Chapter 9:

Udnot Wrex

Author's Note: This chapter is going to show a lot of Patrick's thoughts so just prepared for that.

Patrick walked down the two flights of stairs that led down to C-Sec's headquarters, following Shepard's armed back, silver weapons darkening to black in the dim light. Ashley and Tali were in front of Patrick while Kaidan walked in step with the newly named Serviceman, Garrus bringing up the rear. Patrick could clearly hear the turian's clawed foot, scrape against the metal stairs, making a loud clanging sound although no one seemed to notice. Patrick, in attempt of blending in with his new crew (especially now since he was a part of the Alliance), remained silent even though the clashing of a metal boot and a metal stair gave him headaches similar to the ones caused by the Prothean vision. Patrick remembered how Lily, when she was younger, used to antagonize him by scraping together a fork and a knife.

Funny how two different things from two different dimensions could have the same effect on me; Patrick thought with a small grin before thinking of Lily brought a wave of nausea over him. Back in the "real world," Patrick loved leaving his family, but now, with no guarantee that he would ever see them again, he wanted to spend one more evening with his father. Had he known he was going to be taken miles upon miles away from William, Patrick wouldn't have spent their last few moments arguing.

"Williams, Hamilton," Shepard said suddenly, stopping in front of the elevator which would take them to the Normandy. Unknown to Shepard and the others, but very much known to Patrick, Anderson and Udina would be waiting up them, deciding that the Normandy would be transferred under Shepard's leadership. "I want to speak about to the Spectre Requisitions officer to see if he has any useful equipment for our mission. Alenko, Garrus, Tali, we'll see you up at the Normandy."

Patrick stared at Shepard as he told Kaidan and the others to wait on the Normandy. Did the Commander know that Anderson was going to give him the Normandy? When playing through the game for the first time, Patrick hadn't the slightest idea, but had Shepard known. Granted they were technically the same person when Patrick was in control of Shepard's body, but Patrick had no idea what his character was thinking. It was then that Patrick realized how much the writers of Mass Effect left out. They gave Shepard speech and movement, but they never really talked about his thoughts.

Patrick shook his head as he followed Shepard and Ashley towards the Spectre Requisitions office, smiling softly as he realized he was thinking way too much. After all, the makers of Mass Effect didn't even know that their virtual world was a real place. How were they supposed to know that one day one of their gamers might be transported into their game? Or did they actually know?

Patrick's thoughts turned in a whole new direction. Had the creators of Mass Effect actually journey to this alternative dimension? Is that what inspired the game? Patrick wished that he knew the names of the creators so he could ask Shepard or anyone if they ever heard of them. The thought comforted Patrick slightly. If the makers of Mass Effect did journey to the game they would one day create then it was solid proof that there was some way to journey between the two worlds. They had accidentally found a way into a game and they had- probably again accidentally- found a way home.

"Hamilton? Hamilton?" Patrick felt someone shake him and blinked his eyes rapidly, clearing his mind of any lingering thoughts. He glanced at Shepard and Ashley, who were staring at him with confused eyes, and it was then that Patrick realized they had probably asked him a question that he had clearly missed. "Are you okay?"

Patrick nodded, "Sorry. The Prothean vision keeps flashing in my mind."

That wasn't a complete lie. Patrick couldn't get the Prothean vision out of his mind, it was stamped into his mind and it was brought to the front of his thoughts randomly. Patrick wondered if his lack of control over the vision was due to the fact that his mind wasn't as strong as Shepard's. Or did Shepard have problems similar to the ones that Patrick was experiencing? Another question for the makers, Patrick realized. He would have to try and meet up with them if- when he got home.

"You should get some sleep once we are aboard whatever ship Anderson and Udina have chosen for us," Shepard said, still glancing at Patrick curiously as though he didn't believe him, "And that's an order, Serviceman Hamilton."

Patrick nodded and murmured, "Yes sir."

Shepard stared at Patrick for another moment before continuing their walk, Ashley falling in step beside Patrick.

"You sure you okay, farmer?" Ashley asked.

"I thought you weren't going to call me 'farmer' anymore," Patrick said with a grin.

