MASS EFFECT 2: DARK RENDITION

*PART XXIV*

Kolyat's eyes travelled from side to side rapidly as they attempted to focus on the rifle slugs that streaked across his vision. The flashes of blue light left a distinct, azure trail behind them that disappeared almost instantly. To the drell, however, those trails seemed to burn permanently into his sight as the sharp reports grew into a numbing crescendo.

The hallways of the residential block around him were pockmarked and blackened as their attackers' weapons tore into the flimsy walls. Kolyat's ear holes stung as the relentless din pounded at them mercilessly, and even that paled in comparison to the acidic ache he felt in his lungs since the group had freed themselves from the burning apartment. He braved another look behind him to see the smoke pouring from the corridor they had come from and the horrific realisation grew that if the strange soldiers did not kill them, the fire surely would.

Tali took a moment to observe him. The young drell was slumped against the wall, his hands trembling and his head twitching in response to every round that thumped into the walls nearby. She resisted the urge to shake her head or accost him for his nerves. The boy had been caught up in events beyond his imagining and he was powerless to do anything about it. He had been lost to despair.

"Thane, I need a clip!" she shouted across to her companion, who expertly leaned out of cover to loose a volley of disruptor slugs from his Locust submachine gun. His judgement was perfect in spite of the enormous pressure and an enemy soldier tumbled to the ground, spoiling the aim of his comrades as he staggered into them. Thane neatly drew a spare thermal clip and tossed the bright red cylinder across the hallway to Tali, who pushed it firmly into her shotgun.

'Three more targets,' Thane stated coolly as he readied a clip of his own. 'Though I can't imagine that's the last of them.'

'We don't have a choice!' Tali called back. 'We either fight our way out or we stay here and take our chances with the fire.'

Thane threw a glance behind them and his lips pursed in concern. The fire had begun to follow them out of the apartments in licking tongues, with thick smoke trailing from the open doorways. Despite the abruptness of the ambush, both Tali and Thane were experienced fighters. They had composed themselves quickly and managed to dig in well enough but time was short; they needed something to tip the scales in their favour.

Tali knelt and brought up her omni-tool, her hands moving through the interface with a barely a thought. Beside her, Kolyat stirred as he looked on, unable to follow the impossibly fast keystrokes the quarian made as she manipulated the glowing device. Another salvo of rifle slugs buried themselves into the wall mere inches from them, causing him to flinch heavily. Tali, however, was unperturbed and seconds later she raised her head.

'Go get 'em, Chikktika!' she yelled out to her omni-tool, and leaned from the battered stone of the corner to point it directly at their attackers. The device pulsed for a moment, the air around it shimmering not with heat but something else entirely, something Kolyat did not recognise.

The soldiers did not seem to notice as Tali's combat drone materialized behind them with a flickering, purple flash. One of them barely had time to scream a warning before the drone struck out with a powerful electrical charge, propelling him against the wall with a loud thud. The others turned their weapons on Chikktika, firing frantically into the drone with alarmed cries. It was all the opening Thane and Tali needed. Breaking from their shattered cover, they moved forward, firing as they went, until the last of the enemy fell. Thane did not stop, and opened the stairwell door as Tali moved through quickly, her shotgun raised in an alert stance.

'Search the bodies,' Thane instructed Kolyat, who followed them cautiously. The drell looked at his father, shock painted across his features as Thane took a rough grip of his arm. 'Go! We need any spare thermal clips and medigel you can find.'

Kolyat nodded and set about his task, all traces of his earlier defiance shattered by the last few minutes.

'Will he be alright?' Tali asked worriedly once Kolyat was out of earshot.

Thane did not answer as he kept his eyes forward, scanning the stairwell before him. The tall, winding staircase yawned above them, though he did not have time to observe as the pounding of footsteps echoed from below.

'They're coming from the ground floor,' he murmured. 'I don't like the idea of getting pinned down again in these close quarters.'

Tali could hear the angry shouts of their pursuers through her helmet amplifiers. Checking her weapon's heat sinks, she assessed her options. Thane's instincts were correct, she knew, and though what he said made sense it felt wrong to simply run. What would Shepard do, she asked herself. Certainly she could not imagine the commander retreating and it grated to give the order.

