This is something many have asked me, so I'll be saying it here to put your minds at ease, there will be NO Tali x Grievous in this story. It won't happen now, it won't happen ever. I hope that will clear things up. Once again I'm surprised at how many of you have been sending me reviews asking about that.


Ken and Gabby were uncomfortable. No, that couldn't even possibly describe how they were feeling. They were outright scared. The two engineers basically pressed themselves against the wall of the elevator, as far away as possible from the union of flesh and steel that was Grievous.

Upon finishing the small checkups on the Normandy's drive core, they had called it a day and had decided to go upstairs, hoping to quell their hunger. However, they had been surprised to see Grievous standing inside the elevator. Saying that they would take the next one hadn't been an option, unless they wanted to risk offending the general, so they had quietly walked inside without any complaints. That didn't mean they were liking this, not one single bit.

The tall general intimated them with his daunting appearance. Ken often glanced at the sharp talons of the cyborg, afraid that the man could stab him with just his hands alone. Normally he would be talking now, trying to get on his friend's nerves, but with Grievous standing inside the same elevator he preferred to remain quiet. There was no need to antagonize the separatist.

"Oi, Gabby." He whispered to his fellow engineer.

"What?" She replied, trying her hardest to keep her gaze solely on the elevator doors.

"We need to do something about this elevator. It's too slow!" Ken told her nervously.

The engineer rolled her eyes, "Tell me something I don't know."

"Well, do you know that this guy has claws for feet? Claws!" Ken kept on blabbering.

"I am very much aware, Ken." Gabby growled, the tone of her voice sending the message that he was to remain quiet.

Ken sighed, praying that they would escape unscathed. He had heard how terrifying Grievous was, but nothing could have prepared him for this. Even Jack or Zaeed weren't as scary as the droid general. At least they interacted with the crew, albeit after some encouraging words from Shepard, while Grievous simply glared at everyone he came across.

He suddenly felt anxious, as if he was being watched. Ken's eyes widened slightly before he looked to the left. He immediately wished he hadn't. His eyes locked with Grievous', striking yellow irises seemingly piercing him with just a simple glare. Ken felt his mouth go dry as the general scowled at him. Inwardly he was panicking, hoping that Grievous hadn't heard him whisper to Gabby. A sweat drop began to roll down the back of his head during the short and silent exchange.

Grievous let out a scoff and stepped out of the elevator, fully aware that they had arrived while Ken clearly wasn't. The Kaleesh warlord left the two engineers behind and walked over to the mess hall. He didn't want to leave his claimed space, yet he was forced to. Grievous needed to know if he would not starve to death while staying aboard the ship.

Contrary to popular belief, he wasn't completely a machine. He might no longer be able to eat food through a mouth, but he still required nutrition like anyone else to properly function. Grievous hated the way he had to ate. His artificial body kept him going, using nutrition injectors to sustain him. Grievous always kept a supply of food with him wherever he went, the Normandy included. However, his supply would quickly run out if he did not find additional food.

Therefore he had decided to pay a visit to the Normandy's mess hall, hoping he'd find something that would sustain him. His arrival was announced by the telltale noise of his metal feet clanking on the floor of the deck. There were some crew members present, though most of them had gone outside, as they ate together. Grievous' presence attracted some curious if not frightened stares. He cared little for these people, not bothering to even greet them.

Instead, he made his way over to the kitchen, black cloak hanging over his broad shoulders. Grievous scowled as he noticed some of the other ground team members lounging in the mess hall. He spotted the bald woman and the reptilian-looking one, though he did not even put in the effort to recall their names.

"You there, cook." He grumbled as soon as he reached the kitchen. "Do you have any nutrition paste?"

Gardner gave him an uncertain look, "We do. But how the hell are you going to eat that when you have no mouth?"

"My body has injectors that allow me to eat, not that it is of concern to you. And you will address me with the proper respect, human." Grievous scowled at the mess sergeant.

"Yeah? Doesn't mean I have to like your attitude." Gardner shot back, returning the glare.

Both of them tried to intimidate the other, giving the scariest looks that they had. Gardner was aware that he had to treat Grievous properly, Shepard had instructed the whole crew to do so, but he wasn't going to roll over and let the visitor do as he pleased. Maybe it was partially because he was still a bit miffed from the prank that Garrus had played on him before arriving on Illium. The mess sergeant crossed his arms, showing that he wasn't going to budge.

Grievous narrowed his eyes and clenched his metallic hands. He instantly disliked the bald human in front of him, leaving him with the urge to show the man his place. There was no way he would allow a mere cook to insult him. His anger was steadily building up, begging to be unleashed on the nearest victim he could find. In this case, it was the mess sergeant. Shepard's warnings were starting to fade to the back of his mind as he glared at the cook.

"It would be unwise to try to antagonize me, cook." The general spat at Gardner, venom dripping off of every syllable. "You are frail enough for me to crush, like the rotten meiloorun fruit that you are."

"Ha! He's got you there, Gardner!" He heard a feminine yet rough voice call out.

Grievous looked over his shoulder, searching for the culprit. The bald woman that he had seen before on the lower deck was grinning at him, a smirk gracing her puffy red lips. He frowned in distaste as she seemed to regard him as nothing more but a form of amusement.

"Keep to yourself, girl." The cyborg snarled at her.

Jack scowled, her dinner long forgotten, as she stood up from her seat. Her hands were clenched into fists while she stood there aggressively. All nearby crew members immediately picked up on the hostility that hung in the air, and made themselves scarce in order to avoid the inevitable confrontation. They were well aware of Jack's anger issues. Having Grievous stoke the fire that was her temper only encouraged them even further to run.

"What was that?" Jack sneered, eyebrows crunched and eyes ablaze.

Grievous let out a scoff, "I will not repeat myself to the likes of you."

"Oh, really?" Jack said menacingly.

The ex-convict cracked her tattooed knuckles, her voice full of open hostility. Grievous picked up on the hidden threat, but hardly cared, figuring that the woman was not worth his effort. The two of them seemed to have a standoff that neither wanted to avoid.

"Now, hang on for a moment." Gardner intervened. The mess sergeant knew this would go wrong very soon. "This is no place to-"

"Fuck off! This guy's mine." Jack interjected angrily.

She was getting fed up with the cyborg's pretentious behavior. She hated people who were so full of themselves, like Miranda was, and would gladly show them their place. The anger was starting to well up, causing her to clench her fists even tighter to the point that her biotics flared up.

"You think you can best me?" Grievous snarled, stepping up to the biotic until he stood in front of her, towering over as he stood to his full height. "You are nowhere my level, human."

