A/N: I own nothing except the laptop upon which I wrote this story.

Despite myself, I start to laugh a little bit. It doesn't really help Tali.

"John!" She said, positively offended. "This is not a joking matter." I stop myself, and take a deep breath.

"I know, I know." I said. "It's just…of all the people in this ship, you seem like the last possible person that could ever commit treason."

"Still not helping." Tali snarled.

"…Sorry." I said. "But I'm being serious. I'm the top offender for that, and I simply don't see how you could be accused of treason." I take a deep breath, composing myself. "Do you have any idea what the charge is?"

"No idea." Tali said. "They'll notify me as soon as I return to the Flotilla."

"They don't tell you the charge?" I asked. "What kind of bullshit, Orwellian crap is that? How does that not cause them to trick people into coming back for summary execution?"

"You obviously don't know how Quarian society works, John." Tali said.

"Then enlighten me."

"Ever since our banishment from Rannoch, our home planet-"

"-The Geth did that, right?"

"…Yes. Ever since the banishment, we've been confined to what would charitably be described as a 'motley' assortment of ships and frigates, because that's the only place that can be sterilized enough for our immune system. So really all we've got is each other. Culture and stability and communal bonding is crucial to the Quarian people. We don't stab one another in the back. In fact, we don't even have executions for criminals. We simply banish them from ever returning to the Flotilla. Better to let the precious few number of Quarians in the galaxy exist than to subtract even one."

"…So you believe that they're going to be at the very least courteous with you when we land?"

"Correct."

"Ok." I said. "Suppose we go to the Flotilla. Is there a trial? They can't just convict you on return, can they?"

"Because the fleet is our government, that means that the Admiralty Board is responsible for determining my fate. It is a council of four of the highest ranking admirals in the fleet. It's a public trial, similar to earth trials. Because it's…treason, it has to be an all or nothing vote: either they all find me innocent, or they all find me guilty. No chance for a hung jury."

"Okay, so that's…not promising." I admitted. "Because that means that we'd have to deal with at least one hardliner who's against you. Maybe one or two that are neutral, and one favorable to you. Law of averages has to suggest that's reality."

"You watch too many court procedurals." Tali said.

"It's not wrong, and you know it." I said. "So…who's the person that you know will support you?"

"That would be Admiral Shala'Raan. She's an old family friend."

Fuck. A family friend on the court? That's almost a guaranteed recusal. Hopefully she's not too honorable, but…

"So where are you going with this?" Tali asked. "We have to go back to the fleet, but it sounds like you're…up to something."

"I'm just trying to think of ways to get to the admiralty board." I admit.

"John! That's unconscionable!"

"Tali, what happens if you're convicted?"

"…I'm stripped of my position, and excommunicated from the fleet."

"So you'll be left out, and forgotten?"

"Essentially."

"Then I need to keep that option open."

"But we have the truth! I didn't commit treason!"

"The truth?" I asked. "The truth doesn't help you right now. The only thing that matters is getting them to say 'not guilty.' Anything else is candy floss."

"What's this about candy floss?"

We turn around to see that Sis is now standing behind us. She's in workout clothes, clearly coming from a workout routine down in the hangar gym. She raises an eyebrow.

"I was looking for you, John, because I wanted to talk about iFF protocol…but judging from your guys' body language, it seems like there's something going on."

Tali and I look at each other.

"I mean we could tell you, Sis. But you won't like it."

"Tell me, John. That's an order."

We told her.

She didn't like it.

…

That was how we found ourselves gliding somewhere through the Vallhallen Threshold. According to the transmission that Tali had received from the Quarian fleet, the Migrant Fleet was orbiting one of the binary stars in the Raheel-Leyya system. That's…about as far away from civilized space as you can get. Any further and one would consider it the Terminus Systems of the Terminus Systems. It's a shithole.

Makes me wonder if that's the reason the Quarians are there: so that they aren't bothered by the rest of the assholish galaxy. And judgey pricks like me.

