Chapter Text
V’lana’s team
As the winged shuttlecraft, its warp nacelles emitting a pale green light, smoothly landed near the bunker’s location. Wrex vocalized, “Hmph. Your people got a thing for wings or something?”
“You could say that.” V’lana chuckled, “When our ancestors left Vulcan, they were said to have marched under the raptor’s wings. Birds of prey have always figured large in our mythology. It carries through in our warships.”
Once the shuttle had safely touched down, V’lana and the others on her team approached. Her high from killing the thresher maw not completely worn down as yet, the subcommander greeted her first officer, “Hey Big Brother. Guess what we just did!”
His lips turned up in a lopsided grin as he took sight of his commanding officer, still covered in slime, Tovan Kev quipped, “It looks like you fell into an offal pit, Little Sister.”
“We killed a thresher maw! Me and Wrex!” V’lana cried out triumphantly as the old krogan looked on with an amused grin on his face. “It was…Elements what a rush! Almost as good as sex!”
“Sounds like you had fun, Little Sister.” The Gallena’s executive officer remarked with a chuckle before getting down to business. “We have the warhead.”
Sobering up, V’lana inclined her head in the direction of the bunker. “Good. That structure needs to be completely obliterated. It has been taken over by the Borg.”
“Shit.” Tovan murmured, giving Tali a worried glance. “Are all of you okay?”
“Yes.” The subcommander replied. “None of us got infected by the nanites. We also found out something very disturbing. It appears that Cerberus is working with the Elachi just as the Tal’Shiar are in our universe.”
“The Elachi are here?” Tovan exclaimed, a shocked look on his face.
“Apparently so, Big Brother.” V’lana affirmed, gesturing for Liara to speak.
“We found mycelial spores that seem to bear out an Elachi presence.” The asari scientist declared. “As well as Cerberus troopers who have been…modified…by Borg and Reaper tech. They were experimenting on a krogan, but the experiment got away from them.”
“They erased much of their research, but we did pick up a few things.” V’lana declared, adding, “We’re also going to need to meet with the Council and Councilor Anderson, and we need to find a way back to our universe to report our findings. If my hunch is right, both universes face a common threat and will have to work together to defeat it.”
“Right.” Tovan nodded his head as he motioned for his team to unload the bomb. “We’ll prepare the bomb for detonation on your order.” Turning to the quarian engineer, the Romulan centurion’s lips turned up in a welcoming smile as he requested, “Tali? I could use your help.”
“Of course.” Tali replied, thankful that her helmet and visor hid what was most undoubtedly furious blushing. “I’ll be glad to assist in any way I can.”
“There’s a sonic shower in the back of the shuttle, Little Sister.” Tovan not so gently hinted, “You might want to…”
“Get the thresher maw shit off me before I see Kaidan again?” V’lana interrupted with a wicked grin, joking, “And here I was thinking about sliming him by rubbing myself up against him.”
“You should.” Wrex joked, “I’ve been told it’s a big turn on.”
“Really?” V’lana teased, and then sighed melodramatically, “All right, Tovan. I’ll hit the showers. I know better than to argue with you when you pull out the ‘Older Brother’ face. Comm me when you’re ready to blow the bomb.”
“Will do, Subcommander.” Kev acknowledged as he turned to Wrex. “Would you like to come with us?”
“Wouldn’t miss it for the world.” The krogan battlemaster responded with a toothy grin. Then, noticing the look that the Romulan was giving his quarian protégé, warned in a tone that was both joking and warning, “That’s my little girl. I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to her. Get me?”
At once picking up on the huge krogan’s meaning, Tovan replied with a nod of his head, “Understood. I’ll look out for her.”
“Good.” Wrex responded with a head nod of his own. “Now…let’s blow this abomination to hell.”
Several minutes later, Tovan, Wrex, Tali, and the rest of the demolition team returned. “The bomb is set.” Tovan declared, adding, “It would be a good idea for us to be in the shuttle and out of the area before setting it off.”
“Right.” V’lana, now cleaner and wearing a newly replicated uniform, acknowledged with a nod of her head. “Let’s go.”
After the shuttle had lifted off and moved to a safe distance, Tovan handed the detonator to his commanding officer who then handed it to Wrex. “Your world.” V’lana simply stated, “You should have the honor of blowing that place to oblivion.”
With a single nod of his head, the krogan clan chief pressed down on the detonator. Moments later, the shuttle, even though far away from the blast, shook violently from the explosive’s shockwave. “What sort of bomb was that?” Wrex exclaimed with a feral grin.
“Tri-cobalt bomb.” V’lana responded with a smirk. “Used when you want to make sure there’s nothing left. We’ll do a scan anyway though to make sure that we got everything. Then we’ll return to your base.”
