Her face was burning up.
There could be no other explanation as Tali felt her suit heat up to the point that it was a wonder that the VI within wasn't sounding off in alarm, meanwhile her face felt like it had dipped into some sort of fiery acid...that had also forced her lips into a wide grin that by now had begun to hurt.
When they had come back to the Normandy after their mission Shepard had only briefly paused to make sure Joker had punched in the right coordinates for Feros...before going to see Tali with what he had found in the Geth base.
What he had found was a treasure.
Data on Geth evolution, Geth tactics and even records of Geth bases...and Tali hadn't even deciphered most of it yet! Not only that but Michael had simply given it to her! A gift...Tali knew that when she returned to the Flotilla she would be lauded, her pilgrimage seen as a rousing success...and even more importantly, the data would in the end save countless Quarian lives in their skirmishes with the Geth!
It had left her speechless.
So speechless in fact that when Michael had pointed out that it would probably be enough for her pilgrimage – an understatement beyond his comprehension – and that she would then be coming home 'with honours'...she hadn't been able to respond to Ashley's sudden grin of delight and exclamation that Tali had just 'graduated'.
So stunned had she been that she hadn't even properly thanked Michael, just managed a sort of stuttering sound that had made him flash that irritating smile...which in turn had forced her to leave before she would explode in some undignified squeal of joy and frustration.
Nor had she taken into account the look of...mischief...that had suddenly permeated Ashley's entire being...
So she had gone back to work in a daze, mind half on her work, half on the great gift she'd received, on the journey home she would one day take. Considering it was such a great boon for the Quarians against the Geth even her father would attend the greeting party for her, she had felt her chest warm in gratitude each time she had realised that...
Of course those warm feelings and thoughts set on a distant future – she could still be killed before returning home after all, a thought that couldn't quite sober her out of the stupor she'd fallen into – had distracted her from the whispering and tittering occurring across the ship, most of it centred around an Ashley who all of a sudden seemed to be everywhere...
There was the whispering when people didn't think she could hear, the odd looks she received, the...amusement in their stances...she had observed it with some puzzlement at the times she'd noticed it...but been so distracted that she hadn't paid it much mind.
So when she had been called by Michael to meet him in the cargo hold and had come running to help him with whatever he needed...she had come to an utterly shocked halt at the sight before her.
Someone – Ashley, she had latter learnt – had covered the two pillars in the centre of the cargo hold in twinkling lamps that were supposed to be used to make landing strips...but now made a pretty pattern of red lights that shone across a floor covered in a white carpet Ashley had revealed to actually be a decommissioned parachute for the Mako. The table for the armoury had been moved and expanded using the table over at the living quarters, how Ashley had even managed to get it down the elevator escaped Tali...
And the table itself had been covered in food...and not just any food...but food the others claimed to be for 'feasting'!
Tali – having only heard about other races celebrating with an abundance Quarians would never waste – had done nothing but stared in confusion, dimly wondering if the cheerful group of the ground team plus the doctor and pilot before her had all suffered a fit of mass hysteria.
Then they had come at her, arms stretched wide, grins wider, as they had exclaimed their congratulations to her finished pilgrimage...and Tali had once again found herself speechless as she had been dragged in amongst friends that didn't seem able to stop patting her shoulder or even hugging her...
That was when her face had begun to burn.
It had briefly faded when Wrex had shoved a shotgun in her face.
Only to burn all the brighter when he had reversed the weapon and offered it to her, telling her with a feral smirk that she needed more firepower out in the field. A gift, just like that...to someone who until very recently had never received one in her life...
Then Liara, the Asari supported by doctor Chakwas since she had injured her leg during the fight in the bunker, had limped over to her with several filled glass jars balanced on a silver tray...and explained how she and Chakwas had managed to use what they had in the lab to make taste-modifying liquids for the usual bland soup Tali had gotten so used to. With such luxuries usually not available on the Flotilla, her never having had money for it on her pilgrimage and with the Normandy stores for her all containing the cheapest Quarian food she had found her mouth water at the mere thought of getting to actually taste meat for the first time in her life...
And then found her face warm even more as she realised what work making all those different spices must have been...
Joker and Garrus had too come up with something for her, having salvaged things from spare parts and collected some element zero, that with a toolbox and a challenge issued to prove her claim that a Quarian engineer can make anything fly with a little element zero...
