<div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Dark Star Dropship</strong><div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/b/ba/Emily_Jirani.jpg)</div><br/><br/>Emily leaned over the table a little as Kari stretched out her arm in illustration. A slight smirk colored the woman's lips; for no specific reason. She was just enjoying herself, for the first time in a while. It was easy to get homesick, even for a seasoned veteran like Jirani. She would never complain about it, nor would she ever confide anyone either; not now, not ever. But, that didn't take away that she still had a family waiting for her. Idle banter was perfect to put her mind on other matters, even if they lacked all gravitas... Especially when they lacked that. She chuckled as Kari described one of the smallest, least conspicuous tattoos of the bunch.<br/><strong>"Started humbly, I see?"</strong> she smiled. <strong>"I suppose they don't all need some kind of deep meaning behind them. So long as they make you happy. Right?"</strong> she suggested.<br/><br/>Setting the drink she had finished aside, her eyes turned to the watch that adorned the bottom of her wrist. Suddenly, she rose up. <strong>"Well, I better get back to work. There's a lot more than needs to be done before we're back in the saddle properly, ma'am,"</strong> she smiled and gave Kari a friendly nod.<br/><strong>"Remember, commander. We all need a break sometime. Or we'll end up grumpy like that clanner. We don't want that, now do we?"</strong> and with that, she bid her leave. She liked that drink; realizing she'd needed to have her mind on other matters just as much as she suspected Kari had. They needed to do that again sometime.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><strong>Dark Star Dropship</strong><div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/e/ef/Damian_Harper.jpg)</div><br/><br/>The sheer bulk of what needed to be done only really dawned on Damian after he awoke the following day, as well as over the course of the days of the trek to Galatea. So many people dead. So much priceless gear lost. And so few reserves to fill the gaps. But, sleepless nights had paid off. Thanking his days with clan Sea Fox for the results, Damian had managed to free up a modest sum of money for Kari and Allia to use in their recruitment drive. It wasn't going to net them any kind of established quality. But, than again, they weren't looking for that. They were looking for hopeful youngsters, freshly kicked out of the arena and desperate for an excuse to shoot at moving targets again. It would afford them enough souls to fill at least a lance or two. But the machines and the people involved were not going to be anything worth writing home about. In the end, he had no preference in the matter, and his enclosed recommendations only called for at least one higher-end candidate to be included, with the rest being cannon fodder or the greenest of recruits depending on Kari and Allia's discretion.<br/><br/>He was not hopeful, but he kept his pessimistic nature to himself, as usual. He did not behave differently towards the crew, even if those that had seen it hadn't forgotten his earlier outburst. He did not see success on the horizon, but he refused to let that affect his performance, or crew morale. Spirits were terrible enough as it was without a clanner pointing out they were done for. He made a promise, and he would see it through.<br/>For the first time in all of those days, he had taken up a comfortable position on one of the view decks. There were only two or three other people, alone at their respective tables, enjoying the atmosphere of what amounted to a lounge with a view of space outside. Boots propped up on the small, round table, and a full glass of some local drink resting by his legs, it looked as if he was actually relaxing. That was definitely not true. As always, there was more to be done, and that time around, it was inventory of their essentials. There was staff that could do it for him, but then more than ever, he needed to make sure it was done properly. He had hammered his way through all the critical tasks at hand, so he could afford being a little anally retentive.</div>