Tali was prepped and ready for the Omega 4 relay and when they finally hit it, her fingers gripped the bars that surrounded EDI's drive core. The Normandy shaking and rocking as heard Joker over the comm system.
"Oh shit! Evasive maneuvers people! Hold on!" Tali heeded his words and scanned her Omni-tool to make sure everything was holding out.
Soon enough the Normandy straightened out and she breathed deep, thankful they had come through all right. At least right now anyway. "Too close. We know you have no choice but to fly with us, so thank you for-ow! Hey Shepard come on!"
At least Joker still felt comfortable joking around. Tali had the urge to go up to the cockpit and see what was going on before Shepard came back in over the comm. "We're heading towards the supposed base people, stay sharp."
Tali held her breath, something was coming she just knew it. BOOM! She hit the floor, her arms bracing out to catch herself. Of course, just like she said. The ship was taking heavy fire this she knew, patching up her Omni-tool the shields and plating were holding steady. No worries there.
"Alert! Hull breach on Engineering Deck." EDI's voice came in and Tali looked about drawing her shotgun. This was it and she was ready for anything. A whirring and crashing sound could be heard in the cargo hold.
Running to the doors Tali was stopped by Shepard who simply put a hand out, Miranda close behind him. "Tali get Jack and stay near the drive core just in case something goes on. I'm getting Grunt and we're dealing with our little intruder."
Tali clenched her teeth she was as good of a fighter as she was a technician. Fine, turning back she ran towards the bottom of the ship to see Jack with a scowl on her face looking around.
"I don't know anything but destroying things, and all this clatter is pissing me the fuck off. I can't do shit!" The biotic stood up the blue blaze over her skin.
"Shepard just took Grunt and Miranda to the cargo hold. Something got in; we on the other hand have to be in Engineering." It was a risky move but the Normandy lurched to the left and Tali grabbed Jack's hand running up the stairs.
She was surprised that Jack didn't rip her hand away, but followed Tali into Engineering as she pulled up her console. Shit, the shields were taking heavy hits; they had to destroy whatever it was clawing its way into the ship.
"Shit! We're sitting ducks out here Shepard, gotta lose 'em in the debris field!" Joker screamed into the speakers. He cursed a few more times and grunted as the Normandy turned left and right.
Tali closed her eyes, Joker was the best pilot there was of anyone could get them through this it was him. He better damn well anyway or Tali was going to-she'd be dead but she wished she could haunt him. It seemed as though time was going by so slow, her mind popped to Legion. Was he alright? Was he trying to make sure she was ok?
Jack screaming at her brought Tali back to reality as all of a sudden things flew into real-time. "Hey! I think we should head to CIC or some shit!"
"No, we have to be here, what if Shepard needs us?" Jack nodded her head, trying to come to a stand only to be thrown down once more.
Whatever Joker was doing, she sure hoped he hurried up. The alarms went off once more, the floor lighting a red glow in the room. Whatever that was, Tali prayed they took care of it quickly. When the ship finally settled down Tali came to a stand, breathing hard. She had been scared but not for herself for everyone else on the ship and for…Legion.
Shepard's voice came over the system again, announcing they would be in one more firefight, as Joker cut him off. "Everybody hold on-gonna be a wild ride!"
She felt the guns give the Collector ship their all, Joker's screams of joy meant they must have made a direct hit. As Tali watched Jack make her way towards the elevator, the Normandy was pushed, steadily rocking into a free fall.
"Mass Effect generators are offline! EDI-give me something!"
"Generators unresponsive. All hands brace for impact!"
The Normandy hit the Collector ship several times before sliding across the surface if the station. They had made it this far, what would happen now? Tali groaned as she rubbed her sides and made her way towards the elevator.
"Everyone get to the debriefing room stat!"
As they all stood around checking weapons and personal equipment Tali was one of the first inside. Legion came in awhile later followed by Garrus, she felt like she should say something instead he only came to stand next to her not looking in her direction. She wanted to say something; she wanted to go with the flow and just. Now wasn't the time, she had to have her head in the game. Shepard's face was stern as he came through the door, blue eyes scanning the room as he took a deep breath facing his crew. All eyes were on Shepard this was the time for his speech rally the crew.
"This isn't how we planned this mission, but this is where we're at." He paced about before putting his hands on the table. "We can't worry about whether the Normandy can get us home. We came to stop the Collectors, and that means coming up with a plan to take out this station. EDI bring up your scans."
We all watched as the blue holographic projection came on screen, Tali and a few others moved forward to get a closer look. "You should be able to overload their critical control systems if you get the main control center here." She highlighted a path.
Bringing up his Omni-tool Jacob clucked his tongue bringing up another path. "That means going through the heart of the station. Right pass this massive energy structure."
Sighing Shepard looked at the paths. "That's the central chamber. If our crew or any of the colonists are still alive, the Collectors are probably holding them in there."
Tali looked through the routes on her own Omni-tool speaking up. "Looks like there are two main routes Shepard. It might be a good idea to split up and keep the Collectors off balance, then regroup in the central chamber."
