Author's Notes: It's been a while. Sorry about that. Honestly, it's probably going to happen again. I get sidetracked by other projects pretty easily. I like this fanfic though, so I do plan on finishing it, even it takes me a while. One good thing is that Andromeda will be coming out soon, so I should have Mass Effect on my brain for a little while. Thank you for your patience.
Nikopol
Shepard ducked down, avoiding the spray of bullets sent her why. Hell, can't anything ever be easy? Miranda had absolutely insisted that they come to the planet Korlus to meet the krogan warlord named Okeer. Shepard had after all, according to her, completely hijacked their mission by going first to the Citadel and then Omega. Shepard didn't see it that way but she'd decided that meeting this warlord couldn't hurt. Wrex had been a warlord and absurdly powerful. If this krogan could help them take down the collectors, then Shepard was all for it.
But, of course, nothing was simple. Were those Blue Suns soldiers? Again? I might have to stomp out the whole organization if they are going to be this much of a pain in the ass. She glanced at the blue-haired young man crouched next to her. He'd been in rough shape after his own encounter with a krogan warlord but a combination of the salarian doctor's stellar treatment and his own impressive stamina had Kamina back on his feet almost as soon as he was down. "See if you can do something about that pillar they are hiding behind." Kamina smirked and nodded. She liked that about him.
Green energy manifested itself around him and he shot up, raising both of his hands. The fallen pillar the Blue Suns had been hiding behind flew up into the air and Kamina tossed it aside as if it were a twig in his path. He is getting pretty good. As was his wont, Kamina charged forward with a shout, brandishing his shotgun. Shepard calmly braced her Viper on the piece of rubble she was crouching behind. There were seven Blue Suns soldiers. She put a bullet through the head of three of them. With the forth, she deliberately tracked to the side and pumped a round into his shoulder. She had a few questions about just what the Blue Suns were doing on this planet.
Kamina stumbled to a halt and looked around. "Huh?" he gasped.
Shepard laughed and glanced behind her, where the turian who had disposed of the other three soldiers was getting to his feet. "Nice shooting, Garrus. I see you haven't lost your touch."
"That was too easy, Shepard," Garrus drawled. She couldn't really read turian facial expressions but the tone of his voice told her that he was pleased.
Shepard was happy, too. She felt much better having Garrus around to watch her back. When she'd first found him on top of a building, she'd been all but certain he was dead. How the turian had survived the barrage of missiles, she would never know. Thanks, again, to the salarian doctor Moridin, he'd made almost a full recovery. The scarring on the left side of his face would remain unless he got it fixed by a turian surgeon. Garrus didn't seem worried about it, though, and Shepard thought it actually kind of suited him. "Come on," she said, "Let's see what this soldier has to tell us."
They joined Kamina among the bodies of the Blue Suns. Shepard reached down with one hand and hauled the wounded mercenary to his feet. He was a bald man who looked to be in his early thirties. Good, a veteran should be more reasonable than some young hot head. "Son of a bitch!" he cursed, clutching his injured shoulder with one hand. "Who the hell are you people?" He grunted. "I didn't think you were the berserkers. None of them have biotics."
"Berserkers?" Shepard repeated. "What are you talking about?"
"Why should I tell you anything?" the soldier asked petulantly.
"Well, if you cooperate, I've got a lovely dose of medigel for you. If not…" Shepard used her free hand to gesture at Garrus. "My turian friend there can show you some interrogation techniques he learned while in the military." Right on cue, Garrus scratched the scars on the side of his face.
The soldier paled. "The-the crazy krogan Jedore hired. He's supposed to be making an army of krogan but they're crazy. Attack anything that moves. We use them for live ammo training."
"Okeer is making krogan clones?" Shepard glanced at Garrus. They'd run into that before and it hadn't been pretty. She turned back the soldier. "And he doesn't mind you murdering them?"
"How the hell should I know? I just carry out my orders and bank my credits."
Fat lot of help this guy was. Still, at least I know that Okeer is here and I'll be facing krogan berserkers in addition to the Suns. Shepard applied enough medigel to the wound in the mercenary's shoulder to close it up. Then she pulled his face in close. "Listen up, if you have any brains at all, you'll get gone from this facility right now. I'm going to reduce this little project to rubble today."
"You've certainly got a lot of confidence, woman," the merc snarled.
Shepard tossed him aside so that he landed hard on his backside. "Of course. I am a Council Spectre. Shepard. You may have heard of me." The merc's eyes widened. "My guess is that Jedore will be a corpse before the day is out, so tell your next commander that the Blue Suns have pissed me off twice already. I wouldn't advise a third time." Shepard fought to keep her face stern. That was a pretty good speech.
Garrus laid a hand on her shoulder and said, softly enough so the merc wouldn't overhear, "I don't mean to ruin your display but Kamina is gone." As if on cue, gunshots started sounding in the distance.
Shepard closed her eyes. That man doesn't have an off switch. "C'mon." She and Garrus sprinted through toward the gunfire and found Kamina taking on about a dozen Blue Suns soldiers. He was bouncing around to avoid the fire from the mercenaries, hardly more than a green blur. It was working but...He is going to exhaust himself. Shepard pulled up and raised her rifle. Kamina certainly was making himself a good distraction, at least. Garrus followed her example and they made short work of the squadron.
Kamina, seeing that the mercs were all dead, skidded to a halt in front of them. He braced his hand on his knees, breathing heavily, and then looked up at them with a scowled back at him. "What are doing running ahead like that? We're supposed to be a team here."
