Vader loomed above the Quarian woman, breaths heavy and tense, before he noticed her shivering form. He wondered if she had grown a new fear of the metal man standing before her, or perhaps an unexpected attack from her supposed dealers.
It mattered little to the Dark Lord as he shifted his body down, watching her intently, and offered an outstretched hand. The Quarian seemed a little unsure about accepting the gesture, but decided that it would be rude and reached out to accept.
"T...Thank you," Tali mumbled.
Vader breathed. "You are Tali'Zorah?"
"Uh, yeah..." She confirmed nervously. The deep, unnerving stare from his mask proved much too intense for Tali to ignore. She looked away, bright posture shrinking into a bundle of nerves. "Why did you save me? W-What do you want from me?"
Vader seemed to ponder her question for a mere second before raising a hand. "I have been told that you possess important data regarding Saren Arterius. Information that can help me."
Tali had expected him to want the data. Even so, finding a human in raven-black armour rushing down to help was definitely a good note, and he seemed uninterested in causing her harm if she handed over the data, so the Quarian reached a three-finger hand down her wrist.
An Omni-Tool sprung to life, its orange hue deep and reflective against Vader's armour which had absorbed all light in the back alley. Tali looked at him once more, typed on her device, and smiled up at the masked man with genuine gratitude:
"I can hand it to you now," she started, "or we could both speak with the Council and get more aid from them; Saren would have little place to hide once they get involved in his crimes."
"No." Vader replied instantly. "The Council are useless and incapable of helping. I doubt those fools would even know what to do with it."
Well... Tali couldn't disagree with that.
"Fair point." Tali giggled.
Her voice sounded nice, much to the Dark Lord's surprise, like a breath of fresh air. It had been a long time since another being talked with him. A genuine talk, he meant. The last time he recalled such moments had been during his time as the Jedi Knight, Anakin Skywalker, but such days of glory and fame were long since over.
Vader was pulled from his mental spiral when the sound of heavy boots planted into the floor came from around the corner, approaching them both with efficient speed. He took a step forward, put himself in front of Tali, and activated his saber in preparation for another battle.
In the distance, a trio of armoured aliens came rushing into the alley. One of them, a female human with read hair, most likely the leader, came to a sudden halt and motioned for her followers to pause.
They stopped in place, keeping their guns raised, earning a warning glare from Vader as he spun his lightsaber. He watched each of them carefully, using the force to feel the tension in the air and predict their movements.
Tali watched in gawking silence. Her posture revealed nerves currently blaring in her head, a constant reminder that both the Dark Lord and the newly-arrived soldiers were both strong and experienced compared to herself, likely having fought much longer.
She decided to keep one hand near her pistol in case someone tried to start a fight; Vader was offering help with Saren and his minions, she felt like trusting him over these unknown people. It was in her best interest.
The first to speak was the redheaded woman, "Everyone calm down, we just want to talk. My name is Commander Shepard." Her voice was soothing, but also rough. "I was sent here to find information connecting Saren Arterius to the attack on Eden Prime. Would either of you know anything about that?"
Silence overcame the alley. Vader glanced behind himself towards Tali, the Quarian nodding at him with silent approval, before the Sith Lord turned back to respond. "We have the data, Commander. However, what do you need this data for?" He asked.
"The Alliance needs that evidence." Shepard pleaded. "Without it, the Council wont revoke Saren's Spectre status, meaning he'll have full authority to do whatever he wants across the galaxy. No one will be safe."
Both Tali and Vader shared another glance. The former seemed hesitant, but also willing to help them, meanwhile the latter felt as if their desperation was a potential trap. After some internal debating, and worried looks from Tali, Vader nodded in understanding.
"Very well, Commander," He said, "we shall follow your lead. The data shall remain with us, however, and Tali will present it to the Council whilst I remain outside; they are a waste of time, and should not be taken seriously."
The commander looked surprised, not expecting Vader to speak his negative opinions about the Council so openly. She offered him a reassuring smile before motioning for her men to lower their weapons. Once the tension vanished, both groups (the commander's and Vader and Tali) proceeded towards the nearest elevator to see the Council.
Darth Vader remained near the back of the group as Commander Shepard led them all down streets and markets, eventually bringing them to the Presidium, the other aliens distancing themselves from the towering, armoured man whose aura continued to toxify the world. His mind concocted each method to kill them, should the need arise.
Meanwhile, Tali loomed beside the Dark Lord with a semi-confident posture as she walked. The Quarian woman seemed to feel more safe when beside Vader, much to his own shock, a bizarre glint of peace behind the purple smog of her facemask.
