"You are right... killing him is pointless. Must atone for his actions. Shepard, can you provide him with atonement?"
"Quite."
Nodding casually, I look over Maelon Heptorn, who seems to have forgotten how to breathe.
"We'll get to the SSV Normandy and I'll contact Tevos. She'll organize work for his rehabilitation and atonement."
"Good."
Mordin Solus put away the Pistol.
"Now let's see. What has he done here? Data must be destroyed..."
"Mordin Solus..."
Now it was my turn to intervene.
"The choice is yours, of course, but... maybe you should keep the data? There have already been victims, and they were quite numerous. And if the data is simply destroyed, it will just devalue those sacrifices."
Mordin Solus looked at me with a long gaze.
"Don't like meaningless sacrifices. You are right. Will keep the data. Might be useful in the future."
Maelon Heptorn, hearing his teacher's words, sighed in relief, after which we headed toward the Kodiak Shuttle, while I used his amplifier to contact Wrex.
"I'm listening, Shepard."
Wrex sounded slightly tired.
"Wrex, please prepare rooms for housing the women and men."
"Right, the women need to be immediately..."
"Wrex, they were experimented on in an attempt to cure the Genophage. The experiments were quite... reckless. So they need medical help. That's why I'm asking you to prepare the rooms. Immediately after talking to you, I'll call for a medical transport from my corporation, and they will arrive to provide medical assistance until Mordin Solus develops proper rehabilitation. Although they'll be able to do something too."
"Understood... I'll prepare the rooms. I hope the beast that did this suffered..."
I didn't answer Wrex's words because I didn't want to lie to him, and telling the truth... he wouldn't understand the reasons why Maelon Heptorn remained alive. And we don't need one of the largest Clans on Tuchanka as an enemy.
We reached the SSV Normandy without problems, and once on board, I hurried to the comms room.
"What happened that's so urgent?"
"Well... I have a Salarian scientist in my hands who thought the Genophage was a terrible mistake..."
"And I understand him."
Tevos interrupted me.
"I understand too, the problem isn't that, the problem is how he tried to fix that mistake. Namely, in experiments on living Krogan with a vaccine not yet brought to a normal state. Because of which the men and women subjected to the drugs are not in the best condition right now."
Tevos frowned.
"In short, I would have, of course, done him in, or rather allowed Mordin Solus to do it..."
Tevos smiled upon hearing the name; I had already reported to her about whom I planned to take on the team, and she had collected data on them.
"However, he wanted the student to atone for his sins. So I have a request. Could you send a transport to deliver Maelon Heptorn to the Citadel, where he will atone for his guilt under the supervision of the appropriate services?"
"Of course. May I inquire what your plans are next?"
"Next? Next, I'd like to show Mordin Solus the results of his work so that he continues what Maelon Heptorn started, only within much more adequate bounds. And the Krogan were finally rid of the Genophage, or at least it was weakened."
"Hmm... on one hand, it's a good deed, but on the other..."
Tevos frowned slightly.
"...the Krogan are uncontrollable. And as soon as the Genophage problem is solved, they will again start spreading across the galaxy."
"Do you really think that's the problem that should concern us?"
Raising an eyebrow, I look at Tevos, and she smiles sadly.
"You—no. Me—yes. Don't forget, I'm a politician, and I must look not only at what benefits a particular action will bring us now. And the benefit of healthy Krogan is undeniable, as we will need soldiers in the war with the Reapers."
A crooked smirk appeared on my lips, and Tevos, noticing it, stopped her explanations.
"What?"
"Nothing..."
However, under Tevos's intent gaze, I had to answer her question.
"I just thought that for this card to play out, we need to hold out in the war against the Reapers for at least twenty years. So that the little Krogan grow up and are trained. And something tells me we won't last twenty years. Either victory in a year or two, or total defeat."
"Possibly."
Tevos nodded.
"However, there are enough Krogan in the galaxy who are already trained. And as soon as they learn that the Genophage no longer has power over their people, they will stand like such a wall before the Reapers... Just believe me, they will fight like Berserkers for their future."
"I won't argue. It's hard to argue with the truth in general. The main thing is that these Berserkers understand that without the rest of the galaxy, they won't survive."
"That is already my task as a politician—to convey that information to them."
There was an anticipatory smile on Tevos's lips.
"Alright, then end of communication."
"Yeah."
She waved her hand, and the connection was cut; I, looking thoughtfully at the monitor, was going to call Oriana Lawson or Miranda Lawson, but EDI's voice stopped me.
"I've already contacted them, explained the situation, and they said a medical ship with all the necessary equipment will depart within two days."
"I see..."
Leaving the comms room, I quickly reached the medical bay.
"Karin... I'd like to say good day, but when you hear how much work lies ahead for you in the near future, I don't think you'll agree with such words."
"What happened?"
"We found Krogan who were experimented on."
Karin Chakwas frowned upon hearing my words.
"And they need medical help. I understand, of course, that our medical bay won't fit everyone, and actually bringing them to the SSV Normandy isn't necessary. We need to help Mordin Solus maintain the condition of the rescued until the medical transport arrives. That's at least a few days."
Karin Chakwas immediately stood up from the table, and in an instant, there was a soldier standing at attention before me.
"Permission to carry out?"
"Oh, let's not do that..."
