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Beta :

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The last chapter was short because the two scenes I wanted before this chapter were way faster than expected, and I don't like the feel of a timeskip in a chapter's middle so I figured I'd run straight on into this one. Be warned, if that label applies here, that going forward Shepard will add to the small list of people getting POV segments.

Enjoy~!

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Mordin's Clinic was a moderate affair as far as she was willing to describe it, but a place Pyrrha was more than glad to find on the station. Between Garrus' fighting for the common man throughout Omega as Archangel to Mordin's free, if small, clinic she had gotten to see something new and unique. At least, new and unique for Omega and what she understood it as. Charity, honor, kindness and duty were displayed here and there, with the Turian she'd not spoken to since she met him on the night he shot her. And seeing all of these things had done her good, restoring in her a faith in people she'd felt growing tenuous and ropy of late.

Minus the getting shot part, of course, though she didn't much mind that since her Aura had taken the blow.

The clinic itself was simple, with a defensive setup that had her at the same time comforted and paranoid. Why Mordin had designed it that way, she didn't know and likely never would, but it was defensive. A heavy door with a camera over it let into a curved hallway, with a sharp curve that guards could take cover behind - and had, once or twice, in the week and change she'd been there for - with an enclosed security checkpoint stocked with rifles and ammunition for those inside.

Past that was a large enough waiting and admissions area, with a handful of Loki mechs for added protection that she… Tried to ignore, as best she could.

The welcoming area was a simple affair too, though, with iron benches to sit on and tired volunteers taking complaints and helping people around as best they could. Most, now, were Humans due to the Plague, but she saw an Asari now and again, serving as a doctor for the clinic. One of five, in as many medical rooms with a couple storage ones for supplies and, rarely but regretfully, the bodies of those that couldn't be saved, waiting to be toted off for disposal.

Luckily, she thought as she pulled open the door into the little hallway that led into the clinic, she and Penny didn't work there.

"Nikos! Penny! Good you're finally fuckin' here." Adrian, the Human on guard today with enough energy to talk, called as soon as they saw it. Pushing off the wall to the side of the security booth, the man was armored in old, black combat gear and fatigues, and grinning like a child in spite of the salt and pepper hair and stubby beard, left bare since he didn't have a helmet. "Been quiet enough today, least 'round here. How's things up near your little stop?"

"Fine enough." Pyrrha answered simply, thinking of the little one-room squat they'd been given to camp in. It wasn't ideal, but there was a shower at the clinic, and Mordin kept them fed while they did their good work, so she supposed all was well as she could expect. "The Blue Suns are… Rather polite, really, once they realize you work here."

"Plague there yet?"

"No."

"What about fighting?" The security chief asked, turning to let them follow him into the clinic, past sick and coughing aliens lined on the benches and waiting for treatment. "Been getting bad at the edge of the gang-lines, and you're near enough. Looters? Threats? You know you can take a spot here, overnight. I stay in the locker room most nights, now."

"We are perfectly safe, thank you, Friend Adrian!" Penny chipped in, waving eagerly with both hands as they entered the main room of the clinic. Coughing, exhausted patients and beleaguered nurses smiled as they passed, cheered by the bright eyes and beaming smile she offered them. "Most of the residents in our area evacuated back before the quarantine was put into full effect. And the Blue Suns are a workable police force. They respect us and escort us through the area until we get outside."

"Still?"

"'The doc is crazy, but I hear he has a cure, so you best keep him safe.' That's what they say, walking us down." It was because of that fight, she knew. Far enough ago people didn't fawn anymore, but something mercenaries would no doubt pay attention to. "They want Mordin safe, so he can treat them too when the time comes."

Though if they thought she could handle herself so well as to be important, she questioned sending two rifleman for escort duty.

"That's one thing I don't get, really." Adrian sighed, running fingers through his hair while he pulled the armor off and stuffed it into one of the old, rusty lockers in the dingy locker room. Giving the two women a look of confusion, with a cocked smile to boot, he asked, "Why are the Suns still here? Mercenaries like to play cop, but why are they doing it now? With the Plague around?"

