ooc: references

[spacecancer]

"Thane seems like the strong, sensitive, murdering type. You know those are always great to have around. A real cuddler."

CODEX ENTRIES
>>PRIMARY
Two centuries ago, the hanar helped 375,000 members of the drell race migrate to the hanar homeworld, Kahje, to escape the environmental extermination that had claimed the remaining 11 billion drell.

Nearly all drell demonstrate tremendous loyalty to their famously reclusive saviors. The intimacy of their relationship, expressed in a formal sociopolitical alliance called the Compact, also results in extremely close personal relations in which some drell actually learn hanar Soul names. While most drell reside on Kahje, some assist hanar off-world as envoys, researchers, co-investors, wayfarers, assassins or otherwise, eager to help their saviors. For a century, galactic wisdom has held that behind any high-ranking hanar hides a resourceful and fanatically devoted drell.

The omnivorous, reptilian drell possess an average life span of 85 galactic standard years. Having evolved on an arid planet, drell face serious illness on the hanar homeworld, especially Kepral's Syndrome, a fatal bacterial lung disease.

>>BIOLOGY
Drell are omnivorous reptile-like humanoids with an average life span of 85 galactic standard years. They give live birth to their young who are capable of eating solid food from the moment they are born. Drell appearance is very similar to asari and humans, but their muscle tissue is slightly denser than that of humans giving them a wiry strength. Many of their more reptilian features are concealed, like a three chambered heart with a muscular ridge that is capable of shunting oxygenated or deoxygenated blood as needed.

One unique characteristic, however, is the hyoid bone in their throats which allows them to inflate their throats and produce vocal sounds outside the human range. Would-be assassins have noted that these two features make drell extremely hard to strangle or suffocate.

Because the drell ancestors emerged from arid, rocky deserts the humid ocean-covered hanar homeworld of Kahje proved tolerable only when the drell stayed inside a climate-controlled dome city. Due to this huge disparity in the two species' homeworld environments the leading cause of death among drell on Kahje is a bacterial lung disease called Kepral's Syndrome.

Within a generation of the drell's arrival on the planet the disease had become resistant to hanar antibiotics and other advanced treatments. Once an infection settles in, death is slow but imminent. Transplants may buy time, but as the infection spreads to other major organs there comes a point of diminishing returns and eventual system failure.

>>CULTURE
Eight centuries ago, the already arid drell homeworld, Rakhana, began it swift descent into lifelessness due to disastrous industrial expansion. Because their population was bursting at 11 billion and they did not possess interstellar flight capacity, the drell would have been doomed without the intervention of the hanar.

Following first contact, the hanar spent ten years transporting 375,000 willing drell to their own homeworld, Kahje. The remaining billions perished in the dying world, warring against each other for diminishing sources of water and food. Today, only a few thousand survive on Rakhana in clusters never exceeding a few hundred. Now a cemetery world, Rakhana's population can double during pilgrimage season.

Drell have been part of the galactic community for almost two centuries. Most reside on Kahje, content to coexist with the hanar. Those who leave Kahje tend to be adventurers. Gifted by the hanar with acute perception of interspecies body language, solitary drell travelers often seek out new species elsewhere, adapting that species' culture and rarely returning to Kahje. Such drell number in the thousands and are scattered across the galaxy, tending towards quiet, integrated lives.

On Kahje, the hanar afford the drell every opportunity to thrive. While outsiders and even some hanar regard the drell as junior partners, if not actual servants, drell have integrated themselves into every level of hanar society as respected productive citizens.


Aaaand his post-mission follow-up e-mail. thane charmin the pants off a salarian

From: Jeirt

Greetings, Commander Shepard

Liara T'Soni gave me your contact information. I was one of the cleaning crew in the Dantius Towers. You helped me get out of there. According to T'Soni, you also found Thane. He took down some of the Eclipse mercs trying to gun us down, and I wondered if you could pass along my thanks.

The way he moved... one was dead before they even knew he was there. He snapped another's neck, then shot a third, all in the space of a few heartbeats. It was incredible. He moved like a dancer, grace and power in constant motion.

Seeing him changed my life, woke up something in me I don't fully understand yet. I don't know what I'm going to do, but salarian lives are too short to waste as custodians, especially when there's so much else out there. I'm going to find something that lets me capture what I saw in him, that beauty, that aesthetic perfection.

I'm also going to buy some nice clothes.

So if you could tell him that... or just whatever parts of that you think appropriate... I'd appreciate it.

Sincerely,
Jeirt



GAME SCRIPT
sob transcribing all this......... poorly formatted warning.

Lines that exist that I haven't been able to place:
"I found it difficult to sit in the ship's mess for meals. I'm used to keeping my back against a wall, facing the doors."

"The rest of us lose as much as you do when you hold yourself apart."

"I'm trying to relax. Find my center."

"Siha, I've made a life killing those who deserve to die. We must struggle to not become what we hate."

Need: reaction to keeping collector base, reactions during missions.

>>AIR DUCTS ARE LEGITIMATE WAYS TO TRAVEL
>>NASSANA GOES OUT LIKE A BITCH

>>PARAGON
s: I was hoping to talk to you.
t: I apologize. But prayers for the wicked must not be forsaken.

>>RENEGADE
s: bitch look at me when i'm talking to you
t: Prayers for the wicked must never be forsaken.

>>PARAGON
s: Do you really think she deserves it?
t: Not for her. For me.

t: The measure of an individual can be difficult to discern by actions alone. Take you, for instance. All this destruction-- chaos. I was curious to see how far you'd go to find me. Well. Here I am.
s: How'd you know I was coming at all?
t: I didn't. Not until you marched in the front door and started shooting. Nassana had become paranoid; you saw the strength of her guard force. She believed one of her sisters would kill her. You-- were a valuable distraction.

>>WHAT AN ASSHOLE
s: You used me to kill her.
t: I needed a diversion. You needed to speak with me. You certainly fulfilled your end of the bargain. What would you like to discuss?

>>FORGOT WHERE THIS GOES AND IT GOT CUT OFF....
t: The explosions. I prefer to work quietly. If I have to fight through guards, I've made a mistake. I rarely make mistakes. You disrupted my plan, but your disruption eventually proved valuable.

