Tavos was on the line with Kira about Project Advent and what it entails. Aside from being impressed by it she could see the problems, one of them would make all of them traitors to their respective governments. But since Tavos had some family in on the Project they could fall into it without problems. Not to mention that at least 3 of them had their own companies. As for the Alliance side, while they have been helping Kira out it was due to the help of at least 4 admirals who agree that Project Advent is the best way of stopping the Reapers.
Originally the plan was to make an army made up of separate races to make some attacks on Battarian soil look like some kind of terrorist plot. But then Amazonia would take the credit and get booted from the Alliance allowing them to wage war on the Battarians. But with the treat of the Reapers the plan had to be changed regardless off what the original plan was. But now with all this help Kira could make it possible to take on the Reapers without any trouble.
But there was something else, the council. Valern the Slarain councillor could see the necessity of the venture, even the Salaraian government could also see it. So after the final phase it would be possible that they would allow for Kira to do what she needs to do. Some parts of their government may not like it but they would admit the fact that what she was doing would be for the betterment of the galaxy. Hell the only major thing they might do would be charge her for unethical medical practice, and maybe even remove her Spectre status.
That might be all they do before they start talking to her, but Sparatus and the Turrian's may not take it lightly. Any threat to their authority was never taken lightly, hell even some of the Turrian government members wanted to exterminate humanity. But that really wasn't the problem. Kira had deviated form their agreement and worked on her own building a geneticly enhanced army. They wouldn't take too kindly to it, as a matter of fact they might just take this as an act of aggression against her and mark her as insane like Saren. Probably hunt her down too, Sparatus always called Kira a good solider with a wild imagination. He had also called her belief in the Reapers ludicrous. Tavos even thought he paid some of the scientist off at least the ones who looked at Sovereign's corpse.
While the council could do something like this she knew that Valern and the rest of the Salarian government would like it. Nether would the Asari. The Asari, Tavos had no idea how her government would react to this news. It could be good or bad she didn't know, but all she knew was that she had to leave the council.
"So other then that, Advent is working greater then I expected. But we still have two more phases to go through before it can be fully unleashed." Kira said through the vid comm. "Hey! Tavos you listening?" she asked making the Asari councillor look at her.
"Yeah I'm here, sorry my mind is wondering. I'm tired." Tavos admitted.
"Ok then go get some rest, I need you fully awake tomorrow."
"Why?"
"Because I need you to resign from the Council. Like it or not my project is nearly finished and hen it is it's going to blow the lid off every single politician and start a witch hunt for anyone associated with the project. You also need to contact all you know who know abut the project and make them head for Advent city. You'll be safe there."
Tavos may have been tired but she heard ever word from her mistress. She looked up at the screen she knew it had to be done. If not she could get caught up in the witch hunt and burned at the stake as it where.
"Ok I'll do it ugh so damn tired goodnight." she said before turning the screen off.
She stood slowly before moving over to her bed and just collapsed on it. It was more then a long day it was tiring that she didn't know how she kept awake through it all. Making herself comfortable on the bed before falling asleep.
OOOOO
Kira, Ashley and Miranda stood in the captains room. Tali ha requested them to come to tell them the news about her trial. To say that all three of them were dumbfounded was an understatement. "That's crazy! Anyone who knows you would know that you would never betray your own people." she said not believing what she just heard.
"I don't know," Tali reasoned. "They don't lay charges like this unless the evidence seems absolute. But thanks, I appreciate your faith in me."
"What happens if a Quarian is accused of treason?" Miranda asked.
"There's a hearing, with members of the Admiralty Board acting as judges." Tali paced away. "My father is an admiral on the board. He'll have to recluse himself from judgement. I can't even imagine what he's thinking right now." Tali turned around. "The punishment for treason is exile. If they convict me, I can never go back."
"Then we'll head to the Flotilla." Kira said
"I was going to book passage on another ship. I didn't think there would have been time for you to help. Thank you, Shepard."
"Tali, you are my slave, what's more your are one of my friends. If anything not helping is punishment for me."
"Of course," she said. "I'll program the Normandy with the Flotilla's current location. The Admirals will be waiting for us."
"I'm coming too," Ash.
The two looked at her in surprise.
"What? Tali is like a sister so there's no way I'm letting her go into this hearing alone."
"Thank's Ash," Tali said. "I could use as much support as possible."
"Yeah no, sorry Ash but if I recall you still need to be punished." Kira said as she grabbed Ashley's arm and twisted it so that it was behind her. "Did you forget about trying to fuck Tali?"
