John Shepard, Illium, Transit Center Police Station
"Shepard! You're back! And...I see you brought the Justicar...with you…Hooray," Anya deadpanned as she twirled a finger in the air.
"If it helps any I'm going to help her with what she needs to do," John chuckled ruefully. "I'm going to take care of that mess in the Dantius Tower, then I'll be off your planet, hopefully with a shiney new Justicar."
"Amusing," Samara smirked. "I am hardly 'shiney' nor am I 'new'. But I appreciate the compliment."
"Alright, the only issue right now, is that I've been straight-out ordered to take you into custody, Justicar. I can't wiggle my way out of it any longer," Anya leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms.
"And...that would probably not go well, would it," Garrus's mandible twitched. "I get the feeling that wouldn't go well."
"Indeed not," Samara frowned slightly. "By the Justicar Code, I am bound to battle evil where I find it, and I cannot be turned from my journey."
"Which means, doing our job, gets everybody here killed terribly," Anya blanched. "Not exactly how I wanted to finish my Maiden years."
"If it is any consolation, I would make any deaths as quick and painless as possible," Samara looked mournful.
"Wait," John dropped a fist onto his open palm. "My dad used to read me all the stories as a kid. I remember one about Kemma, a 'rob from the rich, give to the poor' kind of character. And she used a loophole when avoiding her ex-lover-turned-Justicar rival."
"Ah!" Samara's brows lifted as she caught John's meaning. "Yes, I am allowed one day of rest every cycle. I am more than a little surprised that a human knows those old stories."
"My father is asari," John shifted to high thessian. "The stories was part of how he taught me the language."
"Wow, that's pretty good," Anya gave John a surprised look. "Your accent is clear and kinda gives you a sexy flair."
"Your...father," Samara frowned slightly. "Would he happen to be named Aleena, would he?"
"No?" John looked at her a bit confused. "His name is Hestalia Say'tos. Well...Shepard, now that he married my mother. But that's not the first time I've been asked that, and it's not the first time I'm hearing about Aleena. I am beginning to wonder why."
Anya sat with wide eyes as she looked from the Justicar to John before clearing her throat. "Um...Hestalia Say'tos is more of a-"
"Silence!" Samara snapped, giving the detective a dark look. Anya's mouth snapped closed with an audible click. "That is not for us to tell. Hestalia has made his choice in the matter and we shall not go against it."
"Okay, now I want to know what the hell is going on," John's eye narrowed slightly. "What aren't you telling me?"
"I...am sorry, Shepard," Samara shook her head lightly. "But as I said, we cannot go against Hestalia's wishes in the matter."
"Hang on," Anya cut in as she held her communicator to her ear. "There's….been a bar fight at the Eternity Lounge. Couple of...say again...uh huh...uh huh...alright, sit tight." Anya looked back up to John with a tired expression. "Couple of quarians cleared out a bar in the upper levels. They are claiming to be with you."
"Oh, for the love of…" John's hand slapped over his face. "I think I know who they are, yes."
"Our comrades are unstoppable!" Grunt grinned. "We are all warriors! Except Jack. Jack is an ass."
"Alright then," Anya just looked defeated now. "You go deal with your quarian assault team, the Justicar hangs out here for thirty hours, until when she kills her way out of the station."
"I'll hurry back," John assured the detective.
"I should hope so," Anya's scowl could peel paint. "If I die, I swear by the Goddess, I'll haunt you forever."
Officer Cadet Kelly Shepard, Earth, Vancouver, Alliance Headquarters
"Have a seat, Shepard," Admiral Hackett gestured to the plush leather seat across from his large desk. A large, wooden desk. Maybe oak? Either way, it was very tidy. Little stack of datapads in one corner. Little Alliance flag in another. It even had one of those stereotypical green pad thingys.
Pull your shit together, Kelly. Mentally, Kelly slapped herself. It didn't help that on Hackett's right hand was Humanity's Council Representative, Anderson. What the hell is his first name? Shit! You're a moron Kelly! And, of course, she was doing her level best to ignore the red haired harriden, scowling to Hackett's left.
"I'm unhappy," her mother half growled.
