Chapter 46
The Normandy touched down on Tuchanka with three days left of shore leave to spare. Wrex had promised a feast in appreciation for the Alliance freeing them from the genophage, and Kurg and Grak needed to take the rite. Engineer Adams volunteered to stay behind and monitor systems, so everyone was preparing for a few days of being drunk under the table by hoards of appreciative, rowdy Krogan.
The Quarians they'd rescued were now acclimating to life on Rannoch. The Geth were hard at work devoting a significant amount of programs to researching a better way to replace Captain Vorel's missing leg, Alliance prostheses were much more advanced than anything available in council space, however the Geth in their capacity as "Servants of the people" were determined to help the injured "Creator." Kal Reegar bid farewell to Tuuv, promising to keep in touch. Captain Vorel's recovery would take longer, but she was assured that after it was overhauled and repaired to Alliance specifications, she would be at the helm of the Nanveck again. Her experience as a captain and references from other Quarian leaders, including to her surprise Admiral Gerrel, had entitled her to an immediate commission as an alliance Captain, should she choose to accept and go through an abbreviated Alliance command school.
Shepard stepped off the ramp leading down from the Normandy and was surprised to see a large mass of cheering Krogan waiting for her. She smiled and waved, shaking hands as she walked past, and made her way to what used to be the Krogan throne room, which now had three chairs instead of one. Wrex, Uvenk and the female Shaman hurried over to greet her.
"Good to see you Shepard. Looking forward to your 'team building exercise' tomorrow?" Wrex asked, grinning and extending his hand to her.
"Of Course, I can't wait!" Shepard said. Despite the inherent danger of facing the wildlife of Tuchanka with two adolescent Krogan, she still reveled in the challenge. She just had to make sure to stay as safe as possible, as Tali would be in attendance.
"You're the first out-lander to take the rite in recorded history. It's a testament to your reputation that so few objected." Uvenk said.
"Wow, I thought there'd be traditionalists that would blow a gasket over it." Shepard aid.
"Our people are eager to put the last centuries of misery and suffering behind us. We cannot let tradition stand in our way. That reminds me, allow me to introduce you properly now to my mate, Urdnot Bakara." Wrex said, gesturing to the Female Shaman.
"It's good be able to call you by something other than 'the female shaman.'" Shepard said, shaking her hand.
"When we undergo the rites to become Shaman we surrender our name, however now we are allowed to take new ones. My birth name belongs to Tuchanka, but I was able to take a new one." Bakara said.
"What does it mean?" Shepard asked.
"Uvenk suggested it and it stuck. It means 'Blessed Mother'. " Bakara said.
"It was her steady hand, open mind and loving heart that drove us to seek assistance in improving ourselves. She is mother to a new Krogan people." Uvenk said.
"That's beautiful." Shepard observed. Uvenk shrugged and looked decidedly awkward.
"We've created a new government as well. Before the Krogan were always lead by a warlord, or in times of war several lesser warlords, but I've learned over centuries of watching ourselves consistently fail that no one is infallible. We have established a Tribunal. The females will always have their clan represented, and the dominant clan, in this case Urdnot will always have representation, and the leader of the Dominant clan's greatest adversary will always have representation. This ensures three unique viewpoints." Wrex said.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!" yelled Kurg in the distance as he ran charging into a group of other adolescent Krogan.
"As you can see, some things never change." Bakara said smiling at his antics. Shepard shook her head and grinned. Outside at the motor pool, Tali and Targ were catching up with the mechanics assigned to work in the stronghold. They were pleased to see that the Krogan had adapted and then expanded upon what she had taught them, and that their tomkahs were now even more efficient. After saying their goodbyes, Tali and Targ walked back to the outskirts to visit Targ's grandmother. She was ancient, even for a Krogan. Nobody knew her birthday and she herself couldn't remember it, so the estimates had gone anywhere from twelve hundred years to twenty-five hundred. Knowing this, Tali expected to be greeted by a withered, gray old woman in a mobility chair. Her musings were interrupted by a deep growl as Targ's feet left the floor when the biggest Krogan Tali had met rushed forward to hug her.
"Targ,! It's so good to see you!" The woman bellowed, squeezing the poor girl nearly to death.
"Grandmother... Can't... breathe!" Targ said, prompting the old woman to grin and drop her to the floor. Targ took a minute to steady herself and catch her breath.
"I missed you girl, you look good and strong! And who's your girlfriend?" She asked, gesturing at Tali.