"Ask them, I suppose." She shrugged, stepping back so another one of the security officers could slide by, dropping his chestplate in a locker as he sluggishly walked by. Once he was gone, she continued, "But as Penny said, up there towards the quarantine border is quiet enough for comfort. Down here is where the worries are, with the gangline so close."

"Well, I'm out. You two keep an eye out, been hearing gunshots for a while. Pretty loud, too." He gave them each a nod and a smile, stepping past and towards the door with a backward wave. "Would stay and chat, but the missus would have words about me bein' late to get home for chatting up two lil' cuties. Right?"

"We heard them as well." The staccato was unmistakable, foreign rifles and technology or not. "We'll protect this place, do not fear. How goes work on getting the cure ready for all species?"

"Turians and Asari are golden, but we roll it out without treatments for Batarians and Krogans too and there will be hell to pay." The man sighed, shaking his head tiredly and checking his pockets to make sure he had everything. Offering a last smile and a wave, he pushed the door open, "You girls be safe, now. I'll see ya again at shift change."

Without another word, eager to leave rather than impolite she knew, he tugged the door open and vanished. Exchanging little smiles, the two women opened the door right beside it, pushing into the security booth and taking a seat. As always, after a couple quiet minutes, Penny was the first to speak.

"Do you think we will be needed today?" She asked, giving Pyrrha a look beside her. Pyrrha hummed her question, and Penny offered in the same bright voice as always. "The fighting has been getting closer daily. At the current rate of expansion, it should be just outside the door by the end of the day. I am combat ready, but if we fight people… Krogan won't walk away."

"Worried?" Pyrrha certainly was, to say the least, but she smiled regardless to put on an air of confidence. All the better to calm her younger comrade, and something she'd been taught growing up in Mistral. "I've fought Krogan and been told they are the strongest, physically speaking. And the most durable as well. Avoid direct concussive blows and you'll win any fight you come into."

"Fighting I do not fear. However, I have never taken a life." The android answered gently, smile slipping away at the word. After a moment of staring at nothing, her bright eyes turned to Pyrrha and she asked, "What do I do, if a Krogan refuses to relent? I do not like the idea of taking life."

"Neither do I, Penny." Even if she had already, as odd as that was to think on with her victim talking to her. Sighing, she shrugged, "I suppose we will have to do what we must, to defend this place."

"Mhm." Penny nodded, "We will. Friend Mordin is nice, and I will protect his place for him like he asks."

"Yeah…" She smiled, and then let out a sigh as she relaxed into the old, rusted chair as much as she could manage. Which wasn't much, frankly, but she didn't really feel a need to make a point of complaining about it. "He's a good man, alien or not. How are you coping with the whole 'alien' aspect, by the by?"

"I am well." Penny nodded, seeming to grow excited as she turned to the Mistralian and started bouncing on her seat. With a tired, but nonetheless completely content, sigh Pyrrha settled in for her to ramble and smiled. "They are all so interesting, though. Did you know Turians are not based on the same amino structure people are? Simply touching a Turian's bare skin could cause you to break out in a rash!"

"Is that why they wear layers like that?"

"Yes. Turians wear layers due to their close interactions with non-Dextro races, and thus the propensity for severe allergic culture shocks from incidental contact." Penny explained, talking as much with her hands as with her words. Gently, she poke Pyrrha's armored stomach and grinned, "Just that, and you'd have an itch. And a red spot, too, and not from the pointy talon bit."

While she rambled, Pyrrha kept a close watch on the door. Or at least as close as she could manage, with the little android rambling on in her ear. She didn't mind it, of course, simply smiling and humming as the girl rattled on amicably. It was nice to have her there, even if she kept remembering the sight of circuits and limbs sparking and flying. Her own miseries, though, and not anything she'd let cause Penny to be sad for even a moment.

A little discomfort was nothing after what she'd done to her, accident or not.

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"You're clear, you can go on in. Aria's already expecting you." The bouncer said, eyeing the well-armed Zaeed for a moment before turning predatory Turian eyes on Miranda. The Cerberus symbol, her Predator on her hip, or something less savory, Shepard wasn't sure. Regardless, the Turian shrugged sharp, armored shoulders and added a clipped, "Weapons on your waist inside the club."

