Chapter 7
Loranalis Private Bar - Presidium, Citadel
She had never been to a private bar before. Most of the time when she needed a drink, she preferred the rabble of people around her enjoying themselves, partying with one another, shooting pool, and all-around creating atmosphere. However, she had heard of these private establishments. They were usually very high class and expensive. The door charge alone was more expensive than the amount of alcohol it would take to put a regular human in a coma, which kept out the rabble.
It was also very strict on its privacy. Each payment made was required to be made from a separate credit chit that wasn't linked to one's personal bank or credit account. Anyone who entered was required to be covered from head to toe without any identifying marks on them and were not allowed to speak until they were escorted to their private booth. Oftentimes, people used holographic technology to alter their race long enough to enter the facility and get to their booth before dropping the disguise. Even the booths themselves were equipped with sound shields and electronic disablers that made it impossible to use electronics to see who was inside another booth or hear anything that they were talking about. It was the perfect place for two people who didn't want to be associated together to have a conversation, which she assumed, was why she was invited.
As she stepped inside the posh establishment, she looked around briefly and saw that the inside of the place likely cost more than she had accrued in all her years with the Alliance. Chandeliers that were hung down the hallway appeared to be made of gold and Thessian Yvalice crystal, which cost exorbitant amounts of credits. The carpets were from Earth, from Turkey if she were to guess, and the sparse amount of furniture in the hosting area looked to be made from the finest, by the finest, for the finest. As she stepped up to the counter, she looked to the hostess and saw that even she wore a disguise. Though hers was likely for the customer's sake alone, she still wore a long, elegant dress that sparkled in the light of the chandeliers, with matching gloves, and a mask worthy of a sun goddess.
As Shepard reached to pull out her credit chit, the hostess silently denied her with a hand wave and waved for the soldier to follow. Sliding her money away as she stared curiously at the elegantly dressed asari, she followed until she was led into the farthest booth from the entrance. The woman opened the door for her, then she stepped inside, her ears popping as the door closed behind her, a sign that the room was now soundproof. Once she was inside, she looked down and saw that a U-shaped couch encircled a small, finely designed table. But it wasn't the furniture that held her attention. Instead, it was the one who sat across at the crest of the comfortable couch.
Sitting down, Shepard removed her civilian training helmet from her head. It was a pure black helmet that came with the same dark visor that her special forces helmet came with but was more used in civilian gaming and training than combat. Unzipping the heavy cloth coat she had worn, she pulled it off, leaving her in just a plain black t-shirt that rattled as her dog tags shifted. Staring up at the masked woman who had asked her here, she finally spoke. "So, wanna tell me why I'm here?" Despite her rather forceful question, she was more curious than impatient. She looked the woman up and down, noting that she wore a dress very similar to the Chinese qipao. It was white with gold trimming, and she wore gloves that reached her shoulders as well.
"Wouldn't you like a drink first?" asked the woman as she reached up and took her hood down.
Shepard leaned back in surprise as she saw her face. Not because of who it was, as she knew from the message sent to her who the sender was. But because the woman, whose face was normally highly decorated with white paint was now bare. "I...I wouldn't say no to one," she responded. "But I am curious as to why I was invited. I'm not usually the social type," she finished with a slight smirk.
The asari looked at her curiously before smiling herself and ordering them both something from the touch menu. "I hear you're quite the fan of asari cuisine," said the woman as she finally turned and looked straight at Shepard.
"If I'm being honest, it's one of the only alien foods I get the chance to try. Turian and quarian food doesn't sit well with humans, salarians eat mostly insects, elcor eat mostly unrefined vegetation that would be hard to process, goddess only knows what the volus eat, and I'm convinced that krogans survive off eating rocks," she said, getting a giggle from the woman. "So, I'm left with asari and batarian. And if I'm being honest, most batarian food is so filled with spices that it'd stop my heart."
