Chapter 8

Joker quickly glanced over his navigation screen as the Normandy began its approach on the Charon Relay, pulling the ship into the approach vector with ease. The Normandy's systems identified the relay as the ship closed in on it rapidly and the drive core monitor immediately prepared all propulsion systems for the jump. The ship raced adjacent to the enormous eezo core and in a fraction of a second was accelerated hundreds of time past the speed of light and into a safe jump.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Normandy has left the system. We are en route to Tuchanka," Joker commented over the Normandy's ship-wide comm.

"All systems check normal, Jeff." EDI's body stared through the viewport in front of her, clearly not using her analog eyes.

Joker tapped two buttons on the control panel and spun his chair around. "Well I hope they stay that way for a few minutes. I need some coffee." He stood and stretched his tired back.

EDI's body stood from her seat and stepped next to him. "I will accompany you to the mess hall."

"Great, we can get you a glass of robo-water or something," Joker remarked sarcastically as he began a cautious walk toward the CIC.

"Very funny." EDI walked with him, smiling. "This mission has me... excited. I wish to observe the progress of quarian and geth relations as well as the krogan reconstruction."

EDI had already called the elevator to the CIC via her own systems and as the two rounded the galaxy map the doors slid open, letting them continue without a pause onto the lift. Joker reached forward and tapped the button labeled "3 – Crew's Quarters" only to narrow his eyes as the button refused to illuminate. He glanced to EDI who grinned mischievously.

"You have got it so easy when it comes to pranking, you know that?" Joker smacked the button again, this time it pinged and the elevator began to descend. "'Ho ho! Wouldn't it just be hilarious to shut down the life support on deck four!'"

"You would do the same if you had access to virtually every subsystem of the Normandy in the fraction of a second," EDI responded with amusement.

"Yeah, yeah."

Joker and EDI stepped out of the elevator as the doors parted on level three and walked into the mess hall. Garrus and Kaidan sat at the corner of the table finishing up their respective meals. Garrus nodded to them and spoke up to Joker.

"Aren't you supposed to be flying the ship?" Garrus raised his glass and took a sip of a foul smelling turian alcohol.

Joker continued on to the kitchen. "You think I can sit at the helm all day without some coffee in my system?"

EDI stopped next to the table as Joker walked on. "He drinks it far too much if you ask me."

Kaidan wiped his mouth with a napkin and chuckled. "He's here for the coffee... you're here for...?"

Joker spoke up from the kitchen as he searched for a thermos. "It seems like she's not content with me being inside her all day. She's gotta be next to me too."

Kaidan and Garrus stopped and glanced to each other with frozen expressions and then back to EDI and Joker as he began pouring himself a large dose of caffeine.

"As in inside the Normandy," Joker quickly added, "You two have filthy minds."

Garrus snickered and downed the last of his drink. "So what's our ETA?"

EDI stood motionless with her hands behind her back. "We are scheduled to arrive in the Aralakh System in approximately eleven galactic standard hours."

Kaidan leaned back in his chair and nodded. "Enough time for a little shut-eye and some paperwork. Just my kind of evening."

Joker hobbled to the table with his fresh thermos. "Hope you all are ready to play with the krogan. I'll be enjoying the reports from the safety of the cockpit."

"I'm going to hope Wrex is running a tight operation," Garrus stated, "Otherwise this trip might turn out a bit more exciting than we were anticipating."

Joker smirked and turned to head back toward the elevator. "Like I said. I can't wait to hear about it over the comm. And give the big guy a hug for me, wouldya?"

Commander Shepard stepped off of the elevator onto the engineering deck and approached Javik's quarters. The door pinged and opened, indicated it was unlocked, and the commander stepped inside. Javik stood at the far side of the room investigating something on his datapad. He did not bother to avert his gaze as his door opened. Joker's voice suddenly filled the room via the Normandy's public comm.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Normandy has left the system. We are en route to Tuchanka."

Shepard eyed the prothean for a moment before approaching him. "Welcome back, Javik."

Javik looked up from the datapad and nodded. "Commander. We are headed to the krogan homeworld, yes?"

"It's our first stop." Shepard leaned against a workbench nearby.

