The World She Created
Prologue
Consciousness returned slowly. At first, Tali only knew that she existed. Her mind felt clear, almost refreshed.
Sensation came next. She was lying on her back on a hard surface. It was not uncomfortable. Starting with her feet and working upward,she stretched as many muscles as possible. Nothing hurt or ached.
Relieved, Tali took a deep breath. At that moment the memories of the past few days snapped into place. Was this it, this first moment of the afterlife? Would her ancestors be there when she opened her eyes? What would they say? What about her parents?
"Mother, father," she whispered. Taking another deep breath, she opened her eyes.
The early morning sky was a light shade of blue. A few stars were still visible. Their light faded into the sky over the few minutes that Tali simply watched. Over that time a suspicion crept into her mind. Something in her felt different, yes, but this was not death. The afterlife was a place of warmth and togetherness for all Quarians. This reality felt like something new altogether.
Tali carefully lifted herself into a sitting position and looked around. She was in the same spot as the night before. The sun, just risen, warmed her neck. What had it been, she wondered, the green flame that had washed over everything? Was it the Crucible? Had the Reapers been defeated? A more important question then entered Tali's mind.
"Why am I still alive?"
Tali sighed, and in doing so looked down at her hands. Something, or someone had wanted to keep her in this world. First Shepard, and then what? The Geth? The Reapers? Fate?
Determined to find answers, Tali stood up. Her body bathed in sunlight, a glimmer caught her eye. She looked at her hands again. Green lines, the same shade as the mysterious light, ran across the surface of her hands, arms and legs: anywhere the sunlight touched.
The lines caused no pain, nor did Tali feel any ridges when she traced one with her finger. So focused on the changes, she did not hear the sound of footsteps approaching her.
"Tali'Zorah."
Tali spun around. Geth stood there, his red armor accented with a similar set of green lines. Sensing her hesitation, Geth continued. "Please come inside. There is important news from the combined fleet."
Tali nodded before taking the first steps of her new life.