Thug could feel it as he turned his head, his green eyes landing on the human female. The rising heat in his blood, the tightening in his chest, the black mask descending over his mind. Anger. Hatred.

Shepard.

Here she was, in the flesh, not a dozen yards away. As small and soft in appearance as Osco had been, made up of bones to snap, blood to flow.

However there were some fundamental difference between Thug and Eír. The asari was created to be the weapon of Shepard's destruction. Thug was created originally simply out of Osco's own curiosity to nurture his genetic quirks. It was only later, very shortly before he was removed from the tank, that the imprints were made for him to be Eír's protector, to share in some of the hatred she had for the human commander.

Were he Eír, still not in control of her rage, the moment he saw Shepard he would have attacked…and she would be dead, along with her companions, and any of these other krogan that would attempt to interfere.

However, he was Thug, not Eír. He was stronger than most krogan biotically and physically…but not as strong as Eír was, and his hate did not run so deep as to be uncontrolled. He was also not a fool. If he attacked Shepard now, he would die…if not at her hand, then at the hands of Wrex and his clansmen.

So, how did one plot the end of an enemy when one could not attack them directly? He would be sly, clever. He would study her, find her weaknesses.

He followed Wrex and a couple of the others as they went forward to meet her, and he noticed the krogan boy at her side. He looked to be about the same age as he did.

Thug smiled.

Mordin had been understandably quiet on the way back from the Blood Pack's hospital, though it was unusual for the gregarious, rather energetic salarian to be so still and solemn. It wasn't until they were disembarking the Tomkah that he finally spoke, looking at Shepard.

"Thank you, Commander. For not letting me kill Maelon. Would have regretted most deeply. See that now."

"You're not a murderer," Shepard reiterated. "I just reminded you of that."

"Still. Needed reminding. Grateful for help."

"You're welcome," she smiled, clapping him on the shoulder as they headed back across the courtyard toward Wrex. The number of krogan gathered seemed to have increased, new faces watching them with wary suspicion as they went.

Wrex and a pair of others started their way, her old friend smiling. "I heard a report that someone was tearing apart the Blood Pack," he told her as he reached her side. "Look at you. Almost an entire clan wiped out and your pads aren't even scorched."

"I've fought harder foes than Clan Weyrloc," Shepard replied.

"Indeed you have," he grinned. "Oh, there is a boy here, from clan Dundrin, that wanted to meet you."

Wrex half turned, only to blink as he realized Thug was not behind him. A loud crack turned their heads and he laughed.

Grunt and Thug were a few yards away, face to face. Even as they looked, the pair lowered their heads and slammed their foreheads together again. Both looked happy.

"Grunt?" Shepard blinked, and Wrex shook his head. Leave it to adolescent males to greet each other by slamming head-plates, trying to determine the strongest.

"Ah, boys will be boys," he chuckled, striding over and measuring them with an appraising eye as they crashed together again. They seemed to be fairly evenly matched.

"Crack your skulls later," He said, stepping between them. "Business now."

"What business?" Thug asked, rubbing his neck.

"Grunt, do you still want to join Clan Urdnot? To go through the Rite?"

The blue-eyed boy bobbed his head, also rubbing his neck. "You are a strong warlord," he said. "You are Shepard's friend. I would like to be Urdnot."

"I still protest," the larger male that had come over with them growled.

"Uvenk…" Wrex warned.

"Protest?" Shepard glared at him. "Why?"

"This boy is nothing but a plastic fake," Uvenk declared, flinging a hand toward Grunt. "He is not true krogan. And he is vouched for by a human."

He turned his narrowed eyes at Shepard, who glared at him right back, before she took a step forward.

Even Wrex blinked as Shepard slammed her forehead into Uvenk's, producing not only an audible crack, but actually staggering the krogan slightly.

Grunt barked in amused appreciation.

"Say what you want about me," Shepard growled at her opponent, ignoring the tiny cut she'd opened on her forehead, the thin slip of blood that trickled downward. "But Grunt is as krogan as you can get, and his blood runs hotter than yours. I wouldn't have you on my crew to spit-shine my goddamn shoes."

"You…you dare…?" Uvenk gaped.

"Shut your drooling maw," Wrex ordered him, then looked back at Grunt. "I talked with our Shaman. He is willing to let you try the Rite."