"Errr..." Ash tried to say but her mistress slid two fingers into her mouth making her moan submissively.
Tali gulped as her cock began to harden watching the scene in front of her. Her hands drifted down to her crotch to hide her erection. Miranda however had already had the top of her bodysuit off and was playing with her breast with one hand and the other in between her crotch. This was getting out of hand and fast but no one cared. Kira then pulled up Ashley's shirt and began to play with her enlarged breasts with her free hand.
The two fell to their knees as Miranda shed her bodysuit and was on her hands and knees. She crawled up to the marine and sucked on her breast. The marine cried in pleasure as the XO sucked on her sensitive nipple. As she was doing this her hands pulled her trousers down allowing her erect cock to come out. The young Quarrian could only watch as the three humans in front of her played with each other. She was amazed that a human marine could be subdued sexually.
Ashley panted as Miranda moved down to her cock and began to suck on it like the well experienced cock-sucker she was. The marine cried out in pleasure as her commander's long tongue slid into her mouth. Kira's long tongue was meant more as a domination tool and for oozing out aphrodisiacs into her slave's faster. Ashley's body became hot as her commander lay her on the floor and pulled her trousers down. She then sat on the marines face forcing her to lick her pussy and balls.
"Ahhh." Kira cried as Ashley's tongue entered her pussy and started to leak out love juice.
Tali couldn't take it anymore and tripped her helmet and suit off before crawling on her knees and licked the commander's abbs. She could see why people would call her a body builder as her abbs where hard enough to be steel. The same could be said for all of her muscles. Just plain hard as steel. As she licked them she also stroked them gently with on of her hands while the other one was playing with her buttplug.
Miranda then stopped sucking on the marine's dick and fully took her trousers off Kira then got off Ashley before helping the marine up. Before she could say anything her wrists where chained to the ceiling. Miranda then placed a ball gag in her mouth as Tali slid her dick into her mouth and began to suck on it moaning as she did. Her commander the came up from behind and wrapped a black posture collar with a ring on the front around her neck before tieing it tightly.
She knew that this was part of her punishment for trying to have sex with Tali before her mistress. Once tied Kira then picked up a whip and brought it down on her back making her yell in pain, but the gag prevented from her yelling while the collar prevent her from moving her neck. Her mistress smiled as she brought the whip down nine more times on her back leaving the marine exhausted. But as she came into Tali's mouth Miranda brought something out that made her shiver.
In her had was a chastity belt with two vibrators for her pussy and ass. She got down and inserted both of them into her ass and pussy making her moan. Bring both side's of the belt up onto her waist the XO then locked it on forcing it to say there. The dildos activated making her moan in pleasure and brought her up to her limit before stopping.
"This is your punishment my pet. Aside from the whipping, you are not allowed to cum until I get back from the mission. Understand?"
All Ashley could do was groan is response.
OOOOO
The Normandy flew into the massive fleet before it. The Migrant Fleet hosted over fifty thousand ships, largely than any race's fleet. Kira was impressed by the sheer number of ships that the Quarians controlled.
"This is Tali'Zorah vas Neema nar Rayya requesting permission to dock with the Rayya," Tali said over the ship's comm.
"Our systems have your ship flagged as Cerberus, verify," the traffic controller requested.
"After time adrift among open stars, along tides of light and through shoals of dust, I will return to where I began."
"Permission granted. Welcome home, Tali'Zorah."
"We would like a security and quarantine team to meet us. Our ship is not clean."
"Understood. Approach exterior docking cradle 17."
The Normandy approached the docking cradle and attached itself to it. Several Quarian marines waited outside the airlock waiting for Tali'Zorah and her companions.
Shepard, Tali and Kari entered through the airlock and was greeted by one of the Quarians. "Captain Shepard, Tali'Zorah told me a lot about you. I wish we could be meeting under more pleasant circumstances."
"Tali'Zorah helped the Normandy and her crew out of many difficult situations, I owe her a lot," Kira said.
"I understand," the Quarian Captain said. "As the commander of the vessel that she serves on, your voice carries weight. I wish we could do more to help, Tali. The trial requires that I remain officially neutral, but I'm here if you need to talk. They are charging you with bringing active Geth to the Fleet as part of a secret project."
Tali took a step forward and said in surprise, "That's insane! I never brought active Geth to the Fleet. I only sent parts and pieces."
