Mass Effect: Sacrificial Symptom
Disclaimer: I do not own or have any rights to representation of Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2, EA Games and any other mass media trademarks within this fiction. All is represented within the context of private entertainment and the exchange of free ideals/entertainment. No attempts to falsely render said persons or members, fictitious or otherwise were intentional.
Note: Any time I try to write this piece I get upset. It's true. So updates have been a near crawl. I'm sorry. Deeply. I deeply am. At any time I'd apologize again for making people wait. The fact remains your soul goes into a story and if your soul is not able to breathe. You can't breathe life into your dreams, where great writing flourishes. This piece will go on but some times may go slower. I am so deeply sorry to those wishing my continued earlier speed.
~~~~~~ Chapter 13: Thawing Out The Present ~~~~~~
The events of today were beyond expectation. Legion stood outside the Life Support room with his lens scanning the door. Just outside of the area of opening. Any other time the entry into a room would not have such pause. Legion though realized only at the precipice of action that in fact, he has never truly spoken to Thane. There were missions in passing. Or times spoken. Yet when has Legion ever spoken to Thane?
At this moment though the door opened. There Legion found Thane standing with a curious look on his face, brow cocked with the inclination of finding well most likely Legion. At seeing the geth, Thane smiled before asking, "Is there something the matter you may want to discuss?"
Legion watched Thane turn, and guide a hand to ask Legion in. Legion followed. When Thane sat steeping his hands in thought. Legion took this as a time to respond. "We have been talking to the crew. Taking on data packets and other forms of interactive cooperation. This time however we realized we have never done so with you before." Legion then turned to the door. A moment, he asks, "Did you know we were outside?"
Thane seemed to smirk a little. "Well I would not be a skilled assassin if I allowed just anyone outside my door for too long." Turning, he warns, "I was not sure who it was. Seeing you had no heartbeat to listen to. Yet your footsteps are heavier than most. I assumed it could have been me loosing my hearing." To that, he frowned and looked back into nothing. "Kerpal Syndrome can be distinguishably poignant in taking any number of natural functions. At any given time."
Legion took that into consideration for a moment. Yet he had his reason for being her. "Thane?" As Thane looked back. Legion asked him, "Do you have tim to speak with us?"
Thane was now able to ask, "You want to talk to me?" With that, he asks, "Are you not doing that now Legion?"
"Yes." Though, Legion lowered his head, realizing, "Yet, that was not a request for a discussion without a specific reason?"
Thane ventured, "Relating to Tali and her mission I'm guessing?" The machine just nods, and Thane smiled before asking, "Are you concerned for her?"
Legion eventually held his head unit and realized it's a common action, mimicry was becoming second nature. To a stimulation of emotional program ques? How he was not entirely sure. "Yes." Legion went for broke, exclaiming, "We have been made aware how difficult acting in the crew with this issue on our minds. Thus, was it not appropriate to request with a lost partner how does Thane Krios accommodate?"
This made Thane stand at attention. Eventually, his arms wrap his lower back and he stood forth stepping toward the window leading to engineering. Thane looked down where he can rarely see the small walkway to the engine itself. Legion took notice, but Thane turned up to ask him a funny question.
"Have you ever actually taken notice of what I do here, Legion?"
Legion just spun his lens. To that, Thane smiled before a nod. Then he explained better. "Legion. I do not cope like organics. In truth, I have seldome done anything worth mentioning outside of battle and meditation." With that, he sighed heavily. "In fact Legion. The truth remains. My life has ended the day my other passed on. At least, a part of my life."
Legion looked out the window now and realized it was there he and Tali meet from time to time. That, made Legion lower his head. He wondered, "Do you regret loosing your partner?"
"Yes." Thane looked to the spot, asking, "Do you believe that with these questions you would do much better for you?"
"We do not know."
Having to smile. Thane just told Legion. "There is no way to prepare for this kind of thing Legion. As an organic. I'll warn you. The path you chose with your quarian partner is a hard one. If you are not prepared for the worst?"
Legion shook his head though, saying, "We will not differ from our path. The only concern is loosing her. This seperation after our union has been difficult."
"It is healthy to have time apart Legion." Thane, then realizes. "In a normal organic relationship. Yet seeing you are a machine? I could understand. There are other issues at play." Legion lowered his head, and Thane asks, "Why does it bother you so much?"
Legion slowly looked at Thane under the hunched expression. Then he admits, "We wanted to help her in this fight. We just can not. It is because we as Geth, are not good enough."
Thane had to smile though. That was rather funny. "I seem to recall my love a little in this." Thane, slowly looked out the window again. He tells Legion. "I was not something worthy of her. Yet that did not matter. In the end. She believed we should be together, in time." With that Legion saw Thane looking off into space. "Things happen even without our knowledge or plan. So, perhaps you two were such events. Now, what else can you tell me you're here for?"
Legion seemed a bit uncertain though. Even then, he asks, "With this matter concerning Tali. We can put it never past consensus, but perhaps with Normandy cooperation we can dismiss it temporarially?"
Thane looked to Legion with a really strange smile. "Are you asking me to come with you for something else? As in, activity?"
"Yes." Legion, looked around, "So far all other members have shown a duty or desire outside of their own. Operative Lawson, Professor Solus and even Operative Taylor have previous concerns. Urdnot Grunt did not provide ample activity." To that, he warns, "His choice of activity was most unproductive in relieving partnership disputes."
"He is still shuffling through mating priorities you mean?" Thane smirked as Legion's brow furled to his mention. A raise of the hand, and Thane told Legion, "He asked my help previously. I just warned him there was some calibrations needed in Life Support." Which, he stepped back letting Legion walk to the door.
"We did not know this area has need of calibrations."
"It does not." Thane, then blinked, "At least, not to my knowledge?"
Legion seemed to understand as a light chirp caused Thane to raise a brow. Legion looked to Thane's expression. "Was that not a comedic reference to dismissive humor?"
"Oh." Thane closed his eyes and said, "It's been a long time since I heard a laugh, or even a mechanical one."
Suddenly the two were standing at the elevators. Thane looked at Legion. Legion then looked at Thane. When neither of them talk, Legion asks, "Do you have a activity in mind?"
Thane blinked before asking, "Is that not something you should be doing?"
"What?" Legion scratched his cranial curve, neck… thing. "We. We should have. Yet we did not?"
Thane just held his chin and lip hiding a smile. Seems he's not the only one poor suited for… friendly company. That's when he saw someone walking into the opposite end of the ship. From the women's restroom. Thane speaks, "Samara!" The moment the justicar stops. Legion's brow rose to the next thing Thane asks.
"Do you have any plans for the day?"
Tali seemed to ask, roughly, as her omni-tool glows from use. "Well? Do you have any plans for today?"
Garrus held himself a little off though. "Hmm?" The turian showing how the chill of this room had him. A turian in the chill of space was one thing. Yet the freezing chill of water as ice, of the sheer frost? Now that made him seek to hibernate. Though it will not do any good here.
"I asked if you had any more plans for today? How to get out?" Tali was tapping at her tool to cause the two drones buzzing forth burning at the ice with their shocks and blasts making only a little dent at a time. A harsh sigh, Tali sat there on her knee. "It'll take too long before they make a tunnel out." With her head slowly hanging down, she whispers, "I really screwed up this time."
Even amidst his dazed moments though Garrus caught that. He turned as he asks, "What do you mean by that?"
Tali, looked at Garrus now. A sad look over her features in her helmet. She just turned to lay on her hip, and clenched her fist as she realized she did it again. "I got us all killed."
Garrus just looked confused. Though, he did make the connection. "Haestrom?"
"Yes." Tali, soon asks, "What was I thinking? Leading anyone on any mission. Garrus. I'm a terrible leader."
"No you're not." Garrus, scooched closer as he heard the drones buzzing away. A grin, he asks, "You thought to use two drones to dig us out. Right?"
