Garrus, Illium, Liara's Office
He wasn't exactly sure what happened. Not really. He saw Liara, and other than her rather creepy threat to somebody that owed her money or some such, she looked happy, and excited to see them. She rushed over to them, hugging Shepard first, which was not really a surprise. She had loved him when they had gone after Saren. Being rescued from a terrible force bubble, krogan mercs and insane Spectres will do that. But then, instead of switching to either Tali, or himself, she pulled Shepard down into a kiss.
Then there was snarling.
It was almost slow motion as Garrus turned just as Tali leapt, fingers outstretched like she was going to rip Liara's throat out. Shepard had been caught by surprise by Liara and stumbled back slightly. Enough to shift Tali's trajectory more toward Garrus.
So, naturally, he did the only thing he could do.
Garrus's arms swung out as he gripped Tali's left wrist, and his other arms wrapped around her stomach. He took her momentum, using it to spin the pair of them away from a clearly shocked Liara.
Tali, in his arms, thrashed like some sort of insane varren. Her free hand swung in Liara's direction as she kicked out, as if she planned on disemboweling the asari.
Liara T'Soni, Illium, Her Office
She wasn't exactly sure why she did it. Not really.
She had received rumors and reports about Shepard being back. She had also received word that he was working for Cerberus. A thought that cut at her heart.
Then he had arrived on Illium and Liara's heart raced. She immediately set up an account to take take care of his ship, made sure the right people got paid, and the correct paperwork was forged.
Then he was there. Right in her office. To either side of him stood Garrus and Tali, and it was like all the time, and pain, and tears didn't happen.
She ran to him, pulled him to her as she wept. Her hands gripped the back of John's head as she pulled him into the kiss she had always regret not giving him.
But she felt him tense, flinch away from her, in surprise.
Then there was the growl from some angry animal as a purple blur seemed to lunge at her, only to be intercepted by Gassus, who seemed to be as shocked as John and herself.
It...it was Tali. Her free hand reached for her, her fingers hooked like claws. Tali kicked viciously at her as she cursed and spit so fast the translator couldn't keep up.
Liara's eyes widened as she moved to stand behind John slightly, but that only seemed to make Tali more angry.
"Let her go," John's voice dropped to a low tone.
Garrus looked at John and gave a single nod before releasing the quarian.
John
He knew exactly what happened. As soon as Liara smiled, he felt a small surge of jealousy from Tali. When Liara hugged him, Tali let out an intense, but controlled, anger. There was something about the anger though, something deep, as if she had been repressing it.
Until Liara kissed him.
It was like an overstressed dam broke, and a deep rage within Tali roared out of her, literally, she lunged for Liara, fully intent on killing her. There was no rational thought in her mind just the need to defend her mate.
It was some sort of divine guidance, that when John pulled back from Liara, he cut off Tali's line of attack, and forcing her into Garrus. And say what you will about his best friend, the turian had amazing reflexes.
His hands and arms snatched Tali almost cleanly out of the air as Garrus spun away several feet, desperately clinging to the savage engineer.
Not that she stopped. Tali still snarl and cursed. She still reached for Liara.
"John!" Xera's voice snapped over the comm. "Stop her! Whatever happened, she's locked in a derrohm! She's going to kill someone, her mate is the only thing that will be able to bring her down!"
Taking a deep breath, John turned fully to Tali and braced himself. "Let her go," he said with a small nod to Garrus.
With but a nod of his own, Garrus released his burden.
Tali dropped to the floor, dodging to the right. She held her body low as she moved with a predatory grace John wasn't used to seeing in her.
And she was fast! John knew that quarians, pound for pound, were stronger than humans, with a denser musculature, especially in the legs, and it was only his 'upgrades' that let him track her and react fast enough.
As Tali moved, John stepped in front of her, blocking her path. He did the same as she moved left. Then, finally, she froze in the middle of the room. She was bent over, her legs coiled beneath her as if she were prepared to leap. One hand flexed on the floor in front of her as she growled softly.
"Tali," John spoke softly, but with a commanding tone as he slowly walk towards her. "Look at me, Tali."
