Kacey quickly left the lab with both Garrus and Mordin in tow. The plan was simple; kill Jedore and escape with Okeer and his capsule. Kacey, however, knew it wasn't going to be that simple, she was experienced enough to know better. The red-head narrowly missed a bullet as they entered the tank room.

"I don't care who they are, I want them dead!" Jedore screeched, "This is my world! I'll poison them all!"

"Well, she sounds delightful." Kaidan said sarcastically.

"I dunno, I think she's keeper." Kacey smirked.

"A real ray of sunshine." Kaidan laughed.

"Charming." Garrus said bluntly.

Jedore fired a rocket at the trio but failed, instead she activated two of her YMIR mechs as she bolted behind some crates. Garrus used Overload on both mechs while Kacey quickly switched to Disruptor ammo, finishing off the mechs shields before noticing her own one was breaking.

"What the—?"

She was flung backwards by one of the tank-bred krogan, which began to charge at her before Garrus drew its attention away from her. Mordin was busy incinerating the mechs to even notice that Kacey was down, not that she was bothered by it; at least the mechs weren't on her.

She had hit her head hard and her shields were toast; it would take a while before they were done regenerating. Sharp pains flooded her temple and the back of her skull, but there was no blood in sight. Thankfully she hadn't split her head open. Kacey carefully pulled herself up as Garrus approached her.

"Are you okay, Shepard?" he asked with concern. Kacey gave the turian a weak smile.

"I'll live." Kacey replied, "I've lost my shields but aside from that I'm fine. I'm tougher than I look, trust me."

"Oh, I don't doubt that." Garrus replied, "If you survived a piece of Sovereign being flung through a window at you, I think you would survive a krogan."

"I survived Wrex, didn't I?" Kacey joked as she opened fire on Jedore.

With both the Disruptor ammo and Garrus' overload, Jedore's shields smashed, allowing Mordin to incinerate her armour, leaving Kacey to finish the woman off.

"You dare!" Jedore shouted.

"Yeah, I do dare." Kacey said as she shot Jedore in the head, killing her.

The mercenary's body had barely hit the floor before EDI chimed in through the comms, which didn't help Kacey's already sore head. They trio could hear several alarms going off in the background.

"Alarms in the lab?" Garrus sighed, "What's that krogan doing up there?"

"Shepard," EDI addressed the commander, "the lab alarms coincided with a systems failure. The remaining lab systems are unprotected, and I have gained limited access. According to lab scanners, the room is flooded with toxins, and Okeer's personal life signs are failing rapidly. I recommend haste."

"Come on, let's move!" Kacey shouted as she bolted it back upstairs.

"By the time we got up there, it was too late. We couldn't save him. But I could, at the very least, honour his last wish."

Kacey entered the room and ran over to the terminal, where Okeer's corpse was lying on the ground. They were too late. Again. While Mordin checked the krogan over, Kacey noticed a video on the terminal and hesitantly hit play.

"You gave me time, Shepard." Okeer's voice rang through the speaker, "If I knew why the Collectors wanted humans, I would tell you. But everything is in my prototype, my legacy is pure. This…one soldier, this grunt. Perfect."

Kacey closed her eyes and looked away as the video showed Okeer slowly suffocate. Garrus wandered over to the capsule as Kacey turned to face the turian.

"Why would someone so fanatical sacrifice himself for one krogan?" The turian asked.

"Delusional." Mordin replied bluntly, "Unlikely one krogan, however strong, could have impact Okeer wanted. Am…almost certain. Suggest leaving it."

"That's pretty blunt." Kaidan said.

"Yeah, Mordin was always like that." Kacey said, "He didn't mince words or sugar-coat anything. He was always direct, and, at the time, I needed that."

"You…did?" Kaidan asked. He felt strange; was it jealously? Worry? He didn't know.

"Yeah." Kacey replied, "My head was a mess. Miranda and Jacob weren't exactly easy to deal with and Garrus is…well Garrus so having someone who just says it like it is…it helped me focus."

"I see." Kaidan replied, "And Mordin, he was the one who...?"

Kacey nodded, "He died to Tuchanka before we arrived at the Citadel. He's the real reason the genophage was cured."

