[Citadel-LTD]In Asari Republics, Job hunts you!

Laykalar listened with rapt attention to Freh'ya's account, to the tale of desperate flight and sacrifice. He could scarcely imagine the horror her experience entailed. Kahje had suffered comparatively little damage during the terrible days of the Great Storm, besieged and sporadically bombarded but never falling to Reaper control. For great and illuminated Thessia, the Crown Jewel of the Galaxy, to be defiled by the extragalactic perversion was almost as horrifying a concept, though, and he felt genuine distress at the images conjured. What would it have been like, to live through such events? He himself had become a refugee, but no-one had patrolled the waters to chase him down, to convert him into a monstrosity that was surely the dark counterforce to the transformative benevolence of the Enkindlers. He hoped the young asari understood the implications - both noble and disturbing - in what their guest chose to reveal.

"I don't think you were, back then. I lived on Tuchanka with my krogan mom and my dad, small town on the northern fringes. We were attacked way before Thessia was, yet nobody from my species came to the rescue. Turians did.
What were the commando and fleet doing back then I wonder? If I sign up and people on other planets get attacked again, including other asaris, will I be told do nothing and watch until the homeworld itself is attacked? Because I am not a fan of that."

Interesting, an asari growing up on Tuchanka.
“I have two answers for you. The first one is, a commando is no freelancer, we follow orders. If discipline, whether you like your orders or not, is not for you then the job is not for you. If you are ordered you can’t just walk away to do as you see fit.”

And if you’re fucking ordered to shoot everyone dead, kids, matrons, matriarchs, so that they are not turned and twisted into abominations against sanity and nature, you will do it. You will hate yourself for it, you will hate the universe for it but you will know you were the only one who could have done it.

“The Commandos – the Republics Commandos are first and foremost the defenders of the Republics. We are not the guards of all the galaxy.

What this project here is about is, the Republics – whichever you chose to go to – welcome you as their citizen. They offer you education, a home, sisters, comrades, no matter where you come from. It demands of you the loyalty to them in return, no matter where came from.”
She could understand the girl on one hand but these were the facts of life. You could only choose one home.

“And to answer your question more directly. Yes, that is a possibility, that you are ordered to stay put. This is expected of a commando as much as going where chance are slim to none. It is up to others“ She looked over at Arina, making a pause “to make sure we do not have to be deployed at all.”

The room was quiet and she chose to add one more twist to this speech.
“I am serving for over three centuries. I have been part of operations nobody ever heard of and never will, to come to aid of uncounted asari and others in regions of space where you would not dare going in your right minds. I expect no glory from it, I knew what we did there and that is enough.”

"Then why did the humans and the turians went to Tuchanka? Aren't the asari founders of the Council, the entity supposed to protect C-Space?
Stop beating around the bush commando, tell me why the Republics didn't react! When we decided to come see you today, other kids asked us why we wanted to join the stripper army! What should we tell them?"

Arina stepped forward again, having the feeling she should comment on these matters. This concerned more general asari politics, not so much the personal experiences of a commando.

“Girl, what’s your name?” it would have been nicer to address her personally. “Humans and turians have their own agenda with the krogan. The turians observe Tuchanka since the end of the Rebellions, it is their assigned task and their interest to be there at all times to control the DMZ and the genophage, just like the salarians.” She couldn’t tell her about the bomb after all, a thing lingering in the poison cabinet of the Council members. Too bad, since the beacon had gone public in comparison.

“The Republics did react, but not the way you would like maybe. All forces inside asari space were on alert for an attack there which, as we all know, came. What would you tell the kids on say… Niacal if all of their commandos and ships would have been over Tuchanka when the Reapers were raising their planet to the ground without any resistance, without anyone protecting them? Noone was coming to fight the Reapers for us.

Our ground troops are few in numbers. We do not follow an aggressive path or try and show muscle. We have other means to conduct politics. But still… we are here today because we have seen that we had too few good commandos. We had none to spare and still too few…”

“We must be better equipped in the future and we have seen that we must go to where you girls are and ask for your support. We do not, as some other species, conscript anyone into military; we do not force anyone into this. The asari way is to join because you are convinced it is a good thing to be a part of and to make sure what has happened won’t happen again. To be part of an even better commando cadre for the future.

We are looking for multi century commitment, not a ten year conscript.

We cannot correct past errors but we must learn lessons. One lesson is, we can’t ignore you kids. You are the future of the asari and you are the ones who can shape it.

Yes, as Freh’ya said, it is a tough road that demands discipline and self-conquest but it will be brighter than what you have suffered in the ducts and you won’t be on your own again.”
Arina was wondering what some kids actually really went through in the ducts.

“As for the stripper army. Does she look like a stripper to you? Ignore the provocative talks, it is varrenshit by those who have no idea. Besides, I know strippers that fought in the war and did great, much more than a lot of the badmouthers can say about themselves.”
She glanced at Freh’ya, half excusing herself, half admiring.

Arina's explanation was mostly favorably received, and seemed to quell a lot of the skepticism.
The teal asari's voice came back to monotone, almost robotic.
"I see your point. The philosophy you're describing seems outdated and suboptimal and insufficient, but it's ok. I'll fix it one day.
My name is Malina. I'll join your commandos, and starting working on fixing them. Don't worry."

With that Malina sat back and resumed the neutral stance she had adopted before starting talking. Some other kids snorted and whispered some jokes about her.

After a small silence a younger kid asked Freh'ya.

"Are you stronger than a krogan? You look stronger than a krogan. Are you stronger than Urndot Wrex??"

How weird could kids be? From stripper to krogan wrestler.

