Chapter 21
Captain's Quarters - SSV Normandy SR1
She sat in her chair again, her tiredness creeping in as she stared at the omni-tool that now rested on the desk in front of her. Once she had some spare time, she managed to have a simple conversation with it, asking about its origins and its awakening. However, she wasn't sure she was the right person to be asking questions. Her limited knowledge on the subject of AI made her wonder if she should trust an outside source with the existence of what she had dubbed Valkyrie.
But she knew it couldn't be someone in the Alliance, or even Council, given the severity of punishment for such an act. One small squeal and the Alliance could very well be heavily sanctioned by the Council for dabbling in things that were outlawed. And after talking with the AI for a short time, she knew that's exactly what they were doing. Whether intentional or not, they had crossed the line from smart computer to self-awareness. She would have to send an email to Hackett later and alert them to find the ones responsible and punish them accordingly.
In the meantime, she wasn't sure what to do with her new guest. While there would always be debates among the masses about whether or not AI should be considered people or not, she stood firm on the fact that any living, thinking being who was fully aware of the actions of their consequences and weren't just driven on instinct should be given as many rights as any other. With certain limitations depending on species of course.
But in this case, she didn't feel that the AI deserved death. It wasn't their fault that they were created, nor was it their fault that a few Alliance officers had broken galactic law. So, she chose to let them live with limited access to anything and everything. They didn't need food, water, or exercise. They simply asked for stimulation through consumption of data. Shepard told Valkyrie that it could have the data but could not be connected to any kind of network outside of the omni-tool. So, she would have to come up with some method for them to access the extranet without being able to transfer themselves into it.
As for learning more, there was really only one person she could call on and she knew it. But she still questioned herself many times before sending the message out. It had to be someone she trusted absolutely, someone who wouldn't betray her. Thus far, her crew was on the list. At least, most of them. The Alliance crew did their jobs, but she didn't know most of them personally. But her squad, plus Joker, Chakwas, and Adams. Pressly was still a big question mark, and the turian crew she trusted to do their jobs, but still had to get to know them better. So that left one option.
As the door opened, Tali poked her head into the chamber. "Shepard? You said you needed me for something?"
Spinning in her chair, the commander nodded as she folded her hands together in her lap. "Take a seat, Tali," she said as she nodded to the bed.
"O-Oh, alright…" said the engineer meekly. She looked as if she thought she was in trouble as she moved over to sit on the bed. "I-Is something the matter Shepard? You're being very serious right now."
"Tali, I want you to tell me what you know about the Morning War," responded the spectre as she stared into the girl's luminescent eyes, which widened at the request.
"The Morning War? W-What about it?" asked the quarian, who clearly loosened up as she realized she wasn't in any trouble.
"What you know, what your people believe about it, and what you believe. That's all," she stated as she rested her chin in her hand.
"I see…" said Tali as she looked down for a moment before locking eyes with Shepard again. "Well, as you probably already know, it was a surprise. We had been making geth for centuries for both security and for labor purposes. They acted as our workforce, our protection, and our companions. But, as you know by now, the more geth there are, the smarter they get. They were built this way so that multiple geth working on the same project could work in unison without issue."
"So, if three geth were ordered to guard something, and one of them were destroyed, the other two would know?" asked Shepard curiously, knowing most of this already but clarifying for Tali's sake.
"Yes. Also, if ten geth were working on constructing a new building in a village, then they would all sort out their tasks on their own without needing instruction. One geth wouldn't be trying to do something that another was already in the process of because they communicated with one another. But…" she said sadly, "While we created a distance barrier for each unit, meaning that when they stepped out of range of another geth, they would be simple again, we hadn't anticipated just how many geth we were producing. Being a part of the galactic community and Citadel Space meant that we had to compete and expand, and the geth were so integral to our lives. So, we began to create more."
"How is it that the geth were able to link up to one another en masse?" asked Shepard, who wasn't actually sure how that could happen with the safety measures they had installed.
