[Citadel] The Fly Off.

((Closed thread))

"Oh, no, it's quite alright, thank you." The turian captain says to the waitress with a smile. She just smiles back and with a nod, slowly walks away from the large leather couch on which Telos sat. He looked around him. The lounge was slowly filling with people as the time for the Alignment drew closer.

The Alignment was one of the most beautiful sights one could see on the Citadel.

Well, aside from the bright blue Earth down bellow, of course.

It happened only once each day when the station's ward arms came into complete alignment with Sol. The bright light reflecting off the Citadel's arcologies created a spectacular prismatic light show.

One of the best places to view the Alignment was the Giza Lounge. A large public bar and lounge on the outer side on of the Presidium, located right above the Presidium ing's C Docking Section. Not only did it have the perfect position for viewing the event but the environment wasn't bad at all either.
It mainly consisted of a tall and long room. So long, in fact, that one could almost see the Presidium's curvature on the floor. Large glass panels lined the outer wall, giving all the patrons what could be considered the best view of the station. The wall opposite to the large window was lined with a curving bar while a several square platforms hang from the tall ceiling, connected to the floor by a series of spiral staircases. Private booths and tables were placed upon them. The main floor was covered with comfy sofas and armchairs of various shapes and sizes. The owners made sure that all physiologies can be accommodated and everyone felt comfortable and at home.
Overall, the lounge was bathed in tasteful decorations and exotic flowering plants. Flowing vines hang from the hanging platforms and swirled around the railings. Flower pots and candles decorated the bar and tables. Dark moody browns and warm reds and oranges dominated the space, balancing out the cool blues and purples that came in from outside. The music was smooth and quiet. The volume was perfectly adjusted so one wouldn't have to raise their voice while conversing but wouldn't struggle to listen to the melody either, if they wanted to.
All in all, atmosphere was very cozy and welcoming. A perfect place to relax, chat and have a good time. Apparently everybody on the Citadel thought so as well, as the lounge was always bustling with life

Telos looked around once again. Harrad should be there any minute now. Despite never having met the man in person, he had heard a lot about him and had come to hold quite a bit of respect for him. Both as a pilot and as a person. All the people that had known him had only good things to say about him to Telos; and that fact alone surely spoke for itself. He couldn't think of a more suitable way to describe Harrad other than 'Mr. Nice Guy' himself. The thought made the captain chuckle to himself quietly. It did sound kind of cute after all!

The captain lets out a silent sigh, turning his head back to the tall glass window that covered the entire wall of the lounge. Sol was slowly moving into into position and a crowd had already gathered up in front of the windows...



Standing up, he straightens his tunic. His attire was relatively light. Just the standard Hierarchy off-duty captain gear, consisting of plain dark red uniform not unlike traditional civilian turian clothing. Only the silver details and the bright CEF Captain insignia made his rank visible.

Telos steps closer to the window, arms folded neatly behind his back, posture upright. He looked up at the drifting sun as it crossed the last few inches before Alignment. His mandibles twitch into a faint smile. He had a feeling this would be a fun day!

There was a delay. Not a long one, but Harrad didn't arrive until after the Alignment had come and gone. He had made it to the Giza Lounge just in time, and rather than hunt for his fellow pilot, the turian paused with the rest of the crowd to admire the sight. It had been far too long since he had been on the Presidium, and he'd forgotten how beautiful the view could be.

Fortunately, he had dressed for the Presidium, like Telos, in a "civilianized" uniform that was better quality and in better condition than the ones he was usually wearing. Black and white with a little orange trim, and a black half-hood to manage his fringe. He might never shake the limp, but he held himself with more pride than usual. The clothes make the man, as some people liked to say. Harrad never bought into that, but it was nice to dress up.

"Telos," he said, after at last spotting the man and approaching. His mandibles split in a smile as he reached out for a handshake. "Glad I managed to find you."

The turian looked far older than the mere thirty-and-change years he said he was. Worn and cracked plates, and a hide that showed many creases. But his eyes still shined.