'You're right,' she reluctantly assented. 'Kolyat, come on. We're getting out of here. Thane, you take point, I'll watch our rear. I've already sent a distress call to the Normandy so if we can at least make our way to the roof we should have a better chance of holding them off until backup arrives.'

Thane crossed to her right and slunk to the edge of the wall, followed closely by Kolyat, scavenged clips clattering gently in the pockets of his long coat. At least he could make himself somewhat useful, Tali mused. The enemy soldiers drew closer, their surprise at meeting such fierce resistance evident in their unruly chatter. Tali deftly took a grenade from her belt and thumbed the proximity trigger before placing it on the wall behind her. A strong gust of wind rushed through the stairwell, creating a ghostly howl that resonated powerfully in the narrow space. It carried the footsteps of the soldiers closer and closer, and Tali fought back a frightened jerk as a burst of rifle fire tore into the wall overhead.

'Run!' she cried out before returning fire. Her shots were not meant to be accurate, but the soldiers kept their distance all the same, knowing better than to underestimate their quarry a second time.

Thane raced up the stairs swiftly. His Locust was stretched out before his eyes as he trained the weapon on every corner he passed. Behind him, Kolyat was breathing deeply, the pace becoming a strain for his unconditioned limbs. As the door to the rooftop opened and the rich light of the Citadel sky spilled across his eyes, Thane resisted the urge to shield them from the sudden illumination. All around the sounds of gunfire crackled and he realised C-Sec were fighting a battle of their own. He said a quiet prayer for Bailey and his men as he turned to his son.

'Get moving,' Thane ordered, though he had no idea where Kolyat could go as he realised the roof was bereft of any real cover aside from a few raised ridges of ventilation and utility pipes that broke the flat surface.

'This is it, isn't it?' Kolyat asked. His tone was filled with grievous resignation and his head hung limp in defeat. 'I don't want to die here, father.'

The last word broke Thane's concentration and his focused gaze faltered. It had been the first word of acknowledgement, the first word that had not been laced with venomous spite, that Kolyat had spoken to him that night. Though the cold facade Thane had taken a lifetime to perfect threatened to smother the significance of the moment, he closed his eyes mournfully.

'Don't worry, my son,' he whispered, almost to himself. 'I won't let them take you.'

A piercing crack rang through the open doorway and the ground beneath their feet trembled. Thane had wondered what Tali had prepared for those that chased them and he found his question answered. The quarian dashed through the door, her grenade trap having done its work.

'That should slow them down,' she wheezed between breaths before turning back and sealing the door shut with her omni-tool.

'We're trapped,' Kolyat muttered, despair entrenched in his voice. 'What the hell are we supposed to do? There's no way back down and nowhere to hide. They'll break through the door and they'll come an-'

'Stop it, Kolyat,' Thane said, his tone calm but hard nonetheless. 'Things are never as hopeless as they seem. Though we have only known each other a short time, Tali and I are no strangers to impossible odds. We will live through this, I promise you. This is a promise I intend to keep.'

A thunderous bang rocked against the door, startling Kolyat. Tali merely narrowed her eyes in irritation as the noise increased, joined by ferocious, outraged cries of anger.

'Take positions!' she shouted, and the group spread out to take refuge as best they could amongst the numerous, yet flimsy outcroppings of piping and ducts.

Around them the sounds of pitched battle intensified. The dull snaps of pistol fire mingled with the chatter of rifles, interrupted occasionally by a rumbling explosion. Thane marvelled at the chaos. For their mysterious attackers, a simple termination order had turned into a battle they were hardly prepared for, as well-armed and equipped as they were. If whoever wanted Kolyat out of the way had mistaken him for Thane, then the heavy presence would have been justified, though the assassin doubted he would have fared any better if it had not been for Tali.

The rooftop door began to buckle and splinter with a shuddering groan. The red haptic controls began to shift wildly, while sparks started to stream from the corners. Tali's mouth was dry beneath her helmet. The thrill of combat was beginning to give way to the sickening awareness that they were cornered. They had the skill and tools to last more than a few minutes, but that was all that was certain. Kolyat's fingers felt numb as he wrapped them around his pistol. His feet were tingling and his bladder felt weak as he waited for his own death to come. He stared across at Tali and his father, wondering how they could be so calm in such a situation. As if in answer to his thoughts, Tali glanced at him, meeting his gaze.

