Commander Shepard paced around the airlock of the Normandy, waiting for the decontamination cycle to run its course. After he'd left the hearing, the full scale of what had happened hit him, and the anger tried to crawl back in his mind, only this time it wasn't directed towards the admirals. You just couldn't shut up, could you? No, you just had to go and make an ass out of yourself and get Tali exiled in the process. Nice one, keep up the good work! He mocked himself as his fists clenched. He felt so weak for losing control like that, and he didn't even know why he'd done it.
His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of pressurized doors opening as the decontamination had finished. Shepard took off his helmet and let out a weary sigh. He was beaten, both physically and mentally, and wanted nothing more than a hot shower to clear his head and calm down. He'd sustained a few injuries on the Alarei, nothing too serious, but he suspected they needed to be taken care of nonetheless. The thought of seeing Chakwas didn't seem too appealing, however, as he was too tired and aggravated to talk to anyone right now, so he decided to patch himself up later if need be. He stepped out of the decontamination chamber, taking hasty steps so nobody would attempt to speak with him, and took a sharp turn to the right, almost running Joker over.
"Whoa, commander, you might wanna watch it. Unless, of course, you want to send your crippled pilot to the med bay for a month and spend a holiday here. In that case, go right ahead" he stated with a mockingly accusing tone, raising his hands defensively above his head. For a split second the mental image ran through Shepard's mind, but luckily the idea vanished as soon as it had appeared. Not that he'd ever hurt Joker anyway, but the idea of being locked in with the Rayya after the hearing didn't strike the commander as a pleasant one. He was in no mood for the games Joker always tried to play with him, though, and figured it best to just apologize and move along. "Sorry Joker, didn't see you" he said, dismissing Jokers attempt at humor, taking a step to the left and continued on his way. "No problem Shepard" Joker replied, disappointed by the way Shepard had dodged a chance for playful banter they sometimes shared, but thought nothing more of it. He limped a few steps towards the deck as something struck him.
He turned around and looked at the commander as he hurried towards the elevator. "Hey, Shepard, where's the energetic little quarian you ran away with? We're not leaving her behind, are we?" he called out to him. Shepard stopped his stride and cursed under his breath. This was certainly not the first time he'd hoped for Joker to shut up, but now it would've been more welcome than usual. "Nothing for you to worry about, she'll be back soon. In the meantime, why don't you do your job and start working on that status report I asked for a week back, huh? " he shouted over his shoulder, not bothering to turn around, and continued towards the elevator.
"All right, Mr. Grumpy, who stole your Christmas?" Joker muttered as he turned back to the deck, continuing his troubled journey to the leather seats in the helm. "I'm detecting high levels of stress hormones in the commander's bloodstream. That, accompanied by his aggravated behavior and the fact he arrived alone, indicates that something went awry in the Neema" EDI's mechanic voice stated as the hologram popped up next to the main controls. Joker had gotten used to it over the past few weeks and was no longer startled every time the AI decided to talk to him from out of the blue. He sat down in his throne, once again feeling at home, and threw a glance at the hologram before checking the readings on his screen. "Gee, you think, EDI? I'm not a people person, and certainly not a supercomputer like you, and even I figured that out. Now stop worrying about the commander and give me a status report".
Tali walked through the cramped corridors and hallways of the Rayya, trying to memorize everything she saw for the hardships that were to come. It had been a while since she'd last been there, but for the most part it was still the same ship she grew up on. She remembered following the same path several times before, leading from the main hall to her family's quarters, but everything seemed somehow different now. The people didn't greet her as they used to, instead giving her hateful glances and turning their backs on her. Even the sound of the machinery didn't comfort her as it used to.
The news travels fast, she thought, depressed by the way her people had turned against her after everything she'd done for them. It didn't surprise her, though, after all a quarian didn't get exiled without a very good reason, but she would've liked to see even someone support her, to hear some friendly words or at least give her a nod, but no one did. Most of her friends from the Rayya were stationed on other ships since completing their pilgrimages so they would not be there for her. Shala would be caught up in the politics for a while and Shepard would not be showing his face aboard the Rayya anymore, so there really wasn't anyone who Tali could talk to. She figured it best to just get the things she needed and head back to the Normandy, not staying for a moment longer she had to.
