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Mass effect Connections	By : ilego Category: +M through R > Mass Effect Views: 9055 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Mass Effect and I make no money from this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Lost
- 1
Searing agony ripped through his body. It took all his efforts not to scream at the excruciating pain All he could see was... well nothing. Not at first. Blood was pooling into his eyes. His whole face was bleeding into the flickering control panel of the Hammerhead.
What in the hell happened?
Wiping the blood from his eye sockets; Commander John Shepard. First human Spectre, active duty Cerberus asset and part time corpse pulled his head back tenderly and did a mental check to make sure everything was in working order. He first wiggled his toes and instantly felt a thousand times better, despite having his face mashed in by the crash. Not only were his legs undamaged but so was his spine. Good, that meant his cybernetic implants did make all the difference.
He groaned as he rested his head back into the seat, now barely attached to the tank Wiping the blood flowing from his nose, he noticed the damage report and the communication set both of them looking like they were to crash at any moment. The Hammerhead was shot to shit. They must have overshot the landing and hit the jungles when...When the Collectors arrived.
Shit...
John's hand hit the Hammerhead commlink channel. He needed to get a status report.
"Joker, this is Shepard, do you read? I needed a sitrep five minutes ago. What in the hell happened?" He demanded, his voice hoarse and sounding much older than he remembered.
The message sent back was not good. Joker sounded panicked.
"Collect-.. evasive... Retreat... Stay still..."
The line went dead. Leaving the Spectre in an almost silent cockpit. Silence only broken by the hissing of the drivecore dying and the radio failing.
"Joker? JOKER, COME IN!" He roared again as though shouting would make the communication link strengthen.
The commlink broke in a final gasp of sparks and hisses. Leaving the disoriented Commander all alone in the shattered cockpit with no clue what in the hell had happened. What he knew was that he was not alone on this mission. He had brought a team with him. No... not just a team.
Just Tali and him...
Newly renamed Tali'Zorah vas Normandy had approached him about this operation. She had gotten a request from the Migrant Fleet to seek out a lost quarian ship, a lieutenant and her crew had gone missing after a routine scouting mission into the Hades Nexus system. Tali, who was naturally completely dedicated to helping her people, despite the fact the leadership tried to sell her out, had insisted that they check it out. Now she had vanished. She was gone from the Hammerhead.
Shepard looked up to find that the hatch had been already opened. Tugging off his safety belt. He could just imagine that it was open by the quarian's doing. In all likelihood that woman was probably constructing a quantum entanglement communicator out of what was left of the Hammerhead. He reckoned he should probably help. He was a jarhead, but he reckoned he wasn't completely useless in fields other than killing people.
He silently tugged himself out of the crashed hover tank; The sunlight blinded him briefly as his eyes took a while to get adjusted. He coughed and pushed himself out of the hatch and stumbled off the broken Hammerhead and falling ass first into the mud with a yelp. He groaned, hoping the mud and his armor had made sure he had not broken his tailbone.
Groaning again, he pulled himself up and noticed the quarian footprints in the mud. Long, graceful strides which moved that woman quicker than most. Pushing through the flora, Shepard followed the tracks as they led away from crash site and through what looked like a clearing. His guess proved correct. As he crossed through the last of the palmlike trees, he found himself on a rolling plain, a small creek flowing just strong enough to make noise.
Fortunately for him it didn't take as long as he thought. John smiled slightly through the pain.
There she was...
Tali stood there in the middle of treeless, grassy field, pacing back and forth and speaking franticly. it was, however, untranslated. She was barking orders in her own language, Khellish. Shepard frowned to himself. Was she radioing the crash survivors?
"Tali?" John spoke up, calling out to her. "Tali, are you alright? Did you get Joker?"
Tali bounced and turned right around, Eyes wide her shotgun in her hands flung right around and was immediately raised at his chest. Shepard threw his hands up, too surprised to do anything other than that. As soon as the weapon was raised, it was slumped back down.
"Tali... what in the hell was that for?"
Her bright eyes widened by the sound of his voice. She looked surprised... almost shocked by his call. His slight grin, ecstatic to see that she had gotten out of this mess in one piece slipped away. She seemed upset, almost shaken.
"Shepard?"
"Tali, is everything alright?" He spoke again to her. "Have you been hurt?"
Tali simply stared at the question as though he had said something completely reprehensible to her. Any trace of amusement on his face fell away as he awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck. Slowly, Tali stepped forward, inhaling deeply.
"Shepard, Fal Aliza'tar dar daeqist?" Her voice suddenly chirped almost like a bird, surprising the Commander.
Shepard blinked rather stupidly in his own opinion. At first he figured it was a confusion then perhaps a joke to make him smile after he got his face smashed apart. It didn't take long before he drew to the most logical of conclusions.
"Tali, is your translator broken?" He asked her quickly not liking the pause giving for the question.
Tali, like John stupidly stared at the words spoken as well. His theory was confirmed right there and then.
Quirking his lips to a sheepish smile, John reached out and pointed to Tali, then gestured to the ground next to him. Tali nodded quickly and limped his way. John grunted as he pulled his translator out of his ear. It was coated in his blood and clearly broken as he suspected. Wiping the blood off the receiver, He showed to Tali's whose eyes widened, her mouth gasping, as she understood exactly what had happened to him now. She nodded, confirming his theory officially.
Both of them lost their translators. Christ.
John fell to the ground, dumping his gear off his back. One hand wiped the blood still flowing freely from his injuries, the other digging into his armor to produce a pack of rarely used purely medicinal pack of cigarettes. He didn't smoke often... Just when things got this fubar.
Shepard felt Tali's eyes on him as he slipped one into his lips and again patted his armor. He nearly swore as he realized he hadn't brought along a lighter. Pissed, he threw the cigarette to the jungle floor and looked up to Tali, meeting her clearly concerned gaze.
"We've overshot our LZ by easily ten or so clicks." He spoke to the quarian. More for himself than for her.. His thumb gestured back towards the smashed up Hammerhead. He added. "We'll gather what we need. We move out in ten."
Tali did not move at his words, Shepard sighed, rubbing his head of course she didn't understand.
No transportation, no communications back to the Normandy, and worst of all: No working translators to even speak to his engineer... well, friend. This was going to be the worst stranded situation he ever found himself in.
He went to work limping as he pulled himself past Tali and back into the tank searching for salvage, only pausing for a second to wave Tali to follow him. They would gather what they needed for a long-term stay on this world. Spare equipment they could possibly use at the quarian crash site. Weapons, electronics Things Tali could possibly work with.
All they needed was a working signal beacon and some sort of faster than light communication device. It wasn't that tall of an order; quarians were, after all, known for making something out of next to nothing. It may have sounded like a stereotype. But it wasn't far from the truth.
Especially when it came to Tali. She was a certified mechanical/electronic genius.
From behind him, he could hear footsteps following his lead. Tali, it seemed, understood the gist of it, or had the same idea... Or she had the idea before he did. She was much cleverer than he was when it came to this.
As he dug through the vehicle. Tali joined him, mimicking what he was doing. Together the two of them worked furiously to salvage what they could. Looking up through the hatch, he could see a rainstorm was brewing overhead and nighttime was falling quickly.
Though the lack of communication was disheartening, at least Tali still trusted him and seemed to know what he intended. Making this situation just a little better.
One M-3 Predator heavy pistol. Working condition.
One M-22 Evicerator Shotgun, repaired with intact pieces of Shepard's damaged M-22.
One M-96 Mattock Heavy Rifle, battered, Thermal clip receiver jammed: crippled but usable
That was all the firepower they had available. Everything else was lost to the crash. The Hammerhead was no Mako. The moment the thruster blew off as they tried to land safety. That, combined with the massive fracture in the rocket launcher left the vehicle no longer safe to ever use again. Fragile equipment such as Omni-tools were damaged but salvageable once they got back onto the Normandy.
If they got back to the Normandy.
Tali'Zorah vas Normandy sighed to herself. This was not looking well for the two of them and whatever quarian survivors they could find once they were ready to move out.
The engineer, no longer wanting to think of the bad aspects of being trapped on this world, turned her head and watched John... Shepard as he silently fanned the flames of a small fire he lit using a charged thermal clip. It was quite ingenious really and she would have gladly praised her captain had both of their translation software survived hitting the planet.
For now, they had found cover in the small cave as they waited for both nighttime to end and a heavy rainstorm that came in quick and overwhelmed the two of them. Tali could not believe how absurd this was. They were two highly advanced species and now they were separated by something as simple and taken for granted as language. Both having to huddle in a damn cave like savages...
She shuffled nervously as she stared into the back of Shepard's head. Tali sighed again wistfully.
It could have been worst... At least she had some very nice looking company. Disregarding how battered he looked of course..
She only knew a couple of human words. Names of ships, worlds, and people and the occasional curse word she heard her captain utter when his anger got the better of him. That was about it, her translation software took care of everything else for her. Shepard, it appeared, was on the same page as well. The way he was miming things to her did he think her stupid or ignorant?
John...no... Shepard, finally glanced back at her, noticing how huddled she was in the back of the small cramped cave. Tali silently watched as his mouth formed words that were little better then gibberish to her. He paused and gave a laugh that warmed Tali's spirits up immensely. He had reached out towards her, waving her to join him. Tali nodded and crawled over, resting her body close to the human. Not too close, just... close enough.
The fire gave details to Shepard's face. It showed her how much dried blood coated him. She winced at the sight and resisted the urge to break out what little medi-gel they had found.
"Thank you for the fire, Captain. Here, let me tend to those injuries." She whispered to him softly, forgetting that he could not understand grunted. He seemed to get the gist of what she was saying.
As her long fingers reached out and tentatively grazed her Captain's skin, Shepard flinched and growled slightly, causing Tali to blink and recoil. She was stopped by Shepard's hand gripping her forearm, keeping her from fleeing at his reaction. Slowly she exhaled and tilted his head to one side.
Nether human nor quarian had medi-gel to spare, leaving her captain in quite a mess. A mess Tali could not stand to bear witness to without doing something, anything to help him. Instead, she reached up and quietly she unfastened her mother's hood. Her father, had he been alive would disapprove of what she had planned.
To hell with him. She knew her mother, Qualia would understand. She was beautiful like that. She would have done the exact same without the slightest of hesitations.
Of course mother, unlike father did not know that she was harboring a crush on this human.
Hearing her name being called almost as if he was protesting her wrecking her hood, Tali moved past Shepard and the fire to the edge of the cave. With no hesitation in her intentions, she reaches out, pushing the hood into the rain.
"At any point you could have told me that this mission did not take priority. Yet you took it up with the same sort of dedication I felt for it." Tali spoke aloud to the human as she watched her mother's hood soak quickly. "You could have said no, you had every reason and justification to tell me you had no time for this... for any vice I have asked you to help me with... but you didn't. You never say no to me. Why?"
Tali turned back and found the bleeding Commander, tugging off his damaged shoulder armor. His eyes, beautifully blue and shimmering in the fire's light never left her presence. Tali bit her lip and turned back, crawling back to his side.
Yet again Tali'Zorah moved her hand up to hold the undamaged cheek. This time John did not flinch. He sat there, silent as she wrapped her right hand in the dampened, detached hood. With as much care as she could give, she moved the hood over the cuts, washing the drying blood from off his face.
"I wish you knew what everything you have done for me has meant." She continued as she applied pressure to the gash. "I have giving you almost nothing in return for your kindness. It's even hard because you do not ask for anything in return."
She nearly jumped as the hand that held his cheek pulsed unnaturally, almost like a sudden electrical shock. She pushed her hand uncertainly into the flesh. It was a subdermal implant. One of his cybernetics pulsing away from inside his body. Tali felt herself go faint. It reminded her off just how much life had changed for her captain. Gone for two years only to come back and find out that everyone had moved on with their lives.
Well, almost everyone. She could not speak for the others, but she could not move on from the loss...
"You know, you are my best friend, John Shepard." She spoke again, her voice almost longing for him to understand what her words meant. "You are the only person who has ever stood by me unwavering. Thank you."
"Tali."
Her name was the only thing she could understand as John mumbled back to her, slurred and alien sounding to her. Though she could not make sense of the human tongue spoke, she paid attention as though it did. He was worth the effort.
He snorted and shook his head as though he too understand how absurd this was. Instead he grabbed her hand, surprising her. Now in control of Tali's thin arm, he pointed it at himself, poking his chest with her finger.
"John Shepard." He stated factually. Tali nodded. Yes, he was certainly John Shepard. Through cuts and bruises, he was as handsome as ever...
He moved his hand over to the flickering flames.
"Fire." He spoke again. He waited several seconds before repeating the word until Tali understood. It was the human word for K'vais.
"F'i're." Tali repeated uncertainly her mouth forming the human word rather awkwardly. John smiled as brightly as he could and nodded. He moved her hand once again, a little lower. Now gesturing to the thermal clip, bright as the flames licked against it.
After making her say thermal clip in human tongue, her hand was resting against his open wound.
"Stop." He made a gesture of his hand straight up. "Bleeding."
He ran her fingers through the blood and gestured to the iron scented liquid. Tali blinked as she pulled all the pieces together. John... wanted her to stop the bleeding by burning the wound closed. How could he suggest something so barbaric be done?
Thinking about it though made it clear that he was right. The bleeding needed to be stopped and they couldn't spare any medi-gel in case the Collectors had landed a raid to look for them, and if the lost quarians were wounded more severely than he was.
John tugged off his combat gauntlet and handed it to Tali to use so she did not burn herself. The engineer nodded and gingerly, she reached down and dug the thermal clip out of the fire pit.
"AH, AH!" John spoke out, his index finger raised. Tali remember the gesture's significance; It meant that a human was asking for a moment. Tali nodded and waited as John bowed his head, inhaled deeply, and nodded, his eyes staring into hers.
Tali, obliged, wincing as she stuck the overheated clip into the wound, listening as blood hissed as it boiled and skin was burnt. Shepard shook, his teeth gritted. Still he did not move, nor cry out. He suppressed his pain as he glared into her eyes.
As fast as she pressed the hot metal against his skin, she tugged it back, releasing it back into the fire. John slumped over, hissing as pain coursed through him. He fell into her lap still breathing roughly. Tali, her stomach filled with guilt for hurting him wrapped the soaking wet violet hood over the wound once again.
"Shepard, I'm so sorry." She apologized profusely. "You were right; it was the only way to stop the bleeding without breaking out the medical supplies."
John's alien baritone spoke again, babbling softly, as though he too was apologizing. Tali sighed and watched the crackling of the fire, her hands running through his hair affectionately. She felt the human's heart beat into her lap. They remained there for what felt like an hour before she could feel herself getting drowsy with sleep.
Tali shuffled the two of them back of the small cave where she had pulled out was left of the leather bound seats of the Hammerhead. Together they laid down in the improvised bedding, both of them resting with no spaces between the two of them. This was going to be awkward for them, but Tali would worry about it once they were safe and back on board the Normandy.
Unconsciously, she pushed the human's head into her chest as though to protect him from exposure. Shepard found himself face planted against rubber and reactive armor. If the Commander complained, she did not think she would ever hear it. Well... to be honest, she did not need to do this... but she could honestly not mind it all that much.
It wasn't often she got to drown her dashing Commander with her flesh.. Well, not technically... but close enough.
...
...
"Tali, flank left.. oh never mind!"
John quickly waved his nonverbal command to Tali and fired another round from his Mattock, connecting with a varren, splitting it open. Tali nodded chirped something affirmative and moved in the direction he needed her to be. Her improvised Shotgun blasting a second varren.
After waking up to find that both of them were completely tangled into each other's bodies, they both pushed the awkwardness to the side as they gathered their remaining equipment and moved out without a word spoken to one another. Even if they could understand one another, it was hard for him to get over waking up with his face buried deeply into Tali's breasts. Not that he minded it of course.
Now they were back on the hunt for the crash. Tali's half working Omni-Tool was flickering on and off as the mapping program showed them they had landed only slightly off trajectory rather than the twenty or so kilometers Shepard hypothesized. It was not long before they found the first sign of the crash: a chunk of the ships hull.
"Bosh'tet, Se'uvai!" He heard the frustrated quarian cry out s she smacked the Omni-tool in vain. She had spent hours trying to hardwire her and his Omni-tool in a vain attempt to have one of them working. Trying to get the piece of shit working again, she did not notice the growl and sudden rustling in the wood in front of her
Shepard fired another burst at a Varren who popped up in front of Tali. Tali jumped back and turned to him.
"Yo'ali Havas' hav Iktarn, Shepard!" She spoke, dropping her arm and raising her improvised Shotgun back into a combat stance. Shepard nodded, assuming the words were thanks.
They continued moving defensively through the bush, past more wreckage until finally both of them stumbled across a muddy impact, like the freighter had left a massive skid mark in the side of the planet.
The sight of the dead quarians, scattered around the wreckage site like ragdolls, instantly dampened any excitement created by discovering the crash site. Tali looked almost crushed as she slowly examined each of the dead at a pace that Shepard could only describe as mournful.
A sudden cry from inside the wreckage caught both of their attentions. Then a sudden roar from out in the jungle. More varren were here and looking for another meal.
"Shepard!"
John turned to find that Tali had thrown her Predator heavy pistol over to him; It was a clear statement to the Spectre. Set up a parameter, She'll search for survivors. Hitting another varren group with both weapons firing, John dived behind some cover as Tali bolted into the wreckage of the freighter.
Quietly, Shepard hoped that they hadn't been too late. The last thing he nor Tali wanted to see was another dead quarian.
...
...
"You're going to be alright, Lieutenant. Definitely sick but all right. We have a very capable ship's doctor. She's had to patch me up quite a bit so she's an expert in or physiology now."
"I can already feel the infection coming on. When can we move?"
Tali sighed as she felt the eyes of Lieutenant Forzan, the only crash survivor left stare at her expectantly. What could she possibly say to the woman? That in a moment of childish curiosity, Tali decided she wanted to try the Hammerhead, which her captain approved through her begging? Now the Hammerhead was smashed to pieces in the woods because the Collectors had been tracking the Normandy...
"We're stuck here, but that is temporary." Tali reassured the lieutenant. "My captain's pilot has never failed him before. He will be back soon."
Tali closed her eyes. She lied. That bosh'tet Flight Lieutenant had failed Shepard before. Jeff "Joker" Moreau was very unlikely to ever leave her "Shit List", as Ashley Williams once called it, for placing his pride and love of a ship over his and Shepard's life. That damn fool.
"Thank you Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. I'm grateful for your arrival." Forzan whispered groggily as the medi-gel burned inside her injuries. “Until then, feel free to eat if you are hungry. This world is Levo's DNA based life. I'm afraid your captain will have to be content with eating the varren if he is hungry."
The engineer bit her lip. It would not surprise her in the slightest if she caught her Captain munching on a roasted varren... He was practically krogan at times.
"A lot of our equipment has been damaged." Tali spoke again as she sat the Lieutenant down into a makeshift mattress. "I was curious if you had been assigned a translator piece. Somehow we both broke our devices in the crash. We've been stumbling over language barriers since we landed, if only one of us could understand the other, then we will be in a better state."
Forzan nodded. Her hands dug into behind her veil. A faint hiss escaped from behind the helmet and soon enough, Forzan hand pulled out, gingerly cradling a small microchip. Strange... Tali had expected she would have had an omni-tool translator... Not so apparently... It was a suit based translation device... Interesting.
" Here, I do not need it." Forzan spoke, handing the suit chip. "I was the only one the fleet equipped to deal with non-quarians. It's a bit older then I imagine you use."
"Thank you. I will also need to enlist your help." Tali returned as she opened the USB port in the back of her helmet and pressed the chip in. "We need to build a beacon so that the Normandy can find us quickly."
Forzan nodded weakly.
"I will be glad to. I can't move so well though."
Neither of them pad any mind to the heavy boots stamping behind them.
"Perimeter is clear, Tali. How's the patient?"
Tali stiffened slightly as Shepard's baritone made perfect sense to her. Well, at least one of them understood the other now. She turned back to face the source of the voice and smiled slightly, her hand raised to Forzan.
"Shepard vas Normandy; this is Lieutenant Forzan vas Cyniad." Tali introduced her captain to the wounded lieutenant. She paused, looked around. Sheepishly, she added. "Well... what's left of it."
Shepard showed limited understanding to her. Of course. Regardless, he understood enough to hold his hand out to Lieutenant Forzan, who looked at it almost nervously
"Ah... hello. Tali here gave me an hour long lecture about finding you. " He spoke with a smile in his voice. "She tends to think that she needs to present a well thought out case in order to get me to do something for her. Must be a quarian thing..."
Shepard trailed off, his grin dying as his hand remained unshaken. Slowly he lowered it away and rubbed the back of his neck. He did not seem to notice that the quarian engineer stiffened up at his sweet words.
"I see... no translator as well... “He mumbled. Giving both of them a brief nod, he lifted his rife and stepped back out of the wreckage, leaving Lieutenant Forzan and a suddenly jumpy Tali in his wake.
Forzan chuckled weakly.
"Alien but very handsome." Forzan mused, shooting Tali a knowing look. "Good on you Tali'Zorah."
Tali nearly shrieked at the older woman for such a blunt statement.
"The tense stressing of his name in your voice, the way you turn to him. It's so obvious that it's almost embarrassing." Forzan chuckled as she pushed herself up against the wall. "I do not imagine your father would approve of what you're thinking of your captain right about now..."
Tali shrugged, idly.
"He's not thinking of anything now. He's dead."
Forzan raised her hand to her mask, as though she wished that she could take back her observation. Tali shook her head. Forzan was in the dark for weeks about fleet activity she could not have known about the trial about the geth activation... About her father's idiocy.
"It does not matter; Besides... I already told him exactly what I was thinking about my captain. To say he was furious was an understatement." She admitted, her voice suppressed any grief, replacing it instead with sly tone conspiratorial as the two women kept their eyes on the back of the human male. "If my father did not like that I thought such things about a human, it would not matter to me. Not in the slightest."
Forzan and Tali laughed softly.
"Well, I should go, try to explain to Captain Shepard that I have a translator..." Tali decided. She was stopped however by Forzan reaching up, her hand gripping her arm.
"Not so fast." Forzan smirked in her voice. "I don't know much about his people, but the way he looked at you? Come on, you felt it..."
Tali shifted nervously, her hands wringing as she admitted she did feel that strange alien spark fly.
"I might have bought a couple of human body language manuals. All of them more random than the next." Tali admitted ruefully. "It's strange to witness first hand though. Especially from him."
Forzan looked almost amused at the prospects of an Admirals daughter being so personal with an alien.
"Well why don't you tell him you have a translator in the morning." Forzan tried to persuade. "He does not need to know so quickly. you can see if he says something. Just say that you fixed mine during the evening."
Admitting the lie was a feasible one to tell, Tali sighed as she continued to stare at Shepard watching the treeline, his rifle raised and looking ready for a fight. Forzan was right... It wasn't as though they were in a real need of communication at least for now.
"I do not see the harm in it... It would be interesting if something... anything came up." Tali admitted to the Lieutenant, trying to fight the urge to feel too guilty for this sort of scheming.
Forzan rubbed her hands together, mostly likely she was grinning at the prospect of some fun. Tali sighed and understood the older woman's plight perfectly... this sort of distraction would be perfect to push the loss of her whole team into the back of her mind.
She really could use a distraction from her own losses as well...
...
...
"ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL."
This shell of a being, too soft, too weak to remain for long before the sheer weight of his presence shattered the being completely. Harbinger, Commander of the Reaper fleet and creator of these husks, turned itself back and faced the detachment gathered around the primitive wreckage.
Harbinger relished in the mistake made by the organics, led by their naïve, short sighted leader, Shepard. Had they been so foolish to believe they could chase his pawns unopposed? Well they would learn sooner than later that this was a fight they could not win. Shepard only had two options for salvation: assimilation or death.
Increasingly, Harbinger was choosing death over union with the parasite and his minions. They were too much of an annoyance for coexistence.
"Spread out." Harbinger ordered. "Find any survivors of this crash. No one is to survive."
Night fell over Gel Hinnom once again.
Tali sighed as she set down the almost completed transmitter. Despite being stranded, the world was rather beautiful. With a perimeter set up, all the weapons scavenged, and the dead lined up for quick retrieval should the fleet want to scavenge what remained of the Cyniad and perform body retrieval. There was nothing left to do but to lounge back and relax the best she could.
Lieutenant Forzan was fast asleep, down for the night on a mild sedative; Leaving her all alone with her captain. Fortunately there were no heavy rainstorms tonight. Instead the night sky shined back at them. Thousands of star hanging above them.
Tali was no astronomer, but her mother had the talent. It was one of her many hobbies in her spare time as she raised her daughter mostly alone -Father's attention was always on everything and everyone else. Wherever the Migrant Fleet roamed, mother always knew which of the stars was theirs. It was always a faint light, starlight that radiated from the star back from the times of their ancestors.
Using her child logic, she always wished she could send a message backwards in time by deflecting the light back to its source. Create some sort of Morse code to warn the ancestors about what would happen. Of course she hadn't factored light travel did not work that way. Still... a child could dream of that... Her mother encouraged it. Qaulia'Zorah was always allowing her child's imagination to flourish.
At least until her father told both her and mother that such childish thoughts were stupid and a waste of time.
A gag caught her attention. It was Shepard. In his hands was a cooked varren steak he had cut off a fresh kill. A large bitemark was bitten out. She watched amused as John spat the disgusting meat out into the flickering bonfire.
"That krogan was right. This shit is terrible." Her captain said, sounding rather nauseous. "Might as well eat some goddamn nutrient paste. Oh wait... I don't want to have a seizure. Just great. Fanfreakingtasic"
Tali stifled a laugh. She simply tilted her head and stared at him as he remained distracted by the fire. His hands ran through what little hair he had. Quietly Tali wondered what he would look like if his let it grow out... just a little bit... enough to run her hands through it...
She exhaled and closed her eyes and pushed that thought away. Instead she wondered what life was like for Shepard when he was a child... She wondered if he knew how well he had it. Space born by choice. He had a homeworld to go to still. One her biggest obstacles with him was his willingness to humanize the geth. Write off they did as... what he described it as was child abuse.
It was one of the few area's that created a heated division between the two of them. He never backed down and always found a counter argument. At one point while they were chasing Saren he managed (At least in her opinion) to justify the quarian exile. Those words that he spoke made her not speak to him for a week straight. It was the only time she ever contemplated leaving his crew.
That feeling lasted about a day. Before she could seriously put thought into is, Tali found in her sleeper pod a hardware program for her Omni-Tool. On it was a state of the art Alliance Combat drone with a small letter of groveling from her stubborn future captain.. She immediately named it Chiktikka vas Paus.
It didn't settle the matter, but it certainly made her understand that her and her pilgrimage captain were quite allowed to differing opinions and still retain a friendship.
A friendship based on an odd attraction to an alien.
Attractions she had wanted to expand on since he helped her with her pilgrimage. Pushing her childish attraction to genuine feelings. Feelings she immediately suppressed the moment she found that both Williams and T'Soni were vying for his attention. Reminding her that a quarian had no place amongst the aliens anymore.
But now... after coming back from the dead. Only to have Williams call him a traitor for doing what he did best. Protecting us all. Liara... who John was with used him as a pawn. Something that hurt him, but like her, he suppressed any heartache he may have had.
"You're a really strange woman. Wanting to risk your life, simply because I asked you too."
Tali looked up, breaking her silent stare off. Shepard's head was turned slightly. Shooting her a fraction of a gaze before turning back to stare off at the fire. Almost transfixed by the flickering flames. Her brain, always the source of selfless dictation nearly blurted out that she could understand him. Every other instinct railed against the concept of telling the truth.
"I don't think I've ever met a woman who ever had unshakable faith in me. I don't blame the others. I'm not a very good person."
Speechless was the only word that could describe her All thoughts of telling Shepard that she could understand vanished. How could Shepard think he was not a good person? He saved so many lives. People depended on him. Not like her. Everyone around her died because she was not strong enough to convince the Admirals that Haestrom should not be taken lightly. She failed and everyone died...
Shepard wasn't a bad person. She was.
"There was this girl in my life... long before I ever met any of you... ever met you. Her name was Freyja... she was." Shepard trailed off, looking lost. a silly, nostalgic grin his face. "She was probably going to end up with me had I not got my promotion and was placed under Hackett's command." "
He shrugged.
"It was probably for the best."
Tali, whose thoughts had been turned on her own self-pity, closed her eyes and suppressed the new thoughts of him with someone. She had a difficult time handling Doctor T'Soni and Chief Williams. To hear of other women...
"Now that I think about it... it was all just a political maneuvering made by her father, my former mentor." Shepard snorted, disgusted at the thought. "He reckoned that if I married his little girl, I'd be in his pocket.. In hindsight, I'd have probably been his own Spectre to use at his will... clever bastard."
Shepard's hand dug into his armor. Once again he retrieved a pack of cigarettes. He stared at them almost longingly. He exhaled and opened the pack, tugging one of the cigarettes out and placing the tip over open flame. He pulled back, taking a drag with his eyes closed. Tali disapproved of the habit... but with him it was fascinating. He was letting his guard down. Like watching him drink or dance... well, if you could call it dance.
"But I ended up under Hackett and things changed. I was given an XO position under Anderson... things picked up." Shepard paused. "Then I met you. I think they may have been a stroke of good luck"
Forgetting John's old flame, Freyja, Tali agreed with his sentiment. Shepard meeting her was probably for the best.
"You were a very sweet girl." He reminisced, earning a hidden smile from the quarian. He paused and hastily added. I mean you still are... only more... you know... woman."
The way he dragged that word, woman. It made Tali shudder with a sudden thrill of excitement. She ducked her head as she prayed to her ancestors for him not to see her rubbing her legs and thighs together as though she was burning alive inside her suit. Stupid awakened hormones.
"You were naïve, half glass full kind of person... stubborn, but I didn't mind it. I wish that didn't have to disappear so quickly." Shepard inhaled the cigarette smoke. Exhaling it slowly as he stared off. A strange look of melancholy present.
"You have no idea how hard I tried to protect you."
Tali blinked. All the near orgasmic pleasure of his attention came to a standstill as her Captain finally turned back to face her.
"Every other day I second guessed bringing you along." He continued, sounding very lost. "To see the galaxy in its worst form wasn't what I wanted for you. Selfish, yes. But I didn't want you to be like me..."
Shepard exhaled smoke from out of his nose, his eyes hardened as he glared into his lap.
"Look at what happened to the others. I have a track record." " He spoke repulsed by the thought. "Kaidan got killed. Liara became obsessed with hunting the Broker. Garrus went off to become Batman, but lacking any of the charm... "
He looked up again, his eyes focusing back into hers.
"And you... You were forced to watch your friends die... over and over again. And for what? Your goddamn father's order?" He incredulously inquired as Tali stared blankly at him. The shit I've seen you put up with, from racism to letting me stumble ignorantly around quarian history... to making your father proud of you, even after he's gone... "
Shepard quirked his lips.
"You're a much, much stronger person then I am."
John looked away his head shaking idly. Tali downcast her vision. A sudden wave of sick guilt washing over her. She was bearing witness to her Captain's private thoughts. This was wrong, this was untrustworthy. She needed to tell him that she could understand. But she did not. She could not.
"I couldn't change those things even if I wanted to." He breathed again. staring once more into the fire. " there's no magic fix when it comes to your parents... But there was one thing I could help you with. It was keeping you from being me, living to send good people to their deaths... I never wanted you to follow in my footsteps."
"The fact that you seem to trust me even when I place you in terrible situations only makes the guilt worse I can't even tell you properly just how much I appreciated it."
A pause. Then, slowly, almost reluctantly, he added.
"I... I have to wait until the off chance that we broke our goddamn translators in order for me to admit that I feel something for you."
Not realizing how his words had nearly caused the quarian behind him to squeal out in surprise. Shepard exhaled the last of the smoke and tossed the butt of the cigarette into the fire and stood up.
"I should go... make my rounds around the perimeter." He muttered. " I'll try to forget this happened and hope to Christ that you haven't spontaneously learned English."
He stepped back outside into the jungle, leaving Tali's mouth dropped open. Her body frozen and unable to follow him. Had she heard Shepard correctly? Did he feel that attraction looming between them like she had? This was... This was unfathomable to her. As far as she knew; He was still seeing Liara T'Soni.
Wasn't he?
Tali nodded to herself confidently. This was all just the results of being marooned and fairly injured. He needed a familiar face, so to speak. That was it, they were just friends, nothing more. There would never be more than that, something Tali found herself uncomfortable with despite being at peace with it.
...
...
They had traveled all night. Following the two distinct pairs of foot prints. Dawn on this world was breaking now. Harbinger could feel the body of the organic pawn break down. It would not be long now until its demise would occur. Forcing the augmented organic forward he squinted through dying eyes.
It was smoke. Smoke billowing out through the clearing that led to a primitive star vessel crash site. There was a flash of an organic in military grade body armor. The same armor that had been harassing its efforts the moment the bacteria destroyed its vanguard, Sovereign.
The Reaper possessed Collector turned back to the full platoon that was silently following it.
"Engage the organics. Subdue Shepard. The others are expandable"
The Drones clicked in agreement and together, they marched forward. Their rifles firing in perfect unison at the organics.
Harbinger felt legs collapsed from under him. Weak Specimen. All of them. They all lacked the strength he needed.
"Releasing Control."
Harbinger, the commander of the Reaper fleets left his pawn dying. Somewhere in the back of its indoctrinated mind. It was surely wondering what great crime it had done to deserve this unimaginable fate.
...
...
How in the hell could he not have expected this?
Shepard fired a burst from a Vindicator rife scavenged off one of the dead quarians. The rounds caused one the Collectors to crumple to the ground. Though he killed him, two took his place, laying down a field of fire and forcing the Spectre to dive behind cover.
Of course... of fucking course the Collectors landed a detachment. to find him. He had stopped their plague on Omega station, disrupted their raid on Horizon, Infiltrated their dreadnought... cheated death at their hands numerous times. It was only natural he would be at the top of their shit list if he had caused them this much grief.
Again he fired, burst after burst at the collector pawns. Conserving his thermal clips as he silent vowed to locate the piece of shit weapon designer that managed to convince gun manufacturers to convert their rifles back to clips and make him pay.
The roar of a shot blew over his head. It was Tali joining in on the fight. Her eyes narrowed as she shredded through the nearest Collector with her shotgun. She dived almost on top of him.
Quietly he passed her his heavy pistol and pulled himself back up one hand his Vindicator, the other, his Mattock, both of them firing concurrently at different targets. Both weapons tearing through the platoon. Usually he followed his father's rule of thumb:
Don't be fucking John Rambo. You don't live very long that way.
In this case however, that rule was thrown out. He and his engineer were this outgunned, they needed to create as much firepower as possible. He suddenly found himself wishing that he brought Grunt along for the mission. He was a whole platoon the moment he entered a bloodhaze.
"Shepard, Ali'wa!"
Shepard paid no mind to the words spoken, he followed to the direction Tali was firing as he laid down stream of mass accelerated rounds at several Collector drones attempting to flank them; They fell like the others.
The hissing of a sub machine gun came from behind him, catching his attention a split second. It was Lieutenant Forzan wobbling uncertainly towards the fray. Tali screamed at her, most likely wanting the woman to turn back and let the professional Collector killers do their jobs. But Forzan would not hear of it. Not when she cut down one and was now drawing sporadic fire from them. She too ducked behind cover.
Shepard stood back up, his rifle catching another Collector, his shielding flaring up as the collector rounds hit against him. Tali screeched again, her arm dragging the Spectre back into cover.
"ASSUMING DIRECT CONTROL."
Shepard's eyes widened as the familiar command echoed over the gunfire. He peered up and sure enough, one of the Collectors had been martyred and became a vessel for the Collector General: Harbinger. The creature doubled in size ad was glowing violently. Its beady eyes searching with little concern for the conflict it was now involved in.
The collector lackeys laid covering fire as the Augmented Collector rumbled closer to them, its powerful biotic barriers shrugging off round after round he, Tali and Lieutenant Forzan threw at him.
"This engagement is futile, Shepard. You have lost." The juggernaut taunted. Unafraid of the Spectre.
John grabbed Tali's shoulder and gestured to the Cyniad violently.
"Tali take Forzan inside of the ship. I'll hold him off! Go!"
Tali stared at him in protest, but a sharp glare made her understand he was not open for a sign language debate. She huffed and nodded. Protected by Shepard's covering fire, Tali grabbed Forzan and together they fled inside the wreckage of the Cyniad. Leaving Shepard alone with the Collectors.
Quietly he vowed that no one, not even Harbinger would push through his fire.
He stood up and took careful aim, killing the three Collectors closest to Harbinger. He fired a concussive round from the end of his Mattock, but the blast affected Harbinger's pawn very little. Instead, it shrugged off the attack, exchanging his own fire with the defiant human.
Rounds pierced through his shield, sparking and shattering against his hard suit. Shepard ignored it and continued to drive round after round against the son-of-a-bitch Collector. After what felt like ages, at long last , Harbinger's biotic barriers failed and now his bullets were piercing armor and flesh.
SHIT!
A sudden blinding agony overwhelmed his senses. With his focus so wrapped up on killing Harbinger. He hadn't noticed one of the braver Collectors flank him. The rounds ripped through his armor and hit flesh. Not nearly as swift as he had been prior to being shot, Shepard managed to swing his rifle over and hit the Collector with a burst of rifle fire.
Before Shepard knew it, a rifle butt connected into his gut the weapon swung again, smacking the Mattock from out of his hands. He turned and found Harbinger face to face with him. Shepard lashed out, kneeing the creature back before managing to tug out his Heavy pistol. Shepard got one shot off at the Collector before it two was batted out of his hands.
Rage boiling over in the Collector, Harbinger reached up and grabbed Shepard by the top of his combat shattered armor, lifting the fully grown human right off his feet. Shepard's eyes widened as he glared at the creature, his hands and feet flaying futilely in a desperate attempt to break the grasp.
Harbinger however, was much more physically powerful then he appeared. He instead shrugged off the blows. as he flayed the human now in his grasp.
"I have run out of patience with you Shepard." Harbinger growled. "Assimilation is not your only destiny. Extermination is equally preferable."
With his free hand, the Collector wrapped around the grip of his holstered rifle and brought it up to the human's skull. Shepard spat at him hitting the pawn's face as one act of final defiance.. He could faintly hear the screams of Khellish cry from the wreckage.
Tali... well so much for protecting her...
A sudden pressure something unnatural hit against him, ripping him from Harbinger's grasp and fired him against the soft muddy dirt. Harbinger hissed, offended by the reverse in fortune. Before he could raise his weapon and react, he was swallowed in a haze of majestic blue and was ripped right off of his feet. Tumbling backwards from the Spectre.
Through bruised eyes, he watched as an explosion of new gunfire ripped right through the Collector line from behind them. Fire roaring t them from the jungle. The thumping of a machine gun, the hard-hitting Sniper rounds blowing fist sized holes through the drones and a weave of a renewed biotic field tearing the Collectors to pieces.
The sound of the new gunfire brought Tali back out from the cover of the ship. Her shotgun blaring joining the crescendo of bloody violence directed at these poor dumb bastards. Lamely, he too managed to raise his heavy pistol and fired as quickly as he could at the possessed Collector.
The Collector General was a mess. Its biotic barriers failed and was now riddled full of pistol and shotgun holes was still defiant. it fired at the quarian, hitting through and connecting to armor, causing Tali yelp and crumble under her own weight.
Shepard's eyes widened in terrifying shock. Tali was down... oh god, she was down. Ignoring the searing pain in his side John stood up and nearly charged over to Tali's side, his Mattock shredding through the slumped over Collector who had dropped the rifle in its hands. The human forgetting that he was in the middle of a firefight turned all his focus on the fallen quarian now in his shaking arms.
For the first time since he was still a child. John Shepard had no idea what to do.

"Tali... Tali are you with me? You don't get to die here."
Tali coughed violently, her eyes opened and found Shepard bleeding all over her, his hands touching against her suit as though furiously searching for injuries... what happened? Was this some erotic and violent dream she was having? But it wasn't. They were still on Gel Hinnom and surrounded by the stench of Collector dead, being bled on by a massive armored human who was rocking her body back and forth in a grip so tight that he was squeezing the life out of her.
All in all, it was very romantic...
"Shepard." Tali breathed weakly, suppressing the urge to choke in fear it might scare him. "Shepard, this suit is stronger than it looks."
She was worried at first. It definitely felt like she had been wounded. But she wasn't badly hurt if that was the case. Her suit readings told her that every part was still intact, despite the hit. She was just winded. Winded and coming down from the adrenaline pumping through her, thanks to the combat.
Shepard naturally didn't understand her reassurances. So weakly, Tali's hand reached out and pushed her body up to a sitting position. Shepard staggered back. a weak grin on his lips as he stood back up, offering his hand to her. Tali accepted it and stood up, both of them leaning against each other for mutual support.
They stared at each other, Tali's head raised slightly to accommodate for her Captain's slight height advantage. No words were spoken. None were needed for Tali to know just how relieved he was. Shepard quirked his lips and downcast his gaze, almost appearing embarrassed to the quarian.
A gurgling cough broke their concentration. They turned and found the Collector General's Proxy, still laying there in a puddle of its murk brown blood. It sneered at the two of them. Still defiant despite moments from its shell's death.
"This is not over Shepard, your death is now inevitable." The Collector General hissed at the two of them, not bothered by the blood gurgling over his words. "RELEASING CONTROL."
The aura of sickening power disappeared from the Collector. It was now simply laying there, dying. Its many eyes turned and looked up to the two of them. Almost resigned to its fate. Shepard had no witty reply like Tali had come to expect. No defiant words to speak to the possessed Collector. He simply rose the rifle in his arms and shot creature.
...
...
With Shepard blasting the poor drone's head open, The last of the Collectors fell in a gurgling mess.
John dropped his Mattock and slumped back onto the ground, breathing rough now. Tali was screeching wildly in her language, Only making out his name as usual. He glanced up as he felt Tali wrap her arms snugly around his waist. Tali sat down behind him, resting his body onto hers as her hands frantically dug into his wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.
Neither of them paid mind to the flickering and hissing emitting from Tali's hastily slapped together omni-tool.

"C-ommander Shepard. Tali'Zorah. This is an Omni-Tool test. H -as Justi- -ara found you yet?"
EDI was on Tali's comm channel... Oh that wonderful, wonderful Artificial Intelligence. As if almost on cue, heavy boots stamped towards them. Shepard and Tali glanced up through the haze.
There standing over the bloody mess was indeed, none other than the Justicar Samara herself. Glowing biotic blue, She had taken Shepard's Reverent Light Machine gun from the Normandy arsenal and was currently looking dispassionately at the vast field of dead collectors, killed primarily by her biotics and her borrowed rifle. Shepard did a mental check. He would never doubt the warriors ability.
A sudden roar of a sniper rifle and hissing noise caught Shepard's attention. Crouched in a tree was none other than the Master Thief herself, Kasumi Goto. A sniper rifle in hand as she scanned for any Collector survivors. Which apparently she had discovered. Without hesitation, she leaped from the tree and rejoined the Justicar, who nodded to younger woman appreciatively.
The two broke apart, With a mysterious smile directed to both him and Tali, Kasumi headed to check on Forzan. Samara moved to them. Without any hesitation, she knelt down next to the two of them and detached what remained of his armor, Tali almost jumped as Samara's aged hand gripped Tali's as they combined pressure around the wound.
"Lay still now, Shepard." She commanded. “Your armor took most of the damage, but you're still bleeding heavy. We need to get you back on the Normandy right now. We only have a short window of time before the Collector's ship tracks the Normandy again."
English...
John gawked at the words spoken by the asari, more importantly, words understood by him..
"You...You speak English?" He groaned out as he felt Samara push a medi-gel syringe into his wound deep and without any warning to him. Shepard hissed and Samara offered no sympathy. Samara would have made the worst nurse/doctor ever. Moving her hands off his wound, he felt Tali's hand squeeze his, comforting him.
"I do not use translators when it is possible. “Samara explained factually. "I find them lazy or for the dimwitted. I have spent much spare time learning a few of your major languages, as with any species I have come across. These sorts of communication incidents do not occur should one take the time to learn, even the most basic of other species language could save you grief once technology failed."
Shepard blinked... did the Justicar actually insult him?
John ignored the potential insult the best he could as he felt Samara's cold hand apply a second injection of medi-gel and broke out the emergency bandaging. He turned his head over to the Kasumi, who was hobbling Forzan over to the rest of the group. The quarian was babbling her language to Kasumi, who spoke back. Both of them fell silent as they stared at Shepard and then down to Tali, whose focus was focused on him, then to Shepard again.
"Regardless Kasumi, Samara you have no idea how glad I am you're here." Shepard greeted the thief, groaning as the medi-gel and the pressure of the bandage made his wound burn.
Kasumi shot Tali a look of what John assumed was sympathy and turned back to Shepard, her eyebrow raised.
"You're glad we're here?" Kasumi repeated. "You're stuck on a beautiful jungle world with the sweetest girl I've ever met and you're glad we're interfering? Really? Translators or not... I figured the two of you would have worked out your feelings once and for all by now."
The observation caught him off guard. But it was Tali's reaction that caught his attention. From behind him, Tali tensed up as though she became paralyzed. Shepard's turned back to look up at her, eyes widened at just how odd she was behaving. It suddenly all made sense. The seemingly easier communication between them. The strange body language that Chambers taught was a sign of interest...
She fixed her translator...
"Let them sort it on their own time." Samara chastised her like she was speaking to one of her daughters and very unfazed by Kasumi's revelation. "We must get back to the Normandy and flee the system. Before the Collector ship comes back."
Shepard nodded and glanced back to Tali who was shifting extremely nervously now... yes... they would work this out, once it was safe to assume the Collectors weren't looking to tangle with the Normandy again.
...
...
"I want you off official duties for the next three days, Tali. A cracked rib is nothing to ignore. Also, the next time Shepard offers you ways to treat wounds without Medi-Gel, disregard them. That scar isn't going anywhere"
Tali, rubbed her hands nervously as she listened to Chakwas rant and rave over both Shepard, her and Lieutenant Forzan, who was isolated away in the AI core room, which now served as a place of treatment for the injured quarian. Not that Forzan knew that she was locked in the room with an advanced alien artificial intelligence.
Shepard did not seem fazed at all by the shouting, he simply laid there, almost amused by the berating.
"I'm sorry Doctor Chakwas." Tali murmured, unable to meet the human physicians eyes. "The bleeding would not stop and what supplies we had needed to be conserved."
Chakwas shot her a sympathetic smile, as though she understood that the engineer had to do what was necessary. The smile died as soon as she rounded back and glared down at the Commander, her patient.
"As for you, Shepard. Wear your damn helmet. There's a reason why you own it." Karin warned her patient almost furiously. "Do I have to tell you how to do your job as a Spectre? Wasn't the very first lesson in basic training to keep your helmet on?"
Shepard rolled his eyes and pushed himself up off the mattress, dangling his feet over the edge of the hospital bed, his hand clutching his gunshot graze.
"Yes ma'am." was his dull sounding agreement.
Shooting her Commanding Officer one last appraising look and Tali the kindest of smiles, Chakwas set the scanner down and turned away from both Shepard and the suddenly nervous quarian and left the Med Bay, leaving them both alone.. John quirked his lips at the woman, who ceased her jumpiness almost right away. Quietly, he ushered her over to his side. She did so, her steps more bouncy than usual.
"My mother always found it funny that my medical officer is the same woman who delivered me as an infant." Shepard spoke up to her, a mild smirk on his lips.
Tali blinked, her hands tightening their grip on each other.
"Doctor Chakwas actually birthed you?" Tali almost chirped, amazed at the sudden and profound information. "She would be like family to you. Well, at least she would be by quarian standard. An official relative."
"Just like Admiral Raan?" Shepard guessed astutely. Tali nodded. Yes, Raan had told him that she was the one who place her in her bubble. Much to her own embarrassment, fortunately hidden by her stupid mask.
Shepard didn't confirm whether Chakwas was like family. He simply held his gaze over her, burning holes into her resolve.
"I should... ah, I should go and make sure Daniels and Donnelly have not blown up the engines." Tali finally spoke up. "Later, Shepard."
But as she turned to flee, things suddenly complicated with eight words uttered by her captain, by the man she was crushing hard on.
"You borrowed Lieutenant Forzan's translator software, didn't you?"
Tali lost her ability to breathe as her body froze at the observation made by her captain He knew... Oh Keelah... he knew... Slowly she turned back and found that Shepard was off the bed, and wrapping his torn shirt back onto him.
"I know when people can't understand or when they're pretending to not understand. At first you genuinely didn't understand, but you were pretending the rest of the time." He pressed on, his tone neutral as his eyes frightened the quarian.
"How did you-"
Shepard shrugged casually, still smiling that stupid knowing smile.
"Old training supplemented by Miss Chambers for a couple quick alien body language lessons... quarian body language in particular." Was his simple voice reply. He looked so coy.
Tali closed her eyes and bowed her head. She was going to hurt Kelly Chambers. She said she would keep her observations private!
"I got to go check in on Joker." Shepard spoke, breaking his silence as he pushed himself out of the bed. "heard he was feeling guilty for taking off and being gone for so long."
He paused and turned back to the still quarian. A slight knowing look on his lips.
"When you have some free time Tali, I'd like you to come up to my quarters." Shepard requested, tone almost delicate. "We'll continue this conversation later. Understood?"
Nodding blankly to her Captain, she watched as Shepard allowed her slight smile before weakly stepping out of the med-bay. Leaving Tali with the sudden urge to throw up from the thought of Shepard knowing.
...
...
Oh Keelah... Oh Keelah help her. She was in trouble.
She should have just told him that she could understand his confession. Now he was going to be furious with her.
Or ravish her.
She was not sure what she feared more, a verbal assault from the man who humiliated the quarian leadership in a single conversation, or the fact that her hormones, bubbling to a boil were begging her to forget years of instilled fear, tear her suit off and take him right then and there, destroying their friendship and getting a passionate and romantic relationship in its place.
"Kasumi told me about your tropical excursion with Shepard planetside. I should have known you had thought of the Commander like that. Suddenly it all makes sense now."
The flangling voice, that almost taunting tone. Oh Keelah... not him.
Tali was instantly put out of the mood. She silently groaned, turned around and found none other than Garrus Vakarian sitting alone at the crew mess table, his mandibles spread wide open as though he was amused. Slowly, he begun to laugh, something that sounded so foreign from a turian.
"Oh come on now, tell Garrus about all about your troubles. I won't laugh too much at you stumbling around Shepard." Garrus crowed as he stood up to follow the engineer. "I'll tell you what's going on between me and Operative Lawson."
Tali ignored the bosh'tet the best she could. This was not his concern. So why was he making this his business?
"Silent treatment from the quarian who can't stop talking? I must have really hit a ner- "
A blue glow wrapped around the turian, throwing him against the wall. Tali turned to the source of the biotic. It was Operative Lawson. The look on her face was a mixture of rage and disgust with the turian's false implications. She moved forward to Garrus, her eyes hard, her lip curled.
"Oh alright then, Nothing is going on between the Operative and I. I'm sorry for the remarks Tali, Miranda." Garrus coughed out as he rolled over onto his back with a groan.
Satisfied with the apology, Lawson let the biotic haze over Vakarian die and turned away, wordlessly joining Tali in the elevator. Tali could find no pity for the turian for his behavior and silently commended the Cerberus Agent for not letting him get away with it. Lawson hit the button for Deck 2. The door shut, leaving both human and quarian staring at their reflection.
The only noise made at first was the gentle humming of the elevator, leaving the women alone, together.
Miranda Lawson...
To say she was a hard woman to understand would be an understatement in her opinion.
A real bitch would be much more accurate.
Miranda had an agenda, or so Tali had assumed when they first met on Freedom's Progress. Cold, calculating, manipulative (For how easily she managed to convince Shepard that she fought on the side of good) bordering on vindictive when she had heard that the woman had kidnapped her own infant sister to spite her father. crime inconceivable to Tali no matter how terrible the man may have been.
But since Shepard went out of his way to rescue Oriana Lawson, she seemed to have changed for the better... like she had an epiphany and realized her life wasn't totally dedicated to the cause she fought for. It gave Tali her own doubts about her assumption of Lawson. She was starting to see what Shepard saw: The good in her.
"Disregarding Garrus' lewd, unprofessional behavior, I am glad that you both have made it back in relatively good condition." Operative Lawson spoke to her, her hands crossing behind her back as she stared ahead at the elevator door
It was in this moment that Tali'Zorah found herself no longer disliking the woman the way she did. She understood what Lawson had done. She spent two years of her life furiously dedicated to bringing him back, She spent... years arms deep in what remained of him after being spaced. Patiently working on him with a dedication Tali could never imagine.
Nor Lawson could imagine just the amount of gratitude Tali felt for the woman.
"Miss Zorah? Are you alright, Miss Zorah?"
Tali looked up and found Operative Lawson staring at her. Before either realized it, the elevator doors open to the CIC opened. Still, Lawson's head was tilted curiously. Faintly Tali could hear the Commander talking to Joker on the bridge. That voice, so distant but still could send shivers down her spine and make her lose her cool. She shook her head and licked her dried lips.
"Thank you." Tali managed to speak up, staring back at the Cerberus agent.
Lawson quirked her lips, almost confused by Tali's softly spoke appreciation.
"Yes, well if you excuse me, I have XO duties to attend to." Was her response as she attempted to move out of the elevator.
Before Miranda could depart; Tali reached out and without thinking, grabbed the woman's arm turning her back to face her once again. Lawson stared dangerously as though she was daring the engineer to make another move so she could seriously hurt the woman for grabbing her. Nervously, Tali disregarded the feelings that she was close to forfeiting her life for touching the Cerberus agent.
"No, Thank You." Tali repeated once again.
Lawson blinked, her defensive stance vanished as she simply stood there, unsure of what to do or say, or even what in the hell Tali was babbling about. The quarian shook exhaled, how could her simple words be so complicated for her to understand?
"Miranda...Thank You." She desperately urged the woman to accept.
Tali's grip fell off Miranda, leaving the two of them standing there silently. She watched as a dawning of realization spread onto the Operative's expression. For the first time since they met. Tali felt comfortable using the woman's first name. Miranda huffed a brisk laugh.
"I... I understand." She whispered back to Tali, nodding gently. "I suppose he means more to you then the Illusive Man knows, or at least briefed me."
The engineer tilted her helmet, almost embarrassed that Lawson had pointed the obvious out to her. She glanced up and did not see a look of disgust, or revulsion she had anticipated from the Cerberus Operative from the mere thought of an alien thinking of human in that way. No, instead, there was a gentle smile that destroyed her assumptions.
A gentle smile from Miranda Lawson? What was this galaxy coming to?
"You're quite welcome, but I was merely the one who put him back together." Was Miranda's almost humbled response. "You might want to thank my employer as well. If it were not for him, this... second chance of yours would never have happened."
It was Tali's turn to blink. Thank the Illusive Man? She could not imagine that she ever would... but she would entertain the thought. Miranda was right however, If there was one thing she should that she should thank that bastard for...
Miranda chuckled, she seemed to understand Tali's lack of enthusiasm in the suggestion.
"At any rate. I trust you will not squander this opportunity." Miranda continued, "I also should like to think we can be on less... hostile terms now... Tali."
Miranda reached out, offering her hand to the quarian. Tali looked at it, and extended her own, giving a curt but friend shake.
"I don't trust this organization. I lack the same faith that Shepard does." Tali admitted without any shame. She paused and added. "but I can come to like a few of its members, Miranda."
Miranda held her eyes on Tali's for a little while longer. She nodded and dropped Tali's hand. With a slight smile and without another word, she turned away and stepped onto the bridge. Leaving Tali alone in the elevator as the doors closed, both pleased and surprised with the conversation.
She glanced at the elevator panel, lost as she stared at the holographic display.
Miranda Lawson was right. She had this second chance to get what she needed. To take him and keep him close to her. For however long that might have been.
She would tell Shepard.
Without another thought, and knowing full well that Gabriella and Kenneth had the engines under complete control, Tali pressed the button to Deck 1: Captain's Quarters.
...
...
Joker, as it turned out, was rather hard to get him to understand that he was not upset with him.
John couldn't blame him for feeling that way; The guilt. He reckoned it was probably what happened on board the SR-1 that made Moreau feel he had to always find a way to pay him back for his stubborn borderline insubordination that coincidentally led to his demise.
After managing to at least tell him that they could settle this incident by buying his CO a drink on the Citadel, it pacified the upset pilot somewhat.
With only a brief conversation with his Executive Officer about what had happened and how much a piece of shit the Hammerhead was, he was in the elevator and heading up to his room for a shower, a shave and a fresh change of clothing. Perhaps he would get a couple hours of shut eye before Tali finally managed to work up the courage to face him.
Tali...
Okay... he probably could have handled that better. He left her in such a worried state. He wasn't mad at her or anything. He reckoned he just wanted her to sweat a little. An adequate punishment for someone who got to listen to him confess how much of a bastard he once was...
Commander, Chief Engineer Tali'Zorah vas Normandy has been waiting in your quarters for the past half an hour. Should I follow Mister Moreau's suggestion and have Yeoman Chambers send up a bottle of wine for her?
Shepard groaned. Of course Joker would figure out why he had left so soon. Buttering up the Ship's Artificial Intelligence had its uses. Besides... he might have purchased Thesssian brandy, brewed with quarian and turian's in mind. If Tali needed a drink then it would be there.
Shepard quirked his lips slightly. Tali had left the engines to Donnelly and Daniels?
"No, EDI. My quarters is off limits to any suggestions made by Joker, Miss Goto and Miss Chambers." John finally returned. He paused, thought for exactly three seconds before adding. "Amend my last statement to include Garrus in that list. No suggestions from him as well."
"Acknowledged."
Shepard stepped out of the elevator and slowly approached his room, knowing full well that a quarian girl he left in a near paranoid state was waiting for him. In truth, he felt sort of bad for leaving her hanging like this. He would definitely break that bottle of brandy out for her if she needed it. Tali was a nervous wreck whenever something she shouldn't have done occurred. She was a usually positive woman, until she did something wrong and assumed that she was going to face the firing squad or something.
He paused as he noticed Tali sitting behind his desk staring at something in her hands. Silently he tip toed closer and got a good look at what the quarian was so focused on.
A picture of Liara.
He wasn't quite sure why he still had it. It was a relic to a past that wasn't relevant today. Liara and him were not on speaking terms. Not after her using him like an extension to her information network. It was a fucking disgrace... Not that he would care to admit it to anyone. Being used sucked, even for a Spectre.
"You know... that actually came with the ship, oddly enough. I think my employer was trying to be forward thinking about non-humans." Shepard spoke up, surprising Tali enough to make her jump in place. With her eyes devoted on him, he added. "Liara and I aren't together or anything. Words were spoken by the two of us. Wasn't pretty. But the end was pretty much solidify that the moment she had me hacking terminals like one of her pawns."
Tali bowed her head.
"I'm sorry that you fought with her. She is our friend. She was your... closer friend."
The quarian turned back to the desk. As tenderly as she could, she placed the photo frame back on the table as though it were delicate glass. Tali stood up and fidgeted under his expression. Like she wasn't sure if she should be up here at all.
"I'm sorry I came up so soon." She blurted out. "Daniels and Donnelly had things under control. I just thought... you know. I have an apology to make. I deceived you and it was wrong. It will not happen again."
Tali trailed off, her eyes not blinking as she stood there staring at him. Shepard didn't know what she was talking about. Instead, he simply nodded and chalked up to her following his request.
Quietly he moved past the quarian and down to his bed. Without thinking, he pushed his shirt and pants off his body, leaving himself exposed as he pried open his clothing drawer to search for something fresh to wear. He paused and remembered. Fear of public nudity was all but beaten out of him during boot camp. Tali on the other hand. From behind her mask, he could faintly hear the smallest of gasps.
He glanced back and noticed Tali was frozen, her stance clearly that of someone who received the shock of her life. He sighed and pulled on fresh casual shirt and a pair of shorts: Sleeping attire. He turned back and stepped slowly back to the silent engineer.
"I told Miranda to requisition us a Mako." He spoke up, breaking Tali's wide eyed stare as he turned back to face her. "Say what you will about it, at least it didn't fall apart whenever we landed rougher than usual."
Tali nodded blankly.
"A good call," Tali agreed tersely. "So long as you let Garrus or I drive it during missions or at the very least stop driving them through anymore micro mass relay's. You know... Garrus nearly had a mental breakdown after Saren died and saw what you did to the vehicle. He did not think it was possible that you could break an axle like that."
He laughed slightly at Tali's observation. Yes, Garrus was obsessed with keeping that damn IFV in tip top shape.
"That was just the one time, Miss vas Normandy." He reminded her. He nudged her playfully, adding. "Besides, You screamed like a girl."
The tension broke in the quarian. She started to laugh as at the memory. John chuckled as well. Tali ducked her head slightly, shaking it as though thinking of the memory was humiliating. John inched forward, his hand outstretched, slowly he leaned in, his gripping her shoulder.
Tali looked back up, her eyes staring at the grasp around her. She looked up and found John's expression to be blank with the barest hints of understanding.
"I meant what I said back there." He whispered, his lip quirked. "How I trust you... How you made me felt. I'm sorry if that makes you uncomfortable, but it's been lingering there for a long time now. It just had to be said. I just figured you not having a translator would... you know... help ease the tension."
Tali wringed her hands, a sudden burst of nervous energy flowing through her.
"I thought you figured it out I had a translator."
Shepard shook his head ruefully.
"I only figured it out after Kasumi said something about us being marooned and you turned to her, like you knew what she said." Shepard said. "I don't often spill myself so freely."
"I'm so sorry, Captain... I... just... when you started speaking so frank.." Tali replied, finding her voice but keeping her head hung low. "It was so different then what I was used to. We... we never really talked before. On the first Normandy, you kept to yourself. I did not get a chance to know you. The only one who made any dent into you was Doctor T'Soni."
John rubbed the back of his neck.
"She only made any progress because of the mind melds." he admitted sheepishly. "I didn't really talk to her... That sounded bad, didn't it?"
Tali shrugged noncommittally.
"It does not matter... What matters is that after the trial... after you became my captain. I might have felt that dull aching pain in my stomach that your people described." She admitted. "So when you started speaking, I was just so worried that to make you aware would mean you would clam up and never speak to me so... so...intimately again."
"Well, I'm a real pain in the ass to get to know." He grinned apologetically. "You barely scratched the surface while we were stranded. I have a whole list of issues that I think might scare you off."
Still Tali stood there, silent as the grave. Shepard rubbed the back of his neck as his eyes were locked into hers. Slowly, he whispered.
"This is where you reply, telling me you don't have an interest."
Tali almost immediately snorted. She cocked her head back and let loose a laugh that echoed throughout the room. It was as though his words had been a source of great amusement. Shepard resisted the urge to ask her what was so funny. He was offering her a way out diving any deeper into the mess that was Commander John Shepard's personal life.
"You're assuming I don't have an interest?" Tali found her voice, sounding almost surprised by him. "A dashing, exotic commander saves me from criminals, offers me a post on his experimental military frigate, allows me fight the geth and chase a rogue Spectre across the galaxy, He finds me my pilgrimage gift... cheats his own death and the void of space and comes right back to me... and inadvertently tells me how special I am to him... How I am the best thing that has come into his life..."
Tali exhaled slowly her head tilted up to him incredulously.
"How could I possibly be interested in him?" She breathed, her eyes clearing hooded as she took the sight of him in.
As the words spoken so silkily by the quarian died between the two. John realized that this was not the same girl who proved herself on the hunt for Saren. She was a woman now, filled with feelings and desires apparently suppressed from the moment they first met. Oh great God help him, here he was, two years out of practice on the account of him being dead. Now he finds out he's damn near masturbation material for an amorous quarian.
Okay, that may have been crude and pretty arrogant had someone been reading his thoughts. Still, the way she stood there, one hand on her hip, her head tilted, eyes hooded as they traveled over his body... It was hard not to imagine Tali hidden away in a private clean room... just thinking of him...
"Shepard?"
Tali's voice caught his attention. He could feel the heat touching into his face. He tried to find the right words but they were not there to answer. Tali simply stood there looking almost shocked.
"Shepard... are you being bashful?" She observed, her voice almost chirping as she teased him so openly. Somehow the heat got hotter against his skin. He coughed and bowed his head.
"Oh Keelah... Have I just made the great Commander Shepard, first human Spectre and the bane of the Admiralty Board, blush!" The quarian woman giggled furiously, She looked ready to completely lose her resolve as she realized just how much an effect, her words had on him..
I shall archive this incident on Tali'Zorah's omni-tool. I calculate a 98.6835 percent probability that she will want to experience this again.
"EDI, I told you not to snoop during personal time!" Shepard roared out at the avatar of EDI flashed to life in the corner of the room. It blinked away, as though knowing she was in trouble with her boss. The presence of the AI did nothing to detract Tali's laughter at his expense.
"For an AI, I think I'm okay with it now." She spoke again sounding gleeful and unfazed as she checked her omni-tool and found that indeed EDI had sent her a video file of the incident. John rubbed his face. This had to be the worst possible thing he would ever get into. Reapers and Collectors be damned.
He slumped onto the couch and gave Tali an appraising look as she stood over him, her arms crossed. He rolled his eyes and patted the seat next to him, which she accepted right away. They sat there, resting into the comfortable couch as they
John turned his hand over on his lap, showing the quarian his palm, his eyes glanced over to her. She was staring at it, almost fascinated. Slowly, tentatively she reached out and pressed her gloved hand into his. It was awkward looking, Three digits searching for a way to link together with five efficiently, but soon they found the connection. A connection Tali quickly held tight to.
Tali looked up, from behind her mask Shepard could swear that she could see the hint of a smile through the tinted glass.
"So... if this was to happen... you and I... being together much closer than just friends..." Shepard spoke up, finding his voice. "Will you have any regrets? Any fears I need to know?"
Tali'Zorah shook her head.
"No regrets, my captain. None at all" She whispered back. "but I will have my doubts. Tomorrow I will probably find dozen reasons why you should not be with me... which I know you'll ignore. And It's... hard to feel attractive and feel like I am attractive enough for you when I'm in this damn suit."
John's eyes widened as he slowly checked out every inch of Tali's body sitting next to him. Slowly, he shook his head.
"I know you probably don't feel so cute in a suit... but it does show off some nice... features." He observed with the mildest of grins. "All those glorious curves, how are they even possible?"
Tali gave Shepard and his borderline lecherous comment a simple but somewhat intimidating look. It was not the first time he had seen it .She had used the same look on Operative Taylor for him so casually mentioning she would be serving alongside a Cerberus Artificial Intelligence.
"Regardless, I imagine we'll figure something out to get you out of the suit if only for a few hours. If that's what you want." Shepard assured her with the mildest of smiles. "We've killed a Reaper, postponed a galactic invasion, infiltrated a Collector ship and somehow a quarian is making nice with a loyal Cerberus agent." He grinned as he watched her jump at the mention of Miranda, "I imagine anything is possible."
In a moment of boldness displayed by Tali, she slapped his chest as though he had said something wrong. It was not a display of rage or anything... She was flirting with him.
If he was being honest with himself, he never ever intended on getting into a situation like this again, a relationship with a subordinate. He figured after the fiasco that was Liara and him, he'd stay strictly on a professional basis with non-humans from that point on.
It was a task made so much more difficult by the loyal quarian sitting next to him.
Quarian... just the thought of him confession that he had these sorts of feelings to a quarian was making his head spin. Not for any racial disbelief. It was more of blindside. Interspecies dating wasn't new to him, but this was drastically different. Liara might have been alien, but she was the sort of alien who he had experience with and Liara, though awkward with due her lack of interest in anything that wasn't a Prothean artifact, was still a member of a race that could adapt to the differences that a mate brought.
Tali was a completely different person... he was probably going to be stumbling in the dark at first...
"How do you handle it?" Tali blurted out. "Losing people under your command?"
Shepard leaned his back into the couch.
"What makes you think I handle loss well?"
"After Freedom's Progress..." She sighed. "You do not know how close I was to telling Father and the rest of the Admiralty Board that I was done helping them. I was going to reveal my intentions of rejoining your crew, regardless of if my request was approved or not. I even told Auntie Raan privately that fleet life was not what I wanted... That I wanted you to be my Captain. I wanted you to be my captain since we took down Saren."
Shepard cocked his eyebrow.
"You told her about me?"
Suppressing the urge to chuckle, Tali'Zorah nodded.
"Of course I did... I told her bits and pieces." the quarian said. "I was not so open as I am now... but she knew how badly your death affected me."
Tali paused and inhaled and exhaled slowly, as though washing the old memory away.
"I told Auntie Raan that...well... I consider you my best friend. A best friend who disappeared for two years, who came back and had nobody there to support him... no one who would listen the way... well... the way I listen."
"Conceited, I know." She admitted slyly, her eyes darting back and forth as her hands wringed. "But... I like to think I was right."
"Well Joker and Garrus doesn't seem the type who'd want to talk about my feelings. Chakwas tries to be there. but she's is more interested in keeping me together. " Shepard agreed. "So yes... I wouldn't say no to a mouthy, tech crazy engineer with a real mean streak to her, helping me process what spending two years dead felt like."
Though his words were meant to extract a small laugh from the engineer, it did not work.
"In the end I just couldn't shake Father's influence..." Tali continued, demurely. "The next thing I knew I was on Haestrom, watching the last of my friends die because I was too incompetent to save them."
Shepard squeezed her hand.
"You were not incompetent." He almost chastised her. "At worst, you were inexperienced and placed into a nightmare situation that was over your head, over most peoples head. If blame is to be handed out, then its to the Admiralty Board for making the call. To your father for his research. Not you."
Tali lowered her line of sight. Taking a risk, she leaned closer against him, her helmet in the space between his chin and his shoulder.
"That does not bring peace to all of the dead... I can't even write to the families." Tali breathed disbelievingly. "I do not know what to say... how to say it... It feels wrong that I live and they do not, that I get to fight while they remained unburied on Haestrom... That I... a coward who thought only of making my father proud of me could see my homeworld one day, while true heroes are doomed to be forgotten."
Tali paused and looked at him carefully.
"That I get to sit here... in the arms of a man who I care so much about, while their loved one cry themselves to sleep because I could not save their damn lives."
She fell quiet and once more, she buried her mask into his neck. There were no cries or sniffles... just hard silence. Rubbing the bridge of his nose. John could not believe just how similar Tali was now to him. She had the same problems he had... Survivors guilt. Guilt from Torfan... guilt of being granted a second life while the rest of the Normandy crew remained dead...
"Seventy eight."
Tali glanced up back to John, who was staring off. His hands still gripping her tight however.
"I have written seventy eight condolence letters from the time I took my first command, to about a week ago." Shepard spoke to the engineer leaning against him. "I lost fifty marines on Torfan, twenty crew members in the Collector attack, four marines stationed onboard who died on Virmire, Pressley, Jenkins... Lieutenant Alenko."
Silently, he leaned forward and sipped the whiskey he poured himself. He set the glass down and leaned back into Tali, whose eyes never left him, nor could she find the right words.
"It never gets any easier, Tali. Not even for me." He continued, his eyes staring into hers. "Being a leader, whether you want to or not means the dead are on your hands and there isn't one thing you can do about it. It's happened to me, my parents... It happened to Garrus... and it happened to you as well now."
He exhaled, and tried to remain clearheaded, despite the memories coming back to haunt him. The lives lost because he didn't do his job...
"I can't tell you how to grieve for those you lost. whether it's those under your command.. or your father. I wish I had a magic fix, but I don't." Shepard whispered, gripping Tali's fingers. "All I can do is tell you is to not dwell on it... you'll end up like Garrus... or worse... My father."
Father...
Suppressing the urge to explain the tragedy that was his father, he felt Tali's bright eyes burn into him. Searching for an elaboration that he was just not comfortable telling the woman leaning against him. His silence got the point across to her.
"I think I understand. Thank you." Tali murmured softly, her helmet bowed briefly before looking up into his eyes. "It just... If you hadn't taught me to survive. I know I would have given up and died there on Haestrom."
She exhaled unsteadily.
"And I - I wouldn't... you know... I would not have had this chance... With you."
As he nodded, understanding how the woman felt. Tali leaned closer against her captain, tilting head and helmet. her mouth piece pressed against his cheek. It was surprisingly warm against his skin. She pulled back, her bowed, almost ashamed that she had bumped her mask against him.
"This is the closest thing to a kiss I can give to you." She sheepishly admitted, her voice so bothered by herself and her inability to express intimacy she figured he deserved. Shepard chuckled and pulled her hand up, his lips grazing against her fingers, causing the sweet quarian to jump as nerves stimulator activated by his touch. He could hear the gentlest of moans escape Tali's voice modulator.
"It's kind of cute." He said, looking up into Tali's hooded eyes. "Not as good as the real thing though, I'll have to show you soon."
John stood up and much the quarians protest, he pulled Tali up from her resting place, his arm slinking around her waist, causing the poor, sexually frustrated woman into bumping her pelvis into his. From behind her mas, he imagined he heard her almost purr by his touch.
"Come on, Miss vas Normandy." Shepard decided, tugging her towards his bed. "I'm buzzed from pain medications, tired and this bed lacks a quarian comforter. Care to join me?"
Tali crossed her arms, the gesture, clearly a playful one.
"So that is why you have spoken such sweet words. I am just a blanket to you?" Tali shot back, simply glaring at her captain. "I see where I stand now. Alright then, so long as you serve as my head rest."
Shepard nodded and in his own moment of bravery, leaned in and kissed the side of her mask, leaving the poor woman stunned. Together, they laid there in the dim quarters. Arms wrapped around each others bodies as the silence fell over them serenely, the only noise made by John was careful breathing and a heartbeat thumping against Tali's hood.
His mind wandered back to the conversation earlier. About those lost under their respective command How difficult it was for Tali to know what to say to those who died protecting her. She needed his help much more then she was willing to let on.
Help he would provide if she wanted it.
"Tell you what. If you want... I can help you write those letters. Unfortunately, I'm an expert in writing them." John offered, his voice low and not at all liking the words he was speaking to the emotionally injured quarian. "By the looks of this war... I think I'll be writing many more before things get better."
Tali did not reply. Instead she simply buried her helmet deeper into his chest. Slowly she nodded, accepting the offer presented. Slowly but certainly, He could feel the tension in Tali's body from the thrill of being with him like this die. A sure sign that the woman was quickly entering the land of dreams. Where the bad things hopefully did not chase her too as well.
Quietly he ran his hand over Tali's hood, still stained by his blood. Though he had a galaxy to save from itself, Tali would always come first.
He really didn't know if that was a good or bad thing...
...
...
Tali opened her eyes and felt what she could only describe as a heater laying next to her. She did not notice the warmth before on Gel Hinnom. The jungles were hot and humid, even in the rain so she did not realize just how much heat a thinly clothed human generated.
Not that she minded it. Even if she was in her damn suit, between his bed, his fines sheets, and Shepard serving as a head rest. This may have been the most comfortable sleep she had ever had in her entire life.
She could not believe she was in this situation so deep, so quickly. She believed that this would have been a slow process. A building of trust between human and quarian. But Shepard, being Shepard, charmed her into realizing that neither of them had the time to dance around this issue.
They were in the middle of a war and both were sufficiently grown up (Herself, moreso) to realize that at any moment, all of this could end in a single strike against them. These were not simple times like two years ago, when they're biggest threat was chasing a fugitive Spectre and she and him were only learning of the threat waiting just outside the galaxy.
There was no concern, for the moment at least, for reactions. Of what her father and mother would have thought had they been alive, How Auntie Raan and the rest of the Admiralty board would feel about an alien being this close to her. She had no concerns what Liara T'Soni would react had she found out a quarian had snatched her mate from out of her arms, Or Ashley Williams, whom Vakarian had confided in her a while back, was still clearly was still nursing a crush on her former Commander, even after the Horizon meeting. Not even this new woman, John had mentioned but Tali did not have the nerve to bring up, Freyja.
Well as the humans put it: Hard luck. Or was it tough luck?
Regardless of the stupid idioms human's had, this was her time. Her time to get what she wanted. No matter how selfish her logic told her she was being. Tali, for once since she became an adult, decided to act against logic, one of the few friends she had in order to get the man that she wanted. Needed.
She rolled over, taking the sight of the human underneath her in.
Shepard was... Shepard was strange asleep. At peace, unguarded, vulnerable. but that wasn't the only thing alien. So was he. All those digits. Eyes dull looking, at least compared to hers they were. His skin a healthy looking tone of extremely light pink. He was beautiful in a frighteningly powerful sort of way. Like a male asari minus the dual gender role, tendrils, and crushing brains with his thoughts.
Tali smiled slightly from beneath her mask. She did not imagine John Shepard would be particularly impressed by the description. Still... she liked him and was amazed by herself. Before Shepard she hadn't imagined herself one to fall for a human. She imagined she would come home from her pilgrimage would marry a fellow quarian, perhaps even have a child.
Then came along Shepard and everything that came along with him. The danger, the excitement of running with a Spectre and undermined that dream in a single meeting two years ago. Even when he was... dead, she still longed to be with him.
She even contemplated joining him on more then one occasion...
Tali shook that bad memory away from her. She did not want to think of such dark days. Not when she was so close to having everything she wanted. She leaned back into Shepard broad warm chest, her arm raised as she activated her Omni-Tool. There, flashing under unread messages, was one from the human she was laying on top of.
Forward: Transfer Request Approved
From: Admiralty Board, Migrant Fleet
Commander Shepard,
Per Tali'Zorah vas Neema's request included with her data delivery from Haestrom, the Admiralty Board has approved her transfer to your command. She has been informed that additional duties to the Migrant Fleet may still be necessary on occasion, but has been given extended leeway to determine when her mission with you is considered complete.
This choice was hers, but your role as de facto captain during her Pilgrimage may have caused her to be more susceptible to your requests. The Admiralty Board trusts that you will treat your new crew member with the respect due an honored member of the Fleet. Should any harm come to her due to negligence on your part, this board will take severe and appropriate action.
Admiral Rael'Zorah,
Migrant Fleet Admiralty Board
...
- Tali'Zorah vas Normandy,
I could not sleep so I figured I'd forward you this. I don't think your Father liked me or would have liked me all that much. I do not think I would have been too nice to him as well. But his concern for you is clearly there. Him and I may not have saw eye to eye and many things. But I think that your safety is where ours paths cross. I know you can protect yourself, but I will always be there for you Tali. Don't ever doubt that.
Yours, Shepard
Post Script: The only reason I'm not able to sleep is because you snore. Loud. Wrex loud. You're just lucky you're too cute to kick out of bed.
Tali smiled slightly and turned back up to look at Shepard, who remained motionless and asleep, despite his message. She would harass him later for the message. For now, sleeping with her Shepard was the only thing on her mind. Everything else. From the losses she felt guilt for to the Collectors that were chasing them could wait.
She could not believe she was going through with it. This was so embarrassing.
Barely a week into their unofficial relationship with John Shepard, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy had found herself with an itch to scratch. An itch that she tried everything to relieve. From distracting herself with her work to spending a quiet evening locked away in Kasumi's empty room; A canister of wine, mood music and thoughts of only John as she furiously turned up the control for her nerve stimulator.
But it was never enough. It was not what she needed. It was years of desire bottled up and boiling; now it was affecting her everyday life. She could not think like she used to. Things got confusing, even Kenneth Donnelly managed to get three steps ahead of her during basic engine maintenance. Stupid she had nothing other than wondering what John would feel like inside her on her brain.
So after embarrassment after embarrassment she decided it was time to relieve this urge now so she could get back to being her usually dedicated self.
At first Tali decided to approach Kasumi. Perhaps she would help set up some sort of date. Help her figure out what it was she needed from Shepard. As Tali stood in the elevator, she decided against that. She did not need help from the gossipy human who was much more interested in the emotional aspects of her and John. Both of them had sorted out their feelings. Both did not make it official, but that did not matter.
No, what she really needed was medical advice. Medical advice that did not involve Karin Chakwas, John's unofficial aunt (By quarian standards at least) asking a whole lot of awkward questions and telling her that abstinence was the only way to keep healthy. A fact she already knew.
So, instead she went some to someone a little more open to taking a risk.
The door to the science labs opened in front of her. She stepped in and found Doctor Mordin Solus, certified genius biologist tapping furiously away at his terminal, surround by a variety of bacteria cultures. He seemed rather busy. So instead, like the occasional 'chicken' she could become over asking for help from others, Tali slowly backed out of the room. She could come back later.
Tali was not quick enough however. Mordin's head swung up, his eyes focused on her.
"Miss Zorah! Is there anyway I can assist you in?" He inquired, quickly setting away his cultures back into the storage fridge.
Behind her mask, Tali bit her lip.
"I was going to go and speak to Kasumi Goto about this, but I think I need to speak to you instead." Tali spoke, at long last finding her voice. "Do you have... You know... Doctor/Patient confidentiality?"
Mordin's curious expression reformed into a smile.
"One of the pillars of being a good doctor regardless of species. How may I help?" He assured the nervous quarian.
"It's just... I want to get out of this suit a few hours." Tali explained, fighting off her stutter the best she could.
"Oh course its possible." Mordin mused "Could convert the AI room into a clean room, like Doctor Chakwas did for Lieutenant Forzan. Quite ingenious of her, really. AI room has to be the cleanest room on the Normandy. Safest. That is if you do not mind bunking with EDI."
Tali wringed her hands.
"Yes.. but I mean... with... well.. with someone else."
The thoughtfulness on Mordin's expression vanished as he immediately deduced what was happening and why he was being consulted.
"Ah, heard rumors involving you and the Commander." Mordin announced, sounding almost thrilled for the coupling. "Tend to disregard them as ship boredom, heard one about Joker and EDI once -implications unpleasant. Good to see at least one floating around is true. Difficult times, people tend to bottle up and hide emotional attachments in fear of potential romantic partner's death. Hard to handle for most species. Are you and Shepard planning to consummate this?"
Tali felt the heat overwhelm her senses as Mordin's huge eyes stared at her expectantly, there was no trace jesting, only an intense scientific interest.
"What? No. Not yet I mean.. No." Tali stammered out "I just... want him to see my face... perhaps... perhaps even more. I'm not sure."
Doctor Solus hummed.
"I see. suggest against this encounter, even with environmental sterilization, antibiotics and immune suppliants, you will undoubtedly be ill for a prolonged period." Mordin pressed, his hands curling together. "Suggest we start treatments first. Plus this is a new attachment, attachments require substance. Trust must be earned for this. Go on dates, flirt, smile, hug. All that should be done first for now."
Trust? Was Mordin being serious? She trusted in the man since he saved her life. Shepard definitely had her trust. As for everything else. All of that either happened or would happen in a matter of time. She wasn't looking for a distraction. She was looking to resolve this. Now. Right about now going to Chakwas and enduring her lectures was looking better and better.
"Yeah, that might work for salarians, but not me. Thank you for the suggestion, but that's just not going to happen." Tali almost snapped, losing her patience. "I'm about to explode, so either help me work this out or watch me have a meltdown right in the middle of dinner tonight."
Mordin, fortunately for Tali, wasn't fazed by her attitude. He turned away and wandered back to his terminal. He quietly tapped away. Tali stepped forward and noticed that the salarian had a file on the subject of quarian physiology, including works about the immune deficiency.
"Not my first quarian patient who'd want this." Mordin murmured. "Spent several months building an immune system for one of your people. Worked, but many complications. Cost inefficient for quarian race. After exile, should have diverted funds to science, colonization projects, general healthcare. Not on guns to fight an enemy that never attacked first.."
Tali bit back the urge to get upset. The doctor was always very blunt about his opinions. The last thing she wanted to do was make the doctor upset enough to forget her request of aid.
"We needed those guns and ships for the sake of our species survival." She explained, her voice unable to erase the tone of annoyance at the salarian's observation.
Mordin shook his head.
"Short sighted thought process: Should have learned after the second and third failed offensive against the geth." Mordin dismissed, again unfazed by the annoyance. "Could have diverted wasted funds into medicine, found artifical supplements to your immune system while you searched for a new world. Mediocrity, stubborn militarist put quarians in precarious situation. Lack of Council assistance also major player in the quarian situation, should have done better."
Tali shook her head. She did not want to hear his assessment anymore. It bothered her, just how eerily it made sense. This was not the clash of emotional opinions like she once and awhile with John. This was a cold logic sprouted by a former intelligence officer.
"Every world we wanted to colonize was either claimed or the turians would threaten to bomb us out of existence." She finally returned, using the old line. "What could we do other than fight the geth for control of Rannoch?"
"Assumption based on hundreds of years of anti-council propaganda perpetrated by bitter Admirals." Mordin countered as he stood up from his console, wagging one of his long fingers at her. "The Council canceled your Citadel membership. They had no say over your colonial efforts, so long as you stayed off claimed worlds. "
The lab went silent as Mordin went to work gathering a variety of medications from out of the lab fridge.
"Tell that to the humans." Tali finally spoke up. "They did not know the council even existed, yet the turians applied their laws to a new species."
She did not notice the slight smile on Mordin's lips.
"Turian war against humanity regrettable but justified. New relays must be monitored, extremely dangerous practice." He explained away as he turned back. "Humans had opened over fifty before the turians found out. Fifty in a time span of eight galactic years. To put into context, In the first eight years of salarian mass relay travel, we opened seven, turians opened four, quarians opened eight. Human ambition is frightening, especially after the turian defeat on Shanxi. No other species ever got caught up in and won a first contact war against a council race. Would have lost in a prolonged war, but now unlikely either sides would break down in a prolonged conflict. Took turians thousands of years to get to where they are. Took humans decades. Turian/human war... unimaginable."
Before Tali could respond, Mordin held his hand up.
"Can debate about the details of galactic politics and the exile, or could get back to medical discussion. Your choice." He simply spoke to her. It was an ultimatum, whether he meant it or not.
Tali, deciding that working on an immune booster was far more important than a three century old debate nodded and watched as the salarian worked on his station quietly. Her thoughts fell back to Shepard, who left her on the ship while he went down to Pragia with the biotic psycho, Jack and her nemesis, Miranda Lawson of all people.
For once, she was quite glad that he choose against bringing her along.
"Can create a cocktail of various immune system supplements and antibiotics for a few hours of physical contact with him." He finally spoke, looking up from the terminal. "Must promise that you will limit intimacy with him, kisses, touches acceptable. No intercourse for the time being, sweat, bodily fluids may cause prolonged irritation, so cover up as much as you can. After recovery, suggest putting you on a strict immune system building regiment."
Mordin took a breath and added.
"Will reduce after effect of copulation Should you decide to continue seeing him, of course."
Tali flattened out her hood, her head hung low as she sighed.
"I would not worry about that..."
So she could fool around but that was about it. She had to keep a minimal layer of protection on. Shepard in all likelihood would have to as well. It was such a shame. The way he was built and the flash of skin she got to see no less than a week ago. All those muscles and that perfect abdomen. What he could do to her... Oh keelah. She had heard from Jack that the best thing a woman could do after sex was have a cigarette... A habit she disapproved of... but if it was Shepard she had under her, than she might make an exception...
"Come back in an hour for injections." Mordin spoke up, interrupting her thoughts and forcing her back to reality. "Must suggest he take precautions as well. Take this. Have him shower once back from Pragia."
Tali exhaled unsteadily, driving the thoughts of Shepard out of her blasted, sex addled mind. She stared at the small plastic bottle in his hand and shook her head.
"No... this is sort of a surprise,you see." Tali explained, trying not to sound too lost in her thoughts. "You would not mind a bit of deception would you?"
Mordin smiled knowingly.
"Former member of Special Task Group, as you may recall; Deception is my specialty." Mordin reminded her, "Shepard however is difficult to deceive. Suggestions?"
Tali thought about it for a moment chuckled lightly.
"It's difficult if you don't know the right angle to play." Tali stating, smiling privately. "The best method is to blame the turian. Trust me, it works every time."
Giving the scientist a word of thanks, Tali gathered the armload of supplies Mordin had retrieved for her and left with a slight bounce in her step, Leaving Mordin musing over his role in making all of this possible.
...
...
"I'm going to go and rest. Clean all that shit off my mind, you know? Spent years forgetting that hellhole. Later Scarface, Cheerleader."
Subject Zero, now known simply as Jack paused. Slowly, she turned back to face the man who let her return to Pragia without so much as a hesitation. She shuffled slightly, almost nervously. A strange sight from a woman who had singlehandedly forced a space station to crash into a Hanar moon.
"Hey, Shepard... Thanks." She spoke up, looking at him at long last.
Shepard nodded.
"Any time Jack. If you need to talk."
Jack nodded blankly and pushed past Miranda, who had been absolutely the worst choice to take on the mission. They fought every time the two of them opened their mouths. It had gotten so bad that he assigned Garrus as their babysitter and turian shield should either of them start thinking about throwing biotic field at the other.
The assignment he gave to Garrus wasn't going to be cheap. He was going to have to foot Garrus' tab at the Citadel when they docked in a weeks time. Garrus, unfortunately had a real tolerance for a strong drink.
Miranda shook her head. she looked very unnerved by what went on at Pragia. Unnerved because even to her, her excuses for her employer were growing thinner. Shepard turned away from the two of them. He rose an eyebrow. Approaching him with a plastic bottle in hand was Doctor Mordin Solus.
"Doctor?" He called out, the title caught Garrus and Miranda's attention. They two looked up to see the strangely smiling salarian.
"Ah, Shepard. I trust the mission was successful?"
Shepard nodded, his eyes looking at the bottle unexcited. Whenever Mordin brought him something, there was usually something wrong.
"Yes, sorry for prying, but must suggest you take a shower." Mordin requested, offering the bottle to the Spectre. "Use this, Primary ingredient is rubbing alcohol. Try not to consume or get into eyes."
Shepard tilted his head, his mouth frowning.
"Why are you giving me this? I have my own bodywash."
Mordin chuckled slightly and shook his head.
"Won't do, must understand, no offense intended but non-human crewmembers have... complained of excess musk escaping your pores, especially after missions. whether you sterilize or not." Mordin explained, as delicate as a jackhammer could be. "Not your fault, really. Some find it... hard to handle in a professional nature, sensitive noses. Krogan for instance, turians also find the scent aggravating. Apologies, Must get back to the labs; Cultures are ready for observation."
With a polite nod and a smile, Mordin departed, leaving Shepard, Miranda and the suddenly coy looking turian. Shepard raised an arm and took a sniff. Smelling nothing out of the ordinary, he turned to Garrus Vakarian.
"Do I stink?"
Garrus shrugged, looking close to having a fit.
"You... You get use to it." He admitted very carefully. "You smell like meat and blood. All that sloshing around just inside your skin? It's kinda gross if you think about it. Asari's and quarians are the same apparently. but at least quarians have a suit to cover that smell... and as for the asari... well you know. I imagine Liara was an eyeopener. You just sort of ignore it. "
Shepard ignored the comment, Miranda however became much more interested in the banter.
"Says the guy who smells like he's been having sex with an iron girder." He muttered, earning a suddenly wide eyed look and a laugh from his turian friend. Garrus reached out and shoved the human hard.
"Very funny, meatbag." Garrus cackled, only to get shoved back just as hard as he pushed Shepard.
"Meatbag?" The Commander repeated, grinning, his teeth baring. "How's that swimming working out for you?"
Garrus blinked at the insult throw at him so quickly.
"That was low, even for you."
Shepard started to laugh much more.
"I know it's your secret fantasy, swimming." He pressed on, still grinning defiantly at his friend. "I bet if you ask real nice, Joker'll let you borrow his life jacket."
Miranda, much to both of their surprise, cut in.
"Garrus might need to borrow some arm floaties as well." She added as she casually examined her nails." "I don't imagine his arms will be any better in the water than the rest of that body is."
Shepard howled as he absolutely lost control of himself. Shaking his head as he was forced to listen to the annoying human laughter, Garrus left, leaving Miranda and Shepard by themselves. Grinning slightly, he leaned into Miranda, who stared at him, appearing amused by her teasing of the turian.
"I haven't been chastised over my bathing skills since I was five." He muttered to her. "Do I smell?"
Expecting a dirty look from from the prim and proper woman, Shepard was surprised when Miranda leaned in and whiffed the air around him. She squinted her nose and pulled back, her head shaking.
"Not anymore than usual, Shepard." She informed Shepard. She shrugged, adding. "I suppose the non-humans could be more sensitive to it. I suppose you could always ask Tali for an opinion, though I imagine it would be a fairly bias one... considering her stake in you."
Shepard rubbed the back of his neck. Miranda raised the side of her lip into a knowing half smirk. Shepard now silently checked Miranda into the list of individuals now aware of the thing between his quarian engineer and himself.
"Regardless of what you like to do in your sparetime, We need to write a report about what happened on Gel Hinnom for the Illusive Man." Miranda continued as she hadn't said her last words while she unhooked her pistol belt from off her hip. "Being chased by the Collectors is bad for the mission. We can only safely traverse council space. The moment we head out deeper, they're watching us. Perhaps we could have him shell out for a M.E.R.S."
Shepard held up his hand to stop the femme fatale with a nerd streak from continuing.
"A what?"
"The M.E.R.S: mass effect relay scrambler;" She clarified for her confused looking Commander. "One of the other Cerberus cells designed it. Everytime we relay jump we leave a trail that anyone with the right amount of dedication could find. The scrambler spreads the eezo trail."
Shepard whistled lowly, that would be a very useful piece of equipment to have. Why he didn't install it in the first place seemed kinda odd.
"Neat, Was this to trick the Alliance or the Collectors?" He asked as he collected his gear and follow Miranda to the elevator.
Miranda's trademark smirk vanished a the question. She seemed nervous to reply to the question. She cleared her throat, her lips pursed together.
"It was designed to cover our tracks when... well from quarian retaliation for the Idenna incident." She admitted as casually as she could.
Quarian retaliation?
He had heard about the Idenna attack. The moment it was mentioned around Tali, she grew very agitated and completely forgot that her ranting about it was being overheard by Cerberus personnel and the many listening devices planted on the ship. The did not matter to the quarian. The raid was horrid, unforgivable. Cerberus had humiliated what was left of a once proud race, all to capture a biotic girl.
The operative ducked her head as Shepard's eyes narrowed at the reply. Before Shepard realized it, Miranda's head snapped back, laughter erupting from her usually pursed lips.
"Jesus, Shepard. Even the Illusive Man was surprised at just how frightening a naval force that size could be when they started hunted for any ship that even looked like it was Cerberus funded." She admitted, she smiling at the memories. All Shepard could do was stare.
"Your friends were the first group that ever infiltrated the Migrant Fleet in three hundred years." Shepard lowly whispered; "You shook their confidence, killed their people and you think it was funny?"
As the two of them stepped into the elevator, Miranda Lawson hit the Deck three button, turned to Shepard and dared to nod.
"Of course." Miranda smugly returned, crossing her arms as she raised her eyebrow . "One must take some pride in their accomplishments. They thought themselves so untouchable with their fifty thousand ship fleet. Besides. He informed them very politely that they had accidentally stumbled across his property."
Shepard hit the button to his quarters.
"His property being some frightened biotic girl." He asked, trying to bite back the annoyance in his voice. "Does he own Jack as well?"
Once again, Lawson nodded, her eyes ever blinking.
"Yes. The moment Jack and the Greyson girl were targeted as biotic candidates; They became his property." She explained, raising her hand to silence the Spectre. " Oh please, spare me Shepard. There is no room for debate on the subject, they simply are. Whether they like it or not. Whether they fight him or run from him, they are still his property."
"Am I his property now?" Was his neutral response. to the question.
Miranda didn't even pause to think about it.
"Of course you are. Oh yes, putting the control chip into you was my idea, but as it turned out, he really had no need for a control chip when he knows all the right buttons to press." She returned, her words stressing buttons. "Guilt is powerful motivator. One he uses by putting you on this mission. As more and more colonies vanish, your resolve to fight them grows stronger and his fatherly support to you becomes more and more solidified."
Shepard silently inhaled, having forgotten to breath as he stared hard at Miranda,.
"Why are you telling me this?" He finally inquired, feeling somewhat faint at the little secret told by the operative. He felt Miranda's hand touch against his forearm, like mother finished lecturing her child. Her dark eyes burned into his.
"Because despite our difference, I'm starting to like you." She whispered, a half smile for him. "Because I know you're falling into the same trap as I."
As the elevator doors to Deck Three opened, Shepard attention unfocused. without anymore reason to be in her company, he unceremoniously placed everything in his arms into Miranda's. The full suit of armor, his weapons, both attached and not. She stumbled slightly and glowered at the responsibility handed to her.
"Thanks for the head up, Miranda." Shepard returned. "Meet me in my room in two hours. Bring food."
The elevator doors closed, leaving Miranda scowling.
...
...
The elevator door slid open. Tali remained still for an extra moment, her mind debating what she planned for herself and the man only meters from her now. Oh keelah, she could not believe she was going through with this. No... she was not ready mentally or physically to have sex with him, despite hormones screaming at her to take him...but what was wrong with a little fun?
All she needed was Just enough to get her body back under control and to inform her captain that she was giving herself to him. It was a gift she could finally repay her captain for everything he had done for her without asking a thing, who made a sacrifice for confessing that he was interested in a quarian would would never likely be able to leave this damn suit permanently.
Of course, then there were the purely selfish motivations. She had seen Shepard mostly naked not a week ago. It was a sight she would not mind to see once again...
"EDI, could you ruin the decontamination unit for this room?" She asked the glowing pedestal. "And please... discretion."
"Decontamination in progress... Discretion will be used."
Happy that EDI would pay mind to her request; She wandered into his quarters, the hissing of water almost surprised her. Yes... he was showering, unknowingly taking precautions to minimize bacteria. Good. Everything was going according to plan for once.
She paused as she reached his desk, there smiling back at her was none other than Liara T'Soni.
Liara T'Soni. That was a woman.. well... genderless being she had hoped to never see again. They may have been friends on the Normandy, she may have even liked her when she announced Shepard and her were seeing each other. What was unforgivable was how horrid she had become when they found her on Illium, obsessed over finding and destroying the Shadow Broker, using Shepard to further her hunt then blaming him for it.
Shepard... John was devastated. He did not show it, in fact it barely seemed to faze him in the eyes of those now following him, but she knew. She knew him better than anyone else; Perhaps even better than Garrus, and those two were half in love with one another. Tali almost felt guilty for stealing Shepard away from him.
Almost.
Glaring at the photo of the smiling Liara T'Soni one last time, Tali let go of it, accidentally on purpose dropping the frame into Shepard's empty waste basket. Oops... careless her. it was was clearly the fault of her clumsy hands and not what she planned to do should she ever see Liara T'Soni ever again.
"Decontamination cycle complete... Do be careful."
She closed her eyes and exhaled. Her hand reached up and unlocked and removed the visor.
The room was brighter without the tinted visor impairing her vision. The air tasted fresh. her head felt hazy as the scent of alien became more and more pronounced. There was no going back now. She was exposed and she was going to get really sick.
So... if she was going to get really sick, then it might as well be for some unregrettable fun.
Piece by piece the suit was pulled off exposing more and more of her flesh to the vacant cabin. She could feel her small nipples harden as they touched and reacted against the relatively cool air. Well... either it was the cool air, or it was the sound of Shepard, muttering something in the shower.
Whether it was the thoughts of Shepard or simply the air, one thing was undeniable. This room was much too cold. Tali shivered and bowed her head as though it would shield her from the temperature, from the bacteria. She did her best to remember that her fears were purely psychological in nature. All she needed to do was relax. Doctor Solus would not have let her do this if it wasn't one hundred and fifty percent safe for her.
Taking control of her unsteady breathing, she turned and examined her faint image in the glass of the aquarium. She stared at each curve, at each scar She exhaled. She was standing naked inside her Captain's quarters. A man who had expressed just how much he wanted her in this state. Oh Keelah. she needed to find something to wear in order to give herself a chance.
Tali stepped lightly down to where she recalled, Shepard stored all of his clothing. They would not fix her lithe frame, but it was better than nothing.
As Tali dug through the drawers, she grew more and more alarmed at what she was finding. Shepard, it seemed, had not found the time to buy clothing. Instead he relied on Cerberus for his fashion sense... which meant all of his outfits had Cerberus Insignia's everywhere. If her parents could see her now, planning to don the clothing of the Fleet's most dangerous non-geth enemy, they would have disowned her. It was as simple as that.
She shuddered slightly as she gave the large outfit n appraising look. Well... for now it was better than nothing.
Silently, she pulled the soft shirt over her head, shuddering softly yet again as the soft fabric pressed against her hypersensitive breasts, breasts that needed strong, calloused hands caressing them. Somehow, she managed to get the pants on without any fuss. Though he was built much larger than she, she had the benefits of wide hips that kept the pants from sliding back off her.
Finally came the socks, which proved to be most difficult to put on. Her feet were huge. She managed to get them on half way, they somehow touched the heel of her feet. Well it was good enough.
With the clothing now on, Tali sighed and leaned back, her back arching against Shepard's bed, bouncing. Her yelped at the sensation of the bedding, how soft it really was. Silently, she decided, John lived like a king in this room. A room she was given free pass to be in, but only now could she appreciate it.
Her knees rubbed against one another, sparking her nerves, barely used without the suit's assistant. She groaned as she tugged up the shirt's collar and breathed in deeply. It was clean, but it had the faintest scent of Shepard on it. That glorious fragrant that told her when he was near her.
She could feel herself pulsing now, sex organs pushing out and contracting inside of her, begging for her to forget her desire to keep this encounter as just having some fun and instead, as a quest for her to lose her virginity. She wanted to.. oh keelah, she did... she wanted him...
But she would not have him in that way. Not yet... not until everything was in order, not until Doctor Solus felt it safe enough to push into that intimacy, not until John and her could make this relationship deeper than a few spoken words.
All of this was just a dip into the pool.. The last thing she needed to do was confront Shepard on some overly romantic time to make love, only for her to orgasm every thirty odd seconds he was with her. Shepard may not mind knowing that he was capable of doing that, but The last thing he needed right now was punctured eardrums and a broken pelvis.
Not broken, shattered.
Self-control vanished as her hand -now exploring her body, touching ever curve moved low pushing down past the shirt she wore and into the loose trousers. She unsteadily exhaled as her long slender fingered gripped her mound. She had only done this once... okay, twice before. Both of those occasions filled with thoughts focused on a human.
A finger pushed though folds and carefully slipped inside her. Tali arched her back, and hummed happily at the shock. Her free hand hand curling a handful of John's bedding into a tight ball.
As she moved in and out at a slow unsteady pace, she thought of his words. She thought of the way he held her, touched her, the way he looked at her. Oh keelah, the way he looked at her, like he was carefully checking out how to pull her environmental suit off her the quickest way possible. she bit her lip ad groaned as she felt her finger pulsing away inside her. She could hear the shower still hissing. At any moment he could walk in on her. That did not matter, not when she laying in the bed of a man who made her feel like a woman.
It was a thrill she was never expecting to do, doing this on the bed of her captain. All her fears for her immune system vanished as she again hissed and fought the urge to cry out. Her mind wandered back to what it would feel like to have John in control.. even hotter, under her control.
The fingers in her burned away at the thought of that -controlling Shepard through eroticism. Thoughts about him inside of her, but her in control fueled fantasies she never dared to imagine as her fingers sped up.
She was dripping now, the borrowed pants crouch was soaked through and through from. The pangs of an orgasm making her mind dulled. She ignored how stupid she suddenly felt and rolled over onto her chest, fingers still pushed so deep she could feel her slick cervix, grazing it erupted a louder moan as her body shook. Her mind was racing, she was fighting the urge to pull out, stand up and ambush Shepard in the shower.
The grip her teeth had on her lips released. before she could comprehend it She moaned, long and groaning. Only one word was spoken as she came.
"Joohn."
...
...
"Son of bitch. Thinks he can manipulate me... I'll show him."
Shepard may have been grumbling to himself about the little nugget of truth give to him generously by Miranda Lawson, but it frightened him just how right she was. He did not want to believe it, but Miranda was correct. The Illusive Man found a weakness and exploited it: His desire to see the Reaper Fleet burning and scattered across the depths of space.
Illusive Man did something that the Council, even the Alliance couldn't or wouldn't do. He believed in the Commander's fears. He did not just talk about stopping the Reapers and Collectors. He threw credits at the problem, credits that bought him Shepard's life and a ship capable of raining death on the Collectors. With him in the Illusive Man's pocket, the Cerberus founder fueled the Spectre with more and more Intel, infuriating the soldier more and more.
He was right where the man wanted him to be, a more efficient tool than anything the Illusive Man had before. Shepard wasn't surprised at his thought. He had been a tool for another man since he became an adult. A tool for an opportunist, a tool for the Alliance, a tool for the Council.
This time was different. For the first time in his life; he wished he had listened to his father and stayed the hell out of the Alliance's grasp.
"Joohn."
That's about his situation vanished as Shepard looked up as he finished washing the last of the stinging body off him. What in the hell was that?
Turning off the shower and dressing quickly, he stepped out and found himself not alone.
Someone stood there with her back turned, in an ill fitted Cerberus uniform. A outfits that hid curves he had explored. There was hair, or what he assumed was hair long, clumped together like strangely elegant looking dreadlocks.
At her feet, long and stained in his socks was a familiar environmental suit, purple, gold and black scattered haphazardly on his floor, her helmet rested on top of the pile, carefully laid on top of a beautiful hood handed down to her by her mother .
"Tali?" he finally whispered, unable to believe his eyes.
At the call of her name. The woman turned and faced him. Her eyes were wide and bright as they stared at him. She was pale, deathly pale. Her forehead elongated just a bit more than most other humans in comparison, the braidlike strains fell freely over her face. She bowed her head, looking suddenly shy under the intense stare he had on her
Slowly, he stepped forward to her, pushing himself down to her level. He could not help but smile at her. Tali followed his example and shyly she approached as well, closing the gap between man and woman.
"Tali... you didn't have to do this." Shepard started, despite his concerns he still found himself dazed at the sight.
Tali shook her head, her head still bowed but there was still enough daring in her for her hand to reach up and grip his arm, skin at long last touching skin. He could feel her shudder as she closed the last of the pace between them. Her chest pressed against his. Ge could feel the heartbeat pounding in her chest... It sounded so different... three beats instead of his two.
For the first time he could get a scent off her. It was sweet, like a sweet fruit he could not put a finger on. Not when his thoughts were so focused on the dark haired bright eyed beauty looking at him adoringly.
"No, John, I really had to." Tali whispered back, looking up at him finally. "I don't want my unmasking to be some big dramatic deal."
A big dramatic deal? She surprised him with a unannounced visit, and tore her environmental suit off her body while he was in the middle of a shower prescribed by Mordin Solus... Goddammit. Mordin was yanking his chain in order to make this encounter happen. He wasn't sure whether to reprimand the good doctor or buy him a steak.
"I thought exposing yourself was something you do in only the most intimate of company." He spoke up, finally finding he words. "We haven't made anything official yet."
Tali appeared unfazed by his correct statement.
"Even if this was nothing, you would still be only person I could trust to be in this sort of state..." Tali shot back. She ducked her head briefly before turning back up and coyly adding. "You idiot."
Her hard hands pulled him down onwards the bed. He watched carefully the way the woman moved, She had more movement than she did in her suit, her body seemed more flexible, as though that was even possible.
"You know, you're a lot more bouncy outside of your suit." He pointed out, earning a raising of Tali's brow.
"The suit restricts much movement. It makes us almost as rigid as your people." She explained. She paused, her lips forming a smirk as she added. "I am surprised humans walk so straight forward, though. Considering your evolutionary ancestors and all."
Shepard groaned to himself. What was with non-humans and pointing out humanity's origins still being present on Earth? It was a phenomenon that no other known advanced species had in common. Often it was a source of insults, meant to demean just how quickpaced humanity was compared to the other species. With Tali however, it was a different spirit, a source of humor for her, not one a remark spoken out of anger.
"When I find out whatever your lot came from. I'm not going to go easy on you. Just you wait, beautiful."
Tali rolled her wide, warm, bright eyes and giggled, her hand snapped out and playfully slapped against her captain's chest.
"Oh keelah, I'm dating a primate. My father would be so ashamed." She bemoaned, her voice thick with sarcasm as she gazed up at him.
Shepard widened his eyes at the remark. Dating? Did he miss that memo? Tali's eyes widened as well, shocked by the slip up. Her face warmed up, darkening her gray cheeks. She ducked her head, and tried to hide the embarrassment.
"I mean... um, Do you want this official?" Tali added, her voice very shy, despite bluntly teasing him no more than half a minute ago. "We have had conversations and talked and I know that all of this is going to be frustrating for you. I'm bound to be down for the next week just to have a few hours with you... And... well."
Shepard reached up, his hand finding itself pressed against her cheek. The touched almost instantly brought her stuttering to a stand still.. The skin was harder than his, more dense; Alien in comparison to his own. asari flesh and quarian flesh were not one and the same. It was more like turian scales converted into skin.
Through, her skin was dense, he could still feel the cybernetic implanted skin deep. It was not unlike his own. It made sense now... Why she was so okay with all this. Okay with him being a walking sack of meat and machinery when he got to the basics of the Lazarus project. Cybernetics were a commonplace amongst other species.
"Tali, I want too be with you... I just wasn't sure how to start it." Shepard admitted as his fingertips still grazed her cheek like it was glass. He smiled as Tali bounced excitedly in his arms. "Still, I didn't need you out of your suit to tell me that we're seeing each other."
Tali shuffled nervously.
"I know, I did not want to risk the chance of revealing it to you the night when I'm ready to... well, only for you to think me as some horrid monster and not... well... someone you'd want to... want to... you know." Tali trailed off, shrugging helpless.
John nodded. He understood her fears. Not that they held any fact to them. He did care about her. Looks, as everyone assumed, did not mean a helluva lot to him.
"Okay, I guess that's a reasonable fear." Shepard finally returned, his eyes checking over the quarian still. "That doesn't explain why in the hell you're wearing a Cerberus outfit."
Tali shrugged.
"You don't have anything else to wear... Besides I don't know..." She trailed off yet again, her face forming into a guilty look. She bounced on her toes as she whispered. "Perhaps I was looking for a thrill as well. What other opportunity will I have try out the uniform of an avowed enemy. I think it looks nice, in all honesty."
"If you'd like I could go and raid Lawson's wardrobe." He spoke up, trying not to laugh. "Might have a few pieces to wear that'll fit those curves better."
Tali placed her hand on her hip.
"I should have known you would do anything to get me into one of Lawson's catsuit."
Shepard and Tali lost it, their combined laughter echoed through the cabin. It was a good idea. No one could accuse Miranda of horrible fashion sense. Even Tali appeared almost fascinated by the outfits that woman could pull off.
Chuckled he glanced away and noticed something odd: His bed appeared ruffled up. It was like someone had a fit while laying on it. He sniffed the air in its direction, it had the exact same scent permeating from Tali. He pulled away briefly and gave it a careful stare. Inwardly his mind was in overdrive... oh he knew exactly what this was. Such things seemed to transcend species.
"What's that?" he turned back and decided to point out, doing his utmost not to appear too coy..
Tali's glanced at the rumpled bed that appeared damp. Her eyes went wide at the bed sheets Shepard was staring at. All Tali could do was wring her hands.
"What? I... nothing. Nothing happened at all." Was her quick denial as she attempted to remain perfectly casual. The casualness, however gave it away right away. It seemed that the suit left Tali with another downside. She had a terrible pokerface without her helmet hiding her.
"Except that I heard you say my name in the shower... you wer-"
Before Shepard could finish his thoughts, Tali's hand flew over his mouth, clamping it tightly shut.
"Alright I was! Drop it please!" She hissed at him. Her eyes begging that he did not verbalize that rather dirty thoughts he was thinking. This was so not his fault. He wasn't the one doing that!
Shepard held his hands up in a fake surrender and turned away, his hand rubbing his chin as he simply stared at the stain on the blanket. Tali shuffled nervously. She really did not like the focus he held on it.
"I'm not sure what I want to do with it, get it washed or cut it out and hang it on my wall as a badge of honor." He mused to himself, his mouth unable to contain the grin he was holding back.
Tali reared back to face him. Her teeth bared at the Man. If Shepard wasn't a brave man, he probably would have blanched at just how sharp the teeth in her mouth were.
"What's so amazing about me doing... doing... that." She finally whispered, her not turning in a show of determination to forget that her masturbating had never happened. Surprising the poor quarian, Shepard bumped into the girl playfully. Much to his own surprise, she growled lowly, mutinous at the teasing.
"Just didn't think you were the sort of girl who would do that." He explained, his grin only growing wider as he watched her scowl grow as well.
"I don't do it often and I don't like to talk about personal things. That does not mean I'm some chaste... prude." Tali shot back, her tone now defensive as she crossed her arms and added. "I have just as many feelings, urges... desires as you do. I just don't get to work them out."
Shepard nodded, still unable to shake his awful grin.
"I see... so is there any boys back on the fleet I need to worry about? Any boyfriends I might have spited?" Shepard spoke, his eyebrow raised.
"I... um... no. Too be honest; there was no time for that. I really wasn't really interested in a boy until I turned 22, Shepard." She admitted, her lips nearly touching his. She smiled mischievously as she watched the Shepard's face break into one of shock. He was the first crush? Oh Christ...
Tali tilted her head, her long narrow hands reaching out to squeeze his. Softly, she breathed.
"What can I say? I suppose five fingers appealed to me."
Then it happened: Tali leaned in and for the first time, caught his lips with her own. It was not perfect, but it didn't have to be. She made up for it with the sheer sweetness to it. It was a first kiss, sort of kiss. The kind he had with Kefilwe Van Rooyen back in the seventh grade, a sweet girl of Afrikaner/Swahili origins. The first girl in his life. Now here he was, being the first man in Tali's.
He pushed back into the kiss gentle. He stepped forward, she stepped back. For the briefest of moment, he pulled back.
"I'll follow your lead. We'll go at your pace. We'll do this together, okay?" He softly whispered directly into her mouth. He leaned in and again, kissed chastely. He looked up and noticed Tali's eyes were already glazed. She nodded blankly and kissed him back. Hard, a little more daring.
She swung back around and took control of their movements Before he realized it, he was sitting on his bed with Tali on top of him, each of her flexible legs on either side of his thighs. She was now feeling brave enough to increase the passion in the kiss. Her mouth up slightly, her tongue flickered nervously as it touched the tip of his.
She almost yelped and pulled her head back, her sharp looking teeth forming a bright smile at what she had just done and just how surprisingly unaffected she felt by saliva that was not only was guaranteed to get her sick, but could also induce anaphylatic shock in the worse case. It seemed that Tali had gotten off light in that one area. Good.
He too seemed unaffected by it. His Alliance medical records said that he would get very ill at ingesting of anything dextro oriented. Then again, alot had changed between then and now... What he needed was a test. His hand moved from Tali and slide slowly up the side of her thigh. He watched as Tali purred and pulled back, her eyes following his hand.
What are you doing Shep-"
Tali exhaled a whimper as her pelvis pushed down into his, burying the hand that had run along the crotch of her borrowed and very damp pants. He watched her bit her lip as he slowly brought the hand up, now glistened and smelling very distinctly like the sugary fruit he smelled earlier.
Tali's eyes, fogged over with lust watched the fingers attached to the hand as it carefully touched against his tongue. It was as sweet as he could smell... more importantly it didn't induce a fit of coughing. He would have to take these finds to Mordin to confirm them. He looked up and smiled at the woman, gap mouthed and staring at him as though it was her first Christmas.
"You know..." He finally spoke with a smirk in his voice, "With a little patience and a lot of precaution, I'm going to show you why tasting you is going to make your life that much better."
His words were daring and somewhat less than puritan, but his father always told him, the way to a girls heart was through her vagina. As it turned out, his father was a genius. Tali jumped back on him, breasts pushed into his chest as she kissed with an unbridled passion, her pelvis grinding futility into his.
John's eyes rolled back as sharp quarian teeth latched tightly around his neck, his wrist were grabbed by the quarian and were now secured over his head as Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, the suddenly passion drunk quarian had her way with him.
All his fears about the Illusive Man vanished. A lovesick Tali, bursting at the seams with barely repressed hormones became his number one problem to rectify. He would deal with that glowy eyed bastard later.
...
...
It could not be said that Miranda Lawson wasn't a lenient Executive Officer for Shepard. Giving him a full extra hour of rest was more than what she could say for others.
In one of her hands was her datapad, the other, balancing a tray of breakfast foods -bacon, pancakes, waffles. enough to feed both of them while they got this over with. Getting Shepard to file reports was like pulling teeth. He hated the concept of answering to the Illusive Man for anything.
At least this time he seemed more willing. If there was anything that could be done to shake the Collectors off their tail, the he seemed more than happy to grovel to the boss. Maybe not grovel, but close.
"EDI, let me in." She ordered, a little more terse than she intended. The ship's AI was not perturbed however.
The room is off limits, Commander Shepard's orders.
Miranda rolled her eyes, how childish of him to actually order EDI to disbar her from this room. She had no time for playing around. She had a report to file, a crew complaint issued against Serviceman Richard Hadley, who in his frustration for the attack on Ferris field, went after Rupert Gardener for no apparent reason.
On top of that she was sending hours on end tracking the incoming and outgoing messages between her bastard father and his lackeys and reassuring Ori that no one, no one was ever going to harm her or her adopted parents. Not if she had anything to say about it.
Life with attachments, it seemed, was much more challenging than she ever imagined. Not that she minded it. She was happy to finally no longer be her sister's silent keeper. All thanks to Shepard poking her into making contact. Now they were even. She brought him back to life, and he found her a life that did not need to be at her employers beck and call.
Well... maybe the debt swung more in her favor. She did spend two years bringing him back, only to let a quarian, of all people get her claws into him. She didn't mind it though... much.
"EDI, This is Executive Officer Miranda Lawson, clearance code 4H0X- V729- 7092. Command override." She finally barked. There was a brief pause.
"Acknowledged. Standing by."
"Open the door. "
The door lit green and swung open. The bedroom was dark. Emboldened by a need to get this task over with, she stepped inside.
"Time to wake up Commander, we have a report to write." She called out, her diaphragm making a commanding call out to her CO.
She got no reply at first, She watched as the mass under the blankets shuffled around. Miranda squinted and was caught off guard by the strange, sweet scent that seemed to get stronger the closer she got to the Commander's bed. It smelled... odd, foreign to anything she could match it to.
"Come back later, Miranda." Shepard mumbled, his mouth sounded full, like he was muttering into his pillow. Miranda rolled her eyes and stepped forward, setting the tray of breakfast foods on his table.
"Commander, let's just get this over with-."
Lawson nearly cursed as her foot collided with a pile of metal and reactive armor. Miranda turned her eyes down to glare at it. through the ambient lighting she could make up a lot of purple. Frowning, she leaned down and picked up what was on the top of the pile, her eyes adjusted and found herself staring into a clouded environmental suit visor...
Miranda's eyes widened, she looked up as she heard a feminine growl erupt from the Commander's bed. The blankets were pushed aside and up came a pale alien with easily a dozen lovebites planted on her near translucent skin. She was attempting to unruffled a Cerberus personal uniform that was riding low, reveal perky cleavage to the operative.
With her strange three fingered hand she pushed back her long, almost braidlike hair back from out of her eyes, as bright as Luna. Shepard too emerged from the blanket: Shirtless and grinning like Christmas had come early for him. When he caught her wide stare, he did his utmost to suppress it. He failed, naturally.
Lawson swallowed the lump in her throat. It really was Tali unmasked in front of her, let alone wearing a Cerberus outfit something she dared never thought to see.
"Miranda, please leave. before you contaminate this room anymore." Tali requested politely, though her eyes held a fire in them. "If you ruin this for me, I am never going to forgive you."
Miranda looked from Tali, to Shepard, whose grin reformed into a slick smile. She simply glared and turned back to Tali, allowing the quarian a nod. She turned, vowing to wash the imagine from out of her brain with bleach. Tali was cute, there was no doubt about that. But that did not mean she wanted to see that...
"You don't mind if I borrow one of your Catsuit for Tali, would you?" Shepard crowed from the bed "Purely for professional reasons of course. Can't very well have Tali running around nude in my quarters."
Without turning to look, Miranda swung her hand back and showed the Commander her middle finger. All Shepard could do was laugh.
...
...
How could he be possibly laughing at this! This was terrible!
Fighting the heat and blush coming to her face, Tali buried her head into John's chest. The display only served to make the Commander laugh even more.
"How is any of this funny?" Tali demanded from him. trying to suppress the urge to launch herself off the bed and knock down the retreating Lawson. "S-she walked in.. on us. Don't you have boundaries?"
"It'll be fine. She knows discreti-"
Before Shepard could sooth her with assurances, Tali's head reared back and much to her horror, she violently sneezed, coating the suddenly shocked looking human's face with a mixture of spit and mucus. Tali reared back, her eye and mouth gaping. quickly her hand covered her mouth. John didn't move. He simply sat there, unmoving to the disgusting fluids splattered on his face.
"Oh... oh keelah Shepard, I'm so sorry." She mumbled, attempting to wiping her nose and mouth before tending to him.
Shepard shook his head and wiped the fluids off with his forearm. despite the disgusting situation he found himself now in, he still managed to smile for her as though nothing had happened. Like he had expected it to happen.
"It's fine." He murmured, wiping his hands on the blanket unceremoniously. "Might be best to get you into your suit and down to a doctor."
Tali nodded weakly and tried to shy away as she scattered off the bed to collect. Shepard's hand reached out and dripped her bicep, surprising her. She turned back and found him pressing his lips to her forehead.
"Hey, this was one of the risks, and side effects to all of this." He reminded her. "You know that, I know that. You also know that I'm going to be there, even if you're spitting and sneezing all over me. Okay?"
Tali nodded halfheartedly, still very much ashamed by herself and the bodily functions she could not control despite her irrational conviction that she could. She could not finds nay words to give to him that could express how mortified she was. Yet again, Shepard shook her shoulder playfully, his eyebrows raised.
"Okay?" He repeated once more.
Tali nodded slightly, feeling somewhat better with herself, due to John's good natured reassurance.
"Okay." She agreed finally, looking once more up into his eyes. Shepard smiled, and leaned in for a careful kiss on her cheek. Just as she slumped into his arms, she found herself suddenly off the bed and standing.
"Good, now get undressed and get back in that suit." Shepard ordered, his captain's voice returning to him. "This'll be the perfect time to inspect your goods. Next time though, bring a box of Kleenex up with you. You're surprisingly, horribly sticky."
Tali did her absolute best not to turn around and showed her just how foul tempered a sick quarian could be.
Despite common, popular misconception laid down by his crew (notably Garrus Vakarian) John Shepard wasn't that big of a publicity whore.
Oh yes... he could have been if he really tried to. He could be endorsing stores and products and living like a king off the money he'd make off the royalties. Being a Spectre, as it turned out, was damn near close to being a celebrity that literally could get away with murder. He generally kept away from the media and the fame being offered, but it was getting harder and harder to do.
This was especially the case when the ladies edition of Fornax got photos of him from years ago, Stuck on leave in Brazil with his old unit just prior to Torfan. One of them, Ramirez decided on an impromptu game of volleyball. Diego that homo, it all made sense why he wanted to have his unit strip down to their shorts and reenact that a scene from that old fighter jock movie. Where the hell someone found the time to photograph grinning like a maniac after he just served the ball was beyond his comprehension.
The writer of the piece on him announced his death was actually a lie, meant as cover so he could go undercover and stop the batarians wherever they were brewing some trouble. A lie confirmed by the Council who felt it best that an active duty Spectre should not been seen with Cerberus ties.
With all that written the magazine proclaimed him Sexiest Man of the Year. A fact that Garrus brought to his crews attention. Everyone had a field day with this newest honor. Miranda relished that she was clearly responsible. Project Lazarus head and all and rest had their usual good nature banter. Even Samara, who had no shame in admitting that had she been a few hundred years younger, she might have being vying for his attention.
Tali... Tali couldn't look him in the eyes. Not without losing it and breaking down into a fit of laughter. It wasn't often a quarian girl managed to steal the sexiest man in the galaxy from everyone. He had expected her to get jealous, but she didn't seem to mind.
"Look." She said to him "I'm not going to get jealous over another woman's thoughts. If she starts to tear off your clothing off your body, which I now own, I'll react. Besides, I've seen you dance. It's not charming like they think."
Plus she figured, she was kind of hoping he would take the underwear modelling gig the asari designer, Hallerax offered him. She figured it would help her when those less than pure thoughts returned back to her. For a woman who was the face of self-restraint, she could really have some dirty thoughts...
Speaking of Tali. Everyone was in quite a shock when he came into the med-bay, Tali leaning against him as she coughed like she was spitting up her lungs. She came up with the excuse that she had forgotten to lock a suit seal when she was doing some inspections that morning. Everyone seemed to buy the story.
Everyone except for the gossipers and those who had stumbled across the growing and mostly quiet relationship between Tali and him. Joker made his assumption. Kasumi actually squealed when she found Shepard dragging Tali to the med-bay. Mordin took an unusual interest in her condition, all the while shooting the Spectre knowing looks. Miranda went red in the face -Especially when Tali muttered something about a dirty operative putting her in this state so low that only Miranda and John could hear.
As for Tali, she had spent most of the past few days heavily sedated and mostly asleep while Doctor Solus and Chakwas could work on keeping her fever down the best they could Shepard saw to it to make at least three visits a day while she remained down. He was, after all, mostly guilty for it. A fact that Chakwas knew the moment she saw all those lovebites planted on her skin during her examination. Had Karin had have her way, her Commanding Officer would be strung up by his balls for defiling that innocent girl.
Innocent girl... Tali was the one who started this in the first place. He was seduced by a non-human's alien feminine wiles. What was he going to do? Say no? Tell her to cover that perfect body back up in an environmental suit? What kind of man would he be if he didn't take what was offered, tasting that flesh, that sweet, hardened flesh that tasted like sugar... Jesus, it tasted much too good for her own good...
"Knock, knock Commander."
Shepard shook his dirty thoughts away and looked up, standing in the doorway was Yeoman Kelly Chambers. In her hands were two steaming mugs of Coffee. He could swear that girl was psychic. He smiled at her as he tugged on his boots and stood up, almost marching towards her.
"Morning, Kelly. You're a lifesaver." Shepard greeted the bubbly redhead. Kelly returned the smile and held out his coffee. Black, one scoop of sugar. Good girl. He sipped on the hot drink, not paying mind to just how closely she was watching him.
"Good Morning, Commander. Happy Birthday." Kelly announced. Before Shepard realized it, Kelly leaned in and pressed her rosy lips against his unshaven cheek.
"Was that necessary?" He pointedly ask, wiping the lipstick off his cheek.
Kelly smiled even wider and nodded very coyly.
"It was either that or birthday bumps." Kelly countered as she too sipped her drink as she followed him to the elevator. "The last thing I want to do is wreck my back trying to lift a man three times heavier than I. "
Shepard chuckled as he finished his cup and set it down. Chambers however collected it. She was apparently a bit of a neat freak.
"Does anyone know?" Kelly spoke again. Shepard could only shrug.
"As far as I know, no." Shepard returned as she watched him tug a jacket over his shoulders. "Doesn't really matter, I'm not the celebrating type. Besides. I forgot. 30? Or 31?"
Kelly thought about it for awhile.
"Technically I imagine you'd be around 31 by now..." She trailed off. "but I imagine one doesn't age when they're clinically dead for two years."
That was kinda grim to think about. Death stopped him from aging. Fuck it, Shepard silently figured. Thirty it was.
"Let see...Joker... Garrus... definitely Karin would know." Kelly listed off. "Not that I'm secretly planning a celebration or anything."
She paused and seemed to gaze at him.
"What about Tali?" Kelly tacked on, biting her lip as she watched him freeze in place. "I'm more than certain that woman knows every little detail about you. Right down to the girlfriends you had in high school."
Shepard squinted at her. It didn't seem far from the truth. Tali really didn't do things half assed.
"Don't see why she needs to know that." He mumbled casually.
Kelly's eyebrow arched.

