AN - Dedicated to ChampionTheWonderSnail because she keeps prodding my muses when I least expect it.
xxxXXXxxx
By itself, the Normandy is absolutely amazing to look at. Beautifully designed, a flexible and fast vessel whose reincarnation has been completed seamlessly. By itself, it draws anyone's gazes, their wonder about the craft which has brought the magnificent vessel to life. Having its Commander by its door, Specter, formerly deceased, recently undead and someone who persists in going after (or being responsible for) every disaster in the galaxy is just one more reason to gather a small crowd.
Jane hasn't bothered to notice that fact. In Tali'Zorah's opinion, that makes everything worse. For her, she means, not for Garrus who is studiously ignoring Shepard's armored form in favor of the point exactly above her left shoulder or the Commander herself, silent and judging.
They should have never left the ship. Ever.
"This was a very bad idea," the Quarian mutters to her companion, trying to ignore how Jane is following their every move. Not possible. They are screwed. She isn't sure how the Commander will react to the whole situation but anything that comes to mind is red. As in bloody, not colorful. At least, Shepard's Cain is inside the ship, she notices with some relief. The human tends to be far more trigger-happy than normal when that thing is nearby.
Shepard stops looking at them – probably realizing none will get their neck inside that noose without heavy prompting – and gathers herself to her unimpressive height. How such a gentle looking human can make a turian do a double take, it is beyond her understanding.
Tali is also amazed often how that gentleness sublimates as soon as there's a gun in her hands
"I was just contacted by Anderson," their leader informs them in the same disturbingly calm tone she always uses when, basically, telling the council to shove it before she makes it for them and that is just begging to be done in Three, Two, One. "Apparently, someone placed Staff-Commander Alenko in the hospital. Couple broken ribs, lacerations, broken jaw, broken cranium, pretty bad shape if recoverable in a week or so. A turian, a quarian, comments about Reapers abound."
The guilt in the ship bay would be obvious to a blind, deaf man.
"If I got an explanation before Liara ages past her prime, that would be nice."
And Tali won't take the fall for this, damnit. As Garrus continues ignoring the two women – thank you ever so much, Turian – she gathers enough of her wits to take the matter into her own hands before Shepard starts yelling.
People die right after Shepard yells. It's a fact.
"He was thrown into a wall."
The Commander's eyes narrow slowly and isn't that a warning? There is no Cain but the Commander goes nowhere without, at least, a couple of weapons. The assault rifle is the most visible, the shotgun hidden behind her waist, the handgun somewhere in between; if they are even more unlucky, it will be right by the hand resting on her waist.
"Garrus threw him into a wall, I mean," Tali develops quickly before Shepard calls her bullshit. "And I punched him. Before the throwing. Also, I might have disabled his shields."
This would be much easier if they had an audience. Against normal expectations, Jane can actually contain herself from murder when with witnesses. Why would that reporter ask her inane questions next to one of the most frequented bars in the Citadel? The noise of a club didn't allow exactly long bouts of conversation but the audiences. Those can even keep Commander Shepard from force-feeding someone her own omni-tool.
"Just punched?" Jane presses incredulously. "Remember, couple broken ribs, jaw, head. Impossible to do with one punch, says physics. Unless you're a Krogan and strong enough to bash someone's head in."
Garrus looks beyond uncomfortable. There's a little cloud of denial around him, the wish to get out of this unscathed which is ridiculous. Shepard is going to tear him a couple new ones whether he hides or not. Tali wishes he would stand straight. If they're about to die for meddling in her affairs, might have some pride and die standing!
"I was pushing Kaidan against the wall and talking. Just talking to him."
Sure you were talking, Turian. Because everyone talks with a gun on the other's face.
"He didn't want to hear though," the turian continues. "Thought he had had enough of everything I was saying. So he tried using a biotic throw to smash me against the opposite wall."
"Which would have worked," Tali completes tonelessly. "If Garrus wasn't holding onto him or, at least, released him, as logic dictates."
This story has to be pulled out with hooks the size of the Normandy's Command Center.
"It was painful."
"Garrus."
"It was! I hit the wall, of course it was painful!"
Garrus fumbles a little as Tali loses all her patience and rips out the rest of the scab.
"But smashing into a very tough turian armor at a somewhat high velocity is more painful and causes a lot of physical harm. Who would have known?"
The Quarian doesn't care anymore. She's still angry; she's still pissed at the former lieutenant, enough to ignore the danger of Shepard going batshit crazy on them. Kaidan was an asshole and someone had to make him pay. It doesn't matter that he hurt Shepard and not her. No, that's not right. It matters because he hurt Shepard, someone who went through hell with them and her friend. Her best friend. Her sister.
So, it does matter, even though Jane's about to kill them for interfering and he deserved every punch and bruise.
Tali expects Jane to be angry. To look at them disappointingly, bothered by their actions against their comrade. She expects bitterness, a little hatred, a little surprise.
She gets a silent Jane, blinking eyes and uncomprehendingly expression.
She gets laughter.
It isn't a chuckle or a smirk coming from the human. It is honest to God laughter, loud snickers and a sound which makes her want to smile or join in (amazingly, considering the rest of her instincts says "run before the vanguard goes for the shotgun"). A sound of happiness. Of joy. Jane is happy.
Tali'Zorah? She's confused. Isn't she supposed to be mad? Yell at them? She did love the man, even if he is a complete tool. Why isn't she shooting?
Shepard isn't. She's coming closer, kissing Garrus' cheek lightly before turning to do the same to Tali's cool mask; an unspoken show of gratitude in between the amusement shown by bright eyes, wide smile and the little chuckles she doesn't bother to hide. Jane is truly and amazingly happy as Tali has never seen her since her return from the dead.
So next step on the agenda. Shoot the Council?
"And Garrus," the Commander is already leaving with no other word, fingers on the airlock as it opens and the crowd understands no one's dying so aw, boring, let's leave. "If you want to claim your territory that badly, you just had to let me know. I'll be happy to give you a list of the exes."
Wait. Wait, what now?
"Your territory?" Tali repeats out loud both to herself and her companion. "Your? This was why you wanted to do this? You didn't tell me this before we went anywhere! Why didn't you tell me this was a freaking pissing contest? Garrus!"
Garrus pays her no mind. His entire attention is on the retreating human. "List? What did she mean with. Jane! What the hell did you mean with list? How many more?" And then he is gone, running after the brown haired woman and she is left alone.
Some days. Some days, Tali wonders why she thought returning to the Normandy was a good idea. No one is logical. No one.
"Engineer Tali'Zorah. Do you require anything?"
"No, EDI. Why?"
"Because you have been holding onto my interface for the past ten minutes while asking 'why me'. Perhaps Miss Chambers' assistance would have been appropriate."
The AI thinks she needed psychological help. Mostly, it is right. But it isn't a psychologist that she needs.
"Can I throw Garrus inside the first airlock and open it?"
EDI hesitates – Tali can swear it does – and it almost sounds apologetic.
"I am afraid not."
The Quarian sighs, banging her mask lightly against the interface.
"Then I'm good, EDI."
"Logging you out, Engineer."
Well. At least Kaidan's in the hospital.