FicWad

Soundwave hit the floor hard as Wrex held him down by his throat and growled lowly at him, his face mere inches away. This gained the attention of the other Krogan who had stopped working and gathered around to see what their leader was doing.

"I am going to make you pay for what you did to my people." he seethed as the former con just stared at him blankly.

"I said I….. ugh!" Soundwave managed before the Krogan tightened his grip. He then pulled the spymaster off the floor and held him up in the air.

"I have no interest in what you have to say."

The Krogan leader then suddenly felt a hand grip his shoulder.

"Wrex, let Soundwave go. This isn't helping anyone." Jack tried to reason, but the Krogan's answer was to knock the Prime away.

"Stay out of this Jack." he growled as he then turned back to see the con trying to free himself from the battle master's iron grip, regaining his attention.

"Don't think you can get out of that, I have something special planned for you." he said as a sly grin appeared on his face. He then walked off with Soundwave towards a pit that was just off to the left of where his throne was. The rest of the group just looked on in shock as Jack again tried to get through to the Krogan leader.

"Wrex, I remember what you told me about the Decepticon occupation during the war, including them unleashing the genophage. But this is not the answer."

Wrex turned sharply to look at the Prime.

"Why do you care what happens to this scum?" he spat as the three of them neared the pit. At this close Jack could see that the pit was filled with varren, a vicious reptilian-like quadruped creature that the Krogan use as beasts of war. Jack looked back at his Krogan friend.

"Because he is a member of my crew." Jack replied with an almost pleading tone.

"Well you should have chosen your crew members more wisely Jack. Especially when they are considered war criminals. Now stay out of this!" the Krogan warned the Prime as he pushed him back again.

Once Wrex had carried Soundwave to the edge of pit, he then held the former con over the edge. The varren below had noticed and growled in anticipation of their next meal as they looked up. The Krogan leader looked at the spymaster in his grip, but saw that his quarry was still blank faced, and this infuriated him.

"Aren't you fearing for your life Con?" he asked, feeling his blood boil at how blank faced his enemy was. Soundwave tried to speak, but found that his voice box was constricted by the Krogan's grip, so Wrex loosened his grip ever so slightly.

"I don't fear death." he replied calmly. Wrex grinned back at him.

"Good." he said as he let go and Soundwave started to fall as Jack and the others watched in horror. But then Soundwave grabbed Wrex's hand and pulled him in too as they both landed hard on the floor of the pit. Jack and the others stood at the edge and watched as the creatures slowly surrounded their prey. Both the spymaster and Krogan recovered from the fall and stood up as Wrex now fully enraged, charged at Soundwave. Throwing a punch which the former Con caught easily. The battle master grunted as Soundwave looked around them, causing Wrex to look too. They saw that the varren were circling them both, preparing to strike as they bared their fangs, drool dripping from their mouths and on to the floor.

"I suggest we work together to survive this." Soundwave said as Wrex looked back at him, thinking about it for a second before his eyes narrowed back. The former con then got his answer as Wrex punched him, knocking the spymaster onto the ground.

"Never." he spat as one varren launched itself at the Krogan who caught it in his hands. Its powerful jaws snapping at him as he held it away from his face. Wrex then growled and threw it into another varren that had gotten too close. Wrex then readied himself for another attack, as Soundwave recovered on the floor. The spymaster turned his head to the left to see a varren charging at him, fangs bared. The former con got up quickly as he narrowly missed becoming stuck in the creature's mouth as it lunged at him. The two of them found themselves back to back as the varren that had attacked them and failed rejoined the others and circled them once again. Both Soundwave and Wrex looked over their shoulders to each other. Wrex stared daggers at the former con, while the later just looked back at him coldly, but they both knew that they couldn't finish their spat while the varren were around. Then the animals attacked all at once and the two battled against the creatures.

Jack and the others watched in shock and awe as they saw the two below them combating the creatures together. Before long there was only two varren left, Soundwave and Wrex had knocked out the others and now it was one on one. Soundwave took a defensive stance as his varren charged at him and leapt. The spymaster stepped aside and grabbed one of its legs as it flew past. He then pulled causing it swing round and then let go, making it fly head first into the wall. He then turned to see that Wrex was on the floor with the last varren on top of him, attempting to bite the Krogan. But Wrex reached out to a rock that was on the floor next to him. He grabbed it and smacked the varren in the face, knocking it out. He then got up panting heavily, when he remembered his unfinished business and spun around to find Soundwave pointing his sonic blaster at him.

