Mass Effect: UNITY [IC]

[JerinLee]

We are now accepting new characters! Please see the OOC for a CS.

View the [OOC]

Mass Effect: Unity [IN CHARACTER]

Angorles Crassus, Naria Raleen, and Laisia R'Lan were the only three people occupying the Unity's Combat Information Center, the center room in the top floor of their shiny new starship. Naria Raleen slinked around the CIC, trailing a finger along the sleek metal surfaces. She had skimmed the area quickly and was sufficiently pleased by the luster of the metal and the quality of the holograms. Although she had personally invested millions of credits into her current surroundings, she had little knowledge of the functionality of the expensive military-grade hardware around her; that stuff was the turian's specialty.

Angorles Crassus had spent hours examining the ship, carefully inspecting every square inch of his investment. With his back straight, chest extended, and arms folded neatly behind his back, he strode along every bit of the ship until he was absolutely sure that everything was in order. He poured himself his second glass of expensive drink. Angorles and Naria joined Laisia, the asari matriarch, at the bridge of the Unity. She was cradling an abstractly shaped glass while she studied the pilots' setup.

"This is a fine ship," Angorles declared.
"It looks good, too," the human advocate, Naria, said. "Appearance is key when it comes to getting the public to give you money. All we have to do is show them a handsome ship and tell them that it will keep them safe from the Reapers."
The asari matriarch raised her glass. "I propose a toast," she said. The other two lifted their drinks as well. "Here's to the Unity."
"And all the money, publicity, and merit it will bring us," Naria appended. She gave a fox-like smirk and tapped her glass against the others'. They each took a dainty sip before Angorles placed a hooked finger on the pilot's intercom button.

"Admiral Rantellik, the other founders and I are done with our inspection of the CIC. Everything is satisfactory. We'll be joining you and your crew in the Hold momentarily." Angorles turned to his two associates and gestured for them to follow.

Soon enough, the three philanthropists entered the Cargo Hold on the fourth level of their newly completed starship. In the Hold was the entire crew, a mixture of occupations and races. Angorles put his chin in the air as they made their way to the front of the room, the crowd stepping aside to accommodate them. At the front of the room stood the three founders, the executive officer, and commanding officer. Angorles cleared his throat loudly, mandibles twitching.

"Members of the Unity, Defenders of the Galaxy, Gems of Society," he called out, his words echoing sonorously through the room. "Millions of people and billions of credits have been invested in you. Your founders, sponsors, and supporters galaxy-wide have faith that you can do the impossible and work together as a team, even though you are a mixed bag of races, backgrounds, and experiences. Ms. Raleen, Matriarch R'Lan, and I believe that you all have the potential to prove to the rest of the population that now must be the time when we put our differences aside to fight a common enemy: the Reapers." He paused, examined the crowd, and took a step to the side. Matriarch R'Lan took his place as speaker.

"Today we officially launch Project Unity. You will devote yourselves to supporting the Reaper War Effort in any way you can. You'll find survivors, protect civilians, and sabotage the enemy. You'll make us proud to have sponsored you, and you'll make the galaxy grateful we created you. We may not officially be a military, but you will serve with the same dignity. From now on, you will be under the command of your CO, Admiral Adonis Rantellik, who will lead you into battle and glory. Admiral, would you care to share a few words?"

[Lucious Veil]

<Okay, because this thread is so far away I can't find it... I apologize for posting before you, Admiral! And for the record, my dialogue will appear in... this color and thoughts will appear in... this color>

Titus stood standing at attention with the rest of the crew, as Executive Officer aboard the Unity, he was next to the Turian Admiral, Adonis Rantellik. Titus was in his usual garb, a black and red suit with a trench-coat style coat. His hands, folded behind his back, he quickly stole a glance at the trio that walked onto the deck, the Turian, Angorless Crassus; the Human, Naria Raleen; and the Asari matriarch, Laisa R'Lan. Laisa... that's the woman who contacted me; I don't recognize her, I didn't recognize her voice either. Do I know her from somewhere... distant? I would think I could remember a woman such as her... he thought, trying to recall where he had seen this woman before - if it all.

