nooneimportant, Blazar and On Star raised the point of my Shepard's morality, a good point, so i thought I'd answer by explaining the idea i have about him:
My Shepard is mostly a Paragon, he simply takes issue with certain things, this leads him into committing brutality and cruelty in some situations. Overall, he's a good person, as i hope this chapter will show you. Yes, i know about the balanced background I've given him and all that, i just wanted to add more uniqueness to the story. Instead of having Shepard being solely good or solely evil. There is still a balance that goes with his background, it's just that depending on the case, he commits large paragon acts and in others, he's renegade.. they usually even each other out., rather than him being neutral in every situation and problem. The power he possesses gets to him sometimes. I mean, lets face it, if someone was given a title that gave them the legal right to take any action they want, what happens is based on what type of person that individual with that title is, how they react to different issues. Thank you for the review's though, I'm glad you like the story and i know what your getting at. And On star, Jesse is a unisex name, but i can see how it'd mislead someone , lol, so i took care of that in story description.
heavywolfblade: Thanks for the continued support, I'm slowly turning it more into my wording.
I'm glad my previous chapter was enjoyed, thanks for the story alerts and favorites. Last night, i wrote down the storyboard for the direction this whole story will take. Couldn't sleep, had to get the ideas down before i could rest lol. I hope my plan is good for all of you, it will become more apparent in due time. any thoughts or opinions will, as always, be considered. Enough talk. Enjoy.
Shepard, Tali and Garrus reached the 26th floor, walking past the Volus merchant at the ship dealing store.
They stopped beside a Human owner of a food stand. A long line of members from multiple species stood in front of the stand. The floor was crowded and noisy, like the wards always were. They continued foreword, walking through the crowd, Past the floors Cab Terminal.
Shepard was about to round the corner, but stopped when he heard a Volus wheeze:
"This clanless Quarian is a thief... arrest her!"
A young woman's voice spoke next
"What? I'm not a thief! I was only standing here minding my own business!"
A third voice spoke:
"Calm down sir, I'll find out the truth. Now, my Omni Tool says she only has one credit on her, and it's registered to her".
"You know what... those Quarian's are like!", The Volus wheezed. "Filthy Hackers! Scum!... all of them!"
Shepard rounded the corner, and saw an angry Volus in red armor, shaking his fist at a young Quarian woman. A C-Sec Officer stood between them.
Shepard looked over at Tali, whose posture had become tense. He nodded at her, and approached the three. The Officer looked up from his Omni Tool and glanced at Shepard.
"Sorry, I'm trying to get a statement here", he told Shepard.
"There is nothing to talk about! She stole my credit chit! Arrest her!", The Volus demanded.
"I did not!", The woman protested, "Just because I'm a Quarian-
"I need you to stop and take a breath", the Officer told the Volus".
"You're.... mocking me... Earth-clan!... Just because the Vol-clan need-
"It was a poor choice of words sir, i apologize", The Officer replied
Shepard turned to the Quarian and smiled kindly at her.
"Whats your name? You say you were falsely accused?", he asked.
"Finally.. someone friendly to me for a change", She remarked. "My name is Lia'Vael, i was walking to the used ship dealer when he barged into me outside the Sirta Foundation. He didn't stop or apologize. A minute later, he runs up to me with C-Sec and accuses me of stealing his damn chit!" She exclaimed.
Shepard considered it for a moment.
"Perhaps when you ran into each other outside the Foundation, maybe he dropped it there", Shepard suggested.
"Maybe, all know is that i didn't take it", she answered.
"Do you spend a lot of time looking at the ships?" Shepard asked.
"Yes, there are a lot of good models in there. I want to get one, and bring it back to the flotilla...but-
"Your Pilgrimage isn't going so well, is it Lia?" Tali asked her.
"No... I...i thought there would be a lot of work here.. you know, after the whole Geth attack and everything.. EVA stuff, repairs.. but everywhere i went, people had up signs saying 'Not hiring Quarians'. And others gave me mean looks", Lia told her.
