Salvation: Episode I - The Taking of the Carmenta Illustria

Disclaimer: This fan-fiction is part of an episodic series taking place after Salvation: A Half-Life/Mass Effect Universe Fan Fiction, which will lead directly to its sequel, Salvation II: Project Prometheus. These episodes and sequel take place OUTSIDE of the Mass Effect 3 continuity. Characters property of their respective companies, Half-Life created by Valve and Mass Effect created by Bioware.

Chapter 5: A Schedule to Keep (Part I) 

Double Date

Could it be true? Could this all be real? For so long, it seemed like his struggle would never end, and he never imagined it would... Or at least he never dreamed he'd live to see an end to it... But now, as he walked down one of the Illustria's many lavish corridors, dressed not in a uniform, or armor, but in the finest evening formal wear, with his quarian queen on his arm, he couldn't help but feel a little light headed...

As the two walked down the wide open hallway, with a high-reaching, cathedral-like ceiling, along side many other stately dressed patrons, likely on their way to the same function on this deck, John just couldn't seem to take his eyes off her... He had never seen her like this before. And it wasn't just the shimmering dress of violet satin that she wore, no, there was a glow about her, a radiance. She walked with a child-like eagerness, looking around, and taking in every last sight her two eyes could handle. And although he couldn't see it behind her dark mask, he knew she wore a big smile on her face. And that's what meant the most to him.

At that moment, the realization solidified within his head. This WAS real. After so many lives lost, after all the bloodshed and the fighting, the death and the devastation; the Reapers, at long last, were dead - and at his side was the woman that he loved. Tonight nothing else mattered. This would be their night, and nothing was going to rui...

"H-Hey!" A loud, grating voice suddenly bellowed above the chattering passengers, and the faint, muffled sound of music coming from the distance.

"Commander Shepard! A moment of your time, sir!" The same voice bawled again, only this time they spotted the person responsible.

He was a tall, burly, rotund gentleman, wearing a modern day Tuxedo, much like Shepard's, however accessorized with an old-fashioned, western string tie, in the shape of a bull's head, with gemstones for eyes, and topped off with a pitch black, western style hat.

He weaved through the coming and going crowd, fixated on the couple, with a cockeyed grin on his face, and a thick, lit cigar gripped in his right hand. The Commander rolled his eyes a bit, with a grimace on his face, as the portly man approached. Up ahead in the distance, at the top of a small flight of red carpeted stairs, two grand golden doors, beneath a bright holographic sign that read "The Nirasha Lounge" seemed so tantalizingly out of reach...

Each time a baronial dressed passenger stepped in or out, the golden doors would swing open, and the muffled rhythms coming from within would radiate a little more vibrantly and alluringly. This vacation was supposed to be a chance at a little rest, relaxation, and romance. But between an obnoxious reporter, the unexpected spectacle at dinner the previous evening, and now this space cowboy... Well, it wasn't exactly turning out to be what he had hoped for.

"Hot damn, I was hoping I'd get to meet ya!" The burly gentleman exclaimed in a southern accent, as he reached the two, and immediately extended a hand out towards the Commander.

"Boy, I tell ya, this is such an honor. Meeting the great Commander Shepard himself..." He continued, heartily shaking Shepard's hand for a brief moment, before releasing it.

"Ma'am..." He said to Tali, as he turned to her, and cordially tipped his hat. "The name's Jesse. Jesse Delaroza."

"Hello." Tali replied.

"Yeah, nice to meet you..." Shepard added, apathetically. "But, if you'll excu..."

"Wh-hoa! Hold on just a second there, partner." He quickly imposed, cutting the Commander off. "If you don't mind, I'd really love for you to meet the Misses."

"Hey!" He yelled out across the wide open hallway, followed by a sharp whistle, towards an asari dressed in a strapless, dark blue, sequin dress, chit-chatting with a hanar couple. "Come on over here sugar bun, and meet Commander Shepard!"

The slender figured asari quickly excused herself with a polite smile, and turned to walk over toward the three.

"Argh..." Shepard groaned in his own mind, as he reeled his head back, and slouched his shoulders. He briefly glanced over at Tali, who didn't really seem to be minding the interruption. And normally he wouldn't either, but this evening was special. He had things all planned out, and he had a schedule to keep... Tonight, everything had to go off without a hitch.

"Captain Anderson was right..." He thought to himself, with an indiscernible shake of his head, and an inaudible sigh. "It's so much easier to be a soldier than a diplomat..."

"Commander." The presumptuous gentleman announced, as he placed his arm behind the waist of his asari spouse. "This here purdy lady is my blue desert flower, Lilandra."

"Lilly, say hello to Commander Shepard, and..." He hesitated for a moment, as he turned to Tali. "I beg your pardon lil' lady, but I didn't quite catch the name at dinner, last night. It was uh... Tammy, wasn't it...?"

"Tali, actually..." The finely adorned quarian politely corrected. "Tali'Zorah."

"Ah, well then. Sugar bun, say hello to Commander Shepard, and Taleh'Zorah!"