Patiently, XO Kross listened as the Turian, then the Matriarch spoke in turn, then as they gave an opening for the Admiral to speak, he sent thoughts of prayer to every deity he could recall that the Admiral wouldn't have him speak to the crew. I have always been intrigued by Human religion, their idea of a singular God was thought-provoking; the ways of the Priests taught of multiple deities: Kalahira, Amonkira, Arashu... many others; the Asari have also taken a monotheistic approach with the Goddess Athame as Lucifer described them; really this prayer is to whomever's, who ever, what ever god is out there: I beg you to create a spiritual barrier to allow me to not speak in front of these men and women whom I have just met..., Titus thought worriedly, forcing himself to maintain an emotionless expression proved to be harder than he had hoped.

[Toruun]

"Today we officially launch Project Unity. You will devote yourselves to supporting the Reaper War Effort in any way you can. You'll find survivors, protect civilians, and sabotage the enemy. You'll make us proud to have sponsored you, and you'll make the galaxy grateful we created you. We may not officially be a military, but you will serve with the same dignity. From now on, you will be under the command of your CO, Admiral Adonis Rantellik, who will lead you into battle and glory. Admiral, would you care to share a few words?"

Adonis stood upon a podium within the cargo hold, elevating him above the peering heads below. Dressed in a formal uniform-- tailored exclusively for him and the Unity's crew-- he stood taut and dignified, clasping his clawed talons behind his back. Despite distinctively favoring his right leg, the Turian managed to exude a wave of power from his heightened position, emanating his authority through body language alone; it felt good to him, to still be able to manifest such strength after nine years. He scrutinized each of his crew members, analyzing their worth through hawk-like eyes. He had already read the dossiers forwarded to him by Angorles. He knew theirs roles, strengths, and weaknesses. Nonetheless, it was far more satisfying to examine them in person. He'd been around long enough to know that dossiers weren't always accurate.

What he found was a motley bunch, an assorted bundle of species and specializations, all deemed worthy of crewing the Unity. He would have to see about that. Some of them were admirable soldiers, showcasing an impressive record of their skills; yet, others displayed surprising talent and capabilities in their position. To someone else, it might been a huge prestige to even be aboard this vessel, to work with this highly adept team. But Adonis had enough of that in the past. It was years ago, but his experience in Blackwatch had been forever ingrained within his memories, a classified treasure trove of intel and wisdom. The valiant men and women he served with proved their value ten times over on countless occasions. It had been a great honor to serve with such a well-maintained, respectful group. Now, everything was different. This band of crew was undisciplined and unrefined, unused to the working beats of war. He knew they each had their own accomplishments, sure, competent in their own rights. But this was his ship now. His rule, his command.

He would not settle for anything but their absolute best.

Drawing in a breath, Adonis stepped forwards to the railing that circled around his podium, gripping his clawed hands upon the metal. He leaned forward, reviewing and preparing his speech. For a moment, he mused over his method, but decided to approach with honesty this time. The typical political bullshit was not something he had any patience for, not right now.

"Asari, Salarian, Krogran, Drell, Quarian, Batarian, Human, Turian. These are the species assembled here, this day. Each of you is an unique asset, accredited with some sort of proficiency in your own rights. The recruiters thought you were something remarkable, something capable of great success. You've been praised by the press release outside, honored by even the simple opportunity of being considered special enough to remain on this ship. Well, let me tell you something," Adonis surveyed the ground floor as he spoke, connecting his weary, yet intense eyes with each crewmember stationed within Unity's bay.

"I'm not impressed."