>>ALTERNATIVELY
s: whatevs i want to talk to you
t: Indeed?
s: do you know what a collector is
t: By reputation.

s: COLLECTORS
t: I've heard of them.
OR t: I see.
...Attacking the Collectors would require passing through the Omega-4 relay. No ship has ever returned from doing so.

>>RENEGADE
s: yep
t: A suicide mission. ...Yes. A suicide mission will do nicely.

>>MORE RENEGADE DIALOGUE
t: You'd like me to protect humans I've never met. From aliens no one knows anything about. By going to a place no one's ever returned from?
s: yarp

>>PARAGON
s: bitch i'm shepard
t: [laugh] A fair point. You built a career on performing the impossible.

>>EVENTUALLY
...This was to be my last job. I'm dying. Low survival odds don't concern me. The abduction of your colonists does.
s: what
t: If you're interested, we can discuss it on your ship. The problem isn't contagious, and it won't affect my work.

>>PARAGON
s: :( nooooooo
t: Giving me this opportunity is enough. ...The universe is a dark place. I'm trying to make it brighter before I die. Many innocents died today. I wasn't fast enough, and they suffered. I must atone for that.

>>RENEGADE
s: why do you give a shit
t: They're innocent, yes? Like all victims of the Collectors. The universe is a dark place[etc]

t: I will work for you Shepard. No charge.

>>NORMANDY

jacob: ASSASSINS ARE THE WORST
t: I've accepted a contract. My arm is Shepard's.
j&s: words and then: an assassin is just a precise mercenary.
t: An assassin is a weapon. A weapon doesn't choose to kill. The one who wields it does.

>>RENEGADE
s: you're just a hired gun
t: I agreed to do a job for you. I didn't have to. And I can still leave. [wow he actually sounds really pissed]

t: Where shall I put my things? I'd prefer someplace dry, if anything is available.
EDI: i'm helping
t: Ah, an AI? My thanks.

>>ILLIUM
t: I spent the last two years here. I had a purpose, a goal. Now that I've accomplished it, something occurs to me: in all that time... I never looked at the horizon. It is... spectacular.

>>GREETINGS
t: Do you need something?
s: do you mind talking
t: Not at all.
or t: Certainly. We haven't had a chance since I joined.

>>INTRODUCTIONS
s: you said you were dying?
t: Yes. I thought you'd want to know more. You don't have to worry about the rest of the crew; my illness is not communicable, even to other drell. It's called Kepral's Syndrome.

s: are you going to be okay
t: I should be fine for another eight to twelve months. The more time I spend in humid environments, the faster it progresses. I think it's safe to say by the time my body is incapacitated, we will be victorious. Or dead. Either way, I won't be a burden to you.

s: what exactly is the problem?
t: My people are native to an arid world. Most of us now live on Kahje, the hanar homeworld. It's very humid, and rains everyday. Our lungs can't deal with the moisture. Over time, the tissue loses its ability to absorb oxygen. It becomes harder to breathe. Eventually, we suffocate.

s: can't they do something about it?
t: The hanar have funded a genetic engineering program. They should be able to adapt us. The project has only been running for a few years; I don't believe my body will still draw breath by the time it bears fruit.

s: why the fuck do you still live on kahje
t: Drell have a close relationship with the hanar. We rely on each other. The best we can do is keep our homes very dry inside.

>>PARAGON
s: is there anything we can do?
t: No thank you. It's being attended to. If the finest medical minds in the hanar Illuminated Primacy can't solve the problem, I doubt your ship's medic could.
t: Thank you for your concern.
>>NEUTRAL
s: you don't act like a dying man
t: You have the advantage there, Shepard. You've already died; perhaps later you can give me some suggestions. I can do nothing to alter my fate. One advantage of my training is that I've always to some degree considered myself dead.

>>UPGRADES
s: get me swag
t: My old contact network often located rare equipment for me. Would you like me to get in touch with them?

>>THE HANAR
s: The drell live on the hanar homeworld, don't they?
t: Yes. I know many think the hanar difficult to understand, it's just that they're very formal with those they don't know. We know them quite well. If you ever get close enough to a hanar that they tell you their soul name, you would find them warm.
s: soul names are serious business
t: Most of my commissions were for hanar. I grew close to my regular contacts. Soul names tend to be poetic. A hanar known for their cynicism might take a name that means, "Illuminates the Folly of the Dancers."

s: but hanar talk through bio-luminescence?
t: True. Many drell have had their eyes genetically modified to perceive their higher frequency flashes. I had the treatment. I can't tell the difference between a dark red and black, but I can see ultraviolet light as a silver color.

>>RELIGION
s: who are you praying to?
t: That depends on the circumstance. To find my target, I speak with Amonkira, Lord of Hunters. When I act to defend another, Arashu, Goddess of Motherhood and Protection. And when I have taken my target, I speak with Kalahira, Goddess of Oceans and the Afterlife.

>>OCEANS AND AFTERLIFE
t: Consider. The ocean is full of life, yet it is not life as you and I know it. To survive there, we must release our hold on land. Accept a new way to live. So it is with the death: the soul must accept its departure from the body. If it can't, it will be lost.

>>POLYTHEISM
t: It's one of our older beliefs. Many embrace the hanar Enkindlers now, or the asari philosophies. The old ways are dying. There's so many ways to interpret ones place in the universe; who needs the wisdom of our ancestors? The younger generations don't believe they can help us fathom genetic engineering, orbital strikes, or alien races.

>>LOYALTY MISSION
s: is something wrong?
t: Yes. Now that you are here though... uh. It seems more. Difficult to talk about.

>>PARAGON
s: are you feeling sick?
t: No, no. Though I suppose that is a part of it. My mortality has me... dwelling on things.
>>NEUTRAL
s: i've got time, take it at your own pace
t: Thank you. I fear... I've already done that for too long.

t: I had a family once. I still have a son. His name is Kolyat. I haven't seen him in a very long time.
s: how long's it been?
t: Ten years. He showed me some of his school work, and asked me if we could 'dance crazy.'

>>DANCE CRAZY??
t: It's-- I check my extranet contacts. I expect an update on my next target. The console plays... music. Old. Unfashionable. Kolyat jumps into the room. 'Father!' He runs around in circles, I scoop him up, toss him into the air. He shrieks. Laughs. 'Spin me!' The console beeps. I... put him down. Click the message. 'Father?' he pleads. Tugs my sleeve. I need to read this, I say. I don't... look at him.

