AUTHOR'S NOTE: So I POV change a few times here for a few different crew interactions. Because some of these are more like the first real interactions with them... I guess... sorry for not doing these sooner... some of them are a bit shorter than they could be, but take it as me preparing to do it more often later. Next chapter I think will have some more real... stuff, you could say. And wish me luck with finals, I'm wishing the same for any of y'all having them.
Kenn'Hass nar Yanil
I had expected it to take longer for us to find someone who could sell us the parts for Tali'Zorah's experimental shield tech, but I was surprised. Gabby and Ken were familiar enough with this massive space station to already know of some good locations and how to get to them. I was still taken aback by the size of it all. And then considering what Lia'Vael had told me of her experiences here, I was conflicted on whether or not to join them, but they insisted.
And they offered food. Real food. In my time with them, it had been obvious that they were close, long-time friends, so it was only natural that most of their attention was to one another, but I could appreciate their efforts to try and include me. Whether that was questions about the fleet, talking about Tali'Zorah's tech, or ideas to try and improve efficiency. By now, the supplies had been gathered and were being shipped back to the Normandy. We were at some smaller restaurant that serves Quarians, waiting for our meals. They didn't have any meats native to Rannoch, which was to be expected, so I decided I'd try some Turian Louza.
"You ever play cards on the fleet, kid?" Ken asked, catching me and my attention by surprise.
"W-what? Sorry."
"Cards. You ever play em on your fleet? Poker? Skyllian-5? Go fish?" Gabby rolled her eyes with a smirk after hearing him explain.
"The… second sounds… vaguely familiar. When I was young we'd have small card games like Va'anqil."
"Ah. Kid's card games aren't quite what I was thinking."
"Then why'd you mention 'Go Fish?'" Gabby questioned.
"Oi, I was just giving examples." Ken defended. "What I was thinking was some gambling games. Small, friendly wagers, don't worry. I was just thinking that while we're waiting for the tests, and thanks to those couplings of yours we have more free time, we could have a game. Maybe with Tali, a few others," he shrugged. I suppose a few credits wouldn't be a huge loss. Not like I'll need them on the Fleet.
"Well, I suppose if you teach me, I wouldn't mind playing." Ken grinned wide, and I got the sense that I'd regret that decision.
Justicar Samara
As is my common routine, I was meditating in the Starboard Observation Deck. Normally, I'd currently just be looking at a bland wall of the docking bay we are currently within, but fortunately, there are recordings on a loop of the black of space accompanied by the faint twinkling of the stars. It was peaceful. But Morinth is still out there somewhere. The door opened behind me. The footsteps were not Shepard. These were quiet. I do not believe these belong to Kasumi Goto, even in comfort, she always tries to be as silent as possible. These are of one trained in the ways of stealth, and instincts mean they always walk more lightly than others, but isn't trying to remain unheard. I have my suspicion.
"Justicar. May I join you?" the raspy voice of the Drell Assassin asked.
"You may, Thane Krios." He nodded his thanks and took his position on the floor by me, gazing out at the long recording loop of the stars. "Why did you wish to join me?"
"I have been troubled as of late. It has been some time since I meditated with another's presence. I decided to see if it might help."
"What troubles you?" I asked.
"Memories of my wife and son."
"I was not aware you had either."
"My wife, Irikah, she died years ago. She knew of my work, but I kept her out of it. Regardless, my enemies found her, killed her to get to me. I returned to my battle sleep and hunted down her killers. These deaths were not quick or clean like I had been trained to do. These were the only deaths I caused by my own volition, and they weigh heavily on me. I abandoned my son in this time to hunt her killers. I returned for a short time, before leaving for my work again, leaving him in the care of Irikah's family."
"You regret your actions."
"I regret not being able to work under more legal means, and for letting my family become vulnerable. I regret making their deaths slow and for abandoning my son. But this is the destiny set for me by the gods. I cannot dwell on the past, but the eidetic memory sometimes makes this difficult." I was quiet a moment, thinking.
"I see." We meditated in silence.
Tali'Zorah vas Neema
Despite the relative positivity that Garrus' vendetta had ended on, he wanted to stay behind to go find a bar for some time alone. Shepard and I understood, and let him go. Meanwhile, Shepard said he needed to go speak to Anderson to see about arranging delivery of a bomb to use for Jack's request.
Naturally, I had to ask, and Shepard explained, but warned I should pretend that I don't know. Probably a wise decision. He offered to drop me back off at the Normandy so I could finish some of the scheduled maintenance and work with the others on the shield technology, and I accepted, giving him a wave and smile under my mask as I disembarked back onto the Normandy, and returning to the drive core.
Strangely, the others weren't there. I suppose they're still getting the supplies. I could go and do some of the maintenance then. Clean some parts and couplings, and replace some of the power lines and capacitors that got damaged during the Collector vessel's overload. I'll need to go to the sub-level, but first, the starboard cargo hold. Grunt's room.
