The Spectre sat quietly at mess table with Kal on the opposite side. Both were silent and content with the the current events that had unfolded that day. Garrus had insisted on going back into the main-battery for his usual 'calibrations' to work off some stress. When arriving back on the Normandy, Shepard along with Kal had brought Tali and Vel into the med-bay. Tali was lain across a medical bed in the corner to let her body rest as it recovered from oxygen deprivation but Vel was not so lucky as to walk out of the previous battle with mere exhaustion.
Chakwas had demanded that the two of them wait outside in the mess while she worked tirelessly to remove the shrapnel that had lodged into Vel's fragile Quarian spine. Though they would have stayed, they knew even in this advanced technological time, spinal surgery was still a delicate procedure and not to be taken lightly; the Doctor needed to concentrate without the feeling of someone looking over her shoulder, and the room needed to be 110% clean of any bacteria that would threaten her immune system.
The Commander knew he was lucky. Tali had dodged a bullet being that they were able to get her a fresh power cell before she asphyxiated painfully inside her suit. Why did she have to be so selfless all the time. It was a trait he admired but not one he wanted to lose her over. She was in for a long, uncomfortable conversation with him when she awoke.
Kal too was reflecting on the day's events. So much had gone wrong. A simple reconnaissance mission turned suicidal so quickly without warning. The worst part of it was losing his entire squad to the synthetic scum he knew he shouldn't have trusted to begin with. Watching Moro'Zenia being engulfed in that infernal explosion still plagued his mind. It was like a never ending nightmare. They're all gone, all except for Vel'Lara. At least he was spared having to watch most of them die. If only he could see through the shuddered windows of the med-bay, just to know that their weren't any complications with her injury, so far...
Chakwas came stepping out of the med-bay after over an hour of surgery. She sealed the door behind her then removed her environmental suit's helmet and with her forearm, wiped the sweat from her forehead. Both Kal and Shepard got up from their seats at the table and walked over to her with expectant looks. Kal being the more concerned.
Holding her helmet under her left arm she said "I removed the shrapnel from her spinal column and repaired the damaged vertebrae using a cybernetic implant. The infection is relatively minor. She may be down with a fever for a couple of days but I don't see any cause for alarm." Turning to Kal she added. "You're welcome to see her, but do try not to wake her."
The doctor watched as Kal strode past her into the med-bay then once the door sealed, turned back to Shepard. "You're fiance will be fine commander. She's quite exhausted from your field trip but should be awake in a few hours..."
"Thanks Doc, I know she's in good hands." he replied.
"I did manage to extract something very peculiar from the shrapnel lodged in your friend's vertebrae..." Chakwas held out her right hand to reveal a small object attached to what looked like a tiny circuit board.
"What is it?" he asked quizzically
"A Geth memory core, completely intact. I think Ms. Lara will be glad to know that her injury came with a benefit."
"I'm surprised you'd know what one looks like Doc."
"I removed quite a bit of Geth fragments from your body during our rodeo with Saren commander. Is it really that surprising?" said Chakwas with a smirk.
"When you put it that way I guess not." he replied taking the memory core in hand. "Thanks again Doc, I'll see what Tali can get out of it when she wakes up."
"Of course commander. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe there is a certain bottle of brandy with my name on it." Chakwas proceeded to walk into the kitchen as Shepard stared at the tiny component in his hand. He fiddled with it as he thought about what they might find in it. If the data on it is still intact, then maybe they'll be able to discover what Sovereign did to turn the Geth on them, and hopefully, find a way to reverse the effect if possible.
"Commander" said Mordin over the com-link causing Shepard to flinch a little. "Must speak with you in lab privately. Have made...intriguing progress with recovered device."
Kolyat held his head high with his hands clasped behind his back as he walked through the crowds on the 28th level of the Zakera ward on the Citadel. Having just earned his C-sec uniform and badge, he felt very proud of himself knowing his father would approve just as much. He chuckled to himself when he thought about the irony of the situation. Over the past three weeks he had gone from a wanna-be assassin to a rather striking officer of Citadel security. He couldn't argue with the feeling though. Saving lives rather than ending them was much better on the soul of a Drell; something taken very seriously in their culture.
He continued his patrol route, beginning a short journey down the steps to level 27. He had just passed a weapons shop with a Turian clerk behind the counter when Captain Bailey interrupted his chain of thought through his intercom.
"Hey son, we got what sounds like a domestic disturbance next door at the Cafe, figure I'd let you make your first bust with this one."