"Good. The krogan will always seek out the largest battle they can find. I expect we will not be far from it if you wish to contact their leader." Javik powered off his tablet and set it aside.

"Sounds like you're seeking combat as well." The commander crossed his arms.

"Of course I am. I have told you my purpose enough times. I will not repeat it," Javik sneered. Shepard would have taken offense, but by now he realized this was Javik's M.O.

"You really have no other aspirations?" Shepard mentally shook his head. He was wasting his own time.

Javik turned to stare into the black waters behind him. "I recognize that you wish help me acclimate to your time, commander, but your efforts are not needed." He lowered his hands and began to wash them. "The only thing I knew in my time was war. All I know of this time is war. As long as war still exists, I will be there. If someday we exist in a galaxy where peace is the standard then I will consider a new path."

"My cycle lived in a time of peace. Before the Reapers."

Javik scoffed and turned back to Shepard. "If you believe your galaxy was a place of peace just because your homeworld was not burning then you are a fool."

Shepard narrowed his eyes and leaned forward. "I don't think our definitions of peace are the same."

"Semantics are irrelevant. True galactic peace is a fallacy and a goal that one can approach but never achieve." Javik stared intently to the commander. "You of all people should know that an attempt for peace can only be achieved through war."

The commander sighed. "I know there's no convincing you otherwise."

"Your cycle has achieved something that no other before it has. I will fight as long as I must to ensure it does not squander this opportunity."

Shepard leaned his head slightly. "I thought you just cared about the vengeance of your own cycle."

"Do you have anything else to say, commander?" Javik inquired, ignore the remark.

"No. I don't. I'll have EDI let you know when we're close to Tuchanka." Shepard turned and headed to the door.

Commander Shepard glanced down to his omnitool as he made his way through the CIC to the bridge. The screen indicated that the diagnostic on his armor and shielding was complete and all systems were optimal. He smiled confidently; it always felt good to be in his armor. He had spent about half of the past eleven hours reading through any intel Liara could scrape together from Tuchanka. As he stepped up behind Joker's seat he could see the vast, brown expanse of the krogan homeworld growing ever closer in the viewport. Joker tapped away at the helm as EDI worked from her own chair.

"EDI, any word from the ground?" Shepard glanced over to the AI.

"Yes, Shepard, I have managed to contact clan Urdnot. I am ready to open a channel with Wrex whenever you are."

The Normandy slowly banked as it approached the planet and pulled itself into an orbit. Shepard nodded to EDI. "Let's do it."

"Affirmative." EDI paused momentarily as she contacted Wrex, waiting for him to accept the comm ping. "Connection established."

Shepard gazed out the window as the Normandy rode the crest of the planet. The expansive, destruction-dotted landscape stretched out for hundreds of miles before slowly curving back out of sight and giving way to the blackness of space.

"Wrex, this is Shepard. Do you copy?" Shepard glanced to the comm panel, waiting for the incoming audio feed to jump to life.

"Shepard!" Wrex's commanding voice boomed around them. "My friend! I didn't think my scout ships had the right ID on that damned frigate!"

Shepard grinned. "You'd be so lucky, Wrex."

"Heh heh! What's the big hero doing so far way from Earth already?"

"I'm here to see your ugly mug, Wrex. That and check up on this entire species I saved." Shepard smirked to himself.

"Hah! Fair enough! I'm sending my coordinates now. Might wanna take your shuttle. We're pretty far from any decent spaceports."

EDI looked to the navigation screen as a set of coordinates on the planet's surface appeared. "The coordinates have been added to the mission log, Shepard."

The commander nodded in thanks to EDI before turning his attention back to Wrex. "We're on our way, Wrex."

"By the way... I'd suit up and hurry... I don't want you to miss the fun!" Wrex's tone was a peculiar mix of deviance and excitement.

"Wrex has terminated the call, Shepard," EDI informed them.

Joker glanced over his shoulder. "Well, that didn't sound suspicious or anything."

Shepard shook his head with a smile. "He's got some kind of surprise waiting. EDI, buzz the squad and tell them the shuttle's launching in five."

EDI nodded and glanced over. "Shall I accompany you?"

Shepard shrugged. "Up to you, EDI."

She looked to Joker thoughtfully before turning back to the commander. "I would like to stay here, if that's alright."

