Writers Notes: Sorry it took so long. Editing earlier chapters effected my work. 1 and 2 are of higher grade and hold new content. i suggest you read them. The last flame thrower ever made by man for military use could melt bone. Turian names are usually derived from Roman history. Fitting in my opinion. Severus - meaning "stern" in Latin.

Running count: Reaper invasion day 16

Shepard, Garrus, and Wrex rode in the Prothean tank, on their way to Clan Quash. The Prothean tank was spearheading the attack, leaving the Turian tanks behind. "Commander, you're leaving my men behind. We have to destroy that jammer before we can move in, or we'll lose communications. You need to slow down." Stated Commander Severus over the comm.

"Negative Commander. You go after the jammer. We'll need time to draw them from cover. You'll catch up, and hit them on their flank." Replied Shepard.

"It's your call Commander. Good luck." Replied Severus, before Shepard closed the comm.

"Shepard, this wasn't the plan. Why the sudden change?" Asked Garrus, standing, and hanging on to the roof of the tank.

"They where taking to long Garrus. I'm not waiting on them." Replied Shepard, sounding annoyed.

"Your sure your alright Shepard? I know Reegar was a friend. He was my friend to, but I'm not going to charge off into a slaughter. He didn't die so that could happen." Replied Garrus.

Shepard swallowed, and gained a much calmer voice. "I'm fine Garrus. I may be a little mad, but I'm good." Replied Shepard.

"So what's the plan then?" Replied Garrus, asking.

"You said they don't have a bunker, right Wrex? That they're based like clan Nakmor?" Stated Shepard, asking.

"Yeah. The sun is slowly killing them. We were negotiating with them to move in with us, before they left us." Answered Wrex.

"You where going to let a blood pack commander in your base?" Asked Shepard sounding a little surprised.

"Just because they're blood pack doesn't make them bad Shepard. They're Krogan and are just trying to survive, it's not like I was about to let the Vorcha in. The idea is one day we'd absorb the clan, and make Urdnot stronger." Explained Wrex.

"And they agreed to this?" Asked Garrus with disbelief.

"Hurgott was to busy coordinating blood pack to lead his men. he was on the verge of being overthrown." Explained Wrex further, turning towards Garrus.

"So the Genophage cure just secured his position." Stated Shepard, speculating.

"Maybe. It's possible the shaman could have seized power." Replied Wrex looking back at Shepard.

"It doesn't matter. Either way, they're a threat now. We'll cut them down outside. With any luck The Commander, and his men will catch up, and we won't be on our own long." Replied Shepard.

"The plans ambitious Shepard. I like it. Besides the sooner we get there, the sooner we take Revenge." Stated Wrex, sounding happy.

"And what if we run into a bunch of those goliaths?" Commented Garrus.

"What's a goliath?" Asked Wrex looking at Garrus again.

"It's a giant Reaper made from at least three Krogan. The only way to take them down seems to be a round to the heads, and I mean a big one."

"Heads?"

"Yeah, it has three heads, and you have to knock them all off to stop it."

"Sounds like fun." Replied Wrex chuckling.

"It's not, and I expect some sort of heavy trooper first. I don't think the Krogan have the resources to make a goliath." Stated Shepard

"Well here's hoping your right Shepard." Responded Garrus.

An hour later

"Shepard they're just over that hill. We should stop." Stated Wrex hunched over Shepard seat, pointing.

"Alright." Replied Shepard. Shepard stopped the tank at the top of the hill overlooking the Krogan camp. Parking the tank on the incline of the hill would have been a mistake, after what happened on the ezo asteroid.

"How do you see anything out that window?" Asked Wrex, trying to get a angle to see the camp. Shepard stood up aswell, hovering over his seat, trying to get a better angle.

"I can't see anything either. We better take a look from out side." Replied Shepard. Shepard, Garrus, and Wrex all climbed out of the tank, and looked out on the camp.

"That wasn't there before." Stated Wrex surprised. A massive stone structure resembling a Colosseum sat behind the camp. The camp was inactive and small, only containing a only a few tents, and no people. The camp sat in front of a ramp that lead beneath the soil.

"Where's the rest of the camp, and how did the Krogan build something like that?" Asked Garrus, not expecting a answer.

"I don't know." Replied Wrex.

"These Krogan are Reapers now. There's no question about it." Stated Shepard. A Explosion was heard behind the team at a distance, having them turn around.

"I take it the jammer is down." Commented Garrus.

"Good. The Primarch can hammer this place when we're done." Stated Shepard confidently. A screech then came from the Colosseum like structure, turning the team back around. The ground began to shake, growing stronger as it neared.

"Stay still." Commanded Wrex. The team didn't move, and the shaking grew weaker, eventually dissipating. "Shepard. That sounded like a Threshers maw, and a big one at that." Informed Wrex.

"We should warn the Commander. We may be in the clear, but they're not." Suggested Garrus. Shepard nodded and accessed his comm.

"Shepard to Commander Severus. Come in." Requested Shepard over the comm.

"Severus here. Good to see the comms are up." Stated Severus over the comm.

"Commander, we think there's a Thresher maw is moving in your direction. Stay alert." Replied Shepard

"Roger that. Thanks for the warning." Responded Severus.

"So what's the plan Shepard. You can't draw there flank now?" Stated Wrex asking.

"We'll just have to go pay them a visit." Replied Shepard.

"Why not just nuke it from orbit, right now." Asked Garrus.

"Turians nuking the cure to the Genophage won't win us any help Garrus. We need to find answers, and bring it back first. Once we do that, then Victus can take it out from orbit. Now Let's get back to the tank, before we're spotted." Shepard, Garrus, and Wrex climbed back in the tank, taking it down into the camp.

A few minutes later

The tank arrived in the camp, parking next to the ramp into the underground structure. Shepard was driving, while Garrus was on the gun. The camp itself seemed abandoned, as they pulled up. The tents were riddled with holes, and the Varren skins were coming off the tent polls. As the tank came to a stop Garrus checked the perimeter. "looks clear Shepard." Stated Garrus climbing from the gunner seat. As Garrus climbed out of the Gunner seat a explosion rocked the tank.

