Jane, Corsair Ship Perugia, Klemntine System
"Captain...we're being pushed back in the jump lanes. Again," Conrad glanced up from the comm station. "We are being told to make way for a….Volus garbage scow. I'll spare you the exact words used."
Drumming her fingers on the armrest of her seat, Jane sighed deeply. In the two years that she had been working this Corsair work she had more or less gotten used to this kind of thing. The Perugia was running quarian colors, after all. At the moment, however, it was becoming a bother.
"Do they have a new estimate?" she asked as politely as she could through clenched teeth.
"Yes...no," Conrand rubbed at her face. "A turian tourist shuttle dropped in system and is immediately being put in front of us. I've been watching the comm traffic, and they haven't even contacted the relay yet."
"Fuck it," Jane threw up her hands. "Take us out of the traffic lanes completely. Bring us around to 278.87.21, mister Garcia."
"Yes, sir," Garcia nodded as he shifted the ship. "We are looking at an hour and a half to the third planet."
"Good. Miss Conrad, please inform Kal'Reeger to meet me in the phys ed room. I need to blow off some steam, and we didn't have time this morning," Jane stood and rolled her neck uncomfortably as it popped.
"Yes, ma'am," Conrad nodded. And brought up her omnitool. As did most of the bridge crew.
"One of these days I'm going to throw a match just to bankrupt you assholes," Jane chuckled as she headed for the lift.
"No you won't sir," Garcia snorted. "You hate losing too much."
Jane let out another dry chuckle as the lift doors closed. "Touche, Gracia."
Kal'Reeger vas Neema Perugia, Physical Room
"Well, well, colored me surprised!"Jane grinned as she wipe the small smear of blood from under her nose.
"Sorry about that, ma'am," Kal shook his right arm, trying to bet some feeling back into it. He had twist locked Jane's arm, only to have her spike her stiffened finger into the socket of his shoulder.
"I had been fairly underwhelmed by my marines thus far. It's nice to see somebody worth putting in some effort with," she chuckled.
Kal paused for a moment, to give her a long look. "You are much better than I am."
"You're no slouch," Jane shrugged as she stepped back into the circle painted on the floor mats. "You're probably not far behind John when it comes to skill. I was just trained by the best. And I hate losing. And I kinda like kicking the crap out of people."
That was probably an understatement. That morning alone the human woman made her pilot tap out in less than two minutes. She then set about dismaling his marine team, one by one.
Watching didn't even seem to help, as she kept changing her styles. Kal was fairly sure she had started off with something asari. During Kal's Pilgrimage he had gotten in a bit of a mess with an asari street gang, and it reminded him of some of the things they had shown him.
Just as Kal was getting the hang of it, Jane switched to a style that Kal did recognize. It was a turian hard combat form. In theory it was designed to take advantage of the species's taloned fingers and toes, but Jane seemed to do just fine mimicking them by stiffening her fingers. Which were surprisingly strong for being so little.
Then came a krogan style. Which, naturally, emphasized headbutts. It also involved some weird kicks, using one's back to absorb strikes, which was odd for a human, seeing as they had no plating, and even some biting. That last part had really caught Kal be surprise.
Before stepping back into the ring himself, Kal looked around the packed room. And he meant it. When a quarian, of all people, says a room is packed, they mean it. There were even people outside the door, straining to look over the crowd that had gathered.
"Does this...always happen?" Kal asked gesturing at the mix of humans and quarians that made up Jane's crew.
"Hmm?" Jane blinked for a moment before catching his meaning and shrugging. "Oh, people seem to enjoy watching me do this stuff. Probably because I make it a point to fight everybody that becomes a member of my crew, so when it happens to somebody else…" She gestured to the crowd.
"And the bets!" one of the quarians called out. He didn't recognize the man, but he wore the purple realk of an engineer. "So many bets, Kal!"
With a small snort, Kal shook his head. "Betting on things like this really don't fly in the Fleet. Not that people don't do it, of course."
"Well, you have also lasted longer than any of them," Jane gave a shrug. "Are we going to get back to it, or are you surrendering like salarians in a krogan bar?"
"Hey!" one of the two salarians onboard called out. That was another thing that had caught Kal by surprise. There were other species serving on Jane's ship. Well...all her ships, as he came to find out. But then, they were, in theory, lawless privateers, so Jane could have whatever crew she wanted.
