Chapter 26: The Krogan.

The more she thought about Okeer the more Shepard disliked the idea of his pressance and dislike was being polite. Most of everything she knew about the krogan race came from Wrex. Then she had met Patriarch, the old Battlemaster and once ruler of Omega. He was just as articulate as Wrex but far more ruthless, far more merciless or perhaps Shepard had not yet seen that side of her old friend. The ex-merc had shown her a side of the krogan she didn't know existed. Not that that she had known much beyond the basics she learned back in school, and that was mostly about the redundant organs, prone to blood rage, had biotic potential, etc.

The krogan had no central government but functioned in clans which were ruled by a dominate member. They warred against each other for territories as much as they did the other races. The females held their clans and territories and had their own individual hierarchy and males had to compete in bloody rituals to lay claim to breeding rights.

Wrex had taught her a great deal more: of their culture, a bit of the language, even a few rites. He was also more amenable than any krogan Shepard had met since. Talking to him during their fight against Saren, she had come to truly appreciate his forward thinking, something his own people and indeed several other races did not. The galaxy wanted their krogan big, lumbering and stupid enough to be greedy enough just to follow orders and the credits.

Wrex upset the notion that krogan were simpleminded brutes. Shepard loved that about the big guy. He took her orders well enough but only because the Spectre had gained his respect, especially after she recovered his old family armor for him. Shepard doubted the same could be said for Okeer, a man his own people had exiled.

The dossier from the Illusive Man and everything Liara had discovered clearly stated that this male would not take kindly to a human's orders. He was going to be as much of a problem as Patriarch was to Aria when the Pirate Queen first took over the station. When the Spectre had asked out about their history, Aria said it was long and bloody. She had a fondness for the old reptile that spoke of familiarity and intimacy. One she had used as a weapon. Shepard was not about to use those kinds of tactics on this 'patriarch'.

Everything Wrex had ever taught her about his people - of how to discern those that could be trusted and those that needed to be headbutted into submission - screamed at her that Okeer was better left where he was. The man was far more trouble than he was worth.

So why did TIMmy want him? There was more than enough difficulty keeping a highly volatile, highly spirited convict in line. Keeping Jack from tearing into Miranda was exhausting enough; Shepard didn't need the added aggravation of a resentful krogan exile. Hell, she had an angry old codger on her ship as well. Zaeed was passive enough on the Normandy and so far the most trouble he was stirring up was annoying Samara, who he considered 'of equal age', by was hitting on her in his weird way: complimenting her on her battle tactics, her biotic prowess, constantly calling her 'Beautiful' rather than her given name. Not that the Spectre could disagree with those assessments. Samara was absolutely beautiful, a very powerful biotic and a wonder on the battlefield, but she wasn't going to pester the asari like Zaeed was.

Shepard was going to step in but saw from the looks she was given that the matron near matriarch had things well in hand. Shepard's intervention was not yet needed. Zaeed wasn't going to cross the line of sexual harassment. But he did look like a damned fool in his attempts of wooing the aged asari. Then again in Shepard's mind a lot of guys look like damned fools trying to woo a woman, so did a lot of women for that matter. She and Liara certainly had their foolish moments while trying to woo the other.

Joker was right; the new crew was filled with loners and despite Shepard pointing that the first crew was as well, this one was more insular-more divided. Okeer would not make any sort of overtures of cooperation with Mordin and likewise the geriatric salarian would never respect a krogan scientist. It was just another powder keg waiting to explode.

Half of Shepard's flagship team was old and very set in their ways, the other half young, impetuous and unwilling to have any other way but their own. Maybe this was TIMmy's idea all along: Keep Shepard so off balance and putting out fires within her crew she'd have no time to dwell on the further machinations and motives of Cerberus. Deceptions and distraction. TIM was a very, very good, very skilled con-artist. And like all con-artists he had the patience for the long jobs.

Miranda's voice would be of no help, being TIM's right-hand woman she would be biased towards her boss's motives. Lawson may not fully understand why he wanted those on the dossiers but she trusted his judgement. Though she seemed to be waning from TIMmy's influence bit by bit.

There was one, however, Shepard could trust with her concerns with Okeer.