"What was that."

"I don't know." Garrus climbed back into the Gunner seat looking to the left side. A second rocket hit, exposing a Krogan, hiding behind the waving of some Varren skin. Garrus fired a rapid pulse cutting the Krogan down. "It was a Krogan, left side. I got him." Garrus swept the area again, seeing nothing. Another rocket slammed into the tank. "I don't see him."

"Minor hull damaged." Stated the Tank VI.

"Find him Garrus." Demanded Shepard. Another Rocket hit the tank.

"I'm on him Shepard." Garrus started firing again, only to miss and stop firing. "Shepard he rushed the tank, I can't get the gun on him."

"Then lets go get him." Suggested Wrex. Shepard left his seat, and pulled his Graal, going for the hatch.

"Garrus come on." Commanded Shepard. Garrus Pulled out of the gun and followed Shepard and Wrex out of the tank. "Wrex take there front. Garrus stay with me." Whispered Shepard.

"Got it." Replied Wrex whispering. Wrex moved around the front of the tank, while Shepard and Garrus moved around back. As Shepard and Garrus moved around, behind the tank, they heard fighting. Quickly Shepard and Garrus raced around the corner of the Tank, seeing Wrex wrestling with a Reaper Krogan. Wrex smashed the Krogan's face, multiple time, into a metal box stuck to the side of the tank, eventually losing grip. The Krogan stumbled backwards, away from Wrex, while Wrex Slung his Claymore back up. Wrex blasted the Krogan, sending him flying backwards in a diagonal line away from the tank. Wrex looked up at Shepard and Smiled, pulling the metal box off of the tank and throwing it away. "Heh, that was fun. A lot more fun then I remember actually. I don't know if I can give this up again." Stated Wrex chuckling.

"You mean to tell me, you didn't have enough fun with the Vorcha?" Asked Garrus Joking.

"You kidding, they were easy. They had no fight in them, just numbers." Replied Wrex.

"Alright you two, cut the chatter, and lets see what we got here." Responded Shepard. Shepard made his way to the dead Krogan, followed by Wrex.

"Always the buzz kill Shepard. So what do we got." Asked Wrex, as Shepard kneeled down next to the dead Krogan, weapon still in hand.

"I think it's female. It's not as stocky as your average Krogan." Replied Shepard picking up one of the arms, then dropping it.

"Uh, Shepard I hate to tell you this, but that's a male. A whelp from the look of it." Informed Wrex.

"How can you tell? They look to deformed to make a accurate guess." Asked Shepard curiously.

"We'll with out going down there, just look at the scalp plate. We males have very pronounced scalps, while our women are smoother. I say he's a whelp though, because he was real easy to manipulate. Even husk are harder then regular humans." Explained Wrex.

"Okay. We better get moving." Stated Shepard, getting up from the Krogan.

"Right Shepard. You lock the tank. We'll meet you down there." Replied Wrex, as the team walked around the tank.

"No need. The tank won't let anyone in, whose DNA isn't on file." Responded Garrus.

"DNA? How does it get it?"

"You don't want to know."

"What a needle to the ass."

"Or worse." Replied Garrus, with a slight hint of laughter in his voice. The team came to the ramp, and began walking down it. The ramp was long and dug deep. Concrete walls held back the soil.

"Haha, I bet it's not that bad." Replied Wrex again, knowing Garrus was lying. Shepard, Garrus, and Wrex all walked down into the ramp, where a non rusted metal door sat.

"Guess the Reaper gave a little upgrade to the Krogan construction." Commented Garrus, as the squad closed in on the door. A control panel on the wall that was lit quickly shutdown, as the squad reached the door.

"Garrus can you still work that panel?" Asked Shepard stopping at the door.

"No, but maybe a few tech charges can do the trick." Garrus walked up to the door, scanning it first, before placing tech charges along the left portion of the the door.

"You know we do have a tank." Stated Wrex.

"We don't have to blow everything up Wrex. Tech charges are quiet they won't even know we're here." Replied Garrus, placing the first charge.

"They shut down the control panel. They already know we're here." Pointed out Wrex.

"Trust me Wrex. I know what I'm doing." Replied Garrus setting the last charge. Garrus stepped back from the door holding the detonator.

"So what, are these going to blow up?" Asked Wrex sounding disappointed. Garrus smiled, and triggered the detonator, discharging the tech charges. The magnetic locks on the door overloaded and the door cracked open a few inches. "Fancy. Now let a Krogan do the hard work." Wrex walked over to the door bracing one hand on the frame, and placing the other in the door, Shoving the door open. Wrex opened the door about a foot before gunfire came out. Wrex pulled off the door stepping back, behind the door. Shepard quickly took the edge of the door, letting the rest of the team stack behind him.

"Garrus, concussion grenade. Toss it deep." Ordered Shepard. Garrus stepped up beside Shepard pulling a grenade. Shepard nodded at Garrus, and Garrus tossed the grenade through the door. The squad waited for it to go off, taking off when it did. Shepard and Garrus took off into the room, firing on hostile Krogan, leaving Wrex behind. Wrex quickly realized what was happening, and rushed into the room with them, only a second behind. "Wrex go right." Ordered Shepard as the team moved into the room. The room was wide, with many concrete braces, jetting from the walls. The Hostile Reaper Krogan used the braces for cover. Shepard and Garrus ducked into cover behind the nearest left wall brace, as they cut down one of the Krogan. Meanwhile Wrex had killed another two with his claymore. Shepard attempted to peek out, but quickly drew back in when he was fired upon. "Damit, where is he?" Called out Shepard, shouting. Garrus tried to peak out, but was driven back in.

"They've got us pinned." Replied Garrus, shouting back.

"I got him Shepard." Shouted Wrex back. Wrex stepped out, and nailing the Krogan with his claymore. With the area clear Shepard and Garrus fell out of cover, meeting Wrex in the center of the first room. "What would you two with out me." Commented Wrex, as the squad regrouped.

