Chapter 55: Getting Ready
"Glad you could make it, Grim." Mal said cheerfully while greeting a large, yet serene looking krogan who'd just approached him.
"I wouldn't miss this for anything. It's not every day that the Terminus Hunter calls a meeting, especially one this big." Grim replied cordially.
"Well, we've got a lot to discuss." Mal said seriously while surveying the growing crowd of mercenaries who were gradually beginning to fill the lower level of Omega's Afterlife Club. "I see Nadine is here with her usual commandos flanking her. Where's Grady? Don't tell me I'm going to have to hunt down that worthless piece of-oh, nevermind, I see him." he added after observing the arrival of a bald and tattooed Blue Suns mercenary who was being accompanied by two of his cohorts. "Alright, it looks we've got a full house. Time to get down to business." he pleasantly announced while Grim joined a pair of heavily armed vorcha at a nearby table.
Mal himself was surrounded by the rest of the Terminus Wolves who were all seated at the bar and taking careful note of everyone who'd arrived and where they were seated. Gatherings like this one were always a cause for concern and Mal's 'invitation' hadn't been well received by everyone. In order to keep his promise to Ethan, he'd organized a meeting almost immediately after he and the others had returned to Omega after aiding in the mop up of the remaining ZEN forces on Thessia. The leaders of every major mercenary band were in attendance as well as those who represented smaller factions. Several infamous loners and freelancers were also present, including Mal's parents. Every hired gun on Omega had heard about his call to arms and they were all eager to hear what he had to say. He may not have been universally loved but Malcolm Hunter was undoubtedly feared and respected by every denizen in the Terminus Systems. The fact that he'd actually called for an assembly in the first place had been huge news and even Aria found herself curious about her former protégé's ambitions.
"It's nice to see that you scumbags actually showed up." Mal joked while addressing the crowd. "First I'd like to thank our dear Queen of Omega for lending us the use of her lower sanctum. I know she's not here personally, but I'm sure one of her ears is, so whoever you are, do me a favor and pass along my thanks."
"I'll be sure to let her know how grateful you are, Mal." a familiar and seductive voice replied.
Mal quickly identified the source as he caught sight of Zelia and several of her assassins lounging at a table in the back of the audience. "Thank you, Zelia." he sighed appreciatively.
"Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, would you care to explain what this is all about?" the Eclipse leader known as Nadine curiously inquired. "We do have businesses to run and MY time happens to be quite valuable." she added with a hint of annoyance.
"Nadine, it's nice to see you're as blue, brash and beautiful as ever. I'll be more than happy to fill you in if you'd let me continue." Mal replied charmingly.
"I see you're the same handsome sweet talker you always were. But if I remember correctly, you turned down several of my invitations to 'fill me in' but the offer still stands." she said provocatively while gazing at him.
"Do try to keep your legs closed, at least until the meeting has ended. Mal has enough experience traversing barren chasms as it is." Zelia cut in curtly while glaring at the asari commando. The two women immediately began a stare down as their associates quietly prepared for a confrontation.
"Okay, what is it with you and asari?" Lance whispered humorously.
"I've been asking him that for years." Brix chuckled.
"The bitches can kill each other for all I care." Tess scoffed.
"Be nice." Mal said sternly before kissing her cheek. "Ladies, as much as my boys and I would love to see the two of you throw down so that we can place a few bets, I've got business to discuss." he loudly interjected.
"Then get on with it!" The Blue Suns leader, Grady, shouted.
"What did you just say to me?" Mal instantly replied in an ominous tone before getting to his feet and approaching Grady. The room quickly grew silent as Mal loomed over the man and his escorts.
"You called us all here, the least you can do is-"
"I asked you a question, Grady. What did you just say?" Mal calmly reiterated. The man simply dropped into a nervous silence that wasn't broken until one of his subordinates made a move towards Mal.
"We don't have to take your shi-"
Without hesitation, Mal promptly disarmed the unfortunate detractor before snapping his neck and sending his partner soaring across the room at a frightening speed after punching him with enough power to stagger a yahg. After both men dropped to the floor, dead, Mal shifted his attention back towards Grady who was quite terrified. "Let's get one thing straight, Grady. I tolerate you assholes because it suits me from time to time, now happens to be one of those times. If you ever see fit to try and order me around again, I'll end you. Now sit there and shut the fuck up while the adults are talking." he viciously commanded. "And don't bother calling for replacements," he added while glancing at the bodies of the dead Blue Suns Mercs, "You lost your lackey privileges for rest of the night.
