Hello again, everyone, and welcome back to my Gears of War/Mass Effect crossover.
Thank you all for your wonderful feedback and support. I greatly appreciate it. Today, we get to find out what happens, now that Marcus and the others are getting new gear. I'm certain they won't be disappointed with what they get.
As always, leave a review, and enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Gears of War or Mass Effect franchises. They are the respective properties and trademarks of BioWare, Electronic Arts, Microsoft Studios, The Coalition, Epic Games, etc. Any material original to the franchises belongs to their respective developers and publishers. Any material not original to the franchises is of my own invention. I do not own any music listed in each chapter. Any music listed belongs to it's original composers and/or artists.
Citadel
Tayseri Ward
January 25th, 2183
It took them around nine days, but it wasn't long before the Gears had an arsenal that was worthy of their use. Coming into the shop around that time, Marcus and the others walked inside, clad in street clothes as they took the stairwell leading to the workshop on the second floor. Marcus, looking at his omni-tool, could see the message that was on it. "Marcus, come to the gun shop. You'll like what you see. -V"
That's not the only thing either, he noted as he closed the omni-tool. That one place we went to in order to get new armor also said the same. Hopefully, it didn't turn out too badly. With that, he reached the door leading into the workshop. Apparently, Vorenus was expecting them, as the door was already open.
Walking inside, they found Vorenus, who was looking at them with a happy expression on his face. "Good, you came before we open," he smiled at them.
"We got your message," Marcus added. "Is this what I think it is?"
"That it is," Vorenus nodded. Walking over to a table with a cloth draped over it, he waited until the others were close. Once they were, he pulled the cloth off, revealing the result of nine days of hard work.
Immediately, Marcus could tell that something was different. While both rifles were still in their standard configuration, he could see that the materials used were much different. Metal alloys were used where there used to be steel, and he could see a matte black material where part of the fore-grip was at. The rifles were not nearly as bulky before, though he guessed that the materials wouldn't even bend if he put his full weight on them, armor and all. Each rifle had a stock, which looked as though they'd been designed to be adjustable for length of pull.
The magazines, however, were much shorter in length, but each one was slightly deeper, and they were slightly wider. In addition, he noticed that there was a chainsaw bayonet present, but the design was changed. The teeth were now shaped like an L, but with the shorter part connected to the chain, while the longer part jutted inwards at a 90 ° angle.
Baird, who was looking at the rifle, realized that Vorenus had done something special: he had taken the previous rifles and, using lessons learned from countless other firearms designs, had created something truly unique. "Are these Lancers, or are my eyes tricking me?" he asked.
"They are the Mark 1 & 2 Lancers," Vorenus nodded, "or rather what the Mark 1 and Mark 2 Lancers could have been. Each rifle has been simplified greatly, with the end result being that they are much more reliable than before. The use of full-wrap caseless ammo allowed me to shorten the length of the mags enough that I could design a standard mag, instead of the one used in the original design. They are also much lighter too."
Picking one such rifle up, Marcus found that they were lighter, so much lighter that he surprised himself with how quickly he hefted it up. Noticing a button, he pressed it, causing the mag to drop free; catching it, he peered inside to see a follower. In addition, the magazine widened just after it came out of the mag well. Aiming it, he could see a holographic dot in the front, and a circle in the rear, with the dot being blue, and the circle being red.
"Amazing," Baird remarked. "Looks like we got the red carpet treatment." Noticing the matte black portion, he asked, "What's this material?"
"Polymer, a kind of plastic," Vorenus explained. "One of my employees created a very strong polymer that's resistant to high impact forces and extreme heat. It's reinforced with a lightweight, but strong, metal chassis, which is why we can mount the chainsaw bayonet onto there. I've also created a normal bayonet made out of tungsten carbide for the Mark 1 Lancer, and I've decided to give them new designations using the standard military format."
"Oh?"
