Out For Karma: Mass Effect

[Book Two] Chapter 9: A quarian in distress

Chapter 9: A quarian in distress

It was a very displeased Shepard that was waiting for Rick, sitting on her couch. The talk she just had with the Illusive man about the events was the source of her bad mood and she needed her friend’s thoughts on it. When he finally showed up she was practicing her biotics. Before he could say anything she waved around the room and he immediately disabled any bugs that may have been put there during their time in the colony. There was none. She invited him to it and reported her conversation with Cerberus’ boss. He didn’t even take time to think to give her an answer.

“He didn’t just release the information that you were working with or for Cerberus so the Collectors would know. He’s also using that info to paint his organization in a new color. A new better image. After all if the hero of the Citadel herself works for them then Cerberus must not be that bad. At least for the military people of the Alliance. For the civilians who knew nothing about it, they would see an organization whose purpose is the protection of humanity that you personally endorse, both in acts and ideology.”

“That bastard!”

“But we learn something new. Until now, the Collectors stayed in the Terminus, yet Horizon was in the traverse.”

“Yes, you said that this was a change of pattern and that you needed to study it.”

“Now I know why the pattern changed. Knowing that you are alive and working for Cerberus prompted them to strike Horizon because of Ashley who’s linked to you.”

“You think it was a trap to get me?”

“Yes. That glowing Collector and that big thing we fight in the end were relentlessly focusing on you.”

“But why me?”

“Because they are wary.”

“Wary? I never even met a Collector before today!”

“No, they’re just puppets, it’s their master that you met, or rather one of them.”

“Who?”

“Sovereign.”

“The reapers are behind the Collectors?! I thought they just found their technology.” she exclaimed.

“The husks and other abominations we dealt with are created through reapers tech, true, but since you killed Sovereign and delayed their invasion, they are either wary of you or just want you dead even more in retaliation. I think it was a reaper that took possession of those Collectors.”

“So they have some kind of hate boner against me? Great!” she said in exasperation.

“At least someone has a boner on you.” he joked trying to smoothen the news. It works but not as intended as Shepard sent the small Throw she was practicing right into his guts. It didn’t do any damage but it cut his breathing for a second.

“Anderson needs to know. Both because they attacked outside the Terminus systems and because the reapers are involved.”

“You’re right, but we’re making a detour first.”

“Where and to do what?”

“Garrus was right, we need more fire power, and you won’t concretise your ideas without Tali, so we’re going to pick her up.” she said, pushing one of the files on her tea table toward him.

Rick picked it up and read it. Tali was on a secret mission near the perseus veil. The geths space. That was news he didn’t like, even less when the information came from a distress signal.

“Joker already set the course. We’ll be there in two days since it’s not that far.” she said.

“Good.”

“That’s not all. The illusive man gave me three new recruits and Tali was one of them.”

“His lifespan just shortened a lot.” he said in a murderous tone.

“The two others lead us to Illium, where Liara currently lives with her mother.”

“I… will sit this one out.” he said hesitantly, confusing her.

“Why?”

“My last contact with her didn’t end well.”

“What did you do?” she asked accusingly.

“Why would I be the one responsible?”

“Because Liara is perhaps the sweetest thing ever and you… can be the biggest asshole ever, sometimes.”

“...”

“...”

“Fair.” he admitted.

“So? Did she have enough of you having sex with Benezia?”

“Not everything is about sex fire crotch.”

“Oh that’s a new one. Nobody ever said that to me before.”

“Because nobody had the balls. And if you want to know it’s because she was the one who gave Cerberus your body.”

“What?! What do you mean she gave my body to Cerberus?!”

“Exactly that. I don’t know the details, I didn’t want to know but she wanted my help for the transaction, saying that they could bring you back.”

“And you didn’t help her?!” she said, offended.

“You. Were. Dead. Resurrection only happens in fiction. Anyway, we fought and haven't spoken since then.” he explained then stood up taking with him all three files and making his way out, his mood sour.

“We’re not done.”

“I am.”

“EDI, lock the door.”

That was a good move, as despite the relationship Rick had with EDI, she was compelled to obey Shepard since she was still shackled. 

“Do you really think that having EDI lock the door, which is a low blow to use her like that by the way, will stop me from getting out?”

“No but I was more hoping that you’ll be willing to talk instead of you trying to get out. I have questions and I need answers. Answers that you have.”

He looked at her in silence from the door, thinking deeply about what to do.