"I don't know about that, Commander." Kelly said, attempting to bury that stupid knowing look she could get. "Heard that quarians are extremely possessive of people they're interested in. One of the few things they can call solely their own."
Shepard crossed his arms defiantly. Oh yes, he had heard that rumor as well. Hours of extranet research into quarians had left him with really nothing more then rumors and hearsay. He had read about how they were a romantic species, how they were completely devoted to monogamy and disliked any mention of relationships in the past. How they would kill romantic rivals to gain favor with their new mate.
All these theories sounded like a whole lot of masturbation material written by virgins with xeno fetishes to him. Quarians, as far as he knew, were no more different than humans, only they were stuck with an unfortunate dextro connection to the turians.
"I don't recall Tali and I being in a relationship to begin with." Shepard lied right through his teeth. His eyes never blinking as he stared into Kelly's. Kelly merely crossed her arms, unimpressed by the Spectre's refusal to even consider admitting anything.
"Scuttlebutt says otherwise."
Shepard snorted. Scuttlebutt.

"Scuttlebutt also is pairing Miranda with Garrus, Zaeed with Samara and EDI with Joker." Shepard pointed out. "I don't know which pairing is the most mortifying."
Kelly giggled slightly, finding how absurd those rumors had been as well.
"Fair enough. but even you have to admit that the rumors about Tali and you are much cuter." She finally conceded as followed Shepard back out of his room and into the elevator. Getting no confirmation from the stoic man, she added "So any plans today?"
"Told you I wasn't celebrating." He grunted back as he ran his hand through his short hair quite vainly.

"I know that tough guy. I mean going down to the Citadel, doing reports with Miranda." She listed off. She paused and added. "Sitting at Tali's bedside holding her hand as you whisper sweet words of encouragement so you can have a second chance at her out of her suit."
Thankfully for him, his poker face held. Instead of admitting that Kelly had a point, he merely shrugged.
"Visited Tali last night, She's asleep." He told the noisy Yeoman. "I'm heading down to the Citadel. Do some shopping or something."
Kelly nodded approvingly.
"A good idea." She returned. "Tali could use a pick me up gift when she's up. Since you're so in tune with Tali's sleeping schedule and all... Which is clearly what best friends do... right?"
John surprised Kelly by a sudden laugh and a grin.
"You're not going to give up, are you?"
Kelly shook her head, defiant like a child.
"Not until you two are together publicly... Haappy Birthday, Shepard." Kelly crooned as though she was a lounge singer. Shepard rolled his eyes. Surprising Chambers yet again, he leaned in and gave her swift kiss on the cheek.
"Thanks Kelly." He finally admitted. Without another word he left Kelly alone in the elevator. He didn't notice the Yeoman touching her cheek as though it had been a shock.
"You still smell like quarian!" He heard her call out to him.
Shepard ducked his head as he left her company. All he could do was smirk.
...
...
John never really appreciated the quiet solitude of the presidium until now. It left him alone, isolated in a good sense of the word. Stubbing a cigarette out on the bench idly, he leaned back.
For the first time in a long while, He found himself at a crossroad. What in the fuck was he going to do?
His eyes followed the couple that was wandering in front of his line of sight. They were parents with their child. the mother clutching the hand of the small girl. He wondered if they understood how much horror was in store for them, how precious every moment they had together was between now and when the Reapers arrived to tear their lives apart. He wondered if they would survive, he wondered how they could smile when their deaths were all but a certainty in a matter of months, years if they were lucky.
John wondered if they realized just how much he envied what they had.
He was so tired of this. The constant turmoil, briefly interrupted briefly by his sudden death. That was all his life, the moment he turned 17. Taking orders and enduring horrors that made it difficult to sleep at night. Before his death he could handle it. He could suppress everything that came up.
But that was then. Now... Now he had nothing left in him. He was running on fumes, and this was over fighting the goddamn Collectors, pawns, simple bloody pawns to the Reapers. What the fuck was he going to do about the Reapers? He talked a big game, sure, but what in the fuck could he do other than boost the morale of people who seemed to think he actually knew what he was doing.
He was thirty years old. Christ, he would be lucky to see his thirty first.
The little girl, looking bored by shopping her parents had been making her endure looked back, her small brown eyes meeting his. He smiled slightly and nodded politely. The child smiled shyly as well. The parents moved again, dragging the child along.
Shepard exhaled and fell back into his thoughts again.
Would he ever have that? A family of his own?
Not just a drug addled father with some serious PTSD issues, a distant Alliance mother and a sister who had refused to speak to him since he was nineteen. But a family that featured a wife and kids, pets, all the things he took for granted as a young man. But... he did not think himself likely to have kids of his own.
Not when so far... he could only see his future involving a quarian in it.
The war may have brought about his fatigue, yes. But this new... thing with Tali was the first thing in his life that actually made him think about what his future could be like. After the war, After the reapers.
He could do anything he wanted but every possible combination of dreams always involved Tali standing next to him. He never had this feeling before in his life, Someone he knew would always stand by him with an unwavering loyalty from the moment they met all those years ago.
John rubbed the bridge of his nose as he decided then and there that this wasn't just some feeling. It was love. The definition of love. It wasn't some high school romance from his past, or a moment of desperation as it had been with a certain asari. This was a feeling he never felt before in his life, a feeling that he suppressed or ignored if it came bubbling back up through his barriers, designed to defend him from basic human emotions the moment training begun under his first mentor.
Whatever that woman did to him had undermined years of discipline
With feelings for Tali'Zorah now officially out of his control. The real question was how she would react when he eventually spilled how he felt for the woman. He wondered if this would last. Hell, for all he knew, This could have been her own fling before returning to the fleet again. Karmic retribution for everything he did in his life.
Shepard blinked. Jesus, he was insecure. Wasn't he supposed to be some feared Spectre?
Standing back up, John sighed as he stretched his muscles out that were cramping up. He knew how he felt, he knew what he wanted now. It was only a matter of time until he learned if proposing marriage to a quarian would work. Maybe not now... maybe not for years... but at least he knew what he wanted.
A life with her.
...
...
"So than Shepard just got up in the face of Udina and said... Nobody stabs me in the back, Udina. Nobody! I heard Udina nearly pissed himself. Oh to hear that first hand..."
Tali's eyes opened from the dreamless state being disturbed by a long and wild squealing of giggles. What is the hell was that? Tali softly groaned and rolled over, pain shooting through everything, her chest, her stomach, her back. Life seriously was terrible for the quarian. She almost regretted stripping out of her environmental suit to let that damn Shepard have his way with her.
Keyword being almost.
There now in her line of sight was Doctor Karin Chakwas, being led by that bubbly redhead, Kelly Chambers. The doctor staggered and gripping onto the doorway for support. Kelly helped as well, her hands guiding the good doctor inside.
"That must have been a very trying time." She head Kelly whisper.
"It was..." Chakwas answered lowly. "Lieutenant Alenko... Kaidan had just died. Shepard had to send that poor young man to his death. It hurt you know? He was such a friendly boy. Polite, intelligent. He was a good friend to the Commander when he had few men he could rely on. Shepard became a bloody zombie for a week..."
Chakwas burst into tears, sobbing in a way Tali could never imagine from the usually very composed woman. Lieutenant Alenko... His death was a real blow to the Normandy's morale. He was a very polite man. A little absorbed in his own issues with his Biotic implants, but nice. Tali did not spend much time getting to know him. She wish she had, though.
"Oh Kelly. I hate this career sometimes." The doctor blubbered out between her sobs. Chambers shushed the doctor, her voice soothing the drunk tears spilled by the still mourning older woman.
"Here, lay down. Let's have a nap, okay?"
A slum on the bed and mumbling to herself in untranslated English was All Tali could make out. It didn't take long before Karin Chakwas was out for a nap. Snoring filled the room. Satisfied that she was down, Kelly turned to face the groggy quarian.
"Hey Tali." Kelly Chambers spoke to her, plopping down on the seat next to where she laid.
Tali eyed the woman suspiciously. Currently Kelly was in a lot of trouble for revealing very private information to her captain about the way she felt for him. Something about her body language, about how she spoke of John. Now,withNow, with the feelings may have been out in the open and the right words spoken to one another. That did not mean Kelly spilling her secrets to the man that was her secret fantasy was going to fly.
So, just like Liara, Ashley, Garrus and Joker before her. Kelly Chambers was officially in Tali's shit list.
"Making her relive the old days?" Tali returned, much more sarcastic than was necessary.
Kelly shrugged, she looked rather guilty, as though she knew what she had done was less than nice. She pushed her chair closer to Tali's bed, ignoring the glare the quarian held on her.
"I spiked her coffee with a little Irish whiskey. She's a real lightweight." Kelly admitted, biting her lip. "Besides, I needed to see to you without her watching."
The hard gaze dropped slightly. Tali tilted her head confused.
"What's the matter?"
Kelly leaned back, her leg crossing together. The slightest of smirks slipping across her lips.
"Nothing serious, really. It's just Shepard. It's only his birthday and he's all alone on the Citadel. Nothing to get too worried about."
Tali blanched in unspoken horror.
His birthday? Tali's eyes widened at the realization. She had completely forgotten about it! This wasn't good. She could feel the guilt grow heavy in her heart. Shepard, on the first Normandy had made such a huge deal out of her own birthday. Presents and even exotic asari made treats that she could safely consume. The presents were mostly military related. A Viper VIII combat shotgun, a Savant IX omni-tool and a shield modification device. His reasoning was sound. He didn't want her dead because she was using antiquated technology on the battlefield.
Nobody had a clue just how flattered she was of his concerns.
"Oh keelah, his birthday. I can't believe I forgot it." She moaned aloud. She could feel Kelly's hand fall onto her forearm, patting it sympathetically.
"You have a reasonable excuse, Tali." Kelly reminded, gesturing to the med-bay. "Listen, He's not the type to get excited over birthdays. Still, I think that a very good friend of his could break out of this med-bay for a few hours, find him down in the wards of the Citadel and wish him a Happy Birthday."
Kelly smiled faintly at the engineer. Almost knowingly.
"I bet he'd like that." She tacked on.
Tali crossed her arms.
"Yes, right after he punishes me for escaping the med-bay when I'm supposed to be recovering." She grumbled. Bitter that she was being confined to this room instead of riding the illness out while she worked on the engines, went on any hypothetical missions or... in his company, resting in that wonderful bed of his.
Kelly suddenly cracked a grin.
"Oh I bet you'd just like him giving you a little spanking." She shot back, grinning as she watched Tali screech at the sudden embarrassing remark.
"Oh relax." She laughed. "You're well on your way to recovery. Your suit is all sealed up and you had to get back on your feet as a part of recovery. Why not do it by wishing your best friend a happy birthday."
Tali really didn't like the way Kelly uttered best friend. She would ignore it however as she sniffed the horrible mucus almost escaping her nose.
"Even if I want to... which I do..." She admitted softly, regretfully. "I'm in no shape to track him down."
Kelly's eyes widened slightly at the admission. She still waved off the reminder as though it was nothing.
"But EDI and I are."
Miss Chambers is correct. I am following Commander Shepard's Omni-Tool. It is currently relaying from the Citadel wards. There was a Nightclub there once, Chora's Den.
Tali sat up, clutching her stomach as she wheezed and sniffled once again. John was at Chora's Den? He shot that place up in order to save her life. Perhaps...oh keelah... he wasn't going there, was he? Where they first met? Silently she forced the heat rising to her skin to calm down.
"I know the place, EDI." Tali managed to speak neutrally. "Kelly... I wouldn't say no to another injection of painkillers."
Kelly nodded and smiled as she wandered to find the quarian some dextro pain suppressors. Shepard may not have wanted a celebration or gifts for his day, but she just knew that not even the most stoic of Spectre's would say no to a lovesick quarian holding his hand and looking up at him with those beautiful bright eyes.
...
...
Shepard took a drink from his tall glass of straight Vodka. He couldn't believe it was still there
There was still a stain on the wall. The exact same stain left by a turian after he pumped a Shotgun round into a turian goons chest. He remember that young quarian shocked and splattered with bits of turian blood, cartilage and shattered armor. She was in shock at how fast it all happened. Held up by goons claiming to work for the Shadow Broker,
He wasn't quite sure what he was doing here. He was at the reopened Chora's Den and he suddenly found himself outside of the club. He was only harassed by the police once from drinking in public, until they realized who they were speaking to. After an autograph or two he back to wandering a familiar path to an alley that was rarely used. It was where he met her, wounded, frightened after being chased across the galaxy by Saren for finding information proving his guilt.
That poor girl, all she wanted was a normal pilgrimage. What she ended up with was him. He wasn't sure if that was a good thing. Death was a common side effect to being close to him.
"Can I help you?"
Shepard turned back. Stan ding there was a small improvised shop stand behind him, behind the counter was a small nervous quarian girl, no older than Tali had been when they first met. There was a shop here now? Well things certainly had changed. He glanced around, pretending to take a look.
"Oh um..." Was all he got out. He finished his drink and set it down on her counter, he was somewhat tipsy now.
"You're not interested." The girl finished for him ignoring the glass, her voice dulled. "No problem."
Shepard quirked his lips. Though he hadn't planned to shop today, that wasn't the answer he had in mind. He didn't think he ever would run into a quarian so pessimistic before
"You'll have to forgive me, Miss. I haven't been to this part of the Citadel in over two years." Shepard returned as stepped closer to the kiosk, adding. "Did you just open this place?"
The quarian nodded, her gesture appeared rather jaded with what she was doing.
"Yeah took a lot of bureaucratic junk just to even get a consideration, let alone a business license, but I just opened."
Shepard nodded, impressed by her motivation, even if she wasn't as thrilled. He hadn't ever seen a quarian hold a job on the citadel that didn't involve E.V.A work or down in the docks. He gave a quick once over at the shop that was modest in size.
"So is this a second hand shop then?" He guessed delicately. He did not want to offend her.
The quarian laughed humorlessly at the observation.
"More along the lines of a bits and pieces shop, really." She corrected the curious human, "I can't afford to have a theme just yet. Maybe one day.. if people start buying things."
Shepard nodded yet again and glanced around the selection. There wasn't much in the way of merchandise. She was right, calling it a second hand shop was a massive overstatement. There was quite literally nothing here to choose from. Nothing a Council Spectre could use at least.
Then he saw them. His eyes glazed over at the glorious sight.
Model ships.
Oh god, this place just got a helluvalot better.
Without words, he bent over onto his knees and carefully examined each and everyone of them. None of them caught his interest really, either he owned it or it was stupid. Not until he found himself staring at a ship he once stood in not too long ago. Now why would they make a model of that ship?
"Anything you like?"
Shepard looked up, collecting the box from off the bottom shelf. He held it out to the quarian, who nodded and set it down on the counter. She eyed him carefully, as though she dddid not think him the type to be interested in something as nerdy as model ships. A habit that clashed horribly with his Reaper killer image.
"Shopping for a friend, she's kinda sick." He quickly lied. Blaming the quarian girlfriend had always worked for him. "Noticed you had the model of the Rayya. It was her childhood ship..."
The shopkeeper tilted her helmet, surprised by his admission.
"The Rayya, your friend is quarian then?"
Shepard nodded, smiling slightly.
"Yeah. She's on her adult ship now but we rarely head back to the fleet." Shepard explained, watching the quarian nod in sympathy. "She doesn't like to admit it, but I think she misses her people. So I'll take it."
"That's very thoughtful of you. It's rare for generosity to be giving to quarians." She complimented as she scanned the box. "That'll be 300 credits."
She paused, and looked as though she seemed to be debating the price herself before he could pay her.
"I- I could give you a discount if that's too much." She blurted out suddenly. Shepard raised his brow and shook his head. He did not answer as he raised his Omni-Tool to make a transaction. The shopkeeper smiled and slid the model over the counter and into his arms. Shepard nodded politely and gathered in up.
He turned to leave, he was not quick enough to escape the gasp of the quarian behind him.
"You... You're the Commander Shepard?" She called out, causing the man to freeze in place. "I mean... you should come back. I... I think you made a mistake. I said three hundred credits... Not thirty thousand..."
Shepard smiled slightly and turned back. The quarian stood there, her eyes wide as she stared at him. He knew this look now. It was a mixture of fear and awe that he could never quite get useused to.
"Huh... fingers must of slipped. Clumsy me. All this damn fingers." Shepard mused as stepped back to the quarian, gesturing to his hand. "Too late to fix it now... I guess it could to stocking these shelves with some more interesting things. Right?"
The quarian stared at the transaction. Slowly, very shyly, she simply nodded. Shepard nodded too and turned to leave. He didn't need thanks. It was the right thing to do for a person who needed helping hand.
Before he could leave, he paused and chuckled to himself. He remembered his musings about his future. His thoughts of Tali becoming something much more than just a girlfriend, or whatever it was quarians called dating. He sighed, and turned back, rejoining the quarian's company. She looked up, surprised that he was back... again. Shepard cleared his throat. He really wish he knew how to ask the question without sounding like a xenophillic creep.
"Say. I know this sounds random and forgive me if you're offended by the concept. But... you see... I'm kinda dating this girl... the quarian I mentioned earlier..." He explained, ignoring how wide her eyes went. "I don't want to get too ahead of myself, but... I like her... a lot..."
He trailed off, rubbed his neck and groaned, embarrassed to admit this to a total stranger.
"Anyways, Its to the point where I'm contemplating marriage... of all things" He went on, muttering to the woman as though Tali broke the ordered he issued her last night and was standing behind him. His paranoia go the better of him. He looked over his shoulder. No one was there. He turned back.
"Which is strange as hell because this whole relationship has only been a thing for at least a week." He admitted lowly to the shopkeeper he had yet to ask her name. "It's just...with things being the way they are..."
Shepard paused himself before admitting his fear of the Reapers to a civilian and drew a breath.
"Anyways... is there any, you know... ritual or custom for asking her?" John tacked on, smiling sheepishly at the staring shopkeeper. "humans its just a question and an answer most of the time... But, she's real proud of her heritage, so do I need to do something or say something special for her?"
The quarian looked rather faint at the questions being asked by Spectre.
"Oh... oh wow, I did not expect that." The quarian nervously wrapped her fingers together. "Yes, there is a tradition of the Raqtkam – Its a dowry by human standards. It's not a predetermined price by by spouses of the betrothed. It was more of an offering to the woman made by the man to show that he could take care of her for the rest of their lives."
She shrugged and laughed slightly to herself.
"Silly, somewhat archaic ways, yes." She admitted to the human. "It's rarely used on the fleet. It was even rare when we still had the homeworld."
She paused and seemed to smile under her mask.
"But... if there is one way to make a quarian feel like a princess, Performing the old rite would be it. Though, I don't know the specific wordings, or if a human could speak them. You might need to speak to someone more versed in quarian rituals."
Shepard nodded thankfully. At least he got the bare basics.. Raqtkam: Sounded like a human sacrificial ritual. Ignoring the urge to ask her if he needed to shed the blood of a virgin for the rite to be complete, he nodded. John took a mental note: Make Joker the best man/virgin sacrifice, just in case.
He looked back up to the quarian who stared at him like he was a freak for even contemplating a marriage rite with another quarian.
"So umm... is there any biological considerations I should worry about should I marry her?" " He questioned, grinning slightly. "Like if we were married and one of us died in the war. Would the other go suicidally insane? Is there jealousy I need to worry about?"
The quarian lost her cool gaze and giggled at the remark, her head shaking as though she had heard the question before.
"Jealousy happens regardless of species." She pointed out. "But the suicidal rampage? No. That's just pulp fiction written by aliens who want to view us as some sort of great mystery."
She rolled her eyes, almost disgusted by the assumptions made by ill informedill-informed aliens.
"Still, It is odd to imagine a quarian who has a home on the fleet would be willing to... you know... leave it for an alien..." She trailed off, her posture looking guilty as she quickly added. "Oh Keelah, I do not mean to offend."
Shepard held up his hand. The last thing he wanted was her to freak out of this. Especially when she was right to feel that.
"No I don't mind you saying it." He allowed, "I ask that question everyday. At any time could could get called back. But she's an adult and this is new. So its all up to her.."
"You, the great Commander Shepard are worried I'll be recalled?"
The voice was gravelly, clearly ill, yet it was a familiar one. It was Tali, she stood there, hunched over slightly, breathing hard. Still her eyes shined as though nothing had been wrong with her to begin with. Shepard smiled slightly and gestured for the woman to join them.
"Found you a model of the Rayya." Shepard greeted, showing the ship off to the curious and sick quarian.
Tali accepted the box and took a careful glance at the picture on it, she seemed to be inspecting the ship carefully. Finally, She looked up and carefully pressed it into Shepard's chest for safe keeping.
"You liar. I'm not the one with a model ship fascination. But thank you for the thought." Tali returned. Her voice groaning as she stepped weakly towards the shop. "I'm sure it will be quite safe with the rest of your armada. You could rig them with engines and explosives and send them out to stop the reapers."
Shepard snorted.
"Like hell I am, anyone fucks with my models, there's going to be hell to pay." He promised. Tali shook her head at the display of bravado.
Shepard turned and noticed the two of them being stared at by the shopkeeper. She was staring wide eyed , specifically at Tali, as though she had noticed how ill she was and put all the pieces together. There was a sudden inhale that Caught Tali's unfocused attention. The shopkeeper was clutching her chest as she stared widely in the direction of Tali.
"Tali'Zorah vas Normandy?" She breathed, almost star struck, "It's me! Galina'Voar nar Neema!"
Tali tilted her head and blinked.
"I-I ...we met. Remember?" The quarian named Galina continued, disheartened by the lack of response. "You helped brief us on our pilgrimage. You were teaching us how to handle...well... humans?"
Galina looked over to John, as though worried she had offended the human. Shepard huffed a laugh and turned to Tali, his eyebrow arched, his arms crossed as he stared at the suddenly nervous looking engineer.
"You were a teacher? Those poor kids. Now I've heard it all." He teased her mercilessly.
Tali glared at him as though she planned on stabbing him with her boot knife.
"Oh. Yes." Tali spoke up finally, her voice enthused as she found herself at the mercy of a human and a starstruck quarian girl. "Galina'Voar, how have you been fairing on your journey? I'm sorry. I'm a bit under the weather."
"You're using human's idiom's now as well? Should have expected it. Since she's the resident human expert and all." John tacked on, smirking as Tali glared once more at him.
"I'm doing very well thanks to your advice, Tali." Galina gushed as though she was a schoolgirl. "Plus I stumbled onto some good luck. A turian woman here is a quarian rights lawyer. She helped me get this shop running. It's not much, all I could afford." She admitted smiling, "But its a start. It came at a discount too."
Shepard glanced around.
"Probably because I killed four men here."
Galina blinked, Tali however weakly laughed.
"You killed them?" She repeated unconvinced. "I distinctly recall a krogan and a turian helping you."
Shepard shrugged and tried to hide the boasting.
"Yeah, but I'm the only one who mattered. Right?"
His attempt at modesty clearly failed. Tali however, did not seem to mind it. She leaned into him, not at all concerned of the presence of the shocked pilgrim quarian.
"Mmmh." She murmured as seductively as a quarian as sick as her could be.
Galina watched silently as the two of them seemed to forget that she was here. She watched as their hands linked and played with each other, despite how vastly different and how awkward it looked to her. They didn't need to scream their feelings to anyone. All they had to do was be in the same room. It was... adorable.
The pilgrim quarian cleared her throat, breaking their gaze.
"I'll let you have your privacy. I need to close anyway." She announced, feeling guilty for even being in their company. Tali nodded, but Shepard spoke up.
"Hey, before you go, I could... you know, give you an endorsement..." He said, ignoring Tali's surprised expression as he looked on Galina. "Dunno if it'll help bring in customers.. but it'll be worth a try, right?"
Again, the girl looked faint.
"You would?" She gasped. "Oh I would be so honored if you could!"
Tali looked ready to shower the Commander with praise, but before she could, Galina activated the camera function on her Omni-Tool and smiled expectantly. Giving Tali subtle squeeze, John stepped forward into the recorder's view.
"Hi, I'm Commander Shepard and this is my favorite store on the Citadel," He announced. He paused and gave Tali a half a second of focus before adding. "At my favorite spot on the Citadel."
Galina all but squealed as he closed the terminal. She flung herself at easily one of the most popular men in the galaxy. His endorsement pretty much insured that she would not go hungry once the word got out that Commander Shepard, the Hero of the Citadel endorsed her store and only her store alone.
"Oh, Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" The girl squealed again bouncing back and forth, shaking the human in her arms. Shepard did his best not to notice the eyes burning into the back of his head.
He glanced back and found Tali still behind him, her arms crossed as she silently watched the two of them. Galina looked up from the human's shoulder and noticed the posture in her fellow quarian. She let go of Shepard and took a step back. Suddenly looking very bashful from her reaction.
"Sorry." Galina nervously laughed.
Tali shook her head in an act of forgiveness that caught Shepard off guard.
"It's fine, he's very nice to hang off when he's in a good mood." She informed the girl. Galina nodded and stepped backwards.
"I'm going to go, see if Miss Acterax will invest into making commercials." Galina spoke up to the two of them. She turned to John and added. "Thank you again... and... good luck... with everything."
Shepard nodded silently, doing his best not to notice Tali's interest.
With a wave, the quarian departed, leaving the couple behind. As Galina left, Shepard turned to face Tali, his back leaning against the counter of the kiosk. Tali stepped forward, her head tilted as she carefully watched him. She did not seem upset of Galina's affection. She appeared to be much more concerned about him. He smiled confidently. Something Tali immediately didn't buy. Her hand reached up and grazed against his cheek.
"So... you're worried about me being recalled?" Tali spoke up finally, her eyes searching his very slowly.
Shepard again nodded, almost ashamed at his seemingly petty concern.
"All the time." He admitted, his voice growing grim. "They have the power to do it... and I know you. You'd put them first. Which is the right thing to do... even if I don't like that personally."
Tali took his hand, squeezing with that quarian grip Shepard did not think possible because of how few digits she possessed. She stepped closer still, her breathing still sounding like a wheeze.
The Normandy is my home, Captain." Tali reminded the concerned man softly. "I consider it apart of the fleet. A ship infested by Cerberus agents." She conceded, "but a part of the fleet nonetheless."
Tali kept her eyes held on the human, her body swaying back and forth. She was clearly not in a good state. Shepard smiled slightly and tried to pull her along, back to the safety of the Normandy's Med-Bay. Tali however, refused to budge another inch. She stood there. Her body language screaming that she needed him to understand.
"You are my Captain, Shepard." She pressed on, her free hand touching against his heart. "You have complete control over my life. Something I'm quite happy to endure." She added almost sultry. Chuckling slightly, she added. "If I am ever called back to the fleet by the admirals, you can always count on me returning to your side as soon as I can."
Weakly, Tali bumped the mouthpiece of her helmet against his cheek.
"I don't want to leave your side." The quarian admitted rather shyly to him. "Never again."
Suddenly, the woman started to laugh at him. John eyed her suspicious, what in the hell was she doing laughing at him for? He was being serious! These were actual worries! Worries that were rarely revealed to anyone or anything but a glass of whiskey and a cigarette.
"You know I did not think you were such a big romantic sap." Tali finally spoke up, a smile in her tone.
Shepard tried his best not to laugh.
"Quiet." He choked out.
"You're worried about what the admirals may do with me?" Tali continued, the humor in her voice growing. "I thought you weren't afraid of politicians."
John grunted yet again.
"Quiet." He repeated, still fighting off the blush coming to his face.
Tali's arm reached out and nudged his chest. He could barely see the grin beneath her tinted faceplate. What happened between last night and now? Did Garrus teach her to tease him? If that was the case, then that turian was going to be disbarred from shore leave and demoted to Mess Sargent Gardener's assistant.
"Come on now, mister 'Sexiest Man of the Year.' Mister 'First Human Spectre.'" Tali prodded, still using her body as a gentle battering ram. "Is my teasing really that bothersome? I should have expected it. Especially when this quarian grease monkey can make a big bad Spectre like you stutter and blush."
"Be quiet!"
Tali laughed at loud, well, more like she wheezed as she watched her captain's face turn purple from her teasing. What she hadn't expected were strong arms reaching out and grabbing her. Tali was pulled right off the ground and in Shepard's arms. She fought, screeched and hissed in protest, but she was no match to him. Shepard chuckled as he listened to the futile protests.
The laughter and fighting broke down quickly as Tali stopped thrashing and instead stared up at the human looming over her. Slowly her long thin arms wrapped around his neck. Together they stood there in the middle of the alley that they first met in. Shepard smiled slightly, thinking about his future and all the thoughts of this quarian involved in it. He did not have the heart to tell her that if he had his way, this would be how he planned on carrying her into the home they would have, whether it was on Earth or Rannoch. On the Citadel or in his quarters back on the Normandy during the thick of the conflict with the Reapers.
In this moment, staring into Tali's eyes, bright but gently staring up at him with a wonder he never had giving to him by anyone, he decided that he would marry this woman as soon as she would let him.
Shepard abruptly chuckled. Tali tilted her head.
"You know... I don't think your people are going to like me too much when they find out about us.." He spoke to her confusion, smiling somewhat worried.
Tali could only shrug.
"Of course they won't like you. Keelah, even I barely like you. You're just lucky you're easy on my eyes."
Shepard groaned as Tali giggled and again pushed herself out of his grip. Tali stepped back to the floor but did not move far from him. Her arm reached out and wrapped around his waist.
"Man...You get really lippy when you're sick." He observed with a sharklike grin. He paused, raised his brow as he added. "You know... we should go back to the Rayya sometime soon, you can show me how the great Tali'Zorah came to be. Could fool around in your old room. Might be fun."
Tali's eyes narrowed at him, as though she was mortified by the remark.
"Ignoring the fact that a new family has moved into it by now, you fantasizing about a younger me is kind of disturbing." She huffed, her free hand slapping against his chest. John leaned in and kissed the side of her mask.
"No more disturbing than you being asexual until you met me." Shepard countered. "I didn't think killing a turian and a couple salarians was such a turn on."
Again they stood in silence for a long quiet moment. Finally Tali sighed, raised her omni-tool and touched the interface.
Tali's mask suddenly lit up from the inside. Small built in LCD lights erupted from inside mask shining just bright enough to uncover the tint that shielded Tali's face from the world. As the layer of privacy melted away for him. Shepard gazed on Tali's face for a second time in the past week. She was smiling brightly at his surprised expression.
"Doctor Chakwas put me into isolation a few nights ago, apparently. I don't remember much of the past few days." She explained, her smile going lopsided. "Doctor Solus took my mask and installed the lights -For better interaction between us he said... I never thought of him as a romantic type."
John's eyes burned into Tali's for once, he could watch this woman heat up with a blush he ever got to appreciate before. Mordin, he decided, was never ever going to run out of funding for his experimentation while he was on the Normandy.
"Happy Birthday, John." She finally spoke through her sniffling.
He watched her head push forward behind the glass, thin lips seemed to be pressed against the glass. John half smiled and he too leaned in. His lips touched against the glass where her lips rested. They met, only stopped by a damnable inch of plateglass.
John pulled back and noticed Tali, her expression was one of desperation, she wanted so much more than what he could give her. She was clearly mad at this situation she once again found herself in. His hands reached up, grabbing each of her sides. Quietly his head pressed against her helmet.
"Thank you, Tali." He welcomed, smiling just for her. "Come on, let's get you back to the Normandy before Doctor Chakwas has an aneurysm."
Tali nodded reluctantly. With the side of her mask buried into his side and their hands latched together, they wandered out of the alleyway they first found each other, and back into the uncertainty the future held for them.
She never felt so out of place in her life. Even if she was told otherwise.
It wasn't something she was feeling not a week prior, even on board a notoriously pro human organization's heavy frigate. No, this discomfort was from an outside threat. Not an outside threatening one like she was use too, but to a new sensation she either never felt it before in her past, she just wanted to talk to the one person in the galaxy she trusted the most. She wanted to vent her concerns and know she would be listened to properly.
The problem with that was that Shepard and her were not on speaking terms. Not since the Shepard spared the Collector base and handed the proverbial keys to 'the Devil' as Kasumi referred to the funder of the mission. She knew that John had the big picture in mind but still, it felt as if it had been a slap in the face to everyone who had been processed during the free reign the collectors had over the human settlers on on the edge of Terminus space.
But, at the moment that took a backseat to something more recent. This strange... jealousy. Oh Keelah, why did she and John have to fight? why in the hell were both of them too stubborn to break the silence so she could ease the concern. She hated this feeling. Possessiveness, Jealously, whatever it was called.
It was something she felt very strongly recently since her personal life had expanded to include someone else special in her life. It couldn't have been jealously, it was impossible, at least that was what she believed. Normally she would laugh it off publicly and focus on other things while she privately gained a sense of control over the impulse to destroy females who spoke to her interest in a unprofessional manner.
Okay, so maybe it was jealousy... She was still pretty sick from her open air exposure.
Besides, how could anyone blame her? For the past few days her emotions were thrown completely into a loop for the past few days. While she was happy to finally have had a chance to pursue a relationship with the man she loved, The Cerberus deal and her stewing on the fact that John had invited his old... flame on board her new home and he was currently very occupied with her.
Granted, Tali admitted grudgingly, Her mission was an important one for the galaxy and it certainly required Shepard's attention. It still annoyed the quarian that she wasn't at the very least asked to help with the technical aspects to the operation, She was shut completely out of the operation with Kasumi Goto going in her place. But the mission had ended hours ago, the broken eradicated off the face of the galaxy. Yet, the asari was still on board, still touring and making nice with everyone on board.
Frankly she wasn't impressed, even if she was a personal guest of the Commander. Tali'Zorah was never a woman to quickly judge another quickly. especially one she once considered a good friend. Usually she tried to extend the 'olive branch', Whatever that was, to those she may have had differing of viewpoints with.
However, for all the talk of peace was useless. Especially when the thought of Doctor Liara T'Soni consorting with Shepard privately for the past few hours. Touching him with blue, perfectly matching hands. hands that could be linked much easier then her. The image of frantic and casual sex hard between two healthy people who shared a long rich history made the very blood in her veins boil to a rage.
She knew she ought to have been ashamed with her behavior. Under any other circumstances she'd be very upset with this sudden attitude shift. But this sensation called jealously, an emotion which was something she never felt, coupled with what felt like half her her body weight becoming bacteria after her first intimate moment only fanned the flames.
"Chief Engineer, you have a couple visitors." The voice of Engineer Gabrielle Daniels spoke up disrupting the thoughts of the brooding quarian. Tali looked up quickly. Perhaps it had been Shepard! She could say sorry and they could hug and hold each other and speak of the sweet things her captain spoke to her the night they first made love...
Tali's stomach dropped. Inwardly, she cursed her luck. It was Her.
"Hello Tali, I hope we're not bothering you." a motherly tone spoke from the lips of none other then Doctor Chakwas. By her side was Liara T'Soni, smiling much to nice for Tali's liking. Hidden behind a dark one way glass visor, Tali narrowed her eyes as her posture stiffened up.
"Oh, Hello Doctor Chakwas , Doctor T'Soni." Tali returned curtly and turned away from the doctor's, her hands typing on the console furiously as she defiantly reattempted to ignore their presence, "I'm doing a system wide scan of the Drive Core," She added, "Sorry, but I am rather busy to chat, Maybe later?"
With a subtle turn of her helmet, she noticed Liara's eyes were staring at her with an unspoken list of questions for her. As for Doctor Chakwas, she seemed to be downcast. Perhaps she was saddened by the rejection of someone she considered a dear friend of hers. Whatever it had been Tali felt her stomach dulling as the guilt ate away at her resolve.
In many ways this behavior the doctor radiated served to remind her of her own mother, introverted, intelligent passionate and wise beyond her years. To see Doctor Chakwas hurt like this.. it was like disappointing her own mother... had she still been alive.
"Ah, well of course Tali, the vessel comes first." Chakwas finally said, looking up to allow Tali a kind understanding smile. She turned around and was about to stride away when from suddenly non other then Kenneth Donnelly clear his throat a bit to loudly for it to be an actual necessity.
"Ma'am, you know it's just rudimentary," Donnelly chirped up, his accent rolling over his words, "if it's that serious Gabby and I will deal with it. No trouble at all now go on and gab with old friends will ya!"
Tali blinked at the man who had destroyed the only excuse she had at her disposal. If Gabrielle Daniels was not present, The quarian would most certainly have told him to do something that would have shocked even the most hardened of crew members on board.
"Oh... well sure." The engineer finally said as she turned away from the smirking grin on the Scotsman's lips and reluctantly logged out of her console. She stepped away from the terminal to join Chakwas and Liara, who had tilted her head smiled, from Tali's perspective, much too casual still.
Her smile. Tali hated it beyond all other things in her life. This coming from someone who did not hate anything that wasn't geth. It was still much, much too friendly a smile for Tali's liking. It had a hidden meaning. Perhaps the asari had thought she figured out why Tali was so tense.
Chakwas gestured back towards the engine room's exit. Tali merely nodded and logged out of the terminal and took by Chakwas' side rather then the asari. Liara frowned briefly momentarily taken aback by the cold shoulder her former teammate had just given her.
"Doctor Chakwas and I were just having a conversation about the travels we had two years ago, catching up on the time we lost." Liara smiled at Tali with a brilliantly glowing whites of her teeth "We are sorry if you'd rather just-"
Tali rose one hand up and shook her head quickly.
"No, it's fine. a conversation with.. old friends would be nice." Tali lied to them, attempting to sound at least semi enthusiastic for both Chakwas and T'Soni's presence. In reality, she wanted nothing better to hide away from everyone on board of the Normandy, Especially Liara.
Most especially Shepard.
"How have you been doing Tali, you look wonderful... So to speak." The asari spoke up carefully, a small smile on her lips. "I wish I could have spent more time with all of the old faces after... well...
Tali paused herself and turned to look at Liara. Her veiled eyes judgmental as she glared at her. If there was one thing Tali swirled herself around, it was the fact that she had lost Shepard for two whole years. From finding out he was gone to when they had there tender reunion on Freedom's Progress had been the hard moments in her life. Right up their with the loss of her mother as a teenager. The mere mention of those horrible years made her angry,
She paused and sighed at the sight of an apologetic looking asari. At least she was not a clueless fool like her time on the first Normandy.
"It would have been hard." The quarian reminded her, the sarcasm in her voice thick, "Garrus took off to Omega to continue the Commander's work, Chief Williams got transferred and Wrex and I went back to our homes, like blights of the galaxy should be doing."
She gazed at the two of them before she shook her head in mild annoyance. With her brain looking for an excuse to shake them away from her, Tali turned away from the asari, crossing her arms as she left behind Liara and Chakwas and trudged to the elevator. Chakwas and Liara Shared a brief glance of sympathy before quickly falling into line behind the visibly upset young woman.
"My apologies. Yes, I suppose that would make a reunion hard to do." Liara spoke up formally, as if forcing herself to be polite. "With all my work... I've just been so caught up in, that I forgot what was important, my friends. It feels like I've been stumbling around in the dark for two years of my life."
Tali did not bother to reply as she reached the he elevator, now coming up from deck five, the cargo deck. She needed a drink and good company. Preferably Kasumi who could talk circles around Liara and Chakwas to the point where they would ignore her all together as Kasumi treated them to storytelling that rivaled that of the mercenary warlord, Zaeed Massani. Though, thankfully, they were much less bloody.
The door to the elevator hissed open. The lone occupant turned its machine vessel straight to focus one Tali, who nearly yelped in strained surprise and 300 years of instilled fear her parents had taught, whom they too learned from their parents as well.
Legion was standing there, only meters away from her. Though both her and the machine had an uneasy truce in which both quarian and geth fought together on many occasions, there was only one man keeping Tali from dismantling the machine.
"Creator Tali'Zorah." It spoke to her, an oddly respectful inflection in its voice
Tali stared hard at the machine. The two doctor's shared yet another glance as they both stood and watched the stare down occur between the child of it's maker and the still naïve synthetic lifeform. The flaps laced around Legions ocular sensors opened up as if it was embarrassed, worried even. Slowly the geth organism took a step back, compacting itself against the wall to allow the organics maximum space possible and to pacify the angered and unpredictable organic creator.
"Creator?" Liara asked aloud, curious as to question the title made by the machine. Legion turned it's focus from Tali and onto the asari.
"The official title designated to the quarians. Creators created our collective. They are named creators for that that purpose." Legion synthesized to her as if she had been a child. Tali almost snorted as Liara and Chakwas filed into the elevator as if Legion wasn't an emotionless killing machine.
"And to think that I was under the impression that you're suppose to be the new Shadow Broker, Doctor T'Soni." Tali muttered, her tone barely containing unmitigated bitterness as she entered the elevator behind Liara and Chakwas.
Liara blushed, her cheeks becoming brilliant purple from the jab against her. With resigned sigh from the remark, Doctor Chakwas turned right around to face Tali'Zorah like she were an offending child. Tali noticed the medical physician turn on her almost aggressive and slumped back, shaking her head in mild shame.
"Tali, be nice." She chastised the fuming quarian woman before looking up to Liara, adding "Yes, he's working with us. Legion's a nice geth."
Liara turned away from her defensive stance against Tali, who's hands were fists as she continued to stare at her defiantly. Though forgotten by the pair of brooding women and the referee keeping them in line. The head of the geth known as Legion tilted sightly it was as if nearly all of his 1183 geth programs were simultaneously confused by the title of 'Nice'.
"That is an inaccurate assessment, Chakwas, Normandy Physician. Geth are not determined by emotional stimulation. There is no nice geth, only geth." Legion prattled out, correcting the doctor, the sudden statement throwing off Tali enough to make her bounce on her toes and press her back into the wall of the elevator. It did not register the slight amused look on the elder human's expression.
Liara couldn't help it, she looked back towards Tali who had just crossed her arms. Their eyes met for a moment, a silent question spoken in her eyes.
"I'm not giving you my opinion on it. I tolerate him. That's all." Tali said curtly, staring away to the holopanel as she watched the elevator ascended. Legion tilted it head at the remark. The effect made the quarian woman stiffen tighter. It was acknowledging her.
"Query: Do all organics facilitate a gender on geth?" Legion questioned the organics with a strange curious undertone to his usually stoic simple voice. He Added, "we are neither male nor female, we have zero emotional reaction to stimuli, sexual desires nor gender traits. We are geth."
"Shepard told me you blushed when he brought up your field repair." Tali retorted, unexpectedly, even for the geth which had turned completely over towards the hard looking quarian woman. Liara stepped away no longer obscuring the machine from the child of its creator.
Tali turned around as well and placed a foot forward. Glaring back just as hard as the empty bright lenses was focused on her. This wasn't the first time she was virtually alone with Legion. This was the first time they were tense and had no ability to contact Shepard to sooth it out. Tali looks down at her wrist, How easy it would be to hack the mistake in front of her and tear it to pieces with an overload. The elevators came to a stop. The doors opened up. Both Chakwas and T'Soni pushed their ways out. leaving the the geth and the quarian locked in a staring match.
"Geth do not blush."
Tali jumped slightly at the statement spoken by the machine was just as unexpected as her own remark surprised it. Tali blinked and exhaled, her hand falling away from her omni-tool. The movement was not lost on the machine. The elevator had opened, giving the machine to escape the inquisition of a sick and irritated creator.
"Concluding organic conversing." It concluded. Then with an awkward physical nod of it's head that Shepard had taught it. It pushed past the quarian, the human and the asari walked away, taking itself back towards the AI Core. Back with friendlier company such as EDI, the on board AI.
Chakwas could not help herself. She laughed at Tali's implications.
'Doctor Chakwas, I have to convinced Jeff to leave his post for his bi monthly medical evaluation. Thane Krios is also present for internal injury examinations.'
"A Doctor's job is never complete." Chakwas sighed in mild amusement of the unlikely nurse she had found in EDI. "I will go check on those two. Both of you start without me. I'll be back in an hour."
Both Tali and Liara both bore a false smile and nodded, giving the older human leave away from the two seemingly unlikely of romantic rivals.
"Your tension is understandable." Liara spoke finally as Chakwas left their sight, leaving behind them. Tali didn't bother to look again, her head was bowed away in her own stubborn. Liara sighed, raising a tired eyebrow at Tali's strange behavior.
"He needed your help, your support and you told him that your obsessions overshadowed your friendship." Tali suddenly spat out, turning to Liara and moving at her aggressively, surprising even her.
"I spent two years of my life chasing after one of the biggest threats to galaxy, third only to the Collectors and the Reapers." Liara shot back, her voice grim as her fists clamped up tight. Adding, "John did not need me, he had you and Garrus and a whole team of loyal men and women. My mission required no strings, nothing that could get in the way of me and the Shadow Broker."
Tali laughed at her and shook her head. She was not amused, the rage bulitbuilt up inside of her was nearing a boiling point. She was close to losing herself to rage she had never felt before
"Do you think that Shepard would care for that petty excuse?" She sarcastically shot back into the asari's face. "I distinctly recalling him offering to help you in any way possible. He did not mean to hack terminals or hunt down your damn secretary. He meant find and kill the broker!"
"You don't understand."
In that very moment, Tali held back the sudden urge to grab the silly little asari by her tendrils and drag her into Samara's room for her to face the justice of an 800 year old asari warrior.
"I don't understand?" She repeated in a sharp hiss. "Are you really that damn thick? Despite your flat out rejection, he still gave you that damn Broker without any hesitation. Don't you see? He was your friend and when you had no more use to you, you told him that you did not care and politely said 'Fuck off'!"
The human curse word rolled off her tongue, causing the argument to die right then and there. Liara looked as though she had been physically struck by the quarian.
Tali widened her eyes from behind her visor and stepped away from the infuriating asari. She should not have lost her temper like that. It was childish. She looked u slowly, there stood Miranda, her arms crossed as if she had been disturbed by the shouting match. Slowly, Tali shrugged her shoulders to Miranda, a silent apology for her behavior. Miranda rolled her eyes and wandered back to her room.
Slowly, Tali'Zorah turned back around to face the silent asari. Liara's head was bobbing up and down, as if agreeing with Tali.
"I know what I did Tali, I regret it." Liara murmured apologetically, attempting to work up the courage to look up. "As does Chief Williams I believe."
The moment of pity he had for the asari went away, it was replaced with a dull simmering rage whom, like Liara, was going to be dealt with as soon as Tali'Zorah vas Normandy found the bosh'tet who called her captain a traitor.
"Don't talk about..about... about th-that, horrible woman," Tali growled under her breath. She started pacing, trying to work way her aggression. Liara blinked at the surprisingly changed Tali. Gone were the days of meek curiosity and an enthusiastic quarian girl. Now she stood here with an attitude not dissimilar to that of John Shepard's.
The mere mention of that stupidly, stubborn soldier made her blood boil in sheer rage. She could understand placing her duty first, Keelah, that was the first thing quarians learned as small children. This was different, this was flat out disloyalty, disrespect and if she dared to say it, a traitorous act in her books.
"I see," Liara whispered to herself; Breaking Tali from vengeance filled thoughts.
"I suppose you wish to know where the Commander and I stand."
Tali looked up, meeting Liara's eyes. There was a knowing smile on the asari's lips as wrapped her fingers together. Their common interest became topic in only a few short seconds. Tali stepped back, bouncing her on her toes slightly as she wiled her herself to come up with neutral where she was respectful and collected and not under the influence of this flu that Shepard had giving her.
Liara held up her hands, a gesture that Tali took as wait your turn.
"He's my friend, I would not have it any other way." She said stated rather simply.
Tali blinked, not believing her for a second. Just a friend? She glanced at the tightly wrapped dress Liara was wearing enviously, an expression of femininity that Tali, in all likelihood would never get to express outwardly. Friends, yeah, sure, and she was a human. Liara noticed the narrowing of bright eyes through a mostly one way visor and sighed, choosing to elaborate.
"I will always have a special place in my heart for Shepard. He was my first love undoubtedly." She explained faintly; "But it was when I was young, young and naïve and full of silly idealism."
Liara wore a slight smile as she remembered her few days with Shepard and added, "John is a wonderful man. But neither I nor him were meant for each other. We were two frightened people looking for comfort before the end."
Tali shuffled in her place, as the words spoken by the asari died in the air. She had to say something to her. Nothing, however, felt right to say at that moment. The next thing she knew, she was throwing herself right at Liara, whose eyes widened in shock. Tali wrapped her arms tightly around her. She sighed, and closed her eyes.
"-I'm sorry for my behavior. I-It's just that I have never loved anyone outside my family, Liara." she whispered "He's the first, it's early in what w-we hare, but I just know he'll be the only man I will love!"
Liara smiled, rubbing the quarian's back soothingly. She was happy to see that at long last, perhaps they could be friends...
"I know, Tali, now I am going to hold you to that. Shepard's heart is only set on you, I will not get in the way of your love." Liara agreed with Tali as she let her go, adding, "Now, come, we promised Doctor Chakwas we would meet her for drinks."
Tali nodded and smiled from behind her mask.
"I'll be right there. I've been working on the engines since you started your mission."
Liara nodded graciously and smiled, she turned away and left the presence of the now, much happier quarian in her midst. Lost in her own thoughts, Tali did not notice the tall figure standing behind her.
"She is far too young to have endured the hardships she has gone through."
Tali jumped slightly turned around. There stood Samara. Tall and well poised and emotionless as she stared down the young asari whom was walking towards the port observation deck. From behind her mask Tali's eyes widened in surprise of the Justicar's presence.
This was the first time they ever had a conversation between the two of them since Samara had joined the Commander's ground team. Tali had always meant to get to know the asari; However, work and wanting to respect Samara's ingrained solitary lifestyle kept the quarian far out of the aging warrior's way.
"Justicar?" Was Tali's uncertain but extremely polite reply.
"You are correct to not trust her." The Justicar spoke plainly as she stood next to the quarian. "There is a taint on her. Of murder, corruption. all in the name of the dead and missing. Now she possesses the keys to the galaxies most intimate of secrets."
Samara shook her head in disapproval over the maiden asari.
"She is much to young to hold that responsibility." She concluded softly, staring down to the Starboard lounge where Liara was waiting for her to join. Tali glanced back to Samara. She seemed almost resign to her own opinion, It was almost as if she did not want to hold the opinion but rigid education scripture following was keeping her personal opinion suppressed.
She still had to nod though. Liara was still much too too young to hold the galaxies secrets. She could have been so obsessive over bringing her John back, how would she deal with every temptation the Broker had meticulously gathered and organized over a thousand years.
"What would you do?" She questioned the Justicar softly. The asari turned away and looked at the quarian, sizing her up before choosing to answer the question.
"I am sworn to my oath, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. The Galaxy would be better off with the Network destroyed in its entirety." Samara explained, "The young T'Soni is just as likely to become power hungry as was the one before her, and the before that. Whether death is warranted for her will depend on actions against myself and as the Shadow Broker"
"However I am sworn to my words to Shepard, Should he considers her to be still a friend, then I will overlook her less noble traits." She finished. She could not have noticed the frown Tali's face.
"An oath that ended a few weeks ago." Tali observed neutrally. Samara turned her gaze back to Tali, either unaware or uncaring for the faint purple on her face.
"An oath can be renewed." Samara informed her without missing a beat, "As you are his mate, I will ask you for your permission to renew it before I approach him."
It was Tali's turn to blush and clasped her hands at the blunt remark made by the usually distant Justicar, of which she had never breathed a word to until now.
"P-pardon?" She whispered, not wanting to be overheard. While it certainly was no secret, she just found herself uncomfortable speaking about it in public. The twinge of doubt whether she was worthy of his feelings, Whether John was just 'slumming it' wasn't about to go away just yet.
Strangely enough, Samara smiled. It did not meet her eyes but it was a sympathetic one.
"I am older then you can imagine, young one. An asari long before a Justicar no less" She explained her, her hand reached out and grabbed Tali's shoulder as she held her in place, adding, "I know how to spot attraction long before others. Though, anyone paying attention to both of you would have noticed it."
With a slight nod, Samara wandered down towards the messhall for a meal. It only took a split second for Tali to speak up loudly to catch the elder woman's attention.
"Samara." She called, waiting for the asari to turn. Samara did and cocked her head slightly.
"I'd be honored if you were to protect Shepard." She stated, her tone formal for the asari. "I think he forgets that he needs us protecting him, like he does for us.
The asari bowed her head in apparent concurrence and continued heading down. Tali exhaled softly and headed down to Kasumi's room where most certainly the two of them were drinking heavily and and gearing up for a round of certain interrogation for her.
...
...
It had been longer conversation then Tali had wanted to be in. The drinks however seemed to pass the time quicker as Tali, Kasumi and Chakwas brought Liara up to date on the journeys of the new Normandy. She talked about each of the members, what made them tick, what kind of person they were. They were a colorful bunch.
Slowly the two of them lightened up and soon enough, Liara and Tali were chatting away like old friends. Maybe not as young, certainly not as naive. But it still felt wonderful. The thoughts of the mutual human interest they had both shared was on the back burner as they remained far away from the Shepard issue, at least for the sake of the reunion.
Before the engineer knew it, Liara was bidding farewell to her, it seemed her drell partner, Feron had called her to return for some sort of Broker business. Liara promised her that they would stay in touch. No longer did she want her obsessions to destroy the few friendships she had left.
Now she was alone, her thoughts drifting back to the topic that was no longer taboo with Liara's departure. Shepard, and how she was going to work up the courage to head up to his deck and face him. He deserved an apology, for her cold denial, for her accusing him of purposely furthering Cerberus' goals.
There was something else to it as well. As much as she believed that Liara was no longer interested in John in the way she was, there was still this bubbling jealousy. A reminder that John had to be fought for in order to stay hers.
Keelah, she sounded horrible. She sounded so petty. Perhaps what she really needed to learn was how to control these feelings. Perhaps Samara the ever clear minded example, would be best choice should she allow it.
Out of nowhere, a weight fell on her leg making a loud snoring sound. It was Doctor Chakwas and she was passed out from the amount of alcohol in her. Shepard had mentioned to her that Chakwas was a lightweight... whatever that was. Kasumi looked up from her drink and giggled at the sight. Tali groaned ran her hand across her mask in irritation.
"Do you think her drunk is funny?"
Kasumi asked her playfully.
"You have to admit, it's cute to see the good doctor let her hair down and commingle with her patients." Kasumi said as she pulled herself off the barstool and unsteadily walked over to the couch. Gently, she pulled up the Doctor, allowing Tali to escape. Kasumi unceremoniously let the the doctor drop, who grunted in her sleep.
With a knowing grin, Kasumi sat down and rest Doctor Chakwas' legs on her lap, looking back up to Tali., who was rubbing her wrist.
"I'm more surprised you didn't have an aneurysm when she tried to talk about you and the Commander blowing through her antibiotics supplies faster then Jack can swear." She mused teasingly . She looked rather pleased with herself as she watched Tali squirmed where she stood unpleasantly.
There was a brief silence between the two partially drunk women. Tali glanced down as Chakwas shuffled in her sleep mumbling in her sleep.
"Itte, kare o sanshō shite kudasai, anata wa orokana shōjo!" Kasumi suddenly barked at Tali, making her jump up in surprise. Tali set her vial of a tangy turian whiskey and looked at the human in utter confusion. Kasumi rolled her eyes and wanted off her hood, allowing long dark hair to fall freely over her eyes.
"You've spoken to Liara, now go and talk to him, will you? Your moping over him is reaaallly tiresome!" She exclaimed in a language that Tali's translator could pick up. Tali shook her head quickly in denial.
"But, J-"
"No Tali, go! You don't get to make excuses, not when you two are crazy for each other. Now go!" Kasumi exclaimed at the quarian heatedly. While there was smile on her face, her words were serious. They both never knew how long they'd have each other for. So why waste it on jealous or a petty disagreement.
Tali opened her mouth again, only to get a dangerously wide eyed glare from the diminutive Japanese girl. Tali sighed and nodded curtly and left the room, leaving behind a smirking human whom took a big gulp of her drink.
...
...
She could have this conversation, walk in, tell him that she was sorry, tell him that she love him and she regret starting all this drama thanks to this bloody fever. He could forgive. She's probably be reprimanded and punished in someway. Maybe even get shouted at by him.
Oh Keelah, she could only hope he'd do that. She loved hearing him shout.
As Tali stepped into the elevator, Her thoughts drifted far off, as she felt small prick enter her skin. It was Doctor Chakwas' auto injector, loaded with an antibiotics and herbal supplements. She sighed as the fluid entered her veins. Memories of soft human skin onto hypersensitive quarian. From a simple kiss to him whispering in her ear that he was quite capable of digesting dextro fluids without allergenic reactions. Thankfully for Tali, it was something he was only to happy to show off for her.
The doors to his room slid open as she stepped inside, her mind still focused. She felt a heat come to her face and a dangerous tremble as her senses recalled that act of love for her. Now that the too of them had more time to be tender with each other, she would have to ask if he was willing for an encore of sorts.
That was if her captain sitting at his work desk was willing to hear her out first.
John was utterly relaxed, his body was leaned against the back of his chair as his eyes scanned over something on his datapad. The thoughts and memories only became more visible. The feeling of John's strong and numerous digits; Dragging down her body, teasing and pinching and firing her up to an orgasm she could never imagine herself having.
His body, chiseled and firm as it laid pressed against her, making her go wild with unbridled and fully appreciated by him as their skin got wetter and wetter with arousal and sweat from the indescribable feeling of him inside he-.
"Am I going to have to say something, Or is this just going to be a one sided staring match." Shepard spoke up, catching her off guard and breaking her away from the impure thoughts about him.
She blushed hard as she faintly imagined that on his serious expression was a knowing look.
"Shepard?" she whispered uncertainly. Shepard continued to pour over his datapad as though she hadn't whispered his name at first. It was another minute before he spoke.
"Something I can help you with, Miss Zorah?"
From behind her mostly one way mask, she squinted at the strange comment made by the human. Shepard set his datapad on his table and at long last, he looked up, staring at Tali as if she was going to say something long and arduous to the Commander. She had a speech too; How, she was sorry about her behavior, how she didn't want her emotions to get in the way of survival.
She crossed her arms, leaning her weight onto her left leg as she gazed at him curiously.
"Miss Zorah?" She challenged him haughtily. Shepard raised one of his eyebrows at her protest and stood, his hands connected to each other. Tali stared at him, her eyes flickered down to his hands.
With a smirk for his quarian lead engineer, Shepard merely shrugged casually.
"You call me Shepard, I call you Zorah. It's suppose to be cute" He informed her faintly as walked over and past her, faintly brushing by her and making the effort to allow his hand to drag agonizingly slow over her side, making the quarian close her eyes as a wave of arousal caught her off guard.
If she could only tear off this damn mask...her latest injections would kick in, in about fifteen minutes, too long for her likening.
"I suppose you're here to blast me apart for what we did." Was all her captain asked as he pulled what looked to be some sort of alcoholic drink off his bedside table and took a sip idly. Tali shook her head in denial. Before she could open her mouth to form a denial, he turned back and tilted his head curiously at the quarian.
"Suspect me of not having feelings for you and probably that I'm about to dump you for the new Shadow Broker?"
The possessive young quarian shook her head in vehement denial.
"I wanted to apologize, I have been very cold lately." The engineer murmured softly in return, her hands wringing as she turned away him; there was a note of regret and guilt in her voice quietly. John merely shrugged softly and tilted his head at her curiously.
"You were forgiven long before you came her." He plainly stated to her, sipping his drink as though he hadn't sad anything at all important to her.
Tali turned back to him quick and bounced on the tips of her toes in shock. On Johns face was nothing more then a polite smile in return.
"I-I was?" Was her unsure reply. John nodded and set his glass back down, With only a moment of delay he wandered back over towards Tali, causing her step back and allowed him space right next to her.
"I chalked it up to the flu." He spoke softly, passing by Tali again on his way to EDI's AI interface.
He turned his head over to her, his hand tapping the interface off manually, quietly locking EDI out of his residence. It was a trick he had learned of after he caught his pilot asking EDI for any sort of recording. Joker got lucky that only Shepard had been aware of it. The quarian woman probably would have gutted him and fed what was left to Grunt.
"That night must have resulted in you being sicker then you ever had before." he continued, stepping lightly back towards her. You have every reason to be angry or wanting to make me unable to have sex ever again."
Tali shuffled in place, her hands wringing in nervous reaction to such blunt words.
"I don't think I would want to go that far." She returned slowly, a small note of distinct sultriness became as clear as day.
Shepard chuckled lowly at her words.
"Have I seriously tempted the princess of the flotilla?" Shepard grinned at her and took a step closer to her. Tali reached out and shoved the human hard, her eyes narrowed at the remark he made.
"I'm not a princess!" She all but growled at her captain. John didn't even flinch, instead he stepped forward, forcing her back a step defensively. Shepard merely smirked mildly.
"The daughter of an admiral, raised to a life of privilege, the best schooling, the best training, the best equipment.." He listed off, ignoring her denial as he continued to force her backwards. " Only to be seduced by a roughneck human ship captain with his many digits and a desire to make her happy?"
She was now down the steps to the floor of his bedroom. The words he spoke, she should have been offended but they sounded so good rolling off his tongue, making her feel like what they shared together was illicit, dangerous. Whatever he was doing, he was good at getting a rise out of her.
"Be quiet." She half heartily returned, her head bowed for a second before his hand was under the chin of her mask and raised it up so she was stuck staring into those piercing blue eyes of his. She shivered again as she backed up powerlessly in the presence of was the dominating man.
"Tempted to a life of an interspecies romance." He whispered, his hands rubbing down the sides of her arms and gripping her hands possessively, she smirked, adding, "Are you curious, perhaps even wanting me to teach you about this thing called love that humans have? I haven't taught you everything there is about it yet."
If she wasn't so aroused, she would have probably been more upset with his bluntly ignorant statement. She was breathing heavy now, her bright eyes wide as she squirmed as Tali watched her Commander slowly move in to the gap between them.
"Love translates to almost all of the sentient species." Was her blank response to John's remark. It was weak, and it only served to make the human smile even wider, resulting in her legs, naturally stronger the most to feel weak as muscle memory reminded her of how easy he could make her melt with the right, skilled touch.
Her human's wonderfully built hands slid up hers and over and under her arm, until at long last, they gripped her hips tight. Tali closed her eyes, exhaling louder then she meant to. She did not wish to show Shepard any weakness but here she was, acting like John had never touched her like this before.
"Is the daughter of the Admiral excited yet... Princess Tali of the Neema?" he whispered to her gentle, it sounded like genuine concern. Tali knew better then to believe it.
"Y-you're just being annoying, now." She stuttered as strong arms reached around and grabbed a hold of her body. Her legs stopped moving as she hit herself against the foot of Shepard's bed.
"It is a forbidden love. It must be exciting.." He observed plainly, his smirks growing ever larger as he closed in on her; "What will the fleet think of this? What of your Auntie Raan?"
Tali hadn't thought about her adoptive aunt reaction to all of this, she could not even care what Shala'Raan had to think. She was lucky she even remembered how to breath, and that was an involuntary reflex. Still, the thought of the admiral finding out sent shivers down her back.
Or perhaps that was because She was now half sitting, half crawling away from John on the soft bed they shared not a week prior. The sensation of softy fabric sliding long her back and hands, even through the suit, felt wonderful.
"I wonder what would my parents think..." John suddenly cut through Tali's limited thought process as he cornered her against the wall.
All primitive and forbidden thoughts disappeared in a flash thanks to a simple self imposed question. She had forgotten that her Captain had parents. Parents who would undoubtedly ask why would their son every want to shack up with something like her.
"Y-your parents?" She whispered fearfully, her hands attempted to wring together but they were grabbed by the human and pinned high above her head in a grasp that Tali knew she could never break. Not that she minded. this domination was turning her on for the third time that night.
"Oh yes, my parents." He confirmed for his wide eyed quarian, His lips leaning in close to her visor, "One day soon they're going to find you, sit you down and interrogate you about your intentions for me."
Tali's eyes flew wide open at his words, her mind went into overdrive as the sudden realization struck her. John had parents. John had a family that was not restricted to the a one child only policy like the quarians. His family could have been huge, grandparents aunts and uncles, cousins. Maybe even siblings.
Keelah...what has she gotten into!
"B-but.."
"Oh, and this is the best part!" He continued, ignoring her stammering rebuttal protests; "If they don't like you, they'll invoke a parental rights and order you to fight in my name against potential suitors."
"John!" She all but screamed, finding the strength to wrench her hands away from his. She slapped his head and body playfully as he burst into laughter and flopped on top of her. Still Tali continued to slap him painfully. He ignored it though. He deserved her scorn for the way he was acting. As playful as it was meant, Shepard was certain Tali had a long way to go before she was more open to teasing.
Eventually the laughter and the swearing in Khelish died down to the occasion smack to the side. John shuffled his weight around as he wrapped his arms around Tali's waist. His head found a comfortable spot on the top of her breasts. Quietly, the two of them sat together. The sensation of Tali's hands running through his growing hair and up and down his neck gave him the shivers.
"You are very cruel to me." She pouted, her accented voice arousing the human slightly. Shepard grunted in return, nodding into her breasts. Tali smiled and continued touching him softly and sighed softly at the sensation of pressure on her body.
"You know. It never occurred to me to allow Liara to meet my parents." He whispered back to her. He felt her body go rigid at the remark so he soothed her.
"The moment we our priorities straight, It was all I could think about." Shepard admitted to her carefully. "Not just that. A future, for us. If, well, you'd allow it."
Tali looked at him incredulously, he was acting as shy as she usually was. it was adorable. Deciding to give him a break and perhaps make him relax as well, she reached out and took his hand, squeezing it tightly, she looked down at and smiled, they seemed so strange together. She loved it.
"You know I don't think long term very much." John spoke again, getting her to glance back up at him. "I made a promise to Liara."
Before Tali could react, he pressed his lips to the side of her soft veil. Slowly he pulled away at her and looked her straight in the eyes. Tali tilted her head head. He had that look of determination. The one he got whenever he was going to do the impossible. Kill Reapers, stop the Collectors, save her life.
"I'm going to get Rannoch back for you." He promised her, a small smile rested on his expression. Tali's eyes widened and recoiled in shock. Shepard and her met eyes as they allowed the word to sink in.
Slowly, she pulled her hand out of Shepard's, she reached up and tugged the safety latches off of her mask. There was a a sudden exclamations of protest from John but she did not mind It, the mask was off, leaving herself exposed to him and open to more illness then she already in her.
"Tali..."
Tali shook her head and grabbed Shepard's hand, brining up to her face. Slowly she closed her eyes and sighed the the feeling of his rough hands grazed her face. She felt tears stream down her eyes as the thoughts of the two of the, making a life with John on the homeworld, raising children, being a peace after litany of blood that brought to two different lovers together.
"I'll be fine." She whispered through trickling tears down her pale skin "I've been drowning in antibiotics for the past few days. Mordin is on duty if I get bad."
John nodded and tucked a portion of Tali's thick, braided black hair behind her veil. He leaned in and carefully, he dried her eyes for the quarian who was tearing up.
"That is a very big promise to make John." She whispered to him, her forehead pressed against his, her eyes closed. Shepard nodded in agreement. It was a huge promise. When that he was going to keep, no matter how long it would take.
"I don't break promises."
Tali pulled away and glanced at her John's expression, it was sheer confidence. As if he already knew that he would. She smiled and nodded in swift agreement. She leaned in again to her human lover, carefully brushing her lips against his. The kiss was soft and sweet, making Tali melt down into his arms., more relaxed then she had been since the last time she had exposed herself to her captain. Quietly, she nuzzled in to the nape of John's neck. It made her feel so safe, protected, loved.
Softly, she yawned .
"Shepard?"
"Yes?" He returned back to her, his fingers rubbing Tali's stomach in circles. She looked up, right into his nose much to her displeasure.
"Rannoch is going to take a while to return." She murmured sleepily, "Do you think your parents will want me around influencing you for that long?"
John laughed appreciatively and bent his lips down, kissing the tip of her nose. Tali squeaked in protest and furiously rubbed it as though wiping off any germs. heard her mumble something in Khelish. It couldn't have been pleasant.
"Tali," He said as he watched her shuffle and close her eyes, "They'd be lucky to have you around."
...
(Review from top to here)
Kasumi Goto's room had become her unofficial sanctuary during her downtime, from the rest of the crew, and more importantly, that jackass bosh'tet and heartbreaker, John Shepard. One moment he was sweet, gentle spoken, the next he could turn into a real jerk. She was by no means a pushover; by it could still make a girl upset.
They were barely into their relationship's forth week and, despite the promise of John's and her own commitment into making what they shared together work, it just seemed to hit more and more walls. Some were her own fault, others were John's, but together, they just piled on. Humans were difficult as they were as work companions or friends... but as boyfriends? Keelah... It became an even bigger issue...
The door to the room slid open. The woman on the couch looked up from through her protective visor and noticed a diminutive woman standing in the doorway, tapping her foot. Slowly, she smiled and stepped closer to the clearly angsting woman.
"Tali, you and I need a drink on the Citadel, I think." Kasumi Goto exclaimed, wrapping her arm around the quarian engineer's waist and giving the woman a playful shake.
Tali'Zorah vas Normandy looked over towards the bar in the far corner and then back at the human woman as if she had sprouted a new head.
"Kasumi, we drink every other night, thanks to you living in a bar." Tali reminded the thief disbelievingly "Do we seriously have to go out and drink on the Citadel?"
Kasumi let go of Tali and shrugged innocently.
"You will once I get to talking about the birds and the bees and why you shouldn't mess with a human male's head with all this arguing, they become more and more irrational."
Birds and the... what? Tali squinted her eyes at her friend but decided it was best not to get into the human idioms she was being forced to learn a dozen times a day.
"John and I do not fight that much." Tali lied, crossing her arms. Kasumi laughed; rather, she barked a laugh as she stood up and wandered over towards her dresser in the corner.
"Tali, my precious, seriously you two fight over literally everything." She stated as she pulled down the zipper of her armor, revealing the pale skin of her back. "He teases you, you lose your temper he tries to get you to open up, and you clam up like a seven hundred year old asari virgin. You see him talk to another woman, and you turn into fire and brimstone, washing hell over the poor denizens of the Normandy."
She stepped out of her suit without an ounce of modesty and tugged open the drawers, pulling out a whole pile of out fits and throwing them haphazardly onto her bed. Tali turned her head away, determined not to check out just how much human female anatomy shared in common of quarian.
"You're sabotaging a relationship that was destined to be." Kasumi continued as she pulled simple black dress over her head and turned back to "a pilgrim rescued by the dashing commander. He cheats death with his last thoughts just for you..."
Kasumi sighed romantically at her own delusions as she sat back down next to the quarian engineer. Tali knew better than to think his last thoughts were about her at all. In all likelihood, John would be thinking about how little air he had left in his lungs on that fateful day.
"He hasn't really told me how he feels for me... I.. I mean his... intentions." The worried quarian admitted out loud. Goto stopped applying makeup and glanced to Tali, her eyes widened into a look of sweet sympathy. Tali merely imitated Kasumi and shrugged helplessly.
"I don't know if he loves me for real, or thinks of this like his relationship with Doctor T'Soni. I just.. I just get this... doubt he will stay loyal." She muttered, continuing her round of pity and fear for the future her and John had together, "Monogamy is the... absolute normal lifestyle for a quarian, the thought of John having multiple partners over the course of his life, even if it was only Liara... recently."
Tali paused and bit her lip, inhaling sharply as she collected herself.
"I mean, what if I'm just a... a ..."
Tali trailed off as she felt Kasumi's hands reach out and grabbed both of hers. She smiled and squeezed them both reassuringly.
"Listen, I'm not saying he's perfect in all of this and you're destroying what you have together all by yourself, sweetie." The human spoke to her friend, with a soothing whisper. "I don't think his daddy taught him not to tease women, nor how to treat them. But, I don't have his issues down yet. For now, let's work on you. Then him, okay drama queen?"
Tali blinked, ignored the barb and nodded her head. It would be good to get off the ship and stretched out her bones, if only for a while.
"First thing we do is go and meet up with an old friend of mine." Kasumi spoke again with more authority, as if predicting Tali's hesitation. She stood up from the couch, spilling her makeup to the floor as she dragged a poor engineer with her.
"A friend of yours?" Tali repeated uncertainly. She really did not want anything to do with Kasumi's networks of thieves and fences then she already was by being friends with her.
Kasumi merely let go of Tali's hands, pushed her hair out, forcing it to flow, and grinned brightly at the quarian.
"Well, she employed me during my early days of my... profession, when I was young and sloppy, gave me an alibi and everything." Kasumi explained to the quarian offhandedly "You will absolutely love her."
She paused and smirked.
"Did you know the reason I know how to tend this bar in my room is because of her?" Kasumi said, as she wrapped an arm around her best friend's shoulders and led her out of the room and towards the elevator.
Despite her mood being low at the thought of the man she loved despite the fights and the tension, she still sighed playfully and pushed her friend back. Perhaps meeting a friend of Kasumi Goto might not be as bad as she thought.
...