"She's a friend, and a crew mate, Grandmother. Her name is Lieutenant Tali'Zorah Vas Normandy." Targ corrected, unfazed by her grandmother's assumption.
"Ah, a pity. She's a pretty one. Dear, it's a pleasure to meet you, come in and sit down!" The elderly Krogan said. Ushering them in to her sitting room. The furniture in the room looked older than it's occupant but while worn, obviously very lovingly looked after. The interior of the house was immaculate, and tastefully decorated.
"I was just going to have tea, please join me. Oh, I don't have anything levo-friendly." She said looking at Tali apologetically.
"Actually ma'am I have some in my bag, I keep it with me, old habits from before we met the Humans. I could never trust that a place had Turian or Quarian food and drink. All I need is some hot water." Tali said.
"Excellent, and none of this ma'am nonsense, my name is Denuva." She said, then hurried into her kitchen.
"She seems nice." Tali observed.
"She's the best. She doesn't act like a normal Krogan at all, and whenever anyone brings that up she knocks a few of their teeth out." Targ said, grinning.
"I don't know much about Krogan biology, but she looks like she could pick up and eat Wrex! My people get smaller and weaker as we get old." Tali said Targ rolled her eyes and grinned.
"Don't mention Wrex in front of her, she worships the ground he walks on, especially now since he forced our people to pull their heads out of their asses. Krogan continue growing throughout their lives, though it does slow significantly as you get older. Grandmother is also exceptionally healthy." Targ said.
"You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but where are your parents?" Tali asked.
"There was a brief clan war between clans Urdnot and Gatatog, Wrex's brother was head of Urdnot, and was making erratic decisions. Until Wrex came back and wrestled control of Urdnot from him, Wreav was ruining clan Urdnot by making claims and violating agreements. My dad was a member of Clan Gatatog, and he was killed in the fighting. My mother died avenging him." Targ said.
"I'm sorry." Tali said.
"I miss them, but my father died fighting a tyrant and my mother died avenging her love. They were both good and honorable Krogan." Targ said.
"I miss them too dear." Denuva said, carrying a tray with a steaming pot of water, three cups and a container of Krogan teas. She set the cups down and filled them with steaming water, giving two to her guests.
"My mother was killed by Batarian slavers." Tali said, commiserating with the two women.
"I'm not one to indulge in such petty things as prejudice, but this galaxy was a nicer place before those monsters made themselves known." Denuva said, clearly having her own reasons to hate Batarians.
"But let's not dwell on such sad things. I hear your people are back on Rannoch! I do miss that world, it was always so beautiful." Denuva said.
"You've been to the homeworld?" Tali asked.
"Oh yes. Before the Geth of course. It's a shame your beautiful faces spent 300 years hidden behind those masks." Denuva continued.
"Thanks to the Humans most Quarians are out of their suits now." Targ observed.
"These humans are interesting. They look like the Asari except they have males. Damn good looking ones too." Denuva said, winking at Tali.
"Grandmother!" Targ said, scandalized.
"What? I'm old, I say whatever the hell I want!" Denuva said chuckling.
"I'm dating a human woman. Commander Shepard." Tali said.
"Oh you caught a good one there, dear. I heard she put the fear of Kalros into Wrex the last time you were here. Stared down half a ton of Krogan with two broken ribs and a concussion!" Denuva said.
"I was terrified and proud at the same time. I hate that she's so fearless sometimes." Tali said.
"Sweetheart you just have to trust her. That and give her something to look forward to when she gets back home!" Denuva said, winking. Tali ignored the outraged cry coming out of her embarrassed granddaughter. Tali just met one of her new favorite Krogan.
The next day, Shepard woke early and began a vigorous pre-fight warm up routine she'd developed over the years. It helped to loosen her up and get her heart pumping without tiring her too much. She hoped Kurg and Grak were doing the same. Tali had woken up right after and was now preparing breakfast for the two. She had barely slept, worrying about her love going up against the rite. She helped Shepard into her armor, and when the pressure seals kicked in she turned around, stroking Tali's face.
"I promise you, Tali I will be as careful as possible. I will come home to you." Shepard said Tali smiled but Shepard could tell it was forced. They made their way down to the waiting truck, and sped off to the arena traditionally used for the rite, where Shepard met Kurg and Grak, fully adorned in their customized krogan-sized alliance issue armor. The Shaman was going over their expectations during the rite, so Shepard jogged over to listen in.
"What can we expect to face in the rite?" Kurg asked.
