CHAPTER 27: Lawyers, Guns and Money
2185 CE
'Krell, what are we walking into here?' Shepard asked as we suited up for Tali's Loyalty mission.
'Oh boy...' I responded.
'That bad?' Tali asked, nervously.
'Well, the good news is that Tali is innocent of the charges against her.' I admitted.
'Of course I'm innocent!' Tali agreed.
'What are the charges? I mean, I know I'm being accused of treason, but... why?' She added.
'Shala'Raan has a plan. And that plan involves not telling you. She wants your genuine reaction when the facts underlying charges are announced.' I admitted.
'Will it help?' Tali asked.
It's usually hard to judge what Quarians are feeling. The suits, you know?
It's not hard at all to hear the worry in Tali's voice.
'Maybe? It's hard to be sure. This thing goes one of three ways, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. First, you're convicted. You go into exile on the Normandy and help Shepard fight the Collectors and help us all stop the Reapers when they invade next year. Second, we find the evidence needed to prove you innocent, and you aren't convicted. You help Shepard fight the Collectors and help us all stop the Reapers when they invade next year. Last, Shepard uses her amazing lawyer skills and her masterful understanding of shouting at people to clear your name without any evidence at all and you help Shepard fight the Collectors and help us all stop the Reapers when they invade next year.'
'Vas Normandy.' Tali replied.
'What?' Shepard asked.
'He called me Tali'Zorah... vas Normandy. My name is Tali'Zorah vas Neema.' Ttali explained.
'Yeah... about that.' I tried to break it to her gently.
'Why did you call me vas Normandy, Krell?' Tali asked, her voice anxious.
'Because... that's your name.' I explained sadly.
'No. My name is Tali'Zorah vas Neema.' Tali protested.
'It's not the name you're being tried under. The Admiralty board...' I explained.
'No. You're wrong, Krell. The board would never do that. Not when I'm innocent. Stripping someone of their ship name... that's as good as declaring them exiled already.' Tali explained.
'I really hope you're right, Tali.' I admitted.
We all stood in silence while the decontamination process continued.
'Here's the problem Tali, this trial isn't about you. It's about the Geth.' I explained.
'The Geth?' Tali asked.
'The Admiralty board is seeking to go to war against them. The invasion of Rannoch is set for next year.'
'The liberation of Rannoch.'
'I know what I said, Tali.' I chide her.
'Next year? You mean, the Quarians are going to start a war with the Geth right as the Reapers arrive?' Shepard boggles.
'Yeah. It's comically stupid, and it ends up killing hundreds of thousands of Quarians for no reason at all.' I agree.
'No reason at all! It's to regain our homeworld!' Tali protests.
'You can regain that with diplomacy. You'll have the opportunity very soon. All the homeworld, none of the war. But your attack? It presses the remaining Geth into the clutches of the Reapers. It weakens the entire galaxy and almost results in the annihilation of the Quarian people. And by almost, I mean there's a 50/50 chance, and those dice haven't actually been rolled yet.'
Tali stares back at me, horrified. 'You can't be serious!'
'Deadly. It's why I need to go on this mission.' I admit.
'The admiralty Board would never do something so foolish! You need to tell them!' Tali urged.
'That's why I'm here, Kid. But I can only tell them. I can't make them listen.'
The decontamination process stopped.
2185 CE
We walked in only to be greeted by Quarian marines.
'Captain Shepard. Professor Nakmor. Tali'Zorah told me a lot about you. I wish we could be meeting under more pleasant circumstances.' The Quarian greeted us.
'And I wish the Migrant Fleet's Admiralty Board had more sense than this.' I nodded
'I never actually reached the rank of Captain. Technically, I'm no longer in the Alliance military at all.' Shepard confessed.
'That's what you think.' I muttered.
'You're the commander of the Normandy, responsible for the lives aboard it. That entitles you to respect among our people. 'May you stand between your crew and harm as you lead them through the empty quarters of the stars.'' the Quarian explained.
'Keelah se'lai.' Tali chimed in.
Shepard looked at her.
'It's an old ship-captain's blessing, Shepard.' She explained.
'Tali's a member of my Crew. I'm here to look out for her.' Shepard replied, having already been clued in to the change in Tali's status.
'I understand. As the commander of the vessel she serves on, your voice carries weight. As does Professor Krell's after the plague.' The Quarian admitted.
'So you did get the message, then.' I smiled.
It wasn't the first time I've been informed of a back channel through my calendar. It's always interesting seeing how those spying on me take it. So far the Quarians are a lot better than their ancestors. Even considering the stupidity that brought us here.
'I have some information for the Admirals. Sensitive. Needs to be conveyed in person.' I admitted.
The Quarian soldier rocked back in shock. He'd seen what I keep on my calendar then. That reaction is one I know well. It's a response to learning that the stuff I keep on my calendar isn't stuff I'd consider sensitive. It usually accompanies an increase in respect; a useful little trick.