*Shepard* Wrex boomed happily over the comm channel in her private quarters. *You lonesome for a good looking krogan or you calling for a reason?* he laughed.

Shepard grinned. "Not a social call, Wrex. Tell me what you know about a krogan named Okeer."

There was a grunt on the other end. *A very old name. A very hated name. He had only one thing right. Those pale things on Virmire were not true krogan. A mistake of an outsider. But he insisted he could improve upon the mistakes of Saren. He might be smart but he's dangerous. Even the Blood Pack doesn't want to deal with him.*

"That's saying something," Shepard chuffed. "I've faced their lot on Omega and a few other of their bases."

*I heard. You got into all sorts of trouble after I left for Tuchanka. You stirred up a hell of a cazador nest taking out so many of the Blood Pack. Most want your blood, some want to test their plates against yours. All agree you got a set of quads on you.*

Shepard chuckled at the compliment paid to her by her old friend but she brought the subject back to hand. "What's Okeer want with tank bred krogan. Is he trying to recreate the hordes? Would they even be accepted amongst the clans?"

*No.* Wrex shook his massive head. *His creatures would be cut down for the mutants they are. It'd take something special for anyone to change their minds. And the clans would be right. Okeer's crimes might have been forgiven if he was looking to cure the genophage.*

"If that wasn't his motive, then what is?"

*Doesn't really matter. You don't want that man on your ship, Shepard, any more than you would have wanted Saren.* Wrex avoided directly answering the question with a prophetic warning. *It won't matter that you're going after the Collectors. He'll think it a human problem. He's crazy. Leave him in that rust pile he calls home. I've got a couple of young whelps just past their rites of passage willing to prove their plates to the females' clans for breeding rights. Good men. Give the word, Shepard, and I'll send them to you. You're going after monsters so of course you want krogan at your side,* he laughed *Just not that old hump on 'Rivet City'.*

"Any idea why Okeer was tapped by TIMmy? He was chosen for a reason," Shepard persisted.

*That fucking pyjack is just as crazy as Okeer. Rot clings to rot, Shepard. Can't say it matters one way or the other.*

"Guess you're right, it doesn't," the Spectre finally agreed. "So how are things going on Tuchanka and your reuniting of the clans?"

*Better then I hoped, worse than I feared. Clans can be stubborn. But we are krogan. We don't submit easily. Still, Clan Urdnot has the backing of the female clans. That goes a long way. Their shaman is a powerful, forceful woman. You're a bit like her, Shepard; when she talks people listen. Unite. Hell you two'd get along.* There was a great deal of respect in Wrex's voice as she spoke of the female shaman. And Wrex's respect was not an easy thing to gain.

"Maybe someday I'll have the honor of meeting her," Shepard smiled. "I'm going to see what this Okeer has. Don't worry, I'll take you're advice about him being on my crew. I have enough problems with Jack as it is. I sure as hell don't need another headache."

*Jack?*

Shepard shook her head and waved her hand in dismissal. "Doesn't matter. My gut told me Okeer was bad news and you've just confirmed it. As for your guys, I'll think about it. But I think the Normandy, even though it's a bit bigger than the first, can only handle one krogan at a time."

Wrex's deep laughter boomed over the speakers. *Yeah too much krogan on a tiny ship like the Normandy is never a good thing. Offer's still open if you want one of my scouts. Got the perfect one in mind. Maybe you could whip him up into shape; he's good at bashing things but as clumsy as a one legged hanar and as dumb as a rock. Still, he'll plough through anything to get the job done and stick to it until it is. Even crappy jobs no one wants like cleaning out the fight pits of varren shit. He just needs someone to yell at him from time to time. You're good at that Shepard.*

Shepard smirked and nodded, considering the offer. "I'll think about it. Anyway, I should go."

*Yeah, me too. Work never seems to finish. See you around, Shepard.*

MEMEMEMEMEMEME

Was it fate or fortune? It was difficult to tell. Okeer was a no go. He never made it off Korlus.

Okeer didn't seem overly concerned; he had one obsession, one agenda: the creation of one perfect soldier. His search for this perfection created a lot of failures. The rejects were exactly what Jedore, the boss of the Blue Suns, asked for: strong, healthy and disposable. She was growing impatient. That impatience lead to orders of 'liquidation' of the cloned krogan and any Blue Sun that failed to perform their appointed duties, such as stopping Okeer's creations from seizing the rusted out piecemealed derelict ship yard.