...
For the first time ever since her arrival on the Citadel when she was a pilgrim, she found herself utterly devoid of any excitement at being on the majestic space station. She was barely focused at all; she tried earnestly to pay attention to Kasumi's small talk, but was always drawn back to thoughts, doubts to be exact.
The fighting between them, it often stemmed from his willingness to accept Cerberus judgment so quickly. It was rather odd that he'd take such a position so opening and proudly despite his best friend being a turian and the woman he was with was a quarian, two races Cerberus probably hated above all else.
Before the... the Normandy SR-1's destruction, he seemed too stood up for all species. He however, never went gunning after Cerberus after the discovery of Corporal Toombs and the whole squad purposely wiped out by a Thresher Maw. John simply said he would not serve as a knight in an obsessed Admiral's game of chess.
It also did not help her troubles with the sudden wave of hormones hitting her, forcing her to remind her of the intimate moments shred between both her and John, the working of hands, the explosion of nerve fiber reactions, being at the mercy of a more experienced lover, every touch, kiss, word..
"Taaali..."
Tali broke her musings as the singsong voice Kasumi was speaking which broke through her self - pity and arousal, getting her attention. Her focus came back to her. Tali and her friend were standing in front of a vacant looking building called 'Solaria.' It was a nightclub, so perhaps vacant wasn't the best best word. It looked as though the clubbers had only just left, leaving a mess in their wake.
"Hrm, Last time I was here, it was called the Altura.. must've finally changed the name." Kasumi mused stepping forward and pressing her hand on the door. Tali, however, stopped her. She wasn't about to enter a building clearly closed off to the general public. Kasumi rolled her eyes and smiled indulgently at the rule following Tali'Zorah.
"Tali, this isn't a heist. We wouldn't be here if we weren't invited, okay, Miss Morals?" She stated quite clearly for the woman in a purple suit and guilty bright eyes looking back and forth still quite worried. As Kasumi opened the door, Tali glared playfully at the jibe, but entered the nightclub first.
The lights were dimmed into an ambient rainbow, decorating the the the tasteful minimalistic decor. The room was crossed with quarian sensibility and human indulgence, the whole club was mostly a dance floor, getting the most out of the limited available space on a Citadel leased place. Everything that was present in the room, from the bar to the outlining private tables, The VIP section was hidden away, the expensive DJ setup... It was human decadence due to the sheer expensiveness it exuded.
Kasumi grabbed her hand and led her along slowly out of the hallway and towards towards the dance floor, passing by a salarian contracted cleaning crew attempting to clean a pile of vomit left behind by one of the patrons of the previous night. Tali shuddered briefly and ignored it as suddenly, a massive krogan blocked the way for Tali and Kasumi to proceed forward.
Tali was slightly nervous at the sight. Usually in the presence of a krogan, she had a shotgun. This time however, she had chosen to remain unarmed. Kasumi whoever, smiled brightly.
"Hello Garax." She bubbly greeted, waving her hand at the giant creature. The krogan known as Garax, merely stared at the two suspiciously before snorting and stepping out of the way for the two of them to continue.
"Runt." He simply stated, walking past her. Kasumi giggled slightly and sighed before turning back to Tali who was only now relaxing, even though he was almost out the way the two of them came in from.
"He's a big softy once you get to know him." Kasumi explained, stilling grinning to herself. Tali laughed sarcastically, she did not believe the charge made by Kasumi, not one bit.
The dance floor echoed the faint noise of a bass being melodically bounced through the sub woofers of the DJ table. It was a harsh, exotic piece; It certainly already caught on to Tali's growing taste in non quarian culture. From the backroom a relatively young asari emerged behind the bar counter, wearing a simple evening gown. She looked up and immediately, her lips were formed into a bright smile at the sight of the human who was approaching her.
"Hansa, David make it home?" Kasumi inquired, glancing around the club. She leaned over the counter and wrapped the quarian into a hug and a chaste kiss on her cheek.
"Hello Kasumi." The asari known as Hansa returned, letting go of Kasumi and gesturing the two of them to take a seat. "And no, David is on Illium with Carthia, They're trying to get a club permit on Nos Astra... Why? Looking for a family reunion?"
Kasumi chuckled and shrugged coyly as she slumped into the barstool her hand still on Tali's as she forced the socially tense quarian to take a seat down as well.
"Of course I am... though it's nice to see the credits haven't run out."
"It's been tough times everywhere but the club world. People have money and a real need to forget these past few years." Hansa returned. She looked over to Tali and smiled. "Who's the babe?" She questioned, "New dancer, singer for us to employ? Or is she your girlfriend..."
"Funny, Han." Kasumi shot back, cutting off Tali's violently planned denial. Hansa giggled as she heard Tali choke on her words and sighed.
"Well, I'll get you Marhna after I get you two a strong drink. Okay?" The asari offered, her hands on her hips. Kasumi looked over to Tali and nodded. Drinking was most definitely on her mind at the moment.
"Regular for me, Sweetheart," She ordered as she blew her bangs from out of her eyes. "Marhna's Special for my friend here."
Hansa nodded her head and reached under the bar counter, pulling a bottle each of Vodka and tonic water up onto the counter. After pouring the drink and slipping a piece of citrus fruit into it, she reached under the counter and produced a premixed canister of what was simply referred to as "Marhna's special." It was a bright bluish purple drink, safely contained away from germs. Tali smiled graciously as she accepted it from tender blue hands.
"Bobbing your head, I see... Into human house music?" Hansa noted, smirking as she watched Tali tie the canister to the drink seal. Tali looked up. House music. She now had a name for this genre. Interesting. Slowly, she shrugged, attempting to remain somewhat indifferent.
"I haven't really listened to it before, I usually listen more to asari trance music." Tali admitted, taking a sip from the canister now hooked to her suit induction port. Hansa nodded at the mention of her races own music.
"Classic choice, babe." Hansa complimented brightly. She turned to Kasumi and added. "This girl's got good taste."
"I know," Kasumi returned, sounding quite impressed with herself. "Otherwise I wouldn't be friends with a grease monkey like her."
Tali scowled at her friends teasing. Hansa merely laughed as she backed her way out of the main room and back into the private area where Marhna apparently was. Despite the teasing, she was quite quite respectful with that this quarian managed to obtain. Wealth, respect from other species. She may not have agreed with everything, but this Marhna seized her own destiny in the face of overwhelming opposition from that fleet, and that by itself impressed her above all.
"So... Marhna is a quarian with an asari working under her?" Tali spoke up, breaking the silence between the two as they drunk their offered drinks.
"Kinda, she's not the bartender. She's more of a jack of all trades: Tends the bar, hosts, serves... dabblings in bouncer work... ex commando, you see..." Kasumi explained, leaning her arms against the counter, closing her eyes to take in the music. "As for Carthia, she's the Prince Enterprise lawyer. They've had to deal with a lot of shit being the kinda business partners they are. She's damn fun to hang out with, you'll see."
Tali said nothing as she silently sipped her drink. For the tenth time that day, Shepard was back on her thoughts...
"I know that sort of tension." A clear, wobbly voice whispered next to her, interrupting her before she could fall to deep into her despair.. "It means you have someone frustrating on your mind and you just can't quite figure him out."
Tali looked up and across and into the luminescent eyes of a quarian, unobstructed by an environmental suit. Her vivid eyes, right as any quarian's were surrounded by a faint series of wrinkles that did not detract from the beauty she exhibited. Her skin's tone was darker than Tali's, more vibrant and healthy complexion of extremely light purple rather than the sickly pale grey that John spent many hours touching and kissing so willingly.
She was wrapped in expensive looking asari robes with a long, vividly scarlett traditional quarian veil that was not over her black hair braids as intended, but drooped around her shoulders. She was exuding a wealth not seen by quarians in many many centuries.
"Marhna!" Kasumi squealed out, launching past Tali and into the waiting arms of the older woman. The quarian known as Marhna laughed brightly and pushed the frazzle of human hair covering Kasumi's eyes out of the way and gently kissed Kasumi's cheek.
"Mai, my first child." The quarian returned in between ecstatic kisses for Kasumi. "I am so glad you have managed to make it back to me into one piece."
Tali coughed slightly, and nudged Kasumi who fell out of her puesdo mother's arms and turned back to her friend, looking more brighter than Tali had ever seen her before..
"Mai?" Tali inquired from her friend, more than a little curious.
"Old alias," Kasumi explained right away before taking Tali' hand and leading her closer next to the unsuited quarian. "Marhna'Prince," She introduced brightly. "This is Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, the one I spoke to you about?"
Marhna'Prince merely smiled mysteriously towards the younger quarian, deep from within the shawl she wore, her hand reached out, revealing a gentle, feminine hand that was not hidden in a suit like Tali's. Tali shifted uncomfortably but took the alien gesture of welcome. As she looked into the gentle, mysterious smile, her tensions seemed to have dissolved.
"Tali'Zorah of the Normandy, the daughter of Rael'Zoreh, a pompous man but a good one," Marhna spoke up at last. She inclined her head respectfully, adding "I am sorry of his demise. It is hard to come by news from the flotilla."
Tali crossed her arm and as and slumped her weight onto her right hip. Before she could speak, Marhna held up her manicured hands.
"A young girl on her pilgrimage, whom I managed to find employment, offered me an update of the fleet, from the attack on the Idenna to your trials." She returned tactfully subdued as she noticed the shift in body language in the other girl. Slowly, her smile returned as she carefully added, "She did not tell me that you have found solace in the arms of your captain, however..."
Tali blinked.
"Something wrong with that?" Tali all but spat, she crossed her arms as her eyes narrowed at the second quarian woman.
Marhna and Kasumi shared a look. Before Tali knew it, both the women all but collapsed into a fit of giggles at Tali's defensiveness for what she shared with John. She closed her eyes and inhaled sharply, attempting not to eviscerate Kasumi where she stood.
"Miss Zorah..." Marhna spoke at last, over the last of her giggling laughter. "Prince is a human surname name, I hold it as my own with very good reason."
Tali blinked. She...She was bonded.. married to a human? When? She must have been a child when Marhna and this man pursued a relationship, and yet here she was, still bonded to a human. At the silent relation Marhna nodded and turned to Kasumi, who in turn, nodded as well and sat back down down on the barstool, sipping her drink. Marhna stepped away from the bar and gently, her hand reached out and guided the younger quarian away from her friend and towards the VIP section.
"Tali, come. Sit. I am sure you have much to fret over." Marhna observed in a manner not unlike her Auntie Raan.
Tali nodded blankly as dozens of questions became a temptation to ask. One thing did, however beat everything else. a curiosity never this obsessive before. She was sitting next to an exiled woman who had made a name and a reputation for herself, who found herself successfully in love with a man from the same species Tali was with.
"Are you a child of the exiled? You... You could return to the fleet with open arms. If only for a visit. I cannot imagine you'd give this all up." Tali spoke up rather lamely as she gestured to the club surrounding her.
Marhna merely smiled indulgently and leaned back into her seat and sighed softly.
"Do you believe they would accept one of their own back, who left the fleet on her own accord in order to find her own voice in this galaxy? Who married to someone outside their species without a second thought?" The older asari asked politely.
The expression written across Marhna's lips and narrowed eyes was one Tali knew well. She'd bare witness to it whenever John found himself in an argument where he needed to keep his temper in check. It was the expression of neutrality he'd get the moment Ambassador Udina would enter the room.
"Times have changed... people are more... accepting now." Tali returned, sipping her drink carefully and doing her best to believe in the words she had just murmured to the wealthy woman sitting across from her, just staring at her. Tali glanced up and noticed a faint motherly smile spread across her face, the look her mother had given her when she was a little girl.
"Times have changed you say?" Marhna spoke, attempting to hide a tone she would use on a foolish child. "Is that why all the anti-alien and anti homosexuality laws have been abandoned? Is that why you gleefully told your father and your friends of your attraction to Shepard after you returned to the fleet?"
Tali blinked at the query curiously. The very mention of her father and Shepard in the same sentence caused a momentary stupor in any sort of defense for the two men, one deceased, the other the love of her life. No. When her father was still alive, she became as unfeeling as the dead. There was no slip up, no admission to anyone close, not even Auntie Raan, who she believed would understand.
No. Tali kept her mouth shut and her mind focused on the next issue troubling the fleet.
"How about now, dear? This very moment?" Marhna continued. " With him holding your hand in front of your people, could you find the courage and simply announce that you made a choice between duty and love? A choice they will undoubtedly resent?"
Marhna looked downwards at her perfectly manicured nails as she allowed Tali a moment to let her words sink into the younger woman. Tali could not answer the older woman.
When her father was alive, she never dreamed of telling anyone just how much a human could have meant to her. She had to admit it, Marhna appeared to have a point. A small part of her still held the personal stigma of her... choice. somewhere in her was a guilt of having a man like Shepard.. the fleet needed genetic diversity. they would expect her to do her part..
Marhna reached over the table and with great care, her hand fell on to the side of Tali's facemask.
"The flotilla are a more selfish people than you nor I care to admit." She continued, unabashed at the accusation made. "They'll take and they'll take, but ask them for something, anything for yourself and they'll brand you a dissenter. They are the worst sort of hypocrites, the indignant kind."
Tali sipped her drink, her head bowing in thought.
"So, You weren't exiled." She concluded. "No, I would have heard of this."
"No Tali, as I said earlier, I was not exiled. I quietly exiled myself." She explained, shaking her head sightly. "They made me choose between the fleet and my life, my happiness. I gave them an answer they never expected. I stood up for myself."
Marhna choose herself in the end. She choose everything that Tali was surrounded by. Wealth, the right to her own happiness, love of a man she never imagined she would have had she choose her duties over everything she had now. Despite that, and perhaps she was just looking too much into it but Tali could faintly detect a note of regret.. of longing in the very undercurrents of her proud words. She had to sacrifice much and she knew it.
The club owner looked away, her lost expression turned back towards Tali. Gently, she smiled for the engineer.

"Now... Tell me all about this John Shepard, Tali." She continued, changing the subject. "I have heard his deeds. I take it he's a bit hard to-"
Tali shook her head, her bright hidden eyes wider than usual.
"It can wait, you just can't stop now!" Tali all but complained in a sudden explosion of protest as she, leaned into her seat's comfortable support. "How come.."
"I came to abandon my fleet in exchange for money, for freedom and independence... for love and a future with a man I fell for?" Marhna finished for her, smiling slightly. Tali nodded her head slowly. Quarians, Tali included, always loved a tale to be told.
...

...
Citadel Station: 2161 CE
"You, quarian, your shift is over. Get out of here. I'm not paying for your overtime."
Marhna'Quaera nar Shareon looked up from the automatic dish washers hidden in the back of a very well reviewed restaurant known as Xares' Place. It was a quiet place for dextro's to gather, eat and converse about the growing human population that threatened their way of lives.
Dextro was just another word for turian, however, as quarians were unable to afford the place. Hell, the only real reason Marhna gained employment at this place was because the owner, a bosh'tet turian named Velarus could use her as tax write off, a charity case, and receive praise for being a "culturally diverse kitchen."
Culturally diverse, what a joke. The place was a breeding ground for anti everything not closely related to the turian's. And, since the Relay 314 incident seven years prior, humans had become the focus of their scorn, such like the batarians before the humans became galactic players and the quarians before that.
Ha. Relay 314 incident, they refused to call it the First Contact War because of just how soundly the humans handed them their war mongering asses back to them. The fact that species with little galactic expansion could destroy a fleet and hand them back their prisoners in the most humiliating manner -In front of both the Council and the Hierarchy.
Marhna sighed as she tugged off her dish apron and dropped it on the counter haphazardly. Silently she turned off her translator and cursed out the turian under her breath. There was a sudden beep from her omni-tool. She glanced downwards at it, reading the name "Kalia." Reluctantly, she smiled as she opened the note up as she wandered out the front door of the restaurant.
-Marhna
Hey there working girl, meet us at Fel'Vagars room in the shelter, we're bored and we wanna do something fun. Heard of a new place that opened, The Altura. Might just let us in if we're lucky! Could be a lot of fun!
Fun.
She sighed. She would go with Kalia'Erranas and Fel'Vagars, But, no, it would not be for fun. What Marhna did want was to get drunk and forget everything for the next few days.
She had to admit, however, it was not all bad, while Velarus had incentives to hire her through personal gain, it was Xeuhana Carartus, Velarus' wife, who had hired her on the spot despite her being a quarian. It was Xeuhana, who lobbied for Marhna to be paid a halfway decent pay and given her weekends off. Xeu gave Marhna hope that perhaps some would treat her fairly on the pilgrimag-
"YOU! GET BACK HERE!"
Marhna froze, her eyes widened at the fear of the sheer rage in her employers voice. She swallowed the knot in her throat and turned back. What did she do now? She stopped working, signed out and left. That was it as far as she knew. That however, did not stop Velarnus' hand from grabbing her shoulder hard and dragging her back inside to answer for the crime she hadn't committed.
She found herself in the waiting area, pinned against the wall. The turian was enraged, enraged and disgusted at the sight of the quarian he loomed over.
"The electronic tipping service has been tampered with, the credits in it are all gone, one thousand, four hundred and fifty seven credits to be exact." He growled at her his teeth bared. "I know you have an omni-tool, bucket, I ought to shred you in two."
"I did not steal it!" She simply stated, crossing her arms and turning her eyes away from the ugly looking turian.
"The hell you didn't." He countered, wrapping his claws around the chin of her helmet and forcing her to look at him. "I give you, your job, a job I wanted give to my youngest son, I made sure you did not starve and allowed up here on the Presidium without C-sec watching your every move and this is how you repay me? You parasite!"
She thought she would get hit, or perhaps tossed around at the very least for this imaginary transgression she had made. There was, however, a protesting hiss and the feeling of something small pushing herself between Marhna and Velarus.
"By the spirits Velarus, let her go, you damn fool!" Xeuhana cried out, shoving her husband away from the quarian. Velarus looked lividly at his wife. She however was not frightened by the display of rage at all. It must have been a spouse thing, not to be frightened of overcompensating beasts.
"I deposited the tips into the employee year end bonus." She exclaimed, her eyes narrowed at the still rigid man. "She did not take anything, you stubbornly cranky old bastard!"
Velarus turned his glare away from his wife and over to Marhna's direction. Marhna stared back, as if daring the turian to make a move or even say anything remotely offensive. Instead the turian snorted in disgust and turned away from his employee and wife, leaving without saying another word.
Marhna and Xeu stood there, neither of them knowing what to say to the other at first. Slowly, Marhna turned her head down sharply as the adrenaline washed away and replaced her alert mind with one that was near tears. Unfortunately, she choked on her own breath, loud enough for Xue to hear it.
The older turian woman turned around and gently, her mandibles flapped open to her a remorseful smile for her. Marhna paid no attention to it as she willed herself not to cry as the burst of adrenaline in her ran out.
"I'm sorry child, he's.."
Xuehana drifted off as the quarian lifted her head up to share at the speaking turian woman. Her eyes were brighter than usual. It was a sign of tears, no longer able to be controlled by her. Slowly, the woman sighed.
"I'm so sorry..." She spoke softly as she watched the quarian flee out of the restaurant and into the streets of the presidium.
...

...
At this point, all Marhna wanted to do was hit something. She was irritated beyond any chance of allowing a cooler head prevail. How could she have been so weak? So utterly lost as that damn turian yelled at her... Keelah... she was like her mother. Completely incapable of independent thought. Living by her father's rule and the fleets demands.
She sighed and tried to forget her family as she read the chronometer on her omni-tool.
Two hours and fifteen minutes. Keelah, they had been standing in this line up for two and a quarter hours, listening to creaming of the various species inside, the bass thumping of some melodic melody and the people around them talking in loud voices and looking uncertain about the only three quarians willing to stand in line with them.
Marhna ignored them and looked over to Fel and Kalia, both of whom were much more patient than she was. They had both come to accept the second class treatment quarians were submitted to on their pilgrimage. Like good little quarians they would take the delays and abuse with a silent submission, submission that was latching slowly onto her as well.
Perhaps this was the reason for the pilgrimage. Not to warn the young about the outside world, but to turn them so empty, so broken to the racism of the galaxy, that they would sooner rather stick with their own kind, willing to submit to the worse that the flotilla had to offer, with a smile on their face and a song in the heart...
"Any time now..." Marhna snapped softly, tapping her foot in an unusual show of impatience.
The Krogan bouncer did not pay her any attention, as usual. Not since they reached the front of the line and were promptly told that they were to capacity. Marhna snorted at the lie, she knew what this was.
"Marhna, you're completely stressing out." Kalia stated as if it were fact. "I have it on good authority that we're completely welcomed here. If they're full capacity, then they're probably telling the truth. This isn't the flotilla; they can't just cramp a thousand people into a space for five hundred. There are rules."
The grumpy quarian tried her best to ignore her friend's words. They rang too much truth to it. Yes, The Altura was quite packed looking, even from out here. Still, she could bet that there were no quarians in there. Fel sighed loudly as he noticed that Marhna was hunched over, deep in thought, most likely negative as usual.
"Marhna needs to get drunk." Fel said to Kalia, smirking from behind his plate glass. "This uptight attitude will make her worse than Admiral Zorah and his "do your duty for the fleet or else we all will pay for laziness!" propaganda hour on the fleet intercom."
Kalia continued her giggle as they watched Marhna get more and more upset with their teasing. She turned away from them. Useless, no good layabouts, freeloading...
Marhna continued her tirade silently, deciding to spare her two friends the full rage she had buried into herself for their sake. It wasn't their fault, just the irritation of a month straight of verbal abuse from bastard turian's and others races that looked down their noses as she wandered out of the slums of the Citadel and into the upper wards.
There was a sudden bump against her shoulder, causing her to ricochet off of Kalia's body. A human stepped past her, accompanying him, of all things, was a turian female, both of whom were dressed up in way that spelled wealth. Marhna narrowed her eyes at the people involved for the sudden smack,
"Pardon me, miss." She heard a male voice, belonging to the human, mutter distractedly to her. They stepped up to the krogan who nodded and opened the gate for them without any protest.
Marhna was speechless at first, how in the many hells of Rannoch, was this fair? They had been standing in this line for two hours, standing in the front of the line for a good forty five minutes, waiting to be finally allowed in. Now they were just being ignored for some... some overdressed, overinflated... pretty boy?
"Watch where you're going, jerk!" Marhna cried out suddenly. It may have been late but it definitely caught the human and the turian's attention.
They turned back and faced the group of quarians. Fel and Kalia looked between the two aliens and the back to Marhna's determined expression. They stepped backwards. They would have her back, but no, they would not rush to a battle. Not even for Marhna. Marhna, however, did not care in the slightest. Her attention was focused solely on the human who seemed to be much smugger about himself then the turian next to him.
"I've been waiting in this damn line up for two hours and you get to cut in? Well screw you, you overinflated, pretty boy...prick!" She ranted, crossing his arms and simply glared at the human who had made the mistake of cutting past her on a day where she was close to killing anyone and anything that annoyed her.
The human raised an eyebrow at the annoyed quarian and glanced back at the turian woman standing next to him. Her mandibles flapped open, almost amused by the quarians reaction.
The man chuckled before leaning into the turian's ear and whispered something. She nodded and together, they continued walking. The human's arm rose up and wrapped around the turian woman's shoulder, almost immediately it was pushed off by the woman.
Marhna exhaled and turned back to Fel and Kalia, who were staring at the grumpy women with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"What in the hell's of Rannoch do you want?" She growled at her two friends, as if daring them to even speak. Fel glanced at Kalia. Kalia glanced back to Fel. Together, they howled at the third quarians expense.
"W-what happened to Pushover Marhna?" Kalia asked, giggling as she latched onto her best friends arm. Marhna merely shrugged as Fel begun to laugh at what he had just witnessed.
"I'm tired of the abuse; I just want to be confident, if only for tonight." Marhna returned, her anger slowly fading away into bitterness. "I want to get a couple drinks in me and forget that I'm stuck in the middle of a nightmare. Is that fine by you two?"
Fel and Kalia laughter eventually died down and together they nodded their heads, empathetic for their angry fellow quarian. They would allow their friend these feelings, it was only fair. Despite her own anger in her still at a boiling point, she smiled at her friends graciously from behind her mask.
"Better be, since I'm paying for all of this.." She teased them playfully and turned away. The feelings of indignation and bitterness were subsiding. Perhaps she just needed this unleashing of simple anger to help her deal with the injustices this pilgrimage revealed to her.
There was a sudden grunt that caught her attention. Marhna looked up and noticed the krogan bouncer staring at her hard. She turned her body around to face the bouncer properly, attempting to smile again.
"Not wise pushing my boss around, Envirosuit." The krogan grumbled at the three of them with a menacing undertone to it. "You're just lucky he's been amused enough to give you and your friends VIP access."
Boss? The man in the suit, the turian on his arm?
"We're getting in?" Kalia spoke first, surprised at the sudden reversal of fortune.
"VIP access?" Fel chimed in, his long hands excitedly rubbing together at the chance to try something exclusive.
"Your boss?" Marhna returned, staring blankly at the krogan. She did not notice her two friends go deadly still as they managed to put two and two together. The krogan snorted and nodded his reptilian head, his lips smirking at the quarian as if he was going to turn her into his next meal.
"Yeah, David Prince. He runs this place." The bouncer grumbled as he stepped aside to allow the three quarians passage inside. "Now get in now or when you lot get back from your pilgrimage and settle down, I'll show up and eat your goddamn children in front of you."
Fel and Kalia did not need to be asked twice. Both of them ducked past the krogan and sped inside of the club. Marhna sighed and followed them as well, albeit at a much slower pace. Tonight was getting pretty strange.
"Keelah... VIP? Marhna, we need to get you upset often.."
Marhna paid no mind to the comment made by the stupid male, nor the renewed laughter. Instead she looked over his shoulder and caught the sight of the human she had yelled at, David Prince. He was ignoring the noise of the thunderously loud bass line pounding away from deeper inside of the dance floors. He was talking to an asari and a couple of turian males, all the while the female turian appeared back in his arms and tightly against his side much to her noticeably obvious discomfort.
Even from the distance, Marhna could find a thrill of happiness at the sight of the two male turian's seemingly glaring at the sight of him standing so passionately close to the turian woman on his arm. The human did not seem fazed at the mounting rage... in fact he seemed to have been enjoying it. He let go of the turian woman, who seemed relieved and pecked her mandible, causing it to flare up into a look of surprise.
The two turian's merely stared, not daring to do anything. What could they do?
He ushered the woman along ahead of him and stood there from the balcony, over viewing the dance floor where his patrons blew their hard earned credits on alcohol by the hundreds and grinded their troubles away in a sweaty passionate fury.
Slowly, he seemed to have sighed and turned back, inadvertently turning to face Marhna, Kalia and Fel, making all three stop at the sight of the wealthy human's sudden and unexpected attention.
The three looked at each other nervously and then back to the human, whose quizzical expression begged for some sort of answer. Kalia, who had looked to Marhna, the reason they were heading to the VIP section to speak up first. Marhna, however merely crossed her arms and stared at the human that offended her.
"Um... Thank you for your generosity...Mister...Prince?"
David Prince ran his hand through his gelled back hair and, almost reluctantly, turned his watchful stare over Marhna and looked at the second female. He outstretched his hand and he smiled cordially.
"Mister Prince was my father, David Prince will do, miss." The club owner explained to Kaila, smirking slightly. "Don't be afraid to order anything you wish, my staff are at your beckoning..." He paused and sighed before looking up to Kalia and adding. "Please, shake my hand, will you? It's getting tired."
Kalia's eyes looked down and widened as she realized she had left David Prince's hand hanging there in the air. Quickly, she recovered, reaching out and took his hand, shaking it curtly. Instead of being angry as she had expected, David merely chuckled at the greeting faux pas.
"I have a stipulation though." He said, allowing Kalia's hand to fall out of his grip. "You tell your pretty, black suited friend to stop glaring holes into my head. Ladies and Gentleman."
David Prince' face broke into a bright smile as he heard both Kalia and Vel laugh at the expense of Marhna'Quaera, who blocked out the comment. The owner of the Altura turned his smile over to her and after a slight nod for her, wandered past the group, allowing his eyes to linger back over to Marhna if only for a while longer.
He left, leaving both Kalia and Vel excited at the prospect of getting drunk for free and Marhna silent.
...

...
"Hey Mom, interviews?"
Marhna looked away from Tali and smiled brilliantly at the sight of a teenager and the little girl, who looked no more than six, was latched on his arm and staring up at the quarians curiously. Marhna leaned over and and gave her older son a quick side hug before pecking the little girl's head, who squealed and squirmed at the quarians affection.
She widened her eyes... This woman, she had a family. Not just this David, but children who loved and adored her, even if she was not a human like the woman who had birthed her, they seemed to have treated her like she was their actual mother. Slowly, uncertainly, Tali smiled from behind her mask, her hands interlacing at the memorizing sight of the blended family all together
"No. A new patron and Friend of Mai, Tali, these are two out of three of my children, my oldest, Michael and Laura, the baby." Marhna introduced warmly "Children, this is Tali'Zorah vas Normandy."
Michael waved slightly and the little girl grunted, instead of saying hi to the second quarian, she merely let go of her brother's hand and pulled himself into Marhna's lap. She briefly looked up to Tali but then turned her attention back to her mother, a pout on her lips as she crossed her arms.
"When's Daddy comin' home, mama?" She demanded to know. "I want him back!"
Tali watched as Marhna sighed dramatically; it was clearly not the first time she had to ask that question. Marhna glanced upwards to Michael and smiled briefly. As she noticed her son roll his eyes, she turned back to Laura and bounced her finger off her nose, causing the girl to squirm in her arms and cry out a loud protesting squeal.
"Daddy'll be home in a few days. I promise." She reassured the child. Laura narrowed her eyes at the quarian mother, trying to determine whether or not Marhna was bluffing just to keep her from getting mad.
"Better promise." She grumbled. Marhna chuckled lowly and sighed, her long fingers stroking the child's cheek soothingly.
"Daughter... You're a bigger drama queen than your daddy, and that is saying something, little lady." Marhna returned, smiling vividly at her child before looking up to Michael, adding. "Could you go and get her fed at that little levo/dextro restaurant that just opened up? Just down from here?"
Michael groaned hard and narrowed his eyes at his mother, how merely smiled innocently and went back to watching little Laura tug on her hairbraids as though it were the most entertaining thing in the world.
"Mother," The young man said sharply. "That's where that quarian girl, Galina, works part time. You're sooo damn obvious. It's painful to watch."
Tali turned back to Marhna who looked scandalized at the accusation laid on her by her son.
"And what, pray tell, what's wrong with that?" Marhna cried out, as though she was being accused of a grievous crime. "You're seventeen years old, you're clearly not gay from all those other girls you bring around," Tali watched Marhna shudder at the mention of other girls. She added, "All I want you to have a nice, pretty quarian girl, so I'm not stuck with a family of mostly insane humans all the time. Is that a crime"
Tali chuckled lightly as the young man smacked his hand against his face in clear frustration.
"You're my mom, not my pimp, fuuuck.." Michael muttered, shaking his head in disappointment. Marhna's eyes widened as she heard the utterance of the profanity. She reached out and promptly smacked Michael's head. The action earned a happy giggle from the little girl on her lap.
"Don't you dare swear around your sister." She all but growled at her eldest child. "Now go and ask that cutie out or I can guarantee you, I'll set you two up myself!"
Laura crawled off her mother's lap and grabbed the older boys hand, screaming about how she was going to help her Momma get what she wanted, in this case, a new quarian girl to mother. Tali chuckled as she watched Marhna's poor son was lead away from the small girl, past the krogan bouncer, Garax, who grunted in near amusement. Marhna sighed and glanced over to the Admiral's daughter. She chuckled slightly..
"Sorry about that, Tali'Zorah. Mother's to quarians have it easy, their children's brains steadily grows over an eighteen to twenty year period. Human children, on the other hand grow in spurts, making how they end up so unpredictable. It means I have to rear them harder." She explained with a tired smile. "I swear if Michael doesn't start thinking about nice quarian girls, I'm just going to lose it..."
Marhna stood up and looked over Tali, who was still watching the children depart with a greater interest then she would admit. Slowly, the club owner smirked playfully.
"Do not worry," She spoke to her warmly, her hand clutching Tali's still, causing her to look up at her. "You will learn this one day soon in the near future. Motherhood is written all over you Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. Be patient with him and it will come sooner than you think. "
John and her having children of their own? It was a thrilling thought, but with the problems between her and John being so present... she just could not think about them right now. Between the looming threat of the Reaper invasion and their problems, she could not plan a future like that if there was not one to plan for...
She watched as Marhna followed her children' lead, pausing briefly to kiss Kasumi's cheek once more and to say goodbye to the asari lawyer. As Marhna departed out of the front doors leading to the street, Kasumi stood up and walked over, her vodka and tonic in one hand and a massive smile for the younger quarian. She took a seat next to Tali, grinning at the lost look in Tali's bright eyes.
"Soooo... first impressions... what did you think? How did it go?" Kasumi asked, leaning against Tali's shoulder blade.
Tali sighed and shrugged, though they had not touched on her problems, it became painfully clear already just how alike they might have been. If it were not for her father being an admiral and...and.. Shepard dying the way he had, she could have seen herself demanding to stay in the outside world. All for a human who she did not know even if he cared for her at the time.
"I think I'll be coming back tomorrow." Tali admitted to her human best friend. "I think she can help."
Kasumi did not reply to her. Instead she merely shot Tail that mischievous little smile she had when she knew something more than she was willing to let on.
Chapter Two: The Offer
...
What in the hell was wrong with that girl?
"You dork." Kasumi Goto asked in amused disapproval as she watched Shepard rub his knee tenderly. "She's going to meet my second mother for advice on you! Dork."
John Shepard took a seat at the table, ignoring the laughter from Garrus at the opposite end of the table. Tali's dangerous looking feet were not just for show. They could kick harder than he anticipated. Jesus, He asked here where she was going? It wasn't like he asked Tali if she was sleeping with the woman!
"Shouldn't I like... go or something." John grumbled, annoyed at the woman's barb. "I'm not exactly a fan of being talked about behind my back, especially when it involves someone I care for."
"I was right." Kasumi groaned. "Your father didn't teach you anything about women."
Shepard arched his brow.
"My Father taught me all I need to know about women, thank you very much." John shot back glaring at Kasumi's apparent understanding of his family life. "He told me that women loved to get teased by good looking men, so be good looking at all times and I'd muddle on through."
Shepard chuckled to himself as he saw the horrified expression written across the Japanese girl's face. He shrugged and added. "So far... so good."
Kasumi's hand slowly smacked against her face as she heard both Garrus and Shepard laugh at the remark and at her expense.
"Never mind, your dad sounds like a real charmer." She groaned, ignoring the mild grin on Shepard's face.
"No Miss Goto, I'm afraid that Shepard's father sounds like a genius, a wise man beyond his years." Garrus countered, earning a smack on the back of the head from a more annoyed than ever thief.
"Ignore Scarface here, Shep and listen, I know from experience." Kasumi explained as she rubbed the bridge of her nose impatiently. "A quarian woman in most cases is too proud to talk to those they have a problem with. Instead they love to have a serious personal problem solved with help from their own kind or someone similar to her. You being male, let alone human kinda makes it hard to go to talk to you directly."
John squinted, were quarian women really that convoluted? Where the hell did that come from and why didn't he keep to Kasumi sooner if she was such an expert in quarians.
"Face it, Shep," She added, smiling smugly at the confused looking man. "Women regardless of the species, are the more complicated sex."
Shepard snorted.
"That's nothing to be smug about, Goto." Shepard countered, half grinning at the absurdity of it all. "Complicated doesn't mean better. I mean look at the Collectors we fought, they spent years trying to lure me into a trap and all I had to do was fly through their relay and radiate the shit out of them."
While Garrus nodded in agreement, Kasumi rolled her eyes and sighed dramatically at the Spectre's terrible analogy and the vigilante's terrible cronyism. Or was it that male desire to always stand by their brother.
"Trust an attractive, militarily brilliant but socially dimwitted man to have to use violence as a means to justify himself." She returned sarcastically and left him on his own to quietly contemplate what in the hell was wrong with every single woman on board this ship.
"So... You and Tali. And you both didn't tell old Garrus about it?" Garrus spoke up, breaking the silence. Inwardly, John groaned, telling Garrus was more than enough punishment for his jumping to conclusion.
...

...
From Marhna'Prince
To: Tali'Zorah vas Normandy
Miss Zorah, from what I gathered from Mai -Kasumi. Your ship is on stand down and you have a lot of free time. I know, however lousy quarian I may be, that the drive core is always in need of attention. If you do find yourself some spare time away from your duties this afternoon and out of arm's reach of your intrepid Captain, come and meet me at the Dark Star, that quaint little asari lounge for something to eat. Alone.
Do not feel obligated to my offer, Like I imagine you are feeling at this moment. I have some business there regardless, if now is not the best time, then we will arrange for some other time.
x
Marhna'Prince.
...
Tali looked up from the letter the fifth time that afternoon. This time, however, she growled. That no good, awful human. Tempting her into a new life outside the flotilla, only to treat her to suspicion.
Tali ignored the slight limp she still had from kicking Shepard over the princess comment. Whatever those Cerberus bastards added to him made him much less vulnerable to hand to hand combat. As useful as it was in the field it made him unfeeling of her rage.
Okay, maybe she blew it out of proportion. In hindsight, screaming at Shepard about their private life in front of someone like Garrus Vakarian may not have been very wise on her part. Poor John would be undoubtedly heckled. Tali paused and recalled John calling her a princess right in front of that turian. She scowled inwardly.
Poor John indeed. She hoped Garrus would harass that big, pale, hairless... ape with his dark eyes, with a well toned chest and abdomen shaped by the ancestors. With arms that could lift her up with ease, attached to those arms hands with so many digits that could control absolutely everything about her and a butt so firm and just waiting to be felt up by her wandering hands.
Tali shook her head violently as she stood there waiting for the waitress to approach her. Stupid, sexy Shepard. Why did he have to be a new source of annoyance for her? Were they both too stupid to be together?
"Can I help you, quarian?" a voice called behind her, sounding like she could not believe a quarian was standing there waiting for an audience. Tali turned and found an asari staring back at her. Tali crossed her arms and leaned back.
"Yes I think that you can, waitress." Tali returned, her voice as haughtily toned as the asari had been. "I'm meeting another quarian, Marhna'Prince for lunch. Are you going to be the one serving us?"
The asari narrowed her eyes at the defiant quarian, nevertheless she gestured Tali to follow her. Tali smirked to her for her small victory. If there was one thing she had learned from her John, it was how to make an apparent superior being humbled by people like John or her.
The waitress and the engineer stopped. There sitting together in what looked like a heated argument was a well dressed asari matron and a veiled woman, undoubtedly Marhna.
"You know as well as I that inspections are random and unbiased, even for your... Children." Tali caught the asari saying, her high voice condescending to the veiled woman. "You were lucky it was only a twenty five thousand credit fine this time. You could have had your license revoked had you not kept your magnificent temper in check. You must be more careful Marhna sweetie, running a business, it might make your head hurt."
The figure sitting with her back to Tali remained solid; not at all concerned by the remark, Instead, she leaned inwards to the hard looking asari.
"Listen close," The second woman returned, her voice strangely calm. "you continue to wreck Solaria' reputation, I might have to call in a few favors with regards to the red sand being dealing here so freely. I imagine it'll make buying this place out that much cheaper."
The asari leaned in and hissed something unintelligible, causing Marhna'Prince to narrow her eyes at the asari sitting across from her. Slowly, she obliged the asari owner's inaudible demand: Get Out.
She stood up and turned away, only to find Tali standing there, simply staring at the unsuited quarian. Marhna's dark frown formed into a vivid smile for her fellow quarian. She stepped forward and outstretched her hand, gripping Tali's suited arm tightly.
"Hello again Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, come with me. I'm afraid I may have overstayed our welcome before we even managed to sit together." Marhna greeted her new acquaintance gently. She looked away from her fellow quarian, adding. "I'm sorry; but trust me, why anyone would pay an overfucked whore to serve them watered down drinks at this dump is beyond me..."
Tali felt a sudden blast of heat from the words and followed the gaze of the older woman and found she was speaking not only to her, but to a gathering of Alliance Marines all waiting patiently to be served. A couple of the marines heard the vile comment and chuckled. Notably they were human women, who had seemed tedious bored of their male comrade in arms, ogling the asari woman, now behind the bar.
The asari owner shot the unsuited quarian a withering glare, but turned back to her customers, hoping that she hadn't lost them to a spiteful quarian. As soon as the two quarians left the bar, Marhna gave a low angry sounding groan,
"I'm not in the mood to deal with.. them. Asari." Marhna growled to Tali, her hands forming tight fists. "Prissy, manipulative bitches. That whore alerted some undercover license enforcers that I was allowing children to patronage my club. Those children were my children!"
She shook her head in annoyance.
"Keelah, there ought to be a law about sterilizing people like them." Marhna grumbled under her breath. "The asari genepool should never be this bad shape."
They waked silently, Marhna appeared to be in a trancelike state as she tried to calm her state of mind out of business mode and into a much kinder presentation, the one Tali had met only a day prior. Slowly, the trance broke and Marhna became alert once more.
"How about we go and patronage Dravik's." Marhna finally spoke, her words much warmer than before. "That little eatery I mentioned the other day. Remember? He's a turian but I don't hold it against him."
Tali chuckled and privately smirked.
"And harass poor Galina into seeing your son?" Tali teased, catching Marhna off guard if only for several seconds.
"You read my mind, Tali'Zorah." Marhna grinned vividly, apparently liking Tali's thinking. "Honestly, I could use a new coat check girl at the club. It would help bend her ear to my position on Michael and her."
"Don't you think you're being a bit forward and controlling his future?" Tali asked, her smile faltering as she decided to defend the teenager's choice in who he'd be able to date. It did not seem fair that Marhna would be so controlling in light of her abandoning the fleet to pursue her own selfish desires.
Marhna shrugged helplessly.
"I probably am meddling more than I should, but a mother can dream." Marhna admitted as she sighed as she wrapped her hands together and smiled gently at Tali. "Once you spend two decades primarily in the company of humans, you do miss your people... somewhat."
Tali stopped walking and turned to Marhna, her head and helmet cocked at the club owner.
"I thought you said you were not a fan of quarians."
"I said I hate the fleet. I do not hate the individual." Marhna clarified as she nodded her head to several salarians passing by them. "We were a proud species once. But we became too set in this fleet's rigid idiot thinking. Three hundred years ago, we could have quite easily found a place to colonize, but we did not. Why? Partly, our fault, partly the citadel races."
"We were no threat to them, nor did we answer to the council anymore after they removed us from the ranks of the organization? How could they apply their policies on former members?" Marhna continued, ignoring Tali's tilted head. "It's much like the First Contact War. The turians applied council species response on humans who had never even seen aliens before. As for us, our people were too complacent in the early days."
Marhna laughed but there was no humor in her voice.
"Now look at where it has led to." She finished sighing to herself. "Our people are a galactic joke and a poster child to why the council is unquestionably this galaxy's deciders in everything."
"The day is coming where Rannoch will be returned." Tali returned, biting back a response that would most certainly offend the older quarian. Marhna smiled indulgently at the woman. It reminded her of her mother, how she would go along with whatever her daughter was babbling on about.
"Oh and how do you know that?" Marhna challenged, her brow raised. "The geth told you they'd lay down their arms and let the backstabbers that gave birth to them return?"
For the sake of civility, Tali decided against admitting that Shepard had actually befriended a geth platform.
"You're a geth apologist?" Tali asked, her voice fighting to remain neutral as she stared at the quarian. Marhna shook her head.
"No. I just know when someone has done wrong to another." She attempted to explain to the younger quarian. "We abused a sentient intelligent that, at the time, had barely the cognitive functionality of a three year old. When we sent the deactivation order, we force evolved it to bee genocidal through our own genocidal attempt. What did we expect? Compassion? Respect for their makers?"
Marhna'Prince huffed bitterly.
"What right do we have to judge them for their actions, when we were not much better?" She muttered to herself rather than to Tali. "What right do we have to Rannoch?"
She paused, glanced at the silent woman, slowly, Marhna smiled ruefully.
"I'm sorry." She apologized profusely. Before Tali could defend herself with as much fire as Marhna had in her. "I have a nasty temper when we approach a subject like this. My precious Mai can vouch for that."
"I figured you might have had one when you told me you called your future husband a prick to his face." Tali teased the older woman, who was trying to remain serious.
"Trust me, Tali'Zorah." Marhna sighed as she thought about it. "It only got worse for the next few years."
...

...
Citadel Station: 2161 CE
..
For a first time in a club such as this Marhna found it... interesting.
From the turntable, the DJ, a human male seriously underweight stood behind the setup, bouncing his head back and forth and was screaming in a feminine sounding human language her translator could not pick up. The crowd however did not mind, they must have understood it by the way they were responding as though he were an orator.
Neither did seem to bother Kalia and Fel, who were on and off the dance floor and at the bar, making full advantage of the free night of liquor provided courtesy by the owner, David Prince. Unlike Marhna, who was feeling cold and aloof to all of this new experience, they were having the time of their lives.
Kalia and Fel returned with fresh drinks for the three of them, neither of the two appeared aware of how out of place the black suited quarian was feeling. Marhna nodded politely as Kalia screamed something at her, but could not be audible over the DJ's treble and electronic noise blaring overhead. Instead, Marhna turned away and reattached the canister to her suit receptor.
There was a sudden movement to the table next to them. Marhna turned to pay attention to it and widened her eyes. It was two dark haired human females, the smaller of the two sitting in the others lap; together their mouths were latched in a desperate struggle for dominance, a struggle that seemed to be won by the girl on top. There were several males watching the sight with grins that seemed clearly excited at the sight. Two of them seemed to have slapped the palms of each other's hands like some sort of primitive expression of approval.
Marhna winced at the sight, but, out of sheer curiosity, she kept one eye open to keep this spectacle under close supervision. Homosexuality was something rather... unexpected to say the least. It was largely frowned on back in the fleet. It was not the sight of two attractive gay human females that bothered her. It was just how mouth spit, saliva and germs that seemed to have been exchanged between each other's mouth... and on their necks... and on the top of each other's cleavage... and inside each other's dresses.
Marhna widened her eyes. Keelah...
"WATCH THIS!"
Marhna turned her head reluctantly to find Fel'Vagar with a canister of alcohol double the size both Kalia and Marhna were drinking from Fel was throwing his head back and forth to the beat of the house music, looking like he was having the time of his life. With a final throw of his head, he tilted his head back and slowly drained the liter of hard liquor in the canister. Though the quarians watched quietly, the humans around them were throwing him cheers of encouragement. Whether it was actually for the gay women or for Fel, Marhna wasn't sure anymore.
The sound of the straw draining dry caused him to slump into his seat, he pulled the canister out and threw his hands into the air.
"I LOVE HUMANS!" He screamed, earning a round of enthusiastic cries of agreement from the others. Kalia squealed happily and did not notice Marhna had ducked her head away from the sight of the drunk male.
"No... No.. Marhna, Kali, listen. serious -isten" Fel spoke up, gripping Kalia's shoulders to stay steady. "Th-they understand this...a good time. They just... understand... keelah, I'm drunk. This would never be imagined by most of the quarians on the fleet."
"Keelah makes you sound like a faggot!" Marhna over heard a rambunctious human male cry out. "Say Fuck instead!"
Fel yelled back an enthusiastic "Thanks!" and turned back to the female quarians.
"Re-remember Xarax'Falus?" He reminisced with a smile in his tone. "He got back from his pilgrimage a year ago. He spent half that time telling everyone how fucking spectacular these fucking humans are? Keelah.. I thought he was making stories. Said they party like krogans!"
Marhna closed her eyes and attempted not to gut punch the intoxicated quarian, whose hand just flew up and smacked her in the mask.
"Fel, shut up, you're drunk." Marhna growled lowly, sipping her drink. Fel however, was not perturbed by the tone.
"I'm not drunk, you're just a f-fucking angry person." He huffed, standing up from his seat once more and staggered in place. Kalia grinned and smacked her friends shoulder playfully.
"Heee's got you there, Marhna girl!" Kalia teased viciously. She turned to Fel, adding "Come on Fel, let's go dance!"
Fel nodded and staggered into Kalia's waiting arms to be led off to the dance floor, leaving, what they thought was an angry Marhna behind. From behind her mask, Marhna smiled at the two quarians having a good time together. They both needed to get out of the slums. She turned away and looked at her canister sitting in front of her.
Marhna looked up caught the sudden sight of David Prince. He was alone as he approached table of asari's several tables down. He seemed to have grinned briefly as the asari women cackled over a joke shared between them. She watched as David took a seat pulling a bag of white powder out of his jacket pocket.
"Freshen your drink, babe?"
Marhna looked up to the asari waitress standing at her side. Marhna nodded and handed back the canister. The asari smiled dazzlingly and wandered back towards the bar. He quarian sighed and stood upwards. She'd have another drink and leave, but not before saying thank you to the human that made her friend's night so memorable.
"Daviiie. You got a visitor!" One of the asari cried out, grinning at the quarian condescendingly. The two other with looked up and giggled at the sight of Marhna, standing in front of them awkwardly. David snorted the white chalk line in one go and flung his head backwards to look over the quarian merely staring at him. His eyes widened in a sudden remembrance of just who she was.
"Hey, it's the angry quarian! Neat!" He exclaimed, tilting his head at her. "I hope you're enjoying yourself?"
Marhna shifted at the angry quarian remark. Yes, her anger got the better of her.
"Yes I am, I just wanted to say thank you for your hospitality." She finally spoke to the human watching her close. "My friends are having a wonderful time."
David Prince nodded, a silly smile on his lips.
"You can thank me by reducing your bitch levels down several notches." He asked of her, still grinning. The asari surrounding him giggled once more at the statement made by the club owner. Marhna once more, shifted guilty. She deserved that.
"I had a bad day... M-my boss was worse than usual and I took it out on you. I'm sorry." She explained to him, hoping she would understand. He stared at her, as though deafened by the roaring bass the house DJ was producing. However, he snorted and looked her over.
"Today I had to go defend my right have a license for this place for the eighth time in a month, I had to deal with some prick whose found religion out of the blue, claiming that I run a house of "sin and temptation" and is currently trying to sue me because his wife divorced him after she caught him fucking some girl in my bathroom." He listed off, causing her to blush. "Finally, to top it off, I get called a fucking prick outside my own club, in front of my customers and employees, so tell me? dearest?" He asked her. "Who had the worst day?"
David stared at her, his smile gone; replacing it was a stern expression of annoyance at the quarian's behavior. Marhna bowed her head, embarrassed by David's interpretation of what happened.
"You're forgiven by the way." He pointedly informed her. "Just remember you're not the only one who's capable of having a bad day, swallow your rage and find a better release then on some schmuck trying to go to work..."
The stern look disappeared and back once again was the smile. There was a sudden snort and a painful cry out. One of the asari had snorted a line of what David had just snorted. The asari looked up at Marhna and slowly, she grinned at her.
"You ever get mind fucked, quarian?" She asked Marhna sweetly, wiping the white dust under her nostrils. "You look like you could use it and I'm mooore than willing to relieve that tension in you. Break that sweet little virgin stance you have going on right now and make you cry harder then you've ever cried before."
The three asari giggled at the lecherous comments. Marhna closed her eyes and attempted to block out the words that horrified her. She reopened her eyes to see that David had chuckled and leaned back in to his seat. He kicked out a free chair for Marhna, and turned his charismatic smile up towards her.
"You're not mind fucking anyone tonight, Daeli." David informed the asari, still grinning at her. He looked to the shocked quarian and gestured to the seat, adding. "Come on, sit, unnamed quarian, lemme guess, you had an awful day because you work in a shittily ran dextro cafe."
Marhna glared hard into the eyes of the man who made such an accurate guess.
"That's a big assumption." Marhna returned, taking the seat. As she did, the asari waitress returned to her side and gently placed her canister of alcohol down on the table in front of her.
"Your suit is clean, meaning you're not one for hard labor." David observed, pointing out how near spotless her envirosuit was. "You still need a means to try to pay for coming to this place, meaning you're employed in the only other position quarians are hired for, other than general labor behind the scenes in the slummiest slums: kitchen staff."
Behind plate glass, Marhna narrowed her eyes at the unassuming human. Not out of anger, but more because how correct he was. David leaned back into seat and rose his glass, sipping it.
"Your boss is a turian who probably hired you for tax exemption reasons, rather than out of the kindness of his heart, meaning his business is undoubtedly failing and hiring you saves him three things: tax savings for this sort of charity, no benefits asked by a starving quarian, who has no clue what medical, dental, overtime and paid vacation is. Finally, and this is my favorite part." He said, sounding boyishly excited. "They don't pay you enough because quarians have no concept on free market capitalism anymore, all thanks to their communal effort for survival, compared to the tough dog eat dog world the rest of this fucking galaxy is."
He set the glass down and smiled slightly at the numb quarian.
"You and by extension, your people, will take any shit deal they come across and revere it like fucking gold and, because you're young, you'll undoubtedly work harder." He concluded, still smiling in a way that looked condescending to her.
He face leaned against the table and snorted a long line of the white substance. He pulled his head back up, babbling in some strange alien tongue and shaking his head, along with the asari sitting around him, laughed at the sight of him. David turned his head back to Marhna, twitching slightly.
"Am I right, sweetie?" He asked her with that stupid ticking grin on his face for her.
"Yes... you are correct. Happy?" Marhna admitted to the narcotic snorting human.
David widened his eyes and shook his head. His hands reached into his pockets shaking and pulled out his horn rimmed glasses.
"No, No, No, No ahh, and another no; Not at all." David said as he wrapped them over his eyes and leaned backwards, scratching his forehead. "You see, this is my biggest problem with the turians. They make claim to be naturally untalented business men, so much so they have the volus manage their companies on the side. They say it's an "Honor Streak" they have." He told her, miming quotations around the word 'Honor.' "But, if they hire a race they deem unworthy or problematic, they'll cut all the corners to make nice profit off of them. Fucking disgusting practice."
The human paused, frowned, and looked back up to Marhna.
"Or this guy you work for is a real cunt I don't fucking know." He added, shrugging to himself. Marhna bowed her head and willed herself not talk about it, lest she begun to cry right in front of all of these people.
"I'm going to go." She announced aloud, nodding to the club owner. "Thanks for the drinks once more, Mister Prince. I had a lot of fun."
As she turned, she heard the human snort.
"You can thank me by giving your name." David spoke lazily, condescendingly in her opinion.
"What name?" Marhna snapped back, losing her cool as he glared down at the annoying human. "According to you, I'm just a simpleminded, gullible quarian, working for employers that hate my guts. So why should I give my name to the all powerful David Prince who hands out charity to the stupid, pathetic idiot quarians."
There was flash of surprise that was immediately buried on David Prince's face.
"I don't think you're stupid, nor is this charity. I just know you can be so much more then what you are!" He returned, throwing his hands up excited. Under her breath, Marhna growled. She tilted her head back as she swallowed the last of her drink in one gulp. She unsealed it and tossed the canister into David's lap. David stood up crying out in a protesting untranslated human language, ignoring the asari whore's giggling yet again at Marhna's expense.
"You do realize that I'm going to locate you in less than 48 hours." He informed her as she walked away from him. "This conversation isn't over!"
Marhna did not reply as she left her friends wordlessly at the table. She did not notice the smile for her die back down into apathy.
...

...
Tali chuckled as she opened the door to Darvik's Place for Marhna.
"You weren't particularly friendly to him on your first meeting." Tali observed, smirking inside her helmet.
Marhna perched her thin lips and nodded sheepishly.
"He was a loud mouth, coke snorting asshole, charming asari trust fund whores... maidens out of their money, and I was in a pretty bad state." Marhna admitted to her new acquaintance and her pseudo daughter's best friend. "David and I weren't a love at first sight couple, like it appears you and your Spectre are. It took hard work and many years, until we were on equal standing."
Tali huffed as Marhna inferred to John and her own relationship together.
"If it was love at first sight, why'd he sleep with an asari?" She challenged Marhna's words. Marhna smiled her mysterious little smile for the girl.
"Most likely because you were a fresh of the boat pilgrim." She reminded the broody quarian. "He was probably very uncertain about you; he probably expected your obligation to the fleet came way before him, am I right?
As they stepped towards the waiting room, Tali nodded. Marhna was right, she may have been considered an adult, but she hadn't seen the sort of things John had. It took a long time before she could begin to understand the kind of man Shepard was, the amount of physical and mental scars that existed.
The final straw was losing her entire team twice, once on Freedom's Progress, the second, and much more frightening, on Haelstrom. As she sat there alone, waiting to inevitably die, she finally managed to comprehend what it meant to be like John Shepard.
"At the time? Yes." Tali admitted softly. "Now? I... I want to be there for my people, but, I know this sounds selfish, but it has to be him standing there next to me."
"It's not selfish, Tali'Zorah." Marhna assured her, with a friendly smile. "Not when your captain, your lover can help your people out much more they can help themselves."
"They're your people as well; Marhna'Prince." Tali reminded her fellow quarian, her tone humorous. Marhna snorted at the mere mention of her making nice with those who did not understand her.
"Not if I told them all to let me live my life, the way I deem it..." She trailed off and slowly smiled excitedly.
She leaned over and nudged Tali and turned her eyes, following Marhna's gaze. There, approaching the two quarians, was a third quarian, marching towards them with determination in each step. Marhna's smile formed into a grin. Tali frowned, she swore that she had seen this quarian before...
"Hello Galina'Voar." Marhna greeted as the young woman approached them.
The auburn colored quarian looked up, her helmet focused on the two older quarians. Galina stood up straight as though in a sudden military inspection by the woman who had gotten her this well paying position.
"Hello Mrs. Prince, how are you today?" Galina chirped brightly, while her body of disciplined, her words were bright and bubbly, so feminine that it caught Tali off guard. Marhna did not seem to mind, instead, the look on her face was rather endearing. She seemed to have been very struck by the girl.
Tali unhinged her mouth... of course... it was her. The shopkeeper who owned a little kiosk down in the alleyway where John and her first met... where she learned of John's quiet insecurities about her loyalty to the fleet..
"Galina, dear. It's just Marhna. And I am just fine today, thank you." Marhna corrected the girl as she took her seat. She gestured towards the engineer and added. "This is Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. She'll be joining me tod-."
"Galina'Voar nar Neema?" Tali interrupted, her words surprising the oldest quarian. Before Tali could continue, Galina swooped in and wrapped her arms around the frozen solid engineer.
"Tali, it's so wonderful to see you again." She chirped as she let go of Tali.
"I thought you had a shop." Tali spoke to the pilgrim quarian as she stepped back "Why work here?"
"My shop is growing by leaps and bounds thanks to Commander Shepard's endorsement," Galina almost gushed"I work a few hours whenever I can on weekends, use the money to help my shop."
Nodding, Tali took her seat, Galina turned back to Marhna, her body language tight once more. She seemed much more nervous, Tali observed, like she was fearful of Marhna. Hardly surprising, Marhna'Prince was rather... frightening at times. Even moreso if poor Galina knew just what Marhna had in mind for the poor girl.
"Um... Will Micheal and his sisters be joining you two?" Galina inquired, a question intended for her work, but undoubtedly had a second purpose with the strange tone in her voice. Marhna shook her head as she looked over the younger quarian, slightly impressed by her.
"No... But give me five minutes and he'll be down here." Marhna returned, her smile was light but her tone was as serious as her threats to the asari in Dark Star. Galina blinked blankly. Her demeanor became somehow even more nervous.
"You mean he hasn't told you..." She asked, trailing off. "I- Well.. He and I met several weeks ago."
Marhna's eyes narrowed, her teeth clenched tight, grinding together menacingly.
"Micheal... that little son of a..." Marhna growled to herself. Galina's eyes widened at the anger expressed. She looked away and focused on the much gentler eyes of Tali'Zorah, who had cocked her head to the side.
"How old are you, Galina? I cannot believe I never bothered to ask before." Tali asked Galina, warmly, smiling slightly behind her mask.
"Eighteen." Galina returned, slightly relieved that at least one of the quarians was not being hard. She looked over to see Marhna, her eyebrow raised. Quickly Galina added, "Micheal will be eighteen in two weeks, am I correct, Mrs. Prince?"
Marhna nodded kindly.
"Exactly, Galina." Marhna agreed, leaning back in her seat. "I fully expect to see you at his celebration. Since you're... friends and all."
Marhna set the menu in her hands down and stared at Galina. Galina stared back, unable to break herself from her friend's mother's gaze. Tali watched in quiet awe as the stare broke the girl down into a sudden stuttering mess.
"Okay, OKAY. We're-we're seeing each other! Please don't hate me!" Galina blurted out frantically. "Michael told me n-not to tell you, until he could break the news gently because you would make fun of me and then tell his father, who is even worse then you apparently, and then you both would spend hour after hour interrogating me and then undoubtedly make fun of Michael over it. I don't want Micheal to be in trou-"
Marhna looked close to having a stroke. She held up her hand.
"Galina, we do that to the girls we don't like him being around." Marhna cut in, cutting the blabbering off. "For you, we'll make an exception." She smiled and added. "Now... can Tali and I get the my usual? You have to try it, Tali'Zorah."
Tali nodded as she tried not to burst out laughing, tears of laughter rolling down her cheeks.
"Sounds... good." She managed to choke out. Galina typed the order down and looked up, her eyes full of relief.
"You... you don't plan on tormenting me?" She asked the Michael's mother guardedly.
Marhna bowed her head respectfully.
"Michael will be tormented for working you up into such a mess." Marhna assured the young adult. "You're safe, I promise."
Galina nodded and, with much less tension then before, left her fellow quarian to themselves as fast as she could without looking as though she had ran.
"It's probably too soon to be asking that poor girl about setting up a marriage date." Marhna breathed to Tali as Galina left to gather their order. Tali burst out laughing as though it was the funniest thing she had heard in a while.
"Keelah, she's eighteen, Marhna'Prince!" Tali cried out, leaning into her chair as she rubbed her face mask. Marhna merely smiled, her white, sharp teeth showing.
"A mother always has a plan in place, this you will learn." Marhna explained to the still giggling quarian. "My boy is marrying her and if not, well, at least he gets a taste in what a quarian girl is like. Once you get a taste…. there is no stopping."
They fell silent as they watched Galina, again approach the table, drinks in hand for the quarians. Marhna looked over to Tali.
"So... you had another fight, didn't you...?" She asked in all seriousness. Tali bowed her head and nodded listlessly.
"Yes... he accused me of me being with you." Tali murmured quietly and very much uncomfortable. "It was like he thought I.. like I was... Gay."
While she whispered the last part as though it were taboo, well, it was taboo amongst the fleet. Marhna merely barked out an amused laugh as she sipped the drink provided by the very efficient Galina who was in all likelihood, smiling politely to the mother of her new 'friend'.
"How did you introduce me?" She returned after murmuring a word of thanks up to her future daughter-in-law. Tali shrugged as she attached the canister of juice to her receptor."
"I said I was..." She paused, trailing off. Slowly she whispered, "seeing someone... Oh keelah. How stupid am I?"
Marhna's mere exhaled a laugh and gently reached over the table, patting Tali's hand in a motherly fashion.
"Not at all. David and I had these sorts of issues all the time when we first started seeing each other." She assured the younger woman. "So, it seems as though communication is your biggest issue at the moment, do you ever, you know, spend time together out of your suit, not being physical?"
Tali squirmed uncomfortably, her hand rubbing her forearm.
"Not really... but... that's more my problem the it is his." She confessed, feeling her face heat up significantly. "The moment I am capable of taking this helmet off I'm out of my suit and in his arms... it's.. it's..."
"An unshakable, insatiable addiction?" Marhna guessed sagely; "Yes I know."
They fell silent together; Marhna merely looked on Tali with a mild interest. Tali on the other hand, had her mind racing as a single question was slowly being formed in her brain; A question she willed herself not to ask out of respect to Marhna. It was a question that would be asked regardless.
"How are you out of your suit?"
Tali watched as Marhna's face contorted into a smile and then she laughed brightly, as though Tali had done something rather funny.
"I'm surprised it took you this long to ask, Tali'Zorah." The quarian club owner said, laughing gently to herself as she again sipped her drink. "Usually it takes a quarian about five minutes flat before they inquire how come I am this way."
The engineer did not reply. She hadn't asked because her father had taught her ever to as questions until the subject was approached. In this case, Tali's suppressed curiosity got the best of her.
"Tali, I have spent over 17 years practicing and blown hundreds of thousands of credits on it. I've sacrificed precious abilities to have it..." Marhna explained to the silent younger woman. "Being out of the suit in a foreign environment such as here is no easy feat. Besides, the business world does not take a suited quarian very seriously. By the time I was operating a lounge on my own, without David holding my hand, I had to adapt."
"What did you do to the suit?" She followed up, still very much curious.
Marhna shrugged causally and looked up to find Galina returning with a canister and plate in her hands.
"Once I could live without it, I sent it home for the reuse." She waved off as she accepted the plate from Galina, she looked back to Tali and added. "My sister was inevitably in need for it."
Tali's eyes widened significantly behind her face mask. Marhna had a sibling? It was nearly unheard of on the fleet. The last she remembered, the population needed to remain stable, there was no demand for second child births, not for nearly seventy years. Marhna smiled mischievously and looked over to Galina who was setting Tali's food paste down in front of her.
"Galina dear, would you care to take your break in our company?" Marhna requested politely from the attentive quarian server. "I mean, if it's possible. We can gossip about the friend you made in my son. I will tell you all the uncomfortable secrets you ever want to use against him. Payback has a certain satisfaction to it."
The pilgrim took only a few seconds to nod at the request. Galina was clearly annoyed at just how worked up Marhna's son, Michael had got her over the issue of them.
"I think I can do that, Marhna'Prince." Galina returned, a smile in her voice as she crossed her arms. "I'll speak to my boss, I'm sure she'll let me."
As Galina disappeared from view, Tali looked up, finding her voice once more.
"Your sister?" She breathed uncertainly.
Marhna nodded casually as she swallowed a mouthful of what looked like a salad.
"Between sympathy for my abandonment of the fleet, my pilgrimage gift being a freighter and a portion of my monthly income as donation gave the admiralty board... incentives to allow my parents a second chance." Marhna explained, smiling to herself, "A failure like me could at the very least help my shamed parents out in one significant way. Quawe will be seventeen in a month. I have yet to meet her."
Marhna slowly exhaled and ran her long hands into her veil, gently pushing it off her head and allowing long, tendrillike hair braids to fall down onto her shoulders. Tali bowed her head and attempted to remain as unenviable as she could of the woman.
"I wonder what she will think of her human nieces and nephew." Tali returned finally, leaning into her seat. Marhna laughed humorlessly and shook her head.
"She's been raised to hate humans from what I heard." Marhna muttered bitterly, her lips curled at thought. "They feel my David is too blame for all of this mess undoubtedly. They're right, if it wasn't for him, I'd have ended up, a drone like my mother and father."
...

...
Citadel Station: 2161 CE
Marnha groaned as she loaded the dishwasher up yet again. She couldn't believe just how tired she was. Between the heavy drinking and her inability to sleep. She was lucky to have gotten to her shift on time two days later... Fel was right. Call them what you want, Humans knew how to throw a good party.
"Marhna, child?" A voice spoke up from the entrance of the kitchen. Marhna turned and leaned over, glancing the best she could without straining the last of her focusable mind. It was Xeuhana, she looked flustered as she wrapped her clawlike hands together. She nodded her head, gesturing for the quarian to join her.
"Yes Xeuhana?" She inquired as she stood close to the Sou chief, her hands on her hips.
"You've got a visitor out here demanding to see you." Xeuhana said, gesturing out towards the kitchen exit and entrance to the kitchen.
"Could you tell Kalia that I'll see her later? I need to keep working." Marhna requested as she turned back to go back to her station.
She stopped as she felt Xeuhana's hand fall gently onto her shoulder.
"That's admirable, but no, it's not your companions." Xeuhana clarified to the hungover quarian. "It's a human and some barefaced turian. New friends?"
Marhna tilted her head in a mild confusion at the question. No. She barely had Kalia and Fel as friends as it was why would she want or need new ones. She sighed and followed Xeuhana out of the kitchen tearing off her apron. As she scanned her eyes through the crowd she groaned, earning a sideways glance from Xeu.
It was him.
There, sitting quietly with a turian next to him, was the human from the club, David Prince. He stood, allowing the quarian to observe him much better then she could in the ambient lightening of the club. Still well dressed, pale and semi well built. Like he cared what he looked like but wasn't particular nuts about it his brown eyes lit up as took a step closer towards the very guarded Marhna.
"Well, look at this, the prodigal daughters return. Oh how we missed you!" The human spoke loud enough to interrupt the surrounding tables meals and causing protesting grumble from the others.. "Come on, sit down and join us."
He gestured to a seat in between him and the turian woman, who was tapping her claws on the table idly. It was like she would have wanted to be anywhere else but here. Marhna glanced up to her boss, Xeuhana, who nodded receptively and looked over to the human. As Marhna remained standing along with David, his eyes clearly fixed onto the sous chef.
"You as well, miss. I mean... if you want too." He invited, his friendly wild voice replaced with a low, meaningful drag that caused Xeuhana to step back, a thrill of an alien speaking such ways to her catching her off guard and curious more than she'd probably ever care to admit to anyone.
"She's clearly married David. Stop acting like a varren in heat." The turian woman sitting next to Marhna finally spoke up with an annoyance that clearly spoke to Marhna that this behavior was not new. Xeuhana's gaze at David snapped and turned to the younger turian woman, her eyes hardened.
"No, it's quite alright... I'll get your... bare faced companion anything she needs." She returned finally stressing the final words rather distastefully. "We don't, however, serve food for levo oriented people. I am truly sorry."
David raised his hand, shooing the disclaimer with a bright smile.
"Don't worry about the risk, miss. I'll have some of that foyura stuff turians harp on about." He ordered as he took his seat. "Also, get Miss "Attitude" something to eat as well." He added, glancing at Marhna and grinning at her. "She looks like she's permanently hungover."
There was a slight cough from Xeuhana, David looked away from Marhna and back towards the turian.
"Sir... You really shouldn't eat turian food." Xeuhana reminded the human standing in her restaurant. David frowned slightly before suddenly grinning at her.
"If I go into shock, I am more than certain I'll be safe in your arms." He returned, smiling brightly for the cross armed turian woman. Marhna watched, amazed, as Xeuhana's arms fell to her side as she looked over the human with more thoughtfulness then before.
"Well... I was a medical staffer in the army..." Xeuhana mused thoughtfully as her mandible's flared slightly. "I suppose I could perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation... is your heart located center left in your chest?"
David nodded as he leaned forward. Ignoring the death stares of the turians notably al of them male) around him, he tilted his head and carefully grazed Xeuhana's cheek. He watched as she shifted her eyes and gasped at the unexpected affection displayed by the man from a completely different species.
"Miss...Just make sure you use the kiss of life and this human will have died a very happy man." He breathed lowly to her, he smiled as he watched her nod blankly and stepped away from him. As she stumbled away, David sat down, smirking slightly to himself. Marhna could only stare at the human with the death wish.
"Carthia, this is that quarian I got ambushed by a couple nights ago, remember?" David introduced, gesturing to Marhna. "This is Carthia Acterax, my solicitor and laywer. She got me my license and fights tooth and nail to keep it."
Carthia grunted without an ounce of femininity as she lit a cigarette in her clawed hands and took a long drag.
"Yeah, hi." Carthia returned distractedly while exhaling the smoke and glaring at the retreating Xeuhana "Did you see the way she mentioned me, David? Fucking turians and their clan paint shit." The turian woman growled, spitting on the floor of the restaurant, a grievous sign of disrespect in the eyes of turian customs.
She turned back to David and narrowed her eyes, adding. "I get why you tease me, we've had a working relationship for a long while now. But why her?"
David shrugged idly as he too pulled a fresh cigarette out of the pack.
"To be honest, I don't know." He returned distracted as he lit his smoke. "I guess it's fun to get a rise out of a turian woman who doesn't expect it. They get all flustered and defensive and well... really turned on in some cases. They don't get hit on nearly enough... It's even more fun to watch a male's reaction. Prudes."
Marhna widened her eyes and blinked at the comment.
"You risk evisceration from her bastard husband for fun? Are you some sort of idiot?" Marhna blurted out, surprising the bickering turian and human with sheer amount of chastising in her voice.
Carthia barked out a laugh and gestured to the standing quarian and gazed up at her as though the quarian shared the same sentiment.
"I like this girl, David!" Carthia announced, her mandible flaps opened sightly into a grin for the defiant quarian. "I've spoken to her once now, and she can already see that behind your money and credits, you're nothing more than a moronic, barely evolved primate."
David snorted.
"Well aren’t you a fucking peach... well this moronic, barely primate pays your salary." David grumbled back to Carthia, trying not to grin so obviously. The turian woman snorted at the claim made by the club owner.
"Barely." She mumbled under her breath mutinously. The words earned a loud 'HA!' from David, once more disturbing the turians around him.
Marhna was losing her patience now. The banter may have been cute for the two of them, but they were cutting into her work. She had no time to be this man and woman's source of amusement. The sarcastic quarian jester was not what she wanted.
"What am I out here for exactly? Your amusement? Some silly joke?" Marhna snapped, cutting through the banter between the two of them. "If there is a purpose why you're interrupting my work, other then making you two smile, then get on with it, or I'm just going to walk away.
David looked to Carthia who looked shocked at the attitude the quarian possessed.
"No, I'm not here to joke." David returned crossing his leg and looking up towards her "I'm here because the thought of you working in this turian shithole is underneath you. Now, please, miss, will you sit down and join us?"
David gestured to the seat next to him. He did not speak anymore, he would not until the quarian took the seat. Marhna stared at the mute human briefly. Silently she took a seat and looked away.
"It's the only place that would hire me." Marhna spoke lamely, refusing to look at neither the turian nor the human. "I need to work. So unless you're offering me a job, then stop wasting my time."
"Well then, you're in luck that I'm here, Miss Fucking Charmer 'cause that's exactly what I'm here for." David snorted back, sneering at the quarian as he stubbed the cigarette out on the table top. Marhna crossed her arms and merely stared at the human.
"You're joking." She dismissed, rolling her eyes.
David shook his head curtly.
"No miss: I'm dead fucking serious when I talk about letting people into the Prince Enterprise." He denied, staring right back at her with the same intensity she held over him. "Now, stop being so fucking coy with me and tell me your goddamn name. I'm not the only one being a stubborn idiot. You're not much better."
Marhna closed her eyes, slowly, she exhaled.
"Marhna... Marhna'Quaera" She admitted to the human, whose expression lightened at the admission of her full name to him.
"Marhna... sounds like an old woman's name." David mused, his voice egging Marhna into another fight. "Listen Mara. I need an assistant and you're the only choice I've found challenging enough... it makes it very appealing. I don't like weak personalities around me. They give me a bad fucking vibe."
Marha ignored the incorrect usage of her name. The job offer was most interesting. It reminded her of her time as an intern under Doctor Daro'Xen, working as a lab assistant and procurer of a variety of things required for such research that she did. Marhna paused her thinking as well as her serious contemplation of taking the offer. There had to have been a catch. Judging by the way he said it, David Prince had something in mind.
Marhna crossed her arms and glared. IT all suddenly made sense to her, the tempting job offer... the interest in her.
"Before you continue, No, I'm not going to have sex with you for this job." Marhna informed him, glaring at the human making the offer. David's expression was one of confusion. He looked over to Carthia who seemed to have been smirking at the topic.
"Oh, don't worry, Marhna. I don't sleep with employees." David promised the quarian woman, smiling politely; "I sleep with my partners, isn't that right Carthia?"
There was a sudden slam on the table, causing Marhna to jump in her seat. It was Carthia, she had slammed her head against the table in clear frustration at such a provocative question. Slowly, she dragged her head back up to face them, her face covered with the palms of her hands.
"It was just that one damn time, two years ago and only because my bastard brother was sleeping in the other room. Get over it." Carthia groaned out as she tried her best to ignore the grin on David's face. Marhna bowed her head. She did not want anything to do with this.
"Come onnn, Carthia...you liked it." David teased her mercilessly. "You were crying and moaning my name like it was going out of style."
Carthia rolled her small eyes.
"Not really. It was for show." The turian muttered, looking like she was thoroughly embarrassed to have been talking about this. "The high point was actually breakfast the next morning, remember how you told Barrinus how soft I was inside once you penetrated my hard external defenses?" Carthia started to chuckle fondly, adding. "By the spirits, I thought you were a dead man, or at least he would have had a stroke at the thought of his little sister being defiled by something as disgusting as a human."
David and Carthia started to laugh as they recalled the many reactions her brother had at breakfast the next game. Marhna remained silent, deciding the nostalgia amongst each other wasn't worth breaking quite yet.
"Anyways." David announced as he got himself back together. "I'm offering you a chance to be my employee, and trust me, even being my employee means you'll be doing better than making fifteen credits an hour and living in a fucking shithole for your pilgrimage duration at the Citadel."
He leaned back idly.
"I can give you four times that in starting wage." He bluntly stated, smiling as he watched her hop once in her seat. "The benefits are outstanding and, if you're ambitious, which I can see it clearly, you are. It'll only get better."
Marhna, while hating her suit, was glad to have been wearing it. It hid the look of shock at the more then generous offer made by the human sitting next to her. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she would get such an offer. Yet... if she was ambitious.. she'd get a better offer?
"Better? How?" Marhna blurted out, her curiosity getting the better of her. She did not notice that Xeuhana had come back, in her hands was David's inedible food.
"Thanks love." David spoke to Xeuhana, his hand grazing hers as he accepted the turian dessert. He dug his fork into the cake like food and swallowed a bite, wincing slightly. He coughed and looked back to Marhna.
"I can teach you the business while you're my assistant; you'll be less of an assistant and more of my protégé. which is what I'm really looking for." David spoke to her, turning from the retreating turian and back towards Marhna. "I can teach you how to operate, get zoning licenses, liquor licenses, deal with patrons, handling asari trust fund children, bitchy staff members, assholes who try to shut you down."
Ignoring the scowl Carthia had from barb against her, he reached over the table and took Marhna's forearm. On his lips was a thoughtful, charismatic smile.
"I can make you into something, Marhna." He spoke against, his confidence reigning supreme over any doubt Marhna had. "You'll stop being just any old quarian on the street and you'll start to be Marhna Quaera, respected business entrepreneur with more credits and opportunities on hand then any quarian prior to the goddamn geth."
"No more groveling to keep your job, no more abuse." He promised her, crossing his leg as he grabbed another cigarette from the half empty pack. "Just power you have and power waiting to be seized by you."
"Can you stop smoking, human? It's getting irritating." The voice of turian requested, breaking David's concentration. He turned away from a captivated Marhna and glared sharply at the turian in question.
"I'm a paying customer and your culture states that personal freedom is paramount to everything, so I'll do whatever the fuck I want to do, you hypocrite, second tier, reject." David challenged, his cigarette hanging off his lips as he called the turian out there and then turned away.
"And... as the credits rolls in, the more power you get to use over these local, backward fucks." David spoke to the speechless quarian "Hell, you and I in a few years, we could take a business venture to Palaven and shove our shit in their noses." He gleefully added. "Marhna'Quaera and David Prince: humiliating turian club ventures since 2163!"
Marhna could help herself. She smiled at the sheer enthusiasm in the human's voice as he spoke so charismatically about humiliating the turians. Marhna looked over to Carthia who caught her gaze. The turian woman sighed and shrugged.
"As offended as I should be by this shocking display of spite against my race, I'm rather amused by his enthusiasm. It's rare to find." Carthia admitted to the quarian. David grinned and leaned over, wrapping his arm around Carthia's shoulder and gently shook her playfully.
"So, what do you think than, Mara?" David asked Marhna as Carthia pushed the human off of her. "Do you want to be a dishwasher the rest of your time here? Or do you want to make a name for yourself?"
Marhna idly tapped the table for a long while. Eventually she stopped. It did not take long for her to make a decision.
"I suppose I should inform Xeuhana that I must quit." Marhna spoke, finally looking up to David. David's face lit up and then slapped his hands together in a show of enthusiasm. Carthia rolled her eyes but remained silent.
"Miss!" David called out, catching Xeuhana's attention immediately. Xeu looked up and wandered towards them, causing Marhna to duck her head. How could she do this, say that she quit... She never quit anything before! The issue, however, did not faze David. As soon as Xeuhana reached the table, he gestured to Marhna as though she had something to tell her.
As she felt Xeu's eyes fall on her, Marhna sighed: It was now or never.
"Xeuhana, thank you for convincing your husband to hire me." Marhna started, shifting nervously as she attempted to get her point across. "I... I just."
Xeuhana's clawed hand fell onto Marhna's shoulder. It was a motherlike embrace that immediately put the quarian at ease. Xeuhana understood exactly what was going on.
"I understand, Marhna'Quaera. Follow what you feel is best for you." Xeuhana returned kindly, "I would sooner have you working for an employer who respects you then an employer who uses you and treats you in a way that is unacceptable."
Marhna nodded her head and looked around at the cafe.
"You can keep my final paycheck;" Marhna spoke up, earning a surprised tilt of her head from Xeuhana. "From what I heard of this place, you can you all the credits you can keep. You really ought to start catering to other species like Mister Prince."
David chuckled and smiled brightly to the turian chef.
"We'll take good care of her, mis-. "
Xeuhana leaned inwards her mandibles catching David wide eyed and off guard as he felt her mouth latched onto his tightly. Marhna and Carthia both went wide eyed just as David had done. The two watched as Xeuhana's hands snaked around David as she attacked him more frantically. Slowly, she felt the fine contours of David's body and pulled away from the stunned man.
"My husband has been insufferable about your species lately... This will be an adequate retribution." Xeuhana spoke, leaning in to kiss the side of David's lips once more. Then it was over. Xeuhana let go of the petrified human, still in shock by her. With a smirk for the human, Xeuhana left back towards the kitchen, a spring in her step.
David wiped his mouth, coated in turian saliva and looked back to Marhna and Carthia still stunned. One shocked, the other smirking that the primate finally got burnt after playing with fire.
"Jesus, no more teasing turians for awhile." He decided aloud, earning an uncharacteristic giggle from Carthia. He shook his head and looked up to Marhna adding. "Where do you live, Marhna? Take the day off and I'll send a driver to pick you up tomorrow."
Marhna winced at the question.
"Down at the.. well... down in the shelters." She carefully admitted to the human. David narrowed his eyes as though it were a bad joke. As he came to realize there was nothing humorous meant in her arrangement, slowly he groaned to himself, hand pressing against his face.
"The shelters... you have a regular salary and yet you live at the fucking shelters?" Was David's distasteful response to hearing Marhna's living conditions. He sighed as he rolled his eyes wearily. "Come on, let's go. We'll go find you a nice home to lease, my employee's live in nice homes, Marhna, not the fucking shelters. Is that understood Marhna?"
"But my friends." Marhna protested. David merely waved dismissively at Marhna's concerns about leaving her friends.
"It's a good day to be a leech then," David returned distractedly as he wandered towards the exit. "Come along my pretties, our day has just begun!"
Marhna merely stood there, her thoughts focusing on her two friends. They would be certainly in for a surprise once she had returned with David Prince by her side. It was hard to believe that this was happening. It was as though everything she had to go through before was finally starting to pay off. She now had an employer who seemed genuine in his respect for her. Sure he was a drug addict Xenophile. But it was better than anything here... Better, perhaps, then what she would ever have on the fleet once she went back...
"Hey there, Marhna?" Carthia interrupted her thoughts, her hand falling onto Marhna's shoulder. Marhna turned to the turian woman glancing over Marhna's shoulder's, making sure that David was well out of sight.
"If you do ever reach the point where you have sex with him... Don't listen to what I said; it was actually pretty decent. To the point where... I.. didn't have to fake it. I mean.. I told him I faked it... but." She admitted to Marhna, her mandibles smirking slightly. She coughed and added. "If you ever breathe a word of that back to that smug primate, I will deny it and gut you like a fish. Understood?"
As Marhna felt her skin heat up at the advice. Marhna nodded in concurrence with the slightly older turian woman observing her. No, she planned never to sleep with such a man like David Prince. Carthia nodded and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, leading her towards the exit where David stood, looking impatient at the delay.
"Welcome to the team, Marhna." Carthia welcomed, her tone bright as she thought about better than expected sex. "I think we all will get along just fine."
David was coming home. Marhna was much more excited then she'd ever care to admit.
The relationship shared between husband and wife was not much different than the first day that they met. It was still a mixture of defiance and teasing. Most of all, making life barely tolerable at times. It was mostly out of good humor, both David and her were happy though. Somehow, the odds went into their favor and together they built a life that was workable for both of them, to the point where adoption, and in Laura's case, surrogacy, expanding the union shared between them became necessary.
Marhna looked on her three children: Micheal, Alexandra and little Laura proudly. Despite her muttering and pestering and small annoyances, she believed she did very well with her children. They were mostly well adjusted, mostly. She watched silently as they quietly conversed with Galina, whom was sitting close to Micheal's side, their sides touching as though she worried of even being here, sitting in the same room as Micheal with his mother. How very terrifying for the poor shop owner.
At the moment, Galina wasn't terrified by Marhna, however. It was Alexandra Marhna Prince, playing devil's advocate on her behalf. As David always said, somehow, Alexandra had inherited her mother's attitude the moment puberty struck the girl. At fifteen, she was smart, she was cold and most certainly she did not like people. Notably, whenever Micheal brought home the girlfriend of the month. Not without good reason, either. Micheal was prone to brining home airheads
"Anyone home?"
Laura's eyes went wide as she flew out of her seat and dodged her mother's sudden reach out to keep her calm. Alexandra looked away from Galina, and closed the paper bound novel, a gift from her pseudo sister, Kasumi Goto.
"We'll finish this later, Galina." The teen informed the quarian and the clearly annoyed brother.
"DADDY!" Laura screamed back, irritating Alexandra into a shudder. The little child scampered out of the kitchen and charged down towards the source of the voice. There was an audible groan.
"Dammit!" was the returned cry, annoyed at the not being allowed some peace before meeting his family. Galina giggled at the annoyed father, and she too widened her eyes, this time from the pointed glare from the middle child.
"ARRRRGH, my princess got me... NoooOooOoooOoo!" The voice gargled loudly, as though he was drowning in his own blood.
Marhna smirked at Galina and set down her fellow quarian's fresh canister of wine in front of her, she stood up and followed the excited cries of her baby and feigned pained cries of her husband, closely followed by Alexandra, who looked equally as bemused and covertly excited at the voice of someone so familiar back in their lives. There on the floor under the weight of a dominating four year old, laid David Prince, grinning and attempting to break out from under the force he was held.
"Mommy, help! I've been attacked by a rampaging daughter!" He called out, looking over to Marhna and smiling vividly. Marhna crossed her arms and simply glared back at him. Alexandra followed her mother's lead.
"I ordered Laura's attack you silly, old man. We're mad you took off for so long." She returned, earning screams of 'Yeah, YEAH!' from Laura who was now hitting David's shoulder with her small fists.
David cried out and sat up, gripping Laura by her forearms and bit them harmlessly, earning a giggle and a "Stooop it!" from the girl. With a slap on Laura bum, David let her escape his merciless tortures and stood up properly, attempting to straighten out his suit.
"Daddy, I miss you!" The child complained, clutching onto his leg tight in order to make sure he did not leave her ever again. David merely smiled and kissed the top of her head. He looked up and met Alexandra's eye.
"Alexandra Marhna, how come you don't greet your old dad like that anymore?" David spoke up wandering over to grab his second oldest into a hug. "I remember when you'd be bouncing everywhere!"
"I'm not a riddling mental case like Laura here, Daddy. I did miss you though." Alexandra returned, smiling as she felt a chaste kiss on her forehead. David pulled back and inspected his daughter. He looked up past her and too Marhna with a look of disbelieving on his face.
"Marhna, can you tell me why you're dressing our Alexandra up like she's eeeasy?" He demanded to know, his voice cross. Alexandra looked down at her relatively conservative look, a dark hoodie, sweatpants and a tank top and looked up to her father outraged at the claim. Before she could answer the charge, David held his hand up.
"Alexandra, if you're not wearing a burqa, then I'm going to consider it you being easier than an asari trustfund whore. I'm sorry, that's just the way it stands." He returned to his offended daughter "Now go take your sister, Momma and I need to chat."
Alexandra shot her dad a withering stare, one that she had most certainly learned from her mother. She turned her attention down to her sister and took Laura's hand, leading them back towards the kitchen, all the while muttering something demeaning about David under her breath the whole way.
As their daughters disappeared from plain sight, both Marhna and David approached each other. Slowly, arms from each species wrapped around the other and leaned in for a long awaited affection that was two weeks in the making. The quarian leaned in and, with her nose, nuzzled the humans. As he leaned into connect both them by the lips, Marhna pulled herself back, away from David's, leaving the human confused and cross looking.
"Well... did you get it?" She asked of him, her eyes hooded and tone seductively dragging the single word.
"Oh you fucking tease." David hissed, glaring at his own personal quarian sex goddess hard. Marhna smirked and looked away, gently trying to untangle herself from his arms only to have him pull her in tighter.
"Okay, Okay. They're considering it." David blurted out, his hands falling down her body. "Now hike up that dress and we'll make this hallway shake."
They kissed slowly, carefully as David gently pressed her against the wall of the hallway, his hands pushing themselves inside of her dress, her thighs becoming the focal point of his attention. Marhna breathed heavily as she felt the hands on her thighs slid upwards. I t was way too long since this last happened. With a nip on his lip, Marhna pulled back once again. This time much, much more reluctantly.
"We can't, love. We have a visitor." Marhna returned coyly, pulling away but nonetheless, gripped onto his jacket tightly as she took in just where his hand was resting. David smirked and playfully sighed dragging his hand from out of Marhna's dress slowly, with enthusiastic touches over fabric he could drag along.
"Lemme guess," David mused feigning a thoughtful look. "Man whore brought back the latest airhead. What's her name this time? Kandi spelled with a heart instead of a dot?"
Marhna shook her head and looked up to him, her smile widening into a grin. David's eyes widened, looking for confirmation. Slowly, Marhna silently nodded her head.
"No fucking way." David breathed, gripping her hips. "Oh my god, Marhna. Be good, don't scare her away now."
Marhna snorted undignified and slapped his chest.
"She's scared more of the fearsome David Prince!" She teased the human. "Micheal told her a horror story about you. Besides, I've invited Mai for dinner, she's bringing a guest." Marhna added, taking David's hands and leading her husband back to the kitchen. "Admiral Rael'Zorah's daughter."
David raised an eyebrow at the mention of the admiral who not only accepted her exile, but publicly trashed her image along with the rest of the intrepid admiralty board.
"And I give a fuck now about Rael'Zorah and his brood, why?" He asked of her curiously. Marhna chuckled and shrugged, her eyes heavily lidded as she leaned into press her thin lips against his neck. Kissing the teeth scars wrapped around his neck.
"Because he's now officially a dead man and somehow, he managed to produce a decent daughter." Marhna returned, her hand reaching over and straightening out his tie for him. "Tali'Zorah vas Normandy is a fine young woman. A bit too much like her father, but it's forgivable and she has an excellent taste in men."
Marhna patted David's cheek playfully watching as his had bobbed back and forth, as if debating something to himself. Marhna sighed, it never ended. She just knew, his blood would be spilled by her hands.
"Nice to see you found your replacement for me. Saved me a hell of a lot of effort." David teased as if on cue, poking her stomach and kissing her cheek before she could push him away and shriek in sheer rage.
"Micheal my boy!" David cried out, sidestepping and ducking Marhna's angry fists. He wandered at a jogging pace down the hallway and entered the kitchen, Finding Micheal staring at his father with a look of foreboding. He smirked at the sight of the quarian, sitting so close she might as well be sitting in his lap.
"So..." He announced, messing up Laura hair as he felt her reconnect to his leg. "Will you be introducing your lass? Or do I have to ask myself."
Micheal looked between his leering father and a squirming Galina sitting next to him, who looked uncomfortable under the direct stare from his dad. Micheal reached out and took Galina's hand from under the table, earning a surprised gasp and a look from her.
"Dad... This is Galina." Micheal introduced, smiling slightly as he looked back at the quarian girl next to him nervously.. "She's on her Pilgrimage."
"So I assumed. I know all about pilgrimage's," David boasted, gesturing to Marhna. "Mother Marhna here spent a year angsting over what to get them."
He paused cleared his throat.
"Oh, it just has it be perfect David, or else they'll make me scrub toilets. Teehee!" He managed to imitated Marhna's voice. Marhna scowled at her husband and pushed past him, hitting his shoulder hard as she leaned down to abduct a clinging Laura from off of him. David winced but ignored it.
"Hello sir." Galina returned, more formal then needed. "Micheal has told me a bit about you."
David nodded and took a seat at the table next to a silently fuming quarian wife. She stared hard at him quickly caught his lips into a kiss before she stood back up and wandered into the kitchen, clutching her glass of asari made turian wine in her hands tightly.
"From what I hear from Marhna, mostly bad." Marhna heard David return, as he shrugged to tug off his jacket and yanking off his skinny tie. "Well, I'm generally a nice guy. I promise."
Marhna bowed her head and turned to focus on the dinner she was cooking. Galina wasn't in luck, David was going to be relentless to the poor girl.
...

...
Kasumi knocked on the door harder, ignoring the scene she was making in front of her friend, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, whom stood next to anxious as always, the two bottles of wine and box of dessert cake shifting in her hands nervously.
They had just received a message from an exasperated Marhna'Prince. Her husband, David was home and stirring shit up as usual. Playing fighting with his daughter, Laura, teasing his other daughter and Micheal, playfully harassing a bubbly Galina into submission and a near panic attack when he asked her if Micheal and her linked suit environments yet.
David Prince was home. Tali wasn't sure if she was honestly ready to meet the man that managed to corrupt a quarian into his... lifestyle.
"I thought I had said no Jehovah Witnesses!" a masculine voice hollered from the other side of the door. "You take one pamphlet when you're a teen and they follow you everywhere!"
The door opened up and revealed a bespectacled man. His face in a vivid grin as he met the excited expression on the Japanese girl's face.
"DAVVVIEEE." Kasumi squealed excitedly, throwing herself up into David's arms and hugging him as though it was the last thing she's ever get to do. David yelped and returned the affection displayed.
"Oh god.. worse than a Jehovah Witness. It's Kasumi." He told her as if stating fact, his tone dead serious. Again Kasumi laughed with him, leaving the confused quarian in the dust. He sighed happily and gestured to her.
"And this must be Tali with a fine taste in men. Marhna's words, not mine." He greeted her, offering his hand to shake. Tali shook and ignored the heat in her face thanks to the reference.
"Marhna has told me a bit about you." Tali admitted, her voice much more sly then she admitted. "Your exploits with your solicitor for one."
"You mean Carthia?" David chuckled, his eyebrows rising on his head. "You think you're ready for the full details, then?"
Kasumi raised her hand up excitedly, ignoring the silent pleas and polite shakes of Tali's helmet, who honestly did not want to know anything other then what Marhna had told her a few days prior. The thought of him making love to a turian... well.. it wasn't something she wanted to hear of.
"I've been waiting to hear this story for this story to be told for seven years, Tali'Zorah." Kasumi all but whined to the quarian next to her. "You're soooo not ruining this for me."
...

...
Citadel Station: 2159CE
"I welcomed you into my home and you question my motives? He was and is a well paying client, better paying then any turian I've done litigation for. So what if I got his club up and running? Why should humans be banned from running a business on a Citadel that they belong to now?"
"You're too eager to please this fool, you don't even wear your clan paint anymore. You disregard your family name, you are no better than the barefaced."
"I see...because I don't want my family name to get in the way of my work, I'm branded a traitor. You would see that David is a good man if you put your bias to one side, Now because I consider him my friend, that is shameful to our family to you?"
A friend? David Prince stretched his bones outwards and chuckled as he finished getting out of his suit. Yes, Carthia Acterax was a new friend rather than a simple solicitor she originally was. She was such a good friend that she interrupted their celebration of the opening of the Aultra by making him join her for an awkward dinner with her brother, Bar-something or another. It did not matter the name, he was a soldier type. Did his duties and got his ass handed to him in the First Contact War.
For an hour and a half straight David and her listened as he went on and on about how humans had no right to join the galactic stage, how barbaric the human defenders of Shanxi were. How impossible it was for a race of monkey's to ascend to the galactic spotlight and became darlings of the council. While David could take it all in good stride, Carthia did not.
As Bar something or another continued to drink and drink he got more and more incensed, calling his sister a race traitor for helping him. That was when David lost his cool. He could take any insult the son of a bitch could throw at him, it was when Carthia became a target, shit hit the fan. Fortunately Carthia kept her temper in check. That was until Bar something or another spat on the floor and called her barefaced.
With that said, the gloves were off. Carthia had smacked her brother so hard it dazed the much larger turian. She immediately ordered David into spending some fun time sitting alone in her bedroom, where now he waited for the screaming match between brother and sister to die down enough so he could leave and slink back to the party he was missing out on. Perhaps even drag Carthia back there as well. Get her drunk and help her forget that this family encounter ever occurred.
But no. That wasn't in the plan. Carthia had entered the room, and politely told him he was to be spending the night, so he was not to go anywhere. That he would be using her room because her brother had commandeered the guest room. As much as he questioned it, she told him it was a sign of honor and respect for a turian to give their own room to a guest, and to refuse could cause a scene. David, being raised to adhere to others, accepted the offer.
So... all in all, no party for him: Mother Carthia had spoken the final word on the subject.
David sighed as he looked around the room curiously. It was not as... organized, as he imagined it to be none of the military discipline she exuded when she went toe to toe with the fucker, Dawarx in the zoning offices. Instead the room was cluttered and...well... girly. For a turian at least.
He wandered over to the table in the corner, on it was a holo. He grabbed it and examined the picture. It was of Carthia and what he assumed was her family. It wasn't that much different than a human family gathering, except there was much, much more facepaint involved.
He smiled faintly and set the picture down and turned away. His mind wandered back to his own family, his mother and father, his siblings. Family he had not seen in the past three years. Not since the last goodbye.
"All I'm telling you, Carthia, this creature..human isn't at your level of status, You're a daughter of wealth, of influence. Quit this profession and go back to Palaven with some shred of pride you have left."
There was no reply from Carthia. Instead the sound of footsteps marching away from her brother and his voice crying for her return to finish this conversation. David ran a hand through his dark hair and leaned back, digging into his freshly folded suit for a lighter and his smokes. There was a knock on the door as he found them.
"Come in." He called to the woman outside his door. The door opened and in stormed Carthia, slamming the door behind her as she pressed her back against it. Her head was bowed as she glared at the floor. With a heavy exhale, she looked up and met David's empathic look.
"Hey." She muttered to the human, sounding grumpy from the fresh insult her brother laid on her. "I am just making sure you're comfortable."
David nodded as he tapped the box of cigarettes against his bare knee. He looked her over, gone was her evening wear, and exchanged for them was her night robes. She was ready to go to bed and forget this day ever happened.
"I'm fine, thank you."
Carthia nodded and turned away as though ready to leave. She paused and turned her head back to him.
"You overheard the argument, didn't you?" She inquired of him.
David grimly smiled and nodded, his hand patted the bed next to him. Carthia appeared to debate the offer, but accepted, she wandered over and took a seat on the bed. She shook her head politely as David offered her a cigarette.
"I'm sorry, David. My brother, a traditionalist to the core." She explained as David threw the smokes on the floor. "If another species causes our species trouble, they're an enemy. It's not up for any debate, nor is it time to reexamine the kind of people we are. It just is. End of story."
"Well, it reflects on your people." David admitted, earning a soft sigh from Carthia. He smiled and added. "But... definitely not you. You've been good to me. More then what I can say for others."
Carthia tilted her head slightly and watched his expression for any sign of dishonesty. There was none. David wasn't exaggerating, nor was he flat out lying. Carthia was the first turian who ever showed him an ounce of kindness or respect.
"Thank you." She murmured softly back to the human. David suddenly chuckled and placed his arm around her shoulders, shaking her friendly.
"Personally, I think you're a lousy turian." He admitted to her, earning a sudden turian smile and a chuckle. He shrugged. "It works for me, I haven't had much luck with your people's 'proper turians'."
Together both Carthia and David laughed. Yes, Carthia was from a strict wealth oriented upbringing, much to her families surprise. Having her slum with aliens like David instead of being a baby making machine for another turian was not appealing to them. Carthia was the very definition of an odd turian.
As the laughter died, Carthia looked away from David and to the arm that was wrapped around her shoulders. She exhaled in a sudden annoyance.
"David, your arm is around me. Again." Carthia pointed out to the human. David chuckled lamely and nodded, pulling his arm up. Before he could, he was stopped by the turian woman.
"No, please don't stop... it's very... nice." Carthia returned. She frowned and gripped the arm, touching the smooth texture of his arm like it was glass. "It's so soft, and firm. How that combination is made, is beyond me. So much like an asari."
David looked her over and shuffled closer to her, wrapping the arm around the turian woman closer. Carefully, he tugged her backwards, pressing both backs against the bare wall behind her. David watched her through the minimum light in the room, her eyes, usually businesslike and shrewd, seemed so... soft.
He felt her clawed hand slink down and wrapped around his waist. Her eyes still ever watchful. It was as if she was nervous, worried perhaps of a sudden realization of what David was doing.
"Experience with our mindsexing blue friends?" He asked her, a smile returning to his face as he gently teased Carthia. Carthia huffed but did not move away, instead she moved closer, burying her head against David thinly clothed chest. She smirked as she looked down and closed her eyes as she felt David's free hand softly grazed the ridge of her head.
"You wish." Carthia returned haughtily as both arms fell around her waist and clutched onto her body tightly.
She looked upwards and met the watchful smile the human had splashed across his face. Neither of them knew what had started it, who made the first move. Together, both Carthia's mandibles and David's lips silently connected against each other in a slow, dragging kiss. Carthia exhaled through her nose as she felt David's hands high on her back slid downwards and rested tightly on her hip, unconsciously grinding them into his.
David broke the kiss and looked her over with the shock looked equally shared by Carthia. They both together, slid from their resting place up against the wall and in to the comfort of the bed. Dragging slowly, turian and human talons and hands explored one another as their foreheads touched while they inhaled and exhaled in rhythm. Slowly they chuckled at the absurdity of the situation the club owner and the solicitor found themselves in.
"That was... interesting." Carthia breathed, her mandibles opening into a grin. "You're not allergic are you?"
She closed her eyes and sighed as she felt David lean in and pressed his lips tightly against her neck. His hand moved upwards and cupped what chest she had. Once more, her hip unconsciously bucked up against his.
"Mildly. I could care less." He admitted to the turian as he sat up slightly to stroke the side of Carthia's face.
He leaned in once more and caught her mouth with his, the kiss shared between both species intensified from the first one. Their tongues touched one another as Carthia's mandibles latched around David's mouth, pushing him back onto the bed. Her hands lashed out, gripping David's forearms and pinned them over his head as she crawled on top of the human.
They broke the kiss again as Carthia pulled herself off David. She moved slowly to the door. David sat up, confused. Was she leaving already?
"I-I hope you're not leaving now... I mean..I'm not sure what this is, but, I'm more than willing to explore this more, Carthia." David called out to her as she reached the door. "Am I right to think like this?"
Carthia, however, did not leave like David had expected her to. Instead she pulled open the robes hanging loosely off her body and hung it on the door, leaving her nightwear only, a simple pink corset like piece that pushed the turian's chest upwards. Carthia turned back and stepped towards him. Gone were the nerves of a sudden rejection and in her now a strong confidant predator approach towards her much softer prey.
"Asari made, brand new, what do think?" Carthia murmured lowly, informing him while stroking her chest slowly. "Made for a turian woman with what little they had in the breast department."
David chuckled weakly and coughed. The allergenic reaction of what felt like half a glass of turian saliva clogged in his throat, blocking him up.
"You bought it for me?" David rasped slightly. Carthia pouted slightly, but nodded nonetheless.
"I plan ahead when the slightest possibility presents itself, David..." Carthia returned smirking as she stopped in front of him. She reached out and took a hold of David's hands.
"This possibility came when I caught you checking me out." She cooed, seductively, "Checking out my firm hips." She ran David's hands over them. "What mammals deem as breasts." Carthia's grip pulled the hands over the gently sloping arches of what appeared to be breasts. She tilted her head, adding. "I got the feeling something was on your mind; funny thing is, it was there on my mind as well."
She let go of the human's hands, letting them fall to their master's sides. Instead she reached up and grazed his soft round chin.
"I imagine you never expected this when you became my client." Carthia breathed out. Before David could reply, she launched herself on top of the human, her mandible latched on tightly against his face David could taste the metal as her tongue slid inside his mouth, tasting his tongue frantically.
With a long hard tug, David found himself out of his t-shirt, it thrown away to the far side of the room. Carthia chuckled as she observed the human and again leaned in, her tongue running over his nipple in a slow circular fashion, he was vaguely aware that her hands continued to press tightly against his torso but traveled lower and lower.
He gasped as he felt her cup him. She hissed slightly and loosened her talon as she rubbed him through his boxers. She looked up as she felt him harden significantly, her mandibles flaring into a wide smirk as her hands let go and slipped around the waist band of his boxers, tugging them off to join his shirt.
He relaxed himself as much as he could. The fact that a turian women was being permitted to fondle him was still new. He needed some time to get use to that. He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly as he felt kiss after kiss from Carthia was planted on his body, the direction lower and lower until a long drag of a rough tongue overwhelmed his nerves, forcing his eyes wide open.
He looked down to find Carthia in his lap, her eyes staring at his genitalia with an immense curiosity. She broke her impressed stare to look upwards and seemed to have bit on her lower mandible, revealing a row of rather sharp looking razor teeth.
David sighed. Turian or not, he was not one to turn away a potentially decent blowjob.
"Please... I'm begging you. just...watch your teeth." He whispered to the woman. Carthia smiled slightly as she detected the tone of nervousness in the human's voice.
"Trust me, David. I'll be gentle..." She promised him gently. "I'll need you inside me sooner than you think..just... relax."
David's hand was squeezed by the Carthia, Slowly, he exhaled and relaxed his muscles the best he could. He exhaled sharply, nervously, as he felt Carthia's mouth slowly lower itself, enveloping him completely. Once more when he felt that he would not lose it, he closed his eyes as he felt Carthia bobbing in his lap. Her tongue, rough, her teeth, sharp was a strange combination to be doing what they were doing... Actually turning him on.
Nervously, David's hands latched around the turian woman's head. They pushed downwards, forcing himself deeper. She groaned but listened to the gesture. She looked up at his expression of being completely turned on and turned her eyes backwards to her task. Inwardly she smirked as she felt David's hands unconsciously reach for her chest, looking for something to fondle, to return the unexpected amount of pleasure presented to him.
His eyes widened suddenly, his hands gripping her shoulders as he groaned unexpectedly. Carthia's tongue slide against him, dragging slowly. It was too much, he squinted and lost his control over his body. Carthia's eyes widened and pulled her mouth off of him and looked up in shock, driblets of him rolling down the side of her mandible, which she quickly wiped.
She mumbled a chuckle and leaned in closer to him. David smiled guilty to the turian woman with her mouth full. He faintly felt one of her hands, moving once more over his genitals..
"Shouldn't you spi..."
David watched as Carthia ignored his concerns and swallowed slowly, her eyes staring deeply into his. She exhaled and hacked violently, falling into David's concerns arms. Slowly, she felt his hands rub her back in long tender circles. She laughed weakly at the situation, she was immediately joined by David, who leaned in and nibbled on flesh exposed by the corset piece.
"Oh... by the Spirits" Carthia groaned, pulling herself out of David's embrace and standing back up, "I... Well, I shouldn't have done that..."
She wandered over to the side table and tugged it open quickly she rummaged though it before muttering "Found it." She turned back to David and crawled into the bed, straddling his naked body.
"Open wide, David." She commanded, as she opened the bottle and sipped from it. She swirled the fluid in her mouth and swallowed it. David bit his lip as he watched Carthia curiously. She looked down at him and stroked his cheek with her long hand.
"An asari concoction I was researching." She explained to him as she gently opened her lovers mouth. "It reduces the swelling we have going on, helps us... appreciate our difference properly without major adverse reaction. Later tonight... when I go down on you again... I'll be a bit more...ready.. for the reaction."
David opened his mouth half listening to the order the half in shock at her guarantee made. Carthia dripped the asari fluid like rain drops into his mouth playfully. She giggled unexpectedly as she tossed the bottle while watching David's expression tighten up into a look of sourness. The fluid was like sucking on a combination of lemon juice and Kool Aid dry powder.
"Outfits, anti-allergenic..." David teased her, as he swallowed the tangy substance. "This really must have been on your mind for a while. I did not think I'd be appealing to you."
Carthia huffed and leaned in slowly kissing the edge of her human lover's mouth.
"Yes, you kinda are...you obviously have never seen, nor wondered what it is like to be with a turian man as a mate." She returned, lowering her head down to nuzzle into the naked David's chest. "They... dominate everything. It may seem like everything is limitless, but its still somewhat a male centric society. Sure, we are allowed vast freedom, but, in matters between the sexes, a male's decision is final."
She sighed and fell silent as she listened closely to the alien sounding off beat thump of David's heart. Again she kissed his flesh, red and bumpy from the incompatible alien fluids lightly coating him.
"In this case, my brother comes on behalf of my father to intimidate me into coming back to Palaven. They want me to abandon this sort of life I have built all on my own." She snorted to herself and looked up at him disbelievingly. "Too young they claim, Spirits, I'm twenty two."
She chuckled humorlessly, her mandibles fluttered open to show off an expression of uncertainty.
"With you at least... It's like I'm... I don't know." Carthia trailed off. "Equal, in every decision you present to me, a real partnership can happen here with you." She admitted, reaching out and taking his hands and squeezing them. "I have seen feminists of your species. Until they witness a turian barely concealed male dominated society, they have no clue how lucky they have i-"
Before she could press on, David lowered his lips down and pressed them against Carthia's, silencing her ranting, if only for a moment. He pulled back and tilted his head, smirking slightly.
"Do you really want to talk about gender inequality now?" He asked her. Carthia narrowed her eyes and turned away from him, her back pressed against his chest.
"Listen primate, I'm trying to make a point!" She nearly cried out in frustration. She growled to herself softly as she felt arms loop around her. She huffed and carefully, she added. "You're... You are different man then I'm use to. And... ahh... forget it...umm... what exactly are your hands doing?"
Carthia fell silent as she watched as many fingers slid down her thorax and over the simple matching pink undergarment she was wearing. She widened her eyes as David's hand slid into them, exploring, one of the human core values. She exhaled hard and shuddered as his hand found exactly what it was looking for and, without a hesitation, fingers pushed inside of her.
"I-I suppose the primate needs to check... If- if there is something inside my underwear to dominate." She breathed unsteadily, arching her flexible back in him. David chuckled lowly as he continued to push several finger back and forth, earning an erratic inhale and exhale.
"Can honestly say, I've never had foreplay before." Carthia admitted as she pushed back on his fingers. "Thrust, repeat and next to no female participation is the name of the game for a good turian male." She added before groaning out, "Oh spirits, David...f-fingers grind up."
David obliged as he bit her neck, grinding his teeth against roughly where humans were sensitive in their neck.
"My condolences on the lack of fun sex..." He breathed in between nibbles on her neck. His free hand reached up and dug deeply into the corset, unconsciously looking for breasts she really didn't have to fondle.
She did not reply as her hands reached out and started to untangle the garments she still wore off her body to join the pile of clothing.
"Undress the rest of me. I-I need you to touch me." Carthia managed to stammer as she felt a rolling orgasmic wave overwhelm her ability to speak coherently. With one hand still busy pushing against her moist mound of excited sex, David's free hand struggled to untie the pink corset like bed wear.
Carthia reached down and took the hand attached to the fingers grinding deep in her and pulled it, earning an excited shudder, she pulled the hand with moist fingers back and forced it in front of David, whose struggle with the nightwear ended in victory. He looked up triumphant and sound his wet fingers looking at him. Carthia smirked.
"Your turn, David, slowly. This I want to see." She coyly breathed, her eyes half open as she watched him. David nodded blankly and looked at his fingers, coated in translucent fluid; He smiled briefly and slowly, licked. David's eyes widened and, like Carthia had before him, he hacked as he swallowed the foreign substance, though far less intense then she had. Carthia laughed to herself as she turned her petite body around to face him properly.
She pulled the outfit off her body leaving her as naked as he was. David lipped formed a pleasant half smile as he took in the strangely mesmerizing sight of Carthia sitting in his lap her skin healthy light brown. Hard, but surprisingly sensitive to his touch.
She was... Well she was beautiful David was surprised to have to admit. Sure, she was so much more alien, but he was just as strange as she was. She was probably quietly curious about why in the hell did males have nipples that served no real purpose. He watched her quietly, a bemused look on her face as she noticed his amount of attention on her. Thoughts formed into words just begging to be breathed to her.
His hand reached up and grazed the side of her face. He watched her close her eyes and flutter her mandibles outwards excitedly.
"Carthia... You're beautiful... Did you know that?" David whispered to her, his voice dry as he noticed her open her eyes at the comment. Carthia studied him carefully and slowly, she nodded.
"Honestly? Yes." She admitted, trying not to sound vain by her words.
David laughed, his face blushing slightly as he buried his face way into her chest. Giggling slightly at the remark she made still, Carthia sighed and ran her hands through the strange texture of the human's head of hair, her chin nuzzling his forehead.
"But..." She breathed back to him, her hands touching the back of his head as she felt his dull teeth grinding slowly against her chest. "I mean... it-it means... So much more... having it come from you."
Carthia rewrapped her arms tightly against his body and leaned down, catching David's lips and kissing him hard.
She retracted from it almost immediately so that she and David could share a look as she lowered her hips down against his. So exhaled suddenly closed her eyes for a fraction of a second. In a quiet moment shared between them, it ended the sexual tension after seven months of closely working together the teasing he would submit her to. The watchful gazes between two different species.
David pushed his hips up as she pushed her hips down, meeting each other. He reached up and pecked her mouth playing as she moaned into his mouth as the rhythm of their bodies sped up.
There wasn't much difference between making love to a human and making love to a turian female. Both had similar erogenous zones. Both stimulated from the feeling of being filled up completely. Of course, that was where the similarities ended and the difference became much more apparent.
As David rolled over and landed on top of the moaning woman, pushing himself as deep as he could into the now submissively underneath him, turian, Her restraints were no longer there now. Her clawed hands gripped deeply into his hips as she pushed him back and forth at a faster and faster pace. He could imagine the blood undoubtedly trickling out of him. She cried out a sharp, moaning "Daviid!" more than loud enough for the other occupant in the house to hear.
Her brother.
Her older brother.
Her older brother: The human hating war veteran.
Her older brother: A war veteran from killing humans.
Humans like him.
The human currently making the turian, human killing war veteran's little sister cry his name submissively as he pushed in and out of her.
Oh Fuck...
As the single crying scream formed down into a repeated moaning of his name, Carthia lashed out and wrapped tightly around his neck, biting hard, animalistic. She muffled a moan as bobbed in his arms, her tongue moving across the captured human flesh, mixing more pleasure into a sea of sharp pain up there.
Carthia pulled back, turian spit and human blood on her mandibles. She did not speak in words, she did not apologize. There was a fervor in her eyes. One that only sex, violence and pure animalistic desire had. She looked down and gritted as she watched him push in and out of her, a look of wonder and disbelief spread across her face. She looked up and uttered three words that nearly made him lose it.
"Fuck me, human."
The words breathed by the turned on turian only served to make the situation that much more tense. David opened his mouth as he let it sink in. That he was in the middle of making love to someone not human, something he had never done before, something Carthia certainly never had done before. Yet somehow, neither he seemed turned off. He listened blankly to the three words were uttered over and over, more and more his name was replaced with the word human. Once more she was crying the words out loud enough for it to echo out of the room. Again.
He could feel the pressure build inside of him. He could not keep this pace. It did not really matter. Whatever was going on with Carthia definitely was a state of orgasmic bliss as she rolled in his arm, crying in a mixture of translated English and her native language. He groaned and pressed his face tight into her chest, his tongue flickering out to touch her skin as he came inside of her. His thrusts slowed and slowed, grinding to a full halt.
"Spirits... I... wow.." She managed to breath out; her eyes glazed and a silly expression was present. She turned to inspect him, Her eyes immediately focused and widened. "Oh dammit," She cursed, wincing at sight of the David's neck, heavily bleeding and with her teeth marks still present. David shrugged it in a daze off but Carthia pulled them both up carefully, him, still deep inside of her body.
She yanked the pillow sheet off a spare pillow and wrapped it around his neck, her hand applying pressure. He hissed sharply and grunted at the weight, Carthia winced guilty and looked him over for any more injuries caused by the unassuming turian woman.
"I'm so, so sorry, David." She nearly whimpered, "I complained a lot about the males of my gender but did not tell you how... aggressive we are in this state either. Your skin is so soft, tender... I can see why you were so concerned when I went down on you... I-I didn't mea-"
David cut the stammering turian off with a careful, wincing kiss and pressed both of them back down on the pillow they now shared.
"It was...well... It was great... But you were right." He murmured weakly as he tugged the blanket over their naked bodies. "I wasn't expecting this."
Carthia softly laughed as she nuzzled against both David and the pillow as she felt David still inside of her. The celebration party for the Altura that they cut short was inconsequential compared to this experience...
...

