They arrived at the Citadel half past eleven. When they would get on the Citadel was another matter entirely. News of Eden Prime could not be held down forever. It was only so long till the docking bays turned into a short lived zone of chaos. This left a lot of cleanup for C-Sec to do.

When the Normandy arrived, the chaos had finally been organized into long waiting lines. They were given an estimated wait time of two hours. Shepard wasn't excited about the wait, but obliged. Both Garrus and Ashley pointed out that he could use his powers as a Spectre to arrange for one sooner.

He didn't give his reason as to why not to. Simply waving his hand and leaving it at 'No'. They finally arrived, a half-hour early to the estimated time.

Shepard began the trip by taking Tali out to get a new omni tool. He had taken notice that hers was of an older model. A rather rude interruption came from a reporter, Shepard couldn't bother to give her the light of day though. Tali tried to stop him from going to get a new omni tool, arguing that hers was more than enough to get the job done. He wouldn't listen to her though. Afterwards, Shepard led her down into the wards, deciding to show her where they'd be going this evening, leading her to a lovely view of the Citadel's long arms. He always enjoyed the sight, the size of it bewildered him.

Pointing down at a building below the viewing platform that looked out at one of the arms on the Citadel. "We'll be taking a cab down there tonight. I found a place that has the proper preparation methods for purifying dextro food. After that we'll take a short walk to where Iromak should be."

Seemingly out of nowhere, there was a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. Followed soon by a tightening in his chest. Something in the back of his mind was shouting at him, but he couldn't tell what it was. Turning his head first to the left, then to the right. Peering at the various people passing by.

This type of feeling in him was the most prevalent right before a fight broke out. Everything in the area seemed calm, nearly serene. He scanned the area behind them for a moment. Trying to shake it off. Finding a quote from the old man started to echo in his mind.

The eye of the storm is where you'll find the calmest chaos you ever did see.

Tali had been too enamored by the view to notice Shepards short period of paranoia. They left soon after, heading back to the docks where the Normandy was refueling.

The entire time leading up to that evening, something was bugging Shepard. It was like something had caught his attention without him knowing. Trying his best to push it out of his mind. He got ready for the time ahead.

Shepard wasn't exactly excited about leaving his armor on the Normandy. It was a literal weight off his shoulders at least. However, It wasn't a question in his mind on whether he should arm himself. He was always carrying something. He brought a lightweight, semi automatic pistol, it hid nicely in the back of his pants.

Shepard found his worries to be pushed easily out of mind when he was joined by Tali. He had already had a cab waiting for them, so it pulled away. Following a path that had already been mapped out. Flying along the arm of the Citadel before landing. The two of them getting out, Shepard gesturing to the right. He didn't want to be left fumbling for directions, so he had looked into it before they left.

Side by side, they walked along the path. "If I knew the whole purification process. I could probably make you dinner myself." He had forgotten about his previous worries, finally feeling at ease. looking over to Tali. His steps were slow, calm and most of all, relaxed. He didn't know the last time he felt quite so care free without having a lot to drink first.

She kept her pace even with him. Her eyes moved from one of the buildings that had a few keepers working on a panel attached to its wall, over to him. "You can cook?"

He let out a short laugh. Making her slightly confused at first. He nodded, keeping his eyes on hers for a moment before looking forward. "I cooked for an old man who liked his food a very certain way, and a brother who needed to eat parasites to stay healthy? Yeah, I'd say I can cook. I'll have to look into the purification process."

The thought of him cooking was endearing. The second part caught her attention. "Parasites?" She looked up at him. A bit of bewilderment in her voice. Blinking a few times in confusion.

"Yeah. Parasites to us. Batarians… adapted to them I guess." He shrugged slightly. Looking down at her. "Kind of like Quarians and the symbiotic relationships you had with the diseases on your homeworld. They need them, but can survive without them to a certain extent. To keep in full health they do need them though."

He turned to look up at a glowing sign, gesturing to it. "Here we are." She looked up at a sign 'Dextro Delights'. It said in various languages, and suddenly she realized something. Reaching over and grabbing his forearm to stop him. "Shepard, I can't eat if you aren't going to be able to."

He looked at her, a bit surprised, shaking his head as he placed a hand on hers. "I organized something. Don't worry." He took her by the hand she had put on his arm. Leading her inside. Talking to an old turian who owned the quiet dining spot. She looked at their hands that were now intertwined. A warmth started to stir on her face and soon her whole suit felt like it was burning.

How long was he planning this?

