Mass Effect 30 Day Challenge: Day 17
Prompt 17: Favourite Quarian
SPOILERS: Mass Effect 3
Induction
Normandy SR2, Leaving Horizon, 2186 CE
Tali had passed out at the bar, or at least Shepard had thought she had. The Quarian lay with her head in her arms, a glass of Turian brandy clenched loosely in her right hand. Shepard wasn't certain, but it sounded almost as if she were snoring.
"Tali?" Shepard leaned forward and rested a hand on her friend's shoulder. "You all right?"
"Unnngh," the groan, filtered through her helmet, was a soft one. "Shepard? Everything's all sideways."
"You're lying on the bar Tali," Shepard pointed out. "And you haven't finished your drink."
Tali slowly sat up and looked at the glass in her hand. "I lost my…" she looked around the bar, wobbling from side to side on her stool.
"Straw?"
"Emergency…induction…" Tali mumbled, slumping to her left.
Shepard caught her and steadied her on the stool. "I know, I know, your emergency induction port." She helped Tali to her feet. "Come on, let's get you somewhere you can lie down for a bit. You can have your induction port back later, okay?"
Tali groaned again and rested her head against Shepard's shoulder. "Promise?" the tone of her voice gave the impression that underneath her mask, she was smiling.
Shepard patted her on the back and began to gently guide the Quarian to the doors out of the Port Observation Lounge. "Promise."
They slowly stumbled down the hall of the crew deck towards the elevator, Tali occasionally giggling and hiccupping while leaning on Shepard's arm. "Everything's spinning!" she said. "Evvvvvvrything."
"Don't worry Tali," Shepard said. "That's normal. We're going to go down and say hi to Daniels and Donnelly now, all right?"
"I like them," Tali mumbled in the same slurring tone. "I wish they'd stop pretending and just finally admit that they love each other and be happy before the galaxy gets destroyed."
"The galaxy's not going to be destroyed," Shepard said, more to reassure herself than her friend, as she summoned the elevator. "And since when did Daniels and Donnelly love each other?"
"Have you heard those two argue?" Tali retorted as the elevator slowly descended towards the engineering deck. "They're like an old married couple. Like how Joker and EDI used to be back before she had a body. That's true love if I ever saw it."
"Garrus and I don't argue," Shepard said, doing her best to keep Tali steady against her shoulder.
"Sure you do, just with all the sarcasm and everything," Tali replied, waving her hand. "I think it's adorable. Much more romantic than poetry or going on dinner dates."
Shepard laughed. "Garrus' idea of a date is going up to the top of the presidium and taking pot shots at beer cans with a sniper rifle."
Tali nodded, almost falling forward. "Now that's romance," she said, waving a finger around in Shepard's face. "I'd take that, just with shotguns instead of rifles."
The elevator doors slid open and Shepard gently guided Tali towards engineering. "I should get you some water," Shepard muttered. "Now, do you have a place to lie down?"
"I could take the floor riiiiiiight there," Tali giggled, pointing at a spot at the bottom of the stairs that led towards the lower engineering deck.
Shepard shook her head and moved towards the main deck of engineering. "Daniels? Donnelly? Adams? Is anyone up?"
"Commander?" the doors slid open and Gabby turned from her console with a concerned expression. "Oh my… is Tali all right?"
"She… had a bit too much to drink." Shepard said, steadying Tali against her again. "Is there a place where she can lie down around here?"
"Sure," Gabby nodded, changing a couple of settings on her console. "There's a spot on the lower deck where she likes to rest."
"All right," Shepard said, and Gabby moved to Tali's other side so the two of them could help the inebriated Quarian down the steps. "Where are Adams and Donnelly?"
"Sleeping, for a change," Gabby said, shaking her head. "We're trying to rest in shifts before the next big push. So far it's going all right, but I've been up for almost thirty hours."
Shepard grimaced in sympathy. "I know how you feel," she said. "When do you get your shift?"
"Probably in the next hour or so," Gabby said. "Once Ke- I mean Engineer Donnelly wakes up."
Shepard smiled, reflecting on Tali's comment about the two engineers on the elevator, but decided to say nothing. "Where should I put her?" she nodded around the lower engineering deck.
"Over here," Gabby pointed at a cot in the back corner.
Shepard recognized it. "This is where Jack used to hang out," she said.
