The call interrupted my plans to head to Chora’s Den, where I could’ve crossed paths with an alien woman I was interested in.
But I couldn’t ignore this call, because it was the representative of my corporation on the Citadel.
“Go ahead.”
I tried to make my voice convey that if I was being called about some triviality, getting fired would be the least of that particular representative’s problems.
“Boss, a young representative of the Migrant Fleet has come to our reception area and is asking for a meeting with you.
She says she has important information for humanity.”
“So buy the information…”
I didn’t understand why about this call was necessary — my representative should’ve handled that himself.
But just after I said that, a bell went off in my head.
A quarian…
Information…
“Boss, the thing is, she refuses to deal with anyone but you.”
Well, then…
let’s play a little game?
“Is she in front of you now?”
“No.”
“Alright.
Call her in and put it on speaker.”
“Understood.”
About twenty seconds later, I heard the door open, then my representative’s loud voice inviting the girl in.
Then the sound of the door closing.
“Boss, you’re on speaker.”
“I was actually expecting a face-to-face meeting.”
There was displeasure in the quarian’s voice.
“A face-to-face meeting?
And who are you that I should meet you in person?”
“But the information…”
“Alright, I got a bit ahead of myself.
I suppose I should introduce myself.
My name is John Shepard.
I own the New Life corporation.”
“Tali’Zorah nar Rayya, pilgrim of the Migrant Fleet.”
“Wonderful.
You can just call me John, or if that’s inconvenient, Mr.
Shepard.
And what should I call you?”
“Tali is fine, Mr.
Shepard.”
Slight embarrassment crept into the quarian’s voice.
“Excellent, Miss Tali.
I understand you’re very young, but your naivety…
it’s striking.”
“Naivety?”
I heard confusion and mild offense in Tali’s voice — she heard me but didn’t want to agree with the statement.
“Exactly.
Let’s take the Migrant Fleet as an example.
I’m not entirely familiar with your power structure, of course.
I know the highest governing body is the Admiralty Board, right?”
“Yes…”
She was flustered by my words.
“Excellent.
Now let’s imagine my corporation as a Fleet in miniature.
There’s me — the highest authority.
There are those who run the divisions — they’re like Admirals.
There are representatives in various places — they’re sort of trusted agents or deputy Admirals.”
“Are you following my train of thought?”
“Yes.”
I heard thoughtfulness in the girl’s voice, and Jane, who was walking next to me, snorted quietly.
She didn’t interrupt the conversation, understanding that for some reason I didn’t want to brush off a girl she considered overly pushy.
“Now tell me: if I, a complete stranger to the Migrant Fleet, somehow ended up near your Fleet and started demanding a meeting with the Admiralty Board over a trifle that any trusted agent could handle, what would the quarians think of me?”
“Um…
they’d laugh at you?”
There was embarrassment and a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
“At best.
Do you understand what I’m getting at?”
“Y-yes…
I’m nobody, and you won’t meet with me.”
“Well, why so harsh?”
I tried to make my voice as soft as possible.
“At the very least, you’re a representative of a force friendly to me in this galaxy.
After all, quarians on their Pilgrimage are happy to go work in my colonies, factories, and ships.
Also, you’re a girl named Tali, who undoubtedly has many merits.
“What would be enough?”
“Well…
if you were an officially authorized ambassador of the Migrant Fleet, a meeting with me would be more than possible.
An Admiral, or even just a ship’s captain…
though the latter is doubtful — I don’t think a captain could have problems that a branch director can’t solve.
And off the top of my head…”
I pretended to think.
“…if you were the daughter of one of the Admirals, I would meet with you.
At the very least, to try and forge closer ties with your father and, consequently, the Migrant Fleet through you.”
“Um…
well…
actually…”
There was so much embarrassment in the girl’s voice that now Chifuyu and Rebecca snorted.
Anderson, who was still walking beside me, just smirked, and a slight smirk touched my lips too.
Jane just rolled her eyes.
“Yes?”
“I’m the daughter of Admiral Rael’Zorah vas Alarei.”
“Hmm…
do you have documents to prove that?”
I even stopped, and the others stopped with me, shock and disbelief on their faces.
“Of course.”
“Could you show them to my representative?”
“Yes.”
“Boss, she really is the Admiral’s daughter.”
There were shock and disbelief in my subordinate’s voice.
He hadn’t expected that turn of events.
And honestly, Anderson, standing next to me, was blinking too, his whole demeanor saying he’d expected news that the documents were fake.
“Alright, Miss Tali.
Will it be convenient for you to wait for me…”
I checked the time on my omni-tool.
“…about twenty minutes?
Unfortunately, I’m in a different district, so I won’t be able to get to the office quickly.”
“Of course!”
“Alexei…”
I addressed the representative by name.
“…escort the girl to the quarian rest lounge.
