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Chapter 24: Rite of Passage

Year: 2183CE

Location: Virmire Beach Front

The cure for genophage. An answer the krogans had been seeking for centuries, millennium. It was here on this planet.

Yet Shepard had no choice but to destroy it.

Or else Saren will win. Shepard grimaced at that thought as she approached the furious krogan cautiously. Her footsteps were drowned by the soothing waves of the ocean, but she knew he could hear her.

"This isn't right, Shepard," said Wrex as soon as she was within range. His eyes remained glued to the horizon. "If there's a cure for the genophage, we can't destroy it!"

"I understand you're upset, but we both know Saren is the enemy here," Shepard pointed out calmly. "He should be the one you're angry with."

"Really?" Wrex turned and approached her one step at a time. "Saren created a cure for my people. You want to destroy it." He stopped right in front of her. His much larger size loomed over her smaller form. "Help me out here, Shepard. The lines between friend and foe is getting a little blurry from where I stand."

An angry krogan staring down at an opponent half his size should be intimidating enough to make that person run away with their pants wet. Shepard, however, stood her ground firmly, her gaze never faltered. This wasn't just any other krogan; this was her friend.

"This isn't a cure, it's a weapon!" said Shepard, her voice now took a sharper turn. "And if Saren is allowed to use it, you won't be around to reap the benefit. None of us will!"

"That's a chance we should be willing to take," Wrex retorted. "This is the fate of my entire people we're talking about!"

"And this is the fate of the entire galaxy we're talking about!" Shepard countered sharply, staring him down as if he was not a krogan twice her size but a varren who was misbehaving. If she showed fear, if she showed any sign of weakness, she would instantly lose any respect from a krogan warrior like Wrex.

"We all know how this will end," Wrex claimed. And suddenly, there was his shotgun pointing at her.

Shepard's well-honed reflex reacted, before she knew it her own shotgun was already in her hand.

"It doesn't have to end that way, Wrex," said Shepard, hiding the regret in her voice.

"It does," he countered, not at all bothered by her shotgun pointing at the softer muscles around his chin. "Don't you get it? There's finally a cure for genophage, and I cannot let you destroy it."

"Stop being blinded by the fact there's a cure," she told him, ignoring the shotgun jabbing at her chest over her heart. "Saren is using it to make more krogans for his army! He doesn't care about these krogan; he's using your people as tools!"

Wrex sneered. "Many of my people died in wars that weren't even ours to start with. This is just another one. And we'll get a cure for genophage out of it. When we bring the cure back to Tuchanka-"

"There wouldn't even be a Tuchanka if Saren unleashed the Reaper on us! You know it!" Shepard raised her voice, her tone sharp as a surgical blade. "There wouldn't be anything left in this galaxy if he won!"

There was a subtle wince in his eyes. Wrex then went silent.

"I'll stop Saren or die trying," Shepard vowed, meaning every word she said. "And I cannot let him have another edge. You know what we have, it's just us versus his army of Geth. The Citadel Council isn't going to lift a finger to help. We have no backup. I cannot let him have another edge against us. How are we supposed to fight an army of Geth and krogans with just the seven of us?"

"Six," he corrected her. "I am not going to make it out here alive, I know that. But if I'm going to die, I want an honorable death. Just you and me. You owe me that much, Shepard. Call them off."

"What?" Shepard was confused.

"You don't know?" Wrex eyed her curiously. "Williams and Vakarian have their sniper rifles aimed at my head. Alenko isn't armed, but he doesn't need a gun to kill, and we both know he won't let anything hurt you."

Shepard took her eyes off him for a moment and saw what he had just described. But I didn't tell them...

"You didn't have to order them," said Wrex. "They did it on their own. They'll follow you straight to hell. You're their leader, their friend. Hell, you're my friend... But this, I can't let you destroy the genophage, not even for you, Shepard. So, get on with it. At least try to make this a challenging fight worth dying for."

