Chapter 1 - A Solution



“So you’re in good hands?” Shepard’s crackling voice sounded from the transmitter. 

 Tali struggled to hear him over the racket outside. She sat in the storage facility of a shop owned by a Turian she had befriended. “Yes. The ship should be here soon, and I’ve been told the crew is knowledgeable and trustworthy. If everything goes to plan, I should be contacting you as soon as I’ve completed my research.” 

 A brief flicker of interference. Everything on this planet was so broken. “Shepard?” 

“I hear you,” he said, his voice coming through again. “Anyway, please take care. I hope to hear from you as soon as possible.” 

 They avoided sharing intimate words when they weren’t face to face, but she could hear the concern in his voice. I miss you too. “I will. Please keep me notified as well.”  

“Got it. Well then… See you soon.” 

“And you, Shepard.” As soon as the transmission ended she added a whispered, “I love you.”

 Mordin Solus' project depended on her to ability to go out and track down whatever the manic Salarian needed. It was a task the Quarians of the Flotilla were taught early and that they were good at. Scavenging. When all civilized places wanted nothing to do to you, you were forced to survive on your own. 

 She slid down from the container in storage left and went to see the Turian one last time and thank him. He was quick to address her arrival. “Leaving already?” 

“My ship should be here soon. Thank you again for helping me.” 

 The Turian gave her a half-smile. “My pleasure. I’ve always been… fond of Quarians.” 

 Tali returned a nervous laugh as she shifted her weight from one foot to the next. The way he said it made her feel... targeted. He seemed so modest before, though the news that she wouldn't accompany him on his week-long voyage through the traverse appeared to sadden him. Despite her attempts to compromise, it appeared as though he was intent on steering clear of the direction her mission required her to head. His friendly attachment seemed excessive for the care of a passenger... but she thought better than to question the sincerity of a man who did so much to help her when they were only strangers. As she learned with Shepard, sometimes you just needed to accept that others were just doing good for goodness’ sake. With a final farewell, she continued her journey through the docked airlock to the open spacedock.

 The spaceport was full of ships coming and going nonstop, and run so poorly that it was easy to lose your way. Signs were completely unreliable and so were most people you asked for directions. Despite her best efforts to save time, Tali ended up spending much of the afternoon just trying to reach the ship she had haggled passage on. After hours spent struggling to find helpful information, she broke from the endless stream of passengers and personnel, hoping to clear her head by taking solace between abandoned kiosks.

“Where does a little Quarian like you wanna go?” a gravely voice asked her. She nearly jumped in surprise as she noticed an immense Krogan leaning against one of the kiosks, partially hidden behind stacked storage containers. Despite his choice in location, he looked more respectable and wary of his environment than most, so she figured he might know this much. Warily she approached, one palm tightening over a backpack strap as she raised the other in greeting, but before she could begin uttering her question, he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into the narrow corridor. Tali lost her footing repeatedly as she was urged in front of him and the farther they walked, the more secluded they became. The corridor would open again to allow them to rejoin the flooding masses of the spaceport, but in the fast-approaching middle of the passage... they would be all alone.

 No, no… You will not be taking advantage of me. “I… Have you ever heard of Shepard?” 

“Shepard.” He chewed on the name, progress slowing with his dark eyes coming back to her with a new look. “That Shepard?” 

“I’m a part of his crew. I’m on a mission - supposed to travel to a nearby system for some materials.” 

 Instead of looking scared, the Krogan only grinned. “Yet here you are. All alone.” 

 Before she could respond, he took a step forward that was unbelievably agile for his size, abandoning his method of forcing her ahead and wrapping one massive arm around her waist. They barely fit together and surely it would be difficult to try and sneak away like this, but... a large, warm sensation... Tali stared into his eyes breathlessly, becoming aware of the hand that came to rest on her rear. T-The nerve! 

 She attempted to raise objection, but her voice was caught in her throat as the large palm sank and rubbed around an entire handful of her perfectly round curves. Her back straightened and legs knocked together in shock. The Krogan only appreciated the extra flesh she inadvertently gave him, sparing her the degradation of a slap with a few light, finger-sinking, appraising taps. “Good ass on you. I like that... Now ask me that question you were going to bring up.” 

 Was… Was he going to keep holding her like that? Should she just accept it? In truth, before she had joined the Normandy occurrences such as these were... the norm. People saw a Quarian and thought only to take advantage. And when that Quarian was female... that always turned sexual. Even in a place as safe as the Citadel, walking around still resulted in people catcalling her or feeling her up.

 But now… Now I have Shepard. This... this isn’t right. It’s not fair to him. What would Shepard have done? “Let go of me,” she insisted. “Or my people will come here and blow your head off.” 

 The words came out forcefully and full of stammers, and the Krogan only laughed in response. “Funny.” His palm sank into her rear yet again, forcing a concerned yelp from the Quarian's lips. A soft handful of over-developed Quarian ass cheek was kneaded in his hand. “Now, about that question...” 

