Chapter 36.5

Jack threw another three punch combo at the heavy bag, making it swing. Her hands were starting to ache from the work. She usually would use biotics to protect herself from the impacts while adding some extra power, but Shepard banned their use after she destroyed the third bag in a week. Killjoy.

Honestly, she liked the feeling of her un-shielded knuckles connecting with the fabric, the thick tape Shepard taught her how to wrap being their only protection. Each impact sent a shockwave down her arm and through her body she had never experienced before, and the rawness of her skin from each blow made her more and more hungry to continue. The workout became more than a simple way to strengthen muscles or techniques. The exercise became a whole body meditation, forcing her to focus on delivering the most damage possible to the opponent while limiting the damage to herself. She lost herself in the work.

"Why not try fighting something that hits back?" a rumbling voice from behind her said.

Jack fought off the reflex to jump. She caught the swinging bag and steadied it before looking to see who had snuck up on her. It was the fresh krogan.

"Is that a challenge?"

His eyes lit up as something primal stirred in him. It was answer enough.

"I've taken down krogan who had centuries on you."

His grin was almost feral. "They weren't me."

They wordlessly took positions across from one another in the middle of the cargo bay, making sure to leave enough room for their battle.

"Biotics?"

"Do I look like a welp?"

Jack grinned. While the non-biotic bag work was calming, it was always a welcome release when she could cut loose.

Each readied their stances, but neither made a move immediately. Jack could see that whatever it was in the tank that trained him, it did its job well.

She tested him, throwing a jab laced with biotic power. Grunt slapped the blow away.

"Come on!" he challenged. "You fight like a salarian."

She jabbed again but pulled it back before he could slap it away again. What Grunt didn't see was the right hook that slammed into his body. It didn't have Jack's weight behind it to make the blow devastating, but it had enough biotic force to make him jump back.

"That's more like it!"

He charged before she could close the distance and throw another punch. The move caught Jack off guard, but she was able to bring her elbow down over his eye as he lifted her up and slammed her to the ground.

Jack wrapped her legs around the krogan's massive thighs as best she could, keeping him from mounting her and gaining an obscene advantage. She deflected Grunt's blows as best she could while hitting his jaw with palm strikes whenever she saw an opening.

Then, Grunt got careless. She had caught one of his arms with both of hers. He saw she was defenseless as she fought to keep control of his arm. He reared back to put all his weight into the next strike. Jack took advantage of how off balance he was, putting the heel of her boot on his hip and pushing.

He crashed onto the deck, and she wasted no time swinging around to be on top of him. Jack didn't stop moving at the mount, using her grip on his wrist to pull the arm into an arm bar. She yanked on it as best she could while trying to keep Grunt pinned by her legs.

He was too massive, however. He rocked toward his captured arm before violently throwing himself the other way. Grunt did his best to pull the arm the same direction as his body, forcing Jack to either have her face slam into the metal deck or let go. She let go, but not before he felt something give in his elbow.

Jack rolled away and spun on her heel, ready for the next charge, but the fight was stopped by a crisp, "That's enough."

They both looked over to see Shepard watching them.

"How long?" Jack breathed, unable to finish the full sentence.

"Since Grunt took you to the ground. I'm all for sparring matches between crew members to let off a little steam and get a good workout, but you two were about to do some serious damage to each other."

"You're always screwing with my fun."

Jack knew he was right though. As the adrenaline drained away, she felt the welt forming around her eye, and a few bruised ribs were starting to make themselves known.

"Yeah, well, I want my biotic powerhouse and my walking tank ready if I need them. You two being in the med bay doesn't work for me."

"Fine. Hey, Grunt. We'll finish this later."

The krogan nodded and watched the two humans get on the elevator. He knew Shepard was right. His rib was likely cracked, the arch over his eye was compromised, and his elbow was on fire. But he wanted more.

Grunt turned to the bag and slammed his fist into it, but the action wasn't enough. He struck it again and again. The chain groaned under the strain until it snapped.

Grunt mounted the bag and pounded into it until the material started to creak. Finally, he roared and slammed his still-forming crest into the bag. It exploded, sending small bits of grainy dust into the air.

He looked down at the devastation he created. Grunt had never felt this way before. There was a fury inside him that wasn't satisfied by the fight with Jack or the bag's destruction.

It was wrong. Rage was his choice, not a sickness. Grunt needed to know what was happening, but nothing in the imprints told him what it was or how to stop it.

He was at a loss. This new anger worried him, scared him even though he would never admit it. Grunt needed to bring this up to Shepard the next time he came to speak with him. This needed to be taken care of.