"Sorry, Sukeban. Just got a little bored." Kamina's smile was anything but apologetic yet Shepard found herself wanting to forgive him anyway. She didn't know what 'Sukeban' meant and he was being coy about it. She found she didn't mind that much, however.
"Don't go all out just yet," she said. "We don't know what we're going to find here so it would bad to exhaust yourself."
Kamina crossed his arms and laughed loudly. "Who the hell do you think I am? Kamina-sama is not someone who gets exhausted." He was wearing those ridiculous glasses he'd gotten on the citadel and they seemed to flash at the declaration. Garrus chuckled at the speech. Such a relief to have him along instead for Miranda. Though, considering what might be between us and Okeer, maybe I shouldn't have left her on the Gurren Sen-er, Normandy.
"Fine, fine, but try and slow up for us who do have mortal limits," Shepard said.
"Don't underestimate yourself, Sukeban." Shepard gave him a friendly scowl and waved him on. With Kamina taking point and Garrus watching the back, Shepard took a moment to glance at the codex entry on Korlus. Probably should have done that on the way in. Reading through it, she muttered, "Garbage scow with a climate, huh?" She couldn't argue with that description. The Blue Suns seemed to be based in some kind of old, defunct factory district. Everywhere she looked, there was only rusted out hunks of metal and broken and crumbling concrete structures. Nice place. I can see why they use it for live ammo practice.
A volley of shots broke her thoughts and sent her scrambling for cover. The resulting battle played out much like the previous one had. Kamina rushed among them, upsetting their formation and causing chaos. She and Garrus cleaned up the mess with precision sniper fire. It was a tactic she learned while in the Alliance but she, Kamina and Garrus executed it to a degree her instructors could have only dreamed at. They worked their way through several skirmishes this way. Whenever, they injured somebody instead of killing them outright, Shepard shook them down for directions toward Okeer. Slowly but surely, they made their way to the target.
Which is how they found themselves in what all the Blue Suns mercs referred to as the 'lab.' It didn't look much like a lab to Shepard. It seemed to be just another old, wrecked factory. But the last few mercs had said that Okeer was definitely in there. There was no obvious entrance but Shepard noticed a huge slab of metal leaning up against one wall. She pulled it away enough to ascertain that it was indeed covering up a hole. I wonder what it is keeping in? she thought with a certain amount of sarcasm. There could be only one thing in the lab. The krogan berserkers all the mercs were so worried about. Oh, well. I've dealt with worse. "Kamina, move this thing."
The blue-haired young man complied, lifting the slab aside with a grunt. Shepard peered inside and wrinkled her nose. There was smoke in the air and it stunk. This is supposed to be a lab? She cradled her gun and jerked her head. "Let's go and look sharp. I don't what we're going to find in there but expect a horde of psychopathic krogan."
"You do have the loveliest thoughts, Shepard," Garrus grumbled.
"Hope for the best and prepare for the worst," Shepard said. "Old bit of human wisdom."
"We turians have a similar saying, only without the hope part."
Kamina slapped him on the shoulder. "Don't be ridiculous, birdman! Don't prepare for the worst, prepare for the best!" The biotic thrust his hand into the sky. "And should the worst occur, simply smash through it. Never accept it. Scream out, 'I am Garrus-sama' and blast your way through the worst and make it the best."
Shepard bit her lip to keep from laughing. Giving that kind advice to an eternal pessimist...Garrus removed Kamina's hand from his shoulder and said, "I will...keep that in mind, human."
If Kamina noticed the tone of his voice, he gave to hint of it. Instead he flashed Garrus a thumbs up. "Great!" Then he swaggered into the lab. "Let's go!" Shepard followed, shoulders shaking with silent laughter.
Her mirth didn't last very long. The first corner they walked around ran them smack into a very large and very angry krogan. It roared and rushed straight at them. "Shit!" Shepard cursed. "Stun it, Kamina!" To her shock and horror, Kamina froze, instead. His face was tight with fear. Damn it. It's the first krogan he's run into since Garm. I should have known better but I honestly didn't think he was capable of mental trauma.
Years of battle meant that Shepard could switch from plan A to plan B without a moment's hesitation. She thrust her omnitool out and fired a ball of fire at the charging krogan. It hit him full in the face, both burning him and blinding him. The krogan lost track of where it was running and smashed into the wall beside her. Shepard and Garrus riddled it with bullets. As was usually the case with krogan, it took entirely too many shots to finally bring it down.
When the krogan was dead, Shepard stepped up to Kamina. "Are you alright?" she asked, laying a hand on his arm. The young human was breathing heavily.
"Yeah...yeah...I…" Kamina took off his glasses, screwed his eyes shut and then howled. He spun away from her and smashed his forehead into the wall beside them. Shepard was too stunned to stop him as he did it again and again. Finally, Kamina stopped. He left his head against the wall for a moment while he caught his breath. Then he turned to her and smiled. There was blood trickling down his forehead but his red eyes were alive again. "There. I won't freeze again, Sukeban. I won't."
"Jesus, Kamina." Shepard stepped up to him and slathered some medigel on his forehead. "It happens to the best of us."
"It's not supposed to happen to me." Kamina slapped his cheeks with both hands. "I am ready this time, Shepard."
He was indeed. The next krogan berserker they met, Kamina launched himself forward and, his fist charged with green biotic energy, punched it right in the face. Astonishingly, the krogan stumbled back a step. She and Garrus lit it up. Kamina added a couple blasts from his Scimitar for punctuation. "He...just punched a krogan in the face…" Garrus said after they finished. Shepard nodded casually, even though she was as surprised as the turian. She'd never seen anything hit a krogan like that but another krogan. "Where did you find that kid?"