...
David's teeth bared at the sight of the shocked Kasumi and her helmeted companion, Tali. He looked down and placed his hands into his pockets s though pleased with the tale he had more or less told down to the detail of scent of arousal. Neither the loud and near unshutupable Kasumi nor this new quarian uttered a word.
David sighed and chuckled.
"And that's how I nailed Carthia." He bragged. He looked at the shocked expressions on their face and sighed. "Well more the other way around." He admitted truthfully. "Turian women, as it turned out, do not offer their rooms to males as a sign of honor and respect. She flat out seduced this poor hum-
*SLAP*
Tali and Kasumi watched as the lithe form of Marhna'Prince dragged the offending human away from the scene of the storytelling crime by his ear.
"David dearest." Marhna hissed prettily into his nearly shredded off ear, her hand crushing David's cartilage as she led him back towards the kitchen. "Go and dish your baby girl her dinner or I'll turn what genitals you have into a doorstop."
She let go of him and booted him nicely in the ass, causing him to stumble as he wandered back down to be with his family. Looking much, much more domesticated then moments prior. Marhna groaned and rubbed her face, a smile present as she shook her head to face Kasumi and Tali once more. She laughed as she leaned in and welcomed her all but adopted pseudo daughter by kissing her cheek.
"I am sorry, Mai... Tali." She murmured a greeting to the women. "You must forgive David's more... intimate recalling of his past."
Kasumi laughed weakly.
"I'm just surprised someone as vain as David would sleep with Carthia." She admitted to the quarian. "That sort of pairing is kinda... rare. I mean, I knew it happened, by damn..."
"Carthia is a very attractive woman by turian standard, I suppose and, well... David and Carthia have a long, detailed history together." Marhna returned, as she hung up Kasumi's jacket for her. "A sort of tragic romance to be honest, one I cannot make him forget, nor would I wish to. It was a rather... difficult time back then for him... before I met him, before we got together years later. Carthia kept David's spirits up in weak moments."
"I should go see those kids, make sure they aren't tormented by Papa Davie tooo much." Kasumi announced suddenly, obliviously speaking before an awkward silence fell. Marhna smiled at Kasumi and nodded her head, allowing her to depart company with the quarians, leaving Marhna and her arms full counterpart, Tali'Zorah, alone together.
"You still allow him to go on business trips with Carthia?" Tali inquired curiously, her eyes bright and wide. "Despite this mutual.. attraction shared?"
Marhna stared at Tali briefly before she threw her head back and laughed.
"Tali, your man is not some animal to be chained and neutered because you feel him needed to be chained to only you." Marnha returned incredulously, her hand reach up to hold the edge of the engineers mask. "Train him yes, punish him when he behaves rotten, most certainly. You must, however, allow him to remain a man for him to be your man."
Marhna looked down and pushed her braids backwards. She looked up, her sharp teeth nipping her lips as she took Tali's hand and squeezed it.
"Treating him to suspicion, forcing him to work in the dark instead of coming out clean about issues." Marhna continued, smirking knowingly as Tali squirmed uncomfortable. "A man is inherently, a problem solver, in your case, even more so considering who he is. They hear you upset, so they seek your trouble and find ways to fix it. To complain publicly only to shut him out... it breaks down his functional mind, it forces him to resort to irrationality because that is what he has been presented."
"Even men like John Shepard are bound to act irrationally on his free time." She pointed out, lightly tapping Tali's face mask. Tali nodded slowly, reluctantly. Yes, Marhna was right. At the end of the day Shepard was still equally capable of becoming upset as she was.
"As I said to Kasumi, both David and Carthia have a long, rich history before I was even starting my pilgrimage. When they first met, I was barely fifteen." The elder quarian reminded Tali, her lips curved into a smile. "I will admit, however, before David and I got serious... well, for a long time after, I was jealous of the friendship shared between the two. But, I was set straight."
Marnha closed the door behind Tali and took the gifts out of her arms at long last, Freeing Tali's arms up for her.
"I came to understand that the sort of affection they have together is more useful to what we have built, rather than a strained one caused because I couldn't handle it." She added, tugging off her veil and hanging it on the coat rack with one hand. She turned back, on her was a faint expression of hurt as she fell into her thoughts..
"I can remember how much it hurt to watch David restraining his emotions for a best friend like Carthia just to comfort me. I could not do that to him for long. Do not get what I say wrong:" She added before Tali could question it. "David loves me unconditionally for reasons I will tell you, eventually, I too felt this way after I figured it all out after many long years. I mean, would I have married him for seventeen years? Would I have wanted to raise three children with a man who would rather spend time with her then I?"
"Compromise; Tali'Zorah, must be your foundation with John, as it was for my David." Marhna concluded, looping her arm into Tali's and leading her through the hallway and towards the social atmosphere of the kitchen.
"Now come along. We shall eat and attempt to remain horrified and visibly upset at him for such a graphic tale." She smirked slightly. "Tell me. Did he show you his lovely turian love scars? Horrific to think how easily damaging an orgasmic turian in bed could do to someone soft like him."
Tali shook her head and winced as Marhna chuckled to herself, venturing into Marhna's husband's sex life wasn't something she was looking forward to.
...

...
Dinner was a surprisingly enjoyable affair.
For everyone's benefit, Marhna had managed to get David under her control once again. Awkward dinner talk only occurred whenever poor Galina'Voar opened her mouth to answer a question brought forth by the rest of the party. Tali smiled sympathetically for the young woman. She could understand the fears of having to speak to parents. John had issued her a similar warning that Michael gave to Galina. She too would fear meeting his parents... if they would even want to meet her...
So she could definitely understand the fear of meeting a vastly different type of parent then she was use to. Though with the state her family line was in now, she could hardly say she had a family of her own to compare Shepard's too.
Of course, this all hinged on if they could work everything out.
She smiled indulgently as she faintly listened to an anecdote about a volus he had an encounter with on Illium, he was trying to buy David out, outright. Something the human did not take kindly too. She laughed in all the right places as she sipped her wine and focused on the dish Marhna had prepared for her a rare quarian recipe that survived the struggle against the geth. It was spicier then she imagined it to be, but it was one of the best meals she ever had in quite some time.
Occasionally, she looked up to find Marhna, quietly watching her... Her eyes. They seemed rather... well... Sad. As the two would catch each other's eyes they both chuckle and turn away from each other.
"So, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy." She heard being called out of David's mouth, brightly. "I understand you work in close proximity with the great Commander Shepard." He gestured to Marhna and added. "Marhna had an encounter with a Shepard once, apparently. Before the geth attack, right love?"
Tali's eyes widened and turned at look at Marhna, wasn't paying any mind to the conversation, Instead she was hunched over and, whispering a Khellesh phrase of praise into Laura's ear as she cut up her daughter's meal for her. She pressed her thin lips against her child's head before looking back up.
"Eric Shepard." She murmured quietly as she sipped her wine and sat back up straight. She bit her lip, quietly swirling her glass. "From what I gathered at a much later date, He is your John's father."
Kasumi and Tali shared a look. The younger quarian swallowed the knot building in her throat. Slowly, she nodded in confirmation.
"You met his father?" Tali inquired, her tone forcing itself to remain neutral rather then excited at the prospect of learning something new. "What... what was he like? I have heard nothing but praise about John's mother from him but next to nothing on him."
Alexandra snorted to herself unladylike.
"Perhaps he's a lousy father, just like daddy here." She haughtily determined to the group.
David did not know whether to laugh or grumble. Tali turned her eyes hard on the young human, her hands tightening into fists as she was ready to defend John's father's honor, despite not having a clue what kind of man he really was. Despite the chilling thought in the back of her mind that Alexandra Prince might have been correct.
Tali felt a hand grip her knee. It was Kasumi. Her eyes telling the defensive looking Tali not to strike the child, lest she face a death sentence at the hands of Marhna'Prince. Tali nodded once and turned back to Marhna who seemed so oddly quiet.
"Half a soul." Marhna whispered to herself, sounding distantly lost. The table, disregarding little Laura who was playing with her roast slice and gravy, turned to face Marhna. Marhna shook her head curtly and focused herself, she looked up Tali.
"I met him briefly after closing, one evening." Marhna admitted as though stepping on glass. "He had... He had these blue eyes. Sad blue eyes and so... so many injuries... So many scars. He was so... upset and so...hard despite being so obviously sensitive."
"Karmatic retribution." She whispered once more, smiling strangely to herself. Marhna exhaled and shook her head before looking back up to meet Tali's eyes.
"It's not in my place to talk to you about him Tali'Zorah much more than this." Marhna flatly informed her, a look of pity for the curiosity squashed. "If John approaches me, I'll be more inclined to share."
The room fell into an uncomfortable silence. Galina looked around helplessly, not sure what to make of all of this. There was a sudden humorless chuckle that escaped David's lips unsympathetically.
"He sounds like a real winner, Marhna."
Alexandra burst out a sudden and explosive giggle at her father's remark. David joined her and together they laughed at the man they never met before in their lives expense. This time, the snide remark did not fly past Marhna. She reached out and took Alexandra's chin, forcing her mouth shut.
"Be quiet." She growled menacingly, at both her husband and daughter who now looked petrified by the nasty glare on her face and the baring of her sharp fangs like canine to them. "He must be a decent man if he managed to produce a man like John Shepard."
She huffed and let go of Alexandra and once more sipped her drink. Slowly, the predatory mother smirked to herself. She leaned over and covered Laura's ears, who screeched and pouted in protest.
"Married or not." She stated to the room at large, but looking directly at her husband. "If I was a decade younger, I would have jumped John Shepard's bones and rode him until he couldn't take it anymore and not even feel the slightest bit guilty for cheating on you."
The room burst out into laughter at the remark and the horrified expressions written across both Alexandra and David's face. Micheal ducked his head, unable to believe he had to endure this. Tali chuckled reluctantly. Trying not to seethe too much at the obvious joking remark. Marhna grinned as she let go of Laura's ears and turned to Tali, smiling vividly.
"Sorry Tali'Zorah, Do not be too upset." She asked of the younger engineer. "I just felt I needed to put that on the table for the amazing David Prince and his story time. I should think you might agree."
David and Tali's eyes met, David grinned, silently urging her to be upset. Behind her mask, Tali smirked. No, she would not give the bosh'tet the pleasure of her rage.
"If my Shepard were to cheat, I think it would be best done with you, regardless of your age. After the Carthia Acterax tale, I think you need one triumph conquest of your own to retaliate with." Tali admitted as she sipped her drink, her eyes turned to find David's hopeful expression into one of despair.
Marhna laughed and slapped her hands together excitedly, leaning back into her seat.
David groaned and joined his daughter, Alexandra as he too, pressed his hand against his face and attempted to ignore the sound of three giggling quarian women and howling human thief. This new friendship was going to be the death of him.
...

...
"Log report catch up thirty seven: After completing the assignment requested on Pragia. Whether dealing with Subject Zero's past was a success or not is still yet to be seen. I have noticed a decline in her profanity against myself, but an increase in aggression against the Cerberus operatives onboard. I'm not surprised, nor do I blame her. Spending your childhood poked and prodded with needles and watching children die for you is some cause for resentment against the organization that committed this ethical shitstorm-
"Stick to the facts, Commander, The Illusive Man is quite aware of the ethical dilemma's in each decision made." Commander John Shepard heard Operative Lawson call out from across the table. She did not look up to face him, instead her attention was focused on writing out her own reports. John silently glowered and turned back to his omni-tool.
"Brief engagement with the bloodpack occurred inside the abandoned facility. Enemy platoon size six to eight krogans, fifteen or so Vorcha. They weren't expecting us, they were taking shelter from the rain, making them more than an easy opponent to deal with. As per request, Cerberus related information has been copied and attached to this file so that perhaps you might learn why abruptly terminating projects is not such a good idea."
John set his arm down and dug into what seemed like chicken soup Mess Sergeant Rupert Gardner prepared for him. He sighed, deciding thirty seven after mission and intel reports was a good place to stop and rest his voice. He swallowed another mouthful and looked up, noticing the raised eyebrow of Operative Lawson, staring at him shrewdly in protest of his displayed table manners.
Shepard slurped the noodle in his mouth and sat up properly.
"It appears that you forgot to mention your little encounter with the second test subject in the facility. I believe we should rectify that." She reminded him. Her lips curled upwards, forming a patronizing smile for John's obvious omission. Shepard stared right back at the Operative's dark, dangerous sharp eyes, unaffected.
"I'm not mentioning Aeresh on the report, Miranda." He stated simply, crossing his arms. "Aeresh was sick, broken many years prior. Why would I hand information of his survival back into Cerberus hands?"
Damn. He really should have taken Garrus' offer when he had the chance. Currently, the entire male section of the team, including Jack and Kelly, naturally, had wandered off the ship in search for the nearest strip club they could find to blow the many thousands of credits Cerberus had given to them as a bonus for surviving what was thought to be a suicide mission.
He could not blame them for doing this. Midway through the Collector Base, Zaeed had a sudden reversal of attitude towards his comrade-in-arms and issued a proclamation: He would buy each and everyone two strippers, alcohol and enough cocaine to keep them awake for the next week for anyone who managed to come out of that mission alive.
Unfortunately for his paycheck, everyone did.
Of course, Garrus spilled the beans about Tali and him the moment John declined the offer.
Whether it was believed or not was yet to be seen. Regardless, as a result of his unwillingness to cause his quarian anymore trouble, he had spent the past two hours filling paperwork and audio reports with the ever dutiful Miranda Lawson, who was still maintaining bi-weekly reports back to her employer. Thankfully, Miranda relaxed a few issues onboard the Normandy. Notably the removal of the bugs and tracking devices.
Of course, none of this massive display of trust between two parties meant jackshit to Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. She still needed answers for this continued loyalty and John just did not know how to explain it. Not yet, not properly.
Shepard downed the last of the soup and stood up , wandering over to Gardner's station to give him a word of thanks for the meal. As he did so Miranda too stood in protest of his departure of her company.
"We're not done here, Commander."
Shepard turned back, still walking his way backwards.
"Yes, we are Operative, now go relax your busy mind." Shepard returned before turning back to wander away properly. "Kasumi specifically ordered you a six pack of XXXX Gold to see if you could revert into an Australian stereotype. How about you go and enjoy them?"
"I will, if you join me for a discussion about your new interest."
John paused his casual walk and turned to face Miss Lawson, a blank look on his face.
"You heard me, despite tht godawful... thing I had to witness invoving you, your quarian and her in a Cerberus uniform, I'm still going to help and her deal with your... issues," Miranda returned, leaning on one of her hips and smirking at him, far less menacingly and much more as though it was friendly. "So... tell you what. I will turn into a... bogan, for your amusement if it gets you talking about that damnable quarian eating away at your focus."
For a brief moment, Shepard stared at the Operative. Slowly, he sighed. He could really use fresh pair of eyes on the conundrum that was Tali'Zorah vas Normandy.
"Come along, Lawson." He muttered, gesturing the Australian woman to follow him into Kasumi's bar. "Let's see your impression."
...
Chapter Four: 2161: The First Day
...
The apartment was huge. It was much more spacious than Marhna, nor her friends could have ever imagined they would find themselves living in for their Pilgrimage.
Four bedrooms, two washrooms, a lounge and a kitchen, even a damn balcony that overlooked the presidium arm. In the space her, Fel and Kalia now occupied, it could have easily be converted into living space for eight families and still have room to throw a party for thirty. Marhna closed her eyes. This was beyond what she expected when David Prince said he was leasing her a home.
This Apartment was clearly built with other species in mind other then quarians. There were no decontamination chambers unfortunately. Though David, through a line of his drugs inhaled off his arm waved it off as an oversight, promising to have quarian comforts fused into the beautiful new home for Fel, Kalia and herself.
It was still early in the morning, but she was much too nervous to sleep. This job was going to be a big opportunity to finally make a dent into a culture outside of her own. Though Marhna and David celebrated the new employment, the turian, Carthia assured her she would be nothing more than a glorified babysitter. She would have make sure David stayed on task, relatively charming and didn't get himself into to much trouble by banging some asari jailbait.
Marhna opened the Refrigerator, stocked with human food and dextro nutrient pastes for her and her friends, the human foods in case David dropped by for a meal; Something Carthia said was so often, she now shopped for the both of them. since David felt himself above such mundane tasks as grocery shopping.
Pulling a high end nutrient paste from out of the packed food storage, Marhna latched it and started to suckle on the straw in her suit. She turned back to find that chronometer was flashing 07:20 local time. Marhna winced. Time to get going. He needed her in bright and early for orientation. David assured her that this was not a common practice. Usually he slept in, meaning that her work day would start at one in the afternoon and ended at 5, then come back in again at eight in the evening and end at two in the morning. Long hours, but considering the pay, well worth it, or so she figured.
After detaching the now empty canister, Marhna carefully wrapped the shawl around the top of her helmet. a gift from her mother, passed down from her ancestors. "Old" said David, who offered to spruce up her suit in any possible way. Marhna had to bite back at his ignorance. He hadn't had any education on her and her people, just as Marhna had limited understanding for him and his people. She could remember the common complaint back ta her old job, how humans had no patience and lacked appreciation for even their own traditions. Some Marhna found confounding.
She quietly wandered out to the door and stepped outside, descending into the streets of the Citadel. She paused as she took in the sight of the quiet, peaceful street. No... not just the streets of the Citadel. The Presidium itself. She had never been able to walk this quiet part of the Citadel. But now because she and her friends held residence here, they would permit it.
As she glanced around causally before work, she did not notice that suspicious eyes were following her every move. It was not long before silence was broken by the marching of feet. Marhna turned and found herself staring at a human Citadel Security officer. She did nothing wrong, still.. it wasn't as though these people needed much of an excuse.
"Is something the matter?" She spoke up, her voice neutral but every other instinct told her she was about to be arrested and ran into the nearest C-Sec outpost for wandering a location that saw, few quarians enter it.
"There might be." The officer spoke, marching closer to her. "Do you have a reason to be in this district at this time in the morning?"
"W-well I-"
The officer sniffed as though humored and crossed his arms.
"Can we try that without a stutter, quarian?" The officer condensed, staring menacingly at the quarian. "It makes you sound like you have something on your mind..."
Marhna shook her head instantly. Thoughts of being arrested on her first day eating away at her nerves. It would be a horrible start for this chance that was given to her.
"No, I'm just heading to work. Please, I don't mean any trouble." She managed to speak without a single stutter.
"May I help you, officer?"
Marhna and the human turned and found a well dressed turian woman stalking towards the two of them. Before either of them realized it, She had gotten in between both of them. Marhna felt a moment of relief. It wasn't just any turian, it was Carthia. Her back turned to the quarian as she stared down the human.
"Carthia Acterax. Miss Quaera's attorney and the biggest headache you'll ever have if you continue to harass my client without basis to a suspicion." Carthia introduced herself, staring hard into the human's eyes. The human looked between the two of them
He nodded curtly, understanding that he was going to get into a lot more trouble then it was worth.
Marhna watched silently as the officer turned and stalked away, continuing his patrol. She turned back to face Carthia and her impassively observant expression. Her arms were crossed as she simply stared at the quarian.
"My attorney?"
Carthia's mandible's curved into a smirk.
"One of the perks of having David for a boss.' Carthia explained as she gestured to the quarian to follow along. "You have me on retainer. Just try to keep out of trouble when you can. I'm not a cheap service."
Marhna nodded, understanding where the turian was coming did not intend on being any sort of burden to her new employer. He was generous as it was. She just did not feel right taking anymore then he was offering already. A decent job with an employer who seemed genuinely interested in his employees was new concept for the quarian to digest.
"I was actually hoping to drop by for a visit." Carthia pressed on, her flangling voice causing a chill to run down Marnha's spine. "I felt that it was necessary for me to continue last night's ground rules. That is if you do not mind."
Marhna shook her head, she would hear the lawyer out.
"David, bless his childlike heart, does not allow insult and injury to his name get to him. He will gladly allow it to roll off him like it didn't happen for the sake of civility." She started, leaning into the railing overlooking the lake. "His willingness to... overlook your less than charming behavior is the only reason you could get away with insulting him twice."
She turned back to face the quarian, leaning casually as she gestured to Marnha, her eyes as hard and as frightening as any turian Marhna ever got onto its bad side.
"You will not get away with insulting him anymore then you have already." She chastised, her voice rough and leering. 'So do yourself a favor and tone down that attitude of yours. David might find it cute, but I'm not nearly so blind to its intent. Understood?"
As much as the more passive side to her personality wanted to submit, that slowly growing tumor in her called a backbone, forced her to cross her arms and simply stared back into the turian's eyes unflinching as she crossed her arms in a clear act of defiance.
"Do I answer to you as well?"
Carthia blinked, but was not bothered by the display. Instead, she stood up straight.
"No, I am not your employer. I do, however, have his ear and a simple wish for you to show some common fucking courtesy for him." Carthia returned. Her many teeth baring. "He's a good man, who doesn't deserve half the shit that he has to put up with here, if you add to his problems, I won't hesitate to put you down."
Marhna nodded, feeling rather timid for the first time in a few days. Still staring her down, Carthia reached into her purse, tugging what looked like a omni-tool device out. She pushed it into Marhna hands.
"A new omni-tool. as per instructed by Mister Prince." She explained to the curious quarian, sounding bored. "Have a good day at work."
Carthia paused, frowned and leaned in, her mouth touching against the younger girls mask briefly before pulling back. leaving Marhna shocked and confused and Carthia looking liker she took no pleasure in what had just happened. She sighed, clearly frustrated at her own actions.
"Again..." She groaned. "As per instructed by Mister Prince. Apparently, I need to lighten the fuck up about you."
With a mumbling in her native language, Carthia departed, leaving Marhna nearly on the edge of bursting out with laughter.
...

...
"Can I help you, babe?" The asari spoke up, after finally breaking conversation with the krogan. Marhna shuffled nervous as the bouncer krogan simply glared right through her reflective mask.
"Um, yes." She managed to get. "I'm to report to David Prince."
The krogan grumbled a laugh lowly.
"So he actually went out and hired you, bucket." The giant growled, almost amused. "Figure the ape would want you. He likes to collect aliens."
The asari rolled her eyes and slapped the krogan on it's armor.
"Oh yeah... you're that cute quarian thing who talked shit about David!" The asari brightly remembered. She giggled slightly and stepped forward, adding. "Mister Prince spent the whole evening gushing that you actually stood up to him."
The asari held out her hand. It was a human gesture that Marhna had seen on several occasions. Slowly, she reached out and gripped the asari's hand, shaking it.
"I'm Hansa. Tend the bar, serve drinks on busy nights. Served you a couple nights ago." The asari introduced herself. "David told me I would be teaching you basic hospitality management. I think you and I are going to get along just fine, right?"
Marhna looked down and noticed the hand being offered still. She recalled Prince doing the same gesture, so slowly, she took it. Shaking the delicate blue hand.
"Oh... Marhna'Quaera." She introduced herself as well. "Yes, I certainly hope we will get along. I haven't had much luck with employment outside the fleet. This job is shaping up to be... different, however."
Hansa laughed softly and nodded. Before Marhna realized it, Hansa's arm was around her shoulder, leading the two of them past the huge krogan
"You've definitely got the right idea about this place." She agreed. "David Prince is a blast to work for compared to others places I've been. Humans are generally easy going, unless they're stressed or upset. David has only ever raised his voice once at me, and that was because I served an underage turian. Bastard kid."
She chuckled softly at memories of her first mistake.
"Poor Carthia spent two weeks correcting that mistake with his parents when they caught him drunk as fuck for his graduation. Poor thing." She recalled, with almost glee in her voice.
Carthia... Before she could say anything, she found herself being sat down behind the bar. Hansa left briefly and went behind the bar, by the time Marhna could comprehend it, She was mixing a drink in a sterilizer unit. Pouring the liquid into a decontaminated vial, she slid it across the bar to her.
" Non alcoholic. Bavo'tis... an old quarian drink." Hansa explained watching the younger woman's eyes widen. "Mom spent a century on Rannoch before the exile." She explained. "It's synthesized though, can't exactly go to Rannoch for the ingredients."
Marhna murmured a word of thanks and sipped the drink as though it was a precious liquid. The tangy taste caught her off guard. Quietly she sipped the drink, under the watchful almost motherly smile of Hansa.
"Carthia... I just got a lecture about me treating David with some respect." Marhna admitted ruefully as she stopped drinking. Hansa could only laugh as though what she had been warned was old news.
"Carthia has invested a lot of time and patience into molding David into someone who can have a cordial relationship with her fellow turians without him getting sued..." Hansa explained as she too sat down next to Marhna. "Which trust me. It happened every other week in his first year of business on the Citadel. He's the closest thing to a friend that icy bitch has. Disrespect him and you disrespect her."
"Which means Carthia's near a stroke level rage every night thanks to you, right Hansa?"
Marhna and Hansa turned there heads, finding none other then David Prince stumbling towards them, yawning as he attempted to ruffle his worn out suit, the one he wore yesterday. Hansa smirked slightly at his beleaguered expression.
"Well hello David." The asari greeted. "Didn't go home last night?"
"Yeah. Must've fell asleep checking over the books. I'll make this an early day and freshen up." He grumbled, straightening out his shirt and tie. "Hello Mara'Kara... ahhh...I mean Marhna'Quaera. Did you have a good sleep in somewhere other then a slum? Ready for the big day?"
Marhna watched as the man ran a hand through his hair and accepted a strong looking drink and a kiss on his cheek from Hansa. Marhna nodded as positively as she could as David turned back to her.
"Yes sir." She spoke softly as David set the glass down. Her politeness, demanded by Carthia Acterax, was immediately looked down on my the odd human.
"Dammit girl. David is fine, now come along." David corrected Marhna, as he tugged on his suit jacket and attempted to straighten it. "I'm hungry for food that doesn't swell my throat and you and I have some ground rules to cover. Did Carthia provide you a new Omni-Tool?"
Marhna nodded and flashed her brand new Logic Arrest series Omni-Tool. She had been tinkering with it on the walk and the shuttle ride to the club. It was the first expensive piece of equipment she had ever owned.
"Good. It has a built in updated translator. Human's speak over six thousand different dialogs alone. We also have to cater to the rest of the galaxy as well. which means communication is the key to everything we do. " David spoke again. He paused, grinned slightly, and added. "Did..ah. Did she give you a little apology for being a bitch in advance?"
Again Marhna nodded, barely able to contain her mirth.
"Yes, that reminds me. I have to wash my mask." Marhna mused. David's broke out into a sharp thrilling laugh.
"Good girl. See? you're on your way to fitting in just nice." David praised, patting the quarian on the back and lead her out of the club for their first official outing as boss and assistant.
...

...
"JESUS TAPDANCING CHRIST..."
David flung his head back, his nose coated in white and was snorting as though desperate for air. He turned to Marhna, his eyes wide and wild. Marhna winced as he banged idly on the table in front of an tune that was indescribable to the quarian.
"Carthia said you need to lay off the cocaine at eight in the morning." She said , catching his attention. David snorted and made an odd hissing noise at the mention of the turian.
"Man, fuck Carthia... Literally. I'll fuck Carthia if she tells me off on my habit again. You want some?" He offered, wiping the excess off his nose. He paused, looked her over and winced. "oh right, the helmet, never mind. Probably good you stay clean until I figure out a way to get you outta that goddamn suit."
Marhna stopped sipping her beverage. Instead she simply stared down her employer.
"What did I say about not having a relationship with you in order to advance in this field.?" She asked him.
David rolled her eyes at the concern.
"Relax, precious. I was talking strictly business." He corrected, smiling crookedly. "Having a suitless quarian running shit with me would be awesome."
Marhna sighed and bit back the urge to say something rude.
"You clearly don't understand how my immune system works, then. I cannot just simply choose to wear this thing or not." Was all the politeness she could summon. David appeared unfazed and completely uninterested in the topic at hand.
"I don't have to know, Marhna. Hell, I don't even give enough of a fuck to even try." David explained as confident as ever. "I usually just throw money at the problem and it usually fucks right off. and then I get what I want."
Marhna and David fell back into silence. They had decided on this asari eatery David always wanted to try but never had the time to do it. Marhna on the other hand, rarely got to eat out at places that offered a selection for all species, hers included. She had ordered a paste made of Synthesized quarian gar'atric. The best comparison she could make for David was it was the human equivalent to a vegetable known as carrots...
David had ordered a steak and salad, he nearly sent it back, claiming the chef had no fucking clue what a medium rare meant. Marhna did her best to make sure that he would keep his temper in check. In the end, he ate it but he wasn't impressed.
"Rule number one: The patrons are almost always wrong." David listed off, surprising her. "They'll suggest something, you ignore it. unless it's 800 year old matriarch whose been in the business for centuries, then you open your ears and listen to what the old bitch has to say.
David paused and looked her over, he smiled crookedly as he readjusted his glasses..
"By the way, how old are you?" He inquired, leaning back into his seat as he idly dug into his salad.
"Seventeen. quarians consider that the year of adulthood" Marhna informed the man without a moment of hesitation.
David's eyes widened at the small piece of information giving to him. He pushed his plate away from him, looking strangely mortified at the answer he received? Was that too young an age? Marhna mused... she probably should have told him earlier.
"Seventeen... fucking hell." David finally spat out. "Anyone asks you're a year older. seventeen... what the fuck do your parents just throw you out of the fleet at that age and expect you to survive? No wonder you all are easily exploitable."
Marhna sighed. David, despite his blunt attitude was right.
"It's a matter of class, something the fleet claims there is none." Marhna explained, her voice suddenly bitter. "The lowest in the fleet are sent out by seventeen, but an admirals child could easily be in their early twenties before they leave the fleet..."
Marhna sipped her paste s she thought jadedly about the sycophantic nature of the Admiralty Board.
"They usually receive better equipment and education on the outside world. for instance." She continued. "I received no education on your species, just that you exist. An Admirals son or daughter would have extranet access to the whole galaxy before being shipped out."
David's face contorted into a look of disbelief. He whistled lowly.
"Well shit... and here I thought you fuckers perfected Communism, turns out you lot fucked that ideology up almost as bad as us." David mused. "So I take it you come from a poor family?"
Having no clue what Communism was, Marhna thought about the question instead. She sipped her nutrient paste as she determined the answer to the posed question.
"In a sense, yes." Marhna admitted finally, "Not monetarily, the quarian economy is centered around sharing. but socially, yes. Mother and Father are air duct engineers... about as low as one can get in the fleet. they are... proud of their work, and expect I will follow them as well."
Marhna paused, behind her mask she smiled ruefully.
"I... don't want that for me..." She admitted, a note of shame trickling into her voice. She was not a very good daughter.
"Good thing you ran into me then, you might've become just that. You, a duct rat..." David laughed, he paused, eyed her and added, "though you on your knees would be a sight..."
The older human groaned and pressed his hand against hs face.
"Shit, you're 17 and live inside an environmental suit... the fuck am thinking?" David Commiserated. "I should be sent to jail, shouldn't I?"
Marhna shot David a glare.
"Oh don't give that fucking dirty look. I don't need to see your face to see that that profession is the last thing you ever want to be sucked into." David snapped, he paused, chuckled slightly and added "Heh... sucked into the air vents. No wonder you don't want that shit. Least you and your parents ain't in the sewage department, hey?"
Marhna rolled her eyes as the human suddenly broke into another round of laughter at her and her parents expense.
"What about rule two?" Marhna pressed, hoping to distract the man.
It worked. David blinked stupidly at the question.
"Rule two?" He repeated. "Fuck... only ever had rule one... rule two... the fuck do take me for? someone who thinks that far ahead?"
David shook his head.
"Jesus, Marhna. If you want rules then you make them... I just play it by ear." David informed the woman his voice still reeling, "Rules are for people like Carthia Acterax. There's a reason why I hired her. I get a false impression of limitless freedom, while Carthia works her best to make sure I stay within reason."
Marhna blinked, What in the hell did she get into?
"So this is..."
"Two potential business partners getting to know one another. Not me lecturing you how to operate under my employment." David shrugged off idly before Marhna could press on with the question.
Marhna leaned into her seat, her head tilted and her arms crossed.
"You mean a date." Marhna breathed, staring down the human who looked amused by her observation.
David shook his head and extinguished his cigarette.
"No I don't date girls I view as underage and an employee no less." He reminded the quarian "You're going to be at my beck and call for the foreseeable future, until I think you're ready to take on more responsibility than making sure I stay sober... which you're doing a terrible job doing, by the way!"
Marhna's hand pressed against her ask. Her boss was insufferable...
...

...
"Welcome back, turian. Here I thought I was seeing things. Usually you're hanging off the bosses arm. Never saw the appeal of turians... usually spent most of my life breaking your kind."
"And look how well that worked out for you. Working as a thug for hire for a human? Your whore mother and her brother, your father. would be so ashamed."
Carthia Acterax didn't wait for the brute to reply, she smirked and strolled past him and into the club. She was immediately greeted with the glaring of asari trance music. She stood in the entrance and simply glanced around. She was all dolled up, as David would remark. A new dress, he talons filed so they would not cause to much damage to the thing she wanted most at that point. David, preferably pounding deep inside her.
"Carthia, welcome!"
The wobbly, feminine voice, a note of sarcasm present...Carthia groaned inwardly and turned finding both Hansa and Marhna approaching her, Carthia sighed again and did her best not to look like a woman with the urge to get fucked.
"Hello Carthia. That's a very beautiful dress." Marhna complimented, standing slightly behind Hansa. Carthia allowed the new girl a small opening of her mandibles, it was a faint smile.
"I see Hansa is taming you, good." Carthia observed, ignoring Marhna crossing her arms and instead turned to Hansa, adding. "Hi Hansa. Where's David?"
Like Marhna before her, Hansa too crossed her arms. Unlike Marhna, she knew exactly what was going on in the turians head. She knew that Carthia was just begging to get laid tonight. Damnable perceptive asari...
"Office, Babe." Hansa eyed her knowingly. "Try not to break him, I like how well he pays me."
Marhna glanced to Hansa, clearly confused. Before a whole lot of awkward questions could be asked, Carthia nodded politely to the two of them, leaving a confused Marhna and Hansa's smirk behind her. Carthia had no time to be interrogated by quarian nor asari.
...

...
Without so much as waiting around to knock, Carthia opened the door to the private office, David's office. The room was dark, with an exception to a single light shining on his desk, where David was sitting, hunched over at a terminal, writing a merchandise order from one of his many suppliers scattered across the galaxy.
Carthia cleared her, throat, causing the human to tighten up .
"Yeah?" David muttered and turned his swivel chair around to face the turian woman standing there just for him.
The surprise in his face vanished replacing it with the smallest of smirks as David leaned into his seat, his eyes traveling up and down her god without the sight bit of humility. He was eying her like he was already inside her. He turned away and back to the terminal.
"Oh, well hello Carthia." He murmured lowly. You're later then I expected."

Carthia's mandibles opened to a slight smile. She stepped forwards, her eyes trained on he human whose back was again turned to her.
"Sorry." Carthia stated, her voice low, rolling "I decided to be spontaneous, so I went late night shopping. Is it to your satisfaction?"
David looked away from his terminal yet again and towards Carthia, who stood there as dainty as a turian could be. Her talons were wrapped together as she stood there covered in a strapless black dress that she managed to pull off perfectly. She seemed to have smiled shyly as David stood up and approached her. His eyes noting every perfect curve.
He reached out and pressed his hand against her shoulder blade and slowly worked it his way dow. He could feel it back. That tingle, that sparked that proved silently that what occurred two years ago was no long there being ignored by her.
"You look... Perfect. Since when did you start dressing up for me?" He finally returned. At his words he could feel another wave of shivers overwhelmed her yet again.
His hand slid down her wrist and wrapped tightly around her clawlike hand. He closed the gap between them, his other hand wrapped around her tight little waist. Carthia merely smiled as she pressed her mouth against Eric's next, nuzzling the permanent scar imprinted into his neck left by their last encounter. She opened her mouth up and gently kissed it.
"As much as I hate to admit it, I always dress with you in mind." She breathed.
Before he knew, Carthia pushed herself out of his grasp and stepped back towards the door back to the club. Her hips swaying, forcing David's attention to stay on them and them alone. She pressed the panel next to the door, silently locking it before turning back to the human awaiting her return.
"Forgive me, Carth, I'm not use to all of this... I call you perfect and there is no snark, no roll of your eyes?" He spoke up, smiling at her teasingly. Carthia did not chuckle. Instead she just shook her head as she came back within arms length of the man waiting for her.
"Not tonight, David Prince." She whispered to the desirable human. "I missed this. You and I."
Carthia's hands reached to the back of her dress, gently unzipping it. Revealing more and more of flesh once suckled on by him so many nights ago. A night that he would never forget. He watched her talon hands, slide over her curves as she stepped towards. A sultry smile and glazed eyes focused on him.
David backed away from the sight of the suddenly exposed Carthia. He ignored the pain as he felt his legs bang against his desk. He hopped upwards and took a seat on the table top, a crooked smile slapped across his face.
"What happened to the whole, one time only drama?" He inquired, his lips still quirked into a confused smile for the turian. "What about your whole, 'it wasn't that good' line a day ago?"
Carthia pouted playfully and shrugged as she puled herself up into his lap, her mandibles inches from his as she ran her talons through his soft hair.
"I lied. I'm sorry," She admitted to him at long last. "Talking about it the other day. Well, it made me remember everything had for a couple hours. The way you got my hormones flowing with simple touch. The way you made me cry your name. You made me submissive, but you weren't afraid to relinquish control to me. You made me feel... complete."
David's eyes widened at her words.
"Don't look too much thought into this Primate." She shushed her prey, her talons fumbling with the much too small buttons. "I'm not looking for a settled life with you. this is just... friends, working a tension away in the best possible way."
As the buttons of his shirt hiding his body were tugged open, she stared, memorized at the soft, pale pink flesh just waking to be taste. She i, her mouth pen as teeth and tongue rolled over his him. playing gently with nipples. She gasped for breath as she pulled back, enjoying the gentle human moans emitting from a rekindled lover.
"Thank God you feel that way, I could barely stand you as is." He finally manged to gasp you. Looking deep into playfully offended expression. "But...Can't we... I dunno, wait? You know I'm no prude;" He reminded her her talons rolled over the bulge hidden in his trousers. "I just think If I could, I'd rather take you home after closing, we could crack open a couple bottles of wine, snort a line together, seduce you there. Make you mine."
He bite his lip as he watched Carthia, hooded eyed as her talons ignored his Armani trousers altogether and dug deep inside of them, wrapping tightly around his cock, He bit another moan as he felt Carthia's talon hand push up and down, stimulating nerves ready to screw the turian girl, looking up at him like a he was the juiciest steaks she ever seen and it came with free cunnilingus on the side.
"I really don't wanna leave my own club wobbling, bleeding and puffy as fuck from allergies." David pointed, giving the turian girl the best boyish smile he could produce for her.
"Good idea, but no." Carthia denied, her mandibles forming a smirk as she shook her head, nipping his neck gently. "That will be round two. Slow, passionate..." She listed off softly "Right now, I just want you to take me here. All I want is for you to fill me up and make me cry... just like last time..."
Well fuck. David had to hand it to Carthia. When she wanted something, she sure as shit wasn't going to be coy about it.
Carthia reached out, her talon wrapping tightly around the human's hand. She forced his body to fit behind her so close they were skin to skin. Slowly, she walked her human towards the couch hidden away in the far corner, moaning as she felt, hot soft lips focusing onto her neck.
Together they sat down, Davids arms enveloping the half naked Carthia, who smirked, stretching her neck out to give him ample room to kiss while his hands explored her body, jolting her full of warm thoughts and sensations not felt in several years. Her eyes lit up noticed many digits shuffling lower down her body, teasing rough plates as they slipped into the waist still draped in the dress and touch tingling wet flesh, waiting for him.
"Wow.. You really have had something on your mind today." David spoke up, a grin in his voice. "So... quickie now."
"Practice... then the main show..." She finished and corrected for him.
She yelped as she felt David push his body back against the couch, forcing the woman to shuffle into his lap in order to keep his slender fingers grinding inside of her. Carthia relaxed the best she could into him, using his shoulder as a pillow while she rode out each pulsing pressure scratching inside.
Why did she ever impose a dry spell on herself? She had other lovers before they met, but two years ago was the first and only time she had ever enjoyed sex. It was all she could think about.
She even attempted to shake the thoughts by attempting to fool around with members of her own species. It never went anywhere. She'd often just flat out leave them, half turned on and went home or to the club where she watched from afar as David wooed his human and asari clientele.
But, no matter how attractive they were, how physically appealing it was to his human eyes. He would always spot her within five minutes of sitting down and spend the rest of the night, flirting and teasing her, tempting her into another taste of humanity. Notably, him.
Many months she thought about doing what she was doing right now. All these fingers, affectionate lips touching flesh rarely caressed like this before. The feeling of something so alien inside her. The sheer heat he produced during the aftermath of perfect sex. The way he held her as he dozed off, still deep inside her, the mixture of sex juices sloshing inside of her. She could go on and on.
Then there were the fantasies. By the spirits, each more embarrassing and forbidden to admit to then the next. But when reigned over them all. a secret fantasy she knew would never happen, but nonetheless was fueled over the past few years. every time skin brushed against hers, or he' open his mouth to speak, or even simple look.
Pregnancy. She wanted to carry his hybrid child. Oh what would her family think of her. Coming home, her stomach inflated, with him at her side, announcing to her parents they were going to be proud grandparents to an adorable hurian.
She wasn't deluded. She knew it was all just a fantasy, and she certainly admitted to having some mommy and daddy issues, just like David would regularly remind her of. But dammit, a girl could could dream about conceiving a child with some smooth talking, soft skinned, alien.
"Oh... I don't ever want anything to do with you primate." She heard David mimic her flangling voice as she tumbled with his trousers zipper. "I don't ever want you inside me ever again. You make me all scratchy and slippery."
Then there was the downside to them together: The relentless teasing. She ignored his words and grins as she pushed off the tight material off. She looked at him with a mild smirk . She grabbed him and ran her tongue once, over him, delighted at the sudden moan and shudder. She wouldn't blow him properly. just a tease for now. Something saved for tonight in the comfort of his home.
"It's just not what a proper turian woman does." He continued on, his voice snapping at her like a certain brother she had. "Oh the shame of being defiled by a fleshy five fingered levo trickster."
She blinked and moved away from him, laying flat on the couch as she pushed the res of her dress off. She narrowed her eyes at him as her leg opened and closed, revealing and denying him teasingly.
"If you don't stop quoting my brother and I and focus on fucking me. I'm going to bite you and watch you bleed out." She warned him in a whispered, dangerous voice. As scary as the threat would have been to someone who did not know her, David wasn't perturbed. Instead he obliged her hormone fueled demands. She watched silently as David hiked up the hem of her dress, rolling it around her hips. He smirked strangely and looked, His hand grazing against wet, exposed and hot flesh. She wasn't wearing panties. Carthia had only one thing on her mind all day.
Carthia's eyes widened as the sudden feeling of immense pressure filled inside of her. Two years of denying her urges were shattered as she felt him now connected to her. She quickly returned his coy smirk as she slowly, carefully, rolled her hips, forcing them to grind against David's. Forcing him deeper inside her.
A sudden knock on the door caused Carthia and David's attention to turn away from one another and onto it.
David sighed and cleared his throat. Carthia on the other hand, completely ignored the interruption. instead she continued to ride him, pushing him deeper and faster inside her. Her body was shaking as she looked up into his eyes widely, submissively.
"Yes?"
There was a brief silence, as if the person was debating on speaking up.
"David, it's Marhna." The voice behind the knock finally spoke in a small unassuming voice. "I know you're tired, but you have a visitor."
As David pushed forward, reentering Carthia. He hear a sudden growl forming in her mouth. David reached outwards and pressed it over her mouth. He leaned in his dark eyes lingering on her. She laid submissive underneath the human. Her talons, sharp as the last time, dug into his shoulders. She looked up into his eyes. David knew this look, she was about to cry out.
Last thing either of them needed was an awkward moment with Marhna'Quaera. Poor girl would be scarred for life if she ever had to listen to a turian sex moan.
"Take it silent, Carthia. Feel it, don't verbalize it." He whispered, his lips touching her mouth as he continued to rock back and forth. Carthia exhaled unsteadily, but nodded to his challenge. Silent sex... how exotic.
"Tell Daeli, I'll speak to her later." David finally returned, feigning grogginess as he pushed into Carthia as deep as he could. "You were awesome tonight, sweetheart." He added more brightly. "Take the rest of the night off. Go speak to Hansa, she'll get you your first tip. I'll call you tomorrow, we'll have lunch."
Carthia widened her eyes and shuddered as the first orgasm of the evening rocked through her body. She reached up and pulled the hand over her mouth off.
"Excuse me?" She hissed under her breath as she watched her vagina steady pounded by her human lover "You're having lunch?"
As David heard Marhna's footsteps disappear from auditory range, he turned back to the turian gasping underneath him, a mildly confused smile on his lips.
"She's still in training." He reminded her as his body shifted to his side, pulling Carthia with him as he continued working inside of her. He paused, bit his lip, and with an even larger grin, added. "Wait a second.. Wait a second... Carthia Acterax,are you jealous?"
Carthia blinked at the remark... no she wasn't jealous of some little quarian girl, wide eyed and innocent despite how much of an attitude she possessed and just how dangerous she could become if she committed fully to David's tutelage... Inwardly she seethed... wasn't there three of them? Why couldn't he have chosen the male?
Carthia blinked and shook her head.
"You wish." She finally managed to get out.
She grinned confidently at the soft chuckle escaping from David and leaned in, her mouth wrapping around scarred skin that she shredded ope n the first and last time they had sex. She looked down, once more to watch the human thrust into her. a look of glee was carefully concealed.
Before she could fully appreciate what David was dong to her, the door was knocked on yet again, this time much less timid.
"Daaaavieeee... Open up!"
That squeal, that awful squeal. It meant only one thing.
Daeli Varneris, her mother was a diplomat and wealthy. Her mother may have been respectable, but her daughter was a spoiled drug addict who fucked just about everything she laid her eyes and used men like David to get whatever she needed that her mother would not, or could not provide...
"I'm in the middle of a nap Daeli, darling." David called out, muffled into Carthia's scales. "I'll get you something to snort later. You're here all night."
Daeli groaned, sounding close to an orgasm to Carthia.
"Baby... don't make me wait out here... I missed you allll day." The asari moaned, pressed into the door. "You and that sweet little ass you have. When are you gonna fuck me again?"
Carthia paused her pushing her body into him. She stared up at David who froze, a sudden silly look spread across his face, as though he was feeling guilty.
"Only did it once, just before we met." He finally explained. "Regretted it ever since. Reason why she lingers here, I think."
Though awkward, Carthia was quite okay to forgive the man for the mistake. Most people did make the mistake of thinking screwing Daeli would be worth it.
"Remember the way you had me pressed against your apartment wall, I don't think I walked right for a month after that... Baby, I need that again. You inside me like that..."
Carthia came to a full stop, her arousal completely draining away. David was still moving inside of her, but her mood for it was gone, dead and gone. Before David could assure her that Daeli was nothing and was most certainly not masturbating against the door, the turian lost her temper.
"Piss off, you loose asari twat!" Carthia almost roared, using David's slang's. "I'm trying to get laid in here!"
The moaning behind the door ceased immediately, All Carthia could hear was David's heavy breathing into her neck.
"Is that you, Carthia?" The asari spoke once again. "Well... Well do you need an extra pair of hands, David? I imagine fucking her is like running your dick through a tight hole coated with fiberglass.. I-I wouldn't be the slightest bit surprised if Carthia has teeth in her pussy..."
All patience was lost. Carthia's mood turned into one of rage and indignation. The bitch had to pay, preferably with blood.
"Get out of me David." Carthia growled as she forced David out of her and kicked him right off the couch. "Get the bitch her coke and take me back to your place. Before I bite her fucking throat open."
Dressing quickly back up, David and Carthia stumbled out of the office, running immediately into a very surprised looking Daeli. Carthia didn't even stop, She shoved the woman against the wall and stalked out of the cub, leaving David pausing briefly to give the asari a dimebag of coke. He too left the asari wordless and continued on through the club, shaking hands with patrons who approached him.
Carthia wasn't hard to find, she was the woman pounding back turian whiskey behind the bar, her face contorted in an almost blood rage that clashed with the sweat from both him and her coating her scale skin. David sighed and took a seat at the counter. Though his eyes were on Carthia, Carthia refused to pay any mind to him.
"Sorry about that... she's kinda a... well a whore, I guess" David finally announced.
Carthia downed her second drink and finally looked to him, simply staring at the human. He small eyes rolled, she looked almost amused at what had occured. She set the glass down and stepped out past Hansa, who looked close to breaking down in a fit of laughter.
"You Guess? Come on... show me your apartment..." Carthia finally muttered now at his side, grabbing his hand. "I'll figure a way for you to make it up to me."
...
"Welcome to Memories of Illium, my name is Ereba, May I assist you in anyway?"
"No, not yet at least, just browsing."
The asari named Ereba smiled and nodded, turning away from the human. She did not realize she was speaking with the first human Spectre, the savior of the citadel, Commander John Shepard. It turned out, having such an awesome title like that meant nothing when it came to gift shopping from probably one of the most frugal quarians the Migrant Fleet ever produced.
He sighed as he browsed through the selection. This was the eighth store he had checked for a gift for his quarian girlfriend. The only place he had thought might interest her is if he went to a used part shop and bought her a combustion manifold to repair, take apart and repair again. Something that would probably keep a quarian amused for hours.
Jesus, he was dating a stereotype. John laughed to himself as he scrolled through the list of objects for sale, his eyes dropped down as he noticed the coolest thing they had selling here was bloody fish. Shepard sighed and scrolled to the next page
From the corner of his eye he noticed that the asari was watching him, inspecting him closer than he liked. He shook his head and focused on the catalog, at east until he hear the familiar rumblings of footsteps belong to that of a krogan,
It wasn't Grunt, he was in drinking contest with Garrus and Matriarch Aethyta. Shepard tightened his fists and steadied himself, he looked up defiantly and met the the figure that was only feet way from him. He looked... different. The lack of body armor did it. He looked naked without it. Perhaps it was an assassin krogan. Dress up in civvies and kill people in surprise.
His eyes looked way from him, instead they focused on the the asari, Ereba. He rose his hand up dramatically, and then he begun to speak.
"Oh blue rose of Illium! Let your roots dig deep into the hard soil of Tuchanka!
John widened his eyes and attempted not to burst out laughing at what he thought was a krogan warrior. No,, he was a goddamn Poetry spitting krogan, Now John could die knowing he had seen everything the galaxy could throw at him. From a quarian orgasm to a goddamn romantic krogan.
John looked over to Ereba, who had turned away, her face purple and buried into her hands. Clearly this harassing krogan was causing her more distress than she wanted to deal with. Shepard rubbed the bridge of his nose and wandered over, his facade of helpful passerby taking over his better judgment.
"Miss?"
The asari rounded on him, her expression was contorted into a look of fury directed at a slightly confused Shepard.
"What do you want?" Ereba snapped, her voice venomous. She paused and took a deep breath. She looked up again at John and gave him a slow, apologetic smile.
"Sorry, that damn krogan's poetry is getting on my nerves." She murmured, glancing at the krogan. Shepard glanced back and looked at the krogan, who was now on his knees, babbling something about a garden made of his ancestors. He narrowed his eyes. What a fucking romantic.
John cracked his knuckles and then his neck and smiled at the asari reassuringly.
"Is he becoming too much of a hassle?" John inquired, politely, throwing his thumb over his shoulder and gesturing at the krogan. "I can politely tell him to keep his distance."
Ereba's eyes went wide. The human was offering to intimidate a krogan? A human that was in a simple well tailored suit?
"What?" She all but exploded, her hand grabbing John's gesturing hand and pulled it back down. "Oh no, His name is Charr, he's quite harmless." She assured him, slightly smiling. "We were kinda seeing each other, but we're kinda on a break."
Ereba shrugged her shoulders. John nodded and glanced back over his shoulder again. Charr would get to live. For now.
"Oh, I'm sorry." He decided to say to her. "My line of work leads me to have stereotypes of krogan's."
The asari nodded her head and smiled in apparent understanding.
"No, what you've seen is a correct assessment of Charr's species;" She mused to Shepard, her eyes traveled to look at the krogan, slowly, she added. "Charr is a bit of an exception to the rule though. He's a nice, fun guy. Harmless, judging by you being so willing to hand him his ass, he would be training dummy for you."
Shepard shrugged and attempted to look modest. Charr would not last more than forty seconds against him. Twenty if he applied what he learned from his new mentor in killing big things, Zaeed Massani.
"So, he's a nice guy, but not serious material for you." John summed up, tucking his hands into his trouser pockets, his thumbs hanging out. Ereba laughed and shook her head as hard as she could, Tendrils shaking from the motion.
"Nooo, that's the problem." She explained to him. "He's serious, extremely serious. Five months into what we had going on, he started talking about having kids. I just let it slide but he kept at it and at it. Like I'm some baby making machine for him."
Ereba sighed and glided gracefully away towards the the shop terminal and waved her omni-tool over it. The station and the kiosk powered down. Ereba looked back to Shepard, who raised an eyebrow at the action.
"Closing up?" He queried her. Ereba smiled and shrugged again as she stepped towards the human.
"Yes, it's about an hour before I close up anyway and no one is going to want to shop with an obsessed krogan nearby..." She returned. She paused and quickly added, "...unless you need to buy something?"
Shepard shook his head. Tali's birthday wasn't for another two days, he would have plenty of time to get her something special by then. Perhaps Ereba could help him out. She may have been shit with long term relationships, but surely she had some insight into shopping for another race.
"No, I'd rather help you deal with this." He returned, giving her a kind look. "tell you what," He added. "How about we get a cup of coffee or something and we'll talk this out, get all of this fixed up once and for all."
Ereba looked at him with a raised eyebrow and smirked at him knowingly, she could see right through him.
"I'd would like like that," She replied neutrally "But... does your girlfriend mind?"
Shepard paused and considered the bold statement made by the asari. At first he wanted to tell her off, but he suppressed the urge. Her advice for interspecies dating could be very useful to have. More so then goddamn Mordin Solus' science approach. If he ever had to hear another lecture on Oral hygiene so that he could go down on Tali, he would probably rip off his other horn.
This was very much worth the risk.
"Knowing my girl? She probably would." Shepard informed her ruefully. "She's back on the ship and she's really possessive, especially since she snatched me away from an asari. This can be some sort of test, you know? See if I'm allowed to have some breathing room?"
Ereba couldn't help herself. She giggled at the mans plight and gestured him to follow him with a smile.
"You sound like some sort of toy for this human." She mused as John stepped up and kept pace with her. He bit his lip as he decided to clarify just what race his Tali belonged too.
"Call me Shepard, and she's a quarian." John returned to her brightly. He chuckled slightly as Ereba stumbled and turned to face him with a wide expression at the announcement of who he was.
"A quarian who can steal the heart of the first human spectre away from an asari." Ereba spoke at long last, slightly skeptical of the statement. She sighed and added. "Tell you what, you tell me your woes over coffee? I'll tell you mine."
Shepard nodded and returned her smile.
"Deal."
The asari and the human passed by the krogan, who watched them like he was a massive puppy dog. Shepard rolled his eyes and threw his hand over his shoulder, giving the krogan a parting wave.
"Later Charr." Was his final word to the lovesick krogan. He did not notice, nor care that the reptile's massive scowl.
...

...
"Your turn again! Now that I know about your gift woes, I want to hear all about your troubles with a suspicious quarian!"
John narrowed his eyes at the enthusiastic asari, who was sipping her cup of black coffee idly. Shepard rubbed his eyes and shrugged faintly, his attention focused on stirring his tea.
They were sitting in a crowded little coffee shop ran by a turian woman. A turian woman, Probably he first time he had ever ran into that gender of the species. Still, the place was warm and well decorated. Naturally the the servers probably assumed Ereba and him were on a date or something. Shepard sighed, he wished Tali was around do the explaining herself.
The talkative quarian in love with an individualistic human. Perhaps he could sell the rights to a movie company after, help finance the home he would build her.
Though it was not that this asari hadn't been helpful. She had found herself at east two quarian mates before meeting Charr, she seemed to understand that gift giving for a quarian was difficult. Especially when birthdays were more meant for children rather then the self sacrificing adult.
"She's not that Jealous." John begun slowly, catching Ereba's undivided attention. "Honestly, she's selfless and considerate of others. A team player like any standard quarian."
"Tali's not the standard quarian though. She's even more sacrificing than others." he huffed, in protesting indignation. Her selflessness was a bit of in annoyance to him "Hell, She thought it be better for me to be with the asari than her, that I probably would never give her a chance to begin with, so why rock the boat?"
Ereba smiled at John sympathetically as she set down her cup.
"Would you have?" she questioned as careful as she could. Shepard looked her over, the gears in his head turning before suddenly, he shrugged and smiled melancholic.
"I don't know what would have happened." He admitted ruefully. "She was a different person back then. bubbly, innocent. Her hands clean. We were both different people, but then she grew up. Says that it's thanks to me."
He fell silent as he thought about how he affected the young woman he had come to love. How it hurt to watch her try to rationalize what happened on Haelstrom, on Freedom's Progress. He never really had the right words to explain to her what happened and how to deal with it. Each traumatic experience was unique as the next,
There was a sudden pat on his hand. He looked up to see the asari, smiling at him encouragingly. So he continued for her,
"She's had to send good people to their deaths because I educated her to do so." John echoed blankly, his glazed over gaze focused onto the half empty cup.
"She doesn't deserve that. She's too good for me." John murmured and looked away, his expression distant.
"We met three years ago. If I had been dating her back then, I honestly don't know how it would have worked out." John continued, a little more confidently then before. On his lips a small smile. "But, here and now? I'm going to make it work. I love her, and, for the first time in a long time. I'm confident she loves me back."
As John concluded his musings, Ereba pulled her hands off her chin and smiled at the human faintly.
"Overall, she sounds so sweet." She sighed almost longingly. "Too bad she hates asari's chatting with her boyfriend."
John shook his head in disagreement.
"Nah, she'd be cold for about 15 seconds and then warm up the moment she realizes you're not interested." Shepard disagreed with the asari. He paused and then wiggled his eyebrows in a fake attempt to seduce her.
"You aren't, right?" John tacked on with a shit eating grin spread across his face.
Together, both Shepard and Ereba snorted out a laughter so loud it disturbed the tables around her. Neither of them gave a damn as they continued to laugh at the idiot move he had made.
"By the Goddess," Ereba managed to say through her laughter. "You're so humble and then vain as hell."
John nodded grinning to himself and leaned back into his seat. His eyes looked her over. He took a deep breath. Best to pay the Devil's advocate now while the mood was light.
"Listen, I'm going to flat out say this. How you take it is up to you." Shepard spoke up, his eyes became more focused intently on the asari maiden. "If a long term relationship is what you want then what you have Charr have together isn't something that will allow that.."
Shepard had expected the asari to interrupt him. She didn't. it appeared that his opinion was more valuable then he thought. So, he continued.
"I'm not a relationship expert," He admitted to her, carefully. "but when his sole focus is taking you back to Tuchanka and making as many babies as he can with you in hopes you produce a krogan, then you know his priorities motivated by himself, not the two of you."
"Bu-"
"I know," Shepard interjected, holding his hand up. "It's a matter of randomizing DNA for the child in you, not actual biological creation by you and the other species."
"You see. You and I? We can have a rational conversation about this right now. But what about Charr?" He deadpanned, causing all the fight in her to die. "Do you think is that Charr is going to be able to suppress the inner rage from the genophage from coming to the surface for the next thousand years? asari children are a quick fix to a long term problem."
The dead silence between the Shepard and Ereba, meant that he could continue. She was not protesting this.
"Charr may be a nice loving guy now, but what about in a century or two when he's older and comes to realize what he wants from his children is not something he get from them?" He gently pressed on by posing the question. "What if you yourself anger him?"
Still the asari said nothing as she ingested the words Shepard gave her.
"Charr is looking for a way to desperately create life after the genophage, a last ditch effort to sow the seeds. But, with your lifecycles and clashing ideals, it seems unlikely it'll end well." Shepard sighed, allowing a half smile of sympathy for her. "I can't say it would happen to you, but is it worth the risk?"
Shepard shrugged quietly.
"Your future children deserve better then that risk."
They fell silently as Shepard watched the asari slowly nod, accepting John's admittedly harsh judgment. He sigh, he was just calling how he saw it. Charr probably was decent man, but he and Ereba were just not meant to be. judging by her body language, she seemed to have agreed.
"Besides, the way you talk about it. It's like your heart wants it, but your brain doesn't." John concluded, downing his tea and looking up to meet Ereba's ever alert watching of him, " true love isn't some fantasy where 'only the heart matters.' Both need to be in agreement, otherwise what you have will just fall apart."
Shepard leaned back into his seat and glanced at his omni-tool, 6:27PM local time. He'd probably have to get back to the Normandy soon. Tell an anxious girlfriend of his that he was okay, despite not checking in.
"You're right." Ereba finally said, glancing down and sighing slightly "Charr is a great guy, and it's going to hurt him. But better now then down the line where I could be putting my daughters at risk. Children always come first, Having them on the whim for a desperate krogan is just not good."
"I see that the Commander is still working issues out with his words."
John stiffened at the familiar voice and Ereba looked up and smiled widely at the source of the wobbly synthesized voice. There stood Tali, looming over Shepard, her lithe form was surprisingly intimidating. Her small, feminine hands were curled into tight fists. She was not at all happy with what she was looking at.
Shepard had to maneuver through this minefield very, very carefully.
"Oh, hello Tali." He begun delicately, his hand reaching out to grab her by one of her suit's many straps. "How did you find me?."
Tali narrowed his eyes at his touch and crossed her arms.
"I reprogrammed a spare tracking device and implanted it into the back of your neck while you slept." She flat out stated. John swallowed and looked back to the asari and attempted not to lose his cool. Her voice was blunt, arms crossed and defensive, eyes narrowed.
He was going to die. Simple as that.
"Tali'Zorah?" Ereba spoke up softly, her voice sweet and kind as it addressed the hard looking quarian engineer. "Shepard was singing his praises of you only a few minutes ago, Told me he was madly in love with you."
She smiled faintly as she watched as Tali softened her stance and her eyes. From a hard stare to a watchful gaze.
"For a Spectre he's very sentimental about you." She continued, glancing at Shepard whose eyes were returning Tali's look. "Hell, he thinks you're too good for him."
She smiled widely as she watched her words work. Tali bounced on her toes. She was obviously surprised and extremely flattered that that man who held her heart felt just like she did as well.
"Y-you do?" She echoed, Her voice longing and hopeful that perhaps she was not alone in the feelings she had. She looked down and shivered as her Never simulators felt John's hand snake up and take a hold of her side.
"You're not the only one whose thinks they got more then they deserve." He returned, smiling slightly at her. His other hand gestured outwards d pointed itself at a chair. Tali obliged, she joined the asari and the human. mostly just with the human however, Tali's and John's chair were only inches apart and her helmeted head rested comfortably on his bicep.
"We were just talking about your upcoming Birthday, Tali." Ereba continued, smiling at the couple " We were trying to get a sense of what we could give you without you getting upset."
Tali's bright eyes looked up to John.
"All I want is for him to be there." She spoke softly to the two of them. "He does not need to buy me anything. It just would not measure up to what I get from being with him."
The quarian nudged her mate with the end of her helmet. Shepard smiled at her and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. Ereba smiled and did her best not to sob like she was a hundred year old maiden watching a romance vid.
At least she would have until Shepard ruined the mood.
"You mean because I'm helping your people to broker for Rannoch's return and I'm sexier than a Dutch underwear model?" He pointed out, as he smirked at his Quarian.
Tali's eye's went wide and she flew off him, Her hand lashed out and smacked Shepard hard against his chest.
"You Bosh'tet!" She hissed out as she smacked him yet again. John was laughing like a maniac. Both of them were ignoring Ereba. She did not mind, she was smiling widely at the seen before her.
"I can see where you're coming from, Shepard." Ereba spoke up, her voice breaking through the play fight. "Tali and you have a depth to what you have. It's not just devoted to a single thought. I get it."
John dropped his smile and shrugged apologetically.
"I'm sorry."
Ereba shook her head and turned her attention to the confused Tali.
"No, it's fine. Judging from Tali's confused look, how about the three of us go out and get a drink at Eternity." Ereba spoke up to her "We can inform her and maybe get her drunk enough to get an idea what she would like for a gift."
Shepard laughed and nodded in agreement. He stood up and dragged his reluctant quarian with him.
"That's a good idea." John agreed with her, he looked down Tali, and, with a wide smirk, added. "Come on Princess, lets find out your deepest desires."
Tali ignored the barb as she bit her lip and nodded her head as she followed the two of them closely. What could possibly go wrong?
...

...
"That... That was incredible." Tali panted, Rolling her body over and pressed up tight against John. Shepard nodded blankly, his head swimming with all the feelings he forgot for years.
"Yeah, it was." John agreed as he kissed her hard. His hand grabbed her hips and pulled himself as close as he could next her.
"John... you made me cry..." Tali attempted to speak but only managed a babble as she buried her head deep into John's chest. "Keelah, and and..."
"I think I deserve some of the credit as well." The soft trill of an sari's voice interrupted her mumbling. Tali looked over and watched as Ereba crawled out from under the sheets and hugged her body against Tali's tightly. Her hands snaked around the Quarian girl's waist.
"If - if I knew this was what it would be lie, I would not have gotten so mad at you when you suggested it." She whispered, still breathing heavily, her eyes wide. Shepard raised an eyebrow and laughed slightly.
"I suggested it?" The Spectre said incredulously "You were the one hitting on her, the entire night. You were the one telling me you thought she was attractive. You were the one who said it be a good birthday treat!"
Tali shook her head wildly in denial, her eyes wide.
"But..."
Tali was just making excuses now. She was the instigator in all of this!
"Tali. We did this because you wanted to do this." Ereba pointed out, laughing at the quarians sputtering attempt at an excuse. She really, really was not as innocent as she looked. The things she did to Ereba, the way she worked her tongue inside of the asari. Hell, John was mostly just focused on Tali. He had allowed Ereba to put all her focus onto Tali.
"Well, what happens now?" Tali whispered after a long moment of silently enjoying the the caresses coming from two pairs of hands.
"Did you like that?" John questioned her, grinning slightly.
Tali looked between John and Ereba. Slowly and blushing deeply, she nodded her head. This was against everything that that she was raised to be, but it was utterly worth it. The moment she had heard that Ereba had a decontamination unit for her home, she knew it would have happened.
"We bring her back to Rannoch once we get the homeworld back." John mused to her. Tali giggled and allowed the Ereba to dragged her body over Tali's and crawled in between the human and the quarian.
"Thank you for the offer, thought I would not want to impose on your relationship too much." The asari spoke softly, her lips pressed against Tali's tight stomach, causing her to squirm under the attention of two very different lips. She closed her eyes briefly and moaned softly, her eyes devoted on John.
"Well... I'm all for it, but It's up to the birthday girl." Shepard informed Ereba faintly, her teeth grabbing against her neck, causing Tali to groan and mumble in Khellish.
Tali's whose whole body blushed darkly, nodded her head. Mentally the human fistpumped. Everything was going better then expected.
John pressed his lips against Tali's one last time and crawled out of bed. He tugged on his boxers and stretched out there was a shift behind him. He looked back and saw Ereba roll closer to Tali, who giggled nervously as the asari's tongue touched against hers.
Shepard sighed and wandered out of the room The two women spoke animatedly. Probably about him. It did not matter, he needed a large glass of water. Mind Melding's and quarian sex was quite possibly the most rigorously thing he had ever endured outside of combat.
As he reached the kitchen he opened the refrigerator and found a glass container of chilled water. Grabbing a cup off the counter he poured himself a glass of water. He sighed. it was best glass of water he ever drank.
Ad then, he heard it.
"Oh blue rose of Illium! Let your roots dig deep into the hard soil of Tuchanka!
Shepard squinted and set down the glass. He could not believe it. It was the Krogan, Charr! He was stalking Ereba now at home? Granted, Ereba had only just marked the decision to end it only last night. John opened the window shades briefly glanced out. There he was, on his knees and begging.
There was a second moment of guilt he felt. He had ruined a relationship for him. But, it was for the best. A man with a single reason for everything was a man obsessed. A man obsessed could bring only harm to others in the end. If not now, then hundreds of years from now.
John sighed and pressed the control to open the blinds up. The action caught the Krogan by surprise. Shepard smirked at the being who was looking shocked as hell. Shepard rubbed his neck and slid the window open.
"Isn't this called stalking?" He inquired from the krogan. Charr blinked, his eyes wide, his face contorting into a look Shepard was most use to from his species: rage.
"You're the human from Ereba's work. How dare you defile her!" Charr roared out at the human. enraged at John's mostly naked form.
John raised his eyebrow at the rage shown by the apparently "Sweet" Krogan. He crossed his arms and glared down at the Krogan. Ereba had done so much for him. The least he could do was fix the this vicarious situation.
"Deal with it." He said sharply. He closed the window and headed back to the bedroom, where undoubtedly, Tali was understanding why in the hell he was with Liara in the first place. He paused in the doorway and watched as Ereba and Tali were fast asleep.
Sleep. it looked good right about now. He wandered over to Tali's backside and crawled into bed. His arms wrapped around Tali's waist, armed laced tightly against the Ereba's, causing Tali to purr and shuffled into him and Ereba to smirk with her eyes closed tightly. He smiled to himself as he too closed his eyes.
Best. Birthday. Ever.
...
"Shepard you know I can feel that so please... have mercy on a quarian girl!"
"Come on its a time honored human male tradition to feel up their girl in a movie theater."
Tali moaned softly as Shepard's strong grip rubbed the inside of her thigh in soft, deliberate circles. It was taking all her effort not to squeak out in sheer arousal
"No.. if you do this I'm just going to embarrass myself in front of a packed theater before the movie begins, so please, please resist..." She begged him. Tali really did not mind it. She was just... worried. For good reason as well, the things Shepard could do to her would make her turn her audio output off. Even then people would still here her crying.
Shepard sighed and slowly dragged his hand off of her, getting the demand but not looking too happy about it either.
"All right.." Was his reluctant agreement. Tali took a sigh of relief; as nice as it had been, it was for the best. The last thing she wanted was to get herself and John kicked out and arrested for public sex. With a sigh each, the two of them turned back to face the screen.
...
It's 2183: Just before the galaxy went mad. Humanity needed a type of leader.
A Shot of a Dreadnoughts observation room became visible. Three men stood together, vaguely looking like Admiral Hackett, Captain Anderson and Donnel Udina from behind. Together the three men gazed out at Earth in quiet contemplation.
"Humanity is on the verge of providing a Spectre." The Udinalike man spoke up to the other's passionately. "We need to find the best to represent us."
Someone that would serve as the blade to the council, the galaxies first and last line of defense.
"Commander Jane Herder, whether you like to admit it our not, you are the best choice for the job." The man who looked like Anderson spoke passionately to the figure wearing full suit of combat armor, helmet was off , revealing long thick looking blond hair. She seemed deep in thought until finally Anderson got his reply
"This platform has reached the same concenencion."
Herder turned around to stare at the commanding curiously. Its flashlight head allowed its flaps to open up in apparent excitment.
The best, happened to be of geth origins.
"This platform confirms that we are the Logical choice." Herder the geth confirmed much to the relief of the Captain, "Now pardon our departure, we have a spa day to partake in."
The geth ran it's hand through it's luscious long blond hair and walked away, earning a shake of its Commanding Officers head as a old catchy earth song played.
Did we mention the geth thinks itself female?
"Jane, a Spectre named Sernus has gone rouge." The Anderson type spoke to the geth platform as passionately as he could act. "He has a week head start and resources across the galaxy. We don't know what he wants but a rouge Spectre is bad news."
The geth 'female' nodded in an apparent agreement.
"This platform concurs that this organic seeks the return of the old machines." Jane stated seriously, taking a step forward, "We have come to the conclusion that we must neutralize him before his objectives are complete. We will require a ship as priority."
A wide screen panning shot of what looked eerily like the first Normandy came into view over dramatic Wagnersque music. It was suppose to be an awe inspiring sight.
"A team." The geth monotonously stated overtop the image which panned into a shot of a team of warriors. From humans to Asari's, From Turians to a Massive Elcor with a Minigun/MRL strapped to its back.
"We will stop him." Was the geth's last words as the screen went black.
Suddenly, Explosions, geth being torn apart, ships blowing up and worlds burning roared into view with an amazing intensity. Jane the geth was shooting wildly and ripping Krogan's apart with 'her' bare hands. The action died down and a shot of a man who looked similar to Kaidan Alenko became clear.
The man looked up and locked his eyes with the geth, his expression was filled with sheer longing.
"Jane... I know that there are rules against this... fraternization... but I love you... Please, Come back to us. To me." He said to the machine as they now sat together in the messhall all alone. He hd grabbed and was holding the geth's claws tenderly.
"This platform has 1998 individual machines residing in a collective consciousness. None of which have a concept or comprehension of love on record." It finally said, almost sadly.
The human looked down at the table, devastated by 'her' words. He looked close to tears until finally, the machine reached out and lifted his chin up with one of its hands, revealing Kaidan's...err Jaiden tear shimmering eyes.
"We are, however, willing to try."
The Lieutenant's eyes lit up and he leaned in, kissing the machine passionately.
From award winning director: Francis Kitt.
"I-I was sure if you wanted me up here." Jayden said, holding the machine's hands in Jane's darkened private quarters, "I just wanted yo to know that if we don't make it... it's been an honor serving under you."
The Machine cocked it's head as it allowed the human to lead it towards the bed.
"Jayden,you have not had the honor of serving under this platform." It stated seriously.
And the producers who brought you Blasto: The Jellyfish Stings and Blasto Saves Christmas.
There was a montage of sex, explosions, love and violence until finally the Turian Spectre villain and Jane Herder were staring down each other's pistols. Both itching to fire first.
"I should have known this would be the way it ends!" The Rebel Spectre arrogantly spoke. The machine tilted its head.
"There is a 97.81781575382056739 percent probability that I will fire first. Do you understand the organic concept of luck?"
The screen went black.
Spectres: Coming to theaters everywhere.
...
Both Tali and John stared at the screen as the trailer for next movie started to play, neither of them sure of what to think of the atrocity that they had witnessed. Shepard finally broke his stare and noticed Tali, shaking her head in disgust. A geth protagonist based on him must not have sat well with her. Quietly, John squeezed her hand.
"That had to be the wost thing I ever watched." He mused, earning a look and what sounded like a resigned sigh of relief.
"Can we go home?" Tali asked softly, her voice uncertain. "I don't think I can watch this... this movie anymore, I've lost all desire to see it..."
Shepard nodded and stood up, gripping her hand as he pulled her up with him as well.
"Okay, lets get drunk and see how fast we can undress you."
Tali nodded blankly and slipped her arms around her humans waist. At this point, risking her health sounded a better alternative then to sit in a dark room and think about a geth Shepard making love to Commander Kaidan Alenko...
"Keelah John, Fix your hair up, you're in need of a haircut!"
"It's not that long. I haven't had civilian issued haircut since I enlisted."
"I don't care, John. You're not going to embarrass me. I need this to be perfect! I get one chance at a good impression and I'm not going to make any mistakes."
John Shepard, galactic hero, rolled his eyes at the paranoid quarian princess.
"Tali, they're my parents. Not some magical off worldly beings."
Tali scowled at John for his utter casualness. It was not often that he was like this. Usually everything was almost military precision. Whereas when Tali got a surprising invite from John's mother to join them at the families estate. Estate seemed to be a dirty word for Shepard. As a navy brat, or spacer as Tali knew him better as, it was not often families like his ever got into enough money to buy high end property on the human homeworld, Earth.
Of course it would be expected now. With Hannah being an admiral and Eric Shepard, John's father, being important to the Alliance at first and then the galaxy at large for reasons Tali had never learned of exactly. Eric Shepard was a subject that John tended to leave alone. He apparently had more in common with his mother then him.
"My dad is... different." Shepard finally spoke, rubbing the back of his neck as he peered over Tali's shoulder. Tali turned to follow the gaze. He appeared to be looking at the house for any sigs of life; There were none. Shepard sighed and gestured for her to follow, which she happily did, her slender arm latched around his waist possessively.
While the future quarian wife was confused as to where her future human husband was taking her. She did not mind the mystery. Instead she focused on the world she now stood on. It was brighter then Rannoch. The soil squishing under her feet was soft, fertile like Rannoch. She also watched where she stepped. Bugs were an important part to the ecosystem on this small world. She would not be a strain on it by trampling the things that helped sustained the world's fragile life.
Shepard on the other hand, did not give a care. where he stepped, he trudged through the soft dirt like he owned the place. Tali sighed, it must have been a human thing she had been warned of. She smirked to herself. of course those legs of him, so straight and rigid gave him less mobility to be considerate of the life below them.
Speaking of John, he was looking more and more anxious, like he was worried something but not willing to admit his uncertainty. As they passed through a pair of evergreens as Shepard had called them, it became apparent where their destination was now towards.
There was a clearing in front of them. set in the middle of it was a pathway that led to a large building that looked like it was pushing past two hundred years old. Tali looked up to Shepard. He had frozen as he stared off at it. Gently she nudged him. It broke his fixation off the building and turned back to his future wife.
"He's not exactly a military type, my dad." Shepard explained as he led the quarian down to the separate building with slow steps. "He's an architect and fancies himself an artist nowadays."
Tali tilted her helmeted head, unknown to John, she bit her lip.
"He... draws?" She spoke up disbelievingly "That doesn't strike me as role of a Shepard... especially a patriarch."
Shepard laughed and quickly shook his head..
"He's not a patriarch, I have a load more family you'll meet. He paints, sketches, does architecture work for colony worlds that have grown past prefabricated buildings." He elaborated for her. He gave her a smile and gently, shoved her in place, listening delightfully at the stream of annoyed protests Tali muttered in Khellish.
"He's a massive pothead." He added more to himself than to her.
Tali looked again at him uncertainly. Pothead. What kind of euphemism was that for? Tali went through her internal dictionary of human sayings. None of it clicked to her. Tali closed her eyes and shook her head. Why couldn't humans speak plainly like quarians. It was cute and infuriating at the same time. They had an entire language developed that had no translations available for non humans, leaving people like her stumbling for a meaning.
"Pot...head?" She questioned him finally. John looked back and quirked his lips as though she was dumb not to know. Tali glared at him for the subtle movement.
"Come on," He said simply, opening the door and ushering her inside, "See for yourself."
...

...
Tali had to turn her olfactory filter off the moment she had entered the room. The smell and smoke haze over the two of them was thick and pungent. She could not accurately place the smell. Judging from John's deep inhalation, he was rather happy of it and at the same time grunted in disapproval.
She looked around at the interior of the aging structure. On every inch of wall were pictures, drafts, various notes and and actual paper bound books littered the tables next to massive scale models of constructions he was undertaking. Over them Tali could hear the recognizable sound of drums and alien instruments that John had a taste in listening to. Archaic music, but still nice in there own right.
As they entered the main room of this studio; Tali came to a sharp pause and widened her eyes. There he sat, Eric Shepard.
Tali glanced back to John. It was almost as if John and Eric had been brothers. John's father looked maybe 10 to fifteen years older at most. There were a few extra lines around his face but he still had a strange youth to him. His hair was an ashy brown streaked with only a faint noticing of Grey.
His hair. It was as long as a female. It would have put Miranda Lawson to shame. It was tied back into what John and other human's referred to as a 'ponytail'. His face was covered in facial hair. Thick and wild, Tali shuddered at it , she did not understand why human women and asari found so endearing about men looking like savages. he always tried to keep John well groomed. She had to, even if she found it nice. Anything that unessential and could make her sick had to be cut out for her sake.
Tali broke her thoughts as Shepard cleared his throat loudly, Causing the older man to turn his head sharply. For a fraction of a second he looked ready to fight, perhaps even kill them, but as that moment of worry went away, Eric softened his bloodshot eyes and gave a low rumbling laugh.
"John, it's been a while boy..." Eric spoke up, his voice was gravelly and strained, regardless it had a friendly tone to it that made Tali slightly jealous. Her father would probably have gave her a curt nod and went back to whatever project he had on his mind. That was if he was in a good mood.
Before John knew it, his father was out of his seat and wrapped around his son tightly. The son choked out a surprised yelp but returned the hug nonetheless. He looked up to Tali whose eyes were wide and her hands on her hips. She was quite obviously smiling at the family reunion.
"Hey dad," John said, letting his old man go and holding him at arm length, examining him closely. With a large grin he added. "you wouldn't happen to be a bit fried are you?"
Despite Eric's eyes were squinting and bloodshot as he stared at his boy he shook his head in denial. The younger Shepard laughed and shook his head in amusement and gestured Tali to come over to them. Tali was reluctant to do so. His father was stoned and mumbling to himself. It wasn't a good sight. Eric rubbed his eyes and looked up towards the apprehensive quarian.
There was a look of disbelief on the older man's lined face as he attempted to see through the mask concealing Tali's face from the world. Slowly, Eric turned his head back to his son and placed a finger to his lip, shushing his boy. He latched his arm onto John's and tugged him away for what he figured was a private conversation.
"She has bloody claws, hooly shit... Crazy man.." The artist told the Spectre as if it was a fact. John looked at his dad, his eyebrows raised at the information he was giving. Tali stiffened, now feeling rather defensive. As much as she wanted to be respectful, she didn't want to have to defend herself for not being human. From the corner of her eye she noticed that John seemed more amused then offended.
"Is that what gave her away as a quarian? What about her suit?" John asked his stoned father incredulously; Eric shrugged and ran a hand through his ashy graying hair. John sighed and pulled away from his father and over to Tali, who was focused intently on the architectural models. He latched his arm around her waist and brought her over to meet his dad face to face.
"Dad." John introduced, his voice's sincerity surprising both the father and the quarian. "this is the woman I love, Tali, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy."
At the utterance of the word love, Eric allowed a confounded half smile for both his boy and the quarian he had fallen for. Slowly, Tali stepped forward and held out her hand to him.
"Hello, sir. It's an honor to meet you." Tali stated formally as Eric wearily took her hand, As quick as they griped, Eric grunted and let go of her hand. He looked up with blurred vision and crookedly smiled at his boy's future wife.
"Honor. schonor," The father said, waving his hand dismissively and, much to the quarian woman's shock. Eric wrapped his arms around the Quarian like he had to John. Tali froze up and tightened in the strange grip from the impaired older man. She turned her head over to look at John, who was attempting not to laugh.
"I'm not gonna remember all of that, Miss Zorah." Eric murmered letting go of her, and slumping down into his painters chair. "I'm just gonna call you future daughter and mother to grandchildren not born. That gonna be cool?"
Tali widened her eyes and sputtered in her native language, all the while turning to look at her fiance who was laughing at the situation brightly. Tali scowled at her captain, he was suppose to protect her from any embarrassment! Instead she was getting teased by Eric who was idly looking over his landscape scrutinously. The quarian turned her head and looked back over to the model and cocked her head to examine it closer whilst losing the color in her cheek.
"You like?"
She turned back to the gravelly voice. Eric was still intently running a dry paintbrush over the landscape. Shepard wandered over to Tali's side and glanced at the model intently. It was tall with a graceful organic look to it, with a lorolling dome serving as a roof. Tali smiled softly. From her ventures into the abandoned cities of Rannoch.
"Your Admiralty Board seeked me out recently," The father continued as he turned away from his painting. "Told me they were holding a contest for a contract to create a modern parliament building of some sort. This was my entry."
"I don't see what's wrong with the old one however, It's goddamn beautiful building." Eric, his tone was that of a grumble. "Tradition is not enough I suppose. Perhaps it reminded them of their ancestors gravest mistake."
Tali flinched at the opinion held by her future father-in-law. It was a view that most of the galaxy shared. It was a view quarians grudgingly denied as a whole but privately agreed with. The reminder of the guilt both her people and their creations mutually shared was still a fresh wound to many of her people.
"Keelah, this is such a beautiful design. I know they will love it." Tali whispered as she leaned down and nearly pressed her next to the model, doing her best to ignore the sleight.
"They also want me to spend a few months a year to train a first generation of quarian architects with a few others from other species at the Jeirva technical institute, outside C'athas and inspect the major structures around that barren little rock you two call home." He continued, slightly less enthused with his new positions than the prospects of building the new parliament.
"I suppose we'll need to get a spare room ready for you. After you clean yourself up." John spoke up, his arm wrapped around her waist. causing her to bounce slightly on her toes in a cross between excitement and worry. Eric barked a laugh at the sight of his son still able to startle his future wife and slumped back down. In his hands was a strange looking device. in his other a lighter. He brought the long barrel up to his lips and flickered the lighter over a small bowl packed with a green, dried out herb.
"Dad, is that really necessary?" John snapped out in his authoritarian tone. It was one that usually put the scare in people who. Eric merely coughed, smoke sputtering from his nose and mouth.
"Goddammit John," He cursed loudly, "You sound too much like your mother. You need to loosen up, Mister intergalactic hero. Mister "I can sleep with any women I look at but don't cause I wanna be tied down to a pretty little quarian thing."
Eric blinked twice and turned to face his future daughter-in-law.
"Hurm... No offense intended, Miss Zorah." He stated as quick as his intoxicated mind could relay.
Tali blinked as well.
"Of course, sir." Tali lightly replied as she nudged John hard in the chest, in a lower but still audible tone she added. "It's now clear to me where you get your attitude towards me from."
Eric nodded and took another drag as he witnessed his tightass son bellow out laugh which quickly became a mocking glared. before he could speak, his omni-tool beeped and flashed to life. John looked at it briefly and sighed.
"That's mom," He announced to the two of them. "I'll see where she's at. You two get along, okay?"
Tali nodded as she felt his arm tugged her closer, with no words, he kissed the side of her helmet. She nudged him again, much softer than before. Her mask dropped down and hit his chest as softly as she could. Reluctantly, She felt him let go of her. Tali looked up and watched as Shepard, the man of her dreams wander out of the room. She sighed and turned back to the artist who was standing up, the smoking device still in his hand.
"Here." Was all Eric said as he wandered to the refrigerator and tugged a small airtight canister. it was a thick brown liquid. Tali looked at it, her hidden expression formed a deep frown as she inspected it. It looked like liquid bacteria infection.
"I made you something to eat, Eating'll help relax you. It-it's a turian foyura." The elder Shepard stated, handing the canister over to the quarian while smiling slightly. "I-I think it's like there dextro version of a chocolate brownie thing. Suppose to be good. Made sure that it was decontaminated and everything."
Tali again stared at it, her head cocked as she wondered exactly what it was. The words 'Foyura' and 'chocolate' were not words she knew of. She looked back up and saw that Eric looked at her expectantly. She inwardly sighed. He had claimed it was clean and a warm feeling of acceptance came over her. Not often people would cook with her in mind.
"Thank you for thinking about me, I appreciate it." Tali said to the man, who was sitting back down in his seat. Quietly, she attached the canister to the masks nourishment receptors and, after a moments hesitation, she took a sip.
Tali reeled back in shock. it was wonderful. It was sweeter them she expected, it was one of the most wonderful things she had eaten in quite sometime. Her twenty four year diet of nutrient paste left her with a desire to try new and exotic dishes. It was a desire that John had to make her do, She was one not to waste money over things like flavored food when she could use the credits she saved for important things like ship parts, thermal clips and or others.
"This is delicious, much more than it looks." She said sincerely, smiling behind her mask to the older man. Eric looked up at her as he packed a new bowl for himself. He looked satisfied.
"Then my culinary arts abilities are not a complete failure like my old lady wants me to believe. Consider yourself in the clear to marry my boy." He announced brightly.
Together they shared a laugh and fell into a comfortable silence. in his free hand, the artist picked up his brush and went back to examining the portrait. Tali on the other hand, sat down in the chair in the corner of the room, happily she sipped the foyura paste. She looked around the art studio and smiled. It seemed so strange that this was the man who fathered one of the galaxies greatest warriors.
While Mister Shepard made it a funny observation, it really was true. John must have inherited more from his mother.
"So, you want to marry my son."
Tali looked up and found that Eric was looking at her inquisitively, his smoking device was set down and forgotten. Slowly, Tali nodded her head and smiled faintly to herself.
"Y-yes sir. I love him" She confessed softly; "I think that I have ever since I met him."
Eric maintained the watchful examination before nodding in understanding.
"Yes, Hannah told me the story about a dozen times," He informed her, catching the women off guard. "She's an old school romantic when she's off duty. Myself? I think you save him just as much as he did you, though."
Tali did a doubletake at the comment. Eric however, continued to look at her casually, until he glanced away and focused back on the landscape.
"My boy did things on Torfan that changed him." He stated as he softly brushstroked an evergreen, he looked up to the quarian, saying; "Between when it happened and when he met you, he was a miserable man. I like to think you were his reason for getting better."
Tali, in that moment thought of tearing her mask of so that she could show the look of sympathy on her face to him. That would have to wait. At least until she could remove her prison permanently. She watched as he shrugged. It was an unverbalized message of 'fuck it.'
"I don't judge him for what he did." He pointed out to her, "His mother on the other hand."
Eric sighed and pulled out the tie in his hair, letting it all fall out wildly. He messed it up, his expression was blank from the mixture of drugs in his system and memories of an unpleasant past.
Tali latched her hands together and lowered her head respectfully but decided not to voice an opinion. Torfan was not a topic people close to her captain would speak about. Shepard was a man of few regrets. But what he did there was one of those things what made the guilt flow. It did not help that Hannah Shepard had all but refused to speak about it in either John or hers presence. It was a source of tension between the two of them. Both agreed to not open old wounds.
Slowly, she closed her eyes as she felt a wave of sudden nausea come over. She shook her head and looked back up to Eric, he continued to pint as though they hadn't been speaking to one another.
"You protect him from himself." He added, setting his brush down and turned back towards Tali yet again. "I'm happy to see that love know no species."
Tali blinked furiously and nodded as she failed to formulate a grateful reply. Eric smiled but did not comment on her lack of words.
"So, if if this is you asking for permission to be John's bride, his everything, forget it."He simply dismissed, not playing mind to Tali wobbling her head in place. "I saw you at his funeral. I knew what he meant to you. I know what his second chance meant to you. You've got yourself a good man and he got himself a good woman."
Shepard paused and stared at the woman widely in uncertainly.
"You are a woman right?" He asked her pointedly, "I-I mean you got breasts obviously but.. but so do the asari, but they're monogendered."
Tali burst out laughing. at the remark. Somewhere in her rational mind, she should have been utterly offended at him questioning her gender, For some reason however she found it completely hysterical.
"DAD!"
Eric and Tali turned around quickly and found a tall woman standing in the doorway, her arms were crossed and her dark brown eyes were glaring at the male with fire in her eyes. Tali looked between them blankly, whatever Eric did, the tall athletic looking brunette was not looking impressed at him
"What, pumpkin?" Was Eric's innocent reply. The girl growled at him, instantly shutting him up. She turned to Tali and gave her a half smile.
"You must be Tali, right?" The woman inquired, Tali nodded her head her eyes starting widely, worried if she was going to be killed by the human female. The woman pointed to the two thirds empty canister.
"You didn't eat anything he made, did you?" She asked plainly. Tali stared at the container and then between Eric and the unidentified woman. Tali nodded her head weakly and stepped away, stumbling in place. She hit her back in the wall and giggled to herself.
"Umm, I'mma go see your mother... yeah, that'll work..." Eric responded, making an excuse as he edged out of the room. As he passed by the glaring daughter, he added "I'll see you in a bit, Tali."
"See you later, Sir!" Tali happily returned as the human fled the room. Tali giggled gain and turned away stumbling to what appeared to be a mirror.
"Oh god," The woman sighed out loudly as she stepped back towards Tali "Dad's primary ingredient for almost everything he cooks is hash oil. Apparently it helps to relax people."
The woman scoffed at the thought.
"More like make people paranoid... idiot." She added, clearly annoyed at the man.
Tali had no clue what hash oil was, it really did not matter to her at that moment. instead she stared into the mirror widely, She was suddenly and unexplainably frightened at what she saw staring back at her.
"Oh Keelah, why are my eyes glowing?" She mumbled, turning away. She clamped her eyes closed and ignored the barking laughter from the female in the room with her. Weakly she stumbled in place until she fell onto the floor with a thud, her head was spinning, making the poor quarian disorientated.
"Who...Who are you?" Tali cried out, slurring her words as she attempted to point to her. The woman smiled and placed her hand to her chest.
"I'm Sarah, John's little sister." She introduced kindly.
Sarah... John's sister. So much for a good first impression. she was 'stoned' off of the food made by her future father-in-law. This was exact;y what she didn't want! Faintly she could here the scampering of little feet running at a quick pace. She opened her eyes and found herself looking up at a small human. A... a child. She had long curly black hair and blue eyes almost as vivid as her John's, she looked at the quarian curiously. Tali smiled at her, not remembering that she was wearing a mask.
"This is Anna, my daughter, John's niece." Sarah's voice introduced. Slowly, Tali staggered herself back up, she heard a small yelp in worry and saw the girl fly back behind her mother and peak out from behind her leg.
"Hello." Tali murmered , hoping not to sound too sluggish. It was a complete and utter failure. To the mother and daughter, all they heard was a greeting in Khelish a language they had no clue of. Sarah leaned down into the child's ear and whispered resulting in a giggle.
"Hi." Anna said politely back to her, her small hands latched behind her back as she looked at Tali precociously. Sarah casually dropped her hand on her head and messed her hair up wildly, resulting in the little girl squealing in annoyance.
"Sweetie. Why don't you go and get your Uncle Johnny." The mother asked her child. "Tell him that Grampa cooked for Aunt Tali."
"Aunt..." Tali echoed blankly as the child fled the two of them. Sarah nodded and stepped cautiously towards the stoned quarian.
"Yeah. you're marrying my brother, so you're her aunt by default." She reminded Tali. She smiled at her and added, "You know, I heard a lot about you, judging from what I heard, you may be too good for that man."
From behind Tali's mask, her eyes went wide at the claim.
"Noooo no no no no no..." Tali wildly denied, shaking her head despite her vision now blurred and dancing "John is wonderful, I love him." She reaffirmed seriously. Sarah merely nodded to her in agreement and watched in mild amusement as Tali laid flat down on the floor to watch as the roof above her was spinning.
(Half way point of Document)
"Does Anna have a fa-father?"
Again, John's sister nodded, this time half heartedly. She shrugged as well as she took a seat next to Tali by sitting o her fathers chair..
"Yes, his name was Anton." She admitted to her future sister-in-law. "He got bored though and slept with someone else, so I kicked his ass out." She paid no mind to the head jerk in her direction as she added, "He's still around, but, Anna is much better without him around."
Tali looked away, adultery was unheard of by her people. Even before the suits made monogamy mandatory. Love was a treasured thing. A resource invaluable to the spirit of a healthy quarian. She herself watched as her father lost the last ounces of being father after the loss of Qualia'Zorah, her mother. Tali and Rael became acquaintance's at best.
"I.. I'm sorry." Tali managed to stutter out and confused the last of the intoxicated paste Eric had given her. She was, after all, not one to waste. Sarah snorted ad shoot her head s she watched the all ready stoned girl dig herself deeper.
"First time in twenty years I saw my dad mad." Sarah admitted to Tali as she puled the vial out of her receptor and dropped it to the floor; "Kicked his ass. Still, Anton wasn't all bad."
The human smiled to herself.
"I don't think I would ever regret meeting Anton solely because he gave me my little girl." She finished, rubbing her bangs out of her eyes.
Tali sighed thoughtfully. Her addled mind thought of children. She dreamed of carrying a child that was hers and John. The months they would spend together as they watched her stomach expand outwards thanks to the great love they shared. A child. An ultimate creation of a man and a woman's love, At least.. it would be for John and hers. If only they shared the same species.
"I want to have John's babies so bad. I dream about it all the time." She moaned softly, visions of pregnancy, birthing and raising a Bispecies baby with the man of her dreams was making her tear up. A dream that was impossible.
"You do?"
Rich, textured masculine voice. Commanding undertone. Tali froze, knowing full well who it belonged to.
Tali looked over, squinting hard to make out the misshapen figure. It was John, on his face was a crooked grin at the sight of Tali knocked flat on the floor. In one arm was little Anna who was laughing. Shepard set his niece down on the ground.
"Hey, Sarah." He greeted warmly, half hugging his little sister. He gestured to Tali and added. "Sources tell me that Tali ate dad's cooking."
Tali winged her fingers as she watched him fall down to his knees and gently lifted her up to rest her head against his chest. Again, Tali moaned as though Shepard had been stimulating the senses. She did not see, however, that Sarah's hand was clamped over her mouth trying not to laugh at the expense of her new future sister.
"John... John? I wanna have your babies, John. But... but I can't... Can't give you what you deserve." She whimpered sloppily, her bobbed lamely. From behind her opaque mask, she looked up at John, future husband and father of their adopted children bashfully. Shepard smiled as he shook his head in denial.
"You know it's not your fault." John assured her the best he could, "So come on, lets get you up and walking. Mom is here and the little brat here," He added, gesturing to the little girl, who giggled "Told me and Mom all about what Dad did. The Admiral nearly had a fit. She loves you almost more than me. A certain burnt out architect's head is going to fly."
As Sarah laughed in anticipation for what she was about to witness, John stood up, lifting Tali up with him. Tali closed her eyes. Little did she know that ten years down the line as Her and John raised a family to call their own. Tali would make a vow never ever to talk about the things she said or did in the following hours.
...

