The scent of cement and corroded metal was distinct only to Tuchanka, a symbol of a planet that had regressed substantially since its days of former glory. Distinct architecture, cultural hubs, verdant landscapes, they all blended together in a cloudy brown mass, reduced to little more than rubble and debris, constant reminders of the achievements of the ancestors of the current inhabitants of the wasteland that was Tuchanka.
The Genophage had all but wiped out the the progress of the krogans, decimating entire industries and bureaucratic systems overnight. Salarian geneticists and turian agents had worked in lockstep to bring the expansion of the krogans to a painful end, doing so without even needing to raise arms against the reptilian species. It was a brutal end to a once revered species' rapid development, a fate that could have been shared by humanity had the Council not stepped in to curb the plot of the Turian Hierarchy. It was a plot that still caused discomfort between humanity and the turians, an awareness of how easily allies could become terrible adversaries.
Miranda wandered around the audience chamber of Clan Urdnot, constructed beneath the ruins of a once towering structure. It would have been easy for her to turn her nose up at the krogans, seeing them as pitiful creatures for how far they had spiralled into a primitive space faring culture. But her tryst with Grunt had softened her view on the volatile species, enough to make her view them from a perspective Cerberus tended to discourage.
Krogans were versatile, preservering in spite of the near total destruction of anything resembling a functioning government. Many viewed them with a certain repulsion for their prevalence amongst the mercenary organisations plaguing the Terminus Systems, but Miranda had to at least concede that they were left with little other choice. Employment opportunities for the species were incredibly limited, unofficially banned from administration and governmental roles beyond Tuchanka. Even the statue commemorating their vital part in the Rachni Wars wasn't enough to secure them employment that didn't reduce them to the value of their bodies, forcing them to seek out work as bouncers or hired muscle.
Even a woman as suspicious of the other races as Miranda couldn't help but admire them in a certain way, especially those who had chosen to remain on their ravaged home world. Tuchanka's inhabitants remained fragmented, divided by clan conflicts and civil wars that still persisted centuries after they first started. But the possibility of change, with the likes of Urdnot Wrex hoping to lead what remained of the krogans back towards something resembling the might they once possessed, though Cerberus intel suggested that a number of potential rivals would stymie such attempts in a fight over leadership.
Miranda watched from afar as Shepard engaged in a friendly conversation with her former squad mate, Urdnot Wrex. Shepard quickly introduced Grunt, though Miranda didn't need to be within earshot to know what the details of the exchange included. Resting a hip against a railing overhanging an ancient highway, she spotted Grunt looking away in disinterest, frustrated by politics taking precedent over his need to express his bloodlust. He fingered his shotgun in disinterest, turning fully until he could spy Miranda in the distance, letting a devious grin stretch across his lips.
Not wanting to give the beast that had violated her privacy so brazenly the satisfaction, Miranda averted her eyes. She tried to appear as interested as one could be in watching the auto turrets fire off into the distance of the caved in tunnel, keeping the varren at bay whenever they decided to crawl through the cracks of the cement and rebar. Her encounter with Grunt had only been a one time event, she prevented a repeat by sealing off the door to her office with a biometric lock, which also came with the added benefit of keeping Jack out whenever Miranda was away on a mission.
Miranda tried to convince herself that it had been an unwanted desecration of her perfect body, with Grunt capitalising on her brief moment of weakness. But there could be no denial of the pleasure the krogan had brought her, filling her out in a manner no human could physically achieve. Their encounter lasted well beyond a steamy affair in Miranda's concealed shower, continuing well into the night shift aboard the Normandy, only coming to a stop when she shoved the lustful Grunt just before they exited the mass relay network.
She had made an admirable attempt at trying to forget what she had considered a one night stand, burying herself in paperwork and the official documentation that ensured that operations on board the Normandy remained smooth and efficient. Yet, her distractions weren't enough to occasionally let her mind wander back to that event, unable to stop herself from becoming flustered when she replayed each and every act in her mind, reaching a point when she just had to tear her bodysuit open and plunge her fingers into her needy pussy.
It didn't take too long before her desires became stronger, unsatisfied by her frantic fingering to mere memories. Instead, she turned to the Extranet for relief. Over the weeks or following her illicit encounter with Grunt, Miranda devoured a number of terabytes worth of pornography, all featuring beautiful human women in the throes of sex with wild krogan partners, incapable of suffering through the experience without succumbing to unconsciousness. Watching such content never failed to bring her to a crashing climax, left shaking in her office chair, with her legs resting on the desk.
Shame consistently followed every orgasm, no matter how pleasurable they were. Miranda considered it a sign of weakness, a deep betrayal to her desire to be valued for more than her body. Her father had decided to play God when he made her, forming Miranda in his own image, a fact that always haunted her. Cerberus had offered her the chance to make a difference, leading the pro-human cause as the galaxy marched to war with the Reapers. She had strived to ascend the ranks through sheer will and undeniable competence, attributes that made her a source of both jealousy and outright hatred amongst certain colleagues.
Yet, Grunt didn't care about such things. Her achievements, her professionalism, and her vast intelligence, none of it seemed to register to the hormonal krogan when he picked her of all people to violate. Unlike her peers and comrades, Grunt only had eyes for her enticing body, acting upon his natural urges in his pursuit of her, seeing her as the only woman in close proximity who was physically capable of being taken by a fully grown krogan.
What had taken place should have left Miranda disgusted, driven to expel the wayward krogan out of the airlock for his actions. However, such feelings were wholly dwarfed by the dangerous thrill the experience had caused, a level of excitement she couldn't quite get out of her system regardless of how hard she tried. It was a spontaneous act of raw sensuality, brought about by an alien she was meant to view as lesser, only to find herself eventually wilfully offering herself to him as that particular night played out. He made her feel so small, so easy to manipulate for his own needs, and Miranda relished every second of it.
Turning her head back towards Wrex's 'throne', she watched the squad making their departure, walking over to one of the ready and waiting Tomkahs, likely headed off for one of the countless suicidal rites of passage their ancestors had devised. Grunt flashed another grin before clambering into the passenger compartment of the transport vehicle, with Shepard and Garrus following behind. Miranda watched the vehicle depart, leaving her to keep an eye over the proceedings of the clans, just to ensure that there were no attempts to launch a coup against clan Urdnot whilst Shepard was away.
Unsurprisingly, Miranda had little tolerance for the petty rivalries and belligerent politics that the krogans were known for, taking a deep dislike for the lack of finesse or subterfuge she was used to. Unwilling to simply stand around and play the part of a bouncer, Miranda moved away from the railing and went off to explore the local environment, hoping to find anything that might just catch her interest.
Collective bellows and cheers drew her attention towards the varren fighting pit, watching in disgust as the gamblers surrounded it exclaimed in mixed glee and dismay as one of the competitors were ripped to shreds. She headed away from the audience chamber, traversing deeper through the ruins, eventually arriving at the cramped space that acted as the main repair station for the Tomkahs, along with the other ramshackle vehicles undergoing extensive repairs. Without any sort of industry, the krogans relied significantly on maintaining vehicles that were centuries old, as well as importing ones from off world.
Miranda was forced to watch where she planted her feet, having to navigate the cords and loose wires criss crossing the cracked cement floor, made all the more difficult by the heels of her boots. Large cages acted as hangars for each of the repair stations, protecting the vehicles below from any falling debris, shielding the crews working on them as well. The closer she got, the more pungent the scent of plasma welders and fossil fuels became, along with the musty smell of dust and cement dust.