Shepard shrugged. "Even he seems pretty vague on where he came from but he's fun right?' Shepard grinned at her friend.
Garrus stared at her for a moment and then chuckled. "I missed you, Shepard."
They worked their way through the lab, coming across a half dozen more krogan. Kamina kept his word and never hesitated once. In fact, he recklessly charged at any berserker the moment they came across one. She and Garrus were always there to clean up after him and keep him from getting in too much trouble though. They made their way to the upper level of the factory husk and encountered yet more Blue Suns. Shepard sighed. She was starting to feel impatient. They didn't slow down her for long, at least.
Shepard hammered the door to the next room open and swept the room with her gun while Kamina darted inside. She was surprised when there was just a single asari inside. She was even more shocked to see that it was an asari she knew. "Rana."
The asari got to her feet. "Shepard, you remembered me. Don't worry, I shut off the security cameras when I saw that it was you blowing through the place."
Shepard lowered her gun. "Rana. What the hell are you doing here? I thought that you would have learned your lesson about cloning krogan after you had to outrun the nuclear explosion of your last place of work."
"Oh, I did Shepard. Okeer is nothing like Saren. Jedore might want a krogan army but I don't think she'll get one from Okeer. He is just using her resources for his own ends. He wants to help his people, Shepard...even if his methods are a bit...extreme."
Well, krogan and moderation don't exactly go together. "What is Okeer trying to do?"
"I'm not completely sure. It has something to do with krogan genetics but he's not trying to cure the genophage."
Shepard closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "So you don't know what he is trying to do but you are helping him create innumerable clones to do it. Clones that are getting slaughtered the moment that Okeer deems them worthless." Rana gave a soft, nervous laugh. Shepard's hand trembled on her gun but she wasn't the type to execute an unarmed person. "Get out of here, Rana."
"O-of course, Shepard. When you're around, things have a tendency to blow up. I think I'll put some distance between me and you before that happens." Rana slid past her and sprinted from the room.
Garrus watched her go. "I'm all for second chances, Shepard. I'm not sure about third ones."
"She won't get one," Shepard assured him. Bringing up her omnitool, she quickly put out a warrant for Rana's arrest under her Spectre authority. The asari would be picked up on any Citadel world that she landed on. Perhaps a few dozen years in jail will convince her to stop selling her services to krogan cloners.
That done, Shepard moved to the next door. She swept in, Garrus and Kamina flanking her. The only one waiting for her was a large krogan. When he continued working at his terminal rather than charging at her, she lowered her gun. "Okeer, I presume?"
"Shepard," he growled. "I was wondering how long you were going to play with those mercs."
Play? "You know who I am?"
The krogan turned from his terminal and faced her. "Of course. Any krogan should know the woman who blew up Virmire and a potential cure for the genophage."
Oh, great. "I did what I had to do. I wasn't about to let Saren have an army of krogan."
Okeer spread out his hands. "Oh, but I approve. Saren's pale horde were not true krogan. Numbers alone are nothing. The mistake of an outsider." Shepard collapsed her gun and slid it onto her back, since it seemed like Okeer was going to be reasonable. If a bit long-winded. "Same with these mercenaries." Okeer turned away and ambled a window. "I gave Jedore my rejects. They are fine krogan. Strong. She simply lacks the ability to lead and grows impatient. It's time for you to take me out of here."
Shepard crossed her arms. "Rana told me you aren't trying to cure the genophage." Garrus put away his own weapons and flanked her. Kamina wandered to the tank that held a silver krogan and peered inside it.
"The genophage itself is nothing," Okeer spat. "It just means that every krogan infant that survives it is coddled and treated as precious. It makes us weak. My work will make us strong again. It will renew the krogan." Okeer lifted his hands into the air. "This one genetically perfect krogan will be the example of what all krogan should be. He will be the first of a new-" Okeer's speech was cut off by a loud hiss. Okeer, Shepard and Garrus all swiveled their heads toward the tank.
Kamina put his hands behind his head and smiled apologetically. "I think I hit something that I wasn't supposed to."
Okeer rushed over and started typing furiously on his terminal. "No! I wasn't ready for this yet." The tank continued to open. Okeer growled at rushed at Kamina, catching them all by surprise. He smashed Kamina into a wall, holding him a half meter above the ground. "What did you do, you little bastard?"
Shepard had her pistol out in a flash. "Drop him, Okeer!"
"This pyjack might have just cost me my prototype!" Okeer snarled.
Shit. Even if we open up on him, he might me able to kill Kamina before he falls. "You can start again, Okeer." The pod hissed again and cracked open. Water began to drain out of it.
"No, it took as much trial as data to get this far." The tank opened all the way and the silver krogan fell forward, coughing up water. He seemed to be alive at least. Okeer looked at him and whispered, "My legacy…" he seemed almost tender.
Kamina took his chance. Biotic energy swirled around him and he slammed his head into Okeer's. The krogan grunted and stumbled backward. He let Kamina go and the man slid down the wall. Shepard hesitated before firing on the old warlord. They had come to enlist his help against the collectors after all. "Okeer, your legacy seems to be okay so let's just-"
Shepard was cut off as the big silver krogan slammed into Okeer. Roaring, the two of them wrestled. Shepard honestly didn't know enough about krogan to know if this was some kind of normal display or if they were trying to kill each other. She got her answer when the sliver krogan threw Okeer through a window. "Okeer!" she shouted, running forward. The warlord smashed hard into the level below. There was a woman down there, with a mech and a few other Blue Suns mercs. Based on her armor, Shepard was guessing that she must be Jedore.
