As the elevator flew down its shaft from the dock to C-Sec headquarters, Shepard tapped his foot while Garrus and Tali chatted away.

"Your choice in armor is awfully limited Tali. Couldn't you wear something without a helmet?"

Shepard glanced over his shoulder. After working for C-Sec for so long, Shepard was surprised that the Turian knew so little about the Quarians or frankly any of the other species. Lucky for him, Tali isn't easily offended, he thought to himself.

"No," she replied idly. "Living in the clean environments of the flotilla has weakened our immune systems. The environmental suits protect against diseases."

Garrus winced at her words and gave her an apologetic look.

"So, your people are forever wandering and couldn't settle if they wanted to. I'm sorry."

Tali shrugged.

"It's alright, I'm not offended."

"That's not what I meant; I was more apologizing for you specifcaly. You don't deserve that."

"But every other Quarian does? We didn't mean to lose control of the Geth, and they drove us off our planet. Haven't we suffered enough?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Not unless every Quarian has learned their lesson. I would wish the same on every species that screw up big time."

Tali turned to Garrus and tilted her head.

"Like the Krogan?"

Garrus sighed and shook his head, almost as if he had been asked this question a hundred times every day.

"The Krogan began to expand violently after the Rachni wars; they had to be put down hard if Galactic peace was to persevere."

"What are your thoughts on this Commander?"

Shepard turned to the two aliens, each looking at him hoping he'd take their side.

"I don't know enough about it to have a strong opinion on it. Besides, I doubt my opinion matters very much. It's not like I'm going to be the one to cure the Genophage."

Garrus laughed, always an odd thing to hear with his reverberating vocal cords.

"Ha! That'll be the day. If that happens Shepard, I'll buy you a drink every day for the rest of my life."

The elevator dinged and the doors opened, the three of them walking out into the busy lobby of C-Sec.

"So, Commander, what brings us to my old stomping grounds? It's not like we have any more criminals to turn in after Dr. Saleon."

Shepard glanced back at Garrus and smirked.

"I think you'll like what I have planned. We're getting close to our final confrontation with Saren, and last time we faced him, we were outmatched. If we're going to face him and walk away from this, we're going to need superior firepower."

With that, he turned and made his way down to the C-Sec requisitions office, where he saw the familiar face of the turian sitting at the desk.

"Ah, Commander. Good to see you again."

His face turned slightly sour when he saw Garrus standing next to Shepard.

"Vakarian."

"Quinvius."

"Looks like you got your wish. Throw every rule out the window."

"At least I'm getting the job done. I was on Saren from the start, and now I'm helping the commander take him down. You see anyone else around here doing that?"

Quinvius's mandibles flickered in a barely hidden snarl.

"You always were better at running off than following through, Vakarian. We'll see if your 'methods' hold up."

Ever since leaving C-Sec, Garrus had gotten the cold shoulder and dirty looks from the officers they ran into whenever they stopped at the Citadel, especially from turians. Quinvius gave Garrus one last glare before turning to Shepard.

"What can I do for you today. Commander? Looking for anything in particular?"

"Yes, I am. I need access to the rare stock. The best weapons and armor you have."

Quinvius smiled, or at least smiled as much as a turain could with their mouth mandibles and nodded.

"Very good. Let me see here. Ah yes, I can fit the three of you for some custom colossus armor. I have a set of heavy armor here if you want to review it."

Shepard nodded.

"Bring it up."

Quinvius stood up and opened on the of the lockers next to his desk, pulling out a set of shining gun metal grey armor with red highlights. Shepard, Garrus and Tali stared at the armor in awe as Quinvius set it down on the desk.

"The armor plating made of tempered Tungsten Carbide. Heavy, but it can stop the strongest impacts. Underneath the armor is Kevlar fabric, ensuring protection in all areas. The shielding on this armor set is set for both plasma shots and biotic attacks. Lighter versions of the armor are also available in Carbon Fiber."

Shepard ran a hand over the smooth finish of the armor. It was perfect for whatever Saren would throw at them.

"Colossus armor, huh? Heavy-duty. With this, I might even survive being next to you in a firefight, Commander." Garrus chuckled.

"Have two set of the Carbon Fiber models fit for Garrus and Tali."

"I'll have that ordered right away. And for yourself?"

Shepard looked at the armor. The heavy set was perfect for him. Almost anyway. He may be a Specter, but he was Alliance first and foremost.

"Would you be able to paint the heavy set to match the alliance N7 armor?"

"Of course, Commander. I'll place the order with your other two sets."

He typed in the order into his computer and Tali leaned over to Shepard.

"Commander, this can't be cheap. Even one set of that armor would cost tens of thousands of credits."

Shepard smirked at her.

"Well, with both Alliance and Council funding, on top of selling whatever salvage we've found, we have more than enough to pay for our equipment."

