There's A Suit Rupture
Tali was sitting in the Observation deck with Samara. Samara didn't acknowledge her as she was in the middle of her meditation. She also realized that Tali wasn't in a mood to talk. Tali was watching Shepard fly away with that Geth they found on the Reaper only a few hours ago. Once the shuttle left eyeshot, she hobbled to her bed and collapsed onto the mattress. She lied there for a few minutes falling in and out of conciseness before she passed out.
She opened her eyes and found herself alone in an unfortunately familiar place, the derelict Reaper. She looked around trying to find Shepard or Thane but nobody was there to answer her call. She walked across the walkway with her shotgun unlocked scared of what may come from underneath the edges. She fidgeted and flinched at the smallest noises thinking it might be a husk or something. After going around in circles for about 10 minutes, she was greeted by the loud, screeching sound of the husks squealing. She jerked around and saw that she was being trailed by twenty or thirty husks. She began shooting into the crowd and sent out her drone, but the husks didn't go after the drone. They kept pushing forward as Tali continued to frantically pump heat sinks into them. Then, just like what happened earlier, a husk grabbed her leg and it caused her to stumble to the ground. She reached for her shotgun but husks had pinned her to the floor. Tali kicked and screamed trying to escape but it was no use and the husks crawled on top of her. She stared into the dead eyes of a husk. It raised its hand and swiped her faceplate right of her helmet. In a panic from her face being uncovered, she began flailing around and was gasping for air. She stared frightfully into its eyes once again and saw its hand rise again. Just as the husk's razor sharp claws were about to gouge her eyes out, she screamed and woke up.
She shot up and frantically looked around the room only praying she was on the Normandy again. Once she realized she's awake, tears began to pour down her face. She had never been so scared in her life. A second later, Kelly came into the room.
"Tali! Are you alright?"
Tali, trying to "hide" her tears, turned her head to Kelly and replied, "What do you mean?"
"I heard screaming and since you're the only one in here right now…well yeah."
"Oh Kelly," she paused and started to cry. "I just had a terrible dream."
"What happened?"
"I dreamt I was back on the derelict Reaper. I don't know if you heard, but I was almost killed by husks."
"What!? Oh Tali, I'm so sorry. I didn't know."
"I fell behind and I was overrun by them and if it hadn't been for Shepard I would be…"
Kelly interrupts her and pulls her in for a hug. Although she couldn't see it, Kelly knew that, under that helmet, she was crying.
"I've never felt so powerless in my life", she said gasping for breath as she continued to cry.
"It's ok Tali", Kelly reassured. "It's not your fault…not many people could deal with what happened to you and be alright afterwards. I'm just glad that you are alright. I'd hate to lose a close friend."
Tali smiled. She never would have thought she'd be friends with anybody from Cerberus, yet here she was crying in Kelly's arms. "I'm glad to say I have a friend like you Kelly. I thought Cerberus was only full of racist xenophobes, but you definitely are an exception to that. What do you think I should do?"
"You have to talk to Shepard. He needs to know you're not alright. I'm sure if you two are as close as I assume, then he'll want to help."
"Okay…Thanks Kelly."
"No problem. You need someone to keep you company?"
"No, I'll be fine. Thanks though."
"Alright, I'll be at the CIC if you need to talk."
"Alright"
Kelly left and Tali sat there on her bed thinking about what happened. She was obviously scared about what happened, but she was actually just as embarrassed that she looked so weak in front of Shepard. She didn't want to be that damsel in distress. It hadn't been the first time Shepard saved her. There was the time they first they met on the Citadel, on Freedoms Progress when the mech wiped out some her squad, on Haestrom, again on the Alarei, and now this. She promised to herself that she'd get better on the battlefield. Just as she stood up, she was knocked back onto her bed as the shipped violently shook. She ran to the Observatory and saw a huge explosion coming from a Geth station.
"Shepard" she screamed.
Just as the explosion reached its apex, she saw the shuttle burst from the fires. She sighed in relief to see Shepard was alright. The ship jumped into FTL speeds just as the shuttle reached the landing deck. After slowing down, she heads up to the bridge and overhears EDI telling Shepard and Joker that it will be another few hours.
"Damn it EDI… we need to get this operation moving. Every minute the Collectors are around, the chance another colony could go missing goes up."
"Hey Shepard, go easy on her. We'll get it done."
"Her? Sounds like you two are getting along now."
"Well EDI has saved our asses…I figured it deserved a chance."
Shepard laughed, "Well, I'm glad to see it." He turned and saw Tali standing there. "Hey Tali. Are you alright?"
Tali nervously replied, "Actually, I was wondering if we could speak in your cabin."