"It is such a delight to meet you both..." The asari graciously expressed, as she extended a dainty, delicate hand out towards Tali and John, who subsequently requited a brief shake. "Everything I've seen on the news vids about the attacks on Earth and the Citadel... It's so tragic. But then how you were able to stop those things... It's just... Well, it's just so gallant and incredible. Thank the goddess we have heroes like yourselves. Again, truly... truly an honor to meet you both..."

"Why... thank you..." Tali humbly acknowledged. "That means a lot..."

Shepard's hard expression softened a bit, as modest grin came over his face. He turned to Tali for a moment, who more than likely reflected a similar countenance under her mask.

"Yes, it does... Thank you." The Commander bestowed in a modest tone, gently nodding his head. "And it was no easy victory. But it's like I tell everyone, we're a team. And we've all..."

"Nyrik and Delana Dreven! Is that you?!" The upper crust asari suddenly shouted out, when she noticed a stately dressed turian couple walking by, much to the Commander's surprise.

"Oh, If you'll excuse me for just a moment..." She beseeched with a tone of snide, fraudulent hospitality. "Again, truly, truly a honor to meet you both." She declared, before turning and rushing off. "Oh my goddess! How dare you two come on this cruise, and not tell us you're here...!"

"Hehe, oh that Lilly o' mine..." The pretentious, overbearing cowboy said with a laugh, as he came to stand beside Shepard, giving him one good, solid pat on the back. "She loves to mingle, and I love to watch her..."

"Yeah, swell..." Shepard concurred with a heavy hint of aggravation, and a grimace on his face, after reeling slightly from the annoying pat on his back. "Well, if we're done here, we'll be..."

"Whoa, whoa! Wait a second!" Delaroza pleaded, quickly rushing out in front of the two, as they took a step forward, stopping them before they could proceed, and causing Shepard to ball the hand he had hangin at his side into a fist – his patience, much like his temper, started to wear thin. But it was only for a moment, before he quickly remembered his surroundings.

"Actually, there's something very important I'd like to talk to you about, Commander..."

Shepard sighed, as he unclenched his fist. "Make it quick..."

"Well I've got a bit of a business proposition for you, good sir!" The assertive westerner declared. "Now first off, allow me to RE-introduce myself. I am Jesse Delaroza. And in case that name doesn't ring any bells, that is Jesse Delaroza; chairman, CEO, and all around head honcho of the Nautilus Motor Company..."

"Really?!" Tali exclaimed. "Wow, that's impressive!"

Shepard on the other hand, simply stood there, with his eyes rolled up towards the ceiling, inattentively bobbing his head back and forth, waiting for this man to make his point.  

"Yes indeedy, lil' lady." Delaroza continued, tipping his hat with a large, salesman's grin on his face. "Now I'll reckon your beau here drives a Nautilus skycar, right?" He queried, as he pointed toward Shepard with a slick grin on his face. "Classy guy like you. It's so nice to drive Nauti, am I right?"

"Not exactly." The Commander replied, rolling his eyes around and not doing a particularly good job of masking his utter lack of interest.

"No? Well, don't you worry none about that, C'mander!" Delaroza ambitiously assured, as he drew his arm around Shepard's shoulders, and shook it back and forth. "We can remedy that right quick! How does a brand new 2186 Nautilus Triton zX7 sound?"

"Like a busted airlock!" Shepard asserted angrily, as he turned to face the westerner, quickly removing his hand from his shoulders. "Now if you've got a point, make it. I don't got all night."

Tali tittered a bit at John's overdue outburst. After all, she did say once that it was fun watching him shout. The westerner reeled for a moment, with a bit of a wide eyed gaze – obviously a little intimidated by Shepard's commanding assertion.

"Uh..." He stuttered a bit, before recollecting his thoughts. "Y-Yeah! Of course... Good man, straight and to the point. You're a no nonsense kinda guy, Commander. And that's why you'd be perfect!" He shook a finger at Shepard and grinned, as he tried to hide his newfound apprehensions. Although this was easily betrayed by the beads of perspiration starting to glisten on his forehead. "Now, what I wanna propose to you, is a bit of a business relationship. M-More of a partnership really... I'd like you... To be the new spokesperson... for Nautilus Motors..."

Shepard rolled his eyes, and exhaled a mixture of a grunt and a sigh, as he shook his head.

"Come on, Tali..." He insisted, as he placed his arm behind her back, and the two began walking forward again, towards the muffled sound of music beating from within the club.

"W-Y-You don't gotta make up your mind right now!" Delaroza pleaded, as he watched his prospect begin to slip away. "Why don't you just sleep on it?!" He begged, as he followed along – his pleas falling on deaf ears. "I mean you're the biggest thing in the news! You're the genuine article. The Real McCoy! A human hero, tried and true! Don't you think after all you've done, you should get a little something in return?! I can make you a wealthy man, Commander! All I'm asking is a few commercials... The use of your likeness on some billboards, and whatnot... I mean you tell me that's not worth your while!"

"Hey!" Tali suddenly chimed in, as she noticed someone in the streams of patrons, flocking to the club gala. "Look, isn't that Miranda, and Dr. Freeman?" She pointed out, as they approached with the oncoming crowd.

