Here we go folks. Hope you enjoy and don't forget to REVIEW. BTW I hit 300k views with the past chapter. Thank all of you for enjoying this story as much as I have enjoyed writing it. Y'all are truly the best any writer can ask for. Have a blessed day!
POV: Aedon Wynne
Flying over Tuchanka in the shuttle was an experience and a half. Not counting the fact that Nif was mumbling prayers the whole time there wasn't a moment that the shuttle wasn't shaking. The entire flight we were constantly surrounded by explosions around the shuttle; in other words it was not a smooth flight. Cortez the picture of calm though as he navigated through the turbulent skies.
As Cortez flew and Nif prayed EDI was completely emotionless as she stood in the middle of the shuttle. One had on the railing as she silently observed the shuttle and everyone in it. While we flew as well I went to cockpit and looked out the window to see what was all happening. It was pandemonium from what I could tell. While we had been waiting around the fight on Tuchanka had begun in full swing.
Mordin really needed to quicken his pace on that cure so we wouldn't lose anymore Krogan. They wouldn't be able to replenish their numbers like they had in the Rebellions but the fact that they could consistently would help the war effort. Either way Cortez continued to fly the shuttle until something came from above us and slammed into the top of the shuttle.
It shook the entire shuttle and threw me to the ground as Cortez worked to right the shuttle and keep it flying. A few seconds later he seemed to right the shuttle only something to hit the top of the shuttle again throwing me back to the ground just after I had gotten back up. As I did so a claw of sometype punctured through the wall and went straight into Nif's shoulder. The man screamed in pain and I reacted grabbing my ax and cutting the claw in half with the biotically enhanced blade.
There was a roar of pain from above us before there was a giant flap of wings and whatever had been on the shuttle disappeared. Taking out my medkit I began to treat Nif's shoulder as best as I could. There wasn't much that I would be able to do here beyond give him medi-gel and antibiotics. I didn't have the cools to stitch a wound of its size and shape. The only thing going for Nif at the moment being that it wasn't deep and the treatments my blood had given guarteed that the suit puncture wasn't a death sentence.
As soon as I finished doing what I could for Nif the entire shuttle sputtered and died while we were in the air. Eyes connecting with Cortez as the shuttle fell I gave the order for everyone to brace. Nif was already strapped into the chairs with myself and EDI going through the process of doing the same. However, EDI wasn't fast enough; the inflexibility of some of her joints slowed her down long enough that she didn't get strapped down in time.
We landed hard somewhere on the battlefield but for me this wasn't exactly anything new. With my helmet being the way it was my bell was rung significantly but I was still awake. Shaking the haze from my mind I ripped the straps off my body and stood up inside the shuttle and began to check on everyone.
EDI had been flung and was indented in the wall but was already pushing herself up. Though bits of her shoulders and head were sparking she seemed fluent and still at the best she was going to be. Once I assessed that I checked on Nif and he was fine but unconscious; the wound breaking open a little farther needing more medi-gel so it wouldn't get infected. He needed an extraction to get it properly treated.
"EDI, set up a perimeter. Make sure that we didn't just fall into a nest of Reaper forces," I commanded and she nodded her head before readying her weapon and leaving the shuttle.
With her gone I went to the cockpit and checked up on Cortez. He was bleeding from his head but nothing from his mouth and no punctures over his body. He'll be just fine, except probably with a concussion but that was better than dead so there's that. Now, how to unfuck this whole situation.
I didn't know where I was in relation to Shepard or any friendly forces for that matter. Our shuttle got taken out by some avian Reaper soldier which no doubt probably knew exactly where we were and would be coming to visit us. Cortez was out and was not someone who was suited to ground warfare. EDI was damaged but still serviceable and Nif, the only person who I really trusted in the immediate vicinity, was out of the fight. Not to mention his wound needed Dr. Chakwas soon if he didn't want permanent damage. In other words this is a far from ideal situation.
Starting off easy I got Cortez out of his chair and laid him on the ground. Don't know when we'll be leaving the area but having him ready to go is imperative. Same went for Nif who I laid down next to Cortez. Once that was done I stepped out of the Shuttle and got to look over the shuttle and after just a glance I was surprised it lasted as long as it did.