"I've faced worse than you." She growled loudly.

The general chuckled darkly, "Believe me, girl, you haven't."

Grievous was more than eager to fight the human female, feeling the desire to lash out. It had been a while since the mission to the Blue Suns base, and he hadn't gotten all of his pent-up anger out of his system yet. He hardly considered Jack as a proper challenge. However, she would do just fine. Being confined to the ship was getting on his nerves, adding to his frustration. A good brawl would ease his mind.

"Bring it, tincan." Jack said in a threating tone of voice, holding up her fists.

However, before any could act, a loud roar interrupted their small standoff. Grievous was only just able to turn around before a heavy mass of Krogan barreled into him. The general had gotten used to being thrown around, having suffered many Force-pushes over time, and barely flinched as the large being threw him against the wall. Grievous grunted slightly as he landed, his vocalizer only partially picking up on the sound. He got back up and stared angrily at the one responsible for throwing him away.

Grunt chuckled menacingly at him, blue eyes filled with excitement of all things. The Krogan was grinning like a child in a candy store.

"I love a good fight." He said while cracking his knuckles.

Grievous was about to respond, but never got the chance as Jack biotically threw Grunt against the bulkhead as well. The force wasn't enough to harm him, nor did it damage the interior except for a minor dent, but it certainly floored the massive Krogan. Besides, Grunt probably didn't even feel any of it. His species were bullet sponges because of their rapid regeneration. The only way to really hurt a Krogan was to either go for the crest, or kick them right in all four testicles.

Jack smirked as she stared down the two males, "Aww, did the big bad boys hurt themselves?"

Her mocking tone infuriated Grievous, prompting him to unleash his anger. The general's yellow eyes glared at the bald woman as he clenched his talons.

"You will pay for that." He snarled at her.

The three volatile personalities clashed together, leaving only their fists to do the talking. Everyone nearby fled the battleground and vacated the deck. Chakwas locked the door to her medbay, fearing that they would bring their fight to her workplace, while Gardner fled for the elevator. The chairs were already tossed away and one of them even got squashed beneath Grunt's weight.

Grunt had brute strength on his side, along with the ability to ignore pain as if he had been pumped with stims. Adrenaline was flooding his system. This was a fight that he had been waiting for, an occasion to finally let loose and destroy. Lately he had been struggling with controlling his rising aggression. When he saw Grievous and Jack arguing and threatening each other, it had been as if Kalros herself had smiled upon him. Not that he knew much about her. Only what Okeer had implanted in him.

As for Jack, she managed to keep up with her taller and more imposing opponents because of her extremely gifted biotic powers. Her biotics allowed her to be stronger and faster than regular humans, which she gladly used to kick Grunt away and slam her fist into Grievous' chassis. She already had a small cut on her arm from where Grievous had scratched her, but hardly felt anything beside the coolness of her biotics.

Grievous was also no slouch. His metal feet kicked wherever he could, his metal hands punched at every opportunity and he even headbutted Grunt with his hard facemask. His sparring partners were quite different from what he was used to. However, he knew how to fight up close. As a Kaleesh warlord, he had learnt many different fighting styles. His cybernetics only enhanced his effectiveness in close quarters combat against his foes.

The general grabbed a nearby chair and used it as a bat, slamming the furniture in Grunt's head. The Krogan merely laughed and did the same to him. Then Jack got between the two and sent them flying with a biotic shockwave. Their brawl hadn't produced any serious injuries, none that would have them confined to the medbay, but it had certainly trashed the mess hall.

Grunt felt the air leave his lungs as Grievous punched him in the gut, followed by a six-clawed feet grabbing him by the forehead. The cyborg's powerful mechanical limbs somehow managed to throw him away, right into a nearby table. It collapsed under the supersoldier's weight and split in two upon Grunt's landing.

"Not bad, tincan." Jack laughed. "But how about this?!"

The ex-convict delivered a nasty punch to Grievous' faceplate, his head whipping to the left. Obviously he wasn't amused by her attempt to hurt him. The general split up his right arm into two separate limbs, grabbed her by the shoulders before lifting her up, and proceeding to punch her stomach with his free hand. Jack coughed loudly as he struck her, the injury not all too serious but it would leave a bruise. He chuckled as he threw her away.

But then Grunt reappeared again, grabbing Grievous' left leg and throwing him in the same direction as the general had done with Jack. The trio would continue their little fight for a long while, cursing at each other and delivering punches. Grunt was grinning madly, allowing the rush of combat to calm down his pent-up frustration. It wasn't quite yet what he needed, but it helped. Jack on the other hand simply did it for the thrill of it. Brawling was one of her favorite pastimes. And Grievous, well, he secretly had to admit that even he was enjoying this little feud. Being cooped up inside the cargo bay had soured his mood more than he'd like to admit.

The general punched Grunt away from him, only to receive a kick from Jack, who in return was tackled by Grunt. Their fight was getting more hectic by the second, creating noise loud enough to be heard throughout the ship. Grievous tried to backhand Jack, but the ex-convict simply ducked low, before pushing him away.

"Not so tough now, are you?" Jack grinned at him, even though she had a small cut on her forehead.

Grievous chuckled lowly, "You impress me, human. But don't fool yourself into believing you can best me."

"Less talking, more fighting!" Grunt shouted at them.

Just as they were about to go at it again, a biotic force pulled them away from each other, gaining their attention.

Shepard stood there, absolutely livid by what had happened. The commander's posture hinted at anger, frustration and absolute fury. The way he looked at them would have caused many to shiver in fear. But for the three of them, it was a common sight.

"What the hell are you three doing?!" He shouted, eyebrows frowned and face set into a snarl. "Explain why Joker had to contact me about a fight between all of you, now!"

Jack scoffed, "Relax, Shepard. It's just a little brawl."

"I've told each and every one of you that I don't allow brawls aboard my ship. If you want to fight each other, do it either outside or have a match in the cargo bay. Not in the mess hall of all places!" He told her angrily. The commander then turned to Grunt and Grievous. "Grunt, I've been told that you have been acting like this for days now. Get back in your room. We'll talk about this later."

"Fine." Grunt grumbled.

The tall imposing Krogan was clearly dejected that his fight had been cut short, but he would follow Shepard's command. He dusted some debris off of his armor before making his way towards the elevator. Shepard's gaze remained firmly placed on his back until he had left, before he focused on Grievous.

"As for you," He began, pointing an accusatory finger at the separatist officer, "don't think that this will be allowed. You might be a general, and I respect that, but this is unacceptable aboard my ship. This is your last warning. Stop trying to get into fights with my crew, otherwise I'll leave you at the nearest spaceport and you can find your way home on your own. Do you understand?"