I wave my hand dismissively to show how I feel about such soldierly antics. No. If we were still in the army, it would be appropriate, but now it only causes irritation. And judging by the glints in the doctor's eyes, as well as the smirk she isn't even trying to hide, she knows this.
"Karin, just help the Krogan, I'm asking you."
"Will do."
Nodding, she immediately contacted Mordin Solus, who was checking the rooms for future patients that Wrex had managed to prepare somehow.
And only after I heard them start coordinating their actions did I leave the medical bay and go to my office, where Tali was already lying on my bed with her arms spread out.
"Isn't it dangerous for you without the mask?"
"You know that your room has a special filtration system."
"I know, but your immune system..."
"And you know perfectly well that it turned out if special vaccinations are developed for us, then in general the immunity very quickly becomes... acceptable."
"I know..."
Some dissatisfaction could be heard in my voice.
"...however, acceptability is still weaker than in Humans. And..."
"Oh, just shut up. Honestly, I'm already up to here with my father and his lectures..."
She put her palm to her throat.
"...'return to the Fleet, daughter. You've already achieved everything you could for our people in this Spectre's team. Now your skills are needed in other places.' Yeah, and then he sends encrypted messages in which he literally demands that I start hunting Geth and send him parts. Saying I'm the only one he can trust in such a matter."
These words made me frown.
"If you're going to lecture me too..."
Tali shook her head.
"...then I'll die from the stuffiness. Besides, I'm not just lying on your bed for no reason. I'm preparing for our future intimacy, you know, because I'm tired of being green with envy toward Jane and Liara."
"And where is that shy girl..."
"In the ass."
I blinked at such a sharp answer from Tali.
"Tali, you have..."
"Yes, I have those days! And I decided to combine my irritation, desire for sex, and the fact that I was vaccinated with everything necessary, with starting to get used to your organism. So get ready. In the coming weeks, I'll often be lying here with you, and we'll be kissing much more often!"
"Uh-huh, and in a couple of days those days will end and you'll become more modest again."
An irritated look was cast at me.
"John, I hope you... support my initiative and don't let me back out."
Shaking my head, I walked to the bed and lay down next to Tali, and she immediately pressed against my chest. Although, of course, lying like that in armor wasn't very comfortable.
"Damn..."
Tali confirmed my thoughts, fidgeting on me.
"...maybe..."
"No. Tuchanka isn't a safe port where you can give up armor. So endure it."
"Tch..."
There was so much irritation in that sound that you could drown a whole Kodiak Shuttle.
"Well, don't pout..."
Patting the girl on the shoulder, I looked at the ceiling.
"...everything will be fine. Next, we'll either go to the Citadel or to Bali, and there we'll be able to just lie side by side."
"Uh-huh."
She grunted this in a dissatisfied voice but didn't argue...
** A day later. **
"Shepard..."
Mordin Solus distracted me from my business, contacting me.
"I'm listening, Doc."
"Some... difficulties have arisen."
These words from the Salarian made me frown.
"What specific difficulties?"
"I have some business, and I need to leave... Gatatog Chieftain Wrex organized a trip for me to the female Clan so that I could see what the Genophage has done, as he put it. May be unavailable for some time."
"Ah, no problem, you explained to Karin what to do?"
"Yes, Dr. Chakwas is quite qualified and can maintain the patients in a stable condition. However, I work for you and had to warn you that I might be unavailable for some time."
"You warned me, I heard you, and I gave the go-ahead for the trip."
"Good... because I've already boarded the transport and we're about to leave."
These words from Mordin Solus made me shake my head, after which the connection simply cut.
"EDI, please keep an eye on him there."
"Of course, John, I've already hacked the Omni-tools of several Krogan, through which I can observe the situation. And I must note that Wrex chose the most adequate Krogan from his circle to perform this task."
"Well, I didn't doubt Wrex."
A slight smirk appeared on my lips.
"That lizard, though he can lose his temper sometimes, is generally quite calculating. Moreover, I have no doubt that under his rule, Tuchanka will begin to prosper. Give him a hundred years, and this endless desert will start to transform. And only Thresher Maws will mar this place."
"I am forced to agree."
Thoughtfulness could be heard in EDI's voice.
"Wrex is indeed quite sensible."
"Alright, since we've settled that issue, tell me—were you able to analyze Maelon Heptorn's data?"
"Of course."
A slight haughtiness was heard in the AI's voice.
"Moreover, I already know how his serum can be rid of many defects. By the way, he wasn't so wrong in choosing this path of changing the Genophage."
"Wait... not curing? Changing?"
"Exactly. He understood perfectly well that without the Genophage, the Krogan would again breed uncontrollably, and not even a hundred years would pass before their numbers would again threaten the galaxy. So he was changing it. Changing it so that a woman could lay no more than two eggs at a time. But at the same time, the eggs were one hundred percent alive."
"Very interesting..."
I tapped my fingers thoughtfully on the table.
"Mordin Solus hasn't studied the data yet?"
"After looking at it in the hospital? No. He was completely occupied with stabilizing the test subjects."
"And you..."
"I have insufficient qualification to continue the developments. I can optimize them, but not improve them and bring them to the final stage. This requires a different direction of development. I am, as you know, a military AI."
"Well, I was obliged to ask... however, you're still a good girl."
"Who would have doubted..."
***
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