...
"Joohn. Can you get my medications. I want to have sex right now... Whatever that is in me right now is making me crazy and sex is gonna feel sooo good." Tali purred softly, her barely conscious mind gripping the man sitting next to her.
She did not notice, or care that there sitting in the living room, surrounded her in-laws. John groaned and rubbed the bridge of his nose as a she tightly wrapped her arms around him and possessively gripped him. Admiral Hannah Shepard, Commanding officer of the 12th fleet on Citadel patrol duty barked out laughing at John's plight. A fried quarian was certainly a surprise to come home to.
Hannah looked over to her husband, whose face was damn near buried into a bag of Salt and Vinegar potato chips and trying not to look guilty for his future Daughter-in-law's current state. She shook her head and tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to jump in place and spit out a couple of curse words.
"Eric, how much did you give the poor girl?" She demanded to know as she let go of Eric and took a seat next to Tali.
Tali looked over, through an almost impenetrable looking mask, her bright eyes widened. Tali's arms wrapped around Hannah and held her tight. Hannah stiffened and looked at John. He appeared to be sighing in relief due to the quarian woman nearly choking the life out of him since the symptoms of becoming paranoid appeared ever present.
"Eric?" She called out once more and looked to find Eric still focused on his munchies. irritated at her burnt out ball and chain, she snapped her finger at him. He looked up fast, his eyes bloodshot and squinting, his beard and lips crusty from the chips.
Classy, real classy. He sure was a shining example of a first rate, galactic renown and respected architect married to a goddamn admiral.
Hannah's parents had warned her all about dating bad boys...
"So.. How was Citadel life, love?" He attempted to change the subject, smiling brightly at her as he licked his fingers clean. From the corner of her eye she saw her little girl sitting on the loveseat, snickering at the stupid response. Hannah gave Sarah a sharp look, causing her to stand up and flee the room.
"Don't give that diversion bullshit Erickson Jackson Shepard." Hannah snapped out ion a commanding demand.. "How much shit did you trick my future daughter into eating!"
Eric looked between his fuming wife and his son, too busy tending to his stoned quarian to look up to him. He merely shrugged at his old woman.
"Jesus I dunno." He mumbled to himself, "Not too much."
"How fucking much, you goddamn burn out!" Hannah snapped, throwing his officers cap at him. Eric shot out a protesting yell but, he caught the hat and brushed it off. Idly, he put it on his head and leaned back into his seat. He looked at her and shrugged.
"Ten milliliters, the usual amount." Was his calm laid back reply.
Hannah stared him down. It was bullshit. Everyone but Tali knew it. The glare was an unmistakable one. It's message was clear. Last warning, or he was going to find his ass booted out of his own home.
"But... the I did some research," He hastily continued, gesturing to Tali. "Said Quarians resist pain medication. So... I added another eighty."
Admiral Shepard blinked.
"Nine tablespoons of hash oil." She whispered blankly to her husband.
John rubbed his eyes. The bloodbath was about to begin and all his father could do was smile.
"I had a small touch of grounded mushrooms..." Eric added as he rested his head. "not enough for reaction as a dextro or hallucination's. Just for a taste, yeah know?"
Before Eric knew it, the smaller woman flew at him, She landed in his lap and yanked his head up by his neck. With her other hand, she flung it behind her head and full out slapped the hell out of her husband for his head flew to the side and with all his strength, he pushed the Admiral off of him.
"You IDIOT." She screamed at him, standing up from the floor. "That's not a goddamn pain meds. Those are fucking hallucinogenics!"
Tali burst out laughing as she turned around to try to watch what was happening her future in-laws. She had never before found anything as funny as this confrontation. With hazy eyes her looked up to her John and smiled at the sight of him staring sternly at his childish parents.
"Don't shout at me, I fucked up. I get it, miss holier than thou "I'm a big shot Admiral, but in my spare time I'm a stoner!" Eric roared back at his wife, rubbing his bruising cheek tenderly. Hannah glared at him and looked ready to snap back, until John stepped in.
"Both of you, shut up!" Shepard barked as his parents. Forcing them to turn and look at their son. Both of them were furious at being cut off. Tali looked back and forth as the silence loomed between the warring factions. She attempted to choke back a giggle but failed as she pulled herself up to lean close to the enraged human she loved.
"Everyone is shouting." Tali attempted to whisper to her future husband, not knowing that it was loud enough to be heard all throughout the room. "John, you should shout. It's-"
"Fun, yes I know." Shepard cut her off tersely.
Tali took her head wildly, the room spinning around her.
"Nooooo Not fun..." Tali said still in a whispering shout to him. "It makes me hot and flustered I think the saying goes?"
The room burst into laughter. Eric and Hannah ignored their fight as they doubled over into laughter at the expense of their son. Tali looked at them all confused, nonetheless, she to joined in.
"Hot and bothered?" She heard the voice of John's sister, Sarah say as she entered the room, little Anna steps behind her and some sort of tray of human cuisine on a plate, some sort of bread and dip. Tali stared at it blankly, drooling nearly. It looked very good at the moment. Too bad she couldn't touch the stuff yet.
"Exactly..." She murmered distantly in agreement. To her surprise, John's lips touched against the top of her mask.
"I'm going to call Doctor Solus to get some advice to sober her." John said, standing up and allowing Hannah to cling onto the Quarian. With a pointed look at his father, he added "Try not to make her ingest any more drugs."
Grazing her mask, John smiled at her reassuringly and left the room swiftly, leaving Tali in the arms of a mothering admiral. Tali rolled over, pressing her faceplate into Hannah's breasts and held her tightly as though Hannah was her mother. The female smiled gently before looking up and meeting the eyes of her husband. The smile disappeared, taking it's place was a look of disgust.
"Are you sure you didn't add an aphrodisiac to the mix?" Shepard shot out snobbishly at him. "Maybe taste of GHB or a little sprinkle of red sand perhaps?"
Hannah dropped her head back down to her Daughter-in-law and cooed to her in slightly broken Kellish. She had taking up the task to learn the language for her future role on Rannoch, Training Quarian officers. Professionally it would help get to know her future students and privately to get to know Tali better. Tali looked up to the mothering admiral with wide eyes before burying her face yet again. Unbeknown to them. Eric was fuming at the comment made.
"I'm into all natural products, Narc." Eric shouted down the Admiral menacingly, "Not fucking chemicalized date rape drugs. How dare yo-"
"No, how dare you." Hannah shot back at her husband; "She bends over backwards go make everything today go smoothly in hopes of gaining some sort of actual family and all she gets in return in some strung out Ex Marine, who obviously can't deal with his past. Fucking up your first impression with the sweetest girl John has ever brought home. sweetest girl I ever have a chance to have in my family."
"HEY!"
Hannah didn't even need to look to know that her daughter was standing there, arms crossed and glaring at the back of the admirals head.
"You're not fooling anyone, sweetheart," The woman cut across the protest, "Not when you broke your swim instructors leg for offering you a life jacket. At age eight."
Sarah glared at her mother, but eventually, she nodded in grudging agreement.
"Yeah..." She said slowly, she glanced down t her child and added. "But what abou-"
"Anna?" Hannah cut off letting Tali sit up by herself. She gave a sharp incredulous laugh at the thought of her granddaughter being an angel. "Remember when she set a fire in the kitchen? We had to pay fifteen grand to fix it back up!"
Tali attempted to chuckle at the thought of such a little doing that much damage but failed. Her throat was dried her blurred, her vision doubled and spinning. She rolled her head around and with a great thud, bounced her head on the table in front of her, causing Hannah to gasp and pulled back, her hands gripping her chest in shock.
Eric, the sole reason Tali was now unconscious seemed utterly unfazed.
"Anna was cooking me some eggs." Eric grumbled as he grabbed the front of Tali's mask and rose it up from the tabletop she had thudded her head against. Carefully she leaned the unconscious quarian against Hannah who yet again cradled her defensively.
"No, she said she was bored and she was goddamn four!" Hannah pointed out, still visibly upset that no one in her family seemed to mind that Eric completely screwed everything up for her!
"I finally have someone in this house that I can connect. with." Hannah grumbled to herself, lowly. "Loyal, hard working, dedicated and knows about duty."
"I suppose I've stopped being that?"
Hannah turned back. John stood there. His arms crossed as he looked over his unconscious future wife. Regardless the mother was not at all fazed at the observation. Instead, she remained definite.
"Last time I checked, you didn't have a vagina and a sensitive side."
John groaned and did his best to ignore the laughter from his mother. sister and father. He pulled Tali up into his arms bridal style and carried her to their room, He really should have invited the lot over to their place instead.
...

...
Bright eyes flew wide open. They were unobstructed by the mask she was raised to wear. Tali's body flew up wide awake, earning a surprised grunt and stream of swear words from a familiar voice. She looks over and and exhaled as she looked down into the shaded expressionless face of her future husband.
"Hey." Was his simple greeting. Tali smiled weakly and looked around blinking furiously. She had a momentary jump in panic. Gone was her face mask. She was exposed to a foreign environment. She may have had a steadily stronger immune system, but but it did not relieve a 25 year fear of life outside her suit.
"What time is it? Why is my mask off?" She asked curiously as she sat up. She breathed shakily as she felt calloused hands stroke her cheek. Shepard grunted softly, his smile the dark never leaving him.
"Early morning, and you promised Doctor Solus and I that you would help strengthen your immune system in a real world environment while taking your injections." He reminded her and smiled at the dawning of realization on her expression. With a small peck on her forehead he added. "Go back to bed, I'll help you sleep it off."
The request was denied. Slowly she sat up and pulled the sheets and blankets from off of her curvy body.
"No.. No, I think I need to get up, walk around..." She denied. She frowned and paused, adding, "Do you believe that am I allowed ?"
Much to her annoyance, Shepard laughed at her.
"You do realize that homes aren't exactly areas of marshal law. Especially a home that you share with your family." He again reminded her tenderly. Tali looked slightly relieved at first but quickly, She still looked hesitant to explore on her own. With a roll of his eyes, John shooed the quarian from their shared bed.
Tali smiled briefly and ran her hands though her thick, braidlike hair and departed from the room. John smiled and laid back properly. He needed some real damn sleep.
...

...
The house was magnificent, If John and her could find a house as beautiful on Rannoch, then they would be set for life.
Though, as nice as a vintage home would be, it would not be the same as th two of them, buying land and building the house together as they promised each other years prior. It would be a promise fulfilled to a long dead father. A promise that John planned to he made a promise, he kept it. Shepard was stubborn like that. That was the kind of man he was.
Tali stepped into the kitchen and turned around sharply. There was the sound of two people giggling to themselves like they were sharing a private joke with each other.
Slowly, Tali followed the noise, her feet bouncing as she attempted to follow the noise without disturbing them. As she wandered through the hallway and towards the front door, the noise only got louder and louder. The front door was left open.
Tali opened her mouth slightly. It was Hannah and Eric Shepard sitting together on the veranda. Hannah sat there on his lap, her face bright as she passed Eric back his bong and blew a long exhaling of smoke from her lungs and into Eric's face.
"Sir.. ma'am..." Tali spoke up in a respectful, soft spoken voice.
Hannah and Eric looked up, their eyes wide in obvious shock of a Quarian exposed to the world.
"Ho-holy Christ. Them bright eyes. don'tcha need your mask on?" Eric asked blurringly, setting down his bong and bobbling his head to the side lazily. Tali shook her head and stepped forward into the light so that, at long last, her future parents could take a look at the woman their son was to marry.
"No.. I took my immuno-injections, I'm trying to create a strong immune system. In order to do so, I need real exposure to different enviroments." Tali denied as she stepped down onto the porch stairs. "I have no desire to be in this suit for any longer then I have to be,"
Hannah nodded and smiled brightly at her.
"Tali, the face matches the voice and deeds. I hope you're feeling well." The admiral whispered up to the girl. Tali blushed at the comment and shrugged casually. Hannah chuckled lowly at the modest reaction from the quarian woman.
Eric snorted and punched his wife's shoulder.
"Raging bisexual.." He grumbled, earning a protesting huff and a slap on his chest. The architect yelped and shook the admiral off his lap.
"Um, I'm fine." Tali said, breaking through the play fighting. She took a step backwards and added, "I could leave you two alone. I mean if you want."
"No it's fine come on over and sit down will you?" Hannah requested from her future daughter in law. "Eric was babbling on about his work. I may be an admiral, but that doesn't mean I want to listen to dull conversation during my downtime."
Tali couldn't help it. She giggled at John's father's expense, causing stream of inaudible swear words leave his mouth. Hannah too laughed and then slugged his shoulder, grabbing his pipe up and repacked the bowl.
"Eric here has something to say to you." She sing songed as she pressed her lips to the bong, Her hands flickering with a lighter.
Ahhh...ya... yeah." Eric started, watching his wife light up briefly before turning to the quarian. "Tali, I'm sorry about the whole feeding you my cooking... If I had known you were such a lightweight-"
Hannah sputtered on the smoke, coughing and laughing violently.
"Eric!" She all but screamed at him. Eric looked at Tali sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. It was clear that Eric did not want to annoy his wife anymore than he already had.
"What I mean is that I should probably should have considered that you weren't exactly up to getting massively stoned without any prior warning." He cleared up for everyone surrounding him. With a sincere look of asking forgiveness, he added. "I'm sorry, Tali."
Tali looked at him briefly. There was no point to hold any ager towards her new family. She would allow it to slide.
"It's... fine." Tali returned, uncertainly "I think I was rather scared of it. But, I survived. I forgive you."
Eric nodded and looked over to his wife. Hannah smiled at him and together the three of them sat together in quiet contemplation. Every so often, Tali looked up to meet Hannah's gaze. It was like she wanted to say something but was not sure where to begin. Eric on the other hand was playing with his smoking device and bouncing a bag of pot while humming some sort of aimless tune. At least he was until Hannah cleared her throat.
"So Sarah told me you want to have babies with him. But you want them to be his alone." Hannah spoke softly, attempting to go about the children issue carefully. Managing to hide the blush from the intimate secretly shared in her state, she shrugged casually.
"I suppose." Tali agreed with her in-law. "It's a pipe dream at best. John says that he has talked to a few in the field. The whole galaxy savior role might be good for something. But I don't want my hopes up." She added, sounding lame. "Adoption is the only option."
"But John has done the impossible." Hannah needlessly reminded the quarian, "He stopped the Reaper extinction cycle, brokered a real peace between the geth and my people, Got Rannoch back in quarian hands. If anyone could make the impossible possible it would be him."
"Well he has pretty good motivation, don't you think?" Eric added in, sparking the bong and taking a long inhale. He looked up and offered it to the Quarian, who shook her head.
"So... any future plans." Eric asked his future daughter as he passed the device to the Admiral.
"A home. I hope." Tali admitted softly, "Ships have been my whole life. I would like something different. Honor my parents wishes for me to live on the homeworld."
Eric stood up suddenly, surprising both of the women. He attempted to mumble something but it was completely unintelligible. He stumbled down the stairs and ran off into the woods. The women looked at each other oddly. Hannah looked down and sniffed the the bong carefully.
"Where is he going?" The quarian asked, her voice amused as she saw Eric stumble briefly.
"No damn clue, Tali" Hannah shrugged mildly, leaning back against the railing and watched as her husband run off into the night. "He probably went of to swallow a couple of hallucinogenic mushrooms and dance naked with the moon."
Tali chuckled and shortly after, the admiral joined in as well for a laugh again at the expense of her future father-in-law. It felt good to be able to do this, to laugh at others who would be considered family in a few short months. She could never be able to do this in a quarian family. Respect for family was one of the few things that held the fleet together, and now, the newly growing presence on the homeworld. Humans appeared to be more sardonic about family relationships, it was quite amusing.
"It's funny until he actually does it. The man has no rhythm." The Admiral tacked on, shaking her head. Tali laughed and nodded her head.
"Neither does John," She informed Hannah brightly, "I feel so bad when I catch him dancing."
"Heh, Well, you'll have to get him some lessons," John's mother returned, mildly smirking at statement. "I'm sure it would be nice to dance after your ceremony."
Tali nodded in agreement. John and her, well, mostly her and Kasumi were attempting to figure out how to created a combination of for both quarian and human marriage rites. One was cost efficient but long and tedious, the other? Expensive beyond her imagination and fun, where usually the married couple got drunk. Still, she wanted to make a balance. This was their day, not just hers.
There was a sudden and loud grumbling of the words 'Shit', 'fuck' and 'Dammit', causing both Hannah and Tali to look away from each other. Eric had reappeared from the woods, his legs covered in mud, in his hands was a large flat object. It was a canvas from his art studio.
"Eric, what the hell are you up to?" Hannah sighed as Eric shoved the Admiral out of his way and sat in between her and Tali. Tali tilted her head as se watched the elder man set a canister in between his legs and set the covered canvas onto his lap.
"I have something to show you Tali." He said, carefully unwrapping the sheet off of the canvas carefully. "It's not done and I was hoping to make this a housewarming gift for you two."
Gently, the man handed it over to Tali, who accepted it. Silently, her eyes scanned over the painting, it was only half completed but.. it was beautiful. It was Rannoch, the sky bright, hopeful. There in the background were three quarians, two of them were building what looked like the frame of a home. But that was not what impressed her. The suits they wore, familiar markings, markings that belonged to her father and mother.
Tali bit her lip in attempt to not tear up, but still, she unsteadily exhaled. There in the painting, she sat, she could not have been more then twelve years old, her first years in her suit. She was sitting there, just watching her mother and father build her the life they promised her. A promise survived long enough to give her.
Slowly, her eyes fell to the foreground. There sitting together in an embrace, watching her past was her and John, now grown up. Her past and their future intertwined in a single captivating painting.
"Yeah, I had a conversation with Shala'Raan about your family when her lot invited me to teach." Eric explained to a silently thoughtful looking quarian. "I thought. you know..."
Still Tali hadn't said nothing, her focus was still devoted on the image, her bright eyes were hooded and watery as she attempted to control herself. Eric glanced up and over to Hannah who was smiling faintly at her husband. She seemed genuinely surprised at his gift.
"Well.. it's not done yet," Eric mumbled,doing his best to break the silence and judge whether or not the quarian woman would accept the gift. "I mean, still have quite a bit to d-"
Tali looked up. As if the painting had been made of delicate glass she slid it over to Hannah and wrapped her arms around Eric's back. The man widened his eyes, surprised at the amount of grip Tali could produce, but he slumped and returned the embrace of his future daughter.
"Thank you." Tali murmered, attempting to retain control of herself in front of John's parents. Disregarding everything John had done for her. This was the nicest gift she had ever received from anybody she knew.
There was a sudden laugh. They both looked up an let go of each other. It was Hannah, her eyes were focused on the half completed paining.
"Eric Shepard, I didn't think you were a sentimental man." She stated looking up to catch Eric going red from apparent embarrassment. Tali dried her eyes and giggled softly.
The elder Shepard reached between his legs and grabbed the canister between his legs and offered it to Tali with a mild grin. Tali blanched. Oh Keelah, she knew exactly what this was. More of Eric's home cooking.
"Here you go Tali, I have more of this if you want." Eric offered, the canister still in his hands. Hannah looked between them and rolled her eyes. She was about to grab it from Eric when suddenly, a quarian hand took it before her.
"Actually, I think I could have some more of this." Tali agreed slowly as she examined the content carefully, she looked up and smiled as she added. "It might be the best way to get to know my future in-laws."
Eric laughed as he watched Tali open the canister up and take a careful swig of it. Tali would become a damn good Shepard.
"Sir, you're next."
Tired, old eyes opened widely, lips exhaled a sharp expulsion of air as pain shot through his body. His goddamn bum leg was acting up yet again. It always kicked out on him at the worst moments. His was cane was buried deep in his luggage. Stupid, stupid him, thinking he could thwart Murphy's first law.
"Next please!"
At the beckon, the middle aged man groaned as he stood up and shuffled lamely towards the booth, cigarette resting in his lips. With great care, he leaned his arms against the booth where the helmeted form of a quarian customs officer waited for him.
"Hello." He murmured, dropping his bag on the counter. The quarian tilted her head as a greeting for the grizzled human.
"Welcome to Rannoch, sir." The woman politely returned, "May I have your Systems Alliance VIP Identification papers? I must also ask you not to smoke in a public spaceport."
The human ran his hand through his freshly cut hair and stubbed the cigarette out on the ashtray provided by the pretty little quarian thing in front of him. Wordlessly, He dug his hand into his Armani suit pocket and tugged out an identification chip for the girl to scan. She tilted her helmeted head downwards and ran the scanner her hand over it.
He watched as the woman's bright eyes widened suddenly and turned back to face him. He sighed, she obviously knew who he was.
"Eric Shepard," The quarian customs officer spoke, looking back up to the older human. "Any relations to Spectre John Shepard?"
Eric Shepard, the father of the renown galactic war hero narrowed his eyes at the girl and shot her a withering glare at the mention of his son.
"Do you think all humans that have the same name of another human is automatically related?" He hissed out, catching the girl off guard. "That's pretty damn racist!"
He watched as the woman's eyes went wide behind her mask. she begun to sputter out apologies and policy enforced by the interim admiralty leadership. Eric softened his look and mildly shot her a smile. It seemed as though most quarians shared a very common trait: They hated to be teased. Lowly, he begun to chuckle, earning a confused tilt of the customs officer head.
"I'm shitting with you, beautiful." He told her, much more friendlier than it had been. "Yeah, John is my boy. Heard he's become a model Huarian."
At the mention of the word huarian, the customs officer looked at him in utter confusion, more so at the mention of defecation. Eric sighed.
"You know... Human pretending to be quarian?" he attempted to explain to her to little effect. He groaned softly and rubbed his eyes. he definitely had space lag, he needed to go and sleep for the next 36 hours. Fuck traveling past the Veil. Ignoring the confusing behavior the human was displaying, the ever patient quarian merely handed his Alliance Identification chip back to the burn out.
"Here you go sir, everything is all set. Enjoy your stay and abide the laws set out by the Rannoch Defense Forces. Also, I must also ask of you to keep inside of the designated safe zones for the old cities. Many buildings have not been inspected and have become hideouts for smugglers." She reminded the human, who was pulling on his fedora hat and a pair of vintage avatars to cover his exhausted expression.
Eric pulled his duffelbag over his shoulder and gripped onto his briefcase.
"Sweetie," He finished, tipping his fedora at her. "Going into out of the safe zones is my damn profession."
...

...
If there was one good thing about his boy being with a quarian, it was that they easily stood out in public. It definitely made looking for them that much easier to locate. Although John and him had a long list of things they disagreed on ever since his boy volunteered into the military, there was one that he was most impressed by: Tali.
John, in Eric's most humble opinion. was marrying waaaay way out of his league.
He had never seen a quarian unmasked before her. None of them were brave, or stupid enough to do so. Until he met Tali, it never crossed his mind. They hid elongated necks, a quarter and a bit longer than an average humans, their faces, long and angular, the back of a quarians skull appeared far more pushed outwards than a humans.
Those eye, luminescent behind plate glass were just as bright unobstructed, but the clear blue iris and pupils were visible. They were an impressive looking species doomed to what they thought was a permanent exile to their suits. Little did they know just how open their greatest enemy was to a reconciliation.
He could make them out now. Tali was wearing her full suit. It must have been far too public place for her to expose herself in. She was standing in front of the relatively taller John and using him as a backrest. A duty that John did not seem to mind. They were talking to each other softly in untranslated English a language John had patiently taught to a very grumpy woman.
"Marhna'Prince messaged me on the Extranet, Apparently she's looking into purchasing a building permit to open a new club up here. We should house them, it is the least we could do for her.."
"I don't see why not, princess. I could finish that spare room u-."
Eric cleared his throat as he approached Tali and his son. He stopped and leaned on his cane.
"Well, well, well, look who decided to pick me up."
Eric watched as his son let go of Tali and grinned brightly at him. John stepped past his future wife and moved forward to greet his father into a friendly hug. John chuckled and pulled away from him and punched his arm lightly. John looked his father over, with a faint look of bemusement at Eric' attire and general cleanliness.
"Hey old man, you look presentable." John shot back, feigning being impressed by his father's clean cut appearance.
"Yeah yeah, brat, your mother told me if I went to Rannoch with hair longer than Tali's hair, braids, tentacles, whatever they are, she was going to divorce my ass." He returned , pretending to not notice that Tali had tightened herself up into a stress induced posturing. John shot his dad a hidden smirk, both of them took great pleasure in making his future wife so angry she would literally start bouncing and sputtering.
John rounded back briefly to the suited Quarian, his small smirk reforming into a wide grin before he turned back to his father.
"I'm not sure what they are either." John informed his dad. "but those goddamn things could poke an eye out when she's bouncing on top of m-"
There was a sudden high pitch wobbling shriek and before the elder Shepard knew it, Tali had pounced onto John's back, her hands gripping and teared into his hair and skin. Under the weight of an enraged quarian fiancee, Shepard choked out a laugh as he collapsed to his knees and tried his hardest to shove his pissed woman off of him.
"Jesus John, you poor bugger. you're marrying a prude." Eric said laughing at the sight of Tali standing up and over top of her mate,. She was wiping her gloved hands off as if beating up a Spectre was trivial work for her.
Beating up a Spectre. Had he been anything other than family, he'd have been quite frightened by her. John merely chuckled as he sat up and wiped his eyes from the dust kicked up in the tussle.
"Heh, tell that to Ereba." He muttered out loud, before looking up to Tali and grinned at her as if sharing a private joke with his fiancee. Tali backed away from John, bouncing on her toes. She looked over to see that Eric had a questioning expression slapped across his face.
"Oh.. ah, just a very good friend of ours." Tali explained quickly and as if read from a script. "She's actually visiting right now."
Eric looked from Tali to John and then back to Tali. He nodded and decided to drop the subject of a new friend in their looked as though she wanted to groan at the question unspoken yet.
"Hello, Mister Shepard." Tali greeted, attempting to dodge the question before squirming as she felt herself being wrapped into a bear hug by the older man.
"Lay off the mister bull, Tali" Eric grumbled, holding the girl out at arms length. "I'm Eric, Dad, or future Grandfather of your child, clear?"
John groaned at the comment. Tali on the other hand nodded in agreement.
"He's obsessed with grandkids, Shala." His son muttered to the second quarian who nodded and seemed to have been smiling at the enthusiasm showed by the other male human.
"Of course I am, they make good errand children while I'm smoking up." He admitted to the interspecies couple in front of him. "I'd like a little quarian running around the house for grampa, that way they can't steal my fucking munchies like that little terror I have now."
John rolled his eyes t the mention of Anna, his sister's little girl.
"Dad, This is Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay." He introduced, his military tone of discipline for senior officers returned to him. Eric shuddered at his sons actions and turned to face the second quarian standing with them. Darksuit, less hips, still looked good to the former first lieutenant..
"Well... Hello Madam." Eric spoke to her, his hand outstretched and slightly, he bowed to her. "Nice to meet you at long last, Tali's description of you certainly hasn't disappointed me."
The quarian admiral did not speak, her eyes widened at the blatant flirtation displayed just now. She looked from an embarrassed Tali, shuffling under what she came to know as The Shepard Charm, A warning giving to her by both Liara T'Soni and John's own mother, Hannah, who referred to Eric Shepard as "A Dog." John was red in the face for the behavior. John stepped forward and grabbed his dad's arm. He leaned inwards and hissed into his ear.
"Jesus Christ, dad, you're married, remember?"
Eric looked at his fun wrecking son and shrugged.
"Well, when I married your mom, she promised me one mulligan, when it came to infidelity. I think its time to use it when I'm still mostly young."
Tali and Shala stopped dead and looked at Eric who had just made that statement out loud for the group to hear.
"Jesus CHRIST, Dad, She's an admiral!" John hissed even harder as he slapped him hard on the shoulder.
"What can I say? I'm clearly attracted to powerful women." Eric shrugged as if he stated the most casual thing in the world. As he rubbed his tender shoulder, he could not help it, he laughed as he watched John rub his face with his palm, clearly agitated with his old man's behavior.
Eric stepped forward to Shala'Raan and again, he extended his hand, a mischievous smile spread across his face. Shala'Raan looked at the hand briefly. She took it and clutched on to t firmly, looking up and into his brown eyes.
"Shala, I'm sorry." Eric apologized, earning a nod of approval from his boy. Shala however, shook her head and continued to look up at him blankly.
No... It's.. alright. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mister Shepard." Her rich, darkly accentuated tone whispered back to him.
John cleared his throat out hard, breaking he lost expressions in Eric's and Shala's body language.
"So where to first, walking diplomatic incident?" John queried as he took the lead of group and slowly wandered out of the spaceport terminal.
"The usual." He replied, ignoring the jibe and gripping his cane as he followed his son. Vagar's Hotel, "It's going to be a long trip from here to your place. I'd rather have a rest and not interfere with your sex lif...
Eric drifted from his thoughts and glanced away from his son to brief looked behind him. In that brief moment, he caught Shala'Raan's eyes, watching the sway of his ass. He shot her a knowing smirk and watched as the admiral ducked her head away, most likely dying from being caught. Next to her was Tali who was trying not to laugh at Raan's expense.
"John," He whispered as he caught up to his boy. "The Admiral is checking my ass out."
John glanced backwards briefly and raised an eyebrow at the old man.
"Get use to it." He warned his father, in all seriousness. "Quarian women have no shame about sizing up a Shepard, married or not, I should know.."
Eric merely laughed at John's serious warning, completely unaware of what he had just set into motion.
…...

…...
They gutted the children. It wasn't propaganda spread by right wing Terra Firma fuckheads or that paranoid unit apparently secretly funded by the Alliance known as Cerberus. No. Eric had seen the hanging, raped corpses of children barely old enough to speak, let alone fight back.
It was a clear message to the colonists and the Alliance that the batarian hegemony never gave any quarter to those occupying the areas they contested over with the humans. Unfortunately for the batarians, the Alliance was just granted leeway by the council to act in any means necessary to defend herself.
Those poor, dumb batarian cuntfucks didn't even see what came at them. When the Alliance sent in the dirtiest, most sadistic, most xenophobic unit to fight in the first contact War. The batarian chumps were fucked the moment the marines hit the grounds of newly formed colony on Eden Prime.
The 87th Marine Division from Shanxi. The only unit that continued the fighting long after that goddamn traitor General Williams surrender to those fucking overgrown insects that landed there unwelcome four years prior. And that was how what was left of the 87th treated the turians. like insects, like something subhuman. Hell, the Vets of the Shanxi invasion had given themselves an unofficial badge commemorating their victory over the insects. A turian charred down to it's bones from plasmathrower with the phrase "Mactaverimus ea quae numquam requiescunt." written underneath it.
The badge may have been unofficial. The motto however became the official unit motto reputation. What was its meaning exactly?
Those we kill are never allowed to rest.
Never.
...
"Mister Shepard?"
Eric opened his eyes slightly and glanced at the time. 9:47AM.
"Yeah?" he groaned, rolling over and closing his eyes again..
"Mister Shepard, I was instructed to inform you that your team is downstairs and have been waiting for the past fifteen minutes." the male voice through the intercom called to him.
Yet again he groaned to himself. His team was waiting for him? Fuck, he must have overslept. Groggily he sat up and shimmied his bum leg out of be. He rubbed his stubble covered chin before he looked back up to the intercom.
"Get them some breakfast, charge it on my account." Eric muttered slowly, "Tell them I'll be down in half an hour."
"Of course sir."
The intercom went dead, leaving the human by himself, lost in his own thoughts. Eric pulled himself out of his bed and limped slowly towards the bathroom. His mind swimming through the memories of the old days.
He swallowed down his daily cocktail of pills. His anti rejection medications, mood stabilizers, antidepressants, antipsychotics. It was amazing the types of medications you were issued when your wife finds you with a gun in your mouth and enough heroin in your bloodstream to knock out a whelp krogan.
He leaned against the the bathroom counter and stared blankly into the mirror. Lost in his own mind as he attempted to shake the memories of dark days away from him. He smiled at the weathered image of himself. He needed to keep the memories buried deep as possible. This line, uttered first twenty five years ago was getting harder and harder to do, even with the larger and larger quantities of chemical balancers flowing through him.
With shaking hands, Eric pulled his pack of cigarettes out and slipped one into his lips. He closed his eyes as he lit t and breathed in the sweet aromatic cancerous smoke and exhaled slowly, his eyelids hooded as he took back in the sight he hated the most.
Himself.
That same odd familiar feeling was creeping back into his brain. The drugs artificial sense of stability and a mild melancholic joy was back again. with one hand he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes and stepped back, gripping the cane he left by the counter and limped slowly out of the room, still wearing a rumpled Armani suit and aviators that hid his eyes away from curious quarians.
As he stepped out of his hotel room, he wandered into the direction of the elevator. His thoughts away from his past and onto his wife, daughter and grandchild. He hoped they were okay, that they would finally have a break from a burnt out failure of a man. He hoped Hannah was happy and finally able to get away from imitating his habits to keep them close together.
The doors of the elevator opened up to the lobby. Eric looked up from his self loathing thoughts and stepped out of the elevator and stepped slowly through the lobby. There was sudden surprised 'Mister Shepard!' that cause the older man to pause halfway t he dinning room and turn back. There was a frantic scurry of a male quarian named Fel'Vagar, the manager of the C'eara Hotel, whom he had met several times since his first trip to Rannoch several months prior.
Eric's Gaydar went off as usual. It seemed since their reliance of the fleet came to an end, a new wave of a sexual revolution had overtaken the species. Gays and lesbians no longer felt that their attractions would impede the survival of an entire species. This was good. It showed a first step towards the return of personal freedom being slowly trickled back to them after the admiralty board signed a contract to return personal liberties a few months after the Reaper wars ended.
It was a great day when he heard that these laws were passed. It gave the relationship shared between his son and Tali a sense of legality in the eyes of the extremely conservative admiralty board that mostly disapproved of the love shared between the human and the quarian most renown by the galaxy.
"Good morning, sir." Fel greeted him cheerfully, his hand outstretched to Eric. "I've instructed the kitchen staff to prepare your breakfast before hand, courtesy of Spectre Shepard. I just hope it will be satisfactory for you."
Eric chuckled as he took the gesture of welcome and shook hard.
"I'm certain it will be, Fel'Vagar, Thanks. You know it's my wife who demands shit perfected, Me? I'm not particularly picky." He returned as he let go of his hand. Fel nodded his head, seeming to be relieved that Eric hadn't bitten off his head.
"That is good, I am afraid, quarian culinary arts are not yet up to galactic standard yet." He murmured, moving his hand on to Eric's back and guided him slowly towards the dining took careful consideration of Eric's limp as he opened the door up. As they reached the doorway, Eric stopped and turned back to the man, his hand resting on his shoulder.
Slowly, Eric smirked at him.
"Fel, do I have to spell this out in simple words?" he inquired with a playful condescending tone to his question. "Have I ever complained in the past few months?"
Fel sighed and shook his head. No, Eric never once lodged a complaint against his business. Being a quarian catering towards offworlders, it seemed all of his customers could always find some sort of fault with how he ran things here. Eric on the other hand seemed to genuinely like being there.
"Now shut up, go call your boyfriend and let me clear my mind. I hate being issued bloody grunts."
"I thought you realized I only had eyes for you."
Eric barked out a sharp fake laugh and slapped the quarian on trhe shoulder.
"Somehow I'm not surprised. I'm pretty to look at," Eric shot back to the clever man, adding. "I'll see you at the next Rannoch Pride parade."
Eric departed Fel's company, leaving behind a clearly amused quarian in his wake.
...

...
It must have been them, They were huddled around a table like it was messhall. There was twelve of them, both male and female wearing full environmental suits and their backs carrying retracted assault rifle. Among them was, oddly enough, a rather scarred turian who had looked up and met the stare of Eric's. He cleared his throat, causing the quarians to all snap up and stand at attention needlessly.
He snorted and shook his head at the sight. He didn't as for grunts, he asked for peers to come with them. Jesus Christ. Eric ran his hand through his hair and exhaled slowly. He would welcome help regardless.
"Ladies, Gentlemen, turian." He greeted blandly as he moved over towards them at a snails pace. The turian stood up and respectfully nodded to the human.
"My name is Garrus Vakarian, sir." The turian spoke with a tilt of his head for him. "Your son asked me to join your guard detail as a favor I owe him. Bugger still has to collect a hundred more from me."
Eric looked down at the claw offered to him by Garrus. Wearily he took it and gave a single curt shake.
"Nice to meet you. Name is Eric, Call me anything else and I'll make you get a second cybernetic mandible." Eric returned warningly. The Quarians looked around at each other. It was a well known fact that humans, especially at his age, despised the turians, as turians did humans. despite the unity of the Reaper war brought the two allies..
Garrus Valkarian, however, merely chuckled at the information giving to him and sat back down. Eric sighed as he joined the turian. He looked back up at the standing quarians, bemusedly.
"Sit down and eat dammit." He demanded from the jarhead quarians. "I haven't been military longer than most of you have been alive."
The unit sat down s order, with an exception of one of them, who still stood at attention. Thick fucking grunt was bloody impossible..
"Lieutenant Kal'Reeger, Rannoch Marine Force." He introduced himself. "Honor to meet you, sir. My team will be watching your back."
Overeager bastard.
John had warned him about this Kal'Reegar. He was obsessed with getting the mission laid out before his completed, even at the expense of himself and his men and women's lives. Reckless, overconfident jarhead. It transcended all species, apparently.
"Now that we're done sucking each others dicks, Grunt. How about we all just sit the hell and get this conversation over and done with."
He looked away from the scandalized unit and smiled briefly at thew pretty young waitress handing a cup of coffee and a plate of toast. Quietly, he stumped the cherry out of his dying cigarette and leaned back into his seat, sipping his coffee idly.
"So, what kind of dangers do we have to deal with?" He finally spoke, breaking the strained silence. Kal and Garrus glanced each other, both deciding who to answer the human.
"Wildlife is always a potential run in. However, we have reports of smugglers. Outlaws, pirates and gun runners moving in these cities unopposed since the geth handed control back to us." Kal'Reegar explained to Shepard, still sitting as rigid as if he was standing at attention. "These cities are huge and never populated. The Defense force is stretched thin trying to catch these bastards."
"We're petitioning a citadel orbital guard to cut the pirates off." Garrus started to speak. Eric however, merely held up his hand.
"No luck, eh? Typical." Eric finished for the turian spectre who nodded at the sentiment shared with the human. Eric sighed and leaned back as he again stubbed his cigarette out and lit up a third. He glanced up to see the quarian waitress returning with a plate of eggs, bacon and a variety of fruits and vegetables for him to munch on.
"Well, don't you be worrying your pretty little jarhead, jarhead." He spoke briefly in between bites. "We'll make it through this with no casualties if you follow my golden rule."
Kal'Reegar was about to ask what exactly was this human's golden rule. until he looked over Eric's shoulders and froze, his eyes widened. The rest of the Marines did so as well. Garrus glanced over and looked at the approaching mechanical being.
"Legion?" He spoke allowed, catching Eric's attention.
Eric turned around and gave off a surprise intake of air. There looming over him was damaged geth using his son's N7 armor as a quick patchwork. Legion looked down at the human, carefully examining him.
"Shepard, Architectural Designer, biological paternal origins of Shepard Commander." The geth sprouted off to the human who was looking at it with a sense of fascination not shared by the others. "This Platform has been designated Legion for organic naming to serve as unit cohesion."
"Legion, did the Commander send you?" Garrus inquired, unable to hide his smirk from Shepard. Legion did not answer at first. Instead he merely opened his flaps surrounding his ocular lens up.
"Yes." It confirmed. "Shepard, Commander concluded the operational capacity would be more efficient and failsafe should this platform perform guiding duties for the duration of your assignment."
Eric downed the last of his coffee and turned his attention to his breakfast, ignoring the interaction between geth and turian and the quarians discomfort being around the extremely intelligent platform.
"Welcome to the team, Legion." He spoke up to no one in particular. "I know we'll get along just well."
Legion nodded its head as if to agree with him. It was a rare treat for a platform to be accepted without question by a organic.
...

...
This is Eric Shepard, lead architect hired by the Quarian government to do investigations into the how much structural damage this city is in. So far, for buildings abandoned well over three hundred years prior, they are in good shape. The primary building material used in the buildings I have explored is modified stone. There is some sort of mortar mix that holds it together but it still way this city strike me as similar to that of the Roman Empire during the second century. Perhaps I could encourage my future students to take this sort of traditional design route for future construction. this rich design is far to valuable to lose to the annuls of history.
There is quite bit of over growth in and around these buildings. The jungles of Rannoch appear to grow much quicker than those on Earth. Much more direct sunlight being located roughly twenty seven million kilometers closer to their star than Sol is for Earth. Speeds up the photosynthesis. At least that's how I think it goes. The fuck do I know? I'm no botanist. I build things that destroy nature.
Shepard pulled his lips away from his old fashion digital audio recorder and leaned his back against the wall of what use to be an apartment building. There was still furniture in it but the grizzled old architect did not trust resting in it just yet. He took a sip of cool water from his canteen and wiped the heavy sweat from his brow. This planet was way too humid. He wasn't sure how in the hell John got use to the heat.
Course it didn't help he was still clad in a fifteen thousand credit mostly black suit.
He wiped his face again and tugged a new cigarette out of his pack buried deep in his pocket. His other hand gripped his horn rimmed glasses and quickly scanned the room he sat in. He glanced up at what remained of a cradle, weathered and over grown with moss. It's occupier dead and gone centuries ago.
As Shepard lit his cigarette he attempted to ignore the sound of a muffled sob and two separate voices attempting to get control of her. This stroll down a long distant memory lane had seemed have affected his quarian drones more than he had expected. With a long drag he glanced back down towards his lap and briefly gave the dead of Rannoch a brief moment of thought.
CAAAAWW!
Shepard jumped and dropped the cigarette out of his mouth and into his hands, searing it.
"You fucking little cunt!" He growled out at the noise and paused as he looked at the sight before him and found himself being stared back at something that crossed between a Bald Eagle and a fucking cocked his head as he rather large bird perched onto the remains of the crib and stretched out its wing span, revealing a sharply colorful down under it's wings.
He contemplated throwing it some of his sandwich buried in his briefcase, but decided against. Levo's and Dextro's. If his boy, John had trouble swallowing quarian bodily fluids than this bird would most certainly crash and die. Again he spoke, softer to keep the bird from becoming disturbed. It was too pretty and powerful to just disturb it like the asshole sentient being that he was.
Animal life appears to be quite abundant. I imagine much was lost during the Morning war, Perhaps this species of avian type animals were first nurtured by the Geth in an attempt to mimic what life was once like before the war. Perhaps the geth became conversationalist. As a personal record, I feel it's my duty for any naysayers over the Geth treaties to say that with the capabilities the Geth had, they could have easily strip mined this pretty little planet in a century. Hard to believe the Geth have a sense of morality more white than that of organic life.
Eric sighed as he let go of the recorder, adding to himself. "I always said robots were fucking awesome."
He rubbed his face as again he heard the sound of gently weeping come from the other room. He ignored it the best he could and continued his personal recordings.
My team is clumsy, as expected from grunts. They are ether too uninterested in what I need to pay attention to or too overemotional that it makes them linger on the little things I have no time to linger on. Hence the reason I'm sitting on my ass in bloody nursery while some maternal grunt is bawling her damn fool eyes out. Honestly, I cannot blame them for the latter of the two. Who knows, perhaps they have stumbled over hallow ground of their ancestors.
Speaking of which, our Geth guide, the one known as Legion led us towards the regional Graveyard for those lost in the Morning War. The site was immense, so much so that there is distinct evidence that the geth builders had to tear down buildings surrounding the sight for roughly eight city blocks in order to bury just over twenty million. Not only that, they buried everything. From quarians to even their pets, all the registered pets with their own district grave markings according to both Kal'Reegar and Legion.
I asked what became of the buildings, if they had built a scrapyard. He said no, that would be too wasteful. Instead the sons of bitches took the material and rebuilt the portions removed to the south entrance of the city. They tore it down transported it and rebuilt the goddamn things. If I had team of Legion's working for me, we'd be giving bloody contracts in the goddamn Terminus systems.
"Ah, Eric. Busy?"
Eric stopped his recording and looked to silently greet the turian Spectre standing in the doorway. He slipped the recorder back into his bag and stood up, taking one final drag of his dying cigarette before dropping and stomping on it. The bird cried out in a violent protest of its disturbance. Eric watched it as it fled the confines of the small room and out into the freedom of the city.
"No." He murmured, glancing around the turian's shoulder. "I'm just waiting on the girl to pull herself together."
Garrus gave off the equivalent of a turian sigh. He nodded, as if sympathizing with the annoyance the human had for the situation he was know dealing with.
"She's barely twenty, first time into the restricted zones." The spectre explained slowly as he looked back at the direction he the low whispering came from. "Her family records show her Ancestors were once business owners in this city. I guess it overwhelmed her."
Eric ignored the the pity story and started to pace as he sucked on his smoke. His behavior confounded the turian.
"You know, from your son's behavior, You're not exactly what I expected out of his father." Garrus observed quietly. Eric stopped pacing impatiently and turned back towards the Spectre.
"Oh? What exactly had you expected out of me?" He demanded, crossing his arms and leaving his cigarette dangling from his lips.
"I don't know, compassion." The turian returned, obviously trying to control his temper. "Shepard always has time for it. At least you could try it."
"I'm plenty compassionate, when I'm on my off time." Eric corrected the kid. "I'm not a buddy when I work. I'm a boss, and a pretty lenient one at that. I've been sitting here for the past forty minute listening to some overemotional grunt cry her eyes out. So excuse me for my behavior, Spectre Vakarian."
Shepard looked away from the turian stared hard at the crib.
"Give me a rifle and this crippled asshole would be more useful than these marines." He muttered under his breath.
Garrus seemed ready to make a retort but just as he had begun to open his mouth there was a sudden silence from the quarians. Moments later the geth known as Legion entered the room and stopped before Eric. It seemed to have been agitated, it's flaps rotating back and forth and in his hands his massive sniper rifle was resting. It must have finished its scans of the surroundings.
"Shepard, Architectural Designer. Do you require more rest, or should shall we proceed with your inquiry into the stability of this cities infrastructure?" It inquired. Shepard eyed the geth up and nodded. Slowly he smiled and wrapped his arm around the geth's shoulder and led him out, Garrus following closely behind the older human.
"Sounds like a plan, Legion, lets get moving." He returned to the inquisitive machine, adding. "Say, ever have an interest in the construction industry? your people's relocation work was extremely impressive. I could use a platform like you."
...

...
Garrus had to have been the worst turian he had ever met.
"So, let me get this straight, okay?" Eric crackled, immensely enjoying the turian's tale. "My son came back from the dead and the first thing he did was rescue your ass from your own mistakes? I thought turians were suppose to be made of marshal discipline and thinks out his battles carefully, even the one's you didn't for."
"Well... No one has ever told me I was a very good turian." Garrus admitted to his best friend's father.
"Lemme guess, Your daddy didn't give you enough hugs?" He taunted the turian Spectre challengingly. Garrus felt his eye twitch. Hard. It was as if Urdnot Wrex and Eric Shepard were the same people.
The group was a a marching pace down the street through C'rath's main road. Legion led the marine unit, which had formed a defensive line around Garrus, Kal'Reegar and himself. They were acting like soldiers again. Amazing.
There destination was the parliamentary building which governed quarian local and intergalactic policies. It was more of a personal interest for Shepard to check out. The interim quarian government was deadset on building the structure he had planned for them. As much of an honor it was for him, he still felt ignoring the past and focusing solely on a future was a misstep that could cause more trouble then anyone could imagine.
Besides. He wanted to see the exact spot where the quarians nearly sealed their doom for the genocide orders against the geth.
"Nevermind." Garrus sighed, rubbing his chin. "I can see where John got his manners from now."
Eric merely barked out a loud laugh.
"John gets his military from his warmonging bitch of a Momma and his mouth from his daddy." Eric spoke proudly, a slight smirk across his face.
"But... you served right?" Kal'Reegar spoke up, breaking his silence and watch over his unit. Shepard nodded to the quarian grunt.
"Yeah, I was at first contact, I was 21 year old wide eyed Corperal. Nearly shit in my fucking BDU's when I saw your ugly species for the first time." Eric admitted, pointing to Garrus and chuckling. Garrus smirked and returned the laugh.
"That where you got your limp from, sir?" Kal pressed on questioning him, glancing downwards at his bum leg.
"Limp?" He glanced back down to his bum leg and shook his head. "Nah, Got that several years into my service. Batarians blew my leg off when we were stealing the fucking Verge back from their greedy little hands. Managed to sew this mostly useless fucker back on, though. As soon as I could walk, I got drunk, found my Division CO and punched his fucking lights out. Asshole said what happened to my unit was Acceptable losses."
Eric sighed and ignored Kal as he turned his helmet back to him with slight curious tilt.
"Did my three years in the brig back on Earth, collected my pay and became an architect." He finished, lamely. he shrugged, his story was over, why continue on?
The turian frowned and slowly, he nodded his head. "By the way you talk, I can imagine you have no love for the military then?" He asked the human.
"You're right, I don't." Eric shot back to the turian. "Whether you're human, quarian or turian, you still amount to the same goddamn thing: Cannon fodder. Why throw you life away for people who use you to further their agenda?"
Kal and Garrus stared at the human, shocked by the bitter words the human muttered. This sort of unpatriotic talk was borderline unheard of by quarians and turians.
"They can wave their fucking flags and sprout their manifest destiny ideology all they like, it still costs the men who fight their one and only life." He pressed on to the shocked aliens. "I didn't want my boy following my footsteps."
Eric sighed and shook his head lowly. He looked up,meeting Garrus' beady eyes.
"So," He continued. "Yeah, Hearing that my wife was actively recruiting my son into joining the fucking core, wasn't something pleasant to swallow. John..."
He thought of the many talents John honed over the years of his hand taught education he gave his son. He wanted John to be an artist, he wanted him to be a writer, a musician, hell, he'd settle on John being an accountant or a banker. He would have preferred his boy do anything but become seduced into military existence. Those were bad days for his marriage. Eric was on the verge of divorcing his wife for what she set in motion, for what happened after Torfan. That was until his suicide attempt at least.
"Sounds like you were genuine in your feelings for keeping John out of it." Garrus spoke, ripping Eric from his self loathing. Eric stopped walking and reached into his pocket. He was craving a cigarette to divert his thoughts.
"Maybe; or perhaps I'm just the stupid douchebag dope fiend who makes no sense as many see me as." Eric finally returned as he exhaled smoke "I don't fucking kno-.
There was a deafening crack and a sudden searing flash of sheer pain that entered him and overwhelmed his nerves for a brief second. Eric looked down and a hole straight through the side of his stomach. The cigarette in his hand fell and hit the pavement.
No one noticed: Not at first at least, Garrus Kal, Legion and the quarian team had their rife scoped raised, all of them too busy with scanning the many windows and vantage points that the abandoned city had to offer them He allowed a harsh gurgling cough to escape his throat, he felt the texture of copper wash over his tastebuds as blood dripped out of his mouth.
He exhaled hard, his eyes drooped half open. He was a dead man standing.
"THE FUCKER IS UP THERE!" He heard Garrus say and then turned back to check the group. What he found instead was dying man staring back at him. Garrus opened his mandibles and widened his eyes. In a flash he was rushing to his best friends father's side.
"Shepard? MEDIC!" He roared out as he bolted towards the architect.
The turian however did not get to him in time. Eric collapsed under his own weight. He ignored it as he attempted to clutch the wound fruitlessly. There was a sudden eruption gunfire that peppered the building the sniper came from. Just the there was a roar of return fire as the singe sniper turned into a whole unit of enemies trying to kill them all.
Shepard felt himself being tugged on the ground by claws attached to strong arms. He felt his body being cradled by a Spectre, attempting to keep him from drowning in his own blood. Eric needed to say something, anything. He just could not. His eyes darted wild across the turians face as if begging him silently to help. All the turian could do was clutch the wound that now flowed freely through the cracks of his claws and looked helplessly on at the human he had failed to protect.
"Fall back into cover, this is a damn ambush, we're out gunned!" Kal'Reegar screamed out to his marines. Eric however was no longer able to focus on it.
Eric glanced away from the near catatonic Turian weakly and, through fading vision, he made out the metallic figure with a single ocular flash lenses looming over him like a guardian angel. He closed his eyes and entered the world of Morpheus.
Where am I?
His eyes opened by themselves. There was no thought to do so. They opened by themselves. He was not breathing consciously, yet he was. The scent on the air was ash, ash and blood. He remembered where he was. Oh god... Not here again.
Not Shanxi... Please God...Not Shanxi
"Two hundred forty five dead in under an hour. With three casualties on your side." A commanding voice called out, sounding surprised, dazed, lost. "I have to admit this, I am impressed with your command style."
Shanxi... He... He was back in his memories.
He felt himself turned around and found himself staring at two men. One, a disheveled looking turian officer. His armor scarred and and damaged from he engagement only just finished. ext to him was a fine dressed men. Not wearing body armor, but rather his officer uniform. He pulled off his officer cap and set it on the table, a well groomed blonde hair had a hand run through it as he gently smiled to the turian. Eric watched as the human sipped his tea.
"Thank you for the compliment, Major Sardonus." The human returned as he set his cup down. "My men have been regimented this sort of training the moment they left the training grounds. I must admit however, I am equally impressed with the doctrine displayed by your men. Not one step back. I have not seen such a display since my officer training. They are tactics my comrades do not have the stomach for."
Tactics you would use to destroy...you... you fucking monster.
Gracefully, the human lifted his knife and fork up and dug into the food, a simple prepared salad and Roast Beef. How he managed to get such a delicacy, Eric would never know. The Major too had a plate of food in front of him, less appealing, but edible for the turian nonetheless.
"Please, eat. You have earned it for your struggle." The Staff Commander requested, nodding his head and gesturing to the turian meal sitting in front of the Major. "I am sorry that it's not much, but it's all we could gather on raids."
The turian Major looked down at his plate and ale. He exhaled unsteadily and looked back up. He shook his head.
"My men have died valiantly, I do still wish I had fallen with them." The Major murmured mournfully, looking down "I have no right to eat while surrounded by my dead."
The Staff Commander raised an eyebrow and leaned over. Ignoring the flinch from the half broken turian, he patted his shoulder. A gesture of understanding.
How could he have been so stupid to believe in this facade of his?
"Come now, Major Sardonus, one must eat to maintain their strength." He exclaimed warmly, still maintain a friendly look for his beaten foe. "Dying on the battlefield was not a part of the plan. You must be sent back as a message to your superiors."
Staff Commander Jürgen Metzger pushed the plate closer to Sardonus, who looked at it reproachfully.
"Please, I must insist you join me." He requested once at first to do so, Sardonus nodded, he raised the utensil on the side of the plate and dug in, his mandibles flapping slightly.
Maybe I can change this. This is a dream right? I can change how this goes. All... All that I have to do is shoot him... Shoot him or scream at him not to do this...
But he couldn't.
Eric silently watched as Sardonus and Metzger quietly ate together, only pausing to exchange brief tales of their military activities during the engagement on Shanxi. They would occasionally share a laugh and bonded despite the many differences setting the two species far apart.
Silently he turned to look over at Private Aashritha Latesh standing next to him, her face grim covered and her rifle raised against her chest as she watched the exchange uneasily. To her, there seemed something... Off about everything. Quietly, she leaned against him.
"Eric, I don't like where this is going. It.. it just feels wrong." She breathed so they weren't overheard. Eric did not reply, instead he simply stood there and watched the exchange between his commanding officer and the enemy.
"There's nothing to like about this, Latesh." He agreed with an equal whisper. "However there is reason to everything the CO does."
As dinner wrapped up and they were down to sipping on the drinks, left last. The Commander reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He offered one to his turian counterpart, who shook his head. As he lit one, inhaling the ashy smoke, Metzger turned his head away from Sardonus and into Eric's direction.
"Corporal Shepard." The Commander spoke to the younger man, setting his fork and knife down as he finished the last of his dinner. Eric felt the body he inhabited step forward to the officers and snapped to a crisp attention.
Do it... You can save him... I believe in you. This course was not inevitable, neither is it in a dream. There were a hundred different ways to have prevented this... but you didn't... You were just following orders... You were no better than he is.
"Yes sir?" The Corporal inquired. Not even aware that a struggle for his soul was being waged.
The Commander nodded his head and exhaled, smiling to his subordinate.
"Good disciplined form, don't you agree, Major Sardonus?" The human simply spoke to the turian. "Flexible, but disciplined is the best soldier you can have." The turian Major inspected the Corporal and nodded in approval. With a slight sigh, the human commander stood up and clicked his boots together and nodded respectfully to his enemy.
You Bastard, you helpless fool bastard. He was a trickster, a manipulator, a user. Your mind told you this was wrong, that he was wrong yet you did it anyway.
"Major Sardonus." He started, his hand outstretched towards the Major. "It was an honor to have dined with you. Perhaps one day our species will be friends and comrades on the battlefields. I hope you will convey this message to them."
The turian stood up as well and nodded, taking the hand offered by his advisory uncertainly.
"The honor is mine" Sardonus rumbled, shaking the hand twice. "I am delighted to find that there is honor amongst your people. Despite my superior contrary report."
And for what reasons did you do it? Orders? Or was it a simple desire for him to be proud of you.
The human named Metzger chuckled heartily and hit the turian's shoulders. He turned back to face Eric, his eyes mirthfully light.
"Corporal, please take the Major and arrange a transport for him go back to the Turian High Command." He ordered, gesturing to the turian. Eric felt his head pulled up and down into a nod and his legs moved once again towards the turian. He gestured to the turian to follow, which he did.
"Corporal." the high accented voice of his superior officer called from behind him. Eric and the turian paused and turned around, finding the commander standing there, his arms behind his back as he inspected both his soldier and his enemy.
Perhaps this time is different... I can change what this bastard says... I know I can... I just know it.
"We can only send between ten to fifteen pounds of the good Major back to them. Make every pound count." He stated factually as he replaced his officer cap back over his head and wiped the dust off his jacket. He paid no mind to the turian's expression of shock and fear.
"You promised I would be returned back to Command!" The turian Sadonus snarled out, trying to lash out at the Commander. Before he could connect to the well dressed officer, Eric's arms reached around the turian holding him in place.
Let the turian go.. let him shred this smug bastard.
Eric... this Eric, would not listen to the voice screaming at him. Instead he merely watched as Metzger cocked an eyebrow and wrapped his arms behind his back. He strolled over towards the pinned turian Major and leaned in slightly. Still he was smiling gently, as though amused at the fear displayed by the alien.
"Yes, I promised a safe return, but not in what state." He reminded the open mouthed turian, He looked up to Eric and added, "You may proceed, Corporal."
Don't say it. I don't have to say it... Please. PLEASE. DON'T MAKE ME SAY IT.
"Yes sir." Eric returned, nodding. He turned away and started to pull the screaming turian away from the Officer and to somewhere more seclude. Except a hand of the Commander's fell on his shoulder.
"No, no, no, Corporal Shepard." Metzger chastised his NCO Playfully "Right here, in front of the men. I am certain they would like to witness the spectacle."
He gestured to the ground in front of where the turian stood. Eric's head nodded and pushed the turian to the ground slowly retracting his Combat knife from out of its pouch. Metzger turned away as Eric dropped himself down and pinned the turian back, tugging his head far back, exposing the poor bastards neck to the edge of the blade.
Don't do it... I'm begging you. I've killed this poor bastard ten thousand times before... not again. not again.. Don't do it... I'm begging you... don't do it... You're killing more then him. You're just killing yourself..
"Sergeant Morris, I would like to have two hundred and forty five wooden and metal pikes to be created or confiscated from any construction site, once you are done, begin impaling the bodies. I would like the bodies stretched out for a kilometer straight, for our foreign guests visual enjoyment." Metzger commanded before turning back to the executioner and added. "Proceed when ready, Eric."
No...
The knife in the Corporals hand plunged into his victims neck, breaking through the hard skin of the turians. The turian screamed, his fruitless cries for salvation were in vain as they mixed with the gurgling of blood. Eric winced but ignored the screams as he continued to hack through the turians neck, splitting the windpipe and allowing air to spill freely.
Even as the blood soaked the Corporal's hands, still he continued to cut and hack. He ignored the cheers from his fellow men. He ignored Metzger as he continued to watch the spectacle with a pleasure not admitted. As the turian's last signs of life lest his body, Metzger turned back to his men.
"This act will be a warning to the turians of what we will do if they pursue a war they cannot hope to win. For many thousands of years, humanity has used fear as a weapon against one another. Today, we teach these insects that man will do whatever it takes to survive." He announced, earning an abrupt cheer amongst his troops. All except for a silent Shepard and a horrified looking Latesh. Metzger saluted his men respectfully and smiled.
"Now complete your duties and we shall leave for home. Know this: I am proud of each and every one of you." He concluded, earning a spattering of applause. The soldiers dispersed back to their assigned duties. Metzger turned from them and looked on Eric, a smile as he watched his corporal cut through the last of the turian's neck, forcing the head off Sardonus' body.
Eric stood up, exhausted, his arms and chest coated in copper scented blood. He backed away and faced his Commanding officer, Who looked at him approvingly. Eric's eyes drifted slightly to Aashritha, who still looked shocked and disgusted.
"Good work, Shepard. Bag the head and give it to the courier, Take the rest of the day off, you have earned it." Metzger spoke to him, proudly pressing his hand onto Eric's head, like a father taking pride in his son's achievement. "I will make you a cup of tea, we shall discuss your promotion."
No... don't
Ignoring the stare of his friend, Latesh, Eric's lips formed into a bright grin as he looked from the head of the turian to Metzger.
"Thank you sir, it was my pleasure."
Eric snapped out a ridged salute with his free hand. Waiting in place until the Commander returned it, Eric turned and marched away, not realizing what he had done to himself, nor the look of anguish written across his friend's face.
...

...
"He's conscious, his heart rate is erratic but he's alert!"
Eric coughed violently and groaned, his eyes flying around the room wildly. He tried to move but pain shot through his body, seemingly dulled by painkillers.
Ignoring the eruption of barking machine gun fire, being sent to other buildings and the pounding of slug around him, he rolled again but was stopped. He could feel sources of pressure against him, on his arm, on his stomach. He focused and noticed a wounded looking turian as the source of the pressure. He widened his eyes and shook his head disbelievingly.
"N-noo.. p-please... Don't.. don't kill-."
A talon reached outwards and touched against his face. The turian stared into Eric's frantic eyes, a look of fear in his eyes.
"Shepard, it's me, Garrus." The turian returned, his voice broken with as much fear as Eric felt. "Calm down, sir. You're safe, you've been hit but we're going to get you out of here."
A body slumped down next to him on his knees. Thin legs, body suit. A quarian. She dropped medical bag next to the human and dug
"The Medi-Gel will help for only so long before he's in some serious trouble, life threatening trouble." She muttered to herself as she disinfected the wound site with the biological agent. Garrus growled to himself lowly as he maintained his hands on the wound.
"We need to get a blood transfusion set up, medic." Garrus muttered to the quarian as though she were his subordinate. The quarians head flew up, her luminescent eyes narrowing and glaring darkly at the turian.
"Oh yeah, I'll get right on it... but, please, tell me whose BLOOD are we going to use?" The quarian snapped back, her eyes narrowed as she focused on the human. "Listen turian, I have enough levo blood substitutes to keep him flowing for the next hour, maybe three hours if I really can stretch it out but what he needs is an emergency surgeon working on him. Something I'm not yet, nor can you find here. Now get your ass out to the firing line so I can get him to one quicker!"
A brief staring match occurred between the two. With a sigh, Garrus let go of the wound, transferring the pressure over to the quarian. He stood up, blood still on his hands as he dragged his rifle and went out to assist Kal and his marines. The Medic turned away and focused back onto the wounded human, her eyes softening into a gentle concern for her patient.
"Shepard... Eric... can you hear me?" The medic asked, her hands both tightly grasping the wound. Shepard stared at her, into her dark face mask carefully. He exhaled and nodded his head tiredly.
"I'm sorry..." He returned, slumping his head and closing his eyes. "I... I shouldn't have chewed you out."
The quarian chuckled nervously as she leaned over him to open the medical bag.
"Well its fine...I've been an emotional wreck ever since I entered the city." She admitted to him brightly as she removed a tourniquet and wrapped it around his arm tightly. "Mom and Dad told me this was where our ancestors use to live before the genocide, I'm sorry if it compromised with your work."
Eric did not reply as he watched her search for a major blood vein. Before he knew it, a needle was pressed through his forearm.
"Name?" He breathed out, rolling his head to the side as he heard Kal roaring orders and the rifle fire intensified. The quarian on him chuckled weakly and looked. He could swear a smile was on her lips as she heard the curious question.
"If I tell you my name, you have to promise me that you're going to fight to survive this mess." She returned, her voice crisp and businesslike. "I can only go so far, you have to do your part. I haven't lost a patient yet, not going to lose my first human one now."
Eric couldn't help it, he chuckled softly, wincing as the laughter pained him. He felt the hand against his stomach tighten and watched as the second hand attached a bag of blood replacements into the intravenous line.
"My name is Quawe'Quaera. Soon to be doctor." The quarian named Quawe introduced herself to the human. "I volunteer for the military operations. I' not technically a marine; they need medical experts. You gotta do your part you know?" She chuckled and ducked her head as she set the bag above his head, adding. "listen to me talkative to the point of annoying."
"It's fi-ne. Not..not many can.. can tell a Spectre off." He managed to reply, coughing with as much control as possible. She chuckled softly and bowed her head away.
"Anyways, I find that maintaining a constant stream of dialog between medic or doctor and patient helps keep the patients mind off the situation." She continued, lowering herself down to inspect the wound. "Of course my talking always tends to spill off into personal life." She giggled as she unbuttoned the human's shirt. "My parents, they hate it; I never give them a moment of silence. Well, I try to but it's never enough. My sister likes it. She finds the talk rather amusing..."
Quawe fell silent, her eyes widened at the sight of the various scars and chunks missing out of the human. He looked as though he was put back together several times. Eric watched the quarian staring at him blankly and exhaled slowly.
"Sister?" He rasped out again, hoping to turn her away from her new focus. Quawe looked up and stared at him strangely.
"Oh yeah." Quawe replied, understanding his nervousness. "Her name is Marhna, she's wonderful once you get to know her; She's kinda the family outcast; though, I figured she was probably just arrogant and hated our way of life, though, it really isn't far from the truth. Marhna is arrogant and hated the way we lived on the fleet, anyways so she left and I was allowed to be born. Suppose I owe her that massive favor."
"Cut the damn chatter!"
Quawe and Eric looked up to find that Lieutenant Reegar, Spectre Vakarian, Legion and a second quarian had returned the room; clutching a sniper rifle. Reegar looked away from the young woman, fuming and turned his attention back to the soldiers.
"Legion, get to the roof with Swaraa'Sevar and provide sniper support." He ordered to the geth and the quarian, He turned to Garrus and added. "Spectre, stay here. Keep him safe and be ready to open communications up. I want to see how big this force is before we do anything."
They broke apart, Reegar heading back to the frontline, Legion and the quarian sniper Swaraa storming through the old building. Garrus sighed and slumped against the wall across from the human and the quarian. Quawe chuckled softly to herself as she retracted a pair of forceps from the bag.
"Fun's over." She spoke up to the human. Eric gritted his teeth as the cold stainless steel pressed inside his body.
His thoughts fell to his son, who couldn't have been more then two hundred miles from the city. He hoped to the God he did not believe in that he was okay.
...

...
"Right there, Ereba. It's perfect.."
Tali moaned carefully as she felt delicate asari lips touch her neck; She watched with a thrill as light blue hands snaked around her and intertwined tightly with pale peach toned hands both now cupping her breasts. She blushed furiously as asari lips were suddenly joined by human, this time pressed against her abdomen.
"John... nooooo." she cried out playfully.
The sound of a quarian giggling never grew old in his ears. John smirked as his lips kissed her belly button and felt her hands explore his head now buried in her flat stomach. His hand reached outwards and slipped around Tali's naked bottom. There was a sudden gasp and a giggle that escaped the asari' lips.
"Taali... Your future husband is touching me..." Ereba trilled out teasingly. Pushing her pelvis into John's hands and Tali's firm butt. John sighed and pulled his hand back, only to hear Tali giggle once again and pushed herself back to meet Ereba, trapping his hand in a position John couldn't have ever dreamed of being better trapped.
Tali's smiled faintly as her hand reached downwards to raise John's buried face. She leaned inwards and pressed her lips against John's.
"Perhaps I am ready to watch him touch you." She breathed back to the asari, her eyelids hooded as she looked into John's eyes. "I've had you nearly to myself this whole time. I must admit... I'm curious to see what John does third hand."
Quiet fell between Ereba and John, they pushed themselves up and looked at each other in disbelief, Tali had muttered words that they never dared to think were possible. The two of them together without Tali being the primary focus? This was... well.. it was new that much was for certain. Tali'Zorah was a double standard lover with John. Look and touch, but never act. The sort of Goddess of this bond. They never questioned it for the first year or so, but the thrill of them together seemed so forbidden.
They would steal the occasional kiss when Tali was worn out and asleep; they spent hours in each other's arms, talking about everything they could approach. He learned much about her and she learned much about John and Tali, their adventures, his life. It all felt... natural, right much to both of their shock.
"What is this? Is Tali'Zorah ready to share her John with me?" Ereba was the first to speak, her voice low as she touched the quarian's cheek, smiling at her longingly. Tali smiled sweetly back, her eyes lowered from the gaze her future husband had on her. Slowly, uncertainly, she shrugged.
"Maybe it's not fair that I have all the fun." She admitted to the two of them. She looked and to each of them on her sides. Silently, she pushed herself back down, to let the two, the human and the asari approach each other.
"Perhaps, we should... I dunno, kiss. See if this suggestion can survive it." John spoke up, his eyes glancing from the excited Ereba and the submissive future wife.
A smile was shared between human and asari as they noticed the quarian watching them expectantly. Slowly, carefully, both John and Ereba leaned in, their chests pressing against Tali's as their lips met each other. The kiss was brief however, they broke it off immediately and glanced back down to gauge Tali's reaction to the affection. There was no anger in her eyes, nor any hypocritical possessiveness. She merely watched, mesmerized at the sight of the two of them touching each other on top of her.
Ereba and John eyed each other again as they noticed the voyeuristic grin spread across Tali's lips. Together they leaned down and both pressed their lips against Tali's, surprising the poor woman.
"Noooo, I'm watching you two, not your pleasure the quarian game." Tali teased as they allowed her lips to escape theirs. "Don't give me that look, John." She added lowly as she saw an expression of concern wash of him. "You have silently watched as Ereba and I.. well.."
Tali cleared her throat loudly and looked from John to Ereba and back to John again, her face heating up to a bright bush as thoughts begun to form into words.
"It's your turn now." She clarified once again, still looking shyly at the two of them. "I umm... I... want to watch you inside her."
Ereba lips pulled back, her pearly white teeth showing as she looked excited to a shocked John. John exhaled as he watched Tali's sharp teeth bit down on her lip. She pushed her head towards Ereba, a silent gesture to fulfill her wish. John nodded and crawled over Tali's naked body to rest himself on top of Ereba, her arms held out to take him into her embrace.
They leaned inwards and pressed their lips against one another once more, their mouths opened as they gently explored each other with tongues and wandering hands. Together, their eyes glanced over to find Tali had rolled on her side to watch the scene unfolding with an immense curiosity. Smiling slightly over to her John retracted his lips and pushed them deep into the asari's neck, nibbling it.
Ereba arched her back and moaned softly, her hand reaching out and took a hold of Tali's.
"T-think you can perform under this sort of scrutiny?" She breathed in between kisses across the human's face. John chuckled and pushed his head lower into her breasts, nipping moving his tongue over supple blue flesh goosebumping from the thrill of the sex and being voyeured upon by quarian, whose free hand was unconsciously sliding down her stomach as she watched her fiancee and asari lover in such proximity.
Ereba's hand was suddenly squeezed as a sudden shock ran through Tali as her hand fell hidden underneath the blanket concealing her lower half. She gasped gently as she watched John's lips continued to fall downwards Ereba's body, his hands still caressed over the contours of the asari's body, exploring conservative hips, a thin waist, rounded and supple breast, touching her neck She could faintly hear the squeaking gasp escape her quarian lovers lips as fingers penetrated herself. At that moment, John's lips met her mound for the first time in the two years since they met.
With a soft moan, Ereba pushed herself upwards, sitting on the pillow she had only moments ago was resting against, her hands tightened, one around Tali's the other end of the pillow as she felt a single long stroke of John's tongue move against her. Letting go of the pillow, Ereba's hand snaked around the human's head of hair and gripped it instead, carefully pushing the man into her.
Silently, she watched as the covers covering Tali's pelvis shuffled back and forth as her eyes watched John's ministrations. Breathing quickly, Tali turned her head over to look up at the asari adoringly. She shifted, pushing the covers away to reveal Tali's finger pushing in and out of her tight little snatch. Slowly, still working her magic, she shuffled closer and pushed herself against Ereba's soft, sweat glistened leg and grinded herself back and forth, her eyes still fixed on Ereba's. Shuttering roughly as John's fingers grazed her and the feeling of a wet quarian on her leg becoming ever more noticeable, she leaned onto Tali, nipping the girl's earlobe.
"D-does... the thought of John pushing himself inside me turn your sweet little quarian mind into mush?" She softly whispered into the aroused quarians ear. "What happened to that sweet girl who said she will put a tacking chip in his neck?"
She did not rely with words, only a whimper as her grinding shot electric through her nerves. She watched as Ereba's body reacted more and more s John's digits explored her. Shakily she leaned over and caught Tali's lips in a sloppy exchange of saliva and moaning.
Ereba felt a sudden shuffling of her body. It was John, his arms slid around her waist as he pulled himself up to kiss her and then Tali, whom had a gazed grin across her lips as the taste of Ereba brushed from his lips to hers.
She gasped and pressed her face into Tali's chest as she felt the surprising sensation of John filling her up completely. She could faintly hear him chuckle as he watched her nuzzle her face into Tali's chest. Tali stopped moving and looked up to John and smiled brightly.
"I don't think she expected that." She mused shakily to her fiancée. John bit his lip and leaned in, kissing the quarian again. He pushed his hips back and forth in Ereba's slowly, keeping his movements under a very careful restraint. Ereba whimpered into her quarian lover as she rolled her hips to meet John's. She sighed as Tali gently massaged her tendrils in slow, deep circles.
Tali smiled warmly, still tingling as she ignored her own urges and watched idly as John's pace sped up. She wrapped her arms around Ereba and buried the asari underneath her neck as she maintained her eyes on her future husband. She bit her lip, a ting of worry, of jealousy coming to the surface. As if she knew, Ereba reached up, her body shaking as her pelvis banged against John's. She gracefully grazed Tali's cheek, moving backwards to run through the braidlike hair.
"He..he loves you, Tali, we both do..." The asari woman in her arms murmured softly, her lips touching Tali's. Tali smiled and hooded her eye lids as she felt tender fingers roll down her abdomen. She gasped as they touched her, entered her, and maneuvered though her body. This act stopped being a voyeuristic one for Tali and became one of participation.
Whatever this started off as: as fun, as an exciting thrill of bringing a woman to bed with John and her. It had long since evolved. Yes, Tali admitted as her lips were touched by John's while Ereba's fingers dug in deep, She loved both of them as well.
...

...
Mindoir: 2170CE
Screaming and alien tongue being shouted at him was all he could hear now. The foul stench on the people he was escorting was a mixture of fear and whatever batarians took a bath in. He looked onto his fellow men as they guided a group of men, women and children through the alien township on Mindoir, graciously permitted to exist by the Alliance development board.
The group hissed amongst each other as the rain fell over them. Being dragged out in the early morning by strange two eyed beasts brandishing automatic weaponry and rage in their faces. The commanding officer of the detachment glanced back as he shoved one of the women who was falling behind. Several of his men were covering them as they made sure the crowd of enraged batarian civilians did not make a move against them.
He turned back as he stumbled into the fallen form of a batarian child, a small girl from what he figured, her large eyes staring up at him hatefully. He curled his lips up at her but lifted her from the muddy dirt nonetheless. Silently he pushed his way through the crowd of batarians gathered by the marines, the child in his hands. As he noticed the screaming of a mother and the child's hands reaching for her desperately, he handed the girl over to the mother, her many eyes shining with desperate tears.
The officer ignored it and continued onwards, pushing himself to the front. Suddenly the whine of an assault rifle broke out over head of them, causing the civilians to scream and duck in fear. The Commander leaned down and tugged one of the batarians, a male back on his feet.
"Sound off! What the hell was that?" He screamed through his comm mic as he grabbed a woman and stood her up next and pushed her along to keep walking.
"Sorry sir, had to fire warning shots. The crowd got too close." the comm unit crackled back. Lieutenant Commander Eric Shepard exhaled through his nose. This was going to be a clusterfuck.
The group stepped at a marching pace as they reached the center of the town where several half asleep batarians stood with a well groomed officer and several of his marine bodyguards, watching them scream at him contemptuously. There was no emotion across the Major's expression. Only a slight look of indulgence.
"Lieutenant Commander." Major Jürgen Metzger called out gesturing for Eric's company. "I see you have completed your task. Line them up."
Line them up?
Eric's eyes narrowed at the order and at the indulgent smile on the Major's face. He looked back to his men and nodded to them, silently expressing the order. There was a sudden flurry of activity as the men in the unit shoved the crowd forward near several meters from the prefabricated building the marines had gathered around. There, they lined the civilians up, one by one and on their knees.
Metzger watched disinterestedly as the task was completed. He caught Shepard's arm and gestured him to stand by the batarian leadership who were frozen in a sudden knowing fear.
The Major stepped past them and slowly inspected the captured batarians one by one. He paused in front of one of them, a batarian woman in sleeping wear. Idly he tugged his sidearm out and shot a single clean round through her head. The crowd gasped as the woman slumped to the floor, the batarian leadership being forced to watch, stared on in disgust.
A sigh emitted from the mouth of the Major as he turned back to the town gathered around the nightmare spectacle.
"The blood of this poor woman is not on my hands, nor my men. It is on yours." He announced to the crowd gathered. "At 22:49 hours last night, batarian raiders attempted to commit an act of aggression on the settlement of Saharta, as well as a dozen other towns and settlements on Mindoir. Well over three hundred were killed, another eighty were captured and placed into your system of barbarity in Saharta alone. A total of seven thousand have been murdered across, many hundreds were taken."
"Unfortunately, two of your glorious heroes were captured." He added mockingly. "Both confessed where their staging ground was."
Metzger fired again, this time shattering the head open of a batarian man forced down in place next to the dead batarian woman.
"For several years, as your leaders know, my fellow officers have approached your township, knowing full well that you sympathize and support this barbaric custom." The Major continued to the hushed silent crowd gathered before him. "We silently watched as you fed, sheltered and rearmed these people. For several years, your leadership has told us the same story: that pirates are not being collaborated with nor are they welcomed in this town. After this recent attack, I have been charged to find out if this is true or not."
Major Metzger turned away from the crowd he had addressed and towards Eric, his eyes friendly as he glanced to the Township leadership standing next to Shepard contemptuously.
"Commander Shepard, execute them." Metzger ordered, gesturing to the settlement leaders casually. Eric shut his eyes and slowly nodded. He watched quietly as four of Metzger's men shoved the group against the wall of the prefabricated building. Through the screaming, one of the batarian men stepped forward. Defiance streaked across his expression.
"You will never get away with this murder." The batarian roared at both the Commander and the Major. Major Metzger merely smirked at the protest.
"Yes, I think we will." He returned, nodding to Shepard and stepping away from the Commander. Eric raised his assault rifle. He ignored the cries of protest and pulled the trigger of the rifle, the sudden flaring roar of the weapon silencing them and turning the half dozen men into perforated corpses.
The crowed screamed out once more. A few attempted to push forward to attack both Shepard and Metzger, only to find out how a rifle felt smashed against their face. Metzger sighed and raised his sidearm in the air, the gesture earning another scream and yet another firing round from the Major.
"PLEASE GOOD PEOPLE... REMAIN CALM." Metzger roared out at the gathering, waving his pistol at the crowd. Slowly, the crowd obliged and fell into a state of panicked shocked quiet.
"Once more, after years of terror against simple settlers, it is time to answer the charge. Are you- "
Metzger paused himself and raised an eyebrow as they watched an Alliance Marine shove her way through the crowd of batarians and approached the Major and Commander. It was Lieutenant Aashritha Latesh, on her face was an uncharacteristic display of anguish. Her eyes appeared bloodshot as she breathed erratically.
Eric reached out to his Executive Officer and took her by her arm. He leaned in to inspect his friend carefully.
"Lieutenant... Ash...What happened?" He inquired carefully, his hand wrapping around Aashritha's back. Over and over, the lieutenant shook his head, eyes looking downwards.
"Sir... Shepard... We found several bodies of children. Human" The Lieutenant breathed to both her friend and to Major Metzger. "They were hidden in a home, bound, syringe holes and gagged. There is signs of... abuse, according to the doc."
She finally looked up, her eyes watering with tears as she looked to Eric helplessly.
"I-I didn't know..know what to do... they're.. their just babies... their just babies." She admitted wiping her eyes furiously. A hand fell down onto her shoulder. It was Metzger, who was leaning into the upset man's field of view.
"Take the children to the transport, Lieutenant; I want you to clean them up." Metzger finally spoke up; his voice unnatural steady at the news. "I will not have them returned to their parents in such a dreadful state. Dead or alive."
Lieutenant Latesh nodded grimly and, with one broken look for her friend and Commanding Officer, she took off at a running pace back towards the scene of the crime. Eric's eyes glanced over to Metzger, his head bowed as he stared at the muddy ground under his boots. The son of a bitch was right about them.
"We have our evidence." Metzger called out, looking back up at face the crowd gathered. "We officially know that amongst this crowd are pirate raiders. We know that you will not cooperate, batarian determination is near unbreakable is the claim. So. I will not pursue interrogation."
He turned away and wandered down the line and lined up in front of the batarian kneeling in front of the human. His pistol raised at him. Metzger turned his head backwards to face the crowd.
"Instead I shall execute each and everyone one of these innocents until you turn yourself in for your crimes." He concluded. "You have five seconds to comply."
1...
The crowd was screaming in protest. Eric looked back at them, they looked furious of the ultimatum.
2...
He ordered the men not watching over the captives to step forward and take firing positions, just in case...
3...
He noticed Metzger staring at the batarian who was begging for his life in his native tongue. They were cries for help that would be unheeded by the Major.
4...
Eric turned to see several batarians, a woman and two boys kneeling in the crowd, looking inconsolable. Eric bit his lip. Family. He bowed his head and thought of John, Sarah and Hannah. If they could see their hero father now.
5...
The pistol barked once as Metzger pulled the trigger coolly and stepped out of the bodies path as it fell. Jürgen stared at the body for a moment and turned to his next victim in line. A small boy, no more than ten. Silently, the Major raised his pistol once more and looked up towards the crowd who, despite their noise, had yet to come forward. If there was anyone to come forward.
"Must you make me shed the blood of your children? You have the power to save these lives by telling the truth. I must warn you, I can do this all day. And I will." Metzger challenged the crowd, his pistol unwavering.
Before Eric knew it, the Major pulled the trigger yet again. The boy slumped as the life left his now broken body. The crowd cried out once more. Several of the batarians managed to nearly penetrate through the defense line Eric set up but were forcibly shoved back with the butts of rifles.
Again the crowd flinched as every five second interval, Metzger executed another batarian. Man, woman, child. It did not matter. They stopped being living beings the moment they had Jürgen Metzger looming over them like the angel of death. Eric closed his eyes as he felt a dull pang hit his stomach. He wiped his eyes and turned away. Shakily he hit open his omni-tool and clicked for a private channel with his Lieutenant, Aashritha Letesh.
"Ash... He's lost it... Metzger is executing everyone." Eric murmured through he private channel, breathing raggedly as he attempted not to vomit. Again the pistol fired, causing the Commander to flinch.
"You have to stop him, Eric, Please." The comm channel crackled back, Aashritha's voice pleaded to him."Not all of these people are bad, they don't deserve to die. Please... Eric... This doesn't bring back any of the dead we lost."
Eric looked up and noticed Metzger, his pistol drawn over the his next target, a woman, clutching a child in her arms, protectively shielding him from the monster standing over them. Before Eric could call out. A voice broke through the crowd.
"I AM A SLAVER, SIR! I'M A SLAVER! PLEASE, SIR... NOT MY WIFE, NOT MY DAUGHTER!"
One batarian pushed through the crowd, a boy standing next to him, screaming in an untranslatable language. Metzger looked up from the woman he loomed over and towards the man, a smile appearing across his face. He stepped away and wandered over towards the outspoken man.
"It appears we are making some progress. Name?" The Major inquired, gesturing to the marine to let him by. The Marine did so, but forced the child at the father's side back. The batarian glanced back at the boy and then turned back to face the inquisitor.
"Sovak Darox." He spoke up again. Metzger nodded blankly and tilted his head. Slowly, the Major stepped forward towards the batarian.
"You were a member of the raiding party on Saharta?"
Sovak nodded his head hard.
"Yes I was." He announced to the Major, his voice high and proud as his eyes darted to his wife. "I killed three men in the raid. I fight to keep your people out the Skyllian Verge. A zone of batarian interest." Again he glanced to his crying wife and added. "I-I will gladly be taken if you leave my family be. I will help you find whoever and whatever you need."
Metzger's eyes bored deep into Sovak's, his arms crossed as he simply stood there, watching the batarian plead on behalf of his wife and daughter. Quietly, Eric closed the Comm Chanel with Lieutenant Latesh and slowly stepped towards the remaining batarian captives. From behind the Major, Eric noticed that he nodded slightly, his hands falling behind his back as he tucked his pistol back into his holster.
"Mr. Darvok," The Major spoke up. "What I would like from you is the location of your Forward Operating Base in the region as well as the location of the slave pits."
Eric watched as Sovak's eyes closed, his head bowed in shame. Metzger turned away briefly, a smile becoming present to Eric.
"I see, just a simple mind, I suppose." The Major murmured. Faster than Eric could comprehend, Metzger drew his pistol once more and fired a round off, piercing through Sovak's stomach.
Metzger wandered away from the roaring struggling batarian as he slowly died. His son ripped his way out of the arms of the crowd and fell to his Father's side, cradling him and screaming. The officer ignored the scene and stepped by Eric. Jürgen shot half a smirk towards Eric and raised his pistol against the head of Sovak's wife.
He pulled the trigger. The body slumped under its own weight. Sovak screamed louder than the crowd did. He was held back by his son who was wailing at the sight of his dying mother. Metzger ignored it and turned his attention to the small girl hunched over her mother' body begging for her to wake up. The pistol loomed over the child.
Before Eric knew it, before Jürgen knew it, Eric's armored fist swung back and cracked the Alliance Major in the jaw. Metzger collapsed to the mud ground, soaking his uniform. Eric lashed out again, his boot slugging his mentor, his educator in the stomach, causing a scream in his native laungage.
With all his might, Shepard booted Metzger's pistol as far as he could kick it. He turned away and ignored the men from Metzger run to his side.
"GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" He ordered the remaining dozen Batarians waiting for their deaths. Though dazed, they did not need to be asked twice. They left, all except for the little girl clinging tightly to her mother's chilling corpse. Still, the father screamed for his child's survival as Shepard knelled down and placed a hand on the girls shoulder.
"Please." He begged her "Go to your daddy."
She did not understand. Guiltily, Shepard pried the child, now screaming out of her hold over her fallen mother and shooed her along to her father. Eric watched as the child stumbled over towards her wounded father, crying and howling in anguish. Eric stood up and avoided the gaze of the dying batarian man the best he could.
"You don't get to kill her; you lunatic fuck!" Eric growled as he stepped back towards the mudcaked Metzger. One of his men stepped forward to stop him, but Eric was too fast. He ducked and kneed the marine in the gut. He stepped over the fallen man's body and latched his fist tightly around Jürgen's jacket.
"You don't get to kill anyone else today, not now, not like this." Eric snapped, his voice chalked full of rage. "You're fucking finished in this army; do you get me, you fucking scumbag?"
Metzger spat out a mouthful of saliva and blood and chuckled, almost amused at the situation.
"Do you think this was a personal issue for me, Shepard?" Metzger hissed back, clutching his broken cheek. "I was ordered for this. Just like you. They wanted a strong message sent, so they sent us!"
Shepard exhaled unsteadily and let go the bleeding man. He turned away from the him. It was was time to take command of this farce.
"Service Chief, Find the Medic, Get this man some treatment." He barked out before turning to the rest of his men. "The rest of you get the fuck out of here. We're bugging ou-."
Everything went white, everything went deaf. He felt nothing as he felt an explosion of pain and a massive force push him upwards and, just as quickly, gravity forced him to tumble back down. He landed surface and hit it hard. All he could do was lay there as he felt dirt kick up around him and a warmness coating everything, his face, his chest, his ass felt as though he was sitting in a warm rain puddle. He blinked repeated, he was alive, at least it seemed like it.
He rolled his face over as he felt the warm liquid pool in his eye. He coughed, violently, spitting blood and raised an arm trying to wipe his eyes clean.
The crowd seemed to have been running for their lives, leaving many dead behind. He saw figures running about him, not checking to see if he was alive or dead. It must have been his platoon fighting back against an enemy that did this. He looked over towards where the batarian pirate was laying. He was gone, dead. Still, his children remained
"G-go." He managed to speak up in a guttural utterance. He managed to swing his arm off towards where the settlement was. He needed the children to run, to flee to safety. They had to survive this. He...He couldn't save their father not their mother... He failed... but...perhaps... perhaps she could have saved them...
Again he waved his arm, attempting to get the message across. The elder of the two, the brother, seemed to have got the point. His face was contorted into a look of rage for Shepard and quickly, he fled, his sister clutching his hand. The boy hated everything the Marine stood for and stood by. Eric could not have blamed him.
Slowly, the Marine tried to sit up, but he couldn't. Something wasn't feeling right now. He glanced back down towards his legs. One leg, his right was damaged heavily and bleeding. His other... His...left leg..No... it couldn't be... it was there. It had to have been there. This was all just a misunderstanding.
But it wasn't. His left leg was gone. Shredded off his body.
Eric's eyes widened as he cried out painfully for the loss. He rolled over, screaming in pain as he looked around, desperately for the missing limb. There resting peacefully a few meters away, was the leg, blown clean off just below his kneecap. With one arm he desperately crawled over centimeters at a time. Moaning and crying as the pain grew more and more.
A burst of a rifle fired over his head and the footsteps of Alliance issued boots stepped over him. He looked up to find four marines were around him, firing at every direction. Then a sudden kick connected to his gut, causing him to roll over on his back. There he found himself looking into the enraged eyes of Major Metzger, his pistol exchanged for an assault rifle of his own.
The Major bent down and gripped Eric's cheek, turning his head over to look him in the eyes. Slowly, the Officer laughed at the sight he was leaning over.
"Look at you, Commander, you're a bloody disgrace!" Metzger mocked, gesturing to towards the limb lost. "Scattered across the battlefield, your men dead and dying. All because you couldn't control your damnable emotions!"
One of the Marines leaned down and looked ready to grab him and retreat him from the battlefield. He was stopped immediately by the fuming major.
"Leave him here for the animals." The Major sneered, interrupting the Marine's actions, his lips curled up into a smile. "I am afraid that he has lost his purpose."
Major Metzger's boot fell hard on top of his chest as he stepped on and over the injured Commander. Eric did not say anything as he felt the pain coursed throughout his damaged body. Abandoned to the pirate's mercy. He deserved that fate, monsters always do.
He thought to his children, to Hannah. He hoped they would be okay, that Hannah would have the good sense not to allow their children anywhere near the Alliance. Perhaps his death would have its usefulness. His children would go to school and become doctors and lawyers and never ever dream of following their stupid fucking dead father's footsteps into a life of serving another man's cause.
Eric Shepard closed his eyes. He was content enough to die.
"Commander!" A voice screamed out as it fell down to his side and fired a burst of rile fire in the enemies direction. "Oh... Eric... please be alive, You're not dying here, you Bēvakūpha, kamabakhta kamīnē..."
Latesh. That magnificent Hindi beauty! Eric couldn't have been happier to see anyone in his life. Fuck dying. FUCK DYING. Dying was a stupid fucking idea to begin with. It was for stupid fucking pussies who didn't have a highly competent Lieutenant, like he did. Aashirita was here to save his sorry ass!
"A-a-Ash...I...I hurt" He managed whimper out, trying to smile. Lieutenant Latesh shushed him, one finger falling over his bleeding lips.
He watched her eyes dart back and forth, her lips trembling, her eyes filling with tears as she looked for something, anything to do for her friend. He felt her hands rub the blood off his face as she gently lifted his head up and cradled him like a child.
"You shut your stupid mouth, Erikson, you silly idiot." She whispered as brightly as she could. She slung her rifle back onto her back "I'm getting you out here. So do not complain about a little pain, you crybaby wimp."
Shepard snorted and nodded his head, his reaction to her insults earned a careful kiss on the top of his head, despite the blood coating the woman's lips. She lean over and, ignoring the gritted screaming from the man, lifted him up with all her might and slung him over her shoulder blades. Before they took off, Ash leaned over and grabbed Eric's dismembered leg,
Just in case.
...
They were an acceptable loss.
Five simple words turned a crippled war veteran into a certified lunatic. It took six C-Sec officers before they managed to drag a piss drunk Eric Shepard off of a bleeding, broken and bruised Major Jürgen Metzger after a confrontation in the ambassador lounge on the presidium.
To make matters worse. He had done it right in front of his horrified wife, son and daughter. They watched helplessly as Eric turned the man he hated with a passion unlike anything he ever had hated before into a bloody broken mess. They were stunned, horrified of what possessed the wounded man to commit such an act.
That was six months ago. He had not seen his wife or children since.
"Your Honor, Thank you for this leniency shown to my client." Spoke the JAG officer to his right, breaking his thoughts, his pondering on his family. His name wasn't known to Eric, He did not give enough of a shit to care about who was defending him. He just wanted out, out of the grasp of the Alliance as quickly as possible. Whether it was prison or not.
He silently ignored the stare of Judge Christensen, an older, shrewd looking woman looking for any signs of fight in the deathly silent man.
"It was at request of the victim that his fifteen years be reduced to three as well as keep an honorable discharge." Judge Christensen returned, crossing her arms and staring at the prisoner and his JAG officer. "You owe General Metzger your thanks for his compassion, Eric Shepard. Assaulting your superior officer is a grievous offense in my books."
Christensen stood up as Shepard continued to stare off and made a point to continue ignoring her.
"He wishes to meet you before his appointment to division commander of the 87th." Christensen informed the former Commander. "He feels guilty for the amount of trauma you received, for him believing you had perished in combat; General. Come in."
Silently, the Commander glowered as rage shook through him. Murdering a hundred batarians, one third of a settlement, got him a promotion and citation for bravery. Attacking a monster who ordered the mass slaughter got him a fifteen year sentence had the murderer not showed his compassion... What a fucking excellent system he once sought to defend...
"Thank you for allowing this, Your Honor." A warm voice called from behind Eric, causing him to retract and tighten up. The newly appointed General Metzger stepped forward, past the JAG officer and Eric to shake Judge Christensen's hand warmly.
"Should I keep a guard in here, General Metzger?" Judge Christensen inquired gesturing to her bailiff who stood up more impressively. Metzger held his hand up and shook his head confident he was more then safe.
"Eric was one of the finest soldiers under my command. Solid under fire and knew how to follow a command. He stood by me when others were more then willing to surrender to the turians." Metzger returned, his light eyes falling onto the empty stare of Eric Shepard. "This man is a hero." He added, his voice still kind. "A wayward one, but a hero nonetheless."
Christensen looked from his bailiff, to Eric's JAG officer and nodded respectfully to the general. One by one, All of them left, leaving Metzger and Shepard by themselves in the judge office. Metzger allowed a brief smile to the vacating Alliance officials and closed the door, leaning against it slightly. Eric turned away from Metzger. He could not stand to look at him.
"Hello, Eric." The accented voice called out from behind him. Eric ignored it the best he could. He heard a soft sigh from the lips of the German echo through the room.
"A vow of silence has been taken by you?" The General inquired of his former student. He sighed and stepped forward, moving around the table and sitting in the judge's freshly vacated seat. His passionless expression looked over Eric with only a mild interest.
Eric stared ahead, not displaying an ounce of emotion on his expression. He would not give Metzger the satisfaction of getting a rise out of the soon to be jailed inmate.
"I wanted you to know that I do not blame you for what happened after you got out of the hospital." Metzger spoke, breaking the strained silence. "You have some serious mental scarring from your tragic injuries, Scarring that will heal with time."
"Fuck you."
Metzger blinked at the sudden lash out. He ignored it and slowly smiled.
"Regardless. I hope that you o not worry about your future once you leave for prison, I managed to secure your Deferred Education grant." Metzger continued s if he hadn't heard anything at all. "From what your JAG officer spoke of, you were applying to architecture school. Quite a noble trade, Shepard. Drink?"
Metzger silently poured himself a glass of water and sipped it slowly, He offered the jug out to him with a smile. He silently watched as the convict, still stared off, still defiantly not speaking to him. As he set down the glass, he took off his officer cap and slicked his hand through his hair.
"I honestly regret that things ended the way they did." The General admitted openly, his lips forming a forgiving smile for Shepard. "You had so... So much potential. One of my greatest regrets is that I did not teach you my most important lesson."
Metzger reached into his jacket and tugged out a silver case. Opening revealed it to be a cigarette holder. He pulled two out and slipped them into his mouth. As he lit both of them he removed one and handed t over to Eric. Eric merely stared, not taking the silent gesture. Metzger huffed a slight chuckle and exhaled.
"Compassion, Eric Shepard. Is useless and wasted on the animals."
Metzger jabbed the cigarette hard into Eric's forearm, forcing the cherry to burn through Eric's flesh. Eric winced as the icy heat singed his flesh, damaged his nerves but did not make a noise to satisfy the bastard, Metzger. Instead, Eric merely sat there and took the pain dished by the son of a bitch, his eyes glaring hatefully into the General's.
"I will not go into detail." Metzger continued, taking a drag from his cigarette and retracting the butt out of Shepard's forearm. "You are a lost cause and not worth another ounce of my energy. No... I have other plans."
Still smirking, he leaned inwards to face down the prisoner.
"There is good reason why I asked for a light sentence for you." The Officer explained to the restrained man. "In three years, your son will be 19 and two years deep into my education."
Eric felt his eyes widen in shock and rage. No..NO. John want going to join the core. He was going to do anything else but that! He would not walk down the path traveled by his father. He was a good boy, a smart boy! He wouldn't listen and fall into this asshole's hands so freely. John wasn't like that, not at all...
Wasn't he?
"I want you to watch as I turn John Shepard into the man Eric Shepard could never be: Me." Metzger sneered, his lips curling into a dark smile. "He will learn all about your incompetence to save your men. Learn how you blew yourself up running to help a protect a pirate rather then protect your men."
Metzger fell silent as he reveled in the sudden explosion of rage that shook through his former Lieutenant Commander. He stood up and quietly wandered back towards the door out of the office. As his hand fell onto the doorknob, he paused and turned back to Eric.
"Jail time does not satisfy me, Eric Shepard." He announced to his enraged failure. "Watching your life fall apart does."
And then he was gone, leaving Eric screaming in bloodcurdling rage.
...

