AN: I started this whole project because I wanted fluff. But I also felt it need context. So...this.
John Shepard, SR-2 Normandy, Cockpit
"What's our time to Ilium look like?" John asked casually as he leaned against the bulkhead leading into the cockpit itself. At the moment he was skimming through reports on a datapad, trying to find the right wording when invoking his Spectre status.
"Standard burn, about six hours to the relay," Joker flashed through a couple of screens. "After that, it partially depends on the traffic at the Ilium side of the Relay."
Grunting, John frowned. "Can we send a signal now and try to get in the queue?"
"Hey, Commander," Joker turned to glance up at John. "Did you ever think about that word?"
"What?" John looked back puzzled.
"Jeff is referring to the word 'queue'," Edi's orb appeared over her holopad. "He has been making observations about words that he finds amusing."
"Oookay," John raised an eyebrow. "So, then what about Queue?"
"Heh, when you think about it, it's just the letter 'Q' with four silent letters after it!" Joker grinned.
"...I hate you sometimes, Joker," John sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I got more, Commander!"
"Think I need to go refill the blinker fluid. I'll talk to you later," John turned on his heel and walked away. Quickly.
Jeff 'Joker' Moreau, Cockpit
"I do not believe that was the intended reaction," Edi sounded contemplative.
"No, Edi, that was exactly the reaction I was looking for," Jeff chuckled. "Stupid humor is an art. Much like puns."
"When I have made the attempts at puns, most of the crew seem displeased," Edi said. "Some have begged me to stop."
"That's either the sign you're doing it right, or you're really messing it up," Joker shrugged. "Not like the Cerberus mooks would know a decent joke if it fell out a joke tree and joked all over their face."
Edi was quiet for a moment, her orb floating freely for a moment. "Was that an attempt at sexual humor?"
"Yes, Edi, yes it was," Joker sighed.
Garrus, XO's Office
"...So, there we were, on Noveria, right?" Garrus was saying. "Somehow the engine on the Mako overheated, forcing us to stop for a bit, to let it cool down."
"Wait," Miranda held up a hand, and incredulous look on her face. "How the hell did you overheat an engine on Noveria?"
"Shepard was driving," Garrus shrugged.
"Fair point," Miranda agreed with a small nod. "Continue."
"So the engine had to cool down," Garrus picked up again. "Not like it was something that would take too long, considering, right?"
"Yes," Miranda smirked.
"Shepard was all, 'I know! If we get out, we can pack snow on the drives! That'll cool it faster!'" Garrus did a fairly decent Shepard, if he did say so himself.
"That sounds incredibly stupid," Miranda snorted, but still smiling. "Something I can see Shepard doing."
"Right?" Garrus chuckled. "So, we get out, well, Shepard, Liara, Tali and me get out. The humans and Wrex stayed in the Mako. As they were the smart ones.
Liara and I get down by the Mako, and begin moving the snow around. Liara's biotics helped a lot, naturally. There was all this steaming, and hissing...everything you would expect."
"I suspect Shepard does something stupid here?" Miranda leaned forward, putting her elbow on her desk and plopping her chin on her palm.
"Apparently, from what Tali said later, is that Shepard was trying to teach her how to make snowballs," Garrus shrugged slightly. "Something you'd expect to be innocuous, right?"
"Oh god," Miranda closed one eye, wincing.
"He built up this little pile of the damned things and tried to get her to throw them at Liara and me. Except, it turns out, our little engineer can't throw to save her dear little life," Garrus began to chuckled, eliciting a small laugh from Miranda as well. It's the small victories… "So there's Liara and me, trying to do work, when these snowballs start plopping around us. Nothing closer than a meter. We can hear her cursing, louder and the throws are coming faster as she gets frustrated."
"Poor girl," Miranda smirked.
"Gets better," Garrus promised. "So Shepard picks one up, to 'show her how it's done'."
"That never ends well," now Miranda almost looked worried.