"I see. Well, in light of your enjoyment of our culture, I've ordered us some drinks famous on Thessia," said the elegant woman as she eyed Shepard with as much curiosity as the human eyed her with.
"So...what do I call you exactly?" asked Jane as she sat back and waited for their drinks to arrive.
"Out there, I am Councilor this, Councilor that. It's so rare that anyone actually calls me by my name, so if you don't mind, I'd prefer that," responded the asari casually.
Nodding, Shepard tried to think of more small talk to fill the time. "Right. So, Tevos...you come here often?" asked the human curiously. After the words left her mouth, she immediately wanted to punch herself. She had basically asked the asari councilor of all of Citadel Space one of two things. She either asked if she often met people in secret behind the other Councilor's backs or had just laid one of the most brutally weak pickup lines on her. Whichever it was, would be up to the Councilor herself.
Her face must have shown her internal struggle because the asari smirked and leaned forward. "You are horrible at small talk," said the woman jokingly.
"Tell me about it," responded Shepard as she looked up at the woman's face again. Still, it looked odd, seeing her without the paint. She knew from her studies that asari only painted themselves as a status symbol. And the more paint means the higher the status. As Councilor, she probably had the most paint on her face of any asari in Citadel Space. But seeing all that paint washed off allowed her to see her true face, and to be honest, she liked it better.
"And now you're staring," said Tevos, her voice almost jovial as she relaxed on the couch. Jane immediately looked away, her face heated now. "I don't believe I've ever seen a human as awkward at conversation as you."
Letting out a heavy sigh, Jane turned to Tevos and shrugged. "Sorry, it's not every day one meets a Councilor in a private setting," she said, trying to play off her embarrassment.
"Oh, is that all? I thought for a moment there that you were attracted to me," said the councilor as she smirked at Shepard, who gave her a wide-eyed look. However, rather than embarrass herself further, she declined speaking, getting a mock frown from her companion.
Suddenly, the wall next to then folded down and their drinks were pushed into the room mechanically. Immediately, Shepard reached forward and grabbed hers, beginning to gulp down the smooth beverage. Tevos took a more elegant sip of the dark liquid and set her drink on the table. When Jane sat hers down, she saw that she had nearly slammed half of her drink already. "So, Tevos…"
The asari nodded, "I shall get to the point of why we're here now," she said as stirred her drink absent-mindedly. Shepard didn't know what it was with this woman, but she was hypnotizing, mesmerizing as if every body movement she made was a planned move to draw her in further. She had first noticed it in the Council Chambers when she found herself unable to snap at her like she had the other councilors. But it was ever present now, permeating her every move, every word, every stare. She found herself wondering if this was the true power of a matriarch. But her line of thought was broken as Tevos continued. "I wanted to talk with you about those visions…"
Shepard's eyebrows raised slightly at the mention. "From the beacon?" she asked, getting a nod from the asari. "Alright, what did you want to know?"
Taking another elegant drink of her alcoholic beverage, the councilor held the glass rather than put it down as she continued. "I was curious about what it showed you."
Sighing, the commander ran a hand through her short red hair before reaching down and taking another drink as if willing the alcohol to start working. "To be honest, I can't say for sure. All I get are images of death and destruction, sounds and cries of agony in a language I can't understand or even comprehend. It's less like I'm hearing their words, and more like I'm feeling them. All of these emotions of distress playing alongside with pictures of mutilated corpses, darkened skies, and horrific abominations."
When she looked back up at the asari's face, she was surprised to see more concern than she even showed in the chambers. Tevos stared at her for a long moment, with that worried expression before speaking again. "Do these visions haunt you?" she asked, her tone no longer playful and upbeat anymore.
Shepard shrugged slightly, more comfortable now that a conversation was established. "I haven't had them long enough to really say. I haven't been to sleep since I woke up aboard the Normandy on our way back here, and ever since then I've been working to set the record straight," she said, then looked away. "I haven't really had a chance to let my thoughts settle, so I won't know if they resurface until I do."
