The End of Dawn

by Narcrotic

John Shepard is gone. The Normandy destroyed. Her pilgrimage, a journey of self-discovery, hope, and love, comes to an end. Left to wander back to her origins, she finds her home now estranged, haunted by a specter of what was and could've been. It is the end of dawn, but amidst the echoes, heralds light on the horizon. The sequel to The Fall of Normandy. Mature content.

17. Freedom's Progress

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

CHAPTER 7

1-24-2186

[UNKNOWN LOCATION ]

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Radiance from a dying star. An ethereal glow filtered through a panorama that dominated the entirety of the Illusive Man's sanctum.

Color that waged against each other endlessly. A celestial body that pulsed and rippled. A corona that undulated from the arms of plasma unfurling out to the cosmos.

And there, centered in the oppressive emptiness, was a lone figure, companioned only by the hazy wisps of smoke trailing from the end of a lit cigarette.

John did not admire the view.

"Commander Shepard."

There was a generous pause between the two men as John took in everything he needed about who he was speaking to.

"I thought we'd be meeting face to face." John said finally.

"A necessary precaution," TIM drew slowly from his cigarette and let it smolder, smoke spiraling gently upward, "Not unusual with what you and I know."

"Miranda told me how much it cost to bring me back." Shepard's stare didn't waver. "Why'd you do it?"

TIM took his time by reaching for his glass and swirling it thoughtfully. "Excuse the bravado, but it was for humanity. I invested two years' time and billions of credits to bring back a symbol." He opened his palm, hand upward to give deference to John, "The symbol."

"That's a hell of a thing to hold someone to." Shepard remarked. It received a smile.

"One I have no doubt you're able to burden. The galaxy is still faced against the greatest threat it's ever known."

"The reapers." John finished. That was an easy guess. But he didn't want a lecture. He wanted answers to all the questions that'd been ailing him for months.

"Before we go there. I need answers."

"Ask."

"How'd you find me? Last thing I remember was being sucked out into space."

"Your cohort, Dr. T'Soni, with the help of my staff, found your remains. We made sure Ms. Zorah received your final words."

John felt his breath leave him. Hearing her name outside his thoughts made his stomach twist and turn with anxiety. Not that it mattered, but there wasn't much room to doubt the man looked down on the relationship he'd had with her.

"...Where is she?"

"The Migrant Fleet. And minted to Admiral Gerrel's ship: The Neema."

"How do you know that?"

"Information is my weapon, Commander."

"Would you have any further information regarding her status?"

A cosmic ask, but he wouldn't have minded if the answer had been along the line of 'I do. She's still single and spends her days pining just for you!'

"Unfortunately, no." TIM answered. He took another long drag from his cigarette before crushing its red embers into the chair's built-in ashtray, "I don't have any further information regarding Ms. Zorah's current status or whereabouts."

John cuffed his disappointment and moved on.

"What of the others? You said Liara helped retrieve my body. Where is she now?"

"She resides on Illium and has become quite a reputable information broker."

Strange. John rose a brow but didn't dwell.

"What about Garrus?"

"Mr. Vakarian has dropped off the grid for some time. Though his current location is on Omega."

"Wrex?"

"Shortly after your death, Wrex returned to Tuchanka and has been doing an admirable job of uniting krogan clans."

"And Ashley?"

"Master Sergeant Williams is now currently stationed on Horizon as a Geospatial Intelligence Specialist."

"…That's hard to imagine her doing."

"That's her 'official' MOS. She's currently part of an effort to help foster better relationships to human colonies in the far reaches of the Traverse."

The confusing look on John grew. "Horizon is in the Traverse? Why is the Alliance involving itself out there at all?"

The Illusive man gave John a subtle smile and admitted another cigarette between his lips. "That brings us to why you're here." He stood from his seat and took a long drag, "We're at war. Humanity is under attack. Entire colonies are being abducted. We believe the reapers are responsible, but we don't know exactly who they're using or how they're doing it. You would know better than anyone how this pattern unfolds. Take a wild guess as to who you think they might be working through this time."

John's stint, at least to him, hadn't felt all that long ago. The trauma he and his crew had suffered on Ullipses became his sole focus and he lost himself in it. So the answer felt obvious.

"…The collectors."

TIM was happy with that answer.

"That's our guess as well. Testimony from those survived on Ullipses is our only link. Every account was the same. You were all apprehended and no one knew how, leaving only those non-human behind." He pointed at John, "I'm inclined to believe they show a special interest in our kind and your incident with them backs that. The lines are there. We just have to find them."

Satisfied with his answer, he sat back at his throne and took a measured sip from his glass.

"If this involves them... if they're back, then tell me where to go. Just point me in the right direction."

A cautiously optimistic gaze from TIM. "Mrs. Lawson suspected you'd be... unwilling to listen. Though I assured her you'd prioritize what's at stake over your feelings about Cerberus. She's rarely wrong." He tapped a command on his console, pulling up an image of the colony in question on a floating display beside him.

John's eyes narrowed as he took in the details of the colony's demographics.

"What's this."

"Freedom's Progress," the Illusive Man said, "The latest colony to go dark."

"When?"

"Thirty hours ago. This is the earliest warning we've ever received. The Alliance is still scrambling a task force to launch an investigation. Experience suggests they are still days away before making contact with the planet. Looters and pirates will have likely scoured everything by then."

"How soon can we leave to get there?"

"Now. There's already a shuttle waiting to take you there and is within standard FTL range. This, insofar, is our best chance to find any leads before anyone else."

John squared his shoulders. "There isn't time to waste then."

"Miranda and Jacob will brief you."

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Two hours later.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

The Nehrra'dam hung suspended in darkness and was nearing its approach toward the orbital perimeter of the city, her forward lights scarcely penetrating the black frost of a bitter and wintry night.

Kor'Daus, the pilot responsible for transporting Gerrel's second STU, maintained his gaze out toward the vast emptiness beyond his viewport, hand poised over his radio to establish contact with the city's Flight Guidance Sphere.

His features stood cold much like the weather outside, eyes narrowing at the lack of city lights. There was only blackness from where Freedom's Progress should've stood.

Adjusting his headset slightly to issue his first communication request, he had a hunch no one was going to answer.

"Nehrra'dam Seven Eltor Lira Two, main channel to Freedom's Progress Air Control. Do you read? Requesting approach coordinates for entry vector. AC pattern for landing sequence."

As expected, the reply he received was nothing but an eerie hiss of static. A barely perceptible furrow appeared on Kor's brow as he turned to his Co-Pilot, Danna'Shir.

Sensing Kor wanted her to check her reads, she gave the signal display another glance before giving him a moot shrug. "Negative on response." She intoned, "Reissuing contact at two-second intervals."

They waited.

"…FGS still silent." Danna reported.

It wasn't completely unexpected, something terrible happening to a human settled planet. Not exactly. Not out here in the Traverse given the year's recent events. But protocol was protocol.

Kor re-initiated. "FPAC, acknowledge Nehrra'dam Seven Eltor Lira Two, city perimeter approach. Requesting landing marker beacon for safe entry."

Once again, the silence continued, static scratching through comms. It was ghostly. Residue over what felt like an abandoned airwave.

Danna checked her station again but was still met with nothing. "...Silent pattern loop initiated. It's unusual. No FGS should be unresponsive at this perimeter proximity, unmanned or otherwise."

He maintained his sightline, lips a thin line. "…There's a reason why Veetor sent his distress, Danna."

This was a waste of time. But the procedural directives were clear. And by the ancestors, he would follow them. "Hold comms and initiate signal loop. Set pattern to nine-pulse repeat. Perhaps they've transitioned to alternate wavelengths for some reason. Something might be forcing them to use alternative equipment. Stuff outside protocol."

Danna complied and she made the changes. "Looping through. Sending. FPAC, this is Nehrra'dam Seven Eltor Lira Two at perimeter. Repeat: approach request, landing marker beacon needed for final sequence entry."

Once more, they waited.

Still, nothing.

The quiet deepened and Kor ticked over their dwindling options. Another five seconds, an eternity of dead air, and he pressed the comms button one final time.

"Freedom's Progress, Nehrra'dam Seven Eltor Lira Two approaching final sequence. Unable to verify FGS lock; will proceed to visual entry without active four space marker unless directed otherwise. This is an emergency override on unresponsive flight guidance."

Kor released the comm button, silence stretching taut. He shifted slightly, adjusting the yoke to alter the trajectory they'd have to take manually.

"Set approach for passive sensors. If they can't respond, we'll stay out of their field as best we can."

"Passive sensors set."

The Nehrra'dam sank downward, her engines yielding back to a low hum as they began their dive. Thrusters rumbled into a groaning whine as they speared through an unending blanket of pale and stout clouds.

"Cargo: We are dispensation bound. Four space locked. Prep for op."

Soon, they made their final approach, and neared a landing pad of their choice, deserted and far from the city's edge, a fresh layer of snow skimming its surface and refracting beams of blinding light from their forward lights. Sparse, skeletal structures bordered the pad, outlines of tall antennae and control towers standing in unbroken stillness.

Her landing gear soon found ground and her thrusters released their hold on the ship with a final exhale, steam billowing around her hull in gentle plumes.

"Touch down. Contact final."

No welcoming party.

No bustling outpost awaiting their arrival.

Kor gave Danna a quiet look and, with a stoic expression, toggled the exterior lights, illuminating dimly, their perimeter. The shadows it cast were hauntingly harsh.

"Give them their green mark." Kor murmured.

With a nod, Donna leaned into her PA and gave the ground team in the hold their go.

"Ground secure. We're op-ready."

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Prazza'Milva vas Neema nar Kilton was the first to stand to address his team.

"Everyone. Eyes on me."

Dozens of faces turn to him.

"Kor's reporting a total blackout of the city. We have strong suspicion now that Freedom's Progress may be the latest colony gone dark by whatever phenomena has been plaguing the Traverse."

That fear was always on the table since their briefing. But now it seemed undeniable.

The marines all glanced amongst themselves and wondered if the Protocol of Measured Action was going to change.

"Has the PMA changed?" One said after working the courage to ask for everyone else.

"Negative. Safeties on. Arms stowed. I will not risk a diplomatic incident with the only race in the galaxy that doesn't hate us."

Prazza punched the console that would have the ramp lower.

"Farwah. Secure our zone. Sanitize four space."

Farwah stood and faced her team. "Bound up, first squad. Check your safeties. Visors hot."

"Kiyah. Morlo." Prazza gestured to his left. "Prep our gear. Get it mobile."

"Third squad, rally on me."

"Fourth, let's move."

Squeezing past his bustling marines, he finally stood beside his remaining squad leader.

"Olasie."

"Sir."

"Assemble your squad and follow me."

"Second squad," Olasie ordered, shouldering her pack and slinging her rifle, "On your feet."

Tali and Juel, recently attached to Olasie's team, stood in suit and took the ramp down to the freezing night.

The chill was sharp and it bit into them immediately.

A long and purposeful gaze that swept across the land, Prazza finally finished his inspection by staring at the city a distance away.

"You'll be first contact if there is any. If not, I want you to get some observation at the border walls before we establish TACC."

"Copy."

"Please be safe out there." Prazza warned, "We have no idea what we're getting into."

"I will."

Before he stepped away, Prazza stopped by Tali and handed her a squint. "No risks."

With that, he went back toward the Nehrra'dam and gave her one last pointed look before disappearing up the ramp.

"What did you tell him, Juel?" Tali said warily, carefully stepping into the frost, boots crunching over fractured ice, cloak fluttering slightly in the wind.

"Blame your reputation. Not me." Juel spat.

Spaced far enough apart, Olasie and her team pressed onward toward the city, a steady hike on the shoulder off the road, the occasional string of flurries drifting across their path.