Grievous scowled at the shorter human. For someone who was smaller than him, Shepard could be very brave. His eyes briefly glanced at the crowd that had gathered. He could see numerous crew members watching the small dispute, spotting the mess sergeant and the Cerberus woman in the group. However, his gaze settled on a familiar purple veil. Grievous halted momentarily to watch Tali with an inscrutable expression, before he looked back at Shepard who remained steadfast before him.

"Crystal clear." He growled, reluctantly backing off.

Shepard nodded as he let out a small sigh, "Good. Look, I know you want to go outside. It's not that difficult to see. So let's make a compromise, we'll be leaving soon to find an assassin that I need to recruit. If you promise to stop antagonizing everyone you find, then I'll bring you with me on the mission. We'll probably be fighting more mercs and you can do whatever you want with them."

"That sounds… acceptable." Grievous rasped slowly. The general then began walking away, the crowd parting as he made his way towards the elevator. "I'll be in the cargo bay."

Shepard sighed, eying the damage that the three troublemakers had caused. The tables and chair would have to be completely replaced. He just knew Miranda would give him so much shit for this, and he wasn't looking forward to it.

He frowned and shot Jack a dirty look.

She simply grinned and waved mockingly at him.


The sun had long settled when they made their way over to Thane's location, casting a relative darkness over Nos Astra. However, the city was still vibrant with life. Hundreds of lights lit the city to the point that it was visible from orbit. The traffic hadn't decreased in the slightest either. Hundreds if not thousands of skycars drove around the city, going from one destination to the other. It was a pretty sight to many. But as for Shepard, he paid no attention to it.

His skycar, commandeered by Seryna, was followed up by the one that contained the rest of the team. He had chosen a relative small team for this mission. They weren't going to attack a merc base this time, so there was no need to bring many members along. His skycar was joined by Samara and Mordin, while the other one was occupied by Kasumi, Tali and Grievous. He was worried about Grievous, the fight from yesterday was still fresh in his mind, but the general had calmed down by now.

Seryna steered the car to left, nearing their destination. He could already see the Dantius towers up ahead. One was still under construction, presenting their best opportunity to get inside. Shepard hoped that they would find the assassin in time and get him to join the Normandy. The team was already strong, but Thane Krios was a legend amongst all assassins and would be a fine addition to the crew.

"The towers are heavily guarded, and you'll find more resistance closer to the penthouse." Seryna spoke up, still focusing on the wheel. "So, this assassin. You planning on stopping him?"

Shepard shook his head, "I'm just here to make sure he survives."

The Asari let out a small humph, indicating that she was indifferent to it, yet her curiosity was sated.

They passed a few skycars as they suddenly went downwards, joining another lane. Their destination was now only just up ahead. The other skycar quickly followed them, Kasumi making sure she didn't lose them. Hopefully the tower that was still under construction had a working elevator, because Shepard had no interest in taking the stairs.

Seryna spoke up again, "You'll have to cross the bridge at the top of the tower. From there on it's easy to get inside, though I should warn you. That's where most of the mercs will be positioned. Don't worry about any automated defenses or traps either, she only has mercs to keep her safe."

"Thanks for the info." Shepard nodded.

"Mhm, most likely rockets on the roof." Mordin commented thoughtfully. "Will have to be careful. Bridge is excellent choke point to hold off any intruders. Would have helped if Zaeed or Garrus came along. Sniper support always welcome."

"We'll deal with that as we get there. Samara, would you be able to create a biotic barrier as a shield so we can push forward?" Shepard asked their newest member.

Samara slowly nodded and spoke calmly, "That is within my capabilities."

"We're here." Seryna announced, slowing down the skycar.

The entrance to the tower was just below them now. Seryna carefully lowered the skycar, Kasumi doing the same with her own, as they landed just outside of the tower. The car touched down without a hitch, doors opening only seconds later. Shepard stepped out of the mode of transportation and casted a glance at the tower. It was quite tall indeed, getting through the security would prove to be tricky the closer they got to the penthouse.

"Don't linger too long." The Asari behind the steering wheel called out to him. "They'll be here to greet you soon enough. Good luck, Shepard."

"Thanks for the help, Seryna." Shepard replied gratefully.

She gave him a small smile before closing the doors again, revving up the engine and speeding away from the Dantius Towers. Shepard looked to his right and saw Kasumi exit her skycar, along with the rest of the team. It was kind of funny to watch someone like Grievous try to get out of a skycar. The vehicles were uncomfortable for people of his height, causing him to struggle to get his feet out of the car. However, the general managed just fine.

Tali, Kasumi, Grievous and the lone magnaguard he had brought along with him quickly joined the group. No mercenaries had come out to greet the visitors which Shepard saw as a good thing. Once everyone was gathered around, he led them towards the front gate. He already had his rifle drawn as had the others, Grievous carrying his confiscated mattock while the droid carried what the general had called an E-5C heavy blaster. Shepard had allowed the use of the foreign weapon. The droids had enough ammo, and would need time to get the programming necessary to even wield projectile weaponry, plus he wanted to see the gun in action.

"Alright, remember, our primary objective is finding Thane." He told the rest as they walked. "Look out for any sign of him. We'll make our way to the penthouse, where his target is."

"I've heard that Nassana is a dangerous individual. We should be cautious in dealing with her." Samara commented neutrally, voice stoic and unwavering.

Tali hummed, "Didn't you meet her on the Citadel?"

Shepard nodded slowly. He remembered that moment. Nassana had been a diplomatic emissary at the time, one that had approached him to rescue her sister. Only turned out, her sister didn't need any rescuing from a band of mercenaries, but was instead the leader of the group. Nassana had lied to him about that detail. However, the Asari merc leader had been a threat so he had eliminated her. In the end he and Nassana had parted ways on not necessarily bad terms.

"I did." Shepard confirmed. "She seems to have somehow changed from a politician to a killer, even if it's through others."

"Politicians cannot be trusted." Grievous growled. His comment was a bit of surprise, since he hardly spoke to them. "They lie, cheat and have not a single shred of honor. Their art is to backstab anyone in order to further their own gains. People are tools for them, nothing more and nothing less."

The squad glanced warily at the agitated cyborg, afraid that he was going to have another fit, but instead Grievous scowled and remained silent. At least he was very clear on what he thought about things. Shepard wondered if there was a particular reason for his hatred towards politicians, though he didn't get the chance to ponder much about it. A commotion was happening just up ahead.