Tali nodded. Explained why Shepard was always filling the cargo hold with things.

"Thanks Shepard. That's very generous."

"I'm not done yet. Quinvius, what kind of weapons do you have?"

Quinvius looked up from his computer and smiled once more.

"Ah yes, well recently the Council approved the production of a new line of weapons for Specters only. The HMW series. We have pretty much every gun you can think of. Assault rifle, pistol, shotgun, sniper rifle, you name it."

Shepard turned to Garrus and Tali, putting both hands on his hips.

"Alright. You heard the man; take your pick."

Garrus' eyes lit up like Christmas had come early."

"I'll take the HMW sniper for sure. Thanks Commander!"

Shepard laughed.

"You're welcome, Garrus. I'll take an assault rifle. Tali?"

Tali looked at Shepard in disbelief. There was no possible way that this was really happening. Not only was he getting her the best armor custom made for her, but she was getting a specter level weapon?

Tali's voice softened. "Shepard… I don't know what to say. This is—" she paused, almost unsure how to express the depth of her appreciation, "—thank you."

"Shotgun it is. Got that Quinvius?"

The turian nodded.

"Yes Commander. While your armor is being processed, would you like to take your guns to the range to test?"

Shepard nodded and Quinvius went to another locker and retrieved the guns. They were beautifully black, sleek weapons of war. Each had crimson red lights on them, and their respective labels on them. HMWA, HMWSR and HMWSG. Quinvius handed each of them their desired firearm and led them away.

As they made their way to the range, Tali matched pace with Shepard.

"Why the sudden purchase of expensive weapons and armor?"

Shepard shrugged.

"Like I said, we're about to go up against Saren and he tore us apart last time. We need the best at our disposal."

"There's more to it than that. You could have taken the whole crew to have them fit for armor and weapons. But you took me and Garrus. Why?"

Shepard sighed.

"It's my way of saying thank you. For helping me get past… everything." Shepard glanced away, his mind lingering on the last time he had spoken to Ashley. "I wouldn't have managed it without both of you."

"Both of us?"

Shepard rolled his eyes and smirked.

"I've spent enough time with both of you to know that it was his idea to send you. I'm grateful for that."

Tali looked ahead at Garrus, who was still admiring every inch of his sniper rifle, his face lit up with excitement. The conversation in the elevator lingered in her mind, and she couldn't shake the frustration she'd felt. Yet, Shepard's words had brought a sense of balance to her thoughts.

Shepard noticed her quiet reflection and put a hand on her shoulder. Tali nearly flinched, surprised by the touch, but didn't pull away. His voice softened. "I know Garrus can be a bit... brash and set in his ways, but he's a good man. He's young and hasn't spent a lot of time outside C-Sec. Trust me, the more time you spend with him, the more he grows on you. He just has some growing to do. We all do."

Tali's eyes lingered on Garrus, and she found herself nodding. Shepard's words settled in her heart. Maybe she'd been too quick to judge him, too sensitive to his harsh views about her people. Garrus had been through a lot, just like her. Perhaps he just needed time to understand—to see things from a different perspective. She glanced back at Shepard, her trust in him deepening. If he could see something in Garrus, maybe she could too.

"Thanks, Shepard. I appreciate that," she said softly.

But as they continued toward the range, Tali's thoughts lingered. She admired Shepard's belief in people, his ability to see past flaws and focus on the potential beneath. And that faith extended to her, too. The bond they were building was more than just camaraderie—it was trust

Shepard shrugged.

"I'm just telling the truth. You'd do the same. Have in fact."

Shepard glanced at Tali as her pace sped up, a slight smile forming on his face as he watched her examine the new shotgun. It wasn't just her technical prowess that impressed him—there was a strength and resolve that reminded him why he valued her presence on the Normandy so much.

"Looks good on you, Tali," he said, nodding toward the shotgun. "Just remember, it's not about the weapon; it's about how you use it. Keep your stance solid and maintain control. You know your weapon better than anyone."

Tali nodded; her eyes gleaming with enthusiasm. "I will, Commander."

Garrus, who had been silently admiring his new sniper rifle, chimed in. "Just don't forget to aim for the head, Tali. Always aim for the head."

She shot him a playful glare. "I'll see your head and raise you chest, Garrus."

Shepard chuckled, enjoying the banter between them. "Alright, you two, let's see what this new gear can do. We might not have Saren in front of us just yet, but we need to be ready."

As they stepped into the shooting range, the targets lined the far wall, waiting for the sharp shots that would inevitably come. Shepard turned to his friends. "Let's get to work. I want to see what you both can do."

Garrus loaded his sniper rifle, settling into a practiced stance, while Tali adjusted the settings on her shotgun.

The three of them fell into a rhythm, the sound of gunfire ringing through the range as they waited for their order to finish.