-Chapter 14-
Awkward
The air was still heavy with the tension of their earlier encounter as Garrus and Jared made their way back to the Normandy. Their conversation was light, filled with the superficialities of their current situation, but it did little to dispel the unease that had taken hold at the cafeteria table. There was a wariness in their interactions, a careful dance that they both performed in favor of the mission that lay ahead.
At least, that's what I hope it is.
Soon, they found themselves in the sterile confines of the decontamination chamber. "Stand by shore party." The female robotic voice once again echoed through the room. "Decontamination in progress." Jared felt the thrum of the force field as it passed through him, a tingling sensation that made his skin feel like it was fizzing, buzzing with a strange energy.
After a short while, the doors in front of Garrus and Jared slide open, leading to the bridge of the Normandy.
Jared's gaze found Garrus, the alien's blue eyes glowing in the dim light of the chamber. "Thanks for the shooting lesson," he said, his voice quieter than he intended. "I really do appreciate it."
Garrus flicked a glance his way, a talon extending in his direction. "No problem. If we're going to be working together, I'd feel a lot safer knowing you could shoot straight. Or at least, straighter than a drunken Elcor."
Jared turned to face him as he grabbed it in his hand. The feeling of the talon was still odd to him, but he tried to ignore the feeling as he gave a firm shake. The handshake, though a customary human gesture, felt curiously hollow given their surroundings. But as he let go, he felt a small sense of relief, a frayed edge of tension unspooling as the tension ebbed away.
"I'll be sure to keep practicing." Jared said, letting go of the talon.
"Good. Don't want all my hard work to go to waste." Garrus's voice echoed down the deck as he sauntered off, throwing a casual wave over his shoulder before disappearing into the bustle of the Normandy.
A wash of relief spilled over Jared as he finally exited the chamber, the atmosphere around him less suffocating now. His mind buzzed with unsaid words, secrets he wished he could share with Garrus, yet knew better than to reveal.
He found himself aimlessly wandering the cold, metallic hallways of the Normandy, his eyes drawn to the glowing screens the crew hunched over. A large counter appeared on almost every display, a relentless countdown that he knew signaled their impending departure. Three hours.
I guess that's how long I have till we take off.
But the rest of the symbols and codes remained a mystery to him. He frowned, a nagging thought pushing at the edges of his mind. He needed to understand the screens if he was to be of any use.
But do I really have to go see them?
A knot of dread coiled in his stomach as he descended the steps into the small mess area. He slid into an empty chair, his gaze lost in the cold metallic sheen of the table. Tali Zorah. The name flashed in his mind like a warning beacon, setting his pulse racing. His interactions with Shepard and Garrus had been fraught with anxiety, but this was different. This was personal.
This is so dumb, I can't let this get in the way.
He couldn't shake off the lingering affection for the Quarian. A childhood crush, he'd told himself. Everyone had them, this just happened to be fictional. An infatuation borne out of admiration for a game character. But now, after all that had happened, the line between reality and fiction was blurring in his mind, and the once harmless crush had turned into an unnerving distraction, something that could compromise the mission ahead. He rested his forehead on the table, feeling the cold steel against his skin. His fingers threaded through his unkempt hair as he willed his racing thoughts to slow down. Deep breaths. In. Out. He repeated the rhythm, trying to purge the unsettling emotions coursing through him.
It's now or never, better to get it over with now then regret it later.
Jared sat up from the table, running a self-conscious hand through his hair, barely registering the crew members seated nearby. Their gaze felt heavy, judgmental. He pushed away the thoughts and made his way to the elevator.
The elevator gently descended into the depths of the ship, the slow ride wasn't making it any better, the throbbing in his heart amplified. His palms became clammy. He could feel the tension knotting his shoulders. He tried clearing his mind, slowing his breathing, but it was no use.
Fuck it, I just have to be a man about it.
Drawing himself to full height, he tried to mask his nervousness behind a facade of confidence. As the elevator doors parted, he confidently stepped into the armory. Garrus was back at the Mako, Ashley busied herself with the weapons, and Wrex leaned against a support beam, lost in thought.
Turning left towards the engineering area, he found himself frozen just short of the entrance. His legs refused to obey him, locked in place as if they'd turned to stone.