 Threatening this guy wasn’t going to work. Suddenly, she felt fortunate he only took it as a joke, given how much worse his reaction could have been. You’re not Shepard, you foolish Quarian. 

 As he went on playing with her ass through the exosuit, the Quarian tried to explain what exact ship she searched for. At last, the Krogan seemed to connect the dots and it dawned on him. “Ohhh, sure, I know those guys!” Another guttural chuckle. “That’s who you’re going with?”

Despite her... situation, Tali felt hope rise in her chest. She nodded in confirmation. “I was told they were good.” 

“Sure, they’re good. Better than most of the unevolved scum on this rock. I guess you could do worse.”

 The talk of familiar company broke the tension enough for Tali to break away from his grasp without noticing. Keeping her momentum up, she asked for names and directions, which the Krogan casually began offering. Despite his mannerism, he proved to be a capable guide. Painting him as a savior for her woes, Tali thanked him before turning to the stream of people and joining their overwhelming ranks as quick as possible short of running. Her ass was sore from what his groping, and probably bruised. She was so disappointed in herself. She could have defended herself better; its not like she came unarmed... but at the same time she wanted to do everything to avoid making a scene. What would her crew mates think if they saw her on some extranet article detailing her violent reaction? What would Shepard... She sighed. I’m sorry, Shepard… On the bright side... she was one step closer to completing her mission. One step closer to being done with this terrible journey and finally going back to the Normandy and, hopefully, never leaving it on some errand again. At least I’m a good crewmember... if not a good partner. 



//



 As a being that spent the majority of her time inhabiting a boring exosuit, Tali was a firm believer in appearances not being everything. Even then, as she stared at the ship docked in front of her, it was difficult to imagine that the inside could be so much different than the outside. 

 The whole thing just looked… mashed together. The hull consisted of mismatched parts from different ships connected together in various primitive ways. The plating was nothing short of a history of damage - a miracle that it even kept together. 

 It looked exactly like what you would imagine someone that knows everything about ships except how to make one would build. Am I truly about to board this death trap? I pray they’re better at piloting it than they were at engineering.

 The bay had two Krogan going around, and Tali hesitated before she went over to them. The last thing she wanted was to be groped again. Or worse. She assumed that they must’ve been security, or simply the muscle of the ship unwinding for the time being. What she wanted to see was the captain, who Tali prayed would be one of the Citadel species. 

 I have become like them. She hated to judge others based only on their species, but it seemed clear by now that even the best Krogan were riddled with violent predispositions, just like Wrex. They were good, if a hard man like Shepard was there to put them in line - a menace if left to their own devices. 

 When no one else showed up, Tali built up the courage to go and talk to them. Unlike her previous experience, they greeted her coolly, not asking for a name nor handshake, then proceeded to confirm that the ship in question was the one she was looking for. 

“The rest of the boys are out to relax. Cause some trouble.” They chuckled darkly. “Should be back soon. We’re on guard duty, so we can’t do much.” 

 Thank the universe! Yes! So they were only guards, phew! All she needed to do was sit by and hope these meatheads left her alone while she waited for the captain. They proved to be friendly, and insisted their captain was one of the best. “He’s been doing this for hundreds of years.” 

“Hundreds of years?”

 The darker of the two who had introduced himself as Surax bobbed his head. “Longer, maybe. Nobody really knows how old he is. But after serving with him for all these years, I’m pretty sure there’s nothing that man can’t handle. A warrior through and through.” 

 That certainly inspired an amount of confidence in her, but… who lived for hundreds of years, apart from Krogan? Did that mean--

 The bay doors opened and three other Krogan made their way towards the ship. The first two were lightly dressed, and a lot heavier than the two she had met on guard duty. While she was certain there were muscles under there that could break her spine effortlessly, their huge bodies were primarily covered in... well, fat. Odd sight for a Krogan. 

 The one that came last she assumed to be Harax Form. Not quite the unpronounceable name she expected a supposedly ancient Krogan to have, though he surely looked the part. Even by standards of what counted as big for other Krogan, this captain would’ve been considered huge. He towered over the rest of the crew, with arms as long and thick as her entire body almost. He wore what she took to be a ceremonial suit of armor scarred beyond recognition. His face was pale, but equally scarred, in some places the skin being patched up so much and so poorly that it was nothing short of mangled. 

 His eyes, so dark they were almost black, settled on her. “You’re the passenger?” The voice was deep and imposing, and unbelievably rough around the edges. 

 Tali got up and not knowing what else to do, took a small bow. “Yes, sir. My name is Tali’Zorah--”

“Tali’s good enough for me," he cut in. "You better stay here, because we’re going soon.”

“But--”

“As it happens, I’ve got a taste for Quarians, so you’re welcome I had the courtesy to tell you we're leaving soon.”

 Tali felt a lump develop in her throat. Had she said something wrong? And what had he meant by a taste for Quarians? No one in this galaxy liked Quarians. Certainly no Krogan that she had ever met. Even Wrex gave her looks at times that made her think he would’ve loved nothing more than to rip her exosuit apart and break her to pieces...  