'Don't hesitate, Kolyat,' she said calmly. 'Your father is right, we can do this but only if you can stay strong. Do you understand?'

The young drell nodded sombrely and forced his gaze ahead to the door as it finally let out a rasping crack. With a bright flash, it flew outwards in two large pieces. The halves smashed across the ground, gouging deep grooves as they squealed to a halt, their edges glowing with an intense, red heat.

Soldiers stormed from the gap, only to be met by a hail of fire as Tali, Thane and Kolyat opened up. Slugs perforated shields and armour instantly, sending the first wave of soldiers crumpling to the floor. Behind them, their comrades cursed as they tripped and stumbled, having to climb over the bodies simply to escape the stairwell.

The air was a mass of sound as weapons fired without pause, though it did not take long for the enemy to adapt to the withering storm. A pair of officers clambered over their dead, their bodies encased in tough, durable tech-armour. Tali swore as she watched her shotgun rounds bounce harmlessly from the engineers' thick armour in a glowing shower of light. They would not escape that easily, she thought as she keyed a sequence into her omni-tool. A scream erupted, piercing the deafening sound of gunfire as one of the engineers fell to the ground, his shields overloaded and his tech-armour module burnt out entirely after Tali's attack. Thick trails of smoke rose from his body as he slumped over, tainting the air with the scent of burning flesh.

Tali cried out in pain as a slug glanced off her shotgun, scoring a ragged groove in the surface. Her hands stung from the shock of the impact and she could not feel her finger as she curled it around the trigger once again. Suddenly, a deep, rumbling drone broke into their ears and a despairing shout went up from their assailants as the Normandy's Kodiak shuttle loomed into position above them. As the kinetic barriers began to shimmer with the impact of incoming fire, Tali watched with barely concealed elation as the door swung up to reveal Miranda and Jacob, their weapons trained on the soldiers below.

The ground exploded into a maelstrom of searing blue sparks and a thick cloud of dust rose as biotic attacks pounded into the beleaguered attackers. Their frenzied cries were overpowered by the Kodiak's engines as the shuttle began a slow descent. Tali bounded over to the waiting craft, firing indiscriminately as she moved while Thane took hold of Kolyat's arm, dragging the stunned boy across the rooftop.

Miranda did not look up as she continued to loose round after round with her Phalanx pistol. Her expression was one of steady, controlled rage as her eyes glittered with the light of battle. Beside her, Jacob nodded curtly to the others before helping Tali on board. Swaying gently with the extra weight, the Kodiak rose before accelerating quickly, arching into the air as the streaks of weapon fire followed it into the sky.

***ME2-DR***

The outside air was sweet to Shepard, even if it was the strange, synthesized air of the Citadel. He took it in with tired lungs, each breath sending a tingle of residual pain through his nerves, though the sensation was lessening by the minute. Whatever chemicals Mercier had used to torture him where quickly being broken down and discarded. Whether that was his own body's doing or that of his cybernetics, he didn't know. Still, Shepard reflected as he stared from the edge of the roof and onto the magnificent Dilinaga Concert Hall, he could hardly be regretful of such a thing.

This was no action vid. Shepard had come close to death and it was nothing short of a miracle that he had survived. Still, he did not appreciate his good fortune. Instead, he could only seem to focus on his own mistakes, on the errors in his judgement that led him to that point. It was a feeling of the most crippling vulnerability, to be bound and left to the mercy of people who had none. The feeling of helplessness had wrapped itself around the Commander like a thick shroud and it would take some time to shed.

If he had allowed Garrus to simply kill Sidonis then none of this would have happened, Shepard thought as he closed his eyes. If Garrus had taken the shot, then Shepard could have simply walked away. His assailant would not have had the time to line up his own attack and they could have continued the mission without losing valuable time. On the flip side of the coin, because he had allowed it, Shepard had learned of the Shadow Broker's involvement. Liara was now in mortal danger, yet Shepard knew that he was jeopardising the mission with his intent to immediately rush to her aid.

Slowly, he leaned over the waist-high wall that lined the roof top, his armoured forearms sending a trickle of dust over the edge. His impulse to help her was contrary to everything he had ever learned as an agent and a Spectre. The mission had always come first but this time, for a reason he could not fathom, the mission could go to hell. Why Liara? his thoughts whispered. Why didn't she tell him about the Shadow Broker, about Cerberus, about his body?

