94 – Tuchanka (3)

WITH SAMAEL

The group, which included Samael, RR, Tali, Shepard, Liara, and Mordin, headed toward the location of the buried bomb using an M.A.K.O. they took from the Phoenix.

Samael took this opportunity to catch up with Mordin. After all, he had left the Salarian researching many projects back on Earth.

'' So, how is Project Lazarus going?''

Mordin looked unsure.'' That project is... weird, to say the least, yes. For us to test it, someone has to die. So, for all intents and purposes, it is ready, only waiting for someone to use it. I really don't want to use /test it, though, yes.''

'' And about the Bigger Mech? I'm not asking for it to match the Reapers' size, but something that could hold them for a few seconds at least.''

By the way, Samael spoke openly, not caring if the others were hearing. Not only everyone on MAKO was someone he trusted, but he was literally in a relationship with them. Well, minus Mordin.

'' We can't create something that matches the Reapers' size, BUT, we have prototypes ready to be created, yes. It reaches 70M in length and should be able to hold the Reapers for a few seconds, yes.''

Sameal nodded. This was all within his expectations. To be honest, even in cycles where he focused on technological advancements, sometimes, some things just weren't meant to happen.

The bigger Mech was one of them. From them to have something ready to be created was a miracle. The Reapers range from 160 meters to 2K in length, so for the galaxy to have something reaching up to 70 meters was incredible.

And all that in less than one year of research.

Samael knew Mordin was a genius, but the Salarian impressed him greatly every time he exceeded his expectations.

Still, he asked in a hopeful tone about this last item of his, '' About the device against a giant EMP blast... any progress on that?''

This was one of the things he wanted the most, as it would allow him to protect all Synthetic life, or at least their 'soul.', if he used the Crucible. He would use a planet to house them, use said device, if made, and hope for the best.

Of course, if he did that, he would have to win the war without their help/numbers, but that is a problem for the future.

Mordin looked quite ambiguous, '' We managed to create something, but the radius isn't big... at most, 20 KM.''

Samael wasn't discouraged. A beginning was a beginning, '' Good job. If you may, I ask you to focus on this. It's very important.''

'' I will keep that in mind, yes.''

"By the way, how are Miranda's and Jack's babies? Everything good?" While Samael received reports from them, hearing the situation from their actual doctor was more reassuring.

"No problems with them. We thought, thanks to the Chimera Serum, that the babies might be... different, but based on the tests we've conducted so far, they appear to be normal human babies, yes. We will monitor them to see if anything changes in the future."

Samael nodded and remembered something. He had so much on his mind that sometimes he tended to neglect certain things. "By the way, speaking of the Serum, did you manage to create one that only extends lifespan?"

He knew it was possible, as he had achieved the seemingly impossible with the Chimera Serum, but since it wasn't a priority, he had left it to the researchers on Earth. Given their intelligence and the groundwork he had laid out for them, by now...

Mordin smiled with pride in his eyes. "I'm proud to say that we did. We isolated the Asari DNA, creating a serum that extends lifespan without the need for metamorphosis. This makes it much safer, yes."

The Chimera Serum was dangerous because it contained Krogan DNA, which provided immense strength in exchange for a gruesome process that could be fatal for many.

What the researchers did was straightforward: they developed a serum with only Asari DNA, providing an extended lifespan without any other effects. Even that is revolutionary.

Samael was happy, not only for his team but also for what this represented. This change could significantly increase the life expectancy in the galaxy, as he didn't plan on withholding the new serum. Sure, new problems would arise from this, but they would deal with them as they came.

"Mordin, this is revolutionary! You guys made history!" Tali, who had assisted with the research back on Earth in developing the Quarian Pill, was conversing with Shepard, Liara, and RR when she heard Mordin's announcement.

She stopped the conversation immediately to congratulate them, knowing how difficult the project had been.

Liara heard Tali and connected the dots. She took on a thoughtful expression. "We need to be careful with it."

She anticipated that a lot of trouble would come from this, but she trusted Samael and the others to make wise decisions.

Shepard, who knew a little bit of the subject, patted Mordin on the shoulder. "And you? Have you already taken it?"

Salarians tended to live less than 50 years, and Mordin was dangerously close to that age, so those who cared for him were a little worried.

Mordin nodded. "Yes. By our calculations, I can easily become the oldest Salarian to ever live, if nothing goes wrong."

While he didn't provide exact numbers, everyone knew he had gained at least 100 years of lifespan, allowing him to potentially become the oldest Salarian if he lived out the remainder of his natural life.

