by Colin Cook
lighting fixture. For most of us would be in deliberation of consensus to how much it should be turned into socket."
Somehow, she did not find that…
"Hehe…" She giggled before he began his own laughter. Okay, she did find it funny. Luckily for him. Or else that could have been in really poor taste. She slowly looked at
him realizing for a Geth? Legion was an alright person. Also a good friend. "Thank you Legion."
"We do not recall what we did to be thankful for. However, it was of our own accord and consensus."
"I know." Still it was the thought that counts. Soon they return to the booth. Here, Tali and Legion talked a little more about the Krogan issue. Legion was harping greatly
on Grunt and how he commented on the rituals. She explained it was not a Quarian ritual. She chose him not because he was a Geth slave unit, but because she needed
his help. This, Legion understood. However even after all her data. Legion was unable to meet a final consensus on something.
"Tali."
"Yes Legion?"
"We can not find consensus on why this platform needed to help Tali'zorah."
Tali looked at him. Then she shrugged it off. "Legion, it doesn't really matter. I mean friends help one another out all the time." She in fact said, "If you ever need my help.
I'll give it, I promise." However, she raised a finger. "Just do NOT ask me to fight a Krogan for you. I'm not doing that. Noooo way."
"Affirmative." Legion, soon blinked his shutter. "Consensus has been met. Tali'zorah has given us the data needed. Legion and Tali are friends. That, is why we fulfilled the
request. There is no more need to collect data on this consensus."
"Oh? Good!" She gave him a smile. "I'm happy we could help with that. Wait, what time is…" she looked to her Omni-tool and gasped, standing up. "Keelah, we've been
here talking for nearly forever. I wonder where Shepard is!"
Legion looked out to the hall leaving here. Shockingly, she turned to see Shepard standing looking at his Omni-tool. She winced, worried how this will…
Legion stood moving to Shepard. "Shepard-Commander." He nodded, Shepard looking at him with a slight scowl. "We required a great deal of time for consensus. We
kept Tali'zorah far longer than anticipated. We did not follow with the protocol for this fact."
"No!" Tali came, running at the even. "Shepard, I got sidetracked. We just were talking and we started to have a good time. The next thing we knew, we were just talking
and talking…"
Shepard blinked to them both, then he smiled. "I… honestly, forgot I brought you two here." This, made Tali stare at Shepard. He forgot? Looking back down at his Omnitool
Shepard said again. "Zaeed should be arriving shortly. It looks like Aria contacted him too. We've got something serious on our hands. It might be a good thing I
brought you along Tali."
Tali gave a nod. "Yes, of course Commander." She was hurt. Deeply. Legion even realized it. Her head hung and her voice sounded a little more distant. Soon, Shepard
tapped on his Omni-tool while she sighed leaning back on her heels. This is just how her life would be. At least, she forgot all this angst while she was talking with Legion.
"Shepard-Commander?" Legion caught the commander's attention. He looked at the Geth confused, his plates were all up and wiggled strangely for him. "How many
Krogan does it take to install a light fixture on a Class A Warship?"
Shepard was unable to even make a response. Yet really, he didn't need to. Tali's laughter was the best response to the joke. Yet when Shepard scratched his head asking
if he missed something? Tali somehow wished to say he always missed something. Yet she only laughed. With the Geth doing the same. They both died down as Shepard
got a message. Reading it, he gave a nod telling them. "We got our orders. Come on."
Tali walked beside Legion. Who also found this surprising. Usually, she ran to one half of the hall and he stays to the other. The closer proximity was not as bad as it
originally was. Legion began to start a number of new program studies though. Several seemed to be trying to decipher why making Tali'zorah laugh was so pleasant.
Mostly, the consensus was her voice. She had a voice like some of the greatest Quarian singers of the old Quarian world. This, made Legion wonder. Was that enough
reason? Or was there more reasons?
Consensus will wait. A mission was at hand
Commander Shepard met the driver who was hired for this run. They were supposed to head to an area in Omega farther down. Into the main areas of the station, but
close enough it would be an issue for the Asari Aria. In the vehicle, Tali asked. "Shepard? What exactly is our mission?"