His last words to his former love raced through his mind and Shepard brought himself up to take an angry, distressed grip of the wall's edge. His armoured fingertips scraped against the stone and cracked the hard surface. Shepard had been so preoccupied with his own feelings of loss back then that he hadn't even stopped to ask why Liara was seemingly so cold, so distant. His emotions had overridden his senses that night and now all he could do was look upon that moment with shame. Everything for him had changed in an instant, that much was true but Liara had suffered too. She had had to endure, and continued to endure, hardships she had never known before, all because of him.

The soft, mournful wail of an aria rose from the concert hall, a majestic yet pitifully tragic sound. It was subtle but it suited Shepard's mood and he hung his head in exhaustion. The commander was tired. It went beyond his sore muscles and throbbing skull. It transcended his injured flesh and ran deeper than his fractured bones. He had hoped to have left Illium behind completely, to bury his actions and his feelings in the passage of time. The thought of returning to Nos Astra, of having to face Liara again, made his stomach turn.

The aria built into a powerful chorus, sweeping from the grand structure beyond into the skies above. The traffic streamed past in snaking lines, oblivious to its beautiful notes. One of the shuttles broke from the queue and swept down towards Shepard's position. It passed overhead, ruffling his hair with a blast of engine wash and he smiled with genuine warmth at the sight of Garrus climbing out of the pilot's seat moments later.

'Figures you'd already have broken out!' the turian called out as the shuttle door closed with a hiss. Kasumi remained inside, as did the large krogan in the rear seat. Garrus approached, his hand never straying far from his weapon from habit. 'You don't look too good, but then not everybody can still look as good as me, even after mutilation.'

In spite of the harsh, lancing pain that tormented his body, Shepard could not stifle his laughter. 'With you, there's no competition!'

Garrus shut his eyes for a moment as he grinned at the response. Relief threatened to overwhelm him and the turian had to force a calm exterior once again.

'What took you so long, anyway?' Shepard asked jokingly.

'We hit a few bumps in the road, is that the saying? Chellick was tailing the men who captured you, I knew that much. He didn't wanna tell me where you were so I had to get…creative.'

'Uh-huh,' the Commander smirked as Garrus leaned across the wall and looked out over the concert hall. 'I think he had his reasons. Those men were working for the Shadow Broker. At first they were trying to interrogate me for information on Cerberus, then they decided enough was enough and tried to finish me off. One of them was an undercover C-Sec agent; he's the reason I'm standing here. He called himself Arlen Kryik.'

The name caused Garrus' eyes to widen and his breath to stick fast in his chest. It lasted only a fraction of a second before he was able to regain control of his senses but Shepard had clearly noticed the revealing gesture. He did not ask Garrus why he had reacted in such a way. He didn't need to.

'I know that name,' Garrus murmured, his throat suddenly dry. 'The first time I saw him, he was a rookie so wet behind the ears you'd think he just took a dive into the Presidium lakes. The last time I saw him...damn it, has it been that long?' The question was not directed at Shepard. Slowly, Garrus' gaze softened with nostalgia and fell across the city before him. 'He was the last partner I had in C-Sec before I joined you, Shepard. The last time I saw him, he was sent out of Citadel Space to track down elements of a terrorist cell. Well, that wasn't the very last time I saw him in person, but he was a totally different turian when we last met.'

'Were you close?' asked Shepard. It was oddly unnerving to see the stoic turian grow so sentimental.

'No,' Garrus replied. His eyelids slid down tightly at some unseen memory. 'But I'm glad to hear he's still alive, all the same. He deserves that much, at least, for all he went through. Almost makes me wish I'd known he was around before I left for Omega; he would've made good member of my team, even though there's no way in hell he'd have joined me.'

Shepard did not fully understand, but neither did he feel the urge to. He knew that some things could not be explained to others, that some secrets were only prudent to keep to oneself, no matter how close companions they were. Breathing deeply, he laid a hand on his friend's shoulder.

'Let's get back to the Normandy. We're not done yet.'

Garrus nodded his agreement and they paced unhurriedly towards the waiting shuttle. Shepard's brow twitched and he halted, drawing a curious look from Garrus.

'About Sidonis…' Shepard began, though he was cut off by a dismissive wave of Garrus' hand.