"I vouch for Tali'Zorah." Kari said drawing attention to him self.
"Who are you?" The Capitan asked.
"I'm Kari'Proto vas Normandy. Kira Shepard is my mother." he said making brows raise.
"He's a created Quarrian. Gerneticlly engineered for a classified project." Kira said and that seemed to satisfy the captain. "But we'll deal with Tali's Geth parts that later, What's our next step?"
"Technically I'm under orders to place Tali'Zorah under arrest pending the hearing. So Tali, you are confined to this ship until this trial is over."
"Thank you, Captain," she said.
"Preparations got under way as soon as you arrived. The hearing is being held in the garden plaza. Good luck." The Captain moved out of the way.
Shepard, Tali and Kari walked down the corridor. The Quarians around were gossiping about Tali. None of them had the decency to hush their voices as they walked by. Like Tali said regardless of their last name each and every Quarrian considered each other to be family.
"If Tali'Zorah can't even get a Quarian captain to stand for her, she's as good as convicted," a random Quarian said aloud, most likely well aware that Tali was within earshot.
Tali lowered her head but Kira placed a hand on her shoulder. "It's probably best you got me to speak for you. My silver-tongue convinced a businessman to invest in the Zhu's Hope colony. Remember?"
"Yeah you did," Tali replied in a slightly better mood.
"You're not going to be exiled today. Not if I have anything to say about it." Shepard assured her.
The doors opened and at the end of the corridor was a pair of Quarian women talking to one another. As the door opened one of them in black clothing looked towards Tali. "Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. I'm glad you came. I could only delay them for so long."
"Auntie Raan!" Tali exclaimed as she hugged her. The hug was awkwardly one-sided. She released her and stood by her side. "Shepard this is Auntie Raan."
"A pleasure."
"It is good to finally meet you Captain Shepard," Raan welcomed.
"Wait!" Tali said in realization. "You called me vas Normandy." She went back to Shepard's side.
"I'm afraid I did, Tali. The Admiralty Board moved to have you tried under that name, given your departure from the Neema."
"What does that mean?" Kari asked.
"This means that the Creator Admiralty Board are prematurely exiling her," Tali said.
"She still has friends who will still know her as Tali'Zorah vas Neema, whatever we must call you legally. But I'm surprised that a fellow Quarrian didn't know that."
"He's created, he has little to no knowledge about his culture. But I guess this means I'm her defence representative in this hearing." Kira stated.
"It does." Raan confermed.
She looked to Tali. "I'll do everything in my power to help you."
"Thank you, Shepard. I could not ask for a better councillor."
"Our legal rules are simple," Raan explained to Shepard. "There are no legal tricks or political loopholes for you to worry about. Present the truth as best as you can. It will have to be enough. Now come. I promised that I would not delay you any longer. Follow me please."
The three followed behind Raan into the plaza. The Quarians in the plaza gathered on the steps to watch the hearing. The other admirals stepped up on their stands in the centre of the plaza. Kari stayed within the crowd. He would only step in if there was trouble. Shepard and Tali approach the stand.
"This Conclave is brought to order," Raan declared. "Blessed are the ancestors who kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season. Keelah se'lai."
"Keelah se'lai!" the assembly echoed back.
"The accused, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, has come with her captain to defend herself against the charge of treason."
"Objection!" the Quarian in the red suit roared. Shepard recognized him as Admiral Zaal'Koris. "A human has no business at a hearing involving such sensitive military matters!"
"Then you should not have made me her captain!" Kira argued. "According to the Quarian Military Doctrine, in hearings that involve high-end crimes, such as treason, a Quarian citizen or soldier is to be represented by their ship's captain." Shepard noticed the shocked stance that Zaal'Koris was in. "Yes, I did my homework."
Everyone was shocked by Shepard's display. None of them could expect someone so affluent in knowledge of their laws. Even someone within the Fleet would not be so knowledgeable. Tali was feeling a little better after seeing this display. She knew Kira was only warming up.
Zaal's stance became tense after Shepard's argument. "Objection withdrawn," he said. Zaal felt humiliated.
"Shepard vas Normandy, your crewmember Tali'Zorah stands accused of treason. Will you speak for her?"
Shepard leaned against the stand. "If it helps Tali, I will. But in her heart she remains Tali'Zorah vas Neema, a proud member of the Migrant Fleet. I regret that her captain is forbidden to stand by her side today."
