My update speed is win… than again only because my chapters are so short most likely… T.T
DISINCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN MASS EFFECT NOR DO I OWN ELFEN LIED…
Chapter 5: Surprise meeting,
While Tali led he was content to take in the new sights in slight awe seeing the many foriegn things he could have only dreamed about, but after a while the boy started finding it hard to ignore all the glances the other Quarains that they have been passing in the crowded areas of the flotilla. Finally getting fed up with all of it he decided to confront his new guide about this.
"So, I'm guessing this is out of the norm for you guys." He stated blandly noting another group of Quarians hurridly looking away as he looked over towards them, before speeding up to walk beside her.
"Well yeah, I guess. We don't get many other species on the fleet, and those that do have their own suit design, so seeing a non Quarian wearing a hybrid of a Quarians enviromental suit is definantly not somthing you'd see every day." she said in a lecturing tone, before thinking to herself
"Than again the glowing red eyes probably don't help to much either."As she finished this thought silence decended upon the pair once more until the boy spoke up after a few minutes.
"Ya know this place is kind of busted up," he noted seeing alot of misplaced wiring as well as it sticking out of some busted panels, the occasional flicker of lights and other such inconvinence.
"Not to mention packed" he finished as they had to push through another crowd before taking another turn.
"Well many species don't like us to much, since we created the geth. We even lost our embassy in the Citidel, so we don't have to much that we can work with. In fact every one of us goes on a journey called a pilgrimage to get somthing that the flotilla can use to sustain future generations. We prepare for this starting when we are little. Im still going through my training though." she replied a little saddened at the fact,
"Oh yeah, I read about that on the computer thing that lady gave me..." He noted as they took a right turn leading to a much less crowded and open area
"That would be a codex, basically like digital journal entries that you can upload into your omni-tool."
She said annoyed at him calling it a 'computer thing' noticing he wasn't listening she saw stars in his 'eyes'.
"Okay and what's this place supposed to be! It's amazing!" he said in awe as he looked over the ships and hoards of technologies that he only dreamed would exist all over the room.
Giggling slightly at his reaction she explained "This would be a hanger, it's where we prepare our ships and take shuttles to other parts of the flotilla when were not going at FTL speeds.." As she finished she pointed at a smallish dark purple shuttle with a guard standing outside.
"That is what we will take to the Tonbay so I can introduce you to my dad."
She said as they turned towards the shuttle and started walking while the boy fired off another question.
"So why is your dad admiral of the Tonbay instead of the Rayya?" He said not fully understanding.
"Oh, I was born on the Rayya where my mom was from and my dads so caught up with his work that he wouldn't have been able to take care of me much so mom did it here." She said annoyed at her dads' tendency to put his work before his family at times."
Reaching the shuttle they stepped inside and sat next to each other, the guard on the outside getting in and sitting across from them.
"Sorry for the wait it was a farther walk then I thought." She said apologetically while sitting down as the guard simply waved her off as if it wasn't a big deal.
The ship started to lift off as the boy stared through the window in amazement.
"Wow, so I really am in space." He said sorrow in his voice, Tali hearing this puts her hand on his shoulder as he glances at her muttering a small 'thank you' and continued to look back through the window.
A few minutes passed before Tali noticed something was off, so she voiced her concerns to the pilot.
"Um sir that isn't the Tonbays' main hanger what's going on?" she said seeing as it turned towards the executive hanger." Feeling the boy next to her tense up as she turned to see what was wrong he asked a question that disturbed even further.
"Hey Tali ships don't really fly this close to each other right?" he said a little worried noticing a few trailing them.
"That's about right why?" she said slowly catching on as she prepared to try and send a distress signal before hearing a clicking noise in front of her.
"Bosh'tets'! Who are they working for? She thought mad at herself for not seeing this coming looking at the guard sitting across from them, as he was now aiming a scimitar shotgun at the pair.
"What is the meaning of this?" The young Quarian demanded while unknown to the pair a couple vectors were prepared to block him and Tali.
"Here," the guard says in a gruff voice handing her a sphirical device, when she activates it her fathers voice comes from it..
"I'm very sorry Tali but the admiralty board wants to see this find of yours immediately so we are to have an enclave on the Tonbay, which is where this ship is taking you."
He said regret evident in his voice.