The rather brutal display was nothing new and in fact it was expected. Mal was in every sense an apex authority figure on Omega and challenges against him couldn't be tolerated under any circumstances. Drax couldn't help but smile as he observed his son assert his dominance. Zelia herself simply grinned while Nadine yawned in boredom. Grim decided to have a drink while there was a lull in the discussion and the rest of the Terminus Wolves quietly dared anyone else to try their luck.
"Now, back to business. I'm sure you're all aware of the situation on Tuchanka, so I'll keep this nice and simple. I'm hereby conscripting every last one of you for a job on the krogan homeworld. Our employer is an Alliance soldier and SPECTRE who's made an incredibly generous offer that I've decided to accept. So, any questions?" Mal explained plainly.
A stunned silence filled the room following Mal's announcement. "Is this a joke? I thought you hated the Alliance." Nadine finally inquired.
"I do, but I'm not working for the Alliance. I'm working for an Alliance officer who also happens to be a SPECTRE and before anyone asks, yes, I do still hate the SPECTRES and the Council." Mal explained.
"Then why take the job? This isn't like you Mal. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for the contract, but I can't see you taking orders from a SPECTRE." Grim mused.
"Neither can I, exactly who is our mystery employer?" the leader of the Talons asked from the shadows of a carefully hidden table on the side of the entrance to the bar. He'd remained conspicuously silent during the initial proceedings, which wasn't unusual for the man, he took pride in his ability to react to trouble before his enemies could become aware of his presence.
"Silvio, I was wondering when you'd share a few words. You were the first to arrive and the last to speak, I can appreciate that to a certain extent." Mal replied humorously. "Our employer is an old friend of mine, Ethan Shepard." he casually added.
"Shepard?" Silvio quietly repeated as several murmurs erupted among the mercenaries.
"Mal, sweetie, I know for a fact that you despise Admiral Shepard. Would you care to explain why you've accepted a job from the man's son?" Zelia asked in her typical cheerful manner.
"Just because I hate Shepard doesn't mean I hate his entire family. Ethan and I go way back and he helped me out of a jam a few years ago without hesitation, unlike his father." Mal replied with a hint of bitterness. "Anyway, the Alliance is funding this little operation under the table and the payout is pretty damn big, but so is the fight. The yahg, Equinox and ZEN are our targets. There's also a good chance we'll be meeting a few Zodiac Commanders." he continued.
"What?!" Grady anxiously shouted but quickly grew silent under Mal's glare. He wasn't alone in his apprehension as the room grew uneasy at the mention the enemy's most elite soldiers.
"I trust that you'll be the one handling them? You are their bane it seems." Nadine finally remarked while admiring Mal.
"Of course. I have every intention of handling those bastards myself. But I'm not the only one who can kill them despite what the rumors have said. Those high and mighty jackasses would prefer it if everyone believed they were unbeatable, but it can be done and you don't have to be the Terminus Hunter to pull it off either. Ethan Shepard and Isaac Graham were the ones who killed the Zodiac Commander on Thessia, they actually beat me to the punch." Mal joked.
The revelation sparked another wave of discussion among the mercenaries who were already familiar with Ethan Shepard due to his prior exploits but Isaac was a complete unknown to most of them. "Professor Graham's son?" Silvio finally mused. "Interesting." he calmly added.
"So, any other questions?" Mal asked.
"Who's handing out the orders? I have my own issues with the Alliance Mal and I won't tolerate any attempts by them to command me on my own homeworld." Grim stated menacingly.
"It's an Alliance sanctioned operation that's being carried out in conjunction with the krogan military. Ethan and his sister are running things, but he'll be the one we're dealing with. I'll be acting as a go between, so everything will be coming through me. Anybody got a problem with that?" Mal explained before eyeing the crowd.
"That arrangement suits me just fine." Nadine pleasantly replied.
"As long as it's you Mal, I won't have any complaints." Grim stated earnestly.
"Me neither, there are worse options." Silvio added appreciatively while glancing towards Grady.
"We're in too, damn it." Grady reluctantly agreed.
"You could at least show a little enthusiasm, Grady. It was thanks to Ethan and his sister that you asswipes got your playground back. Zorya is only free of the yahg because of their efforts, you idiots damn sure wouldn't have been able to take out the yahg commander who was running things. Consider this your way of showing gratitude." Mal stated derisively while scowling at Grady.
Murmurs of agreement quickly spread as the mercenaries consented to Mal's terms and pledged their forces to the war effort on Tuchanka. Mal spent the rest of the meeting ironing out the finer details before dismissing everyone. "That actually went better than I expected, Boss." Mason cheerfully remarked afterwards.
