Xabiar's Note: Aria has been one of the more...nebulous actors in the PV to me, in terms of her importance and what she can actually do. I started out with her to properly address this, and answer the many question marks surrounding her influence, her power, and her forces, and to figure out a mostly plausible explanation for how and why she retains power, given the nature of the Terminus Systems.
Aria is a complicated character, and making her nuanced was an interesting challenge; coming up with the whole perception of Omega and the internal dynamics was much easier by comparison, ironically enough. Nonetheless, I'm pleased with how this has turned out, and there will be more interesting things to come. For now, this should leave you with some things to think about.
THE TERMINUS SYSTEMS – MAJOR POWERS
SECTION 1: OMEGA
SUBSECTION 1: HISTORY, THE OMEGAN ILLUSION, AND ARIA T'LOAK
OVERVIEW
There has been some internal debate on how this entire section is to be designated. Technically, there is no official name for the faction, military forces, and power base that Aria T'Loak commands which has given her nearly unparalleled influence in the Terminus Systems for centuries. This lack of 'official' designation we believe is intentional on her part to maintain what will be referred to as the Omegan Illusion – which in short, is the perception one has on her overall power and influence.
Names have power, and power determines perception. However, when Aria's power base is referred to, it is by the station that serves as her capital. Omega Station, or simply, Omega. Thus, it should be understood that all references to Aria's forces and influence will be referred to as 'Omega' or 'Omegan'. Aria has deliberately avoided these terms publicly, instead perpetuating her cult of personality instead of the true scope of the entity she commands.
This should not be misunderstood – Aria is the central figure to Omega. There is no Omega without Aria, and there is no Aria without Omega.
You would be hard-pressed to find a figure and faction more misunderstood than Aria T'Loak, and Omega which she has managed to keep together. The idea that Omega is one that Aria rules without dispute, that she is an unstoppable, unchallenged, and sovereign ruler of the Terminus often illustrates the ignorance of those who have no idea of what the Terminus is, much less the factions inside it.
This near-reverence and misunderstanding of Omega and Aria is most prominent in Citadel space – and not the Terminus proper. Aria is still seen as intimately connected to everything, but the Omegan Illusion is weaker within the Terminus Systems because the people can more easily see the region is more nuanced and complicated than is accepted in Citadel space.
Aria T'Loak has found herself in a peculiar situation where she is stuck in an unenviable status quo. She is simultaneously the most influential person in the region, and also incapable of changing it. She is the reason Omega is the center of the Terminus, and also the reason it can never be anything more. Omega would not exist without her, but if she disrupts the careful balance that she has built, it will fall apart completely.
Aria is ultimately – and ironically - a victim of her own machinations, but that implies that she ultimately had any choice in what she became. There is no separation between the story of the rise of Aria T'Loak and the rise of Omega. To understand the Omega that Aria has created and controls, one must understand Aria T'Loak.
Because no matter what one's views on her are, there is no figure upon whom the fate of the Terminus will ultimately rest more upon.
HISTORY
THE FLIGHT OF ALEENA T'ARMAL
EARLY LIFE AND PRIESTESS TRAINING: It is an open secret that "Aria T'Loak" is not the original name of the woman who sits upon the Omegan throne. There is no shortage of rumors as to her true identity, but it is generally accepted that – based on physiology alone – Aria is one of the Thirty, or at least descended from them.
The Thirty have never once commented on this, nor answered any questions on any relation, officially viewing the question as too offensive to answer. For her part, Aria has never revealed her own origins, though has made no secret of her animosity towards the Thirty. An animosity that any casual observer would say is personal.
Aria's true name is Aleena T'Armal, which is a fact that is known to most of the powerful in the galaxy, which includes the leadership of all of the Council species, and most of the Citadel species. This fact is heavily suppressed by the Thirty, and especially House T'Armal who aggressively and legally go after anyone who claims such. As a result, this fact is generally not commented upon in elite or government circles, though mostly because at this point, her true identity is irrelevant.
Generally, this is the extent that is known. Her Maiden years, childhood, and the circumstances which led to her fleeing Thessia are far murkier, and the Thirty have purged almost all records, and those who had interacted with younger Aleena have suffered unfortunate "accidents" at the hands of personal House Commandos, Discerning, or the Nightwind.
Officially, "Aleena T'Armal" does not exist.
Unofficially, Aleena T'Armal, the eldest of Thana T'Armal's daughters, was one of the most promising young asari the Thirty had known. A brilliant, charming, and beautiful girl, she had barely reached a half-century before rumors that she was being groomed to be Thana's heir, and the next Princess of Clan T'Armal were common. And a rumor which, if true, would eventually cement her as the most powerful being in the galaxy.
As will become apparent, her skills were not exaggerated.
However, Aleena took a different path in her life, and unexpectedly joined the Church of Athame. (There is some indication that Uressa T'Shora took an interest in Aleena at this time, although there is no good way to confirm this as we had no success in placing observers in her staff at the time.) The Church still remains deeply respected among the asari and retains significant influence, so this was not seen as an embarrassment - though from what we have learned, Thana sought to take advantage of Aleena's interests.
Aleena herself intended to become a war priestess, which would have still gained House T'Armal prestige. To this end, we know that Thana ensured that Aleena was put into a secretive training program which we believe was for candidates with the potential to be the Solarch and Lunarch, as well as a selection of talented clanless intended for both baseline measurements as well as possible test subjects for dangerous biotic augmentations.
Aria's power was substantial, even among the program. Something that we found that was highly interesting was that one of the trainers of this program was a certain Jona Sederis. The very same Jona Sederis that controls Eclipse. We previously had no insight into her origin, let alone that she was connected to the Church of Athame. However, outside of being a teacher for Aleena during this time, we are uncertain as to her further relevance, and she almost certainly departed the Church shortly after the program was terminated.
We know that Aria never completed this program, but we do know that during this period she (and presumably the other participants) received personal mentorship from many of the senior War Priestesses – as well as both the Lunarch and Solarch on a few occasions. This, along with many other aspects of the program, was only known to a few of the Houses.
Her continued ascension within the Church would have been inevitable, had she not done perhaps the single thing forbidden for one of the Thirty – mated with a clanless participant in the training program and became pregnant.
It cannot be overemphasized just how utterly taboo this was. The Thirty are emotionless eugenicists who only care about perception, status, and bloodlines. It was already unseemly for the father to be another asari, which while tolerated, was only truly permissible under certain circumstances.
Something that the Thirty make an attempt to hide, and which the general population is unaware of, is that the clanless are viewed as genetic inferiors among the asari. This is not merely a class perception, the Thirty legitimately see them as an inferior subspecies. While not a perfect example, it would be seen as if a human were to mate with a primate. Again, this is a somewhat extreme analogy, but I want to drive home the point that the clanless are seen as fundamentally distinct and lesser than the Thirty – who are the pure asari. Mating with an alien is far more acceptable than mating with an inferior in their own species.
House T'Armal acted quickly when learning of this, and immediately isolated Aleena while swearing all the Temple priestesses aware to secrecy. Thana herself demanded that Aleena have the child aborted immediately. Aleena initially refused to do so, but appeared to concede after she presumably extracted a concession that her clanless lover would not be harmed.
What happens next is...unclear.
It is not surprising that Thana lied. She had no intention of letting the clanless trash risk tainting her daughter again and damaging the good name of their House. We only were able to learn the first name of the clanless – Liselle. We are not sure what her role was, outside of it being within the program.
Liselle was murdered. That is for certain. What is uncertain is how it happened. The two theories on this are that she was executed by Thana's personal commandos, along with her entire family, away from where Aria was. Presumably, Thana assumed Aleena would not learn of this, and would have not even considered that her daughter would have bonded with a clanless.
However, Aleena had, in fact, done this, which was when Liselle was murdered, she knew instantly and the bondshock almost killed her. Her death for certain was what pushed her to the breaking point. It is very likely that Aleena would have undergone the abortion, despite her resistance, if she knew Liselle would not be punished.
The other possibility is that Liselle was murdered in a more direct way. Officially, the Thirty covered up the violence of Aria's escape as that of an Ardat-yakshi which they blamed for the deaths. What we know now likely points to this being a fabrication to some degree, but the details are so deeply obscured that the number of people who know are in the single digits. There was a systemic effort by the Thirty to cover this up, and unfortunately the best we can make is educated extrapolations.
Regardless, with Liselle's death, Aleena nearly went mad. Her first kills were the doctors who tried to subdue her, not even realizing what was happening. We know the T'Armal guards were directed to pacify her once they realized what it was, and they were also killed trying to stop her. At least twenty T'Armal commandos, and numerous bystanders died during Aleena's escape, who had only one goal in her rage-addled mind.
Revenge.
FLEEING THESSIA: This goal did not last long.
Aleena fled the isolated compound (it is unclear if she had help or not) by stealing one of the land swoops, charting it on a course for the T'Armal family estate, and hours later when her mind was clear, went a completely different direction, and realized that she was about to be hunted. Grief and anger were overwhelming her, but she was and is a disciplined woman who can compartmentalize her emotions when her survival is at stake.
Aleena was very aware of the actual capabilities and reach of the Thirty, and this insight had been what has allowed her to survive again and again. She knew she had a very limited amount of time to flee the planet, and made her way towards a hangar controlled by one of the Guardian Houses, and somehow convinced them to let her take one of their ships.
Because of Thana doing everything she could to keep this quiet, the other Houses were unaware of everything that had transpired, and no one was about to refuse the request of Thana's eldest daughter, as well as the likely future Solarch. It is not known how House T'Armal broke the news, but Aria had barely gotten beyond the atmosphere when orders to detain her went out.
However, it was not fast enough to stop Aleena from going into FTL, and fleeing deep within the claimed – but still largely unexplored – territory of the Republics.
THE THIRTY'S PURSUIT: The Thirty did not waste any time in mobilizing in pursuit of Aleena. By this point, there were numerous rumors that were circulating about what was happening. Many senior priestesses in the Temple were being questioned, but Thana made a distinct point to curtail any discussion about what was happening beyond those who had a need to know.
Based on records, it appears that only the Matriarchs of the Thirty were fully aware of what was happening. Thana had apparently judged that it was more important that Aleena be dealt with swiftly even if it risked her reputation. It was a political gamble that ultimately paid off, as the Thirty saw Thana as a decisive actor willing to put the 'good of the Thirty' before her own house's reputation – especially since she'd shown no hesitating in having Aleena undergo the abortion and dealt with the clanless family in question.
The Nightwind were mobilized for deployment, along with some of the most senior Commandos and War Priestesses. Aleena was a very dangerous combatant who had gone through much of an elite biotic program, and had received personal training from House T'Armal's finest teachers, senior Commandos, and of course a number of esoteric abilities taught personally by the Solarch, though beginner by War Priestess standards.
In short, while it may appear that sending such operatives against one woman may be excessive, their caution was warranted. They knew that she could not be far, and her ship wasn't large enough to utilize the Relay network, so they were able to determine the maximum range she could go. While the Asari Republics had not colonized or fully explored every system, enough basic exploration had been done to identify planets that were habitable, and which were not.
The Thirty scoured everywhere they could, and the manhunt continued for months until they found the ship in an asteroid belt – destroyed. However, they never located a body, which led to most of the Thirty – Thana included – believing that she was not dead, and had somehow used the ship as a decoy.
The logs of the ship were able to be recovered, which indicated that it had made stops at a number of colony worlds, Ilium included, and that autopilot had been initiated since leaving Thessia. The evidence indicated that Aleena was still within the Republics, should she still be alive – the next question was to figure out where.
Thana wanted the issue put to rest, and the asari operatives on the case determined that she was likely hiding on one of the indicated colony worlds. Thousands of asari were interrogated about her possible whereabouts, and there was some brief escalation when it was believed that she had infiltrated a lodge under the name "Aleema".
This was not her, of course, Aria was smart enough to not be that obvious. There is some evidence that she did move through several lodges while she was on the run, but never for very long, and never under a name with one letter changed. It took the Thirty an extremely long time – years – before they actually found her.
As it turned out, Aleena had left Thessia as originally suspected, but she hadn't gone very far. After she had landed on Ilium, she had handed the ship off to a friend who then piloted the ship to several other colonies, before sending it on its final course. While the Thirty were pursuing leads across the Republics, Aleena was hiding among the clanless and lower classes of Ilium. The Thirty had attempted to scour Ilium of course, but they were more wary of using more heavy-handed measures due to the number of foreign investments and corporations – they instead instituted extremely heavy security and verification measures which prevented anyone from arriving – or leaving – without identification. Neither of which Aleena possessed during this time.
There were seemingly two objectives Aleena had during this time – build close ties among various clanless across Ilium, and make contact with the small, but growing criminal underworld on the planet. Both were in service to eventually leaving the planet, though it seems Aleena had larger plans, as she could have left sooner, but deliberately stayed to make these connections.
She was not trying to formulate a clanless rebellion – she knew it would fail, but she certainly made a point to not engender loyalty among the clanless of Thessia – which is unofficially believed to be one reason the Ilium clanless are seen as more independent than those in the rest of the Republics. Given her situation, she was trusted by many of the clanless – and she never was without a place to stay whenever she had to move – and she did often.