"Oh, yeah. It is." Shepard concurred.

"Hey, so uh... Whaddaya say, Commander?!" The insistent Delaroza beckoned, as he tagged along behind Shepard, like an eager dog wanting a treat. "You'll think about it, right?"

"Hey, you two..." John greeted, paying a deaf ear to the enthused westerner, as he and Tali intercepted the other couple's path.

"Hey...!" The scarlet dressed Miranda jovially reciprocated, as they stopped to share salutations. "Hello Tali... Commander..." She nodded. "My, don't you two look fancy tonight."

"Yeah, likewise." Shepard assured with a smile, before turning to the Doctor and extending his hand. "Gordon..."

"Commander..." Gordon grinned and nodded, as the two tuxedo clad gentlemen shared a brief, friendly handshake.

"And Miss Tali." He continued, as he looked over at the quarian dressed in a luxurious, flowing, violet evening gown. "You're looking lovely this evening."

"Thank you."

"Uh, Shepard. I think that man is trying to get your attention..." Miranda stated, as she looked around his shoulder, and pointed at the boisterous, waving, Delaroza.

"What? Who...?" The Commander questioned, as he turned back around, only to find the same hat wearing figure as before. "Oh. You again..."

"Uh, yeah..." He stuttered a bit as he began. "I-I was just askin'... You'll think about my offer, right...?"

"Huh...? Oh, yeah sure. I'll think about it." John nonchalantly acknowledged, just to appease the stubborn westerner, before he turned back, and the four slowly continued on.

"Great...!" Delaroza exclaimed, with a somewhat reserved enthusiasm, as he was left behind. "Well, you just let that percolate a while! Oh! C-Can I get your omni-info before you g... W.... Well you'll call me! My info's on our extranet site... Alright then, partner. I'll uh... I'll catch you later..."

"Yeah, You'll think about it, my foot..." He grumbled to himself, as he turned away with a grimace. "I know a brush off when I see one..."

"That feller with the visor, though..." He uttered to himself, as he furrowed his brow pensively. "He looked powerful familiar... Where have I seen him before...?"

"Oh well..." He shrugged off the notion, as he turned, and began to look around the busy corridor. "Lilly...!" He shouted out, not spotting his hobnobbing asari spouse.  "Lilly...! Criminetly, where in the blue blazes has that blue bonnet run off to this time!"

"So, who was the cowboy?" Miranda queried, as the four proceeded forward in a small group, towards the flight of steps leading up to the twin golden doors.

"I dunno..." Shepard replied, indifferently. "Some Texas Eezo tycoon, or something. I wasn't really paying attention..."

"What was that strange headpiece he was wearing?" Tali asked. "Is that a human thing?"

"Heh..." The Commander chuckled a bit in response. "Yes, for a very strange, obnoxious type of human."

"Well, I like it..." The lavishly dressed quarian affirmed. "We should get one for you."

"Hehehehe..." Miranda tittered at the suggestion, while Gordon simply grinned and shook his bowed head, containing his laughter.

"Oh, no...!" Shepard refuted, in a stern, yet playful tone. "No way. Not in this... or any other lifetime!"

"We'll see..." Tali smugly offered up, as she held her head up high.  

"Hehe... Oh, by the way Miranda. You look great tonight." The Commander genially complimented, looking over at her, as laughter came to an end.

"Oh, thank you Shepard." Miranda acknowledged, with a subtle smile. "That's sweet of you to say."

John nodded courteously. "And Gordon..." He began again. "You clean up nice, but you gotta do something about that visor..."  He said, with mired traces of a snicker in his voice, as he looked at the out of place band of light strewn across the tuxedo clad physicist's eyes.

"Oh..." Gordon responded in a somewhat drab tone, as he briefly drew his hand over his brow, touching the metallic band on his forehead that generated the ribbon of light over his eyes. "Yeah, I know... First thing I'm doing after this cruise is over is getting my glasses fixed."

"Why don't you just get the ocular enhancement?" John questioned, as he turned around a bit to look over at Gordon, while they walked. "I mean everyone gets it as a kid, this day and age. It's as common as getting vaccinated..."

"Well, yeah, but... I like my glasses... I miss my glasses..."

With a carefree look, Shepard simply smiled and shrugged off the notion. After all, if Gordon Freeman was able to survive the worst laboratory accident in history, and subsequently fight off a race of alien overlords, before being put into stasis for nearly two centuries, only to be reawakened and plunged into the fray once again, all while wearing his iconic, black rimmed glasses, who was he to argue?

As the two couples walked blithely along, conversing and sharing good tidings, the rhythm emanating from the music up ahead grew louder with each step - every beat, every chord seemed to vibrate through the floor, and up into their feet. And the sound of the bass seemed to pound into their chests. Along either side of the long, lavish hallway, were doorways to various small clubs, bars, and restaurants. A comedy club on the left, a gift shop on the right – but the piece de résistance of this deck, was undoubtedly the Nirasha Lounge.

"You know, I wasn't really expecting to see you two here tonight..." The Commander stated, as they all reached the base of the scarlet cashmere carpeted flight of stairs, ascending to the lounge's twin gleaming, golden doors.