"Well you live around these people, so you have an advantage. It's not like you're fighting Cerberus, Turian Reapers, or Metacons." Replied Garrus.

"Metacons? Is that what we call the Geth now?" Asked Wrex.

"No they're machines from Javik's time. They're much worse." Replied Garrus informing.

"Great. Just what we need. More toasters. Well, we should keep moving, before they send more guards." Replied Wrex, motioning to move forward. The team moved out of the Entrance room heading down a much narrower hall. The hall containing eight inch thick wall braces, set about a foot apart on both sides. The hall was clear of hostiles, and split into a T intersection, after twenty feet of walking. Shepard checked the left path, skirting along the right side of the wall, to the corner. The path was incomplete, leaving only the right path which was covered by more Reapers. The Krogan Reapers were already bunkered down behind the halls wall braces. Shepard's arm had stuck out past the corner of the wall, giving his position away. The Reapers fired on Shepard's arm hitting it, directing him to pull further in. The Krogan ceased fire, when Shepard's arm disappeared

"Shit." Shouted Shepard checking his arm. Again there was no penetration, the new armor was doing it's job.

"You alright Shepard." Asked Wrex, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Be ready to move." Replied Shepard, before strafing across the hall, landing his shoulder into the other opposing wall. "Wrex come up on the right." Ordered Shepard, as he quickly made his way to the first brace in the hall. Wrex followed Shepard's orders, moving to the to a brace on the right, while Garrus took Shepard's original spot. Six Krogan were bunkered down in the hall in front of them. Shepard leaned out with his Graal taking one of the Krogan down with a head shot. "I thought Krogan were suppose to be the best soldiers in the galaxy Wrex." Stated Shepard, ducking back into cover.

"What are you getting at Shepard." Replied Wrex, blasting another Krogan down.

"Wrex get out of the way." Called out Garrus. Wrex pulled in, and Garrus gunned down another Krogan, with his black widow.

"I'm saying I've fought with Krogan before, they've never gone down so easy." Replied Shepard blasting another Krogan to the ground.

"These are all the whelps Shepard." Replied Wrex, taking his turn, killing the second to last Krogan.

"It makes sense Shepard. Medium infantry. They're definitely not marauders." Responded Garrus, gunning down the last Krogan.

"Still I've never fought a Krogan that was that easy." Replied Shepard, moving out of cover, watching down the hall. Wrex and Garrus fell in behind Shepard.

"Maybe its more about controlling these Krogan. They don't want another Vorcha." Replied Garrus, as they moved down the hall. Wall braces continued to jet from the wall every foot. As the team closed on the end of the hall, a new Reaper rounded the corner, to the left. A Klixen mounting dual Mass accelerators.

"Cover." Shouted Shepard breaking left, between the nearest set of braces. Garrus and Wrex fell in along the otherside. The Klixen fired on Shepard, hitting the brace in front of him, braking pieces as it fired.

"You just had to ask for something else, didn't you Shepard." Commented Garrus, sounding unhappy.

"Well, it was starting to get boring." Responded Wrex.

"Take it out, before it gets close." Ordered Shepard, leaning out of cover. Shepard, Garrus, and Wrex fired on the Klixen, bombarding it, as it closed on them. A strike from each of them was all that was required to kill the Klixen. The Klixen exploded in a massive blast, breaking the concrete braces around it, and leaving nothing left of it's self.

"I wouldn't want to get cought in that." Commented Wrex, as the team fell out of cover, making there way down the hall

"Me neither. I hope there aren't any more." Replied Garrus.

"Uh, I hate to tell you, but they're pretty common around here." Replied Wrex.

"So we can expect more?" Asked Shepard peaking around the corner, to the left. Additional Krogan where waiting behind cover, leaving their heads exposed. Unlike the last set, these were wearing armor. The Krogan seemed to be guarding a door behind them.

"Probably." Replied Wrex.

"Garrus, get your rifle ready." Ordered Shepard.

"What is it?" Replied Garrus curious.

"Two Krogan. They're armored."

"On it." Garrus move up to Shepard's position, taking his place.

"Professional Shepard." Commented Wrex.

"It's what we do." Replied Garrus. Garrus leaned around the corner with his rifle. "Looks like this armor restricts there vision." Stated Garrus. Garrus pulled the trigger, nailing one of the Krogan in the head. The Krogan fell back, while the other turned and open fired, chasing Garrus back around the corner. "I got one Shepard." Informed Garrus.

"What can't finished them off Garrus?" Joked Wrex.

"Just thought I'd leave you one, that's all." Replied Garrus, quickly. Wrex smiled, knowing it was bull shit, and pushed around the next corner, with Shepard, going behind the first set of bracing. As they did so the Krogan Garrus had shot stood up.

"Garrus he back up." Yelled Shepard, before firing his Graal down rang. Shepard watched as his spikes pinged off the armored Krogan.

"Damit." Replied Garrus, leaning back out, as additional eight whelps moved in from a doorway, behind the armored Krogan. Garrus fired a series of shots, taking out three of the new unarmoured whelps. The armored Krogan advanced on the team, taking cover between every brace, only coming out when the team was in cover.

"We have to let them get close. Take out the ones in the back." Ordered Shepard, yelling. Shepard emptied his Graal, firing once, killing a whelp. The Armored Krogan continued to advanced, closing in on the squad, while Shepard hid and reloaded his Graal. Wrex switched to a large weapon on his back. It was Grunt's plasma thrower. Wrex leaned over the side of the support, firing the plasma thrower. The plasma thrower reached fifty feet, going beyond the Krogan, melting the their armor instantly. The now unarmoured Krogan didn't last long, and both fell to the ground. Wrex turned the thrower on the whelps in the back next, and fired the lower spike, pinning the Krogan against the wall, killing it. Shepard moved forward, out of cover, pressing the whelps. Garrus followed Shepard, firing over his shoulder, nailing the last whelp. "Hell of a weapon you got there Wrex." Stated Shepard, as the squad moved forward towards the door, hearing machinery as they closed.