(oh my fuck this is annoying to transcribe)

>>WHAT HAPPENED
t: I abandoned them. Oh, not all at once. Nothing dramatic; no sneaking out in the middle of the night. No final argument or slammed door. I just... did my job. I hunted and killed across the galaxy. Away on business, my wife would tell people. I was always away on business.
s: you never mentioned this before. why now?
t: When my wife departed from her body, I... attended to that issue. I left Kolyat in the care of his aunts and uncles. I have not seen him or talked to him since.

>>PARAGON
s: why didn't you raise him?
t: My body is blessed with the skills to take life. The hanar honed them in me. I have few others. I didn't want that life for Kolyat. I hoped he would find his own way. If he hated me, so be it. He would not have shared the path of sin.
>>NEUTRAL
s: so he contacted you?
t: No he didn't. But my condition... I've been judging my life. Measuring what I've added and what I've taken away.
>>RENEGADE
s: you're a deadbeat
t: I told myself it was to spare him knowledge of my body's actions. Lately I have thought-- ...I have reconsidered that.

t: I used my contacts to trace Kolyat; he has become... disconnected. He does as his body wills.

>>DISCONNECTED?
t: Disconnected. The body is not our true self, the soul is. Body and soul work as one in a whole person. When the soul is weakened by despair or fear-- when the body is ill or injured, the individual is disconnected. No longer whole.
s: what happened to him?
t: Something happened that should not have. He knows where I've been, what I've done. I don't know his reasons, but he has gone to the Citadel. He's taken a job as a hitman. I'd like your help to stop him, he is-- this is not a path he should walk.
s: no one hires a rookie
t: I'm afraid someone may have seen we share a name, and assumed we share skills. I don't know why he would accept the task.
s: to be closer to you, maybe?
t: That thought haunts me more than any other.
s: maybe he namedropped you?
t: It's possible, but I don't think so. It doesn't seem right. My name-- he should not respect it.
s: i don't have your contacts and i don't have your tracking skills
t: I don't need your help, I want it. The last time I saw my son. They wrapped her body in sea vines. Weighted it with stones. He tries to pull from me; calls for her. The hanar lift her off the platform-- they sing like bells. 'Her fire has gone to be kindled anew.' He begs them not to take her away. They let her body sliiide into the water. 'Don't let them!' 'Stop them!' 'Why weren't you-- [a frustrated noise]' It rains. It always rains on Kahje. Warm water pours down his face.
>>PARAGON
s: sorry
t: Perfect memory. It is sometimes a burden.
>>RENEGADE
s: shut up and summarize
t: He has gone to the Citadel. And has gained a job as a hitman. I could discover no more.

>>CITADEL?
t: Years ago I prepared a package for him. A relic of my ill-spent life. I had volus bankers store it, and arranged for delivery when I died. He acquired it early, I don't really know how. I did wetwork on the Citadel around the time his mother died. That may be why he went there.
s: let's go
t: Thank you, Shepard. I'll be meditating until you need me.

>>CITADEL
t: You'd think Citadel security would be the tightest in the galaxy.
bonusgarrus: I know C-Sec too well to believe that's true.
t: I see no fewer than fourteen fatal flaws a skilled assassin could exploit. Eight of them existed when I was here ten years ago.

>>C-SEC
bailey: sounds like your boy's running with the wrong crowd.
t: Yes, I agree.
s: why are you helping us?
bailey: you're trying to save your son
t: He faces a dark path.

>>OUTSIDE
t: You didn't tell him that Kolyat plans to assassinate someone.
s: well we're gonna stop him, right?
t: Yes. We are.
OR s: he's a cop. he'd be obligated to stop him.
t: Yes, of course. Thank you, Shepard.

>>MOUSE
mouse: holy fucking shit oh fuck
t: Be still, Mouse. You can change your pants in a moment.

facedrag there is so much dialogue here

okay let's do this

>>HOW DO YOU KNOW THANE
m: not snitching
t: When we heard the name, I didn't think it could be the same Mouse. He was a contact on the Citadel when I was still active. He and some other children would gather information on my targets.
s: child spies are not cool
t: Children, the poor-- my peoples' word for their kind is drala'fa: the ignored. They're everywhere, see everything. Yet they are never seen.
t: You provided instructions to another drell for an assassination. Who's the target?
m: you've always done right by us but i'm not gonna die for you

>>PARAGON
s: You know Thane, he wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. Do it for him.
m: I want to... he was always nice to us. But these people ain't nice, Krios.
s: no one will know
t: Mouse. I swear that you won't be named.
LOTS OF KELHAM DIALOGUE
t: Kelham will never know.
m: i'm out

>>RENEGADE (INTERRUPT)
>>SHOVE MOUSE AROUND LIKE A DOUCHE
t: Help me, Mouse. My son is out there, in the dark. (not as nice as it looks...)
m: fuck shit fuck
LOTS OF KELHAM DIALOGUE
>>THEN SUDDENLY PARAGON
s: sorry
t: Mouse-- I'm sorry too.
m: Just go!

>>RENEGADE (PERSUADE)
s: i've made more important people disappear
m: you wouldn't
s: wouldn't i?
m: Krios, man. I did good work for you! You gave me chocolate, real chocolate.
t: ...I never gave my own son chocolate.
m: I remember whenever you talked about your kid, your eyes got like that. Like they were someplace else: sad. He had that holo you took of me, you know. That's how he proved who he was. When he turned it on... his eyes got like yours too. [Thane looks away and his eyes water.]
more kelham dialogue

>>NEUTRAL
s: i don't have enough points to be persuasive generic dialogue here
m: i thought i was doing you a favor, he said he was your son
t: [ looking guilty as shit ] He is.
m: I ain't sayin' nothing, Krios. I talk, they kill me; they ain't like you.
s: i'll give you money to get off the station
m: where would i go?
t: You told me once; you had a dream as a child. I remember it. Earth. The lights of a home you've never seen. Half-remembered fairy tales from your mother. Cool green hills, no smell of oil and plastic on the blue winds.
m: i thought you sent him [frantic apologies]--
t: Mouse, it's all right. Just tell us who hired him.

