"He wants to do what?"
Miranda smirked at Shepard's response, which she'd fully expected. She had just relayed the fact that Joker had sent her a so-called "systems efficiency improvement proposal" earlier in the day, asking that EDI's access to all shipboard systems be locked out, except for monitoring purposes.
She had already briefed Shepard on tomorrow's duty roster and updated him on the progress of various aspects of their mission, and he had been just about to leave when she'd casually mentioned Joker's request.
Shepard was shaking his head at his pilot's continued feud with the Normandy's AI. They were like an old married couple, and EDI seemed to take a gleeful pleasure in the torment.
"Unbelievable," Shepard said, grinning despite his mild annoyance with Joker.
"I know," Miranda replied. "They remind me of those two in Engineering. I swear that if EDI was human, we'd have caught them in... a compromising position by now."
Shepard snorted a laugh, and nodded.
"Well, I'll tell Mr. Moreau at tomorrow morning's meeting that we're not going to be implementing his proposal," Shepard said, walking towards the door of the office.
"I'm not any happier than he is about our every move being watched, but my gut says there'll come a time when we'll be grateful for the redundancy that EDI offers."
The door slid open automatically as he reached it, and Miranda took a few steps forward. Shepard turned back, still with a small grin at Joker's boldness.
"I feel the same way," Miranda said, returning the grin.
"Good," Shepard replied. "I'll see you at the meeting tomorrow."
"Looking forward to it," Miranda replied with a nod, then turned and walked back towards her desk, the office door closing behind her as Shepard set off down the corridor towards the elevator.
Tali stepped from the elevator on deck 3, and paused for a moment. She glanced up the curved corridor which she knew led to Miranda's office, feeling a surge of anxiety.
She couldn't exactly just go and hang around outside the door, much as she'd like to overhear whatever they were talking about.
Not that I could hear anything from inside anyway, she thought.
The constant low hum of the Normandy's engines, coupled with the muffling effect of the stealth system and the fact that all doors also functioned as emergency bulkheads, made each room virtually soundproof. She frowned in annoyance.
After a moment, she took a few steps up the corridor, the left side of Miranda's office door just coming into view around the curved passageway. The door was closed, as expected. They were clearly still talking.
How long should I wait here before-
The thought was never finished, as the office door suddenly began to open, and Tali ducked a few meters back along the corridor and out of sight.
She peered out after a few seconds, seeing Shepard now standing just outside the office, looking back at Miranda who stood on the other side of the doorway. Both were smiling at each other. She felt an unpleasant jab of envy, and strained to listen.
"I feel the same way," Miranda said, still smiling at Shepard.
"Good," Shepard replied. "I'll see you at the meeting tomorrow."
"Looking forward to it," Miranda replied, then turned and walked out of sight, the door closing behind her.
Shepard turned and began walking towards the corridor.
Tali turned, feeling tears on her cheeks, and quietly ran back towards the elevator and past it, along the opposite curved corridor towards the medical bay.
Shepard reached the elevator, waited for the doors to open, and stepped inside, pressing the panel for deck 2.
"Efficiency improvement proposal," he muttered to himself, unable to suppress a rueful grin.
Tali huddled against the smooth, polished titanium wall of the corridor, her arms clasped to her chest.
"I feel the same way" she thought. That was what Miranda had said. The other woman had seemed happy, too.
I waited too long. I should have told him before. I should have...
Had anyone been walking down the corridor from the medical bay, they might have heard a small sob briefly echo along it. But at this hour, as far as anyone knew, the corridor was deserted.