CHAPTER 21: Garrus Vs. Thane: Who's Gonna Win?

It's been about a month since I last update, so that isn't too bad. I took a while for me to write this chapter, it was a bit of a struggle and my muse was pulling me to my other stories. This chapter is brand new. Fieryrose00 on Ao3 was a little disappointed at the lack of a fight between Thane and Garrus in Chapter 10, and wondered who would win in a real fight between Thane and Garrus. This is my attempt to answer that question. I chose the planet Almos for a location as it has almost no information about it on the ME wikia. Anything beyond its location is all made up from my mind.

A week later Thane receives an SOS with a set of coordinates from one of his prior associates in the form of a brief and obviously rushed message:

TK:

Help, Almos. LoD.

ZX

Thane's mind flashes through his memories of Zarek Xenakis, the turian that had saved him when he was thirteen. Since that fateful night, Thane and Zarek had kept in touch. Five years later, Thane was able to repay his life debt by saving the turian's life. When Irikah was murdered, Zarek offered his help without hesitation. Zarek is one of the few friends Thane has and he would do almost anything to help him. As much as Thane doesn't want to burden Shepard with another personal mission, he cannot avoid it. Zarek needs his help and Shepard has the resources and the power to help.

Miranda walks into the Life Support room to find him looking dazed. "What's wrong, Thane?"

He blinks slowly, coming back to reality. "Siha," Thane sighs.

"What is it?" Concerned, she touches his shoulder and her eyes rove over his form looking for wounds and checking his breathing. "Should I get Mordin or Chakwas?"

"I am fine Siha but Zarek is in trouble." He shows her the message.

"Zarek, the turian you told me about?"

Krios nods.

"LoD?"

Thane answers softly, "Life or death."

Miranda nods definitively, "Shepard. Whatever is going on, you and Shep can figure it out. Together, you will save Zarek."

Although used to working alone, Thane has come to trust Shepard with everything he has. It cannot hurt to have her along. She is an unstoppable force and has a fast ship. She can get them to Almos in the Vamshi System within the Armstrong Nebula faster than anything he could find. Thane takes Miranda's hand, bringing it to his lips. "Let's go find Shepard."

Together they go in search of Shepard, finding her with Jack, Garrus, Grunt, and Zaeed playing a card game. As often happens, the game is boisterous and filled with trash talk. Grunt and Zaeed are too busy yelling at each other to notice Thane and Miranda entering. Jack glances up briefly but upon seeing her least favorite woman she turns her attention back to the game. Lily looks up, the carefree grin immediately drops and her expression sobers.

Before she can ask, he says "Could I have a moment of your time, Shepard?"

"Of course, Thane." Shepard stands up; as she exits she trails her fingers down Garrus' arm in a familiar caress. Despite the relative newness of their relationship, Lily isn't shy about touching Garrus in front of the others. Garrus isn't her dirty little secret and Lily isn't ashamed to show her affection for her turian.

Thane, Miranda, and Shepard go to her quarters to talk. Shepard gets straight to the point and asks, "What is wrong?"

"I need your help. I received an emergency message from a friend. I don't have any of the details as his message was only a few words but it said it was life or death."

Shepard doesn't hesitate, "What do you need me to do?"

Thane sighs in relief; Shepard is willing. "Zarek's message says that he is on Almos. He gave a set of coordinates."

The Commander quick scans the map of the known worlds in her mind, asking uncertainly, "Armstrong Nebula?"

"Yes, within the Vamshi System."

Shepard calls Joker and tells him to start plotting to the Vamshi System. She opens her omni-tool and searches Almos. It isn't a heavily populated planet. Mining companies are spread out throughout the planet, some small cities, settlements and towns. She enters the coordinates and discovers that it leads to an abandoned mine. That done, she asks, "What do you know? What should we expect?"

"Almost nothing." Thane shows her the message he received.

"Tell me about…Zarek was it?"

"Zarek Xenakis. He's turian. Zarek saved my life when I was thirteen."

