Mass Effect 1. Chapter 1 Assassination

Chapter 1- Assassination

Commander Jane Shepard stepped into Ambassador Udina's office, her weapons securely fastened against her back. As she stepped into the Ambassadors office, the bright light shining off the silver metallic hull of the Citadel reflected off her fiery red hair. She saw the Ambassador at his desk, his wrinkled features rising to meet her. "Come in Shepard"

She stepped forward, noticing Captain Anderson standing behind his desk. Udina motioned for Shepard to take the seat in front of the desk, she accepted it. "I've called you here Shepard, because we have a situation that requires your immediate attention"

That sparked her interest, never being one turn down a high-risk mission. "What's the problem?" Anderson stepped forward.

"As you know Shepard, the battle against Sovereign all but destroyed our fleet. But it also left the Alien Species faith in the Council's strength shaken, this can have massive political implications across the entire galaxy" Shepard pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes she leaned forward in her seat. Looking up to face the Ambassador and Anderson she said

"Sir's, I'm not a politician, can you just break it down for me" Straight to the point, Anderson appreciated her bluntness, he was never one for politics himself.

"To put it bluntly, there are some criminal organisations who would welcome political instability in the region as a chance to expand their influence while the Galactic Community reels from the blow".

Udina took over for him. "The councillors have arranged talks in three days, in the hope that it will stop species from seceding from the Galactic Government. I cannot stress how important it is that these talks go ahead"

"We fear that the criminals are going to attempt an assassination of the Council Members" Anderson spoke up.

"Well why not cancel the talks, or have them arrange it at a different location?" Shepard's military mind buzzed with dozens of contingency plans.

"We can't, this has to be a public event if we want the full support of the other species" Udina explained

Shepard leaned back in her chair, her weapons clanking against the back of the seat. "Okay, so what do you want me to do?"

****************

"So that's the plan" The blueprints of the Council Chambers hung in the centre of the meeting room, the blue light of the hologram shimmering against the polished walls. "I'll guard the councillors during the proceedings. Garrus, as a former C-Sec officer I'm putting you in charge of monitoring of the cameras from C-Sec Academy" Garrus gave her a nod.

She turned to the only other human occupant of the room. "Ash, I want you to walk amongst the crowd, you see anyone with a weapon or something suspicious, take him down"

Ash nodded in compliance. "Aye, Aye ma'am"

"Wrex-" Before she could finish Wrex spoke up for the first time since the briefing had started.

"No Way Shepard" He spoke bluntly.

The loose skin of the Krogans neck waved like ripples on a pond as he shook his head. This took her back a step. "Excuse me?"

He stood, approaching Shepard he placed his face mere inches from hers, his height allowing him to loom over her. But she would not let his size falter her "The Krogan were puppets of the Council once, but not this time. Shepard" With that last word Wrex stormed out of the COM room.

No one said a word, except for Ash. "Commander, you can't just let him storm off like that"

"Zip it Ash, let him go for now. We've got bigger things to worry about"

"Commander if I may….." Liara spoke up, her voice as quiet and timid as usual. "I do not think you should blame Wrex for his behaviour" She shifted in her seat, as was her habit. "It was the Council after all who contracted the Salarian's into creating the genophage; it is understandable that he would still hold a grudge"

"Don't worry about Wrex, he'll come around. For now though our top priority are the Council Members" Jane Shepard took one last look across her crew. "Dismissed"

***********************

Chora's Den was always the place where any man could come for a cheap drink, and if he had the credits, someone to share your hotel bed with. During his life span Wrex had come here for both. But mostly he came to Chora's Den because it was a hive of people looking to hire a guy for a no questions asked, pay up front job. As he sat at a table, watching the crowd as they passed by, paying no heed to the Asari dancers that seemed to be the centre of attention for every weak minded male in the room. Instead Wrex sat there, drink in hand, just waiting for something to happen. And when that something finally did happen "Piss off"

The cloaked figure standing before him didn't falter or move. "Well that wouldn't be very smart now would it, considering I'm here to offer you a job"

He didn't look up to face him, staring aimlessly into his bright blue drink in his hand resting on the table. "Who said I was looking for one?"

His mystery guest took the seat across from him. "No one actually, but your reputation forced me to seek you out" Wrex was annoyed by this guy the first time he spoke, now he was tired of him. Discreetly he reached for the pistol that hung loosely at his belt. "If you were smart" Click. "You might notice that I've got a gun barrel pointed at your stomach. Now unless you want to see exactly what you're insides look like. I suggest you move along"

"Now that wouldn't be the best decision for me or you" The guest seemed unphased by the Krogans threat, instead reaching up and flicking his hood over his head. "Seeing as how I'm here to offer you the one thing you've wanted since the end of the Rachni War" Now Wrex recognized this idiots face instantly, because he'd been chasing after him for the past 4 Weeks.

"Saren" The Turian's matte grey skin moved to form a Turian smile.

"Urdnot Wrex" Saren repeated.

"I guess one bullet doesn't cut it with you, what's to stop me putting another through that thick skull of yours?" Saren reached into his cloak pocket, removing a small vile of green liquid placing it on the table between them. Wrex looked at the vile. "And this is?"

Saren smirked. "The cure for the genophage"

Wrex was surprised, but he never let his finger stray from the trigger. "Shepard destroyed the cure"

"Not all of it and all I ask in return is one small favour" Wrex's expression turned to mild anger.

Wrex grunted "I try to make a habit of not working for people who've tried to have me killed"

Saren smirked. "We're soldiers Wrex, we fight on different sides but we're both still soldiers".

"All I ask in return for the cure, is the assassination of the Council members" Wrex was certainly taken aback, raising the pistol above the table, but still keeping it pointed at Saren's chest.

"I work with Shepard you know, what's to stop me from opening my COM link as I'm sure she'd love too know you're in town and still kicking"

Saren stood his ground. "Because I know you hold no official ties to the Alliance or the Citadel, which makes you perfect for this job"

Wrex leaned forward, ensuring his point was made. "And what if I refuse?"

Saren reached for the vile, turning it in place. "Then you're going to lose your chance to save your species"

Wrex reached for the serum. "How do I know this works?"

"Take the sample, have it tested" Saren leaned back in his seat.

"I'm no scientist" Wrex said sternly.

"You don't have too be, the cure has already been concocted. I can give you complete control of a manufacturing facility with an expert team ready to mass produce and distribute it across the entire Galaxy" Wrex was dumbstruck. After Virmire was nuked he had lost his only opportunity to save the Krogan race. But now here it was, a second chance at redemption. "Alright" He took the vile. "I'm in"

***********************

On the day of the peace talks Shepard had distributed her team out across the Council Chamber. Herself and Tali acting as their personal guards, Garrus in C-Sec control and Ashley amongst the crowd. Wrex was still cooling off somewhere on the other side of the station. Jane scanned the crowd, no immediate threats that she could see. When she past her vision over the balcony she noticed a glint that blinded her for a split second, she looked closer, it was one of the C-Sec Snipers used for security. No danger. Jane opened a COM link to Ashley "Ash anything to report?"

She looked out into the crowd, noticing Ashley in her dark armour put her hand up to her ear. "Nothing here commander"

She opened another Channel. "Garrus see anything on the cams?"

His reply came a few seconds later. "All clear Shepard, you're free to send them in"

"Roger. Everyone stay on guard they're coming in" Like on queue the three Council Members stepped out from the shadows onto the stage, large holographic faces of the councillors shining above their heads. A round of thunderous applause resonating off the high walls as the crowd sighted them.

Wrex skulked across the balcony that over looked the council Chamber. Ahead of him was an Asari sniper, dressed in a tight C-Sec uniform that exposed her taut stomach. She looked up from her weapon scope to face him. "Sir, this areas resric-" She never got a chance to finish her sentence as Wrex gave her a hard punch to the jaw with his gauntleted fist. More than enough to ensure she wasn't getting back up anytime soon and when she did she was goanna have one hell of a busted jaw. Wrex removed his Sniper Rifle from his back, the rifle unfolding into its full length. He laid the weapon on the balcony for support, staring through the optical scope. The target appeared in the centre of the glowing red crosshairs. "Nothing personal Shepard". A crack rang out in the room, everyone below him froze.

Shepard looked out across the crowd, something was going to go down at any moment. Her military instincts screamed it. Something didn't feel right about this. She blocked out the politicians scripted speech, she found it distracting. Then it hit her. She looked up the balcony again. That glint. The flash from the Snipers rifle, it wasn't there anymore. That could only mean…… "GET DOWN!" She dived towards the council members. She heard the report of the gunshot. It was too late. She crashed down onto the floor, dragging the Asari Councillor down with her. She looked out towards the crowd, the area awash with colour as civilians scrambled too safety. But one stood out. A cloaked figure surrounded by a kinetic barrier, the barrier crackling with static as it repelled the energy round. The figure charged through the crowd, loosing their cloak in the flurry to reveal the grey skin of a Turian in their bid to escape before their attacker could ready another shot. Saren. "Garrus, Saren's back. I'm going after him"

Garrus called out through the COM link. "Negative Commander, get the Councillors to safety. I've got this pup"

***************

Garrus had watched the entire event unfold. Watching the real time image unfurl in front of him. He ripped the earpiece from his ear and slammed the small electronic device down on the console. He ran out of the control room, removing his Assault Rifle from his back, clicking off the safety. He had a score to settle with this dead man.

