[Citadel, Embassy Lounge] A Drink with the Escort (closed)

The Embassy Lounge was one of those places on the Citadel that held a reputation. Being expensive and snobbish was one of them and maybe even partly true. But nonetheless it was a good bar with a few excellent drinks and small dishes, ideal for an intimate chat or exchange outside of the office.

At that time of day there were a couple patrons around, one or two just for lunch and reading newsfeeds, others chatting over a small dish. She recognized a Matriarch, conversing with a human a few tables away and bowed slightly for a greeting.

She took a seat at the table that showed her reservation at the hologram in the middle. It was right at one of the open windows with a nice view onto the plaza before the Embassies and the Presidium ponds below.

Arina leaned back and waited for Daia to arrive.

Daia was no stranger to the environs of the rich and/or powerful - she didn't quite have members of Illium's Board of Governors on her omni-tool rapid-contact list, but she had spent many an evening 'working' in surroundings far more expensive than she cared to think about. Enough to dispel any notion that the fast-swimmers of the galaxy were anything more than people the same as everyone else... but still, the Embassies. Even having been around a few centuries, Daia still felt a thrill at walking through the entrance to the Lounge.

Having known Arina might invite her somewhere like this, she had packed a couple of 'classy' dresses, in addition to the more overtly eye-catching formalwear she favoured. The pale blue fabric, with dark indigo-shaded metal accents at the hips and neckline, flattered her, but wasn't what she considered 'showing off'. She didn't expect Arina would hold any prejudices, let alone shame at being seen with her, but she was a diplomat; Daia hadn't wanted to show up looking like she just came off stage down at the festival.

She spotted her host quickly, and wove her way about the tables between them.

"Arina," she said as she approached. Reaching the table she held out both hands in greeting. "Lovely to see you again."

And there she came, sleek and elegant. Arina smiled, noting the tasteful dress. She had seen a few of her movies to know the other side well enough. It had been the fascinating person behind the name she had only discovered after her signing up on CDN.

She took the offered hands respectfully. “Welcome, Daia. Indeed, now that we have arranged this, we really meet so often just by chance. It’s that forum, isn’t it? It’s working along strings in the hyperspace.” She laughed as they sat down.
“I sure will visit festival some time. If there’s a chance I’d like to catch one of your shows!”

At this time of day, the waitress – a human in their case – were quick.

“Good afternoon, ladies. My name is Regina, I am your waitress. Can I already get you a drink?”

Arina had already decided on a Thessia Sunrise and also ordered a bowl of steamboiled pamura beans as a snack they could share.

Daia ordered a Talat spicewine, and returned her attention to Arina with a chuckle.

"It might be the forum," she agreed. "That's how I came to meet my bondmate, so I can't really say it doesn't have an effect. Or, option B," she laughed lightly, "you've been assigned to keep track of me by the Embassy, to make sure I don't get up to too much mischief until I'm safely back on Illium, where that sort of thing's expected."

Arina raised her hand in an ‘I give up’ gesture.
“Okay, you got me. I was supposed to keep track of you. I did a lousy job…” She laughed

“Oh, well, there is worse company one could be seeking, really.” She had been around the escort before but now being alone with her, she could feel what drew people towards Daia. Some asari had this certain something and Daia sure had a lot of it.

“In a way I see this as a meeting among colleagues. You’re a sort of ambassador for the asari yourself, I didn’t just say that. Interspecies contacts and the image we give to others depends so much on people like you. Maybe even more than on those doing the thing I do. I just don’t want to put up with that obnoxious guy on the forums, he’s so annoying, but you had it all down to a line.” She chuckled.

The waitress brought their drinks.

“So here’s a toast. Spindrifts may always favor you and those dear to you, Daia!” She sipped from her drink.

“You met your bondmate on CDN? Isn’t she a quarian…. vidstar?” Arina had found out who Ana’therion was. Common interests, one could say.

"It's kind of you to say that," Daia smiled warmly. "I went to Attena Academy though, I know - if only by proximity to the more serious-minded students - how much work it is to be effective in your kind of role. All I really need to do is smile and be nice to people, which by comparison isn't that difficult. Thank you," she added to their waitress as their drinks arrived.

"To you are yours as well," she returned the toast.