"Yeah," Gabby helped lead Tali over to the cot. "Tali's been sleeping down here ever since she came back to the Normandy. I think she used to sleep down here when Jack was on board too." The engineer smiled. "They were actually pretty close. Never would have guessed it from first meeting them."
"Me neither," Shepard said. She helped Tali lie down on the cot, and the Quarian rolled over on her side and emitted a happy sigh. "Think you can find some water? She's going to want some pretty soon."
"No problem Commander," Gabby said, heading for the stairs.
Shepard patted Tali's hand. "You all right there?" she asked.
"I miss Jack," Tali mumbled, the glowing light on the mouthpiece of her helmet flickering. "We used to spend time together here, it was nice."
Gabby returned with a glass of water and Shepard handed it to Tali. "I saved your induction port," she said, helping Tali sit up and handing her the straw. "Drink this before you go to sleep, okay?"
"Thank you!" Tali said, guiding the straw to her mouthpiece with some difficulty. "You're so nice to me Shepard, you too Gabby. I love you both."
"Think she's gonna be all right?" Gabby asked, bending down to examine Tali with some concern. "I've never seen her this drunk… well, ever."
"I'll take care of her," Shepard said. "You can get back to work if you need to."
"Thanks Commander," Gabby nodded, and gave Tali a wave. "Feel better Tali."
"Bye bye!" Tali warbled as Gabby made her way up the stairs.
"Here," Shepard said, helping Tali hold the straw. "Drink some more of this."
"Thank you Shepard," Tali said, her words still slurring together. She sipped slowly and then leaned over so her head rested on the cot's pillow. Shepard remained crouched next to the cot, unsure if her friend had fallen asleep or not.
She set the glass of water down on a nearby crate and sat with her legs crossed on the floor, not wanting to leave if Tali alone. She had next to no experience with dealing with a drunk Quarian, but figured nobody enjoyed drunkenness, or the inevitable hangover which followed it, alone.
"Shepard?" Tali whispered, and Shepard leaned forward.
"You all right Tali?" she asked.
"Everything's spinning…" Tali muttered. "I don't like it."
"It'll be okay Tali, you just had a little too much to drink."
"Can you…" Tali mumbled. "Can you… stay?"
"I'm not going anywhere Tali," Shepard said, holding her friend's hand. "You'll be fine."
Tali rolled over slightly to face the bulkhead. "Please don't go…" she heard the Quarian whisper. "I don't want to be alone anymore. I'm so tired of being alone."
Shepard pushed herself up and slowly sat down on the cot, resting a hand on Tali's shoulder. Her friend reached up and clumsily took it, pulling Shepard down until she lay next to her. Shepard thought she could hear her friend sobbing through the thick purple glass of her helmet.
"Don't worry Tali," Shepard said, giving her friend a gentle hug. "I'm not going anywhere."
"You've always been there for me Shepard," Tali mumbled. "No matter what. Thank you…"
Shepard hugged her friend as her cries slowly turned to the soft breathing of sleep. She dared not move – even dead drunk, Tali could use some extra sleep. They could all use some extra sleep.
She didn't know how long she and Tali lay together on the small uncomfortable cot, but it was soothing. The engines hummed overhead, occasionally Shepard caught words of conversation between Daniels and Donnelly and EDI responding to Adams' questions. She felt herself smiling as she held her friend's hand and kept her company in the engineering subdeck.
"Shepard?"
"Yes Tali?"
"I…" Tali paused for a moment. "I think I'm gonna throw up."
Shepard blinked, then reached over, grabbing Tali's mask and undoing the clasps as best she could with one hand. As the Quarian threw herself over the side of the cot, Shepard held her mask and gently rubbed Tali's back as she vomited copiously into a nearby open crate.
"It's okay Tali," Shepard said, holding back a laugh. "I'm here."
*
Answer: Tali'Zorah vas Normandy
This little easter egg with Tali in ME 3 isn't the only reason I love her, but it's one of my favourite moments Drunk!Tali is adorable. This has a touch of femshep/Tali in it, because I must admit, femshep/Tali/Garrus is my Mass Effect OTT. So, feel free to read into the cuddling as something more if you like, but it's not a necessary component of the fic. I figure even just as good friends, nobody wants to be alone when they're puking after having a little too much fun.
I love you Tali. If I ever get around to playing as Sheploo, I'll definitely be throwing some romance your way. 3