To Love a Quarian

Chapter 4

Hey guys! Here's the next chapter!

"Leon! I'm glad you came," Tali said to the Commander as he walked up.

"Is there something wrong, Tali?" Leon asked.

"I just got a message, from the Migrant Fleet," she said, pacing back and forth in front of him.

Leon nodded.

"And...they accused me of treason," she said as she stopped, "I'm scared, Shepard."

"Hmm," Leon said, crossing his arms with a hand to the chin, "It doesn't seem right. Why would they do it?"

"They don't accuse someone of treason unless it affects the entire flotilla," Tali explained, "I...don't know what to do."

"Do you want to go there, and see what's going on?" Leon asked.

She lit up, "I was going to book passage on another ship. I...I can't imagine how father must feel right now..."

Leon put a hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry, Tali, I'm sure they wouldn't do this without a damn good reason."

She nodded, "I appreciate the faith you have in me, Leon, I'll program the Normandy with the coordinates."

Leon nodded back, "Let's get to it."

"Auntie Raan!" Tali exclaimed.

The Quarian walked into the other Quarian's embrace.

They were on a Garden Ship of the Quarian fleet, one of the ships with the spinning globe in the front.

"Leon, this is Shala'Raan Vas Tonbay, she is a friend of my father."

Leon nodded with a smile as he brought his hand out for a shake.

"Nice to meet you, Shala, though I wish it were under better circumstances," Leon said afterwards.

"Same here, Captain," Shala said, nodding back.

"So, are you one of the judges?" Leon asked.

She shook her head, "My relation with the Zorah Family requires me to recuse my position. Instead, I overlook the judgements."

Both, Leon and Tali nodded.

"Does Tali have someone to speak for her? A counselor, perhaps?" Leon asked.

"By Quarian Law, You are her captain, and Tali is part of your crew. An accused must be represented by his or her ship captain," Raan explained.

Tali looked at Leon, who looked back;

"So...Er... You would speak for my defense?" Tali asked hesitantly.

Leon gave her a smile, "We're friends Tali, friends stand up for each other, right?"

She smiled back, "I'm speechless."

"Don't mention it, Tali."

"I've tried my best to tell them that I would not delay you," Raan told them, "Come."

She turned around, and began walking. Leon, Garrus, and Tali followed.

Garrus sat down at the top of the stairs leading down into the meeting area.

Raan made her way to the peak of the stand in the middle, where three other admirals awaited.

Tali and Leon stopped before the table in front of them.

"This conclave is brought to order. Blessed are the ancestors who kept us alive, sustained us, and enabled us to reach this season. Keelah Se'lai." said Shala.

The crowd around them repeated the phrase; "Keelah Se'lai."

There were three admirals before Shala, there was a Female on the left in black, a male in the middle in a red enviro-suit, and on the right was a man in white.

"Today, Tali Zorah stands accused of Treason. Commander Shepard vas Normandy, will you speak for her?" Shala said.

Tali watched as Leon stepped up, and leaned lightly on the table.

"If it helps Tali, I will," Leon began;

"I regret that Tali's Captain is forbidden to stand at her side today."

The Red objected, "Nobody is forbidden anything! It is a simple-"

The one in white cut him off, "Lie to them if you must, Zaal Koris! But, don't expect me to stay silent while you lie to me! The Commander is right!"

"Please," Shala said with a calming hand, "Leon's help in assisting Tali is appreciated."

Then, the Admiral turned to the two in front, "Tali, you are here for bringing active Geth to the migrant fleet, what say you?"

"Active Geth units? Tali couldn't have brought Geth to the fleet while she was serving on the Normandy," Leon reasoned.

"She didn't send actual Geth, just parts that could spontaneously reactivate," The Admiral in black finally spoke.

"But I would never send active Geth to the Fleet! Everything I sent was disabled and harmless!" said Tali defensively, wrapping her hands around each other nervously.

"Then, explain how the Geth seized the lab ship your father was working on!" Loris shot back.

The crowd began to murmur among each other.

Tali, who was utterly confused and looking about, "Wait, what...what happened?!"

The white spoke, "Tali, as far as we can tell, The Geth killed everyone on the Alarei...Your father included."

It brought Tali down into shock, "What!? Oh, Keelah..."

"I know the need of this court, Admirals, but we should deal with the Alarei for the safety of the Migrant Fleet," Leon said, "The Normandy and her crew is available to help in any way possible."

"You intend to retake the Alarei from the Geth? This is an extremely dangerous proposal," Shala said with caution.

"We have to!" Tali said.

"We were thinking about destroying the ship, but if you're looking for an honorable death-" Zaal suggested.

"I'm looking for my father, you Bosh'tet!" Tali cursed pointing at the admiral.

"It may be dangerous, but Tali needs to find her father, and the fleet needs to be safe before we go on," Leon replied.

"Agreed," The White nodded, "But, Tali, if you die during this perilous mission, we will see to it that your name is cleared."

"Then, it is decided. You will attempt to retake the Alarei. You are hereby given leave to depart the Rayya. A shuttle will be waiting at the secondary docking hangar. Be safe, Tali. This hearing will resume upon your return, or upon determination that you have been killed in action." said Shala.

Tali, and Leon turned and walked back up the steps. Garry's stood from his spot when they reached the top.