“Please.” she asked politely in a soft voice.

That ‘please’ helped him make a decision. She had never said it before, and if she did not with that tone of voice. Again he was suddenly overwhelmed with nostalgia.

“What do you want to know?” he asked tentatively, last time she asked questions the conversation ended badly.

She didn’t answer and just came to him then grabbed his hand and led it back to the couch.

“Miranda, rightfully said that while your fighting method was a bit barbaric it was both efficient and impressive. She was talking about the way you dealt with the husks. I admit she was right, even Garrus said so. He also said that an asari commando doesn’t fight like that, how come you do if you’ve been trained by one?”

“... He’s correct. Usually commandos stay at distance to use their biotics and weapons, to not get into danger, which happens the closer you are to your enemy. Some commandos however, usually after retiring from the army, develop their own fighting styles. It’s very rare and sometimes they do it while in service but that’s even more rare. The one who trained me taught me the basics and I created the style myself.”

“It was Aria, wasn’t it?”

“...Yes.”

“I want to know but I won’t ask. Your relationship with her, I mean. I did last time and it wasn’t right to pry like that. Though I want to know if it was to see her that you left Thessia and left a trail of bodies on your way.”

“...Yes. I needed advice and knowledge.”

“Okay.”

“You’re not asking what?”

“No. Of course, I want to know but I said I will not ask, so I will not.”

“...”

“Changing topic, did you know about Miranda’s sister?”

“Yes. I found some files on her terminal.”

“Is that what you said was not of concern?”

“Yes.”

“Well it is now. It seems her sister had been found by their father and Miranda is… panicked.”

“Not good, she’s already too tense with the mission and you and me.”

“Yes, that’s why I intend to help her. Fortunately for us, her sister and her adoptive family are on Illium. So after picking up Tali we’re going straight there.”

“Honestly, I find it suspicious. The timing, I mean. Just when we have a suicide mission against the Collectors her sister gets discovered?”

“You don’t believe it’s a coincidence?”

“No. There is no such thing as a coincidence with the situation we are in.”

“Do you think Miranda is playing us?”

“I think the illusive man is playing us through an unaware Miranda.”

“I don’t get how? And why?”

“I searched Miranda’s past. I wanted to understand her loyalty towards him. Turned out, he was the one to recruit her and help her escape her father. That help was costly however as Henry Lawson withdrew his financial support to Cerberus. But now, with Miranda on a suicide mission I wonder if Mister Illusive is not trying to get some money back or making you trust Miranda more.”

“You’re saying that the Illusive man, may be the one that leaked her sister's information?”

“Possibly. If he is, it’s the perfect opportunity for us to turn her against him. Not going to lie, Red, but Miranda is good.”

“You think you can find out if it’s true?”

“Difficult but I’ll try.”

“Thank you. On another note, Jacob too has…”

___________________________________________________________

Rick slept for twelve hours. It was not a surprise after two sleepless nights and two missions. That also meant that he woke up during the skeleton shift and found himself alone in the mess for some food. Or at least he was supposed to be if it were not for a short bald convict. But that was alright, the table was big enough. Then again Jack was sitting right next to the usual seat he sat to. In the end without much thought he sat just next to her.

“Really Dickhead?!”

“What?”

“You have all the table free, all the free seats and you sit next to me?!

 Want to get between my legs that much?”

“This is my usual seat. Perfect to watch out for Bubble coming from her office, and the med-bay is behind me allowing a quick retread if a disadvantageous fight begins.”

“Bubble? You call Cheerleader, Bubble?” Jack began to laugh.

“Well, yeah have you seen her ass? It’s fitting.”

“Just like her suit.”

“Eh, yes! Cheerleader on the other hand, I don’t get it.”

“That’s because she’s spending her time cheering for the greatness of Cerberus. Probably does it while sucking the illusive man’s cock.”

“Gross.”

“Gross? The fuck are you a virgin? No wonder you want into my pants.”

“I’m eating. I don’t want to think about a middle-aged man’s wrinkled dick.”

“Ah! Fair.” 

They ate in silence and while Rick was relaxed and lost in thought, Jack was tense. Years of crimes and running taught her that if someone was getting close like that, they wanted something from you. Usually to do her in, to distract her or to steal from her. She was waiting. Waiting for him to do something and he did. But not the way she expected. Rick just got up, picked his empty plate and put it into the dishwasher before leaving the mess area and going inside the elevator. As if she had never existed, or he didn’t care about her. She was ignored and that made her a bit lost. People always wanted something from her. With harshness she got up and rushed towards the elevator, ducking and entering it before it closed. Straightening up she grabbed him by the collar and tried to pin in against the wall behind him. She failed badly as Rick didn’t move an inch. Being almost a foot taller and with the weight that came with his height that wasn’t a surprise. But Jack didn’t care and yelled in his face.