Hackett winced slightly, but didn't respond, while Anderson fought down a small smile.
"Don't you fucking laugh, David," Hannah spat, looking at the man. "This is unfair, and I dislike everything about it."
"Umm…"Kelly raised her hand slightly. "If I'm getting kicked out, I am prepared to sue."
"Ha!" Anderson finally broke and laughed. He glanced over at Hannah with a wide grin. "She's a Shepard. I don't think even you can stop her now."
"Mmmm," Hannah turned away with a sniff, her eyebrows drawing down into a straight line.
"You are not being kicked out, Cadet Shepard," Hackett assurde her. "You are, however, here because of politics."
"You can tell them 'no' Kelly," Hannah said, almost pleadingly. "If you do, I'll make those cookies for you."
"I...that's actually almost tempting," Kelly blinked at her mother before looking at Anderson, then to Hackett. "But what is going on?"
"In addition to your commission, official, in three days, you are being offered the opportunity to attend N7 training," Hackett's hands clasped on the desk in front of him. "You are being fast tracked through, and your actions on Horizon have just given the politicians ammo to work with."
"I, what?" Kelly looked confused.
"You are being lauded the Hero of Horizon," Anderson chuckled. "Took control of the marine unit when you were cut off behind enemy lines and saved half the colony single handed."
"How could I have taken command of a squad AND done it all single handed?" Kelly frowned now. "There were a lot of good people with me. And, honestly, John was the one that saved my ass."
'Yes, but John is still a pariah," Hannah made a disgusted face. "His work with Cerberus has him marked as suspect. As it is right now, you are getting all the credit. And because of that, politicians are holding you up as a bloody icon."
"They're what?" Kelly almost stood from her chair. "John has done more for-"
"We know, Kelly," Anderson winced as he shook his head sadly. "Right now, however, they are using the fact that you bullied your way into the Alliance marines to be the first asari member, and now that you saved most of a colony, they are pushing to have you be the first N7 in addition."
"You can say no, honey," Hannah suddenly looked like a mother. One that had been asked for too much. "You don't have to do it."
Kelly looked at her mother for a moment before letting her eyes drift to the ground.
Her mother was right. She didn't have to could just take the commission and go from there. Like a normal soldier. She could take a posting in some out of the way backwater. She could...she could...she could.
But, then she wouldn't be a Shepard.
"I'm in," Kelly grinned savagely. "Johnny did it, I can do it."
Hannah's face fell for just a moment, before a prideful smile crossed her lips. But behind it, Kelly could see the pain and worry.
"I'll do it, mama," Kelly assured her. "I'll come back better than Johnny did."
Letting out a deep, suffering sigh, Hannah blinked away tears for a moment before nodding to her daughter. "I know you will, sweetheart. I'm just not looking forward to telling your father."
"Oh...shit."
John, Eternity Lounge
"The two of them did this?" Grunt looked around, amazed as her followed John's lead and stepped over the unconscious bodies littered round the room. As it was, medics and security seemed to be tending to wounded, and removing the ones still out.
"And there are our two little brawlers now," Garrus chuckled as he pointed to a small knot of security officers, all with their weapons trained on...three quarians?
The quarians, Tali, Xera, and some unknown quarian that, from the looks of her suit, appeared to still be on her pilgrimage, all sat around a small table in the back corner of the bar. Behind them, a tall irritated looking asari matriarch stood, with her arms crossed, staring down the security.
"I told you already, I'm not pressing charges on them," the asari grumbled. Her voice was uniquely deep and slightly graveled. "It was that pair of humans and the turian that started the whole thing."
"That's not what they said," the turian lead officer said as he gave the quarians a disgusted look. "Look, why are you defending the suit rats? There is no way they can pay for the damages. I don't even know how they got on the planet."
"We came in a ship, you bosh'tet!" Tali, uncharastically, half shouted. "I am mated with a lucking Spectre you...what was the word?" She turned wobbily toward Xera.
"It's 'fucking' not 'lucking'," Xera giggled as she tried to flip off the officer. It lacked some punch without more than three fingers. "And I have no idea what you are trying to call him."