He declared with a finality, stating it as a fact he truly believed in. Silencing any remarks or opposition with a harsh glare, Adonis inclined deeper in, inserting a compelling, commanding quality into his tone. "You are a ragtag group of half-decent, disorganized, pompous juveniles, thinking you're any different from anyone else. But you know what? You're not."

"You will bleed, you will suffer, and you will grieve in this war, exactly like any one of your comrades. Your will is going to be tested, time and time again throughout this battle. Some of you will break. Some of you will die. So what if you're a Krogran Biotic? So what if you're a natural Pilot? So what if you're some hotshot soldier, thinking you're entitled to something? So what? It doesn't make you any better than the man right next to you, nor does it make you superior to anyone. Everyone is EQUAL in this war, doing their own part. Now, it's up to you to do yours."

Adonis paused in his speech, bringing the full force of his wisdom and passion to bear. This was one of the most important concepts, and he had to get it across. No matter what.

"Understand that your task is no harder, no different from any member of this crew! I don't want your animosity, I don't want your shit grudges, I don't want your goddamn hate! I am tired of your fucking differences! For twenty-eight years, I have served with dignity, honor, respect among the Turian's best, fighting side by side with my comrades. And you know what? My comrades didn't just include Turians, no; among these valiant men were Krogans, Humans, Drells, Quarians, Asari, Salarians, Volus, Elcor, and even Hanar, just like you! We are in this together now, against a greater foe than you could possibly imagine. I know what they are, I've seen Sovereign in action."

Zeal poured through him, strengthening his tight grasp and intensifying his intent. Adonis knew that he was going a little overboard, a little harsh in his wording. But it was important that this be conveyed as soon as possible. He had to ensure that his crew remembered, that they knew what they were doing. Inside his inner monologue, Adonis was amused. It seemed that, even after years of retirement, the faint authority of command hadn't quite faded just yet.

"Question is, do you? Do you understand what we face? Do you understand what must be done? Set aside your anger, your pain against the man next to you. Direct it not at your comrade, but at your enemy! You are allies now! Stow it, keep it locked up inside until after this war. If you can't do that, then there's the exit," Releasing a single hand, Adonis pointed his sharp talon at the local airlock, shifting his eyes upon the awaiting crowd. "I do not have patience for anyone who can't work together. We are a team now. I need to know that you will follow my orders! Consequences aside, disobeying my direct command will result in death. If you don't execute my orders, people will die. If you can't follow the commands I give, I will not tolerate your presence aboard my ship!"

Adonis was now shouting his speech, his torso almost completely over the railing. He precisely gestured with his talon, pointing the appendage towards crew members at random, emphasizing to get his point across. Among those he singled out included Rai, Katria, Sebastos, Vaetra, and Jenelle, a moment of pause in-between them as he made direct eye-contact with each. A storm of extraordinary passion and agony hid itself within his deep pools, disguised by a strained layer of vehement bitterness, infusing itself into the connections between each crew member.

For a few moments, he would remain silent on his podium, content to rest his hands atop the metal railings he held. For a few moments, he allowed any uncomfortable few to leave the Unity. They were better off gone, out of his command. Once his words had absorbed themselves into his audience, and he was ready once again, he resumed his speech.

"And as for the rest of you...you are not worthy. You are not nearly ready or prepared to operate under my command, as an honored member of this vessel, of the Unity. None of you second-rate fools are sufficiently adequate for our task, our mission, our duty. You are insignificant in the scheme of this war, a tiny cog of little importance. If you are not ready to accept our burden, leave. Now," Adonis proclaimed his honesty towards his crew, falling back into the hollow, resentful shell within him, erected to protect himself from the trauma of war. "This will be your last chance at retreat; if you cannot handle being aboard the Unity, you are not fit to be here." He awaited one last time, allowing the remaining uncertain to leave, should they not feel the desire to stay.

Only once the very last group, of the most dedicated, the most ready, and the most prepared individuals remained, he commenced initiating the conclusion of his speech, reclining back into a level, standing position.

