"ETA to Korlus, one hour" Joker's voice reminded Shepard to get off his bed and leave a frame with Liara's picture alone. Staring at blue face of his asari had calming effect on John. He tried forgetting how aggresive he was getting and how he threatened Jack, making a hardened convict comply. Useful but only on a short term. He's gotta find Her. She will make it all right for sure.

"I'll see you later Liara" he whispered and put the frame on his desk. Slapped armor on him and went into the elevator. Entering CIC, Kelly immediately approached him.

"Nothing urgent Commander, but I request to have a talk about your brother when you're able sir." Kelly quickly spoke. Shepard only ran a hand along his face.

"He's free on this one, once we're groundside you can molest him with your shrink quizzes" He really doesn't wanted to snap at innocent redhead. "Thank you Commander," she went back to her console at CIC. John only shrugged and entered armory. As always, he was welcomed by music blaring from speakers.

Hold on, Holy Ghost

Go on, hold me close

Better run, here we come

It's the day of the dead!

Jester was singing along to another song of his favourite band.

"Turn this shit down bro!" John shouted. Just like when they shared room on the space station... Music was turned down but not turned off.

" So, what merry band you are outfitting now?" Jester asked eagerly

"Jack,Kasumi and Garrus. Biotic, tech expert and sniper."

"Five star dream team. Mostly because of the girls" Max laughed while bobbing head to the music.

"Fond of convicted murderer?" John asked amused.

"Her attitude is tasty like crab enchilada" Jester grimaced. Shepard shivered, incident that involved crab enchilada MRE was a legend among station where they lived. How would Mordin say, 'implications were unpleasant'.

"So no, Jack is bit of fun and walking art gallery but that's it" Jester gave sheepish grin. "But miss Goto on the other hand..." His voice trailed off when a crackle made Kasumi appear sitting on one of the tables. "You were saying?" She spoke with childish innocence. "...is quite interesting character for a thief and art conessouir." Jester finished unfazed looking at asian thief.

"Flatterer" Kasumi giggled.

"Since you're here 'Sumi check this out" Jester motioned to little box on the table. Pulled a few cylinders with perforations and buttons on top. "Flashbangs, contains magnesium and an EMP overloader" Max handed one to Kasumi. "Push the big button on top and you have from 3 to 6 seconds until this baby blinds any organic or disorients synthethic. Along with it, the shell should fragment and hit anything in 5 feet radius. The bottom twists. Clockwise you shorten the fuse, counter clockwise extends." He gave her a leg bandolier.

"Arigato" She smiled while strapping holster to her left thigh.

"Got anything for me too?" John glanced at the grenades.

"Hai" Max replied and winked at surprised japanese girl. Reaching under table, Max pulled out a Mattock. Still in dusty brown color but now with a scope instead of handle and muzzle suppresor at the end of barrel. "Old gal got few accesories." younger Shepard handed rifle to John. "Scope is either on zero or medium magnification so push the button on it to switch between. Muzzle flash should reduce kickback for a quarter. Aim little lower."

"Thanks brother." John was impressed. Kid knew what he was doing. Jack walked in the room in purple armor with large goldish fleur-de-lis on her chest. Looked like a gang enforcer.

"Got your stuff miss Cranky" Jester turned around ignoring how Jack's eyes narrowed. He pulled out a shotgun and pistol. "Predator light pistol, 18 shots in. Katana shotgun, like sword, if you know how to use it, will cut through anything" he trew them at convicts hands who quickly strapped them to mag locks. "Near recoilless but holds 5 shots, and spread is terrible on the distance mind you." Max threw one more thing at Jack. "Knock yourself out with breathing mask until you get your own stuff" A transparent mask offered little protection but allowed to run without oxygen outside.

"Alright go to shuttle and wait there" John ordered. Girls left both in their own thoughts.

"You okay man?" Max asked his brother. He noticed glowing scars and pointed at them in silent question.

"No. I'am not. Cerberus stuffed so much tech in me I don't know what's left. That glowing is from implants inside. Eyes, limbs, only brain is fully organic. but I don't know, I'm feeling different..." he felt a hand on his arm. Just like Andersons before.

"You're still you bro. Just no longer constrained. You got used to rules and leash dictating your choices and morals." Max said calmly. "And that's why I'm here, to help you with this weight. To tell you when you start going down. I'm gonna pull it with you. You're my brother, and I sure as hell not leaving you hanging." Max gave him a reassuring pat.

