Kal had volunteered to help with the unloading of the resources brought back on the mining tugs from the planet Capek in the Neema's main hanger bay, hoping a little physical work would ease his the pain of his scarred mind. He had already tried sleeping, but everytime he closed his eyes the screaming, the visions of his dying marines all around him, they always returned.
He finished stacking the last of the metal crates unloaded from the mining tug and cocked his head left and right as he stretched out his arms to relieve the stiffness in his muscles. His omni-tool began to beep and he quickly summoned it to read the holographic message. His eyes widened as he raised his brows at the sudden shock of the message. Tali and Shepard...bonding? As far as he knew their relationship had only endured a few weeks and they have already chosen to join each other forever? A whirlwind relationship indeed, as the old human saying goes.
He began reading the last paragraph which stated his invitation to the ceremony this afternoon. A little soon, but for them he would make the time. The loading crew was overstaffed as it was. Perhaps he would speak with them directly to see if he could assist in the preparations for the ceremony. It would be a nice change of pace from the strain the heavy lifting was putting on his shoulders.
Leaving the hanger bay, he began walking down the main corridor to elevators that would take him to the upper decks. Along the way he stopped to stare outside a large observation window. He stared out at the distant planet, the mining tugs sailing through space back and forth from the ship to the planet. One bright star stood out among the others. He wasn't familiar with it but it brought back memories of the stories he had heard as a child. Stories past down from generation to generation of Quarian families, stories of their home, Rannoch.
Every Quarian knew the coordinates of their home star. It was something their parents taught them to give them a small piece of home. To every Quarian, where they came from is most important in their lives. But what about where they are going, he thought. Has any Quarian ever thought about how still, after 300 years, they are trapped in prisons they so humorously call suits? That they are too comfortable living aboard a fleet in space? If they were ever going to return home, they need to change their way of thinking first. Even he had no hope of that ever coming to pass. Being in the Migrant fleet marines, he had seen the worst and the worst of the worst the galaxy had to offer. It seemed in the end they were all doomed to...
"Beautiful isn't it?"
Feeling as if someone had taken a stun-stick to his head, he quickly turned to see a female Quarian clad in a dark, reddish-brown suit; her accent heavy but soft spoken. She didn't look back at him. She just stood there, gazing out the window with her hands laced together in front of her.
"Beautiful?" He replied quizzically.
"The stars. Don't they just look marvelous in this system?" She spoke softly.
"I suppose they do..." he answered, letting the silence resume.
"Do you ever wonder what they look like in veil? I imagine words cannot describe it." Kal held his tongue in silence as he stared out the view port, just letting her talk to herself.
"Maybe we'll live to see it in our lifetime..." Once again finding himself glancing at the stranger, Kal had an odd feeling that he had seen her somewhere before. But from where still eluded him. Not feeling motivated to comb his memories for the answer, he just stood silently and hoped she would eventually depart. After all, he wasn't in a very sociable mood.
Seconds turned into minutes with Kal continually peaking over to see if she had left but she just stood there like a manikin. His patience began to wear thin. He was slightly startled when he heard a giggle from the woman. He couldn't keep himself silent any longer.
"Something funny?" He asked plainly.
"So you can speak more than five words?" she replied, the grin behind her visor clear in her voice.
"I'm sorry, is there something you need ma'am?" He felt surprised he was able to use the term "ma'am" despite how irritable he was.
"Pardon me Mr. Reegar." Turning to him, she bowed and said, "Dr. Elan'Shiya vas Rayya. Pleased to make your aqaintance."
It finally hit him like debris from a Geth to the face. "You were at Tali'Zorah's trial...yeah...your some kind of shrink or something aren't you?"
"Psychiatrist is the professional term, but yes." replied Elan.
"But that doesn't explain how you know my name, or why you've been hounding me for the last five minutes." said the sullen Kal'Reegar.
"Forgive me, I merely wished to observe your social behavior. It is my duty after all." Social behavior? What was she after?
"And what exactly did you learn from your observation, ma'am."
"Your body language combined with your obvious irritability tells me you are either burdened...or just a rude bosh'tet. Regardless, I've been ordered by Admiral Han'Gerrel to evaluate your psychologal health." She stated.
Kal felt like a cornered animal fighting for its life. A psychological evaluation? Someone had to have put the admiral up to this...Vel...
Before storming off, he replied, "I guess you made the trip from the Rayya for nothing then ma'am. I'm perfectly fine."
Crossing her arms, the doctor watched the stubborn marine shove his way past the other quarians as he disappeared entering the next corridor. Shaking her head, she summoned her omni-tool and spoke quietly, "Avoidance along with extreme irritability when socialized with. Deep personal issues clear. Will continue to observe. Though this one may prove to be more of a challenge then the young Veetor'Nara..."