Nodding his head in agreement, the krogan battlemaster responded, “Good. I don’t want that shit on my world. Also…I need to get back before Wreav and Uvenk decide that I’m dead and do something stupid.”
“You heard the krogan, Tovan.” V’lana quipped, “Take us to the site and then I want a full and thorough scan. After that, back to Urdnot Base.”
“Aye, Subcommander.” Tovan replied as he gave the appropriate orders to the shuttle pilot, and then, turning to Tali, he asked in a low whisper. “Dinner at the Raptor’s Nest when we get back?”
“Yes.” The youthful quarian responded softly so that no one else could hear, her visor again hiding her blushing cheeks. “I would like that.”
Kaidan’s Team
Approaching a sealed door, Kaidan motioned for his team to take positions. “On three.” He murmured, counting down, “One…two…” Opening the door, weapon drawn, the human biotic found a krogan sitting on the floor.
“Must be that scout Wrex told us was missing.” Garrus surmised as Kaidan holstered his weapon.
“Looks like.” Alenko nodded his head, approaching the krogan, who, on noticing the newcomers looked up.
“You killed the Blood Pack guards.” The scout said in a forlorn voice.
“Guess correct.” Mordin declared, “Not Blood Pack, not member of Clan Weyrloc. Clan markings…Urdnot.”
“I’m an Urdnot scout.” The krogan confirmed, “I was captured by Weyrloc guards who brought me here.”
“We were told to look for you.” Kaidan explained, “We’ve taken out the guards. You should get back to base.”
“I can’t.” The scout shook his head. “The Weyrloc did things to me. Injections. Drugs. Said that I was sacrificing myself for the good of all krogans.”
“What in the Elements did they do to you?” Solana asked, shaking her head.
“Experiments to cure the genophage.” The scout answered, “Everything’s blurry. Hard to think. I have to stay.”
“Can you do anything for him, Mordin?” Kaidan asked, “Stims? Something that would strengthen his immune system?”
“I’m not too sick to leave.” The krogan declared, “I have to stay. They’re curing the genophage! They have to keep doing the tests to make it all better!”
“Caution, Alenko.” Mordin warned in a low murmur. “Patient unstable. Brainwashed.”
“Why do you want them to keep doing the tests?” Kaidan asked in a gentle voice, as if he were talking to a child.
“It was my fault I got caught.” The scout explained. “I wasn’t strong enough. Not good enough. This is the best…all…I can do. I’m not big enough or strong enough to have a real chance with the females. I’ll never have kids of my own. But, if I help to undo the effects of the genophage, I will have mattered. My life will have meaning.”
“Honorable.” Solana nodded her head as she spoke in a low voice. “But also foolish.”
“You’re right.” Kaidan replied, speaking to the scout, “Millions of children will be born, but they’ll be Weyrloc children. Your clan…as well as all the others…will be destroyed.”
“No.” The scout shook his head in disbelief, “They said I was helping Urdnot.”
“The best way for you to help Urdnot…” Kaidan urged, “…is for you to get back there. But…it would take a real badass to do that and I don’t see any badasses here. I just see a scout who’s sitting there whining like a quarian with a stomach ache.”
“Be glad Tali’s not here.” Garrus quipped.
“I can do it!” The scout declared with renewed determination. “I’m going back and I’m going to the female camp!”
“Then get your ass in gear and go!” Kaidan commanded, “Get back there and show them what you’re made of! Go!”
Watching as the krogan departed, Solana jibed, “Not bad, Alenko.”
Laughing, Kaidan responded with a quip of his own as the scout disappeared down the corridor, “I don’t know why, but I can’t get the Notre Dame fight song out of my head.”
“Find Maelon.” Mordin urged, “Will cure earworm.”
“Right.” Alenko nodded his head in agreement. “Move out.”
“It’s over.” Kaidan panted, his energy reserves nearly exhausted, his head throbbing from one of the worst migraines he had ever experienced as he looked down on the charred and battered corpse of the former leader of Clan Weyrloc, Guld.
“Helluva fight.” Solana remarked as she put away her plasma rifle.
“Let’s not do that again.” Garrus grunted as he picked himself up from the floor, a dead krogan beside him. Glancing in Mordin’s direction, the turian vigilante nodded his head in gratitude. “Thanks. He almost got me.”
“Thanks not necessary.” Mordin replied as he looked the former C-Sec officer over. “No major wounds. Some bruising but will heal.
“I’ll be fine.” Garrus answered back with another grunt, “Go see to Alenko. He needs you more.”
“Medigel and pain suppressant should alleviate migraine and bruises.” Mordin declared as he administered treatment to the human biotic. “Rest upon return to Gallena. No midnight meeting with subcommander tonight.”