"No." Shepard stepped back and lowered her gun. "There will be a fight, but it won't be between us. If either of us is going to die fighting, it's a fight with Saren." She took another step back, shaking her head. "I can't die just yet, if I did, Saren would win. But I won't let you throw away your life either. I need you to help me win this! And after we win, we will find a way to get a cure for genophage."

Wrex seemed skeptical. "You're not scientist, Shepard."

"I'm not. Neither is Saren, and he found the cure. We now know there's a formula out there, that the cure exists. And if it exists, it can be duplicated."

Wrex didn't answer. He didn't have to, his stance began to relax ever-so slightly.

Shepard knew she had him. Still, she wouldn't dare to relax just yet. "Fight with me, Wrex," she urged. "Don't let that bastard use your people as slaves. Krogans deserve much better than that. They're the best infantry the galaxy has ever seen, and they should be treated with respect, not as cannon fodder for an insane turian who wants wipe out the galaxy including your people!"

At last, Wrex lowered his shotgun. "I've been loyal to you so far, Shepard. Hell, you did more for me than my family ever did. But if I'm going to keep following you, I need to know we're doing it for the right reason."

"You know damn well this is the right reason. Saren will use these krogans as tools to destroy us, then he'll destroy them as soon as they're no longer useful to him. Is that what you want for your people?"

"No..." Wrex answered quietly. "We were tools for the Council once. To thank us for us wiping out the rachni, they neutered us all. I doubt Saren would be as generous."

"I can't do this without you, Wrex," said Shepard, her voice taking a softer turn. "I can't do this without any of you."

The krogan warrior studied her keenly for a moment. "All right, Shepard, you've made your point. I don't like this, but I trust you enough to follow your lead. I'm not going to stop you from doing what needs to be done. Just one thing, when we find Saren, I want his head."

"All yours, Wrex." Shepard finally allowed herself to release a sigh of relief. "All yours."

Year: 2185CE

Location: Normandy SR-2 Research Laboratory

"Kelly said you wanted to see me," said Shepard as she entered the lab.

Mordin looked up from his never-ending work. "Heard we are heading to Tuchanka. Need a favor."

"Sure. What is it?"

Mordin glanced back at his console and frowned. "Just received data, still processing, analyzing likely scenarios. Not sure how to begin. Too much intel."

"Mordin, slow down."

The professor took a breath. "You remember our talk? My work on genophage modification?"

Shepard nodded. "You stopped the krogan adaptation to the genophage."

"Part of a team. Scientist, all different types. Blood Pack mercenaries captured former team member. Maelon. Last seen on Tuchanka. Might torture him. Make an example. Recovering Maelon would be a personal favor to me."

Shepard frowned at the news. "Do you think they found out your team updated the genophage?"

"Unclear. No way to determine until we get to Tuchanka."

"We'll find your team member."

Mordin nodded. "Appreciate it. My assistant. My student. Want to see him safe. Maelon last seen outside Urdnot territory. Scouts might have seen Blood Pack. Talk to them or clan chief."

"Urdnot, huh?" A tiny smile appeared on Shepard's face. "Yeah, their chief will kill me if I don't talk to him."

Location: Tuchanka, Clan Urdnot

The planet was nothing but ruins and rubble of what was once a great empire. Krogans eyed at Shepard and her team suspiciously. Aliens on Tuchanka was a rare sight, she had been told. So Shepard had only arrived with three others. Still, their group received many looks, most out of curiosity, some were hostile.

"Go find out what you can about Mordin's student," she told Miranda. "Garrus and I will take care of Grunt's problem first. I'll meet you back on the ship."

"Don't do anything crazy," her XO warned her with a straight face, although Shepard knew it was in jest.

"Crazy? Me?" She then gestured towards her turian twin and the young krogan. "You should warn those two instead."

Miranda gave her a look before they parted ways.

Grunt's initial enthusiasm had quickly turned sour as they stepped into Clan Urdnot territory. "This is the great krogan homeworld? This is the land of Kredak, Shiagur, and Veeoll?" He snorted. "This chuck of rock is barely worth standing on!"