"We understand." She assured him, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder and making a show of her Mantis on her back. "Wouldn't do me much good, such close quarters, anyway."

"No, it wouldn't." The Turian noted her Predator on her waist with an eye, then met her gaze to make a point, and jerked his head towards the door. "Name's Talon in there and to you, Commander. You are her, right? The Commander Shepard?"

"Yeah, that's what they tell me." The red-haired woman nodded, offering a polite smile and shrugging, playing the diplomat as she was wont to. Or as her job had always been, at least. At a look, Miranda grabbed Zaeed by the forearm and made an excuse for them to walk off, towards the landing cars. "Been off in deep-cover for a while. I wasn't told the cover story they were putting up for me. Is it true they said I…?"

"Died? Yeah, it was all over the ExtraNet." The Turian gave his fellow a look and the Krogan nodded, recognizing her as the 'VIP' she'd been told she was being treated as after charming the Batarian a bit. Turning, they moved away, standing by a railing beside the club, and he raised a glowing arm. "Here, see? 'Normandy Attack, the Commander goes Down With Her Ship'. Still doin' conspiracy articles on it."

"Figures, yeah. And this time, it'll be the truth, too. That'll be fun… What kind are they makin' up?" She asked, leaning over his shoulder to pretend to read it. 'Diana Allers, but I don't see any conspiracy here… Just talking about me.' "This one seems normal enough, though."

"I like her 'cuz she just states the facts. She has an opinion section for her own thoughts, though. Here." With a flick of a talon, the Turian scrolled down for her and let her see it. A smiling image of an attractive young woman met her, but the Turian didn't play the video, instead just explaining. "She likes to say that you were probably off on some mission, if you were alive. She wouldn't say if she believed you were, though."

"Probably trying to avoid being wrong in either case. Reporters do that a lot more than you'd think, feigning a lack of opinion and coming out with a 'as this reporter suspected' only when they know the truth for sure." She shrugged, the armor of her shoulder clanking as she did and drawing the Turian's eye to her technically falsified N7 insignia.

His gaze lingered and she grinned, seizing an opportunity to ingratiate herself to a potential contact.

"So what do you think?" She smiled, cocking a hip and pressing a fist to it in a veneer of confidence and charisma, smiling lopsidedly to sell it, "Am I real, or a fake? The Batarian scanned me, said I was the real deal as far as he and Aria were concerned. What do you think?"

"Why does it matter what I think?" A spiny eyebrow steepled with the question and he clarified, waving a taloned hand towards the large door. "I'm just a bouncer, Ma'am. What I think doesn't matter 'cept when I'm deciding if someone comes in or not."

"My line of work, you make friends where you can. And if we're making friends, I wanna know your honest opinion." And she needed to test him, to see if contacting her old team was worth even trying. If he was anything less than on board, she could reasonably expect the same amount of suspicion coming from cerberus channels and a Cerberus ship calling out or carrying her in to see someone. "Am I the real deal, you think? Savior of the galaxy, and all that?"

"Looks like it, yeah. And I mean, you passed the GenScan that Aria had run on you, so…" He shrugged, lukewarm as she'd feared, and seemed to flinch when her mask fell and she scowled. She masked it in a small smile before he could react, though, and he asked, "Was that, uh, all you needed, Commander? If Aria finds out I kept you from going to see her, she'd have my hide."

"Actually, I was wondering if you'd tell me about that plague." She pressed, folding an arm under her bust and leaning her elbow on it, tapping an armored finger to her chin and looking off towards the passageway that she knew lead to it. EDI had her advantages, regardless of how she felt about the surprise AI thrust on her. "Heard it was pretty bad, but didn't target Humans or Vorcha. Any idea why?"

"Ask a Batarian, it's cuz Humans made it." The Turian scoffed, though, and shook his head. When she raised her eyebrow, drumming a long finger on her chin thoughtfully, the Turian started to explain. "Doesn't make sense for Humans to make it if Vorcha would be immune, too. Those little shits work for the 'Pack, and the 'Pack holds a lot of the slums. The Humans are getting thrashed over it, if they haven't left or let the Suns take up protecting them."