Okeer stumbled to his feet. He shouted something at Jedore and the woman yelled back at him. They both seemed furious but Shepard couldn't hear what they were saying. She glanced to her left but the silver krogan had his blue eyes fixed on the scene below. Shepard assumed that Garrus had him in his sights, should he try anything.
The conversation between Okeer and Jedore evidently broke down because the Blue Suns opened up on him. Okeer, proving he was still a warlord to be reckoned with, summoned up a biotic shield that absorbed the barrage. He turned the shield into a wave that flung back most of the mercs. Unfortunately for him, it did not move Jedore or her mech. The mech brought its right arm around and opened fire with twin machine guns. Okeer managed bring up another biotic shield in time but Shepard could tell he was weakening. The shield collapsed when Jedore fired a rocket into it. The mech lifted its left arm and fired its own rocket. It hit Okeer in the head and detonated.
Shepard had seen her fair share of carnage but even she winced at that one. She glanced over to see how the krogan prototype was reacting. He didn't seem the least bit perturbed but, then, krogan didn't seem to have a wide range of facial expressions. "Weak," the silver krogan growled. Before Shepard knew what was happening, the krogan leapt through the window. He smashed directly into the mech and tore its head off as they fell to the ground. The mech exploded a second later but the krogan had already rolled away from it. Jedore took a shot but the krogan was already up and moving. He charged straight at the merc leader and headbutted her in the chest. The woman flew back and smashed into a wall. The krogan picked up the rocket launcher that she'd dropped. Almost contemptuously, he fired a rocket and her feebly stirring form.
Shepard watched all of this in awe. That thing was as pure of a krogan as there was alright. If I could convince it to join us...The problem was that didn't seem very feasible at the moment. The krogan had only been alive for a few moments and it had already attacked its creator and killed a human. "What should we do, Shepard?" Garrus asked. The silver krogan had tossed the launcher aside and was heading back in their direction. "We could probably get out of here before he comes back but I'm not sure about releasing him on the galaxy."
"Leave?!" Kamina protested. "No way. I want to meet him. That was awesome!"
Shepard smiled. "I actually want to wait as well. Keep on standby, though, Garrus. Who knows what it will do." He gave Kamina a mock-severe look. "That goes for you, too, Kamina. Be ready for anything."
Kamina rolled his shoulders with his customary smirk. "I am always ready for a scrap, Sukeban."
The big, silver krogan entered the room. To Shepard's relief, he didn't instantly attack. His blue eyes swept across them. "Turian. Two humans. I am Grunt. Which of you would like to be the first to die?"
"Die?" Shepard said. "What reason do you have to fight us?"
"Reason?" The krogan seemed to consider it for a moment. "I have no reason. Okeer tried to impart his reason on me but it didn't work. I feel nothing for his hatreds. Not even you arouse me, turian. I will fight, though, because I am pure krogan. Without reason, one fight is as good as another. So I will fight you."
"Oy!" Kamina shouted. "What kind of talk is that? If that other krogan didn't give you a reason to fight, then find your own reason."
The krogan examined him. "You are the one who headbutted Okeer. None of the information fed to me about humans suggests that you were capable of that. You are worthy enough for my next fight."
Kamina smirked and crossed his arms. "Alright, young Grunt. If you really want to fight, I will take you on. But if I win…" Kamina pointed at him. "You submit to me." Shepard raised an eyebrow. She had to admit that he looked pretty heroic with that pose, with that silver armor and red cloak. I hope he doesn't get himself killed.
"I submit to you…?" Grunt nodded. "Alright, human. If you win, I will become part of your krantt."
"I don't know what that is but if you want to fight, let's do it." Kamina put up his fists and punched the air a few times. "I am ready." Shepard thought she gaining a handle on Kamina but she couldn't tell if there was any nervousness at all under the arrogance boiling off of him. He's crazy, either way.
"That kid is crazy," Garrus said, echoing her thoughts.
"Oh?" Shepard raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you mention something about getting into a one-on-one fight with Garm?"
"I kept my distance, Shepard." Shepard noticed that Garrus had put away his rifle and was now cradling his assault rifle. She approved.
"If it looks like the krogan is about to kill Kamina," she whispered. "Blow him away." The turnian nodded though she sensed that he was still skeptical about not opening up on him now. I want to see what Kamina has planned. He seems so confident.
The blue-haired biotic lifted his hand and waved Grunt forward. The silver krogan bull-rushed him. Shepard was astonished at how fast he could move after being at a dead stop. Krogan were always tough but many of them were lumbering as well. Not this one. What had Okeer said? This krogan would renew the species. Shepard shivered at the thought of facing hordes of this monster.
Though the krogan came at him like a shot from a cannon, Kamina managed to spin out of the way. He hammered the krogan in the side of the head as he passed by. Though Kamina's hand was surrounded by biotic energy, the krogan barely seemed to feel it. Kamina shook his hand and whistled. Grunt smashed into his tank but bounced off it and came right back around at Kamina. This time, however, the krogan stopped just short of Kamina. The human froze at the unexpected pause and when Grunt launched back into motion, he tackled Kamina before the human could dodge. Instantly adjusting battle tactics! Hard to believe he just woke up.