"Well," she went on, after a sip of her wine, "usually being nice isn't difficult. Doing most of my 'diplomacy' in person is easier, the extranet seems to bring out the wilfully pijh-headed side of some people. Honestly, I ought to know better than to keep trying to discuss things, once someone like that's weighed in and derailed it all." She chuckled to herself. "I keep trying to be talkative, it seems."

She took another sip, and nodded when Arina asked about Ana.

"I did, yes - so there you go," she laughed, "proof that it all pays off. She's done a few vids - more of a hobby pursuit, back pre-war - but primarily she's a dominatrix. Psychological and fetish only, no actual sex. Not with clients, anyway," she added in an aside to herself, smirking. "We first met during Bliss, in fact, three years ago - more or less on a whim, on her part, and I'd seen her work so I was understandably curious. One thing led to another, and... never really stopped leading to another, as it turned out. We even did a film together."

She put her glass down for a moment, in anticipation of the snacks arriving, and gave Arina a curious glance.

"How about you?" she asked. "I heard you met Taleeze and Skylar last they were here. CDN's been expanding your social circle as well?"

“I would say everybody loves to listen to you, Daia.” Arina commented the self description. “Your views are almost all the time just lighthearted and very positive. An outlook I very much miss in many others on the boards. You know, it’s the ability to leave someone smiling, something you have a great talent in.” She was sure, Daia’s abilities to delight others were manifold. She involuntarily chuckled over that.

“Oh.” Was her reply on Daia’s correction about Ana’therion. Psychological and fetish only, no actual sex. Well, bummer.

The revelation about the common vid was interesting though. Now, that Daia mentioned it, she did resemble some asari in that certain vid. Arina raised an eyebrow over the realization. It had probably been the most extreme she had seen of the quarian.

“Oh yes, I met them already when they were here a few weeks ago. Taleeze I saw again at the CDN gathering. She’s always nice and her girlfriend is also very interesting. Honestly, judging from the brief encounter we had she has a really deep understanding of the asari nature. It’s not surprising she caught herself an example like Miss Taleeze. They looked very much in love back then. You’re a friend of the two?” Arina chuckled again, remembering the sweet couple.

“In fact you are correct, I ran into quote a few people lately who happened to hang around that forum as well.” She thought about Leeta, who had become something like a best girlfriend lately. Kiara and Sulla made her grin. Who would have thought that CDN would accelerate her love life? Well, who was she to object.

“Some are now quite close friends, actually especially a quarian as well.” Funny coincidence now that she thought of it. “Leeta, she calls herself TripleTiptoe on the boards. She’s mostly just drowning herself in work though so she’s not posting much.” Yes, CDN had obviously influenced her circles.

“I came to the Citadel when the embassies were re-opened. They needed a lot of new personal and with the many new embassies or consulates; we actually have a lot to do. The galaxy is moving forward, sometimes maybe behind closed curtains but there are things that just are best discussed in a small circle and not out in the open. Well, asari would probably but not every species is as patient. Sadly, that’s what we get to hear too often now, that we are too patient, too hesitant. The public sometimes forget that this enabled us to be the most peaceful people. Peace is totally underrated it seems, even now. Maybe even more so now. The fight for resources is tough…. But oh well, I am rambling. I don’t want to bore you with politics, I am sorry!” she made an excusing gesture.

"Yes, both," Daia nodded. "Taleeze only recently - but it was one of those cases where it only took a few hours to be friends for life. Skylar I've known longer, years now, and you're quite right, she's been immersing herself in asari culture and philosophy as long as I've known her. Before, even, since childhood. She's a good friend - she and Taleeze hit it off right away, it's been very gratifying to see that turn into something truly special."

She sipped at her drink, reflecting for a moment. Fortune permitting, she had always known Skylar would make some asari very happy. That it seemed to be happening with two asari was a gratifying surprise; were she not so content in her own life, she would have been decidedly envious.

"I don't know how much you and she got to talk at Sarah's get-together the other day," she went on. "Skylar's back on the Citadel as well, and Taleeze's other partner Freh'ya is with them. Skylar's introduction to their home life on Nevos evidently went very well."

She listened attentively as Arina spoke, raising an amused eyebrow at the coincidence of her too meeting a quarian via the forum.

"Triple Tiptoe, yes, I recall the user name," she nodded. "I hope her schedule allows her to post more often, she certainly seems someone it'd be a pleasure to have around more."

Her companion's observations on politics were fascinating, and Daia shook her head quickly when Arina began to apologise.

