Tali'Zorah nar Rayya didn't quite know what she was expecting that morning.
In fact, she wasn't quite sure if it was correct to call it a Morning considering outside of the protective walls of the Normandy, all she could see was the ever-expanding blackness of space... But then again, it was no different back at the fleet: All she had to go over was some vague timetable given to her by her parents when she was little but after a couple of years, and endless days spent traveling between stars and planets, it was safe to assume her sleep schedule had been all but ruined. Her internal clock made no sense whatsoever so after an embarrassingly substantial amount of failed attempts to rectify the issue, she decided to give up and accustom herself to whatever new itinerary came her way: The most recent one being her shift as an engineer, courtesy of Commander Jane Shepard.
Which had so crudely awoke her from her slumber, mumbling something about an emergency that required immediate attention: Groaning a Quarian curse to herself, Tali rose from her mattress at the Engine's room and quickly went about her morning rituals before stumbling her way towards the Conference room. So much for having a good night's sleep... Though then again, Tali was usually plagued with insomnia: One could never get used to how quiet the Normandy's engines ran.
It made her anxious.
Nonetheless, she followed orders and made herself present at the Conference room just fifteen minutes after Shepard had called for her... This was a bad thing, seeing as everyone else was already there: Her impromptu arrival garnered a couple of stares and a nasty scowl from one Ashley Williams. Any other day, Tali would have cowered under the disgust plastered over Williams' face but not today, for Tali was sleep deprived and couldn't care less... And then again, it wasn't all that different from how she viewed Tali on a daily basis: Her aversion towards aliens was well-known amongst the non-human staff at the Normandy.
Oh well, at least Williams had yet to call her a suit rat or something far more colorful.
"Now that everyone is here, we can begin."
And with that, all the gazes were averted towards the front and Tali allowed herself to deflate: This was sure to do wonders for her self-esteem.
"I know it is quite early in the morning for some of you but this is a matter of utmost importance." Shepard began, a cup of steaming... Whatever humans drank to keep themselves awake in hand "One hour ago, Joker informed me we detected a distress signal though unfortunately, it was far too scrambled to understand anything: Still, seeing as it was broadcasted on Alliance's channels, we are inclined to assume it might be a human vessel. One of ours." She allowed herself a sip from her cup as the crew grasped the situation "I have contacted Admiral Hackett and after some deliberation, it has been decided we are to respond to that distress signal and assist in any way we can: As we speak, Joker is setting route to the location of said signal. If our estimations are correct, we should arrive in no less than an hour: As such, I need for all of you to be prepared. Any questions?"
"Yes, Commander: I do have one." To nobody's surprise, it was Alenko who spoke. "Is it wise to answer this call, seeing as we have more pressing matters to attend to?" That gave way to some whispers and mumbling amongst the other members.
"Do not be mistaken: I have not forgotten about Saren and then Collectors, which is why it is imperative we answer as soon as possible. For all we know, this might be them attacking another Alliance vessel as they have done in the past and even if it isn't, we are not about to ignore our own when they need assistance. Who knows? Maybe something good will come out of it, such as information or perhaps equipment: We won't know until then." Her answer was met with approving nods from the humans "Any other question?" Nobody spoke this time around "Good. Get ready then, time is of the essence."
And with that, the crew hurried to make their own preparations... Everyone except for Tali, whose drowsy mind had yet to process the details of the mission, and remained glued to the ground: Shepard noticed this and approached, offering a reassuring smile and patting her shoulder.
"Hey, everything alright?" She asked, her voice softer than before during the briefing.
". . . Ah" Tali blinked once, then twice, then thrice and finally, she found it in her to shake her head and recompose herself "Yeah, everything is fine: I am just tired. All those sleepless nights are finally catching up to me, I suppose." She confessed with a sheepish grin, not that Shepard could tell behind her helmet.
"Hmm... Do you wish to sit this one out?"
"What? Keelah, No! I am fine, Shepard: Besides, I do not want to imagine what the rest of the crew would say if I did" Her thoughts returned to Ashley Williams and that scowl of hers "I will make do, I promise."
The Commander regarded her for a few moments before nodding "Understood. Then go and suit up: We might need your expertise if the Geth are involved." Hopefully it didn't come to that, Tali prayed inwardly "Do not worry though: I will make sure we are prepared for anything." Shepard reassured with a smile.
0~0
". . . I was not prepared for this..." Commander Shepard muttered to herself, her gaze never straying away from the image being displayed on the main monitor at the bridge.
And considering none of the other members of the team were saying anything, Tali could guess they were thinking the same yet she couldn't really blame them: The sight was... Eerie.
There in the deep darkness of space stood a ship yet it was unlike anything Tali had seen before: The dimensions of this monstrosity placed it along the lines of a Turian Dreadnought and even then, such comparison did not do this vessel any justice. In fact, Tali was inclined to believe its size could only be compared to that of Destiny Ascension's yet in doing so, the contrast became all the more noticeable: The Asari flagship stood noble and in some ways, beautiful. It was a symbol of the Asari prowess and the best qualities the species had to offer: Enthralling yet dangerous, a sight which was sure to bring hope to its allies and despair to its enemies. Even Tali couldn't help but admire its majesty and dream about the fleet gaining a ship of such magnitude one day...
