Chapter 48
Port Observatory – SSV Normandy SR2
She entered the room nervously with her datapad as she stared at the woman who sat cross-legged on the floor. She didn't know why the woman made her so nervous. But for some reason the thought of a therapy session with someone older than her species' space flight seemed cartoonishly absurd. But Shepard allowed for no exceptions, which meant she had to do it whether she wanted to or not.
She didn't know if a human in her 20s trying to play therapist to a centuries old asari was demeaning or offensive in any way. But she would do her best to navigate the potential minefield that came with the territory as she sat on a small, spartan seat nearby.
"Are you well?" asked the asari woman curiously.
Kelly looked up at her in confusion. "I'm fine, why?"
"You've been sitting and staring at your datapad for about five minutes now. You haven't said a word to me since you entered," said Samara in amusement.
"Oh… sorry," said Kelly, realizing that she had been so deep in thought that she hadn't even greeted the woman. "I suppose I could start with question number one. How are you, Samara?"
"For the first time in centuries, I am at peace," said the wise woman from her spot on the floor.
"That's wonderful to hear," said the yeoman with a grin. "When you say 'for the first time,' I assume that means that Shepard helped you?"
"An apt observation," said Samara as she gave a small, effortless smile. "Shepard indeed helped me with a situation that has been plaguing me for centuries."
Her brows rose, wondering how a human could help something that stumped an asari. "Do you mind if I ask how she helped you?"
Samara's grin lessened slightly, making Kelly wince. But her response gave the young woman immediate relief. "It is quite personal, so I will leave out the details. But there was something that required enormous emotional anguish from me. I do not believe I could have committed to it if Shepard were not there helping to guide me."
Kelly sighed as she realized how much she related to the older woman. "Shepard does a lot of guiding, doesn't she?"
"You speak true," said the justicar as her smile returned.
"So, you said you were at peace now?" asked Kelly, wondering if it were simply a hill she had to get over or if it were a lifelong commitment she gave herself to. Though she couldn't think of any commitment more lifelong and emotionally exhausting than being a justicar.
"In a manner of speaking. The deed is done, so to speak. Now I have but to live with the pain the whole ordeal has caused. It is not easy, but it will be easier than what I had to do," said the older woman knowingly.
"Do you have anything to help you bear that pain?" asked the yeoman, fascinated by the woman's ordeal.
"I have thoughts of my daughters, Falere, Rila, and Mirala," said the justicar as she closed her eyes.
Kelly found herself wondering if she were thinking about them now. "Family can be a great help in easing the burden of emotional damage. Can you tell me about your daughters?"
At first, Kelly thought she had crossed a line as the woman's eyes narrowed. But she proceeded as if nothing had happened. "Falere is smart. She goes by the books on everything and loves art. She enjoys painting, and has taken a fascination with the human Kara Walker and her silhouette art. She says it uses pretty pictures to show the horrors we can inflict on one another."
Kelly smiled brightly. "She sounds incredibly smart. How old is she?"
"Falere is 557 years old and Rila is 530. They're both bordering on matriarch now," said the asari wistfully as she looked down.
"How about Mirala?" asked the yeoman, and almost immediately regretted it as the justicar donned a look of sadness. It was surprising to see someone normally so devoid of emotion bear such a burdened look. "I'm sorry…"
"It's alright," said Samara as she wiped a tear away from her flawless face. "Mirala was 610 years old. She would be casting off her family name to forge her own if… she…"
"She passed away?" asked Kelly, feeling in the pit of her stomach a wave of sympathy for the older woman.
"Yes," said Samara as she let out a sigh. "All of my daughters were incredibly smart. Rila wanted to be a musician. She became fascinated with jazz music. She almost fainted when humans joined galactic society and brought with them hundreds of years of jazz music for her to listen to."
"You said she wanted to. Is something stopping her?" asked Kelly, who at this point understood that she was navigating an emotional minefield. She decided that instead of tiptoeing around, she'd have to do her job and simply start digging up the mines.
"She…" started the asari, her breath catching in her throat as she hesitated to answer. "She is a musician. A very good one."
Kelly understood the sentiment. You don't have to be breaking record sales to be a proper musician. But she found herself wondering if it was because her music didn't catch on, or if there were another reason she wasn't as well known. Instead, she decided to move on. "And Mirala? What was her passion?"
"She was passionate about sports and architecture. She wanted to pursue a college degree in ancient architecture and restore old ruins on other worlds one day, then play bioticball the next. She was very active before… before she…" said Samara as she stopped in her tracks. She lowered her head with her eyes narrowed as if deep in thought.
