Аннотация: The Spectrum communication node. Getting to know Rex.
chapter 11.3 getting to know Rex..
Visiting the Special Corps communications center left a lot of impressions and consumed a lot of nerves. Tali's conversation with the captain of her native ship was not easy: the girl stammered, jumped from event to event, until I pushed her aside and told the attentively listening Quarian a brief summary of what had happened. They listened to me and asked me to contact them later: he had no right to make such a decision on his own. I gave them two days, and that was the end of our conversation with the representative of the Migrant Fleet.
And then there was a conversation with the admiral. Hackett congratulated me on my appointment, listened to me in silence, and said a single word: "Permission granted." He took the news about the wiretapping on the ship... calmly. Externally. He advised me to be careful and... allowed the ship to be refitted at the docks of the Special Corps. The required document should arrive a little later. That's great. After leaving the communications center, we headed to C-SEC.
C-SEC greeted us with loud cursing and the rumbling voice of a krogan arguing with a human officer. The stumbling block was a powerful shotgun, a weapon that is certainly prohibited from being carried on the territory of the Citadel. The shotgun was still taken away, and the evil Krogan remained standing at the massive elevator leading somewhere into the bowels of C-SEC.
"Do you often have this here?" I asked quietly.
"Constantly." Garrus replied just as quietly. "This is Rex. It's not the first time he's been here, and it won't be the last."
The Krogan noticed our intensely entertaining group and watched intently. Did you find out? Is he really going to try to put money behind Fist's head?
"You. Human." The gruff voice made it clear that Rex had finally made up his mind and recognized me. "Do they call you Shepherd?"
I stopped, peering with interest at the scarred face.
"Do I have to answer?"
The Krogan rolled away from the elevator wall, which he had been propping up with his shoulder.
"My name is Rex. A Shady Intermediary transferred me a decent amount to get rid of the Fist. But you beat me to it."
The Krogan basically used the word "you" solely as a plural indicator. Many people forgot about this interesting fact, which caused awkward conflicts and misunderstandings.
"And?" I asked with interest.
"When I get paid for a job, I do it." Rex came almost right up to me, looming over me with his whole mass. "Alone."
Garrus tensed. Tali got nervous and took a step back. My fighters didn't even flinch, looking at the hefty stranger with interest.
"Your problem is that you were so slow." I grinned, and a flat disc of a grenade flashed between my fingers.
The Krogan noticed it.
"Your people are becoming very... nimble if properly stimulated." I tossed the grenade in the palm of my hand.
And Rex suddenly burst out laughing.
"So it really was you."
"Where?" I asked, naively blinking my eyes. The grenade, as if by magic, evaporated.
Rex chuckled and stretched his lips into a crooked grin. Apparently, my unhealthy tendencies and craving for grenades found a lively response in his soul.
"You did my job." Rex returned to the unfinished conversation. "So you should get the money, too."
"Rex, are you going to pay for a Fist?" I cocked an eyebrow at the Krogan with genuine interest. "For me?"
"I won't take money for someone else's work! I transferred them to your account."
He did it! Shaking my head, I stared at the strange face of the powerful Krogan with some confusion. I didn't believe that this mercenary really took such things so seriously....
"I liked the way you handled it." The heavy gaze shifted to Garrus. "I heard that you were sent for Saren."
"Rumors spread quickly." Garrus rasped faintly.
Rex ignored him.
"I want to go with you." Krogan pressed, staring intently into my eyes. "And that's what to do with it? Does he really think that a career military man would take a mercenary with a dubious reputation with him?"
"Rex, you're a mercenary. What's the benefit to you?"
The Krogan was silent for several long, agonizing minutes, staring intently into my eyes. And I couldn't read his emotions. Complete phlegm.
"I'm not doing this for the money." The rumbling bass only emphasized the seriousness of his intentions, literally hammering every word. "I want to be somewhere hot. A storm is coming, and you and Saren are in the middle of it."
Great job. An adrenaline junkie in a particularly neglected form with a code of honor that I don't understand. I looked at the Krogan thoughtfully:
"You do realize that there are a lot of Krogans working for Saren."
"These are not Krogan!" Rex growled, waving his hand in exasperation. "They are servants and slaves! Licking Saren's heels for the promise of power and wealth!"
Oh, so Rex is really good.
"My people were a proud race! Some of us still remember it."
"Okay. Consider yourself accepted into the team. On probation."
The Krogan nodded.
"Write a report." my words have already flown in the back. "Anyway, where are you going?"
Rex stopped, turned slowly, and stared at my contented face with genuine surprise.
"Since you have offered your services voluntarily and for free for an indefinite period, you can start working." I graciously informed him, looking maliciously into his red eyes. "Right now."
Rex chuckled. The Turian blinked in surprise, Tali giggled softly, and Darg just laughed. Sincerely and cheerfully.
"You know how to organize people, Darling."
"Why Darling?" Rex asked bluntly, looking at my fighters with interest.
"Because the last idiot who called her a soulless Bitch ended up in the infirmary with a fractured skull." Dylan explained readily.
Rex grinned at her.
"I like it. Darling... ha!"
"Rex, the probation period." I grinned at him. "Garrus, take him to Pallin, and we'll tell him about your transfer."
Pallin didn't say anything. I just read the report and silently confirmed it. He just stared at the nervous Garrus for a long time with a hard gaze. I suppose he didn't know my current status or the role Garrus had played in my investigation and subsequent appointment. And he wasn't at all surprised to see such a strange multi-species company barging into his office. For a split second, regret flashed through his emotions.
As we were leaving, a quiet sound flew at our backs:
"Good luck, Garrus. I hope you know what you're doing."
Garrus flinched, but gave no sign that he had heard anything. But I didn't focus on it. His life has just changed dramatically, and you shouldn't put too much pressure on the guy's psyche. He made a difficult choice, broke with his past life, resigned from C-SEC and went against his father's will: albeit indirectly, he began working for the Special Corps. And it only depends on me whether his choice and trust will be a mistake or not.