>>MOUSE LEAVES
s: are you okay?
t: Mouse knew more about my life than Kolyat ever did. He smiles up at me, broken teeth and scabby knees. Bare feet, black. A dead-end future looking up at me, worshiping the petty gifts I offer. ...I was the only good thing he had back then. But I left him, as I left Kolyat.
s: you had a holo of him?
t: Yes. A foolish bit of sentimentality. I can perfectly recall every moment I spent with Mouse. He pulls at my arm. Smiles. He wants to know that I'll remember him. That anyone will remember him. I take the holo. He smiles at himself in miniature on my palm. Then a frown crinkles his brow. He pats my pockets, checking for other holos. "Where's your son, Krios?" he asks.

>>PARAGON
s: don't blame yourself
t: If I don't, who will? We must carry the weight of our decisions, Shepard. You, of all people, know this.

>>RENEGADE
s: you abandoned your son. stop brooding
t: You're right. At times, I envy the imperfect memory of humans.

interrogation time cry
t: We should question him together. Keep the pressure on. Thoughts on how we approach it?
>>YOU BE GOOD COP
t: Very well. I'll pretend to be on his side. But if we waste too much time negotiating Bailey won't be able to stall Kelham's advocate.
>>NEUTRAL
s: no plan survives contact with the enemy
t: I suppose that's true. I won't interfere then. This will be difficult; if we're too gentle with him, his advocate will get past Bailey. If we're too rough... well. We need him alive.
s: i know what i'm doing
t: I place my faith in you, Shepard.
>>YOU BE BAD COP
t: Very well. I'll pretend we're ready to kill him. We can't push too hard though: we need the information more than we need a corpse.

>>HYPER RENEGADE
t: That may go down in history as the shortest interrogation ever.
>>HYPER PARAGON
t: (This isn't working, Shepard, we're making no progress.)
>>SLIGHTLY LESS RENEGADE
t: Bailey isn't here. We are. You're dealing with us, got it?
OR t: This is off the record. No criminal charges will be brought against you.
t: (Ease up, he's no use to us dead.)
t: He's unconscious. No need to wake him up, I think.

>>FINDING TALID
s: There he is. How do you want to play this?
t: Follow Talid on the maintenance catwalks. Tell me what he's doing. The krogan bodyguard will make him easy to follow.
s: Where will you be?
t: The darkest corner with the best view.
>>SHEPARD LEAVES
t: Amonkira, Lord of Hunters. Grant that my hands be steady, my aim be true, and my feet swift. And should the worst come to pass, grant me forgiveness.

>>IN THE CATWALKS
s: You're in position?
t: Yes.
t: I'm following.
t: Any sign of Kolyat? (no) I'm moving to another position ahead of him.
t: Target in sight.
t: Can you give me an update?
t: What's he doing?
t: Shepard, what's his status?
t: I don't have a good angle, what's he doing?
t: No sign of trouble?
t: Stay close, Shepard.
(Basically, just short quips.)

>>FINDING KOLYAT ABOUT TO SHOOT TALID
s: Thane!
t: I saw.
s: He's heading towards Talid's apartment.

t: Kolyat.
kolyat: This... this is a joke. Now? Now you show up?
bailey: C-Sec. Put the gun down, son.
k: Get out of my way, I'm walking out, he's coming with me.
t: They'll have snipers outside.
k: I don't need your help-- all of you, back off! I'll kill him!

(oh crap i didn't get the neutral response here)
>>RENEGADE
s: No you won't. [SHOOTS TALID]
k: ...Oh my gods.
s: Hostages only work if your enemy cares if they live.
t: Interesting solution.
>>RENEGADE
s: He was a racist and a criminal. Isn't that enough?
t: To some, I suppose.
k: I read your files; isn't that what you do? Kill people who do bad things? (this is all very sardonic)
>>PARAGON
s: You wanted to stop Kolyat from taking a man's life.
t: I don't dispute the logic. Just the morality.
k: What do you care? I know what you are. How many people have you killed?
>>PARAGON INTERRUPT
k: What the hell--
s: [PUNCH]

b: Take the boy into custody.
k: You son of a bitch!

>>RENEGADE
s: your father and i have killed a lot of people. You haven't. There's no reason you should start.
k: I've read his files, what made it all right for him to kill all those years!?
t: I was six when the hanar began to train me I didn't know any better. Your mother woke me from my battle sleep.
k: Then why did you leave her? Why weren't you there when she died?

>>NEUTRAL
t: [ the longest pause ] You're angry because I wasn't there when your mother died.
k: You weren't there when she was alive; why should you be there when she died?

>>PARAGON
s: your father's trying to make up for his mistakes.
k: What, so you came to get my forgiveness? So you could die in peace or something?
t: I came to grant you peace. (then it goes into the neutral conversation line)

t: ...Your mother... they killed her to get to me. It was my fault.
k: What?
t: After her body was given to the deep, I went to find them. The triggermen, the ringleaders. I hurt them. Eventually killed them. When I went back to see you, you were... older. I should've stayed with you.
k: I guess it's too bad for me that you waited so long, huh?
t: ...Kolyat, I've taken many bad things out of the world. You're the only good thing I ever added to it. [ manly tears are shed ]

>>BAILEY IS A BRO

s: I'm surprised you're not trying to arrest all of us.
b: Kid obviously hasn't committed a crime in his life. ...Not sure about the father though.

>>C-SEC
just some notes on thane's criminal history via bailey
b: About ten years back, a bunch of real bad people were killed. Like someone was cleaning house. The prime suspect was a drell. ...We never caught him.
>>RENEGADE
s: Someone like that is trouble you don't want to deal with.
b: Someone's gotta deal with it. Doesn't have to be me though.
>>NEUTRAL
s: Bad people make a lot of enemies. It could've been anyone.
b: No, it had to be one hell of an assassin. The best, maybe...

>>THANE COMES BACK
s: How'd it go?
t: Our problems a-- they aren't something I can fix with a few words. We'll keep talking, see what happens.
>>BAILEY IS STILL A BRO
t: You're standing up for him? Why?
t: Thank you, captain.

