On Tali's acceptance into adstringendum

[normandy7]

Look. I know you want nothing more than to see some touching reunion between me and Tali. In that case, you probably should've chosen a more appropriate setting for us to be stuck in.

What am I talking about? This post-apocalyptic wasteland is going to kill her if she gets caught in any line of fire. And unlike back home, where we had the necessary means to repair these things, we're lucky if we come across even a measly strip of gauze here.

And don't even think about letting Hawke near her. I mean it. She's a bad influence.

Paranoid? Who's paranoid?

Comments

[femshep]

[A chuckle.]

She's a little sturdier than you're giving her credit for. And even if she weren't, I'm sure she'd have more than a few words for you, hearing you talk like that.

So inhale... And then exhale.

[normandy7]

I have no doubt she can hold her own. She's proven herself plenty, it's just--

[Shepard pinches the bridge of her nose.]

This place is nuts.

[femshep]

I hear you there. The place I'm at? Bodies from hell to breakfast.

[A pause, and then she's shaking her head a little.]

Not that it means a whole lot coming from... well, you, but if you'll take my advice? The paranoia won't fly once you've got your crew back. Especially in a hellhole like that--if something worries you, it'll worry them twice as bad, and the last thing you're gonna need is the galaxy's twelve most dangerous individuals panicking in your backyard.

[normandy7]

I've no intention of letting on any of this to Tali. She's going to be stressed out enough as-is.

I'm still gonna have to keep an eye on her. [She'd be lucky if she could get the rest of her crew.] At least starting out. We'll have to stick together. Even if it's just the two of us. It's more than what I've had for the past..has it already been a few months?

[Time seems to stop in this place.]

[femshep]

[A dry sort of laugh, because:] You know she can see this, right?

[But she thoroughly approves of the 'stick together' plan.]

The others'll show up. It's inevitable, with you there. They could get themselves spread out across half of the galaxy, but once they catch word of how to find you, they'll be pouring in about as fast as they poured out of Elcor 'Hamlet'.

Trust me. I'd know. [Her headcount's at thirteen, if you count Kal (which she does, these days).]

[normandy7]

[Shepard waves it off. This is the closest Tali will probably get to her admitting concern, anyway.] Hopefully she'll be too busy to notice.

[Was she really so certain that others will come? The question is, did she want others to come? True, she was her best when she had her squadmates, but--] We have matters to tend to back h--on the Normandy. It's bad enough I've been pulled from it.

[femshep]

[Trust me, Tali noticed and is currently stalking the thread. But Shepard'll let that part slide for now, in favor if explaining a little about how things work around here.]

That's one thing the keyboard-jockeys have that we don't: Time-space is pretty solid for us and pretty flexible for them.

I'd be about as worked up as you are, if I didn't have it on solid authority that we're not losing any time while we're in here.

Or 'out here'. Still trying to figure that one out.

[normandy7]

[Great, just great.]

Sounds like you've been around a bit. Dunno if I'm jealous or sorry.

[femshep]

You get used to it. [So either neither or a healthy mix of both.]

[It could be worse. Mun could've hauled Garrus in here to witness your rampant paranoia.]

[normandy7]

[Oh God Garrus. ;_; Someday...]

The down-side of being an over-acheiver.

[femshep]

Didn't know there was an up-side.

[normandy7]

The nonsense they feed to you through school and training, spouting that the universe is yours to explore, blah blah...

Having highly-decorated parents didn't help much.

[femshep]

[That touches a nerve, but not the angry kind.] You've still-... [Got your parents. But why the hell would she go and invite that kind of conversation?

Shepard chuckles a second time and agrees:]

No, I'm betting it didn't.

[normandy7]

[Come, now. Shepard wasn't a Paragon for nothing. She knew the faltering in a soldier's face when she saw it.]

Something on your mind?

[femshep]

No.

[And she wasn't a Renegade for nothing. This is an adamant 'no' if you've ever heard one. So stay out of her head.]

[normandy7]

[Shepard holds up her hands.] Hey. Don't mean to step on any toes.

[calibration]

[your wish is my command]

A 'bad influence', Shepard? Because there weren't any of those on the Normandy.

[His tone's got that slightly-too-dramatic lilt to let you know he's teasing, if the words weren't enough.]

[normandy7]

[Shepard gives Garrus a pointed look.] Speaking of people I don't want near Hawke...

[She would never get a moment's sleep if those two were to join forces.]</small

[calibration]

There aren't exactly very many things that can change me for the worse, Shepard. [Anymore.] You've got nothing to worry about.

//fails at all the late

[normandy7]

I dunno, I could think of a few things off the top of my head. [Not that she's going to share them with you. You don't need any ideas.]