"Which," she points with a finger at him so he got her point further, "I wouldn't have had if Legion didn't upgrade my omni-tool. Keelah, I wasn't even properly prepared."
Garrus rubbed his head feeling that chill still made his nostrils itch. A snort, and he looked to the wounded salarian. If they stay here too long without more than the medigel? He's likely dead. "Well. Prepared or not? You kept us going this far. You're going to get us through this." With that, he reminds her, "Remember? The Normandy signal, the evacuation from the Hunley and everyone we get off this planet. Our mission will be safe and sound."
That's not really enough. Shifting her pockets, Tali just wished she'd brought something to help with the cold. Which, Garrus now realized as he grabbed her knee, "I'm fine Tali."
Tali turned up ashamed though. "I shouldn't have gotten you involved."
"Now, see? I remember getting myself involved." Which, Garrus gave a little chuckle reminding himself, "Rather stupidly in fact. Seeing I actually had everything sort of taken care of. I didn't even have to leave the forward battery until Uhn asked."
Tali now pulled her legs up into her arms. Shivering, she asks to get her mind off things. "What then were you thinking? I could have been better off without you."
"Ow!" Garrus, panged his chest with a false sense of pain. His mandibles a quiver as his brows bent up in mockery. "That really hurt!"
The laughter between them alleviated the mood. Tali, just closed her eyes sighing a bit. Eventually, she asks, "Why did you come along? It wasn't just because of Uhn. Was it?"
"No." Garrus, looked down though. A sigh, and he said, "It's not important."
"No. It is." She looked at Garrus, and asks, "Why did you agree to come? You hate the cold. I could have forced Uhn to let Grunt on the mission. Garrus, you're my oldest friend. Loosing you is not an option."
Garrus seemed to frown though at her saying that. Just, it hurt. It did. She had no idea how much that hurt to hear. Garrus has been blown apart almost from the neck up, and before that fended against the largest gallery of mercenaries alive. Yet this? It was hell for him. Eventually though he looked at the fidgeting quarian checking her gear again. With that he just took a deep breath and scooted a little closer. It was time he told her. "Tali?"
Tali felt her hip pocket and blinked curious to her own shoulder. She was occupied, but forbid her the time to disembark on whatever it was Garrus spoke from. He had his own problems and being friends her desire was to see him better off. "What is it Garrus?"
Garrus soon held his face recalling the very memory once more. It was asked of him, how he felt seeing Tali so soon afterwards. A twist of sick and a pinch of excited, to say the least. The poor guy barely had time to break free of that memory before Tali squealed; in which was odd for her, and made him jerk from the sudden voice. Garrus turned toward the change all bewildered why she's standing now tapping at her own omni-tool?
Needing to know, Garrus, asked with some concern, "Uh, did I miss something here?"
Tali just turned around looking at the walls. Where she now asks, "Garrus? Can you help me out? I need to find a ventilation opening or, large enough break in the ventilation itself we can send something through."
Garrus did not have a clue what is happening. Instead, he got up and looked too. What Garrus found was abusted vent duct that with some pressure could be broke ajar. A hefty grunt with his hands firmly on the metal chute. Garrus finally kicked with his foot on the wall before yanking the duct down. The falling debris with it caused Tali to call out 'Keelah' but when she saw it was safe, that the debris was not in the way? The young quarian gave a heavy sigh of relief while she began to tap at her tool once more. Then she asks, "Garrus?" Poor confused Garrus turned to her with a slightly gawking stare. "Can you pass me your omni-tool?"
Garrus did just that. Next, she sapped his tool's strength. "Hey!"
Tali explained, finally. "It's okay. I'm working on something. Listen, I have this plan and I just need to add some more power."
Garrus now just silently watched as Tali worked on her plan. Then she motioned her arm, and fired off her drone, plus one?
"Isn't that the one drone Legion uses?" Garrus watched then as the two drones spun around eachother in the duct flying down it. Garrus was confused, "What's going on?"
Tali just turned around whispering, "I hope it works." Looking at her omni-tool Tali told Garrus. "The idea came from Legion actually, sort of." She saw that confused look Garrus had. Tali just sighed before motioning them to sit down. Sitting there, Tali esplained, "The idea was Garrus. How could I get us out? I was working it in my head for a while. The communication buoy was destroyed and we can't connect because these thick metal walls and the ice must have some kind of ionic material scattering short communications, or…?"
"Tali?" Garrus, held her hand to get her back on task. "You were going to tell me what's with the drones?"
"I am." She, with a slight giggle; Tali started to flick her finger to the duct as she told him again. "The fact Legion gave me two drones came to mind. He had designed it to work with one backing me up while my drone fought, right? The thing is if I put a power loop and use my drone with his I could keep both to last longer. When they get to broadcasting range with the nearest outer area I'm hoping I can contact someone with the buoy system."
Garrus had to grin. "Well now that was clever." He watched her however lean on her self hugging her legs. It then clicked, "The only problem is we don't know how long that might take?"
"Right. The drones can stay out longer, true. Yet if they do not get to a transmitting point before the clockout? It's kind of useless."
"It's better than nothing." Tali gave a nod when Garrus held her shoulder, encouraging her. "You're doing the best you can."
"I have to. I'm the leader, remember?"
"Yeah. I do."
It was a while before suddenly hearing the omni-tool turn on. "Keelah!" She held her arm and cried, "Garrus! It worked!"
Excited they began to stand up Tali already calling the first person she could. When she got through, she asks, "Zaeed? Zaeed? It's me, Tali! Can you hear me?"
Zaeed was turned around the corner as he snarled holding his rifle with that traitor Gohl. A harsh glare the two were behind the bunker door as it closed and the five knee-capped quarians they met still crawling toward them. Zaeed, looked to his tool before the traitor. When Gohl nodded, but aimed his gun at him, he warned, "Don't tell them anything special or it's over for you Zaeed."
Zaeed gave a snort, "I could snap you like a twig."
"Right, but can you repair the communications tower?"
Zaeed gave a snarl again rolling his eyes. It was important they get that communication out. It made sense this guy wanted off too. So he'd help until that, right?
Zaeed motioned his gun down before responding, asking, "Tali? What's going on?"
Tali told Zaeed, "I'm trapped. So is Garrus and Fletch. There was an explosion."
"Really? I can't believe it. Hard to believe some things." Zaeed, saw the motion from the gun Gohl held. "Where are you? I'm headed to the tower with Gohl."
Tali seemed to understand, right. "I get it. I should try Jack. I don't know how long we have though?"
Zaeed, then asks, "Are you sure? I can double back and help." This, he said oddly, "I'll put the mission on hold if you need to?"
Tali now looked down at her arm, confused. Then she turned to Garrus who also was rather confused. How the…? Gohl himself whispers about not going back, obviously.
Tali was then aware what's going on a little. She said, "Zaeed. The mission comes first. I'll have Jack come."
"Right." Zaeed, then says, "Actually I think she is? Gohl, you think Jack is still heading there?"
Gohl narrowed his eyes, hissing. "Probably."
"Right. See. You'll be okay. Me and Gohl will be at the tower, get there fast as you can." With that, he closed the connection. "I guess that does that. You ready?"
Gohl hefts his gun, asking, "What are you playing at?"
"What do you mean?"
"I know what you did!" Suddenly, he aimed the gun. Zaeed the same. "You warned them! Didn't you?"
"Come on, how? You were right there!"
Gohl wanted to end it, yet he heard that scraping sound on the bunker door. Looking down he knew those things are crawling all the halls now. "Alright." Gohl turned, but suddenly turned smashing his gun across Zaeed's face. "Remember! Without me, we all die!"
Zaeed was barely that phased. He just chuckled before rubbing his jaw. "Yeah. You remember that too. After it's done?" Zaeed followed glaring at the back of that smug quarian. "Well. We'll see what happens."