"Professional jealousy, Mordin?" Kacey smirked, "Afraid he'll make your genophage obsolete?"

"No." Mordin replied, "But krogan genetically dangerous. Socially dangerous as well. Have enough enemies without adding this."

"Normandy," Kacey radioed Joker, "Okeer is a no-go. But we have a package that needs retrieval. And he's a big one."

…

"Bringing the krogan for study makes sense," Miranda said, "but I have concerns about waking it."

"Yeah, you've said that a few times now." Jacob groaned.

Kacey was literally about to roll her eyes as she walked into the briefing room to find the pair arguing. This wasn't the first time this had happened and doubted this would be the last. Upon noticing Kacey's arrival, Miranda turned towards the scarlet-haired commander.

"A normal krogan is dangerous. This one was created, and likely educated, by a madman."

"A madman that the Illusive Man wanted you to recruit?" Kaidan scoffed, "Makes me wonder how'd she feel about Okeer being on the ship."

"Me too." Was all Kacey said in response.

"I see everyone is enjoying the new paperweight." Kacey joked, "Concerns?"

"We don't know anything about it, Commander."

"I know." Kacey smirked, "You don't find that interesting?"

Jacob shook his head, although Kacey could see the faintest smirk on his face.

"Krogan fight well at close quarters." Miranda reasoned, "Perhaps awakening him in a confined space wouldn't be prudent."

"Way to suck the fun out of it." Kacey mused as Miranda glared at her, "Noted. Look, the cargo hold is safe enough while I decide what to do with him."

…

"You opened it, didn't you?" Kaidan said.

"Come on, Kaidan." Kacey laughed, "You know me well enough to know that I damn well did."

"The subject is stable, Shepard. Integration with onboard systems was seamless." EDI said.

"Okay." Kacey took a deep breath, "Stand by. I'm going to open the tank and let him out."

"Cerberus protocol is very clear regarding untested alien technology."

"He's either a power addition to the team or a time bomb so I'd rather deal with this now."

"Very well, Shepard." EDI said, "The controls are online. The switch—and the consequences – are now yours."

Kacey carefully opened the pod, standing away from it as the liquid drained from it. This wouldn't be the first time she had to deal with an angry krogan, all she had to do was hope it didn't kill her outright.

The krogan dropped the floor and gasped for air as it opened its eyes for the first time. As the krogan stood tall over Kacey it slowly growled. Kacey could barely react to the krogan as it charged at her, grabbing her and pounded her against the wall, keeping her pinned there.

"Well, there goes my back." Kacey gasped as the krogan lifted his head to face her.

"Human. Female." The krogan said, "Before you die. I need a name."

"You'll get more than that." Kacey spat, "I'm Commander Shepard and I don't take threats lightly. I suggest you relax."

The krogan's arm was pressing into her neck, and she already had her pistol drawn and pointed directly at the krogan's abdomen.

"Not your name. Mine." The krogan replied, "I am trained. I know things, but the tank…Okeer couldn't implant connection. His words are hollow. Warlord, legacy, grunt…grunt. "Grunt" was among the last. It has no meaning. It'll do. I am Grunt. If you are worthy of your command, prove your strength and try to destroy me."

"You wouldn't prefer Okeer or Legacy as a name?"

"It's short. Matches the training in my blood. The other words are big things I don't feel. Maybe they fit your mouth better. I feel nothing for Okeer's clan or his enemies. I will do what I am bred to do—fight and determine the strongest—but his imprint has failed. Without a reason that is mine, one fight is as good as any other. Might as well start with you."

Kacey scoffed, "I have a good ship and a strong crew, a strong clan. You'd make it stronger."

"If you are weak and choose weak enemies, I'll have to kill you."

"I'm anything but. Our enemies are worthy. No doubt about it."

Grunt growled, "That's…acceptable. I'll fight for you."

"I'm glad you saw reason."

Grunt looked down to see Kacey's gun before smirking, "Ha! Offer one hand but arm the other. Wise, Shepard. If I find a clan, if I find what I…I want, I will be honoured to eventually pit them against you."

"Yeah, I bet." Kacey said as left the cargo hold.