Originally posted by previous user TheBellyWhisperer
Red lights flashed through the SR2 Normandy, alarms blaring throughout the ship. Moments ago it was still a normal night. Suddenly, a huge explosion rocked the vessel. Breaking from sleep, Commander Shepard sat bolt upright, springing out of bed. Rushing the nearby terminal, thoughts flashed through Shepard's mind. The Collectors? No, they'd all died in the explosion at the base. Bartarians? No, they'd never get past Joker. Reapers? Now that was a scary possibility.
Reaching the console, a blue orb, the computer manifestation of EDI flashed into existence.
"Situation Report! What's going on? Are we under attack?" The commander spoke quickly, not wasting any time.
"Large explosion in the lower decks. Sensors indicate no external hull breaches, however several interior bulkheads are badly damaged. There are no ships in our vicinity. Most likely explanation is that explosion caused internally."
"Damn it! EDI, do you know what's responsible for this? Is Jack at it again?"
"I have no indications of the direct cause of the accident, although I can verify that Subject Zero was asleep in her birth below the deck at the time of the occurrence. The explosion seems to have come from engineering."
"Shit! Tali! What's her status?"
"My readings indicate that the female quarian's suit has been penetrated and that she has sustained severe damage to her torso and legs."
"Get medical crews to her now! Call Chakwas and Mordin. Have them standing by."
"Already done Shepard." But the commander didn't hear that last statement. Shepard was already bolting out the door, speeding to the elevator as fast as humanly possible.
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The Commander watched through the thick glass of the Medical Unit windows. Tali had been rushed to the facility immediately, losing a great amount of blood. With her bio-suit in tatters, the young girl had been sealed in, the air promptly scrubbed of all contaminants; only Legion, housed in the AI core remained inside. Chakwas, with the help of EDI, remotely controlled the many instruments in the room, doing her best staunch the bleeding and repair what she could of the damaged organs.
A feminine hand lay down upon the commander's rough shoulder. "Shepard, don't act that way. It was a freak accident and you know she wouldn't want to see you like this." Shepard turned to face Miranda, the Cerberus Officer and second in command.
"I know Miranda, but I feel so helpless right now. Tali's in there dying and there's nothing I can do about it." Turning back toward the glass. “When I see a problem, I go out to solve it with everything I've got. But here's a situation that I can't affect in any way, and it may cost Tali her life."
Chakwas walked over to the pair, the orange light from her remote uplink on the omni-tool fading away, a tired look on her face. "Commander, I figure I should update you on the situation. The quarian's in bad shape." Wiping sweat from her brow she continued. "We got her here fast enough that she shouldn't see any serious problems due to exposure, and we've managed to stop the bleeding. The problem is her organs took a beating. We should be able to keep her alive using the machines we've got now, but I'm not sure for how long; they're not meant to mesh with quarian physiology."
Shepard's mind raced. Something had to be done. Tali was in there and needed help! But how?....Suddenly, a spark of inspiration hit the desperate commander. Turning to Miranda again, Shepard voiced an idea. "Miranda, is the Lazarus project unit still functional?"
"Yes, it is. Why?"
"You used that to bring me back from the dead. Can't we use that to regrow Tali's organs?"
"Shepard, it just doesn't work like that. That tech wasn't built to interface with a quarian; it was made specifically to rebuild you and only you."
"There's got to be a way! Mordin, get over here." Shepard gestured to his Salarian ally. "Can you think of any way to save Tali?"
The Salarian frowned. "Hmm. Interesting challenge. Girl dying. Love her, yes? Can see problem. Take look at organ structure." he pressed a few buttons on his omni-tool and a display of quarian anatomy popped up. "Humanoid in design. Similar to human in makeup. Differences mainly in skeletal structure and cellular anatomy. Unfortunately, not directly compatible. Transplant not an option. Flotilla too far away."
"What if we used the Lazarus project?"
Miranda interjected. "Shepard, I told you it won't work on her! It's made for you alone!"
Suddenly, the scientist's eyes lit up. Muttering to himself, Mordin began to pace back and forth.
"Direct splicing not possible. Possible modifying Quarian's genetic code? No, to dangerous, would tear cells apart. Modify human code? Interesting. Humans prone to mutation. Possible......"
Shepard reached out, grabbing the scientist by the shoulder. "What!?! Have you thought of something?"
The Salarian nodded. "Possibility. Miranda, project built to rebuild Shepard, correct? It only must rebuild Shepard, but not Shepard." The black haired woman looked puzzled.
"I don't follow."
"Not possible to modify quarian genetic structure. But! Possible to modify human genetic structure. Suggest replacing certain code fragments in sequencing to mimic quarian DNA. Still Shepard's cells, different DNA. Transplant modified organs to Tali. With probable acceptance of modified genome, survival possible. Still, untested. Side effects possible.
"Can it save her?!?"
Mordin took a deep breath.
"Yes."
"Do it! EDI, set a course for the Lazarus project base. I want us there in as little time possible."
The blue ball blinked up again. "Immediately Shepard. Notifying Joker."
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Tali groaned internally. Her head was pounding. A pulsing white light seemed to be beating from right behind her eyelids, and she felt as if her organs had been ripped out, rearranged, and put back in. She hurt everywhere. "Keelah....what happened?" Thinking back to the events prior, she tried to recall what had happened. "I was in the engine room, checking on our electrical systems and then......what?" She didn't recall a thing after that. Everything just went black.
The quarian girl struggled to open her eyes. Fluttering open, the world outside was a hazy blur. There was a fuzz crow of people standing above her. Slowly, she began to focus. Standing in front of her in an unfamiliar room were Dr. Chakwas, the black haired Miranda, Yeoman Chambers, Mordin, and, in front of all of them Shepard. He had a worried look on his face.
"Ughhh......Shepard? Where.....where am I? What happened and, ooooooohhhhh, why do I hurt so much." Her lover let out a visible sigh of relief as the commander's expression changed from one of near panic to one of absolute euphoria.
"Tali! You’re awake! Thank God!" Tali was confused. What was he talking about? Reaching up to scratch the top of her head in confusion, she felt something....odd. Gripping it with her hand, she pulled it forward so she could see. It was long, black, and apparently attached to her head. It was.....hair?
Tali's mind could not seem to process this piece of information. "Hair? My hair? MY HAIR!!" Looking down at herself in shock, the quarian girl realized just how exposed she was. Covered only by a plain medical gown, her purple skin radiated a warm hue. Her raven black hair drift down over her face, contrasting her bright white, glowing eyes. Holding her hands up to her face, she gasped, seeing the exposed fingers for the first time in months.
Realizing the rising panic within her, Shepard sprang forward, placing a pair of strong hands upon Tali's slender shoulders. Calmly, yet strong, Shepard tried to sooth the panicked Quarian. "Tali, listen to me. I need you to stay calm. We can explain everything."
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