"Sure thing lets go."
They walked to the elevator and got to his cabin.
"You don't' mind if I change out of my armor right now? Do you?" asked Shepard.
Surprised by the question, she nervously answers, "No, not at all."
"Okay then."
Shepard starts taking his armor off. Tali stared in awe as Shepard took off the torso to his armor. She sunk in the chance to finally see Shepard's cut body, but as she admired his body she saw some of the scars that he'd gotten throughout his life. He had a deep scar on his left shoulder, multiple scars on his back, but then she sees the scar over his heart. That was from the wound that almost killed him a few months ago. She almost started to cry but she held herself together. Shepard finishes changing into his clothes.
"Tease", she says under her breath.
Shepard walks over to the couch and Tali joins him. He turns to her and asks, "What was it you need to talk about? Is it about the Geth?"
"What, oh no that's not it Shepard."
"Was it about…what happened on the Reaper?"
"…yes."
"Tali, I really am sorry that I left you so far behind. I lost control and it put you in harm's way."
"Shepard… it wasn't your fault. We are supposed to be an elite squad of warriors, so it isn't a shock that you and Thane would do what you did. It's me. I got careless thinking that you two were only leaving scraps behind. I didn't run with you guys. I was jogging in your tracks, jealous of you two."
"Why were you jealous?"
"Keelah Shepard! What do you think!?"
"Tali…"
"You and Thane were handling all those husks like the pathetic enemies they are. I've always thought it was strange that some people have actually been killed by these things, but there I was, a few seconds from being one of those people. If not for you, I would be dead."
"Tali it's ok."
"No it's not! While I am grateful, I never wanted to be that weak female that always had to be saved. I just want to be nearly powerful during battle as you are." She interrupted herself as she began crying. "Damn it, Shepard I had a dream that I was killed by husks. I've never been as scared in my life as I was on that Reaper."
"That's enough", Shepard exclaimed as he pulled her into him. "Tali, you are one of the bravest people on this squad. You choose to fight even though all it would take is a well-placed shot to kill you. In that suit, your next battle could be your last but you don't care. Tali, not everyone is meant to be the one to drop their head and charge in. Those people need people like you to draw fire away from them and dispel any advantage the enemy has. Yes, I can be considered an exception to that but that is because I received some of the best training in the galaxy. I'm an N7 and if I was anything less than I am now, I would have never been able to reach the N7 rank or be able to do half of the things I do now."
"I know that Shepard but…"
"Tali, I don't mean to sound like an asshole, but you will never be as good as me on the battlefield. There are people on this ship, you'll never be better than. These people are trained killers and you just aren't that. But Tali, you need to remember that there is no one on this ship or in this galaxy that can do what you can do. You are the best engineer in the galaxy, and nobody could hold a candle to you when it comes to ships. The Migrant Fleet lost a valuable member when they exiled you. I would bet my life that they are regretting their decision as we speak even if they'd never admit it to anyone."
"You think so?"
"I know so. Tali, if ever seems that I'm babying you, it's not because I doubt your skills. It's because I am afraid that what happened today will happen again only I won't be fast enough to save you. I love you Tali and I'll be damned if you're taken away from me because I made a mistake."
"Oh Shepard", she says as she squeezes tight onto Shepard. "I love you too."
He runs his hand up and down her back, "I care too much about you. I just want to keep you safe, but I know you don't want to be shelled away anymore."
"I know Shepard. Maybe I shouldn't be so reckless with your feelings. I don't want to hurt you and its obvious the only thing that hurts you is…"
"Seeing you hurt", Shepard finished.
She digs her head into his chest, arms around his waist. He rests his hand on the back of her head. They cuddle on the couch for a little while longer before Tali detached her head from his chest.
"I should get back to Engineering. Ken and Gaby might start to get suspicious."
Shepard snickers, "You sure?"
"Yeah you get some rest. I know you're probably tired."
"Ok I'll see you in a bit."
He kisses her on the faceplate and she staggers off to the engines. As the elevator, heads down Tali looks down at her Omni-tool and noticed that it was acting funny. She traces the interference, and sees that it is coming from the AI Core.
"That's where that Geth is! That metal bosh'tet is trying to hack my Omni-tool!"
Just as Shepard is about to catch his forty winks, Joker comes on over the intercom.
"Umm Shepard…"
Annoyed, he replies, "Yes Joker?"
"Tali is in the AI Core with the Geth and Chakwas says things are getting tense."
"Shit…I'll get down there."
He jumps out of bed a runs to the elevator.
"I hope Tali doesn't do anything rash. Wait… I hope Legion didn't do what I think it did.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed... please subcribe to author as I update through new stories instead of chapters.