All characters belong to Bioware as they say.

Tali watched from the upper part of the war room on the Normandy. She calmed herself and kept looking at him. Shepard. So close, but she was concerned. He looked haggard; he had bags under his weary eyes. He had been looking around the room again. He seemed happy when the Quarian Admirals first came in, but after looking around slumped a bit. She hoped it was because of her. That he still wanted her. She hated having to leave him all those months ago, but after the Alliance took over the Normandy, everyone had to go their separate ways.

Tali stayed calm, she didn't want to give anything away to the other admirals about her and John's relationship. Raan just thought she was happy to see her old ship, not so much just the captain. Tali listened to the group and Shepard talking. Her introduction was coming, she started smiling behind her mask, finally, they could be together again and the war with the Geth would be over with John's help. John would find a way to settle the stupidity of the admirals. He had too. It was almost time, Tali checked her suit over one last time making sure everything was in place, not caring about the questioning look from the alliance crewman near her.

Just as Admiral Raan was going to segue into introducing her as the new admiral, a figure appeared at the door of the room and spoke, interrupting the meeting.

"Where is it Quarians? Have you given it to him already?" The being was nothing Raan had seen before. It had a pyramid shaped head, 4 yellow eyes, 3 digits on each hand, and wore red armor. All of the admirals stared at what had interrupted them.

It spoke again. "Well? Present it so we can continue! Hiding behind masks due to your own stupidity, absurd. I read about your slave race and war. A pity, quarians were considered beautiful, even in my cycle."

Shepard just looked at the display at the bottom of the war room. Thinking over the plan for getting to the Geth Dreadnought. He seemed to pay the new arrival no mind. Xen spoke first.

"Excuse us. Who are you and why are you here? You obviously know nothing of our plight. What are you? What has Shepard picked up this time?"

"I am a Prothean. And yes primitive, a live one. Now, can we proceed so the Commander can get back to fighting at full strength?"

The four admirals all looked at each other and then back to the Prothean. Xen continued to probe.

"A Prothean? How is this possible? What do you mean primitive? I'll have you know…"

The Prothean cut her off. "My name is Javik, primitive, and we have no time for your questions. We have to fight this stupid war of yours so we can fight the real enemy, the Reapers. So, does the commander have it yet?"

Daro was starting to get riled up. She was a genius, who was anyone to call her a primitive? Before she could retort, Admiral Raan interjected.

"Well, Javik. It is an…honor to meet you. Does the commander have what?"

Javik grunted. "The masks must be stopping you from thinking straight. I have heard all about it. From the Turian, the pilot, the former Cerberus engineering crew, and the rambling asari." The admirals continued to stare at the sight in front of them. "The TALISMAN primitives! Where is it? Give it to the commander so we can proceed."

Raan looked at the commander who still studying the map and not seeming to notice the prothean interruption. She turned back to Javik, "What are you talking about? What talisman? We have nothing like that for Shepard or anyone else."

Tali, looked over at Shepard while staying in the shadows. John never wore jewelry and wasn't superstitious. She looked back at the prothean hoping for more information.

Javik seemed to be getting annoyed. He walked down the steps. "The talisman that makes him do amazing things in battle. The other primitives all swear by it. The turian says when it's on him he fights like no other. The pilot human said when he is buried deep within it he has a calmness like no other when he comes back, and fights harder. Does this mean it's large?" Javik saw confusion growing and continued, "The engineers, the one who barely speaks cohesively says Shepard can't keep his hands off of it even though he thinks no one knows. The female said it was beautiful. Believing a thing, a trinket, can make you fight better is the height of being a primitive. It surprises me the commander believes in such a thing. The asari mumbled about having it and losing it to the quarians. The one time she stopped asking incessant stupid questions. So, produce it." He ended by stepping in front of Gerrel and staring at him.

Gerrel looked for any confirmation from the other admirals. Finding none he answered. "Javik, an interesting tale, but we have no such thing. We have taken nothing from the asari and don't carry around trinkets for good luck!"

