Over the course of my Mass Effect binge after the release of ME3, I wrote several one shots depicting one of my favorite couples, Shepard and Tali. These two are damned cute together and I've got a thing for their relationship. I've never pictured myself as Shepard with Tali or anything creepy like that, that shits a bit pathetic. But i do love their story.
One thing you should know about my Shepards past. Born on Mindwoir, Biotic and War Hero. I threw in a bit of the ruthless past for some more psychological shit to work with. After they had beaten back the invaders, Shepard led a small team after them, killing any he found even the ones that surrendered. Consequently, the Pirates of the Terminus know him as "The Butcher of Elysium."
NOW, this Short is a differant take on Shepard and Tali's first meeting.
Im expecting alot of reviews, so get to it.
The Wards where truly a sight to behold, even with the somewhat less than respectable reputation they had. The 5 arms spread out before him, its inhabitants going about their business as usual. Cars and ships of every make, model and color imaginable flew in a never ending flow of traffic. "This isn't a space-station... its a god damned city..." Shepard thought aloud, to nobody in particular as he stood watching from an observation window.
He felt like a true tourist, a feeling that he disliked, but all the same he honestly was right now. He had dismissed Alenko and Williams until they were needed at the citadel tower, knowing that they all needed some alone time after Eden Prime...
The N7 operative let out a long sad sigh. Another colony destroyed. Just like Mindwoir...
The instant those thoughts came up he crushed them, refusing to let the memories take life. He couldn't afford to let himself fall into that dark hole, not again... not now.
Looking back up at the Wards, ignoring the stares of the passerby's behind him, he silently wondered if his parents had ever seen the Citadel. He chuckled lightly; what would they say if they saw him now? An Alliance N7 Marine, a candidate to be the first human SPECTRE? His brother would no doubt be fuming with jealousy, as he was the one who had wanted to enlist. John had just wanted to be a farmer, like their dad.
Turning around, he observed the crowd that flowed around him, talking and laughing happily as they carried on with their lives. They had no idea what had happened, and from the sound of the council he doubted any of them would care. Well, most of them. There were good people out there, he knew that. They were just few and far between.
He closed his eyes and took in the sounds around him, taking a deep breath, getting a feel for the enviorment and trying to relax. A rush of footsteps like a stampede, the dim roar of voices, the computerized tones of advertisements... Flesh being torn apart, metal being fused in its place. Screaming, a cacophony of howls and mechanical roars. Slaughter, dieing, death, machines killing every living thing in sight. Reapers. They're coming...
"Hey! Hey buddy, you alright?" Shepards eyes snapped open and he gasped in shock. "Hello? You ok human?" Johns head whipped around and came face to face with a young Batarian. The alien stared back at him with a look of what he assumed was concern on his face.
"You looked like you were having some kindof a fit. You want me to call C-Sec?" The Batarian asked, searching John for injuries. The N7 operative stood there, his brain having trouble restarting.
"Yeah... I mean no!" The Commander said, still trying to process everything. "No. Im fine... Thankyou."
He stared at the Batarian, somewhat in shock, having difficulty trying to decide which pair of eyes to focus on. The young alien grinned and stepped back. "If you say so. Take care human." And with that, the Batarian turned on its heel and walked away, dissapearing into the crowd.
John was stunned. A Batarian, a race he had sworn never ending hatred against... He snorted. Well, like he had said, there were good people out there. Even Batarians...
Turning back towards the veiw of the Wards, he watched a Turian cruiser drift slowly by, losing himself again in his thoughts. The vision from Eden Prime... it haunted him in his dreams and now apparently in his wakening hours as well. What the hell did they mean? And what were the 'Reapers'... He felt like he knew the name...
He closed his eyes and tried to remember what he had just seen. Metal... Flesh... Synthetics? Geth? No... And that thought he couldn't get out of his mind. The one that had made him wake up in cold sweats for 3 nights now. The Reapers were coming...
He sighed, opening his eyes and hung his head in defeat. It didn't make sense. Any of it.
"I need a drink." He thought outloud. He turned and merged into the neverending crowd of people, hoping to find a place that served a decent human beverage.
An hour later, he sat on a bench outside a small human owned shop, coke in hand. It tasted a little watered down to him, but that wasn't surprising. All the way out here, he supposed they had to in order to make their supply last until they could get more.
He curiously observed an Avena terminal as a Turian and Asari couple inquired about a place to find home decor. An alien couple... he had to admit, it was very interesting to see different species together. He remembered reading a news article a few years back about the growing trend among humans.
Watching said couple pass infront of him, he chuckled to himself. He'd be lieing if he said he'd never checked out an Asari before. And he didn't know a single Marine that didn't have at least one issue of Fornax hidden somewhere.
