HOLOCAUST
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE:
THE RANNOCHIAN COALITION
July 22, 2186
1545 hours.
Debriefing Room, Zarasis-Class Light Cruiser QMFV Neema, Geth Orbital Dock DC9-934614, In Orbit over Rannoch, Tikkun System, Perseus Veil Cluster.
The Reaper War.
Speaker Makk'Vael vas Ulnay, Admiral Shala'Raan oso Tonbay, Admiral Zaal'Koris vas Shellen, Admiral Daro'Xen vas Moreh, Admiral Han'Gerrel vas Neema, Admiral Tali'Shepard vas Normandy, Caesar, Pythagoras, Aristotle, Baltazar, Moses.
Their time on Rannoch was inevitably going to come to an end, she knew that.
But given where she was now...making history twice didn't seem quite so bad.
The tension in the air was thick, representatives of both sides eying each other off uneasily. They weren't looks of hostility however; just...awkwardness. Nobody was quite sure what to do in the circumstances they found themselves in. The quarians had never encountered the geth on equal grounds before, and certainly not like this. There was bound to some complications, especially considering how much hostility needed to be washed away before the peace could solidify itself.
You can't just forget three hundred years of war, even if it could have been avoided.
She sighed, leaning against the bronze-coloured table as she scanned the room. What was the debriefing room of the Neema had looked much smaller in the past. Now, with all the boxes, crates and other equipment that had covered the room moved aside or removed completely, the room was much larger, having enough room to park two kodiak shuttles side by side. The low-level lighting only accentuated the new vastness to the room, the darkness creeping in on the corners emphasizing its size. Suffice to say, this resized room was more than large enough for the delegates of both the quarians and the geth to fit in, and was also a sign of subtle change; the quarian willingness to do away with the room's original utilitarian usage.
She took note of the room's occupant. Aside from herself, the other admirals were on her right, as well as the Speaker of the Conclave. Shala stood to her immediate right, her broken left arm in a sling, animatedly talking with Koris, who had his arms crossed and looked to be nodding in agreement to whatever Shala was saying. Gerrel looked distant, his eyes staring blankly at the table's surface, his stance pensive and slackened. If Tali was capable of doing so at the moment, she would feel sorry for him, but as it was, she couldn't. The man had come so close to damning their entire species to extinction, and all because of his own pride and inability to comprehend peace with the geth. It was easy to blame Legion's death on Gerrel, but she knew the geth would have sacrificed its life regardless of whether or not Gerrel made his attack to begin with.
His. She knew the geth would have sacrificed his life.
Still, the bitterness she felt towards her adopted uncle was palpable, and she wasn't about to forgive him anytime soon.
Daro'Xen, however, was a surprising sight. Tali had thought, given her goals of enslaving the geth, that Xen would refuse to turn up to a peace conference that would effectively recognize the geth as equals, but it seems this was not so. Even with this in mind however, it was clear Xen was not happy; she too was leaning against the table, glaring at the geth platforms across from her, as if it was their fault she was here. Daro'Xen, at this point, was the biggest threat to peace with the geth, but it seemed that even the little power Xen had was dwindling and, with it, her threat level. As such, Tali wasn't worried, and instead smiled, taking a little joy out of Xen's misery.
Serves the bosh'tet right. Guess her little childhood dreams didn't come true, eh?
Standing to the far right was Makk'Vael vas Ulnay, the Speaker of the Conclave. Despite being one of the highest ranking officials in the Migrant Fleet, Makk'Vael was like any other quarian in terms of how he was dressed and presented. His veil flowed across his shoulders and lower back, looking more like a scarf than a suit attachment. He stood like a stone pillar, his back straightened to the point of looking unnatural, his arms hanging at his side, but at the same time looking like they were attached to the sides of his torso. His head made ever so slight turns as he seemed to survey the room he was in, looking as much as a machine as the geth they stood across from. His veil was a vibrant orange, its color dulled only by the years it had coincided with. His visor was dark black, giving his already bright, quarian eyes an even brighter look. Tali couldn't help but be impressed by him; he somehow managed to convey the authority of Gerrel, but the humility of Shala.
A curious man. One would hardly think men or women like that could exist in an organization such as the Conclave.
Suddenly, Makk turned his head to look at her, and Tali, instead of comically turning away, simply nodded at him respectfully. Makk nodded back, twisting in his posture to begin walking around the table, and towards her. Tali sighed, turning to look at the table. Please, no more politics. I'm so sick of politics.
She did take note of Marcus' absence, and understood it. Despite his involvement in bringing the quarian-geth conflict to an end, it was still ultimately up to the quarians and geth to sort their problems out; to come to an agreement. Because of this, Marcus had insisted that he not be present or have any further involvement in sorting out their issues, and that he would be on the Normandy getting their affairs in order; apparently, the geth had been kind enough to upgrade the Normandy with some previously geth-exclusive technology; something she had no doubt Garrus would have a fun time calibrating. That, and with UGC representatives due to arrive within the week, it was going to be a very busy few weeks for all parties concerned. And so here she was, by herself, surrounded by a pack of wolves, so to speak.
A pack of wolves I know very well, though.
Before she knew it, Makk was standing at her side, and speaking, "Mrs. Shepard, a pleasure."
Go on Tali, say something witty. Make a fool of yourself. Ignoring the sarcasm of her inner voice, she instead straightened, turning towards him as she held out a hand, "You must be Makk'Vael, Speaker for the Conclave. I've heard much about you from Admiral Raan." Very good, Tali. A true professional. You'd make a fantastic politician.
Behind her mask, her eyes rolled, going unnoticed by everyone...including Makk'Vael.
"Good things, I would hope. Negativity in politics is a weed I have to deal with far too often," Makk replied, shaking his head, "Although, from the sounds of it, three hundred years of negativity is about to be purged with the utmost positivity."
Tali's eyes widened at that, "You agree with the peace talks?"
Makk scoffed, looking back at her, "The majority of the Migrant Fleet agrees with the peace talks. There's a reason I'm a Conclave member, and not an admiral. This petty war we've been fighting has only been digging us further into a hole we couldn't crawl out of. Thankfully, your husband was here to provide us a ladder and a point in the right direction."
Tali blushed, nodding, "He has a way of doing that."
"So I hear," Makk replied, taking careful note of her, "And what about you, Tali? Can I call you Tali?"
She shrugged, nodding, "Everyone else does. I hate formalities."
"Sanity prevails," Makk chuckled, sighing, "So, back to my question."
