A/N: Hey fellers! Merry Christmas!

So, I once again bring you a chapter! I hope you guys are not fed up with the long time each update take. I truly apologize for it. Things are a bit… Weird on my side. But never mind that.

We are wrapping up another year, and time seems to fly for this story. This story is 2 and a half years old! Can you believe that? It's crazy, isn't it? And it annoys me that I update it so slowly, I truly wish I was as good at updating the story as I was when I first began.

However, don't lose hope! I will NEVER give up on this story. I will always come back until it is done, even if that will be by 2030. So, I'm hoping that this story will at least be at 70-75 chapters by the time we hit June 2020. Is it likely? I don't know, but miracles do happen.

And, a huge THANKS to everyone who continues to support this story. Some of you have been here since the beginning, and it really warms my heart! I really love to read your guys' feedback. Seeing reviews is always what makes me smile. And thank you for your suggestions, I love to read them, and I will incorporate them into the story if I like them and they make sense.

Also, remember that I have a discord server that you can join me on. Find it here: D iscord . gg (slash) F578759

So, I hope you guys have a merry Christmas and a happy new year! Oh, and do keep your eyes out for both me rewriting earlier chapter (Chapter 17 was just updated!), and me uploading new ones.

Anyhow, enjoy the chapter!

Kind regards

KanisRussell.

"You know, there seems to be a time and a place for everything. Come to think of it, a season for everything. In this very moment, what is the right thing to do? Can we allow ourselves to sit back and do nothing while the world burns? And so, I ask of you, my old friend; what are we to do? What am I to do? Is my path not righteous when it is dictated by God?"

28/3/2186

Citadel.

Rorke looked down at the list on his omni-tool. He sighed as he read the names of the scumbags he had to recruit for Aria. While there was little he wouldn't do for Aria, he really did not approve of most of the people he had been tasked with convincing to join him and Aria. However, these were rather desperate times. It turns out that a war is very bad for business.

First up was Kreete, the leader of the blood pack. He knew this wouldn't work out, Rorke hated Kreete, and Kreete probably hated Rorke even more. But, Aria had one of her lieutenants work out some master plan to get the blood pack into their pocket. The plan might work, but Rorke so happened to be the bait, and that was something he didn't like.

So, it was with a sour mood he came to the apartment where the meeting, or the set-up, was supposed to happen. Narl, the Batarian that Aria had originally assigned to the case was there already. Rorke only tolerated the Batarians Aria used because she insisted they were competent at their jobs. Rorke would beg to differ, but now was not the time.

"Are you ready Rorke?" Narl nervously asked. Clearly, he wasn't really all that happy with this plan as well.

"Let's just get it over it." Rorke remarked as he got down on his knees and put his arms behind his back. It didn't take more than half a minute before the blood pack leadership walked in. Three Vorchas, probably the dumbest race in the galaxy. They were vermin in Rorke's mind.

"Ah, Aria is even more powerful than I thought!" Kreete proclaimed as he saw Aria's… Gift for him. "Killing you would be great! You would make great hood ornament for my shuttle!" Kreete explained, practically licking his lips while he was at it.

"Shut up. Do we have a deal?" Narl asked as he silently and discreetly placed a gun in Rorke's hands.

"Yes! Aria can use my troops!" Kreete replied.

"I wasn't talking to you. How about it Gryll?" Narl asked again.

"GRYLL?" Kreete asked confused.

"YES! OPEN FIRE!" Gryll ordered. Both Narl and Rorke shot the living hell out of Kreete and his bodyguard. Rorke had a good mind to kill Gryll while he was at it, it would have been easy. But no, they needed him.

"There we are." Narl said as he holstered his gun.

"Indeed. Now Gryll, I don't need to remind you what will happen if you double cross me or Aria, right?" Rorke asked.

"No! Of course not! Gryll not stupid! My troops are your troops now." Gryll promised.

"Good boy." Rorke praised sarcastically. "You got it from here?" Rorke turned around and asked Narl.

"Yeah, head on to the Eclipse. I think Aria mentioned that Jona is being held down in the C-sec holding cells on the presidium. Here-" Narl handed him a data pad. "-Just show this to the officer there, and you can talk with her." Narl said. Rorke nodded and went down there right away. It was only a short walk from where he was.