Next to him, Garrus stole a glance at the young krogan before sharing a look with Shepard. For once, the sharp-tongued turian kept his mouth shut.

Oblivious to the silent communication beside him, Grunt continued to express his disappointment, "Never thought I'd miss the tank."

Garrus nodded towards the highest pile of rubble within this fallen hall. And there, on the very top was a makeshift chair constructed by broken pieces of the building – a throne, if it could even be called that. And sitting on the throne was a very familiar krogan.

Shepard grinned at the sight of the imposing figure and rushed up to the dais, but only to be stopped by a guard.

"Halt! You must wait til the clan leader summons you. He is... in talks."

Shepard glanced over the guard's shoulder and saw the meeting taking place.

"You know what tradition demands – Clan Urdnot must respond," said the krogan pacing in front of the throne.

Wrex leaned against the armrest of the throne with his head in his hand, looking more bored than ever. His gaze wandered aimlessly before they landed on her. All of a sudden, dull eyes lit right up as the chief jolted awake.

"Your reforms will not go unopposed," the krogan continued, now with his back facing the chief, unaware of his wasted effort. "You risk appeasing weak at a critical time-"

"SHEPARD!" Wrex leaped out of his throne.

The krogan turned in confusion. Wrex shoved him out of his way and rushed towards his old friend.

"I believe your chief is summoning me. Excuse me." Shepard sidestepped the guards and approached the dais.

"Shepard! My friend!" Wrex roared, his voice boomed across the ruin hall.

Before Shepard could even say a greeting, she found herself in a bone-crushing embrace, her feet dangling off the ground. Shepard laughed, and returned the friendly gesture as much as she physically was allowed given her arms were pinned on her sides. "Good to see you too, Wrex."

Garrus coughed loudly at the back.

Wrex released his iron grip and glanced over at Shepard's two companions as if it's the first time he noticed them. Shepard landed back onto the ground.

"Still hanging around that turian?" Wrex teased.

"Can't get rid of him." Shepard grinned. "Wouldn't want to."

"Have you figured out how to play quasar yet, Wrex?" asked Garrus, stepping up to greet their old friend. "Or is it still too complicated for you?"

Surprising the rest of the krogan onlookers, their chief boomed in laughter and extended a hand. The turian took it with a firm shake. "Garrus... I have to make friends with one turian in the galaxy who thinks he's funny." Wrex then gave the turian a hearty snap on his shoulder.

"Imagine how I feel," Garrus countered without missing a beat, grinning. "I'm supposed to hate krogan, but you came along and warmed my heart with your winning personality."

"Not my smoldering good looks?" the chief laughed.

"Garrus is probably jealous of your scars," Shepard commented with a smirk.

"He has some of his own now." Wrex nodded at Garrus' face. "Looks good on you, adds characters."

He turned his attention back to Shepard. "And you, Shepard, you look well for dead," said the chief. "Should have known the void couldn't hold you."

"Looks like helping me destroy Saren and the Geth has worked out for you," Shepard quipped with a grin. "Glad we didn't kill each other on Virmire."

"Ha!" Wrex laughed. "You made the rise of Urdnot possible. Virmire was a turning point for the krogan, though not everyone was happy about it." He pointedly glance at the green-plated krogan he was talking to. "Destroying Saren's genophage cure freed us from his manipulation. I used that to spur the clans to unify under Urdnot."

"You abandoned many traditions to get your way," said the green-plated krogan. "Dangerous."

Wrex's eyes suddenly narrowed. Without another word, he whipped around and headbutted the outspoken krogan. The krogan fell onto the ground.

"Speak when spoken to, Uvenk," Wrex chided. "I'll drag your clan to glory whether it likes it or not."

Raising an eyebrow, a faint smirk appeared on Shepard's face. From a broken mercenary to a clan leader, Shepard couldn't be more proud of her old friend. Uvenk, however, was less than amused by the humiliation.

"He's from Clan Gatalog," Wrex explained offhandedly to Shepard. "Don't mind him." Ignoring everything else, Wrex's attention now landed curiously on the young krogan.