"Do you think you have the ability to be a part of this crew? Do you think you have the drive, to be the protectors of this galaxy?" Adonis began slowly and softly, yet still managing to amplify his voice throughout the room, "I know for a fact that none of you are ready to be members of this ship. Not yet. Not the way you are now, as a random variety of different specialties, grouped through a common interest." He took a step backwards at this point, keeping a single talon clutching the railing, partially inclining towards the remaining listeners.

"Do you think, that you have what it takes to become worthy of your status, as a member aboard the Unity?"

Adonis now took a step backwards again, righting himself into a formalized, standing position despite his leg's limp. He clasped his talons behind his back, intensely staring down the crowd. With one last sentence, he ended it on a brief note.

"Ponder this. If you believe yourself ready, report to your stations at 0600 sharp tomorrow morning. Dismissed."

Finally releasing the rail, Adonis turned towards the three responsible for this entire project, walking across the platform to reconvene with them. His limp was far more noticeable now, having exhausted much of his energy in delivering such a fierce speech. He glanced towards his XO, the Drell they called "Titus." Although not young by most standards, the man was certainly far less experienced than himself. Yet, he was an admirable figure, achieving high, well-deserved promotions for his exquisite skill multiple times. To Adonis' amusement, he found that Titus Kross reminded him of himself when he was younger, if just a little bit.

Shifting his attention back towards the three sponsors, he allowed himself to slump a bit, relaxing the tension he held himself to for appearances sake.

"If there's nothing else you need me for, I'll be in my quarters."

[UnfunnyPete]

With the conclusion of the Executive Officer's speech, the crew seemed to stand still for a few brief moments, seemingly each and all contemplating what they were getting themselves into; they had only been aboard the Unity mere moments, and many already looked as though they were regretting their decision; if they could see her face through the suit, Rai was sure they would all see the same expression in her eyes. Of course, she knew what she was getting into, but the reality of it hadn't became real until that speech.

This is it, Rai. No turning back. No more running.

Slowly but surely, the crowd began to disperse from the cargo hold. Turians, Krogan, Asari... even another Quarian. The crew of this one ship was the most diverse that Rai had ever been aboard. In the state of war that the galaxy was currently going through, she wondered whether such a team could work together effectively in this critical time. Rai would have to wait and see, it seemed.

Rai didn't spend very long in the Crews Quarters atop the ship; it didn't feel like anything this was comfortable with. Quarian ships, due to the mass population aboard the Migrant Fleet, held very crampt, packed Crew Quarters, where as the Unity's crew deck felt too... spacious. In reality, it was probably no more spacious then any other ship, but Rai still didn't like it. No, Rai, whilst exploring what she could of the ship, found her way to the Engineering deck, and immediately felt more at home. The Engineering deck actually somewhat reminded her of her fathers ship, but she couldn't place her finger on why. Still, the close proximity to the Med Bay comforted her; whilst growing up, the only place she ever felt safe was within the confineds of a Med Bay.

A brief exploration of the deck, and Rai was somewhat satisfied with her surroundings; it wasn't perfectly to her liking, but she expected worse. She eventually found herself sat alone, in the Med Bay, silently, tracing her encased finger across a table-top; Rai couldn't remember the last time she had felt something with her bare skin, without the Enviro-suit that all Quarians were cursed to wear. She longed to simply take off her helmet and breath fresh air, instead of the filtered air through her suit. Without realizing, she found that her hands were resting now upon the table, but to her helmet. She wasn't going to remove it, but she found comfort in the knowledge that she could, even if doing so would lead to an infection, and most likely death. She liked to think that one day she would remove her suit and feel the warmth against her skin for the first time, but there was no time for that now.

No. She had work to attend to.