Nodding to Jane, the asari looked down at her drink for a moment, as if deep in thought. Shepard leaned forward and grabbed her own drink as well, sipping it more casually now as she let the woman be. But it wasn't long before the asari snapped out of her thoughts and gave Shepard a firm stare. "I've made my decision then," she said solidly as she set her glass on the table.
"What decision?" asked the commander as she followed the councilor's example and tabled the drink.
"If you're willing, I'd like to see these visions," responded Tevos, getting a wide-eyed stare from Shepard.
"You're sure?" she asked, leaning forward curiously.
Tevos nodded firmly. "Prothean technology isn't transmittable from one being to the next. So I will likely not suffer as you have. But if we meld, then I will at least be able to see and hear what the beacon showed you," she said as she sat forward in her seat. "It is my duty as Councilor of my people and all others of Citadel Space to know about threats to peace, however big or small they may be."
"Understood," said Jane as she stared into Tevos's alluring violet eyes. "You don't think this is some crazy conspiracy theory as well?" she asked curiously.
Tevos gave Shepard a gorgeous smile that almost made the human have to turn away to keep from flushing. "I'm well aware of how prothean technology works. I've seen and handled it many times in my long life, so I understand your words when you described your visions to me. That aside, Jane, I wouldn't have suggested that you become a Spectre if I thought you were dense enough to believe in simple conspiracy theories."
The commander looked back to the asari in surprise. In her career, her name was only ever used by a few people. Her mother for one, and Sevene, her turian counterpart on Shanxi and Elysium, as well. Other than that, she'd rarely heard anyone that she had a professional relationship with call her Jane. Pushing her surprise aside, however, she nodded. "Alright."
As the word left the redhead's mouth, the asari woman rose from her seat as elegantly as a ballet dancer and moved to sit next to her. Immediately, the commander began to feel a bit hot under the collar about the proximity of the woman, but she stamped the feeling down as she looked over at the councilor. Tevos, once seated, held no such reservations, and immediately invaded her private space by reaching up and gently rubbing Shepard's neck. "Alright then, relax. I want you to be as comfortable as possible," she said, and Jane did her best to relax. Letting out a heavy sigh, she loosened her muscles and leaned her head forward, rather enjoying the touch of the asari's fingers on her tense neck. Once Tevos felt she was properly comfortable, she reached down and slid her long glove off, then reached up and stroked Shepard's cheek gently, allowing her a view of her perfect slender arm. Shepard was slightly surprised when the councilor touched her blue forehead to her cheek, almost cradling her, but she showed none of it. "Alright Jane…" she said soothingly, calming the soldier even more. "Embrace eternity."
Unlike when the beacon had first invaded her mind, and unlike any time since that she had brought the images to the forefront, she felt safe. As if she were wrapped in an indestructible bubble of warmth that shielded her mind from the assault. She wasn't alone, that's what the feeling told her. That she was safe and didn't have to worry anymore. Even as the images that had bent her mind into unconsciousness previously began to surface again, she felt no threat, no anxiety, no fear. All she felt was the warm embrace of her asari companion as the images played out in front of her. Their screams and cries of agony were now distant to her ears rather than eating away at her mind. She felt clear-headed and relaxed for the first time since she had stepped on the Normandy. Leaning back into the embrace, she felt as if she could fall asleep right where she sat.
As the visions passed however, she opened her eyes to find herself in a very awkward situation with the councilor. Apparently, during their journey, her body had moved itself, wrapping her arms around the asari's slim waist and burying her face into that lovely blue neck. But rather than upset, Tevos just let out a deep sigh before stroking her freckled cheek gently. "Jane, you poor soul…"
Human Embassy – Presidium – Citadel
"Can I help you?" asked the human as she groggily peeked through the crack of the hotel door.
