ME2 Mordin

Shepard entered the lab for what would be her final stop for her rounds. The room was clean and neat, as she expected a lab to be. There was a research terminal that Shepard often used to purchase upgrades for the Normandy, armor, or weapons. She'd scanned planets all over just to find the resources for the improved shields, armor, and cannons that she hoped would save her crew's lives when they went through the relay.

Shepard's attention was turned to the Salarian scientist. He was busily typing away on a terminal, probably analyzing some Collector data they'd gotten or inventing something new. Shepard moved over toward him and he stopped turning his attention toward him. "Commander. Hope information I sent you was helpful."

Shepard fought not to blush as she remembered the information. Mordin, after finding out she'd been interested in relations with Garrus, had sent her information about human/Turian mating and positions that would be comfortable. "Well, we'll see how useful they are when the time comes."

"Very well. Need something. If not, should get back to research. Fight against Collectors will be hard. Must be prepared, have ever edge." The Salarian spoke quickly and in curt words. Shepard had talked to other Salarians who spoke nothing like Mordin. She wondered if it was because he was thinking so fast that his speech was struggling to keep pace, or because he was older than most Salarians even lived for. His age showed on him, scars on his cheeks that Shepard had never asked about. While most Salarians had two of the hone like flesh on the top of their heads, Mordin had only one. The other was a stub, maybe cut away by some lab accident or something. It was something else that she'd never asked him about.

Shepard was about to tell him there was nothing in general, until she remembered her earlier conversation. "Actually, there is something I need to talk to you about." The Salarian watched her in those short head movements he did when examining a situation, great black eyes vanishing behind eyelids for fractions of a second as he blinked. "It's about Grunt."

"Ah, the prefect Krogan. Excellent genetics. Don't understand Okeer's plan, but wonderful creation. Strong, purely Krogan." Mordin paused for a moment and his voice became a bit sad. "Still effected by genophage."

"Yeah, that's our Krogan." Shepard pulled him back to paying attention to her. He seemed to snap out of it and turned his attention again to listening. "Grunt thinks you're giving him odd looks. He believes you are afraid of him, but he doesn't want you to be because you're a part of the team, kin." Shepard hoped she was explaining it well enough. "Why do you keep looking at him."

Mordin's gaze fell away from Shepard. "You know my work. Altered Genophage." Mordin started to pace a bit, shaking his head. "It was necessary." He stopped and looked to Shepard. "Having second thoughts."

"Wait, you said that the Genophage was for the good of the Krogan. It kept them from over population. You seemed pretty sure of what you'd done when we were on Tuchanka." Shepard didn't get it, or maybe she did. Salarians had short lives, shorter than humans. They might change their minds faster as well.

"Seen the pain of Genophage. Seen mothers with stillborn children. Pulls at heart. Partially my fault. See Grunt. See no escape for Krogan from Genophage. See him, think of pain cause by work. Not afraid, just regretful." Mordin looked away again, looking toward some equipment, though Shepard was fairly sure he wasn't really looking at anything. He was thinking of the dead Krogan, the time he spent seeing the effect of the genophage to be sure he really believed in what he'd done.

"So you're saying you're not afraid of Grunt, you just think about all the dead Krogan from the Genophage?" Shepard supposed that made sense. "You know Grunt doesn't even care much about the Genophage."

Mordin shook his head. "Irrelevant. Now who he is, but species. See Krogan, feel guilty. Saw Tuchanka, feel guilt. Krogan lose purpose. Genophage fault. Salarians lift Krogan up to beat Rachni, then knock them down with Genophage. Salarian fault." Mordin fiddled with his hand a bit. "Assistant trying to cure Genophage. Methods wrong, but goal might be best." Modin shook his head. "No, must focus on Collectors. Must have weapons and armor ready."

"Mordin." Shepard moved around the table a bit and stood beside him. "It's all right to feel guilty. I know what it's like to have your choices end up killing people. Sometimes, even when we make what was the right choice at the time, in the end we wonder if we did the right thing. Sometimes we think we've dealt with all of that, with our guilt, but really it just snuck back into the shadows, ready for something to remind us that we felt guilty at some point and allow it to come back and attack us."

Mordin looked down toward the tabletop. "You are right. Past guilt still around. Thought dealt with. Guess not. Will talk to Krogan. Explain not afraid." Mordin turned his gaze back to Shepard. "What choic you make?"

Shepard leaned back against the table and looked out the small window of the lab. "On Virmire I had to make a choice between two of my soldier. I chose to save Kaidan and Ashley died because of it. I cost several researchers their lives because I wouldn't let a Batarian terrorist go. I've gone to war with soldiers who have trusted me, only to fall in combat. The first time I fought the Geth I right away had one of my soldier killed."

"Never would have guessed. Hold self with confidence. Wouldn't think doubt in any choices." Mordin smiled a bit. "Now jealous of skill to hide guilt."

"Well, only in public. You can't hide it all the time or it will kill you. You have to have someone you can confide that sort of thing in." Shepard knew that she didn't like to hold onto all that pain completely on her own. If she did, it would eat her apart, like it slowly was.

"Turian?" Shepard nodded at the question, knowing that he was asking if Garrus was the person she confided in. "Then you are mine." Shepard looked at him a bit confused. "Person to confide in. Tell you of guilt, helps feel better." A smile tugged at Mordin's lips. "Happy to have trustworthy friend."

"Any time you need to talk to me, Mordin, just ask. I always make time for my crew." Shepard smiled back at him, glad to know that he was happy. That was her main goal. She wanted to be sure all of her crew was happy, that they all felt like she cared, because she did. A team that was happy was also more loyal, and more trustworthy.

"Well, should talk to Krogan." Mordin nodded, as though agreeing with his own thoughts. He moved over to the exit of the lab. Shepard watched him go. Once the door had shut she moved away from the table, heading out the same door. She caught sight of the elevator shutting and was glad to see that Mordin would take care of things. Shepard moved over to the galaxy map, moving up the set of stairs and to the platform. Now, where would they go next?