That was the first gang in Aria's pocket, and it was a lot smoother than either Aria or Rorke had thought. Now, on to the Eclipse, like all the other major gangs, they had experienced a leadership change… Considering that Archangel had cleaned house only a year ago. Jona Sederis was the new leader, and she was a nasty piece of work. While Rorke used to admire the bloodlust and ruthlessness that Jona showcased ever so proudly, she was clearly mentally unstable and arrogant.

Even Aria didn't like doing business with Jona. She was simply too unpredictable when it came down to it. That's why Rorke had been cooking up a little plan of his own. It was happen that her second in command, A Salarian by the name of Sayn, was weak minded and much easier to control. So, Rorke would have a little chat with Jona, just to spit in her face one last time.

So, Rorke showed the officer the data pad he had been given, and he was given about 10 minutes of conversation with the rather.. unhinged gang leader. He saw the Asari's face appear on the screen.

"What? Who is this?" Jona asked.

"Take a wild guess." Rorke replied.

"Ahhh, Mr. Rorke. So good to know you have come to free me. What are you waiting for? Let me out already!" She demanded.

"No… I don't think I will." Rorke said smugly.

"What do you mean? You and Aria obviously need me." Jona reminded him.

"You see Jona, I don't very much like you, especially considering that when you get out of there… It will be more trouble than it's worth. You're good for one thing, and that's making enemies. Though, I think I would find someone like… Sayn, much more to my liking." Rorke replied.

"Sayn? HA! Don't make me laugh, he would never betray me. He is too weak minded." Jona said.

"A weak mind is easy to bend. I think he will do. Oh, and do enjoy your time in there." Rorke said, and then finally ended the call before Jona could throw out any more insults. Then, it was on to Sayn. He wouldn't need a lot of work before he was willing to join their side.

So, Rorke took the elevator up to the customs/holding area. The place where all the refugees were gathering. This was where most of the gangs were held up at the moment. It was an easy place to lie low while the entire galaxy was turning on its head. And there, among the refugee camps, were the Eclipse leadership… Well, expect Jona of course. Sayn seemed to be weary of everyone that came too close.

"Men, get ready for trouble." Sayn ordered as he saw who just walked into his camp.

"Easy there, Sayn. There is no need for trouble." Rorke replied.

"I hope so." Sayn said.

"I'm here about Jona." Rorke clarified.

"Yeah? I'm the one who recommended that. Aria wanted to know what could get us to join her, I figured getting Jona out would put us back on the map!" Sayn proudly proclaimed, as if it was anything to be proud of.

"Well Sayn, I think there is a better way." Rorke said.

"Yeah? How?" Sayn asked curiously.

"Run the gang yourself. You're more than capable. Let Jona rot, no one likes her anyway. Think about it, you in charge? All these people looking to you for leadership. It's a much better idea." Rorke suggested.

"Hmmm… Yeah, that could work… Yes, it's settled then. I'll leave Jona in jail and take control!" Sayn decided.

"And as for our deal?" Rorke asked.

"I'll honor it, don't worry. My resources are Aria's." Sayn promised.

"Good. Have a nice day, Sayn." Rorke said as he departed. That was another gang in Aria's pocket. Her control would no doubt run even deeper now, since Sayn had a spine made of butter. Only it would ever take was a little squeeze.

That left only one Merc gang left. The blue suns. A gang he had much knowledge of, given his past run ins with them. A new leader had arisen after Vido's demise. And Rorke wasn't quite sure what to think of the new leader, Darner Vosque. He had very little experience with him, so their meeting would surely be interesting.

He found Darner would a short walk away from Sayn. He was leaning against the prefab as he carefully watched everything that happened around the area. Just from the first glance, he could see that Darner was a prideful son of a bitch. His body language spoke volumes.

"Are you Darner?" Rorke asked as he came up to the human.

"That I am, and you must be the famous Conrad Rorke. What a pleasure." Darner greeted.

"I wish I could say the same. I'd gather you know why I am here?" Rorke asked.

