Tali'Zorah vas Normandy

She sat at the ship's main mess table and stared at her food. Like almost all her meals, it was a variation of food paste in a tube. This one was one of her favorites. A spicy blend that really tantalized the senses. Xera just cried, clawed at her helmet before finally curling into a little ball, whimpering, the one time she had tried it. And that was a mild one, for children. The next day she had glared hatefully at Tali and walked a little odd.

John always made sure to stock up on food and drink tubes when they stopped at a place that had a decent marketplace. He was very thoughtful that way. Drinks too. There was a nice selection of turian ales and wines. And some sort of flavored waters? Juices? She honestly wasn't sure. It wasn't something she had ever really had to deal with.

At the moment, however, she just say, spinning the cooling food tube on top of the table. It would spin around, and around, slowly losing speed, then she would repeat the process.

There was somebody there.

A two foot by two foot box, maybe a foot deep dropped on the table across from Tali, and nearly scared her out of her suit.

"You've been at that for nearly ten minutes," Xera said as she sat in a seat opposite Tali.

"I have?" Tali blinked and glanced at the chrono in her HUD. "Keelah…." she groaned quietly and placed her visor in her hands.

"I got tired of watching you from the med bay, and since I have this portable scanner, I don't need to stay in there to do my work," Xera gestured to the large box. Now that Tali was paying attention, she noticed the various lights and readouts on the grey exterior.

"What is it?" Tali tilted her head slightly, as she eyed the device.

"DNA scanner," Xera shrugged. "I'm running several samples against species baselines and looking for common codes. Mitochondrial is the focus right now. Humans work in an interesting way. And...you won't care."

"Sorry," Tali shrugged. "It's kinda like my trying to explain to you an engine diagnostic, probably."

Shifting the box to one side a bit, Xera picked up Tali's food and drink tubes, rolling them around in her hands. "Okay, you might find it interesting, and it might distract you some so…." Xera tilted her head in thought as she withdrew a food tube from one of her pockets and began to juggle them.

"Okay," Xera nodded, keeping her eyes on the tubes. "Miranda Lawson is a genetically created human, so she is far from the baseline, right?"

"Yes," Tali nodded cautiously.

"Right now, I am running a scan on her DNA and comparing it to standard human DNA. I am looking for markers that differentiate her, specifically, and how they interact with DNA from other species. Like, what kind of reactions would occur with her specialized DNA when it encounters, say, Dectro aminos," Xera half shrugged again. Also got a sample from the pilot, cause I'm curious about his medical condition, and the baseline I took from that human on the planet with the horrific white and pink armor. You know, the one I shot in the face."

"You took Ashley's DNA?" Tali sat back slightly incredulous. She probably should have been more offended in Xera stealing DNA from somebody, but with Ashley, Tali could really only feel resentment.

"Yup," Xera began juggling the tubes higher, almost halfway to the ceiling. "Lawson had a specific request, and gave me her samble, incase you are worried, and yes, it's covered by confidentiality. The pilot is simple curiosity, and I just asked him."

"I see," Tali watched her friend juggling. Xera's manual dexterity was always impressive. "Going to tell me why you are being such a bosh'tet to John?"

And that, of course, blew Xera's concentration. A single miss stroke and all three tubes crashed onto the table.

"I'd like to be angry at you, really," Xera's eyes narrowed. "But I can't really. And I kind of resent him anyway, so he's a convenient way for me to blow off some frustration."

"Because of how we brought you back? Why can't you be angry at me for it?" Tali's hands began to twist together.

Xera's scowl darkened. "Are you serious, right now?"

"I...kinda...I mean…" Tali sat up and looked around for a moment, before she hit her comm. "Garrus, are you in the battery room? I need to have a private conversation?"

"What? No, no, I'm not. Feel free," Garrus responded. Though he sounded a little distracted. Probably calibrating the gun on that Hammerhead. He wouldn't shut up about on the ride back to the Normandy.

"Right," Tali stood and motioned for Xera to follow. As the two quarians stepped into the battery room, Tali locked the door before turning to back to Xera. "I need a straight answer, Xera. I am more than a little confused right now, on top of being distracted by John."

Xera let out a deep sigh a she shook her head. "Still having an issue filtering between you two?"

"Yes," Tali admitted. "It's a bit difficult to understand where my emotions end and his start, sometimes. It took a while, but I'm not distracted by his location anymore. Or I was, but now it's gotten twisted."

"Keelah," Xera leaned back on the rail next to the compacted main gun, and ran a hand over her visor. Once we met again, and I had that little break down, I thought you would have realized. But I suppose we pretty well hit the ground running and have not really had a chance to breathe."