Ashley smiled, clearly taking his humor as a sign that he was fine. As they walked through a door, Patrick wondered if maybe he should confess his secret to one of the crew members. Kaidan already seemed like he suspected Patrick of something and Patrick wondered if he should just confront the lieutenant about it. Or what about Shepard? Patrick remembered that his Shepard had followed the Paragon path and had always tried to help everyone. Was this Shepard more Paragon? Or more Renegade? Patrick didn't want to test it out and get himself kicked off the Normandy.

There was always Ashley. Patrick cast a swift glance at his closest friend. Out of everyone he had met so far, Ashley had been the first one to accept him, but would she change her mind when she realized that he wasn't from the same dimension as her? Patrick didn't to lose his only ally. Patrick thought about the aliens: Garrus and Tali. Garrus loathed the rules so maybe he would be the best person to confide in? Then again he was a turian and turians were known for their aggressive nature. Maybe telling one of the most violent species wasn't the best idea. That only left Tali and Patrick didn't know her well enough. Maybe in time, she would be the one he confided in. There was always Wrex and Liara who had yet to join the team. Patrick decided that he wouldn't tell anyone until he got a chance to know everyone and decide who would be the best option.

They walked through the last set of doors where a turian was sitting, obviously communicating with someone on his computer for he kept nodding and muttering "sure." After a couple moments of being unnoticed, Shepard gave a quiet cough and the turian glanced up, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Excuse me."

The turian typed something on his computer before asking in a bored tone, "Can I help you?"

"I'm Commander Shepard," Shepard introduced himself; "I was told I could pick up some new equipment here."

"Of course," The turian nodded and typed a couple things before stopping, his black eyes widening, "Er... There must be some mistake. The computers are telling me to give you access to our special selection… Spectre?"

Shepard nodded, "I was made a Spectre just a couple hours ago."

"I heard something about that, but still I didn't realize it was you," The turian pressed a button and glanced up at Shepard, "There you go Commander. All of our private stocks have been open to you."

"Thank you," Shepard said with a nod before walking over to where some of the finer merchandise was on display, leaving Patrick and Ashley to walk around.

Patrick reached over to touch an assault rifle, but the turian barked, "Don't touch that rifle. It costs more than your life."

Patrick withdrew his hand and instead just stood quietly beside Ashley who was examining a shotgun. Unlike Patrick, she knew not to touch and instead her amber eyes just moved across the silver metal with an interested expression.

Patrick turned to see Shepard holding a pistol and aiming it briefly before nodding.

"This will do nicely," Shepard said, handing the turian some credits before waving Patrick and Ashley over, "Come on you too. Let's meet up with Anderson and Udina."

Patrick and Ashley nodded before following Shepard out of the office and towards the elevator. Patrick's eyes drifted towards a violet armored Krogan and he grinned to himself: Wrex.

As they were about to enter the elevator, Wrex stepped in front of them, "Human! You the one they call Shepard?"

Shepard's blue eyes narrowed, but he nodded, "Commander Shepard. Who wants to know?"

"Udnot Wrex. The Shadow Broker paid me a lot of money to get rid of Fist only you got their first," Wrex growled, taking a step forward and pushing Shepard back a couple steps, "When I get paid to do I job, I finish it by myself."

Patrick felt his hand twitch towards his side where his pistol was holstered. He didn't remember Wrex being so violent in the game. Patrick glanced at Ashley and muttered, "I don't like where this is going."

"But I didn't take out Fist, you did," Wrex said, pointing at Shepard with a clawed hand, "So the payment is yours."

Patrick shared a glance with Shepard and then with Ashley. Even Patrick who had mastered this game had no idea that Wrex was going to offer them his pay. Apparently Shepard was just as skeptical for he asked, "Why would you pay me for doing your job?"

"I won't take credit for someone else's work," Wrex explained with a shrug, "The payment is yours."

Shepard still seemed suspicious, but he nodded, "Thanks."

"Now I here your going after Saren," Wrex growled, "I was thinking I better come with you."

"What do you get out of going after Saren?" Shepard asked.

"There's a storm coming and you and Saren are right in the middle of it," Wrex growled, moving his hands as he spoke, "I want to be where the action is."

Shepard shared a glance with Ashley who nodded before turning back to Wrex, "Welcome aboard, Wrex. You can join Chief Williams, Serviceman Hamilton, and I on our way to see Captain Anderson."

"Anderson?" Wrex growled, "I know that name. Some kind of big Alliance hero right?"

Shepard nodded and Wrex shrugged, "Never liked the Alliance or humans for that matter, but if working with them leads to a good fight then you can call me a human supporter."