Shepard turned to the Officer.
"Do you know who's telling the truth here?" he asked.
"My Omni tool says she doesn't have the chit.. but she could have stashed it to recover later. You know what those Quarian's are like, she's a vagrant. I'll run her in to Bailey, see what he wants to do with her", He said with a cruel smile.
Shepard's eyes narrowed slightly.
I'll take care of this bastard. He thought. Right after i clear her name.
"She's not a vagrant!", Tali said angrily, "She's on Pilgrimage. It's a tradition in which-
"Look, you can take your little traditions and cram them. Every time a Quarian shows up here, it's just more trouble", the Officer said waving his hand.
That's it Officer. Shepard thought. Keep talking.
Shepard forced himself to maintain a neutral face.
He turned to the Volus.
"You think she took your chit?" he asked calmly.
"She must have... she ran into me. That's how these pick pockets work!.... they bump in to you, rife through all your pockets! You can't turn your back on these clanless, Quarian scum, they take anything not welded to the deck.... Thieves! all of them!" He wheezed.
Tali stepped closer. "Quarian's only resort to stealing to survive, when Xenophobic people like you won't give them jobs!", She said coldly.
"I cant believe my taxes pay to support you and all your kind here! Go back to your fleet clanless and disappear!", He told her.
"I am clan Zorah, crew of the starship Normandy, And you are an idiot",she replied scathingly.
Shepard turned to the Volus.
"I was willing to help, But i don't think i really like your attitude little man", Shepard said coldly.
"And i don't like the company you keep human", The Volus wheezed angrily.
The Officer stepped foreword.
"Hey! Both of you, enough! Kor Tun, i know your upset, but that's no excuse to insult everyone around you!" The Officer told the Volus.
Shepard shook his head, and turned to Lia.
"I'll get you cleared of this, don't you worry", He told her kindly.
"Thank you", she replied.
"Sir? this is a C-Sec matter", The Officer said to Shepard.
Shepard turned his head to him, stared for a moment without comment, and left.
Once they walked away, Tali's anger burst out.
"I cant believe those bosh'tet's Shepard! She's only on Pilgrimage! She isn't doing anything wrong! They don't need to treat Quarian's so badly! It's gotten worse since the Geth attack! We're just trying to go about our lives, and they point and us and whisper, or others don't whisper, they just yell at us!" She said loudly, causing several passerby's to stare.
Shepard stepped up to her and laid a calming hand on her shoulder. In an instant, she stopped, took a deep breath and calmed down.
"It's ok Tali. I'm here, and I'm not about to let those bastards get away with this.. you know how much i respect the Quarian people.. and hate racists. I already know how to help her after we clear her name", he told her soothingly.
"I... alright Shepard. Lets try the ship dealer, maybe it was dropped there", she suggested.
"Yes, let's get moving", he said.
"Right behind you Shepard", Garrus told him.
When they arrived at the store, Shepard leaned against the counter to talk to the Volus owner.
"There was a Quarian here, she was bumped into by a Volus and he lost his credit chit. Did you happen to see it by chance?", Shepard asked.
"That Quarian was here, i had to tell her not to get too close to the ships... you know their kind and ships, put their little hacker hands all over them", He wheezed. "No, i didn't see any credit chit. You should try at Saronis Applications, talk to Marab", He finished.
Another insult to the Quarian's, Shepard thought. I can work with that.
"Alright, thank you, had to go pick up something there anyway", Shepard said faking a friendly smile.
They headed over to Saronis Applications. Marab looked up from cleaning the counter.
"Ah! Shepard, your back!", The Salarian said to Shepard. "That new Assault Rifle Damage Upgrade you needed, it came in a few days ago, here it is", He said.
Marab transferred it to Shepard's Omni Tool, Shepard transferred credits to Marab's.
