Chapter 23: Tali'Zorah nar Rayya

Tali'Zorah nar Rayya was on her pilgrimage away from the flotilla. She had plans to work on a colony world working on reparing ship engines, but the admiralty board wanted her and Keenah to investigate a ship that passed through the Perseus Veil out of Geth territory.

The two found the ship and found crew had numerous deactivated geth units. They went to work stopping the crew from what they were planning. Taking anything on their data base they left for the Citadel. While on their way they discovered that the group they encountered were called Cerberus and that they were bringing them to a facility on Aite.

When they got to the Citadel, they tried to report what they found to c-sec, but were turned away a turian officer. They tried going to the council directly but were told that the wait time would be around 7 months.

Making plans to head back to the migrant fleet when a human with a sword attacked them. In the ensuing fight Keenah was killed while Tali made her escape. She was severely wounded.

After being treated by a female doctor, she made her way to an agent of the Shadow Broker to arrange a meeting with him. The agent set it up in an undisclosed ally near on one of the markets in the wards, so here she was tensely staring at a turian and two salarians. 'Something isn't right about this.'

"So do you have data?" The turian asked in a sleazy, slightly threatening tone.

"Where is the Shadow Broker?" She asked apprehensively.

"He will be here." The Turian said menacingly. "Do you have the data?"

Tali noticed the Salarians start to approach. "The deals off." She told them walking away.

She kept her eyes on the three and was able to react when one of the Salarians pull out a pistol, so Tali overloaded him and was about to run when she heard gun fire. Upon facing the direction of the gun fire, she saw that it came from a sight you don't see every day. A krogan in red armor, a female human in a c-sec uniform, and a turian in a c-sec uniform.

"Are you alright?" The human asked.

Tali turned to see that her attackers were dead. "I am now, thank you."

"Since the quarrian is safe, I am heading to to enjoy a nice ryncol." The Krogan said.

"No problem, Wrex, thanks for the help." The female said in a cheerful manner.

The quarrian watched as Wrex walked away. "Now that Wrex is gone, let me introduce myself." The female officer said. "I am Detective Anita Bogart, and this is Officer Garrus Vakarian."

Tali was watching the two with apprehension. "You were looking for me?"

"Yeah, we got information that you obtained data on a potential terrorist threat." Garrus answered.

"You mean Cerberus?"

"Yes, we need to get you to headquarters." Garrus told her. "The longer we are out here the more exposed we are."

"Right?" Tali said unsure but decided to follow the two c-sec personnel.

After a ride in a c-sec vehicle they made their way to an office at c-sec headquarters. She observed Garrus was sitting behind the desk while Anita was across from him. Tali fidgeted her thumbs nervously.

Garrus coughed gaining her attention. "We brought you hear to talk to you about information that you obtained on Cerberus." He told her.

"Of course, my partner and I found a group of humans that they had numerous deactivated geth on the ship." She started explaining. "We obtained the information and stopped whatever they were doing."

"What were they doing?" Bogart asked.

"They were taking them to a facility on Aite for further experimentation." Tali said. "We don't know what however."

"Regardless we need to speak with the executor." Garrus said.

Before anyone was even able to stand the executor himself stormed over. "Bogart! Vakarian!"

"Or we can stay her." Anita said blankly before putting on a cheerful look that did not look genuine. "Executor Pallin what brings you hear?"

"I got reports of two c-sec officer with your discription's getting involved in a shoot out at Chora's Den."

Bogart gave her boss an innocent look that would fool no one. "They were firing on an innocent Krogan sir, we had to help him."

Pallin glared at her. "Did you bring him to take his statement?"

"He refused." She answered. "After rescuing Tali here he just left."

The executor glared at her with so much loathing that Tali wouldn't be surprised if he went up and tried to strangle the detective.

Feeling uncomfortable, Tali decided to speak. "It was to find the information that I have obtained on Cerberus."

The executor perked up. "And that would be?" He asked impatiently.

"That Cerberus has been taking geth units from the Perseus Veil and taking the robots to Aite." She said.

The executor turned to the only other turian in the office. "Looking over it right now and it's all legit so far."

"Send it to forensics?" He ordered. "I got to talk to the council, and bogart."

"Yes sir."

"The report better be done by morning or so help the spirits?"

"Yes sir." She said as her boss left the office.

"Well, I better head to my desk." The detective said getting up and exiting the office. "Protective arrangements should be made for you hopefully."

"Thank you." Tali said.

"No problem, I better be off to do that report of the boss will explode."

"Explode?" Tali asked scared, taking it literally.

"Human saying." Garrus told the quivering quarrian. "Saying that the executor will get even more mad."

"Oh." She said. "He gets even more mad."

Sorry for the long update adjusting to my new schedule at work and the World Cup is on and so happy to see the US make it out of the group stages… only to lose to the Netherlands. So who were/are you guys rooting to win it?