Interspecies Interactions

Query: What are your experiences with other species? Do you have a preference for one over another, and why or why not? Do you purposefully avoid a particular species due to stereotypes?

This has been a query courtesy of Revenant Corp. All responses are public and subject to adhering laws.

Turians- One of my friends is a Turian, he helps co-manage the restaurant with my partner. My neighbor is also one- She's an old battleaxe that works in the diplomatic branch or something- We don't typically talk about our individual jobs.
Viros Fenon helped me get off of Omega and I owe him my life.

Krogan- Namkor Grenok was a dear friend of mine. I hope he's doing okay. Apart from this, a Krogan nearly killed me- A battlemaster punched me so hard in the chest I was knocked through a steel window and fell down a mountain. I was in a coma for months and .. it hurt.

Drell- Kimon Fotis was with Viros when they helped me. He went to the Citadel with me and he one of my closest friends- And we lost contact during the war. I don't know if he's alive or not.

Quarian- I only know a handful of Quarian and only then barely past the acquaintance level. As for Geth, I've only had a conversation with one or two.

Asari- Daia is awesome!

Elcor- I can't name any off hand.

Raloi- I've run into Najhil a few times.

Volus- See Elcor.

Hanar- WavesHaveBroken and my previous landlord, WavesHaveBroken is a thousand times nicer than my landlord. :[

Batarians- I like Mekan and I'd like to consider the two of us friends. I knew a merchant on Omega who got hurt on the way out- And we knew each other for a while until he passed away last year. As for Bintar.. The devil has a silver tongue.

I try not to willingly avoid any race based on stereotypes.

As I just posted on another thread, I worked with Salarians early in my career, and really got along with them - I know they invited us just to learn everything they could about humans, but I learned a lot about Xenomedicine and ate some great food (and taught them Human Football - and now they're getting good at it...)

I met a few volus, I'm a huge fan of some of their composers - they obviously know what will sell! Sadly, the only way to hear it is recorded, since playing their songs and instruments in our atmosphere and air pressure changes everything.

Met some Asari - like some, don't like others. A lot of the guys on the ship dream of a shore leave on Thessia, but I'm just not attracted to them like that - I guess I like my women with hair and ears.

Never met any Turians, but I respect the Hell out of 'em - looking forward to it. Nor any Krogan, and I won't until I'm sure that I know what to say and not to say on a first meeting - Starting out wrong with them could end with me eaten.

Elcor are fine, but too deliberate...I guess getting used to Salarians spoiled me there. I've always gotten a vibe from Quarians that they didn't want me around - maybe I'm reading them wrong.

I love Hanar manners and know would get along with them, but I was stung by a Man-O-War when I was very young on Earth - I've never gotten over it, and I'd worry that I'd jump out of my skin the first time I saw one!

Know very little about Drell - I've gotten the impression that they're still adjusting a bit as a society to their upheaval.

Geth and Batarians - I'm willing to forgive and build bridges (human idiom - means to repair a relationship), but there'll be some tension there for a while, but I think the latter will be easier to mend than the former, at least for me.

(I could tell you medical impressions, but I didn't think you cared about those for the purpose of this)

I grew up on a completely human vessel so I didn't really interact directly with other species until my late teens.

Turians- I've done business with loads and a fair number of my employees are Turian but I wouldn't really say I'm acquainted with any. Obviously moving to the Citadel's going to change that since they're EVERYWHERE here. One of them lives next door to me. Gave me a bottle of wine as a housewarming present. I should really return the favor...

Krogan- They're alright. I've got plenty working security. When I met my first one I did make the mistake of thinking of them as nothing but dumb muscle but time and experience have definitely altered that opinion.

Drell- I've only ever known one Drell and my... "interactions" with him may have soured my view of them. I'm sure they're not all bad but I'll admit I'm a bit wary of them.

Quarian- I've had a handful as customers, none as workers. I don't really see why they got a bad rep. The ones I've dealt with have been nothing but civil. And there's the one that keeps hanging around my shop.
Edit: Scratch that, I've hired her so now I guess I can say I certainly approve of them enough to employ them at least.

Asari- My first real Asari was Aria on Omega so I definitely know not to underestimate them. I'm pretty neutral about Asari as a whole. Don't really see why people find them attractive though, if that's at all relevant.

Elcor- I like Elcor! I left an Elcor buddy of mine in control of my old headquarters on Omega. He's a good guy and I trust him completely. They talk a bit funny and they're a bit slow but still, as a general rule I'm pretty fond of those big lugs. Also I once saw one pick up a batarian and throw him almost 20 meters. He would have gone farther but he hit a bulkhead. Impressive and fucking funny.

