EliteCommander

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"I do not believe so. This much salt would kill pretty much anything. Some of our translations of Human writings did speak about creatures so small that they cannot be seen, creatures that are around us, on us, and even within us at all times. Some of them can survive where nothing else can, but even if some of them live in this sea, they would not be able to harm you." Tarentek explained. Pausing for a moment, he placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at her with a smile. "You're doing really well, Onyx. Even if you're not comfortable, you're doing better. Here, how about I demonstrate what it is like to float in the water."

Tarentek stepped forward slightly deeper into the water, then laid down on his back. He expected it to be easier to float, but he could not have guessed exactly how easy it would be. In the salty water, he could float on the water's surface with no effort whatsoever. In fact, it would probably be harder to get under the water than it was to float. Lifting his head up slightly, he looked at Onyx with a slight grin. "Well, even I didn't expect this. I don't even have to try to stay afloat; my body just stays up on its own. Honestly, I don't think you could sink here if you tried." He said with a chuckle.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"Understandable. I just wanted to feel the water." Tarentek commented as he stood up to his feet and walked up alongside Onyx. "I should say that this water is quite a bit different from most bodies of water you'll find because of the salt. Nothing lives here, so there is nothing in the water besides you and me, and from my understanding, it is very easy to float on top of it. I would try to avoid getting any of the water in your eyes. In any other lake or sea, you would be perfectly fine to submerge your head under the water, but here, the salt might cause it to sting your eyes. Of course, you don't have to get anywhere close to putting your head in the water if you don't want to."

Now that they were starting to get into slightly deeper water, Tarentek had the option of trying to float on his back to see how it felt, though for the moment, he remained standing with Onyx. "If you do get to the point where you actually want to learn how to swim, we'll have to go to a different lake or river, but I'm not going to rush you into that. I just want you to get a feel for what water is really like. Personally, I think this place is peaceful. The water is warm and calm. What do you think about it?"

The Depths of Deception

"Just checking." Rareth said simply to Telmeck. The others were quickly arriving, so it would not be long before they set out. Shiva still seemed particularly worried about the night they all had after the mission, which did make sense, though Rareth wasn't nearly as worried. "I don't think so, though it's hard to say for sure. You did carry me all the way to the hanger through the ship. What I can say, though, is that if anyone did know, it wouldn't matter. No one is going to attempt to contradict me on the small things." She explained.

Once the last of the team had arrived, the shuttle set off immediately for Concord. Thanks to their government clearance, they were able to bypass most of customs and save a few hours of waiting. The windowless hold of the shuttle offered no kind of view of the descent, but they could hear the pilot being directed to the same building they used during their first visit to the city. The shuttle set down on one of the landing pads reserved for diplomats and other officials near the top of the building. As the shuttle's ramp lowered, Rareth immediately saw a familiar face at the front of the welcoming party.

As usual, Ghirn was in his professional, formal attire. He always seemed to carry with him an air of authority, but this time, he also looked to be in a noticeably good mood. "It is good to see that you are all alive and unharmed. Well, currently unharmed. I have read your reports, just as the other representatives have. As such, there currently is no need for any formal debriefing with all of the representatives, so I volunteered to fill you in on all that has happened. Follow me; I reserved a few rooms for you."

It was a short walk and elevator ride to the apartments the team would be using. They were different rooms from their last visit, but all of the rooms were rather similar, so it did not matter. Ghirn picked one of the rooms and led them inside, waiting a few moments before he began his briefing. "Overall, the mission was a great success, so our respective governments have taken a great deal more interest in this program. We've been rebranded three times over the past few days. Currently, we are the Office of Joint Species Affairs, and I am at least sixty percent certain that we will be keeping the name. But, the part you most likely want to heard about is how things will change for you. There has been a lot of restructuring in our organization, and is has impacted your team, though a lot of you will be staying together. Currently, your team consists of Rareth, Telmeck, Shiva, Shuo, Bitheroi, and Ashley. The rest of you will be receiving separate assignments. Also, I would like to note that it is very likely that you will be receiving new team members before your next mission."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"I am sure the trial with give all of the explanation needed for most of them on our involvement in this, and the lieutenants will likely explain to anyone who asks why they do not suspect us. If anyone questions you about it, you have permission to explain the evidence supporting the fact that none of us are guilty, but do not give away anything else relating to the investigation, if you can." Meesei instructed as she took Rhazii. The loud murmuring of the crowd seemed to be upsetting the child, so she had to make a continued effort to keep him calm. "I suppose we should all get to work. Hopefully, we are nearing the end of this terrible affair."