Tali was already pondering making a drone of some sort when she saw it...even when she found herself looking away from the grinning pair as they watched her fingers twitch with the need to build...
Kaidan's gift had been a bit...puzzling...a simple, if beautiful, silver bracelet. It had quite obviously not been meant for her, if the fact that it currently fit her upper left arm instead of her wrist didn't do it then the way Kaidan's head turned ever so softly in Ashley's direction whenever he looked at the thing did. Rather then to refuse it, and potentially cause embarrassment for him, Tali had accepted it...and felt her face burn with the undeserved generosity heaped upon her.
And Ashley hadn't made things any better. Besides having made the entire feast possible – Tali didn't want to know what bullying she'd done to get the others all down there – apparently she had made an ad hoc kitchen and proceeded to dominate it while using Wrex as a assistant – an amusing picture in its own right – but she had also managed to make two cakes...one of which was edible for Quarians! Tali found her gaze flicker to it even as hre mouth watered, then back to her current source of embarrassment.
True, they had all managed to get a few drinks in themselves...but not nearly enough to get drunk. Yet strangely enough they had all agreed to Ashley's coaxing that they should sing to Tali...
As such she now found herself sitting at the head of the table still ripe with food – having been pressed to sit by a smirking Michael – as the others stood, each and every single one of them looking at her as they sung what had to be some sort of human song where they visibly struggled to make some words fitting for her situation.
She wanted to fall through the floor to hide her embarrassment...and at the same time never wanted it to end.
It nearly hurt.
"Happy...pilgrimage to Tali...happy...pilgrimage to you!" With a cheer, ably assisted by a far too excited Ashley clapping her hands together, the others moved to sit down, crates drawing in as they sat down before the table of...what half of it was Tali had no idea. Better ask Shepard with each new thing, no point in getting poisoned...she glanced at the man sitting to her right, the man grinning as he bit down on an oddly crispy sliver of bread that instantly caught her curiosity, despite her being unable to eat such a solid thing. Keelah it looks like it would almost be worth it...
"Finally! Food!" Wrex rumbled in the middle of the table on the left, drawing a chuckle out of Garrus opposite him even as the two instantly went for different plates of fried food, their tongues nearly hanging out in hunger.
"Boys..." Ashley, at the other end of the table, shook her head with a chuckle, then looked up to Tali: "My sisters at least have some table manners..." Her gaze darted down at the table before Tali. "...and you're not eating, afraid of my cooking are you?" She shot Tali an amused wink.
"I..." Tali found her hands darting into one of the pockets of her suit to retrieve the eating-straw and visor-unit, only to hesitate as she stared at the befuddling array of dishes before her. "...have no idea what I dare eat..."
"Here's a hint." Michael offered with a sly grin, the man leaning close as he with a fork aimed at the spot right in front of her. "See that cake on a plate right in front of you? It might be for you..." Tali's shoulders dropped as she cocked her head to the side at him, irritated as much as amused by his words, which wasn't helped by the man smirking as she shrugged and leaned back. "Just an idea..."
"Ha-ha..:" She dryly started, stabbing the freed straw towards Michael, who offered her a feigned look of being hurt. "...just so you know, I'm laughing at you, not with you." With that she moved her hands up, practised fingers releasing the speech-unit in her helmet and attaching the eating-unit, the straw following a moment later with the whirring sound of her eating-unit disinfecting the end, a flick of her finger...and she freed some disinfectant from a vial in another pocket and rubbed it over the other end of the straw and looked down at the strange cake..
It was...green. The perfectly round sphere placed on a white plate having a sheen like it was sweating, the shell of it of a semi-resistant and semi-transparent skin that partly yielded to a careful poke from Tali's straw. Beneath it something moved, like a mist of thick green goo that swirled around to impact of her prod. So...how good is Ashley at making food for Quarians? She does know of Quarians needing a different chirality in the proteins we eat...and that doesn't taste like slime...right?
"Aww, is the Geth-slaughtering Quarian noble scared of a pastry?" Michael taunted.
Tali looked up sharply, shooting him a glare of narrowed eyes and – though he couldn't see it, his grin told her he knew – a smirk on her lips. She had ages ago corrected him when he wondered if her father's place in the admiralty board meant she was some sort of noble...but he wouldn't' let it go...and of course he had to tease her when she had switched away her speech unit and she couldn't respond...