"Not at all," she insisted. "I admire what you do here, I really do. I'm..." She gave a little shrug. "...not the most politically active person, myself. Small-picture, rather than big-picture. It suits my profession," she chuckled, "but what you do here, bringing the asari perspective to the whole galaxy, that's..." She searched for words, smiling. "It must be very rewarding. Even if frustrating from time to time - patience tends to be what has the deepest effects, in the end."

Arina was truly happy about what Daia had said.
“I appreciate that!” She sighed, then smiled. “We get only little reward to be honest. You have to become very patient and rely on the long term view on things. Humans… I wished more were like Skylar really. Someone like her would do wonders for them here. They are often a chore to deal with as some of their diplomats are puppets for local politicians who are currently ousted by SATAE. So they get bored and send their pawns on rampages. Nothing major of course, Alliance prevents that, but enough to be annoying. You can tell the new ones from the old hares from the old Citadel embassies but that will get better over time. An exercise in asari equanimity.” She smiled and sipped her drink.

“Overall it’s really moving well. We have good connections to the consensus and the quarians. If you ask me, they are going to become a major player in the coming centuries while I see humanity at a stagnation.” Again she sighed. “There, don’t tempt me to talk politics, slap me next time!” she laughed.

“But let’s talk about Bliss and you! I am so rude. I’ve been there shopping already. A friend bought me a nice biotic supression collar now I just look for an opportunity to wear it. Do you by any chance know The Authority club? I go there once in a while and they will have a few theme parties, ‘Authority is Bliss’.

Unfortunately I didn’t have time to see many shows at Bliss. When are you on stage? I really would like to see that! I only have limited talent and experience but I do enjoy a good display. How long have you been doing this now anyway?”

"There'll be more like Skylar, I think," Daia offered in reply to Arina's thoughts on humanity. "I know they don't have a formalised system of Matriarchs like we do, but from what I gather - although you'd be in a better position to tell than I am, their whole government's a bit of a mystery to me - it's still the elders who tend to gravitate to positions of influence. Most of them were already adults by the time they found out they weren't alone out here." She tried to imagine it, and failed. New species had been discovered in her lifetime, but to look up at the stars and not know if anyone was there? It was an unsettling thought. She was glad the talk turned to more immediate, and cheerful, matters.

"I do know the Authority," she said, grinning at the mention of the name. "That was where I first met Ana. Quite an appropriate setting, really. So," she chuckled, "obviously we have very fond memories - we make sure to drop by any time we're here. Unfortunately we can't make the Bliss night this time - scheduling conflict - but we're going to spend an evening there a couple of days later. You're going to the big night, though? I trust you'll have a memorable night," she added, giving Arina a wink.

"I'd be delighted to have you drop by when I'm doing my show," she went on. "I'll be doing my bit on day ten - two appearances actually, here." She opened her omni-tool and transferred a schedule to Arina, with times and locations marked. "The morning one's the stage show, the other in the afternoon is something new the festival's trying that I put my hand up for, a kind of literature presentation. I'll be reading a chapter from 'The Ocean's Maiden' - bit of a favourite of mine. But the morning show will be the usual... well, you know." She wiggled in her chair a bit, with a chuckle. "Showing off my tricks. I've been a performer at Bliss for... almost two centuries now, haven't missed many years in that time. The audiences really connect with you, it's a little bit magic. Wouldn't miss it."

Daia was right about there being more like Skylar, Arian mused but didn’t drive the topic further. Couples with an asari partner did things like that to all civilization, establishing a wide base of affection towards the blue species. Make love, not war, as a human saying goes, she thought with a smile.

“Thanks you, that’s convenient. I will try to make both if I have the chance!” Arina replied when she received the data on her omnitool.

“Oh, too bad you won’t be there. Maybe we’ll see each other nonetheless; I could be there any night these days. I’d very much like to meet Ana’therion again; we didn’t have time to introduce really at the temple. The same goes for Miss Meressus. I think I have seen her name on a list of representatives invited to our embassies get together though.”

She had to smile and chuckle over Daia’s choice of words – connecting audience.
“Hm, so you do like to ‘connect’, huh? Are you taking clients out as well while on the Citadel?” Arina tried to remember if she ever had checked the price list on Daia’s extranet presence, but couldn't say for sure.