"Thanks Marab.. hey, i was wondering, did you happen to spot a Credit Chit anywhere? A Volus lost it", Shepard informed him.
"Yes, actually. He was in a hurry and accidentally left it here. I kept it behind the counter, to give to him later, here, you get it to him commander", Marab handed him the Chit.
"Thanks again, I'll come back another time", Shepard told him. They left the store.
The three of them walked back to Lia 'Vael.
"It's alright, Shepard told her kindly, we found the chit". He turned and handed it to the Volus.
"You left it at Marab's shop", Shepard told him calmly.
"I....oh...well...she might have taken it", He replied dumbly.
The Officer looked at Lia and typed on his Omni Tool.
"I'll file this whole matter as closed, Find a place of residence soon, or I'll file you as a Vagrant", he told her.
Lia rubbed the back of her neck nervously, the Officer and Volus moved to walk away.
Shepard looked at Tali and nodded. He stepped up towards them, Tali moved to his side.
"Wait a minute.. are you two actually serious?" Shepard asked.
"What? The Volus asked, feigning ignorance.
Shepard went down on one knee, so he was eye to eye with him. Shepard shoved him to the ground.
"You bump into her and than accuse her of stealing your chit. Than all you have to say for yourself is that she 'Might' have taken it?", He demanded.
"Now you wait just a-
"Maybe i should jack up his suit's air filters, so everything smells like refuse?", Tali suggested coldly.
Garrus chuckled and pointed at her.
"Remind me never to get on your bad side", He said. She nodded in agreement.
Shepard stood up, walked over to the Officer and Grabbed him by the throat.
"And you! He harasses and bully's her like this... and you threaten to throw in a charge of Vagrancy?", He shouted.
"How about i charge you for obstruction of Justice!", The Officer threatened.
Shepard's eyes turned to cold, dark ice.
He reached for his sidearm and pulled it out. The gun made a clicking noise as the barrel extended. He jammed the barrel against the Officer's head.
People passing by stopped, turned and stared, seemingly rooted to the ground.
"Obstruction of justice? I'm the only one of us two who cares about Justice here. You actually call yourself an Officer of the law?", Shepard burst out laughing.
Shepard shook his head, than hit him across the face with the butt of his pistol. The officers head snapped back sharply and blood began dripping from the officers mouth, down his front.
The Officer began to sweat, panicking, but kept an angry, defiant expression.
"You can't threaten and assault a C-Sec Officer! That's a criminal offense!, I'll arrest you!", He threatened.
The Volus tried to get up and run away, but Garrus walked over to him, kicked him in the gut, and placed his foot on the Volus's neck.
"You'll stay right where you are, until Shepard let's you go. If he lets you go", he said calmly. Kor started wheezing frantically.
"Can't threaten an Officer?", Shepard repeated calmly. "Arrest me?.... you think your going to run in Commander Shepard, a Spectre?"
A deadly silence rose over the group. Even the Volus stopped Wheezing and struggling under Garrus's foot.
"A...Spectre?....Shepard?" The Officer stammered..."Oh shit!...I...you...-
"I can legally execute both of you, right here and now, with all these witnesses watching...something i wouldn't mind doing, actually. But I'm not going to", Shepard said quietly. "I'm not the bad guy here.. you both are. Now, get the hell out of here... and learn from this lesson. Understood? If you require another lesson, i won't be as nice as I'm being right now", he told them.
"Y...yes Shepard!', the Officer said.
"I....yes...Earth-Clan", Kor Wheezed.
Shepard holstered his weapon, and motioned for them to leave. The Officer ran away, holding his face in his hand.
Garrus took his foot off the Volus's neck. Kor crawled away.
Shepard turned to the people watching. They backed away slowly and went back about their business.
Shepard closed his eyes, and lowered his head for a moment.
"Why do people have to push me into doing stuff like this?", he said quietly. "Why can't people just lay off the xenophobic bullshit?".
He turned back to Lia.