The young Drell smiled at his Captain's confidence in him and said "Sure thing, I'm just making my way down the stairs. Be over there in a moment." Kolyat quickened his pace down the steps and soon found himself on the 27th level. Just as Bailey said, there was a crowd gathered around the entrance of the Zakera Cafe. He could hear the sound of a man and women arguing in the distance. With hast he sprinted past the C-sec office and pushed his way through the crowd announcing his position as a C-sec officer as he did. When he made it through the dozens of spectators, he could see a Quarian girl backed against the wall inside the cafe with the Turian clerk furiously pointing at her with a butcher knife as he yelled in her face.
"You think I'm stupid! I saw you take it!"
The Quarian girl shook her head while raising one arm to gesture while she spoke. "I didn't do anything! You wouldn't be accusing me if I wasn't a Quarian!" she yelled back.
Taking a step forward, the Turian became more infuriated. "I'm not blind you little duct-rat! That paste packet was lying right on the counter until you walked by!" Kolyat saw this as his cue to end the quarrel before someone was injured, or worse. He walked over to the two offenders with his pistol drawn and aimed at the Turian.
"C-sec! Put the knife down sir!"
The Turian clerk turned to the Drell without complying to his demand. Instead he pursued his argument. "Don't point that gun at me, point it at her! I'm not doing shit till she pays for that packet of nutrient paste she stole!"
The Quarian girl tried to protest her innocence but her words were inaudible over Kolyat's yelling. "I said put the knife down! I won't tell you again sir!" The Turian groaned angrily as he slowly set the knife down on the floor. "Now what's this all about?" said Kolyat, addressing the Quarian girl, still fearfully hugging the wall.
"I heard this place had good food, so I came in here to look at the menu." she said while wringing her hands. "When I tried to leave, he grabbed me and started accusing me of stealing his nutrient paste."
"She's a damn liar!" The Turian retorted. "I saw her filthy Quarian hand snatch that packet with my own eyes!" The two pleaded their versions of the story back and forth before Kolyat decided to interject and solve the dispute peacefully.
"Look..." He walked over to the Turian and pulled out 20 credits and handed it to the angry clerk. "Whatever she took, that should cover it." The Turian, seeming satisfied, picked up his knife and walked back behind the counter.
"You're lucky Quarian, the next time I catch you stealing I'll slice that thief hand of yours right off!" he shouted as he went into the back-room of the cafe. Kolyat holstered his pistol and stepped over the Quarian girl who gazed at the floor.
"You alright miss?" he asked with concern as he offered his hand. The girl stood silent. Whispers in the crowd erupted which brought his attention to the nosy spectators. "Move along people, nothing interesting going on here." He said as he waved them off. The crowd dispersed and went back about their business as he turned back to the timid Quarian who was now staring up at him.
"I...Thanks." She quickly walked past him and rounded the corner before he caught up with her.
"Hey wait!" Kolyat gently grabbed her arm which caused her to stop and struggle a little to break free. While she tried to free her arm, something fell from her pack onto the floor. She halted in her struggle and glanced down at it as the Drell officer picked it up. The label was clear, Nutrient paste #173. Kolyat read it carefully then gave the girl a look like a parent catching their child in an act of mischief.
The girl began to stutter as she desperately tried to explain herself. "I...I—this isn't..."
"You really did steal-" He started to say before she broke down like a criminal in an interrogation room.
"I didn't want to but I haven't eaten in days! I was so hungry and it just hurts so bad and...Please officer don't arrest me. I swear it won't happen again." Kolyat unexpectedly handed her the packet while she awaited to be cuffed and thrown in a cell just like every other Quarian.
"What's your name miss?" he asked gingerly.
The girl looked into his eyes and noted that they weren't full of anger but serenity. He had the face of a kind person. This eased her distress and aloud her to answer more clearly. "It's...uh Lia'Vael nar Ulnay...sir."
"Miss Vael, would you mind if I bought you a drink?" his words took her by surprise. How often do you find a C-sec officer that wasn't prejudice, especially against her people. She hesitated to take his offer, but he did show her an act of kindness that only one in a million people would. Lia began to look around the ward nervously before answering.
"Um...I guess but I don't have any money to pay you back, and you've already done a lot for me."
"Don't worry about it." he said motioning toward the rapid transit terminal. "Consider it giving me something to spend my first paycheck on." he finished with a wide grin. Lia'Vael began to walk with him over to the terminal, feeling her heart race and her stomach flutter.