As she moved from place to place on Ilium, she gained a small following among the clanless and certain criminal elements. There were estimated to be between two and four dozen clanless women who she personally trained in martial arts, weapons handling, and commando tactics. She used the weapons and gear she acquired from smuggling operations she took part in to equip them, though was careful not to attract the attention of the Justicars or officials. Her intimate knowledge of the Thirty allowed her to predict, exploit, and subvert their surveillance.
It could not last forever though, and finally the search returned to Ilium.
ESCAPE TO OMEGA: Aleena through her clanless sources quickly determined that the Thirty were intensifying the search, and she determined it was time to leave, even though she did not have a reliable ship. It turned out, they were going to have to steal one. Or rather, storm one.
Before that, she noted that her face was being shown around with a request for tips for anyone who had information. She instructed several of her criminal sources to submit reports, spreading and diverting the pursuit. She explicitly did not use her clanless contacts, correctly assuming that the Thirty would be more likely to execute or imprison them. While that was happening, she and the number of people she'd been training managed to steal one of the asari Light Cruisers that was in dock.
It isn't fully clear how this was accomplished, but Aleena and her soldiers managed to do it. This would not have mattered, as there was no possible scenario where they would be able to escape the fleet. Knowing this, Aleena opened a channel directly to the Thirty as she was headed for the relay, giving her ultimatum: Let her go, or she would share secrets she knew from her time in the Temple that would destroy the asari.
It was exactly the thing Thana had feared she would do, and Aleena had resisted doing it because she rightly suspected that it would be an irreversible escalation, and a gamble that might backfire. However, the Thirty stood down, and allowed her to flee to Omega, where she intended to make her next moves there. We are not sure why she initially chose Omega, though it was likely suggested to her by one of her contacts or friends she had left.
Her departure did not conclude the investigation, and it didn't take long for the Thirty to understand how Aleena had hidden among the clanless. Despite Aleena's attempt to obfuscate the role the clanless played, there were numerous arrests, raids, and executions conducted as collective punishment for their help to her. It is unknown if Aleena ever learned of them, but she is likely not ignorant.
At that point, it did not matter. All that mattered was that she was free of the asari – and also almost completely on her own.
THE CONQUEST OF OMEGA STATION
IN SERVICE TO THE GORGON: It is important to understand that Omega was an extremely different place when Aria and her people arrived into it. Omega had some importance to the Terminus, and was known as a haven of criminal activity – but it was little better than a massive black market or port.
No singular entity "controlled" Omega station. There were dozens of gangs and mercenary companies that called Omega home and had their own chunk of the station carved out. The eezo mines were something that was fought over, though the majority of groups had no idea how to run them, and by the time they figured it out, another group had come.
Nearly every level of Omega was controlled by a different organization, but the most important levels were the upper ones, which had the majority of the ports. Living conditions, if it can be believed, were even worse than they are now. That is because Omega was never really intended to be somewhere where people live.
Instead Omega was seen as the home base for major mercenary groups and criminal gangs. The most prominent of which was the Stalwart Protectorate – under a krogan battlemaster who was called the Gorgon. The Protectorate was unique among the gangs and companies because it was seen as the primary facilitator of the station.
No one challenged the Protectorate, as they controlled the elevators, the ports, and much of the station's energy. In return, the Protectorate were permitted to travel throughout the station, though could not intervene in intra-group activities. The Gorgon was far shrewder than most remember him, and was more concerned with the acquisition of credits, weapons, and eezo which were given to the Protectorate as tribute.
The Gorgon was a survivor of the Krogan Rebellions, and for a long time after had positioned himself as a primary point of contact for krogan and krogan clans - or at least those who distrusted both the Thax and the Ganar. While he entertained no delusions about a second rebellion, Omega under the Gorgon was understood as a safe haven for krogan – provided they didn't cause issues.
A significant number of these krogan made up the Gorgon's lieutenants – and all of them held a particular distaste for the Citadel, and Citadel species. Aleena had heard of the Gorgon prior to her arrival on Omega, and had determined that he would be her way towards building a power base on Omega – which she needed if she was going to survive, and enact her future plans.
The Gorgon, of course, was extremely suspicious that a former member of the Thirty was showing up, with dozens of oddly militant clanless. No one was present for the conversation, but this was the first instance where the name "Aria T'Loak" was used. It is almost certain that Aria explained her situation, and used their shared hatred of the Thirty as common ground.
Rumors also say that Aria shared the secret of the Athame Temple with the Gorgon to guarantee his acceptance, though this is likely false unless the Gorgon is far better at keeping secrets than assumed. Still, to this day he retains Aria's protection, so there are those that still wonder.
What is ultimately important is that Aria and her people were permitted to join the Protectorate, and thus set in motion the events that would change the Terminus forever.
RISE THROUGH THE PROTECTORATE: This is an interesting era for the Terminus, and Omega in particular, as over the decades, it saw the gradual modernization, improvement, and importance of Omega Station grow. Aria started out fairly low in the ranks of the Protectorate, but the Gorgon saw that she was a useful asset, and gave her many opportunities to prove her worth.
He set her and her people to train many of his soldiers in the ways of the Commandos, along with secret biotic skills she learned in the Lodges and the Temple. There were only few biotics who could feasibly perform the feats she could, but there were enough of them to further showcase her usefulness to the Gorgon.
It is worth noting that during this time, there were a number of assassination attempts against Aria, mostly more 'unaffiliated' groups, which were likely hired and directed by the Thirty. There are at least three instances of the Nightwind being sent after her, and there were some attempts by the Thirty to turn some of her allies against her. All of these failed, and the Gorgon was so irritated with it he sent a warning to the Thirty and temporarily restricted access of asari to the station, especially those from and of the Thirty.
The assassination attempts stopped soon after the Thirty realized they weren't working, and ultimately had the effect of enhancing her reputation within the Protectorate and on the station.
It wasn't long until she was given more authority within the Protectorate, and immediately started using it. The first things she oversaw were the further modernization and expansion of the Protectorate's duties on the dock levels. Streets became cleaner, Afterlife actually became a club instead of the Protectorate's headquarters, and the Protectorate took on a more active peacekeeping role by confining the fighting gangs to certain quarters, or occupying swathes of civilian housing to deter outbreaks of violence.
Aria saw that those under her were better trained, better equipped, and better paid than the rest of those in the Protectorate, with each Protectorate Commander overseeing the compensation of their own company. This instilled significantly more loyalty in Aria's soldiers than others, and her methods were soon copied by others in the Protectorate, both because they were objectively superior, and because there were fears that Aria was consolidating power.
Credits weren't the only thing she used. She was not shy about using very targeted manipulation towards both her own subordinates, and those of other commandos, be it specific weapons, equipment, better living conditions, or sex. Despite her promiscuity during this period, no one would have ever dared disparage her for it.
Mostly because she developed the beginnings of her ruthless reputation as well. Those who disobeyed her orders were often executed, and their bodies displayed as trophies. Individuals who reengaged on deals, or broke non-aggression pacts were similarly dealt with harshly. Ironically, Aria developed a reputation as being incorruptible, unlike a number of the other Commanders who were sometimes bought off by the gangs and mercenaries.
The Gorgon, rather than being annoyed by this, was impressed, and continued promoting her until she was lifted to the Gorgon's Hand – effectively the voice and power of the Gorgon on the station. She had authority over all the Commanders, and all operations the Protectorate undertook.
Her first action was the removal of several major Commanders who had been part of the Protectorate almost since its founding. They were either demoted, or executed for treason. A number of the remaining Commanders immediately raised concerns with the Gorgon, believing she was attempting a power grab.
He ignored them, and sanctioned her activities. It's been said that Aria took control of Omega by storm and sheer power, but a careful review of the evidence suggests that the Gorgon knew exactly what she was doing, and didn't see a need to oppose it. There was a clash of visions that was inevitable – the Gorgon did not wish to see the Protectorate change its operations, where Aria had visions of something much greater being born on Omega.
It is known that both of them debated this exact same topic multiple times, and both left unable to convince the other. One thing he did concede to? The complete and total seizure of Omega Station. Aria was able to convince them that it was significantly safer, more profitable, and more effective to directly control the station themselves, rather than act as containers of violence.
The Gorgon had historically opposed this, by arguing that they didn't have the manpower, resources, or will to actually hold the station. However, Aria said that any plan would need to incorporate all of the gangs in some capacity. The Gorgon had no taste for diplomacy, but Aria was not the same.
A plan was conceived, and the Gorgon and the Commanders approved it – the open question was what would happen after Omega station was seized.
That was a question Aria intended to force – and afterwards challenged the Gorgon to a duel for control of the Stalwart Protectorate.
THE AFTERLIFE DUEL: The Gorgon was not really surprised by this. In some ways, he was not opposed to this possibility happening. For reasons that are based solely in rumors and holovid drama, there is a perception that the Gorgon was caught off-guard by this, and that Aria was just waiting for an opportunity to backstab him and assume power.
That is not the case.
Aria had definitely worked to stack the deck in her favor. She placed her people in important positions, she liberally manipulated, intimidated, and gained the loyalty of her people and many others in the Protectorate. Those she didn't directly manipulate she won over with her own charisma and charm. She had a clear track record, and the Gorgon didn't promote her because she was a poor leader.
Additionally, there is very little evidence to suggest that Aria and the Gorgon had a poor relationship. In fact, both of them respected each other a lot, and to this day still do (elaborated upon shortly). Aria had never hidden her clear ambition, and if the Gorgon had actually been concerned about her taking over, he would have removed her long before her promotion to Commander, let alone the Gorgon's Hand.
Furthermore, Aria went out of her way to not instigate a Protectorate civil war where she would force the Commanders to declare their loyalty to her or the Gorgon. She likely expected that this would make any subsequent conquest impossible, and wanted there to be no mistake about who was in charge. Challenging the Gorgon to a duel was both a transition of power the Gorgon would respect, and mitigated the fallout of a hostile takeover.
The Gorgon accepted, and the Afterlife club was cleared out – along with a good chunk of the surrounding area. It was to be a fight to the death, and Aria and the former battlemaster prepared for the toughest fight of their lives. Aria had never fought a krogan battlemaster, and the Gorgon had almost never gone on operations himself.
However, he had kept in practice.
The first blow was said to have almost killed Aria on the spot. Impossible to verify, but she was injured early on, and it was only by luck, raw power, skill, and a few fuel tanks that Aria managed to defeat the Gorgon in single combat. Lying defeated on the ground, his armor in pieces, blood pouring out of dozens of wounds, and one arm lost, the Gorgon prepared for his end.
Aria instead did a far more unexpected thing – offered her hand to the defeated krogan. More surprising was that he took it, and didn't exploit it.
This is one of the only instances of Aria showing an opponent mercy. There were some pragmatic reasons for not killing the Gorgon, such as appeasing the Gorgon's loyalists, but it showcases that Aria genuinely did not consider the Gorgon a threat – and trusted him enough to submit to her command, once he had been bested in combat.
The Gorgon was technically not permitted to return to the Protectorate, and instead was designated as an 'advisor'. No longer was he the Gorgon either. He was now the Patriarch, the same Patriarch that resides in Afterlife today, telling old stories, and playing his role in the Omegan Illusion.
What mattered then was that Aria T'Loak took control of the Stalwart Protectorate – and declared that they were now the Omegan Protectorate – the same entity that exists today, though under a different name. And the newly christened Omegan Protectorate was mobilized for war.
THE FIRST MARCH: There is some debate over when the true era of the Omegan Marches began, some put it after the Omega Standoff, but many others consider the conquest of Omega the first March. The plan that Aria had developed for conquering the entire station was put into practice.
Protectorate soldiers moved to immediately seize critical infrastructure, eezo mines, lifts, and docks. For three weeks Omega was closed to the galaxy until the docks were secure, and for the first time ever, the station defenses that Aria had quietly restored were brought online and used to prevent outside forces from invading the station.
At the same time, Aria called a meeting of all the gangs and mercenary organizations operating on Omega under the pretext of proper introductions as she had deposed the Gorgon. Some showed up, others suspected a trap and refused. Of those that showed up, she demanded their immediate submission and surrender to her upon pain of execution.
It's believed that over half accepted the offer, while the rest refused, and true to her word, were executed by Aria. Protectorate forces entered into prolonged firefights against the dissenters. The ones who hadn't shown up at all were sent ultimatums with the same demand, again a portion of them accepted, and the others dug in for war.
With the sides of everyone chosen, Aria joined the front and street by street, level by level, captured Omega Station over three months of bloody close-quarters combat. With control over the critical infrastructure, she utilized it to its fullest extent. Entire levels were deprived of oxygen, or pumped full of hazardous chemicals.
She pressed Omegan civilians into combat roles through a combination of charisma, promises, and threats. She also directly ordered Omegans to rise up and join her if they lived in enemy territory, and very often they were also killed when she employed level-wide measures to wipe out enemy forces.
While there were not many Omegan civilians during this period, there were ultimately only two kinds – those who fully bought into the vision that Aria was selling – that of a new, modernized Omega Station that would become the center of Terminus power, and those who were afraid of her.
By the end, the remaining gangs and mercenaries who had initially refused were breaking with their leadership and cutting deals with Aria in exchange for submission and compliance, almost all of which she accepted, and in fact that was a favorite tactic of hers. On her own, even with the Protectorate, it was unlikely she would have succeeded against a united Omega station.
