Krogan Cluster

Aralakh System

In the Aralakh system was the Krogan Home world Tuchanka. The planet was a world that the Krogans themselves destroyed in a nuclear winter. This would all change when they became members of the OSA; and now the Senate is working to restore the planet to its former glory.

Out in space, a Slipspace portal opened up and out came the Normandy heading straight for Tuchanka.

Normandy SR-2

Bridge

On the Bridge, Shepard was standing next to Joker as he was flying the Normandy. When they got close to Tuchanka, Shepard could see a fleet of ships, but not just any ships; these were Jiralhanae war ships guarding the Krogan home world.

"Why are there Jirlhanae warships guarding the Krogan home world?" asked Shepard

Caprica appeared on the bridge to explain. "The Jiralhanae and Krogan have an alliance, and through this alliance the Krogan were invited to join the OSA and cure them of the genophage that was killing their species."

As Shepard took that information in, Joker brought him back from his train of thought. "Uh, Shepard we have two cruisers on intercept course better do something quick."

"Open a channel to whoever is in command." said Shepard. Joker acknowledged the order and deftly pressed a few buttons. After a few seconds, a Jiralhanae appeared on the holo screen. "This is Commander Shepard of the Normandy."

The Jiralhanae was wearing black armor symbolizing his authority as captain of his ship. "I know who you are. What brings the infamous Commander Shepard here?"

"I came here to seek out Krogan help. That's all you need to know." said Shepard not wasting any time with this Jiralhanae.

The Jiralhanae looked away from the screen and spoke in his native tongue; if one considered the growling and snarling to be a language. "Unfortunately you cannot land without Krogan approval."

"Then get me the approval, this is important for my mission," shot back Shepard, starting to get impatient with the Jiralhanae, "you do know about my mission don't you?"

The Jirlahanae knew all too well about Shepard's mission and because of that he had to comply with the Commander's request. "Give me a moment."

Joker looked at Shepard. "Nice to know negotiating with Jiralhanae is one of your strong assets."

"The Jirlahanae, like the Krogan, respect strength; push hard enough they'll budge." said Shepard while looking at Joker seriously.

"If I tried to push them, I might get my face beaten in with one of those gravity hammers they love so much; assuming they don't hack me apart with their vibro-axes first."

After a few minutes the Jiralhanaes sent over coordinates for the shuttle to land as it was forbidden by the Krogan for the OSA to use their teleportation technology to travel to the planet.

"Joker prep the shuttle and get my team ready."

"Aye, Aye Commander." Said Joker

Tuchanka

When the shuttle left the Normandy, it headed to the coordinates the Jiralhanae commander gave them. These coordinates lead to a place called the Kelphic Valley where a huge Krogan population was concentrated in that area. As the shuttle began its descent into the atmosphere, it was being tracked by AA guns. Shepard wasn't worried; the Krogan wouldn't jeopardize the alliance they have with the OSA—even they knew it would be suicide. The shuttle landed at an LZ where three Krogan were waiting.

The shuttle opened up its port side and let out Shepard, Grunt, and Toha. Shepard and his team began walking towards the Krogan until one of them stopped him. "Stop right there, alien. You're Shepard...of the Normandy, yes?"

Soon his fellow Krogan pulled out their Jiralhanae-made shotguns, taking careful aim. "Our leader wants to speak with you." He then looked at Grunt. "Keep your rutting pet on a short leash. Get him the rite soon, or put him down."

"Back off! I'm not here looking for trouble." said Shepard not going to be intimidated by a bunch of trigger-happy Krogan.

"We don't like aliens coming to Tuchanka, especially weak ones." said the Krogan, his movements making it clear that he was not interested in Shepard anymore.

The Hollows

Shepard and his team soon left the LZ and began walking through corridors until they reached a door. Through the door was a big chamber with long stairs going down. Off in the distance were many Krogan each from a different clan gathered together around a stone oval table and at the head of the table was Wrex clan leader of Urdnot.

