"Commander, I'm reading a signal. Must be our salarian infiltration team." Joker gestured at the console readout.

Kaidan let out a low whistle. "Check out those defense towers."

"Why can't it ever be simple?" Michael sighed. "Drop the mako. We'll go in hot and take them out." He started for the bay, Kaidan a pace behind. He leaned into the mess room. "Tali. Ash. Feel like going for a nice drive along the beach and then blowing up some geth?"

Ashley put a hand over her heart. "You do know how to show a girl a good time, Shepard."

#

"Fifty credits."

"I don't..." Tali shook her head. "I keep forgetting I'm actually being paid for helping the Alliance." She laughed. "Fine. Fifty credits on Wrex."

"What are you two betting on?" Ashley glanced back over her shoulder.

"Who can get more distance when biotically throwing a geth." Michael shrugged.

Ashley glanced at Kaidan before looking back at Wrex. "Sorry, LT. I have to put my fifty on Wrex."

"Yeah. No offense to the human race or anything, but..." Garrus waved a hand. "Fifty on Wrex." He glanced at the third biotic. "Unless Liara wants to play, in which case, fifty on her."

"Liara is not playing." She shook her head.

"We're out of geth here." Michael looked around. "We can settle this at the next gate."

"Do I get a say in this?" Kaidan raised an eyebrow.

"No."

#

"You realize you're going to be out a hundred and fifty credits." Kaidan glanced at Shepard. He wasn't at all comfortable about the idea of throwing around geth body parts in competition with Wrex.

"Only if I lose." Shepard shrugged. "Not worried."

"Why not?"

Shepard glanced over his shoulder and to Kaidan's surprise, actually smiled. "Cause I'm the one betting on you."

He found himself smiling back. "Well, alright then."

#

"Guns are down and..." Michael shrugged. "You each owe me fifty credits. Except Ashley. She owes me a hundred."

"I do?"

"You never paid up on the last bet."

"Gambling is against regulations, skipper."

"One. Hundred. Credits." Michael opened the channel to the Normandy. "Joker."

"I'm reading that the grid is down, Commander. On approach to the salarian base now. Out."

#

"Commander. Normandy's touched down at the base, but it looks like we're grounded." Joker's voice came over the comm. "The salarian captain can explain when you get here."

Michael shook his head. "Well, the explanation better be good, or I'm going to let Wrex eat him."

#

Ashley already had a salarian in her sights when Michael made it over. "So what are we supposed to do now?"

"Stay put until we can come up with a plan." The salarian gestured.

"Are you in charge here?" Michael joined Ashley and Kaidan. "What's the situation?"

"I'm Captain Kirrahe, Third Infiltration Regiment STG. You and your crew have just landed in the middle of a hotzone. Every AA gun within ten miles has been alerted to your presence."

"That's just great." Michael folded his arms. "What now?"

"We stay put until the Council sends the reinforcements we requested."

"We are the reinforcements." Kaidan shook his head.

"What? You're all they sent? I told the Council to send a fleet." He wasn't so good at reading salarian body language, but he'd bet ten credits Kirrahe was pissed.

"We couldn't understand your transmission. They sent me to investigate."

Kirrahe took a deep breath. "That is a repetition of our task. I lost half my men investigating this place."

"So what have you found?" Kaidan looked around the camp.

"Saren's base of operations. He's set up a research facility here, but it's crawling with geth and very well fortified."

Well, maybe this wasn't a waste of time after all. "Is he here? Have you seen him?"

"No. But his geth are everywhere, and we've intercepted some comms referring to Saren." Kirrahe glanced over his shoulder. "This is his facility, there's no doubt about that."

Michael nodded. "What's Saren researching?"

"He's using the facility to breed an army of krogan."

Wrex immediately turned his attention away from where he'd been talking to Tali. "How is that possible?"

"Apparently, Saren has discovered a cure for the genophage."

"Oh." Michael shook his head. Who would have thought he'd ever miss the days when giant plant monsters were his biggest problem? Actually, that hadn't really been all that long ago, had it?

"Without it, the krogan will quickly overrun the galaxy. And these krogan follow Saren."

"The geth are bad enough. But with a krogan army..." He'd seen Wrex in action. The man really was a tank. "He'd be almost unstoppable."

"Exactly my thoughts. We must ensure that this facility and its secrets are destroyed."

Saying that in front of the krogan? Not the best idea. Wrex immediately drew himself up to his full and not inconsiderable height. "Destroyed? I don't think so. Our people are dying. This cure can save them."

