Liam Kosta

Liam Kosta was a human security and response specialist with civilian tactical training who joined the Andromeda Initiative and served as a member of the Pathfinder team aboard the Tempest. Always upbeat and optimistic about difficult things, Liam wore his heart on his sleeve and said what he meant, for good or ill. His mix of disciplines set him apart, and he became a steady presence in the effort to settle the Heleus Cluster and to bridge the gap between the newcomers and the galaxy's natives.

Background#

Liam was born on Earth, but his parents specialized in interplanetary policy law and the family moved frequently, with their primary residence split between London and the Citadel. He entered university to study engineering before leaving to train for law enforcement. After a brief stint as a police officer at Bradbury Landing on Mars, he transitioned to a multi-species effort known as Heavy Urban Search and Crisis Response, where the human contingent, nicknamed HUSTL, reported that he performed exceptionally in all conditions. His multi-disciplinary skills set him apart, and he was hand-picked by Alec Ryder to support the Pathfinder team. He also lent his voice to the Andromeda Initiative's orientation briefing on weapons and biotics.

Arrival in Andromeda#

Liam was one of the personnel awakened during the initial moments of the Hyperion's arrival in the Andromeda galaxy, attended to by Dr. Harry Carlyle. When the ark collided with a spatial phenomenon above Habitat 7, Liam accompanied Pathfinder Alec Ryder and one of his children down to the planet to assess whether it could serve as a refuge. A shuttle mishap separated Liam and the younger Ryder from the main team, giving the two a chance to take each other's measure before they linked back up amid hostile aliens and strange advanced structures.

The expedition ended in disaster, with Alec dead and his offspring gravely injured. Liam helped rush the younger Ryder back to the Hyperion for treatment and kept vigil at the SAM Node until Ryder regained consciousness, then notified Cora Harper and Dr. Lexi T'Perro. Unable to speak when Ryder asked after their father, he left Cora to break the news and laid a hand on her shoulder in commiseration. Having seen the young Ryder's prowess in the field, Liam believed they were qualified to take up the mantle of Pathfinder.

Aboard the Tempest#

When Ryder gained command of the Tempest, Liam claimed the Deck 3 storage compartment as his personal quarters and moved in his few belongings, among them a worn-in couch. He revealed that he had enjoyed an ideal life back in the Milky Way but had joined the Initiative because he was captivated by its mission of exploration and new beginnings.

Liam devoted himself to making the Heleus Cluster hospitable for the settlers and to winning the acceptance of the native angara on the Initiative's behalf. Much to his frustration, his efforts to foster cooperation were repeatedly met with resistance, as both peoples still harbored a deep distrust of one another. He kept up a steady banter with his crewmates, trading dry remarks with the angaran Jaal Ama Darav and comparing the resilient Moshae to his own mother.

Liam's Folly#

Liam admitted to Ryder that his unsanctioned attempts to barter for angaran survival strategies had put him in a dangerous predicament. He had given his angaran contact, Verand, the Nexus's navpoints and data in the hope that she could adapt the technology to better serve the Initiative, but she and her group had vanished, and if pirates captured and interrogated her, or handed her to the kett, the whole Initiative could be jeopardized. He enlisted both Ryder and August Bradley of Prodromos to help.

The trail led to a salvaged kett ship in a debris field, run by an angaran pirate group called the Talon Wings under a leader named Calot. After Calot's raiders moved to enslave the rescue team and vented the cargo bay to space, Bradley arrived with a squadron of engineers, sealing the doors and seizing control of the ship's security. The Pathfinder team fought through the raiders to free both Verand's people and captured human settlers, then confronted and defeated Calot. With the ship's reactors leaking and the vessel fully irradiated, the survivors escaped, and Verand expressed her gratitude before the kett ship was destroyed. Liam and Ryder reflected together on what the rescue meant to the angara.