"That was... that was amazing Commander!... I've never seen anyone with so much... drive. I've never seen a non Quarian stand up for us like that... but here a Turian and a Human help protect me", She stammered.
Tali stepped up and motioned to Shepard.
"Shepard is a survivor, he knows how the galaxy works. He always does what need's to be done to help others who deserve it, and Garrus here too, has always believed in helping those who need it".
Garrus nodded at Lia.
Shepard looked into Tali's purple faceplate, into her glowing eyes for a moment.. and smiled.
He turned back to Lia.
"Look Lia, the Galaxy can be a very dark place... however, there are many of us who want to help make it brighter. Sometimes to do that, requires brutality... sometimes it does not. But regardless, You're not alone out there", he told her.
"I.. thanks, Shepard, Garrus and Tali".
"Follow us Lia, we're going back to that used ship place you liked.. there's something i wanted to do", Shepard told her.
--
When they arrived, Shepard approached the owner again.
"You're back?.... what do you need now?" he wheezed.
"About this Quarian, Lia 'Vael" He said. The Volus looked at her than at Tali.
"Quarian's? What are they.... doing here?", he wheezed.
"They're with me. Here's what's going to happen... you're going to give Lia 'Vael here", Shepard motioned to her. "A job. Your going to treat her with respect. You're going to treat her like any other employee, Understand?" he asked.
"I... we don't hire Quarian's....they can't be trusted", He told Shepard.
Shepard took out his sidearm again, and set the charge to Inferno. A red symbol popped up on the gun, and the Volus took a step backwards.
"Let me make this perfectly clear friend. I'm a Council Spectre. Anything i do to you is fair game. Disagreeing might not be the best idea for your short term and long term health plans", Shepard informed him.
"Alright.... you've made your point... I'll amend our shop's "no Quarian's" policy... and hire her", He wheezed.
"Good. You looked like a smart man", Shepard said putting away his Pistol.
He turned to Lia.
"One last thing, I overheard the Officer say that you only have one credit?" he asked.
"Yes", she said nervously. "I... have been staying at the poor shelters... living off Turian food paste".
"Well, here", he said. Shepard switched on his Omni Tool. "I'm Transferring 5000 Credits to your account. Find a better place to sleep, and get yourself some better food". He said with a smile. "I aim to please".
"I... I don't know how to thank you all... how much you've all helped me... I.. Thank you". She said nervously.
Garrus stepped up to her.
"If you ever need any assistance, if anyone bother's you, or if you just want to get in contact with us, Here's my Extranet account. Write to us whenever you wish", he finished, keying his Omni Tool.
"Thank you Garrus, i will", she said fidgeting slightly.
Tali walked up to Lia.
"Good luck Lia 'Vael", She said, laying a hand on her shoulder.
Lia leaned foreword to whisper to Tali.
"Good luck to you too Tali 'Zorah...this human is perfect for you. The way you two looked at each other gave it away", she added.
Now it was Tali's turn to fidget.
"We need to get back to our ship, see you around Lia", Shepard told her.
"Thanks", she said.
The three friends turned and headed towards the cab station.
They piled into the cab, Shepard driving, Tali beside him and Garrus in the back. This time he didn't complain.
Tali looked at Shepard, he looked at her and smiled lightly.
Shepard started it up, and the cab took off. She watched him drive the whole way, deep in thought.
--
After the decontamination process, they stepped onto the ship. Garrus turned to Shepard and nodded.
"I'll be at my station, i completed my calibrations. Come by and talk sometime", He said. With that, Garrus turned and walked down the hall, towards the Elevator.
After a moment, Shepard turned to Tali and smiled.
"Tali.. I'll come by after i put my weapons away and change, so we can continue our previous talk", he told her.
"Of course Shepard.. I'll be waiting in Engineering", She replied, her hands wringing nervously. She nodded at him shyly, than turned and headed towards the elevator too. Shepard watched her go. Than turned.
