Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, Lazerus Station

She bounced a bit on her toes. Normally for quarians it signifies excitement. Which it did now. Mostly. It also bled off some nervous energy that would have gone to her wringing her hands, which she couldn't do, because she was holding a reinforced grey case.

It wasn't the case itself that was important, of course, but what it carried. Which was Xera's new suit. Well...most of one. Both arms had to be replaced, a section of the upper right shoulder, and right leg. And a new helmet. Her previous one was unsalvageable. Her realk, though, managed to survive with just some minor burns and holes. Easy to repair.

At first Tali was mildly shocked at how fast the Suit Maker Guild was able to make replacements for Xera. It wasn't as if you could just grab one off the shelf like most species could. Each suit had to be tailored to the specific individual. Seeing as how the quarian would be wearing it their entire life, the fit, as well as peripherals, needed to be perfect.

Then, of course, the Guild had recently done repairs after the incident on Freedom's Progress, so they still had her data, along with the fact they could actually bring the suit to them while Xera was recovering.

And they had been so mad. The Guild master herself summoned Tali to speak with her, which, honestly, was more frightening than standing at the trial.

Jazzra'Xen was one of the oldest living quarians, and one of the only three left alive from before the fall. She was taller than the standard quarians now, something she attributed to the living conditions aboard the Fleet. According to her, quarians were more or less standardized to conserve resources, though Tali wasn't sure if she quite believed that.

"How long will it be until she breaks this one?" The old woman growled. "Maybe we should add some layers? So that the geth have to burn through more of our limited stock? Keelah, I'm half tempted to armor it to the point the little bosh'tet can barely move!"

"I'm sorry, Master," Tali bowed her head. "She was injured saving me. If I had led the team better, this never would have happened."

"Ugh," Jazzra threw up her hands as she dropped from the aggressive stance she had taken, straight down to a large floor cushion, with her legs crossed in front of her. "I swear. You quarians nowadays are so damn sensitive."

Tali shared a confused glance with John, her hands began to do the thing they always did.
"I..I'm sorry, Master...I…"

"Oh shut it," Jazzra waved a hand out of irritation. "The suit parts are almost done. The main work of the suit was intact, so it was just patching it, and replacing sleeves and leg. Except for the helmet. I don't want to know what hit her hard enough to do that kind of damage. And seeing as how Xera survived that...well, I don't want to get her angry at me!"

Again, Tali glanced at John, unsure of how to react. The Guild people that she had worked with for her own suit had all been far more stoic. The seemed to taked their jobs as seriously as she had seen other species take a religion.

John, of course, was no help. Not that she was sure what she expected, but it wasn't for him to laugh along with the woman. Which, of course, drew Jazzra's attention.

"Ooohhhh, yes…." Jazzra stood up in one fluid motion and approached John, looking him over slowly. When she stood right next to the human, Tali was shocked to realize that Jazzra was only a couple of inches shorter than John was. "Human. Your armor has seen better days. Looks like it was crap to start with though. Somebody badly modify it from something else?"

"Oh," John nodded, seemingly impressed. "Yeah. My previous suit was unsalvageable, but I was coming to the Fleet and wasn't sure what to expect. So my back up armorer," John held up a hand to forestall the obvious questions. "Long story, but he modified up a spare Cerberus set. It's not meant to last long, just long enough."

"Hnh," Jazzra nodded as she walked around John, giving him a good look. Even leaning in so close to his face her visor almost touched his. "For a rush job, I've seen worse. Held up enough to take care of the geth on the Alarei. But I'm impressed with your size. All humans like you?"

"Not really," John shrugged. "I'm just above average height and weight. My sister-"

"Oh, I know your sister," Jazzra snorted as she stepped back and crossed her arms. "I was the one that had to figure out how to adapt out suits to fit her weird little toes and fingers. She a bit of a bosh'tet, but I kinda liked that about her. She didn't put up with crap. And I rapidly get tired of people trying to...what was the term she used...Ah! 'Kiss my ass'."

"I noticed the ones we met on the way in here seemed...stoic," John said diplomatically.