Holding Michael's gaze she defiantly leant forward...a small sigh he couldn't hear...and she thrust her straw through the skin of the cake. Then her tongue came up against the familiar tube, the thin muscle folding out and up, nearly circling the entire straw, the forked end of her tongue gripping tightly...before the muscle begun to move as it drew in the food.
A moment later the content within the skin began to trickle into her mouth.
She felt herself sit straighter, blinking with the sensation, a strange tingling at the top of her skull. She had expected something tasting like fruit, most that she ate on the flotilla had that taste after all...and she had gotten that. What she hadn't expected was the...energy in it, the intensity, the...she didn't even have a word for it. It was so strong...so wonderful...she had never tasted the like! It made her throat tingle, her mouth water like never before...made her groan in her mask, fogging the visor for but a moment.
She had to stop, gasping she released the straw with her tongue, feeling her skin prickling with the energizing sensation. A glance up and she realised everyone was looking at her with curiosity...and she couldn't hold back the cry of delight as she waved her hands up in the air: "This is the greatest thing I've ever..." The others looked at each other in confusion, Ashley half-rising in alarm as she looked at Tali's waving arms. "...oh right." She practically tore her food-unit out and pushed back the one for speech. "This thing is great! I...it's great!" Her fingers twitched, already wanting to pick up the food-unit again. "I've never...there's no words!"
"I think that's a 'hats off for the chef'" Kaidan muttered, hands on utensils as he dug into the whitish cake the others but Garrus – who didn't seem to mind – were being served. He shot Ashley a look, as did the others a moment later, the others far less...softly though. Keelah...is it wrong of me to hope for those two to get together?
Ashley smiled widely, her cheeks actually reddening a little as she sat back down and rigidly looked at Tali, no daring to look at any of the others – especially Kaidan or Michael Tali guessed – as she said: "Well I always baked for my sisters during their special occasions...never done one for a Quarian though, was really...weird."
"I can imagine." Tali quickly managed before she found herself sliding the speech-unit out in favour of the food-unit so she could eat again. A moment later the juice of wonder pouring in...and Tali found her right foot tapping the floor even as a small purr escaped the back of her throat, making the blush on her face burn powerful once more.
For a while she couldn't hear, couldn't feel...she could only sip with her eyes closed, body shuddering with the strange sensation rushing into her gullet.
Then a thought. I can't believe others taste things like this all the time...
Her eyes opened, gaze moving to Garrus. As a Turian he too had to eat a food whose proteins had the chirality opposite that of Asari, Krogans and humans... And people never ceased to point out that Turians and Quarians could eat the same food – in fact it was one of the things helping the budding relationship in the movie 'Fleet and Flotilla', a movie that always made Tali's heart ache with equal parts yearning and grief – while missing the point that they never did...
First of all Turians were more or less carnivores, as if Garrus chomping into his piece of meat with both taloned hands and most of his mouth as if it hadn't yet died wasn't enough of a hint, while Quarians in their poor conditions in the Flotilla had adapted to an entirely vegan diet. And then there was the difference with chewing, Tali knew Quarians could chew their food, she had a thin line of sharp teeth after all...but with their suits all food came in liquid shape, which was something Turians by and large disliked.
In fact Turians had more in common with humans...her gaze moved to Michael, watching him bite away great chunks of his own cake with generous appetite, if less Varren-like than Garrus. It was fascinating to watch...the human face was so...square...sharp in its lines...their chewing looking like a mechanical grinding to her eyes...which lingered on his jawline as she watched the corded muscles beneath work as he ate. Maybe it is how Quarians chew too...but it was still amazing to watch.
She had no comparison, but she could compare their drinking, her eyes following Michael's hand reaching down for a glass and bringing it to his lips. Even without a suit Tali was sure a Quarian would be drinking with her tongue, perhaps press the glass against her lips like he so she push an undulating tongue into it, but never tilt it as he did so as to pour it down into his mouth... How do they evade choking? I should read some human biology... Her gaze moved down a bit, watching his the bulge on his throat move as he drank in deep as if in a daze...and felt the blush grow painful. ...or not...yes...better not...