Shepard frowned as they entered the building, spotting two Salarians in the back. They wore simple clothes instead of uniforms. It didn't seem logical for clerks to be working this late, especially in a tower that was still under construction, so they were probably part of a work crew. The commander wondered what could have spooked the Salarians, but the answer quickly showed itself in the form of multiple security mechs. There were two LOKI mechs, alongside two FENRIS models, all of them clearly engaging targets.

And the Salarians were those targets.

They ran away from the mechs, but were ultimately scared civilians. One of them got hit in the back and the other soon followed. Green blood dripped on the dirty floor, gaping bullet holes adorning the workers' backs. The mechs kept on advancing as they were about to finish the job, only to turn around as they spotted the squad.

"Engage those mechs!" Shepard quickly ordered, already firing a burst at a charging FENRIS.

The mechs easily fell to their gunfire. Only the LOKIs posed a real threat, a very small one at that, while the dog-like FENRIS mechs were a joke. Only Shepard, Samara and Mordin actually fired before the others had any opportunity to do so. Shepard often wondered why people even bothered with security mechs since they were so weak. In large groups they were deadly, but in small sizes such as now they were laughable at best.

"Why were these mechs firing at those Salarians?" Kasumi asked out loud as they passed by the downed machines.

"I intend on finding out." Shepard answered, spotting a small trail of green blood.

They walked around the corner and saw one of the workers, his breathing labored as he was slumped against the wall. It was a miracle that he had even survived. The bullet must have hit something nonvital, though the damage was still done. At this rate he would bleed out.

"Help…" The Salarian managed to say, his voice almost breaking as his lungs tried to gather as much air as they could.

Mordin quickly provided his diagnosis, "Bullet wound nonfatal. However, will bleed out unless treated. Can use some medi-gel to keep him alive."

"I can't feel my legs… my chest is killing me." Came the pained voice of the injured worker.

Shepard nodded at Mordin, giving the sign to continue. The former STG agent immediately got to work on treating the injury. There was no need to let the man suffer, nor should they let him die. Besides, this was a chance for them to learn what was happening here. Shepard crouched next to Mordin who was busy treating the Salarian, before beginning to ask questions.

"Who did this to you? And why?" He asked.

"We're just the night workers!" The wounded Salarian rasped in disbelief, ragged breaths leaving his mouth. "Nassana… sent them after us. She sent the mechs to round us up, but we didn't hear… They just started shooting."

Kasumi frowned beneath her hood, "They just attacked you?"

"Yes… we were too slow. It was horrible. Everyone… screaming…" He replied while clearly seeing the horrors unfold before his eyes. The Salarian's frame shook from more than just the physical pain. "The mercs said there was no time. Nassana wanted us out of the way… immediately. Then… the dogs…"

"What Nassana is doing here, it goes against the code. She must answer for her crimes." Samara spoke up in a tone that managed to convey contempt, yet stayed neutral.

Shepard didn't know much about the code, but his own moral compass agreed with her. What Nassana had done was unforgivable. Killing unarmed workers who didn't even do anything wrong? He frowned heavily, forehead creasing and his fists clenching, as he added a new objective to the mission. Any surviving workers would be rescued and Nassana would pay for her coldhearted murders.

Mordin suddenly stood up, "There. Should ease pain and keep you alive. Still, would recommend finding help. Should go to hospital."

"Thank you… I'm feeling better." The Salarian said, his breathing now less labored than before. He shakingly got back up, Shepard helping him through the whole process. "Please, help the others."

"We will." Shepard replied determinedly.

"How do we get inside the penthouse?" Grievous bluntly demanded to know.

He received a glare from Shepard for his uncaring attitude, but showed no sign of caring. Not that Shepard had expected him to. The commander knew by now that Grievous showed no sympathy towards others, not even innocent bystanders. Maybe that's why this was one of those missions he could take the general on. Keeping social interaction to a minimum kept Grievous subdued, which was the case for this mission.

The Salarian stared at Grievous with wide eyes, only now realizing who he was talking to, but he kept his composure well. The poor man was in too much of a shock to get scared by a tall cyborg.

"There's a service elevator up ahead. You can use it to get to the upper floors, then you can cross the bridge. It isn't finished yet, but if you're careful…" The worker explained, only coughing once now. "But watch out for the mercs. They're everywhere."

"We'll do what we can for the others." Shepard promised him, softly patting the Salarian's bloodied shoulder. He then gestured towards the exit. "Now go get some help."

"Thank you…" The worker said gratefully, holding his side as he limped away.

Shepard wondered if the Salarian would be alright, but considering Mordin had treated him he would be. The nearby hospital was more than capable of healing the man. For now, he was going to take care of the one responsible of hurting the worker. Shepard grabbed his rifle and began walking towards the nearest door, his squad falling in behind.

So far there was no sign of the assassin, but if Nassana was paranoid enough to kill her own workers then he had to be here. One of the mercenaries would probably be able to tell him more. Getting one of them to talk wouldn't be too hard, through either diplomacy or threats, he would get his answers. Shepard scanned the rooms that they passed by for any signs of life. Sure enough, the tower was still far from finished. Only the support beams and the flooring had been done while even those were still a work in progress. At least the building materials would provide adequate cover.

They also had yet to come across any merc, or even another security mech. They were probably still securing the building. It also made sense that Nassana would keep most of her guards on the upper floors where she was. The squad was making good progress, passing by more rooms that were either completely empty or simply had materials stored inside.

However, as they passed another room, they came across another dead Salarian.

"Keelah, how could they do this?" Tali murmured sadly.

The dead worker had been shot in the back, a quick death luckily. At least the mercenaries made short work of the nightshift workers instead of making them suffer. Green blood stained the worker's clothes and floor, creating ugly smears on the otherwise white floor.

"Tragic loss of life." Mordin added, sniffing in disgust. "Nassana openly paranoid. Fears she has been infiltrated by the assassin. Paranoia and fear causes her to act rashly and waste lives."

Grievous snorted, "Her methods are crude but somewhat effective. If the assassin has infiltrated the ranks of the workers, then killing them would expose the assassin."

The squad shook their heads at the general's words. They had expected such a response from him, but it still caused them to look at the cyborg in disbelief. Samara in particular wasn't growing fond of him. She seemed to be examining the general, trying to look for the underneath.

"I take it you have experience with assassins?" Shepard asked dryly, his eyes still scanning every corner for hostiles.

"And all of them failed." Grievous growled both in anger and pride. "I've faced mercenaries, bounty hunters and even Jedi that tried to kill me. The best way to kill them is by setting a trap. Once they are cornered, you move in and take them out swiftly with pure overwhelming force. This Nassana should be luring the assassin in, instead of wasting her men on disposing of clueless workers."