"I agree, Grady's usual bullshit aside, I'd say things went pretty well." Mal concurred.
"This is one helluva battle you're preparing to fight, whelp." Drax stated with a note of approval while observing his son.
"And a dangerous one, I don't think Tess should be walking into something like this in her condition." Vera anxiously added.
"Believe me mom, we've already had this argument. The best I can do is keep her off the frontlines. This wife of mine is way too stubborn." Mal replied affectionately before scooping Tess up into his arms and kissing her.
"I compliment my obstinate husband, who'd be lost without me." Tess replied while wrapping her arms around him.
"I'm curious, how does it feel knowing that you'll soon be a grandmother?" Rika asked while facing Vera.
"Old," Vera sighed. "Really old."
"You say that now, but once the whelp's whelp is born, you'll be fawning all over him just like you did the whelp when he was younger." Drax laughed.
"Pop, how much longer am I gonna be a 'whelp' and for the last time, we don't know what the baby's gender is yet." Mal said in exasperation.
"He's as bad as the Oaf." Rika stated in annoyance while glancing at Mason.
"Papa Boss knows the deal, my nephew's arrival won't be shocking anybody except for you." Mason confidently proclaimed.
"It would be nice to have a little girl in the family. After putting up with these two bosh'tets for so long, it would be a nice change of pace." Vera said fondly while imagining the fun she could have spoiling a granddaughter.
"Mal's firstborn son, I can't wait to train him." Brix said with a hint of excitement.
"You won't be able to teach him shit. The cub will learn from me." Tag replied mockingly as both krogan glared at each other dangerously.
"Have you brats forgotten who trained your leader? The new whelp will learn from his grandfather but you're more than welcome to fight over who'll get to change his diapers." Drax laughed jovially.
"So, I take it all of the men in this pack are expecting a boy?" Vera asked while turning to the girls.
"They are becoming rather…insufferable." Hildy replied in an uncharacteristically agitated manner.
"They're all being stupid!" Lira shouted irritably.
"All of them except for Mal." Tess elaborated after walking over. "He'll just be happy to have a happy, healthy newborn." she added warmly.
"That does sound like Mal." Taya replied softly.
"My little boy, a daddy. Keelah." Vera sighed while reminiscing about Mal's childhood. It seemed like only yesterday when Drax had returned home holding the infant and now that same baby was all grown up and not only starting a family of his own, but also leading the mercenaries of the Terminus Systems into a full blown war that would decide the fate of the galaxy. After losing herself in several moments of nostalgia, she quietly made her way over to Mal and hugged him. "I'm proud of you. Drax has already said it plenty of times himself, so now it's my turn. Mommy is incredibly proud of you."
"Thanks mom." Mal replied while embracing his mother. "I guess I'm still a momma's boy at heart." he added while Tess and the others smiled.
"So that's the situation." Ethan said sternly after explaining the events that had taken place on Thessia to the senior staff members of his crew and Allie's inside of a conference room on Arcturus Station.
"You…you actually met the Terminus Hunter and convinced him to help us?" Allie's shuttle pilot, Lieutenant Shaw asked in utter disbelief following the briefing.
"Yeah, it actually wasn't that hard. Mal's got no problems with me and as long as I'm the one relaying orders, he and his people are onboard.
"I have my own concerns regarding this plan, Lieutenant." Captain Xuen cautioned.
"With all due respect sir, we don't have any other options. Our forces are stretched thin enough as it is and we're going to need to preserve what we can for the final phases of the operation. All of us combined with the Seventh Fleet's ground forces aren't going to be enough to help the krogan turn things around, we need the support of the Terminus Systems. I know how you feel about mercenaries but we've got a war to win and Mal isn't a fan of yours either. He made it perfectly clear that he wants you and the Valkyries to stay out of his way and as far away from him as possible." Ethan explained.
"H-He wants us to stay away from him?" Allie asked with a slightly pained expression.
"So, he's still nursing that old grudge." Captain Montoya sighed.
"Well, we did draw our guns on him…" Gowa added regretfully.
"With good reason." Xuen said defensively. "At the time were all acting based on-"
"Enough!" Ethan cut in irritably. "I gave Mal my word that I'd be the only one he would have to meet with, so that's how it's going to be. He's not the only mercenary who distrusts the Alliance and the last thing that we need right now is to antagonize our backup."