'Forget it, Shepard. That scumbag'll die someday, but it doesn't have to be today. Let's just concentrate on what's really important.'

A gentle look of gratitude washed over Shepard's features and although there was much to occupy his mind, the commander's heart felt a little more at ease with his friend's forgiveness.

***ME2-DR***

'Torture…' Mordin spat contemptuously. 'Never a proven way to effectively obtain information, barbaric, no regard for basic organic rights!'

Shepard rested his arms on the smooth surface of the briefing table as a refreshing jet of cool air from an overhead vent caressed his body. Around him the entire team waited patiently for him to speak, their attention on his every word and action.

'I didn't enjoy it either,' he remarked indifferently, 'but it doesn't matter now. We'll be arriving in Nos Astra tomorrow morning. I want everyone to get some rest until then, check your gear, do anything you need to do.' Thane blinked slowly, doing well to hide his discomfort as Shepard turned to him. 'Your son tried to kill me, Thane,' the commander said sternly. 'You can thank Garrus for talking me into letting you take him with us for now but he's your responsibility, understood?'

The stark warning was not lost on the assassin. He knew that when Shepard learned of Kolyat, the only thing that had stopped the commander from killing him was Garrus' intervention. Not that the drell blamed him; it took a great show of faith to forgive someone who tried to take his life and that Garrus was successful was a testament to the strength of the turian's friendship with Shepard.

'Of course,' Thane replied solemnly. 'Thank you again, Shepard. Kolyat will remain confined to the life support compartment unless under my direct supervision. The Citadel authorities will likely be hunting him for some time yet and I would like to see him safely on his way to Kahje as soon as possible.'

Jacob shifted as he leaned on the table, his wary gaze having never strayed from Thane since their return. 'You're certain that's a good idea? He did try to assassinate the commander, after all. What's to stop him from coming after us again?'

'Aside from the fact that his contract has been rendered, how shall we say, null and void,' Thane answered quickly, 'this experience has proven something to Kolyat. His body is simply not as effective a killing tool as he thought and I doubt it ever will be. Some of us are born into the roles we play while others discover them with time. One thing is certain, however. Our bodies, useful as they are, cannot act beyond the boundaries of our soul. Kolyat's soul is not one of a killer, and so his body failed him when the time came. He now knows this is not his path, and the memories of this day will be a constant reminder.'

Zaeed crossed his arms and his lips twisted into a sneer. 'I got a good look at the kid before you locked him up and whatever happened, it scared the shit outta him. I've seen that look enough times to know that he won't be in a hurry to come back.'

Jacob continued to glower at the assassin, though Shepard seemed satisfied enough at the answer. He took a deep breath as he turned over the facts that had been uncovered during their time on the Citadel. He cleared his throat and regarded the team as he spoke in a deliberate, commanding tone.

'For those of you who don't know the full story, while we were in the Zakera Markets, an attempt was made on my life. The shooter turned out to be Kolyat, Thane's son. Obviously he failed but I lost consciousness and was captured.' Standing at his side, Tali threw an accusing glance a Garrus, who did his best to pretend he didn't notice. In her eyes, Garrus had abandoned Shepard and it was not something she could forgive easily. 'Still,' Shepard continued, 'I managed to break free and learned from my abductors that the Shadow Broker was behind the hit and as Tali and Thane discovered, he'd sent a team to take care of Kolyat, obviously to erase any potential leaks.'

Garrus placed a hand on his hip and idly tested the edges of his pistol's holster with his thumb. 'Back in the shuttle, you mentioned the Shadow Broker wanted your body,' the turian muttered curiously. 'Do you know why?'

Shepard shook his head. 'No. My guess is he's working with the Collectors. The weapon Kolyat used was some kind of advanced particle weapon, is that right, Mordin?'

'Indeed,' the professor confirmed. 'Fascinating weapon. Very fine particle beam containing a mild stasis effect, similar to one used against colonists. Temporarily shuts down nerve functions on entry into the body. Even if wound fatal, collateral damage to tissues and internal organs minimal thanks to stasis field. Suspect beam used to penetrate shielding while stasis frequency causes target to lose consciousness.'

'We should hand it over to Cerberus scientists,' Miranda stated keenly. 'Any new weapons we can turn in will give us a better chance of developing suitable countermeasures once we go through the Omega-Four relay.'