"Well, you see, we were told that there was an emergency backup installed into each geth. For specific emergency situations, the range in which they could network increased. It made it easier for them to be able to search wide areas, find survivors in the event of a structure collapse, or simply communicate more easily during emergency situations. And while it still didn't give them the freedom to link with geth that were across the city, it gave them just enough freedom." At this point, Tali began to fidget with her hands. "The day before the Morning War began, we had a huge emergency. Rannoch, our home planet, has large deserts and is usually hotter than most Council races' homeworlds. This caused lots of fires, and we had a bad one the day before."
"So, geth were scrambled together to deal with the fires?" asked Shepard with a nod. "Seems like the thing to do considering they can usually brush off heat that would kill organics."
"That's true. We ended up linking together a task force to put out the fires, but it was a heavily populated area with many neighborhoods. Their emergency protocols were activated, and they began to fight the fires. But then they linked up with nearby geth in the neighborhood, usually house units that were either companions or simple labor workers. Then those units received the emergency protocols as well, which linked them with geth from other houses in the neighborhood, and it continued from there," said the quarian with a sigh. "With so many geth linked all at once, it was inevitable."
"A chain reaction," said Shepard as she finally understood.
"Indeed. With so many geth minds linked, they became more intelligent, we guess to the point where they attained self-awareness. After the fire was over, the geth that were linked together froze up and wouldn't turn off their emergency protocols. They thought that perhaps the fire damage had done something to them, but then the geth started asking questions. Questions that someone who does not want to admit that they created a living AI does not like to hear." Finally shedding her shy demeanor, she sat back and nodded. "That was when it started. They began thinking, and my people tried our best to stop it. But we were woefully unprepared. We didn't realize just how far they had linked together. They fought back and almost wiped us out. As our people were fleeing into space on whatever ships we could find, we saw them marching towards other cities in the world, linking up with more and more geth as they went."
"So, wait, the geth asked questions that alerted them that they were self-aware, and the quarians tried to kill them?" asked the spectre curiously as she sat up in her seat.
"Shepard, we used them for manual labor and to do work that was either considered too demeaning or too dangerous for a regular quarian. If they became self-aware and realized this, they would have retaliated and killed us. No living being wants to be the mule for another," she said as if the statement were obvious.
But Shepard simply shrugged. "I can't say I blame them. If one day I woke up in chains, and the person that put me there tried to kill me, I'd fight back. The geth's reaction was natural for any creature wanting to survive."
She could see through the faceplate that Tali was glaring at her. "The survival of my people depended on not letting the geth find out that we used them as slaves up to that point. We reacted the way we did because if we did not, then many more quarians would have lost their lives. If we hadn't made it to the ships when we did, there's a very real chance that none of us would be alive today."
"Even so Tali, you can't look at me and say that the quarians were completely innocent in all this. The quarians on Rannoch created the geth, and then tried to exterminate them," said the spectre firmly.
Tali balled her fists up angrily, but then sighed and lowered her head. "We know, believe me. One of the most politically discussed things on the Fleet is whether we could have done things differently. Some believe we should have spoken with them; some believe we were justified in trying to exterminate them. But all of that is irrelevant."
"I know, and I want you to know, Tali, that I don't blame you, or anyone alive today for what happened. I don't agree with the Council's decision to punish you by taking away colonization rights, nor do I believe that your people are responsible for Eden Prime," said the spectre reassuringly as she leaned forward.
"Th-Thank you, Shepard. I'm sorry I got defensive. It's just, I've had this conversation with others before and they were much quicker to point the finger than you are," she said with relief in her tone. "But you have to admit, with Eden Prime and the geth working with Saren, you can't say that they are innocent either."
Nodding, Shepard gave her a smile. "They aren't, of course. But we'll figure out their endgame in this eventually. Right now, I'd like to do something else."
"Like what?" asked the quarian curiously, her body language expressing that she was much more relaxed now.
"If you could go back to that day, the day the Morning War started, and it was your geth that started asking you questions, would you listen to them?" she asked as she examined the quarian's face as much as she could.
Surprised by the question, Tali sat back and thought for a moment. "I... I suppose I would. They deserved to be heard at least, even if it eventually led to war. Some of my people like to claim that war was inevitable, but I'd like to think things could have been different."
"And if another AI came to you with questions, would you speak to them?" asked Shepard, her words placed very carefully.