"The M-15 Battle Lancer and the M-25 Assault Lancer, respectively."
"That's fitting."
"Shit, yeah!" Cole beamed. "We got ourselves a big-ass upgrade! The Cole Train appreciates having new toys to play with!"
Vorenus chuckled at the sight. "If that's the case, then this will be the equivalent of your species 'Christmas.'" It wasn't long before he pulled out more weaponry.
Of them all, the Snub Pistol was the only one that was absent. Replacing it was a handgun that was a little larger, with the barrel being longer, the magazine being in the grip, and an actual pair of iron sights. "I had to reduce the caliber to 11.35mm in diameter," he admitted. "However, the velocity is quite high. You're looking at a 285 grain projectile being launched out of the muzzle at nearly 580 meters/second."
"Not too bad," Marcus nodded. "That's a sidearm I can rely on any day of the week. What about the ammo?"
"Half-wrap," Vorenus explained. "Full-wrap envelops the bullet completely, while half-wrap leaves the tip exposed. I must also admit, the design of the projectiles themselves was sensible: an Armor Piercing projectile that had an incendiary tip using thermite. That would be more than enough to penetrate any heavy armor you guys encountered. I decided to change it, though." He handed Marcus a cut away round and one that was fully intact.
The cartridge was something that Marcus would've expected from Baird, if he had the necessary time and equipment to work with. Inside, he could see half of what appeared to be a boat-tailed bullet. It sat on top of a combustible primer, and judging by the way the cut-away bullet wouldn't move when he used a thumb, they were held in place by what he assumed was a powerful adhesive. On the top, he noticed a plastic retainer cap, though he guessed that it was designed to shatter when the propellant was combusted.
The complete cartridge resembled a cylinder, similar to that of a soda can. In addition, the overall cartridge was smaller than that of a traditional bullet, likely due to mass effect fields used to compress the walls of the propellant block; the smaller size would also increase magazine capacity. Said propellant block was also a chocolate brown in color, while an red band surrounded the bottom-most portion.
Looking at the projectile, he noticed that the round was completely different from what he was used to. For one, the jacket was slightly thinner, and it was composed of steel, instead of the usual gilding metal alloy used for bullets. For another, much of it was hollow, with a light gray substance on the inside that also had a black material just in front of it. A small red device was located in the back, likely a fuse. "What is this?" Marcus asked.
"A HESH round," Vorenus said matter-of-factually.
"HESH?"
"High-Explosive Squash Head," Vorenus explained. "A munition that your species designed during the late 20th to early 21st century. It works by using an explosive material to defeat armor. When it hits, the explosives are spread out into a disk-like shape known as a 'pat.' After a few milliseconds, this pat is detonated by a fuse. The combined kinetic, and explosive, effects result in a pressure wave that can tear organs away from connective tissue, or turn them into a semi-liquid paste, or both. The rounds can also cause pieces of the armor on the inside to tear away, an effect known as 'spalling.'
"In short, your rifle rounds are going to be effective against kinetic barriers and armor plating, while being highly effective against infantry or even Geth for that matter. I doubt even a Krogan could survive such an assault for long. Making it wasn't easy, though. My fellow coworkers had to experiment for three whole days to get the explosive mixture right, and to find a suitable packing material so that the explosives wouldn't prematurely detonate. Once they had it all worked out, however, making it was, as you humans put it, as easy as pie."
"Nice," Marcus noted. Inwardly, he was surprised that such projectiles could be created, though he found it ironic that HESH rounds could use the victim's own armor against them. "Anything else?"
"I've sent the new weapons based on the ones you asked me to redesign, along with ammunition for them. In addition, I decided to go overboard and make more new weapons for you, along with the ammo for them. They'll be at the Normandy, ready to go at a moments notice."
"Alright, and Vorenus? Thanks."
"Just doing what I do. You're a customer, and I intend to make sure my customers are satisfied with my service to them."
. . .
