Chapter 8: Reaction.

"We can assure you Commander that the batarians will pay dearly for their actions!" A holo of a quarian proclaimed. "Their part in the slaying of an Admiral and the destruction of a quarian ship is an act of war!"

"Tali was my friend and I more than anyone want to see those responsible pay, but I'll need assistance." Shepard said.

"You need not ask Commander, the quarian people will join its strength to yours!"

"Thank you Admiral." Shepard said gratefully as communications cut.

"I still can't believe things got as bad as it did." Kolyat sighed from behind Shepard.

"I know." Shepard said coldly. "But sometimes sacrifices must be made."

Kolyat looked at Shepard in shock at what she just heard her say. "Hazel how can you say that, she was your friend!" Kolyat shouted.

"She was but now that she's gone more lives can be saved." Shepard answered in a cold menacing tone of voice.

"You almost sound like you knew all this would happen." Kolyat snorted.

"Tali dying wasn't a part of the plan…but the same outcome was achieved." Shepard said, her words chilling the drell. "The quarians and the geth will help me."

"What are you saying?" Kolyat questioned.

"I got a tip from a reliable source that told me the batarian fleet would attack Omega." Shepard replied. "So I set up the meeting on the same day as this "possible" invasion."

"You knew and you set up this meeting any way?" Kolyat exclaimed.

"Yes, it was to show that the batarians where a threat to them as well." Shepard sighed. "And now with Tali's death the quarians will help me bring the batarians down and they can avenge their fallen hero."

"She was nothing but a puppet to you!" Kolyat shouted. "You're a monster!"

"Tali was a friend and I'll mourn her as such." Shepard said calmly. "But the war continues and I don't have time right now."

Kolyat gave Shepard a dead stare as she left the briefing room. "Is this the same woman my father called siha." She was completely ruthless, violent and didn't care about who lived or who died. Kolyat was now starting to question his decision to leave C-sec and his loyalty to Shepard.

The lower levels of Omega where damaged the most in the fighting. Looting was rampant, people scouring the station for they're dead. In the first few hours most of the batarian troops had either been captured or surrendered. Jack and Garrus lead a team of over fifty to search for survivors and to bring order on the lowest level of the station.

Bullets whizzed past Garrus' head as he waited for an opening to get a shot in. Garrus had scouted ahead of the rest of his team and told them to aid Jack's team. He came across a group of scavengers and when confronted they opened fire.

The shooting stopped for a moment; Garrus had his chance. He moved out of cover and shot one of the scavengers twice in the chest and another in the head. They were waiting from him to come out of cover. As Garrus went back into cover they took his shields down and one of them managed to hit him in the arm.

Garrus put medi-gel on the wound and waited as it slowly healed it. Garrus looked over his head. From behind cover he watched as a large amount of debris fly over his head and right on top of the scavengers.

"You should be more careful scale head I can't save your ass all the time!" An obnoxious voice shouted.

Garrus looked over and took a sigh of relief. "Thanks Jack."

"No problem." Jack said , while helping Garrus up.

"Where is the team?" Garrus questioned.

"I have'em all over the district looking for survivors and left over batarian troops." Jack replied dryly at the turian as if he asked a stupid question. "I came to get you and it looks like I got here just in time."

"I didn't need you're help!" Garrus growled. "I could have handled them."

"Yeah like twenty years ago old man!" Jack chuckled.

"What ever Jack." Garrus snapped

"I kinda wanted to talk to you alone anyway." Jack mumbled.

"You…want to talk?" Garrus asked with a puzzled expression on his face. "I didn't know you even knew what that meant."

"Fuck you turian I'm serious!" Jack snapped.

"What's going on?" Garrus asked.

"I know you and Shep were tight with Tali…you two gonna be ok? Jack asked with poorly hidden concern.

"I'll manage and Shepard tough she'll be fine." Garrus answered. "Are you worried?" Garrus asked.

"Me…no it's just that I don't want to be the one to hold you two old bums up, while you guys mope around like idiots!" Jack quickly retorted. "Besides I never liked that bucket head any way, all she did was talk!"

"You'll miss Tali won't you?" Garrus asked.

Jacked paused for a moment and then looked away from Garrus. "Shut up Vakarian!" Jack spat. "We got work to do and all you're doing is sitting around."

Garrus gave Jack a nod and walked with her to regroup back with the rest of the team.

Shepard opened her apartment door and lucky for her it had not been ransacked by scavengers. She looked in it and saw Liara sitting on her bed, waiting for her.

"I thought I told you to stay in the safe house until I came to get you." Shepard said frustratedly.

"I wanted to make sure you where alright." Liara replied.

"Thanks to that data you gave me we saved a lot of lives, but…"

Liara interrupted "I heard about Tali, Hazel…are you ok?"

Shepard fell on to her bed and gave an exhausted sigh. "I couldn't save her Liara…just like I couldn't save Thane, mom, Kaiden and countless others."

"You did the best you could Zel." Liara said trying to console Shepard.

"I could have done something different…if I had postponed the meeting then she would be alive!" Shepard shouted.

"Shepard this had to be done, otherwise you would never have gotten the help you need." Liara forcefully replied. "Tali was just a casualty, her death was not your fault."

Shepard looked up at Liara and smiled. "Thanks Liara I needed to hear that."

Liara responded by giving Shepard a reassuring smile.

End.