Chapter 43 - Grunt

Nothing much remained of the Virmire labs other than rubble with the occasional Geth hardware. Every scrap of non-native biomass was found, subsequently turned into a slurry of biomatter, and swiftly consumed to be added to the collective. Most of the Biomass left the area upon a flood of new Bioships while only a few dozen Evolved remained behind, all of them gathering the discarded bodies of Heretic Geth to be used by their own Geth allies.

While most of the machinery was damaged greatly, The Geth began their long task of sifting through the available computers that they were in the process of repairing. Hopefully further information could be gathered from them at some point in the future.

Shepard and his group sat atop one of the cybernetic mutant Krogan Titans, whose own Bloodtox biochemistry created using Reaper nanotech made it impossible to consume them for available biomass. The Huskified titans were odd to look at, with various machinery jutting out of their flesh.

"They made hundreds of these things, thousands even if these memories are anything to go by. We're probably going to run into more from time to time." Said Shepard.

"Gotta admit, their genetics are complicated. Krogan base, with Turian, Salarian, Asari, Yagh, and who knows what else. Glad they didn't huskify every single one of them."

"They are tasty." Shepard commented, shrugging as he poked at the cybernetic Krogan thing with what remained of an enemy assault rifle. "And they go crunch when an Anansi steps on them."

"I don't think the Reapers knew about the Anansi, these things were probably their answer to Behemoths." said Kaiden.

It was at this time that one of the allied Geth made its way over to Shepard.

"We have found a specimen you may find interesting," it said blankly.

Shepard dropped his piece of metal as he leapt down to the Geth he identified as a Juggernaut variant.

"Lead the way."

Shepard looked into the tank. It looked like a young Krogan, a juvenile even. He looked to the Geth.

"Subject is stable. Current neural patterns indicate minimal cognition. The tank currently is experiencing power loss; the nutrients of the tank can sustain the specimen for just over one year."

"Cool. It doesn't look like one of the titans."

"Subject is an exceptional example of the Krogan species, with fully formed primary, secondary, and tertiary organs. No defects of any kind, excepting the genetic markers of the genophage present in all Krogan. Geth cannot judge mental functioning. The tank imparts data into the subject, but not methods of thinking."

"Can we open it?"

"Affirmative."

Shepard smiled.

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's make a new friend."

Mordin sat quietly as he looked over everything. At first, he thought that Jobol's plans would fall apart after the few scarce notes of some kind of containment breach on the labs being used for Blacklight research. Apparently however, recently studies have resumed. At least that's what it looked like.

Mordin didn't know if Jobol's scientists had scavenged something from the breach, or reacquired a new sample of Blacklight. It didn't matter, either way they had a sample of Blacklight or Blacklight related material that they were experimenting with.

It took time, and much thought, but Mordin knew he had to do something before these tests continued.

Before Mordin could think further, Maelon entered the room, and handed Mordin a tablet.

"Looks like we're finished. You proved me wrong. The chances of a negative reaction from these modifications are lower than I could have done… You sure you aren't Blacklight?"

Mordin chuckled a bit at that

"No, not Blacklight. Just good at genetics."

"Good at genetics huh… That's a bit of an understatement Dr. Solus."

"Think what you want. I just do what I can with what I have. Granted, I'm not proud of what we have done, but even I agree that it needed to be done. Are we ready to activate the Shroud?"

"As soon as you are ready, we'll begin the procedure."

Mordin nodded, but he didn't look happy to be finished. Maelon didn't pry. He knew that his superior didn't like what he had to do, so it was best not to dwell on it.

"So Dr. Solus, what will you be doing now that we are done here?"

Mordin looked to his omni-tool, thinking of the myriad classified information hidden within. The footage of Saleon's experiments, the few notes he managed to get of the breach of containment, the possibility that experiments were continuing. He knew what he had to do after this was over.

"I'll be delivering information to a few friends."

"What friends?"

"It's personal, just a project I have been keeping tabs on and need to have certain benefactors made aware of. Come, let's get this over with."

The liquid began to lower out of the tank, a green mist of what Shepard detected were nutrients sprayed from the machine with a soft hiss as the glass began to slide and the Krogan body began to fall to its knees, coughing up the nutrient liquid.

The next thing Shepard knew was the fist that connected to his face and carried him into a wall of debris.

"Blacklight."

"You have very strong muscles, even for a Krogan. I'm impressed." Shepard commented.