As John kneeled in front of her, Tali's eyes narrowed for a moment before slowly growing wide. It was almost like John could see the anger flowing out of them, to be replaced by shock, then horror and self loathing.
"J-John?" she whispered, dropping to her knees. "I..I'm sorry, I don't...I didn't mean…"
Reaching out, John gathered Tali into his arms and held her firmly. At first she tensed, then struggled slightly, then wrapped her own arms around him as she began to cry softly.
Later
"I'm sorry, Shepard," Liara stared at her desk for a moment. "I...Well, I was more happy to see you, seeing as how you were dead and now you aren't. I heard the rumors, of course, but seeing is a different thing."
"I understand Liara," John sighed as he uncrossed his arms and leaned back in the seat. "Tali has been through a lot recently. I think this was the last straw."
With a puzzled frown, Liara tilted her head. "Straw?"
"Heh," John chuckled. "It was just enough to put her over the edge. The relationship between Tali and myself is new. It isn't something that was supposed to be possible. So, naturally, we are kinda flying blind."
"Yes, I see that," Liara smirked. "I could see how close you two were on the original Normandy."
"Oh?" John raised an eyebrow. "And why didn't you say anything then?"
"Shepard, I was hardly going to add to my own rivals," Liara chuckled for a moment before sitting up straight, clearly switching to business mode. "But you aren't here to reminisce, and I have delayed you too much as it is."
Clearing his own throat, John nodded. "Right. I sent Garrus ahead to meet up with Miranda. She has an inside contact."
"Yes, I suspect it might have something to do with the movement of Eclipse mercenaries," Liara gave a distasteful look. "The problem is that the Eclipse seem to be involved in a great many things, and between your drell assassin and the Justicar, it's difficult to get a clear idea of what is happening."
"At this point, I'll take anything I can get," John sighed as he stood. "Send me anything you pick up. I'm going to check on my teams."
Garrus, Illium, Eternity Bar
"Miranda, slow down," Garrus said quietly. He had realized that her hearing was able to pick up tones that unengineered humans couldn't. And it was something he used frequently in situations like this.
"I need to get on top of this, Garrus," Miranda's voice was tight with tension, and there was an almost wild look in her eye.
"I know, but if you draw too much attention, it will work against us," he cautioned, letting a hand touch her arm briefly.
"You...you're right," Miranda gave a tight smile as some of the tension left her.
"Cutting it a bit close," an asari woman stepped into stride next to the pair. "Things are moving."
"What's happening? Is Orianna alright?" Miranda's jaw tightened.
"No, she's fine, for now. But that name you gave me? The trusted source? He contacted me. He said your father has sent Eclipse mercs to do a sweep," the asari shrugged lightly. He seems to think that the mercs might be looking for you, specifically, and suggested he take Orianna's family to the terminal, personally."
"Niket?" Garrus glanced at Miranda.
"Old friend, we go back a long way. Almost to the beginning," Miranda sighed. "But something feels...off."
With a nod, Garrus excuse himself, finding a secluded table in a corner of the bar.
"Jacob, Zaeed, what's the word?" Garrus commed. "We got word Eclipse is getting involved."
"That's an understatement," Zaeed grumbled. "Something has them spooked. There is something going down at the docks, as well as some scuffling between them and some Suns involving some tower that's under construction."
"Keep an eye out, but be careful," Garrus nodded even though nobody could really see it. "Miranda and I are going to move on the terminal the sister is supposed to be going to. I'm thinking we cut through one of the side warehouses."
"Copied," Shepard came in. "I'm almost at the Normandy. I'll pick up Grunt and Jack and will meet you at the otherside."
Garrus gave a small dry chuckle. "Well, somebody's insurance premiums are going up."
Xera
"I'm fine now, John," Tali insisted. "I have control now, and as long as you don't make out with random women. Again," she eyed Jack for a moment. "It won't be an issue."
Jack just grinned, holding her arms up, with her hands clasped behind her head.
"Tali," Shepard hesitated a moment before looking at Xera. "Is she alright?"