The Alignment was a stunning sight indeed. Unfortunately Telos didn't have the opportunity to witness it every day as the inhabitants of the Citadel did. A good comfort for that, though, were all the wonders that he and his crew witnessed in deep space. He wouldn't trade that for a thousand Alignments.

The captain lowered his gaze from the drifting sun to the docking ports that were only just visible bellow the lounge's large window.
Turning his head slightly to the left he spots his own ship at dock, proudly hovering between the two smaller Alliance frigates. A faint smile of pride forms on his face but quickly disappears as thoughts of the upcoming retrofits and crew reassignments flood his mind. There was a lot that had to be done during the upcoming week.

But before that, shore leave.

His thoughts are interrupted by the sound of his name behind him. He turns around to face the young turian that called him, grinning happily as he recognizes who he is.

"Oh! Harrad!" Telos eagerly returns the handshake with both of his claws. "It is so very good to see you. You just missed the Alignment unfortunately. But oh well, there's always tomorrow!"

Just as the captain thought, Harrad exceeded his already high expectations. He had a wise and mature quality to him, despite his rather youthful looks. His posture suggested a serious character but the pleasant face and smile still showed the good intentions in him.

"How are you doing? I hope you didn't go through too much trouble on your way here. The lounge is rather... well hidden in the Presidium!"

"I managed to catch it, don't worry. It's why I'm a little bit late." Harrad chuckled, looking up at his fellow pilot. That was the other thing about this smiling man that was easy to notice: he was short.

He took a chair as the conversation began up. "No, no, no trouble. Your directions helped, so thanks for those. Otherwise, getting by day-by-day. Same for you, hmm? Except that you've got shore leave. You know how long it's been since I had that?"

Now was the time to size up the other turian: well-dressed, friendly, clean face paint. Telos seemed upstanding. The choice in venue didn't hurt in the least: Harrad's chair was plush, but not overdone. He settled into it easily, but even as he did, he realized he was beginning to squirm. Neither man was just here for a conversation, after all.

"So, I think the last time we were talking we were comparing ship sizes, right?" His grin turned playful.

Telos settles down on a couch, across the small coffee table between him and Harrad. He crosses his legs. It's not a position that turians took very often but he picked it up during the time he spent with humans. Besides, it was surprisingly comfortable. "Ah! Well I'm glad to hear it helped! I was worried I might have confused you. It's kind of hard to give directions politely without making it sound as if you're giving out orders. I guess you get used to that kind of speech patterns after practically growing up in the military."
He shifts a bit in his seat, throwing a arm on the couch's back. "Well I have to admit that this is the only nice thing I will be doing during this shore leave. We have a lot of things to do next week and the mere thought of that doesn't let you have peace."

Tel chuckles "Hehe! Indeed we were. And if I remember correctly, you were more of a 'smaller size' kind of guy, where you not?" He grins back playfully. "So can I get you anything? Some Taetran ale perhaps?" He says with a smile. But he kind of regretted making that offer, though. As much as he wanted to get to know and chat with Harrad, his talons were already twitching a bit. Tel couldn't wait to get access to a ship's flight controls. Being a captain tends to keep you away from them.

Harrad chuckled, and nodded in sympathy. "You never get enough time on the leave part. Guess it's worse being a proper captain, isn't it? You don't get the same sort of breaks us handsome pilots did." Again the turian's mandibles split. He nodded to the offer of a drink. "That sounds perfect right now. I don't get to drink too much these days. Can't at the nurturing center, and it's not like I have the credits to spare when I'm on break. So thanks."

The way that Telos chose to sit earned him a curious glance from the other pilot, but it was dismissed as eccentricity. Commanders often grew odd- turian fiction was full of them. And besides, who around Sol hadn't picked up a few human habits in the aftermath of the Reaper War?

"And you're right. I couldn't ever imagine spending my life flying a cruiser. Lucky for you, I've got a few connections, so we've got a real ship to fly." Something in the pilot's eyes sparkled mischievously. "How much time do you have?"