Before the Krogan could say anything, Shepard quickly pressed his palm to the Krogan's skin. A series of nano-scale tendrils pumping sedatives into the beast as it almost immediately was rendered unconscious and fell to the ground.

Shepard looked to the Geth Juggernaut who had taken up arms towards the Krogan, but was now lowering its weapon to face Shepard.

"I'm keeping it," said Shepard cheerfully.

Morinth sat between a closed down café and an old series of apartments that was running a front for red sand. She sighed as she looked out the shadows into the scarcely populated streets, her mind wandering as she thought on her current predicament.

Her life was once not bad, if you didn't mind eternal running. She had access to the best clubs, the best music, the best drugs, and even a very nice collection of artwork. Now here she was, stuck on the planet where the Justicars live, trying to find whatever it was that had kept the Asari slightly ahead technologically speaking, something that could just be because Asari lived for a thousand years, no that couldn't be it, it had to be some secrety secret.

Leaning against the walls, Morinth looked at the few vagabonds on the streets, her mind flashing to what she could only assume were poverty stricken areas of Earth when it still had humans. She shook the thoughts from her head. That was another thing that had further ruined her life. The fact that she wasn't sure what was her own actions or a result of Vulcan mind melding with an entire species… Also what the hell was Vulcan mind melding?

Morinth continued looking out the streets when she noticed that they were quickly becoming empty. Also a very familiar figure was walking on the streets, Samara, and she looked like she had a headache. Why was she here?

It was at that time Samara saw Morinth.

Morinth got to her feet, ready to run, but was also really confused as to why Samara was here.

"Warte, Morinth!"

Morinth blinked as Samara staggered towards her.

"Etwas stimmt nicht."

"War das Deutsh?!" Morinth shook her head. "I mean… Was that German?"

Shepard watched as the Krogan opened its eyes, observed its surroundings, and glared right at Shepard. It struggled against its bonds, said bonds consisting of long tendrils that held tightly against he Krogans armor.

"You… Blacklight."

"Yep."

"I need a name."

"My name is Shepard."

"Not you, me. I want name before I die."

"What makes you think you're going to die?"

"I am trained. I know things. I know of you. Okeer told me much of you. Tank couldn't implant connection. His words are hollow. Warlord. Legacy. Grunt… Grunt was among the last. It has no meaning. It'll do. I am Grunt. Destroy me if you must."

"Nah. Destroying stuff isn't fun. So Grunt, welcome to the world. Oh and Happy Birthday."

"Birth…day?"

"I'm going to make you a cake. Tell me, do you prefer chocolate, vanilla, or strawberry?"

"I don't know what any of those are."

"Chocolate it is then. Oh this will be so much fun, we'll have balloons, streamers, cake, presents. Oh my, Alex! I didn't get you anything! Oh well now I just feel silly. How about I just give you some money and you can just buy whatever you want."

The Krogan blinked.

"Is this torture?"

"Oh Grunt, you're such a kidder.", said Shepard as he patted Grunt on the head.

"You always were good for a laugh."

"What are you talking about? Kill me or let me go so I can stop you from talking. Whatever quiets you faster."

"Oh Grunt. Always joking. You know, I miss this. It feels like forever since we last hung out. In fact, it has been so long it feels like this is our first time meeting."

"But… This is the first time meeting… Isn't it?"

"You don't remember. I know you were drunk that night, but I would think you would remember that night. It was a special night. I never tried that before… Oh the aches the day after."

"Shut up."

"You couldn't walk straight for weeks."

"Shut up!"

"I still feel chills."

"Shut up! Shut up! SHUT UP!"

Shepard laughed as Grunt struggled, impressive too since he tore some of the ligaments in the tentacles. Interesting, since said ligaments were specifically designed not to tear. This Krogan was stronger than he should be.

"Alright, enough of that. Just trying to get a rise out of you. Your muscular structure is very interesting. I might copy it for future use."

"What?"

"Doesn't matter. Just checking on a few things."

"You are noisy, annoying and irritating."

"Never been called that before. So Grunt, what do you want?"

"Want? I want to fight. Blacklight is strong. Prove your strength and try to destroy me. Let me go and I will fight you. If you're weak I will destroy you."

"Tempting. How about this. Would you like to fight a very strong enemy?"

"How Strong?"

"About as Strong as Blacklight… Probably a bit stronger in a few areas."