"I knew you couldn't fight fair, you Decepticons are all the same. That is why we Krogan are 'superior' to you." he spat at the spymaster who just stared at him.

"I could have used this weapon at any time, but I chose not to." Soundwave responded.

Wrex looked at him confused.

"What are you trying to prove?" he asked. Soundwave then lowered his weapon and his expression took on a calm tone.

"I never came here to fight. Like I was trying to say. I require your assistance to find someone who is hiding here on Tuchunka."

"Why, why would you need my help?" Wrex replied angrily.

The blank expression on the spymaster's face softened in front of the Krogan Leader.

"Because I believe that the person I am looking for, is the one responsible for the number of Krogan who have mysteriously gone missing in the last few months."

Wrex's eyes widened as he stared in shock at what he just heard.

"How do you know about that?"

Shockwave activated his holo-tool and gestured to the Krogan to look at the screen. Wrex growled slightly and clenched his fists as he reluctantly walked over and looked down at the former con's holo-tool.

"While I have been helping Jackson Prime against the Quintesson threat to humanity, I have also been trying to track a signal…." he said before being cut of by a third voice.

"Hey, how about you two get up here and let us in on the discussion..." Jack called down. Garrus stepped beside the Prime and smiled.

"...Or you can get back to the fight you nearly had." he joked, gaining a glare from Jack.

Once the two were out of the pit, Wrex had told his men to get back to work, gaining an disgruntled response from the Krogan, who had wanted to see their leader deal with the spymaster. Now Jack, Airachnid and Garrus stood with Soundwave and Wrex as the former con showed everyone the data on his holo-tool.

"After our fight with Frenzy on Omega..." he said sadly.

"...I went through the data that I retrieved from his neural net and discovered a very specific code. One that I did not recognise, not until I compared it to the data you had collected from Virmire and Horizon."

Jack gave him a knowing look.

"The code was of Reaper origin wasn't it."

Soundwave nodded and showed them the code on his holo-tool.

"I searched through every information network in the Council and Terminus systems until I found a match. That match is here on Tuchunka."

Wrex looked at him unconvinced.

"And why do you think this has anything to do those of my people who have gone missing."

Jack looked over at his Krogan friend, concern written on his face.

"You have people missing, fuck me Wrex. Why didn't you mention this before?" Jack asked, his patience starting to thin.

"We assumed that it was one of the clans that opposed Udnot. Because of the genophage there are still Krogan dying here on our world, and not enough newborns to take their place. So this has all become just part of our lives now." Wrex replied looking down at the floor in shame. He then looked up to see that Soundwave was looking away guiltily. He was going to say something but then saw Jack glaring back at him, so decided against it. Jack then looked to the spymaster.

"So you believe that whoever had Frenzy brainwashed….." as he said that he noticed Airachnid flinch at his comment, trying to hide the discomfort it gave her.

"…is also abducting Krogan, for what purpose?"

Soundwave just shook his head in response. Jack then thought for a moment while everyone looked at him.

"The last time anyone abducted Krogan was back on Virmire." the Prime said.

"But that was Saren, and he is dead now…..right?" Garrus replied, a little unsure for a second. Jack gave him a slight grin.

"Yes, he is dead. I doubt he could survive without his head, but there was someone working with him, who is not dead."

Garrus eyes widened a little as he remembered.

"Sideways!" he exclaimed, gaining a nod from Jack while Soundwave and Airachnid looked at them surprised.

"Sideways, I thought he died during the war?" the femme asked. Soundwave shook his head in response as Jack looked over to her.

"No he didn't, we found out he was working with Saren, a rogue Spectre who was trying to assist the Reaper named Sovereign bring the rest of the Reapers into our galaxy to purge it of all organic life." the Prime replied. Soundwave then turned to Wrex.

"Will you work with me to stop Sideways or whoever it is that has been abducting your people?"

Wrex looked at him, thinking it over.

"Alright, but don't think that this one deed will exonerate you of the part you played in my people's agony for the last several hundred years."