As Shepard began walking down to where everyone was, two Krogan bodyguards stopped him. "Halt! You must wait until the council of Krogan summons you. They are... in talks."

The Krogan that have gathered around the table were in great discussion about important matters. "We need to focus on more weapons if we want to better protect ourselves." said a Krogan

"No, we need to focus on building ships make a fleet of our own. We cannot rely on the Jiralhanae forever." said another Krogan

"I have said this before and will say it again." said Wrex now standing up from his stone chair. "We are focusing on rebuilding to allow our growing population to spread, not to wage war on old wounds—you want to be stupid and fight the OSA when they've been giving us support? Be my guest."

The Krogan around the table snarled and roared as to opposing the idea of peace. Then to add more fuel to the fire, a Krogan from Clan Gatatog stepped up. "You know what tradition demands - this council of Krogan must respond. Your reforms will not go unopposed. You risk appearing weak at a critical time."

"This is absurd." said a Krogan from clan Nakmor. "It was Wrex himself that secured an alliance with the Jiralhanae, and it was he who put this council together for all clan leaders to have a voice for the future of all Krogan."

"And where has this gotten us? No where! The Jiralhanae and OSA only provide food and construction materials for us to rebuild, but what about their weapons or ships? They could give us so much more!" argued the Krogan from clan Gatatog.

As Wrex began shaking his head, tired of this infighting he looked up and saw a very familiar face. "Shepard!" Wrex began walking over the table to his old friend.

Shepard looked at the guard. "Good enough?" He then passed the Krogan guards "Excuse me." he said while passing them by.

The two warriors then walked up to each other and took the others hand as sign of respect. "Shepard! My friend!" said Wrex "You look well for dead, Shepard. Should have known the void couldn't hold you."

"Looks like helping me destroy Saren and the Geth has worked out for you. Glad we didn't have to kill each other on Virmire."

Wrex just laughed. "Ha! You made the rise of Urdnot possible and through it I forged an alliance that saved the Krogan from dying out."

"I heard about that, but I have to say I wasn't expecting all this." said Shepard pointing out the many Krogan gathered around a table.

Both Shepard and Wrex walked up to the table as they were about to talk a Krogan stepped up. "Wrex we are not done with this meeting."

Wrex walked up to the Krogan and head-butt him. "Speak when spoken to Uvenk. And as for this meeting, it's over. Were taking a break until Bakara comes back."

All the Krogan there growled at that name and just left.

Wrex walked up to his chair and sat in it. "Now, Shepard. What brings you here? How's the Normandy?"

"Destroyed in a Collector surprise attack. I ended up spaced."

"Well, you look good. Ah, the benefits of a redundant nervous system!" said Wrex clearly having no knowledge of Human anatomy.

Shepard scratched his head sheepishly. "Yeah, Humans don't have that."

"Oh, it must have been painful, then. But you're standing here, and you've got a strong new ship. Takes me back to the old days; us against the unknown, killing it with big guns. Good times."

"As much as I like to talk about the old days I have business here I need to take care of."

Taking a moment to regard his friend seriously, Wrex sat back down upon his improvised throne. "We don't allow aliens to do business here on Tuchanka, but you're an exception."

"I have a Krogan on my crew. He has some kind of sickness and needs treatment."

Wrex took a good look at Grunt. "Where are you from, whelp? Was your clan destroyed before you could learn what is expected of you?"

Grunt stepped forward and looked at Wrex in the eyes. "I have no clan. I was tank bred by warlord Okeer, my line distilled from Kredak, Moro, Shiagur-"

But before Wrex could say anything, Uvenk appeared. "You recite Warlords, but you are the offspring of a syringe!"

"Uvenk why are you here?" asked Wrex very much displeased by Uvenk's arrival.

"I came here to see this Human you seem to have given your attention first before this council, but then I see a Krogan who is nothing more than a test subject in a lab."

"I am pure Krogan. You should be in awe." said Grunt ignoreing what Uvenk said.