There was only a single table set up for the two of them. He wanted to make sure Tali was happy with it. So he got them a spot reserved in privacy. It had cost him more than he'd ever admit to her, but just the idea of her being happy was enough to push him onwards.

They both sat down, enjoying the view for a moment. Talis' visor was reflecting the scene in front of her. Lights dancing across it with the turn of her head. Shepard couldn't help gazing at Tali with a soft smile gracing his lips. One thought resting in his mind.

She is stunning.

After a moment she looked at Shepard. He found himself once again, wishing that he could see her smile. That idea weighed in his mind more often now. A waiter brought out a list of things for Tali to choose from, after a lot of indecisiveness, Shepard finally decided to help her.

He didn't know what turian cuisine tasted like. He did however, read quite a few reviews and recommendations, just in case she got stuck on what to choose.

After selecting a variety of items. A wide variety of fruit, a couple types of meat, vegetables and a few drinks. The waiter wrote down the order and left with a nod.

"So, do you enjoy cooking?" Tali looked over at Shepard, who was rolling his shoulders back. It looked like he was quite comfortable. He found it was in large part the company he was with rather than the chair, which admittedly, was also quite comfortable.

He gave a short nod. His eyes were looking out at the arm of the Citadel that they were on. "Yeah. The old man didn't have a lot of energy when I was turning fourteen or fifteen. I started picking up the cooking to help, I said it was because I liked it. Really I was just trying to help him, I ended up enjoying it though." He looked over at Tali, his eyes flicking between hers.

Such beautiful eyes…

"Thank you for joining me tonight Tali." He turned his head away, back to the arm laid out before them. "It's nice to be able to relax every so often. Especially with such a good friend."

The food arrived soon afterwards. They ate mostly in silence, Tali marveling at the taste and texture of something that didn't resemble paste. Shepard ate a rather delicious bowl of noodles. Occasionally questioning Tali on her thoughts on the various foods.

She only answered after finishing up the fruit. Finding it to be the most delicious of the selection. She prodded a bit more into his past and his brother. She found herself less nervous about the whole meeting now. She was looking forward to it in fact, then she asked a question he had not considered.

"Are you going to ask him to join your crew?" That look in his eyes came back. The same one on asteroid X-57. Like he was staring at something that wasn't visible to anyone else. It was just a quiet revelation in his mind. Tali always seemed to ask the questions he should have been asking himself.

"I… hadn't considered it…" He blinked a couple times and he was back. Looking at Tali with a curious look in his eye. "Do you think I should?"

She was a bit surprised that he wanted her opinion on the subject. Looking at the tube that was now empty in her hand. It had been full of some sort of wine a few moments ago. Setting it to the side and opting instead for one with water to hold now.

"Well… it couldn't hurt." She shrugged slightly, looking back to Shepard. "You seem to miss him." The alcohol had loosened her tongue more than she wanted. She was already screaming at herself in her head.

You weren't supposed to say that you stu-

Her inner conflict was quickly silenced as he smiled at her comment. Slowly letting out a deep breath. "Yeah. I suppose I do." He looked at her, his eyebrows furrowed slightly. "What about you though? I've heard you talk about your friends and family on the flotilla. If you had someone that you really… cared about, would you ask them to join us? Knowing the risks?"

She hadn't thought about it like that. The life of a spectre and being around one just makes you a target for collateral damage. Much less fighting side by side with them. She leaned back in her seat now. Attaching the bottle to her mask before tilting her head back.

She was simply stalling on answering. They both knew that. He was fine with it though. It was a difficult question to try and answer properly. She tilted her head back down. Slowly retrieving the bottle from its slot.

"I suppose, it depends on how they can handle themselves, and if they want to go with you." His eyes moved from the swirling patterns on her hood over to her eyes. Then back down to the plate. He knew Iromak could handle himself.

"I suppose I'll ask him then…" He looked back up to Tali, a smile on his face. The rest of their dinner passed with small talk or silence. Leaving after Tali had finished her selection.

The two had a nice, slow walk back down the walkway. He led her towards a bar that he and Iromak had met at before. One of the places on the Citadel that Shepard knew would allow Batarians.

"So… is there anything I should be aware of before I meet your brother?" She looked up to Shepard. He was currently listening to an Asari who was singing a somber song on the walkway. Dropping a few credit chits in an offering tin as he passed.