Tali slowly trailed in place a moment. Garrus asks her after the third time, "Tali? What about Jack?"
"I know but what's going on? Zaeed would never turn from the mission. He's not like that."
"Right, but things are really out of place. Perhaps he knew we needed help as fast as possible?"
Even if that were the case? It was the way he said it. There is something wrong alright. Tali started to talk then to Jack. "Jack? Come in, Jack?"
Jack did not respond right away though. The reason was because she's busy fighting. With a wail of her pure biotic anger, Jack threw her fist sending a shockwave into the three attacking quarians that seemed to be infected like those ones before. Jack was finished with the last bunch when she heard the call. Grabbing her ear she asks, "Yeah? What is it?"
"Jack? It's Tali. Can you hear me?"
"No." Jack smirked a bit to how dumb it was people asking that, seriously. Jack took a moment to relax against a wall. "So, what's up Tali?"
Tali gave a worried look to Garrus, how was she going to tell Jack something that honestly she didn't have a clue was true. "Zaeed. I think he's in trouble?"
"What?" Jack did not like the sound of that. Jack's brow even pulled up with some concern. "What do you mean you think he's in trouble?"
"I contacted him and when we told him we're trapped. Zaeed offered to delay the mission to save us. It didn't seem like him."
Jack frowned a bit with that. "Zaeed knew I was coming to help you guys. That's not right." Worried, she looked up ahead as another small group of quarian infected started to mass ahead of her. With a grit of her teeth Jack warned Tali. "I'll be there after I let off some steam. Be ready to move, fast."
Tali however warned Jack, "Jack? Fletch is wounded. We can't…" However, she heard Jack clock her out. A hard sigh Tali held her visor whispering, "If we don't get Fletch medical attention soon he might die."
Garrus saw the stress on Tali. She's not the leader kind usually. It was playing on her some. A final realization was that alone she'd never do it, yet with some help? "Tali?" She turned up, and he asks, "What about Uhn? The quarian infiltrator? He's in the medical wards right?"
Tali gave a nod, "You're right. He can have medical personnel meet here, get Fletch and help maybe Jack get us out quicker." Tali began to try and contact them. Which, wasn't so hard. Seems the buoy system was better connected than buoy to omni interface. After a moment, Tali tried to talk but she heard some screaming, a lot of noise. "Damn it. What's going on over there?"
What is happening actually was the 'infected' attacked here too. A small group of three first. They had attacked the first doctors they saw, thus when the probes attached to these people they doubled in numbers. If it was not for the infiltrator Uhn'gehncis here the whole room would have been taken over in seconds. Uhn however was fast to react, his pistol taking out the knees when the first one's head he shot just stumbled around oddly. He used his speed and skill to drop the strange infected and with thought, forced them locked into a room with crutches to push the limb-shattered monsters away from everyone. Seeing one of the technicians get turned in the fight it was clear how it worked, somewhat.
Uhn had finished with the last attacker when the call came through. The medical team began pushing the monster bodies into a staff room. When he took to the communication call. "Who is this?"
Tali asks, worriedly, "Uhn? Is everything okay?"
"No. These… quarians, attacked us, turning others by touch into monsters." Uhn looked back shaking his head. Seeing one the tossing bodies stabbed with a set of crutches, and the people trying best to push it away without getting close. "Keelah. What in the cosmos has been going on out there?"
Tali seemed to dislike this. She now realized, she's admitting her failure. Right? "There's no time to explain. I need you to bring a medical team here. Fletch was hurt."
"How badly?" Uhn, motioned to the medical personell. "If it's severe. I can have them there fast enough. I suppose?" He then asks, "Wait, where are you?"
"We're trapped. There was an explosion. Fletch's back was burned badly, and Jack is coming to break us free."
"An explosion." Uhn narrowed his eyes in thought. He was beginning to dislike this. "Coincidences are one thing. An explosion just as these things started attacking. This all seems like an inside affair?"
"Perhaps." Tali, sent her coordinates. "We'll find out as soon as we make our connection to the Normandy and begin evacuation."
"Evacuation?" Uhn was then silent as he looked to his wounded son on a stretcher. His mission was to get that data. However, he lowered his head. "Of course. We'll evacuate. We… still, need to contact the science office here, you know?"
"I do." Tali, seemed to shake her head as Garrus took her shoulder, supporting her. "It's on the goal list but right now getting everyone out alive matters most."
"Of course. We'll be there shortly." Uhn, turned shifting his weapon. "All of you keep this door locked until I get back. Do NOT let anyone else in, no matter what they say." He started out, whispering. "Ancestors preserve us."
Tali soon seemed to relax. When she turned to Garrus he was shaking a little. Her memories remind her how he hated the cold. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this Garrus."
Garrus looked back to her and asks, "Didn't we talk about that before? How, I was the one to make it clear why I was coming. It was my terms not yours." Garrus, then saw her turn away sitting down and rubbing her legs. "Seems the cold's getting to you too?"
Tali shrugged, "My suit is set to fight hypothermia, but I still feel it. The cold I mean." She looked to Fletch. "I'm hoping he's still situated." Then, she closed her eyes holding her face. "I hope everything goes as planned. So much is riding on this. On me."
Garrus told her with a confident glare. "It's going to Tali. Watch. You'll see."
"Thanks. I guess, I just needed to hear it." With that, Garrus sat down beside her and then, she leaned in for the warmth they can share. Garrus kind of did not expect it. Though, she asks, "You think Legion is okay?"
"Huh?" Garrus was stunned. What is she asking about him for? Then, it clicked… right, her. Him. A sigh, he shrugged. "Yeah, I'm sure he's just relaxing right now. Not likely in as worrisome situation as we are."
The moment Legion turned up his lens spun toward a growing narrow glare. The one he glared on was the asari justicar, Samara. As she glared down him at this very same moment. The sheer tension thicker than any battle the two were in before. As each showed a deepened resolution. Eventually, it was Samara that warned Legion. "If you do this. I will retaliate."
"Perhaps." Legion's lens glows bright red and then, he motioned to his omni-tool. "It is unavoidable. Your time is forefeit."
"No! Legion!" Samara's body glows bright with the biotic power she hones. With a fist raised upward she demands, "Do NOT betray me!"
"If we do not act! Then we will all perish!" With that, he taps the last command on his tool. Suddenly, he watched as on the display within his omni-tool, a refinery of some asari construct began to explode. Legion turned up his head as Samara rubbed her brow. "It was our only recourse. Thane has been forcibly moving his forces from that direction. If we continued defending then our own facilities would be overtaken. You must understand."
Samara however glared then to Thane whom was smiling at the back shrugging his shoulders. Beside him a certain techno-thief. Kasumi. Thane turned to Kasumi saying rather happily, "It was a grand idea Samara had to request your company Kasumi. Truth is, I doubt I would be able to play this game without some assistance."
Kasumi just giggled a bit to herself. "Aww, come now Thane. Seeing how much damage you've done to those asari compounds? I'm doing mostly the legwork here while you play Mr. Cloak and Dagger."
Samara glared at the two before sighing, and then she turned to Legion. "At this rate neither of our forces will prevail. We must work in full unison. This, real time strategy game of yours has too many rules to keep our mission going without fault."
Legion gave a nod. Then he asks, "Samara?" She raised a brow, when he asks, "Are you truthfully upset with our decision?"
Samara was silent a moment. She then shook her head no. "It was the right thing to do merely I have found playing this… game, of yours. Different." She sat on the couch as she then admits. "For some time I have lacked the ability to be in groupings as these. Outside of the missions. Most times I prefer to meditate."
Thane now paused the game. It was his turn. "I know." Standing, he walked behind the bar. Where he asks, "Kasumi? Do you know where the…"
"Shepard drank it." Which, Thane raised a brow. "Remember?"