Garrus lifted his rifle but Shepard put a hand on it. She wasn't quite ready to give up yet. Kamina rewarded her belief. Just before Grunt smashed them into a wall, likely turning Kamina into a red spat, the bioitc brought both hands down on Grunt's head. His hands were bright with the green energy. The blow was so fierce that it caused Grunt to lose his balance. They crashed to the ground together. Kamina somehow managed to scramble out of the krogan's grasp during the fall. He rolled to his feet. Shepard wondered if Kamina's hands were okay after that hit. He seemed to be holding them at a strange angle. As if it is too painful to fully close or open them.
"Shit," she muttered. "Garrus." The turian leveled his rifle at the krogan, who was staggering to his feet. There was a slightly glazed look in his huge blue eyes. Before she could decide whether to try and appeal to the krogan or order Garrus to open fire on it, Kamina lifted one of his hands. His gesture was for her to wait. Shepard clenched her fists. He still wants to fight? Kamina seemed utterly serious now. Even though she thought she might be making an irresponsible decision, she laid a hand on Garrus' gun again. "Not yet, Garrus." The turian lowered his gun but he was still tense.
Grunt shook his head, still dazed. So this time, Kamina took the initiative. He charged straight at the big krogan. Grunt set himself to receive the charge but at the last minute, Kamina dropped into a slide. He managed to slip between the krogan's legs and pop up behind him. Kamina wrapped his arms around Grunt's waist. Biotic energy flared up around his body and he grit his teeth. Defying all logic, Kamina actually managed to lift the krogan up. Impossible! Yet Kamina wasn't done yet. With a scream and a flare of energy that made Shepard's red hair fly back, Kamina fell backward and threw Grunt at the same time. The krogan hit the far wall next to his tank and slid down it. He came to rest with his head on the floor and his legs in the air.
Kamina fell onto his back, breathing heavily. Shepard walked over and squatted in front of the dazed krogan. "Hey there, Grunt, is it?" The krogan groaned. "Listen, I'd say you just lost to my friend. You said you'd submit to him but the fact is that Kamina reports to me," Shepard said, pointing a thumb at herself.
"O-oy!" Kamina protested.
"Quiet," Shepard said without any real heat. "So you have two options, Grunt. We can leave you here to continue fighting pointless battles on this slag heap until you die...or you could come with us. I promise that you will have your fill of battle at my side. My enemies threaten galaxies so I only accept the best on my team." She smiled wolfishly at Grunt. "So, what do you say, pure krogan? What to help be kick the Reapers' teeth in?"
Part 2
"I can't believe you convinced that krogan to join us," Garrus said.
Shepard passed him a tumbler of some dark blue turian alcohol and sat down across from him. They were in the lounge area of the Normandy, which Shepard had to admit was a serious upgrade from the previous version of the ship."Why not?" she asked before taking a sip of her own amber whiskey. "I can be very persuasive. I convinced you to leave your job to come on a crazy-ass chase across the galaxy."
Garrus chuckled. "You didn't have to work that hard, Shepard. I really wanted to get that son of a bitch. Saren was a blight on turian honor."
Shepard smiled. "Another point in my favor. You remember how I talked him into shooting himself? Tell me you've seen another person do that?"
"Toche, Shepard." Garrus held out his glass and Shepard clinked her against it. "People do seem to listen when you talk, even when it seems they are beyond reason."
Shepard took another sip of her whiskey, relishing the warmth. "On a more serious note, thank you, Garrus. You're face has barely healed and I'm already throwing you against krogan berserkers."
Garrus' mandibles twitched. "Well, it's not like I hang around you because I like to take it easy." He took a drink. "To be honest, though, Shepard, I'm a little surprised that you are working with Ouroboros. They were up to some nasty stuff."
Shepard leaned back and rested her arm over her eyes. "I know but I don't see how I have a choice. At least they are doing something." Garrus grunted. "Two years, Garrus. Two years. Who knows how far the Reapers have come in that time? And in my absence, everybody just decided to play pretend that it wasn't happening. Even the Council. I thought having Anderson on it would do something..."
Garrus sighed. "The more things change, the more they stay the same. I found that out first hand when I went back to the Citadel."
"It can't be that way, Garrus," Shepard whispered. " It can't. Because if it is, and everything stays the same, we are all going to die. Just like every civilization before us did. Over and over again."
Part 3
Kamina pressed his nose to the window as the Gurren Senken circled around the space station. It kind of looks like a spine. He only vaguely knew what they were planning on doing here. Something about freeing one of the prisoners to join their team. Kamina didn't think that finding anymore people was really that necessary. Between him, Shepard, Grunt and Garrus, he was fairly confident they could beat the hell out of anyone or anything. When he suggested to Shepard that they just go right after the collectors or the Reapers or whatever else, she had grinned at him. But she still listened to Miranda and ordered the Senken to make for the prison ship.
So while Kamina didn't exactly know why they were here, he was damn sure going to follow her onto the prison ship. He didn't like being cooped up on the ship for long periods of time. It reminded him too much of life in the village. And when he thought about his village, he thought about other things he would rather not. Like Simon. And Yoko.
Once the Senken was connected to the prison ship, Kamina followed Shepard and Miranda across the connecting bridge. Miranda had insisted that she and Shepard would be enough. It was just supposed to be an exchange after all. To Kamina's relief, Shepard had countered that a little backup never hurt. Kamina's eyes drifted down to Miranda's backside as they walked. She was wearing a skintight uniform again, this one all black. He wondered if she ever wore anything that wasn't like a second skin. I kind of hope not…
They were greeted at the entryway of the ship by a bunch of soldiers wearing blue and white armor that Kamina recognized. He heard Shepard mutter, "Blue Suns again? What did half the universe join them while I was out?"