Tali knew from what she'd heard about Eden Prime that the crew of the Normandy had yet to get a decent sleep, but she had grown worried ever since Shepard had left her in the embassy, telling her she would be back for her. She didn't say what she was doing, or where she was going. Just that she had business on the Presidium, and it worried the girl. The worst came to mind each time she asked herself where the woman could be. Perhaps Saren's men had caught her by surprise. Perhaps the Shadow Broker didn't like his deals being taken. Her mind filled with the worst possibilities imaginable.
Eventually, she got too antsy to just sit in the embassy and do nothing. She had to figure out what happened. Unfortunately, the receptionist who stayed in til late for her benefit didn't know the commander's number. And the ambassador had left earlier, and she didn't have the foresight to get it from him before he left...if he'd even let her have it, of course. The way he looked at her told her he wasn't too fond of her sticking around his pristine office for long.
But eventually, she managed to track down Ashley'Williams, the human woman who had been with Shepard during their rescue. Going to her hotel, Tali fidgeted nervously before finally hitting the alert next to the door, signaling that she was there. And when the human appeared, with her dark hair disheveled and one eye closed to the light of the hallway, she didn't appear pleased. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but I was hoping you could possibly tell me where the Commander is," she said shyly.
"Fraid not kid. I haven't seen her since she left Citadel Tower," said Ashley as she finally got used to the light and opened the door a bit more.
"Oh...I see," said the quarian, her voice disheartened as she realized that she had seen Shepard even later than Williams. "S-Sorry to bother you," she said as she turned to head back to the embassy.
Ash watched the girl's depressing walk and sighed to herself. "Alright kid, come here," said the gunnery chief as she opened her door. Tali spun around in surprise at the words before moving to the doorway. Ashley stepped aside, waiting for the girl to enter, but she didn't. Giving her an impatient glare, the soldier waved her arm. "Well, come in!" she snapped, and Tali skipped inside to keep from angering her. Tightening her robe, Williams stepped over to her comm device and sent Shepard a quick message before turning to see the quarian staring at the room in awe.
"Keelah, this room is huge!" she said almost excitedly.
Ashley cocked an eyebrow and looked around at the place. But she just scratched her head and sat down. "If you say so," replied the NCO as offered the quarian a seat. Not even seconds later, she received a ping on her comm and opened it to find a reply. "Shepard says she'll be here in a minute, and she says she's sorry for making you wait."
"Oh, that's a relief," said Tali as she sat in the chair. As she sat, she looked at her hands and began to fidget awkwardly for a few moments. "Sooo…"
"Just, don't say anything until she gets here please," requested Williams as she kept her dark eyes firmly on the alien woman.
"Oh...alright," said Tali, her voice sounding disappointed as she bit back her question.
They sat in silence for another couple of minutes before the door alert finally rang again. Tali got to her feet and bowed her head. "Thank you for your hospitality." The human simply shrugged, and Tali sighed and headed for the door.
When she opened the door, she sighed in relief as she saw Shepard staring at her apologetically. "Shepard!" she chimed happily as she stepped outside the room. Behind her, Williams simply closed the door without saying a word.
"Sorry to keep you waiting Tali, I got a bit caught up in something," said the commander as she urged the young woman to follow her.
"It's no problem Commander. I just got so worried, what with Saren's men after me, and now you no doubt, I thought the worst," replied the quarian as she followed the red-haired woman to the elevator.
"No, I was just...well, let's call it therapy," said the woman with a smirk as she hit the button for the twentieth floor.
Tali, while confused by the odd explanation, left the commander to her business and looked at the marked floor. "So high?"
Smirking down at the quarian. "I know you're not used to our culture or society. Even on your Pilgrimage, you've likely been pretty conservative with your living and eating. So, I thought I'd get a good room since we're going to be sharing for a while," said Shepard as the elevator took them upwards. Like many elevators on the Citadel, the elevator was made of plasteel, an alloy made of a combination of fiberglass and steel, allowing for transparency and near indestructibility as well.