The captain smiles warmly to Harrad. Swiftly brushing his talon over a panel on the couch's arm, he brings up a small holographic menu. After a couple of swipes downwards, he quickly orders two drinks for him and his fellow pilot "There! Two Taetran Ales on the way! Oh, and don't worry about it. I am always happy to please and comfort!" His smile widens. But it was more than just a grin of petty politeness. Telos loved being nice to people. It made him feel nice himself.

The turian shifts in his seat a little bit, bringing both of his arms in front of his chest and crossing them. He lets out a short, quiet laugh "Oh, trust me, by the time you go from pilot to captain you learn how to make the most out of your breaks! But then again that's what people under the direct command of the Hierarchy get. Technically, I am still a Hierarchy officer but under direct Citadel command. 'Until further notice', that is. The boys and girls at CEF don't happen to be as lucky. So here I am. But! Those time management skills come quite in handy. After a while It's not all that bad." One does get used to it indeed. There is no better downtime in the galaxy than turian shore leaves of course. But then again, Tel's ship could be considered a 'luxury cruiser' by most turian standards. So, less steam in need to be blown off.

"Oh don't give me the 'us pilots' line just yet, my friend! Don't look at this little gold nugget too much. I am still just much a pilot as you at heart!" He taps the rank badge of his uniform, conveniently placed over his heart.
Command had turned out to really suit him but Tel's strong love for piloting was still very persistent. Though not present directly on the helm of his shop often, mentoring his young helmsmen had brought him back to the controls for more than a few times. Even that though was still not enough. Hence the feelings of impatience at the thought of another chance to fly in freedom.

"Do not worry about the time. My next report presentation with feet command is not scheduled until tomorrow morning, so that's not an issue." Tel noticed Harrad's mischievous expression. His mandibles twitch into a wide grin "So... these contacts of yours. What kind of ship are they promising us?"

"A pilot at heart. But in the flesh..?" Harrad's grin grew again, enough to tease the captain. He could only get away with so much, though. Telos didn't only outrank him, but he was being nothing but cordial. Even buying him a beer! Both of them arrived arrived quickly, and Harrad gave the server a friendly nod. He lifted his glass to the captain.

"Thank you."

The thought of seeing if Vindi knew how to set up a still crossed Harrad's mind as he took the first sip.

"I'm just kidding. I don't get to fly much either these days, so I know exactly how you're feeling. I had to give up my ship after the War. I couldn't do much to help with the rebuilding, you know? And it's no good letting a good ship go to waste." So here he was. "As for my contacts... the nice thing about being teaching at one of the Citadel's biggest nurturing centers is that I meet a lot of parents. We've got a little Sagitus-class ship that was caught trying to jump the relay. Same class as the Agamemnon. She's going up for auction, but I get to take her out before she gets recertified."

That brought a warm chuckle to the pilot. "Not that we have license to wreck her. But- tomorrow morning? Really? I was thinking we could go buzz Earth. We'll be passing over Australia soon. It's great territory for a run."

The turian smiles warmly as he pops open his bottle's cap. Harrad seemed to be having a good time as far as Telos could tell. That pleased him a lot, making his smile grow wider. "Like I said, no worries!"

"So, Sagitus class you say? I hear those had one of the best helm control configurations available at the time. I'm looking forward to it even more now!" Telos takes a sip from his drink. He then holds it in front of him, taking a long look at the label. His mandibles twitch into a grin as he reads the ale's origin tag. "Hey... this is authentic! From Taetrus itself! Spirits, I've hadn't had an authentic Taetran ale in more than a year!" The captain takes a second sip, savoring the taste of the cool, bright blue drink. "The Relay to Mactare opened mere days ago and they've already had them shipped here... Giza's doing a great job as always!" He glances at the old elcor behind a bar, who in the meantime seemed to be engaged in a very serious conversation with a human. Tel had to admit, Giza had gone from rags to riches with his business. His new lounge was most certainly an impressive upgrade from the old little 'Giza Bar' down in Zakera. "Hm... I suppose that means the Bluemaize fields and breweries on Taetrus are in a functioning state. That's amazing news!" It certainly was good news. Not only for Tel but for the millions of the drink's fans and the people of Taetrus as well, who took pride in providing their Hierarchy with their best, most refreshing and classiest way to get drunk.


