Shepards world froze as Talis lips brushed against his, he was holding her up against the wall pressing against her shoulders. He felt himself wanting to kiss her back but he knew he couldn't let himself give in to this, no matter how much he wanted, yet for some reason, maybe it was the amount of drink he had or maybe it was a deeper desire but he still found himself taking the time to enjoy the kiss while slowly loosening his grip.
Tali broke away from the kiss slowly and peered into his eyes, she could she the reflection of her eyes in his, they were a deep blue, yet unusally dim. But she didn't care what it meant, she had way more important things on her mind. She moved in and kissed Shepard passionately, their lips opened up and their tongues danced together. She felt Shepards hands move down from her shoulders and onto the tight outline of where her breasts were under the suit, she moaned softly as she felt him apply pressure to them. She hooked one of her legs up around his waist, her arms moving up and around his neck, pulling herself up onto him and wrapping her other leg around him as his hands moved to support her weight.
Shepard pulled away from the kissing as he carried Tali towards and into the room she had been using, his mind was racing, he knew this was wrong, yet at the same time it felt so right. For the moment he could pretend nothing had happened and that they were back to how they used to be, something he had been wishing every moment of every day since she had been stolen from him. He cleared the surface of a dresser that was near the door, brushing everything to the floor as sat her on it, she released him from her grip as he moved to close the door. Her hands moved to her neck where she unfastened the rest of her hood and removed it along with her neck brace, allowing her hair to tumble out onto her shoulders.
Shepard turned to look at her after the door was locked, as he watched he noticed her new suit had more changes from her old one then just the colour. Unlike her old one where each segment had to be removed individually, this one was allowing Tali to remove entire portions of her suit in one go. He moved back towards her as the last upper part of her suit fell to the floor.
"So.. what actually did you.. plan to do with me once you had me apprehended?" Tali asked Shepard seductively as he stood before her.
"To bind you and take you into custody.." Shepard asked, speaking honestly.
"Well... you bosh'tet..." She pulled him close and nipped his neck. "I may... let you bind me.."
Shepards hands moved over body and he kissed her, caressing her bare skin and breasts. Tali stretched her body and arched her back as his mouth moved down from her lips and over her neck, then her chest and breasts. She let out as small moan as her hands gripped his head slightly, holding him close. Her mind and body was a battlefield of emotions, it felt like she was waging war against herself on the inside and she had no idea why, she felt so confused, all she knew was what the loudest voice was telling her, she wanted this more then anything as she let out another moan.
She felt his arms and body move to scoop hers up, she tightened her arms around him as he picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. He laied her out down on the bed then stood at the foot of it.
"If you even consider... wearing that armour to bed..." She said while her breathing got heavier. His only reply was a smile as he began to remove it, her hands moved to her waist where she undid a series of clips, the leggings of her suit then split down the sides. She slowly slid her legs out and with a flick, kicked off her boots.
Her body shivered with anticipation, Shepard was now fully undressed and had moved over her. His skin and brushing against her body, they shared a long passionate kiss, she wrapped her legs around his waist. "Yes.. definitely want this..." She thought to herself as she pulled him in close with her legs, she cried out in ecstasy, arching her body towards him as they become one.
. . . . .
Shepard was fast asleep as Tali laied there looking at him, "What have I done... Whats wrong with me?" She asked herself, she slipped out of the bed and started to put her suit back on. The thrill of the last few hours had started to fade away and instead she was left with an immense amount of confusion. Her feelings for the man next to her were divided, half of her hated him and believed him to be her enemy. The other half believed the complete opposite, she sighed, she had to get away and think. She had finished putting most of her suit on when she saw a pistol laying on the floor, she bend down to pick it up then slowly aimed it at Shepard. "I could end it now." She told herself, but the confusion and the war going on inside her was keeping her from making a choice either way. She let out another sigh then holstered the gun as she headed out the room, she gave him one last backwards glance and smiled.
Shepard felt a chill rundown his spine, a cold breeze had entered the room. He woke up and turned over in the bed, laying his arm across the other side, only to feel a empty space. He sat up fast, a painful ache spread throughout his head, he looked around the room. Tali had gone.
. . . . .
Shepard had been back on Earth for a few days and was just finishing up a debriefing with Rear Admiral Price.
"So the Omega system? I'll dispatch the First fleet there to watch the relays and see if we catch anything passing through." Price said.
"Sir if that Dreadnought does turn up, it will need more then a single fleet to take out." Shepard replied.
"I agree, but I cant send all our forces and leave the core Alliance worlds unguarded on a whim. But they can still disrupt Cerberus operations that may pass through." Price paused. "Did you find the shooter?"