Commander Shepard had explained that Human Councillor Udina and Captain Anderson would need to see the data before the Council. Vader felt himself losing patience, but Tali's enthusiasm and hopeful outlook, despite being against the Sith Lord's mindset, helped to keep him stable throughout. It was strange to have someone act so... friendly towards him, especially after heartlessly cleaving multiple aliens into pieces, but he supposed the Quarian felt safe around him after witnessing the Sith Lord "protect" her against Saren's hired men.
It wasn't long before Commander Shepard returned from the meeting, and informed them of Udina and Anderson's decision to present the data to the members of the Council. This earned a somewhat agitated glance from Vader, who could already tell that neither man planned to keep the information with Tali, however, he nodded all the same after realising that giving them the data would take off the heat from both himself and the Quarian woman.
This left Vader alone, looking around the Presidium with interest, as Commander Shepard and her followers helped Udina present evidence against Saren. He pondered leaving the Citadel and focusing back on his mission to gather intel, slowly learning more about this new galaxy and how best to hide himself, but the recent attack from Saren's men, and the realisation that Fist already knew who he was, meant that Vader was already being watched from afar. It was too late to keep himself out of political fighting, which left the Dark Lord no choice but to help eliminate the Turian Ex-Spectre.
"I have no time for this," he complained.
Vader paused as he noticed Commander Shepard approaching from the direction of the upper districts, connecting with the main elevator to the Citadel Council, the woman's eyes shimmering with intent upon noticing the Sith looming in his usual black attire and cloak.
Following behind the female N7 was the Turian -Garrus Vakarian- and Krogan -Wrex- with their weapons strapped to their backs. He noticed their expressions, filled with concern, eyes focused entirely on him.
He waited a moment longer, watching them, before meeting the group half way. The sudden change in perspective allowed him to notice a familiar Quarian in purple fabrics, her posture both rigid and tight. She appeared less than pleased with their contestant, overpowering presence that left her unable to relax for even a second.
Watching Tali ring her hands together, Vader decided to make his presence known to the woman and planted his boots into the ground with a noticeable firmness, resulting in her helmet snapping towards him.
She noted the obvious change in volume, and offered Vader a genuine, thankful nod before quickening her pace to move alongside the Commander's squad mates.
The group followed Shepard as she stopped in front of the Sith Lord.
"Sorry we took so long," she motioned behind her, towards the Citadel Tower, "the Council enjoys wasting people's time. Luckily, the evidence helped remove Saren's Spectre status. He's on the run. Captain Anderson and Udina are currently helping set up a ship and supplies, should help us on the mission."
Vader nodded. "Understood, commander."
The two soldiers remained silent, waiting for the other to continued, earning a questioning look from the others. Eventually, the female commander grew tired of the quiet. "So... I noticed you're pretty good on the battlefield, and that weapons of yours is a real threat. How about you join my crew, and help me take down Saren?" The woman smiled up towards Vader, as if trying to use her feminine charm against the hulking man.
Despite its ineffectiveness, as his desires for such connections faded years prior, Vader still desired protection from Saren and his influence; despite the Council removing his status, there would be many individuals -even companies- across the galaxy who had allying interests with the Turian, meaning they were more likely to assist him in his mission. The best option for Vader was to offer his power in return for a place to keep himself safe from outside forces.
It seemed joining Commander Shepard would be quite advantageous.
"Joining forces would be equally beneficial," he noted, "I see no reason to refuse."
"Good to hear." Shepard turned around, nodding to her comrades. The duo nodded back, turned around, and proceeded towards the C-sec docks to await further instructions. With both aliens gone, and seeing no reason to order Tali around, given the Quarian's presumed connections with Vader, she turned back towards the Dark Lord. "The Normandy is docked at the C-sec docking ports, I suggest you head down as soon as possible.
Vader nodded, motioning for Tali to follow. "We shall be going, then."
He noticed Tali peer between them, a nervous jolt in her stance, but she ultimately followed behind him. The duo remained rather civil and quiet, save for the occasional talks between them about the mission, and what they should expect moving forward, but it was a surprisingly calm atmosphere that left Vader feeling... relieved.
It was an unfamiliar feeling. To be relaxed.
The strange duo proceeded towards C-Sec headquarters, where the commander's vessel was currently docked, and waited beside the gargantuan hunk of metal known as the SSV Normandy. Vader, despite his generally sour mood and dark aura, remained somewhat in good spirits as Tali sauntered from one foot to the other whilst looking around the docks.