There were claw marks all over it with an obvious puncture in the side where the claw had gone through and hit Nif. As for the rest of it nothing looked salvageable; especially the engines. They were literally just gone, not even melted; they had been literally sheared off from the shuttle. That fact alone was rather concerning if they had avian Reaper soldiers capable of something like that. Knowing my luck-
As soon as that thought bleed into my mind something slammed down into the ground next to me. Looking to my left I could only sigh in frustration looking up at the obviously avian soldier; wings twice the size as I was tall. It's multiple beedy black and blue eyes stared at me in silence and I got a look at the thing in front of me.
Beedy eyes as said with eight in total. Powerful arms and legs like you might see out of fantasy dragon but its claws were far thinner than you would think. More like long razors than anything resembling claws. Wings were definitely built to get this things fat ass off the ground with power but I doubt it had any real maneuverability in the air. That's if I'm right on that assumption though.
As I got to look it over it just stared at me and I observed it. Like it was confused that I wasn't running away or anything. I have faced down multiple Reapers and got one to cower, granted I was drugged out of my mind on essentially crack for the second one but still. Plus, as of at the moment I felt more threatened by Dashi than this thing despite its size.
As we continued to look at each other the creature roared in my face and I was quite happy that it did that. Opening its maw as it roared at me it blocked its own eyes from being able to see me. So, in response I simply stepped forward and grabbed onto its neck with both of my arms and proceeded to drain it as fast as I could.
It wasn't fast enough as it recovered from the shock of its literal life force being taken and swiped at me with a claw. Jumping backwards and out of the way of the claw I grabbed a grenade and threw it at the thing. The grenade slapped against the side of its head and exploded not killing it outright but definitely blinding the left side of its face.
It roared out in anger and I saw its mouth begin to glow. Not willing to risk anything I dove out of the way as it obliterated the ground where I had been and gave me an extra lift through the air slamming me into debris and knocked the wind out of me. Pushing myself up regardless of having no air in my lungs I stumbled into cover in its blind side before it could see me.
I could hear it growl as it couldn't find me and there wasn't much options left to me. Protecting the shuttle took priority and I couldn't one shot it without the special rounds for my pistol. Engaging it with the ax is possible but one or two good hits from its claws and I'm probably dead. Especially if I get unlucky and one of its claws pierce my armor. However, it was blinded completely on one side of its head… There's an idea… though I needed another person. Fucking EDI, I said get a perimeter not leave me alone here.
Skirting around the cover I kept to the shadows as much as I possibly could. Working my way around the monster as it kept weaving its head back and forth looking for me continuing to growl knowing I was in the area. As I continued to creep around the area we were in I would periodically throw loose rubble in random directions. Making sure that they never passed the side of its head that could actually see.
Continuing that strategy it continued to get angrier and angrier at its failure to find me. Then it stopped growling and I poked my head out of cover to see what it was doing. It was no longer looking for me and instead was staring at the shuttle. Swearing under my breath I threw another piece of rubble over it wings and back and it the ground on the opposite side.
As soon as it hit the ground the beast snapped its eyes over to where it hand landed. As soon as that happened I shot out of cover grabbing a grenade and my ax. Nearing the monster it heard my pounding feet and began to look over at me only for my grenade to bounce off its face and explode in its face. This time it took out the rest of its eyes and was completely blinded.
Activating the halberd version of my ax as I sprinted forward I jumped up and brought it down right on the joint of one of its wings. The ax cut straight through the joint searing the wing off of its body leaving it grounded. Smiling at the development it roared louder and took another swipe at me with its claws. Dropping to the ground and rolling under the claw I barely avoided the swipe it sent towards me.
Shooting up to my feet I took another massive swing this time its hand, or paw or whatever, that had just taken a swipe at me. The blade connected with the middle joint and tore it apart but didn't cut it off. Either way the leg was now completely useless and without its front leg for support of its remaining wing it collapsed onto that side.
Acting quickly I jumped over and onto the beasts back bringing down my ax on the shoulder of the opposite leg I had just crippled. It roared again in pain but at this point I was in complete control. Feeling the fire surge to life around I raised my fist and slammed it home three times into the back of its head. When I was done it let out a pitiful whine but i wasn't done and grabbed the back of its head and drained it completely.