"Thank, It's Grunt, he loaned it to me. I don't think I'm giving it back though. Grunt's quite the little tinkerer." Replied Wrex, pulling the spike out of the dead Krogan, and placing it back in the thrower.

"How much you got left?" Asked Shepard curiously.

"It's about out, Maybe get a hundred more Krogan. If they stand in a row." Stated Wrex chuckling.

"Well with the way Shepard is, he'll just nuke whatever comes next." Replied Garrus. Suddenly commander Severus came over the comm.

"Commander this is Commander Severus. That Thresher maw is tearing us apart. I d-." Stated Severus, before the transmission went dead.

"Commander. Commander respond." Shouted Shepard into the comm, before giving up.

"How does a Thresher maw destroy an entire company of tanks?" Questioned Garrus out loud

"The fallacies of Turian equipment." Suggested Wrex.

"I don't think so. I've got a feeling that arena isn't actually a arena. I mean what would the Reapers build a arena for." Suggested Shepard wondering.

"Good question." Replied Wrex, switching back to his Claymore.

"Garrus get the charges on the door." Ordered Shepard.

"Right." Replied Garrus moving up to the door. Garrus quickly set the Charges to the door, and triggered them. The door open and partially again, and Wrex pulled it open the rest of the way, opening it. The team enter a large room, full of machinery. Varren layed dead on a slow moving conveyer belts, while others had just come off the line, alive and armored. Live Klixen climbed around in there cage, trying to find there way out, only to eventually climb down a small opening in the cage that lead to more machinery. Dead Krogan layed on tables, where a normal looking Krogan injected the dead Krogan with a syringe. The Krogan looked over at the squad, as soon as they entered.

"Kill them." Ordered the Krogan, as he took off in the other direction. Two Reaper Krogan advanced on the team, from behind nearby machinery in front of them, driving the squad into cover of nearby machinery.

"We have to kill that Krogan. He's in charge of it all." Stated Shepard as he fell into nearby cover.

"That's shaman." Replied Wrex falling into cover. Wrex then leaned out and killed a whelp. "We got Varren." Called out Wrex, after blasting another Krogan. Four Reaper Varren ran towards the team, carrying only small arms on their backs. Mean while additional Krogan reinforcements flooded into the room. The team quickly engaged the Varren cutting them down, giving there small arms little time to fire. Meanwhile the Krogan had already closed the distance, and began firing. The eight Krogan that had flooded in were a assortment of types. Four were whelps, two were armored, and the other two were biotics. The team easily dispatched the whelps, leaving only a few scars to their barriers. Meanwhile the Armored Krogan advanced, with there shotguns, while the biotic Krogan lobbed artillery strikes at the team. Pushing the team back into cover.

"Wrex get that thrower ready. Garrus take the ones in the back." Shouted Shepard, giving orders. Wrex pulled the plasma thrower off his back again, and waited for the Krogan to get close. Once the armored Krogan had come into a reasonable range Wrex blasted them, Incinerating them and there armor. Shepard and Garrus both aimed for the Krogan in the back, keeping the pressure off Wrex. Garrus's Krogan went down with ease, taking only two shots to the head, as it was protected by its own barriers. Shepard had targeted the other Krogan, firing a concussive shot, weakening the barrier, and making it stumble. Shepard exhausted the Raptor's entire thermal clip, before the Krogan succumb to the gunfire. "Let's move." Shouted Shepard, advancing out of cover. The team moved forward, bypassing other routs through the factory, in pursuit of the shaman. The Shaman noticed the squads advancement and quickly ripped open the Klixen cage, with his own biotics. The Klixen headed directly for the new opening, escaping, closing on the team, screeching at them.

"Reaper Klixs, dead ahead." Called out Garrus. Two Reaper Klixen had come from around machinery, joining the fight.

"Garrus take them out." Ordered Shepard, taking cover along with the rest of his team. Garrus fired on the Reaper Klixen in the back, while Shepard switched to his Graal, and Wrex kept the regular Klixen at bay, exploding one near Shepard.

"Shepard I'm out." Called out Wrex. Shepard looked towards Wrex and pulled his spare, throwing it to Wrex.

"Two rounds to a clip, don't throw it away, they're heat sinked." Shouted Shepard. Shepard then leaned out, helping Garrus with the Reaper Klixen, blasting the same Klix Garrus had been working on. The Reaper Klixen were not as far away as the biotic Krogan had been, leaving Shepard's spike fairly accurate. The five spikes hit, killing the Klix, making it explode like the last one. The violent explosion stumbled the Klix, throwing it's shots off. Shepard and Garrus had moved onto the other Klix, when Wrex exploded a Klixen very close to Shepard. "Shit." Shouted Shepard, falling back in to cover, dropping his Graal, feeling his face. The heat was tremendous and hurt badly.

"Shepard you alright." Asked Wrex blasting another Klixen further away. Wrex then ducked behind cover, hiding from the other Klix.

"I'm fine." Replied Shepard, throwing his hands down, and looking for his Graal.

"Good." Cause I'm out again." Replied Wrex Wrex then came back out of cover lifting one of the Klixen, tossing it into the Reaper Klix, killing it.

"Here take my spare." Shouted Garrus, taking Wrex's attention. Garrus tossed Wrex his spare clip. "You lose my clips I kick your ass Wrex." Shouted Garrus going to work on the Klixen

"Looking forward to it." Replied Wrex jamming the new clip into his claymore. Shepard had already come out of cover, emptying his Graal into the remaining Klixen, and had fallen back in to reload. Wrex finished the last Klixen with his claymore, and then switched to a assault rifle.

"We need to keep moving." Stated Shepard coming out of cover. Wrex and Garrus followed Shepard through the factory area, blasting whelps trying to charge the squad. The squad chased the shaman through the factory area, as he hid behind waves of men, retreating every time Shepard and the team grew to close. The eventually ran out of running room, and ran for a lift, activating it. The lift lifted the shaman out of the factory, while the squad fired directly on him. A biotic barrier stood in the way, protecting the shaman, until he reached a inclosed part of the lift. The squad ran to the lift's location looking up into it seeing how high it had gone. The lift was still moving and showed no sign of slowing down. "Garrus can you get that lift back down here?" Asked Shepard looking to the nearby control panel. Garrus walked over to the lifts console looking at it, and then turned around.