He shook his head before stopping. Realizing that he should probably mention a couple things. "Well… he's not…" He paused for a moment, stopping in place. His hands were in his pockets. Looking over to Tali "He's not extremely sociable, he likes to talk. He just prefers to speak with people he knows. Just give him a little time and he'll stop being awkward."

She nodded, understanding the feeling. She could see him getting lost in thought again. She wondered what he was thinking of. Deciding that Iromak had waited long enough, she grabbed his arm and shook him out of his thoughts. "Come on. I'm sure he's tired of waiting." She held Shepards arm as she pulled him down the path.

He followed quickly, keeping pace with Tali, feeling his cheeks heat up slightly as he felt her hands holding his arm. He could feel his heart pick up its pace. Shepard and Iromak hadn't met face to face in almost two years. Now he asks to meet so he can introduce him to a quarian that he met? He already knew what his brother was going to think.

He gestured towards a bar with an open door. A few asari and humans were talking outside of the bar. The two of them walked in. An assortment of people were inside, more Batarians than he expected in one bar. It must've been the news of the strike on Eden Prime that made them go to the Citadel. They may not be liked, but it's safer than a colony.

He stopped a few paces inside, Tali stopping with him only because she couldn't actually pull his weight forward. She looked at him, wondering what made him so rigid.

A cold chill had gone up his spine not seconds after entering. He was scanning the room. That feeling of something on the edge of his mind that he couldn't quite figure out. It felt like his chest was being crushed by an angry krogan. The same feeling he got when discussing the night with Tali on the balcony. Something was wrong, and this time, Tali took notice.

"Shepard? Are you alright?" She looked at the room he was scanning. It wasn't packed but there were a good number of people. She could see two groups of Batarians grouped in threes. One group on the far left side, the other directly across. It was a rather plain looking, rectangular room. She couldn't see if any of them were Iromak, they kept their backs to the door. "Is he here?" She worried that perhaps Iromak had left, or not arrived at all.

Shepard turned his head to look at a corner booth just to the right of the doorway. All he saw was a pair of legs kicked up across the entrance, resting along the seats on the other side. He already knew who it was. "Yeah, right there." He nodded in his direction. Still not able to shake the feeling of when he walked in.

"Don't tell me you're getting nervous about it now." She stepped towards him. Keeping her hand on his forearm. She was wondering what had him looking worried, not sure what else it could be.

He shook his head no. Starting to step over towards Iromaks booth. "Just haven't seen each other in a while." He took a deep breath before walking up to the booth. His lips split into a wide smile.

They both walked up. Iromak looked very similar to the picture, the only difference was the body armor that he currently wore. "Look who's ugly mug made it onto the Citadel." Tali was taken aback by the first statement out of Shepard's mouth to his own brother. Relieved, and surprised at the laugh that arose from the deep and rough sounding Batarian.

"You have the gall to call me ugly, have you looked in the mirror lately?" Iromak shot the quip back at Shepard. Who in turn gave out a good laugh. Tali hadn't heard him laugh like this before, it was a good, genuine and happy laugh. "I…" Iromak cleared his throat, pulling his legs off the seats they had been put across. Leaning forward and holding a hand out for Tali to shake. "I assume you are Tali'Zorah" His head tilted ever so slightly to the left as he addressed her.

Surprised at the gesture, but remembering he was raised by humans. She let go of Shepards arm finally and shook his hand. "Please, call me Tali. It's a pleasure to meet you, Iromak." She gave a short bow of her head to him. Tali and Shepard sitting down across from Iromak.

"John has told me a lot about you. In such a short time as well. Have you two been traveling together for a long time?" She could've sworn that she saw his upper pair of eyes look at Shepard for a moment. She wasn't certain though.

John.

She hadn't even known his first name till now. "Uh… well, not for a long time. No. I asked to join his crew not long after he became a spectre." She realized just how close she was sitting to Shepard, she hadn't given him much room so he was on the edge of the seat. He had enough room, but the two were quite close together.

Shepard was looking around the bar, his eyes squinted slightly. Quite a few people had left already. It was getting late by the time frame of the Normandy. He wasn't sure about the Citadels time frame.

"So, John. Spectre status? What do you think the old man would say?" Iromak took a drink from his cup. Leaning back in his spot on the bench that went around the corner booth.

Shepard found it a bit uncomfortable. He didn't want to touch on the subject with Tali there but he answered. "He'd probably dislike it. He'd be proud, but you know how he was."

Iromak let out what Tali could only assume as an affirmative grunt. "Truth to that…" Shepard waved a waitress over and ordered a drink for himself. Tali declined, not wanting anymore alcohol to force her tongue to slip.

