13: Homecoming
"So all of this was for, what, a typo?"
The other occupants of the med bay ignored Garrus as they looked to Chakwas. The doctor held an instrument in her hand over Tali's head as she stared at the readouts on her omni-tool. After a few more moments, the tool beeped and she lowered her arms.
"The good news is you're physically fine, Tali," the doctor replied. "No signs of chemical imbalance or issues with your blood work, so I'd say it was solely stress-triggered. The commander kept you from doing any damage to yourself on the way down." The named human, standing next to the bed, breathed a sigh of relief. "I'd say you're okay to leave whenever you want to." Kasumi smiled and nodded at the doctor in thanks from her spot on Tali's other side, putting a hand on the engineer's shoulder. Chakwas, meanwhile, took her leave. "I'll be in the mess if you need me, Commander. I hear Rupert restocked at the Citadel, and I'd rather not miss out on the calamari gumbo this time."
As the doctor walked out the door, the others stayed where they were, the silence palpable. Not even Miranda, who was standing with her arms folded by the window to the mess hall, had spoken. Still, that ship name sounds so familiar for some reason. Some perp I ran in for C-Sec, maybe? But I'm sure Tali wouldn't faint over something so simple as a registry error. It just doesn't add up.
Noticing that nobody had taken the initiative to say something, the turian decided to speak again.
"What's the big deal about them calling her Tali'Zorah vas Nedas, anyway?"
He immediately regretted his question. The quarian flinched at his words, clutching at her chest and hyperventilating. Shepard reacted by trying to comfort her with several whispered words as the thief shot him a look dirty enough that even Zaeed would have curled away in discomfort. Garrus was spared from her evil eye by Miranda, who cleared her throat.
"Clearly there is some stigma about that particular ship name, but Garrus and I are in the dark here, Commander."
Garrus nodded and exhaled as Kasumi turned her attention to Tali. Never thought I'd be glad that woman had tact.
Tali shared a look and a nod with Shepard, who began to stand up. "It's not the name of a ship," the human said, gently placing his words as he would footsteps in a minefield. "The word holds a certain meaning for quarians, and is hard to translate directly. The most accurate translation is 'the-un-place-for-undeserved-life'." He gave a nervous glance to the quarian, but continued. "Most translators just shorten it to 'nowhere', but the human term 'purgatory' is the closest I've heard in meaning. It's... well... The word is..."
"It's the brand of an exile," Tali murmured, just loud enough to be heard.
"So she can't return to the Neema?" Garrus asked uncertainly as understanding lit up Miranda's face. "I'm pretty sure another ship on the fleet would welcome her though. You'd have to be a fool to turn down an engineer as talented as Tali."
"It doesn't work that way, Garrus," the quarian mumbled with a shake of her head. "Exiles are not allowed to initiate contact with the Flotilla, its people, or anyone on Pilgrimage. Their names are stricken from the manifest of every ship they've ever served on, and their families remove them from their ancestral records. They can only talk to a quarian who has specifically spoken to them first, unless they are also exiled. Any children they have are free to return if they so choose, but the parents are still shunned by any quarians who meet them. Any exile who violates those terms is subject to immediate execution."
"Spirits..." Abandoned by not just their ship and clan, but the whole species... That sounds worse than being labeled barefaced. "But that doesn't sound like something they'd just do out of the blue. Most species would have a trial for that sort of thing- something to give the accused a chance to defend themselves."
The quarian bowed her head over her arm, fiddling with her omni-tool. Garrus heard a hushed "human English" before she thrust her arm out in front of Kasumi, the characters of her omni-tool in the humans' Latin alphabet instead of Khelish script as they glowed in the air. The thief, understanding the gesture, began to read aloud.
"From the desk of Admiral Zaal'Koris vas Quib Quib of the Migrant Fleet. To Tali'Zorah vas Ned-" She cut herself off with a faked cough, but Tali made no indication that she'd heard anything. Kasumi continued reading. "Tali'Zorah, this ultimatum supersedes any and all previous orders or assignments. You are hereby ordered to return to the Migrant Fleet to answer to charges for the following crime: high treason against the Migrant Fleet and her people."
The thief and soldier blanched as the turian's mandibles flung outward in shock. "Bullshit," he murmured. "She would never have..."
Miranda hummed, drawing his attention. She shrugged under the turian's look. "It could be a reaction to her mission here, if they view it as working with Cerberus."
"No," Shepard cut in. "She was given permission to serve here by the Admiralty Board. I still have Rael's message approving the transfer; this can't be because of that."
"I don't know," Kasumi added, "but your guess is as good as mine, Shep." She looked back to Tali's omni-tool and continued reading. "An ongoing trial is being held in the liveship Rayya. Your presence is demanded within the next Rannoch standard day. (Deadline listed - Earth date: 2185-09-29 at 0535 Earth UTC/Rannoch date: 2938-18-4 at 0800 Flotilla Time) Per the nature of the charges against you, your ship name has been stripped until a verdict can be reached regarding your culpability in the aforementioned crime. Should you choose to attend the trial, however, it will be restored on a conditional basis, pending the final verdict of the Admiralty Board. Captain Kar'Danna vas Rayya has orders to arrest you on arrival, to ensure your attendance. Current coordinates of Quarian Flotilla follow."
The turian blinked in surprise. "Damn. That's... Why so soon?"
"We don't have the spare resources for long-term incarceration," the quarian murmured. "If someone is charged with a crime, the trial happens immediately to limit the loss of productivity. In the case of Pilgrims or those away from the fleet, we're given two Rannoch-standard days to return."
"And the fact that it's tomorrow?" the ship's XO asked.
"Means that something serious has happened in the fleet." Tali turned to Shepard, her normally-luminous eyes somewhat dimmer than the turian usually saw. "I'll find my own transport from Omega. The Shadow Broker's too important to-"
"No, Tali," the commander interrupted. "Nobody, you least of all, should stand alone at a time like this. I'm coming with you."
"And so am I," Kasumi quipped. "I'd make for a pretty terrible hesh'nealan if I didn't."
Did my translator just glitch? I'll just assume she meant "friend", in which case... "You can count me in as well, Tali. I learned on the last Normandy that it's a bad idea to bet against a quarian with a shotgun. I haven't made that mistake again since, and I won't be breaking that habit now."
The engineer looked around at the others, seemingly perplexed by her friends' commitment. "But what about the mission? The Shadow Broker?"
"The chances are slim that Aria can tell us anything about where he is," Shepard said, locking eyes with her. "Isn't that right, Miranda?"
I'm not sure asking her is such a good idea...
The Cerberus operative remained silent for an uncomfortably long moment. To his surprise, however, when the woman's pensive expression shifted, it was to one that was more placid than argumentative.
"Agreed, Commander. Besides, she's likely to want something in return for the information. Aria's been on Omega for centuries, I doubt that will change overnight."
At that moment, EDI's hologram lit up from near Chakwas's desk. "I have alerted Helmsman Moreau to our imminent course change. If you wish, I can relay the coordinates directly to him to save time."