As the elevator made its way up the side of the building, the young woman just stared out as the buildings sunk farther and farther below them. She started to back up as she felt anxiety building within her, but she felt Shepard's strong hand on her shoulder. Feeling not quite so alone, she continued to stare in awe as they finally broke past the top of the nearby buildings, allowing her to see the skyway freely. "I've...I've never been this high on the Presidium before!" she said excitedly, then her voice downturned slightly. "Well, technically I've never been on the Presidium before…"
"Well Tali, as long as you're part of my crew, plan to be treated as an equal in all regards...except rank of course," said Shepard jokingly as she stepped off the elevator. Tali turned around, realizing that they had reached their destination. Following the commander into the finely lit, spacious hallway made her feel somewhat out of place, and she moved quickly to keep from being seen. When they finally reached the room, Shepard opened the door and walked inside, but Tali stayed at the door.
"Uhh...Shepard, may I please come in?" she asked almost impatiently as she bounced on her toes.
The human turned around and looked at her oddly. "Of course, Tali, this is your room too. You're free to come and go as you please," she replied, her eyebrow-raising as the girl finally stepped across the entrance of the room. But she didn't have much time to ponder the odd behavior before the quarian gasped again as she saw the large window they had on their side of the room. Looking over at the view, she could barely see one of the arms of the Citadel stretching away from the Presidium. "Quite the view huh?"
"I-Is that safe?" asked Tali as she approached the window tentatively.
"Of course! Most hotels on the Presidium don't have actual windows. They're just projections taken from cameras on the outside of the building," said Shepard matter-of-factly as she sat on the bed and began fiddling with her boots.
The quarian walked up to the window and let out a soft sigh of bliss as she soaked in the amazing view of the world that she would likely never see once her Pilgrimage was over. The thought saddened her slightly as she stared, but she refused to let it get her down. When she finally returned, she would have memories like this to keep her going. She could even share them with her father and her eventual crew. Turning away from the window, the quarian faced Shepard and immediately began to panic.
"Sh-Sh-Shepard! What are you doing!?" she asked incredulously.
The red-haired woman eyed the quarian in bewilderment before sliding her last sock off. "I'm going to take a nap, why?"
"But...you…" said the young woman as she turned away from Shepard. "I'm sorry, I'm so used to the Flotilla's customs that I sometimes react poorly to new situations," she responded as she breathed through her filter heavily. "Quarians undressing is almost unheard of, unless in...ummm…"
"Romantic situations?" asked Shepard, getting a nervous nod from the quarian. "I see. Sorry about that. But, no worries. It's just my boots," said the commander as she tossed herself back onto the cushy bed. "Though, I would say you're probably going to have to get used to me in various states of dress. If we're going to be sticking together, then there are times where I'm going to need to remove clothing."
"It's alright. I'll adjust, I promise. You've already done so much for me…" said the young woman as she walked over and stared between the second bed and Shepard. "Is...is this one mine?" she asked hopefully.
"All yours Tali," said the commander as she held her arms behind her head despite the soft pillows.
The quarian stared down at the bed nervously. She had never seen a bed so big in her life. It could easily fit four adult-sized quarians in it with room to spare. It was almost too much room in her opinion. But then, most other races had the room to spare, while hers did not. Knowing how unlikely it was that she would ever experience something like this again, she lifted her arms and fell back into the bed. When she actually started to sink into the softness, she sighed. While she wasn't able to feel it on her skin, she could definitely feel the softness of it in comparison to the stiff racks they slept on in the Migrant Fleet, and much softer than the hard, shipboard floor she slept on during most of her Pilgrimage. Sighing to herself again, she lifted her arm and activated her omni-tool. Accessing the Citadel's station-wide connection to the extraweb, she began to type in her search as she heard the commander's breathing deepen.
"Jane...Shepard...Elysium," she said quietly to herself as she hit enter.
Donatello Diner – Presidium – Citadel
Tali could feel eyes on her as they entered the small, but cozily decorated diner. Ever since Shepard had mentioned going out to eat, the quarian had become a nervous wreck, fidgeting and stumbling all the way to the front door. "Tali, are you going to be alright?" asked the commander curiously.