(Yeah, I only had a little bit of time, so please excuse the rushed post )

[JerinLee]

The three founders had mixed reactions to the appointed admiral's speech. Naria couldn't help but shrink back a bit as Rantellik's challenges boomed through the Hold. She shot anxious looks to her two associates when some of the Unity's crew began to trickle out of the ship, forfeiting their positions. A flash of concern overtook Laisia's face as well, but then settled into a look of reverence. In the asari's eyes, Rantellik had just weeded out all the liabilities. Even though her numbers were fewer, the Unity would be stronger for it in the end. Angorles, on the other hand, maintained a stoic expression throughout the speech and never moved from his position to the right of the podium. His hands were still folded neatly behind his back when Rantellik approached.

"If there's nothing else you need me for, I'll be in my quarters," Rantellik said. He was apparently drained from the fervor of his 'welcoming' speech. Angorles raised a clawed hand, meaning for the admiral to stay. Naria and Laisia drifted to either side of the turian businessman.

"I must say, Admiral, that speech was very heartwarming," Naria's voice was sharp with criticism and sarcasm. Laisia suppressed a chuckle, amused by her human business partner's naivete. Angorles dismissed Naria's words with a wave of his hand.

"Ms. Raleen, what you don't realize is that our appointed admiral has rid this vessel of all but the most competent people," he said.

"The Unity will run at peak efficiency now that she houses only the best. The public will just eat them up, knowing that they are the strong few of the unworthy many," the matriarch supplied. Naria's brow furrowed, but then she understood her partners' take on what she thought was a brash mistake on Rantellik's part. She quietly resigned from the conversation. Her and Laisia R'Lan watched Angorles talk with the admiral.

"I-- we-- are confident that you will do great things for this operation, Admiral. But we want to remind you again that at the end of the day, the Unity answers to us. We provide the many resources she needs to operate: the money, the publicity, the information, among others; we are her lifeblood. I doubt you have any love for politics, Admiral, and that's one of the reasons we chose you to lead this vessel, but I'm sure you also know that these are necessary evils." Angorles paused, searching for any sign of how Rantellik was reacting to this reminder. "That being said, we will give you plenty of space to operate the ship as you see fit. You'll only hear from us every now and then, but please remember to send weekly reports our way."

Angorles was the always the assertive one, sometimes uneloquently so. Fortunately, Laisia R'Lan offered a more diplomatic approach to their endeavors. In an attempt to smooth any wrinkles in the admiral's trust, she said, "But this is a symbiotic relationship; if you find yourself in need of anything-- supplies, specialists, information, ship upgrades, perhaps some leeway of the law-- we will not hesitate to give it to you." She smiled; it wasn't meant to be warm or comforting, only to convey professional courtesy to the admiral. "Now we have to be going. We have a meeting with the press in a few minutes. Admiral Rantellik, it has been an honor." Laisia bowed her head respectfully and moved past the turian on her way to the door. Angorles gave Rantellik a nod and followed the matriarch. The human offered him an anxious smile before rushing off.

<<These three are annoying, I know, but they're a necessary evil for the story. I know Rantellik won't be fond of them :P Fortunately they'll be gone for a while>>

[Fabricant451]

Truth be told, Raynee had checked out from the speech as soon as the old Turian opened his mouth. As soon as it was announced that he was her commanding officer, nothing he said mattered. Unless he was telling her their destination, she had no reason to listen to the ramblings of some war veteran. But she stood there, outfitted in her roomy yet comfortable uniform - already a step up from the Alliance - and pretended to absorb his pearls of wisdom. At one point, the crewman standing next to her jabbed her in the side; she had been right on the cusp of yawning and it was far too early in the mission to get reprimanded for that.

Raynee was relieved when the speech wrapped. The bloated, needlessly long motivational sermons were by far the worst part of military service. Why, she wondered, did everyone who ever won a medal feel the need to hear themselves talk? If it were up to her, this would be the last time she even saw most of the crew, commanding officer talks-a-lot included. Raynee wasn't here to prove herself to a Turian or to any other species for that matter, she was here to get this ragtag assortment of the galaxies finest to a destination in one piece. And that was what she was going to do.