"Oh." To that, Thane sighed weakly. Then gave a appologetic nod as he leaned against the bar from the server's side. "Well. Samara. While you and I may meditate? I was fairly aware Legion can not. Which, seeing he's looking for company? This honestly was not so unfortunate. We should try to make a 'thing' of it." He even motions his hand to Kasumi, "Perhaps we can invite Kasumi to join us from time to time? Until she leaves to her former life."
"Well now." Kasumi pulled her legs on the stool giving a false sign of pained shame. "To think. I'm just a afterthought. After all I've done for you all."
Thane just looks at her blankly before saying. "You've never done anything for me, personally."
"Or I." Samara remarked as she was reading on her omni-tool the best strategies for using asari commandos in this game. She deeply wished it had a justicar. Or, some form of that kind for her to use. Then she looked up seeing Legion looking down not at his tool. She realized what is wrong. "It still troubles you?"
Legion looked up to Samara. As the asari smiled to him with a warmth that organic beings seemed to enjoy. Legion simply gave her a twirl of his lense before telling her. "Yes. We can not end this dependency that has been deemed a possible danger for our functions."
This made Kasumi raise a brow, asking, "Wait. What are you talking about?"
"Our function without Tali. While it is not a permanent issue. Chief Flight Leiutenant Jeff Moreau has assured us that this action is not healthy. It was a negative effect towards our relationship. He even had the term, 'whipped' for us to delegate."
This is where Kasumi grew a little aggressive. Kasumi asks, "Where the hell does he get off with that? Legion. You're not that off with her." Shrugging, she asks, "I mean, what HAVE you done that was so wrong?"
Legion seemed confused though. His brow rose towards the inclination that his actions were not negative. "While she is on mission. Our processes have been torn between common action and a constant inquiry. IT is distracting."
Thane seemed to nod though, and he explained. "Legion has been worried over Tali. A matter we all can relate to." Which, he leaned on the bar asking, "However, I was curious when you brougth this up Legion. Just why does this cause you so much trouble? Geth have a far greater ability to compute data. Surely, it's not that great a threat seeing we organics have that issue as well, no?"
"What?" Legion now blinked at him. Legion asks, "Do you mean this is normal? Yet, Jeff-Joker informed us?..."
Samara just grabbed her head, a smile creeping back on her lips. "Joker has not shown a deal or level of care in deeper relationships beyond his ship. Which, with EDI? Could implicate many things."
Kasumi even asks, "Has anyone else noticed the two are getting rather informal? Joker and EDI? That'd be a fun couple."
Legion seemed to be looking between them. They now were talking about what the children would like in a game organics made with impossible scenarios. How is it he did not come to this conclusion prior? He wondered, was that perhaps from the lag? No. It was something else. Closing his eye he tried to understand why this was not something he learned earlier. All the data he was gathering. Then, it was obvious why. Legion stood telling the ones here. "We have been faulty in processing data. This is our mistake." Legion, now stood closing out the game from his omnitool. "We should be alone."
Samara looked to her tool but did not seem upset at first. Then, she just asks, "Are you sure?"
"Yes." Legion moved to the door. Then he turned saying, "Thank you for your assistance."
Thane just asks, as if it were so obvious, "What else are friends for?"
As Legion left. Kasumi smiled over to Thane. The drell looked at her asking, "What?"
"I just recalled. There was a time you were a loner. Not even wishing to pop his head out of the Life Support room? Huh, what got you to break out of your shell?"
"Suicide." To this, Kasumi blankly stared back. "The suicide mission. To be precise?"
"Oh." Kasumi coughed the odd feeling in her throat, embarassment. "I knew that."
"Of course." Thane then stood asking, confidently. "So Samara do you surrender?"
Samara glared as the very idea irked the justicar. Sure she was down a partner and in general had the weakest army now and…
Just then someone entered. Miranda Lawson. Miranda was actually going to grab a drink for her room when she suddenly notes the three. "Oh." Never feeling comfortable with this lot. Well, actually she's rarely spoke with Thane or Samara. "Sorry, didn't know you were all busy."
Samara jumped up from her chair though saying, "Not at all. Miranda, might you join us?"
Miranda was really shocked. "What? Me?" Miranda just looked at them before thinking back to before. Legion and her talked. Not that it mattered to her but, what if she did try to talk to the others? A sigh she closed her eyes to come to her conclusion. Miranda sat down saying, "Alright. I'm in so what are we doing?"
Samara was a little relieved though she shared not her emotions with the others. Instead, she use her monotone to explain the game and it's rules to Miranda. So she could take the place of Legion. Speaking of Legion the geth was now taking the elevator to Engineering. He should do some work. There is after all a great deal of work still needed to be done while Tali was away.
In the tumbled corridor still blocked with ice and debris, Tali was hunched over the now unconcious Fletch. Fletch suffered a number of injuries after that explosion. Applying medigel helped to keep him safe, yet this was not enough. Without proper medical attention he would not last long. A bonus was the cold helped keep the salarian docile. Tali however turned back seeing Garrus hugging himself in his armor and showing just once more why turians hate the cold. A sigh and she left Fletch and sat beside Garrus.
Garrus saw her do such and asked, "Think Jack went to help Zaeed instead?"
"I hope not." Tali held her legs. She was a mammal. Her people do not have the same problem as reptiles. With that in mind, she hugged Garrus saying. "We'll get out of this. You know that."
"I do." Garrus lowered his head though. He was thinking about something. "Tali. I wanted to ask this a while. Why did you ever agree to this thing with Legion?"
Tali turned up confused. When she shook her head, he wanted to try and say it was the cold. Tali though told him. "Legion and I have a odd friendship. The fact still remains. He asked me. I admit I don't get it, but I do like him."
"Why?" Garrus, seemed angry now. "Why him? Why not someone else?"
"Shepard? He already made it clear. He was not going to be willing to try and make something more out of this. So, right. Legion seemed the most willing after that."
"He isn't." Garrus shared a glance with her a moment. Then he said, "You can't trust him. He's a Geth."
"I get you are worried for me Garrus. I appreciate it." Holding his hand she smiled a bit. Seeing him flinch at her touch though made her curious. It was off how he was acting. Pherhaps just now realizing how he is really acting. Tali looked at her hand before asking, "Garrus, is there something else you need to say?"
With that asked. Garrus looked straight at her. He was silent. A little frozen (not solely from the weather) in his own tracks. When he then got the courage he sat straight and grabbed her hand in his firmly. "Tali. I have been really worried about maybe dropping this on you, or being too forward or even just too forceful. So, well. IF this is the last chance I get? I have to come clean with you." Which, she started to somewhat shake in his hands. With a firmer grip Garrus told her, "I have feelings for you too."
Tali's eyes clenched down tight. That's what she was expecting. Yet, now she heard it? She was not entirely sure what she felt. A bit guilty? A sliver or regret? Or, some form of unnatural joy? It was mixed with other feelings. Like the painter's pallette of her emotional ups and downs. Tali's every emotion related in Garrus if it be a sense of pride from his friendship or the frustration on their seperation after Shepard died, now lay bare on that pallette and some jerk was out of his way trying to mess with them. Easily wearing out her warm nature with the eroding emotions.
Garrus though continued on. He explained how he'd grown to admire her back from the first Normandy. Garrus, stopped on things like their first meeting again when Shepard died. There was talks about sharing that hunt for Harkin, Sidonis and talking on what it was like. How he felt knowing she went into the judicial meet of the admirals and conclave, over her and the geth. The talk was sweet and kind surely a funny side of Garrus. Tali looked up slowly toward him though as he stopped talking and just looked at her behind his helmet visor. That silence was the only thing left. The next words she said could be anything and they might have weight.
Tali got the realization of just what it was like for Shepard. A decision as a leader. It can break more than lives. It'll break souls. With the wrong consideration.