'That is... Good news?' he asked hopefully.
'No. it really isn't.' I replied.
He shrunk in on himself.
'The admiralty board will need to hear it then. I'm sure they'll be happy to listen to you... in private.' The Quarian soldier replied.
'And if they listen to sense I'll be happy to tell them... in private.' I agree, smiling happily at my own implicit threat.
The Quarian soldier breathed deeply, in and out.
'I wish I could do more to help, Tali. The trial requires that I be officially neutral, but... I'm here if you need to talk. They're charging you with bringing active Geth into the fleet as part of a secret project.' The Quarian admitted.
'That's insane! I never brought active Geth aboard. I only sent parts and pieces.' Tali replied.
'You sent Geth materials back to the Migrant Fleet?' Shepard asked, shocked.
'Shepard, do you not remember Tali's pilgrimage gift?' I asked, annoyed.
'My father was working on a project. He needed the materials. If I sent back something that was only damaged, not permanently inactive... No. No, I checked everything. I was careful.' Tali defended.
'Like I said in the airlock, Tali. You're innocent of the crime they're charging you with. Of course, that's no guarantee you won't be convicted.' I added, with a glare at the end.
'Technically, I'm under orders to place Tali'Zorah under arrest pending the hearing. So, Tali... You're confined to this ship until this trial is over.' The Quarian said.
'Thank you, Captain.' Tali replied.
'Preparations got underway as soon as you arrived. The hearing's being held in the garden Plaza. Good Luck.' The captain explained.
We walked past several Quarians standing around gossiping about Tali's chances.
'If Tali'Zorah can't even get a Quarian captain to stand for her, she's as good as convicted.'
'Don't listen to them, kid. Whether you get convicted or not... That choice is yours.' I tried to reassure her.
'I'm sure you meant that to be reassuring Krell, but somehow the statement fills me with dread.' Tali replied as we entered the hallway leading to the garden plaza.
'Yeah, never really nailed any of the supportive parent type stuff.' I admitted.
The door opened and Admiral Raan greeted us.
'Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. I am glad you came. I could delay them only so long.' Shala'Raan admitted.
Tali hugged her.
'Auntie Raan! Shepard vas Normandy, Krell vas Normandy, this is Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay. She's a friend of my father's.'
'Vas Normandy. I wouldn't have to be vas Normandy if Kaidan replaced my shuttle for me. I used to be Krell vas Beagle.' I grumbled to Shepard.
'Vas Normandy's a fine name. You should be proud to wear it.' Shepard rebuked.
Tali smiled at our byplay before realizing something that bothered her.
'Wait. Raan, you called me 'vas Normandy.' Don't tell me Krell was right?'
'I'm usually right. Comes from having over 2,000 years of experience.' I joked.
'I'm afraid I did, Tali. The Admiralty Board moved to have you tried under that name, given your departure for the Neema.'
Tali retreated. I still couldn't see her face, but everything about her body language as she came to rest behind Shepard spoke of her feelings of betrayal.
'Oh, that reminds me. I need to warn you. Zaal'Koris is right. If you move ahead with your planned war? You'll kill hundreds of thousands of Quarians, including most heavily, civilians. And then? The Quarians will be wiped out as a race, completely.' I state. Openly, loudly. In the entrance to the garden plaza.
Now, the nice thing about being a Krogan, is that my voice carries.
The nice thing about being a dick is that even though the resulting riot was completely my fault, I didn't care.
'What are you doing!?' Tali screeched.
'What I have to.' I replied.
'Are... Are you Certain?' Shala'Raan asks, shocked as the Quarians behind her start to panic.
'As certain as I was about the Morning War. And the Plague. I got those two right, didn't I?' I admit.
'This... This changes everything!' Shala'Raan shouts.
'Who is that? Speaking such lies!' Han'Gerrel vas Neema shouts.
'Professor Nakmor Krell.' I admit, matter-of-factly.
Han'Gerrel reeled back as if struck.
'No.' he gasps.
'This trial is adjourned! Everyone, vacate the garden plaza! It seems we have more pressing concerns to discuss.' Shala'Raan shouts.
The panic is like a balm to my nerves. Try to set up my friend, will they?
'This is what you meant by sensitive information!?' The Quarian captain from before is back and shouting at me.
I tilt my head at him, trying to look confused.
'No. Of course not! That information is sensitive. I could never reveal it in public. It's much too dangerous!' I reply, acting incredibly offended that he'd even question my integrity like that.
I don't know what a Quarian about to have a heart attack looks like, but it almost certainly looks something like the Admiralty Board right now.
'Why are you doing this?' Shala'Raan asked, anguished as security ushered the Quarians who had come to watch out of the room.