"Ah! Australia... Even the best translation matrices available cannot filter our that accent... Hehehe" The captain chuckles as he remembers many Australian members of the cabin crew he knew while working for Virgin Galactic. He hasn't heard a lot from them since the war though... The thought makes his smile turn sad for a brief second.

He quickly checks the time display on his omnitool before turning back to Harrad "Well... we have full Terran day left as of right now. There are shuttles every ten minutes and the ride straight down lasts just as much. But I can get us there even faster!" He gives the other turian a playfull smile. "We can do a lot of things untill the afternoon and still have plenty of time left to take the ship out for an adventure! I hear the reconstruction of Adelaide is far ahead of schedule, too. With the improved infrastructure, urban planning and architecture, they are turning the city into a gem!"

"But anyways, you should know that tomorrow morning's report wont last more than an hour. I'd be more than happy to take a trip down to Earth after it as well. The Citadel's orbit plan is scheduled to bring the station over Moscow. It used to be a hub for Virgin Galactic so I know my way around the city quite well! I have to tell you, it is quite beautiful. Used to be the best example of modern human architecture."
Telos takes a big sip from his drink. His throat goes dry quite easily... but that doesn't stop his occasional babbling.
"It is up to you, though. I am perfectly comfortable with either! I want us both to have a trully great time!" he gives his fellow turian a warm smile.
"So, you mentioned working at a nurturing centre? Tell me how is it? I've never had the chance to be around children unfortunately. In fact, the only significant contact I've had with a large number of children was the opening of the Mallenis Memorial Orphanage a year ago. It was a good experience I'll have to say!"

Telos's intuition was right: Harrad was enjoying himself. While he loved being able to teach the pre-boots how to fly, it didn't quite line up with sitting down with another pilot and simply talking shop.

"Well, that depends on who you had making them. Tallex ships didn't have the same config options, but from what I hear the mechanics preferred them because of that. Fewer ways to mess things up. Forse was the one that made all the helms." He paused to enjoy another sip of his ale, his claws rolling as if he were still speaking. "Of course, either way you ended up running the Hierarchy console on it, so it doesn't make much of a difference from where I'm sitting. I guess helm set-up matters a lot more on the cruisers. Hmm. Never thought about that."

The way the captain gushed about Taetran ale... It made Harrad raise an eyeridge curiously. It was a good drink, to be sure, but Telos sounded like an outright ad for it- if not for Taetrus itself. He chuckled: "Classiest way to get drunk? Where's the fun in being drunk and classy?"

Sitting back, Harrad listened to the captain lay out possible plans, his schedule, and experiences. Another smile appeared: "The Mallenis? Yeah, I know about that. We have a lot of kids from there at Sol Rises. Good kids. I mean, they're all good kids, sometimes they can just be a little undisciplined. Heh. If you find yourself back on the Citadel again, and with time, we always take volunteers- after they've been cleared, mind you. It's a good experience. Puts years on you, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. Nothing at all." Harrad contemplated that, and took a nice, long pull of his beer. This was refreshing. But funny how he ended up talking about kids and family even when he was right there with another pilot.

"One beer's my limit if I'm going to be behind the controls," he said abruptly. "I don't think we can do Moscow, because we don't get leave at Sol Rises. We get breaks now and then. I hear it's really lovely, though. All that... what'd they call it. Beton brut. A lot like Palaven, apparently. Still, we're in-atmo. Better to be tearing ass five feet from the desert floor."

"Oh! Sol Rises? I've actually heard of that! Neffila mentioned it to me in one of her mails if I remember correctly. Oh, and that's Neffila T'Nua, by the way. The asari in charge of the orphanage and also a very close family member. Have you met? I wouldn't be surprised if you did! She does a lot of work, shuttling between the Mallenis and Palaven very often as well. Hm... I'll be paying her a visit if I can." The captain smiles to himself briefly. It's been months since he has seen Neff in flesh. It was yet another thing to look forward to amongst all the others.