“What do you want?!”

“What?” he replied confused.

“You think that your mind games will work on me?! UH?!”

“... Yeah okay, I’ll listen when you start making sense” he replied in an uncaring tone and tapped on the cargo bay button.

“I’m saying what do you want from me? Why are you getting close to me like that?”

“I want nothing from you and I wanted to sit in my usual spot.”

Jack didn’t believe that for a second and looked at him hard.

“I’m going to the gym, you’re going to have to let me go at some point.”

“...”

She didn’t move until the elevator’s door opened. She let him go and from the cage she just stared at him going to the gym corner then began to exercise. After a few minutes, she pushed the button for the engineering deck, pensive.

____________________________________________________________

Haestrom was a former quarian colony world that the geths conquered a bit less than three hundred years ago when they forced the entire species into exile beyond the Perseus Veil. The synthetics turned it into a fortress base of operation and Rick couldn’t understand how the fleet sent a team there and how Tali of all people ended in that team. Shepard took with her Jack, Garrus and obviously Rick. She didn’t believe for one moment she could have stopped him from participating in this mission. Looking at him sitting in the shuttle’s seat, stoic, she knew he was tense. She could feel it. The silence of the rest of the team made the atmosphere even heavier. 

The shuttle dropped them off and moving forward they were confronted with a big problem. The radiation of the sun was depleting their shields. That was perhaps the worst news anyone could get when you’re stuck with an army of geths around. Because of that they had to go from cover to cover as fast as they could or find a path in the shadow of the architecture parts. They barely put a foot into a new area and a geth dropship flew over and brought dozens of geths that attacked them as soon as they touched the ground. Quickly taking care of them from the shadow they moved forward as fast as they could and arrived on the other side with locked gates. Thankfully a small passage allowed them to go around the building, where they found the bodies of several Quarian. Rick  rushed toward the female one, and began to scan it.

“What’s up with dickhead?” 

“The one we’re recruiting here is a female quarian.” Garrus explained.

“Also his best friend.”

“This is weird seeing like that.”

“Emotive you mean?” the turian inquired.

“Yeah. He’s usually as emotive as a geth.”

“That’s because you’re a stranger to him, Jack. Give him time to warm up to you and…”

“Yeah, No. Hell no! He creeps me out too much.”

“Your loss, he’s a really good friend to have. Weird and creepy but…”

“Very loyal.” Shepard ended.

“It’s not her.” Rick said as he stood up from the corpse with a new weapon in hands and absolutely no emotion in his voice, not even relief at the knowledge that it wasn’t Tali dead on the ground.

Shepard nodded and the team began to walk further in the area when they heard a voice coming from the com of a dead Quarian. They learned more about the situation. A dozen quarians marines were left but besieged by the geths from all sides. They were doing their best to protect the access leading to the area Tali was in. Hastening their pace they saw a small group of quarians guarding a door but a rock from a geth broke an enormous pillar near it and fell on them.

“That’s a shitty way to go.” Garrus commented.

“Better than being spaced. At least it’s instant. I would have picked that easily two years ago if I had the choice” informed Shepard from her own experience.

“What are you talking about?” Jack asked, confused.

“She got space, died and Bubble spent two years and four billion credits to bring her back. She’s technically Jesus. Though Jesus did it in three days, not 730.” Rick replied, taking a look around the area where the geth were still lurking.

“He’s kidding right?”

“I wish.” the redhead replied.

“Damn.”

Shepard contacted the Marines leader and announced to him the fate of his soldiers along with their current problem. He advised them to find some explosive charge that they had brought and must be laying around in their camp now occupied with geths.

“No need.” Rick said.

“You have a better idea?” the commander asked.

“Yes. Garrus, the pillar is what…. 8’ tall at best?”

“A bit less than 8, more like 7’5.”

“Then we sneak around from the right. In the shadow and out of sight from the geths and just climb it. If we’re careful they won’t even know we were ever here.”

Shepard looked around the terrain and appraised it. By going through the right path with constant cover they would be hidden from the geths. From there it was a ten to fifteen sprint to hide behind a side of the pillar that the geths couldn’t see from their position. Climbing the pillar will leave them exposed but they could quickly drop down on the other side and enter the center of command of the camp. There was one problem though.