Well, there was some logic in that idea. Shepard didn't have much experience fending off assassins, but someone like Grievous would obviously make a lot of enemies. The idea of being cornered by the general didn't exactly sound comforting either.

The squad made their way into a wider part of the tower, where there were still gaps and many materials were stored. Shepard could see the service elevator up ahead. That was their ticket upwards, now they just had to get inside. However, the large group of Eclipse mercenaries and mechs that stood between them and the elevator, weapons drawn and eyes looking at the Normandy squad, probably had something to say about that.

"Let's get to that elevator!" Shepard said loudly, already aiming at the nearest merc before pulling the trigger of his assault rifle.

The squad immediately opened fire, taking the Eclipse mercs by surprise. The magnaguard stepped forward, heavy blaster pointing at a trio of LOKI mechs, and unleashed a torrent of blasterfire. Its weapon whined as ruby red energy bolts exited the barrel. All three LOKI mechs went down easily, plasma eating away at their metal frames. One of them even exploded into a shower of mechanical parts. Everyone stared in surprise at the strange weapon as the magnaguard targeted another mech.

"I need to get me one of those." Shepard whistled, thoroughly impressed by the capacity of the heavy blaster rifle.

Suddenly multiple Eclipse mercs ran through a nearby door, having heard the commotion that was being caused. They ran for the nearest cover and began putting pressure on the squad.

"More incoming!" Kasumi warned everyone.

"Samara, biotic shockwaves on my command." Shepard told the Asari justicar, looking her in the eye before turning towards Grievous and Tali. "When we launch our shockwaves, you two sprint forward and take them by surprise while they're dazed."

They all nodded and Samara put down her weapon, body engulfing in biotic light. The same happened to Shepard as he channeled his biotics. Some of the mercs were steadily pushing forward, accompanied by a few FENRIS mechs, while the others stayed behind. Everyone did their best to keep them away, but there were just too many mercs that prevented them from doing this quickly. Grievous and Tali prepared themselves, the latter making sure her shotgun was loaded. As for Grievous, he split up his left arm and used one hand to steady his mattock rifle while the other grabbed a lightsaber.

"Now!" Shepard shouted, his right arm pulsing with blue light.

He and Samara stood up and both launched their respective shockwaves. The mercs let out yelps and screams as the closest ones, who had been slowly pushing forward, were tossed about like ragdolls. Some of them were thrown in the air while others were pushed on their backs. Bones cracked, spines broke and concussions were felt as the biotic tsunami swept them all away. It was powerful enough to daze some mercenaries in the back, presenting Grievous and Tali the opportunity to advance.

Tali sprinted forward, omni-tool overloading two mercs' weapons before she gunned down her closest foe with her shotgun. A bullet grazed her kinetic barriers, but they held strong and protected her. She narrowed her eyes as an Eclipse trooper got back up. The man noticed her and quickly brought up his rifle, only for a shotgun slug to throw him back on the ground, chest plate cracked and bloodied. Tali used her people's natural agility to get to her new cover in record time.

While she took care of her own problems, Grievous followed closely behind her. His cybernetic limbs carried him further than her and with great speed. The general chuckled sadistically as he fired his semi-automatic rifle, bullets tearing through armor and skin, while keeping it steady with just half of his left arm. He held his lightsaber with the other part and used it effectively. Any mercenary that came in close was either cut down or gutted, a burning blue blade tearing through armor as if it was simply wet tissue paper.

"They make quite the team together." Kasumi quipped as she watched Grievous and Tali work together.

The others had to agree with her. While Grievous was obviously the tank of the duo, because of his larger and more armored frame, Tali covered him and sabotaged the enemy with her tech attacks. The Eclipse mercs even went as far as to run away when the two CQC specialists neared them.

"This is our chance, let's move!" Shepard told the squad, already moving forward.

Mordin and Samara quickly came to his aid, the Salarian doctor harassing the Eclipse members with his cryo and fire attacks while the Asari justicar protected the team with a biotic barrier. Shepard swapped his rifle for his shotgun and joined his Quarian and separatist companions. Together they began methodically taking down the mercs, covering each other while lashing out violently.

"Pathetic." Grievous snarled, yellow eyes narrowed as he noticed an Eclipse trooper sneaking up from behind.

The general could hear the man's loud footsteps and wasted no time in acting, grabbing the guy's head with a clawed foot. He turned the limb around, throwing his victim in the air before smashing him into the floor. Muffled whimpers came from the Eclipse merc as sharp talons pierced his neck. Grievous coldly regarded the thug before clenching his foot, ending his life in an instant.

A few mercs tried to flank the advancing Normandy squad, but they were halted by Kasumi and the magnaguard who both made up the rear. The lithe thief unclipped one of her flashbang grenades and tossed it at them. Becoming blind and deaf as the device exploded, the Eclipse mercenaries helplessly stumbled into each other, out in the open and in clear sight of the magnaguard. The elite battle droid showed no mercy as it gunned them all down. Blaster bolts pierced and shattered their yellow armor while burning where they were hit.

When the last merc fell dead, Kasumi grinned and held out her hand to the droid. Confused bleeps came from the magnaguard's mouthpiece as its red optics stared at her.

"Uh, high-five? You know, putting our hands together?" She explained, raising and eyebrow at the droid.

It looked in confusion at its own hand, four thick metal fingers making up its oddly shaped appendage, before pushing them slowly against Kasumi's palm. A few more bleeps could be heard, sounding like a mix of both confusion and expectation.

Kasumi shrugged, "Eh, it's a work on progress."

With their reinforcements taken care of, the Eclipse numbers were steadily dwindling. Blood and broken corpses littered the floor of the tower. Shepard slammed a biotic fist into a merc before firing his shotgun at another, never stopping to take a breath as he systematically eliminated his foes. A bullet had actually broken through his shields, but his armor had protected him from any harm. That spot would bruise later on and he would feel it tomorrow morning, though that was a problem for later.

Mordin was at his side, SMG tearing into an exposed Eclipse vanguard. The Asari's shields quickly broke down and shattered under Mordin's barrage. She was then finished off as he shot an incinerate round with his omni-tool, flames engulfing the Asari's body, burning her armor and skin to a crisp. Mordin nodded in satisfaction and got down behind cover to let his shields recharge.

The last mercenary was dealt with by Grievous, who merely stabbed the woman in the gut with his lightsaber. She let out pained gasp before succumbing to her fatal wound. Grievous deactivated his blade and clipped it back to his belt, eyes gazing upon the numerous dead mercenaries in content.