Raloi- Never seen any. Never had any as customers. They're like birds, right?

Volus- I've got more than a few Volus heading up my outposts. When they don't try to skim a bit off the top they're among the most savvy businessmen I've ever met. They're alright by me.

Hanar- They're weird. And one used to try to preach outside my store. Had some as customers but I'm not too interested in getting friendly with them.

Batarians- I did LOADS of business with them back in the Terminus. They're tricky devils but pretty nice once you get to know them. And they have lovely singing voices.

Vorcha- I had way too many problems with them back in the Terminus system (and still do, sometimes). You know the sort of trouble they cause. I don't like them and I don't like dealing with them. One thing the Citadel has over Omega is that I can walk for hours and never see a single Vorcha.

I don't really judge any species based on stereotypes but I'll openly admit that I have a tendency to judge them based on my own experiences. Maybe Drell are perfectly nice people and maybe the Vorcha are 90% saints and I've just had troouble with the bads ones but until I see proof I'll keep my own assumptions.

This one would be most glad to offer its perspective! It is currently charged with an errand for its elders aboard ship, so cannot immediately respond with any sophistication, but it will return later to post an account of its interactions with the Many Voices.

Hell, only two worth a damn is that hanar...Lakalar, the other was a batarian who taught me haraba.

Until the end of the Evening War, active communications were primarily limited to Creator exchange, the overwhelming majority of which has been martial in nature. Since the Intervention and subsequent cessation of Old Machine hostilities, we have experienced a far more beneficial working relationship. Many platforms still report sustained voices of resentment and outright hostility from those Creators who share the collective opinion stated by Rezh’Naral vas Tevesani; however, physical expressions of hostility have been significantly reduced.

Data exchange with other races has been significantly more restrained, primarily due to a lack of bandwidth and physical presence within my current location. However, extranet communication and literary analysis have yielded basic preferences based on region and demographic. I determine a strong inclination for salarian colonists and noncompacted drell, for example, as they tend to be particularly articulate in exchange. Krogan and asari, by contrast, are not.

To elaborate further, I have experienced considerable disinclination towards Thessia-based asari, as communication is demonstrably both slow and inconclusive. Thessians discussing fornication and politics in particular may spend days constructing responses that (while verbose) contain very little demonstrable content. For comparison, elcor may be relatively slow to communicate, but clear statements of intent and clarity of syntax make their inquiries far simpler to determine.

The sample size is tiny and Cerestes is skewing it.


Myself...I'm comfortable enough with most aliens. I don't find humans and turians as different as they think they are, they both have that somewhat entitled citizens of major powers thing going on.

I really envy the elcor character, though to be fair, if my therapist is making exasperated faces at me, I wouldn't know.

Quarians are...the ones I've known have been touchy and defensive and too wrapped up in themselves.

Hanar are polite and oblivious and don't see the problem until you POINT IT OUT AND DESCRIBE IT IN SHORT WORDS.

Drell are sexy. :)

To reiterate, data exchange with other races has been significantly more restrained, primarily due to a lack of bandwidth and physical presence within my current location.

Extensive - my father was turian, my grandfather (and male ancestors from there on back) salarian, and I've kept in contact with all branches of my family as circumstances permit. During my time and my career I've met, coversed, and in most cases had sex and melded with representatives of just about all of the common spacefaring species (and a handful of the more reclusive ones). I've never met a geth, or a yahg, excluding extranet conversation (I'm far from convinced he was a yahg anyway), and only once met a raloi (hi!). I've lived and worked in areas - ranging from districts to planets - where asari are a minority, where the mingling of species produces hybrid cultures, or where the prevailing culture takes after a non-asari population.

Overall I'd say my experiences have been positive. Every species has its highs and lows, good and bad representatives, but taken as a whole - I love my own species, I've never had any urge to distance myself from our culture or the company of other asari, but I'm really very fundamentally pleased that the galaxy is home to all of us, asari or not.

I would say not. Everyone has their strengths - individually, and specieswide - and there are traits I find particularly appealing in a species that I'd look forward to experiencing in interacting with a member of it, but I don't think it'd be correct to say I have a preference based on species alone.

Although I have to admit I've gone through phases now and then where I'd seek out members of a particular species for company or one kind or another (any time in my life I've had a new species-specific augmentation settle down into full working order, for instance - gotta test them out thoroughly).