. . . In comparison, this strange vessel filled her with dread: It was something about the shape and geometry, how it had certain industrialized undertones to it, how it started as a single streak and gained more mass by the end... Yet perhaps the most jarring fact about was how much the entire ship reminded Tali of...
. . . Well.
Of a ribcage.
A poignant carcass despoiled of its flesh, left to rot by the side: An empty shell of its former self, a mortal reminder of something that once was, an ill omen heralding the end of all things, and one last warning for any unsuspecting victim which just so happens to stumble upon its remains. Yet the horror did not end there for underneath this corpse of a ship laid the massive chunk of a planet, precariously being held by brilliant threads of blue light: Said planet laid just below, a giant conformed of a sickening yellow... With a sizable hole exuding its molten core into space.
This was impossible.
Tali knew it.
Everyone at the bridge knew it.
Which is why they did not dare break the silence, their minds far too preoccupied in attempting to make sense of this bizarre revelation yet to no avail.
". . . What the fuck is that?"
Luckily for them, they could always count on one Urdnot Wrex to shatter any semblance of grimness, for better or for worse.
"That... Is not a human vessel." Joker simplified what the crew was thinking "I don't know what in the fresh hell it is but I am sure as bollocks that..." His gaze shifted to Shepard, eyes full of gravity ". . . Is not manmade and we should haul ass and get away from here as fast as we can."
Shepard pondered over the matter for a few moments before sighing and shaking her head.
"That we cannot do: Admiral Hackett wants us to investigate this distress signal and discern whether or not it was sent by human allies... Or something else." The last part was whispered though everyone heard it.
"Commander, with all due respect, I am SURE all of us can tell that thing does not belong to any Alliance division." Joker began, his voice leveled yet Tali could tell it was nearing its edge "I may not be the brightest tool in the shed but I do know a thing or two about ships seeing as I am, checks notes, the best-goddamned pilot in the entire Alliance and that... Thing does not resemble any model nor design I've seen before, neither future nor past: I don't know who or what made it but I would bet my joke of a salary it wasn't a human."
"It is not of Turian makeshift either" Garrus saw it fit to intervene at that precise moment to defuse the situation "It does not follow any of our dogmas or nuances so I am certain of it."
"It may not be my forte but I can tell this one is of no Asari origin "Liara added to the conversation, digits grasping at her chin as she studied the image closely "The design is highly utilitarian yet rustic in nature so I am certain we can also discard both Salarians and Batarians."
"It ain't Krogan either" Wrex shrugged dismissively "What says you, Quarian?" Suddenly, all eyes were trained on Tali and she couldn't help but curse the Krogan under her breath.
". . . No Quarian ship is allowed to leave the Migrant Fleet, not to mention we are not exactly welcomed anywhere else" She glanced at Williams briefly before continuing "And I am quite certain it is not Geth: I have studied their vessels extensively." Painfully so, Tali remarked to herself.
"Thank you! And not to mention, that thing is holding what appears to be a massive chunk from the planet below and last time I check, no known species was capable of... Cracking a planet open like a cashew." Joker continued undeterred, his assertion making some of the crew members shuffle uncomfortably at that detail "I may not be a master tactician like you, Commander but even I know we shouldn't fuck with whatever did that."
The concept alone was... Distressing: What sort of repercussions would come from such an act? Tali could theorize it might disrupt the gravitational balance of the celestial bodies nearby, resulting in planets smashing against one another... Or maybe nothing would happen yet one thing was for sure: Such a thing was highly heretical, if the silent prayers from Liara and Garrus were anything to go by. Tali was not all that big on religion but she could see why.
". . . I know" Shepard began with a sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose "I know very well the best course of action would be to turn tail and leave... But I cannot allow it: If this ship does not belong to any Citadel faction, then it is an unknown and as many of you already know, unknowns are dangerous: Saren was an unknown, the collectors were an unknown." Joker opened his mouth to say something but immediately closed it, frowning and grumbling to himself "The plan has not changed: A human signal originated from that vessel so I have to at the very least find out if it was a trap or not. Regardless, Joker is right: Cracking open a planet is not a thought I wish to entertain but now that I know it is real, I must do my utmost to investigate it... So it won't be used against our own homeworlds." That... Was not something Tali had considered though then again, the Migrant Fleet had no homeworld to return to: The same couldn't be said about the others, seeing the horrible realization dawning upon their visages. "At the very least, we must learn how to stop it: I know this mission will be dangerous but we cannot allow ourselves to ignore this grim picture. If there truly is a space-faring species out there capable of destroying entire worlds with a single ship then we must be ready or else..." There was no need to finish that sentence: Everyone knew what would happen.
It was happening right before their eyes after all.