"This is ridiculous!" Allie exclaimed. "Suppose you happen to be busy or preoccupied with something else, I should-"
"Allie, NO." Ethan interjected sternly. "Mal's wife and her friends will kill you if go anywhere near him-"
"Wife?!" Zoe spluttered. "He's already gotten married?!"
"Uh, yeah…" Ethan replied while wincing before slowly turning to observe his sister who was already struggling to suppress her shock and anguish.
"Mal agreed to having me relay Ethan's commands as well, so there shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience." Isaac calmly stated.
"You shouldn't even be here!" Allie shouted angrily. "Ethan, why do you still have Isaac with you? You were supposed to be bringing him along for one mission." she furiously demanded.
"The relay core on Thessia won't be the last and it was my decision to stay on. I know I'm technically a civilian but Admiral Hackett has already given me permission to continue helping Ethan. I have to see this through Allie, please understand." Isaac pleaded.
"God Isaac, what have we gotten you into? What are we supposed to tell-"
"I'll explain things to them, Allie. They'll never forgive me, but it can't be helped. Isaac is a good man and a fantastic soldier despite what he says. He's the only reason we managed to take down that Zodiac Commander and his scientific expertise has been a Godsend. I need him and right now we all need every advantage we can get." Ethan explained resolutely.
An uneasy silence followed Ethan's words as everyone struggled to come to terms with how difficult the coming battles would be. "So, an army of mercenaries from Omega? Sounds like a party." Lieutenant Erickson awkwardly joked in an attempt to ease the tension.
"I suppose you want to get on my case too, Erickson." Ethan bitterly demanded.
"What, no! I was just-"
"He was just trying to lighten the mood and you know it, Ethan." Zoe irritably countered as her eyes flashed.
"Damn it, I don't need this right now." Ethan quietly muttered while pinching the bridge of his nose. "Everyone dismissed." he announced afterwards. Despite how agitated he was, seeing Temple leave with Gowa did cheer him up briefly before Zoe's scowl towards him promptly crushed his spirits once more as she left with Lieutenant Erickson.
"So how is he?" Allie finally asked once she and Ethan were alone.
"Do you want the truth?" Ethan asked.
"Just tell me, Ethan." Allie quietly pleaded.
"He's happy, Allie. He's got an amazing group of friends and a wife who loves him to death. And I'm sorry, but I can't help but feel happy for him." Ethan said consolingly.
"You shouldn't feel bad about being happy for your friend. You and Mal were always close, it used to bug me sometimes how I had to share him with you and everyone else. I guess now, I won't have to worry about that anymore." she said sadly while tearing up.
Ethan quickly embraced his sister and tried to comfort her. "Allie, you know how hopeless I am when it comes to this kind of thing. I'm a guy, remember? And according to you, I'm a pretty dense one at that. Just look at how badly I've screwed things up with Zoe." he joked.
"You'll get better Ethan, I know you will." Allie chuckled. "You haven't completely lost her yet but you didn't hear that from me." she added.
"Even if that's true, I still don't deserve her." Ethan sighed.
"So…Mal's wife, what's she like?" Allie asked curiously.
"Allie, don't do this to yourself." Ethan replied sympathetically.
"I just want to-"
Allie's inquiry was promptly cut short by the arrival of their parents who appeared to be quite angry. "Oh great, should I salute you or is this a personal visit?" Ethan scoffed.
"Explain to me why I had hear about the two of you traversing the most dangerous battlefields in the galaxy from Admiral Hackett. Why I had to hear about your battle plans from the Head of the Alliance Navy instead of your own mouths. Why I'm only just finding out about this business on Tuchanka, from Wrex of all people. And why I had to spend the last hour relaying it all to your mother. Just explain that to me and be sure not to leave out any details." Shepard demanded coolly. His tone was calm and even, but his children could tell that he was livid.
"I'm not in the mood for this dad. I've got a lot on my mind and I really don't feel like arguing with you right now." Ethan replied wearily.
"Tough," Shepard countered. "I wasn't in the mood to find out about my kids launching offensives in the Perseus Veil and Thessia without my knowledge. Or to find out that you fought a damn Zodiac Commander despite everything I told you! What the hell is wrong you?! You could've been killed!" he finally exploded.
"I had a job to do and in case you forgot, we're at war! I'm one of the few people in the galaxy who's even remotely qualified to deal with those bastards, so yeah I took my shot!" Ethan yelled back.
"Damn it, Ethan! Why can't you just-"
Both Shepard and Ethan were abruptly distracted by Allie who'd collapsed into her mother's arms. "Allie, what's wrong?" Ashley asked anxiously while embracing her daughter.