"I'm sorry we couldn't stay longer at the temple," Daia said. "I'll mention you to Eafina, she'd love to meet you. I believe you're right, she'll be part of the Sapphire Alliance delegation during all the meetings scheduled for the next couple of weeks. There's a lot of work still to do, after all the chaos the war brought about." Her smile, which had faded slightly, reappeared as she returned to happier matters. "I'll let you know when we'll be at the club. Ana enjoys meeting fellow enthusiasts, I'm sure she'd be happy for you to share a table with us."

Arina's question about her 'availability' surprised her, but she took it well - it was unexpected, but not the first time a social meeting had ventured in that direction.

"Is that an expression of interest?" she asked coyly - not too suggestively, she didn't want Arina to think she was suddenly going into 'escort mode', but enough to show willing. "I'm not seeking out clients - but there are a few spots in my schedule when there aren't any other demands on my time. If an offer were to be made..." She let the sentence trail off, then fixed Arina with a stare that was a little more serious, though still warm. "I'd be honoured to consider you a friend. A... professional meeting wouldn't change that, I can assure you. But that meeting would be professional." She grinned slightly. "I know the distinction may seem a little ephemeral, but it's an important one to Ana and I."

“Great, thank you!” Arina replied to the offer to have a get together at the club.

But then things went down real quick after her thoughtless question. Arina leaned back in her chair, taking a moment to gather at Daia’s reaction. “Ah… no, goddess, no… That’s not what I meant! It was a … more general question but I should have known better since it’s probably one you get asked a lot.” She slapped herself mentally. Screwing it up to be social with Daia. You could call that an achievement maybe.

Daia’s aura had influenced Arina’s thoughts and musings. You can’t possible sit across her and not notice. Letting this influence her to a degree to make a misleading question was unforgivable though. Maybe the socializing on the extranet had softened her diplomatic shielding. Her face showed some of the disappointment over herself.

“I am sorry if I have come across offensive – I don’t want our relationship to be of such nature… I’d be honored to be called a friend of yours, Daia.”
Her thoughts were evolving in parallel as she spoke. The reaction of Daia had a positive side to it most definitely, it was, if anything an indication that Daia had interest in her as a person beyond a free drink. It calmed her down again. If only this could be cleared up now.

“I don’t think it is ephemeral. You’re a bonded woman and both of you work in the business, so it’s only natural. I never have been one for such an affair, just to clarify. In fact I can’t complain about my love life lately.” She managed a chuckle. And I don’t want to become as infamous as that human diplomat on CDN.
“Please accept my apology.”

She should move the topic into another direction gradually.

"Oh!" Daia's eyes went wide as she realised her faux-pas. "No, no - I'm the one who should apologise, please. I assumed far too much." She shook her head, and chuckled - glancing back up with a wry smile, to let Arina know she wasn't upset. "You'd think after three hundred years in the business I'd be over making gaffes like that. I'm sorry."

She extended a hand, and held Arina's - warmly, but with no hint of flirtation, rather exactly as a friend or sister would.

"You've given absolutely no offence," she assured the diplomat. "I'd be very happy to be your friend." She let go the other asari's hand, and picked up her glass again. "One can never know too many good people."

She took a sip, and looked at ease again finally.

"I'm curious," she admitted, "since the subject's been broached, in a tangential sort of way... Is there a need to balance your love life - your personal life in any regard, really - with the demands of your calling here? You're dealing with representatives of the other civilisations so frequently, I know some can be rather, well, staid in what they'd think of as 'proper behaviour'."

Arina let out a sigh of relief and was surprised by the affectionate touch of Daia. She smiled at the escort. The good people, hm?

“Oh, no offense taken, thanks Daia! You’re right, a network is of great value. If you ever have business on the Citadel, give me a call, In fact – just to make this clear – the Embassy’s arm has a far reach if need be.” She took a sip from her drink as well. Outside the window a pair hanar drifted past, a turian and an asari C-sec officer were chatting …

Arina chuckled over Daia’s question about people acting prude.
“Yes, some are indeed, but it’s in fact okay. It’s the world I want to work in after all so it’s no chore really. Some representatives of the Hierarchy only act uptight on the outside, you should see what’s going on behind semi-closed doors in their embassy – well, maybe you do know anyway!?” She raised an eyebrow.
“Salarians are different, they mostly can’t really handle sexual connotations and are best dealt with if you leave all that out. My dad was salarian and I spent a longer period of time on Sur’Kesh, I get along with them fairly well I think.” She mused about certain things she had observed on CDN.

