A /N: Hey guys!
I do hope you are staying safe in these troubled times. I know that a lot of people are having difficulties. My heart especially goes out to those who might lose a loved one or their employment in these times.
Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately for me, I got employed just as the lock down went into effect in my home country, Denmark. My new job, which is factory work, is evening shifts only. So, I haven't really been able to work a whole lot on this story. Though, as a side effect of this virus, I see a lot of FanFictions that I thought were dead come back to life… So I guess there is a silver lining to all of this.
That being said, I'm not throwing the towel in the ring. Not now, and not ever. I will continue work on this story until it is done and dusted.
But, for now, do enjoy this new chapter. It has been some time in the making, so I hope you guys will enjoy it. I know a few of you have been looking forward to it.
Kind regards
KanisRussell.
15/4/2186
War room, SSV Normandy.
He had finally returned to the Normandy and it was about time too. He hadn't even realized it, but he spent four days reclaiming Omega. A four day successful campaign was not bad by any means, but it all felt like it was done within a day. But at least Kaiden had made sure the Normandy hadn't been sitting around with its thumb jammed up its ass. They had been running errands for Hackett, mostly recusing warships that were trapped deep in enemy territory, and each ship meant their fleet grew just a little bit. It was good work, and the crew said Kaiden had been a good CO in his absence, which was even better. Kaiden had come a long way since he first met him so long ago.
It had also been four days with his armor on, stuck running around in jackboots. So many people were still confused as to why he wore them. They all said they were impractical. Mads agreed, but they were like a symbol to him. Not of tyranny or an authoritarian regime. But of Discipline, honor and tradition. And he'd rather die with them on, than live without them.
So in was in more relaxed clothes he stood in the war room in. The steaming hot coffee in one hand and a burning cigarette in the other as he read over the status reports. Slowly sipping the coffee to avoid burning his lips any more than necessary. He hummed in enjoyment of the nicotine that was suddenly introduced into his body with a drag of the cigarette.
"You sure you don't want to catch some shut eye before briefing Hackett?" Kaiden asked as he came up to Mads.
"No. This is a rather important status update that needs to be said. Besides, there will be plenty of time to sleep afterwards." Mads replied as he took another sip of his coffee.
"Alright, I guess. I'm heading down to the mess to get some food. Let me know if there is anything you need me for." Kaiden said as he left. Mads nodded in understanding as he put down the data pad and prepared himself to go into the comm room. He finished his coffee and the cigarette. As he put out the cigarette in the ashtray, he headed into the comm room.
He called up Admiral Hackett. He was eager to hear what he might have to say. Aria's support would probably help quite a bit, but they shouldn't consider it a permanent alliance. As soon as their common enemy was defeated, it seemed obvious that Aria would probably either pull out… Or attempt something really stupid.
It took a few seconds, but finally the hologram of Hackett appeared in front of Mads. Mads straightened himself out and stood at attention. "Admiral." Mads greeted as he saluted.
"At ease Captain. Nice to see that you are still breathing." Hackett replied.
"It's always a gamble when you fight alongside pirates and mercs." Mads remarked.
"I know. But, to clear your mind; we have already received the first shipment of Eezo of Aria. She has also told us that the first mercs are on their way to fight. All looks like she will keep her side of the promise. I must admit, Captain… I wasn't sure about this deal, but I'm glad I was wrong." Hackett explained.
"I wasn't too sure about it either… But this isn't the time to picky about what allies we can get." Mads replied.
"I know. But it's good to know that it worked out alright… That also brings me to the next point: We still need allies, and lots of them. Mostly ships. The Quarians are willing to talk, and they have the biggest fleet out there." Hackett ordered, and Mads had to make sure he heard him right.
"The Quarians, sir?" Mads asked confused, hoping to God he heard him right.
"Yes Captain. We have been in talks with Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay about a possible alliance between us. But she and the Admiral board are hesitant to commit to anything at the moment. She says they are already fighting their own war against the Geth. However, they are willing to talk, but funny enough… Only with you." Hackett explained and pondered.
"With me?" Mads asked, once again, confused. Why were they insistent on him? He wasn't complaining, he wanted to be there. It was the only chance thus far to reunite with Tali. Maybe he had impressed the Admiral with his actions during Tali's trial? Or maybe Raan had spoken fond of him, she was pretty much family to Tali after all. Mads couldn't be sure.
"Yes Captain. With you. I promised them that you and the Normandy would help them in their struggles. Mostly as a sign of goodwill on our part. It might be enough to tip them in our favor. So, your mission is to link up with the Quarians and do whatever you have to in order to secure an alliance between them and us. Understood?" Hackett asked.
"Of course sir. I'll do my upmost." Mads replied as he once again saluted the Admiral.
"Good. Hackett out." Hackett gave a final nod and he was gone. Mads was nearly bursting with excitement. He almost couldn't believe it. He would see her again. His light. So he wasted no time getting to the CIC where he could plan out a route for the Normandy to the veil where they would meet with the Admirals.
This did make Mads think of what Sergei had told him in the beginning of the war. He had said that the Quarians were gearing up for a full scale war with the Geth by buying weapons from him, but they had actually gone ahead with it? It seemed like suicide. So of course they needed assistance, of which he was happy to give.