Kelly didn't want to interrupt, but it had been a full minute before she said anything. "Everything alright?"
Looking up at the young woman, the asari smiled. "I want to thank you, Miss Chambers."
"Please, call me Kelly," said the yeoman with a bright grin.
"Thank you, Kelly. You've made me realize something I should have realized long ago," she said as she bowed her head.
Kelly almost felt honored by the gesture, but simply brushed it off. "I don't know what I did, but you're welcome. In the meantime, what are your plans once the collectors are taken care of?"
"I will go again and see Falere and Rila. It has been too long since I visited them," she said as her face soured slightly. "I will be the mother I couldn't for so long."
Not wanting to question Samara's motherhood, she simply continued. "And how about once the reaper situation is over with? Do you plan to continue being a justicar? Or is there a retirement plan?"
The asari almost looked amused at the question. "There is no retirement for justicars. If we live long enough without being killed, then we simply spend our days meditating on the Code until the goddess takes us back into her fold."
"That may be the case, but being around Shepard changes a lot of things, as you know. Do you think you'd like to spend your golden years with your daughters?" asked the yeoman respectfully.
"I…" started Samara as she thought about the answer. "I would have to make many arrangements for myself and for them, but I suppose I would. They deserve a mother. Mirala deserved a mother. And while I cannot give Mirala what she should have had, I can still give myself to Falere and Rila. They deserve that at least."
"I'm sure they'd be glad to have you back," said Kelly with a smile.
The elder asari woman smiled back, her expression giving off peace like a calm flowing river. "I want to thank you again, Kelly. You've brought to light more than you know. Perhaps one day you will get to meet my daughters."
"I would love that," said the yeoman, pride swelling in her chest as she finally shut down the datapad.
Migrant Fleet – Far Rim
The atmosphere inside the shuttle was intense. It was decided that the Normandy should stay at least one relay jump away from the Migrant Fleet given that both a geth and EDI were aboard. And while Shepard trusted Legion and EDI not to do anything nefarious, the quarians might not be so trusting, and likely would not be pleased if they ever found out that two different AIs were within spitting distance of their fleet.
Instead, they took the new and improved shuttle through the relay and arrived at the fleet within hours. Shepard was awed by the sight of the massive life ships with their orb-like bodies surrounded by thousands of smaller ships. The Normandy, a frigate that was on the larger end of frigate sized ships would be dwarfed in comparison to the one of them. Even dreadnaughts couldn't hold a candle to their size with the Destiny Ascension being able to fit comfortably inside one of the orbs. The entire fleet was massive in scale and would also outnumber the Citadel Fleet five to one.
But Shepard knew the reality of the situation. A lot of the ships in this fleet weren't combat ready or even capable. The ones that were combat worthy were likely centuries old and would disintegrate from one or two shots from the Citadel Fleet ships due to their age. As impressive as the scale of the fleet was, it was barely holding together after almost three hundred years of drifting through space and collecting scraps from other ships to keep their homes in one piece.
Shepard let out a sigh as she turned to Tali, whose foot was bouncing nervously. She was also fidgeting again with her hands, something the spectre hadn't seen her due since she was back on the original Normandy. "It's gonna be alright Tali."
"I want to believe you, but…" said the quarian as she looked up at Shepard.
"I know it's hard to hear the charges. But we're going to find out what happened, and we're going to blast the charges into space dust. You've done nothing to warrant a charge of treason," said the woman as she patted the commander on the shoulder.
Tali sighed and shook her head. "That's not true! They could have found out about Val'Eda, or EDI, or Legion!"
"I very much doubt they did," said Lia from the pilot's seat. "When I was young, my father grew in the ranks quickly. This meant he switched from ship to ship a lot, so I saw many different crews in the fleet. And I have yet to see a crew as tightly woven and protective as yours."
"What do you mean?" asked Tali in confusion.
"You all would never betray each other like that," said Lia as she smiled back at them. "Whatever these charges are, I doubt they have anything to do with our friends back on the Normandy."
"Let's hope," said Tali as she sighed heavily.
"We're coming within range. You should prepare your ashella," said Lia as she turned on the comms for the vessel.
"This is Battleship MFV Thoneela. Halt your progress towards the Migrant Fleet and identify yourself," ordered the voice. Shepard looked out the viewport of the shuttle but had no clue which of the ships was the Thoneela.
