Mass Effect: Inspiration
Staff Commander Tanil Reynolds
Disclaimer: I do not own Mass Effect
Tanil stared out the window, her palm resting against the glass as she watched the civilians walk by. The Persidium, if she had known it would this beautiful, she would have made sure her entire schedule was open, just so that she could walk along down there. Alas, politics and military were so much more important than being a tourist. Tanil leaned forward, resting her forearm against the glass now, gently pressing her forehead against the chill of the glass. Damn it all, what she would give just for some shore leave on the Citadel. No, the Alliance liked to keep people busy with the most mundane paperwork.
"Commander?"
Tanil turned away from the window, looking behind her to see the people who had now entered the office. Councilor Udina stood at the door flanked by two marines who quickly saluted at the presence of an officer. Tanil saluted back, letting the soldiers relax, her attention now on Udina. "Councilor."
"Welcome to the Citadel, Commander. Is it everything you expected?" Councilor Udina asked.
Everyone hated Udina, the reputation under the name of Udina dripped with so much anger and resentment, and it was kind of funny to see the Councilor standing before her, acting nice for a new arrival.
"Yes, Councilor, although the Citadel is a lot more than I expected it to be." Tanil said, glancing back towards the window; why did she have to be in this office? "I trust you'll have someone giving me the tour?" she asked, by damned if she was going to be working day and night here; she at least wanted to find where the hell she could get a drink.
"Of course, Commander, the turian councilor arranged for someone to show you the Citadel." Udina said with a smile, Tanil smiled back, thank god. "I will have your escort come by the office shortly to show you the Citadel, Commander. Of course, the Alliance won't demand you service until Monday 0800. We'll see you then, Commander Reynolds."
Tanil nodded, quickly saluting the Councilor while he turned to leave. As soon as the door fizzed shut Tanil instantly turned back to the window and smirked. A week's worth of leave, it wasn't much but it was at least enough time to explore this place to the fullest. Another plus side to being on the Citadel, Tanil pressed her forehead up against the glass, the aliens. Being on Earth since birth didn't leave much room to meet the other inhabitants of this galaxy, but here, they were everywhere. It wasn't creepy to want to meet every alien out there… right? Maybe it was too childish to be excited? Tanil smirked, being a little childish was alright, her fist clenching as she made a subtle fist pump; fuck yes for the Alliance giving her some time off.
"Commander Reynolds?"
Why did doors have to be so goddamned quiet? Tanil spun around, automatically resuming the military composure, or so she had thought. Tanil's mouth dropped her arms saggy as she stared at the turian standing in front of her. She had seen pictures of turians, but that was nothing compared to seeing one up close and personal. The avian features on this one was astounding, Tanil couldn't help but stare, the white markings, the mandibles! She had read and studied just about every species known to humanity, seeing the biology she knew so well working and moving in a living figure. What about the rest of the species, what would they all look like? Would it look just as amazing as a turian does? Tanil nibbling slightly on the tips of her fingers, what about asari or even salarians? Tanil froze, fuck, how sure was she that she wasn't saying this all out loud. In fact, maybe she needed to come back to earth….
Tanil looked at her fingers that she had been nibbling when she entered her train of thought, and glanced up at the turian now giving her a queer look as he stood at the door. Tanil sighed and slowly lowering her hand away from her mouth, well now this was awkward. Tanil quickly cleared her throat and straightened herself out, military mode again. "Sir."
"Commander Reynolds I assume?" the turian asked. Tanil sighed, nodding a yes to his question. "Kandros Oraka, I am to be your escort through the Citadel." He was dressed in civvies, as far as she could tell, clear white markings on his mandibles. Tanil's eyes widened, she didn't expect her escort to arrive so early, but turians were resilient and always got things done; she should have known he'd arrive fast.
"Tanil!" Tanil quickly said, jolting her attention away from the turian to make her way to her pack that was lying on the ground. Her first assignment was to get to the office, she had no apartment yet, something she assumed Kandros would show her to. "Call me Tanil, I'm off duty." Tanil quickly said, assuming the look of Kandros's face from her suddenly statement. Unfortunately, she was still dressed in her uniform, but not for long. Tanil quickly bent over her bag, reaching over her head to grab the hem of her uniform and tugging at it as she began to pull it over her head, her under shirt getting pulled along with it.
"Co... Commander?" Kandros stammered, confused by the sudden sight of Tanil hurriedly stripping off her clothes.
Tanil had been in her uniform day and night after hearing the news that she was being transferred to the Citadel, there was no damned way she was going to continue to wear it while she was on leave. Tanil stripped off her commander's jacket and shoved it into her bag, reaching into the recesses of her bag to pull out a black hoodie with a red stripe down the back. She paid no mind to the still flustered turian as she slipped the jacket on and flung the pack over her shoulder. "Pleasure to meet you, Kandros." Tanil said, turning towards Kandros. Ah… being back in civvies felt good, she thought as she extended her hand out to Kandros.
Some would say that Tanil was very… very odd for a human, with sudden outbursts as well as her obvious interest in everything alien, and "interest" was an understatement. Some would even mistake Tanil for a man, if it wasn't for her outrageously short and small figure, which either made her look like a week as man or… a woman. Neither would people believe that Tanil was an officer in the Alliance Navy, if it wasn't for the long pink scar that ran from her temple down to her collar bone, though she never let the awkward scar faze her. Being military born and raised, Tanil kept her hair short, not even near her shoulders and swept to the right over her eyes, it gave her a seriousness that fixed her "military mode" that she programmed into herself in order to get through as an officer.
Maybe Kandros was already picking up the fact that Tanil was a little… on the crazy side because he hesitated slightly before taking her hand and shaking it. Tanil seized her chance, pulling Kandros's hand towards her and gingerly inspecting his talons. "Can rip a person to shreds they say. I believe it." Tanil said, tapping her finger against the tip of Kandros's talon before he jerked his hand free. "My bad, never got to meet a turian up close before. One reason why the Alliance sent me here."
"To check out the biology of turians?" Kandros's asked.
Tanil smiled, curious if Kandros meant for that statement to come out so strange. "Not just turians; asari, salarians, and essentially every alien species out there. I'm supposed to study them as well as do tedious paperwork for diplomacy, you know, there was this human spectre that we like to think, screwed up a lot of stuff for us." Tanil explained, adjusting the large bag she carried on over her shoulder. "First, before I go in to deep, I'm assuming the Council arranged an apartment for me? Here on the Citadel."
So this strange ass human was sent from Earth to fix up any loose ends the dead spectre left wide open… it was obvious now why the Alliance sent such a… strange human. Though despite his best efforts, Kandros found himself grinning a little, his mandibles twitching with curiosity. Despite her awkwardness, at least she was curious of other species, rather than be judgmental, like other humans. "This way, Tanil." Kandros said, motioning towards the door, which opened in response.
Tanil smiled. "That sounds better." She said, pleased with the fact that Kandros said her name.