The driver looked over, Shepard gave a nod. He suddenly slowed the car getting his helmet, putting it on he closed the visor to not hear them talking. Maybe Aria still was
iffy about her operations getting out. Shepard looked back telling Tali, "It's an investigation into some kind of strange shipment. Aria wants us to see what a Quarian
named Jacohbe has brought on her station to pay off some of her lesser men to keep quiet."
"Jacohbe?" Tali looked at Legion, his flaps twitching a little. "That was the large Quarian we met in the club."
"You met this guy?" Shepard leaned back on his seat. "What did he look like?"
"Similar to most Quarian males he had a environmental suit privileged with the common needs of most Quarians. The helmet longer and more cropped in the back.
However, his size was uncharacteristic of Quarian people, he seemed to be greatly imbued with muscle mass. Our scans did not show any chemicals that may have
caused this, or any number of other abnormalities other than an extremely large amount of testosterone possibly caused by a glandular malfunction."
Shepard smiled to Legion. The perfect analysis. "Well, the bigger they are. The harder they fall."
"Sure thing Shepard." Tali seemed to like the sounds of that. Crossing her arms she let her one leg hang on the other knee. "I want to put some buckshot straight in that
bosh'tet. Right in his visor."
Legion asked her, with a moment to watch her body gesture. "Tali'zorah seems severely agitated. With mention of Jacohbe."
Tali looked at him with a sense of 'duh' but, she reminded him. "He spoke of my father in a way that implied he was weak. My father gave up everything he was, he loved
to try and make one dream come true. He even did things, no normal person ever would. He acted on the military board for most of his life." Leaning up, she clenched her
fists tightly. "He even left his only daughter on a dream to reclaim the home world. Just so one day he could be there again. Every Quarian wants that."
This made Legion lower his head. A consensus began. Did Tali'zorah wish to return to the homeworld? If so, was it because she wanted to. Or because her father wanted
her to? This, was the most likely option of the later. Legion spoke finally. "Tali'zorah would like to see the Homeworld for her father. Are we correct?"
"Yes, I would." She lowered her head. Suddenly, she turned to Legion snapping, "Yet the Geth will never allow Quarians back into their space. So I don't think it will happen
any time soon."
"Geth do not live on the Quarian Homeworld. We only survey it." He looked out the window. She knew that. It was mentioned before. In fact hearing it again, she sighed.
Looking back over he saw she took that agitated position again. Legion contemplated a joke, it did not feel this was a good time.
Shepard saw them lowering now and the ship lands in a small platform near a couple of back alleys. Pulling out the commander began to scope the area. Tali got out with
Legion, beginning to look around for anything useful. What Legion saw was unexpected.
"Shepard-Commander." Legion walked to the oddity. "We have found a dead body."
>
Tali turned and was stunned. She ran to realize, "That's the Quarian we saw earlier! The drunk who started th-" She gasped as she saw more. Two more from the bar, but
the others were not from this group. These Quarians all had a symbol on the forehead of their helmets? Tali bent down then she rolled one over seeing the depressurized
helmet, crushed like a can… "Keelah, someone killed them."
To that, they heard someone. "Yeah, popped their helmets with his bare biotic hands, he did." The owner was a human, with a disheveled scarred up face, one eye that
wasn't his and better still. The voice of a real scum-sucking bandit. Offering out a hand, he shook hands with Shepard who was happy to see him. "Nice seeing you made
it Shepard. Things are all kinds of crazy. I'm glad you got the call here."
"What's the situation?" Shepard motioned to the bodies. "What's happening here?"
"Damn mutiny I think. Least, I thought." Zaeed motioned to the others, ones Tali knew. "They came in shortly after the other transport dropped off those guys. That one
big red mother of a Quarian? He just walked up to that one while he's yelling about lies and bullshitting the team. Then the big bastard started using biotics." Shaking his
head, he said roughly, "Never had a chance Shepard. Crushed his helmet and head like a melon. The others, got gunned down. Shit was insane for five seconds." Then, he
kicked a corpse. Mumbling, "I barely had time to zip my self back up."