And this year's award for "most emphatic 'NO!' heard around the galaxy" goes to...
For the second time in less than a minute, the turian was proven wrong. Tali swept her eyes around the room once more, looking at all of them in turn before gazing back at the AI's avatar.
"Okay."
"But I still don't know, John. They don't usually level charges like this unless they're absolutely sure. And the fact that they're already having the hearing-"
"Tali, we'll get you out of this. I promise."
John flashed the quarian a quick smirk as the elevator door opened to the CIC. The engineer beside him visibly deflated, her shoulders going to a more relaxed position as he stepped out of the elevator car. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about the act tended to calm down the quarian somewhat.
Even though he still had no idea if he'd be able to follow through with his promise.
They crossed the deck in virtually no time flat, and soon could hear the sound of the pilot's voice from the cockpit.
"-ously, Garrus. After the haul you got from the bet, I'm surprised you're not gloating. Your tongue's usually sharper at times like that."
The turian shook his head, standing off to the side of the cockpit's entrance. "Joker, now is not the time."
"Come on, nothing about how you made off like a bandit? I'm sure Kasumi would-"
"Take away that tub of ice cream you have in the freezer?" Shepard asked, projecting his voice as he and Tali stepped into cockpit.
"Touche, Commander," the pilot murmured. "Going for my pride and my stomach."
"If I really wanted it to hurt, I'd have mentioned your extranet history."
"Right..." Joker's voice became significantly more serious. "We're closing in on the relay now, Commander. Jumping to the Valhallan Threshold cluster in twenty."
"That's all it takes? And I thought I'd have to dig deeper into his files to find some dirt on him," Kasumi murmured, shimmering into view from the copilot's seat. The pilot, however, didn't react to her presence, concentrating on the myriad of interfaces as he brought the ship closer to the gargantuan mass relay.
"You came in fifteen seconds after Garrus. I know my space, Kasumi. Comes with the whole 'sit in a chair for twenty hours a day' routine. I'm on a first-name basis with every speck of dust here. Five seconds."
A tendril of blue-white energy lashed out from the relay, enveloping the windows in a flash of light just as they felt the surge from leaping instantaneously both to and from FTL. Immediately, an interface flashed red as an alarm went off.
"Oh, crap! Taking evasive maneuvers."
"Alert," EDI toned. "Detecting pings from multiple instances of weapons lock. Unknown communications signatures attempting contact. Fifteen craft of various types incoming. Engaging ECM procedures. Firewalls active. Guardian defenses active in ten-"
"STOP!"
Everyone's heads turned to the quarian, who had rushed toward the AI's glowing avatar. "We can't let them see us as a threat." She turned toward the pilot, who, to his credit, was undeterred from his own actions, weaving the ship through space as easily as one would wiggle a finger. "Stop avoiding them."
"Estimated time to enemy lock-on: eight seconds."
Joker, meanwhile, was still straining to keep the ship away from the enemies. "Commander, what's your call? I can make it back to the relay if you want to go weapons-hot."
All it took was a single look from Tali.
"Shut down all electronic countermeasures, EDI," Shepard ordered. "Let them come to us, and open a comm channel if you can."
Immediately, an unfamiliar voice came in over the radio. "Repeat. Unidentified vessel, this is the scout ship Draec of the Flotilla's Fifteenth Patrol Squadron. Please adjust your heading to 325-by-plus-23 and hold velocity at two-thousandths light-speed. You have ten seconds to respond."
John stepped forward, resting a hand on Joker's shoulder. "This is Commander John Shepard of the Normandy SR2. We will comply with your order." Thankfully, the pilot next to him took the hint and remained silent. The human's fingers danced over the holographic displays for only a moment longer, then sat still as the ship slowed to a relative crawl.
"Course change acknowledged. State your business with the Migrant Fleet, or adjust heading to 212-by-zero to indicate that you wish to turn back to the relay."
The ship's resident quarian spoke up. "This is Tali'Zorah vas Neema nar Rayya, requesting permission to dock with the Rayya."
"One moment... Our system has your ship flagged as Cerberus. Verify."
The human soldier shared a confused look with Garrus. Verify that Cerberus built the ship? That sounds... unsafe.
Tali, however, resumed speaking. "After time adrift among open stars, along tides of light and through shoals of dust, I will return to where I began."
That was interesting. Out of the corner of his eye, John could have sworn he'd seen the thief's eyes widen with recognition.
"Permission granted. Transferring you to the Rayya for docking instructions."
The line momentarily fizzed with static, then another voice came in. "This is Rayya to Normandy SR2. Welcome home, Tali'Zorah."
"Thank you," the quarian replied, her voice turning morose. "We'd like a security and quarantine team to meet us. Our ship is not clean."
"I resent that," Joker muttered.
"Understood. Approach at heading 57-by-minus-13 at point-three light-speed and await further instructions. You will be docking at exterior cradle 17."
"Normandy reads you loud and clear, Rayya," the pilot stated, louder. "Making our approach now."
A binary pair of stars, both massive blue giants, took up most of the view through the ship's windows as the vessel changed its course. A faint glint shone from directly ahead of them. As minutes ticked by, it resolved into a collection of smaller crystalline reflections, like sugary dust over a dark table. Time continued to pass, and the cockpit's non-quarian occupants shared a collective gasp.
"Decelerate to point-one light-speed."
The reflective specks had grown into a massive cloud of vessels, ranging in size from an innumerable amount of specklike shuttles that glinted in the twin suns' light to a trio of ships large enough to see clearly from even their extreme distance. One of the three was rapidly growing larger in the center of the window, their apparent destination.
She grew up on that? It's bigger than half of the Alliance's dreadnoughts!
He found his attention diverted from the awe-inspiring size of the fleet and Joker's continued conversation as Tali slunk away. She quietly stepped into the airlock, her head held down. He slipped in behind her, whispering as he entered the chamber.
"Tali?"
She didn't answer.
"Tali," he repeated, louder.
He heard a sniffle. "Sorry, it's nothing, John."
The human spun her around. "'Nothing' wouldn't make you sneak away like that, Tali."
"I'm just... worried, I guess... About what Father and Auntie Raan would think, if... If I could never call myself that name again."
He pulled her close, embracing the quarian in a tight hug.
"This won't be the last time."
The airlock opened with a silent hiss, allowing Tali to lead the others onto the Rayya. A group of armed soldiers stood beyond the gate, one of whom the quarian recognized.
"Captain Kar'Danna?"
"I see you're well, Tali," the man responded as John walked up behind her. "You must be Captain Shepard. Captain Kar'Danna vas Rayya," he replied, holding his hand out. Tali noticed the commander's hesitation, his surprise that the quarian knew of the human interaction evident.
"I take it she's told you a lot about me," he said, returning the friendly gesture in a handshake.
"That she has. I wish we could have met under more pleasant circumstances. She was a great asset to the Rayya, even before her Pilgrimage."
John nodded. "She's helped us out of many difficult situations. I'm here to return the favor."
"You picked a hell of a battle to help her out of." Kar turned toward Tali. "I wish I could do more to help, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy."