Okeer promised that his work would purify the krogan. They were not going to be restored; they were going to be renewed. His legacy - his perfection, the pure soldiers - would not provoke a nuclear response like a cure or a new hoard. The galaxy still bore the scares from the last great krogan hoard; he was not going to lose his dream for fears and intolerance of aliens. He had no desire to cure the genophage. Let a thousand die in a clutch, the strong climb upon the corpses of the dead. That was the krogan way. He resented the coddling any hatchling received for merely being born, he considered it a weakness and a failing of the krogan legacy.

Shepard knew now why Wrex despised this man. He was just as cruel and manipulative as those that unleashed the genophage on the krogan people. She also now comprehended why Okeer was targeted by TIM. To create his perfect solider he had made a bargain with the Collectors for their knowledge. This gave the exile unique value.

Unfortunately all the tech was consumed by the prototype after he determined how to use the knowledge without killing the subject. He only needed one success to start the process. His pure krogan was bred to ignore the genophage.

His success was a big boy.

One of the biggest krogan Shepard had ever seen. Shepard's relations with krogan were with the older generation. She suspected the reason why this 'hatchling's' headplates were not as ridged or as dark as Wrex's was due to his youth. It was fairly well known that with age the headplates of male krogan became darker and more spiked. Wrex's was nearly completely black while Okeer's had been all black indicating the exile was well over seven centuries old.

Now his 'son' was in the cargohold aboard the Normandy still asleep in the womb of his glass mother. This complete unknown was in the Spectre's favor because as much as he was an unknown quality to Shepard; he was unknown to The Illusive Man as well. This gave a tiny edge to the Commander and would hopefully throw a kink in her benefactor's schemes, whatever they may be.

The glass mother - as one of the tank bred krogan they actually spoke to on the planet had called it - looked like a super-sized sleeper pod. The stasis pod could very easily be adapted as a sleepr pod once the engineers got a hold of it. Tali, Daniels and Donnelly could work marvels given time. Okeer's pure krogan at the moment reminded Shepard of an action figure locked in its packaging. For a moment she simply stared at it. The unknown quality of him also worked against the Spectre. She had no idea if the tank imprints used to educate this soldier, this legacy - this grunt - included Okeer's fanatical ideals because if so, then it would be better to leave him in the glass mother.

There was only one way to find out for certain. When Shepard's team returned from the fire fight with Jedore, Jack wanted to crack the tank open to see what a pure krogan had. Shepard responded that a pure krogan could pack a hell of a punch but they could always use another heavy hitter. Garrus had not been so convinced that this pure krogan would help, then again no one had asked Baby Pure for his opinion.

"The subject is stable, Shepard," EDI informed the Commander. "Integration with onboard systems was seamless."

Of course they were, Tali was in charge of the transfer, Shepard thought to herself. She inclined her head towards the tank as she asked: "Can he see anything in there? Does he know where he is?"

"Unlikely," EDI responded. "Current neural pathways indicate minimal cognition. Barring ship wide power loss the nutrients in the tank could sustain him for over a year."

"Any idea how dangerous this guy is?"

"He is a krogan, Shepard," the AI replied dryly. "If you are asking me if he is openly hostile, I do not have the necessary data to answer."

"No, I mean the imprints Okeer used, will he be as fanatical?"

"Unknown. Okeer's technology could only impart data, not methods of thinking. The subject may know of his views but not necessarily share them."

"Hmm." Shepard digested the information as she continued to study Baby Pure. "What can you tell me of this guy? Anything unusual?"

"The subject is an exceptional example of the krogan species, with fully formed primary, secondary and tertiary organs where applicable. No defects of any kind aside from the genetic markers of the genophage present in all krogan. I can not judge mental functioning."