Shepard reloaded his weapon and nodded at the elevator's door, "Tali, see if you can get that elevator to work."

"On it." The Quarian replied hastily.

She turned on her omni-tool and began hacking into the door's lock, bypassing the firewalls that had been placed by the Eclipse mercs with ease. Her fingers typed in a speed that none of the others except Kasumi could hope to match.

"Got it." She announced. "The elevator is on its way, but it's being occupied."

Mordin tapped his chin with a gloved finger, "Must be reinforcements." He concluded.

"More fools, ready to be slaughtered." Grievous grunted, hefting his mattock rifle.

"We'll set up an ambush." The commander stated, pointing at a few different spots. "Take cover and light them up as soon as they exit that elevator."

Everyone took their positions, choosing multiple angles of attack in order to overwhelm the enemy. They didn't have to wait long for the elevator to descend, its arrival being announced by a VI and the flashing green interface of the door, which then opened shortly after. There were two Eclipse mercs inside with tech armor, obviously officers from the looks of it. The only real surprise was the Krogan bounty hunter that accompanied them.

"Now!" Shepard shouted before they could get out.

The whole squad barraged the enemy with bullets, biotics, tech attacks and in the magnaguard's case, blaster bolts. The Eclipse mercs were the first to go down as expected. Their tech armor gave them a few moments, but they failed under the sheer pressure that the squad placed on them. Neither Eclipse officer managed to even set a single foot out of the elevator. The Krogan on the other hand fared better. His shields and armor, combined with the incredible survivability of the bounty hunter's species, allowed him to soak up the damage.

However, it was still too much and eventually his shields broke down along with his armor. The Krogan managed to fire a few shots before being gunned down, bullet holes adorning his red armor. Shepard and the others stopped firing as soon as his body hit the floor. Grievous casually walked over to the Krogan and stabbed the bounty hunter with his lightsaber for good measure.

A few seconds later they all piled into the elevator, Tali hitting the button, and began their ascend.

Shepard was glad that this elevator was a lot faster than the one he had used back at the Eclipse base. Their trip didn't last long, the ping announcing their arrival sounding, and the VI stating the same thing. He tightened the grip on his shotgun and carefully stepped out of the elevator. Just up ahead at a large window stood a lone Eclipse trooper, the man pacing somewhat while talking to someone over the radio. Shepard gestured to his crew to stay silent as they approached.

The merc was totally unware of the people behind his back. Apparently he was too busy reassuring someone.

"We don't need any reinforcements. I'll take care of it." Shepard could only shake his head at the grunt's overconfidence. "It's under control. I'll go down there myself."

"Turn around." He demanded, the others aiming their weapons at the merc. "Slowly."

The Eclipse mercenary did as he was told, helmet concealing the obvious look of surprise. Shepard inwardly smirked at how the guy had to be feeling at the moment. Being held at gunpoint by a human master thief, a Quarian combat engineer, an Asari justicar, a Salarian doctor, an imposing cyborg and a foreign mech was a rare experience.

"Damn it." Came the deadpan response of the merc.

"Have you seen the assassin?" Shepard interrogated him, scowling heavily.

The merc leaned back and crossed his arms, trying to stay defiant to the end. However, that kind of behavior wouldn't help him. Shepard resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the mercenary's attitude. His eyebrows creased into a frown as the merc gave his answer.

"Why are you looking for him? You're not one of Nassana's mercs." The man retorted.

Shepard shook his head and leaned in threateningly, "Answer my questions and I'll let you go."

The hired grunt now had his back pressed against the wall, both figuratively and literally, as he bumped into the window. His eyes darted to the members of the squad, sizing them up. They all stared coldly back at him. Grievous was openly scowling at him, and clearly intimidated him the most. Shepard was starting to get annoyed by the merc's laidback attitude. Did the guy really think being uncompliant would help him?

"Look pal, even if I knew where he was, I wouldn't tell you." The mercenary said in an uncaring manner, quickly getting on the nerves of everyone present.

"Not the answer we were looking for." Shepard growled at him.

He wasn't lying, he would definitely let the man go if he just told him what he wanted to know, but he would of course notify the police of what happened here. However, this thug was anything but cooperative. That wasn't a good thing for both of them. At this rate, Shepard was contemplating whether he should knock the merc out or shoot him. Possibly the latter.

The yellow-wearing mercenary crossed his arms again in defiance and spoke cockily, "I've got nothing else to say to you. If you shoot me, my team's right through there… they'll be all over-"

His boasting was suddenly interrupted by the sound of smashed glass, coming from behind him. Grievous had grown tired of waiting and listening to his annoying chatter. The general had walked over to him, broken the window with a single punch of his metal fist, and proceeded to grab the merc by the hem of his armor. Fearful pleas came from the Eclipse member as Grievous held him over the edge, the wind howling and his feet dangling. Grievous didn't let go and ignored the desperate struggling.

The others stared in shock at the sudden actions of Grievous, debating whether they should intervene or not. They looked to Shepard for instructions, but the commander simply crossed his arms and stepped forward, giving off the impression that he didn't care about the captive merc. His expression was hidden by his helmet of course, yet his stance told them enough.

"You will tell us what you know, and you will do it now!" Grievous roared at the mercenary, golden eyes ablaze with anger.

"I'd listen if I were you." Shepard said offhandedly as he lazily pointed at the Kaleesh warlord. "You won't like him when he's really angry."

His words finally got through to the Eclipse mercenary who kept on struggling. The carefree and confident attitude from earlier was quickly replaced by an obedient and fearful one, something that Shepard could work with.

"Alright! Alright, just put me down!" Yelled the mercenary.

Shepard gave Grievous a pointed look, to which the general reluctantly put the merc down again. However, he did not step back, remaining where he stood. His imposing presence kept the thug from regaining his earlier confidence.

"Last I heard, the assassin was down on the mezzanine. But the teams on the bridge think they might've spotted him. Nobody knows for sure, I swear!"

"I don't know, Shep." Kasumi grinned playfully. She too had been annoyed by the thug's attitude, and now wanted some revenge. "He could be lying. Maybe we should let Grievous play some more with him, just to be sure."

That caused Grievous to chuckle menacingly, creeping the mercenary out while scaring him immensely. He clenched his hands, showing off his claws, while glaring at the Eclipse member. Shepard smirked as he thoroughly enjoyed the spectacle. Samara and Mordin remained stoic, but Tali shook her head and whispered to the master thief about how evil she was.

"No! I'm telling the truth! I swear it!" The mercenary shouted in horror, face paling behind his yellow helmet.

