Profile Reconstruction: The Quarian Scientist
Name: Kali'Zael nar Stalingrad (Using System Alliance frigate naming convention here; they're named after famous battles.)
Race: Quarian
Gender: Female
Age: 20 (Tali'Zorah was born in 2161 and was on her Pilgrimage when Shepard met her in 2183, when she was 22. As Quarians have a similar lifespan to humans, around 20 seems the right age for a rite of passage. If anyone knows more about when specifically quarians go on their Pilgrimage, please let me know.)
Class: Engineer
Like most quarians, Kali is slight by human standards, slim in frame and standing at around 5'3". It need not be said that little is known of her appearance beneath the ever-present suit, but the bright eyes occasionally visible through the dark-tinted visor seem lilac in colouring. Her suit reflects her preference for dark and unobtrusive hues, a mottled charcoal in shade and largely unadorned with any aesthetic decoration or variation. The exceptions are essentially accessories - her hood and the dual-banded belt loose about her hips are a muted silver and purple in colour, a nice accentuation to break the monotonous charcoal.
Kali's movements are fluid with a dancer's grace, each motion seeming deliberate and considered. This stems largely from her childhood fascination with and admiration of dancers, a not-uncommon trait among the quarians, and, resultantly, many hours spent practicing her motions until they became unconsciously elegant. She has a habit of unconsciously tapping or lightly drumming along to music, or even of singing along without noticing, and in the discretion of her apartment she has been known to dance to the thumping beats from nearby nightclubs - though she has no idea whether she is any good or not. Her voice is fairly low for a woman's, but not noticeably so - perhaps the most defining feature of her speech is the speed with which she talks and the oft-convoluted sentences she produces when talking on a topic she is passionate about. This makes her hard to understand, at times, particularly for those she has just met.
There is little to be said about the childhood of Kali'Zael nar Stalingrad that cannot be said about that of the majority of quarians. The only slight difference lies in the role of the Stalingrad, a newer addition to the Migrant Fleet bought cheaply from the Systems Alliance, as one of the smallest branch of the Fleet: Special Projects. The child of two scientific researchers working to advance quarian technology for the good of the Fleet, Kali developed an interest in and passion for technology and science beyond even the typical quarian affinity. Her childhood aboard a Special Projects ship rather than one of the Civilian Fleet had little effect on Kali's appropriation of quarian values, however - life aboard the Flotilla is hard, regardless of which segment one's ship belongs to, and the community-oriented mindset and values of loyalty and trust hold strong in Kali.
The inheritance of her parents' fiercely inquisitive and independent scientific minds, however, would prove to be difficult for Kali. An inquisitive mind cannot help but to pursue knowledge of the forbidden - just as Eve caved to the temptation of the apple, so too did Kali seek knowledge on that most taboo of subjects: AI. Her passion for technology and need for progress led her down the very same faulty path that led her people to exile from their planet, and that, years after the end of this story, would lead to the death of Tali'Zorah's father.
This interest in, and lack of aversion to, artificial intelligence was but a small variation in Kali's life compared to many quarians. It is, ironically, the smallest of changes that can produce the largest of end differences, however. Many quarians leave for their Pilgrimage with little idea of what they wish to return with; the spirit is one of adventure, of opening oneself to life beyond the Fleet and so gaining an appreciation of what one has, of learning and discovery. Kali, by contrast, knew exactly what she wished to return with: research on that which she should fear and avoid, but instead was only curious of. Under the pretense of seeking to research how diseases proliferate and develop in overpopulated environments - an eternal fear for the immunologically-impaired quarians living aboard the cramped Fleet - Kali departed for Omega: a place that worked with her cover story due to its overpopulation and lack of a central government to regulate the frequent rampant illnesses; and a place lawless enough that she could study what she wished without fear of the Council's limitations on AI research.
It is important to note that Kali did not do this lightly, or out of a desire simply to rebel or cause destruction. To Kali, science is but a tool, a key that can unlock any door, inherently devoid of morality - and so only ever destructive or evil in how we, as people, use it. To her, progress is always the ultimate goal, and to stifle progress and knowledge because of potential risks is tantamount to a cardinal sin. In other words, she believes fully that her research can be used to benefit the quarians in some way, as long as it is applied correctly - either in eradicating an archaic and outdated fear of virtual and artificial intelligences that is only restricting the quarians from their potential, or in revealing weaknesses in them that can be used to eventually retake their homeworld from the geth. Her own curiosity is what drove her, but she could justify her actions with this reasoning; she could believe that she was not only satisfying her own curiosity, but also the needs of the Fleet.
