"Your civilization is based on the technology of the mass relays, our technology. By using it, your society develops along the paths we desire." :Sovereign
Normandy SR2, 13 hours after suicide mission completion
Shepard sat in his quarters, Sovereigns words ringing through his head. He couldn't help but wonder if he made the right choice handing the Collector base over to Cerberus. By using Reaper technology were they playing right into the Reapers hands? Just as soon as these questions crept up in his mind he shot them down. No, we are already to far down the path. Shepard though, The only way to remove that problem would be to completely cast aside all technology based on element zero and start allover from scratch. We don't have the time needed for that, the most we can hope to do is get ourselves as far down the path as possible. Still, I wonder what things would be different if humanity never encountered any alien technology...
He let his thoughts shift to the present, there was still one unfinished matter with the crew that needed attendance. He had spoken most of the team and the crew over the course of the day, finding out what their plans were. Thane and Miranda died during the mission, Thanes death was his own damned fault, he should have known better then to send him into the vents. There was nothing he could have done about Mirandas death on the other hand, she died when she took a nasty fall after the human Reaper was killed. Jack was cutting loose, she'd disappear next time they docked. Samara was leaving back to asari space, saying she hoped that they would never meet again lest she be forced to try to kill him. Grunt said that he would stay as long as Shepard had enemies to fight. Legion was staying to communicate the Geths intentions in the war with the Reapers. Garrus said that he was with him until the end and accepted Shepard offer of making him his new second in command with Miranda gone. Jacob was sticking around for want of anything else to do. Mordin was cryptic about his intentions, but sounded like he intended to stay. Zaeed had surprised Shepard by saying that he would stick around for awhile at least, out of gratitude for helping him kill Vido, and about half of the Cerberus crew would be leaving to go back to their homes, no one important fortunately. Kasumi was... Well Shepard had no idea what she would do, or when he would know that she was gone. Tali was the last bit of unfinished business. He had put off talking to her partially because she was busy fixing the Normandy, and partially because he wanted to speak to her in private.
At that moment, the cabins doors open and Tali stepped in. "You wanted to see me?"
"Yes Tali," Shepard replied, standing to greet her, "Now that the mission is complete, I need to know what your plans are."
Tali stepped towards him, closing the small gap between them. "I think you already know the answer."
"I'm sure I do, but I need to hear it from you to make it official." Motioning to his desk, "Paperwork and all"
"Shepard, even if I wasn't exiled I would stay with you, you're everything I could hope for in a captain."
"Only as a captain?" He said teasingly.
Tali begain to speak with a great deal of uncertainty, she wanted their relationship, them, to work and she was worried that she might make a bad move and drive him away, "And... as a... What's the word... Mate? Partner...? Erm.... Lover?"
"How about all of the above?" he said with a smirk as he placed his hands on her sides.
"Shepard I... Are you sure tha-" Her words were suddenly interrupted by a short but nasty coughing fit.
Shepard was concerned, he hoped that their time together wasn't a mistake that would cost Tali her life, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"Really Shepard, I've been through worse, and normally its from a suit breach in combat, never from something as... enjoyable as our time together. But... About what I was about to say... Are you sure this is what you want? I mean... There are so many-"
"Tali, Tali." he interrupted her, placing his hand on the side of her helmet slipping it under the headscarf. He spoke softly, staring directly into her eyes through the helmet." We've been over this before. I don't care about the limitations we have, I'd want to be with you even if I never got to see your face. Now come on, it's been at least twenty hours since either of us have gotten any sleep." He took her hand and began leading her down the steps towards the sleeping area, she followed a bit uncertainly.
Tali honestly wasn't sure what to think, she didn't know the first thing about what human couples did or didn't do together. "I- You want me to sleep up here? With you?"
"Of course, in fact I insist."
"In that case who am I do say no?" Tali said as they reached the bed.
Shepard began to lay down, but was caught off guard when Tali placed her full weight on him, causing them both to fall unceremoniously onto the bed. Tali had Shepard firmly pined to the bed in a way that he wasn't sure he could break free even if he wanted to.
She began to speak, her voice heavily laced with erotic tones. "You know Shepard, you can't sleep in this dirty uniform. Besides, it will just get in the way of the nerve stimulation programs."
Something very rare happened to Shepard, he was taken off guard. "I thought you said you didn't want to use things like that."
"For our first time yes, but I don't had any objection to being together fakely between our real time. I still want to be with you and this is the only way I- we'll be able to do it regularly without dying."
"Then what are we waiting for, my love?" Shepard coyly asked.
Being refereed to as his love made her pause for a brief second. During that second a thousand thoughts raced through her head. Is this what love is? He loves me? Do I love him? Are we in love? Are but a few. Just as quickly as the questions were raised they were put to rest as she discovered the answer. The answer to all of the above was "yes"
She looked down on her love and said, "Nothing at all." With one hand she grabbed the buckles on his uniform, unclasping them. With her other hand she activated her omni tool and turned on her nerve stimulation programs.
A/N: Rewritten.