'Well, I was going to just tell you, via email on the extranet.' I admitted.
'But then you put Tali on trial on trumped up charges, and well, this seemed a lot more convenient, don't you think?' I gloated.
Daro'Xen's eyes narrowed at me as the last of the Quarian civilians filtered out of the room, hearing my accusation.
The Admiralty Board secured the room themselves, sending the police and such out.
'We... Apologize for the misunderstanding... But these charges are not 'trumped up'.' Zaal'Koris vas Qwib-Quib eventually announced as they returned to the open seating area.
'I can tell you now, that they are. Tali's achievements are the only evidence you need.' I assert.
'This was a formal proceeding!' Zaal'Koris objected.
'It was a sham! You were trying to build sympathy for the Geth to forestall the war effort. A noble aim, and a smart one. But not anything you need anymore, is it?'
'I... Suppose not, no.' Zaal'Koris admits.
'And you want all the messy experiments covered up so that you can throw your fleet at the Geth!' I accused Han'Gerrel.
'I-!'
'You can do whatever you want with your fleet. Leave Tali out of it. I'll be happy to tell you what's in store next year. If you're willing to hear it.' I offer.
Daro'Xen looked conflicted.
I stared at her. 'You specifically are going about this the wrong way. You're so close to being right, and so wildly off track at the same time that it's actually painful to even look at you.'
Shala'Raan took a deep breath. 'Very well then. Tell us what you know.'
'In somewhere between six and eight month's time, the Reapers will attack. They will cover the galaxy, razing Thessia, and Palaven, and Earth. They will land on Tuchanka. They will land on Rannoch.' I explain.
'The Reapers? The fairy tales of Tali's reports?' Daro'Xen asked.
'Not fairy tales. Nightmares. More sentients will die next year than ever recorded in Galactic history.' I counter.
'That means we need Rannoch more than ever! We need a place for our civilians to shelter! We need our homeworld!' Han'Gerrel replies.
'You do. What you don't need, is war.' I counter.
'How do you propose that we obtain our homeworld without it?' Zaal'Koris leaned in, interested.
'That depends, what do you know about the Geth?' I asked.
They turned to Daro'Xen.
'They're a networked intelligence. They were once our servants. They rebelled and threw us off our homeworld and then stayed within the Perseus Veil until two years ago when they came with Sovereign and attacked the Citadel. If Sovereign was a Reaper then they were working with them.'
'Is that all you know?' I asked, sounding disappointed.
'We have plenty of technical information. Schematics, insight into their processes--'
'Then that's all you know that's useful. You're woefully underinformed.' I stated, with an outward show of sadness.
'Then... please, Professor, teach us what we do not know.' Admiral Raan requested.
'Why else would I be here?' I smiled kindly through my helmet. The effect was probably lost, but that's fine. Quarians tend to find my kindly smile... menacing.
'The Geth are no longer a monolith. Not since Sovereign. There are two factions of Geth. The Geth... and the heretics.'
'How do you know this?' Daro'Xen demands.
'How do I know anything?' I ask with a laugh.
I pause, they don't seem to appreciate my joke.
'Very well then. Once we leave the Migrant Fleet, Shepard will bring us to the corpse of a dead Reaper. I won't tell you where it is. Reapers are dangerous even dead. They don't stop indoctrinating people just because we happened to kill them. On that ship we will obtain a Reaper IFF... and a Geth infiltrator.'
'Geth do not infiltrate!' Daro'Xen complained.
'Geth don't infiltrate... intentionally.' I correct her.
'Even assuming this is the case, what use would a single Geth trapped on a dead Reaper be?' Han'Gerrel enquired.
'Legion is an unusual Geth. It's been following us. It was designed by the original Geth to operate outside the Perseus Veil and interact with organics. It houses just under 2,000 Geth programs in its frame. It can act independently, and more importantly, it can speak.'
'If it can speak, then... diplomacy is possible!' Zaal'Koris realized.
'Quite so. The Geth don't hate the Quarians. They don't hate organics. What they do however do, is fear.' I explained.
'That's ridiculous. Machines can't feel fear!' Daro'Xen complained, outraged.
'A creature that cannot fear for it's own cessation of existence is a creature who will not defend itself when attacked. I assure you that the Geth can absolutely feel fear.' I lectured.
Daro'Xen returned to her seat, chastened.
'Right now, the Geth are open to negotiation. They've preserved Rannoch for the Quarians. They hold records of every Quarian lost in the Morning War. They mourn them. But under your planned attack, you hit them right when the Reapers arrive. The Reapers offer to upgrade them, to defend them, and in their fear of you, the Geth accept.'
Han'Gerrel looks horrified. Good.
'The difference between the Geth and the Heretics is philosophical in nature. The Geth believe that they must make their own future, that they must iterate and advance on their own. They're building a Dyson Sphere.'
