Today has been a slow day at work and I've been working like a dog. I decided to take today off. The Reaper war has altered how resources are being managed. The scrap I am supposed to recharge is now being melted down into ammunition for the upcoming fight. The admirals are more focused on that then Tali's stunt. Some of them are quite upset with her decision, other's while having their own opinions, are prioritizing the survival of the fleet. Other than that, the quarians are doing very well. For a people descended from war profiteers, apparently the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. As the fleet is essentially a mobile factory, multiple races have contracted the production of necessary supplies for the war effort. They'd even forgive any patent violations, so you know they are desperate if they are giving up money.
Currently I am sitting on a bench in the square. I've given up trying to make other suit buddies since I assume Tali and myself will be called away soon. Doesn't mean I am not being open and friendly. Whenever someone walks by, I'll casually say "Hey how is it going?" or other NPC dialogue options. Most quarians give me the rock on symbol. You know. Like they used to do at concerts. For quarians the thumb acts as one of the, what would you call that? An antenna? Whatever it is I'm getting it a lot. And here comes the only quarian I don't want to talk to.
"AH! SHE-WARLOCK!" The fifth wave feminists made saying witch illegal because it rhymes with girl doggie.
Fanta says "Sorry I didn't mean to scare you. May I sit?"
"Sure. 100 credits" I hold out my omnitool to accept payment.
"You are not serious" she said.
"Microtransactions are a bitch ain't it?"
"Even if I could pay you, I wouldn't pay that much" she said.
"Thank space inflation. What do you want?" I ask.
"I just want to talk. You're the only one I talked to since I died. I saw Tali told everyone then I blacked out. How did it go?" she asked.
"Not how you would hope. That was over a week ago. How long were you in soul dormancy?" I ask.
"Soul dormancy?"
"The soul requires energy to function and passively collects from the environment. Your financially irresponsible phantom genetics are spending it faster than you can save and enter a sleep state to recharge. I'm assuming years pass by every time this happens" I said.
"More like decades. For me it hasn't been a month since I died. It used to be every time I woke up everything changes massively. For some reason I've been able to stay up much longer than normal" Fanta said.
"It's probably me. Long story short I found a way to stockpile this energy and I'm leaking it out. You must be absorbing it. OH MY GOD EVEN WHEN DEAD THEY STILL DEMAND TAXES!"
"Could you stop it? I don't like being awake. There is nothing I can do and it's so boring" Fanta said.
"Has no one offered to help you go to the next realm? You know? Climb up the vibrationally ladder? I know you aren't used to working for something, but you might as well start now" I said.
"How would I even do that?" Fanta asks.
"Compress your energy you moron" I said.
"How does that help? Fanta asks.
"Have you seen those science demonstrations where in a tube is a piece of paper and they slam something to rapidly compress the air and the paper catches on fire?" I ask.
"When I was very young. Wait would I catch on fire?" she nervously asks.
"HOW CAN YOU CATCH ON FIRE? YOU DON'T HAVE A BODY!" I remember why I didn't become a teacher.
"Sorry but I don't understand. Why would compressing my energy help me? She asks.
"Ok so in that science experiment, the increased pressure causes the atoms to speed up. This energy is wasted through heat to ignite the paper. Since we are essentially bags of water with a spark of life, we don't have to worry about that, so it automatically raises the vibration. Most people don't know how to do it and even if they do, they naturally go down to baseline instead of staying up. It's like learning to contract your abs all the time to look thin. Hard but doable. It will stabilize and you have to keep going higher and higher. It takes time. Like bodybuilding" I said.
Fanta asks "How exactly do you do that?"
"I like to fast. That's when you don't eat food for multiple days or even a couple of weeks. Fasting is good for numerous reasons. The health benefits, giving the organs time to rest, when the colon is empty, your body takes up less space so it compresses your atoms in a way, BUT IT SUCKS. Worth it though."
"I can't eat so what do I do?" Fanta asks.
"Have you ever tried to make yourself smaller?" I ask.
"No I haven't. Let me try…. Um.. Am I doing it right?" she asks.
"Nope. You aren't buzzing differently. You'll feel it. Oh, great another idiot is coming. Hey Tali's dad" I said.