"He has no krant!" Uvenk spat. Shepard scowled at him, then looked at Wrex.

"Krant?"

"Those who would stand with him, in life and in death," Wrex told her. "They are allowed to fight with him in the Rite. Without a krant, he cannot undergo this ritual."

Shepard straightened with a nod. "If he will allow me, I will be his krant."

"Yes, as will I," Mordin agreed.

"I'll be in his krant," Thug declared. Wrex looked at him.

"You boy? You are not even of the same clan," he said.

"Shepard and this…salarian, are not of any of our clans," Thug pointed out. "I will be in his krant if he chooses it."

"A monkey, a newt, and a boy?" Uvenk barked a laugh.

"That monkey nearly knocked you on your ass, Uvenk," Wrex reminded him. "Now hold your tongue before I rip it from your throat! Grunt, it is your choice. These three have stepped forward as your krant. It is up to you if you accept them."

Grunt narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at the other boy. "What is your name?" he asked.

"I am Dundrin Thug," the darker boy replied. Hearing it, Shepard stiffened and blinked a little. Thug was Eír's brother, the one who had told Liara how to contact the two asari girls.

Clearly he does not have the same programming where I'm concerned, she thought. Otherwise this would be a huge disaster right about now.

Even so, she watched him with tense wariness as Grunt considered his offer. Finally his blue gaze shifted back to Wrex. "I accept. I will take Shepard, Mordin, and Thug as my krant. I will be Urdnot."

"Good boy," Wrex grinned. "We will take you to the keystone. Once there our Shaman will explain more."

He clapped Grunt hard on the shoulder. Uvenk's glower could have lit fires if such a thing were possible, before he turned and stalked away.

"This is the keystone," The Shaman, a wrinkled, almost wizened krogan grumped as he pointed upward. The sky was scutting with sand clouds over a huge structure. A weight of some kind was suspended from it. "It has stood here for untold millennia, and has survived countless wars."

Shepard, Mordin, Grunt and Thug all looked up at the huge device. Wrex and several of the others had accompanied them to the site but had gone to 'watch from a better vantage,' as her old friend had put it. He had also seemed greatly amused by something, and Shepard was afraid she'd failed to get the joke.

"The Rite is simple," the Shaman continued. "Touch the keystone…and survive. You have ten minutes from first appearance. After that, low craft will come in and chase it off. Grunt, if you are still alive after then, you will be Urdnot."

"Ten minutes from the first appearance…of what?" Shepard asked warily.

"The thresher maw," the Shaman said simply, before he turned and walked away into the rubble.

Fuck me, a thresher maw? Leave it to the fucking krogan…

Grunt was grinning as he reached for the keystone, before Shepard caught his hand. "Hang on a moment."

"We need to hit it so the maw comes," Grunt scowled.

"I know, but you've never fought a maw before. We need a strategy in place."

"Planning always good. Keeps people alive," Mordin affirmed. "Maws…nasty business."

"What do you have in mind?" Grunt asked. Shepard looked around the huge courtyard, then nodded.

"Here's what we're gonna do…"

The rumble as the keystone sent out its call was like the precursor to an earthquake…deep and primal, the knell of doom. A maw appeared fairly quickly, drawn in by the vibration and kept by the smell of fresh prey. As soon as it appeared, Grunt turned and ran off, vanishing into the ruin as Shepard, Mordin, and Thug opened fire.

To Shepard, it felt like she'd been transported back in time. The huge beast was every bit as large as the one she and Liara had fought so long ago. The ringing sound of its shifting scales brought the ghost of pain back to her hands and side, where they had once been sliced by the razor edges.

"Keep moving, keep firing, avoid the acid," she barked to the other two. "Keep its attention but stay out of its goddamn way!"

Almost as soon as she said it she heard the sound of the maw drawing up its spit, and took off running. The acid shot out with all the speed and accuracy of a missile, slapping into the ground and turning dirt into a deadly quagmire.

Liara's going to have fucking kittens if she ever hears about this, Shepard thought as she ran as fast as her feet could carry her, hearing rock and dirt rumble nearby as the maw shifted its bulk. Her instinct was to charge in as she had before, get in close, find a soft-spot and take the goddamn thing out.