This had made his day ten times better, but also expressed a certain feeling of doubt in him. It had, after all, been over six months since he had last seen Tali. There was no telling if the feelings between them was still raging on her side. He hoped, but until he met her there was no reason to be sure.
"Are you excited?" Garrus asked as he turned around to face Mads. They were currently in the forward cannons, simply talking. Mads had been very excited to simply tell someone where they were going. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that few people on board the Normandy actually knew of their relationship.
"Of course I am… I just hope she is as well." Mads expressed his worry.
"I doubt she could find anyone that could even come close to you. I mean, no one is as bat shit crazy as you are." Garrus tried to cheer him up.
"True enough." Mads laughed and it was enough for him to forget about his worries for now. "You think they'll win the war?" Mads asked.
"The Quarians?" Garrus asked back. Mads nodded to clarify. "Depends if they have an ace up their sleeve. Otherwise… Well, I think Kal'Reegar put it best: 'They throw their fleet at the Geth, and the only thing they'll get in return is scrap metal.'. That's my two cents on it anyhow." Garrus replied.
"Let us hope we can turn the tide then… Unlikely as it may be." Mads remarked.
"Don't worry, we will. We have already killed a Reaper, stopped Cerberus dead in their tracks several times, saved the Citadel for a second time… And well, you got Omega's pirates and Mercs to ally with you. I'd say you stand the best chance out of all." Garrus encouraged him.
"We stand the best chance. Not me. I couldn't do this alone." Mads replied rather depressingly.
"I think you fail to understand your own part in this, Captain. If it wasn't for you, none of this would even be possible. Without you… Well, I would say we would already be dead in the water. But thanks to you, we actually have a chance." Garrus said.
"Don't put me on a pedestal, Garrus. I'm no better than any other General or Admiral fighting in this war." Mads tried to steer him away from that. He didn't feel like he deserved the honor the others seemed to place on him.
"I'm not gonna argue with you on whether you deserve praise or not. But without your insane ass leading us, there wouldn't even be a war. Just a slaughter. I just hope Tali's presence will make you stop being so depressed all the time." Garrus hoped. He wanted to help the Captain as much as possible, but sometimes that was like fighting an uphill battle.
"Me too… Me too." Mads replied. They changed the subject after that. Too touchy to continue on. Instead, Garrus was more than happy to elaborate on the new design idea he had for his sniper rifle. Mads gave his thoughts on what might work, and what definitely wouldn't work. Mads wondered if Garrus had his eyes on anyone yet. Not that he seemed lonely, but maybe he could use someone special to lean on as well. Not that Mads vented those thoughts in front of Garrus, at least not now. There would be a time and a place for it.
Afterlife, Omega.
15/4/2186
"I can't believe you let that son of a bitch walk all over you. You are the goddamn queen of Omega. You should have killed him." Conrad argued. Omega had been tough to reorganize, and they were sill managing as best they could. Gathered within Aria's… 'Office' was, of course, Aria and Rorke, as well as Sheridan and Nyreen.
"I don't give a shit about General Petrovsky. Also, if you were so angry at Romanov's decision to keep him alive, why didn't you just kill him right there and then?" Aria asked back.
"Because I don't want to undermine you. But you're getting soft. You think Romanov is some holier than thou person? The Paragon of virtue or some shit? Well no, did you know he used to do unlicensed fighting back in the day? Killed like eight men." Rorke replied.
"Wait what?" Sheridan asked confused.
"One of my men told me about it after Romanov had left. Apparently he fought in underground clubs back in the day. Hold on..." Rorke called for the man who had told him about it, who came running in just a few seconds. "Rick, tell them what you told me." Rorke demanded.
"About 10 years or so ago, I was in St. Petersburg in Russia. Friend of mine introduced me to the underground fighting club. You know the type, where you can bet on who will win the fight. No rules except no weapons. There was a fighter named Romanov. Had a reputation of being almost unbeatable. Dude had killed like eight humans, a couple of Turians, an Asari and even a goddamn Krogan." Rick explained.
"Romanov did unlicensed fighting?" Nyreen asked.
"Yes he did. Didn't know who he was back then, but I only realized much later who he really was. Saw the fight where he took down the Krogan. Goddamn beautiful it was. The man much have made so much money from all the dumb fucks who betted on the Krogan." Rick laughed.
"How the hell did he defeat a Krogan in hand-to-hand combat?" Sheridan inquired, almost intrigued by it.
"Dude ripped off the Krogan's face plate. It was crazy. Luckily I made some nice money on that fight." Rick replied with a slight chuckle.
"Jesus fucking Christ..." Sheridan remarked.
"You see? What kind of good person does something like that?" Rorke asked.
"What are you trying to prove Conrad?" Nyreen asked.
"I was asking Aria why she chose to listen to Romanov, like he was some sort of expert on morality." Conrad. Nyreen sighed.
"Let it go Conrad." Aria commanded.
"Fine, fine!" He raised his hands slightly in the air to mockingly signal defeat. "But when this is all over, you'll see that I was right." Conrad promised.
The others simply shook their head in disbelief. Leave it to someone like Conrad to never let a grudge go. He had been carrying around the pain for so long, and yet he still wanted to nail someone to the cross to atone for it. Even Aria was beginning to think it was getting the upper hand of him. But Rorke knew that he would, at the very least, keep his promise of not killing Romanov… For now. At least until this war was over.