Shepard nodded. Her trained eyes inspected the hardsuit the krogan was wearing, looking for chinks in the armor she could exploit if she needed to. As Wrex pointed out on more than one occasion krogan loved to test themselves against friends, enemies and potential members of a krant. Once Baby Pure was set free the first thing he'd do would be to make a challenge, Shepard was positive of it. She had not come to the cargo bay unprepared. As she had with Jack; Shepard primed her body, calling upon the power of dark energy and at the same time un-holstered her N7 Eagle. She withdrew the warp ammo she typically used and slammed in a regular thermo clip, preferring to incapacitate Baby Pure rather than kill him.

As with Jack and Zaeed, the diplomatic option she had used with Samara, Miranda, Thane and Morden was completely out. The face needed for this meet and greet was that of the N7 marine-the Spectre. It was the only voice guaranteed to win Baby Pure's immediate respect. It was something she had learned when dealing with Wrex. The old battlemaster responded favourably to the Special Forces Commander and so it would be the same voice used on this krogan. Shepard slid the pistol back into its holster and mentally prepared herself for what was to come.

"Stand by. I'm going to open the tank and release him," she said moving for the tank controls.

"Commander-" The AI seemed to hesitate. "Cerberus protocol is very clear regarding untested alien technology."

Shepard narrowed her eyes. "And I thought I told you I won't be second guessed on my own ship by my own ship. I also recall giving you very clear orders regarding Cerberus protocols. I was also under the impression Tali was going to scrub those protocols from your memory core when she gave you the overhaul to make you look less like a sex toy." The terse tone in her voice

EDI was silent for a moment. "Tali was 95.625% successful in the purge, Shepard. However there are tertiary redundancies to the systems. I believe they are linked to the blocks that prohibit me from speaking of certain classified topics."

"Fine." The edginess lingered in the Spectre's voice. "Then get this though that tertiary programming. Cerberus has no dominion here on my ship. I am the mistress here not the Illusive Man. There are no other masters."

"Understood, Commander. The controls are on line. The switch and the consequences are yours." there was an almost smugness to the voice infection.

Shepard let out a long suffering aggravated breath. She had to focus on Baby Pure not the idiosyncrasies of a blasted AI. He was either going to be a powerful addition to the team or a ticking time-bomb. She'd rather deal with it now. "I don't need you to remind me of what it means to be in command, EDI. The consequences and responsibility are always mine. Look it up before you try and lecture the CO of a ship of her duties," she snapped coldly.

Another long moment- well, it was long for an AI (.003 nanoseconds) - before she responded. Her voice more subdued—obedient "Yes, Commander, I understand." It had taken her that long to scan though every command textbook since the published works of 'The Art of War' by Sun Tzu.

Shepard activated the tanks control panel and tapped in the sequence of codes to release and awaken the krogan. One of her grandmother's proverbs trickled in the Spectre's mind. 'Never kick a sleeping wolf.' Keeping that in mind, Shepard backed a few paces away from the tank which opened from two points: the top, which was on an elbow joint, swung upwards while the bottom slid down. The nutrient fluid flooded out onto the grated floor in small rivets. Baby Pure fell forward onto his knees coughing up more of the fluid from his lungs. It took only a few moments for the krogan to recover and find his feet.

Shepard watched with wary eyes. He was impressive out of his tank but what was most suppressing was not his size but the electric sky blue eyes. The Spectre had never seen such as color before in krogan eyes which were normally orange, amber or red. Her distraction with the color of his eyes gave the krogan the advantage. He was more aware of his surrounds then Shepard gave him credit for. In seconds he was charging forward, clasped a thick, meaty arm around her neck and pinned her against the bulkhead, restraining her there by his massive forearm. The only reason she wasn't choking was because she had her hand up against the arm. The impact was so fierce it cut the breath from her lungs. If she didn't have the reinforced skeleton the body-check would have done a bit more damage. But thankfully she wasn't dazed as was intended, his seeming win worked in her favor. He hadn't taken notice of the pistol in his gut. She met his gaze unshaken-unflinching.

For all his aggression there was no real animosity towards Shepard. It was pure show of force. Of power. "Human. Female. Before you die I need a name."

Shepard could have easily used her biotics to propel the krogan away from her, but she stayed the power. "I'm Commander Shepard," her voice was frozen acid. "And I don't take threats lightly. I suggest you relax." He was dead if he did not stand down.