Looking at Shepard in shock, she nodded nervously. "I'm just a bit nervous is all Shepard. My people are typically seen as scavengers or dirty vagrants. Even on the wards, we are sometimes not welcome in such establishments," she said as she anxiously looked around at the people. Thankfully, most of them either didn't notice her or didn't seem bothered by her presence.
"I understand, but I made sure to call ahead. I made a deal with the owner, so you have nothing to worry about," she said as she sat at one of the tables.
Tali sat down and nodded, her fidgeting now less noticeable, but still present. When the waitress, a female turian stepped over, she looked at them both, her personality practically lighting the room. "Welcome to Donatello's Diner! Would you like to try our special of the day?"
Shepard looked up at the woman with a smile. "That's alright. I'll just take a cheeseburger with fries and an iced tea. Tali?" asked the redhead as she handed the quarian the menu. The young woman began gazing over the list, wide-eyed at the variety of dextro selections she was able to choose from.
But she set the datapad with the list down and sighed. "I'll take whatever's cheapest," she said, as she looked down at the table.
Shepard eyed her sternly before turning to the waitress. "What do you recommend from the dextro selections?" she asked curiously.
The turian nodded, pointing at the menu. "My personal favorite is Palaven's yasha steak. However, of our vegan options, I'd highly recommend the tara fruit salad with the ambrosia dressing. It's quite the favorite back in Cipritine," she responded.
Shepard looked at the menu and saw that the meal would cost. Honestly, it was paltry in price compared to the higher priced dinners on the menu, but it was something fresh for the girl. In the few talks that they'd had, Tali had mentioned that she mostly lived off nutrient paste since she had left, and even on the Fleet, the food was mostly calorie based. Without the resources to spare, their culinary culture was all but dead. "We'll take it. Can you get it packed for a quarian?"
"Of course! I'll be right back with your tea!" said the girl as she took her list back and vanished into the kitchens.
Tali sighed to herself and stared at the table. "Shepard, you shouldn't be spending so much on me…" said the young woman as she fidgeted with her fingers again.
Shepard smiled as she leaned back in the chair. "Tell me about your Pilgrimage," she requested as she stretched herself out.
The quarian looked up abruptly at the request, her luminescent eyes wide beneath her face mask. "Now?"
"When you first mentioned it, I wanted to know a bit more. But we were kinda in a hurry at the time, so we had to stick to business. Now, we have some time to spare while we wait for my friend to show up. So, go ahead," said Shepard as she accepted her drink from the waitress.
"Oh...I see," said Tali with relief in her voice. Back in the human embassy, she thought Shepard had skipped hearing more due to some apathetic disregard of her culture. At the time, it had stung a bit, but now knowing that she cared filled her with a new desire to teach. "Well, my people, as you may have heard, live in a migratory fleet of ships."
Shepard cocked an eyebrow at the statement. "Couldn't the Migrant Fleet settle on a new world? You may not be able to get out of your suits, but at least you wouldn't be relying on ships all the time."
"We, erm...well, even though there are many planets that could be colonized by our people for resources or perhaps a new home, one of our punishments from the Council for the geth was that our colonization rights were stripped, keeping us from finding a new world to make a home on. The last time we got desperate and tried to colonize an uninhabited world, the turian Hierarchy threatened to attack the fleet if we didn't remove ourselves from the system," she said sadly.
Shepard stared at her in shock. "But that was almost three centuries ago!" she snapped angrily at the girl. "Anyone who had any part in bringing the geth to life has already passed away!"
Tali sighed as she rested her helmeted head in her three-fingered hand. "I know Shepard, we've tried to get the ruling repealed numerous times. But the Council claimed that even to this day the geth were a threat to every species in the galaxy. And now with Eden Prime, we can't exactly say they are wrong," she said before finally getting the conversation back on track. "Anyway, our people recycle everything. We need new resources, ships, and anything you could imagine. But instead, we simply survive off bribes."
