Chapter 12: Geneticist & Armour

Kepler Verge, Herschel System, MSV Fedele

Shepard

Agreeing to help Garrus had been easy, especially after what he had told her about his target. Dr. Saleon, a geneticist who was fond of harvesting organs, a criminal that had escaped justice on the Citadel despite Garrus' best efforts, his superiors countermanded his order. Their reasoning was fair, damage to the station would have been bad, and the risk to civilians if the ship was destroyed. But just the knowledge that this doctor got away with some of his test subjects left a bad taste in Shepard's mouth. I wonder how long this has been eating away at him?

An interesting part she had learned from his request was that Krogan testicles were in rather high demand from others of their own kind. They fetched as much as ten thousand credits for a single one, and forty thousands for a full quad. It made her wonder if Wrex had ever gone looking into such a cure, not that she ever planned on asking Wrex such an intrusive question.

Garrus' transponder did bring them to a ship, but every time Joker tried to raise them on the comms there was only silence. They remained near the Fedele while Shepard gathered her team. Garrus had requested to be there and she intended to help him see this through, if only to put his mind at ease. For the others she brought what she considered her strongest, Maulden, Wrex, and Yang filling out the fifth spot.

"So what do we shoot at?" Yang asked as they started checking out the initial entrance area of the ship. She was checking out her new weapon, a shotgun as it sounded more her style of getting up close.

"Nothing unless they reveal themselves as hostile." Shepard informed her and the others. "Garrus said he used living people as test subjects, no telling what their mental state is right now so check your fire."

"Test subject?" Wrex croaked. "Human?"

"Many of the patients were, yes. Dr. Saleon is a Salarian." Garrus pointed out.

"Figures." Was all Wrex could muster, his dislike for their kind was all too apparent.

At least he's getting along with Garrus. It was a small victory for Shepard, two species that usually hate one another were working well, while Williams was showing her xenophobia towards Tali and Liara.

"It's too quiet. I don't like this Shepard." Garrus whispered.

"You Turians don't like a lot of things. Let the Krogan lead the way." Wrex stepped towards the front along with Maulden, leaving Yang to watch the rear.

Stepping into a larger area, they were greeted with massive crates that were blocking their way and view. Watching their corners, Wrex led them around with Maulden close behind. Piles upon piles of crates of various sizes had Shepard imaging what lay within them. Were they storage crates for the organs harvested with built in cooling systems or other ways to preserve the organs for long durations. Perhaps it was so the doctor didn't have to make too many stops and put himself at risk.

"Shepard." Her attention turned to Wrex. "We've got movement."

From the outside of the more open area that they'd stepped into, she too could begin seeing figures getting to their feet and moving towards them. "We're here to help, I'm Commander Shepard of the Al-" The sounds that came from them force her to raise her weapon, pointing it at them.

"Shepard, they sound like those weird human things from Feros." Yang pointed out.

"Shit. Fire to disable them. Treatment might be possible later." A few shots sounded from those without shotguns, but as the people fell and kept pulling and crawling towards them, Shepard got a good look at their eyes. "Wrex, Yang!"

Not having to say anything more than their names, they began to move from the group, shotguns blasts ringing in the ship's confines as creature after creature was forced back or fell dead at their feet. Garrus started to hit some headshots too, while Shepard saw Yang get spit on by one that had crept up behind her. To her credit, the blonde only spun, punching it so hard that it got sent flying into a crate. Once it slumped to the ground it didn't get back up. So that's the freakish strength Em spoke about.

There were more test subjects than Shepard had expected, but in less than a minute from when the first shot was fired they were sure they'd taken care of all the threats. That's when Yang doubled over, barely managing to remove her helmet before she threw up. Laughter came from Wrex while Shepard said something useful.

"We'll get you decontaminated once we return to the Normandy. Then I want you to go and get tested by Dr. Chakwas just to be safe." Yang only nodded before falling back in with the group as they pushed forwards again.