"This is Lia'Vael nar Ulnay flying the… the shuttle of the SSV Normandy under command of Captain Jane Shepard of the Citadel Council Special Tactics and Reconnaissance," said Lia who barely got the mouthful out without flubbing her line.
Shepard almost snorted as Lia had nearly forgotten to add in her response that they weren't aboard the Normandy itself. "Shuttle? Why didn't you bring your ship?"
Lia sighed and shook her head. "It's currently doing something in another part of the galaxy," said said irritably. "We're carrying Tali'Zorah nar Rayya vas Neema aboard as well as two other non-quarian passengers and would like to dock with the Rayya."
"Give us a moment to verify permissions," came the voice again. Within five minutes they called back. "Permission granted. We need your ashella."
Tali stood from her seat and walked over to the front of the vehicle so she could be heard. "After time adrift among open stars, along tides of light and through shoals of dust, I will return to where I began."
"The Book of the Ancestors?" asked Lia curiously once the comm was off again, getting a nod from Tali.
"I hope to be able to say that when we return to Rannoch one day," said the commander with a sigh as she sat in the copilot seat.
"Confirmed. Welcome home, Tali'Zorah," said the quarian over the comm. "Since you have non-quarians aboard, we will require a security and quarantine team to clean you. Given the security team, Lia'Vael will not be required to provide her ashella as long as she can provide her fleet ID."
"Understood," said Tali as she closed the comm.
"You weren't supposed to let us hear your ashella," said Lia with concern in her voice.
"At this point I don't care," responded Tali as she leaned her head back on the headrest of the seat. "You're my trusted crew. If I can't trust you with my ashella, then there's nobody who I can trust with anything."
"Wait…" said Grunt from the back. "Who here's not quarian?"
"Very funny," said Shepard as she bonked his helmet gently.
"Why'd you even bring me along anyway?" he asked as he leaned up against the wall.
"I asked that you come along," said Lia from the front seat. "Our people have been isolated for too long. We don't make friends easily. And I believe it's about time we change that. So, I'm asking you as an ambassador to clan Urdnot to come and meet my people."
"Fair enough," he said with a shrug. "We both belong to species who are currently being shunned by the Council, so I guess it makes some degree of sense. Still wish I could have brought my swords."
"We don't need you swinging those things around on a fleet of ships where a single suit puncture can lead to an infection," said Tali in amusement from her seat up front. "Besides, if any outing Shepard ever had didn't lead to combat, it'd be this one. We're here for a trial, not to fight my people fist to fist."
He snorted as he crossed his arms. "Quarian trials are boring."
Shepard shook her head and gently headbutted his helmet affectionately. "Stay polite and we'll go see the live shark exhibit on the Citadel."
"Fine. But only if I get to pet it," he said as he looked away.
"Really? You wanna go down into a shark cage?" asked Shepard as she rose a brow.
"I… maybe," he said shaking his head. "You humans are suicidal locking yourself in an iron cage underwater just to pet a four hundred-million-year-old predator. That sounds like a krogan weekend though."
It took another ten minutes to find the right dock aboard the ship using the coordinates they had been given. Then another twenty minutes of thorough chemical sterilization while rules and orders were barked at them through the comm. She wasn't surprised that more people didn't visit the Migrant Fleet given that they were almost treated aggressively.
Once they were thoroughly cleaned and had been given all the proper paperwork, they were finally allowed aboard. Shepard could have sworn her black armor was now grey due to the cleaning as quarians veered wide of the crew due to Grunt's size. Or maybe it was because they were outsiders in general, she couldn't be sure.
They were stopped near the airlock by a security team. The head of the group wore an off yellowish suit with jagged lines in spots where Tali had spirals. "Captain Shepard; Tali'Zorah has told me a lot about you. I wish we could be meeting under more pleasant circumstances," he said as he reached forward and offered his hand.
Shepard was mildly surprised that someone on the fleet would offer a human greeting, but she accepted gratefully and shook his hand. "Tali is a valued member of my crew and the galactic community as a whole. I'd be remiss if I missed helping her out when she needed it," said the spectre as her brows furrowed behind her visor. "I also don't take kindly to my crew member being accused of any kind of treason."
"I understand. I am Kar'Denna bal Rayya, the captain of this ship. As her captain, your word will hold weight," he said firmly.
"Captain Kar'Denna was there during my birth. He's like a second father to me," said Tali demurely as she lowered her head.
Shepard knew that she was embarrassed about the charges being brought before the whole fleet. And Shepard knew that when she found out who levied them against her, she'd tear them apart given the chance. "I wish there was more I could do, Tali. This trial requires that I be neutral, but I'm here if you need to talk."
