"Dude, would you stop fidgeting?" Joker begs. I bounce my right knee when I'm stressed.
"I'm sorry I'm worried. I don't think anything bad will happen, but I still feel anxious."
"She is a grown woman who can handle it." Joker said.
"I don't want her to get hurt." I said.
"It's probably nothing she isn't already used to." He said.
But it is really thick though. Do you think I should give her something to make it easier?"
"Knowing what's ahead, I doubt it will be much help." I think he's right
"A part of me wants to hide and watch. Make sure, you know" I said.
"You could ask to join her" Joker said.
"No, she promised she'll never break my trust, I should do the same. Oh, there they are. Hi everyone. Do you have everything you need? I can give you all machetes to make traveling through the brush easier."
"Yes I'll take one Dad" Jack sarcastically said while rolling her eyes.
Shepard says "thanks but no thanks. We got this covered already."
I ask "traveling through that won't poke her suit will it?"
"Relax Tali is in good hands. We survived everything thrown at us yet." Shepard said.
"Our suits are made to be very resistant to environmental factors just in case. You don't have to worry about me, though I do appreciate it." she said.
"I know, but I don't want to lose you. I never did before but now I REALLY don't want to." I said. Tali takes my hand and squeezes it.
Kasumi uncloaks "we got this. Super easy mission. We'll be back before you know it."
"Don't get overconfident. I've seen lots of people make mistakes because of that."
"*********, I'll be ok" Tali said.
"I know, this will take some getting used to. I should get going. Mordin wants me to make more elements for him. This time will be from 75 up to 100."
"Did he learn anything useful? What element zero is?" Shepard asked.
"Not yet. Besides a few anomalies, there doesn't seem to be much difference between normal elements or these species except minor changes in some properties. Freezing temp, electrical conductance. Nothing major."
EDI further elaborates "my simulations of the interactions with traditional and *********'s species prove negligible. Nothing significant occurs when molecules composed of the varying element are compared or interact with normal molecules."
Jack asks "Then what the hell is element zero?"
"We'll find out. I shouldn't keep you waiting. Stay safe sweetheart." I hold Tali close.
"I'm coming back. Now go, I'll see you tonight." Tali said.
"Bye Tali."
"Bye *********."
Jack sticks her tongue out "yuck."
Tali turns around, however an inescapable grip prevents any advancement "*********, you have to let go of my hand."
"One squeeze" I said.
Tali chuckles then the large three fingers apply pressure to my slighter smaller five digits. It lasted only for a milisecond. Not enough.
"Longer please."
Tali head tilts to the side and shakes back and forth. My girlfriend's slightly higher than normal tone of voice informs me she is enjoying this. "*********."
"Ok Tali. I'll see you later." I HATE GOODBYES!
Joker has to stay in the cockpit and give the team directions on the ground. I'm no use here so I'm going to see Mordin. He's doing better. The music volume is lower, and he stopped drinking, although he's sleeping twice a day. Baby steps.
"Hey Mordin. Are you ready for more of my special stuff?"
"Please don't phrase it like that. I'm grateful for your assistance, it allowed me the opportunity to research what a chemist would kill for, but I think there are more important matters to attend." Mordin said.
"Mordin… if there is something going on, I will help if I can." I said.
"No no nothing like that. I appreciate the concern. What I was referring to is reviewing former STG colleague's articles before publishing, helping my nephew with his thesis, etc. The research of these elemental species appears bleak." He said.
"We're so close to the end. We don't even have to go to 150. And I wanted to see if the super heavy elements with these special particles would stabilize it." I ask.
Mordin responds "even if they are, you are not willing to give up your identity to mass produce said elements and if you were, the practical applications of such elements would take decades to discover. It could be anything from alloys to medicine, and that's assuming we survive the reaper onslaught to study it."
"But we are so close to the finishing line." Maybe I should guilt trip Mordin. I have nothing else to do with my free time.
Sigh "If you insist, I will continue but do not expect me again for a while. I have responsibilities outside of this ship I should attend."
"Thank you Mordin." YES THE SCIENCE CONTINUES!
"Now if you would please leave. I have sensitive experiments with collector insect tissue that may be contagious" I bolt out of that room. I'm not getting that sick ever again.
The terrain reminds me of the Amazon rainforest, with the exception of a yellow tint everywhere. The alliance has all N7 recruits train in every environment imaginable, natural, urban, space station, you name it. In my line of work, missions in the woods are rare. ********* Would love this. I can hear him mention something about how the trees are talking to him or something in my mind. I know he isn't actually here. He lets us have privacy.
Tali and Jack are at my six, watching for snipers. Kasumi is scouting ahead and letting us know what to expect. Her thief skills make her move like a monkey. I'm in unknown terrain. This is a good opportunity for us to prepare for the unknown. There are no training simulations for the inside of a collector ship. We need to be alert at all times. Small talk helps with the tension.
Tali asks "Jack, why did you make that noise when I said goodbye to *********?"
She replies "because it grosses me out. I almost puked my lunch right there."
I ask "you think love is disgusting?"
Jack says "it's good on TV but it's all fiction. It's only something to convince fucking idiots to get together and waste credits on shit expensive stuff for v-day."
Tali's shocked voice replies "What? Jack, love is real. My father deeply loved my mother."
"Oh, bite me. I never felt it, so I don't believe in it."
"She's right Jack. I was skeptical about it too until Liara and I bonded."
Jack says "Oh yeah? Then why hasn't it happened to me?"
Tali asks "D-do you even look for it?"
"I fucked hundreds of guys and dozens of women. Never needed to feel anything to get off" Jack said.
Tali said "That's just sex. Not love."
"How would you know, fishbowl? Do you love *********?" Jack said.
"Well ah-um, I care for ********* immensely."
"See? Alien burka landed a demigod and she doesn't love him. I bet the same is true for him."
"That takes time, those two haven't even been together two months. It's way too soon for that."
Tali says "what I feel for *********, whenever I am around him, I'm buzzing with energy in a good way. I want to spend every second with him. When I'm not around him, things that remind me of him pop out of nowhere. Like that tree, maybe I should take that branch back with me and he can carve something out of it. Or that empty patch by the stream, he'd love to camp there."
"You're having a grand time aren't you helmet face. Enjoy the new relationship butterflies, they don't last."
"I know that this isn't my first romance, but this feels different. I don't know how to just describe it, it just is."
"With the number of gals he's fucked, it's not shocking he doesn't love you."
I put my foot down "Jack! Shut the fuck up. Tali don't listen to her. ********* really like you. He lights up whenever you enter the room, or your name comes up in conversations. Jack, what you are discussing is very premature. They're relationship will develop at whatever pace will happen. Drop this discussion and focus on the mission. We got enemies ahead."
"Whatever boy scout. Well, if there is anything I do love, it's fucking ripping people apart. Let's go get some!"