28/11/2175
Underground fighting club
St. Petersburg, Russia.
Through the dim lights, and the obvious chatter of the spectators, it was rather hard to hear or see the arena, or ring for that matter. The newly employed mercenary known as Rick was looking to spend and maybe earn a little money. He was only in the city for a week, so he would be gone soon. A friend of his had decided to show off this fine little establishment to him. And oh boy was he glad that he did.
"Hey kid, looking to bet some money tonight?" The bookie asked.
"Who is fighting?" Rick asked back.
"A Krogan by the name of Joksar Watack, might know him under the name of 'The Wild beast of Tuchanka'?" The bookie replied.
"Can't say that I do." Rick confessed.
"Oh well… Anyhow, the Krogan will be fighting a human. Man by the name of Mads Romanov. People like to call him the 'Red Eagle'. Should be very interesting." The bookie added.
Rick hummed. "Alright, give me a wager on the Red Eagle." Rick replied. The Bookie smiled and eagerly accepted the money. Probably considering Rick to be a fool, or something like that. Not even 10 minutes after placing a bet, the fight was due to begin. The two contenders entered the makeshift ring.
The Krogan was big. Probably one of the biggest Krogan Rick had ever seen. Scarred and very mean looking. A Krogan who was experienced in fighting and death. The announcer called out the Krogan's name and let the crowd roar wild as the Krogan flexed himself for the entertainment of the crowd. By contrast, the human contender was nowhere near as special. But, for a human, he was pretty well built. Muscular. He was heavily tattooed and had a few scars here and there. Mostly, he kept himself calm as his name was announced. The crowd was too focused on the Krogan to ever think this human had a chance.
And for the first few rounds, it seemed as if all the human could do was dodge the attacks from the Krogan. That, or block them. Every now and then, he managed to land a single hit on the Krogan, but it was nothing that could stop it. In fact, this seemed hopeless. The human might as well just tap out now and save whatever dignity he had left. But he didn't. He kept going. He was learning the Krogan's fighting style. It was subtle, and Rick doubted anyone but himself noticed. But the human threw punches just to see how the Krogan responded.
As the bell was hit again, and the second round could commence, things were instantly ten times more exciting. The human used what he had learned over the previous round. He confused the Krogan, turned his own massive frame against him. As he eluded the Krogan, he gained the power of surprise and mobility. But even then, the Krogan wasn't hard to beat. The Krogan had almost broken the arm of the human, and when the human got away just in time; it earned him a hard kick from the Krogan to the ribs. How he was still drawing breath was a mystery to most of the crowd.
The bell sounded again. A short break before the final round. The Krogan was arrogant, and confident of victory. His smug smile said it all. The human on the other hand, was focused on a single thing; Victory at all costs. He drank his water bottle in one take and instantly he was on his feet again. Awaiting the bell. And the bell rang out again.
The human used all he had learned again, and rushed straight for the Krogan. He dodged the attacks and got down low enough to deliver a solid and firm kick to the Krogan's right kneecap. Enough to shatter it and make the massive creature collapse on the ground. Give the Krogan 10 minutes, and he would be back on his feet, but the human had to intention of doing that. He went over the Krogan, and will all the strength he could muster, he ripped the Krogan's headplate clean off. Exposing the Krogan's brain to the crowd. And then he stepped on it, he jammed his boot in there so hard, the entire thing turned to mush.
The Krogan was dead, and everyone was in awe and disbelief at the same time. He had done something impossible. And Rick had learned a bit of money that day. He didn't know that human, but years later the name would ring a familiar but distant bell in his memory. That human was Mads Romanov.
15/4/2186
Migrant fleet.
Tali'Zorah found herself working hard on her terminal. This war had gone from bad to worse. The idea had sounded so good to the admiralty that they rushed right ahead, and she had helped with getting those weapons for the war. She should have blocked it harder, but it wasn't possible. Now, she simply tried her best to keep as many people as safe as possible.
"Tali?" Raan asked as she came up behind her. Tali quickly turned around to face her.
"Auntie? What's up?" Tali asked back.
"We just talked with Admiral Hackett from the Alliance. He has promised us that the SSV Normandy shall come to our aid." Raan replied.
"The Normandy? With-"
"Yes. He promised Captain Romanov would come. After all you have said about him, and after what we saw at the trial, he seemed like the best chance." Raan explained.
"Really?" Tali voice was weak. She was overflowing with joy at the possibility of seeing him again. She knew that the primary reason that Raan had chosen the Captain was for her sake. And it seemed that Raan had managed to convince the others with the opportunities that getting Captain Romanov on board presented.
"Yes. If anyone can help us bring down that dreadnought, it's the Captain. I am sure of it… And I figured you would appreciate that choice." Raan remarked with a smile under her helmet. Tali jumped up and hugged her tightly.
"Thank you." Tali almost cried. But it also made her a bit sad; she knew that once the Geth were neutralized, she would have to stay with the fleet. She couldn't just go waltzing off with him… Even though she really wanted to.
"No worries Tali. I think this is for the best… But I would advise that you keep your… Affections, well clear of the other Admirals. It could be viewed in the wrong light." Raan advised.
"I know, and I will." Tali promised.
"Good." Raan hugged Tali tightly back.
18/4/2186
SSV Normandy, linking up with Quarian diplomatic ships.