Javik snorted, "How can I trust people who hide behind masks. The commander should just shoot you and take it. Then throw the rest of you out the airlock!"

Javik's common line got the commander out of his concentration on the dreadnought. He had heard bits and pieces of Javik's conversation with the admirals. "Javik, first. Why would a pyramid headed four eyed species find a two eyed human like species attractive? Secondly, what are we talking about? A trinket?"

"Yes commander, your talisman. They refuse to produce it. Why you need it to fight better I don't know. I thought you were above such things." Javik ended a meter from the commander.

"My what Javik? Talisman? I've never had one. What are talking about?" The confused commander replied.

"All of the former crew who served under you before swore it made everything better for you. Fighting, killing, and dealing with other primitives. The quarians must produce it." Javik ended by crossing his arms.

Shepard was still at a loss. He looked at Javik bewildered. Javik had enough of the situation. "Fine, computer, get me the primitive."

"You'll have to be more specific as you say everyone is a primitive." Was EDI's cool reply.

"Of course," Javik continued in droll way, "the turian, he seems to know the most."

"Connecting you now."

Tali was in as much anticipation as everyone in the room. What had Shepard found to drive him so hard. It fit in his hands, but he could bury himself in it? It was a secret, but everyone knew about it? The riddle ate at her. Like she should know the answer. Garrus's voice came over the speakers in the room.

"Garrus here."

"Yes primitive."

"Garrus."

"Fine…..Garrus." Javik seemed to choke on the word, "The quarians are here and have no talisman. You said they would have it."

"Talisman? What are talking about Javik? What's the matter can't understand our primitive language?"

"The talisman. You all spoke about it playing that game with only 52 cards last night. Only 52 cards, easy. Not even a real game of chance. You said if it was here, he could smell it out. If it was anywhere near him he would find it. Well, he sits here not moving."

"Javik, you must have heard wrong. I'm sure you're in your room, you never leave it. I'm on my way. Just let me finish a calibration."

"Primitive, I know what you said! Now tell me." Javik was almost yelling.

Shepard just sighed and went back to looking at the map. Why Javik left his room for this nonsense seemed odd to him. Tali watched as the object of her desire went back to studying the dreadnought. She thought about the latest information she had heard. It still didn't make any sense. What could the quarians have that Shepard wants that no one thinks he wants? What could the quarians have the asari used to have? It was nagging at her. She felt like she should really know the answer. Her private channel came up.

"Tali."

"Yes EDI."

"Do you still want your presence hidden? I think Shepard would like to know you are here."

"No EDI, wait a bit longer, besides I want to see what this talisman is."

"As you wish." The channel cut out.

Javik huffed and started to walk up the stairs to leave mumbling about stupid primitives, when Garrus came back on the intercom.

"Javik, you still there?"

"Yes, primi…Garrus." Javik clenched his fists a bit as he corrected himself.

"I just sent a message to Donnely and we have figured it out."

"Finally, please enlighten us." Javik turned around and face the admirals with a smirk on his face at the top of the stairs. The admirals wanted to know so they could continue the attack planning on the Geth.

Garrus continued, "We spoke to fast. We didn't say talisman, we said"

Tali's eyes got wide, she figured it out, the talisman, she started to move down the stairs and open her mouth to stop the words.

But, It was too late.

Garrus's words continued as Tali's world slowed down. "It's Tali man. Two words, Tali and man. Talisman, really, who's the primitive now?"

As Garrus finished Tali came out of the shadows and into view, everyone turned to her. Javik was still not satisfied with the answer.

"What is a Tali? I demand to know."

The admirals were looking at her and so was Shepard who exploded in to a huge smile, which the admirals all also caught. Time stopped.

Tali uttered a word after what seemed an eternity to her. "Bos'tet. You big bos'tet Garrus!"

"Tali! Is that you? When, we asked about you no one said you had come. Why are you in Javik's room? You should see Shepard right away."

"I'm in the war room with ALL the other admirals." She seethed with anger and her eyes slammed shut.

"Oh, I see. Well, this can wait for later, I should get back to some calibrations. Ahem. Later Tali."