However, by dividing all of the disparate factions, even if fractionally, it shifted the balance of power more and more in her favor, and the more she divided, the more she succeeded. The conquest of Omega is still taught in military schools today for this reason – there are many lessons to be taken from it.
All culminating of Omega Station falling to Aria T'Loak.
Omega was born, and the Terminus would not be the same.
THE OMEGAN ADDRESS: Copies of Aria's first address to the galaxy following the conquest of Omega are surprisingly difficult to find. Although, for those who have seen the speech in question, you will easily be able to see it is suppressed in Citadel space for the same reasons the speech by Terena Terminus was.
There are thousands of Omegan citizens, Protectorate soldiers, and criminals and mercenaries that had aligned with Aria who stood in the streets before the newly restored Afterlife club. Elevated above them stood Aria T'Loak, flanked by the Protectorate Commanders, her allied criminal and mercenary leaders, and Patriarch.
In it she declared victory over the dissident forces, and the proclamation of Omegan independence. In it she stated her intention for Omega to be an alternative to those who did not want to live under the control of the Citadel. Values such as independence, freedom, and self-determination were invoked, along with an open invitation for others to come to Omega Station.
There are clear and intentional parallels to the same address by Terena Terminus, though her name was never invoked. The speech was met with uproarious approval, and according to rumors, Thana T'Armal destroyed a room in rage when she realized who 'Aria T'Loak' really was.
It was a bold move by Aria – and one that was immediately tested.
THE OMEGA STANDOFF
It is worth taking a few moments to discuss how the Citadel viewed Omega prior to Aria's conquest, and her subsequent address. The Citadel had, more or less, been content to leave the Terminus alone since Terena Terminus' attempt to formulate a coherent Terminus state failed. Omega was primarily seen as a haven for criminals, but not something to be concerned about.
The Citadel, ultimately, did not really know the details of what Omega was, and were distracted by politics, the aftermath of the Morning War, creating the SPECTREs, and numerous other domestic matters each member species was handling. What was important to them was that it was a station with a lot of criminals on it.
Notably, the Citadel was aware of the existence of Aria prior to her conquest, though that was more due to her association with the Gorgon, who the Citadel paid attention to due to his harboring of krogan, as well as his own history in the Rebellions. This was not a serious analysis, of course, but the Citadel was aware of "Aria T'Loak" though only as the Gorgon's second in command.
When she took over the Protectorate, it caught the analysts off-guard, as they had no true insight into Omega or the Protectorate. The speed at which Omega Station fell to Aria was similarly startling, though that alone would not have prompted direct Citadel action. It is likely that had Aria given the indication that this was a typical power grab, it would not have engendered a Citadel mobilization that nearly threw the Terminus into war.
However, Aria made her address, and it immediately caught the attention of the Citadel, who immediately were concerned she was attempting to replicate Terena's attempt at unification, and sent teams of STG Operatives and SPECTREs to investigate. Notably, the Citadel almost certainly knew more than Aria did while they investigated Omega, specifically about what the station was.
In a word, a Prothean relic; one with eerie similarities to certain Citadel architecture.
It is now believed that Aria suspected that the station was Prothean, once she gained full control, but she could not have known the similarities to Citadel Station, or even what the capabilities were. Still, that realization would have driven her response, and shortly after the Omegan Address, she opened a direct line to the Thirty once again.
No recording of it exists, but several witnesses and partial transcripts give the general gist of the conversation. Aria effectively made the same demand to the Thirty that she did previously – ensure that the Citadel did not retaliate against her, or she would destroy the asari. She also promised that she had no intention of going to war against the Citadel at that period, though notably didn't make the same promise about the Thirty specifically.
Once again, the Thirty complied, and were able to table action against Omega and Aria T'Loak, though the intervention was extremely unpopular, and the asari influence in the Council was greatly reduced for a time. Groups like the SPECTREs also never forgot, and each bears a particular distaste for Aria.
Aria and the Citadel did in fact have several clandestine meetings, though only through proxies, where she reiterated she didn't intend to go to war with the Citadel – though did not promise to refrain from pursuing a united Terminus, or specifically target the Thirty. Neither of these omissions were sufficient to force the Citadel to act, and they did not.
Notably, this is the last instance of Aria directly holding blackmail of the Thirty over their heads. She knew it was a tactic which was going to become less and less effective, and there would be a growing chance that the Thirty would one day call her bluff – assuming they didn't have mitigation measures in place.
It almost certainly remains a powerful deterrent over Aria, but it is very likely that if she attempted it again, it would fail – nor has it deterred the Citadel, STG, Thirty, and other powers from conducting their own operations against her. The Omega Standoff was significantly important for the obvious reasons, but it was arguably just as significant because it is likely the last time Aria would be able to effectively use that kind of leverage again.
THE OMEGAN MARCHES
AGAINST OMEGA: The Citadel was not the only group which looked at Aria's address with trepidation or concern. Aria was a relatively minor power, even with control over Omega Station, and there were a significant number of groups who saw her proclamation as a direct challenge to their own influence and power in the Terminus.
Unlike the Citadel, they had no reason to not take action, especially since Aria was a threat that was much closer to home. The Terminus at this period was dominated by dozens of warlords, pirates, criminal gangs, mercenary companies, smuggling fleets, and slaver rings. The Black Sun was the largest mercenary company in operation during that period, and did not take Aria's declaration well – which many took note of, considering they were the premiere mercenary military power in the region.
A confederation of pirate fleets, the Twin Rings, were similarly alarmed by Aria, and were the first to state they would oppose her efforts to 'conquer the Terminus' as it was put. The Inverted Relay, the largest conglomerate of drug and material smuggling also announced their intention to no longer do business on Omega, and warned anyone else from dealing with the upstart asari.
Finally, the Batarian Empire had been a growing power, and it hadn't taken them long to become the primary slaving power in the region. Even if Aria hadn't posed a direct threat to their slaving operations, the fact that she was a woman and was making promises like that was hysterical to them, and supposedly there were gatherings of batarian slavers who replayed her speech, while commenting how pleasurable it would be when she was raped.
The underlying point to all of this was that the major power players of the Terminus were squarely aligned against her. They held effective monopolies over large swathes of business across the Terminus, and Aria knew this. It would become a driving force over this next violent period of the Terminus.
And it began with the Omegan Conference.
THE OMEGAN CONFERENCE: Aria intended to repeat her strategy against the four major powers of the Terminus in the same way she had conquered Omega Station – divide and conquer. Each organization held monopoly power, and were undisputed in their spheres of business – but they were far from the only ones. Many units were forced to accommodate them, pay tribute, or otherwise exist under them while being forbidden from growth.
Aria didn't bother reaching out to any of the major groups, but instead directly messaged the smaller mercenary companies, the freelance smugglers and pirates, the jealous dealers and slavers angry that the batarians and Inverted Relay were taking up so much of the market share.
She played a very, very careful and dangerous game with what became hundreds of these disparate groups, using bribes, promises, idealism, market pragmatism, libertarianism, intimidation, and ruthlessness with the skill of a master. The common theme Aria was promising was this – life would be safer, more profitable, and better if she was in charge – or at least the reigning powers were broken.
This was all culminating in what would become known as the Omegan Conference, or what is also known as the First Omegan Congress, where Aria invited dozens of the leaders of small groups and freelancers to Omega. The entire Conference was carefully planned, where she secured the presence of those she needed, while withholding invitations from those who she was uncertain of.
The purpose of the Conference was to produce a united front, which would then incentivize the many remaining warlords, smugglers, slavers, and dealers to join her side. Two weeks the Conference lasted, where Aria cajoled these disparate groups and individuals to signing on to a declaration of war against the powers of the Terminus, to break their stranglehold over the region.
Make no mistake here – Aria absolutely needed everyone on her side for this. She made a significant number of promises and sacrifices on her own part. As much as people like to believe that Aria personally went in and threatened everyone to fight with her or die, that isn't how any of this works (and still doesn't, but that topic comes later). She needed to negotiate, and negotiate she did.
Despite this, she remained in a precarious position – but she was offering something none in the Terminus had offered for a very long time: A vision – and with that vision came the Marches.
THE MARCH ON THE BLACK SUN: The most obvious threat to Aria was the Black Sun, and their military power. Aria took an unconventional tactic when fighting them – she didn't focus her operations against the Black Sun proper. She doubted that they would have enough forces, either in numbers, equipment, or training to win.
Instead she hit them where it hurt – their pockets.
Mercenaries make their money from clients, and Aria directed and led her forces against the clients of the Black Sun. The tycoons, corporations, and organizations that worked with the Black Sun suddenly found themselves assassinated by bounty hunters, their corporations firebombed by fleets, and their homes raided by other mercenaries - and in some cases Aria herself.
The Black Sun were large, but they had significant weaknesses – they were relatively well-trained, but had become much weaker with no credible opposition, which allowed Aria – who had significantly better strategic experience – to identify and exploit their weaknesses. She didn't storm their bases and headquarters, she simply put her fleets near relays or along choke points to siege their worlds and starve them.
This kind of campaign had significant impacts on the Terminus, and was perhaps the campaign that introduced Aria's ruthless nature. Her reputation was enhanced by several orders of magnitude more than it would have been because she was an actual participant in the conflict itself. She showed the Terminus that she was not merely a leader - she was an active and powerful warrior, one willing to get her hands dirty if necessary.
The campaign resulted in thousands of unaffiliated people assassinated, murdered, or starved. The Black Sun was caught flatfooted with little coherent response except to begin recklessly attacking forces affiliated with Aria – who were positioned and well-prepared for the attack.
Then Aria, after months of sieging and this kind of campaign, released a statement that all Black Sun who immediately turned on their organization would be granted amnesty, and she would cease actions against them. This act was enough to shatter the last discipline the Black Sun had left, and they collapsed in a dozen smaller wars.
Aria officially ended the March at that point, having succeeded in breaking the hold the Black Sun possessed over the region – an act which made it possible for the modern mercenary organizations to grow, particularly Eclipse, Blood Pack, the Blue Suns, and many others. The Terminus was now the playground of the mercenaries, and per her agreement, she left them conduct business as they saw fit – though made sure they remembered who had achieved this for them.
THE MARCH ON THE TWIN RINGS: The Twin Rings proved slightly more difficult for Aria to deal with. The biggest issue was that Aria had a significant disparity of ships to use against them, and a significant portion of them she was adamant be used for protection against critical worlds, resources, and Omega.
The Twin Rings didn't have the same weaknesses, and were self-sufficient with their resources. They raided and attacked Terminus ships almost with the same intensity as before, though made a point to directly hurt Aria if they could. They never really considered it a true war, to them it was business as usual.
In the end, Aria had to employ a lot of trickery.
The Twin Rings were very good pirates. That didn't inherently mean they were good at anything else. Aria decided to take a major gamble, seeing no real way that she would win otherwise. She started deliberately having information leaked, which specifically revolved around the Omega-4 Relay.
The leaks went that Aria had charged her engineers with finding a safe way to traverse it – and were close to a breakthrough. Aria confirmed these supposed leaks by using her ships (usually old or useless ones) and sending them through the Omega-4 relay on autopilot. The Twin Rings completely believed she was doing this, and thought she was an idiot.
That was, until she supposedly succeeded in creating an IFF – something that most believed was necessary to traverse the relay (which was believed to only be possessed by the Collectors - who were more legend at this point in time). Transmissions, videos, and reports showed that there had been a ship that had gone through the Omega-4 relay – and returned. All of this was staged, and while any decent intelligence organization would have probably realized it was fake, the Twin Rings decidedly did not have a decent intelligence organization.
No one knew what was really beyond the relay, but they feared that Aria would potentially find or be able to build a fleet to challenge them – and so decided to force the issue. The vast bulk of their fleet flew towards Omega, with the intention of blowing it into asteroids. To their surprise, the station seemed unprotected. At least initially.
The station soon demonstrated this was an erroneous assumption.
Omega is not thought of as a military installation. No recordings exist of the actual battle that took place. But there are testimonials from those who survived, which described the station as 'coming alive' and firing weapons that ripped through their fleets like nothing. They were described as being unlike anything ever seen before.
Aria's own fleets emerged from FTL or the relay on top of them, and exposed and with nowhere to run, the vast bulk of the Twin Rings were destroyed in a single battle. Aria herself was part of the boarding team that assaulted the Twin Rings flagship and killed their leader, which proved enough to shatter the remaining cohesion of the fleet.
This incident does beg the question of why, exactly, Omega Station has only been used in this way once. There are a number of theories, which shall be discussed in detail during the section of Omega Station itself.
The two prevailing theories will be briefly highlighted though. This first is that using it in this way required a significant amount of power, which Aria has been unwilling to use to this degree again.
The second is that Aria sacrificed something to the station, and does not wish to do so again.
THE MARCH ON THE INVERTED RELAY: The conglomerate of drug and equipment smugglers was something that Aria waited for a time to truly deal with, having prioritized the military threats against her – but with those both destroyed, she could focus on the economic ramifications.
The Inverted Relay was a much different threat than she was used to, and it was primarily the reason that she'd faced difficulties equipping and supplying her forces. Omega had a growing industry, but many of their arms and equipment was coming through scavenging and (ironically) buying from the Relay on their own black markets.