Getting up and stretching, he politely stepped aside to let a Volus pass infront of him before walking over to the nearest recycle-can and disposing his empty cup in it.
As he double checked his Omni-tool for any messages from Kaiden or Anderson about the hearing, he overheard the Volus yelling at somone.
"Watch where your going! *breath* Clanless!" Yelled the indignant Alien.
"Please! I need help! M-my suits been breached! I need a doctor!" Came a panicked female voice.
That caught Shepard's attention. The Volus dismissed her with a scoff and waddled off, giving Shepard a better look at whomever he had been arguing with.
A petite female in what he assumed was an enviorment suit, was standing cradling her left arm stood the off to the side of the walkway. If he remembered his Alliance classes on species correctly, she was a Quarien. That was new, he had never seen one of those before.
He was confused though. She was clearly wounded, but nobody was even giving her a second glance. "The fuck..." he said brows furrowed, as he watched a Turian brush off he plea for aid.
Shutting off his Omni-tool, he made his way through the crowd over to her.
"Hey, you ok?" He asked, approaching the alien. The Quarien, jumped and looked at him, evidently stunned somebody was paying attention to her. "N-no... I... my suits been punctured..." she said, suddenly shy.
Suit puncture... did that mean she was going to suffocate? He thought back hard to the classes the Alliance had given in bootcamp. No... Quariens had... Immuno-somthing or other. He knew it had somthing to do with germs, but not much else.
"Are you injured?" He asked, trying to get a better look at her arm. She nodded, trying to move so that he couldn't see her arm. "Let me take a look."
"Are you Alliance?" the young alien asked. "Yes. My names John Shepard. Im a Commander with the Alliance." She seemed to calm down a bit and offered her arm.
He took it and gently moved her hand away from her wound. Upon inspection years of battlefield experience let him instantly recognized it for what it was, a bullet wound.
"You've been shot." He said somewhat shocked. "I know, I was there..." The Quarien said sarcastically, causing John to chuckle.
"Come here." Commanded the N7 operative, leading her carfuly through the crowd, over to a store that sold cloths.
"Can I help you..." asked the same Turian that had ignored the Quarien earlier, just as Shepard ignored him now. He grabbed the nearest article of clothing he could find and ripped off the sleeve.
"What are you doing!" Asked the now indignant Turian. John, took the girls arm and wrapped the remains of the sleeve around the wound tightly, causing her to gasp in pain. "There. That should hold until we get you to a doctor." He said, patting her arm.
The furious Turian was about to round on him, when John slapped a credit chit in his hand. "Next time, don't be such an ass." He said, walking out of the store, while the Turian gawked at the number on the chit, an amount considerably higher than the price of the shirt.
"Im sorry, I didn't catch your name." Said John, as they approached the Avena terminal. "Sorry! I-its Tali... Tali'Zorah Nar Rayya." She said, cradling her arm now. John smiled at her nervousness. It was cute really. "Nice to meet you Tali'Zorah." He said, looking over at her.
"Its just Tali... I..." she nearly fell over, before John caught her. He held her up and helped support her. "You okay?" He asked, wondering how much blood she had lost exactly, as she coughed. "No... I'm running a fever... I can't really see streight... I think im delirious..."
John held her up and helped her walk over to the Avena terminal. "Just hold on, i'll get you to a doctor." She nodded and let him help her walk.
"Where's the nearest medical clinic?" He asked the stations resident Asari VI.
5 minutes later they in an elevator, heading to the upper wards, a free-clinic run by a 'Doctor Michelle'. Tali was silently leaning against the elevator to stop herself from falling over. John could see her starring at him out of the corner of his eye as the elevator slowly ascended. When turn to look however, she looked away shyly.
John had to admit, her thighs and ass where truly a sight. He knew he shouldn't be oogleing a wounded girl. But he'd never seen an alien so... exotic.
"So Tali. Want to tell me who was shooting at you?" He asked, trying to discard his previous thoughts.
She looked at the floor nervously, fidgeting with her hands. "I... somebody is after me." The Quarien continued wringing her hands together, leaning her back against the railing.
"Why would somebody be after you?" He asked curiously, hoping he wouldn't have to deal with them. He was in enough trouble with Udina and the Council already without a firefight in the Wards.
Tali continued to observe her hands, fascinated by them. Shepard noticed however that she was shaking. "I... I-Ive never k-killed anyone... b-but today..." she said, extreamly shaken by her experience.
Shepard crossed the elevator and hugged her. She gasped softly and trembled as he help her whether from the fever or nerves he didn't know. "Its alright..." He said, leaving a little space between them. "You were defendeding yourself, right?"