“I’m not tall enough to climb it, neither is Jack.”

“What the fuck are you saying?” the other woman said with a dumbfounded expression on her face.

“You’re a biotic, Red.”

“I’m aware, so?”

“So you use them to jump higher!” the bald woman explained.

“You can do that?!”

“What the fuck?!”

“How do you think I do a biotic charge to begin with?!”

“I don’t know! I’ve never asked myself that question before!”

“First thing we do when we get back on the ship is to get you some serious training.”

“Hum, I don’t want to rain on your parade but… while I can jump and reach the top of the pillar with my physiology I can’t climb it.” Garrus confessed.

“We’re biotic, we’ll make you float.” Rick said, marching toward the right path.

They sneaked around easily without being detected and when they reached the pillar luck was on their side. There was enough space between the wall and the pillar for Shepard and Jack to slither in, reducing the chance of getting caught to just Garrus and Rick. Garrus’ armor was way too bulkier and Rick’s build was. In less than ten seconds the turian was rolling down on the other side of the pillar, joining the two women.

“Floating around is really a weird experience.” Garrus commented just before Rick jumped down by his side.

Their infiltration successful they entered the center of command and found the upper body of a geths crawling towards them. A head shot from Shepard did the job and the only thing moving around was the team. Numerous quarians had been slaughtered and Rick began to check them all hoping that none of them were his partner. 

When a holo-com came in, the visage of Tali was displayed.

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

“Tali, it’s Shepard. I’m sorry but everyone here is dead.”

“And what are you doing here, Shepard? We’re in the middle of geth space.”

“Oh, you know, I was in the neighborhood, thought you might need a hand. I wasn’t the only one, Garrus and Rick are here too.”

“Not anymore.” Jack said from behind Shepard who turned around to see what she was talking about.

“The moment she appeared on holo he rushed outside.” the bald woman explained.

“I hope you’re in a bunker, Tali, because things are about to explode. Everywhere.” Garrus said, chuckling.

“Keelah…”

“You can’t really blame Rick.” Shepard said with a smile.

“Did you tell him about..”

“I’m not mad yet, so no.”

“Says the woman who used a Prothean relay with a Mako to crash it into a Citadel’s wall at the other end of the Galaxy.” 

“Say what now?!” Jack exclaimed but was ignored.

“I’m safe Shepard but you better hurry Geths are at the door and I don’t know how long it will last.”

“Got it. See you soon Tali.”

“You too Shepard. And you too, Garrus and woman I don’t know.” Tali said before cutting the communication.

The redhead turned around and made her way towards the door.

“We better hurry before Rick bites more than he can chew.”

“I find that hard to believe.”

“Had I not seen it myself I wouldn't have believed it either.”

“When did that happen?”

“At the Citadel. He held off at least fifty geths and Saren along with 5 retired marines for a while. All of the vets died and he ended up floating in space unconscious after being blasted through the council chamber’s wall.”

“Between you and him I don't know who's the worst.” Jack said.

That made Shepard chuckle a bit before they arrived at a big area with very narrow passages. Geths bodies and destroyed drones were lingering on the ground here and there. They hurried up but still on their guards and reached another building. With the location, disposition and consoles in the room shepard quickly understood they were in a control security room. Opening the shutter through the console, she saw a blue blur moving forward around the middle of the field. She noticed rockets coming from just below the room and fired in the direction of a newly activated Colossus.

“Shit! Let’s move!”

They quickly exited through a side door and made her way down where they met the quarian who shot the rockets. Turned out it was the one Shepard spoke on the com earlier and from the way he moved his body he was wounded.

“He’s with you I presume?” he asked, referring to Rick.

“Yes.”

“He’s going to get himself killed with the Colossus.”

“Probably but we got him covered.”

“I’ll distract the big one. Take the geths on the lower level and join your friend.”

“There is no need, we got it. Take a break and rest, you’re injured.”

“I can’t, I gave my word to protect Tali’Zorah no matter what, I can’t just.”

Shepard put a hand on his shoulder and pushed him down as he tried to stand up.

“We got this.” she said with so much confidence that the quarian marine stood down.