"Thank you, Captain," said Tali as she crossed her arms gently. "I suppose the first thing I should ask now that we're here is what I'm being charged with."
"According to the filing, you're being charged with bringing active geth into the fleet as part of a secret project," he said, shaking his head as if the charges were absurd.
"That's not possible! I only sent back pieces of geth! Everything I sent was thoroughly scanned and vetted to make sure they were clean!" snapped Tali angrily.
"Why were you sending geth parts back to the fleet?" asked Shepard curiously as she looked down at her crewmate.
Tali looked between Shepard and the captain of the Rayya before sighing. "I suppose it's going to come out in the trial anyway," she said shaking her head. "My father was working on a secret project that required geth materials and components. If I…" she started, but then stopped. "No! I checked and rechecked! Their charges are false!"
"Technically, I'm under orders to detain Tali'Zorah for the trial once she's aboard. So, Tali, you're confined to this area of the ship until the trial is over," said the captain as he reached up and squeezed her shoulder.
"Thank you, Captain," said Tali as she bowed her head gently.
Finally, the captain turned to Shepard. "Preparations got under way as soon as you arrived. The meeting is being held in the garden plaza. Good luck Tali."
As the security team left, they continued forward with Tali guiding them and Grunt in the back behind Lia. It didn't take long for Shepard to start hearing the hushed conversations around them. She didn't even need to hear their words to know they were talking about Tali and her crew. If there was anything she hated more than miscommunication in a crew, it was gossip. But to be fair to them, gossip was probably a lifestyle when your entire lives were spent on the same ship.
She ignored their muted conversations as Tali led them into another chamber. This one was larger and much more acoustic. The sound from people chatting with one another was louder, though the conversations weren't any easier to make out. Some of the quarians here wore helmets, some did not. Many of them wore suits while others wore simple clothing.
But as she looked over all the people in the room, one thing was clear; this trial was big. Among the quarians in the garden, all the conversations stopped as they entered. Everyone turned and looked at the small group silently. It was half a minute before the turned back and continued their conversations.
One quarian in particular made her way over to Tali wearing a grey and white suit. "Tali'Zorah vas Normandy. I'm glad you came as soon as you could. I could only delay the trial so long."
"Auntie Raan…" said Tali, her voice a mix between cheerfulness and surprise. "You… you called me Tali'Zorah vas Normandy?"
"Unfortunately, Tali, the Admiralty Board has put that as your name moving forward given your former and current assignment aboard the Normandy," said the quarian woman in a smooth, almost smokey voice.
"I take it that's not good," said Shepard as she crossed her arms. She didn't like how this was panning out and they hadn't even gotten to the trial yet.
"They've stripped me of my ship name, vas Neema. That's as good as exiling me already," snapped Tali angrily as she mimicked Shepard's cross armed pose.
"Regardless of what we call you, Tali, the trial is not over until you are convicted. Please do not lose hope," said the woman solemnly. Shepard was no expert at reading expressions, especially of a species who typically had masks on hiding said expressions. But she had known Tali and Lia both long enough to know what it looked like when a quarian was grieving and sad. And this Raan was going through something right now that she wasn't commenting on. She found herself wondering if it was all for Tali's sake.
"How do you know Tali?" asked Shepard curiously as she looked between the pair.
Tali herself turned to Shepard with a nod. "Apologies. I forgot to introduce you. Jane'Shepard bal Normandy, this is Admiral Shala'Raan vas Tonbay. She's technically not my aunt, but I call her that because her and my mother were like sisters. She's also a longtime friend of my father," said Tali before she looked around the garden. "Shala'Raan vas Tonbay, this is Jane'Shepard bal Normandy."
"Bal?" asked Shepard as she cocked a brow at her quarian crewmate.
"Captain designation, like with Captain Kar'Denna from before," said Lia from the side as well.
"I see you have returned as well, Lia'Vael," said Shala as she turned to the second quarian.
"I am the Normandy's shuttle pilot. I have not returned for good," said Lia as she greeted the admiral with the quarian finger tap.
"I'm happy to hear your quest continues. How goes your search for a pilgrimage gift?" asked the admiral curiously as she turned to the new girl.
"It is not secured yet, but I know what it will be. I hope it can be helpful to all of our people," said the pilot as she refrained from mentioning what it was.
"Staying quiet? Well, the Conclave does enjoy surprises, as do the admirals," she said as she turned back to Tali.