For a while, they moved quietly, settling into the strange stillness that enveloped Freedom's Progress.

"Ever been in snow, Teri?" Talukh said to finally break the quiet. He held out his hand and watched a flake fall into his palm.

"Yeah." She said, a small shiver traveling down her legs. "Noveria."

"Never been."

"Hope you never have to," Was her answer, "Place was boring as rocks."

"For your pilgrimage, right? What kind of work?"

"Contracting over at Aldrin labs. Tested weapons. That was close to five years ago." A few steps carried on before she looked over her shoulder. "What'd you do for your pilgrimage?"

"Ha," Talukh shook his head, "Real dumb shit for a while… ever been to a salarian world?"

"I can't imagine." Olasie piped up with a smirk, "Let me guess, Lukh. They used you as a test subject."

Laughter.

"I don't know how you all managed to get such good gigs." Darehk decided to join, "I ended up in the galaxy's pisspot."

"Omega?" Kylie guessed.

"Where else." He said, rolling his eyes.

"Spent mine on Illium." Kylie shared, "Then for like a few weeks on Kahje."

"The jellies? I'm surprised they granted you a visa." Lukh quipped.

"Oh, they… they didn't." She said with a shrug.

The group collectively gave her a look.

"Then the Citadel." Kylie finished, ignoring them all and denying their curiosity.

"—We've known each other for years and we've never talked about our pilgrimages."

"It's taboo." Tali figured she'd say, finally engaging with them.

"I think you can be a little glutton for praise, Tali. Your pilgrimage makes all of ours pale in comparison."

"She does have us all beat, yeah." Darehk said.

A chorus of nods and yeses.

She blushed and they continued for a way wordlessly.

Juel cast his stare outward to the fields. Combines deserted amongst half cut harvests and trucks, their doors ajar and empty.

He didn't say anything and they kept moving, the remaining forty minute trek to the border walls carried without another word to pass the time.

They finally arrived.

Olasie stared up at the megalith and ran her sight down its entire length.

Everything felt off since their landing. Being here now, a city still devoid of anyone? It was rubbing her the wrong way.

"Raise sensor sensitivity. Bring to battery. Scrub your combat scans and run them again."

"But, Prazza said—"

"We were expecting contact by now. The parameters have changed and I will countermand that order as the situation dictates."

A series of clicks, guns now hot and primed.

"Darehk, see if you can get the door open."

Approaching a clearly marked panel, Darehk gave the lever a pull with no effect.

"Nothing. Door clearly ain't powered." He stepped back and looked up, "…What a surprise."

Olasie didn't want it to come to this. Because it meant they'd have to climb.

"Teri. Get a grapple set. Find us a good spot."

"Roger."

Teri went off, Kylie in tow. A minute or so passed before they returned.

"We got it. Let's go."

Just around the corner was the rope they'd somehow managed to get over the massive wall.

"Well." Teri breathed, letting her sling take hold of her rifle, "Go on ahead."

Tali could almost swear Juel groaned a bit.

They took their turns scaling the wall, each one hauling themselves over the edge with a quiet grunt. When they finally reached the top, they spread out along the top, visors reflecting the faint gleam of starlight as they peered into the colony's depths.

But inside, everything lay draped in darkness.

No lights.

No flicker of movement.

Nothing.

Prone to minimize their silhouettes, Juel shuffled his way to the lipped edge with Tali and Olasie beside so he could zoom in on the rows of lifeless buildings, untouched by even the barest hint of activity.

Wordlessness as they observed.

In that moment, the three of them knew with dreadful certainty what fate had fallen upon Freedom's Progress.

Over a dozen human worlds had fallen mysteriously, their fates all the same. Infrastructure intact. The people gone. Any signs of struggle conspicuously absent.

Freedom's Progress was the latest to succumb to it.

"What are you thinking, guys?" Juel said, toggling his bino function off before giving them both a stare.

"That the collectors were here," Tali whispered, tone as somber as the silent streets below.

"Not a lot of dots to connect is there?" He murmured.

She hardly heard him. Ullipses flooded back in sharp, jarring flashes. She could feel it now.

The same haunting stillness she'd known before.

Her hand drifted down the length of her visor in a weary sigh. "If they're anything like they were before… they'll have left Veetor behind. Lucky for us, I suppose."

Olasie rolled to her back and keyed her radio.

"Lead, Set-2. Issue receipt to call."

"Lead," Prazza reported, "Send."

"City is dark. No civilians. Appealing advisement."

"Copy, Set-2. Post-up. Anchor for observation. Remaining elements egressing to you. We'll establish TACC inside the walls."

"Full copy. Set-2, out-called."

The three of them continued to stare out to the city scape. It stretched as far as the eye could see and it earned a crestfallen sigh.

"How in the world are we going to find him out there." Juel uttered.

Olasie shrugged as she rolled back onto her belly. "I don't know."

Tali toggled both her visor and omni-tool to infrared out of an abundance of caution to keep unenhanced eyes, if there were any out there, from seeing a glow.

She began skimming across a spectrum of bands to see if there was anything her OT could pick up.

Ten seconds into her scan and she frowned.

"I'm picking up something."

That caught their attention.

"What?"

"20505-A. Encrypted broadband."

Olasie didn't pretend to understand. "And?"

"LOKI mechs hop on that band."

Juel gave the city another long sweep with his binos under the hopes it might net him something. "Huh. So there's something out there."

"Not a particularly great find," Tali said with a shrug, "but it's something to keep in mind."

The woman let out a breath a bit too harshly, prompting Olasie to put a hand along her arm.

"…You okay?"

Tali didn't want to lie. So a half-truth came out. "…I don't know."

She wasn't okay. She really wasn't.

"Set-2," Prazza's voice buzzed over comms, "Lead. Priority call."

"Set-2. Send message."

"Bearing three one two. Up high. Transport shuttle descending from atmo. Visual in point six."

"Copy. We're tracking. Stand-by."

Olasie's entire team waited and observed. Just as Prazza warned, six seconds tick by, following the steep descent of a shuttle at the far end of city as it disappeared into the jagged skyline.

"Visual confirmed." Olasie reported, "It's a transport vessel. Advisement?"

"Maintain directive. Nehrra'dam is deploying a drone to assess—Conditioning to Fatimah. Remaining elements are on egress. Post-haste. We'll be there shortly."

Juel did his best to trail its descent with his binos, but couldn't get a good view of the colors it was representing, if there were any at all. "…Who could that be."

"A box of problems." Olasie mumbled.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Three minutes prior.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

He was staring into what felt like a faintly lit tunnel, gaze somewhere beyond the limit of the shuttle's bulkhead.

His breaths were short. Reserved. Every exhale felt like a concession, and he soon cast his blind stare toward the moon lit clouds streaming by the window.

He was still adjusting. Even now, it was something he'd competitively struggled with since his wakening from death.

Finally released from his captivity on Lazarus, he wondered often the puppeteering Cerberus had likely instilled within him. Questioned it incessantly. It was a contentious thing warring in his head thinking how different he and the galaxy was now.

By intention, the kodiak was unmarked. Nothing identifiable gleamed its surface.

Jacob also was absorbing the view outside. Somewhere out there, hidden behind the serene, indifferent clouds, was yet another colony gone silent, the galaxy's most pressing mystery still wrapped in darkness.

"What if we don't find anything, Miranda." Jacob said finally, killing the ambient din.

"Not an option." Miranda stated.

Jacob pulled away and acknowledged her. "It's a tall order having only three people comb through an entire city to find out what went wrong."

"Jacob." Miranda gave him a look. "It's not an option."

John by now was ruffling through his rig before retrieving a roll of duct tape. It got the curious eye of both the operatives.

"Here." John said, stripping a piece and handing it to Jacob.

"What's this for?"

"Something for your insignia. I'm promoting you. Gray square. Wear it with pride."

John was soon on the receiving end of Miranda's scowl because she knew she'd soon be on the receiving end of that roll. "I will not put tape on my uniform."

He plucked away that scowl on her face with a smirk, hand still outstretched and waiting for her to take a piece.

She took it with a trimmed sigh.

"—Our first priority is securing survivors."

"Shepard, there isn't going to be anyone left." Jacob said carefully, smoothing over his new rank of duct on his lapel, "Trust me when we say this. You're not going to find anyone down there."

"Has there ever been a settlement where non-humans were there?"

"Never."

"How many colonies exactly have gone missing?"

"Sixteen." Miranda recited.

"How many people?"

"Millions." She muttered.

"Be advised, party." Their pilot, Miller, turned back, "We're pinging a thermal signature outside the colony. About two kilometers outside in the farms."

"What is it?"

"A ship. Corvette sized vessel. Hasn't been here too long judging by how hot her engines still look."

"Understood." Jacob answered, "Probably looters or pirates. If they give us trouble, we'll handle them."

"We're on final. Get ready."

The kodiak began to drop. Standing from their seats, the team of three reached for the anchor points above to keep their balance.

"How's the weather looking?" John asked.

"Negative 10 Celsius. Expect a chill." Jacob zipped up his coat which had John give Miranda a crooked stare.

"You going to be cold?"

"No."

The kodiak's forward thrusters fired, slowing the craft into a descent that was now entirely vertical.

"Mind the chop," Their co-pilot, Megan, warned, "It's looking a tad windy."

Gusts battered the kodiak, but she held and they finally touched down.

Switches flicked and levers pulled while the engines powered down, Miller finally engaged the doors for their release.

A draft immediately clawed its way inside with a low howl, clothes fluttering in the wind, save for Miranda's. There wasn't enough excess for that.

"Deploy the mechs to keep guard," Jacob gave both Megan and Miller pats on the shoulder, "We'll be back soon enough."

"Will do."

A long lull, John beholding the view. Finally, he stepped down, boots splintering frozen ice. Hollow buildings under the blanketed light of the moon, darkness yawning over alleys, and wind whispering between empty space and stirring unsettled snow.

It reminded him of Noveria.

Passing by him was Miranda. Even in the wind and the harsh lighting streaming from their shuttle, she looked perfect.

Other men might have called it beauty. John, however, found it exceptionally foreign.

"Sure you wouldn't rather grab a jacket?"

She looked at him blankly, untouched by the biting chill, or his attempt at levity.

"No." She disappeared into what must've passed as the pad's FBO.

He wondered, briefly, if she could feel anything at all. Jacob only offered a hefty pat on his shoulder before leaving to follow Miranda's steady stride.

John however, was already drawn to a frozen-over welcome sign overhead, its letters obscured beneath a layer of ice.

His expression, as he felt the magnitude of loss take hold, was void of warmth.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤＷＥＬＣＯＭＥＴＯㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤㅤㅤ

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤＦＲＥＥＤＯＭ'Ｓ ＰＲＯＧＲＥＳＳ

Pop. 913,000

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Prazza crested the wall with a firm grasp on the ledge and pulled himself up just as the last few marines cleared the climb.

Finding Olasie and her squad nearby, he made his way over before taking a knee.

"Any new developments?"

"No."

"Good." A few moments to catch his breath as he stared out, "…Then let's find us a good spot for TACC."

"What about our guests?" Olasie looked up from her place. "What do you want to do with them?"

"Right now, nothing." Prazza answered, still surveying the view, "…do you have an assessment worth sharing?"

"Yeah. They're probably hostile. Doubtful it's anyone living here. It's either looters or pirates masquerading as mercs." Darehk said from somewhere off to the side , "Take your pick."

"There's no directive to engage." Prazza said warily, "TACC first. Action plan next."

"Maybe we should ask our advisor?" Olasie piped up, before finally facing Tali, "What do you think?"

"They're an unknown variable." Tali offered, "Maybe we should try to make contact."

Prazza set his rifle down and waved over his drone operator.

"Fatimah. Come here."

She shimmied her way over.

"Sir."

