|Date: 3/16/2184|
|Location: Artemis Tau /Migrant Fleet/ Resource Striping|
Tali was alone for the moment.
So she spent the free time the best way she could.
By lying down and bouncing her crossed legs in step with the music playing from her omni-tool.
And since there wasn't anything interesting to look at, she stared blankly at the tent's tarp ceiling, and watched the gusts of wind that would flow gracefully against it.
She stared dumbly at that little spot on the ceiling, and for once, hadn't had a single thought pass through her troubled mind.
Nothing.
Zip.
Zero.
And Tali was fine with that.
She didn't try and count the time that would pass by.
That would ruin it.
So she listened to the simple beats and the stringed instruments... the woodwinds and brassy notes that would play delicately into her ears.
Eventually, she heard some footsteps and laughing right outside the tent.
"—me up and, Keelah, let me tell you, he almost had me right there, Hiva. Damn." Came Juel's muffled voice on the other side of the tarp wall.
"Juel, I'd love to hear more, but Olasie and Prazza told me their patrol needs help with packing some stuff up to their ship." Tali heard Hiva say to Juel.
"Speaking of that, when are we going?" Juel asked.
Hiva sighed, "Our team doesn't leave for another four hours."
"Four hours? Well..."
"Don't complain. Team six and eight don't leave 'til tomorrow."
"Oh."
"See you in four hours, Juel."
"Bye Hiva."
Juel moved the tarp covering aside and entered the tent.
"Oh, Tali. Hey."
"Hey." Tali said simply.
Juel went over to his cot, stuffed his bag of belongings under it, and sat down. "So. That's it. We're done. The ship's coming up to taxi people back to the Neema later today. Free time until then."
He picked up the book sitting on his pillow. "So what do you think? Of mining, I mean."
"Nothing to it." Tali said.
Juel guffawed. "Nothing to it. Right."
"Yup."
"Did you hear me and Hiva?"
"Four more hours until we get to go home." She answered with a nod.
"Any ideas then to occupy our time?"
"Not a clue." She said.
Juel shrugged and lay down on his own bed before opening up his paper book.
A minute passed by and neither of them say anything.
Then an idea suddenly hit her.
She'd forgotten all about the stuff she'd brought in her bag.
With a light smile, she got up from her bed to the tent's flapping door.
Satisfied that there wasn't anyone near, she went back to her cot and reached for the satchel under it.
"Uh. What are you doing?" Juel gave Tali a bewildered look.
"So. Abazon had some great stuff on sale for Stak-Aids." She explained as she slipped two little parcels of vacuumed sealed meals into her hand, "Dextro-hamburger with gravy and noodles."
She tossed one to him and he caught it.
"Tali... here?" He skimmed over the label, "I mean, I'd love to? But I don't wanna get punched in the face over some meaty noodles."
"Oh, please. No one is going to punch you in the face."
"You've obviously don't know Olasie that well."
"Eat it anyways."
His fingers felt the morsels of meat sitting inside the pouch. "But they'll know."
"Juel, why are you complaining?" She snorted, "I didn't get it for you just for you to get second thoughts. Eat it."
"Pfft. Fine. But it's on you if the others walk in here and find out."
They both unwrap their tube, puncture the pouch, and slurp in a mouthful.
"Whoah. God damn this is good." Juel slurred.
While Tali did agree, her jaw already felt sore from chewing.
"Jaw's aching already..." She gobbed.
"Same." He said as he scrounged for another morsel.
"Juel," Tali whispered before she faced him, "Thanks. For being my friend." She held her pouch of what pretty much amounted to hamburger helper while she fumbled with her veil, "I don't know how anyone else could deal with me."
He stopped eating and set the pouch down into his lap. "That's a little backwards wouldn't you think?"
"What?"
He hunched over when he realized she really didn't know what he meant.
"You hand me a thirty five credit meal, and thank me for being the good friend? What?"
"It's an apology for being an asshole, Juel." She smacked sarcastically.
"I probably have the biggest one out of everyone here, believe me."
For the first time since John's death, she laughed.
-One Day Later.
"Hey Shala." Tali greeted simply as she typed away something on her computer, "You need something?"
"Well... I was just calling to see how you're fairing."
Tali sighed inwardly. As much as it made Tali happy to know she had someone that cared, it didn't help very much to be reminded, even remotely, of her mood and the reason behind it.
"I'm okay, auntie. Really."
Shala, obviously, was not convinced.
The tone Tali used alone could tell Shala a million things. But she supposed it was best if she didn't push the issue any further than necessary. Tali wasn't known for being antsy, but, in retrospect, nagging about the sensitivities of her past probably wasn't a great idea either. The wounds were still fresh, and Tali's behavior reflected as much.
"So... Han got your request, Tali..." Shala said quietly, gazing at Tali's image through her tablet.
Tali stopped doing whatever it was she was doing and faced the webcam.
"And?"
Shala sighed. "It went through."
"Good. That's good."