"Sorry Ned," Jane waved a hand with a grin.
"Nah, it's a fair point," 'Ned' shrugged.
"You are far more casual with your crew than I am used to," Kal laughed with mild amazement. Life on the Fleet, in general, tended toward the more serious side. Seventeen million people trapped on ships, constantly moving through space tended to do that to a people.
"So...going to talk me to death, or are you gonna fight?" Jane shifted her stance. Lifting herself onto her toes, her right leg moved slightly behind her left. Her left arm was held out in front of her in a fist, while her right hand was held like a blade, close to her face. He knew that style. He had mastered it almost before he had left his bubble.
Kal's eyes narrowed as he took an almost mirrored stance. "You wear a suit like a quarian, but let's see if you can fight like one."
Kelly Shepard, Nos Astra Transit Center, Illium
Nos Astra had to be one of the largest cities she had ever seen.
But that wasn't saying much, considering that she had grown up an a human colony world that had been settled forty years ago.
Vancouver was pretty big, being the center for the Alliance Military and everything, but she didn't really get a chance to look at it. Since she turned eighteen, Kelly's life had been in fast-forward. So much had happened in such a little time. Less than two years ago she had worried about boys, and passing her high school senior year, and now, just over a week ago she had fought for her life against bug men from Beyond Space.
And now she was on an asari corporate world, waiting for her mother to get through customs.
It had been a simple walkthrough for Kelly, but her mother had been stopped for 'questioning' about the pair of pistols the carried in her belt.
The irony, is that it wasn't even really a crime or anything, she just failed to disclose them and pay the tax. Sure, she said she had forgotten about them, but now the port authority felt the need to grill her about other things she may, or may not be smuggling. Especially with an Alliance Navy captain's gig, which was protected under a diplomatic immunity clause.
So, here Kelly was. In a glorified bus station, reading through store listings out of sheer boredom.
"Damn it," a green asari cursed nearby, dropping heavily onto a stone bench.
Wait...green….asari?
"I'm guessing you have a story," Kelly said casually as she sat down next to the woman. "And it sounds to be unhappy. My brother always said sharing the burden makes a lighter load."
"Heh, is that so," the woman flashed Kelly a ghost of a smile. "I had a human tell me that almost three years ago."
With a snort, Kelly gave the woman a grin. "Humans are weird, huh? I mean, my mother is one, I have a brother and a sister that are human, I was raised on a human world, but they still baffle me."
"You're young yet," the woman managed a pained chuckle. "You'll find every race is like that. Asari are no better."
"Sounds like experience?" Kelly raised a brow. She wasn't quite as natural at it as John or her mother were, but she was pretty good at it.
"You...could say that," the green woman shrugged defeated. "I was on a human colony, Zhu's Hope. There was some sort of insidious intelligent plant that...did things to the colonists there. Then to me." She gestured at her complexion. "After we were rescued, I stayed to help the colony, both in rebuilding what geth had destroyed and the...changes, that the plant left on us all."
"That…" Kelly frowned for a moment before nodding. That was familiar. She had heard the story before. "Well, what seems to bring you to Illium and unhappiness?"
With a sigh, the woman leaned back on the bench and gave Kelly a small smile. "The colonists went to Baria Frontiers for medical assistance. But, like everything else on this damned planet, we didn't read the fine, fine, print. The contract pretty well gives the company free reign to do perform any procedures it wants. Even invasive or potentially harmful ones."
"That is pretty fucked up," Kelly's brows rose.
"Yes," the woman agreed. "I came here to speak to the Baria representative, but she is an anti-non asari bitch. So now...here I am."
"Well," Kelly smirked," At least you are a lovely shade of green."
"Ha, ha," the woman laughed, the first real laugh Kelly had heard from her. "I am fairly unique now. My name is Shiala, by the way."
"Oh, sorry," Kelly thumped herself on the forehead with the heel of her hand before holding it out to Shiala. "Kelly. Kelly Shepard."
"Shepard?" Shiala frowned slightly. "I've heard that name...are you the Commander Shepard's sister? The one that joined the human military?"