 Perhaps this was a good sign?

 Obediently, Tali returned to her seat, plopping down without making another sound until the time for their departure.



//



 The interior of the ship turned out to be worse than her lowest expectations. A nightmare, really. 

 They had made the hull so thick that even though the ship appeared roomy from the outside, the living space itself was no bigger than a trailer. That would’ve been uncomfortable for even the smallest crew in the Flotilla, but for four Krogan plus the passengers? They constantly bumped into each other, cursing and hitting one another, while Harax did nothing to stop them. The captain simply went to his cabin and waited for the ship to take off. 

 The hallways could only be passed by one Krogan at a time, and even then they needed to hunch down and struggle to fit through, especially the older two that were more weight than muscle. Tali went by herself to inspect the rooms on offer, only to discover that the ones large enough to live in comfortably were taken by the Krogan themselves, of which they definitely filled past available capacity. Hers was a tiny area that she could barely fit into, whose only positive feature was being reminiscent of the cramped spaces in the Flotilla. 

“You’ll get used to it,” they told her. “It’s about as bad for you as it is for us.” 

 Yes, but it’s not my fault you’re gigantic, she wanted to say.

 And yet in spite of all this, the worst part of it all was still the filth. Just brushing against the wall resulted in grime coming off. Critters that had been unceremoniously disposed of littered every floor and corner of the ship, clearly not enough of a problem to motivate the Krogan to clean... if Krogan even knew how to.

 Just as she headed back to the living space, she saw one of them smashing his boot down on something that crunched underfoot. And she thought Wrex was bad… 

 As the captain and the rest of the crew prepared to make the jump, Tali sat down to have her only saving grace from the hectic unknown; her lunch: one of the two nutrient pastes she had brought along. It wouldn't be enough to last her long, but she planned to make do until they reached their destination.

 She could hear Surax muttering as he passed her by. Far be it from her to imagine there was a calm state for a Krogan's voice to reside in, but his voice felt more alarmed than usual. Tali couldn't help but getting up and craning her head around the corner after him.

 “Is something wrong?” the Quarian dared to ask.

“Eat your food, Skintight. We’ll deal with this.” 

 Skintight. The term slowly came to her but was quick to flush her face. Tali suddenly felt very aware of the way her exosuit clung to every curve of her body. She ducked her head from the corridor and sat herself in her small bunk with a huff. Skintight. Sure the suits were required to be formfitting, but... Well, you could only commission so many suits and others had to be scavenged from all sorts of purposed ones, but... 

The deeper she delved into the origins of her people's suits, the hotter her face felt. There was a reason fabrics were a mainstay in Quarian culture. Sure the suits could be beefed out to omit the need for skintight appearance, but so much of themselves were already hidden from sight that... was it so wrong to want to reflect your physique? There were definite consequences due to the suit's limited customization of course. How tightly it pressed against her rear for example was...

 I hope they’re not getting any ideas… Tali grimaced, pressing her knees together. Thankfully she wouldn't be there for too long. She wrapped her family vestments closer to her body and tried to keep her butt and bust out of view. 

 A few hours later, as she sat still trying to listen to the Krogan work out the next phase of their transit, she heard them whooping. Next, Surax padded back from the engineering bay and dropped down to relax. Just having him share the space area made it seem that much tighter. A whole family of Quarians would’ve taken less space than a single one of these Krogan.

“Is all well?” 

 This time, he nodded calmly. “Those two rats finally made it work again. Now we just relax and wait. We’ll be jumping and heading clear in moments.” 

 Tali braced for the jump and sat by patiently, fingering the other nutrient paste she had left. She shouldn’t have eaten the other so soon; now her body craved more. On the Normandy, food supplies were never an issue, but this brought back memories of struggling to get by on her own… Wandering the streets of different planets, willing to do any number of odd jobs to scrape by another day. It felt... fun and nostalgic in a sense.

 Idly, she wondered what Shepard and the rest might’ve been doing. What would they say when she told them she went on a ship run by Krogan? No doubt they would call her crazy and laugh.

 Tali closed her eyes and pictured her sweet Shepard, looking forward to reuniting with him once more. This mission needed to be a success. After all the things they went through, the Normandy needed a win. Slowly she drifted to a cramped sleep.

There was no telling how long she managed to enjoy her nap... but a loud, sharp buzz snapped her back into the world of the awake. Her eyes opened to darkness. Were the lights out?

“Surax. Can you see anything?” 

 Krogan spoke to Krogan, both grump and aggravated. Silence filled the air. He had dozed off. But seconds later, a murmur, “Shit.” 

 The emergency lights snapped to life, joined by an alarming mechanical buzz, inking out the interior in shadows and dull red light. 

“What happened?” Tali got up, panicked. Her hands braced the walls of her room, peeling paint and clearing dust. “I haven’t heard anything.” 