...
"We should go into town today after Dad's work is done, We can show him around. Maybe even teach him some tact about quarians. That flirting with Shala'Raan. I was not impressed."
"She certainly was."
John Shepard rolled his eyes from Tali's teasing musings. It wasn't often she was the instigator of his annoyances, when she was, she certainly knew how to push all his buttons.
"Did you see the way she was looking at him, John?" She continued, shuddering softly as the fingers in her back pushed deep against her spine. "Keelah, I can honestly say I never saw Auntie Raan look at anyone like that before. Most men sort of shun her as unappealing. Too much power I suppose, makes her look unapproachable. I mean it's flattering of Eric, but it's kind of leading her on I mean, he's married."
"Says the engaged quarian, whose asari lover is making us breakfast in bed and whistling like she was a song bird..." John reminded her, smirk in his voice ever evident.
Tali silently pouted at his reminder of Ereba in the kitchen, dutifully making them something to eat. There was a sudden guilty feeling in the pit of her stomach. As she felt strong hands rubbing up and down her spine, she purred and decided to forgive the ape, which she would soon call husband, and suppress the guilt of the very open relationship they had with Ereba, thanks to her curiosity.
She loved John, she really did. If forced to choose between the two of them. John would be her choice in a heartbeat. But for Tali, Ereba Delaus brought a much needed sense of femininity for the quarian grease monkey who'd spent her whole life doing very male oriented things, fixing engines, ship maintenance, being the son Rael'Zorah never had. Being in love with John Shepard really did not help. Sure, he made her feel like a woman, but Ereba was the one who taught Tali it was okay to act like one. Now she found herself dabbling in wearing dresses whenever she was in a contaminate free area. A far cry from the suit she was usually in.
She looked up as the door creaked open. In stepped Ereba, mostly dressed, her hands laden with a tray of plates and a a bright smile on the face for the human and the quarian.
"Two bacon toast and eggs and a coupe glasses of Guava juice for the hungry Levos, and a fruit salad for the dextro." She happily chirped, leaning in to peck both John and Tali lips before sitting down in front of them, the tray extended for both of them to take their respective meal.
As John breathed a word of thanks to the asari, he noticed her attire had matched Tali's. It was his clothing. Well, it was his and Tali's. His shirt, hie boxers. He mildly grinned and took a bite of his bacon.
"You raided our closet?" He spoke as he swallowed his mouthful of breakfast as his eyes scanned over the contours of her body. Ereba shared a smirk with Tali and nodded her head coyly, her eyelids fluttering.
"Tali did it; She picked this out for me." She admitted, her down at her chest briefly before looking back up to her human lover, adding, "Do I look pretty?"
"You're wearing my clothing, makes you pretty by default." Shepard returned offhandedly to her. While Tali giggled at the remark, Ereba huffed and playfully glared at the human. John looked away from the two of them, coyly chewing on his breakfast.
"You know, for someone who was in a relationship with a krogan, you're unusually tight and very vocal." Shepard mused, grinning defiantly at the asari on his lap.
Tali coughed violently, the drink in her mouth spraying all over John's face, causing the Spectre to cry out in a sudden burst of rage. Ereba giggled lightly and shrugged, blushing prettily as she leaned over and wiped the juice off his face with the edge of his stolen shirt.
"Despite their threateningly large posture, Krogans are actually rather... disproportionate in the area that counts." Ereba explained, turning round to use Shepard as a chair. "Besides, We were on a break... for about as long as Tali has been alive."
Tali and John shared a wide, disbelieving gaze at the remark from the asari. As hard as it may be to have fathom such a period time, it was was quite believable, considering the length of life the asari had.
"You were on a break for a quarter of a century?" Tali mused, her expression still shocked. Ereba smirked and nodded her head briefly before resting it on John's broad shoulder.
"He was getting on my nerves." Ereba explained simply. "I mean, I liked him, but not enough to put up with his badgering for so many years."
Ereba turned around in John's lap again and brushed his cheek with her soft hand. She glanced briefly to Tali, who nodded, smiling at the two. Ereba leaned in and pressed her lips against John's, lingering for a moment longer then planned. She pulled back and smiled, teeth showing.
"Don't worry, John." She assured the human. "I haven't had sex with a male that good since.. well, ever." She smirked, glancing back to Tali and added. "I understand why Tali is such a blabbering idiot whenever you're in her."
Tali screeched and launched herself on top of the asari, knocking both women onto the bed. He chuckled and stood up. He'd join in later. First, he'd head to his hideaway, where his omni-tool was stashed.
Garrus was due for a report on their situation. As he reached the doorway, he debated on closing it. He turned to see Tali Ereba still a soft moan escaping her lips as she wrapped them around Ereba's neck. He smirked slightly and stepped out of the room, leaving the door wide open.
Listening to them play was as near a treat as joining in.
...

...
"Team Ten, maintain position, set up the emplacements and be ready for anything. We've engaged the quarian military and have forced them into cover. We need to expect anything."
"Copy that Ra'Xavar out."
Captain Jaroas looked up and down at the quarian firing line, which was holding strong against everything that he had thrown at it so far. For a bunch of buckethead's they were stubborn as hell.
"Good luck out there." He whispered to himself. he looked up and caught the reason hey were firing on quarian marines next to him, his sniper rifle scope against his eyes s he frantically looked from opening to opening for his reason to have been there. That damnable human, the reason he was risking his neck and his men out here.
"See anything?"
The client retracted head form the eyepiece and shook it curtly.
"Nothing." The client admitted, lowering his sniper rifle to look at Jaroas. "My target is inside the garrison. There are snipers amongst them as well, so watch ou-"
The head of one of his men was shredded open as sniper fire reigned in onto the building they were taking cover in. Captain Jaroas' eyes went wide in shock. He crawled on the floor to go and examined the fallen Merc. It was Sawax's, a new boy who signed onto his crew. Much, much too young to die like this.
He looked back up, his eyes glaring into his clients. The he curled his lips and bared his teeth in disgust.
"You piece of shit!" Jaroas growled at the younger batarian. "Couldn't you have chosen a better place to pick him off?"
The client didn't even blink.
"Shut your fucking mouth up." The kid spat back, his rifle was raised again as he scanned the rooftop for hostiles. "You took my credits, you accepted the plan. Deal with it!"
Jaroas glared daggers into the back of the boys skull. Disrespectful little shit. How dare he take that attitude with him. Didn't the little son of bitch realize that he had hired a mercenary team that held no loyalties other then money? He had half a mind to up and leave him then and there. His men shouldn't have had to die over some other fools personal vendetta...
The sniper turned back to face the Captain, his many eyes wide in shock.
"The sniper is a fucking geth!"
A crack connected against one of his men firing down on the marine position, the round piercing his neck. Jaroas pulled himself back up and ducked, maneuvering slowly over to the wounded and squirming young man's side. It was Qarya. his neck was gushing blood freely as he tried to clutch the wound. Jaroas leaned in and wrapped his hands around the wound as well.
"MEDIC!" He screamed out. In a matter of moments he was joined by several of his men. They tugged Qarya away out of his arms and went to work on stopping the wound from getting any worse. He looked away and caught the eyes of the sniper.
"Get the fuck out my sight, Dovok, Before I cancel the contract and gut you." He stated quietly to the sniper. He turned to the young man next to Dovok and added. "Dazav, get the Rocket launchers out and warm up the mortar, we need to smoke these buckets out their garrison."
Dazav nodded and crawled out of there. Quietly, the captain ignored Dovok's glare and sat down behind cover being pounded at by sniper and automatic rifle fire.
What the fuck did he just get himself into?
...

...
Tali'Zorah, or rather, soon to be Tali'Shepard sneezed softly, and groaned to herself.
Sick again.
She ignored the trill of feminine giggling pressed against her stomach. She sighed as hands gripped her sides and lips pressed against her skin. Such a lovely feeling, asari kisses, soft and delicate, So different from the passionately frantic, orgasm inducing human kisses she was so use too. She sighed yet again: Being sick from her dalliances with John and their lover, she had to admit... was totally worth it.
She closed her eyes as her hands continued to stroke through Ereba gentle tendrils, elating a pleasurable moan from the gentle message. She watched as blue toes, as small and as many as John had, curled up at the affection she was receiving. She smiled to herself and tried not to feel guilty for having one extra lover in the bedroom then what was usually normal...
The door, cracked open half burst open, causing Tali to jump and Ereba to roll over in shock.
It was John, his eyes frantic as he finished placing on his N7 armor gauntlet. He was fully armored as he stormed into the bedroom, ignoring the asari and quarian laying on his bed and looking at him shock. He knelt down and crawled under the bed. lowly, he came out, sliding a large metal box with him. He tugged it open. Tali heard Ereba gasp at the tight of the large amount of munitions stored away in the crate.
"John, what are you doing." Tali spoke up, her voice wavering as she noticed the grenade launcher being strapped to his back.
John did not reply as he strapped on his Tempest, Predator and finally, his Mattock rifle onto the magnetic plates situated around his body armor. He stood up and as quickly as he entered the room, he left, storming out of the room. Ereba and Tali shared a stunned look from the random scene.
"By the goddess, that was hot..." Ereba finally spoke up. Her face flushed at the sight of a suddenly militarized John.
Tali, while feeling the same way as Ereba, did not reply, instead she stood up and launched herself out of bed, out of the bedroom and into the hallway. She made her way into the kitchen and found John searching frantically for something.
"John what happened?" Tali reiterated, her voice chalked full of fear for what was going on. John didn't spare her a glance up as he found what he was searching for. a box of medical supplies.
"Garrus and Kal got ambushed on their way to the capital building." He curtly explained to the shocked quarian. "Dad's been hit bad."
He stashed the Medi-Gels into his suit and took off, stepping outside and slamming the door behind him, leaving a shaken Tali in his wake. Tali was numb... Eric... was he dead? was he dying? was it a false alarm? Keelah... she... she had to help. She had to d something, anything!
She bolted back to the bedroom and found Ereba, dressing up properly to find out what was happen. As she noticed Tali's eyes, glistened with tears, she stepped forward to embrace the younger woman.
"Tali?" She whispered, soft as ever. Tali looked up and broke away from the embrace. She wiped her eyes and exhaled to calm herself.
"Help me suit up, Ereba." Tali requested, her voice hard. "I need to borrow your car."
...

...
"TAKE COVER!" Lieutenant Kal'Reegar screamed at his unit.
A series of explosions connected against the firing line, shattering the building wall and causing a momentary lapse of covering fire. The quarian coughed and rolled over, there was a sharp ringing in his ears as he attempted to pull himself together. His mask was coated in a variety of substances. Notably quarian blood.
His eyes went wide as he quickly checked for any wounds. There was n one he could find.
"Report!' Kal spoke again, wiping the dust and blood from his helmet mask. Only serving to smear the liquid on his mask.
"Fale is KIA, Hafan has been hit pretty bad!" He heard Mara'Devos report. He turned and noticed Corporal Fale'Yevar torn in half, his leg scattered across the room and his chest torn open. He looked away and noticed Mara hunched over the wounded Hafan, he was screaming as Mara tried to push his insides back into his chest.
Kal shuffled through Fale's pool of blood and pushed Mara away from Hafan, taking her place. This was his mistake, he would handle it. He looked up to the rest of his men his eyes narrowed in a show of determination. His men had to maintain morale if they wanted to escape this nightmare.
"Keep firing on the the source of the rocket launch!" He ordered them, he tapped onto his Commlink and added. "Legion, redirect fire on anyone holding something larger then a goddamn assault rifle, Sevarr, cover Legion from counter sniper activity. Quaera get your ass in here, we got wounded!"
He turned back to Hafan, whose shattered mask was looking up at him, his eyes wide in fear. Kal pressed his blood smeared mask against Hafan's, carefully hushing the marine in an attempt to calm him down. He felt Hafan's grip hold him tightly as he shook and breathed erratically.
"Sir... I."
Kal reached up and tugged off his own mask. He would undoubtedly get sick but he it was the least he could do for him, offer some sort of comfort. Slowly, he formed a reassuring smile for the dying marine. He reached down and, with his free hand, squeezed Hafan's hand.
"You're going to fine corporal." Kal reassured his marine, a smile still plastered on his face. "You got yourself a nice vacation coming up, right? Right? Quaera?"
Qwale'Quaera fell to her knees by Hafan and Kal's side. Her hands taking over for Kal. She looked up in surprise of Kal's exposure and declaration of the young mans survival. lowly she nodded and turned back to face the dying marine.
"Ye-yeah, it will be all alright, Hafan." She agreed as brightly as she could. "Come on, I'm going to help you out. keep talking." She looked up, adding, "Mara, I need your help!"
She pulled herself around him and took a hold of Hafan's arms. As Mara stood up to join the medical officer, A sudden, sickening crack connected against Mara's shoulder, causing her to cry out and collapse next to Hafan. Kal stood up and immediately rushed to Mara's side, helping her up.
"Mara, keep going to the aid station." Kal ordered the moaning Mara. "I'll help you, Quaera."
Qwale nodded and, after Mara took off limping, they lifted Hafan up to take him to the last place he would lay alive.
...

...
Tali brought Ereba's hover car down back towards the planet surface , following John closely, despite his massive head start. As soon as he landed, he was out of the vehicle, his, old Mattock rifle in his hand. He sprinted off, his destination was the heart of the city and to Eric, who was in trouble apparently... Keelah why was this all happening again? First her father, now John's?
No... No she would never allow that to happen again. She needed Eric to be there in their life, to help with the inevitable grandchildren that would come. For the first time since she had met him, she took his title of future mother to my grandchildren, dead serious. If he got out of this safe, Tali would take in as many children as she could to make her future father-in-law happy.
"John.. John... STOP RIGHT NOW." Tali screamed at her fiancee, her voice louder and more commanding then she intended.
John stopped running and went completely rigid. Slowly he turned around to face Tali as she ran up to his side. He simply stared at her, demanding a reason why he was being interrupted like this,
"This doesn't involve you." He snapped at her, his eyes narrowing.
As John turned to depart, he felt his hands suddenly snatched from him by his future wife. She stared up at him, stubborn and defiant as usual.
"Yes it does." She returned, her voice edged with coursing anger for him. "He's to become my father as well, you selfish bosh'tet. Do you think I want to stand idly by while he is in trouble?"
John looked away back to the city. His chin was suddenly yanked back to stare deep into Tali's hypnotic illuminant eyes.
"You helped me with my father. Let me help with yours." Was the quarians simple demand. She let go of his face as her arms crossed. She continued to stare deeply into John's haunted expression. Reluctantly, John nodded his head curtly and exhaled.
"Come on. We don't have much time." He returned at last, letting of her hands and charging away from her. He paused and turned back to Tali who looked surprised. His arm lashed out and waved her to follow him. Tali nodded and took off, pulling out her assault rifle and popping in a heat clip. They had someone to save.
It was just like old times.
...

...
"K-keeelah... we're all going to die out here! We are going to be vaporized. We need to get out of here now!"
The explosions impacting against the building were growing more and more frequent now. Whoever these attackers were, they had only one intention: Killing everyone inside this building.
"We're all just waiting to die now. I-I don't want to die... I want to live ... I want to see my parents and my friends and and..."
Quawe'Quaera looked into her medical bag and dug around through the dwindling supplies as she found herself having to patch quarians as well as Eric, who was steadily growing colder and paler then he was ever before. Behind her mask She blinked away the tears as she called the time of death on a fallen marine. Hafan'Juiana, one of the marines who helped gather her nerves up before the engagement. Nice kid... much too young to die.
She sniffed and crawled over the corpse and went to apply another injection of medi-gel and antibiotics onto the delirious female marine, Corporal Mara'Devo's, who hissed in pain as the injections hit against her open gunshot wound to her shoulder. Sitting next to her, watching all of this was Eric, who seemed to have been getting more and more distraught at the situation.
"We're all fucked? Do you understand me?" Mara hollered at the medic and anyone who'd listen, in her native tongue, "We... we're all going to be killed out here... and for what? I don't know.. do yo-"
Quawe retracted as she noticed the marine went rigid in shock. Eric had suddenly and unexpectedly reached out and took the wounded marine by the hand and squeezed, a simple gesture of encouragement. With a even greater effort, Eric shuffled his wounded body over closer to her and pressed his other bloody hand against her stomach. She watched as the human, quietly calmed the quarian down from out of her infection hysteria.
"F-Focus on moving my hand up and down at a steady pace..do..don't think about anything else." The human muttered to Mara. Mara simply stared at he human, with wild eyes before finally exhaling, causing the hand to fall. She repeated the action, still staring into the dull blue eyes of the human.
He smiled to Mara, in pain but as friendly as he could muster. As the quarian he was holding slowly came back to a sense of reality, Eric looked away, and caught the turian Spectre's stare.
"Garrus... go and get Kal...get Kal..." He spoke up to the turian. Garrus looked at the man briefly. He nodded curtly and stood up, running down towards the firing line. He looked away and towards Quawe, his voice unsteady.
"Ma-Mara needs antibiotics and a sedative." Shepard managed to get out to the doctor, who was paying attention to him."I-in my bag I have a bloody pharmacy in it. I have antibiotics and mental stabilizers. They might work.. might not...C-Check if the boy has a aid kit too... H-he wont be ne-needing it."
He coughed as he threw his arm and gestured to the bag across from him. Quaera nodded and stood up, gathering the duffel bag belong to Eric. He looked away as she fell to the floor next to the KIA marine and tentatively started to dig through his many suit pockets.
Garrus came back with a visibly shaken and shaking Kal'Reegar, who looking like he was in the climax of a combat high. Kal looked ready to scream at the human for dragging him away, but Eric threw up his hand, forcing the lieutenant to pay attention.
"It's... only a matter of time... before you become c-combat ineffective." Eric observed, gesturing to the dead and wounded around him. "Get out of here. while you still can."
The twitching lieutenant looked around grimly as he too assessed the situation. quietly, he knelt by the side of Hafan'Juiana, his hand grazing against the young man's shattered mask. Yet another marine he lost under his command.
"He's right, Reegar." Kal heard Garrus speak up, his voice concerned over the situation. "We have limited arms to use against these attackers, quarter of your marines are wounded, two are dead. We're facing an extremely well armed enemy. Unknown numbers and it seems they came to this fight looking to wipe everyone here out. We all need to leave and fall back."
Kal nodded his head blankly, his hooded eyes still staring at the fallen marine.
"Quaera?" He finally returned, not needing to demand an assessment from the medical officer.
"I don't have enough medical supplies to maintain all of these wounded, let alone take anymore on." Quawe, spoke up, her voice tense as she changed the blood replacement bag for Eric. "We need to go, now."
Again, Kal'Reegar nodded. Quietly, he whispered a pray to the fallen and stood back up, tapping his commlink to life.
"Marines, suppress them. fire as hard and as fast as possible and fall back inside." He ordered, standing next the Spectre. "We're getting out of here. Legion, Sevarr, I want you to cover the main retreat for a couple minutes after we make our way out of the back exit Then bug out and rendezvous with us, Understood?"
"Acknowledged Reegar, Lieutenant." Was the near instantaneous reply from the geth scout.
The barrage of fire exiting the building increased tenfold. However one by one, each of Kal'Reegar's marines fell back into the makeshift hospital. each of them finding a place to stand by the wounded. Without even waiting for an order, the marines leaned down and carefully pulled their wounded comrade in arms off the floor. Eric watched quietly as the marine in his grasp was tugged away from him.
Suddenly, a clawed talon hand fell onto his shoulder. It was Garrus and Quaera both trying to help him up. With all his strength he could muster, he shook the two of them off him. He pushed himself back down and closed his eyes.
No... I'm staying here, Garrus." He mumbled weakly, his hand clutching his stomach. Garrus reared back in surprise of the statement.
"No way in hell is anyone leaving you here, you damnable bosh'tet." The quarian medic growled, her eyes narrowed from behind plateglass. Kal nodded his head, he was not willing to leave a man behind so freely. Eric coughed and chuckled grimly at the situation.
"T..this wasn't random...This was targeted."
Kal, Quaera and Garrus stared at the human, shocked at his blunt assessment. Eric wasn't sure if it was the case or not. Right now, he was willing to stretch the truth if it meant that these headstrong idiots would leave him behind. Even if it wasn't a targeted shooting, he could at lest buy them enough time to make their escape.
"I'm shot to shit." He mumbled finally, gesturing to himself. "If I come, they follow and I slow you down... If I stay..we-well you have better chance."
He looked up and caught Garrus' eyes. He needed the turian to understand that the survival of these quarians meant more to him then his life. They were good people. Good people not meant to die because of him. Garrus' eyes hardened and slowly, he nodded as if understanding why this was happening, why the father would say this.
"He's right... Listen Reegar, Quaera, leave the dead, I'll stay with him and them." Garrus assured the two reluctant quarians. "His son is on the way, Kal here knows just what John Shepard is going to do when he knows his father is in this state." Garrus reassured the protesting medic."Between, me here and John and Tali coming soon, he'll be fine. No and get your men out of here."
Kal looked from Garrus to the silent slumped over Eric, who was muttering something incoherent. Hesitating for only a moment, he exhaled and nodded curtly. He turned back to his men gestured to them to follow his lead. They departed, leaving Garrus, Eric and Quawe alone. Eric looked up and caught the defiant glare of the quarian. He curved his lips upwards to give her a bright reassuring smile. One that told her everything was going to be all right.
He didn't believe it, neither did she.
...

...
"Contact left!"
Tali turned to her left and fired a burst from her Avenger, Cutting down a what looked like a batarian. She swung back and continued after her fiancee, a look of rage hidden behind her mask. How dare these bosh'tet's do this? All she wanted to do was turn these pirate and smuggler's heads into a fine mist.
She wondered how John could maintain a professionalism, despite the horrifying news that Eric was grievously wounded, dead even. He must have been bottling it tightly. Perhaps even in denial, like she was with her father.
"Contact above!"
Tali stopped by Shepard and together, fired a volley into the residential building. They watched as the batarian collapsed under the rounds and fell through the window, landing in front of them. She watched As John stepped over the corpse and continued his adrenaline fueled charge. Tali, despite having long limber runners legs could barely keep up with the juggernaut on a rampage.
She didn't even have time to pay mind to the four men who stumbled out into the street in an attempt to stop the Spectre. They were immediately cut down by the Spectre's rifle, She flew by the bodies like he had, not at all willing to give them a second choice. They made their choice the moment they turned their weapons on John.
"Tali, your left, Shotgun!"
Tali turned her head to find a batarian rearing down on her, a shotgun raised and firing, barely harming her shield. Still she ducked and rolled retracting her M-2 Eviscerator from off of her lower back. As she landed under the batarian, she fired once, shredding the batarian's legs off and collapsing his dead body on top of her. She snorted and turned off her olfactory filters in disgust as the dead man obviously lost his bodily functions.
Ignoring the blood and thankfully for the suit, the smell as well. Tali pushed the body off of her, her heart beating wildly as she broke back into a frantic run to catch back up to John who was still moving and firing erratically at whatever he could see. Gone was his professionalism. Replacing it was fear induced rage.
Another batarian stepped out in the street as Shepard roared on by smashing the batarian in the face with his rifle. Had Shepard stopped to check, he would have realized the batarian he hit was standing back up in a matter of seconds, his shaky rifle turning and aiming to shoot her future husband in back.
Tali's eyes widened in a sudden shock and raised her omni-tool up, sending an energy discharge that seized up the rifle and dropped the batarian's shields. She leaped in the air, tugging out her boot knife. As she reached arms length, she lashed out, slashing through the back of the batarian's neck killing him instantly.
As she pulled the knife out and slipped it back into one of her many straps. She looked up to find that John hadn't even noticed her stop. He was focused on taking out a gun emplacement that was hidden on the floor level of a residential building. Before they knew it, Shepard dropped his Mattock rifle and retracted his grenade launcher and fired, holding an ammo cache and turning the gun emplacement and whole section of the building into a smoking crater.
As Tali caught up with John, she could hear his breathing rabidly and erratic, his chest heaving back and forth as he slung his grenade launcher and fallen Mattock rifle back onto his magnetic plates. He tugged out his M-9 Tempest, still breathing like Urdnot Grunt in the midst of a bloodrage.
Tali reached out and touched his shoulder. It was a comforting gesture that was immediately shoved off him. John stepped forward. Still breathing strangely.
"Come on out, you fucking COWARDS! Come on out and fight me!" He roared at what was left of the room.
There was a sudden cough and out came a batarian, clutching his bleeding chest. He looked up and all four of his eyes widened as he say Shepard's submachine gun raised at him. John pulled the trigger, causing the batarian to crumple. Tali cried out but was ignored completely. To her, this was plain murder.
"Come on, you animal fucks, FACE ME." Shepard uncharacteristically screamed once more at the smoking haze. "I'll kill you as quickly as I can, you ignorant, useless, stupid fucks!"
He watched as another wounded batarian staggered out, unarmed, one of his arms missing, muscle and bone shaking as the dying nerves retracted and expanded. It did not matter to Shepard what state the batarian was in; His Tempest swung outwards and shredded the man's chest. Another batarian approach out of the wreckage. firing wildly. Two rounds caught Shepard's shields. He ignored it as he literally decapitated the batarian with his next volley.
Tali followed Shepard uncertainly, her shotgun no longer holstered. As she swung it around the building interior, she could hear the noise of feet running through the wall next to them. Tali turned and fired round after round out of her Eviscerator , shredding the wall. She could hear the cry of a falling man and a sudden burst from his assault rifle, shredding through the wall she had fired through in retaliation, and then, nothing but silence.
Shepard glanced back over to her, a moment of worry splashed across his face. Tali merely rolled over and stood back up and joined John as they slowly crept through the damaged building. Tali and John, both of their weapons raised defensively, stepped through the doorway of where Tali had shot through. There, laying on the ground in a pool of his own blood, was a batarian in shattered merc armor; coughing up his blood and trying to move.
John stepped closer ad kicked the batarian's rifle to the other side of the room. Coughing again, the batarian looked up with wide, pleading eyes.
"Pl-please.. don't kill me."
Tali bit her lip as she watched John ignore the batarian. A sudden radio crackle caused John to jump briefly, his weapon raised at the dying batarian.
"This is Command to team ten. Is anyone there. I repeat, is anyone there? Ra.. you copy?"
Shepard stared hard at the Commlink and leaned in, pulling the headset off of the wounded batarian. Whose frighten expression at the sight of Shepard was permanently stuck on his face.
"Command..." John breathed, returning the message. "This is Commander John Shepard, Council Spectre and a son you've pissed off. You've just fucked with the wrong father."
Shepard swung his submachine gun up and fired two shot through the wounded batarian and looked up to meet Tali's eyes. His teeth were bared, his eyes wild and frantic,his expression was unmitigated, uncontrollable rage. Tali had never felt so frightened by Shepard in all the time she had been with him.
"They never learn, Tali." He murmured to her, his voice shaking. He raised his Mattock back up and continued at a marching pace through the old quarian home, leaving Tali in the dust.
Tali wanted to say something, do something, anything. But... there was nothing that she could possibly do to make things okay for him; Just as he did for her when... when her father was killed. It was hopeless to comfort her then and it was hopeless to comfort him now.
This was his Aeleri. He simply had to press on with this nightmare.
...
Fort Kimmel Military Prison; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, 2172CE
"Hello Commander, miss me?"
All Eric could do was grin at the beautifully accented voice.
"Hey, look who decided to visit me!" Eric greeted his lieutenant as brightly as his expression. "You look quite pretty out of your uniform. Like a woman."
Former Lieutenant Aashritha Latesh looked down at the simple light blue dress that clung to her body, he cheeks darkened at the thrill of her friend checking her out. Slowly, she chuckled.
"I haven't worn a uniform in a year, but thank you Eric, Your jumpsuit is quite... fashionable as well." She returned, letting go of Eric, adding aloud. "Can a Commander and his second in command go for a walk?"
She looked away from Eric and to the MP who was watching the scene unfold. He looked from Eric to Aashritha. Reluctantly he nodded and stepped towards the doors to the yard and opened them for the two. Aashritha smiled brightly and looked back to Eric. Eric exhaled and shrugged, nodding.
"I guess we can." He returned, gesturing to the guard. He chuckled, adding. "If you don't mind helping me along, Canes are a no no. Fascists."
Aashritha giggled as she noticed that the MP they passed by rolled his eyes as though he knew Eric had a flair for the dramatics.
"You know, You wouldn't be having to drag me around like a crippled idiot if you got my leg on ice sooner." Eric pointed out, a smirk on his face as he watched anger course through the woman's expression. She exhaled and looked him over, Squinting at him hard.
"Oh I'm sooooo sorry, precious." Aashritha teased the man as she carefully stepped them down the stairs and into the warm sunlight. "I was so focused on trying to keep your miserable white ass alive long enough to have the time to attach that leg back on while you were alive to use it. Do you have any idea just how much Indian blood flows through your veins because of me?"
Eric mouthed the words Indian blood and a dawning look spread across his face.
"Oh... So that's where I got such an affinity for curry, crying over C-grade bollywood romances and driving badly came from." Eric returned, pretending as though he been in deep contemplation of his theory. Aashritha giggled mirthfully as she reached up and slapped his cheek playfully.
"Still a charmer I see. I am glad this year and a half has not changed you in the slightest." She teased him, gently bumping him. Eric snorted and nodded his head coyly.
They fell silent as they crossed the cordoned off valley, the MP hanging back behind them, but following them nonetheless. Aashritha gestured off to a bench overlooking a garden and quietly, she walked the semi disabled man towards it. He quickly let go of her and sat down, quietly relaxing in the sun.
"Do you have any idea how much I have missed you?" Eric spoke up finally; leaning back into his resting place and looked at her with a mild grin. "Here I thought I lost all my friends after Mindoir."
Ash looked Eric over with an expression of curiosity. Slowly, she chuckled at his sweet words, Surprisingly sweet, but sweet all the same.
"You thought wrong, you should have known by now that I'd stick by you." Ash returned, smiling gently as she rested her arm around him. " Though, you look... well, terrible. Do you eat?"
He glanced down and looked at himself self-consciously. John was a lot of the muscle mass he once had. He had wasted away a lot of his body fat as well, leaving himself no more the forty pounds underweight. He laughed self-discrepant and looked back up to concerned dark eyes.
"Sometimes." He admitted to the concerned woman "I never really have an appetite anymore."
Latesh rolled her eyes at his stubbornness to admit anything was wrong.
"I'm going to have to get you smoking some weed when you are released, get some meat on you." Aashritha mused as she joined Eric by sitting at his side. "In the meantime, Perhaps I could speak to the warden about allowing my mother to accompany me the next time I visit you. He has nothing but praise for you." She smiled, adding. "A nice large Indian dinner would put a couple of pounds on you."
Eric grinned and nodded, excited at the prospective dinner being offered. He looked onto Aashritha briefly before turning away and suppressing the sudden warm feeling that was bubbling in the pit of his stomach.
"Has... Hannah been checking up on you?" Ash spoke up finally. She watched as Eric pursed his lips and slowly, he shook his head.
"Too much heat on me to be here with me." Was Eric's casual wave off to the question asked."She has a career to focus on and has no wish to damage it, She doesn't need to waste time and respect on some asshole who got himself tossed in the brig."
The answer, as logical as it sounded to Eric, did not have the same effect for the woman sitting next to him.
"She's your wife!" Aashritha protested, her eyes wide and disbelieving at the casualness he had just spoken in. "Career or not, she ought to stand by you. Her and your children."
Eric shrugged idly.
"I get regular visits from Sarah, whenever she can come. She's growing up quite fast now." He returned, smiling at the memories of his girl, still untainted by the world. "As for John."He huffed and shrugged;Well, I have a pretty good idea what happened to his visitations. He stopped coming about two weeks after basic ended."
Eric fell silent as he noticed Ash nodded and stole his cigarette briefly. Taking a single drag before handing it back to her friend.
"I looked into it as you asked." His former lieutenant asked, her voice reluctant to admit anything to him. "John has been fast tracked straight into officer training, his mentor is Metzger. That fucking... fucking bastard. He kept his word." She hissed to the silently staring off father.
"You must get over your damn pride and go to Command." She added, her voice desperate "You must tell them what happened!"
Silently Eric took the smoke back and took another drag of his cigarette as he looked down to his lap, attempting not to look into the inquiring eyes of Aashritha Latesh who looked on him begging. He felt soft hands reach out and latched onto his free hand tightly, squeezing them carefully. Looking at the gesture briefly, Eric turned his gaze up and met Aashritha's. Her eyes were pleading for him to do something, anything to get the truth known about what occurred on Mindoir. Why didn't she understand that it was pointless? It was over years ago. To open up the past now... It would only cause repercussions he did not want to occur.
As for John... He had plenty of time to find an alternative way to protect him.
"They ordered it, remember? They purposely ordered the reprisal." Eric finally returned grimly, setting his cigarette down and looking her over.. "Besides, I'm not going to wreck the reputation of my men who died there. I sure as fuck am not going to get you implicated into anything either."
He sighed, and ran his hand through his hair, again ignoring the pleading eyes of Aashritha. "It's too late." He concluded quietly,"What's done is done. Prison has giving me quite some time to figure my next moves out."
Reluctantly, Ash nodded and decided against continuing the argument. She did not want to cause a rift between the two of them anymore then there was already. As it appeared that the semi-argument was over, Eric reached out and took a hold of his friends hand, squeezing it carefully.
"Married yet?" Eric finally spoke up, nudging the Indian girl. Ash chuckled and nudged him back, her head pushed out and was smirking at him.
"Waiting for you to divorce Hannah still." She shot back, her face lightening into a wide smile for him. "I thought you would have gotten to it by now."
Eric chuckled and leaned back into his resting place and sighed. Giving Eric the evil eye, Aashritha joined him, leaning her head onto Eric's shoulder and staring off silently ignoring Eric's eyes falling onto her for the affection shown.
"No... I'm kinda seeing this asari woman." She finally admitted to, blushing slightly as she bowed her head. "She kinda makes me forget everything that has happened. Rape victim children, the massacre. She ...helps me feel.. okay."
Eric raised his eyebrow. An asari lover? He would never have imagined Latesh as that sort of girl. Though, her reasoning was sound. The mind meld was touted as one the quickest ways to ease the tension of a scarred mind. Ash, like him, could use all the help she could find.
He looked over to the MP, the guards head was tilted to the side, a silent reminder that their time was up for this visitation. Shepard chuckled weakly and stood up, offering a hand to Ash which she took. She too looked over and saw the guard, instantly realizing visitation was over.
"Well I wish your asari good luck, I think she's going to need it." Eric sighed, grinning at her with the same teasing in his voice from before. Latesh looked at him. She was not angry, she was not annoyed nor smiling.
The next thing he knew, Aashritha was in tears, her arms flying out and wrapping tightly around the shocked man. Quietly, he listened to her sob into his jumpsuit as though he was on death row and his execution was in a few short hours. Slowly, uncertainly, he returned the hug, rubbing her back soothingly.
"I- I just hate seeing you in here." She murmured into his chest. "I know it's a minimum security in bloody Hawaii of all places, and to you I seem so stupid for being so concerned, but, it's a slap in the face for everything you've done. You saved god knows how many batarian lives by standing up to that monster. You lose your leg. You defend the name of your men against Metzger."
She pulled back, looking up at the bemused half smile on Eric's lips. She chuckled nervously and wiped dampened eyes, returning Eric's smile with one of her own.
"Look what you have earned in return." Her voice cracking with emotion repressed and set free at long last. "You were thrown into the brig for having a legitimate mental breakdown and now Metzger is turning your son into a carbon copy of him."
Aashritha looked down, shaking her head in disbelief.
"How is... How is any of this fair?" She muttered to him. Eric shrugged, his smile dying into a solid expression.
"You probably should have just left me to the batarians." He replied, simply staring at her. "It would have simplified matt-"
A hand flew out, cracking the Commander across the cheek. He recoiled and hissed at the sharp sudden pain. He looked back and saw the MP still stnding there, looking amused. He turned back to find Ash standing there. Heaving in a sudden uncontrolled anger for such simple words spoken by her friend.
"Do you have any... any idea how terrified I was for you?" She hissed at him, her eyes glaring hard into his. "Seeing you like that, your leg torn off, bleeding from every opening, every lacerations, all the contusions and shrapnel blasts, barely breathing, Pale as a ghost. You weren't all there when you were awake... T-the way you cried my name..."
She watched as Eric's eyes bulged. His voice suppressed a sudden urge to giggle.
"I wasn't all there?" He repeated Ash's words. "I wasn't all there... get it?"
He started cackling at the incredibly lame pun. Latesh groaned and started to pull away from him. She was caught before she could escape his presence, arms looped around her and tugged her into his chest. They stood their silently for a good long minute and just as Ash relaxed into his chest, She did not need him to say anything. She knew he was grateful without using any words at all.
He pulled back, examining her carefully.
"If you don't come back soon with your mother and cook me that dinner you promised, I'm going to go Gandhi on you." He pointedly reminded the woman. Aashritha's grim face broke into a vivid smile for Eric. Slowly, she nodded her head and stepped back and out of his arms.
"I will see you soon, Commander." She swore softly to him. "I promise."
She leaned inwards and pressed her soft lips against his grizzled and scarred cheek, much like she had on Mindoir, though, thankfully much less bloody. Eric smiled as he watched her step away. Reluctantly, she turned away and followed the MP out of the yard.
Eric sighed as he sat back down, dazed as he fell back at the one constant thought on his mind from the moment Metzger proclaimed it, to this very moment: How to save his son from himself.
...

...
"You, turian, drop your weapon and stand up!"
Garrus tensed as the voice died away. Giving Eric one appraising look, Garrus stood up slowly, his hands raised in the air. With care, he turned slowly around, only to find himself staring at well over ten Mercs, all of them standing their, rifles raised and slightly in front of a leader a pistol, and young batarian clutching in his hands a sniper rifle.
He turned his head over to glance at Eric, his head slumped and clutching his wound. He turned back to the group facing him down and took a very cautious step forward.
"I'm unarmed, batarian; I'm just a doctor." Garrus spoke up tentatively, looking from batarian to batarian. "I need to get back to my wounded man. Please."
"Where are your quarians?" The captain demanded, his eyes looking around the room for any signs of deception.
"Gone, they don't need to die over this." the Spectre returned, crossing his arms. "You're a mercenary captain, right? You want to keep your boys alive just as much as this man here wanted to spare his from this clearly targeted attack."
The batarian stared at the mess of a human half laying on the floor. Slowly, he nodded.
"We won't pursue the quarians back to their settlement, you're right about that," The batarian captain agreed, lowering his pistol and stepping past his men. He gestured to the sniper, adding. "This man here has paid a lot of money to get this human in his rifle scope. But no where near enough to tangle with an organized military force."
Garrus chuckled nervously and nodded his head. He was immediately joined by the Captain. There was a sudden and violent cough from behind him and low groan that broke the laughter. He glanced back and noticed that Eric's head swayed to the side, his hand clutching the wound. The Spectre turned back to face the batarian captain, who looked on in a strange sympathy for the wounded man. Garrus stepped forward, ignoring the batarian grunts behind the captain raising their weapons.
"Will you let me treat him?" The turian tried to reason with the numerically superior batarians. "I know you deem him marked by your client, but I still have a responsibility to keep him alive. Just like you and your men."
The captain's eyes blinked simultaneously as he quietly observed the turian. Slowly, he turned back to the sniper rifle wielding man. The sniper merely stared downwards at the wounded man. He tilted his head slowly to the right and huffed at the sight of the disgusting human.
"I need to talk to this bastard." The young man spoke up to no on in particular. "Get him focused and keep him alive. For now."
Garrus waited briefly for approval from the batarian captain before turning back and slumping down to Eric's side. quietly changing the blood replacement bag and rechecking the wounds the way Quaera showed him too. Quietly, he hoped to the spirits watching over him that the second Spectre on Rannoch would show up and deal with this problem. He was completely out of options the moment the batarians entered the room unopposed.
Footsteps came up behind him. He glanced over his shoulder to find that the batarian with the contract out on Eric was behind him. His weapon was lowered as he seemed to have been digging into his pocket.
"Give him this." The batarian grunted from behind him. "It'll wake his ass up properly."
Garrus glanced at the injector in the batarian's hand. He had seen it before during his service. Some of his fellow soldiers would take it before missions. Force the mind to be alert and running at two hundred percent faster then a mind ought to be functioning at. The drug, while borderline safe for the most healthiest of turian soldiers, would undoubtedly be disastrous for a human shot up and barely functional as he was.
"It's a Dextro-amphetamine." Garrus spoke up, his voice trying to remain neutral, as to not cause the turian trouble. "I can't give this to him, he's in poor shape as it is."
Despite him wanting to remain calm, it did not work. Garrus' words only served to enrage the young batarian.
"I DON'T CARE, DO IT, YOU MISERABLE FUCK! GIVE HIM THE DAMN INJECTION!" The batarian roared, his sniper rifle butt lashed out and connected against Garrus' face. His head flung to one side as his body crumpled to the floor next to the elder human.
Garrus opened his eyes and groaned. He was trying his best not to reveal just the kind of man he really was to the batarians. He had the drop on them. He could have kicked out this batarian son of a bitch's legs, grabbed the pistol in his holster and his sniper rifle, and killed the team standing behind him with little difficulty.
The problem was Eric. There was so many automatic weapons pointing at them that undoubtedly, he would be killed. So, he relax and wiped his mandible with his talon. There would be no massacre from him today. No, he'd leave it up to Shepard, the one man Special Forces team. Then there was Tali, who'd, like clockwork, would follow after her future husband. The quarian without a father and about to lose one all over again.
Inwardly, Garrus smirked. The blood would soon be flowing. It was only a matter of time.
He looked up and noticed a hand reaching out and offering to help him back up. It was the batarian mercenary captain. He looked almost regretful of Garrus' state. With a sigh, he took the hand and stood back up. He pushed past the captain and stood there defensively in front of Eric, who still seemed unaware of what was happening around him. The captain entered the line of view once again, standing next to the visibly younger batarian.
"He's not getting out of this alive, turian." The captain spoke up, breaking the silence. "Your life doesn't need to end for a dead man walking... Well, you get my drift."
Garrus did not reply to the remark. Instead, he turned to the other batarian, who was glaring down at the human with more hate then he could fathom, more hate then he felt for Sidonus, or Saleon. It was... unnerving. Reluctant, Garrus' talon uncurled and stretched out to the batarian. He felt the syringe slip into his hand.
He turned away from the batarians, and knelt down next to Eric, his free hand grabbing his pale arm and outstretching it for the others to witness. He looked up briefly to the captain and the sniper, and silently, slipped the syringe into Eric' forearm.
The effect was near instantaneous. Whatever it was had a definite kick. He watched Eric's pupils dilate and focus; A sudden exhale escaped his lips, and out of nowhere, his head turned to face the startled batarians. Garrus ignored the vicelike grip around his forearm from the suddenly alert human.
He exhaled and then inhaled looking down at his stomach wound, wrapped heavily in bloodied gauze and still pulsing with a dull ache. He ignored the pain as he took a long inhale with his noise.
"That stench, dead fish and body order. I know it way too well." Eric groaned out, his first words to the batarians looming over them. He ignored the sudden barking growl coming from the men only meters from him. Garrus did his best to suppress a smirk.
Eric was back, shot up, barely alive, but still defiant as he had been before he was hit. Ignoring the batarian with the rifle in hand standing over him, he looked back down at the pool of his own blood and blinked. Quietly, he wiped his eyes as he shuffled his wounded body in place his hand falling to his dull pain in his stomach.
"I bet you're curious why you're sitting in a pool of your own blood right now." He heard a younger rough voice call out to him. batarian like the other.
Eric shrugged idly and dug his bloodied hand into his pant pocket, tugging out a pack of smokes. Limply, he pushed one into his lips and searched for a lighter that wasn't there. Before he knew it, a lighter was tossed into his lap. He looked up to see that the thrower was the batarian, all his eyes glaring at him.
"The thought crossed my mind." Eric admitted, lighting the cigarette and inhaling as strong as he could. Slowly, he shrugged "But... I can't say I'm exactly surprised that my life would be ended this way. Go on, get it over with, kid."
Silence fell over the bullet riddled, blood coated room. The batarian stared, surprised at the statement, Garrus looked onto his best friends father with a quiet awe at his casualness over his impending death. It was as though Eric didn't give a shit about the vast differences between life and death.
"You don't remember me, do you?" The batarian growled, leaning down and gripping the human by his throat, his face inches from Eric's. "You don't remember that day on Mindoir. You came into my town, rounded everyone up, marched them to their deaths. You and your commanding officer, the General."
Eric tilted his head, his eyes half open as he held his watchful stare on the batarian. He ignored the sudden shocked stare from the turian next to him. Instead, he pulled his cigarette up to his lips and took another drag, gently blowing it into the aggressive batarians face. Quietly, he blocked out the memories of Mindoir as far and as deep into his mind as he could.
"I rounded up a lot of batarians, kid. As for the esteemed Metzger, Well, If you want my blessing to kill him, you have it." He replied, the cigarette dangling from his lips precariously. The batarian curled his lips into a sneer and let go of the human's neck, turning away back to the silently watching mercenaries.
"No..too well protected, too public." The batarian spoke up, annoyed. He turned back, adding. "He pulled the trigger, but you were the one who rounded my mother up, my sister. My father. He lost it."
Garrus heard a sudden inhale coming from Eric. He watched as the human's eyes went wide as a memory of the past broke through the resolve of forgetting and came back up to the surface.
"You're... You're Dovok's son."
The son of Sovak Dovok chuckled humorlessly, lowering his sniper rifle away from the sitting human.
"So you do remember it." Dovok's son returned. his voice low with unwavering rage for the former Commander. "You remember my father's confession, how he begged and pleaded to both of you, to your marines for mercy. He confessed a false crime."
Eric snorted and stubbed out his cigarette.
"He was slaver, Dovok." He muttered to himself, loud enough for the kid to hear him. "What happened-"
Before anyone knew it, Dovok reared back and lashed out, his arms grabbing the wounded human by his neck and yanked him over. forcing Eric to be face to face with his attacker.
"My father was a FARMER, you fascist piece of shit!" The batarian screamed in Shepard's face. "He was an agricultural farmer who sold his crops to humans!"
The young man let go of Eric, pushing him hard against the wall. Eric hissed and winced as pain jolted through his body. He looked up and say the batarian had turned away, breathing heavily as rage coursed through him. Suddenly he turned back, his expression was one of devastation.
"My father never raised a hand in anger against any man in his life." The boy continued, tears threatening to escape his many eyes. He never hated your people, he never followed, nor did he believe in the batarian caste system! He hated Slavery, his ancestors were once ENSLAVED in that system."
Dovok expressed sharp, shaking his head as he stared down the human.
"He thought the Verge was big enough for the humans and batarians could share together. He loved his wife, he loved his children..."
The room fell silent as the exchange between the human and batarian fell silent as they simply stared at each other. Eric's tired defiance slowly ceased to be present. His lips quirked up into a look of sudden regret. The son of Dovok looked away and dried his eyes. Slowly, he shook his head again and huffed.
"My father was a good man... He would have said absolutely anything to save my mother and my sister. Slaver..." He trailed off, huffing again indigently at the words. "How dare you make an assumption like that."
Dovok turned back to the batarian captain, who nodded. Silently, the batarian grabbed Garrus' shoulder, tugging him away. Garrus tightened up and turned to look at the human. Eric's expression was on of indifference to his situation. It was his silent urge for the Spectre to leave him to his fate.
Garrus turned back to the captain, and nodded reluctantly following the captain away from the human and the batarian. Eric watched silently as the group left the two by themselves. He turned back to find that the young man was standing there, simply staring at the human like he was the devil. Eric sighed silently, and took a painful step closer.
"Tell me about him." Eric spoke up, causing the batarian to narrow his eyes. "Your father, Tell me about him. I want to know the kind of man he was."
The batarian snarled, his lips curled and teeth baring at the human asking the question.
"You have no right to know anymore then I've giving you."
Eric wordlessly nodded his head and looked away, down towards the wound. It appeared to have been bleeding gain, the red stain on the bandage becoming more and more visible. It would not matter much however, he was merely awaiting his death at this point. Nothing could save his from his past.
"When I was seven, I had made friends with a boy down in Saharta. Human." The batarian spoke up, surprising Eric. "I... I...try to remember his name, but I just can't.. I was so young, all I remember is the attack. I... I came home one day after playing with him and several older boys cornered me, beat me up for playing with the two eyed freaks. Busted my lip open good."
"My father found me crying when he came home that day. I thought I was in trouble actually, showing such weakness, but, No... He at me down on the edge of the bathtub and washed my injuries for me. He listened to everything I had to say. I told him I would never go back and play with the human again. Father... he just..he shook his head told me. "Makox, you cannot fall prey to the bullies who feel so upset at the concept of cooperation, you have to stand up for something you believe in, Whether it's principal, for love, even for simple friendship. Never compromise when the end results are beneficial for everyone."
Makox Dovok shook his head yet again, his expression blank as he looked back up and caught the sympathetic gaze of the former Alliance Officer.
"After father and mother died. The only place I could think of going was to Saharta." Makox admitted ruefully, the rifle in his hands wavering. "I could.. I could hide with him and my sister Rivare...but, he was gone, like my parents.. nothing but embers and ash remained."
Eric watched as the rifle bolted up and was slipped onto the sniper's magnetic holster Makox looked away and wandered slowly from Eric. His head bowed into his hands. Eric knew this look. Alien or not, it was the galactic symbol of regret, of pushing your past as far away as possible.
Makox was right to kill him. His actions, his compliance had destroyed this young man completely.
...

...
John threw his hand up into a fist, a silent order for Tali too stop moving. Together they crouched and stalked towards the epicenter of the ambush. The building was bellowing smoke and blasted apart from the brief, yet violent siege. There was a full platoon standing outside. Smoking and talking, all while standing guard.
All of them surrounding quite possibly the ugliest turian in existence. Garrus Vakarian. John brother in all but blood. He looked bemused, as he exhaled on a cigarette offered by a batarian. Almost amused at the thought of being held prisoner by a group of boy scout, rent-a-goons. John looked to Tali and stood up. Between The group being flanked by Tali and him, with Garrus, the goddamn turian killing machine in the middle, these four eyed fucks wouldn't stand a stance.
John stepped out of cover, his rifle raised at hem. Tali joined him. Her omni-tool ready in one hand, the other clutching her predator heavy pistol. The batarians looked up and started barking to one another, their cigarettes fell and their rifles were raised. One man stepped forward, His hand gripping Garrus' armor, tugging him to the front of the group. Garrus merely smirked and shrugged at his precarious situation.
"Sorry, Shepard. Didn't want to risk your dad." Garrus spoke up, a sad note in his voice. John nodded his head and turned to batarian next to him
"Command, I presume?" John called out to him. His voice dripping in sarcastic rage. The Commander looked back to his men briefly and he nodded.
"Yes, and you aren't going to be doing anything funny." The Captain of the Mercenaries shot back to the human. "I don't want to shoot your father's doctor, but I will."
Tali and John shared a look at the man's words. Slowly, he chuckled without any humor present.
"You idiots realize the turian is a Council Spectre, right?" John spoke up finally, his rifle still raised at the leader of the group. The batarian's eyes went wide as he rounded onto the turian in question. Garrus merely smirked and again, he shrugged.
"What can I say, Captain?" Garrus mused simply. "I'm an expert liar."
Before the batarian captain knew it, Garrus had reached out snatched the batarian's pistol out of his belt and pressed it against the captain's head, he wrapped his hands around the Captains neck and turned him to face his men who had raised their weapons at him. Slowly, he stepped backwards, the man still his shield.
"Garrus. Is my father alright?" Shepard called out as the turian backed to John and Tali's side.
With a hard kick. Garrus shoved the batarian back towards his men, causing him to stumble and fall onto the ground. The turian held his sidearm up, still daring the bastards to make a move again him. When he stood next to Shepard, he shook his head, his expression uncertain.
"I don't know, Shepard. They hit hm with a sniper round to the stomach." Garrus spoke finally. He did not mean too, but, he chuckled, adding. "Your father is a tough old bastard, isn't he? They pumped him with enough amphetamine to get him lucid. First thing he does is bait these assholes into killing him."
John didn't laugh like Garrus, instead he swung his rifle around and aimed at the now standing mercenary captain. He swung his arms up, a gesture for calm to be maintained.
"Not my idea, human: The clients." He flat out stated, his expression distasteful. "Sick little shit wanted to torment him before he killed him."
John's eyes narrowed at the words, however he did not reply. Instead he turned to Tali and nodded. Slowly, hey stepped forward, their weapons against their chests. The batarians behind the captain tightened their ranks, looking ready to stop the two Spectres and the quarian with quite possibly the largest body count in many centuries from passing.
John stepped forward, undeterred and pushed his face into the Captains, he's teeth bearing at the son of a bitch.
"I just wiped out three of your fireteams, terrorist." John reminded the captian and the Mercs behind him. "I'm quite okay with killing the rest of your boys if they continue to point their weapons at me. I've killed Reapers, a hell of a lot of them. You're nothing more then dog shit under my boots."
The captain blinked. The Spectre was not one to make idle threats anymore. this was the ultimatum. Die for some prick who bit off more then he could chew, or live to see another day.
Death, as it was, was never preferable.
"We weren't paid enough to tangle with the quarian marines." He finally returned, glaring into John's eyes. "We sure as fuck weren't paid enough to fight a couple of Spectres. Come on boys, we're leaving."
His men could not have been more thrilled at the order. One by one, the batarians departed the smaller groups company quickly. The last one to leave was the Captain of the mercenary group. As he wandered by Shepard, John leaned into his path and nudged him hard with his shoulder blade.
"Don't forget your dead, Merc." John growled at the batarian. "My mate and I left quite a mess for you lot."
The Captain turned back to face Shepard and Tali. His eyes were not an expression of rage or hate for the human and quarian, but of loss and despair for the many men shot down by a rampaging son. He turned away ad followed his mercenaries closely, leaving John, Tali and Garrus in an uncomfortable silence. John looked downwards briefly as he felt a long arm wrap around his waist.
"Come on, John, we will finish this." Tali murmured. John looked her over briefly and slowly, he nodded. It was time to find out if he would be taking his father out of this ruined building on a stretcher or in a bodybag...
"Mate?" Garrus questioned, his voice lightening in hope to lighten the mood of the fuming human. "When did you become a turian? It's about time."
Shepard didn't laugh. Instead he merely shrugged.
"Sounded more intimidating." Shepard explained as he continued up the steps, Tali at his side, still holding him. "Garrus, stay here. If Dad is tripping, then being turian isn't a good idea..."
There was no protest from Garrus, who nodded and took a seat, while the human and quarian mates continued inside. This was Shepard job now.
...

...
"I failed my father. He would have beaten me if he saw me now. Ready to kill you so easily. He would have been ashamed."
Eric turned to find Makox was sitting on the floor. His back against the wall opposite to him. On his knee was his pistol, aiming loosely at the architect. Eric lit another cigarette up and took a long drag, carefully eying the batarian.
"If it makes you feel better, we all fail our fathers in time." Eric murmured back to the young man. "It's nearly always inevitable in the end."
He noticed Makox's distant gaze refocus and turned to face the older human. Quietly, Eric threw him his pack of cigarettes and the batarian's lighter back to him.
"My father and I... we were never on good terms, this was especially true after my mother hung herself." Eric admitted, his voice as distant as the look on Makox's face. "But... once... he told me to become an architect, he said so many people destroyed, why not help create? to build a better future."
Eric snorted and shook his head.
"I told him to piss off and I went and joined the army." He continued, looking both amused ad regretful, as the smile on his lips died. "After.. this.. all of this, I finally listened and followed his example. Too late... much.. much too late..."
He looked away and shook his head, ignoring the blood now seeping freely out of the medical wrap.
"I don't regret it one bit, Dovok. Serving in the Alliance." He stated, his eyes turning back up to face the batarian once more. "I met my wife, I have children, a grandchild now. Never would I turn away enlistment if I was my eighteen year old self again. I never regretted my choice to serve. I regret my decisions when I served."
Slowly, a strange smile spread across Eric's lips.
"My son... I love him." He admitted quietly "I wanted him to be safe. I wanted him to never follow my path into the military. But he did, because of that, he followed down a path laid by him by the same monster that tricked me. He swallowed Metzger's perverted Darwinism just as willingly as I did. It... It consumed him. He became me... No... he became him."
Eric stood back up slowly, his back sliding against the wall. He exhaled shakily as he ignored the batarian following his posture change.
"Are you a father yet?" He asked the batarian. Makox stared at the human, reason his father was dead, for a good long moment before finally, he shook his head. Eric nodded, grimly satisfied.
"Then you have no idea how horrifying it is to see your boy, your beautiful, baby boy who you raised, protected and nurtured, perverted into a mirror image of not just me, but the monster who manipulated him as well." He stated, gritting his teeth s the dull throbbing pain became sharper and sharper.
"My son, He doesn't regret his choice to serve, just like his old man. It led him to find his future wife." Eric went on, his eyes drooping as he weakly tried to dry swallow the knot in his throat. "But... neither does he regret his choices. He doesn't understand the path he took. Not yet. But he will."
Makok looked on the regretful father curiously.
"Will you tell him that?" He asked, his voice almost childlike in its curiousity.
Eric exhaled a single 'ha' at the confused looking young man and shook his head, blinking rapidly as he tried to remain standing. His legs felt numb, how they were still supporting him was a surprise to him.
"Never. I don't have the guts too." He chuckled weakly, taking a step closer to the batarian. "Besides, I'm about to be executed, remember?"
He watched as Makox heated up in embarrassment. Slowly, he limped over to the batarian, his eyes staring gently into the young man's.
"So, what do you plan on doing." He whispered aloud, his head tilted.
As Eric continued moving forward. The batarian raised his handgun up, his second hand reaching around and gripping it as well, steadily his aim at the human. Eric exhaled softly. His lips still in a mournful smile. Still his legs moved, stepping closer to the batarian with the vendetta.
This was it. Endgame.
"If it makes you feel better. I've never once not thought about what happened. It has followed me day after day ever since it happened." He admitted, unblinking as he felt the gun barrel pressed against his chest tightly. "Your father... Your mother... I wish I could have done something, anything, to save them. I'm sorry... I orphaned you, you and your sister. I... I can never be forgiven by you. If killing me brings you some sense of closure. Then do it, pull the trigger. I won't feel it, nor will I be able hold it against you."
Eric fell silent, his hand raising outwards, a silent sign of his readiness to die.
Makox took a step back, his passive expression washed away into a look of sheer hatred for the human. His pistol raised upwards and aimed at Eric's head. Slowly, he clicked the safety off and pushed the gun forward, his hands shook with fury as he tried to complete what he sought ou to do today. Destroy one of the men who destroyed his family.
Eric stood there, silently listening to the batarian's breath growing more and more ragged with uncertainty. He felt the cold barrel press against his temple. He said nothing, did nothing, regretted nothing.
Instead. He accepted and he waited.
The young man exhaled sharply and after a tense moment deliberation: He lowered his weapon slowly. Eric watched, dumbfounded at the gesture of mercy displayed by the batarian who had every reason, every right to shoot him down for what he did.
"I imagine you live through your own personal hell for what you were involved in." Makok muttered to him. He ignored Eric nodding his head in agreement Eric lowered his hands, gently, he reached out and pressed them against Makok's shoulder.
"You were worried about your father's reaction to this mess?" Eric whispered, his voice edged with a slight smile in his words. I-I think he would be unbelievably proud of you right now."
Makox looked up and met the bemused human's smile. Makok looked over the sniper wound he inflicted on Shepard. Queitly, lowered his head once again, half in shame, half unsure if he had done the right thing. He shrugged, his pistol hanging at his side, aiming loosely at the floor.
"I should have just listened to Rivare." He spoke softly to himself, his pistol slipping back into its holster as Makok Dovok met Eric's eyes once more. "She told me vengeance wasn't going to bring our parents back, it wasn't going to save them or bring closure. I was too stubborn to list-
A sudden burst was suddenly and unexpectedly fired off. Three rounds connected and shattered through Makok's body. The spray of batarian blood splattered across Eric, who was gaping in shock and rage. Makok coughed and looked down, wide eyed. He watched silently as smoke from seared flesh came billowing out softly, mixing with the blood flowing freely from his chest.
A forth shot rung out, entering through the side of his head. Eric watched in unmitigated horror as the young man's body collapsed, his life fading away before he could hit the floor.
Shepard looked up, numb, from shock, numb from the drugs, numb from the bloodloss and inconsolable grief and there, in front of his eyes, stood his former Commanding Officer, Major Jurgen Metzger. His predator pistol lowered down at the dead batarian, his expression was one of hatred for the batarian, the same hatred he had witnessed in Makox's only minutes ago. Eric looked away from Metzger's expression, not noticing that it had softened into a look of worry and fear for him. Eric's legs collapsed as he too fell onto the hard ground, damp and lukewarm from the batarians pooling blood.
"Dad?...Dad!" Metzger called out, his pistol clattering to the floor as he rushed to his Eric's side. "Dad, stay awake, we're getting you out of here!"
As Metzger wrapped his arms around him, Eric lashed out with as much violence as he could muster. He slammed his fist as hard as he could into the bastard's pushed the man off him and with all his might as he ignored the pain from his wound reopening, tearing through bandage plastic wrapping. Metzger landed on top of Mokok's corpse, Eric followed, landing on top of the psychotic marine officer.
"How could you do that, Metzger! How fucking dare, you could do that!" Eric screamed a the top his lungs, his fists connecting against the Major's face over and over and over again, leaving his fists bruising and bloody. He did not register that Metzger wasn't retaliating.
He kept punching the bastard. He watched with wild eyes as he snapped his nose, spurting blood onto him. He he heard a cheekbone break under his fists. Eric screamed as he continued to slam the man's face in. He ignored his own wrist breaking as he hit, pounded, smashed. Makok shouldn't have died, not another, not a-FUCKING-nother.
He postponed this day for twenty years. He was going to kill this twisted fuck.
As he hit, he suddenly felt arms, soft and feminine pulled him off. There was a 'oof!' as the voice's body fell on the floor with him on top of her. He felt himself shimmied upwards and pressed into a rubberlike body suit. He looked up, his eyes wild and wide as she stared up and found himself looking into Aashritha Latesh's gentle, concerned eyes.
"Eric." She whispered gently, her arms wrapping around his waist. "Eric... just relax... you're safe now, it's going to be alright.."
He paid no mind to Ash as she clutched his wound, placing pressure over it. looked up from her and over to the fallen Metzger. He paid no mind to Ash screaming to him, "Keelah...John, JOHN? Are you alright? We need to get him out of here. He's not doing well.
Eric did not reply, he merely stared up into the gentle expression, his body shaking his breathing shallow. Slowly, he closed his eyes and exhaled, sleep overtaking the wounded man. With the last moments of consciousness, he opened his mouth and, with all the effort he possessed, he breathed.
"Failed again, Ash..."
"Daddy!"
Eric looked up as he focused on limping out of the prison gate leading out of Fort Kimmel military prison. The blur was approaching him faster then he had wanted or he thought he could handle.
Before he knew it, little Sarah, who was no longer little was on top of him, causing him to stumble and collapse under her weight and his lack of strength. No longer the curious eleven year old he had left behind, she was now fourteen. Her stout tomboy body replaced with a tall, steadily curving girl. She was quickly growing to become a mirror image of her mother. She would be a heartbreaker as she grew up.
It actually made Eric somewhat nervous. Heh. It was the first concern he had other then John. Now he realized he would be having to fight off hormonal teenage boys or girls from hooking up with his baby girl. It suddenly made his concerns for John seem inconsequential in comparison.
He laughed slightly for her, showing his Sarah that her father was still sort of the same man who went inside three years ago. He leaned in, kissing his little girl on the top of her forehead and shakily tried to stand back up. Sarah took the hint and crawled off her father, fastening her arm around his waist to help.
"Sarah, didn't I ask you not to grow up? It's making me feel old." Eric complained, earning a renewed giggle from his daughter.
"You are old." Sarah reminded him, causing Eric to sigh loudly as he found his footing once again, his body leaning on his cane and Sarah.
"You're not suppose to say thaaat." He complained, again earning the soft laughter of his little girl.
Back up now, he found himself standing face to face with Hannah, who was smiling only in the slightly. Eric chuckled, still leaning on his cane as he took the image in. She was now a captain it seemed. Had he been in the marines, he might have been impressed.
"Hello, Eric." Hannah greeted curtly, reaching up to peck her husband's lips chastely. "Did you learn your lesson in there?"
Eric nodded gravely.
"Yeah, I should have finished the job with the son of a bitch." He returned, grinning playfully as his daughter who again laughed at his words, completely unaware how dangerously serious he was being. Hannah, who knew when her husband was itching for blood, frowned sightly but decided to simply let his words slide.
"Perhaps he should have. I doubt he'd last a round with Jürgen" A voice called out, replying to him.
There, standing by the car was none other then his boy. Freshly promoted Service Chief John Shepard. Wearing full dress uniform, and standing there as though trying to impress and intimidate his father. On his face was he same look of ruthless arrogance his former commander wore. Unlike his former Commander however, Eric felt a chill of fear by the better built, taller, younger man. Unlike Metzger, John didn't look like the type to play with his enemies. Only killed them.
Such was the way of youth. Much less incline to consider their actions, no matter how horrific their actions were. But that would change. Eric knew that for a fact. John lacked sociopathic disinterest that his boss had.
One day, like Eric, he too would snap.
"Hello son. I missed you." Eric greeted his boy, limping over towards his son with a facade of calm. John simply stared at the old man.
"And I care, how?" Was John's simple reply as Eric stopped in front of him.
So, Aashritha's finding were correct, fuck. Why couldn't she have been wrong about John? Why couldn't she have stopped this years ago? He was jailed and she was his best friend. She could have at least done him this favor. Eric rubbed his head, he wasn't quite what he could say to his son. He already knew it would have been a futile conversation. Still, he deserved to know what his father thought.
"I see he's gotten to you better then I." Eric observed, his expression neutral, bordering on pity for the boy standing in front of him.
"Yeah." John agreed, giving his father a sarcastic smirk. "You won't see me getting blown up while letting forty five of my men die because I'd rather tip toe around the blinks."
Despite the barb nearly getting through to him. All Eric could do was laugh. It hurt him to do so, laugh at the truth, but that was all he could do without lashing out and striking his boy, further alienating him. Besides, the laughter seemed to have only further enraged the younger man.
"I don't see why you're laughing." John stated, his eyes glaring as his lips curled. "Look at you. You look like a 1960's reject." He snorted in disgust, gesturing to Eric's long hair and beard, adding. "No wonder mother is contemplating using her maiden name. You're an joke. A useless failure, and you stand there and laugh."
Eric's eyes darted from John to Hannah who stood behind John motionlessly. He didn't need words from his wife to know that John's statement was true. He had suspected she'd do that the entire time he was incarcerated. Turned back to John, his smile spreading to a grin.
"I'm laughing because how much you remind me of me when I was your age." Eric retorted, still grinning at his boy like the words hadn't harmed him. "Full of piss and vinegar, look how tough I am in my uniform. Wearing it means I get to murder who ever I want out in the field and not worry about it."
"Fuck you, you condescending asshole. When you were my age... Wasn't that shortly after Grandma hang herself?" John sneered tauntingly. "No wonder, I always figured she was smart to see what she birthe-."
Before John knew it. a tiny hand backhanded him hard enough to back his head whip to one side. It was Sarah, standing defensively in front of her father. Her eyes hot as boiling rage coursed through her
"John, you overbloated, arrogant prick. you said you wouldn't do this! You promised me!" Sarah hissed, glaring up at her older brother. Unlike Eric, she had no fear for her sibling. If she only knew the kind of mentor Jürgen Metzger was to John, she probably would have reversed her bravery.
John didn't reply to his sister. Regardless, Eric pulled back Sarah back from the unreadable boy standing in front of him.
"Sarah, Your brother is right to an opinion about me." Eric shushed his little girl as he stared into his son's eyes. He pulled her into a sideways hug as they pushed past the imposing Marine. He gazed over his shoulder briefly before adding, "Even if he has nothing to back his words up with."
Oh god. How Eric came to rue his words that day.
...

...
To see his own father was hooked up to so many machines. It frightened the man on the other side of the containment glass, a man who had killed Reapers and lived to see peace again.
"I should have gotten to him faster." He murmured more to himself then to others occupying the room. 'If I only got to him faster."
Hands wrapped around him and a body was pressed tightly into his back.
"You did the best you could, John. He's going to be alright."
John Shepard shook his head, his hand running over his tenderized face, taking care not to touch his broken nose. His father, though wounded and much older then John still packed quite the punch. He could feel as Tali's long arms wrap around his around his waist, nuzzling her helmetless head against his shoulder as they watched his father laying in front of him, placed in a medically induced coma.
A day had past since John and Tali rescued his father from those bastards and still there was no change in his condition. John had refused to leave where he stood. only relenting so that the quarian medical teams could treat his injuries. Such a stubborn bosh'tet.
"How is he doing?"
They both looked up, both human and quarian's face broke into a smile for young quarian woman standing in the room next to them. Quawe'Quaera. Marhna'Prince's little sister and one of the reason's Eric was still alive. Her arms were crossed as she watched over her human patient in a display of both modest feeling of being the one to keep him alive and in great fear that it would not remain that way.
With a small kiss planted on John's stubbled and bruised cheek, she stood up and walked over to join the medical student.
"Quawe'Quaera, You should be relaxing." Tali spoke gently, her hand pressing against the small of Quawe's back. "You have done more then enough. I am certain Eric Shepard would not want you spending your days watching over him. I imagine he might have a few choice words if he caught you like this."
Quawe giggled softly, nodding her head.
"Well of course he would. He spent much of his time bad mouthing Kal'Reeger for being so uptight." She agreed with the Engineer, who chuckled. "But, he made me a promise that he would pull through, so I am staying. I just left for a bit because I needed to go get cleaned up... so much blood spilled over a pointless feud."
She sighed.
"Got a call from Marhna while I was gone. Practically told her what happened the moment she spoke. You know how easy it is to spill your secrets to her." The intern spoke again to Tali, who nodded in agreement. "She sends her and David's best wishes. They'll be on Rannoch in two days time."
"I have not seen her in three years. I have missed her greatly." Tali replied.
John, breaking his reverent watching over his unconscious father, turned back, his blacked out eyes focusing on the quarian standing next to his future wife.
"Garrus mentioned you were the one keeping him alive." John spoke to the younger quarian. "Thank you, Quawe. I owe you so much."
Quawe'Quaera bowed her helmet, appearing somewhere between flattered, humbled and utterly embarrassed by the galactic hero's sudden attention and praise for her quick action to save one of his loved ones.
"Keeping people alive is kinda apart of the job." Quawe mumbled, just loud enough for the human to hear it. "Otherwise I'd make a pretty lousy physician."
A high strung and very nervous giggle escaped the suddenly mortified interns vocal modulator. John merely allowed her a single half smile before looked away, turning back to watch over his father. Tali, who was watching the whole exchange, tried to suppress the sudden urge to point out how awful awkward Quawe was.
"Regardless, if there is anything you ever need, do not hesitate to ask." Tali spoke up, regaining the younger quarian's attention. Quawe shuffled nervously, her hands rubbing together.
"Well." She whispered, shooting a look to the inattentive human. "I would not say no to a date with your future husband."
Quawe paused frozen as Tali stood unnaturally still, as though sizing the young woman up very carefully. Like she had instantly lost all respect for what she had done by the single question she asked.
"Oh... this is such a horrible time to make a joke." She quickly whispered, hoping beyond hope that Tali would listen. "I am so sorry. Please, just forget it."
Instead of the fist she imagined would smash open her mask, Tali's hand fell on to Quawe's shoulder in a surprising display of warm understanding.
"Like I said, we owe you a great deal." The former admiral repeated, a smile in her voice. "If you are serious, I'll see what I can do. Just an innocent outing would be permitable, but no promises, okay?"
Quawe nodded and looked relieved. Even under fire, the quarian did not feel so frightened for her life as she did under the watching eyes of Tali'Zorah.
...

...
Citadel Station 2178 CE
"Hello, I am Dalia Vaer and you're watching Citadel Broadcasting Network." The asari introduced herself with a smile that quickly went serious.
"Back to our top story today. In a surprise and devastating attack, The System Alliance has broken the back of batarian piracy in the Skyllian Verge, after a decade and a half of pitched combat between the alliance military and batarian state sponsored terrorism."
"Many amongst the council races have criticized the human response to the attack on Elysium as 'too soft' have been silenced after the siege on the stronghold moon, Torfan begun three weeks ago. This has been the first human planetary offensive in their history as a citadel species. The first major retaliation attack since First Contact with the turians, which occurred in 2157. Alliance officials report four hundred and fifty seven dead nine hundred and three wounded. Batarian loss has skyrocketed from two thousand to our last report to eight and a half thousand. The reports of further death are still making themselves known."
"We're here with General Septimus Oraka, turian military liaison to the Citadel Council." The newscaster introduced as the camera panned out, bringing a turian, dressed in his ceremonial armor in view.
General Oraka nodded his head, ushering the asari to speak.
"General, Some have claimed this attack to have set System Alliance diplomacy in the Verge back to just after the attack on Mindoir. Some are claiming war crimes ought to be considered for commanders on the ground. for some of the actions of the forces on the ground. Amnesty Intergalactic is making calm that well over twelve thousand civilians are among the dead. Uncounted by Alliance military census. "
"That may be the case, but the humans have a saying: 'Hindsight is 20/20' ." Septimus returned, leaning forward into his seat. "Meaning, it is easy for those to judge the actions displayed during the siege after it has happened. The Alliance cannot depend solely on the inaction as it had shown after the assault on Mindoir. This attack is a flat out call to the batarian government. "If you continue to send your proxy troops to fight, you can expect destruction to be the reply."
Septimus sipped his refreshment as Dalia recollected herself.
"What do you suppose is next?" The news broadcaster inquired from the General. "Notable high ranking Alliance officers in all branches have been seen courting the Citadel Council. Do you believe they are seeking council blessing to engage in a prolonged offensive into the Terminus Systems?"
"Well I only know how to wage a war by turian doctrine. My impression of a turian/batarian engagement would be it long and ugly." The General returned, his talons tightening together.
"I am only an amateur in the field, but human history is marred in a series of horrific major wars after wars, each more terrifying then the next. What they could do is uncertain in my eyes, but I have only one conclusion that will be drawn from all options they take. It will be quick and devastating."
"The humans, There is only one thing I can be certain of with humans." He admitted, leaning back into his seat. "In my experiences, They're as tricky as the salarian STG and have no fear in engaging in conflict with with anyone who stands in their way, including their own species. But in this instance, We cannot fault this sort of thought for more definite retaliation. They watched in horror as an estimated seventeen thousand of them were shipped away into slavery since the beginning of the Verge Wars. As an officer in the turian army, I can understand their thirst to do something, anything to avenge what has happened."
"There are rumors that the Spectres have begun petitioning the Council to allow humans to joining their organization." Dalia inquired curiously. "Are they truly ready to join such an prestigious organization yet? Whispers of humans involved in the Torfan conflict have caught their eyes. One such incident involved frontal assault on a batarian bunker, resulting in the death of four hundred pirates."
Septimus merely chuckled.
"Heh, well, I'm just a desk worker now, If you manage to get an interview with Spectre, you should ask them."
...
His bones were shaking as he stepped off the transport ad out of earshot of the news report, his face pained and pale as he limped away and stooped to collect his unsteadiness
He was suppose to be at home, on bed rest ordered by his wife and doctors. He had spent three weeks of binging on cocaine, vodka and a variety of barbiturates after he had learned of what John had done. It was only a three days ago that Hannah had found him, A gun shoved down his throat and heroin flowing freely through his veins.
Suicide attempt they called it. He called it correcting a mistake. Life was not his to live now. He had waited too long. Much, much too long. His son had officially become the thing that he hated the most.
Him.
Well... Not for long, if he had anything to say about it. His delay may have tainted his son, but he was not beyond saving. Not yet.
He ignored the watchful stares of asari children and their mothers s he limped on by them. A gibbled, idiot human on an alien station far from home. Far from being welcomed. They were laughing not publicly. But dammit they were. He was a joke. A sorry excuse of a life. Just another freak the war machine with a nice public face produced.
Crew cuts, hard eyes, uniforms. More Alliance cocksuckers past him by as he entered the elevator to the presidium. Each of the clinging tightly onto asari and human whores and glaring at the well dressed but haggard looking Eric like he was just another fuck with too much time and money on his hands. Poor dumb fucks, they didn't realize the man he was now was the mirror image of them only a decade prior.
"Wait! hold the elevator!"
Eric looked up and noticed three aliens running towards the elevator as the doors shut.
Bemused, Eric raised his cane and pushed it over the elevators motion detector, forcing the elevator door to open fully once more. The group stepped into the elevators, donned in full bodysuits and helmets of red, green and tan. Their hands and feet clawed looking and legs springy.
Eric widened his eyes.
Quarians.
Well... This was a first. Perhaps. This was the first long stretch of sobriety he had from his release from prison, before that. Life was a haze from the moment he got out of the hospital right up to his jail time. Regardless, it was not often he encountered this species. They were always in their late teen, early adults years. Never older, never younger. What were they? Space Amish on their Space Rumspringa?
Jesus, he needed a line of coke and a drink. He was putting too much thought into this.
"Thanks." The voice, hidden by a mask spoke with a smile. Soft, Feminine, and Arabic toned, much to his surprise. Eric grunted and nodded, turning away from the three chattering envirosuit filled quarians. All if which were female.
His eyes gazed downwards and caught a glimpse of asses ad hips, molded by the God, Goddess, Devil, Superdevil him/herself. He wasn't a dirty old man. He did not fancy himself like that. But hes a definite connoisseur of the female form. It often got him in trouble from Hannah, naturally.
Hannah... Oh for Christ's sake.
He quietly fell back into his thoughts. Preoccupied far from his son and more onto his wife. She would kill him if she knew what he was about to do. Though. Traveling fifty thousand light years solo, without any warning to her would have also been construed as a Hannah Shepard imposed, death sentence as well.
"- I can't believe the Admiral's did not tell us that. Not even your mother mentioned it." He overheard one of them mumble to the others. "They would make us sleep in the turian shelters when a proper facility has been set up by people who care? Idiots."
Living in turian shelters? What kind of idiot would send their children down to the slums, where their children could get raped and killed by the lunatics down there. Especially when there were better places to stay. Idiots. Fucking stubborn genius' the lot of them.
"Typical." Shepard caught himself grumbling. He did not notice his words caused two of the quarians to tighten up. The third, the one wearing a tan brown suit turned to face the human.
"Pardon?" She spoke up, surprising him slightly. He looked away from her stare and shrugged.
"Human or...quarian, military or civilian. Command is always deaf, dumb, stubborn and ignorant." Eric explained, a haunted smile slipping across his lips. "I could deal with the first two. It's the last two traits that put me in this state."
He gestured to himself and laughed. He knew he was being a freak. The two silent quarians gave him the accurate assessment. The third, however, chuckled. Out of pity or genuine amusement, He could not tell them apart.
"Arah'Raan nar Tonbay."
"Eric." He returned her introduction with a wolfishly gaunt grin. He eyed the two quarians minding their business, adding. "Sorry if I'm freaking your friends out. I'm not contagious or anything."
Arah followed the humans gaze and narrowed her eyes at the rude quarians staring at their interaction. She huffed and turned away, crossing her arms, clearly annoyed by their behavior.
"Do not mind them, Eric. they're tactless about other races." Arah returned she explained away. "They would rather gossip about those back on the fleet and complain about how hard it is finding a job."
Finding a job? Yes, he supposed that would be a hard thing to do when surrounded by so many aliens who found you to be nothing other then leeches. it was rather pathetic how shittily treated a race was for a mistake made by an ancestor over 300 years ago.
"Do any of you have any talents?" He spoke up again, his voice casual.
"Anything really." Arah'Raan chirped brightly. "Just give us a day or two and we'll be able to anything any other species can do."
Eric could not help himself, He laughed shortly at the positive display shown by the younger quarian.
"Well now, miss. That's quite the claim, but can you back it?" Eric challenged Arah, crossing his arms.
Arah mimicked the human, crossing her arms as well.
"Is that a job offer?"
Eric shrugged and noticed that the two other quarians quieted down, their gossip put aside as they listened intently to the exchange between their friend and the older human. They seemed like kind enough people, in need of someone to give them a break. Well, he would give that break to these quarians. They deserved it. even if he only found one of them to be nice.
"Well, I'm an architect, but I'm between projects at the moment." He quickly elaborated. "I can always use a couple extra hands when I get my next contract settled. Pay will be like how I pay my human employees. Give me your contact numbers and I'll ring you up the next project I get."
Arah simply stared. Eric rolled his eyes. Damn aliens, couldn't they speak English?
"Expression." He explained. "I'll contact you, Hell, I'll pay for all travel arrangements you need to make."
Arah'Raan shook her head.
"I'm stunned by the offer you are making to us, not by your words..." Arah returned, glancing to her other friends, who were bouncing on their toes. "I thank you for this opportunity. It is rare for quarians to get one such as that."
Eric merely chuckled as the elevator came to stop, his stop. Quietly Arah's omni-tool flashed to life as it transferred contact information to the human.
"I wouldn't thank me quite so quickly." Eric warned jokingly as he read the omni-tool contact info. "I'm going to be working the three of you hard the moment the workday begins. Just a forewarning. I'll see you three sometime real soon."
As he stepped out of the elevator, he smiled slightly. Though his life was falling apart, between his his health, his addictions, his grudge, his son, his marriage falling into a decline. hearing the sudden and wild cheering on the other side of the elevator doors, gave him a small bright spot in a bleak time.
...

...
"Ahhhh. Earth-Clan, I am so pleased to have you in my shop." The volus spoke, standing from his seat to greet the human with an extended hand. "How may Barla Von help you?"
Eric looked downwards at it and took it, giving it a single, curt shake before he let go. Slowly, he sighed and rubbed his eyes. Barla Von noticed the man's tired and sick looking demeanor. He shifted his stance and pressed his hand into the back of Eric's spine, leading him to a seat in front of his desk.
Ash had pointed him here. Her fling, the asari Aashritha was dating had used his services before. He was an agent of the Shadow Broker. Just the man he needed to see.
"I understand you have made quite a name for yourself in human space." The volus continued, enthusiasm sprouting from his vocal synthesizers. "You certainly must be planning to make the move into Citadel Space. I would be most honored to work as a financial adviser to you. You are independent from a major firm, am I correct?"
Eric nodded.
"Yes, I am, and yes, I suppose I will be moving into Citadel space with my work, should the demand come." Eric admitted casually a fake smile for the suited alien. He looked around, feigning curiosity he did not have. He needed to keep what was planned as quiet as he could.
"I was told about your... other services." Was his delicate continuation, at long last turning to face the volus, who was still staring up at him scrutiniously. The two stood there, simply staring at each other.
"I see." Barla Von relented. "Please, take a seat, sir. May I get you a refreshment? Water, a carbonated beverage?"
Eric sat as order, his back leaning into the back of the comfortable chair provided to him by the information broker.
"Scotch, two fingers, on ice." Eric flat out ordered. "So long week long sobriety."
Barla Von turned away and stepped slowly to a liquor cabinet hidden behind his desk.
"You are not the first to order this, nor breaking your oath to clean up." The volus hissed, his vocal modulator sounding almost amused by Eric's observation. "When someone is in need of my services, A drink is the least I can provide them. They usually find a need for it."
Eric nodded as the volus returned with his glass and tilted the drink back almost immediately, taking in a mouthful of amber courage. he set his glass down and found the volus staring at him.
"Your feud with your former superior officer, it his now spilled into your family. It has robbed your son of any chance of normalcy. Something you have sought for him. For the record, the eyes of the Shadow Broker has deemed John Shepard, someone to keep a choose contact with now." Barla Von admitted to the father.
If he was honest, Eric wasn't quite sure how pissed of he ought to be at the news.
"Regardless of the Broker's interest. You have another reason to be here." Barla continued before the human could retort. "Perhaps the in the one who has benefited from his student's recent actions."
Eric chuckled, a dark and humorless laugh. Oh yes... when there was talk of his son becoming a human Spectre. Then Metzger would definitely benefit.
"You know Mister Von. Before I came here, I thought about knocking on his front door and pumping two rounds into his head when he answered, right in front of his wife and children." The tired, sick man answered honestly.
If he was capable to see past the mask, he was certain that the little volus had blinked at his bluntness.
"I presume further jail time is not what you seek." Barla Von finally breathed out, his toe almost amused by the rage in the humans voice. Eric snorted and sucked back his drink.
"No... What I really need is some sort of blackmail." He muttered, looking nervous as he watched the volus stare at him. There was something about Barla Von that brought up a tinge of fear.
"Please, relax, Mister Shepard, help yourself to another drink." Barla suggested to Eric at long last, sliding the bottle of scotch on his table in arms reach. Adding, "I will make an inquest into your request. This will take but a moment."
But, Before the volus could focus on his terminal, Eric clammy, shaking hand reached and grabbed his stubby arm.
"No. Barla, listen."
The Information Broker looked up, he was willing to hear the man's words.
"I-I can't use blackmail on him, per say." Eric explained, letting of of Barla. "I ... I know quite a few of his skeletons as is. What he actually did on Shanxi right up until Mindoir. I could easily come forward and tell what he did. The thing is if I do that, I could damage the reputation of the men who served under him, under me."
Eric shook his head as he gulped the last of his drink.
"I can't do that." He whispered quietly. "I could never do that."
He set the glass down and watched as Barla Von, ever the good host, filled Eric's glass back up. Quietly, he tugged a cigarette out from his jacket pocket and lit it, taking a unsteady inhale. Slowly, he exhaled and looked back up into Barla Von's inquiring posture. Slowly, his lips formed a skull-like smile.
"What I need is names of his enemies, in both the political and military circles." Eric explained. "I need doctored information. Private accounts that skimmed credits out of the military, Find a link to him and those bastards in Cerberus. Whatever seems feasible but nothing active service oriented, nothing that can be traced back and cause disgrace to the dead."
"He doesn't have to believe it. But his enemies do." Eric concluded, his hands lacing together. "It had to be quite feasible that he'll do jailtime and lose his rank should I hand the information over to the right people."
Barla Von shot Eric a warning look.
"This is not a simple request you are making, This will neither be cheap as well, Earth-Clan."
"Do I look like I give a fuck about the price?" Eric snapped surprising the volus with the sudden display of fury. "This isn't for shits and giggles or because he left me and my men to die in muddy shithole, Or that he manipulated me into beheading a fucking turian and tried to mold me into his image. I'm saving my boy, he's already begun walking the path. Torfan was just the first step."
Shaking his head like a mad man, deranged. Eric reached into his pocket his hands shaking as they removed a pack of cigarettes.
"I need to stop the madness... before any more damage can be done to him." he whispered as he lit up and inhaled slowly.
Barla simply stared at the human for a moment, it did not take long however for the volus to turn his attention back to his terminal, softly tapping away as he left the broken father commiserating over the events that led him to this office, to him giving into the underworld.
"A link to Cerberus will not work, He applied several times to partner with the organization. However, the head of the organization personally rejected his applications." Barla rasped up, looking up from his terminal. "This Illusive Man found his actions to be.. inhumane... heh... and that is saying something..."
Eric frowned slightly at the volus as he sipped his drink quietly.
"Do I need to empty my pockets now for that tidbit?" He pointedly inquired, his lips smirking.
"No, no. Consider this information a gift." Barla Von waved off, his voice different. oddly much more formal. "It's not often I have a client with reasons so admirable. A father's duty to protect his child. A promise kept, a promise never forgotten."
Eric did not speak, but he was glad to see that the volus though answering to the Shadow Broker, could at least understand why he would ever approach the organization for such a desperate need.
"Come back in two weeks." Barla Von continued on, closing his terminal and standing from his resting pace. "Your file will be ready by then. Have your payment of two hundred thousand credits ready as well."
The human gave a low whistle. Sure... he didn't give a shit about the money, that didn't mean he was made of it.
"I don't exactly have that sort of credits on hand." He admitted bashfully. "I can maybe get you a quarter of that right now. Though I don't reckon your boss takes payment plans."
Barla Von chuckled slightly, but did not seemed fazed by Shepard's lack of credits.
"No... the Broker does not, however, I will cover the cost of your request." Barla Von offered to the human in front of him. "I have many friends in need of a skilled architect, such as yourself. Rich friends and living in citadel space. I shall throw together a gala in honor of your many works. You will have many new clients and more then enough to pay me back."
Barla Von sat back down and leaned into his seat, simply watching Eric as he processed the offer. Eric didn't like this. Not one bit. Working with a Shadow Broker agent, even if it was under the guise of being a financial adviser.
"This will be most beneficial to you and I, a partnership such as this." Barla added, as though his words could help swing the thinking Shepard. "We shall save your son and line our pockets at the same time."
Eric looked up, meeting the eyes of Barla Von. He reached out, his hand offered to the volus in front of him, who shook on it firmly. Eric did not like, being indebted to someone, especially not to the likes of Barla Von. But this wasn't about him. No... He knew the risks the moment he started drawing up the plans.
His boy needed this.
...

...
Why in the hell didn't he go out with his father in the first place?
He had sent Garrus and Legion, Kal and his marines. But why not him? Was he that selfish? While his father laid bleeding to death, surrounded by blink bastards, he was too busy having sex with both Tali and Ereba. He could have said no and went out like his brain told him he should.
He sent Tali back home last night. It was probably for the best. At home was a curious asari who needed answers. Answers that John just could not provide as well as Tali. Besides. he needed to stay here, at his father's side. It would have been exactly what he would have done had he been in John's shoes.
His father was like that, he would have never let his father go out into the unknown. He was a better man then him.
"Sir? You have a visitor." a soft male voice spoke from behind him. John didn't turn
"Invite them in." He mumbled distractedly, not paying attention to the affirmation and the footsteps stepping out of the room.
Nor the soft feminine footsteps entering.
"Hello John Shepard.."
The voice, rich, dark and cold with the barest hint of that quarian wobble caused the man to shudder and turn to the source. He turned, and widened his bruised eyes.
"Marhna?" He squinted, taking aback.
Marhna'Prince nee Quaera stood there in the doorway, unsuited, her hands clutching each other tightly as she stood there simply staring at the disheveled human. John wasn't one to be intimidated by anyone, but the air of her gave the impression that she was Aria T'loak in a quarian body. Aria, being the only asari that ever gave John pause and carefully considering every move he made around her.
She was different then the woman he had met briefly three years ago. Less of a traditional quarian beauty that Tali was and much, much more haunted. She was skeletal almost. Her clothing were still screaming wealth, but they were much smaller then before. She must have only been half of Tali's size now. Only skin and bones. Her eyes, lost that mothering quality they once held and were now hard and dangerous. They were just daring any dumb son of a bitch to fuck with her. Even Tali would have been taken aback.
According to what he heard third hand from his future wife. Somehow, someway. The Reaper War made her that much harder a woman. Her and David had lost just about everything and were trying to rebuild their lives still. There fresh start was here, on Rannoch. Back with the same people she exiled herself from. It must have been hard for her to return after believing that Rannoch's return was a dead ideal.
Marhna slinked inside the observation room, her shoulder brushing past John's shoulder as she stepped towards the glass window overlooking John's father. Her eyes narrowed at the unconscious man.
"When I heard what happened as soon as I arrived on Rannoch, I came here. David was too busy to come. Such a shame that this has happened to him." She breathed as she shifted her eyes briefly back to John. "How are you and Tali handling this? I imagine you're not taking this as well as you want everyone to think."
Marhna was wrong, probably for the first time. He was not trying to hide his feelings. He was angry, angry and upset and scared. He hated this waiting more the anything else. Regardless, he chose against speaking against her judgment.
"I loved him, you know?" John spoke up, surprising the quarian. "I don't think he ever realized that. Not lately at least."
He snorted, shaking his head.
"Him and I... we were too different people."
He heard Marhna step closer to him, her shoulders touching against the Spectre's as they stood watching over his father.
"I idolized him as well. I mean, what kid raised in the military wouldn't?" He asked Marhna incredulously. "Look what he did. He fought the turians in the First Contact War and was one of the last human combatants fighting on the colony. He kept the peace in the Verge, he fought batarian state sponsored terrorism whenever it showed up on the outskirts of our colonies. I joined the marines to be just like him."
"Then he got hurt... then he broke down." He spoke into the glass window. "He stopped being the man I idolized and became this... bitter shell. Not the same man who married my mother, that's for sure."
He huffed at the thought.
"I don't get why he did it, or why I shunned him so easily when he clearly needed me the most. But... I wasn't there." He admitted, clearly shamed. "I... hate that I hated him, because it just seemed so... petty now."
"Then... I fell into the wrong hands for a while." He pressed on, unable to to look at the windows reflection of him. "I was told how incompetent he was, how he got all his men killed, how much a better soldier I could be if I stopped paying attention to my conscience. You know what? I bought the lie easily."
John looked disgusted by himself.
"He wasn't incompetent, though. He was the only man to ever spit in the eyes of Jürgen Metzger!" he almost hissed. "He was the only man I know who ever saw what was behind his charm and saw what he was. He was trying to protect me from a monster I didn't know existed."
John rubbed the bridge of his nose, his teeth biting his lower lip.
"He's a much better man then I'll ever be." He finished distantly.
He turned away and continued glancing at his father's still motionless body. Leaving Marhna by herself, stewing in what she had just learned.
"Will you tell him that?" The quarian whispered to him softly, her head tilted. John turned back to Marhna, inspecting her closely. He shook his head.
"Never." He returned simply. "I don't have the guts for that."
He turned away, swaying slightly as he tried to refocus on his father. Marnha on the other hand, was not going to have any of this. She reached out and grabbed him by the arm, pulling him back to face the drastically different quarian woman.
"When was the last time you slept, Spectre? A day? Two?" Marhna inquired, her brow raised at him.
John thought about it for maybe a moment before he shrugged mildly. Rolling her eyes, Marhna stepped last him and plopped down on the couch in the cornet. Shepard did not move; something that annoyed the older quarian who furiously patted her lap. Yet again, Shepard simply stared, he wasn't quite sure what to make of the gesture.
Marhna'Prince huffed furiously.
"It's not often I offer myself as a pillow to another man, other then my husband, John Shepard." She snapped at him, breaking his stare. "Do yourself a favor and lay down now. Before Tali comes back and finds you in this state and comes after me for letting you be like this."
John gave the woman a pointed look but decided to listen. He trudged over to the ouch and flopped on it unceremoniously. He dragged his body up and found his head now resting in Marhna's lap. Bony, but padded with her outfit. He rested his head as order and attempted to get the events past few days out of his mind. Something that was impossible to do.
Before he knew it, soft quarian hands slid up and down his spin in a slow, hypnotizing motions. They soothed the aches and pains, they made him obvious that this was not Tali doing it but another woman altogether. But it was different then Tali's or Ereba's touches. It wasn't the emotions of romance. It was something a mother did to relax her child.
Whatever it was, it worked. quarians, he imagined, would have made great massage therapists.
"I used to do this with my youngest, Laura." Marhna spoke emotionless, interrupting John's silence as her hands pushed upwards and against his highest vertebrates. "Anything that troubled her went away quickly, whether a nightmare or a bad day at school. She loved it, John."
Used to? Loved it?
No...
"She's gone now. The Reapers took her from us." She whispered as her fingers rolled balls into the back of His neck. "She was David's blood you know?" She added, almost a smile in her voice. "I convinced him to get a surrogate and eight months, twenty seven days later, there she was. Six pounds eight ounces. The biggest blue eyes you would ever see."
"She was David's flesh, She was my joy." Her voice sounding so dazed at the thought of her and David's greatest creation.
John closed his eyes as the loss suffered by Marhna and the rest of her family only served to make him that much more pained. Yet another life he couldn't have saved during the invasion. Though it hurt at the mere thought, he could not imagine what it felt for the quarian still distracting herself by rubbing his neck. The gentle touch somehow making him sleepy.
"Marhna-" He breathed out, only to have his mouth covered by Marhna's free hand.
"Don't talk, John... Just... Listen." she asked of the Spectre. John nodded, obliging the tearless, but clearly grieving mother.
"I was the one who killed her..." She whispered to him, her mouth curled as she looked so devastated and disgusted by the facts. "Her eyes... they were as black as the night... that fucking indoctrination... I couldn't let David do it, but he wanted to so bad. So I waited until Carthia , the turian and Alexandra took him away and... and then.. then I killed her."
Marhna fell silent, her mouth unhinged and open as her eyes darted around the room, her breathing as ragged as a volus. John shut his eyes, horrified at what the war made this mother do.
"Don't say you're too gutless to tell your father you love him, that you love your mother." Marhna spoke up, finding her voice again. "They both need to hear it. They both really do, just as they want to tell you they love you so much. I wish... I wish I could have told her that I did.. but I couldn't. She just could not understand... no matter how loud or long I cried it to her."
Marhna shook her head and sniffed. Her hand pulling back from John's neck as it reached onto her dress, pulling out a cigarette and her lighter. John ignored the smoke as the cigarette was lit and inhaled in a vain attempt to cam her fragile state. To keep the normally cold and aloof woman from falling completely apart in his company.
"I can't cry anymore, John. I ran out of tears a long time ago." The mother admitted as she swept her hair braids back. Her fingers slid down and wiped her tired eyes as well.
John rolled over slightly and looked up into the eyes of the older woman. Though she made claim she had no tears, her eyes were still full of mist threatening to fall at the thought of her baby -No more then six years old taking away by the monsters that stole billions of lives.
As Marhna seemed to have relaxed into the couch, John rolled back over and closed his eyes as well. He only wished was that he had been a lot faster destroying the Reapers. If only for Tali's friend's sake.
...