"What, but why we haven't done anything wrong?" she yelled as he answered back
"That may be the case but what you're trying to do is a big deal, hiding an unidentified species that could be a danger to the Flotilla, think about it, what if he is a fugitive or somthing? Your best bet will be to not resist if you want any chance of him to stay with the Flotilla." He finished and was about to deactivate the link before another voice comes in,
"So if I don't resist she will be okay?" the boy says looking intently at the glowing ball in her hand.
"Yes that is correct," he says simply, while everything goes quite for a few seconds before the boy replies once more.
"Very well I'll behave," Before muttering so low that no one could hear, 'for now'
"Good to hear and I look forwards to seeing you soon Mr.?"
"I do not remember sir." He said blandly while the man replied "Ah yes sorry about that, I look forward to talking with both of you soon." and then device cut out.
"I'll take that back." The guard said as Tali handed back the communicatorlooking like she's in a trance, disbelief evident by the tremors surging through her body, the slight trembling of her fingers tipping the boy off as he looked at her worried before looking back at the window.
"Keelah I can't believe the admirals would do this, why?" She thought as the boys previous words ran through her head, 'so why am I not in a test tube somewhere with people cutting me up to see what I'm made of?'
"NO, nothing like that will happen if I can help it." She was broken out of her thoughts as the boy asked a question,
"So Tali what's the plan because were landing?" he said as they started landing in a hanger filled with guards.
"We have no choice but to cooperate," she stated simply, as the boy nodded his head at her to show he understood, before looking out at the shuttle doors opening as the guard told them to get up and start walking.
Ship Tonbay, Enclave meeting.
In the middle of a room surrounded by stairs except for a platform area with 4 desk's, chairs (Coliseum style though not nearly as big as one) and guards blocking the entrances, in the center of the room at a flat areastood a small boyish figure as a feminine looking one sat in a chair near him, said boy was looking towards the stairs at a platform waiting for the one's who took him here.
A Quarian walked up in front of the platform and started to speak as the admirals walked out onto the platforms to take their seat,
"We summon this enclave to discuss the findings of one Tali'Zorah vas Rayya." Pausing to take a breath he continued.
"Introducing admirals Daro'Xen'Vas'Moren, Zaal'Koris'vas'Qwib Qwib, Han'gerral' vas'neema, and Rael'Zorah'Vas'Tonbay, since we are on his ship he shall begin and dictate this enclave."
As the Quarian finished he walked up to the side of the platforms and sat at a desk near them with an omni-tool out as he begins to type on it.
Rael taking that as his cue stands up from his seat as he looks the boy,
"We read the reports on what has happened recently and though you've done nothing to give us harm we can't just have you on the ship." He stated as if it was the simplest thing ever.
"That's bullshit, where am I supposed to go if every thing I once knew is dead now? You can't just dump me off in a galaxy I have no idea about!" The boy yelled a slight amount of panic evident in his voice. Taking a deep breath to calm down he looked back at them and said. "It's not right, you don't get treated fairly by other species so how is doing this a good example about how one should act?"
As the admiral sat down another sat up, looking at the boy intently as if trying to dissect him with her eyes.
"Yes, well that brings us to another matter, we had a computer run checks on species in the galaxy and though you didn't come up on any of them you did come up in human mythology entry,"
as she finished she pushed a button on her omni-tool as a hologram of a woman in white robes appeared, the woman had pinkish red hair, horns, and red eyes (FYI It's Lucy) The woman noting how the boys eyes seemed to widen in surprise, continued, at first muttering to herself and then picking her voice up so he could hear.
"The resemblance is remarkable... According this they are to be diclonious, creatures capable of physic powers, and other incredible feats, now whether or not any of this is true is irrelevant. What does matter though is the fact you obviously are one, or at least close enough to be related to the issue, What do you say about this accusation?"
She finished her speech looking as the boy trembled, while a silence descended upon the room.
"Mom…" his voice filled with sadness croaked out quietly but picked up by the echo of the room, raising a few eye-brows as he asked
"What else does the entry say about them?" The boy asked.
"It says that they were known to be the harbingers for the death of the human race, whether this is true or not is unknown but the subject actually started a few minor riots, in their defence which is actually odd. Seems more like a badly kept secret that no one is allowed to talk about... it's also odd that it only happened between the years 2,000 and 2,050 and they were quelled swiftly of course."