"Where's our drone?"

She went to her controller and flicked through a series of menus.

"Nearing visual target." She said, "Stand-by."

A minute of waiting, the number of marines now cresting the top growing in number.

"Six markers." Fatimah announced, tagging a shuttle, two mechs, and three people, "Take a guess as to the type of alien they might be."

Prazza squinted at the screen, Juel also peeping from over his shoulder, "I'm gonna hedge my bet its humans on a human planet."

"At least one is." Fatimah whispered, zooming in on her. "Keelah. Look at the milkers on this prat'ya."

Olasie couldn't help but toss up a funny face at the offhanded quip.

Prazza choked and made an agitated shake of the head to keep his thoughts from sticking, "Focus, Fatimah. Patrol their position and set up NAV."

"Roger."

Prazza faced Tali. "…What do you think?"

"I think we should still initiate contact on our terms." Tali maintained, "Doubtful they missed our signatures on their approach from the Nehrra'dam. It's best to just say hi."

"Olasie?" Prazza asked, "Input?"

"It's a good call." Olasie agreed.

"Then it stands. We'll make contact." Prazza stood and made his way to address the rest of the team who'd just finished their climb.

"Line-up." He ordered, pointing toward the city, "Repel down."

They didn't waste time. They began securing lines.

"Olasie," Prazza watched his marines secure their carabiners, "Come here."

She got to her feet and went to him.

"I want a small team. Bring Juel. Tali too. She should be the one to make contact since she's had the most experience with humans."

"Copy."

"Get to it."

"Second squad." Olasie's hand rose up to get their attention, "Time to go down."

They did as they were told and fastened up to descend into the city.

At the foot of the wall, Olasie and her team moved away from the rest of the group now reassembling.

"Darehk. Lukh. Line in. We're on escort for Tali to greet tagged unknowns. Juel. You're coming too."

"Roj."

"Alright."

"What about us?" Kylie said, throwing up a hand to her and Teri.

"Append onto first until we're back."

"Don't start something without us." Teri drawled, stepping back with Kylie lugging her S80 just behind, "Stay safe."

The quiet byes faded into the chill as the rest of the unit peeled off, leaving them to face the alley pooled in a thick shadow. Cold wind swept them with a biting draft as they stared down the desolation.

The steady blink of the set NAV marker awaited.

"Come on," Olasie murmured and took her first step. In a staggered column, they began their trek.

From behind, Juel could hear the distinct sound of a breach being opened. Looking behind him, he saw Tali extracting the ammo block from her shotgun.

"What are you doing?"

She didn't look up, pocketing the rectangular cube before retrieving another. "Loading incendiary."

His brow creased. "…Why?"

Only after she was done did she meet his gaze. The look he received was shifty. Something that made his chest tighten.

"They work better on collectors."

He didn't say anything and a shroud of silence followed, each step echoing faintly between every building or wall they passed.

Minutes of walking. Wind and silence following.

Gun held ready, she traced every corner, eyes tensely scanning high and low and behind.

A shadow at the corner of her vision? Aim. A doorway looming ahead? Barrel up. A flicker in a darkened window? Eyes pinned.

The memory of Ullipses became an overlay over her eyes. The cold emptiness. The hollow echo of their steps. She wanted to double-over and hurl.

Juel clearly saw her unraveling. It was hard not to.

"Tali?"

"What."

"…I'm just making sure you're okay."

Her answer was a raw croak of honesty. "I'm not."

"Set-2. Lead." Prazza called over comms, "State status. Issue receipt to call."

"Status clean." Olasie stopped and gave each of her team a quick onceover, "…Closing gap on marker. Update to follow?"

"TACC point established. Grid formed. Sanitizing sweep on quadrant one is commencing. You should see appropriate NAV markers soon. Maintain your directive."

Just as he finished, everyone's HUD was updated with the location of their Tactical Assembly Command Center.

"Set-2 copies." Olasie resumed her pace, "We see the new markers."

"Acknowledged, Set-2. Lead, out-called."

Another howling hiss, another rush of flurries blowing past. The confining space was pressing on Tali and it was driving her insane.

Olasie rose a hand to halt the formation.

"Two mechs. Looks like… they're patrolling." She waved for Talukh, "Lukh. Do your thing."

Talukh stowed away his rifle and set a palm along the hilt of his knife strapped to his hip.

"Yes ma'am."

He fractured from existence to the surprise of Tali. All this time and she never knew he was a trained infiltrator.

Not even a minute and he rematerialized, wrist flicking servo-oil from his blade.

They pushed onward and finally emerged from the narrow paths to the sight of something that stole them of their breaths.

Rows upon rows of abandoned cars, trucks, and vans scattered across a four laned thoroughfare.

Hundreds of them. Vehicles as far as the eye could see.

Every door hung open as if left in mid-flight, gusts twisting and slipping through the open expanse.

"Va areh'Ik Nas Isva." Darehk uttered to the winds.

"𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒘."

Against the harrowing temptation to turn back, they pushed onward, arms raised instinctively, eyes wandering between each metal coffin.

And there, as Tali skimmed the interior of a family sedan, was a stuffed bear, its fur abused by the relentless onslaught of winter, glass eyes staring reverently at nothing.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Six homes now they'd crossed through. Each one revealing the complicated lives of its inhabitants.

The collections. The art. The cluttered kitchens or the unfinished projects.

Ordinary, messy, day-to-day, life.

All of them ended abruptly. And permanently.

Here, John was surrounded by the personal effects of yet another family, flashlight slowly skirting the walls, a mosaic of framed photos depicting fragments of the life these people had made here.

Jacob stood somewhere nearby, hand pulling slightly on the blinds to keep watch outside while Miranda was lost somewhere in the kitchen, shaving samples from high trafficked areas to analyze later.

His torch settled over the last of them, revealing a pregnant mother and father.

His expression was distant. Something caught between something mournful and pensive.

He turned away and moved deeper still, down a narrow hallway, toward a door that sat slightly ajar, a faint hint of moonlight falling from the gap at the frame.

A respectful, tactful, push to reveal a nursery waiting for a life that would never arrive.

"Silver-1, this is Bird-1. How copy?"

"Silver-1," Shepard's stare broke away and he stepped back, "Send traffic."

"Be advised: we're finding more signatures spread across the city. Those five are still making their way toward you. Heading one eight zero. Distance one five zero meters and closing."

"Silver-1 copies all." John faced the bearing from a nearby window and straightened his back, jaw set. "We'll handle it."

"Copy. Bird-1, out."

"Coincidence?" Jacob wondered from just behind.

Shepard jumped slightly. "Christ, Jacob."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

John gave him a show of hands and moved past him.

"Not a coincidence." John answered, making it back to the kitchen to check on Miranda.

"You about finished?"

"Yes."

"Let's go see how friendly our new friends are."

Carefully sealing her samples and nestling them in her bag, she slung the strap over her shoulder as they left through the front door before spreading out into the courtyard.

Eerie quiet subsumed the air and John graced the sky with a dark glare before finally regarding the translucent and frozen slush spread across the ground.

He realized there were footprints. A multitude of them. All of them frozen. His heart felt faint. It couldn't be. It was too distinct. Those had to have belonged t—

"Unknown contacts! This is Sergeant Olasie'Venn, Migrant Fleet Marines, 2nd Special Tasks Unit!" The voice was loud and sharp, and it echoed. "Are you citizens of Freedom's Progress?"

John blinked, his surprise readily apparent by the look he suddenly had on his face.

Migrant Fleet Marines.

Of all the possibilities he'd prepared himself for out here, quarians were the last thing he expected. He looked up and saw three of them standing in formation some distance away. Two figures held steady, while one stood just a pace behind wearing a dark cloak. There were supposed to be five.

The other two were likely positioned for overwatch. Somewhere unseen with a sightline on them all.

Smart.

Her voice rang out again and the edge of distrust sharpened. "Identify yourself! State your purpose and intent!"

John took a step forward, putting himself at the forefront, in the hopes that seeing a sense of command might ease their tensions.

"Feels like I should be asking you that." He began with a small attempt at humor, hoping it would dull the unease. But as he spoke, the quarian in that dark cloak took a wary step back, hand clutching her chest, head turned slightly in disbelief, eyes wide and holding something almost… haunted.

A resigned sigh. That wasn't the response he was aiming for. It was probably best to just answer the question.

"We're not residents. We're here on a mission to investigate the colony's black-out."

A straight answer, but the cloaked quarian held him captive with her stare, as if she'd seen a ghost.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Five minutes prior.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

"Lead, Set-2. Issue receipt to call."

"Lead." Prazza was already there on the other end of the line, "Send."

"Directive commencement. Stand-by for updates."

"Lead acknowledges."

"Set-2, out-called." Olasie scanned their vicinity before looking up high.

"Lukh. Darehk. Post up. Find a rooftop and a good sightline."

"Roj."

The two left, leaving just the three of them now.

Juel leaned slightly toward Tali, eyes trying to lock onto her entranced ones.

"Tali, are you sure you can do this?"

Tali blinked and glanced between the two of them.

"I'm sorry." Tali breathed regaining focus, "I just…—I'm sorry."

Olasie held her shoulders to help Tali find something stable to lean onto. "Hey. It's okay. Don't worry. I can do it. I can POC. But after, you need to talk to them. Can you do that?"

An embittered and somewhat resolute nod as she tried to rein in her splitting seams. A giant whiff of air also to suffocate the paranoia. "I can do that."

"Good." Olasie took a deep breath and squeezed before turning on her heel.

"Lukh," Olasie radioed, "Are you ready?"

"Ready."

"Darehk?"

"Prepped."

"Do you see them?"

"Affirmative. Looks like they're waiting. Probably for us."

Olasie began to walk, Juel and Tali falling behind. "Copy. Commencing contact."

They rounded the bend and the figures came into view.

Three silhouettes stood amidst the drifting flurries—two upright and watchful, their postures tense against the abandoned backdrop. The third lingered slightly apart, his gaze cast downward, tracing patterns in the snow as if searching for something he'd lost.

Olasie straightened to her full height, leveled her shoulders and killed the muffled quiet.

"Unknown contacts! This is Sergeant Olasie'Venn, Migrant Fleet Marines, 2nd Special Tasks Unit!"

She made it loud and clear she wasn't tolerating anything but straightforwardness. "Are you citizens of Freedom's Progress?"

Her words seemed to stir the man who had been fixated on the snow. Slowly, he looked up, and the casual detachment melted away. His attention locked onto her, a subtle shift that brought an air of authority as he stepped forward, positioning himself ahead of his companions.

"Identify yourselves!" Olasie's impatience sharpened, "State your purpose and intent for being here!"

The reply she received was calm and belied the tension of the moment. "Feels like I should be asking you that."

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Tali's world.
It shattered.

Time and space lost its meaning and her little heart seized. Clenched something familiar. Something old. Painful. Permanent.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

That... voice.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

It was unmistakable.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

She staggered back, hand pressed against her chest as if to hold her heart in place, breath falling into a petrified whisper. "...𝘑𝘰𝘩𝘯...?"

The pendant around her neck was clutched so tightly it bit into her palm. Any harder and it could've drawn blood.

"We're not residents. We're here on a mission to investigate the colony's black-out." The man added while looking a little disappointed with himself.

Numbness in everything but her crying heart, her eyes were spellbound.

"Tali…?" Juel hissed quietly so the humans couldn't hear, "What the hell is wrong with you?" He had to lean in and near to get her attention.

"T-t-that… voice…" She stammered with what was barely more than a breath, "It…I-i-itcantbeitjustcant."

Disbelief. Complete and utter disbelief.

"Why are you guys here?" The man asked while taking a step closer and stowed his rifle as a gesture of cooperation. His companions followed his lead.

"What do you mean? Whose voice? His voice?" Juel could not tie her rambling together.