Soundwave merely nodded in return and the two started going over the details on the spymaster's holo-tool, leaving the others somewhat surprised. Because only a few short minutes ago, Wrex was trying to kill Soundwave. But now they were working together.. though reluctantly. Jack though had a small smile growing on his face, Airachnid noticed this and looked at Jack, slightly confused.

"What are you smiling about?"

Jack looked at her.

"I just have a feeling that everything will be alright." he said confidently. She just cocked her head and smiled back.

"Well aren't you optimistic, its kind of cute." she replied with a smile. Jack looked back at her and blushed slightly.

"Thanks." he replied as the two of them and Garrus joined Soundwave and Wrex.

PRIME EFFECT 2

Four the last couple of hours, the group had used shuttle one to investigate a number of the locations where Krogan had gone missing, Soundwave had examined each area for clues before setting off towards the next site. After the fourth landing, he finally believed he had enough data to triangulate the location from where all these abductions originated from and they were heading there now.

"we are approaching the destination Prime." the pilot called back as the Jack and the others sat in silence.

"Set us down just outside the area, we don't want…" the Prime was cut off by Soundwave who showed him a scan of the area on his holo-tool that showed no patrols.

"How did you get that?" Wrex asked suspiciously. Soundwave looked over to him, his expression unreadable.

"I merely linked my holo-tool to one of the Krogan satellites in orbit and ran a scan of the area..." he said stoically.

"...I was the Decepticon's head of intelligence."

Wrex looked away unimpressed. Jack turned to the Krogan.

"By the way Wrex, I had some trouble getting through the front door to see you earlier, one Krogan tried to stop me and I had to break his arm." the Prime said in a matter of fact like tone, gaining a chuckle from Airachnid who remembered it fondly.

"That must have been Grunt, the kid means well and is a Krogan to the core. But he is still very much a whelp." Wrex chuckled. Jack looked back at the pilot.

"Drop us off where Soundwave says." he ordered as Soundwave got up and walked up to the pilot and gave him the coordinates.

The Shuttle landed in the middle of an area surrounded by ruins and large piles of rubble as the wind picked up, blowing the dust around and making it hard to see as the group exited the shuttle and made their way to the large building that Soundwave's evidence had pointed to. Jack took point and equipped his mattock rifle as the others readied their own weapons, before entering the building. It looked abandoned as the first few rooms they searched were completely empty but then they turned a corner, they found the first sign that something was up. A large metal door blocked their path and looked far to new and advanced to have been there originally. Soundwave looked at Jack who nodded back and the spymaster used his holo-tool to hack the door. It then opened up slowly and everyone froze in place as they looked on at the horror that the door was hiding. What they saw was scores of berths with Krogan corpses lying upon them. The group entered the room as Wrex ran up to one of the beds, only to find that the body there was already dead. It had its torso opened up and all its organs removed.

Soundwave scanned the room with his holo-tool. As the others looked at the bodies, each one was missing something. Either a head, or its limbs or organs, it was a horrific sight. The floor was covered in large blood stains that stunk up the place. Jack looked over to Wrex who's eyes were narrowing as his anger was building up.

"Everyone of these Krogan are dead." the spymaster said in a sympathetic tone. Jack noticed that Soundwave's face looked disturbed and in pain at what he saw.

'Does he regret what the Decepticons did to the Krogan?' Jack thought to himself as Wrex had noticed this too and due to his building rage, decided to get in the former con's face about it.

"it's a little late to be feeling guilty now Con." he spat, gaining a glare from Soundwave who for the first time since Jack had seen him, looked angry.

"I am not a Decepticon anymore, if you hadn't noticed the war has been over for a long time now. We lost."

Wrex chuckled at the comment.

"Yeah I know, we all cheered and laughed at your expense..." he retorted as Soundwave clenched his hands into fists.

"...But your not going to make me believe that you suddenly feel something for all pain you caused us." Wrex finished.

"I was a loyal soldier to Megatron, and did everything that he ordered. But not once did I ever have to witness the results up close."

Wrex growled at the comment.

"So you think that, because you have now seen exactly what your war did to my planet that you have the right to feel sorry." he spat back.

"No, nothing I say or do will make up for the centuries of pain we caused you. All I can do now is try to help people in any way I can." Soundwave replied, his voice full of emotion. Jack stood between the two and looked at them both stoically.

"Why don't we save this until after we have completed this mission." he then looked at Wrex.