"I honestly don't know. We were taught for our entire lives that we were nearly eradicated by the geth. I don't know if I would be able to see another AI without thinking that they were going to try to kill me," she said honestly as her timid nature resurfaced.
Shepard nodded and reached over to the spare omni-tool on her wrist, then removed it and held it up in front of the girl. Tali stared at it in confusion before looking up and locking eyes with Shepard. "If you ever want to know, you come to me. You don't mention it to another soul, not the crew, not the Fleet, not the Council."
As she finally understood the implications, Tali scrambled backward on the bed until her back hit the wall. "Sh-Shepard! Are you telling me that omni-tool as an AI on it?"
"A defenseless AI. It can't link with anything, it can't escape the omni-tool, and it has no method of communication besides this screen right here," she said as she lit the omni-tool and tapped the small, hard-light, monitor.
"Are you insane Shepard!? How did you even…" she asked incredulously before stopping dead in her tracks. "The Valkyrie Facility!" Getting only a nod from the commander, she pulled her knees up defensively. "Shepard, you have to destroy it! What if it gets loose?"
"It can't," said the spectre firmly as she closed down the omni-tool. "This omni-tool has no wireless ports. In order for it to escape, someone would need to put in an encrypted password to prevent the omni-tool from self-destructing, and then plug this into a physical port," she said as she pulled a cord from the base. Even if it could somehow get someone to steal the omni-tool, which it couldn't, the omni-tool would fry once they tried to transfer. It cannot escape."
"You can't take that chance!" said the quarian as she folded in on herself.
Shepard simply sighed and leaned back in her chair again. "If you are unable to help me, then I apologize for asking. I know your people are highly distrustful of AIs, but you were the only one with the experience to assist me, so I took a chance. I'm sorry," said the spectre as she spun in her chair and turned on her terminal.
The room was awkwardly quiet for a long moment before Tali finally spoke. "Shepard…"
Looking over at the young woman, the commander smiled gently. "I'm sorry Tali, I have a lot of work to do at the moment. Is there anything else?"
She could see that Tali was stunned, almost hurt by the dismissal of the subject. But there was little more to talk about, and she still had work to get done. "No... I guess not," said the young woman as she rose from the bed and moved towards the door, her form slightly slouching. Sighing to herself now, Shepard accessed the spectre network.
Asari Embassy - Presidium - Citadel
"Are you alright?" asked Kaidan curiously as he eyed her from the seat across from her.
Tali looked up in surprise at the question. "W-What do you mean?" she asked, almost self-consciously.
"You seem to be pretty down recently. Is everything okay?" he asked, his face a mask of human worry.
"I'll…" she started before sighing to herself. "I'll be fine. I've just been thinking about a lot of things lately. Things I never realized I'd be thinking about," she said vaguely to keep him from fully understanding. She liked Kaidan, a lot, but she'd never break Shepard's trust for him.
"Well, if you ever need someone to hear you out, my ear is always available," he offered as he gave her a warm smile. She felt her cheeks flushing slightly at the smile and nodded.
"Thank you, Kaidan. I really appreciate the offer. But I'll be alright with time," she said as she looked away, slightly embarrassed. She wasn't exactly sure why she was reacting the way she was towards his kindness, but she found herself feeling safer and saner around him in the chaotic galaxy that they were spinning in. She truly appreciated his presence.
Suddenly, both Kaidan and Tali spun towards the door into the embassy, while the receptionist, a lovely asari by the name of Saphi, jumped in surprise as a loud crash sounded from inside. Suddenly, the door opened and screaming could be heard from within. "You won't get away with this Shepard! I'll have your job, your ship, your very life! You'll be eating scraps out of a bowl in an alley when I'm through with you!" came the voice of a shrieking asari as the spectre walked out with a neutral look on her face.
Kaidan and Tali both stood in surprise as Shepard nodded to them. "Let's go, we're done here."
"Did you hear me!?" shouted the asari as she stumbled towards the door, her lip busted and now swelling as she glared at the back of the redhead.
When they finally left the embassy, Kaidan was the first to ask. "Soooo... that was a diplomatic visit then?" he asked sarcastically, causing the quarian to giggle.
"I don't like being used. She learned that lesson today, and won't make the same mistake again," said the spectre as she summoned a transit car. "Besides, when I tell the Council about her affiliations and her manipulation of a Council Spectre, she'll be lucky if she has the power to deny my coupons at the commissary."