Finishing the drain I ripped my ax out of its shoulder, it returning to its normal form and my fire disappearing. As soon as the fire was gone and I was back on solid ground I stumbled as a massive headache exploded into my head. My stomach churning I ripped off my helmet and threw up a couple times before quickly throwing my helmet back on.
As soon as I put my helmet back on though the nausea and headache completely disappeared. Then there was a surge of something within me. I couldn't tell what it was but I was prepared to bet money that when I meditated again that missing piece would be found. Not only found but grabbed. I didn't know what it meant at the moment but I knew it was a good thing.
Shaking my head free of those thoughts I focused on the now and radio'd EDI demanding to know exactly where she was. She didn't respond over the radio for almost a minute before her voice came through. It was garbled at best through the radio.
"Reinfo- inco- prepare - pa-," even with it garbled I could still understand what she was trying to say or at least I hoped that I could.
With nothing left to do and my paranoia reigning I got myself into cover hidden from the air. I brought both Cortez and Nif to my cover as well; Nif was partially awake but in a lot of pain but Cortez was still out of it. Reassuring the conscious man that everything would be good we began to wait.
A few minutes later EDI showed up in the area and began to make her way towards the downed shuttle. Whistling to her she made her way over to us and got into cover with us. About another ten minutes later two Turian shuttles landed in the clearing next to our downed shuttle and the carcass of the avian reaper soldier.
When the shuttles landed I grabbed Cortez and flung him over my shoulder while ordering EDI to help Nif. From there we got out of cover and approached the shuttles. When we did one of the shuttles opened and three Turian medics ran out. They instantly took both of our comrades from us before pointing to the other shuttle that had opened. Stepping out of the shuttle was Shepard and Turian that looked like a younger version of Victus.
Looking to EDI I nodded with my head towards the shuttle and she nodded. Following behind me we went to Shepard and the Turian. Shepard did a quick greeting and the Turian was indeed related to Victus, didn't expect him to be the mans son though. Either way when the quick introduction was done I walked passed them and into the shuttle while EDI made a quick report to Shepard.
Getting into the shuttle I sat down next to Garrus and he looked over at me. He knew me well enough that at this point I was very angry. Not only had I been put on a high profile mission with really just Nif and a completely unproven EDI but I had also been ripped out of the sky. Plus Nif was injured and I was now helping with another highprofile mission to secure and disable a bomb. One apparently capable of taking a chunk out of the planet; no, I was not happy.
"Cerberus and Reaper forces are confirmed on site," Garrus stated leaning over to me. I looked over at him in silence, my anger now even higher as fire started to form on my torso and arms again and they were wild. Taking a deep breath I was reminded of Wrex's words on anger; I couldn't let it control me and it was dangerously close to doing so at the moment.
Just had to happen while I was on Tuchanka that I was reminded of that. I usually had great control of it but I've noticed lately with the increase in power that my control of it has lessened. There is no way I will allow myself to fall to it, I will not become another Dashi. No, it will not happen.
Taking deep breaths the rage subsided and was replaced with wrath. Cold and calculating ready to be released; though the flames still remained they were no longer wild. Garrus gave me a nod of his head at seeing everything, even without seeing my face he knew what had happened. Though Vega and Liara looked troubled and Javik just looked curious; none said anything about what they had seen though.
As I calmed down EDI was done giving her report to Shepard and Victus jr and they all piled into the shuttle. Once everyone was in we took off and were accompanied by fighters around us. I didn't know if any stayed back with the medical shuttle but they better fucking have. Otherwise words would be had and they would see me angry.
Otherwise we flew and continued to fly with the escort but it wasn't completely smooth sailing. It wasn't nearly as bad as it had been when I was in the other shuttle but it wasn't the most pleasant experience. I hated being this helpless.
Still, even with the rough flying about ten minutes into it the cabin lit up red and we prepared to land. Barely thirty seconds later I felt us slowing down and then the light started flashing green and the side of the shuttle opened. Seeing we were still a good ten feet above the ground I was able to observe everything in front of us.