"Save your anger for the one responsible for all of this." the Prime said as he gestured to the bodies around them, causing Wrex to nod back quietly. The Prime then turned to Soundwave.

"Which way?" he said calmly. The former con pointed to the door at the far end of the room and the team walked up to it and opened the door to see two beings talking to each other in the room. Both Wrex and Jack's eyes widened as they recognised them. One was Uvenk, the Krogan clan leader Jack saw with Wrex earlier. The other was the former Con that Arcee had killed but his body had disappeared moments later on Ilos, Sideways. The two were talking as the group entered the room. They took cover instantly before the two figures had a chance to spot them. Wrex growled lowly at the sight of one of his own affiliating with a piece of filth like Sideways.

"I'm gonna kill that traitorous pyjak." he whispered as Jack grabbed his shoulder, making the Krogan look at him.

"Wrex, you can put him through as much pain as you want, but first we need to find out why they are here." He whispered back stoically.

Wrex nodded as a slight smile appeared on his face.

"Okay Jack, but he is mine and mine alone." he replied as he looked at the others who all nodded in agreement, they all he looked at the two talking in front of them.

"So you have enough of my people now to complete your work and make us strong again?" Uvenk asked while looking at one of the blue holo-screens. Sideways turned to him, a dark smile on his face.

"Oh yes, thanks to your fine work. I have enough members of your race here to ensure that my work is a success and rest assured, it will make your race strong again."

Uvenk nodded as he his attention shifted towards the large metal door that took up the centre of the back wall.

"So what do you have behind this wall that requires a reinforced cybertitanium door?" He asked, as his curiosity got the better of him. Sideways expression turned serious as he stepped between the Krogan and the door.

"It's just a little side project of mine that in no way involves you."

Uvenk felt a tinge of hurt at the comment. If it hadn't been for his help in setting up the facility and gaining the test subjects for Sideways, then all that he was about to gain would not have happened. So he was going to remind his partner of this.

"Sideways, do I have to remind you that..." he was suddenly cut off by the feel of vibrations directly behind his head. So he turned to see a human-like man in purple armour standing behind him, vibrations emanating from his open hand. Sideways smile reappeared as he relaxed his posture.

"You must forgive Rumble, he doesn't like it when my business partners attempt to talk back at me."

Uvenk shook his head as he looked between the two of them.

"No that's not what I was doing, I was merely.."

Sideways slammed his fist down on the piece of machinery next to him, leaving a deep impression in the spot he hit, making the Krogan wince. He then looked at Uvenk, his eyes looking very stoic. But the Krogan could see a rage building below the surface.

"Uvenk, I grow tired of your constant prattle, you should remember that I can get the help of any of your people should I wish it."

He then pointed at the screen to his left. Uvenk looked at it nervously as he felt he presence of Rumble behind him. On the screen was a formula and images of two DNA strands. One said genophage infected the other said clean. His eyes widened in awe of what he saw.

"You have the cure!" he exclaimed. Sideways smiled darkly.

"I told you I would deliver, and not only will it cure the disease that has inflicted so much pain and death upon your people, but it will also make you stronger.

From their position behind cover, Jack, Garrus and Wrex all gave each other knowing looks as it dawned on them what the cure was.

'The Reaper infected cure from the Virmire facility.' Jack thought to himself as the looked back out to the two figures talking.

"Now the cure can be yours so that you can make your clan strong and dominate the others with ease, ensuring that you lead your people and not clan Urdnot. But if you try at all to break our arrangement, then I am sure that one of the other clans will be just as willing to work with me."

Uvenk shook his head as he realised what he could lose.

"Okay, you have made your point. I will obey."

Sideways though just looked at him uninterested as he walked past him and stopped, looking out at the machinery on the other side of the room.

"Unfortunately, I think we will have to terminate you for having been followed here." the Con said as he pointed in Jack's direction, turning to face them.

"You might as well show yourselves." he said out loud, a confident smile on his face. Then Jack and the others stood up, weapons trained on the three of them. Sideways smile disappeared at the sight of the Prime.

"Well….what a pleasant surprise Prime, your looking good for a dead man."

Jack tightened his grip on the trigger as he stared at the former con.

"Wish I could say the same Sideways. How are you even standing here?"

Sideways smile returned as he pointed to his chest.

"Oh you mean after that femme bitch of your's shot me in the spark chamber. Well lets just say that I have friends in high places." he answered cryptically.