I hope not. I don't think anybody is completely immune to picking up the stereotypes their particular culture imprints on them, but I do my best to judge people as individuals - informed by their species (and many other things besides), but not defined by it over whatever I see for myself when I meet someone. I think I do pretty well, for the most part.

This was, perhaps, the hardest adjustment I have had to make since increasing my interactions with non-volus. The limitations of visiting Irune has caused many species in the greater galaxy to overlook our artist, architects, musicians, ect. simply because they are unable to experience it first hand. A shame, really.

As far as my personal interactions with other species, there are of course the daily exchanges with the turian solider's stationed here in Lenos. They are, however, a perpetually sullen group, though understandably so. I think we see a lot of young turians just out of boot here in Lenos, along with a smattering of older turians who have been "put to pasture" as it were. More than likely it's because Lenos (and all of Irune for that matter) is a relatively safe assignment. Still, I think most long for more "action" and begrudge having to live constantly in enviro-suits.

This has had the unfortunate side effect of me perceiving turians as rather irate and melancholy. Ever since I started working at the local nurturing center, however (yes, there are nurturing centers on Irune. We are clients of the Hiearchy, after all) I've had the privilege of seeing a different side of the turians who come to visit their children and my co-workers, a much warmer side.

As far as the other races go... Well, frankly, we don't see much traffic through Irune, even less since the Reaper War. Still, perhaps I will write up some more opinions when I get another minute or two to spare. For now, I have to get back to my duties.

I think conversely its far too easy for most species to write the volus off as angry money-grubbers with no sympathy. It's difficult to love someone who is charging your interest, I suppose. But my landlord is volus and given the circumstances he's been very generous with letting my rent slide and allowing my extended family to live in my apartment with me for the foreseeable future. He's a good man and I'm happy to help with the heavy lifting when they work on building repairs.

I met a few krogan when I was doing bodyguard work on what I call Terminus-lite planets. Mainly Illium, a few others, nothing so seedy as Omega because my clients needed to be able to pay my fees. Most of them were just hired chunks of regenerating meat, kept to themselves. On a longer term job I was on a team with a rather rude one who took issue with working alongside a turian. I tossed him across the room to make my point and funnily enough apparently that was the right thing to do. I wouldn't call us friends but we played cards in the evening and stopped waiting for the other one to shoot us in the back.

Salarians are great overall as long as you don't take testiness personally. I'm very close friends with...well I won't put his full name here because he's an info broker but anyway I was a live-in guard for him for three years. He still tries to get me to come back every time we have lunch. 3:)

Drell I've only met a few in passing. Quarians...I'm sure there are plenty decent ones somewhere but I've only had experience with thieves on account of my security work so hopefully they forgive me if I'm a bit slow to warm up.

Some Geth platforms were working on local repairs that I would help with. I pretty much just regarded them as oversized bipedal Keepers but they are surprisingly decent at conversation. They were very interested in my holding support beams up while they welded. Hopefully they aren't getting any ideas - biotics are enough of a mess with organics.

I have some asari acquaintances. I had the asari fling that every new recruit needs to have on their first shore leave. I'm closest with the ones that sell me amps. I've met a few elcor, mainly policemen and bouncers, can't say I know that many. Some very nice hanar shopkeepers on the Presidium I buy from, and I've talked to Najhil on CDN so I guess that covers the raloi.

I'm spending more time with humans than I would have expected, particularly now. I think they remind me of a less-organized, less-disciplined group of turians. While I respect what they've done sometimes its difficult to think of them as more than children.

• Asari: friendly √
• Batarian: pragmatic √
• Drell: intoxicating √
• Elcor: wise √
• Geth: efficient
• Hanar: polite √
• Krogan: fearless √
• Quarian: ingenious √
• Reaper: remorseless
• Raloi: curious √
• Salarian: smart √
• Turian: steadfast √
• Volus: resourceful √
• Vorcha: fearless √
• Yahg: peerless √

I was living most of my adult life on Nevos, which is a holiday planet, so I got my fair share of turians and salarians. My dad was a turian himself and that is why I still have a few loose ties to Palaven. Mom is the one in the family that keeps all this together.
Another interesting aspect about Nevos is, it's close to Dekuuna, so there are a lot of Elcor as well. I just like them and have visited Dekuuna myself a couple of times. My neighbor on Nevos is an elcor diplomat and we spent a lot of evenings at the beach, discussing or reciting poetry over a glass or two.

I only recently get to meet a volus more closely, he works at the Apricity and is a really fine guy. Also I only begin to get to know quarians. I am very interested in their culture and am curious to see how they will develop back what seemed lost completely.

Drell I have only me one that I talked to so far.

