Mass Effect Andromeda Series II: Chapter 40
"Look at it out there. Isn't it spectacular?" Wrex held out his arms in awe as he and Garrus stood at the lounge's window that overlooked familiar orange hue of the planet, Tuchanka.
"I think Virmire looked a tad nicer," Garrus joked at his old comrade. "How does it feel to be back at home?"
Wrex shrugged. "It's alright. Will be a lot better once the genophage is cured and we start to multiply our numbers," He chuckled.
"Your kind is resilient, Wrex. I do admire you for that," Garrus continued to look at the planet wondering in his mind how Shepard and his team were faring below. "Once this war is over with, I'm sure you will adapt well on Tuchanka."
"We are not staying there," Wrex replied in enthusthiasm.
"Oh?" A sudden uneasiness hit Garrus. His mind then recalled the pre-genophage era when the Salarians and Turians claimed that the uplifted Krogan were getting out of hand.
"My plan is to hit up the Council once I know Mordin's cure is secure. With our aid against the Reapers, I think that owes a planet or two. Besides, we pop them out pretty fast," He made a side glance over to his troubled friend and noticed Garrus' changed demeanor. His expression hardened, "What's the matter, Vakarian? Having doubts?"
Feeling guilty, Garrus shook his head. "None at all, Wrex. You are right. Your kind deserves it. Is Mordin making any progress?"
"He should be after he took….," Wrex groaned as he shifted his body uncomfortably. "The sample."
"What's wrong with that?"
"You don't want to even know."
Seeing James Vega enter the room, the two aliens grew silent. James looked almost surprised of their presence and then he seemed to feel suddenly uneasy with Wrex being in the room. "Hey, uh guys. Am I missing the fun?"
"Nope," Wrex turned to address him. "Just enjoying the view. How'd it go down there with the downed Turians?"
James rubbed his neck in a nervous gesture. "It went, uh, well. I-I think Shepard and the Primarch are talking about what to do next." The bothered marine gave Garrus a worried glance.
Wrex luckily seemed to miss it. "Without me? I better go make sure that Krogan interests are heard. See you around, Vakarian."
After making sure he was out of sight, Vega let out a sigh of relief. "Geez, that scared the shit out of me."
"He only barks but doesn't bite," Garrus assured him.
"Not when he finds out what's going on down there," James began to pace. "The Turians really screwed up this time."
"What do you mean?" Vakarian watched him. He really didn't like how James was acting.
"Argh! Why did they do this? I thought the war between you guys were over!" Vega screamed at Garrus in a mixture of anger and frustration.
"It has been," Garrus emphasized as he held up his hands. "Just tell me."
"There's a bomb down there and if Cerberus activates it then the Krogan may just lose their homeworld. Geez. Shepard is fucked."
"We will get to that bomb. Wrex will make sure of it," Garrus knew the idea of a bomb was never good, but something was really eating at the Alliance soldier. "Cerberus has been trying to interfere with our alliance. For some reason, I believe the Illusive Man doesn't want us to work together.
Stopping in midstep, Vega whirled around to confront him. "It's not Cerberus. It's Turian, okay?"
"Turian?" Garrus looked at him in disbelief. How could that be? He dealt pretty well with Central Command while on Palaven and there was no mention of any type of a bomb being planted on Tuchanka. It had to be some sort of trick. "Are you sure?"
"I heard Shepard and the Primarch talk about it once we docked. Supposedly, the Turians planted it there after the Krogan rebellion. A fail safe if the genophage didn't work. Wrex is going to freak when he hears this shit. We can just kiss Earth goodbye and that's thanks to the Turians." James yelled out as he struck the lounge wall with his fist. "I never should have left Earth!"
Dumbfounded, Garrus remained silent as he tried to gain his thoughts. Could his species really come down to this? How desperate were they? He had to go talk to Shepard and the Primarch. He had to get more information. "Not a word to Wrex, James."
"He's going to find out."
"Hopefully after we disarm it."
On the way up to the war room, he noticed Shepard talking there with Liara. Wrex was nowhere in sight. That was a relief. "Garrus, I was going to talk to you," Shepard waived him over to them.
"Don't worry. James filled me in."
"We need to get down there, deactivate the bomb before Wrex figures it out." Shepard's expression hardened. Garrus knew the Commander hated to be placed in this situation. After all what he and Wrex went through on Virmire, and now it felt like he was keeping secrets from his friend. A very disastrous secret.
"Do you think it's safe to leave him up here with the Primarch?" Liara's face was filled with concern. "If word reaches him before we get back…."
Shepard gave a look around the CIC to make sure no one was really listening in before he stepped inside the elevator to head down to the shuttle bay. Once the doors closed and it was just the three of them, he answered, "The Primarch will stay put. He knows to avoid Wrex at all costs if he values his life. I hope Wrex won't be that stupid to make a diplomatic incident on my ship while I'm trying to save his planet. I advised EDI to keep a lookout on him."
"Then we better hurry or we may not have a Normandy to come back to," Garrus seemed doubtful that anybody on board their ship could keep the Krogan in check with his rage.