"Get out of here." Shepard growled.

He didn't have to repeat himself. As soon as he gave the merc permission to flee, the man bolted towards the elevator as if he has seen a ghost. Grievous laughed sadistically at seeing the Eclipse mercenary flee. His laughter caused some eyebrows to rise, even among the members who didn't even have them. Shepard on the other hand wasn't too worried. Sure, Grievous had problems with social interaction, but the way he was acting reminded him of Grunt and Wrex. No, Grievous wasn't insane. He simply had the bloodthirst and bloodrage of a Krogan.

Seeing that there was nothing left to be said or done, they made their way to the top of the tower. They passed a few more empty storage rooms, along with some dead and living Salarians. It gave Shepard some pause.

Why was the assassin saving the workers? He had never heard about a contracted killer going out of his way to save innocents, especially during an infiltration mission. If anything they would use the distraction that the workers provided and sneak up to their target. One could argue that he was making sure no Eclipse mercenaries would come running if he got spotted, but that made no sense, seeing as there were plenty of mercs left on the lower level and even on the upper. No, this Thane was specifically targeting the mercs who were killing workers.

An assassin with a conscience then, that was something he could work with.

As they made their way up to the roof and arrived, they could see dozens of mercs patrol the bridge. There were noticeably less mechs though. Nassana had probably ordered most of the mechs to deal with the workers, accompanied by mercenaries. Shepard spotted some vanguards among the Eclipse, their tech armor causing them to stand out, while the occasional engineer stood with them.

"Crossing that bridge won't be easy, Shepard." Tali spoke up, watching the bridge as well. "They've got some solid defenses."

Mordin nodded in agreement, "Lone pathway proves to be problematic. Mercenaries will try to stop us with overwhelming force."

"We could create that barrier you proposed earlier," Samara proposed helpfully, "but we won't be able to maintain it for long under such firepower."

As they debated what to do, Grievous scanned the construction. While the mercenaries did indeed heavily fortify their position, they only had eyes on the upper side of the bridge, not the underside. His mind quickly began processing data as he observed the defenses on the other side. The snipers and other troopers on the other side would be their biggest problem, therefore they had to go.

"Shepard, I have found a way." Grievous said, gaining the commander's attention. Shepard didn't comment on how he had actually said his name, instead of addressing him as 'human' or simply 'commander', but nodded for him to continue. "I can climb over to the other side from below, avoiding the mercs. Once I begin my surprise attack, use the mercenaries' confusion and attack them."

"Surprise attack would leave mercs dazed. Will assume assassin has appeared. Leaves them unprepared for second assault." Mordin mused. "Yes, best course of action."

"I agree. Alright, Grievous, but I don't like the idea of you going alone." Shepard said as he crossed his arms.

Grievous narrowed his eyes, "Your concern is unwarranted. I am more than capable of disposing a few weak mercenaries."

Shepard once again felt the urge to roll his eyes. The general was strong, he knew that all too well, but his pride and arrogance were as potent as his fighting capabilities. It was as if Grievous couldn't even stomach the mere thought of someone besting him, much to the point that he saw himself as superior to others. But in the end it didn't matter. If the general could take care of the mercenaries at the other side of the bridge, without being detected first, then he could go.

"We'll be waiting here." Shepard sighed, gesturing for the cyborg to go ahead.

Grievous turned away from the group and headed for a nearby ladder, having decided that it was his best pathway. The general climbed down the steps of the ladder before jumping down, landing on a narrow part of the roof, just below the bridge. None of the mercenaries had spotted him yet. The Eclipse were too busy preparing, while keeping an eye on the topside of the bridge, away from his position. Grievous ignored them for now. His own foes were at the end of the bridge, not on it.

He carefully made his way to the end of the narrow extension, keeping his back to the wall and his eyes focused. There was still a large distance between him and the bridge that he couldn't cross no matter how hard he jumped. However, he had other ways to get there. Before doing anything else, Grievous attached his rifle to the magnetic clamps on his back. A secret compartment on his right arm opened up at his command, revealing a hidden cable. Grievous carefully aimed it at the underside of the bridge, taking into account how hard the wind was blowing, before firing the cable. It soared through the air before hitting the bridge and safely attaching itself to it. With a simple press of a button, Grievous was automatically raised towards the bridge.

His claws firmly dug into the construction, preventing him from falling. Grievous secretly detested having this body, but at times like these, it was very useful. The wind blew harshly against his facemask as he slowly crawled under the bridge. Grievous would smirk at the obliviousness of the mercs if he still had the capacity to do so.

It took him some time to finally get to the end of the bridge. By no means was it a short one, and having to crawl his way over was slower than walking. However, his plan worked. Not a single Eclipse merc had noticed his arrival. Grievous stuck to the wall he climbed on like a spider, claws keeping him in place and powerful cybernetics giving him the strength to move his heavy body. The general was surprisingly silent, not that anyone would hear him with the wailing sound of the wind, nor would they see him in the darkness of the night.

Grievous climbed upwards until he got to the edge of the upper platform, exactly where the entrance to the penthouse was, along with the Eclipse marksmen. Their voices were getting louder and he could even hear some of them. His topnotch audio receptors allowed him to hear their chatter, whether he wanted it or not.

"-ve your asses! Nassana won't be paying us if she's dead!"

"How are we supposed to fight someone we can't see?"

"Did all of our guys down below die?"

From the sounds of it, there had to be at least six mercenaries above him. Grievous silently sneaked behind them like a predator, ready to pounce upon his prey and eviscerate them. It was almost exhilarating. Hunting Jedi was a favorite activity of his, but as a warrior he sought out all kinds of prey, such as beasts on his homeworld. Hiding from the mercenaries made him remember those times. Old memories of lush forests, various beasts, past hunting trips and standing alongside his fellow Kaleesh wormed their way up through his mind. Grievous frowned as a strange feeling overcame him. Was he feeling…

Nostalgic?

Grievous shook away those thoughts and focused on the matter at hand, killing the foolish mercenaries that stood in his way. Besides, those thoughts were just a hindrance to him. The man he was before becoming what he was now… died, and was reborn as general Grievous, the ruthless Jedi killer and supreme commander of the separatist droid army.

"Damn that Quarian girl!" Grievous thought to himself, feeling frustrated by his plaguing thoughts. "All because she asked me about Kalee, and my people. What would she know?"

He finally cleared his head and began climbing onto the platform, already reaching for his lightsabers. His eyes zoomed in on a better armored Eclipse merc, an Asari, and stalked towards her.