"Greetings, Spectre Shepard, and welcome to Purgatory Station," one of the Blue Suns soldiers said. He was wearing a full helmet so Kamina couldn't be sure, but he thought it was probably a turian like Garrus. "Please relinquish your weapons to us and we will conduct you inside to retrieve your package."
Shepard laughed lightly and scratched her cheek with one finger. "I don't think so. You have no right to ask a Council Spectre to disarm." Kamina half-expected this to set Miranda off but the raven-haired woman put a hand on her hip and glared at the turian soldier. Kamina started to charge a bit of biotic energy. Shepard sure did have an ability to find a fight. Kamina liked that about her.
A big turian-and Kamina was sure it was one, since his brown head had no helmet-strode up behind the soldier who had asked them to disarm. "It is just standard procedure, Shepard," he said.
"There is no standard procedure when it comes to Spectres," Shepard said. Her tone wasn't nasty or challenging, just matter-of-fact.
The turian stared at her for a long moment but Shepard stared right back. "Fine," he said. "Our station is more than secure enough to handle three armed visitors." Shepard didn't react but Kamina noticed Miranda's shoulders sag a touch in relief.
The turian introduced himself as the Warden of the station and led them inside. He and Shepard conversed about what exactly the station was but Kamina tuned them out. He wasn't particularly interested. Kamina glanced around the stark station as they walked, a feeling of disquiet coming over him. He couldn't place his finger on it but something about the place was bothering him.
The warden left them, instructing them to head further into the station. The first person they came across was a turian guard who was dispassionately watching a colleague relentless beat a prisoner in a small cell. Kamina's temper flared. Beating somebody who can't fight back...His lip curled into a snarl. Shepard stepped up next to the guard and asked, "Is that really necessary?"
The turian glanced at her. "Move along, woman. This is none of your business."
Before Shepard could respond, Kamina did. He smashed his fist into the side the guard's head. The turian crashed to the ground and Kamina shook his hand with a hiss. He hadn't used his biotics to hit the man, just his own flesh and blood fist. The other guard-the one who was beating the prisoner-didn't even notice his colleague go down. This time Kamina did allow biotic energy to fill his body. He reached out, snatched the guard and flung him up into the ceiling. The guard fell hard back the ground and lay still. The prisoner, glanced from the guard to Kamina, shock on his face.
"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" Miranda exploded.
Kamina shrugged and grinned, though he was still angry on the inside. "Stopping a couple of bullies," he said.
Her face softened, which surprised Kamina so much that his grin slipped away. "I understand the impulse, Kamina, but this is their facility. They have their way of doing things. We don't want to risk upsetting them." Kamina frowned. He'd heard that kind of logic before and it never sat right with him. If something is wrong, it's wrong. Miranda glanced between Kamina and Shepard, which alerted Kamina that Shepard wore a glower very similar to his own. The raven-haired woman sighed and put her hands on her hips. "You two never want to take the path of least resistance, do you?"
"Sounds boring," Shepard said airily. Kamina smirked.
Miranda closed her eyes. "Fine. Fine. Bloody hell, with what we're paying them, I'm sure they'll overlook a minor scuffle." She lifted up a finger. "But! You two need to be on your best behavior from here. Until we get what we came for at least."
Shepard seemed scandalized. "I am always on my best behavior!" Miranda sighed again and Kamina snickered. "Alright, time's wasting." Shepard turned and continued through the prison ship at a brisk pace.
A technician pointed them onward, to a large metal door at the back of one room. "Outprocessing is just through there," he murmured. When they got to the large door, it slid open, revealing a small room behind. Kamina peered inside, confused for a moment at the fact that it didn't seem to go anywhere."
Then the Warden's voice filled the air. "Sorry, Shepard. You're worth more as a prisoner than a customer. Be so kind as to lay down your arms and advance into the cell and nobody dies."
"Oh, you asshole," Shepard growled. She sounded more annoyed than truly angry or frightened. "Why does everyone love double-crossing me so much?" she muttered. "How many arrogant pricks do I have to kill before I get a little respect?"
Miranda hammered her fist into the wall. "I'm sorry, Shepard. This is my fault. I should have taken care of the retrieval myself. Of course you're too valuable for Kuril to let go. Damn hypocrite!"
"We can cast blame later," Shepard said, lifting up her rifle and triggering a shot. Kamina whirled around in time to see a mech's head exploded. "Right now, let's get Jack and get the hell out here."
"Right," Miranda said, drawing her machine gun.
Kamina grinned. Just when I thought things were getting boring. He let biotic energy suffuse him and then shot forward. He was getting used to moving much faster than he would have believed possible. Simon could do incredible things with his Lagaan. I wonder if he could do them outside of it as well? Kamina's elbow crashed into the head of one mech and it practically disintegrated. Then Kamina tugged free his shotgun and blasted one of the dog-like mechs pointblank. It exploded into a shower of flaming pieces. Fire from Shepard and Miranda took care of the few remaining mechs.
There were more soldiers waiting for them in the hallway outside but they were dispatched easily. The next room contained only a single worker typing furiously on a keyboard. When he saw the three of them, he got up and tried to run. Miranda cut him down with a burst from her gun. A shiver ran down Kamina's spine at her ruthlessness. "This is the control room, Shepard," she said. "We should be able to release Jack from here." Shepard nodded and they both walked to the control station.
