Shepard flexed her arm experimentally in the shuttle. Deacon sat across from her fidgeting with his sub-machine gun. Garrus stood across from Wrex watching Cortez drive the shuttle. Despite his best efforts, the shuttle still shook as he drove it.

"We're on approach Commander." Cortez said loudly over the hum of the shuttle's engines.

"Good." Shepard eyed Wrex. "We're headed to the salarian home world and they aren't used to seeing krogan here."

Wrex narrowed his eyes.

"So please be civil and let's keep this as simple as possible." Shepard looked at everyone in the shuttle. "We land. We get the females and we leave before they change their minds."

"I still don't trust a word they say." Wrex growled.

Shepard looked directly at him. "I don't care if you don't trust them or not. Hell, I don't even trust them. But we have to avoid an incident here, so play nicely. But if they do start to back out, the angry krogan act couldn't hurt."

The krogan grinned. "Who said anything about acting?" He patted his shotgun affectionately.

"Please try to keep it verbal Wrex."

Wrex was obviously irritated with Shepard. "These females are the best and last hope of my people."

"We'll get them back Wrex." Deacon hit the krogan's shoulder with his own. "Don't worry."

"I appreciate that, Deacon." He looked the engineer up and down, sizing up the tall human before he grinned. "I wouldn't want anyone else along for the ride."

Garrus cleared his throat loudly from his end of the shuttle.

Wrex looked at him. "I suppose I can make room for you too, Garrus." He laughed.

"Figured you'd gone soft sitting on your throne, forgot how to hold a gun." Garrus pointed at the shotgun.

Wrex put his hand near the trigger. "I remember enough on how to shoot smart ass turians."

Garrus put his hands up in mock surrender. Everyone laughed a little. The tension seemed to slide off everyone's shoulders for a second until Cortez spoke.

"Commander, I have the salarian base on sensors."

"Set her down." Shepard ordered.

Cortez nodded and went to hit the controls until the communications panel lit up. "Commander, salarian ground control says we don't have clearance to land."

"The dalatrass authorized this herself." Shepard walked into the cockpit. "Tell them to check their damn files again."

"I knew they'd never keep their word!" Wrex snarled. "Let's see them try to stop a krogan airdrop."

Shepard turned around and went to grab the krogan by the back of his armor but she was a little too late - Wrex had already opened the shuttle door.

"WREX!" She shouted. "DON'T YOU DARE-"

The krogan jumped and landed on the platform below. Salarians poured in from all sides, their guns drawn.

"For the love of all things - seriously?!" Shepard shouted down at Wrex. "THIS IS WHY I NEVER TOOK YOU ON THE CITADEL!"

The krogan couldn't hear her as he argued with a salarian who approached him. Shepard looked at Garrus and Deacon, both of whom were shaking their heads and keeping their distance from the door.

That's when Shepard noticed that Wrex had thrown two salarians back. She threw herself out of the shuttle without thinking, landing on the ground. Deacon and Garrus followed suit.

"HALT!" A salarian ordered.

"STAND DOWN!" A voice came from behind the soldiers. "Hold your fire!"

A salarian jogged up. "Commander Shepard restrain your colleague! We only found out about this transfer a few moments ago!"

Shepard looked at Wrex and growled. "I told you to avoid starting an incident-"

"They have-"

"I know what they have!" Shepard barked. "But I want to avoid a diplomatic incident!"

"As would we." The salarian looked a little on edge.

"Good. Then we can work through this peacefully." Shepard strained the last word while she looked at Wrex. "I can handle this, Wrex."

The krogan took the hint and lowered his shotgun. "Anything goes wrong and all bets are off."

Deacon made a motion at the shuttle, which Cortez landed carefully behind them.

Shepard looked at Wrex. "Do whatever they ask, alright?"

The krogan nodded at her but growled menacingly at a salarian that got a little too close to him.

"We have to keep him under guard," the salarian said eyeing him nervously.

"Fine." Wrex grumbled.

The salarian nodded earnestly and motioned for Shepard to follow him. "I am Padok Wiks, and I appreciate your understanding, Commander. With war on everyone's minds, our people are on edge."

A large thud made everyone look up at a yahg in a containment field.

"What I would give to take a holo for Liara..." Garrus mumbled.

"As you can see, this base contains sensitive information." Padok said quietly.

"Does that include studying lost krogan?" Shepard asked quietly.

Padok looked somewhat miffed. "The females were in poor health when we found them on Tuchanka. They were brought here to stabilize their conditions."

"This whole planet smells wrong." Wrex commented loudly as he passed down the stairs with the salarian guards.

Shepard tried to keep a straight face. "I'd like to see them." She said to Padok.

"Of course. I'll need to clear you for the lower levels." Padok nodded. "Give me a few moments and then meet me by the elevator."

The salarian moved away towards a terminal by the elevator.

Shepard looked at Garrus and Deacon. "I'm going to talk to Wrex for a minute. Watch him," she jerked her head at Padok's turned back. "Make sure he doesn't do anything."

"Expecting trouble?" Garrus asked quietly.

"Always and forever, Garrus."

Garrus and Deacon exchanged matching worried looks before they moved away. Shepard was completely on edge, like she could sense something was wrong. And they were right - every fiber in Shepard's body was on edge. Nothing about his mission seemed right.

The spectre turned her eye to Wrex nearby and walked over.

"Shepard, I don't like this. I should be the one going in." Wrex didn't look up at her when she came over.

"Well fuck, Wrex. I wouldn't want you down in my laboratory either after what you pulled."

The krogan looked up at her, only to see a stubborn and angry expression on Shepard's face.

"I said to act the angry krogan, not be it for fuck's sake."

"That was just good old fashioned krogan hot air. If if'd been real, they'd all be dead."

"I don't care, Wrex." Shepard put her hands on her hips. "We're trying to avoid an incident - not start one. Promise me that you'll behave while I'm down getting the females."

Wrex sighed.

"Don't give me that. Promise?"

The krogan looked at her. It was no use arguing with her when she was like this. Hell, pissing her off almost got him killed once.

"I'll try."

"You will." Shepard took her hands off her hips. "Wrex."

He dipped his head. "Aeron."