It was then that Tali looked around the garden. "Wait, where is my father?"
"You will see inside, Tali," said Shala'Raan as her voice returned to the monotone form it had taken before. Shepard could clearly see she was trying to hide the emotion from her voice. She had loosened the bolts when talking to Lia, but now she reverted to tightening them again.
"You're an admiral. Does that mean you're going to be one of the judges?" asked Shepard as she looked the quarian woman up and down. She didn't like the feeling she was getting from this whole ordeal. Something was going on and she felt like whatever Tali was being accused of was irrelevant to most of the pieces moving around on this board.
"Unfortunately, due to my history with her family, I will have to recuse myself," she responded as she turned to Shepard.
"My father will as well," said Tali with a nod to Shepard.
Shala'Raan stayed silent for a moment before continuing. "Instead, I will be moderating the trial and making sure the rules and protocols are followed. I will not let them harass her needlessly. But I have no vote in the final decision."
"Well, I'd say let's get to the trial and get these charges removed as soon as possible," said Shepard as she unfolded her arms. "Does Tali have a defense counselor? Someone who will speak in her favor?"
"She does," said Shala'Raan as he waved towards Shepard. "She is part of your crew, Captain Jane'Shepard. According the quarian law, a captain must advocate for their crew."
"So, not only does her name get stripped, but her captain won't even stand up for her?" asked Shepard in annoyance. She was already raw with these people treating Tali like they did.
"I'm sorry you don't agree, Captain Shepard. But that is how things are right now," said the quarian respectfully.
Shepard turned away from the older quarian and looked at Tali through her visor. "What do you think?"
"W-Would you speak for me?" asked Tali as she fidgeted once more.
"I don't know how good I'll be. I know nothing about quarian law," said the spectre with a shrug. "But if you want me to, then I'll do my best."
"Honestly, after how you've handled the Council and the Alliance, I couldn't think of a better person to stick up for me in this trial. Thank you, Shepard," said Tali as she reached forward and gripped Shepard's hands with her own.
Shepard squeezed her back before the people in the garden began to shuffle around and find their seats. Around the edges of the room were stadium-like seats while the admirals stood on a stage in the middle. "This looks like an amphitheatre," noted Shepard as she eyed the lush green room.
"It is. It's one of the areas we go for entertainment. Sometimes we watch vids on a large projector screen, sometimes we have plays, reenactments, or read poetry," said the commander as she led Shepard over to the main stand. "I've only ever seen two trials in my lifetime."
"They're not that common?" asked Shepard curiously as the admirals gathered together on the stage.
"Most of them take place on the ship that the crew member is a part of. I guess since I'm considered a part of your crew, it is being held here," she said as she looked up at the spectre. Jane now realized that her decision to keep the Normandy away from the fleet was the best possible decision. While she still doubted they would hold the trial on her ship, the chance that they could was enough to make her sweat with both EDI and Legion aboard.
"I see. So they happen, you just don't see them," said Shepard, getting a nod from Tali.
The commander continued. "They're held for anything from vandalism to murder. And you can be charged whether you're a juvenile or adult. So, they probably happen more often than people realize. But I've only ever seen two, one of which my father participated in."
"What can I expect from this trial? How formal are they?" asked Shepard worriedly as she realized she didn't know the first thing about decorum aboard the fleet.
"It's more like a battlefield than a trial. While namecalling and insults aren't strictly allowed, inferences and implications are made all the time. Sometimes they can get downright nasty," said Tali with a sigh. "Honestly, Shepard, you're really good at talking. Your monologuing skill is amazing, but I don't know if even you can stand up to the admirals here."
It was then that the public chatter was hushed among the crowds. Three presumed admirals, one suited in white and blue, one in red and white, and another in all black took their places on the stage as Shala'Raan stood over them, ironically looking like the judge herself. "This Conclave is brought to order. Blessed are the ancestors who kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season. Keelah se'lai," said Raan as she bowed her head in respect.
There was an entire chorus repeating the last few words before the trial finally started. But even then Tali couldn't help but notice something was off. "Where is my father? Even if he was recused he should be here," she whispered just loud enough that Shepard could hear.
"The accused, Tali'Zorah vas Normandy, has come with her captain to defend herself against the charge of treason," started the mediator.
Almost immediately one of the admirals raised his hand. "Objection! A human has no business at a hearing involving such sensitive military matters! I move to have the cap-"
"If you didn't want Captain Shepard here, Admiral Koris, then you shouldn't have declared Tali'Zorah as a strict crewmember of the Normandy. You pushing to have her tried under 'vas Normandy' is the reason why Shepard is her representative, and according to her rights as a citizen of the Migrant Fleet, you cannot strip her of her only counsel," said Shala'Raan with enough ice in her voice to freeze a faucet.