Resisting that impulse, she skidded to a halt and whirled around, just in time to rake some shot over its eyes as it oriented on Thug. Shaking its head with a furious roar it again focused on her, head darting down.

She felt the heat of breath wash over her as she dove, felt her foot suddenly shoved down toward the ground. Oddly enough, there was no pain though when she rolled and stumbled back up to her feet, she couldn't plant it right. It canted and rolled, uncooperative.

A shotgun blast slapped it across the face again and it reared back once more as Shepard stumbled against a wall, not daring to take her eyes off of it long enough to see what was wrong with her foot.

There was a guttural roar, loud but barely heard over the rumble of the maw. A form leapt off the top of a crumbling tower nearby, sailing through the air. Shepard barked a loud 'OOHAH!' as Grunt landed on the maw's head. Ignoring the scales that immediately started to cut into his armor, he braced himself, planting a foot against the edge of one larger scale and shoving it upward, exposing unprotected flesh. His rifle blazed into light as he aimed his shot into that flesh.

The maw revolted, swinging its head. Shepard and the other two moved forward, the commander limping as they concentrated their fire on the maw's eyes and gaping throat.

Even with all the noise, Shepard could hear Grunt laughing as he held on, blood splatting over his face and armor as he continued to fire. Once he'd gotten a big enough wound, he tossed his rifle aside and drew out his grenade launcher, firing it directly into the bloody rent he'd opened.

Instantly he released his hold, leaping off the maw. He hadn't even hit the ground yet when the back of the creature's neck seemed to explode, blood and chunks of pink meat flying into the air in a thick spray. Listing drunkenly, the beast let out a dying groan, then began to fall forward.

There wasn't time to call out. Shepard broke into a run, struggling to move as fast as she was able on her still uncooperative foot. Grunt hit the ground and rolled, bouncing up to his feet as if he'd just had a friendly tussle, still rumbling with laughter. The shadow of the maw coming down fell over her as she grabbed hold of Thug's weapon's pack and hauled.

She hit the ground next to the krogan boy as the maw crashed down not inches away, directly where he had been standing. As he pushed himself to his feet, Mordin appeared, reaching down to help her up.

"That was much easier than last time," Shepard panted as she got to her feet, giving him a dust-covered smile.

"Not something I want to repeat," Mordin replied.

"Thug, you ok?" Shepard asked as the boy got to his feet. He merely grunted an affirmative, nudging the dead maw with a foot. Turning her head, she straightened as she watched Grunt walking over. "Grunt? You five-by?"

"That was great, Shepard," he beamed, slapping his hands with a bounce. She noticed stains of blood on his palms and one thigh where the scales had sliced through, but he didn't seem to even feel them. "Great battle!"

"Shepard, you injured?" Mordin asked, noticing the way she was standing. Gripping his shoulder she lifted her foot, smirking as she caught hold of the end of one of the maw's teeth, pulling it out.

It had hit her just right to pierce the thick sole of her boot almost perfectly horizontally, entering at the right side and emerging from the left…without actually striking her foot. Holding it up, she regarded it as she straightened, then pressed it into Grunt's hand.

"Your kill, Grunt," she grinned.

"Our kill," he replied, then slung one arm around her and one around Mordin, hugging them both crushingly hard. "OUR kill!"

Releasing them he grabbed Thug's hand with a delighted roar of 'Brother!' both boys slamming their foreheads together in triumph.

"Do you know how many years it's been since someone actually killed the thresher maw?" Wrex asked. He was sitting on a broken chunk of concrete, facing Shepard as she dumped some water over her head, slicking her damp hair back and clearing away some of the dust. They were back at the clan meeting grounds, nearly every krogan there excitedly talking about the fight."No one's managed it since my Rite."

"I told you, Grunt is strong," she smirked, and took a drink. Wrex bobbed his craggy head, looking at her slyly.

"He is, very strong…but that strategy was yours. I know you too well, Shepard. You never stay back, always rushing in to slam into the threat, beat it with your own fists. You should have been the one on that thresher's back, not staying just out of reach and serving as a distraction."

"It was Grunt's Rite, not mine," Shepard said. "He needs this…to be strong in the eyes of his own people, to feel as if he belongs. I was just there to help."

Wrex looked at her evenly. "If more krogan leaders thought like you, there would be no stopping us, genophage or no genophage."

