Born from mild irritation and insomnia this fic is potential one of several mini fics.
Firstly I've come across many forums where people complain vividly about the Garrus/Tali pairing. Their arguement is that the interaction between Garrus and Tali is either bickering or all business. I submit that that fact is true - in Mass Effect 1 anyway, I'm just starting to play the second one. My arguement is one; bickering and picking on are often classic signs of affection, respect and or admiration. Two, as far as delving into interactions between Squad Mates that aren't Shepard, Mass Effect 1 has next to none aside from Kaidan and Ashley. And I'm not complaining, I like it that way. It leaves room for fanfiction writers to go have fun with it all! And Three. Crack pairings are fun. Take that skeptics! HA!
Secondly there is a sad amount of Garrus/Tali Friendship and/or romance fics out there. Even if you aren't on the ship for the pairing I've always thought just their friendship could be interesting. More like a competative companionship derived out of respect, admiration and a common goal.
Also I've always felt the Turians and Quarians are very similar. Both are Detro Acid based life forms and their general physical shape is closer two one anothers then it is any other species. Also, both Quarians and Turians have a very very strong sense of their racial wholes. An individual of both races holds the over all future of their race in the highest regards and niether have any qualms risking their life for that. It's not means for a medal of bravery, it does not set them above the rest of their race it just is what they all are expected and want to do.
In that way their personalities are similar. Also both like tech XD
And though this is far more a friendship/rivalry blurb then a romance fic my over view stands strong.
Err all that aside! Please read! And Review! I'd love to hear opinions on any aspect of the story!
Such a strong word.
The crew of the Normandy was a hard working bunch. Some were loud, some were quiet and some were calm while some were wild and some...not so calm. As a whole however, they were hard working, loyal and consistantly without complaints. The last part was note worthy considering they were without port for weeks at a time and thus often without much personal or free time. Any species human or other wise would find these conditions frusterating over time which was precisely why Sheperd developed the habit of shore leave.
Their mission was important, of that there was no doubt, but the Commander knew from experience that his crew would be driven crazy is they were to attempt the impossible without having a break here and there. So, he had decided that, no matter how trying the times, every month would have at least one such time of relaxation. It was never long, usually only a day and a night, but it seemed to be long enough to allow everyone to re-find their sanity and continue on. No one was allowed to refuse, no one was allowed to stay behind, everyone was to be involved. If they had no personal issues to take care of they would do what he did - hole up in a club.
This particular leave began as all others did. The Normandy docked at the Citadel space port and Shepard made his announcement over the intercom. "Everyone dock side in ten minutes." He'd never gotten many groans or other such noises that suggested lack of participation. Mostly the crew was enthused. All except Joker who first began a protest then eventually just stopped when he realized the Commander himself was dragging his chair along the bridge towards the airlock.
After ten minutes had passed, the entire crew was assembled outside of their 'mobile home' looking eager to start their day within the Citadel's vast and lavish accommidations. Seeng them all there, Shepard would merely say, "You've got until tomorrow morning. Everyone back here at 08:00 hours. We clear?" They would all nod, he would dismiss them with a hand gesture and off they would all go. That would leave him in the clear to do what he always did. Off to check around for information, off to secure weapon licenses, off to deal with council bullshit and then, finally, off to Flux.
Why Flux? Two reasons. One, Flux had a better view then Chora's Den. It was bigger and positioned higher on the Citadel therefore it gave him a good eyes view of what lay out the large windows. Two, it was safer really. Even a man like Shepard, full of piss and vinegar and with an attitude like that of a polar bear with a varren shoved up it's ass, liked to avoid rough situations when on leave. He spent all day and night wondering what was going to jump out at him next, it was good to have a feeling of ease at least somewhere once in awhile. Though that hardly meant he let his guard down completely.
Whatever, it didn't matter. In the end he was content in his corner booth at Flux, taking in the music, the booze and the troves of women dancing so carefree on the dance floor before him. He never found any shame in watching. He always took this in early as it would only be a matter of time before his privacy was turned to comradery as one by one crew members would join him.