Saren forced his way through the presidium charging past innocent bystanders as he fought desperately to get clear of the area before the council could send someone to capture him after his failed attempt to kill them. "C-sec! Stop!" He heard a voice cry out behind him. He removed his pistol from his belt, pivoting around in one quick movement to face his assailant. There stood that annoying Turian officer Garrus, one of Shepard's lap dogs. He held another pistol in his hands, the two stood frozen. A stalemate. "What's to stop me blowing off your head right now?" Saren mocked.

"Knowing that I can do exactly the same to you" Garrus retaliated.

Saren smirked. "We'll see" Saren fired. Garrus launched to the side, dodging the round. As he glided through the air, he fired. The plasma bolt impacting Saren's weapon and flinging it out of his hand as it screeched across the floor.

Saren snarled in anger, throwing his arms back and charging Garrus like a raging animal. Garrus fired into him, his weapon at arms length. A kinetic barrier popped up to successfully protect Saren, the rounds bounced off, singeing the ground beside him. Saren continued to charge, not even slowing to take a breath. Garrus gripped his gun it both hands, firing desperately and not even bothering to aim. The shot went wide.

Saren slammed into him, dragging them both down with the combined weight. Garrus crashed onto the hard metal of the presidium floor. Saren punched Garrus across the jaw, Garrus retaliated with a hard punch to the eye. Saren recoiled backwards from the blow, Garrus connecting his knee with Saren's exposed stomach. Saren instinctively curled up to protect himself. This gave Garrus the opportunity to slam his forearm into Saren's side, throwing him off of him. Garrus scrambled for his weapon, fumbling it in his gloved hands before rising clumsily onto his feet, the barrel of the gun aimed cleanly into the centre of Saren's forehead. Saren rolled onto his back, staring straight into the barrel of the weapon, never twitching. "By the Authority of the Council and as an officer of the Citadel Security Force, you're under arrest Saren"

Saren smirked at Garrus's veiled threats. "You'll never be able to hold me. I'll be free to exact my revenge on your pathetic organic hides before you even know I'm gone"

Garrus raised his weapon slightly. "No, you won't" He fired the pistol.

Gunnery Chief Ashley Williams cautiously entered the Presidium, scanning her blind spots for potential threats. When she saw Garrus standing over the corpse of the traitor Saren, she let her rifle lower to her side. She stepped closer and stood at his side. "Garrus?"

But his reply was drowned out as Shepard's voice dominated the radio frequency. "Garrus, the Councillors are secure. What about Saren?"

Garrus turned around to face Ashley, putting his hand to his ear. "He's dead" Garrus closed the link, turning to Ashley. "Come on; let's get back to the Normandy.

Shepard disembarked from the elevator, stepping into the Cargo Hold inhabited solely by the armoured walking Krogan tank referred to as Wrex. She stepped towards him. He looked up from the floor to meet her gaze. "Wrex"

"Shepard"

"Wrex, I just wanted to say thank you"

Wrex's gaze was stone cold, no hint of emotion. "For what?"

Shepard smiled. "I know it was you that shot Saren"

He shrugged his wide shoulders. "What makes you think it was me?"

"Just a thought" Wrex stood up fully, moving closer to Shepard's face.

"Next time, don't let another one get so close. Cause I may not be there to bail you out"

"He could be so sweet sometimes" Shepard thought to herself. He leaned back against the wall. "Shepard"

She cocked her head, smiling sweetly. This was the first time she had seen Wrex show real emotion before. "Wrex"

"Shepard"


	2. Chapter 2 The Assignment

Chapter 2- The Assignment

Commander Jane Shepard once more rolled over in her sleep, her delicate slumber disturbed for reasons she could not fully comprehend. For the entirety of the night this far her usually deep sleep failed to entrance her, forcing her to roll across her bed aimlessly in an effort to lull herself into slumber but to no avail.

Jane suddenly began to hear voices being carried in the cold atmosphere of the ship. A howling grunt quickly followed by a primal roar of a powerful animal at the height of its power being viciously and violently cast down, only to have the sequence begin again anew after a brief and terrifying pause.

The strange occurrence tweaked Shepard's interests enough for her to finally decide investigate and discover the source of the bewitching sound. Shepard threw the sheets off of herself, setting her feet down on the cool deck, the thick cold biting at her exposed skin. Jane stepped out in a lose T-shirt and boxers, approaching her desk; she opened the draw to find her pistol concealed in its usual place. Shepard retrieved the weapon, ensuring the weapon had sufficient charge she took aim against a blank area of wall, the sight was aligned correctly. Satisfied that the weapon was sufficient she stepped out of her quarters, determined to find the source of the bewildering noise.

Shepard stepped into the Normandy's crew quarters, the gentle hum and dull orange glow of the consoles bathing the dark blue metal of the ship's hull. As she stepped deeper into the ship the call persisted to haunt her, she had to find its source. Shepard stepped into the main elevator which allowed her access to the deeper bowels of the complex ship. The sounds become louder, eclipsing the gentle hum of the elevators motor. Shepard disembarked onto one of the Normandys lower decks tucked away in the silent, untouched regions of the ship.

The Normandy had originally been developed to accommodate its Captain and a rotational human crew of fifteen-twenty personal capable of performing mission critical duties with crewman on opposing shifts sharing sleeping pods and facilities. After Sarens defeat Shepard had been seen fit to take into account the half dozen alien crew members she had obtained since Eden Prime and the incompatibility of the human facilities with her companions varying alien physiques. In the end she had decided to take advantage of the additional space provided by the ship's downsized stealth FTL propulsion drive and had overseen the installation of a set of quarters built to accommodate them.

The looming sound seemed to emanate from within Wrex's room at the far end of the deck, as Shepard silently crept forward the sound began to intensify. Shepard peered through the door; the room beyond was modestly furnished much like her own quarters. Wrex lay across his large bed built to accommodate his superior Krogan size and weight, tossing and turning, groaning with each ragged movement.

Jane slipped silently inside his quarters, closing the door behind her. She approached his bedside, lowering herself onto her knees beside him as she watched him move. "Wrex?" she whispered with hushed breath.

"Ah. Hah. Aleena, no" Wrex grumbled beneath his laboured breaths.

"Wrex?" she repeated again, reaching up to her hand lightly on his shoulder.

Wrex's eyes snapped open, his bladed talons wrapping harshly around her throat, threatening to starve her body of oxygen if the sheer shock and unrelenting pressure failed to kill her first.

Shepard threw her hands up against his arms, attempting in vain to pry his large fingers from her throat. "Wre…" she wheezed through shaking lips, attempting to appeal to her companion. Wrex's eyes suddenly widened, the cold glaze in his eyes dissipated, the true Wrex suddenly returning to the surface. His iron grip loosened, Jane forcing a desperately required gasp of air past her clenched lips. Wrex released his hand, Shepard collapsing hard onto the metal deck, clasping her hands to massage her strained throat.

With his mind once more his own once Wrex's feral expression formed into one of pure concern. "Shepard?"

Wrex threw himself out of bed, kneeling in front of Shepard holding his large palm against the side of her cheek. Jane looked up to face him, forcing a pained smile to her lips. "I'm ok" Wrex hefted Jane to her feet, lowering her down onto the bed. "You were talking in your sleep" Wrex seemed scorned by the accusation. "A nightmare"

"Something like that" Wrex said plainly, never one to mince his words.

"You mentioned someone called Aleena, an old friend?" Shepard asked with genuine sincerity.

"Something like that" Wrex sighed.

"She was important to you" she said the words more like a statement than question, as though it was written plainly across his forehead. "Something happened to her, to you?"

"Huh" Wrex sighed. "Now there's a story" Wrex spoke with the gentle whisper of an elder recounting his long passed youth.

Shepard scooted up to the head of the bed, pressing her back against the soft pile of pillows. "Well, why don't you tell me?"

Wrex sat down upon the side of the bed, his gaze lowered and his mind overrun with thought. "Alright" Wrex turned to face Shepard directly. "It all happened about two decades ago…"

"_I had just finished a routine seek and destroy operation out in the Terminus Systems when a contact called me back to the Citadel. He said his employer was looking for a good merc and was willing to pay"_

The stylish glint of the polished metal walls of the Presidium always troubled Wrex, no matter where he was the reflective coating somehow always succeeded in bouncing the intense beams of light directly into his eyes. That and far more was why Wrex preferred to remain within the Wards of the Citadel, more work available and a far lower concentration of C-Sec patrols.

But occasionally some Citadel rich man or corrupt diplomat required some 'Additional security' or the removal of some 'Loose Ends'. At those times Wrex was forced to make the excruciatingly slow and painful journey into the Citadels diplomatic district to be offered a job from some of the biggest crooks on the station, the politicians.

"Your boss wanted to see me?" Wrex loomed over the receptionist desk, his seven foot high form was frightening enough but the array of deadly weapons coupled to his armour only enhanced the experience.

"Uh yes" The young Asari visibly stuttered. "May I have a name?" to her credit the young woman maintained a professional composure. He probably should have been kinder to her.

Wrex leant over her desk, pressing his armoured fists into the polished metal, accentuating his size. "Just tell him 'Wrex' is here to see him" But Wrex found the experience to be far too much fun to stop now.