"Yeah, I gu- WHAT?!" No... They didn't...
Garrus spoke out from the back. "I take it that's a bad sign."
She stammered out a response. "It's... It means they don't even... Like I'm not considered quarian anymore..."
"Hey, kid," Kar cooed. "You've still got friends who believe you're innocent. I heard there's a couple of people from one of your squads speaking for you now, and Admiral Raan's making sure you at least have a fair trial, even though she had to recuse herself. I'm technically supposed to be neutral, but I'm here if you need to talk."
"Thanks... I imagine Father had to recuse himself as well."
The quarian captain didn't speak, patting her on the shoulder instead.
"Does she get someone to speak for her defense?" Shepard asked, cutting through the pregnant silence.
"Yes, Captain Shepard," Kar responded. "It's a captain's duty to provide for and protect their crew. You're officially her advocate under quarian law."
Tali's eyes widened.
"So that means Shep would be representing you?" Kasumi asked.
"Yes, it d-" Kar cut himself off and stiffened at the sight of the thief. "Where is your mask? Your hard-suit? Quick! Seal the emergency bulk-"
"Relax," Kasumi said, gripping at part of her cheek. "It's a transparent, form-fitting mask. The suit's also sealed against atmo." She pinched at the plastic, stretching it so the material could catch the light.
"Check her," he said, gesturing to one of the female guards. "I'd rather not have to worry about things getting worse for Tali."
"What exactly do you mean by 'worse'?" the turian asked as the guard passed her omni-tool over Kasumi. A moment later, the interface flashed green, and the quarian took her place by Kar once more. The Rayya's captain, however, looked uncertain how to put his words. Eventually he simply shook his head.
"Admiral Raan won't let me say the specifics, but they're charging her with bringing active geth onto the Fleet for a secret project."
"Wha- That's insane!" Tali yelled out. "I never brought active geth aboard. I only sent parts and pieces."
"You sent geth bits back to the Migrant Fleet?" Kasumi asked, once more taking her spot next to the Normandy's engineer.
"Well, yes. My father requested the materials for a project. I made sure that it was all harmless though. I mean if i sent back something that was only damaged, not permanently inactive..."
Myr'Jorin vanishes in a blast of fire and smoke. She and her remaining companion rush across the courtyard, shields sizzling from Dholen's radiation. She doesn't stop her charge, not even bothering to check if the fire from her shotgun hit its targets. With a wave of her omni-tool, the massive door seals behind them. Her companion collapses, an ominously-spreading pool of red surrounding her prone form. "QUALA!"
"No..." Tali denied with a shake of her head. "No, I checked everything. I was careful."
John locked eyes with her through the slits in his old N7 helmet. It's okay, Tali. She took a deep breath as he spoke with Kar. "We should get going. Where is the plaza?"
"Straight down the hall, fifth double-door on your right. You can't miss it. They've already started the proceedings."
"Thank you, Captain Danna," Tali murmured as the four of them walked away.
"Good luck," he called back, but the captain's voice was drowned out by hissed whispers from a trio of passing quarians.
"I can't believe they're charging her with such a thing. Didn't she help save the Citadel from the geth attack? And what about Haestrom?"
"Loyalty to the Fleet is about more than just killing geth. Tali'Zorah's guilty."
"It won't matter either way. If she can't even get a quarian captain to stand for her, she's as good as convicted."
"Tali?"
She shook her head, realizing that she had stopped in her tracks. Shepard continued to look at her, his pose emanating concern.
"Sorry, I was distracted."
He took her hand. "It's okay, Tali."
She watches as Den'Kora walks off to repair the scanner. The damned sun had fried the thing right after they'd placed it, just before she'd started recording her latest report. The engineer shakes her head as Kora calls over a pair of marines to assist. The recording software suddenly cuts out as her omni-tool beeps a warning: massive radiation spike detected. She glances up right as the scanner overloads with a burst of sparks.
"But... I still don't know," Tali murmured. "I mean I know I was thorough, but what if I messed up somewhere? What if something activated anyway?"
"Enough of that," John replied. "You said you were careful, and I believe you." He gestured toward a door, which Garrus and Kasumi stood by. "Are you ready?"
She looked between him and the others. So long as they're with me... "I'm as ready as I can be," she said with a nod.
They stepped up to the door, and it opened to a cacophony of yelling.
"Look at them! They don't care about Tali. She risked her life for all of our sakes, both on Haestrom and on the Citadel. She deserves better than this!"
"Quala is right. Tali saved me! She doesn't deserve to be exiled."
"Damn straight! She's done more for this fleet than you assholes ever will. You're pissing on everything I fought for, everything Tali fought for! So if you exile her... you might as well do the same to me."
"Me, too."
"Count me in as well."
Tali's eyes widened as the four of them waded into the din. A gaggle of quarians sat in a depression in the center of the plaza, frantically speaking to each other as a trio of people she recognized stood before four of the five admirals.
Quala, Kal, and Veetor spoke for me... Her gratitude for their presence was suddenly quashed as a fourth quarian she recognized rose to his feet. The others' words died down as he strode to Quala's side.
"An admirable performance," the yellow-suited quarian drawled with condescension, "but all you've spoken of is Tali'Zorah as you knew her. Two close friends and the word of one rescued, and not entirely by her own hand if I might add, cannot be trusted to give a complete picture of her state. Besides, we're not looking at her character here, but her culpability in actions that have threatened not just the Alarei, but quite possibly the entire fleet. Every one of you has been put at risk, and there isn't even any concrete evidence that she could possibly be innocent. She won't even show up to her own hearing to-"
"I'll speak for myself!" Tali said with a growl, glaring daggers at the man.
A collective rustle ran through the crowd of people at her words. She kept her eyes on the yellow-suited quarian as she moved to take her place at the stand in the middle of the clearing. Tali only broke her stare to nod thankfully at her three quarian friends, who dispersed back to their seats. She barely noticed that Garrus and Kasumi had found their own before resuming her malicious look, which the other happily returned.
"Tali'Zorah."
"Sanir'Tovo."
"Order," the admiral in the rear stated. Tali looked up to Shala'Raan, who cleared her throat before speaking again from her elevated position behind three of the four other admirals.
Where is Father?
"Let the records show that Tali'Zorah vas Normandy nar Rayya has appeared as requested. I trust the accused has come with her captain to defend against the charges?"
John stepped forward beside her. "Commander John Shepard, commanding officer of the Norman-"
"Objection!" Tali's gaze slid to the quarian standing directly in front of Raan. He pointed angrily at Shepard as he continued to speak. "A human has no business at a hearing involving geth-sensitive military matters!"
"Then you should not have declared Tali crew of the Normandy, Admiral Koris," Raan snapped. "By right as Tali's captain, Shepard must stay."
"Objection withdrawn," Koris grumbled.
Were it not for the grave situation before her, Tali would have grinned at her surrogate aunt's defense. As it was, she found her attention pulled to the other two admirals standing before her. Admiral Han'Gerrel she recognized, barely masking his nod of apparent approval at Raan's action. They never did really like each other, she recalled of the two male admirals before her.