"That's me!" Kelly grinned. "My brother is here someplace, and myself and family are supposed to meet before I go off to more training."
"Small galaxy," Shiala's smile faded as she seemed to turn introspective. "Your brother did a lot for us. More than can be expected of anybody. I promised him I would help these people, and now… " Shiala threw up her hands.
"So...who is this Baria rep, anyway?" Kelly asked casually.
"Oh, that woman over there, by the railing," Shiala pointed out the asari. "I considered pushing her over out of spite, but after the thorian, my biotics have been...erratic."
"Hmm…" Kelly considered briefly before standing up and dusting off her hands. "Be right back."
"Hey," Kelly called out as she walked up to the Baria Frontiers representative. "What is your problem with non asari?"
"Pheh," the Rep snorted as she watched Kelly approach. "I saw you speaking to that green freak. I assume you're here to complain about that contract the humans signed. You might as well leave. Human lives are short enough, you blink." The woman snapped her fingers with a cruel smirk. "And they are gone anyway."
"Lady, you got a mouth on you," Kelly ground her teeth as she clenched her fists. But she'd be damned if she gave this bitch satisfaction. "What is your problem?"
"Really? Do they not teach young anything anymore?' the woman gave Kelly a disgusted look. "Turians just want to destroy everything that looks at them wrong. Salarians unleashed the rachni on the galaxy, then uplifted te krogan to 'fix' the problem. Now humans are everywhere, pushing for more, more, more….Every war, every crisis was brought about by other species!"
The woman's voice grew quieter, yet, at the same time, angier. A light seemed to ignite behind her eyes as she almost snarled with suppressed rage. A rage too personal to be simple bigotry.
"This is personal," Kelly said, calmly, quietly. "What happened?"
For a long moment the woman just stared into Kelly's eyes. But slowly, the hate and resentment slowly gave way to loss and grief, as tears formed in the woman's eyes.
"My daughter's father died on the quarian homeworld. During the initial geth uprising," she finally said, the tears running freely. "He loved his people so….he fought so hard, keeping our daughters safe. Keeping me safe. My youngest never new who her father even was.
"My oldest daughter was serving aboard the Destiny Ascension itself, when the geth attacked. My second daughter worked for C-Sec," the woman turned away finally, looking out over the city below her. "My youngest...she became a commando, a follower of Matriarch Benezia. Until Saren betrayed her. He gave to some...thing. Now she fights me for these...humans."
"Shiala," Kelly said quietly.
"Yes," the woman. "And look what happened to them. To her! They can all rot, for what I care. At best, they can give me useful medical data."
"Your mate was quarian!" Kelly exclaimed. "Your daughters lived and died helping the very aliens you hate! Your last daughter is trying to help lives! Lives of people. They just wanted to live and grow, but somebody did things to them. They have suffered enough! Do you really think your daughters, your mate, did their work mean nothing?"
"I…" the woman looked at her hands for a moment before opening her omnitool. A few keystrokes and she took a slow, shuddering breath. "Fine. The contract has been revised. I sent a copy to Siala for the colonists to go over and sign. Just….leave me be."
"If it means anything to you, maybe you should look at the quarians," Kelly said softly. "I've gotten the chance to meet exceptional members of the people. They could use allies. Especially ones that remember what was stolen from them."
The woman stared blankly into the distance before smiling faintly. "I remember the sunset. As we sat in our haums. Kaeli'steiz slowly disappearing over the ogwer of the shining white city of Korrama'saan. Lomna, my mate and I...we made the haums together. He taught me so much about working with wood. He loved it so…."
"Then, do it again," Kelly leaned her arms on the railing as she looked at the sinking sun. "Remind them who they are. Both of you have lost enough."
"You are very wise, for such a young girl," the woman sighed. "Did you know, that the asari that were of Rannoch meet? They talk and do what they can to help the Flotilla. Always watching, helping Pilgrims. But they never reach out. I...I never thought to wonder. Maybe it's pain. And fear. But...maybe it should be more…."
"You seem to have a lot to think about," Kelly nodded, standing. "And my mother seems to finally be out of the customs interrogation."
"Yes," the woman turned, gazing softly at her last daughter. "Maybe...maybe Shiala should hear about the hero her father was."