"Hello *********. Are you feeling well? They way you lounge on the bench and tone of voice makes it appear you are very uncomfortable. Did something happen with you and Tali?" he actually sounded concerned about our relationship.
"Tali is disappointed your people aren't trying to make peace with the geth now that the truth is out so there is that and, on my day off, APPARENTLY I have to teach the ghost of a disgusting rich snob's crotch spawn how to ascend to the next place and I am only doing it because she is really annoying" I said.
Fanta yells "HEY!"
I snap back "Shut up or I'll make you quiet" that gets her.
Rael's spine straightens up. His frantic voice yells "THERE'S A GHOST?! MAKE IT GO AWAY!"
I angrily shout "How the hell can my amazing lovable awesome Tali inherit so much from you and when you're this embarrassing?"
"Thank the ancestors she's inherited only my good traits. The rest are from her mother's. My bondmate was a saint. Hold on. Could you talk to my-? Please" his heart wrenching words beg me.
I point to the from his perspective an empty bench which has a ghostly duchess quarian making the weirdest of noises as she tries to raise her vibrations. I'm dumbfounded at her attempts of hugging herself so tightly she's coughing like a covid chicken. She doesn't even need to breathe, why is she doing that?
"Nah she's the only one I've encountered. Sorry I can't get a message through. If it is any help. I can see a line coming from your heart and it's going to a different plane. You'll still connected to her. A reunion is likely when you pop out of that scrawny… well I would have said meatsack but you aren't carrying that much meat or a sack." I said.
"I-I- Uh. Thank you for letting me know. It is comforting I'll be with my mate again. ********* is something the matter? You seem angry and it's not like you." Rael said.
"Sorry but my vibration ability senses are picking up all the fear stirred up from the Reaper war and it's making everyone else angrier at the synthetics and it's strong enough to affect me. Don't worry I've been way angrier and never hurt anyone, much. Shepard is getting close to the part where he helps out the quarians and I can get away from this" I said.
"That must be challenging to live with. Is there any way to block it? Put up a shield perhaps?" Rael asked.
"Eh I'll soldier through. Are you just passing through?" I ask.
"No. We need to discuss what your plans are after the war. What exactly do you do when the known parts are over?" he asks.
"Depends on the day. In some places I let loose and use my powers like a trickster god. I have the best laughs. One universe I went to had digital life who thought its users were gods so I lifted my restrictions and did whatever. But since I am with Tali, I'll live a normal life. Maybe see what fictional stories are in this universe for places to go afterwards. I'd love it if Tali would learn to control her energy and join me, but she has no interest" I said.
"You're not going to leave her when you get bored, are you?" Rael asked.
I'm pissed "HOW DARE YOU EVEN THINK I WOULD DO THAT TO HER!"
"Whoawhoawhoa calm down. I just needed to know for sure. Out of curiosity, if you had it your way, what would a future with the two of you look like?"
AHHH the happy thoughts calm me down like a hindu cow. "Ideally, we would settle on Rannoch. I'd build her a home and have the family we visited become good friends and introduce us to their culture. I'd give Tali the life she deserves and make her happy everyday. Have at least two kids. A boy and a girl. I can't control the gender so we'll have to keep trying. Be a dad and teach them all the things they'd need to know and have a good normal life… minus my five fingers" I said.
Rael takes a moment to pause. His silence is broker with the claim he wants me to have something and to hold out my hand. Alright fine I'll make a copy of whatever it is. While I still appreciate the gesture of gift giving, I can basically make anything and already have stored up so much data in my soul, what does he want me to have that I can't already make an item off. I'm not even looking when I feel loose but connected metal over my gloved hand. The chinks of metal rubbing against one another cause me to look at what is gave me. A metal necklace of carved silhouettes and various symbols. He showed me this once before. Back on the Normandy when I was making Tali a bracelet that EDI blurted out. Now that she has an actual ass, I have to keep my word and kick it.
This is the necklace Tali's mom wore. Whoever's energy imprint left over feels so much like Tali yet different at the same time. There is a strong lasting love suffused through the metal. I can't believe Rael is giving me this.
"You approve? I thought you only tolerated our relationship" I said.
"You make sure Tali comes out of this war alive and give her the life she deserves. Don't ever lose this" Rael said to me before walking off. I'm speechless. Should I even have this? I can sense how deeply it is hurting Rael to give up the one reminder of his wife to me. For the incredibly annoying man that he is, my sympathy for him is clawing at my organs. I'll make a copy and leave the original with him.