Come on, let's just get this over with.
The feeble attempt at convincing himself didn't work.
Fine.
Jared ruffled his hair on both sides, he always felt he looked better with his hair out rather than straight down, it filled out his head better. He ran his hands over his coarse jumpsuit, trying to straighten out any wrinkles he had; he even unzipped a little near the top to let his neck breathe better.
Okay, if you look good, you feel good. Although you have no way to verify if you look good considering there's no mirror around dumbass. Whatever, just open the goddamn door!
Taking a deep breath, he pressed his hand against the door panel. The door complied, sliding open with a familiar swoosh. The area, though small, bustled with engineers running diagnostic checks against a gentle hum which stemmed from the magnificent drive core at the back. A ball of pure energy coalesced as three metal prongs reached out, grasping the energy. With each hum, Jared's body moved slightly, being swayed by the pure power of it. It was calming, which clashed with the frenzied energy of the engineers who were shouting over one another, some running tests, others crunching numbers, and a few struggling to keep pace.
And there she was. Tali Zorah. Amidst the chaos, she stood near the center, absorbed in a conversation with an older man. The man, a little taller than Tali, sported the same fatigues as the other crew members. His shiny, shaven head seemed to be a source of distraction as he continuously scratched it.
This is it man, it's just another person that you have absolutely no connection to and this will be your first time ever really talking to. If I believe the lie, it sells it better.
As their conversation lulled, Jared made his move.
"Well Miss Zorah, there's not much more I can tell you." The older man chuckled. "Hell, you probably know more than half the guys in here."
Various engineers glanced up before shrugging off the comment and burying themselves in their work again.
"Please call me Tali," the Quarian requested, her voice just as Jared had remembered. "I apologize for all the questions. It's just, I've never seen a core like this before. It's...fascinating."
"The questions aren't the problem," the man laughed, his hand instinctively moving to scratch his head. "You just seem to answer them before I can."
In what seemed like a blink, Jared found himself standing behind them. His mouth opened but the words didn't come. Instead, his mind found itself more mesmerized by the intricate pattern on Tali's headdress.
The engineer spun around, caught off guard by Jared's sudden appearance. "Jesus! You've got to say something, son. Can't just go sneaking up on folks."
"Sorry," Jared mumbled, avoiding the engineer's gaze. "Didn't mean to startle you."
The man sighed, a hint of annoyance leaking through. "It's fine. What did you need?"
Tali, still engrossed in the core before her, was unaware of the exchange taking place behind her.
"I actually needed to speak to her, if that's okay." Jared motioned awkwardly towards the Quarian woman.
Recognition flickered in the engineer's eyes. "Ah, you must be the guy Shepard mentioned. Tali's supposed to be helping you out, right?"
Jared could feel his shoulders hunching in, a natural response to his discomfort. "Yeah, that's me."
"Well, make it quick if you can. With a brain like hers, she could knock an hour off our departure time." The man gave Tali a quick tap on the shoulder, indicating Jared's presence. He then ambled off, leaving the pair alone and rejoining the other engineers around them.
And there she was, in front of him. Her mask flickered faintly, and her posture gave the impression that she had a million other things she'd rather be doing.
An overly enthusiastic "Hi!" burst from Jared's lips, accompanied by a slightly awkward wave. "I'm that guy everyone seems to be talking about." A nervous laugh escaped him, attempting to show the humor in his statement.
Tali's gaze shifted behind her mask. "Oh, you're Jared right?"
She remembered me! Okay, play it cool.
"Yeah, that's me." He ran a hand through his hair reflexively. "And you're Tali, right?"
"Finally!" Tali's voice held a note of relief. "Someone who can get my name right. Feels like I've been correcting people all day."
"I can understand. Well, I guess I can't, I don't think anyone has actually gotten my name wrong before per say. They've spelled it wrong, that's for sure. You know, I'll see J-e-r-e-d or J-a-r-o-d. I can understand the first one but isn't the second one technically JaROD? Sometimes I'll see two R's and that also kind of peeves me off a litt-." Jared stopped as he realized he had just gone on a half a minute tangent about his name. He looked down at Tali, he couldn't see her full expression because of her mask, but what he did see was enough. She was completely lost.