"Yeah, Aria wants my support in her own crusade. Did she tell you what I wanted in return?" Darner asked, and Rorke was already annoyed to all hell. This little prick had the nerve to actually demand stuff from him and Aria? His organization was lucky to still be in business after all that Rorke had done, or wanted to do over the years.

"What is it?" Rorke asked annoyed.

"Just a small hit on a Turian general named Oraka. He has been a thorn in my side for a few months now, hitting our trade routes like crazy. If he gets… disposed of, then I'll give my support to Aria." Darner replied.

"Fuck off..." Rorke mumbled.

"Sorry, what was that?" Darner asked.

"You're an idiot, Darner. You're lucky to even be invited to join forces. Together, we'll survive this shit. This demand of yours is absurd, I'd suggest you leave it at the fucking door and just join up with us." Rorke replied.

"Excuse me? What the fuck gives you the right to talk to me like that?`" Darner asked, boiling with anger.

"I'll tell you what: I fucking killed your former boss, Vido. Yeah, remember him? I jammed my thumbs into his eyes, and I'll do the same to you if you don't wise the fuck up." Rorke answered coldly.

"Ahhh, I see. You have a superiority complex. Is it because Aris favors you? Well, why don't you run along and tell Aria I'll stop by her for some… R&R." Darner laughed mockingly. Rorke didn't show much of any emotion in that moment.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Rorke asked.

"Don't act dumb Conrad. We all know it's just a matter of time before that blue ass joins me in bed." Darner laughed, though the laughter didn't last long before Rorke grabbed Darner by the throat and pinned him against the wall.

"Here is the thing, Darner: I don't very much like cocky bitches like you, and especially when they hit on my girl. So..." Rorke hit Darner straight in the stomach, right where the liver is. Darner collapsed on the floor like a rag doll. Rorke began to kick Darner profusely, after about a minute of doing that and hearing Darner cry for mercy, Rorke took Darner's arm, and twisted it until it gave the satisfying CRACK sound.

"Now Darner. I assume we can count on your support?" Rorke asked.

"YES! YES! You can count on me! I swear I'll pledge my troops!" Darner promised.

"Good boy. Don't make me do another social call." Rorke remarked. Darner nodded profusely in agreement and understatement.

20 minutes later

Purgatory Bar, Citadel.

It was crowded with in the bar, despite it being midday. Yet, the only one setting in the corner was Aria and her closest advisers. No one dared come too close; most people knew Aria's reputation. Aria had considerable pull on the citadel, and even more so now since several more gang leaders had joined her side, both big and small. She had more power than she ever had before.

Rorke made his way down to Aria. The guards let him right through, they knew better than to try and stop him. Aria smiled as she saw her lover coming down to her. Word had already gotten back to her that the gangs were behind her. So, he had once again done well.

"I hear you have been busy. I assume it went well?" Aria asked, even though she already knew the answer.

"Turns out some Merc leaders need more persuasion than others. In just 2 hours, I have toppled 2 gang leaders and installed new ones, and I beat the last one up." Rorke replied.

"Ah yes, I heard that Darner had a very unfortunate accident. Was that really necessary?" Aria asked, although it was more sarcastically than anything else.

"Yes. Fucker got a spine made of butter, but he is still breathing. And he swore on his momma's grave that he'll give you the support you need." Rorke assured her.

"Excellent. And I must say: nice touch with Sayn. My influence runs even deeper now, thanks to you." Aria remarked.

"I thought so as well. I would pay a nice sum of money to see Jona swing, but this will do." Rorke replied.

"So, now that all of them are in my pocket, we can move onto the next project." Aria said.

"Omega." Rorke muttered.

"Indeed. I'll get in contact with Romanov, since I know you clearly don't want to do so. And we'll need another one, I have one in mind." Aria suggested.

"I'm telling you: bringing Romanov along is a mistake. But it's your show. Also, who do you have in mind?" Rorke asked curiously.

"William Sheridan." She answered. Dead serious.

"You must be joking… Sheridan? Really? That man was always weak." Rorke laughed.

"That's not what I heard. He is one of the most powerful biotics, and he apparently has a burning passion for killing Cerberus troops." Aria disagreed.

"Well, if you want Sheridan on board, I'm sure it won't take much convincing." Rorke replied.