...
Outskirts of Bremen, Germany, 2178 CE
He could not believe he was in the wolf's lair. He could believe that he had already knocked on the bloody door.
But here he was, ready to initiate a plan three years in the making.
The door opened abruptly, surprising Eric for a moment, but he quickly steeled himself. Eric was ready to face down the son of a bitch who had corrupted his son almost beyond recognition. What he was not prepared for was a small five year old girl, looking up at him shyly.
"Hi." she simply spoke, her words as timid as her expression.
Eric's rage, built up for years drained away in a matter of moments. What in the fuck was he doing? Slowly, uncertainly, Eric returned the smile to the young child still gazing up at him curiously.
"Well... hello, little miss." Eric returned, politely, speaking bright enough to earn a smile from the child. Is Jürgen, your father in?"
The child laughed brightly as though Eric had said the funniest thing ever.
"No silly... That's my Grampa." The small girl corrected the older man. Eric blinked at the new title for the monster who ordered a butcher against a village so many years ago.
Metzger was a grandfather...
A taller woman pushed past the child gently, shooing the little girl away. Making sure that the child was gone, she turned back to Eric with the most charming of smiles for him. She was almost a splitting image of the man he was after tonight. High cheekbones a tall frame. She was rather pretty.
"Hello, I'm sorry about her, she's in her curious stage." She apologized profusely. "Can I help you?"
"Is the General home?" He inquired again. The woman nodded.
"Yes he is, and you are?"
He was the man here to ruin her father.
"One of the boys from Shanxi." Eric introduced himself to the young mother with the mildest of grins he could produce for the offspring of the demon incarnate. "My name is Eric."
The young woman smiled and offered her hand which Eric accepted.
"Margaret Metzger. You were under my father's command during the Shanxi occupation?" The woman named Margret spoke brightly. "The brave few who would defy the traitor General Williams." She added, perfectly imitating her father's tone.
Eric laughed and nodded.
"Yeah... that was us alright. Though we were nothing more then piss and vinegar compared to the turians really, we got lucky most of the time." He admitted to the girl, who giggled and slapped his chest playfully.
A Shanxi holdout whose humble about his service?" Her voice shocked by the prospect. "This is a first. Perhaps you could teach my father some humility."
"Oh... I've tried, don't you worry about that." He admitted as him followed the woman down the long winding corridor. "I figure one last attempt is in order. Then I'll give up the struggle."
"Oh you're funny as well! Daddies friends usually lack that trait." She returned, her pearly whites showing.
Eric bowed his head down to hide the slight blush. Perhaps he could also screw Metzger's daughter... would have made a fine dessert for what he was planning to do.
As Eric and Margaret wandered casually through the house, Eric looked around at the home. It was a home clearly decorated by Metzger. Everything gave the impression of wealth and intelligence. From the study they passed by, to the entertainment room that lacked any technology. Jut wood books and a piano. He wanted to scream how much better he was then most other people.
Eric added decadence to the big list of personality traits of Jürgen Metzger.
They pushed through a heavy oak door and ended up in the kitchen. There he stood, hunched over a cutting board and a large pot simmering carefully on an element. Margaret gave Eric the smallest of smiles and stepped past him., standing next to her father's side. She leaned in, her lips kissing against her father's cheek to get his attention, which quickly worked.
"Father, you have a visitor." She spoke, gesturing back to Eric. Jürgen turned back to follow his girl's led. A flash of surprise, mix with a hint of disgust spread quickly across his features.
"Ah... Eric. What brings you far from your home to mine?" He greeted his unexpected guest enthusiastically.
Eric's face contorted in to a smile that was not dissimilar to that of a Great White Shark's. With a polite nod to Jürgen's daughter s she passed by, Eric limped over, his hand outstretched. Jürgen Metzger took the hand and gave it a charismatic shake. He had not changed since the last time he had seen him, shortly before his prison sentence.
Still the same arrogance. It really should not have surprised him in the slightest. Both of them heard the door behind them close. Almost immediately ending any civility they had.
"Thought I'd check up on you." Eric grinned slightly, letting go of Metzger's hand and wiping it off on his pant leg."You didn't file a restraining order after the ass kicking I gave you, so I figured..."
Metzger raised his eyebrow at the former Commander.
"Yes. Only women and those who have fear of their attackers file restraining orders." Jürgen brushed off, wandering away from the stove. "Me? I lack the ability to be frightened by those underneath me. A drink, perhaps Shepard?"
He gestured to the bottle of red wine on the kitchen table. He paused, sighed and turned back, looking apologetic for a misstep he figured he had made.
"I forgot... Your son informed me you were attempting to become sober." He reminded Eric, his voice almost leering. "My apologies, Eric."
Metzger rejoined Eric by the stove, pulling what looked like a bok choy plant from out of a plastic bag. Noticing Eric standing there, simply staring at him, he slid the rather large kitchen knife next to him over to the man once tried to kill him.
Did he seriously have that big a death wish?
"Here, cut the carrots up, julienne cut them please." Metzger requested, turning back to the bok choy he was grating. He paused, and with the most condescending of voices, added. "You know, little strips? Like French fries you grunts eat."
Eric glanced at the knife in his hand. How easy it would have been to just do him in right here, right now. Instead he listened to the General and begun running the knife over the carrots. He was however, ignoring the julienne request. Instead he was cutting the bundle of carrots up with little or no concern. It was just a way to annoy the son of a bitch further.
If it did, he didn't show it.
"Awfully trusting of you, giving me this knife." Eric whistled lowly, interrupting Metzger. "What makes you think I wouldn't do your family a favor and cut your fucking head off?"
Jürgen didn't flinch at the words so harshly spoken. He continued to add the various ingredients into the soup.
"That would imply I have a need to fear you." The General pointed out, smirking as he shot his former subordinate a carefully inspecting look. "I do not see any reasons to fear in front of me. Just a tired old addict with a request to make from me. So please, go on. I don't want the walking dead in my home any longer then you need to be."
Eric ignored the jibe, no matter how much he wanted to make the bastard swallow his own teeth. Again.
"I'm going to ask you once and once only." Eric said. His voice as polite as he could force it to be. "Cut my son loose. Transfer him to another commander. Preferably someone who wasn't a complete fucking psychopath."
All Jürgen Metzger could do at first was smile that cold smile of his.
"What if I say no?" The officer pointed out. "That your son is now on first name basis with me. He's a delightful young man. Articulate, well mannered. A much better soldier then you could have ever been. My youngest, Freyja has taken a rather keen interest in him. A union I can find no reason not to exist."
"You would want to risk to further alienate you and your son? For what? What happened on Torfan?" Metzger asked, smiling at how absurd it seemed to him.
Eric, trying his best to suppress the idea of being an in-law to a Metzger, casually shrugged.
"If it means keeping him away from you." Eric said. "Then yes. I'd rather my son hating me a bit more then hating what he becomes."
Jürgen laughed slightly.
"I suppose you're going to have to find a less pleasant way to tell me to hand him over then." He informed the father, pointing the wooding ladle at Shepard almost playfully.
Well... if really wanted Eric to up the ante. Fine by him.
"Funny thing. I already did that."
Eric raised his omni-tool and transferred a data file over to Metzger's. He didn't speak at first. Instead he let the General scroll through the information he had handed him, his eyes widening for a single brief moment, before narrowing.
"Have you ever heard of the First Line Fund?" Eric inquired as he dumped his batch of butchered carrot slices onto the soup. "It's a series of slush fund accounts set up to assist the Corsairs out in the Terminus? Nine accounts, forty million credits each. All of them scattered across the divide between council space and terminus territory. These account gets dried up and is refilled every year."
Metzger turned back to Eric. All Eric could do in return was smile.
"The thing is," He continued, wandered away from the kitchen counter. "Someone has been funneling credits out of the accounts at about ten grand every day. Not a lot of credits at first glance, but that is ten thousand out of each of the accounts. all of which is ending up in an Noveria bank account... one of those grey accounts. they don't ask questions."
Eric took a seat at the kitchen table. He eyed the bottle of red wine and grabbed it, poring himself a drink. He sipped from the glass, allowing Metzger some time to stew in what was happening. There hadn't been any money stolen from the Alliance coffers. Not yet at least. At any moment the words he was speaking could become a reality.
As he finished his wine he set the glass down and pulled himself back up. Yet again he reapproached the silent General.
"The account, oddly enough is under your wife's, mother's maiden name." He spoke with a sympathetic wince. "Opened two days ago. One hundred and eighty thousand credits balance so far... though... somehow I doubt either your mother-in-law, nor your wife did it..."
Metzger's teeth were grinding. He could almost hear them.
"So... that's six hundred and thirty thousand a week... two and half million credits a month. I doubt you will get too greedy."He pointed out as though having the illusion of concern. "Perhaps this will only last for the month. I imagine your living expenses are rather high."
He gestured to the fine home he stood in and slowly laughed shaking his head.
"I know what this is, Eric." Metzger managed to get out, his arms crossed as he glared at the former soldier. "You've almost impressed me. Too bad most would take my word over yours."
"I don't deny what I'm doing to you. But taking your word as the truth is going to be impossible." Eric casually admitted. "A last tidbit if you don't mind it. I think you would want to hear this."
Metzger didn't take the knife off the counter and cut open Eric's throat. It was obvious that he would hear what Eric had to say.
"The First Line Fund? It doesn't really fund the Corsairs." Eric elaborated, still smirking slightly. "I was bullshitting you, I'm real sorry, sir."
Eric reached out, patting the General on his shoulder playfully, his mouth allowing a slight laugh to escape.
"Funding the Corsairs was just a cover story, Jürgen old boy... It actually funds the Cerberus organization." He corrected himself as he watched Metzger's anger turn into shock.."According to the Shadow Broker, They're already searching for the leak. I don''t imagine them to be a very forgiving group should they find that you've be fucking them over..."
Metzger's arrogant defiance slipped away. His color as well, leaving him pale ad doing a double take. The trap was sprung, the mere inference that Metzger was defrauding a quasi government funded terrorist group had destroyed all of his confidence.
"Considering all those rejection letters from a man whose pinkie finger alone intellectually dwarfs you, I imagine he'll draw the conclusions long before I hand all this evidence over to Thomas Garner in Alliance Internal Affairs." Shepard taunted the borderline sociopath."Remember him? Wasn't he the one poking his nose into the Shanxi highway of turian's incident? Or... did he call it Vlad Tepes Monument of Shanxi? Well... Compared to the Illusive Man's wraith, I bet fifteen to life and a dishonorable discharge would be a breeze."
Jürgen was nearly purple, rage and embarrassment didn't mix well. Eric's heart was pounding in his chest. He couldn't believe this was working. He could kiss that genius Barla Von if he was here right now. Clever son of a bitch put all the pieces together and created the perfect weapon to deflate an egomaniac.
"So... I imagine you're ready to reconsider my request?" Eric concluded, his lips quirking into a slight smile as Metzger shook, glowering in boiling rage.
As quick as the rage came. It disappeared, Jürgen, turning his anger into his unique charm. Slowly, he gave the man a sly smile and slicked back his hair. He appeared almost amused at the predicament he was now in.
"Congratulations, Eric." He drawled out with widest of smiles. "You've finally learned to push your conscious aside to get what you need at any cos-"
Eric didn't wait for the Metzger to finish his corrupted Darwin speech.. Instead, his hand rolled into a fist and slammed into Metzger's abdomen with enough strength behind it to wind the officer. Jürgen dropped to the floor, wheezing as he tried to get back up. Eric was quicker however, his hand wrapped around Metzger's hair and pulled him back up roughly.
With Metzger standing, Eric yanked his head back and grabbed the stainless steel kitchen knife off the counter. He pressed the blade against the General's neck, his mouth sneering at the suddenly frightened older man.
"Sorry fuckhead. I'm not here for your mindfucks, boyo." Shepard hissed at Metzger "You've been cornered and you're shit out of luck now. Right about now I'd be stamping your ass into a bloody stain. But I'm done killing people. Even a souless, little cockroach like you. Now let my boy go or I send a friendly anonymous tip straight to those Cerberus lunatics."
Eric let go of the hair he was holding and pushed Jürgen backwards. His good leg swung out and forced the man to trip, tumbling the bastard back to the hardwood floor. Eric turned away. His hands shaking as he still clutched the knife. He turned his rage to the carrots on the cutting board and continued slashing them up. His mind imagining just how fast that fucker would have bled out had he not grown tired of blood on his hands.
Metzger slowly stood up. Thoroughly humiliated in a few short minutes.
"I'll make a transfer request in the morning." He quietly decided. Surprisingly subdued now. "Anyone in particular?"
Eric smirked slightly and stopped chopping the vegetables ad turned back to the General.
"Steven Hackett." Eric told the bastard, setting down the kitchen knife. "He's only man I trust who can clean your bullshit from my son's mind."
Jürgen stared at Eric. He's eyes furious, they wanted to kill the ex-marine right where he stood. Eric could not blame the son of a bitch for feeling like that. Gone was his false sense of superiority. Stolen by Eric's shadow broker investment. This was... this better then anything Eric could ever imagine.
Metzger nodded at the order, his eyes still full of contempt for the father. Eric hobbled a bit closer, his bum leg now throbbing from all the strain he had put on it.
"Now I may not want to kill you right this moment, but If I ever see you around myself or my son again Metzger. You're probably not going survive like last time." He warned the General. "If you ever sniff around daughter or my wife. I'll kill you even quicker. Understand?"
With what he needed said, he silently spat on the floor between the men and Grabbed the cane resting against the kitchen island. Without waiting for any of Metzger's last words, he left. Leaving Jürgen Metzger stewing in the shit kicking he had just taken by a vengeful father.
...

...
It took all his efforts, but Eric opened his eyes, his vision blurred and darkened. Where the fuck was he now? Was he dead? Was this the hell he so rightfully deserved?
'Doctor Dari'Forual please report to surgery. Doctor Dari'Forual, please report to surgery.
No... he wasn't in Hell. he was somewhere worse. Rannoch.
Fuck.
He was sore, his stomach was dull and throbbing, he was groggy as hell but he was awake. He was alive. He was safe.
All those facts, however did not comfort him in the slightest
The room, obviously now a hospital was dark; Either it was night time or because all the lights were off, he was not sure. All he was certain on was that he was not alone. He could hear someone, whispering in an alien language, it sounded almost like a chant to the freshly woken up human. He glanced over, his eyes squinting and attempting to focus.
It was that Admiral, Tali was so close too. The one who greeted him at the terminal what felt like an eon ago. Shala'Raan. Her head was low, bowed almost. Intently staring at the floor as she spoke silently.
"It's a little late to be visiting, isn't it ma'am?" He spoke up sloppily.
Hearing the sudden growling of words, Shala almost bounced in her seat as she furiously blushed behind her helmet as she stood up from her seat. Alien eyes were watching her much, much closer then she was use to. Slowly, she cleared her throat.
"I am sorry. I can come back."
Eric Shepard, though groggy on a cocktail of different drugs reached over and turned on the table light. He shook his head as he slowly pushed himself up onto the pillows.
"No, ma'am. I've been out of it for way too long now. Come on... you relax, I could use the company."
Shala nodded, albeit reluctantly. She again approached his side and took a seat next to him. Her posture, despite having relaxed, seemed terse, as though she was afraid of him. He look at her, eyes pointing to where the bright pupils he could make out from behind the mask were.
"How long have I been out?" He groaned, wiping his tired eyes.
"Two days. It's late so I sent Tali and John home." Shala informed the wounded human. "They have been sick with worry for you. For you to be awake shall be such a relief."
Two days. It felt like a month to him. Shala'Raan bowed her her head, her voice modulator making strange exhale.
"This was all my fault. I am sorry, Mister Shepard." The quarian all but cried out, her voice so clearly upset with what had occurred only days ago. " I should have assisted you much better then I had."
Eric squinted at the suddenly upset admiral.
"Please, Admiral. It's just Eric... just Eric." He corrected her, pushing himself painfully up on the pillow. "How is this your fault?" He grinned through his grimace. "Did you hire them because I was checking you out? You could have just told me off. A bullet in the gut was a bit much."
The tension in the admiral slacked as she softly chuckled at his attempt t playing down the events that left him in this condition. Eric laughed too, albeit much more subdued. Shala exhaled and shook her head. Quietly she glanced up and before Eric could stop her, her pulled the faceplate from off her mask, dropping it on the side of the bed.
She was...beautiful.
Well... at least by his standards she was, to other quarians she could have been a double bagger and he would be none the wiser.
As the rest of the helmet came off she watched as several silver braids touched down against her face, the rest was the braids were still as black as Tali's when she was willing to expose herself. Shala'Raa's skin was paler then Tali's as well, an unhealthy looking chalk grey. Eric could notice as Shala shook, she was frightened she was doing this. Decades of fear of exposure was not something one got over in a few short years.
Eric reached out, his hand weakly gripping the nervous quarian, who smiled uncertainly and shook her head once again, an expression of remorse was written on her face.
"I should have sent more men with you." She spoke again, her accented voice now without the electronic hiss to it. "I should have committed gunships for aerial overwatch. Instead I send you and a squad of troops into unsecured grounds for our own selfish benefit. You sit there, in this state thanks to me."
Eric barked a laugh.
"No... I sit here in this state because of me." Eric spoke again, his eyes turning from the quarian. "Two marines killed and five wounded because of me. This was a case of my past catching up to me. Karma for destroying so many lives."
He went silent as he thought about the past about the flickering of memories he had laying in that abandoned ruins surrounded by dead and wounded quarians, about the batarian seeking his justice for a family murdered by Eric's inaction. He did not feel the alien hand grazing his.
"Do you want to talk about it?"
The brooding father looked up as he heard Shala's words. His eyes falling on the concern quarian's expression.
"Do I want to talk about it?" Eric repeated incredulously. He paused, gazing in the quarian's bright eyes never wavering once under his gaze. 'No one has asked me that sort of question in thirty one years. "
Eric rubbed the bridge of her nose... She was offering something he hadn't expected... perhaps... perhaps it would help make him better...
"You know... Once I hacked off a turian's head for another man's morale boost." Eric whispered to himself "I got a medal and a promotion for it."
Eric snorted as he watched the quarian's gaze harden as shock came over her. Shaking his head, he looked almost amused by the insanity of the mere thought of what he did.
"A medal and a promotion for beheading a prisoner of war. Heh..." Eric repeated hollowly, quirking his lips into a haunted half smile. "They called him a hostile disarmed enemy combatant. That line's been used two hundred years and it still works."
He leaned back into his pillow.
"Wife... she didn't even bat an eyelash when I ... when I tried to tell her what happened." He pressed on, his voice causal for the topic he was discussing. "She said she was proud of my service. I did what I had to do to survive the invasion. She was even prouder that I decided to stay in active service."
Shala blinked, her lips pursed.
"How could she be proud of such an act?"
He shrugged at the question. He wish he knew himself.
"Perhaps she didn't know what to say." Eric hypothesized lamely. "Perhaps because she's a navy puke who has no idea what it's like to watch another man's windpipe choke for air after it got hacked open. To watch those beady black turian eyes widen because he knows that he's a dead man; but is too stubborn to accept the fact."
Nothing but silence greeted him at first.
"I can't possibly think of a worse fate then that."
Shala's words, silently spoken, touched him. they sounded meaningful. As much as he wanted to tease the woman and call her the first thoughtful navy puke he had ever seen, Eric decided against it. Instead he simply gave her a reassuring smile, One that told her everything was going to be alright. At least for now.
They sat quietly together in a comfortable silence. A comfortable silence he had only ever experienced with his best friend, Latesh. it was a trait unable to be replicated by the rest of his family, especially not with Hannah, who got bored quickly and wandered off to do something important, Something Alliance oriented usually.
"Anyways, I said enough. Can I rain check it?" Eric spoke at last. "I just... I just don't want to think about it. Not right now. okay?"
Shala'Raan blinked at the remark. Eric mentally cursed himself for using the idiom.
"Rain check, you know, I'll tell you later if you're serious on this offer.." He explained, which Shala swiftly nodded, agreeing with him. Smiling slightly, he pushed himself further up against the back of the bed, wincing slightly.
Without any warning, Shala's arms wrapped around him as she carefully helped the injured human reposition himself.
"So, what's your story?" Eric spoke, choosing to change the subject. "Married?"
A flash of hurt spread quickly across the exposed quarian's face at the words he spoke. A look that was quickly and skillfully suppressed.
"Widowed, twenty eight years ago." Shala'Raan finally returned, looking up as though worried the human would judge her. Eric simply softened his eyes into a look of sympathy.
Eric's smile vanished immediately, quickly replacing it with a of sympathetic compassion. A widow... sometimes he should have just kept his stupid mouth shut. She did not seem to bent out of shape over it. I had been almost three decades ago. Her hearts scars must have finally healed.
"I'm sorry." Eric breathed, sitting up a little more and wincing at the pain. "Do you want to talk about it?"
Shala dropped her eyes downwards as she seemed to fall into her thoughts. it did not take long for her to look up and smile to the human melancholia.
"What is there to say?" Shala softly returned to the curious Shepard, whom she sat so close to. "We were young and in love. He was a soldier, I was training to become a pilot. He died, repelling a blood pack raid against the fleet. he was a true hero."
Eric nodded yet again, choosing not to push the subject any further then one last question.
"Did... you know, did you have time for any children?"
The sad look that Eric had expected to grow only worse vanished. Shala shook her head, her expression smiling proudly.
"One, through in vitro fertilization, shortly after his death." Shala spoke, much more brighter then before. "Arah. My precious Arah. She is married now, she has had her first child. A daughter."
Eric let out a laugh and a clap of his hands.
"So, you're a grandmother, hey?" Eric mused playfully to the woman, his face lighting up into the largest grin Shala had ever seen.. "Have you started to spoil them rotten? Completely undermines what your children are teaching them. It's a helluva lotta fun."
Shala, brow raised as she crossed her arms, glaring playfully back at the wounded but still wicked human laying next to her.
"No... I have not spoiled Falwa yet. Nor will I. Tali has shared many horror stories about you." Shala returned, choosing to tease the human. "I have to pity just what your poor daughter goes through."
Eric snorted.
"Killjoy." He muttered mutinously.
Together, both human and quarian laughed together a the good natured teasing. God... He had missed this... this sort of simplicity Shala'Raan , though an Admiral, did not play the part quite like his wife Hannah was humorless unless she was smoking pot with him, Shala seemed much more at ease, despite having had led her people for a decade or so. she seemed genuinely concerned for him as well. It was like she gave a damn about him eve if she was strangers with him.
He just didn't feel like Eric Shepard, the man who murdered batarians and turians, who attempted suicide and was the shittiest father and man, anyone could possibly be. He was burdened by any of those pressures anymore in the company of this stranger, this... alien.. He felt... he felt a lot better. he felt that he could be himself.
"I know quite a lot about your son, tell me about your other child?" he heard the quarian speak to him gently, as though not wanting to disturb him.
Eric grinned rather sweetly in Shala'Raan's opinion.
"Sarah? She's my pride and joy. Just don't tell John that." Eric spoke, earning a mysterious smile from Shala. "Had a bit of a hiccup though. Some motherfucker decided he didn't want to stick around after he knocked her up. It was hard at first for her. Well, as it turned out, it was the best thing that could have happened. Anna, my granddaughter. I love her... I dunno what I'd do without her."
Shala smiled, her thoughts drifting to her own grandchild and just how perish she was to her. Some things, it seemed, did transcend species. A grandparents love for their grandchild was another one..
"The father tried to show up a year later... First time I picked up a rifle since Mindoir. I hate fucking guns... " He admitted sheepishly. he paused, inhaled and glanced back up to Shala.
'But... push come to shove and you see your little girl get smacked over words, the principal you stand for gets thrown out pretty fast." He pressed, feeling his hand gripped by the quarian suddenly. "Son of a bitch got a firm understanding of what stainless steel and gunpowder tasted and smelled like."
Eric shook his head as Shala looked outraged at the mention of domestic abuse, something almost unheard of by quarians.
"Thank God John wasn't around then." He murmured to the woman. "He'd have pulled the trigger and not lose an ounce of sleep."
Shala squeezed the man's hand as he thought about his son.
"John was... missing then, am I correct?"
Eric glanced back, Blue eyes almost steel at the words of the admiral.
"Don't sugarcoat it, Shala'Raan. He was stone cold dead." Eric corrected the woman much much rougher then he intended. He paused to notice Shala's recoil. he opened his mouth to say he was sorry, but it was stopped by Shala's gloved hands, blocking his mouth from apologizing.
With Eric pacified, she pulled back, her hands running through her long braids.
"Tali was... Tali was devastated when she got back to the fleet." She informed the father, sighing as she thought about those dark days. "Shocked and saddened cannot even begin to describe it. The only thing that kept her going was helping her father with his research. She threw herself deeper and deeper into danger."
"Between you and I, I think she was looking to toss her life away." she added, her voice growing much more grim at the thought. "Perhaps she wanted to take the chance of meeting John in some sort of afterlife. I do not know, just speculation."
As Eric heard the tone change in Shala, Eric switched subjects quickly.
"Regardless. Its hard to find someone who loves another that much, even among your own people. Considering how far apart the two of them were. Her being quarian, Him human." He noted, running his hand through his frazzled hair idly. "John's lucky to have her, Shala. I hope he at least asked your permission first."
Shala nodded, agreeing warmly with the sentiment.
"Eventually he did. I will admit, I had my... concerns for it at first. Rael, Tali's father would have probably hated him. That would have probably changed." Shala admitted, laughing softly. "Your son is a fine partner for my Tali." She added, smiling. "I was so happy to hear that you were so receptive to her. She was rather worried how you would have reacted. She already had met your wife before. according to her, John rarely discussed you in their early days."
Eric sighed, yes.. that was what he figured had happened.
"I couldn't blame John for hiding me away. I'm not a very good person... I say things, I do things... I hit on a pretty alien woman who probably hired a batarian hit to take me out."
"You've made many bad decisions in your life, Eric Shepard. I feel that I have probably barely touched upon them." Shala spoke to him, her fingers pushing into his hand comfortingly. "But all of your choices, the path you have traveled, they have all led here, laying in this hospital bed, becoming my friend. You cannot possibly hope to erase your past, but you can make do and find little blessings in all that has went right."
"You have raised fine children, which has brought a sense of family back to my Tali. You are here, on my homeworld, helping us to restore the honor we lost so many centuries ago." She continued to list off. "You are my newest friend when I have lost so many to this damnable war and to conflicts in the past."
Eric raised an eyebrow.
"For a new friend you're awfully close." He teased her, running his hand through his hair.
Shala glared playfully.
"Well... Perhaps I am. I may have been alone for a very long time, but I know what flirting looks like when I see it. Even if you are human." The admiral observed, her moth quirking slightly. "Strange," She added. "Considering you are a married man."
"Yet here you are, tempting that same married man. Seems to me we hit a kinda stalemate." Eric shot back, grinning slightly at the quarian woman, now only mere inches away. "Seriously, what was with you checking my ass out?"
Shala did not have any reply. All she could do was simply stare at him with those big quarian eyes. there was a lump in the back of his throat .
Oh Christ, He never, ever intended on doing this, cheat on his wife.
Hannah may have given him a mulligan, it did not mean however he ever planned to use it despite his occasional temptation. He most certainly did not intend on using in on a quarian woman his age, perhaps a younger quarian, or a barely legal asari, but never someone with the power to determine the fate of 18 million men, women and children. But no matter how much his brain told him to stop, his mouth slightly open, his eyes half closed.
Besides, he rationalized She was the one initiating it.
That was when it happened. Shala had leaned in and kissed him.
But... it was wrong.
Shala'Raan actually kissed his teeth.
What in the hell was that? How old was she? Eleven? Twelve years old? Did he go back in time or something? Shala pulled back, mortified by both her lack of aim and his sudden tenseness immediately pulled herself back. She looked almost ready to flee when Eric reached out, his hand gripping her arm, asking for her to stay by his side.
"You kissed my teeth." Eric pointed, as though it had been the most obvious thing in the world, his eyebrow raised high, his lips smirking.
Shala broke out into easily the darkest blush Eric had ever witnessed in his life, human or quarian. She fidgeted nervously but stayed dead still in the humans grasp.
"Oh Keelah." Shala'Raan all but cried, hanging her head in shame. "I did not mean to do that... I just have not engaged in these sorts of indiscretions in many, many years. Let alone with a human. You- you must forgive me."
Eric's wide eyes lowered slightly. His lips formed a tight grin. his hand snaked upward, grazing the small of Shala's back, gently pushing the quarian a little closer to him.
"You kissed my teeth," He repeated yet again, still teasing the quarian mercilessly. "I don't normally allow a second chance... but in your case, I think I'll make an exception. That is... if you want one."
Shala tilted her head, slowly, a small shy smile slipped across her lips as she coyly nodded her head. She leaned inwards and closed her eyes, though hesitant to fear of exposure, she found herself sighing sweetly as Eric's weathered hands grazed against skin so sensitive to touch.
Again they kissed, this time in worked as the galaxy intended kissing to be. careful not to place any pressure onto the wounded man, she curved her body to contort next to him her mouth still desperately latched tight against Eric's chapped lips. Her eyes suddenly widened. She felt the tip of Eric's tongue touching against hers, a feeling that was so thrilling, she nearly lost her self control there and then.
She pulled back, breathing wildly s her bright eyes watched over Eric, whose dazed look was rather charming on him. He bit his chapped lip , his hands sliding, gripping against her wide hips, simply daring her to take another move.
''Not scared you'll get a little cough are you?' Eric teased her breathless as she slowly brought her head back, leaning her forehead against his.
"You're as clean as a human will get..." She returned, speaking her voice much more confident then he had expected. "Besides... this is well worth the illness."
Shala kissed Eric again, her long hands roaming freely, they were exploring Eric's alien strain hair. she puled back quickly. slowly both of them laughed at the absurdity of what they were doing. two people, far along in their lives. together like this acting like teenagers. well... at least he felt like that way. Shala probably didn't get out as much as he did. being trapped in a suit and lacking an immune system that could handle half a liter of someone elses spit.
He smiled slightly as he felt Shala's nose pressing against his, her hands, still grazing through his hair as though it had been a source of fascination for her.
"I am sorry if this is bothering you. it's just so odd." She whispered shyly, despite her apologies, she did not cease. All Eric could do was smile. How could he say no to her.
The one thing that seemed to trouble him the least how little guilt he had felt for what he did. Kiss another woman. He probably would have felt guilty had it been anyone other then the woman next to him now. The woman who actually seemed that she was genuinely concerned for him. A woman who thought of him as less of a burden and more of an asset.
He hadn't felt this respected for in quite some time...
With as much care as she could give. Shala pulled the little wait she had on his off, laying at Eric's side, her gloved hands lacing his. Together, Shala and Eric. A married man and a widow, silently stared at the ceiling of the hospital. Both so very different, both having the exact same thoughts.
What would happen next?
...

...
April 12th 2154 SSV New Delhi, orbiting Earth
Stupid, stupid, stupid!
He couldn't believe his luck. He was eight hours late. Hannah was going to be completely pissed at him. He had promised, he had sworn he would be there next to her the whole time. Instead, he got stuck in transit to the transport up to the New Delhi.
Why in the hell couldn't Hannah have just held out for at least another seven or eight hours. That way he wouldn't have to be rushing like some sort of crazed lunatic. Wimpy flygirl, she had no pain threshold whatsoever.
He cursed to himself. Being late to his child's birth. He was going to be the worst father ever.
As his thoughts focused on his son, he completely forgot watching where he was going. Before he knew it, he was sprawled on the floor on top of another navy puke who stepped into his pathway. Before Eric could curse himself and the flyboy out, he noticed squirming under him was the Captain of the New Delhi, Gregory Eisenhorn.
Oh for fuck's sake.
"What in Jesus Holy Christ was that for, marine?" Eisenhorn demanded to know, pushing the younger man of him and standing back up with a groan. Eric joined him, standing up and brushing the Captain off. Eisenhorn glared down the marine, instantly causing Eric to cease his wiping.
"I'm sorry, sir. I wasn't thinking." Was Eric's weak apology. Despite that, Eisenhorn continued to stare into Shepard's, however, his eyes broke their glare as they fell down to Eric's chest, looking for his identification tags.
"Private Shepard, am I right?" The captain questioned the young marine. As he noticed Eric nod, his frown formed into a knowing smile. His hand fell down on his shoulder, clamping him tightly.
"Well shit, son. Normally I'm not so forgiving to those who run me down and not have the common fucking courtesy to at least sincerely apologize, but I'll make an exception for today." The Captain stated, his voice gruff, but a note of humor was there. "Now get going and go on see your boy. Congratulations son, he's going to make one hell of a jarhead."
Captain Eisenhorn reached into his jacket pocket and handed Eric a nice sized cigar, He slapped the marine on his shoulders and marched away, rejoining his XO, leaving Eric holding the cigar. Though his testosterone begged him to stop and smoke his gift, he resisted and instead slipped it away, continuing his swift march down to the medical center, albeit, at a much slower pace this time.
His heart was pounding hard as he stepped into the medical center. He frowned as he looked around. Hannah was no where to be seen. Instead there was only a soft looking redheaded nurse sitting at her table and transcribing several medical reports. She looked up as she heard footsteps approach her, tilting her head curiously.
"Can I help you, Marine?" She asked, her smile bright and flirtatious. If Eric hadn't been married and now a father, he might have had done something about seeing that smile turn into a whimpering expression. Eric shook his head. Now was not the time to be thinking about that sort of thing.
"Hannah Shepard." He said instead, "I'm the husband."
The Nurse's eyes light up. She did not need words, she simply gestured Eric to follow her. Her glorious hips swaying as they led him through the medical center.
"The New Delhi has a maternity ward onboard, most ships this size do." The redhead explained to the new father with a dazzling smile. "Everything was a breeze. She's recovering right now."
She opened the maternity ward door and gestured Eric inside. The room was darkened, but through the light shining behind, he saw Hannah, laying on her side, appearing to be fast asleep. Eric nodded to the nurse and stepped forward, tiptoeing so he did not have to disturb his young wife's sleep.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, just behind her. Quietly he watched her slumbering state briefly before leaning in and pressing his lips just behind her ear. The kiss, tender and chaste, caused the new mother to groan and stir. Without an thought his hand slide down her side, finding hers.
"Nine pounds, eleven ounces." He heard Hannah call out to him through the darkened room, squeezing his hand as hard as she could. "Bloody little terror turned at the last moment just to piss me off." She weakly giggled. "I guess he decided he wanted to come out the stomach. I dunno if I should scold him for the scar or thank him for keeping everything down there intact."
Eric chuckled just as strained as his wife and pushed himself from the edge of the bed closer to her, carefully running his free hand through her hair. He watched as her lips quirked up into a smile. Eric laughed briskly and leaned in, pressing his cracked lips against her smooth head.
"Hey there." He finally spoke up, looking upset with himself. "I'm so sorry, I really, really tried to get here as fast as I could."
"It's alright, Eric." Hannah reassured her near panicked husband with the slightest of sleepy smiles. "As long as you're there him for the rest of your life I'll forgive for missing the birth."
Eric silently agreed to the terms.
"Named him yet?" Eric blurted out. If there was a name he needed to know it fast. His boy needed a name.
Hannah shook her head lazily.
"No... I couldn't do that yet." She sleepily replied. "I was thinking Alex... After your father... It's a very noble name. I like it."
His father? That was stupidest thing Eric ever heard the fly girl say.
"Alex?" Eric cackled. "Jesus, calling him Adolf Josef Mao Tojo W Shepard would be better in my books then that..."
"David, Jack, Pablo?" Hannah lusted off, grinning at Eric cheekily.
"Honestly...I was thinking. John, John Shepard..." Eric spoke up again. Grinning as well, though his words were dead serious. "Has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"
Hannah raised an eyebrow. A look that clearly spelled 'Are you fucking kidding me?
"You contemptible little shithead. You stupid, conniving kiss ass. You and my father have a shit relationship, so you go out and name your first child, his first grandchild after him?" Hannah grinned, griping Eric's hand tightly. "You know, if the Marines don't work out, I imagine you'd make a good stoolie for him. A yes man. Bet if he asked you too, you'd suck his ball-"
"Okay okay, I'm guilty of ass kissing." Eric hastily interrupted, swiftly kissing his wife on the lips in order to silence her. "But better ass kissing my father-in-law then giving him some fancyass name. A simple, strong name is always better. Kids can't use it for name teasing."
Hannah snorted at the theory but quietly accepted his logic regardless.
"Alright then, John it is... I think father would really like that, to be honest." Hannah agreed, earning a slight cheer from her man. She paused, dropped her smile and added. "But... when I get my girl, I'm calling her Sarah. Okay?"
Sarah.
Eric did not reply.
"Sarah Shepard, like her grandmother, your mother." Hannah elaborated simply staring up at him with a look of unreadable determination. "Okay?"
Mother...
Eric hadn't thought about her in many years. Not since after her funeral when he was barely sixteen. Eric bit his lip and forced the mist in his eyes back.
Quietly he pondered that.
Would she have had taken her own life had she known she'd have had a wonderful Daughter-In-Law and a Grandson only three years later? Would she have been a grandmother type? Doting on her grandson, spoiling him rotten, letting him get away with bloody murder? Eric thought she would have.
It didn't matter. She was gone, gone after a long, debilitating battle with a mental illness that destroyed the beautiful and so full of life Sarah Shepard. Not out of selfishness as his bastard father assumed. Eric winced inwardly. Would he introduce his son to the man that he hated more then anything he had hated before? Eric didn't know, for now, such things would not be thought about.
"Okay then." He finally spoke, nodding. "Sarah it is for a daughter."
Hannah smiled at his acceptance and rose her hand, taking his with her She leaned in and pressed her lips against his knuckles. Soft lips, the kind you wouldn't expect a navy puke to have. Eric pushed his hand through her frazzled hair and pulled back smiling as touch tingled his nerves.
"Go on and see him, Eric." She gently requested, gesturing to the door. "I'd get up, but Intern Chakwas would be all over my ass."
Hannah paused, then snorted.
"All over my ass... That bloody woman. I swear she was checking me out. Seriously, she really didn't need to keep all those fingers inside me for that long if I was just going to get a C-section... normally I'd be thrilled, but they were like bloody icicles." She pointed out, looking past her husband to make sure the woman hadn't heard her.
Eric shook his head. aaaand there went the last of her post delivery angelic side. With one last kiss for his wife and a smirking smile, Eric pulled back and wandered out of the room, shaking his head at his wife's words.
Quietly he tiptoed into the improvised nursery. There stood Doctor Karen Chakwas, reading a chart and glancing occasionally downwards at the lone medical cradle, where tiny infant sounds were being made. Still tiptoeing, he stepped lightly next to the doctor and peered down. For the first time taking in his son.
He was bigger then he thought he'd be. He was making noise but not crying at the new cold sterile world he was introduced to. He was wrapped in blankets and a small blue hat. His eyes, wide and blue looked back and forth at all the new sighs. eventually, those eyes found Eric's, causing the older man to smile.
"Yes." He quietly spoke. "I think John suits you."
Doctor Chakwas turned quickly to face him, having been surprised by the young marine. Her shock and alertness disappeared as she noticed his Holo-Identification. She smiled brightly and offered the man her hand.
"Ah, you must be Eric. Hannah has been gushing about you since we first met four months ago." The young doctor spoke softly as though not wishing to disturb the baby anymore then Eric did. "Congratulations. He's a perfectly healthy specimen."
Eric shook the woman's hand blankly. Though his ears were paying attention to Chakwas' words. His eyes focused solely on his son as he shuffled under the weight of his baby blanket. Eric bit his lip his throat dry as he tried not to lose face in front of the doctor and his son.
"I...Thank you..." Eric managed to mumble to the doctor next to him. "Can I.. you know..."
He felt a small hand reach out, grazing against his back. Eric steely gaze at his son turned to focus on Doctor Chakwas, who smiled and nodded serenely. With a final rub on his back and a smile for John, Chakwas stepped out of the room, leaving father and son alone together for the very first time.
This also happened to be Eric's first 'I don't know what in the hell to do' moment as well, so he did what he thought was right.
With as much tender care as he had for practicing live bomb defusing, Eric leaned down over the medical cradle and wrapped his arms around the small infants bottom and the back of his head, immediately bringing the bundled child against his chest. The baby simply stared up at his father, his big blue eyes wide as he took in the new figure next to him.
Eric was never one to be speechless. This was definitely a time where he could not find the words to convey the overwhelming sensation of joy filling his heart. It took all his efforts not to break down in tears in front of his first born son. Though the baby would not be able to comprehend his father's emotions, Eric still felt like it was a very taboo thing to do. Instead of breaking down, he simply chuckled, his quivering lips forming the weakest of smiles.
"Hey there, big guy. I heard you're a troublemaker already. Barrel rolls inside your mother, are you kidding me, boy?" He spoke playfully to the infant. His son. "Just like your old man already."
All little John Shepard could do was blink, as though he was telling his daddy to shut up already. Eric exhaled a laugh. Like his mother, all John had to do was give him a funny look to make him lose control.
"So your mother and I decided on John, if you don't mind." Eric added, smiling as he begun to unconsciously rock his son back and forth. "I think it's going to suit you. If anyone gives you any grief over the name, I'll be there to protect you."
John gurgled, his feet kicking back and forth against his father's strong grip. Eric smiled at the fight in his son and leaned in. His lips pressing against John's forehead. John barked the smallest of squeals as he took in the new sensation, but did not cry out.
"I'll always be there to protect you, John." Eric spoke as he pulled his lips back. "I love you, son."
Those were not empty words spoken by a jubilant father, high on the new joy in his life. It was not a retractable promise. Eric would always be there for his son. From his son's first day of life to Eric's last days. He would be the father he wished he could have had. The father that John Shepard deserved. He would not fail him.
He would never fail him.
But... it was inevitable he would.
...
"Vala's in customs and immigration. Apparently an asari crime lord just showed up, demanding that she be allowed free access to visit a quarian. Get this. Her friend is that awful Marhna'Prince. I knew she was going to be trouble the moment her and the human arrived here. She was the one who told you and Rael'Zorah to go to hell, right?"
"We all but exiled her because she would not conform to quarian law. She was right to be furious."
"Still... Considering the kind of person she is, it couldn't have happened to a nicer person."
There was no reply.
"I spoke to Tali about it. She seemed rather nervous of the prospects of letting this Aria T'loak on Rannoch, her future bonded has had several run in a few years back. Though she does trust Marhna. I do not see the appeal of her. There's something wrong with her. Stuck up, arrogant bos-."
Arah'Yelah vas Centurion drifted off as she looked over and noticed her mother's complete lack of interest in the conversation she was trying to spark up. One of the few adult centered conversations she could have that wasn't centered around being a new mother.
"Mother, are you alright?" Arah spoke up, finally catching her attention.
Mother, also known to everyone else as Admiral Shala'Raan vas Rannoch turned her head up from staring off at little Falwa, who was bouncing playfully on her grandmother's lap, her little body out of her bubble. The child would feel the sickness come on soon enough. Though it was for her own good. She was getting stronger with each exposure.
"I'm fine." Shala spoke offhandedly. "Just a small fever. It's nothing to fret over."
"You've been sick like this for three weeks." Arah pointed out, biting back the urge to be coy with her. "Meaning you've exposed yourself to someone else. I cannot think of any other reason why."
Mother did not answer. She simply stared at Falwe. Oh keelah... She was... was she?
"Mother. I'm not upset, but I do need an answer to this... Are you seeing anyone by any chance?" Arah delicately questioned. Attempting not to smile t the thought from behind her mask.
Mother had never been one to seek the comfort of another man. Oh, she had plenty of opportunity to do so, but she never found another since her father died, long before she was even conceived. All Arah ever had in her life of him were photos, videos and memories her mother had. To be fair however, mother was made an admiral by the time she was ten. She was easily the most dedicated of the board. They all had families, loved ones. Mother only had her, When she was off duty she was utterly devoted to her child.
She loved it at first, but as the years went on it got harder and harder. Things got tense once Arah reached her teenage years.
Fortunately, mother's loneliness could be filled with a new void when Tali'Zorah nar Rayya was born. She was a child to her in all but birth. Serving as a second mother to the girl while Rael'Zorah was too busy with his research.
Tali was a strange girl, Keelah, she was always a strange girl. It took a very long time before Arah could even stand her presence. Tali was always such a goody good. She always wanted everyone around her to love her, to accept her. Most of the time that was the case, but it was never enough. With each passing year she would volunteer more and more of her time helping the fleet in anyway she could. To the point where she started becoming isolated from her own age group, who viewed her as brown nosing to everyone.
Arah, due to her mother being so close with the Zorah clan, was obligated to staying by the odd girl. This became more and more frequent by the time Qualia'Zorah passed into the void after an infection infection took her life.
But... as odd as she was when she left for her pilgrimage, it was absolutely nothing compared to when she came back. She spent her whole pilgrimage hunting the Spectre's and geth as though she was in an action vid. Apart of a multi-species team consisting of turians, asari, krogans and humans, they roamed the galaxy and waged war on everything that stood in their way.
Her letters to home started enthusiastic. That quickly vanished. Each letter grew more and more dark. People she had killed. people who died. Friends and strangers alike. The only high moment came when she was describing the adventures with her charming Pilgrimage Captain, Commander John Shepard. In those paragraphs every horror that she wrote of, from plant monsters to husks disappeared.
When she came home, she quietly informed mother and her about his death. Devastated was much too light a word she could use for her friend.
It was a state she never left until she found out that the human was not quite as dead as she figured. He was back, working with those bastards in Cerberus, but alive. Arah was happy for her friend to have him back. She assumed they were just good friends. A sense she got after she witnessed the Spectre single handedly humiliating the whole Admiralty Board as he defended her from their outrageous treason claims.
So, naturally it came to her as a shock when she announced to both mother and her that had been seeing the human shortly after her treason trial. It might have been a shock, but the pieces all fell into place once she put some serious thought about it.
At first she was somewhat... well... she did not like she was throwing her life away for a human. They could be a nice people, hell, her mentor on her pilgrimage was a human. but... she was more... you know... quarian for the quarians. A position she felt stupid for taking the moment she saw just how happy he made her. How they seemed to complete each other.
Besides, she got to bare witness to some of the most impressive couple fights she had ever seen in her life. Humans, in her opinion, were completely insane.
She looked off and noticed that once again, mother had drifted off.
"Mother, are you seeing anyone?" She repeated, now much, much more curious.
Mother snapped her head back, staring wide eyed at Arah.
"Of course not." She vehemently denied. "I just had to deal with some issues and I felt showing my face was an appropriate reason."
Arah simply laughed.
"Mother. You can't lie to me." Arah goaded the older woman. She watched as her mother bowed her helmeted head, shaking it as she focused on her grandchild, now babbling incessantly. Slowly, the young mother exhaled at the reaction she was getting from someone who held the fate of seventeen million quarians in her hands.
Oh keelah... she was right. Mother was interested in somebody!
"It's complicated, Arah." She sighed aloud, sounding slightly upset and much more surprisingly, very thrilled. "Oh Keelah, is it complicated..."
Arah crossed her arms and raised her brow at the odd assessment of her mother's love life.
"How complicated?"
Mother quietly detached her helmet, revealing her her still young face to her daughter. She smiled guiltily, her hands latched onto each other tightly as she wringed nervously.
"Complicated enough to start a diplomatic incident." She finally admitted.
Before Arah could inquire, a sudden high pitched squeal erupted from her child. Little Falwa was hungry and she didn't take later for an answer. Arah sighed as she lifted the child from her mother's arm and stepped lightly into the kitchen, bouncing to pacify the child. As she dug through the cool for baby food. She glaced back out to the living area.
"Keelah, Mother please." Arah called out, giggling softly. "I hope you're not with Han'Gerrel. There is a reason why he is perpetually a bacholer. Stubborn jerk."
A laugh was returned, bringing a gentle smile to Arah's lips. Rarely she got her mother to laugh about such trivial things.
"No...no, of course not..."
She did not notice her mother raise her Omni-Tool, flashing it to life.
"Shala'Raan, hey; Been awhile. I'm feeling a helluva lot better, so quit worrying." A voice erupted from the dining room, surprising the young mother. "I may be coming back to Rannoch in a few weeks. Strictly to build and maybe teach if there's an interest. No more exploring for me. Wouldn't want to go back out into the cities and get shot by your hired goons again. I did I mention I was sorry yet?
Arah paused midway through another spoonful of vegetables for her daughter, her head snapping up at the sound of the voice. That... that familiar voice. The same taunting humor, the sarcasm and the undertone of gentle compassion the owner of that voice did not believe he had anymore.
Quietly she peered around the corner. it was a video message. It was him, looking older... older but much healthier than she recalled. Mother's back was turned to her. She was simply sitting there, gazing at the message with a longing she never saw from her mother before.
"Anyways." The message continued. "I'm calling to invite you to visit my shitty homeworld. Tali'Zorah's going to Earth in a week or so, but John had to drop out at the last moment. Something about being needed on Palaven. Tali , being the good natured girl she is told him she'd be fine to make the journey solo. Still, I reckon she needs familiar face to tag along. A legion of human women will probably overwhelm her her sensibilities. She'll need a quarian telling her these women are lunatics. It should be fun If you need to escape as well, than I'll show you around what's left of Earth. Make a date out of it or something."
A date? Her mother was going on a date with a human? A human like him? Oh keelah...
"Strictly professional of course." He cockily tacked on, his arms crossed. "I wouldn't want to spoil the image of a quarian leader. Though, I couldn't blame you for saying no to this. Earth isn't real pretty and quiet like Rannoch. Anyways, I should go. Do me a favor and spoil that granddaughter of yours, you humorless prude."
The message ended. Arah, unable to contain herself, spoke up.
"Eric?"
Mother disabled the video link and turned back, noticing Arah. her arms still holding a very squirmy Falwa. She simply stared at her mother. Her eyes wide behind the glass of her mask.
"Arah, my daughter, How is it you know this Eric Shepard?" She inquired of her daughter. Arah nodded and set Falwe down. Quietly she wandered over to her mother, taking a seat next to her.
"Eric Shepard...He got me a job, found Vala'Erau, Galana'Resfor and I a decent home." Arah explained, her voice thoughtful as she remembered him. "He took care of us, like we were his children. When we pooled our money to buy the Centurion. and we didn't have enough, so he paid for the difference... which was quite a lot. Didn't even pause to think about it."
What little colour that her mother had, vanished as she gaped at the revelation. It was in that moment, she knew that human was going to get laid.
"Architect, Dark hair, piercing blue eyes, scars and a terrible limp?" Mother demanded her voice suddenly sounding very strained with choked back emotion. Arah nodded. He never really spoke of what put him in that state. Only that it involved being in the Alliance Marines.
Mother did not speak again. The subject of the human now given to her mother's brooding once more.
The great Admiral Shala'Raan vas Rannoch, brooding over a newly rekindled love life -over a human to say the least. It was rather cute to witness.
...

...
"Tali'Zorah, I'm so happy to have you back here with us!"
Shala smiled behind her mask as Tali stepped quicker down the transports ramp and towards a very small gathering waiting for them. Two human women and a child. Shala followed her niece's lead and watched as she was enveloped into he older human's -Hannah arms. It looked so natural, like Hannah had replaced Qualia'Zorah as a source of motherly love for the brilliant young engineer.
Something, Shala felt, that completely nullified the promise she made to Tali's dying mother: To always be a mother to that young woman...
Planting a kiss on the hide of Tali's mask, Admiral Hannah Shepard pulled back her, hands gripping Tali's, just like Qualia did. Tali did not mind it, instead she seemed to love the maternal attention. All of this, only served as fuel to overwhelm Shala's jealousy even more.
"I have missed you, Hannah. I'm sorry John could not come." Tali apologized as she pulled out of Hannah's mother's arms. Hannah merely shrugged like she was not bothered that her son would rather fight the Reapers rather than be at his wife's side.
"Duty calls. Besides it's better he isn't here. This day is for the bride, not the groom." Hannah brushed off sweetly, her hands still gripping her future daughter-in-law's. "I would rather have a female only gathering. However, Eric decided he would tag along. He's like a lost puppy sometimes. It's embarrassing."
Tali chuckled softly, earning a vivid grin from the human woman. Hannah turned and caught Shala's eyes staring at her, Had Shala been a younger woman, she would have probably been embarrassed at how intense she was staring at the Alliance officer.
"Shala'Raan vas Tonbay? My name is Hannah Shepard." The human greeted the quarian, offering her hand daintily. "Tali, John and Eric has had nothing but kind words for you. It's a pleasure to finally meet you."
Shala blinked. Eric Shepard was discussing her in private with his wife? More importantly how was she going to respond? Casually? As a jealous woman who felt Hannah did not know how good a man she had? That she felt the admiral was heartless bosh'tet, who let her mentally traumatized husband think that it was okay to murder in cold blood?
"Eric spoke of you and the Tonbay was destroyed years ago. I'm vas Rannoch now." Was all Shala could produce. earning a blink and a fraction of a frown from the Alliance officer.
"I should have fact checked. My apologies. I hope Eric said something nice about me at least." Was Hannah's charming rebuke, not missing a beat. She turned and gestured to young second woman, adding. "This is Sarah, Eric and my youngest."
Shala accepted the hand offered by the young mother. She was very similar in image as her mother, but she held a much kinder demeanor than her mother was able to express, like she was genuinely happy to meet the older quarian. Her hand was being firmly gripped by a small child who was staring up at her in curious wonder. She had dark eyes, her skin pale, her hair a curly chestnut, with the barest hint of red. Humans were amazingly diverse in a the small details.
"It's so nice to meet you, and this is Anna." Sarah greeted as she introduced her child. "Anna, say hello to Shala'Raan, she's Tali's aunt."
As soon as she was recognized, the child ducked her head at the attention. Shala shared at look with Tali, who appeared bemused at the reaction.
"She's a bit shy to new people." Sarah explained, worried of offending the Admiral.
Shala shook her head, she needed no explanation. Instead she turned to look down on the small human.
"Hello Anna." Shala greeted the small human, a smile behind her mask. "Your grandfather has had nothing but praise for you."
The little girl did not speak, instead she hid bashfully behind her mother as the quarian bent onto one knee. Shala knew it wasn't a quarian thing. She was simply shy of strangers. It happened to girls that age. New people was a scary concept.
"Anastasia, didn't I tell you Shala isn't anyone to be shy around?"
Shala's head flew up at the sound of the voice calling from behind the group of women. It was Eric. a mild grin on his lips as he stepped towards them. Shala stood upright, going rigid as he stopped right in front of her, his hand reaching out to mess little Anna's hair up.
"Well hello, Tali. It's good to see you again." Eric greeted with a nod of his head to his future daughter-in-law. He turned back and added. "And hello to you as well, Admiral Raan."
Shala bit her lip a she noticed Eric's hand was outstreched. She shook it, lingering much longer than she had ever intended to.
"Please, just Shala, Mr. Shepard.."
Silence was shared between the two. It held more tension between man and woman, quarian and human, than anything they felt before. Eric's eyes were light, his mouth baring his teeth. He looked almost ready to ask her if she was feeling that infection yet. The infection he gave her.
"Come along Tali. I've rented some transportation around London safezone." Hannah spoke breaking the silence as she latched onto Tali's arm. "We need start shopping as quickly as possible, the city is under marshal law. Curfews are in effect."
Tali looked somewhat uncertain about leaving, but at the behest of her future mother-in-law, nodded and together, the three women wandered off the platform, leaving Shala, Eric and Anna, who was gripping grandpa's hand tightly standing there idly. Eric tilted his head as he turned back to face the quarian admiral.
"Go ahead, I've got your bags.." Eric assured the quarian. Shala, however did not take no for an answer. She grabbed the supplies for herself and Tali, leaving Eric, cane in one hand, his granddaughter's hand in the other metaphorically empty handed.
Together, the second group followed the chattering first group in relative silence. The only noise made was from Anna, who was skipping along, her shoes bouncing on the metal stairway. Shala watched the bouncing, amused. She glanced up and noticed that Eric was doing the same. He huffed a note of amusement before looking up, catching her eyes on his.
"Ever been shopping before?" He spoke to her, trying to break tense quiet. Shala nodded.
"On my pilgrimage, yes." Shala spoke to him, "Now, a few things here and there. Nothing too indulgent."
The elder Shepard shook his head as though he had heard a joke.
"No, Shala, I mean chick shopping." Eric elaborated, a grin forming along his lips, dazzling the admiral. "Well you probably not shopped like a bunch of hormonal women for a huge ass wedding that I have to pay for. It's a lot of fun blowing money on trinkets you'll only ever use once and never see the bill for."
The smile died, leaving a deep frown etched into the human's expression. The way he spoke on the surface he sounded to be casually amused. Deeper, buried under layers of sarcasm he sounded so... pessimistic about the whole thing.
As they reached the car, they ushered Anna inside, where she crawled in and snuggled on top of Tali, who wrapped her arms around the child. Shala watched as Hannah shot her husband a look, but turned back to speak about dress design with the quarian. Eric sighed, closed the door and turned back to Shala, his arms reached out to take the bags from her.
"Get in, I'll handle your bags."
Shala handed over Tali's bag to him, but held firm to her own.
"I think I'll stay and help you, in anyway I can. If you'll allow it of course." Shala whispered to the human man. "I came here for Tali, but Its not the shopping that I'm looking forward to."
She watched as he bit his lip and held his eyes over her. Slowly, a sly nod of his head was offered. An unspoken agreement was made between them. The women would have their fun. They would have each other's company.
...

...
As it turned out Eric was wrong about Tali. Shala was not needed to be an anchor to her, keeping her grounded while the humans corrupted her into a mindless materialistic lifestyle. Tali was very well prepared in handling the the sudden whims of Hannah and Sarah Shepard.
Instead Shala hung back, standing side by side with Eric, who was quickly turned into a servant for the women. Paying whenever Hannah called him too, carrying the packages. She did what she could to relieve the burden off him. They shared the package burdens and took turns watching over the little one, Anastasia, as Eric called her. It was a much more prettier name in Shala's opinion.
Eric's cocky, almost flirtatious attitude with her had done a complete turnaround in his behavior when he was in the presence of his granddaughter. He didn't swear, he didn't smoke, he didn't even make a mean or lewd comment to her. Instead, he was sweet, almost doting on the girl. It wasn't much different than it was between her and her own grandchild, Falwa. Both of them held a love for the child that could not be surpassed.
"Grampa, can I? Pleeease?"
A small sigh escaped the humans lips.
"Go on, Throw it in the cart."
Than there were the differences, between their grandparenting styles. Such as buying everything his little granddaughter asked of him. Falwa was not quite the age of Anastasia Shepard. Shala would most likely never end up a minion to her like Eric was to his.
"Eric Shepard spoiling her grandchild." Shala spoke up, trying not to sound too amused. "I know you had warned me, but I did not think I would see it so soon."
Eric raised his eyebrow.
"You see that look on her face. I can't say no even if I didn't want to buy it." He admitted as though being brainwashed by a five year old was a normal occurrence for him.
Shala shifted her weight onto one of her hips. It was blatant coyness.
"No willpower." She mused playfully. "I did not think I would learn something new about humans so fast."
The human chuckled, clearly amused by her observation.
"Well we're a pretty neat people." Eric Shepard boasted. He held his gaze over to her and added. "Kind of like those lousy quarians, only more fun and much less sensitive."
The quarian huffed as the human laughed at her. Few ever laughed blatantly at her. Most viewed her as some untouchable leader. Like she was beyond just a quarian with simple desires like the rest of her people. From not far off from where they walked, she could hear Tali laugh sweetly. undoubtedly over something Hannah had said. She tried not to grind her teeth.
"Look at her." Shala spoke up, a tinge of annoyance at the laughter. "You'd think she was human like the other two."
Eric again looked her over. Had his granddaughter not been there hanging off the shopping cart he would have undoubtedly called her out for being jealous of the interaction between Hannah and Tali.
"She's only pretending." He assured her. trying not to grin. "Couldn't blame her if she did fake it for them. Those two are always a handful when their in this sort of environment. Even Hannah gets girly, which says something. That woman usually has bigger testicles than I do."
Shala winced, she did not need to hear that.
"So, tell me than." Shala spoke again wanting to forget the sudden curiosity about Eric's testicles. "When we were landing in port, all windows were shielded shut by armor sliders. Why is that?"
The playful grin died, in its place was a grim look.
"Precaution. You were landing in hotbed of abandoned Reaper drones." He stated as though the Reapers were old news."You have no idea how many of them occasionally manage to shoot down a transport."
Shala could feel herself go faint. She thought this city was safe. Ruined and scarred by war but safe. Not infested by the Reapers, even long after they left.
"So all of this?"
"A facade." Shepard confirmed, smirking. "A small piece of London that survived the war and is being expanded on as the city is cleaned up. I guess you haven't seen the walls yet?
Shala shook her head. So Eric continued.
"This place is a safezone. Walls barricade this place from the rest of the city, London has a eighty thousand man garrison. Every year the safezone gets bigger as the repairs drag on."
"So.. this is a tourist place." Shala guessed. "Something to show the rest of the galaxy that Earth is recovering quickly?"
Eric shrugged.
"Of sorts. Kind of like your people have forbidden travel into the cities. Only much more dangerous. Tuchanka dangerous." He explained, as he opened Anastasia's bottle of fruit juice for her. "I imagine its the same with Thessia and Palaven. No major power wants to admit how devastated we've been or how long it'll take before we get back to business as normal."
Eric paused, and curled his lips into a bitter scowl.
"Hell, more like if we'll ever get back to the way things were." He corrected himself. "The Reapers are still out there, hiding on the edge of dark space while they regroup."
Shala bowed her head and closed her eyes. She did not like to think that those monsters still roamed free. Wounded grievously by Commander Shepard's doing, but still out there, gathering strength by the hour. She had heard about his decisioning not to use the Crucible. She was still somewhat skeptical of it. Then again, she was skeptical of the Reapers as well when Tali spoke of them fresh off her pilgrimage.
"Spoke to John about it." Eric started again lowly, sounding not sure if he wanted to disturb her musings."He said whether you like it or not, the quarians are going to have become major players in the war soon. committing your full fleet. throwing every soldier you have into the fight."
Shala nodded gravely at word spoken by John Shepard.
"He told me that this war was not going to end in compromise. That it was extermination of us or them." Shala returned, earning wince from the human. "I have accepted that, we will do all we can. The Reapers will come back and this time they will not be looking at just the major powers. But all of us."
Silence fell as the two of them stopped. There in front of them was the security gate outside of the confides of the safezone. Eric glanced away, turning his attention to his grandchild. Unsteadily he bent down onto one knee and was now eye level with the girl.
"Sweetheart, Grandma, mom and Aunt Tali are inside that shop. Go in, I'll be there in a second."
Anastasia nodded and giggled as she felt old rough lips touch against her cheek. Eric stood back up and opened the door of the bridal shop, shooing the girl inside. As the door closed, Eric turned back to face Shala, who was watching him closely. Quietly, he gestured to the security gate.
"Do you want to see London outside this glitz and glamor?" He asked her plainly.
Shala nodded immediately. She needed to see the destruction first hand. Eric smiled grimly. He took the packages from out of Shala's arms and placed them into the cart. He pushed it inside the bridal shop. She watched as Eric rolled the cart up alongside Hannah who was browsing and not paying mind to the man. Without so much as word to one another, Eric left, rejoining the concerned quarian Admiral.
Together in silence, they stepped away from the shop. Away from propaganda London, and towards real London.
...

...
"I cannot believe what the Reapers have done to your planet."
"Nine thousand years of recorded history nearly turned into dust."
"Only nine thousand years? Keelah, did your ancestors take a break or something? Was cave life was too comfortable?"
Eric snorted at the musings of the admiral. He certainly hadn't expected a joke at the expense of a world scarred by the Reaper's. He would let it slide. She was correct. Humanity was a pretty lazy bunch once upon the time. Nowadays they didn't have the luxury. Everyone was either rebuilding or battling the pockets and armies the Reapers had left behind when they fled to regroup. They had become less of a professional fighting force and more like savages, reigning in areas of the Earth almost unopposed.
It was getting better however. slowly, surely, Earth was regaining its foothold in the galaxy. Still, Earth wasn't somewhere one wanted to be unless they absolutely had to. Which was the case for most of the people living here.
He turned back to look at the sweeping damage of the city from across the River Thames, still designated a hotbed under control by the indoctrinated. Alliance military projected somewhere between two to seven hundred thousand were trapped on the southern side of the mega capital.
Though Shala joked, he could tell that it was not meant to be taken seriously. She seemed horrified of what the Reaper War had done to planet she stood on. South London, Having stood for twenty two hundred years, weathering sieges, disease, rebellion and extensive air raids, was now almost nothing more than smoke and rubble. It was a tragedy that Shala could not comprehend. He could not blame her. It had been hard to comprehend what the geth did to the quarians when he was wandering their cities only a month ago.
Not impossible though, after being released into his wife's care, it gave Eric much time to comprehend what entering the abandoned cities must have felt like for the marine taskforce he so blatantly hated on. Yeah the geth may have cleaned it up, but this was still a wound fresh and for the first time in centuries, they had followed their ancestors steps they once traveled themselves.
Well... once he could empathize, he felt like a real dickhead for badgering the medic for crying. When he got back to Rannoch he would have to buy Qualwe'Quaera, that talkative young woman a gift. Two actually, one for making her upset, the other for saving his ass.
A scream erupted. No.. not a scream, a hundred screams, almost in unison roared across the the water. Husks, angry and desperate. They were answered by small arms fire which scattered the group back into the quarantine zone. The noise had caught Shala off guard. She had jumped, her body hitting against Eric's.
"I'm sorry. Those.. those things startled me." Shala spoke, bowing her head clearly very embarrassed that a woman in her position could be frightened by those monsters. Eric shook his head.
"Don't apologize, They scare me too."
Shala looked ready to doubt his words but fell silent as she noticed that he was looking just as worried as she was.
"May I see your identification papers, Sir... Ma'am?"
Eric and Shala'Raan turned away from each other.. Standing in front of him was a fully armored London Sentinel, a member of the London Civil Defense force. His old Mattock rifle slung on his back as he stood there waiting patiently. Eric nodded and handed his Alliance citizen holo ID over to the Sentinel. A second one approached the two, scanner in hand and waving over both of them.
"They're clean, Stevens. Come along, let's move on." She said, pulling the biometric scanner away from them.
"Sorry for the inconvenience, Sir, Ma'am." The first Sentinel spoke as he accepted Shala's visitor identification. "London is still a hive for those Reaper bastards. The ships may have fled but they left their monsters behind. Are either of you armed?"
Both of them shook their heads.
"Well than I recommend that you both stick to the designated route and return back inside the safezone as soon as Curfew begins." The Sentinel recommended for the both of them. "This city isn't what I'd call newlywed honeymoon material. Stay safe... hey come on, they need to know!"
The second sentinel, a young woman with fiery red hair poking out of the ends of her helmet gave them a knowing smile before dragging the first one away, who looked like he had a lot more off topic questions to ask. Leaving both quarian and human somewhat confused and blushing at his observation. Eric shook his head and chuckled weakly.
"I guess one thing good that came with the threat of intergalactic extermination was that they started to treat quarians better." Eric mused, running his hand through his hair as they could here the distant bark of a heavy machine gun down at the next outpost.
"Or being more receptive to finding a relationship outside one's species."
Eric looked back to Shala who stood there watching him like a hawk. He hadn't expected that from her. They stared at each other, Shala'Raan's head was tilted. Shepard's thumbs were tucked into his trouser pockets as slowly, a confident smile break across his lips.
"Shala'Raan...Are you making a pass at me?" He cockily observated, wagging his brow at her. Shala stepped back, shaking her head.
"Never." Shala nearly gasped playfully. She reached out and smacked the human, pushing him slightly.
"Never?" Eric repeated as though Shala was trying to challenge him. "Should I go back and tell those two that you want nothing to do with me?"
Shala shrugged casually. Her body language screaming coyness.
"Perhaps if you don't start being a little bit nicer to me."
They continued on in silence, ignoring the occasion burst of rifle fire and the L.C.D personnel running to and from them, chattering orders on their comlinks and amongst each other. Much to Eric's surprise, Shala stopped following him. She paused and stepped over to the guardrail that overlooked what was left of the city on the other side.
That was not her focus however. She was staring off at the remains of London Bridge. Damaged by the Reapers, it was sabotaged by the Alliance in an attempt to keep the pocket of husks and indoctrinated from leaving the island. The Thames itsself had easily a million mines dumped into in order to prevent further escape.
These details were not spoken, nor were they important to the focus was on one of the indoctrinated. What looked like a woman. Emaciated by near starvation, her hair falling out, the fashionable dress she wore was molding by age. She simply sat their, kneeling on the edge of the broken bridge, looking lost as her head dangled back and forth limply.
Before Eric and Shala realized it, a sudden burst of Heavy machine gun fire erupted from one of the guard towers, thankfully ending the wretched husks life. Shala bowed her head, understandably horrified with what she had witnessed. Eric bit his lip and quietly pressed his hand on her shoulder. He lowered his head. He wished he had not taken the woman outside the tourist zone.
"Do you even love her?"
Eric's head snapped up and found that Shala was staring at him wide eyed, as though she could not believe she had just asked that question. Eric back, looking rather faint by the question himself. If he had been bothered by her less than kind observation, he did not show it like Shala had expected. Humans could become very emotional wrecks.
"I...I'm so, so sorry." She managed to get out, her voice almost gasping. "That's much, much too personal."
Eric didn't speak. He shrugged, unable to speak. So, Shala continued.
"It's just that...I... I see you so... disengaged with her." Shala tersely tried to explain to the silent man. "Like you both are not happy with each other. Then... then you kissed me that night despite your loyalties to her. I- I need to understand. So I do not make a fool out of myself, out of your wife."
The human ran a hand through his short, graying hair. a strangely befuddled smile splashed across his lips. Slowly, he turned back to face her, still looking at her strangely.
"Yes, you're right. Hannah and I aren't exactly a happy couple, Shala." He admitted slowly, adding. "Besides, you kissed me first. remember? I don't recall being the one to kiss your teeth"
There was no anger in his response. Only a strange amusement that Shala'Raan was dodging responsibility. She shuffled nervously in place, her hands wringing as she bounced on her toes. Her bowed in a strange shame.
"Shala, this isn't your fault." He pressed on. "Hannah and I have been traveling on different paths since I got my ass handed to me by the batarians. We... well we don't talk about it. Not out of lack of trying. It just never ends well. The only way we can talk is through drinking or getting her fried. That doesn't seem like a happy marriage to me."
Shala tilted her head.
"So, you don't love her. Do you?"
Eric did not know how to explain how fifteen years of lack of commitment between two people who promised till death did they part felt like.
"Not anymore... Don't get me wrong. I loved Hannah, Shala. Christ, in some ways, I still do." Eric elaborated. a half smile clearly sheepish. "but we got married mostly out of John's sake. It's hard to hold a teenage romance together when the only real bond you have is with your kids. Then she started to get promoted and so did. I figured the Alliance was another way to solidify what we had and it worked right on up until I got my leg blown off and thrown into the brig-."
He felt Shala'Raan suddenly shuffle closer to them as a group of batarians passed by them. They were disheveled. Fresh off the boats. heads hung low and submissive as they walked the human homeworld with more freedom than if they had been still on Khar'shan, their dead homeworld. It came to everyone's surprise that the Alliance was accepting batarians in the colonies and even on Earth. There was also a gathering effort to search for a new world for what remained of the batarian people to settle, to give this species with a checkered past a second chance.
Though he could feel sympathy for their plight. Her understood why Shala'Raan was probably apprehensive about them. It had been the blood pack -Terminus system species who had attacked the fleet decades ago, killing her husband of maybe a few days. Those sorts of things weren't easy to forget. He should know.
"Batarians." Shala whispered to him, so low he almost didn't think she had spoken to him. "It appears that we have another thing in common."
Eric rumbled a dark chuckle just as soft as she spoke.
"Yeah... Well their paying for it now, whether they hurt us or not." He said, glancing back to the group. "Poor bastards."
They moved past the group and through another checkpoint. Submitting themselves once again to another round of indoctrination searches; This time however, Shala did not move from him. She stayed by his side. One hand clutching his bicep, the other gripping his hand, which she squeezed gently.
"Anyways, after Mindoir, when I got arrested... things just sort of cooled down for us." He continued as the sentinel's allowed them through. "I spent three years out of Hannah's contact. She was getting command positions so I became more and more of a burden. An imprisoned husband is bad for a career."
Eric half smiled at the sight of indignation in Shala's body language.
"I got out of prison, got my life together. Then Torfan happened, which sealed my sons fate. Then John died, John came back. The Reapers attacked So things got worse." He listed off, almost amused as he thought about his failing marriage and a fucked up situation all around. so casually. "Now all we have in common is two children, one grandchild, a future daughter-in-law and a healthy taste for marijuana.."
Eric fell silent, his eyes falling down and focusing on the hand connected to his so firmly. He could suddenly appreciate the sexual frustration his son had felt during the early days with his Tali. Hell, even now. John had confided that during a period of fourteen days, Tali had spent, maybe a total of a maybe few hours out of her suit at any given time. Making every kiss, every touch that much more special.
Eric could feel the urge to kiss the woman grow with each passing second. It was almost like a new addiction. He had his first tastes weeks ago and now he was craving for another chance to have the woman so close to him, but trapped behind a layer of... well whatever a quarian suit was made of. He also was struggling with their body language as well. He would have to ask John or Tali as subtly as he could what that silly little bounce he was watching Shala do right this moment.
"Now, here I am... in your company.. holding your hand and wandering a broken city and not even being the least bit frightened." He finished. Squeezing her hand once again. A strange noise escaped her lips. almost like a purr. Whatever it was was enough to have Shala duck her head briefly.
"You're frightened of being out here? I would have never guessed." Shala stared at him disbelievingly. Her voice was low and modest. Almost embarrassed by Eric's words. The old former soldier nodded his head.
"Of course I am." Eric admitted sheepishly. "I'm no where near as brave a man as my son is. Husks and the indoctrinated creep me out."
A sniper rifle roared over head of them. a distant scream as a husk was hit replied. Eric winced but the low rumble approaching them caught his attention. An artillery platoon was rolling up the damaged rode and pulling off to stop at the edge of the river. Cargo vehicles pulling up behind them, hauling along crates filled with what Eric presumed were shells manufactured and preserved from easily a century ago.
"What are those?" Shala wondered, tilting her head as the tanks barrels rose up. Her hand squeezing Eric's. Eric glanced at the alien hand briefly.
"Looks like they're breaking out the old self propelled artillery guns." Eric gestured to the smoke billowing out of the exhaust pipes. "Fossil fuel engines and all. Must be using up all the antiquated equipment to save some credits. Clever."
They watched as British military engineers came barreling out of the trucks. Laughing, smoking swearing as they carefully unloaded case after case, setting them beside each of the dozen self propelled guns. Shala was curious, Eric on the other hand, wasn't he didn't fee like losing his hearing today. So he pull on Shala's hand, getting her attention.
"We should go before they start the barrage." Eric warned the woman. Shala nodded and together, the two of them crossed across the street. As soon as they did. The guns fired once in quick successions, causing a thunderous roar the made the quarian jump and clutch onto his arm.
"I told you Earth was a shithole." He teased her, grinning as he bumped her hips with his own. "Yet you came."
"I came to be moral support for Tali... and to see you again."
Though silence fell between the two of them, the self propelled guns fired another salvo, causing Shala to jump yet again her body colliding ever closer to Eric's, who kept her within his arms as they waited out the second barrage. She tilted her helmet up and looked deeply into those mellow human eyes. Eyes which looked down to her, a smile spreading across him lips.
"Come on;" He said as the second barrage subsided, his hands gripping her forearm. "Let's see if there's somewhere I can buy you lunch. Probably won't be very good though..."
Shala nodded dazed and followed the human along back into the safe zone of the city.
...

...
"Tali the dress has to be white."
"I'm going to have to postpone the wedding for months while I tan. I'm much, much too pale to be wearing this thing."
"That's what makeup is for. You do wear makeup right?"
"I wear a helmet eighty percent of the time. How often do you think I would get to wear makeup?"
Sarah Shepard rubbed the bridge of her nose. Though Tali's words came with a tone of amusement and a friendly laugh, she still felt stupid.
"Ah... yes, that makes sense." Sarah sheepishly replied, blushing as the laughter grew harder. "Regardless, you better get over that shy streak. Next I'm taking you Lingerie Shopping. Because my brother is going to get the best wedding night ever, "
There was no answer. Sarah grinned to herself. Tali absolutely hated and discussion of her more personal relationship with John. At least when she was sober. If she was ever drinking, she would get quite vocal about her experiences. If she was ever stoned accidentally or on purpose she would harp on about having bispecies baby with him. It was kind of quite how she could detail out everything she would do to prepare for the child.
As funny as intoxicated Tali was, Sarah preferred it when Tali was sober, her shy policy on John was fine by Sarah, who didn't really want details about her brother. Still, she had to bite the bullet and help Tali out with every aspect to human marriage. The wedding night included.
"Sarah?"
A calm, collected and accented voice turned Sarah away from the dresser and towards the source. It had came from the group of chattering, excited women. One was looking at them, the rest were all talking amongst each other. A short, dark eyed brunette beauty. Much too thin for her own good. She stood there, squinting at her. She looked vaguely familiar to her.
"Sarah Shepard." The woman repeated, laughing slightly. "I can't believe you're here of all places.."
The strained smile died as she placed a name to the face and voice at last.
"Hello Freyja." She greeted Freyja Metzger. Her brother's former fiance finally. The recognition made the woman smile dazzlingly. She stepped forward. Sarah did as well. She wanted to put as much space as possible between Freyja and the dressing room which contained Tali. A woman who nearly had as big a body count as her brother.
This... this was going to get ugly.
"My God, it's been such a long time." Freyja spoke again as she pulled Sarah into a sisterly hug. "How've you been. How's that daughter of yours? I bet she's growing up like a weed."
"I'm fine, She's fine, she's with her grandmother."
Freyja nodded, appearing almost interested.
"I imagine so... at a wedding shop." She changed the subject, smiling. "Have you decided to settle down?"
Sarah exhaled nervously.
"My brother's fiance fiancé."
The chattering of the women subsided at the mere mention of the news. Sarah ducked her head and pushed one of her bangs behind her ear. She tried to pay no mind to Freyja's charming smile slip off her lips. Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the revelation. Sarah did her best not to laugh at how deluded the girl was to think that something could be salvaged from a near decade long dead relationship.
"How... How nice to hear." She spoke haughtily, turning back briefly to eye her friends before looking back. "Will I get to meet this lucky lady?"
As if on cue, the change room door swung open. Out stepped Tali, unperturbed as she continued to stare at the dress scrutinizingly. She was muttering to herself as she glared at the pricetag.
"I do like this one. If I was to get the dress tailored made in this fashion, I will need the the hips let out quite a bit." Tali mused to her future sister-in-law. "Mine are well... wide."
Ignoring Freyja's widening eyes and the looks shared by the many of her friend. Sarah merely smiled. She glanced down to the hips which Tali was gesturing to to.
"Those are not a bad thing to have, you know." She reminded the quarian. "I bet John goes crazy for them."
Tali huffed and shook her helmet.
"Yes he does, Its would be nearly annoying if not for...well, you know. What he does when he's fascinated by them." Tali, paused, looked up to Freyja briefly before turning back to face Sarah. "A friend?" She asked.
Freyja did not react to the blatantly sexual remark. That or she simply did not understood. Her friends however, all stared widely, as though they knew what Tali had said and were just waiting for Freyja to explode. Sarah exhaled. She really, really didn't want to make introductions. Not when Freyja and Tali shared something in common: Her brother.
"Oh, yes. Introductions. Oh boy." Sarah got out, looking between the two women staring at one another. Tali'Zorah... soon to be Shepard, I'd like you to meet Freyja Metzger and her friends."
Tali's eyes narrowed, regardless, she did not speak. She knew all about this woman. Freyja on the other hand, yawned lazily.
"Sarah, darling." She crooned, smiling politely at the quarian I don't bother with translators. You can tell the alien I don't need to listen to her babble."
Tali and Sarah glanced at one another. Tali cleared her throat.
"Forgive me, Freyja Metzger." She spoke again, Her voice slowly echoing out a newly learned alien language. "I do speak English, if that is preferable for you. Not speaking my alien babble is no trouble at all."
Freyja crossed her arms, unshaken that Tali was perfectly capable of understanding her.
"I presume he has not mentioned me." Freyja smirked slightly.
Tali shook her head.
"Oh no, he did." She returned strangely bright in tone, despite knowing that this woman had once been in a relationship with John. "He told all about the sort of person you are. So sorry you lost your chance with him."
Freyja stared hard at young quarian woman. Tali stared back, equally not bothered. by the presence of the ex. To everyone surprise, Freyja suddenly laughed and turned to back to Sarah, laughter still erupting from her.
"I-is this some sort of joke, Sarah? A- a quarian?" Freyja almost cackled. "Then again, why am I not surprised John would bring home a stray after all that appeasing he did during the war."
Laughter came from her as well as a few of her companions. Sarah shook her head, but it was Tali who caught her attention. Tali was a strong woman, strong enough to keep John hers. But this belittling would bother even the most strongest of wills. Sarah could just imagine those sharp teeth John described, just begging to rip open the bitch's throat.
"Why would Sarah waste her time pranking her brother's former girlfriend?" Tali demanded, her eyes narrowing. "One he has not seen in a decade. Do you not think it strange you continue to obsess over my husband?"
Freyja's laughter died, so did the smile.
"So... it is true." she breathed. "John has decided on you as his wife. I did not peg him as the sort to be interested in severe incest cases. Considering how well butchered the quarians were by their machines, I'm not far from the truth are I? Tell me? Just how closely related were mommy and daddy? "
Freyja gestured to her hands and feet and continued laughing. Tali bristled, but it was not Tali who was upset at the insult the most. It was Sarah, Before even Sarah knew, she had launched herself in between the two women. Her eyes glared hard into the defiant Freyja.
"That was completely uncalled for, Metzger!" She shouted down the woman, who arched her finely shaped eyebrow at her.
"Heh, I see John's not the only one whose gotten suitrat fever." Freyja breathed dangerously, her lips curling back into a poisonous smirk.
Before Sarah could start a fight with Freyja, staring with knocking the bitch's teeth out of her head. Tali reached out and pulled her away. stepping softly towards the changing room. She did her best to ignore the stare burning onto her helmet from the human known as Freyja.
"Sarah please don't fight her." She requested softly of the human. "I'm naive about dresses and such. Not how to handle women who think they can have your brother when he's mine, "She's just a little girl trapped in a woman's body. I have nothing to be upset about."
Reluctantly, Sarah nodded and decided against punching Freyja in the throat. Something she wanted to do since she first met the girl all those years ago. Instead she watched the quarian unfazed by the insults once again approach the group of women. None of them had a unifying feelings. Some did not like that Humanity's most eligible bachelor had chosen a quarian. Others seemed fine with it.
"I actually think its kind of sweet." Said one of them, in her hands was a wedding dress. "Like love knows no boundaries sort of sweet. Congratulations."
"Alex, shut up." Freyja growled lowly before Tali could respond. "So you think you you're capable of being his wife, I know his type. He and my father are similar men. Are you even aware of his history? There was a time when John viewed you and every other alien as a waste of life. Did he ever tell you the kind of man he is?"
"The kind of man he was." Tali corrected the woman snidely. "Do you think me bothered by his past? I spent months on board a Cerberus ship with him. Doing that for him pretty much makes everything you've heard trivial."
She glared hard, adding; "He has already told me everything more than you care to admit. How your father manipulated him, how he became a father to John when his real father was locked away. Who told him lies about my people and every other species."
Tali paused, looked her up and down as though she was appraising the woman.
"How your own father gave you to him as though you were nothing more than a means to an end." Tali continued, her voice lowered into a dangerous biting tone. "You were a tool to give your father a Spectre under his control. Nothing more."
Sarah watched wide eyed as Tali crossed her arms and leaned back, watching silently as Freyja Metzger shook with barely contained rage,the only thing keeping her from lashing out was due to just how many friends was watching this embarrassing scene unfold.
"From the stories I have been told about what he did on Shanxi, Mindoir, how he dehumanized both my John and his father. It's not surprising your father's life ended the way it did..."
Sarah's eyes widened. Oh god... what was she doing? Was she going to be that personal? Did she understand what she was risking, enraging this woman on purpose. Tali tsked, sarcasm dripping from each note as Freyja's body shook. Sarah was surprised the girl hadn't had an aneurysm.
"Beheaded in his own study? The quarian nearly taunted. "Must have been quite the discovery."
Freyja didn't scream or cry at the mention of her father. Instead, she simply snapped, her hand rearing back to to slap Tali. Tali was quicker however, she batted the hand away. Unharmed, not even bothered by the attempt.
"Please Freyja Metzger." Tali hissed, rolling her eyes from behind plateglass. "I've killed just about everything this galaxy can throw at me. From the lowest of hired goons to Reaper dreadnoughts. You intimidating me is something that's not ever going to happen."
Tali closed the gap between her and Freyja. She reached out and pull the woman closer to her. Tali's head was bowed slightly to her. The quarian was easily a foot taller than John's former flame.
"As for Shepard? There is nothing that you can do that I can't do better. So get over yourself." She concluded, her voice almost growling at the human. "You had a boy. I, the disgusting alien, have a man."
She let go of Freyja and turned away back to Sarah.
"Come Sarah, you promised we would check out human lingerie." Tali spoke as she took Sarah's hand. "You would not believe how many pieces of asari lingerie John has bought me; It's maddening."
As Tali drug Sarah away from the stunned and shaking former flame of her husband, Sarah's brother. She could not help but be just so happy to have this woman as a new sister. Life was going to get a hell of a lot more interesting with the future Tali'Shepard in it.
...

...
"Yeah, London always seems to be the ire of the galaxy. Whether you be some Jerry fascist nutbag fuck or some godforsaken Reaper invasion force. Good that your boy saved these useless idiots and kept 'im alive till I got here."
Zaeed Massani, mercenary war lord and one time John's less than reputable mentor in killing all things bigger than a human slammed his boots on the table, causing Shala to jump in surprise. Eric could only grin. Zaeed reminded him of him had he not of had a family to keep him tied down and mostly focused on them.
Shala on the other hand, did not like that the Mercenary had invited himself over to their table and intruded on their 'professional date' the moment he heard Tali and John's name spoken between the two. Though it was rude to her, she would not point it out. Perhaps humans had a different mindset about those. Though Zaeed did seem to have his priorities straight to Shala. He had abandoned his trade in favor of assisting the city of his birth -Free of charge.
He tipped the glass of strong scented alcohol down his throat and set the glass down. Shooting the quarian a mild grin at her. The grotesque sight of the Veteran made the Admiral shuffle nervously in her seat. Though Tali had once had kind words for the older man, Despite his obvious moral short falling. She was still nervous. It took Eric squeezing her forearm firmly to get her attention.
"So, you're an adviser to the local military than?" Eric inquired still a silly grin on his face. "You're the one who told them to start using 21st century equipment?"
Massani returned the grin with one of his own. He nodded.
"If it works, why the hell not use it. That goddamn stuff has been stockpiled to fight the Russians since May 5th 1945." Massani returned, earning a slight laugh from Eric. Noticing Shala's confusion, he added. "If there's one thing humans are good at, it's killing other humans."
Though she did not understand the references, she certainly understood the intent. Zaeed had a very cynical view of his species. Not without merit, either. Eric's confession of beheading a turian helped solidify that opinion. Still, she could not judge him. Eric'Shepard had no other choice than to obey a superior officers ruling. She doubted she would have done differently had she been in his place.
That was against non humans however. She had not expected such brute violence against their own species. Quarian conflict was extremely rare, even prior to the exile. The ancestors had to rebuild their armaments when the geth begun to reach self awareness.
"Keelah... I had not realized how much humans are so open to killing each other." she whispered more to Eric, who nodded grimly. Zaeed, however overheard it.
"You don't get an opinion on what we do to one another." The Mercenary growled at her, his teeth bared. "Took you lot three hundred years to sort out your goddamn feud over whether a machine can have a soul or not."
Shala nearly replied to the charge before she felt Eric's steady hand fall back onto her forearm, keeping her from lashing out at the massive and well armored merc.
"Hey, be nice to the lady. She doesn't need to put up with your shit." Eric warned Massani, setting his own glass down and glaring at the other man. Zaeed huffed, glared back at the both of them and pounded back his drink. Shala looked up to Eric, a small smile for him.
"Thank you." She graciously whispered back, unconsciously squeezing his hand.
Eric turned back to Zaeed.
"Besides. Only I'm allowed to tease her, Massani." He continued his grin, arrogantly as usual. Shala groaned silently and bowed her her head as both humans broke out into a chuckle. These primates could be so infuriating.
"Anyways, yeah. The Husks and the Indoctrinated are usually hiding, so we're killing only about a hundred husks or so a day. Artillery might be a good way to dig deeper into the city without risking ground attack fighters to their fire. Been asking real politely to break out all that old napalm and nerve agents and douse the fuckers with fire and poison, but the City Fathers and what's left of the Royals want a quick solution, Not one where they have to wait until the fires and the poison clear. " Zaeed continued, turning from the quarian to the old former soldier. "We're coordinating a ground strike into south London. Wouldn't mind having the Commander coming along."
Shala watched as Eric shrugged noncommittally. He did not look like man willing to offer his son up so willingly. He could not blame the father for feeling that way. John Shepard had risked so much as it was. All Eric wanted for his son was to settle down. Something Shala, nor Tali did not believe would happen.
"Might be able to convince him too." Was Eric's neutral response. "John says that a Reaper taskforce had landed on the farside of Palaven. Garrus asked him for some help. Good kid, that Garrus."
Zaeed gave a word of thanks as the young human waitress refreshed his large glass of human alcohol.
"Thanks love. Yeah, the turian reminds me of me as a boy." Zaeed agreed drinking from his refilled glass. "Only more ugly. Before and after taking a rocket to the face."
They chuckled again at the turians misfortune and fell silent. Zaeed leaned back into his seat once again, his eyes wandering from Eric to Shala.
"So Shepard and the quarian lass decided to hook up officially." Zaeed mused, inhaling deeply. He chuckled at the thought. "Never thought of him like that... Always seemed like the love 'em and leave 'em kinda guy. Did it to that asari. Probably even that Cerberus bitch too. Lawson."
Shala's eyes widened at the mere mention of John's past life... Tali had to fight off that many rivals in order to be with him? She knew humans were much more.. liberal about seeking mates. But humans? asari? For John to abandon such an easy access to all thee different sorts of women, just to struggle with different amino acids and an immune system that trapped Tali from him more often then it didn't.
She glance over to Eric. It was in that moment she realized she was not perfect anymore than was John Shepard. She may have had less partners, but here she was, sitting so closely and thinking... thoughts about a man who had been married. Whether or not he loved his wife was irrelevant. it was still wrong.
But... even if it was wrong... Why did she feel it to be so right?
"Well if he did Tali set him out straight than. Right, Admiral?"
Eric's voice broke over her thoughts. She glanced up at he usage of her title to find Eric smiling slightly to her. Shala turned her head back to the old Mercenary and nodded in concurrence.
"It's love. That much I am certain." She agreed, sipping on the drink she was served.
Zaeed snorted at the thought.
"Well now, that's just a goddamn shame." Zaeed commiserated as he stubbed out his cigar. He turned back to Eric, adding. "If you see that son of yours, you best be telling him to invite Zaeed along for the marriage. I normally blow 'em off, but I reckon I could make an exception."
He stood up, finished his drink and set the glass down on the table with a loud thud. Shooting both quarian and human a lazy salute, he turned and almost strutted out back into ht e street, his antiquated rifle resting his his hands. Eric shook his head and glanced at the time on his Omni-tool.
"Well.. it's getting kind of late. We should head back. Find the rest of the family and take this party back to my home."
Shala nodded very reluctantly at Eric's and let the straw drop out of her emergency induction port, her head spinning from the overindulgence. She knew it was for the best that they got back to the safety of his home... but that did not mean she liked it... not with a distant wife waiting for him, just to ignore him, while he silently drowned in his own issues.
"I don't... I don't want to leave." She admitted, feeling that she was acting very childish for a woman who held the rank of Admiral. Eric didn't judge her. Instead, he offered his hand which she accepted. She felt her body pulled up next to the man. Slowly, cautiously, he smiled.
"Come on, Shala, we have to." He said, nodding to the door. He paused, chuckled softly and added. "Don't worry, you're not alone in that sentiment."
Together they left. It was time to step away from fantasy and enter reality once again.
...

...
Reality, as it turned out, sucked.
Everyone welcomed Shala back with a touch of generosity she did not expect. Eric on the other hand, was forgetting by all except Tali. Before she realized it, everyone was in a intercontinental transport, talking animatedly to one another about the events of the day. Shala tried to join in where she could, but her attention was always drawn to Eric who sat there staring out the window, his hand folded in his lap.
It was the very definition of loneliness. A state that Shala believed he was in much more often then he would care to admit. Behind that boisterous teasing was the heart of a loner, someone who looked and felt like he belonged, somewhere, anywhere else.
She tried to talk to him, but Hannah kept her deep in military conversation. A topic she wished to not be involved in at the slightest. That's was Han'Gerrel's field, not her. All this time, Hannah was still paying no attention to the man who she claimed was married to. Not once did she turn to face him, not once did they hold hands and speak. It was silent as the void as Hannah always seemed to have a priority on everything other than him.
It made Shala so mad. So unexpectedly, but silently outraged.
Tali too, it seemed noticed that something had been wrong. She tried to engage in a conversation with Eric, but was almost immediately cut off by his wife, claiming "Eric wasn't someone to ask questions to."
Hannah Shepard, Shala determined than and there. Was just a spoiled brat with a military rank.
And still he spoke not one word. He didn't speak on the rest of the journey to the North American Continent. He did not speak on the ride home to the Shepard Estate, a home that was over two hundred and fifty years old. Restored painstakingly by the man. He did not speak during dinner, he did not speak to his grandchild, instead choosing to merely smile and kiss her and his daughter on the cheek each.
He left the home without uttering one word to anyone, not Tali, not her, not even to his own wife. Something that apparently did not faze her in the slightest.
"Sometimes he turns into a moody teenager. Just ignore him." Was Hannah's simple excuse as she drug Tali away to choose a design for the two wedding cakes they would be creating.
Shala, all alone at an empty Dinning table, sat back and felt her silent disgust turn into barely repressed rage. Shala -thank the ancestors, was not Hannah Shepard. She would not ignore this.
Eric needed someone. If it wasn't going to be his wife, than it would be his friend A friend who he happened to kiss and flirted with on a regular basis.
...

...
"Freyja? As in Freyja Metzger? Are you kidding me? How was she? Bet she gained a ton of weight."
"Not at all, she's clearly still waiting for you to reconsider marriage to her. But don't worry, I kept you safe and put her in her place. For a moment I thought you may have been telling the truth. You know? about how females fight in the name of their males honor. If that was so, I probably would have put my bootknife into her knee. Instead I decided to use my words. Somehow managed to sound as cocky as you. If that is even possible."
"Now there's the vicious engineer I know... So what are you wearing?"
Tali glanced down at her environmental suit clad body and snorted derisively.
"What am I wearing?" Tali repeated, a flirtatious tone in her voice. "John Shepard. I'm in a contaminated environment. What do you think I'm wearing? That ridiculous asari lingerie you seem to think you could get me into?"
A knock on the door caused Tali to jump in place. Without waiting to be let in, the door opened and in stepped Shala'Raan. She looked worried. as she stepped next to Tali, her eyes focusing onto the monitor showing John, who looked very concerned by the almost frazzled quarian admiral.
"I'm sorry that I am intruding, Tali, Shepard. John, your father seems somewhat upset. He left and did not say where he was going. He's been gone for hours..." Shala trailed off as she noticed that John was staring at her, his brow raised curiously... She cleared her throat, adding "I guess I'm just... concerned."
Tali nodded in agreement and turned back to her future husband.
"Yes, I wanted to say something, anything, but Hannah kept me distracted." Tali supplied, feeling slightly ashamed that she did not pay attention to the warning signs as well as Shala'Raan had. "You had said when he gets real quiet its best to let him sort it out on his own."
Shepard scratched his chin, now covered in a disgusting looking facial hair. One of the things Shepard was able to get away with whenever Tali was not around him.
"Yeah, but I reckon he'll like Shala's company better." Shepard said, He turned to Shala and added. "He probably went down to his studio. He just needs to leave before he looses his mind. If it's really that bad, then go out the back door and follow the dirt path till you hit a small building that smells awful. You'll find him there."
Tali watched as Auntie Raan nodded her head gravely at the statement, Pressing her hand briefly on Tali's shoulder, she turned and left, leaving the engaged couple in a very awkward moment. Tali, though privately smirking, made her eyes narrow at the human on the monitor.
"What?" He asked, trying not to grin at the sudden temper flare up. "Shala and him have hit it off pretty well. No sens-"
"So... your father does not like my company when he's upset?" Tali interrupted, demanding an answer as she crossed her arms. "Did he prefer Freyja Metzger, instead? She is rather pretty. Is she prettier than I am?"
Whether or not it was a channel lag did not matter, the fact it took John a Second to reply to the charge gave Tali all the reason to continue teasing him as he sputtered denial after denial. She grinned behind her mask, teasing John Shepard was a lot of fun.
"Your sister mentioned just how special wedding nights are." She haughtily reminded him. "Well, you can forget all about that now."
Shepard groaned.
...