Small and sharp shakes of her head, eyes still wildly locked onto that human with a voice just like John's.

Olasie seemed to take notice and hissed through grit teeth in Tali's ear. "Tali. What are you doing?" Before she could further stir Tali's pot of scrambling sanity, she turned to face the approaching humans.

"We're here looking for a pilgrim with the name of Veetor."

"A quarian pilgrim out on in the Traverse?" John set a pointer under the base of his helmet as if to tap his chin, "I had a quarian pilgrim on my team once." He mentioned.

Tali suppressed a muffled cry.

"Maybe we can reach our goals mutually, then?" Olasie asked aloud.

John nodded and turned to face the frightened-looking woman. "Is she okay?"

"I'm… not quite sure." Juel answered on Olasie's behalf before turning back to Tali, "I'm… gonna take her back to TACC. I'll… meet you back there." He reached around Tali's shoulder and led her away.

Tali, arms wrapped tightly around her core, mumbled a quiet string of insanities while giving another fleeting look at what she swore was him.

Is this what insanity was like?

Truly. 𝑻𝒓𝒖𝒍𝒚, she had finally fucking lost it.

Juel forced her pace by keeping his stride purposeful until they were well out of sight and sound.

He finally let go and whirled her around. He was going to be comforting, but knew he was probably going to fail miserably at it.

"Tali."

She couldn't keep up with her own breaths, eyes dawdling her feet.

"Tali." Juel grasped both her shoulders and shook to try and bring some order to that headspace of hers, "What the hell is going on with you?"

"That 𝒎𝒂𝒏—that man is 𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐒𝐡𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐝!" She said it like it was a full-throated scream, but her voice could hardly carry the sound any further than the walls closest to them. Soon after, she wailed into a fit of confused tears, pain unlike she'd ever known disuniting the very substance of her soul.

Juel stammered breathlessly while looking behind him suspiciously, "Tali, that's— how could he be standing right there? How could you know that? We can't even see his face."

"I don't know, okay?!" She pointed accusingly at herself, chest trembling, tears falling, "I don't know! I mean, I got his last message… I heard him dying… 𝒀𝑶𝑼 heard him dying—and I—and to see him standing there normally? —Like he—like he…" Her words roll off the tongue in a hurried gulp for breath, "Like he didn't even die! Like nothing ever happened!" Her breath turned into a heaving cry while she shook violently from her heaving breaths, "I—I don't get it! I don't 𝒈𝒆𝒕 it! Why? Why here? Why now? I don't—! I don't understand!"

"Calm down. Calm down. We don't even know it's him yet, okay?" Juel grabbed for Tali's forearm and tugged assertively, "Come on. It's still dangerous out here. We have to get back. You can get your thoughts together there. Now seriously— let's move."

She couldn't focus. She was dying. Eyes blind and ears deaf, she mumbled nothing but senselessness the entire journey back.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Three minutes prior.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

The trade of stares between the lone quarian and the three of them was awkward to say the least.

Closing the gap and deciding it was best to just ignore the spectacle, John approached, and as a sign of respect, saluted her.

"Commander John Shepard. Systems Alliance." He then lowered his hand for her to shake.

She took it in hers. "How… common is your name?" Olasie asked curiously, suspiciously.

"Quite a lot of us humans," John answered with a shrug, hoping his name hadn't gotten too famous, "so it's a fairly common one, I suppose. Why?"

Olasie's gaze didn't let up. Something wasn't quite right.

But it was stupid to even consider. John Shepard was dead.

…Right?

But. How sick of a coincidence was it that he mentioned having a pilgrim being on his team once. How sick of a coincidence was it he also happened to have the same name? Same rank?

She made a face, one to herself, and immediately dispelled any suspicion she had about Tali's past flame and whoever this man was in front of her.

Tali said the John Shepard she knew was dead. So he was dead.

She cleared her throat. "I have two more of my men that have a zero on us. I'll have them come back down to regroup."

Shepard nodded. "We know."

"Oh?"

"It's what I would've done." He said as he gazed about the abandonment, "…So you guys don't know what happened either." He said as a way of statement.

She only shook her head. "No. The only reason why we're here is because of Veetor. That's it." She took a step out toward the open street to give herself a moment to peer down its length. "I have to ask. Why did the Alliance only send a single shuttle?"

A small modicum of silence. One that was off beat. It had her face the Commander.

"We're technically not supposed to be here at all." John said, almost failing to think of a good enough excuse, "Alliance fleets flying overhead sovereign planets doesn't breed all that positively with the folks out here. They don't want anything to do with the Alliance. So they're out here alone and don't have standing armies to protect them, save for whatever militia these people try to scrounge together."

A hand on his hip, he stepped back and stared at his feet before sweeping the empty vista with a hand to give it all a showcase. "You're seeing the consequence of that. A task force won't be here for another week at least."

"Pity." Olasie sighed.

"Yeah." Shepard agreed while thumbing Jacob and Miranda, "I'd like to you to meet Lieutenant Taylor and Major Lawson."

Jacob frowned at having his rank below his wife, but said nothing.

"A pleasure." Miranda smiled and shook the quarian's hand briskly. Fatimah wasn't joking. This woman made asari ugly.

"Like the suit, hun." The quarian intoned between their handshake.

She went to shake Jacob's next.

"Nice to meet you." He said, "Name's Jacob Taylor."

"Olasie'Venn vas Neema nar Pazahtravon." Finishing the pleasantries, Olasie's men finally turned the corner and met up with them, prompting Olasie to bring up comms.

"Lead. Set-2. Issue receipt to call."

"Lead. Send."

"Unknown contacts are friendly. Alliance scouting team. Appealing advisement."

"Copy. They… open to collaboration?"

Olasie gave John a look to confirm which had him nod.

"…That's an affirmative."

"Acknowledge. Escort friendless and Convene at TACC."

"Copy all. Set-2, out-called."

"Probably a good idea if I give my pilots a heads up." John said.

"That would be prudent, yes." Olasie agreed.

"Bird-1, this is Silver-1 actual. Contacts are friendly. Migrant Fleet Marines on a SAR op. Jacob will brief you while we're en-route to their…FOB? I think."

"This is Bird-1. We acknowledge. Anything else?"

"Negative. Out."

Olasie toggled the safety off her weapon before tilting her head in the direction they needed to go. "Follow us, Commander. I think it would be a good idea if we stick together."

"Agreed."

As they started to make their way back, he somehow found it in him to smile.

Luck, real luck, for the first time in what felt like a lifetime, had thrown him a bone.

Running into quarians on his first run off station? It was like waking from his months-long nightmare.

Maybe they'd know where to find her. Or the direction to point him toward. Tali had to be something of a legend by now—a hero undoubtedly. A celebrity even? Her pilgrimage gift was kind of a big deal.

Surely, someone in their ranks would know who or where she was.

Every step he took felt lighter. But his relief soon turned to unease.

It was mostly nerves. But there was no comfort in admitting it.

What would he even say to her?

Two years vanished into the abyss. No one, not a single soul in the galaxy, carried his circumstances.

Would she even listen, if—when—that moment finally came?

His hope, weak as it was, was grazed by something cold and his heart's valve's all collectively gulped. Dread washed over him.

When that moment came, he could only hope he'd find the words.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Twenty minutes later.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

"Juel." Olasie said worriedly over a private call she'd made, relieved somewhat he'd finally answered, "How's Tali."

"She's… trying to gather her senses."

"Did you pry? Did you ask her what's wrong?"

"I..." He breathed, "It's…—Keelah, I don't even know how to… she thinks that man is, like, the Commander Shepard."

Olasie felt her stomach churn and there was a bout of silence. One long enough for Juel to make sure he was still on the line.

"…Did you hear me?"

"I did."

"Well?"

"I—" Whatever she had to say couldn't come out and she glanced meekly at John mid stride. "I don't know. How could I? I don't know him like Tali did. And he's wearing a helmet. I can't exactly see his face."

"That's what I said. She's not listening to me."

"Well. I'm not just gonna ask him to take it off just to make sure. That's kinda weird."

"Did you get his name at least?"

"…I did."

"And?"

"It's Commander John Shepard."

"Oh. It just so happens that he had a quarian on his team, has the same rank, the same name, and voice?" Juel let out a paltry scoff, "…How far out are you?"

"Just around the corner. We'll be there soon."

"Alright."

"Bye."

She killed the call and took the next bend, and finally arrived at TACC. Or in John's more familiar vernacular, their FOB.

It appeared they had holed up in a large home, likely because it had a decent view of their surroundings and a good defensible placement.

Passing by the gated fence and by a truck, they lead themselves up the stairs, where a pair of marines were moving down.

"Morah." Olasie asked to one of the descending marines from third squad, "Where's Prazza?"

"Living room. You can't miss him."

"Thanks." Stopping at the door, she stood aside and gave the humans their space to enter. "After you."

They entered, and just as Morah had said, was Prazza, overlooking a hologram that hung suspended in the room.

Despite the rank disparity, John approached and gave the platoon sergeant a salute out of respect.

"Commander Shepard. Alliance Navy. Is there a lieutenant present?"

Prazza gave the human a careful once over before returning the military gesture. "Good to have the Alliance with us, Commander. I am the Lieutenant." Prazza allowed himself a moment to relax while thumbing the hologram behind him, "I'll get you up to speed with our situation."

John nodded all the same at the Platoon Lieutenant Sergeant thing. He had to remember he was talking to someone distinctly not Alliance.

John signaled for Jacob and Miranda to mingle with the other quarians.

"I'm sure Olasie has informed you of our problem?"

"She did. We can help aid your search in exchange for helping us find any evidence of what might've happened here."

"We can arrange that." Prazza said before gesturing to the holographic layout. "You can see I have my teams sanitizing likely areas Veetor might be in."

He tapped a section of the hologram, the map illuminating a cluster of buildings near the colony's center. "You can see we've divided the city into quadrants to avoid overlap."

"Anything to go on?"

"Aside from the mechs patrolling the city and a single distress call we received yesterday, no."

John frowned, scrutinizing the map. "Any idea what he said in the signal?"

"No. It was barely intelligible. Just a lot of static, but his ID tag did come through. Whatever happened here, he got out one word before it cut off."

"What?"

"'Danger.'" Prazza's said with a tight frown.

"So you don't have any eyes on the pilgrim. No trail. No visual confirmation?"

"None," Prazza replied grimly, "We weren't anticipating dealing with an entire colony missing. But I guess we're among the first to witness the Traverse's latest disappearance."

John stared back at Miranda and Jacob standing somewhere close by with Olasie and her team. "Well. That's why we're here. To figure out who—or what—did this. Insofar, this is our best chance to find something since the city remains unmolested by looters. My team can do a sweep of quadrant two and keep an eye out for your guy. We'll be thorough."

"Thank you, commander. Every pair of eyes helps."

"Of course. Not a problem. We'll link into your comms as well to better coordinate efforts."

Prazza agreed, though his eyes were working to find his second squad leader. He found her and rose a hand.

"Olasie."

She strode over.

"Sir."

"Get your squad prepped for the search. Directives will be issued shortly."

"Copy."

"Commander, if you're open, I'd like for Olasie and her team to join you since you've already made their acquaintance. I hope Tali wasn't too hard on you?"

His brain turned to mush and there was a distinct pause from the double take he had to take.

"…𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒐𝒏?"

"Tali'Zorah. Our advisor." Prazza said, clearly not aware of the implication.

...𝓦𝓱𝓪𝓽?

His mind reeled. Like a thumb running against the edge of a card deck, sound and all. Anyone else would've called this providence. But not John. John considered it a sick joke.

His pulse began to flog his ears.

"Who?" he asked again, his voice lower, tighter. He needed confirmation. Needed to know his brain hadn't just conjured her name in some cruel hallucination.