After the speech, Raynee gave a half-assed salute as she often did when serving with the Alliance. Ignoring the murmurs of the rest of the crew familiarizing themselves with one another, Raynee made a break for the upper levels, heading towards her natural habitat. If those investors were going to entrust her with something as monumental as the Unity, she wanted to know what it was she would be working with. And if the seats could recline.

She made her way up to the second level, brushing past a nondescript crewman scurrying about, and walked towards the bridge, the head of the ship. It was, unsurprisingly, empty. The rest of her flight crew was probably busy ingratiating themselves with the crew. No matter, they could have their fun while they were docked. Raynee took a seat in the head chair, already enjoying the view from where she sat. Her chair, she found, was able to move horizontally around her station and even swivel around, perfect for doling out orders to the two empty spots next to her and the poor bastards who would be doing monitoring duty behind her. She crossed her hands behind her head and leaned back. No recliner, but at least the headrest was comfortable.

Raynee could get used to the chair and the ship's controls seemed easy enough to handle; besides, if she'd flown one starship she'd flown them all. Of course, this was her first one, but details. For better or worse, Raynee was now home. Sure at the end of the day that turian held authority, but he was pretty much in another system right now. Up here was Raynee Teague's territory.

[supernicenow]

As the speech would end now, Alxi would step on the Unity's cargo hold with his robot, floating by him at anytime and get a feel of the ship. As the PR person of the Unity, he must make such the public and the taxpayers are up to date on the Alxi and make the people who think this project was a failure to being with. Walking towards the elevation now, he saw a matriarch and a human getting off of the elevation now they look at Alxi as they walked away now, as soon as they turned their heads away for him now and he would be on the elevation now, going up to the crew quarters now.

The elevation had a very annoying music and It sounded like it wouldn't end until the elevation stop and the door would open now, he would let out a breath now as he got out of the elevation now and thinking to his self, If I hear that annoying music again, I'm going to hack the elevation and change the music.". He would look around the crew quarters, it looked the same for a few ships that he was on and he was use to the big space and limited people due to being on the Citadel for ten years. Tried for looking around, he would sit on a chair for the dining area and be on his omni-tool to check on what to do next.

As he does, he would pop his head off of his omin-tool to only see a lot of species like, humans, asari, korgan, turian, but didn't saw a other quarian he think that he might be the only quarian on the ship now. His robot would video tape them all entering the crew quarters now and Alix would shut off the robot as soon as everyone would enter the quarters and process to his omni-tool agian to edit the tape out.

<< when I'm talking to someone its going to be orange and when I think its going to be red >>

[Lucious Veil]

Titus let out a mental sigh of relief; he didn't have to give a speech to the crew. Quickly after the Admiral left for his quarters, Titus sped up to catch up to him, he spoke calmly to the Admiral, "Sir, that was a riveting speech, I am certain that the crew is appreciative of your words."

Thinking a moment, Titus quickly said again, "That was - erm - genuine, sir. Also, I wanted to let you know that my VI Drone, Lucifer, is in my quarters, should you need his assistance for anything. He's helped me on numerous occasions with filing, tactics, and reviewing dossiers, sir. So if you ever require his assistance, feel free." After a gaining distance between the pair and the rest of the group, he bowed his head at the Admiral.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, sir. I look forward to working with you further." Titus said formally, bowing his head at the Admiral. In truth, the Admiral seems like a stern man... I would have to watch over him; make sure he doesn't do anything rash to the crew and risk the entire operation.he thought, then second guessed his decision, [color="#6666ff"]Although, he is battle hardened... he will make a fine CO... have faith, Kross.