"This is Grunt," Shepard introduced. "He's one of my crew."

"Where are you from, whelp?" Wrex asked. "Was your clan destroyed before you could learn what is expected of you?"

"I have no clan," said Grunt, standing tall and proud despite being scrutinized by all other full-grown krogans around them. "I was tank-bred by Warlord Okeer, my line distilled from Kredak, Moro, Shiagur-"

"You recite warloads," Gatalog Uvenk interrupted, "but you are the offspring of a syringe!"

Shepard scowled, yet she held back a snap and let Grunt fight his battle.

"I am pure krogan," claimed Grunt. "You should be in awe."

"Okeer is a very old name," said Wrex. "A very hated name."

"He is dead," said Grunt.

"Of course," said Wrex, approaching the young one. "You're with Shepard. How could he be alive?"

Shepard snorted, not taking offense at all. "We've been told he needs to under through the Rite of Passage."

Wrex nodded. "I see-"

But Uvenk once again interrupted, "Too far, Wrex! Your clan may rule, but this thing is not krogan."

Shepard's blood boiled, but Uvenk stormed off before she could bite his head off.

"Idiot." Wrex looked at the retreating figure before turning back to friends.

"What happens if he doesn't join a clan?" Garrus asked.

"The clanless are not respected," Wrex told them. "A tank-bred, probably more so. His disposition is what it is, rite or no. This is just him being a krogan." He then turned to Grunt. "Okeer didn't tell you that in the tank, did he, boy?"

Grunt was uncharacteristically quiet.

Wrex studied the young krogan for a second. "So, Grunt? Do you wish to stand with Urdnot?"

"It's your call, Grunt," said Shepard, her voice took a gentle turn.

Grunt stepped away, pondering on the paths in front of him. Shepard observed him carefully, recalling his vocal disapproval of the homeworld he had dreamed of. At last, Grunt turned back to them and nodded. "It's in my blood. It is what I am for."

Wrex was pleased. "Good boy. Speak with the shaman. Give him a good show, and he'll set you on the path."

Grunt nodded, now determined.

"I appreciate you let a tank-bred join Clan Urdnot," said Shepard, lingering behind for a moment as Garrus and Grunt headed for the shaman..

"Only because he's with you," said Wrex. "After all, you and I killed thousands like him. Not quite as big, but many."

Virmire...

"Watch yourself, Shepard. Tuchanka isn't safe and homey, like Feros and Ilos."

"You go beyond yourself, Gatatog Uvenk!" said the shaman. "The rites of Urdnot are dominant!"

"How do we know it will challenge him?" Uvenk argued. "He's unnatural! The beasts of the Rite could ignore him like a lump of plastic!"

Shepard didn't need to hear the rest to know they were talking about Grunt. Her blood reboiled in flash.

"They know blood, no matter the womb," the shaman retorted. "Your barking does not help your case."

"I'll speak for myself!" Grunt cut them off.

"This is the tank-bred?" asked the shaman, stepping closer to examine the young krogan. "It is very lifelike. Smells correct as well. Your protests ring hollow, Uvenk."

"Urdnot Wrex has given us permission to seek clan status for Grunt," said Shepard.

"Permission," the shaman repeated, nodding. "Hmph. That is good enough, if lacking in spirit."

"If this must stand on ritual, then I invoke a denial!" Uvenk protested. "My krantt stands against him! He has no one!"

The shaman groaned. "My patience is tested, but Uvenk invokes correctly. Grunt, who is your krantt? Your allies willing to kill and die on your behalf?"

"We are," Shepard spoke up before Grunt could answer. "Name his enemy and it will die! Grunt is the perfect krogan, and he will strengthen Clan Urdnot."

"Spoken well!" praised the shaman. "Most aliens – and some krogan-" He gave Uvenk a pointed look. "-do not understand our ways. I believe this human does."

