A/N: Haven't done one of these in a while, but just to answer a few questions, the reason why these last few chapters feel all over the place, is because I literally wrote each of these chapters over the span of of a few years. I've only recently started writing regularly again, so a few things won't make sense, because as a writer, I've changed my style, multiple times. As for the Rachni, I'm still deciding that. It depends on how I think the characters should react. That being said, in the middle of writing this note, I just thought of an interesting way to go with it.

In a split second I put my hand up, creating a biotic barrier out of pure instinct, "Take cover, I can't hold it for long," I can feel the edges of the wall breaking down as everyone scrambles behind the multitudes of boxes laying around us. Just as I'm about to jump out of the way, I see a Geth Dark Star unit appear from out of nowhere in a flash of biotic energy. I let the barrier down just as I attempt to jump out of the way, and get bulldozed by a mass of metal moving too fast for me to see.

I feel the hard metal of the wall smash against my back as the barrel of the Dark Star's pulse rifle is pushed against my neck. It ejects its thermal magazine, and vents scalding steam into my face before I can activate my armor's helmet. I scream in pain as I feel my flesh seared off by the heat of the steam. I barely manage not to black out from the pain, and thrust my prosthetic hand deep into the chest cavity of the Dark Star unit. My advantage over the Geth was that I already figured out how to take one down. I squeezed the Eezo core inside of the unit, and pulled it out. Without it, it wouldn't be able to use biotics against me. Then I smashed the core against the head of the unit with amplified biotic strength. The Dark Star's head flattened as the Eezo core fractured in my hand, and turned to dust and scrap metal.

I fell to the ground with the unit, dropping the case with the Nemesis in it. Using the deactivated Dark Star as cover, I opened the case and pulled out what I considered, the first pulse light machine gun. I activated my Omni-tool and flash-forged a bi-pod for the Nemesis, and took aim into the battlefield. I held the trigger down, and let out a torrent of pulse rounds at every geth unit I could see in front of me.

By this time, my helmet formed over my face, and was applying medi-gel to my soon-to-be burn scar acquired from the Dark Star. The numbing effect was probably the only thing keeping me from blacking out at this point, which I was only too grateful for.

Within thirty seconds, the geth had fallen down, completely riddled with plasma burns lining their torsos and heads. Once it was over, I ejected the thermal magazine and stored it into my prosthetic arm to cool down. I pulled out a fresh one from my pocket, and put it into the now empty slot, "A successful battle test," I say to myself, attaching it to the magnetic plates on my back. I looked at everyone, who was staring at my newest creation. I would have collapsed the helmet back into my armor if it wasn't for the medi-gel slathering my face. I narrow my eyes, and wonder if this is what it feels like to be a quarian.

Ashley is the first one to come up to me, "Kyon, I heard that scream you let out when that Geth unit vented his gun in your face, are you alright?"

"I'm fine, nothing a little medi-gel won't fix in the short term. I'll have the doc look at it when we get back," I wave everyone off, "We have more important things to worry about, than my astonishingly good looks."

"How did you get that, and where do I get one," Shepard asked pleased that this little skirmish didn't last more than a minute.

"I would say custom order from me, but I don't have the materials to make another one," I answer, dusting off my prosthetic hand, which was covered in Eezo dust, the rubber skin was burned away from when I grabbed the core, revealing the synthetic muscles interlaced over the prosthetic. Tali and Karis immediately narrowed their eyes when they saw my hand, and I shook my head at them. I pulled a glove out of my pocket and slipped it over my hand, then looked over to the MAKO in the middle of the Garage, "Looks like they prepared a luxury MAKO for us, we could probably fit all of us, and Wrex's fat ass in there."

I can feel the grin on Shepard's face as she opens up her Omni-tool and sends a message back to the Normandy, I shake my head as I open the door to the MAKO, and motion for everyone to get in, "Welp, everyone aboard the one and only luxury battle vehicle on this side of the Terminus," I announce with overly dramatic hand gestures, trying to play off the fact that I nearly had my face burned off just a minute ago, "I think I'll let someone else take the main gun today."

I sit down on the couch in the back of the MAKO, and take a deep breath, both the adrenaline in my body, and the numbing effect of the Medi-gel were wearing off, giving me a pounding headache that I couldn't ignore. I continued to take deep breaths as everyone filed in, and we waited for the resident krogan battlemaster to make his grand entrance.

A three fingered hand grabbed my shoulder, and shook me hard. I looked up to see Karis who had pulled off the medical kit he had strapped to his thigh, "Take off your helmet, and let me apply second-aid, we can't risk an infection in this climate."

Not in any position to argue, I collapse the helmet, and reveal the fresh wound to the people around me. I notice that Tali is in the front with Shepard doing a diagnostics sweep, "So, am I going to win the beauty contest next week?" I ask, wincing slightly at each word that comes out of my mouth.