Satisfied that they had new armor, since it was ready for them, and that their new weaponry was ready for use, the four Gears were back in the apartment that Baird had rented out. Checking out his new rifle, Marcus put it away, before pulling out the Sawn-Off Shotgun, except calling it 'Sawn-Off' was misleading. The barrels were longer now, about the same length as the Gnasher's barrel, and they were arranged in an over-under fashion, not side by side. A telescoping stock had also been installed, which would allow him to adjust the length of pull since he would be wearing armor most of the time.
Opening the action, he peered inside. He found two shells, each one having been pushed upwards by the ejector, but something odd was present. There was a dot of grayish material where the primer would normally be, with a larger, grayish ring that surrounded the dot. Waving Baird over, he asked, "What is this?"
"Let me see," Baird replied. Coming over, he examined the shells. "Ah, I see what Vorenus did. He's a clever gunsmith, I can tell you that."
"Elaborate."
"Superposed loads. The shotgun shells have two chambers with a divider between each one, with each chamber being filled with shot and some propellant inside. When you pull one of the triggers, an electrical current goes through one of the contacts and ignites the propellant in the first chamber, with the second firing if the trigger for that barrel is pulled again. It keeps up until all of the chambers inside of the shell have been depleted, then you load a new shell into the weapon."
That had Marcus cock an eyebrow. Impressive, he noted to himself. That means that, in effect, I have four shots before the shells are depleted and I have to reload. Nodding, he said, "Nice work. Did you tell Vorenus that?"
"Nope, he came up with it himself," Baird shook his head. "I gotta admit, I've got to apprentice under him. It'd be a shame if someone didn't carry on the knowledge that he has in that plated head of his. Plus, he was nice to do that stuff for us."
"Yeah, that he was," Cole nodded.
They were about to continue talking when Marcus' omni-tool chimed. Having had plenty of time to learn how to use it properly, he made a swiping motion, causing the device to activate and display the message. All it said was, "Marcus & Co. Report to C-SEC Academy. - Shepard."
Closing the omni-tool, he looked up at the others and said, "Well, it's time for us to go. Everyone got what they need?" When the others nodded, he said, "Then let's go."
. . .
Down at C-SEC Academy, Shepard began pacing back and forth as he waited for the four newest additions to the crew to arrive. It had been five days since their arrival at the Citadel, and it was only recently that he'd gotten a message from Udina to meet with him at the Normandy. Still, those five days had been spent quite wisely, though one couldn't tell since he was deep in thought.
We got some new gear with the money that Baird got,he noted quietly. I don't know where he got the money from, but wherever he got it, it was good. We've gotten some new equipment, though it'll be a long time before we'll be able to purchase the really high quality goods. Hopefully, if we can help the Alliance out with various favors, we'll be able to get enough funds to be able to keep up with Saren's forces in terms of equipment.
Either way, he knew that with four Gears that were from another universe on his team, he was looking really good in terms of manpower and combat expertise. Garrus and Tali will have to teach Baird how to use the technology we use in the wider galaxy, but I'm not worried. From what I can tell, he's a really fast learner, and he's even claimed to be a polymath. We'll see if that's the case before long.
His thoughts were interrupted when he saw the elevator to C-SEC Academy coming to a stop. Looking in that direction, he initially thought that he was looking at a group of high-end mercenaries. It was only when he saw their faces, that he realized that he was looking at Marcus and the others. As they came closer, he looked at the armor they were now wearing.
Their armor resembled a blend of the combat hardsuits worn by Alliance soldiers, and the old armor that they wore as Gears. In terms of style, their armor was very much in the spirit of the old design, with it's rounded contours, bulk, and, he assumed, their protective capabilities. The influence from modern hardsuits, he noted, was in the body glove that they were now wearing, and possibly the materials used in said armor plating.