"Shepard does this dramatic wind up, something to do with lifting his leg, then twisted his arm weird," Garrus half imitated a baseball pitcher pose. "Then he just hurls the thing. Waaay too high. Hitting the side of the mountain above us."
"Oh, shit!" Miranda puts a hand over her mouth to smother the laugh.
"Yeah, exactly!" Garrus shook his head, his arms drooping. "Half the damned mountain fell on us. On the bright side, at least, it took out a geth colossus and a squad of patrolling geth troopers. And we had Liara's biotics to help dig us out."
Miranda's snickering shifted to full blown laughter as she shook in her seat.
Dropping back in the chair across the desk from the human, Garrus grinned. It was nice to see Miranda laughing. Her serious nature was born from terrible circumstances, and she needed a way to let loose some. Besides, nobody could resist a guy with a face full of rocket.
"Oh….my…" All the color drained from Miranda's face as she looked at a message that arrived as he had been patting himself on the back. Slowly, Miranda looked back up at Garrus and swallowed heavily. "He found her…."
"What?" Garrus snapped up to attention, leaning forward. "Take a breath. Tell me what's happened." He didn't notice when his hand had covered her's.
"My...my father. Somehow he…" Taking a breath Miranda's eyes squeezed shut. "Somehow he's found my sister. I can't let him take her, Garrus! He can't have her!" When she opened her eyes, they were full of pain and desperation.
"He won't Miri," Garrus promised as his other hand joined the first. Now he did notice as her hand squeezed back. "I...Shepard...we won't let him. I promise!"
Tali, Engineering
She had no idea how she was going to bring it up. She had been standing and staring at her station for probably the last ten minutes, trying to figure it out. It wasn't like she could just walk up and say, 'Hey! Let's go up to your room with this other quarian and all talk about our sex lives!'
Xera probably could. But she's weird.
"Umm…Tali?" Gabby walked over cautiously. "You okay? You came back from the planet kinda...off."
"What?" Tali turned to look at the woman. She, like the man behind her. Her staff, both looked concerned for her. "Yes, no...both?" Tali shrug with a self deprecating chuckle. "I'm sorry if it's affecting my work…."
"No!" Donnelly hastily waved a hand. "Yer work, as per usual, is beyond. We're just more concerned a'bout you and the Commander."
"Yeah," Gabby nodded. "You guys seemed to be doing well, finally!"
"How...how did you know?" Tali gasped slightly. She had been so careful!
"Please?" Donnelly frowned, seemingly insulted. "The way you two are around each other? A blind, deaf man would be able to tell."
"Keelah…."
Kasumi, Port Observation Deck
"How long you going to stare at the glass?" Kasumi smiled. She was leaning back on one of the couches. The one she had claimed for her reading seat. Currently, she had set her book aside and was watching Xera stare at a shot of turian whiskey.
"I dunno," Xera sighed. "Whenever it turns into something filtered?"
"Thought your suits could decontaminate stuff as you inserted it?" Kasumi tilted her head slightly in curiosity.
Seemingly surprised, Xera spun on the stool she sat on, to regard her. "How did you know about that?"
"Did some checking," Kasumi gave the quarian a sly look. "I saw what was up with Shep and Tali almost from the start, and wanted to get an idea on how to make it happen."
"Ugh," Xera grunted, "Yeah. They seem made for each other. They're both morons when it comes to each other. Irritatingly observant with everybody else. But each other? Nope!"
"You seem to have your own issue too," Kasumi added, standing and walking behind the bar. She picked up one of the glasses and a cloth, and began to polish the glass. "I assume you came here drown your sorrows, but care to talk about it?"
"I came down here because the bar was here," Xera frowned. Probably. Kasumi was getting better at reading quarian body language. Having a second one helped. "Not my fault you made your bed in the room with the bar."
"True," Kasumi admitted. "It's better than the sleeper pods though. And I have a place to put my books. Got an extra couch if you need a better place to crash."
"I…" Xera blinked for a moment then nodded, seemingly smiling. "Think I might take you up on that. The pods are uncomfortable. Not sure how Tali can sleep in them. Especially when she can just go sleep with John..Shepard...Keelah, now I'm doing it…."