"Taste like Vorcha's piss..." Zaeed had been spending most of his time in the mess hall of the Neema. He had been sampling variations of Quarian wine only to be disappointed with disgust as he tasted each one. If it weren't for the mask that covered his mouth from ear to ear to prevent aerial contamination, he would have spat the vile liquid onto the table. He had yet to receive an update from the estranged Aranya on her supposed lead on Vido's location and he had grown impatient. She had better deliver results by the end of the day or else pray that he's too drunk to point a gun at her face.
As he took another sip of the foul liquor, something appeared in the corner of his eye; a tiny figure. He glanced over to be greeted by a small quarian child standing beside the edge of the table. From his perspective, the little girl appeared to be no older than eleven to twelve years of age. The fact that she wore a suit only supported his theory. The child didn't make any movements even after he locked eyes with her. She stared at him intently with her head cocked to the side and her arms laced in her lap.
"Why does one side of your face look different than the other?" The innocent girl asked, a curious expression on her face.
Of all things she just had to ask about the shot side of his face. Taking in a breath, he replied simply, "Because."
"Because what?" she inquired further, worsening his impatience.
"Because it just does." He replied.
"Because it just does what?"
"There is no what! It just does!" He said, nearly scolding her.
Barely phased by his outburst, the child paused for a moment. "...Because...what?"
Zaeed rubbed his forehead and rolled his eyes back, utterly annoyed by the curious, yet obnoxious little quarian. "Listen kid, normally I'm not a very decent bloak to be around, but you're really testing my limit!"
"Ivoni!" The little girl turned to the older female quarian calling her name. "Leave the human alone honey. He's really busy right now."
"Coming mother!" The child replied. Turning back to the strange human she said timidly, "Bye Mr. human." She then turned and skipped over to her mother who took her by the hand gingerly and lead her out of the mess area.
Zaeed sighed heavily in relief that the annoying brat, as he put it, had finally left him alone. He burried his face in his hands when he suddenly felt an elbow on his shoulder.
Resting her chin in the palm of her hand, Aranya said sarcastically with a smile, "You're so good with children!"
Shaking her arm off his shoulder he replied with, "Atleast they don't die around me." Upon these words, Aranya's expression turned to shame as she averted her eyes. Now he wished he had chosen his words better. "My bad darlin...so, hear from that contact of yours?"
Aranya noticeably regained composure. "Y-Yeah, my contact, a Salarian named Ish, says he's got what we want. There's a catch though, he wants 10,000 creds in 24 hours or he's passing it on to the next client. He'll be waiting for us on Omega."
"Then what the hell are we waiting for." Said the battered mercenary as he stood up. "Let's move." Zaeed proceeeded to follow her out of the mess area. Finally, he thought, they've caught up with him. Well, as long as her contact turns out to be legit. Before stepping through the door into the long corridor, a thought struck him in the back of the head. Shepard's wedding. Killing Vido was his top priority, but would he really understand if he left to pursue his course of vengeance?
"Hey!" Aranya called, "last time I looked you were shot in the head not the leg. Get moving!"
Glancing back one last time at the mess area, he whispered to himself, "Sorry Shepard..."
"OK, now—Shepard, no it goes like—oh! Just stop for a minute." Said the flustered quarian bride as she snatched his hands and set them in his lap. Sighing heavily she added, "This would be so much easier if it weren't for those two extra, uneeded fingers."
As part of the bonding ceremony, Tali had been teaching him how to say the necessary vows in quarian sigh-language. They had both been sitting on the bed in their assigned quarters for nearly an hour and the frustration was beginning to eat at her. Shepard was working to the best of his abilities to try to master each sign but found it difficult to master being that the language was meant for quarian hands. Nevertheless, he perservered. Otherwise Shala would surely follow up on her threat to castrate him should he cause her niece any humiliation at the "alter."
"Well I'm sorry the hands that so generously message your shoulders aren't good enough for you." He replied sercastically, though it came out sounding more like a tease. "I might remember this the next time you have...leg cramps."
"Oh really..." came her suductive tone with an everpresent smirk on her lips. "Then I guess I'll remember that the next time you have a craving..." She placed her hands on her hips and sensually rubed them. "For this..."
"That is totally unfair." He said using his sad puppy face to express his sarcasm.
"I know. It's the advantage of being...warm?" She paused trying to recall the human slang.
"You mean hot." Came his reply followed by a chuckle.
Tali giggled. "Your human terms are so dirty. But I think I'm beginning to like them."
Shepard smiled as he watched his beautiful bride cock her head to the side and lock eyes with him. It seemed she just got cuter with each passing day. She'd come so far from the over selfless, shy, and burdened individual she used to be and he was more than glad to see her opening up and revealing her buried feminine nature.
