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npc: aria t'loak

video.

...You’re all still here. Great.

[ Aria’s not in a much better mood than she was the other day, but at least this time she’s not snarling at everyone in sight. Mostly. ]

Well. As long as you’re stuck here, then you’re gonna make yourselves useful. You want to eat? Go clear out some debris. Want somewhere to live? Go make repairs. Half of Omega is a smoking wreck. Fix it.

But if you want anything at all, you’ll to have to pay for protection. Pay me, and maybe you won’t get your head chopped off by a krogan tomorrow.

Or maybe you will. I don’t really care.

There is one rule on Omega. What I say goes.

Don’t fuck with Aria.

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

[Tim feigns unease when he responds. He's not actually intimidated by this blue alien woman at all, but best to play up the rich-kid stereotype.]

I'm pretty new to this space thing, but I'm better with tech than I am with manual labour. [Poor precious flower doesn't want to get his hands dirty. Or, er, Tim Drake won't be. Besides, he's good with computers and it'll make it easier for him to salvage parts and maybe some programs...] Is there somewhere I could help with computer repairs?

[Well, this is more useful than the other chatter on the open channels. Lyall actually replies to this one, with a question.]

Good day, ma'am. My name is Professor Randolph Lyall, how do you do.

[The tone is not that of a question, but of a polite sort of comment, like "hello". Regardless, he continues without leaving much time to reply, anyway.]

I would be glad to offer assistance in reconstruction in return for board and lodging, but I'm afraid I'm from a very long-distant time, and the technology here is unfamiliar to me. If I work here, I will need some instruction on the use of equipment. Will you or someone in your employ be providing this?

I don't suppose you have a payment plan for those of us that are a little .. short on credits right now?

[chinhands.

yes. he's serious.

hi aria.]

Certainly, ma'am. [Sandoval will always know what side his bread is buttered on.]

I would assume some areas in need of repairs are safer than others. The bigger the risk, the higher the reward.

H-Hey! Wait! Protection? What's that supposed to mean? Some of us can protect ourselves!

I can understand working for money, but some of us don't need to pay to be protected.

[ If she had eyebrows, she'd be raising them. ]

You want access to our systems.

[ Aria's met some strange humans, but this one's out there as far as her experiences go. There's a brief pause before she replies. ]

No. You need help, you find it on your own. Considering how many of you there are, that shouldn't be a problem.

What do you think?

That's right.

[ This one actually gets a smile out of her -- though there's hardly any humor in it. ]

I don't care how you do it. I just want it done.

Then you won't last.

[ Nonchalant. It doesn't matter to her one way or the other. ]

I... No. [Tim doesn't frown outwardly, instead he looks confused. Access to their systems might have been an ulterior motive but for now...] I'm just not very good at anything else.

You're not very trusting, are you?

Why? Is someone after us?

[Purists? Ino wonders.]

[He admits, it's easier to take orders from demanding aliens when they're really attractive. He can't really lie there.]

Yes ma'am. [And he knows he needs money immediately.]

Is it by contract and how soon do you expect compensation?

Look around. Trust people and you get a target on your head.

[ And she'll use that to her advantage til the day she dies. ]

Verbal contracts only. I'm not interested in paperwork. The sooner I see results, the better.

Only if you have something worth taking. [ She lifts a shoulder idly. ] Or if they're bored.

Hmm. That will make life a bit more difficult, considering how many of us here also are unfamiliar with the local technology. We appear to be from a great variety of places and times, most of which are quite removed from here.

[He's imagining that the lady hasn't really spoken to most of the more confused ones, or she would know how utterly unhelpful her comment just was. Still, he's polite about it, and sounds more like he's musing than really making a statement.]

What sort of people stay here if they're going after other people out of boredom?!

So that's a no?

[ hangs up :| ]

[Tim does frown this time, throwing in a bit of a pout.] Look, I just don't want to work alongside a guy who looks like he could mush my head into goop without even touching me.

I'm good with computers, I'm rubbish at fixing buildings. Just trying to do what my career's advisor said and play to my strengths. [He shrugs a little but watches the screen with carefully veiled interest.]

You know, most governments call that a 'tax'. You might make a few more friends if you at least pretended you weren't extorting the hell out of us.

[ She lets out a derisive noise. ]

The good ones don't even need to look at you.

If you're that incompetent at what I asked, then find someone working on the utilities and ask them if you can tag along. Maybe you can make yourself useful.

[ Pause. ]

About half the aliens on this station.

And why would I do that?

[ That, and Aria doesn't really care. ]

There are dozens of terminals in every district. Ask the VI if you're that lost.

Your pardon, ma'am, but... terminal? Vee Aye? I am unfamiliar with these terms.

[At least, in this usage. Terminal, to him, is a rather unpleasant adjective having to do with dying. VI is entirely foreign, but he imagines it might be some specialized educator, or else perhaps stand for something?]

I just figured that someone with a flair for dramatics would want to take the whole [and this is where he mock waxes poetic] 'the world is my stage, and I am the lead actress, watch as I fool them with my clever wit whilst pulling the strings from the shadows' approach.

But that's just me.

And the other half?

[Well that gives him a pretty good idea of what to really expect around here. His brows draw up in concern, but he nods. Bingo.]

Oh, thank god. I'll do that!

Then get busy.

[ Handwave. Aria doesn't have time for you, kid. ]

[ ...

okay wait a minute. ]

You don't know what a terminal is.

They stay out of the way.

[ . . .

:|

This is the expression of an asari who is Not Amused. At all. ]

I am familiar with the term, though not in this context. As far as I am aware, it is merely an adjective referring to the ending of a thing. The termination, as it were. If it has another meaning here and now, I'm afraid it must have come about much later than the nineteenth century.

[And this is the turian equivalent of a shit eating grin, before Garrus pulls the plug on the conversation]

[Petty payback for that last conversation, get!]

[ And now she's just staring. Humans are fucking weird. ]

Computer. On the wall. Go talk to it.

[Lyall hesitates before deciding he's pressed her enough and she might find some way to strangle him across devices if he presses her further. Even if he doesn't know what a "computer" is, either, beyond, presumably, something which computes.]

All right, ma'am. I will see what I can manage. Thank you for your help.

[Not that there was much. Ah, well.]

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