The courtroom was silent for a long moment before Admiral Koris finally shook his head. "Objection withdrawn," he said begrudgingly. It was clear that he intended to try and bulldoze this trial through as fast as possible using as many loopholes and allowances as he could. Having Tali tried as a member of a human ship knowing the stigma for outsiders, objecting to her being here; she found herself wondering what else he was going to try and pull to end the trial quickly and why he was after Tali.
"Jane'Shepard bal Normandy, your crew member Tali'Zorah stands accused of treason. Will you speak for her?" asked Shala'Raan as she stared down at Jane herself.
Shepard took a step forward on the stand and stared up at the admirals. "If it helps Tali, then I'll go to hell and back for her. She's my crew, my family, and she's an asset to any ship she's on. It's a shame to know that her immense worth is wasted here."
"I don't like your tone, Captain," growled the white and blue suited quarian. According to the court docket she received, he was Admiral Zaal'Koris vas Qwib Qwib, the one who levied the charges against Tali in the first place. She had her target.
"And what? Are you going to charge me with treason for that?" she asked scathingly as her blue-green eyes zeroed in on him. "Or perhaps you'd like to march up another hero of the fleet and charge them for the messy state of their bed."
Zaal'Koris looked as if he was about to blow steam out of the front of his mask with how angry he was. "Her status as a hero to the Citadel is irrelevant! We do not discriminate when-"
"Lie to yourself if you must, Zaal'Koris, but don't expect me to stay silent. The human is right!" snapped the red and white suited man next to Zaal'Koris. Shepard looked down at the datapad and saw his name was Han'Gerrel vas Neema, a crewmember of Tali's former ship before he became an admiral. "These charges fly in the face of her work on the original Normandy where she-"
"Admirals, please!" snapped Shala'Raan from above them. "Let us stay on track and get through this as cleanly as possible." Both men looked at each other, then looked forward as if being scolded. Shala'Raan continued, "Tali, you are accused of bringing active geth to the Migrant Fleet. What say you?"
Shepard looked over to Tali, who shook her head firmly. The spectre then looked back up at the Admiralty Board. "I'd like an explanation as to how Tali'Zorah, while serving aboard my ship was able to then sneak out and bring geth aboard the Migrant Fleet."
The third admiral, a woman in all black named Daro'Xen vas Moreh leaned onto the railing as she spoke. "To clarify, Tali isn't accused of bringing back entire units. Instead, she's charged with sending back parts that were capable of reactivating. They were parts that weren't properly cleaned of geth intelligences."
"I would never send active geth to the fleet! Everything I sent was disabled and clean of any geth units! It was all harmless!" said Tali in her own defense.
Admiral Koris decided to jump in again. "Then would the accused like to explain how geth spontaneously came to life and seized the lab ship where your father was working!?"
A loud gasp rose from the Coclave around them as people apparently learned about the occurrence at the same time as Tali and herself. Tali leaned against the railing of the stand desperately. "What are you talking about? What happened? Where is my father?"
Admiral Gerrel took over, leaving Zaal'Koris with a glare before focusing a softer look on Tali. "As far as we can tell, Tali, the geth have killed everyone on the Alarei."
Shepard slammed her foot down as she stepped forward. "You have a ship controlled by the geth floating around in the fleet and your first response is to hold a damn trial for my crew member?!" snapped the spectre, her vision tinged with red. "What is wrong with you?"
"I would advise the Captain to watch her tongue!" snapped Zaal'Koris angrily.
"Enough!" growled Shala'Raan as she reigned in the admiral again.
"Why are we standing here having a trial when the Migrant Fleet's safety is currently compromised?" asked Shepard in bewilderment as she slammed her hands down on the rail.
"Quarian strike teams have attempted to retake the ship. So far, without success," said Raan as she shook her head sadly.
"We have to take it back!" said Tali desperately as she turned to the spectre. "Please!" Shepard looked down at Tali and saw the request for what it was. She wasn't demanding something be done to keep the fleet safe, and she wasn't asking to do it to help prove her innocence. She was frighteningly worried about her father and potentially the others aboard the ship. Finally, Shepard nodded to her.