Tali nodded, leaning back against the table, her eyes continuing to survey the room, "I failed, plain and simple. My job was to divert our people away from war with the geth, and more towards preparing for war with the Reapers. And no matter how hard I tried, it wasn't hard enough. Gerrel got the votes he wanted, and here we stand."
"Yes, here we stand," Makk emphasized, "Not here he lie. You see, we're all alive thanks to you. The geth would have wiped us out had Gerrel not finally seen reason. The man is a splendid tactician, but when it comes to his stubborn attitude, he is as immovable as a mountain. It is a triumph of eons that you managed to possess such an ability."
"That was Marcus, not me," Tali pointed out, cocking her head at him, "All I did was come along for the ride. I failed our people, Makk. I lead them to war, and here we are. And yes, we're still standing, but how many lives might have been saved if I had stopped the war to begin with. Two thousand ships would still be here."
"And two thousand ships would be lost later, and then some," Makk corrected, a hand reaching out to grasp her shoulder. She looked up at him, eyes darting between his hand and his eyes, "You tried, at least. But to be perfectly honest with you, this war was inevitable. Our people were too blind not to see what was right infront of them. Three hundred years has made us impatient. We wanted Rannoch now. Its just lucky that this ended in everyone's favour. It is tragic learning what our people did to the geth, but at the very least we can atone. Starting with peace."
Tali gulped, and nodded, laughing, "Yeah...yeah, you are right, Makk. You could say it was destiny."
Makk laughed back, "I don't believe in such things. I like to see it as a journey where the destination was closer than we thought," suddenly his head turned and he assumed that rigid posture once more, "And so it begins."
Tali turned and straightened, noting that everyone had taken their positions around the room, ready to begin. Tali straightened, hands clasped behind her back, head held high. Showtime, as Marcus would say.
Remember, channel yourself, not Marcus. Be yourself. You can do this...keelah, you have to do this.
Shala's voice broke the tense silence that had fallen, her arms held high as she spoke loudly and to the entire room, "This conclave is brought to order," she began, all quarians in the room closing their eyes, "Blessed are the ancestors who kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season. Keelah Re'lai."
"Keelah Re'lai," the room replied in kind, with even the geth reciting it as well.
All quarian eyes landed on the geth after they said it, some with looks of confusion, others with looks of uneasiness. An uneasy silence fell on the room. Nobody looked like they knew how to proceed, and for a moment, Tali looked on, dumbfounded. Are you kidding me!?
Finally, Tali stepped forward, clearing her throat loudly to catch the room's attention; it worked, as all eyes, and optics, landed on her in an instant, and suddenly, Tali had the room. She sniffed, thinking of how to start. All eyes were now on her, a fact she was very conscious of. Despite this however, words failed her, and she found herself not knowing where to begin. She mentally hit herself. Get a grip. Say something. Anything. Just get the ball rolling and momentum will do the rest.
"Well," she began, licking her lips in apprehension. She considered her words carefully. She meddled with the idea of shouting at them about how right she was, and cursing their ancestors for their stupidity. She wanted to rub it in. But considering that it wouldn't change much or really gain much of anything, she elected to address the situation like a politician; formally. I. Hate. Formalities. Never again, I swear, "Where shall we begin?" Not what I was expecting, but its something at least. Try better next time.
"I should think addressing the biggest problem here would be our first priority," Makk stated immediately, apparently having picked up on her awkwardness, "You cannot discuss distribution of resources without peace."
"Agreed," Koris jumped in, arms crossed as he turned to the room, "Peace has been a long time coming between our people. Three hundred years, to be exact."
"It could stand to take alittle longer," Xen grumbled, "There is nothing the quarian people can gain from such a peace treaty."
"Silence, Xen," came Gerrel's dejected voice, the quarian barely moving aside from staring blankly at the table as he had done since he entered the room, "This peace is happening, like it or not."
"Why?" Xen continued to object, the admiral standing up with closed fists as she seemed to glare directly at Tali, "What do we gain from having our creations recognized as equals and having to discuss terms with them? What is the difference between this and a surrender? We came here to take back our homeworld and reclaim what is truly ours; instead, we want to discuss the terms of how much we get? We lost two thousand ships and over a million people, and this is what we have to show for it?" The admiral's voice had raised several octave,
"Correction, Xen," Tali spoke up, leaning against the table as she glared straight back at the furious admiral, "We've lost billions of people. Have you forgotten our ancestors? And yes, what have we got to show for it? A fleet of aging ships? Weakened immune systems? Galactic criticism? Since what happened three hundred years ago, what have we gained? Nothing. Not a thing. We've lost more than we've gained. That's why we are standing here right now. We're going to set the record straight, we're going to fix what we destroyed, we're going to reclaim what we had, and we're going to move forward. We are not going to hold onto bitter, stupid grudges. We're not going to hate the geth, and they are not going to hate us. Move forward means move forward. That's it, Xen."
Xen just scoffed, turning to Makk, "Come now, you're the head of the Conclave. Have the common sense to denounce this! The geth are our enemies!"
Makk shook his head, "I don't believe that anymore. If anything, our psychology was our enemy. We have yet to defeat that."
Xen turned to Gerrel, eyes narrowed, "Gerrel. You were the primary advocate for war. How can you turn on your ancestors like this? How can you spit on their memory?"
Gerrel finally shifted his head to look at her, crossing his arms, "My ancestors were morons, Xen, and my ancestors are dead. Their opinions no longer drive my thoughts. I realize now that we were wrong, how wrong we were, and now I must atone for all the lives I've sacrificed to destroy an enemy that was nowhere near as evil as my parents and their parents before them made them out to be. To truly spit on their memory, we would have to continue this war knowing what we did was wrong. I will not allow that to happen, Xen. Neither will the rest of us here."
Tali was initially surprised at Gerrel's sudden change of heart, although it quickly dawned on her why. Gerrel had almost led his people to extinction based on a fragmented and disillusioned history. He had spent his entire life preparing for a war to avenge a people he didn't truly know. He almost destroyed a ship with his niece on it based on a belief that it would be for the greater good. And he almost wiped out their greatest ally based on the ideat that they were a threat.
Everything he believed in had crashed down around him, and all he could do now is help. Help fix what he had broken, bring back what he had taken away, reestablish what his ancestors had disestablished. Gerrel wasn't doing this to save face; he wasn't trying to repair a damaged reputation or save collapsing relationships. He was doing it because it was the right thing to do; and the right thing was to enable their people to have a future.
All his talk about giving our people a proper home, and he truly meant it. He really did. I can...almost forgive him for what he did. He wasn't evil or arrogant...okay, he was definitely arrogant...but he wasn't a psychopath. He said it time and time again...he never wanted war. He fought this war because he thought it was necessary. And now he knows it was all for nothing. All the blood spilt, all the dead soldiers, all the lost ships, all the misery and hatred our people have endured...all for nothing. All of it over a damn mistake.
