Nim and Trax: First Meetings

[GM Craig]

You imagine you can see gears turning, but she gives no outward sign.

"So, less 'moving on to other things?' and more 'leave of absence?" Though the question was directed to you, her eyes are looking at something really far away over your left shoulder.

[Trax]

Trax gave a bit of a shrug.

"Given the nature of the situation I'd call it more a mission in self preservation but leave of absence works."

[GM Craig]

"And once you deal with Ploovo, you'll come back to Karvis?"

[Trax]

"Assuming I survive and don't run into a certain bounty hunter, or if I do, I manage to live through that little tussle as well, yeah."

Trax, of course, left out that Karvis was the closest thing to a home he'd had in a very long time.

[GM Craig]

She seems to consider something, and her eyes come back to you.

"You bounty hunters normally run with a handler, right? Someone feeding you intel, target details and the like?"

She doesn't wait for an answer.

"What if I come with you on this side-trip?" She holds up her hands. "Hear me out: You're pretty important to our efforts on Karvis. But I get you need to take care of this. So I figure the more help you have, the faster this gets done, right? So let me come with you and help."

[Trax]

Trax couldn't hide the mix of surprise and confusion that crossed his face.  Where did that offer come from?

"It's not that I don't appreciate the offer, I do." he began.

"But you'd have to clear it through channels.  I'm not a part of the system Pasteur and Haagen have going, if I don't like an order, or if any order comes from Jex or Niil, I get to ignore it.  You not so much.

I doubt Pasteur and Haagen will be happy that I'm leaving, although Haagen might on a personal level, but they really won't be happy if one of their top...uh spooks, comes with.  And what happens if the whole thing blows up?  Now they're down two people instead of just one.  If I get maimed or killed because of my actions, that'll suck, but it's on me and it's happened to me.  But if you get hurt, or worse...You're a good person Sibhoan.  I don't want to see good people hurt because of me."

[GM Craig]

She smirks. "Trax, I'm not that important to the resistance. I'm just a minor field agent who happened to survive longer than just about everyone else. But you - you've been at the heart of every success we've had since Lendt. If you don't come back from this, a lot more people are going to be hurt than just me. If me coming along - even if I die - improves your odds even 1%, I'll gladly risk my life. You're too valuable to our resistance. We need you back as soon as can be."

[Trax]

Trax had a hard time believing what he was hearing.  Haagen had told him the rank and file of the KDF saw him as some kind of hero.  Some kind of mass delusion was his best guess, he was no hero.  But Rand, she was smarter than that.  The spec lowered his head and rubbed his forehead with his hand.

"I don't get it." he mumbled to himself before looking back at the woman.

"No matter what I say you won't take no for an answer will you?"

[GM Craig]

She shrugs. "I'm a soldier, Trax, and you're in charge of this mission, Trax. You order me to stay on Karvis, I'll stay. But I'm not going to be happy about it. Look, order me to stay if you want to. But on Karvis, I'm a minor cog in a big machine. I can't make much of a difference there. Sure, cogs are important. The machine cannot run without them. I get that. But if I go with you, I have a chance to make a real difference. I have a chance to matter - to make a real contribution to our fight by helping to keep you alive.

"Look, I've known for a long time now that I was most likely going to end up dead in an unmarked shallow grave. That comes with the territory in my line of work, and if that's what my people need from me, I do it gladly. But if that's going to happen to me anyway, I'd rather it be doing something important."

She pauses for a moment. "I get that you don't think you matter. But take it from someone who has seen what an effect you have on the men, you matter way more than you know. Just the morale boost the soldiers get from having you on our side has saved a hundred lives, at least. You're just going to have to trust me on that. So if my dying helps you make it back to Karvis to pick up that fight, and keep those minds and hears motivated, then I'd be glad to do it."

She shrugs again. "That's my case. When we're done with Doha, do what you will. Send me back or let me come with you. It's up to you."

[Trax]

Trax was speechless.  That Rand saw herself as such a small part of what the rebels were doing, was so sure of how her life would end and that she was so dedicated to the cause that she accepted that fate.  Then to hear that she was ready, almost eager to die if it meant saving his life...there was a strange discomfort in the man's chest.

"I uh...huh." The man stumbled to get anything out.  So instead he turned his attention to the terminal on the wall and checked to see if A'ka had sent him the jobs yet.  He new it was only a few seconds but he needed the brief distraction to collect his thoughts.  How could she talk like that?  After completing his inquiry on the terminal he fished his personal credstick from his pocket and looked at the woman.  Reaching out he took her hand, opened it, placed the credstick in it and then closed it.

"Find Mariah and go enjoy yourselves." he said softly as he slowly released her hand.

"That's an order."

[GM Craig]

She looks at you for a moment without moving. "All right." She then grabs a satchel off the table and walks out of the apartment.

[Actions?]

[Trax]

Trax watched Rand leave the room and let out a sigh when the door closed behind her, the gravity of Haagen's words suddenly weighing heavily on him.  For the most part he'd brushed off her using of the word 'hero', but she wasn't kidding, and apparently wasn't exaggerating.  The spec was uncomfortable knowing that so many were, like Rand, probably willing to lay down their lives for him.

"Damn it." he muttered.  Words he repeated when it suddenly dawned on him how long he and Rand had been talking.  The spec headed out of the room and quickly made his way downstairs.