Mads was adjusting the collar on his ceremonial uniform. He made an effort to look as official as possible. He was, after all, representing the entire human race, or at least the Alliance at this meeting. He wondered what the terms would be, if there would even be any terms at all. Joker told him that the Quarians would come aboard shortly, so Mads prepared himself to receive the Admirals.
He decided to wait in the war room. He slowly smoked his cigarette as he eagerly awaited the Quarian admirals to board. His crew was preparing the Normandy for their arrival, and making sure everything was as it should. Finally, they boarded. Mads watched as the Admirals entered. It were the same ones from the Tali's trial. Admiral Raan, Admiral Koris, Admiral Gerrel and Admiral Xen.
"Admirals." Mads greeted with a slight nod of his head. He stood at attention as they entered.
"Captain Romanov, a pleasure to see you again… Though I wish it were under better circumstances…." Admiral Raan replied as they all came down to the center of the room.
"Indeed Admiral. These are… Rather troubled times..." Mads admitted, though he didn't want to sound too depressed at their first meeting. "Anyhow, I had hoped for your support in the fight against the Reapers… but I assume there is something else brewing." Mads didn't want to admit he knew what they were doing, mostly because he wasn't 100 percent sure if he was right or not.
"Right you are. Seventeen days with precision strikes on four Geth systems, the Quarians initiated the war to retake our home world." Han'Gerrel replied, sounding proud of himself.
"Which was a clear violation of our agreement with the council to not provoke the Geth!" Koris fired back, showing that the admiralty board had still not found common ground since last he saw them.
"A treaty violation is nothing compared to recovering our home world and advanced AI technology!" Xen argued.
"You're fighting a war to regain Rannoch?" Mads asked. So this pretty much confirmed what Sergei had told him, or at least thought out loud during their meeting on the citadel.
"Correct Captain. As you know, 300 years ago we lost our home world to our own AI creation… The Geth" Raan answered.
"After we attempted to kill them..." Koris added.
"We didn't attempt to kill them Koris, we tried to deactivate them. By law of ethics, it wasn't murder." Xen tried to clarify.
"Was this really the time to take back the home world? This couldn't come at a worse time." Mads remarked.
"An amble opportunity came up… One we couldn't ignore. We have driven the Geth back to the home system… But then this signal began broadcasting to all Geth system." Han'Gerrel showed what he meant on the terminal.
"Fucking Reapers…." Mads muttered.
"Under Reaper control, the Geth are significantly more advanced and effective, which means our fleet is pinned in the home system. If we are going to win, then-"
"WIN? You insisted on involving the civilian ships, Admiral Gerrel. We need to retreat, or we'll lose the live ships!" Koris ranted, but he had a point. The Quarian fleet might have been huge by galactic standards, but it was still mostly made up of make shift war ships and normal cargo ships converted to their needs. They couldn't survive, let alone win, against the Geth. Which meant alternative ways had to be considered.
"Where is it being broadcasted from?" Mads asked.
"Here-" Han'Gerrel showed a hologram of a Geth Dreadnought. "A Geth Dreadnought. It can outgun anything we got, and it's heavily defended." Admiral Gerrel explained. Mads thought about it for a second as he itched his beard.
"The Normandy's stealth drive should allow me and a small team to get on board and disable the Reaper Command signal, no problem." Mads suggested.
"Yes… That could work. Cutting off the signal should throw the Geth off into complete disarray." Xen thought out loud.
"And while they are confused and in disorder, the civilian fleet can retreat out of a relay. We can look into what to do after that regarding this war." Mads replied.
"Good. Our civilian fleet has seen too much bloodshed and fighting already… But, are you certain you can disable the signal?" Koris asked.
"Pretty sure, Admiral. With the right people, anything is possible. And don't worry, we'll get you and your people out of here safely Admiral." Mads promised.
"Our newest Admiral has also volunteered to offer her technical expertise for the mission." Raan explained as a very familiar figure walked into the war room. One he knew he would bump into sooner or later, but not this quick.. Also, did she call her an Admiral?
"Romanov…." Tali greeted. Mads smiled and gave her a small nod.
"Tali." He greeted back, as to appear professional in front of the other Admirals. "I'll prepare a team to hit that dreadnought as soon as possible." Mads promised.
"Thank you, Captain." Raan replied.
They discussed it a bit further with the admirals, and Mads presented the best plan he could come up with given the circumstances. It was hastily thrown together, but that had been true of most plans he had made over the last three or so years. But, at least that discussion gave him an outline of what he had to do, and what their current Intel on the matter was.
But now, there was another matter to attend to, and that was the Quarian girl walking beside him. They exited the war room together, and went into the briefing room.
"Admiral? Suits you nicely." Mads remarked with a laugh.
"It's mostly a formality. I'm an expert on the Geth after all." She replied. And Mads had no idea how good it felt to hear her voice again. It was unbelievable.
"No one can rob you of that title." Mads said with another slight chuckle. Tali went for the window, and stared out at the distant stares.
"I'm glad you're here." She admitted. Mads leaned against the glass wall of the briefing room.
"Why didn't you contact me? You know I would have come and help you." Mads asked confused.
"Thanks, but I knew you had your own problems… I'm sorry about Earth." She replied.
"So am I..." Mads remarked.
"We got the largest fleet in the galaxy. If you can help us, then we can hit the Reapers with everything we got…. Or however much is left after this stupid war…" Tali explained.