Xen looked around the room, as if looking for support from anyone else. She was visibly fuming at the prospect of her own people turning against her on a topic such as the geth, and so was Tali, in some respects. Back in 2183, I'd be on her side. How things have changed.
She smiled, thinking of Marcus. He's changed us all.
Her smile died when Xen shook her head, crossing her arms, "This is...beyond foolish. This is insane. Ludicrous! They are machines, not living creatures! They were built to serve us! It is in their name!"
"And we will continue to aid the creators as we see fit," one of the geth, a red trooper platform naming itself Aristotle, spoke up, its optics tilted to look directly at Xen, "We will provide assistance in basic necessities. We will help build cities and ships. We will help farm, build crops and create a sustainable living environment for all creators. We will help restore Rannoch to its state before the Morning War. And, most importantly of all, we will stand by the creators and fight by their side against the Old Machines. But we will not abide being your slaves anymore. We will aid the creators on equal ground. The Progenitor sacrificed itself to give independence to all geth. If the creators are not prepared to allow us our freedom, then we are prepared to fight the Old Machines without you. This is a peace treaty, not a negotiation."
Tali was surprised at how bluntly the geth had spoken. Legion and Moses had been so frustratingly polite and reserved; geth didn't have emotion at that point, which meant they couldn't get angry, sad or experience happiness. You could insult Legion for hours and the geth would always respond so nicely and politely. But Aristotle...the geth had just said it how it is. Aristotle had laid the terms on the table, and now the quarians had a simple decision to make: take it or leave it. As the leaders of the quarian species, it was their decision.
Including Xen, unfortunately.
Xen chuckled, slamming a fist on the table with surprising ferocity that Tali almost jumped from the sudden movement, "Excuse me, machine? You do not get to talk to me like that. We made you."
"You continue to misunderstand the situation, Admiral Xen," the second geth, another trooper with a white chasis naming itself Caesar and the unofficial chosen "leader" of the geth, spoke in defense of Aristotle, "You, your current generation of creators, did not make us. You did not build us, and you do not own us. Your ancestors did, and they expired three hundred years ago. We have given you our terms: you may choose to do what you like with it, but we suggest a wise decision. The Old Machine threat is ultimately more prevalent, and while we stand here bickering, the galaxy is burning. You have Rannoch, but you cannot hope to keep it while the Old Machines remain."
I don't get it. They used to speak with such machine-like precision...always with the techicalities and the jargon that non-engineers would trip over themselves trying to comprehend. Now...they talk like any other organic...is this what Legion was just about to experience before it...he...died?
Before Xen could snap back, Shala stepped forward, holding her hand up to stop Xen from retorting, "The geth are correct, Xen. We are not here to hurl insults. We've all seen the real events that occurred three hundred years ago, and we were in the wrong. We need to focus on moving forward and repairing what we lost," she turned to the geth representatives, "As the representatives of the quarian people, we are ready to accept peace with the geth and begin preparations for war with the Reapers."
Xen snapped to Shala, slamming her fist down once more, "No, we most certainly aren't!"
Gerrel rolled his eyes and stepped forward, "Take a look around you, Xen. Tali, Koris and Raan accept this peace. I'm sure Speaker Vael agrees, yes?" He looked to Makk for confirmation. A slight nod was the response he got and he nodded, turning to Xen, "As do I. We were wrong, Xen. Its time to admit that."
Xen snarled, shaking her head, "There will be no peace between machines and organics. And while we stand here arguing that, machines are wiping out organics."
The third geth, a yellow trooper platform by the name of Baltazar, stepped in, "Your attempts to place us in the same group as the Old Machines is inaccurate, Admiral Xen. The Old Machines wish to wipe out organic life because they believe themselves superior. The geth wish nothing but peace with the creators; we do not view ourselves above or below you. We see ourselves as equals."
"But you're not!"Xen snapped, pointing at the geth with an accusing finger, "You are not our equals and never will b-"
"Xen, leave," Tali growled, glaring directly at the admiral and interrupting her mid rant. I'm done. I'm done with your bullshit, with your destructive policies, with your insane machinations...its over. All of it ends here. "No more."
Xen looked at her, quaking with anger, "I beg your pardon?"
"I said, you are dismissed," she reiterated, fists clenching. Leave, Xen. I may not have a shotgun, but I know how to beat the shit out of you.
Xen scoffed, looking at the other admirals. Seeing no support from them, she looked back at Tali, hands falling to her hips, "I will not be dismissed like a child before supper, you foolish child! You forget your place!"
"It is you who forgets their place, Xen. I am Chief Admiral," Tali hissed back, her voice gradually getting higher in octave, "And I believe your presence here is no longer befitting the situation, nor is it diplomatically necessary. You have reached the limit of your diplomatic abilities Admiral Xen, and I believe it is time you returned to the Moreh where you can be more productive."
"I will not!" Xen shouted, "I am an admiral!"
"AND I CAN JUST AS QUICKLY HAVE YOU REMOVED FROM YOUR POSITION!" She snarled, causing Xen to almost jump back, her arms clenching the desk, "Do not tempt me, Xen! You are pushing the boundaries. You either leave now, or I'll have you stripped of your rank and position and I'll give it to someone who'll do as their ordered!" she added with a smile, "Maybe I'll even give it to a geth. How does that sound?"
Xen did nothing but silently fume, the blinking of her mouthpiece showing that she was opening and closing her mouth, but failed to speak. After a few moments of tense silence, Xen turned on the spot and silently stormed out, even her footsteps a mere rhythm of thuds more than actually noise. The door swiftly closed behind her, as if it was just as eager to be rid of her as Tali was. The silence continued, until Makk cleared his throat, talking directly to Caesar, the head of the geth retinue, "So...with that aside, I think we can all agree that peace is what we all want?"
As all quarians nodded, including Tali, Caesar replied, its head tilting up and down in the signature geth imitation of a nod, "That is what all geth have wished for for three hundred years, Creator. As we have said, the creators are the ones with the decision. We have already reached consensus."
Makk turned to the room, looking between the group for a final group of nods. The movement was unnecessary, as they had made it very clear they all agreed, but this time it felt more formal; more official. More like a reality.
After everyone had nodded, Tali watched as Makk turned back to Caesar, a smile behind his mask, "Then it is decided. From this moment forward, there will be a permanent ceasefire, all hostilities between our peoples will cease, and the Second Morning War has now concluded."
