Chapter 35: Virmire part 1
Team watched as Captain Kirrahe paced back and forth cursing in what had got to be the Salarian Language. John couldn't blame him; he and his team spent all that time hoping for the Calvary to arrive only to find out it was them. John had explained that his message was broken up, and the council sent him to investigate, but that only made the Salarian worried. John shared his concern with one ship, its ground team, and a weakened Salarian team against Saren's Geth army; it was going to be a mess. "One ship? They sent one ship for something as big as this?"
Ragan and John raised a brow. "Big? What are you talking about," John then heard Ragan say something under his breath but didn't catch it.
"Saren's operation base, he's set up a research facility here but it's crawling with Geth and heavily fortified," Kirrahe said. "I lost half my men to that place, which was why I was hoping the council sent a fleet."
"Is Saren here, have you seen him," Kaiden asked.
Kirrahe shook his head. "No, but we've intercepted some comms referring to him, so he may come."
"Fuck, that's not good then. But it saves us the time to find him that is if he comes," Ragan cursed. Kirrahe looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"What's he doing," serious as John could be, he wanted to know so he can blow it up.
"He's using the facility to breed an army of Krogan," Ragan's eyes went wide. That caught Wrex's ear, he came over to the group and the Salarians looked very nervous seeing him. After the Krogan had never forgiven them creating the plague and the Turians used it.
"How is that possible," Wrex was in denial about that.
"Apparently Saren had discovered a cure for the genophage," Ragan waved his hands back and forth like don't say any more. Unfazed by the battlemaster in front of him, Kirrahe saw the team's eye went wide. A cure for the genophage would mean the restart of the Krogan Rebellons, the galaxy barely won against them the first time and without another strain the galaxy would burn this time around. Especially the Krogan's biggest enemies; the Turians and Salarians. "His Geth are already bad enough, but an endless supply of Krogan, loyal to Saren would make him almost invincible. This bas and all of its secrets must be destroyed."
Wrex frowned. "Destroyed? I don't think so. My people are dying because of you damn plague. This cure can save them."
"Urdnot Wrex, if the cure is given, then the Krogan Rebellions will be worse than last time. And the galaxy would be destroyed. I know how you feel, but…"
Wrex got into Kirrahe's face growling, the Salarians were close to raising their weapons, the tension was getting thick. "You know nothing, pijack, you haven't seen the children that never had a chance. So don't you dare patronize me!" Wrex turned away, fuming, the Salarians quickly got out of his way. Kirrahe spoke up.
"Is he going to be a problem? We already have enough angry Krogan to deal with."
John frowned. "Can't you blame him? Sterilizing someone's whole race would piss anyone off."
"I was the only way, Commander, for our sakes and theirs," Kirrahe saw Ragan shake his head. Ragan knew history but he knew it was the Salarains own fault that made the Krogan in violent people they are nowadays.
"If YOUR race didn't uplifted the Krogan when the Rachni wars was going on they wouldn't be like that. You should have dealt with your own GODDAMN FUCKING PROBLEMS," Ragan yelled at Kirrahe. "Remember what I'm about to tell you: The created will always rebel the creators and the uplifted will do what they want because you can't fix STUPID KROGAN!"
"I see your point on that but if we tried to deal with the problem ourselves, we would have died."
"And that should have happened. Curiosity killed the Salarian."
Kirrahe understood what Ragan meant. Ragan was telling them to die like a warrior not a coward like they were always doing. "Anyway, my men and I need to rethink our plan; can you give us some time," John nodded and Kirrahe left, leaving him with Ragan, Kaiden and Ash. John knew what they were thinking about, Wrex.
"Things are bit of mess…," Kaiden said.
"No kidding and a pissed off Wrex is not helping things," Ash commented.
"I'll go talk to him, straighten things out," Ragan shook his head at John.
"I'm not sure that is a good plan, cuz. I mean, he is Krogan and the Krogan are known for violence," Ragan said.
"You need to get off my back for that," John said while pointing a finger at him. "Thanks you, now the Salarians are thinking of killing Wrex.
"Want us to come," Ash said.
John shook his head. "No reinforcements will only make him think we don't trust him, I'll do this alone. Man to man." Kaiden and Ash looked at each other worriedly. "I'll be find, if I could talk him down on the Rachni queen, I can talk him down on this." John went over and talked to Wrex, he had calmed down a little, but the Spectre was careful when approaching him. He then heard the Krogan shooting at the eas with his shotgun, John checked if he had a weapon for when things went to Hell, and he hoped he wouldn't have to use it.