"Whatever!" Tali sniffed, turning to the mystery quarian. "He's really cute. Exceptionally, his butt! It's especially!"
"Keelah," the quarian put both hands over her visor.
"Hey! There he is now!" Tali looked up and waved. "Lemme look at your butt!"
"Garrus…" John said quietly.
"Uh, yes, Shepard?" Garrus's voice was sing-song light.
"Don't say a word, or I'll shove your mandibles in your cloaca."
"Not a peep!" Garrus promised with a grin. "Totally recording this though."
"Sexy!" Tali stood as John and company arrived, only for the lead officer to grab her shoulder roughly, and attempt to push her down.
Unfortunately for him, instead, Tali gripped his wrist and pulled him forward as her helmet snapped forward, cracking him soundly in the face and knocking out a couple of teeth. She then staggered back a step and fell into her seat again.
John didn't quite know what happened, but when he looked around, half a dozen security officers lay on the ground, Tali hung from his neck, giggling, Xera sat in a chair, snoring and the asari matriarch stood clapping, slowly.
A small crash pulled his attention to the main doors of the bar, where Grunt stood, arms crossed over his chest as he scowled down at some shrinking security guards. "No," was all he said.
"Look, we already talked to the police," Garrus was saying casually as he leaned against a wall, his legs crossed at the ankles. "My friend in there is a Council Spectre. We've got the rouge quarians corralled. You can go ahead and go to a bar, have a few drinks. Just not this bar," Garrus winked as he tossed one of the random guards a credit chit.
"Umm..sure, sounds like a good idea," the guard nodded, his eyes never leaving Grunt as he backed away.
Garrus then turned to John and grinned even wider. It was almost a wonder his mandibles didn't fall off. "Hey, boss, you owe me two hundred creds."
"Fuck my life…" John sighed as Tali's arms tightened around his neck.
"Okay!" she giggled as she nuzzled his neck. He...kinda liked that….
Garrus
He knew what was going to happen the moment the guard's hand touched Tali. Okay, he didn't expect the girl to copy a combat move from Wrex, but Shepard's reaction was pretty much what Garrus had expected.
The other guards raised their weapons, and promptly got their asses handed to them. It was pretty impressive, really. Shepard grabbed the leader by the fringe, which made Garrus wince just remembering it, and drug the man back before driving his face, literally, into Grunt's armor. The turian rebounded, a few more teeth fell, and he dropped.
Grunt, taking this as a go ahead, grabbed two of the guards and smashed their heads together with a dull, meaty thup, that left them both alive, but unconscious.
Tali stepped forward and threw a straight kick into one of the guards, knocking the poor woman into Garrus. And, seeing as how he was such a gentleman, spun the woman around and shoved her towards the door. "Might want to make a break for it, sweetheart," the turian laughed. "I'll cover you!"
Garrus turned back around just in time to watch Grunt slam a guard's favorite head into a table, dropping the unconscious salarian to the floor.
Shepard, being the hero, now had a very intoxicated quarian girl hanging from his neck.
"Good times," he sighed.
John
"So...how much is this going to cost?" John flinched slightly as Tali wiggled in his lap. Once she had gotten her arms around him, the Lion of Elysium, couldn't get her to let go. Eventually, he gave up and sat down, where she promptly jumped into his lap.
"A lot," the asari matriarch Aethyta grinned as she watched Tali's antics. "Your whirlwinds here, paid for their food and drinks. And I looted the bodies to cover the broken bottles and such, but I'm going to have to get new tables and chairs, a lot of glasses, more than a few bullet holes in my walls fixed and a security company to pay off."
"Goddess," John sighed as he tried to put a hand to his face, except a particular quarian grabbed his hand and started playing with his fingers.
"So many…, Tali whispered to herself.
"I'm really sorry about this," John frowned slightly before looking back to Aethyta. "I really don't have any words for this."
"Eh," the matriarch shrugged. "Needed new paint anyway. Besides, I haven't had a good bar fight in here in, probably, a hundred years. Oh!" Aethya slapped her leg as she seemed to remember something. "I do have some trash you can take out for me."
"Of course," John stood up and peeled the drunk quarian off of himself. Tali struggled a little with a quiet 'noooo' before dropping limply into the chair. "At this point I'll name my first born after you."