The secretary activated the communicator sitting on the desk. "Mr. Alas"

The strained, metallic voice of a Volus filtered through their environment suit emerged through the communicator. "_Yes, yes?_"

"Mr. X is here to see you" the secretary responded.

"Wrex" Wrex growled lowly.

"_Yes, fine. Send him in_" The communicator deactivated.

Wrex did not even wait to be directed, simply stepping past the receptionist without a second thought.

Wrex found the Volus's office with ease, simply looking for the room which had more pomp and ceremony attached to it than practicality. The Volus Diplomat, Alas, sat behind his desk, his suits breather wheezing and groaning with each laboured breath he took. Alas was flanked on either side by security officers, presumably his hired personal guard, a young dark skinned human and a twiggy Salarian dressed in modified security uniforms favoured by personal security mercs, enough style to impress the clients and enough shield strength to not get killed should your services actually be required.

Wrex also identified a Turian braced against the far wall, his eyes scanning across the room with patient professionalism, he barely acknowledged Wrex's entrance but at the same time managed to identify each of the weapons Wrex from the Shotgun at his waist to the ceremonial blade he kept in his forearm plate for quick release in a melee. The human stepped forward to block Wrexs advance. "We are going to need those weapons" Wrex simply chuckled, pushing past the defiant human without a word. But the guard was quick to step back into the path of the advancing Krogan. "Don't make me disarm you"

Wrex was angry now, he tapped into that anger, utilizing it as a source of energy to charge his biotic powers. "I'd like to see you try" Wrex felt as his powers reached their peak, preparing himself to lash out with a biotic enhanced blast.

"Let him go" the Turian said bluntly.

The human clearly did not like the order but he complied regardless, he silently returned to his post. Wrexs view was once more clear to the Volus sitting behind the desk across the room. Alas indicated the empty seat on the far side of his desk. "Please, sit"

Wrex did not move. "Just give me the job so I can get out of here"

Alas was not used to dealing with Wrexs type and the comment clearly unnerved him. "Right, well the reason I asked you here was that I have been having some 'problems' with a former associate of mine"

Wrex laughed "Let me guess, your old girlfriends sore at you for dumping her and you're worried she's going to blab about your little kink for-"

"No!" The Volus said sharply, intent on ending the accusation before it was made. "Simply a former acquaintance of mine who may have information which may affect my position as a diplomat"

"Well if that's the case" Wrex indicated the two guards. "Why not get Skippy, Dipstick" Wrex glanced over at the Turian. "And Mr. Talky here to shut 'em up for ya"

Alas tired of being insulted. "We already tried. But I am afraid even my men are not an effective match for an Asari Commando"

"And there's the clincher" Wrex laughed "And what do you know, my fee just doubled"

"What! Why you-!" Alass breathing suit clearly strained to suppress his anger.

"And if you keep that up it's only going to get higher. You wouldn't have called me if you didn't require the best. And that means there is only one Asari Commando you could be talking about"

"So you know her then?" Alas seemed to calm, assured that he had selected the correct person for the job.

"I know of her. Someone like Aleena leaves quite a reputation in her wake. And that means that I want a bigger cut if I am goanna have to be the one who has to kill her" Wrex was sure he had securely made his point.

Alas wheezed a sigh of defeat, he had been beaten at his own game. "Very well, after you confirm she is dead I will wire the additional credits to an account of your choosing. But I expect her gone and I do not want anything coming back to bite me" Alas indicated the Turian. "Captain Shar will be my ears, eyes and voice during this operation. His orders are mine. Are we clear?"

Wrex glanced over at him. "Fine, better get your check book ready"

"_So after I received the job I got clear of the Citadel as fast as I could. After picking up a few supplies and revisiting a few contacts I decided it was time to contact an old friend"_

Wrex sat in the pilots seat of his ship _Anaconda_, the modified cargo transport was equipped with concealed heavy cannonry for discreet terminations, an ion gun for disabling enemy ships without a lot of mess and a silent, super fast FTL drive for jumping clear of a hot zone in a hurry. Its interior featured basic living quarters, weapons locker as well as a secure cell for prisoner transports.

During his time as a merc he had acquired a wide list of contacts and vehicles from all over the galaxy, ranging from Cruise liners to Battleships. Wrex could travel across the galaxy posing as any member of any major faction and equipped for any operation. But despite this the _Anaconda_ still remained his favourite, primarily due to its array of modifications he had installed over his long lifespan, turning it from a junker into a Merc's dream.

Wrex activated the ships long range COM unit, inputting one of the thousands of codes he had memorised. If you wanted to live as a mercenary you never left important contact information on anything that could be sliced, stolen or copied, that left your memory. The screen crackled with static, finally materializing to show a cockpit of a ship similar to his own, the only difference being the Asari at the controls. "_Well, well, Urdnot Wrex. I did not expect to hear from you after so long_"

"Well to be honest I was not expecting to call you either, but it's great to see you again" Wrexs voice softened, Aleena had always been someone he could dare to open up too, Shepard being the other. The transmission was being relayed through a dozen relay nodes and across ten's of star systems, just to ensure neither of them could be followed, but the net result was only a slight lag in the transmission time, barely noticeable but still a minor annoyance.

Aleena smiled that heart-warming smile that even Wrex could not resist. "_Feeling's mutual. But I assume this is business and not pleasure?_"

"I am afraid so Aleena. Apparently you pissed off some Volus Diplomat on the Citadel called 'Alas', enough that he wants you dead"

Aleena could not contain her laughter. "_And he chooses you of all people to come get me?_"

"Yeah" Wrex laughed. "I guess I neglected to mention that we were friends" he smiled.

"_More than friends Wrex" Aleena smiled. "We both know what we mean to eachother_"

Wrex returned the smile. "So I guess we're goanna have to choose a place to meet then?"

"_I know the perfect little spot, a Salarian Station just past the Terminus border. You know the place where we did that job together..._" her voice went light with the thought of happy memories.

"And you thrashed that Turian because he thought you were one of the dancers" Wrex chuckled, the mental image clear in his conscious mind.

"_That's it. Meet me there in a few days and we'll finally get to see eachother after so long_" Aleena ensured to leave him an innocent blown kiss before silencing the feed, just a little something to remember her by.

"I will be there" Wrex spoke into the void of space around him, the stage was set, the actors were now assembled. The final act was about to begin.


	3. Chapter 3 The Salarian Station

Chapter 3- The Salarian Station

"So you knew Alinea before you were asked to chase her?" Shepard asked, perplexed.

"Yeah, weird isn't it?" Wrex spoke with the calm composure as if he was reading off items on the ships inventory.

"So what was she like?" Shepard asked with inquisitiveness.

"She was smart, spunky, always concerned about civilians" Wrex smiled. "She kinda reminds me of you"

Jane smiled at the compliment.

"Anyway" Wrex returned to his bewitching tale.

***************************

"_The station we agreed to meet at was an old Salarian station, since abandoned and converted into a hive of rapists, murders and gang lords"_

Wrex brought the _Anaconda _around the station- watching as the fleet of ships ranging from Shuttles to Cruisers circled the station, each marked by a different affiliation and composed into a different class of craft. Wrex's com snapped open, a Turian dominating the screen. "Urdnot Wrex, this is Captain Shar. Representative Alas has assigned me to watch over the operation to ensure everything runs, smoothly. I am also here to provide mission critical information to you while in the field"

Wrex sneered "Yeah I'm sure you'll be real helpful from your cosy office back there on the Citadel- real tough assignment"

Shar leaned closer to the communicator screen. "I once spent 3 months in a Batarian slaver camp having my talons being torn out by the roots because some novice I got stuck training tripped the alarm switch and I foolishly tried saving the little shit's sorry ass. So don't you lecture me about 'tough' assignments."

The communicator snapped off. Wrex shrugged. "Who peed in his caf this morning?"

***************************

Wrex touched the ship down in the gapping maws of an empty hanger bay. The engines whirred and died- Wrex securing the controls behind an array of passwords and key codes he'd long ago committed to memory. He stepped out onto the station's deck- the sharp smell of engine oil and Dark Mass fuel hitting him square in his reptilian nostrils. There was no need to record his landing with docking officials here- anyone was free to travel in and out whenever they wanted, just so long as they weren't someone or carrying something the gang lords might want a piece of.

It had been a while since Wrex had come to the station- as such he was a little out of touch with the condition of the place. The Station wasn't exactly the most stable settlement around. Most of the population was comprised of either free-lance Mercenaries passing through the station or members of the hundreds of gangs on board. Each of these gangs fought on and off battles with eachother- usually hiring the mercs to disrupt their opponents operations. But all of the smaller groups were stuck under the boot heel of one dominant gang- usually the one with the most members and influence over the station. This gang would usually attempt to create some twisted form of peace between the others while at the same time asserting their control to ensure they remained solely in power.

