Bioware owns Mass Effect - the characters and the setting. I just play in the sandbox.
New story, and we have Sergio/Andrio to blame for this one folks. He had put some script lines in a thread, and my muse grabed them and ran with it. Enjoy! This is an entry in my This and That series. Technically, this is the first entry, chronologically at least (un less I write more; who knows).

On Imagination and Heroes

Flotilla, standard year 2175.

Even in Exile, it was still possible to keep abreast of the current events. In an effort to learn about the relatively new aliens called humans, a young would-be engineer had hacked her way into a human news feed. At least this time she had Auntie Raan's approval to do so. The first time, when she got caught skipping zero mass physics to watch human news-vids, she had gotten stuck cleaning and repairing one of the Rayya's compost regulators. Her suit had smelled for weeks.

No, this time Auntie Raan was seated next to her when she started. As the news-channel came in to focus, the quarians could see it was another report about 'The Hero of Elysium.' It appeared to be an interview with this human. With a click, the audio came in to sync with the video.

"Why were you on Elysium Lieutenant Shepard?" The newswoman asked. The camera panned to Shepard.

The human clasped five fingered hands in his lap and leaned forward slightly. "I'm afraid that's classified ma'am."

Tali looks the human over. "Hey, he's kind of cute!"

Her aunt just laughed. "For a human, I guess he is Tali."

"And he's a hero. Just like the stories I used to read when I was little!" The teenager continued enthusiastically.

Shala just shook her head. "Now now, Tali. You know that news channels put a heavy spin on all information." She sighed. "There is no way that a single person can be as heroic as the stories make anyone out to be. That's why they are stories."

"Oh Auntie Raan," Tali says softly. "It would be so great to meet a hero on my Pilgrimage."

Collector Base, standard yead 2185.

Gunfire echoed around her. She was running as fast as she could to get away from the collectors as the base started to shake and crumble. She checked her h.u.d. once, and saw that her Captain was behind her a short way. It surprised her, since she knew that Shepard could out run both her and Garrus.

The quarian nearly tripped in her haste to keep moving forward. She became aware that the gunfire was less intense coming at her, though still just as loud behind her. Then it clicked. Shepard was running slower on purpose. He was drawing the fire of the majority of the collectors, as they were obsessed with him. And he knew it.

Finally, the Normandy flew into view. She and Garrus easily made the leap into the entrance of the ship. She turned to see Shepard sprinting to catch up. Just then, falling debris removed nearly 5 meters of the ramp leading to the frigate. With no time to correct, Shepard just sped up and jumped with all his might.

Only to catch the lip of the Normandy Still in shock, Tali was slow to react. Garrus, ever the consumate soldier, reached down quickly to pull the commander up and into the ship. Even as Joker and Shepard ran into the cockpit, Tali leaned against the wall and slid to a seated position. Garrus just leaned on the wall, taking deep breaths.

They had done it. Stopped the Collectors, destroyed the base. The shore team had all survived. Shepard had even rescued the entire crew. Everyone had survived against impossible odds. It was surreal.

"Did this all just happen?" Garrus asked from his position on the wall. "How does Shepard keep pulling all of this off? Even with me, it shouldn't be possible," he continued with a laugh. "I can only do so much of his job for him."

Tali laughed at Garrus. At least his sense of humor had improved. Tali's laughter trailed off as the full impact of everything they had accomplished - no, what Shepard had led them through - was felt. And she had her answer for the turian.

"It's becase he's a Hero," she said quietly. Garrus looked over for a moment. He nodded and his mandibles flared.

"A hero, huh," he said slowly. "I can see that." He grinned. "Guess that makes me the sidekick," he added, then his eyes narrowed slyly. "Would that make you the, what's the human word, dame in distress?"

Tali's eyes narrowed. "You bosh'tet!" she nearly growled at him. She glared for another moment, before she started to giggle. Garrus joined in the laughter.

Suddenly, the gravity changed. Accessing the outside cameras, Tali and Garrus watched as the Collecter Base exploded from a safe enough distance. They really had survived. She looked up as Shepard walked by them from where they rested. He patted Garrus's shoulder, before he looked over at Tali. With a smile in his eyes that warmed her heart, he offered her a hand up.

She was struck with the memory of how they had met. When the violence was over, he had held a hand out to her. She had initially hesitated, somehow sensing that this slightly familiar human would change everything she knew. And he had. Taking the offered hand had led her, with more ups than downs, to where the quarian was now; she could never regret meeting the hero the galaxy called Commander Shepard.

Not in her eyes; to Tali he was something more. He was her best friend; her hero; newly her lover; and most importantly, her Captain. Tali'Zorah vas Normandy looked up at her Shepard, and smiled first at the offered hand, then at her captain's own grin.

Now, as she did before, she took his hand and let Shepard lead her to her future.