>>FAILING THE LOYALTY MISSION
>>HOW THE FUCK DO YOU MANAGE THAT
>>YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO SHOOT ANYTHING
>>KOLYAT RUNS OFF
(I don't have paragon reactions to any of this yet :c)
t: And so the Wheel of Fire mills another soul. Entropy wins. ...Entropy always wins.
>>BACK ON THE SHIP
t: [strained] Shepard.
s: How are you holding up?
t: "Holding up." An apt turn of phrase. I do feel as if I'm holding myself up. Like the force of gravity were pulling down on me. But I said I would help you against the Collectors. If nothing else, that gives me something to focus on.
s: Have a few minutes to talk?
t: [sigh] There is nothing left to speak of, Shepard.
s: what's the matter?
t: I failed to save my son. He was my last chance to leave the world better than I found it.
s: The Collectors are taking lives by the thousands. We're doing good by eliminating them.
t: Removing evil isn't the same as creating good. All I have done is reduce the pain of the present. As I come to the end of my journey, I think I should have done more to build the future.

s: I don't understand.
t: I will either die on this mission, or I will die a few months after. My wife is dead. My son is lost. My body's acts in this life are tales never to be told. When I'm gone, it will be as if I'd never lived. So I ask you: what is the point? The dark between the stars is enormous.
s: There's a hell of a lot of stars out there.
t: The galaxy is small compared to the endless sea of dark space.


C+P for all the options
Shep: I want to talk about you. Have a few minutes to talk?
Thane: There is nothing left to speak of, Shepard.
Paragon:
Shep: Are you all right? What's the matter?
Thane: I failed to save my son. He was my last chance to leave the world better than I found it.
Paragon:
Shep: Don't lose hope. We're going to take out the Collectors. When we're done, we can look for Kolyat again.
Thane: He won't use my contacts again. And I know how easy it is for one person to lose himself in the galaxy.
Neutral:
Shep: I'm worried about you. I've led people who think like that into battle. At best, they get themselves killed. At worst, they take others with them.
Thane: Don't worry. I'll perform the mission. No one else will die for my failures.
Renegade:
Shep: Enjoy your self-pity. We did the best we could. If you want to sit here moping, that's your call. But when I look outside, I see a hell of lot of stars in the galaxy.
Thane: The galaxy is small compared to the endless sea of dark space.
Neutral:
Shep: What? I don't understand.
Thane: I will either die on this mission, or I will die a few months after. My wife is dead. My son is lost. My body's acts in this life are tales never to be told. When I'm gone, it will be as if I'd never lived. So I ask you: what is the point? The dark between the stars is enormous.
Paragon
Shep: You've done a lot of good But you are leaving it better. A lot of bad people can no longer hurt others. Nassana Dantius alone is a net positive.
Thane: Reducing evil is not the same as doing good. And those acts were done as a tool of others. Not as myself. The only task I took of my own volition was to stop Kolyat. I failed. All I have done is reduce the pain of the present....
Neutral
Shep: The Collectors are bad. The Collectors are taking lives by the thousands. We're doing good by eliminating them.
Thane: Removing evil isn't the same as creating good. All I have done is reduce the pain of the present. As I come to the end of my journey, I think I should have done more to build the future. All I have done is reduce the pain of the present....

>>PASSING THE LOYALTY MISSION
>>BACK ON THE SHIP
s: can we talk?
t: Certainly.

paragon s: you don't really seem like an assassin
t: You've spent too much time fighting thugs who think custom-painted armor makes them professionals.
neutral s: why'd you become an assassin?
t: I was asked to become one.
renegade s: i expected a badass; you seem more like a monk
t: In my experience, those who are truly dangerous don't act like they are.

The hanar trained my body for this role since I was six years old.

>>SIX?
s: you've been killing since you were six?
t: Of course not; I didn't make my first kill until I was twelve. They were training me, I was not to used and thrown away. I was an investment.
s: you were a child not an investment
t: I've given you the wrong idea. They valued me, yes, as a resource, but also as a person. They... regretted their need for me.

>>HANAR?
s: seriously?
t: Every species trains assassins. The hanar are only unusual in that they need other species to do the killing for them. They have a strong grip and natural toxins, but, have you ever seen one move quickly outside of water? Or fire a gun?

s: Why did your parents agree to this?
t: The agreement was made under the Compact. It was an honor for our family.
s: The Compact?
t: We live on the hanar homeworld because they rescued us-- some of us-- from extinction. We owe them our lives; that is the Compact.

>>COMPACT
s: what are the terms of the compact
t: There are many things the hanar can't do, even with mechanical aid. They ask drell to assist them.

>>PARAGON
s: they made your whole race into slaves!
t: Don't insult me, Shepard. [ another instance where he sounds kind of annoyed ] Anyone can refuse to serve. Few do. We owe our existence to the hanar, we are proud to repay the debt.

>>RENEGADE
s: they sound weak
t: Out here they are. But if you could see them in the Encompassing, the oceans of Kahje, you would see them differently. A stream of silver in the dark. Looping. Diving. So fast the eye can't. Follow. Laughter like the squeals of a child vibrates the water. They fly over the black of the seabed like birds. Plumed with the light of heaven.

>>EXTINCTION
s: why was your race going extinct?
t: Overpopulation. That must sound trite to you. Humans developed mass effect drives before the problem became acute. Our homeworld, Rakhana, had few resources. We hadn't even developed fusion power when the soil began to fail from overuse and pollution. The hanar found us a century ago; they sent hundreds of ships, evacuated thousands of us. Billions more had to be left behind.
s: what's the state of rakhana now
t: Do you read your philosophers? A man named Thomas Hobbes? "When all the world is overcharged with inhabitants, then the last remedy of all is war, which provideth for every man by victory, or death." As Rakhana died around them, my people slaughtered each other for mouthfuls of water. Crumbs of food.
s: but you're freelance now
t: I was asleep for a long time, yes. I paid no attention to what my body was asked to do. But then-- laser dot trembles on the skull. One finger twitch: he dies. Then-- the smell of spice on the spring wind. Sunset-colored eyes, defiant in the scope. The laser dances away. ...My apologies. Drell slip into memory so easily.
s: Was that one of your assassinations?
t: Uh. Yes. Perhaps we can discuss it later. I've wasted too much of your time.

s: got a second to talk?
t: If you wish.