Every decade or so a secondary gang would rise up to challenge them and a far larger conflict would ensue that would leave the station in chaos. This kind of conflict could go on for weeks, months- or with the careful application of high explosives to the opposing Gang Lords penthouse the whole fight could be over in a few days. Wrex never attempted to get involved when the fighting started- he had enough past ties chasing him up than to find out ten years later there was a bounty on his head by the latest gang in power for helping get their predecessor in place. Considering it had been nearly a decade since the last governmental shift Wrex expected it to be about time for a change- maybe Alinea had known this. "Guess she thought it would be nice to have a little background music while we fought"

***************************

"_First thing I did- I went too see an old contact of mine who always had his ear to the ground"_

Wrex passed through the door of a quaint little store nestled deep in the bosom of the station. On the outside it simply resonated 'Xeltlyn's Hardware' but on the inside it posed as a safe house and contact for any friendly with the owner.

Wrex stepped past the array of shoppers- most completely unfazed by the sight of a heavily armed Krogan Battlemaster. He stepped into the back office. The customers treated it as business as usual- expecting to hear the harsh cry of their friendly shopkeeper receiving a bullet to the knee cap for not paying his tribute to whoever now believed he ran the station.

Wrex loomed over the shopkeeper's desk- though it was kind of hard to intimidate an 8ft tall walking piece of pure muscle. Lucky for him though that muscle was an old friend of his. "How you doing Xeltlyn?"

"Surprised welcome- Greeting's Wrex. I had not expected to see you back here so soon" The Elcor responded.

"Huh" Wrex sighed. "Things have, developed, since then"

"Concerned- I assume these developments are not to your benefit?"

"Right" Wrex took seat across from him, the harsh metal awkward against his reptilian figure. "You remember our Asari commando friend?"

"Warming smile- yes, I remember. Alinea was always the one to get the two of you in trouble whenever you worked together"

"Well it seems that she's managed to do it again. You know a guy called Alas, a Volus diplomat on the Citadel?"

"Humorous retort- not personally. But given enough time I can find out his passwords, his mothers name or even what he ate for lunch last rotation"

That was about as close to humour as you could get with Elcor. Being a species of slow, lumbering hulks and the fact that they declared their emotions verbally to other species, trying to find a sarcastic Elcor was as easy as finding an atheist Hanar. "Well turns out Alinea's pissed him off enough that he wants me too kill her"

"Mild humour- and he selected you of all people?" An Elcor smile emerged on his gill like lips.

"Yeah, that's what I said- she asked we try to kill eachother here. So we don't endanger anyone important"

"Admiration- it is nice to see that Alinea's concern for civilian lives is still as vivid as ever"

"Yeah" She really was a great person to work with. "But anyway. Fill me in what's happened since I left"

"Grim news- it seems the station is now commanded under the boot of a new leader- head of the 'Dark Wolves' gang. He calls himself the 'Dark Wolf'"

"Huh huh" Wrex chuckled. "What kind of stupid name is that? Sounds like he's some kind of crazed cult leader bothering people at the Spaceport, and wasn't he just small time last time I met him?"

"Correct. But since then he has acquired many powerful allies, and a few successful business deals later he's running the station. He will be a difficult enemy to contend with"

Wrex stood. "Well we'll just see how he handles it"

***************************

Wrex stepped out of the store, his COM unit crackling to life. "….. I say again. Come in Wrex. This is Captain Shar"

Wrex held his hand to his com, attempting to remove the annoying screech that infected his COM. "Yeah, yeah. What do you want?"

"I lost your signal when you went inside" Wrex felt slightly by the fact that he was being tracked- but he had come to expect that in this line of work. He looked around the crowded street- found the security camera embedded into the wall. He waved to the device. "Hey, so how's 'Gang Watch' TV? Sure beats the Citadel News Channel"

"Funny. So what happened to your signal?" Shar asked.

"My contacts have to keep themselves secure. Don't want anyone eavesdropping on any private business deals"

"Did you at least find out anything useful?"

"Perhaps. First I'm goanna have to speak with a few people- I'm sure it'll be a pleasant exchange as ever"

*******************

"Where is she!?" Wrex growled- pressing the bartenders head even harsher into the drink stained woodwork of his own bar. Wrex kept the mans arm clasped tightly against his back with one arm, utilising his own free hand to scan his pistol over the small crowd of patrons that had gathered around to watch the spectacle.

He fired a shot into the sound system- removing the distraction of the out of tune music as well as encouraging the crowd to keep back and not play hero. He returned his attention to the bartender wheezing under his forearm. "Where's the Asari?" He hissed.

"I don't know" The bartender pleaded. "We get lots of Asari in here"

Wrex pressed the pistol into the side of his skull. "Think real hard- you know which one I'm talking about"

"Alright" The bartender conceded. "She came in a couple hours ago, dressed all cloak and dagger. We get so many people in here like that I didn't think anything of her. She was just like everyone else- ordered a drink and sat at one of the tables in the back with some guy"

Wrex loosened his grip. "Who was he?"

"I don't know!" He blurted out- obviously his use as a source of information degrading rapidly. "He was wearing black combat armour- merc style. I just thought she was hiring him, or trying to buy sand or something" It suddenly dawned on him. "He had an insignia on his shoulder plate!" He had just found the holy grail of information that would prolong his life- if only for a short time.

"What was it?" Wrex asked bluntly.

"A blade, a creature- I don't know, I didn't get a good look"

Wrex released his arm. "Draw it" The bartender scrambled for a napkin- quickly scrawling a crude representation of what he could remember. He passed it to Wrex. Wrex's calculated eyes assessing the diagram for its relative worth- whether it warranted a quick bullet to the brain, or a slow bleed out by puncturing the major arteries in the man's thigh. Wrex chose simply to let him go- no use in attracting any more unnecessary attention.

Wrex stepped out into the crowded street- the bright lights of the clubs neon signs harassing his vision. "Xeltlyn?"

"Relieved- it is good to hear you are still alive". His monotone voice was reassuring at the other end of the link. "Did you recover any information?"

Wrex re-examined the crude drawing. "Something like that. I talked to the barman; apparently Alinea was in there a few hours ago talking with some guy in black armour"

"That doesn't really narrow down the list- many inhabitants of the station prefer the colour of dress"

"Yes, but do they all have some kind of insignia printed on their shoulders?" He sent Xeltlyn the image. "Can you make anything from it?"

"Surprised- the image is crude but from what I can identify I believe it is the marking of 'Wolf Pack'"

"Anyone I should know?" Wrex walked through the streets- blending in with crowd, eager to avoid any form of interception while he lacked a clear objective.

"They are the Dark Wolf's personal guard- elite mercenaries drafted from all across the station. Their leader, 'Alpha Wolf' is also the only person who can arrange a meeting with the Dark Wolf"

"I assume that that's who Alinea was talking to in the bar?"

"That is a likely assessment. But if that is the case- it will mean you will now have to take this confrontation to a higher plane"

"I always enjoy seeing level 2"

***********************

"_I'd been chasing her down for nearly two days now. We both treated it as a sort of game- just as one of us got close the other just leapt clear of our reach and came back faster and smarter than before. Eventually however I had her cornered"_

Alinea stepped into 'The Den', one of thousands of criminal infested bars all across the station- the only defining quality of this one being it also served as the headquarters of the stations current leader, the Dark Wolf. She walked past the array of patrons in varying states of sobriety. She approached the bar, walking past the first guard to the back of the bar. However the second patrolman was not as lenient. "Where do think you're going?"

Alinea simply tried stepping past the guard, but he quickly moved to intercept her. "Where do think you're going?" he reiterated in a harsher tone.

Alinea simply stared into his eyes- a mere distraction as she charged her biotic powers. It kept his attention for long enough to allow her to throw the palm of her hand against his skull, the blow delivering an increased force due to her augmented powers. She utilized her control of the dark mass to decrease blood flow to the targets brain- the result was instant and total unconsciousness. Silent and swift. She guided him to the ground, lowering him with her gentle caress- the guard removed she walked into the elevator shaft that lead to the penthouse.

*************************

"What exactly are you doing up here?" Shar inquired through the COM unit.

Wrex deactivated the elevator controls, moving out onto the open rooftop- his assault rifle watching the blind spots for potential targets. Upon finding the rooftop secure he reattached his Assault Rifle to his back- unsheathing his Sniper Rifle. He braced the weapon against the stone ledge- staring through the optical scope.

"Just a little window watching"

*************************

The elevator doors parted. Alinea stepped out into the corridor, noticing the sudden change in the décor of the walls surrounding her. She pulled her cloak tighter to herself, scanning the rooms for her objective. She simply found the door guarded by two burly security guards- each dressed in the same dark uniform her contact had been wearing. She approached the door at the end of the hall with a confident stride and unwavering gaze of grim determination- still expecting to be blockaded as she had been at the first checkpoint. But the two guards refused to impede her any longer; they parted to allow her passage.

Alinea emerged in an office demonstrating far more pomp and ceremony than practicality. The left wall was dominated by an open window overlooking the remainder of the stations residential area. To the right was a bar and yet another guard hidden in the dark corners of the room, their face shrouded by the darkness. The far wall sat an oak wood desk- behind sat a large man with shoulder length brown hair.

Even though it was in complete perversion of her beliefs and an incalculable punch to her reputation and negotiating stand point she was forced to show some feigned form of respect for him if she was going to secure his support in this endeavour, as well as support from all of the rival factions across the station as ultimately they took orders from him. "Dark Wolf" She begrudgingly gave a respectful bow.

The individual she referred too was young- twenties, early thirties. "I was told you have information for me?"