"If that cure leaves this planet, the krogan will become unstoppable. We can't make the same mistake again." Kirrahe shook his head.

Wrex advanced. "We are not a mistake." For a moment, Michael thought the krogan actually was going to eat the salarian. Wrex shook his head, and walked away.

"Is he going to be a problem?" Kirrahe watched him go. "We already have enough angry krogan to deal with."

"He's my problem." Michael folded his arms. "Don't worry about it, captain."

"I do worry. That's why I'm still alive." Kirrahe shook his head. "Why don't you go talk to the krogan. My men and I need some time to come up with a new plan of attack. In the meantime, if you need any supplies you can talk to Commander Rentola. He's in one of the tents nearby." Kirrahe walked away.

He turned to face Kaidan and Ashley. Kaidan nodded. "Looks like things are a bit of a mess."

"Yeah." Ashley sighed. "I wouldn't be so worried if it wasn't for Wrex. He looks like he's going to blow a gasket."

"You two have an incredible gift for understatement." Michael glanced in Wrex's direction. "Get the lay of the land. I'll go..." He rubbed the back of his neck. "Be diplomatic. Might want to find some cover."

#

Wrex was shooting at the water when Michael walked over to him. "This isn't right, Shepard. If there's a cure for the genophage, we can't destroy it."

"Calm down, Wrex. I'm not the enemy here. Saren's the one you should be mad at." Michael sighed.

"Really? Saren created a cure for my people. You want to destroy it. Help me out here, Shepard. The lines between friend and foe are getting a little blurry from where I stand."

"I don't want to destroy it. And if there is any possible way take out Saren without destroying the cure, then that's what I'll do." Michael stared up at Wrex. "But this isn't a cure, it's a weapon. And if Saren is allowed to use it, you won't be around to reap the benefits. None of us will."

"That's a chance we should be willing to take. This is the fate of my entire people we're talking about." Wrex advanced until he was only inches away. "I've been loyal to you so far. Hell, you did more for me than my family ever did. But if I'm going to keep following you, I need to know we're doing it for the right reasons."

Next thing he knew, Wrex's shotgun was pointed at him. He realized he'd drawn his own rifle almost out of reflex. "All you need to know is that I'm giving you an order to fall in line."

"So that's it. All this time, and that's all I get from you?" Wrex glared. "How can you not see what this means to the krogan?" He shifted his shotgun just slightly. "This base can't be destroyed. I won't allow it."

Michael stared at him, and then made the call. He holstered his rifle. "Saren doesn't care about these krogan. They're tools, puppets. He'll destroy them as soon as they're no longer useful to him. Is that what you want for your people?"

Silence. A shotgun, aimed at him. Wrex's red eyes blinked. "No. We were tools for the Council once. To thank us for wiping out the rachni, they neutered us all. I doubt Saren will be as generous." It took a few more seconds, but Wrex put the shotgun away. "All right, Shepard. You've made your point. I don't like this, but I trust you enough to follow your lead." He straightened. "Just one thing. When we find Saren, I want his head."

#

Kaidan watched Shepard walk back over, leaving Wrex standing at the water. He nodded when Shepard came in range. "Nice work with Wrex. I didn't think anything would calm him down."

"I wouldn't say he's calm." Shepard glanced back over his shoulder. "But his rage is pointed in the right direction again."

He sighed. "For a minute there, I thought you were going to kill him..." He met Shepard's eyes. "You lowered your gun."

"I've never been one for listening to someone who had a gun pointed at me." Shepard shrugged. "Figured Wrex was the same."

"So you..." Kaidan shifted his weight slightly. "Bet your life you could talk him down?"

"Yeah, guess I did." Shepard shook his head. "You've been a really bad influence on me with this whole 'diplomacy' thing. I almost even said please."

"I uh..." Kaidan sighed. "Maybe you should have tried it out under less life-threatening conditions first?"

"Kaidan..." Shepard raised an eyebrow. "When, exactly, would that be?"

"Good point."

Shepard patted him on the shoulder before heading back to talk to the salarians.

#

"Thank you for speaking with the krogan. The assault on Saren's base will be difficult enough as it is."

"I'm hoping that means there is a plan?" Michael raised an eyebrow at Kirrahe.

"Of sorts. We can convert our ship's drive system into a twenty-kiloton ordnance. Crude, but effective."