 Surax was ignoring her. He just got up and stomped towards the engineering bay, yelling, “Not again! Not fucking again!” 

 This time Tali did not dare approach. The last thing she wanted was to be in the vicinity of mad Krogan. It turned out to be a wise call, since a few seconds later she could make out the dull thuds of their confrontation and the occasional loud ring as they hurled each other into the walls. 

 Then a shot fired. “ENOUGH!” boomed a voice so low and deep that it made her body tremble instinctively. “You will stop at once.” 

“But th--” 

 Another shot fired, followed by a cry of pain. This time, she could recognize the yelp as Surax’s. Was he hurt? Who had fired at him? 

 Then everything went quiet, and she could even hear a door closing in the distance. They shut her out completely. Tali sat there in the dim glow of the lights, wondering what the hell went on, and just what had happened. Did the captain shoot Surax? Was that his voice? A lot more terrifying than he had originally let on if it was… 

 No doubt a thousand-year-old Krogan learns some tricks. If Quarians that were underestimated had to spend so much time learning to blend in and make themselves sympathetic to the other species, what kind of behavior would Krogan exhibit towards others when they were viewed as mortal threats by default? You would want to appear cool and reasonable… 

 Just as the captain had. 

 Not long after, she heard the door open. This time followed by ringing footfalls that approached her location. Tali stood up before anyone got there, trying to at least appear wary if nothing else.

 Harax emerged from the corridor in a bent form, then took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders and stretched his arm. The pistol was at his side. “Quarian,” he said briskly. “Do you want the good news or the bad news?” 

“I…”

“Well?”

“...” 

“The bad news is the rats got the Beauty stranded.” By the Beauty, Tali assumed he meant the ship. He calls this thing a beauty? Even as sarcasm it was too much. “The good news is that we’re alive and our distress signals going out.” 

 Tali's optimism began a free-fall spiral into oblivion. “But then… How long are we going to be here for?” 

“Who knows? A day? A week? A month?" His arms widened as he began emphasizing time with his hands. Tali felt he would have gone wider with his assumptions, but he stopped himself short. Maybe in consideration? His stance returned to normal with a heavy grunt. "I don’t know, Quarian. But be thankful we’ve got supplies. Otherwise time and desperation would see us eating each other.” 

 As soon as she heard about supplies, her stomach began to curl into itself. With nothing left to tell her, he left her to allow the information to sink in. Sadly, there was much more than an emotional sink developing. Tali waited a rational amount of time before peering beyond the corners of her quarters and investigating just what food the passenger-opting vessel had onboard. She had apparently waited too long as, with little else to keep them company, the crew members of the vessel had made themselves at home with the provisions they kept just a door away from their quarters. Without bothering to ask them, Tali meandered and checked only to discover that the only thing they had were Krogan MREs, despicable blocks of mismatched nutrient bars that required water to be processed into a full meal. With the engines dead, but power still running, they would certainly be able to survive for as long as needed... but... 

Sure, those would be great for them. But not for me, I can’t digest this! 

 Ignoring the bustle and yells that now came from the living space, she went straight for the captain’s cabin, this time feeling angry enough to be indignant. She didn’t have weeks or months. Maybe days. If she even had so much as a backup the situation perhaps wouldn't be as dire, but with only one nutrient paste remaining...

 Her fist knocked on the solid door of the Captain's cabin. For the sake of her outrage she assumed the Captain was hard of hearing.

“What do you want, woman?” asked the ancient Krogan through the door. 

 Tali kept voicing her anger so loudly it rang in her helmet. “Open up!” 

 Once he finally did and stood there taking up all space, old dark eyes staring down at her out of a grizzled scarred face, her rage subsided. “Do not waste my time, little Quarian.” 

 Waste his time? No, this was a serious issue. “I need to talk to you on the issue of provisions…”

 The captain's eyes narrowed, undoubtedly asking himself if entertaining her inquiry was worth the air. Instead he turned around, grunting under his breath. Tali took it as confirmation of her demands and followed him in.

 Tali first noted how much more spacious the Captain's quarters truly were, though it was warranted given the sheer size of the massive Krogan. Carved etchings and scattered mementos gave brief glimpses into his accomplishments and past, though far too little to take her attention for long. He traveled light. The captain waved a wary hand to a footstool near his equally massive chair, gesturing for her to sit. Tali assumed her seat and waited for him to do the same, instead hearing him sigh in relief with a creaking fall. She found the space so limited by his massive size that it was nigh impossible to move her eyes away from him. Instead, that reptilian gaze fixed on her throughout, demanding she voice her thoughts and be done with it. Clearing her throat, Tali explained her problem.

 She explained the problem with her food, her concerns with the ship, as well as her hopes for rescue. If anything she found herself talking more as the Captain silently digested her information as the seconds ticked away. She felt she could trust him as with his age there obviously came wisdom. He I can work with.

 Her report was then suddenly cut in to. 

“I used to know a Quarian.”

“What was her name?” Tali's interest was raised.