Meanwhile Rick was killing geth after geth. The arrival of the Colossus made things harder by a lot. He could take on both the troopers and that big thing. Thankfully as he was about to shoot a geth hunter with his pistol the said geth’s head exploded from the shot of a sniper rifle. Knowing that the rest of the team was here and covered him. He biotically charged a geth on the right side of the field where the Colossus couldn’t shoot at him. Dealing with the geth quickly by unloading his shotgun on it. He replaced the thermal clip for a new one and leaned against the corner giving him access to the gigantic death machine. Concentrating he charged as much as he could a warp in his left hand the way he had thought Shepard and threw it at the Colossus making its shield fickle like mad. Another one came from below the best along an overload completely draining the last bit of shield. Rick, once again charged and staggered his enemy before unloading as fast as he could his shotgun into its head and using another warp with his free hand completely obliterating it. With the big bad guy destroyed he let the rest of the geths to the others and approached the locked door. Opening his omni-tool he began hacking the mechanism, surprisingly it was rather quite difficult.

Guess she put in practice what I taught her.

But he was not a genius tech expert for nothing, the door opened and he went inside. Tali was behind a console looking at data.

“You better give me a good reason as to why you infiltrated one of the most guarded bastions of the geths, Centerfold, because I swear I’m going to spank you so much you’ll never be able to sit again without thinking about it.” he said while approaching his friend. He was pleased to see she was still wearing the dark purple cape he had gifted her.

“It’s data about Dohen, this system's sun. It’s supposed to be young but he’s aging so fast that his stage of life is closer to the giant red than anything. The fleet wanted that data.”

“Whatever for? Your people are not going to colonize Heastrom or any planet in this system. Are they planning on blowing it up to geth rid of all the geths in the system by destroying the said system?”

“I don’t know… Perhaps, it’s about dark energy, it’s what causes the sun to age prematurely.” she said, finishing to copy the data to her omni-tool.

She turned around and saw him for the first time in two years. The black opaque helmet was still there, what had changed was his clothes.  Black army pants, boots, black shirt and a very long black leather coat. Without hesitating she walked up to him and took him in a fierce hug. 

“I miss you.”

“Missed you too, Centerfold.”

“Really? Not just my ass?” she joked.

“You have no idea. With you away I had to be all buddy buddy with Gingerbread. She locked me in her room with her, to talk! Talk! I felt the death of every brain cell during that time!” He joked back, making her laugh.

“HEY! It wasn’t so bad!” came Shepard's voice from the entrance.

Peeking her head around Rick’s body, as he was way taller than her, Tali was pleased to see Shepard and Garrus alongside her. She tried to get to them but Rick was not letting her go. Looking up at him with a very explicit frown.

“I’ve not had my fill yet.” he said, hugging her a bit tighter against him.

“Keelah! Are you that starved for physical contact?”

“Physical contact? No. You? Yes.” he answered, finally letting her go.

“Why am I not surprised Dickhead is jumping on everything with curves.” Jack said from the back which resulted in Tali turning around to him for an explanation.

“I almost choked her to death when we met.”

“...”

“For my defense she was being a bitch, and she needed it. Ask Shepard.”

“That’s… mostly true.” the aforementioned woman said.

“Mostly? How… You know what? Never mind.” the quarian said, hugging the commander then Garrus. Turning to Jack, the latter looked at her from head to toe.

“I don’t hug.”

“I wasn’t going to. I’m Tali’Zorah vas Neema. Nice to meet you?”

“Good for you, I don’t care.”  To everyone's surprise she was subdued, almost polite with the quarian.

Jack wasn’t dumb. She saw the care and the length Rick would go for the woman in front of her. His display of strength both physical and biotical had left her impressed. She couldn’t understand how he could do so much damage when she was clearly stronger and couldn’t do the same. For now she was even more wary of the man, and thought it best to not anger him despite itching to do so for a good fight. In the end that was why the little quarian in front of her got a pass.

“I’m sorry Tali but of your team there is only your leader left. Kal’Reegar was it?”

“Yes. A good Marines and even better team leader. I’m glad he’s alive because this mission cost too much. I hope this data was worth all those lives. Some of them were friends, Shepard.”

The said quarian Team leader showed up at that moment. Glad to see Tali alive, he thanked the team. Tali gave him the data she had collected and told him that her mission for the fleet was now over and that she had more important things to do than go on stupid mission for them. Understanding and agreeing Kal'Reegar wished her good luck.

While Shepard was saddened by the unnecessary loss of those quarian marines she was glad to have Tali back on her team. One more person she could trust. After Ash's refusal back on Horizon that lifted her spirit up.