"I think this one will do it," Shepard said.
"You'll release every prisoner on the ship," Miranda countered.
"Good. It will give the Blue Suns something to think about besides us."
"That's a very...pragmatic decision, Shepard. I didn't expect it."
Shepard didn't seem to care much about Miranda's reaction. "Get ready," she said. "I'm doing it." She typed rapidly and in the room in front of and below them, a large silver cylinder rotated up out of the ground. Inexplicably, Kamina's gut turned into a ball of ice at the sight. What is in there? Kamina couldn't remember ever meeting a guy called Jack. He put his hand on the glass and nervously watched as the cylinder opened.
No! Paralysis gripped him, to the point he even forgot to breathe. At the same time, his heart started pounding so hard that the sound of it filled his head. Kamina recognized the man in the cylinder right away. No, not the man. The beastman. His shaggy blond hair was longer but the huge, paw-like hands, yellow cat eyes and sharp teeth were all exactly as Kamina remembered them. Viral!
"That's Jack?" Shepard said. "What the hell is he?"
"This is the first time I've seen him," Miranda said. She sounded a little shaken. "I'm not sure who he is, though I know he has some connection to Ouroboros and the Illusive Man."
Viral flexed his arm and ripped it free of the shackle that bound it. Then he reached up and pulled the metal collar from his neck as easily as if it were paper. The beastman fell forward and landed awkwardly on the ground. He seemed skinnier that Kamina remembered and his body was covered in scars. Viral looked up and snarled. Then he charged forward, underneath and out of Kamina's line of sight.
The moment he could no longer see Viral, Kamina's paralysis snapped. He hammered the glass in front of him so hard that it cracked. "Viral!" He spun around and sprinted toward the door that led down, smashing his fist into the door release until it started to slide open. He was vaguely aware of Shepard and Miranda trying to talk to him but Kamina couldn't hear anything over the blood pounding in his head. Viral, Viral, Viral, Viral! As soon as the door was open enough, Kamina was through it. He charged into the room but Viral was already gone. Several broken and smoking mechs attested that beastman was still as dangerous as ever.
Kamina began to run out of the room and after Viral but he only took two steps before he smashed into an invisible wall. He rebounded off it and sat down hard. "Who-?" he snarled looking back over his shoulder. Miranda was behind him, glowing green energy surrounding her. Shepard was beside her, as angry as Kamina could remember seeing her.
"What do you think you are doing?" Shepard asked, marching toward him.
Kamina popped to his feet. "That man...beastman...I know him. His name is Viral." He bounced anxiously, wanting to be after him once more.
Shepard crossed her arms. "I'm guessing, based on your reaction, that he is not a friend."
Kamina shook his head adamantly. "No way. That bastard…" How do I explain it? He was there when I...died. If that is what had actually happened. Kamina shook his head. He didn't like to think about it.
Shepard put a hand on his shoulder. "Alright. I understand. But I need you to understand that this Jack...Viral might have information that I need. Maybe he knows something about what happened to you, too. Let's hunt him down but stay smart about it, alright?" Shepard stared at him steadily with her intensely blue eyes. There was something about her that made it always seem like agreeing with her was just common sense. Kamina took a breath and wiped his hand over his eyes. Then he nodded. "Good," Shepard said. "Then let's get a move on."
They swept into the next room and into chaos. There were running gunfights between the freed prisoners and their Blue Suns jailors. The threesome avoided fights where they could, only defending themselves from attacks by both the criminals and the mercenaries. Kamina got more and more anxious the longer they went without locating Viral. He knew the beastman was both driven and resourceful. Now that Shepard had put the idea in his head, Kamina was sure that Viral would know something about what had happened to him. Leeron was always an odd person but there is no way Viral has forgotten me.
Eventually, they reached the location of the turian warden. He and Shepard got into an argument, with the turian pontificating and justifying himself. Kamina barely listened. He wanted to be after Viral again. Just shut up and start the fight already! When they finally got down to it, the battle was over almost as soon as it began. Miranda took down the shields Kuril had set up, Shepard pinned him in place with a rain of bullets and Kamina pulverized him with a biotic wave. "Let's go already!" Kamina said, bouncing from foot to foot while Shepard nudged the twitching turian with her boot.
They found Viral trying to forced open the airlock between the prison ship and the Gurren Senken. When the beastman saw him, Kamina was gratified to see shocked recognition in his yellow eyes. "You!" he hissed, freezing the same as Kamina had when he'd first laid eyes on Viral. "Impossible!"
"Viral!" Kamina ground out. He ran forward and punched the beastman in the face. Viral flew back and landed hard on his backside. Even still, it was shock on his face, rather than pain or anger, when he stared up at Kamina. The punch had split his lip but Kamina watched as the cut sealed itself closed almost immediately. How can that be? I guess I'll just have to hit him again. Before he could move, Shepard laid a hand on his arm. He glanced at her. There was no recrimination in her eyes but he knew that she wouldn't be so forgiving if he continued to hit Viral. And, honestly, Kamina didn't feel that good about hitting him, since the beastman wasn't fighting back.
Shepard took a step toward Viral. "Are you Jack? My friend here seems to think you are called Viral."
Viral slowly glanced from Kamina to Shepard, his cat-like eyes as disturbing as Kamina remembered. It seemed like just yesterday yet somehow also a lifetime ago that they were battling for the Dai-Gunzan. "Viral is my name. Some fools on Omega decided to call me Jack and the name stuck for some reason."