"This isn't right, Shepard. If there's a cure for a genophage, we can't destroy it," Wrex didn't bother to turn his head while speaking.
"I know this means a lot but…"
"But nothing, this is the fate of my entire people we're talking about," Wrex was angered about that part. "Those pijacks are only worried about themselves; if was the same way when they created the genophage! And Ragan is right, the Salarians shouldn't have uplifted us. We were a peaceful race towards others but not anymore."
"Easy Wrex… just think for a moment, we're not even sure if it's a true cure, Saren could be playing your people for suckers, you know how much of a manipulative bastard he is."
"That's a chance we should be willing to take! I've been loyal to you so fare, when you told me to shoot, I shot, you told me to kill, I killed, I even went along with you releasing the damn queen, and all that time I asked for nothing in return.
"This time I'm asking you for this one thing, help me save my people." John looked at him with surprised look, the Krogan was almost pleading for this cure. All he said was true, of everyone on the team, Wrex had no reason to stay with the Normandy crew, even when he got back his family armor he could have left any time he wanted, but stayed for them. Could he really spit Wrex's face, despite all the things he done for him and the crew?
John sighed, "You're right, I do owe you for staying with me this long, if we find the cure, you'll have it provided if it's not malfunctioned. Hell it's probably in better hands with you, but let's focus on making sure Saren doesn't have it first."
Wrex nodded satisfied with his answer. "Right." John turned around and Wrex spoke up. "I don't say this often… but thank you." John nodded back and walked back to Kaiden and Ash.
"Nice work with Wrex, though I'm surprised that he agreed to have the genophage cure destroyed so quickly," Kaiden saw John rubbed his head sheepishly and his eyes went wide. "You didn't…"
"I promised Wrex that if there was a cure I would get it for him but if it's malfunctioned, then the deal will be off," John said.
"What?! If the Council hears of that they'll strip you of your Spectre status," Ash looked at Ragan. "And he will hunt you down and kill you for repeating history all over." Ragan nodded.
"Shh, not so loud! I know, but I figure with Wrex being a battlemaster, he'll have some pull with the Krogan, you know put his people right path."
"But…" Ash said.
"I trust Wrex, he'll do the right thing."
Kaiden sighed. "You're really going ahead with this, aren't you?" John nodded. "Just be careful, okay."
"Got it." Kirrahe walked up to the group he said that he has come up with a plan, sort of, and involves high risk and a lot of luck. The plan involved the Salarians converting their ship's drive systems into a twenty kiloton ordinance to destroy the facility. To do this he would divide his mean into three teams: Aegohr, Mannovai, and Jaeto. And hit the front of the facility while Shepard and his team 'Shadow' sneaks around back. He also asked John for a huge, difficult favor, he needs one of John's squad for the assault. John wasn't sure about loaning his people to people he just met, but this was too important let that thought get in the way.
"Take Ashley, if you're going to be the decoy, you'll need firepower," John pointed to her.
Kirrahe nodded. "I will have the ordnance loaded on the Normandy and brief your crew of its detonation sequencing."
"Alright, ready when you are," John grabs his pistol and loads it.
"Excellent, I'll prepare my men," Kirrahe said walking away leaving John with his team.
Ash sighed, "Well this is it."
"Hey don't say that, we'll make it through this and take out Saren together," John then looked at the rest of the team before looking back at Ash.
All Ash did was smile, "Right, don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, okay?"
"Alright, only if you promise to do the same." Kirrahe came out with his men who were standing at attention, he turned to his men. John couldn't help but admire them, a lot of them were not going to come back, but they were going to go into the lion's den anyway. Bravery in the face adversity, this was what being a soldier was all about.
"You all know the mission and what is at stake. I have come to trust you all with my life – but I have also heard murmurs of discontent. I share your concerns. We are trained for espionage; we would be legends, but the records are sealed. Glory in battle is not our way. Think of our heroes; the Silent Step, who defeat a nation with a single shot, or the Ever Alert, who kept armies at bay with hidden facts. These giants do not seem to give up solace here, but they are not all that we are. Before the network, there was the fleet. Before diplomacy, there were soldiers! Our influence stopped the rachni, but that we held the line! Our influence that stopped and doomed the Krogan, but before that, we held the line! Our influence will stop Saren; in the battle today, we will HOLD THE LINE," Kirrahe then saw all the Salarians lift their weapons up.
'Not bad,' John thought with a smirk. "Commander, good luck, I hope to fight alongside you in the future," Kirrahe said as he held out his hand.
John shook it, "Me too."
