"Hey Shepard you ready for Grunt's puberty party?" I wave to my friend. It's such a beautiful morning. The sun's a refreshing golden orange, a gentle massaging breeze. A great day to kill something.
"Let's get this over with" he sounds tired.
"Didn't sleep well?" I ask.
"No. Something they did to me ruined my ability to sleep. I'll be fine. What about you two?" Shepard asks Grunt and Thane.
"I slept remarkable well. The fire drove the humidity away" Thane stretches his triceps.
"Fitting my first real sleep outside of the tank was at my home world before my rite" Grunt said.
"You were tossing and turning all night" Thane said.
"Is that bad?" Grunt innocently asks.
"Those berries work for Krogan. You can try some tonight and I'll teach you a technique to help relax the muscles" I said.
"I'll need that. Did I miss anything at the slumber party?" Shepard teases.
I sing "WEALLSATDOWNBYTHECAMPFIREANDSANGAFRIEDNLYSONG."
Grunt makes no attempt to roll his eyes. We head back to the camp and Grunt meets with the shaman. When the growing Krogan exits his meeting, he informs us the challenge and asks for our assistance.
"He's allowed help?" Shepard asks.
"Of course. If Grunt's strength inspires to amass followers, then he can have help" the shaman explains.
"Shepard would you join me? Grunt asks.
"Of course" he said.
"Thane would you join me?" Grunt asks.
"It would be a privilege" Thane nods.
"********* I've known you less than a day, however my battle master respects you. Would you join us?" Grunt asks me. I turn to the shaman.
"Why does he get a rite before me?"
The shaman claps back "when you become an adult, you'll get one" Ouch! he's got me there.
"Ok Grunt I'll help you" I said.
After a few pre-rtie rituals and an explanation of the rules, we load up on supplies and head to the battle grounds. Grunt presses both buttons to raise the hammer. I cover my ears to block the sound. The varren come running and they are swiftly taken care off.
"How many rituals have you witnessed?" Thane asks me.
"None. This is my first time" I answer.
"Than how did you know there would be an alarm?" Thane asks.
Awkwardly "ummm…" I can't think of anything to say that doesn't break my rules.
The giant exploding scorpions arrive. Yes! an out. I inform the others of their popping personalities and to keep back. A few more waves of Varren and these critters arrive until the ground starts to shake. The shakes increase in intensity until a giant thresher maw arises from the ground. It's huge but stuck in one location. Maneuverability is key.
Shepard just stands there in the middle of the battlefield looking upon the threwser maw. His right arm drops to his side and his assault rifle barely hangs onto a finger. The maw nearly spits acid on Shepard if I hadn't tackled him away. I pull him behind the closest concrete pillar. Thane and Grunt are entertaining the threwser maw for us.
"Snap out of it! What is going on?" I never seen Shepard looked so spooked. It's like he has seen a ghost.
"It is a threwser maw. It looks just like the one that took out my squad an Akuze" he said.
Wait a minute.
"I thought you were the hero of Elysium?" I could have sworn he told me that was his background.
"I am, but before that my squad died in a freak maw attack. I was the only survivor. It killed everyone and I barely escaped. I don't know if I can do this" Shepard said.
Oh crap I was not expecting this. Ok come up with a game plan. Thane and Grunt are struggling, and I can't help them and keep an eye on Shepard.
"Ok bud look at me. Take three deep breaths in and out. Do it slowly with your stomach" Shepard follows my instructions.
"Now listen to me. Your mind is misinterpreting your feelings. Your body knows the situation you are in and is generating a lot of power. Now you need to decide what you are going to do with this. Run and hide or harness it to conquer this challenge" I said. The thresher maw roar shakes the ground. I have to go help them.
"Look they need help now. I have to go. Do whatever you have do" I exit from cover, move away from Shepard's location and release a clip into the thresher maw's eye. I got his attention away from Thane and Grunt. OH CRAP I GOT HIS ATTENTION AWAY FROM THEM AND AT ME! I run behind the pillow and yell insults towards the ugly beast. It sprays acid and dissolves my cover. I repeatedly fire my weapon into its mouth. It annoys the maw until I can get back to cover. My old weapon requires a cool down. Shepard meets me.
"You still use that thing? He's referring to rifle with sedimental value I found on Eden Prime.
"I don't like those thermal clip guns. It seems like a waste. Not worth saving the millisecond and a bit more power in exchange for limitless ammo" I said. We hear Grunt laughing like a mad man. I spot those scorpions and pop them.
"You feeling better?" I ask.
"No. Not at all!" Shepard yells. Thane and Grunt are reloading. I escape from cover, throw a grenade and find cover. It's the only pillar left aside from the alien duo and Shepard's. The acidic vomit destroys me cover. I take aim and pull the trigger. My gun jammed. Crap this has been happening more and more frequently. I'm in trouble.
"AAAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAHHAAAAH!" Shepard yells and launches everything he has at the maw. When he runs out of bullets, he tosses a grenade and pops a thermal clip in and repeats. He walks towards the maw as he does. Thane and Grunt follow suit and we finally kill the thresher maw. No one has done that since Wrex. It's pretty rare for one to show up. Surprisingly that species is nearly endangered.
Shepard is huffing and puffing more intensely than the wolf I saved from those monstrous pigs. That was a weird place. I give him space to breathe. The commander overcame his fear. I pat him on the back and look into his steely blue eyes. No words are required. Grunt basks in the glory of killing a thresher maw. He pulls a tooth for a trophy.
I step closer to Thane and open my omnitool. I open an app and make sure the drell can see my screen. With my fake profile, I sent Shepard a breeding request and chuckle at the mental image he will have soon. I think I saw the assasin chuckle a bit. I will break his stoic exterior.
"I want to eat it" Grunt mentions.
"Don't. I've tried it. It's poisonous" I said.
"You killed one before?" Thane asks.
"We ran into a small one on a hunting trip. I was warned by the others not to eat it. I didn't listen and tried a bit. I was in the outhouse till the sun came back up the next day" I said.
"You say it like it's nothing!" Shepard yells.
"There were ten of us and lots of explosives. It kinda was" I said. We hear clapping from the stage above us and see three Korgan. It is the ambassador from clan Nackmor and two of his body guards. I hate this guy. Nothing ever satisfies him.
"Well done young one. This day will be told for centuries" his silver venomous tongue weaves. I tighten my fingers on my weapon. Thane and Shepard notice it. Grunt steps forward, curious.
"Who are you?" Grunt asks.
"I could be your future" oh god come up with better lines. "I am the ambassador for the greatest clan on Tuchunka." :|
"I have a proposal. You are a tankbred, made to be the ultimate Korgan. Stand by my side and can show Tuchunka the true might of a warrior" his words run with faux passion. We noticed his goons slightly raise their guns.
"Why should I join you?" Grunt asks.
*If you join us and we succeed, you'll be apart of the greatest clan Tuchunka has laid eyes in millennia" he said. It's possible. Nackmor is rich in resources though they lack the means to tap into them. They are a major source of tension. Urdnot has several deals with them, however they want our camp and several members of clan Urdnot have been caught trying to steal our tools. The warlord of their clan says it's jealous radicals and not in any way official representatives of their clan. I chastise them if I can, telling them their clan lacks discipline. It has happened too many times and is always someone with a convenient excuse for it to be chance.
"There would be several requirements. Due to the meddling of your DNA, you would not be able to breed, as well as other tasks" he shouldn't have said that.
Grunt turns to us "What do you think?"
"You are an adult now. The choice is yours to make. Do what you think is best for you" I said.
"Here's your answer" Grunt fires at them and I immediately join him. We take cover and I focus on the goons. Thane slips away. Shepard and Grunt flank the other while I distract the one in the right and force the ambassador to cover. I get lucky and kill the bodyguard with a headshot. Thane somehow comes up behind the ambassador and snaps his neck. I'm shocked he was strong enough to do that. I mean I never tried. I'm glad I was nice to him. Uh oh, the ambassador is dead. This is bad news. I cover my mouth, pondering my next move. Grunt and Shepard celebrate their victory. I'm imagining the various scenarios that can happen.
Start from worse to best. I'll be blamed and forced to become a sacrifice to the gods. A war will break out between the clans. I'll have to hide from Nackmorians for the rest of my days. Might have to leave the planet. The warlord will use this to motivate his clan into war. However, I don't think his people will be eager. Our population is larger, better equipped, and they kinda owe us for several investments Urdnot did for them. Either way tension will grow. That is the last thing Wrex wants. I'm in trouble. We head back to the clan and Thane's eyes drill holes into my skulls. I ask him what's up and he just observes me. I assume EDI tells Shepard his breeding requests as a look of disgust arises from nowhere. Hehehe.
We head back to the clan and celebrate Grunt becoming a man. I ask him how old he his. Six months he said. They grow up so fast. During dinner, Shepard leans closes and tells me about Mordin and his issue. I warn Shepard that Krogans loathe salarians. More than humans hate batarians and it's a tremendous risk for him to step foot on Tuchunka. If someone overheard us, they might just try draggin him from the Normandy and kill him if they are feeling gracious. Shepard said it's really important. I find a moment with Wrex and explain what's happening and how there might be more data on the genophage cure. Wrex doesn't like it but allows Mordin entry. He'll have to go at night and be covered up. We'll escort him to my cabin and a mako will be there. We'll leave early in the morning before anyone can see and head to Malen's coordinates.