"That was what I was thinking. Now, have a drink and enjoy this small victory." Aria offered as she gestured for a waiter to come and bring some drinks to their table.

"Don't mind if I do." Rorke said as he leaned back in the sofa. Being Aria's right hand man and lover was not such a bad thing after all.

30/3 2186

War room, SSV Normandy SR-2.

"Good job Captain. That bomb could have proven a big disaster." Hackett congratulated, of at least his version of it.

"Indeed. It would have soured relations between the Turians and the Krogan to the point of no return. But that's not the issue. The issue is that Victus kept vital information from me." Mads explained.

"I know. Victus has always been fiercely loyal to the Turian hierarchy. He would rather die than put it in more danger than necessary. I suppose he needs to know that he can trust you, and I hope this proves it for him." Hackett replied.

"Hopefully. I could do with fewer surprises. And what is the status of the Alliance's fleets?" Mads asked, perhaps not really wanting to know after all.

"We're putting every resource we have towards building this massive structure. The egg heads have dubbed it project 'crucible'. We're hoping it will be our ace in the hole. But on all other fronts, we're being pushed back, slowly but surely. It's a grim reality." Hackett answered.

"I know… I'm just hoping I can improve our chances." Mads remarked.

"I know you will. Your orders are to keep the peace until this alliance is settled between the Turians and the Krogan." Hackett reminded him.

"Copy that sir. I'll do my upmost." Mads reassured Hackett. Even if he doubted himself.

"Good. Hackett out." And with that, the hologram of the Admiral disappeared from sight. Mads could hear a commotion in the war room, and the voices no doubt belonged to Wrex and Victus. Mads sighed as he went to see what the fuss was about this time.

"You had a bomb on Tuchanka, and it never occurred you to tell me about it?!" Wrex was furious, that much was clear, and Mads could understand why.

"It was deemed necessary at the time! Besides, this is why I didn't tell you about it! You accuse me of things that happened long before I was born!" Victus fired back.

"Romanov! Did he tell you about this?" Wrex turned around and asked.

"No he did not, but that is irrelevant now. Both of you need to accept that what happened in the past should stay in the past. We don't have time for this!" Mads practically ordered.

"But-" Wrex started, but was cut off.

"No fucking buts Wrex! I am NOT in the mood for this shit right now. We are all in the same motherfucking boat, and it's fucking SINKING! I understand your anger Wrex, he lied to me as well." Mads replied.

"I'm sorry but-" Victus didn't get far either.

"We need to trust each other, Victus. Desperate times call for desperate measures. We can't sit around and bury ourselves in pointless bureaucracy. BUT, your son died making this right. So, Wrex: Shut the fuck up and let bygones be bygones. Victus, let this be a lesson for you." Mads suggested.

"Yes… It will be the hardest lesson I have ever learned." Victus sadly remarked.

"I get it Romanov. You made your point, we won't argue about it anymore." Wrex promised.

"Jolly FUCKING good, Wrex. Now, I'm going to take a look at your problem, and it had better not be a repeat of what I just went through, so help me God I will gut you like a fucking pig." Mads was just tired. Having these two man childs arguing over who is the villain was not something he wanted to spend his time breaking up.

And so, Mads stormed off to his cabin to prepare for the mission ahead. Wrex had told him a little bit, and from what he had said, it wasn't looking good. Fucking Rachni...

Meanwhile...

Outer heaven, Tuchanka.

William stepped off the shuttle. He was about a click away from the cannon that needed to be taken back from Cerberus. He sighed as he equipped his weapon and began to make his way towards the site. He hoped that his team could keep a stealthy tone until they got close. Getting the drop on Cerberus could prove just what they needed in this case.

William was hoping that one day; he might convince Miranda to join him in Outer Heaven. He knew she was no longer with Cerberus, and that she was now almost being hunted by them. He had tried to make contact with her, but so far to no avail. But, he saved that train of thought for another time, there were far more pressing matters at hand at that very moment.

"Ready?" He asked in a whisper to his fellow team mates. They nodded, knowing that he would take the lead on this one. They managed to gain some high ground, and below him stood three Cerberus troopers. They were just chatting, like they were completely secure.