"I am sad to say that I haven't done any volunteer work myself since the standard pre-boot 'Mandatory Social Awareness Programmes' back on Palaven. I suppose the circumstances never allowed it... and nor do they allow it right now. But it's definitely something I want to do. Plus, Neffila herself could always use the help. Oh well, it's definitely something I will hold in my mind. Perhaps it could be an opportunity to meet up once again, eh?" Tel's mandibles briefly twitch into a wide smile before shutting themselves tight again as the turian takes a sip from his ale.

"Yes indeed. Very much like Palaven! Apparently, during the turn of the century humans abandoned all the shinny curvy glass type architecture. Every skyscraper tried to look uniqueand stand out in the skyline but eventually, as they increased in height and numbers, the entire thing became an eyesore. So they went with more strict lines and simpler material. Less curves and glass and more angles and concrete. As you can see the results are quite good! It's become popular to cover the concrete with some sort of ivory white sheeting. this Style has turned Terran skylines into gems!

See Moscow, for example. A couple of centuries back, the city wasn't what you'd call a pretty tourist magnet. It was crowded with what an old human friend of mine described to me as 'Soviet Microdistricts'. As the years passed, though, these tower blocks crumbled away and paved the way for a new and redesigned Moscow so- ...Aw forget it. I'm really boring you aren't I? Heh! Well I guess the time to meat a captain that actually doesn't know when or how to shut up, is here!" Telos just loved to accumulate all kinds of information and then just throw it all onto the nearest unfortunate victim. His fascination with alien cultures -particularly the human ones- broadened his sources even more. Telos was, for the most part, aware of it but still had a hard time controlling it.

"So. Flying at ultra-low heights over flat desert. Well. SATAE hasn't any 'minimum flight height limit' laws. I say we push it to the limit!" The captain smirks playfully, hoping to cover up his little bluff. He hadn't brought any craft closer than a hundred meters off the ground, with the exception of landing procedures. But, at least, he was confident enough in his abilities to be sure that he wouldn't end up either ridiculed or dead when faced with such a challenge.

"I would hope that you've heard of Sol Rises!" chuckled Harrad. It was, after all, the Citadel's largest nurturing center. It wasn't the only one, but being on Tayseri Ward meant it had the greatest turian population to draw from. "I haven't met miss T'Nua, though. I know the name, though. Community, after all."

The pilot's mandibles split again.

Telos had a lot to say about architecture, and Harrad listened intently. He did not quite follow along, since there was a definite gap in his knowledge of human architecture. When he had visited Earth willingly, rather than requirement, he had gone there for the opera and theatre. Still, there was plenty of opportunity to smile and nod as the fellow pilot spoke. And then, the opportunity:

"Oh, it's not boring, it's just not something I know a lot about." There was another grin. "I mean, I could go on about how human opera compares to turian, right? Not sure if you'd like that either. I think we've wasted enough time here, anyway. The view was nice, but I'd rather be a half-meter above the desert." He stood up, and expected Telos to do the same.

With a final gulp, the turian finishes his drink, setting the now empty bottle aside. He gives Harrad yet another smile as he signs the bill on the chair arm's small holographic menu.

"Actually, I'll agree with you Harrad. We're nearing noon already. No matter how beautiful a desert might look from up here... I suppose the thrill of a half-meter-above-surface flight takes the desert's beauty to an entirely new level doesn't it?"

Tel grins joyfully as he stands up, straightening his uniform discreetly. He looks around the still busy lounge for a brief moment before focusing his attention to the elevator entrance. He looks back to Harrad, tilting head to the side slightly.

"My apologies if you've mentioned this already and I am unable to recall at the moment but, where shall we find the ship? I hope its not in any of the Ward Point docks. Getting cross-ward transit is usually a rather great problem for everybody on the Citadel during this time of day. Unless of course they did install that point-to-junction monorail line that they were talking about right before the war... that seems kind of unlikely though, given the current circumstances. Oh well, in any case, you lead the way my friend! I've been kept way out of the loop as far as everyday Citadel matters are concerned. Heh!"