"I thought you were in favor of the invasion?" Mads asked curiously, as well as confused. Tali had always spoken of her desire to return to Rannoch. When he first met her, she was hell-bent on destroying the Geth in any way possible… But her words gave off a different tone this time.
"No… After talking to Legion I thought-… Maybe there was a chance for peace between us." Tali informed him. That's odd, Mads didn't remember those two seeing eye-to-eye on most things.
"So why are you in the front seat? Helping out?" Mads asked.
"I'm an Admiral, Romanov. People look to me for guidance. Public disagreement would divide the fleet and hurt us even more in the long run." Tali answered.
"That's fair, but what about us? Would we divide the fleet?" Mads asked, he wasn't sure if this was the time or place, but he felt like he had to ask it.
"Well, no or… erh-…. Possibly… I don't know…" Tali was showcasing her nervous body language once again, just like all their encountered before. It was weird just how easy she was to read for him after all this time. "But right now I have civilian ships taking fire… So, erh-… Could we… Keep it quiet? At least in front of the Admirals? Please?" She requested.
"Of course… Miss Vas Normandy." Mads agreed. "But how about we head up to my cabin and discuss this… Erh, Plan in detail?" Mads suggested with a blink.
"Yes, I would like that." Tali replied.
"Then follow me… Admiral Tali'Zorah." Mads said as he gestured for her to follow him.
"Just for the record: It was still totally worth it." She remarked, and Mads laughed audible at that. It was good to know that she at least still felt the same, even if the fleet came in the way. But that was understandable. Her loyalty should be to her people… And deep down, he knew she would be safer on Rannoch than on the Normandy.
Still, as they entered his cabin, she wasted no time showing just how much she had missed him. She dropped her visor and lunged at him and locked him tight in a kiss. She jumped in his arms, meaning he had to carry her all of a sudden, something he wasn't prepared for. He stumbled backwards with her in his arms, still locked in a kiss with Tali's tongue invading his mouth. He stumbled backwards until they both fell on the bed, but that wasn't enough to break the kiss. They stayed like that for what felt like hours, but even then it didn't feel long enough when they both finally broke for air.
"So I suppose that means you are still interested in me?" Mads asked with a laugh.
"Yes, a thousand times yes." She replied before going back in for round two. Once again kissing the living hell out of him. Mads didn't care for anything else in that moment, and he was pretty sure the same could be said for Tali. All of a sudden, it felt like that aching feeling in his heart simply… Vanished. Her very presence calmed him, and took his mind off everything else. When he was like this, they were no other people in the galaxy, only him and her.
"Jesus Christ. You kiss me any longer than that, and you'll suffocate me." Mads remarked as they broke for air once more.
"I'm sorry…. you just have no idea how long I have wanted to do this." Tali answered with a smile.
"Lucky for you, I feel just the same." Mads said with a smirk as he pulled her into another kiss, only this one wasn't as long. But it didn't stop there. They had six months of no contact to make up for, and they only had a few hours to a day before the Normandy reached the home system of the Quarians and they had to get back to duty. So, absolute bliss followed, or perhaps rough and filthy sex… Depending on who you ask.
And as such, they both let off some steam and had a wonderful time. Something they both needed very much. They had both been under immense pressure since they last saw each other. So, in that moment it felt like the galaxy was finally throwing him a bone, and letting him get some down time that he could enjoy. Probably the same that could be said for Tali.
They must have enjoyed themselves for hours. They completely lost track of time, it wasn't until late in the evening that they finally had a moment to talk. Mads was lying in the bed, with Tali just besides him. She rested her head on his shoulder. It was too bad that she had to get the suit back on again soon. Which made him wonder if it was possible to install something that could transform his cabin into a clean room for them to use on command. It probably was. In fact, it was probably just a matter of finding someone who could get it done.
"So, how have you been Tali? I haven't expected you to become an Admiral." Mads remarked to break the silence. He slid his arm over her. She looked at him.
"To be honest… I'm not too great… Seventeen million lives are riding on my choices…" She replied, her voice meek as she said so. Mads slowly kissed the top of her head to let her know he was there for her.
"I know how that feels Tali, believe me. But obviously you are doing something right. I would assume they didn't make you an Admiral for nothing." Mads tried to reassure her.
"Like I said before, it's mostly a formality… But I thought of you… I know you would try and help as much as possible. It gave me strength knowing you were still out there somewhere… But even then, it often feels like I'm bluffing… Trying to convince them that the Admiral's daughter knows what she is talking about." Tali said, once again unsure of herself.
"You are an Admiral Tali. You do what you have to. You do what you feel is right. Your voice is important, and I believe in you, as much as ever." Mads told her, making sure she got every word. "And you might as well start believing that, because it's God's honest truth." Mads added, earning him a small smile from her.
"Thank you." She whispered, and Mads gave her another small kiss. "I wish we could stay like this… Forever… Being together, it grants my heart peace… But once this is over, I still have my commitments to the fleet..." She informed him, and Mads knew it well before she told him. He had figured as much.
"I approve." Mads replied, and she looked up at him with a confused look. "Tali, I love you. You are my сла́дкая… But I think we can both agree that the Normandy is the ship seeing the most active combat nowadays… And if there is one thing I would dread more than being away from you… It's you dead in a ditch…." Mads clarified, Tali's eyes began to slightly water a bit. "I know you will be safe on Rannoch… And that will be enough to calm my heart." Mads added-
"It's probably for the best… Why did we have to meet under these circumstances? I wish we could wind back time…" Tali thought out loud.
