She lied about going to see Juel. It was really the least of her concerns right now. He was off on his own and he didn't need another visit from her again.

She was on her way to that restaurant John had taken her all that time ago. The one just a block down from the hotel they'd stayed at during their mandatory leave.

It seemed the anniversary of that day was nearly due too.

When her taxi arrived to take her off to Zakara ward, she sipped tirelessly through her thoughts the entire ride. Occasionally, she'd gaze at anything that would catch her eye until it passed by her window.

She arrived and payed the fare before walking at a slow pace through the commonplace. She glanced by every store she came across with a jaded look on her face.

Nothing really interested her enough to stop.

Finally, she reached the little eatery.

She looked up at the sign.

'Yan'Sues! Best eatery in town.' it still read.

Nothing looked out of place and everything for the better part was the same just as she remembered it. Tactfully, she opened the entrance door and stepped into the place.

"Hi! Welcome to Yan'Sues! My name is Sarah! How many guests are going to be with you today?"

Tali stopped her pensive inspection and looked to the woman.

"...Just one."

The waitress scrunched up her eyebrows and put a finger on her lip. "Hey… I remember you…! Or— at least, I think I do."

"Y-yes… you were our waiter the last time I was here…"

"That was a long time ago, wasn't it?"

"…how do you remember me?"

"Not many quarians eat here." Sarah said with a happy smile as she waved for Tali to follow her to a table, "I could recognize your voice."

As they passed by other people busily eating away their food, Sarah turned her head a bit slightly to face Tali as they walked. "Where's your other half? Is he coming later?"

Sarah gave Tali a small table—the same one John and Tali had used since their last visit— and handed her a menu.

"N—no…"

The smile on Sarah's face wilted a little. "Oh... I'm sorry."

"No. Not like that." Tali stuttered, "He was taken from me. Uhmm... killed."

Whatever smile Sarah still had was completely gone now. "I— I"m so sorry. I didn't..."

"I know." Tali said with a sad and understanding smile, "It's okay."

"...What was his name?"

"John Shepard."

There was a long pause between them.

"You're Tali'Zorah nar Rayya."

All Tali did was nod. It didn't matter that she got her name wrong.

"Christ... I'm sorry ma'am. Let me buy for you... it's the least I can do."

"No it's okay. It was a long time ago. I just... came by. To remember."

"I—I'll give you some space."

Before Tali could even thank the woman, she hurried off to leave the poor quarian alone.

With nothing better to do, Tali set her menu down and stared out of the nice little window to the outside. She watched the people and cars passing by in the street before finally staring at the vacant seat just across from her.

John sat here at one point in time. Now, the only thing she could hold onto was some distant living memory of him.

She frowned and looked back out to the cityscape and the pots of colorful flowers lined up along the windowsill.

She felt the ice around her heart swell with pain.

Coming here was a mistake.

A week had passed. Other than Juel being discharged from the hospital and passing therapy, their time here was uneventful.

Conversation between Liara and Tali was largely absent for the rest of the stay. They had nothing to talk about and the animosity Tali had against the blue snot was helping fray the relationship further.

Juel was well enough to stay out of all of it.

Speaking of Juel, Tali could hardly tell he'd lost his arm now that his suit was back on. He looked no less for wear really.

With bags and belongings in hand, the two exchange their good-byes with Liara and separate at the airport.

Tali would be lying if she said she was going to miss her.

Because she wasn't.

"You have everything?"

"Yes." Tali said flatly as they sat down in the waiting area to board their flight, "Everything."

"Not that we've got much to look after anyways." Juel joked as he unshouldered his bag.

"Hey. I got juice." Tali mumbled as she clumsily started digging through her bag of things, "Thought we could celebrate. You know. For your new arm."

"Juice huh?" He said with a laugh as he was handed the drink pouch, "Nothing to spice it up maybe?"

She shrugged apathetically. "They didn't have alcohol where I got it from."