Olasie's sharp gaze didn't miss the expressions he was giving, subtle as they were.

No. There's no way. It couldn't. Was this really him?

Olasie's grasp tightened on her rifle. Not because she wanted to shoot him (Keelah, she wasn't bloodthirsty), but because it was what she happened to be holding.

If this was him—if this man in front of her truly was John Shepard, alive and standing when he absolutely shouldn't be… Then Tali's years of mourning was all but a farce. All the grief. All the pain. Misplaced. Undue. Unwarranted.

Resentment. Maybe even hatred. That's what Olasie felt, and it hit her like a wall.

What kind of person let someone carry that kind of pain under the belief they were dead for years?

She didn't know whether to pity him or punch him. Her distrust swelled and she fixed her gaze on Shepard.

She hoped he was ready to reap the consequences of his decisions.

Prazza's look was puzzled. Nonplussed. "I'm sorry, but was Tali not the one who initiated contact?"

"No. It was me." Olasie said, working quickly to make an excuse as to not raise any suspicions about Tali's… integrities. "I made a call and wanted her positioned as a fallback in case things went south. She would've had a better vantage point from the rear to assess and advise. My apologies."

John could hardly keep up with any of this. All he could think about was that he saw Tali.

And didn't even -fucking- know it.

Brilliant. Just, 𝓫𝓻𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓲𝓪𝓷𝓽. If there was an award for catastrophic blunders, he would be the galaxy's front runner. Suppressed panic blinded his expression and he could hardly keep it in check.

"What's her name again?" John asked again for the third time, just to make sure he wasn't mishearing.

"Tali'Zorah vas Neema." Prazza's brow rose. "…why?"

"Birth ship?" John somehow managed to ask.

"…Rayyan?" Prazza said, peeved he'd ask that.

𝓐𝔀, 𝓼𝓱𝓲𝓽.

His heart was coughing blood and he was already prepping his tourniquet. "…Where is she?"

"I'm not sure." Prazza turned to her, "Olasie, do you know?"

"I'll find her and then I'll rally my squad."

"Get to it."

"Commander," Olasie said flatly, "Follow me."

John did as he was told.

They took a hallway and traveled down its length. Finding an empty room, she stood by its door and pointed in.

"Get in. And stay here." The stare she'd handed over told him something he didn't feel particularly confident in arguing against.

"Okay."

Leaving him alone to wallow, she went further down to find Juel.

Keelah, this house was huge. She dialed for him.

…

…

"I'm down the hallway. Left than a right." Was his greeting, sensing she was calling to find him.

"I'm almost there."

She hung up and took the next two corners to see him alone, arms crossed.

"So?"

He shrugged. "What."

"How is she?"

An impartial shrug before turning around to peer into the cracked door from where Tali had been keeping herself. "…The same."

"Well. He's here. I have him waiting just down the hall."

He heard her, but made no indication he did, and let the floor's middle-distance dominate his view.

She stared back from where she came and said nothing.

A pause. Then another.

"…What should we do." He finally muttered.

"To put this to rest."

"How?

"She needs to see him."

"…Is that smart?"

"If it means she can finally get some closure, yeah." Olasie breathed, "I want to see her punch this bosh'tet in the mouth."

His question was rhetorical. "You really think it's him?"

Yes. Yes she did.

"Uh. Yeah."

He chewed over the idea wordlessly, shifting foot over foot, head bowed as he deliberated internally. Finally, he made up his mind and opened the door fully.

"Tali."

Tali barely looked up from where she sat. "…What."

"That guy's here." Juel said, intentionally not saying his name.

She didn't impart any acknowledgement from her.

"Tali," Juel pressed, "…you need to work up the courage and settle this. We cannot keep this up. We have a mission to focus on."

"Where is he."

"Down the hall. First room on the right."

There would be nothing better for her other than being able to rake both hands through her hair.

Without a word or a stare, Tali stood and moved past them. When they tried to follow, she shot up a hand. "No. Just… just stay here."

She was gone and Olasie finally stole herself a moment to breathe. "Keelah."

Juel stuffed his hands into his pockets and croaked. "Yup."

"…I'm going to get my squad rallied." Olasie said, stepping back, "…Get ready to move out soon."

"Okay."

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Two minutes before.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

He felt like he was suffocating. Removing his helmet and setting it aside, the ceiling became his focus and he let out a fretful sigh.

He hardly noticed the set of steps creeping up behind him.

"Commander."

It was Miranda focused over her OT with an erratic array of vitals out on display.

"What."

"You're tachycardic. Your heart is goi—"

"I'm fine." Shepard rudely interrupted with a scowl.

"No. You're not. You aren't ready for stress like this. I need you to calm down before you give yourself an embolism."

His look was one of disbelief. "You can't be serious."

Her expression told him she was, indeed, being serious.

He relented and gave her a show of hands. "What do you need me to do?" He muttered miserably.

"Your glove. Take it off." She ordered before fishing out a small parcel from her bag.

"Fine." He unclasped the locking mechanism that kept his gauntlet on. Opening what amounted to Shepard's specially made IFAK, she pinched it open while reaching out to get a hold of his palm.

"A little pinch." She uttered, drawing a needle before finding a vein and piercing his skin.

Mind ruminating, he stared distantly at her process until she was done administering.

"Done," She pocketed the spent syringe before electing to give him a band-aid. It made him frown.

"Is that... really necessary."

"Precautionary."

Patch set on his skin, she turned his hand over and met his gaze, pointer and middle counting his pulse and the seconds he'd need for meds to draw his heart rate down.

"How are you feeling?"

"Can't you tell?"

"Physically, Shepard."

He took in a staggered breath.

"Feeling just lovely right now," he replied with a bite of sarcasm.

"—J-John…?"

He was flashed with a running pulse.

That voice. The same as he'd always remembered it. The same honeyed milkiness.

It was raw, however. Tortured. Impassioned with something painfully agonizing. Suffocating with dread, he turned. There, at the doorway, was Tali'Zorah vas Neema nar Rayya.

The woman he'd chase to the ends of the universe for. The woman who'd been through everything with him.

She stood, frozen, hands pressed against her chest.

A single heartbeat passed, and then another, before Miranda's gaze dropped to where she still held John's hand in a touch that suddenly felt too close, too out of place. The realization struck her, and she released his hand in a sudden, almost clinical motion.

Ah. Swell. The timing couldn't have been worse. Theatrical, really.

Miranda's expression morphed into an unamused, icy stare, but John barely noticed, gaze fixed entirely on Tali's, mouth open, him caught off guard.

He took a step toward her, reaching out instinctively.

"…Tali…?"

The quarian lashed outward with a sneer powerful enough to halt him in his tracks. "Oh my god. Stay away from me." The sharpness of her stare burned with the ferocity of metal past its melting point.

His stare turned into a plea, and he made his way even closer, desperation in his voice.

"Tali…? Please. Just let m—"

Blindsided. Completely.

He was ambushed by the sheer force of her hands slamming into his chest. The push was so beset with rage, he stumbled back, the table behind him catching his fall but sending the full array of a family's untouched dinner scattering in chaotic disarray. His elbow caught a boat of gravy, flecking his arms and legs with a brown drizzle. The other, a tray of cold mashed potatoes catapulting up and dressing him like an over-ecstatic patron's buffet plate.

The sharp clang of dinnerware crashing and breaking echoed in the silence, Tali's chest heaving.

"Stay away from ME." She screamed, fists balled and held down, "ＷＨＹ. Shepard! WHY? You PROMISED ME."

Her face was soon corrupted by an onslaught of tears, "You… you bastard! I believed for so long that you were dead! And you…! —and I find you like—like this…? After everything, with another woman, no less?!"

She widened the gap between them even further, hands weaved tightly around her core to keep her soul from collapsing. "I would've have followed you anywhere. To the end of time. I loved you. How could you have betrayed me…? How could you!?"

"Tali, please. Just please listen!" He tried to reach out to her again, but her arms lashed out and cut through the air.

"Don't touch me. Don't Touch Me!"

Her screams seemed to be loud enough, because Juel stepped in with his gun out and aiming at Shepard's head.

"Back away. Now." Juel roared, safety flicking off.

Before long, Miranda's handgun was trailing Juel's face. "Not a wise proposition." She chided angrily.

Prazza entered with several others before hesitating on whether or not he should bring his own rifle to bear. "Kyat'za—What is going on in here?"

"Miranda. Stand down." Shepard uttered, staring down at the food staining his clothes and gear.

"Shepard." Her tone could cut steel.

"I said: Stand. Down." He repeated again with a little more malice. He heard her pistol get holstered.

"I'll comply." John took a few steps back, but his gaze never left Tali. "I don't want this to turn into an incident."

Juel's weapon clicked back to safety and went to Tali. "You okay?"

Her voice failed her. A storm of betrayal and disbelief, she at its center. Without a word, she turned, steps frantic and uneven, and fled. She wanted to leave it all behind. Away from him. Away from the stares. Far enough to breathe. Far enough to not feel her heart splintering to pieces.

There was an aura of awkwardness held up in the air as everyone stared amongst each other and John.

"Commander," Prazza began, staring at the mess he was covered in, "I'm not going to pretend I know the kindled history you seem to have with Tali'Zorah, but I'd recommend that you keep your distance from her for the remainder of this mission." He stepped forward aggressively, "Otherwise we -will- have an incident in our hands. Am I absolutely clear?"

"You don't get to dictate terms here." Miranda called out evenly, "You are on a human settlement. You are also speaking to an officer that holds a standing much, much higher than you."

Prazza grimaced. His look, however, withheld and it held a sharpness. "It's been made readily evident the sovereignty Freedom's Progress has over the Alliance. Dictate terms all you want, but your jurisdiction here holds hardly any precedence over mine, human or not."

"Prazza," Shepard finally spoke and stood between him and Miranda to deescalate, "We don't want to start anything. I want us to get along. For everyone's sake."

The stare Prazza leveled at John didn't relent. Without turning away, he addressed his marines lingering nearby.

"Fan out. Back to your posts. Now."

Only when the last of his team disappeared did Prazza finally turn to leave.

He was alone now with only Miranda.

Hands on his hips, John paced in a steady circle, the ceiling absorbing his attention.

"That went swimmingly." Miranda finally decided to say.

He didn't address her with anything but a single raised finger. "Don't."

A big but quiet inhale, Miranda said nothing. A minute as John chewed his lip and thoughts.

"…I've got to talk to her. She needs to know what's going on." He stopped and stared out toward the door.

Miranda fought the urge to sigh.

Here they were, standing in the middle of a dark, abandoned colony, the galaxy's most dire crisis unfolding—and yet she found herself playing as a reluctant witness to two years' worth of unresolved love drama. John Shepard, savior of the galaxy, seemed perilously close to prioritizing a personal reunion over the mission itself.

An eye-roll threatened, but she kept it in check—barely. For a split second, she actually wondered if all the billions of credits, two years of work, and the countless man-hours needed to bring him back had been worth it. Watching this unfold? She had her doubts.

But then… she caught the look on Shepard's face and remembered, his death, to him, was not all that long ago. Something almost alien stirred within her.

Compassion?

Empathy?

She couldn't rightly tell.

"Ah. Love's a bitch," Miranda said instead, breaking her usual veneer with something that almost sounded sympathetic.

Was it out of her character? Perhaps. But in the absurdity of this moment, it felt appropriate.

That smile he was now on the receiving end of? It made his stomach flop a little. As sincere as it was, she apparently didn't it much.

"Where's Jacob?"

"Waiting in the living room still."

A single unfocused nod and he motioned for her to follow him out.

But there, just outside in the hall, was Olasie and Juel, waiting for them. Or rather, him.

The stares they traded were graceless.

"Commander." Juel said warily, "…We should probably reintroduce ourselves." He glanced at Olasie, "—without pointing guns at each other."