"Quarian," Grunt, well, grunted as I entered. He was using an extranet terminal that had been brought down for him. "Need something?"
"Just some parts we have stored in here. If you can help me carry one of these crates to the sub-level, I won't need to come in here a second time," I offered.
"Get one of your engineers to help," he huffed.
"They're not here, Grunt. They're getting parts to test new shield generators for the ship," I retorted, not even looking at the Krogan as I gathered the electrical cables that I'd need out of their own storage. Not enough to warrant taking the full crate, and I can just loop it around my shoulder. Once it was gathered, I looked back at the Krogan, gesturing at the crate. "Do you want me to keep coming back for two pieces at a time, or help me carry it down one time and not have me intrude any more?" He huffed, and stood, making his way over to the crate, effortlessly picking it up, and followed me down to the sub-level. Jack, unsurprisingly, was also there, laying on her bed, a knee in the air while she was doing something or other on her Omni-tool. She paused, hiding her discomfort, as Grunt set the crate down and left.
"Can't I have some peace and quiet?" Jack asked. Remembering what Shepard had told me, I tempered my response.
"Sorry, Jack, but the Collector's overload damaged the Normandy's power systems. If I don't repair and replace what needs it, critical systems could fail when we need them. And we'll all die. Jack was silent a moment.
"Fair enough."
I decided to start with the capacitors, setting the cables down on the table and opening the crate to retrieve the pieces of hardware, and getting to work replacing the fried ones. "Where's your lackeys?"
"My engineers," I emphasized, "Are getting parts to build and test some new shield generator tech I'm developing."
"For bodies or the ship?"
"The ship. At least for now. Maybe this technology can be modified later to work for individuals, but the only way I can see it working now, is if you carried a large backpack or vest with the oscillating shield generators. It would be heavy. Maybe a Krogan, or a strong biotic. Or maybe a powered exo-suit," I explained.
"Hm," Jack responded, appearing uninterested now. I continued working in silence. "So. How long you and Shepard been boning?"
"Been… what?" I stopped fastening the replacement capacitor, staring at Jack, confused.
"Fucking. Sex. 'Making love.' Penis. In. Vagina." she explained, annoyed. I just stared, wide eyed, and a bit shocked. And blushing.
"W-what?! No! No, no, no! We haven't… done that." Jack raised a brow.
"Well it's pretty fucking obvious you two are having a thing."
"We-" I stopped, and took a breath. "We do… have a thing, yes. But we haven't done… any of that."
"Shame," Jack shrugged. "Why are you so afraid to talk about it anyway?"
"I'm not afraid. It's just… very awkward."
"Why?" I sighed at Jack's question, composing myself.
"Think about our suits, Jack. Our immune systems. Even with other Quarians in the most sterile of clean rooms, that… act is the largest act of trust my people have because of the risk for infection. It's incredibly intimate and personal."
"So, figure you probably think I'm a whore or some shit?" Admittedly, my first, immediate impressions of her, particularly after that… event in the med-bay, but I tempered it by knowing Humans don't have the same risks of the suit, so things are different for them. Still, it seemed a bit… excessive. I thought for my answer.
"While I can't say I understand desiring so many… partners, I do understand things are different for Humans than my people. Even if I didn't have to worry about the suit, I don't exactly see myself doing the same."
"Hmph."
Lia'Vael nar Shellen
"Collector neural tissue deep scan number seventeen complete. Results?" The professor asked.
"The test results align with the previous sixteen scans, Professor. Evidence of element zero pockets prevalent in biotics without the evidence of any abnormal bubbling of the pockets in the non-natural biotic species. Neural pathways strangely linear and more efficient than observed naturally in sapients of today, yet far more simplistic. If modified as you suspect, it's difficult to tell whether it was the Protheans or Reapers who were responsible."
"Potential of being a low caste or mandatory procedure for common soldier. Likelihood still low considering other modifications. Go on," Mordin answered.
"DNA from the neural tissue concurs with EDI's analysis and comparison. However, levels of variance and deviance in the DNA are far lower than is normal between members of the same species. Not unlike identical twins, but with slightly more variance. Less than biological twins, more than identical twins. Perhaps these samples are all from the same family unit in the Collector's breeding, or perhaps Reaper modifications have altered the DNA to be as efficient as possible and near identical. Comparing these samples with those found in Prothean colonies, the Collector samples all show massive levels of mutation and/or modification in the same exact alleles across the board. In samples of Collector cerebral cortexes, genetic sequences we theorize to influence forms of critical thinking and independent thought are largely missing."
"Suspect theories to then be accurate. Thank you, Lia. Good work. Go take a break, get lunch. Will continue scans and simulations in meantime. Please return with water and nutrient bar."
