Ch.22
It was on my fifth birthday that Papa put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'Remember, my son, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.'
Sam Levenson (1911 - 1980)
After my talk with Shepard I decided to go take a nap for a while. Things don't always go as planned instead I run into Wrex. Oh crap that's right Wrex might die on the next mission too, how did I forget that. "Wrex," I say to him, "I have things to talk to you about."
"What Doe," Wrex says. Ok then impersonal.
"You agree that Saren's a bad guy right," I ask him trying to kill a situation before it begins.
"What about it," Wrex says impatiently.
"You know he uses people as tools," I ask him, "Right."
"Why are you asking me these things," Wrex asks a little annoyed.
"Keep them in mind," I say and go to head off.
I feel a hand grab my shoulder, "I asked you questions."
"I asked you some too, you really didn't answer mine so I wont answer yours," I say pulling his hand off my shoulder, "and don't touch me without my permission." I liked Wrex he always seemed to have a different viewpoint on things, but I get the feeling he's innately mistrustful probably something to do with his father, and the fact he was a krogan. "Whatever we find on Virmire remember, Saren isn't in this for the good of anyone." I walk away the only problem with this is I'm trapped in the garage, where Wrex stays, I hope he doesn't try to kill me in my sleep.
"This isn't over," Wrex says.
Depending on your actions, it will be for you. "Good night," I say to him. I find a spot for my nap, an empty corner, ok here's to Virmire.
Someone is sitting next to a bomb, pistol firing off into the crowd of geth moving towards them, a blinding flash...
I already know this, I should go report to Shepard. "Garrus," I say to get his attention from his console.
"Yes Will," Garrus responds.
"I need an escort to Shepard," I say to him.
"She's out," Garrus says, "we've arrived at Virmire while you slept.
"Who'd she take down to the planet," I ask, not Wrex, not Wrex, not Wrex not Wrex, not Wrex, not Wrex...
"Wrex and Ashley," Garrus says. Oh crap the worst two to bring if you want everyone coming out alive.
"Can you bring me to the cockpit," I ask him.
"Sure I'll hand you off to Joker," Garrus says.
A short trip through the Normandy later, "Joker I need to speak to Shepard," I say.
"Good timing she just finished off the anti air we're going in," Joker responds. I take a seat, I hope we get there in time.
According to the game the ship lands then we have our conference with Kirahee, then Wrex's life or death moment happens, but things are different now. I'm here I've changed things even if it was a little bit I don't know how that will affect the future. On the way in I start whistling "Happy Birthday". We come to a stop, Kirrahe's voice comes over the speakers. "Every AA gun within 10 miles is alerted to your presence, set down now." Well then Happy Birthday to me.
"Normandy's touched down at the base," Joker says to Shepard's comm, "but it looks like we're grounded."
"Why," I hear Shepard's voice over the speakers.
"Ask the salarian captain," Joker says.
"Shepard," I say through my comm.
"Will glad to hear you're up," Shepard says, "happy birthday."
"Thanks Commander," I say to her, "happy landing on a planet full of robots out to kill you day."
"Thanks," Shepard says I can hear the smirk in her voice.
"Commander," I say to her, "be careful you don't have me and my super powers there to protect you." A veiled warning, I said the same words before they left for Noveria.
"We'll be alright Will," Shepard says the same words as when she left for Noveria, warning received she'll want to talk to me when she gets here.
"Shepard's here," Joker says.
"Will I need to see you," Shepard says, "I'm coming up."
"I'm in the cockpit with Joker, see you when you get here," I say to her. A few minutes later Shepard had arrived and taken me to the conference room.
"What's going to happen," Shepard asks.
"We are going to lose someone," I answer, "I saw someone sitting beside a bomb then a bright flash, I'm guessing it detonated."
"Do you think Saren destroys the facility," Shepard asks.
"Not in the least, one of our people wouldn't be sitting by the bomb then," I say to her, "I think we do."
"Thanks for the info," Shepard says.
"And Shepard," I say getting her attention.
"Yes Will," She acknowledges me.
"Watch out for Wrex," I say, "things here aren't as they seem."
"Another dream," Shepard asks.
"No a gut feeling," I say, actually it's a part of the storyline. Shepard turns to leave and glances back at me, I'm disappointed I wont be able to help so I sit, "I'll stay in here if that's ok with you."
"Come on," Shepard says.
"To the garage," I ask.
"To the facility," Shepard says, "you know a lot more about this situation than you're letting on, even if you don't tell me maybe we could save whoever is beside the bomb."
"I hope so," I say to her, "and thanks for the chance."
"Let's go," Shepard says. I head through the door with her and after a few minutes we are walking up the beach towards Kirrahe. "What's the situation," Shepard says. Ashley and Kaidan notice my presence, but say nothing.
The salarian begins an answer, "I'm..."
"Captain Kirrahe third infiltration regiment STG," I say interrupting him, "Will Doe pleasure to meet you."