"Heh, I might hold you to that, Shepard," Aethyta chuckled as she stepped behind the bar. Reaching down, she grabbed a man by the back of his armor and hefted him up. The man was not quite as tall, or broad as John was, and he was a bit soft around the middle, but he was still a good sized man, and was wearing N7 combat armor. And Aethya seemed to be manhandling him like he was a child. "Here, not sure what to do with this sack of klumtac."
"Is...is that Conrad Verner?" Garrus walked up incredulous as Aethyta dropped the body onto the bartop.
"That's what he said his name was," Aethyta shrugged. "He was accusing me of smuggling Red Sand, and demanded I turn over the deed to my 'business partner' or he would take me in. Then your quarian started the fight, this dumbass tried to get involved, so I clapped him over the back of the head and stuck him back here."
"Probably saved his life," Grunt sniffed as he looked at the man. "He doesn't look like a warrior. He smells like an accountant."
"He's not," John frowned as he leaned over and slapped Conrad on the face. "HEY! WAKE UP!"
"Who?! WHAT?!" Conrad jerked awake and sliding off the bar to land in a heap on the ground.
"Grunt?" John sighed, waving at Conrad.
The krogan gave John a look of distaste before sighing and picking the man up.
"Conrad, what are you doing here?" John asked far more calmly than he felt.
"Oh! Hey, Shepard!" Conrad grinned. "I was working with this undercover officer, you know, for the Special Elite Crime Task...Enforcers?"
"Uh huh," John gave him a look, his brows furrowed.
"Ah yes! Good old 'SECTE'," Garrus sighed wistfully. "I remember my pa telling me stories about them growing up…"
"Not helping Garrus…" John fought down the smile that threatened to take him.
"Yes, I am."
"Continue, Conrad," John almost smirked.
"Well, he was saying that this foul asari was smuggling Red Sand!" Conrad shot an accusing finger at Aethyta.
"Watch your finger, bub, or you're pulling back a stub," Aethyta's brow raised. "Do you even know what Red Sand is?"
"I..uh…" Conrad looked hesitant. "No, not really?"
"Didn't think so," Aethyta snorted. "It's not even illegal on Illium."
"Uh…" Conrad looked at John, a worried look on his face. "Did...did I mess up?"
John sighed deeply as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, Conrad...yeah you did."
"Butt!" a quarian giggled behind him.
"I got a question," Garrus snerked, pointedly not looking behind John. "Where did you get the armor?"
"Oh...well, you can find a lot of stuff from extranet auction sites!" Conrad looked at himself. "The guy I bought it from had a written guarantee that you had worn it!"
"Gerald?" Grunt leaned against the bar as he drank something green and steaming.
"Gerald," John and Garrus said together.
"Okay, then, ignoring the moron," Garrus gestured at the mysterious third quarian. "What's her story?"
"Ah, yes," Aethyta grinned again as the group, plus Conrad, walked to the quarians. "Congratulations, Shepard. You and your mate are the proud owners of a bouncing semi-adult slave girl."
"I...what?" John blinked as Tali threw herself on him again.
"Our first child!" Tali giggled again until she snorted, then just laughed until John was forced to hold her up.
"Aww, what are you going to name her Boss?" Garrus held his hands together by his cheek.
"Well, Aethyta," the matriarch chuckled. "We had a verbal contract."
"Umm...My name is Julip'Lana nar Xardoz," the young quarian spoke up. "I actually had to sell myself into an indentured servitude contract. I thought I could make quick money on the trade floors...but it didn't work out…"
"Alright, and how did Tali end up 'buying' you," John didn't really want to know, but he was committed at this point.
"Oh, the broker that had my contract wanted to sell me to Synthetic Insights, but the rep said they were losing too much money after the geth attack and couldn't afford me. I think Tali'Zorah must have overheard it," Julip shrugged uncomfortably. "When the fight...happened, she cornered the rep and demanded she let me out of the contract, but it doesn't work that way. So instead Tali demanded to buy the contract."
