Spoilers are present in this story.

Disclaimer: The following is not used to make a profit or advertisement. Mass Effect was created by EA/Bioware. Any original characters, story, dialogue, or elements are used for this story.

August 11, 2165

MSV Jikita

Asgard System, Loki Orbit

Lakarta stared out the window in her pink cloths that covered her body, except some of her face. The volus captain had been very kind to her and had allowed the ship to wait two days for her friend, which surprised her. It had been a week since she had boarded and Lakarta had become acquainted with life on the ship. She couldn't help but smile as she looked out into the vast universe. For once in her life, she saw a possible future for the krogan. The Genophage had ruined the krogan's lives for too long.

Lakarta had been born a few years after the Rebellions. Her mother had died during child birth and her father had almost immediately disappeared. Life for her had been hard with nearly every male treating her like property and her clan hardly having enough to eat or drink some weeks. She saw many of her friends hold their lifeless child in their arms. She, however, had been lucky and had one child when she was about 200. She had never felt such happiness in her life. Soon after this however, she would experience great sadness when her son was killed by a thresher maw when it had attacked their camp. She had chosen to not risk having another child, only for it to die. When she had reached a quarter of her life, she chose to leave the planet, which was very rare for a female to do and she had to sneak off like she had several days ago.

She had met Wrex on Illium several years ago when she had been dropped off. Immeadiatly, she had been treated like an outcast with many people looking at her with suspicion and quietly insulting her. She was soon living on the streets, occasionally seeing several others in her position, but they ignored her. It was about a week before she put herself out to become an indentured servant. A hanar chef had her working to serve customers. It was rare to see a krogan, let alone a krogan female, in this position and she didn't miss the snickers among the customers.

When a month had passed, she saw a krogan push pass the crowded area and sit down at a table. Many people stared at the krogan, some with disgust and others with some fear and uncertainty. When Lakarta had gone to serve him, to say he was shocked was an understatement.

The introductions didn't go well, but Wrex had felt the need to come back and check on her while he was looking for work. As the days went by, their interactions became less hostile and they soon began to share several laughs. Wrex still looked at her decision to leave Tuchanka as the wrong one, but he already understood her reasons, as they were similar to his. She needed to eat and survive and her clan was struggling harder than many other clans.

Eventually, however, Wrex found a job near the Valhalla Threshold and they had to say their goodbyes. She had actually felt sad when she walked with him to the shuttle. She couldn't tell what Wrex felt, but she was sure he felt the same.

They had kept in constant contact and soon Wrex was telling Lakarta about every mission he would do. She had to give the battlemaster credit, as he made waves through the media on several occasions by taking out a few gangs and blowing up several refineries. After three more years of being a waitress on Illium, she felt the need to return to Tuchanka when news reports began surfacing about mysterious silhouettes near a few relays. No one was sure of what they were and they disappeared too quickly to track. Sure she may not have a family, but she felt she had to stick by her race in this circumstance, which made Wrex delighted.

She returned to prepare, but she didn't know for what exactly, but now she knew. Only a combined galaxy would be capable of destroying the Reapers and this Coalition may be willing to assist them. She knew Wrex was the key to a future and she only hoped that he would see the importance of this. She remember how he told her about his attempt at uniting the clans, when they had talked after one of his missions, and knew how the experience had changed him when it failed. She couldn't imagine an experience like that and it made her respect him a lot.

She was about to call it a night when another merchant freighter, apparently commanded by some asari colonists had arrived. She went toward the airlock and heard a loud thump. The asari freighter immediately left. She heard the ship's VI announce the decontamination process and she held her breath.

When the doors opened up, she saw that Wrex had the same scowl on his face like when they first met. "You better have a good reason for being out in uncharted territory Lakarta. I turned down a good job for you."

Lakarta couldn't help but smile at seeing her friend again, even if he was mad at her. "It's good to see you Wrex. Follow me; we can talk in the crew's quarters."