"O-Ok...Thank you."
Shepard walked into the tech-lab of the CIC briskly. Upon entering he noticed Mordin fiddling with something on the desk but couldn't see it behind the lab equipment on the desk.
"Shepard, please come in, have important results to share." said the Salarian, not bothering to turn away from his 'toys'. Shepard walked over to the desk while scratching the back of his neck.
"You said you made progress with the Prothean device?" he asked, furrowing his brow. "Do you know what it is?"
"Yes" replied the professor. He reached down and held up what looked like a glass test-tube filled with a green-colored liquid as he explained. "Item contains preserved quad-strand DNA" he took in a deep breath before finishing. "Prothean."
Shepard felt like a hammer had struck his heart. He took a step back and said "Prothean DNA? How does that help us exactly?" The professor proceeded around his desk and placed the tube inside a boxed shaped scanner.
"Sample is old, but technically is fresh, untouched. Still have breeding tank acquired from Grunt. Could theoretically grow live Prothean." replied Mordin as he turned to face the Spectre.
"Vigil said that device contained the Prothean's secrets. This must have been what it meant..." Shepard thought out loud.
"Indeed Shepard, DNA most likely has Prothean knowledge imprinted in genetic memory. Information on Reapers." Mordin inhaled deeply then finished. "Could benefit war effort..." Shepard began to dwell on the thought of actually growing a live Prothean, the first to ever walk the universe in over 50 millenia. This being could tell them everything they knew about the Reapers, possibly a way to defeat them. But he was also faced with the consequences of it. Was it really ethical. This Prothean would be alone in the galaxy, without purpose. Birthed as a lab-rat only to help them fight the Reapers. Then what? These conflicting thoughts overwhelmed him. It was a once in a life-time opportunity, but it needed consideration.
"If your right then this could be our only chance at beating the Reapers, but I need to think about this Mordin. I don't want to create a living being without fully knowing what I'm getting myself into." said the Spectre. "Keep running tests, let me know if it can actually be done." Shepard started to leave but was halted by Mordin half-way through the door.
"Must reach decision soon commander, do not know how much longer sample will last outside of original preservation chamber..." He continued out into the CIC after Mordin had finished. Now that he had taken the time to satisfy his curiosity, it was time to satisfy his concern. Tali, he should go check on her. Before that however he decided to check with Kelly to see if their were any new developments with the crew. The Yeoman turned to meet his gaze when she heard him step up behind her.
"Commander" she acknowledged then said "I had a rather...awkward conversation with that Aranya a while ago. There were no psych reports on record but from her behavior I gathered that she's an open sex-addict. She made several passes on me during our interview. I suggest you avoid her when possible."
"Appreciate the advice Kelly. Talk to you later." That said, he stepped into the elevator and pressed the controls for the crew deck.
Zaeed had been leaning against his wall in the starboard cargo room for a while now. He found himself deep in thought, mostly about Aranya suddenly coming back into his life after over a decade of separation. He still hated her, still wanted to shoot her deep down, but he couldn't help but wonder why she wanted Vido dead. She never gave him a reason for her motivation but seemed rather serious about it. The last thing he wanted to do was talk to the witch, but this needed to be cleared up. After all, if her reason wasn't good enough, then he would have an excuse to put her down. He found himself walking through the deck hallway over toward her room in port cargo. Angrily stomping with each step, he just wanted to get this over with. Aranya was laid flat out on her back across a series of crates with one leg propped over the other and reading a data-pad when he walked in. Strangely enough she was wearing casual Asari clothing rather than her Eclipse armor.
"I don't recall leaving the red light on, that hard to resist me?" she said not bothering to look at him.
"I want to talk to you, not play games." snarled the veteran bounty hunter. The Asari commando continued reading the data-pad while rocking her propped up leg back and forth.
"Life is a game sweaty. Don't hate the player, hate the game." she replied with a devious smirk. Zaeed, now fed up, stepped over to her and slapped the data-pad out of her hand.
"Why do you want Vido dead Aran? No bullshit this time!" he roared in her face. The two locked eyes furiously for a moment then, before he knew what happened, Aranya had him pinned against the floor by his shoulders.
"Sit..." she said sternly as she backed up off of him. Zaeed sat upright and watched as she took a seat on a crate over by the breeding tank. She shifted several times trying to get comfortable in her seat then began to share her story. "About 10 years ago I enlisted in the Blue suns. They usually don't take anyone besides Batarians, Turians, and Humans but they do make exceptions." She averted her gaze as she continued.