"Thank Max. It means a lot" John smiled. Relieved a little.

"Hey, we're on the same boat. Besides you know what mom would do to me if I let you fall" they both chuckled. Garrus walk in and picked up a sniper rifle.

"You ready Shepard?"

"Yeah, let's go" he said walking out of armory with lighter heart and rifle on his back.

/.../

Despite initial issues, team worked good. Kasumi dazed mercenaries with grenades and cloaking, kicked off the ledge more than one Blue Sun trying to ambush them with missile launcher, Jack shimmered engulfed in biotcs, sending shockwaves that staggered enemies behind covers, or she was pulling unlucky target toward her and blasting a hole in them with shotgun. Shepard provided cover fire, his Mattock now packed, punching holes in mercs and rusty scrap turned into a barricades. From time to time a load bang announced that Garrus took down another mercenary from afar.

Once they found their way into the lab where should be their recruit, A krogan warlord named Okeer. Things got complicated. Apparently warlord was trying to counter genophage, a genetic mutation causing infertility in krogans, by cloning and genetic engineering. He claimed to have an intel on Collectors but bargained for his own and his last clone expermient safety. Merc leader, Jedore, who previously empleyed Okeer to clone krogans for an army, managed to kill Okeer by gassing the lab. But dying Okeer left a message for Shepard. He confessed he knew nothing about Collectors, but kept repeating with dying breath that krogan grunt he created and was still alive in the tank, was a future of krogan. Reluctantly Shepard called Joker and arranged the clone to be delieverd to SR-2's cargo bay.

After shedding his armor and cleaning up, John went to inspect krogan sealed in a tank.

Releasing the tank bred was something for the books. Already encased in plated armor, he fell to the floor with the crash. As he gained awareness he pinned Shepard to the wall 2 feet above ground. Took a sniff.

"Human. Male. Before I fight you, I need a name" He barked in deep growly voice.

"I'm Commander Shepard, stand down!" John quickly replied keeping a hard stare on krogan.

"Not yours, mine! Legacy...future...grunt. I heard this word while in the tank. No meaning. I am Grunt" tank bred announced and pinned Shepard harder. "Show me your worth and fight me!"

"You want to fight me?" Shepard was aware of krogan nature from Wrex but to fight just anybody?

"Want? I don't know what I want. A voice in the tank told me so. Fight. Kill. Bring honor." Krogan was confused. " There's so many of them, wars, history, some hatred toward warlords... theese one failed.

"Then join my crew. My clan. We fight threat to the whole galaxy. I killed one already." Shepard knew bragging right were crucial in this. Krogan was at lost.

"This...Is acceptable. None of the imprints says human can be strong.

"Glad you joined then" Shepard smirked and moved a bit pistol he was firmly holding against Grunt's throat. Krogan glnaced down and let Shepard go taking a step back.

"Hah! Offer a hand but keep all cards. Wise." Krogan bumped his fists together.

"I'll get you an omni-tool to catch up on what's what in the verse. And come to the deck three to get some food." John said, sighing with relieve inside that krogan was obedient. "A few things though. I lead, you follow. And no matter the race, you won't harm anybody here. Clear?"

"Yes. I'm hungry now" Krogan acted like a child, he was in some way.

"Follow me Grunt" Shepard motioned huge lizard to follow.

/.../

"Hello Commander. Is it true we have a baby krogan on board?" Kelly asked as soon as John finished touring Grunt and entered CIC.

"He's no baby. He's a super soldier ready to fight. Grunt's the name though. I already released him. You want to nab him, be my guest. I'm not resposible for broken bones after this" John finished with a chuckle.

"I'm sure I'll find a peaceful connection" Kelly gripped her datapad. "I've had a talk with Max. Interesting man, though I know now why he's nicknamed Jester" She smiled.

"You talked to Max and you're still sane? Wonder upon wonders or your looks softened him up" John laughed when Kelly blushed a little. "Thank you Commander." Kelly left into elevator while Shepard decided to visit his brother. Of course he was welcomed by music.

Been to hell!

I can show you the devil!

Down you fell

Can't hold yourself together

Soul to sell

Down here you live forever

Welcome to a world where dreams become nightmares!

That was disturbing. Max was bobbing his head and singing loudly careless whether someone sees it. Perhaps Kelly got to him after all.

"Hey Harlequinn! Got chewed up by redhead?" Shepard shouted to Max's ear to get his attention. Music got turned down.

"Yeah you can say that. With you out she waltzed in and grinded me with questions. How 'bout you?" Jester replied with usual smile.

