Chapter 49: Chapter 49

Alliances

Chapter 49 : Refreshments

"Captain Shepard, Legion is requesting your presence in the AI core." stated EDI.

"Thank you, I'll be right down." replied Shepard. After the encounter with Kasumi he had decided that the cabin was not the best place for him so he had gone back to CIC to study the map again. Looking at the chrono, he sighed. Almost 2 hours and still no better place to go than Enoch. Turning, he moved towards the elevator as Tali stepped out.

"Hi John, we just finished all full power tests and everything looks good." she said.

"With you 3 engineers I expected nothing else." he replied smiling at her. "Legion just asked to see me, want to come along?"

"Sure, I was coming up to see what you wanted to do for dinner but that can wait." responded Tali as they reentered the elevator. Pressing deck 3 she asked "Do you think this is about a location we can take the Normandy?"

"I hope so, with Admiral Xen out for my blood I really don't relish the idea of going through a refit with her near. But, if it's the only option then I don't have much choice." he replied.

Stepping out of the elevator on deck 3 they walk side by side into the sickbay. Seeing Dr. Chakwas by Lana's bed Shepard asks "How's your patient doing Doctor?"

Turning to see who had come in she smiles at them saying "Quite well actually, a couple more days of physical therapy and she will be free to move about. Of course it would be easier had she been able to get her suit, even with the door sealed she's so worried someone will walk in and see her she isn't concentrating on her workouts as she should." Dr. Chakwas replied. "You really could not get them to replace it any sooner?"

"Unfortunately Doctor Chakwas," said Tali, "You can't just put a half finished suit to the side and start another. The processes used in creating them must be followed in a timely manner or it is ruined. The loss of those resources is just not acceptable to the craft masters."

"It's a shame, I was planning on her using the treadmill in cargo to build up her endurance and strength. The neuro-stimulators can work the muscle but they can only go so far." she said.

"We'll see what we can do Doctor." he said. Looking at Lana noted that her arms were out from under the sheets and that her skin tone was very close to Tali's. Smiling at her he said "It's good to see you relaxing a bit Lana, though I am surprised Kal is not here with you."

"My talk with Tali helped in that regard Captain. As for Kal, he was here a short time ago but he wanted to go over the ship and familiarize himself with it completely. Lt. Taylor has assigned him to the security detail and he wanted to be ready for anything." she replied.

"Well, the Normandy is not that big a ship. I'm sure he'll be back in here sitting beside you in no time." he said. "If there is anything you need please let either Tali or myself know and we will try to get it for you."

"Thank you Captain but I will not hold you up." Lana replied. She had seen Shepard glancing at the AI core's door a couple of times and knew he was really here to speak with Legion.

Nodding his head he smiles once more and, turning takes Tali in tow.

Entering the AI core he asks "You needed to speak with me Legion?"

"Yes Shepard Commander. We have reached consensus and are now ready to offer you a location to complete the Normandy's repairs." it stated.

"I see. And where is this location?" Shepard asked.

"The system designator is Yijha'diol, quarian star catalog designation LSG13150021K0302. It is unknown to human star charts since it is behind the Perseus Veil." replied Legion.

The gasp that came from Tali startled John, Legion just turned it's head towards her. "John! That's only 110 light years from..from home." she said, her voice going quiet.

"What? You memorized your star catalogs?" he asked but at the same time wondered why the star was chosen from all the ones in the galaxy.

"Creator Tali'Shepard is correct. The system is 110 standard human light years from Rannoch." stated Legion.

"No John, I don't have to memorize it. The designation does that. Local Star Group 1315 degrees from Rannoch to the galactic center, 0021 degrees above the planetary plane and 0302 light years. It's really simple to understand." she said smugly.

"Uh huh, 1315 degrees? Tali, there are only 360 degrees in a circle." he stated.

"In your base 10 counting that may be so but, in the proper base 6, there are 2000 degrees." responds Tali separating the numbers into single digits. "Legion, since the system does not sound familiar it must not have much in

it."

"The system has the one thing most needed currently. Resources. The star system either never developed planetary masses or they broke apart long ago. There are only asteroid fields there which are rich in many of the metals needed." replied Legion.

"How many geth stations are in the system?" John asked. "If it's that resource heavy then you geth must be mining it."

