"I'll take your word for it," Mark muttered as Tanya dropped some tips and tricks about omni tools as she worked. None of which was likely to help him if his ever went down. Not that he used his omni tool for anything more important than communication anyway. He'd met some people who could do some pretty impressive stuff with the things. But he preferred explosive breaches to hacking. Just as fast with twice the fun.

He lit up a cigarette and leaned against the work table with his arms crossed as the woman have him some insight to her military career, but she was pretty cagey with the details. He didn't press the issue though. If a soldier didn't want to talk about what they'd been through, they usually had a pretty good reason for it, and that was all the evidence he needed that Tanya hadn't been some pencil pushing desk jockey. Besides, though he'd largely come to accept the events that had taken place during his time with the alliance, he could remember a time when he was just as iffy about it as well.

Mark glanced her direction as she inquired as to his own past.
"Well first off, I was [i]not[/i] shitfaced. And I was doing my job up until I decked that salarian prick, which I would have done regardless of how many drinks I may or may not have had. Guy was a douche."
Mark shrugged as smoke drifted past his lips and he gazed at the ceiling with a contemplative expression.
"But yeah, I was a marine once. A long time ago. I was a starry eyed patriot, fighting Earth's enemies. Putting my life on the line for humanity. Up until the Alliance decided I was no longer useful to them anyway. Then, despite everything I'd done for them, everything I'd lost for them, they tossed me aside in the interest of their reputation. Eh, I don't blame 'em. I mean yeah sure, I was pissed at the time, but working in this business I've realized that's exactly what war is. Business. Aggressive negotiations. Its all in the interest of profit. And it was more profitable for the Alliance if I wasn't a marine anymore. So I bummed around the galaxy and moped for a year or two before figuring out that if I wanted to survive out here, I'd have to take a shit on everybody else before they took a shit on me. So no, I wouldn't say times are hard, there's always someone that needs an extra gun. That asshole at the party for example. Unfortunately for him Ive been doin this for too long and just don't give a damn anymore."

He paused to pull on his cigarette appreciatively, "I've been sticking with small jobs lately, smuggling. Personal protection. You know, easy stuff. But easy stuff is boring. I used to run with the big outfits like the Suns and Eclipse, pirates too once in a while. But they're just like the Alliance. Everyone is just cannon fodder to them, no real camaraderie. So I was in a bit of a dilemma, bored with the little jobs but not willing to risk my life doing the big stuff with a group I can't trust... but then you guys came along. There's something about you guys that strikes me as being worth it. And for all the shit I gave you guys about sinking the boat, I won't lie, I had a hell of a lotta' fun."