[Dubwarlock]

Brok stood with his powerful presence among the crowd, one of strength and courage (and likely a hint of pride, as well). His armor is already donned excluding his helmet, as he wears it for formal occasions outside of combat, too. Its primary color is a deep black, a material that is as durable as it is maneuverable. The rest has dark-orange plating, filled with linings of Element Zero that have no risk of outside contamination but instead to empower his own abilities and to crack projectiles before fully reaching his body.

He endured the speech, arms crossed before himself. His eyes were filled with patience and examination, taking in what could be the power of his Commanding Officer. Brok understands this Turian's past from the way he presents himself, one of bravery and strength. Whether this strength has always existed or it is in the past, he will leave it alone for later. A scoff nearly escaped his lips when the Admiral mentioned a Biotic Krogan; he certainly read over Brok's information. As the speech ends, he waits, still watching the Admiral as the others wander off or mingle with the other crew members.

No longer necessary to stand around being idle, Brok turns to the rear of the ship where he could walk up another area. His steps were slow, but sure. He couldn't wait to see the strengths of his comrades, and to prove himself as a capable soldier to the Admiral.

Upon reaching the dining area, he inspects his surroundings. Of course not many would come here directly after a speech, but he was beginning to feel the need for food within his stomachs. "Where's the cook? I could eat a family of Pyjaks," he exclaims loudly.

[Toruun]

Adonis found himself pulled aside by the trio, interrupted on his movement to rest. He had already been slinking away, but stopped now, turning to face the three. He inclined his head at an angle, a fusion of a nodding and cocking it, gesturing for them to continue.

"I must say, Admiral, that speech was very heartwarming," Naria's voice was sharp with criticism and sarcasm. Laisia suppressed a chuckle, amused by her human business partner's naivete. Angorles dismissed Naria's words with a wave of his hand.

It was amusing to him, that most hostile of the three was the human, of all things. Her point was valid in intention, but misguided in understanding. He mentally snorted, chuckling to himself. The matriarch seemed to be a reasonable enough fellow; Laisia R'Lan was not a familiar name to him, but he felt a glint of recognition in his mind. Perhaps he had met her before, long ago. Or maybe he was just going senile. No matter. He'd comply with whatever silly delegations they wanted, for a time anyway. His purpose here was to fight a war, not complain about his employers.

And Angorles...

Adonis definitely knew the man in his past. They'd been comrades-in-arms, fighting alongside each other on the field of battle. It was all so long ago, but one exchange told him all he needed to know. Angorles understood the necessities of Turian command. If the other two had a problem with his methods, Angorles would talk them down. Hopefully anyway, considering their moments of mutual understanding were few and far between. He wasn't sure how much the man changed in the past years. Hell, he himself was probably different too.

"Ms. Raleen, what you don't realize is that our appointed admiral has rid this vessel of all but the most competent people," he said.

"The Unity will run at peak efficiency now that she houses only the best. The public will just eat them up, knowing that they are the strong few of the unworthy many," the matriarch supplied. Naria's brow furrowed, but then she understood her partners' take on what she thought was a brash mistake on Rantellik's part. She quietly resigned from the conversation. Her and Laisia R'Lan watched Angorles talk with the admiral.

Purposely remaining out of the conversation, Adonis took a moment to examine his contractors. There seemed to be a sort of balance between them, a responsibility each held to the ship. The other two were correcting Naria's viewpoint now, chewing out her own mistakes. Oh, they were turning to him now? He had hoped to slip away in the midst of their talk. It appeared they were on the precipice of demanding something from him; he waited patiently, listening to whatever asinine concerns they had.

"I-- we-- are confident that you will do great things for this operation, Admiral. But we want to remind you again that at the end of the day, the Unity answers to us. We provide the many resources she needs to operate: the money, the publicity, the information, among others; we are her lifeblood. I doubt you have any love for politics, Admiral, and that's one of the reasons we chose you to lead this vessel, but I'm sure you also know that these are necessary evils." Angorles paused, searching for any sign of how Rantellik was reacting to this reminder. "That being said, we will give you plenty of space to operate the ship as you see fit. You'll only hear from us every now and then, but please remember to send weekly reports our way."

