Mass Effect Pathways: Black Tides ~ Chapter 9

8/29/2211

The doors to the Invisible's communications room slid open with a mechanical hiss. Stepping inside, Shepard glanced around the dimly lit space. The long conference table where his daughter's team had met the day before glinted faintly in the pale glow of the single light that remained even when the others were switched off. Small motes of dim brilliance twinkled from the room's end, a glow cast by the comms array nestled in far alcove.

Crossing the room, Shepard ran a hand over a control panel that sat before a holographic emitter, the smooth metal icy to the touch. His own soft breathing seemed to echo around him, the sound rising over the still hum of the ship's engined.

It was late into the ship's day-night cycle, all but the few crew on the night-shift having having long since fallen asleep. Try as he might though, sleep had eluded him, the memories of the day's events still running through his mind in a frantic dance, each raising more unanswered questions than he was comfortable with. What had those mercenaries been hired for? What was Project Winter? What was the Council hiding? What about the crystal shard? How does any of this fit together?

However, with restlessness had come time to think. A plan had come to him, a plan he needed to set in motion as soon as possible. If he and Ria couldn't resolve this soon, if there was more to this business, he'd need help. Which brought him to the call he was about to make.

He sighed, leaning heavily against control panel. A sudden pang of loneliness rang out inside of him, emanating from the very core of his being. It was always like this, whenever he had to leave home on some mission. Being here with Ria helped, getting a chance to spend time with her again after so much time. Even then though, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was out of place here. That he was alone, away from where he belonged.

Away from Tali.

Raising his head, Shepard stared at the communications array before him. I wonder how she's doing. Worried sick about me, do doubt, convinced I'm taking 'every stupid risk' I come across. Probably would be right too. A small grin spread at this thought. In his mind's eye he saw an image of his lifemate, berating him for needlessly putting himself at danger following some imagined incident of pigheaded recklessness on his part

At that, Shepard made up his mind. The call he had come here to make could wait. Besides, he couldn't let her worry too much, now could he?

Waving a hand over the center of the panel, a holographic display flared to life. Hands hovering over phantasmal keys, he switched the ship's long range communicators on, sending a transmission out to the galaxy's far edge. A minutes passed as he waited for the call to go through. Then as last there was a beep as someone picked up, a holographic screen materializing before him.

A soft smile filled Shepard's lips as his eyes fell upon the image of his lifemate. For a moment he took in her unmasked beauty, a feeling of warmth and peace fill ever facet of his being,merely the sight of her. Yet, the feeling was soured by fresh loneliness that came as he saw her. How he longed to reach out for her, to feel her soft skin touching his. To be there at her side, where he belonged.

It must still be late there, the nightgown she wore told him that much. Still, he couldn't complain, not with how stunning she appeared in it. The pale cloth accentuated the contrast between the dark hair hung around her shoulders. Her smooth pale skin, nearly as silky white as the gown, appeared almost alabaster in the ghost light cast by an unseen display. Her silver eyes shone in the dim, their luminous light vanishing for an instant as she blinked against the sudden light.

"John?" she asked drowsily, rubbing her eyes.

"Hey beautiful," he replied softly. His smile deepened, unbound joy growing with each passing moment as he took in her sight. "I just wanted to check in and see how you're doing. Sorry if I woke you."

"No, no, it's okay." Tali shook her head. A soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips as she spoke. "It's good to see you. I take it you're alright?" She asked, cocking her head to one side.

"Yeah, five days away from home and I haven't managed to maim myself yet. New record," he replied, letting his voice carry with it a soft chuckle.

"Don't even joke like that. You know how much I worry when you're away," Tali said. Her smile faded slightly, the thought evidently siphoning away some of her previous joy. "Where are you now? Did you meet with the other Spectre?"

"Yeah, and you won't believe who it turned out to be," Shepard answered. Quickly he explained what had happened to him over the past few days. He choose to omit some of the details, like how he and Ria had been attacked on Illium or what he found on Alkimos. He did so for her sake, he didn't her to worry about him more than she already was.

"Keelah, that's amazing," Tali said after he'd finished. She smiled, though the warmth of the gesture seemed to be poisoned by fresh concern. "I'm happy the two of you are alright. Every time you left was bad enough. Now with both of you to worry about, it's almost too much to take."

"We're fine, Tali, you know that. Ria can take of herself. Besides, she has Tarran, Laura, and the rest of her crew looking out for her."