She continued on with increased pace towards the lower levels of the ship. There were some people gossiping about the trial, how Shepard had nearly attacked the admiralty board, but the conversation died as soon as they noticed her. She walked past them, her head held high, and didn't even look at them. I will not be ashamed by a crime I did not commit, no matter what they think.
When they thought she couldn't hear them anymore, one of them continued, obviously shocked by the fact that Tali was still aboard the ship. "How dare she still walk around the Rayya? The admirals should've sent her on her way with that human captain of her as soon as she was exiled, she has no right to be here anymore!" he said, his voice filled with contempt. As Tali turned around a corner she couldn't hear the conversation anymore, guessing she wouldn't have liked what they had to say anyway.
Ignoring the other quarians that wandered around, Tali fell into her memories as she recalled scenes from her childhood. She remembered getting her first suit and the sense of freedom it gave her, as she was finally able to leave the cleanrooms she had spent most of her time in. The whole Flotilla was open to her, and the possibilities had seemed limitless. I was supposed to be free.
She let out a bitter laugh at the thought. Ever since her pilgrimage the suit had seemed like a prison that kept her hidden from the outside world, and the world from her. Seeing what every other species could do anytime they wanted had really broken the illusion of freedom the suit had provided, and she wondered if she had been happier when she still lived in the cleanrooms, ignorant of the outside world. Life had certainly been easier back then.
Shepard made it to the elevator without further interruptions. Kelly was away from her post next to the star chart, so not even she had bothered him, for which Shepard was extremely grateful. As a psychiatrist she would certainly notice his messed up state and wouldn't let him have a moment of solitude; worrying about Shepard and making a huge deal of it to Miranda who then would report to The Illusive Man, all of this happening behind his back.
His peace didn't last very long, however, as he heard a familiar voice from behind him. "Hey Shep! Going up?" Kasumi appeared from out of nowhere, having turned off her cloak, and now looked Shepard curiously in the eyes. He was too tired to jump at her sudden appearance and simply gave her a slightly annoyed nod, summoning the elevator to their current floor.
"Well aren't you in a good mood today" Kasumi said sarcastically, noticing his annoyed stance. He didn't react, and she grew curious. She knew she shouldn't pry, but her curiosity quickly got the better of her judgment, so she pressed on. "So, what happened back there? I don't see Tali around and you seem even more tense than usual". Shepard didn't take the bait, just hoping for the elevator to arrive soon before he ran out of patience, and instead figured he should be the one interrogating here. "What exactly are you doing in the CIC, Miss Goto?" He asked, ignoring her question completely. Kasumi was surprised by this and accidentally glanced at the door of the armory, smiling at the memory of the conversation she'd just had.
Busted, Shepard thought, knowing exactly what Kasumi was doing here. "So, visiting the armory?" he said, trying to keep a straight face but failing spectacularly, and a victorious smirk emerged from his lips. I have her now. Kasumi was ashamed for letting her guard down like that and feverishly tried to work out some explanation, other than what the commander already seemed to know. "Yes, there was a...problem with my Tempest. Jacob gave it a look and it's working again." She said, trying to sound as casual as possible, hoping Shepard would buy it. He didn't.
"Uh-huh" He replied slowly, crossing his hands across his chest and leaning backwards. He knew that Jacob and Kasumi had a thing going, but didn't really feel like interfering. He would have to, though, if he ever thought it affected their performance. Now was not the time, but he decided to have some fun by frying her a bit. Kasumi was saved as the elevator finally arrived. She made a step towards it but Shepard put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Seems like you forgot your weapon at the armory, Kasumi, better go get it" he said, stepping into the elevator and pressing the button for the captain's quarters. "Whoops, seems like I did. Talk to you later, Shep" she answered with relief, happy to get away from the commander and the awkward conversation, heading back to the armory. The elevator doors closed, and for better or worse, Shepard was finally by himself.
He stepped through the door leading to his quarters and threw his helmet on the bed, a bit harder than he'd intended. He sat at the edge of the bed and started taking the armor off. The adrenaline had long since left his veins and the pain from the injuries started to appear. None of them needed immediate attention, as most were just strains and bruises, but the headache was getting worse by the minute. He grabbed few painkillers as he went to take the shower he'd waited for so long.