Wrex held his head up high in thought. "Okeer is a very old name…a very hated name."

"He is dead," added Grunt.

"Of course. You're with Shepard. How could he be alive?"

"Does that name mean anything to you Wrex?" Asked Shepard

"A vicious Warlord responsible for many deaths; apparently he toyed with genetics." said Wrex, he then began to think. "A clone undertaking the rite...?"

"You're considering it?" said Uvenk who seemed greatly outraged by what Wrex said, "A tank-bred allowed status as an adult?! This is going too far!"

"There is nothing wrong with him. He is becoming a full adult."

"I see." said Toha, contemplating the meaning of this, "Even among the Sangheili there is also a tradition when one becomes an adult."

"Too far, Wrex! Your clan may rule, but this thing is not Krogan." shouted Uvenk, storming out of the hallows.

"Idiot," muttered Wrex, burning holes in Uvenk's back before he turned his attention back to Grunt, "So Grunt? Do you wish to stand with Urdnot?"

Shepard wanted to learn more and stepped up next to wrex. "You'll let a Tank-bred join clan Urdnot?"

"Only because he's with you; after all you and I killed thousands more like him. Not quite as big, but many. Clan Urdnot is strong and the others will do as I say. They see the benefit of my vision."

"What would happen if he doesn't do this rite of passage?"

"If he was left here, he would be killed. The clan-less are not respected; a tank-bred, probably even more so. His disposition is what it is, rite or no. That's just him being a Krogan. Okeer didn't tell you that in the tank, did, he boy?"

"What does the rite of passage require?"

"Not for me to say, Shepard. The shaman will discuss that."

"This is his choice." said Shepard not going to make a big decision like this on his own.

Grunt turned away from the group and stared off in the hallows, he then turned around with a confident look on his face. "It is in my blood. It is what I am for."

Wrex was happy to hear that. "Good boy, speak with the shaman - he's over in the Kelphic Valley, we've begun to build city there. Give him a good show, and he'll set you on the path." Wrex then walked up to his chair, he then turned and looked at Shepard. "You too, Shepard. How many times have you stepped in a mess for your crew, hmm?"

"Thanks Wrex, I'll talk to you later." Shepard and his squad walked off to the Kelphic Valley.

Kelphic Valley

When the OSA inducted the Krogan, they began helping the Krogan to restore Tuchanka to its former glory. After that, they helped and aided in the construction of cities and other infrastructures for their growing population. Shepard arrived at the valley in a Tomkah and soon got off—he was surprised to see so many Krogan in what you could call a market place.

As Shepard, Grunt, and Toha walked through the valley, they saw Krogan buying either food or weapons, but the one thing you don't see was Krogan children playing. After getting directions to the Urdnot shaman, Shepard headed straight there.

When Shepard, Grunt, and Toha arrived, they saw Uvenk and his Krogan already talking to the Shaman. "You go beyond yourself, Gatatog Uvenk! The rites of Urdnot are dominant!"

Uvenk wasn't going to let this go. "How do we know it will challenge him? He's unnatural! The beasts of the rite could ignore him like a lump of plastic!"

It was plain to see the anger of the Shaman as he continued to glare at Uvenk. "They know blood no matter the womb, your barking does not help your case."

"I'll speak for myself!" interjected Grunt, gaining an audience for himself.

The Shaman walked up to Grunt with Uvenk in tow. "So this is the tank-bred? It is very lifelike." He smells Grunt. "Smells correct as well, your protests ring hollow, Uvenk."

Shepard looked at Uvenk and had enough with this Krogan and his bitching—somebody needed to put this asshole in his place. "I don't care what this idiot says. Grunt has the right to be here."

The Krogan shaman liked Shepard's attitude. "There's some fire - and from an alien! Oh, the shame this heaps on those who whine like pups."

Uvenk wasn't about to give up so easily. "If this must stand on ritual, then I invoke a denial! My krantt stands against him! He has no one!"