As we come out of FTL travel, Joker gently glides the Normandy towards what looks like the biggest frigate I have ever seen. But then I blink, and realize that it was essentially an optical illusion. There's a massive frigate, sure…but there are also countless smaller ships that are hugging it closely like an infant animal to its mother. Put together, the ships are ranshackle, misshapen, and otherwise pathetic. I can even see a few of them leaking drive core fuel, if the milky after-effect mist trailing behind the fleet is any indication.

Tali steps forward on the bridge, speaking into the communication link to the Fleet.

"This is Tali'Zorah vas Neema nar Rayya requesting permission to dock with the Rayya."

"Our system has your ship flagged as Cerberus. Verify." The traffic controller speaks.

I can't resist taking a look over at Miranda, as if to reaffirm to her how disdained her organization is. But it's not hate I feel. More like a sense of sadness. Why doesn't she seem to get it? Rationalization doesn't work forever.

She looks over at me, seems to see what I'm thinking, but then looks away. I see a trace of guilt in her eyes.

"After time adrift among open stars, along tides of light and shoals of dust, I will return to where I began."

It's a beautiful little poem, and Tali seems to have a great sense of pride wiith every word.

"Permission granted. Welcome home, Tali'Zorah."

The controller's voice is much warmer now that he's heard the magic words. Joker continues our ascent up towards the largest of the ships, and soon we're getting in docking range.

"We'd like a security and quarantine ship to meet us. Our ship is not clean." Tali said.

"Understood. Approach exterior docking cradle 17."

Joker punches a few buttons to engage the auto-docking system, and soon the Normandy is locked into the magnetized anchors that will hold us in place. There's a rumble, and a shudder, and then the ship is locked in. Joker whistles through his teeth.

"That's not exactly the smoothest of docking tech."

"It's probably the best they have, Mr. Moreau." Miranda said.

As we begin docking protocol, Sis turns to me.

"Miranda, John. A word?"

She leads us off to the side, away from the others.

As soon as the three of us are away, she speaks in a low voice.

"John, Tali told me that you were thinking of leaning on the Admirality Board to make sure they vote in favor of Tali. Is that right?"

I recognize the tone. She wants to make sure I didn't say anything stupid. Or threatening.

"I don't want to shoot them on sight, if that's what you're asking. But if there's some degree of pork barrel politics we can get to them through Cerberus, or whatever, then I think we should consider it."

"Cerberus isn't an open piggy bank for our perusal, John." Miranda said. "And I don't think that the Migrant Fleet is going to want to be beholden to Cerberus. They might view it as blatant bribery."

"What about implicit bribery?" I asked. The two of them just look at me. "Come on, work with me! The absolute last thing we need is to be stuck here for weeks while we wait for the Admirals to stop their latest game of Skyllian-Fives in order to set a trial date. This needs to be expedited, it needs to seem on the up and up, and it absolutely needs to end with a not guilty verdict. Now, Miranda, is there anything that you can do that might get the Admiral's attention?"

She scrunches her face in thought. Sis looks aghast.

"Miranda, are you seriously considering this?"

"Well, I don't think that the normal back channels are laundered enough…" She said to no one in particular. Then she looks back at us. "The nice thing about my position is that I have my own personal business strings, that are outside of the Illusive Man's funds. I can perhaps arrange bulk shipments from one of my companies to the Migrant Fleet. It'd have to be mundane to avoid detection or suspicion, and yet useful enough to angle interest."

"What about drive core parts?" I asked. "There are a lot of ships in the fleet that are leaking fuel."

"That could work. I have a few companies based in Illium that would be willing to do business."

"Guys. Don't put your cart in front of the horse." Sis said. She looks at us. "Priority one: we figure out what the charge is. Priority two: we figure out who is doing the judging. Then we start thinking about greasing the wheel. There's gonna need to be two teams brought out of the ship: one team for diplomacy, one for fire support. Miranda, you lead the diplomacy team. Who do you want?"

"Krios, Samara, Dr. Solus and…Mr. Massani."

We both look at her.