"No. We'll have to wait for it to come back down." Replied Garrus. Shepard nodded and turned away from the lift, looking behind them seeing a large hand slap onto some of the machinery from a unexplored area, of the factory.

"Goliath." Shouted Shepard, recognizing the hand. Shepard quickly went for his cain, holstering his Graal. The goliath didn't take long to climb over the machinery, and began to make it's run down the same path the team had taken to the lift.

"Shit." Shouted Garrus, turning and raising his rifle.

"Pick a head, and don't let up on it." Ordered Shepard, charging his cain. The team moved up to some near by crates for cover, setting up and firing on the Goliath. The Goliath quickly closed on the the squad, barrelling through any small, loose cover along it's way. Shepard aimed for the middle head, releasing the nuke at full charge. The team took to cover as the nuke crashed into the Goliath, exploding the center head, and seriously damaging the others. The Goliath stood there dazed, as it reacquired its vision. Garrus and Wrex both came, back out of cover, firing while Shepard switched to his assault rifle. Both Wrex and Garrus riddled the heads with gunfire, destroying the brains causing the Goliath to fall to the Ground. The Goliath Shook the immediate area, when it impacted the Ground. A hand had hit slung out for the team, but fell short, hitting the crates they had hidden behind, splitting one open. The team relaxed for a moment only to have more Krogan, whelps come from the same area as the goliath.

"More Krogan." Shouted Garrus, alerting the team. The additional Krogan reinforcements moved in on the team. The group consisted of eight whelps, which Garrus picked off at a distance, taking out three before they had come into rang. Shepard, and Wrex both fired there shotguns into the Krogan, knocking three more out of action. Two for Wrex, and one for Shepard. The last one was a tie between Shepard and Garrus, hitting it about the same time.

"Not bad Shepard. I guess that's how you killed the Thresher maw to." Commented Wrex, relaxing again.

"Yeah, but I still had to use my gun. Speaking of guns, you need to get a new shotgun. That claymore of yours burns through thermal clips." Stated Shepard.

"And replace it with that piece of shit graal, never. This here is my baby." Wrex kissed his claymore. "I'll just keep a lot of spares clips and problem solved.

"Well you'll have to get your own. I paid for these, and speaking of babies. Look at this." Suggested Garrus, walking around the crates they had hidden behind, finding eggs on the ground. The eggs where cracked, but The crate they were in was full of in tacked eggs. This was seen through the large break where the goliath had hit the crate. Shepard and Wrex both walked around the crates seeing the same thing as Garrus.

"Eggs?" Commented Shepard, questioning their presence.

"Not just any eggs. Krogan eggs." Replied Wrex. Shepard walked over to the hole in the crate, and pulled one of the eggs out, scanning it with a omni tool. "Are they alive?" Asked Wrex concerned.

"From what I can tell they are, and I'm not finding any Reaper tech in them either." Answered Shepard.

"Where did they get all these eggs though?" Asked Garrus, commenting.

"They said they cured the Genophage. This might be it." Replied Shepard, handing the egg off to Wrex.

"What about the side effects the Salarian mentioned?" Asked Wrex, examining the egg.

"That was before we knew the Reapers were involved. Saren, cured the Genophage. He figured it out with the help of the Reapers. They drew the females in with the cure, and are using them to make the eggs." Suggested Shepard.

"What for? It would take a good fifteen years, before they were worth something, and where are the females." Informed Wrex.

"The Reapers are in it for the long haul, it won't matter how long it takes. As for the females they're probably up that lift." Suggested Garrus.

"Speaking of lifts see if you can get it down here now." Ordered Shepard.

"On it." Replied Garrus. Garrus turned and walked over to the control panel.

"What about the eggs?" Asked Wrex setting the one in his hand down.

"We leave them. Our mission takes priority." Answered Shepard, turning away, going for the lift area.

"Priority. This is a cure for the Genophage. It's sitting here, just waiting to be picked up. These children are our future." Replied Wrex following Shepard. Shepard turned around and looked Shepard in the eyes.

"Wrex don't get ahead of yourself. These children may be cured of the Genophage, but what happens when they start to reproduce. There is hardly enough food on Tuchanka for the clans to eat as it is. You'll all starve to death. What kind of future is that."

"So what, we just leave them to be taken by the Varren?"

"Wrex we don't even know if they're going to turn out normal. What if they're monsters?"

"And what if they're not?"

"Wrex." Shouted Garrus, walking over to Shepard and Garrus. Wrex jerked his head towards Garrus quickly.

"Stay out of this." Shouted Wrex, shocking Garrus. Wrex then turned back to Shepard. "You promised a treatment, and isn't even ready. Meanwhile you want my people to go to war."

"You're right it's not ready, but this isn't a treatment. This is a replacement. You saw reason on Virmire. Why can't you see it now? You'll over populate this planet, and start killing each other for food. The Krogan aren't ready for a cure, and even if they are, your planet isn't. We don't even know if they'll turn out normal." Shouted Shepard pointing at the egg.

"All the more reason we should take them in. We'll control their urges, keep the population in check." Replied Wrex.

"Wrex you can't promise that. Now we have a mission. I don't even see why we're arguing about it right now. This could be settled later." Responded Shepard, before turning and walking over to the lift.

"Fine Shepard, but before we destroy this place I want those eggs out of here." Responded Wrex following Shepard.

"We'll talk about it later Wrex." Replied Shepard sounding annoyed. Shepard, Garrus, and Wrex all stepped onto the lift, taking it up, following the shaman. Before reaching the enclosed portion of the lift, Krogan could be spotted moving in on the lift. Once the lift passed into the protected area of the lift, the Primarch's voice came over the comm.

"Shepard a Reaper just came through the relay. We're engaging, but it's only a matter of time before they come in force. We have to leave before that fleet arrives." Stated the Primarch on the comm.

