The momentum from the ship carried the mako over the rocky perimeter of the island to splash into the shallows. The clear blue water washed away dust and dirt from countless worlds from the armored sides of the tank. Once again Shepard was at the controls while Kryik took the gunners seat.
"We've got a clean drop, Spectre." Joker announced over the mako's radio.
"Stay out of range and continue evasive maneuvers until we bring those AA towers down." Kryik ordered.
"I know the drill." Joker said defensively. "Meet you in the camp once those AA towers are off line. Joker out."
Shepard brought up the scans for the area and plotted a course that would take them the most direct route to the tower control station. The mako rumbled to life at her touch and plowed through the water toward their first goal. She did her best to avoid the crab like life forms that littered the beaches and water ways. Unfortunately, the crabs weren't the only things out enjoying the sun.
Hovering turrets came at them from behind the rock formations and crevasses in the cliffs. One shot from the mako's cannon usually took them out with little or no secondary fire from the gun. Geth troopers and Colossus' huddled in pockets to impeded their progress. A strategically placed shot from the cannon sent squads of troopers flying into the air as they burned to a crisp. The colossus took a bit more maneuvering and secondary fire. Shepard knew the drill from their experience on Feros and Kryik was able to take the mechanical beasts down with a few close calls but no damage to the rover.
The control station was crawling with geth, including hoppers. Those that ventured out before the team exited the mako were taken out quickly by the tanks guns. Kryik rather enjoyed watching them fry.
Shepard's boots splashed down into the shallow water, sinking into the sand a few inches. She lead her team of Vakarian and Williams up the stairs, firing on the geth that had waited to emerge. At the opposite end of the blockade bridge she found the controls to the AA guns. No one had even bothered to encrypt the shut down codes. In seconds the guns were disabled.
"I'm reading that the grid is down, Commander." Joker said over her com. "On approach to the salarian base now. Out."
"Okay, team, back to the mako." She ordered.
"We're right behind you, Shepard." Vakarian replied.
In a way, her choice to become intimately involved with Kryik had allowed him to see her a little differently. He felt he knew her well enough that he could say with confidence that she wasn't using her body to 'bribe' the Spectre into giving her a good evaluation. She didn't need to. Not only did he respect her as a solder for her ability on the field as well as a leader, she was uncharacteristically non-bias of aliens in a way that was almost never seen from either side of the political and social conflict between their species. Despite Kryik's intent to warn him away, it only made him more interested in her. He had no taste for humans in that way, but he wanted to know this one better than he did.
A few more pockets of geth later the mako rolled onto the beach where the salarians were camped. Joker's voice came over the radio inside the mako.
"Spectre, the Normandy's touched down at the base , but it looks like we're grounded. The salarian captain can explain when you get here."
Kryik's mandibles flexed. He had a feeling it had been too easy. Something always had to make things more difficult. Nothing was ever simple.
The rest of the team was already on the beach. Alenko was talking with the salarian captain when Shepard jumped down out of the mako. She took a few steps into the water and admired the view for the first time. It was beautiful.
The sky was a stormy lavender-grey. She could hear thunder in the distance occasionally rumbling over the soothing sound of the waves. The smell and taste of salt was heavy in the air. She could feel the humidity dewing on her skin. She tried to to think to hard about how nice it would be to go for a swim.
She heard Kryik as he splashed down into the water behind her. He was the last to leave the belly of the tank. The water sloshed around his legs as he walked up behind her, leaving a couple feet between them. The crew was out of ear shot but not out of sight.
"Maybe one day people can settle this world." Nihlus said softly. "But right now it's too dangerous for anyone to colonize. There have been many attempts to secure rights without threat of pirates or other threats, but negotiations always fell apart when leadership changed within the factions."
"It is beautiful here." Sonya commented.
Nihlus grinned at her, amused and moved by the simplicity of her thought. She wasn't thinking about it's political or economical uses. She connected with the peaceful tranquility of the beach where she stood in awe, taking in it's power. He could almost feel his heart swell with emotion as well as a sinking sensation in his stomach for being so callous to the natural wonders he so often ignored on his travels. He should have drawn from the spirits the was she was now.
He took a moment to see his surroundings with new eyes. To open himself to whatever may be found there.
The horizon was dark with the storm clouds that covered the region. Flashes of lighting and the roll of thunder danced in the distance. A silvery falls streamed down from high cliffs to the small natural harbor.
The light filtering through the storm clouds illuminated the beach in a way that was dream like, and she was a dream within a dream. Her skin and hair almost seemed to glow with their own effulgence. Her eyes shone like amber in the sun when she lifted them to meet his.