He walked up to Joker on the bridge, Joker glanced over at him.
"Hey Shepard, i... aw no fish? I was good like you asked and everything!", he said sarcastically. "I thought for sure you were off buying me one, Thane told me you had to stop by a store!".
Shepard crossed his arms.
"Maybe another time Joker, it was a... productive.. day", He said.
EDI's hologram sprung up.
"Humans being productive?", She said in her ever calm voice. "That is a first", She told them.
The bridge went quiet for a moment.
"That was a Joke", She informed them.
Joker shook his head.
"Well, at least she's trying", He said.
"Keep practicing EDI", Shepard told her encouragingly.
"I will Shepard" EDI replied.
Shepard turned back to Joker.
"Joker, bring us out of port and out of the system, get us to the Hawking Eta system. We need to get that Reaper FTl if we're going to stop the Collectors, Than we can mine some more minerals and finish the ship upgrades", Shepard told him. "Third star to the left... straight on until morning". He turned and started walking to the armory.
As he left, Joker rubbed the back of his neck.
I swear I've heard a similar line like that before... on an old sci-fi movie, wasn't it? or was it an old book?, Joker wondered.
As Shepard neared the Armory, Yeoman Kelly Chambers looked up from her Terminal and walked over to him quickly.
"I heard about how you helped Thane's son, that was very kind", She told him.
"Thank you Kelly", he replied. "Oh.. i was wanting to mention.. you were right about Tali.. the whole body language discussion we had... uh.. your right", He smiled.
"I'm glad to hear that Shepard, You two would make a wonderful couple. Good luck", she said smiling back warmly.
"I have to put my equipment away, Kelly. We can talk another time". He nodded at her, than walked into the armory. He laid his Collector Beam in the Heavy weapons section, and his others on a table.
Jacob walked over to him again.
"Shepard, how's it going?", he asked.
"Pretty interesting", he replied. "A usual day in the life of a Spectre".
They both laughed, Jacob looked down slightly.
"I just wanted to say, i was out of line earlier.. I shouldn't be judging Thane. I mean, look what my father became. I wouldn't want to be judged based on that, Sorry", Jacob finished.
Shepard nodded.
"Its alright. Your a good man Jacob. Glad to have you on the mission. I have to get going, see you around", Shepard told him and started to walk away.
"Thanks... and by the way, It's not my business..., but i couldn't help but notice it when you were briefing her in here.. Good luck with Tali, Shepard", He said.
Shepard stopped as he headed through the door... he smiled to himself, than left the room. Jacob went back to his console.
Shepard walked to the elevator, and keyed it to take him to his cabin.
He leaned against the wall casually.
When he arrived, he walked over to his fish tank, and activated the feeding button. He watched, amused, as they all swam frantically to the top.
He walked over to his Armor/Clothing Station and began to change into his Green SR-2 outfit.
When he was done, he sat down on his bed. He looked around the room, at his terminals, desk, couch, the Illium fish swimming in the fish tank... his old N7 helmet on his desk.
He was home.
Shepard fell deep into thought.
I don't fully understand why Tali wants to be with me.., i mean look at her.. she's funny, loyal, smart, beautiful, friendly... and she fires that shotgun at people better than anyone I've ever met, she could probably beat Wrex in a shooting competition!
Shepard laughed to himself at that thought.
I wonder when she even started wanting to be with me..
Well, He thought, no matter. I'd better get down there and talk to her...she's waiting. I may not know why she wants me, but i really want to pursue this relationship. I can't really imagine ever being apart from her... I love her.
He paused a moment, face blank, heart beating furiously.
With all that in mind, he stood up, and started for the Elevator.
Well, there's chapter 4. The next one shall focus almost entirely on Tali/Shepard. Things will start getting more interesting. I'm going to take my time working on the next one, don't worry, that dosent mean it'll take awhile to release. i just want to get it all right, to do the story and you, the reader, justice.