Alinea fought back her urge to fall into her regular routine- sitting down in the empty chair before it was offered and beginning the haggling process before her opponent recovered. So instead she decided to wait until the seat was eventually offered to her. "Indeed- it concerns the Citadel Council"

The Dark Wolf simply broke down laughing. "And why should I be concerned about the Council when this station is deep within the reaches of the Terminus Systems?"

"Because now I think they're planning to make you part of the Council's influence" Alinea said plainly, attempting to add a touch of concern to her voice. This certainly gained the gang leaders attention- causing him to lean forward and clasp his hands together atop his desk.

"And what makes you think they're making an attempt here?" He was obviously worried; he attempted desperately to conceal it behind a shroud of pride.

"Because they've deployed a Spectre onboard the station"

Now he couldn't conceal it- his fear was evident even without the use of biotics. He finally recomposed himself. "How did you acquire this information?"

"I have my processes" That was fair enough- he didn't much care how she had obtained the information- only that she had it and was willing to sell.

"And what exactly are you expecting in return for this information?" He prepared himself for a lengthy bartering process.

"Just a small finders fee" It never occurred.

He cocked an eyebrow, certainly not expecting the result and willing to believe it even less. "And why would you not want to try gorging me for every available credit?"

Alinea leaned forward "Because I rather like having this place beyond the reaches of the Citadel. I don't want to have to run past half the Citadel fleet every time I pass through here"

Seemed fair. The Dark Wolf reached into a desk draw, removing a high numerical credit chip- passing it across the polished surface. She took the chip, inserting it into the holographic receptacle of her Omni-tool, the value represented on the chip being drained away until it became an empty shell.

Satisfied she rose to her feet. "The Spectre is a Krogan named Urdnot Wrex- I'm sure he'll show up here soon enough attempting to trail me" Alinea was eager to make swift exit- not willing to be caught between both Wrex and the Stations gangs. But if Wrex was still as good as he used to be he would have found out about the meeting less than an hour after she left and was now positioned somewhere in the building across the street, watching the entire meeting through the scope his Sniper Rifle. "As such I'm going to make my exit, and leave Wrex too your security forces"

She barely made it half way across the room. "Hold on"

She froze at his words. She turned back to face him- radiating annoyance and frustration at the delay rather than the anxiety she was truly experiencing. "You think you can just set a Krogan Spectre on me and then just walk out of here? No. You lead him here- you kill him".

"I just warned you that a Council Spectre had infiltrated your station, evaded your guards and was now on his way here to kill you and me. I'd say my part on this was done" Alinea resumed her walk towards the door.

"Except that Wrex isn't a Spectre" Alinea stopped dead.

A form emerged from the shadows. A beast clad in dark purple armour and rough, scaly reptilian skin emerging from the one exposed area of the suit slipped stealthily out of the murky depths of the shadows. She recognized him instantly as an old rival. "Kixx" fluttered past her frozen blue lips.

The Dark Wolf seemed more angry than stunned as the guard emerged from the darkness as though he had been spawned from the shadows themselves. "What do you mean?" He accused.

Kixx simply pointed a casual finger at Alinea. "She's lying; Wrex is a merc not a Spectre"

The Dark wolf's eyes snapped back to Alinea. "What the fuck is going on here now- tell me!"

Alinea couldn't cobble together a plausible excuse before his patience finally dissolved. He reached to his belt, retrieving his pistol and taking aim. "Tell me before I blow your lying stripper head clean off"

Alinea tapped into her emotions- attempting to rouse her biotic abilities to save her, but the wash of emotions flooding through her made it difficult to concentrate. But like a lightning bolt emerging from the heavens to strike down the sinners the glass wall cracked. The Dark Wolf's head was consumed in a flurry of blood, his arm going slack as he collapsed down onto the desk.

Alinea leapt towards the door, attempting to make it clear before the gunman took another shot. Kixx reacted instinctively, drawing his Shotgun and fired on Alinea. The majority of shots punctured into the wall beside her- Kixx unsure if any of the rounds had made contact.

So far there had been no second shot- the shooter will have long ago abandoned his position. Kixx heard gunfire ring in the corridor- the guards outside engaging her. With the room secure he moved the corridor, not bothering to inspect the Dark Wolf as he was long gone.

Kixx poked his head around the corner, Shotgun ready. The hallway was in ruins, the guards stumbling through the broken mess after been thrown through the adjoining doors. Kixx noticed shards of scattered dark fabric from her cloak lining the blood soaked floor- it was now only a matter of time.

************************

Wrex watched the entire meeting unfold- firstly as Alinea run her regular game, then as the deal was closed and lastly the big twist when their old friend Kixx emerged from the shadows to shit all over everything they had both planned. "We've got someone else in there" Shar squawked. "Can you get an ID?"

"Yeah I know him- that's Kixx" Wrex said coldly. "Worked with him on a few jobs before- he's trouble"

"Well better that he's down there with Alinea and the druggy than here- let them kill eachother for you" Shar sneered.

Wrex continued to watch. When he saw the Dark Wolf pull out the pistol- that was the last straw. He fired. "You missed!" Shar screeched. Wrex ignored him, repacking his Sniper Rifle and making a fast pace from the roof with rehearsed efficiency. "You had a clean shot and you missed her?"

"Alinea's my kill. No one else's" Wrex closed the COM- soon the whole station would know about this, he would have to move fast

***************************

"So you shot the gang leader before he could kill Alinea?" Shepard lay against Wrex's tough reptilian chest- slowly rubbing the tip of her fingers against Wrex's arm.

"Alinea was my kill. We mercs have a strict code- you always kill your own targets yourself. No one from outside your contract can assist you- otherwise what use are we as Mercs?"

Shepard would have to agree. "Sounds almost kind of romantic. So what did you do to her?"

************************

"_I made my way down onto the streets- ready to find her" _

Alinea ran through the artificially rain soaked streets- dodging past endless waves of commuters as she tried to put as much distance between her and The Den as possible.

She decided to abandon the bustling streets entirely- turning into one of the adjoining alleyways. She threw herself against the dirt slicken walls- content that she had lost any tailing pursuers she took the moment of temporary solitude to finally breathe easy. She slid down onto the floor, her back pressed firmly against the wall as her insides wrenched with every slight twitch as she suffered through the aftermath of an adrenaline high that had allowed her to see her physical condition through rose tinted glasses. But without that unwavering support her body was quickly crashing down and it would not be long before she either bled out or died from an infection of whatever wound she had sustained to cause her insides to ignite.

She pulled back the tattered remains of her black cloak, discovering a gapping spot of holes missing from her chest, a river of bright red blood staining her side. Kixx had obviously been a much better shot than she had anticipated, some of the pellets finding their mark even amongst the confusion. She was going to have to find a hospital if she expected to live through the nigh-

A figure appeared at the entrance to the alley, fully removing her chance of retreat via that route. She knew that she had only one option available to her. She drew her pistol- raising her arm despite the burning protests of her drained muscles. She took aim- preparing to pull the trigger. But in so doing, she effectively sealed her fate.

*****************************

Wrex scanned the dark alcoves that the alley concealed- ready to engage anything the darkness may try to throw at him. He found Alinea leaning against the alley wall- bringing a pistol to bear on him.

He froze solid- fully expecting her to fire the weapon in her final act of life. To take his life as her own ended. She maintained the weapon at arms length- but she withheld. Her finger grazed the trigger- Wrex prepared to leap for his life and get clear of the incoming projectile, but it never came. Alinea let out a faint cry as the pain ripped violently through her system.

Her arm collapsed at her side- the remainder of her body falling limp against the wall for support. Upon seeing that her intention was no longer set on killing him Wrex ran to her aid- kneeling down to cup her light blue cheeks in his metallic gauntlets.

He raised her head- her neck no longer able to withstand the weight of her head. He felt for her pulse- weak but steady. She was alive. He checked for her wound- pulling back the folds of her ruffled cloak, discovering the gapping bullet wound that scarred her side.

Wrex retrieved a shot of Medigel from his belt pouch, draining the cooling liquid into the open wound. But she was going to require more sophisticated medical attention. With delicate precision, so as not to agitate the wound further, he linked his arm underneath her knees and braced his other arm around her back, raising her up into his arms. The two of them left the alley, seamlessly falling back into the lines of rain soaked commuters.

*****************************

Xeltlyn was standing behind the counter of his shop. "I was told I could acquire certain…….. modifications here?" A Turian gang member leaned across the counter.

"Unsure- perhaps you are mistaken, I sell only building tools and materials here" Xeltlyn said plainly.

"I was told to the request the 'Xeltlyn Special Reserves'" He said slyly.

"Very well. I-" He was cut off as the door crashed open, and the accompanying slam of hard metal against metal sent the Turian customer leaping into the isles for his life- expecting rounds to pepper the walls and gang members pouring through the open door in seconds.

But instead there was only one person stepping through the open door- another cradled in their wide arms. Wrex walked silently through the store, not waiting to acknowledge the Turian cowering in the isles, now flailing a Plasma pistol around wildly in the hope that it might keep the 7ft beast at bay.

"Where's your medkit?" Wrex demanded as he stepped past Xeltlyn, not even waiting for an answer. He found his way into the safe house in the back, placing Alinea down onto the bed with graceful urgency. He retrieved the medkit, throwing it down on the bed next to her- cracking it open to reveal an assortment of medical tools and instructions.