 Harax shrugged. “I don’t recall. This was ages ago. But I do remember her. Her supple body and pale lavender skin--”

“Her skin?” interrupted Tali. “Are you saying she was without her suit?”

“Of course. That insanity only started later. There was never any harm to her being without one..” 

 She couldn't believe what she was hearing. No harm? She would’ve perished from such exposure, especially if… especially if she was in the same places a Krogan might be.

“I’m not sure I understand…” 

 Harax, though, became dreamy. His eyes stared past her, distantly, no doubt trying to recall one of his other lives. He grinned. “Yes, I remember. To this day, she’s the best lay I ever came across. Enough that nothing since has ever compared or will compare...” 

 Best… lay? Tali was caught entirely off guard. Now Harax was talking pure nonsense. No Quarian could ever make love to a Krogan. To begin with, Tali could not imagine a single one of her fleet sisters that might ever be interested in copulating with such a... being. And more importantly, the size difference between them, let alone the vulnerabilities of the Quarians, made such a pairing practically impossible. As the compatibility issues began numbering in the thousands, Tali felt her head begin to ache. Thankfully, her Krogan companion was the first to snap out of their daze.

“Anyway…” Harax relaxed, narrowing his eyes on her. “I think I might have a solution to your problems." After taking a moment to to eye her up and down, he grunted through his nose, "Though I’m not sure you’ll like it all that much. Having said that, it probably beats starving, so you’ll come around to it if necessary.”

“Solution?” 

 He nodded sagely. “One of the discoveries I made with my Quarian friend was that... she could not only digest Krogan seed, but that it was about as nourishing as the best food one like you could get.” A low laugh. “Not that many would vouch for its rich taste let alone flavor... but she certainly came to prefer it over the store brand stuffs. You could almost say it was as designed for her... for you.” 

 Tali felt a stone develop in her throat. She was no real fool to what he was implying... but she wasn't easy to fool either. Instead, she hoped to all of her gods that he wasn't implying what she thought he was. The mere thought brought... aggravated disbelief.

“I-I’m... uh, eh-hem, not sure what you’re saying…” 

“I’m sure you do, Quarian." He leaned back with a creak. The unphased look in his eyes told Tali all she needed to know. He was serious. About his offer... about his rumor... perhaps both. She dared not take him at his word. "Hopefully, we’ll get out of this one soon. But if we happen to be stranded here for longer periods of time... you should prepare yourself to do anything to survive. I know I have. Thankfully, I’ll be able to help you out without any of those brutes getting any ideas." Tali's face burned as he mentioned his crew. Yes. His Krogan crew, who would also fit his Krogan solution to her Quarian problem. The audacity... "So, if the hunger starts to get to you anytime soon, you know where to find me.” 

 An abhorrent notion if there ever was one. Did this Krogan seriously think she would… stoop to that level? To begin with, Tali thought he was completely mad. But even assuming that everything he said was true… That’s so... disgusting. Quarians were known to provide… whatever services they could to survive. But even those back at the Flotilla would’ve been horrified to hear of this suggestion. Would her mother have eaten seed to survive? 

 ...Had she?

 They will come get us soon enough… 

 As she walked towards her cramped cabin, she could hear the Krogan in the living space bickering between themselves before smashing upon the MRE containers ready to have themselves a feast. Her stomach, as if on cue, demanded her attention.

 Please.

 

//

 

 That final nutrient paste was all that she had left. 

 Tali knew she needed to do her best to conserve it. The first day went by with difficulty, but then on the second and third her body no longer showed signs of hunger. She calmed down and spent the time that she had by herself, hoping that rescue would come any second. Every so often she could hear the krogan arguing between them as the engineering ‘rats’ got yelled at for trying to make repairs to the ship. 

 Though her opinion wasn’t considered, Tali sided with the opposition. The rats had done enough harm. At least they could survive until help came.

 On the fourth day, however, she woke up feeling nauseous. She hoped that it would pass, but instead it only got worse as time went on. Not only had her hunger returned, but it did so with a vengeance. 

 In the end, there was nothing to do but consume the little food she had left, praying that no more would be needed in the upcoming days. 

 They will be here tomorrow, she told herself. I know they will. 



 //



 While the rest of the Krogan occasionally spoke to her when she went out to stretch her legs, Harax remained isolated in his cabin. 

“Are you sure he’s well?” Tali asked them. 

 Her Krogan shipmate nodded, almost unhappy with their certainty. “He’s fine. I mean, the bastard’s a thousand years old. Our people aren’t exactly known as fun-loving - passage of time doesn’t help.” 

 Her hand pressed into her aching stomach, trying not to think of the bottomless pit that seemed to have spawned there. The cramps were getting worse, and even the little food there might’ve remained in her system since her last meal constantly threatened to come back up. Retching wasn’t an option.

 When the week neared its end, she could no longer take it. She decided that there was nothing to lose by approaching the matter in the most scientific way possible. If… If their seed did indeed have any nutritional properties that could be helpful to a Quarian, it would be no different than digesting some scraps made in a lab. 