John, SR-2 Normandy, The Loft
"You're going with me, it's not up for debate," John said casually as she dug through his small wardrobe.
"But...but John!" Tali continued to argue anyway. Why did she always argue about these things? It was beginning to feel like she didn't want to be seen with him. "This is for your family! You're going to an upscale restaurant! Besides, your family probably wouldn't be pleased for you to be with-"
Tali cut off as John turned around with a furious look. "Don't finish that sentence Tali," John said through clenched teeth. "You've met them. Don't insult them like that. Hell, half of Jane's crew is quarian."
"Yes, John," Tali spoke louder,her own frustration becoming anger. "I know that. They are great people whom do not discriminate. But we are different! We are...involved!"
"We are mates," John said firmly as he let some of his anger fade. "I love you. I intend to be with you, for as long as you'll allow it. My family will understand. They'll love you too."
Twisting her hands, Tali looked down, then to the side. Then to the other side. Finally, they looked to John. "Fine," she said at last, with a small voice. "I have...I have a realk for high functions. Auntie Shala gave it to me when I returned from my Pilgrimage. I'll take some of the armor off my suit. There are some decorative pieces I can add, I think…."
"Well, we have about twelve hours for...wait...I have an idea!" John grinned as he held up a finger and tagged his omnitool. "Kasumi, Miranda, are you free?"
"Of course not, Shep," Kasumi giggled. "I'm quite expensive."
"As am I Commander," Miranda snarked as well. Even before the incident with her sister, Miranda had been slowly opening up, but now she was making actual jokes. And spending a lot of time with Garrus.
"Well then, you'll enjoy this," John sighed as he glanced at the ceiling. "I need you two to take Tali out and find her something nice to wear. We are meeting my family tonight at...what was the place called again?"
"Eternity Lounge," Edi added.
"Really?" Miranda sounded shocked. "After that fight, they're letting Tali back in?"
"Keelah…." Tali dropped a hand over her visor.
'Yeah, Matriarch Aethyta seems to have a VIP section that I've rented out," John smirked as Tali hid her eyes. "As long as we don't assault her patrons."
"How formal? Kasumi asked, her voice going thoughtful.
"Mmm...semi formal," John decided. "Not going dress uniform, but something nice."
"Nicely vague," Miranda sighed. "That's fine. I have an idea, patching a couple people in. Garrus? Gerald?"
"Yes, Miranda?" Garrus came back, curiously.
"Yo," Gerald grunted.
"Kasumi and I are taking Tali out to get her dressed up for a meeting with Shepard's family," Miranda went into full command mode. "I need you two to take Shepard out and make sure he doesn't embarrass us too badly when he goes into public."
"Can do!" Garrus chuckled.
"This is gonna be fun!" Gerald seemed giddy. Which was disturbing.
"What's our budget, Shep," Kasumi cut in.
"You girls can use account 662-0-9," John smiled as he watched Tali squirm uncomfortably. "Go all out."
"Really?" Miranda had a note of shock in her voice. "Well, then I assume you won't mind Kasumi and myself picking up something for our trouble."
"Don't suppose it's going to be to show a certain turian?" John grinned wickedly. Finally he had something to get back at Garrus with! After all those times he had mocked John, revenge was on hand!
"Maybe," Miranda chuckled, shameless.
"Oh?" Garrus said cheerfully, not embarrassed in the least. Which really took a lot of wind out of John's sails. "Sounds fun."
"Come on, why aren't you guys embarrassed?" John groaned dropping onto the couch in a huff.
"Why would I be embarrassed?" Garrus asked truly baffled. "I'm having a good time?"
"Humans are naturally prudish about these kind of things," Kasumi added in verbally smirking. "Shep was probably hoping to get back at you after all you're mocking of him."
"Oh…" Garrus chuckled. "Sorry Boss. I'm quite pleased."
"Dammit…" John snorted. "I'm violently hanging up on you guys now. Be ready to head out in about an hour. I need to recharge my Tali batteries."
"I don't have batteries," Tali tilted her head, confused as John cut the comm link.
With a grin, John reached out and snatched Tali off her feet, dragging her into his lap and getting a small squeak out of her.
"Maybe not," he said, as he nuzzled into her neck. "But I do, and the only thing that can power them is Tali-tonium."