And then there were the helmets. Unlike standard helmets, these helmets appeared to have greater protective qualities. For one thing, the metal plates were designed so that bullets would be inclined to ricochet off of them. For another, there were eyepieces, rather than the visor that was common for most modern helmets. Carmine, who was already wearing his new helmet, looked particularly intimidating in his new gear.
Walking over to them, he said, "Damn, now that's what I call body armor? Where'd you get that stuff?"
"Custom design," Marcus explained. "Our old armor was getting long in the tooth, so we asked for new armor. Gotta admit, other than the fact that your armor plating isn't strong by COG standards, the body glove and helmets are pretty nice."
"Pretty nice?" Baird added. "They're fucking beautiful. I feel like I could take on anything in this new armor, aside from a Berserker, that is."
"Berserker?" Shepard asked.
"We'll let you know about that later," Marcus added. "We also got new guns, also a custom order. Once we're back here, if we do come back here, we'll see if we can get you guys the same treatment. Shouldn't be too hard."
"Hopefully," Shepard nodded. Clearing his throat, he got back to the business of the day. "Udina wants to meet us at the Normandy when we can. You guys ready to go?"
"Hell yeah," Cole beamed. "I'm ready to get out there and kick some Geth ass!"
"Same here," Baird nodded. "I'm already getting sick of this fucking place."
"Well, alright. Let's go." With that, the team proceeded into the elevator that would take them to the Normandy.
Hearing the news again, Baird frowned. "Geez," he grumbled. "You'd think that they'd have designed a mute for this thing, or at least volume control." Nearby, Marcus ruefully smiled, having wondered the same thing before. The others took it in stride.
"Good thing these helmets have sound cancellation," Carmine noted. Just as he said this, the elevator came to a stop, with the doors opening to reveal the docks where the Normandy was at. The dock in question was a long and wide walkway that gradually curved upwards, before coming to a stop at a flat platform at the end. To the left, one could see the Normandy, as well as the powerful mass effect field/magnetic clamps that kept the ship firmly in place. To the right was a vista of the Citadel's arms, and the Wards that lined the inside of each arm.
Nearby was Captain Anderson and Udina, both of whom were talking as they waited for the Normandy's ground team to arrive. Spotting the two of them, Udina waved them over, with all five people coming towards them. As soon as they were within earshot, he said, "I've got big news for you, Shepard. Anderson's stepping down as Commanding Officer of the Normandy. The ship is yours now."
"She's quick and quiet, and you know the crew," Anderson added. "Perfect ship for a Spectre. Treat her well, Commander."
"I'll take good care of her, sir," Shepard replied. Inwardly, he was flummoxed. Why's he stepping down as the CO? I don't understand.
"I know you will, Commander," Anderson nodded.
"I want the truth. Why are you stepping down, sir?"
"You needed your own ship. A Spectre can't answer to anyone but the Council. That and it's time for me to step down."
"Come clean with me, Captain. You owe me that much."
"I was in your shoes twenty years ago, Shepard. They were considering me for the Spectres."
"Why didn't you ever mention this?
"What was I supposed to say? 'I could've been a Spectre, but I blew it?' I failed, Commander. It's not something I'm proud of. Ask me later and I'll tell you the whole story. For now, all you need to know is that I was sent on a mission with Saren, and he made sure the Council rejected me. I had my shot. It came and went. Now you have a chance to make up for my mistakes."
"What happened exactly?" Baird asked.
"Leave it alone, Baird," Marcus countered.
"What? What'd I say?"
"Enough," Shepard ordered. "If Anderson doesn't want to share it with us right now, then we don't bother him about it." Turning back to Anderson, he said, "We'll make sure that we catch Saren and stop his plans."
"Saren's gone. Don't even try to look for him," Anderson continued. "But we know what he's after: the Conduit. He's got his Geth scouring the Traverse, looking for clues."
"We had reports of Geth in the Feros system shortly before our colony dropped out of contact," Udina added. "And we've had reports of sightings on Noveria."