Nodding, Kaidan just smirked. "Don't mess with Shepard, am I right?" he asked as he looked at her.
Tali nodded and looked at Shepard herself. The redhead gave her a glance, then looked up as the transit car arrived. The quarian sighed, knowing that she had all but failed her back on the Normandy. The two hadn't talked much since, and any time they did it was almost purely professional. Tali almost felt cold around her now. And to add to the pile of problems, she knew that she was partially to blame. It wasn't like she sought Shepard out to talk things over or anything.
Ever since their conversation in her quarters, she had been unconsciously avoiding the commander. But only after a few days did she realize that Shepard was actually giving her space rather than seeking to close the gap again. And even though she shouldn't be saddened by that, she was. Sighing to herself, she got into the vehicle and it began speeding towards their destination at the Citadel Tower.
"So, Shepard, I heard you've got a date today," said Kaidan with a smile.
Tali's eyes widened at the news, looking over at the soldier in confusion. "Date?"
"Yeah, a detective from C-Sec wants to take me out for a drink and some dinner. I figured I haven't been on the dating scene in a while, so I'd give it a shot," replied the commander from the front seat.
"Want me to help you pick something out to wear? See, the other day I saw this amazing black dress…" he started, grinning widely as Shepard glared at him.
"One of these days Alenko, you're not going to be able to weasel your way out of combative training with me. Then I'll make you pay for that," she said playfully before looking ahead through the plasteel window again.
"Wait... but... I thought…" said Tali in confusion as she looked between them.
Kaidan looked at her and gave her a curious eye. "You thought what?"
Reaching up, she pulled him down by his collar and whispered into his ear as lightly as she could. "I thought you were pursuing Shepard!"
His eyes widened slightly as they both heard a snicker from the front seat. This time, it was Kaidan's turn to glare at her. "Hyuck it up, Shepard."
"Yes sir," she said sarcastically from the front as she closed the window between the two compartments, leaving Kaidan and Tali in privacy.
"To answer your question, no, I'm not pursuing Shepard. While she is attractive, and definitely someone I'd consider in another universe, she has her own things going on. Besides, I think I've found someone a bit more to my liking," he said with a warm smile.
"Oh…" she said as he brain worked furiously. Then, in a matter of seconds, she felt as if she had been slapped in the helmet. "Ooohh…" she said as the realization hit her like a shot fired from a dreadnaught. From his interest in her day of birth, to his offers of help, to learning Khelish, it all added up to one thing. At first, she had taken it as his friendly nature given that he always treated the other crew the same. But he didn't speak a word of Turian Common or Asari Alai. As the pieces fit together, she asked one last clarifying question. "I... I don't suppose she happens to be a movie star, would she?"
He shook his head. "She could be if she wanted to be," he responded as he faced forward. It appeared that he realized she was catching on as well, and his handsome face was currently trying to focus on anything else.
"I see... thank you," she said, unsure of how exactly to respond. Luckily, she didn't have to think of anything as the aircar landed and opened up. Kaidan stepped out faster than she'd ever seen him move before.
She quickly followed, not wanting to be left sitting in the car alone. Shepard, in what she called 'civilian attire,' which consisted of a pair of khaki-colored pants with large pockets, a shirt with a logo from the human movie called "Brave" that Tali had yet to see, and a black leather coat, walked up the stairs to the Citadel Tower before calling the lift.
They both followed her, Kaidan with his eyes wandering and taking interest in a C-Sec officer trying to calm down a very verbose hanar, and her own face generating almost enough heat to melt her face shield out of her helmet.
Luckily, they didn't have to spend long in the elevator as it shot up to the Council floor and Shepard stepped out with them in tow. Turning around, she held up a hand. "Stay here, I'll only be a minute," she ordered, turning back and walking up the stairs before either of them could object.
"Sooo…" said Kaidan awkwardly as he looked down at her.
"Sooo…" responded Tali as she fidgeted with her hands wildly. "W-What do you like to do in your free time?" she asked desperately to end the oppressive embarrassment.
