[hr][center][h1][color=009496]Tahlia Spade[/color][/h1][/center][hr]

It was a shame that Tahlia wasn't really thinking straight.  At the moment, her more pragmatic and sensible side might have actually seen that Rend was playing the game with these aliens right now, and at the moment, despite how much she hated her, he was probably the most experienced diplomat of them all.  Of course, she was too preoccupied with how badly he was bullshitting these aliens, and also knew for a fact that he was enjoying being their "king" far too much to really give a shit; and on top of that, calling them liars?  To hell with the game; Tahlia was too proud for this horseshit.  And too angry.  Fuck this guy!

[color=009496]"Let's not omit the fact that you tried to kill me, you fuckstick!"[/color] she spat at him.  [color=009496]"You think you're fit to be a leader?  A real leader doesn't shoot their subordinates for disagreeing with them; not that you were supposed to lead us in the first place!  You killed the man who was!  What do you have to say to that you piece of shit?"[/color]  In a final fit of rage, Tahlia decided that it wouldn't be enough to not give him the one-finger salute and bellow a hearty [color=009496]"FUCK YOU!!!"[/color]  She took a few deep breaths after that.  She'd been in a courthouse a couple times, and no matter how slimey the defendant was, she knew very well that acting out was one of the worst things you could do, but it felt good to tear into him a little.  But now that that was out of her system, she could start to think straight again.

[color=009496]"Surely you can all see that he's a figurehead, but on top of that he's a snake!  He doesn't earn respect, he demands it and crushes anyone who tries to oppose him.  He tried to shoot me, and very well could have shot out a window, which could have killed us all!  Surely you can see that in the logs?"[/color]  Her words themselves were sound, sensible, and rational, but her attitude was still very hot.  [color=009496]"He was never meant to be our monarch!  He paid and wormed his way into the ship to get where he is!  He's a tyrant, and I think aside from him everyone of my species in this room can agree with that.  Believe what you want, but this man is playing all of you, just like he played us all and smuggled, bought, and murdered his way onto our vessel!"[/color]

She figured that was enough of that and try to earn back some points.  [color=009496]"I will admit, myself and my king..."[/color] she said, gesturing to Owen.  [color=009496]"We were not originally meant to be monarchs.  The man who sits in that throne himself usurped it from the man who was supposed to lead us."[/color]  She stopped and thought about what she should say next.  [color=009496]"I used to serve in my peoples' military.  I was one of the best soldiers in my unit, and was eventually given command over a squad when I became a sergeant.  I led them just as well as I had followed my superiors, if not better."[/color]  She paused and looked at Rend.  [color=009496]"Having been a leader myself, I fear to think what would have come of my squad had this man been in charge.  I valued all of my soldiers; this man would have sent them to certain death without a second thought while he sits his happy ass at a UAV terminal and watches the slaughter unfold.  And then he would have claimed to be the sole survivor to get sympathy points!"[/color]

She was going on a tangent.  She stopped herself and took a deep breath.  [color=009496]"I understand, I may not appear so, but myself and my king are asserting our role as humanity's leaders.  I sincerely apologize for any transgressions that we may have made, and am fully willing to cooperate and ensure that any ongoing relations between our species and yours is peaceful and respectful."[/color]

God she hoped she made their case.  It was very likely that her opening outburst had essentially lost her the game, and unfortunately, Rend did have age going for him, and his diplomatic experience.  God dammit, the more she thought about it the more she wished she had just ended him when she had the chance; it would have saved a massive amount of headache.  Regardless, he was here now, and her objective at this point was to not get imprisoned, or executed, or who knew what else.  And if that was the case, she was taking Rend with her.  She'd be damned if she left the crew alone with him.