'Alright, if you think it'll help then Mordin will hand it over once he's done,' said Shepard. He didn't like the idea of giving anything to Cerberus but he did not have a choice. The more advantages they could obtain over their enemy, the better. 'We have more immediate concerns. The Shadow Broker is also targeting Doctor Liara T'soni, one of my old teammates. I don't really know why but that's not important right now. All that matters is that we get to Illium and warn her.'

'If it's not too late,' Grunt growled, his enormous bulk towering over the others at the back of the room. 'If he already made his move against you then he's probably done the same against this T'soni.'

Shepard looked uncertain for a moment. The thought had obviously occurred to him but he had done his best to keep the possibilities as far from the fore of his mind as possible.

'I know,' he said quietly. 'We can only hope we're not too late. That's all I have to say; dismissed.'

The room came to life, moving as one as the team shuffled out to their respective posts. Tali leaned in close to Shepard as she turned and whispered softly. 'I'll come and see you soon. I just have to take care of the routine maintenance checks.'

The commander nodded, pleased. He looked forward to spending some time with her, and it occupied his thoughts while he watched the pleasant curves of her figure as she walked away. His attention immediately snapped to the present, however. There was one more thing he needed to do.

'Miranda,' said Shepard as the dark-haired Cerberus officer passed by.

Miranda looked up in mild surprise. 'What is it, Commander?'

'You went to help Tali, even though you didn't have to. Why?' he asked. The question was neither aggressive nor accusatory but, perhaps out of simple habit, Miranda stiffened defensively.

'She's still a member of this team and a part of the mission, Shepard. If she had died then we'd likely have lost Thane too. Don't go thinking this was a favour or anything.'

To her irritation, Shepard simply smiled ironically. Miranda was good at hiding her emotions until it was something that truly affected her. Still, he decided against pressing her further and headed towards the door. Just before opening it, however, he threw Miranda a final, grateful look.

'Thanks.'

Miranda's expression softened as the door closed behind Shepard and she looked down, suddenly very unsure of herself. She brought a hand to her forehead and let her long, black hair fall between her slender fingers.

'I'd appreciate it if you could leave that out of the next report,' she said aloud.

'As you wish, Operative Lawson,' EDI complied, her synthesized voice echoing in the narrow, confined space.

***ME2-DR***

The scent of leather had never seemed so sweet to Shepard as he spread his arms across the back of the sofa. To a lifelong soldier, such an opulent addition to his cabin seemed like sacrilege at first but as his protesting limbs sank into the soft padding, he could not resist a satisfied grin.

Gradually, the day's events played upon his mind. From his arrival and meeting with Chellick to the run-in with Harkin, all the way to his capture and torture at the hands of Mercier, images and sensations flashed through his senses. The aches and pains were added to a long, growing list of ailments that left Shepard's body feeling like it had been chewed up and spat out by a thresher maw. Still, he was alive, and as he recalled every moment of the past few hours that very fact seemed all the more unbelievable.

The quiet hiss of the elevator doors brought Shepard from his thoughts and he grinned at the sound of Tali's distinctive footsteps as she entered his cabin. She stepped out from his desk area and stood for a moment, framed against the sapphire hues of the aquarium before she spotted him. Without a word, she crossed the room and stood before him. Although they had spent every spare moment of the past week in each other's company, it was clear Tali still found it difficult to purge the instinctive habits of respect for his rank. To her, Shepard was still the captain of her ship, her superior officer. In spite of the informal command structure aboard the SR2, such familiarity with someone of his stature would not come easily.

For his part, Shepard watched her nervous gait with deep fondness. Tali had always been respectful of him and she had likely never imagined he would cast aside the barriers of race, let alone rank. 'Relax,' he said with an easy smile. 'You don't have anything to be nervous about.'

The light of the aquarium danced across the surface of Tali's helmet as she fumbled with her hood. 'I know,' she replied, chuckling softly at her own anxiety. 'It's funny. In the Migrant Fleet, I would not be quite so awkward. As a general rule, a relationship with a superior officer is much easier if the subordinate is female. Such a union would be celebrated by her family, since it would elevate their status in the flotilla.' Pausing, she placed a hand upon her forehead in embarrassment. 'And I'm making this whole thing sound like a business arrangement...'