"Bribes?" asked the commander curiously.
"When the Migrant Fleet travels too close to a colonized system, the species in control of said system will often gift us with resources and ships to get us to leave. They think that if we stay, we will start trying to scrap everything we can get our hands on," she said, the tone of her voice exasperated as she rolled her eyes. "The other way we survive is through the Pilgrimage. Whenever a quarian reaches the age of maturity, they are trained in the ways of survival, and sent to a destination of their choice."
"And when is your Pilgrimage over?" asked the woman curiously.
"In order to complete the Pilgrimage, the quarian in question must return to the fleet with a gift. It can be resources or a ship perhaps. But the gift must contribute to the greater good of the Fleet. Sub-par gifts, while often accepted, can lead to the stigma of being unreliable," responded the young woman as the turian finally approached with their lunch. Setting Shepard's plate down, Tali eyed the food she had called a cheeseburger. It was basically a slab of meat and cheese between two pieces of bread. A curious combination if she had ever seen one.
Then came her own lunch, which was placed on the table in a glass cylinder. Picking it up, she examined it curiously, noting all the lovely colors of the different kinds of fruits within. Finally, she reached up and unhooked a small hose-like nozzle on her mask and connected it to the top of the vial. Shepard reached down and grabbed her odd meal, taking a massive bite out of it just as Tali evacuated the air within her feeding tube to keep it sterile. Then came the food, and she almost melted into her seat.
Each flavor that hit her tongue was juicy and creamy at the same time, splashing on her tongue with each pump. "Keelah…" she whispered as she finally swallowed her first mouthful.
"Is it that good?" asked the commander with a smirk as she held her already half eaten burger.
"I've never tasted anything like it before. It's so...so...juicy. How can a paste provide this much flavor in such small containers?" she asked, holding up the flask again to look at the marvelous concoction.
"I'm glad you like it. But what were you saying about the gifts?" she asked as she continued to eat.
"Oh, right. Well, a captain will often accept a gift, even if it's less than pleasing. More crew means a higher status within the fleet. But those who give the gift are often given very low rank on the ship, and more responsibilities and chores as a result. It keeps people from stealing small starships and coming back to offer them as their gift," she said before taking another breathtaking bit of her salad.
"I see, so in order to return to your fleet, you have to give the captain of your future ship a gift that makes life on the fleet better?" asked Shepard before she took a drink of her tea.
Tali nodded as she swallowed her food again. "It's not an easy task, but most are able to contribute successfully one way or another," she said before noticing that someone had entered the diner and was heading directly for them. It was a turian in a C-Sec uniform, and she immediately scooted away from the table in panic.
"Welcome Garrus!" greeted Shepard as she too scooted back, but more in a welcoming sense. Tali was always nervous around C-Sec officers. Most of the time, they tended to try and drive quarians out of establishments and places of business, branding them as vagrants and thieves. But, knowing that Shepard had called him here set her mind at ease.
"Hey Shepard…" he said, holding out his hand. The human clasped his wrist, and he returned the gesture happily. Turning to Tali however, he gave her a curious eye. "And you are?"
"My name is Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," said the quarian, still slightly nervous around him.
"Pleased to meet you Tali'Zorah," he said as he pulled up a turian-styled chair and sat in it.
"Tali is the newest member of the crew. At least, if she wants to be," said Shepard as she eyed the quarian.
"Crew?" asked Tali curiously, her food temporarily forgotten.
"I'm a Spectre now, and soon I'll have a ship and crew of my own to chase after Saren with. I was hoping you'd want to come along," she said, having finished her burger minutes ago and was now just casually munching on the fried potato sticks. "If you'd rather not, I can arrange for you to stay in a secluded colony-"
"I'd love to join!" interrupted the quarian almost excitedly. "If I just go to a colony and work, I will never have the opportunity or experience to bring back a suitable gift for the Fleet! And, I'd be working for the greater good of the galaxy as a whole as well!"