The Shaman let out a grunt of disapproval. "My patience is tested, but Uvenk invokes correctly. Grunt, who is your krantt? Your allies willing to kill and die on your behalf?"

"Grunt will strength clan Urdnot!" barked Shepard, anxious to get on the Shaman's good side, "Name our target and it will die."

The Shaman was impressed with Shepard's words. "Spoken well! Most aliens - and some Krogan - do not understand our ways. I believe this human does."

It was clear that Uvenk was not going to let this slide—and it was clear in his next words: "Aliens don't know strength! My followers are true Krogan! Everything about Grunt is a lie."

Oh, he'd had enough with him! Shepard decided to shut up Uvenk in his place, and so he pulled his head back and head-butted Uvenk.

Shocked that this happened, Uvenk was speechless for but a second. "You... you dare?"

The shaman couldn't help but laugh. "Ba ha ha ha! I like this Human! He understands!"

"I withdraw my denial!" declared Uvenk, leveling his dirtiest look at Shepard, "This will be decided elsewhere!" Uvenk then walked off with his Krogan bodyguards, pushing Shepard aside as he did so.

"You have provoked them. Reason enough for me to like you. They're your problem now."

Shepard asked a number of questions before beginning. After that they headed for the tomkah to begin the rite.

Rite

When the tomkah stopped, Shepard, Grunt, and Toha got off of the IFV with the Shaman, who went on to explain about the history of where they were and the important keystone to draw the wild beasts of Tuchanka.

Shepard went up to the key stone and pressed it; a loud noise shot out of the tower and drew the first wave of wild beasts to Shepard, Grunt, and Toha. "Alright let's do this," said Shepard pulling out his assault rifle and taking aim. After multiple engagements with other creatures and defeating a thresher maw, the rite was over or so they thought. A ship soon hovered over them and landed near the rite. Shepard and his squad went to see what this was all about and not to their surprise—it was Uvenk with his posse.

"You live, and you brought down the thresher maw," began Uvenk, surprised at the result, "no one has done that in generations. Urdnot Wrex was the last."

"My Krantt gave me strength beyond my genes," declared Grunt proudly, "Which are damn good!"

"This is a cause for discussion. I wonder... you say you are pure? No alien meddling in your construction? Just the warlord Okeer?"

Shepard glared at the Krogan suspiciously. "You're stumbling, Uvenk. What's your game?"

"Grunt will command much respect now. His strength may be artificial but it is a tolerable loophole."

"A what?" asked Grunt not liking Uvenk's attitude, "Spit it out!"

"A reason to accept you. You are a mistake, but your potential could tip the current balance of the clans."

"You spit on my father's name! On Shepard's name! But now you stop ranting because I'm strong?"

"With restrictions. you could not breed, of course. Or serve on an alien ship. But you'd be clan in name."

It was then that Shepard realized Uvenk's game. And with that, he had the sudden urge to strangle the living daylights out of this asshole. "You talk like he's a thing. You're after his power. You don't really want him in your clan."

"Of course not!" said Uvenk, not ashamed to admit his guilt, "I didn't really want to cooperate with Clan Urdnot either and join the OSA, but I had no choice. I was outvoted. I get traditionalist support if I fight you, and reformer support if I back you. Your rite of passage tipped that balance too."

Shepard turned to Grunt. "It's your choice Grunt. Sounds like an easy job."

A moment's consideration, and Grunt's answer finally came—and it was time to get back at Uvenk! "That's the problem. I'm pure Krogan. Uvenk you are the pretender!"

Uvenk didn't care either way and was going to enjoy this. "Your head is valuable whether you're alive or dead!"

"Just try to take it!" said Grunt pulling out his assault rifle.

As Grunt was about to fire, one of Uvenk's Krogan pulled out missile launchers and fired, both Shepard and Grunt ran and took cover, as for Toha, he snuck up behind the Krogan that fired missile launcher and pierced through his chest with his plasma sword.

Grunt came out of cover and opened fire at the other Krogan, enjoying himself at the same time.