"Depends on what you mean by 'all right'," Xera shrugged. "Between her father's death, nearly getting exiled from the Fleet, all this fighting on top of your unconfirmed Bond, I'm surprised it hasn't happened earlier."
"Unconfirmed?" Tali stared at Xera. "It's not 'unconfirmed'!"
"Ugh," Xera rolled her eyes as she held up a hand. "Not what I meant. And now isn't the time to get into it. Either way, as long as you stay with her, she'll be fine. It might actually help if she gets the chance to work off some of the tension."
For a long moment John just looked at Tali, before nodding. "Alright. The drop shuttles are both in the field, but I got a skycar. It'll be tighter than I planned, but as long as we're all friendly, we'll get there."
Tali
"I hate you, Shepard," Xera grumbled.
To fit everybody in the car, Grunt sat in the back, with just enough room for Xera to squeeze in. While in the front, Jack was sitting in Tali's lap.
"Nah," he smirked as the skycar swerved around traffic. "You all love me."
"Normally, I'd say something crude," Jack chuckled as she gave Tali a look. "I feel like right now, the grape here would taze me."
"Damn right," Tali sniffed. "I have a shock program on my omnitool that I loaded just for you."
"Ooo, my kind of girl," Jack grinned. "See? We're gonna get along just fine!"
She wanted to be mad, but after her outburst she felt a bit...lighter? Some of her pent up tension seemed to have burned off. Instead, she giggled quietly...then squeeked loudly as a hand gripped her...where it shouldn't grip.
"What do you think, Shepard? Think you can handle two?" Jack gave a wicked grin.
"Hey!" Xera piped up from the back. "If you guys are having an orgy, I want in! Don't give a two tailed vorcha about Shepard, but a Xera sandwich with Jack and Tali sounds like the dream I had the other night!"
"Keelah," Tali sighed. She felt the urge to hide her visor, but her hands were caught up with holding onto a convict and not sliding around as John drove like a maniac.
"Ha! Only my Battlemaster could handle four females at once!" Grunt laughed as he slapped John on the shoulder, jarring him enough that the skycar did a barrelroll, and nearly a loop.
Which, it turned out, might have saved them, as a missle narrowly missed them.
"Eclipse gunships," John grunted as he swerved the skycar hard, avoiding the gunfire that traced after them. Ahead of them, two more gunships swerved down toward the cargo area of the Nos Astra terminals. "And, those gunships are probably going to be dropping off a horde of mercs."
"More to kill then," Jack shrugged as she grabbed the same handle Tali was gripping.
Then the skycar shook violently as black smoke began to billow from the rear of the vehicle.
"Just got shot down?" Xera asked with a sigh.
"Yup," John confirmed as the car's nose pitched down.
Miranda
"Looks like Shepard is going to be late," Miranda sighed as she glanced at Garrus.
"Don't worry about it," a man stepped from around the corner. His yellow eclipse armor was covered by the glowing field of a suite of tech armor. Behind him, several well armed Eclipse mercenaries followed. "You and me, and my boys here are going to sit tight right here. Stealing a baby from the richest man in the galaxy? Not the smartest thing you could have done. You're lucky he just wants the girl back. Then we get paid, and everybody goes home alive and happy."
"Except for me, and my sister," Miranda growled out. "Get out of my way before I make you eat your gun."
"Please," the man scoffed as he shook his head. "While we had been talking, my men have been lining up shots. You make one wrong move, and you both become paste."
"Not if his men aren't...in the best of condition," Kasumi giggled over the comm.
Slowly, a predatory smile crossed Miranda's lips as she looked to Garrus. "Would you mind leaving the leader for me?"
Then, with an almost blur, Garrus snap drew his heavy pistol, two round going into the two men on the leader's left. Then there was an actual blur as a figure unloaded an SMG into the two men on the leader's right.
"Now then," Miranda's face went cold. "I believe I made you a promise."
"No! Don't" the leader screamed as Miranda's biotic power wrapped itself around him. No matter how he struggled, the field lifted his arm and shoved his own pistol at his mouth hard enough to break teeth.
Stepping close, Miranda looked the man in the eye as she said a single word. "Bang."