"Primarch you can't leave yet. We have a Reaper base on Tuchanka. They're making soldiers right here. If you leave we'll lose the Krogan." Replied Shepard.

"And if we stay, they'll bring a larger fleet to wipe us out. Ships are more important then soldiers commander. You can't kill a Reaper with a Krogan." Stated The Primarch.

"I just need a little more time Primarch." Replied Shepard.

"My ship is hanging back from the fight Shepard, Once it's over I'm pulling out. You have until then." Informed Primarch Victus.

"I'll make every second count." Replied Shepard, before closing the comm.

"Shepard you said we'd get the eggs out before." Blurted out Wrex, now that Shepard was off the comm.

Shepard turned to Wrex, throwing his finger at him, speaking sternly. "I know what I said Wrex, and I never promised that. If we don't take out that shaman he'll start this all over again, somewhere else. We have to catch him. We'll try to get the eggs out, but i'm not carrying a crate on my back if we don't have time."

"Shepard." Called out Wrex, before Shepard cut him off.

"Wrex that's enough. Get your head on straight." Shouted Shepard, annoyed. Shepard then brush past Wrex to the other side of the lift, shaking his head. Garrus followed Shepard over to the other end of the lift, putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Shepard it's gonna take every second to get out of here. We'll never get those eggs out." Whispered Garrus, as Shepard turned to him.

"I know. I'm not planning on it anyway. I didn't come here to cure the Genophage." Replied Shepard, whispering back.

"Good, like you said it will just cause more harm then good anyway. Now hows your face holding up." Garrus grabbed Shepard by the chin, and turned his head looking at it. "Damn that's going to get infected. When we get done here, we need to go strait back to the Normandy." Stated Garrus.

"That bad?" Asked Shepard, curiously.

"Yeah, probably going to scar to." Replied Garrus still holding Shepard's Chin.

"Garrus." Said Shepard nodding as the lift neared the top.

"Right, Sorry. Just didn't want my good friend dieing on me, that's all." Replied Garrus letting go of Shepard's Chin. Garrus turned in the direction of the exit, and switched to his Phaeston. Shepard did the same, as he was on his last set off Graal spikes. The elevator soon reached the top, and the team moved to through door, into a empty room. The room quickly turned left, to a door that was locked. "Guess he's running out of cannon fodder. We'll have him soon." Stated Garrus confidently.

"You have to open that door first Garrus." Replied Shepard. Garrus once again went to work with the charges, overloading the magnetic locks. Wrex pulled open the door six inches, when a large swarm of hands forced there way through. Wrex backed off of the door, moving away with Shepard and Garrus. "Back up." Shouted Shepard.

"So much for being out of cannon fodder. How do we get through?" Asked Garrus. The room they where in was short leaving little room, to stop a horde.

"Just wait." Replied Wrex. The team waited and watched as the hands seeped away from the door, leaving only one, which started to pull the door open. "Shepard grenade." Demanded Wrex. Shepard quickly pulled a grenade, throwing it into the doorway, as the Krogan opened the door. The grenade rolled under the the lead Krogan's feet, exploding, and taking the Krogan in the immediate area down. The entire team open fired, as the savage unarmed Krogan ran for the team. Firing everything, the Krogan horde was stopped only feet from the squad. "More males." Commented Wrex.

"But why weren't they armed?" Replied Garrus asking, kicking the nearest one making sure it was dead. The squad moved forward past the dead Krogan into a room containing more Reaper Krogan in glass cages. The Krogan were beating the glass cage that divided them, until they noticed the team. They then turned beating on the glass between the outside world and their cage.

"Females." Stated Wrex.

"And the male were here to mate. Now do you get it Wrex. Those eggs of yours were made by Reapers." Responded Shepard.

"I didn't know this is what was happening Shepard." Replied Wrex walking up to the cages.

"Now you do Wrex. Now lets move on." Replied Shepard

"Wait Shepard. What are we going to do with the females. We can't just leave them there Shepard." Stated Wrex, suggesting.

"What are you suggesting Wrex?" Asked Shepard, already knowing the answer.

"Let them out, and put them down. They don't deserve this." Answered Wrex.

"I disagree. Opening those cages could be dangerous." Stated Garrus, suggesting to leave them.

"We can't risk it. Now let's move." Replied Shepard turning away, going towards the next door only twenty feet away.

"Shepard." Called out Wrex. Shepard turned around looking angry.

"We don't time for this Wrex. Now move." Shouted Shepard. Wrex grunted and moved on with the team. The team walked through the next door, which was unlocked, following the shaman. Armored Krogan fired on the team instantly, driving them into cover, behind the door.

"Only Two armored Krogan. He's got to be running out of men." Stated Garrus confidently, behind the wall.

"Wrex anything left in that plasma thrower of yours?" Asked Shepard.

"It's out." Replied Wrex.

"We'll take them down the hard way then." Replied Shepard. Shepard leaned out of cover, firing his assault rifle into the armored Krogan. The two Krogan advanced on the team firing they're shotguns, as Shepard and Wrex slowly chewed through the Krogan's armor. Garrus fired his sniper rifle, knocking down the other Krogan, slowing his advance. As the first armored Krogan neared the team, Wrex ducked into cover, coming back out with his claymore. Wrex blasted the armored to the ground with his claymore, twice firing rapidly, slaying the Reaper. Garrus continued firing on the other armored Krogan, eventually puncturing his armor, and taking him down. The squad then pulled out from behind the door, and moved forward, entering a curved corridor. he corridor was long and had no for a currently indeterminable distance. Moving down the hall the squad took notice of a Thresher maw, laying on the ground, with Reaper tech being placed on it, by Reaper Krogan.

"It's a cage." Said Garrus, realized where they were. The team stopped Gazing out the window. They where once again above ground, and in the interior structure of the massive arena.

"And I guess this explains what happened to our backup." Suggested Shepard.

"I guess it does, but this one doesn't look finished." Replied Garrus.