Aria was wary of performing a scorched-earth approach like she had with the Black Sun, since the customers of the Relay were the same that those who had aligned with her also wanted to sell too. The solution she ultimately decided on was to beat them at their own game. Aria was the closest thing to a state power now in the Terminus, and for all the sophisticated logistics of the Inverted Relay, they didn't have that kind of backing.
Consider what might happen if the Turian Hierarchy suddenly put all of their effort into fostering a booming drug market and addicting their own people? If they used their military forces to secure resources, construct mines, and industrialize for the sole purpose of selling weapons and equipment to their own people through dubious means.
You might have a good idea of how Aria approached this particular problem.
She divided the main parts of the Terminus up into markets, with the goal being to push the Relay out of them by buying off their clients or otherwise poaching them to starve their machine – while throwing in the violent seizure of drug production facilities for good measure (the destruction of Black Sun – their primary protection outfit – hurt the Relay significantly).
If you've ever wondered why everyone on Omega seems to be on some kind of substance, and how drugs are practically candy on that station where by their toddler years, children are addicted, you can thank this particular March for it. Aria's plan started by "reclaiming" the Omega market, and that required flooding the station with drugs and equipment that were cheaper, better, and more potent than the alternatives.
The drug manufacturers and smugglers who'd aligned with Aria were thrilled by this development, as they practically had license to do whatever they wanted and could now do it with the full backing of a state power. So Aria gave them credits, eezo, ships, and the drugs flowed across the Terminus at a rate that had never before been seen.
Smugglers with Aria didn't need to go through the checkpoint systems she'd established, each being granted the Omega Sanction to do business, whereas the Inverted Relay had to use their own methods. Slowly but surely, the influence of the once-dominant drug and weapons network faded – beaten at their own game.
Aria's plan succeeded, but succeeded at a scale that permanently changed the Terminus, and particularly the climate on Omega, as well as set the standard for the kind of cooperation people would expect from working with Aria.
I do not think Aria necessarily wanted to create a permanent drug epidemic, but she was determined to achieve victory, and by the time she might have realized what was happening, it was too late. Trying to reign in the drug smugglers and manufacturers would have been catastrophic and likely caused her to lose her grip.
It is arguable that this was the first instance of the Omegan Illusion coming into force. And it wouldn't be the last.
THE MARCH ON THE BATARIANS: In a few ways, the Batarian Empire took the same approach Aria did in regards to the state sponsorship of illicit activities – though their primary one was slavery. The batarians swept through the Terminus, colonizing and enslaving whoever they came across, and were quickly recognized as controlling the most effective slaving rings.
This was not desirable to many of the slavers that had operated before the batarians had shown up. Some worked with the batarians, but most saw them as rivals, and considered it unfair that they were being backed by the Empire while they had nothing.
Yes, yes, someone please think of the poor slavers.
The point being that they aligned with Aria because she promised to create an environment where there was much more room for competition. You have to understand the reason why Aria bothered dealing with this particular group at all. The slavers were quite often among the most wealthy and influential of the criminal groups.
Slaves, especially reliable, well-trained ones, sell for a premium. And there are many people in the Terminus who exploit slaves, be if for sex, labor, meat, or experimentation. Slavery is extremely common in the Terminus. It isn't taboo like in Citadel space. All the people who throw a fit when they see the indentured on Ilium would have a heart attack if they went almost anywhere in the Terminus and saw how even the most innocuous-looking groups and individuals usually have some kind of slaves.
That is how it is in the Terminus. You cannot escape it, and Aria realized this. That was why she wanted them on her side, her own personal feelings be damned.
It also is worth pointing out that many of the warlords, mercenary companies, and other allies used slaves, especially sex slaves, as rewards or bribes. If Aria angered the slavers, they could potentially turn other elements of her alliance against her by refusing to do business or provide "replacements".
It doesn't matter how disgusting or horrific this kind of practice is. These were legitimate considerations Aria had to take into account if she was going to succeed, and she judged success as being worth whatever this cost was. It was her dealings with the slavers, I think, that killed much of the idealism and, if I dare say it, hope that the lower classes of the Terminus had when they'd heard her.
Aria was not Terena Terminus. She was just another tyrant.
If one who had no real choices if she wished to win.
With nearly all of the threats eliminated, Aria began the final March on the Batarian Empire – which they didn't seem to expect. Slaving rings were stormed, and like she had in the previous Marches, Aria personally participated in operations against the batarians, and as a woman, her victories were especially humiliating for them.
It seems a very cruel irony, as was repeated throughout this march, one can imagine the thoughts of the slaves who suddenly see their masters being attacked by some other force. Do they think they are going to be free? Is this their liberation? At first it seems that way, and what ultimately happens is that they're simply placed into bondage once more by their 'liberators', at the express consent of Aria.
The ones who weren't were usually taken by mercenaries and smugglers for their own usage. What few stories of this March have been made rarely cover this aspect.
Aria often didn't kill the surviving batarians, especially the leaders she defeated in personal combat, but instead emasculated them and sent them back, humiliated, knowing they were usually killed by their own kind upon their return. The conflict continued to escalate as the Empire began mobilizing more forces against her, not wanting to cede ground, especially to her.
Aria was now no longer facing the low-caste batarians being sent out to conduct basic slaving operations and make money for the Empire – she was now facing trained forces of the Empire, with rumors circulating that the Emperor himself had begun taking notice of this conflict. Aria did not know this, nor could she have stopped if she'd wanted to.
Throughout the Marches, Aria had been in hundreds of battles, and was recognized as one of the most dangerous warriors of the Terminus. Outside of a few exceptions, however, there were few who were personally capable of matching her. Aria was not used to an equally skilled opponent, but rather a large number of unskilled or weaker enemies.
The Black Sun, Twin Rings, and Inverted Relay did not have these kinds of opponents for her, not truly. The Batarian Empire was different, and as Aria cut through the chaff of the batarians, their forces gradually became more and more sophisticated and skilled. Aria did notice this as she fought, but it didn't crystallize until one specific event.
Specifically, Aria suddenly found herself in personal combat with the Commander of the Imperial Guard at the time, on his own, commanding the batarians to protect one of the most critical slaving establishments. For anyone else, especially the educated on what this meant, it should have sent Aria into a full retreat.
Ignorance prevented this, as Aria knew little of the intricacies of the Batarian Empire at the time. The extent of her knowledge was that the Imperial Guard were the personal arm of the Batarian Emperor – which was enough to convey the gravity of this escalation, but she still didn't know enough about the Emperor to be afraid. She had yet to learn that. Unfortunately we do not have records of this conflict, suffice to say that everything indicates that Aria won, but was so badly wounded that she was placed into a medical coma and doctors who treated her said she should have died.
This was Aria – in addition to some of her best soldiers – against a single member of the Imperial Guard. The Commander, yes, but Aria is one of the most powerful biotics alive. She's had a healthy respect for the Imperial Guard – and batarians in general – ever since, though perhaps due to what happened next.
The Batarian Empire immediately ceased operations, and a single emissary was dispatched to Omega with an invitation for Aria T'Loak. This emissary is better known as the Augur, who stated that she was personally invited to the Black Palace for a personal audience with the Emperor.
Aria, rightly suspecting this was a trap, was skeptical. However, the Augur was somehow able to convince her to visit. Aria did leave orders that if she were not to return, her fleets were to fire black nano onto batarian colonies and execute any batarian that entered the Terminus. And so, Aria departed for Khar'shan.
This is perhaps one of the only instances of the Emperor allowing a woman who wasn't a slave in his presence – and unfortunately we do not have good insight into what the Emperor and Aria discussed – but we do know the aftermath.
Aria returned and stated that an agreement had been reached between the Batarian Empire and Omega. The batarians would restrict their operations to certain sectors of the Terminus, and have to conduct a certain percentage of their sales with other slavers to sell to others in the rest of the Terminus.
All conflict between the two parties would cease, and no further acts of aggression would take place. The slavers were very content with this arrangement, and the batarians grumbled, but none were willing to defy the will of the Emperor. For her part, Aria certainly came out of the meeting changed.
There remain no transcripts or journals by Aria of what the conversation was like, but from others who interacted with her directly after, there was a single surprising emotion that drove her actions, and effectively everything she has done since that relates to the Emperor.
Fear.
It is said that there are none who Aria truly fears, but the Batarian Emperor appears to be the exception to this rule.
THE SECOND KROGAN REBELLIONS
THE RISE OF GANAR WRANG: Indulge the misnomer of the "Second Krogan Rebellions", but as that is what this particular period in history is known as, this is what the section will be titled.
However, Ganar Wrang does not enter into the picture right now. First we need to establish the initial situation in the Terminus Systems. The fact was that Aria had indisputably won, and was considered by every expert and group tangibly associated with the Terminus as the principal power. She controlled Omega, she influenced thousands of critical groups and individuals, and she was a growing economic power thanks to the Omegan eezo mines.
This should not be confused with complete and total domination. Aria had shattered the status quo of the Terminus beyond all possible repair, and this was a volatile period where Aria was forced to contend with turning her disparate alliance into something permanent – which at the beginning demanded a more domestic focus.
She needed to formalize the systems she had in place, hammer out more deals with her allies, and figure out what the new status quo was going to look like – all the while building up her own permanent power base, creating a stable economy, and ensuring that her influence wouldn't be lost.
This had the effect of allowing the rest of the Terminus to enter into a state of volatility on its own. New warlords, gangs, mercenaries, and worlds sprang up, independent and wanting to establish themselves. This is where Ganar Wrang and the Blood Pack enter the picture. With Aria focused on domestic matters, there was no one to stop Wrang when he began his new crusade.
Aria was only tangentially aware of the existence of Wrang and Blood Pack, but it is likely that even if she had been aware, there was very little that she could do about it. Perhaps it would have lessened the brutality of the early months of the conflict.
But perhaps it wouldn't have. What mattered was that the conflict would shatter the status quo, this time once and for all.
THE TERMINUS PACT: When the Blood Pack began their conquest, there was no united front. Aria, warlords, the Terminus Clan, everyone was caught off guard when the Blood Pack began raiding, occupying, and destroying colonies across the Terminus. The Citadel initially remained neutral, which was the only deterrent that anyone could reasonably hope for – one that was rejected.
Aria was forced to immediately deal with this threat, and quickly realized that she was in a much worse position to do so than she'd feared. Wrang was a Battlemaster, and easily one of the most competent foes that she had ever dealt with, and she made the correct assumption that Wrang had studied her and the tricks and tactics she'd used would be minimally effective.
Worsening her position was the fact that a good portion of his soldiers were krogan – and she was bleeding krogan to him, as well as others as Wrang was making an appeal to her allies, much like she once had. She retained a notable naval advantage, but Wrang had accounted for that, and successfully avoided much large-scale engagements.
Her grip on her own people was beginning to slip, so she made a move that many considered surprisingly – she reached out to the groups and powers that she didn't control – particularly the Terminus Clan, and some smaller warlords – and insisted that they form a united front against Wrang.
This pact was what formed the underlying basis for much of Omegan foreign policy today, particularly the relationship that Aria has with the Terminus Clan, and together they engaged the Blood Pact in combat throughout the Terminus. Aria herself directly participated in many major battles, as did Wrang, though neither met on the battlefield early on.
However, the momentum of the war was with Wrang. Defeats against Aria and her allies were more numerous and impactful than the opposite, and Aria was relying more and more on her resource advantage to keep the Congress together and stymie an open revolt. It isn't fully known all of the actions Aria took during this period, but some rumors and accounts from people who knew her paint a picture of a woman who practically never slept, was jumped up on stimulants to dangerous levels, and meeting with a different group or organization every hour to keep them loyal.
It's questionable if Aria's efforts would have been enough – had Wrang not committed a fatal mistake, and decisively turned the Citadel against him.
AGREEMENT WITH THE CITADEL: Aria was not blind. She was well aware that the Citadel was all too content with her being defeated by the Blood Pact. She didn't expect them to back the warlord, but also knew that they wouldn't intervene to stop her either. Aria had written off the Citadel very early on in the conflict.
The Blood Pack attacks on Citadel colonies immediately changed this calculus.
Still, she was initially resistant to the idea of trying to forge some kind of agreement with the Council. She believed that she would be able to prevail, and the Citadel would do what they wanted. She knew she would have to make concessions, and she really, really, did not want to give up anything to them.
A few things forced her to reconsider. The first was the state of the conflict itself – Aria was pragmatic enough to understand that it wasn't going well, no matter how she looked at it. The momentum was not in her favor, and she knew it. With large swathes of her forces in question due to poor morale, supply issues, manpower losses, as well as pressure from Wrang targeting individual members and mercenaries to defect or stay out with bribes or threats - she was contending with the possibility of her front shattering.
The second was that a number of her closest advisors – most notably Patriarch – convinced her to at least approach the Council. Patriarch in particular had been very insistent on the need to swallow pride, and at least reach out. The rumors go that Patriarch threatened to leave if she didn't make the effort, as he would not devote himself to a doomed effort by a delusional leader.
Yes, I am aware that some people believe that Patriarch is a glorified trophy, and not one of Aria's few legitimate advisors and friends, but that is the fault of the Omegan Illusion more than anything. Very few understand that if Patriarch had not become involved, the Second Krogan Rebellions would have been far worse.