"You mean the Reapers." Jack concluded, trying to keep a lid on the anger he felt for what Sideways had just called Arcee, this made his enemy's smile grow larger as he remained silent. He then looked at Uvenk.

"You want to redeem yourself, then kill the intruders."

The Krogan looked at Wrex as the other growled lowly and his eyes narrowed at the traitor. Sideways then turned to Rumble.

"Attack and be sure to make a mess." he said, gaining a nod from the mini con who then raised his hands at Jack's group, his hands started to shake as he fired vibration waves in their direction, making them dive out of the way as the ground and machines around them shook and exploded. Sideways started to walk away as Uvenk equipped his shotgun and charged at Wrex who was recovering. But as the former con headed for the exit, Jack jumped at him with the star-saber, bringing it down on Sideways who pulled out his katana to block the attack. Their blades clashed causing a bright purple light to emit from the katana. Jack's eyes widened before Sideways pushed him back, gaining some distance between the two. He then raised the sword, it was glowing a very distinctive purple.

"Recognise this?" he said with a dark grin.

"Megatron's Dark Star-saber!" Jack exclaimed in disbelief. Sideways took a casual pose in front of the Prime, like he didn't take Jack seriously as a threat.

"I prefer Dark Saber, a shorter and much more threatening name. Don't you think?" he replied as Jack took a stance and raised the Star-saber, Sideways copying him as the two stood there before charging at each other and clashing their blades together once more. Meanwhile Garrus, Airachnid and Soundwave were firing at Rumble, the spymaster more reluctant than the others as the mini con jumped between the group and punched his fist to the ground, producing a small earthquake around them. The three of them lost their footing and fell to the ground as Rumble rose back up.

"Get ready to die, thanks to Rumble." He said victoriously as he raised his hand at Airachnid and prepared to fire vibration waves directly at her, but then Soundwave recovered and tackled the mini con to the ground and pinned him there. Meanwhile both Krogan were beating the crap out of each other as Wrex got the upper hand by landing another blow on Uvenk.

"Why, Why the hell did you side with that Decepticon scum?" he screamed as he punched the traitor in the chest, making him fall to his knees as blood was seeping from cuts on his face.

"After what he did to our people on Virmire, how could you?" he shouted as he hit Uvenk again, knocking him to the floor. The traitor tried to recover, but was knocked down by the Urdnot leader stamping his foot onto Uvenk's back and forcing him down to the floor. Wrex then equipped his shotgun and aimed it at the traitor's head.

"Answer me!" he shouted. Uvenk coughed up some blood before looking up at the victor.

"Because Con or not, He promised me that I would lead our people to our true destiny."

Wrex felt his rage almost burst out as he applied more pressure to Uvenk's back.

"No, you would just lead them into the hands of the Reapers, and for that you must die."

Wrex then pulled the trigger, exploding the traitor's head. It's insides splattering across the ground. He then looked up to Jack and Sideways in the middle of a sword fight and the others with Rumble. Jack noticed Wrex while clashing blades with his adversary.

"Wrex, help the others. I've got this." he called back, gaining a nod from the Krogan who charged down to the other fight. Sideways smirked as the two fought.

"You really should have called for his help Prime." he said as Jack pushed him back before swinging the star-saber at his Dark saber again.

"I think that I can handle you by myself." the Prime replied, only making Sideways chuckle in response.

"I don't think so." he answered as he jumped and spin kicked the Prime in the face, knocking him to the ground. As Jack recovered Sideways sheathed his blade and gloated.

"Until next time Jack." he spat as he turned and ran down the corridor towards the exit. Jack picked himself up and looked over to the others while Soundwave had Rumble pinned. Airachnid looked up at Jack.

"Go get him, we've got this Jack."

The Prime nodded and bolted after Sideways, as Soundwave tried to interface with Rumble's mind using the tentacles that grew out of his fingers.

"Oh no you don't." Rumble spat as he grabbed the Spymaster's arm and sent vibrations through his arm, making his former friend scream in pain. Rumble then kicked Soundwave off of him and got up before sending more vibration waves through the ground towards Garrus and Airachnid, making them dive away yet again.