"They have you," Shepard told him. "I heard what you're doing. Bringing the clans together, sharing resources, lifting the krogan as a whole. You're the leader I always knew you would be, Wrex. Grunt could do far worse than learn by your example."

"Flatterer," Wrex sniffed, not displeased, then got to his feet with a sly grin. "So, Shepard…seems to me we still have a disputed matter that still needs settling."

Shepard's grin was as sharp and quick as a switchblade as she set her water aside. "Seems to me we do, Wrex. Seems to me that we do."

Grunt had never met anyone his own apparent age (actual age being a touchy subject with tank-born creatures, of course). He had never really met any krogan until coming to Tuchanka but all of them seemed so much older than he was…until Thug.

Once they'd gotten back from the Rite, Thug introduced Grunt to his 'brothers', Buhto's sons who were only slightly older than they were, and before long all four of the young krogan were wrestling, head-butting, and talking over the fight.

"You were stronger than the human," Dundrin Krag told him. "You were up on the beast's head and she was running like a scared varren on the ground."

"Shepard is no scared varren," Grunt told him. "She fought battles alongside Urdnot Wrex against mighty geth fleets, and we have both fought battles against the Collectors."

"Not easy foes," Dundrin Blik agreed. "And she plate-slammed Gatatog Uvenk. I saw that with my own eyes."

"Shepard…is not weak," Thug admitted, his voice soft, almost contemplative. "She makes mighty enemies and still lives."

"She is still human," Krag protested. "No human will ever be stronger than a krogan!"

"Even you, Krag?" Blik snorted, shoving his brother. Another wrestling match ensued, only to be broken when Buhto himself strode up, idly flicking the boys apart with a flash of his biotics.

"Greetings, Urdnot Grunt," he said to the boy, who bowed his head a little.

"Greetings, Dundrin Buhto," Grunt replied.

"Your battle master plans her own death," Buhto said with some amusement. "You may wish to observe."

"Her own death?" Thug asked as Buhto strode off, the boys following after him.

"She and Urdnot Wrex are going to battle."

"The Clan Leader is her friend," Grunt said, surprised. "Why would they battle?"

"Why battle anyone?" Buhto laughed. "To see who is the stronger."

"Your soft human will be paste," Krag smirked. "You will see."

Grunt snorted, but said nothing as they approached the gathering group of krogan. They had clustered around a large pit, usually reserved to fight varren. Both Wrex and Shepard were in the process of removing armor and weapons, Shepard casting down her boot-knife and even her omni-tool as Grunt walked up.

"Shepard, why are you fighting Wrex?"

"Because I can," she said cockily. To any other species that would have sounded like a hollow reason, but Grunt understood it implicitly.

Dressed now only in her boots, black cargo pants, tank top, and Nan's battered gold cross around her neck, Shepard clapped the boy affectionately on the shoulder and strode toward the pit. Grunt watched her go, then smirked to himself, activating his omni-tool.

{This is Normandy,} Joker's voice piped out a moment later.

"Joker, this is Grunt," he said. "A great battle is about to happen. I am going to record it so the crew can watch."

{You're…recording a battle?} Joker asked.

"Shepard is going to fight Urdnot Wrex."

{Uh, yeah, that's a big ten-four,} Joker's grin was obvious. {I'll patch it through the ship system, project it in the mess.}

{Shepard would not approve of this, Joker,} EDI's voice cut in.

{Shut up and get it set! I gotta get the crew together and start the betting pool-}

Joker's voice cut out as he cut the connection, then opened a live-stream relay. Grunt finished adjusting his omni-tool to record the fight, and strode happily to the edge of the pit.

The crew were his clan, his family. He was Urdnot now, but he had been part of the Normandy first. And one thing clan did was share good fights. Why EDI thought Shepard wouldn't approve was beyond him.

Shepard hopped down into the pit just as Wrex did. The huge Clan Leader was bare of everything but a pair of trousers, his plates so ragged, scarred, and worn that they were literally ringed like the inside of an ancient tree.

No weapons, no armor, no biotics. They would use only their bodies and their wits. First one down on the ground longer than a count of five would be the loser.

Unaware of Grunt standing at the edge of the pit, his omni-tool recording them and casting their holographic images back to the mess hall on the Normandy, Shepard spread her arms wide, stretching them and cracking her back as she bounced on her feet.