"No sir." Shepard lied. "They had escaped by the time I got there."
A knock came at Price's door followed by Garrus entering the room. "You wished to see me Price?"
"Ah Garrus yes. You can stay for this if you like Shepard, I'm sure Garrus wouldn't mind. I've had a message from Palaven, they are requesting your presence."
"What? Why?" Garrus asked.
"From what they told me, Primarch Victus has been taken ill and is unfit for duty. So they are looking for his successor"
"No, no way!" Garrus said in a shocked tone.
"Oh I told you this day would come! Primarch..." Shepard began to laugh.
"Dont you even finish that sentence Shepard." Replying in an unamused tone.
"I'm sorry Primarch."
"Oh you bastard."
Price couldn't help but chuckle, it was good to see people be able to try have a laugh even when situations elsewhere seemed dire. "Right well, there's a Turian cruiser in orbit ready to take you, and i'll have that fleet sent to Omega right away."
"Yes sir." They had both replied as they headed out, they didnt get far before Garrus stopped and turned to Shepard.
"Shepard, whatever happens on Palaven, remember. Vakarian always has your back."
"I know Garrus, and thank you. You've always been a good friend, you've been there all the way"
"Well someone needs to make up for your poor aim." They both laughed. "Come on, lets hit the bar one last time, Im buying."
. . . . .
A Geth mining transport was heading towards the mass relay, it was part of a small convoy heading towards Rannoch that was transporting raw ore, which would be used to help build homes for the Quarians. A large anomaly had just been detected ahead of the convoy which had just entered the system, one by one, the other transports started to go dark untill it was the only transport left. It had a split second to send a distress signal before a explosion ripped through the ship, destroying it.
"This is like shooting fish in a barrel." Laughed a Cerberus officer, sitting at a console on the bridge of the Dreadnought. The Dark Energy Dreadnought had just entered the Dholen system, the near complete ship had been brought here for a field test of the weapon systems before it could be completed.
The Illusive Man was sitting in the command chair in the middle of the bridge. "This will be a fitting test, it was here that the true potential of this weapon was uncovered, and it's here it's full potential will be tried." He paused as he lit a new cigarette and had a smoke. "Tali'Zorah, start pre-firing preparations."
"Yes sir." She turned to look at the console she was standing infront of and started to type commands into it. An alarm started to sound and a VI voice spoke over the intercom.
"Pre-firing preparations ares in effect. Stage 1 is comencing. Platforms too and from the bridge will enter lockdown after they have reached there final destination." The VI stated.
Tali looked behind, she watched as the bridge doors opened and two technicians hurried off the platform, one of them headed to a terminal by the door and locked it down.
"Stage 1 is complete, bridge and mobile platforms have been locked down." The VI said. Tali looked back down at her console and typed in more commands. She felt the bridge move under her. "Stage 2 is underway. Bridge relocating to observational position."
There was a loud grinding noise that moved from the back of the bridge and to slowly under them as the bridge was raised above the bulk of the ship. When it came to a halt, there was a loud hiss followed by the VIs voice.
"Stage 2 is complete. Pre-firing preparations have been completed."
The Illusive Man took another smoke. "Power up the Dark Energy Cannon."
Operative and Tali both nodded at him and worked at their stations, red lights lit up over 12 consoles, 6 on the left and 6 on the right. The Cerberus officers at those console began working away, 1 by 1 the lights started to go green. "Dark energy generator 4 online." One said after her light turned green, "Dark energy generator 11 online." Spoke another officer.
"All Dark Energy generators are online. Dark Energy Cannon is primmed." Came the VIs voice.
"Opening cannon bulk head doors, acquiring target" Operative said as a large view screen came up of Dholens system star.
"Bringing dark energy shield barrier emitters online." Tali spoke in a fast tone.
There was a pause, the only sound came from the alarms still sounding as The Illusive Man took a moment to smoke. "Fire."
Operative entered the command. They all watched up at the view screen as they felt a deep rumble approach from the rear of the ship, they felt it pass under them. A paused followed. Then a intense dark violet beam impacted the star on the view screen. The effects were immediately apparent as the star began to swell, it crackled with the effects of dark energy, bright violet solar flares erupted from the skin of the sun. As the star swelled it changed from an intense yellow to a deep orange, within seconds the star was already twenty times larger. They watched as the first planet, Gotha, was consumed by the growing star. Violet cracks started to appear and spread fast as the star stopped swelling, then without warning, the star went supernova.