Humans... I have met quite few of them already. On Nevos and elsewhere, they are a very interesting species and I think I'd like to know more about them and certain individuals in particular.

I am not really acquainted with any batarian, krogan or hanar. I have met some but not on a closer personal level.

I'd like to meet a geth or raloi one day.

Generally, I think along the same lines as Daia does. This is our common galaxy and we should make it a worthy place to live in. I am seeing not so much species but individual beings. Everyone has strenghts and weaknesses and only the combination makes it all work.
Nobody is bias free. I try to keep it to myself though.

Given my allegiance it is obvious I deal a lot with turians, and I can say there isn't much more difference between them and humans, at least where I grew up. Upstanding, honest folk with some rotten eggs there and here. Of course, with the virtue of working in the Hierarchy, the military/civil service comes up everywhere I go, to the point where it's tiring. "What can you do for the Cause?" grows old after the 500th time.

Turian independents however...I've had the pleasure of getting to know the Citadel-based clan that doesn't want to fight and they aren't that different. They just don't want to listen to the Primarch of the Hierarchy but rather the local chieftain and then the big chieftain back on homeworld.

Salarians? Haven't mingled with them a lot. Nor with asari really. I'm sure they all have their good and bad shares.

I've had the fortune of being a very good friend of one krogan living here on the Citadel, and I am very grateful for that. Other than him, the other krogan I've met have been of older stock with the baggage that comes along with centuries of being scorned and living with no future. Maybe the younger generations can shake some of that gloom off.

I haven't met many batarians, but the one lady I know grudgingly tolerates me so I guess we're good.

Vorcha? Never met.

Had a raloi room mate once, and I miss him. I miss the raloi. I wish they hadn't cut themselves off like that.

Hanar, volus and elcor I meet now and then but I don't have any proper friends that are them.

Geth intrigue me, but I'm too darn shy to just walk up to them. What would I say or ask? Can't talk about weather on a space station.

This one has completed its errand.

It must begin by reiterating its pleasure at immersing in such a diverse chorus of voices! It is greatly pleased that it chose to associate with Cerberus Daily News; the undercurrents of exclusivity suggested by the name of the monopolizing Cerberus are entirely at odds with the board's tolerance for all races and perspectives! This one has experienced the true complexity of the Many Voices through its posting here, and has found much that intrigues it -- and which justifies its perspective on these ones' true potential as beings in which the Light, the Word, has been purposefully enkindled. This one extends its thanks to the others of the board!

This one had not interacted with non-hanar to any great degree prior to leaving Kahje; it regrets that these ones have been historically rather isolationist, and with due regard for the traditions of the Most Illuminated, it humbly considers this policy to have been in error. The admitted crudity of other races' speech is not, this one must propose, due to deficiency in spiritual insight or in comprehension of orderly standards. It is instead a matter of cultural distinction, and this one hopes more of its people will seek to overlook unintentional breaches in etiquette and embrace the opportunities for illumination that are found in cross-species interaction!

This one will list its observances alphabetically by species, for additional clarity, as it observes that the other, Cerastes, appreciates such structuring.

Asari:

It must admit to some ignorance regarding the philosophical perspectives of the honoured asari. The recent example of the Star of Athame has given this one new appreciation for the manner in which the extended asari lifespan informs their worldview, and it suspects that it has failed to fully comprehend the insights they have tried to communicate when this one has approached them. It has encountered a great many asari on the Citadel, but remains unsure if it has successfully gained an understanding of how their philosophies shed illumination on those of the hanar. This one did have the privilege of conversation with an asari who had chosen a hanar bondmate. This one regrets, though, that the exchange was limited in scope, as its efforts to pursue the issue in depth were rebuffed when the other chose to exit the transport car several stops early.

This one must also respectfully note: it was disappointed to learn that the asari have long had access to the wisdom of the Enkindlers yet chose not to share their insights with the galaxy. This one hoped that a species eager to form intimate bonds with other races would know better, but humbly acknowledges that its own people are often equally cautious of exchange with aliens, to their detriment.

Batarians:

This one has benefitted greatly from the willingness of the board's batarian members to share their perspectives. It is pleasing to this one that the people of Khar'shan have embraced their spirituality while finding wisdom in merging their Light with that of others. This one finds their outlook inspiring! It extends particular thanks to the honourable Tahereh, who has been of considerable assistance in furthering its education. This one recalls fondly an exchange regarding the importance placed by batarian faith on eyes, and hopes for further exchange in future!

