Foster Addison is the Director of Colonial Affairs for the Andromeda Initiative. She oversees all colonization logistics for the Andromeda Initiative, making sure all settlements are up and running and colonists have a place to live. She is extremely concerned about making sure Initiative outposts are safe and secure so that they may be established without the risk of losing them.
Background[]
Previous to the Initiative, Foster Addison was the Chief Operations Officer for a provincial capital. She stated in her screening interviews that she preferred the position because it was the highest non-elected municipal office: it carried responsibility without requiring a public face.
Foster was asked to head Colonial Affairs early during Initiative training. She accepted after being assured that it was temporary. After arrival, outposts would appoint a Council, and she could be obscure on a new world. In the meantime, she would remain senior advisor to Jien Garson. Unfortunately Garson died in the Nexus' initial Scourge impact, to be replaced by Director Jarun Tann.
During the rebuilding, Colonial Director Addison had no colonial affairs to direct. That limited the influence she wielded, and increased the scrutiny demanded. She has expressed frustration at the open-ended nature of her position, and the ongoing need for statements about the status (or lack) of outposts. Though she remains eminently capable, it appears to be exactly the job she didn't want.
Mass Effect: Andromeda[]
Foster Addison was troubled to hear of Alec Ryder's death, and skeptical of Pathfinder Ryder's ability to remedy the Intiative's problems since they lacked a traditional Pathfinder's experience. After Ryder succeeds in making Eos hospitable, Addison remarked that Ryder inspired hope in the colonists and they were eager to establish Prodromos. Addison commended Ryder for proving her pessimism wrong and advised them that although all of the Nexus leadership were ready to officially sanction their endeavors, the Nexus leadership still had differing opinions on the direction of the Initiative's operations. Addison is particularly distrustful of Tiran Kandros and his militia. Addison is wary of the militia's military influence over a supposedly civilian Initiative and worries they might repeat a warring history. Addison will provide updates to the status of the colonies Ryder establishes and evaluates the resources the Nexus can gather from them.
When the Tempest discovers a ZK Resource Tracker satellite near one of the golden worlds that spontaneously self-destructed, Addison directly contacts Ryder, explaining that the satellites were designed by Dr. Zoe Jean Kennedy, who designed the ZK Trackers as a means of bypassing Initiative protocols and had disappeared with the exiles. Knowing that whoever gains access to Dr. Kennedy's tech can steal Initiative resources and Addison wants her found before her tech falls into the wrong hands. Should Ryder try discussing Dr. Kennedy on the Nexus, Addison will nervously deny any knowledge, insisting this sensitive issue not be discussed openly.
After Ryder tracks down three ZK Trackers and managed to get in contact with Dr. Kennedy for a brief moment, the Pathfinder confronts Addison, having learned from Kennedy that she was eight months pregnant and had in fact left the Nexus because the leadership had "no plan". Addison defended the decision, arguing that their limited resources would've lead newborn children to die anyway. She also mentions that Dr. Kennedy was responsible for introducing her to the Initiative. With Dr. Kennedy still in the wind, Addison instructed Ryder to establish more outposts to locate more ZK Trackers to find Dr. Kennedy and her baby.
After locating all the ZK Trackers at five of the golden worlds, Ryder learns that both the kett and Roekaar are targeting Dr. Kennedy and eventually finds her on Voeld, just as she is giving birth in the middle of the assault. After Dr. Kennedy is safe, Addison communicates with her and Ryder via the Tempest. The Pathfinder can either agree with Addison over Dr. Kennedy requiring supervision or allowing her freedom, and whether to send her and her baby to Eos or the Nexus.
Should Ryder help Sidera Nyx investigate the Three Sabers pirate gang, it is revealed that Addison hired the Three Sabers to protect Nexus interests, having feared that Ryder wouldn't succeed as Pathfinder. Unfortunately, the Three Sabers went rogue and ousted their Initiative affiliated leader, Stanton Yale. The Three Sabers took the Nexus arms they were supplied with and went on to raid the people they were meant to protect. When Ryder and Sid confront Addison, she insists they keep this quiet least it cause loss of confidence in Nexus leadership or damage relations with the angara. Ryder can either agree with her or refuse, the latter resulting in the truth being broadcasted on the Heleus News Service.