"No one is forbidden from anything," Zaal countered. "It is a simple-"
"Lie to them if you must, Zaal'Koris, but don't lie to me and expect me to stay silent," Gerrel interrupted. "The human is right!"
From the reaction Kira could see the that there was clear tension between the Admirals, if she played her cards right she could use them against each other and save Tali.
"Admirals please!" Raan said to stop the argument she leaned forward in her stand. "Shepard's willingness to represent Tali'Zorah in this hearing is appreciated." Raan pushed herself off. "Tali, you are accused of bringing active Geth onto the Fleet. What say you?"
"Tali would never endanger the Migrant Fleet," Shepard responded. "She pleads not guilty."
"I left parts and technology for teams to pick up," Tali explained. "At my father ord... request for me to do so." looking around she couldn't see her father making her wondered where he was. Was he so disappointed in her that he refused to show up? "But I would never send active Geth to the Fleet! Everything I sent was disabled and harmless."
"Then explain how the Geth seized the lab ship that your father was working," Zaal'Koris replied in an arrogant tone.
The area was aloud with voices of the people.
"What are you talking about?" Tali demanded. "What happened?"
"As far as we can tell, Tali," Gerrel answered, "the Geth have killed everyone on the Alarei. Your father included."
"What! Oh, Keelah."
Kira quickly stepped in to control the situation. As much as it angers her at the obvious political ploy they were playing, she kept his cool for Tali's sake. "I appreciate the need for this trial, Admirals," she lied. "But our first concern must be the safety of the Migrant Fleet. The Normandy stands ready to assist in whatever capacity is necessary."
"Thank you," Raan said. "Quarian strike teams have attempted to take the Alarei. So far, without success."
"Shepard we have to take back the Alarei," Tali said to Shepard.
"The safest course would be to simply destroy the ship," Zaal suggested.
"Really?" Shepard exclaimed. "Destroying a ship that is surrounded by ships? What is acceptable collateral damage to you? Aside form what Tali has told me it's a science ship, I highly doubt you can destroy such a valuable ship. Send us in. We'll clear the ship. But as we do so I must request that you push the ship out of weapons range so that I can be destroyed if need be."
Zaal was annoyed at the Human who was basically calling him an idiot again.
"You intend to take the Alarei back from the Geth?" Raan asked for clarification. "This proposal is extremely risky."
"With your permission, Admiral, yes. The good of the Fleet must come first. And Tali needs to find her father."
"Agreed," Gerrel commented. "And if you die on this worthy, Tali, we'll see that your name gets cleared."
"We can discuss that later," Zaal said to him in a hushed tone.
"Then it is decided," Raan announced. "You will attempt to retake the Alarei. You are hereby given leave to depart the Rayya. A shuttle will be waiting at the docking hangar. Be safe, Tali. This hearing will resume upon your return or upon the determination that you have been killed in action."
The crowd quickly dispersed upon the recess. Shepard, Tali, Kari went up the steps.
"Thank you for agreeing to take back the Alarei," Tali said to her mistress. "The admirals sound sure that my father is already dead but... I don't know. We won't know anything until we get there."
"How are you holding up?" Kira asked in concern. "They threw a whole lot of fire at you, even before telling you about your father."
"I knew this would be bad but I guess you're never really ready to be charged with treason. And my father could still be alive. They don't know for certain that he's dead. I just don't know, and I need to find out."
"Is there anyone you want to talk to before we head out?" she asked.
"We could talk to some of the admirals and gauge their viewpoints, but I doubt we could change their minds by talking to them."
"We hurry through it then. We need to get onto the Alarei ASAP."
OOOOO
The ship was eerily quiet. A large puddle of Quarrian blood was splashed against the hallway. Tali looked at the blood as they walked by. The door opened at the end of the hallway. The next room had three Geth on the other side.
Kari opened fire on the Geth on the right with his smg. Tali fired one round from her plasma shotgun at the one in the middle. While Shepard fired a couple of rounds from their assault rifles, destroying its head. They then charged into the next room several more Geth entered the room. Three troopers and two hunter class Geth. Kira's fire ability made her burst into flames in order to confuse them. Kari then lifted the hunters up with his earth ability before crushing them while Kira jumped at one of the minor Geth and burned through it's circuits. Causing it to shut down. Tali took one one of the other Geth while Kira cut the final one in half with her sword before scanning it.
"Odd there is absolutely nothing in here." she said as she looked at the data.
"How's that possible?" Kari asked. "Shouldn't there be dozens of Geth programs inside that hunter. That's how they work, right, Tali?"