Jared coughed, trying to regain his composure. "Anyway, I heard you might be able to help me?"
As if snapping back into reality, Tali nodded. "Um, yes." She ambled towards the room's corner, beckoning Jared to follow with a slight flick of her hand. Tali paused before a small terminal, embedded into the railing encircling the ship's humming core. She conjured up a holographic screen, an ethereal, orange glow lit up their figures. Jared hovered behind her, squinting at the digital display arching over her figure.
A message materialized on the screen, its text small yet discernible:
Hello everyone! I hope you find the Normandy to your liking so far, if not, be sure to send me a message and we can work together to correct whatever it is that needs correcting. I understand that there are a lot of questions but I promise an official in person meeting will be scheduled to answer them. There is something I would like to bring up here though, and I'm sure many, if not all of you, would like some explanation. This is of course regarding Jared, the odd kid who seemed to stumble upon us as we were helping Tali out. I know you're probably wondering why I decided to bring him aboard; simply put, we needed a chef and apparently he can cook. If you are not convinced by this explanation, please just be patient. Anyway, I need each of you to teach him a thing or two about some of the skills you are proficient at. Please refer to the list if you are not sure what you are considered proficient at:
Garrus - Proper weapon handling and aiming
Tali - Omni-tools and interfaces.
Ashley - Alliance military commands and tactics
Kaidan - CQC Training
Wrex -
Note: If your name is blank, please teach him whatever it is you feel is necessary.
Please do your best with this as Jared could become a very valuable ally in the future if cultivated properly. You should have a decent bit of time to do this before our first assignment. This, however, will be up to Jared as I would like to see if he has the courage to come to each of you individually. If not, his time on the Normandy will most likely be short. Thank you for understanding and please let me know if you have any questions.
Best of luck,
Commander Shepard
Jared scanned the message, a lengthy scroll of words that left him feeling mildly affronted. "Really, was there any need to label me as odd?"
Tali spared him a brief glance before shaking it off. "So, you don't really know much, do you?"
"Well I-" Jared floundered, his gaze darting around the room in a desperate attempt to find a counterpoint. The room responded with nothing but the pulsing hum of the drive core and the engineers' unintelligible chatter.
Deflated, he admitted, "Honestly, not really."
A muffled chuckle bubbled through Tali's mask, the sound slightly distorted by her speechbox. "Don't worry, I should be able to teach you the basics of omni-tools. First, however, you need to get one."
She grabbed his hand, her suit texture was coarse and her three fingered hand still felt odd to him, still, the gesture sent a thrill through Jared's veins. His surroundings faded to mere echoes as she fiddled with his arm. Time stretched out, each tick of the clock turning to agonizing minutes, and he felt a heady rush of dizziness.
"Okay, that should do it." Tali's voice, distant yet clear, brought him back. She stepped away, leaving his arm bare in the cool ship air.
A moment of disorientation washed over Jared before he collected himself.
"Now, try activating it," she said. Tali demonstrated, her fingers elegantly bringing forth her own omni-tool's holographic display.
Jared mirrored her gesture. A soft glow sprang up around his forearm, casting a warm, orange light on his awe-struck face. The display, surprisingly simple, consisted of a handful of buttons with terse labels—Scanner, Flashlight, Camera, Terminal, Communication, and Production. He tried to discern a source for the projection, but found nothing on his bare skin.
Tali motioned towards a small metal bar clinging to his jumpsuit. "Didn't you see me attach this?"
Caught off guard, Jared stammered, "Uh, no, I was...distracted by the drive core." He coughed, hoping to mask his embarrassment. "So, this is what makes the omni-tool appear?"
Nodding, Tali seemed more intrigued by his clothing's peculiar omission than the missing bar. "Most outfits come with the bar pre-installed. Fortunately, there are attachable alternatives."
Jared fiddled with the bar as she was talking, the force of the bar made it seem magnetically attached to his clothing. However, a light tug on the bar seemed to remove it, giving small resistance as it left his jumpsuit. He looked up to see Tali quizzically looking at him and hurriedly reattached the bar.
Summoning the display again, he admitted, "It's pretty straightforward, thankfully."