"Not anytime soon, I'm afraid," Karis answers as he chuckles, he brings out a piece of cloth and cuts it to the size of my wound, "This will hurt like a bosh'tet," he told me as he applied it to my face. I felt the edges of the cloth stab into my face, and stitch itself into me, "There, that'll keep it from getting infected, and act as a temporary skin weave. The wound is too big for it not to leave a scar, but it won't be as noticeable anymore."

"Thanks Lieutenant," I answer as he shoots me up with a low dose sedative, to reduce the pain, "couldn't do that before the stitching cloth? Thanks, I feel much better."

"Its a good way to remind soldiers not to get shot," he answers as the Mako leans to one side.

I look up to see the Wrex's armored hide duck into the MAKO, "Luxury my left quad," he says as he makes his way over to the turret, "If this was luxury, I shouldn't have to duck, like I'm in a rachni den."

"We get it, you are big, you are cranky," I tell the giant lizard as I recline my seat and turn on the massage function, but to my disappointment, it wasn't having any effects through my armor. I sigh as I turn it back off and just look at Wrex, "Anything else your majesty, a gold toilet to relieve yourself with?"

"I tear your arms out of your sockets, and beat you to death with them if you want? Ha, sounds entertaining, might try it once we get back to the Normandy," He answers as he sits down, and crosses his arms.

I think I hit a sore spot with Wrex, considering his come back wasn't that strong, "Gotta let the wookie win at least once," I mutter to myself as I look at Karis, "So, any tips on avoiding Geth fire?"

"Avoid the Geth."

"I say shoot them, before they shoot you," Tali chimes in as she climbs into the back with us.

Kaiden goes to the front to be the navigator, and Tali sits across from me and a seat over from Ashley. A few moments later the MAKO's engine starts, and we drive out of the Garage. Shepard must have taken a few driving classes, because the Mako isn't nearly as bumpy as it was on Therum, or it could be that we are driving on snow instead of hard stone.

Karis sits next to me before it gets too bumpy, and looks at Tali, "Not all problems can be solved with violence Tali."

Tali sits across from us, and straps herself in, "But some problems can't be solved without it, take this mission for instance. If the Geth could be reasoned with, we wouldn't be having the problems we are having right now."

"Just because they are machines, doesn't mean that they all agree with each other," Karis sits next to me, and leans forward, "There is evidence that the Geth are divided over whether or not they should be following Saren."

"And what evidence is that, Karis?" Tali crosses her arms defiantly, and narrows her eyes at Karis, "Because last I checked, they haven't started turning on each other in the middle of a battle, they've almost killed Kyon twice! So, forgive me if I'm not going to give them the benefit of the doubt. Uncle E.T. is an idealist, and thinks that there is good in everything, even machines that aren't alive."

"Stop!" I shout at the two of them before it can go any further, "Both of you have valid points, well, Karis not so much. But, nonetheless, fighting about it now is counter intuitive to the mission. Focus on what's in front of you, before you get each other killed, or worse, one of us." I take a breath and look between the two Quarians, "If the Geth are capable of forming different opinions on the same manner. Doesn't matter if they do right now, or not," I say keeping Tali from interrupting, "What makes them so different from you and me? The living body, is a biological machine. Everything we can do, can be mimicked in some degree by a machine. You just saw a Geth perform biotics. Something that was previously only possible in organic bodies."

"Speaking of which," Ashley chimed in, obviously trying to get us off the conversation, "How do you suppose that Geth was able to do that?"

I look at my arm, and sigh as I look at everyone. I knew I was the reason they developed the technology, but I couldn't just outright say that I knew that, so I would have to come up with an elaborate cover, "That might be my fault," I answer Ashley as I pull back one of my armor panels, showing the in-built biotic regulator, "When we were on Therum, one of the Geth units flashed it's light all over the prototype regulator, it must have scanned it, and were able to re-purpose it to act as biotic nodes."

"So, if they are based on your tech, can you create a counter-measure against them?" Ashley asks, leaning forward in her seat.

"As much as I could for a biotic," I answer truthfully, "I honestly don't know enough about these new Geth units. Hell, the only reason I took that one out so fast, was because I had a prosthetic arm, and guessed that the eezo core would be in the most heavily armored part of the body. That being said, I didn't think eezo cores could get that small. I might have a few ideas for new tech if we can salvage a few."

"Use your enemies to make you stronger?" Karis asked as he chuckled, "You are an interesting person, anything you want to share with us?"

"A few ideas, possibly something that acts like a skeleton key," I answer as the ride gets bumpier, "Must be geth contacts. Enough chit chat, let's get our game faces on."

Everyone nods as we all begin checking our weapons, making sure everything is working properly.