Tali took a moment to make the words on her tongue but all she managed were a little mumble at first. Garrus nudged himself back, saying; "I did not mean to upset you."
"No. I am not upset." Tali, answered that easily. Yet she closed her eyes as the other words again stumble. She held her head before looking at him sitting wrapped into herself. "Garrus. You are my friend. The best one I ever had." Garrus turned his head away as if hurt but Tali grabbed his shoulder making him look back. "I wish I knew Garrus. If I had? I suppose then I would have maybe waited. Or tried to talk things through. I don't know?"
Garrus seemed to be able to get something out of that. A light chuckle he asks, "You sure? I mean, maybe my scars were the decider in that? Though on my side I don't have a hole in my chest."
"Right." Tali liked this side of him. Less serious, a little funny. With this she gave a light sigh before saying to Garrus. "I care about Legion."
"I know." This, Garrus wished to tell her that he's never going to hold that against the geth but that'd be a lie. Each time he saw Legion he got a feeling. There's no promise he'd be able to forgive this fact. Still, Garrus asks, "Is it really too late Tali?"
She looked up worried. Tali said, shakily, "Garrus, please. Don't do this."
"Why not? We've shared as much as you and Legion. I'm just asking. Is it too late? Did I really miss out on the chance for happiness? I mean, after all that crap on Omega?" Garrus leaned in pressing his helmet to hers, begging her. "Please. Tell me. Tell me there's a chance. That just, give me that little slither of hope. Even if you're entertaining that thing, you can feel something for me."
"Don't." Tali, pushed him back. This was now hurting her. She said, angrily. "Legion is a good friend."
"So am I!"
"You weren't there when I needed someone! Legion was." To that, she pulled back, and they sat there with her putting her back to him. Garrus, sitting hands out a bit taken from her outburst. After a moment she whispered, "If I had known Garrus? I would have given you a chance. I'm sorry. Legion made me feel things I haven't felt in a long time, I trust him. Do not do this to me."
It was a bit upsetting. Garrus watched as she pulled her legs in and just hunched herself up. With that image Garrus sat back telling her, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…" Just then, a loud smash came from behind. Looking back they saw the snow and debris rip back and then standing there was a rather cocky biotic. Jack.
"Aww, I miss something?"
Tali stood now relieved to see Jack. "What? No. Look. We need to get moving." Turning to Fletch she ordered Garrus. "Garrus, I know you want to talk but right now this mission? It's important we wait." To reassure him she told Garrus. "Concentrate on the mission and when we have things done. While we're on the Normandy? I'd like to talk to you alone about this, okay?"
Garrus was not sure how to take it. Then, she grabbed his shoulder to add in. "I care about you too. A lot. If that helps?"
Garrus just smiled before telling her. "It does. Alright so what now?"
Tali motioned to Fletch. "Garrus should take Fletch to the medical ward. Hopefully they will be ready to help. Jack, you can clear this path so we can find Zaeed and," before she finished Jack barreled into the debris and with her biotics tore the path ahead. Tali just watched with her hand motioned to the former debris before then scratching her head. A little under her breath she comments how it's good to have a biotic.
Garrus pulled Fletch over his shoulder and turned seeing Tali leave. They share another strange, long look before the two part ways. Tali checked her shotgun before asking, "You ready Jack?"
"Hell yeah. What about you?"
Tali had no idea. The only thing the young quarian had on mind was how all this time she never saw it. Garrus? Sure, if she and Shepard never hooked up and Legion was not involved, that's actually the most logical. Tali however knew so far with Legion that love as odd it was followed no real logic. So a small smirk she just grew her attention to ahead. Cocking her shotgun before realizing, "We'll need to hurry the bulkheads are likely down. So when we find one, I'll need to take time to unlock them. I hope it won't delay us long."
They just so happen to get to the first bulkhead when Jack charged full force, charging her fist with a biotich blow. The metal tore and Tali whispers once more it's good having a biotic.
The comm tower room was the last stop for Zaeed and this supposed quarian mechanic. In fact, Zaeed knew well the truth now. This man was not really some mechanic as much a insane sociopath. Or was it psychotic? It's hard to tell really. All he knew was if he put a gun to the man's head, he'd be one of the few that didn't tell you anything. Which once Zaeed talked about with Shepard about those nutty folk.
The door opened when the quarian finished forcing the security code. When it opened, Zaeed asks, "So, what do you got?"
The quarian stood there a moment as he looked back behind his shoulder. Just staring at Zaeed. He finally asks, "You know I'm going to kill you right?"
"I assumed that." Zaeed, glared a bit. "Thing is. I'm not that easy to kill."
"True." The way that came out was just so strange. Shifting his pack off his back and letting it lay on the ground. Gohl told Zaeed, "We're going to do this in a similar way we had before. You and I will begin fighting like that time but this time? It's more in my favor."
Zaeed looked around at this transmission tower. Taking in the fact it was so big, tall as well with a number of catwalks. This sure did have some safety issues. Then again if that was not bad enough the large device in the center of the room seemed to need repairs. "Fix the tower first."
"In time. Sure. Though, that's where my upper hand plays?" Excited with this he reached out saying, "You and I will fight here. The first one to kill the other wins. Consequences will vary by winner."
This Zaeed narrowed his eyes asking, "You mean. That if I kill you? The tower won't be fixed. If you kill me you'll fix the damn thing? That's your 'upper hand'?"
"Well. If you're going to put it that way…?" Suddenly, Gohl swung up his arm and fired at Zaeed whom dove wildly behind some overturned crates for parts. A slight chuckle and Gohl mentions, "There's one other thing that sits in my favor!" With that, he flipped out his arm sending out a shorting overload to something on the wall. The room went nearly black. That overload caused the door to close and leave them in this room with very little light. Though that was not a problem for him. His helmet had a setting for working in the dark after all.
Softly stalking the room Gohl had to love how it worked. Zaeed. After all these years was right where he wanted him. There were memories of how so long ago a silly team of mercenaries actually took from him the most enjoyable time of his life. All those missions where he'd been paid to do the things he loved most of all. To take lives. To see them break and falter off from a safe place. Yet there was this man that nearly killed him. A man that destroyed that pleasure. Nearly dying there. IT awoke the fact that being safe, destroyed him. Never the same was a kill so profound. So he decided to get his revenge. Right in the exact face of the enemy.
Fletch was easy to find, he retired some time after. Ended up here of all places. Zaeed was impossible though. The man he wanted was gone. So what? He did not care. He had something better. Now. He DID have Zaeed Massani! All to himself! Stepping into the next corridor he saw Zaeed at the end blind as a bat just stepping lightly forward arm out with his gun drawn low.
"You can't even make a good shot." Gohl pulled back as Zaeed aimed and fired at his voice. Already running around to the other side and getting a better shot himself. Yet instead of shooting Zaeed. He shot the spot infront of Zaeed. "How about I help you out? Follow the thermal discharge, Zaeed!"
Zaeed spun about firing. The stalking quarian though was already gone and just had to laugh to himself. While he did this Zaeed fell back breathing a little heavier. He had to think. Has to try and work his own magic. Which took him a few moments before with a grin he rolled out and stood tall aiming around. His other hand held his chest, before popping something off. Zaeed then waited as standing like this attracts the attack. After that he spun seeing just where the shots were near, and he threw something.
Gohl turned fast as something explodes. Fires fell from the explosion burning along the ground. "What was that?" Unaware, it was an inferno grenade. Gohl turned then only to feel the butt of a rifle smashing his visor. Then the rifle pressed into his neck, Gohl hissed violently as Zaeed began to struggle with him choking the quarian. Trying to knock him out. Yet the feel of the quarian boot in his ribs three times, repeatively? That caused Zaeed to loose grip, and the fist to his face before his own rifle in the jaw made it lost footing. Gohl stood there yanking the rifle away. Gohl proceeded to lunge onto Zaeed punching and beating where he may. Zaeed responded with a fast, hard gut punch that reeled the weaker enemy on his side.