"Aliens don't know strength!" claimed Uvenk right at Shepard's face. "My followers are true krogans! Everything about Grunt is a lie-"

A lie?! That was when Shepard had enough. Without thinking, she rammed her head against the plate of Uvenk, with more than enough force to knock the giant krogan back a step. The impact was so strong her ears rang and her vision blurred. Still, she stubbornly maintained remain on her feet without making a sound in pain.

She swore she heard Garrus trying hard to suppress a laugh.

"You!" Uvenk grumbled, touching his plate. "You dare!"

Ignoring the head-splitting pain, Shepard arched an eyebrow up high as a silent 'So?'.

The shaman boomed in laughter. "I like this human! She understands!"

"I withdraw my denial," Uvenk said. "This will be decided elsewhere!" He walked past Shepard and deliberately bumped his shoulder against her.

Her head hurt too much to retaliate. Shepard had to wonder if she had fractured her skull. Miranda would give her crap for this, that much Shepard was certain.

"You have provoked them," said the shaman almost too happily. "Reason enough for me to like you! They're your problem now."

"Let's get started," said Shepard.

"To begin the rite, only the candidate and his krantt are required. You love battle, don't you, Shepard? The last gasp of a dying opponent?"

Shepard only smirked.

"Bring your love of the fight to Grunt's trial, and he will succeed."

She gestured vaguely at Uvenk. "Is that krogan gonna be a problem?"

"He is forbidden to interfere," the shaman told her. "Will he? During the Rite of Passage, you must be ready for anything, Shepard. From what you've shown me, you will not disappoint."

That was as good of a permission to kill as any.

"Ready for this?" Shepard asked Grunt.

"Be warned," said the shaman before the young krogan could answer. "Once it is started, you must see it through – to success or death."

"Just another day on the Normandy," Garrus mumbled.

Grunt nodded.

The shaman grinned. "Excellent."

Location: Tuchanka, Rite of Passage Battleground

"This is Tuchanka's most recent scar," the shaman explained as they exited the vehicle. "The last surface city to fall in the rebellions. The keystone was at the heart. It has survived wars and the passage of centuries. It endures – like the krogans."

The wind blew. Dust surrounded them as they followed the shaman further into the ruin.

"If you wish to join Clan Urdnot," the shaman told Grunt, "you must contemplate the keystone and its trails."

"What will happen?" asked Grunt.

"Who knows?" said the shaman. "You must adapt. You must thrive, no matter the situation. Any true krogan will."

"Now I know why they didn't tell us details!" said Garrus as he reloaded his sniper rifle behind a cover.

They had fought wave after wave of battles with Tuchanka's finest. From smaller creatures like varrens to giant fire-breathing kilxens. But never had Shepard expected to see this. A thresher maw.

Grunt, however, didn't share his older teammates' dismay. "Finally! An enemy worth fighting!"

"Watch out for the-" Shepard had to roll away before she could finish her warning, dodging the acid spit from enormous creature.

She had fought and killed thresher maws before. But that was inside a mako, with cannons and machine guns. Now on foot with nothing but her guns, Shepard might as well be naked as her armor wouldn't provide much protection against this particular enemy. One smack of its tentacle would be an instant death.

Desperate time called for desperate measure, Shepard holstered her rifle and pulled out the arc projector. Power cells were expensive, but reviving her would cost even more. She could only hope she had brought enough ammunition.

"Make every shot counts!" Shepard warned, knowing this battle would last for much longer than she would like.

And she was right. She had lost count of time as the battle continued. As big as their target was, it was also extremely agile, with its skin tougher than steel plate. Before she knew it, all her weapons were out of ammo, except for her heavy pistol.

"Son of a..." Shepard swore under her breath as she switched to her last weapon.

Adrenaline pumped through her veins. She had fought back waves of batarian slavers on her own, she had faced a Geth army and won, she'd be damned if she couldn't take down one goddamn bug. One giant goddamn bug.

Wrex did it, a tiny voice reminded her of a conversation she once had two years ago. Yes, if Wrex could do it, so could she.