The fourth admiral, however, was someone she didn't recognize. The one that replaced Admiral Taris, she remembered, noting that the woman still showed signs of youth in her own muscles. What was her name again? Despite the unknown admiral's unbent stance and tireless poise, however, her eyes drifted to and fro with indifference.
"-remains Tali'Zorah vas Neema, a proud member of the Migrant Fleet." Tali brought her attention back to the trial, having nearly fallen into the same trap the unknown admiral apparently had. Shepard, meanwhile, continued speaking. "I regret that her captain is forbidden to stand at her side today."
"Nobody has been forbidden from anything," Koris responded. "It is a simple-"
"Lie to him if you must, Zaal'Koris, but don't lie to me and expect me to stay silent!" Gerrel turned back toward Tali and Shepard. "The human is right."
Thank you, Han.
"Regardless," Tovo chipped in, "she has spent the minimum amount of time onboard both Normandy vessels to be considered a part of her crew. Meanwhile, most of her time with the Neema was spent away from the vessel on missions. Calling Captain Reinadt vas Neema to speak for her would be an insult."
"Thank you, Sanir'Tovo," Koris replied. "As you can see, she should-"
"Admirals please." Koris bristled at being interrupted a second time, but didn't intervene with Shala's speech. "Shepard's willingness to represent Tali in this hearing is appreciated. Tali, you are accused of bringing active geth to the migrant fleet. What say you?"
"Tali would never endanger the Migrant Fleet," John responded. "She pleads not guilty."
"A likely story with no corroborating evidence. But please, let's hear it from her own mouth."
The engineer, however, barely noticed Shepard and Tovo. At the mention of active geth, the fourth admiral's whole demeanor had shifted completely. Where there was once uncaring aloofness, she could now see a pointed stare coming from her. Before she knew it, she had lapsed into her old habit of fidgeting with her fingers, nearly stammering out her reply.
"I left parts and technology for teams to pick up. My father ordered me to do so. But I would never send active geth to the fleet! Everything I sent was disabled and harmless!"
Koris leaned away, folding his arms. "Then explain how geth seized the ship where your father was working!"
"What?" Tali yelped, her eyelids stretching wide as murmurs again ran through the crowd. "What are you talking about? What happened?"
The three judging admirals traded glances, which ended with Gerrel becoming the recipient of the others' looks. He shook his head and began to speak. "As far as we can tell, Tali, the geth have killed everyone on the Alarei... Your father included."
"What? No, that can't... Oh, Keelah..." The quarian felt faint, but planted her hands on the stand in front of her to steady herself. "If Father's hurt... And the Alarei..." Her mind suddenly grasped the full magnitude of the first part of Gerrel's statement, and she shot upright. "We have to take back the Alarei immediately!"
John nodded to her, then faced the board. "I appreciate the need for this trial, admirals, but right now our first concern must be the safety of the Migrant Fleet. The Normandy stands ready to assist in whatever capacity necessary."
"Some of our best marines were all wiped out within minutes of stepping onto that ship," Tovo replied. "As head of internal fleet security, I recommend the immediate demolition of the Alarei, followed by salvaging the vessel for parts."
Tali glared daggers at the yellow-suited quarian. "That isn't going to happen. We'll retake the Alarei."
Koris, meanwhile, gave a harrumph of displeasure. "I agree that the safest course would be to simply destroy the ship. But if you are looking for an honorable death instead of exile-"
"I'm looking for my father, you bosh'tets!" Tali yelled, slamming a fist into the console. Her head hung low over the platform. Father... Please be alright...
"With your permission, admirals, we can take the ship back from the geth," John filled in for her. "The good of the fleet must come first... and Tali needs to find her father."
She felt his hand brush against hers, and she stood straighter. He's right. The quarian brushed her arm against his as she faced the admirals again, as much of a gesture as she could afford without drawing undue attention. She looked up just in time to see the fourth admiral's eyes slide back into indifference. Gerrel, however, showed nothing of the sort.
"Agreed. And if you die on this worthy mission, Tali, we will see that your name is cleared of these charges."
"We can discuss that later," Koris muttered, for once getting his word in edgewise without being cut off.
"Then it is decided," Raan said, projecting her voice. "Tali will attempt to retake the Alarei. You are hereby given leave to depart the Rayya. A shuttle will be waiting for you in the hangar. Be safe, Tali. This hearing will resume upon your return, or upon determination that you have been killed in action."
"Thank you, admirals," John said. "We'll head there immediately." The board began to leave their places, and the seated quarians began to queue their way out of the plaza.
Just when I thought we weren't going to be shooting anything today...
John Shepard searched through the mass of quarians surrounding him and Tali. He easily found Garrus and waved him over, but didn't bother to do the same for Kasumi. She'd been hassled once about her suit already; if the thief didn't want to be seen in a crowd like this, she wouldn't be. Besides, she's probably on her way here already.
"Hope you have room for two more," a voice chimed in from behind him. He turned around to see Kal, Quala by his side as they nodded to Tali. "You saved our asses, Ma'am. I say it's about time we returned the favor."
The yellow-suited quarian, Tovo, hadn't left yet. He snorted with apparent amusement as he watched the approaching marines. "What makes you think the two of you are allowed to assist her?"
"The fact that you won't be able to stop us," Quala growled.
"Oh, I won't stop you. But if you want to show that she can't solve her own problems without endangering others in the Fleet..." He trailed off, allowing his threat to sink in. "You're more than welcome to go."
"He's right," Tali grumbled with no small amount of annoyance. "Thanks for the offer though, both of you." She turned to Shepard. "Let's go, John. Garrus and Kasumi are already here."
The human saw the two quarian friends trade a glance. "Ma'am, I don't see-"
"My bad," Kasumi replied, appearing at her elbow. "Forgot I had my cloak on. These three always seem to know when I'm around anyway."
"Right," Garrus said, gesturing toward the door they'd entered the plaza through. "Shall we?"
John nodded, turning away as the yellow-suited quarian folded his arms.
"Yes, leave right when she'll need you the most."
He stopped in his tracks.
"What the hell are you talking about, Tovo?" the human gruffly asked.
"It's quite simple, really. If she dies or doesn't come back within a reasonable amount of time, this trial will resume without her." John cast a glance over his shoulder as Tovo continued speaking. "If her captain isn't here, she won't have anyone to speak in her defense."
"My XO is aboard the Normandy," the N7 soldier responded. "If the trial resumes, she can-"
"Get turned away by at the airlock by security," the quarian cut in. "The only reason you were allowed aboard is because the admirals were convinced you didn't act in Cerberus's best interests on Freedom's Progress. But if, say, the woman who suggested that Cerberus take Veetor in for interrogation was your executive officer," he added with a cold stare, "I can personally guarantee that she would never set foot onto this ship alive."
"Is that a threat, sir?" Shepard asked, meeting the quarian's look with his own. To his surprise, Tovo was one of only a handful of people he'd met who didn't shy away from it.
"No, Shepard. It's a promise. As head of internal security, I would die rather than allow another Idenna incident to happen."