"The Blue Suns are protecting people? Like, the Blue Suns, I mean. Drug runners and security guys, those Suns." She raised her voice just enough for Zaeed to hear her, and saw him turn. But she gave a little shake of her head and held a finger up. He missed the signal but Miranda didn't, grabbing his arm and saying something that had him wait. "Doesn't seem their style, does it?"

"On Omega, there isn't a police outfit. Gangs slice up the territories and long as they enforce the Queen's law, they're left alone. Suns do that like anybody else, and a lot of people sign up just to do that here with them and Eclipse." The Turian shrugged, then, and waved a taloned hand towards the Quarantine Zone's only entrance in the distance with a sigh. "Quarantine went up, their men went in to keep the peace, the 'Pack in there lost their shit. It's a warzone on the lower levels, and if Solus hadn't cured Turians in the Suns so they could shelter the refugees, the 'Pack would be running the show and ripping people apart."

"Huh. Guess things out this way are different than Alliance space after all." It made sense why some would come out here, in that case. Or, well, made more sense she supposed. Just running from the law and seeking adventure had been more than enough for plenty, she was sure. "Are things bad in there?"

"Aria had to replace some Quarantine guards with her own people a while back, since the Suns were losing people." To the Plague or the fighting it had caused, he didn't say, and she had a suspicion that was because it was either to both or he didn't know. A dry spot in her well of information, she supposed, moving on when he started talking again. "Hey, you're… Why are you askin' about the 'Zone, anyway?"

"My missions turned from a cold and quiet one to a hot and violent one pretty quick." She gestured to Zaeed with a gentle jerk of her head and the Turian nodded, knowing a hired, experienced gun when he saw one. Smiling apologetically, she went on, "You're Turian, so you get that I can't get into it…?"

"Yep, I very much do." The alien laughed, shaking its head wryly and clicking its mandibles in a friendly display, "I can do without the death squads, yeah. I know how the Hegemony handles its secret business, can't imagine the Alliance or the Council are much better for people knowin' what they shouldn't."

"Well, I need Mordin's help with something. And now you told me where to go and what is going on…" She took a step and turned, giving him a roguish smile and a nod. His eyes widened in realization that she was leaving and she called to him, bouncing on a heel as she turned, "Tell Aria I'll be back once I know Mordin is safe and secure. Operational security meant I needed speed!"

"B-But she'll be pissed!"

"I'll buy her a drink, then!" She laughed, turning grave as she started walking towards the doors that lead to the quarantine zone and her team fell into step with her. Her arm snapped up and she connected to the Normandy, barking, "EDI, get your hacking software running. I want a message sent to the Quarantine guards ordering them to let me through."

"Yes, Commander." The AI answered, "It will take but a moment."

"She'd have let us in anyway ya know." Zaeed pointed out, not complaining as they stepped through the door and rounded a corner, heading towards a guard as he brought an arm up to check his message from 'Aria'. "Why the tricks and shit?"

"Aria wants me to come and bend the knee, give her respect before she allows me to do as I want." She grinned, rolling her shoulders and getting ready for the fights she expected to come soon enough. There was always a fight wherever she went, after all, and she certainly didn't expect a wartorn, Plague ridden set of slums to be much different. "Let her find out I left and not be able to do anything. We get Mordin, show her not to fuck with me, and then we make nice looking for Archangel."

"Unless, of course, he ends up being killed by the mercenaries hounding him." Miranda helpfully pointed out while they muscled past a disgruntled looking checkpoint guard and an agitated woman in dirty, ratty clothes.

Neither were worth their time, at the moment at least. And besides, both would accept apologies later if she made an excuse of dealing with the Plague. That guard had mentioned Mordin had a cure of sorts set up, for Turians at least, so she was willing to bet he had the rest dealt with too. And for that bet, she was willing to make a show of rushing to protect the people, and letting Aria step on the landmine of bitching about her moving to curtail a literal plague that could kill most of the station if she wanted.

Fuck, it was good to be back.

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The first hour had passed by mostly peacefully, aside from the occasional wounded Suns soldier walking through the door or Plague victims coming in. Soon, though, things began to take a turn as the sounds of fighting worsened and grew nearer. More wounded, more sick, and occasionally even a 'Pack thug they had to fend off and send packing. Now, the Blue Suns were holding a barricade down the street from the clinic, protecting it and holding their ground while the clinic handled the wounded sent their way.