"Right, they all have sticks up their collective asses," Jazzra shrugged as she walked back to her cushion. "But I called you here because I wanted to meet you for myself, after watching your little...defense. And I needed to verify what I thought I saw."

"And...what is that, Master?" Tali swallowed. Jazzra had a lot of political power, both as a revered elder, as well as being Master of the Guild. If something had upset her, she could make things worse than if Tali had actually gotten exiled.

"You're bonded," Jazzra said matter-of-factly as she sat back down and leaned on a box by her side. "I've never seen it with another species, so I didn't think it was possible. But here you two are. It's going to be a hell of a storm when it gets out. I'm kinda looking forward to it!"

"You...you approve?" Tali demanded. That was the thing she expected least from the elder. She had assumed she would be upset, or angry like her Aunty Shala had been.

Jazzra's demeanor softened as she looked back at the younger quarian. "Of course, dear. The Bond is not something just given. It has to be earned. You have to share it. Accept it. And he has to want it in return. Since being in exile our people have changed so much." The guild master shook her head sadly before taking a deep breath and clapping her hands together. "Enough, you are bonded. That is enough to warm my ancient shriveled little heart."

John looked confused as he frowned. "Ancient? You don't seem that old…"

He probably intended to say more, but Zazzra had already lept to her feet, crossed the room and pulled him into a crushing hug.

"I give, I give!" John gasped as he slapped at the older quarian's arms.

"Oh, sorry," Jazzra chuckled, stepping back. "You're a nice kid to say that. I'm used to the others treating me like I was made of glass."

"Really?" John panted slightly, trying to catch the breath Jazzra had crushed out of him. "You don't seem that way to me."

"Hmm," Jazzra tapped her helmet's indicator as her eyes narrowed. "How long do you think quarians live?"

"Uh…" John blinked, caught off guard by the question. "Roughly as long as humans? So...with current medical tech and gene therapy, the oldest human I am aware of is one hundred and eighty?"

With a nod, Jazzra shrugged. "I'm three hundred and twelve."

"I...what?" John looked understandably confused.

"You aren't wrong, though. The average life expectancy is about the same for quarians as it is for humans. Now," Jazzra sighed. "With our immune systems, the natural dangers of living on ships that constantly travel through space. The other side effect of living in space like radiation and such...our life spans are dramatically reduced. Before the war, counting in the advances of gene therapy and such, we would fairly regularly hit upper four hundreds. The oldest I know of with a real record was five hundred and seven. But, again, that was counting being on Rannoch itself and having the same medical technology as the rest of Citadel space."

"So...you were alive when-"

"Yes. And enough," Jazzra cut John off. "If you want details, ask Tali. Or Xera. Xera knows more about quarians than pretty much anybody else I know of. Medically. And speaking of," Jazzra picked up a heavy grey case, passing it to John. "Xera's suit. Daro asked me, personally, to rush it, and I always enjoy having a favor owed from my clanswomen."

"Decontamination complete," the VI chimed., Pulling Tali's attention back to now.

"Xera?" Tali called out. "I'm going to put the case down here so you can get it."

"Hang on!" her massan called back. "You went through the whole cycle just to drop it off? It's just going to have to cycle again for me to get it."

"I...yes," Tali hung her head. "I spaced out for a moment."

"Ha! You are still a moron," Xera laughed. "Might as well come in. You can help me put it on. And check out my wicked new scars. I hear chicks dig scars!"

"Chicks? My translator didn't get that."

"Oh, human slang for prospective females, I think? Not sure I used it right. I had a lot of free time so I watched a bunch of human vids."

"Oh, I-" Tali started to speak when to door opened, revealing Xera. She stood next to a medical bed, leaning her hip against it. Her legs crossed at the ankles as her arms crossed under her breasts. It was clear that she had set up the pose for maximum effect, though some of it was taken away by her deep blush.

"Well? What do you think of the new and improved me?" Xera laughed as she stood and spun. "Check it out! A naked quarian female! Wanna take some images?"