Shepard nods in understanding. There is a bond that often forms when a person saves your life. "What does Zarek do? Military?" She wonders if Zarek has a reputation among turians, Garrus might know him.

"Yes. Special Forces."

"If he's in trouble, whoever or whatever is threatening him is serious. How do you want to do this? Stealth? Gun blazing?" Shepard is not stealthy; she's self-aware enough to know that. She is a vanguard. She craves the adrenaline rush of close combat. Her stealth involves a sniper rifle and staying almost completely still. She is not an assassin like Thane that can blend and hide in plain sight.

Thane considers the options. If they go in stealthily, the options are fairly limited. Only he and Kasumi are truly skilled at stealth. Shepard's biotic aura makes her too noticeable. Jack and Grunt are about as subtle as a Tsunami. The rest of the Normandy's squad is stealthy to varying degrees. Thane has no idea what they will be walking into. The uncertainty is troubling. "Guns blazing. We don't know what we will encounter. It is better to go in anticipating a fire fight than to go in with stealth and be out gunned."

"I agree. I am thinking you, Garrus, and me. Miranda too, if you like."

Miranda gives Thane a look and warns him, "Do not even think about leaving me behind."

Thane blinks slowly before answering, "Of course not, Siha."

Shepard smirks.

Miranda laughs at her, "I wouldn't be so smug, Shep. I don't see you daring to attempt to leave Garrus behind."

Shepard laughs, not denying anything. "I'll talk to Joker and then update Garrus. I will have EDI let you know when we are about to land."

LS*GV*LS*GV*LS*GV*LS*GV*LS*GV

Garrus is brought up to speed as Joker plots a course to Almos. He can't help but think back to the last mission they had gone in blind. The turian hopes this one will go better than the last. Even with Mordin's serum, Garrus does not want to go into his primal state again. He doesn't know Zarek by name or reputation, which isn't surprising considering how many turians are in the military in one form or another. Despite wishing they had more information Garrus understands Thane's desire to answer Zarek's distress call immediately. Saving someone's life or having your own life saved by another creates a link between the two people that often lasts a lifetime. How could a person forget someone that is the reason he or she is alive? Sometimes he wonders if Shepard would be his yazani if they'd met under different circumstances. He has saved Lily's life and she his. He doesn't know if they would be together without that binding them.

Far too quickly, Joker is announcing they'll be landing in a few minutes. Garrus checks his armor and weapons one last time while Lily does the same. Earlier he had watched her replace her protein bars stash she hides under her armor. She must have been remembering that mission too. Lily never got sick from eating his dextro food that time thankfully but Garrus knows she isn't in any hurry to try it a second time.

Jacob is left in command as Miranda, Thane, Garrus, and Shepard depart for the coordinates. The other squad members are on standby, just in case Shepard needs them. None of them have any idea what they are walking in on.

Miranda and Lily lead with guns out and biotics at the ready while Thane and Garrus trail behind. The mine looks empty and abandoned as they expected. "Anyone else getting a bad feeling in tips of their fringe?" Garrus asks.

Lily laughs, "Yeah, the rest of us don't have that, turian. Fringe or not, I feel the same. Something bad is going to happen." She sounds matter-a-fact despite anticipating disaster. This will not be the first or last time Shepard has knowingly walked into a shit storm without flinching.

Systematically they search the mine until they come to the lowest and farthest room. In the corner lies a cuffed and gagged turian. Thane rushes toward him, "Zarek!" The other three clear the rest of the room before going to Thane.

The sound of the door locking makes Shepard's heart sink. "Shit."

Even worse is the sound of a gas being pumped into the room and knowing they have no escape. Shepard reaches out to Garrus and grips his hand tightly; Miranda does the same with Thane. Both women are surprised when minutes later they feel no different. Their expectations of death delay their realization that Garrus and Thane are not unaffected by the mysterious gas.

The two men fall to the floor, their guns dropping to the floor loudly.

"Garrus?"

"Thane?"

