AN: Thank you for the reviews. Mass Effect doesn't belong to me.
Commander Shepard had called his squad into the debriefing room to plan whose going with to grab the professor. EDI had informed him of a quarantine on the slums due to a plague. He looked around the room to see what their thoughts on the matter were and who he brings along. After a short debate on whether to risk the lives of the non-human crew members, it was decided that Thalia and Jacob would go with the soldier while he had Miranda take the engineers to get their FB6 couplings. The team followed a familiar path to Aria to get some more information on the conditions in the slums.
"Shepard, surprised to see you got out of that mess alive. What do you want?" the Asari greeted with an emotionless tone.
"First, here, seems when the gangs got done with Archangel, they were coming after you." Alex said handing the datapad to the sitting woman.
"Would someone like to tell me how this slipped the net?" Aria asked angrily throwing the datapad at her Bartarian lieutenant.
"I'll look into it." He replied scared.
"See that you do. So, you've earned a bit of my time." The gang leader gestured for him to sit again. "What else did you need?"
"I'm looking for Mordin Solus. Do you know where I can find him?" Shepard wondered.
"The Salarian doctor? Last I heard he was helping plague victims over in the quarantine zone. I've always liked Mordin. He's as likely to shoot you as he is to heal you." Aria smirked at the thought. "Just don't get him talking, he never shuts up."
"How do I find him?" The Commander asked.
"If you really need to find him, you could try and take a shuttle down into the quarantine zone, it's just past the apartments. No guarantee they will let you in though." She advised.
"I should get going then." Shepard stood and started to leave.
"Yeah, just try not to bring the plague back with you."
The closer they get to the quarantine zone, they hear two people arguing. There at the end of the hall was a Human girl arguing with Turian guard.
"Listen Lady, I already told you no one goes into quarantine zone." The Turian shouted.
"I'm human, asshole. Humans can't get the plague. I've got to get my stuff before looters get it." The woman shouted pleadingly angry back.
"The thing affects every other species out there. So, no one gets in until its run its course. We're not taking any chances." The guard repeated.
"There's a Salarian named Mordin Solus in the Slums, I'm going in to get him." Shepard interrupted the argument.
"The Doctor? The crazy bastard opened a clinic a few months ago. Blue suns weren't too happy when he moved in. I hear Mordin's trying to deal with the plague. I wish him luck but the area is still locked down. Our orders are to wait until the plague or the Blue Suns kill everyone then go in and clean up." The Turian informed.
"Listen you're stuck here until the quarantine is over. That could take weeks. What you really need is to get this problem solved right now. That's what I do – solve problems. Let me in, and I'll get this straightened out." The soldier reasoned convincingly.
"You think you can fix this, why not? The quarantine is more to keep the infected in then, anyway, I'll radio ahead and tell them you're coming in." He assured causing the refugee in the alley to get pissed.
"Wait, you're stopping me but not them? You son of a bitch!" She yelled in the Turian's face.
"You don't have a grenade launcher, Lady. Get lost." The guard said simply and the group walked past him to the shuttle.
"Sir, from our talk earlier, I thought you wouldn't want to bring me along anymore." Thalia couldn't keep her curiosity quiet anymore.
"Well, I've problems with your attitude but you are one hell of a marksman. Anyway, I brought you for another motive. You are the only non-alien team member that doesn't work for Cerberus and I'm hoping Mordin will trust us a bit more." The dark haired commander answered honestly and saw the Alliance corporal nod in reluctant acceptance.
They arrived at the Slums and the soldiers drew their assault rifles while Jacob pulled his pistol. They charged a head going past the other guards that let them pass without incident and through another door. As they headed down a hallway, the squad saw two Blue Suns mercs standing and talking, not paying attention to their surroundings. Shepard activated his adrenaline rush to gun down one while Jacob used pull and Thalia shot a concussive shot at the unstable merc killing him.
The group tried to ignore the sight and smell of burning bodies. Checking out a locked apartment for anybody, all they found was a Turian that had tried to claw his way out before he was killed by the plague. The squad returned back to where they had come from and found a nearly dead Bartarian. The sick alien was cursing the human race for the plague but became more agreeable once the commander gave him medi-gel to keep him breathing for now. With the promise to send someone to get him, they left in the direction of the clinic as told to them by the infected Bartarian. Checking another locked apartment and finding no luck with a survivor, the squad came to a fork and before they could head right Thalia put her arm out stopping them.
"Sir, Blue Suns on a platform that direction and questionable cover at best." The young soldier informed with a whisper after she caught the sight of the blue armor.
"Okay, there are steps that way it may lead to a high rise where we can have the high ground and with Jacob's pull they won't have much cover." Shepard said keeping is voice low.
"Sir, there may be some posted on the far wall and they could move to that area to the left of them and separate our focus of fire. I could draw their fire getting behind one of these tables keep them on that ledge for you two to pick them off." Thalia suggested with a determined look in her eye.
"Are you sure about that either one of us could do the same thing?" Jacob asked while the commander considered his options.
"Jacob, if you draw their fire then your pull is practically useless as they'll be firing non-stop at you and the commander needs to be able to tell you who to use it on." The dark haired woman answered.
"Fine, you draw their fire but you better not die doing this." Alex agreed hesitantly.
"Wasn't exactly plan A, Sir." Thalia replied as they separated causing the commander to chuckle.