"Find out what Saren was after on Feros and Noveria. Maybe you can figure out where the Conduit is before he does."
"The Reapers are the real threat," Shepard decided.
"I'm with the Council on this one, Shepard," Udina frowned. "I'm not sure that they even exist."
"But if they do exist," Anderson added, "the Conduit's the key to bringing them back. Stop Saren from getting the Conduit, and we stop the Reapers from returning."
"I'll stop him," Shepard nodded.
"We have one more lead," Udina added. "Matriarch Benezia, the other voice in the recording? She has a daughter, a scientist that specializes in the Protheans. We don't know if she's involved, but it might be a good idea to try and find her. See what she knows. Her name's Liara. Dr. Liara T'Soni. We have reports that she was exploring an archaeological dig on one of the uncharted worlds in the Artemis Tau cluster."
"Might be a good idea to find her," Shepard agreed, "but the colonists on Feros might still be alive."
"Yeah, but they can hold out for a while," Baird added, though he was careful with what he said. "The colonists have food and water, as well as a means of protecting themselves. Liara might not have any of that. In addition, saving Liara's definitely going to go a long way in keeping Saren from finding out what's going on."
Shepard frowned, but then he realized that Baird was probably correct. If she was on an archaeological dig, she might not have the resources to withstand a prolonged siege, he noted. As cold as it seems, we'll have to get Liara first, then we'll head for the colonists and rescue them. "We'll check the Artemis Tau cluster first," he decided.
"You don't answer to us anymore," Anderson told Shepard. "You're a Spectre now. You make that call."
"But your actions still reflect on Humanity as a whole," Udina reminded him. "If you make a mess, I get stuck cleaning it up."
"I'll try not to make life too hard on you," Shepard reassured the aging ambassador.
"Glad to hear it, Commander. You were a human long before you were a Spectre: don't forget that. I have a meeting to get to. Captain Anderson can answer any questions that you have." With that, Udina left.
"I won't bother you with more questions 'till we come back for a resupply," Shepard told Anderson. It was also due to the fact that he felt uncomfortable prying answers from Anderson.
"I understand," Anderson nodded. "You're not the kind of person that likes prying into other people's affairs unless you have to. That's perfectly understandable." Saluting Shepard, he said, "Good luck, Shepard."
"You too," Shepard nodded, returning the salute. With that, he proceeded inside, along with Marcus and the others.
. . .
A few minutes later, Marcus was getting himself squared away in the crew quarters, along with Baird and the others. There were enough sleeper pods on the crew deck for him, his friends, as well as the rest of the ground team that was onboard. Once his armor was stowed away, and his civilian clothes on, he took a good look around at the interior.
When they'd come onboard, the first thing that had struck him was how large the ship was compared to one he'd been in before. The Normandy, by his estimation, was roughly 4.8 times as long as the Seabass model of submarine that he and the team had used to get from the mainland to Azura, the COG's secret island facility. It was also much thicker, and had up to four decks instead of the single one on the CMV Adamant.
Either way, it's much better than that tiny thing, he thought. It got us to Azura, though. That much I can say for it. This ship, though, is definitely going to do the job. Getting up from his crouched position, he began to walk around and take a look at the rest of the ship.
The CIC deck, to him at least, was probably one of the most spacious that he'd seen for a ship, though he figured that this was likely quite small for what the Alliance used. The coloring, though, reminded him of the COG's colors, though that was one of the few positive aspects that he'd seen about his former government. Orange holographic displays that the crew worked at served as a warm contrast, to the cool color of the ship's interior.
Walking back down to the crew deck, he proceeded to the elevator that would take them to the recreation deck, where the crew would exercise, do sparring matches, and use the tiny firearms range, as well as to the cargo deck. He was walking down the ramp when he noticed Kaidan coming up. "Hey," he said to the younger man, nodding as he did.