>>MEMORY
s: freaky memory thing what
t: Drell have perfect memories. We can relive any moment of our lives in perfect clarity. It's difficult to control at times; some of us disappear into... hm. Let's call it 'solipsism.'

>>SOLIPSISM
t: When a memory feels as real as life, it's as valid as life. Thinking about a moment brings back the smell of cut grass, a warmth of another's hand on yours, the taste of another's tongue in your mouth. Wouldn't you rather lose yourself in such a memory than to spend the night alone? Staring at walls of metal and plastic?
s: tmi
t: Forgive me. Lately I've spent a great deal of time reviewing my life. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable.
s: couldn't you lose yourself to bad memories?
t: Of course. Remembering the times I've taken bullets is. Unpleasant. But I can look at my knee and see it's not shattered. The memories that are harder to escape are those of despair.
s: you can remember everything?
t: Nearly. I suspect if we remembered the birth trauma we'd never recover from it.

>>ASSASSINATIONS
s: you can remember every assassination you've ever made?
t: In perfect detail. Every mistake I've made, every target's last breath.
PARAGON: you could relive all the guilt
t: Guilt? No. I've never felt any particular guilt about my contracts. (continued later)
PARAGON: my gun can't decide right from wrong. you can.
t: My soul does... but my body is merely flesh. Flesh that was honed to kill.

>>DUBIOUS MORAL TIME!!
s: you don't seem to feel guilty
t: Why should I? My employers killed them, my body was only the tool they used. If you kill a man with your gun, do you hold the gun responsible?
s: you make the choice to kill. my gun doesn't.
t: When someone aims a gun at you, you pull your trigger. You don't think. It's reflex. Any combat training conditions the body's reflexes. My training was very thorough. [wow he sounds so sassy there] Drell minds are different from humans. We see our body as a vessel, and accept that it is not always under our control.
PARAGON: that's irresponsible as shit
t: Not every action performed by my body is the result of conscious choices. I take responsibility for those that are.
or RENEGADE: so if i shot you right now, the drell wouldn't arrest me?
t: You'd be guilty because you chose to shoot me. If my reflexes caused me to draw and fire when I saw your gun come up, I would be innocent.

t: Humans often believe in a soul distinct from the body. A spirit responsible for moral reasoning that lives on after the body's death. Our belief is just a bit more literal.

>>TIME TO PRY INTO HIS LIFE!!!
s: who were you talking about last time. sunset colored eyes?
t: Ah. That time. (SAME FLASHBACK AS BEFORE) A... bystander noticed my spotting laser and threw herself between me and the target. She couldn't see me, but she stared me down.
s: it's odd that you blurted that out. another vivid drell memory?
t: Not-- no. She was a vivid person.
s: did you take the shot?
t: Not... that day.

t: Shepard. I appreciate these chats we have.
RENEGADE: whatever we're all gonna die no point in making friends
t: That's a very practical view. Probably even a wise one. Just don't make the mistake I did. There's always another mission: none of them are an excuse to make yourself an island.
NEUTRAL: haven't spoken to a drell before. it's a fascinating species.
t: I doubt many humans have. There are only a few hundred thousand of us left after all. I won't keep you.
PARAGON: you're a lonely person, thane
t: Hah. Work fulfilled me. Reading. I barely spoke to anyone outside my family. It seems there will be no one to mourn me when I die. You're the only friend I've made in ten years.
NEUTRAL: crew's diverse. you must have something in common with someone. go out, talk to people.
t: I shall... consider it. I won't keep you.
RENEGADE: oh my god quit your bitching jesus
t: It's clear my conversation skills have... atrophied. I won't keep you.

>>ROMANCE OPTION
s: friend. that's a start
t: A start? Hah. That's... intriguing. I will always be here to talk.

>>LOYALTY FOLLOW UP
t: I had been recording a message for Kolyat.
s: how's that going?
t: It is difficult. All things worth keeping are. I never explained. I suppose the story of my wife's death took you by surprise.
RENEGADE: as a rule i hate surprises
t: I didn't think it would be relevant. I expected to die without speaking to Kolyat again. I knew he'd... blame me for Irikah's death.
NEUTRAL: you talk a lot about your people but not about yourself
t: It's not that I don't trust you. I'm not used to trusting anyone, especially once Irikah was killed.

>>IRIKAH
t: That-- memory I mentioned before. (SAME FLASHBACK) That was Irikah. (he's standing and pacing) That was how I met her. She saw my targeting laser as she walked by and threw herself in the way.
s: so how'd you end up together?
t: I had to meet her. The memory possessed and endowed me. I fell on my knees before her and begged her pardon. She introduced me to the world beyond my work. Eventually, she forgave me. Later, she loved me.
s: I guess she impressed you.
t: She woke me up. Her body trembles. Not fear. Indignation. Her mouth moves: "How dare you?" You and I trained to sacrifice ourselves to save others. How often does a civilian step in front of a bullet to save someone they'v never met? I thought she was the goddess Arashu. She met my eyes through the scope, and my purpose faltered.

>>IRIKAH'S DEATH
s: you said she died?
t: I let myself become complacent. I thought Irikah and Kolyat were safe. I stayed away too long, and my enemies came for her.
s: who?
t: Batarians. A slaver ring that was preying on hanar outer colonies. I'd killed their leaders. They'd paid the Shadow Broker to find out who I was-- but they were afraid of me, so they went after her.
RENEGADE: you're a smart man, thane. you didn't take precautions?
t: I did. I should've done more. I knew my family was vulnerable. I accepted my death when I was 12-- nothing could make me accept their's.
NEUTRAL: you mentioned her killers?
t: Irikah woke me up. When she passed I returned to my battle sleep.

t: My body hunted her killers. Murdered them. I was taught to grant death quickly. Cleanly. To minimize suffering. Them. I let them linger.
RENEGADE: i don't blame you. they killed innocent people to get to you.
t: For you and me, death is business. For people like them, it is sport.
NEUTRAL: probaaaaaably don't wanna tell kolyat that
t: Irikah helped me carry my burdens. With what time I have left, I must help him with his.
PARAGON: you were operating on instinct. by your own rules you can't blame yourself.
t: But I made the choice to hunt them. They're the only lies I've taken of my own choice. The only deaths on my own conscience.