"I..no, Xera...you look…" Tali honestly couldn't find words. She just stood and stared. Beyond the fact that Xera was standing there without a suit, the scars that covered her body drove almost all though from Tali's mind.

Xera's left hand, right arm were clearly fully cybernetic now, but not the way her arm had been before. The limbs now seemed almost organic in movement. Her upper right thigh and hip had some noticeable burns, along with the marks of surgery that marked large sections of her body.

And Xera's face. The right side of her face was as stunning and beautiful as when Tali had seen it after Freedom's Progress. But now, the left side had a large thick scar the ran from the top of her now shaved head, all the way down the face and neck, ending just above the collar bone. A similar, but smaller scar crossed from the left corner of her mouth to halfway across her cheek. And when she smiled, the glint of silver showed the replacements for the fangs on that side of her mouth.

Slowly, Xera's smile faded, as she looked at the ground. "That...that bad, huh. Kinda...kinda thought so…"

Tali's massan. Her best friend. Her sister in all but blood, broke. The cheerful facade she had put up shattered as she fell bonelessly to her knees, tears streaming down her face as her body was wracked by sobs.

All Tali could do was go to her. She gathered up the pieces of Xera'Raan and pulled them to her. All she could do was cling to her friend. Tali said no words. There were no words.

"Why?" Xera demanded, grabbing a hold of Tali's realk. "Why did you let them...Why couldn't you just let me die! Why did you do this to me?! I love you so much! I was almost free! My soul can't touch yours anymore! Why couldn't you just let me die?!"

John, Lazarus Station

"Commander," Edi commed in on a private channel. "There is a problem that I am not sure what to do about."

With a small frown, John excused himself from the story Zaeed and Jacob were telling and moved to a nearby room. "What's the issue?"

"Xera'Raan is having...difficulties," Edi sounded uneasy.

"Is it a reaction?" John stood as if he could go and do something. But then a wave of sorrow washed over him. It was as if somebody had gripped his heart with a hand made of ice. His hands managed to grab the nearby table as his legs threatened to buckle underneath him.

"...nder? Commander Shepard?" an alarmed Edi sounded in his head. "I am calling medical to-"

"No!" John choked out as he slowly stood. "I'm...I'm fine. It's fine. I was just...surprised."

"As you say, Commander," Edi didn't sound convinced. "However I find the chances of what happened to you and Xera'Raan's breakdown to be more than a coincidence."

"Break down?" John asked, wiping the tears from his face. "I think I felt Tali's...I don't know, sadness is too small a word."

"Yes," Edi acknowledged. "Xera'Raan is showing a mental break upon being seen by Tali'Zorah. She...claims to have prefered...death."

Looking at the floor, John ran his fingers over the remnants of the scars on his face. "Without giving me specifics, what was done to Xera?"

"Xera'Raan has several organs replaced with cybernetics, in addition to her left hand and right arm. Extensive sections of her skeleton has been reinforced or replaced, similar, but not as extensively as yours. Her muscles and skin have been nano-surgicaly reinforced as well," Edi listed off. "Her system shows no sign of rejection, most likely to do with the nature of the replacements. However, do to the inherent difference in your species, and the urgency needed to keep her alive, there is extensive scarring over two thirds of her body."

"And she didn't have to hit the ground running like I did. She had time to think about the changes," John sighed as he struggled to support Tali's emotions without letting them overwhelm him again. "There is nothing we can do for the moment. Unless there is a medical emergency, or if you think she might pose a danger to herself or Tali, let Tali handle it as best she can. Maybe inform Chambers. She's what we have for mental care right now, until we can get her back to the Fleet."

"Yes, Commander. Logging you out."

Ashley Williams, Horizon

"So, we have the towers all established," Kelly skimmed over her datapad. "The power lines are all run, and linked."

"Okay," Ashley frowned. "They why aren't they working?"

"Pff," Kelly shrugged, dropping the pad to the table, on top of the other half dozen that littered Ashley's desk. "No idea. And I'm not even being an ass about it. Techs are looking for the problem. They think there is something wrong with the targeting algorithms, so they keep trying to shoot themselves? Yeah, I have no idea."