"Just means they're two of them." Replied Shepard. Shepard shook off his gaze out the window, and looked forward. "We should keep moving, he can't be to far away." The squad ran down the hall making up for lost time, engaging two additional whelps along the way. The whelps went down with ease, allowing the squad to advance. The team continued running half the circuit of the structure to locked door. "Garrus get the door." Ordered Shepard, watching behind them. Garrus moved up to the door, placing the tech charges, while the Primarch came back over the comm.

"Commander my ships about to leave orbit. I need a all clear now if I'm going to have my ship fire."

"We're almost clear Primarch. We just need a few more minutes." Replied Shepard.

"I'm giving you all the time I can Shepard. Just get out of there." Responded the Primarch sounding hasty.

"Shepard." Called out Garrus, ready with the tech charges. Shepard turned looking in the direction of Garrus, standing away from the door.

"I'll let you know when we're clear Primarch." Stated Shepard on the comm. Shepard then closed the comm, and raised his Phaeston. "Open it." Ordered Shepard. Garrus trigger the charges, cracking open the door, which Wrex pulled the door open a foot, before leading the way into the next room. As Wrex entered he was quickly taken by a Krogan, shoving him off to the left, out of sight. "Wrex." Called out Shepard moving into the room, quickly jerking right, in the direction Wrex had disappeared. Two shots where heard, as Shepard turned to see Wrex, with the shaman on top of him. Wrex rolled the now dead shaman off of him, letting him bleed on the floor. The shaman had a massive whole through the center of the chest, where Wrex had blasted through. Shepard offered his hand to Wrex, which he took, and came to his feet.

"Guess that take care of that. He might have gotten away if that lift would have shown up." Stated Wrex, whipping the blood off of his face.

"I take it that's our way out then." Suggested Garrus, motioning his head towards the lift.

"Then we better go, before the Primarch leaves orbit." Replied Shepard. Shepard, Garrus and Wrex walked towards the lift, when they heard the shaman speak.

"Shepard." Spoke the shaman sounding as if he was drowning in blood, starring off to one side. Shepard turned around, followed by the rest of the team.

"How do you know my name?" Replied Shepard walking closer to the shaman.

"We all know your name." Replied The shaman not moving anything but the mouth and vocal cords.

"I'm not speaking to the shaman am I?" Asked Shepard crouching by the shaman.

"No."

"Then why are you talking to me."

"Harbinger believe you will continue to fight. Even when your destruction is inevitable. I am only attempting to ease your suffering. We will allow you to survive until last, if you discontinue your resistance. It is possible you will die before we have completed our purge."

"Sounds like you're desperate to me. We stopped you from using the Citadel three years ago. Then we stopped you at the omega four relay. This time we have a Ion cannon, and you're afraid. The Protheans almost destroyed you. Now you're weakened, and afraid."

"We do not poses the ability of fear."

"But you want to survive. You're so desperate to survive you've stooped to talking to one man. We could win this war, and you know it."

"You do not understand the pieces that are in play. This war is much bigger then you realize. Your individual lust for power will be the conquering factor."

"You mean Cerberus don't you."

"There are others, they are just one of many. All life demands to survive."

"You're talking about synthetic life."

"I am speaking of all life."

"This is just more head games."

"You will never finish the weapon. We have learned of it's location."

"Shepard it's keeping us here on purpose. It's grasping at straws, while the Primarch's ship sails away. We're never going to learn anything from it. Now let's go." Suggested Garrus pulling Shepard from his crouched position.

"Right." Replied Shepard. Shepard walked away from the shaman, with his team, leaving the indoctrinated shaman to die in peace. The lift took the team down the to the ground, leading to a exit on the side of the Camp. The the arena was at least a quarter mile distance to the tank, which the team would have to run. Shepard accessed his comm as the squad ran the quarter mile distance to the tank. "Primarch this is Shepard. We're out of the structure, and moving to extract. ETA two minutes."

"Affirmative Commander, we're lining up for the shot. Get clear." Ordered the Primarch, before closing the comm. The team ran for the tank, reaching it in less time then Shepard had predicted. Reaper Krogan advanced from the ramp that the team had used to enter the structure, and began firing. Garrus and Shepard scrambled into the tank, while Wrex held up a barrier blocking the shots, being the last to climb in. Inside Shepard charged to the drivers seat, where he ungloved his hand, and slammed it onto the spike. Shepard turned and began driving away from the facility quickly, climbing over the hill that overlooked the camp, before accessing his comm.

"Primarch we're clear. fire." Demanded Shepard over the comm.

"Roger that. Firing." Replied the Primarch. "Fire." ordered the Primarch to his weapons officer. The Primarch ship fired from orbit, sending a round ripping through the atmosphere. On impact the round shattered the facility, sending massive shock waves through the ground, aswell as creating a nuclear explosion. The blast wave quickly shot over the hill sweeping past the tank shaking it.

"Hull plating temperature critical Commander." Stated the tank VI, as the heat continued to climb. The wave soon dissipated, leaving the tank steaming as it pulled away from the epicenter of the very intense heat.

"Commander are you still alive down there." Asked the Primarch over the comm.

"We're alive. Thanks for the assist." Replied Shepard.

"My pleasure Commander. I have to get out of system now. We'll talk once you get out of system aswell." Stated the Primarch.

"Understood, Shepard out." Replied Shepard closing the comm, and continued to drive back towards clan Nakmor's base.

"So the Primarch's leaving, huh? Shame. I was starting to like him." Commented Wrex, once again hanging his hands on the ceiling.

"It's best he leaves. The Reapers are going to chase his fleet. If he's here when they show up, they'll likely just cull the whole planet." Replied Shepard, suggesting.

"And if they show up anyway?" Asked Wrex in reply.

"Then we did all of this for nothing." Replied Shepard.

"Hhh, not really the answer I was looking for Shepard." Replied Wrex.

"The Primarch needs the Krogan Wrex. I doubt he's going to just let the Reapers come in, and wipe you out." Suggested Shepard.