"Marcus," Kaidan greeted in return. Looking the veteran Gear up and down, he noted Marcus' size and said, "Damn. The COG must have really fed you well when you were in the Gears. I don't think there's anything but muscle in there."
"The COG did one thing right by training us," Marcus nodded. "You don't get fat once you spend that kind of a life."
"I hear you," Kaidan nodded. "Not too social, I take it?"
"No. Didn't have much time to, other than when we were on leave."
"Ah, I see. Well, you might be seeing some of that. My advice: try to get to know the crew better, especially the non-humans."
"Why is that?"
"I don't know what kind of enemy you were fighting back home, but the non-humans we have aboard the ship aren't that different from us. They have jerks and saints, just like us."
"Speaking from personal experience?"
"Yes."
Just as the two were about to continue speaking, Shepard came in over the intercom. "This is Commander Shepard speaking. We have our orders: find Saren before he finds the Conduit. I won't lie to you, crew. This mission isn't gonna be easy.
"For too long our species has stood apart from the others. Now, it's time for us to step up and do our part! Time to show the galaxy what Humans are made of! Our enemy knows we're coming. When we go into the Traverse, Saren's followers will be waiting for us, but we'll be ready for them, too.
"Humanity needs to do this. Not just for our own sake, but for the sake of every other species in Citadel Space. Saren must be stopped, and I promise all of you… we will stop him!" Moments later, the PA cracked as it was disengaged.
"We certainly will," Marcus nodded. Looking at Kaidan, he said, "We'll chat later. I'm not the conversationalist type of person."
"I don't blame you," Kaidan agreed. "It's been nice talking with you."
"You too."
. . .
While Marcus and Kaidan were talking, Baird was in the engineering bay of the Normandy. Once more, he was looking at the computers, and the massive drive core, as though he was a kid that wasn't certain as to which candy he wanted to eat first. The fact that Humanity was capable of achieving such feats of engineering was nothing short of impressive.
And I get to look at it all, he thought to himself. One day, I plan to be building this kind of shit, and making it even better. That can only happen if I make connections and talk to people that know this kind of shit better than I do. It was during this thinking that he spotted Tali and walked over. "Ahem…. Hello?"
Tali, having heard the clunking of his new boots on the ground, turned around. "Hello," she replied. "I wanted to say thank you, once again, for saving my life back there."
"It was nothing," Baird shrugged. "Just killing one more asshole." Looking at the drive core, he said, "That's some amazing tech right there."
"That it is!" Tali beamed. "This ship is amazing! I never had any idea that Humans were so advanced!"
"That our species is," Baird nodded. "I'm guessing the Normandy is a prototype. As for me, well… the Alliance makes the COG look like a bunch of backwater hillbillies. Speaking of which, can you teach me how to use some of this advanced tech?"
"When I'm not busy, I'll be more than glad to teach you. I might even tell you a little about my people while doing so."
"Great!"
. . .
In the meantime, Cole was walking around the cargo bay, getting a feel for the ship. Damn, this is one big-ass space ship, he thought. If it were any longer, I could play a game of Thrashball in here. In fact, maybe I oughta introduce the galaxy to the sport that is Thrashball. He smiled at the thought.
Looking around, he decided to find someone that he could make conversation with. Hearing the cargo elevator doors open, he looked to see Shepard coming out, before walking over to the quartermaster. Said quartermaster was currently sifting through the large amount of crates that had been brought aboard. There was even a large ammunition printer that was being installed, courtesy of Vorenus.
It was then that he spotted Wrex, with the large Krogan standing by himself near one of the cargo bay's walls. Walking over, he said, "Hello, big guy. How ya doing?"
"Fine," Wrex replied. Looking around, he said, "Shepard's got a nice ship. As for you, I've never smelt a human being like you before. You smell like gunpowder, sweat and blood, like you've been through a war."
"Yeah, I've been through one," Cole nodded. "Lasted for fifteen years, but we kicked those Grubs in the asses! I even killed a Brumak on my own at one point."