Tali looked between the two, confused by Iromaks statement. "Why would he dislike it? Being a spectre is quite an accomplishment…"

Iromak nodded. "Rightly so, like we said. The old man would be proud. He wouldn't condone such a vast amount of power being placed in any one person's hands." Shepard nodded, taking his drink from the waitress as she passed.

"Yeah. The old fella didn't like the idea of anyone having such ridiculous allowances." He took a sip from his drink. Looking at Iromak. "Have you been moving from ship to ship… or…?"

Tali looked at Shepard for a moment, wondering what the other choice was. Looking over at Iromak, her hands rested on the table.

Iromak set the now empty cup on the table. "You know… going around the way we used to." There was an ominous way to how he said it.

"Yeah, I know..." His sentence fell off as his eyes wandered the room. His mind started to click pieces together like a puzzle.

Alcohol had a strange effect on Shepard. Too much and he was a bumbling, reminiscent idiot. Just a couple of sips though, and he felt like his mind was on rocket fuel.

One of the Batarians from the closer group had been looking at them. Not for long, but it was enough for Shepard to notice. Shepard recognized him. He had been on X-57. One of the few Batarians who escaped that alive. He was with Balak when the ultimatum had been given to Shepard.

Only moments later, a Batarian got up from the opposite group. Heading in Shepards direction. Shepard recognized this one as well. He had been on the observation platform when Shepard and Tali were talking.

"Hey, you're Commander Shepard. Right?" It was a short sentence with poison laced in poison. The Batarian hadn't even waited for him to respond. Reaching back and starting to pull out a pistol.

Shepard was fast, but Iromak was already prepared. With one hefty bang. The nameless Batarians head jolted back violently. A bullet tearing through his skull. Just above his top left eye. Splattering blood against the ceiling and a now screaming waitress who stepped back. Looking down at the red that was splattered across her outfit.

There was a tense moment as both Shepard and Iromak looked between the two groups of Batarians in the bar. Both of them already had their weapons pulled. The turian barkeep, who had bought a bar to run in retirement after a long life in the turian fleet. Ducked behind the bar. Hoping that it would at least be quick. The stools screeched as the Batarians made a move for their guns.

It was about ten seconds. Tali would've sworn it was the longest fight of her life though. Iromak had flipped the table as soon as the first Batarian moved. Shepard used one hand to keep Tali behind him and moved her to cover as he shot at the group of three. Iromak shooting at the pair on the far side since his rate of fire was lower.

With little coordination, they took care of the attackers. Shepard had a bullet graze his arm. It was still in working condition. Iromak had his shields so he was fine.

Shepard turned to look at Tali as she called out to him in a shaky pain stricken voice. "Sh-Shepard." She sat on the ground in front of where they had been sitting a moment ago.. She was holding a hand against her left side. Blood seeping out from between her fingers. She hadn't expected any sort of fighting tonight. Completely unarmed and she had been too slow to get her shields up.

"Get a cab for med-evac! She needs a clean room!" He shouted it, at who he wasn't sure. Iromak quickly got on it. His pistol hit the ground as he ran to her. Falling to his knees as he placed his hand over the wound. He hadn't brought medi-gel, so this was all he could do.

She yelped as he put pressure down on it. Grabbing hold of one of his shoulders, squeezing it in reaction to the pain. "Shepard… I-I don't want to-"

He cut her off. Not wanting to even consider what she was about to say. "Don't worry Tali. You're going to be alright, I promise." He took her hand in his. Holding it close to his chest. He wasn't sure how much time passed. It was simultaneously the longest wait, and the quickest of his life. The medics rushed in and put her onto a stretcher. He followed all the way up till they stopped him at the entrance to the medi cab. C-Sec was on the scene and was trying to block everything off.

Leaving Shepard with only the name of the hospital and a hand covered in her blood. Which he stared at in silence, for a long time, till his brother walked up and gently shook him from his trance.

"Apparently one of them survived…" Shepard didn't say anything, his eyes trailing down to his shirt that had some of her blood on it. "C-Sec took him into custody."

"Good." His head lifted and his posture straightened. I need someone to question." His hands formed into fists. Shepard walked down the street towards C-Sec headquarters to find out what the Batarian knew. "Come on, Iromak. Let's go."

It was a tone Iromak knew well. Someone was going to pay dearly for what happened to Tali. He joined Shepard, and side by side. They went to make a dying Batarians life that much worse.