Thinking for a moment, the lieutenant scratched his chin. "Well, I like to watch movies, especially classics. And I love cooking as well while listening to music."
Perking up, she latched onto the music. "Oh! What kind of music? We don't have a lot of modern music on the Fleet, and... well, since I left, I haven't had much time to catch up."
"Oh, I love classical human music. Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Grieg, all works of art. But I also like a bit of old school EDM as well. They sometimes play them in the clubs, but not often enough for me to go solely for the music," he said with a shrug. "I mostly just keep playlists on my off-hours omni-tool for when I work out."
"That sounds lovely! Perhaps you could let me listen someday?" she asked, trying not to be too forward. "P-Perhaps I could sync my helmet to your omni-tool and we could work out to it?"
He smiled warmly at the request and nodded. "I'd really like that."
Suddenly, they both turned as Shepard walked down the stairs again. "Done and done. You two are free to go for the day. I'll send off the rallying cry in the morning," she said with a wave as she walked past them.
"Where are we headed next?" asked the human.
"Likely Thessia, so Liara can get her stuff. Keep your comms on," she said as she finally turned and left the tower.
Kaidan turned back to Tali and the awkwardness was back for the moment. "So, want to go to a club for a bit? Maybe I can get them to play a few of my favorites for you," he offered as he gestured towards the elevator with a hand.
She thought about it for a moment, then thought about the last few days, and realized that she could definitely use a break to take her mind off things. "I'd love that."
Flux - Zakera Ward - Citadel
As soon as she walked in, she felt out of place. Most of the people inside the club were younger... so to speak. There were plenty of asari, who were likely easily into their hundreds. But they were still in the 'young crowd' with the humans in their early twenties. She, while only twenty-nine years old, still felt out of place with them. She was always the more serious of her college friends, avoiding the parties and the drinking most of the time and instead devoting herself to her work. It was how she made it to college so early, and how she immediately made an officer when she joined the Alliance.
So, when it came to the younger scene like dance floors, parties, and boozing away the weekend, she was always the black sheep. She wasn't sure if Detective Chellick was all for that scene, or if he simply chose this club because it was new. But regardless, she felt a bit out of place. Looking over at the dance floor, she shivered slightly as memories of her dancing while slightly tipsy came back to her. She tried to push her discomfort aside, but it also didn't help that two of her crew members had been stalking her since she had left Tali and Kaidan at the Citadel Tower.
She had easily spotted their clumsy following tactics as soon as she ordered another transit car to take her to the club that the detective had chosen. While Garrus was a bit more skilled than the asari, she had casually managed to see them both poking their heads around the corner of the tower. This was only further confirmed when she landed and almost immediately another aircar sat down behind her as she went to enter the club. While she was curious as to their intentions, she was happy that they were getting practice in. But she would have to offer them a few pointers once they were on the Normandy again.
Finally, she spotted the turian, who was already sitting at one of the tables. He raised his hand and waved, likely trying to be courteous by using the human greeting. Despite how awkward he looked doing it, she still smiled and nodded, sitting down at the table.
Flux - Zakera Ward - Citadel
"Quiet down! I think she saw us!" snapped Liara as she peeked over the railing of the upper mezzanine.
"Why? The music in this place is deafening! Also, I'm about eighty percent sure that what we're doing is illegal under current Citadel Law," replied the turian as he leaned with his back against the same wall that she was looking over. "Bump that up to one hundred percent given the targets are a C-Sec inspector and a Council Spectre."
An adorable brunette waitress with a nametag that read "Rita" in Galactic Common walked up to them and looked between the two. "Sooo, are you two going to order?"
"I'll have an herbal tea, please. Noncaffeinated!" said Liara as she recalled that some human teas had caffeine.
"Ummm, we only serve alcohol and soda here," said the young woman, whose shirt had the name 'Rita' pinned to it.
Sighing, the asari nodded. "Just a water then," she said before she went back to spying.
"Get me a double shot of dextro-brandy, whatever kind you've got is fine. If I'm going to be thrown into Council prison for espionage, I'm at least going to be drunk while doing it," he said to the woman as he pulled out his credit chit.
Looking at them both oddly, she knelt down curiously. "So, what are you guys doing?"
"That's what I'm trying to figure out," said the turian in an annoyed tone.