"Yes," Tali replied. "A Geth shouldn't be able to operate otherwise. You sure there's nothing in there?"
"Cyberarm." Kira said with hate. "I remember that those bastards had a plan to make a program to take over the Geth."
"So what does that mean?" Tali asked for clarification.
"It means that your father is most likely innocent. Let's move."
A room across from the one they were in had a Geth unit inside. Tali entered the room and examined the inactivate construct. "This is one of the storage units I sent to my father. Looks like parts from a disabled repair drone, plus a reflex algorithm that I didn't recognize. I got this on Haestrom."
"How did you pull that off? Haestrom was a war zone." Kira asked in a surprised tone
"These suits have more pockets then they look. Quarians have learned to salvage whatever we can whenever we can. Within reason. We're not Vorcha. But we repair what most people would throw away. Hundreds of the ships in our fleet were salvaged wrecks, either found dead in space or purchased for next to nothing."
"Does that salvaged Geth give you any clues as to what happened here?"
"No. I don't know. Shepard, I checked everything I sent here. I passed up great finds because they might be too dangerous, prone to uncontrolled reactivation or self-repair." Tali sound stressed in her voice. "I don't know which possibility is worse. That I got sloppy and accidentally sent something dangerous, or... that father actually did all of this."
Before they exited Shepard noticed something about the room. "Tali don't these places have some machinery in it to take things apart?"
Now he mentioned it she looked around aside from the Geth and a few other things the room was basicly empty. "Your right. What's going on?"
"I do have an idea but I don't think you'll like it. Besides, I maybe wrong."
They continued down the corridor. Along the way, they watched several logs of the Quarian scientists. Many of them did not sound good, especially the one of the mother leaving a message for her children. The videos did nothing to make Tali feel any better. The group of three fought their way through a couple of labs before they encountered a terminal inside a small room. Tali walked up to it and accessed its files.
"This console might have something," Tali said as she accessed the console. "Most of the data is corrupt, but a few bits are left." She took a minute to quickly read over the data that was left over. "They were performing experiments on Geth systems, looking for a way to overcome Geth resistance to reprogramming."
"Anything on that console could be used to clear you?" Kari asked.
"Doubtful. This is mostly results data. Effects of different disruptive hacking techniques. I don't understand it all. But... they may have been activating Geth deliberately. Nothing says specifically. But if they were... then father was doing something terrible. What was all this, father? You promised to build me a house on the homeworld. Was this going to get us back home?"
"That promise will be fulfilled, Tali," Kira said pulling her close trying to ressured her. "You have my word. Your people are not alone in this galaxy. After this mission with the Collectors, I sware to reclaim your homeworld."
"Right." Tali sounded a little more positive.
Just as they where about to leave Kari called out to them. "Wait I found something." he said as he was tru=ing to dig deeper into the files.
The others turned to him. "What?" Tali asked with excitement.
"It's in audio so no visuals. I'll play it."
He pressed it and what they heard next made their stomachs turn. "No no please don't." a woman screamed. "Relax," another woman said. "You will become immortal." then a sound of a saw sounded and the woman screamed out in pain. The sound of ripping flesh could be heard then the audio stopped. The group was silent at what they just heard.
Tali was visibly shaken as the sound while Kira bowed her head and clenched her fist she knew who it was. The young Qaurrian girl backed up looking at the screen.
"Cyberarm...they'll pay!" he said as she walked tough a door
The door lead to a two-leveled cargo room. Several Geth entered the room through the door on the left, and about half a dozen entered the room at the bottom floor. Kira jumped over the railing sword in hand. "I'll take care of the group down here. You take the ones at the top floor."
Kira charged into the group of Geth and was firing at her at point blank bringing her sword at them cutting them in half. The two Quarrians stood on the ledge returned fire giving their commander cover, even severing a leg.
OOOOO
In the medical by of the ship several tubes that held Quarrian's that used to be the crew. They used the liquid that was used in medical to make sure that the fusion of flesh and metal would go smoothly. The tubes then opened and a robot foot landed on the floor.
OOOOO
Tali and Kari ran down the stairs and joined Kira before they approached a dead Quarian. Tali immediately recognized him. "Father!"
"Tali?" he groaned. Rael had several bullet wounds.
"What did you do here father?" she demanded. "Did you reactive the Geth parts I sent you?"
"Geth... Parts..." Rael was too weak to say anything. "Reactive?... yes but... but my... people turned... into.."