Patriarch was not a Ganar, but he was a battlemaster – one of the most respected. Outside of Wrang, few others knew the breadth of contacts, especially within the krogan community. While Wrang was reaching out to try and directly recruit krogan, Patriarch was doing the same thing, but insisting that they either fight for Aria (and he brought many krogan gangs under Aria's influence) or stay out of the fighting. He was in near-constant contact with Tuchanka, and stressing that Wrang was not to be aligned with.
You'd be interested to know that a certain Urdnot Wrex was one of the krogan he convinced to fight on Aria's side, while convincing many others to just stay neutral. Without Patriarch, the Second Krogan Rebellions would have involved a lot more krogan. With this context, the threat of him leaving Aria was a legitimately serious threat, which is likely what pushed her over the edge.
She reached out to the Council, with the direction Patriarch provided, and laid out the consequences of a Wrang victory, told in such a way as to make it overwhelmingly clear that a Wrang-dominated Terminus would not be in the interests of the Citadel. More importantly, Wrang was a dangerous krogan, and if he proposed a viable alternative to Tuchanka and restored krogan pride – warped as it was – he would one day take revenge on the Citadel for the Genophage.
She additionally made a number of concessions and promises to incentivize the Council to listen. Open trade, intelligence on the hanar and batarians, non-aggression pacts against the Council, Aria was willing to make concessions and made sure the Council knew it. Both Patriarch and the Thirty also were able to bring in the Ganar Clan, including Okeer himself to also discuss solutions.
While it was far from a true alliance, an understanding was reached by all involved parties. When the talks concluded, Aria returned to the front, and the Citadel began intervening through SPECTREs, special forces, funds and equipment, and volunteers that joined Uressa T'Shora's campaign against the Blood Pack.
The shift was not apparent at first, but if there is a definitive turning point in the conflict, it was when Aria and the Citadel Council came to their first – and only – agreement.
EFFECTS OF THE WAR: This conflict, more than any other, solidified the path Aria had taken, with all the good and bad that entailed. The majority of Aria's forces are technically not hers, she just has made direct agreements with many of them, and thus they follow her orders and function as her military.
The number of forces that Aria can truly call her own are relatively few by comparison. Barely enough to control Omega, let alone project power outside it. Thus, it makes any large-scale engagement significantly more precarious by comparison, as the loss of loyalty from one group risks starting a mass exodus and before you know it, three quarters of your forces have fled or defected.
It cannot be understated how much of a political mastermind Aria is to successfully maintain influence over literally hundreds of different criminal gangs, mercenary companies, smuggling fleets, pirates, and slaving rings. I struggle to think of anyone else who would not only be able to accomplish it, but consistently maintain it.
This does, however, come with a price.
At the risk of preempting the section on the Omegan Illusion, Aria was not able to do this through the sheer force of her personality. No one could even come close to achieving this without making numerous concessions and promises – contrary to popular belief, Aria uses violence and intimidation in very specific and critical ways – that is not how she deals with most individuals. If she had, her forces would have collapsed long ago.
She needed to walk the very fine line between demanding loyalty, carefully showing her own leverage, and giving them what they wanted. And she did that, somehow. It's legitimately impressive that she did not end up a glorified puppet from how many different agreements and promises she made – but that is just a reflection of her skill.
It did, however, effectively set expectations, not only for the relationship she has with the Omegan Congress, but the Terminus in general. She did what was necessary to win – and that came at a price that has greatly affected her.
What is not in dispute though, is that if she hadn't done this, then she would almost certainly be dead.
THE SIEGE OF OMEGA: Returning to the conflict proper, the Blood Pack were losing, and Wrang made the calculation that the momentum had been permanently lost, especially with the Citadel effectively throwing their weight behind Aria. The solution was stark and simple – Omega had to fall, and Aria had to die.
Wrang, together with his most senior and dangerous lieutenants still alive, directly assaulted Omega which neither Aria, nor any others had expected. Nonetheless, Omega was mobilized to fight, though Wrang managed to fight his way successfully to Afterlife, demanding that Aria face him in battle.
She did.
Comparisons can be made to Aria's fight with the Gorgon, but the comparison is frankly not fair to either. Wrang was of similar power to the Gorgon, but his style was far more destructive and blunt than the latter's. Afterlife, and most of the surrounding area was leveled in the fighting as Aria and Wrang fought each other with little regard for anything else.
For those wondering where Patriarch was during this, he was managing another front, and wasn't on Omega, else he almost certainly would have participated. As it stood, Aria now not only had the experience of fighting a krogan battlemaster, but had been personally advised by one for decades now – and had almost certainly prepared for this fight.
It speaks to Wrang's skill that he still put up as much of a fight as he did. Aria did have the advantage in the duel, since she was fresh, knew how he would fight, and knew the environment. Back and forth they fought, each injuring the other. The video of this duel was harder to recover than expected, and the only reason we have it is because both Aria and Wrang had designated one of their people as a cameraman, both intending to use the footage for propaganda when they won.
As you can imagine, due to the intensity of the fight, it is rather poor quality. Both Wrang and Aria were rapidly moving around the battlefield using biotics, and vehicles they hijacked (Wrang almost crashed a hover-car into Aria which she just barely escaped). The footage is shaky and unstable, making it difficult to make out what is happening at numerous times.
Making it more complicated was that both cameramen thought the cameras of each other were enemy drones and were under orders to make sure nothing interfered, so you will see the camera drones coming under fire as the cameramen shoot each other. It would be humorous if the situation were not significantly monumental.
It did capture some excellent shots. One of the most famous is when Aria got hit with a biotic blast that sent her into a nearby electronics shop, and a few seconds later a blue biotic charge fires back which just barely misses Wrang, but the follow-up throw sends him into the air where he fell on several crates of red sand.
Now imagine scenes like that for nearly one hour, a relentless barrage of violence that destroyed a vast swathe of the most developed part of Omega. In the end, Aria secured her victory by throwing him into numerous fuel pods which exploded, which she followed up with forcing him through a mining drill - with gory results.
The state of Wrang's body was the result of a number of exaggerated legends and retellings of this fight, none of which Aria has officially denied, but I would argue the true story is just as impressive on its own. Aria was badly wounded – but she had won, and the Second Krogan Rebellions had ended.
Something to note – this was the second battlemaster that Aria has defeated.
Worth keeping in mind.
AFTERMATH: Peace had – at least for a time– come to the Terminus. Another wannabe empire had been repelled, and now there was truly nothing standing between Aria and near-unrestricted control over the Terminus. But Omega was not a conventional empire, nor was the situation as straightforward as Citadel observers believed.
It wasn't just Aria who dramatically benefitted from the victory – their alliance with Aria had resulted in the resurgence of the Terminus Clan and they were also recognized as a major regional power, if not as powerful as Aria. Those who had aligned themselves with Aria celebrated and reveled in their newfound power and influence.
The Terminus had been broken, but there was a new status quo emerging. This time though, Aria was prepared and she wanted to make sure that there wouldn't be another Wrang who would rise up against her. To do this she determined that she needed to ensure that there would be none who would ever think of challenging her authority, no matter what she must do to sear this fact into her mind.
Was it the best solution? Likely not. Was it the thing Aria wanted to do? No. Was it the only feasible option she had if she wanted to have a stranglehold over the Terminus? Likely.
Would it succeed? Probably not, but it would buy her time.
And time was what she needed.
This was the start of the Omegan Illusion.
THE BIRTH OF THE ILLUSION
THE OMEGAN TERROR: It began with blood.
The Terminus had experienced conflict and war for years now, repeatedly, over and over, and now it was done. Aria knew that she had a very limited time to establish herself as the ultimate power over the Terminus Systems, and that was going to involve a systemic application of violence that would be seared into the psyche of the region for decades to come.
And that is exactly what she did.
It first started on Omega proper, where bloody purges were conducted. Everyone who had stayed neutral or opposed her was hunted and killed. Those who had sympathized wrongly faced similar fates. Executions were held in the public centers of Omega to the cheers of mercenaries. Aria let the mercenaries run wild, setting them against their smaller rivals, in an effort to secure their loyalty to her.
This period would be known as the Omegan Terror, and while it started on Omega Station, it was certainly not confined to it.
Many of those who had opposed Aria were spread throughout the Terminus, and she mobilized her fleets and forces to hunt them down. This was a drastic change from how conflict in the Terminus had previously been fought. There was a generally understood rule that in major wars, each side worked for whoever paid the most or had the best offer, and when it was over, the mercenaries moved on. That was their job. They fought for payment, they weren't ideologues.
Aria didn't see it that way, and it caught the losers in the conflict flat footed.
Colonies were annihilated. Thousands were killed. Many small mercenary companies and warlords were wiped from the face of the galaxy, no matter how large or small their contribution had been. The message sent was loud and clear – defiance of the will of Aria T'Loak will not be tolerated.
Though even with this, the damage would have still been relatively contained. But Aria was thinking to secure her own power, and effectively authorized the Congress to take whatever actions they wished to 'eliminate threats'. A blank sanction was given for the mercenaries, criminals, cartels, and slavers to wreak havoc upon the Terminus for their plunder. As a result, the far-reaching effects of the Omegan Terror were far greater than they would have been otherwise.
It eventually calmed down, once Aria believed the message had been sent, and strategically reigned in the Congress. But it had its intended effect. The Omegan Terror was estimated to have killed a whole five percent of the region's inhabitants – nearly as much as the Second Krogan Rebellions itself.
It didn't matter that Aria had personally been a minor participant in the end, with everything considered, what mattered was that she had orchestrated and sanctioned it. And that was something the Terminus, nor the galaxy, ever forgot.
But it succeeded in its objective, and this bloody action destroyed any potential contender she could have faced.
THE CENTRALIZATION OF THE TERMINUS: With the effects of the Omegan Terror dying down, Aria began turning her attention to the long-term, which was to effectively organize the Terminus Systems in a similar way the Citadel was with the rest of the galaxy. The Terminus was to be centralized, with Omega being its center.
A few things were instituted to make this happen, the first of whichwere obvious: The Congress was on Omega, and thus made it already the hub for the largest independent and criminal groups in the region. That already made Omega the center of activity, but that alone Aria would not be satisfied with.
She wanted Omega to be attractive to other parties outside of her own forces, and this was done through a mixture of direct outreach, and messaging that Omega was the place to be for all business – illicit or otherwise. The lawlessness of Omega is a deliberate policy choice by Aria, if that wasn't clear (to be discussed shortly). It is appealing as a place where business can be conducted without having to worry about any state authorities, and with Aria expanding the ports to quadruple the capacity of the station, there was a lot of ground to be claimed.
It can be said that it saw a fair amount of success. Omega is no Citadel, but it is the heart of the Terminus – for better or worse.
INSTITUTION OF THE TRIBUTES: There was also the matter of the rest of the Terminus. With how Aria's forces were organized through the Congress, and her limited number of directly controlled forces, her ability to project power was fairly limited. It wasn't good business to be using her mercenary forces to occupy large swathes of the Terminus. They would likely not agree, it would become too expensive, and she found a far better way.
Tributes.
The deal was very simple: If you operated in the Terminus (officially – the further away from Omega one was headquartered or operated, the less enforced this was), you needed to pay a certain percentage to Omega for the promise of protection. What was demanded varied depending on the resources at their disposal – it was usually credits from mercenaries, resources from corporations, and a mixture of both from governments and warlords.
In return, they would have the freedom to travel the Terminus without harassment (in theory), as Aria would grant them the Omegan Mandate – showing that they were paying tributaries. This would protect them from any of Aria's forces from conducting operations against them. Aria made no guarantees for any who refused the tribute.
Aria did apply some negotiating during the early period of this – for most, her reputation had grown to the point where most small groups, corporations, and even some warlords were utterly terrified of her, and agreed without a fight. Allies such as the Terminus Clan technically fell under this, but Aria negotiated a tribute that was much more favorable to them.
This has had the effect of further centralizing the Terminus, and making Aria extremely wealthy and well-supplied. Very little of this wealth she keeps for herself, instead investing it directly into Omega Station and the forces she directly controls. Most tributaries pay without prompting, especially at first, and this has continued as something most expect.
However, as time has passed, the threats made by Aria have lost their potency – and the Omegan Illusion has begun to wane. When the Tributaries begin refusing in mass, it might start a domino effect that will be difficult for Aria to reverse.
ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CIRCLE OF THE FALLEN: The Circle of the Fallen. Perhaps the most infamous criminal organization in the galaxy, though one whose reputation has been more defined by the people on it than what it has actually done.
That is a report for later, suffice to say that the majority of the galaxy has a very, very poor understanding of what the Circle of the Fallen actually is, what it does, and how it operates. To spoil some history – the Circle of the Fallen was another of Aria's attempts to centralize the Terminus by effectively creating an analogue to the Citadel Council.
Unlike some of her other efforts, this one had mixed results at best.
Aria had envisioned it as a council of the most influential factions and individuals in the Terminus. Which included mercenaries, smugglers, assassins, slavers, and effectively those with reach and impact. However, with this in mind, one might wonder why, exactly, the Terminus Clan was not part of it if that was the intention.