The hot water streamed down his face, scorching his scars, but he didn't care. His thoughts were focused elsewhere. The images of the butchered quarians filled his thoughts, especially the last words of a quarian woman directed at her child. "Mommy loves you very much". That was a lot more than Tali got, he thought with contempt directed at Rael's last words. Forcing the thoughts away he found himself staring absent-mindedly into the smooth material of the walls. His injuries cried out as they'd had enough of the heat, and as the shower hadn't actually eased his state of mind as it usually did, he figured it was pointless to just stand around, and stepped out.
The living quarters of the Rayya were much more colourful than the rest of the ship, as people had draped the walls and entrances of their rooms with colourful curtains to cover the solid brown walls. Tali was once again surprised by the sudden change of scenery as she emerged from the plainly coloured hallways. She made her way past the rooms, which were more like office cubicles than actual apartments, and was glad the area was not as crowded as it sometimes was. Most of the people were working, and Tali was able reach her father's quarters without interruptions.
As an admiral, Rael and his family were privileged to the larger rooms on the Rayya, which were the only ones equipped with an actual door rather than curtains. Though Tali didn't officially live on the Rayya anymore she still had a room of her own, as admirals didn't share their quarters with other than family members. In a few days the quarters would be given for those in need until the time a new admiral was elected, but for now, it all belonged to Tali.
She opened the door and gazed around the room, finding that everything was as she remembered. There was a table and a few chairs at the other side of the room, and two curtain-covered doorways to the bedrooms, one for her parents and the other for Tali. She drew the purple curtains that covered the entrance to her room and entered the room she had not visited in months. It could barely be considered a room due to its size, and the only piece of furniture in it was a small low bed, but still it was more than most quarians had. She was considered lucky for having a room to call her own, since most quarians had to share theirs with two or three others. She had been offered a similar room aboard the Neema as a token of its captain's appreciation for her actions on the Citadel, but she'd declined. Tali didn't like the idea of having a room of her own, as she believed it was selfish and a waste of space that was already limited on the Flotilla, but now she was glad for the moment of privacy.
She drew shut the curtains and looked around the room as memories of her childhood played across her mind. There was a small painting on the wall above the bed, and Tali took it down as she took a seat on the bed. It was a beautiful painting of a small quarian child, standing on a gray planet, staring out to space. The sky was filled with stars mixed between diverse ranges of colored nebulas, but two stars were positioned apart, brighter and more vivid than the rest. She closed her eyes as she remembered the day her mother had given it to her. It was the day she had first put on her suit and her mother had showed her around the parts of the ship she had not seen before. It had been an adventurous day, and when they'd returned to their quarters her mother had given her one more gift. See these two stars here? That one is your father, and that one is me. You're a big girl now, Tali, but wherever you go, whatever you do, remember that we will always be with you. You'll never have to be alone in the galaxy.
Tali felt a tear run down her cheek as she leaned her back against the wall and remembered her mother's words from so many years ago, wishing she could be there for her now. Despite her mother's words, Tali had never felt more alone as she did now, by herself in her deceased father's quarters, surrounded by people who didn't want to see her, and no one to talk to. She looked once more at the painting and thought about her father. He had committed a terrible crime and gotten over twenty quarians killed by his mistake, and yet Tali had sacrificed herself to protect his reputation. At the time it seemed like the only thing she could do; she couldn't let his father's memory be destroyed for what had happened, and revealing the evidence could have driven the whole quarian race to a war with the geth, or even on the verge of a civil war. She'd begged for Shepard not to do it, as he was her captain and ultimately it was his decision, and though he had tried to talk her out of her decision, to convince her it was stupid to even think about not revealing the data, he did as she asked.
Tali remembered Shepard's final attempt at talking her out of her decision on the Kodiak on their way back to the Rayya. Shepard took her hand and looked in her eyes with a compassionate gaze. "Tali, is this truly what you want to do? I know this is difficult for you and you're hurting right now but please, don't be blinded by your grief. Your father wanted you to reveal the data so you won't have to pay for his mistakes, are you sure you want to hold it back? I won't blame you if you do, but I just want to be sure you are doing this for the right reasons" He asked in a concerned tone. Tali didn't hesitate for a second as she answered:"Yes, I am sure. I'm sorry I got you into this mess, but please; don't destroy what my father was. Shepard, I trust you more than anyone, please trust me when I tell you this is the right thing to do". Once again her trust in him had not been misplaced, and though it had been very difficult for him, he didn't reveal their discovery.