And so it was that Kali arrived on Omega: young, arguably naive, and alone. Culture shock is normal for quarians leaving the Fleet for the first time, but most do not immediately travel from the most selfless of places to the most selfish. It suffices to say that it was not long until she learned to defend herself, learning to become a much harder and less trusting person than she had been on the Fleet. Nowadays her small, cosy apartment, lined with colourful quilts as a reminder of home, is secured with an electronic lock that only the most talented of hackers could crack - one she designed herself.
It was not until after she had installed it and finally felt fully secure that the implications hit Kali. A lock. Privacy. A notion that was inconceivable back on the Flotilla. Though she instinctively bought a small apartment and decorated it like home, making it familiar, this seemingly small change was symbolic enough to make all the difference. The bright blankets strewn about her apartment may absorb the thumping of Omega's nightclubs just as they muffled the sound of a ship's engines back home, and she may still be loathe to clutter her space with meaningless personal items, but this one fundamental difference allowed Kali to explore herself and an alternate way of life to a greater degree than any other change she could have made. Although she would never be as individualistic as a krogan, Kali learned to appreciate the freedom and excitement of a life without the strict responsibilities and limiting conditions of living aboard the Fleet. Although her research progress was slow, it was not long until Kali fell in love with the free way of life the rough inhabitants of Omega possessed. It would be a lie to say she did not miss home, but her curious mind had secretly always longed to know what it was like to experience something different - to experience something extraordinary, special - and now that desire was realised. Perhaps it was this same desire that drove her to study what she did - the need to discover new things, to achieve something special and extraordinary, to go beyond what most quarian Pilgrimages did. Lost in a whirl of new experiences and new freedoms, Kali began to live a life of working hard and playing hard, sinking into her studies and doing odd jobs for money during the day, and, tentatively, beginning to explore Omega - meeting its inhabitants, getting to know them, and experimenting with the varied experiences available on the station that went far beyond anything she had encountered before. Perhaps most incredibly, she experienced the pleasures of nature for the first time - Omega is terribly overpopulated and urban, but even amongst that mess there exist pockets of green life, and Kali felt a surprising affection for these places, having grown up surrounded by the synthetic materials of the Fleet, deprived of the eco-symbiotic relationship quarians had shared with nature prior to losing their home.
Eventually she came to realise that though she would never think of Omega as home herself, abhoring the hardcore criminal aspects of the place and the selfishness of many of its inhabitants, a concept that was somewhat alien to a community-minded quarian, she could see that her friends - and enemies - did have some sort of twisted loyalty to the place. They said they hated it; many said they wanted to leave; they bitched and moaned. But in reality, many loved the lawlessness; it suited them, was intrinsic to them. It was home, even if home kicked them into the dust now and again.
And there is nothing more precious to a quarian than home. In a galaxy where the quarians belong nowhere and are constantly looked down upon, the concept of belonging is valued beyond almost all else.
As a child, Kali had been obsessed with stories - whether they be told through the interpretative movements of a dancer or through eloquent linguistic expression or through any other medium. The stories of her ancestors and her homeworld had stuck particularly strongly with her; she took to heart the morals and lessons to be learned from the quarians' mistakes, and the constant, palpable ache the cultural scar those mistakes had formed seemed to her a tragedy beyond scale. For her, the concept of home is core to what it is to be quarian.
The Pilgrimage is a rite of passage. It proves that one is ready to contribute to the quarian race; to uphold their values and ensure their survival. Siame Industries seeks to displace all those Kali has met from their homes - to destroy their way of life. To turn her back on those facing the same plight as the quarians did centuries ago would be to disregard the heart of the quarians' greatest dream: the reclamation of their home planet. All quarians know how it is to have a galaxy look upon you with scorn, and to have a way of life lost. Kali knew she would fight to avoid that for anyone. She would fight Rebekkah Gaela. A
And if the Terminus Systems stayed outside the remit of lawful space, allowing her to continue with her research - well, all the better.