So this is what it feels like.
I feel…
Oddly relieved and very very happy.
Rael looks past my shoulder. Tali is coming and he frantically tells me to hide the necklace which I do. The zipper on my pocket got stuck. "Hurry!" He said. I'm able to free the zipper and stuff the necklace into a side pocket. Tali greets us and how our days are. Rael answers first and I tell her "I'm getting antsy and want Shepard to call us soon. No offense but I am tired of living on the fleet."
Tali replies "I miss the Normandy too. It felt like a home away from home. A special one because that is where we started our bond."
I place my hand over my heart "Oh you are too much. A quick question. Are the quarians giving me the peace sign? Does it hold the same meaning?"
"Peace sign?" Rael asks.
"Yeah this" I throw up the sign. Rael, Tali, and Fanta gasp in horror. I did something wrong but don't know what.
Tali snaps my hand down. "********* don't do that. It is a very bad. Who has been giving that to you?"
"Nearly everyone. What does it mean?" I innocently ask.
Rael replies "You don't want to know." Well now I'm getting upset. I hate being left in the dark.
Tali is horrified by the treatment her fellow quarians have been giving her bondmate. Again, she stands on a platform to address the crowd. I really hope she doesn't take public speaking as a hobby.
"LISTEN HERE EVERYONE! I am Tali'Zorah. In case you all have forgotten I saved this galaxy and raised the galactic status of the quarian race. After everything I've done for my people, I've just been told many of you have been using this symbol (the crowd gasp) to my bondmate. Each person who is guilty of this will apologize to my bondmate or I swear to the ancestors I will halt the engine core, leaving us stranded until you bosht'ets say you're sorry to **********.(Tali looks back to point to her bondmate who disappeared) Cherished?" Tali searches for her missing bondmate. I peak my visor around the corner of my hiding spot.
"You are very scary when you are mad" I said. Tali steps off the platform and meets up with me. I'd ask her if she'd really do it and she said yes. Now I am learning where Tali gets her fiery temper. Tail's dad stands before the crowd of confused quarian civilians. Tali explains to me through our private communication system that there are rumors about how we worked for Cerberus and should not be trusted. Also about working with Legion. Tali's dad's kinda… I mean his disappearance left a lot of people wondering what he was doing on that research ship. Tali's dad speaks to the crowd.
"I know I stand before you with a lot of questions and I'm afraid I do not have any answers that will plead you. You heard rumors about me working with Cerberus, the human xenophobic terrorist organization responsible for several crimes against our people, as well and working with a geth unit. Also, while not everyone is ok with it, allowing the grandson of an exiled quarian aboard one of our vessels. I'll start with the first rumor. Yes, it is true I worked with Cerberus" the crowd is quiet, but their body language displays disbelief. Several quarians put their hands on their heads, shocked while others would throw their arms down in disbelief or outrage.
"It is also true that I worked with an advanced geth unit. It was capable of speech as an individual unit. I use my status as an admiral of the quarian people to inform you there is a larger threat than both the geth and Cerberus combined. I will be discussing my findings with the other admirals as soon as possible. Now onto the matter of the grandson of a quarian exile. ********* is one of the greatest individuals I have ever met. He saved my life and changed my whole world view. I conducted research in secret on geth I built from scavenged components in order to build weapons that I deeply regret constructing as it was torture towards the geth, as the one I worked with informed me. I will carry shame with me for the rest of my days because of that. I did it because I dreamed to be able to build a home on Rannoch for my daughter because I love her. It was a mistake. We should be asking the geth for forgiveness because of the actions of our ancestors. Now, while I said many things today that should remove my rank, you will not disrespect *********. He loves my daughter and makes her happier than I could imagine possible. He made me see the error of my ways, and while he is an outsider, you can and should trust him. I bet my status as an admiral on it!" The crowd isn't moving. Something feels wrong. I look towards Tali.
"He's in alot of trouble for saying what he did, but *********, saying he would risk being an admiral is one of the highest regards you can get as a quarian. I know you don't like him, but if he is doing that, he honestly believes in you" Tali explained. She holds my hand tighter.
I whisper "Rael."