There was no giant bomb in the vicinity but at this point it didn't matter to me. All I saw was the Cerberus soldiers in front of us as they tried to fight off the Turian soldiers already in front of us. Smiling at having things to kill I waited until the shuttle was five feet off the ground before running at the open door and jumping out.
As I did so I raised my hand and caught every single bullet that they sent our way. When the shuttle officially landed behind me and the others got out I released all the bullets back at the Cerberus soldiers. I don't know how many that there were in front of us but I didn't care. All I knew was that when I sent the bullets back two of the Cerberus soldiers were running to cover in front of me but they weren't fast enough. The bullets shredded them and they looked like swiss cheese in an instant.
I got a sick amount of amusement at that my smile growing behind my mask as I sprinted to cover. My flames still there and seemingly starting to grow and the more they grew the sharper everything became. To the point that as I sat behind that cover poking my head and gun out periodically taking shots everything started to move slower.
Not to the point that I could see the bullets, that would be ridiculous, but everything seemed slower. I had more time to shoot before shots came at me, more time for more shots, more time for everything. Even moving between cover pushing the Cerberus soldiers back seemed to have more time for me before shots pinged off my shields.
Sprinting to another piece of cover where a pair of Cerberus techs were hiding behind with their shield generators, the only things stopping our advance. Reaching said cover put away my AR before I reached over grabbing the helmeted head of one of them before violently pulling him over the cover. As he soared through the air with my hand clenched around his head I slammed him into the ground releasing my grip on his head before lifing my boot and squishing his head.
Blood and blue essence squirting everywhere I gave a viscous smile behind my mask at the sight of the dead soldier. As I reveled in it a shot pinged off my shields and I saw a Cerberus soldier I had apparently run past getting to the cover; need to pay better attention to my surroundings. Either way I pulled out my AR and returned fire at the soldier. He tried to get away and went out of cover showing himself to the crew and all of the Turians. Went down with a single shot from a sniper to the head curtesy of Garrus.
Nodding to Garrus he nodded back before I grabbed a grenade and tossed it over the cover. The other techie cried out and jumped away and out of cover. Seeing that I grabbed him with my arm before pulling him to my cover. Grabbing and lifing my ax to bring it down on him he reacted and fired a point blank Overload into my augmetic right arm.
As soon as the Overload hit my arm stopped working and it clenched my ax hard before falling limp to the side. Growling at that he tried to get away but I dropped my AR in my left hand before grabbing him again and pulling him back. Swatting away his omni-tool as he tried to fire an Overload again I raised my fist and brought it down on his face. Squished it just like my stomp on the first techie.
When that ended I stayed down in cover and opened my omni-tool and assessed the damage on my right arm. Growling at the results it would take at least another ten minutes before it would be functional again. The fucker must've been within my shields range for that to have worked. It didn't matter though; I've fought with one arm before.
Still not happy at the incident I stayed behind cover and started firing with my left arm at any Cerberus soldier that dared to go out of cover. I wasn't as accurate with my left as I was with my right and missed a few shots but I was by no means a bad shot. Probably on par with Vega on a regular day. Moving on everyone else started pushing farther and farther against the Cerberus soldiers in the area.
It wasn't even five minutes later after my arm became unable to function that we eradicated them from the area. When it was done we regrouped together before we wanted to push to the next position. Shepard asked about my arm and if it was good; I told him in no uncertain terms that it was fine.
He looked like he wanted to argue the point but I just stared at him and reiterated that it was fine. Shepard wasn't exactly my favorite person at the moment and he got the message that it would be useless to put me at the back lines at the moment. So, instead he nodded and we followed Victus jr and his men through a tunnel to where the bomb was supposed to be.
Along the way we ran into a couple of Turian husks but all were cut down extremely quick by sheer force of fire. A couple minutes later we made it to a clearing and in the middle of said clearing was a rather giant bomb. Taking one step into the area one of those giant Avian reapers landed in front of us. Straight onto one of the Turian soldiers reducing the man to a red stain on the ground.
Looking at us it opened its mouth and it started glowing blue. Knowing what was coming I sprang forward into its blindspot and released my pent up anger on it with a massive uppercut from my left, dropping AR along the way. When it connected its jaw slammed shut instantly and its head pointed up before the shot exploded in the things mouth.