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The party was still going strong an hour later, and Tali felt her blush slowly fade as a feeling of warm...contentment settled over her.
She was leaning back in her chair, speech-unit in since she was full to bursting, yet she didn't speak as she with a small smile on her lips watched the others eat and talk and laugh at the party, at her party... I don't think I've been this happy since...I can't remember a time... She shot Ashley a thankful look, smirking at the way the woman was bending her head as she grinned at a blushing Kaidan.
Liara and Chakwas had somehow roped in Joker in a conversation about historical research of all things, a subject where the pilot was making up for his lack of knowledge with volume and off-topic accusations that stumped Liara while making the other doctor chuckle even as she with a smile reprimanded him.
Meanwhile Garrus and Wrex had begun using a variety of utensils and half-eaten foods to line up different scenarios as they discussed old scenarios they – mostly Wrex – had encountered and how to best solve them. Both warriors grinning as they joked around with this detail or that.
As to Michael...she looked over to him and found him reading a report on that worn electronic reader he always carried around on the Normandy...and sighed with a smile.
"Huh?" The man looked up at the sound, eyes focusing on her somewhat slowly as he placed the reader into his lap. "Sorry, I hope I wasn't being impolite, was just trying to keep myself up to date on Feros..."
Tali chuckled, she couldn't help it. "Of course you were...admirable, but when I relax you should know you can too, if for but an hour." She crossed her arms in front of her, chuckling low as she cocked her head at Michael: "Though I'm not sure I forgive you, you did tease me about the cake and my father after all..."
"Oh right..." The man shrugged and looked away, the attempt at innocence as amusing as it was transparent, then looked back to her, a sudden seriousness in his body: "Actually...I could repay you..." Huh! "...come along."
Suddenly Tali was off her seat, pulled towards a corner of the cargo hold by Michael looking oddly...conflicted.
What is he...Keelah he won't... Tali felt her face flush even before Michael turned to face her, his smile was reassuring, though his stance was still a bit stiff, conflicted. "I've not given you a gift yet."
"Wha-!" Tali spluttered, shaking her head furiously. "You got to be...Michael you gave me data! You've made my pilgrimage a done thing! I can't...it's the greatest gift a Quarian could get! You don't need to give me anything more..." I want it...no...I shouldn't...I...damn it...
Amusement, the man smirking at her. "I got the data by coincidence, copying it for you wasn't even an effort, for you it might mean the world, but for me it feels...insufficient."
"I...wha-" Tali felt her chest tighten, her fingers fiddling with one another nervously. "I don't...understand."
"See it as payment." Michael shrugged, looking over her shoulder to nod at the others still deep in their various conversations, his voice low: "The humans there are all paid by the alliance, Wrex is paid by both me and the Shadow broker, Liara...would never admit it, but wants to see her mother..." For a moment Michael seemed distant, as if seeing something in front of him, then returned with a blink. "...and Garrus is living his dream of doing good things without rules holding him back, they are all getting something out of this."
She hesitated, then muttered: "I get to survive..." She looked up at the giant of a man with a crooked smile she knew he couldn't see.
"Tali." The man shook his head at her, calm amusement beaming down at her. "You could have left for the Flotilla and Saren wouldn't have caught you ages ago, you know this." A shrug. "I realise you do all this for the sake of the galaxy and your people...and love that about you..." Tali's heart nearly jumped out of her chest, making her stumble where she stood. 'About'! He said 'about'! Her mind cried it out even as he heart continued to jump around in her chest. "...but you too should get something out of all you're doing."
And what do you get? She couldn't bring herself to ask it, knowing he'd probably either lie or clam up...instead she shook her head, voice small: "Really, it's not necessary, I already feel overwhelmed as it is and don't really need another..." She looked down at his outstretched hand. "...what the...?"
She couldn't help it, she picked it up. The small computer was the size and shape of a coin, but a mottled brown and covered in the wirings. By the ancestors, what has he done now... She hovered her omni-tool over it, eyebrow coming high at the text scrolling up on its screen.
Michael coughed, his stance awkward: "I know I'm not very good at programming..."
"You're telling me..." She muttered, then looked up with a blush of embarrassment even as she saw Michael smirk at her: "Erm...sorry...spotted a lot of superfluous code..." Her gaze darted down again, unable to look him in the eye. Good...insult the gift...keelah I act like such a fool...wait...is this... "Michael...this is a search program."