“It’s interesting that humans so often have severe trouble handling asari. Women not so much as men who often project their view of their women on asari as a whole. They have reached a near equality of genders for a very short time only and I sometimes think it still shows a tiny bit.” She shrugged. “They still have time to develop. Marriage with lots of asari will help,” she added with smile.

“As for the love life question … yes, it is a bit of a vent of course. Mental health and pleasure at the same time if you want. But generally, the job is so demanding I enjoy having my freedoms and good friends.”

"I suppose the first-instinct reaction is understandable, from humans," Daia nodded, following Arina's thoughts on the various species she dealt with with avid interest. "We do look an awful lot like human females." She chuckled at a thought. "There are some late-night fringe conspiracy talk shows in Nos Astra that are just full of it, every week is more 'proof' that the Protheans engineered humans from asari. Or asari from humans, it changes week to week. You probably have the same kinds of shows here." She shrugged, laughing quietly. "The things people spend their time on. Although I should talk, with the movies and all."

She settled into her seat, becoming a little more serious.

"I don't doubt you're correct," she went on. "If our history has shown anything, it's the strength of familial bonds. I'm sure we'll find ourselves growing in the process as well. I had the chance to see a little of Earth, before the war." She glanced out across the view of the Presidium; there was no opening to the planet beneath the Citadel, of course, but the waterways and trees brought the memories to life a little. "I hear the rebuilding is moving ahead well in a lot of areas. There must be asari already for whom it's their homeworld, and in time I suppose there'll be more. Have you visited the planet much?"

“Yes, there are a lot of asari living and helping on earth. In the decade prior to the war, there has been a real spike in bond registrations with human partners. They were very quick to adopt and… dare I say ‘embrace’ the asari. But I heard it was hard for some who got stuck here after the war when the relays where all down but luckily the specieist hostility didn’t last!” She thought about the recent events with the missing kids. “But there’s criminal energy wherever you go. I don’t have to tell you that I guess, coming from Illium... No offense but it’s closer to Omega than the Citadel in many ways.” She laughed, showing no ill meaning but just stating a fact.

“But you actually asked something different. Yes, I’ve been down there a few times. I have been to UNAS, Vancouver, where the Alliance HQ is for example, also London... all of that on the job an these places are no fun. Reconstruction is visible everywhere and they are moving fast but still, the devastation is also omnipresent in those centres. I only had one pleasure trip so far really, north-eastern coast of Australia. That area wasn’t hit very hard and it was a beautiful little excursion to swim and dive.” She took a sip of her drink and remembered the reefs and the clear bays.
“The nature was so untouched in many areas, it was as if on another planet. An asari can never go for long without water I think, right? Or maybe only if you grew up on one of the desert or ice colonies. But I am a thessian girl, Dassus to be precise. So lots of coastline and sea. That reef there remembered me a bit of home actually.” , a small smile was on her face.

“Have you been down there?”

"Especially with Omega cleaning up its act," Daia replied, sharing a smile with Arina to show the jab at Illium's reputation - such as it was - had caused no offence. "I know it's not exactly going to become Citadel Two any time soon, but I still have a couple of old friends on the station, some of the changes they've mentioned have been surprising. Who knows what might happen?" She chuckled. "I've heard some PR consultants back in Nos Astra have been adding Omegan clients to their lists, to polish their public images. Any day now I'm expecting to hear that the Blood Pack are changing their name to 'Safety Pack' to get better play on family-friendly HV channels, and surely that'll be the beginning of the end of the mercenary business."

She laughed, then nodded when asked about visiting Earth, smiling fondly as she remembered.

"Once," she said. "A year before the war - London, for two weeks. For Wimbledon," she grinned. "About twenty years ago in Nos Astra there was a bit of an influx of Terran companies - mostly in the same area, Mesa Gen, near where I used to live. A big volus consortium had just moved out to more prestigious inner-city towers, so the office space was there to be had, and humans were really starting to expand economically beyond their immediate neighbours at the time. The companies brought in a lot of their own staff, and being near one another it became a bit of a human community area. Very convenient for me," she laughed, "you can imagine - whole new set of cultures to explore, and they set up shop right on my doorstep. Anyway, I got very taken by tennis - a racquet-and-ball sport of thiers, do you know it? - and for years I promised myself I was going to attend Wimbledon, the Championships. I finally made the arrangements - and met Ana not long after, so when the scheduled trip came around, we made a proper holiday of it. Saw quite a bit of London, and as much of the rest of the Kingdom as we could manage in a fortnight, even a day and night in Paris in the middle. I proposed," she grinned. "I hear the city has that kind of a reputation to it."