The two women check on their men but they don't respond, not to their words or their touch. Suddenly, Garrus opens his eyes and instead of ice blue, his whole eye is eerily black. "Garrus?" Shepard asks shakily.

Then, Thane opens his eyes and instead of shining black, his eyes are blood red. Miranda is shocked and asks hesitantly, "Thane?"

Neither man responds. They each stand, moving as if controlled by someone else. Garrus and Thane are several feet apart. Their eyes meet for a moment and it is like a switch is pulled. Miranda and Lily can only watch in shock as the two men charge each other. Thane kicks Garrus in the chest, pushing off the turian's chest to flip himself backward onto his feet. Garrus staggers back, roaring in fury. He swipes at Thane, the force of the blow tearing of a chunk of his sleeve.

Shepard charges Garrus, slamming down with her nova but it has no effect on either man. Whatever was pumped into the room, it has not only made the two men want to kill each other for no reason but also has made them feel invulnerable. Lily pulls out a loaded syringe and plunges it into Garrus' neck. The turian rips it away but still his eyes are black and he's unresponsive. This isn't Garrus in his primal state. It is something else.

Thane's biotics throw Garrus back and he slams into the wall.

Miranda is struggling with Zarek Xenakis; the turian's eyes are as black as Garrus' and he is fighting his bonds. *Is this what the person was planning? For Zarek and Thane to fight to the death? Whoever it is didn't anticipate Shepard, Garrus, and I would be along.* With only a tinge of regret, Miranda slams Zarek repeatedly into the wall until he falls limp. If Zarek gets free, it will be two drugged turians against an equally drugged drell. The turian is far easier to knock out than Garrus. His injuries from the torture he sustained made him weaker.

In the meantime, Shepard has been trying to stop the fight. She's only succeeded in getting herself thrown violently into the wall a few times.

Thane and Garrus grapple, throwing punches and knees with abandon. Both are bleeding but neither willing to give. Garrus sweeps Thane's legs but the assassin tucks and rolls gracefully, ending up on his feet once again. Garrus has power and reach but Thane has speed and flexibility. Garrus' punch sends Thane flying backward. The drell scrambles to his feet, turning and surprising Garrus with a backhanded punch. Garrus roars and tackles Thane, using his weight to hold the drell down while he punches his head. Thane bucks up, creating enough space to allow his legs to shove the turian straight back.

Shepard charges again but Thane uses his biotics to throw her hard against the wall. Thane punches Garrus but it only seems to enrage the turian. Garrus lunges forward, tearing the drell's armor off before he sinks his teeth into the meat of Thane's shoulder. Thane screams, tearing the turian off him. He quickly batters the turian in the chest with a chain of swift, painful punches. Miranda slams Thane into the ground and a wall before releasing him. Garrus rushes forward, plowing over Miranda, who happens to be in his way. Garrus puts all his might behind the punch, hitting Thane as he gets up off the floor. The shock of the force dazes Thane further.

Miranda is knocked out cold as her head strikes the unforgiving metal wall. Shepard picks herself off and sends a shockwave to the two men. Both of them fly in separate directions and each hits a different wall solidly. Lily has had enough. One way or another she is knocking the two men out before they kill each other or her. Not taking any chances, Shepard gathers her biotic power and slams down, the shockwave from her inferno slamming into the two men and finally knocking them both unconscious.

Shepard sighs audibly before getting to work. She takes her cuffs and snaps them on Garrus and takes his cuffs and snaps them on Thane. Lily doesn't often have to cuff people but it always better to have them and not need them, then need them and not have them. The cuffs are unbreakable, not even a krogan in his prime could break them. Shepard checks both men over quickly. They are bleeding but nothing that should be life threatening. She then checks Miranda and Zarek, neither has wounds that are bleeding heavily or dangerously.

Lily goes to the door and starts working on the lock. She isn't Tali or Kasumi but she's learned enough from the pair to be able to break the decryption. It takes longer than Tali or Kasumi would have taken but eventually she cracks it. Shepard has to leave the room before she can get a signal to call Joker for a pick up. That done, she drags Thane out and then Garrus, hoping getting out of the room will prevent more of the drug from getting into their systems. Miranda is awake by the time she goes back for Zarek. She is a little pale but then she always is. Together, Miranda and Shepard drag Zarek out too.