He deactivated the locks of Alinea's jumpsuit, pulling away the separate components as they came loose. Wrex made no attempt to glance at the patches of light blue skin being exposed as he removed each plate- he had seen it all before. With her outer layer of armour removed she was left in a two piece undergarment wrapped around her torso and her groin.

He reached into the medpack; removing a set of precision pliers- he was going to have to be delicate. The problem with the wound wasn't the rounds, they passed through the body without incident, it was the tattered pieces of material that they dragged in after them. The ruined pieces of fabric could result in severe infection, so they had to be removed before the body heals over them completely and become even more difficult to remove.

Wrex went to work- using the precision set of pliers to reach into the gapping maws and remove the scattered dark blotches, each time eliciting another sudden jolt of pain from her unconscious body as more flesh was forcibly dragged out as it clung to the material. Each time he removed another damaged piece of cloth he would seal the agitated flesh with another shot of medigel. He repeated the ritual again and again for each new wound he discovered. Eventually he discovered that he had found and tagged each of the wounds. The next step was to wrap her torso in bandages. He retrieved a strip of bandages from the medkit, encapsulating her torso in a double wrapping of cloth.

Xylten lumbered through the open door to distract Wrex from his work "Concerned- is she going to be alright?"

"She'll live" he said plainly- staring down at the broken body of his partner and his prey.

**************************************

"So you went out on a lim to save the woman you were being hired to kill?" Shepard asked with a sense of awe- as if the realization gave her an even greater understanding of Wrex's psyche.

He sighed. "Yep- would have lost a lot of credits if anyone found out"

Shepard laid an innocent peck on his cheek. "You're so romantic"

******************************

"_She was down for a couple hours before she finally came too"_

Alinea's mind was wrought with pain from a dozen different fronts. Her training and experience as a mercenary springing to life in her mind- firstly find out how injured you are. She attempted to move her arms- the joints resisted with a lumbering creak, but they moved. Next she tried her legs- but this proved to be a far more painful experience for her as pain tore through her torso.

She cringed in pain; the warmth of her body heat helped the pain to subside. Despite her better judgement she raised herself onto her elbows, her torso groaning with every strained motion. But suddenly she felt a weight collapse harshly onto her shoulders.

She attempted to resist the harsh pull of gravity- but she had to accept that she could not withhold against the unstoppable force let alone overcome it. And so she was forced to fall back against the soft pillows underneath her.

Alinea glanced over to her side- discovering the source of the force that kept her firmly secured against the bed. Wrex sat back in his chair next to her bed.

"Nice to se you're awake" he chuckled.

"Ugh, what am I doing here?" her mind attempted to put the scattered pieces together.

"I found your busted body in an alleyway- dragged you back here so I could be the one to kill you and not soe drug dealer. "Wrex spun his answer.

Alinea smiled "So I assume that you had nothing to do with someone killing the Dark Wolf before we could finish our arrangement?"

"If I had" Wrex said coldly. "I probably would have shot him a few more times to be sure"

"Well it seems you WERE able to pick up where I left off. How did you manage to catch up anyway?

Wrex smirked "I just walked into the bar a few hours later, slammed the right blokes head against the bar until he gave up the location of your meeting"

"A few hours? You're getting slow there Wrex"


	4. Chapter 4 The Pursuit

Chapter 4- The Pursuit

An artificial morning broke far too quickly over the station. Wrex awakened with a groggy, reptilian 'Uggh'. He felt the reassuring weight of his shotgun braced against his armoured chest. He always slept with his weapon in hand- especially on a station full of gangs, murders, rapists and thieves. It was one of the reasons why he'd survived so long.

He rose from his bed, brandishing his shotgun in front of him as a warning to any who may be lying in wait. He slipped off of the mattress, the springs groaning as his massive weight was finally released.

Wrex stepped into the hall that connected the ring of storage rooms and living quarters which made up the back rooms of Xylten's store. He casually strode down the hall; pressing his palm against the door he entered Aliena's room. Her bed was empty- the walls were stripped bare of her weapons and armour. He raised his weapon in response unless whatever force had taken her still lingered.

The room was devoid of evidence to suggest foul play, which indicated that Aliena had left here of her own free will. He stepped towards the bed, placing his palm against the sheets. It was cold- she was long gone. Wrex sheathed his weapon in frustration, stepping out of the room, his heavy stomps resonating his anger to all around him. Xylten appeared from his office to witness the commotion. "Concerned. What seems to be the problem Wrex?"

"Aliena's gone" he didn't break stride as he passed him- returning to his own room.

"Shocked. Was she taken by force" Xylten followed him.

He found Wrex in his room, gathering what few possessions he had with him. "No. She jumped ship last night"

Wrex retrieved his Assault Rifle leaning against the wall. He bounced the weapon in his hands, reviewing over the delicate instrument with careful efficiency. He turned the weapon on the wall, testing the balance and aligning the sight. He attempted to engage the firing mechanism; the device coughed with an audible clunk, the inner workings had been disabled. The realization quickly dawned on Wrex. "Damn Schutta disabled my weapons"

"Surprised. How did she do it? Perhaps I could repair them?"

Wrex discarded the empty shell onto the bed, retrieving the accompanying sniper rifle lying next to it. "A similar result followed with that and then the pistol. "I don't know- and I can't waste time trying to find out"

He pulled his shotgun from his belt, the weapon unfolding in his hand. He engaged the trigger, a constellation of smoking holes appearing in the wall soon after. "Seems your Shotgun works at least" The Elcor commented casually, bullet holes a common occurrence on the station.

"Probably didn't want to take the risk trying to take it off me. Or perhaps she did it too keep things interesting" Wrex contemplated the thought- and finally dismissed it. He stowed his one working weapon, turning to his friend. "Thank you" And with that he left to resume the hunt.

*********************************

"Shar?" Wrex walked through the busy city streets- unsure and uncaring about exactly where he was going. The COM came to life.

"Wrex. Make any progress after your sudden rush of criminal honour last night?"

"Piss off. Aliena got away" he was careful to avoid any indication of their pact last night- lest it compromise the deal. "I need you to keep an eye on the docks. Things are developing faster than either of us could anticipate- so she may make a run for it" Wrex knew that Aliena would never abandon their contest until at least one of them was dead, but if it kept Shar off his back for a few hours it was worth it.

"Right. And what are you going to do?" Shar inquired. Wrex suddenly came to a halt in mid-step. "How do you know she didn't get off the station as soon as you had your little morality moment? And-"

"Hey. Are you Wrex?" He heard a voice just behind him.

Wrex could already decipher from the tone what it was. "Shar. I just got something here- I'll call you back" he closed the COM, turning to face the source of the voice. He encountered the barrel of a pistol pressed in his face.

"You Wrex?" the human merc at the end of the weapon repeated. The guy was young, dark skinned, dressed in a heavy ballistic armour. Behind him stood a Turian in a similar uniform. The crowd flowed casually around them, continuing their commute as if this were a daily occurrence- which it probably was.

The quality of their equipment clearly surpassed their experience in using it- not having proper Intel before you went after your target and confronting them in the street were both sure fire ways to get an F at Mercenary School. In the real world however, targets weren't so forgiving. "Yeah" Wrex said plainly.

"Kixx says goodbye" And it seems this kid had learnt his trade from the Holo-vids.

Wrex lashed out with his hand grasping for the mercs throat. His large fingers clamping around his wind pipe, his muscles starved of the oxygen they required to bring his weapon to bear. The Turian attempted to bring his weapon up against Wrex, pulling the trigger as a wave of tiny projectiles emerged from the barrel of his gun. Wrex pulled the human up in front of him as a shield, his kinetic barrier absorbing the impacts for him. Wrex made sure to keep his hostage between him and his assailant, stepping in time to his attempts to move around him. The movements easier as the street was now abandoned by the majority of commuters that valued their lives.

The kinetic barrier gave- his time was up. He threw the human forward with impressive force- impacting his partner as the tiny projectiles punctured through his armour plating. His dead weight brought his partner down violently, allowing Wrex to span the gap between them, falling forwards, drawing his blade from its sheath. The Turian threw the corpse off himself in time to feel the full force of Wrex's weight being pressed down upon his alien throat. Wrex's momentum carried him forward, allowing him to plunge his blade into the creatures chest, the barrier failing to engage due to the weapons slow movement speed. The tip of the blade slowed as it encountered the resistance of his armour. But the movement continued and the blade pierced the metal plating, encountering the creature's soft flesh beneath it. Wrex twisted the blade in it's hold, eliciting a few final desperate cries of pain before his adversary finally succumbed.

He withdrew his blade, rising to his feet he cleaned it off on his opponents armour before returning it too it's sheath. He took the opportunity to inspect his prize. The weapons the mercs were using turned out to be cheap quarian knock off's of an old Turian design. He brought the weapon's sight up too his eye- shaky sight, uneven weight balance, slippery grip. He would have smashed the piece of junk over the mercs head just for carrying it if he didn't need it so badly, and he was still alive to feel it.

His COM link came to life, pulling him from his thoughts. "_Wrex, are you receiving?_" Xylten's lumbering voice asked.

"Yeah Xylten. What is it?"