"Me too… But unfortunately not… I hope we win this… So I can finally be with you without restrictions…." Mads agreed. "Oh, and you said that you spoke with Legion? What have you heard?" Mad asked.
"Not much I'm afraid… I kept in contact as much as I could after you turned yourself over to the Alliance. I turned to make amends. After talking with it… I realized that Peace might be an option, that the Geth might just accept us back if we could behave ourselves… I even slightly warned it of the rising tension in the fleet… Last I heard, it said that the Geth were still building consensus… And then I lost contact. I have no idea what Legion has been up to since…" Tali answered.
"Then I hope we can end this peacefully… Somehow… I don't know how." Mads admitted.
"If there is way, then you will find it. You have proven this point several times." Tali replied. "By the way… I heard about the leak… I'm sorry..." Tali said.
"Me too… But, maybe this was how it had to be. I was stupid to think I could keep a tight lid on something like that..." Mads admitted, and he frequently thought about how he ever thought he could keep such a big thing secret. It was stupid and ill advised.
"Maybe this will be a turning point for you. You can finally accept what has happened, and not bury it. Be the person you were meant to be." Tali suggested.
"You're probably right… It's just hard… I spend so many years hiding, and all of a sudden I don't have to hide anymore… But-… I'll try." Mads promised, and Tali quickly gave him another kiss.
"And you will succeed. I know you will." She encouraged him and he smiled.
"Thank you." He said as he pulled her tighter to himself.
"What else have you been up to? I read something about curing Genophage?" Tali asked, mostly to change the subject a bit.
"More like Mordin cured the Genophage… Poor bastard gave his life to do that…" Mads replied.
"Mordin is dead?" Tali asked in shock, she hadn't heard.
"Yes… He sacrificed himself to make sure every Krogan got the cure… That man was a hell of a lot braver than I ever was… But, I suppose that was always his calling: Helping others." Mas replied sorrowfully.
"Poor Mordin…" Tali remarked, a small tear escaping her tear.
"I don't think Mordin would want you to cry on his behalf. The man was former STG, he knew the risks. I can only hope to match his bravery." Mad s replied.
"I would rather hope you don't join him in heaven." Tali wished. She didn't want to lose Mads, at least not so soon.
"Thane kicked the bucket as well. He saved the Salarian councilor's life before being killed by a Cerberus assassin." Mads told her. She deserved to know, in his mind at least.
"Thane? By the ancestors..." Tali replied. "Despite his sickness, he-… He always seemed immortal. Like nothing could ever hurt him… You know, he once told me that he remembers everything he has ever done… Every mistake, every sin… Who could he live with that?" Tali asked curiously.
"I think the good outweighed the bad for him. If there was one thing he cared about, it was his son. Even if he appeared as cold and distant, he loved his son to hell and back. That's what a real father should… And I'm damn proud of him… Even in his final moments, he didn't think for himself. Did you know that he prayed for me, and not himself? Thane might have been an Assassin, but he was more honorable than even the most noblest of knights." Mads explained.
"He did? He always struck me as odd… But then again, so did you." Tali replied, wiping the tears from her cheek.
"But it's not all bad news… Garrus, Kaiden, Kaminski and Riesman are all back." Mads tried to steer the conversation from becoming too dark.
"Really? That's wonderful news!" Tali proclaimed.
"It sure is, alongside some new team members… James, Cortez and Shepard." Mads agreed.
"Who are they?" Tali asked, genuinely curious.
"James is a marine. A bit of a hot head, but on the bottom line he is okay… He's got some dark history, but then again… Don't we all? Cortez is one of the best shuttle pilots I have ever met. Loyal and a good man. I respect him. I used to serve with Shepard way back when… She was a good soldier back then, and apparently she still is. She and Kaiden are together." Mads replied. Tali was getting a bit jealous, but that was diminished as he told her that she was in love with Kaiden.
"It's good to hear you are still recruiting reliable people." Tali said, snuggling in tighter against Mads' shoulder.
"Well, as Adams used to say: 'You sure know how to pick 'em.'" Mads laughed. Engineer Adams had said that back when he told him about Tali. "Oh, that reminds me: Adams is back and is as good as ever. You should say hi before you leave." Mads advised.
"I will." Tali said as she went up for another kiss. "But now I have to get back in the suit… It's so annoying… I really enjoy being out of it." Tali remarked.
"Well, when I get the time… I'll look into getting a sterilization unit for this cabin so you don't have to in and out of all the time." Mads promised
"Really?" She asked excitedly.
"Of course… If it is possible." Mads replied with a smile. She once again threw herself into his arms to kiss him again. She sure did enjoy the kissing thing.
19/4/2186
SSV Normandy, Quarian home system.
The Normandy came out of FTL and into a literal war zone. Quarians were desperately fighting for survival, and they Geth were trying to gain space superiority. Mads stood by Joker's side, where they could see it all happening on the big screens. It was mindless slaughter. While the Quarians had been successful in the beginning, due to a new invention that basically paralyzed the Geth, they had been able to gain huge victories. But now, they were on the receiving end of the Geth military might. The Geth had never been bound by council treaties or restrictions, so their fleet was massive. It could probably rival the Turians if given a few more years.