"If this was Saleon, he's been doing a little more than cloning organs. This is messed up Shepard, we have to take him down." There was an urgency masking Garrus' anger, things she was beginning to feel herself.

Making their way to the cockpit, a door remained on their left and right. "Yang watch the front. Maulden and Wrex take the left, Garrus you're with me."

As the Garrus opened the doors, the halves splitting off and fitting neatly into their crafted grooves as a Salarian came into view. He was standing there as if expecting them. Saleon? Shepard figured it had to be, surely Garrus would know.

"Thank you. Thank you for saving me from those things." The Salarian said, the rifle on his back giving Shepard cause for concern.

Garrus was swift about identifying the Salarian however. "Commander. That's him. That's Dr. Saleon."

"What?" The Salarian said, seeming surprised and worried. "My name is Heart. Dr. Heart. Please, get me out of here."

Garrus' info was spot on. Slippery bastard is making a joke of his disgusting work. She wanted to punch this Salarian in the face, or put a bullet through his chest. "You're sure it's him, Garrus?" She asked without taking her eyes off their target.

"Positive. There's no escape this time, Doctor. I'd harvest your organs first, but we don't have the time."

"You're crazy. He's crazy. Please, don't let him do this to me." Saleon begged as a pair of heavier footsteps sounded behind them.

With Wrex and Maulden backing them up, Shepard knew this single Salarian wasn't a threat to them. "We'll take him in. Drop him off with the military." She declared.

"But… we have him. We can't let him get away. Not again." Garrus argued.

"Think about it, Garrus. If he dies we'll never know what he's been up to, or how he did it. We'll take him in, interrogate him, and he'll serve his time." Besides, I want to know what he did to those poor people back there. Husks and Thorian creepers were similar but different, whatever the doctor did was monstrous.

"I've… Okay. You're right." Garrus relented, the struggle for him to do so was obvious. "You're a very lucky Salarian. You owe the commander your life."

"Oh. Thank you so very much." Shepard smiled at the sarcasm the doctor spat out and watched as he drew his weapon. A loud shot from over her shoulder and a couple of smaller ones from behind and between her and Garrus answered Saleon who fell to the ground. Blood soaked his clothing and began to pool and run through the grooves on the floor.

"So he dies anyway. What was the point?!" His frustration at the situation began to boil over.

"You can't predict how people will act, Garrus. But you can control how you respond. In the end, that's what really matters." Shepard said as she stepped into the room to search about.

"Yeah. I don't think I've ever met anyone like you, Commander." Garrus said.

Yang came in as the group filtered in, Garrus checked Saleon to make sure he was dead. "Let's call it. Time of death?" Yang asked, looking at the ground with a smile. "Nothing? That's what the doctors usually say right?" Maulden sighed while Wrex gave a soft chuckle.

"We're done here. See you back on the Normandy, Commander."

Shepard made sure to see Yang through decontamination on reentry to the Normandy, then asked that Garrus see her to Chakwas for that check up she'd promised the girl would get. It had been a quick mission upon reflection, with no injury provided Yang's tests came back all clear. And she'd managed to help another of her crew as Yang had aided Tali earlier. Walking down towards her quarters, Maulden peeled off towards the elevator. She expected the heavy footsteps of Wrex to do the same, however they kept in pace with her.

"Can I help you, Wrex?" She asked without looking back, the door to her room opening for them both to enter. Wrex hadn't answered her question or even spoken up, until the door closed behind him.

"Shepard. I have something to take care of, not unlike Garrus."

"You want me to help you out like we did for Garrus. Alright, I'll bite. What's the problem?" She said as she started taking parts of her armour off.

"Not a problem, but a family matter." Wrex rumbled, gaining Shepard's attention. "I made an oath to my father's father. I swore to recover my family's battle armour. It was taken from him after the uprising."

Giving him a whistle for how long ago that was, she had to ask. "What's so special about the armour?"