"_Hopeful. I just received a report from one of my agents in the stations medical facility_"

*************10 minutes earlier*****************

Aliena felt bad about a lot of things about this situation. She raised her arm over her head, discharging her pistol into the air. She lowered it, still at arms length, into the face of the orderly cowering in front of her. "Open it"

The human was shaking violently with uncontrolled fear- the prospect of death coming after him an entirely new phenomenon to him. He tapped at the keypad with quivering hands, his fear racked mind attempting to remember the combination.

Aliena didn't have time to waste- someone would have heard the shots and attracted the attention for whatever passed for security in a hospital on a station run by gangsters. And where ever they were being drawn Wrex would soon follow. Aliena fired another shot of encouragement into the air, startling the orderly with a light yelp. He threw his palm against the scanner, allowing the system to confirm his identity before the secure door finally opened.

He turned to face his captor, waiting for her verdict. She raised the gun to his forehead. "Run. And if you tell anyone about me I'll kill you"

His face beamed with hope. "Thank you. Thank you" he wheezed past shaking lips. He ran down the corridor with hurried urgency- keen to enjoy his continuing life. Aliena knew he was far too scared to be any threat and another trail of bodies would only lead Wrex ever closer to her.

She stepped through the now opened door, slamming it shut and securing it behind herself. The operating theatre she was standing in was lined with medical supplies, equipment, Medi-gel- everything she would need to get herself back into fighting condition.

She unclipped her weapons from her back, laying them down on the side shelf. She still retained her pistol on her belt, just in case. She unfastened the air tight clamps which held her armour close to her skin. As the clamps were released a sudden rush of stale air laced with the feral stench of dry blood wafted into the otherwise sterile environment.

She propped her torso armour against the base of the operating bed. She examined her now exposed stomach, the fresh bandages Wrex had applied the night before were now coarse and the bright blue stains had turned dark and stale purple. She peeled back the layers that were encapsulating her torso, the quality of each layer worsening the deeper she went. Eventually, with a painful hiss as the wounds were once again agitated, she pulled back the final layer. The full extent of the damage was only visible once the bandages had been removed. The flesh around the entry wounds had become torn and damaged first by the impact itself and then again by Wrex's attempts to remove some of the slugs. The medi-gel he had used was helping to seal the wounds enough that she wouldn't bleed to death.

Aliena retrieved another canister of medi-gel from the supply closet- injecting the substance against the worst spots which still wept drops of blood. The soft fluid seeped into her skin- creating a protective sheen over the openings to prevent infection. She took a roll of bandages, wrapping them tightly around her torso.

A powerful crash resonated against the door. Aliena snapped around, retrieving her pistol and turning it on her target in a single graceful arc. Her target was in her sights, but there was no need too fire. "So you finally caught up with me did you?"

*****************************

Wrex just couldn't believe this. He had just charged across half the station, shot his way through a dozen gang members whose orders were to 'Shoot anyone trying to get in until we get the Asari bitch chasing her next fix' and he finally stands less than 20ft away from him. And he couldn't get her. This was simply because of a single set of doors sealing the entrance to the operating room. And of course the gang lords had invested in only the best security systems to keep their product safe from the scores of drug addicts roaming the streets.

"So what do we do now then?" Wrex inquired- watching Aliena lower her weapon through the window in the door.

Aliena simply resumed her delicate work with all the speed and care of someone who had all the time in the world. She wrapped the final layer of bandages around herself. "Well I'm safely secured inside this room and you're out there. And I believe it shouldn't be too long before more gang members turn up to deal with the intruders"

Wrex brought his weapon into view. "I just killed a dozen gang members with a cheap knock off shotgun to get here. What makes you think I can't handle a few more?"

"I don't doubt you'll beat them. It's just before they get too me they have to go through you"

A sudden, sharp click resonated through the rooms- followed by them being bathed in perpetual darkness. The red tinted emergency lights suddenly engaged, draping the two of them in blood red light. "And let me guess- you disabled the power generator so I couldn't hack the door controls?"

Aliena looked as dumbfounded as him. "I didn't do that" Aliena's voice was laced thick with fear. She spoke the truth.

**************************10 minutes earlier********************************

Kixx strode through the perimeter security doors. The low level entryways could be easily hacked with the codes he had memorised decades ago, but he knew that once he infiltrated the higher levels he'd have to become a bit more creative.

"Halt" A mechanically augmented voice called out to him. He begrudgingly obeyed their command. Ahead of him was another heavy steel door, flanked on either side by two Turian guards in jet black combat armour. Along with the usual business interests such as Red Sand dealing, Asari slaves, Illegal weapon modifications etc the stations larger gangs also held control over the stations Spaceport, Med clinic, Power plant etc- allowing them to supplement their already bloated revenues. This also meant that they had to provide the security guards to protect their assets. Most of these were owned by the Dark Wolf and his gang. He was not going to appreciate what Kixx was planning- if he was even still alive to care.

"I have orders from your boss- I need to access the control room" Kixx tried bluffing his way past the guards, solely in the hope of conserving time and ammo.

"No one gets in here without authorization" The Turian answered- his mouth piece amplifying his voice.

"You got shit in your ears? Your boss sent me down here so open the door and let me do my job"

The Turian finally gave in to his frustration, raising his Assault Rifle. "No one gets in without authorization"

Kixx lashed out towards the offending guard, his right punch wrenching the soldier's weapon off target. His left hand flew forward, his fingers clasping tightly around his exposed neck. Kixx utilized his momentum to slam the guard into the wall behind him with great force. His partner attempted to bring his Assault Rifle up against him but Kixx moved too quickly for him, drawing his shotgun on the second guard before he could effectively react.

The two combatants simply glared at eachother from across the divide- each with their weapons trained on the other, each prepared to do what needed to be done. It was important for Kixx to show that he had the upper hand. While he was the one holding the hostage these two held the code to open the door. Whilst he only needed one of them alive to give him the code a fire fight would likely result in the deaths of both guards before the necessary information could be extracted. He would have to proceed carefully.

"Open it" He decided to make the first move. Kixx's tone was solid, his voice unwavering as he held his Turian hostage to the wall. The guard refused to surrender to his blackmail. Kixx increased the pressure around the guards neck, ensuring that his point was effectively made. His partner finally conceded.

He lowered his weapon with careful slowness. He turned to face the control panel, typing in the memorized code with a spat curse. The lock disengaged, the two sections of the door separating to reveal the room beyond. Kixx's reptilian lips curled into a crude smile. He brought his captive up to his chest, keeping his weapon trained on his enemy. He side stepped around him, the two opposing sides never breaking eye contact or faltering their tight grips on their weapons. Kixx stepped across the seam of the door, now the engagement was to end.

He pushed his captive away, his grip loosening to allow him to break free of his grasp. The two guards' impacted eachother, their combined weight collapsing in a heap on the floor. With grace and speed Kixx pulled a grenade from his belt, primed it and threw it towards the guards in one smooth arc. The device latched onto the floor before them, one guard foresaw their impending doom and scrambled for it in hopes of saving himself. Kixx tapped the door control, sealing the path between them. The resounding 'thump' on the other side told him that the deed was done.

He stepped deeper into the room he had entered. The room was lit with a faint blue glow, the large computer screen at the far end contrasting with a bright orange radiance which seemed to warm him the closer he came to it. He finally reached it- before him lay an array of holographic and physical controls he could utilize to manipulate the stations systems. Primarily in this case the Energy supply.

This station had been constructed generations ago by the salarians for use as a listening post to spy on the other races positions within the system. As technology advanced the value of the station began to deteriorate until the Salarian government decided to abandon the enterprise entirely. The station then became a hot bed for the criminals still inhabiting it today. In order to stay hidden from enemy sensors the station remained in the shadow of one of the local planets moons. To avoid detection by having shipments of Element Zero being delivered the station relied upon solar energy from the systems sun, emerging every few years to recharge the half-dozen cells attached to the base of the station. These cells would then be used to power the stations functions.

But frankly Kixx didn't give a rat's ass about the clever science; he was solely here for one thing- the Deadlocks. The stations systems required only a fraction of the energy collected at any one time- which was why the deadlocks were in place too keep the stations systems from going critical. These could only be disengaged by the stations commanding officer- or now whoever led the largest gang. He removed the security card he'd stolen from the Dark Wolf's corpse, injecting the device into the terminal.

Kixx knew now that both Aliena and Wrex were on the station. He also knew that the two were involved in some kind of contest too see who could kill the other- likely because someone had offered each of them a significant reward for the others head. Kixx also knew that if he confronted either of them directly their sense of 'Honour' would likely force the two of them to unite against their common enemy, him. So instead Kixx had decided to opt for a more, indirect, approach.

The terminal beeped its acknowledgement- the program had been engaged. A blueprint of the station appeared on the screen- its semi-circular crown supporting the spire like extension beneath it, the underside of the top pocketed by glowing orange tanks. Only one of these had a trail of orange warming the dark blue centre of the station. One by one the others followed suit, each cutting pathways through the dark blue void to meet in the centre.

The final pathway's met and the screen was suddenly awash with fiery red warnings and alerts, accompanied by the feral scream of sirens which punctured through the previous silence. His work was done, his plan was in motion. He simply left the control room and the station to its fate.

*******************************

"So Kixx tried to kill you and Aliena?" Shepard asked.