Joker got eyes on the dreadnought that was the cause of the recent Geth victories. It was floating still in space. Just there, like a stronghold. It would blow apart any vessel foolish enough to attack or approach it. A mighty ship, and Mads was going to blow it all up. He was going to help the Quarians in whatever way he could. He needed them to win, so he would be sure that Tali was safe… And their help in the Reaper war didn't sound like a bad outcome either.
"Stealth drive is active. Only way they'll see us coming is if you start singing the Russian national anthem." Joker smiled, but never took his eyes of the controls.
"Don't tempt me." Mads replied, trying to hold in the small chuckle he wanted to let out. Tali laughed a bit as well. Edi informed them that she had access to their docking protocols.
Mads gestured for Tali and Garrus to follow him. He had decided to stick with only two other squad members on this mission. It seemed impractical to bring along an entire firing team, as this mission was bound to get hairy in all the wrong ways. "Okay, as soon as we board we'll find whatever is broadcasting that damn Reaper signal and shut it down. Tali is, of course, our expert on Geth software, so she'll be handling all that stuff." Mads explained.
"It's nice to have you back again Tali. Finally someone can keep Romanov in line." Garrus joked, Mads looked disappointingly at him. "And who knows? With another dextro on board, maybe they'll finally get better food for us." Garrus hoped.
"Hey you prick! Who do you think buys dextro food for the Normandy? It sure as shit doesn't come out of the Alliance's budget." Mads replied.
"See?" Garrus asked and Tali laughed.
"Romanov, there is a problem. All tubes expect one are physically sealed." Edi said over the intercomm.
"I see the free one… It's pretty torn up though." Joker added. Mads looked around the room for a second, coming up with a new plan.
"That's too risky for all three of us..." Mads remarked. "I'll go over and secure the area. Then I'll open up another docking port." Mads decided.
"Copy that Captain… We'll just stay here, you know… Quietly." Joker replied. Mads gave the other two a nod and went off into the docking tube. And Joker hadn't been wrong. It was torn to shreds, nothing but the skeleton of the structure remained. Mads had to navigate his way across, and hoping that no repair drone came knocking. Mads looked over at the hull of the dreadnought, and it was massive. He pondered on how much naval power they really had. If the Geth had focused on building big and powerful ships, or something else.
But his thinking was cut short by something else. The sight of Rannoch. He had only seen it on pictures, as most organics in this lifetime had, but seeing it in all its glory? It was different. It almost rivaled Earth in beauty… Not quite, but close. "Well, I never knew Rannoch was such eye candy. It's almost as good looking as Earth." Mads remarked over the comms.
"So it's better than a vid?" Tali asked.
"Oh, it's much better. I think you'll like the view." Mads replied as he continued to move forward. Mads pondered on how much he hated Space. He had died in it once, and even now he was still doing mission in the vacuum. Tali asked him if he was okay, and he felt he had to respond positively.
"Hey Captain. Just take your time and take in the view. We're fine… until they look out of a window." Joker advised.
"But Geth don't use windows, remember? They are a structural weakness, or some shit like that." Mads replied with a slight laugh.
"Oh, but the Geth are just sitting there thinking: 'Those organics would never try the no windows thing twice!'" Joker replied, and Mads once again chuckled.
"I think they might." Mads said as he moved onwards. It only took a few steps more, and he was onboard. And perhaps that was lucky, because as soon as he reached the docking port, the tube disconnected and floating off into space. "Though it looks like the rest of the team isn't using this docking tube." Mads informed them.
"What's the problem Captain? Can't you just solo the dreadnought?" Joker asked.
"Oh I can do anything; the question is if I want to. Buy yourself some time and fly around a bit. I'll try and find another tube in the meantime." Mads replied.
"Copy that Captain." Joker said and flew off with the Normandy.
Several minutes later, he was at another docking port. Tali had been so kind as to guide him there. On the way, he saw what little damage the migrant fleet had done to the dreadnought. A single hole for the price of six frigates. Didn't seem like the best bargain. Mads fiddled with the controls until the docking tube allow Garrus and Tali to enter.
"Nice to you guys could make it." Mads remarked as they climbed up the ladder.
"Thank you for letting us in." Tali responded, and he couldn't for the life of him place that tone.
"Well, I don't really know where I'm supposed to go." Mads admitted.
"Oh, I'm sure I can help with that." She replied as she went forward, Mads followed her. Mads could imagine that Garrus was mentally sighing right about now. He probably had the worst position of them all. And so they all moved forward through the steel corridors. Tali explained that they were heading for the main control room to find the real source. It should be a straight road there, but probably littered with Geth the entire way.
And right they were. They were fighting Geth, again. They had fought many enemies over the years, but Geth seemed to be the most common. It was weird, because Mads used to view them as just enemies. Nothing more and nothing less. They were AI, robots and all that bollocks. But now, after speaking with Legion, he and Tali had a different view of the Geth. It was all… Grey now, not black and white as it used to be.
At least they performed well. They've had a lot of training over the years. They were probably the most skilled Geth killers in the entire galaxy by this point. They didn't fear them, because they weren't an unknown anymore.