"They're taking a while..." she mumbled.
"As to be expected," Vader remarked, crossing his arms. "She is likely speaking with her superiors to confirm her ownership of the Normandy. It would be best to remain here for however long it takes... so long as it doesn't take too long."
Tali just awkwardly nodded along with his words before looking back towards the SSV Normandy, taking in the beautiful reflective wings and blackened thrusters. She noticed streaks of darkened blue running across the main piece of the large vessel, connecting with a chunk of darker material that looped around the bottom hull. She wondered if they used a special type of cleaning polish for such an advanced war ship, considering how brilliantly it sparkled beneath the artificial lights.
Meanwhile, Vader remained cautiously aware of the main elevator looming beside them in preparation for potential attackers. He knew that such worries were unfounded, given his new connection with an N7 Commander, but there would always be people in the galaxy who felt a need to challenge those above them. The Sith Lord placed his blackened, gloved hands against the width of his belt and kept watch around himself and Tali.
He would never admit it, but he was strangely fond of the woman. She had a good survival instinct that would serve them well on this new journey through the stars. Not to mention that she was a Quarian engineer with enough experience in ship repairs to fix a Star Destroyer, perhaps even work as a Lead Engineer Specials on the Emperor's Death star.
The man's thoughts were interrupted when the elevator chimed quietly beside him, the metal door opening to reveal the Commander and her lackeys. However, what Vader hadn't expected was the addition of two other humans following behind her with entirely different expressions on their faces.
He noticed the first, a male with dark skin in a vibrant blue military suit, was expression genuine pride and gratitude for Shepard's new position.
On the other hand, the second man -a pale individual in less decorated garb- appeared stoic and disinterested in giving her the respect she was deserving with her title. The dark-armoured Sith gave him a warning glare but ultimately remained neutral on the matter, deciding that if she had an issue with it she would mention it herself.
"Well, commander. That marks that." The first man remarked as he motioned towards the SSV Normandy looming beside them. Shepard didn't seem all that happy with their deal, but thanked the older man nonetheless.
"I suppose it does." She smiled. "I just hope Saren hasn't made it too far. Who knows what he's planning with the Prothean Beacon, or Matriarch Benezia."
Tali and Vader had only heard snippets of the conversation that was happening beside them. They were too busy looking around the hangar or pondering to themselves about future plans. For Tali, the Normandy was a masterpiece of engineering and she'd never seen anything like it before during her time in the migrant fleet.
This was like a dream come true.
Garrus and Wrex soon joined them beside the Normandy whilst the remaining members of Shepard's team wandered inside.
"So, Tali..." The Quarian jumped at the sound of Vader's voice. "I have heard mention of a Quarian tradition called Pilgrimage. What exactly does this sacred tie entail?" He turned to face the woman, peering downwards.
Tali looked back at him with genuine surprise. She hadn't expected someone like Vader to take interest in her people's customs or even bother to question her about it, and to be honest she wasn't convinced she believed it.
However, the Sith Lord has just asked her, rather politely, so there wasn't a reason to deny his thirst for knowledge.
In truth, she wasn't too far off with her assumptions; Vader had not asked about the Pilgrimage to bond or connect, but merely to understand more about the Quarian people and the potential uses their species may hold for him. They had good engineering skills.
"W-Well... When a Quarian reaches a certain age, they are sent out into the galaxy to collect anything of use. This includes data about newer ship models, advancements in technology, or even simple knowledge from the research of other civilisations that may not have been willing to openly hand it over."
Tali began to rant with such vigour and excitement, Vader wasn't sure if he found it annoying or... oddly charming. It actually reminded him quite a lot of Padm-
His breath hitched in his throat at the unwanted thoughts plaguing his mind. The last thing he wanted to do was compared this random alien woman to the love of his life, someone important -irreplaceable- whose lack-of-presence was felt by him every single day he spent in this hellish world.
The towering Sith Lord always felt alone, desperate for some kind of connection, but it was never meant to be; as a Sith, there was nothing left inside his heart for emotional bonding that didn't involve his own pain and anguish.
Even so, Vader had to admit this was not entirely true anymore. He was in a brand new world, a new beginning, perhaps even a chance to do something more with his meagre existence. The mere implication of becoming greater than he was, becoming his own master, was ridiculous to someone so damaged, but it was something he'd yearned for.
He recollected himself and tried to focus back on his conversation with Tali, the young woman excitedly spilling everything she could recall about Quarian society and their old ways of life, especially on the topic of Pilgrimage.
