-sigh, holds up cue card squinting curiously-
I do not own Mass Effect or Elfen Lied? What the? OH YOU SONOFA- Ugh…
Fine I get it, I'm poor damn man rub it in much…
Chapter 7 – Mass Delay
Two months after Tali left had Za'heel worried, very worried to be exact.
"Seriously I tell her to be careful and what does she do? SHE GOES INTO GETH CONTROLLED AREAS AND FUCKING HACKS ONE?"
He thought frantically as he went to the glowing green consol pushing a button causing a message to play.
"Za'heel this is Tali, I know what you're going to say but I feel this is important. I'm going to go find out why the geth are venturing beyond the Veil, hopefully if I do that then it will shed some light on the situation. So don't worry I'm a big girl I can take care of myself."
Pushing the button next to it another log started to play.
"Za'heel, I'm hit, it's only my shoulder, ah Keelah that stings… I think I'll sit down and tell you this one. What happened is I was tracking a geth patrol, after I took them out I hacked one and took a look at its processing data before it was deleted hoping for and answer and I'll tell you this. It's bigger than you could imagine. A spe-" Her voice cut out as he hears gun fire in the back ground and it gets quite, he faintly hears,
Next time stay down bosh'tet!
Sorry about that thought I got all of them… I'm at the citadel to get some help, mercenaries have been trying to kill me all day… they just got my second in command today… I'm all that's left; I can only hope that maybe C-sec can help,"
After a long pause she cut in again now sobbing quietly
"Oh, Keelah Za'heel they're all dead and it's my fault"
She said quietly for sniffling and continuing voice full of conviction.
"Don't worry I'll be fine I promise."
Switching to the next log it started, once more Tali but she sounded angry and frightened. "C-sec wouldn't help me; Bosh'tets called me a suit rat!"
A few seconds later she spoke up again her voice noticeably calmer than it was previously.
"I contacted a Krogen called Fist; he should be able to help me give the information to the shadow broker in exchange for my safety. I hope this works, but I have to admit I have a bad feeling about it."
As the message ended he grabbed his head and than punched a wall denting it.
"DAMN IT, EVEN WORSE A FUCKING HUMAN!"
He yelled furiously, pushing the button on the consol again but this time with a lot more force.
Her voice sounded nervous this time.
"I really hope Za'heel don't freak out when I tell you this. The deal was a bad move, I went with my gut on this and it probably saved my life. I told them the deal was off and they pulled guns on me, I mean seriously, overkill? I'm ok though because well… I was saved and I know this will sound made up but it isn't! I was saved by a human, a turian and a krogen saved me… And yeah I know weird combination right? Aside from that I'll be on this humans ship for the remainder of my pilgrimage most likely, sorry but were doing important work, I want to tell you but it's practically classified at the highest degree. I'll tell about the crew if it helps…"
She said nervous as she started talking all about the crew she is serving with estaticly. Za'heel having heard this before turned the message off as she started talking about the captain, as he has already heard all this and the fact she was on a ship with so many humans pissed him off to no end.
"Commander Shepard huh… You hurt her in anyway and I'll make you suffer for a long, long time..."
He thought a morbid smile on his face before he realized something.
"OH SHIT I have to go help her now!"
He yelled out loud as he tore the vent grate off and rapidly progressed through the ship towards the hanger intent on taking the closest fighter out. Just as he enters the building he sees dozens of Quarian marines aiming weapons at him, with admiral Rael in the front.
Growling lowly his eyes glowing a little brighter unnoticed to him, as he said lowly but loud enough to be heard.
"How did you know... whatever it's irrelevant, just get out of my way.
The old Quarian simply sighed and started talking
"I'm her father remember? It makes sense that she sends status reports to me to you know… and I figured you'd do some half-baked attempt to help her, especially considering your hatred towards humans." He finished blandly as Za'heel was obviously a few seconds from brutalizing the nearest object.
"THAT'S WHY I NEED TO GO MORE THAN ANYTHING; I WON'T LET THEM HURT HER!"
He yelled, adding silently.
"not like they hurt me..."
Starting to get irritated at his thick headedness the admiral yelled,
"Listen your outgunned out manned and you may in all pretenses a super soldier with your vectors to defend but even you wouldn't be able to stop over soldiers armed to the teeth, especially without your shields!"