It let out a pitiful whine at that obviously incredibly injured but I wasn't done. As soon as the shot had exploded in its mouth feeling returned to my right arm and I felt my ax change into the halberd form. Grabbing it with both hands I swung it as hard as I could into the neck of the monster cutting deep with the blade.
The moment I did it let out a gurgle of pain before falling to the ground. Not knowing whether it was fully dead or not I wrenched out my ax, put it away and grabbed its head. Draining the monster I stepped back and grabbed my AR before moving forward to what looked like a console. When I didn't hear any footsteps behind me I turned around and looked at them.
The whole Turian group with us plus Vega and Liara looked shocked at what had just happened with Shepard schooling his face almost immediately. Garrus looked like it was expected and had started walking towards me. EDI looked curious as best as her artificial face could convey and Javik looked extremely curious at what just happened. Either way Victus jr. schooled his features and stepped forward towards the console.
"I'll need everyone to cover me while I defuse the bomb," was all he stated and everyone nodded in acceptance.
Then we moved to the two sides of stairs each a equal distance from the console. Looking back behind me at the tunnel we had just come from the Turians had definitely been thinking ahead hear. Krogan were great ground fighters but not so much in the air so they picked an area that would force them through three separate choke points for this bomb.
Not to mention the pillars in front of us past the stairs. With how the surroundings were they must've held up some type of structure forcing the Krogan to either blast the place and risk the bomb going of. That or charge in falling right into the trap the Turians inevitably would've set up. All in all, the placement for the bomb was in a perfect spot for defending it.
Either way I took up shop behind the closest pillar to the stairs, in case retreating was needed. Once in cover everyone waited for the fight to begin, or at least for our opponents to show up. We didn't need to wait long as barely half a minute into our wait Cerberus shuttles started showing up above us and dropping soldiers down.
Just like on the Salarian planet though they needed to stop their decent with boosters leaving them wide open if they didn't get behind a pillar. For someone like Garrus and myself with strong weapons it was a shooting gallery for us. Most were still able to make it to the ground and they continued to bring in reinforcements but we got enough that it would make a difference.
From there they started pushing towards us using their far superior numbers to do it at least somewhat effectively. It looked like we would be okay for now holding where we were but then they started dropping down shield generators behind cover. Scowling at that development I started moving up in cover using the pillars mostly but some of the larger rubble as well.
Continuing to move up everyone else noticed what I as doing and where I was going and began giving me cover fire. I'm sure I could've been able to do it alone if there was a good amount of shadows in the area to hide but there was nothing as the sun was high in the sky. Either I continued to push with covering fire coming from the team but Cerberus was quick to recognize what was going on.
The started regrouping sending more men towards their shield generators. Some even sprinting out of cover recklessly to do so. It didn't bother me that much when they did that as they were easy targets. Continuing forward they started throwing grenades at me whenever I moved from cover or when I reached cover as well. Most of the shrapnel pinged off my shields and the rest I sent back through my wall, catching them in it and sending it right back.
The grenades that I was able to do that too usually got at least one Cerberus soldier but it wasn't enough. They kept being dropped off in droves and even with us killing them as they dropped they kept coming. However, I was eventually able to get to the closest shield generator to throw a grenade at it. Worked like a charm and the generator went down with an electric whine and a shout of pain from the techie next to it.
Smiling to myself I made to move again only to hear the sound of a lot higher tier of jetpack than the soldiers. A sound I recognized from the Salarian planet. Looking up I saw a giant mech coming down at breakneck speeds right at me. Taking a few quick steps I dived out of the way just as it landed.
Rolling with the dive I quickly made it back to my feet disregarding my AR onto my left thigh instead of its usual spot on my back and grabbed my ax. Gripping it with one hand it changed into its halberd form and just as the mech turned to me I threw as hard as I could like a javelin. It soared through the air true on target.
The pilot of the mech wasn't able to react in time as he had just landed and the hydraulics of the mech were still restarting. So he got to watch in shock as the ax soared through the air in its halberd form as a javelin and pierced right through his canopy. Right through the canopy and straight into the mans neck. He gasped as blood began sparying out covering the inside of the canopy and tried to staunch the blood with his hands but it was no use. The man was dead within seconds.