"Zip up?" Shepard raised a brow. "What do yo-."
"I was taking a piss Shepard, really that hard to figure?" He shrugged, pointing over his shoulder to the alley. "The red bastard went that way. With the remainder of his
team. I think they are planning to meet up with more. I'm not sure what's happening but they booked fast. I wanted your back-up though. I'm going to the roof, but you
should take the Alley. If you meet him and the others, try and slow them down. The goal here is the cargo."
"What is the cargo? Do you have any idea?"
"No. I don't." Looking down, he narrowed his eyes. "Yet I can say this much. There was some more gunshots and slowly got quiet. This might mean either there's more
bodies? Or the big guy got his people under control again. Might be more interesting if he didn't, I'd rather think he gets shot."
"Why? You don't scare easily." Shepard shook his head. "Hell, you fought with the Collectors with me on Horizon."
"Yeah, I know." Narrowing his eyes, Zaeed said. "That's why this isn't my favorite time. This Quarian has biotics, Shepard. That's not natural. And he's the size of a house
even by Krogan standards. I'm not sure he really is a Quarian."
"Scans show he has Quarian physiology. We can concur."
"Yeah?" Zaeed looked at the Geth saying angrily, "I know when something ain't right. You tell me that thing's a Quarian after you see what he can do. Maybe, we're on
another goose chase Shepard. Thing is," he looked back. "I'm just paranoid. Reapers and Collectors? That's bad enough. You getting called by Aria? That tells me I took a
contract for shit, and I'm going to be walking waist high in it."
"We better get going." Shepard pulled up his assault rifle. Cocking the thermal clip he asks, "Tali, Legion? You ready?"
"Affirmative."
"As ready as I'll ever be." She had a pistol while Legion chose his sniper rifle. Following their leader Zaeed climbed for the upper levels. Things just get more interesting,
In the back alley the team moved slowly but surely. Cover taken behind many canisters at each wall. The alley slowly opened into a large alcove ahead, where Shepard
saw a small group of Quarians. Raising his fist, they stop behind a collection of canisters listening in.
"Invernner, you've really screwed up now, you bosh'tet!"
"Don't come at me like this! I'm just trying to get out of here. I don't have any interest in… in bringing those things online!"
Shepard peaked over the top of the canister, narrowing his eyes on this scene. He saw one Quarian, the one trying to pull from the other three's attentions. Invernner,
was it? Odd name. Might be a code name… anyway, the other three were more aggressive, weapons drawn. Seemingly agitated.
"Commander Jacohbe will have your head for this."
"No, please! J-Jacohbe mustn't know I looked…"
"You were given orders to make sure the damn cargo holds were sealed properly. Thanks to you, a team of our men met Jacohbe at his shuttle. He 'requested' we
retrieve you. For a small consultation."
"Oh Keelah, please… I didn't know, I never knew that was what he wanted. That he'd bring those things here…"
Shepard knew this isn't good. The other three, began to make demands he march back. Motioning to Legion he changed out his assault rifle for a sniper rifle, and flipped it
with cryo-rounds, wanting to make sure he didn't kill the one in the center. Yet he was worried there may be a problem there. Legion recognized his motion, and scoped
the one to the far right. Shepard, took the left most Quarian. He turned to Tali as she raised up her pistol beginning to take cover on the last threatening Quarian. Precision
was key. As soon as Shepard took aim and fired, Legion made the same, mere miliseconds of delay. The two they took down fell fast. Shepard aimed to the center
problem, but he was turning and beginning to fire his own pistol, but Tali was a lot better at this. A few shots to the chest his shields were down, then she dove behind
cover, firing at his legs.
When he fell down screaming a curse. The other Quarian Invernner started to run. Shepard called out. "Stop! Or I'll put you down!"
Invernner screamed as he fell down holding his head, behind a crate. "Please! Don't kill me!"
