Mass Effect: After the Smoke Falls

Reunion Pt. 4

No one came a few minutes later. Or ten, twenty, or thirty Minutes later. “Hmm, must of got caught up in traffic of something.” Wrex mumbled.

“Who is coming anyways?” asked Shepard, “We’ve been waiting long enough, is it supporters?”

“It’s the old crew,  Shepard.” Wrex said finally. “I didn’t want to spoil the surprise, but you’d figure out shortly.”

“The old crew?” Robert said, somewhat anxious, somewhat worried. “As in Liara?”

“Liara, Garrus, and Tali.” Wrex explained. “As well as that Vega kid you recruited during the attack on earth, Jack, the bounty hunter Zaeed, Jacob, and practically everyone else who fought along side you. It’s a reunion party! Don’t humans have those?”

Shepard smiled. “Yeah, we do. Did you plan this?”

“Actually it was Bakara’s idea.” Wrex explained. “After she learned you survived she told me to contact you old associates. Its going to happen right here, at this very bar.”

“Why not at Urdnot’s meeting grounds? Or somewhere not in the open?” Kaidan asked.

“Come on, with Shepard’s reputation and almost twenty six of the most bad ass members of his crew in the same building? They’d have to be crazy to attack us here.” Said Grunt. “Besides, I have my team all over the city, they’ll tell us if a varren starts dancing.”

“Actually I’d like to see that.” Robert laughed.

They all laughed at Robert’s little comment when suddenly Wrex’s Omni-tool went off. He checked it and the face of a brown Salarian was seen in view. “Who the hell are you?”

“Lieutenant Tolan of the STG.” Said the Salarian, “I was there when you picked up the female Krogan off of Sur’Kesh.”

Shepard stood up and stood next to Wrex, staring at Tolan’s face. “I remember you. You thought Major Kirhae  died in vain at Virmire. You opposed curing the Genophage.”

“Yes, Commander. And yes I still do think that he died in vain, the Krogan are a dangerous people and you know it! Look at the brute you are standing next to.” He pointed at Wrex.

Wrex growled. “What do you want?”

“Just letting you know that the party you planned out is canceled.” Tolan said with a devious smile. “I’m sorry Commander, Dalatrass Linron hopes you have a happy retirement.” The image died off of the Omni-Tool.

Everyone looked at each other. “Well that can’t be good.” Kaidan said.

There was a high pitched whining noise to the left. Then a explosion. Everyone went flying back behind the bar as thermal rounds flew overhead. Luckily none of them took down any of their shields. Shepard pulled out his Reverent and sprayed into the fray. He heard several thumps and three cries of pain as figures fell to the ground. One of them appeared out of the smoke.

“Cerberus!” Robert yelled. He tossed a grenade into the cloud of smoke, its explosion causing three Cerberus Assault troopers to fly into the bar.

“What the hell are they doing here?” Kaidan yelled over the sounds of gunfire. “I thought they died off after we attacked their base!”

Shepard shrugged. “They don’t know when to stay dead.” He searched deep into his body, feeling the L5x implants turning the faint traces of Element Zero and Calories in his body into a Biotic Charge. He stood up and felt the world slow down into a crawl, and then he flew forwards at maximum speed and slammed down in the middle of a Cerberus Strike Team. They scattered in all directions while he pulled out his shotgun, firing at anybody who tried to get near him. There was a scream behind him and he turned around to see a Cerberus soldier fall to his knees, blood dripping from two stab wounds. Above the fallen soldier was a floating Dual-Omni Blade with no master. Then the Tactical Cloak dropped to reveal Robert standing there, Submachine gun in hand.