"I know, able to find...this." Looking up Tali found Michael holding up a small chain upon which an identical tiny computer hung. He saw her confusion, and shrugged. "Well I don't have much...and you told me Quarians don't really value personal possessions...given that and your dedication to your people...this seemed fitting."
"I...don't understand." Tali breathed, feeling her chest tighten painfully.
"Whenever you and your flotilla enters Citadel space, and Alliance space in particular, and end up having troubles with authorities or whatever..." Michael shrugged, pointing to the computer in Tali's hand. "...you call me." He feigned arrogance. "After all, I am a war-hero, Alliance Commander and Spectre with quite some clout in Citadel space..." And became serious again. "...after all you're doing for us it feels...proper...to be able to do repay you."
"That's...you didn't have to do this..." Tali managed, her throat closing up, feeling as if the ship was listing all of a sudden.
"I know..." The conflict in his stance returned as he turned his head a fraction of an inch, as if waging an internal debate, a moment...and he looked back to her, smiling: "...but I don't exploit my friends, you deserve this, and I...would feel better knowing you're moving back in a place where the problems could be minimized by some assistance." There was a look of...reluctance in his stance: "Where should I drop you off so you can go back to the Flotilla by the way?"
Tali swayed where she stood, chest tight, breath gone, her entire body stiff as a board as she felt wave after wave of gratitude wash over her, the hour of kindness shown on her washing over her like a tidal wave, released by a Michael smashing the dam. Her reply was a choked gasp: "I...won't leave..." A shuddering breath and she managed to steady herself. "...told you...galaxy and many lives at stake...what kind of Quarian would leave?"I could never...
And Michael's stance was full of relief. "Thank you, I'm glad." And he meant it.
It was too much.
The gifts showered over her, the party for her, the kindness...and finally Michael...willing to help the seventeen million Quarians in the Flotilla at her call due to her little bit of help...everything.
It was too much.
A cough escaped her, only for her to realise it was a sob, her lips drawing into a wide grin even as she looked down at her feet. "Keelah I..." Another little sob, happiness permeating her every fibre. "...thank you...I..." A whimper: "I..don't..." She moved her hand up in the gesture she'd seen on so many humans...only for her finger to hit glass as she tried to wipe the tears from her cheeks...it only drew another sob out of her even as she closed her eyes, enjoying the drops on her face as they trickled down.
"Oh...I..." Michael hesitated for a brief moment, then he was close...her visor pressing up against his chest as muscled arms came around her shoulders. The hesitation in his voice turned to a little laugh: "I sure hope you're happy right now..."
Tali held her hands close to her body, afraid to touch the man suddenly so close, her body shaking as he held her...and managed a tiny little nod: "Yes...too happy...Keelah...I'm a mess..."
"Would it help if I shook you around for a bit?"
Tali laughed, unable to help it, snivelling loudly as she felt her self-control slowly return. "Try it and I'll hack your reader..."
A chuckle, rumbling against her body and making her blush as she realised how close she was to him. "Still feisty eh? Good that there's some fight left in you."
"You have no idea..." Tali breathed, forcing her hand to push up against Michael's chest, freeing her from the embarrassing hug even as she drew another shuddering breath. "...I'm okay now...sorry..." And another breath. "...Keelah I'm ridiculous..."
"At least you can get away with it." Ashley suddenly whispered in her ear.
Tali spun in fright...and found Ashley grinning at her even as she glanced up at Michael: "Great, turn her into a wreck will you? She's a fragile girl Michael."
"Duly noted." Michael replied with a sigh, no doubt rolling his eyes at the marine.
Relief...Tali sighed with it as she realised Ashley hadn't caught onto her shame...and felt the happiness return: "Hey there, I still haven't properly thanked-"
"No time." Ashley interrupted with a chuckle, moving to place herself on Tali's left side and pressing the Quarian against Michael's side as the others suddenly trotted up to them, Chakwas carrying a small cylinder of black steel...that she suddenly raised as the others hurried up besides them with small chuckles.
"Say cheese!"
A flash.
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Thanks to Abydos Jackson for not dissolving into a puddle over this chapter. ;-)