When he slumped down in the seat I sprinted at the mech and jumped up grabbing my ax. I then violently opened the canopy before grabbing the body and flinging it out. Climbing inside I closed the canopy and looked at the controls for a moment before grabbing them and getting to work.
Spinning the mech around I turned it on its own soldiers and proceeded to create havoc within the Cerberus soldiers. They did their best to avoid my shots with some succeeding but that didn't matter. As soon as they would avoid my shots they would be gunned down by the team behind me as they were too far out of cover to do anything.
Continuing to fire I proceeded to get creative and started blasting the pillars in front of me. Bringing them down and some of the rubble landing on a few Cerberus troops crushing them. From there I continued to fire at any and all that came at us with a few getting lucky shots in on the mech. Well, not really lucky there was just too many to keep up with at times and eventually the mech was dying.
Knowing there was no point in staying in a dying mech any longer I spun it around as fast as its slow ass could go and kicked open the canopy jumping out. As soon as I landed I was sprinting back to the stairs not wanting to get caught out in the open anymore. The fire having left my torso and arms just a few seconds after I entered the mech.
Taking the stairs two at a time I reached the top and slid into cover next to Vega. Looking at the man and noticing that he was down to a singular grenade I handed him one of my remaining three. He nodded in thanks and we kept on fighting.
The minutes stretched on for a long time but as we kept fighting the reinforcements for Cerberus kept getting smaller and smaller until there was only about six left. That handful didn't last long at all as another of those Avian reapers swooped down and landed right on top of them. Two of them were crushed under foot and the next one was impaled on a claw while the final two were blasted with its attack.
When it finished with them it looked up at us and almost seemed to smirk as an absolute tidal wave of husks flowed over the edge of the wall across from us and charged. Cursing at the development Vega and myself primed our remaining grenades and hurled them into the charging husks. Each grenade took out a decent amount of the husks and made a decent dent in their numbers overall but it wasn't even close to a third of them.
From their we just unloaded everything that we had at the incoming hoard trying to keep our heads on a swivel as the Avian one had disappeared into the sky. As we continued to fight the Avian one would come swoopingn out of the sky and try to blast us with its… well blast. Every time I saw it starting its run though I watched it and made sure to take off where its shot was going and catch it sending it back at the beast. Missing every shot.
This went on for what felt like hours as the hoard kept coming at us until eventually they broke through the line and made it up the stairs. I had seen the Avian reaper swooping in again and made my move to intercept the shot as it came in but as I focused on that one of the husks jumped onto my back. Grabbing it off my back and slamming it into the ground I raised my foot and crushed its head and turned around to catch the shot.
I was too slow though as when I turned to catch the shot it landed and eviscerated a couple of Turians where it landed. Not only that but with being close enough to the shot when it landed it sent me flying through the air and landed roughly on the ground, my head slamming into the ground as well. When it did it left me dazed for a moment but that was enough for a husk to jump on top of me.
Blocking with my arms as best as I could for a few moments I threw out a punch and clocked it across the face. The punch was so hard that it ripped the jaw off the husk and shocked it. Taking advantage of that I grabbed what remained of its face and drained it before throwing it off.
Getting up there was a shot from the Avian reaper screaming at me. Reaching out with my hand I caught the shot before shooting it back at the reaper soldier. It flew through the air true and slammed into the joint of the wing of the monster exploding it off. It screamed as it spun in a free fall before splating against the one of the walls. It slid to the ground and did not move.
"It's jammed! Cover me!" I heard Victus Jr. roar out over the sound of gunfire as he started to climb up the bomb.
I scowled at that development but continued to fight regardless. With the Avian one down I was able to fully join the fight against the husks and quickly ran out of ammo with my AR. Pulling out my Locust and ax anything that got close died at my hand. Either through my ax, the locust or through a drain once the Locust was knocked out of my hands.
It continued to feel like eternity until finally there were only a dozen or so husks in front of us but as I prepared to confront them they never got the chance to attack. For the giant bomb fell down through the casam below it creating a larger hole in its action. Taking the remaining husks and Victus jr. along with it. A good thirty seconds later there was a deafening thud below us.