Shepard tried putting pressure on the wounds to stop the bleeding. "He's losing blood!"
"We did... not do... this...canisters...exploded...not geth...Asari with mechanical part's took over...she did ths." was all Rael said before he stopped moving or say anything.
"Father?" Tali called out to him.
"He's gone Tali." Kira said in a apologetic voice.
Hearing those words Tali could not restrain herself. "No." was all she said before bursting into tears. Shepard then held her in a tight embrace.
"I'm sorry Tali."
"Damn it why? Why did he have to do this?"
Shepard broke the hug and looked at her. "He wanted you to be happy. But this won't clear your name or honour his memory."
"My father might have left a message." Tali activated his omni-tool. A hologram appeared of him.
"Tali, if you are watching this, then I am dead. The Geth's main hub will be on the bridge. You'll need to destroy it to stop their VI processes from forming new neural links. Make sure that this ship is destroyed. The Geth did something to my people. I hid for as long as I could but I was what happened they..."
"Thanks, Dad," Tali said in a solemn tone.
"He knew you would come for him," Shepard tried to comfort her. "He was trying to help you. It's not perfect. It's not what you wanted, but it is the best he could do."
"I don't know what's worse. Thinking he never cared, or that he did, and this was the only way that he could show it. It doesn't matter. One way or another, I care. And I'm here, and we're ending this."
"We'll find out in the control room." Tali said.
The three went up the stairs and opened the door to the bridge. Several Geth troopers and a hunter surrounded an Asari who was looking at a screen. Kira moved around but a she did she knocked a cylinder attracting the attention of the geth, and Asari who looked to them. Her torso was natural but her arms and legs where robotic, as was he eyes which glowed a sickly green. Se smiled as soon as she saw Kira standing there.
"Well well well, look who's here. The traitorous bitch!" she said. "The goddess smiles on me today."
"You call me the traitor?" Kira asked in mock surprise. "Please if anything you are the traitors for defiling your bodies. Your not EVEN ASARI ANYMORE!"
"How DARE YOU!" the Asari said as her biotics flared up. "I am the future of the Asari, of the Turrian. OF ALL RACES, THE REAPERS WILL FEAR US! DIE!"
The Asari flew a warp ball at the human commander. Her booster vest activated thrusting her forward moving her out of the way of the biotic attack. Tali and Kari aimed at the Asari but the geth attacked them as soon as they came out from cover.
"DON'T ATTACK THE COMMANDER!" Kira yelled. "They're more powerful then the normal Cyberarm Capitan."
"Damn right I am." the Asari said standing in front of Kira as Tali and Kari fell back to the room where they just fought in with the Geth following them.
The Asari extended her armblades as did Kira. The two then circled each other waiting for the first to attack. Seeing a opportunity Kira swung her sword at the Asari, but she blocked it with her arm blades before trying to strike at the commander's side. It cut through the soft armour and drew blood which fell to the floor as Kira flipped over her. The wound was minor so she could ignore it. Before the Asari could advance the commander jumped and kicked the Asari in the gut forcing her back a few feet. When she landed she then used the booster vest to slam the Asari into the wall. But do to her mechanical parts Kira was forced back.
"I am the future of the Asari." the Asari commander said. "We both know that the reapers are coming. The only way to survive is bonding with machines."
"Yeah? Look at me! I'm gerneticlly enhanced and standing to you. I sacrificed nothing to become stronger. But you! Look at you your barely Asari with all those cybernetics."
"DON'T YOU DARE LECTURE ME!" the Asari yelled as she charged.
Kira spun round the Asari and kicked her in the back sending her into the opposite wall.
"Clunky, unsophisticated, no grace." Kira said. "You cannot hope to win."
The Asari just charged at her again her emotions filled with anger causing problems for her cybernetics. Commander cybernetics didn't have an emotional suppression chip as emotions could help with combat. But this wasn't one of those times. Kira swung her saw at the Asari's belly cutting her in half from the hip down. The mix of shock and blood loss killed her almost instantly. A moment latter Tali and Kari came back up.
"The Geth just shut down." Tali said.
"The Cyberarm commander was controlling them. This was just an experimentation to see if the program to control the Geth worked." Kirra said before looking at the terminal in front of them.
"Yes, this is the console hub my father mentioned," Tali replied. "Disabling it will shut down any Geth we might have missed." She accessed the console. "It looks like some of the recordings remain intact. They'll tell us how this happened, what father did."