Violent explosions rocked the shuttle as Cortez put them down to the LZ. "Don't hover too long," Shepard yelled over the noise as he opened the shuttle's door.
"Roger. Sorry I couldn't land any closer. The place is crawling with Cerberus," Cortez called back to them.
Shepard jumped out and darted quickly to the right as the ground near him exploded with heavy Cerberus gunfire. "Hurry!"
Garrus was the next to exit and he darted to the left to take cover in a dug out trench. He looked back to see Liara jumping near his location. Liara ducked her head as dirt flew from the relentless opposition. "This is suicide!" Her voice strained.
"Tell that to him!" Garrus pointed to John who already jumped out of his hiding spot and took on the forces head on. He clambered over the trench and followed him. He winced as his body remained tense from the explosions that struck the ground right near his location. He fought the urge to look back to check on his Asari squadmate. If he took his eyes off his enemy, he could eat another blow to the face. He wasn't too sure if Chakwas could repair his face twice. What would Andromeda think when he came back to her with part of his face blown off?
Lifting his assault rifle, he fired as he ran, and luckily was able to get a few well hard hits against the Cerberus troopers. With Liara's biotics to aid him and Shepard, they were able to buy some time to get out of the deadly area. His ears still rang from the loud artillery fire. "Piece of cake," Shepard grinned down at them as he climbed up to get a higher footing.
"Sure," Liara panted for her breath as he took his hand to be lifted up. Garrus jumped up last.
"Cerberus must really not want us to touch that bomb," Garrus commented as he looked back at the way they came. The soil was destroyed with holes and dead Cerberus, Turian troops.
Making their way through the rugged terrain, Garrus noted how calm it suddenly felt. Something didn't feel right. "Why did Cerberus give up all this ground?" He contemplated out loud.
Just as they turned the corner, they saw the place swarming with Marauders and Cannibals. "That would explain what happened to Cerberus," Shepard switched over to the cryo ammo.
Victus' voice came through the comm just as they were ready to fight the Reaper forces. "We need help! We are surrounded!"
With the bomb in view, Vakarian was in awe at how large it was. "How did the Krogan miss this?"
"Must have been far enough underground," Shepard jumped down to head over to Victus' team that was waiting for them.
"We cannot disarm the bomb conventionally," Victus tried to remain calm even though there was fear in his voice.
"What are you saying?" Garrus asked as he looked up at the massive bomb above them. He didn't feel too comfortable just standing right next to it.
"I don't know," Victus went back to the controls. "I broke the firewalls. Cerberus hacked the trigger mechanism. I don't have time for anything else!" The young Turian lieutenant moved over to one of the mechanism's arms to use the built in ladder to climb up to where the trigger was located.
"You can't go up there!" Shepard moved over quickly to pull him away.
Victus shoved him away. "I can't argue. Just help my men keep Cerberus away."
"By the goddess, "Liara exclaimed as she clasped her mouth watching him make his way.
"You heard him," Shepard looked over to the two incoming Cerberus shuttles. "Everyone make a defense line. I want some of you to get to the lower level. Cerberus is going to push hard. We need to make sure give Victus time. Don't let them get a bead on him!"
"Roger that," Garrus knelt down and switched to his M-29 Incisor. He and another Turian took up snipering positions while Shepard joined several Turians below. Liara remained up top to unleash her biotics should any Cerberus soldier get too close. So far the fight was easy as they picked off the soldiers as they were trying to leave the shuttle. Several dead Cerberus soldiers were tumbling out of the shuttle on top of their unsuspecting comrades below. "Like shooting fish in a barrel!"
"Huh?" The Turian sniper looked over in a confusion.
Realizing what he said, Garrus shook his head and chuckled, "Sorry an Earth saying by Vega. You'll have to meet him one day."
"Mech! Mech!" Liara yelled from above, grabbing his attention to the battleground in front of him. Up ahead to the left was an Atlas heading straight toward them. Several more troopers followed up behind it.
Seeing the Atlas get closer into range and raising its arms to fire at Victus, Shepard charged to draw its attention. "Hit it hard! Hit it hard!"
Switching to his rifle once more, Garrus launched a concussive blast knocking the mech's shields down then continued to fire with the rest of the group. The onslaught to the mech was too great and before the trooper inside could adjust its firing arms to them, the shields failed and it exploded. The blast killed the unsuspecting troopers near it. The last Cerberus shuttle took off.
Becoming concerned, Garrus looked back at Victus' way to see the Lieutenant hanging on the side as he removed the charges inside the bomb's structure. The structure was becoming unstable. "Lieutenant!" Garrus' eyes became wide as he looked on.
Suddenly, he felt someone grab him hard and pull him away from his spot. It was John. "Garrus! It's coming down!" The other Turians scrambled out of the way as the empty structure and Victus plummeted down to terra nova. A sickening crash could be heard. Shutting his eyes trying to block out the carnage, Garrus knew he didn't have to dig through the rubble for any life. The fall most certainly killed the Primarch's son. He sacrificed his life to save the Krogan and perhaps even all of the Turians that day. He just prayed that his sacrifice wouldn't go in vain once Urdnot Wrex found out. They had to get Krogan boots on Palaven so the Turians could lend a hand to Earth.