Now Tali wondered if it had truly been for the best. Though she had erased all data from the Alarei's computers, there was no guarantee the research team that was sure to be investigating the ship wouldn't reconstruct the data. If they did, not only would they find the evidence and condemn Rael despite what Tali had done today, but they would also realize that she was covering the crimes of a war criminal, and she would face the same penalties that threatened her father, even despite her exile.
Besides the risk of the data being recovered later, Tali thought about her own uncertain situation. Though she still didn't think they would survive their mission through the Omega-4 relay, what if Shepard would be able to do the impossible once more? After all, he had beaten Saren, stopped the reaper invasion once before and even returned from the dead. What if we make it back? Tali could not return to the Fleet, so her only chance would be to stay with Shepard on the Normandy, and follow him wherever he went. Not that the idea sounded bad, but what would she do if they managed to put an end to the reaper threat for good? Where would she go when Shepard would move on, leave the military and raise a family on some human colony, far away from everything? What if Shepard died on the mission, and she would survive?
The mental image of losing Shepard once more forced her to stop that train of thought. She had lost so much already, and decided she wouldn't add to the pain by thinking what else she could lose. For all she knew, she would be dead in a couple of weeks, and none of this would matter anymore. She opened her eyes and figured that there would be time to think back on the Normandy, and started to gather her few personal belongings from the room.
Besides the painting there were two things she wanted to take with her. The other was a holo of the team of the original Normandy, taken at Shepard's birthday party soon after the mission on Noveria had been completed. The crew was gathered around a giant cake, though Tali and Garrus had had their own snacks prepared for them, and people were having a good time. It was the only picture Tali had from that time, the only thing that reminded her of the odd family she'd been a part of, and she treasured it greatly. The other thing was a deep blue blanket on the bed, another memory of her childhood. It was made by her mother, and she had filled it with sewn pictures of starships, stars and everything else Tali had loved as a child. As time went by, Tali had made her own additions to it, and the latest picture she had added in was the Normandy orbiting a mass relay next to the Citadel.
She folded the blanket and placed the painting and the holo on top of it, taking one last look around her small room. Figuring there was nothing else for her to do anymore, she grabbed her belongings and turned to leave as she heard a knock on the door. Tali jumped at the sound as she didn't expect anyone to come to talk with her. She checked the time, wondering if her six hours had passed already, but it had barely been two since the trial. Puzzled, she placed the items on the desk and went to open the door.
Having showered and dried up, the commander felt no more at ease than he had before entering the Normandy. He opened up his personal terminal and tried to read through his unread messages, soon giving up as he couldn't focus. Seeing as there was little else he could do right now but try to sleep, Shepard laid down on the bed, turning off the lights in the room, and closed his eyes. Ever since his resurrection he'd had trouble sleeping, and today he doubted he'd get any sleep without some sleeping pills. He decided to try, though, and tried to focus on something other than the day's events, not thinking about Tali nor the trial. This proved impossible, however, and he soon found himself reliving it word by word, trying to figure out why he'd done what he had.
He had always had some anger management issues, but nothing compared to the total loss of control today. It was not the only change in Shepard's personality after project Lazarus, and sometimes he wondered if he was still...him. At times like this it certainly didn't seem so. They say people only change when they lose something, and I lost my life, he thought with a dry grin. Besides the unexplainable anger, he occasionally suffered from sudden cases of depression which he certainly didn't do before his death. Not only that, but he had nearly lost the ability to empathize with people, a skill that had been as natural as breathing for him in the past. It was one of the reasons he had become such a successful leader, but it was a lot more difficult these days. So much in fact, that it'd become difficult for him to deal at all with new people, let alone get to know them. This made him doubt himself as a leader, and ultimately, the chances of surviving the very mission Cerberus had resurrected him for. Turns out rebooting a mind isn't as easy as they thought.
The only people Shepard felt comfortable with were the ones from his previous life, mostly Joker, Garrus and Tali, and he was grateful they agreed to come with him, even with him working with Cerberus. He didn't dare think what kind of a mess he would've become if they all had reacted in the same way as Kaidan had when they met at Horizon. If they hadn't joined him, there would be no-one he could trust on board, no-one to talk to, and he would be pretty much alone in a ship full of Cerberus agents, assassins and thieves. He'd probably be dead.