"Who knows? Adapt or die." The shaman said coldly to the three. All three nodded with sadistic grins. The shaman rolled his eyes, he'd expected this eagerness out of the whelps, but this woman was a seasoned veteran and an outlander no less. After a little more last minute instruction the three rushed into the Arena. Tali sat next to Bakara and observed. The arena was a wide open barren place out in the middle of nowhere. There were rotten carcasses both of animals and Krogan strewn about collecting flies, blast damage and burn marks, and abandoned weapons and armor all about. Shepard was glad she was up todate on her immunizations, every sharp object and there were a great abundance of them, likely held some malicious blood-born pathogen. Kurg gestured at Shepard to hit the button on the keystone.
"First the Krogan conquered Tuchanka, and mastered a natural world only we are fit to hold." blared with the deep voice of the Shaman as the maw hammer was raised and then plummeted down vibrating the ground under their feet. Varren yelping in the distance alerted them to the nature of their first challenge. Shepard stowed her rifle and picked up one of the discarded shotguns, checking it for ammo, it had an inert heat sink loaded and two more attached to the barrel so she cocked it and started sweeping around looking for targets. A great loud boom from behind her marked Kurg as the first to score a kill with his customized claymore shotgun. A roar followed by a crunch and a yelp off to her left let her know that Grak was getting his hands dirty. Within a second of that observation a big, mean looking alpha varren launched itself at her from the shadows but it's keen reflexes and millions of years of evolution as a predator were no match for Shepard's as she brought the discarded shotgun up and casually blew the top of the varren's head off.
"Nice one Commander!" Kurg shouted.
"Watch the right flank!" Shepard shouted as Kurg spun around automatically and began firing into a small group that had been trying to sneak up. Shepard cleaned up a few stragglers that appeared next and Grak was gathering dead varren into piles to use as cover for the next phase. Before they knew it the varren had slowed to a trickle and then were no more.
"Then the Krogan were lifted to the the stars to destroy the fears of a galaxy, an enemy only we could chase to their lair." The voice boomed again then the hammer fell. A distant buzzing grew louder and louder, and knowing what to expect from her reading, Shepard ducked behind cover and prepared a couple grenades. Keeping the Klixen at a distance was the key to surviving against them. She also switched to her assault rifle, leaning the borrowed shotgun against a broken pillar. The harvesters dropped the Klixen and flew off, prompting the two Krogan and Shepard to peek around their cover and open fire against the Klixen. The Harvesters had dropped them off closer than she would have preferred, but Shepard was confident she could make this work.
A well-placed fragmentation grenade opened up the space between them and their quarry, and Kurg and Grak were quick to go to work. Just then a bright flash of light erupted out of one of the dying Klixen, engulfing the top half of Grak's body as he shoved Shepard down to the ground and out of harm's way. Kurg shot the Klixen in the side of the head at close range with a shotgun. Grak staggered back, angry burns all over his upper body already being attended to by his advanced regeneration ability. He collapsed to the ground staring off into space.
Shepard leapt to her feet and ran to him, scanning him with her omnitool while Kurg held the remaining Klixen off.
"Commander..." Grak said.
"Grak you're a kid. I'm an adult. NEVER DO THAT AGAIN. I am NOT worth it!" Shepard barked.
"Commander do you have natural plate armor on your skin that can regenerate almost entirely overnight?" Grak asked.
"No, but still." Shepard said
"No buts commander, it was a calculated risk. I can walk away from an attack like that, you might not. Now help me back up if we're lucky the next one will call a thresher maw." Grak said, grinning. Shepard rolled her eyes. She couldn't' disagree with his logic but it still upset her to see her crew hurt. With the last Klixen dead, Shepard jogged over to the button and hit it again.
"Then for centuries all Krogan bore the Genophage, our reward, our curse. It was a fight where our only goal was survival! Now we fight to remind ourselves, and the galaxy what a strong, united Krogan race can do!" The Shaman bellowed right before the hammer struck a third and last time, the deep rumble heard and felt by all leaving no doubt that they'd successfully called a thresher maw.
"Oh Keelah." Tali said, Bakara took her hand and reassured her.
"Shepard will lead them through, they will be fine." Bakara said.
"I can't stand this!" Tali said, being careful not to be loud enough for Shepard to hear.
"You can and you must. She is worth it. Remember, and don't be too angry at her after." Bakara said.