"Check your ammo. The last thing I want is one of you firing a half-empty gun. Rodriguez, find a good position to set up that rocket drone. We can't allow- gah!" She fell silent as a blade of green energy pierced her barrier, armor and her body.

The surrounding mercenaries looked in shock at their leader. She tried to grasp at the burning blade with shaking hands, face morphed into an expression of horror and surprise, before she went limp. Grievous carelessly pushed her body away with his foot and ignited a second blade. He gazed upon the surprised mercenaries and chuckled lowly, a slight cough appearing at the end.

"Mercenary scum, you will all perish at my hands." The general promised them morbidly.

One of them boldly aimed his weapon at him and shouted, "Kill him!"

Grievous immediately dashed forward, long before they could even fire at him, closing the distance between him and the nearest merc. The Salarian fearfully backed away, yet it was too late for him. His mouth opened wide as a scream escaped his lips, pain filling his entire being, insides burning as a lightsaber pierced his stomach. His gun fell from his limp hands as all life left him. The general didn't even spare him another glance, instead moving to another target.

By now the mercs were firing at him, though it were mostly snipers using their pistols which didn't break his kinetic barrier. Grievous' enhanced cybernetic speed made him a blur for most of them. One of the Eclipse snipers tried shooting him in a frenzy, but all his bullets missed every single time. Grievous sliced the man's hand off, ridding him of his weapon, before finishing the job by cutting his chest. The sniper's partner tried stabbing the general with his omni-blade, only for Grievous to slice in a wide horizontal arc. Soon after his head fell off of his shoulders.

More and more mercs fell to his blades, their lives snuffed out like candles in the wind.

"Surround him!" Another mercenary screamed at her comrades, then turned to the mercs at the bridge. "Hey, we need backup here! We've got the assassin!"

However, the mercenaries down below were in no state to help. On the other side of the bridge was a large blue orb of biotic energy that protected the Normandy crew. Samara and Shepard were projecting the barrier, all the while the others barraged the Eclipse mercs. The guards on the platform were left alone to face Grievous' wrath, mercenary after mercenary dying as he continued his onslaught.

Grievous laughed cruelly, "Such tactics will do you no good. I am more powerful than you could imagine!"

And before anyone could do anything, he descended upon another victim, an Asari merc.

The Asari let out a whimper as he grabbed her by the neck, talons painfully digging into her skin. He used enough force to draw blood from her. Other mercenaries hesitated to fire, fearing they would hit their colleague. Grievous coldly stared into her eyes as he savored her fear. It didn't last long though. The general was suddenly pushed away after being struck by a biotic shockwave, throwing him away. Grievous flew a few meters before landing on both his feet, metal scraping against metal as he forced himself to stand.

"Back away!" Another Asari ordered firmly, wearing state-of-the-art armor and carrying an Asari-made shotgun. She scowled at the general while putting a fresh thermal clip in her gun. "This guy's all mine."

"You believe you can defeat me?" Grievous sneered, looking down on her. "I've killed many mercenaries before. You will be no different than them."

"We'll see about that." The Asari commando spat.

Grievous growled and charged forward, his right hand spinning the blade like a buzzsaw. The commando rolled away from him just in time to dodge the blow. She landed in a crouch and aimed her shotgun, firing a shell into the general's shields. They strained under the hit and dropped dangerously low, which infuriated Grievous. He grunted from the blow while glaring at the merc. Seeing that he had to step up his game, Grievous jumped into the air and spun around, displaying a feat of agility that only a Jedi could match, before coming down onto his foe's position.

"Missed me!" Came the taunt of the Asari as she once again rolled away.

However, she had missed the fact that Grievous' arms had split, and that one of those arms had grabbed her by the ankle. Her eyes widened as she was flung against the wall. A pained grunt escaped her lips as she banged her head against the wall, not hard enough to knock her out but certainly giving her a headache.

"I never miss." Grievous growled. He walked over to her, picking up her discarded shotgun on the way, before aiming it at the downed merc. "Not even enough to give me a challenge."

"How's this for a challenge then!" The commando yelled defiantly, pushing the general on his feet with her biotics.

Not having expected the biotic push, Grievous was unprepared and fell on his back. The Asari-made shotgun fell out of his grasp as he landed roughly on the floor. His eyes narrowed, watching as his opponent got back up on her feet and gathered more biotic energy into her fist. She reared it back, scowling at the separatist general, and quickly brought it down on him. However, Grievous was quick to react. His body twisted as he evaded the blow and got back up.

Taking a page from the book of the Krogan he had brawled with, Grievous charged the Asari and slammed his right shoulderpad in her side, throwing her against the wall. It wasn't enough to put her out of the fight though. She cursed in her native tongue, blood dripping off of her broken nose, but she got back up and looked Grievous defiantly in the eyes. The general gave her no pity. He respected her desire to win, but her fate was already sealed.

Grievous ran forward with his two blades ignited, slashing in random arcs to overwhelm his opponent. The Asari was skilled and graceful. He could see that she was a combat veteran just by looking at her eyes, calculative and focused, while a calmness kept her from acting recklessly. But he was a warrior himself. He would not be outclassed by some nameless mercenary, not now and not ever.

He began using his whole body, utilizing his cybernetics to remain unpredictable. The Asari was fast, but not fast enough to keep him at bay. She was unarmed and her only way of staying alive was by dodging his attacks. Grievous didn't even give her the chance to use her biotics, the general having realized that they were incredibly powerful and useful in a fight, and made sure she had all of her attention focused on him. But in the end she slipped up.

"Gaah!" She screamed loudly, loud enough to drown out the noise of the gunfire from below, as her shoulder was pierced by a lightsaber.

Grievous suddenly brought his arm upwards and effectively cut off her limb, the now useless appendage falling on the ground. The Asari commando screamed loudly as she clutched at the stump of where she had previously had had an arm. She fell on her knees, pain overwhelming her senses, and realization of her loss settling in.

"Finish it." She managed to say through gritted teeth, staring up at her foe.

Like an executioner who had just received his orders, Grievous complied and quickly cut her down, granting her a warrior's death. He respected her, therefore not prolonging her suffering. The Asari's body slumped as if it was a puppet whose strings had been cut, and promptly fell on the cold floor.

Grievous turned around and sought out new opponents, only to realize there were none. All of the mercenaries had been defeated. He watched as Shepard approached with his entourage, the crew giving him impressed looks.

"Few have had the opportunity of facing an Asari commando." Samara spoke up, voice collected and seemingly thoughtful. "Their skills are not to be taken lightly."

"And yet, I killed her." Was Grievous' only response, cold yellow eyes piercing her very soul.

No one said anything else as they walked inside the penthouse.