And she did. At last, the thresher maw gave a ear-piercing scream as it died in pain. Shepard almost dropped down on her knees in relief. But even before she could take a breather, a shuttle flew over their heads and landed.

"We have company," said Grunt. "Good. I want more."

As Joker would have put it, You've gotta be shitting me, Shepard thought with a scowl.A glance at her turian twin told her Garrus shared the exact same sentiment.

Shepard glanced at her stock, two more clips of ammo for her pistol. "I'm almost out," she mumbled to Garrus as they approached the shuttle.

He handed her his remaining clips for the assault rifle.

"What about you when you run out of ammo for your sniper rifle?" Shepard asked.

Garrus shrugged. "I'll pull that stick out of my ass and beat them with it."

Shepard smirked, shaking her head. "I'll take half."

"You live," said Gatatog Uvenk as they approached. "And you brought down the thresher maw. No one has done that in generations. Urdnot Wrex was the last."

"My krantt gave me strength beyond my genes," said Grunt. "Which are damned good!"

"This will cause discussion," said Uvenk. "I wonder... you say you are pure? No alien meddling in your construction? Just the warlord Okeer?"

"He is the ultimate krogan," stated Shepard. "The best of krogan traits are distilled into Grunt. He's designed to be perfect." Just like Miranda...

"Being designed is the problem," said Uvenk. "But not made by aliens. And he is truly powerful. That is a tolerable loophole."

"A what?" asked Grunt.

"A reason to accept you," Uvenk explained. "You are a mistake, but your potential could tip the current balance of the clans."

"Grunt is not a mistake!" Shepard snapped.

But Grunt took a step in front of her, almost protectively. "You spit on my father's name! On Shepard's name! But now you stop ranting because I'm strong?"

"With restrictions. You could not breed, of course. Or serve on an alien ship. But you'd be clan in name."

"What kind of shitty terms are those?" She stepped beside Grunt. "Who are you kidding? You're just after his power! You don't really want him in your clan."

"Of course not!" At least the krogan was willing to admit. "I didn't really want to cooperate with Clan Urdnot either, but I had to. Clan Gatatog is on the verge – either of greatness or of joining the dust. I get traditionalist support if I fight you, and reformer support if I back you. Your Rite of Passage tipped that balance, too."

"Why do I have a feeling you'll get a lot of traditionalist support?" Garrus commented.

Shepard agreed. "If I know Grunt, your answer is coming at muzzle velocity."

"You do know Grunt," said the young krogan, pleased. "This varren is dead!"

Without warning, Grunt let out a cry and charged at the nearest krogan, starting yet another battle – one that both Shepard and Garrus gladly fought for. Nobody messed with their little krogan brother under their watch.

Facing a gang of krogan was a walk in the park after battling a thresher maw. The last Gatatog warrior soon dropped on the ground.

"Uvenk is meat," said Grunt, kicking a dead body away. "Let's get out of here and leave him to rot."

Location: Tuchanka, Clan Urdnot

"You have passed the Right of Passage, earning the honor of clan and name," the shaman announced with a grin on his face.

Grunt respectfully went down on his knees in front of his elder.

The shaman continued, "Many survive, but it has been years since a thresher maw fell! Your names shall live in glory!"

Shepard couldn't hold back a proud smile.

"Grunt, you are Urdnot," said the shaman loudly for all to hear. "You may now own property, join the army, and apply to serve under a battlemaster."

"Shepard is my battlemaster," Grunt announced, to Shepard's surprise. "She has no match."

"Understood." The shaman nodded.

The once-clanless young krogan got back on his feet as Urdnot Grunt. A grin spread on his face even with his obvious attempt to remain hide it.

"Congratulations, Urdnot Grunt." The shaman bestowed a shotgun on the latest clan member. "Accept this token from Fortack. His weapons are the finest we have."

The grin on Grunt's face grew even wider.

"Nice gun," Garrus mumbled only loud enough for Shepard to hear. Her turian twin knew a good weapon when he saw one. And Shepard agreed with his assessment.