"You gonna fight, or are you gonna hop," Wrex prodded. Already the sound of the other krogan shouting and making bets was so loud she could barely make out his words.

Cocking her fists up to her face, Shepard's grin was primal, eyes alight. "Come on big guy," she urged. "Let's dance."

The mess hall was crowded as nearly every single crewman left aboard the idle Normandy had gathered in. Joker had EDI demagnetize the table locks and they were swiftly moved aside to leave a large, clear and open space for the projection.

Rendered in light and shimmering faintly, Del Shepard and Urdnot Wrex circled one another, both battered and breathing heavy. Wrex swung a fist that sent the commander half spinning, sweat and blood flying realistically enough to make several of the crewmen duck. Kelly winced at the blow and Chakwas groaned, mentally tallying how much medi-gel she had on reserve.

Shepard caught herself on the ground on her hands and left knee, but instantly swung a mule kick back with her right foot , hitting Wrex in the groin with enough force the big Clan Leader barked. Nearly every man watching hunched over, crying out in sympathy at the blow as Wrex staggered back a pace. Shepard launched herself up, running forward a few paces, away from Wrex, before she leapt and planted her foot on what was, in reality, the wall of the pit, but appeared to be Ken Donnelly's chest. Pushing off, she whirled and cracked the side of her foot into Wrex's face, eliciting another cheer from the gathered group.

"Hey Doc, who you betting for?" Joker shouted to be heard over the din as he reached Helen's side.

"I'm betting I'm going to be patching our Commander up for weeks," Chakwas grumped.

"So…your money is on Wrex?"

"Are you kidding? Put twenty on Shepard for me," she grinned.

Miranda stood beside Kelly, a very displeased look on her face as she watched the goings-on. "Fist fighting with a krogan? After taking on a thresher maw? I swear sometimes the woman is suicidal."

"There is a difference between wanting to die…and wanting to live," Kelly reminded her. Miranda glanced askance at her, then shook her head. As much as she seemed to disapprove, Kelly noticed the XO made no move to actually stop watching.

Wrex landed another blow hard enough the whole group winced in sympathy. Shepard doubled over, coughing and struggling to breathe, bent over her stomach and falling to her knees. As she struggled to rise the big krogan stepped around her and slammed a forearm down across her shoulders, driving her to her hands and knees.

"He's going to kill her!" Tali blurted, alarmed.

"Wrex would never kill Shepard," Joker said, but even he sounded doubtful, wincing with a gasp as Wrex slammed a kick into Shepard's gut that actually lifted her into the air a foot before sending her crashing back down.

Shepard was on the ground, but not quite all the way down. Moving weakly she tried to get to her feet again, only to be hauled there bodily as Wrex grabbed a fistful of her hair, wrenching her upright. Her nose was bleeding, one eye swollen shut, the healing bruises on her face almost lost under new ones. Her arms were uplifted, grabbing at Wrex's hand as she tried to get his grip loose.

The krogan smirked, then blanched in surprise as Shepard wrenched around, tearing a good few strands loose of her scalp before landing a terrific punch directly into his eye. He recoiled, a follow-up punch into the hollow of his throat loosening his hold on her, making him gape and gag.

Reaching into his mouth Shepard grabbed hold of his tongue and hauled him forward, slamming her forehead into his head-plate with as much force as she had head-butted Uvenk before.

"Oh for Christ's sake," Chakwas grimaced. "That's a concussion right there."

Wrex was stumbled by the motion, but so was Shepard. She staggered back a pace, nearly falling into a sit before she managed to catch herself with one hand, shoving herself back upward.

Reorienting himself, Wrex snarled and lowered his head, charging at her. Shepard barely stepped aside in time and poor Gabriella let out a little scream as she darted out of the way of the holographic krogan, forgetting for a moment he wasn't real.

Wrex crashed into the invisible wall of the pit and staggered back again, shaking his head, and tried to whirl. Shepard ducked under his arms and landed another blow to his throat before he caught her arm and wrenched it.

"And…one broken shoulder. Fan-bloody-tastic," Chakwas noted, flinging up her hands.

Shepard drove the elbow of her freehand toward his throat again, the blow just enough to win her freedom once more.