The human backed off, looking back at his companions. The feel of Tali's pleading stares cut into him as Kasumi's face filled with concern and worry. The turian's helmet, however, hung low with despondence.
Wait a minute... He opened his omni-tool, opening a long-forgotten program. "Garrus, how's your leg?"
His masked head raised slightly. "Shepard, I don't follow-"
"How's your leg." he repeated, lowering his arm.
"It's not bothering me at the moment," the turian said as he shifted his weight slightly. "Chakwas wants me to go easy on it for another day or two, but I feel combat-ready."
"Sit this one out, you're coming on the next mission."
"Sir?" he asked, his head tilting slightly to the side.
"If you think you can circumvent it by leaving a random squad member here, you're sorely mistaken," Tovo said with a huff. "Only someone with a position of authority, who's known both Tali and her captain, will be trusted to speak for her."
"Of course," John said with a smirk. "That's why I'm leaving my second-in-command here."
The turian took a step back. "Um, that didn't go over so well last time."
"That's an understatement," Kal added with a pointed look. The marine pulled his partner closer as Garrus flinched.
He did delay Quala's treatment after Haestrom at gunpoint when I was injured, Shepard remembered, noting how Kal was trying, unsuccessfully, to shield the woman from the perceived threat.
"At any rate," Garrus continued, "Miranda won't just roll over and let me assume command. If it wasn't for Tali, the crew would've been split right down the middle as far as loyalty goes."
"I know she won't, because she still thinks she's the best person for the job. That's why you'll have to tell her this if I don't come back," John said, stepping closer. "She's the best at what she does. She's organized, and stays on top of the little things that anyone else in her position would let slip through the cracks. Nobody on our crew, except maybe EDI, could keep the ship maintained as well as she does. At the same time, you're the best man to command. You alone have experience commanding a varied squad of this size on the ground. You alone have had to gather intel, infiltrate, plan, attack, and destroy enemies using teams of specialized soldiers. You alone have had the most experience, and the most success, at doing what I do because of Omega."
"But... they all died, Shepard. I couldn't save any of them, not even Sid." John, however, put a hand on his shoulder.
"And that's why I trust you to keep the others alive. Because I know for damn sure that you won't dare to let it happen again." His eyes slid over to Tali as he turned, but only for a moment. "Tovo," he said, facing the quarian, "Garrus here was on my team on the original Normandy. He's been a part of my crew for longer than Tali, and knows how the ship operates. More importantly, he knows both me and Tali better than anyone aboard." Kasumi cleared her throat, drawing a semiconscious glance. "Better than anyone currently aboard," he corrected. "Most important, however, is that he is not and never has been directly affiliated with Cerberus. He's my crew member, not the Illusive Man's." He looked down, touching a key on his omni-tool. Garrus's instantly pinged in response. "And I just sent recordings of this conversation to him, XO Lawson, and the Normandy. That should make things official enough for you."
To his surprise, the quarian didn't respond with anger. "I see the admirals have done Tali a favor by stripping 'Neema' from her name. I don't suppose you have a good reason to follow her in as well?" he asked, with a glance at Kasumi.
"I'm not letting my hesh'nealan go in there alone."
He stiffened with apparent surprise at the Khelish term, but made the slightest of nods. "Good luck aboard the Alarei, I'm sure you'll need it." Tovo strode off, brushing Tali's arm roughly as he passed.
"Jerk," Kasumi muttered.
"And I thought Udina was the biggest asshole I'd ever meet," Garrus concurred. John nodded in assent as he watched the quarian leave.
Tali took his arm. "He's definitely a bigger bosh'tet than Udina."
"Somehow, I don't think that quite covers it, Ma'am."
"More like a festering, slime-encrusted biea."
"Quala!"
"What? You know it's true."
"So what does-"
"No, I'm not telling you what that word means, Garrus. Not now, not ever."
Tali shook her head in irritation as they finally made their way to the edge of the plaza. The turian, meanwhile, feigned indifference at her cutting remark. Poorly.
"Is there anyone you want to talk to before we go?" John asked, diffusing her annoyance slightly.
"Raan won't let me give the specifics..." she mouthed, remembering Kar'Danna's words from earlier. The quarian looked around, quickly finding a grey-and-white-suited admiral conversing with another quarian.
"Just the one," she growled angrily.
Without another word, she stormed over to the pair. The engineer ignored their words as she came within earshot of them.
"-was readied like you asked. Clearance should come through any moment now."
"It's a small ray of light, but one that I am grateful for. The Ancestors know she most certainly needs it at a time like-"
"You set me up, Shala!"
The younger of the two jumped, her eyes widening in shock at Tali's sudden entrance. The admiral, however, slowly turned to face her. Her tired stance showed not a hint of surprise.
She expected this? She planned the whole thing?! Tali seethed as she raised an accusatory finger. "You told Captain Danna not to say anything. I didn't even hear that my father may be hurt or-" She felt a tear coming, but shook it away. "-or... worse until the trial!" Raan's partner quietly backed away, but Tali ignored her in favor of the elder quarian. "Why, Shala? Why couldn't I know?" she yelled, her voice nearly cracking as she choked back a sob.
Raan's shoulders slumped slightly. "The other admirals needed to hear the shock in your voice, Tali. Otherwise, they might not have let you try to retake the Alarei. Between Tovo's prosecution and Admiral Koris pushing to destroy the vessel, we were lucky to get you that much. We cannot afford sensitivity, child, but for what it's worth I'm sorry."
Tali's mouth opened and closed several times, words failing her as her furious mind worked feverishly to come up with something to say. She was distracted as Shepard placed a hand on her back. Calm down, Tali.
She didn't want to.
"I know this isn't the best of circumstances, but will this really help Tali's case?" the soldier asked.
The admiral nodded. "Tali showing a desire to correct mistakes she may have made will make up for a lot of lost ground. More importantly, you may find evidence of what happened. With luck, it will exonerate her from any wrongdoing."
"I'm supposed to care about that now?" the engineer cried out, the tears finally coming unabated. "All I want to do is find Father!"
"We will, Tali," Kasumi said as she took her hand. "We'll find him."
She gave the thief a grateful nod as she tried to master her emotions once more. Shepard, meanwhile, continued to speak to Raan.
"Can you tell us anything about the Alarei?"
"Not much, I'm afraid. Rael'Zorah only said that he was researching new defense technology. He even contracted a few structural engineers from other vessels, said they needed to retrofit and redesign the floorspace within to accommodate his testing scenarios. There's no guarantee that the layout will match our previous records. We didn't even know about the geth until the boarding party was attacked."
"So you're saying we have no intel?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying."
Father... She failed at holding back a whimper.
"How long have you known Tali's family?" John asked, apparently trying to lighten the mood.
"In human terms? Almost thirty years, I guess. Her mother, Laenya, and I met after a disagreement arose between her and her former captain. He was very... How do you say? 'Uptight', I think is the word."
Tali chuckled slightly, remembering the story of the mirrored command center. Kasumi, who'd heard the story as well, shared a grin with her as Raan continued.