Zaeed knew his chance was short. Rolling toward his gun he felt blindly. Then pulled it up aiming at the quarian as he sensed the scope of the enemy weapon on him. The shots were fired, Zaeed missed, so did the quarian. Both roll behind some wall surfaces before panting and gasping for mind as well air. To regather thoughts. Zaeed felt for his other…
Crap. Zaeed grew pale now realizing he gave his extra grenades to two other people. Jack and Tali. This was bad. That was almost as bad as the barrel on his temple, and the chuckle on the air. "You loose. Zaeed. Stand."
Zaeed winced before slowly standing up, asking, "Going to prolong this, huh?"
"Sure I am. After that stunt?" With a enraged scream, Gohl swung his weapon but that's where Zaeed dropped fast and lunged shoulder hard. The forceful blow sending them both into a railing THEN over the same railing, down. Hard.
Groaning both they look around. Zaeed reached around to feel something. That's the rifle Gohl had… a grin, he stood up before feeling the rifle jerk back and he snagged it feeling Gohl and him in a tug of war. The two screaming and snapping curses before fists. The sound of fist to chin, or helmet, echoed forth. The battle was going less like a sniper battle and just a brutal bout of bare fighting. This continued before the sudden loud clan sound. The two stop dead. Then another such sound. Another.
The last one was the sight of the door blasting into the room along the floor where they were, on a catwalk a little above. Looking over. Zaeed smiled as he saw a familiar silhouette of a certain bald biotic. "Pal? I'd be praying if I were-oof!"
Unable to stop. Gohl roared out as he raised his rifle and smashed into Zaeed's back, then aimed down preparing to fire. That's before his body was wrapped in a biotic field and yanked straight off the blasted catwalk flailing down hard and fast. Rolling painfully on the ground as his body was nearly crushed in a rolling fit. Zaeed sat up and smiled down asking, "What took you so lo-shit!" His head ducking when something heavy flew past him from a biotic toss. "I'm kidding! Jack! Calm down!"
Jack, stormed up there screaming, "You gray haired monkey! You have any idea how much you had me worried?" Grabbing him, she kissed him, hard. The forceful whimper of the mercenary with a bruise here or there, before she then punched him in the gut, and yanked him, shouting, "I was breaking down barriers or bulkheads, whatever, just to get here." The next kiss, she planted on him against the banister. Zaeed giving up trying to talk or hold his bruised sides.
Tali walked in turning lights on, and powering the station. A sigh of relief she admits, "This could have gone worse?"
"Worse?" Garrus reminds, "We were trapped in ice for a while. I think worse is past."
"Right…" Tali saw the humbled madman, asking, "Who were you working for?"
"Mmm." Slowly, he looked up chuckling. "For?"
"Staging the attack on Fletch? Zaeed? With the attack of those things?"
The killer, Gohl. He just groaned as he lays on his side feeling numb mostly. "I didn't have plans for that. I just wanted revenge." A smirk on his visor through the shape of his eyes, he asks, "Do you ever regret being trapped in your suit, Tali?"
"What?" Tali was confused, a little taken.
"I do. Born like this. I hated every race. Our own included. Killing people that live like this. Or better, that live like them. Without suits? Made things so much easier. Then someone came along. Gave me a new reason. Because, they tried to take what was precious to me. The only thing that matters, to me."
Garrus looked at the broken man and whispers, harboringly, "His life?"
"Yes. MY life. A life I nearly never had. A life filled with shame, and disease. Near death." A sigh, Tali said to watch him so Garrus did. The man Gohl asks, "Do you think anything of my life?"
Garrus answered, happily. "No."
"Good. I think the same of yours."
Tali went to the machines checking everything. When she had a good idea of what is wrong, she began to work. "I should have this up and ready soon enough. Zaeed, Jack? Can you two keep an eye on him? I think Garrus should help me get this working."
Zaeed warns, "I'll be happy to watch him, with a bullet."
"Don't kill him. I want to find out if he's telling the truth about just trying to kill you." Though, maybe he was? He was just some mad man that wanted revenge. Took it out on people. Which, considering quarian life was not unheard of? It's never easy. It could be, the life took too much a tole on this one man? In any case? She had the station to work on. Garrus came over, and she started to instruct him on what to do. Soon enough perhaps they'll have everything back under control?
The Normandy had been busy while the away team worked. At this very moment as it was downtime. Shepard sat in his personal quarters reading reports and more importantly reviewing information from Admiral Hackett. This he was worried about. A batarian prosecuter was being talked to already on behalf of his trial. To think, a Batarian was being hired to lead the accusations on him. A hard sigh, Shepard leaned into his glass of water. Shepard so wished it was something else.
Just then he heard the comm. Joker. "Commander?"
Shepard shot up tossing the datapad. He SO did not want to read this crap today. "Joker? What is it? Something important?"
"Sure is. I need you at the deck. It's a message from the planet, from Tali."
"On it."
Shepard stepped off the elevator just as Legion began to head towards the engineering room. When Legion saw this his brow rose as this was peculiar. Shepard had been in his quarters most the time as they were not leaving this system yet. When Shepard passed Legion in such a hurry? Legion decided to follow him instead. Miranda was also here talking to Jacob when she noticed Shepard running toward the cockpit, and excusing herself while Jacob let her go to go work. Shepard stood behind Joker then asking, "What do you have Joker?"
Joker just opened the communications to Shepard saying, "Okay Tali. Shepard is here."
Legion was there, and he requests, "Is this Tali? We would wish to speak with her."
Shepard just raised a hand over his shoulder, asking, "Tali? What's wrong?"
Garrus had to look over Tali's shoulder the communication had visual, luckily. A concerned look though, "Tali? You mind? I have to see if maybe I can calibrate the frequency for better reception."
"Thanks Garrus. I've got this." Watching Garrus leave. Tali sighed looking at the screen, heck she even looked at Legion a bit nervous now. Tali still had to keep her mind clear. This was important. "Shepard. Things are a lot more complicated than we realized. I don't know how much time we have if the AI is scanning for frequencies."
"The AI? What AI? Geth?" Which, Shepard corrects, "I mean, heretics?" He had to, Legion was right here.
"No. It is something else. Listen Shepard. I need you to go get to the Hunley, we need that ship to evacuate as many survivors off this planet. We're going to do whatever we can to prepare a massive evacuation. It's bad Sheapard. Worse than I expected." In fact, she looked afraid. Her eyes were so worried looking. Even Shepard could see it, and Legion has to be recognizing that look. Tali in thinking that held her visor and gave an exasperated groan. "So much is going off track. Look," Tali, grew her nerve but it was mostly false. She had to look up to do this. "I know it is not the plan we all had. The fact is this could be related to everything that has been happening. Strange Geth being controlled by a unfamiliar AI, a target towards my own people? Once more, that varren is here."
Shepard asks, "That Varren?" A moment to even clarify, "You mean the same strange varren? The one that was on that jungle planet, and you reported back fighting Apex?"
"Yes. The same." Tali, begged Shepard, "Please, I need the Hunley and the crew there to help or we will never make it. I want to evacuate the entire station and all the civilians. It's my only option to do so."
Softly looking down Shepard thought it over. Like he was going to refuse? "Of course. I'll have them back here as fast as I can." Then he called his communicator, "Miranda? Can you come here? I need your help."
"Right away Commander."
"Legion?" Tali, looked worriedly as she rubbed her hands together, a moment? Tali saw Shepard look at her and then nod, leaving to do his work. Legion stepped forward. Then she looked at Joker.
"Sorry." Joker smiled, as he shrugged his shoulders, "I can't really just leave? You know the whole pilot thing?"
"Right. Sorry." Tali sighed though and looked at the screen. Legion tilting his head with her peculiar actions. "I'm scared."