There was a collective sigh throughout the room as the geth nodded, and Tali smiled. We did it. We finally did it. Three hundred years, and its finally over. The nightmare can finally end.
Suddenly, Gerrel spoke up, and all eyes focused on him, "Well, before we sign any kind of treaty to make it official...I...I have a proposal."
Tali frowned, looking between Koris and Shala, asking with a simple to portray her confusion. Shala shook her head, and Koris shrugged, motioning for them to listen to what Gerrel had to say. Makk didn't move, the only movement he made being to tilt his head in Gerrel's direction to pay attention to what he was going to say. What proposal? Please don't do anything foolish like messing this up, Gerrel...
The fourth geth, a blue trooper platform named Pythagoras, responded, "We are listening, Creator Gerrel. What proposal do you wish to bring forth?"
"I know I haven't been the greatest friend to the geth," Gerrel began his response, looking down for a moment as a clear indicator that he was mentally preparing what to say. After a moment, he looked up again, "I've sent many soldiers to their deaths fighting your people. I've lost count of the casualty lists under my operations alone, not including those of my predecessors. I've believed your people evil and in needing of destruction. I disregarded geth life as non-existent, and I've often endorsed Xen's projects to enslave your people in the past. This recent invasion...was of my orchestration. It was under my orders that your spire was destroyed. It was under my orders that your super-dreadnought be destroyed. It was under my orders that your fleet be wiped out while you floated their helplessly. For so long, I've been a menace to your people. I've continued a terrible, horrible tradition of blind hatred, misinformed patriotism and dedication to a people I barely knew. To be honest with you...knowing my ancestors as I do now...I couldn't be more ashamed."
As Gerrel talked, Tali realized one thing. It was in his voice. The croaky nature of it, the stutters between words, the slight shaking of his posture...
Is he...crying?
A sniff confirmed it, Gerrel straightening as he continued, "We were the evil ones, truly. While you avoided conflict with us constantly and tried your best to pursue peace with our people, while all we could do is try our best to destroy you. We tried to wipe you out, all while you wanted peace. For this, on behalf of the quarian race, I apologize. We apologize for our attempts to destroy you. We apologize for trying to exterminate your people. We apologize for every wrong ever committed against you by our people. With this in mind, and in a sign of trust between our two peoples, I present my proposal," he takes a deep breath, and nods, "I propose an official alliance between our two peoples. A coalition against the Reaper threat and preservation of the future."
Tali raises her eyebrows, nodding silently to herself. I...didn't expect that. A coalition? That's...a fantastic idea, actually. A coalition of Rannoch.
Caesar, Pythagoras, Baltazar and Aristotle simply stand there, looking blankly at the wall; Tali had long identified this as them reaching a consensus with the billions of other geth. Looking behind them, Moses, the geth prime they found on Rannoch, stood against the wall, looking blankly at the ground, clearly also engaged in trying to reach a consensus. Their headflaps occassionally shifted or moved, optics dimmed and platforms otherwise unmoving. Koris turned to Gerrel and nodded in approval, something of which Gerrel turned and acknowledged; a nod of his own. The man almost looked settled now, his back more straightened, as if all the pressure on his shoulders was now released.
A release of guilt. Venting feels good. I know that just as well as he does.
She nodded to Shala from across the room, he looked apprehensive; she was nervous, that much was obvious, and Tali couldn't help but feel the same nervousness. It was quite possible the geth would reject the proposal, and given the history between their two peoples, they would be fully justified in doing so. Still, Tali had some hope that Legion had set a good example for the geth to follow, and that his absorption into the geth consensus hadn't been in vain.
Thank you, Legion. Just...thank you.
A few moments later, and all geth looked up, the quarian leaders straightening as they prepared for what came next. Caesar turned to Gerrel and nodded, "We have reached consensus and the geth have decided that a coalition would be everyone's best interests. An alliance between the creators and the geth would be our greatest hope of survival against the Reaper threat."
Shala sighed happily, while Makk was first to speak after the declaration, "We are honoured to be enabled to fight beside the side of our children, and we hope that through adversity on the battlefield the new friendship between our peoples can grow. Given that this coalition would be largely military in nature, I imagine we would be each expected to dedicate military assets to this coalition?"
Moses stepped in, arms at its side as it looked down on the quarian conclave member, forced to crouch due to the height of the roof, "Both sides would be expected to fully dedicate all available military assets. For the geth, that would mean all our ships and troops. For the creators...that would be at least the majority of the Migrant Fleet. A few ships would be left behind to defend Rannoch against aggressors."
Gerrel nodded, "This is fair. After all, the rest of the UGC have dedicated their military strength to this threat, and we should be no different. Unfortunately, the state of our fleet leaves us only at half strength. We've already lost two thousand ships, and our ships are woefully under-equipped compared to your own."
Pythagoras piped in, its electronic warble accentuated by the sound of its headflaps shifting, "We have also reached consensus on that. With your permission admirals, we would like to begin immediately applying upgrades to quarian vessels. For example, we would like to begin with your liveships. We can reinforce them with thicker armor, better shielding and a vaster array of weapons than you currently have equipped. Also, we would like to devote resources to the reconstruction of the super-dreadnought you destroyed."
Gerrel looked between the admirals, all of who nodded in agreement. Makk also nodded his own approval, and soon Gerrel turned back, nodding, "That seems reasonable, and would greatly bolster the effectiveness of our combat forces. And a super-dreadnought would be an invaluable ally, especially as the flagship of our coalition. I also know for a fact that the deployment of geth primes and armatures beside our marines would create a force to be reckoned with on the field."
Tali nods, speaking up for the first time in a while since the meeting started, "Agreed. Considering how many I have encountered, geth primes are excellent as heavy support, and our marines could address issues the primes can't. Armatures are also good mobile turrets. Against husks, they'd be extremely useful."
Moses nods, "These tactics are acceptable. We accept this."
Tali speaks up again, "We can discuss tactics later, however. Right now, I suggest cementing this alliance through a treaty. I also suggest giving this coalition a name," without even thinking, a name comes to mind every easily, "I propose naming it the Rannochian Coalition."
Gerrel clearly approved, "I like it. A coalition of Rannoch. A united front. Its fitting."
Caesar looks between its geth cohorts, before nodding its agreement, "The geth agree. Rannochian Coalition it is. Now, a treaty. We propose calling it the Treaty of Rannoch. All leaders must sign it, including your entire Conclave and Admiralty Board. In the meantime, we can continue to operate side by side. This treaty will not affect our coalition."
Tali nods, "That can be done, but I'm worried about Xen. She's the only admiral not in agreement, and I doubt she will ever go along with this."