Shepard smiled at the obvious interest on the Krogan's face.

"I'm listening."

"I can fix this." said Saleon as he typed away.

WARNING! COOLANT DRAINING!

Saleon nodded as he quickened his pace to his console, where he watched the fire he had started in the core. The fire, superheated steam, and hot metal would soon fully destroy the core, destroying all the now damaged containment. All containment.

WARNING! REACTOR CORE DAMAGED! MELTDOWN IMMINENT!

Saleon watched as the outer shell cracked on the first egg. His heart stopped. His mind filled with visions of a terrible pestilence and of a plague made of flesh. He needed to do this, they could not be allowed to hatch.

"I will not be responsible for the death of the galaxy."

He would overload the reactor, and flood enough rads to kill just about anything living. Everything he learned about the cells of whatever came out of this egg grew in his mind, and suddenly, he realized that the meltdown wouldn't be fast enough. He backed away from the console as the reactor spiraled into its critical stages.

"No." He said as he took a fearful step back as a Salarian infant's hand emerged from the egg.

He was frozen in both fear and anticipation as the egg cracked and shattered and fell apart with the infant within crawling out. Then, something happened. An alert on his omnitool indicated that another egg was hatching.

"What, why now? Oh no. This can't be happening now."

MELTDOWN IMMINENT!

Saleon shuffled quickly to the case and saw another egg hatch, and then his omnitool went off again, and again, and again, and again, and again.

Saleon took a deep breath. The materials needed to contain the subjects would be sufficient, it would hold long enough to destroy the embryo. Nothing would happen. It was all going to be fine. As those thoughts swam through Saleon's mind, he felt at peace.

MELTDOWN IMMINENT!

He could do this. Sure the Eggs hatched much too soon, but that meant nothing. He was a professional. He could handle this. All he had to do was breathe.

"I am doing the right thing."

He felt better.

Then the infants began to scream. They screamed and whined and cried a sound no Salarian should be capable of making. It was a dark sound, an eldritch sound that made Saleon's skin squirm against his bone. His fingers twitched and clenched against his will almost as something within him broke.

MELTDOWN IMMINENT!

Saleon did not know what happened next, only that he found himself laying on the floor with Nel sitting atop him looking down on him and whining. Limply and with slow deliberate movements, Saleon lifted his hand, and patted Nel upon his head.

"I'm alright Nel. Just, I… I was not prepared for this, not yet. It won't last long though, just a few more minutes, then a blinding flash of light, and it will all be over."

The cybernetic Varren backed off his master as Saleon made it to his feet. He put his hand to his own head to will away a minor pain as he looked to each and every one of the containment units that were mined neatly next to each other. What he saw surprised him.

MELTDOWN IN 30 SECONDS!

Not a single subject had died, and the small newborns were leaning against their glass in an identical pose, each one staring right at Saleon, unblinking and unmoving. The screens indicated each and every one was alive and well, despite their odd motionlessness as they just looked at Saleon.

Saleon glared back.

They were judging him.

Studying him.

Watching him.

Mocking him.

He sneered at them before turning away. These were not infants. They had an intelligence to them, they had to. Saleon knew that much. Slowly he turned back to see them, and watch for the first time as one finally moved.

It blinked.

MELTDOWN IN 15 SECONDS!

The sirens was enough to calm Saleon down from these newborns as he took a step into the containment room to look at each and every one of them. Their eyes followed him.

He looked at his… children for the first time, and noticed that they looked unnaturally simple.

MELTDOWN IN 10 SECONDS!

There was a symmetry to them that did not exist in any biological beings. They had no deformities, no birth marks he could see, and were perfectly proportioned and symmetrical to an almost supernatural degree.

The scanners that were being drowned out by the alarm indicated that they were healthy. Too healthy. Every biometric scan indicated that their biological functions were working at peak optimal levels. All of them. Nothing was below what would be considered a perfect Salarian child.

Yet, there were flickers of something.

As if the readings weren't quite right.

MELTDOWN IN 5 SECONDS!

Each and every one of them was simply in absolute perfect health. Yet the readings would occasionally change to display readings that Salarian biology shouldn't be capable of. That should not be what came out. They should have been monsters.

Why do they look Salarian? Were his eyes wrong, had his mind finally snapped?

This was not what Saleon had expected.

Then the station was flooded with superheated radioactive steam.