Urdnot Wrex kept reminding himself that he really was a diplomat at this point and, therefore, could not simply throw his four hundred or so kilos about anymore. So he settled for stomping into the Embassy. Apparently the new Councilor, Martin Burns, was an old acquaintance of Shepard's and if she hadn't put in a good word for him, Burns had taken the initiative on the grounds that she and Wrex went back a long way.

Wrex's opinion of Ambassador Osoba was best left unsaid.

Burns was okay. A little nervous around a massive krogan, but who wouldn't be?

Burns' omnitool pinged softly. "It's on my urgent channel, would you—?"

Wrex nodded.

Burns listened for a moment, then got up and turned on the television.

"Witnesses say a unit of Mindoiran fanatics entered the restaurant and proceeded to attack Captain Jalissa Shepard—the first human to join Special Tactics and Reconnaissance, Spectres. The fight ended after Shepard's synthetic cohort arrived, when one of the fanatics managed to shatter Ryuusei's aquarium floor."

Wrex got up, grimacing as footage cut from the reporter to someone's omnitool footage. It showed Shepard jumping back as white marks appeared on the floor at her feet. She looked up suddenly, horrified comprehension spreading across her face. A second later, in slow motion for the benefit of viewers, the floor opened, dumping her, the water, the plastiglass and the fish—that was a waste of fish.

"Although Capt. Shepard was recovered alive and is said to be in stable condition, an interview was positively refused by fellow Spectre Kaidan Alenko."

The footage cut to a very nonplussed Alenko and another reporter. "Shepard is fine. No lasting injuries. She simply doesn't want a mountain made out of a molehill."

"The public—"

Wrex found himself grinning. That level of petulance was fine for kids, but not for adults. The reporter looked young. Probably lucky enough to be close at hand when the alert went out and fast enough to get there first. An experienced reporter wouldn't sound like a caricature from a cheap vid.

"Thepublic will understand. She has a rough job. People wanting to kill her for weird reasons isn't that out of the ordinary. Therefore, why make a mountain out of a molehill?"

"Do you think she's really alright?" Burns asked uneasily.

"I'll let you know," Wrex answered.

-J-

Wrex, accompanied by one of his krantt, arrived at Huerta Memorial, which seemed much more crowded than a hospital should. Alenko was nowhere in sight, which wasn't surprising. This was a waiting area, after all.

Wrex's nose crinkled at the smells of antiseptic and the underlying miasma of fear/pain pheromones all hospitals had, result of the multitude of sapients that passed through. The contrast between the two odors was something he could live without.

Not a little amused, he stomped up to the front desk, regarding the intake nurse. "Urdnot Wrex. I'm here to see Shepard."

The nurse didn't respond to the way he loomed over her. "Sorry, sir. At this point visitors are restricted to family only."

"I am family," Wrex grinned.

A nonplussed raising of painted eyebrows.

"Clan Urdnot adopted her after she cured the Genophage. So, I'm here to see Urdnot Shepard. My clan-sister."

Lok nodded in agreement.

The look on the asari's face was hilarious. Nevertheless, and with no small amount of unease, she opened a private link. "This is the front desk. I have a krogan insisting on—Urdnot Wrex. I see. Of course." She severed the link, looking wrong-footed. "Head through d-con. Spectre Alenko will meet you."

Huh. If Shepard was his clan-sister, it meant he'd probably end up with Alenko as a clan-brother (by marriage). Ah, well. He gave Alenko a lot of shit, but the kid was okay. He'd like Alenko more if Alenko would give shit back.

"Wait here for me," Wrex instructed.

Lok (who wasn't much of a talker) nodded, found a seat, dragged it to obstruct foot traffic into the d-con corridor, and turned it to face the main entrance. He dropped into it heavily, arms crossed, one ankle on his other knee, the image of krogan immovability.

Wrex approved. In fact, he might just leave Lok here to make sure Shepard didn't have any more unexpected visitors.

"Good man."

He wondered what Alenko would say—or, more interestingly, do—if he found out Urdnot Shepard not only had young krogan applying to serve under her as a battlemaster, but had several breeding requests as well. Alenko might be able to handle the battlemaster part—those applications sometimes surprised even Wrex—but knowing Shepard had krogan interested in her?

Shepard could appreciate the humor.

"She's fine," were the first words out of Alenko's mouth. "Just don't get her riled."

"Would I do that?" Wrex asked innocently.

"Do thresher maws try to eat everything?"

"Good answer." Wrex gave Alenko a thump on the back that sent the biotic stumbling for a few steps.

Alenko ignored it, taking them to Shepard's room. Two C-Sec officers stood outside the door.

Yeah. He might want to leave Lok here. A fellow biotic, Lok could mop the floor with these two C-Sec…what was that Earth-plant humans liked to invoke? Parsleys.

Wrex grinned as he saw Shepard. "Hello, princess."

"Screw you, sweetheart," she growled back.

"How're you feeling?"

Shepard rolled her eyes.

She smelled like pain. Pain, and annoyance. She really was fine. He hadn't doubted it, but preferred to make sure for himself. Shepard judged 'fine' like a krogan. As long as she could shoot a weapon or fight back she was fine. He pulled up a chair, eyeing Alenko, who offered him a glass of water. Wrex shook his head, watching as Alenko topped Shepard's glass off before pouring one for himself. "Oh, hey. Got another couple breeding requests for you."

Shepard gave a sudden bark of laugher (which ended in pained winces and flinches.)

Alenko, who'd just taken a sip from a glass of water sprayed it spectacularly.