 At least, that’s what she needed to tell herself. 

 The crew had retired for the night when she decided to make her move. Even then, with none of them the wiser of her actions, every step brought a massive weight of guilt to her very core. She was willing to risk everything on a rumor. The sound of heavy snoring was welcome respite from the thoughts that clouded her mind. How low the daughter of Rael'Zorah was falling...

 She stared at the door to the Captain's cabin for longer than she would have liked. She could turn back now - put it all past her. She all but considered turning on the balls of her feet and risking another day of agony to wait for help to arrive... but her stomach demanded her attention. There was no turning back. She had to... needed to survive. Not just for herself... but for the mission. For... Shepard.

 It took a while of knocking at Harax’s door until he woke up or became willing enough to open. He greeted her with a charismatic growl. “Quarian. Is all well?” 

 Tali wasn’t sure how to even bring up the subject. “Last time we spoke you said you could help me. Help me with... my… problem.” 

 His brow furrowed as he searched his mind for a fleeting memory. It didn't take long for him to remember. “Ah. I see. Say no more.” 

 After showing Tali in, Harax locked the cabin door and sat down as before. She glanced at him shyly, unsure of what to say or do. She palmed her hands together as she fiddled with one finger to the next. She became intensely aware of the silence. Her body reverted to her bashful demeanor from before completing her Pilgrimage. She cleared her throat a number of times before raising a weak voice. “How... are we supposed to do this?” 

 The ancient Krogan laughed grimly. “It’s been a long time for me, Quarian. Not to mention that I’m feeling disinterested." He pressed a fist to his chest before releasing a deep chuckle from within. "Comes with the age, I imagine. I suppose you’ll have to find a way to do it. Don’t worry, you can’t do me any harm. You can start with the armor. I haven’t taken this thing off in years.” 

 Though that was supposed to make her feel better, the comment only made it worse. You can’t do me any harm, sounds a lot like, You’re powerless before me. 

 Following his laconic instructions, Tali nodded after swallowing what felt like a manifestation of her insecurities. Rising, she proceeded to follow his instructions, taking apart the different segments of his armor. More like taking apart a machine piece by piece than anything else. Though the ancient armor set had a rugged appeal and had protected him for hundreds, if not thousands of fatal blows, it certainly lacked the supple lightness of newer designs.

 Despite his age, the tone of his sculpted muscles tensed in the low light, every inch of them inked out by the shadows of the room. Only as her eyes went down to her stomach could she see the rolls of fat resting on top of each other. The benefits of running a successful ferrying business, she imagined. Not that they mattered. No doubt with shoulders and arms of that size, he could still have crushed her like a bug.

 Harax glanced down at the infinite array of scars that ran the length of his torso. He gingerly fingered what looked like a crater made by a bullet beneath his shoulder, the softness of his touch seeming rather odd for a warrior that big. The first display of weakness and sentimentality.

“Is something wrong?” the Quarian inquired softly. 

“No… I just don’t remember where this is from.” He shook his head in disgust. “No matter. Go on.” 

 Undoing his top armor had been easy enough, but having to remove his lower half made her feel a lot more awkward. Her palms hovered for longer than she would have liked. A brief look back at the aged veteran told her what she knew all along. There was a job to do. “I told you, Quarian, do what you must.”

“Yes...  Yes, I will.” 

 The plates of armor were dislodged one by one, till all that was left was a skintight pair of leggings covering his legs. Harax lifted himself on one arm and pulled them from under his bottom, then let her pull them off the rest of the way. 

 Finally naked, the Krogan flexed his hand stretched his back. A loud popping startled Tali, only to realize it came from the tightened joints of the veteran Krogan, now free from his cage. He released a deep, dense sigh of relief. “I forgot what it’s like to be free.” 

 Tali's eyes darted back to her task, though with nothing left to remove... her gave narrowed on a single object. A single entity. There was no way...

 Tali could only stare at the penis resting between his legs. It stretched the third of a way down his thigh, but at her scale... it matched her leg… 

“Don’t tell me you’ve never seen a Krogan cock before, Quarian.” 

“N-No… No, I... I have…” 

 In pictures, perhaps. General biology graphs, childish dares, and a curious foray into the world of the extranet... but this one just seemed much more... mature. Thick veins burst over the whole shaft, the smallest thicker than one of her own fingers, viciously throbbing even as it lay in its soft form. Bumps rose from the base of the shaft, swelling in size and growing in number as the shaft lengthened, only to cluster up in a ring around the thick head. A thin cloud of steam began permeating from the sheer heat radiating from the unleashed... monstrosity Tali had unknowingly freed. It hadn't seen a recreational day in a long time... and the shining, glimmering smears she found reflecting from its still-beating surface conveyed one last fact she didn't want to consider. It was lathered in sweat.

 How could any female possibly take this? Everything from its massive size to its gnarled and nasty appearance made her shiver. To think of those gruesome bumps rubbing against her insides… 

“Well, Quarian?" The Krogan snapped her from her repulsed daze, "Are you going to do it, or what?” 