"Well, Viral, my name is Shepard. Council Spectre. I was sent here to free you from this place in the hopes that you would join my crew."
"Sent here? By who?" Viral asked. Then his eyes widened, catching sight of the Ouroboros symbol on Miranda's jumpsuit. He hammed the floor beside him with his fist. "Him," he snarled. "Will he ever be finished with me?"
"You are speaking of the Illusive Man?" Miranda piped up.
Viral ignored her and got to his feet. He walked up to Kamina and put his face uncomfortably close. Kamina drew back a little but stood his ground. The beastman studied him, even smelled him. "Is it really you, Kamina?" The blue-haired man nodded stiffly. "How? Simon said that you were killed by Thymilph."
Kamina snorted. "There is no way that big gorilla could have killed me."
Viral made a noise that conveyed his skepticism. "No, I think he really did kill you. So unless Simon..." Viral leapt backwards like a startled cat. "No! Why, after all this time, would he finally bring you back? You were the only one he never tried to…" Viral trailed off. Possibly because Kamina was staring at him, wondering if the beastman had gone mad.
"I haven't seen Simon since that battle for the Dai-Gunzan," Kamina confessed. He loathed asking a beastman for help but Viral was the first real lead he'd gotten. "Do you know where he is?"
"The battle was the last time you saw him?" Viral rubbed his chin with his big paw. "That doesn't make any sense. None of this does. You seem like yourself not…" Viral huffed and rubbed his forehead. "What do you remember after the battle? Tell me everything."
The commanding tone in Viral's voice set Kamina on edge but he answered the question. "The first thing I remember are those boobs," he said casually, pointing toward Miranda's chest. The Ouroboros agent gasped and folded her arms over her chest.
Viral's eye twitched. "What do you mean?"
Kamina shrugged. "I mean after the battle I woke up with Miranda above me, in a strange place. She and some others asked me a bunch of questions I didn't know the answers to and they locked me up. Shepard freed me and I have been traveling with her since. You're the first person from Earth that I've met since that time." Well, there is also Leeron but I don't even want to get into that.
Viral was silent for a moment and then he muttered, "That makes even less sense." He rubbed his hand over his head. "You really don't know?"
"Know what?" Kamina snapped, starting to get annoyed.
"You don't," Viral said instead of answering him. "So why are you…?" Viral's yellow eyes shot open and he trembled. "Unless...unless…" Then Viral started to laugh. Kamina almost took a step back at the disturbing sound. The Viral he remembered had a sneering, arrogant laugh. This Viral's sounded like it was on the edge of madness. "Of course! Of course! If he...that would…" Viral's shrieking laughter continued. "It makes sense! It makes sense! That's why!"
The laughter went on long enough that Kamina finally snapped. "What the hell do you find so funny, Viral?!" he yelled.
The beastman trailed off, chuckling a few more times. He smirked at Kamina. "Nothing that you would understand, naked ape." Viral's response both enraged Kamina and kind of relieved him. The sheen of madness was gone from Viral's eyes, replaced by the beastman's normal haughtiness. Before Kamina could think of something to say, Viral turned to Shepard. "You," he said, pointing at her. "You were the one who defeated the reaper that attacked the Citadel, yes?" Shepard nodded. "Very well." Viral crossed his arms over his chest. "I will accompany you then. It seems to be my destiny to witness the exploits of champions of the spiral."
Shepard cocked her head. "Huh?"
Viral waved his hand. "It doesn't matter. You'll understand soon enough." He studied Shepard. "At least you are an adult this time. Not a boy."
The comment hit Kamina like a sledgehammer. A boy? Does he mean me or…"Simon! What did you do to Simon?!"
Viral blinked. "Me do something to Simon?" Viral laughed in disbelief. "Your out of your depth, Kamina."
That snapped Kamina's thinning patience. He charged at Viral and tried to grab him. The slippery beastman somehow both evaded Kamina and flipped him so he landed hard on his back. Kamina didn't pause for a second. He scrambled to his feet, charging a biotic wave to smack the sneer of Viral's face. Before he could do so, Shepard interposed herself between him and Viral. "Get out of the way, Shepard!"
Instead of complying, she stepped up to him and said, "Calm down, Kamina." She laid a hand on his arm and said, much more softly, "Listen, I want to know what is going on just as much as you do but this won't help. He's agreed to come with us. I will figure out what is going on, I promise you." Kamina hesitated but didn't stop charging the wave. He didn't want to listen. He didn't want to talk. He didn't want to be patient. He wanted to pulverize the beastman who taunted him. Shepard's blue eyes bored into him. "Do you trust me, Kamina?"
"I do, Shepard, but Viral...he…" Kamina hated how whining his tone was.
"Do you trust me?" she repeated, even more forcefully.
I do. Kamina grit his teeth and let the energy drain out of him. His shoulders slumped. "I believe in you," he whispered. "Sukeban."
The tight smile she gave him assuaged his frustration and wounded pride somewhat. "Good," she said. "Then let's go."
Author's Notes: Of course Viral was going to show up. First of all, he's my second favorite character in GL. Second, motherf**ker's immortal. I thought he slid in well to Jack's place, being a divisive element aboard the ship. Also, I don't care for Jack. You might also have noticed I'm not including Moridin as a crewmember (yet at least). Leeron is taking his place as the scientist aboard the Normandy. Unlike, say Jacob, however, Moridin exists in this universe so expect him to show up later.
Anyway, I hoped you like it. I hope to have the next chapter up sooner than I had this one up.