Nodding, the shaman ended the ceremony, "May your foes be strong enough to keep you sharp."

"You just can't help making trouble, Shepard" said Wrex jokingly. "No one has killed a maw since my turn in the Rite."

"Records are meant to be broken," said Shepard. "You've held it long enough. How many centuries was that?"

"Too many," said Wrex. He then examined Grunt as if it was the first time he saw the young one. "You are Urdnot Grunt," he announced. "Welcome."

The grin on Grunt was infectious. Shepard couldn't be more proud.

"Are you leaving soon?" Wrex asked Shepard.

"I still have to help another crew to locate his former student here on Tuchanka. A salarian, captured by the Blood Pack."

"A salarian in Tuchanka? What's his name?"

Shepard took a second to recall. "Maelon."

Wrex frowned. "I remember that twitchy salarian... Nothing good will come out of this, Shepard."

"I still need to find him."

"First the whelp, now the salarian." The chief's voice took a surprisingly gentle turn. "How many times have you stepped in a mess for your crew, hmm?"

Shepard only smiled. "I take care of my own clan, just like you. It's not easy being the chief, huh?"

Wrex laughed in understanding. "A new clan, a new ship, and new enemies."

"The Collectors. You've heard?"

He nodded. "A certain asari tipped me off. Takes me back to the old days," Wrex reminisced. "Us against the unknown, killing it with big guns. Good times."

"Join us," Shepard suggested.

"Wish I could, but I need to keep these shortsighted fools in line."

Although disappointing, the answer was not unexpected. "At least let me give you a tour of my new ship after I've taken care of business here," said Shepard. "Even the chief can take a night off, right? Those pyjaks can't screw up your clan in one night."

Wrex snorted a laughter. "Guess not."

Shepard then gave her old friend a sly grin. "Did I tell you we have a bar?"

Location: Normandy SR-2 Med Bay

"You've caused quite a stir in Clan Urdnot," said Miranda with her arms folded while watching Shepard being treated for her injuries. "Headbutting a krogan? Killing a thresher maw on foot?"

Shepard shrugged then winced as Chakwas touched her forehead.

Frowning mildly, Miranda continued, "Do you have any idea how much time and money we had put in to rebuild you?"

"Two years and four billion," Shepard answered dryly. "How could I forget?"

"And you don't need me to remind you of the stake."

"Hey, I survived, didn't I?" Shepard reminded her. "Besides, no one told us there's a thresher maw."

"You'd still go even if you knew," Miranda stated as a fact.

Shepard didn't bother to deny that.

"No concussion, no bone fracture," the doctor reported.

Shepard raised an eyebrow at her XO as a silent 'See?'

Miranda merely shook her head without dignifying an answer.

"Your upgrades saved you, Commander." Chakwas shook her head at Shepard. "Normal human would have cracked their skull smashing against a krogan's plate. You, however, will only suffer from a nasty bruise on your forehead. Put some ice on it to reduce the swelling. The headache will linger for a day or two, I'll give you something for the pain. But if your vision becomes blurry, come to me at once."

"Understood." Shepard put her shirt back on. "Thanks, doc."

"We have located Mordin's student," her XO told her as they exited the med bay. "Clan Weyrloc has him."

"We'll go get him now."

"No, you're not," said Miranda. "If Blood Pack wanted to kill him, he'd be dead by now. If they needed him to be alive, he'd still be there in a day or two. Either way, this can wait after you've rested for a few hours."

Shepard flashed a tiny teasing smirk. "Didn't know you care."

Miranda snorted indignantly, but it was a front, Shepard knew. "I've spent two years of my life on you, of course I care." She steered Shepard towards the kitchen. "Eat and get some rest. I'll have our rescue team ready whenever you are. This time, I'm coming with you."

A/N: Flashback from Ch 23 "Virmire" in part 1 of this story, rewritten to Shepard's POV. Can't believe that was posted a year ago.

You can always find me at gmail – pinoko19, or tumblr where I update every time there's a new chapter – pinoko-k.

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