Shepard smiled at her enthusiasm as she sat back in her chair and relaxed. "Well then, welcome aboard Tali'Zorah nar Rayya," said the woman as she turned her head towards the turian. "Now then Garrus, you said you wanted to talk to me?"
"Yes, I did. As a matter of fact, it's closely related," he said as he turned to the waitress and waved her off, not wanting any lunch for himself. "I've seen you work Shepard, and I like the results. Unlike C-Sec who are too cowardly to get off their asses and take action, you tear away the red tape and charge right in. I respect that, and I want to help you."
She tilted her head curiously as she eyed the painted turian. "So, you want to help through C-Sec? Or…" she asked, leaving the second option open-ended intentionally.
"Actually, I was hoping I could come with you too," he said eagerly as he sat forward in his chair.
"What about C-Sec?" she asked as she finally finished off the last of her meal.
"C-Sec will do just fine without me. I, however, would be working towards a much greater goal in helping you. Whether or not the Reapers are real, Saren is a threat to the entire galaxy and needs to be stopped. And I want to help you firsthand, side by side, just like in Chora's Den," he said as he leaned his elbows on the table. "So, what do you say Commander? Help a young, tired C-Sec officer out?"
She stared at him for a long moment before finally smiling. "Alright then. I'm sure the deductive skills that you gained from working for C-Sec would come in handy. What other skills do you have?" she asked curiously before finishing off her tea.
"Oh...uhhh, well I work well with machines. And I'm really good at calibrating weapons of any kind," he said proudly as he placed his hands in his lap, as if in an interview.
"That'll come in handy as well. Welcome to the team," she said, getting a relieved sigh from the turian as he clasped wrists with her once more.
"Glad to be of service Shepard, I'm going to go and file my resignation now, and you have my number whenever you're ready to go," he said as he finally stood.
Shepard stood as well, prompting Tali to also. Disconnecting her feeding tube, she left the vial on the table practically spotless. "You'll be hearing from me soon. Until then, keep your comm unit on," she replied as she paid the approaching waitress with a transfer of credits.
"Understood Commander. I'm sure we'll make a great team," he replied before finally turning and leaving.
As he left, Shepard turned to Tali and noticed her staring at Garrus as he left the restaurant. "Something the matter?"
"No...nothing," she said as she reconnected the tube to her mask. "He was kinda cute," she finally replied, getting a chuckle from the human.
CODEX ENTRIES
Thessian Yvalice Crystal | Mineralogy | Gemstone
A biproduct of Element Zero, these crystals are formed when Element Zero is heated to its melting point. The steam and evaporated liquid that rises from the molten eezo, and once the temperature cools again, the liquid biproduct pools together and forms into crystals similar to quartz. These crystals are hailed on Thessia as fine jewelry due to their rarity and the fact that they glow brightly when in contact with biotic dark energy.
White Paint | Culture | Asari
In asari culture, painting one's face is a sign of status. While some asari have forgone tradition and don't wear paint as asari politics melded into galactic politics, it is still common to see asari with their faces painted in this traditional matter. It is also a way of identifying an asari's position in society. The more paint an asari has on her face, the higher her social status. These paints also come in a number of colors depending on which social class they rank in, with white being government, red being military, and purple being civilian.
Yasha | Zoology | Palaven
A large, lumbering animal that roams the temperate grassy plains of Palaven. Sometimes compared to the Terran bison, it lacks the thick fur or horns, and instead is well known to attack with the large, nearly razor-sharp plates on its thick tail. An evolutionary adaptation, these plates are often sharpened against rocks and used to cut down trees in order to access their foliage. Turians regularly herd these animals on ranches and farm them for their meat and eggs.
Tara Fruit | Edible Flora | Palaven
The tara fruit is a popular food native to and commonly grown in the Zevaros region of Palaven. It's well known for its sour taste and is commonly used in vegetation rich dishes such as salads, as the taste often compares to dressings used on Earth.