She nodded and he gave her a squeeze. "You didn't do anything wrong. I know its not easy, believe me, it never is." He felt her calm down a bit as he hugged her, trying to calm her obviously frayed nerves.
"What is with this elevator? Thing is slower than an Elcor." Asked Shepard, earning a laugh from Tali. "There ya go." He said, grinning. "You'll be okay Tali. Just remember that you were only protecting yourself."
She nodded and he released her just as the elevator doors opened. "Come on." Shepard helped her keep her balance as they made their way out of the elevator and towards a helpful sign that pointed them in the direction of the med clinic.
Fortunantly the clinic wasn't at all far from the elevator and they were able to make it in just under 3 minutes. The doctor that ran the clinic had jumped into action, no questions asked.
The Quarien lay on a medical table while John sat in a chair not from from her bed. Doctor Michelle Cole was sterilizing herself in preparation for the procedure, so he would wait around until he knew she was safe.
His Omni-Tool flashed into life with a priority message from Captain Anderson however. He stood up and walked a short distance away before picking up. "Shepard." Anderson appeared on the vid screen of his Omni-Tool automatically. "Yes Captain?" Asked Shepard, automatically snapping to attention, even though it was just a vid-call.
"The Council is ready for us. Gather your team and meet me at the Council chambers in the Citadel tower ASAP." The Alliance Captain ordered him.
John snapped off a crisp salute. "Yes sir. We'll be there shortly." "Good. Anderson out." With a nod the Captain hung up and Shepard sighed, making his way back to the Quariens bed.
"Feeling any better?" He asked, pulling a chair up beside her and sitting down. "A little." Tali nodded, "Doctor Michelle really knows her stuff."
John smiled. "Glad to hear it. Had me worried there for a bit, that fever really hit you hard."
"Thankyou..." Tali said, looking up at him shyly. "For everything..." John waved it off. "It was no trouble. Im just glad your safe." She nodded and lay her head back down on the pillow, stealing a glance over at him.
After a bit John stood up. "Well, i've got to get going Tali. I really wish I could stay and make sure your okay, but I've got an urgent hearing to get to."
"Oh..." she said, obviously dissapointed. "Okay... thanks again."
Shepard smiled. "Your welcome. I'll come by and check on you later if I can. Hope you get better."
With that he turned around and walked towards the clinics exit, pulling up Alenko and Williams on his Omni-Tool to arrange a meeting spot.
(6 hours later)
With a surge of biotic energy form Lieutenant Alenko, the last merc fell dead. The smoke from the brief exchange of gunfire, and one well placed grenade hung in the air as the group made sure the room was secure. While Garrus and Kaiden went to check his computer, Shepard stormed over to Fist and stepped on his chest, causing the crimeboss to yell in pain as a pistol was aimed at his head.
"Where is the Quarien." The N7 Operative demanded, throughly pissed.
"I don't know what your talking about!" Cried Fist from the floor. Shepard stepped on his wound, still oozing blood. "Bullshit. Tell me where she is or I'll let my new buddy Wrex here have some fun with you." Wrex chuckled darkly behind him.
"Alright! Alright!" John eased off a bit, but still made sure to keep some pressure on the criminals chest. "She's not here! I swear! She insisted on speaking with the Shadow Broker personally!"
"Face to face?" Scoffed the Krogan. "Impossible. Even I was hired through an agent."
"She didn't know that. I told her he'd meet with her... but when she gets there Sarens men will be waiting." Fist said, trying to sit up, but Shepard wouldn't let him. Instead he kicked fist in the head. He used his biotics to slam the criminal against the wall.
"Where! Where is she!" Shepard yelled, sticking the barrel of his pistol into Fist's wound. "Agghhhh! The back ally, just around the block from the club!"
"I know the place." Said the C-Sec Officer, looking up from the terminal. "I can get us there, but we'd better hurry. Im guessing that Quarien dosnt have much time."
"Let's go. Ashley, Kaiden, stay here with this piece of shit and see if you can find out anything more about what Saren is..."
He was interrupted by a shotgun blast from the Krogan, who had just obliterated Fist's head. Pistols were immidiantly trained on him. "What the hell are you doing!" Demanded Shepard, turning to face the Krogan bounty hunter.
"Fulfilling my contract. He was of no use to you anymore anyways." Wrex said calmly in a casual baritone voice.
John wasn't going to shed a tear over Fist, but all the same... it didn't matter, he didn't have time to deal with this. "Just warn me next time. We don't kill unarmed prisoners." Said Shepard, in a calm but firm voice.
The Krogan grinned, somthing that unnerved the Marine. "I seem to recall that you do, 'Butcher of Elysium.'"