His metallic plating shimmered in the strange surrealness of the dawn filtering through the storm above. His verdigris eyes captured her gaze from behind the exotic white mask, shining out like fiery peridot. He stood like a bastion against evil, resolute and powerful. A gargoyle knight that took her breath away.
A feeling passed between them that cannot be described in a few words. There are songs that are not sung by thinking beings, colors that have no names, places that are yet to be seen by any eyes that embody the spirit of what only the soul can understand. It terrified and comforted them. Whatever bond linked them outside what was acceptable or expressed strengthened them.
"I should go speak with the captain." Kryik said, breaking the silence.
Shepard nodded up at him. Together they walked to the beach toward the tents that housed the salarian task force as soldiers. Kryik carried his love for her with him instead of pushing it away. If he did not fight it, it could not weaken him. He sought to find power in her gaze. He was not disappointed.
The sand crunched soft and wet under their armored boots. Shepard fell a step behind him as he approached the salarian captain. Alenko had just finished asking a question when Kryik interrupted the conversation with his presence.
"So what are we supposed to do now?" Alenko asked. He vaguely heart foot steps behind him.
Williams stood next to him, watching the Spectre and Commander join them. Something seemed different about the two. It made her uneasy.
"Stay put until we can come up with a plan." The Salarian Captain replied.
"What's the situation?" Kryik asked, clasping his talons behind his back.
"I'm Captain Kirrahe, third infiltration regiment, STG. You and your crew have just landed in the middle of a hot zone. Every AA gun within almost seventeen kilometers has been alerted to your presence."
"That's just great. What now?" Shepard grumbled.
"We stay put until the Council sends the reinforcements we requested."
"We are the reinforcements." Kryik replied, standing a little straiter.
"What? You're all they sent?" Captain Kirrahe narrowed his eyes. "I told the Council to send a fleet!"
"The transmission was unclear. Parts of the message were lost. They sent me to investigate." Kryik replied.
"That is a repetition of our task. I lost half my men investigating this place."
Kirrahe looked to where some of his men were casually walking in the surf. They deserved better. He turned his attention back to the turian.
"What have you found?" Kryik inquired.
"Saren's base of operations. He's set up a research facility here, but it's crawling with geth and very well fortified. He's breeding an army of krogan."
Kryik always appreciated the salarian's way of stating everything as simply as possible to convey the most amount of information. It was a trait their short lived race had that more individuals needed to learn.
"How is that possible?"
The deeper voice of the krogan mercenary came up behind Williams, catching her off guard. Her hand flew to her weapon before Wrex pushed passed her.
"Apparently Saren has discovered a cure for the genophage."
"The geth are bad enough, but with a krogan army... He'd be almost unstoppable." Kryik stated.
"Exactly my thoughts." Kirrahe agreed with a nod. "We must insure that this facility and it's secrets are destroyed."
"Destroyed?" Wrex tuned his full attention to the salarian. "I don't think so. My people are dying. This cure could save them."
"If that cure leaves this planet the krogan will become unstoppable. We can't make the same mistake again." Said the salarian.
Wrex leaned into the captain and pointed a clawed finger in his green face.
"We are not a mistake!"
Captain Kirrahe leaned back, looking at the yellow eyes of the brut leaning into him. He watched with some relief as the krogan walked away.
"Is he going to be a problem? We already have enough angry krogan to deal with."
Kryik didn't have a response. He could understand were the old krogan was coming from. He had helped Wrex retrieve his family armor. Since then the mercenary had seemed to have found a sense of purpose on the mission, and his own life. Who was anyone to take that from him? To tell him to not want to save his people?
"I'll talk with him." Shepard volunteered.
"I'd appreciate that, Commander." Kirrahe said. "My men and I need to rethink our plan of attack. Can you give us some time."
Kryik nodded his agreement.
"We won't be long." Captain Kirrahe assured the turian, then left for the main tent.
"Looks like things are a bit of a mess." Alenko commented, crossing his arms.
"Yeah. Wrex looks like he's going to blow a gasket." Williams added nervously.
"Shepard is going to talk with him and defuse the situation. Go restock any supplies we may need from the Normandy." He ordered Williams. "Alenko, see if the salarians have any extra supplies we can trade for."
Both humans nodded and set off on their assignments. Kryik tuned to Shepard, his brow plates knitted together in a firm expression.
"Maybe I should talk to Wrex. I'm not sure how he will react and I don't want you getting hurt or killed over this." He said flatly.
Shepard cocked a brow at him.
"I'm a big girl. You've seen me take down krogans before. I can handle it." She assured him and walked passed before he could reply.
Nihlus watched her cross the beach to where Wrex was shooting at the Normandy with his pistol. She had quads.