"I see," Tali giggled as she turned herself to wrap an arm around John's shoulder. "Well, your Tali-tonium resource is open for your business whenever you need a recharge."
There was a quiet male growl, followed by a small female giggle, as two people were happy.
Tali, Market District, Nos Astra, Illium
"No stealing," Tali was looking at Kasumi, but there was no condemnation in her voice Just a simple request from a friend. At least she liked to think she was Kasumi's friend.
"Of course not, Kasumi laughed lightly, clapping the quarian on the shoulder. "This is going to be too much fun!"
"Besides, I don't think she's stupid enough to do it with a cop around," Jack smirk as she gave Samara a look. "Why are you here, anyway?"
"If it eases your concerns, I am sworn to Shepard's service, and thus, his morals are mine," Samara almost ignored Jack as she casually looked around. "He feels it necessary to work with people of your abilities, and you are using them for the greater good. Indiscretions can be ignored. When my oath is fulfilled it would be unwise to indulge them in my presence, however."
"Not that you aren't welcome, but why did you choose to join us?" Kasumi turned so that she was walking backwards, so that she could look at the Justicar.
"I am intrigued by the crew that Commander Shepard has gathered for this mission," Samara nodded slightly. "This is to be quite a dangerous endeavor, but Shepard seems to have gathered some of the best. Even i have heard of the great thief, Kasumi Goto, the bounty hunter Zaeed Massani, even Mordin Solus. I have even battled Thane Krios in the past."
Kasumi seemed to hesitate for a brief moment, as a look of unease flashed over her face. "That's...a little unnerving," she laughed. "My goal is to be the best, not the most famous."
"As I understand it, you are pretty close," a ghost of a smile crossed Samara's face. "But when you get to the level that we work at, it becomes difficult to keep yourself hidden."
"Alright ladies," Miranda interrupted, as she pointed out one of the more upscale clothing stores. "It's go time."
"Oh, Keelah, no," Tali gasped as she froze still. She had gotten caught up in the conversations around her, almost forgetting why they had come out.
"Afraid so, grape juice," Jack chuckled as she slapped an arms around Tali's shoulders, beginning to draw the engineer toward the store. "Don't worry, I won't let 'em princess you up too much."
"Thanks," Tali gave the woman a sour look. "I never expected you to turn on me. You don't even wear a shirt. Usually."
It was a fact that Tali had never seen Jack wearing anything more than the leather strap set up over her chest. In fact, she wasn't entirely sure what the straps were even for. Today, however, Jack was wearing a form fitting black sleeveless top.
"Eh, this is your day," Jack looked away with a little disdainful sniff. "Don't want to cause a scene, ya know."
As the group entered the store, Tali gently patted Jacks arm as she smiled. "I knew you were a good person inside. Somewhere."
"Pff," Jack snorted. "Hardly good. I'll still cut a bitch, just not going to start shit and drag your pussy asses into it."
"I'm sorry, but we don't cater to….those…" a salarian saleswoman gave a dark look toward Tali. "If you don't mind leashing your pet outside, please? We are an up-"
The woman was cut off as Miranda stepped close to the woman. "Manager. Now," she said quietly, but there was a dangerous undercurrent to her tone.
"Miranda...it's fine," Tali stepped forward, touching her arm. "It's no big deal, I'm used to this kind of thing."
"The fact that you are used to it, doesn't make it right," Jack growled. "I'd like to rip this fucking building down and shove it up her...whatever salarians have for an ass."
"Is there an issue?" an almost regal voice asked, as a well dressed asari woman...glided? That was really the only way to describe it. She glided up to the group. She was tall, and a pale blue that almost looked like it was sunbleached. The markings on her face and head crest looked to be reminiscent of ocean waves. And her chest was enormous.
That was an odd thing Tali had begun to notice after coming to grips with her relationship with John. Doing a bit of research, it seemed human males had an extreme attraction to breasts, and breast size. It explained Miranda's...assets, seeing as how she was designed the way she was.
