Mass Effect: After the Smoke Falls

Relieved of Command

The crew of the Normandy stood at attention as they docked at Rannoch, each dressed in formal military attire. Shepard stood at the Galaxy Map, looking at his brothers in arms for what might be the last time in a long time. He sighed, having no speech prepared.

“Friends. Well, I should call you more. We have been together since the rise and fall of the Reapers, some may have joined during my involvement with the Collectors, some while I was under Admiral Anderson’s command. The war won’t be over, it never is, but I know you will be able to take down Cerberus because I left you under the command of my friend, and a hell of a soldier, Garrus Vakarian.”

Garrus walked up to Shepard and looked at him. “You sure you want to leave me under the command of an Alliance stealth ship? For all you know you could be handing it to a Anti-Human activist.”

“I’m sure.” Shepard chuckled at Garrus’s little joke.

Garrus shook Shepard’s hand. “Shepard, It’s been an honor.”

“The honor’s mine, Garrus.” Shepard said with a smile. He stepped down and was stunned to see Tali. Not only was she recovered but she was wearing a white flowing dress. No mask or suit, just a dress. Shepard smiled wide. “Tali you look amazing.”

She walked up to him, stood on her tip toes, and kissed him. “Thank you.” She wrapped her arms around

Shepard’s waist and hugged him. “I’m a hundred percent immune now, probably the first in my generation to be.”

Shepard smiled and stroked her dark indigo hair. “That’s wonderful news.” They turned around and faced the hallway heading towards the docking tube. They walked together down the hall, seeing the friendly faces of those they fought alongside with. They reached the docking tube where Orion was waiting.

“Admiral Shepard and Admiral Tali’zorah.”  Orion said.

Shepard and Tali nodded to their Geth bodyguard when Joker’s voice rang out through the speakers. “Shepard just to let you know we’ll be stopping by again for your party so don’t get all mushy gushy just-OW EDI you didn’t need to do that!”

 “You ruined the surprise, Jeff.” EDI said.

Shepard and Tali chuckled. At least they had one more night with the crew.

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FEW HOURS LATER

Shepard sat down on his sofa and set his head back. Sighing, he looked around his new home. It was . . . diffrent. He was used to the dark grey and blue of the Normandy’s quarters, the sound of the stealth drive’s hum. Now he knew how Tali felt when she first came on the Normandy. It was too quiet for him. He missed the Normandy it was his home for most of his life. How could the Alliance council do this to him? They keep him on duty but only as an admiral that is only called on in case of emergencies and the ambassador to the Quarian and Geth? It would’ve been better just to relieve him of duty, but he knew that they would need his help once they started their final assault on Cerberus. Hopefully the final assault on Cerberus. He rubbed his eyes and looked out the window to see the sun slowly setting on the desert like landscape. This was the area that Tali chose when they landed on Rannoch for the assault against the Reaper controlled Geth. He heard the door slide open and Tali walked in. She smiled and sat down next to him.

“After all this time, I never thought we’d be together like this.” Tali said looking at him.

Shepard looked at her. “Yeah, I thought the Crucible would be my final resting place.”

“Don’t say that. You survive, you always do.” Tali traced a heart on Shepard’s chest. “And you have loyal crewmembers by your side to help you.”

“And I have you.” Shepard said, kissing her lavender forehead. “While I was recovering on Huerta I . . . I was in a forest . . .” Shepard went on to tell her about the dreams he had ever since leaving Earth to fight the Reapers.

Tali rubbed his cheek. “It’s all in the past, love. The boy is at rest now and so are all the others who died.”

Shepard looked down again. “Then there was something else. More recent. I had a dream where . . . where. . .”

“What? “ Tali asked, worried.

Shepard looked at Tali, a tear dangling from his cheek. “Child. Our child. He replaced the boy who died.”

Tali bit her lip and wiped the tear. “Even if we could have children, I know that wouldn’t happen. You would protect him and I would too.” She kissed his cheek and hugged him.

Shepard hugged her back, stroking her dark violet hair. It was over, at least for now. The fighting, the death, the do or die choices. It was all over until the time that he was called for action came. Shepard was home, with the love of his life Tali by his side. Now that the Reapers were gone, he had no fear of losing her anymore. His last thoughts on the Normandy SR-1 were of her and his crews saftey, his first thoughts on the Cerberus lab where of them as well. When he destroyed the reactor, the only way to destroy the Repars, he thought of Admiral Anderson; the one man he called a father and a friend, and the one man that held Reaper forces at bay long enough for Shepard to rally the fleet. Tali; he thought he would never see her again, and having to take her badly wounded body to the Normandy and hearing her protests for him not to go broke his heart. All of his friends that survived could find peace, and those who died to make things right would be remembered as heroes. He even felt a ping of sympathy for the Illusive Man. He didn’t know that he was indoctrinated, he thought what he was doing was for the good of Humanity, even if it meant sacrificing his own body to control the Reapers. It was over. He was at peace, all of them were.

He looked at Tali and touched her cheek. Smiling he kissed her, letting as much passion that he felt for her into it. She kissed him back with great force and before long they found themselves in their bedroom, limbs intertwined together and lips pressed so fiercely that they seemed to be stuck together. Shepard picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist, kissing his neck. He closed his eyes and laid her down on the bed, letting his suit jacket fall to the ground and revealing his scared torso. Tali slipped out of her dress, revealing her tattooed body. Shepard crawled over her and kissed her with more passion, reaching for the lights. He felt her hands grab at his back as they kissed, Shepard radiating Biotic energy as they joined together.

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There was a knock at the door. Shepard woke up groggily and looked to his side to see Tali wrapped around him, her hair askew and a smile on her face. He smiled and kissed her forehead, then he stood up, slipped into something that wouldn’t embarrass who was at the door, and opened it up to see Orion.

“Admiral Shepard.” Orion said. “The guests will be arriving shortly.”

Shepard chuckled. “Oh yes I forgot. Let Tali sleep, I’ll prep everything.”

Orion nodded his irregular head and walked back downstairs. Shepard looked back at Tali rubbed the back of his neck. It seemed like every time they slept together, all hell would break loose later on.