"Ha," Tali let out a little bark of laughter. "You could say that, yes. But...I think I know…"

"Really? Well, that is...awkward," Xera cleared her throat as she looked at the ceiling. "So, yeah, I'm more than a little along my path in the Bond to you. I assumed it would have branched to Massan by now."

"But it hasn't?" Tali ventured.

"Not even a little," Xera shook her head. "Realistically I'm probably….somewhere between hecs'tiyl and felz'tiyl. There is something...wrong though."

"Wrong?" Tali's hands twisted harder. She could almost feel her friend's pain. "Female's can bond, it isn't common."

"Keelah, you make this shit hard," Xera grumbled. "I don't know how it is for you, but I can feel you. I know where you are. I know your mood, when you're hungry. When you are daydreaming about John in a den…"

"XERA!" Tali swatted her friend, blushing hard, before realizing what she had said. "Wait...That's what I feel about John! I don't…." She paused for a moment and thought. "Wait...I think...there is something…."

"Yeah...I blame the human," Xera grunted, with a shake of her head. "I mean that seriously. He seems to have some sort of connection, a version of the Bond. Not as complete as a quarian's, t lest I don't think so. But there is something and it might be throwing things off."

"I...may not have explained it all to him," Tali admitted as she looked down. "I'm not really sure of it all myself."

"Well, when he finishes with his sister meeting, we are going to corner him and see about working this ou- WHAT IS THAT!?" Xera had started calm, but mildly irritated, but ended with a near screech that had Tali reaching for her shotgun. No that she carried it on ship, but, habits and all.

It wasn't difficult to spot the source of Xera's terror, as she was pointing right to it, from the corner of the room she had stuffed herself into.

"That is a cat," Edi supplied before Tali was able to. "It is a species of carnivore native to Earth. This particular one is named Dorian."

"I was a bit surprised too," Tali smiled as she approached the sleek grey cat. He was short haired with bright green eyes and a grey nose. He was sized just right to fit in one's lap comfortably. "He belongs to Gerald. There is a small black one as well. They roam the ship, but never really get in the way."

"Yes, in fact, Dorian, in particular, has eliminated a large number of scavenging pests that have made it on board, Edi sounded pleased. "Kuro, the black cat, seems to steal his kills and present them as her own. They have also eliminated three Cerberus tracking devices that should be added to the list of repairs to be made."

"Don't...don't do that?" Tali tilted her head.

"I'm sorry, but I am unable to not mention it to the ship's chief engineer," Edi sounded smug for a moment. "Now that I have reported it to the chief engineer, I am sure you will repair them at your earliest convenience."

"I...yes!" Tali smirked, understandingly. "I will do just that!"

"Logging you off."

"Tali?" Xera asked, a half worried and half confused tone in her voice.

"Yes?" Tali turned back to see Xera still staring at the cat.

"Why is it liking it's own butt?"

John Shepard, SR-2 Normandy

"Well, this is certainly a nice step up from what we've been eating for the last couple months," John sighed as he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his stomach. "Real meat. Kinda makes me want to visit the farm on Mindoir."

"Yes," Kelly grinned as she leaned back and crossed her legs. "You should definitely visit Mindior. You can see the...lovely, memorial they made for you."

"Okay, I know that tone of voice. What did they do?" John narrowed his eyes. If there was anything he did know, it was when the Shepard women were over excited. Made the terrible at poker.

"Well," Kelly looked at the ceiling as she desperately fought a losing battle to stop the grin from forming. "There...is a statue. It's big. And...shiney."

"Kelly," John frowned.

"Really, Johnny," Kelly grinned openly now. "I can't spoil it. It's too amazing. Just please, please, don't look it up on the extranet. Go there yourself. Please? For me?"

"Ugh, fine, you win," John sighed. "I-" He broke off with a slight frown, looking down at the floor.

"John?" Kelly asked, concern in her voice.

"It's fine," John blinked. "I just….Don't know how to explain it…."

Kelly gave him a long look before sighing. "The ship is amazing. I'd love to serve on something like this someday. I like your crew. Mostly. There are a few of the Cerberus guys that give me looks, but other than that, it's amazing."

"Who?" John demanded, suddenly intense. Nobody was going to give his sister a hard time. Not on his damned ship!

With a half smirk, Kelly shook her head. "Down boy, I'm a big girl now. And I'm twenty."

That took the wind out of him. "What?"

"On the planet, when we were having our little...conversation. You said I was eighteen. And I'm not. I'm twenty," Kelly shrugged. "You've missed time though, so yo get a pass. Still expect the back presents though."

"Right," John sighed. It was still difficult trying to keep up with what he missed. Especially all the time with family…

Kelly smiled sweetly as she watched him. Then, as he took a drink, she dropped her bombshell. "So, tell me about the quarian you're dating."