Jack ran down the corridor trying to catch up with Sideways, when he turned a corner he could see daylight up ahead and what appears to be a ship. As he got closer he could see Sideways standing there with an object in his hand. The former con pressed down hard on the device, causing Jack to stop when he heard a loud beeping around him. He looked on the walls and ceiling to see charges primed to explode.

'Shit!' he thought as he doubled back just in time to evade the charges exploding and bring a couple hundred tonnes of concrete down, sealing off the tunnel. Sideways smiled as he turned and entered the ship, it taking off and flying up and out of the planet's atmosphere soon after. Jack picked himself up as he coughed out the dust that the collapsed concrete had brought up, as he then turned round and doubled back. Knowing that his friends would need his help.

Rumble had Garrus and Airachnid beaten as they lay on the floor, he raised his hand and fired vibration waves directly onto them, making them cry out as immense pain ripped through their bodies. He then caught in the corner of his eye, Wrex charging toward him. So he raised his other hand and fired at the Krogan, making him fall to his knees as the same pain ripped through his own. Rumble smiled as he started to kill them with the vibrations. Soundwave recovered to see his former mini con slowly killing his friends…yes his friends. He couldn't let this happen, so he picked up a piece of broken piping that one of Rumble's attacks had broken off and impaled him through the chest. The mini con screamed as he stopped his attacks and grabbed at the pipe that was sticking out of him, liquid flowing from the wound. He fell to the ground, only to have Soundwave catch him in his arms.

Rumble looked up at him and Soundwave saw his expression change from hate to the youthful friend that he remembered.

"Sound…wave, is….that you?" Rumble asked as Airachnid and the others recovered and stood around the two just as Jack ran back into the room.

"Yes Rumble, it's me." the Spymaster replied, his voice full of emotion.

The mini con managed a small smile in response despite the pain he was in, but then his face saddened as he remembered what he did.

"I am so sorry, I could not control myself. Sideways, he…." he said before Soundwave cut him off.

"It wasn't your fault, the most important thing now is that you are free of it."

Jack looked over to Airachnid who he could se was being effected by the conversation, obviously bringing back painful memories. So he walked over to her and put his arm around her, gaining a sad smile from her as a silent thank you, before they both looked back at the spymaster and his friend.

"Soundwave, you have to enter the room" he said pointing toward the large door at the back. The spymaster looked at the door and then back, confused.

"Why?"

Rumble coughed up some fluid as he fought through the pain he felt in his chest.

"Because Sideways has created something, something that can turn Cybertronians against each other."

Soundwave shook his head in response.

"No, I have to get you to our medical bay and repair you. Because with Laserbeak and Frenzy now one with the Allspark. You and Ravage are the only family I have left." he replied as he felt his eyes well up. Rumble though stared back at him stoically.

"No, there is no time, I am already as good as dead. But if that thing gets out, it will spell the end for all Cybertronians."

Soundwave looked down at Rumble and saw his strong conviction and had no answer to it. So he reluctantly nodded in agreement. Rumble smiled in response.

"Don't worry boss bot, we will….meet again when….you…..rejoin the All….spark."

Rumble's eyes then glazed over and his body went limp in Soundwave's arms, making the spymaster weep for his fallen friend. Jack walked over to the former con and placed his hand on his shoulder in support.

"I am very sorry Soundwave, but we should respect his wishes and take care of what ever experiment that Sideways has left in there." he said in a sympathetic yet stoic manner. Soundwave placed Rumble's body onto the ground gently, before standing up and wiping the tears off his face. He then looked back at Jack, his face back to it's emotionless state and nodded.

PRIME EFFECT 2

The team then walked over to the large metal door, readying their weapons as Soundwave hacked the door controls with his holo-tool. The door then slowly opened revealing an larger room, but in its center was a large tank filled with a strange liquid. As the team moved closer, they could see a large figure inside the tank.

Wrex and Garrus took a close look at the figure and noticed some horrifying similarities.

"Ugh, is it me, or does that thing have a Turian head." Garrus said, while Wrex looked at the body.

"It looks like it has been made up from the body parts of my people."

Jack took a scan of it with his holo-tool.

"It's definitely made up of multiple krogan. And it has a Turain head, but the insides of this abomination are all synthetic, not unlike the husks."

Garrus had to look away from the figure, and saw something just as horrifying.

"I found the body that the head belonged to." he said while pointing over to the body sprawled out on the floor, it's head missing.