"I know. It just doesn't make it any easier," Tali replied softly. She shook her head, as if trying to shake of her worry as if it was an insect clinging to her air. "Where's Ria now?

"I think she's asleep. I can go wake her up if you want to talk," he offered, glancing back at the door as it spoke

"No, it's alright. I'll let her rest," his lifemate answered. She shook her head again as she spoke, only this time slowly, as an answer to his offer. "I just wish the council had told us that is was Ria's you were being sent to help. If they had, I would have come with."

"That's probably why they didn't. I think the council wants to keep whats going on under wraps."

"Keep what 'under wraps'? Whats going on?" Tali asked. Her voice wavered as she spoke, the worry that had lurked underneath her words appearing in full force now.

"It's nothing," Shepard replied quickly. He inwardly cursed. How had he let that slip?

"John," Tali said, her tone forceful now. She stared at his, her flat gaze carrying annoyance and concern in equal measure. Her hardened expression seemed to carry an open threat, daring him to just try to keep hiding things from him. Right then, just that look scared him like nothing else could.

Angry wife, one. Bad guys, zero.

Shepard said nothing for several moments, unsure how to escape from the hole he'd dug himself in. He'd always been a poor liar, more so when it came to Tali. She'd see through anything he could make up in an instant. That would certainly just make things worse. He enjoyed being amongst the living to even attempt that. No, his only option was to tell her part of the truth. Tell her just enough to dissuade her concern, while keeping from her what he knew would just worry her more."

"Alright, you win." He sighed, hoping he looked repentant without overdoing it. "I'm worried that the council's up the something. Something smells here, something they don't want anyone to find out. I don't think it's anything apocalyptic, but I'm certain it's illegal." He let a worried smile spread across as he finished. "It's really nothing to get all worked up about, I just didn't want you to worry."

Tali stared back at him, her expression stern as she considered his words. For a moment he feared that she wouldn't believe him, but then her expression softened. "John, you don't have to keep these things from me you know. I know you want to protect me, you don't have to. I'm with you, no matter how far away I may be."

A pang of guilt tore through Shepard's heart her words. How he longed to tell her, to stop keeping secrets from her. But … no matter how much as it pained him to lie to her, he couldn't tell her. Not now, not when she was safer not knowing.

It wasn't that he didn't trust her with his suspicions, far from it. Right now, she was one of the few people he could trust with it. But right now … right now he didn't want her to worry about him and Ria more than she already was. It's for her own good, he told himself again and again. She'll be safer this way, on Rannoch, away from harm. It's for her own good.

"I know … I'm sorry. You know how much I worry,"he said, attempting to smile as reassuringly as he could.

"And you know I worry just as much about you." Tali smiled warmly back at him, her eyes fluttering as she gave a stifled yawn.

"I better get going. Let you sleep," Shepard said, meeting her gaze.

Tali nodded. "Alright. Just … just take care of yourself, John. And Ria too. I love you both too much for something to happen."

"Ni se'miel," Shepard replied in kinda, the keelish words he'd practiced so many times rolling from his tongue. Then the call ended, the room plunging back into darkness with the hologram's absence.

For a moment he stood there, a smile on his face, basking in the feeling a warmth that seemed to radiate from within his chest. Slowly, the sensation faced, the many lightyears that stretched between him and his lifemate once more becoming what felt like an insurmountable distance.

With heavy heart Shepard activated the long range communicator, trying to ignore the sense of loneliness once again looming like shadow before him. He had work to do.

Less then a minute passed before the called was picked up, the projection of the other speaker flicking into being across from him.

"Garrus," Shepard greeted his friend once the image had fully resolved.

"Shepard," the turian replied, grinning. "So, any particular reason you're on your daughter's ship?"

Shepard opened his mouth dumbly to speak, then closed it again. He opened his mouth again, then shut it, the ability to form words having completely fled. Bewildered, he shook his head, on his third attempt to finally managing to coax a coherent response from his jumbled thoughts. "How… how do you know where I'm at?"

Garrus laughed. "I was in charge of organizing the SR3 project, remember? Something to do with holding having a signification position in the Hierarchy and for some reason having ties to certain individuals in the Alliance. Can't imagine who that would be? Anyways, I think I know when I'm being contacted by one of those ships."

"Ah, right, sorry," Shepard said. He rubbed the back of his neck, awkwardly. "It's a long story. Actually, it's the reason I called you."