"Brumak?" Grunt asked.
"Think a giant lizard that has large arms and legs, as well as a stubby tail with a rounded head, and that's what they looked like. Them grubs would stick arm cannons and missile launchers onto them, and then away they went! Damn thing was probably, oh I don't know, thirty feet tall, but I killed it's ass!"
It was then that Wrex actually laughed, a deep, bellowing laugh echoing from his mouth. Once he stopped, he said, "Heh, you've got a quad, Human. Thirty feet tall, eh? Those 'grubs' would've been some nice opponents to fight."
"Yeah, they were," Cole nodded. Looking at Wrex, he asked, "Say, haven't you got any stories? I've got a shitload to tell ya, but I wanna hear some from you first."
"Well, there was this one time the Turians nearly wiped us out. That was fun."
"Uh… we never encountered them Turians. At least where we're from."
"Ah, I see."
"Yep. Is it true them Turians tried to sterilize ya?"
"It is," Wrex nodded. "We have to live with it every day. All I know is that it prevents most Krogan from being able to breed. Only one in a thousand survive childbirth."
Hearing that, Cole frowned. "Shit, man. I'm sorry to hear that. Maybe you Krogan can work together long enough to, oh, repopulate. No offense intended."
"Your ignorance doesn't offend me, Cole," Wrex shook his head. "Besides, most of us are too interested in fighting for credits, or leaving."
"Yeah," Cole frowned. "I saw another method as a Gear, but…" He trailed off as the memory of when he saw the birthing creches came to the forefront of his mind. That had disgusted him, especially when he heard that the Military Fortification Act the COG had passed allowed for such things to exist.
"But?" Wrex asked.
"It was nasty, man. Just nasty."
"What was it?"
Cole frowned. The mere memory of those birthing creches left a very bitter taste in his mouth. Still, he figured that Wrex was going to keep asking until he answered. "The COG… they was using these places, built just for making people. There were women who's only purpose was to have kids, over and over, again and again. They didn't even see them as people."
Hearing that, Wrex understood the reason why he saw the grimace on Cole's face. Their own people resorted to that when they were fighting the enemy they were. Now that is really low; shows me just how far some Humans can descend. He gave a low, long whistle at that. "Damn. Now I understand why you were so hesitant. What idiot came up with that kind of idea."
"All I know, is that the COG passed the Military Fortification Act when the Locust started attackin' us. That was the law used to justify such a place. Still, it was nasty, and I hope I don't ever see another birthing creche ever again, even if it's for the right reasons."
"I agree, if that's what it sounds like," Wrex frowned. "That's almost as bad as the Genophage. Speaking of which, what do you think of it?"
"What do I think of it?" Cole repeated. "I think it shows just how far people can go when they get desperate. I don't think you Krogan deserved to have the Genophage happen. Maybe if the warlords responsible for the Krogan Rebellions were arrested, or killed, things might've cooled down enough for more reasonable minds to prevail. There's one thing I gotta hand you Krogan."
"Oh?"
"You're just as determined as those grubs were, and that's a compliment."
Wrex smiled, one of the few times that he did. "Sounds like you and I would've gotten along quite well in that war you're talking about."
"Yep, that we would have," Cole nodded. "Now, I'mma go talk to some other folk, if that's alright with you. See you later?"
"Yep," Wrex nodded. So far, out of all the Humans he had met, Cole was one of the ones that he liked the most. The one called Baird reminded him too much of the Salarians, though it was clear that, underneath the shell of sarcasm, was a person trying to get by the best he could.
It was Marcus, though, that had Wrex's full attention. That human is something else entirely, he thought. I look at him, and I see more than just a warrior. I see a survivor, a man that has seen it all, and yet refused to break under the pressure. If there was ever an unstoppable force, it would be embodied inside of Marcus Fenix. That man could kill a Thresher Maw like it was another day at work.