Arina had to laugh at Daia’s description of the situation with Omega and Illium.
“From all I seen, that’s not going to happen soon though. I didn’t not know, the ‘Pack’ was trying to get their own HV show?”

When Daia told her about her travel to earth, she recognized the sport.
“Yes, I’ve heard about that, some people from the human embassy play it, there’s a court somewhere. I heard there’s nifty equipment to have the ball perform similar to real scale gravity. It’s not much of a difference but still, in a sport like this it seems it makes a huge difference. I’ve never played it myself or followed it unfortunately. Do you play yourself? I am more of a runner. There are good parks for that, like Palaven Gardens.

Anyway, it’s great that you had to chance to take your wife with you, it must have been beautiful….” She mused a bit. “I sometimes wonder how it would have been like if I could have been there as a diplomat before the Reapers. It would have been the case sometime in my career I guess. I was already through most Republics. I’d have loved to see the planet and it’s people before the horrors.

If we stay patient we may see that again, the humans are really working at it.”

She leaned back and looked outside for a moment. A conversation with Leeta came to her mind about incidents with quarians.
“Actually, I hope you don’t mind me asking this – but your wife is a quarian and a CEO at that on Illium. I thought that’s really unusual. I mean, Illium isn’t one of the places known for their hospitality towards them. The Citadel had a notorious reputation as well, but not as openly as Illium. It also always had a larger community I think so they could stick with their kind if the wanted to. So, is that getting better actually?”

"I play," Daia smiled. "Not well - I've picked up a little form over the years, but I haven't shaken off the habit of hitting the ball to my opponent, instead of out of their reach. Needless to say, I don't get into serious competitions."

She raised an eyebrow at Arina's question about Ana, and Illium, nodding quickly at the outset to show she didn't mind the inquiry.

"Planetwide, it's... not improved yet," she admitted, a sour twist to her mouth. "During the war, and the blackout, everyone pulled together, naturally, to keep some semblance of stability - but afterwards, when the relays reopened, all the old divisions opened up again. Moreso, even - Illium weathered the postwar economic unrest better than most, but with half the Terminus in recession or outright depression, the elite got... very jealous of the prestige, and the comforts, they'd managed to hold onto. Quarians..." Her eyes flared, looking as close to angry as they ever had. "Quite a few took positions during the war, but as soon as the government didn't need them anymore, they got pushed out. Ana was with Health Directorate, in mental health administration - she joined a convoy, through the Reaper blockade, to get back to Illium, after going through the fighting above Rannoch, and almost as soon as she was home she volunteered - and as soon as the directors were sure the galaxy was going to survive..."

She made a shooing gesture.

"Out. They made her position contingent on a contract that was virtually indentured servitude, dressed up in fancy language. The same for others - and the same in the private sector. She should be CEO, she virtually is - helms the company a lot more than I do - but a Nos Astra company run by a quarian... We can't afford to lose the doors that would close. I hate it, but it's a fact." She scowled at the thought; it was a blessing it didn't bother her bondmate more. As harrowing as it had been for her, the war had given Ana a stronger sense of what truly mattered to her, and while being on the receiving end of Illium's prejudice rankled, she never let it overshadow the one source of recognition she really cared about. "Not just quarians, there's been some moves to limit influence held by batarians, humans even - economic rather than social discrimination in those cases, but that's cold comfort to the people not getting the opportunities they deserve." She sighed again, then shook her head, a bit of a smile showing through.

"Sorry," she said. "Pet peeve, as you can see. It's not all gloom. I do think the discrimination against quarians is going to abate, given time - you'd probably know better than me, but I get the impression Rannoch's going to be a boom economy once their reconstruction and settlement programmes are through doing the heavy lifting, and if there's one thing that could make Illium's elite put aside centuries of smug discrimination, it's quarians dangling billion-credit investments at them. I think - I hope - the other double-standards will go the same way; it's still a bit of a bunker mentality, economically, but the more things improve galaxy-wide, the more the big corporations will ease up. But Illium's in no danger of losing its notoriety any time soon," she added, with a frown.