Thinking about his past life, Shepard's thoughts drifted back to Tali, and a pang of regret hit him. Even though he'd done exactly as she had asked he felt like he'd betrayed her and cost her the only family and home she had. Why did she have to ask such a thing from me? He thought, raising a hand on his forehead. Why couldn't she just let me reveal the evidence? The admiralty board would have pardoned her in a second and she would still have a place to come back to if… when we come back from the mission. He had to pretend he believed they could survive, for if he didn't, why would anyone else? Her father is dead and his last wish was for her to reveal the evidence, so why didn't she do it? Why didn't I do it? His trail of thought stopped there, and the question floated around in the silence of the room.
He took a look at the clock next to his bed and frowned. He'd been laying there for three hours and was only slightly less irritated than before. He figured it was best to force himself to get even a few hours of sleep, so he grabbed a few sleeping pills from the night desk and swallowed them with a glass of water. The familiar numbing feeling began almost immediately, chemically relaxing his feet and moving up to his torso. In a few seconds his whole body was numb and relaxed and the commander closed his eyes, balancing on the edge of reality and dream. One last thought came to his mind before he fell asleep, one he had hoped for so many nights before. Perhaps things will look up tomorrow.
Shala'Raan was nervous. She had been caught up in the aftermath of the trial for too long, and she hoped that Tali had not left the Rayya before she could say goodbyes. She needed to know what had really happened on the Alarei, since neither Tali nor Shepard had actually said much about what they saw on the ship, but more than that, she needed to apologize. She was carrying a crate with her, a final gift to Tali, as she hurried towards her family's quarters. People gave her puzzled gazes as she went, but Shala didn't care about them right now. It was not the first nor the last time she cursed her status as an admiral as she hurried on.
She reached the door to the room she had visited for so many times before, but hesitated to knock. She had been so busy getting here she hadn't actually thought about what she would say. What could she say? Tali had just lost her father and Shala had condemned her to exile, so she probably didn't even want to see her. She pushed her doubts aside and knocked. She needed to see her, no matter what Tali thought, and hoped that anything that needed to be said would come out on its own.
It was silent for a while, and Shala thought Tali had already left. She was about to turn away when the door opened and Tali's eyes looked cautiously from behind it. As she recognized Shala she relaxed and let out a sigh of relief.
"Oh, it's you. I thought the guards had come to escort me out a bit early. It's really good to see you, auntie. Come on in, I just finished packing. " She said, pointing at the table with all her property, and turned back to Shala. She noticed Tali's tired stance and felt truly sorry for what she'd had to go through today. She wanted to comfort her, to tell her everything would be alright, but decided against it. It was better if Tali was the one who started to open up. "I'm glad to see you too, Tali. How are you doing?" She asked as she stepped inside the room, realizing how stupid she was to ask something like that, but decided not to correct her mistake as it would likely make matters worse. She recognized the items on the table and wondered if that was truly everything she was going to take with her. Tali took a seat on one of the chairs and motioned for Shala to do the same. "I'm...fine. Really." she lied, not wanting to burden her auntie by her worries.
Shala didn't buy it. Though Tali was a remarkably strong-willed woman, there was no way she could be fine with everything that had happened only a few hours ago. "No, child, you aren't." She answered in a warm tone, taking her hand on the table. "Not yet. But you will be, soon." Tali didn't argue. She let her head lower and looked at the floor. "I'm scared, Shala" she whispered, and Shala tightened her grip on Tali's hands. She had seen her like this only once before, when she'd returned from her pilgrimage with the news of Shepard's death. Though she had been celebrated and welcomed by all, she had been silent and absent-minded for weeks after her return. It had hurt Shala then as it did so now.
"I know you are, child, but you know you can trust your captain. After today, I don't think anyone has a doubt that he wouldn't do anything keep you from getting hurt, Tali." she said as she took Tali gently by the chin and pulled her head back up. She looked her in the eyes and continued. "I know you have your doubts, but if anyone can get you through your mission, it's Captain Shepard."
Tali turned her head away and looked once again at the holo from the Normandy. "I know he is, and it's not the mission that worries me. If I die there it will have been for a great cause and I'll die side by side with heroes, and I would not regret that." She answered with a newfound strength in her voice. "It is what comes after that I fear. Where will I go when our mission is complete? Even if Shepard would have me on the Normandy for a while longer, he will not be there for me forever, no matter what I wish for. Where will I go if we manage to take out the Reapers, or if he dies?" She continued, her voice cracking at the end.