t: I haven't spoken about my wife in-- I don't think I ever have. I didn't have anyone left to tell it to.
NEUTRAL: don't lose your son by focusing on could've beens.
t: You're right, of course.
PARAGON: i'm here for you, thane. whatever you need.
t: You-- you are very kind.

t: Thank you for listening, Siha.
s: what?
t: Siha. Someday I'll tell you what it means.

s: got time to talk?
t: Of course, Shepard. Join me.

s: I've been thinking about you.
t: And I you.
t: Will you hear my confession, siha?
>>RENEGADE
s: everything you say sounds like a confession
t: I've been introspective since I came aboard. That needs to change.
>>NEUTRAL
s: i want to hear what you have to say
>>PARAGON

t: When I married Irikah, the hanar let me leave their service to raise a family. But I had no other skills, so I freelanced. When Irikah was killed, I pursued those responsible. Once I'd eliminated them, I had no goal. I accepted the Dantius commission because I didn't know what else to do.
>>RENEGADE
s: guess you're lucky we came along
t: It was an intervention by the gods. I would have died in that penthouse.
>>NEUTRAL
s: not the healthiest attitude
t: You're right. It's not. Looking back now, it's clear I'd resigned myself to death.

t: I would have fulfilled my contract. If Nassana's guards caught me afterwards-- it would have been a good death.
t: But someone else was pushing to reach the target. Forcing me to move faster. Challenging me. I had to reach her first.
>>RENEGADE
s: you're alive because i wounded your pride?
t: Pride is the line between a professional and a thug.
>>NEUTRAL
s: i had no idea you planned to die
t: It wasn't a plan. My body had accepted its death. My mind had been dead a long time.

t: But I met another siha. Few are privileged to meet even one.
s: still haven't said what that is
t: One of the warrior-angels of the goddess Arashu. Fierce in wrath. A tenacious protector.
t: I confess I've (...) come to care for you. Perhaps I'm being foolish. We are very different.
>>DECLINE
s: We're very different, Thane. I wouldn't be able to replace Irikah.
t: You wouldn't have. You can love more than one in a lifetime. I'll respect your wishes. I (...) won't speak of it again.
t: I hope it won't offend you if I carry you in my heart.
t: I shall return to my meditations. Be well.
>>ACCEPT
s: I'm not sure we know each other well enough to call it love. But I feel something for you too. Something more than friendship.
t: I've never felt affection for another species. I'm not sure what to do now.
s: We'll just have to figure it out.
t: (smile) I look forward to the memories.

t: You needn't ask. Time for me is short, siha, but any I have is yours to take.
s: how are you feeling?
t: No worse than ever. You needn't worry. And you? You are well?
>>CASUAL CONVERSATION
s: no problems here. how are you?
t: I'm looking forward to the end of the mission. It has been many years since I felt I could relax anywhere.
>>PARAGON
s: i spent 2 years dead. every moment seems irreplaceable now.
t: I spent 10 years dead. I understand the feeling.
t: Strange that I should only reawaken now, when there is so little time left.
>>NEUTRAL
s: we owe ourselves a memorable vacation c:
t: I would very much like to see a desert. (oh my god this is the cutest scene)
>>RENEGADE
s: we've got a long way before we can relax, don't get distracted
t: I don't intend to let my body pass before its time. I will watch over you.

>>BREAK UP DIALOGUE
s: I've been thinking about your illness.
t: Understandable.
s: I don't think I can do this. Love you now, only to lose you later.
t: Hm.
s: I'm sorry.
t: Shepard. We made no vows to each other, we are both unbound.
t: I have no wish to be a burden to you. If it is your wish, I will turn aside.
>>STAY TOGETHER
s: how could i leave?
t: When it is time, you will. Without death, how would we know the value of life?
>>BREAK UP
s: it is my wish
t: (pause) I understand. It isn't easy to lose someone you care for. You've already lost a great deal in your life.

>>ROMANCE SCENE
s: Thane?
t: Siha, I-- I have known I will die for many years. I've tried to leave the galaxy... better than I found it. You've helped me achieve more than I thought possible. We've righted many wrongs... I've spoken to my son. I should be at peace at the eve of battle.
s: Stop. Don't give me a speech.
t: I'm ashamed.
(a lot of the emotion from this scene comes from the action and not the script)
t: I've worked so hard. Meditated and prayed and done good deeds. Atoned for the evils I've done. Prepared. I consider my body's death, and a chill settles in my gut. I am afraid, and it shames me.

MASS EFFECT 3 LINES -- some cut from the final game
Unorganized because it's largely a text dump.

Commander Shepard. My father mentioned you were no longer incarcerated.
I don't know if you remember me. I'm Kolyat Krios. I came to donate blood and... well...
He asked me to take off his oxygen mask so he could be comfortable. I don't think it will be very long.
Of course.
Yes, back when I was... when I had my problems with the law.
Knowing doesn't make it much easier, but at least--
I'm Kolyat Krios. I came by to pay my respects.
No. His wound is... extreme.
Here, he'll want to see you.

Siha, I'm afraid I've picked a bad time to leave.


Don't... don't make me laugh. Hard to breathe.
Commander, I'm afraid I won't be joining you again.



Your father helped me save a lot of lives. I'd like to be here.

Did he tell you he was sick?


You're welcome here.
Does he have much time?




You couldn't disappoint me, Thane. Not even now.
Damn right. I didn't give you permission to die on me.




Your father's a hero.
Did you know this was coming?



Of course.
How bad is it?








Such pleasant things from your lips. Excuse me. Breathing is difficult.
Siha... it will be soon. I need to know if the councilor survived.
You are a great protector, siha, but some things are beyond even you.
So... did the councilor survive?
Siha, I had hoped we'd see one another again. In less... perforated circumstances.
{Coughs}

An interesting expression. Chasing what one can never actually grasp.
But then, we can grasp with more than just our hands.

I'm doing nothing of the sort, Shepard. I am going to see people I have not seen in years.
Unfortunately, this will part us for a time.
Your memory is not like ours, but perhaps you can hold me in it for a little while.
You are kind. The Council... did they survive?
Yes, Father. Three are alive thanks to you and Shepard. Udina... he instigated it. He is dead.