Jack, Grunt, Jacob, Mordin, Samara, Zaeed, and Chakwas soon arrive. Mordin and Chakwas immediately start examining Garrus and Thane. When the two men wake, they both start struggling. The drug is not out of their system, evident by the colors of their eyes. Grunt and Jack hold down Garrus, while Samara and Jacob hold down Thane. Chakwas has never seen anything like this before but then her expertise is primarily humans. Mordin is intrigued by the state of the two men; the mad scientist in him is curious. "Hmm…targeted toward turian and drell. Humans immune. Eye color changed on both. Violent. Driven to kill. Violent against everyone or just each other?" The last part is clearly a question addressed to Miranda and Shepard as he looks at them both quizzically.

"Each other. They wanted to kill each other but didn't mind us unless we got in the way."

Mordin mumbles to himself as he readies two syringes. He asks Chakwas to take some blood from both men for tests. Mordin may not know what this drug is but he is fairly certain the drug he created years ago can counteract it. He's used it before on soldiers drugged with unknown substances. The drug Mordin created is like an off switch, counteracting the effects of the unknown drug. He doses both men quickly and efficiently. Within seconds, the two men stop fighting and fall limp. They will be unconscious for an hour while the drug does its work. At Mordin's insistence, Garrus and Thane are carefully carried back to the Normandy.

Zarek wakes as the other two men are carried away. His eyes still black but his struggles are quickly subdued by Miranda and Shepard. Mordin injects him with the same drug and he too falls unconscious. Within minutes, all three affected men are in Chakwas' lab. Between the two doctors, they treat the three men's wounds. Zarek is in the worst shape but should make a full recovery.

Once finished, Chakwas leaves Mordin to watch over them and goes to find Shepard and Miranda. She finds them huddled together with the others, obviously trying to find out who did this.

Shepard asks her squad, "We need to find out who this guy is."

Jacob says, "The only link between Thane and this guy seems to be his turian friend. Who even knows Thane is friends with this guy? How does Thane know the turian?"

"Thane said Zarek saved his life when he was thirteen. I don't know anything more than that," Shepard says.

Miranda adds, "It was during an assassination. Thane's target was a radical Salarian scientist. Zarek saved him and they've been friends ever since. Thane saved Zarek's life later. Thane told me Zarek even offered to help find Irikah's killer."

"Salarian scientist, do you remember his name?" Shepard asks.

"Thane never said."

Shepard sighs, "We'll have to wait until Thane wakes up." She knows Thane's kills aren't going to be easy to uncover. No sense in wasting time looking on their own; Thane should wake in an hour.

When the conversation is over, Chakwas moves forward. She examines Miranda first and despite her protests, checks her for a concussion, which she has. She treats her wounds and orders her to the lab to be monitored.

"I'm fine."

"No, you are not, Miranda. Would you like Thane to wake up to find out his Siha has a serious brain injury because you refuse to be monitored? Don't you think he might blame himself?"

Miranda gives in under the guilt trip. She knows Thane will feel guilty enough if he remembers what happened. "Fine." Miranda can't stop herself from accusing softly, "You're evil."

Chakwas laughs, "No, I have just learned guilt is a good motivator for stubborn soldiers." As Miranda leaves, she turns her attention on Shepard, who is less resisting and whose injuries are less severe. No concussion and only minor scrapes and bruises.

Given the okay, Shepard makes her rounds. Once done, she goes to Chakwas' lab. None of the three men are awake yet. Miranda is beside Thane, holding his hand. Lily marvels at the soft look of love on her face. She can't believe this is the same woman she encountered when she awoke in the Cerberus. The bitchy snob is gone…or at least mostly gone; it always comes out when Jack's around. But Miranda has transformed into a loyal, warm woman. Miranda may think she owes the change to Shepard but Lily knows it is Thane's love that truly made the difference. It is with Thane's love that Miranda has found the courage to be open and trusting with Shepard and the others on the Normandy.