"You don't like humans?" Ashley asked her tone suspicious. Patrick remembered that she didn't like aliens.

"Haven't been around enough to really judge them," Wrex growled with a shrug, "When I form an opinion, I'll tell you." Wrex paused, "Or I might just shoot you." Patrick felt his own heartbeat quicken and Wrex must have heard it or something because he added, "Kidding."

"Should we go?" Patrick asked Shepard, "We've kept the Captain waiting long enough."

In truth, Patrick wanted to be out of the atmosphere they were in now where Ashley and Wrex were glaring at each other. If Wrex continued to show his displeasure of humans, there was going to be a confrontation. For some reason, Patrick thoughts drifted toward his father and older brother. William and Holden used to argue all the time about Holden's career. Instead of following the army path like William and another Hamilton boy, Joseph, Holden had become a doctor. Patrick's eyes closed slightly and he thought he could hear William's thunderous roar as he shouted at his son.

Shepard nodded, snapping Patrick's thoughts away from his father and brother, "You're right, Hamilton. Come on. You two will have plenty of time to fight as we chase Saren God knows where."

As they rode up in the elevator, an awkward silence settled over the group.

Wrex was cracking his knuckles.

Ashley had taken out her shotgun and was stroking it, amber eyes glancing at Wrex.

Like Shepard, Patrick was trying to avoid the awkward air that hung around them yet he knew things were only probably going to get worse before they got better. If everything happened like before, Ashley and Wrex would be standing only a couple feet from each other. Thinking about where everyone was positioned, Patrick wondered where he would be positioned. The ship wasn't huge and there was a giant crew. Patrick guessed he would just sit in the mess with other members of the crew.

The doors slid open almost painfully slow and the four of them hurried out to where Anderson and Udina were standing, their arms crossed. Udina was the first one to talk, but it was only a comment, "You're late."

"Better late than never," Ashley said simply, her mood still sour about the arrival of Wrex.

"Who's this?" Anderson asked, nodding towards Wrex.

"Udnot Wrex," Wrex growled, "I'm serving under Shepard."

"This is something you should have run by us, Shepard," Udina snapped, but before anything else was said, Anderson spoke,

"He's a Spectre now, Ambassador. He doesn't have to report to us."

Udina nodded and said, "Well good news, Shepard. We've found you a ship. Captain Anderson is stepping down from captain of the Normandy, leaving it to you."

Shepard glanced at Anderson, "This isn't right. The Normandy belongs to you."

Anderson shook his head, smiling softly although there was a pained expression in his eyes, "Not anymore. You need her more than I do. She's fast and quiet and you know the crew. Perfect ship for a Spectre."

"Thank you," Shepard said, "I'll take good care of her."

Udina nodded, but said nothing so Shepard added, "Any leads on Saren?"

"Saren is gone. Don't even bother going after him," Anderson said with a shake of his head, "But we have found areas where geth have reportedly been seen. Noveria has sent word of geth sightings."

"Our colony on Feros as well has report geth attacks," Udina added.

Shepard nodded, "Anything else?"

"One more thing," Anderson said. "Remember Matriarch Benezia? Well she has a daughter. A scientist who studies the Protheans. She might know something. Reports say she was at a Prothean dig site on Therum."

"She might be the best place to start," Shepard said with a curt nod before glancing at Patrick, Ashley, and Wrex, "Looks like we should head to Therum."

"It's your decision," Anderson said, "You don't answer to us anymore."

"But remember your decisions still reflect humanity as a whole," Udina added, "Whatever you do comes back to me so please try and not cause any huge explosions."

"I'll try not to," Shepard said simply.

"Good," Udina said with nod, "Remember you were a human long before you were a Spectre. Now if you don't mind, I have somewhere to be. Captain Anderson can answer any questions you might have."

Patrick watched Udina leave before everyone turned to Shepard who asked, "Captain Anderson, how are you doing?"

Anderson shrugged, "Tell you the truth, Shepard; this isn't how I pictured my career coming to an end. Pushing papers isn't really my thing, but you need the Normandy more than I do."

"Thank you, old friend," Shepard said, shaking Anderson's hand while everyone else saluted him.

Anderson nodded, "Take care everyone."

Patrick nodded and followed Shepard to the Normandy and to the first few steps in their hunt for Saren.