She finished not seeing the big problem about telling him, as he asked a question that confirmed some of their suspicions,
"Why is my mom the main distinction of my race?"
He said his voice wavering as he looked at the hologram intently. Admiral Xen continued
"Apparently she was to be their savior through some sort of rebirth, a next step in their evolution. Although if it is true than I'm hypothesizing that's you seeing as you're not even limping anymore."
She pointed out and she was right, his muscles finally adapted when he was sitting in the shuttle.
As she sat down Admiral Han'Garrel sat up stern as ever and started to say his piece.
"Yes and seeing the resemblance as being more than a common coincidence we actually plan on giving you to the alliance as a gift in return for ships to benefit the fleet."
Pausing a second to think about his words he continued,
"That is if you are one."
Before he could say any more Tali broke in her voice filled with desperation.
"But that doesn't make it right! Why should he be on some table in a Cerberus lab, doesn't he get a choice in this?"
She finished yelling by this point the boy glancing at her at the corner of his eyes "She does care after all.. whats this warm feeling in my chest? Maybe she can tell me later?" He thought as the admirals voice brung his attention back.
"You will sit down this instant."
The admiral replied a few guards getting ready to restrain her incase she tried anything.
"You see this is mine and Xens' idea as it's not official just yet, besides what will your little friend here do anyways live on the flotilla? He doesn't have technical experience or combat training, if he is a deadly killer like this describes I don't see how that would be possible, as looks like nothing more then some brat with a creepy look in his eye.."
He stated as the child in question spoke up, his head dipped down eyes shifted to look stright at the admirals.
"I don't know what I will do, but I do know one thing. I will Not Go BACK, TO EARTH EVER UNLESS IT IS TO BURN EVERYTHING ON IT TO THE GROUND!"
He finished yelling loud as he could while garrel fliched slightly, the guards taking aim at him until it was evident that he wasn't going to attack.
Taking a few deep breaths he started again but in a more even tone of voice,
"Tali is the first person since my dad who has treated me like I'm somebody, not a thing, monster, test subject, specimen, honestly I would rather live with the flotilla, and I'll be willing to do anything I can to contribute."
Tali seeing her chance decided to add her two cent's as well.
"Yes and he is extremely smart actually, apparently he's learned most if not all our culture as well as a good bit a recent history just from a few hours of reading, so I believe he can do it and if not I'll help him where he needs it, honestly I think he will do just fine here if not better than even most Quarians do." She said nervously as the admirals talked quietly amongst themselves.
As Garrel sat down Zael'Koris stood up and stated,
"I agree that may be the most proper course of action, this child is not a slave nor should he be, we should set and example and help others even if they don't feel the same about our kind or else we are no better than they are. Further more as long as he decides to live in a suit and adapt to our ways of living, as to not contaminate the things around him while he openly contributes to the flotilla, which means he must also go on a pilgrimage of his own when he's of age than I see no problem with letting him stay with the fleet."
He finished sitting down, Admiral Rael than got up, and said
"So we have two choices' we can give him to the alliance or we can let him stay with the fleet provided that he can openly contribute and implement himself into our society. We shall vote on it and I will go first, as I am the admiral of this ship."
He said as tension started building in the room as four people were to vote on the fate of one boy who was currently shaking slightly, Tali noticing this reached out and grabbed his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.
This seemed to work as the shaking stopped, causing him to say a silent "Thank you" before looking back at the admirals.
Rael took note of this exchange taking place with a small but unnoticed smile
"Take care of her kid." He mused to himself before he started to speak.
"I believe that he should be able to live on the flotilla provided he is able to contribute, and should be allowed to leave on his pilgrimage when he feels he is ready"
The man said noticing his daughters' disbelief to his amusement as he asked her in a joking tone
"Really Tali did you think I was some monster that eats children or something?" snickering slightly as he sat down and Garrel stood up.
"I vote that we Sell him to the alliance of course, I can't see that thing bringing us anything but trouble, we should get what we can from it and leave, sorry kid but as I said before, I can't see you bringing much to the flotilla at all. It doens't help my concince but it's simply the best decision I can see."
He said firmly before sitting back down.