William fired up his biotics, the very thing that had been a curse and a blessing his entire life. Now, it was a deadly weapon that had been created by Cerberus, but was now turned against them. William took a deep breath and then took a leap of faith. He landed perfectly on top of one of the troopers and sent out a shock wave via his biotics. Enough to knock the other two out of commission. Now, it was on.

Soon, Cerberus personal were descending upon him like demons. He combined his biotics, and his deadly tactical know how to an almost perfect duo. He slaughtered them, no better word for it. This was a perfect way for him to vent his frustrations. Killing those who had wronged not only him, but so many people. This… This was the good fight.

William was like a machine, deadly and precise. Each kill was motivated by something emotional. Rage carried him through bullet storms and allowed him to get close enough for a melee fight. Stabbing a Cerberus officer to death was like almost pure bliss for him. His team mates were doing their part as well. Each of them had suffered at the hands of Cerberus in one way or another.

As the fighting died down. They realized that Cerberus had cut the power to the cannon, which was a good thing… Right? That was William's line of thought until Irsall hailed him over the radio.

"William! A Cerberus cruiser has just entered orbit and preparing for bombardment!" The Salarian warned.

"Can't you take it on?" William asked.

"No. Larpius is dog fighting with the Cerberus fighters… Can't you use the cannon?" Irsall suggested.

"They just cut the power!" William replied.

"Then turn the power back on, and reboot the cannon." Irsall almost ordered, and if this was the alliance, Irsall would have had to feel the fury of the Superior officer once he got back. But in this desperate moment, good advice was costly. So, William got to work on the power.

Some more Cerberus troopers joined the battle, hoping that they could keep William at bay. But, like most of the soldiers employed under Cerberus, they underestimated their enemies. And underestimating William was a fatal mistake. William cut through them like a hot knife through butter. He swung the troops around like rag dolls with his biotics.

Then, silence came over the battlefield again. William quickly got the power back again, and stationed two of his men to guard it until the cruiser was dealt with. He went back to the control room in the hopes that it was not too late yet. AS soon as he got there, he quickly calibrated the situation to the correct settings and hit the fire button like his life depended on it. The cannon was loud, as one might expect from what could be considered ancient in galactic standards. But the cannon was nothing if not powerful, it was powerful after all. On the hologram display that came with the control, William could see the hit, and it was damn beautiful.

The cruiser broke apart and bursted into flames. It would soon be a nice addition to the Tuchankan wasteland. He could hear the cheers of his team mates as they also saw the thing go down in flames. This was no doubt a job well done. William could not be more proud of his team than he was in that moment.

"Nice job! That will surely make Cerberus think twice about interfering with the war effort!" Irsall proclaimed over the radio. "Also… I have that information that you wanted, William." Irsall added.

"What information?" William asked, not remembering ordering Irsall to find anything for him.

"I think I found her, and you were right… She might need our help." Irsall replied.

"I'll come right back to the ship." William promised, this was the real good news of the day.

2/4 2186

Utukku

Mads stood patiently inside the shuttle and waited for Cortez to land the brick. The ride there had been uneventful, but it would seem that this assignment would be anything but. Wrex had explained that he had sent his very best to support him here. His scouts had gone missing, and it stood to reason that some force had been involved in it, most likely the reapers… But there was talk of Rachni… Fucking Rachni.

"There we are, Captain. Just call me when you need a pick up again." Cortez said as he landed the shuttle on the hard rocky ground that make up Utukku. The air was breathable, but it wasn't exactly an ideal place to live.

"Copy that Cortez. We'll call if there is anything." Mads replied as he jumped off the shuttle. He was followed by Liara, Garrus, James, Riesman and Kaminski. They all stepped out and took in the planet. Mads could already see Aralakh Company. They were preparing and probably waiting for Mads, who had in fact arrived fashionably late.

As Mads approached, he spotted what could only be described as a very familiar face. A Krogan was giving orders, but not just any Krogan. It was Grunt, the baby tank bred Krogan who had helped Mads face down the collectors half a year before.

"GRUNT?" Mads yelled.

"ROMANOV?" Grunt yelled back as he pushed his troops out of the way to come over and almost give Romanov a finger crushing handshake and pad on the back. Mads bid the pain and tried to not show that Grunt was only inches away from breaking his hand.