Zal'Koris saw fit to interject once more. "The safest course at this point would be to simply destroy the ship and be done with it. But if you are looking for an honorable death instead of exile…"
"I'm looking for my father, you bosh'tet!" snapped the commander as she threw her hand forward, her finger pointing directly at the admiral. Gasps arose from the crowds at the insulting move.
It looked like the admiral was going to respond, but both Gerrel and Xen grabbed him by a shoulder each and shook their heads. Instead, Shala'Raan spoke for them, being the voice of reason. "You intend to retake the Alarei from the geth?"
"Entire fleet marine strike teams have failed. Do you honestly think you'll fair better?" asked Han'Gerrel curiously. To her it sounded like he was more concerned with their safety than insulted at the offer.
"I know the quarians have a lot more experience with geth than most species, but we have more experience with geth than most of your fleet combined. We've fought them hand to hand, gun to gun, from Eden Prime all the way to Ilos. No offense, Admiral, but we're a team specialized in this kind of combat," said Shepard firmly as she looked between them all.
"Then it is agreed," started Han'Gerrel before he was interrupted.
"We have agreed to nothing," snapped Admiral Koris antagonistically as he turned to the man.
But Raan's voice above returned with more ice. "We have, actually," she said as she glared down at the white-suited man. "I may not cast a vote in the outcome of this trial, but as an admiral I am allowed to give my vote on whether they can take back the Alarei or not. That means even if Daro'Xen disagrees, it defaults to Shepard for the tie breaker."
The quarian man simply crossed his arms as Han'Gerrel continued. "Then it is agreed," he said as he gave his compatriot a scathing look. Then he focused on Tali again. "And if you die on this worthy mission, Tali, then we will see to it that your name is cleared of these absurd charges."
"We can discuss that later," said Zaal'Koris in annoyance.
Finally, Shala'Raan nodded again and spoke. "Then it is decided. You will attempt to retake the Alarei. Your detainment is to be lifted, allowing you to depart the Rayya long enough to board the ship. We will stock your shuttle and have it waiting for you. We will reconvene this trial once the Alarei is secure, or once it has been determined that you have been killed in action."
After a few minutes, Tali pulled Shepard aside and leaned her head against her shoulder. "Thank you for agreeing to take back the Alarei, Shepard. The admirals sound sure that my father is already dead. But… but I don't know. We won't know anything until we get there."
Shepard reached up and gently planted her hand on Tali's helmeted head. "How are you doing, Tali? They threw a lot of shit at you. You had your hands full even before they told you about your father."
The quarian let out a heavy sigh. "I knew this would be bad, but I guess you're never really prepared to be charged with treason. Though, don't think I don't appreciate that you've already made a status for yourself as a legendary quarian orator. If you keep upsetting Admiral Koris, you may even become an ancestor," she said in amusement. But any merth melted away as thoughts of her father returned. "As for my father, he could still be alive. I… I just need to know for sure. I need to see it for myself or I don't know if I'll ever really believe it."
"Right. We need to get the schematics for the ship before we leave. And I want a word with the admirals. You get the schematics, I'll talk to the admirals, then we'll go and find your father," said the spectre with a nod.
Shepard watched her go before beelining it straight for Zaal'Koris. Immediately two security guards stepped forward and grabbed her by the shoulders. "Take your hands off my before I remove them."
"That will not be necessary. Shepard, as callous and catty as she can be knows better than to attack an admiral of the Migrant Fleet," said Zaal'Koris as he brushed his security aside. "Is there something I can help you with, Captain?"
"I want to know what you have against my crewmate, Koris," she demanded as she set him with a glare.
"You will address me as Admiral. You may be a skilled orator, but we will not tolerate rude behavior off the stand," he growled at her.
"Then you'll address me as Spectre, not Captain," she retorted as she crossed her arms.
"As you wish," he said, bowing his head slightly.
"Answer the question, Admiral. You've been after her throat from the moment this trial started. I want to know what you have against my crew member," she demanded once more, not letting him slip out of her grasp.
"I have nothing against Tali'Zorah personally, Spectre. But I despise what her and her father stand for," he said as he pushed his guards aside and squared up on her. "Do not think I don't see what she was doing by delivering those parts!"
"And what's that?" asked Shepard, genuinely curious about what the hell he was talking about.
"They're monsters, the both of them! Taking parts of the geth people and using them for weapons tests, looking for ways to commit even more heinous crimes against them," he snapped at her.
"You think Tali and her father were gathering geth parts to test weapons?" asked Shepard as she reached up and scratched her head in confusion.