"That would be preferred." John replied with some restraint.

"You've already met Olasie." He said, showing a hand, "I'm Juel'Kaan."

John's eyes didn't narrow, but he felt the impulse. A quiet, simmering urge, sparked by what he assumed might've been Tali's other half. He remembered him taking her away in the courtyard.

"Look, I'm not about to pretend to know what's going on here," Juel added with a tight-lipped sigh, "But we have some questions. And we'd like to get some things straight." He motioned for the two of them to follow, Olasie flanking them so they could go to a quiet corner. A few quarians passed by, casting uninterpretable looks at the sight of John and the rumors that were undoubtedly already spreading.

"Do you both know Tali?" Shepard asked them, voice both impatient and guarded.

"Yes. We've known Tali since she became part of the Neema. But you—you need to be straight with us."

Juel let the wall hold his back to displace the tense undercurrent he and everyone else had been feeling in the wake of Tali's hysterics.

"Do you know where she is?" John pressed.

Olasie finally interjected and rose a hand to stop the imminent bombardment from him. "We do. Our questions come first."

The ex-Spectre frowned, but gave his consent.

"That could be anyone wearing John Shepard's face." Olasie said with a stare down, "How do we know it's really you?"

He didn't have time for this. "I need to speak to her."

She didn't dignify him with a response. Only a wordless glare.

"Please." John said with a sharp breath, "She has no idea how much I have to explain. You have to trust me."

"Answer our question then. How do we know it's really you?"

It was clear they weren't going to be convinced by some vague assurances.

John struggled to come up with something. But suddenly, he knew.

"...Before I... I guess I should say before I 'died'. The night before Illos—I was searching for something I made for her. I was just outside her room when she caught me rummaging. It was a memento. Something that I'd given my friend Garrus the responsibility of delivering to her if I wouldn't be around to do it myself." A pause that stretched. "…Do you know if she ever got that…"

He was talking about Tali's pendant. Juel and Olasie shared with each other a stare.

"She did." Came Juel's answer before another sizable pause.

"It's black. It's small. Round. It came in—"

"—We believe you." Olasie said, relenting slightly.

"Keelah. I'm staring at a ghost—" Juel muttered, staring off now and not toward anything in particular, "Look, Shepard... she's not the same person you left behind. Don't expect her to just welcome you with open arms."

"We're going to let you see her despite Prazza's disinclinations." Olasie added in, "Not because we think you deserve it, but because you owe her that."

John only swallowed.

"Try to keep her under control." Juel resumed, "You're bringing up stuff she's never been able to bury. No matter what you say, she's gonna be pissed, as evidenced by her..." He looked at John's gravy ridden armor, "outburst."

John's relief for getting another chance was quickly stalled when Juel plated a pointer against his chest to underscore the point he wanted to make. "She was a fucking mess when she came back. You being here is just... not a great look."

John felt his soul die hearing that.

"Olasie! You're needed!" Came a disembodied voice.

"Coming!" She called out before facing Juel. "You got this from here?"

"Yeah."

Olasie cast a final stare, one packed with contempt against John, and left.

"Get your story straight." Juel said after Olasie was finally gone, "And for her sake, make sure it's the truth." Juel finally broke the stare he'd been holding against John before sighing. "Come on."

"Miranda. Find Jacob. Go with Olasie."

"Will do."

Juel turned around and John followed in sorrowful silence.

Nearly half a minute of walking.

"...How well do you know her?" John asked finally.

"We can skip the conversational platitudes." Juel said flatly, "I'm not involved with her. No one is. She's never had anyone else aside from you."

John felt something slide from his shoulders. If it held form, its weight could have ripped through the fabric of space and time.

"Right through here." Juel stopped at the door and gave John the open hand he needed to go in.

It was an anxiety riddled motion John made, opening that door. As he squeezed himself through its breadth, he, without any sound, closed the door behind him.

He saw her. Tali, sitting at the far end, back to him, head bowed so low he could barely make out the shape of her shoulders. What he heard however, nearly ended him.

The soft, broken sound of her quiet and muted weeping. Or the way her breaths shook; crushed by an agony he could feel across the stifled air between them. A dagger, twisting and turning in his chest, clawing for a chance to strike his heart.

When he found his voice, it was hoarse and dry. "Tali."

The ground fell away from beneath him and silence hung. Vast. Unimaginable. Silence.

"...Tali, please."

Her voice, when it came, revealed something impossibly naked. A mere whisper.

"What do you want…?"

She was motionless. Didn't dare turn to face him from how unbearable it would be to lay her eyes on him again.

"To explain myself." He said quietly. He took a step closer, then stopped, terrified of closing the distance too quickly. Terrified of what he'd see in her eyes if she looked at him.

"It isn't worth explaining." She said through a toneless lie, holding tight to her misery and clutching it like a lifeline, even as it worked to render her apart.

She wanted to know. God, she needed to know. But she was smothered. Suffocated. There was a shroud of darkness and it yawned overhead. The betrayal she felt couldn't have been any more complete.

"Yes. It is."

"You lied." She let out a sour laugh and its sound was as shattered as she was, "You lied! Your death was all a lie! I loved you and you left me behind."

"Look at me, damnit." He croaked harshly, "I was dead. 𝑫𝒆𝒂𝒅. I died. I haven't been conscious for any longer than four months."

A slow and trepid pan to finally face him.

"I was brought back." He said with a shrug knowing that she needed an explanation. He couldn't look her in the eye because he was searching for something to say.

"I was… rebuilt. Remade."

He pulled his stare up and finally met her gaze with a wary one. "I'm not even sure what I'm supposed to call it."

She recognized that look. She'd seen it a million times. The unguarded vulnerability she'd remembered too well. His soul was laid bare and he was showing only the truth.

Then her vision became a tunnel and she recognized this for what it was. As real as it all felt, she realized, as her gaze faltered, that this was just a dream. Insanity.

"Tali. There's so much I need to get caught up on." His own teary-eyed gaze fell again and he, in a heap, sat in a chair across from her.

It must've been her last strand of reality finally giving way. This wasn't happening.

"Stop." She murmured to the universe, eyes sallow and tired. "…I'm tired of the tricks. This isn't… real."

"Tali. I'm right here." John had to stop himself from letting his shout pass the wall's proofing.

Tali was shaken out of her reverie at John's exasperation.

"Tali. I. Am. Right. Here."

She shook her head again and fought harder against this kind of unreality.

She'd wake up soon. She had enough of these stupid dreams.

John was beginning to grow impatient. He got up and put a hand along her shoulder before placing a pointer under her chin.

"Tali. I'm right here." He said for the third time. He lowered to a kneel and caught her fleeting glances.

"John?" Tali whispered, voice impossibly small, "Don't leave me. Not yet. Just stay a little longer."

Their eyes meet and John finally let a sad smile sprawl across his face.

"Tali. I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to stay right here. For as long as you need me to. That's a promise."

Tali began to realize this really wasn't a dream. "…John?"

Her eyes widen in slowly.

"…John…?" Her tongue rolled awkwardly as she said his name again. Her voice, as disparaged as it was, clung onto some feeble hope that he really wasn't dead.

"It's me, Tali. It's me. Damnit, it's me…" His voice fell away and he drew her into his arms.

He could feel a strong quake of her lungs robbed of breath under his embrace. A silent, choked cry, two hands bundling the fabric of his jacket to keep him close.

"Oh my god— John…" She swallowed hard before squeezing her eyes shut, "…you have so much explaining to do…" Joyful tears fell and a small smile was born, "I can't— I can't believe it. It's you. It's really... you." She stood with her arms still around him and squeezed him hard enough for it to hurt. "You're actually alive. I can't believe you're alive. I just can't... oh, keelah I'm going to hyperventilate."

Relief. Complete and utter relief. John finally let out the breath he'd been holding. Mainly because she was crushing it out of him.

When she was finished, she took a step back and frowned slightly at the thought of that Miranda woman, "But… what about that woman?"

"If you think for a second I would ever choose another woman over you? Tali. You'd be out of your mind. She was doping me with meds." He showed her the band aid splayed across his hand. "Your timing was terrible."

"I caused such a scene. I'm sorry. I…—ugh." She held her face in shame, and both laughed and cried, a radiant but shaky smile peeking through the mess, "…Come here. I could really go for another hug."

Opening his arms, she threw hers around him again.

"Damnit, John… God damnit…"

She melted, an entire minute passing without a word. Just two souls slowly succumbing to happy sobs.

He sniffled and wiped away a tear before pulling her away just enough to get a glimpse of the pendant around her neck. He took it into his hand and swept his thumb over its surface.

There, in the engravings, just as he remembered, read:

ᴛᴏ ᴜs.

"You really haven't moved on." John rasped quietly, "Did Garrus give it to you?"

"Yeah." She answered with a croak, "I wore it. To remember you." She sniffled a bit before playing with the weight herself, "Although I was a little disappointed you didn't give it to me in person." She teased, "But it's okay, I guess."

He swaddled her with another tight hug, hand holding her head, eyes closed. "I love you."

Another choked cry. "I love you too."

Another full minute of quietude before she held his face with both her hands, "John."

"Yes."

"I'm still so confused."

"Me too."

"You have a lot to catch up on, don't you."

"Yeah."

"So," Her hands went down to hold his shoulders, "What do we do from here?"

He reached for one of her hands and glowered. "I'm not sure. Was actually hoping you could help me out."

"Anything." She said, face only an inch from his.

He took a deep breath. "You need to keep your head on your shoulders for this. Don't freak out."

"What is it?"

"It was Cerberus that brought me back."

John could feel her tense tightly.

"I know. You don't have to say anything. I need to get away from them." He looked around the room as if The Illusive Man himself were over his shoulder, "Those two people out there? They're Cerberus operatives. They're good people. Please believe me. But I can't do this. Not with them. I need to find a way back to the Alliance without terrorists breathing down my back as a beneficiary. It's not an option working with them."

"You're absolutely sure they're not going to try anything."

"Yes."

"Alright," She relented, "I believe you."

Her tone had him wondering what he'd missed in the interim of his death. Made him wonder if there was something more over what they already experienced together in 83.

"I'm gathering that something new happened between you and them?"

"Yes." Tali sighed, them both sitting down, "They boarded one of our ships months ago and killed civilians. It's a long story. One I'll tell you later."

John's transfixed stare broke and he scoffed starkly. "Even by their standards, that's… low. Honestly can't believe they did that."

"Well they did." She disputed quite harshly, "So the point stands: You need to run away and never look back."

She crossed her arms and tried to think.

"…Come with me. The fleet can grant you asylum. Maybe more."

"You really think so?"

"Of course. The admiralty took your warnings of the reapers seriously. So... maybe by some miracle, you could be outfitted with a whole quarian crew, ship, and supplies. I doubt it. But who knows."

"And what if that doesn't fall through?"

"Go back to the Alliance. Go to the Council. Restate your Spectre authority. I'll go with you."

Those were all good ideas.

"Then it's settled. I'm leaving with you."

"Good."

"I'll have to find a way to get in contact with mom and dad." The back of his palm found his forehead, "Had a lot of cash go to them. Gonna need a lot of that back."

"How are you going to shuffle that much money without freezing their bank?"

"Don't know. I'll figure it out." He took in a breath. "…Think we can run an errand on the side and pick up some essentials while we're at it? Food and whatnot?"

"We're actually supposed to stop by Illium for supplies. We'll have our opportunity then."

"Fantastic."

"So, what do we tell them when someone asks?" Tali said, frowning, "We'll have to say something when you try coming aboard our ship."

"The truth… I suppose. When it's right."

"And that'll work… how?"

"I'll think of something."

"Okay. I trust you."