Shepard could not hide his wide, affectionate smirk and he tenderly reached out and took hold of her wrist. Despite her tension, Tali did not resist as he guided her towards him and slowly her nerves steadied as she slid onto his lap. Their discomfort simply melted as the warmth of their bodies joined and Tali draped an arm over Shepard's shoulders, pulling them closer together. Her other hand rose to cradle Shepard's face lovingly as his stroked her thigh, relishing the feel of her suit beneath his fingertips.

'This...is better,' she purred.

'Much better,' Shepard agreed. 'You're not hurt are you? From earlier I mean. From what Thane told me, you had a rough time down there.'

'That's putting it mildly, though it's nothing more than what I'm used to, travelling with you.' Tali's pale eyes narrowed worriedly as the commander suddenly winced. Although they treasured such moments together, she did not doubt that he was suffering as her weight pressed upon his injuries. 'To be honest, I'm more worried about you...'

Tali's fingers traced Shepard's chest, gently running across the edges of the dressing that bound his upper shoulder. The tight wrappings assisted the medigel while it healed the wound inflicted by Kolyat's wayward shot but seeing how close the bullet had come to piercing Shepard's throat sent a pang of sorrow through Tali's heart.

'How can you be so concerned about me when you've been through so much?' Tali asked.

Her hand travelled to Shepard's lean, muscular arm and she gently prized his hand from her thigh to inspect the large, dark bruises smeared across his inner elbow. The vile liquids used in Mercier's interrogation had been pumped into his veins, and the needles had left bulbous welts that rose from the bruises like sickly growths. They would disappear soon, but the sight of them caused Tali to squeeze her eyes shut.

The faint, silvery trail of a tear glinted in the purple haze of her visor, slowly travelling down her cheek. 'You really are amazing, Shepard…'

Shepard's smile broadened, though his eyes were tinged with sadness. He longed to wipe away that tear, yet he knew his hand would meet nothing but hard glass if he tried. Still, he brought his hand out of Tali's grasp and gently placed a finger beneath the chin of her mouthpiece, bringing her gaze up to meet his.

'This is nothing,' he murmured, 'nothing compared to what I'd have felt if I'd lost you.'

Impulsively, Tali brought her palm to Shepard's face, her intent achingly clear. She burned with the need to place her lips on his. It was obvious in her body, her touch and her eyes. It was a need he shared but, after an agonising moment, they soberly forced themselves to relax.

'Shepard,' Tali began, her voice unsteady. 'I've been thinking about this a lot. When we go to face the Collectors, we may not return. Nobody knows what waits for us on the other side of the Omega-Four Relay and even our best guesses are, well, pessimistic to say the least.'

Shepard frowned subtly at the change in mood and could only wonder what Tali was getting at. 'What's on your mind?'

'I don't want to have any regrets,' she answered. 'It's not something I have ever considered before, not even with another quarian. I wouldn't even know where to begin preparing but...well…keelah, why is this so hard…' Her hesitation was not out of shyness, Shepard knew. Tali had never had the chance to put her yearnings into words before and the experience was completely alien to her. Her resolve firmed, however, and again she stared into Shepard's eyes. 'I...want you, Shepard,' she said, her voice low and husky with intense desire. 'I've wanted you for so long. I want you to see what's under this damn helmet. I want to feel your skin against mine. The thought of going through that relay, of never coming back, does not bother me. The only thing I would regret is if I did not share that with you, just once, before the end.'

Shepard wanted to speak but his lips would not move. He wanted to hold her but his arms remained still. The world around him had slowed to a standstill as Tali's eyes held him in place and her voice moved through his senses like a blissful wave. He realised his heart was pounding, that his breathing was shallow. As the warmth of her body pushed gently into his own, he became acutely aware that he had never known a woman as beautiful as her.

'Not to look a gift quarian in the mouth,' he replied as casually as he could muster, 'but your suit…I mean…can you...?'

Tali pressed a finger to his lips and spoke again, her voice barely more than a whisper. 'I'm not going to ruin the mood with details, but I'll find a way. I promise.'

The commander closed his eyes contentedly and leaned back once more, allowing Tali room to draw herself closer. Carefully, she nuzzled her head into Shepard's chest and he rested his chin upon the soft fabric of her hood. As the constant, yet calm rumble of the ship swallowed the silence around them, the couple eased into an embrace, one that would continue until their duties called once again.