"Laenya and I agreed that she wasn't in the wrong, since she had done exactly what he'd asked, while using far fewer materials than anyone had expected. She had such a lively soul, always knew how to brighten even the darkest of places with her presence. I immediately approved her request to transfer to the Rayya and we were friends from that day forward. That was where she met Rael, and the rest has been sung by the Ancestors. I was there when Tali was born. I'd synced suits with Laenya so we could be in the same clean room for the birth. I was sick for a week afterward, but it was all worth it. I was the one who took Tali from her mother and put her in the bubble." Shala chuckled softly and gave a soft shake of her head. "She was so adorable, the child cried so hard."
Tali's face warmed slightly, though it was more from embarrassment than distress.
"I'm not hearing much about Rael's part in Tali's life."
"It's difficult to explain... I shouldn't-"
"It's okay Aunt Shala," Tali said with a slight sniffle. "No secrets between shipmates. I've told John and Kasumi a little about my father before."
Her cheeks warmed even more as Raan fixed her with a studious look. She suddenly became all too aware of how close the soldier had been standing to her the entire time. Shepard didn't react, but Tali stiffened as she realized her fatal mistake. She knows. Of all the times to call him by his first name...
"If you say so," the elder quarian said simply. "Rael was... committed to the quarian cause. That didn't leave him a lot of time for his family. He wanted to give Laenya the homeworld... or a strong fleet, at least. He took her death especially hard, but wanted to make sure that he could follow through on his promises for Tali's sake. He dedicated himself to finding a way to give Tali a chance at seeing Tikkun one day. That was how he showed his love."
Tali felt a tug at her arm as Shala finished speaking, subtle, but impossible to ignore. She looked at the thief, who tilted her head toward the door. The quarian gave a short nod.
"We should be going, Shala. It wouldn't help if Tovo started saying I was reluctant to go."
"You're right, Tali. I had a shuttle prepared for your arrival, in case you were allowed to board the Alarei. It is waiting in the same hanger where the Normandy was docked, in the next bay over."
"Thanks, Admiral," Shepard said, taking the engineer's hand. "Let's go, Tali." She couldn't help but notice that the elder quarian had fixed her with that knowing gaze once more before they turned away.
"Good luck on the Alarei," the elder quarian monotoned, clearly distracted.
Keelah, as if I needed another reason for her to look at me like that.
Tali was saved, however, by the sound of a dual-toned alien voice.
"Koris and Gerrel were at each other's throats almost the entire time, and Xen didn't exactly hide that she was barely interested in the trial. What's really going on here, Admiral?"
"You caught that... Yes, the geth presence makes this a touchy issue."
Garrus, you lovable, tactless bosh'tet... The thought almost brought a grin to her face.
Almost.
"I can't quite put my finger on it, but something here just isn't adding up."
Garrus nodded and folded his arms. "I'm glad someone agrees with me."
"Funny, I thought you just wanted to shoot things." He felt Kal's wary gaze for a moment, but the quarian didn't dare to shout him down after agreeing with his partner. "At least Gerrel's on our side, from the looks of it," he acquiesced. "He and Admiral Raan are hoping they'll blow up some geth, then come back with everything they'll need to prove her innocent."
"Do you think they'll find what they need?" the turian asked.
"With that bosh'tet shooting through our defense like we didn't matter?" the female soldier grumbled. "If you hadn't shown up when you did, he might have gotten her convicted then and there." Her male counterpart bowed his head in acknowledgement.
"It's doubtful. Even if things were ideal, Tovo could turn this trial around faster than you could say 'Keelah'. They'll need something bulletproof to stop him from swaying Koris, and there's still no guarantee that Xen will side with Tali."
Garrus flared his mandibles as far as his helmet would allow, instincts honed from his C-Sec days gnawing at him. "I'm sensing there's something there. What's the history with Tovo and Tali?"
"I'm not at liberty to say," the marine replied, earning a swatted arm from Quala.
"He's trying to help, bosh'tet!" The glow of Kal's eyes became wider for nearly a full second, though Garrus figured it was due to an eye roll. Regardless, Reegar began to speak.
"It's not so much about Tali as the Zorah clan in general. His father, a decorated soldier himself and chief engineer of the frigate Wolknir, fell ill due to exposure from a gunshot wound during an op several years ago. It took several hours for him to lead his squad back to the shuttle, and by then he was becoming delirious from his fever. The ship, unfortunately, didn't have enough of the supplies needed to really help his condition. It didn't help that he insisted that those under his command got to the med-bay first, claimed his own situation was hopeless." The quarian shook his head and continued. "Sanir pulled some strings from his end and placed his father on top of the transfer list to the Rayya, since the liveship's med bay had space and supplies to spare. What he didn't count on was that another would get their transfer request approved first, and by an admiral, no less." He locked eyes with Garrus. "Wal'Tovo died waiting for the shuttle that brought Laenya'Panil to the Rayya."
"Laenya?" the turian asked, his browplates shifting. "Like Tali's mother?"
"The very same," Quala said.
"Sanir blamed her for his father's death, but that wasn't the end of it."
"Not if that ass-kicking she gave him before she left for Pilgrimage was any indicator," the woman chimed in.
"Wait a minute," Garrus cut in. "You're telling me Tali actually got in a fistfight with the guy?"
"He always brought out the worst in her," Kal replied.
"The fact he called Tali and her mother... Well, the term doesn't exactly translate." Quala's eyes scrunched in thought, while Reegar's visor spun toward her.
"Called them what, Quala?"
"You didn't know?" she asked. "He called them..." The woman looked from side to side, checking if there were any listeners. She then whispered, barely loud enough for Garrus to hear. "He called them 'hyel'tets'."
Kal immediately jumped, his head suddenly on a swivel. "Where the hell is that bastard?" he roared. "I'll knock some sense into him myself.
"I take it that's some kind of extreme curse word?" the turian murmured, shocked by the quarian's outburst. Quala shook the marine's arm, getting him to stop his enraged search.
"It was six years ago, Kal. Let it go." She turned to the turian. "It's a term we never use just for fun. In the past, ships have nearly attacked each other just because captains heard their crew members were being called... that. It's one of the worst insults in our culture, calling someone... How do you say?"
"Irreparable and without purpose," the male quarian filled in for her, tone laced with distaste. "At any rate, Tali eventually sunk his chance at becoming an admiral."
Garrus shook his head. "Now you're just making this up."
"That's what Tali said when I told her, but she kept to herself a lot after finishing her Pilgrimage." Quala shrugged. "She was -understandably, I guess, given how she acted after she saw Shepard again- too distracted to notice that her name had been put forward for candidacy. It was probably Gerrel, Rael, or Raan that nominated her, if anyone. The fact she was originally part of the Rayya ate into Tovo's biggest support base."
Kal nodded. "Only reason she didn't win was because she didn't show up to the debate. Was away on a mission at the time, and she still only lost by a small margin. If she hadn't been in the running, Tovo would have gotten most of her votes from the Conclave. He would be on the board instead of Daro'Xen."
"Hardly an improvement," Quala murmured. "But that's not even the biggest thing."
