Waiting for me to move none of them step forward to accept my offering. I had the impression that even if I did what they wanted I was till in for a beating or at the very least a berating. It was time to do render a verdict and a knot of worry formed in my stomach. This was going to hurt.

Standing I take a deep breath and extend the apple to the quarian. She delicately took it with her three fingered hand and Jack's face twisted in anger. I wait for the blow to come but she said vengefully, "My shrink hates you." and stomped her giant boots out of the room. The asari watched her go before turning to me.

"Liara..." I begin but she simply shakes her head and makes her exit as well. Rubbing my eyes I sit back down and a wave of depression rolls over me. Saddened greatly I knew that there could be no peaceful outcome to this situation. Covering my eyes I don't see Tali come to sit on my lap. Even with her suit she hardly weighed a thing. Putting her arm across my shoulders she looked down on my from behind her face mask.

"You did what you had to, Shepard." she reassured me.

"I hate it when people tell me that. It never makes me feel any better." I say.

"They'll understand." she said. "Well, Liara will."

"I know I did what was right but I feel like I let them down." I sigh.

She lifted my chin up with one smooth, metal covered digit. "You didn't let me down."

"No, I suppose not." I reluctantly agree.

"I went through hell and get back to you, Shepard. I would have never forgiven you if I came back only to find out one of them had taken my place."

I nod but it didn't help. "Well, I'll try to smooth things out with them later. I still have quite a bit to do today."

"Of course. And I have some adjustments to make to my suit and quarian team in anxious to talk to me. I'll leave you a little while...but I'm sleeping here tonight."

"I'd like that."

"You know I can't eat this, right?" she held up the apple.

The next few days are a blur. There's a galaxy to manage from my desk but thankfully Tali rarely leaves my room. She can't risk staying out of her suit the entire time but does so as much as possible while I spend hours at my terminal. My job is stressful enough but she was always there to talk to and made it bearable. I had to be amazed by her story to get back to the Normandy and how many close calls she had. It seemed a had a great debt to the mindartians on Karnak and the physician that nursed her back to health.

Finally finishing my work for the day I join her down on the black leather couch that seemed to be the most important piece of furniture I had. I put on a nature vid detailing the life cycle of the large worms found in the Hadria cluster.

"Shepard?" she asked.

"Yes Tali?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"If I hadn't come back..."

"You did." I refute.

"But if I didn't." she insisted.

"Let's not talk about it." I suggest. "It's pointless."

She was quiet for a few seconds and I knew that the conversation wasn't over. "Which one?"

"Sorry?"

"Which one would you have picked? Jack or Liara?"

"Dammit woman! Let it go!"

"I can't!" she cried. "How am I supposed to forget about it? I found them arguing outside your cabin door about who was talking you out that night when I came back!"

I sigh. That would explain a lot about Jack's new found hatred for the asari. "I can't tell you what would have happened. But I do know that's it's irrelevant with you here."

She took in a deep breath and turned her head away from me which I knew meant she wasn't happy. "What do you want me to tell you, Tali? That I don't care about either of them?"

"That's exactly the problem! Whenever they're around you never make it clear that you're not interested!"

"What are you suggesting? That I treat them like dirt just to make sure they know I'm not available?" I ask incredulously.

"No, well, I don't know. Liara at least isn't on the ship anymore but Jack, she's just waiting for a chance to get at you and always has been."

"Not anymore she won't be." I grumble.

"She was mad at you before the first time this happened and that didn't stop her from showing up here."

"And I cast her aside again, for you." I remind her. "You have nothing to worry about."

Thinking about it she took my hand in her six fingers. "I'm sorry. It's just hard sometimes when I compare myself to the others and wonder what it is you see in me."

Gripped her shoulders I pull the quarian over to me. "You worry about keeping yourself healthy. I'll take care of the rest.

She nodded and hugged me. We spend a few peaceful moments like this with only her suit in between us and it occurs to me that it might just have to go.

"I don't remember...is the room sterile?" I ask deviously.

"Ah..." she balked. "Actually I'm a little beat up from the last few days. Can we skip...that...tonight?"

"Eh..." I shrug. "I guess I have been riding you pretty hard lately."

"...luckily my immunity to you is still intact."

"Well all right. Can I get drunk then at least?" I ask.

"You get...grabby when you drink, Shepard." she said nervously.

"Best lock your suit up tight then." I grin.

"We'll just have to have a one night no touching rule." she suggested.

"No touching just makes it hotter."

She sighs and brings up her omni-tool as I reach for a bottle.

The tent flap opened as the dusty mindartian scuttled in to get out of the always shifting sands. Setting down his pistols, the first of their kind made for his physiology, Ghulya observed an age old custom of shedding weapons when entering a place of peace. It occurred to the Karnak native that this custom too may have to end in order to advance the cause of his people.

"Ghulya!" someone's chirps he did not recognize immediately came to his ear canals. The mindartian leader was surprised to see that the human Leslie had brought the quarian Tali'Zorah along with him to their meeting.

"Ma'am! Ghulya is happy to see you!" he bowed with his forelegs

"Good yo see you again." she clicked oddly with her mask distortion giving her a slightly robotic quality. "There's someone I'd like you to meet though."

From farther in the hut came a human clad in black armor the mindartian knew immediately was a warrior. From his armor and menacing aura the mindartian recognized the savior of his people instantly. He wasn't particularly large for an alien but something in the way he moved belied an almost animal grace. When the human Shepard clicked his words were clear, personable but had a layer of stone underneath them.

"Hello, I've heard a lot about you. I'm Commander Shepard and I've come to thank you for bringing Tali'Zorah back to me."

Kneeling down in front of him the human Shepard produced a small brush. Ghulya was frozen stiff as he said, "Dr. Kale informed me that this a sign of respect and thanks among your people."

Gently lifting the bottom of this dark robes the human Shepard began swiping the sand and dirt from the lowest edge of the fabric. It was too much. Ghulya's eyestalks receded down into safety and his legs gave out as he fell over.

The mindartian slumped over to the side and I put my hands up instinctually to show that I didn't do it. "Uh..."

"Oh my. I think he's fainted." the doctor said.

"What did I do wrong?" I ask in confusion.

"Nothing, Commander. Your presence and humility were simply too much for him to take. I told you that he admires you greatly."

"Will he be okay?" Tali asked.

"Oh sure. He'll wake up in a bit. I'm going to enjoy needling him about it for a while though." the good natured doctor laughed.

Rising and somewhat confused I reach my hand out to the kindly human. "I can't thank you enough, doctor."

"No Commander, I'll tell you what I told your crew mate here. What we did for her is a paltry excuse for thanks compared to what you have done for Karnak. If there's anything we can do for you against the Reaper machines, the entire mindartian race is at your disposal."

"Careful doctor, I may take you up on that." I grin.

"It was good to see you again, Leslie." Tali said and hugged the older man.

"Likewise, Miss vas Normandy. Please visit as often as possible. Your company is always welcome here."

Waving he headed back out into the sands and towards the waiting shuttle. Tali locks her hand together with mine as we walk through the hot dunes. I look over at her and smile under my helmet. I can't see her features but I know that she's smiling too. Sometimes things work out in the end after all.

The End