"Yeap. We'd both worked with him on jobs before. We knew he was a cold, heartless bastard- the type to get the job done no matter the cost in lives"

"Kind of remind you of someone?" Jane asked.

"Humph" Wrex had to admit the similarities between Kixx and Saren was striking. "Yeah. Well I'm sure they'll have plenty of good throat-cutting strategies to discuss in the void"

************************************

"_At this point neither of us knew what Kixx had done. We just assumed the stations equipment had finally given out on us. We didn't know how far he was willing to go"_

Wrex and Aliena could only stare dumbfounded at eachother from across the divide, each unsure of exactly how the situation had changed. But knowing for well that it had changed dramatically. The tension was only broken by a sudden explosion which cascaded across the room in a resounding wave of crashes, forcing the two of them to brace against the wall for support. Wrex stepped back onto his feet. His COM link suddenly came to life as if awakened by the explosion. "_Wrex can you hear me?_" Xylten's slow, lumbering voice was like a heavenly choir right now.

"Xylten. What just happened?" Wrex pleaded.

"_The stations power plant just went critical. My spies saw Kixx enter the building shortly before- it is likely he caused the explosion_"

"He's trying to get both of us" Aliena called out.

"_Aliena. It is good to hear you are alive. You must both get off the station- it has become unstable and will likely explode. I'm heading for my ship- you should do the same_"

"Roger that. We're heading for the Anaconda" Wrex closed the COM link, turning back to face Aliena. "Why don't we call this one a tie?"

Aliena smiled, leaning forward she lay a kiss on the glass separating them. "For now". She quickly scrambled back to retrieve her weapons. Wrex expected her to disengage the lock and follow with him, but it seems she was a little smarter than that. She leaned down and pulled off the grate covering the access to the air vent. While the thought had crossed his mind to shoot her in the head the second she opened the door he liked to think that he had a little more honour than that.

With one final glance back over her shoulder she disappeared into the hole, leaving Wrex alone to ponder his situation. He quickly decided there was nothing left for him here, and charged down the corridor. He was ready to get off this god forsaken station.

***********************************

"_Wrex. I say again, Urdnot Wrex are you receiving?_"

Wrex lashed out with the butt of his rifle, beating back another deranged looter as they grasped for his weapons. He parried their flailing arms, discharging a few wild shots into the air in an attempt to keep them at bay. The act only seemed to force them to fight far more ferociously as they clawed for the weapons at his back in the hope that they could use them to clear a way off of the station. All around him people scrambled desperately through the spaceport looking for a ship. Squads of armed guards forced their way through the crowd, each trying to clear their VIP a secure route to his private hanger bay before the station finally gave or somebody hijacked their ship.

A natural break finally occurred in the motions of the people assaulting Wrex, freeing his arm to allow him to answer his COM link. "Shar. What is it, I'm busy?" Wrex smashed his gauntleted hand into some unlucky scavengers face, their fingers wrapped around his rifle loosened, falling free of their hold.

"_The stations security network just went down. And I'm hearing a flood of COM traffic about the stations core going critical. Did you do that?_"

"It was Kixx" Wrex tapped into the anger that was fermenting inside of him, using it to fuel his biotic abilities. He lashed out in one direction, sending a concussive wave to tear through the group surrounding him, leaving an enormous scar in the bent and twisted metal of the deck as the people thrown into the air crashed to the floor. The fact that he was a biotic seemed to deter them far faster than any physical display. With his weapons now secure he returned his attention to his COM. "Kixx set the station to blow so that he could get Aliena and me"

"_Well she hasn't left the station as far as I know. But she may have slipped out once the power went out_"

"She's not gone. I ran into her a few minutes ago- crazy schutta locked herself in the secure med-centre and then escaped through the ventilation system. Chances are she's still lost in there"

Shar pondered the response "_Then how are we proceeding?_"

"Well I'm getting off this death trap. Whether Aliena makes it back to her ship is not my concern"

"_Mr. Alas is not going to like that_"

"Screw Alas. As long as both of us are breathing the bounty is still live. Until either I or Aliena are dead we'll still keep hunting eachother"

"_I'm sure Mr. Alas will hold you to that. If you make it back_" Shar ended the conversation, allowing Wrex to return to the situation at hand.

He finally reached his destination- the secure hanger bay where the _Anaconda_ was berthed. The door controls were scratched and cracked in several places. People had obviously made some attempts assuming they could either guess the code or failing that smash their way through, forcing the door to open. But in the truth the keypad was merely camouflage. Wrex pulled the fake covering loose, exposing the palm scanner beneath it. He removed the armour covering his right hand, putting it against the metal. A sharp stab of pain ripped through his hand as a thin needle extended to pierce his flesh, draining a sample of his blood for testing to confirm his identity. The system also analysed the temperature and composition of the sample to ensure that this a live sample rather than one collected previously.

The computer beeped its acknowledgement, the doors parted before him as he re-secured his armour in place. The Anaconda appeared undisturbed.

He ran up the loading ramp through the inner chambers and into the cockpit, engaging the engines as soon as his hands met the controls. The ship lifted gracefully off the deck, oblivious to the danger surrounding it as the station shook itself to pieces. The Anaconda leapt free of the confines of the hanger and out into space.

The situation outside however was deteriorating far faster than on the inside. The entire station was surrounded by a fleet of ships- most of them fleeing for their lives at top speed, attempting to get clear of the blast radius. At the same time reporters and enthusiasts manoeuvred their way closer in order to gain the best view. Wrex cleared the bulk of the ships surrounding the station, emerging in open space.

He brought the engines back to idle, the gentle hum soothing his racked mind as the effects of his adrenaline high finally subsided. The full brunt of his ordeal collapsing down on top of him. He rubbed his gloved hand against his temple, attempting to sooth his tense muscles. His COM link beeped to life, breaking the silence he had craved so intensely.

He begrudgingly answered the call, expecting a flurry of wheezed insults and complaints from Alas. But instead the screen was taken up by Xylten's large form. "_Glad. It is good to see you made it out alive Wrex_"

"Yeah" Wrex looked up through the view screen just in time to see the station finally give underneath its own weight, its structure buckling, the cracks in its surface venting atmosphere into space. The broken wreck suddenly exploded, the flammable gases inside of it igniting under the intense heat. The concentrated flash of light dissipated as quickly as it had come, the burning metal quickly cooling in the vacuum of space. "Any idea if Aliena made it out ok?" His concern was both for her safety and that of his bounty.

Xylten pondered the question for a moment. "_Just this_"

A portion of Wrex's screen darkened to a deep blue accompanying the words "Better luck next time" appeared on the screen to mock him.

Wrex just had to laugh at Aliena's sense of humour, even in this situation. He could have questioned Xylten about the notes authenticity but he trusted Xylten enough to assume the note was genuine. He also noted that everything besides the note itself had been wiped- no tracking code, no terminal ID. Nothing. "Smart girl" he muttered to himself. "Thanks Xylten" He terminated the link. Nothing else needed to be said between them. They both knew what this meant- for Aliena, for Wrex.

Wrex set the ship on auto-pilot which would lead him on a random vector through several relays before finally emerging back at the Citadel. Alas was not going to like what he had to say when he got back.

****************************************

Alas set his large elbows onto his desk, his hands supporting his head as he wheezed in several strained breaths. It took all of his energy to meet the mercenary's eyes. And all of his restraint to not either have him thrown out or shot.

"Let me get this straight" he sucked in a few more breaths through his filter before continuing. "I offer you good money to kill one person. You track her down, corner her. And then you just let her go?!" His voice modulator screeched with the strain of pronouncing the last few words.

Wrex simply shrugged his large shoulders, his armour moving seamlessly in time with his body. "I couldn't get through the door, the station was collapsing. Nothing I could do"

"You could have found her again! You could have put a bullet in her like we agreed"

"Trust me Aliena's not that easy to kill. You only ever find her when she lets you find her. You on the other hand are not"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean she's still out there" Wrex answered.

"And what makes you so sure she's still alive?" Alas was sceptical.

"A message I received after the station collapsed. No tracking number, no ID. It's definitely Aliena". Alas's breathing rate noticeably increased. Wrex chuckled at the sight. "And exactly how long do you think it'll be before she works out you were the one who sent me? Most hired guns, they're usually ordered by the disgruntled ex"

Alas stirred in his seat. "It does not matter. She wouldn't be able to get onto the Citadel let alone past my security"

Wrex laughed openly at his bold remark. "You hired ME to kill her. Which means you know what she's capable of. You really think these three" He indicated Shar and the guards with a wave of his giant hand. "Are goanna stop Aliena when she has a grudge? Nope" Wrex stepped forward, pressing his gauntleted fists down onto Alas's fancy desk. "You wanna survive the week, you're goanna have to hire me full time"

"What?!" Alas's respirator suddenly jolted as the shock roiled through his body. He began to take slow, deliberate breaths, calming his haywire systems.

The realization quickly settled on him. He knew this was his only option. "Fine. But you can forget about being paid for that last assignment and you still report to me and Captain Shar"

Wrex shrugged. "Fine" he rose himself to full height. "I'll see you tomorrow" And with that he turned to leave. As soon as he was clear of the Presidium he was heading straight for Chora's Den. There was no way he was going to spend his last night before beginning what would likely be the most boring assignment of his career sober and alone.


End file.