Jacob, Illium, Lamet's Cafe
"You know, I've never really been a scone person," Zaeed said as he frowned at the pastry in his hand. "But this one is pretty good."
"The raspberry goes great with this coffee," Jacob nodded.
"Coffee, feh. It's bloody teatime. You're supposed to be having tea," Zaeed shook his head as he gave Jacob a pitying look.
"Oh, hey," Jacob sat up as he gestured over Zaeed's shoulder with his scone. "Looks like the family is paying. We should get moving too."
"Right," Zaeed nodded as he picked his assault rifle off the chair next to him. He scanned the nearly empty cafe before seeing the waiter. "Oi! Check, please?"
Jack
"It isn't that I don't like smashing all these fuckers flat," Jack said, accenting her words by smashing a pair of mercs flat with a large cargo container. "But couldn't you just call dear old dad and get these guys pulled off us?"
"Doesn't work that way, sadly," Shepard leaned out and dumped several rounds from his revenant rifle down range. "Eclipse works like a franchise. The sisters in control here only have ties to the greater organization when they pay up their percentage, or there is a mission big enough to call then together."
Running forward, Xera hit her knees and slid forward, her body bending back as she passed under the rifle of one of the humans. She paused, just long enough for the man's eyes to widen before she opened up her SMG, straight through the man's groin.
"Ha!" Jack grinned, giving the medic a thumbs up. "Extra points for cruelty!"
"Thanks!" Xera laughed, trying to do the gesture back. But, honestly, it really lacked something from a hand with three fingers.
"Mech!" Tali called out as a YMIR seemed to unfold itself from inside a nearby crate. Before Jack could do anything, however, there was a white spark of lightning, as electricity arced over the machine, making it jerk like some sort of demented doll, before slowly toppling backwards, smiking. "Got it!" Tali called again.
"Hey!" Jack frowned and paused for a moment to regard the engineer. She was also completely ignore the rounds vaporizing on her barrier. "Was that what you threatened to taze me with?"
"Yup!" Tali cheerfully nodded.
"Shit, that would have hit you too!" Jack snorted, slightly incredulous.
"Insulated suit!" Tali laughed, patting her own chest. "I'd have been fine!"
"I wouldn't," Shepard exclaimed.
"Oh….," Tali put a finger to that little light thing on her helmet and tilted her head. "Well, I'm sure you'd be fine."
"Less talk, more killing!" Grunt roared as he stormed a small group of mercs, crushing two of them underfoot as he picked up two more and smashed their heads together.
"Oh, no you don't mother fucker!" Jack yelled as she slammed her foot into the ground, sending up shockwaves. "I'm sure as fuck not watching that damned cartoon!"
"You got to pick last time!" Grunt protested as he petulantly crushed a salarian's head in one massive fist. "You're not in the contest this time!"
"What?" Jack demanded, turning dark eyes at Shepard.
"Don't look at me," Shepard shrugged, gunning down another pair of enemies. "Edi keeps track of the kills, and once you win you are out until the next round. Those were the rules we agreed to."
"Son of a-," Jack cursed. "Hey, Edi, who's winning now anyway?"
"Currently, that would be Kasumi," Edi's calm voice almost seemed comical in the chaotic setting they were in. "She has had several covert encounters while the rest of you were gathering intel."
"Yes!" the thief's voice threw in.
"I didn't know you were on this channel, Kasumi," Shepard blinked. "And I didn't expect you to be such an assassin."
"Well, first, I'm on all the channels, Shep. Girl's gotta stay informed," Kasumi laughed. "And for the other, it was never stated they had to be actual dead people. Most of the guys I hit were left tied up in various closets. In fact, I'm kinda sad I didn't set up cameras to catch the reaction of the cleaning crews. I bet the look on their faces when they open the door and several naked, tied up people tumble out is probably gold."
"Oh, you bitch," Jack snorted. "I can't even bring myself to be pissed about that one. It's too funny."
"Thanks!"
Miranda
"I'm sorry, sir," the asari dock manager said, clearly getting irritated. "But with the security lockdown, I can't allow you through."