It was clear both she and Wrex were hurting. Wrex's eye was swollen shut in almost perfect mirror of hers. As they both wobbled on their feet, regrouping, Joker's omni-tool began to buzz.

He only half glanced at it, irritated at the interruption, before doing a double take. Stepping back away from the crowd he answered the call, audio only.

"Uh, Normandy…"

{Joker, thank the Goddess. I have been trying to reach Shepard but her omni-tool is deactivated. Is she on a mission?}

"Uh…you could say that," he hedged, half glancing over the heads of the cheering crew as the fight was rejoined. "She's…definitely busy."

{Joker, what is going on? What is that noise?}

"The crew is just enjoying some entertainment," he said swiftly. "You know, bit of downtime while Shepard's on Tuchanka-"

Liara was not a fool, and her stern voice only made Joker cringe when she responded. {Joker, you do realize I am the Shadow Broker. I will find out what is going on if you do not tell me. Is Shepard all right?}

"She's fine, really, she just….OOH!"

He couldn't help the cry as Shepard's face came into contact with Wrex's knee.

{That's it,} Liara said sternly. {If you do not tell me what's going on right now, Joker, I swear the next time I see you I will fold you in half…backward!}

Joker's head ducked and he gestured helplessly, even though she couldn't see it. "It's nothing, really," he said quickly. "Shepard and Wrex are just…settling a bet, that's all."

{Settling a bet?} Liara sounded bewildered. {What be- oh, Goddess…the elevator. Joker, tell me that Shepard and Wrex are not fighting…}

"It's….moderated," Joker said reluctantly, then quickly followed up with, "It's all just friendly, Liara, really…she probably needed to blow off some steam after the thresher-"

He literally bit his lip as he realized what he'd just said. The hole he was in just got a thousand feet deeper.

{Thresher…maw? She fought a thresher maw?}

" Just a little one…"

The call suddenly disconnected and Joker could feel his guts tighten into a little ball. Idly he wondered who would end up dying first when Liara got hold of them…Shepard, or him.

Shepard was wobbling back and forth, her stance hunched and clearly exhausted. Blood dripped over her face, sweat-soaked hair hanging and sticking to her cheeks. One eye was completely closed with swelling, the other only half-lidded but almost fever bright.

Her left arm hung from a broken shoulder, her stomach felt full of molten metal, her ankle was sprained and swelling enough to tighten her boot uncomfortably.

Wrex was panting as well, similarly half-blind, his breathing ragged around his swollen throat. His stance also showed exhaustion, his teeth smeared with blood as he bore them at her.

"Surrender, Shepard," he rasped.

"After you," she panted. Her trembling legs gave out and she dropped to her knees before forcing herself up again. "I'm just…getting warmed up…"

He managed a half-hearted charge, but it was fast enough she barely limped out of the way in time. His swing glanced his forearm off the back of her head and she stumbled to her hands and knees again, crawling away and trying to get up. All she could hear were the roar of the krogan watching her.

Turning into a sit, she saw Wrex had also fallen to his knees and was forcing his way back to them, swaying dangerously.

"Surrender," he panted again.

"Not today," she coughed in return, bracing herself on the wall of the pit and struggling back to her feet.

He swore, spit a stream of blood to the side, planting his hands on his knees as he fought to catch his breath.

"Rematch?" she asked after a moment, crimson dripping from her chin and lip.

He shook his scarred head once, then managed a thick laugh. "Rematch. Next time, Shepard."

It was no victory, but emerging from a fist-fight with a krogan Warlord in a draw was no laughing matter. Turning toward the wall of the pit she rested her head on the dirt, lifting her one good arm. She felt it grasped, Grunt helping to haul her out after switching off his omni-tool. Reaching level ground she managed to keep her feet, looking behind her as Wrex was hauled out as well. Their eyes met for a moment, and Shepard smirked as Wrex nodded.

"A draw?" Krag snorted as Shepard started a weaving course away from the gaping pit, splashes of black and red flashing in her vision, every muscle burning. "I knew humans were weak. I told you so-"

He jerked back with a howl of pain as Shepard lifted her fist, knuckles split and bleeding, and planted it in his eye. As he fell back into a sit she continued on her way, Grunt following and giving the other boy a smirk.

"Shepard , you will always be my battle master," he told her as he got back to her side, resting a hand on her shoulder. "No one else compares."