"Of course, Professor. Thank you," I nodded, taking my leave to deck 3. No one joined me on the elevator and I took a deep breath. It's tiring work, with the professor. Still, he's well aware my own metabolism isn't that of a Salarian, and accommodates me. It's just that the work is long. Now this is no complaint. I'm learning much, and I never imagined I'd be doing work so important as this. The elevator came to a stop and I entered the mess.
Mess Sergeant Gardner was serving the human crew members, while sat were both some of the general crew, the pilot, Joker, Kelly Chambers, and three members of the ground team. I believe they are Jacob, Kasumi, and Zaeed. I made my way to the refrigerator to retrieve one of the containers of sterile dextro food that, considering the three Quarians aboard are mostly running on different shifts, Gardner has prepared some 'cold meals' in advance that can be reheated. I selected a sandwich with some meat and vegetables. I activated it's reheat process and brought it to the mess table, taking the only remaining seat at the corner, beside Kelly Chambers, and in front of Joker.
"Hello, Lia," Kelly greeted with a wide, almost unsettling smile.
"H-hello…"
"Kelly, you're scaring her with that smile of yours," Kasumi remarked.
"I see Mordin let you out of his cave," Joker remarked. I just looked at him with confusion as my meal finished re-heating.
"I'm sorry?" Joker rolled his eyes with a smirk. "Yep. Helluva lot like Tali at first."
"Why'd Shepard take her on at first anyway?" Zaeed asked, his voice gruff, a hint of aggression, but his body language suggested he wasn't actively aggressive currently.
"I mean, I was on the ship when it happened, but I heard all about it," Joker began.
"So tell us," Jacob added, far more calmly than the mercenary beside him. Some of the general crew were starting to listen in as well as I just connected a tube to the container to my helmet, and listened in.
"So it was right after Eden Prime, we had gone to the Citadel under the orders of, at the time, Captain David Anderson. Shepard was his XO. Anderson, Shepard, and Udina testified to the Council against Saren for being behind Eden Prime."
"And how'd they know already?" Jacob asked.
"Some lucky and lazy dock worker was hiding and both saw and heard Saren show up behind his Spectre buddy Nihlus, and blow his brains out from behind. He passed that along to Shepard. So the Council just wasn't buying it, so Anderson sent Shepard to investigate. They followed some leads, met Garrus protecting a doc owning a free clinic from some thugs. Garrus was the guy running the Saren investigation but didn't have any access to his files. Garrus had leads about a Quarian with evidence that went to a gangster called Fist that, the Quarian believed, was still working for the Shadow Broker, but had betrayed him for Saren. Garrus also knew that Wrex was on the Citadel with a hit on Fist, and so we picked him up."
"Yeah, I remember Fist. Always tried to be the big man, but was always the little prick. Tried to cheat me out of a bounty once till I broke his nose in," Zaeed added.
"Maybe that's how he got his name," Joker chuckled. "Anyways, as you probably suspected, since Fist was working for Saren, and this Quarian had information implicating Saren, the arrangement for protection wasn't quite going to go through. So, Shepard took Kaidan, Ashley, Garrus, and Wrex, and stormed Chora's Den, the strip joint he owned, and plowed through his goons. Found Fist in his office, got answers, and Wrex just blew the fucker's head in. The information they got, was that the Quarian was having the meeting at any moment and would just get killed at it. They rushed to a nearby alley way, coming up behind her as her arm was creepily being rubbed by the Turian thug. She slapped it away, some Salarians pulled out their weapons as Shep and the others came in, she did a dive roll behind a crate, tossing a grenade in the process. They took out the Salarians, but the little Quarian woman unloaded her full shotgun in the Turian's corpse, cursing at him, then trained her weapons on Shep and crew, warning him. Didn't matter he and his guys were clearly better trained, armored, whatever, she held her ground," Joker recounted fondly.
"So to start with she had balls, huh? I figured she was more like the other two bucketheads," Zaeed stated rudely, and gestured his head towards me. I turned a glare at him in response. He chuckled.
"You don't have to be a grizzled veteran to stand up for yourself or know how to fight," Kasumi retorted.
"True. You could just be an idiot to stand up for yourself against a Krogan," Zaeed laughed.
"I'll give you that," Kasumi allowed herself a smirk. I finished my meal and got a sterilized bottle of water for myself, and another for Mordin, as well as the nutrient bar. I wonder where Kenn is. I'd have liked to spend my lunch talking to him.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Just one more thing to say, because I suspect there's a small handful of you somewhere among my readers. But if you think Tali's segment and talk with Jack hinted at her getting a bit... wild as her immune system improves? Yeah, no, and I'm dissapointed in you. I'd never write Tali as turning into a cock gobbler that talks like a pornstar, and the biggest reason why is because in no way, shape, or form is that ever her. And honestly the fics that do that to her turn me off more than much else.