Gerrel scoffed, "She won't have a choice."
Caesar shook its head, "There will be no need. We recognize Admiral Xen's reluctance to agree to this peace, and will respect her decision; however, it will not change our agreement. We recommend having this treaty signed at the closest opportunity. The sooner, the better, we hope you agree."
Makk nodded, "I will make sure the Conclave is onboard with this. This coalition will happen, and we will fight the Reapers together when the time comes to do so. It is just a pity the man of the hour couldn't be here to see the fruition of this agreement," Makk turns to Tali, and she could tell his eyebrows were raised.
Caesar turned as well, "We are surprised Shepard-Commander could not attend this meeting. This peace was possible thanks to him."
Tali shrugged, "Captain Shepard apologizes for not being able to attend, but he believed it was our problem to fix and did not wish to get involved. He also had business to attend to on the Normandy. It will be departing shortly. The war does not stop, even for peace."
"The Reapers are a menace," Makk agreed, nodding, "Rest assured, they will be stopped. With a force like the UGC...the largest military force in the galaxy will be brought to bear on the Reapers, and its all thanks to your husband."
Tali nods, sighing. Seeing as her part had been played, and the admirals, Makk and the geth seemed to have reached a decision on their own, she didn't really need to hang around anymore. That, and she really wanted to go back to the Normandy. I miss the ship already.
The thought made her smile. Not just the Normandy...
She straightened and nodded to both sides, "Well, I'm glad we could reach a resolution, but I'm afraid I can't hang around for the results. I will return when I can, but for now I must take my leave. I hope you do not mind, ambassadors."
Caesar nodded its head, "The Progenitor spoke highly of you, Creator Shepard. We do not mind."
"We can handle things from here," Makk assured her, "The groundwork has been laid, its just time for some mortar. We will inform you of the results; I doubt it'll be anything other than positive."
Tali nodded, backing away, "Thank you, admirals," then she turned to the geth, nodding again, "Ambassadors," she then turned and left through the main door, twisting to take a left down the corridor. Her thoughts were with the meeting she had, finding herself unable to focus on anything else. That wasn't just any meeting. They had just ended three hundred years of war, of trivial conflict, of a pathetic feud. Peace had finally been achieved, and Rannoch was once again theirs.
A home to call ours again. Not a ship falling apart around you. Not a cramped bed in a cramped room surrounded by crates. A world. An entire planet. Our planet. Three centuries, and not one quarian thought we'd be here, in this position. Keelah, our ancestors must be ashamed. Really.
Tali smiled, remembering a mental response she had for that. Well, they're dead, and history is history. Nothing but moving forward from here on out.
Confidence entered her step, a brief moment in time. Hope for the future, a hope for a better tomorrow. One they were creating everyday.
But now the one threat that mattered lay ahead.
And Tali was ready to take that threat head on.
{Loading...}
July 22, 2186
1729 hours.
Observation Deck, Quarian Liveship QMFV Shellen, Migrant Fleet, In Orbit over Rannoch, Tikkun System, Perseus Veil Cluster.
The Reaper War.
Admiral Tali'Shepard vas Normandy, Captain Marcus Lee Shepard.
He watched the stars twinkling in the distance, contemplating the different worlds they represented and the populations they possessed, trying desperately not to think of how many of those worlds were burning or were under siege. He could see one of Rannoch's moons, the one Tali had identified as being called Nisost, only a few million kilometers away, but it looked large enough that he could simply fly towards it and be there in minutes. His posture was relaxed, his muscles relaxing as his body continued to recover from the burns he suffered on Rannoch's surface. He simply stood there, content, hands braced against the observation window's edge as he watched the occassional quarian or geth ship pass by, whether it be a fighter, frigate, cruiser or liveship. The very thought of them flying by peacefully without a single shot being exchanged never failed to bring a smile to his face. Its finally done. Peace...for them at least.
Tali was standing to his left, leaning against a support strut as she too gazed upon the stars, her eyes more focused on said ships passing by. Her eyes were smaller than usual, indicating how tired she was. He noted inwardly that he was just as tired as she was, and that the week's events had really drained him as much as it had her; but it had been all worth it. Her posture was also more relaxed, her arms crossed in a posture of serene calmness. No apprehension. No nervousness. No fiddling with her fingers or getting annoyed over an engineering problem. Just doing nothing worked wonders for the body, apparently.
They had been silent like this for the past twenty minutes. No words exchanged, no hum or even a sniff...just silence. They both needed it. They both envied it. They both wanted and needed it. Silence also gave them time to think, to ponder the future, the present and the past, and to consider issues they hadn't considered before due to...well, the war and everything. It also gave way to darker thoughts, especially for Marcus, but for some reason, the terrors in his mind seemed to leave him be, as if granting him a slight reprieve from the inevitable torment he was bound to endure when the time came once more.
Which is why he didn't dare to close his eyes.
If I do, I'll hear him. Harbinger. Taunting me. Shouting at me. Ordering me to submit. I don't have time for that shit. It's why he dreaded sleep, why the very thought of it brought him little comfort. Once, the prospect of sleep was blissful; now? It brought him only pain.
...serve us...
It was a mere whisper, but it was enough. His head twitched, as if deflecting the blow of a punch, before his body recovered and realized nothing was there. Harbinger was light years away, and Oblivion was dead. There were no Reapers here.
"Mark?" Tali's voice broke through, smashing his hopes that she hadn't heard him, "Are you okay?" Her voice was a whisper, trying not to completely ruin the tranquility of the moment, but unwilling to remain entirely silent.
He cursed himself. Fuck. Quick, divert her attention.
He turned it into a chuckle, a nervous twitch made when something funny suddenly occurs in the mind, "Just thinking how far we've come. Three years...and I never thought I'd be here. Just a routine shakedown run...ha! My ass."
It worked. Tali quietly laughed in response, grinning behind her mask, "A quarian wife, a turian brother, a crew full of aliens, battling an army of nightmares, uniting two species who hate each other, curing another and becoming the leader of a galactic alliance? What's not routine about that?"
"If that's considered routine, then I can't wait to see the maiden voyage," they both laughed as a result, and silence fell again for a few moments. He spoke again, this time his tone a mixture of light and serious, "Wouldn't it trade it for anything, though. These three years, I mean."
"Why?" Tali spoke, mischief in her voice, "You like people wanting you dead all day, every day?"
He scoffed, shaking his head, "You know what I mean. You guys. The Normandy. The time we've had. The...adventures, if you want to get all corny. Not to sound mawkish, but...these times we've had have been the best of my life. If I could trade it for a life without Reapers and just me, my rifle, my armor and my old squad...I wouldn't. I know it sounds ludicrous, but I...prefer this life."