"Yeah, well..." Miranda began with a titter, glancing over at Gordon, as they walked up. "I practically had to drag this one along kicking and screaming."

Gordon laughed before he replied. "Just kicking, really..."

Just as the two couples reached the top of the stairs, the twin shimmering, gilded doors automatically swung open, like the pearly gates of heaven, granting them passage into paradise...

So far, everything about the Carmenta Illustria was beyond exquisite... It was everything the brochures had promised, and more. Fine dining, lavish settings, quality entertainment, and service fit to accommodate royalty. And this room, was no exception - the finest, and most elegant of all the clubs on-board the grand ship.

It was nearly as large, and every bit as breath taking as the ship's great dining hall, presented with all its lustrous opulence. Far to the right, a band of asari played an upbeat love ballad, on a grand, majestic stage, against a backdrop of starlight. The lofty ceiling, and upper walls were like a dome of flashing light, as their vibrant imagery changed to the beat of the music. Two staircases on either side of the main entrance, led up to a narrow balcony floor, overlooking the stage, and dance floor on either side. And below the encompassing balcony, prominent statues of asari lore, perhaps their goddesses and angels, stood tall, gazing over all in the room, from their nooks carved into the walls all around the dance club.

Small round tables and booths, draped with shimmering, satin table clothes, were scattered throughout the room; along either side the dance floor heart of the club, and lining the above balcony level. A small bar sat nestled far off, in a corner, to the back left, under a bright, vivid sign, adorned with an olive and a martini glass that read "Medley Bar". And all across the expansive, fine marble dance floor, passengers danced, and weaved – moving to the rhythmic beat of the music in perfect harmony.  

Nearly everyone in the room was dressed in their finest formal ensembles - flowing gowns, and fancy suits. The music played, the room was dim, the champagne flowed, holographic lights flashed, and tipsy lovers spun their partners around on the dance floor. Tonight, only the biggest named artists from across the galaxy would be performing right here in this very room. Now this was a gala... This was a celebration... Now this was a party!

"Wow..." Gordon muttered under his breath, a familiar uneasiness beginning to settle in, as he looked around with a nervous, awestruck countenance.

"So...!" Miranda shouted over the loud music, towards Gordon, after noticing his agitated expression. "Are we getting over those pesky social phobias yet?"

With an ambivalent look in his eyes, Gordon responded by raising his hand, and held it out – rocking it back and forth like a scale briefly, as if to say "More or less." before he stopped, and simply shook his head. "On second thought, not really..."

Miranda let out an unheard giggle, as she smiled warmly at him - squeezing his arm a little tighter, as she leaned closer to him.

"You guys wanna get a table with us...?!" Shepard shouted the question over the music, as he turned to Gordon and Miranda, after being briefly captivated himself.

"Sure, why not!" Miranda hollered in response.

The four began to weave through the streams of passengers coming and going - many happily staggering about with impaired motor skills, after already having had a few. While they made their way forward, through the crowd, the Commander lagged behind a bit, as he raised his right arm, and materialized his omni-tool to check the time...

6:08 P.M.

"Plenty of time." He assured himself with a confident grin, as he put his omni-tool away.

"Here's one." Miranda stated, as she spotted a table. It was one of the last few empty tables left on the main floor, with a clear view of both the stage, and the dance floor. A simple choice.

The two couples fanned out around the table, with Miranda and Gordon targeting the two chairs on the left, while John and Tali would take the two on the right.

"Oh..." Miranda uttered in a surprised, and flattered tone, as the Doctor pulled her chair out for her before she had a chance to reach for it. "My... I've never dated a gentleman before!" She proudly shouted over the music, across the table to Tali, as she took the seat.

"Me neither!" Tali replied jokingly, just as the Commander reached for her chair to do the same. "What's it like?!" She yelled, putting a bit of a feigned, phony scowl on his face, as he dragged her chair out for her.

"I'm just teasing you!" She assured him, softly caressing his face with her white, silken gloved hand, before sitting down. It put an uncharacteristically bashful look in his eyes, as he nodded and grinned happily.

As Gordon took his seat on the opposite side of the table, beside his newfound sweetheart in a scarlet dress, John took a brief glance up at the stage, and around the dance floor. Just then, he spotted another familiar face.

"Well, how 'bout that!" He shouted out with a smile, as he continued glancing out at the crowd for a moment longer, before turning back to the others. "Guess who else is here tonight!"

"Who?!" Tali questioned, as they raised their heads, and peered out into the sea of lifeforms, hoping to spot a glimpse of who he was talking about.

"Dr. Chakwas!" Shepard informed, as he turned and pointed out towards her position. "She's out on the far left side of the dance floor, dancing it up with some salarian!"

"Where? I don't....!" Tali began, as she stood up and sifted through the crowd with her eyes, before they finally spotted the obscured Doctor. "...Oh yeah, I see here now!"