Running her hands over her face, Ashley nodded.

"However…." Kelly's face scrunched up a bit as she hesitated to continue. "There might be some sabotage. Can't prove anything, and don't want to point fingers until I do, but…"

"Rico, and the other crazies?" Ash couldn't keep the sneer off her lips.

"My suspicions, yes," Kelly dropped back in her chair.

"Figures...but I hear you are becoming something of a folk hero now," Ash grinned at her cadet. "Saved a kid in a well and everything!"

"Oh, please," Kelly opened one eye to half glare at Ash. "How do you even fall down an empty well? Why do you even have an empty well to fall down?"

"Question for the ages, my blue friend, question for the ages," Ashley paused and pulled a bottle and a pair of shot glasses from one of her desk drawers. "However, I think I have a way we can take some of the stiffness out of the day…."

"Chief!" Kelly gave Ash a look of mock shock. "How could you! I'm only 20! I'm not of legal age! Why, are you trying to get me drunk to take advantage of innocent me?"

"Yeah, you're a Shepard," Ash snorted as she poured out two drinks. "You're also done with your six month assignment. Next week you will be back on Earth for your OCS."

"Suppose that's true," Kelly smiled warmly as she picked up the glass. "To your putting up with yet another Shepard."

"Heh, and to your commision, I think you'll do the Alliance proud," Ash grinned back as she tapped Kelly's glass with her own before they threw back the drink.

Ash shook her head a little and smacked her lips.

Kelly, however, began coughing. And cursing. Kinda at the same time. She said many unlikely things about Ash's parentage and a number of animals. Then, once she was able to breath again, the asari looked at the small glass in horror. "Yeah...smooth…" she rasped hoarsely.

"Yeah, puts hair on your chest," Ash grinned.

"I'm asari, I don't have hair," Kelly wrinkled her nose in disgust. And if you have it on your chest, it would explain why you're still single."

"Oh, ho," Ash raised an eyebrow as she regarded her protege. "Getting feisty now that you are almost out of my command, huh? Want another?"

Kelly looked at Ash with a horrified look on her face as she set her glass on the desk. "Hell yes. Four more of those and I might not mind chest hair."

Laughing, Ash poured another shot that they both hit. This time the kid took it better. Only almost coughing herself to death. "Why Cadet, if I didn't know better, I would say you were flirting with me."

"Gotta live life dangerously," Kelly snickered. "How about we-"

Kelly was cut off as an alarm began sounding across the colony.

Immediately, both women leapt to their feet, thier omnitools coming up.

"Report!" Ash demanded as the pair half ran out of her office.

"Alien ship! Unknown design!" the officer on watch called back. "It's releasing some sort of...cloud? No...wait...a swarm of something! And aliens! Insect like, four eyes I,*hrk*"

"Hello? What's happening?" Ash switched to the broad comm. "I need reports!"

"Aliens coming in!" "Focusing on civilian sectors!" "Armory opening now!"

Several voices reported back amongst the chaos. "Fuck," Ash spat as she skidded to a stop. "Kelly, go to the town. Take anybody you come across with you and get those people to the shelters. I'll rally the troops here and try to get you more time."

To her credit, Kelly only hesitated for a moment before nodding and spinning around. "On it Chief!"

"Way to end a fucking day," Ash grunted as she redoubled her run to the armory. "Actually consider banging the asari who is your damn cadet, and happens to be the sister of the man you were in love with, then get cosmically punished by an alien menace from beyond space and time. With Tali were here. I could use an Evil Overlord about now…."

Quarian Lexicon

Realk: Cloth covering used by the quarians. It is used to describe not just the hood seen on most but any material adornment.

Massan: Quarian equivalent to a best friend and confidant. As close as one can get without being on a life path. The paths of friendship can share similar paths as those of mating, and at times, they can blur or even switch, before the end.

AN: So, little bit of random quarian biology stuff I'm running with. I've gotten some good ideas from some of you awesome people, so now I know where I'm going to take it without it getting too weird.