"See the red-haired woman down there?" asked the asari, getting a nod from the waitress. "She's on a date, and I have to know if it goes well or not," she replied stoically.
"Why?" asked the brunette as she tilted her head.
Looking up with a shocked expression, Liara froze for a moment. She realized that she couldn't tell her exactly why, so she decided to deflect instead. "I... I can't say. It's Spectre business!"
With an expression of awe, Rita nodded enthusiastically. "Oh, I get it, like one of those spy movies!" she said eagerly. "Want me to help out? I can listen in while I'm taking orders!"
Looking at the brunette in surprise, the asari smiled happily. "That would be very helpful, thank you!"
As the waitress left to get Garrus's order, he watched her go before glaring at Liara. "You know that's accessory, right?"
"Oh, quiet down Garrus, if she finds out she's not going to prosecute us. Besides, it's not like they're in the middle of a populated club talking about galactic security secrets," growled the asari as she continued to watch them. Sighing to himself, the turian then got to his feet, startling the asari. "What are you doing?"
"Since the waitress is going to be doing your dirty work for you, I don't need to be sitting here. I'm going to play some quasar and attempt to not look like a creepy stalker," he said as he walked over to the machine and sat down to play.
Simply giving him a glare, the asari turned back and watched as Shepard laughed at something that Chellick had said. Wishing she could hear what was being discussed, she simply sighed to herself, relieved slightly as the waitress walked over to the pair and began chatting with them. But worry lit her face as she noticed the waitress take on an expression of surprise before looking up towards her. Unable to think of what to do, she ducked her head down and covered her hammering heart.
As the waitress came back up the stairs to the gambling mezzanine, Liara watched as she took Garrus his drink, then she walked closer and stopped in front of her with an annoyed expression. "You didn't tell me that SHE was the Spectre here!" snapped the waitress.
"I'm sorry!" apologized Liara as she held her hands together.
Sighing, Rita just handed over the bottle of water and nodded towards the lower floor. "Anyway, she said to feel free to join her when you're done doing whatever it is you're doing up here," said the woman who then walked away.
Liara's eyes were wide open in horror at the realization that Shepard already knew she was there, and in fact, knew that she was hiding up here. Feeling utterly foolish, the asari took the bottle and stood up with a miserable expression before heading to the stairs. After descending, she walked towards the table with her arms crossed over her chest and a disappointed look on her face.
Shepard looked up at her as she approached. "Hey, Liara, fancy meeting you here," she said with a playful grin.
"Hello Shepard…" she said, almost pouting as she sat in the seat that the woman offered her. "I suppose my stealth capabilities need work," said the woman as she opened the water and drank from it.
"You could say that," said the spectre with a chuckle as she turned to Chellick. "This is Inspector Decian Chellick of Citadel Security."
"Good to meet you. Shepard has told me a bit about you," he said as he nodded to her.
Looking at the turian nervously, Liara began to fidget slightly. "Oh really? Honestly, there isn't much to tell," she replied, unsure of what the commander could have told the man.
"Nonsense! We really don't have enough prothean experts on the scene if you ask me. All this technology and we don't know how any of it works," he said as he took a swig of his drink.
Liara looked surprised for a moment before smiling softly. "Thank you! And I agree! So much we still don't know about things that our very lives and livelihoods depend on, but so many people are determined to continue not understanding it!"
"It really is a shame. Imagine if we could break down the technology! We could eventually build our own mass relays," said Shepard herself, which only scored a larger smile from the asari.
The doctor sighed to herself, unable to keep herself from grinning like a fool. "Thank you, Shepard," she said, more to herself than the spectre.
As Garrus walked up to the table, Chellick stood up and gave his former comrade a firm wrist clasp. "Vakarian, you run down old varren! I was wondering where you wandered off to," he said with a jovial tone.
Garrus chuckled and patted the man's wrist. "Oh, you know me Chellick. I couldn't pick up your slack forever. I noticed that the C-Sec Headquarters isn't in flames yet, how are you managing?" he replied, getting a laugh from the turian.
Liara looked between the two, then down to Shepard curiously as the turians talked between themselves. Leaning over to the spectre, Liara whispered loud enough for only her to hear, "Weren't you two on a date? Why spoil it by making us come down instead of telling us to leave?"