The Normandy's silver haired medical officer swayed back and forth carelessly, along side a dark gray skinned salarian, in an expensive white suit. She had her hair tied back into a short pony tail, fastened with a silver clip, and she wore a modest, yet elegant black and white evening gown. She had no idea she had been spotted by amicable eyes, as she moved around so joyfully, and carefree. Whether it was lounging by the pool, going for a swim, having a drink, eating a good meal, or enjoying a show – this cruise seemed to be exactly what the crew needed after such a rigorous, hard fought battle. One might say it was... just what the Doctor ordered.

"I wonder who that is, that she's with...!" Tali postulated, as she and the others turned back around, and took their seats.

"Maybe she bagged herself a rich one!" Miranda replied, jokingly.

"Maybe...!" Shepard concurred with a grin.

---

The stars streaked by outside the forward windows of a small, bulky, rudimentary built C-24 Tregen Class cargo freighter - a plain, silver colored ship, jaded and aged, about one third the size of the Normandy, with a spacious cargo bay. It was a ship built for transport, functionality, and little else, lacking a sleek look, or elegant design.

An armored asari sat with her hands over the illuminated, holographic controls, piloting the ship, as a turian sat in the seat beside her, possibly serving as her co-pilot. And a towering, bitter faced krogan stood behind them, near the doorway of the small, cramped cockpit.

The krogan stood leaning against the back corner, with his arms crossed. He had pale green skin, and a bright, lime green colored osteoderm plate sheltering the top of his head. The turian had dark brown skin, with red markings around his eyes, and jagged, white stripes encompassing his mouth, like the pointed teeth of a jack-o-lantern. Each of them wore the same maroon colored, battle scarred set of armor, marked with a white crest over each shoulder – an angry, white skull, with the teeth and jawline composed of a tightly clenched fist.

As the ship hurdled through space, at speeds faster than light, the door to the cockpit suddenly slid open, and in waddled the grand orchestrator.

"I trust we are on schedule...?" The stout, pudgy little creature, in a full, brown body suit queried, under the sound of a heavy respirator breath.

"We're fine..." The asari at the controls stringently asserted.  

"We had better be, Thessia clan..." The arrogant volus admonished. "We'll only have a twenty minute window to catch the ship, once it disengages FTL speeds for the Drezaraan Sunrise. If we miss that window, this entire operation will be lost."

"Look, you little imp!" The asari scalded angrily, as she turned her torso and neck around to glare at the volus. "I told you, we're on schedule! And if we miss your... 'window...!' Then take it up with your little quarian sap! He's the one that plotted this course..."

"Why you insolent...!" The volus breathed a loud, heavy gasp of disbelief. "...Don't forget who you're speaking to, Thessia clan! I'm the one that put this whole scheme together!"

"Hey!" The deep, angry voice of the krogan standing by suddenly reverberated loudly throughout the small room, as he crouched down to meet the volus at his level. Even in this hunkered down state, his sheer mass utterly dwarfed the volus.

"And don't YOU forget--" He began, as he shoved the volus back, with a hard finger to the chest. "--that we're supplying the mechs, and the muscle for your little scheme, Tarrik. So you'd better hope that everything goes according to plan. Because if it doesn't... It's your hide that I'll be taking it out of... You got that!?" The krogan demanded, before standing back upright.

"...Of-Of course." Tarrik assured with a heavy respirator breath, doing his best to sound calm and composed, despite the heavy hint of intimidation in his voice. "There's no need to get dramatic, Kargas. You'll be well compensated, after all. And my plan is foolproof. As long as we reach that ship on time, we can't fail..."

"Good." Kargas brashly assured, as he leaned back against the wall. "Then you've got nothing to worry about. And stop harassing my team. We know what we're doing."

"Right..." The impudent little volus continued, nervously fidgeting with his hands, as he turned back towards the door. "I'll leave you to it then..." He declared as he walked out.

"Hehe. Imp..." The turian sitting beside the asari uttered with a chuckle, as the steel door slid shut behind the brown suited volus.  

"Mercenaries..." Tarrik grumbled angrily, as he walked down the short corridor, leading towards the ship's cargo bay. "Why did I have to go and hire mercenaries..."

The cargo bay was indeed quite spacious, but fairly nondescript. Plain, rust speckled, steel walls encompassed the entirety of the room, with their most attractive feature being the large port and starboard observation windows. Two large, yellow painted rails ran parallel along the cargo bay's ceiling, with a traveling bridge spanning the gap, supporting an overhead crane, from which a pincer-like clamp hung suspended at the end.

Like a giant claw crane game, the clamp hung idly above a large agglomeration of white, LOKI class mechs, as if it could spring to life at any moment, and fish for one of the inert metal men as a prize. Rows and rows of them, they stood lined up side by side in the muddled room, holding sub-machine guns across their chests, like a platoon of soldiers ready for deployment.

And like a General at the head of his mechanized squadron, one mech stood out front and center, before all the rest. A large, hulking creation – the YMIR Class Heavy Assault Mech... A metal behemoth nearly twice the girth of an adult krogan, with an equally intimidating arsenal. Beneath two protective metal chassis', carried where an organic would posses hands, it was armed with twin high capacity mass accelerator assault canons mounted onto its right arm, and a high explosive rocket propelled grenade launcher onto its left.