"I'm guessing there is something dramatic happening here," Kasumi started polishing another glass. "On a ship this size, it would be best to get it worked out as quick as you can. Otherwise the crew might start taking sides."
"Ugh," Xera winced again. "I know. Now is probably the best time too, considering we are in transit for Ilium…."
With a sly grin, Kasumi leaned forward and dropped a straw into Xera's glass. "Here, to help you with your liquid courage."
John
He sat stiffly on the couch, his arms crossed over is chest. He wasn't looking at the others in the room, but more looking off to one side, looking at nothing.
Tali also sat on the couch, but on the other section of the 'L' seemed to be a bundle of nervous energy, fidgeting, or wiggling. Eventually she settled with sitting on her hands and rocking back and forth, slightly while eyeing the table.
Standing in front of the table, Xera was the only one that was actually looking at any body. Currently, she stood, her hips cocked to one side with her arms crossed. Her foot tapping a quick rhythm as her visor shifted from John, to Tali, and back.
By the fish tank, a small black cat batted at the fish tank, making small chirping noises.
"Allright!" Xera finally snapped, making Tali jump almost out of her seat. "Enough. This shit is important, and I am not going to waste the two glasses of turian whiskey I potentially exposed myself to..for...fuck, I should have stopped at three…."
"Xera," Tali started, raising a hand slightly.
"Nope, Hand down," Xera sighed as she shot John a glare. "We need to talk about how the human is fucking us up."
"He is not!" Tali did stand this time, anger in her voice. "He isn't doing anything to us!"
"Oh, stop," Xera rolled her eyes. "I wasn't meaning he was actively being malicious. Still, something is wrong, and it's probably because of him. We just need to figure out what, how and why, so it can be fixed."
"I...am?" John raised an eyebrow, concerned. Causing problems, or potential danger was pretty much the last thing he wanted to do right now.
"It...might be because of our Bond," Tali said hesitantly as she sat closer to John, and taking one of his hands in hers. "It's already something that shouldn't happen, so we aren't sure how it is affecting us."
"Us...as in you and me?" John gestured between himself and Tali, before doing the same with Tali and Xera. "Or you two?"
"Some of both," Xera shrugged. "As you are aware, I am a doctor, no matter the image I put out. But, even to us, there are certain bits of the Bond we can't quite understand. Either way, right now, we need to go over the whole thing. I'll tell you everything. I need you to tell me exactly what it is you feel. Got it?"
"Yes," John nodded, giving Tali's hand a squeeze.
"Starting off, Tali informed me that you are aware of the Bond itself, and the ability for males to have secondary mates. The birth functions, and all that, right?" Xera tilted her head.
"Yes," John nodded.
"Good," Xera nodded back. "Forget it. It's mostly bullshit."
"WHAT?" Tali stood again. "What are you saying?"
"I'm saying that a lot of what you think you know is bullshit. It's not true. The Admiralty and the full Speaker of Rannoch are the only ones, other than medical and science members with clearance I have, that know the truth. Even Jazzra and the other Elders are in the dark," Xera looked at Tali seriously, almost pushing her down with her eyes.
"But...why…" Tali sputtered quietly.
"Why lie about it?" Xera paused as Tali gave her a weak nod. "Simple. We have been fucked with. On a genetic level. Do you really think a species can survive on starships? Especially with the way our immune systems work?"
"I…" Tali started, but didn't seem able to finish.
"Didn't think about it," Xera supplied. "Of course not. You had already been given the load of crap. And, sadly, they aren't wrong. If the people knew what happened, there would be something between panic and riots, and that is not what the Fleet needs."
"So, you're saying that after the quarian people were forced out of the Perseus Veil, they had to modify themselves to survive the new environment?" John frowned.
"More or less," Xera shrugged. "It was more after we were denied several worlds and realized how being in ships was damaging us."