"I see you are moving up in the world." Mads remarked as he finally got his hand free again.

"What? Oh, this?" He asked as he showcased his company. "Wrex put me in charge of Aralakh Company." Wrex answered.

"How so?" Mads asked curiously.

"Wrex gathered us all together in the Aralakh Company. We are supposed to be a symbol of Krogan unity, the best of every clan. I was made leader because I am the very best, and because I am the symbol of the future… Or some bullshit like that. It's been great though." Grunt replied.

"That a fact?" Mads laughed. "Okay, so… What's the situation here?" Mads asked.

"The whole place is dead. The scouts are nowhere to be found, though their ships are still here. So, they never left. We can search the caves together. This whole place smells wrong in every way." Grunt remarked.

"Wrex said there was evidence of the Rachni." Mads informed.

"I know. He told me as well. I would love to fight the Rachni, they are a worthy enemy." Grunt replied.

"They are worthy, I assure you. Tough fucking bastards." Mads remembered.

"You fought them?" Grunt asked, and he was genuinely curious.

"Fought them? Fuck yeah I did. Pizdets, they are tough little shits. If you are looking for a good enemy, then you have certainly found them. Although I hope this isn't Rachni that killed Wrex's scouts. They promised me they would lay down their arms." Mads answered.

"… Wait, you let them go?" Grunt was confused.

"Yes, on the basis that they wouldn't do shit like this. But I guess we won't know until we look further." Mads replied. He looked back at his team mates. "Are we ready?" He asked. Most of them nodded. Mads took out his AK and turned off the safety. "Then let's go." Mads ordered. Grunt appeared happy that he could finally get on and see some action.

Mads did a final check to see if he had everything he needed. His AK was in his hands, his magnum sat smugly in his holster and his benelli m4 was on his back, also screaming for some action. Mads figured this wasn't the place for the DMRs he had acquired.

Mads went first through the ruins of prefabs that were supposedly up by the scouts. One of them appeared to be hanging by a thread on the cliff, but Mads decided to take the chance anyway, since it was the fastest way further into the caves. His team was right behind him. Just as he was half way through the prefab, he felt it shake, violently.

"Гавно!" Mads muttered as the whole prefab collapsed into the trench below. The whole thing happened so sudden, that there was barely any time to react when it fell. Luckily, there was just enough time for Mads and his team to escape a death by metal. "Fucking hell." Mads remarked as he caught his breath again. His team mates needed a minute to get back on their feet as well.

"ROMANOV! ARE YOU DEAD?" Grunt asked from his position on top of the cliff.

"NO SUCH LUCK!" Mads yelled back as he picked up his AK from the ground.

"HA! I LIKE THAT! WE'LL SEARCH FROM UP HERE!" Grunt informed.

"COPY THAT!" Mads yelled back as he turned his attention back to his team mates. "Well, you heard Grunt. Let's see if we can find out what happened here." Mads ordered.

"Do you really think its Rachni?" Liara asked as she jugged up to him.

"You tell me. You're the Shadow Broker. You should know." Mads replied.

"I haven't heard anything since we let them go on Noveria 3 years ago." Liara recollected.

"I know that they were still around about a year ago. A Asari passed along a message to me. But… I don't like this. I can just see that smug Turian councilor grinned in my mind if the Rachni are responsible for this." Mads feared. He had hoped they would go on to live a peaceful and better life. Maybe that was just impossible, or maybe he was overthinking this. They proceeded further into the caves, and found many interesting things.

Something lived here, and that something had killed the scouts. They found one dead. Mads had radioed it to Grunt, and all Grunt had suggested was that they took the poor bastard's flamethrower. James was quick to volunteer.

As they were walking along, carefully, in the caves, James came up to Mads' side. "Loco?" James asked.

"What is it Vega?" Mads asked back as he kept his eyes trained on every wall and dark corner.

"Could we possibly talk once we get back on the Normandy? There is something I want your opinion on." James asked.

"Sure. Just remind me when we get back. But for now, keep that thing ready. My guts are going haywire in here." Mads said.

"Yeah… Mine too." James agreed.

10 minutes later.

"Well, that confirms it." Mads said as he studied the corpse of what, no doubt, used to be a Rachni.