"Not your name. Mine" Baby Pure clarified his demand. "I am trained. I know things, but the tank...Okeer couldn't implant connections. His words are hollow. Warlord, legacy, grunt," the tank-bred paused, considering. "Grunt was the last, it has no meaning, it will do." He returned his full attention to the Spectre. "If you are worthy of your Command, prove it and try to destroy me."

This was exactly what Wrex had said the young do when they join a new squad—a new krant. "You wouldn't prefer Okeer or Legacy?" she countered his demands with her own questions. Like a shark sideswiping its pray before attacking. He would soon learn his place.

"It is short. It matches the training in my blood," he answered. "The other words are big things I do not feel. Maybe they fit in your mouth better. I feel nothing for Okeer's clan or his enemies. I will do what I am bred to do, fight and determine who is the strongest—but his imprint failed. Without reason that is mine one fight is as good as another. Might as well start with you."

This was the deciding moment, she could retaliate with violence or she could outmanoeuvre him. "I have a strong ship, a strong clan. You'd make it stronger."

"If you are weak and choose weak enemies I will have to kill you."

"Our enemies are worthy no doubt about that." She wasn't going to sugar-coat anything. Cerberus, Collectors, the Reapers... her enemies were definitely worthy.

"Hummm...Hruumph." He eased his hold on her throat. "That is acceptable. I will fight for you."

"Glad you saw reason," Shepard said then titled her chin down to the hand that held the pistol.

"Huh?" He seemed surprised and his great maw pulled back into a smile. "Ha! Offer one hand and arm the other. Wise, Shepard. If I find a clan, if I find what I want I'll be honored to eventfully pit them against you." He let her go.

A krogan compliment. How wonderful. Wrex had shown a good deal more to the young N7 marine about krogan culture. They respected strength and power. It would have been easy enough to headbutt this kid to prove her power the way Aethyta had shown her (in order to not get a concussion) to fully demonstrate her prowess. But there was another way; something Aria had spoken when claming complete domination over a bested krogan. It might seem very brutal but it was the krogan way. Aria had done so with Patriarch, now the same technique was required here. Grunt had to know that threatening or boasting to kill her or her crew was utterly unacceptable.

Shepard used her biotics and slammed Grunt across the room to the other bulkhead. He fell to the floor with an applied biotic slam where he stayed pinned like a moth on a corkboard "I do not need your compliments, krogan. There are two things you need to know. One: this is my ship, Grunt. Don't ever touch me again."

She used more force crushing him as he had her throat when he had held her. He tried to move but Shepard's biotics were stronger. She used a stasis felid to contain him and kept him down by applying even more power to the gravitational pull of the slam "I told you, I do not take threats lightly." She intensified the field a third time causing Grunt... to grunt out in pain. "I am this ship's battlemaster. I need you only for three things: your strength, your fighting skills and your compliance. You are out of your tank only because I have allowed it. Remember that! If you are unable or unwilling to give me what I need I will put you back in that tank and space it.

"Two: the flagship team will become your new krant. You will be expected to train and eat meals with them, fight along side them, defend them as they will you. One is a salarian, the other turian. I don't need you trying to pick fights with them to determine who is stronger or because you have a grudge Okeer implanted into you." She dissipated the energy field and allowed Grunt to rise to his feet. "There is also a quarian, an asari and a drell, the rest are human. Each of us has a role to play as we fight the Collectors and stop them. They are the only ones you should concern yourself with in testing your strength against."

Pinning him to the floor was the same as his move to hold her against the bulkhead. A show of force with no malice. He came to the sudden realization that she could have thrown him with her biotics when he held her just as easily as she could have shot him in the gut. She had all the power and now he knew it. He felt it. Respected it.

"Shepard." He bowed his head low enough that his chin touched his chest. He was fully acknowledging her dominance which was more than he had when the barrel of the pistol was buried in his gut. "I will follow."

The Spectre nodded her head imperiously accepting his submission. She made a mental note to thank Aria for that little tip about krogan behavior with domination and submission. What was done was now past, drawing out this little drama further would only be ego. Shepard felt a familiar theme beginning to rise with this newest member. Like Zaeed and Jack, he fought and it didn't matter who for. He was a weapon same as Thane and Samara. It simply had to be directed.