"The most impressive finds usually come from ancient Geth salvages from the ancient wars with out ancestors." she explained.
"Is that so?" Vader noted. "What kind of salvages?"
Her eyes seemed to gleam at his question. "Well, broken down machinery that can be mended by our prestigious Engineers, digital schematics for new projects that we had to abandon during the Geth-Quarian Wars. Almost anything, really!"
"Your species is quite resourceful. I would have expected such an efficient race of aliens to be members of the Citadel Council."
Vader's words brought a hint of bitterness and melancholy to Tali's once-vibrant posture as her shoulders slumped down with immediate sadness. The Sith Lord wondered if he'd made a mistake discussing the current ongoings of her species, but ultimately decided a less offensive approach would be good enough.
"We used to be... But, not anymore..."
Their talk came to an abrupt end as Commander Shepard approached from the elevator, having waved off Anderson and the Human Representative Udina, opting to speak with both the Quarian and Sith to learn more.
"Are you two ready?"
"Indeed, Commander." Vader replied.
Tali nodded "Yes!"
The N7 laughed to herself. "Glad to hear such enthusiasm from the two of you. Head on to the Normandy and find yourselves a place to set up, I'll be just a moment." With that, she continued onto the shuttle and marched down the right hall, vanishing from sight.
"We should follow her." Vader recommended.
With an agreeing noise from his Quarian companion, the Dark Lord of the Sith followed his new Commander onto the SSV Normandy. The sound of closing doors, detoxification scanners, and blurring machinery almost disturbed his focus but nevertheless, he was ready for whatever awaited him on board the vessel.
The sounds and visual sensations were taxing and unnaturally in-his-face wherever he moved. Humans sitting down at holographic interfaces, their hands mechanically going about the shimmering blue lights with incredible precision like a droid unit.
Vader had caught the eyes of a few curious soldiers but none of them bothered to move from their seats. Likely due to previous orders to remain. He, too, ignored them as his legs shifted forwards, not entirely sure where he wanted to go and allowing the force to be his guide. Almost like the days of Anakin Skywalker.
The armoured man eventually came to a stop in front of a large, metallic door bedded into the walls. He looked between the panels and noted the distinct pattern of symbols carved into smaller metal shapes, poking out from the wall itself.
"Are we taking the elevator?" Tali asked, curious.
Vader froze. "...Yes." There was an awkward pause between them as Vader tried to hide the growing uncertainty in his posture; he hadn't realised it was an elevator until she'd question him on using it, and now he felt a little stupid.
"Are you sure? You sound a little-"
"I said 'yes', didn't I?" He chastised rather harshly.
She jolted in surprise, and a hint of genuine fear, before nodding in quick succession and entering the metal box with a nervous hop. Vader noticed her lack of enthusiasm, but it mattered little to him as he joined the Quarian in the lift and pressed the first button to take them downwards to the storage and engineering rooms.
It took longer than either of them expected. The slow humming of ceiling lights, mixed with the constant shifting of metallic joints between plating, created a bizarre rhythm of different sensations that left Vader feeling... agitated.
He didn't know why. It was a normal sound, often heard during his routine travels in the Death Star's endless halls and corridors, yet something about this particular dentition of an otherwise ordinary noise left the Dark Lord shifting on his metal boots and looking at the surrounding walls like a lost animal.
The elevator soon opened, and Vader rushed out.
Tali giggled. "Well, you seem excited."
"No." He coldly replied. "I am merely interested in learning more about the Normandy's design. Perhaps there is room for improvement."
"Oh... well, okay."
The doors to Engineering opened just as they finished talking, and both peeked inside to see a familiar Turian wandering out.
Garrus Vakarian, a specialised C-Sec Officer, moved towards the back wall, standing next to a large four-wheeled land vehicle coloured white and black, as he grabbed a strange looking device from his hands to proceed with repairs.
Curious, Vader approached whilst Tali excused herself without pause to investigate the Engineering Room. It seemed the young Quarian couldn't stop herself from gathering a new source of useful data for her people, although the Dark Lord was unsure if Shepard would approve of such a thing. Not that he cared to stop her.
"You're Vader?" Garrus questioned the Sith as he continued working on the vehicle, eyes never leaving the mess of wires and scorched plating that sparked alongside the revving of his specialised tool. "Commander said you'd probably come down here at some point, wanted us to give you a 'warm welcome' when you did."
Vader grasped at his belt. "She expected me?"
"Yeah. Said you looked like the 'machine' type."
