Shelby had asked Mordin, Wrex and primarch Victus to meet her in the war room so that they could discuss a plan of attack to get to the Shroud facility on Tuchanka. It was originally going to be smooth sailing. Land, get to the shroud, finish synthesizing the cure, disperse the cure, and ta-da! End of the genophage. Until a new type of reaper landed on the doorstep to the shroud and complicated things as reapers seem to enjoy doing.
By the time Shelby got to the war room holo table, everyone was already there, and Mordin had holo scans of the shroud and its surrounding area, including the reaper brought up for everyone to see.
"New form of Reaper, Shepard. Using shroud to poison Tuchanka's atmosphere. Problematic."
"They want a fight, they just got one!" Wrex declared.
"Primarch, we're going to need your help." Shelby remarked.
"That could be difficult. Our losses on Plaven have been catastrophic." Primarch Victus debatingly stated.
"We're doing this for Palaven. No one said it'd be easy." Shelby assured him.
"What do you have in mind?"
Shelby leaned on the table, and pressed buttons every so often to bring up visual interpretations of her plan. "A combined attack. Your people hit the Reaper with an airstrike. Wrex, at the same time your soldiers will be attacking from the ground. Together you can draw it away from the tower." Shelby proposed.
"Yes, distraction. Small team can reach facility, finish synthesizing cure. Will need Eve to come with us." Mordin agreed.
"We've never faced a Reaper up close like this. Everyone on board?" Shelby asked just to make sure everyone was committed.
Wrex almost sounded like he was offended. "There's even a doubt?! Let's move pyjak, it's time to cure the genophage." He proclaimed and rushed out of the room, followed by the Primarch.
"Commander, incoming message marked urgent. I'll put it in the comm room for you." Traynor updated over the ship comm.
"Thanks." Shelby said before walking over to the comm room, the call coming in once she was close enough. "Dalatrass?" 'Oh no, what's she want?'
"Commander Shepard. We know you've reached Tuchanka."
'Okay, and?' Shelby impatiently answered in her thoughts.
"And by now I imagine Dr. Solus has proposed using the shroud."
Shelby furrowed her brow as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you spying on us?"
"Hardly. The Shroud is the only viable course of action open to you." The Dalatrass said as-a-matter-of-factly. "Commander you can't allow your misguided sympathy for the Krogan to cloud your judgement."
'Too late. My "misguided sympathy" is aaall over this mission.'
"Do you honestly believe curing the genophage will end in lasting peace?"
'Is that what the genophage does?? 'cause I thought it just made vengeful Krogan....'
"We have to give the Krogan that chance. You can't condemn an entire race to extinction based on what MIGHT happen." Shelby pointed out as she rotated her top hand upwards to add emphasis and then tucked her hand back into her elbow.
"What WILL happen is the Krogan will reproduce out of control. We uplifted them specifically for their violent nature. NOT their diplomatic skills. Another war is inevitable."
'Get to your point already, you raving lunatic.'
"What do you want, Dalatrass?" Shelby impatiently inquired.
"Years ago, our operatives sabotaged the Shroud facility to ensure what you're planning couldn't be done. Mordin will likely detect this malfunction and repair it. But if you ensure that he doesn't, then the cure's viability will be altered just enough so that it fails. No one will notice the change."
'She did not just seriously suggest that...'
"You want me to trick the Krogan?" Shelby was trying to hide a 'you've got to be kidding me' tone in her voice, but didn't do quite as well as she thought she would.
"They need not be any the wiser. Let Urdnot Wrex believe you fulfilled your promise." The Dalatrass schemed.
'Of course she did. Why am I even surprised?'
"Mordin would never stand for that; and neither would I."
"How you deal with him is up to you, Commander. We can provide you our very best scientists to build the Crucible... and the full support of our fleets." The Dalatrass tried to bribe Shelby.
"But only IF I sabotage the cure..."
'Nah, I'd rather have the Krogan. They'll be more durable AND more numerous by the time I'm done with them.'
"Think about it Commander. The choice is yours." The Dalatrass insisted with a bribing tone before cutting the comm and leaving Shelby in the silence.
Shelby groaned to herself a bit in annoyance with an eyeroll towards the Dalatrass before going out of the comm room to go put her armor on and prepare for the coming history in the making.
****
After a short shuttle ride down, a breif confrontation with reaper forces, Shelby and her team were at the hollows meeting up with the other clans assembled there.
"They'll sing battle-songs about this someday. Reaper blood has finally soaked our soil." Wrex announced, receiving a light cheer from the crowd.
"We need to get to the shroud. The airstrike is on its way." Shelby updated Wrex as she did a little jog over to him.
"Female safe, Shepard. Vitals are strong." Mordin added.
"What's a Salarian doing here?!" They heard from somewhere behind Wrex. "Nobody said anything about this." He said as he and his group of Krogan walked up to Wrex.
"Multiple Krogan. Problematic."
"Who are you?" Shelby inquired as she and Wrex turned to face him.
"Urdnot Wreav. Brood brother to our....illustrious leader."
"Wreav and I share the same mother. And nothing else." Wrex elaborated.
"For which I am thankful. I remember what it means to be a true Krogan. We flay our enemies alive and then drown them in a geyser of their own blood. We don't invite them into our home."
"The Salarian is not your enemy. He's here to help cure the genophage." Shelby defended Mordin.
"His kind gave us the genophage! Why should we trust him?"
Wrex stepped in and gave Wreav a good old fashioned krogan headbutt. "Because I do. And so will you, Wreav." He ordered.
Wreav and his group growled like they were ready to attack, everyone else of course bracing themselves for just that.
"Enough!" Eve demanded from the top of the stairs positioned behind everyone. Everyone got quiet and cleared a path for her to walk as she came down the stairs. "You can stay here and let old wounds fester, as Krogan have always done.....or you can fight the enemy that you were born to destroy. And win a new future for our children. I choose to fight." She turned and faced everyone. "Who will join me?"
"I will." Shelby proudly stated.
"And so will I." Wrex added before moving towards the stairs. "Now hold your heads high like true Krogan! There's a reaper that needs killing!" He rallied and pointed up the stairs to the door.
The clans growled and cheered in agrrement, Wreave nodding to show he was with them, then they ventured outside finally on their way to the shroud.
YOU ARE READING
Second Chances(A Mass Effect Fan fiction)
Fanfiction*UNDER REVISIONS* Shelby Shepard didn't lead a very interesting life in her 16 years on the colony of Mindor. But one fateful day, her life was turned completely upside down. She is forced to leave her home and start a new life. Will she thrive or f...