In contrast to the slender LOKI mechs however, this one was obviously not ready for deployment. It stood lifelessly, with a large panel door hanging open, exposing its chest cavity, as a quarian in a burgundy colored enviro-suit scanned its innards with his glowing omni-tool. A number of cables spilled out of the mech's chest, wired to a small, portable terminal sitting on a large metal crate besides the quarian, as he would intermittently switch to it to input a plethora of data and commands.

"Leahr'Haan!" The abrasive volus exclaimed, as he approached, causing the quarian to stop, and turn around at the sound of his name.

"Are they finished?"

"Well, the LOKIs are..." The veiled machinist informed, in a tone heavy with fatigue and a tinge of disdain. "But I've still got a lot of work to do on the YMIR. It'll be another few hours before I can get it operational..."

The hiss of the volus' breath came before his reply. "You've still got a little more than two hours before we reach the Illustria..." Tarrik confidently assured with a dismissing wave of his hand. "Plenty of time."

"No!" Leahr'Haan refuted angrily. "No, not plenty of time, Tarrik! That won't be enough! I told you that this couldn't be done in the time frame you gave me...!" He shook his head frustratedly, as he placed one hand over his forehead area, and the other on his hip, and began to pace around in a small circle.

"Calm Down." Tarrik demanded, with a pronounced breath. "Don't get yourself worked up. What's wrong with it? What do you still need to do?"

"Uh..." Leahr replied with a nervous sigh, as he stopped and looked up at the massive mech. "Well, the mech itself is working. But I'm still trying to configure it's guidance systems... It'll be at least another three hours before I can get the new navigational parameters uploaded. Without those, it won't be able to maneuver around the ship. It'll just bumble around and walk into walls... As is, it's not much good for anything... Except maybe standing guard at a stationary post."

"So make it stand guard." Tarrik instructed, with a casual shrug of his shoulders. "Have it protect the ship once we dock with the Illustria. Just in case any stray passengers find their way in here, thinking they can find shelter, or a means of escape..." He said with an odious, almost gleefully sinister tone, causing the quarian to look away from his employer in shame – a cold shiver running down his back.

"Besides." Tarrik continued. "I doubt we'll be needing it. I'm sure Kargas' team, and Kim's men will be more than adequate to handle this job." He took a few tottering steps forward towards the mech, tilting his head far back to gaze upon the hulking metal man. However much one of these heavy assault mechs may have towered over the other races of the galaxy, it was that much more impressive from the diminutive perspective of a volus. "And a YMIR really is overkill, after all..."

"Alright, well--" Leahr'Haan began again, exhaling a sigh and hanging his head, as he did his best to swallow back the guilt which was choking his conscience. "--if you're not gonna need this one, then yes... The rest are finished."

"Good." The reassured Tarrik affirmed, as he turned back to face Leahr. "And what about the jamming device you installed. You're positive it'll work...?"

Before answering, the quarian turned away, and took a few slow steps towards a nearby metal crate, dragging his feet in defeat, before he turned, and had a seat on it, with a world of apprehensions weighing on his mind.

"Yes..." Leahr acknowledged in a low, lamented tone. "It'll work. Once activated, all communications within a thirty kilometer radius will be completely disrupted. All except for the unique encrypted frequency I specified..." The moment he finished, he hung his head down, burying his chin into his chest, and clasped his tri-fingered hands together, twiddling his thumbs.

"Excellent." The pleased volus claimed. "You do good work, my boy!" He assured in a tone mired in sarcasm, and obscured by a heavy breath, as he turned and began to waddle away. "Keep it up!"

"Tarrik!" Leahr unexpectedly shouted out angrily, garnering Tarrik's attention, stopping him cold in his tracks, and forcing him to turn back around.

"I don't like this, Tarrik..." He asserted, firmly shaking his head, as he locked eyes with the volus. "This isn't what we agreed to. You said you'd be using non-lethal ordnance. You never said anything about killing people..."

"And I won't!" The pudgy little ringleader assured, with a happy shrug of his shoulders, and a fraudulent sympathy. "Believe me Leahr, the last thing I wanna do is kill anyone."

As the disingenuous volus played at appeasing him, Leahr'Haan turned his head, and looked over the rows of mechs lined up in the room - each clutching a deadly sub-machine gun in their grasps.

"All this is just for a little added intimidation, to keep everyone in line, that's all. As long as everyone listens, and does exactly what they're told... No one has to die."

Leahr turned and glared a hard, narrow eyed look through the volus. "And if they don't...?"

"Well..." Tarrik replied, in a voice lacking even the slightest shred of compassion, as he turned around and headed out. "Then at least they won't live long enough to wish they had..."

---

The bright stage lights flashed on the band of asari, as the crowd danced feverishly to the hit music. And those that knew the words to the popular song, sang along to the refrain, with the performing vocalist.

Gordon grinned and shook his head in disbelief at what he was hearing. With his arm around Miranda, as she leaned up against him in her seat, he couldn't help but bob his head to the rhythm of the music, from his place at the table. The lyrics may have been a little different, but the song was definitely familiar.