Those words struck a cord inside the armoured ex-jedi. He could still recall those lonely days he spent inside his and his mother's home on Tatooine, fiddling with whatever old junk the Sand People would throw to the wayside, wondering how they worked.
He recalled the sound of his mother calling him for dinner - a lacking meal, to be sure, but one he cherished with every bite. The thought of what he could have been eating in its place was never far from his mind but it never dampened his adventurous spirit. He talked and talked and talked for hours about his tech and wondrous gadgets.
All the while, his mother listened. Smiling.
'If I could go back...' Vader thought bitterly.
The strained voice called out to him: "Vader? You still with me, there?"
"Hmm?" He jolted in surprise, looking around himself before focusing back on Garrus. It seemed his memories had captured him for a little too long, the Turian having pulled on him with a lightened grip. "Ah, I am fine. Just.. reminiscing?"
"...About the simpler times?" He asked.
Vader once again froze, but managed to give a bitter nod of confirmation. "Yes. Simpler times, from before..." He cut himself short after realising he'd been rambling, revealing a little too much about his personal life.
He needed to keep his guard up.
"I can see you don't want to talk about, so I'll drop it." Garrus consoled the Sith. "By the way, how much do you know about repairing an M35 Mako Utility Tank?"
"I have fixed many machines in the past, but never a 'Mako' as you call it. With enough time and practice, I could learn how to produce one from basic materials, but that would also require pulling apart an already constructed Mako."
The Turian stared at Vader in awe, his jaw hung slack. "Wow. That better not be just an exaggeration, otherwise I'll be disappointed." He laughed at his own comment before he turned back towards the damaged Mako and reactivated his power tool, breaking down its rusted frame to reach more of its internal wiring.
"It is not exaggeration." The Sith confirmed. "Should you require help in repairing this vehicle, you need only show me a basic summary of its inner workings."
"I'll keep that in mind." He sighed.
Despite wanting to question his new comrade more on the situation regarding Saren or the Normandy's functions, Vader was able to read the room and deduced that he wasn't willing to converse for much longer, instead focusing on the repairs to the Mako.
With an air of annoyance, but also understanding, the Sith turned away and wandered towards the elevator to scan the remaining floors. However, before he could manage to take a single step forward, a gruff voice boomed across the chamber and shook him. He mindlessly turned back to his right and made eye contact with a Krogan warrior.
"You." He grumbled. "You're Vader?"
He analysed the hulking creature. The deep cuts and scorch marks across his armour was evidence enough of his battle prowess. "...Correct." The Sith hesitantly confirmed, reaching a gloved hand towards the lightsaber attached to his darkened belt.
"Don't bother. I'm not here to battle... for once." The Krogan eased with a wave of his monstrously large hand. "I know when I'm outmatched, that mess in Cora's Den gave me all the evidence I needed to confirm your strength." His lips curled upwards into an unnatural grin, earning a disdainful look from Vader.
He relaxed, but remained guarded.
"What do you want?" Vader asked.
The Krogan laughed. "Just wanted to ask if you about that weapon of yours. I've never seen one before, not that I can remember anyway." He motioned a finger towards the Dark Lord's lightsaber, its kyber crystal humming with barely contained rage and hate.
"It is a lightsaber, the weapon of a Sith Lord" He explained briefly, but gave no further explanation.
"Hmm... Is that right?" He mumbled. "Whatever. I got the answer I was looking for, so I guess that'll have to do. The name's Urdnot Wrex, by the way. Krogan bounty hunter."
Vader watched him silently, allowing the Krogan to outstretch his arm to await a hand shake. The show of respect and gentlemanly behaviour was unexpected from such a big war-scarred beast, especially one who considered himself brazen enough to approach a Dark Lord of the Sith in close quarters combat.
Nevertheless, he accepted the gesture and replied stoically. "Darth Vader." Once again, he did not explain himself further and allowed them both to sit in silence. However, this was not like most other instances of awkwardness, as he felt very little discomfort in it. Instead, Vader basked in the unfamiliar -but also wanted- feeling in his soul.
"Let's hope you're as good as I think you are." Urdnot Wrex proclaimed before moving back towards his spot against the walls of the Normandy. He leaned against the metal, allowing it to creak and shake for a moment as it carried his immense weight.
Vader didn't bother asking further.
He proceeded towards the Elevator and pressed to go to the second floor, not bothering to question the whereabouts of a certain Quarian woman. The sound of whirring metal and humming lights began once more.
And just like before, they irked him maliciously.