“I..." You can still back out. Apologize. It was a mistake coming here. I should go. Leave. LEAVE. IGNORE THE... Ignore the... The mission. Ignore the... hunger.  "Y...Yes…” 

 Tali didn't know where to even begin. Her left palm hovered over the steaming mass as her right hand moved to take the lead. In utter terror she realized she could feel her left hand warming from the simple act of being near the immense member. She swallowed hard and curled her hand into a fist a few times, hoping to make the sensation less noticeable. Gingerly Tali pressed her right hand against the wall of flesh that made up the Krogan's thigh, positioning her fingers in a shovel-like form as she neared the head of his immense penis. Slowly she made contact. The sensation was far worse than she could have imagined. Immediately her suit attempted to compensate for the sudden increase in temperature, but failed drastically as centimeter after centimeter of turgid Krogan cock was scooped into her open palm. Slowly the gargantuan slab of meat separated itself from Harax's thigh and gravity began to make itself known. 

 Tali panicked as his cock began to fall downwards. Without thinking, she clutched the bottom of his cock with her left palm, throwing her suit into further disarray. The effects were immediate. The thick head rested on her laughably smaller wrist as Tali supported the five-plus pound weight of unfiltered Krogan cock in a single hand. Tali only soon after realized just how she was holding the Captain's cock. Her fingers twitched in uncertainty... but she was already there. How much more damaging could it be to continue? She made an awkward attempt at grasping it with one hand but her grip could barely go halfway around its girth and in the extreme tension of the moment, it kept slipping. Meanwhile, her other hand grasped for her belt, quickly clutching a makeshift container she had brought for the purpose of the experiment. As his cock hardened with life, she found herself needing to support it less and less. Even hands free and in full life, Tali was all but useless at her task. Her right hand attempted to jerk him off with reckless abandon as her other hand held the container in disorderly panic. Harax reached out and grabbed her forearm in his strong grip. Her arm went completely still. His eyes held her. “I’ll help you.” Then he pulled her into his lap. 

 Tali landed on his muscular thigh as he adjusted his penis and set the immense base of his cock down to rest in her lap. Tali found herself horrified as she was suddenly bombarded with the sensation of oversized Krogan cock flesh resting close to her body.  She could only stare down at it in shock, thankful for the mask that kept her features hidden, as she felt every pulse that went through those root-like veins press warmly against her. 

“Now you’re in a better position,” he said with a warm smile. “Now then... get your nutrients.” 

 Avoiding eye contact, she began to move her palm over the bumpy surface of the shaft, not quite able to come to terms with the immensity of its size. Surely this is must be a freak accident… There is no way they could take this. No way a Quarian could take this. Perhaps he had just made that whole story up. Was going to such lengths to mock a person bordering on starvation something a Krogan might do? I would not think so. And yet it was so... so very... big…

“You’re impressed,” Harax chuckled coldly. 

“W-What?” asked Tali in a panic. “N-No, I’m just… I haven’t…” 

 His strong hand patted her back. It nearly knocked the wind out of her. For reasons beyond her thinking at the time... she continued stroking him. “I’m just messing with you, Quarian. Though, admit it, you’ve never seen one so big in your life.” 

 She gulped and sensed it growing stronger under her fingers. All of those veins... “N-No…” 

 Only seconds filled the air before he spoke again. There was an air of... arrogance... and dominance in his voice. Tali felt her thighs tighten against his.

“How much bigger is this than your man’s? Twice? Five times? Ten times?” 

 He dared to bring Shepard into this. There was no describing how upset it should have made her. She should have been filled with rage... but...

 Twenty would not be enough. “He... His... He's much... smaller,” she conceded, trying not to think too much of Shepard. What would he have said if he witnessed this display from her? And it's not even fair, they're not even the same race! Even if they were, she doubted it'd even be a question!! But... even so, it... She shouldn't have...

 I’m only trying to survive… 

 Holding the cup beneath the flat head of his cock, Tali doubled her efforts. Her strokes became powerful and her fingers sank deeper. It repulsed her how his cock fought her back, nearly forcing her digits to bounce out from the sheer amount of blood pumping through him. But with the help of his existing sweat and building precum, Tali's palm began to slide with ease. She didn't notice how wet her palms had become.

“Is... Is this helping?”

“Keep going.” His arm slid down from her shoulder till she could feel his hand resting on the hanging curves of her tightened bubble butt. Without hesitation, his fingers sank into it.

Tali's involuntarily arched her back, forcing more of her rear into his hand... and more of his cock onto her chest.

“U-Uhm… S-Sir…” 

“Keep at it, Quarian." He remarked dismissively. His hand pulled and kneaded her thick cheek in every direction he wished. Tali bit back a yelp. "You’re not very good at this.” 