Angorles was the always the assertive one, sometimes uneloquently so. Fortunately, Laisia R'Lan offered a more diplomatic approach to their endeavors. In an attempt to smooth any wrinkles in the admiral's trust, she said, "But this is a symbiotic relationship; if you find yourself in need of anything-- supplies, specialists, information, ship upgrades, perhaps some leeway of the law-- we will not hesitate to give it to you." She smiled; it wasn't meant to be warm or comforting, only to convey professional courtesy to the admiral. "Now we have to be going. We have a meeting with the press in a few minutes. Admiral Rantellik, it has been an honor." Laisia bowed her head respectfully and moved past the turian on her way to the door. Angorles gave Rantellik a nod and followed the matriarch. The human offered him an anxious smile before rushing off.

Ha! Angorles was blunt and tactless, as usual. He understood their desires and choices, to remind him of the Unity's vulnerability. It's entire functioning depended upon the funding of its sponsors. He definitely understood it, having both received and administered this speech multiple times.

That didn't mean he liked hearing it any more.

"Hn," he grunted, crossing and interlocking his arms together. He allowed the matriarch to offer her concessions upon the matter, trying to sweet-talk her way into his trust. It only just confirmed what he already knew.

"Understood. The master wants to keep an eye on its puppets, doesn't it? I'll concede to your demands, acquiesce to your desires, for now. We have an a compromise between us; just make sure to keep your end of the bargain."

The three founders had begun their escape, clearly eager to leave and lap up the attention from the media. He didn't particularly care, but there was thing he wanted to share before they left. He called out to them, leaning upon his right leg. Despite posing an unthreatening stance, the sharp bite to his tone and the subtle aura of promised agony would definitely catch their attention.

"Wait. Just one more thing for you to remember. Know, that if any of yours actions jeopardize the integrity of our mission, or threaten the safety of any of my crew, consider our agreement, over."

Now the sponsors left, fleeing outside of his ship, his territory. It was exhilarating, to be able to command such power once again. In the past, he had promised himself that he would never come back to this life, not while his children still needed him. 'Well, it's a good thing they don't now, isn't it?,' Adonis thought to himself, bitterly expressing his resentment at their abandonment. Deep within, he desperately hoped they were safe.

As he made his way towards his quarters, he found himself intercepted by the XO, Titus.

Quickly after the Admiral left for his quarters, Titus sped up to catch up to him, he spoke calmly to the Admiral, "Sir, that was a riveting speech, I am certain that the crew is appreciative of your words."

Thinking a moment, Titus quickly said again, "That was - erm - genuine, sir. Also, I wanted to let you know that my VI Drone, Lucifer, is in my quarters, should you need his assistance for anything. He's helped me on numerous occasions with filing, tactics, and reviewing dossiers, sir. So if you ever require his assistance, feel free." After a gaining distance between the pair and the rest of the group, he bowed his head at the Admiral.

"Oh? Do you really think so? Shows a bit of naivete then. No, they won't have a good impression of me. In time, they will hate me, and that's a good thing. It'll drive them forward in life," the Admiral displayed a bit of wisdom and nostalgia in speech, hinting that this was not the first time he had approached this way. "I appreciate the offer, but I believe I'm satisfactory for now."

The two moved through the cargo bay for a bit, until Adonis himself reached the elevator connecting the ship's floors. "Now, off with you. Speak with the crew, get to know them. They're under your command now; they need to know that they can trust you."

With a finality, Adonis parted from Titus, entering the elevator. For a few moments, he cursed the ever slow contraption, but endured it for now. Stepping off, he reentered the Unity's CIC before anyone else, proceeding to his office for the first time.

He hoped that it wouldn't be too military-grade; old bones got tired of hard, metal chairs nowadays.