There was silence after, so Tali leaned in a little closer and felt a tear sit at the corner of her eye. "Keelah, John. I'm… still getting used to this."

"Tell me about it. I'm really at a loss for words."

She traced his jawline with a single finger, words barely forming. "You're alive. I just... can't believe it."

"Yeah." He hummed quietly, brows furrowing and taking that hand along his face into his, "...I am."

She gave the man another heartfelt embrace. When they separated, he reached for the pendant around her neck again.

"Wish I could've given this to you in person." He started with a subtle frown, "Had a whole plan too. Dinner and everything. It was such a tacky idea."

"That's sweet, John. I like tacky."

"So it was, wasn't it?" He asked, setting the pendant down.

"Maybe a little." She said, all smiles.

"Was going to ask you out too. Thought about it a lot. Kept getting nervous."

"Nervous." She repeated with a small but mirthful laugh.

"What? I told you that happens to me too."

"Even after everything we've been through together, I don't believe it."

He chuckled.

"You had so many opportunities." She said, her smile turning soft, "I'm so upset you didn't have the balls to actually do it until the very last minute."

"Sorry."

"It's okay." She stared at the necklace herself, voice a whisper. "I don't have an excuse either."

"Well. I'm here to stay no matter what. So what better time than now to ask you out. Again."

Her eyes crinkled with joy. "Please."

Juel pounded on the door from the other side. "Don't want to be rude? —but I'm hoping to the souls above that I don't regret letting you in there to see her."

"It's okay, Juel." Tali answered him as they both stood from the couch, "We'll be right out."

"He told me you guys go way back." John said, mentioning Juel.

"We do. One of the first friends I got coming back home. Helped me get back on my feet."

"Figured as much. They interrogated me before letting me see you again."

"Olasie and Juel?" She said with a crooked brow.

"Yup."

"Sorry."

"All is fair. Any other friends I need to be made aware of?"

"Only Enyah. Except Enyah isn't in the same line of work, so she stays on the Neema."

"Think we'll get along?"

"Of course." She said before finally noticing the bits of food still stuck to him and flicking off some dried potato, "Should probably get you cleaned up."

"Yeah," He stared at the stains on his clothes, "Good idea."

"Maybe later I can wash your stuff. To make up for what I did."

"I came back from the dead. I think I've got room to empathize."

"Sure, but words aren't going to get you cleaned up."

"I don't have anything else to wear."

"That's okay," She gave him a good love tap on his shoulder, "You can do without clothes for a little while." She sniffed him, "Don't want you smelling like mashed potatoes and gravy."

"Think you can wash it before Illium so I can take you out somewhere special? Your pick."

"As long as you handle the tab. And take me home to your place."

The smirk he had made him feel like an idiot. "Oh, it's good to be back."

Tali opened the door, revealing Juel standing just a breadth away, arms crossed.

"…Well?" Juel motioned with a leery brow.

Tali sniffled and shrugged. "So… this is weird. But…" She gave John a long stare to make sure he hadn't somehow disappeared, "I guess I should… formally introduce you. Probably without the guns and screaming, hm?"

"I'm aware of how pleasantries work." Juel said apathetically, "We already reintroduced ourselves but…" Juel opened his hand up with a tight smile and gave Shepard's a shake. "Sorry again for pointing my gun at your head. You looked crazy."

"I'm not."

"Good to hear."

Cut and dry. The man was about as sober as they got.

"Then we can put the last twenty minutes behind us." John said stiffly.

"Sure, but I think I'd like to know what the hell is going on. Ten minutes in a room and everything's suddenly alright?"

"John did die." Tali said, deadpanned.

He stared between the two of them for a moment. "…That's the best he came up with?"

"Juel." She locked him with a stare, "John isn't lying."

"You really believe that."

"Yes." Tali said sharply, "I believe it."

"Oh, just wait 'till Olasie hears this."

"We can drill into the specifics later." Tali said with a small huff, trying vainly to stuff the past hour or so away, "What's going on?"

Juel cast them both an uncommitted shrug and ushered them both with a hand to start following.

"Olasie left with your friends to help the search."

"Anything else?"

"Yes, actually. We think we saw Veetor."

"How?"

"Fatimah's drone. Untagged marker for just a blip dashing between buildings. All teams are making their way over there now."

"Oh."

"We should probably go and help." John suggested.

"That would be a good idea, yes."

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

An entire block locked down and twelve dead mechs, Olasie stood in the middle of the street and let out a timid sigh.

The air was nippy. More so now as the night dragged on. Snow began to fall delicately.

Staring warily toward the wind sweeping through the snow trodden alleys, you'd think she was worried about whatever lurked in the shadows or the safety of her team having to perform sanitizing breaches on over a dozen homes. But she wasn't. She wasn't worried about that at all. Her focus had been hovering over all the unexpected drama of whatever had been unfolding between Tali and this… John.

Reminded her a lot of the K-pop dramas she'd gotten sucked into, no thanks to Tali's introduction to reddit years ago. One spiral down that hole and she'd found something she'd hardly been able to escape since.

The irony wasn't lost on her. Quarian. Korean. Sounded similar enough. Watching this mess untangle felt a lot like one of them.

She bit her lip at all the ruminating. She wasn't trying to pry entertainment from Tali's recent grievances… but she'd be lying if all the stuff circling around her hadn't been burning her own ass.

It was attention grabbing to say the least.

"Hey." Jacob had come up from behind her and it nearly startled the woman.

"Hello." Olasie said, disengaging from her muddled maze of contemplation.

"Piss luck?" Jacob surmised.

"Yes." She answered plainly, hands sitting atop the buttstock of her rifle hung around the sling of her neck, "Where's your friend?"

"Miranda? Oh. She's off getting more samples."

"Anything fruitful?"

"Don't know. Probably not." Jacob said dryly. The two of them just stood there in the company of falling snow and faint wind.

She watched his breath rise and she had to hold back a yawn.

"I'm tired, Mr. Jacob. Those beds back there looked really hard to pass up." She tried to keep the conversation light.

"Might as well take them. Doubt they'll ever get used again." Jacob mused absentmindedly.

"What's that idiom you guys use?" She said, turning to face him slightly, feigning complete ignorance, "One man's slut is another man's treasure?"

He inhaled sharply. "You're close."

Footsteps. They turned to face the sound, only to find Juel, John, and Tali turning the corner to meet them.

What caught her attention was how normal and… relieved? Everyone looked. The stiffness of earlier was gone. Evaporated. Even Tali looked more visibly relaxed.

Olasie couldn't help but squint.

Really? Just like that?

Jacob must have noticed her expression because he cleared his throat and shifted his weight. "Well," he started, already stepping back, "I should probably check in with Miranda. See how those samples are doing."

Olasie could hardly be bothered to notice him leaving.

A smirk, or something resembling a smirk, grew on Olasie's face—except it was humorless.

When the three of them stopped just shy of her, she sucked in a breath.

"So." Olasie said smartly, giving her buttstock a small tippy tap and cocking out a hip, "You two look… cozy. Like a pair of ol' lovers who just caught up on two years of drama in five minutes flat."

Tali handed John a look which had John furrowing his brow.

"Care to explain? Olasie added, tilting her head slightly, judgement leaching into her tone.

"It's… complicated," Tali said finally, voice quiet.

"Oh, I'm sure it is." Olasie replied with a snort, "Would you care to fill me in with some details?"

John was about to protest, but Tali sighed and raised up both hands in mock surrender.

"I'll tell you," Tali said, shaking her head. "Just… not here. Not now."

That squint of hers got a little smaller. "Fine. We'll talk later."

Juel, with puckered lips, gave Olasie a spent stare.

"All sets, all sets. Lead. Priority message. Set-1, issue receipt to call."

"Set-1." Farwah, squad lead of first said over comms, "Send."

"Marked unknown retagged. We think he's close. Bound up. New NAV set. Stat egress."

"Full copy. Marker received. Stand-by."

"That's our cue." Olasie mumbled before turning around, "Second squad! Line in. Let's move!"

"Miranda. Jacob. We're leaving. Let's go." John ordered over his bead.

"We're on our way."

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Ten minutes of walking and they arrived at a large wall with an enormous door.

"Lead, set-1. Issue receipt to call."

"Lead. Send."

"We've reached marker seven, but marker eight is blocked by a large wall. Appealing advisement."

"Copy. We'll work out a solution here on our end. Is vaulting over not an option?"

"Negative one." Farwah gave it all a look, "There's a large part that overhands the top here."

"Acknowledged. We'll find you an alternative route. Stand-by."

The doors, two stories tall and twice as wide, powered up to the surprise of many. Where they had received power was anyone's guess.

"Lead, belay assessment." Fatimah said hastily and fanning her hand out to have everyone find cover, "Doors are opening by themselves."

The entirety of the detachment spread out to get behind something.

The doors didn't open all the way, however. Just enough to berth a single man.

Weapon safeties, many of them clicking like a ramble of staccatos, flick off. The group, as a whole, deliberately trained their weapons toward the opening.

As soon as they did, they dropped their guard when they saw a frightened and scrawny quarian armed with an old Mossberg pump-action, cried out. "Who's—who's there!? I'm armed!"

"Veetor?" Olasie spoke out since she knew of him the most of anyone, "Veetor, it's us. It's me. Olasie."

Veetor put the muzzle down and soon saw all the faces staring back at him.

"Olasie? Is it—? Ancestors, you're all here..."

"We got your distress call before it went out. I've got the whole of second STU here to bring you back home."

Veetor gently set the shotgun along the wall and hunched over.

"Oh my. It's so good to see you guys. I—I didn't think I was—Thank you."

Olasie called Prazza. "Lead, Set-2."

"Lead. Send."

"Asset secured. Condition 1. He's ready and mobile." Olasie looked to her team and motioned for them to form a line to start moving back, "We'll make our way back to you shortly."

"Copy. We'll start packing. Meet you back at TACC. Lead, out-called."

Olasie lowered her rifle and came closer, "How'd you get the doors to power on?"

"Emergency backup grid." Veetor answered, "I ran out to get the doors online because I was going to try and leave the city."

"What happened here, Veetor? What happened to everyone?"

He looked back behind him.

"Taken..." He answered between a shallow breath. It was clear the pilgrim hadn't slept since the incident, "—Taken by these aliens."

"Aliens?" Olasie rose a brow and pressed him for a better explanation, "What kind, Veetor?"

"I… I don't know. They looked like— collectors, I think."

And there it was. Confirmation of what had been eroding Tali's sanity since they got here. The snow started to fall a little heavier.

"What did they look like?" Olasie motioned for him to take a rest, but he denied the offer. He'd rest when he got off this planet.

"Thick brown skin." He mumbled as if he were only saying it to himself. He imitated their stature nervously with his hands. "Four glowing yellow eyes. Big heads." He stopped and stared at the humans. "How come they didn't find you? Where did you hide?"

"We're not survivors. We just got here." Miranda answered, "Do you have evidence to corroborate your claims?"

"I do, but we need to leave."

"We need that evidence first."

"Oh. Okay." He nodded erratically and pointed at a building before walking toward it, "I have surveillance footage. Studied what I could."

"Can you show us?"

"Yes."

"Olasie," Kiyah from third said, standing from her alcove with many of the others visibly prepping to depart, "Make it quick."

"Take us there, Veetor."

"Okay."

John and Tali along with Olasie and Miranda followed him.

He opened the door and they all went inside. The room was small, difficult to navigate, and bathed in a heinous red glow. Judging by the state it was in, Veetor must've been here the entire duration of the abduction.

They watched the screens and the images they displayed.

It wasn't pretty.

"Veetor, grab your stuff and give the humans what they want." Olasie said, looking away from the footage, "We need to get moving."

"O-okay." Veetor retrieved a single disc and handed it to Miranda, "This is all I have."

Miranda gave him her thanks and faced John. "We have what we need. We're done here."