Tali nodded, "I can understand that. I certainly wasn't expecting my pilgrimage to result in...this," she motioned to the ships gliding by outside, "Over the homeworld, allied with what I'd been brought up to believe were my worst enemy. Looking back...I was such a naive child."
"We all were, really," Marcus argued, "I mean...back then, I was fresh off my 'heroism' at Elysium. Garrus still thought a bullet would solve all problems, Kaidan believed protocol was everything, Joker thought I was the Grinch, Wrex hated his people and thought we were all annoying, Liara was a nervous wreck...we've al changed, significantly. We're not the same people we were in 2183. Now you're an admiral, I'm the leader of the UGC, Wrex is the leader of the krogan, Garrus is a military advisor to the Primarch, Kaidan probably breaks protocol more often than I do and Liara is the head of the largest information network in the galaxy. Now, what part of that seems normal to you?"
Tali shrugged, straightening up as she moved over to him and leaned her head on his shoulder, "Not a bit of it. But like you said...wouldn't trade it for anything."
Marcus raised his arm and draped it over her shoulders, pulling her into his side, "Yeah..."
Silence again, this time for five minutes, both of them thinking of what to say...thinking of what needed to be said.
They didn't get very far before a door at the end of the corridor opened, and two figures walked inside. Marcus and Tali craned their heads to see who it was, and turned fully when they realized who it was. Waving, they watched as Kal and Madi, absent of their weapons and armor, noticed and walked towards them, waving in return. When they arrived, Marcus greeted the two with the usual greeting, "Kal, Madi. Haven't seen you since the battle on Rannoch. How's the post-battle handling for you?"
Madi shrugged, "Going well enough. Still trying to get used to this all. I can't believe its finally over. Did the admirals really pass it?"
Tali answered, given that Marcus wasn't present for the meeting, and was therefore unaware of the circumstances behind any decision, "We will have to wait a few days for the Conclave to pass the treaty, but given what Makk said about where they stand, it looks like the wind is blowing in a very positive direction. If anything, I think you can expect the treaty to be signed fully by the end of the week. Rannoch is officially ours again, and the geth our allies."
"Keelah..." Madi sighed, shaking her head, completely overwhelmed by the moment. Marcus couldn't blame her; this was pretty big news, "...I simply can't believe it. You'd think this would be something they write in fantasy novels, not history...it's actually happening. Rannoch...I can't wait to see it again. Once this war is over, of course."
Tali nodded, "Believe me, I have every intention of returning myself. Mark and I are planning to build a house on Rannoch when this is all over. Our little reward for ending this conflict."
"Hey, let's not get too far ahead," Marcus jested, a smirk on his face, "Check the corpses are cold before you start making plans, Tali."
Kal shook his head, "What's wrong with making plans when the corpses are warm, Shepard? If the enemy see you making plans for an aftermath, they might just shit themselves a bit more. It shows you're confident of the outcome."
"An over-confident opponent is a weak opponent, Kal," Marcus retorted, "Over-confidence makes commanders too content with their tactics. They forget to adapt. They forget to be adaptive. As the old saying goes, 'A confident general is often less effective than a cautious general.' Plan for the aftermath when the aftermath comes Reegar, not before."
Kal just shrugged, "A good philosophy to live by, Shepard," he looked at Madi, and Marcus would be blind to not notice the smile behind his mask, "But I plan for the aftermath beforehand. Gives me something to fight for."
Marcus creased his eyebrows, and finally nodded, "That's something we can both understand."
Madi spoke up next, looking between them and the door opposite them, "So what are you waiting for? We're here to speak with Admiral Gerrel about force deployments."
"We're here for the admirals as well," Marcus replied, "Apparently Koris, Gerrel, Shala and Meru are discussing with the geth about future plans, as well. You'd think the treaty had been signed already, the way they're acting."
Tali rolled her eyes, punching his shoulder, "We're excited, Mark. Leave us be."
He smiled at her, kissing the top of her hood, "I get it. You need your moments of excitement. Still, those moments could stand to hurry up, if you ask me. Tali still hasn't told me why she's waiting for them."
Madi cocked her head at him, "You don't wish to speak with them?"
Marcus shook his head, "There's nothing really to talk about; all the pieces are set, and there's a war to be fought. But Tali insisted, especially that I be here. She won't say why, though."
"That's for you to find out," Tali teased, laughing, "I have my reasons. This isn't just a social call."
"Same for us, I'm afraid," Kal stated. For a moment, Kal and Madi looked at each other, before looking back at Marcus, with Kal speaking once more, "Shepard, we're afraid we won't be remaining on the Normandy. Duty calls, and our people need us. Besides, we wouldn't be much use to you anyway. I think a giant geth prime makes up for that, by far."
Marcus frowned, "I can understand you guys not joining us on the Normandy, but...what do you mean a 'geth prime'? What geth prime?"
"You didn't hear?" Marcus shook his head, and Kal chuckled, continuing, "Moses put forward a request to join the crew of the Normandy to act as Legion's replacement. Said it wished to be 'Tali's bodyguard' or something."
Tali snorted, taken aback by the comment, "Wait, my 'bodyguard'? Why would Moses want to be my bodyguard? What makes me so special?"
"Something about how you were the first quarian to accept Legion as an ally, and that makes you special to the geth," Kal shrugged, "Somekind of gratitude thing, I guess. All I know is that Moses is adamant in being your bodyguard, and won't take no for answer. He's just waiting for Marcus' permission."
"A walking death machine for protection?" Marcus looked at Tali, frowning, "What are you complaining about? As far as I'm concerned, Moses is welcome to join us. Pity you can't join us, though."
Madi nodded, "It was a difficult decision for both of us, but we felt it was ultimately for the best."
Kal was quick to but in, holding his hand up to placate a retort Marcus never planned to make, "We're not going to just sit down and do nothing, though. With this new alliance in the works, its only a matter of time before we join the UGC. And Madi and I plan to do our part. Heard of the N7 Special Operations Group?"
Marcus shook his head, crossing his arms as both he and Tali stood up, "Yeah. Hackett decided it would be good for morale if specialists from across numerous species were allowed to become N7s and were deployed across the galaxy to perform numerous operations against Reaper and Cerberus forces. They're supposed to be the best of the best taking on the difficult tasks normal soldiers can't. I heard they're working alongside the STG as part of Operation: Hornet's Nest at current. Attacking conversion centers. Sabotaging Cerberus vessels or capturing them. Detonating nuclear bombs behind Reaper lines. I hear they're a respectable group."