This is where things began to veer off the normal path. Normally Shepard was joined, in order of appearance, by Liara, then Wrex, then Garrus. At first he'd found it odd that this would be his company. A collection of alien races that typically were not agreeable having no qualms with sharing his table with either him or any of the others. Sure, they behaved on the Normandy but he'd always thought it mostly to be out of respect. Or at the very least the knowledge that he wouldn't tolerate inner turmoil. But out here, he'd thought they would all avoid one another. Apparently, the great Shepard had been wrong. After months of this, he now thought it to be normal. The looks people gave them were ignored and the four would go on talking about things and drinking like tomorrow would be the end.
This time however, the number at the table would add one more. It seemed Tali had decided to join them and though Shepard hadn't a clue as to why, he wouldn't complain. After all, he kept telling her to be more social on the ship. Little did he know tonight could possibly be the night he discovered as to why she hadn't joined them before.
"Is there room for one more?" Tali would ask, her confidence seeming unwavering, though her posture suggested a mild timidness.
Though everyone at the table was a little surprised, no one objected. Garrus moved a seat over to allow her to sit while Shepard lifted an arm - his signal to the barkeep that he wanted another round for them all. Conversation would continue as would the drinks. The sun had long since blinked off it's light and still the five remained, though now much louder and much less couth about their stories and words. Over the course of the night Shepard had found an arm about Liara's Shoulders and the other pointed like a pistol at Wrex as the human and Krogan exchanged threats and insults. It was a fun game they had when at the drinks and one that disturbed the other tables around them. Oddly no one ever complained though. Later, when trying to retrace memory, just before this was when the Commander lost track of Tali and Garrus who had been in a heated debate moments before. Over what? He couldn't recall.
"Bosh'tet...For the final time there is no 'Flux Capacitor' in the Normandy's drive engine! That part is archeic human technology!"
"If I can't calibrate it, it's not worth my memory." Garrus paused a moment to force himself to sit up a bit straighter as he took another lick of his Turian Brandy. "And that's why, I have no idea what that capacitor does."
Tali, a bit less intoxicated then her Turian debator, scoffed and swatted his shoulder out of pure frustration. "There is NO capacitor! There's nothing to remember because it doesn't do anything because it doesn't exist."
"There are more things to life then capacitors."
If one could see beneath Tali's mask they would notice the intense murderous glare that was briefly shot in Garrus' direction. She knew he wasn't stupid, drunk yes, but not stupid. He was simply egging her on and it was not appreciated.
Having felt the look, the Turian would chuckle as though triumphant as he polished off the last of his drink. "All that I'm saying Tali is that it really doesn't matter that much if it exists. It doesn't go in the drive engine and you know it doesn't so if one was there you'd know something was wrong where as I, would not." He would be forced to pause to recollect his thought process. That thought was hard to follow when one was hazy. "Everyone has a knack, as the human's say. Yours is tech."
"Oh you noticed?" Her tone was subtly sarcastic and condescending as she too took to her drink.
"No." He replied in much the same tone. "Just now really. I realized you were Quarian, the rest just fell into place. A Quarian Tech Prodigy? Why yes! The universe makes sense now."
She rolled her eyes, used to his play on her race. Garrus and herself had a history of bickering. Anything from debates to chid remarks, to passing insults. They had never seemed to find any common ground. She said Black, he would say white and so the circle would go round without signs of stop. Thus, his comments usually didn't bother her any more, but could become frusterating. Even so, she could never bring herself to be the one to end the cycle. If anything she seemed more inclined to allow it to continue.
After all, she couldn't let him 'win'
"Mind blowing, I know. Though not so much as you. A calibrating Turian. Astounding!" She paused to shift her weight as the liquor began to take more of a hold upon her. "Alert the council!"
The response this raised from Garrus was a non symettrical sneer. "I'd say you have a big mouth, but alas I've never seen it." The sneer would coil to a smirk. "How's your immune system by the way?"
The two would share with one another an intense glower, each relaying a fiesty discontent to one another presence. Silence would pass between them and linger before slowly Tali would stand - a soundless sign of her defeat.
"I would like to tell you how much I hate you right now. But I just can't find a term that would describe such intensity."
Garrus would chuckle a triumphant grin pulling at the edges of his scaled mouth. "Now now, Hate is such a very strong word."
Finding she had nothing else to say, Tali would take her leave of the situation. Upon her exit the turian would once again chuckle to himself feeling nearly as victorious as he did drunk. Poking fun at a Quarian had never felt so rewarding. Though, in a way, he was disappointed she had left. What was he supposed to do now?
Ah yes...Drink!
Everything was so...Loud!