"Really?" the turian asked with skepticism. "We've got 'indirect cause of his father's death', 'beaten in a fight', and 'lost the election she didn't even know she was part of'. How could you possibly top that?"
The two quarians traded a look. The woman apparently lost whatever silent contest they were having, as she raised her hands in exasperation. She looked back at Garrus.
"He lost his hesh'nealan, Prazza'Nal, on Freedom's Progress. Tali was leading that mission."
The turian's head cocked to the side. Wasn't that the word Kasumi used earlier when talking to Tali? "Friend" or something like it? Those two are inseparable though. If one of them died- His eyes widened as realization crashed down on him.
Well, that makes things difficult.
"Even during the hearing, her first thought was to protect the Fleet."
"Second. Her first was for her father."
"Regardless, Shepard did speak well. Surprising, for a human that wasn't in politics."
"It doesn't matter how well he spoke if she's guilty. Tovo's right, we can't let transgressions like this pass, regardless of what her past actions were."
"A bit harsh, don't you think?"
"He does have a point though. Shepard may not be able to talk his way out of this one, not with Tovo prosecuting. I don't have much faith in that turian of his either."
"Damn the turians! Racists, all of them!"
Tali shook her head as the all-too-familiar trio of quarians passed by them in the hall. They didn't even bother to lower their voices as they passed by, more than once shooting her a look of disdain.
"I'm starting to hate that guy," Kasumi murmured as the group fell out of earshot. "You'd think he'd at least notice we're standing right here."
Shepard pulled closer to the quarian. "Are you alright, Tali? They did drop a lot on you all at once."
"I know... I think I'll be fine."
The human pulled to a stop, turning her so she could meet his eyes through the slits in his helmet. "You don't look fine."
Prazza's gun clatters to the ground amid a chorus of hushed words. She's far enough away that she doesn't see what it is that turns him into a fine red mist, but she can hear the screams as the rest of her traitorous squad, minus Quala, takes cover. Several are suddenly silenced as the volume of machine gun fire builds in intensity. She shares a concerned glance with her friend, then pokes her head around the corner.
She immediately reaches for her comm, her blood pressure spiking as the YMIR's carnage unfolded.
Tali sighed. "I just- If I'm really responsible, I can take being exiled. But if my father..." She turned away, her eyes downcast. "I would never forgive myself if he died because of my mistakes."
He lifted her helmeted head. "You won't have to. You didn't make a mistake, Tali. I know you wouldn't have." His eyes sparked for a moment. "And you won't be convicted. We'll find a way out of this, so you can return to your people."
The quarian shook her head. "John, I don't care about being exiled. No matter what happens, I want to stay on the Normandy. This mission's more important than anything happening in the Fleet. Keelah, if the collectors and reapers win... I'm doing more for the Fleet with you than I could do aboard the Neema." She shook her head, following the thief to the docking bay next to the Normandy's.
"Come on, we have a shuttle to catch."
Garrus had found himself in an uncomfortable situation, one where the quarian glaring at him seemed to reign supreme over his tussling will. For once, he wasn't sure what to think.
On one hand, both Koris and Gerrel had denied his accusations when approached. The former claimed that the geth's actions three centuries ago had been perfectly justified, his carefully-chosen words only dipping into anger when he had asked how he'd ended up on a ship called the Qwib-Qwib. The latter had abruptly changed the subject, delving into a practiced rendition of how he and the elder Zorah had once saved a freighter from batarian pirates together. To the casual observer, they were perfect inflections of each other, spotless in the public eye as they represented the two radically different ends of the quarians' political spectrum.
On the other, the turian wasn't a casual observer.
With senses honed from years of interviewing suspects, he knew where to spot the tics. The way Gerrel's laugh had been just a little too high-pitched to be genuine. The way that Koris's mouth lamp had blinked on and off at one point before he had started speaking. The way Gerrel's head shifted slightly to and fro, as if searching for a way out. The way that Koris had stood more erect, as if his stance alone could intimidate the battle-hardened turian. The way that both of them suddenly shifted topics when confronted with what Raan had told him: that the trial and its outcome were just a front for their own political agendas.
There wasn't a doubt in his mind that what Shala said to him was true. Even so, he hadn't been sure if he could use it against them.
Of course, that was before he had spoken with Daro'Xen.
"Turian," the quarian had drawled as he approached, her eyes narrowing behind her dark hood with its silvery trim. "Given the circumstances, are you certain that speaking to me is appropriate?"
Her aloof manner had caught him off-guard. "I'm not sure what you mean, Admiral."
"Hardly. You've already spoken with the other three and none of them appear to be unshaken. You're testing the waters, trying to curry favor or at least find out what makes us tick in case your captain doesn't return." Her eyes became even slimmer slits of cold light. "Drop the act so we can speak on equal terms and get it over with. Your feeble attempts to maintain this facade are just insulting."
If it weren't for his helmet, Garrus's jaw would have hit the floor. This is the same admiral who hardly said two words during the trial? He shook himself, recovering some of his composure as he said the first thing that came to mind.
"You didn't exactly say much before the intermission, Admiral."
The woman's eyes went from slits to ovals in what the turian was quickly learning was an eye-roll. "Simply because there was not much to say. This whole trial is a waste of time," she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
"I doubt Tali would agree," the turian replied. The quarian shook her head, her fingers touching her visor in a condescending manner that almost elicited a growl from the turian.
"Please. If she and Rael were actually conducting uncontrolled experiments on active geth subjects, then they are simply idiots. No reason to waste resources on a trial."
"And if they weren't?"
The quarian, perhaps realizing that the turian really wasn't leaving, gave an annoyed sigh. "If they weren't, then this is all just some terrible accident in the pursuit of a higher cause. Again, there's no need for a trial."
"Then why are you here?" he pressed. "Why not make a statement by not taking part in this 'waste of resources'?"
He had to actively resist the urge to use air-quotes.
Her eyes flashed with anger. "And let that aging warmongerer Gerrel and his cowardly counterpart Koris be the ones to dictate our future? I think not!"
Garrus pushed on. "Why is that?"
She paused, a cold laugh coming from her vocalizer. "Ah, so that's your game..."
Damn it! I almost had her. He quietly fumed as he growled out a response. "My crewmates' lives are no game, Admiral."
"Settle down," she scoffed. "I said before that we should talk as equals, and yet you persisted with your interrogator act. Your injured pride is not worth griping over." She folded her arms, taking a step back. "I'm here because the broader purpose underlying this trial is too important to ignore. Tali is only peripherally related."
"Then what is the purpose of this trial?" His subharmonics continued to rumble after he had finished speaking, frustration starting to get the better of him.
"To determine if we should fear our past mistakes and continue to wander the stars or reclaim our former glory using our natural affinity for artificial intelligence."
Garrus took a step back. "AI? You want to use more AI to retake Rannoch?" He shook his head in disbelief. "There can't be others who agree with you..."