"Ever since she found that damn ship, her father has been scouring the data looking for anything that could be used as a weakness for them. They offered that data to us in good faith and it's being used as a way to kill the very people we wronged," he said with a huff.
Then it was crystal clear to Shepard what was happening. "You're a geth sympathizer…"
"Of course I am! They are our children! We tried to kill them, and now a gift they gave us is being weaponized against them," he growled angrily. But his anger evaporated as she began to chuckle. "I do not see what's so funny."
"You raging idiot…" she growled, the amusement now gone from her voice. "Do you have any idea what you're doing? Did you have any clue before you bulldozed this treason trial out that you'd be charging one of your biggest allies with exile?!"
"W-What are you talking about?" he asked, shocked by the statement.
Shepard reached up and tried to rub her helmeted forehead in frustration, but found herself wanting. "Politics…" she grumbled as he planted her hands on her hips. "Admiral, if you had taken half an hour to talk to Tali about her thoughts on the geth and general AI, this damn trial wouldn't have happened."
"And why is that?" he asked inquisitively as he tilted his head.
"I'm not about to speak for her on subjects unrelated to the trial. If… when I get her charges cleared, feel free to actually put in work for once and ask her instead of assuming you know every damn thing about someone," she said before pointing at the man. The security guards twitched uncomfortably at the action. "I want peace with the geth. Many people you don't realize want peace with the geth of Rannoch. But you're letting your fleet politics shoot you in the foot."
"Interesting," he said as he ignored her pointing. "If you survive…" he emphasized the words heavily. "And if you end up getting her charges cleared, then perhaps we will have this discussion you speak of. But right now, you have a ship to clear."
"Yeah, let me do that for you too," she snapped before turning away from him with a sigh of frustration. As she turned around, Shepard saw Tali speaking to two quarians that she easily recognized as Kal'Reegar and Veetor from Freedom's Progress. Seconds later, Tali turned away and waved to Shepard.
The spectre smiled at her, her anger balling itself up for later. This trial was pure politics and no substance. It was fairly clear that the charges against Tali were assumptions on the part of Zaal'Koris in an attempt to make a point. He assumed she and her father were constructing geth to do weapon's tests on. And while Shepard couldn't say anything about Tali's father and his motives, she knew that Tali was better than he claimed. She'd just have to work her ass off to prove it in the trial.
CODEX ENTRIES
Bioticball | Sports | Asari
Originally an asari sport, it has since spread across the galaxy. The players, using hands, feet, and their own biotics to get the ball into the opponent's goal. Due to the nature of biotics, there's a good chance for injury. It's often considered one of the most brutal combat sports still available on the sports channel.
Ashella | Culture | Quarian
The Migrant Fleet is very protective of itself, and as such each quarian is assigned a passphrase for when they have to leave the fleet. Several ships, known as scribe ships are dedicated to memorizing the millions of passphrases for each quarian on pilgrimage, each off doing missions for the Admiralty Board, and each quarian living outside of the fleet itself. Those who leave the fleet are required to memorize these passphrases in order to get back into the fleet.
Garden | Cultural | Quarian
Due to their unique immune deficiency, quarians must spend time around one another in order to effectively eliminate any side-effects of being around their own family and crew mates. The areas they use to do this on each ship are called gardens, and typically consist of recreation areas, kitchens, and living areas. In these gardens, quarians can commonly be seen without their helmets and suits, playing together, talking, or eating in order to allow their bodies to grow more familiar with those closest to them.
Finger Tap | Culture | Quarians
The quarian finger tap is a greeting where two quarians hold up their hands and touch the tips of their three fingers together briefly. Sometimes colloquially called the 'shyfive' by humans, the minimal amount of touching is a quintessential part of quarian culture. Other species such as humans and asari who have more digits than quarians do can mimic the greeting by simply holding some of their fingers together as if they were one digit.
Pointing | Culture | Quarian
Being a very introverted society, even the most outgoing quarians hate drawing attention to themselves or others with them. Anything that may bring unneeded attention to someone could be considered an insult by quarian standards, whether arguing, shouting, confronting people, or especially pointing directly at them.
A/N: I'm going to try to communicate with readers more to keep people engaged. One thing I'm going to be doing shortly after this is posting a poll below and in my discord asking your thoughts on a certain plot point that came up recently. If you'd like to participate, please follow the link as best you can and give me your thoughts! You can also leave your thoughts in a review or a direct message to me if you wanna say more than the poll allows. Thank you all again very much!
This idiot website refuses to allow links, so just go to PollJunkie and put all this after the slash. poll/fgdqkq/me-story-poll