The young soldier looked out waiting for the mercs to become distracted before sprinting into the center back cover. She waited until she heard the commander whisper through her communication link. Equipping incendiary ammo, she blasted the mercs on the wall while Shepard was sniping at the ones ducking into cover. Jacob was using pull when an enemy would get too close to the wall leaving them to be shot down by either him or Thalia. If one would try to sneak to their left for cover the Alliance woman would shot them through the door way. After all the mercs had been killed, the two men rejoined the female soldier.
After searching another locked apartment, this time they came across a Human couple and convinced them to go to Mordin's clinic after a while with the way hopefully cleared. The squad came upon a fight already in progress between the Blue Suns and the Vorcha. The young soldier pointed to some stairs indicating she was heading up that way to clear it and use it as a sniper's perch. Shepard and Jacob charged easily taking out the Vorcha with their incendiary ammo. It wasn't long before Krogan started appearing along with Varren and pyros. The group took out the pyros and damaged most of the armor on those with it by hitting the canisters on their backs. Using the explosive canisters around the area, the enemy was soon overwhelmed and taken out.
After regrouping, the group checked the surrounding area to clear it. They only found two looters, who were nicely threatened to stop or wind up dead. They rounded the corner and saw a sign pointing the way to the clinic. The squad followed the signs meeting no resistance along the way and arrived outside the clinic, putting their guns away as they entered with a warning from the guards. A nurse gestured to the back when they asked about finding the professor and they followed the hall, where they could hear a fast conversation going on. The group got to the end of the hallway turning right when they see the Salarian.
"Professor Mordin Solus?" Shepard asked just to be sure.
"Hmm, don't recognize you from area. Too well armed to be refugees. No mercenary uniform. Quarantine still in effect. Here for something else. Vorcha? Crew to clean them out? Unlikely. Vorcha a symptom, not a cause. The plague? Investigating possible use as bio-weapon? No, too many guns, not enough data equipment. Soldiers not scientists. Yes. Yes. Yes. Hired guns maybe…" The professor was cut off.
"Relax, Mordin. I'm Commander Shepard, and I came here to find you. I'm on a crucial mission and I need your help." The commander explained.
"Mission. What mission? No. too busy. Clinic understaffed. Plague spreading too fast. Who sent you?" Mordin rattled again barley taking a breath.
"Ever heard of an organization called Cerberus?" Alex asked not wanting to deceive the Salarian.
"Crossed paths on occasion. Thought they only worked with Humans. Alliance presence disturbing. If allied with Cerberus now." The doctor scratched at his chin in thought.
"No, the Alliance is only loaning me to them by the will of the Council. This mission is bigger than old grudges." Thalia informed seriously.
"I'm on a mission to shut down the Collectors, and I need your help." Shepard brought the conversation back to the reason they were there.
"Collectors? Interesting. Plague hitting these slums is engineered. Collectors one of few groups with technology to design it. Our goals may be similar. But must stop plague first. Already have a cure. Need to distribute it at environmental control center. Vorcha guarding it. need to kill them." Mordin said.
"I get in and deal with the Vorcha." The commander volunteered as he finished the air shut down.
"Oh, come on really." The young soldier complained.
"Vorcha have shut down the environmental systems. Trying to kill everyone. Need to get power back on before district suffocates. Here, take plague cure. Also, bonus in good faith. Weapon from dead Blue Suns mercs. May come in handy against Vorcha. One more thing. Daniel. One of my assistants. Went into Vorcha territory. Looking for victims. Hasn't come back." The Salarian requested handing over the mentioned items.
"If I see him, I'll do what I can to help." Shepard tried to assure the professor.
"Thank you. Told him not to go. But he's smart. Bright future. I hope." Mordin turned back to his table.
Before they left, the commander told the doctor about the sick Bartarian. The squad entered a wide room and was immediately engaged in a fight with the Vorchas and Krogans. They set up behind cover working their way through the enemies. Once the last of the enemy gang fell, another wave descended from the far stairs and they were soon taken out too. The squad made their way upstairs and came to a door on their left. Hearing voices coming through the door, Shepard stopped the team and positioned themselves around the door. Once they entered all attention was drawn to them, they saw a group of Bartarians threatening a human man in a scientist coat. Shepard figured this was Daniel and convinced the enemy group to see reason and let him go. After promising they could go, Shepard told Daniel to go back to the clinic because Mordin needed him.
The Environmental Control Center was met with resistance as the Vorcha were trying to stop the group. After making to the air control, they added the cure and turned only to find more Vorcha had appeared. They fought through the enemy with difficulty as the Vorcha had numbers and the high ground. They had made it down one of the side hallways and faced another group of Vorcha and a charging Krogan. After taking out the opposition, the team made it into the first fan room and turned it on before taking a moment to collect themselves and check ammo.
They fought their way through the hordes changing weapons once ammo ran out and dodging around rockets as charging Krogan made it hard to stay in cover. They made it down into the second hallway and took out the few enemies left before entering the room and turning the second fan on. With the system back online, they headed back to the clinic fighting any lingering enemies. They arrived and went straight to Mordin who thanked them for saving Daniel and left said assistant in charge as they took off back to the Normandy. When the group got back, Miranda informed them that the couplings had been installed and they were ready to go whenever Shepard ordered it.
AN: That's all for now. Who do you want me to pick up next and who do you want to go? Please review and tell me. Thank you for reading.