Wrex nodded in response and they walked in silence. Many personnel didn't pay any attention to them, which was fine in Wrex's opinion. They passed by the room where they stored a great amount of cargo and eventually came to the quarters, which had been cleared except for one Volus who was asleep in his bunk. They sat down at a table in the center.

Wrex was the first to speak and his expression had not changed. "I looked over the reports. A Prothean on the Citadel and a new race allying itself with the Geth. Sentient starships coming to destroy us. These are interesting times we live in."

She nodded and spoke. "You are right about that. Look, I am sorry for making you come out here, but you were one of the only people I could talk to about this. Did you actually listen to the live news report?"

I passed by news outlets on Omega while I was there and people were talking about it everywhere. I was doing a mission on Omega, collecting a bounty for a good friend. He smirked. "I think you and Aleena would get along. You both think too much," he said shaking his head.

"Very funny," she replied. "So you know about their ideas and what they claim to stand for. They allied themselves with a race that the galaxy sees as a threat, despite knowing the consequences. They care about the current individual, no matter what race they are."

Wrex was again frowning, but continued to listen.

"I believe those ideas are the key to preventing our extermination. This galaxy is on a timer Wrex. We don't just need recourses, but also to be united. The Prothean said how their race wasn't united when those things invaded and how that was their first problem when he was interviewed after the meeting.

"The galaxy sees us as brutes and scavengers and I doubt they will accept us. This Coalition could be a threat Lakarta. We don't know much about it and how do we even know the Reapers are real. Most of the council is even saying that it could be a trick to conquer us all. Only the Asari Counncilor believes in the Reapers and she could have been brainwashed when that thing touched her. I won't have you flying off to an unknown race. They could do anything to you and if they Geth truly have united with them…" He shook his head with a frown. "It just seems farfetched. I know what you want to do Lakarta. You want to ask them to cure the Genophage or secure an alliance with us."

"Wrex, our people are dying and my mother died having me. I live with the fear of having a child and having it die in my arms. We will not survive at this rate. I don't just want an alliance with them Wrex, I want you and I to unite the clans."

Wrex's eyes went wide and he hastily stood up and almost yelled, causing his chair to hit the floor with a clang, which somehow didn't wake the Volus. "I stuck my neck out for them once Lakarta and was nearly killed by my own people. I am tired of sticking my ass on the line and getting nothing for it."

"We have to try Wrex. I haven't heard of many people feeling sorry for us before and they could help give our people a future. If we can have the Coalition on our side, then maybe we will see a cure one day. Our people are separated from one another, against each other, and have no hope for a future. I have never felt this much hope before Wrex and it is a wonderful feeling. If we can come back with the news of a possible cure, then maybe it will be easier to unite clans."

Her expression had not changed, and Wrex could hear determination in her voice which gave him pause. It was true though, as many Krogan saw their future as a bleak one and hardly anyone was willing to help them. There was a possibility that all the Coalition said was true, but there was also a possibility it wasn't. If the Reapers were coming, then the krogan would all be killed. He picked up his chair and sat back down.

"I called you here to come with me to the Coalition's Arcturus Station. From what I have heard, it is where their government is located. Several contacts have given me the coordinates. It is up to you Wrex, but I am going. The captain of this freighter has called an independent freighter to pick us up and said we could use it. It will be here in several days so you have time to decide. I won't harbor any ill will toward you if you choose not to follow me."

She got up and was about to get up from her chair when Wrex put his hand on hers. He stared at her with a grin. "You aren't going anywhere without me". He chuckled. "You show great courage and determination which is very admirable, and it would be weak for me to back out of this."

Lakarta smiled and knew that those were not the only reasons, but she wasn't going to force them out of him, for now.

Author's Note:

Sorry about the long wait, but school is going to start for me and I have been getting my ducks in a row. I also have been taking my time before releasing something, even though there will probably still be many problems. I again want to thank you all for the support and reviews and I will continue this story.