"It's a relic; useless, really. But it was worn by five generations of my family before the war. It's rightfully mine. Originally it was taken by the Turian military. We weren't allowed armour or weapons after the war." That made sense to Shepard, given what she'd read and heard about the Krogan rebellion. "Now it's in the hands of Tonn Actus. A Turian scum who collects relics from the war. He's made millions selling Krogan artefacts that were stolen from my people." He started to pace near the door, his footfalls sounding on the metal beneath. Shepard wasn't an expert on Krogan, but he was surely, twice if not three times her weight, or more.

"He's got several bases where he stores his goods. All fortified and guarded. I just found out which base has my family's armour." Wrex had usually brushed off conversations with Shepard at the beginning, and only recently started speaking more about his past when she questioned him. So she knew he was serious about finding his family's armour.

"Just tell me where to have Joker aim the Normandy, Wrex. If we have time we'll stop by and I'll ask him personally." She smacked her glove covered fists together and smiled, one which Wrex returned albeit a little more toothy.

"I'll upload the data to your nav system. But Commander, I want to be there when you find him."

"Consider yourself there. Anyone in particular you want to come along?" She asked, giving him the chance to fill out a squad.

"Hmm." He began pacing again as he thought about who. It let Shepard take off some more of her armour, showing the under armour. "The little Quarian, she's good with slicing. Blondie too, she can handle Maulden so she's coming."

Shepard waited for him to list off another one of two people, but he remained silent after that. Dismissing him and taking an hour for herself, she would eventually head up to the command deck and see where Wrex's mission lay. Since she was still figuring out where to go next with Saren, she ordered Joker to set a course for the coordinates Wrex had given them before going to get some food and more rest.

Argos Rho, Phoenix System, Tuntau

Shepard

Joker dropped them close to Tonn's store house location in the mako with Shepard driving. She was glad her cousin wasn't there to give her stick after Feros. Ingersoll was simply the better driver and Shepard was all too happy to hand those controls over to her whenever she could.

Climbing over another hilly terrain, Shepard soon came into view of the storehouse, and immediately fell under fire. "Tali, think you can target the men outside?"

"No problem, Shepard." The quarian answered, with her first cannon shot sending two of the enemies flying before the third was gunned down rather efficiently.

"Remind me not to get on your bad side when you have a big gun." Wrex chuckled as he left the mako first and made his way inside, weapon drawn and ready for action. Yang had followed him in quickly while Shepard moved with Tali to cover their squadmates.

"This is the place. My armour's in here somewhere."

"Uh, how can you tell?" Yang asked.

"Just a gut feeling, you get those where you're from?" Wrex taunted, focused on reclaiming what had been missing for centuries.

"Yeah, but I've learned it is just as important to use your head. Maybe doubly so for you with…" She moved her hand above her head trying to mimic the plating Wrex had.

"Ha! You might be right. But this is the place." He repeated, his confidence unshaken.

The door dinged and hissed open with the usually heavy steps of Wrex being rather light. Damn, he wants this badly. Following Tali in as the final one in the room, Shepard got herself a grenade ready.

"Take cover!" A man yelled.

Where the fuck?

"Go go go!" Another ordered.

"Covers been blown, Wrex-"

"I'm going to Tonn!" Wrex yelled, "Get out of my way you pyjaks." She didn't see it, but she did hear a humanoid groan and something hit the ground.

Figuring it hadn't been Wrex to fall over, she looked up to the balcony and smiled. And a one. She spun the grenade around a box and heard someone swear before an explosion sounded, that really got things going as gunfire quickly picked up. Two. Another grenade but no painful cry. Lucky three. Her final grenade seemed to land as she heard another thud on the opposite side of the boxes.

"Yang, Tali, push to the right and flank them. I'll hold them here." Shepard ordered as she used her biotics to erect a barrier around herself.

The fighting was rapid with Wrex causing trouble up close while the rest fought their way through the ground troops Tonn had readied. Dropping another pirate with her rifle, Shepard heard Tali's more muffled and electronic tone in the form of a groan and turned. She raised her rifle to line up the pirate, but he began firing.