John clenched his fists in anger, glareing at the Krogan, but decided not to press the issue, they were running out of time. "Williams, Alenko; stay here and find out whatever you can from Fist's OSD terminal." Shepard ordered, not taking his eyes off of Wrex.
"With all due respect sir, I don't think..." Williams began, glancing at the two aliens. Shepard shot her a look that could pierce a Drednaught's hull, stopping her cold, before she could even finish her thought. "Yes sir." Said the Marine reluctantly.
"Garrus, get us to that alley. Now." The Turian nodded and, checking his pistol, lead the way out of the former crimelords office. "It isn't far, we should be able to make it in time, but we've got to hurry."
Sprinting at a dead run, Shepard and Wrex followed the Turian back the way the came. They passed the still fresh corpses of the mercs, guards and bouncers they'd killed to get to Fist. Only stopping to shot a wounded guard who had tried to get the jump on them by playing dead.
Johns thoughts drifted towards the girl he had left in the clinic. Why hadn't she told him Saren was after her, or tell him about the evidence?
Because she had just been attacked by assassins, his mind answered him. Her suit breach was making her delirious and she hadn't known if she could trust him. Or mabey she had planned to, but he had left so quickly...
It didn't matter, he decided. What's done is done. All that did matter, was getting to her in time.
His thoughts drifted to her feminine curves as he ran, the charging Krogan giving those in their way more than enough reason to move. John had never met anyone like her... she was damn cute with how shy she had been around him. Even though they had only met for a short time, there was somthing about her... Shepard wasn't going to let them hurt her, he would save her, he had to.
"Its just through here!" The C-Sec officer called back over his shoulder, pointing out a door ahead. "Safeties off! Check your targets, do not hit the Quarien! Garrus, hang back a bit a cover me and Wrex, call out targets as they appear!" The N7 Marine commanded, snapping back into combat mode.
The door opened for them and they charged through, weapons at the ready and scanning for targets. "Clear! Must be further into the Alley!" Called out Wrex, gesturing down a set of stairs.
They pushed up, moving methodically down the alleyway. "I see them! Just ahead!" Called out Garrus who was on point.
Shepard sprinted up front to him and crouched next to him. There was Tali, unharmed. He let go of the breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. However, a Turian was standing infront of her, asking her somthing. He felt an odd surg of anger as he watched the aliens hand slid down her body, before being slapped away.
Shit hit the fan at record speed. No sooner had John spotted the two Salarien assassins moving in on her, than the Quarien threw down a techmine, killing the first Salarien and stunning the Turian, before diving behind cover and pulling out her shotgun.
"Move in! Clear'em out!" Ordered Shepard, sprinting out of his cover. Wrex charged forward with him, Garrus staying behind to provide cover. The Salarien left standing didn't know what hit him as the Krogan barreled into him, tossing the alien against the wall and finishing it off with 2 quick shotgun blasts.
The Turian, who had been closing in on Tali, whipped around to face John just as a powerful biotic warp hit him, disabling his regenrating shields and shredding apart the front of his armor. As he staggered back in shock, his blood pooling on the ground infront of him, he was finished off by a well placed shot to the head from Garrus.
Tali looked up at John in shock as he walked over to where she was taking cover and offered her his hand. "Are you alright?" He asked, inspecting her for wounds as she took his hand and got to her feet.
"I-I... Fist set me up!" She said angrily, not really answering Johns question. "I knew I couldn't trust him!"
"Looks like she's fine. Handled herself pretty well." Commented Garrus, walking up to the, stowing his pistol.
"How did you..." Tali began, her eyes never leaving Shepard, only to be interrupted by him. "We know about the data. You should have told me, I... we could have protected you." He said, scrutinizing her.
"I know. Im sorry. I wanted to, but there was so much going on and with the fever I couldn't think straight and then before I could tell you you had left and I had no way to get hold of you." She rambled, collapsing her shotgun and stowing it behind her back, before wringing her hands infront of her.
"But why go to Fist? You could have just waited there or gone to C-Sec." Inquired Garrus, stepping up beside Shepard, forcing the Quarien to tear her eyes away from the human.
"He came to me personally. Said the Shadow Broker was willing to make a deal for the data and that he would offer protection in return..." she said sadly. "I didn't have much of a choice. He had guards with him and I was still recovering. I couldn't have fought them off, not by myself..."
She turned and looked back at Shepard. "But now I can repay you, for saving my life twice now... I'll give you the data, and do whatever I can to help."
So yeah. There ya have it.
For those of you wondering why im not posting another chapter of Spherite yet, its because im working on it. So shut up.
Didnt get anyone to beta this thing so sorry if its a mess.