Sighing once again, this time with a smile on her face, she submitted, "We'll take a break for a few minutes. In the meantime you should speak with Garrus. You still need a witness for the ceremony."
Shepard was taken aback. He had almost forgotten about his need for a best man. He felt thankful for having such an intelligent bride to remind him. "You're right. He should still be down in fire control on the Normandy. I'll go have a talk with him."
Leaning in closely, he taped his forehead to her visor whispering, "Stay beautiful for me in the meantime?"
"For you? Of course..." came her quiet, soft reply. That said, he departed and embarked on his journey back to the Normandy.
When exiting the quarters, he caught sight of a familiar quarian clad in a red, armored envirosuit. Kal'Reegar waved at him as he approached.
"Captain." He greeted the human with a nod. "I was hoping I could talk with you."
"Sure Kal. I'm on my way to the Normandy. Up for a walk?" Kal responded with another nod and the two began to walk side by side. "So how have you been Kal?"
"I've been better. Still having trouble sleeping. What about you and Tali? I was hoping I could help with the ceremonial preparations." Said Kal.
"Admiral Raan seems intent on setting up the chibang single handedly. You'll have to take it up with her." There was a brief pause. "...Though somehow I feel that wasn't what you wanted to discuss with me..."
"Actually, Captain, we never did get around to discussing what happened on Ilos; with the Geth I mean." Taking a more stern tone he said, "Why did they not kill us when they had the chance? And what, or who is Legion?"
Shepard stopped dead in his tracks and sunk his head. How was he going to explain the details to a quarian marine with such hatred towards the synthetics he was cooperated with. To tell him that he is—was working with the Geth. If he were to leak the information to the Admiralty board, it could have negative repercussions with his plan to steer the Migrant fleet to aid in the coming Reaper war or worse, his marriage with Tali. Every bone, brain cell, even his very soul told him to stall; make an excuse. But he witnessed with his own eyes, the death of Reegar's squad by the hands of the now Reaper controlled Geth maybe even the entire collective itself. He owed him the truth no matter the consequence.
He took it a deep breath and straightened his stance as he turned to the expectant quarian marine; checking his surroundings as well to make sure there were no onlookers. "Please try to understand what I'm about to tell you Reegar. I promise you—no, I promise your entire race I had the best of intentions..."
Kal was surprised. Perhaps the situation was more complex than he orriginally thought. Shepard continued, "A few weeks ago I came in contact with a single Geth platform. It was inactive and intact so I made the choice to bring it aboard the Normandy for interrogation. But what I learned from it was something entirely different. The platform spoke to me. It told me that the Geth beyond the veil are actually a entirely separate faction from the original collective. These 'heretics', as it called them, were the ones responsible for the attack on the Citadel..."
Reegar was stuned by this information. He reamined silent though, so Shepard continued. "Furthermore, it told me that the Geth collective wish to aid me in the coming war against the Reapers. That day it became part of my crew. That is, until it was...possessed by Reaper energy. And you know the rest..."
Reegar placed one hand over his visor and paced back and forth nervously shaking his head. "Kal, I know this is a lot to take in-"
"Take in?" He interrupted. "You know how I—how my people feel about the Geth and you want to work with them? How does Tali feel about this!"
"She wasn't happy but she accepted it as much as I did." He replied. "Listen Kal, what I've just told you has to remain between us. You know what the consequences could be if anyone found out. Especially the board."
"For your sake I hope your 'intentions' were well worth it..." Kal turned and began to walk in the opposite direction. "Captain..."
Shepard just watched as Kal dissapeared around a corner. Whether he planned on telling the board or not remained elusive. He could only trust that he understood what he was trying to do. For the good of the quarian race, and the entire galaxy. He continued on his way to the Normandy, wondering whether he made the right choice to trust this information to one such as Kal. No matter what he told himself would not ease his conscience. Damn. He could have atleast waited until after the ceremony. Coming around a corner into the next corridor, he heard the faint sound of clanking metal causing him to turn and scan the corridor for any sign of life. Finding none, he resumed his pace, unaware of the pair or silver eyes peering around a corner.
Vel'Lara vas Rayya, feeling both nervous for eavesdropping, and shocked at the information she overheard, breathed heavily as she slide into a sitting position on the wall of the corridor. This man this...human she had heard such honor about, had been working with the Geth? The words echoed through her mind. She felt so conflicted. Should she tell someone? Alert the Admirals? It was overwhelming. Perhaps she should burry it for now. She didn't know who to talk to other than Kal. But she didn't want him to know she was spying on them. No. The best thing to do for now, as the humans say, would be to keep a "low profile."