"Damaging...like core exposure?" Tali ventured. "And shield or hull problems would result in cosmic radiation damage….Keelah…"
"We started relying on the suits," Xera shrugged. "The radiation damaged our immune systems to the point that it was difficult for our systems to adapt over time, as they should. So the Admiralty, Conclave and head scientist worked together to 'fix' us," Xera made little quotes in the air. "They didn't tell the people, because there would be too much arguing. And quarians love to argue. But by the time they would have reached a decision, we would have been wiped out."
"No...no...no," Tali shook her head slightly.
John could feel the anguish rolling off her as he moved next to her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
"Alright, let's just move to the 'what' instead of the why," John suggested. From the corner of his eye, he saw Xera stiffen and reach a hand slightly before pulling it back.
"Yes…" Xera paused for a moment and took a breath. "The 'two children at once, only once ever' is not true, not completely. What is true, is the first set of children a quarian has, is fairly standard to the rest of the galaxy, except having twins is fairly common, but not a rule. And the first birth is fairly easy and straightforward. After having a birth, getting pregnant a second time is more difficult, three times rare, more than that, almost impossible."
"Population control," John made a sour face.
"Yes," Xera nodded. "Females are implanted with device that regulates when eggs are released to be fertilized. During the physical checkup before mating for children, the device is opened, letting an egg...do its thing." Xera shifted. "It is also able to let only a single egg through at a time, or two, depending on the population needs at the time."
"But, how could they make that decision!" Tali looked up angrily, "How…."
"It...makes sense," John shook his head. "I hate the idea of it, but in your situation, I can understand it."
"Then there is the gene manipulation to make us more standard sized, better to fit in ships and control resources…." Xera ran a hand over her visor as she sat heavily. "I'm a doctor specializing in xeno-medicine. Not a geneticist, so I don't know any more about that stuff. And at the time...our people were desperate. We still are."
After a long moment, Tali nodded then looked back up. "Either way, it won't affect me. I am with John. Our matings would not bare offspring."
John looked down. Children. He had never considered children. He never really considered the idea of having a wife. Or mate. Or anything. He always figured he would be like Anderson. A career military man, who would probably die with his boots on.
But Tali might want children. She never had much family. Now, because of him, it was being denied her….
"Stop it Jo- mmm…"Xera bit down on her words for a moment. "Stop it, Shepard. This is not the time to get weepy. We can deal with offspring later."
"Right," John gave his head a shake. "Sorry."
"The main issue right now," Xera continued. "Is the Bond. Which there is a lot we don't understand."
"Of course," Tali said dryly leaning back on the couch, and slightly against John's shoulder.
"For John's edification, I'll give you a quick rundown, accompanied by how things have changed," Xera cleared her throat as she slotted a tube of wine.
"First off, the Bond has three stages. Pemla'tiyl is the courtship. Usually ends in becoming good friends. Hecs'tiyl is when the hearts start to align. The other becomes more important then the self, you begin to have an idea where each other are, and can feel emotion when you touch. This usually has a time when differentiating between yourself and prospective mate gets difficult. If you get to this phase, there are really only two options. A full bond, or emotions will shift to become Massan. Massan is like siblinghood, but more so. That's another time though."
Pausing to take a long drink, Xera looked between the two others. "Questions so far?"
"How do you feel locations and emotions?" John asked the obvious question.
"No? Good," Xera nodded. "Continuing, Felz'tiyl is the final path. It's when everything centers and begins to balance. It is a smoothing of the Bond, you know who you are, and where your mate is. You can feel emotions from a distance, but don't necessarily confuse them with your own."
"Which is what Tali and I seem to be able to do," John nodded, giving Tali's hand a small squeeze.
"Right," Xera agreed. "But you shouldn't. Beyond the metaphysical 'Two Halves of a Soul Finding Each Other in the Void' crap, Am'ma Shala is into, there is a biological side. And that is a linking of the nervous system. Like when you touch, during hecs'tiyl, there is a feeling like a shock, then the emotions start."
"Yeah," John nodded, glancing at Tali with a smile. "I remember when that happened."