"Anyway, I rose through the ranks of the decade, eventually head of Santiago's personal guard." she chuckled. "Lost count of how many times that bastard made a pass on me. Next thing I know I'm accompanying him on some personal vendetta. A Salarian senator on Illium, guy forgot to pay his dues so we went after him..." She paused as as her composure began to fail her.
"Spill the beans sister." Interjected Zaeed.
"We cornered him in his home, Vido practically beat the sex-drive outta him for hours on end. Eventually he got tired, blew the guys brains out, no big deal. We started to leave when I...heard crying in the closet. Walked over there, opened the door, there's the guys Asari wife and daughter crying their eyes out, scared to death..." Zaeed's anger began to diminish as he was compelled to hear more. He stayed silent and let her continue.
"Vido comes up behind me a second later, hand's be a shotgun and tells me to shoot them. I took it but...I just couldn't do it. That...That motherfucker took the shotgun from me and blew them away right in front of me!" Aranya shot up from her crate and turned away so that he couldn't see the tears coming from her brown eyes. Zaeed to came to his feet, anger replaced by remorse, not knowing how to react to her tale.
"...I spent hours cleaning that little girl's blood off my armor. I told Vido I wanted out, then he tried to kill me. So I hooked up with the Eclipse 3 years ago and here I am. You said no bullshit, well there it is!"
All he could do was stand and rub the bridge of his nose as he watched her cry silently in the corner. He now wished he hadn't asked. He turned to leave the room and before the door sealed behind him he added. "We'll get the fucker..." and slowly walked back to his room.
Shepard sat in a chair next to Tali, lying on a medical bed, quietly and gently caressing her left hand; watching her sleep soundly. Vel was already wide awake and recovering from her surgery. Kal and her shared conversation through quiet whispers so as not to disturb Tali. She began to sir slightly; rolling over on her side and placing her left hand on her buttox.
"Shepard..." she said, mumbling in her sleep. "No...not...in front of..." she slowly took her left hand and brought it up to her breast. "No...not there...either..." she moaned before falling back into her deep sleep. Shepard held back a chuckle, instead grinning ear to ear at her comment. Moments passed as he admired her breath taking form. How strange that even with all the women he's been romantically involved with, even the human women during his time with the reds, nothing caught his eye more than this angelic figure before. It's a shame it had to be concealed behind layers of fabric and leather. Someone began poking him on the shoulder. He peered behind him and saw Kal wave him over to the far end of the med-bay. He nodded then leaned in and pulled a warm blanket over her then placed a small kiss on the side of her helmet, causing her to stir slightly and moan as he stood up and joined Kal over in the corner.
Whispering quietly, Kal said "With your permission commander, I'm anxious to report back to the Migrant Fleet. The Admirals are expecting an answer as to why the Geth are outside the veil."
"Not a problem Reegar, I'll have my pilot lay a course. There's something I should discuss personally with Shala anyway." he replied.
"Shepard?" He spun around to see Tali sitting up in bed, wiping her visor groggily. Leaving Kal with Vel, he stepped back over to her.
"Hey sleeping beauty, how you feeling?" he asked softly.
"Sleeping beauty?" she asks quizzically. "Is that a human expression?"
"It's an old human fairy tale." he explains. "A princess is cursed with endless sleep by an evil fairy and the only thing that can wake her, is the kiss of her one true love." Making sure the others aren't looking, Tali quickly removes her visor and gives him a brief kiss on the lops before resealing it back to her helmet. The two smile gingerly at each other, the romantic metaphor setting the mood.
"We're also going to the Migrant Fleet. I think we should discuss our engagement with Shala while were there." he adds. Tali's loving smile is instantly replaced by a frown as she thinks about the implications of exposing their relationship to her Shala.
"Oh Keelah..." was all she could say.
The Geth platform once known as Legion, now a dark entity known as Nazara, stared into the night sky of Ilos. His corrupted Geth minions marched all around him as they scavenged about the ruins. Geth frigates flew overhead as he contemplated over his next course of action. The Humans were still they're top priority, the pinnacle of organic evolution. He, and the rest of his kind wanted nothing more than to bask in their genetic brilliance. His kin will eventually invade, but if he can harvest the humans as well as Shepard before their arrival, they will meet far less resistance. A dropship landed a few meters in front of him as he concluded his chain of thought. A side hatch opened and a ramp extended before him. He slowly began to make his way up and into the ship. There is still so much to come, and he will be the vanguard of their destruction.