A/N: This is going to be broken into two parts. I tried to make sure to add the important bits and well here it is. Reviews are welcome! 3
When Angel's Cry
"Joker." Emily said while she strode into her room followed by Ashley, Liara, and Tali.
"Yes, Commander?" He asked.
"ETA?"
"We will be breaking through Virmire's atmosphere in 15 minutes Commander."
She nodded and looked around her room. She's been feeling restless for the past few days and couldn't figure out why. Even after sparring with Kaidan using biotics and hand to hand with Garrus she was still feeling out of sorts. For the past few weeks, they've been doing light missions that didn't require much battle and she debated if that was the reason.
"This is probably the best lead we have against Saren right now. We're getting so close!" Liara exclaimed as she leaned against Emily's desk.
"Yeah, lets see what we find." Tali nodded as she began typing on her Omni-Tool.
"So who are you taking ground side?" Liara asked curiously as she turned big blue eyes at Emily.
"She closed her eyes briefly and leaned against the door as she mentally checked her rotation.
"Commander? I need you to come up to the cockpit, there is something you need to see." Joker's voice interrupted her thoughts.
"I'll see what Joker needs to see and I'll get back to you on that. But I want everybody to gear up just in case." She said as she strode towards the cockpit.
"Commander, I'm reading a signal. Must be our salarian infiltration team." Joker commented as Emily walked behind him.
"Shit, look at those defense towers." Kaidan commented as he leaned over to look closely at the scanner.
"Drop the Mako. We'll go in hot and take them out. Kaidan, you and Garrus with me." She said her voice going hard.
"Aye, Commander." Kaidan said as he gave her a quick half smile.
"You know, I wish we could wait till the Mako is on the ground before we climb into it. Not be in it when it drops." Garrus grumbled out as he double strapped himself in.
"Consider this payback for trying to hold back during our sparring match, Dinosaur." Emily grumbled back as she closed her eyes as soon as the Mako dropped from the Normandy.
"Stay out of range till I get those AA towers down." Emily commed to Joker.
"I know the drill. Meet you at the camp once those towers are off-line. Joker out." Joker reported while Emily began to drive.
"At least she can't use the mountains for shortcuts." Kaidan whispered to Garrus.
"I heard that." She growled out as she pushed the gas pedal down, causing streams of water to fly out from under the Mako's tires.
They drove quickly, destroying geth and drones in their path.
"You know, if the radiation was a bit higher, this place would be a lot like home." Garrus commented as he looked around.
"Really?" Emily asked curiously as she looked around.
"Maybe a good place for a vacation. After the mission is over." Kaidan asked quietly, his eyes focused on Emily's profile.
She tossed him a quick smile as they rounded a bend and ran into a giant geth colossus.
"I wonder if I could run it over." Emily mused quietly as she looked askance at Kaidan.
"Don't even try it." He growled quietly as he clambered over to the machine gun.
Shooting it a few times brought it down and they continued on and finally arrived at the AA tower controls.
"A Gate. Awesome. On foot boys." She said as she climbed out and loaded her shotgun.
"And here I thought you two would get all the fun." Garrus grumbled as he followed quickly behind her.
They made short work of the geth surrounding the AA tower controls.
"That's a big gun." Kaidan commented.
"Hope we find the off button." He continued as Emily charged ahead taking down a geth juggernaut.
She walked over to the console and deactivated the gun and opened the gate down below.
"I'm reading that the grid is down, Commander. On approach to the salarian base now. Out." Joker commented.
"Ready to go Emily." Garrus commented as they made their way back to the Mako while the Normandy flew over them from up above.
"Oh look another gate." Emily commented sarcastically.
"Too bad you can't blow the gate up. Huh?" Garrus teased.
"Not for the lack of trying." She said as a smirk crossed her lips.
Running across the bridge they made short work of the geth guarding the gate controls and ran back towards the Mako.
"Commander. Normandy's touched down at the base, but it looks like we're grounded." Joker commented.
"The salarian captain can explain when you get here." He continued.
"Alright. Let's see what the deal is." Emily said softly as her brown eyes narrowed.
"So what are we supposed to do now?" Ashley asked.
"Stay put until we come up with a plan." A salarian officer said.
"Are you in charge here? What's the situation?" Emily asked as she collapsed her helmet and put it away.
"I'm Captain Kirrahe, Third Infiltration Regiment STG. You and your crew have just landed in the middle of a hot zone. Every AA gun within ten miles have been alerted to your presence." Captain Kirrahe said as he studied the human spectre in front of him.
"What are we suppose to do in the meantime?" Emily asked shrewdly.
"We stay put until the Council sends the reinforcements we requested." Captain Kirrahe commented.
"We are the reinforcements." Kaidan responded.
"What? You're all they sent? I told the Council to send a fleet." He growled out angrily.
"We couldn't understand your transmission, so they sent me to investigate." Emily answered her voice going cold.
"Well, that just makes things worse. We need more people." He commented.