First Joker's voice had been loud, blaring over the Normandy's intercom that they had detected a distress becon in the Artemis Tau cluster. Then the armour and armaments had all been so loud as they clanked and clattered together as three of the crew member prepared for a drop in the Mako. Further more, the landing had been loud, the planets winds had been loud and now, the opening of the research facilities doors were fucking LOUD!
A few steps in the door and both Shepard and Garrus removed their helmets. Each put a hand to their heads and stifled a groan. Beyond the next set of doors the foot steps of the Mercenaries sounded like a herd of cattle on steel plating and rang true through the ears of the two hung over party members.
The third party member, Tali, would shake her head at the two. "Really? You two slept like babies." She'd pause and they'd both look at her, perplexed as to how she'd know how they slept. As if to answer the, she'd shake her head again. "You only just left your quarters when Joker called everyone. It's technically passed midday."
Shepard grunted. "I was wondering why it was so bright on this rock..." And would leave it at that.
Garrus however thought her behaviour strange. He'd been drunk enough for a hangover but not for memory loss. He'd assumed she'd be mad at him...Perhaps his hangover was causing him enough grief to quell her discontent. Also, the two of them did tend to keep their 'exchanges' away from missions. Settling upon this, he calmed his suspicions and readied a sniper rifle.
It was an unwritten law of the universe that when Shepard took Garrus and Tali on missions the order into combat was as followed. Shepard would charge in with a shotgun, Tali would follow, covering him with a pistol and Garrus was take up the rear as a guard against Snipers and rocketeers. This mission was no different. This time however there was a great many Krogan and as a species they were not well known for their love of the sniper or rocket jock class of soldier. Due to this actuality, Garrus spent most of this fight hanging back, watching the far surroundings for any sign of - ahh there!
Up upon the terrace a human sharpshoot poked his head over the railing and began to line a shot. Sadly for the human he was far to slow. In less time then it took to inhale Garrus had adjusted his rifle, caught the man's head in the sights and pulled the trigger.
A loud sound resembling a 'FWOOM-WHOP' echoed through the area accompanied by a harsh flash of light. Not only had the overcharged round splattered the one remaining human mercenary but it had also caused anyone left in the room to be deafened, blinded and if they had the poor fortune of being Garrus, winded and gasping on the floor from the resulting kick back.
If one listened, or rather if one could even hear, they'd be able to pick up the deep tenor of Shepard's voice tossing around threats of violence and profanities as he held his head and tried valiantly not to weep from the agonizing shock. Hangovers and loud noises had suddenly become his mortal enemy and he was not keen on either.
Too shocked and out of breath to behave as his Commander was, Garrus just layed on the floor a look of pure shock and confusion upon his face. How had that happened? He'd just calibrated that rifle the day before there was no way it could have fallen out of sync so severely in such a short time! Blinking, he'd find the spots in his visions beginning to clear and to further his surprise he saw Tali leaning over him. How had she found him if she was blind? Unless...
"That looked like it stung Garrus. " The Quarian said, her voice so near a content coo that immediately the Turian would feel anger. "I suppose I won't alert the council."
"You..."
"Don't blame this on me." She would reply, triumph creeping it's way into her words. "You should be more careful with your calibrations."
Garrus would glare at her, unsure of whether he should admit defeat or express fervent ire to the situation. Stuck between the two he settled with only a short heartily expressed sentence. "I...hate you."
It was Tali's turn to chuckle - a sound that edged Garrus' nerves. "Now, now Garrus. Hate is such a strong word."
Stunned back to silence the Turian was unsure of how to react. First, he felt the violent urge to wring her neck. This quickly dissapated however and was replaced with the overwhelming urge to laugh. This he would quell and instead let out a scoff to signal his defeat all while a few subtle clicks of his mandibles relayed his humor of the situation. "This is war."
Though he was unsure if she had heard him, Garrus was sure she already knew. Something about her posture and the elated way her hips swayed as she moved away from him. Plus he was sure she knew that Turians never backed down from a fight.
Had Shepard been in his right mind perhaps he would have noticed the exchange. Instead his agony drove him to confirm what they had come for and upon establishing it had just been a trap, he'd leave without so much as a hint to knowing what had happened.
Annd that's that. As I get time I'll continue on finding different altercations and means for the two of them to continue their little 'war'.
Thanks for Reading! Roan - out!