Legion seemed to understand a little. "We know. You show a higher level of stress than before. Have our upgrades proven useful?"
"Actually, yes. They have. Even so? This is way more than I ever expected."
"You will adapt."
"How can you be so sure?" Uncertain herself, she wanted to hear it.
"You always do. Tali. You can not forget. Remember when in the Collector Base? It was your speed and ability to adapt that saved Shepard-Commander."
Tali's head seemed to rise remembering this. "You're right. I did do that."
"It was also your upgraded core design that assisted in the same assault. You were pivotal in ensuring no lives were lost in that conflict. As well it was your voice that stopped the Kaireshi. You have not failed. We are keeping a history."
"Really?" She just, rubbed her arm. Now looking to Garrus. "Legion. There is another thing. Something came up while this mission was going on. I needed to tell you, if I could. Now is probably not the best time though?"
"Whatever it is. We are willing to listen." Legion noticed though her actions. It was apprehensive. Or perhaps she looked a little fearful? It must have been important to her as her actions were common with a number of troubling things in past experiences. Legion narrowed his lense to note then her vision was off screen suddenly, and there was a shout, from Zaeed? All of a sudden there is a loud sound and a bright flash swiftly followed by flames. The last was the fizzling connection. Legion leaned over the chair, and looked to Joker. "Reconnect."
"I can't." Joker already began to try and get the connection . "Whatever that was? It was on their end. It ended the signal."
"We need to get down there."
Joker seemed to try and talk but Legion turned away. Walking towards the starchart where Shepard and Miranda were talking. "Legion?" Shepard saw the geth coming toward him in a rushed manner. "What's wrong?"
"We do not know." Legion stood ridgid even for him. A sudden gesture of his hand to the chart, he then demanded, "We need to go onto the surface. Tali is in danger."
"What?" Shepard was confused. "I know. We're going to get the Hunley to extract them,"
"No, she is in danger now." Looking at the chart, he stepped up to the galaxy map, and said, "We need to go to her now. Something was deeply troubling her. It was not the mission. It was something more personal. We could see it."
Shepard frowned a little as Legion looked at the galaxy map. "Legion. It's okay. We'll be back before long. You know that."
"What if it is a seal breach? She may have obtained a foreighn disease. Perhaps there was a power timeout in her suit and a filter failed, because of an imbalance of my upgrade? Could we have caused this?"
"Legion?" Shepard looked to Miranda shrugging his shoulder. What is going on? Then he said, "Legion, you need to move."
"No!" Legion turned as Shepard reached to his hand. Instead, Legion snatched Shepard's hand as his brow grew aggressive. The moment it happened everything just seemed to stop. There was this pause. Shepard looked at Legion with a sense of confusion. Legion was purely aggressive. Then when that aggression ceased, Legion's flaps swiftly turned up confused. "Shepard-Commander?"
"Legion." Shepard slowly pulled his hand away, as Legion had let go. Then flexing it he asks, "What's wrong?"
"We. We are, afraid."
Tali…
Tali….
Tali…..
Her head was throbbing, bad. A ring was in her helmet. No, it was her ears. Tali soon moved to then hiss, holding her side. Looking down her eyes grew wide, worried. A unexpected bloody spot, suit ruptures? Tali checked fast and saw a few. Keelah, antibiotics were already administered. Tali groaned as she rolled off her back and then slowly pushed up from the ground. There Tali listened as she can't fully gather her strength, to Zaeed.
"I can't believe it! That rotten psycho just went and did himself in! He had a blasted killswitch, died and took his explosives. Set them off!"
Tali now shook her head. That's what it was? That man, that one that they found with Zaeed. He killed himself to set off explosives. Tali hissed as she held the side of her suit and felt something. Wait. That IS something! "ARGH!" A accidently twist of her hand made it wrench her side. Garrus screamed out for her.
"Tali! Tali? Is that you?"
Garrus, Zaeed and Jack were back on the other side of some the fallen machines and catwalks. Zaeed had called out, Garrus and Jack moved from the explosion and escaped but Tali was by the machine, and when the explosion caused that transmitter to blow? There was no exemption.
Tali cried out, "I'm here!" She stood, looking around. "I'm fine. I think." She lied. She had to. Tali told them, "You need to get to the main control room! Now! We need to get ready for the evacuation, do you understand me?"
Garrus seemed resilent but in no real rebuttal, he spoke, "We'll be able to take care of that just as soon as we get to you."
Jack asks, "Why not let me lift this stuff?"
"Can't, too risky." Zaeed motioned up to the rafters already bent out. "The roof might collapse. We can't really get to her. Tali? You see any other way out? Something like, toppled rubble, or maybe a second doorway?"
Tali looked around and found an exposed duct. A nod, she got down whimpering as her side ached, the object was not too deep but the pain was enough. She was so going to have to be careful. Infection. No, can't waste. Tali said, "I found something. It looks like, I think it's the ventilation." Looking over her shoulder, Tali screamed out, "Just go! I'm going to crawl this shaft out, and when I find a communication buoy, you all had better be with the others."
Jack hit Zaeed, jesting, "Now's not the time to get all sappy! Come on, boss lady has it under control!"
Zaeed was getting a vibe though. Even as Garrus looked at him showing the same look. Even so, Zaeed said, "We'll be there. You just keep yourself safe."
When they left. Garrus whispers under his breath. "She better stay safe."
"Keelah." Tali, started to crawl. Shifting her weight though in such an area stretched her stomach, and each time it caused whatever injury she had to shift. A painful sensation. She had to get to a medical room or something. Even somewhere safer, better lit? Tali had to make sure she's okay. Then as she went it began to grow dreadfully dark. Though then she realized it's not the duct. "No. No-no, no!" She pulled herself to the side and looked, seeing a trail of her blood. "Oh no. Blood loss." She hissed, pulling farther and growling in pain. When she held her side, she felt that jagged bit again. "Oh come on. Ancestors. Tell me this isn't how it happens. I survive assassins on the citadel, nearly loosing my captain and collector attacks. That attack on Haestrom?" Tali then gasps as she felt her head growing fuzzy. "Not this. Not now."
Just then she clunked her helmet on the ground. "Argh. Biotics, they are pain killers. Keelah." Not good. Tali whispers, softly, "Medi-gel could be useful. Shrapnel. Not good idea."
Just then she heard something moving, and looked. When she did, she saw red eyes. Strangely a couple of them up ahead. "Argh." Grabbing for her pistol she tried to aim but the second she did something flew from the shadows and wrapped her arm. A long tongue? "Ahh!" Tali, pulled her arm, and fired a shot. Yet the tongue drew her into the dark corner of the ventilation. Then when she was just inches, pulling with her other arm. This thing's mouth opened widely, and just wrapped over her. A horrid cry of fear from the quarian as the world grew dark.
Nothing but darkness followed.
Tali was opening her eyes. It was a dark place. Gray rocks and dirt. Strange. Then she hissed angrily and looked up as she was running into the sun the heat burned her skin. A horrid snarl, her small paws clack on the rocks as she ran straight ahead. Suddenly spinning to a halt as there came the mechanized voices of someone behind her. Looking back she saw two men with rocket boots landing off a roof behind her. They were strange looking, wearing odd looking white and black armor, red visor eyes. The symbols on their shoulders were cerberus. One of these troopers screamed out, 'there it is!' and fired, hastily. She turned and ran as fast she could into a dark shadow and just as fast she had, she was somewhere else, farther from there but still it looked similar. It was a facility she was in. Strange. Tali never saw such a place before.
Just then she heard two more voices, below. She trails a red grated walk listening.
"Orders were to capture it alive."
"I know. The Illusive Man sent Commander Williams. Even if that is the case? I bet that thing is long gone."