"We didn't make the Relays!"
"They were always spinning, way since the beginning!"
"We didn't make the Relays!"
"Though we didn't make 'em, we were quick to take 'em!"

"Omni tools! Drive Cores! Krogans and the Rachni Wars!"
"Elcor Hamlet. Skyllian Blitz. Eezo Biotics."
"Morning War! Quarians sail! Geth hide behind the Veil!"
"The Genophage. The Krogans Rage. Spectre psychotics."

...

"First Contact! Shanxi Battle! Turians! All get rattled!"
"Humans! They worked out well! Now they're on the Citadel!"
"Batarians! Elcor! Protheans are no more!"
"Victor Manswell! Edan Had'dah! Terra Firma! Oh Well!"

"We didn't make the Relays!"
"They were always spinning, way since the beginning!"
"We didn't make the Relays!"
"Though we didn't make 'em, we were quick to take 'em!"

Tali danced back and forth, practically in Shepard's lap, as she leaned back against him, turned sideways in her seat - using him as her own personal cushion, while she looked out towards the stage. The sights, the sounds, the music... She loved it all!

"Hey Gordon!" The Commander looked across the table, and called out loudly. "The original version of this song is from around your era, isn't it?!"

"What?!" Gordon beckoned, furrowing his brow, as he cupped his right hand around his ear and turned it towards Shepard.

"I said the original version of this song is from around your era, right?!"  

"Yeah, more or less!" Gordon acknowledged with a worry-free grin. "Billy Joel translates over rather well!"

"Yeah!" Shepard affirmed with a laugh. "Better than Gilbert and Sullivan, I'll tell ya that!"

Gordon chuckled in response, though not entirely sure what he was referring to, as John turned back to face the stage – wrapping his arms around Tali's waist. Just then, Gordon noticed a turian stealthily trying to sneak through the crowd towards them in a bit of a hunkered down state. As he quickly approached from Shepard and Tali's side of the table, he noticed that he had already been spotted by the vigilant Freeman.

"Shh..." He motioned by placing a sharp pointed finger vertically over his mouth, with a sinister gleam in his eyes.

Slowly, he crept up behind Shepard, raising his arms up in a menacing fashion for a dastardly deed – possibly to put the Commander into a roughhouse headlock.  

"Hello Garrus!" John shouted without actually turning around to face him.

Garrus froze in shock after being discovered, without the Commander taking so much as a glance in his direction.

"H... H-How the hell did you know...?!" Garrus beseeched, as he let his shoulders slouch, and his arms drop to his sides in defeat.

Shepard turned to look up at the scarred turian, giving him a cocky smile. "Spotted you when you walked in a while ago."

Garrus simply stood there, shaking his head, conceding victory with a stunned look on his face and a disappointed grin.

"Hey, Garrus!" Tali greeted loudly, as he walked around the table to the front. "Well, you look nice!"

The battle hardened turian, with a scar on his face, and blue stripes under his eyes was dressed in a fine white dinner suit, boldly accented with deep blue stripes, running down the front, and around the boney brim surrounding his shoulders. An elegant change from his usual blue armor, but that's what this cruise was all about after all.

"Heya, Tali... Thanks!" Garrus genially reciprocated, as he looked around the table and bestowed his greetings. "Miranda...! Freeman...!" He said, carrying his voice over the fading music, and cordially nodding at each of them. "You're all looking classy tonight!"

"Hello Garrus." Miranda returned with a slight nod.

"Hey Garrus." Gordon concurred cheerfully.

"Though we didn't make 'em, we were quick to take 'em...! Yeah!"

The room erupted into an excited frenzy of wild applause, sharp whistles, and feverish cheers as the song came to a close.

"Thank you!" The lead vocalist of the asari band bestowed into the mic, as the crowd continued their ovation. "Thank you so much! We love you!"

"So how's it goin', Garrus?" Shepard queried, as the cheers and applause began to abate.

"Oh, terrific...!" Garrus exclaimed heartily, as a salarian announcer took the stage. "It's been years since I felt this good. And I just figured I'd pop in here... work the room a little, see what all the fuss was about."

"The Vy'Zaira Venue ladies and gentlemen!" The salarian at the stage announced, ushering a reverent ovation from the crowd, as the band made their way down. "Give 'em another round of applause!"

"And this IS one hell of a nice place..." Garrus assured, giving the room a quick look around, as the ovation intensified once more.

"So how 'bout once around the dance floor, Tali?"  He asked, spinning his finger around, as he turned back towards the lavishly dressed quarian, nestled up against the tux clad Commander. "You don't really like to dance, right Shepard? You don't mind, do you?"

Before either John or Tali could accept or deny, the announcers voice echoed loudly throughout the room once more, as the lights suddenly dimmed even further, leaving it shrouded in darkness.

"And now ladies and gentlemen... We have a special treat for you." A spotlight pierced the darkness, splashing onto the stage, as a slow, smooth, entrancing melody began to fill the room. "We're gonna slow things down now for all you lovers out there...!"