"Mal got married." Ethan quietly replied.
A rather awkward silence followed as mother comforted daughter and father and son took seats next to each other on a nearby desk. "Sorry we didn't tell you." Ethan finally apologized.
"Sorry I made a mistake that cost you four years with your best friend." Shepard lamented.
"Dad, you aren't perfect. I understand that but when you make a mistake, the repercussions are bigger which is why I-no, we'd all appreciate it if you'd let us shoulder some of the burden. You and mom aren't in this thing alone, Allie and I are here too and so are David and Will. We aren't kids anymore and it's time that you both accepted that." Ethan explained firmly.
"I thought David was supposed to be the enlightened one." Shepard joked. "Alright Ethan, you're right. But I want you to understand something, you may not be children anymore but you'll always be our children."
"Fair enough, dad." Ethan replied before hugging his father and then his mother.
"Sorry mom." Allie whispered in between her tears.
"Me too." Ashley cried.
"So, I guess Mal is doing well? How did you find out about his marriage?" Shepard curiously inquired.
"I met him while I was fighting on Thessia. He saved my ass and introduced me to his wife and friends. He also agreed to help with our mission on Tuchanka." Ethan explained.
"That boy never changes. He still manages to show up when we need him the most." Ashley said appreciatively. "When are you planning to move out, I can join you in the Normandy and have my crew lend a hand."
"Mom, we appreciate that but things will be edgy enough as it is with Allie and the Valkyries being there." Ethan warned.
"What do you mean?" Shepard asked.
"Dad, Mal HATES you guys. I promised him that he wouldn't have to deal with anyone other than me and that Allie would keep her distance. I made it clear that you and mom wouldn't even be there, so please don't make me a liar." Ethan pleaded.
"I…guess we should've expected that." Shepard quietly replied.
"He's bringing an army of mercenaries from Omega made up of all the major factions and I really don't want to rock the boat. We're going to need their help and I've already agreed to his terms. I'm sorry mom." Ethan said apologetically.
"Ethan, it's alright, I understand. Just promise me that you'll both be careful." Ashley implored.
"Don't worry, we will. We still have a lot to discuss and a lot of time to make up for." Allie promised while hugging her mother.
"We'll see you both once we finish things and not a moment sooner but we will be back." Ethan said resolutely.
"We know, Ethan." Shepard sighed before wrapping his arms around his family. He couldn't honestly fathom how he'd arrived at such a bizarre moment in his life. Watching his children set off on their own to accomplish the very same types of missions that he himself once took on was more than a little unnerving. But Ethan said it best, they weren't kids anymore and it was time for him to trust them and their abilities. "Be safe munchkins."
"Would you care to repeat that?" Miranda said through gritted teeth while facing Liara's holo-form. She was currently using the hidden communications room that was concealed inside of the office of her penthouse and wasn't taking news of Isaac's intentions well.
"I realize you're upset but it was Isaac's decision and he has proven himself a capable ally for Ethan." Liara calmly replied.
"Don't even get me started." Miranda snapped. "Fighting a damned Zodiac Commander, an Overseer, triggering a relay core implosion, and now he's dragging Isaac off to Tuchanka. The worst warzone in the galaxy at the moment and he's bringing Isaac of all people…Ethan had better hope I never get my hands on him." she furiously added.
"Miranda, they aren't helpless. They were successful in their mission and they did manage to kill the Zodiac Commander." Liara said consolingly.
"And nearly got themselves killed by an Overseer. If Mal hadn't shown up, is he joining this little soiree too?" she inquired.
"I believe so and he's bringing friends, a lot of them." Liara replied seriously.
"Yahg, Equinox, ZEN and mercenaries are in the mix now too, damn you Isaac!" Miranda shouted in frustration. "I was supposed to protect you." she added sadly. Liara simply watched somberly as the formidable woman that she'd grown to know quite well over the years began to crumble under the endless worry that she was facing over her young charge.
"If they happen to be with Mal, they will be safe. I truly believe that Miranda." Liara said encouragingly.
"And if they aren't?" Miranda whispered anxiously. "What am I going to tell Hannah? She's already growing suspicious. She's a smart girl and Isaac means everything to her." Miranda desperately pondered.
"Perhaps it's time we told her the truth." Liara quietly replied.
"Miranda! I'm back! Are you here?" Hannah called from the living room.
"These boys, they really are troublesome aren't they?" Miranda halfheartedly joked before taking a deep breath and leaving her office. Some decisions were harder to make than most and others were downright impossible.