But she had been thankful for Arina to cover the political crap. She didn’t feel well in that territory. Shaken could also be a good term, she was able to define her own motivation but she’d rather not explain grander republican politics right now. Arian had delivered a good speech, she thought and surprisingly, Malina had swallowed it. Her passion could be a good motivator to enter the huntresses.

Freh’ya gave Arina a raised eyebrow for the stripper comment but smiled at the kid. No need to twist this one too seriously.
“I have not met Urdnot Wrex so I can’t really say. He’s supposed to be the strongest of the krogan.” She rubbed her chin, thinking. “He is also their most clever one, they say. So It’ll probably be close but I would make him work for it!”

Leaning against the podium and crossing her arms in front of her chest she continued.
“The krogan are two fold. A single krogan would never get close enough to do me any harm. Most of their young and overexcited folk can’t do much more than charge head on.” She was making a hulking impression with a derp face. “I am Kro GAAAAN!” that produced a few giggles.

“But beware of them in masses and beware of their biotics! This is no childplay, for no one.” There had been outright bloodbaths in her past but no need to dive into that.
“You have to outsmart them, outdance them, unnerve them. Trigger their arrogance and then disassemble them with patience. Huntresses learn these things and they will insure your survival in any situation.

But since we are at peace with them now you could also enter an arm wrestling contest with one.” She chuckled. “Probably not much fun without biotics. And I also strongly discourage drinking contests.”

The atmosphere relaxed, Freh'ya managed to get the sympathy of most kids, although a lot of them spent the remaining time checking their omnitool and whispering and giggling.

"Alright", said finally Michelle, "I think that concludes our Q&A with Freh'ya, let's all thank her!"
Michelle then started clapping in her hands rhythmically, at the general surprise. Laykalar, being who he is, nicely tried to mimic the motion with his tentacles after some awkward seconds.
"Right... Clapping... Human thing... Sorry about that... Let's all thank Freh'ya asari style!"
Depending on their origins some of the kids made various motion, mostly a move from the head to the heart, then toward Freh'ya. A significant part just lazily waved while barely lifting their eyes from their omnitool, which Michelle felt was universal.

"Anything to add?", she asked Freh'ya and Arina.

“Thank you for letting us talk.” Arina thanked Michelle

“If anyone wants to know more, go to the embassy homepage. There is a section about this program containing all kinds of information about the institutions taking in students. You also find application forms there. Our VI will assist you. Should you have specific questions, you can approach us now or call the embassies for a personal appointment. Just refer to the ‘LTD presentation’. Thanks for listening. Good bye!” She returned the gesture.

Obviously some of the kids were already checking out the extranet site… not. In this large group, if they could manage to find a handful or two of candidates with the actual potential and will to pull through it would be a success.

Sending out conscriptions sure was easier.

Freh'ya sighed. Looking at all the maidens - some barely that anyway - playing on their omnitools was really discouraging. How was this youth supposed to be carrying the galaxy on their shoulders one day? Once out of the hardships of duct-rats they had taken on the habits of the spoiled already. She had to say something to wake them up.

She managed her most winning smile.
"All of you who sit here are the potential of our species, the future. You all have lost a lot, you have lived in the ducts, had no real home. The community of the huntresses is reaching out for you, offering a hand and their best education. It’s nothing money can buy, it is something you can only achieve by your own will and dedication. But you have come this far, come to leaving the Ducts and some already beyond, you may not have money but you have your own mind and body to rely on.

Those huntresses that died protecting others are looking at you now; they are inviting you to fill the gaps and stand together and strong again for all the ideals that are the asari republics. Think about that and think about what galaxy you would want to live in for the next millennium and what you would your children to say about this generation of asari. I just ask you to consider it. There are worlds out there, waiting for you to protect them.”

She made a pause. She wasn’t one for pompous speeches. In fact, currently even less than before the war. She had just half way regained the trust in her own judgment after a personal crisis. That even was an understatement, she had been suicidal, but she had found her way back in to the galaxy with the help of others. A galaxy that still held hope and joy, even for the likes of her. She owed it to the kids of Thessia to make it better, she knew that now.
But this generation would have to be able to fight for themselves.
" “You have to take up the task because if you kids don’t do it, nobody else will. If you don’t take on the responsibility for your sisters, nobody else will. We were here to show you that there is a way to make a difference, to extend a hand. It’s up to you to find out if you have it in you to take that hand and follow our path.

I'll be around for a couple of days in case anyone wants to talk in private. You can reach me via the embassies as well. Other than that I just want to say, think about your future and those around you. If you want to make a change for yourself and others, start doing so today. Thanks for your time."

Then she turned to Michelle and the other LTD people, her eyes resting one moment longer on Shaart, him being the most unusual.
"Thank you all as well!"

Freh'ya's final speech made heads rise from the omni-tools. The kids had heard similar speeches before and usually couldn't care less, but this was different.
The person talking to them knew what those words implied.
It wasn't fancy figures of speeches, it was a truth that she experienced. And that made a difference.
Everyone left pretty soon. Kakro, the salarian joker, gave a wink to Freh, and a semi respectful nod.
Over the 53 duct rats that came today, twenty used the terminals at Leaving The Ducts to find out more about the huntress. After Michelle Rondor, Shaart and Julian Snow made sure they knew what military life truly meant, a dozen followed through, and a little more than that made it in the Republic's armies.

Satisfied with the results, Michelle arranged with Arina for similar meetings to occur at regular interval. The number of asari duct rats on the Citadel was in the thousands after all. In the following years, either through Leaving The Ducts, or own their own, dozens of young asaris left the ducts toward a better life protecting their people.

Of course their unusual childhood carved their personality and behavior for centuries to come, and their unorthodox methods often clashed with their comrades and superiors. They also brought a much needed change in the asari military structure. A particular teal asari especially worked hard to make good of the promise she once made to a hulking purple asari commando...

Fin