"You absolutely sure you want to do this?"
"Yes, Shala. I do."
"...There isn't anything else you want to talk about?"
Tali's head hung low and her gaze fell to the floor.
"I'd also like for Juel'Kaan to be assigned to the Neema's special tasks unit."
"Of course Tali. Anything for you. As a matter of fact, I'm sure Han's already forwarded the group their next assignment."
"Thank you. I have to go now, auntie. I'll talk to you later."
Before the admiral could even offer her own good-bye, Tali hung up the call.
She broke her gaze from the empty screen to the pen in her hand before swallowing.
"...Tali." Shala murmured, "...My dear... What's happened to you."
-Moments Later...
The first thing Tali did when she entered her lab was fidget anxiously.
When she'd caught Juel already busily soldering away on some project, her hands turned into a vice.
"Juel. Hey."
He looked up from his work for a moment. "Hey, Tali."
"I've, uh... asked that you be assigned to the Neema's marine detachment."
Then she mollified herself in a sputtered hurry. "I mean... you don't have to—"
Juel put down his soldering iron and whirled around in his stool.
"Whoah. What?"
And there she realized, she'd just put him on the spot and signed him up for something she didn't even tell him about.
"Oh keelah. I screwed up."
"You reenlisted me? Is that what you're saying?"
"No, no, not exactly..." Tali said as she sat down in a frustrated heap, "I wanted to join Admiral Han's special tasks unit. And... asked that you be a part of it."
Juel blinked. "Oh."
"Yeah."
"Well..." He gave the wall next to him a long sideways glance. "That's, uh... definitely something you talk to me about first."
"Damnit, I can't believe I didn't think this through," She facepalmed, "I've just had a lot on my mind lately."
"It's understandable."
"I can go back and tell them to take you out."
"Look, I suppose it's okay I join you. But... what about our lab?"
She gave the strewn pieces of geth bits on the table a quick look. "We'll only be gone, at most, for weeks at a time. We'll just pick up from where we left off when we come back."
"...You sure you wanna do this?" He said with some level of caution, "I've heard Admiral Han runs his group pretty tight sometimes."
"It'll be like a vacation." She offered.
His scoff reminded her of Garrus.
"A vacation," He pat the imaginary dust off his arms, "You've got a weird idea of what vacation is."
"You know what I mean."
"Just forward me the details, Tali." He stood up and unplugged the iron, "I've—ahem—got some thinking to do."
"Juel, I didn't— I'm sorry." She repeated sadly.
He stepped up to the exit and looked back to her with a sad smile. "Just... get me another one of them hamburger things, and we'll call it even."
"Juel..."
He left before he could hear her.
Codex Entry:
* Solid food consumption-
Quarians, in most cases, eat while they have their suits and masks on. There are 2 ways for consuming animal protein. A diluted form that has been blended into a pasty like material similar to that of their Nutrient Meal (Or Nutrient Meal-10 or NM-10 for short). The other form is solid meat (Or Solid Meal-10 or SM-10 for short) contained in a dual layered sealed packet, the vacuum space containing sterilizing gel in the event that the quarian must eat the food despite a possible puncture of the packet. The sterilizing gel is edible, but sour and pungent (according to quarian users). Solid food consumption uses different utensils, in which the 'hose' of sorts is wider to fit the morsels of meat. These Special tubes (Which are called StaK-Aid-4's) are in a dual-layered vacuum sealed packet. The hose (with puncture seals at each end to lower the chance of possible infection) is held within. For added protection, the inner lining of the tube can contain an optional dried layer of sterilizing gel.
Quarians can tell the difference between a typical food utensil (Basic Quarian Oral Paste-Aid or OP-Aid) and a StaK-Aid-4 utensil, made specifically for solid food consumption. Suit up and enjoy!
Diagram of actual StaK-Aid-4 Utensil Packet:
StaK-Aid-4 UTENSIL PACKET
Held within:
-Puncture Sealed Connector Duct
-SudMint Teeth Cleaner
-Antibiotic Adapter
WARNING: IF PUNCTURE SEAL IS BROKEN IN ANY WAY SHAPE
OR FORM PRIOR TO USE, DO NOT USE. INNER
LINING OF TUBE CONTAINS EMBUTEROLIN GEL.
CHECK ENTIRE SEAL BEFORE CONSUMPTION.
DO NOT USE IF CONTAMINATED BY OUTSIDE
SUBSTANCE. IF PACKET IS INFECTED, SEVERE SICKNESS CAN
OCCUR IF USED. ADVISE EXTREME CAUTION.
Instructions:
-Peel and remove packet top at perforated line.
-Hold Packet Firmly with Both Hands.
-Open Secondary bag to reveal Utensil.
-Connect -BOTTOM- piece of Hosing to SM-10 meal ONLY. *Puncture quickly.
-Connect -TOP- Piece of Hosing to Helmet Food Port Adapter. (Port Design AeGhore-67L Recommended)
-Enjoy!