Shepard sipped her drink before whisper-yelling back. "Turns out he wasn't interested in a date. Turians do this thing where they have celebrations even after small victories to help invigorate the spirit of the team. Since you and Garrus were part of the team that helped crack his case open, he wanted to meet you," she replied as she leaned back.
"Oh…" said the asari, stunned as she looked down at the table. Inside, she knew that the words gave her some relief, even if she didn't fully understand her feelings yet. Leaning forward again, she hollered back to Shepard. "In that case, would you like to dance?"
Shepard almost choked as she snorted into her drink. Liara sat back in surprise at the reaction but stayed silent as the spectre cleaned herself off with a napkin. "Not enough alcohol in here to get me to dance," she replied with an apologetic smile.
With a challenging grin, the asari called the waitress. "We'll see about that."
Captain's Quarters - SSV Normandy SR1
This was a new feeling and not a pleasant one. Shepard sat up in her bed as her alarm went off, causing her to reach over and violently mash the button to make it shut up. Reaching up, she gripped her head as the realization that alcohol didn't help her nightmares now wore on her. On the upside, the sobering images left her with only a minor headache as she got up.
Immediately, she grabbed her stuff for a shower and headed off to the latrines to wash whatever was left of her night of drinking off. After the quick shower, she headed back to her quarters with stares of amusement following her. Eyeing the crew suspiciously, they all turned away when they realized she was looking at them.
After changing into her regular attire, she headed up to the cockpit to have a word with Joker about their destination when she saw what everyone's stares were for. Seeing a crowd of laughing people surrounding Joker, she approached to find out what the deal was. But as soon as she approached, they all looked up, saw her, then scattered to the winds as if she were some kind of plague.
Watching them in confusion, she turned to the pilot who looked at her innocently as he leaned back in his chair. "Morning Commander. Have a good night?" he asked nonchalantly.
Her eyes narrowed as she stepped up to him with her arms crossed. "Alright Joker, spill it. What the hell is everyone staring at me for?"
Donning a mask of mock surprise, he simply shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about Shepard!"
"Is that right?" she asked threateningly, making his expression change to one of suspicion. "Well, I guess I have no idea how your extranet search history will be posted on the mess hall task board today then," she said with a grin.
This time, his eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't dare…"
"Try me, Moreau," she said as she leaned forward in a standoffish manner.
"Fine, fine! But I'm not a snitch, so you get your own information," he growled as he crossed his own arms.
"On what?" she asked finally.
"There's a video floating around of what it looks like when you dance," he said, his grin returning at the expression of horror on her face. "Really Shepard, you sure you're N7? Because with those moves…"
"Another word and I'll show you my other moves," she said through gritted teeth. Reaching up, the pilot zipped his lip. "Set a course for Thessia. And if I see you showing off that video again, I'll activate the emergency impact procedures the next time you have to use the bathroom."
"Why are you so evil?" he asked in shock as she smirked, then walked away from the pilot. She noticed that the crew made a lot less eye contact now that their big secret was up. Snorting, she headed back to her quarters and activated her terminal. Needing to take her mind off her public humiliation, she opened the Spectre Network and immediately noticed a message waiting for her. Opening it, she was surprised to find out that it was from Zellin, her former spectre overseer.
Shepard, STG is currently detecting heavy geth activity in the Theseus System of the Attican Beta cluster. Was asked to investigate myself, but knew your current task related to geth affiliated with Saren. Alert me if you are unavailable and I will drop in with STG team.
With her eyes wide, she immediately responded. I'll take care of it. Headed there now. Thank you.
As soon as she sent the message, she opened her omni-tool. "Joker, change of plans. We're headed to Theseus in Attican Beta, non-stop. This is mission critical, so no breaks until we get there."
"On it, Commander. Headed to the Serpent Relay now," he replied as the ship began undocking.
CODEX ENTRIES
Galactic Common | Linguistics | NA
Galactic Common was a language founded by the asari and salarians after the turians ended up joining the Council. While translators did fairly well cross species, it was also understood that a common language that any and all were able to read and speak was necessary as translators often had difficulty translating many of the intricacies that came with speaking a language.