"Sure, but wait a second." The one saw it, "Shoot! Shoot!" They fired, missed. Tali started running and this time jumped into another dark place, to be another place coming back out. Tali can not even begin to understand what she is seeing. Why she thought like this. Why she's so low to the ground! None of this made any sense! Then she was through the dark to find some one walking ahead with her troops, while Tali snuck behind the rocks to watch. The woman looked familiar.
Tali recognized the woman immediately. It was Ashley! Ashley Williams! Alive!
"Seal off sections 11, 23, and 26. If it has to run we'll blind it out with chopper lights. Try to use searchlights."
"Yes Commander Williams." The troopers disperse all but two. Ashley turned around narrowing her eyes to her two other troops. "If you don't mind me asking? Why is a varren so important?"
A varren? Wait, this is. Tali was INSIDE...
"I don't know. I only know it was spotted here on Haestrom for the past few weeks skulking around our outpost. The Illusive mane wants to know why." Then Williams turned, ordering, "Grenade!"
"What?"
"Grenade, now!" She raised out her hand and without question again the trooper tossed her the grenade. When she threw it. Williams grabbed her rifle and watched to see the explosion go off. When she saw the twitching, sparking mass of metal. Williams snapped, "Follow me!"
Tali slunk down and crawled fast to the other rocks, and closed. Williams kicked the metal thing. It looked like a large metal spider of sorts with claws that clamp and break things, hammer and such in design. The metal thing was strange indeed. Williams then covered her eyes as something tried to detonate in the machine, but it failed to do so. "Shit! You, stay here. Guard it. You, come with me." She ran off shouting, "This is going to be one massive headache. I can see it now."
The guarding trooper grumbled a bit as he looked around but it was not long before something shot him, cloaked. The cloaked thing appeared to be one of those strange spider things. It spun it's head and suddenly started to flash, like the last one did. Tali pulled a paw forward and growled at the strange machines. Then she started to charge as the spark of light went off, surrounding it and the other machine, as well the dead guard. The next Tali knew, she was covered in light and flashed before her eyes a place not like before. This one was lots of metal, and glass. A science room?
"What was that?" The next Tali saw a turian scientist walking over to the downed machine, and kicking the dead trooper. "This should not have happened. A life signature just passed through the rift, but the molecules did not get scrambled?"
A human walked over easing the turian, telling, "Easy Brenor. This is not the life sign. Seems this one was killed by the drone sent to recover the downed one. The living specimen was… varren." The human nods, checking again. "Was being key word. You as well as I know any living material passing through one of the rifts is destroyed on a molecular level."
"I know. I just, I hate seeing a dead body pass through too. Technically the body is alive when it dies especially this close."
"Really." The other scientist asks, confused, "Do you think the machine knows the difference?"
"Argh." Tali soon was floating off the air. She felt different. She felt almost like a cloud of gas just moving in this place. Circling the destroyed machine and the other machine. Tali looked between the two. Seeing the turian stroke his neck and ask, "You think I might be sick? I mean, before the transport. I was talking about that fever Dandy had. I hate to think it's something from the transports."
"I do not know. Better go get checked. Though, Jacohbe reports show no form of life can teleport through. At least no form of life in a physical manner."
The turian seemed to sigh relived. Even so, he warns, "I'm going to check just in case. Even if not from one of these alternate realities? I'm not immune to diseases from this one."
"That's the truth." A smile, the other scientist turned to the work. "We have a lot of orders. I'm still trying to find a good reality with a high level of adamantium or unobtainium. Jacohbe made it clear he wants enough of this stuff to study."
Tali soon flew it felt like toward the one scientist following him. The turian. When this turian made it to the medical ward, he talked to the doctor. It was then that Tali saw the sick man laying on the table. There was a strange looking aura around him. When she saw it. Tali felt, gleeful? Strange. Then she flew into the sick man.
Next Tali knew, she's opening her eyes. Wait, these were not her eyes. The eyes looked differently. Salarian? That's right the sick man was a salarian. Then Tali sat up and stroked her forehead. The medical officer came toward her, but she raised her hand. Tali spoke. The thing was Tali did not hear her voice. She heard a salarian voice, outside, around her. Yet inside her. She heard a darker, deeper strange voice that chilled her true self, hearing it.
"I am fine. Doctor. Really." Pushing off the medical bed, Tali said chipper like. "I just need to go get a little something. You don't mind do you?"
The medical officer smiled and said not at all. Tali now left, and went walking around. It was not long she found the central processing room. Then she looked around finding several guards, workers and engineers. The next she new she walked towards the central controls. Tali felt angry now. Looking at some of the information. Strange. A fist balled at her side, she asks with these voices, "Have you mortals any idea what you're toying with? Who the hell does this Jacohbe think he is, eh?"
"What?" A guard came over, asking, "You okay, you still sick Rei-gyha!"
Tali smashed the guard's head into the control pannel, pulled out his gun and fired it into the face of another guard nearby. Then she fired into the nearest people. It was not long someone shot Tali though and she felt herself almost be 'broken' from herself. She looked back, saw the salarian limply falling down the controls. It was chaos. Though, Tali turned to a dead man and suddenly she dove into his back. The next she was pushing off the ground. A person asking, how she survived that gunshot? Tali's human hands wrapped the man's face, and neck, pulled him to her chest and snapped his neck. The confusion leads to a swift battle with another guard. His screams as she pulled his gun away and started beating him with it laughing strangely enough. Tali fired before she was shot repeatedly but she did not leave this body. Tali was not even caring as her face was being blown apart. Tali just kept shooting.
After everyone else was dead. Tali looked over her body. Her left arm was a stump, her stomach bleeding out profusely. Tali limped toward the controls but then grumbled a little. Tali left her body it feels, to then take a guard. Much better armored. Tali then stood up and began to shoot the controls for the station. Which, locked it down. Tali just smiled. She felt good. Looking back as someone entered the room with their guns drawn.
"He. Like a supernova." She began to fire as she spun around being widdled with bullets. Yet the dream was fading. She felt it was. It is.
Tali jumped up in a cold sweat. Her eyes shaking. She was trembling. Then Tali looked down slowly to her side where blood was no more. There is no sharp pain. Not a sharp bit still lodged in her. Tali stroked the afflicted area to find nothing. Then she sighed relief perhaps she was not in that dangerous dark duct after all? Knocked unconcious and just brought to th-wait, where is here? Tali looked in the dark room. No lights. No nothing.
"You're awake."
Tali's head snapped back. The dark was not empty. Tali asks, "Who are you?" Looking at her arm, she whipped her hand out sending her drone and also the drone for Legion. When the two drones softly float around they found something slowly walking toward her. Tali narrowed her eyes as her drones were circling the varren. That varren. "The varren?"
"Please." It said to her, in her mind. With that voice. That dark, frightening voice. "I believe last I spoke to your commander? I was going by the name, of Shift?"
Tali's eyes look on toward the creature for a time before finally, she whispers to herself. "Keelah."
Note: I am so sorry how long it took. I wish I could say why but I can not. I was not terribly busy. For the most part I'd start a sentence, finish it but then I'd just feel this feeling of some sort and just not continue. Every time this happened I'd not return for some time. It took me the longest to ever write such a chapter and I'm not lying that's something. I love the Mass Effect series. I love the characters, universe and most the story that comes in this tale. So when I found myself with a form of writers block I never even knew existed? I was worried. It has to be because even after what is a year and more, that ME3 ending, the stuff that came from it? Perhaps I'm not fully over it. I won't ever know. My only hope is now that I got through a chapter that perhaps things can be easier! Please, if you have anything to say positive or negative, I can really use the words. Somehow getting even a small new favorite and story alert helped a lot. It really gave me the desire to continue even when I felt like just giving up and that happened a few times. What I really hope is everyone did enjoy the latest chapter. The next one has a very, very good bit of plot, big look into what the deal is with the Apex threat, and best of all the most emotional event yet! Wait until you see the ordeal about to be unleashed I pray it will not be long in the making.