The admirals all stared at Tali with eyes as round and big as saucers. Tali's mind raced on how to recover. All of a sudden she felt a little out of breath. She opened her eyes and the admirals looked shorter? What was going on? She saw John beneath her as she was raised up in a giant hug. Her feet were off the floor. She heard Shepard saying her name over and over. Tali nervously laughed as she sought a way out.

"Admirals, this is how human captains greet crew they haven't seen in a while. Yes, there, there captain, good to see you too." Tali patted Shepard on his head making sure not to linger to long.

She looked at the admirals who were all still staring. Behind her she heard one of the female alliance crew members "I'd leave for a bit to come back to an embrace like that from Shepard."

Tali responded before thinking, just reacting to the threat. "You better not if you know what's good for you!" Tali gasped after the words left her month. It was over. It was in the open. She nervously looked over at Raan. All of the admirals were still in shock.

Xen piped up quick. "Ohhh, so someone did get their heatsink popped on pilgrimage. I told you all, now pay up."

"What! You bet on this? But I thought only human ships did that." Tali was horrified at the thought.

Daro laughed as her omnitool lit up. "The human pilot said to enter the betting pool, so we did. I must say Tali I didn't think you had it in you. Oh wait, it seems you did. Buried in a Talisman to the hilt. HA!" She continued to chuckle.

"I most certainly did not as you do crudely put it. So, give back your gains. There's a war going on, who I sleep with is..."

With that Raan spoke up, "But you did sleep with him then?" She lean back crossed her arms. "Makes the trial defense make more sense."

"Raan, no. Not then, I….later…I mean….." Tali was blushing furiously behind her mask, this is not how she wanted this to come out.

Then he spoke, the one who started it all, the prothean, Tali's eyes bore into him, but he paid it no heed.

"Ah, I see, you are the object. So, it was right before the assault on the collect base I heard. No?"

"But, how did you know? No one actually knew. How?" Was all Tali could stammer out.

"Tali? You risk dying before the most important mission of your life? We need to talk." Raan demanded.

Just then, Javik's omni-tool lit up. He laughed a deep almost maniacal laugh. "Silly primitives, thank you for the credits. It was too easy."

"What do you mean?" Tali asked as she tried to arch to look at him leaving the room while still in Shepard's embrace.

"It was obvious, your relationship is easily read all over the commander, it was you. Of course I knew what the other primitives told me. But, I needed to make sure I won before someone else tried to share the time slot with me. It's not betting or a game of chance if you know the answer." Javik put his arms behind his back and left the room laughing.

"The betting is over, Javik has won the pool. Jeff said it was a good time for the announcement."

Jeff responded over the speakers, "EDI, Javik won? But he doesn't even need the money."

Javiks last words were heard as he rounded the corner, "It's not about the money, it about proving who is superior. Primitive." His laugh grew as he left earshot.

"Just end it EDI thank you." Tali said as she finally realized it was over. Everyone knew. She sighed and finally hugged Shepard back and softly said his name in his ear. As he put her down, she looked at him and didn't know how he could smile more.

"EDI, get me Garrus."

"Connected Shepard."

"Garrus, team dextro report to the armory. We're hitting a Geth dreadnought!" With that Shepard walked out of the war room like he was on a cloud of air.

"Just like old times. Glad to have you back Tali, You can thank me later. Secrets are never good."

"You bos'tet I'll get you!" Was all Tali could get out before the link cut. She looked at the four admirals staring at her. The silence was awkward.

"Yes, a human. See, if you just said I was an admiral to begin with none of this would have happened. I have to a mission to prepare for." With that Tali bolted out of the war room before Raan could reply.

The admirals all looked at each other, protheans, Tali with a human, it was lot to take in. Zaal chuckled and looked at the map one last time. "She may just be the talisman he needs indeed."

Please review! Hopefully the "Talisman" verses "Tali Man" wasn't to easy to know from the beginning. Also, I hope the grammar and spelling have improved from my last story. Daro's heatsink line was a line cut from ME3 that I always thought would be great to have in. Thanks for reading.