"How about you, Shepard? When are you going to take the Chimera Serum?"

Shepard sighed. She had been busier than ever in the past few months. She didn't even have time to call Anderson, let alone take the Serum. The worst part was that, given how things were going, the upcoming months and years would likely be even more busy.

"Soon, when I have time."

Still, she was looking forward to taking it. After all, she had seen Samael, John, Veronica, and the others from LD who had taken it in action. They were a powerhouse capable of facing countless enemies.

"After the Citadel reunion, we will make time. You can't go on without taking it; our enemies will only get stronger."

Samael was planning to give the Serum to everyone in his family. Sure, they could survive the upcoming war without taking it, but it was one more assurance.

Of course, those like his mom would take only the one where it increases the lifespan, while those strong enough would take the Chimera Serum.

' Let's hope Mordin and the others can somehow diminish the effects of the metamorphoses.'

Even Samael twitched a little at the memory of the pain he felt at that moment. It showed how much he trusted Mordin and the researchers, as he was fully aware of their capabilities.

' Maybe, this version of the Serum can cure Natasha's cancer... no, let's leave this to the Protheans.'

Samael thought about Jack's mother, frozen into a cryo pod in Javik's new planet. They were researching a way to cure her type of cancer, so he would trust them.

"We are arriving at the destination," RR's voice came from the driver's seat.

Samael looked at the others. "Get ready. I doubt the STG team is here, but don't let your guard down."

Everyone nodded in agreement. RR slowly opened the MAKO, and everyone stepped out.

The bomb was buried not too deep but also not too shallow. They were going to dig out the bomb, but it would take some time, so they started working right away.

Using a few tools from the MAKO, they began to dig slowly, being cautious, so as to not risk the bomb exploding.

There were no signs of the STG or anyone else for that matter. The place was just like every other location on Tuchanka—ruins of old buildings among other debris.

"So, Mordin, any more bombs we should be aware of?" Shepard asked jokingly, as they had nothing to do while the equipment did its job. Yet everyone there understood the possibility that other bombs might exist on the planet.

The Salarians were known for being ruthless, after all.

Mordin tilted his head and thought for a moment before replying, "Not that I'm aware of."

He had worked for the STG before, so he knew a bit about their inner workings. With his level of clearance, he wasn't aware of any more bombs.

Samael, who knew the truth, decided to share it with his team. "Well, I don't know about bombs, but you know the Shrouds the Salarians put on Tuchanka to help the planet's atmosphere?"

Some looked pensive, as they honestly weren't much aware of the planet's conditions, but Mordin nodded. "Yes. A work of art. It was helping the planet recover from the nuclear winter over time. A shame only one remained."

"It's a trap."

Silence fell. Everyone was shocked by what Samael had said, but Mordin looked the most taken aback, as he understood the implications. He asked slowly, "Are you sure?"

Samael tapped his omni-tool and shared the files he had on the matter, courtesy of the Shadow Broker archives... Having the Broker working for him was truly beneficial, as he could access information and give some of his own whenever needed.

"How did you know about this?" "The Shadow Broker." "And how about that?" "Also the Shadow Broker."

It was immensely helpful.

Everyone started reading the files. They revealed how the Shrouds, which were supposed to be helping Tuchanka's toxic atmosphere, weren't functioning at maximum capacity while they were around. They were operating at only 10%, which meant they weren't making any significant change.

Before, there were many Shourds around Tuchanka, but after many wars on the planet, only one of them remained. And, to make it worse this last one was rigged to explode if anyone tried to put them to use. Only Samael knew how to bypass the process, otherwise, the cure could not be spread.

The Salarians did this to ensure the Krogan would not recover their numbers. Honestly, Samael understood their reasoning. The Krogan were brutal; they consumed other species and acted as the galaxy's watchdog. When they turned their aggression toward those in power, they were dealt with.

The Salarians used various methods to ensure the Krogan wouldn't pose a problem... but they crossed a line. Sometimes, if you do that, you become worse than what you are trying to prevent.

Besides, a war was coming, and the galaxy needed the Krogan more than ever.

"Read it slowly."

They did just that and were shocked by what they discovered. The irony of it all was that the last Shourd would be used to help the Krogan for real.

The Shourds were used as a bargain ship 2.000 years ago, in the Rachini War. The galaxy was losing and they used them to make the Krogan help in the war. Only, it was also a weapon they would use later on.