"Well we have to destroy this thing either way." Jack said, trying to keep everyone's attention on their mission. Airachnid got closer to the tank, looking for a weak spot.

"Maybe we can set charges and blow this thing up. I still don't see how this thing will spell doom for our race." she questioned. But suddenly the creature's eyes lit up and it looked up at the people outside of the tank. Everyone tensed up and aimed their weapons at it, as it started to move around the tank. It's eyes then fell onto Soundwave and Airachnid and suddenly the two former cons could hear a ringing in their minds, as it got louder and more painful. Jack and the others looked on in shock as both the femme and the spymaster held their heads in their hands as they both screamed in pain. Jack got up close to Airachnid to try and help her but suddenly she stopped, as did Soundwave. She looked at Jack before an expression appeared on her face, a look Jack remembered from years back as an evil smile grew on her face.

"Airachnid, its me Jack. You remember me right?" he asked in a gentle tone. But her answer was to hit the Prime squarely in the face as Soundwave attacked Garrus and Wrex, knocking them both down. Jack tried to recover but Airachnid jpounces on him and tries to stab her escrima stick into his face as he grabs the end of it and holds it off.

"Guys could use a hand here." he shouts while struggling to keep the femme from killing him. Wrex recovers immediately and tackles the femme off of the Prime while Soundwave picks on Garrus. Jack gets up just in time to see the creature break out of the tank and charge at him. The Prime rolls out of his way and equips the star-saber, slicing a chunk of flesh off of the creature as it runs past. He then looks back to his friends.

"Keep those two busy while I take care of this. And don't kill them, they are under a temporary indoctrination I think." he says before jumping out of the way of the creature's following attack.

Garrus though is having no luck as Soundwave beats the hell out of him. He looks over to Wrex who seems to be having an easier time with Airachnid.

"Hey, I thought you and he had thing going. How about we trade dance partners?"

Wrex grabbed Airachnid by the face and threw her to the ground before chuckling at the sight of Garrus getting hit repeatedly.

"Ok, you little pyjak, lets swap." he replied before charging into the spymaster, giving the Turian a breather for a second as Airachnid looked at him with an evil glee.

"Oh great!" he said out loud.

Jack meanwhile was taking swipes at the brute with his blade, but then it hit him with a back hander, knocking him across the ground. He picked himself up and spat out a little blood that was building up in his mouth from the hit.

'Right then, time to end you!' he thought as the brute prepared to charge at him. Jack held the star-saber over his head and concentrated on it, making the blade glow brighter and brighter. The Brute then charged at him as Jack swung the blade down, unleashing a energy wave that ripped through the ground as it closed in on the charging creature. Then in the blink of an eye the wave passed right through it, making the beast stop in its tracks. Jack collapsed to his knees from the exhaustion that using the saber that caused, but he looked up to see the brute look at him confused right before a line appeared on its face and then spread up and down its body. Finally the beast then split in two pieces that fell away from each other as it's insides plopped on the floor in the middle. Jack then looked over to see both Airachnid and Soundwave stop fighting the others as the two looked around each other confused for a moment. Then the femme's purple eyes saw Jack and he instantly saw a change in her expression as tears started to fall from her eyes as she remembered what she nearly did. Jack went over to her and put his arms around her, embracing the femme as she cried into his neck.

"I am so sorry Jack, I had no control. I could only watch." she cried as Jack tried to calm her down.

"It was not your fault, We couldn't have known what would happen when that beast woke up." he replied as she lifted her head up and looked him in the eyes, the others watching the two of them curiously.

"But I nearly…" she sobbed as the tears continued to flow.

"…I couldn't go through that again, losing someone I care about because I was…" she stopped as she realised what she had just said and looked at Jack, who tried to hide the surprise he felt from hearing her admission with a look of understanding and failing a little. She stepped back from him embarrassed but he then placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Neither you nor Soundwave should feel guilty about what happened. This was not your doing, it was Sideways. Always remember that." he said to both of them before looking back to the femme in front of him. Airachnid noticed out of the corner of her eye that while Jack was holding her shoulder, he was also subtly stroking it with his thumb in a sign of affection. This action warmed her spark as she let a smile grace her lips.

"Your right Jack." she replied as she calmed down. Jack then turned away from her and walked up to the brute's corpse.

