[b][i]Natasha Zhang[/i][/b] 

[quote=@Starlance]
[code]
From: A. Vernal
To: Cpt. N. Zheng
Subject: Something you should be aware of.
I’ve got a little personal problem that could potentially affect the crew as a whole in a pretty significant and unpleasant way. Meet me when you have a few minutes once the new guy is settled in. Bring Klein if you want to have him scanned, might as well get everything out of the way at once.
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[/quote]

Natasha would have responded to this message with enthusiasm, if not for the fact that right now, she had less confidence in herself after how Joey, her 'part-time first mate', had called her out on her failures both past and present and the collateral damage she had handed out like candy. Once her rage at her friend's words had faded, her mood had plummeted to depression, though not to the point where she was tempted to deliberately ignore her duties. No, the temptation to just abandon her duties was there, but like [i]heck[/i] she was going to abandon the crew which still had confidence in her despite her actions.

She will reward loyalty with loyalty, and so after a few seconds, she sent a message back to Avelyn:

[code]
From: Cpt. N. Zh*a*ng
To: A. Vernal
Re: Something you should be aware of.
Roger that. I'll meet you once I've greeted the new crew. Meet me in two to four hours, depending on how long it takes them to settle in.
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The rendezvous was sooner than what she would have wanted, but no time to mope now - She had to see what her new crewmembers were like and what they brought into the table, not just skills-wise, but also to the 'team dynamic' which she realized she had taken advantage of more than she had fostered it. Yet another mistake which she could remedy once she had restored her confidence.

[hr]

"Never knew a Kanarusian could be so charming - Guess Ascendancy propaganda was wrong in that regard too," Natasha said as she offered a hand to Doruva, saying, "Captain Natasha Zhang of the Xuanzang at your service. And yes, we are a 'merry band of rebels' - Although due to recent events, let's just say that the merriment is less merited than usual."

Noticing the young man walking beside Doruva - Gabriel Rivera Aoshen, right? - the Captain's next words were, "So, you adopted a Human into your House? That sounds like an interesting story - Can you tell me more about him?"

She looked at Gabriel and smiled a little, noticing that while he was too young for her - Barely legal in Ascendancy territory - He had a look of resolute determination in his handsome features that would have drawn her in if he were just a few years older. But right now, her feelings about that kid were merely curiosity: What sort of service and personal quality would have earned adoption into an Alien Noble House?

As for the Diplomat, Natasha suppressed a twinge of resentment towards what she felt was the ambassador's privileged position and said, "That treaty was a masterstroke if your goal was to drive an embedded needle of discontent inside the Ascendancy while breaking the Alien Coalition which could have crushed it. Now it falls to Moonstrike to make sure the needle actually does its job and the Ascendancy [i]falls[/i] before the Coalition finds a reason to get back together and finish the job."

She then continued, "Either way, if you're willing to take the same risks the rest of this crew does and live the way we do, then then you're as much a part of our band as any other member - Including me."

[b][i]Ashton and Flame[/i][/b]

It was rare for them to see Kanarusians outside of the field of battle, much less to see a Noble and his adopted human bodyguard actually trying to be their [i]friend[/i]. Okay, scratch that - Only the Noble wanted to be their friend, the adopted human bodyguard looked indifferent at best. It was Ashton who found the words to speak first, bowing to Doruva and Gabriel and saying as he rose, "Thank you, but, well, we don't deserve such courtesy. Not after what we've done."

Flame then stepped up to speak, "Mr. Doruva, Mr. Gabriel, it is best we get this out of the way - We participated in the Kanarusian Worlds Campaign. We were [i]there[/i] for the bombardment of House Salakar's homeworld. We won't make any excuses for that, not when said excuses will insult the dead. All we ask is that we are allowed to redeem ourselves in this campaign, to make things right even in some small way."

He then looked at Gabriel and said, "Sorry for burning any prospective bridges between us, by the way. But far better for us to be plain with each other. Either way, yes, we're Star Marines - Ashton deals in infiltration and dueling enemy champions while I am a ranged specialist with a Perfected Electrum Bow which can amplify my magical shots to immensely lethal damage."

Then he finally addressed the ambassador, well, ex-ambassador, and said, "Did you ever address the Star Marines' plight when negotiating the more secret provisions of the treaty? We didn't see any repatriation officers trying to take us back from the Rau've when the latter decided to treat us with actual decency. What a shame, we would have given them a big 'F- You' if they had arrived..."

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