"Well what have you found?" Kaidan asked again.
"Saren's base of operations. He's set up a research facility here, but it's crawling with geth and very well fortified. He's using the facility to breed an army of krogan."
"What? How is that possible?" Wrex asked as he stormed to the group.
"Apparently, Saren has discovered a cure for the genophage." He answered.
Emily shared a look with Wrex, dread coursing down her spine.
"The geth are bad enough. But a krogan army... he'd be almost unstoppable." She said softly.
"Exactly my thoughts. We must ensure that this facility and it's secrets are destroyed." Captain Kirrahe said as he turned his attention towards Wrex.
"Emily, you can't do that. We need that cure." Wrex demanded hotly.
"If we don't destroy it the krogans are going to get out of control. We can't let that mistake happen again." Captain Kirrahe said as he took a step back away from Wrex.
"We are not a mistake!" Wrex said as he pushed Captain Kirrahe and walked away.
"Is he going to be a problem?" he asked Emily.
"I'll go talk to him." Emily said as she slowly made her way towards Wrex.
She tugged off her armored glove and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. This was a discussion that she knew if she messed up, she'd end up losing one of her crew, and friend.
"Wrex..." She said softly as she walked up to him.
"This isn't right, Shepard. If there's a cure for the genophage, we can't destroy it." He said as he tucked his shotgun away.
"I understand you're upset. But we both know Saren's the enemy here. He's the one you should be angry with." She said eying him up and down.
"Really? Saren created a cure for my people. You want to destroy it. Help me out here, Emily. The lines between friend and foe are getting a little blurry from where I stand." He said softly.
"This isn't a cure, it's a weapon. And if Saren is allowed to use it, you won't be around to reap the benefits. None of us will." She said just as softly.
"That's a chance we should be willing to take. This is the fate of my entire people we're talking about!" Wrex angrily said as he took a menacing step towards her.
"I've been loyal to you so far. Hell, you did more for me than my family ever did. But if I'm going to keep following you. I need to know we're doing it for the right reasons." He said as he drew his shotgun and aimed it at her.
She quickly pulled hers out and shook her head.
"Wrex, these krogan are not your people. They're slaves of Saren. Tools. Is that what you want for them?" She said as she aimed the shotgun to the ground instead.
Wrex stared her down as he quickly thought about what Emily had said.
"No. We were tools for the Council once. To thank us for wiping out the rachni, they neutered us all. I doubt Saren will be as generous." He said softly.
"All right, Emily. You've made your point. I don't like this, but I trust you enough to follow your lead." He continued putting his shotgun away.
She let out a relieved sigh and made her way back to Captain Kirrahe.
"So what's the plan of attack then?" She asked, avoiding the curious looks she was getting from both Kaidan and Garrus.
"We can convert our ship's drive system into a twenty-kiloton ordnance. Crude but effective." He said gesturing to his ship.
"Nice. Drop that nuke from orbit and Saren can kiss his turian ass goodbye." Ashley commented dryly.
"Unfortunately, the facility is too well-fortified for that. We'll need to place the bomb at a precise location." He retorted, focusing his attention briefly on Ashley.
"Where? And how do we get there?" Emily asked.
"Far side of the facility. Your ship can drop it off, but we'll need to infiltrate the base, disable the AA guns, and pacify any ground forces first." He answered as he clicked off on his datapad.
"You want us to go in on foot? We don't have enough men." Kaidan gasped as his eyes widened in shock.
"It does sound a bit risky. Is there no other way?" She asked calmly.
"No, but I think we can work away around that. I'm going to divide my men into three teams and hit the front of the facility. While we've got their attention, you can sneak your "shadow" team in the back." He answered.
"It's a good idea, but your people are going to get slaughtered." She said while looking around at his assembled team.
"We're tougher than we look, Commander. But its true. I don't expect many of us will make it out alive. And that makes what I'm going to ask even more difficult. I need one of your men to accompany me. To help coordinate the teams."
"We'll need someone who knows Alliance communication protocols." Emily said thoughtfully as she looked at both Kaidan and Ashley.
"I volunteer, Commander." Kaidan said quickly.
"Not so fast, LT. Commander Shepard will need you to warm the nuke. I'll go with the salarians." Ashley responded quickly. Knowing she had a point.
"With all due respect, Gunnery Chief, it's not your place to decide." Kaidan said coldly.
"Why is it whenever someone says 'with all due respect' they really mean 'kiss my ass?' She drawled out, a smirk on her face.
"Williams, you're with the captain. Keep it simple, understood?" She said to Ashley as Ashley tossed a smirk at Kaidan.
"Aye, aye, Commander!" She responded.
"Kaidan you stay with the other team to set up the bomb in the Normandy." Emily told Kaidan.
Captain Kirrahe nodded and headed off to debrief his men, leaving Emily to look out towards the sea. After he made his speech she had grabbed Garrus and Wrex with her, knowing she's going to need some firepower on this trip.