Miranda scoffed. "No good, both routes are blocked. See these doors? The only way past is to get someone to open them from the other side."
"Good thing I'm a tech then isn't it?" Tali felt as though the female had been trying to tone down her suggestion.
"Exactly, it isn't a fortress and look we can send someone into this ventilation shaft."
Jacob stepped forward. "Practically a suicide mission. I volunteer."
Did no one hear her speak? Did no one see that she was the best option?
"I appreciate the thought Jacob but you couldn't shut down the security systems in time. We need a tech expert." Miranda glanced at Tali.
Was she really trying to get rid of her? Not that Tali didn't want to go, she wanted more than anything to prove her worth to the team.
"It's your call Commander. Who do we send into the shaft?" Shepard looked around at his crew, Garrus had his hand up in the air waving it wildly about, mouthing me! Me! Pick me Shepard!
Pointing a finger Shepard smiled. "Legion-you can hack through anything. I'm sending you into the shaft."
What. The. Hell. Am I not standing right here? Tali thought to herself as she put a fist under her chin, what did that leave her to do? She'd be with the other fire team as a loose end. It wasn't that Legion wasn't good at what he did but Keelah!
The Geth armed his rifle, nodding his head. "Acknowledged."
"The rest of us will break into two teams and fight down each passage. That should draw the Collectors attention away from Legion." Shepard took a step back analyzing the crew as Miranda spoke up.
"I'll lead the second fire team Shepard. We'll meet up with you on the other side of those doors."
Jack grunted sitting up from her leaned over position on the table. "Not so fast Cheerleader. Nobody wants to take orders from you." Tali smiled as she watched Garrus shake his head no in the background.
Miranda scowled slamming a fist down onto the table, it seemed to Tali that sleeping with Shepard didn't mean you always got what you wanted. "This isn't a popularity contest. They are lives at stake! Shepard- you need someone who can command loyalty through experience."
Shepard tapped a finger on his chin, he gave Miranda a smile and for a minute Tali thought he was going to give into her. That was until he pointed to Garrus. "Garrus-you're in charge of the second fire team."
The Turian simply nodded and the look on Miranda's place was priceless. Tali wished she could have a holo of that. "Well at least he knows what he's doing." Miranda glared at Shepard, walking away from him a bit, crossing her arms over her ample bosom.
Taking a deep breath Shepard took up his pacing once more, looking directly into everyone's face. This was it Tali thought, she rubbed her hands together the fight coming closer and closer. It was then that she felt something Legion's hand on the small of her back, his cool Geth armor chilling her body in a soothing way. She looked up at him, but he didn't look at her, his 'eye' following Shepards body.
"I don't know what we're going to find in there, but I won't lie to you. It's not going to be easy. We've lost good people. We may lose more." Shepard came to a standstill hands clasped behind his back. "We don't know how many the Collectors have stolen-thousands, hundreds of thousands. It's not important. What matters is this: not one more. That's what we can do here, today. It ends with us." His hand insinuating his every word.
"They wanna know what we're made of? I say we show them, on our terms. Lets bring our people home!"
A thunderous clap went up around the room, as Shepard nodded his head at everyone walking down to the elevator, everyone got on. This was it; this was how it was going to be. No one said a thing; they all looked at each other as if anything that needed to be said was going to be said through a look. Jack was standing next to Grunt his hand possessively on her rump, Legion still stood next to her, his flashlight dimmed in the close space. His hand was no longer on her, Tali felt the urge to scream in the small space, there had to be something she could say.
As everyone prepped their weapons in the cargo hold leading to the Collector station, Tali had her back turned. Garrus had came over to her and told her he was glad to have known her, if they didn't make this. He had hugged her and Tali smiled, she didn't think Garrus was the mushy kind. Shepard hugged her as well, smiling the way he usually did, and Tali was glad to find it didn't hurt as she thought it would. "Be safe." He tapped her mask gently before walking away.
Shepard decided to take Grunt, Miranda and Mordin with him, the rest of them were on Garrus fire team. When everyone was strapped and ready to go, Tali saw the look in Jack's eyes; the biotic ran over to Grunt kissing him heavily. "Get your ass back to me, alive Krogan."
A few chuckles went up and Grunt simply nodded as they jumped down onto the station going their own way. "Alright, everyone. Stay on me and listen at all times. We can do this, we're going to live."
With that, they made their way down the second pathway. Tali watched as Legion stalked past them all, he broke off a small grate and once he was on his knees Tali thought he would go inside without looking back. She was about to look away when he made his signature Geth sound, causing her to look up. The head flaps all struck out and he made he gave her a thumbs up before disappearing into the space.
XxXxXxXxX
We watch as Tali'zorah smiles and takes off behind the second fire team, we hope that she will be ok. Her probability of surviving with Operative Lawson was only 65.2% with Garrus Vakarian leading the team it has now increased to 85.7%. Good odds and ones that we can be content with.
The interior to the shaft is overly warm; we must keep in radio contact with Shepard-Commander at all times. The importance of this mission is very high; however, some programs worry for and want to watch over Tali'Zorah.