That assassin should be embarrassed. A terminally ill drell managed to stop him from reaching his target.

There are things I fear, just not mortal ones.
There is something I must do before it gets worse. I must--
Kalahira, mistress of inscrutable depths, I ask forgiveness. Kalahira, whose waves wear down stone and sand--
{Coughing fit}
Kalahira, wash the sins from this one and set him on the distant shore of the infinite spirit.
Kolyat... you speak as the priests do. You have been spending time with them.
I brought a prayer book. Commander, would you care to join me?
Kalahira, this one's heart is pure, but beset by wickedness and contention.



Guide him to where all hunters return, where all storms become still, where all stars show the path.
Guide him, Kalahira, and he will be a companion to you as he was a father to me.








It's all right. Try to catch your breath.


You can beat this, Thane. Don't give up.


You're not an easy person to forget, Thane.



Goodbye, Thane. Meet you across the sea.
Goodbye, Thane. You won't be alone long.

You've done more than enough, Thane.
I'll pass the word along.
Never known you to be afraid, Thane. Not a great time to start.






{Nods}
This is your time, not mine.

Guide this one to where the traveler never tires, the lover never leaves, the hungry never starve.
Guide this one, Kalahira, and he will be a companion to you as he was to me.



Commander, there's a communication from Thane. He says it's important. Think you'll want to hear this.
Siha. The Citadel is under attack. Cerberus troops are everywhere, and they're in control of the docks.
Shepard. The Citadel is under attack. Cerberus troops are everywhere, and they're in control of the docks.
No. I had to evade their commandos at the hospital. I'm in a Presidium storefront.


We got separated. She said she had to protect the Council. I'm going to C-Sec headquarters.

We got separated. He said he had to protect the Council. I'm going to C-Sec headquarters.
C-Sec's response is weak and uncoordinated. I suspect their headquarters have been compromised.
As long as Cerberus is controlling C-Sec headquarters, they're effectively holding the Citadel. We need to liberate it.
Put him through.
Are you safe?



Siha. I heard Earth was under attack. I didn't know you'd made it out.
I sent a few messages while you were incarcerated, but I suspect they never got past the guards.
Commander Shepard. When I heard Earth was under attack, I tried to call. I never got through.
My disease kills slowly. With enough care and a healthy lifestyle, it can be delayed for few years.
Of course, my allotted time has come and gone. Now I exercise because it pleases me.
What are you doing here?

The dark-haired human woman in intensive care... She will be starting physical therapy with my class soon.
If she means something to you, then I will help how I can. As long as she is here, consider her under my protection.

The human biotic in intensive care... I saw the marks of an implant.
We have spoken. He was holding out hope that a woman would visit him...
Is there something I should know about you two?
And grew apart, I gather.
Oh.
Well, if he means something to you, then he will to me. He has my protection as long as he is here.
I can offer no more and no less. It was good while it lasted, Shepard.
I am at the end of my life. It's not the time to be possessive or petty.
We have spoken. He seems an honorable sort.
Your enemies may try to finish him off here. I will look out for him.
I am near the end of my life. It is a good time to be generous.
I have only a few loves left, and you are my last. Let me do what I can for you.
Well... I see you want to make up for lost time.
I should warn you that you may not want your final memories of me to be in this hospital. Kepral's Syndrome is... not kind.
Kepral's Syndrome will unfortunately keep us apart.
Kepral's Syndrome has put most of my other plans on hold.



Thane. It's been too long. I was beginning to think I'd never see you again.

Thane. Good to see you staying in shape.



Visiting a friend who got hurt protecting me. Ashley.
That's her.
I appreciate it, Thane.
Visiting a friend. Kaidan. He got hurt protecting me.
Yeah.

We were together for a while before the first Normandy was destroyed.

We were together for some time before I met you. I still want to make things work. Can you understand that?


Thank you, Thane.

I appreciate it, Thane.

{Kisses}


Coming by again, Shepard? I'm flattered.

At times. The oxygen transfer proteins don't form correctly. Your human equivalent would be hemoglobin.
As a result, my blood is low in oxygen. No matter how much I breathe in, I get tingling, numbness... and that is the best of it.
As for my brain, I cannot track the damage. I just experience dizziness from time to time.
I would not be as I was before. I need daily medical attention.
And if I know you, you will want to fight the Reapers somehow. You need the best at your side, and I am not at mine.
I am at peace with what I've done in my life, Shepard. There comes a time when one must rest from war and conflict.
It is not your time, but it is mine.
I have family here that I must take care of, Shepard. I have neglected my son, and now he is self-destructive.
He may be safe from Reapers here, but I worry. If he dies -- when he dies -- I want him to know he has a loving father.
That means I must give things up for him. I'm sorry.
I've been to several doctors. My favorite gave me three months to live... nine months ago.
It's freeing to find no requirements placed on me. No responsibilities, no fears. It is a good end to a life.
Some people would find this uncertainty freeing. I contemplate what I have done.
Hmm... I warned you there were limits to what I can do.
Perhaps if we just talked a little more. That would be less... strenuous.
I... don't think that's what you want, Shepard, even if it seems like a good idea now.
Hearts are fragile things, and even a little confusion can cause permanent damage. To you or... whomever.
I'd like that.
You should understand that my cardiovascular system is not what it wa-- Mmm.

I've missed you, Shepard.

I think of us often, siha, but we always knew it would come to an end.
Live well in the time you have. Perhaps we will see each other again.
And I for you. Do not grieve for me. I have good doctors. My son visits regularly.
Perhaps we will keep up via the extranet now that you are free. Until we meet again, Shepard.
You wish, I pray. I appreciate the sentiment, Shepard. Until we meet again.
Are you in a lot of pain?


I'm back on the Normandy on an important mission. Sure could use you.

You don't have to wrestle down krogan and break their necks. I'm sure we could find you lighter work.



Do you know how much time you have left?

I've got a few free moments. Do you want to spend a little time together?




You were saying something?


I wish the best for you, Thane.



Does Kepral's Syndrome hurt?
Goodbye.
Does it hurt?
Can't you come with me?
How long will you live?
Let's find some privacy.
Goodbye, Thane.



You can still help.