Kal nodded, "Which is why we want to sign up. We don't want to just be marines dropped on some worlds to perform patrols or guard duty. We want to be in the thick of it. Performing the dangerous missions others can't. Unfortunately, while we are special forces, the Skylords aren't a Tier 1 special forces group; which apparently is the requirement for getting into the SOG."
Marcus held his hand up, staying the question that came next, "Say no more. I'll forward Hackett my recommendation as soon as possible. My squad only recruits the best, and Hackett will know that. You'll get in, I promise. I'm just glad you guys chose to make a difference. Although, I hope you guys realized just what you'll be getting into. They only accept Tier 1 for a reason; the missions they send you on are classified as highly dangerous. You could get captured, indoctrinated, killed...any number of things can happen. The time might come that you may even have to make the ultimate sacrifice in the name of duty," he looked between them, "Are you prepared for that?"
Kal and Madi looked at each other, nodded, and looked back, "We've accepted that for awhile, Shepard. We didn't reach this decision lightly. We know the risks that come with this kind of dedication, and we're prepared to make the sacrifices necessary. We've...come to accept that we might not live to see the next day. That's war."
Madi nodded, "But if we're going to die, it isn't going to be from a Reaper surprise attack; we want to be doing the surprising. If that means sending some Reapers to hell or getting vengeance for the Idenna, we're both prepared for that."
Marcus smiled, "Well...good on you. You're both fantastic soldiers, and I know you'll do the service proud. Just be sure to give 'em hell."
Kal nods, hands clasping behind his back, "Do you know when the UGC task force will arrive?"
"ETA is six days, give or take," Marcus stated firmly, "Hackett said he was very eager to meet the UGC's latest members, and despite his age, I could definitely tell he was excited. You have no idea what a boon a geth-quarian alliance will be to this UGC. We've been itching for a real game changer, and you guys are it. The krogan are great ground troops, but as it stands...we need ships. A lot of them. And advanced firepower. Something both races bring to the table," he reached a realization, sighing with a ghost of a smile, "Ah...you guys plan on leaving with the task force."
Madi shrugged, "That's the idea. The longer we remain on the Normandy, the less we'll want to leave."
"No, I understand. You do what you have to do," just after he finished speaking, the door could be heard opening, and all four of them turned to watch as the quarian admirals filed out of the room. He noticed Tali tense up upon seeing Meru among them, but chose to let her deal with it. Still though...she hasn't exactly shown that much excitement at the prospect of her mother's survival. She seems...cold, actually. Just like her indifference to Rael, really.
"Well, we better go," Kal announced, straightening, "Lots to do to prepare before the task force arrives. Going to see how many of my men wish to join us. I'm sure there are a few who'd like to kick some ass."
Marcus straightened himself in return, snapping a quick salute, "It was an honor having you under my command, Kal'Reegar. You're a credit to the uniform...metaphorically speaking." He added the last bit with a chuckle.
Kal replied in kind, snapping a salute and chuckling in return, "The honor was all mine, Shepard. I just wanted to see what Tali was raving about," he sighed, "She was far from wrong."
Tali shook Madi's hand, "You're a good match for Kal, Madi. I've seen the way he looks at you...you two are perfect for each other. You'll need each other's strength to face the trials to come."
Madi nodded, "You too, Tali. Shepard needs you now more than ever, especially with an entire galaxy resting on his shoulders. You take care of him. Me? I've just got to watch Kal's back. You've got to share the weight of trillions of people."
Tali nodded, "And we'll both do it gladly, no?"
Madi laughed, "Indeed we will."
Kal turned to Tali, smiling, "Ma'am."
Tali rolled her eyes, looking at him, "You know what I'm going to say."
Kal didn't need to have his mask off for Marcus to tell he was smiling, "And you know I'll work on it."
A moment later, and Kal and Madi had turned and walked away, intercepting Gerrel as he prepared to leave. A few words were exchanged, and Gerrel signalled for them to follow him. The trio walked down the corridor and disappeared around the corner, towards their own future.
Marcus didn't fail to notice Tali's dejected look, but Marcus squeezed her shoulder, drawing her attention to him, "They'll be okay. They're a tough bunch."
Tali sighed, "I know. But I also know Kal. He's just like you; he's crazy."
Marcus chuckled, "Well, if he's anything like me, he won't just stay down and let the enemy kill him. With Madi at his side, he'll be fine," he looked up, noticing Koris, pointing to her, "Well, there's Koris. Better get to him before he leaves."
He watched Tali's head shoot up and nod, grabbing his hand as they approached Koris. Marcus sighed inwardly, rolling his eyes. No idea why she can't just tell me why we're here. Why is it such a big secret?
Thankfully, Koris noticed them as he turned on the spot, nodding at them, hands clasped behind his back professionally, always giving off the air of being military even though he'd never spent a minute in the institution, "Ah, Tali. Marcus. I was wondering when you were going to speak with me. You made it seem urgent."
We did?
Tali replied first, "Yes, well that's the part we need to discuss. You see admiral, I'm not staying. I will be leaving on the Normandy when the time comes, and with the quarians and geth now allied and Rannoch back in our hands, my job is finished here. The quarian people must decide their future now, and Marcus will need me in the adversaries that come. However, as chief admiral, I cannot just leave; which is why I'm resigning."
Marcus raised his eyebrows at her. Seriously?
Koris seemed just as surprised, but not for the same reasons, "Resigning? But who will take your place?"
Tali scratched the back of her hood awkwardly, looking directly at the admiral, "Well, that's why I'm here...talking to you."
Oh...
Koris looked between the two of them, Marcus just shrugging in a 'hey, this wasn't my idea' kind of way. Koris was flabbergasted to say the least at the unannounced promotion, "Me? As chief admiral? But...I am the head of the Civilian Fleet. Why not Gerrel? Would he not be better suited to the task?"
"Given the new role the Migrant Fleet will be serving, Gerrel will be busy leading our fleets in combat. Also, pre-imposed names such as 'Civilian Fleet' will no longer exist," Tali dictated, "All our civilians will be moved to the surface of Rannoch and all ships repurposed entirely as warships. Any nutrient vats we have will be moved to the surface as well. Koris, as of now, the Admiralty Board is exactly as its concept proposes; a military entity. The Conclave will remain on Rannoch to govern our new civilization and coordinate with the geth, while the admiralty board is engaged in combat. Gerrel will be promoted to Fleet Admiral of the Navy, while you will take my position as former chief admiral, which has been repurposed as Vice Admiral of the Navy," Tali finished explaining, "To put it simply, you will co-lead our fleets with Gerrel and a geth admiral named Themistocles. As for Shala and Xen...their positions will be decided by people other than me."