"But Rachni thrive in unbreathable atmospheres. To find them on habitable planets is… Strange." Liara remarked. Once again flexing her immersive knowledge of everything in the galaxy.

"These aren't exactly the same type we saw on Noveria. These are modified, like-" Garrus started.

"Like husks… Fuck, the reapers are here as well… And they have enslaved the Rachni… YEBAT!" Mads was angry. Of course the reapers were in on this. Did they get some sick fucking joy out of twisting and mutilating organics? Mads swore, once again, that he would kill those metal fucks. Even if he had to die while doing it.

"Grunt, come in. Grunt!" Mads tried to hail the baby Krogan.

"I'm here." Grunt replied.

"We have confirmed that it is Rachni, but we think they are being controlled by reapers." Mads explained.

"I know. We have met a few of them." Grunt said.

"We're going to move further into the cave and see if we can find the source of all this. Maybe the queen is still alive. If so, we might be able to free her." Mads suggested.

"Free her? Are you crazy? She is probably indoctrinated… Or whatever that word is." Grunt was never the one for words with more than three syllables.

"Listen to me! She could be a valuable ally! If she is too far gone, then we'll put her down. Otherwise… Well, let's not discuss it now." Mads didn't want to argue with Grunt. Despite being only a year old… Or there about. Grunt seemed to have grown into a leadership position, and so he had a high opinion of himself all of a sudden… Well, to be fair, the baby Krogan always had a high opinion of himself… Perfect Krogan.

Then, as they crawled ever deeper into the caves, where air became thinner and darkness became the norm. Mads could feel them… Those who he could not save. They were eating up the black matter in his brain.

Will you? Will you save them?

What good is your word? What good have you actually done?

Do you consider yourself a hero, Romanov?

"Shut up!" Mads said, louder than he wanted to.

"What's going on?" Kaminski asked concerned.

"No-Nothing! Nothing to worry about!" Mads was quick to reply. He tried to mentally slap some sense into himself. They are long dead, they can't hurt him! Why do they keep coming back? Hadn't he done some good?

Maybe he was just a fool, who actually believed that God had chosen him to save the trillions of people who lived in the galaxy. Maybe he was just another meathead, good only for martyrdom. He struggled, mentally at least. When he was fighting, things were quiet. He was in the moment. When he was alone, or passive: They haunted him. Reminded him of all the failures and sins he had committed.

He would do right by the Rachni queen, one way or another. They deserve a chance, every race deserves a second chance. Even the most vile and ugly of ones… Even humans, as evil as they were, deserved a second chance.

20 minutes later

"What the fuck?" Mads asked, to no one in particular, when he saw the Queen. Strung up in Reaper wire… Or whatever the fuck that was. Mads didn't know if they showed emotion or not, but he could have sworn the Queen looked sad. Resigned to its fate.

"Holy shit." Kaminski said as he came up as well. "I never thought I would see the queen again." Kaminski remarked.

"Me neither." Mads added. "Erh.. Hello?" Mads tried to greet as he waved his hand around. Soon, the Queen took control of the bodies of the dead Krogan scouts. They would serve as it's voice, like the Asari on Noveria.

"Silence… Finally… Silence." All the Krogan bodies said in perfect union.

"Spirits!" Garrus said.

"Is that you? The one I saved?" Mads asked.

"Yes, the last queen. We listen for our children… But they are hollow and silent. The machines corrupted them… They will die alone, without music." The queen said, through its puppets of course.

"I let you go back on Noveria. How did this happen? You made a promise!" Mads asked.

"We remember. We upheld our promise. We retreated through the relay. We started a new life, a new beginning. But, the machines came and took everything." The queen answered.

"Do you still hear them?… The machines I mean." Mads was hoping the Queen would say no, so that he wouldn't have to kill it.

"We hear them, but they do not control us! We will fight back, we will help!" The Queen promised.

"Romanov, I reckon all you need to do in order to release the queen is shooting the last shackle." Riesman advised.

"Yeah-" Before Mads could do that, Grunt came back on the radio.

"Romanov! There is a lot of movement up here. I think they are mounting another attack." Grunt said.

"The children are coming! Release us or we'll all die!" The Queen begged.