Meesei and Sabine separated from Fendros and they went to their own tasks. Harriet had been left under guard close to the dining chamber, so it did not take long to reach her. As soon as they approached, the stressed Rhazii started to whine and reach out to his mother, so Meesei quickly handed him off to Ahnasha. The boy was generally comfortable with all members of the pack, but there was no one who could calm him like his mother and father.

"The announcement has been delivered, Harriet. You should have been able to hear it from here. Right now, there is something I would like to do that you may want to be present for. I recall you questioning the veracity of the test we performed on the poison, so I would like to perform another to confirm or refute the results. If it turns out that the test was inaccurate, then I will retract my accusation of you as the traitor and continue the investigation. I have mentioned this to the other lieutenants, and they are sending members of their packs with knowledge of alchemy to the scholars' loft. Would you like to join in this?" Meesei asked.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"Memories have a way of becoming more...skewed the more you recall them. Sometimes, I've found that my own memories of events in Amman were almost startlingly different from the written records." Tarentek answered. "What you remember is probably your fear, and what it did to you. You were very understandably panicking, which caused you to sink. I'm not surprised you remember it the way you do. In a calm sea like this, and especially taking it at your own pace, you'll find that the water hardly hinders you at all. In fact, it is much easier to move something that is floating in the water, including yourself. As I mentioned before, your body will float naturally in the water if you have enough air in your lungs, especially in this salty water."

Tarentek laid slowly laid himself down on his back, since the water was shallow enough that it wouldn't reach above his head. It did cover his ears, so he placed his free hand behind his head and lifted it up slightly so he could hear Onyx. "Even if I'm not swimming, I just find the feeling of the water against my scales to be refreshing." He commented.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Tarentek nodded. "I think that would be one way of putting it, yes. The water will not try to harm you on its own. It is like your relics, or any other weapon you use. When someone is pointing a relic at you, it is a frightening experience. It is threatening; a weapon that can kill you in an instant. But, if you are the one holding the relic, then everything changes. It empowers you and gives you control of the situation, or at least a very good way to fight back. With the water, you just need to learn how to take command of it. Instead of threatening you, it will be useful to you. Imagine being able to fish without any fear of falling in, and if anyone threatens you with water again, you'll be ready."

Mass Effect: The Face of Injustice

I think everything is fine with the character, Rtron.

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

"That was an experience brought on by a person, not the water. The water did not choose to trap you; you simply were not ready to be in it yet." Tarentek responded, pausing a moment to attempt to think of how he could expand on his point. "Try...try imagining for a moment if some cruel person took an Elissic as a child and flew them high in the sky. Imagine if they dropped the child from a great height and caught them at the last moment, over and over again just to frighten them. They would no doubt become just as afraid of flying as you are of the water. But, you know that an Elissic can fly; that they are meant to fly. If I had to guess, I would say that you or your people would want to do what you could to help that Elissic with their fear. Could you imagine what it would be like to be an Elissic who could not fly? Well, I view this in sort of the same way. Swimming isn't nearly as important to your people as flying, obviously, but I still feel it is a shame that you are missing out on such a useful skill because of someone depraved enough to torture you in the way they did. Not only can it save your life, but swimming is a fun way to pass the time."

Glancing down at the water, Tarentek took his free hand and waved it slowly through the water, digging slightly into the sand underneath. "Just, try running your hand through the water. Tell me how it feels."

Ashes [EliteCommander and Vesuvius00]

Tarentek kept eye contact with Onyx once she opened her eyes. "I understand, but my point is that you do like to fly, even though I do not understand it. Or, how a child of your kind might not understand why they shouldn't fear heights. There is something that makes it wonderful. Swimming is just the same. You've told me that some Elissics swim willingly, and recreationally. Try thinking about them; the friends, family, or just people you know that like to swim. There is something they understand about the water that draws them to it for their own amusement, and that is something you can come to understand as well, even more than I can learn to enjoy flight. With me, I cannot learn to fly on my own, but you have everything you need to swim even better than I ever could. Those wings can push water just as they can air."

Tarentek glanced down at the water they were standing in, then back up to Onyx. "Right now, the water we are in barely gets above your ankles, and the sea itself is relatively calm with few waves. Therefore, where we are right now is safe. The water you are in cannot physically hurt you. So, how about we stay here for a while." He commented. Slowly, he sat himself down in the water, while still keeping a hold of Onyx's hand. Where he was sitting, the water did not even come up to his waist. "How about you just take a seat with me? We can stay here where it is safe, and you can just take all the time you need to get used to the water."

Mass Effect: The Face of Injustice

There's no real way to know the legal status of cloning, as it is not mentioned anywhere in the games. However, the fact that it is possible, but you only see a handful of clones throughout the series, leads me to believe it may not be entirely legal. In any case, a close would have all the legal protections of a person.