"Told you we should have just tossed them in the back of a truck and been done with it," the Eclipse mercenary standing next to Niket sighed.
"No, Enyala!" Niket shrank back slightly. "I was told I could do it my way. And that is with as little impact on the family as possible!"
"Don't think it matters now anyway," the asari grinned as she hefted her rifle and gunning down the dock worker. "Miss Priss is here."
"Nikat?" Miranda's eyes were wide as she looked between the merc and the man she had thought she could trust. "Why are you doing this?"
"Miri?" Niket frowned. "Why? You stole a baby! If I had known you were doing that, I never would have helped you in the first place!"
"Stole!?" Miranda stood, furious. "Stole?! I rescued her!"
"From what? A life of luxury? Of pampering?" Niket spat. "You've never been poor, Miri. I Have. It's not easy. And it can be terrible!"
For a moment, Miranda couldn't form coherent words, but the static charge from her power began to make her hair float gently. "Luxury?" Miranda finally said, quietly. "I was carried to term in my older sister. I had a fucking shock collar on my neck as I learned to play the piano. I...he...He took my innocence from me himself!"
"Wh..what?" Niket looked shocked.
"Oriana isn't my sister," Miranda growled through clenched teeth as tears began to run down her face. "She's my daughter. I gave birth to her when I was fourteen."
"Well…" Enyala made a face. "Your life sucks. But honestly? I'm here for the paycheck. And now I get to do it my way." Casually, Enyala brought her rifle and fired into Niket's chest.
"NO!" Miranda snapped as her power rushed over her. She leapt on the asari before the woman could bring her gun around, the clashing of barriers echoing through the warehouse as both Miranda and Enyala went over a railing.
Garrus
He...didn't know what to say. Or think. Or even do. Miranda's admission was something terrible. The kind of thing that should only exist in old horror tales. The kind people talk about in hushed whispers when they want to reassure themselves that they aren't as bad as they could be.
Then hell broke loose. The asari merc, Enyala, shot Miranda's...friend? Miranda snapped, rushing the woman, and now they both had disappeared over a railing, leaving Garrus alone with four armed and, admittedly, confused mercenaries.
"Don't suppose you'll just head on out?" Garrus asked politely. "This whole situation is getting pretty messed up."
One of the mercs, a female salarian stepped forward as she regarded Garrus with narrowed eyes. Then nodded. "Yeah, alright," she shrugged. "This is leaving a bad taste in my mouth. And honestly, Enyala is a bitch anyway. Tell your friend we're grateful taking her out."
"Yeah, sounds good," Garrus nodded as he unfolded his sniper rifle. "I'm just going to make sure our side wins."
"Good hunting."
Later
"There they are," Miranda sniffed lightly as she watched Oriana arrive at the terminal with her family. They looked happy as they smiled and chatted. Somebody said something and Oriana laughed beautifully. "Thank you, Garrus."
"Hey, don't thank me. You're the one that beat an asari commando to death with her own foot," Garrus smiled as he lightly let a hand touch her shoulder. "But maybe...maybe Oriana deserves to know she has family looking out for her."
"What?" Miranda looked at Garrus with wide, almost frightened eyes. But deep in them, Garrus could see longing. "I...I couldn't…"
"Don't think you have much of a choice," Garrus gripped Miranda's shoulder, turing her to face Oriana. The girl was looking at them, and smiling. She said something to her family as she began walking toward where Garrus and Miranda stood. "Might as well say hello."
Miranda began vigorously wiping her eyes as she took several deep breaths. By the time she was done with her prep work, she almost looked like the standard Miranda.
Oriana had stopped at the halfway mark, looking at Miranda with a small smile, as Miranda gave one last glance at Garrus before walking forward to meet her daughter for the first time.
Quarian Lexicon
Derrohm: Quarians have risen above their baser instincts, but at times when intense anger or fear, what a human would refer to as 'fight' instinct kicks in. Under the influence of derrom, quarians can possibly hurt themselves, or others around them. The quarian's mate is usually required to calm them down. Or they get locked in a room until the rage passes
An: That...got a little darker than I had originally planned. Next stop, light hearted fun! Hopefully! Maybe!