"Allow me to present the drell that put romance in your eyes, and taught the galaxy how to love again... Lethelio Theryndl!" The words incited a hugely fevered response from the crowd - especially from the ladies who showed their adoration with shrieks of excitement, as a light skinned drell, in a silky black ensemble, suavely stepped into the spotlight.

"Sorry Garrus!" Shepard contritely denied, as he stood up from his seat, while holding on to Tali's hand, in the dark. "But this is a special occasion..." He declared, softly gazing down into her luminous eyes, which shined back up at him from behind her mask, as a reverberant, silvery voice began to sing of a warm embrace, and a gentle caress. "And tonight, all her dances belong to me... Come on, bright eyes..."

He didn't need to ask twice. Her heart melted for him right then and there. She gently placed her silk wrapped hand into his, and stood up from her chair. With one hand stoically placed behind his back, like a gentleman of olde, he courtly led her out, and the two disappeared into the slow dancing sea of life.

"Hmhmhmhm..." Garrus chuckled under his breath, as he stood by with his arms akimbo on his hips. He turned back towards Miranda and Gordon, as the soothing, poetic rhythm flowed throughout the room.

"Well how 'bout you, Freeman?" He questioned loudly, with a sly grin on his face. "Come on, aren't you gonna get out there? Show Miranda a few of your moves?"

"Uh-hehe... Uh, yeah... Maybe..." Gordon stuttered a bit, as he let out a bit of a bashful, nervous laugh, and gave an awkward shrug of his shoulders.

"Well, I'm probably gonna head down to the Promenade Deck, myself..." Garrus declared, pointing a thumb over his shoulder, towards the exit. "Hit the casino... I think that's where most of the others are gonna be tonight. Heh, you know I heard Joker was going to try and use Legion to cheat for him." He informed with a cheerful snicker.

"Why does that not surprise me...?" Miranda asked, rolling her eyes and shaking her head with a cheerful sarcasm. "If you see him, tell him he'd better watch himself. I don't think Shepard'd be too happy if he has to bail him out of the brig..."

"Yeah, I'll tell 'em." Garrus affirmed with a laugh. "Well, I'll catch you two later. Take care." He said, as he turned, and began to walk away, before he turned back around, and pointed a finger towards Gordon. "And you behave yourself, egghead!"

"Hmph, see ya later, Garrus!" Gordon shouted back with a cheerful snicker, as Garrus' silhouette faded into the darkness mired club.

As the emotional melody continued to fill the room, Gordon unexpectedly slid his chair out, and slowly stood up. Miranda turned to look up at him, wondering what he was doing, as his arm was withdrawn from around her. He stood up straight, and briefly tugged down at his tux jacket, straightening it out.

"Uh, ahem..." He began, first clearing his throat. "W-Would you... care to dance...?"

"You dance...?!" Miranda questioned in wide eyed disbelief.

"Well..." Gordon replied, tilting his head a bit, and taking a somewhat cocky undertone. "I was known for a step or two, in my day... Besides, didn't I tell you? My PhD was actually in Danceology..."

As soon as it came out, he couldn't help himself from cringing a little, with a look of embarrassment on his face.

"...That was bad, wasn't it?" He admitted, realizing how poorly his failed attempt at a joke must've sounded. Miranda gave him a sweet smile, but it was accompanied by a pity filled look in her eyes, as she gently nodded her head, in agreement.

"Sounded a lot better in my head..." He said with a shrug. "Well, at least you know it wasn't in comedy."

"Hmhmhmhmh..." She couldn't help herself from giggling joyfully under her breath, at his follow up.

"Hey, whaddaya know, I made it work after all!" He stated with a triumphant enthusiasm, as he extended his hand towards her.

Miranda laid her soft hand upon his, and he gently caressed its back with his thumb, as she stood up. Never once did either of them look away from the gaze they shared into the depths of the other's eyes, as they slowly weaved their way onto the dance floor, hand in hand.

Up on the stage, a drell continued to sing... Songs of love, and longing. Songs of never wanting to be apart, and the passages, to the deepest recesses, and furthest reaches, of a woman's heart...

"My Love..."
"Tonight, You're in my dreams... "
"And all the worlds, it seems..."
"are playing our favorite song..."

"My love...!"
"I feel your warmth tonight..."
"And all the stars shine bright..."
"We're right where we belong..."

The indigo glow from his luminescent visor, that softly caressed her soft, porcelain skin, seemed to also bejewel her eyes in the darkness. She held her physicist tightly, as if never wanting to let go. And as they glided around the room, cradled closely in eachother's arms – perhaps the only reading his visor was incapable of taking, was that she never did....

"To take..."
"Your love away from me..."
"Means I could never breath..."
"Or see the light of day..."

"Your kiss..."
"Makes all the darkness wane..."
"Brings comfort to my pain..."
"And show's me there's a way..."

"To hold you close tonight..."

Her glittering eyes shined up at him, from behind her mask, as she draped her arm tightly around his broad shoulders. He held her closely... Delicately... A tender touch, as they floated across the dance floor. Here they were... A hardened soldier, gracefully dancing with his belle of the ball – this quarian with flowers in her veil... And as they danced on into the evening hours, never could things seem more perfect...