While Shepard went after Uvenk with his biotics, it was clear that Krogan biotics no slouches either, and Uvenk proved this by charging at Shepard and sending the Commander against a wall upon impact. Uvenk soon launched again, sending himself and the Commander through the wall. If it wasn't for the Commander's nanites, he would have been feeling the pain right about now. He got up from the attack and sent a biotic blast at Uvenk that knocked him back, but Shepard didn't stop there, he then pulled Uvenk back to him and sent him slamming into the ground. Shepard thought it was over, but to his surprise, Uvenk got back up and charged at Shepard putting the Commander on the ground. Uvenk then pulled out his shotgun and was about to blow, Shepard's head off, until Grunt charged at Uvenk, tackling him to the ground before proceeding to beat the cowardly Krogran dead.

Shepard walked up to Grunt and pulled him up from the ground, patting him on the shoulders signifying it was over. The entrance to the tomkah opened and out came a Krogan ready to take them back.

Kelphic Valley

When Shepard, Grunt and Toha arrived back in the valley, they headed to the Shama. The Shaman was pleased they survived and killed Uvenk. Grunt walked up to the Shaman and kneeled. "You have passed the Rite of Passage, earning the honor of clan and name. Many survive, but it has been years since a thresher maw fell! Your names shall live in glory. Grunt you are Urdnot. You may now own property, join the army, and apply to serve under a battlemaster."

Grunt didn't need to take time to choose a battlemaster. "Shepard is my battlmaster. He has no match."

"Congratulations, Urdnot Grunt. Accept this token from Fortack. His weapons are the finest we have."

Shepard then headed back to the hollows to say goodbye to Wrex.

Hollows

When Shepard and his team walked up to Wrex, he was pleased to see his friend and yet a little upset. "You just can't help making trouble. No one has killed a 'maw since my turn in the rite. Next you'll tell me he's quaint and craps dark matter. Guess that's what it takes to replace me."

Grunt then walked up in front of Wrex. Wrex took a long look at Grunt. "You are Urdnot Grunt. Welcome."

Shepard said his goodbye and left Tuchanka on his shuttle.

OSA Space

Unknown Location

OSA refit station

At this unknown refit station was where Kafel Falam brought the derelict Reaper to be study by the OSA. Admiral Hackett was overseeing the operation. He walked in front of the observation window and saw what was left of the Reaper. "Have the Huragok learned where the indoctrination signal is being transmitted?"

One of the scientists studying the Reaper shook his head. "Unfortunately, no; it would seem it's transmitting all around, so we've begun to direct the Huragoks to disassemble the Reaper."

Hackett liked that idea. "Good! Find chinks in their armor and any other information in it's databanks. I want to know everything about the Reapers." said Hackett as he walks off to oversee other preparations, he made a stop at the communications terminal. After a few seconds the UNSC Defense Committee appeared as a holographic projection.

"Admiral Hackett! What do you have to report?" asked Lord Hood, hoping for good news.

"Lord Hood! Our scientists are taking the Reaper apart piece by piece. The Huragoks are helping us tremendously. On other notes we've begun making some progress in learning more about the Reapers."

It was Ackerson's turn to speak. "What did they find?"

"The materials the Reaper was made up of are unlike anything we've seen, very resilient and strong. While the technology is based on the technology of the mass relays, there are some differences, we haven't been able to understand it, but were still investigating. What we discovered in its databanks is information on the races of the previous Cycle it was destroyed in, along with information about the tactical plans they used in that cycle. It might give our strategists ways to combat the Reapers."

The Committee all looked at each other, satisfied by the report. They dismissed Hackett and disconnected the line—it would take time, but it was still good. They were making progress, and very soon, they would be prepared to fight back!

Hey everybody, I have an announcement to make. I'm going to be taking a break from Halo: a new age and come back to it when I'm ready. I don't know when that will be, but that doesn't mean I'm giving up on the story. This last chapter wasn't my best one as you all have read and am going to try and make the next chapters better. So I thank all of your support and hope to comeback soon.