A blinding wave of energy sped throughout the system in all directions, Charoum was ripped to shreads as the wave passed through it. Tali looked on, feeling a great deal of pain and sadness as Haestrom then vaporised before her eyes.
"All hands brace for impact in, 5... 4... 3... 2... 1." Came the VIs voice.
Then the wave hit them. The dreadnought vibrated viciously knocking alot of the bridge crew off their feet, a console blew killing its operator. "Shields down to 70%... 55%... 30%... 22%... 21%... Shields holding at 21%." The VI said.
"The wave has passed, the ship was largely unaffected, some systems have taken minor damage." Operative said as she checked system data.
"Mass relay seems to be undamaged also." Tali added.
"Good, then I would say this test has been a success. Tali'Zorah, work on ways to strengthen the shields. Operative, take us back to Omega." He smiled to himself as he took another smoke, looking on at the devastation.
. . . . .
"Shepard." Came Prices voice over the intercom in Shepards room.
He walked over to it. "Price? Is there something I can do for you sir?" Shepard replied.
"A Geth transport sent a distress call not too long ago, it came from the Dholen system. I believe you've had recent encounters there, so I'd like you and your team to go with the SSV Trafalgar and scout the system. You'll be the commanding officer onboard, it will be leaving in 30 minutes."
"Yes sir, i'll be right there."
. . . . .
Joker was at the helm of the Trafalgar, Liara was sitting in the co-pilots seat and Shepard was standing behind them both.
Joker broke the silence which was a shock to Shepard, they had barely spoken since EDI's death. "Do you think it could be Cerberus again commander?"
"Hmm, I'm not sure what intrest Cerberus could still have with the Dholen system. But it does seem likely." He replied, happy for the silence to be broken.
"Ok were entering the system now and... Holy shit..." He nearly fell out of his chair.
"By the goddess..." Liara gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth.
Shepard was speechless, he looked at the view screen. The system was gone, its star, the planets. Only two things were left in the system, a supernova remnant which lit up the system in a varity of colours and at the heart of it was a tiny white neutron star. It was a beautiful sight, but it was also a sight that filling him with dread because it could mean only one thing. The Dark Energy Dreadnought had been finished.
It took a few minutes for Joker to notice they had an incoming message "Patching it through" he said.
"Shepard, we've had a priority one message from the First fleet. They have engaged the Dark Energy Dreadnought." Price stated in a concerned tone.
. . . . .
The SSV Hawking the new flagship of the First fleet, it was doing its patrol of the Omega system, the carrier class ship flew at the centre of a defensive formation, frigates and cruisers littered the area around it. Admiral Fisher was the commanding officer of both the Hawking and the First fleet.
"Sir?" Came one of the officers on the bridge.
"Yes lieutenant?" Replied Fisher.
"We have something on scanners, it just entered the system.. its big." The lieutenant brought it up on the view screen. "Sir the VI is registering it as a Priority One!"
"Battlestations everyone!" An alarm started to sound as he activated a comm's device. "This is Admiral Fisher to the First Fleet, Priority One has entered the system. Engage at will! I repeat, engage at will!" He then turned to the lieutenant, "Send a message to the Alliance, tell them we have engaged the Dreadnought."
Fighters poured out of the hangers of the Hawking and took point ahead of the fleet, leading the assault on the dreadnought with the cruisers and frigates in tow. A barrage of firepower came from the first fleet, blasts from Thanix cannons and torpedos lit up the area around the dreadnought, covering it in a bright blue aura.
"Sir it's barely being phased! Its ignoring the attacks and heading straight for the Omega-4 relay." The lieutenant said.
"I'm not detecting any weapons fire coming from the dreadnought, and the ship seems to have have sustained previous damage. The weapon systems could be down." Another officer spoke up.
The dreadnought came within range of the relay then sped off towards the core. The First fleet broke from the chase.
"All ships, bring the IFFs online, we won't let him run and hide." Fisher broadcasted to the fleet, and with that the fleet followed through the mass relay.
The Hawking was the last to enter the galactic core, Fisher found the fleet in disarray as some ships were ripped apart by the gravitational pull of the black hole, others headed straight for it. The Hawking started to buckle under the pull of the black hole and headed on a direct course for the heart of it.
"All systems offline! Were heading straight for the black hole! The IFF didn't work!" cried out the lieutenant. The bridge crew were frantically trying to regain control of the ship but Fisher knew it was no use and sent out his last message.
"This is the SSV Hawking to Alliance Command, First fleet has been lost, the IFFs don't work any longer! Do not send any ships through the Omega-4 relay! I repeat, do not use the Omega-4 relay!"