...
The night was clear of clouds, Stars and that satellite, Luna dotted the nightsky, softly illuminating the temperate forest surrounding the Shepard ancestral home.
Shala was glad Eric was wrong about his world. Earth could be very beautiful and it would be once again. Once the constant threat of the Reaper's return subsided and rebuilding could truly begin. She stood there quietly overlooking the untouched temperate forest, her eyes following the path to the forest. Before she did, she glanced down, leaning against the post was his cane.
His cane. He wouldn't leave that alone for very long.
She thought it was odd that he went for a cane. With the amount of money he had, Surely he had options available for fixing the major damage it suffered. Cybernetics could have worked wonders. He would not need to suffer that limp for so long.
"Latesh. It's late, you're drunk. I'm going to get stoned. I have quarian houseguests over... Yeah, Tali and her pseudo aunt. Friend of her mother, sweet thing really."
Shala looked up from the cane. There coming back to the home at a slow limp was Eric, his Omni-Tool raised, his other hand carrying something concealed by the dark of the night. He was talking to someone surprisingly loud. The fact that the subject was clearly about her... It made things evident that all of what this was. The kiss, the long conversations... I meant something to him.
"I don't know... she just understands. No, I'm not stammering like a bitch. I'm just... I don't know. I guess I am stammering aren't I? You're real hilarious, haji. Oh you're not from the middle east? If you could see my face it would clearly tell you I don't give a fuc..."
Eric paused as he noticed her, sitting on the chair on the veranda. He fell silent and shuffled in place. He exhaled running his hand through his hair.
"Hello Shala'Raan. Tell me you didn't hear that."
Shala couldn't find her voice. She simply stayed very quiet. She watched as the humans playful grin died to a half smile. He looked confused by her reaction. She could not blame him. He probably never witnessed a quarian woman bubbling with hormones before. Hormones begging to be soothed for the first time in many years. They like her, were not picky about his species.
"Old war buddy." He elaborated smoothly to the silent woman. "She's insistent on checking in on me whenever she can. Figures she's a second wife or something."
Eric stepped carefully forward, minding each step as he reached up to Shala's level. As he reached her side, he groaned as he pushed his body down, leaning his back against the door. The device in his hand, some sort of glass pipe was set to the side as he slowly stretched out everything he could.
"Can't sleep?" He yawned, looking up to her slowly. Sorry you can't get out of the suit. I'll have an air filtration system set up on the next visit. Than we can hook the house up and let you get outta that thing."
"Why didn't you tell me?" She found herself breathing. "Modesty?"
Eric blinked at Shala's words. Like she had said something stupid. She cursed herself. these feelings were making her almost incoherent. She had to collect herself before She felt like a blabbering fool. Slowly, he admiral shook her head, she slid off the edge of the chair and fell to her knees in front of him, her head tilted as she waited for a reply she would not get, not without her making the picture much more clearer.
"You helped my daughter on pilgrimage and you did not bother to tell me?" She added, her voice still demanding to know.
Eric quirked his lips.
"I did what now?"
"You hired my daughter on her pilgrimage. Arah'Raan nar Tonbay." She repeated cautiously curious about his modesty. "You were the only non-quarian willing to do so. Do you not remember?"
A dawning of realization spared across his expression. Finally he seemed to understand.
"Arah? She's your daughter?" Eric repeated incredulously. "Huh."
Shala blinked. This was not what she was expecting.
"That's all you have to say? 'huh'?" Shala whispered lowly, almost shocked by his lack of response. Eric could only shrug.
"Shala, She needed a job and I had a need for a good employee." He elaborated. "She got the help she deserved. It was the least I could do."
Yet again, Eric shrugged helplessly, his grin still present. Shala scowled at his coy behavior. He wasn't helping her understand in the slightest. Did he just not care?
"You watched out for her. Filled her in on the galaxy from your eyes. You even helped her buy her a ship." Shala listed off her voice growing more and more upset with Eric's modesty "You MADE her a captain whether you realized it or not. In the four months you watched over her, she had a father in her life, one she never had from the moment she was conceived."
Still, despite all that. He still stared at her blankly, as though she had grown another head.
"You have... no idea what that means to me, do you?" Shala trailed off, her eyes darting across Eric's expression.
Eric, like before, merely shrugged idly, only infuriating the woman more.
"Will you PLEASE stop being so modest?" She nearly hissed.
Slowly, she reached out, her hands taking a hold of could hear him inhale at the touch as though he hadn't expected it. Eric glanced back up, his focused back on to Shala's eyes, now burning into his. Demanding of him an answer to her curiosities plaguing her for the past three days.
"What do you want me to say?" He whispered, his eyes narrowing. "That I made her the woman she is today? That I made her a better person? In case you haven't realized, She did that herself."
Shala nodded furiously.
"Yes she did, but it was you who gave her that confidence." Shala explained, growing more and more desperate for him to understand. "She left timid, frightened of nearly everything. Coddled and overprotected by me. When she came back she was strong confident. She specifically named you as her reason. Not by name until a few days ago. in the several months you tended to her, you gave her so much potential. She saved hundreds, thousands maybe during the Reaper War. All because you helped fulfill her dreams."
"She did that on her own." He simply explained away. "I just pointed her in a right direction."
His timid humble behavior was being drained away. He looked more and more upset, almost hurt by the constant prodding. It was as though he hated the thought of being recognized for his selflessness. It was odd to see him, so typically cocky to become so unnaturally defiant to any praise she wanted him to understand.
"Maybe so, but that does not diminish what you have done in the slightest, whether you meant it or not." Shala pressed, not paying mind to the shaking in his hand. "Nor how much I am grateful for you stumbling into Arah accidentally."
Shala felt her hands being tossed away. Eric stood up shakily his damaged leg almost unable to stand the unexpected strain. He down, grabbed his strange smoking device and threw it into his yard. She could hear the glass shatter
"ALRIGHT, GODDAMNIT!" He almost roared, causing the admiral to flinch from the sheer amount of rage he was capable of producing. He paused, his chest heaving, his eyes wild as he tried to calm down. In a lower voice, he added. "Alright can you please stop it..."
"If I say your welcome, will you just drop this?" He demanded, looking barely moments away from tears. "I hate praise, I fucking hate praise, especially during those days. I get it means a lot to you, but I try my hardest to just forget those days... they hurt too much to remember. The fucking guilt, the shit I did to myself, what I did to my family. One moment of being a decent human fucking being, doesn't make up for everything else."
Eric closed his eyes and exhaled.
"So please, Shala... Please just drop it. "
The rage, the hurt and a tone of utter begging present and it suddenly came to light for Shala. The modesty wasn't meant to belittle what he had done. What he did, as good as as it seemed to Shala'Raan, was set during one of the darkest periods of his life. A time period he would sooner wish to forget, to move on from.
She would admit, his life was much more complicated than it first appeared. Perhaps... perhaps she could help him. Hep him find and see the good that came out of that low point. He needed a new fresh pair of eyes finding the good in him. He needed her hands holding his, guiding him to a life worth living.
Something he never received before. Certainty not in quite some time. Certainly not by his wife.
"I will respect your wish to end this conversation." Shala whispered finally. "I will however, not simply drop this. I will bring this up again and again until we can talk about it."
They stared at each other, merely inches from one another. One bemused at the attention, the other staring defiantly. Neither of them dared to blink as a staring contest emerged between the Admiral and the architect. Eric blinked and sighed, slowly he shook his head chuckling to himself, wiping the mist from eyes caused by his anger and self loathing.
"You're a stubborn woman, aren't you?" He observed, still grinning teasingly. "Did you give that attitude to Tali?"
Shala shook her head, still very much disgruntled by the display of humbleness, even if he had reason to it.
"No, her mother gave her that attitude." Shala shot back, her arms crossed. "Besides, when most quarian women feel someone has done right by them, they make sure the other can at least have the common courtesy of at least accepting their praise. It may have been during a low point, but you must acknowledge the good as well."
Eric rubbed the back of his neck.
"Alright then." He murmured lowly. "I'm sorry I lost my temper. It just sort of happens when I get pushed. I never direct it towards people."
From behind her mask, Shala smiled faintly.
"Just your glass pipe." She pointed out to him, her hand gestured to the darkness.
Eric sighed and followed her gesture.
"Yeah..." Eric agreed sheepishly, his hand running through his hair. "I was going to get high... but..." He paused, looked her over and added. "I can think of better things I could be doing. being here, with you... too bad about not having an air filtration unit."
Shala bowed her head and tried to not visually show the man how much she wished the exact same thing as he did.
"I must confess, if I could take this mask off, I would probably kiss you." She slowly admitted. "Like that night in the hospital. I can't stop thinking about it. I try... but... it was..."
She trailed off as she felt her hand slowly warped into Eric's. She squeezed it, unable to do much more than that. She glance up, he seemed to understand... no... share the exact same sentiment as she did. It was not teasing or flirting. It was longing...
"Yeah. I don't think I would mind it either. So long as less teeth kissing is involved." Eric returned, earning a slight annoyed look from the Admiral. "But even here. with my wife in the house?"
Hannah. She was always a present wedge between them and... well, whatever this was.
"She hasn't given me any reason to respect her title." Shala murmured lowly, shrugging. "If you do not care for her feelings, why should I?"
She watched as the man's mouth dropped open at just how little Shala felt for his wife. It was the truth. She was not like Tali, who could hide what she felt once she felt it. For decades she pushed any thought of her own feelings aside. There had been many offers made by many men, all when she was mourning or focused on developing her career. Now, by her own design she was alone. No man would approach her.
Not until now.
"Wow, I think that may be most selfish thing I've ever heard a quarian say." Eric pointed out, looking somewhat guilty at the observation.
Shala did not respond to the charge. Instead, she simply wandered over to the comfortable looking deck swing. She sat down, the motion comforting her slightly. She looked up and found the human, the growing center of her affections had joined her, his cane in hand as he pushed himself into the seat next to her.
Together the two of them sat their, their hands meeting and squeezing on e another as they stared off into the vast nightsky.
...
Dinner was quiet.
Tali and her pseudo aunt had been guests at the home for about a week before finally John showed up. The Reapers had been driven off Palaven for the time being. The cost was high, but that was expected in this sort of war. The fact that John had gotten safely back home from Palaven cause of great excitement for Tali, who, though would never admit it, was worried every hour of every day they were apart. If John didn't report in everyday, he was in deep trouble.
He said life on Palaven was no better than it was on Earth. The Reapers had left behind armies to starve and be eradicated by turian total war doctrine. Still, it was nice to know that the turians were in the same boat as them.
Tali was very ecstatic to have him back. He had been gone for the better part of the month. Everyday seemed like a real challenge for the soon to be wife of her son. Now that he was back, Tali absolutely refused to leave his side. Hannah smirked slightly. That feeling would fade away. The Shepard men could be a very trying lot.
Notably absent at the reunion dinner was Sarah, who was dragged off to one of Anatasia's little friend's birthday party. The poor thing, nothing was more terrible than a child's birthday party. She offered her daughter one of her father's old flasks. It would help pass the time and work somewhat at suppressing the noise of the screaming children, which Hannah viewed as worse than the husks.
Hannah Shepard sighed and leaned back into her seat, her eyes wandering from the happily in love Tali and John to Shala'Raan and her own husband, Eric. Both of them silently chatting business. He would leave Earth soon and be back on Rannoch. Back, it seemed, in better company. The two of them seemed inseparable. Today, the spent the whole day together, installing new air filters and sterilization units throughout the house, so that Tali could have more time outside of her suit while visiting her in-laws.
Eric was a misanthrope. There was no other way around it. There was no other way to describe his contempt his fellow man. To see him so comfortable with a non-human was surprising, yet not unexpected if that was possible. He hated people outside his family, so to see him back to his charming self for the quarian prior to the incident on Mindoir was odd to witness.
She took a drink from her wine. Her attention falling onto Shala'Raan solely.
Hannah had thought that name to be familiar. known long before John drug Tali in front of the admiral for her blessings of the marriage. Perhaps in another lifetime. She kept the thought to herself for three years, having forgot about it until she had met Shala'Raan for the first time.
"Qualia."
Tali's deep conversation with her Fiancee stopped. She looked up to the Admiral who was drifting off.
"Excuse me?" She breathed, not paying mind to John's look of confusion.
So during some free time she accessed the Alliance archives, scanning through for any references to encountering quarians when she was a younger woman. She almost slapped herself when she found it. Between growing old, the responsibility of command and the Reaper invasion. the incident had been completely forgotten.
Hannah set her glass down and turned her eyes to Shala. She too was no longer in conversation with Eric. instead she was staring with those bright, inquisitive eyes of her. Hannah smiled lazily.
"Shala, tell me. Before you met my son. Did you have any dealings with the Alliance?" She inquired. "Incidents with Cerberus notwithstanding."
Shala glanced to Tali. Slowly, she nodded very cautiously.
"On several occasions, Admiral."
Hannah's smile widened much more. She turned to John, who was curiously staring at his mother whenever he wasn't looking at Tali and how stunned she appeared by the sudden bombshell. Hannah had to admit that she too was stunned at how this all seemed to fit together. Almost as though it as destiny, like she believed in that...
"John... How did you receive that stupid scar?" Hannah asked, much to the confusion of her son. John shrugged mildly.
"I tripped, hit a sharp edge on the SSV Everest." He explained. "Hurt like hell."
Hannah shook her head.
"No... you didn't trip." Hannah corrected her son. "I wasn't with you but there were Alliance personal around to see it. You were pushed, albeit by accident from a little quarian girl in her bubble."
She paused, smirked and gestured to Tali, who suddenly went very still.
"Why... in fact it was this quarian girl."
All Tali could do was stare wide and blink. She glanced away, her eyes looking at the faint scar tissue on the top of John's forehead.
"Me? " Was all she could get out. Hannah rolled her eyes.
"No, the other quarian girl my son is going to get married to." She returned, pushing as much sarcasm out of her tone as possible. If Tali was blushing Hannah could not see it.
"I knew I remembered the names Raan, Zorah and Qualia from somewhere." Hannah pressed on. "I suppose the Migrant Fleet was encroaching on Alliance space. The SSV Everest was sent to intercept. I was just a junior officer at the time, but you don't forget the kind of screaming match you can get into with an enraged quarian mother. It was Qualia. Your mother. John was 11, you would have been 4."
A sudden slap smacked against the back of John's head. It was Tali and she looked absolutely furious.
"I met you when I was a child and you didn't tell me? And my mother as well?" She whispered furiously at him as though the whole thing was solely his fault.
"I didn't remember that!" John shot back. "Hell, I can barely remember when I was 16, let alone 11! I remember being on the Everest but not a hell of a lot else."
Tali snorted.
"You remember how you got your wound, but you did not recall the pouncing quarian bubble that did it to you?" Tali retorted, her eyes narrowed at the Spectre.
Hannah held her hand up.
Here, let me explain." The Admiral spoke to the couple. "Before Tali tries to kill you... again."
...

...
June 17th 2165
"Before we begin, we'd like to formally greet the quarian delegation led by Admiral Rael'Zorah vas Rayya and Captain Shala'Raan vas Tonbay to the Everest. If the little one should wish to run off and play, then by all means a yeoman will take her and your wife to the recreational center. The Everest is equipped for children."
"My child is quite capable of being patient. I am certain you will not want us on your vessel for any longer than you will allow it."
"My apologies if you got that message from us. You must understand, we don't have he best track record with contacting with races we have yet to encounter before."
Tali'Zorah nar Rayya was soooo bored. The weird handed aliens were talking in such a silly language, like grunts and hisses. How her parents could pay attention to it was beyond her. She bounced slightly and noticed that mother was not paying any attention to her. Perhaps she could run off and explore the ship. it was so new and shiny. She never seen anything so spotless.
Nobody noticed as the door leading out of the room opened and she tiptoed out. She stepped lightly, staring around at the amazing ship and their strange inhabitants. It didn't take long until Tali reached the end of the corridor and to a flight of stairs. Tali widened her eyes as she glanced down the stairs. Standing there was another alien, but he was shorter than the other... it was a child!
There were children on board the ship! Perhaps she could finally get to play or do something interesting!
Just as Tali was going to careful step down the stairs to see if the child alien would play with her, one of the tall aliens brushed against her bubble. Tali lost her footing and down she went the steps, bouncing all the way until finally she hit the ground once and bounced even hard. Her bubble and her light weight hit the boy in the back.
The child grunted and was pushed forward, his head connecting into a corner of hard metal with a sickening crunch and collapsed to the ground, his face suddenly covered in a lot of red.. The alien child only grunted as his hand flew up to his head as he sat back up. The red fluid which she assumed was blood flowing freely down the side of his face.
The closest alien was female, she rushed to his side, her arm wrapping around his shoulder.
"John, Christ boy, are you alright?" She asked of him. The boy named John nodded his head.
"Yes Captain... I think I need some bandages."
Tali stared blankly at the two alien barking away in their language. She did not noticed that he red stuff coming from he boy's head was being dripped on her as he focused his dull looking eyes down on her. Tali smiled brightly at him. The boy however, didn't return the smile. He was mad at her.
...
"Second Lieutenant Shepard, drop whatever you're doing. Your son has been injured. He's outside the communication center."
Second Lieutenant Hannah Shepard looked up from the NAV terminal. Captain Ingridson? What the hell had John done now? Leaving the navigation she nearly broke into a run to get to the communication center.
It didn't take long for her to find him. He was surrounded by Captain Ingridson, who was down on her knees next to her son and Medical Officer Kelly Patel, who was carefully examining the wound. Then there was someone in front of the that caught her off guard. A alien child in a bubble.
A quarian?
Hannah shook her head and stepped forward, joining her son and her superior officer. Patel looked up to her and smiled slightly.
"That wound isn't going anywhere." Patel mused. "It's going to need a dozen stitches at least."
Hannah nodded.
"Do it... John, what happened?" She asked as she took over wiping the blood off her son's face, now rigid and refusing to admit he was in pain. John grunted and glanced down to the alien in the bubble.
"I wanted to go and send a message to Dad. I was waiting, then I got hit by her."
Medical Officer Patel looked up to the mother.
"Okay, I'm going to get ready." Patel requested. "Please hold the wound, Ma'am."
Hannah sighed and followed Patel's request, her hand digging deeply into her son's forehead and scalp. She glanced down and noticed the small alien in her bubble. She was swaying back and forth, as though bored. Her eyes were held onto her victim, John. She appeared to be smiling, or trying to raise any sort of emotion from the boy.
From behind them, furious screaming erupting from thew stairs leading to the conference room. It was another alien, feminine. It was the child's mother and she did not sound happy in the least.
The quarian pushed past the crowd, pushed past her and fell to her knees neck to her child. She did not have a translator, so her screams came on deaf ears... well soon to be deaf. She could holler louder than the banshees from mythology. Without even waiting, she nearly pushed Patel out of the way so she too could dig through the medical bag. What she found was a box of antiseptic wipe tissues, which she opened and started furiously washing the blood out of the bubble.
She looked up, her eyes latched onto hers. She seemed to deduce that Hannah was the mother of John. Her chirping shouts were suddenly directed to her as though it had been John and her fault that the quarian's child was unattended too.
Captain Michelle Ingridson stood far back from the shouting, she looked like she was close to breaking down into a fit of laughter.
"With all due respect, What in the hell is this bitch hollering at me for, Ma'am?" Hannah said as she held her hand tightly over her son's head wound. John didn't make a noise. He was much too old to cry.
"Your son got blood all over her daughter's bubble. They're a race of clean freaks. What do you expect? Praise?" The captain finally laughed.
The alien mother screaming in her alien tongue only grew as she furiously tried to work the stubborn human blood out of the bubble, not paying any attention to the gathering of quarian and alliance men and women. The child in the bubble could only giggle at all the attention she was receiving. She seemed to love being at the center of attention, especially John's who stared furiously at her.
"Is she giving you a headache, John?" Hannah muttered. John nodded, wincing. She chuckled humorlessly and added. "Yeah, me too."
Suddenly the Omni-Tool translator on the quarian's arm flickered to life. It was sending and receiving once more.
"-And You're a lousy mother!" The quarian screamed in perfect English.
The conversation and light laughter died at the utterance. The crew members of the Everest and even Captain Ingridson looked shocked and suddenly rather nervous. You didn't call Hannah a lousy parent and simply walk away from it unscathed.
Hannah blinked and looked up to the quarian.
"The fuck did you just call me?"
All the attention she held on her son was gone. She simply took John's hand, forced it to clutch the wound and stood up, her eyes narrowing at the quarian who recoiled with wide eyes as the human woman stood and loomed right over the mother and her small child.
"I dare you to repeat that, sweetheart." Hannah challenged the quarian.
The quarian mother stood up as well; Now eye to eye with the human.
"You're a lousy mother." She hissed, leaning forward as if daring the human to hit her.
Hitting her? It something Hannah would have gladly obliged had the Captain and now Rear Admiral Stephen Hackett not been standing right there. Behind him was another quarian, broader and masculine. It was the father of the child, the mother's husband. He crossed his arms. He didn't look happy.
"Lieutenant, Stand down. Beating another mother is unbecoming." Rear Admiral Hackett ordered. Hannah backed away and snapped out a crisp salute to the CO of the ship.
"Aye, sir." She simply said, all thoughts of turning the woman into a purple mist vanished as military discipline set back in.
Turning away from the elder Shepard, he placed his hand onto John's shoulder, his attention back into the quarians.
"Miss Qualia'Zorah, Admiral Rael'Zorah. Please forgive this incident." Hackett apologized on behalf of Hannah, who at least appeared sheepish for her reaction to the challenge she issued Qualia. "John didn't mean to contaminate her bubble, just as I'm certain the child didn't mean harm on our future marine here. Am I right son?"
John nodded as the stitch work was applied by Medical Officer Patel.
"Didn't even hurt, sir." He stated modestly. Admiral Hackett clapped his hand onto John's shoulder, almost as though he had been related to him.
"That's the spirit son." Hackett praised the unflinching preteen. "Pain is only a mindset. Only those strong enough can embrace that concept. Why don't you take Miss Zorah down to the recreation center. Perhaps you can find her something to take her attention off hurting you."
He paused, watching in mild amusement as the small child pulled onto John's arm, something the boy was furiously trying to ignore.
"Which is apparently something she likes to do..." Hackett tacked on. He turned to Admiral Zorah and gestured back the way they came from. Rael'Zorah shot a hard, appraising look at John, but turned away wordlessly, as he instead followed the fellow Admiral back to the rest of the delegation.
Qualia did not join her husband, Captain Ingridson and Hackett, not at first. The borrowed sterilization napkins were still being used by her. She paid no attention to Tali's giggles and clutching of the human boy she ran over, her sole focus was on getting the bubble clean. Hannah frowned and felt an ounce of respect for the woman. It must have been terrifying to live with the thought that one day an infection could kill her little life in a matter of minutes...
"Her name is Tali,." Qualia finally spoke rather stiffly to the human mother as she finished cleaning the last of the blood off the bubble.. "You're to blame if anything happens to my daughter."
Hannah narrowed her eyes.
"His name is John." Hannah returned stiffly, gesturing to her boy. "I don't have time to babysit your child. But John does."
Hannah shot her son a simple stare that killed all resistance in his expression. He silently glowered as he gave Patel a word of thanks fore her quick and mostly painless stitch work. The two mothers, Qualia and Hannah simply stared at one another. neither of them moving. Finally Hannah, having been clearly the only reasonable one, cleared her throat.
"You heard the Admiral Hackett, John." She commanded, not taking her eyes off the quarian "Take her along to the recreational deck."
John groaned.
"I'm don't want to drag some babbling baby around." He complained "Besides, I have schoolwork to do."
Hannah blinked and looked down on him.
"Do it." She snapped. "Qualia and I have to talk about that girl's dowry."
...

...
"Yeah, I'm calling bullshit on that."
Hannah looked up ad noticed John sitting there, his arms crossed as he stared at her. Hannah finished her drink, smiling into her glass.
"Alright, I made the last part up." She admitted. "Anyways, You took her to the elevator and I suppose it was Qualia who collected her. That's all I know."
The table fell quiet as Tali and John both absorbed what they had been told. John looked up finally amused that this had happened. It was Tali, however that seemed more upset."
"Auntie Raan, why didn't you tell me this happened?" Tali demanded,e turning her attention on the silent older woman. Shala shook her head apologetically.
"I did not know this had happened." Shala returned. "Rael excused himself with Admiral Hackett when Qualia left. I continued negotiations with the Alliance representative. When they came back, they did not speak about it. They said you were in the care of other children on the ship. Then you came back... you seemed so happy."
Tali nodded. Looking at John briefly, with Hannah assumed was a smile, she stood up and wandered over to Hannah. Before Hannah could react, Tali had pulled Hannah into a tight hug. Hannah exhaled and returned it.
"You don't understand what that story meant to me, Hannah." Tali whispered into her future mother-in-law's arms. "Usually those around me tell stories of her selflessness, how she was perfect in every possible way. I'm ... happy that you gave me a memory that showed her as a real person. I did not know she had a temper."
Hannah smiled and allowed Tali to escape, albeit only to arms length.
"It's my pleasure, Tali." She returned, cupping Tali's faceplate. "I only wish I could have more to share with you. Eric and you have much more in common than I thought."
Eric grunted.
"Except my mom decided to hang herself. Lovely lass, my mom."
The other four, usually well adjusted people, suddenly went silent as an awkward pause was caused by a father who looked unfazed about joking over his mother's untimely death. Shala glanced over to him. He looked up, slightly smirked and shrugged before going back to idly twiddling his thumbs
John cleared his throat, his arm looping into Tali's.
"On that note, I'm going to have to steal Tali from you now." He spoke through the awkward silence. "Has the sterilization unit been installed?"
Eric through his hand out, as though waving his son off.
"All done, try not to break her, boy."
Being led away by John, Tali fumed as her future Father-in-Law cackled her expense. Growling slightly, she turned back.
"If you hear John scream it's because I broke him. Quarian's aren't fragile like humans." She boasted. Hannah laughed as Eric's eyes went wide and his skin blushed with embarrassment.
It wasn't the comeback that got Eric red in the face however. What neither Sarah, John, not even Tali saw. Was how smug Shala'Raan looked as she crossed her arms and stared down Eric as though he was a piece of meat. The look Shala gave pretty much confirmed just how right Tali might have been.
...

...
"What do you know, destiny, eh?"
"Coincidence at best."
John rolled his eyes as he undressed. How could he have not expected that response? His mother could have told them that they had been best friends as young children and it wouldn't have made the slightest dent in her attitude towards concepts that were based outside the realms of hard fact.
"Can it kill you to be female on occasion?" He wondered aloud as he pulled on some sleeping attire and looked her over. "Do you know how many women would get wet if they found out their husband and them met as children?"
As he turned away, long, thin arms wrapped around his chest, pulling the human into a tight embrace.
"Well I'm not one of them." Tali whispered into his ear. "If you want me to bed you, I suggest you change that attitude."
The hiss of the mask being detached came from and a sudden pair of small lip pressed right up against his cheek. Smiling into the affection, he turned his head, Tali took the hint and pressed her lips against his briefly before sliding down to capture his neck with her sharp teeth and tongue.
"Yes, Admiral Zorah." He moaned, almost submissively as he allowed the suddenly amorous quarian have her way with him.
John fell silent as the quarian pulled back and slinked off him as she slowly worked her suit off. The newly installed air filtration and sterilization units were working like a charm. Now naked she fumbled around through her new collection of garments to wear. Now in one of his old Alliance shirts. She turned back and crawled into his waiting arms. John laid back, Tali curled up right on top of him, forcing the Spectre to grunt slightly.
As Hands begun roaming over all of Tali's gorgeous curves, a prelude to almost every sexual encounter. He paused he noticed Tali appearing rather distracted by something she seemed to be debating to tell him. Finally, she broke her silence as she pulled her head from off his chest to look him in the eyes.
"So I've been thinking lately... about us."
Shepard nodded his head, more than confident that this wasn't a break up or anything. Tali's reverence broke as she slowly, carefully allowed a smile to be seen as she played with his many fingers.
"I think... No, I want children... Not now, but pretty soon." She admitted very nervously. "I want to be mother."
John felt his heart push up into his chest... Tali never discussed children before. At any mention of them, she would immediately draw attention away from the subject with sexual temptations and false claims that she needed to go help Arah or Shala do something. So about two years ago, John stopped bringing it up... He didn't want her to fall into a position that she wasn't ready for or didn't plain want.
To have her this open about the subject was very rare.
Tali crawled off her human and stood back up. She appeared to be pacing as she thought the topic over internally. He had to admit, it was rather funny to watch her get this worked up. Tali stopped pacing and turned to him. Her eyes were wide and wild as they stared at him.
"Do you... Do you think I'll make a good mother?" She demanded to know from him.
John did he best not to snort and laugh at her question. Of course she would be great.
"The very best." He simply stated.
Tali stepped forward, her knees touching the edge of the bed as her held hung low. He watched as her hand reached up and copied his quirk: She rubbing her neck.
"I'll never as good as my mother... but... But I mean... I mean, I'll try..." Tali spoke as though she hadn't heard him praise her. "We'll be good parents, right?" She added, suddenly sounding very uncertain again. "We won't be too overbearing? Right? I-I just want them to have a life where they don't have to worry about anything..."
John squeezed her hand comforting the nearly ranting woman. Tali paused and looked back up to the soon to be human body pillow.
"I'll do my best not apply military training to the parenting." John promised his soon-to-be wife. Tali nodded, both agreeing with his sentiment and appearing relieved that he would not take command of the children as though they had been his old crew on the Normandy..
"Or have an unreachable expectation..." Tali tacked on, her brooding thoughts clearly fell to her father. Slowly John sighed. Rael'Zorah had be quite possibly the only thing that could ever dampen the mood between the two of them. He had been dead for nearly four years and she still had an axe to grind with him.
"Or sending them off on some stupid pilgrimage only to get them caught up with some unsavorycharacters.." John spoke again in an attempt to lighten her mood.
Tali looked up to him, her thin lips curling into a smile as she softly chuckled.
"Especially those handsome, troublesome ship captain's. They can be much too seductive for their own good." She finally teased, somewhat halfheartedly.
Tali exhaled and pushed herself back onto the bed sitting right into her human's lap. He smiled confidently as his arms wrapped around her into a hug. The tension in the quarian died as she slumped into John's chest.
"Do you have any suggestions?" John finally spoke as he pulled one arm away from her waist so his hand could play with her braids. Tali purred into his chest at the gentle tugging.
"Adoption." She said as though it had been the only and the most obvious answer in the world.
Adoption? It was John's turn to rub the back of his neck.
"You do realize that I'm perfectly fine with in-vitro fertilization or whatever, right?" He informed her as his hands rubbed up and down her long arching spine. "I wouldn't mind seeing a pregnant Tali, you know..."
Tali pulled her head back and simply stared at him as though he had grown a second head.
"That might be fine with you, but it's not with me." Tali almost hissed. She paused and with a much more steady tone, she added. "I don't want to have something that you cant share fully with me... with adoption at least we're on equal footing. Call it a quirk, an eccentricity, call it a cultural difference, just forgive me if it's possible. I just don't want to have anyone else's child, even if its just a...well... I don't know."
John laughed slightly at Tali's lack of solid reasoning against having her own child. Sometimes that was okay not to have a proper reason, everyone was allowed to have an illogical fear or petty concern. He pushed his head up and pressed his lips against her forehead. His affection made he quarian's toes curl.
"Alright then, adoption it is." John confirmed, his hand grazing her cheek.
Tali nodded, her eyes closed as she leaned in.
"Adoption is what I want, John..." She mumbled sleepily, now buried deep into his neck. " I just want a family with you."
They fell silent. Tali once again seemed to fall back deep into her thoughts. Probably about plans for adding on several rooms for children in their unfinished home on Rannoch. Suddenly, the woman actually giggled.
"Keelah, I wonder what went on between us when our mothers sent us off." Tali wondered allowed. "I seemed like such a pest, and you were like a young Garrus Vakarian. Stick up your ass and everything."
John facepalmed.
"I'm not sure... I can't remember much before I was thirteen." He once again admitted to the quarian on top of him. "But I still have this scar..." He paused and smirked "Think you can kiss it better? Since you're responsible for it and all..."
John grinned as Tali did just that, her lips pressed against the faint scar tissue. Oh... he was going to milk this incident for all it was worth. Before he could react however, Tali tugged her shirt off, once more exposed. her chest heaving into his as she leaned forward, her lips almost touching his.
"Oh...I think I can do a lot better then a kiss... Right?"
John swallowed and nodded. Thought of their run in all those years ago and the children of their future were pushed aside as they made love for the rest of the night.
...

...
"Will you stop please stop bouncing? Dammit I'm trying to concentrate!"
The small alien in the bubble ignored him as she yet again bounced against the studious John Shepard. His educator was going to be angry if he failed anymore basic mathematics. Now he was trying and he was being poked and prodded like he was the curiosity, not her. She would not shut up either, she went on and on and on and on and on in a language that sounded like a lot of squealing to him.
Speaking of annoying, the girl known as Tali was now in the middle of a one sided game of peek at him and hide the moment he looked. He had no time for this. Why couldn't she just sit down and watch a vid or something. Something a normal kid would do. No... instead he was the focus of her attention.
He sighed as he finished another equation.
"U'Tawe!" The girl suddenly screamed, bouncing out of her hiding place and latching onto his arm. John yelped as he shook the girl off him. Giggling again, the pest bounced away. John growled slightly. She was really starting to get on his nerves now.
"Yesu, Johnny, where did you pick that alien from... What happened?"
Shepard looked up with an annoyed look in his expression. It vanished as he took in the sight of his best friend, Kefilwe Van Rooyen. The girl flattened her dress as she sat down next to John. Her eyes were flickering from his forehead to the Alien, who was smiling toothily at the boy.
"First, stop calling me Johnny. Secondly she came with the quarians, and she did this." He said, pointing to his injury. The child's hand reached and grabbed his again. He groaned, adding "Oh, will you Please just let go of my hand?"
Tali giggled, not in the slightest bothered by his anger. Breaking the grip, he turned to Kefilwe, who was barely able to control her laughter.
"She keeps grabbing it like it's the funniest thing she ever seen." John grumbled as he turned his abused hand into a fist briefly before releasing. "It's annoying."
Kefilwe on the other hand, had a completely different view on the issue. Her eyes widened, her soft chocolate toned skin seemed to blush as she watched the two of them.
"I think she likes you, Johnny! That's soooo adorable." The girl actually gushed as she watched the child continue her antics, bothered by him being an alien to her.
John scowled at the girl next to him.
"She's a baby! That's gross!"
Kefilwe rolled her eyes at the remark.
John stuck his tongue out, still very disgusted at the thought. Though he had to admit it was strange. Here she was in the company of another human and she seemed only focused on him,. Perhaps her people were simple minded when they were young... Or perhaps he was being a bit rough on her. She was pretty young to be seriously angry at. Even if she decided to scar him for life.
Before John realized it, the ship's intercom broke overhead of him. It was his mother.
"John, report to the briefing room with the child." She said."Her parents are to depart."
John sighed and nodded, pushing himself up from the couch and standing over the Bubble holding the quarian in side. She looked up, wide eyed at his much taller and broader form. Quietly he gestured for her to follow.
"Come on." He almost ordered.
Tali the quarian pest simply blinked. John facepalmed as he tried to ignore the girl he fancied laughter.
"Listen, I haven't got all day here, you have to leave now." He pressed on, knowing full well that the now babbling quarian could not understand him. John watched her screech and point to his hand. He lifted his hand again and carefully examined it.
Well... perhaps it would work.
John held it out to the curious little girl. She stepped forward, well, bounced forward her head tilted as she looked at the hand before finally latching on with a sudden happy chirp. From behind them, Kefilwe clapped as though he had performed a magic trick.
"Awwww... how sweet! She does like you!" She crowed and swooned.
John rolled his eyes as he led the quarian, now happily bouncing out of the recreation room and back at her parents, her hand clutching his like a vice.
"Shoot me dead if I ever feel the same for this pest." He called back to his friend.
Tali pulled his arm, he glanced down and found the alien girl staring up at him with her wide, break eyes. John sighed... perhaps she wasn't thaaat bad.
Chapter One: The News
She really hated having to go back on active duty. It meant for the next five months, she would be confined to the occasional two-week R&R rotation and weekend passes, cutting her time with her daughter. This would be her last rotation. She did not have the stomach to continue service.
Sarah Shepard's alliance career was much shorter and far less glamorous as her older brother's was. She signed up a two months and a day before the Reapers landed. Doing the exact opposite of what her brother wanted her to do. Run and hide. Well that wasn't in her. Sure, she never had an interest in the Alliance life like her brother had, preferring instead a much more simple life of raising a daughter and a career employed in Sirta Foundation.
That all changed when one day her father came home and declared that John was right. The Reapers were coming and he was going to get her and two year old Anastasia off Earth and hidden sleepy Noveria of all places. Which in hindsight was a genius move on his part. Noveria was one of the few places untouched by the Reapers. Most likely because it was a hive of Cerberus activity there.
She, however, stayed behind. She would fight for her family, she would fight for her daughter who did not deserve the unspeakable fate that had fallen on billions of her fellow citizens of the galaxy. Her father absolutely hated the idea; but there was not choice in the matter for him.
Her weapon of choice was not a rifle or a ship. It was her brain and her words. She joined Alliance InOp's. Serving as a guardian angel of sorts to the men and women on the front lines, providing data on the enemy, keeping them from running blind into the husks swarms, keeping them motivated and sane... In some way she became a mother to the men who listened to her nineteen hours a day, everyday.
They gave her her very own call sign: Snake Mother. Chosen by a servicewoman named Zao Chen. Supportive, affectionate but distant... and if anyone messed with the company, she watched over like a mother over her child, there was instant and brutal retribution. Something the Men and Women of H company of the 186th Light Infantry Division witnessed when they were pinned down by Reapers. Somehow through sheer luck she managed to call in an airstrike that burned a city block filled with husks gearing up to roll right over them.
Her surname also brought a comfort to the men and women stuck in the mud and grime. Not giving a thought to censoring herself, she told them that her mother was building and defending the superweapon to stop the Reapers. She told them that her brother was off doing what he did best. Fuck a helluvalotta shit up and making impossible alliances to bring to Earth and break the Reaper's grip once and for all.
The superweapon, the Crucible may have never been delivered, but her brother made good on his promise. He brought everyone. Humans, asari, turians, salarians, the quarians and even their machines. He rained a hell so deadly on the Reaper invasion force that many had been destroyed, most of them fled.
The war wasn't over. Not by a long shot. John stood inf ront off the delegations of each species and told them flat out that this war was not one that would end in a compromise. It would be long, bloody and would end in one of two ways: Us or Them.
For once, the bureaucrats listened to what he said.
The war was terrible and heartbreaking to bear witness, but if there was one bright spot, it was the good that finally came back to him. Gone was arrogance of his youth, replacing it was a willingness to grow, learn, be tolerant and cooperate.
Most figured it was all the doing of years of working with non-humans. Sarah figured that was the case as well, until half a year ago when John showed up at home holding the the hand of a quarian called Tali'Zorah. It did not take long for her to realize that she was the primary reason for his change. She taught him how to be a good man, whether she knew it or not.
Suddenly a pair of Alliance fighters roared just over her, interrupting her musings on a future sister. Sarah blinked. What in the hell were they doing?
They seemed to be in trouble, one of them clearly trailing smoke, the other was unharmed. As they retreated past her; a sudden screech sent shivers down her spine. It was a sound she begged never to hear again. Sarah glanced out the sideway mirror. It was a Harvester, coming up at a fast pace. The long, lancer weapons took aim on her defenseless air car.
She dived, trying to evade. The Harvester followed, screaming that god awful scream. She gripped the controls as she tried to suppress the urge to scream.
The undamaged fighter broke rank from his wounded wingman and pulled back, He seemed to have noticed her. This was confirmed when the pilot fired three quick bursts, causing a even more horrifying scream from the husk as it was hit. It redirected its fire and smashed through the fighter, catching the bird on fire.
The pilot ejected from his cockpit, leaving the aircar by itself once again. She watched as the weapons charged.
It was too late to flee.
Trembling, Sarah continued gripped the control, her thoughts falling onto a daughter she would never see grow up. though her life was over, She smiled slightly, fighting to hold back her tears as she accepted that this was her fate. Anna would be safe. She had a whole family that would protect better then she could alone.
She closed her eyes.
All Sarah could feel was the heat of the weapon hitting her and the deafening explosion that took her. Then ... Nothing.
...

...
Eric Shepard's eyes opened wide. A knock on the door woke him from his catnap. He tried to get up but some sort of weight was pinning his arm. He glanced the source of the weight. It was his granddaughter laying there in a deep sleep. He smiled slightly. How he managed to wear that girl out by playing hide and go seek tag was beyond him. It wasn't exactly difficult to out maneuver a cripple.
Giving the small child a peck on her head, he sat up and gently tugged his arm from out of Anna's grasp. She whimpered slightly in her sleep but she did not move.
Yet again the door was knocked on. Who the hell was it? He didn't recall asking for company. He looked around and found his cane missing... That little menace. She hid it, again!
Grumbling about a little cane-stealing pest, He slowly, painfully maneuvered himself out of the living room and into the hallway leading to the front door. A loud knock came again.
"Alright, goddammit, hold your horses." He rumbled in the direction of the door. Obviously they hadn't heard because again the knock rung through the way. He paused took a breath and stared at his useless leg. Perhaps it was time to do something about it.
Pushing all the pain shooting through dead muscle and gritted as he hobbled faster until finally he grabbed a hold of the doorknob, tugging the handle wide open.
The sunshine blinded him for a brief second. As soon as his eyes adjusted, he found himself staring at several at several tall, serious looking men. All dressed in formal Alliance uniforms. All of them were wearing identical frowns. Behind them was another soldier, different then the others. He was banged up pretty bad, his arm in a sling.
There was nothing but silence for a good minute as Eric's eyes slowly scanned each of the grim faces. As soon as he closed, his eyes and willed himself not to break down. A rough voice called out.
"Commander-"
"Eric." He cut them off. His arms crossing. On the surface his mask field, but inwardly his stomach dropped his heart pounded.
He knew exactly what this was.
"There was an incident." The leader of them spoke to him, stepping forward. "On behalf of the chairman of Alliance Defense, Fleet Admiral Stephen Hackett, we would regretfully like to inform you that your daughter, Specialist Sarah Elizabeth Shepard was killed in transit to Alliance Sector 7 Overwatch. There are no words to express our sincerest sympathy."
His heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. Breathing became difficult to manage. Sarah, his little girl was dead... and they were offering their sympathy.
Fuck them...
He didn't want their fucking sympathy. Sarah was dead. His little girl was taken from him. How his legs still supported him was behind his comprehension.
"How did she die?" He finally whispered, not a question, but a demand, his breathing unsteady as he looked for an answer from each of the men in front of him. It was an answer he did not get.
He turned his eyes down to the military shuttle, where the wounded man stood. They locked eyes. The wounded man needed no prodding. He simply stepped forward and past the protesting looks giving by the desk jockeys.
"A Harvester, sir. It broke out of the Vancouver containment zone." He admitted, his voice hoarse. "We pursued but it was too fast... It encountered Specialist Shepard's aircar..."
The pilot paused.
"I tried... I really tried-"
"Is there anything left of my daughter to bury?" The father cut across, his eyes narrowing.
The pilot shook his head.
"No... I'm sorry, sir. "
Eric nodded blankly, his head hung low. He swallowed the knot in his throat back and refused to give into the tears, now brewing in his eyes. He turned away from the pilot and back to the others. The leader of the group gestured to the man next to him. He had a kind empathy filled smile. Eric silently glowered at him.
"This is Chaplain Hertzog; he wished to be her-"
"Forgive me for the heresy, but that's Hannah's garbage, not mine." Eric growled right back at them with as much menace as he could produce. "I don't need your goddamn priest. I need my daughter. Can you get me her instead?"
Silence.
"I fucking thought so. Talk to Admiral Shepard if you need anything." He said, speaking to the ranking officer. "You'll have to excuse me... I've got to see to a granddaughter whose never going to see her mother against because you lot couldn't fucking handle it."
Giving the fighter pilot a nod, Eric stepped back into the house and slammed the door behind him. He exhaled, his back against the door as he slowly slid down to the ground. He wanted to cry but really couldn't. In the other room he had a granddaughter still asleep in blissful ignorance. He was dreading this now. First a absent, then dead father... How in fuck was he going to tell that girl that her mother was gone as well?
He closed his eyes and exhaled. He would save his tears until after Anna knew.
...

...
"Ma'am, Command has approved maneuvering the fleet out of the Alliance space and rendezvous with the 71st turian fleet gathering over Palaven."
"How long before we can mobilize and move out?"
"Four days. If conditions are perfect, three."
Admiral Hannah Shepard took a long drag of her cigarette under the watchful stares of all of her subordinates. Slowly, she exhaled, her eyes closed briefly She nodded accepting the Captain's assessment. She leaned back into her seat, idly.
"Tell the turian Fleet Commander we'll meet him in four days." She finally ordered. "If we can push it to three, we'll tell them then. Any other business?"
Captain Mark Davison, Commanding Officer of the Orizaba stood up. Leaving the cigarette dangling from her lip, she looked up at the much too formal man.
"My engineers on the Orizaba have been requesting to spend a few days in drydock." Mark elaborated to his Admiral. "We have some serious electrical glitches in the control panels. They could affect performance if left alone. If the drydock makes it a top priority, I can see the issues taking no more than 36 hours to solve."
Hannah nodded.
"Approved, Captain." She agreed. She turned to the rest of the officers and added. "The Reapers need to be fought with our ships in the best condition possible. Otherwise we're going to be at a disadvantage. Do your best to mobilize but try even harder to make sure your ships is error free."
"ATTENTION ON DECK!"
The occupants of the room flew up out of their seats as Fleet Admiral Stephen Hackett stepped into the room. All except Hannah, who remained both seated and smoking.
"At ease." He ordered the room before turning to Hannah and added. "Admiral Shepard, I need to speak to you, It's best if you send your men on their duties."
Hannah nodded casually and turned back to the room in general.
"Alright, You heard the Fleet Admiral, Ladies and Gentlemen. You're all dismissed, file any reports to my attache. I'll get on them as soon as I have the time."
Receiving a round of salutes from the men and women, the two admirals watched silently as they filed out one by one. As the last man left, Hannah stood up and offered her superior officer a sharp salute and a friendly smile. A smile that usually was returned. Not this time however. Hackett looked as though he had been punched in the gut.
"Admiral Hackett, how can I help you?" Hannah questioned, still smiling for him.
Stephen's eyes glance up and met hers. Hannah's smile died. Hackett appeared almost misty eyes, like it was too hard to face her. She knew this look... she witnessed it five years ago after the Collectors shot down and killed John. Hannah's face hardened, a defense mechanism against the pain of public mourning was set up as her mind debated who had died.
"Something happened, Hannah. I think you should sit down." Hackett spoke, gesturing to the seat.
Hannah shook her head.
"No, I think you should just tell me." She managed to get out, her voice remaining in full control of her emotions.
...

...
"Can I freshen your drink?"
"Thank you, John. You know, you could make a good server. The pay will be good and tips even better if your wife lets you flirt with the customers. Shaking that ass of yours would make you a very wealthy man."
John could only smirk at the coy looking Marhna'Prince and Tali who blatantly seemed to agree with her sentiment.
Tonight was a small gathering. A small victory had occurred today. Marhna and David Prince were at long last approved to open their first club since the start of the war. The Prince Enterprise as it was apparently called was back up and running after a three year hiatus. The combined efforts of Cerberus and the Reapers had destroyed everything David and Marhna had been working on for decades. Leaving the couple near destitute.
The war had destroyed their lives. Taking credits, business, even their own children from them. Still they persisted. Damaged and changed people, yes, but they had their lives, two of their children survived and they had each other. It wasn't much, but it was something, and it was much more than what billions of others could say.
They seemed happily in love despite what had happened. The loss of a child, at Marhna'Prince's own hand no less, did not shatter the marriage like he had expected.
Marhna, Tali and Quawe'Queara -Marhna's sister, were speaking to one another in rapid bubbly Khellish. Leaving John playing host and making conversation with the other two members of this get together. David Prince, and currently speaking in a dangerous voice to one of her subordinates back on Omega, Aria T'Loak. Who was making the whole thing possible for the Prince's. Her blood money was being used to fund the venture on Rannoch. A payback for the Prince's sheltering her during the Cerberus forced exile off Omega.
"Idiots." She muttered as she closed her commlink connection and turned up to face John as he approached approached her. "Do you have any interest in coming back to Omega and breaking some heads on my behalf?"
Aria sighed and sat back down on a loveseat. She leaned back into it and and sighed lazily.
"I'm still surprised to find you living here, and being comfortable with this... quiet. I suppose your little quarian has tamed you..."
Aria and John's eyes fell to the purple suited quarian. Who was still in deep conversation with Marhna and her younger sister. Quawe, who had been occasionally shooting looks John's way. John groaned every time that she did so. He still had a date he owed her for saving his father's life. Apparently Tali had been pretty vague about the terms of the date. Jesus, for all he knew that girl was going to screw his brains out.
Tali would look too, her body language screaming amusement at the situation she put her fiancee into.
"If it makes you feel any better, there's a pistol under the loveseat." Shepard informed her as he refilled her glass of asari brandy. "Every room in the house contains at least one weapon. Made all sorts of enemies over the years. It's unlikely the Reapers wiped them all out for me."
Aria, smirked into her glass.
"If there is one good thing that came out of the Reaper invasion. It was what they did to Thessia." She spoke up, whirling her glass idly. "Most of my political enemies were wiped out in a matter of hours. I really should send the machines a thank you card. They did what I could only dream."
Standing at the liquor cabinet, David downed his drink in one. He did not look impressed by the banter.
"You two are grim as fuck, you know? Are you sure there is no family ties?" He asked, earning a gentle laugh from the asari.
John laughed as well. He glanced over and noticed that the quarian women were looking at him and whispering away in a language John had been struggling to learn since the crash on Gel Hinnom. John smirked at Tali and nodded as though they had locked eyes for the first time and he was hitting on her. Tali rolled her eyes and turned back to Marhna, who by being suitless, showed just how amused the women appeared to be at his expense.
The Omni-Tool on his arm flashed to life. It was a message from his mother of all people. Wasn't she suppose to gearing up for a tour with the turians?
"I'll be right back." He said, standing up. "Help yourself."
Snorting a line off the cabinet, David looked up with a blank look as Shepard patted his back. He nodded lifelessly before he stumbled over to the couch that held the three quarians. Without any warning, he lifted Marhna up and sat where she was, placing the unnaturally thin quarian on his lap his hands wrapped around her waist.
"I know you ladies have been giggling about me..." He mumbled lamely, resting his back into the couch and pulling his glasses off his head. Marhna rolled her eyes.
"We were giggling about how stupidly scrawny you look compared to John."
"Least I'm not anorexic." He mumbled. "When was the last time you ate? A month ago? You're just bones."
Tali's eyes went wide. Marhna, however, simply stared at him with those cold menacing eyes. She pushed her braids away and turned away. Her attention officially off the human. David lowered his head, looking slightly ashamed at his observation, no matter how correct he may have been in Tali own opinion.
Aria T'loak, stood up and wandered to the quarians and human, her eyes focused on nobody but Tali. Tali flinched under the stare. Aria T'loak was the last person she wanted in her home. She was, however, a guest of John's.
"So... Tell me, Zorah." Aria spoke, addressing Tali for the first time since they met four years prior. "How do sleep at night, knowing you tamed and caged quite possibly the most skilled killer the galaxy has ever seen? A lot of people such as myself would kill to have him under their control."
Tali glanced at Marhna, who seemed almost amused by the observation.
"He's done answering to anyone other than the Council, and they answer to him most of the time." She retorted. "As for sleeping... well I sleep quite well knowing the likes of you will never corrupt him again."
David winced as Aria scowled in Tali's direction.
Before the debate over Shepard's loyalties could be raged. Quawe turned away.
"Shepard?" She spoke up, her head tilted as she stared at the exit to the kitchen. Tali turned as well, shocked at the sight.
John had reappeared from out of the kitchen, he walked as though he was a zombie from the human horror films. Quietly he wandered back to a seat and slumped into it. Tali watched him the whole way. He appeared, dazed... almost lost in his own home. In his hand a bottle of strong looking alcoholic and a glass. Silently, he poured himself a drink. His hand shaking as the amber liquid sloshed in both the glass and bottle.
The hand holding the glass weakened and allowed it to fall onto the hardwood floor with a dull thud. Whiskey staining the wood. Tali flew up.
"John!" She called, but he did not hear. Instead he looked at the bottle and took a deep swig of it, before setting it o the floor net to the glass, albeit, much more careful.
Tali stepped uncertainly to his side as he simply stared off. H e did not react when her hand fell onto his shoulder. Around the couple, Marhna, David and Quawe were sharing looks as they too silently wondered what in the hell was wrong with him. Aria, on the other hand, remained uninterested in what was wrong.
"John... John are you alright?" Tali asked, her hands gently shaking him back and forth to get her man out of his thoughts and back into the real world.
John looked up to her ashen-faced. His mouth open as though he had just received a shock.
"That was Mom, Tali." He whispered lowly. "She was beside herself... I don't think I've heard her cry... ever."
He turned away from Tali, his eyes staring off.
"Sarah's dead." He suddenly whispered.
The room was quiet. All of them heard his whisper. But it was only Tali knew that John's little sister was gone. He did not cry, he simply sat there, stunned that she had been so suddenly taken away from them. Sarah, who not a few weeks ago was helping her with the wedding, battling John's ex's and had come to genuinely like...
Tali gasped softly.
Anna... no...
Tali pulled John from out of his seat and wrapped her arms around him, clutching onto him tight as tears shimmered out of her eyes. She was not crying just for herself, but for John as others glanced at each other. They had no words to offer. Instead they quietly filed out, leaving two suddenly grieving men and women to themselves.
Tali reached up, her hand detaching her mask.
"I-I never showed her my face... Keelah, she was to be my family and I had never even shown her m-my face." Tali whispered, burying her head into John's chest, her voice sobbing with regret. "I did not even flash on the helmet lights for her... And Anna...Your father... How will he tell her? How can he?"
John didn't reply.
...

...
"Grampa coome onn, look at this!"
Little hands gripped his as they pulled him along through the woods he had been standing at the edge of. Anna loved to explore everywhere and anything. It was easily one of her most endearing traits.
As for Eric, He didn't have the heart to tell her just yet. Oh yes... he had tried tell and failed once the Alliance men left. Those big dark eyes and that small, sweet voice asking why he looked so sad... Jesus, what was he going to do? How was he going to tell her that her mother, his daughter was dead?
In the end, he had to do it, no matter how sick it made him feel.
The smile on Anna's face was much to painful to look at it. Instead Eric ducked his head down as he took a seat in the wet forest floor next to his blissfully ignorant granddaughter. She got onto her knees with a "oof", her hand pointing at a log that was in a state of decay. On it, rested a small red reptilian creature. Despite his mood being so horrible, he managed to choke out a slight laugh at the girls innocent curiosity.
"That's a salamander, Anna..." Eric spoke to his granddaughter. "I... I haven't seen one in years..."
They sat there quietly as they watched the small salamander sunbath in a sunbeam breaking through the canopy of trees high above the two of them. Anna pulled back and sat down next to Eric, slightly leaning her small form against him like a pillow.
"Do they change colours, Grampa?" She whispered, sounding almost frightened to disturb its rest.
Eric shook his head. Glancing to his almost shy granddaughter, he leaned in and tenderly wrapped his hands around the creature. Anna's eyes bugged out as she watched what had happened. Before she knew it, the docile lizard was resting in the palm of his hand, right in front of her.
"No... that's a Chameleon." Eric corrected. "This is just a normal lizard..."
With his free hand, he grabbed Anna's and gently pushed the hand flat. He smiled slightly as the girl squealed in a mix of shock, disgust and excitement as he carefully placed the lizard into her palm.
"Be gentle." He soothingly warned her. "You know, if it has an accident and loses its tail, a salamander is quite capable of growing it back?"
Anna's bug eyes turned to stare at him widely. She clearly didn't believe him for a moment.
"Noooo way, Grampa."
Smiling painfully and fighting back the mist in eyes at the sight of the scandalized girl, Eric allowed Anna hold the lizard for a few more minutes before he took it away and placed it back where it came from. It scurried off, leaving Anna disappointed. Eric wrapped his arm around the child. It was time to grow a pair and tell her.
"Anna..." He slowly spoke up "Do you remember when your mom and I had a talk about your father... How he wouldn't be visiting anymore?"
Anna's lips pouted slightly and nodded. She hadn't had more than half a dozen visits with Anton Osika. She had no recent memories. Nor would she ever meet him again. He went back to his native Ukraine after Sarah ended it with him. He died during the during the Reaper siege of Kiev. The way he treated Sarah left Eric with no tears to shed for him.
His throat was dry as he tried to continue.
"Do you remember when your mom told you if something like that happened to her... that she would always love you." He continued, breathless as the girl looked at him quizzically. He exhaled and added... "Even if you don't ever see her again?"
Anna nodded. Eric, who was fighting back his own tears leaned over and pulled the small girl into his lap.
"Listen, baby girl... there was an accident. Mom is... She died."
He could not find easier way to express it, even if he could sweeten the death of her mother. It took mere seconds for the child to comprehend exactly what death meant. Before the tears could roll down her cheek, Eric pulled the girl into a careful hug. His grief was inaudible as the small girl howled in agony in his arms.
The child did not feel the tears falling onto her hair as she sobbed and hit his chest, begging for this nightmare to be just that, a nightmare. Eric could say nothing Even in mourning, he had to remain strong for the now parentless girl.
Parentless, yes, but not alone.
...
"How is John?"
The question first posed by Auntie Raan two days ago when she first heard of the loss both Tali and him had suffered was a good one. Tali wished she could answer it with any semblances of the truth. What she could see was that John hadn't spoken of it since he admitted to Sarah Shepard's death. He arranged the travel and even invited Shala along, a friend for his father. Something that was apparently rare for him to have.
Other than the death, he seemed completely neutral to what had happened. But that was, in all likelihood, a feint. He did not want to look weak. Something Tali decided was stupid bravado that made her so mad to witness. She thought John better than that. He was upset when so many of his comrade in arms died. From Kaidan to Doctor Solus, to even the drell he picked up. The assassin.
Tali shed no tears for Thane Krios. Assassins and Mercenaries did not earn her sympathy... With an exception to that krogan bosh'tet, Urdot Wrex. But he was a leader now, having renounced his old career.
As they approached the house, John paused, forcing the Tali and Shala to pause. There were people outside the Shepard house. Alliance solders and civilians alike.
The first and foremost was Fleet Admiral Stephen Hackett, who turned to face the former Alliance Commander.
"Shepard... John." Hackett spoke up, offering his hand to the younger man. "I'm sorry we're meeting under these circumstances."
John nodded blankly, shook and released his hand.
"I see mother invited half the Alliance here."
Hackett gripped the man's arm like he was still a young boy.
"Men and women who your sister saved during her service," Hackett explained on behalf of his fellow admiral. "They felt they needed to honor her."
Eric stared at his second mentor and nodded finally, If he was uncomfortable being around the Alliance, then he wasn't about to show it. The men and women who knew or was saved by his sister all looked up at him as though he was still in the marines, still leading them into a fight.
"Thank you all for coming, all of you." John spoke finally, his voice too horse to be a commanding presence. "I.. I think this would mean a lot to her. There'll never be another Sarah... at least not to me."
It was an awkward half speech, but all of the men and women, seemed to agree with he sentiment. Sarah was another individual lost to a war where their enemy hated that individuality. Nodding to the sympathetic Fleet Admiral, he and the quarians behind him pushed through the crowd.
"Hey, kid." A voice of a woman called out to John making him stop yet again. Tali looked and noticed a medium sized, dark skinned human woman stepping towards him, her arms outstretched.
John bent down and allowed the older Hindi woman to wrap her arms right around him and showered him with several kisses on his cheek. Tali looked away, fighting the urge to say something. John pulled away, seemingly noticing Tali's discomfort.
"Ash." He greeted the older former lieutenant. "Have you seen dad yet?"
"He's with his granddaughter." She supplied mournfully, her head shaking. "That poor thing is far too frightened to be out of his company for too long."
Tali winced at the information, That poor girl... She could understand where she was coming from. She may have lost her mother at an older age, but age didn't factor when it came to grief over a lost loved one.
John nodded and gestured to Tali and Shala'Raan.
"This is my wife.." He introduced. He paused, shot Tali a slight smile and added. "Well, almost... Tali'Zorah and this is Admiral Shala'Raan vas Rannoch... Shala, Tali. This is dad's old Lieutenant, Aashritha Latesh. Ash saved Dad's life on Mindoir."
Ash bowed her head politely to the quarians.
"Please.. Disregard John here, I'm hardly old." Latesh corrected before looking to Tali and taking her hands without any warning. "Tali'Zorah, there hasn't been a single word other than praise uttered by Eric and Hannah. They love you like flesh and blood... They are your family now."
She let go of Tali's hands, her attention focusing unnaturally hard on the older quarian, Shala.
"Shala'Raan," Ash breathed. "Oh... he's told me all about you, ma'am. Rare to find someone who actually tolerates him."
With a strange smile, she pressed her lips against John's cheek yet again and left them. Without so much as an explanation about the behavior John started heading into the house, leading the quarians again.
"Shepard..." A flangling voice called out before they could press on.
Approaching them was two turians. A woman and man that Tali almost always dreaded seeing. She would not start a fight... not here. He was, unfortunately, her husband's best friend... husband... she liked the sound of that word.
"Shepard, Tali... I'm sorry that I have to be here." Garrus spoke up, his eyes narrowed into a concerned look.
Before the turian knew it, John wrapped his arms around his friend, surprising the usually unaffectionate turian with a strong hug. They stood there, confusing both quarian and the turian woman standing next to Garrus. Garrus pulled back and let go.
"Garrus, Sorry... I know the human stink bothers you." John mumbled more to himself than to the turian. "I'm glad you made it."
"It's fine and you know I would be here." Garrus allowed, he gestured to the woman next to him. "This is Solana, My sister. She wanted to be here."
Solana bowed her head, ignoring the disbelieving stare made by the quarian next to Shepard. Garrus brought his sister? Regardless, Solana held her talon out to John, who shook it without a second thought given.
"It's an honor to meet the only man who believed in my brother." Solana spoke. Her flangling voice much softer than Tali had imagined. "Your sister saved my life, I landed on Earth during the offensive. Lost my team. Your sister kept me moving back to our lines."
John, for the first time since he learned of his sisters passing, smiled slightly. Tali stepped forward, her hands wrapping around her fiance's hand and arm. John needed to have some alone time with a friend.
"John? Shala and I are going to see to Hannah. Okay?" She whispered slightly, receiving a nod and a kiss on her hood, She looked over to the turians and added. "Nice to meet you, Solana Vakarian... Garrus."
She let of of John and stepped away with Shala next to her. Leaving Garrus watching her depart briskly. He huffed.
"She doesn't like me, does she?"
John cocked his eyebrow.
"It took you six years to realize that, Garrus?" Shepard spoke to him incredulously. "Tali knows how to hold a grudge. It's a talent of hers. What did you expect after holding her responsible for the geth?"
Solana reared around and turned to glare at her brother. Though Garrus was a Spectre, a good two heads taller than her and several years older, she was clearly in charge of him. She appeared offended by the suggestion he had made all those years ago.
"I tried to apologize." He hastily spoke to her, hoping to rear off the reaction.
Solana Vakarian rolled her beady eyes.
"Trying isn't good enough." Solana chastised Garrus. "Let me guess, then you would tease her?" She groaned as her brother nodded, guilty of the crime. She looked to John and added."She'll have to forgive my brother. Sometimes he lacks any sense. I suppose you're also the only reason he's still alive."
John nodded, trying not to look amused.
"I'll say... come, I'll get you two a drink." He spoke, gesturing to his parents home. "I need one if I'm ever going to be able to face Anna..."
...

...
Tali felt somewhat guilty for leaving her fiance's side... but she did have duties, not just to him, but to his whole family... Her new family. When John said that he got a message from his mother about it, he mentioned that he had never seen or heard his mother cry before. Well... if Hannah was devastated, then she would be there for the admiral. As Hannah would be there for her, if ancestors forbid, she too lost a child.
Since admitting to John that she was getting ready for potential motherhood, she had found the concept of losing a child, even an imaginary one as a concept difficult to digest. She had heard about what Marhna'Prince had to do to her own daughter, Laura, after she was indoctrinated by the Reapers. She did not think she would have the strength to carry on... of course she would not know unless that actually happened.
Tali pushed those thoughts out of her head just like she was pushing herself through the guests of the wake, She and Shala stepped into the kitchen, past a group of women, all staring at them like they were diseased. Tali could ignore it... for now.
There she stood. Admiral Hannah Shepard, clad in a traditional human mourning attire, the only colour acceptable (as far as she knew) at human memorial Wake's and funerals -black. She was working steadily a platter of what looked like food for humans.
"Hannah?" Tali called out slowly, her voice almost quavering at the fear of disturbing her.
Hannah looked up, a strange, unnaturally wide and dazzling smile on her face as she saw the two quarians approach her cautiously.
"Oh... Tali!" She almost exclaimed. "I'm so sorry I did not greet you sooner, just getting all this ready to be served."
She gestured to the variety of human and turian snacks placed on fine silver. Tali and Shala shared a look. Something was clearly wrong with this picture. No mother smiled for their child's funeral. Tali stepped past the Shala, her hand reaching out to hold Hannah's, who squeezed it.
"Hannah..." Tali started yet again, almost worried about offending her mother-in-law. "Please don't lie to me... are you alright?"
Hannah smiled and shook her head, her head slightly bowed.
"No. Tali dear... I feel like shit." She admitted in a cheerful demeanor. "My daughter is dead. She's not going to get a Cerberus miracle resurrection, like John did. She's nothing but bones and ash, mixed in with shards of metal and eezo now, scattered across British Columbia and Washington. Sarah is dead and gone and I'm sure as hell never going to see her again."
Tali blinked. The picture painted was horrifying. Hannah, on the other hand, seemed unfazed.
"My smile and sunny demeanor is presented to you by Eric's wonderful selection of mood-stabilizers and anti-depressants." Hannah pressed on, smiling charmingly. "I'll be a sobbing heap once everyone clears the fuck out of my home. Then Tali, I'm going to sob and cry and ruin that environmental suit of yours."
Hannah paused and exhaled slowly.
"Now...Are either of you hungry?" She changed subjects." I can liquidize something dextro and sterilize it. No trouble. You must be hungry from the trip!"
Shala shook her head, her hand grabbing Tali's arm before she could say something that could potentially ruin the relationship Tali and Hannah had built Turned away to face her adopted Aunt, she watched Shala disable her translator and lean in.
"Don't judge her grief so quick... Give her time."
Tali, glanced back to Hannah, who was watching them very carefully. She nodded, she would heed Shala's good advice. Tali would not press for Hannah's breakdown. Shala turned her translator and let go of Tali, stepping closer to the human.
"No thank you, Admiral Shepard..." Shala spoke with her soothing diplomatic tone, usually reserved for the other admirals. "If you require some help with serving. I'll be happy to help you."
Hannah careful look broke back into a smile. Tali could not help but notice just how glazed Hannah's eyes were. A sign that she was indeed under heavy narcotic influence.
"Thank you, Shala'Raan, but I'll be just fine." She assured the quarian admiral kindly. "I'm happy that you accepted the invitation. Eric doesn't have many friends to help him along... other than Latesh."
She leaned in and added. "If you can keep that blood sucking, jealous, little bitch out of Eric's hair, then you and I are going to be the best of friends."
Shala blinked, but nodded nonetheless at the task given to her. Hannah smiled again, patting Shala's arm, over joyed that the woman would do that for her. Tali cleared her throat.
"Hannah, do you think I could... you know... check on Eric and Anna?"
Hannah nodded as she went back to perfecting the tray.
"Oh please do, sweetheart... Eric has told me Anna hasn't ate since she heard the news." Hannah agreed. "Eric's been trying but it doesn't help that he's no more stable than she is... They're in Sarah' room. Second floor forth room to the left."
Tali, now tasked with helping Anna, nodded solemnly. She turned to leave, but was stopped by Hannah's hand grabbing her bicep. She turned around and found that Hannah had wrapped the quarian daughter-in-law into a tight hug.
"Thank you for coming, Tali." Hannah whispered into her shoulder. Much more subdued than before. "You have no idea how much it means for me that you're here... You're family now.. There isn't much family left... but I'm so glad you're apart of it."
Tali did her best to blink the tears away.
...

...
The Shepard family was in a clear nosedive. It was going to be a long time before life stabilized again. Between John's numb denial to admit that he was upset to Hannah's reliance on prescription medications to suppress the sensation of guilt. She could only imagine how her father-in-law was taking this.
Eric, wasn't a particularly stable man, His past had caught up to him on Rannoch. In a drug haze, he actually attacked John for killing a batarian who would most certainly have killed him. John imagined Eric to be easily the most upset in the family over this. Sarah was his everything.
John was important too, but John had followed his mother's footsteps much more than in Eric's. John confessed that his father may have inspired his Marine enlistment, but his breakdown and subsequent jailtime altered their relationship from inspirational father figure to an embarrassment. That feeling of embarrassment may have grown into a respect between the two men, but it definitely left a scar.
Tali reached the door to Sarah's room and leaned slightly nothing, she formed a fist and knocked gently on the door
"Eric? It's Tali, Can you ask if Anna will let me in?" She politely requested.
Silence was the answer at first. Finally a rough sounding "Come in." was replied.
Frowning slightly, Tali opened the door and stepped inside. The room was darkened, only a trickling of sunlight broke through the pulled blinds. Just enough to see the heart breaking sight. There, laying with her arms wrapped tightly around her grandfather, her head buried into his chest was Anna.
Eric looked up to Tali, his expression twisted into grief that looked unbreakable. Kissing the girl's cheek, Eric gently broke the vice, causing the small girl to whimper as they broke apart. He stood up and took an unsteady step towards Tali, his arms outstretched.
Tali took him, pulling the older man into a careful hug.
"I'm so sorry, Eric... I wish I could say more... " She whispered as her hand wrapped around the back of Eric's head, pushing deep into hair and touching scalp.
"This is so messed up, Tali..." He mumbled, almost inaudible to the woman. "I don't want to believe it."
Wiping his eyes, Eric pulled back from out of her reach. Tali's eyes fell on the small looking Anna, now shuffling alone in the big bed that was once her mothers. She turned to Eric, who was watching over his granddaughter like had he moved his eyes, she, like her mother, would be lost forever.
"I'll stay with her, Eric." Tali assured the grandfather, her hand still rubbing his spine. "Perhaps I can coax her out of this room."
Eric's eyes turned to her, as though he was making sure she was capable of such a task. Slowly, he nodded, unconvinced but willing to give her a shot. He stepped away towards the bed and leaned in. His lips touching his granddaughters head. With a few whispers to the child, the man stepped back and limped out of the room, closing the door behind the quarian and the human child.
Silence was shared between the girl and the woman. Tali ducked her head as she searched for something, anything to break the silence without sounding crass. Finally, as she watched little Anastasia roll over to turn away from the quarian. Tali took a seat at the edge of Sarah's bed. Her hands reached up and carefully unfastened her mother's hood and folded it.
"Time to get out of this stupid helmet." She spoke aloud as her fingers worked at unhinging her mask first, pulling it off before getting the rest of the helmet off.
Though the girl was clearly still broken from the grief, she did have a spark of curiosity. She, like her mother, had never gotten to see what her quarian aunt looked like behind the plate glass and suit. She turned back and stared up at the quarian hitting at the edge of the bed, her gentle slightly glowing eyes returning the stare. Tali shuffled a little closer.
"You don't mind if I crawl in with you. It's been a long journey and I'm rather exhausted." Tali requested, smiling gently for the girl to see.
Anna nodded, so Tali slid even closer, planting her head on the pillow, facing Anna. She pulled the covers over the both of them and they laid there. Tali wasn't quite sure what did it. The smile or Tali's long thick finger gently grazing through the child's hair.
Anna burst into tears.
With gentle soothing and her hand rubbing into back of the child's neck, Tali, pulled the girl into her and eventually managed to bring the sobbing down to a controlled state, enough to allow the small child to lose all her shyness and bury her face into Tali's chest. They laid like this many minutes. Tali listening to the gently cries with an aching heart as she whispered sweet affectionate words in her native language, Khellish.
"W-why did she have to die, Tali?" She mumbled into Tali's chest, she pulled back from Tali, Her eyes wide and red, demanding an answer that she had clearly not received yet.
Tali reached up, stroking the child's cheek as she mentally debated what she could tell the grieving child without disturbing her. Then... she remembered old words, spoken so long ago.
"We... we don't have a say when it's our time to leave those we love, Has'tula." Tali whispered finally, pressing her forehead to her niece's. "Sometimes it just happens and we must carry on, no matter how hard it may be. We carry on for the ones we lost. I know and you know that your mother would want only the most happiest of moments to be remembered. Not the hours of her loss, but the lifetime of love she gave you."
These words weren't hers. They were, in actuality, her Auntie Raan's when Tali was devastated by death twice in her life. Her mother and John... albeit, minus the love part for John. Shala did not understand the full effect John's spacing had on her...
The words, regardless of their origins, appeared to work. Although the small girls amber eyes had yet again misted over, she nodded, accepting the answer... still the words felt hollow to Tali.
"You know... I lost my mother when I was still a girl." Tali admitted gently to the child resting in her arms. "When she died... I was older than you... but it still hurt so much... Like your heart being torn out, yet you live on..."
Tali smiled sadly as the girl seemed to gasp at the revelation. Still her gloved hand touched against skin so soft she did thin it was possible.
"You only ever have one mother, who births you, who nurtures and protects you." Tali continued. "It's so hard to imagine a life without her in it, smiling at your successes, those words of encouragement... Never being able to watch you grow up.. to see you fall in love one day. "
Tali trailed off, pushing her dark hair back out of her eyes. Smiling as the girl reached up to touch her braidlike hair, Tali reached up and took the hand.
"But I promise you, Anna, you're not alone." She reassured the girl, her hands squeezing the child's carefully. "You have your grandparents, you have Uncle John and I and you will have people entering your life as you grow up, helping you along."
Anna nodded slightly.
"Was uncle John there for you?"
Tali paused and found herself wishing that a 20 year old John Shepard had been the one holding her while she cried over the loss of her mother. Still, he was there for her when her father died. Keellah, John helped reconciling her with Rael eventually. Though was still a source of bitterness.
"With my father, yes he was there." Tali returned. "He helped me so much handle my loss."
Anna frowned, appearing somewhat confused and slightly jealous almost.
"Why isn't he here?" She wondered aloud. Tali leaned in, her thin lips touching the girls cheek.
"Uncle John's got to be strong for everyone waiting outside this room." She explained to her upset niece. "They all came to pay respects to your mother. He has to see to them. He'll be with you soon. I promise."
The girl pouted at the statement, finally she nodded.
"Okay..." She accepted. "Can you stay in here?"
Tali stared into the child's bloodshot eyes.
"So long as we leave this room." She finally spoke, asking for a compromise from the child. "Many want to see you, your grandmother included."
Anna debated the compromise briefly.
"Okay... but you can't wear your mask."
Tali blinked thought about it. She really didn't want to do that, Her immune system was strong, but she wasn't sure it was strong enough to handle that many people, potentially still contaminated with whatever germs still on them if the sterilizers Eric and Shala had installed didn't work to their fullest.
Another issue that made Tali uncomfortable was showing herself off at a Wake of all places. Yes, it was to be expected at the marriage coming up, but this just felt like... showboating. Bringing her undue attention, simply for being an unmasked quarian. It may have seemed like arrogance to some, but Tali just knew she would be a curiosity for the others.
Tali sighed as she looked into Anastasia Shepard's big amber eyes that pleaded her to accept the suggestion. Finally, she nodded. Yes... she would expose herself, no matter the sickness or attention. Anna needed her to be there. Without a suit hiding her aunt.
...

...
For once, Shala'Raan was glad she wore her helmet.
She watched silently as mourner in black attire spoke to Hannah, clutching to Eric Shepard as though he were simple decoration. Intoxicated off of his medications or not, Hannah should have noticed how distraught Eric looked. How could she so easily focus her attention on others when her own husband, her family was looking close to a collapse.
"It doesn't take much effort to know why you're here, staring."
Shala turned to the source. It was the woman, John had briefly conversed with. Eric's former Lieutenant, Latesh. A smile on her soft brown face and a bottle of strong looking clear liquid. The woman who Hannah had told her to watch out for, to keep away from her husband.
"Hannah requested that I make every effort, keeping you far out of Eric's reach." She whispered to a woman.
All the woman could do was laugh.
"With all respect to Sarah, Hannah is a woman who doesn't know how good she has it.. old money you see. " She explained, noticing Shala's confusion. "Tend to forget just how quick life can change if they don't appreciate what they have."
Latesh shook her head.
"Hannah decided to join the Alliance to piss Daddy off... decided to get knocked up by a younger man to piss her Daddy off." She listed off, her eyes wandering back to the married couple. "Colonist trash, her parents called him, he was born on Luna, if I can remember correctly. Surprised them eventually when they found out his family had money somewhere down the line... this old house for example."
Eric was a poor colonist? She had always assumed him born and raised here in his family home. So strange how wrong appearance could be. Shala must have been staring at her as she thought about this new knowledge because Latesh was looking strangely at her.
"Relax, Admiral." She spoke reassuringly. Eric and I... we're friends..." She paused, a flash of hurt crossing her expression. "I know that now. Thought it could be different when I was a younger woman. It hurt so much... seeing him with a woman that he loved, but she didn't back..."
She paused and looked up at Shala with a smile filled with regret.
"I'm at peace with the friendzone, because he finally found you." She pressed on, her hand touching Shala's arm. "A woman he's genuinely deserves. A woman who seems to give a damn about him."
She pulled back and took a drink from the bottle. She inhaled and exhaled as the bottle fell from her lips.
"So I'm going to do you a huge favor, a gift because I think you can help him in ways I could never do." Latesh spoke, again clapping Shala's arm. "I'm going to drink this bottle here," She gestured to the bottle. "And wander over to Hannah over there and start a big argument with her."
She paused, holding a finger up as she took a long drink from bottle, leaving Shala speechless at the audacious woman. In one swig, she managed to finish a quarter of the bottle without wincing. She turned back to Shala, a mild grin for the quarian
"An argument so big that dutiful Eric will want to flee... giving you just enough time to grab him and take him somewhere a bit more private." She finished, blinking and swaying slightly.
Shala blinked... Latesh was going to divert Hannah's attention for her? It wasn't a very respect thing to do at a funeral wake... but neither was paying no mind to a husband she clearly held no love for...
"Why would you do this?" Shala demanded to know in a whisper.
Latesh's crooked smile returned.
"Because Eric has been suffering alone for all these years and he needs you. I don't give a shit if it's a wake, Hannah Shepard is a grade A bitchwhore." She listed off, rolling her eyes as she added. "Pick your reason, they're all acceptable ones."
Taking another drink from the bottle until the contents were dried out, she set the bottle down on the closest table, turned back Shala, now properly staggering in place.
"H-Have fun you two..." She slurred, running her free hands through her hair and then pushing her breast up, revealing more cleavage from her black dress.
As the woman unsteadily wandered away, Shala wondered quietly if what she was doing was right. Letting this woman start a fight for her. Shala's rational mind told her that this was so wrong in so many ways, to cause more trouble for a woman in the grief process...
Still... if it meant finally getting a chance to have a few hours tending to Eric and his grief that had been unattended to...
"Lieutenant Latesh?"
The woman paused and turned back to face the quarian. Shala nodded her head respectfully. Paying tribute to a woman whom she owed quite a bit to.
"Thank you for saving his life." She whispered. It was the truth, she did feel a genuine debt for her dead long before either her or Eric met.
Latesh laughed humorlessly.
"Never once did Hannah say that to me... Thank you." She pointed out. With a smile, she added. "I think I'm going to like you."
With that said, Latesh turned away and headed to face a grieving mother. What she was doing wasn't classy, but then again no one ever accused her of being just that.
...

...
"You have far too much intoxicants in you Shepard, could you please at least eat something? I brought this sandwich for you. It's a...it's a... Avian sandwich."
Shepard looked up from his glass of whiskey and found a plate with a sandwich on it being held by a soft, delicate blue hand. Idly, John picked through it as though it could have been poisoned. Satisfied it was safe, he took it an bit into in hungrily.
"It's turkey, Liara." He told the still standing asari. "Using the word Avian scares the shit out of Garrus."
He gestured to Garrus who was sitting on the far side of the couch, a look of awful disgust.
Liara T'Soni smiled slightly. John was happy she was here, sitting next to him. Late, but here. Though they had a serious falling, after the Reaper Invasion, Liara T'Soni had been one of the few people in the galaxy that kept him from going off the deep end. She was a good friend... perhaps even his best friend., excluding Tali and Garrus of course.
She was special to him, in a different way that Tali nor Garrus could provide for him. She had the gift of patience, a willingness to give all sides a fair chance. They could do things like talk peace with the geth or saving Cerberus personnel, without the debate getting heated. Most importantly, she had been in his mind. She knew the nightmares that plague him for years. Nightmares he could tell to Tali but never be able to describe, no matter how much he wanted to.
"I still can't believe you eat birds." The turian Spectre grumbled, wincing in disgust.
Shepard took another bite.
"Touching a nerve?"
John glanced up from Garrus' revulsion and saw Aashritha Latesh staggering over to his mother and father. Mom was in the middle of conversation with a woman. Dad was next to her, silent. Before Dad could reach, Latesh's lips were touching his and Mom's conversation abruptly ended as she turned on Dad's old lieutenant.
The woman, who had been holding his mother's hands moments earlier, turned back, her head wrapped in a long black headscarf was none other than her. Freyja Metzger, her dark eyes burning into him.
Tali had been right, she looked like death personified. All of her curves he explored as a younger man were gone. She was almost skeletal as she slowly swayed through the crowd towards him.
"Oh... fuck." He whispered aloud.
Garrus and Liara looked up from their plates as they noticed the short woman gliding towards their couch. John turned to the briefly and noticed a thin frown on Liara's lips. As though she knew who this woman was. Inwardly, he groaned. She was the shadow broker, of course she knew.
Not just the Shadow Broker... but his ex as well. The ex whom he left Freyja for.
"Oh fuuuck..." He repeated in a groan now.
Liara seemed to understand his predicament. Enough so that she actually laughed at him.
"What in the hell are you doing here?" John called out to as the former fiancee stopped in front of the group.
Freyja Metzger stopped in front of him. Making a point to ignore the stares the non-humans were giving her.
"Your mother invited me." Freyja finally spoke in that charming condescending tone she mastered. "Sarah was a good friend to me. I'm sorry that she's gone."
Garrus looked between the two tense humans.
"Who is this?"
"This is Freyja Metzger." Shepard introduced to Garrus. "Somehow I doubt Sarah's at the top of her priorities. She figures I'm going to leave Tali for her."
The turian's mandibles opened up. Amused that Shepard was caught in yet another odd triangle
"How dare you, you egomaniacal, twat." Freyja almost growled at John. "Sarah was a friend. I could not care less that you've decided to shack up with a suitrat. If that is how you swing, so be it."
Shepard crossed his arms and stared blankly at the woman.
"Yet you started a huge fight with Tali over a relationship that hasn't existed for almost a decade, nor should not have existed in the first place." John retorted, ignoring the darkening stare of the woman. "Winning me over by calling her an incestuous, suitrat stray isn't going to help you."
Before Freyja could counter, Shepard held up his hand. Now was not the time for a fight with an ex.
"Freyja, I moved on long before Tali made her feelings known." Shepard simply stated, trying to end the conversation. "Liara here can attest to that."
What little colour in Freyja drained as John gestured to the asari sitting next to, Liara smirked slightly and ducked her head, clearly attempting to not look too pleased with the fact that Shepard broke his xenophobic streak through her combined efforts of kind words, meldings and sex.
"I can give you perfect details if you like." She finally said, looking up and meeting Freyja's stare. "He was quite impressive..." Liara paused and coughed, glancing to John before adding. "Not that Tali and I have been comparing notes on you..."
John did his best not to groan, but he had to admit, that might have been the funniest thing he heard in days. He sighed as he looked back to Freyja's disgusted expression. He gestured to Garrus who was lost in his drink.
"Hell... I won't even go into the amount of sexual tension between Garrus and I." John continued, now grinning. "There was a couple times where I thought he was going to go primal on me."
Garrus didn't even look up from his drink.
"At least two or three times." He admitted without hesitation. "If John was a woman, I'd make her mine..."
Shepard tried his best not to have a fit. Liara too was close to laughing. John closed his eyes briefly as he suppressed that horrible guilt of laughing at his sister's Wake. He opened his eyes and found Freyja's appearance was once more solid as she stood there and stared at him.
"Tali is going to be my wife, Deal with it." He told her. He was done with the subject.
Freyja on the other hand did not look quite ready to deal with it. Slowly she smirked, that awful smirk she earned from her bastard father. She knew something that he didn't and he was going to find out real quick. She turned away looking off to where Hannah stood.
"I wonder..." Freyja mused, appearing almost thoughtful. "Does your mother know how close to a divorceshe is?"
John narrowed his eyes at Freyja's odd observation. He glanced to his mother, now deep in conversation with Admiral Hackett. He scanned the room for his father and found him. Moving past Latesh, his transfixed on something or someone. Freyja chuckled at the confusion.
"Follow his movements, follow his eyes..." She spoke again, her voice mysterious.
He listened to her words. He moved like he was head over heels, his eyes were staring at someone. That someone was none other than Admiral Shala'Raan vas Rannoch... John blinked, unable to pay mind to Garrus and Liara's looks or Freyja's small laugh.
"Seems like son, like father." The daughter of Jurgan Metzger laughed. "Seems if you bring one into the family and they multiply..."
John snapped his attention away. His brain refusing to comprehend the little evidence he saw. Why would Dad do that to Mom? Find another woman. Take an interest in Shala'Raan when they both knew the implications that could cause a serious shake up in quarian /human relations.
A quarian leader, stealing the husband of an Alliance Admiral? It sounded like bad fiction to him.
"Shala'Raan and him are just friends." He stated with an air of finality. "My father's not that stupid."
"Spirits... Shepard... has your woman lost her mind?"
Turning from Freyja and briefly to the source of the cry, Garrus. He looked and noticed a sight that brought the whole room to a silent stand still.
A quarian out of her suit.
More importantly, his quarian out of her suit.
Tali ignored the stares as she stepped into the room, wearing what looked like asari robes, in the colour of jet black. There was limited clothing for quarians still. Covering her braidlike hair was a familiar fashion pieces from her suit, her mother's headdress. Her was ducked, focusing on the small girl, clutching her auntie's hand as though letting go would be the worst possible thing.
Tali glanced up, catching his eyes. A ghost of a smile was given to him. She turned away and sat on a loveseat offered up by an alliance officer who was too stunned to pay mind to her graitude.
"Tali's so beauitful, John." Liara spoke approvingly, a faint smile as she watched her quarian friend pull the child onto her lap.
Garrus laughed shortly.
"She's waaay out of your league, Shepard."
Liara reached out and smacked Garrus' arm lightly.
"Don't tell her that, John wouldn't want her to trade up."
John paid no mind to the banter between asari and turian. Instead he stepped through the staring crowd and ended up at her side. Tali looked up, smiling, but somewhat shaky. He could tell she was going to be ill in only a matter of time for taking this chance. Sterilization units only did half the job. He doubted any of these people in the house took the same cleaning steps he took.
"Tali... what are you doing?" He whispered to her, glancing down to his niece. He pressed his hand on the back of her head, but is eyes maintained on his soon-to-be wife.
Tali covered John's hand with hers.
"Anastasia would only come out of her room if I came out like this." Tali returned as Anna rested her small head into Tali's neck. "It was the least I could do. Besides, I need to practiced mass exposure."
Smiling sightly, she turned to Liara.
"Liara, I'm so glad you're here." She greeted. Liara nodded back respectfully, she seemed unable to say anything.
Before Garrus could be acknowledged, Tali's head moved past the group of friends and her fiance, her eyes narrowed, her teeth suddenly bared. John turned back and found Freyja was stepping over to them, her eyes staring at Tali. Tali huffed and ignored the look, as well as the shared nervous glances between John, Garrus and Liara. Instead she chose to focus all her attention on the niece in her arms.
"If you're here to start the fight again, don't bother. I'm not in the mood." Tali grumbled broodingly as she kept her eyes off the woman who was once John's and on the small girl in her arms.
Freyja, however was not looking for a part two of their confrontation.
No. Instead the woman reared back her head and spat right on quarian's face.
Tali, Who sat there frozen, not sure what to do. John, furious with the act committed by the sneering woman, ignored the bitch of an ex. Instead, turning to clean Tali of the biological contaminants as quickly as he could.
Liara, on the other hand, knew just what to do. Her hand reach out and yanked the woman back to face her. Before Freyja could react, Liara backhanded the woman so hard she hit the floor, eliciting gasps and cries from those that surrounded them. Grabbing Freyja by the top of her long dress, she pulled the girl back up off the ground and on her feet.
"Garrus and I will teach her some manners. You take care of Tali. We'll talk later." Liara stated curtly.
Without waiting for an answer, Liara left, dragging Metzger along behind her, with Garrus taking the rear. It was not often Garrus wasn't the instigator of violence. Being the rational one in a fight was brand new.
As for John, he was tempted to join them and hand her, her ass, but a hand fell onto his curled up fist.
"Please John, forget her." Tali begged, smiling confidently as she finished wiping her face. "I'll be fine for a little while still. Sit with me. Please?"
As soon as Liara left, gripping the human woman tightly with Garrus following in her wake, he turned and took a seat next to Tali and Anna, who was staring at him with accusing eyes in John's opinion. She knew her mother's death was his fault for not bringing the war to a devastating ending like.
"Alright," He relented. "but the moment I hear a sniffle-"
"I'll let you be my nurse." Tali assured John, her bare hand touching against his. John pinched his nose and ducked his head.
"Doctor... doctor is what I was going for." John corrected her in a mumble, leaning against both Tali and his niece.
Tali could only smile sadly.
...
He was going to explode if he stood there any longer.
Eric was sick of all of this bullshit. Sick of the fake tears and sympathy. Sick of listening to his wife passive aggressively attack Ash the moment she stumbled up to him, drunk and clingy. He was sick of the whole goddamn fiasco. Sarah deserved so much better, in life and in death.
He needed a smoke. Too bad he gave that up again. He needed to get high.. but he chose not to. He hadn't used drugs other than his prescriptions since Shala'Raan confronted him not too long ago about his role in her daughter, Arah's, life.
The drugs... they didn't seem to have any feeling like they use to...
Ash, still bickering with Hannah, bumped into him, stumbling her friend for just a moment. With a kiss on his freshly shaved cheek, she leaned up into his ear.
"Don't look now... but I think you have a - a well wisher... looking for her chance to speak to you."
Pulling her head back and placing a gentle kiss on his lips. Ash smiled, looking both very sloshed and strangely full of painful regret. She ushered her head over, gesturing. Eric, confused by his best friend, glanced over in the direction she was pointing out.
There standing there staring at him with her helmet tilted and her hands wrapped together, stood Shala'Raan vas Rannoch.
Eric inwardly frowned. Why hadn't anyone told him this?
He glanced to Ash, whose blurry eyes were looking into his sideways. Smiling knowingly, she turned to Hannah and wrapped an arm around the woman.
"Hannah... Hannah, you lovely lass. Les' go get a drink."
Not waiting for Hannah and Ash to vanish, Eric pushed past them, through the crowd and towards the waiting quarian, whose body language screamed worry for him. He stopped in front of her. No words were spoken as they shared a simple look. Shala stepped forward, her arms latching around him to give the man a carefully executed hug. He returned it and pulled back almost too quick for both of their liking.
"Shala..." He greeted, doing his best to give the woman a smile. He failed, his expression barely containing the grief he held.
Shala'Raan was not looking for a smile. She understood. Her hand reached out and took hold of his forearm tightly, reassuring him that she would be there for him. A source of support he did not receive from his own wife.
"I imagine you would feel much more comfortable speaking somewhere more private." She spoke softly, the rasping of her voice placing a strange emphasis on private.
Eric nodded, grateful that woman could understand him. It was not that he was a private person when it came to grief. The problem was with just how many unfamiliar faces surrounding him; Most of them coming purely out of political motivation rather than knowing just the kind of woman Sarah was.
They filed out of the room almost unnoticed, the only person to see it was John, who was staring at his father as he picked a clearly ill Tali up from her seat. He broke the stare and left wordlessly, leaving Eric and Shala in the clear to flee the scene and head to the guest room on the floor level designated Shala's room during visits.
Shala closed the door behind the two of them and watched as Eric throw down his cane and limped away, sitting on the edge of the guest bed.
"Hannah turned my girls Wake into a sideshow, I reckon that's how she deals with loss." Eric bitterly observed. "Did the same for John as well, but at least she had an excuse for him. Heh... I remember Tali being there. Only quarian there... Only person who cried during the ceremony start to finish..."
Shala'Raan closed her eyes briefly, thoughts of inconsolable Tali coming back to her.
"Do you... Do you want to talk about it, about Sarah?" Shala whispered, hoping to change the subject while not to making the man anymore upset, and hoping beyond hope that Eric realized that it was a conversation that he needed to have for his sake.
Eric merely shook his head.
"No... not right now. Can I-"
"Raincheck?" Shala finished for him, using an idiom that felt so foreign on her tongue. Behind her mask she smiled and nodded, adding. "you know I can. You know you don't have to keep things buried around me..."
Shala's hands reached up and unlocked her helmet. She twitched in fear as did every time she exposed herself. She slid back her veil and pushed the helmet completely off her head, exhibiting a slight gasp from the human watching her wide eyed. It was the second time they met face to face but it was still a thrill for Eric to see this woman taking a risk this big for his sake.
"I thought you could use a little more personal company." Shala admitted, closing the gap between them, her hand wrapping around his. "It will not be dramatic as Tali... but it's something."
Eric huffed out a small laugh, his fingers tentatively reaching up to stroke her cheek. Shala exhaled her body leaning forward into his, her forehead touching his.
"That's all I want... I Just... want something simple."
For the first time in a month, their lips met. For once since Eric found out about Sarah the thoughts of his loss were pushed deep back into the recesses of his mind. They would be there in the morning... for now, all he wanted was her.
...

...
"Tell me that will be the last time I have to handle that bosh'tet. Next time... I'm just going to kill her... Why did your mother invite her?"
"Mom turned this into a political affair. A get together under the guise of a funeral. Most of these people had no business being here. Now come on Tali, get in, Temperature is perfect."
John turned back and found Tali standing behind him now naked, her dress around her ankles as she swayed slightly. She was clearly going to be sick from this exposure. How could she be so foolish? He sighed as quickly understood what had happened. It was was for Anna after all.
Before John could react, Tali was unfastening his tie, her lips tightly pressed against his as she took what she considered her. Her mouth opened, tongue tips touching her hand gripped him by the waist, pulling him into her naked form. It did not take long for her hands to grip his ass, pushing his hips into hers, making the clearly ill woman groan as the friction touched against her.
"Tali..." gasped out out as Tali let of his mouth.
Looking somewhat dazed, Tali's hands reached up and wrapped around his shoulders, pushing him gently downwards into the floor. Soon Shepard found himself buried into her naval
"I'm going to be confined to my suit for the next week at least, I might as well have this before I have to lock myself away." Tali almost crooned. "Please John... you haven't... you know, done that in a while..."
John raised an eyebrow.
Tasting Tali so intimately was something they could not do often. Tali was always fearful of infection. The risk was all hers. John was in the clear for consumption of quarian fluids since he went to the late Mordin Solus all those years ago.
A bottle of medical strength antiseptic mouthwash was pushed down to him for him to use. Rinsing his mouth out, he listened to Tali's tight stomach gurgle from just inside the skin. She sounded hungry or close to throwing up... He hoped for the former.
Pulling himself back up just long enough to spit the mouth wash into the sink, he sat back down, feeling as Tali's hands pushed deep into his head of hair.
"Are You certain that's all you want?" He asked her coyly. He was surprised when she nodded. usually she wanted one thing but expected everything else.
"I- I'm much too loud when you're inside me. I do not want anyone to overhear." She admitted in a whisper..
Before Tali could comprehend it, John had pushed his face in to her. Her eyes widened as she shuddered and gasped out the smallest of screams she could produce. Her legs opened , allowing John better access to work that magnificent tongue of his. Her head rolled back as her spine leaned into the counter, while her hands gripped his head of hair tightly.
His hands reached up as his tongue flickered just outside her, they reached and gripped tightly on her hips, making the sweet tasting quarian moan weakly as she fought the sickness coming on while she let him kiss her in such an intimate way... Once she had an immune system that was fully developed, she would fine a way to get him to do this for a day straight.
Tali bit her hand, fighting the urge to make the room echo with a first orgasm, she could feel John's tongue now much bolder, no longer external, but pressing deeper inside her, probing, feeling its way inside her body. Comprehension no longer existed as all he mind could do was think about taking the human there and then, screaming and hissing for the whole house to hear. Making it known that she was the one in charge of him..
She could feel herself gushing, arousal flowing through her and now being tasted by John. She cried, but no sounds escaped her from her strained voice... Oh how she loved this... this incredible sensation, this rare treat he could give her... The way his tongue flickered inside of her... how was it possible? It was like.. it was like his...
Tali groaned as she tugged the human back, so she could taste her on his lips. John groaned, Tali's hands wrapped tightly around his crouch, pushing tightly into the bulged, built by unrelieved pressure of arousal.
"Oh...oh Keelah, forget what I said." She moaned as she worked at his pants. "I need you, now."
Tugging his dress pants around his knees and pushing himself inside his fiancee as ordered by the suddenly horny and very sick quarian, Shepard could only happily oblige the request.
...

...
Eric's mouth pulled back from Shala's, his chest heaving into hers.
"Did you hear that?" He asked her. The room was pitch black, so she did not see his face contorted into a look of worry.
Shala didn't even pretend to look or act interested. Instead, she simply grabbed a hold of Eric's ruffled collar, her lips wrapping over his as she pulled him back into a desperate kiss. She didn't care for once in her life. She didn't care about her title, she didn't care that he was going to get her sick even if the room had been sterilized, she didn't care that Hannah Shepard was no more then a dozen meters from her.
She had what she wanted, needed, and she was going to make do with it for as long as she possibly could.
"Grampa?"
Oh Keelah...
...

...
"Th-that... oh, John that was perfect." She panted breathlessly as she bonelessly slid down, her perfect bottom hitting and sitting on the bath map, her hands still clutching the man's head, which was still buried in her sweat soaked breasts. He was still buried deep inside her.
Tali giggled drunkenly while whispering several 'thank you's', as John's tongue touched against her skin, cleaning her off from that sweet arousal juices she produced. Finally, he pulled back, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.
"If there is anything else you need..." He finally answered back, sounding almost as dazed as her.
Tali could only moan as her fingers grazed against wet folds, stimulating herself hard enough that her toes curled into his back. She opened her eyes as she tasted herself and him in front of her fiancee boldly. She leaned, her lips catching his briefly.
"I could use you in that tub." She admitted, her eyes hooded as her hand rubbed up and down his chest. "I need a human pillow and someone to wash my back."
John smiled slightly at her commanding voice and nodded. Her wish was his command.
...

...
The lights suddenly flickered to life. Shala buried her face as her almost bone white skin heated. She snapped out and pushed the human off her and in front of her, hoping to conceal her presence from the small child. Eric looked up and found himself looking into the confused expression of his granddaughter. Slicking back his hair, he smiled confidently.
"Anna?" He inquired curiously as he pulled himself closer to the child. "Hey... come here... What's up?"
With her helmet back on, Shala turned just in time to see Anna's eyes stare into hers, almost accusingly. Almost as though her child mind could figure out what his had been.
"What are you doing?" She inquired, her question wasn't for Eric, but he answered it anyways.
"Shala'Raan and I were having a little lay down." Eric lied right through his teeth without even blinking. "She traveled a long way and 'm pretty tired too."
Anna's eyes flickered from Shala to her grandfather. Slowly, she nodded accepting the answer.
"Grandma thinks I should go to bed." She finally announced. To Shala, Anastasia did not seem to pleased with Hannah's orders. Eric chuckled, his hand touching against her face.
"It's probably for the best." He said, sitting up. "Shala and I'll tuck you in, okay?"
Taking his granddaughters hand, he stood slowly, unsteadily up. He looked back to Shala, somewhat dazed at the hour or so they shared together.
"Coming?"
Shala smiled behind her mask. As though he needed to ask...
...

...
Tali was already sniffling.
It didn't really matter if Dad and Shala had installed sanitizers. There was simply too many people in the home that came in contact with her. It was very likely she would refuse to escape her environmental suit for the upcoming nuptials. He could not blame her. He had never really been one to get seriously ill like her
Though clearly sick, she still purred as his hands worked the non-allergenic soaps into her back in slow, wide circles. John couldn't help but chuckle as he watched how fascinated she was acting in the bath. Other then sex. Baths seemed to serve as a thrill in its own right. Bathing in this fashion, not involving a misting and application of antiseptic, all the while still inside the suit was still somewhat rare. Baths were a luxury.
Pooling cooling hot water in a small cup, John brought it up to her hairbraids and soaked them, earning a sudden protesting cry and Tali squirming in the bath until finally, she turned right around, her head pressing into his chest.
"I want us to take guardianship for Anna, John. I want to be a mother for her." Tali spoke up, her head pulling back as her eyes searched his. "I know she will never see me as a mother, but I just want to care for her..."
John could not help but smile at his fiancee's sudden desire for motherhood. It was not long ago that they had their first serious discussion on the subject. He was certain Tali did not want to have this new title through exploiting the death of his sister, but she had a point. Anna was going to need a mother and... well, father figure in her life.
Roles that he would never want Anna to have in his own parents...
"We don't have a say in the matter, not until Sarah's last will and testament is read." He reminded her. Tali's expression of maternal fantasy vanished at his utterance. She appeared almost defeated. John could imagine a more adorable sight.
"I know... " She admitted, almost ashamed at her suddenly selfishness. "but who else is there? Your father and mother have much too busy lives... You and I are essentially left alone most of the time. So why not us raise her? She needs us. You know she does."
John leaned in and pressed lips against Tali's forehead, bringing her to a silence.
"I'm not disagreeing with you." He assured her. "We just have to respect Sarah's wishes. Perhaps she didn't want that for Anna."
His thoughts fell back to his past relationship with his sister. All the regrets came back up to the surface. He wasn't a good brother, not by a long shot. Then again, he wasn't a good son either.
Sarah and him were always at odds. She believed in everything he stood against right up until Torfan. She believed in Cooperation, he believed in power in hand and power just waiting to be seized. She thought the non-humans to be just as human as them. He was dead set against any affiliation with them. Joining the citadel, establishing relations with the turians. To him, they were all enemies just waiting for the right time to strike.
It was a decade long personal war between two bitter enemies, related by blood and, in the end, she emerged victorious over him. He found himself out of Jurgan Metzger's education and into Stephen Hackett, who taught him everything he knew today...
"Perhaps she still hated me." John spoke again, sniffing slightly as he controlled his emotions. "I... I never got a chance to apologize to her... I was such an asshole when I was younger... before I had you."
He could feel wet lips graze against his and Tali's head bury just under his chin.
"You may have had your problems, but I know she loved could she not love you? You were family." Tali returned, almost mumbling as her mouth seemed to drowning in his flesh.
John could not help but cock his eyebrow at his quarians naïve idealistic view on families.
Quarian's in general seemed a lot more family oriented then humans. They could not comprehend how drastically volatile humans could be with their families. Things like abandonment, Divorce and sibling fights simply did not happen. This family commitment was not for any magical reasons, but because quarians focused their lives around devotion to one another. They were a priority, no matter how strained it got.
There were exceptions to the rules in some cases, and John was staring at her.
"Do you still love your father... even after the situation he put you in?" He challenged her to answer.
An answer that did not take as long as he expected. She nodded into his neck without so much as a hesitation. John huffed a laugh, somehow that did not surprise him. Family, in Tali's book, could get away with murder and exile.
"I did not agree with him, but he was my father." Tali said, looking up to him, her eyes unfocused. "I loved him... I just wish he could have showed his love through affection not just fighting for a homeworld."
Well... wasn't she a saint.
"Well... she had no reason to love me, Tali. Trust me" John pressed on his point to his future wife. "We were two very different people... she was... much stronger than I am. Sarah didn't know how to hate the way I did... She didn't bow into Alliance pressure to carrying on the family tradition and serve. She didn't blindly follow them like I did. She joined when it mattered the most and she did it not just for her race, but for everyone... she never let duty overwhelm her humanity... Not like me.."
John dripped his chin, resting into Tali's wet hair as he fell silently briefly. All he could do was focus on Tali's three beat heart rhythm as it meshed perfectly into his.
"All those people Hackett brought to pay tribute would have been dead had I been in her place." He muttered. "Garrus' baby sister would have been dead for years..."
He shook his head against Tali's.
"It doesn't matter anymore... She's dead..." He concluded with a finality in his voice. He was ready to drop the subject for now.
Tali, however, wasn't finished. Her head pulled back as she looked into John's bLue bloodshot eyes, she did not seem very happy with his conclusions.
"You're allowed to cry, you know." She gently reminded him, her voice held a note of grogginess.
John shook his head. He wished it was that simple...
"I can't, even if I want to..."
Tali sniffled, before the woman could sneeze, John's hand pulled out of the tub and grabbed several tissues from the box he planted there, knowing full well she would need it. Tali smiled and rested her head on his shoulder as she wiped her nose.
The conversation died between them as they quietly soaked together, leaving John wondering why he felt absolutely nothing for what happened to his sister.
...

...
After putting Tali to bed and making his rounds giving the mourners a final goodnight, John headed back up to their shared bedroom, the thoughts of the day swirling in his mind. He was stopped several times. Once by Dad and Shala, both of whom hugged him. Mom, Hackett and the Alliance, who all gave him a salute, as though he was the one who had lost her solely, Garrus with a talonshake and his sister Solana with a kiss on the cheek... kissed by a turian... most certainly a first for him.
Liara held him in a hug, for several long minutes. Telling him that he would always have a sister in her.
Considering his past with her... he wasn't quite sure what to make of that.
But... no Anna. She was apparently back in her room, taken there by Shala and Eric not too long ago. It was a relief that that was the case. He still had absolutely nothing comforting to say to his niece, no matter how much he wanted to say something, anything that could express just how terrible he felt, just how much pain this was.
John paused...
The bedroom door was cracked open. Shepard narrowed his eyes, had Tali decided to not sleep?
As he stepped inside their room, hat wasn't the case at all. Tali was indeed fast asleep.. so deep asleep that she did not feel the small grip of Anna as she tugged at the quarians arm n a vain attempt to wake her up.
"Aunt Tali?" She was whispering. John winced, waking Tali during an illness was never a good idea. It was almost like she was hibernating.
So, instead he acted, John snapped his finger, causing the poor thing to yelp and look on her uncle shyly, as though he would yell at her. He sighed, was he really that scary? Anastasia fear of him was not new to witness. Quarian children especially found him to be more frightening than Garrus Vakarian dressed as a ballerina.
Allowing a smile, he brushed his lips with his fingers. As he stepped to her, he bent down onto one knee.
"Hey there, Anna." He greeted in a whisper, his large hand swallowing her small bicep. "Aunt Tali isn't feeling to well, she's fast asleep. Is there something I can help you with?"
"I don't wanna sleep alone." She admitted, almost frightened that he would send her back to the room.
Something John had no intention on doing to her.
Slowly, the uncle nodded to his niece and stood up, not however, before wrapping his arms around her small body and lifted her right up into his chest as though he was cradling a newborn baby, He felt little arms clutched onto him tightly. She cried softly, still and unlikely to ever simply get over what had happened.
Quietly he sat down on the edge of the bed and let go, allowing Anastasia to crawl out of his arms and right up next to her aunt. John followed her lead and placed himself on the other side of the girl. Anna turned back and smiled, a silent thanks for allowing this. John smiled back and leaned in, his lips touching her forehead.
"Try to get some sleep... but don't be alarmed if you hear odd noises." He whispered to her as he pushed half his pillow to her and rested his own head."Tali snores like a krogan battlemaster, when she's not feeling well. It scares even me... And I know someone whose dating a robot girl on my advice..."
The girl did not laugh, but Anna did allowed a ghost of a smile as she nodded. She turned away, sleeping on her side facing Tali's back. John sighed as he rolled onto his back.
This was going to be another sleepless night... compounded by him not able to tell the small girl, now clutching his arm, just how much his little sister meant to him.
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Mass effect Connections