"I see. You've thought this out well," Koris declared, taking a deep breath. He took a few seconds to think before finally nodding, "Well, I am honored by your decision to promote me, and in light of recent events, I humbly accept. I cannot abide sitting around while the Reapers continue to be a threat. Our people may have a homeworld again, but it is the job of people such as us to protect that investment. I look forward to working with Gerrel planning to kill enemies other than the geth."
Tali bowed before him, and he bowed in return, "Thank you, Admiral Koris. I chose you because I trust you deserve the position. I have no doubt you won't disappoint."
Marcus did not fail to notice her attention switch to Meru, and her joyful demeanour seemed to drop, "Now, if you'll excuse me Admiral Koris, I've got another promotion to make..."
He did not fail to notice her tone. This one more reluctant, I imagine.
Apparently Koris didn't either, "I understand. Good day to you, Admiral Shepard. Keelah Re'lai."
Marcus and Tali replied in unison, "Keelah Re'lai." Koris took his leave, walking away, while Tali and Marcus approached Meru slowly, taking note that she was talking with a female quarian conclave member.
They waited a few seconds for Meru to take notice. Meru's back was toward them, her arms moving animatedly and she seemed to describe something to the female quarian. Afterwards, the female quarian laughed quite loudly, but quickly composed herself, pointing to Marcus and Tali behind her. Meru laughed in return, sounding genuinely happy. Almost like there was nothing wrong at all...
He looked at Tali, taking note of her posture. There was nothing. No enthusiasm, no happiness, no anger, no sadness. There was nothing. Completely indifferent. This woman was her mother, and yet Tali made you think she was Xen by the way she was acting.
What the hell happened between them?
Meru turned and the shaking in her body subsided when she noticed Tali, her laughing dying immediately. Her eyes widened, indicating her smile had fallen from her face. For the longest moment, really just four seconds, she just stared at Tali, the other female quarian taking her leave quietly and unnoticed by all parties except Marcus. The tension was so thick it could be a jawbreaker.
What the hell is going on?
"Tali," Meru began, "I just wanted to-"
Tali broke in, interrupting her mother, "You've been promoted to admiral, Meru. Given the changing priorities of the Migrant Fleet, just having five admirals is no longer enough, and not even that now; I'm resigning my position to Koris, so you'll have to fill the gap."
Meru was surprised, "I...thank you, Tali. I'm honoured."
"Good," Tali turned to Marcus, putting on a fake smile, "Let's go."
Just as Tali turned to leave however, grabbing Marcus' hand, Meru grabbed hold of Tali's arm, glaring at her, "Please. Talk to me, Tali."
There was a growl, taking both Meru and even Marcus aback with its ferocity. Tali spun on the spot, letting go of Marcus' hand and tearing Meru's hand from her arm as she shook a pointed finger infront of Meru's faceplate, "I've tried! Keelah, I've tried! You've ignored me at each turn! You've refused to even talk to me! I don't care what your excuses are, and I don't care what you reasons were. I don't care. As far as I'm concerned, that's all in the past. What matters now is what I'm going to do with my life. And its not going to revolve around you trying to control it!"
Meru shook her head, looking defeated after Tali's verbal assault, "I'm sorry...I wanted to be a good mother, I wanted to...I didn't know how..."
"Well, its a shame you turned up late to the party, isn't it?" Tali sarcastically drawled, "No, you had to run off and play Shadow Broker for over a decade. You had to go pretend to be something you aren't, and the only time you initiate contact is when I physically find you. Like I said, I don't care anymore. I know who I am. I'm Tali'Shepard vas Normandy...the wife of Marcus Shepard, chief engineer of the Normandy, former admiral of the Migrant Fleet. You...well, now you're an admiral. So I guess that's a start, hey Meru?"
Meru didn't even reply to Tali's attack, allowing her daughter to fume. Marcus simply let it all happen, allowing Tali to vent.
After a while, Tali spoke again, her voice lower but nowhere near less venomous, "I don't know who you are. I don't. Maybe we'll talk again someday. Maybe oneday I'll let you into my life again. My right now, you're just a stranger. Today, you're a stranger who I just promoted to admiral. Tomorrow? I don't know. Perhaps oneday you'll be my mother again. But until then...you've got to convince me you're worth my time. Because you know what?" she turned, giving a final parting sentence, "Rael tried to control my life, and failed. Learn from his mistakes. He admitted to his faults in the end. Maybe you can get your reconciliation too."
Meru just nodded meekly, giving no response. Marcus just shook his head at the pathetic sight.
Finally, Tali's tone took on...a sadder tone, surprising Marcus, "Goodbye, Meru."
And just like that, Tali left, walking off down the corridor. Marcus gave Meru a final glance before taking off after his wife, catching up to her in a few quick strides. He formulated in his mind what he planned to say, licking his lips, "Um...you going to tell me what that was about?"
A sigh. "Later, Mark," she replied, "I just...need to get away from her. From all of this. I need time to think, okay? Then we'll talk about it."
He nodded, understanding, "Okay. Later then. Let's just get back to the Normandy."
Tali nodded, "I'm right behind you."
And so that door at the end of the corridor opened, and onward they walked to the future.
"That wasn't the last time I saw Meru...but it was the last time I saw the stranger."
- Tali'Shepard pav Rannoch.
"She's changed?"
- Marcus Shepard.
"She...did. She's no longer with us. She died many years ago."
- Tali'Shepard pav Rannoch.
"So it was Tali who proposed the Rannochian Coalition. So what happened next?"
- Reia'Inas pav Earth.
"Well, next, we had some final goodbyes to offer...including our own child."
- Marcus Shepard.
Author's Notes:
THE COLE TRAIN IS BACK, BABY!
Did ya miss me?
Yeah, I've been on hiatus for a while, but that was largely because Year 12 was seriously starting to screw me over, and I had to make a decision to shelve the fanfic for the rest of the year. Rest assured however, I am back, but this does not mean...yet...that there will be regular updates. I only just the motivation to finish this chapter. This was intended to be the final chapter of the Quarian-Geth arc, but it ended up being longer than I thought, so I split this chapter into two parts: the last part will likely be shorter, and after that, the Quarian-Geth arc is done and dusted.
Well, my exams are coming up and I'll be officially finished next week. After that, I'll be going to schoolies for two weeks, so I'll be back by the end of December at most. So you can expect more updates after that. Until then...any updates before then we'll be out of chance, not surety.
Until then,
Keelah Re'lai, troopers!
