Leena's POV
We found some more eggs but they were actually called Spore Pods. Cypher and Shale burned them down. Saren also saw some cords and said it was Reaper technology. Some more webs and pods were destroyed before we came upon an underground cavern and a rachni with the supposed Reaper technology met up with us along with several Husks.
Cypher and his sister dealt with the Husks while we focused on killing the technology merged rachni. Due to it having Reaper attributes it shot laser blasts at us. But even an advanced creature wasn't a match for our squad. When everything was dead we disposed of the spore pods in the chamber.
Shepard informed Grunt that there was indeed rachni and they were advanced. Grunt sounded excited at having something to kill but he lost one of his men into a sinkhole.
"If there's pods here then their mother should be as well," Shepard said.
"Probably" I agreed because something did lay those spores.
The path to the next room was blocked off but Saren found a Reaper Node and used his weapons to shoot it. The sound of machinery was heard and our path wasn't blocked off anymore. Shale burned the web curtain and as we were about to enter the next room the ceiling above us was about to give way.
So we hurried and got out of the way just as the ceiling collapsed. Our exit was now cut off so we had to find another way out of these tunnels. Grunt asked what happened and Shepard explained it was a cave in and we were okay. The younger krogan sounded relieved but made a joke about not wanting to dig us out.
More webbing and spore pods got destroyed as we were getting closer to the main chamber.
"Ech I'm gonna need a shower after this" I growled as Cy burned another web down. "I don't mind the the rachni, but they remind me of spiders and I hate spiders"
"Agreed I don't like them either" Saren added. "Though Rue finds arachnids interesting"
"Some spider species are interesting" Shepard went on. "But I can understand where Leena is coming from about wanting a shower after this, the webs and the rachni are making my skin crawl"
Garrus snorted in amusement before we continued onwards. In a larger cavern, several Husks had been to be destroyed along with another piece of Reaper technology. Several other rachni were present and the Metal Dragon siblings had the pleasure of burning them alive along with other Reaper creatures.
"Saren behind you!" I shouted seeing a rachni sneaking up on him.
The older turian turned and plunged a syringe into his prey. Inside the syringe was a silvery liquid and the Spectre hurriedly pushed the plunger into the rachni. The rachni shrieked as though it were in pain before finally dying.
"What was that you just did?" Garrus questioned Saren once the coast was clear.
"Testing a theory" Saren replied as he pulled the syringe out of the dead rachni. "That was venom from a Silver Lily, Rue had a hunch it was toxic to Reapers and she was right"
"Holy shit" was all I could say. "That venom will be useful in this war"
"I plan on letting her know that" Saren responded.
We found some more pods and as always they were destroyed. Another path was blocked off and we passed Grunt along with his team shooting down a group of rachni. Shepard destroyed another node and that let Grunt and his comrades join us a few seconds later. The young krogan informed us he and his group would hold off any enemies while our group had a chance to find the main chamber.
After another clutch of pods was destroyed we had to follow the Commander on our knees into the next room. And this room was the central chamber too.
However, when we walked a few feet forward several machine barriers surrounded us. Shepard took down the node and again we dealt with some enemies. With the Metal Dragon siblings killing these bastards went by faster.
We had to undo the barriers by destroying the Reaper technology along with any enemies. Eventually, we had the last barrier brought down and what was behind made my jaw drop. It was a huge creature and from its scent it was definitely female.
It used a krogan soldier nearby to begin communication. This female was a Rachni Queen and she was using telepathy to speak to us. From what she was saying the Reapers were using her offspring for their personal gain. According to her when she was freed she kept her word to Shepard and had retreated back into the relay.
She and her kind had been trying to make a new home but the Reapers had found her and the offspring and took control of them. That pissed me off and I felt saddened for this beast. Honestly, she didn't seem like a threat, she just wanted to survive.
The queen then turned to a node next to her and she explained that if it was destroyed she would be able to be free.
"Hold on a second" I interrupted. I approached the queen and asked her. "Are you by any chance indoctrinated?"
"I am not sure the pull of the machines is faint" was her response.
"She is" Saren confirmed.
"That can be remedied then"
I then pulled out a vial with Healing Sage and used a syringe to get the cure into the medical device. I then found a soft spot on the Rachni Queen and then injected the needle of the syringe into her. The queen kept still as I worked on her. Eventually, the entire syringe was emptied and I waited for the cure to take effect. The queen shook her head before I saw her eyes becoming clearer.
"The pull is no longer present" she spoke. "You have my thanks shifter"
"One shouldn't be a slave along with her children" I answered before backing away.
Shepard destroyed the node containing the queen and once it was destroyed she was able to move.
"Any remaining children will still be under the machine's control, please put them out of their misery" the queen begged. "And once again I am in your debt"
Shepard nodded and before I followed the others the queen and I shared one last glance before I ran after my comrades. Grunt was still alive along with some of his men and all of us ran for it. We were doing well until the remaining indoctrinated rachni had us surrounded.
"Cy kill these things now!" I ordered.
"Come on sis! You heard her!"
"With pleasure!"
The Metal Dragon siblings then unleashed their fiery fury on the rachni and the indoctrinated insects died.
"Shit I love Metal Dragons" Grunt joked. "The female isn't bad looking either"
"Watch it whelp that's my sister you're referring to!" Cypher reprimanded the young krogan.
"I was only giving my opinion Rust Bucket"
The rest of us either facepalmed or shook our heads as the two males argued. I was laughing my ass off on the other hand.
Back on the Normandy
Still Leena's POV
I spent a longer period of time in the shower than usual. It felt damn good though.
"You smell better" Garrus teased.
He had his shower before me and he was only in a pair of pants while I was only in a towel.
"Are you saying I smell bad from time to time babe?"
"If I told the truth my love you would kick my ass"
"I only kick your ass if you do something that makes me mad like the coffeepot"
"I thought it needed calibrating!" my turian husband protested.
I gave my Archangel a smirk before starting to brush my hair out.
"Wait a minute where the hell is my visor?"
While Garrus had been showering earlier I hid his visor somewhere in the room. I let my husband look around before he eventually turned to me.
"Leena where did you put it?"
"You'll get it back later babe" I reassured my spouse. I then walked to my Archangel and touched the left side of his face. "Once in a while, I like seeing you without it"
My husband leaned into my touch and purred. He then lifted me upwards and my legs went around his waist as he walked us to the bed. Soon we were both on the mattress and he lay my head on top of my chest. I rubbed his fringe and he hummed in pleasure as I did that.
"Spirits that feels good," my Archangel said as I continued massaging his fringe.
"Besides your scars your fringe is also sexy, that along with your tongue"
I then licked his mouth plates and mandibles with my own.
"You especially enjoy my tongue when it's at your lower body" he teased.
" I do but there are other places where it pleases me"
Garrus chuckled before he used his tongue to lick a sensitive spot on my neck. Afterward, he lay his head against my chest again. We both ended up falling asleep in each other's arms and it was a good nap too.