"Did Okeer give you any imprints about the Collectors?" Shepard asked hoping that some of the tech the exile used was somewhere inside this pure krogan. It was also a means of changing the subject.

"I see blurry images of ships. Guess work about strength, nothing about a weak spot and how to tear. Okeer spent all his time on old hatreds. Whatever he had was used up when he made me," Grunt said evenly. There was no hint or shame in his voice over what had happened between them. After all he had demanded a display of power.

"That's what I was afraid of. Still it was worth a shot asking. Get yourself acclimatized to the Normandy, Grunt. You must be hungry. Go up to the mess hall and get something to eat. After that, however, all meals will be shared with your new krant - the flagship team. Your imprints must have shown you that a krant fights best and strongest when it fights as one."

Grunt nodded. "That is true." There was new approval and respect in the young krogan's voice that hadn't been entirely there before.

Shepard gave a rather smug look to the ceiling of the cargo bay as if to say 'I told you so' to the ship's AI before she escorted her new crew member to elevator. Now, however, she needed to take care of a few things in the privacy of her own quarters. It wouldn't do for the Commander of the Normandy to walk around with bruises on her neck. Grunt was going to have a difficult enough time blending into the team perhaps even more so than Jack. He didn't - and quite frankly Shepard didn't - need the added aggregation of the crew's scrutiny over what was typical krogan behavior.

MEMEMEMEMEMEME

At the same time Shepard was in the cargo hold:

"I heard we have a baby krogan in a pod," Kelly said to the team which consisted of Jack and Garrus who were now in the armory putting their equipment away and stowing their weapons.

It was the turian that spoke. "It's not a baby. It's a fully grown tank bred warrior."

"Is she going to 'birth' him?" Kelly seemed extraordinarily worried.

"What? You worried he'll eat you, little snitch?" Jack scoffed. "If Shepard's smart of course she'll 'birth' him and he'll be a good little boy and follow Mamma Shepard into war with those Collector assholes. He's exactly what we need: a krogan tank."

"Given that he's smarter than that week old we found down there," Garrus agreed, "He could be an asset."

"Hey, even the dumbass one back there could be trained like a varren." Jack seemed unconcerned.

"I don't know what to think about this 'baby'. All my physc reports were for Okeer. We have no guarantee that he's mental stable. I get the feeling he just won't care about anything, including who lives or dies."

"Phft. Don't worry, Red, Shepard won't let him touch you. Though I bet if there's any touching involved you'd want Shepard to do it," Jack tossed out there.

"I...told you she's a married woman!" Kelly shook her head. "Completely devoted to her wife."

"Doesn't stop you from fantasizing about her does it? How may wet dreams have you had with her?"

Garrus coughed feeling very uncomfortable in the direction the conversation had taken. "You know Shepard and Liara are very committed to each other." The former C-Sec officer felt the necessity to defend his best friend and Liara

Jack took great pleasure in watching Chambers squirm. She chuckled when she saw the other woman's face turn red. "Oohh look at that Red is red. So, what? In your dreams do you sit on her lap, dance for her in some stripper's costume, snuggle up to her on the bed after fucking? In those dreams she ever make you cum?"

"They're expecting a child." Garrus continued tried to divert the conversation.

When Chambers shifted on her feet and mumble an excuse to leave the room as swiftly as she was able the convict burst out laughing. She turned back to the turian with a self satisfied grin on her face. "What?" Jack asked with a perfectly blank look and a shrug as if she had done nothing to antagonized or shame the former Cerberus agent.

"Why do you do that?" Garrus practically demanded.

"Because it's fun." She was still smirking. "Come on, you tell'en me you aint seen how little Miss Priss drools over Shepard? "

"Shepard gets a lot of that kind of attention. But she only sees Liara."

"Think you mean she only has eyes for Liara, Cat face," Jack corrected Garrus's use of the human euphonium. She padded out the door. "Still Shepard has a nice ass," she tossed over her shoulder.

MEMEMEMEMEMEME

AN: Yes there are some references to the Fall Out franchise. No copyright intended. When I was running around on Korlus I kept thinking of Rivet City. and if any place has radioactive mutated creatures like the cazador it would be Tuchanka.