"You want Zaeed for diplomacy?" I asked. "Why not place Grunt in charge of guarding a china shop?"

"I'm hoping that amongst his many bizarre hobbies, Quarian culture is one of them." Miranda said. She fired up her communicator. "Mr. Massani?"

"Yeah, what the hell do you want?"

"Do you know much about Quarian culture?"

"Sure thing. Let me go get my bloody copy of Fleet and Flotilla!"

Miranda sighed. She looked at us, defeated.

"Never mind, Mr. Massani. Thank you-"

"What, you thought I was joking? Okay, so I don't have a copy of Flotilla, but I did do an extended security team run for some ponce Quarian on the Citadel a couple years ago. I know a thing or two about how those nances do business. Just a friendly reminder: they're sensitive about the names of their ships. Don't make light of it."

I realize that the three of us all have our jaws agape. Miranda clears her throat awkwardly.

"Um…great! Please report to the decontamination unit, and gather up Krios, Samara and Dr. Solus."

"Yeah, yeah. Got it."

I turn to Sis, who takes a moment to regain her sense of reality after this bizarre moment. She shakes her head.

"You, Tali, Garrus and I will be the fire support team. Might do well to keep Tali with people she knows well. Any questions?"

"Nope." I said.

"None." Miranda replied.

"Good." Sis said. "Then let's go prove Tali innocent."

…

The hallway out of the Normandy and into the Rayya is cramped, though that may be because there are nine of us walking out now. The Quarian guards that string the hall look at us with varying degrees of unease. At the end of the hall, right before an entrance to what I assume is an atrium, there is a Quarian in white and maroon armor. He looks a little like Kal'Reegar, but he's a little thinner than the guy. The thought makes me wonder how the captain is doing.

"Captain Shepard." The Quarian speaks. He has a firm, yet calm voice. "My name is Kar'Danna. Tali'Zorah told me a lot about you. I wish we could be meeting under more pleasant circumstances."

Alright, so he's at least an acquaintance of Tali judging by this comment. Perhaps most of the Quarians are not so against her?

"Tali helped the Normandy's crew out of many difficult situations. I'm happy to return the favor." Sis said.

"I see that you are not alone, and essentially the crew itself seems to wish her well." The Captain said. "Quite the entourage you've brought with you."

"You like it?" Zaeed asked, as he's standing to Sis' right and thus closest to the Quarian. "Actually got a mixtape coming out. Want a copy? I'll send you a link on SpaceCloud."

"…Please don't make me listen to your music." Captain Kar'Danna said, with as much polite decorum as he could muster.

Zaeed lets out a wheezing laugh.

"As the commander of the vessel Tali serves on, your voice carries weight." Kar'Danna said to Sis, categorically ignoring Zaeed. He then looks at Tali. "I wish I could do more to help, Tali. The trial requires that I officially be neutral but…I'm here, if you need to talk."

"If you want to help, Kar, then tell me what the charges are." Tali said.

He sighed.

"They're charging you with bringing active geth into the Fleet as part of a secret project."

"That's insane!" Tali said. "I never brought active geth aboard. I only sent parts and pieces."

That's…not exactly the best of defenses, there, Tali.

Sis looks over at her.

"You sent geth materials back to the Migrant Fleet?" She asked, stunned.

"Yes!" Tali said. "My father was working on a project. He needed the materials." She looks off to the side. "If I sent back something that was only damaged, not permanently inactive…no, no. I checked everything. I was careful."

"Tali, I'm not exactly a legal expert, but this is the part where I'd advise you to stop talking and put a cork in it." I said. She does, albeit testily.

"Technically, I'm under orders to place Tali under arrest until the conclusion of the trial." Kar'Danna said. "But this is my ship, not the Admirals', so…Tali, you are confined to this ship until the trial is over."

"Thank you, Captain." Tali said.

Well, this might take a while.

A/N: It's been too long! This one is kind of short, mostly to get the ball rolling. But we're back at it. Here's to finishing a story that I've enjoyed for some time.