"Rumble was right about this abomination, this brute. If we hadn't stopped it, who knows how many Cybertronians it could have indoctrinated. But it's dead, another one of Sideways schemes for the Reapers stopped. And we didn't lose a single team member doing it." he said as he remembered Miko, Kaidan and Wheeljack. Garrus stood beside Jack, he had a feeling he knew what the Prime was thinking.

"I know they would be proud Jack." he said gently, gaining a smile from the Human.

"I know." the Prime replied, he then sighed as he turned to the team.

"Well, lets download whatever information we can salvage from the computers here before we go."

The others nodded as Soundwave walked up to the Brute's corpse and started probing its split in half brain with his finger tentacles, gaining a shocked look from Garrus,

"Soundwave, why? I am standing right here." he asked with embarrassment and disgust in his voice.

Once they were done, the group were standing outside the building with the shuttle landing behind them as they said their goodbyes to Wrex. Airachnid boarded first as Soundwave and Wrex looked at each other for a moment, a look of reluctant understanding from the Krogan as he nodded. The spymaster nodded in kind and entered the shuttle leaving just Jack and Garrus. The Turian then shook the Krogan leader's hand.

"It was good to see you again Wrex, nice to know sitting on your throne hasn't dulled you reflexes and senses."

Wrex gave him a knowing grin.

"Careful Garrus, or do you want to be reminded how you got your ass handed back to you by a femme."

Garrus's face went pale for a sec before he chuckled, slightly embarrassed.

"Funny Wrex, until next time."

Garrus then entered the shuttle. The Krogan then looked at Jack.

"Well I don't know where you found her, but that Airachnid sure is a good fighter. Though I have to say, I was hoping to see Arcee with you."

Jack looked down to the ground at the mention of her name, as he sighed not wanting his friend to see the pain he felt.

"Yeah, well she feels that she cant trust me anymore." he answered honestly. Wrex saw this and patted Jack on the arm.

"Hey, she'll come round." he said trying to cheer the Prime up. Jack though knew how stubborn Arcee could be and knew the chances were remote to say the least.

"And if not, send her to me and I'll straighten her out." the Krogan said with a grin. Jack though looked back at him surprised.

"Really, do you handle your own females like that?"

Wrex suddenly looked a little nervous as he looked around them before looking back at Jack,

"Well don't tell anyone this but it is the other way round."

Jack chuckled at the comment and the picture that had just formed in his mind. He then looked back at the shuttle.

"You sure we can't give you a lift back to your base?" he asked.

"Thanks but I already called for help. It should be here soon, we have a lot of bodies in there to bury."

Jack looked at him, guilt forming in his mind.

"I am sorry we couldn't save any of them Wrex." he replied sheepishly.

"Don't go blaming yourself Jack, especially after the speech you gave the others only thirty minutes ago. Blame Sideways, I do."

Jack nodded in return.

"I will, thanks Wrex." he then looked at the landscape before looking back at the Krogan,

"You know, you could always join us on the Defiant."

Wrex smiled as he thought about it.

"Its tempting Jack, it was a lot of fun fighting beside you again. It made me think about the old days. But I have responsibilities now, I can't walk away from them you understand." he replied.

"Yes I know what you mean. Well I should be going, see you round Wrex." Jack said as they both shook hands before Jack entered the shuttle.

"You too Jack." Wrex replied as Jack smiled back at him before the hatch closed and the shuttle took off into the cloud covered sky above.

PRIME EFFECT 2

At the far end of the system, Sideways ship was heading toward the local space bridge. The former con was sitting in the cockpit, the only light in there was emanating from the red holo-screens and controls. He then shivered as he felt another presence in the room with him, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on edge.

"Yes, it was successful…..it took complete control of them." he stated out loud, though there was no one physically in the room with him. He expression faulted a second later.

"No, I lost the Prototype, that damned Prime interfered…." he was cut off by his face been flipped to the right as if he had been hit hard, and then again from the opposite side. He grimaced in pain as he shivered in his chair.

"Please…..I will make it right…I swear." he grovelled as he was hit again, knocking his head up. Then as he recovered he looked straight ahead like he was listening to some one, he then sighed heavily.

"Thank you….I will see that it is done…..master." he replied. Then his shivering stopped as he felt the presence fade away and he was once again alone in the cockpit, he then took control of the ship and piloted it into the swirling vortex of the space bridge.