"How did you know..." he again asks.
"You know a Mordin Solus," I ask for kicks.
"You know Mordin," he asks.
"Nope," I say, Shepard gives me a look that says stop it and we'll talk about this later at the same time.
The salarian Captain seems to shake off the conversation, he turns to Shepard, "You and your crew have just landed in the middle of a hot zone," Kirrahe says, "every AA gun within 10 miles has been alerted to you presence."
"That's just great," Shepard says, "what now."
"We stay put until the Council sends the reinforcements we requested," Kirahee says.
"Awkward," I say standing behind Shepard.
"What does he mean," Kirrahe asks.
"We are the reinforcements," Kaidan says.
He seems rather taken aback, "What," he asks, "you're all they sent, I told the Council to send a fleet."
"We couldn't understand your message," Shepard explains, "they sent me to investigate."
"That is a repetition of our task," Kirrahe says, "I lost half my men investigating place."
"So what have you found," Kaidan asks.
"Saren's bas of operations, he's set up a research facility here, but it's crawling with geth, and very well fortified," Kirahee answers.
"What's Saren researching," Shepard asks.
"He's using the facility to breed an army of krogan," Kirrahe.
Wrex of course chooses this moment to walk up, "How is that possible," Wrex asks.
"Apparently, Saren has discovered a cure for the genophage," Kirrahe says.
"Well that's bittersweet," I say.
"Bittersweet," Kirrahe asks.
"The cure good," I say, "the one with it bad."
"We have to destroy it before he makes an army," Kirrahe says.
"Destroy it, I don't think so, my people are dying," Wrex says with anger, "this cure can save them."
"If that cure leaves this planet, the Krogan will become unstoppable," Kirrahe sasys, "we can't make the same mistake again." Kirrahe is another person I can't agree with.
"The krogan weren't a mistake," I say before Wrex can, I have to convince him I'm on his side maybe then I can save him. "Come on Wrex," I say to him, "I have to talk to you, if the Commander will let me."
"Go Will," Shepard says, "have your talk." I nod and walk off Wrex follows me.
"Wrex," I say, "I'm on your side in this."
"I saw that," Wrex says, "what're you going to do."
"Destroy the facility," I say without hesitation.
"Why are you on my side then," he asks angrily, "help me out here the lines between friend or foe are getting blurry."
"After I retrieve the data," I say, "in Saren's hands it would be nothing but, an army of slaves."
"Just the data," Wrex asks.
"I can't smuggle out a sample you'll have to be happy with some encrypted data," I say to him, "I haven't seen the encryption but, I'm guessing it will take a while to crack, maybe enough for the krogan to get their honor back."
"So you'll work on the data and I'll work on getting the krogan together," Wrex asks.
"Deal," I ask holding my hand out.
"Deal," Wrex says, "I'll start on my end after this is all over."
"Then get mad at Saren for delaying the rise of your people," I say to him, "and for curing their disease to make them slaves."
"I'll get him for that," Wrex says narrowing his eyes.
Saved Wrex from dying, happy birthday to me. I walk back to Shepard, "He's in and seriously pissed off."
"Good Will here's the plan," Shepard says and begins to explain what they were going to do, I nod at the mention of the bomb, a subtle signal, she's sending Ashley with Kirrahe. Does that mean she's leaving Alenko behind then?
"So who's on shadow team," I ask Shepard.
"You, Wrex, and me," she says, "now that you've redirected his anger."
"Got it," I say with a grin.
"If you have anything to get done do it now," Kirrahe interrupts.
"Let me talk to Tali," I say to Shepard.
"All right go we'll get ready," Shepard says.
I head off down the beach and find Liana talking with Tali, "..stay away from...oh Will," she says, "how long have you been there."
"About at, 'stay away,' anything I should know," I ask them.
"No nothing," they both say.
"Tali I need your help," I say to them.
"What with," Tali asks her visor unreadable but a slight bit of triumph in her voice.
"I need to move data from a terminal inside the facility into my omni tool," I say, "is there anyway you could help me."
"I have fairly advanced hacking software on my omni tool," Tali says her omni tool glows and she fiddles around with it, the omni tool on my right hand glows in response, "it should be able to crack the computers and download everything."
"Now that's out of the way can you show me how to do an overload," I ask her.
"Like this..." She says and proceeds to walk me through the motions like a human puppet.
"Thanks," I say, after memorizing how to work it, I give her a quick hug, "see you afterwards," I say heading off.
"Shepard lets get going," I say to her, "I've got everything, ready."
"Good timing," Shepard says.
"Going to invade an rogue spectre's base on my birthday, Shepard you shouldn't have," I say with a grin.
"Speaking of how old are you now," Shepard asks.
"18 years old," I say I see a look of shock.
"That explains some things," Shepard says.
"Now then it's time to go invade the evil research facility full of geth and krogan to detonate a nuke and hopefully escape the blast before we get disintegrated," I say, I start whistling happy birthday, "what're we waiting for."
