28.

Captain Kirahee was, by Shepards belief, an honest soldier, which surprised her, Salarians weren't known for their forthrightness, he was brutal in his assessment, annoyed that the Council saw fit to send one ship when he had asked for a fleet, and had informed them that Saren was indeed on Virmire, with a breeding facility full of Krogan.

"Just how is he doing this?" Wrex asked, warily already deep down knowing the answer, but wanting to hear it for himself.

"It appears he has a cure for the Genophage" Kirahee replied and looked Wrex in the eyes "And it needs to be destroyed"

"With the cure, he will have an army at his disposal...Krogans" Alenko shook his head "He'd be unstoppable"

"You are not going to destroy it" Wrex was adamant "I won't allow it."

"It is not up to you Wrex" Alenko stood straighter.

"I was not talking to you Pyjack" Wrex snarled.

"Enough!" Shepard barked and glared at her Lieutenant before addressing Kirahee once more. "Isn't there a way to work around this?"

"No Commander, even if there was I could not allow that cure to leave this place, we cannot make the same mistake again" Kirahee did sound apologetic but even the Commander couldn't hide the disgust from her face this time.

Wrex shoved Kirahee "We are not mistakes" he clenched his huge fists and walked away. Drawing his shotgun and firing it into the water.

"Is he going to be a problem?" Kirahee asked, unappeased by the Krogans temper "I can't have him running roughshod over this"

"You can't blame him Captain" Cassie snapped a little "But I'll talk to him"

"Good I will meet with you when you are ready, for the moment I shall talk to my team"

Shepard waited for the Captain to leave and rounded on Alenko "What the hell are you doing? Wrex is one of us"

"We have no business in altering the state of play Commander I feel for Wrex but not all Krogan are like him. They will rampage against the Turians and Salarians if, we let this cure leave the planet"

"And who are you Kaiden to decide who makes that choice?" Cassie narrowed her eyes.

"They are our allies Commander, the Krogan are not"

This time Cassie did hit him, sent him sprawling onto his backside and narrowed her eyes "You sound like a politician Alenko, you are a marine, a biotic marine who is feared as much as the Krogan...When Virmire is over...you are off the Normandy, that I promise you"

She arched an eyebrow at Ash as if daring her to say anything about how humanity needs to be alone. Wisely the Chief said nothing and watched her Commander stalk over to where Wrex was standing. She went to help the Lt stand but had her hand shoved aside. Sighing she went back to where Tali was and stood watching the Commander and Krogan.

"This is not right Cassandra" Wrex forced the words with ever shot of his weapon.

"Maybe not Wrex, but we both know that no good of this is going to come out of it all. Saren will use them and that's all."

"Oh really? Cause from where I stand it looks like Saren has a cure for my people, no one does" He was barely trying to control his anger and her heart went out to him.

The Krogan did not ask for Salarian interference in their evolution, but they accepted it and saved the galaxy from the Rachni. When the Krogan rebelled they devised a plague to neutralise their birth rates and the Turians helped. To Shepards way of thinking that was mass genocide, but no one took the Turians or the Salarians to task for it, ever. So whilst she baulked at the idea that Saren had that much power and prestige, she also was forced to agree that under Sarens command, this would not be a good plan...the trick was getting Wrex to see that.

Wrex span round and raised his shotgun "Fuck it I have been loyal to you Cassie, I followed you like I would never follow another, but if I am to do this, I need to know if its right. I need you tell me that its right, the lines between friends and foes are getting very thin"

Cassie holstered her pistol and put her hand on the Shotgun and lowered it "If you were going to kill me Wrex, you'd have done it by now. Can you honestly tell me that this is going to be any better for your people then what the Salarians did or the Turians? These poor beasts here are not real Krogan, they will be the Krogan that the galaxy fears that all nightmares about your people are true. Do you really want that?"

For a long moment that seemed to last forever but in fact was only a few seconds, the silence stretched. Wrex was torn in two. He had told Shepard that he did not care about his people, that their fate held no consequence to him, but, the more he had been in the human woman's company the more he had begun to feel like he was a proper soldier, no more than that, that there was a place for his people if; they knew where to look for it and how. He had started to see why the galaxy feared them, but it grated him that such extremes were taken to neuter them, strains that would one day see the last Krogan born then no more.