"It sounds like you don't really want to hear it," Shepard observed.
"No," she answered him. "We have to, I know. I just... this is terrible, Shepard. I don't want to know that he was part of all this."
Tali started the video log. It showed a couple of Quarian scientists standing at the terminal. Rael approached them from behind.
"Do we have enough parts to bring more online?" Rael asked the two scientists.
"Yes," the male scientist replied. "The new shipment from your daughter will let us add two more Geth to the network."
"We are nearing a breakthrough on systemic viral attacks," the female scientist added. "Perhaps we should inform the Admiralty Board just to be safe."
"No," Rael asserted. "We are too close. I promised to build a house on the homeworld. I'm not going to sit and wait while politicians argue."
"We'd have an easier time of it if Tali'Zorah could send us more working material," the male scientist suggested.
"Absolutely not," Rael scorned. "I don't want Tali exposed to any political blowback. Leave. Tali. Out of this. Assemble new Geth with what we have. Bypass security protocols if need be." The video cut out.
This was the information they needed but something didn't add up. Rael said that they didn't do this, what was going on?
"He really wanted to keep his promise," Shepard said.
"I never wanted this," Tali said. "Keelah... I never wanted this." She walked away a few steps. "Everything here is his fault! I tried to pretend it didn't point to him, but this... When this comes up in the trial, they'll..." Tali spun around and walked up to Shepard. "We can't tell them, not the admirals, not anyone."
"You won't need to it's a fake." Kari spoke surprising everyone. The image around the Qurrians is 0.5% distorted. It could get past any screening tech. I'll see if there is anything we can use."
A moment latter Kari turned to them and smiled. "Got it, all the info is on the black box, that Asari tried to delete it but failed due to the information being on the highly valuable. It seems that they ordered few canisters from a company for medical. They had ran out of Hydronictheen."
"That's the chemical that is experimental to allow for Qaurrians to get a better immune system. This maybe a ship dedicated to looking at the Geth but it makes sense if they where using this ship as part of their little project. This way they can get a much accurate reading on the results." Tali said.
"Yes but it seems that one of the canisters had an wounded Asari, but when they got her to the medical bay the Geth began to activate thanks to a Geth network. However the network was contained for experimentation." Kari said before turning to Tali. "The voices and words in the video where real, he wanted to build a house on the homeworld...oh no that's not good."
"What?" Kira asked.
"The life support system, it's filled with nanno machines. There was a worm file in one of the system once the commander was killed the nanomachines would be sent through the system that controls the victims sending them to medical to have them turned into Quarrian engineers. Cyberarm knows about the state of the Quarrian politics and hoped to try and restart the war so that they could have an army to fight for the Reapers as expendable soldiers."
Those word meant trouble. "MOVE!" Shepard ordered.
The three of them ran though the sip at their beast speeds to get back to the airlock. On the way they found the bodies of the rest of the Quarrians, but now converted into Cyberarm soldiers. The Connection to the Commander was gone which killed them. But the nanno machines could bring them to life at any moment. Finally they made it into the ship which took off.
"God damn it," Shepard gasped she looked to Tali. "At least your father was innocent of what happened here." she could see her smile under the face plate. "Can you give me the evidence to prove this?"
"Yes, I do."
OOOOO
Shepard, Tali and Kari exited the shuttle made their way to the hall.
"It's been several hours," Zaal's voice said over the ship's PA. "There is no reason to believe that Tali'Zorah survived."
"It looks like the hearing has already started," Tali observed.
"We can't just lose hope," Raan argued. "It's only been a couple of hours."
"A Quarian strike team didn't even last five minutes," Gerrel countered. "Call it."
"It's a shame that Shepard was a better speaker than he is a soldier," Zaal scoffed. "I would like to propose that we posthumously exile Tali'Zorah."
"What?" Gerrel yelled.
"We agreed to clear her of her charges if she died!" Raan reminded.
"You said that," Zaal said. "We didn't actually have a vote on that case. I say we vote now."
The three entered the plaza. "I may be a better speaker than I am a soldier, Admiral Koris," Kira said as they approached the centre plaza. The crowd all looked to them and moved out of the way for Shepard and Tali to reach the stand. Ash sat down on the steps. "But I am a goddamn good soldier and scientist to begin with," she quipped. "Your ship has been cleared of the Geth. But you need to destroy it."
"Whys that?" Gerrel asked guessing something bad.