"No, our mining efforts are in different systems. This one was left as is. If the creators return to Rannoch it was determined they would need resources to rebuild their homeworld. This is the closest untouched source. After the morning war consensus was reached to leave it for them." replied Legion.

"What is the travel time Legion? Does the system have a relay within it or is it in a nearby system?" John asked.

Legion states "We will utilize the relay within the Ganis'zim system and traverse 4.7 light years to the Yijha'diol system. Once there the geth will be ready to resume repairs. Since we geth do not require sleep the repairs should proceed quickly."

"Tali? Any objections to this location?" he asked but she was already shaking her head left and right.

"No, it sounds like a good location." she replied and quietly added "So close, so close."

"EDI, please make sure Joker has the coordinates to this system. Let's move." he said.

"Coordinates have already been entered Captain. Transit in 11 minutes." responded EDI.

…

The Illusive Man sat there staring at the figure in the holo-projection. Taking another drag from his cigarette he then slowly crushed the life out of it as he said "Now then Captain Ulric. Please explain to me how your recon team not only tipped off Shepard that we had found him but got his entire squad killed in the process. I do believe their orders were to check the docks?"

"Sir, those were the orders I gave him. Just to look, see if the Normandy was in one of the Space docks but that was all." replied the Captain. Sweat was pouring down his forehead, stinging his eyes and leaving a foul taste in his mouth. "I sent our best team, they should not have had any trouble."

He took a small sip from his glass then looked hard at the Captain. "Then explain to me how looking involves killing dock workers IN THE NORMANDY'S ENGINE ROOM!" he shouted.

"I..I can't sir. Those were not the orders given to him. He must had decided to try and take her back himself." the Captain replied. Shit! The son of a b*tch was blaming me for Andrew's screw-up!

"You're telling me you can't even command 6 marines? Who the hell thought you could command a Cruiser when you can't even get a few marines to follow your orders?" asked the Illusive man. Seeing that the idiot was going to answer he states "Don't try my patience or show more of your stupidity. How long until the Hunley is in Tasale space?"

Glancing down from the Illusive man, it was clear Ulric was checking a readout somewhere. "3.2 hours sir." he stated.

"I see." he said then paused as he lit another cigarette. "By that time we will have lost Shepard and the Normandy again." Damn these incompetent fools!

I need Shepard looking into these reports of possible rachni infestations. That's one group of aliens the whole galaxy agrees is unwanted.

"Sir we are heading back to Tasale as fast as the Hunley can, the Thanatos was supposed to hold the Normandy there." he replied trying to point the Illusive mans anger elsewhere.

"I don't need you to point out the obvious Captain. What I need you to do is get to the Brevaert Docks and rip their databases apart. I want to know every single item that was removed or replaced on that ship and any data that may point to what they were doing or where they are going." he said staring at the Captain. "I trust that is an order you can follow?"

"Yes sir. That I can do sir." responded Captain Ulric.

As the holo-projection faded he heard the Illusive man saying "Pray you can."

…

"Keelah" stated Tali quietly. She stood there silently now, as she gazed upon the veil. The first quarian in 300 years that she knew of to see it from this side.

John stood beside her and, for a second, thought she was going to faint. Her knees seemed to buckle for a moment before she stood erect again and moved closer to the view-port. "It's beautiful from this side Tali." he said softly.

"So beautiful." Turning quickly to look at him she said "John! Do you think... no, never mind." Turning back to look out of the view-port she tries to see their home sun. "EDI, can we see Kaeli'steiz from here?"

"If you are referring to the home star of your race then yes. It is 13 degrees aft of true port and 32 degrees down. I believe it will be easier to find if you look for the blue-white star and then look 5 degrees above it." replied EDI.

"Where..There!" Tali said excitedly. "Can you see it John?" Pointing with just her finger she lines up where the star is then moves slightly so he can follow her finger.

"Yes, I think so. I see the blue white one but it's color is washing out your sun. Is it yellow like earths?" he asks.

"No, though they are both main sequence stars your Sol is only in the middle of it's life and is firmly in the yellow dwarf stage. Kaeli'steiz is older. A number of our scholars say it's really a K class by your human terms. It's solar mass though is 0.86 of your earths sun. By your human definitions that makes it a G like yours, just slightly cooler so it appears more orange than Sol." she stated. Looking at John she adds "I said too much didn't I."