Za'heel knew that he had a point.
"Look Za'heel, I don't like it either but she's a grown girl, she can make her own choices responsibly. Don't you trust her?"
His last words hit the young man like a brick, as he mumbled out in a mono-tone
"Sorry Sir I promise it won't happen again."
The admiral simply looked at him firmly set on his next decision.
"Your quite right about that you see, we still must punish you for trying to steal one of our ships." He said noting how Za'heel stiffened, and said ominously.
"We won't execute you; no I have another punishment just as effective."
Za'heel looked him seriously in the eyes,
"What?"
Sighing lowly he said it,
"It pains me to do this but you must be responsible for your actions. You are to postpone your pilgrimage for two human years instead of one. Further more you will cut all contact with Tali'Zorah'Nar'Rayya, If you are caught talking to her or using any form of communication than both you and her will be exiled."
Za'heel was shocked beyond words by this new information,
"What… bu-but, It's either that or execution you know… or even better we could kill our way to the ship. We'd be shot out of the sky… So? Just keep quite I'm not in the mood to argue."
Looking back at the admiral stunned he said,
"Yes sir…" and walked off as if in a trance to his lab."
The admiral waved off the marines around him to go back to their posts and sighed sadly.
"I really hope he doesn't hate me for this but it's either that or we have to execute him."
Za'heel would later go into recluse for a long time not interacting with anyone unless ordered to leaving the admirals confused as they had no idea where he would go when people went looking for him that they had to get Rael to contact him via omni-tool.
A Few Days Later On the Normandy, Engineering Deck
Engineer Adams had noticed that their new Quarian friend has been acting strange lately, and decided to tell Shepard him remembering this stopped the man as he was doing his routine crew checkup.
"Commander Sir, can I talk to you for a moment?"
He said standing ridged the command simply smiled and headed that way saying
"At ease Adams, you don't have to be so official with me. So what seems to be the problem?"
It's Tali, she seems well… I don't know, maybe its depression? I'm not good at this sort of thing including reading body language so I thought maybe you could sort it out. After all we don't need engineers that are not thinking straight. You see where I'm coming from?" He explained as the commander nodded
"Yeah I can do that, thanks for the heads up."
"Anytime commander,"
The man replied turning back towards the consol he was working on.
Shepard started walking towards the Quarian as he caught her talking to herself,
"Why hasn't he answered? He always has before… Keelah, I hope nothing happened to him…"
She said worriedly typing on her omni-tool.
"Hey Tali is everything all right?"
He asked deciding to let her tell him.
"We- uhm I mean, No it's fine you must have more important things to worry about than private issues."
She said slightly surprised he even bothered to ask.
, "Tali this is important, your part of my crew, if your problems than I'll do all I can to help your through them."
He said reassuringly as she looked up debating in her head, before coming to a decision.
"Well you see, me and a… friend, I have back on the flotilla have kept in contact with each other since I first went on my pilgrimage and well, he hasn't replied lately…"
She finished sadly.
Deciding that he had time to spare he said,
"I see, well we could go to the flotilla if you want."
The idea while she didn't mind really, she could imagine what Za'heel may do to the commander if they hit off on a bad note.
"No! Uh I mean that's not a good idea… You see he isn't exactly what you would call… a fan of humans, so that may not be the best choice right now. Besides we have so much work ahead of us to be sidetracked like this, don't worry I'll be fine, you just concentrate on getting Saren"
She finished in an assured tone,
"If you say so Tali, remember I'm here for you if you need anything."
He said walking off; stopping when he hears Tali call his name.
"Wait Shepard um… Thanks for the pep-talk, I needed it."
She said slightly embarrassed
"No problem Tali,"
And with that Shepard left the engineering deck. (+5)PARAGON
It would be a while before Tali and Za'heel hears from each other.
DONE!
Yeah the chapter is short, so what? It is more like a sub-chapter; don't worry though the others will longer than this one.
Mostly I just saw this as a good place to stop this one.
So yeah, Za'heel is pissed, and now he will end up going on his pilgrimage during ME2 with no idea of what's going on with Tali, as he is confined to the ship.