"You got it," Shepard replied. "Now if you'll excuse me... I have a ride to catch."

Shepard, Liara, Javik and Kaidan stood beside the Kodiak checking their weapons as Garrus exited the elevator and hurried toward them.

"Sorry, sorry. Chakwas insisted on checking my leg before the mission." Garrus grabbed his M-97 from the weapon rack as he passed by, doing a quick check of the scope and thermal systems before collapsing it onto his back.

Liara glanced over to the turian with a grin. "I hope you remembered your doctor's note."

Shepard chuckled and turned to the door of the Kodiak, pulling himself up into the dropship. "Let's get moving, people!"

The squad quickly followed behind Shepard and loaded onto the ship. Cortez had already prepped the shuttle for launch and turned the craft around to face the airlock as soon as squad was aboard.

"Normandy this is Cortez. Requesting permission to launch." Cortez tapped away at his helm and stretched his shoulders, ready to fly.

"Cleared. Airlock door opening. Please enter and prepare to disembark."

The large doors at the end of the hangar slowly opened and the dropship made its way into the airlock. The doors sealed behind them and red warning lights illuminated around the shuttle before the Normandy proceeded to vent the atmosphere. After a brief moment the external hatch slid open, revealing the inky expanse of space. Cortez waited until the doors had completely parted before kicking the craft into gear and exiting the Normandy. The Kodiak arced gracefully as it began its descent to Tuchanka. In the cockpit the atmospheric readings began filling up a small screen as the shuttle grew closer and closer to the tan surface.

Back in the passenger compartment Shepard glanced to his squadmates. Garrus was busy checking over his armor and weapon systems. He clearly had not had the time before they launched, but Shepard figured he would be fine. Liara stared with wide eyes at the video feed showing the rapidly approaching surface of the planet, her gaze darting across the landscape. Shepard smiled as he watched her inner archaeologist run wild. Javik stood in the corner, as usual, with his arms crossed.

Kaidan stood from his seat and stepped across the compartment to Shepard's side. "So... we're going in combat ready. What are you expecting?"

Shepard glanced over to his fellow Spectre. "Couldn't tell you. I don't think Wrex wanted to spoil the surprise."

"Ah, yeah, great. Well you know I love surprises," Kaidan responded with a grin.

"What's the worst it could be?"

Shepard turned his gaze back to the monitor. The shuttle was rapidly approaching what appeared to be the ruins of a city center. For Tuchanka the ruined buildings that still stood were remarkably tall. One of the largest was at the edge of the group and directly in front of them. As the shuttle rounded the enormous building the squad had a clear view of Wrex's surprise. A reaper destroyer stood in the center of a massive roadway, surrounded by half crumbled superstructures. The Reaper's eye began to follow the dropship as it came into view. Shepard knew what would follow.

"Cortez! Take us below visual range!" Shepard shouted to the cockpit. He looked back to the squad. "Hold on!"

Just as the lieutenant began the course correction a massive beam of red light ignited in front of the shuttle. Cortez rolled hard and brought the ship into a dive, the beam barely missing the body of the Kodiak. The crew held tight as the port thrusters and a few inches of the hull were evaporated by pure heat and warning lights and sirens began to blare. The shuttle shook and thrashed as the starboard engines attempted to compensate for the lack of port side thrust, making Cortez struggle to keep the Kodiak airborne as he scanned for landing zones.

"Sir! I've got an ID on krogan forces about a quarter mile up! I'm gonna try to put her down near them!" Cortez tapped and swiped furiously at the controls as he spoke. "You guys might wanna brace for impact!"

Shepard spun around and pulled himself down into one of the seats, his hands struggling to find and secure the safety latches across his waist and chest.

"Three seconds!" Cortez shouted.

The commander closed his eyes and leaned his head back, taking a deep breath. So far the mission wasn't proceeding entirely as he had planned. He almost had time to laugh at his own naivety before a the sound of crunching and tearing metal filled the cabin.

Author's Note

Sorry about the short chapter this week! Had some pacing issues with the rest of what I had panned for this chapter so I thought this might be a fun place to end it. Luckily I've got a very clear week coming up so the next chapter should be longer and quicker. Thanks for reading!