"We are in position. Exterior temperature slightly elevated. No obstructions detected."
The space is small and tight but we crawl through with minimal problems. Shepard-Commander asks the position of the second fire teams over the comm systems, Vakarian replies everything is fine. Looking down at our Omni-tool, we quickly hack through to Tali'Zorah's mic to listen to everything going on.
She is quiet breathing when the shooting starts. She grunts and moves about firing in rapid succession. She seems to be in optimal condition, she whoops and calls for the combat drone she calls Chikitta vas Paus.
Rounding a corner there is an obstruction in our path, no way to get around it. "Pathing failure. There is an obstruction in the tunnel."
"I'm on it Legion." Shepard-Commander answers us quickly.
The temperature in the tunnel begins to rise, Shepard-Commander has approximately one minute to open to clear the path before we malfunction.
We wait 45 seconds left until this mobile platform malfunctions when the door whips up. "Obstruction removed. Proceeding."
We hear Tali'Zorah yelling for thermal clips, she rushes to place them inside her weapon as the buzzing sound of the Collectors nears her. "Shit! Oh, Keelah." She fires and the rapidly firing portions of our consciousness finally calm knowing she is safe once we hear her breathing.
There are more obstacles in our path now. "The path is blocked again. You must locate another valve."
As soon as we speak the valve opens, Shepard-Commander is quick and we move on. Vakarian reports his progress, they are moving along quickly. I hear him tell Tali to take left with Jack. Many valves block our progress, it is a slow crawl and the temperature continues to rise the more we stay in one space.
"Another obstacle impeding progress. I am unable to continue without your assistance, Shepard."
"Ahead of schedule, Legion, we're making good progress you ok?" The valve opens and we continue.
"Affirmative. Shepard-Commander keeps opening valves at this speed, the likelihood of the mission succeeding increases. Path is clear. Moving on." We hear Shepard chuckle.
"Thanks Legion, what would we do without you?" We hear the amusement called sarcasm in his voice but we answer.
"Send Tali'Zorah into the shaft, she is an exceptional tech." Shepard laughs, and goes quiet we can hear the sound of another valve opening further down.
The succession of valves open easily right before we ask or just as we ask them to be open. Shepard-Commander is fast and soon we are through the shaft. Shepard yells for everyone to come inside, we take heavy fire from the fight everyone returning fire as we try to open the doors.
"Go! Go! We'll cover you." Vakarian yells as we quickly make our way to the adjacent door working on the lock.
"The door has malfunctioned. Path blocked." We quickly sort out bad lines of code, moving our fingers at a higher pace than normal. Soon the pathway opens allowing Grunt and Miranda to run inside. "Complete."
"Here they come! Fall back!" Shepard taps us on the shoulder for us to hurriedly complete out task.
"Suppressing fire! Don't let them through that door!" The same glitch occurs in our programming as we wish to search for Tali'Zorah, we must override as program dictates. It is hard.
The door slams close as a final Collector makes a rush. "Good work Legion, I knew I could count on you."
As we look around the room there are many pods along the walls of the Collector ship, a thick series of tubes run the length of room disappearing into other walls. It is an unsettling notion as to what these Collectors are doing. Operative Lawson rushes over to a woman deemed to be a colonist. The Human female seems to be in some sort of stasis, her vital signs show that she alive and stable. Shepard-Commander places a hand on the glass enclosure, tapping it gently.
"There's more over here!" Thane Krios calls out as he performs the same action.
The tubes begin to hiss. "Shepard-Commander!" We alert him to the tube our rifle raised. The female inside wakes up suddenly, her flesh turning red as it begins to melt off her frame.
"My god! She's still alive!" The female screams and bangs her hands on the glass attempting to free herself. Shepard frantically tries to open the case on either side to no avail, the screams slow down as, and the females flesh falls from her bones, the bones themselves melting into a sloppy black paste being funneled into the bottom of the pod.
"Get them out of there hurry!" The few pods around the room we each take and attempt to open. We open the pod containing Yeoman Chambers catching her before she falls.
Shepard-Commander finds Dr. Chakwas who is rousing from the stasis sleep. "Dr. Chakwas. Are you okay?"
"Shepard? You came for us." The aging female holds a hand to her head, coming to a stand shakily.
"No one gets left behind." We admire this human trait of bravery and camaraderie. Geth do not have such traits.
"The colonists were processed. Those swarms of little bugs-they melted their bodies into a gray liquid and fed it through these tubes." Dr. Chakwas looks around her in a frightened manner.
We are told that the seeker swarms will overwhelm the organics as they attempt to pass through to the main control room. Shepard-Commander selects the Justicar Samara to create a biotic field that will keep them safe. Vakarian once again leads the fire team, as a distraction and Dr. Mordin Solus leads the surviving crew back to the Normandy.
This time Tali'Zorah and we are on the same fire team, she looks at me and pulls her shotgun forth; ready to follow Vakarian. We will stick close, making good use of our sniper rifle we go to stand next to Tali'Zorah. "We will make sure that you stay safe."