"The ship has been contaminated with nanomachines that can turn you into this." Shepard said as she pulled up an image of the Cyberarm Quarrian engineer
Everyone fell silent and the room grew cold at the sight of the abomination of what they where seeing. At that moment Gerrel hit his comm.
"Fire control destroy the Alaeri."
Koris then turned to him. "What are you doing?" he yelled.
"Saving us."
"Tell us, Shepard. What did you find on the Alarei?" Gerrel asked.
"What evidence do you wish to present before the Board?" Raan asked.
Shepard approached the stand. "We found that the Alaeri was infiltrated..." but before she could finish Zaal interrupted her.
"So the Geth parts that were sent to the ship were tainted!" Zaal roared. "This means exile for Tali'Zorah."
Shepard stared at Zaal in amazement in his stupidity. Despite slightly agreeing with his ideas about the Geth, this man truly pissed her off. "You ever heard of the phrase 'to assume makes an ass out of you and me'? Though I'm not sure if that phrase is applicable in this situation, since the only ass here is you."
"How dare you! How dare you make a mockery out of this hearing!"
"This hearing is nothing but a mockery!" Shepard roared back. "Tali saved us all from the Reapers and the Geth at the Citadel and you would so soon turn against her?! She saved the Citadel. She saved most of the Alarei. She showed the galaxy what Quarians are capable of. And yet you pull this on her. If you had let me finished you would know that Tali, nor Rael were not responsible for what happened on the Alarei. The Alarei suffered a cyber attack from a group called Cyberarm!"
"Cyberarm?" Daro'Xen said as she finally involved herself in the trial.
"Cyberarm is a multi-race project involving in taking people from their homes and transforming them into cyborgs. They have little to not morals and are bent on taking over the galaxy."
"Why would Cyberarm attack our Fleet?" Raan asked.
"They want an army of Geth and Quarrians."
"What evidence do you have that this was an attack from this Cyberarm?" Zaal argued in vain.
"Shepard sent the data to the admirals. "This data proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Cyberarm were behind the attack."
The admirals looked at the data.
"This data is good," Gerrel said.
"I believe we can vote then," Raan announced.
The admirals raised their omni-tools and cast their vote. Raan looked at the votes tallied. It was not a surprising result. "On the crime of treason, Tali'Zorah has been found not guilty. Congratulations." She breathed a sigh of relief. "This concludes the hearing. Keelah Se'lai."
The crowd quickly dispersed allowing Shepard, Tali, Kari to get together.
"Well that went well." Kira quipped.
"Yeah I feel a lot better now."
"Lets hope they make the right choice. Come on we've got unfinished business."
The three then left for the Normandy there was one thing left to do.
OOOOO
Tavos sat at her desk looking at her terminal in front of her trying to think on how to word her resignation from the council.
'Tavos
I meant to talk to you about the other reason's why this project needs to be kept secret from the council until the final phase. In truth we can all see it, the reason why is make a galactic nation for all races, now I know that citadel space is fall all but we know the truth, it's not. The ruling races, Asari, Turian, Salarian and to a smaller extent Human practically control everything. Because of this there s major friction between the lesser races.
The Batarian's are free to do what they want short of war, the Korgan sterilised and forced into drastic measures. The Drell refused any kind of support from the council. I don't think I need to go on I'm sure I have made my point. With the Reapers on the way my project must be sped up and why you must quit. If not like I said the term 'traitor' in human is never looked upon without hate. I cannot say the same thing for the other races but it's best to move today.
Thanks for listening, Kira.
Ps I have a ship waiting for you with, an Advent tank. When you get to the planet I have some gear ready for you. When I get back I expect you to wear it, otherwise... well you don't want to know.
That last bit of the letter made her blush. But as she read it, she wondered what to write for her resignation. But she slowly started to type, all the things she hated about the council, about her government and the other governments, about how they handled the Krogan and Quarrians. It came flowing as she typed it all in.
Then there was the Spectres a group of highly skilled soldiers, her eyes widened. The Council used Spectres for nearly anything they wanted. Assassinations, dissidents, she couldn't even count how many crimes they committed in order for the Council to keep face. Riots caused by them in order for the Council to wage war... they didn't live in a free state. They lived in something closer to a totalitarian state and the Spectres are their secret police. She made her opinions known on the letter.
When she finished she re-read it before sending it. Standing she looked over to her bags and walked over to them and picked them up before walking out. It was time to put the council behind her and move towards the future.