Shala was ashamed for misunderstanding Tali so badly, for thinking she was afraid because of their mission. She realized she didn't have an answer for her, since no one really could have, and the room fell silent for a moment. Tali had hoped Shala would give her answers, but seeing her just fall silent made her feel
hopeless. Shala tried to work something out, but no matter what she thought up, it was not good enough. After a while she sighed and spoke again in a soft tone:"I'm sorry I don't have an answer for you, child, but I'm sure you will find them out yourself when the time comes. For now, you have a home and people that care for you on the Normandy, and isn't that everything one might need in life?"
Tali pondered on her words and realized she was probably right. There was no point in worrying about the future when she had everything she wanted right here. Though she had lost a place she used to call home, she still had another that truly felt like it. "I guess you're right. Thank you, Shala" She said and raised her head once again, looking Shala in the eyes with newly found hope.
Shala was happy to see Tali lighten up a bit, and didn't want to depress her again by inquiring on the events on the Alarei, as much as she wanted to know. Instead, she grabbed the crate from the ground next to her feet and lifted it on the table. "Oh, I almost forgot, I have a little something for you. Hope you like it" She said in a lighter tone, pushing the crate closer to her. Tali had also forgotten all about the mysterious crate, and was now itching to get it open. She pulled open the cover of the crate and gasped.
In the crate was a brand new suit, packed in an airtight plastic casing, and Tali could barely hold her excitement as she pulled it out. The suit she had inhibited for the last two years had taken some punishment and it was already covered in patches. Though it would've been at least another two or three years before she actually needed a new suit, she certainly wouldn't oppose having a brand new one when she left the Flotilla. It was beautiful. The suit was rather similar to her current one, but it seemed to weigh less and the base colour was darker than before. Shala had thought of everything as she had placed the order and she had remembered Tali's habit of using many belts to make her suit stand out from the rest, so she'd purchased a matching set of belts, only this time in a golden finish.
Shala smiled as she watched Tali examining the suit, all her worries put aside for a moment. "Do you like it? I figured you'd like the golden colour for a change" She asked, also looking at the suit and marveling its design. Her old suit seemed so bland compared to it that she decided to spend some time designing a new one that would put all her friends in awe. "Yes! It's perfect. Thank you, auntie. I can't wait to try it on." Tali said as she rose from her chair and gave Shala an exited hug. "Glad you like it" Shala laughed, returning the hug. "Shame you don't have the time to try it on here, I would love to see you turn the heads of every man on this ship with that suit" She continued in a playful tone as Tali packed the suit back in to the crate, as well as the other things she was taking with her. Tali simply let out a nervous laugh and closed the crate and looked around the room to see if there was anything else she wanted to take with her. She'd never appreciated Shala's way of teasing her and now it felt even more inappropriate than before.
Shala was amused by her reaction and continued her teasing. "No, I'm serious. You are a very attractive woman, Tali; don't be afraid to show it. I'm sure even the mighty captain Shepard has noticed it too" she said, gently poking her with her elbow. Tali could feel her face warming up as she blushed at the thought, and turned to face her. "Auntie Raan!" she exclaimed in a slightly accusing tone, wringing her hands nervously. Shala figured she'd had her fun and let Tali off the hook. "All right, all right, I'll be quiet now. We should probably get going, it's almost time for…uh…, is there anything else you would like to do before you leave?" She asked in a more serious tone. She would've given anything to not have to say those words, but once again there was no one else to do it. Tali still had some time, but it would be seen as a sign of good will if she didn't drag her stay too long. Though she had been exiled, it was by no means final, and Shala vowed herself she'd do everything in her power to get Tali exonerated.
Tali was grateful Shala had changed the subject, but now the reality struck her once again as she remembered what she had to do. She cleared her throat and took the crate from the table. "No, I don't think so. Let's go, I don't want to keep the Normandy waiting for too long." She said, turning to the door. "As you wish, child" Shala responded, once again surprised by the strength and determination in Tali's voice, and opened the door for her. They stepped out of the room, into the colourful crowds of the living quarters and started to make their way to the Normandy. Tali took one last look at the closed door and a single tear ran down her cheek. Farewell, home.