"Nice." Ashley nodded. "Drop that nuke from orbit and Saren can kiss his turian ass goodbye."

"Unfortunately, the facility is too well-fortified for that. We'll need to place the bomb at a precise location." Kirrahe indicated a map. "The bomb must be taken to the far side of the facility. Your ship can drop it off, but we'll need to infiltrate the base, disable the AA guns, and pacify any ground forces first."

Oh. Was that all? Next to him, Kaidan shook his head. "You want us to go in on foot? We don't have enough men."

Michael looked over the map, and frowned. Actually, assuming the salarians knew which end of a gun to hold, they might. It just was going to be a bloody repeat of Torfan. Shit. Shit shit shit shit shit. "It's sure not going to be simple."

"No, it won't." Kirrahe leaned on the other side of the makeshift table. "We just don't have the numbers to meet them head on. I'm going to divide my men into three teams and hit the front of the facility. While we've got their attention, you can sneak your 'shadow' team in the back."

He nodded. "How long do you think your people can hold?"

"We're tougher than we look, Commander. But it's true. I don't expect many of us will make it out alive." Kirrahe looked up at him. "And that makes what I'm going to ask even more difficult. I need one of your men to accompany me. To help coordinate the teams."

"You expect me to commit one of my people to your command?" It wasn't like Kirrahe had made a great impression thus far.

"We are all soldiers by trade. If your people are not prepared to face such a risk, would you really want them by your side?"

"He's right, Commander." Kaidan nodded. "We can't do this without both teams at their best. I volunteer."

"Not so fast, LT." Ashley shook her head. "Commander Shepard will need you to arm the nuke. I'll go with the salarians."

"With all due respect, Gunnery Chief, it's not your place to decide." Kaidan folded his arms.

"Why is it that whenever someone says 'with all due respect' they really mean 'kiss my ass?'" Ashley raised an eyebrow.

Prepared for the risk of enemy action was one thing. Prepared for the potential incompetence of a commanding officer was another. He was just going to have to hope the council knew what it was doing when it sent this guy. And the salarians would stand a better chance if they had a heavy. At least he wouldn't have to worry about Ashley eating any of them. Maybe. "Williams, you'll accompany the captain. No heroics, understood?"

"Aye, aye, Commander." She saluted.

Kirrahe nodded. "I will have the ordnance loaded onto the Normandy and brief your crew on its detonation sequencing. Do you have any questions before we go, Commander?"

They went over the exit strategy. Michael just hoped some of the salarians were alive to use it. He mentally mapped the potential routes to his target before shoving the map at Garrus to let him do the same thing. It wasn't a great plan. It was just the only plan they had.

#

"Well, this is it. Don't do anything stupid while I'm gone, LT. You too, Commander." Ashley nodded.

"We'll be fine." Kaidan nodded to her. "You'll see." He really hoped he wasn't lying.

"Yeah, I just..." Ashley sighed. "Good luck."

"Is there something you want to say, Chief?" Shepard raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know. It's just weird. Going under someone else's command. I've got used to working with you..." She shrugged. "All of you."

"Don't worry, we'll see you on the other side." Kaidan tried to give her a reassuring smile.

"And those salarians are crazy. You'll fit right in." Shepard shrugged.

Ashley snorted. "I know. I, ah..." She took a deep breath. "It's been an honor serving with you, Commander."

"Just remember, gunny..." Shepard handed her an extra ammo block. "You die, I'm stealing your booze." He looked over his team. "Whatever happens, everyone just keep shooting. We go in hard, hit 'em harder, and we'll be the only damn thing that comes out on the other side."

"You bet, Commander." Ashley saluted.

#

"You all know the mission, and what is at stake. I have come to trust each of you with my life - but I have also heard murmurs of discontent. I share your concerns. We are trained for espionage; we would be legends, but the records are sealed. Glory in battle is not our way. Think of our heroes; the Silent Step, who defeated a nation with a single shot. Or the Ever Alert, who kept armies at bay with hidden facts. These giants do not seem to give us solace here, but they are not all that we are. Before the network, there was the fleet. Before diplomacy, there were soldiers! Our influence stopped the rachni, but before that we held the line! Our influence stopped the krogan, but before that, we held the line! Our influence will stop Saren; in the battle today, we will hold the line!"

Michael nodded. He had to give Kirrahe credit. The man could make a speech. Time for him to go hold up his end.

Kirrahe saluted. "Good luck, Commander. I hope we will meet again."