Taking this as his turn Koris sat up and said
"I second Admiral Raels, ideals and wish for the boy to stay, it simply wouldn't be right to sell him as if we were a group of slavers."
Sitting back down as every one looked back at admiral Xen.
She looked into the piercing red eyes of the boy, and the hologram that's now at the end of the room idly noting how it hovered behind the boy like a sort of guardian angel, as she debated her options,
"Hmm, he's quite the unusual one that is for sure, If he turns out to be important as I think he is the alliance will handsomely reward us… but than again it would be interesting to see how he develops as well as the capabilities of his kind… yes I believe that this can work out after all."
Finally reaching her decision she sat up, and said
"I vote that we allow this young man to stay as long as he complies with a few requests of mine."
Tali let out a breath she didn't know she was holding but the child tensed, and asked
"What exactly are they?"
A feeling in his gut that he knew she would ask him this.
"According to human mythology diclonious have invisible arms that can be used as a weapon called vectors, that can infect humans is this true."
She asked looking at him intently, as he answered firmly
"Yes we do, but I'm different, I'm the first diclonious born from the birth of a male uninfected by vectors and it affected them, as well as my mother was the 'queen' if you want to get structural about it, therefore I cannot infect other creatures unless I reproduced with another woman."
As he said this Xen leaned forwards,
"Can you show us an example of what you could do with your vectors?"
She said as the boy nodded and pointed at a guard near Tali, (which was actually the one that pointed the shotgun at her.) and asked him "Can you put your gun on the floor." The guard obviously warily of a trick was about to tell the kid off before Xens' voice ran out
"Do it now,"
As he put the gun down he stood back a good distance as it started levitating filling the room with chatter as guards and the admirals alike started remarking about the strange abilities, as the gun was brought within arms length it turned sideways and the metal started bending, creating groaning noises until it was ripped in half and fell to the floor.
Looking up he asked,
"Is that satisfactory to you?"
Looking intrested she said.
"Yes it is."
"now heres another thing I wish to know... How did you end up in the cryo pod" She asked as everyone listened closely the boy taking a deep breath not really wanting to drag the memories of what happened to him during his captivity.
"My kind has been hunted for so long... we were on the cusp of extinction the majority of us killed with my dad while they tried to help me escape, those that were captured either were killed during brutal experiemnts or were turned on the remaining of us. Some turning to sucide at first chance. They caught me when I was four years old, it turned out they had a drug that my immune system couldn't combat at first. It adapted later though but it was enough. The drug disable my vectors and I was tired from being on the run for so long as I just ran away from the battle grounds where my dad was... He was shot."
He paused for second obviously close to crying before stiffining up and taking a deep breath, and continued
They did all manner of experiements on me as I could only keep them from getting close with my vectors as the first people who tried replacing my restraints found out quite painfully. They couldn't drug me eaither my immune system easily brushed it aside like it was nothing also adapting to what they first tried using on me during my capture.
For four years I picked away at my restraints noting guard positions as well as schedual changes, security, the whole nine yards."
He said glee evident in his voice before calming down after noticing tali flinching.
"Finally it was time. As the next guard shift arrived I broke out suprising both of them ending their life quickly, I threw one of the bodys through the glass where they observed me. It was a stroke of luck as it seemed to be the camera room to, heh. My vectors propelled me up and before the people inside knew what was going on they were drowning on their own blood no one being the wiser as guard shifts won't change for another couple hours.
So seeing I had no idea where to go I looked for a map for a few minutes. Finally getting what I wanted I looked it over and well..."
He trailed off a little embarressed as Xen asked "Well what?".
I kinda have a thing for new technology... It facinates me, I saw their was a cryo room and I couldn't help but be enthralled by the idea so bringing the map with me after getting dressed in the robes of a young woman, I believe the glass went through her eye. Not a messy death so it didn't stain the cloths. So a destination in mind I crawled through the vents to get their as I arrived I was met with dissapointment as it looked like the project was shut down. So I searched the room for the pods as my curisoity wouldn't sit with me not knowing how they did with it. Soon I found the pods in the back of the room lined up and started messing with the controls as it opened. Before I was able to do much else though I heared numerous voices at the door way so I did the only thing I could think of... I jumped in and closed it. Although I had no idea it would start, and by the time I realized what was happening I couldn't do anything about it... Honestly I'm suprised I didn't wake up in a lab somewhere."