Armour and a pistol were bought. Research was placed on hold. Her apartment was securely locked for good: a safehouse awaiting her return. Quarians don't tend to keep personal belongings, and so she left little behind. Not being of a criminal intent prior to now, she had few contacts in the underworld, and she had no desire to try to form them in an area where she was a known quantity. She had to leave Omega.
Shortly afterwards, a quarian disembarked at Cartagena Station, following the faintest hint of a rumour that there was some sort of organised resistance being organised there.
The only weapon Kali owns is a cheap-but-reliable Elanus Risk Control Services M-3 Predator Heavy Pistol, universally popular in the Terminus Systems where kinetic barriers are still fairly uncommon. Her armour, bought in a hurry and only recently, is also fairly run-of-the-mill - Aldrin Labs Onyx Light Armour. Her funds were far better invested in an advanced omni-tool for her research, and so she obtained a high-end Armali Council Nexus omni-tool.
Beyond this, she of course has her enviro-suit, and a small collection of immuno-boosters, antibiotics, and other medicines in case of an infection.
Powers:
AI Hacking - Kali's research has given her an excellent insight into the architecture of many different AI systems, and her familiarity allows her to remotely hack them.
Combat Drone - Her research has given her an insight into the hardware/robotics as well as the firmware/programming of AI, allowing her to build her own drones.
Overload - Her growing understanding of computer systems allows her to interfere with many systems both remotely...
Disruptor Ammo - ...and more "directly". With a bullet to the face.
Tactical Cloak - Kali grew up on the Migrant Fleet; she knows what she's doing when it comes to modifying mechanical and electronic systems. Anticipating the fight against Siame, it made sense to upgrade her armour.
Shield Boost - Same as Tactical Cloak.
Tactical Scan - Kali's scientific mind is highly intelligent and analytic. Combined with her hacking ability, recognising weaknesses in the enemy's strategy and defenses becomes comparatively easy. Then, it's simply a matter of broadcasting the information to her allies.
Talents:
Electronics - Kali's research and upbringing on the Migrant Fleet has granted her an excellent intuition for any electronic system.
Hacking - Same as Electronics.
Decryption - Same as Electronics.
Damping - The ability to remotely hack equipment is more useful the more creative one is with it. Kali can hack the equipment of tech-oriented enemies and the implants of pesky biotics and temporarily disable them.
Pistol - Kali has almost no weapons training, but her time on Omega has, at the very least, taught her enough to use a pistol.
First Aid - Medical care comes at a premium on Omega, if it is even available. One learns to deal with injuries themselves.
EDIT: There's something I'd like to make note of, too. It seems fairly unbelievable that a quarian would want to research AI in the way Kali does, but as I researched it I thought it more and more likely.
The quarians have such an affinity for technology - partially out of necessity for survival aboard the Fleet, but demonstrated even prior to that when they lived on their homeworld. They were always technologically advanced, and always very progressively-minded in their approach to science - they aren't conservative types, I don't think, stuck in old ways and traditions and not desiring change/progress. Technology is now more intrinsic to them and their culture than to any other species' - I mean, look at the symbolic significance they give their suits. I think it makes sense for the quarians to naturally tend towards creating AI, life in machines, considering this. In ME, the psychology of many of the races (including quarians) is not too dissimilar or alien to human psychology, and the fact that humans like to anthropomorphise things and have a long-running obsession with creating lifelike robots and programs is obvious and well-documented. It's fairly reasonable to think the same would happen to the quarians, except potentially to an even greater degree considering their long history of giving technology cultural significance. And there is precedent for this from the original lore - both in their initial creation of the geth, but even after that when Tali's father begins reconstructing geth for his research.
All together, I think it's entirely possible that the normal quarian wariness of AI could, occasionally, give way to curiosity fuelled by their natural affinity for tech and the desire for progress and development. It even says in the wiki that despite their wariness, the quarians are far more likely than most to regard machines and AIs as people, rather than things. They have an understanding of and empathy for them, probably because of the cultural attachment to (and dependence on) technology that led them to create the geth in the first place.
Anyway, that was all very longwinded, but I thought explaining my reasoning would make the character more believable, rather than seeming like a "special snowflake" who's just different from all the other quarians.
Excellent chapter, looking forward to the epic conclusion.