"Butts!" Tali snickered. "But, I mean...asari bosh'tet didn't want to sell to me. Said I couldn't have that kinda money. 'N iffna did, was stolen! Do you believe that, saera?"
Julip gasped, her glowing eyes went wide behind her visor. "It...is it really true?" she asked quietly. "The vid of you arguing down the Admirals is everywhere, and rumors said that you are really bonded, for real!"
"Is true!" Tali declared, pushing away from John and walking to the girl. "We're special! I can feel him...here!" Tali poked herself in the helmet. "An' here!" She then poked the center of her chest, where the quarian heart was."
"Amazing…" Julip breathed.
"I know, right?" Tali nodded as she turned to John. "Think the suit is making me soberish. Should I drink some more so you can take advantage of me?"
"No, Tali, I don't need help with that," John sighed, but his heart wasn't in it as he smirked. "How did you buy Julip, here?"
"Oh, that," Tali shrugged. "Xera hit her. Broke her jaw. So she sold. Expensive though. Used your cred account. Sorry."
John blinked for a moment before chuckling. "It's fine. But how much was it?"
"Um...two hundred and sixty four-thousand, five-hundred and eighty," as Julip spoke her voice got quieter and quieter.
"Wow, how the hell did you get that deep in the hole," Garrus asked, shocked.
"Rather not talk about it…" Julip turned away uncomfortably.
"Alright, then I guess we just release her from the contract," John couldn't stand the idea of slavery. He had seen too much pain, from Mindior to Torfan. If he had come across Julip he probably would have done the same thing.
"Can't," Aethyta said, dashing his hopes of a simple solution. "Part of the contracts preclude buying out a contract and releasing the servant. They say it's to prevent 'abuse of the system'. Also can't take 'em off world."
"Well, that doesn't make mush sense," Tali was only slurring a little bit now.
"See if Liara can hire her," Garrus suggested with a small shrug. "She lives here, maybe she could use the help."
"Ah, Garrus, you are brilliant sometimes," John grinned at his friend.
"Thanks, Shep- Wait," Garrus's smile shifted to a frown. "What do you mean, 'sometimes'."
"Johnny…" Tali whimpered as she put a hand to her helmet. "Think I need to sleep soon. Feeling sick."
"Alright, but under the condition you move into my cabin with me," John grinned at his love.
"M'kay, whatever you say…" Tali's eyes blinked sleepily. "Carry me?"
As an answer, John scooped the quarian up in his arms in a classic 'princess' style carry. "You got that, right Edi?"
"I did," Edi confirmed, sounding highly amused.
"Alright, Grunt, you get Xera, and Garrus, can you take miss Julip here to see Liara? Let me know if it'll work," John smiled as Tali's breathing slowed as she fell into a gentle sleep.
"On it, Boss," Garrus nodded while Grunt picked up the quarian medic, and tucked her under his arm like a sack of vegetables.
"Let's hustle though, we only have twenty-five hours to storm a tower of death, find the information to stop an asari Justicar from killing her way out of a police station, and extract the galaxy's best assassin," John nodded, satisfied. "Typical week."
Krogan Lexicon
Klumtac: A literal pile of feces left behind by Thresher Maws. The feces are known to have giant parasites, roughly the size of a Krogan hand.
Quarian Lexicon
Bosh'tet: Animal, native to Rannoch. With no insect life, other species of life had to fill the niche that on earth fell to the insect. One such niche was the dung beetle. A bosh'tet falls into the category of roller on earth as it moves the dung found to a central location. Though differing in colors, from the green/yellow of the cooler climates to the blue/white in the more tropical areas, they are the same species. Known for apparent inability to distinguish between dung and small rocks, it is considered extremely stupid. Many have been found dead, surrounded by small rocks, as it tried to feed on them.
Saera: Term used when speaking to ones lifemate. Literal translation: My soul's soul. Other meanings include, but are not limited to: Keeper of my soul and My souls protector. Most commonly used word throughout the fleet by a quarian when speaking privately to their lifemate. Though unconfirmed by any quarian, there are implications that this word holds extreme intimacy as well as absolute trust. No single human word or phrase encompassed all that this one short word implies as it appears to contain both dominant and submissive traits.