John didn't hear her. Deafness overtook him as he watched the screens and what they showed. It was like watching a cornfield besieged by a sea of locusts. Timestamped footage showed the collectors working to carry prostrated people into pods only an hour after their arrival. The same kind of pods they'd been put in back on Ullipses.

"So that's how they did it." John murmured. Tali herself had been enthralled by what she was seeing.

"Did what?" Veetor spoke up with a mumble as he stuffed some of his possessions into a duffel bag.

"Nothing." John answered, not bothering to explain.

Veetor didn't seem to care. He zipped up his bag and shouldered it.

"I'm ready to leave." He said.

Olasie guided him out and the rest followed.

When they reached the foot of the stairs, Veetor's steps slowed until he came to a complete stop. The others moved ahead, their footsteps crunching softly in the freshly fallen snow, but he lingered, turning to take one last and long look at the desolation behind him.

The silent buildings, the snow gently blanketing the empty streets, the twilight casting a melancholy glow over everything. This was his farewell.

Silence pressed in from all sides and it was a suffocating sound.

Veetor let out a trembling sigh. He loved it here. It had been a sanctuary. A place where he felt he belonged.

He closed his eyes, and for a moment, he could almost hear it all again.

The distant chatter. The soft melodies of the street. The rhythmic clanging from the workshop where he'd spent so many hours tinkering and learning.

Faces flashed in his mind. Friends. Neighbors. Mrs. Farmer who always made food just for him with respect to his biology.

They were all gone now.

Freedom's Progress was no more. He was its last inhabitant. A solitary witness to its end. The thought was both devastating and isolating. And he knew it would follow him for the rest of his life.

Quietly, wordlessly, he turned back around and continued to follow the group.

"Where'd you guys land?" John asked Tali.

"The outskirts. Just past the farmlands. It'll be about an hour walk from where we're at."

John stopped walking and peered inside the window of a flatbed truck that'd been parked outside the courtyard.

"What is it?" Tali asked, stopping.

"Keys are still in the ignition." He said, surprised.

"Veetor, you said you got the backup grid online?"

"I did." He said in a mumble.

"How'd you manage that?"

"Mr. Michael he, uhm… He was the CPE and he offered an apprenticeship. So… that' how I knew how to switchover critical systems."

"Good job, Veetor."

It didn't feel like a particularly good job. "Sure."

He moved on and John gave him a sad stare before opening the door and turning the key. When the engine cranked and roared to life, he climbed in, took a seat, and grasped the steering wheel while giving Tali a smile.

"Wanna ride?"

She grinned meekly. "Please."

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

The truck slowed to a halt and the quarians climbed out. With the last of them off and already heading inside to pack up their gear with Prazza, Miranda and Jacob went in as well to see if they could get anything out of the disc Veetor had given them.

John cycled the ignition to turn off the engine before pocketing the keys and staring at Tali.

"Come on."

They stepped out of the truck's cramped cabin and entered the house. Squeezing by several marines carrying gear toward the truck, they went to the kitchen so John could rummage through the fridge for water.

When he sat at a table after filling a cup with iced water in a filtered pitcher, he frowned. He was in some random person's house and violating their space.

Reality reminded him that whoever owned this place wouldn't ever be coming back. But he also supposed that wasn't really the point either.

He pushed the thoughts away and drank deeply.

"Ah, Tali," Prazza greeted as he passed by, "It's so good to see we're all getting along. We're loading things onto the truck now and will be done in just a few short minutes."

"Thanks for the news, Prazza."

He nodded and faced John. "And Commander, altercation or not, it was a good to have help."

"It was nice to meet you, Prazza. As a courtesy to you guys, I'd like to drive and drop you guys off at your ship."

Prazza was surprised by the offer. "That's very generous. Please, if you could."

"It's the least I can do for you."

Prazza gave his thanks and went outside to load up the stuff he'd been holding in his hands.

John cleared his throat and stood up so he could place the cup he'd used into the sink. A worthless gesture he figured, but something he did anyways. "Tals, go ahead and help them. I'll be right back."

"Okay."

He went down the hall and searched for Jacob and Miranda. He found them in the den reviewing Veetor's data.

"Status?"

"Piecing things together." Miranda answered without looking up.

"Good. I want to make sure we have everything we need before we leave. If we have to, we'll double back to where Veetor's safe house was. I'll be back. Stay here. I'm going to talk to Tali one last time."

"Got it, Shepard."

Satisfied with how things were going, John left them alone and headed out.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Settling himself in his seat, John took a quick peek behind his shoulder.

"Everyone aboard?"

Several quarians nod when they feel the truck's engine growl to life.

"Good. Let's get out of here." John slowly accelerated out onto the street.

"How did you get them to stay in the house?" Tali asked him from the passenger seat.

John gave her a half guilty smile. "Told them to stay put and look at the data. Feel kinda of bad leaving them hanging like that."

"You shouldn't."

"I know." He said, turning on his left blinker by force of habit.

Tali tried to peek out the cabin's back window. "The gate down yet, Prazza?"

"Yeah," Prazza nodded as he bent down to face her, "We're good."

The fact that they didn't have to walk anymore was music to her ears. She reclined the chair back as far as it could go and sighed. It was hard to get completely comfortable given how stiff the truck's suspension was, but she could hardly complain. She admired the view she got and felt like a cloud. It was all surreal.

He was back.

And sitting next to her as though the universe had bent its will just to make it happen.

The city's walled gate loomed ahead, and as they rolled through and left the cold silence behind, Tali's hand snuck its way over to grasp his before giving it a gentle squeeze. He only gave her a glance, but the grin she got made her smile.

Companionable silence with the hum of the engine and the faint whistle of wind. Soon, the snowy plains stretched out and as the Nehrra'dam finally came into view, John pulled aside and slowed to a stop at the base of the pad so they could get their things aboard.

Just as they were finished, John waved to Prazza to get his attention.

"Prazza. I got something to ask you."

"What is it?"

"I'm formally requesting that I come aboard."

Prazza gave him a confused look. "What? What about your team?"

"They're not my team. They're Cerberus and I'm trying to run away from them."

Prazza glanced at Tali, mouth agape. "You're telling me you had Cerberus operatives milling about amongst my men."

"Yes." John said, swallowing.

Prazza crossed an arm over his chest and covered his face with a hand. "Keelah."

"I didn't want to get anyone hurt or killed." John added.

"Please, Prazza." Tali pleaded, "We can't leave him here with them."

The man took in a large lungful of air and stared off into the horizon for a long and heavy moment. "Tali. You've always done good by us. Do you trust this man that much?"

"With my life."

Olasie and Juel were both flagged by Prazza walking up the ramp.

"Uh, do you two know about this?"

"What?"

"The Commander wants to come with us?"

Olasie handed John a glare while Juel rose a brow at Tali. "What?"

"It's true." Tali admitted.

"—And that Shepard's team were Cerberus operatives?" Prazza made sure to mention.

Stunned looks on both her friend's faces now.

"Tali." Olasie said through grit teeth, "What the hell is going on."

"Shepard is trying to run away from them. We are his only chance to make that happen. Olasie. Please. You know me. I wouldn't do this unless if there was a good reason."

A disgruntled mumble from Juel as he rose up his hands to free himself of the drama. He walked up the rest of the way without a word, leaving just the four of them now.

Olasie let out a huff and stared up at the sky. "What say you, lead?"

Prazza, holding his urge to scowl, only sighed instead as he gave a long look at the Nehrra'dam waiting for them all. "Tali, I hope you realize that I can't keep this a secret. The team has to know."

Tali didn't argue. She wasn't in a position to. All she did was nod her head and understand Prazza's motivation for doing so. "I understand."

"But, as a favor to you, I'll tell them it doesn't leave the Nehrra'dam. How you handle this mess after is all up to you. Please don't make me regret this." He turned on his heel and paced up the walkway. Without so much as a glance over his shoulder, Prazza's voice carried back. "Welcome aboard, Commander."

Olasie remained with them, but her look didn't relent.

"Olasie." Tali pleaded.

"Nyet'sa. Keelah zlyat'za, Tali." Was all that came from the woman before she made her way up into the ship.

"Well. Guess that's my green light?" John said, hands on his hips, "What she say? Translator didn't quite pick that up."

Tali sighed and faced him. "It's an expression. Kind of like uh... uhm... like when you say: To the stars above... What—er... madness is this."

"Oh." John didn't hide his discomfort.

"Don't worry about it." She said assuringly, "They just need to get to know you."

"If you say so."

The ship's catwalk began to rise, and she offered her hand.

"You ready?"

"For the adventure of a second lifetime?" He reached for her outstretched arm and jumped aboard before stealing himself a moment to take one last look at the distant cityscape, "Hell yeah I am."

As he stared out, he wondered when Miranda and Jacob would realize they'd been duped. It'd been nearly twenty minutes since he left. All he knew, was that this wouldn't be the last time he'd be seeing either of them.

He turned back and gave her back a small pat as they walked up into the cargo hold where many of the others started strapping themselves in. The stares the other marines shared amongst themselves told John enough. Prazza already told everyone he was coming aboard.

"The adventure of a second lifetime, huh?" Tali said with a sarcastic rasp, interrupting his thoughts, "Was the first one not enough?"

"I don't reckon it was." He said plainly, "...Ready to start another?"

The eezo core drowned the cabin with a whining noise.

"As long as I'm with you." She said with a crinkled smile, "Let's try not to get such a shit ending this time, hmm?"

"Duly noted."

They picked an empty row of seats and buckled in. She only glanced at Juel and Olasie at the other end, both of them staring right at her, both their arms crossed as well.

"You... sure they'll be okay?" John said, noticing as well.

"Yes." She assured again, giving him a placating stare.

Not another peep from him as he buckled in. A minute passed by and he began to wonder how the next few weeks were going to play out for him. Ditching Cerberus almost felt like he was shirking himself of responsibility. Maybe he was. But he was wary and had every reason to be. They were terrorists. What else did you need to be convinced to not work for them?

Issuing any more bandwidth toward those problems wasn't worth the effort, so he shelved them. There wasn't much he could do about them anyway. He'd made his bed. It was time to sleep in it.

Far enough away from anyone to notice, John reached for her hand and held it. For now, he had his life back with Tali right by him. That was enough to keep him going.

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

Jacob and Miranda watched the quarian ship ascend up toward the stratosphere and beyond.

"Well." Jacob muttered finally after they gawked at the upsetting sight, "Talk about some serious rejection."

"Rejection, Jacob? Rejection!? We just watched a multi-billion dollar project leave in front of us." She paced in an erratic manner while conjuring up a rant, "I gave him a smile. And everything! And he—" She bit off her own words with an aggravated growl, "just up and leaves on the first ship he could find with that god-be-damned bloody quarian!"

Jacob didn't have a thing to say and simply watched the now-empty sky, as though he were searching for the thin trails of smoke the ship had left behind.

Eventually he found his nerve and faced her. "A smile? Really?" he chuckled, "Miranda, a smile wasn't going to win him over. Hell, it's more than I usually get from you."

The venom in her glare could've stripped paint, but he was already looking away, unperturbed. She huffed, arms crossing tightly. "We fell for it," she seethed, "The oldest bloody joke in the book, and we fell for it."

"Yeah, we did." Jacob scratched his nose. "So, what are we telling the Illusive Man?"

"The truth."

Placing his hands on his hips and playing with a rock underfoot, he shrugged. "Be happy he didn't leave with the evidence too."

He could tell she was coddling her ego. "As fortunate as that is, we still lost Shepard."

"TIM's going to be pissed."

"An understatement of the century, Jacob." She paused and started their trot back to their shuttle, "A god-damned understatement of the century. Bloody Hell. Bloody. Hell."

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ

---

ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ ㅤ