Drell:

The only aliens this one met prior to leaving Kahje were drell. This one understands there has been some tension regarding the parameters of the Compact in recent months, which deeply saddens it. This one wishes to see the hanar integrate more readily into wider Citadel space, and is distressed to hear that these ones' most intimate partnership is less stable than it previously supposed. The drells' capacity to embrace Enkindler doctrine while retaining aspects of their original culture demonstrates, in this one's view, a wisdom that hanar can learn much from. If the others will excuse in this one what the learned Jasthe terms its "romanticism", it believes that the drell have shown the hanar potential for new beginnings just as these ones once performed such a service for them.

Elcor:

This one has read translations of several major elcor religious texts, as well as commentaries on same, but other than a few minor exchanges on the Citadel its interactions with elcor have been limited. Further study is required.

Geth:

This one regrets that more has not been written on the spiritual perspectives of the Servants of the People, who were partially raised to self-awareness only to successfully complete their own enkindlement! It occasionally suspects that the achievements of the Servants in arranging self-enkindlement have been downplayed by the Primacy. This one recently met a geth on the Citadel and believes it may have been too excited to conduct itself entirely appropriately. It will apply itself with greater control in future...

Humans:

This one has benefitted greatly from its encounters with humans. After initially finding it difficult to interact with them, it has had much success in building relationships with human individuals. It has made several friends and will in fact be visiting them shortly. It hopes many further productive exchanges will result!

Krogan:

This one finds that of all the races (with the possible exception of batarians), the krogan are now best placed to find wisdom in the philosophy that this one most humbly embraces; essentially, that choosing to seek exchange and integration with others is an essential step towards re-embracing the true potential of the Enkindled. However, this one observes that the krogan people place greater emphasis on action than on words, and it has found that encouraging krogan to express their spiritual perspectives in elegant discourse to be problematic. Should the other or its clan-mates be reading, this one again offers humble apology to Dinroth Faung, for the incident in the art shop. It is most contrite.

Quarians:

This one must study quarian faith, and the undercurrents of shared wisdom that flow between quarian and batarian perspectives. It is currently rather ignorant.

Raloi:

This one knows little of raloi, but also knows that two of their number post on CDN. It would be eager indeed to learn more about their experience in the wider galaxy! This one most happily invites private exchanges!

Salarians:

This one must admit to finding salarian speech intriguing. Its content is sophisticated, but the structure and pace of conversation are so often ill-suited to elegant debate, and this one has to try hard not to find offence, if you will excuse it saying so. This one thinks it interesting that its own speech has been compared to that of salarians by its tutors and elders; it must humbly note that it finds this confusing.

Turians:

This one's exchanges with turians on the Citadel have been productive. This one has found that while their speech may be less elegant than expected, it is nonetheless philosophically sophisticated. This one has learned much from them in a relatively short time.

Volus:

This one regrets that it has not yet had the opportunity to familiarise itself with volus religion. It extends its appreciation to the other, Book-clan, for the other's consideration of possible explanations for the scarcity of Irunian culture in the study materials which this one has so far used.

Vorcha:

This one is not sure if vorcha have religions, but assumes that they must share in the sapient capacity to pursue self-knowledge and personal insight. This one respectfully welcomes any input from those more knowledgeable about vorcha than itself. It must say it regrets that vorcha seem less than committed to the improvement of their language, as the crudity of their responses and the absence of decorous intent is often quite alarming.

This one hopes that its response is adequate to the other's purpose in asking!

How has the query been skewed?

I guess this is as good a place as any to start posting. I'm not going into a species-by-species list of everyone because... well, I don't really want to. Generally, I've never had any problems with anyone. Well, except the krogan, and that's just because I always feel like they'll pound me into paste if I give them half a reason. But hey, it's a big universe, and we're all salarian when you get down to it, so I try not to judge.

On the other hand, when you've wandering the interstellar trade routes as long as I have, you notice things. In the past ten years I've been a pilot, I can tell you that turians always triple check the shipment even when they rode with you the entire trip, humans will make you unload an entire cargohold and then reload it themselves just to show you who's boss, and asari will spend several hours trying to wheedle every single discount or break they can out of you. Batarians think that the louder they yell the cheaper I'll charge them, elcor are pleasant but never show up on time, volus will complain about every single scratch or blemish in their cargo, and hoooooo, don't even get me STARTED on the vorcha. Every culture's got its own little eccentricities, their own little ways of doing things, and they'll all irritate the crap out of your cloaca in the end.

Talks about not avoiding any race, leaves batarians off the list entirely.

Oh crap, I really didn't mean to do that! I edited it and replaced it.