"No promises." Tali grumbled. The crowd cheered as the Thresher maw broke out of the ground and hurled a generous glob of acid at the trio, who dodged it easily, returning fire with their assault rifles. The maw got wise to this quick and dug its way back into the ground, encircling the arena. When it popped up on the opposite end, they were ready and already firing before it could attack again. Small holes that gushed with blood began opening all over the Maw's belly as it endured concentrated weapons fire, but to an animal that size it was equivalent to the damage done by an insect bite.
"Well fuck, any ideas?" Shepard asked Grak and Kurg who were rummaging around in a pile of debris. Grak emerged with the long sharp remnants of what looked like it used to be a helicopter blade.
"How many grenades you got?" Kurg asked.
"Three more." She said.
"Between your three, my one and Grak's two that should be enough." Kurg said.
"Enough for what?" Shepard asked.
"Thresher maws are like Krogan. Tough on the outside, soft and squishy on the inside. If we can cut a hole right where those bullet holes are and stuff all six grenades in there, then get under cover in time we can blow the fucker in half." Grak said.
"How are we going to get close enough to do that?" Shepard asked.
"We're gonna need to distract it. With bait. That's where you come in." Kurg said with a grin, grinding an even sharper edge into the hunk of metal with a stone. Shepard rolled her eyes.
"Tali's gonna kill me. Give me the word." She said, as she climbed up to a higher level in the arena behind a broken boulder. Grak wired all of the detonators on the grenades together then lashed them to each other with cord, Kurg wrapped some cloth around the base of the metal so that he cold hold it without slicing his fingers off, and nodded at Grak.
"Whenever you're ready commander!" Grak yelled. Shepard jumped out from behind cover and shot the maw in the face with her hand gun.
"Hey thresher bitch! Come get some of this!" Shepard bellowed firing into its sensitive head protrusions repeatedly. The maw roared with rage and reeled back preparing to spew its acid at Shepard. She dove behind a pile of dead varren just in the nick of time, wincing as she smelled the liquefying varren matter surrounding her succumbing to the acid. She popped back up and shot at the maw one more time, the maw lurched forward trying to slam its mass into Shepard as its acid sacks were drained from its last attack, and this gave Kurg and Grak the opportunity they were waiting for. Kurg rushed forward cleaving a three-meter cavern into the belly of the beast as Grak ran up behind him and tossed the bundle of grenades inside. They all dove away as the maw raised back up, preparing for another strike when all of a sudden the top half of it erupted into a greenish-pink mist of maw blood and chunks that rained down on the three as well as some of the closer sitting spectators.
The crowd roared its approval, tali was cheering louder than most around her, she was so grateful that her love had survived. The three started gathering their weapons and made their way to the entrance, while Tali, Bakara, Wrex, Uvenk and the Shaman made their way over there to meet them. When the spectators made it down to the entrance room, Shepard was smearing medigel over Grak's burns.
"After we finish here, you best get that looked at, Grak." Uvenk said. Grak nodded and stood gingerly to follow them out into a hall full of all of the spectators who cheered at their entrance. They climbed up to an elevated stage.
"Kurg, Grak, Shepard, you have accomplished a feat not seen since my own rite. You took down a maw. You may now join a clan, follow a battle master, take a mate and own property." Wrex said, failing miserably to hide his pride in the young Krogan. Kurg and Grak looked at each other and nodded.
"We wish to join Clan Urdnot, and Commander Shepard is our battlemaster." Grak said for them.
"You sure?" Wrex asked, they both nodded.
"And you, Shepard?" Wrex asked.
"What about me?" Shepard asked.
"You have completed the rite, followed our laws and respected our tradition. To us, your species is irrelevant, you are accepted as Krogan. You are a battlemaster so there would be no point in pledging yourself to one, but you passed the rite. You are entitled to join a clan, own property, take a mate, though I think that last is already covered." Wrex grinned as he spoke.
"Wow, I'm honored. I'll join Urdnot if you'll have me." Shepard said, dumbstruck. She hadn't read about this part.
"The honor is ours. Behold, Urdnot Grak, Urdnot Kurg, and Commander Urdnot Jane Shepard Vas Normandy." Wrex said, introducing the newly minted adult Krogan. Shepard was glad to have made it through relatively unscathed, and grinned as she looked out at the crowd until she noticed Tali stomping up to her looking furious. Tali grabbed her face and dragged her down, kissing her passionately earning the pair wolf whistles from those in attendance. When they came up for air, Tali was breathing heavily.
"I'm going to kill you. Then I'm going to bring you back to life and then fuck you to death and then kill you again." Tali said.