Pyrrha helped the wounded in, so Penny could watch the door, since between them Penny was more able to tie up and disarm a fighter with less exertion.

"Doctor Solus!" Pyrrha called out as she staggered in through the door that lead out to the little passageway, a wounded, wheezing, blue-armored Turian hanging off her. A nurse, old and grey haired with a soft smile for the Turian in spite of his hazy eyes and bleeding side, took his weight on his other side to help her and led the way as she toted him further inside, "Where is Doctor Solus? We have a wounded Turian with the Plague, he needs treatment for both."

"Table three. Nurse, start stripping armor." Solus ordered as they entered his working room, four beds pressed against the walls to either side with laboratory equipment shoved on the other side of the beds. He saw Pyrrha looking and offered rapidly, "Cure complete. Now only need application method."

"Wait, the cure is finished?" Mordin nodded, looked over the soldier and then turned to leave, apparently satisfied his personal attention was unneeded. Quashing her momentary relief, she refocused and turned to the nurse helping her lift the Turian onto the bed where he slumped down finally. "Do you need any help, Ma'am?"

"I am quite fine, dear. I will tend to him, you help the doctor." The old woman said simply, starting to work at stripping the armor off the limp, exhausted soldier. A turian came over with a large syringe full of a purplish liquid, and the gentle woman added, "You are more useful for what he needs, I suspect."

She didn't like leaving her to handle it all, even as she knew she wouldn't be any real help aside from using her Semblance to rip armor off wounded patients. Which threw 'keeping what she was a secret' into all kinds of disarray for not much gain, even if the selfishness of that thought irked her. Deceit, even of the sensible varieties, never came easy to her because of her nature, but she was used to keeping her Semblance hidden.

Even if that had been for a wholly different, arguably more selfish reason, it still came in handy here.

"Doctor, what can I-"

"Need dispersal mechanism for airborne cure." The Salarian rattled off, leaning over an unconscious Batarian on the table in front of him. The four-eyed alien groaned and writhed, but mordin ignored the motions and pressed a hand against his chest, pulling a long needle out of its arm and tossing it into a bin. "Arrived too late for Batarian cure strain. Will not make it. Done all that I can."

"Are you okay…?"

"No. But have to be. Need to work. Someone else could get it wrong. Now then, we have work to do." The alien rounded on her suddenly, arm up and glowing as he projected a map of the slums. A long Salarian finger pointed far and away from where they were and he explained. "The air filtration system. From there, the cure can be disseminated to the entire station."

"That would save everyone, yes. Treat the entire slum all at once, and save so many lives." Pyrrha nodded, waiting for the request she already knew was coming. The way he was looking at her, with a small grimace, told her what he would want.

"Will you go?" He asked simply, rushing into an explanation before she could answer, "I have to stay here. Treat wounded, stabilize infected, prevent worse casualties. Am also lacking shield unit. And need Penny for security. You would be alone."

"I'll go, Doctor." Penny would understand needing to stay behind, and she didn't have a concern to that end. Smiling she tried to reassure them both, "I can do this, Mordin. You can trust me to see it done."

Duty demanded she try at least, and there was no Maiden to get in her way this time. Still, when mordin handed her the heavy metal cylinder and she pulled the strap around her shoulders, she felt anxious. But with a sigh, she rolled her shoulders and turned away from the already busily working doctor to head on her way. Her own anxieties didn't matter, after all.

A Huntress had a duty to help people, whenever asked to.

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Knightwolf :

Beyond these two, Ii'm unsure I want any Remnant folks showing up. Further, even if I do, I want ones these two have relationships with. Apologies.

Prime Cronos :

Oi! No booli robot loli. Also, Pyrrha is already a bit more conniving and secret-keeping than normal. She is changing, though she'll never change if you know what I mean.

Angry Santo :

Darkness has thus far been my favorite character to write.

Omega Ultima :

Generally speaking, 'loli' refers to petite characters with small proportions and cute behaviors. So Penny would be a loli, especially since age tends to not matter. I was joking about not shipping her. I ship her myself, with Ruby specifically.

Helljumper :

*writes that down*