The short version was that Aria actually tried to get them on board, but they outright refused because they had no interest in sharing power with individuals they considered abhorrent. As a result, Aria was only left with criminals and amoral sociopaths. Those ultimately had to do, and if the Congress was the popular representation of the mercenaries and criminals from around the galaxy, the Circle of the Fallen was the best of the best (or the very worst of the worst).
However, one thing the Circle is not is united. The Council will work together for common goals, regardless of the politics behind the scenes. The Circle of the Fallen lacks this kind of cohesion, and almost from the beginning has been plagued by infighting and it's only been through the sheer willpower of Aria that she's prevented major civil conflicts within the Terminus.
In a way, Aria can consider the Circle useful in that regard – but it has become far from the body that she once envisioned.
FORMALIZATION OF THE OMEGAN EMPIRE: The final reforms that Aria made were rather minor in comparison to what had come before. Omega is not known for having many codified rules, and for the majority of the Terminus, they don't. But don't mistake the lawlessness that is part of the Illusion for anarchy or incompetence.
The last of Aria's changes were focused on what she had absolute control over.
The Omegan Legions were formalized as her direct military forces, which contrary to popular belief, are separate and distinct from the collection of the Mercenary Congress she can call upon. It will be discussed in detail, but despite its relatively small size, it is one of the most elite fighting forces in the galaxy.
Policies, internal conduct, and contingencies were all drawn up, and are maintained by Aria and her people. The institutions she created for Omega are some of the most efficient, which often goes unnoticed due to their relative obscurity thanks to the opulence and degeneracy of Omega. The Illusion has more purposes beyond exaggerating and promoting Aria's actual power – it also hides that she manages a significantly more competent and professional empire than anyone gives her credit for.
Aria also turned her own mechanisms for keeping control over the Congress and her many other allies into efficient humming machines, intended to be managed by the Omegan Ambassadors openly, and the Omegan Intelligence Service clandestinely. The intelligence service she created is also rather unique in its mission compared to others, but that will be detailed in a later section.
A final aspect she quietly devoted herself to managing was Omegan logistics – and that is something that you will find nearly everyone unknowingly praising. Be it arms, drugs, eezo, credits, resources, Aria has access to all of it, and has devised systems and organizations that will move it as fast and efficiently as possible not only throughout Omega Station, but through much of the Terminus.
This level of state management in the wider Terminus economy has not gone unnoticed, and it has almost certainly begun to grow the Terminus economy slightly, especially since Omega is a major facilitator of trade between warlords, worlds, and organizations across the Terminus through a directly managed transport service – and a significant number of smugglers and traders who are part of the Congress.
The creation, deployment, and weaponization of the Omega Sanction was also further refined, with an entire department being created to determine how best to use it as a carrot, stick, and blackmail to keep problematic individuals in line, entice new people to the Terminus, and use it as a trump card to deter certain groups and individuals.
Few refer to Aria's organization, or even Omega itself as an Empire, but make no mistake – that is what it is. The Omegan Empire is the current major power of the Terminus Systems.
And time will tell if it stays that way.
THE COLLECTOR TAMPERING OF OMEGA STATION: Throughout the history of Aria, there are likely a few who are familiar with Aria who have wondered at what point she comes into contact with the Collectors, due to Omega having a well-established anti-Collector policy which came into effect over the past century.
There have been a number of theories and conspiracies around the role the Collectors have played in the Terminus, however to date, most of this has been false. As a general rule, the Collectors tend to keep to themselves and do not intervene in the various matters and events in the Terminus. Most people have tended to observe this, and conclude the Collectors are not paying attention.
Evidence is showing that this is not the case.
The Collectors are a wholly separate topic that requires its own investigation, save to say that the Collectors have done anything but ignore the Terminus, and that includes Aria T'Loak. Up to this point, Aria had what could be described as a neutral relationship with them. She did not deal with them, but permitted their representatives on Omega and some of her people dealt with them.
This amicable relationship came to a very sudden end when it became known that the Collectors were running biological-nano experiments on the lower sectors of Omega, experimenting and creating isolated diseases and plagues that only affected a small portion of inhabitants. By this I mean that it was only a few dozen or so individuals per experiment who were affected - and numbers this small do not gain the attention of most that easily.
It was largely by accident that Aria became aware of this, which was due to one of her most senior allies noted some irregularities in patrols, and investigated further. It did not take long for there to be a pattern that emerged showing that when these strange diseases broke out, it was always a very specific subset of a species that was affected.
From this it didn't take long to figure out what could be behind it. There was only one group that was known to have an interest in this kind of work - and the technology to successfully pull it off. To say that Aria was furious upon learning this was an understatement, not just because the Collectors were arguably working against her, but because it made her appear vulnerable since it showed the Omegan infrastructure was compromised.
She kept the details of the incident quiet, and ordered the deaths of a number of individuals who learned about it through accident, while performing mass arrests and interrogations of anyone who she knew dealt with the Collectors. It is not known if Aria ever found the culprit responsible for facilitating the experiments the Collectors were doing, but there has not been a similar event to our knowledge.
From that point on, the Collectors were a designated enemy of Omega, and she made sure that fact was known far and wide. There was no response from the Collectors, who have continued to operate in the Terminus, though without their rare visits to Omega Station. It is worth noting that despite Aria's beliefs, it isn't necessarily clear that the Collectors were targeting her specifically.
It is likely that the Collectors would have done the same thing regardless of who was in charge of Omega, and they chose it because Omega has a large population, and for the Collectors, that means a wide testing pool. That Aria happened to be in charge was less relevant than this fact. However, we do not know for sure, but it can be safely assumed that the Collectors now view Aria as a problem - if one they appear content with ignoring for now.
THE MODERN OMEGA
Omega is in the early stages of decline, if not already on an irreversible trajectory.
This is a realization that has yet to reach the mainstream, be it in the realm of public opinion, or truthfully in the halls of the true powers of the galaxy. There are a number of explanations for this, chief of them being that no one truly has a reason to delve too deeply into the modern Terminus, especially when the outward appearance is that of the status quo that has persisted through the past few centuries.
Omega is still the center of the Terminus, Aria remains the principle power, and the region is a hive of scum and villainy.
This is a simple-minded and frankly childish view of the Terminus, and speaks to the ignorance even perpetuated among the Council races that the first words that comes to mind when one thinks of the Terminus are 'lawless' and 'criminal'. Much of this can be attributed to the Omegan Terror Aria wrought, and the propaganda leveled against Aria by the Citadel and intelligence institutions who have an interest in perpetuating the idea that the Terminus is a death trap of the worst of the galaxy.
Though frankly, there hasn't been a true propaganda push against Aria or the Terminus in years. Inertia carries everything forward, and the only ones who pay close attention to the trends of the region are the Citadel Intelligence Service, certain cells of the STG and AIS. And those are more geared around exploitation, not propaganda.
It is only a matter of time before these trends are noticed, and the Citadel inevitably revisits the very growing possibility of the collapse of the Omegan Empire. The Terminus Systems that exists today is very different from the one that Aria established her dominance over, even if she overshadows everything still.
New minor factions have arisen, be they rivals such as Qu'las Prime which is a direct challenge to the business monopoly of Omega, to political governments and institutions that are making it very clear that they have no interest in playing the political games Aria has historically utilized to maintain control. The Terminus Corporate Authority, Remembrance, the Republic of Korru, and the new United Terminus Federation are the largest growing examples, and while they have yet to openly challenge Aria, that they have emerged at all shows that her influence in the region has drastically decreased.
At one time such organizations would have been brutally crushed – but she also relies on her own vast forces that she pays, bribes, and keeps in line to facilitate the majority of her power protection – and as the years have passed, she has gradually lost more and more influence to the point where a significant disruption of the status quo has a greater chance of shattering the Congress than asserting her authority once again.
Life for the average Omegan citizen is of a horrifically poor standard, and it is getting worse as the violence on Omega increases. The insertion of major outside mercenary forces to Omega have also greatly shaken the balance of power – as the Blue Suns, Eclipse, and Blood Pack are growing their own influence in the region. They adhere to Aria's laws for now, but it is more out of obligation and a desire to get their foot in the door. It will almost certainly not be permanent.
To some degree, Aria realizes this, but she is in a relatively vulnerable position where her options are far more limited than many are aware of. The cracks in the illusion have begun to show, and it is very likely that she will not be able to stop it from collapsing one day. It's a matter of preparing for when it happens – and keeping the Illusion going as long as possible.
And to that end, let us discuss this phenomenon.
THE OMEGAN ILLUSION
Let this section begin with a story.
There was a man who was called Azora Corrith. A turian outcast that after his departure from the Hierarchy, formed a group of hardened killers around him, most of whom were also turian outcasts. They developed a reputation for brutality the likes of which even krogan found disturbing. Azora and his people were barely better than animals, and were used as weapons sent to terrorize and occupy an enemy.
They were very good killers.
Very good.
There was a small world in the Terminus. The name is unimportant, as are the people who were settled there. It was barely more than a village, with a small spaceport. Like more independent colonies, it primarily produced agriculture which it sold to other worlds, as well as kept itself self-sufficient. The demographics were primarily asari and turians.
When Azora and his people learned of this world, they decided that they deserved to have some fun, and landed on the world with the sole intention of brutalizing it. The men they murdered in rather spectacular and performative ways, preferably in front of their spouses if they had them. The asari and women they raped until they grew tired of them, and executed them. Best not to talk about what happened to the few children present.
They got bored, and left, but not everyone had been killed. There were a small number of traumatized survivors left. Some interviews have been conducted with these survivors, though this story has not hit the mainstream. It is old, relatively speaking, but you will hear of similar stories from those who lived through the Omegan Terror.
But you have likely not heard the name Azora Corrith before. What might have happened to this individual, you may ask? From what we know, he died relatively peacefully in his sleep, after a long and prosperous career of murder and death. There are many such men and monsters that have and continue to roam the Citadel.
Yet there is one very common thing all of these men have – they are all under Aria's Omegan Congress.
When people hear of the atrocities that are committed in the Terminus, their first instinct is not to focus on the individuals committing the crimes and actions – but to direct their anger and hatred to the woman who has become the face of the Terminus Systems. Aria convinced the galaxy that the Terminus is hers – and as a result she is the one to whom all responsibility is laid upon.
The Omegan Illusion is the natural expansion of this false understanding. It is the narrative that keeps being perpetuated over and over again, of things being the way they are because they are the way they are. Aria is the ruler of the Terminus because she controls the Terminus. Aria is evil because there are atrocities committed in the Terminus, and she controls the Terminus, thus all that happens in it is sanctioned by her.
It is a kind of circular thinking that will present many holes the longer people think about it.
No one asks the critical question of why.
And that question is critical for understanding anything about this region.
The Omegan Illusion is the false narrative that the Terminus has always been this way, and it will always continue to be this way. It is the status quo for eternity, which no one – Aria included – wants to break, lest the entire thing come crashing down. Aria's Omegan Empire is unsustainable, and she knows it. It is why she has embraced her early brutality, and allowed it to define her so thoroughly.
What she wants is irrelevant next to survival. Fear is one of the most potent of emotions, and if one can wield fear and terror, they can impress their will upon others. Aria need not commit the atrocities that created this intrinsic terror in many Terminus civilians, she only needs to claim credit for it.
While this preempts the section on Aria herself, Aria is a far more complex figure than a simple good-evil binary. There is a belief that Aria relishes being the tyrant and butcher of the Terminus, where everything we know about her indicates the opposite. Nonetheless, she has allowed herself to be defined by the worst actions she has committed and the beliefs she ostensibly defends.
No one asks why.
The answer is because Aria cannot risk doing anything else. It does not matter what Aria would want to do, when what she has to do is the only reason she survives. Why does she allow such monsters and criminals in her forces? Because if she cracks down on them, then they will leave, more of her forces will depart, and she will lose her means of projecting power.
Imagine if she tried to clean up Omega? If she tried to reduce the proliferation of tainted drugs and production facilities? The drug lords that make up a large part of her revenue would immediately dry up, and as a compounding effect, all of the mercenaries and criminals in her forces that have special deals with these groups would be out of suppliers, and discontent would flare.
Everything is linked together. Aria cannot touch the slavers, because the slavers have money, and more importantly, many of her aligned forces take advantage of the exclusive slave markets that sell at a discount to anyone affiliated with Aria. Replace slaves with any other product or vice, and you begin to see the problem.
People are under the mistaken illusion that Aria T'Loak is someone of power in influence. In many ways, she is, and she currently retains the loyalty of the above forces and individuals that comprise her cabal – but that is because she gives them what they want. Exclusive deals, no regulations, no accountability – in return for answering the call should she give it out.
So seriously ask the question of how much power Aria really has to dictate things? Would she retain her ability to project power if she tried to change this status quo? The answer is almost certainly not.
And this is why the Terminus has become a more regressive and violent place as the years have passed. Aria has limited control over how much she can restrict her affiliates, and it is something of a miracle that it has lasted as long as it has. But this has not come without a cost. Aria has continued and continued to cede more money, more resources, more leverage to buy more years or decades.
But no one cares about this. They do not see the situation.
They only see Aria T'Loak.
Aria has permanently damaged the reputation of the Terminus in a way that has predisposed the average Citadel citizen towards hating her – and they have good reason to do so. But they will never look deeper. They will not see how Aria's power is fading, and that she likely could not do much to restrict her affiliates even if she wanted to. P., the Shifter, these are mere criminals. Yes, they have some influence.