“What?” Kaidan groaned, “What gives you the idea that me and ‘lana are…”
“Alenko.” Garrus sighed indulgently, “Everyone except maybe Veril’s pet tribble knows about your midnight briefings with the subcommander in her quarters.”
“Ummm…” Kaidan stammered before finally regaining composure, “We should get going. We need to find Maelon.”
“Commander Alenko correct.” Mordin affirmed, “Must find Maelon. Hope not too late.”
Entering a spacious chamber, Mordin and the others at once spotted a salarian standing in front of a large holographic screen and console. With a note of relief in his voice, Mordin remarked on seeing his former student. “Alive. Unharmed.” As he and the rest of the squad approached the other salarian, still at work, apparently paying the intruders no heed, Mordin, on closer inspection, observed, much to his confusion, “No sign of restraints. No evidence of torture. Don’t understand.”
Finally acknowledging his unwanted guests, Maelon sneered as he at once recognized his former teacher’s voice. “You’ve always had a talent, Professor, for failing to see any evidence that disagreed with your prejudices. I’m here because I want to be here. Not because Weyrloc or anyone else forced me. When will you understand that?”
“I’m sorry, Mordin.” Kaiden interjected, “He wasn’t kidnapped or forced to work on a cure for the genophage. He’s doing this of his own free will.”
“Impossible!” Mordin, refusing to accept the truth, exclaimed, “Whole team agreed! Project necessary!”
“How could I dare disagree with the great Doctor Mordin Solus!” Maelon rebuked, “I was your student! I respected and looked up to you!”
His confusion now replaced by disappointment and anger, Mordin bit back, “Experiments performed here! Live subjects! Prisoners! Torture and executions! Your doing?”
“We already have the blood of millions on our hands, Doctor.” Maelon lamented, “If it takes more blood to put things right, then I am willing to pay that price.”
“Do you really think that what you’re doing here can be justified or excused?” Kaidan exclaimed, his outrage clearly evident.
“We committed cultural genocide!” Maelon cried out, “Nothing I do will ever be justified! The experiments are monstrous because I was taught to be a monster.”
“Did you ever perform experiments like that, Mordin?” Kaidan inquired with a note of suspicion in his voice.
“No.” Mordin responded, shaking his head vehemently. “Never taught you this, Maelon.”
Shaking his head, Maelon countered, “Are you telling me that your hands are clean, Professor? Is that what you really want to say to the millions of dead? All dead because of what we did? You’re the one who taught me that the ends justified the means. I am going to undo the genophage the only way I know how.”
Interjecting himself into the conversation, Garrus asked, “What happens if Mordin is right and you cure the genophage only to have the krogan expand again. Are you willing to risk that?”
“We justified our actions by saying the krogan would cause destruction and war if their population recovered.” Maelon argued back, “But look at the galaxy now! Batarian attacks in the Traverse with the humans retaliating…geth attacks on the Citadel…can you really tell me the galaxy is a more peaceful place? The assault on Eden Prime might not have ever happened if we helped the krogan recover. We will never know.”
“A krogan population explosion would not have done anything to stop Saren and the geth.” Kaidan shook his head, “If anything, it probably would have made matters worse.”
“An increased krogan population would have forced the Council to take steps to prevent krogan aggression.” Maelon countered. “Most likely involving colony rights in the Traverse.”
“Not necessarily.” Kaidan answered back. “Much as I personally detest the genophage…” the human biotic heaved a dejected sigh, “I saw firsthand how easily Saren and the Reapers manipulated and controlled the krogan. I don’t even want think about what they would have been able to do with an increased krogan population.”
“Got to agree with Kaidan here.” Garrus added, “I was also at Virmire and saw Saren’s cloning facilities.”
“Saren offered hope to krogan.” Maelon responded defensively, “Had the genophage already been cured, he would not have had that bait to offer. The Council could have brought the krogan over to help. Form a unified defense against the Reapers.”
“He’s got a point there.” Solana muttered to herself, staying out of what she saw as a dispute between the denizens of this universe.
“Supposition.” Mordin answered back, “Impossible to be certain. Engaging in hypotheticals without substantive evidence to support claim. Taught you better.”
“We tried to play God!” Maelon cried out, “And we failed! We made things worse and I’m going to fix it!”
“The genophage isn’t lethal.” Garrus pointed out, “It only affects fertility rates.”
Maelon responded to the turian’s argument with a counterargument, “Krogans fight over fertile females and become pirates and mercenaries because they see no alternative.”