"And how do you think a nervous system can connect across species?" Xera challenged. "The asari do it by manipulating their own bio-electrics. Which, in itself, is a result of the Element Zero being everywhere on Thessia. And even then, they have to do it consciously, and focus. Quarians don't"
"I..never thought about it," Tali admitted. "It just seemed natural."
Again, Xera chuckled. "Only because you were in it. But somehow John's system linked to yours. And thus, Bond."
"That...doesn't sound as complicated as you made it out to be," John ventured cautiously.
"Ding! Prize for Captain Obvious!" Xera rolled her eyes. "A quarian brain is designed for this process. It's part of being quarian. Humans...not so much. I looked into it a little, and it is beyond just being human. It's impossible. What you have? Your Bond? Impossible."
"But, Xera!" Tali shot up. "It's true! You know it!"
Xera looked at Tali for a moment before shoving the taller quarian and dropping her back onto the couch. "I do," Xera growled. "Let me finish. I've looked at brain scans. Human and quarian brains are too different. Like how we think in numbers, while humans think in images. Except for good old John here."
John, himself, blinked and looked to Tali then back to Xera. "Me? How am I different?"
"Want a list?" Xera snorted. "Seriously, if I wrote a paper about how weird you were, I'd get a Xactum Award for Neuroscience."
"More Cerberus?" John asked, bitterly.
"That...can't be it," Tali touched John's arm. "I started the first path on the original Normandy."
"So...Then whatever happened, it was before that," Xera shrugged. "Whatever it was, you are special and unique. Though, I honestly think your 'upgrades' probably enhanced what ever started the Bond in the first place. And now that it's in my head too, it's making a mess of things."
"I assume you have ideas?" John chuckled.
"In fact," Xera nodded smirking. "So, the Bond between quarians is usually male to female. It can expand to male and more than one female, but that's uncommon. It can also become male with male, all recorded versions of that are monogamous, and apparently incredibly intense. And, naturally, it can happen female to female."
"And you...and Tali?" John looked between the two for a moment then frowned.
"Stop that," Xera kicked him in the shin, eliciting a small *ow!*. "Bondings are almost never planned. And female to female secondary Bonds are even more rare. Honestly, I should have split off to a massan a long time ago."
"But, we haven't," Tali added, seemingly as confused as John was.
"No," Xera sighed, looking at the ceiling. "I love Tali. So...so much. I've loved her for so long...And now I can feel my soul reaching for her's, but it's...like it's just out of reach. I can feel her. I know where she is, and how she feels. All of it. But I can't quite touch her."
"Xera," Tali gasped a little as she leaned forward. "I...I don't know how to help you."
"I know, Tali. I know. I also know that it isn't really John's fault," Xera shot John a venomous look for a moment before softening. "Weirdly, I can get an idea of his location and feelings, but it's sort of like an echo from Tali."
"The Beacon," John said at last. "It has to be whatever the Prothean Beacon did to me when it implanted all that information in my head."
"Yeah," Xera tilted her head. "Then do it again. Maybe it can fix this weird paradox we have going."
"I..uh...can't," John deflated. "It blew up. Both of them."
For a moment Xera sat and stared at him. Then she giggled. Then it became a chuckle. Then it boiled over into full blown laughter. "Ha, ha! Of course it did! You touched it!"
"Oh, har, har," John looked away, crossing his arms. "It is to laugh."
Quarian Lexicon
Pemla'tiyl: Term for courtship. Literal translation: Pathway to the mind, the first of the three phases that lead to bonding. The period of time where the couple learns of one another through a deep sharing of thoughts. May lead to bonding or just a very deep friendship.
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.
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.
Am'ma: When a quarian refers to another mate of their parent. Ex- Xera's father is Garu, via a secondary mate. Shala'Raan, is Garu's primary mate, and thus, is referred to as Am'ma.
AN: On a side note, what do you guys think about the story in general? Digging the action? More of it? Less? I am going to be doing a bit more fluff and romancy stuff probably, especially as I finish getting the team all together.