But Aria has come to represent an entire region of space, one which does not reflect the woman herself.
Nor does Aria's own empire reflect herself. It has become something of a prison of her own design, one where the walls are continuing to close in, and the inevitable approaches unceasing. It is only a matter of time before her affiliates begin wondering among themselves why they are bothering with Aria at all, and why they should not take over?
It does not matter if Aria wins the power struggle – when the Illusion falls, that will be the end of Aria's influence.
There are a dozen guns pointed at the Sovereign of Omega, directly to her head, and she will not be able to dodge all of them forever. The minor powers of the Terminus are becoming bolder, the Congress demands more and more, the Citadel has compromised her inner circle, and her leverage is disappearing by the year.
The Terminus has been running on inertia. It will eventually run out. It will stop. And people will look around, and there will be many hard questions asked, and the region will not be the same. To stress this point – this is inevitable. It may be one year, five years, or a decade, but Aria will lose control one day – or she will act on her own initiative.
Either way, it will be the end of Omega as we know it.
There are a few individuals who will read this and wonder what is preventing Aria from using her own reputation from forcing all of her affiliates in line, as if she is some kind of deity to whom all in the Terminus bow to and worship. Any impression one has of that is complete propaganda, and part of the Illusion.
If Aria had been so foolish as to rely solely on her reputation of terror and fear, she would have collapsed long ago. She is a master negotiator, and while this may be surprising to some, fear has its limits. Every time she uses intimidation to get what she wants, that will make her next attempts less potent. Terror is a tool that must be used in conjunction with many other diplomatic tools to manage the kind of coalition Aria has.
To suggest that Aria could simply assume complete dominance over her power base simply by intimidating them is laughable, though no doubt there are some in the Citadel who genuinely believe that to be the case.
And let us be clear – the Citadel knows all of this. They are aware of it.
The Omegan Illusion is something only a few have seen through, but among them are the SPECTREs and Citadel Intelligence Service. The Council is no doubt appraised of the true state of Aria's influence as well. What, one might ask, is the reason for the Council having largely taken a hands-off approach to Aria in the Terminus?
Because they don't need to do anything. The Council is quite content to let the status quo endure. Aria is an incredible foil to the Council, and a figure so irredeemable she can be used as a scapegoat and justification for anything they do relating to the region. Why would they want to eliminate one of their greatest assets?
If they can convince a few fools that Aria somehow has substantial influence on the Citadel to fearmonger about her true capabilities to achieve their political ends? All the better. Perhaps more relevant – maintaining the Illusion is in their interests at the end of the day. Should Aria collapse, they would need to contend with a refugee crisis, spillovers of violence, or worse affecting their people.
The Thirty is similarly content with letting Aria eventually collapse. They have become less afraid of Aria's blackmail over the years, and have become content to simply let her die – while also exploiting her reputation for the same reasons as the Citadel. It is not certain what Aria would do if she died, and it was not due to the Thirty's retaliation. Would she release the information regardless? Or would she go to the grave without doing so.
It remains unknown.
Aria knows that the end is coming – likely sooner than later, and before it happens, she must wrestle with the question of what to do. There have been indications that she has begun taking a few steps to prepare – and the question has shifted to if she is preparing for the Illusion to fall, to if she will be the cause of the Illusion breaking or not.
HER GRACE, ARIA T'LOAK
SOVEREIGN OF OMEGA, EMPRESS OF THE TERMINUS, QUEEN OF THE PIRATES, MASTER OF THE CONGRESS, LEASHER OF THE GORGON, ALORHAV'S GATEKEEPER, SCOURGE OF THE THIRTY, HERO OF THE CLANLESS, SUPREME ADMIRAL OF THE BLACK FLEET, COMMANDER OF THE OMEGAN LEGIONS, AND BLESSED OF ULCISCI
ON TITLES: As it likely apparent from this section opening, Aria possesses a myriad of titles that would make even a batarian envious. Though of that number, many of which I didn't bother to include, are not official ones, but epithets that people call her. A few she recognizes (or tolerates), but she tends to utilize her more official titles.
In many cases, she doesn't care for titles, and prefers simply being referred to as Aria. Only those who are in a significantly lesser position, or wary of offending her, will use some of her official titles, or address her by her house name. The titles are worth highlighting regardless as they are a good indicator of the impact she has had, and how she is viewed by the population of the Terminus and beyond.
I will note that "Alorhav's Gatekeeper" is a rather amusing title she's been given, as Alorhav is the asari goddess that supposedly watches over the lands after death. Or, one might say, the afterlife. It's a title that has a double meaning, both as Aria's effective headquarters in the Afterlife Club, but also as the power Aria has over life and death on Omega. With a word, she can save you – or send you right to Alorhav.
Many of the titles are self-explanatory, though the one that likely caught the eyes of many is the "Blessed of Ulcisci", which is a decidedly odd title. Notably, this is one only she and a few of her inner circle know, and based on what we know of Omega Station now, this is a rather disturbing title – and one we believe that Aria isn't necessarily happy to have.
This will be elaborated more in Subsection 3.
AS ALEENA T'ARMAL: There is something of a tendency among those who have studied Aria T'Loak (however few there are) to either ignore or skim over the period where she was Aleena T'Armal. The conventional wisdom is that, for all intents and purposes, they are two completely different individuals, and since Aleena was a maiden at the time, taking her personality during that age is almost certainly pointless due to asari personalities not truly solidifying until the matron stage.
However, there is a substantial argument to be put forward that taking this view offers an incomplete picture of who Aria has become. Looking solely at Aria now, an honest analysis will only raise significant questions and be highly confusing to those who are largely ignorant of who Aleena was. Aria as a person simply does not make sense unless one takes into account the period when she was Aleena T'Armal.
To that end, this deserves discussion.
By nearly every metric Aleena T'Armal was an anomaly, especially within the Thirty, and especially within House T'Armal. This impression may have already been given, due to her history, but many of the high-class asari do not hold the attitudes or views Aleena held, especially towards politics, asari culture, and the clanless.
Aleena, from all known accounts, disliked the direction asari society was heading towards, particularly their role as manipulators and 'enlightened stewards' of the galaxy due to their longevity. This was likely informed by her own interactions with the Thirty, many of which she considered unintelligent or self-destructive. She considered such a view patronizing towards aliens, and dangerously arrogant, and directly cited the salarians and quarians as reasons for why this mindset was dangerous.
She was primarily in favor of having the asari adopt a more rapid societal movement, which directly opposed the 'long view' approach taken by most matriarchs, citing that the galaxy would move on without them, no matter how brilliant many thought their long view was. If the asari wanted to retain true dominance, their mindsets needed to change to reality, not attempt to impose it and fail.
All of this is rather controversial, and the reason that Aleena escaped immediate retribution was because even at a young age, she was a very gifted politician, who had a knack for knowing how to make strategic alliances, say the right things to the right people, and it helped that she applied what she spoke, allowing her to outmaneuver older asari who posed problems. That she was the daughter of Thana also gave her additional sway. It should be noted that Aleena's own views were very confined, and never really broke out of certain circles of the Thirty.
There is evidence that Aleena's move to the Temple of Athame was done in part because she had grown to despise the politics, and saw life as an Athamite more fulfilling and important than being in the cutthroat world of Thirty politics. Aleena was also a deviant in that she was a follower of Athame, and while she participated in the Siari rituals, did not really believe in it.
It is almost certain that Aleena's views on the clanless also contributed to her decisions, and clashes with the Thirty. She had a shockingly positive view of the clanless, at least in the sense that she considered them equivalent to the Thirty in terms of treatment, and found how many of the Thirty looked down upon them unnerving.
At her core, Aleena was a remarkably kind and open-minded person, which is extremely odd for an asari, much less one of the Thirty. Her time with the Temple was marked by her performing service work, be it building homes, feeding people, or otherwise providing aid to those who needed it, in addition to her training as a War Priestess. Something she very much believed in as an Athamite.
One thing that might be noticed is that Aleena seems to act much older than she is. Maidens typically do not go through this, even within the Thirty. Some may say that this is because Thana was grooming her to be her successor, but even still most matriarchs understand that it's important for maidens to go and get their juvenile needs out of their system before putting them to work.
Aleena…never had this need. She never expressed a desire to go out in the galaxy, never really sought adventure, and was almost unnervingly mature for her age. She was instead a woman with extremely strong convictions and views and a desire to make a tangible difference. One can genuinely find few things to critique about her, outside of some naivety.
With this context, it should highlight how bizarre it is that this person became one of the most dangerous and infamous tyrants in the galaxy. Conventional wisdom would have that this kind of individual simply could not morph into the kind of woman Aria is, no matter what happened. This can be contested by both Aria's existence, and the other conventional wisdom that states that necessity can drive individuals to do whatever they need to survive.
Aleena T'Armal is long dead and gone, but who Aleena was has influenced who Aria has become in fairly significant ways. When taking everything into account, there is a clear trajectory that can be followed. It is an unpleasant trajectory, but one that can be followed.
Contrary to popular belief, I will maintain that there does remain some aspect of Aleena still alive in the Sovereign of Omega – but only a spark, and which may one day be snuffed out forever.
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROFILE: There are two prevailing views of Aria T'Loak, one of which is significantly more common than the other. The first is that Aria is an amoral tyrant who is obsessed with power and control, and the galaxy would be better off with her death. The second is that Aria is an asari who was driven to extremes to survive by outside forces and is more limited in what she can do than believed. The latter is a view espoused by the few in her inner circle, and the former is believed by everyone else.
As usual, the truth is somewhat more complicated. Aria is a complex person, to put it very simply, but not necessarily in ways that put her as an irredeemable villain, or spirits forbid, some kind of misunderstood hero. Aria earned her reputation, there can be no question about that. Aria has committed numerous murder justified and unjustified. She has imposed an anarchistic system dominated by criminals upon the Terminus. She intimidates, deceives, manipulates, and kills to maintain control on a daily basis. She has permitted and sanctioned massacres, rapes, and all manner of atrocities, regardless of if she participated in them or not. She regularly tolerates and makes deals with the worst elements of the galaxy, fueling their activities through money, arms, protection, or apathy.
If there is one thing that must be made absolutely clear – it is that Aria T'Loak is not a good person.
It is unfortunate that this needs to be said, but there is a growing issue with individuals understanding the concept of nuance, and tend to view anything which does not paint a typically understood monster in completely absolute terms. Nothing Aria has done or sanctioned should be ignored, but that does not give license to ignore who she actually is.
There is an observation that many have made – or misunderstood – and that is no matter where she is, Aria does not smile. She is always fully and completely serious at all times. Most attribute this to her personality which is very focused, but if one were to press those who have seen her in more relaxed environments, such as Afterlife, one might go so far as to admit that Aria is distinctly unhappy.
And this observation is true.
Aria has not been happy for a very, very long time. No one contemporary believes this, as it seems rather inconceivable that a woman with Aria's power, prestige, and wealth could be lacking in anything, but it is important to remember that it would be more surprising if a woman like Aria was anything other than this.
There is a deep irony that Aria has become something that she would have hated in her younger days. As Aleena she despised criminals, and preferred to be a protector than ever exploit the system. She joined the Gorgon because she saw it as the least-bad option, and their mission of being the peacekeepers of Omega was something she could justify.
The vision that Aria intended for Omega is drastically different from the reality of it. The idealism that drove her to make the Omegan Address came crashing into reality when she awakened all of those threatened against her. Aria never wanted to become the new Terena Terminus, but she certainly wanted to create something that she could have a hand in, to be a beacon and challenge to the galaxy that there could be something different.
Everything she has done has been in service to that overarching goal. It drove her to make distasteful alliances and deals she preferred not to – because she believed that she could just deal with it once the worst had passed. And once the worst passed, she realized that she was stuck, and with what she had built, she couldn't risk it coming apart just because of morals and pointless concepts of right and wrong. She would deal with it later, there would be another way she would find.
And she would do that again, and again, and again, because she has refused to acknowledge the fact that she is in far too deep to make fundamental changes without destroying everything else. She could not recognize this, because she would be forced to confront the fact that everything she did, she did for absolutely nothing in the end.
Aria became a true villain in every sense of the word. It does not matter if she once had better intentions, or if it was done for the 'greater good', what matters was the actions she took, and the actions she continues to take. Aria, ironically, ignored the advice her younger self espoused, and relied on the 'long view' of her vision for Omega, which made her unable to extract herself from it after a certain point. Justification after justification was made because the end goal was something worthwhile.
And that end goal can never be achieved.
Aria T'Loak is fundamentally isolated. She has no true allies with power and authority. She despises most of the individuals associated with her. She hates Omega and the environment within it. She hates it most of all because everything that is wrong, it is completely and entirely her own fault. It was at her hand that Omega was destroyed, and it was under her watch that Omega was rebuilt.
There is no one else to blame. It is possible that after the Second Krogan Rebellions Aria could have attempted to take a different path, and it might have failed or succeeded – but instead she chose to ensure that her power would be enshrined through the Omegan Terror. And she succeeded, but at the cost of ever making something better.