Kelly Shepard, SR-2 Normandy

There were few things in life a wonderful as perfect timing. The look of horror that begins to spread. The sharp intake of breath, as they gasp. The way the horror changes to a completely different kind of horror. Then, the choking, the sputtering. Curses are spouted out between coughs. Ah...a grand time. A grand time….

"I don't *cough* know what you *cough, cough* mean *cough*," John labored as he covered his face with a napkin.

Kelly could wait. So she did. She just sat with a wide, inhuman smile on her pretty blue and red face.

"Are you alright?" Kelly asked sweetly as she began to mop up some of the beer John had spilled.

"Right," John wheezed. "Never better."

"Good!" almost instantly Kelly's expresion went from sweet innocence to cold hearted killer. "Now, spill."

"I don't know what to tell you," John shrugged. But he honestly looked confused. "In fact, I don't really get it all myself. Not all of it anyway."

"Okay," Kelly smirked, having gotten her little revenge in, she was satisfied. "Tell me what you can. I'm interested in your sex life. Why, I remember when you promised I could be your bride!" Kelly dropped her hand, dramatically over her eyes, as she threw back her head.

"Right," John's voice was dead. "When you were eight."

"Ha, ha," Kelly laughed. She missed this. She missed him, so much…

"It's...complicated," John frowned slightly as he leaned back in his seat. "Quarians are so unlike anything else I have encountered, but also...so close to humans…."

"Yeah, I hear they have hair," Kelly smirked.

"Okay, there is that," John conceded. "But...they also have this...Bond. They become life mates. It's permanent, until they die. They can't ever be with somebody else. They can't even want to."

Kelly felt her eyebrows rise. "That's intense. You think she has something like this?"

"I…" John paused as if to collect his thoughts. "Yes. It's more than that. Supposedly, quarians can only ever bond with quarians. That's how it has always worked...but…"

"But, somehow it's affecting you?" Kelly frowned. The last thing they needed was some sort of alien mind control...thing.

"It...yes," he admitted with a nod. "I can. I know where Tali it. If I think about it, I can get a general idea of her emotional state. When it's particularly strong, I can feel them if I want to or not. I...it's confusing."

"That sounds mildly terrifying," Kelly frowned darkly. It also sounded like what her father had told her Joining was like. But that was also terrifying. "But, maybe it has to do with the nervous system? I don't really like talking about it much, but Dad told me about the asari birds and bees bit."

"Maybe," John tilted his head in thought. "I've been meaning to contact Liara anyway."

"Ugh," Kelly looked at the ceiling and sighed. "Two things." She held up her middle finger," First, I can try and see if it's connected." She then held up her index finger," I know where Liara is, and will give you her location."

"Oh Goddess no!" John recoiled looking horrified. "You're my sister!"

Her eyebrows dropping into a line, Kelly gave John a look like he was an idiot. Which he was.

"No, dipshit, Joining isn't always sexual," Kelly jabbed a finger at her brother. "Unless you lied about your time with Liara, you know that. Besides, Asari genetics doesn't work like that. There is no real concept on incest when you aren't really taking DNA from the partner."

"Oh, right," John cleared his throat and shifted slightly in his seat. "I suppose you're right. I appreciate the offer, but I still don't think so. And...how do you know where Liara is?"

Kelly shifted, uncomfortably, "Well….you know how I got help from some lawyers?"

Tali

Work. She just needed to focus on work. Ignore what was going on. Main engine core was in peak condition, and any more tinkering could actually make it worse, so she had gone down to look over the shuttle.

Yup. Certainly was a shuttle. All the parts a shuttle should have. Engine core. Thrust arms. Seats.

Keelah, this wasn't working. Now she was just sitting in the pilot seat, staring at the controls.

"Well, this is convenient!" a chipper voice behind her made her jump, cracking her helmet on the roof.

"Geez! You alright?" Tali glanced up to see John's sister standing just behind her. The asari sister. Would have been pretty odd if it was the human one. Considering. And all. "Tali?"

"Yes! I'm fine!" Tali blinked, shaking her head. "Sorry, just distracted."

"Well, I need a ride back planetside before I Ash loses her goddess damned mind and has me arrested for aiding and abetting," Kelly chuckled as she dropped into the copilot seat. "You already being here works out. Won't have to find somebody to fly me down."

"O..okay," Tali nodded. She couldn't really think of any way out of the situation. So instead, she just began running through the shuttle's preflight. And Kelly was staring at her.

Not aggressively. Not really. She was smiling just a little too wide. Her eyes just a little too narrow. But she didn't say anything. Not through preflight. Not though lift off. Not even through exiting the Normandy.