After the Krogan attempted to rebel and ultimately failed, the only remaining Shroud was sabotaged by the STG of that time. They ensured that it would explode if anyone tried to use it to spread something like the Genophage cure, if it were ever created.

They were meticulous in making sure the Krogan never recovered. The only reason this last Shroud remained was due to its location: it was located in an arena built for Kalros, the Mother of All Thresher Maws. This made it difficult for anyone to attack the place or interfere with it.

Everyone finished reading the documents, except for RR, who had been relaxed from the beginning because she already knew about their contents. The others were shocked by what they learned.

Even Mordin was taken aback. He had once been part of the STG and understood how the Salarians operated. In fact, he had contributed to many of their projects, both good and bad. However, he had grown as a person, realized his mistakes, and sought to atone for them for the remainder of his life. For years, he had turned a blind eye, and now, facing the true nature of his species was an uncomfortable experience.

"By the Goddess..." Liara exclaimed, also stunned by the information she had just read. It took her several minutes to recover from the shock. She was no longer the naive Prothean expert she had been months ago; she understood how the galaxy treated the Krogan. But this... this was ridiculous.

They had helped the galaxy, had become arrogant, paid a heavy price, and were still being punished to this day.

"I doubt the Council didn't know about this... and if they knew, then the other species did too. And yet, they did nothing to stop it."

Sigh.

Liara sighed. The situation was extremely complicated. She understood where the galaxy was coming from, as the Krogan had never treated everyone well. Still, some lines can't be crossed, no matter the circumstances. Once someone does cross that line, it's all over.

Samael noticed that everyone's reactions were the same and figured their feelings must be similar. He tried to lighten the mood with a bright tone, saying, "Relax. Now that we are here, we'll handle the problems and make sure we don't repeat them."

Ping.

A noise was heard, followed by RR saying, "We've reached the bomb."

Samael stopped what he was doing and said, "Leave it to me and RR. You guys keep an eye out for any unusual movements."

Disarming the bomb was a process he had performed many times before in past cycles, so it was relatively straightforward. Under the watchful gaze of his friends, Samael started to work.

" Here, open this for me .... perfect. Hold now... brilliant."

As he continued to work, Tali was growing a little bit aroused. The quarians were builders by default, so seeing Samael so concentrated on his task was nice.

"Say, is it just me, or does Samael look extremely hot right now?" After Tali said this, everyone except Mordin began to gaze at Samael with a feverish intensity.

Liara noticed Samael too, '' I can see that.''

Shepard nodded at both, '' Yup.''

Mordin, on the other hand, had only one thought in mind: "Taste is taste."

Twenty-three minutes later, the bomb was disarmed, preventing a future disaster. However, Samael had some funny ideas that he was determined to act on.

After grabbing a few things from the MAKO, he began making a present for the STG that was coming.

"What are you doing?" Tali noticed what he was up to and asked.

Samael smiled mischievously, '' Leaving a present to our friends.''

By now, the 'present' had started to take shape, and Tali giggled when she noticed what it was, '' Let me help with that.''

'' Suit yourself.''

Liara, Shepard, and Mordin noticed too, and decided to help. The salarian ended up being the most helpful.

'' No, not like that. Make it bigger.'' Mordin guided them on how to make the 'perfect' present.

10 minutes later, the group departed from the bomb site and returned to where Wrex was.

---

30 MINUTES LATER

An unknown MAKO arrived at the bomb site. By their speed and the way it was going, it seemed they were in a hurry.

The MAKO parked and soon numerous Salarians got out of it, all on high alert. They had received intel about Wrex's speech and knew about the Genophage cure by now, so they were anxious to detonate the bomb.

So much so, that their superior ordered the detonation to happen right now. Only, when they arrived at their destination, what greeted them was...

'' What is this?'' The Leader of this STG group looked shocked and mad. On top of the obviously disarmed bomb, a poorly made thing that resembled fish was there, with a message that said: you snooze, you lose.

Clearly, their mission failed. One of the STG members asked the leader,'' What now?''

The leader didn't hesitate to order a retreat. "We retreat. We aren't dealing with the Krogan, but LD. We've already lost this one."

Immediately, the STG team acted and retreated. With one last look at the bomb, the leader gave a sinister smile. "They don't even know what will hit them in the Citadel Reunion."

The Citadel reunion in a week promised grand emotions. Soon after that, the STG team fled Tuchanka. They would regroup with their higher-ups and come up with new strategies.