"Sadly not, at least on the Admiralty board. Han'Gerrel only sees enemies that must be crushed, even if he has to throw every last man, woman, and child we have at the geth and hope for the best. Zaal'Koris would run away and hide on some new colony world, to continue life as pariahs at best as we slowly rot away within our suits. Shala'Raan is still undecided, but will bow to pressure the second popular opinion shifts, just like a stalk of tafaya in a windstorm. I had thought Rael was firmly in Han's camp before. But if his experiments were on active geth, then perhaps we had more in common than I'd originally thought."
More in common... The gears began turning, the words a spark that kickstarted his mind. "So you support those experiments. You'd perform tests on sentients, even if they're synthetic."
"Are you serious?" she scoffed. "They're machines. The only thing that separates the geth from this starship is their autonomous programming. In the end, they're one and the same. Mere creations that are meant to bend to their masters' will."
The turian continued to connect the dots, nodding as he came to a conclusion. "So you'd create more AI? Another race to crush the geth?"
"No, my aim is far simpler and less risky than creating another software glitch." She came closer, hissing her words with pride. "I aim to return control of the geth to their rightful masters: the quarian race."
The turian shook his head with disbelief. "That's... You're insane."
"There are those who say the definition of insanity is attempting the same thing over and over and expecting different results. War with the geth has brought us nothing but ruin. Koris's path has left us to wither as the Council denied us world after world. We are dying, slowly and surely, just as the brutish and ungrateful krogan on their horrendously abused rock. My way has never been attempted before, and has a chance of restoring us to our former glory without a single drop of blood spilled. Now that you've heard that, turian, I want to know one thing. Who is really insane here?"
And there he stood, confused beyond belief. The turian's mouth opened and shut of its own accord, torn between what he knew to be right and what his mind knew to be logical. The quarian stared for a moment longer before turning away, and Garrus could almost feel the satisfaction in her voice.
"Your lack of a response tells me everything I need to know, turian."
Xen began to walk away, her swaggering gait making it evident that she considered their conversation over.
"And what if he is dead?" Garrus called. The admiral came to a halt, and he spoke again. "What happens to the quarians then?"
She appeared to give his question some thought before giving her answer. "The power balance in the Admiralty will be disrupted. Gerrel loses a vote for his foolish and self-destructive war. That would favor peace then, as Raan is too careful to risk her own neck or go against Koris's popular support from the liveships. But if the admiral replacing Rael'Zorah agrees with me..."
"What happens then?" he asked, curious despite his own trepidation toward the answer.
She gave another cold laugh before walking away. "Things become very exciting."
"Hunter!"
Kasumi ducked at the sound of Shepard's voice, taking cover behind a bunk bed as Tali's combat drone zoomed by. She watched as the soldier and quarian retreated, their twin shotguns barking as they sought cover from the invisible threat.
Time to shake things up.
She activated her tactical cloak, leaping through the bunks lined up along the wall of the sleeping quarters as she advanced between the aisles of firing geth. She was soon even with the robotic attackers, their glowing green circuits threatening to burn an afterimage into her retinas.
The thief clicked her mic twice.
"Fire in the hole!" Shepard yelled as the thief dropped a flashbang without stopping.
She got another three meters before the charge detonated, a bright flare momentarily overtaxing the machines' targeting circuits as the thief circled around behind the geth. Kasumi hit a switch on her omni-tool, diverting power away from her cloak as she snuck up on the mechs.
"Knock-knock."
She punched one of the mechs, the physically weak blow augmented by a burst of electricity from her omni-tool. The struck robot crumpled to the ground, but its allies quickly began to turn toward her as she phased out of view once more. Weapons fire filled the air as she slid under a nearby bed, unscathed. The woman deactivated her cloak as she waited, allowing her shields to recharge.
"Overloads, now!"
Kasumi pointed her omni-tool at the leg of the nearest mech, unleashing another burst of energy. The thief, evidently, hadn't been the only one, as the geth seized up and exploded, discharging even more electricity into its brethren. She hefted her locust, spraying into their downed forms with a series of short bursts.
"All clear."
The woman came out from her hiding spot, crouching over the forms of the decimated geth. She frowned, seeing things that didn't quite mesh together. "Nonuniform parts," she murmured as the others approached her. She pointed to the discrepancies as they walked up: parts without the signature white gleam of geth armor, oddly-shaped pieces with rough edges, assemblies that looked like they had been improvised from salvaged metal. "Some of them are even rusted."
"Then that officer was right," Shepard said. "Whatever geth there were have managed to build more of themselves since they attacked."
"No, none of this was right," the quarian groaned. "There shouldn't have been any here at all."
"I'm surprised they'd change up their neon though," the thief wondered aloud. "I always thought blue lights were their thing."
"Waitaminute," the resident biotic breathed. "What do you mean by that?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Didn't you see? They all were glowing green."
He and Tali exchanged looks, ones that the thief could tell contained more than a small measure of alarm.
"Keelah. You don't think..."
He nodded. "Overlord."
Kasumi was nonplussed, glancing between the two in a futile attempt to figure out what they meant.
"Was it something I said?"
Note from the author:
Originally, I was hoping to get all of the mission out in one chapter. Then I started typing out just the canon dialogue from in-mission (1-on-1 with tali, the trial, recordings, and talking with the admirals and others).
That alone was over 7000 words.
Without the names of the people speaking.
Or descriptions.
Or canon changes.
Or fight scenes.
Yeah.
Ouch.
So it's been split up into multiple parts.
Quala'Oro is an OC created by Levi Matthews for Finding a Way and is used by permission. Praise to the Ancestors who have kept us alive to see this season.
biea = "[redacted; a quarian body part]" (Credit to Calinstel)
A note on the quarian calendar:
Figured humans were weird, and said the quarian calendar was counted in terms of 6-day "weeks" and the weekday instead of months and the date.
In summary:
1 Rannoch calendar year = 29 R. weeks = 174 R. days = 0.64... Earth canendar years = 234 E. days plus change
1 R. week = 6 R. days = 8 E. days plus change
A day would also be "missing" out of every third year.
(Like leap years, but taking away February 28th instead of adding February 29th, and doing it every 3 years instead of 4.)
Using this, their dates would be shown as:
Rannoch year - week (1-29) - weekday (1-6)
Argument for: Mina'Parrit nar Tres says, "Six fingers, six days. Any year divisible by three -as many fingers as there are on one quarian hand- loses a day. Simple. Plus, the canon doesn't say how many moons Rannoch has (even though this story assumes it's only 1). If there's more than one, which do you pick? Keelah, next you'll be telling me that it makes more sense to have 24 hours in a day than 18..."
Argument opposing: Sir Timothy McProper, IV, Esq. says, "So there's about 12.4 moon cycles per year. It still makes perfect sense to base our time system on that! Just say there's 12 'moonths' and divvy up the rest willy-nilly. Oh, aliens definitely would do the same. This makes complete sense because we have 10 fingers, while they only have six. They can't count that high, so anything they'd come up with MUST be inferior to humanity's timekeeping system. Ta-hah!"
Rebuttal to argument opposing: "Bosh'tet."
Rebuttal to rebuttal: "See! They don't even use a proper lexicon! I rest my case."