"I promise you Wrex, on my honour and as your friend..." Cassie played her trump card "if there is a cure for this fucking wrong done to your people, I will help you find it. The Krogan are not dead yet, but please you have to trust me that this.." she spread her arms to indicate all of the area around them "Is wrong."

Wrex didn't move but Cassie kept her gaze levelled at him, hoping he wouldn't make this any more difficult then it already was. Slowly Wrex heaved a heavy sigh and holstered his shotgun. "We destroyed the Rachni for the council and they repaid us by slow extinction and I doubt Saren would be any more generous" He lowered his yellow eyes for a moment then looked back up "I trust you Cassie, so if this needs to be done then so be it, but I want Sarens head and your promise to me will be honoured"

Cassie rested both her hands on her friends shoulders and nodded "however long it takes me Wrex you have my word, we do it right not like this, but the right way"

He nodded sullenly and walked away Cassie released the breath she had no idea she was holding and turned to see both Williams and Alenko lower their weapons. Shaking her head she went to find Kirahee, time to blow this place to hell and back.

She listened as Kirahee outlined his new plan, to take a nuke, set it in the middle of the facility and blow it to kingdom come. Ashley seemed to approve of that one, mainly due to the violent death it would inflict on the torchlight heads and Sarens Turian ass. Perhaps wisely she said nothing about the Krogan, the expression on Cassie's face when she had brushed passed both her and Alenko had spoke volumes. Alenko didn't seem to care, he spoke as he saw fit, Ashley however did care and she was only protecting her skipper, regardless of her own personal feelings towards the woman, Wrex well, yes he was one of them but...Krogan were not known for their patience and understanding of a situation.

When Kirahee had mentioned about taking one of her squad, namely her and Alenko, Ash had immediately volunteered. As much as she loved Cassie, this was her chance to make a name for herself, make a new name for the family blackballed by circumstances that were beyond their control.

Blackballed because the political party at the time had all their hands on the cards and the Alliance just went along with it cause that's what they did. Shepard listened as Alenko and Williams argued it out. When Kaiden said "With all due respect Gunnery Chief..." Ashley cut in and said "What you mean Lt is kiss my Canadian ass"

"That's enough both of you!" Shepard snarled "I am the one in charge here and I will make the decision, not you and not you" She regarded each of them in turn. "Captain, who will suit you best?"

"I shall leave the choice to you Commander, it speaks volumes that both of them wish to volunteer" Kirahee was more than a little diplomatic in his choice of words. He was no politician but, he could sense something simmering between the Commander and the Lieutenant.

"Williams front and centre, take Liara with you, her biotics will come in handy. Do everything that Kirahee tells you and no heroics...got that?"

"Aye aye Commander"

"What?" Cassie asked as Williams looked hesitant about something.

"I just want to say thanks Skipper, this could ensure my family name is put back where they should be and not with Quisling and Arnold"

"I didn't do it for that" Cassie remarked, well aware of the looks she was getting from Alenko. She knew what was going through his mind and she wasn't a telepath, she didn't need to be "I did it because of the 2-12 on Eden Prime and I did it because you are the best person for the job Williams. Now, go get Liara and brief her on what Kirahee has told us."

"Aye aye skipper" She snapped off a salute and went to find Liara. Shepard watched her go for a moment then turned to Alenko "You will over see the arming of the Nuke and aid the Salarian team with whatever they need, including the protocols they require."

"I know the drill" Kaidan remarked uncharitably.

Shepard shook her head and shrugged "You may want to kill your career marine and that is up to you, but for now you are still part of this ship, this team and you will do whatever the fuck I tell you to do...are we clear Lieutenant?"

"Crystal" He saluted.

"Take the Salarian squad with you and tell Pressley he has the ship until we return."

She watched him walk away and heaved a sigh "Adams you heard all that?" she spoke into her vox.

"Aye aye"

"See what you can do"

"Yes ma'am. Tali get your gear ready you're coming with me, Garrus and Wrex"

"Right away Shepard"

Cassie didn't watch as Ashley and Liara deployed with the Salarians, she couldn't, she didn't want to think that it might be the last time she ever saw Ashley again, and that thought was not one she wanted to hang onto.

She waited for her squad to join her then, once the comms check was over they left with Kirahee telling his men that Shadow was on the ground.