“Jane told me that Wrex once told her pretty much the same thing.” Kaidan somberly recalled as he conceded Maelon’s point, the other salarian nodding his head. “You’re just looking at the surface, Mordin, but you’re ignoring the spin off effects of the genophage. In other words, the law of unintended consequences.”
“They would be in the midst of a cultural renaissance right now had we not decided to inflict the genophage upon them.” Maelon positively declared as Kaidan disagreed, this time getting a nod of agreement from Mordin.
“You can’t say that with absolute certainty, Maelon. Just as Mordin cannot say with absolute certainty that the krogan would have reignited the Rebellions—although I will concede that, given what we know about the krogan, Mordin’s hypothesis is the more sound one.”
“Alenko correct.” Mordin declared. “Your analysis inaccurate. Simulations all indicated increased krogan population resulted in war.”
“Why did you work with Clan Weyrloc?” Kaidan inquired, “And how were you able to access the genophage data. I thought that was top secret.”
“I had no problems accessing the data.” Maelon explained, “I still had my clearances. All I had to do was ask. As for the Weyrlocs, they were the only clan with the resources and willingness to support me in my efforts.”
“What about Clan Urdnot?” Kaidan asked, “Did you even bother to approach Wrex?”
Shaking his head, Maelon replied, “Wrex would not give me the permission to do the experiments I needed to do.”
“In other words…” Kaidan glared angrily at the younger salarian, “He would not agree to the cruel and unethical experiments you performed here.”
Shrugging his shoulders, Maelon responded bitterly, “Urdnot’s loss is Weyrloc’s gain. Their clan will be the first to recover once I cure the genophage.”
“That’s assuming you’ll have the opportunity to cure the genophage.” Garrus interjected in a low, threatening tone of voice.
Coming to a decision, Kaidan declared, “We’re shutting this lab down, Maelon. The only question now is whether you’re going to walk out or be carried out on a stretcher.”
Drawing a pistol, Maelon growled, “You can’t face the truth, can you Professor. Can’t face the fact that your actions and your brilliant mind caused you to commit an atrocity.”
Lashing out quickly, Mordin grasped the pistol from his student’s hand as he shoved him back against a wall. Pointing the barrel of the pistol at Maelon’s face, Mordin spat out angrily, “Unacceptable experiments. Unacceptable goals. Won’t change.” A note of sadness in his voice, the former STG operative passed sentence, “No choice. Have to kill you.”
“Wait, Mordin!” Kaidan interjected before the salarian could pull the trigger, “You don’t have to do this. You’re not a murderer.”
“No.” An aghast Mordin exclaimed. “I am not a murderer. Thank you, Alenko.” Turning to his student, he holstered the pistol, “Finished, Maelon. Go. No Weyrloc left. Project finished.”
“What if he talks to more krogan or tells the public about the modified genophage project?” Garrus interrupted.
Taking a deep breath, Mordin responded, “Special Tasks Group good at covering tracks. No proof. Weyrloc willingness to work with salarian unusual. Other krogan will kill him. Has nowhere to go.”
“What if he starts his research again?” Garrus persisted, still seeing the younger salarian as a potential threat.
“Locking this unit.” Mordin declared, “Special Task Group can cut off access to old data. Could start from scratch though.” The salarian scientist admitted before adding, “But will take decades of work. Didn’t teach Maelon everything I know.”
Turning his attention to Maelon, Kaidan warned, “You heard the professor. You better go now—before he or Garrus change their minds.”
“Where am I supposed to go?” Maelon, now realizing the extent of his isolation, sobbed.
“Don’t care.” Mordin answered back, “Try Omega. Can always use another clinic. Maybe do real good.”
“The krogan didn’t deserve what we did to them.” Maelon lamented in a final plea, “The genophage needs to end.”
Shaking his head, Mordin responded, “Not like this. Now…go. Last chance.”
As his former protégé walked away, the professor spoke in a low voice to the human standing beside him. “Apologies, Commander. Misunderstood mission parameters. No kidnapping. My mistake. Thank you.” Reading through his former pupil’s data, Mordin sighed, “Maelon’s research. Only loose end. Could destroy it. Closure. Security. Still valuable though.”
Shaking his head, Kaidan replied in a quiet voice, “I can’t make that call for you, Mordin. You have to decide for yourself what to do with his data.”
Taking a deep breath, the former STG operative hit the delete key. “Too dangerous. Maybe one day cure for genophage possible. But not right now.”
His facial expression a faceless mask, Kaidan commanded, “If we’re done here. Let’s get back home.”
Watching as the last of Maelon’s research was purged from the computer data banks, Mordin pressed another button. “Reformatting and rebooting system. Will clean everything. Then we can leave.” Moments later, satisfied with his data purge, the salarian scientist gestured towards the exit. “Can go now.”