resistance on the way there. They arrived at bridge right in front of the Reaper. As soon as they attempted to cross it the Reaper fired destroying the bridge. Noble six landed on his feet and the others on their back. Six stood in front of Shepard and helped him up.
"Thanks" said Shepard. "Everyone alright" asked Shepard.
"I just got shot by a Reaper!" James yelled
"Consider that practice" responded Shepard. They were right in the Reapers line of sight.
"This is crazy" yelled Garrus as the Reapers repeatedly fire at them. Six used his enhanced reflexes to easily dodge the Reapers beam. Just as the Reaper was about to open fire again the turian air support returned and began to distract the Reaper. "I knew they wouldn't give up" yelled Garrus.
"Now that's some god damn balls" shouted James. The hammers were finally in sight, but before they could get to the hammers they were engaged by brutes. One brute came directly at six who rolled out of the way. Shepard had already activated one of the hammers and just needed one more. Six continued to dodge the brutes attacks. He threw a grenade at the brute, it was just centimeters from the brutes face when six shot the grenade and blew the brutes face off. Shepard then activated the second hammer and kalros began her approach. Shepard ordered them to go back to the truck that he would handle the cure, so they ran back to the truck. They watched as the thresher maw took the Reaper down.
Six could see the sadness in shepard's face, he didn't see Mordin with him so he figured what happened. He looked at the shroud release the cure to the krogan. Shepard spoke to Eve and Wrex then came back to the shuttle.
"Let's go" Shepard quietly spoke. Back on the Normandy six went to his quarters to investigate more. He learned a lot of new things. Six heard a knock of his door he stood up and opened. There stood Liara with a plate of food in her hand.
"Shepard asked if I could bring you food, he thinks your not comfortable being around all of us yet" she said. She seemed to be shy when talking to the 6'9 Spartan. He simply nodded and grabbed the plate from her hand. "I…guess I should go now, see you later" she said. Six sat took his helmet off and began eating his food. It's been along time since he had a decent meal and he was enjoying it.