"Are you ok, Tali? They shot a lot at you, even before the news," Garrus asked.

"I...I don't know, Garrus, but thanks for asking," Tali said with a smile he didn't see, then looked at Leon, "I don't know about my father, either," she said with her smile fading.

"We'll find out once we get there," Leon said assuringly.

She nodded.

"Ok, let's go," Leon said.

After what seems a few hours, Leon and Tali marched back into the garden room on the Neema.

Tali and Leon resumed their spot from before, and Tali made an announcement:

"Sorry, we're late."

Leon spoke, "We've cleared the Alarei of Geth, it's clean now, and I hope that's good enough."

"It was not Tali's loyalty in question of destroying the Geth, only her judgement." Koris explained.

"Have you found anything on the Alarei to prove Tali's innocence?" Shala asked.

And, this was the hard part, He leaned on the table again.

After a long moment of silence...

Leon sighed, "I... We, don't have any evidence..."

"Tali? What about you?" Shala asked.

Tali hesitated for a second, "I have nothing to say."

Before Shala could say anything else, a very unexpected speaker stepped up from the crowd.

"Wait!"

Leon looked, and saw the Quarian he has missed. Lia.

Everyone focused their attention on the young Quarian.

"We're putting Tali, our most knowledgable engineer and expert on the Geth, to exile? To deny her, her home for an accident that wasn't hers to start with?"

Lia rounded up a few supporters as well.

"Damn right!" Kal Reegar said,pointing at the admirals, "You put her to exile, you might as well do the same for me, because you are wasting the sacrifices of my men! Who didn't make it on Haestrom!"

Next, was Ken, whom Leon helped back on Omega.

"I agree! What's the point? Tali has contributed to the Migrant Fleet more than most! She wouldn't attempt to do anything drastic against it!"

Tali looked about, shocked of the waves of fire being shot at the admirals.

Finally. Veetor;

"Yes! She helped me on Freedom's Progress! That's got to count for something!"

"Plus, she helped stopped Saren and the Geth!" Lia added.

There was a silence, Tali's heart was beating faster and faster.

"Are the judges ready to render judgement?" Shala said.

The White was the first to raise his Omni-tool, then the female, Koris looked at both of them before hesitating to raise his own Omni-Tool.

"Tali, In the light of your service history, we do not find sufficient evidence to charge you of treason," Shala announced.

The crowd erupted into cheers.

Lia ran into Leon's arms, hugging him tightly from missing him for so long.

He did the same as the crowd dispersed.

When they released each other, all three of them went up the steps.

"Lia? I didn't know you and Leon were together?" Tali asked curiously.

"This is what I've been telling you about before you left to join him!" She said happily.

"I'm really happy for both of you to see each other again!" Tali said, now understanding.

"Thank you, Tali," Leon said with a smile.

Then, He turned to Lia.

"Did the fleet accept your pilgrimage gift?" Leon asked.

"We sure did," came a masculine voice from behind Leon.

He looked and saw a male Quarian in a white suit, it wasn't the Admiral.

"Hey, Father!" Lia greeted him.

The word 'Father', got Leon slightly nervous.

"Commander," her father nodded, sticking out a hand, "A pleasure to finally meet you."

Leon took and shook.

"You as well, sir."

"Now, I've heard of your relationship with my daughter..." He said with a gesture of acknowledgement.

And, again, Leon's nervousness went up.

"And...I approve, I don't mind. Lia has told me that you bought her pilgrimage gift, and sent her on her way?" Her father told him.

"She was stuck in the mud, and I wanted to get her out," Leon explained.

He nodded, "I'm glad you did so."

Leon looked over at Lia, who's arm is wrapped around his, seems to smile by the perking or her eyes.

"Is there anything I can do, to repay you for your kindness?" He asked.

Leon thought about it, something that would benefit him, and Lia'Vael.

The idea came to mind, but he didn't know if her father would approve, though.

"Well, there is one thing..." Leon hinted.

The man nodded, "What shall it be?"

"But, I don't know if you'll like it, though."

"Let's hear it."

"Alright, I was wondering if Lia'Vael vas Ulnay, might be able to ride along on the Normandy? Help with engineering tasks?" Came the request.

Tali and Lia looked at him with surprise. As well as Lia's father.

"Well... What do you think, Lia?" Her father asked.

"I...I think I would love to," Lia said, still in surprise.

"If she's fine with it, I am too," The Quarian said to Leon.

"Are you sure...?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

Leon looked at Lia with a big smile.

"Ready to go, Captain?" Lia asked.

"Not without my hug!" Her father told her with open arms.

Lia laughed as she walked into her father's embrace.

"Stay safe, now," he said to her as he let her go.

"I'll be back, father, I promise you," Lia said to him.

He nodded, "Good luck."

"I'll take good care of her," Leon said as he stuck his hand out.

"I know you will, Commander, you already did it before," he said with a smile while they shook hands.

Leon nodded, smiling back, "Hopefully, we'll meet again in the future."

Alright...

I've got to bring this one to a halt for now. One chapter across the week has really...discouraged me.

As the chapter went on, my writing went into decadence, or decline.

Anyway, thanks for reading, and please, leave a review!

~ Dark

Story List:

NEXT - A Doctor's Man
- Hearts Over Minds
- The Asari Spectre
- One Of A Kind
~ To Love A Quarian