Mass Effect: Lover's Guide

'Quarian Law' - Shepard/Tali

"Okay, the coordinates to the Fleet have been sent to the Normandy. Tali I'll do my best to get you out this situation, if you want to talk I'll be in my cabin until we arrive in a day or so."
"Thank you Shepard."

The Normandy's position in the Galaxy made it at least a days trip to the Migrant Fleet's current position as while space travel was now possible it was far from being instant and because of this the time it'd take the Normandy to reach the Fleet would be 'a day'. Being in space meant there wasn't a day/night cycle and if there was it'd be different to Earth's 24 hour cycle. The Normandy had a simulated 24 hour cycle to create ease and routine for the human crew members to help make shifts among said crew members and aiding them in their own personnel sleep cycles by dimming the lights at certain times.

Tali lay awake in her bed, hands on chest, unable to sleep. Unlike other crew members her short term insomnia didn't derive from Zaeed's snoring, most had gotten over that now and slept comfortably, because Zaeed's snoring actually helped her sleep as it sounded like a broken down old ship much like those found in the flotilla. Tali was instead stuck contemplating, mind racing of what the future held. Treason? What would her father think? What would the fleet think? Keelah. It ate away at her until she rolled over to avoid her wondering mind from creating vivid images of her father's disappointment on the bunk above her. She was accused of treason? She remembered what Shepard had said earlier that day. She needed his consolation but was hesitant as at this time he'd be sleeping. What was the extent of this offer after all? Did he mean it or was it a curtesy? She'll just pop her head in and see if he was asleep; if yes, she'd leave.

The door to Shepard's cabin slid open. Strange as it was usually locked when he was sleeping. Maybe he was awake? She trod softly into his room as if by chance Shepard was asleep she didn't want to rouse him. He was asleep but not traditional by how humans slept. Shepard wasn't in his bed but rather at his desk with his head slumped on top of it. "Shepard?" Tali whispered to check if he was actually asleep and not doing some strange human thing. She approached Shepard careful not to make any noise but driven by her curiosity. She reached him and stared at the monitor. Extranet search: Quarian law.

Tali's heart melted a little at this. Shepard actually meant he'd do everything he could to help. She expected an empty promise not this. She felt bad for doubting him however and the fact her personnel problems would jeopardise his combat effectiveness when he awoke tired. The the warm flush sent through her body by this act of kindness was enough to drown out the guilt. She couldn't just leave him like this though; the desk had already made marks on his skin from this slumber. The least she could do is get him into his bed.

Lifting the bulk of Shepard was out of the question as without a little assistance from Shepard this attempt would result with a heavy flop to the floor for both of them. She examined other ways of getting him to the bed. The chair had wheels on it. Tali thought this was an ineffective design in any other circumstance as the wheels could easily carry the user away from what they were using but right now it was perfect. She adjusted Shepard to lean against the back support so he wouldn't fall as the gap between the chair and desk became greater. After that she got him to the bed without a problem.

She rolled him off the chair and onto the bed. She adjusted him to stair at the ceiling much like she was in her bed at the beginning of the night before pulling the blanket over him up to his neck. She was about to leave but took a second glance at the resting Shepard. "Thank you Shepard." She whispered placing a kiss on his forehead to the best of her ability before quickly evacuating the room, embarrassed. Shepard's eyes fluttered open while still being heavy with grog. He wasn't what had roused him. The soft voice muffled by an enviro-suit? The cold glass and metal pushing up against his forehead? He scanned his empty room through his morning blurry vision until finally whispering. "Tali?"