Tali moved to his side, causing his heart to hammer in his chest, and began pointing to the buttons. "These buttons are the applications the omni-tool is able to run. I feel like most of these are self-explanatory. Scanner is to take readings on objects, Flashlight is, well, for light, Camera is for photos, please do not misuse this one, the Terminal is to connect to the extranet if available, Communication lets you access nearby comms channels." Tali stopped as she got to the last one and looked up at Jared. "Just to clarify, this really is your first time using an omni-tool?"
Jared gave a quick nod, seemingly coming back to senses.
With a sigh, Tali withdrew, her gaze skimming the flurry of engineers as they hustled around, absorbed in ship diagnostics. The glow of her eyes flickered off her visor, finally settling on Jared.
"Now isn't the best time for the Production function," she said. "We'll go over it some other time. It can lead to, let's say interesting, results for first time users. ." As she spoke, she turned back to the terminal. Shepard's message was still glaring at them from the screen, its implications clear. With a few keystrokes, she banished the message, replacing it with the incomprehensible wall of text that Jared found bewildering.
Tali moved a bit to her right, motioning for Jared to join her beside the terminal, which he hurriedly obliged. Seeing the wall of text in front of him was daunting, but he had some experience with software engineering before, he wanted to at least understand the basics.
That way I'm not so useless.
"Yeah, this right here." Jared pointed to the screen. "This is what drives me insane, I don't see how anyone can understand this."
Tali laughed softly, her fingers dancing over the holographic keyboard. "Well, it's meaningless unless you know how to use it." With deft strokes, she inputs a command. The text on the screen sped up, scrolling even faster.
Are you serious?
"Wait, what?" Jared stared at the screen, his surprise etched on his face. "This... this thing I've been worrying over is just a command line interface?"
Tali merely typed another command to slow the text. "Exactly! I'm impressed you caught on so quickly."
His finger still pointing at the screen, Jared frowned. "Then why...why all this text? What's the point of it?"
"That's there to show what processes are currently running." Tali shrugged. "It's pretty useful when you're trying to work on something specific." She looked back at the other engineers who had begun working around them. "Or if you need to disable a specific process." She said in a hushed tone.
Jared's brows knitted in confusion. "But every OS I've used, even command line software, only shows that if you ask for it."
Tali tilted her head curiously, her helmet's lights flickering slightly. "OS? What does that mean?"
Shit, I forgot that stuff is probably long gone by now.
"Oh, just a slip of the tongue." He paused for a moment, feigning forgetfulness. "I actually don't remember what I was trying to say."
"Hmm." Tali mused, her posture shifting slightly. The silence in the air seemed to grow heavy with unease. "Well, that's basically all there is to interfaces. The real trick is knowing how to use them effectively to get to the good stuff." A slightly mischievous tone hit her words.
"I'll do my best to learn." He flexed his fingers, the omni-tool flashing to life on his forearm. "This should make for good practice."
Tali chuckled softly. "I hope you do. It would be nice to have someone else to talk tech with."
Now's your chance Jared. Don't let this conversation end like this.
He cleared his throat awkwardly, tugging at his collar and glancing around the room. "It's a little cramped in here, huh?" He turned back to Tali, his pulse quickening. "Maybe we could go to the mess hall? Grab a coffee or something, chat a bit more? I mean, we should get to know our crewmates, right?" He punctuated the question with a nervous laugh.
There was a beat of silence as Tali stared at him.
No no no, did I say something wrong?
"Of course, it's no big deal if you don't want to or anything... I totally get it." His attempt at nonchalance fell flat.
Tali's glowing eyes blinked beneath her mask. "I would like to, but I cannot have coffee. Or at least, YOUR coffee." She motioned toward her stomach. "Dextro-amino, remember? I would hope the Normandy's new cook would know that."
A hot wave surged through Jared, his cheeks burning as he realized his mistake. "Yeah, yeah, hahahaha! You're right. Sorry about that! I'll just head out now! Thank you for your time!" Jared spun around and began a rigid march toward the exit before he felt Tali's hand on his arm once more.
"That does not mean there is not something I could find to drink up there." She said, a hint of warmth in her voice.