Garrus must have picked up on the seriousness of his tone, his friend's expression immediately hardening. "What happened."

Starting at the beginning, Shepard explained everything that had happened to Ria and her team leading up to his arrival on Illium. He paused his tale only to answer a few questions before moving on to the events that had followed meeting up with his daughter. Unlike with Tali, he gave Garrus on account of every detail, from the smallest clue to the most dire suspicion.

The only thing he omitted was the shard he'd found, finding a sudden hesitance to speak grow in him as he reached the point of its discovery. He couldn't place the feeling, but something seemed to be telling him that it would be a bad idea to mention it. At least, just yet. Not in the open. Maybe when they could speak in person he could. Yes, maybe then.

Shepard fell silent once he'd finished, waiting for the turian's reply.

For a time Garrus said nothing, his brow furrowed and eyes staring off at some distant point as if pondering what Shepard had said. "Have you spoken to Tali about any of this? If you're this worried, she should probably hear this."

"I spoke to her right before I called you here," Shepard replied.

"Okay, but did you tell her?"

"Well… not exactly. I explained some of it, but I left out most of the details …."

Garrus's sigh came audibly over the call. "Shepard, she should know about this."

"I know, it's just …"

"You're trying to protect her?" Garrus finished for him, his mandibles spreading into a knowing grin.

He nodded. "I don't want her to worry about me more than she already is. She'd insist on coming with if she knew. I know Tali can take care of herself better than most. Hell, she does a better job of it than I do for myself. I'm just… I'm not going to put her in danger if I can help it."

"Fair enough," Garrus said, surrendering to his point. "Though I have to ask, why then did you come to me for help? "

"Because I do need help," Shepard answered. Grinning, he added, "As it turns out, being my best friends means you are one of the few people I trust enough on this, why still being more expendable than my lifemate."

"Great, glad to know I'm appreciated as cannon fodder." Garrus's mandibles spread into the turian equivalent of a wry grin. "So, what's the plan?"

"Nothing for certain yet, though I'd like you to prepare some things for if I'm right," Shepard explained. "Right now, Ria's team and I are heading to where most of Project Winter has been worked on. I hope we can get to the bottom of this here and now. But if I'm right that this goes even deeper than we've realized, I plan to leave Ria and her team to continue on their own and start my own investigations elsewhere."

"Why not just stick with Ria's team?" Garrus asked.

"Just figured it will be better this. We'll cover more ground, and to be honest, I'm only getting in Ria's way while I'm here. She has her own team now and can handle herself without any of my help. As long as I'm here she'll try to rely on me to help," He answered. The corners of his mouth twisted into a smirk, adding. "Still, even I'm not stupid enough to do this without backup. You up for it?"

"Like I'd ever pass up on the action? Do you even need to ask?" Garrus grinned.

"Just what I wanted to hear." Shepard felt a grin spreading across his face, his expression soon matching his friend's. "Right then, what I need you do to make some preparations. We'll need supplies, ammo, medi-gel, rations, the usual. More importantly, we'll need a ship. It needs to be small, fast. Something we can pilot without a crew and can blend in without arousing attention."

"Hmmm," Garrus hummed. He tapped a talon against his forearm, thinking. "I think I have an idea on that. No promises."

"That's all I ask." Shepard replied. "How soon you think you can get this ready?"

"A few days at the least. Week's more likely. How soon do you need, worst case scenario?"

"Don't know really. We're not going to arrive at the research facility for another day or so. Then it's still four days from here to the Citadel, assuming we head right there after."

"Huh, okay. I'll see what I can do. Anything else?"

"Not that I can think of."

"Right then, I better get to work," Garrus replied. "I better not keep you then. Take care of yourself Shepard. Oh, and tell Tarran I said hi. And not to do anything stupid… more stupid than usual at any rate."

"Will do Garrus, take care." Ending the transmission, Shepard stepped back from the console, the room returning to is previous din. The hum of the ship could again be heard over the last fading echos of his own voice, an ever present sound that only added to the cold stillness of the night. A single light flickered on the communication array, its icy blue light slowly dimming before blinking out.

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Glossary

Saera: Term of affection meaning 'My souls soul' / 'Keeper of my soul' / 'My Soul's Protector'. Used when speaking to ones lifemate.

Ni se'miel: Khelish phrase of affirmation of one's love for another. Direct translation: 'I love you'

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