"Tali!" Shepard screamed, watching as her own bullets ripped through the pirate's shielding and then armour, reducing him to a corpse.

Expecting to see Tali either dead or seriously injured, she instead found Tali to be leaning back on one hand with her other arm shielding her face. Behind her stood Yang, holding up a pirate by his throat with only one arm. Her other was held out towards Tali as if telling the pirate that had been there to stop. Slamming the pirate into the ground with such force that Shepard could hear the snapping and cracking of bones, she let Yang tend to Tali as she made off after Wrex.

Finding him upstairs where he had disappeared to at the onset of the fight, he was huffing slightly and had blood on his armour. She moved to him and gazed down at the body of a Turian at his feet, face bloodied with a few holes in the armour he wore.

"Tonn?"

"It was." Wrex answered, looking to the door before them. "Come on, it's got to be in here somewhere."

Going with him, they searched the upstairs room for a few minutes. Thankfully they didn't hear any extra gunshots from down below meaning that they had taken care of all the pirates.

"This is it." Wrex said suddenly, holding up a large piece of armour that would definitely only fit a Krogan. "I can't believe my ancestors ever wore this piece of crap, but at least I've got it back."

"I'm glad we could help you get it back, Wrex."

A smile spread across his face, shifting scars over his lips that ran from the centre of his plate down over the right side of his face and lips, and down part of his neck. "I might just be starting to like you, Shepard."

"That so." She answered with a smile, patting him hard on his shoulder. "Come on, let's grab the other two and get back to the Normandy. We still have Saren to chase down."

Yang and Tali were both ready to go, and with a quick inquiry to see if Tali had been injured or if her suit had been damaged, Shepard was glad to see and be told no for both cases. She couldn't understand why though, anyone firing an automatic weapon at that range should have hit more than a couple of times.

As they were waiting outside the base and near the mako for Joker to bring the ship in to pick them up, Shepard focused on Yang. "What did you do?"

Giving a puzzled look, Yang shrugged. "You'll have to be more specific."

"That pirate that unloaded point blank at Tali, no offence Tali, but you should be dead. Did you do something?" With their helmets back on, she couldn't fully make out Yang's expression.

"You know how I told you about aura, it was that." She said as if Shepard would understand what she meant by it.

"Your turn to be more specific, Yang." The Commander retorted.

"It can be used for offence or defence, in this instance I used it for defending another person." She turned to Tali. "I projected my aura like… kind of like how Liara projects her biotics in a barrier when we're training on the ship. I made it a barrier in front of Tali so that she wouldn't get shot."

"You forgot to mention that you could use it in such a manner." Shepard said, sounding tired.

"It must have slipped my mind." Yang deadpanned, still looking over Tali. "Still, I'm not the best with my aura in terms of projecting it, but thank the gods it worked."

The sound of the Normandy above ended their conversation for the moment as they boarded the mako and rejoined the Normandy. Shepard still had questions and worries about Yang, but so far she had only shown ill discipline concerning military hierarchy and had defended her crew on two occasions she had witnessed.

Liara was quick to swoop in and grab Yang for some more biotics training, the blonde protesting for just a moment before Tali said something. Her worries could wait, Yang hadn't done anything that suggested she intended to harm the crew.

"Shepard." Wrex mumbled from beside her as they walked through the cargo bay. "It might not seem like much, but thank you. No one else would have given a pyjak's ass about this."

"Any time Wrex, glad to have you on the team." She gave him a wink and made her way to fill in a report since she knew Admiral Hackett would ask why they went to a planet that didn't seem to have any link to Saren.

Giving Joker a course for somewhere they could all take a break while she met with the Council, Shepard took her time and caught up with Emelyne and Kaleb, explaining to them about Yang and this, aura she had. It was a conversation with many questions and fewer answers, but it filled in some time while Joker steered them towards the Citadel.