In no time at all, they got the operation center, where Tali quickly found the source they were looking for. It came from the drive core, but getting was another matter entirely. The Geth had sealed most of the ship. Mads suggested using the main battery. Tali then focused on how to get them there. So far, this mission was turning out to be something else. The amount of stress that was involved in this was serious… But, he had been under stress before. He would finish this like he finished all the other missions.
"We shouldn't be far off. We better hurry it up." Mads remarked as he began to hack open the door. He blessed the Alliance engineers for cooking up a program that did it automatically. He was useless if he had to do it himself.
"I appreciate what you are doing here, Romanov." Tali said, in an unusually soft tone.
"Well I sympathize a lot with the Quarians, and care deeply for them." Mads replied with a smile.
"It's good to be back on the Normandy." Tali remarked.
"Just let me know if it's too quiet for you to sleep. I'm sure I can find a good solution." Mads cheekily replied. Referring to their earlier discussing on that topic… Among other things. She hummed in response.
"Erh… Listen, I'm right here." Garrus interrupted them. "I was there when you got together, and I would really like if you two just got a room and sorted it out." Garrus added.
"Oh, it's already sorted out." Mads replied as they entered the next room. Garrus probably wanted to facepalm himself. They realized they had to get down, and that involved a lot of sliding down ladders. As they were descending down the dark hole, Tali said that Admiral Koris' ship had been shot down. Which was worrying. He was one of the few to push for some sort of peace. Without him, it would be hard to safe the Quarians. But, that was a matter he couldn't deal with right now. Mds reassured Admiral Raan that he would do his upmost in getting the signal shut off and saving the Heavy fleet.
Next, they got to the main battery… Which was the next big challenge.
Between dodging bullets and avoided the giant pulse beam that seemed to come every five seconds or so, they were doing pretty well. Mads had just saved them from getting turned into dust in the main firing chamber. It had been a close call, at least for him. He made it out in mere seconds before the thing locked itself in place and fired. But, with that sorted, they could move on.
They made a final push towards the end where they could get out of this dreaded battery. But, as it would seem, it was out of the frying pan and into the fire. The lift seemed sturdy enough to get them up, but one shouldn't take things at face value… Especially if a Geth rocket trooper fires his rocket at the lift. Garrus and Tali had gotten off fast, but Mads had chosen to stand on the other side of the lift… Which meant he had to run for dear life to not fall to his death. He was caught by Tali's hand, and she pulled him up.
"Fuck me… Goddamn…" Mads said as he took a moment to collect his breath. "I'm alright." He assured them as he stood up.
"I thought I had lost you..." Tali said as she too had to catch her breath. She sounded so worried.
"Oh? You were worried?" Mads teased her.
"Of course I was! Think of my reputation! You dying because the Geth overrode my hack?" She replied and Mads laughed as they moved on. From here, the drive core was only a short hike away. They didn't run into any Geth on their way, which was a plus in Mads' book. He wondered what was transmitting the signal, if it was the Drive core itself, or something else.
He got his answer soon enough, and he was very surprised by what he saw. They opened the shields and discovered something they hadn't expected.
"Romanov-Captain, help us!" Legion requested. He was strung up, fed by many tubes. Mads was dumbfounded in that moment. Speechless as he watched.
"Legion?" Mads asked to be sure.
"Don't worry Legion.. We'll have you out of there in no time." Garrus reassured Legion.
"Romanov! Wait!" Tali stopped Mads from doing anything on the console. "The Geth are being controlled by the Reaper signal. Which is broadcasted from here. So for all we know, Legion is with them… Maybe it sided with the Reapers willingly… Or maybe it was hacked." Tali explained, trying to be cautious.
"You might be right..." Mads replied as he looked up at Legion. He wasn't sure what to do.
"Romanov-Captain! Wait! We can assist you! You spoke with us. You know we would never submit to Reaper control voluntarily." Legion reminded him.
"How can I be sure?" Mads asked cautiously. He knew Legion, but he wasn't sure if this thing really was Legion or not.
"Our architecture prevents it. We are too complex. We are, however, being used by the Reapers to broadcast the signal to all Geth." Legion explained.
"The signal which I aim to destroy." Mads said.
"Freeing us with disable the signal. You can then disable us if you deem it necessary." Legion replied. Mads decided to trust Legion on his word.
"Alright… No one is going to get disabled…. Just… Take it easy, alright?" Mads asked.
Before Mads could take off any shackles, Legion told him to be careful. Hardware blocks was keeping Legion in place. And so, another task laid before them. As they were making their way towards the hardware blocks, Mads asked Legion about how this could have happened. Legion provided an explanation that no Quarian would ever want to hear. The Quarians attacked, and the Geth decided to follow the code of; The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Which was a bad decision, but perhaps understandable under a certain light.
After more brutal fighting with the Geth, they finally managed to free Legion. Who, as a sign of goodwill, decided to disable the entire dreadnought. It was a nice gesture, but unfortunately it meant that Han'Gerrel saw an opening and an opportunity. The entire heavy fleet began bombing the Dreadnought back to the Stone Age, which meant they had to rush their way to find some sort of escape vehicle. Luckily, they had Legion with them.
Before long, they were in a Geth fighter and out of the Dreadnought. It was a close brush with death, like so many times before… Now, it was over right? The Signal had been stopped, and in turn this war could either be won or abandoned without much more effort….
Only things were never that simple… Never.