"Ah, yes," Miranda turned to the new arrival, with a wide friendly smile that hadn't been there even a moment ago. Reaching into her belt pouch, she withdrew two cards. One of them was shining, and deep silver in color, glinting in the light as she held it up. "It was our intention to shop here for some clothing for our friend." Miranda gestured to Tali. "However, we have since decided against it, as your employees seem to have a particular dislike fo-"
"Mistress!" the salarian cut Miranda off, seemingly desperate. "I was thinking of our image! Surely you wouldn't want some pity animal wandering through our store! Probably stealing!"
The woman didn't even seem to register the salarian's words as she gazed intently at Tali. It wasn't angry, or disgusted. It wasn't pitying, or resigned. It was a look of pure curiosity.
And it made Tali very uncomfortable.
"Claxel, are you aware of the significance of the cards that this woman is holding?" the asari's words were deep, but almost musical in nature.
"The silver colored one is a credit line of over a million credits in the Volus Merchant Guild Bank," the salarian, Claxel swallowed loudly. "I...I don't recognize the other, Mistress Moona."
The other card in Miranda's hand was flat black, the same size as the silvered one. But it gave off an almost sinister aura. For the life of her, Tali wasn't sure why that was.
"The black card indicates that these women are in the employ of a Council Spectre," Mistress Moona said, still in her quiet tone. Her eyes, however, were still on the nervously shifting Tali. "It allows them access to normally restricted services."
"I...They didn't say anything…." Claxel took a shaky step back. "I couldn't have known…."
With a long, slow blink, Mistress Moona turned to regard the salarian, as suddenly, it felt like the temperature dropped ten degrees.
It was...frightening. Mistress Moona's hands remained clasped in the sleeves of her long billowy dress. Her expression never really changed. She didn't say anything. But something in her eyes just gave off a deep chill. It was almost like having a knife, pressing against one's throat.
"How the customers are treated tells how the store's heart is, Claxel," Mistress Moona's voice was the same quiet tone, but now with a dangerous edge in it. "They shouldn't have to show you their funds to be allowed to shop. Nor should one's species matter. Human, asari, turian krogan. Quarian," she emphasized. "All are treated with respect and diligence to their needs."
"I..I'm sorry Mistress," Claxel looked like she would faint. Or drop to the floor and beg for mercy. Tali wasn't sure which.
"Enough," Mistress Moona sniffed, as the dangerous aura disappeared. "You are relieved. I would prefer not to sully my store with the narrow minded."
Up to that moment, Tali had been unaware that color could drain from a salarian's face. Claxel gave a small strangled gasp as she turned and ran from the store. In fact, it was so odd, that Tali was left staring at the salarians retreating back.
"Allow me to make apologies on behalf of my store, and other employees," Mistress Moona bowed her head at the group, though, for some reason, Tali felt it was aimed at her, specifically. "I did not do that to make a show for you, nor to convince you to shop here. If you would allow it, I would make suggestions as to other stores that would cater to you properly."
"Yeah," Jack let out a small disgusted sound. "Having a hard time believing that."
Mistress Moona gave Jack a small smile before turning to face Tali directly. And, to Tali's shock, spoke to her in near accentless khelish. "You were the most injured party in this incident. Many have come to accept the continued narrative about your people. I remember better times."
"You...have been to Rannoch, haven't you?" Tali asked, stepping forward.
"I was, in fact, born there," Mistress Moona smiled warmly now as she held up her right hand. A band the color dark green color used for merchants wrapped around her wrist was decorated with a quarian clan marking. Zorah, clan marking. "I am pleased to meet you, clan sister."
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.
Haums: A quarian lounging chair, designed to provide not just a place to rest upon but to give shade from the suns warmth. Usually designed for two, singles ones were known but most preferred to not announce to all that could see that it's owner had lost their lifemate.
Kaeli'steiz: Name used in the ancient text of the Ancestors. Literal meaning: Warmth's Herald. The home star of the quarian race.
Ogwer: Term used to describe a major rivers opening onto the sea. Literal translation: High mouthed waterway. Imagine if the grand canyon on earth ended abruptly leaving the high cliffs on either side of the river and the sea before it. Unlike a fjord, where the river is wide and usually meets the cliff/mountain walls, an Ogwer has a large flood plain between the river and the cliffs.
Korrama'saan: Large city on the south western edge of the continent. It was famed in the galaxy for the white stone and blue crystal of its architecture. It was also said to be the last city to fall during the geth uprising.