"Oh you know, fathered a krogan" John played coy.

"You did what? She was that big and ugly you mistaken races?" Max retorted quickly and laughed.

"Nope, instead of krogan warlord we got a tank bred super soldier, just opened a tank and got him on our side. So who's krogan daddy?" John went along. He noticed that when he laughed the glow of implants was dying.

"That was cheesy" Max shooked his head. "On so many levels..."

"So what Kelly wanted from you?" John asked.

/.../

Jester was jamming to Comin' In Hot while preparing new batch of incendiary grenades for Zaeed and a special order from Shepard when a sweet purr interrupted his mojo.

"Do you have moment to talk Max?" Yeoman Chambers was holding her datapad and smiling friendly.

Uh-oh, that's gonna be interesting.

"Just call me Jester" Max turned from guns and faced bubbly psychiatrist.

"I'm responsible for evaluating every member of the crew, their mental state and psychological profile" Kelly begun formally.

"You can't spell psychological without psycho right?" Max's reply raised her eyebrows.

"I- Excuse me?"

Jester only laughed. "Come on! Why so serious? I know why you're here and since there's no stick up my ass just ask away, drop the uniform" Max realized something "methaporically of course" he winked at slightly blushing Kelly.

"Alright, I would like to ask some questions" Chambers said after clearing her throat. "Since you're a brother to Commander Shepard I take it you have similar history of upbringing?" She started.

"Yes and no. We're both spacers but contradictions so when he worked out at the gyms I was running on the walls and ceilings in Zero G for fun. He was dancing with the girls to club stuff, I was enjoying my own jam while playing in ducts or scavenging some junk. Our mother gave us as much as she could but being an officer in the navy she was absent often and relocating with us, so going on your own was a must. We still give each other hell but we're all family we have." Kelly only nodded on this and asked more.

"You enlisted together?"

"Nope, Logan is two years older so he went earlier. We met back again during OCS but he's a straight up bloke so he's Fast Assault Recon and little me would got hammered by those dumb brutes." Kelly quickly noted his view of himself and others regarding his build. "And when Logan was buried in ladies enamoured by his guns, I was buried in scrap and tech. Learned a lot, met few people who taught me few tricks. So I decided to go as Infiltrator with sniper training."

"You're apparently succesful" Kelly tried to pursue the subject.

"Nope. I was finished with basic tech training and about to start 10 month sniper course when Logan died. I've lost cool in hands. Was restless and failed entry for sniper. I switched to CQB and demolitions," harlequinn's smile rose up. "Aced it. Caught attention someone higher...and rest is classified" He laughed.

"I understand. Can I ask something else?" Kelly needed to pry into some interesting notions that came out. Max nodded. "By 'Logan' you mean Commander but that not his name."

"It's his second name, first one is reserved for other people. Substitutes for nickname."

"I see. You said Commander was back then more into working out himself and ladies?" Kelly supressed blush.

"As much as any teenager, you know 'coming up of age' is" Max made air quotes laughing. "I was just more reserved than others. And not as pumped up."

"Your slimmer build caused issues?" Kelly didn't mind hunks but Jester was easy on the eyes too, specially with those ear long hair and mischievious smile.

"Issues? If I were more serious I'd have a breakdown," he laughed. "I got burned very early and then just went with 'meh, I dont need shallow people around me' and didn't bothered with gals without any depth."

"Just courious, could make an example of such person?" Kelly had a feeling who's the closest example.

"Nope, nobody here. Though I bet you thought I was going to point Miranda" Max grinned. "She's not dumb, just bitchy and ill mannered like born yesterday." Chambers was shocked, how he would read her that good? She felt a sting that he was examining her not other way around.

"I-Yes I admit I though about our XO but as she was hostile toward you"

"No hostiles withous ho' eh?" Max sheepishly chuckled for a second. "Nah, She's not my problem so whatever. Logan calls shots here."

"Okay, final question. i noticed you listen to a lot of music. Similar type of lyrics..." Kelly noticed only now that music was playing all along and Jester was bobbing his head or tapping his foot to the rhytm all the time.

"My favourites, 21st century 'Hollywood Undead'. Love the beat and sound, most lyrics are lame but few songs hit close, rest just sound good when working. I listen to a lot more you just didn't noticed."

"Understood. I won't take more of your time know but maybe later we could have talk again?" Yeoman tried to sound professional

"Sure, why not?" Max only shrugged and got back to tinkering with guns.