Approaching the edge of the casam with the others next to me all collectively looked down. We couldn't really make anything specific out because of the distance but we all saw Victus jr. lying on top of the bomb holding the clasp that had been jammed. Shaking my head I walked away but stopped cold in my tracks when one of the Turians spoke.
"Good. He made up for his failure."
Anger spiked in my mind and I felt the fire consume my arms and torso. I didn't know the man but to say that about someone who just fucking died was not acceptable. Stalking up to the Turian who had spoken I grabbed him roughly and shoved him away from the casam before clocking him across the face. The hit snapping off one of his mandibles and sending him to the ground; he got lucky.
Looking at the rest I dared them to say anything more with my glare. Not a single one spoke up but looking over at Shepard's team I spotted their reactions. Garrus, Vega and Javik all seemed to agree with my actions. Shepard seemed to as well but hid it; the man had to play politics so I understood but by no means was I happy about it. Liara looked exasperated and EDI just looked curious.
Walking away from everyone I sat on the stairs and waited for pickup. We had to wait another two hours for the sky to be clear enough for it but we eventually all got out of there. I was sick of this fucking place and wanted to be alone.
Even though that was main thought I made sure to visit Nif in the Med Bay as Cortez had already been discharged. From what Dr. Chakwas told me he would be okay but his arm received nerve damage and he might never be the same again as a soldier. My anger grew at that but Nif steadied me by simply putting a hand on my shoulder and stating that it wouldn't matter. That he would get better regardless.
It placated me but not very much. Either way I tried to leave but was stopped by Dr. Chakwas who demanded that I get a full eval. I don't know why she wanted to do so but I let her. The results weren't the best.
Several hours later I found myself in the bar with Garrus minding the bar while Vega taught Javik how to play poker behind me. Garrus was silent as he poured us drinks and we kept on drinking. We hadn't had much but I was feeling a nice little buzz from the beer he poured into my glass. He looked like he wanted to say something but didn't as we drank in silence together. However, after about 15 more minutes he spoke.
"You know they came up with names for the Reaper soldiers finally?" I knew he was just trying to get me to talk but I actually appreciated it at the moment.
"Let me guess, they made them edgy as all hell?" Garrus chuckled at that and nodded his head.
"Husks for humans of course. Cannibals for the Batarians, Marauders for the Turian ones. Ravagers for the Rachni, Harvester for that avian one and Brute for the big Turian one," I chuckled at the names. I mean they kinda fit but they were just so edgy it was funny to me. Not like I'm one to talk really.
I was about to open my mouth again to speak when the door to the bar opened again and both Wrex and Shepard walked in. They sat down on each side of me with Wrex immediately leaning over and grabbing a bottle of Rancol. Shepard just took whatever Garrus gave him. However, after he handed Sheparded his beer Garrus stepped away and went over to play poker with Javik and Vega. Once he left Shepard looked at me.
"Sorry about how today," I simply stared at him for a few moments before responding.
"You ever do that to me again I will make you hurt Shepard and it will last for the rest of your life. Do not put me on a mission, a high priority one at that with only one proven soldier at my side. And never send me through the sky like that without a fighter escort. You do that again and I will kill you, this war and politics be damned. I'll beat everyone's heads in until they follow me," Wrex chuckled at that but continued to drink his Rancol.
"True Krogan words. Aedon we may not be on the best of terms ever because you denied us a full cure but if you call we will answer," Shepard shot a look at Wrex in silence before responding to me.
"Understood Aedon," I nodded at him before grabbing the back of his head and slamming it into the counter faster than he could ever hope to react. Everyone stilled at the action and looked at me in silence.
"I have a wife and a child. My message is sent, be better," and with that I walked out of the room and went straight back to my room.
I sat in my room meditating looking for that piece as I had been always before but this time I grasped it. I felt power like nothing before envelope me but it was uncontrolled and wild. Pushing it down I stopped the flow before it could go any farther, I needed to get this under control before using it. Or at least get myself under control; I was too angry at this day.
POV: Javik
Silence permeated the air as the primitives watched their warrior walk out of the room. The commander pushing himself up off the shelf of the bar and shaking his head, a bit of blood trailing down his nose. He scowled upon seeing that and wiped it away but made no move to follow after the man who had just did that to him.