Also, have a full meal delivered there.”
“That’s not necessary!”
Tali tried to interject.
“Miss Tali, don’t refuse.
That room was specially made for highly valued specialists or guests like you.
It has a complete air sterilization system, so you can take off your helmet and enjoy real food, not the concentrate you usually eat.
After all, when else will you get that chance outside the Fleet?”
“I…
thank you…”
There was confusion and helplessness in Tali’s voice, as well as anticipation of the upcoming meal.
“I’ll take care of it.”
“Good…”
I made my voice clear to Alexei that everything should be done in the best possible way.
“…I’ll end the call now.
I think we can meet and talk in about twenty minutes.
And yes, don’t rush with your food.
If you haven’t finished by the time I arrive, I can wait, or we can handle it after our talk.”
“Thank you.”
That was the last thing I heard over the comm.
“Is that…
normal?”
Chifuyu addressed me with mild doubt.
“Hm?”
“Captain, you were talking on an open channel, without a headset, in the middle of the Citadel.”
“We weren’t discussing anything important…”
I shrugged carelessly.
Besides, if you want to hide something, hide it in plain sight.
Of course, I can’t rule out the possibility that someone was listening, but…
let’s be honest — if someone needs to eavesdrop on a secured line, it’s harder, but still possible.
“I…
maybe you’re right, Captain.”
“Chifu, you can just use my name now.
Haven’t I told you that outside official events, you can call me by my first name?”
“Well…
I just got a bit flustered.” Get faster updates on g.com.
“Oh, just say what you mean.
It finally dawned on you that John is a big shot, but you’re acting like an ostrich, because it was obvious back when we found out from Jane how things were on Elysium, and when we saw that container of equipment in the hold that even elite army units haven’t received yet.”
“Okay.
I suggest we head over to my office.
Maybe the information the girl wanted to sell really will be important for all of humanity.”
“John, you’re a big boy.
Do you really believe in such fairy tales…”
Rebecca pursed her lips mockingly.
“What can I say?
I love fairy tales.
Besides, at the office, I can arrange a truly lavish lunch for us after the negotiations with the quarian.”
“I think I’ll head back to the Normandy.”
Anderson’s voice held weariness.
“I think I should pack my things before you take command of the ship.”
“Anderson…”
I looked at the man with a hint of reproach.
“…we have plenty of time.
But if you don’t want to, I won’t force you.”
“Thanks.”
He nodded at me and then left us.
The rest of us went to the nearest taxi station, got into an airspeeder, and headed to my office.
“So, how often do they bother you like this?”
Jane looked at me with interest.
“Actually, not that often.
Usually, my representatives have enough authority and patience to convince visitors that their competence is sufficient to resolve the issue.
But Tali turned out to be persistent enough to get Alexei to call me.”
“I see…”
There was some doubt in Jane’s voice.
Still, she didn’t argue that Tali had enough persistence.
“Hey, can I order weapons from your company?”
Rebecca asked me, staring at me expectantly, a hint of greed and anticipation in her eyes.
“You can…
we’ll sort out the business on the Citadel and then equip the landing group.
Something tells me it needs to be at least ten people strong, and then kitted out with the latest tech.”
“Oh?
Will we get a choice, or will the commander be a tyrant and despot and order us armored brassieres and armored thongs?”
“Specially for you, I’ll order armored shorts that are beyond foul and look like denim.
And for your chest, I’ll get you armored pasties.”
I said it in such a serious voice that Rebecca paled, and if we weren’t in the taxi, she would’ve tried to get as far away from me as possible.
“I…
was joking…”
Silence descended on the taxi for a while.
“John, I ask you not to pick that kind of outfit for Revy.
It would be extremely non-functional in a combat situation.”
Jane tried to keep a straight face, but a smile crept onto it.
“Alright.
But if she gets too cocky…”
“Yes, I’ll tell you that, and then we’ll order the outfit you described.
And we’ll get her a dildo-shaped pistol too.”
“No, Jane, please, you wouldn’t do that!
We’re…
I’m…”
Panic crept into Rebecca’s voice.
“Well then, behave yourself so Jane has no reason to.”
Chifuyu shrugged with a slight smirk.
“Hey, Captain…”
Rebecca addressed me.
“…I’ll be a good girl, just don’t do all that.
No, don’t get me wrong, I’m no fool, I understand you were probably joking just now, but…
there’s a grain of truth in every joke.
So if I mess up somewhere, it’s better to send me to scrub the head with a toothbrush than to do stuff like that.”
“Alright.”
I waved my hand dismissively.
“Fine.
I won’t make you wear that.
You can relax.”
“Phew…”
Rebecca exhaled with obvious relief.
Meanwhile, the taxi reached its destination and gently landed in front of the office, opening its doors for us to get out.
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