Miranda looks up; worry clear in her eyes as they meet Lily's. Shepard smiles reassuringly before taking her place beside Garrus. Together they wait.

LS*GV*LS*GV*LS*GV*LS*GV*LS*GV

Thane and Garrus awake groaning within seconds of each other, no doubt both feeling the pain and soreness of their injuries. Garrus opens his eyes and the first thing he sees is Lily smiling at him. Despite the pain he's feeling, he smiles back. "Hi." Shepard's grin widens, "Hi."

Two beds away, Thane opens his eyes and his love is staring at him with worried eyes. His heart warms as he sighs, "Siha." Miranda's eyes sparkle with unshed tears but her smile is true, "Love."

Shepard asks, "What do you remember?"

Garrus forces his tired mind to focus, "Some gas being pumped into the room and then just rage. What happened?"

Lily answers, "We aren't entirely sure yet but the gas did something to both you and Thane. One minute you were both on the floor and the next you were trying to kill each other."

With a pained grunt, Garrus turns to look at Thane. He looks how Garrus feels but at least he is alive.

Seeing his gaze, Shepard adds wryly, "Obviously neither of you was successful." She giggles at the look on Garrus' face.

"Clearly," Garrus says dryly. "Hey Thane, glad to see you're alive."

Thane's mouth quirks into a little smile. "You as well, comrade."

Miranda eyes the two men in disgust, only men would react like this after almost killing each other…well and maybe Shepard.

Mordin enters the lab and approaches. "Good, you're awake. Tested the blood. I know who created the airborne toxin. Chomir Izavig."

Thane gasps. The others look over at him. Miranda asks, "You know him, don't you?" Thane explains, "Not him personally but I know the family name. Bolass Izavig was my target when Zarek saved me."

"This was all about revenge then, for his father's death. This guy can keep a serious grudge. It's been years." Shepard calls Chambers and orders her to find everything she can about Chomir Izavig.

In the meantime, Zarek wakes disoriented and in a lot of pain. His mind screams at his body to move, to escape wherever he is being held captive this time. His panicking is interrupted by the soothing, familiar voice of Thane. "Zarek, you are okay. You are safe here." Zarek stops struggling. His head turns and he can see Thane beside him; his body falls limp with relief. "Thane." They all can hear the emotion packed into that single word. "Thank the Spirits."

Shepard tries to stifle her giggle but can't. The entire room looks at her like she is crazy, which only makes her laugh harder. Among the giggling, Lily explains, "Sorry, sorry! It's just…I thought Garrus was the only one that said that. Must be a turian thing."

Zarek notices the other turian for the first time. His eyes flick back and forth between the turian and the human before he sees something that shocks him to his core. The human has a bond mark, a turian bond mark. Wide-eyed he meets the turian's gaze and Zarek can tell the turian knows that he knows. The turian and the human are yazanis, soul mates. Zarek can't believe it; never in all of their existence has this happened. Not once. Zarek wonders who this woman is and why the Spirits chose her to be the first non-turian yazani.

Garrus knows that Zarek knows that Shepard is his yazani. *How quickly will this news spread through the turian community?* He dismisses the thought and looks at Shepard. Garrus knows his face reflects his love of her; he makes no effort to hide it.

Shepard finally contains herself.

Mordin and Chakwas give the three men pain relievers, checking their wounds and eyes. After they are done, Thane introduces Zarek to everyone. Upon learning Shepard's name, Zarek begins to understand why the Spirits chose her. He's heard of her remarkable accomplishments and if half of what they say about her is true, she is truly one of a kind.

"It was Izavig's son, Thane," Zarek states.

Thane's head bobs in agreement. "I know. Mordin identified him through the gas he pumped through the room."

Zarek says, "Twenty-five years he fed his need for revenge before acting."

"To use a gas to make us kill each other; the ultimate revenge in his eyes," Thane declares.