"Even so. I'm still going to need that treatment of yours. It's the only way I'm gonna be able to band others to our cause. Without that this was all for nothing." Informed Wrex

"Not nothing Wrex, and I'm not leaving until I give you that treatment anyway Wrex. In the meantime you need to spread the word. Let everyone know what hap-." Stated Shepard, stopping mid sentence. The back of the tank had come off the ground, tilting the tank forward. The tank then slammed into the ground, bouncing as it landed. "What the hell was that?" Shouted Shepard. Garrus stumbled over to the gunner, climbing up in it.

"Shit. We got that Thresher maw, covered in Reaper tech." Stated Garrus yelling.

"Shit. Take it out Garrus." Shouted Shepard back. Garrus began open firing on the Thresher maw. First with a rapid burst, before switching to a charged round. In the meantime Shepard circled the Thresher maw to keep it from going under, similar to what he had done with the mako.

"Shepard I'm not making a scratch." Shouted Garrus. The Thresher maw then opened it's mouth and fired a blue energy beam, barely missing the tank. "Shepard that thing's packing a thanex cannon." Shouted Garrus again.

"Just keep shooting." Replied Shepard. Shepard then accessed his comm. Primarch Victus, I need another bombardment. "I've got a Reaper Thresher maw firing on us, and we can't hurt it." Shouted Shepard into the comm.

"Commander I told you I had to pull out." Replied the Primarch over the comm.

"I know, but it's the same one that took out your company. Look if you don't do something, then any help from the Krogan goes with me." A silence was heard between the Primarch and Shepard, before the Primarch spoke again.

"I'm turning the ship around, you'll have to hold on though. We're no longer in range to fire." Replied the Primarch.

"Garrus, do whatever you can to slow that maw down." Ordered Shepard.

"Right." Replied Garrus. Shepard started to darting in and out, close to the Thresher maw, breaking up his pattern. The Thresher maw strafed the ground with it's beam, glancing the tank on several occasions.

"Commander Shepard, dorsal hull plating at critical heat levels. any further impacts will cause irreparable damage to plating." Stated the Tank VI.

"Garrus put it down his throat. See if that does anything." Shouted Shepard at Garrus. Wrex just continued to hang on.

"What do you think I've been trying to do? Shove that thing up my ass." Replied Garrus yelling back. "Come on you bastard, open up." Shouted Garrus at the Thresher maw. Shepard turned the tank around sharply, to protect the dorsal plating, knowing the Thresher maw would soon fire. The Thresher maw opened it's mouth, beginning to fire it's beam, when Garrus lobed two shot's strait into it. The explosion shocked the maw, causing fire to come out of it's mouth, before it tunneled, back under the ground, falling into it's hole. "It's just went under." Stated Garrus still shouting but not as loud.

"Shit the Primarch can't hit it if it's under, and it's just going to keep." Stated Shepard, before being cut off again. The ground bursted open under the front of the tank lifting it off the ground. The tanks back wheels hung from the maw, dragging it off as they went up. The Tank fell, landing on it's rear end, in the sand, perfectly balanced. Wrex fell to the back, followed by Garrus, who was ripped from the gunner seat, and sent falling on top of Wrex.

"Damn it, what happened?" Asked Wrex shoving Garrus off of him.

"You two alright?" Asked Shepard saved by the chair.

"Yeah." Replied Garrus.

"Speak for yourself." Responded Wrex sounding hurt.

Shepard climbed out of his seat, standing behind it on the right wall. "Look, we need to get out of here, that Thresher maw's gonna try." Stated Shepard, before once again being cut off. The tank was suddenly slung sideways. sending Shepard falling down into the bench seats, then to the opposite side of the hatch. "Ah, shit." Grown Shepard, getting up. Shepard stood on the wall, and reached for the hatch release, opening the hatch. Come on Shouted Shepard to Garrus and Wrex, slowly getting up themselves. Shepard climbed out of the tank standing on the outer hull. The Thresher maw was gone for the moment, but the ground was still shaking.

"Shepard a little help." Demanded Garrus. Shepard looked down seeing Garrus waiting on him, and reached down helping Garrus out of the tank. Wrex came next, hardly fitting through the hatch. Both Shepard and Garrus grabbed hold of Wrex, barely pulling him out of the tank.

"Damn, sorry about you're tank Shepard." Stated Wrex, looking at the tank, while standing on it.

"Don't worry about, it we'll come back for it later. Now we need to go." Shepard jumped off the tank, followed by the squad. The Thresher maw emerged on the other side of the tank, seconds after they had landed. "Come on, let's move." Shouted Shepard. Shepard, Garrus, and Wrex began to run away from the tank. The Thresher maw pursued, diving back into the ground, slamming into the tank, sending it rolling. The tank made three complete rolls, turning in it rolls, before coming to a stop, landing back on it's wheels. meanwhile the team continued to run, only to have the Thresher maw break out in front of them. "Shit. Go back." Shouted Shepard. The team ran the other direction as the Thresher maw lurched for them. Rounds from orbit soon slammed into the maw, driving it to the ground on the right, missing the team. The team stopped to gaze on the dead maw, killed by the dreadnoughts support guns. The Reaper maw layed slain on the ground, eaten out by the bombardment.

"Yeah, eat that you Reaper pyjack." Shouted Wrex, slapping Garrus on the back. Meanwhile the Primarch came back over the comm.

"Commander are you still with us." Asked the Primarch on the comm.

"Yeah, thanks for the assist. Now get yourself out of here before the reapers get here." Replied Shepard on the comm.

"Will do commander." Replied The Primarch. The comm channel closed, and Shepard accessed his comm again.

"Shepard to Normandy we need extraction." Stated Shepard on the comm.

"On the way. Hang in there." Replied Joker, back over the comm.

Writers notes: A railgun when creating a nuclear blast releases no radiation. This is known as a fusion explosion and unlike a fission explosion made by nukes there is no fall out or radiation. Don't believe me look it up :). Garrus does not have gay feelings for Shepard, he just got carried away worrying for his friend. The shaman was actually still alive but his will was gone allowing the Reaper to speak through him just with it's whispers. During the conversation though cryptic the Reaper was not speaking of the Reaper war. It is another link to the dark energy crysis. This mission took a very unexcepted parallel to Virmire, not my intention.