 Tali blushed under her helmet and chose to ignore him. How could she be good at this? He was Krogan... and his cock was huge! Nothing could have prepared her for this moment! Thankfully, having her ass grabbed was an embarrassment that paid off. As he pinched her fat cheek between his fingers and her rubbing began producing wet schlick sounds, the shaft hardened all the way, so tough now that it might’ve been a log. 

“That’s right…” whispered Harax. “Now work the head. I’m just about ready.” 

 With all the embarrassment in the world in her heart, she reached out and gently massaged the bumps near the head with both of her palms. Her thumbs caressed the oversized head as her fingers brushed in a pulling motion, as though signaling the cum in his heavy sack to come to her. Tali could hardly tell she was panting from all the actions her body was put through. But finally, Harax grunted in a low, very Krogan signal of released frustration. 

 The thick veins of his cock tightened as his balls pulsed as though needing muscles of their own to work. His shaft shook as it prepared to expel his cum for Tali to collect. My food. The head shot out a blast of seed that exploded in all directions, including that of the lost-in-the-moment Quarian's helmet. Tali's head jerked back from the force as her suit again ran haywire from the sudden increase in temperature the stream of cum shot her through. Despite the strength of his first shot, the rest came smoothly and without incident. Tali sat in disbelief over the strength of his orgasm and was mesmerized by the mess she had unknowingly made. Only seconds after the flow had stopped and silence had filled the air did she remember the container she had brought with her. Staring down in horror, Tali was afraid she'd have to milk the Krogan of his seed again, but felt relief immediately come back to her as she found the discernible shape of the edges of her container pop out from the dense puddle of cum that had developed between her legs.

 Picking up the container gingerly, Tali noted with increasing disgust that the excess of Krogan seed stuck to the container in ways hinting at... an unnaturally thick composition. Tali couldn't say if it was simply the Krogan way or his age that caused it to be that way, but the sight of it was enough to make her feel ill. I... I’ll have to eat... that?...

“It’s been a while,” said Harax.

“Yes... I can, uh... I can tell.” 

Tali only noted soon after, to much humiliation, that she still straddled her Krogan helper tightly. Quickly she came to stand and, container in hand, Tali only stared at the result of her handiwork in increasing disgust at herself. She had done... that?

 Tali tried a few times to ask if he was fine, if there was anything more, and even kicked herself for daring of thinking to ask how she performed. Instead, like a lost child, Tali nodded at the Krogan and turned to leave.

 And yet, there was a final comment that would burn in her mind for the nights to come.

“Eat well, Quarian.” 



//



 Tali waited for what should have been her death. 

 Not of hunger, but of illness.

 She had not consumed the Krogan’s seed at first. She hesitated, hoping that somehow there would be a saving grace to escape this mess. One miracle rescue. Even as she prepared to taste it a few hours later, she still hoped a blare announcing her heroes would sound.

 No such help came.

 Instead, with trembling hands, she loaded the helmet with the food and prepared to eat it. She noted in disgust that despite the passage of time, it was still just as warm. What a fate to befall even one such as me… 

 What she first noticed was, immediately, the taste. Bland, but thick. There was a flavor there she couldn't understand. Not sweet, but bordering on sour... and by the gods did it make her tear up. But worst of all It was not so much the taste that struck her as the thickness. Even in her warmth of her mouth it remained... chewy... and hard. Though what could one expect from the seed of a thousand-year-old Krogan? There was the burning desire to retch what she had dared to do, and it did not leave her until well after she had dared to swallow her meal. She was... grateful it didn’t instantly kill her. 

 Hours later, she still thought about how sick she would get even as her body remained in a perfectly healthy state. As the hours passed into the next day, Tali was mixed with both fear and awe. Could he have been serious? Had… Had a Quarian seriously been his lover and... consumed his seed greedily? 

 In times of desperation, a person does anything. But now that her mind cleared up she could only assume that he had told the truth all along. And here she was, alive. 

 What madness. 

 Unfortunately, she could not escape the taste or smell of it now. Initially, the taste seemed bland and forgettable. Nothing more than a bad meal one would get through and forget. But now, with the passage of time, she could still feel it in the back of her throat. Nothing like it had ever affected her before. She could still taste it as she went to bed, and just as easily as when she'd woken up, her first breath only invited more of its overwhelming odor. Most terrifying of all however were the outward effects of his seed. Specifically... the discovery that Krogan seed... stained. 

 Her vestments from the Flotilla… Her familial clothes... 

 She ran her hand over the stains she could clean as much as she tried. Whatever the Krogan seed contained, it proved too potent for the fabric. A quick investigation of her fabrics showed that it seeped all the way through as well. Her cultural garbs... ruined.

 How would I explain this to Father? To Shepard. 

 She did not even want to think about Shepard. Not now. 

 Tali knew that in any situation, he would give the same advice: Survive.

 Tali felt disgusted... but one glance over to her side showed the numerous vials she had produced from her... deeds. She'd have trouble... forgiving herself. But in the greater scheme of things, this was nothing. She had to see the mission through... whatever means necessary.

 ...Survive I will. 