"Except it evidently didn't go as planned. The man wasn't expecting me or Shepard or Miranda. If the toxin had affected Lily and Miranda like it did us, I doubt any of us would have made it out alive. Well, except Shepard," Garrus vows. In a brawl between them all, Shepard would undoubtedly win. They'd be fools to expect otherwise.

Miranda and Thane don't deny it. Miranda is a strong biotic but compared to Shepard, she is a weakling. Shepard 's biotics rival asari matriarchs.

Shepard admits, "I suppose I should let Anderson know about this. The Council can figure out what to do with Izavig." Since he tried to kill multiple races, it only makes sense for the politicians to figure out what to do with the man. "Unless either of you object?"

Zarek and Thane stare at each other for a second before making a decision. Neither objects.

"Good. It's settled. Now, where would you like us to take you Zarek?" Shepard asks.

"Home. Palaven."

Shepard nods before saying a quick goodbye. She needs to let Joker know and speak to Anderson. A part of her is dreading that conversation but Lily will do it anyway. She finds Chambers, "I need you to connect me to Councilor Anderson."

"Of course, Shepard."

"I'll be waiting in the Communications Room." It doesn't take but a few minutes before Anderson pops up. "Anderson," she greets him in a reserved tone.

"Shepard." Greetings over, David asks, "Your yeoman said you needed to speak to me?"

"Yes, one of my squad, Thane, recently received an SOS from a friend. When we went to investigate, we were locked into a room and a gas was pumped inside. The intent was for my squad member and his friend to kill each other. Instead his friend was bound and unable to escape, thus unable to fight. However, Garrus and Thane were not. Under the influence of the gas, they attempted to kill each other. Thankfully Miranda and I were able to knock them both unconscious."

David marvels at how Shepard always seems to get into these types of situations and somehow gets out of them as well. "Do you know who the perpetrator is?"

"Yes. Chomir Izavig, a salarian scientist. Mordin, a salarian on my squad recognized Izavig's work."

"Do you know where he is?"

Shepard admits, "No. My men were wounded; my mind was on them, not the perpetrator."

"Why bring this to me?"

Shepard shrugs, "Considering a salarian tried to kill two turians—both of them once prominent soldiers in the turian military—and a drell, with two humans that could have been collateral damage, I figured it would interest the Council."

Anderson admits to himself it sounds like a political mess. "Names of the victims?"

"Zarek Xenakis, Garrus Vakarian, Thane Krios, Miranda Lawson."

He scans over Shepard, noting she has a few scrapes and bruises but nothing serious. "Injuries?"

"Well, Miranda has a concussion. The others are more severe. Zarek the worst as Izavig tortured him before we arrived. Garrus and Thane sustained injuries expected of two men getting into an all out brawl with each other. Cuts, bruises, bite marks, etc. I'll have Chakwas send you a detailed list."

David acknowledges that with a nod. "Your squad going to be okay?"

Shepard smiles, "Yes, they'll recover. Could have turned out a lot differently."

"Yes, it could have." David can't help but wonder what would have happened had Garrus been seriously injured. A vengeful Shepard is a terrifying thing to imagine.

"I better get back," Shepard says a little awkwardly. Their argument stands between them. It will take time.

"Take care of yourself, Shepard," David says softly.

"Always. You do the same." With that, she disconnects the call.

Sorry Fieryrose00, I didn't quite answer your question, did I? This is where the plot bunnies led me. I guess it is still a mystery. Personally, I really think it could go either way. Neither would win every time, more like Garrus would win some and Thane would win some. In the scenario I gave, a fight to the death, I'd give Garrus an edge. Drells are much softer and more vulnerable than turians are. Plus Thane's armor vs. Garrus', Thane may gain some speed but is seriously vulnerable to attack in his leather type light armor. Add in turian claws/teeth and a lot of rage and I give Garrus the edge.

I haven't fill the gaps yet for the next chapter but I will try to do so within a month. I'm pretty sure after that I'll have a good chunk of chapters ready to be posted after a quick read through.