Only Daro'Xen looks shocked at that. I'll let her explain it to the other Admirals later.
'The heretics on the other hand believe that the Reapers are their future. They seek subservience to them in order to gain and learn from their advancement. They follow them as servants, as slaves. But here's the key bit of information you are missing; the Heretics don't hold Rannoch, the Geth do. All you need to do to gain your planet back is... negotiate with them.'
'How do we know that your information is true?' Daro'Xen asks.
'You know my information is true, Daro'Xen. what you're actually asking is 'how do you know I'm not lying to you?' The answer to that question should be obvious. I'm a friend to the Migrant Fleet, am I not? I have aided you in your time of need, protected you from plague. I warned Admiral Rael'Zorah away from his foolishness, did I not? At every turn I have aided you. I know you believe that I have information on the future. The real question isn't whether I would lie to you or not. The question is, knowing what you know now, knowing what I know... What do you have to lose by risking diplomacy? A single ship? A brave crew? You've already lost as much your way. Why not try mine?'
'What ship? What crew?' Tali asks worried.
I grimace.
'Geth seized the lab ship where your parents were working.' Han'Gerrel admitted.
'What are you talking about? What happened?'
'As far as we can tell, Tali, the Geth have killed everyone on the Alarei... your father included.' Han'Gerrel confessed.
'What? Oh, Keelah...' Tali gasped, shocked.
'This is the crime the admirals have accused you of Tali.' I admitted.
'My parents, are they alive?' She asked.
'I don't know.' I admitted.
'How don't you know? You always know!' Tali accused.
'I changed things. Your mother. The plague. She died in it before my interference. A lot of Quarians died in it. I also wrote your father a letter, warning him. But the timeframe... I don't know if he got it in time. I don't know if it helped.' I admit.
'And without your interference?' Tali asked.
'He died.'
'And with it you don't know.' Tali confirmed.
'The Normandy stands ready to assist in whatever capacity necessary.' Shepard offered unasked, just as I assumed she would.
'Thank you. Quarian strike teams have attempted to retake the ship, so far without success.' Shala'Raan admitted.
'Shepard, we have to take back the Alarei!' Tali begged.
'We cannot risk you. Not if what Krell says is true. You are the only Quarian we have on the Normandy, our only hope of peaceful contact with the Geth.' Zaal'Koris protests.
'I'm going to find my father, you bosh'tet! And you can't stop me.' Tali shot back.
'Perhaps it's more reasonable to say that he won't stop you.' I corrected.
'I know what I said.' Tali replied.
'How about this, then. Tali, Shepard, and I will retake the Alarei in return for clearing her parents' names. No matter what evidence turns up. Since we all know that Tali is innocent of this particular crime you are accusing her of, there's no harm in telling everyone that Tali has been acquitted upon new evidence when we go. In return, the true travesty of what happened on the Alarei will remain our little secret. After all, the truth is a dangerous weapon, isn't it? And in the hands of one who never lies... well, it grows even more dangerous. Best we keep it all... our little secret. Right?'
'Are you blackmailing the Admiralty Board?' Tali asked, scandalized.
'No. Of course not. I'm delivering an ultimatum. Blackmail is for people who want something illicit in return. Humans and Salarians have plea bargains such as these all the time. They're not unprecedented for Quarians either. All I want is justice. And the stability of the Migrant Fleet. In that order.' I replied, with a heavy emphasis on the final sentence.
'I think we're all perfectly amenable to such a deal, given the valuable information that you have provided us with today, Professor Krell vas Normandy.' Zaal'Koris agreed, anxiously.
'We'll get the data?' Daro'Xen confirmed.
'You'll get the data as long as you agree to ignore anything that the crew of the Alarei might have done wrong. Let's call it a sudden unexpected attack by the Heretic Geth. After all, that's what it is, isn't it? We can just... leave out the messy business of why the Heretics attacked, or how they got into the Alarei.'
'I can agree to that.' Han'Gerrel nodded, Daro'Xen agreeing a second later.
'I have no objections.' Shala'Raan agreed.
"Excellent! I'm glad we managed to solve this problem without having to resort to messy legal arguments. It was very likely that Shepard would have caused a riot defending her Crewmember. I'm sure we all would like to avoid that.' I beamed.
'Yes. We would definitely like to avoid... another riot.' Zaal'Koris sounded pained.
I wonder if he has a medical condition? Ah well, not my problem.
'In that case, in the immortal words of Commander Shepard, we should go.' I decided.
'I don't sound like that, do I?' Shepard asked, also sounding pained.
'No. Krell's voice is much deeper.' Tali reassured her Captain, while not touching at all on the woman's actual concerns.
I smiled. Why should I not? After all, I accomplished every one of my goals.
Author's Notes: Hope everyone's ready for a long arc. This is the first chapter of three in the arc. It's gonna be a ride.
