Relay Shift - A Halo/Mass Effect Crossover

13: More Complications

After Enzzo Shepard was resurrected, the Reapers disappeared once more. Shepard, of course, had a lot to explain once the Council found out he was alive. However, they seemed to give him and his story the benefit of the doubt. Even Wrex still showed he still trusted Shepard deeply.

Thus, things started to go back into their usual routine. Shepard was once again in command of the Normandy at Councilor Hackett's request for this mission. So that meant Alex and the rest of his gang had to get back to work on the refits for Hero's Blade once the Normandy's shore leave was up.

Right now, Alex was on the Normady's engineering deck, preparing himself to talk to

Tali.

Alexander strolled over to Tali as she monitored the drive core, struggling to keep his composure. It seemed every time he had been around Tali the past couple of days, he felt... intoxicated, as if he had drunk an entire bottle of scotch. Though he didn't have anything to drink, he still felt off balance.

Alex felt bad for ruining their shore leave a few nights ago. Thankfully, he still had some time to make this right. He finally mustered up the courage to approach Tali and spoke up.

"...T-Tali'Zorah?" Alex asked, nervous.

Tali jumped a little when she heard Alex's voice. "Alex! I-I wasn't expecting you... Y-you surprised me. You were... really quiet."

"Sorry. I just... I wanted to apologize about ruining your night out last time, so I figured... I'd like to ask if you'd like to go to this new sushi restaurant on the Strip?"Alex asked. "They serve both Levo and dextro Food..."

Tali was surprised. "...Okay, why not? Sounds like it would be fun."

Alex was surprised by this. "Okay. Sweet. See you around at sixteen-hundred hours."

Zunari's Ocean Cuisine

Alex settled in with Tali at the booth they had chosen. Along with an assortment of sushi, Alex had ordered cooked catfish filet, something that reminded him of home. It was a dish Dr. Freedman introduced to him during a survival class. Tali, seeing that she could only eat dextro food, ordered Turian cod fillet with dextro sushi.

However, Alex was distracted by Tali's beauty. She wasn't wearing her helmet on this date, and her hair and face were like a work of art that Alex was taken away by.

Tali noticed that Alex was staring at her, and that his face was red. She decided to take the initiative.

"I didn't know Spartans could feel nervous..." Tali said with a sly, yet kind grin, and a giggle.

Between the smile and her smooth, silky voice without the vocalizer in her helmet, Alex's brain melted. She was pushing all the right buttons, and he felt like his stomach was floating to the top of his abdomen. No shielding could protect him against this, no matter how well-engineered.

"Uhh...." Alex went silent. His brain, along with his added implant processors, which were in what could only be described as over-clocked overdrive were struggling to come up with words. "We all... have our quirks... Master Chief, for example, can't say "No" to anything Cortana says."

"Master Chief... Is he your superior?" Tali asked.

"He's more than that. He's like a... 'respected elder' to the other Spartans, and a legend in the UNSC." Alex explained. "He's thirty years older than me. I don't know how he's able to keep going, but he does."