Author's Note: Sorry on the delay. doing my best to get back in the groove. a summer off throws a person for a loop. Ok, new chapter for you guys. Enjoy!
Read and review please!
Exiting on the lift on the lower wards they are assaulted by the stench of burning and decayed flesh.
"Well, that's always a good greeting." Deunan quips waving her hand to alleviate some of the stench.
"They are burning the bodies." Zaeed says casually as he steps into the hall beyond the lift.
"Most likely to try and control the spread of the plague." Miranda moves up to the nearest pile of bodies and examines them.
Shepard has to turn away at the sight of most of them being children. Deunan sees this and rests her hand on Shepard's elbow. "C'mon. Let's keep moving. NAV point shows the clinic to be that way." She indicates the main hall they are in.
Shepard nods and sets off, studiously keeping her eyes off the bodies that line the way. "This plague can't be natural. There are too many dead."
They come across a batarian, He is obviously sick, slumped against the wall. His breathing is labored and shallow, interspersed with coughs. "Wait..please…" He weakly calls out to them.
Shepard steps close to him and kneels down. "I haven't got anything to help you with, I'm sorry."
He sighs softly, "It's..ok..I knew the end was coming.." he breaks out into coughs, blood spattering his hand.
"I need to know more about this plague. Can you tell me anything?"
"It's not natural, can't be..two hundred dead in the first two weeks, more die everyday... Only humans and vorcha aren't getting sick..must be..man made.."
"But why create a plague like that?" Shepard presses the man.
"I don't know..none do.."
"Can you tell me anything about ?"
"Crazy, that one..has mechs for defense..took out a squad of blue sun mercs single handedly...crazy, he's not just a doctor...there's no way.." The man erupts into fierce long coughs, his body wracking with every cough.
"Hold on. We can try to get you to him." Shepard holds the man's shoulders as the coughs subside.
His breath wheezing he says, "Too..late for me..go, I'll be..alright.."
Shepard is torn. She feels helpless knowing there is nothing she can do for him, and having to go.
Zaeed steps up, drawing his gun, "I can put you out of your misery batarian." He says coolly.
"Zaeed!" Shepard pushes his pistol aside as she stands to face him.
"No.." the batarian sighs, "It's alright...he is right.."
"No." Shepard says vehemently, "No. There has to be a better way."
Deunan takes her shoulder and draws her back. "It's what he wants."
"Better to die quick by a pistol...than death by slow plague.." He says tiredly.
Shepard turns and walks away, flinching at the sound of a gun going off.
Deunan catches up to her and lays her hand on her elbow, "It's ok. He chose his death."
"He didn't have to die." Shepard grinds her teeth as she continues down the path, leading them deeper into the wards.
The path they are following leads them through vorcha territory, opening up several times into courtyards and junctions that turn into firefights. The vorcha fight with enthusiasm if not expertise, forcing Shepard and her squad to get creative in trapping them and herding them into packs to kill.
"I really hate vorcha." Shepard growls as she collects spare thermal clips to resupply. She kicks the body of one out of her way, scowling as she hits the gasoline pack of his flamethrower. "As if they needed more ways to kill. I want to know who supplied them with flamethrowers."
"They could have looted them from the Blue Suns." Miranda comes over and lifts the flamethrower off of the body, examining it. "Yes, see here? Blue Suns' mark." She points out a stamp on the base of the pack.
"Great, So the Blue Suns lose ground to the vorcha due to the plague. And the armed rats get ahold of bigger, badder guns. We'll have to watch our backs. No telling what else they might be packing."
"They're still rats to me." Zaeed says gruffly as he hefts his rifle. "Line them up for me."
"C'mon, let's go." Shepard leads them off, making their way down, "The clinic's not far."
Once they make the clinic Shepard looks in approval at the armed mechs standing guard outside. "Somebody knows what they're doing." She comments as the mechs let them pass into the clinic proper.
Deunan and Miranda step in ahead of Shepard, looking around at the plague victims. Zaeed remains standing at the door as Shepard steps up to the counter ahead. "I'm looking for Dr. Mordin Solus. I was told I could find him here."
"Yes, he's here." The young human woman says in rushed tones. "I'm sorry, I'm real busy, you can go on back."
Shepard nods and turns to signal Deunan and Miranda to follow. She is surprised to see the two having what appears to be an argument. The noise in the clinic is too loud for her to make out what they are saying. But it looks very heated, Deunan's usually stoic face is red with anger and contempt. Miranda's smug expression has Shepard on edge about what the two could be arguing over.
She steps closer and whistles loudly. The entire room falls silent, including the two women. "Alright then. If you've had enough bickering, we've work to do." Without waiting for a reply she turns and strides out of the main room and down the back hall.
Deunan gives Miranda one scathing look before falling in step behind Shepard. Miranda glares at Deunan's back as she follows.
Shepard turns a corner into one of the back rooms, Hearing voices coming from within, a male and female. It sounds like a debate, she can hear comments about reactions and interactions of drugs as she steps in.
Inside a salarian and a human woman are in an in depth debate. "Um, Excuse me?" She says softly, the conversation continues, the salarian, she assumes is Mordin talks very fast and animatedly. "excuse me." she speaks up louder, getting their attention. "Thank you, my name is Shepard, I'm here seeking your help doctor on a mission I'm currently on."
"Shepard. Human. Commander, commanded the Normandy during the geth wars. Took down Saren Arterius."
Shepard is taken aback at his abrupt and broken way of speaking. "Yes, that's me."
"Heard you had died. Curiousity to be revived. Would love to know more."
"Cerberus brought me back. They're helping me investigate the missing human colonies. I'm looking for your help."
"Cerberus." He holds his chin thoughtfully. "Have heard of them. Curious to seek xeno help."
"We believe this is a galactic threat." Miranda interrupts him.
"Galactic threat? Yes. Can see, too many go missing too quietly."
"We have reason to believe it's collectors taking the colonists. They are using some kind of nerve agent. It paralyzes the colonists, prevents them from fighting back. Swarms of these small creatures administer the drug."
"Nerve agent. Yes, can see how that might work. Curious to investigate. To know more and study this agent would be good. Yes."
"Whoa, whoa.." Shepard stops him as his voice started speeding up. "Will you help us or not?"
"Would love to. Can't." He looks back down at his lab equipment in front of him.
"Wait, can't? Why not?"
"Too much to do here. Plague spreading too fast. Must finish cure. Administer it."
"You've found a cure?"
"Yes, need to administer it." Shepard pinches the bridge of her nose, knowing where this is leading. "Need help. You could help."
"Me?" Shepard sighs, "Just once, just once, I'd love to ask for help and someone go 'Oh yeah sure. No problem' no strings attached." She grumbles to herself. She can hear Deunan give a snicker and turns to glare at her.
"World doesn't work that way. Give and take." Mordin responds. "Give and take. All need something for something."
"Alright. What can I do to help?"
"Help. Put cure in air supply. Induce into air vents. Should help all."
Shepard bites her lip thoughtfully, "Sure. We can do that."
"Good, good. Here is cure. Air supply out back of clinic. Inside Vorcha territory. Use caution."
Shepard takes the cure and pockets it. "Will do, thanks."
"Welcome. Now, back to work. Need to administer cure to patients in clinic." He looks up to Shepard, "One other thing. Assistant went missing. Told him not to go. Daniel, hasn't returned. Fear the worst."
"I'll keep an eye out for him." Shepard turns walks out of the room, calling for Zaeed to follow them out the back.