Aria is not blind to this. She is self-aware enough to realize the truth, and that is why she is unhappy and discontent with everything in her life. I am not certain it is accurate to say she hates herself, but she is unable to justify where she has ended up. Her enduring hatred of the Thirty is no true justification either, nor does she blame them for everything. The Thirty may have started her down the path without her consent, but the times where the Thirty were a driving force in her decisions has long since passed. That is something that perhaps bothers her most of all, that she has far more in common with them than she wanted to acknowledge. Despite all of this, there is a part of her that ultimately still cares, a part of Aleena that has not yet died.
This can be seen in how she treats those directly under her command. Her people are treated very well. Each of them and their families has direct protection from her. She knows many of them, and they know her and it is why many are so loyal to her. She retains a soft spot for the clanless, many of which fill her ranks and she has little tolerance for disrespect for her people.
She's had her people working quietly across Omega Station to improve the infrastructure, the grids, the systems. Omega is a hellhole, but it is one that somehow always has functional (and free) electricity, extranet connections, and water. As small as these actions are in comparison to what she has done and what she allows, they nonetheless show that there is a part of her that still wants something better, even if she cannot take the critical steps that threaten everything else.
Of late, her inner circle has noted that Aria has become more and more withdrawn. She still keeps the coalition running, and the expected tasks one would expect, but she seems to have accepted that there is nothing she can do to prevent the inevitable collapse of what she's built.
That, reportedly, has made her question if she should keep perpetuating it since she can no longer lie to herself by saying that it's simply buying more time to fulfill a larger plan that is vapor and empty promises. The issue is she doesn't truly know what to do, or what she could ever do at this point.
She does not have close friends, nor is she capable of making them easily. That does not mean she does not have any, but she only allows close those who understand her on some level, and that is very, very difficult to do. She is an extremely guarded person, and more likely to push people away than to listen to them – especially if they maintain that she can be better.
She has had a few lovers in her life, and each of those relationships have ended badly, either because they died in battle, or because they refused to go further along with Aria's justifications for perpetuating the status quo. For a woman with such a reputation, Aria appears to be drawn to individuals that possess some degree of virtue, as well as a spine. Her most recent relationship with a turian woman ended on a similar note, and it is speculated that this was one which was worse, especially since Aria has come to accept that she has no excuses left, yet still tried to maintain such.
There has always been an open question aboutAria having any children. Evidence is mixed on this. The answer is that she almost certainly does, but if she is aware of them or not is a different story. Especially in her early years on Omega, it is highly possible that one of the asari lovers had a child and never told her. We maintain this as a possibility, but find it unlikely.
There are a number of asari that 'claim' to be children of Aria, and all of them are lying. Due to the trauma of her first child dying, it is also distinctly possible that she simply cannot bring herself to have another one. Despite that, there is some evidence that Aria does have a child, but has deliberately chosen not to claim or acknowledge her in any way, presumably for her safety. This has not been confirmed, and would require a dedicated investigation to determine. Regardless, Aria would not have an impact on her life or the child would likely have no relevant knowledge or use on Aria herself.
There is a question on whether Aria still retains the willpower to act in an objective, self-interested way. She has been the de-facto ruler of much of the Terminus for so long, her reputation has been so entrenched, that the idea that she could be anything different is difficult to imagine – even for her.
It is something to watch for, and time will tell if what little spark of Aleena left will spur her to action, or if it will fade forever and Aria will die as the Empress of the Terminus.
CHARISMA AND LEADERSHIP: Aria is something of a curious study in leadership styles, because to the outside observer, she may appear as a distinctly uncharismatic figure, and not one who could retain significant loyalty over anyone but a relatively small corps of loyalists. However, most people gain this impression from contemporary sources, which merely show Aria as controlling the Terminus. It has been centuries since the last major conflict, and such sources are considered outdated.
However, Aria is very much a charismatic figure in her own right, with a distinct focus on personal interactions. Aria is not necessarily skilled at winning over a large crowd, but she is exceptionally good at fostering loyalty and goodwill in one-on-one or small-group settings where she can speak directly, and preferably privately.
She is often described as intense and down to business, but in a way that makes people pay attention. If she wants something, she makes clear what she wants, what she expects, and when. She holds her own people in particular to a high standard. She punishes and rewards fairly, and oddly enough will usually give opportunities for corrections before demotions or expulsions are implemented.
For business actions she is known for driving hard, but fair bargains. Aria is far more interested in individuals working with her, instead of it being a neutral transaction. In her view, those kinds of interactions are worthless, and result in such arrangements being easily cancelled or potentially moving to a rival. She is more than willing to make deals if it gains her benefits in the long term, though this has clearly caused its own problems, especially when the clients are criminals and slavers.
Nonetheless, the myriad of personal relationships and alliances Aria has forged have created something that remains surprisingly stable. Far fewer individuals defect from Aria than many would believe, and that is because she gives them few reasons to be disloyal. Life is far better working under Aria than outside of it – be you a mercenary affiliate, or one of the Omegan Legion.
With Aria also providing for her own people, it also solidified their own loyalty to a greater degree than just credits could provide. Aria is unlikely to inspire a popular movement with her words alone, but especially for those that serve under her direct authority (and even her affiliates), they know that she is someone who is reliable – and should it be required, she will fight alongside them.
MILITARY PROWESS: Regardless of anyone's personal opinion on Aria T'Loak, there are few educated individuals and officials who would deny that Aria is one of the best military minds alive today. The criminal aura she cloaks herself in often blinds people to the fact that she's orchestrated a takeover of a major space station, effectively defeated the major powers of the Terminus twice, and has beaten krogan battlemasters and the batarian Imperial Guard personally.
That goes beyond mere competence.
While she had her own commando training, a significant portion of what she knew and learned was after she fled Thessia. Patriarch/Gorgon likely played a significant role in her military development, but it was ultimately her that put it into practice, as well as continually refining it more and more as the centuries went on.
She is a natural military mind, and had she not fled Thessia, or indeed joined the Temple of Athame, it is almost certain that one day she would have been one of the leading asari military officials. Every single kind of war that can be waged, Aria has experienced, led, or lost to in some form or another.
She has an intricate knowledge of all theatres of war – one advantage of living in the Terminus – to a degree that even most modern militaries can only be envious of. Making it more incredible is that Aria's forces are best represented as a coalition – not a conventional military force, which most would understand as to be one of the most difficult entities to command in war, yet Aria is a natural at it.
Her knowledge of exactly what forces she has at her command is not a unique skill, but she is exceptionally skilled at knowing how best to use each part of it. If you gave Aria a random grouping of military units, she would likely be able to win in most scenarios you put her in, provided the force composition of the other side was similar, or even slightly superior to what was given to her.
Both her strategic and tactical capabilities are well-developed, and she is one of the military leaders who will be found on the front, or leading in the thick of battle. She risks herself to a genuinely absurd degree for one in her standing, but it is something which has the effect of increasing the loyalty of those who fight with her – and reminding all those with doubts that she is a dangerous individual all on her own.
She is no Solarch, but she is a very powerful biotic, and has access to cutting-edge technology and biotic amps to further amplify her capabilities. She's learned esoteric and complex biotic skills from fallen Priestesses, biotic defectors from all races, or taken lessons from individuals who've demonstrated unique capabilities. Aria is not a master at everything, but she knows a great many things, if not how to use, then how to protect against.
One trait that is notable for Aria is her willingness to learn from others – something that most do not know about her. If someone is better than her at something, she will shut up and listen until she is better at it than they are. If there are some things she can't do (she has issues actually performing anything related to infowar techniques), she has little issue deferring to experts.
She passes on her own knowledge to her subordinates as well, especially those she trusts (who are very few, as noted). She is not a teacher, or a natural one many would say, but she is relatively fair, and will give encouragement and praise when due. She's taken significantly more time of late training her own personal forces, and this is likely only to enhance their own capabilities in time.
In the end, do not let the typical asari conventions and Omegan Illusion dissuade you – Aria T'Loak is one of the most dangerous people alive.
MALLEABILITY: This is a more complicated question than it may first appear. For the interests of the Broker Network, the answer is that she is nowhere near malleable enough to be useful. She has no want of material needs or credits, she has strong ideological convictions, and a worldview hardened by centuries.
She has no acknowledged children, no lover, and even if she did, she has shown a willingness to cut them out of her life if they are a liability. She has no effective blackmail that can be used on her, and it is uncertain how effective it would be if it did exist. So malleability is a tricky question from this angle, and if someone were to "use" Aria T'Loak, it would not be through these means.
In other ways though, Aria is somewhat malleable. However it is highly transactional, where something must be provided to Aria for her to notice and invest in you in return. Once Aria becomes reliant on you, even if it is to a small degree, it is nonetheless something that can be exploited, as Aria is more interested in keeping her affiliates under her influence than losing them to rivals or enemies.
It is worth noting that despite this technical malleability, there is still a limit to what can be achieved. Thus far, there have been few who are willing to actually test how much they can get away with. Aria's lax internal management and amoral approach to accountability remove major incentives to demand more, else be seen as unreasonable.
Right now that is a major factor in why Aria retains her influence. She has – currently – not given her affiliates reason to turn on her. Those who push too far or ask too much are slapped down, and it's usually seen as justified. Aria is still in charge, and the Illusion is still in place. To successfully exploit Aria, you need to be willing to invest years of time working for her – or come in as a major player from the start.
Even then, one is advised to be careful. Aria is a master manipulator, and is herself highly attuned to any kind of manipulation – even if she goes along with it sometimes.
EQUIPMENT AND GEAR: Significantly more sophisticated than most expect.
First and foremost, is that Aria's 'casual' clothing, as in what she wears around Afterlife, or whenever she is in public, is an illusion to put whoever she is speaking to, or who might see her, at ease. All of her clothing is resistant to chemicals, fire, and most things which could be considered threatening. Her vests are durable and padded, and strong enough to protect against light shrapnel.
Mass effect shields are around her at all times, which one can actually spot if they look closely enough. Fitting it into civilian clothing is highly expensive, but Aria can afford the investment, and it makes assassination attempts nearly impossible to pull off since the shields will absorb mostinitial attacks, and by the time she knows she's under attack, she can handily protect herself.
She does not carry many weapons with her in civilian clothing: sometimes a pistol, but she will usually rely on her biotics, which she's trained to be able to use at a moment's notice. Aria has an entire armory of the best weapons in the galaxy, and she can use many of them, but largely dislikes using firearms in combat as a personal preference.
Aria in her 'Supreme Admiral' uniform is what she wears when she is directing naval battles. It is a hardsuit, in the red and black colors of the Omegan Legions, but relatively light by most standards, emphasizing speed and maneuverability, as well as more comfortable than other equivalents. Since Aria is likely to not be in direct danger from small arms, protection like that is reduced, though she still has a persistent mass effect shield protecting her. This does include a helmet, and the entire suit can be sealed and allows her to operate in vacuum. For this reason the wrist includes a small grappling hook, and little thrusters, as well as the modularity to place oxygen tanks on it. Please note this is not Aria's Space Warfare Suit.
Aria's actual suit for space combat is one of the few of its kind, and one which allows her to still use her biotic power, though in a different way than usual. The Space Warfare suit is one of the heaviest hardsuits ever developed, though not quite on the level of a battlesuit. It carries enough oxygen for nearly one day, with an extra half-day of reserves.
This is not a suit Aria wears expecting to move fast. It is massive, ponderous, and deadly. Thrusters on the back and legs allow rapid movement through space, with heavy-duty grappling hooks on the arms. Industrial-grade cutters are on each wrist, able to cut through nearly any hull. Flares and anti-missile measures make it difficult for enemies to lock-on, and anti-GARDIAN disruptors also mitigate such defenses.
The shields are some of the most durable, and we believe that they are a custom technology, as while there are similar equivalents, none are quite like the ones on her suit. It's been able to directly take approximately four Widow shots to the helmet before the barriers are depleted – which matches the best in the galaxy.
The main armor she uses is the subject of some confusion and controversy.
For most of her time on Omega, Aria has used a refurbished battlesuit, which while effective, was not exactly one of the best in the galaxy, even if it was better than most other pieces of armor. However, she has now acquired a battlesuit that the Thirty are alarmed by, as it looked like it could have been forged by Clan Steelshape itself.
It is an objectively beautiful work of art, a battlesuit that towers over others, complete with the interlocking parts, aesthetic curves, and something that seems distinctly asari while alien at the same time. Chatter from the Temple of Athame has remarked that it is disturbingly similar to some suits of armor they have found in the temple.
It is estimated to be one of the most sophisticated battlesuits in existence, and specifically designed to amplify Aria's biotic power. It is colored silver, accented by Omegan red, making her a very visible figure on the battlefield, but one that is extremely difficult to kill. And when she wears this battlesuit – in her hand she will carry her warp sword.
But it is a warp sword which is, like the battlesuit, distinctly asari and alien at the same time. No one knows where Aria got it, since its quality could only really come from the Thirty, and the Thirty appear just as clueless as to its origins as everyone else. A final element of note is that those who have seen Aria in battle with this gear have noted that her biotics are tinged with what appears to be green.
There can be several extrapolations made from this quite interesting bit of data, but that is something to more properly address when we get to Omega Station itself. Suffice to say that Aria was already dangerous, and pity those who meet her on the battlefield, because they are almost certainly going to die.