Wrex regarded his people, amassed in the large room before him. The mission was clear, all that remained was to get his people good and wound up. "When the Rachni laid waste to the galaxy two thousand years ago—when all seemed lost and the end was near—one word delivered the killing blow!" Wrex bellowed at his men, who cheered back.

Silence wasn't really a concern. The Reapers already knew more or less exactly where the krogan were; if the occasional assaults the krogan had been fending off were any indicator, the massed krogan presence caused the Reapers some concern.

Good. They should be worried.

"One word beat the monster back to the abyss!"

Another cheer.

"And one word brought death to an enemy none dared fight!"

More cheering.

"That word was 'krogan!'" he bellowed. Wrex could have sworn the enthusiastic reception to this had physical force, made him waver where he stood…but that would be ridiculous. "And today the krogan rise again! Today, we forge a new path and join the galaxy as allies in victory! Today…we win our future!"

He hoped he could keep them on that track. He knew Bakara worried about some of the older ones, the ones with centuries of steeping in their grudges and resentment. He wasn't so worried. "Take your places! Be ready to move!"

He'd hand-picked the Monkey Wrench team, but had divided the rest of his forces with the simply mandate to get away from the engagement zone and start kicking ass. The more fires the Reapers had to put out, the better for the Stiletto teams.

He wondered how many others had similar ideas: protect their teams with more rabble rousers than the plan formally called for. Hopefully a few. You couldn't have too many distractions today.

"Nice speech," Shepard remarked from behind him.

Wrex turned and lumbered over to her. "Thanks. No matter what happens here today, you did what no one else could, Shepard: you united a galaxy. That's a victory right there!"

Shepard gave him one of her easy grins. "Like you just said, it's a team effort."

"It helps support the theory of krogan diplomacy," Wrex grinned back. "And it tells the whole galaxy why you're going to win: because you brought the krogan."

"I invited them to ass-kick o'clock," Shepard allowed. "But they brought themselves. And for that, I'm grateful."

Wrex frowned at her. "You feeling okay?"

"Pre-mission jitters. You know how it is," she answered with a shrug.

"Huh. Sounds like you've been listening to too many people whinging and fretting about your plan. It's bold. Worthy of a krogan."

"Most people think it's pretty stupid."

"Most people don't understand like krogan do. It's bold, and that's why it'll pay off." Then, slyly, "But if you're feeling as squishy as you really are, there's room for you with us."

Shepard shook her head. "It's got to be me. Someone…someone else might get it wrong." She swallowed hard as she spoke Mordin's words.

"Can't have that," Wrex allowed. "Still, offer stands. Now, and tomorrow, and for as many tomorrows as you need."

"Thanks, Wrex."

He nodded. "It'll be good for this to be over. For you to have time to get to know your family better."

"I'd like that. You don't mind me bringing my bondmate?"

Wrex sniffed. "You went and bonded to that dumbass?"

"Gotten over your need for ice packs, have you?" Shepard retorted with a malicious innocence that made Wrex wince.

"…he's welcome, too," Wrex sighed.

Personally, he didn't think Alenko was a good match for Shepard. She was bold, strong, canny, a warrior from the ground up. Alenko…was a dumbass, and had never given him any reason to believe otherwise. He'd been a dumbass on the SR-1, and he'd been a dumbass after Shepard died, and as far as Wrex could tell there was absolutely no change in his behavior. Simply put, Alenko wasn't enough to balance Shepard, or anchor her, or anything else. He had no backbone. Wrex had tried to provoke the backbone into him, but all efforts came to nothing. Alenko was, and remained, a dumbass.

"Might not leave him unattended; some varren or klixxen or whatever might mistake him for a chew-toy."

"Alenko can take care of himself," Shepard observed.

Wrex could have argued that was one thing Alenko did well, but for a krogan male to argue someone else's selfishness…he could hear Bakara in the back of his head, chiding him. "I'm more worried about the kind of care he's going to take of you. I don't think he's strong enough to stay with you."

"Why? Because he refuses to put you through a bulkhead to make a point?" She didn't sound upset, merely amused.

"Shepard. I've poked and prodded at him since the day we met, and you've seen me do it. If I can't get him wound up, no one can. And if he's not willing to get wound up for you," Wrex shrugged as if to say anything bad that happened was Alenko's fault and he washed his hands of it.

"Did you ever consider that maybe it's more help to me that he doesn't get wound up and pick a fight with everything that moves?" Shepard asked.

Wrex frowned.

"I attract enough trouble. Maybe what I need is a stabilizing element. Not someone starting shit every time he turns around."

"That's sounds boring, Shepard."

"I get enough excitement in the field. I don't need more of the same at home, too."

Wrex sighed, but dropped the subject. Clearly Shepard had made her mind up and there was no changing it. "So I should tell the hopefuls back on Tuchanka…?"

"I'm taken, and no, that's not a challenge."

"Fine. Have it your way. Oh, Bakara sends her regards."

"How is she?" Shepard asked.

Wrex grinned. "Pregnant."

"Good for her!"

"There are some benefits to being—wait, good for her?"

Shepard smiled sweetly at him. "Yours is the easy part. Good for her."