". . . So what do we do, Commander?" Alenko broke the silence this time.
"Even though the situation is dire, I do not wish to risk the Normandy: There is too much we don't know. As such, I will take the shuttle with two others and do some recon, see if there is anything of value we can find: If possible, we will track down whoever made the distress signal but our main priority will be to retrieve as much data as we can regarding the planet cracking technology and how we can disable it. In the worst-case scenario, I will leave some charges at strategic points and blow the entire thing to kingdom come: It is not ideal but maybe we can salvage something from the debris and remains." She eyed the crew before nodding to herself "As such, I will be taking Alenko and Tali with me."
The former nodded in acknowledgment, the latter stared at Shepard in bewilderment.
"What?"
"You two are the best tech specialists I have on board and you, Tali are the expert when it comes to ships: I ignore what sort of systems that vessel may possess but I have faith you will be able to hack them, should the need arise." That managed to lift Tali's spirit a tad... Only to come crashing down, as she realized the enormous expectations being placed upon her shoulders.
For the very first time in her life, Tali found herself not wishing to have anything to do with ships anymore.
0~0
Despite everything, Tali found herself curious.
True, this was not the most favorable situation one could be in but she couldn't help but feel fascinated by the idea alone: How was a single ship capable of holding such a massive chunk of dead weight? Tali had some theories of herself but nothing in concrete... And the more she thought about it, the more she found the prospect of it being a weapon of sorts to be ridiculous: Of course, she had not discarded that possibility but for now, her mind had wandered somewhere else. Perhaps it was all some big mining operation, for the purest of materials were sure to lay at the very core of the planet.
Still, it did not make the prospect of cracking a planet open sound any less disturbing.
She sighed and slumped on her seat, closing her eyes and trying to keep her mind preoccupied with something else... Anything but...
"Ashley, I know you don't like this but-"
"Then you should have brought me with you." Mom and Dad were arguing again, it would seem "Alenko and I could have handled this situation well enough: There was no need to bring the Quarian alongside."
"I feel honored to know you hold me in such high regard but unfortunately, time is of the essence in this mission" Kaidan interjected before the Commander answered "True, I have no doubt I would have been able to pass whatever security the ship holds... Yet It would have taken me quite a while: We ignore what sort of hostiles may lay in wait for us in there so speed will be critical. My skillset alone will not be enough..."
"Reason why I decided to bring along Tali" Shepard continued "With her expertise, our chances of success are higher than before." Williams said nothing, which prompted Shepard to sigh "And besides, I need you up there to keep things in check, Ash: You know I trust you that much. Should anything happen to me, I am sure you will know what to do."
". . . I don't work well with them."
"I know, and I am sorry for putting you in such a situation but there is too much at stake: I need you to be ready and act accordingly when the time comes. I am putting my faith in you, Ash." For the briefest of moments, there was silence on the radio until Williams finally spoke again, her voice softer than before.
"You owe me one, Jane."
"I will make it up to you, I promise."
"I know you will... Williams out." And the transmission ended.
Shepard sighed for the umpteenth time that day and massaged her temples: Even Tali could tell she was tired. Keelah, everyone was.
Still, the Commander turned around and offered a sheepish smile.
"Do forgive her, Ash does not mean any harm: Things are just... Complicated." That was an understatement, and Alenko snorting only seemed to reinforce that point.
"It's... Fine, Shepard: I am used to it." That made the Commander recoil and Tali kicked herself for it.
". . . Once we go back, I will have a talk with Ash: I am sure I can-" Yet Tali would never know what sort of plan the Commander had in mind because all of a sudden, the entire shuttle jolted forward, its speed increasing exponentially "Shit! What was that?! Alenko!"
"I cannot control the ship! Something has tethered us and is pulling us towards the hull of the ship!" He grunted, fighting the controls yet to no avail "I... Can't... Control it!"
"Igniting thrusters!" Shepard barked and soon enough, the shuttle's speed decreased: Not by much but it had given them some precious seconds. Tali eyed their surroundings, desperate to find something that could spare them from their inevitable doom... And as she narrowed her eyes, she found some form of opening by the side with a shimmering teal field enclosing it.
"There! To your left! Follow the blue light!"
"Are you crazy?! What if that's a force field?! It will destroy us!"
"It is either crashing onto that or the hull! I have no other ideas!" Alenko cursed and glared at Shepard, expecting her to make a decision: Much to his chagrin, the Commander seemed on board with Tali's idea.
". . . Goddamit!" He roared in despair, forcing the ship to steer toward whatever that blue light was.
Tali held her breath as the tip of the shuttle touched the light and... Passed through it harmlessly, the pressure exerted by the gravity tethering device losing its influence: They had done it... Yet her elation was short-lived, seeing as the shuttle did not decrease its speed and was still very much going to crash in what appeared to be a landing bay.
"Brace for imp-"
Yet before Shepard could finish, Tali felt herself being launched from her seat, a nearby metal wall being the last thing she saw before there was a loud thud followed by searing pain and then nothing but blackness.