<div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Dark Star Dropship</strong><div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/e/ef/Damian_Harper.jpg)</div><br/><br/>Damian had not expected to be the target of such anger from the young lieutenant, but he could not bring himself to respond in kind. Despite what she was shouting at him, he did know exactly what she was going through. He had had major setbacks in the past, and while they had made him more resilient, he still went through the same emotions in his own way. Far more muted, and unhealthily cropped up inside of him, he came across as callously as ever, as if he was above and beyond it all. That was exactly what the clanner liked to think. But he should know better by that point that he was made of flesh and blood, and he had just been made to bury the greater part of all the people he knew in life. While he had not gotten along well with the majority of them, they had still formed a social and professional circle. All of that was gone, leaving only uncertainty, and an utter lack of direction. And to boot, there had been some among the fallen he had reached a fairly decent rapport with, or whom he at the very least respected.<br/><br/>Her words struck a cord. It was known in the company that it was extremely easy to make Damian cranky, aggravated or annoyed with one's performance and behavior. But to draw genuine anger or rage from him, was difficult at best. That was why the display in the hangar bay, with the Intelligence representative had shaken so many of the technicians. They'd never seen him behave like that before, and a situation looked only as bad as how out-of-the-ordinary those involved were acting. Despite that difficulty, her accusations and words sparked precisely that: anger. Cropped up frustrations and feelings of helplessness. While different from that situation, it did remind him far too much about the last moments he spent with his wife.<br/><br/>As a response to her seeming aggression, his hands gripped her shoulders firmly.<br/><strong>"Need I remind you that I fought in that same battle? That I had to leave my closest friend in years behind to bleed out in an overheating cockpit?! You're not the only one who has suffered, Rowe!"</strong> he shouted angrily.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><strong>Dark Star Dropship</strong><div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/b/ba/Emily_Jirani.jpg)</div><br/><br/>Emily listened closely to Kari's words as she continued to be showed with praise and appreciation. She understood the need to underline these things, but the seasoned warrior clearly wasn't comfortable being the object of attention like that. It prompted her to fidget and shift in her seat slightly, and forget what to do with her hands. The feeling came and went quickly however, as such things had always made her much more awkward in her younger days than they did now. Still, a smile crept upon her features at Kari's admission of her goal to restore the company to its recently lost glory being a crazy one. The undertaking was going to be anything but easy, and probably exactly impossible. But, despite everything she had said, and despite reason dictating she favor life and being there for her children, there was something alluring about the rush of the unknown, and the fact that many battles from now on would be uphill at best. Even though she had lost much of skill with the years, as well as her stomach for pain and loss, she was still a warrior at heart, and the thrill of battle was a difficult drug to kick.<br/><br/><strong>"I'm just doing what's right. I shouldn't be thanked for that,"</strong> she finally responded pragmatically, before settling back in her seat. <strong>"Let's change the subject, shall we? We've both said what we needed to, I think,"</strong> she suggested, before releasing a long, heavy sigh.<br/><strong>"What are your immediate plans for the company? I know you've taken over from your father. Big shoes to fill, and no time to get used to the size. Any ideas?"</strong></div>