He was about to go get some food when the man himself arrived at the cargo bay. Looking up, Wrex could see Marcus walking inside, the hardened Gear's eyes scanning the place with the intensity of an apex predator. To Wrex, it was as though there were warning buoys surrounding Marcus; he'd never seen a warning buoy, though he understood the concept quite well.
Either way, there's one thing I know, Wrex thought as he moved past Marcus and into the elevator. We're going to be getting into some really good fights.
. . .
While Wrex and Cole were getting more comfortable with each other, Carmine was exploring the CIC a little more. Wandering towards the cockpit of the Normandy, he soon found himself looking at the panels inside. True to his training as a Gear, however, he kept his ears open for any abnormal sounds that might indicate an incoming attack.
As such, he wasn't surprised when he heard Joker say, "Damn, bro. That armor looks good. I've seen my fair share of armor, but that definitely takes the cake. Where'd you guys get that armor anyways?"
"Custom design," Carmine explained. "Same goes for the guns. Kinda curious how it'll fare in a straight-up fight."
"Curious my ass!" Joker said half-jokingly. "That armor looks like it could take a direct hit from a Mako and still keep coming! Wish my bones were like that." Remembering his manners, he said, "I'm Joker, the Normandy's pilot."
"Carmine. As for your bones, what's wrong with them?" Carmine asked. "You have rheumatism, or some shit like that?"
"Rheumatism is harmless compared to what I've got," Joker frowned. "I've got Vrolik's Syndrome. My bones never formed properly; they're basically hollow and brittle. Even when I use leg braces and crutches, it's still difficult getting around. One wrong step and CRACK! It's very dramatic."
"Ouch. Sounds painful."
"It is, but I've learned to manage my condition. If I was born in the 21st century, I wouldn't have survived past my first year. Fortunately, modern medicine has allowed me to become a productive member of society."
"I take it that's why you're a pilot. Also, why the nickname 'Joker.'"
"It's a lot shorter than saying 'Flight Lieutenant Jeff Moreau.' Plus, I like making the kids smile."
"Uh, huh." Carmine crossed his arms skeptically at the remark.
"To be honest, though, I didn't ask for the nickname. One of my friends in flight school called me that, because I never really smiled."
"Why should you, since you were in school?" Carmine agreed. "The world… er, universe, isn't going to hand you everything if you're smiling like a dumbass."
"Hah!" Joker laughed. "You read my mind, Carmine. I worked my ass off in flight school; by the time I graduated, I was better than the instructors, and they knew it. They all got their asses kicked by the sickly kid with the creaky legs. One guess who was smiling at graduation."
Carmine chuckled at that. If he didn't have brittle bones, Joker would be a badass Gear, Carmine thought. Say… I wonder if it's possible for Baird to design a mechanized exoskeleton for him. That way, Joker wouldn't have to worry about snapping his bones through the mere act of walking. Uncrossing his arms, he said, "I've gotta go now. It's been fun chatting with you, Joker."
"Same here," Joker agreed. "If you're out there, fuck those Geth up bad, would you?"
"Oh, my friends and I certainly will."
(Author's Notes and Q&A)
SpaceCommander-09: Very interesting. I'll certainly think of that for a later chapter.
JumpingToaster: I agree. It irritates me whenever characters are stubborn, especially when they ought to be changing and developing. If there's one thing I hate, it's stagnation.
MarauderPrime12: That it is. Interesting is the name of the game here.
Guest: Wow indeed. Thank you for your review.
edboy4926: I know. I always wondered what it would be like if that AI got recruited, instead of being destroyed. Besides, it also ties in with Baird's nature.
Chronus1326: I agree. The Mark 1 and Mark 2 Lancers are good guns, but in an age where high tech equipment is used, they're kinda obsolete. As such, it's a better choice to make new weapons using the new tech, though basting them partly on an older design is smart too. You retain the lessons learned in the past, while incorporating new ideas.