"She is wounded. She'll need a lot of time to escape." Garrus remarked.

"Romanov! We are out of time. If we stay, then Aralakh company dies! Do you understand?" Grunt asked. Mads almost knew it would come down to this: Sacrifice Aralakh company and allow the rachni to live, or doom to Rachni to eternal darkness and get to keep Grunt and Aralakh company.

Mads sent up a silent prayer, and asked for forgiveness. He made his choice. He couldn't let the Rachni die, no matter how good Aralakh company might be. "Listen here Grunt! Aralakh company stands it's ground and fight the reapers while the Queen escapes! Grunt, get to our position and lead us out. We'll buy some time for the Queen." Mads ordered.

"DAMN YOU ROMANOV! UGGGGHHHH FINE! I'm on my way!" Grunt was probably boiling with anger, and that was fair.

"Romanov, are you sure about this?" Garrus asked.

"We need the Queen, and I can't let her die. She is the last and she'll be a valuable asset in due time." Mads explained.

"Copy that." Garrus replied. Mads didn't know if Garrus approve or not, but right now he felt this was the right thing to do. So, Mads took out his magnum and pointed it at the last shackle, the key to the Queen's freedom. With a single shot, he had sealed the deal. This was what was going to happen. Aralakh company would give their life to save an entire race.

The Queen's restrains sprung free, and she could finally move freely again. She sounded relieved in some way… Or maybe not… Maybe Mads was just trying to justify his actions. Soon after, Grunt blew a hole on the wall, and came to lead them out. "Let's go!" Mads ordered to his team. They also had to get out, before they too were overrun.

So, they ran. They ran like their life depended on it… Because it kind of did. In the chaos, the Queen would find its way to a safe place where it could re-plan what it was going to do. The Reapers were hot on Mads and his team mates' tails. Hoping to kill them.

Grunt fought with pure anger and they ran towards the exit. His blood rage must have activated, or something like that. He fought like a beast, like a true warrior… Like a true Krogan. They ran, and they kept running… Right until they ran around a corner and saw a least a dozen Reaper controlled Rachni. Too many for them.

Mads' mind was racing with ideas on how to get out of this situation. But, he was short of anything but trying their luck. That was until something unexpected happened. Grunt stood in front of Mads, and he made eye contact.

"Go! I'll hold them off." Grunt promised. Mads looked back into Grunt's eyes, and saw that he was serious. Was Grunt really willing to lay down his life like this? But Grunt was right, this was the only way. Mads put his hand on Grunt's shoulder.

"You're the best fucking Krogan I know, Grunt. It has been an honor." Mads said.

"Just go before you cry, Romanov." Grunt tried to joke… And maybe it would have been funny if the circumstances were different.. But this was how it was. Maybe it was how it had to be as well.

Mads gave a final nod to Grunt, and gestured for his team mates to follow him the other way. As they ran, they could hear Grunt giving the Reapers a little piece of hell. This earned infinite respect in Mads' book. Such a noble Sacrifice.

Sometime later, they emerged from the tunnels to the day light. The shuttle was waiting for them. "Cortez, we're the only ones out." Mads said, rather sorrowfully.

"Copy that Captain… Sorry to hear that." Cortez remarked.

"Yeah… Me too." Mads replied as he went over to the shuttle. The other team mates jumped on the shuttle first, and Mads handed them his weapons. He wasn't sure why he stalled there, maybe it was divine intervention? Or maybe just dumb fucking luck, but as Mads looked over back to the tunnels, he saw a very familiar shape staring back at him.

It was Grunt. Covered in blood and limped his way towards the shuttle. Mads ran to him in almost pure joy. He was alive! "GRUNT!" Mads yelled as he came to the baby Krogan, who was now at least a teenager in Mads' books.

"Hey Romanov… You got anything to eat?" Grunt was wounded, and he was exhausted to the point where he could collapse at any moment. Mads quickly supported him, and James and Garrus came to help as well.

"I'll get you an entire fucking cow to eat, Grunt. You tough son-of-a-bitch!" Mads said as he supported Grunt all the way to the shuttle. What a tough bastard, surviving something like that? Maybe he was a step up from the average Krogan.

In the end, perhaps it was worth it after all…