Chapter 4 - Tali

The shuttle was… fascinating. Tali could honestly say she'd never seen this kind of technology before, and her mind was reeling with the implications.

Mr Scott – Scotty - had carefully explained the principle of the "impulse drive" to her. If she'd understood correctly, it was some kind of fusion reactor combined with what he called an accelerator-generator. A plasma drive, essentially, but one capable of achieving impressive speeds. If she took the blueprints home to the Migrant Fleet, there was no telling what Admiral Xen could do with it.

It took them several hours to go all over the little craft, examining every detail and fixing a few minor points of damage while they were at it. The stranger knew a thing or two about engineering. He was the quiet type, getting animated only when discussing technical details, but he was a good listener. Before long, she found herself telling him about the Fleet, about the debacle with the geth and the lost homeworld, and about the ship she'd grown up on. He asked a few questions, attempting to get a clearer picture, and she patiently explained about the suits and the masks and the necessary immunizations.

In turn, he told her about the Enterprise, the ship he served on back home. There was a world of affection in his tone when he spoke of her warp cores. "She's one well-endowed lady. Ah, I wish I could show her to you!"

His tone was positively wistful, and Tali couldn't resist teasing him about it. "You sound like a man pining for his lover, Scotty."

He laughed, looking a little embarrassed. "Well, she isn't like other ships, you know. The Enterprise is… special. My first love, so to speak."

"I know what you mean." Tali felt a surge of nostalgia at his words. "Sometimes, I still miss the Rayya. She wasn't much to look at, but she was home. And it's certainly true that each ship has its own unique charm."

"Oh, lassie." Scotty looked at her, his face awed. "You're the most understanding woman I know."

She knew her grin was audible, no need for him to see it. "Well, I'm honoured."

"No, I'm serious." He looked down at his hands, blushing a little. "Sometimes, it gets lonely down in engineering, you know. I don't meet many ladies, and certainly none as bonnie as you. And even if-"

Gathering her courage, she reached out to take his hand. "I know how you feel. Few people here get the Quarian way of thinking. Most of them think we're weird. It's nice to meet someone who understands."

Scotty swallowed and carefully rubbed his thumb across her palm in a shy caress. When she gasped, he looked at her anxiously. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's okay." She pressed his own hand in return. "Go on. That feels good."

"Can you even-" He broke off again. "Your suit… God, I'm making a right mess of this, aren't I?"

She clucked softly, trying to make him feel more at ease. "I can feel you all right. There are advanced sensory routines built into the material, everywhere. Not just my hands." Ooops. Maybe that had been too much information.

He cleared his throat awkwardly, but he kept up his slow stroking of her hand, and it was sweet, gentle, and undemanding. She leaned her head against his shoulder and, for a while, they just sat there, listening to the slow humming of the engines, feeling utterly at peace.

By the time they moved apart, it was too late at night to continue working, so he set off for the cabin he was sharing with his captain and Mr Spock. But, he was back in the Shuttle Bay the next morning, right after breakfast. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw him.

"I told them we need at least three more days to work on the shuttle." When she clucked incredulously, a brief grin flashed across his features. "In my experience, it's always better to add a wee bit of time to your own estimate when dealing with starship captains. Makes for a pleasant surprise if you finish earlier. Besides…" He cleared his throat. "I thought it would be nice to spend more time together."

"It certainly would." She didn't bother to conceal the pleasure in her voice. "Any ideas on what your friends will be doing while we are busy?"

He shrugged. "They are looking for a way home. Mr Spock said they were going to see someone called the Shadow Broker."