It had been 2 weeks since the final battle, and only now was Shepard being discharged from an Alliance medbay, he hated being confined to them and had spent enough time in them to last a life time, or in Shepards case, two.
"Are we nearly done here Dr. Chakwas?" Shepard asked impatiently "Got someone I need to see." He shifted restlessly while Dr. Chakwas checked him over.
"And would that someone be a certain Miss Vas Normandy?" Chakwas asked smiling, "I understand you wanting to see her, being kept apart for the past 2 weeks while you were treated, but we are nearly done here commander."
"Two long weeks" thought Shepard to himself, and he had seen everyone but Tali. She had to stay in a sterile ward till the infections she had recieved from her injury had cleared up.
"Ok commander we are nearly done here, I do have something I wanted to show you first" Chakwas passed a data pad over to Shepard. "Is that the boy you told me about?"
Shepard studied the files, one of them was a holo picture of the boy from his dreams. "That's him.. do we know what happened to him?"
Dr. Chakwas sighed, "I'm sorry Shepard, his body was recovered from a downed shuttle."
"Do you have an idea why I might of kept seeing him in my dreams?" Shepard asked, feeling sorry for the boy.
"Well, I'm no psychologist. But I can speculate from what you have told me, my guess would be he was a psychological manifestation used by Harbinger to represent you're guilt and inability to save everyone, to help in breaking your will." Chakwas paused realising she may of hit a nerve. "I'm sorry Shepard."
"It's ok Doc, don't worry about it, and thanks for finding out for me."
"It's the least I could do" She said as she finished entering data in Shepards medical file "Ok I won't keep you any longer, go to her." She added with a smile.
"Thanks Doc" Shepard didn't need telling twice, he grabbed his jacket and headed down the corridor to where Tali's ward was located, as he passed people they saluted him. Nearly everyone did it now whenever they saw him, they saw him as a hero and thier saviour. It made him feel slightly uneasy but atleast he wasn't the only one getting this treatment, most of his team was and like him they felt uneasy. "Well except Joker" He thought to himself, he purposely walked people twice to make them salute.
As he reached Talis ward he stepped into the decontamination unit that connected the corridor to the ward. The door sealed behind him and the decontamination cycle started, he was looking forward to seeing Tali again, even although she was closeby, it pained him that he was unable to visit her and make sure she was getting on ok.
The door to Talis ward opened as the decontamination cycle ended, he stepped through to see her laying on her side. He walked over to her bed and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Sleeping on the job Miss Vas Normandy? I may have to send you to the captains quarters." Shepard smirked as she stirred from her sleep.
"You bosh'tet.. I was having a lovely dream.." Tali grumbled as she turned to face her visitor. "Oh Shepard!.. sorry I was abit out of it.. still running abit a fever... sorry."
Shepard smirked, "That's ok Tali, so how's my little Quarian doing?" Sitting on the bed next to Tali.
Tali moved over and rested her head against Shepard. "Well.. apart from the fever, all the infections have cleared up.. still ache in some areas..." She paused and then said in her seductive tone "but was thinking.. maybe you could help with that later.."
Shepard laughed, "Well im off-duty for awhile so I'm sure we could arrange something"
"I look forward to it.. And how are you feeling? You sleeping better?"
"Much better, stopped waking up in cold sweats, and a few more scars to add to my collection" Shepard chuckled "Although Dr. Chakwas warned me that if she see's me in medbay one more time she'll give my models to Joker."
"Ha! Oh no, not your toys... lucky no one told the Reapers of your biggest weakness.." Tali teased.
"There not toys!"
"Oh really, then why have I seen you flying them around in your hand?"
"That was!... tactical space combat.. analysis." Shepard said, slightly embarrassed.
"Whatever you say.. Commander" She said playfully. She cuddled up to Shepard close as he put her arm around her.
"Did they say how long you have to stay here for?"
"Well.. I think.. actually I can leave tomorrow."
Before Shepard could speak he heard the hiss of the decontamination unit. "I think you got a visitor Tali"
The door opened, it was Admiral Hackett. Tali let Shepard go so he could greet the admiral.
"Admiral." Shepard said, saluting him.
Hackett saluted in return "Shepard. At ease. Chakwas told me I could find you here. I'm sorry to intrude Tali"
"That's ok Admiral.. I imagine you have alot to talk about" Tali replied
"What can I do for you Admiral?" Shepard asked "Did you get my mission debriefing?"
"Keelah Shepard.. you was meant to be resting! Don't tell me you spent that time filling out reports? Tali enquired in a annoyed tone.
"Sorry Tali, the boredom was driving my crazy" Shepard said while shrugging. Tali shaked her head at him.
"Yes I got it, it was a intresting read to say the least. But that's not why I'm here, felt I should warn you. You and the rest of your crew are expected to give a speech next week at the victory ceremony, you and the crew will be honored guests." Hackett sighed. "Bad timing if you ask me, what with all the racial tension that's building up."
"Tension? Why?" Shepard asked taken aback. "You'd think most would be pleased they saved the galaxy."
"You'd think so, but with the mass relays out of action.. the fleets are stranded here, people can't get home."
"Out of action? How so?"
"Well, I'm not sure how excatly, we managed to piece some information together from witnesses from the fleet and comm messages from other worlds. But when the crucible fired, it used the mass relays to spread the wave across the galaxy, but in doing so it drained the relays of thier power source. We've had ships of engineers working around the clock with the Sol relay, trying to find a way to reactive it. But so far we've had no luck." Hackett summed up in a defeated voice.
Silence fell in the room, Shepard took in everything that was said and paced the room while he thought. Something was bugging him in the back of his mind, something the boy had said. He pulled out the data pad Chakwas had gave him on the boy, a gift.
"Reaper cores" He said to himself, both Tali and Hackett looked at him puzzled. Shepard turned to look at them, "I'm sorry Admiral, I forgot something in my mission report. Something I was told by the Reaper subconscious, Reaper cores have enough energy to reboot a mass relay!"
"Are you sure Shepard"
"Positive Admiral." Shepard smiled.
"Well I best get that information passed on right away, thank you commander" Hackett saluted and left after Shepard returned the gesture.
"Forgetting things in your reports commander, sign on you getting old." Tali teased as she got out of the bed.
"Don't remind me.. least guess that means we can look forward to the ceremony" Shepard sighed.
"Keelah.. don't remind me.." She said as she walked towards to the door. "I'm.. not very good with crowds.. don't think I could do it." She accessed the door controls and locked the door. "I may.. need abit of a confidence boost.." She turned round to look at Shepard "Any ideas?" She asked in her seductive voice, that voice that made Shepard feel warm inside and put a smile on his face.
"Well I do have some ideas, would love to run some of them through with you." Smirked Shepard.
"Oh, most definitely.." She took of her mask and place it on the side, her hands moved behind her head and she unfastened her hood and neck brace, letting them fall to the floor. She continued to remove section after section of her suit as she moved slowly towards Shepard, her hips swaying hypnotically. By the time she had got to Shepard she was completely topless, she kissed him softly then pushed him to sit down on the bed.
"Miss Tali'Zorah, are you trying to take advantage of your sick poorly commander?" Shepard teased back and kissed her, his hands moving over her body.
"Well.. along as you dont add this in your mission report" Tali said playfully, she pushed him down onto his back and straddled him "So whos the little Quarian now?" She giggled "Now.. get the rest of this suit of me.."
. . .
In the early hours of the next morning, while Tali laied curled up in Shepards arms. A bright shot of light illuminated the night's sky for a brief second as the Sol relay kicked back into life.