He finished noticing quite a few suprised looks from the story.
"So is that it?" he asked as Xen nodded, and sat down typing on her omni-tool.
"Okay now that this is out of the way here is the matter of you becoming a part of the flotilla"
He said as another hologram appeared in the room. On it was a slot for name, date, of birth etc, etc,
"We must have you fill this out." He continued, as he looked at the boy who at the moment was thinking over the events and finding himself at a loss of how he even survived.
"Maybe mom had somthing to do about that..."
He thought as he listened to the admiral.
"Seeing as you do not remember your name we will give you a human one is that ok?"
He asked tapping a few times on his omni-tool.
"No it's not, I don't want to sound close minded, but I despise everyone on that despicable planet" He said vehemently.
The admiral simply nodded as if expecting this as an idea popped into his head.
"Very well if you do not want to have a human name what about a Quarian name?"
he said as the boy thought for a few seconds before nodding. Tapping his omni-tool again a huge list of names came up for him to choose from as it scrolled down the boy looking at it intently. "hmm, ki-sile what a dumb name, vir'gion? What am I a woman…Zu'xala Uniqe but no. Aragh this is tough… hmm it needs to be unique yet not weird."
He thought as it continued to scroll he saw one that interested and said
"Stop I want that one" pointing his finger at it, it read Za'heel. The admiral hit another button and it brought the hologram back to the information sheet but it now said.
"Name: Za'heel
Speaking up Rael said "Ok next question.
15 MINUTES LATER,
"That should be the last one." the admiral said as he sat back down looking at the information it said.
Registered Year of 2175
Name: Za'heel SEX: M
Age: 8 Born: 2050
Origins: Earth Species: Diclonious
Height: 4 feet 2 inch's Weighs: 92 pounds,
IQ: 185 POTENTIAL JOB: FIELD SCIENTIST.
"Alright now that you're registered you may go to the Rayya with my daughter and the rest of the recruits, we will have a bed ready for you as well as a foot locker to store anything you need or get. Oh and one more thing, our teams recovered something out of the pod you arrived in, we must have missed it in the initial sweep and we thought that it may belong to you." The admiral finished as Quarian sitting next to the platform walked up with an object about the size of his hand inside of fine black cloth.
Taking the object out Za'heel gasped as his eyes watered up, he quickly took it and said "Yes it belongs to me," before finishing in his head "But how, my dad had it when they shot him."
Looking back down at the object it was a well treated music box (You know which one it is) As he opened it for a second and music came out, he just stood their transfixed before Tali shook his shoulder he looked at her and noticed almost everyone left the room. "Are you ok? You've been standing their for at least an hour." She said surprising him as he closed the music box.
"Yeah I'm fine, so you don't care that I'm a diclonious." he said a some sadness evident in his voice,
"I don't get why it makes a difference, you're still a good person and my friend."
She said adamantly as the warm smile he was building up was crushed by her next words.
"Now let me show you to your room ok?" The Quarian said in an ominous tone which cause him to break out in a cold sweat,
"Were going to be bunk, mates because, I have so much to catch you up on that when we are done with drills I'll have to teach you at night, seeing as I don't get my comfty bed in the girls dorms I'll simply have to cram all of this into your head quickly."
as she finished she walked off expecting Za'heel to follow as he asked himself slight trepidation in his voice,
"What have I gotten myself into…?"
DONE!
YES THIS CHAPTER IS DONE AND THEIR SHALL BE A TIME SKIP, ZA'HEEL IS 8 YEARS OLD TALI IS 14,
Further more this is where the difficult spot comes in. How to describe events where I can keep the skip interesting, and not turn it into total bullshat but at the same time get it to explain what happened during the skip, and what after…
Whew I've got my work cut out for me.
SLIGHT UPDATE!
To those who give a fuck, my xbox live tag is, The Best Blue.
Play some ME3 with me or somthing ^_^, Also send me a message saying, Keelah'se'lai or i'll just turn down the friends request.
NEW UPDATE 7/18/2012
The grammer and word structure I had for this chapter made me want to choke on my vomit... So I spent a few hours correcting it, as well as adding a few things, Enjoy.
Now to work on the next chap... ugh