It disappointed me to see that from the commander. Any soldier, no matter their status, would've ever gotten away with that in my time. This event alone lowered my opinion of the commander but so far he seemed to be the best with words of everyone I had met. Not to mention the best at politics but still, disappointing.
The silence was continued until the lizard, or Krogan as they are called. Started laughing at what had just unfolded. Knowing that they are a warborn race it made sense to me but when the Turian joined it that surprised me. It seemed to surprise the commander as well as he shot a look at the Turian. A question in his gaze.
"You just experienced the unwritten rule of Omega Shepard."
"I thought that there were no rules on Omega," the commander rebuttled taking a sip of his beer.
"There's one rule: You don't fuck with the Queen, or Queens as it stands now. As for the unwritten rule its quite simple: You don't fuck over Aedon Wynne."
"I didn't fuck him over Garrus. I gave him a mission and when we needed reinforcements it went sideways for him. It happens to soldiers, he should be used to it," at that Garrus softly shook his head before staring down the commander.
"He isn't a soldier Shepard. You were dead for two years and I got to know him incredibly well in that time. Aedon is not a soldier, he's a simple man trying to erase the mistakes of his past. That means he looks after everyone and everything that comes under his care… Nif has nerve damage Shepard, did you know that? He might never be able to be a soldier again."
"I didn't know," Shepard stated softly.
"I don't care. You need to realize what you almost did Shepard," Garrus all but hissed at the man, his demeanor changing sharply. "Those weren't idle threats he just said Shepard, do that again and if he doesn't kill you Iris or Tali will."
"Isn't Iris only 9?" Shepard responded skeptically.
"Yes and she's a better shot than me. She hit a headshot on a target over three Kilometers away on Omega through traffic on a dummy. Not to mention Tali, you'd never see her coming and that's if she decided to outright kill you. No, she'd make your life a living hell through her hacking and the Quarians would cut off all contact with everyone. We can't afford that right now… He's the reason they are close to being out of their suits, he's the reason that Nif isn't fucking dead right now.
All that said I can understand where you're coming from but no air support going through that Hell? What the fuck were you thinking?
And we get there and there's a dead Harvester in the middle of that clearing. You do realize that only Aedon could've survived that right? Anyone else and they are dead; a one on one with a fucking Harvester after crashing and just getting out of a recent fight. He is literally the only one in the galaxy capable of that, excluding Dashi," silence again permeated the air of the room before the commander responded.
"So I should conform to what he wants then?"
"Fuck no," Garrus' response was instant. "All I'm saying is that if you are going to put him in that position again at least give him some support while he's in the air. The guy can't fly and he'd be more amicable if you at least did that. Still pissed about giving him an unproven combatant but he wouldn't be this pissed.
Now, I'm going to bed. I'm tired and Mordin needs to finish this cure soon. For everyone," and with that Garrus left the room leaving everyone in silence.
His words seeed to have a profound impact on the Commander. The man brought his hands together and leaned over the table, a pose many commanders took up in my day when they were thinking. As for everyone else Vega seemed to shocked at the whole exchange to do anything at the moment.
As for Wrex he was perplexing. The Krogan did nothing but stare at his drink and seemingly think. The Krogan respected both the Commander and Red Eyes but when thrust into this situation it seemed that his allegiances were convoluted. All that said though I couldn't help but ask myself why the name Red Eyes?
I hadn't investigated it since my rebirth into this primitive galaxy but Aedon seemed to wear the name with a type of honor. One I had seen on soldiers who had gone through horrors. They respected what they had been given but at the same time wish that they hadn't been given it. Because if they hadn't been given it then that would've meant they never went through the hell they did…
"How did he get the name Red Eyes?" I asked the room breaking the silence that had started. Wrex was the first to answer with a booming laugh before he stood up from his seat and walked over to me plopping down on the seat across from me.
"Let me tell you a story… There will even be videos involved," the Krogan smiled at me before he began the story and at the end showed me the video. I have to say, my respect for Aedon shot through the roof after hearing and seeing everything that Wrex had showed me. A true warrior.
And there we have it. Hope y'all enjoyed the chapter. Give me your reviews!