The Supernovas of Mass Effect [ On Hold ]

Thunderstruck

Thunderstruck

SSV Normandy

Engineering Deck

Garage 

Orbiting Agebinium Drop Zone

Alex watched as the ground team prepared for tactical drop. Unlike his own method, which involved dropping separately from the Mako, Cole wanted to drop with the Mako.

Scratch that. Cole wanted to ride on top of the Mako while it dropped. IT was completely insane. The idea was that Cole could better direct the orbital drop by combining the Mako's vertically aligned mass effect fields with one of his advanced powers. Cole could use his kinetic pulse to telekinetically lift objects caught in the radius. The conduit typically used this things he levitated as makeshift projectiles, but this was different. He hoped that a kinetic pulse could reduce the necessary 100 meters of open area needed for a Mako drop. If it worked, the Mako could be dropped much closer to a destination. 

Of course, if it failed, they were going to be picking little pieces of Supernova out of Agebinium's thin atmosphere....

A loud stomp behind the virus informed him that wasn't alone. Ever since Cole had mentioned the nuclear payload the probe had been rigged with, Alex had been on edge, and Wrex had noticed. The krogan was obviously going to ask him why, and Alex was hesitant to answer. It didn't seem like Wrex would be giving him a choice in the matter though.

"You don't like nukes," the krogan battlemaster stated with a touch of amusement. "You wanna talk about it?"

Alex sighed. "Listen, Wrex. I know that Tuchanka was reduced to a radioactive wasteland when your own kind started nuking each other, but this is different." Wrex took on a curious stance, expecting an explanation. "The krogan can easily survive the radiation, but how many have survived the actual explosion?"

Wrex snorted. "None. That's why we loved using them. Our ancestors didn't see the problem with thermonuclear warfare until our planet was rubble. What's that have to do with-" Suddenly, the old krogan's gaze turned hard. "Alex Mercer, are you shitting me?"

"It was the closest I ever came to dying." Alex closed his eyes, remembering the moment perfectly. "The blast blew me apart. All that remained were a few bits of red viral goo. In the end, a crow came by, and when it tried to eat my remains ended up consuming the crow. It was unpleasant, but I rebuilt myself from the ground up using the biomass of a crow . I will never forget the pain and trauma that came from that day." He turned to look at the awestruck krogan and thought back on the Retronuke Earth job. "I've had more encounters since then, but compared to what that first one did to me, any other incident has been small time."

Wrex just stood there in shock. Finally, the battlemaster shook his head and laughed. "You've got a serious quad, Alex! What the hell am I supposed to say that tops that story?" A crackling of electricity from on top of  the Mako informed them that it was best to exit the garage now. Wrex nodded towards the elevator. "Some other time, I'll make you tell me why there was a nuke in the first place. But first, let's get out of this garage so those four can deploy."

Alex agreed. "Good idea. I'm not setting foot on that planet until the bomb is shut down."

As the elevator slowly crawled up to the Crew Deck, Wrex cocked his head at that last statement. "When did anyone say you were going down there at all?"

The hooded shapeshifter said nothing, but a psychotic grin stretched across his face, and it was easily the most terrifying thing that Wrex had seen in centuries.

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SSV Normandy 

Engineering Deck