"It's okay Tali, every conversation with you is a chance to know more though a simple no would have sufficed." he said with a grin.

"You should look at this system you two." stated Joker as he verified the new course and began maneuvering the Normandy for the FTL transit to Yijha'diol. "Haven't been near on of these in awhile."

Looking out of the starboard view-port the local star was seen. A massive red giant that cast a bloody glow on the interior of the ship.

"Big enough to swallow earth's orbit, that's for sure. Seems the geth like it though, picking up a huge amount of heat emissions out there. 2 planets in system and both of them are gas giants. Most of the signatures are around the closer of the two." Joker stated.

"EDI, are we closer to Rannoch now or will we be closer once we reach Yeehaw'deeol?" asked John.

"Keelah! What did you just say?" Tali asks and begins laughing.

"Yeah, nice way to murder your wife's language there Shepard." stated Joker.

"I believe you are referring to Yijha'diol and yes, we will be approximately 4 light years closer to the quarians home system." replied EDI.

"Thank you EDI." John said dryly as he watched Tali, still laughing at him as he tried his best to look annoyed but he just couldn't do it and sheepishly grinned. "At least I'm trying."

Finally getting her laughing under control she says "I know John but really.

Last time I heard something that funny was when an elcor made a pass at me! 'with extreme excitement: Hey, want to see my place?' Keelah I was so happy that no one could see my face then!"

Looking at her Joker says "You're kidding right? He actually said 'with extreme excitement'? Man, I would have payed to hear him say that to.." "That's enough Joker." John said. Joking is one thing but he would not accept comments like that to or about Tali. "EDI, how long till we reach...our final destination?" he asked looking at Tali.

With only a single snicker she turned back to look once more at her home system. Lost in thought for a moment, she barely heard EDI respond "14.5 hours."

…

"Can you please repeat what you just said?" Shala asks politely.

"Yes ma'am. I said that while we were planet side not a single geth fired upon us. They seemed to just move away, letting us pass without hindering our movements." stated Han'Pelus. He, like the rest of the squad with Kal had kept their mouths shut but this information was just too important to not tell someone. He chose to tell the one Admiral he knew he could trust.

"I see, and the squads deaths were caused by just the automated missile turrets. Why is it that none of this is in your report, a report that was filed 4 days ago as being complete?" she asked.

"I..We decided as a squad to keep this information out of the reports ma'am. It was deemed that revealing this data would jeopardize the impending vote for Aeia." he responded.

"Aeia? I see Shepard's hand in this Han. Tell me truthfully, did he ask that you omit this rather important information? You may trust me, I have a vested interest in Shepard's plans." she said.

"Not in so many words Admiral, but it was clear that from what he said that if, and I'm only repeating what he said," taking a deep breath he continued. "If those Admirals take this as a sign of weakness and order more good people to their deaths I'll just shoot every one of them and start fresh. Um, that's what he said ma'am, not me."

It was very hard for Shala to not laugh but it just wouldn't be proper to laugh at that statement with the corporal present. Start fresh indeed, though it was a good ruse to keep the marines quiet. We were still waiting on Rael's replacement and the voting would not be for another week. "Is there anything else you wish to add to this addendum Corporal?"

"Well, just that I think you should really trust Captain Shepard ma'am. What he's doing, it's not just for Lt. Tali'Shepard but for all quarians." he said realizing he may have said too much. "Not that he's doing much...ma'am."

"Please take a seat Han. Since I see this is going to be a long discussion would you like some refreshments?" said Shala.

...

Kaeli'steiz: Name used in the ancient text of the Ancestors. Literal meaning: Warmth's Herald. The home star of the quarian race. Not it's official name but one used in reverence to their home.

...

A/N: Since BW did not deem to even name the Star or system Rannoch resides in, I'm giving it an name that can be used but is not too specific. Like humans call our sun, Sol, Sun or Heavenly orb.

To clarify the quarian circle. It is comprised of 2000 base 6 Degrees, which equates to 432 degrees in human numbers. The quarian divided the circle into smaller increments to work within their senary counting system.

180H = 216 degrees in a quarian circle, or in base 6, 1000 degrees

Just because we humans divided a circle into 360 parts does not mean another race would not divide it differently, especially with different base counting systems. I hope this clarifies any questions but please, if you do have questions I will be more that happy to attempt to answer them.