Juel gave her a crestfallen look, set the drink down, and webbed his fingers together. "Hey."

"...Yeah?"

"I know you're hurting, Tali."

She bit her lip and gave her feet a meek look. "...I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He murmured with a stiff nod, "You don't have to be sorry."

Tali didn't say anything because she had nothing to say. So she stayed quiet and stared past the floor into an abyss of nothingness.

"What she did was wrong." She murmured at last.

"I know."

"What she's doing to me is still wrong. She's lying to me, Juel. She's doing something important and leaving me out of it."

"What makes you so sure it involves John?"

"I don't know..." Tali whispered solemnly, "Maybe I'm just insane, Juel. Maybe I've turned crazy."

"I wouldn't say that."

"I'm made this giant... leap." Tali explained as she crossed her arms over her chest before snuggling into her chair and crossing her legs, "The connections are there... but they're not at the same time. It's like she's purposefully left me these hints that— that she doesn't even want me to fucking find. Why the secrecy? Why the new job in information brokering of all things? She's an archeologist for fucks sake."

Juel gave her a worried and clueless stare. "...I don't know."

Tali sighed and shook her head in this really stiff kind of way that showed Juel how visibly frustrated she really was about the issue. Obsessing over it was costing Tali her health. Not that her health had ever been that great in the first place. Juel decided to change the subject to try and make her think about something else.

"Hey. Did you ever message Anderson to tell him we're leaving?"

"He knows." Tali murmured, "I forgot to mention to you he paid for our travel back. First class."

"First class." Juel repeated with a flat tone.

"Yes. Believe it."

"So we'll get those little alcohol things and meals for kings?"

"Something like that."

"I've never been on a first class flight before."

"Neither have I," Tali admitted with a sigh, "I'm sure it'll be an experience."

The PA clicked on and announced that their ship was ready to board. With that, they stood up, gathered what little belongings they had, and walked to the desk to get admitted.

-Two Days Later...

Juel leaned in slightly to the PA before speaking his passcode. "Works of ancient steel from ceaseless toil of hands past, binds us to dust and future. We shall prevail."

"...Copy O'joy-4. Stand-by, we're working on getting our last cradle up and working, over."

"Acknowledged control. Take your time. The ship's clean, I repeat, the ship is clean. Belay sanitation teams; only a security detail will be necessary.

"Roger. Out."

Juel sighed and hung the receiver back on its little hook before leaning on his chair and looking to Tali who'd been sitting next to him.

"Think Suvai will like his new ship?"

"We did make him a promise didn't we?" Tali said as she kept reading some article on her tablet, "I mean, it's not like he wouldn't be happy with a new ship."

He shrugged. "I just don't think he thought we were being serious about it."

Before Tali could reply, the ship's radio squawked for Juel's attention. "O'joy-4, this is control... we forgot to mention Admiral Zorah had requested your transfer to the Rayya when you came back."

By the voice alone, Tali and Juel knew it was Wayloh'Sauntee, the head controller speaking.

Instead of Juel answering, Tali grabbed for the radio before putting it near her mouth. "Uh, any idea what he wants, Wayloh?"

"Not a clue, Tali." The controller replied, "Just told us that as soon as we get ear of your arrival to send you to the Rayya. They told us it was pretty important."

Both Juel and Tali give eachother a quick glance.

"...Okay. We'll be heading there then. Thanks Wayloh."

"Take care you two. Hopefully by the time we get back, we'll have that cradle up for you guys."

"Copy Wayloh. Out."

She hung the receiver and gave Juel a look. "Wonder what it could be." She whispered. Tali couldn't help but feel a sudden knot in her gut. It usually happened whenever her dad needed her for something or when she had to wait in some frantic sense of anticipation of what he was going to tell her.

"Plotting a course for the Rayya then." Juel said as he pressed some buttons at his terminal, "We'll be there in about ten to fifteen minutes."

"...okay."

"Nervous?"

"When it's my dad? Yes."