<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/>At first, Damian had only been holding her shoulder or upper arms, but the moment she responded as aggressively as he had expected, that hold changed to where his arms snaked under her armpits and essentially pinned her against him. He held fast, knowing it would take some time for her to realize what was happening, and that she needed to calm herself. As she grew more limp in his arms, and he could hear the sounds of her sobbing, the stoic clanner released her, but did so gently to make sure she even had the force of will left to stay up on her feet.<br/><br/>He kept his peace for a few moments, unsure on what to do. He and Allia certainly knew each other, but they weren't exactly to a point where a conversation about her feelings was easy to engage, especially for someone as cold and stilted as the former Sea Fox warrior. Eventually, he bent his knee and crouched by her, one hand moving to rest on her shoulder.<br/><strong>"I know how much frustration you are feeling. How helpless you think you are. But you are alive. And you have a chance at revenge. Do not waste your health on a punching bag,"</strong> he voiced, sticking to the practical side of it all, as that was the only thing he really knew how to advise. He had no words for her that would make the pain easier. He remembered his first brush with death all too well. While the operation itself had been successful in that case, he had been injured to the point of being bedridden for weeks, slipping in and out of consciousness. Waking up to find half your friends six feet under was one of the worst things he had ever experienced. There was only so much hearing about how honorable their deaths had been could do to alleviate the pain. And, for most people from the Inner Sphere, those words were completely useless.<br/><br/><strong>"I can arrange for a councilor. We have one on board,"</strong> he added, unsure what else to add. It was doubly uncomfortable on his end because he had never seen the courageous lieutenant like that before. She always seemed an odd mix of perky positivity and implacable focus. It only served to drive the point home that they were all a long way from being fine.<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 nodded in response to Kari expressing her gratitude for letting the woman stay on, but it was clear that she really did not think there was any thanks due for going around to anyone anytime soon. The company was in shambles and while it wasn't the fault of anyone present in that room, she couldn't help but feel gratitude was completely out of place in any action they took in that desperate situation. She reiterated her previous conclusion once in her mind, though. Kari and Allia were completely mad if they believed they were going to be able to come back from this. But, at the end of the day, Emily liked a challenge, and it didn't get much more difficult than that.<br/><br/><strong>"I haven't done anything, ma'am. At least not yet. Thank me if me staying here proves to be of any use. Otherwise, I'm afraid we'd be wasting our breaths and time,"</strong> she responded grimly, but pragmatically. She was staying on because she owed them that much, and despite having lost most of them, there were still a few close friends breathing, fighting and on that ship. So, she couldn't bring herself to leave just yet.<br/><strong>"I'm sure you're already figured out my reasoning though. But it's only proper I give you them in person,"</strong> she explained, before sighing slightly, and leaning forward onto the desk before her slightly.<br/><br/><strong>"You know I have two children waiting for me back home, right? A son and a daughter. Not to mention a husband that's breaking his back at work and takes care of kids and household on his own. I... I've been away for too long,"</strong> she cleared her throat, before proceeding. <strong>"I almost died out there too. I would have left them all alone. It was easier when I was younger, more reckless. But now,"</strong> she shook her head before averting his eyes from her new commander somewhat. <strong>"I want them to grow up knowing their mother properly. I'll stick around for as long as is necessary and I can. But consider this my notice, nonetheless,"</strong> she explained.</div>