Not until they touched atmosphere.

"Banging my brother?"

"I...Ex...excuse me?" Tali exclaimed, spinning to face the asari.

"Slept with him? Screwed? Fucked?" Kelly's eyes rolled to the ceiling as she counted on her fingers. "Beast with two backs...I can go on?"

"I...No! I mean," Tali's hands began twisting together as she desperately looked for a way out of the situation. Then Kelly dropped a hand over Tali's.

"Sorry," she winked at Tali. "I didn't mean to make you that upset. I was just teasing you. Little sister's privilege and all that."

"Oh, yes," Tali nodded, a wave of relief flooding through her. "Sorry. It's something...new. John and I are trying to find out what exactly it means, ourselves."

"Yeah, from John's explanation, which was shit, by the way," Kelly smirked. "You guys are in impossible land, residents, you."

Tali couldn't help but smile as she turned back to the control boards. "You, could say that," she admitted. "I was worried about John's family being with 'some quarian'."

A dark frown slid into Kelly's face as she turned to regard Tali fully. The same frown she had seen on John's mother, and other sister. "Somebody give you shit?" she demanded. "You tell me who, and I'll shove their head up their induction port."

"Oh, no!" Tali shook her head. "No, nothing like that. Just...you know...I'm used to a certain amount of prejudice." Her eyes widened when she realized what she had said, "I didn't mean you! Or John's family! I mean from the galaxy at large and...I messed this up, didn't I?" Tali groaned with a hand on her visor.

"No, I get what you mean," Kelly smirked as she settled back in her seat. "Just remember, your family now. You have all of us to help you out now."

Tali froze. She couldn't have possibly heard that correctly. But...Kelly said John had explained things. Maybe...no. She wasn't going to dare to hope. She couldn't. If she was mistaken….

"Hey! Don't cry!" Kelly's arms wrapped around her. "It's all good! I'm sorry if I said something wrong!"

She didn't even know she was crying until Kelly grabbed her. She was just so lost. Her mother died so long ago… Then her father, just over a week. She had that fight with Aunty Shala. Even with whatever ws forming between her and Xera, John was all she had. But...like with quarians, humans had clans. Families. Something she didn't dare to think about, let alone dream.

Instead, Tali wrapped her arms around Kelly, pulling the girl closer to her. "Thank you," she whispered. "You don't know what that means to me."

"Heh," Kelly gave an embarrassed smile as she sat back again. "Well, I don't know what made you desperate enough to be with my brother, but he comes with the whole kit. Besides, I haven't seen him so happy in...well, a long time."

"You think I...I make him happy?" Tali couldn't hide the note of desperation in her voice.

Kelly looked at her like she was insane. "Of course! He damn near worships the ground you walk on."

"Now you're poking fun at me…." Tali frowned slightly, even as she smiled.

"Hardly," Kelly shrugged. "I know you guys are off on some sort of crazy mission, but you take care of him, okay? He's the only brother I got, and he already died once."

"I will," Tali promised, a predatory light creeping in her eye.

"And don't forget to tell mom," Kelly nodded. "Sooner the better. Goddess forbid she finds out about this some other way. She practically lives for this kind of squishy romance stuff."

"Will she be...pleased?" Tali ventured.

Kelly laughed and gave Tali a little push on the arm. "Are you kidding? I'm fairly certain she has been building all of our weddings in her head since we were born."

Laughing herself, Tali couldn't help but grin. The entire Shepard family were amazing people. "Quarian Bonding ceremonies are simple affairs. We don't waste resources. The captain of the ship says a few words and makes a note in the log. I am interested in what human ones are like."

"Oh, wow," Kelly's eyebrows shot up. "Yeah, humans use them as an excuse to throw a big fuck all party. It can get crazy, and expensive."

"What?" Tali looked over at the asari, to see if she was poking fun again.

"Dead serious," Kelly held up a hand, three fingers sticking up. "Scouts honor. It can become a full on contest and display of abundance. I would just lay back and let mom do her thing. She'll win in the end anyway, and it will save you some pain."

"O...okay," Tali swallowed slightly. "Can you tell me more about it?"

A slow grin spread over Kelly's face as she smiled. "For a new sister? Anytime."

Quarian Lexicon

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.

Hecs'tiyl: Term of courtship. Literal translation: Pathway to the heart. Second of three: Signifying the period where the needs of both begin to overrule the needs of self. Almost always leads to bonding though this phase is usually the longest of the three.

Felz'tiyl: Term of courtship. Literal translation: Pathway to the soul. Third of three: Signifies the period in which the two slowly realize that without the other they are incomplete. Once this phase is entered only ones death can stop the bonding.