Shepard stormed forward vaulting over the canisters, and went in kicking the weapon from the Quarian Tali injured. He took out a pistol, keeping him covered. "Tali,
Legion! Check on that other Quarian!"
As they did, the one injured Quarian reached for a second pistol. Luckily, a shot rang out. Zaeed smiled a bit as his sniper rifle smoked from the shot. "Looks like yo-."
"Damn it Zaeed!" Shepard looked up, shouting, "I was trying to get information!"
"Ohhh…." Zaeed laughed to himself, clipping his thermal reload. "I see. Well, good thing there's still one more?" Shepard still got irritated with him. Sometimes. Even so,
the man was incredibly resilient. A lot like Shepard. He scoped ahead seeing something else. Seems… "Shit. Shepard! More of his buddies are coming might get a little hairy
down there!"
"Thanks Zaeed, can you try and snipe a few?"
"Not at this position. He looked ahead, seeing a good vantage point. "Alright, I'll head on forward. Maybe I can see what the operation they are running is? Contact me
when you get the chance!"
Shepard took a position next to the Quarian, asking, "Tali? How is he?"
"Shaken up." She checked him with her Omni-tool. "I think he has a small rupture in his suit. It's been leaking for a while. It's causing him to begin the first stages of an
infection." Looking to Shepard she added, "He's not very old. I think he just started his Pilgrimage?"
"I… I did." Invernner looked away. "I was trying to gather up some credits. To buy a ship. Captain Antura promised me the chance. That's why he no longer follows the
Flotilla, he hates the Pilgrimage. Yet Commander Jacohbe… hates everything I think."
"Captain and Commander? So you have two commanding officers?"
"No. Well, yes. Maybe? I don't know anymore. I just know if Captain Antura knew of this? He'd have never approved. Jacohbe has made this plan of his own accord. I
need to warn the Captain. Ohh… but I feel so faint…"
Shepard heard gunshots. Looking up he saw Legion behind some crates, firing at the Quarians advancing. "Shepard-Commander! Creators advan
cing from alleyway! We
need assistance!"
Tali, shook her head. "Shepard, he's not going to make it if we don't get him medical assistance fast. Even some Medi-gel would go a lon-."
"Here." Shepard distributed his own stock. Tali, smiled inwardly. She should have known. "Take this! Just stay with me a little longer. Okay?"
"Why… are you?"
Shepard ran to the crates however. Tali spoke almost ethereally as she comments, "He just does. That's my Captain."
Joining the others, a gunfight began. Passing fire back and forth. Legion, shot one blast into the visor of one of the other Quarians. This made those with him stop firing.
Some whispers came from this. Shepard could tell they were scared. "You don't have to die here." He stays in cover. "You can leave here! You can go back to the Flotilla,
to your homes and families."
The voice of a young Quarian cracks out. "No, we can not!" He stood, pistrol drawn, shaking. "You don't understand. There's too many lives at stake. Our entire futures.
Jacohbe can awaken the bigamists and speciest aliens of the Council to action. His plan, is the only chance to regaining our home world."
"Are you trying to say Jacohbe wants to take back your home world with the other alien races?"
"Ye… n…" The youth lowered his gun, head hanging lightly. "Maybe…"
"Do you even know what you're fighting for?"
Another called out, female. "Captain Antura has promised to use our skills to redeem the Quarians without the damn Admiralty board. Or harming the Flotilla." This
Quarian was a young woman that somehow reminded Shepard of Tali when she first met them. Soon, she stood, but holstered her weapon. A hand on the other's pistol
she warns, "Yet Jacohbe? I don't know if he feels the same way anymore. Or, if he ever REALLY did."
"…." The one she forced down, growled. "She's right. Things aren't what they were. This entire mission is… it's not what we were promised. Yes, we knew about what he
planned but now seeing it? I'm not sure we can do it."
Shepard stood up finding the others backing down too. "Good. I'm glad we can make a compromise. Listen, one of your team is injured. He needs medical assistance."
A nod, the one male said, "Seima, go." That was the young woman that stopped this. She ran over, and got down to help her friend. A kit off her hip, she began to pull out
