(no subject)
[backdated slightly; happens late at night.]
"- more than a match for the average [state] or Sith trooper. When we were looking for targets, we considered this world carefully." The voice was muffled and a bit faint. Despite that, there was a quality to it that was a little like Ben's voice - if Ben smoked regularly and spoke with such a cynically callous, proud edge to his voice. - if, in short, he was completely unlike himself.
"Why is that?" It was Stranger's low, compelling murmur, at an equal distance.
"We were wondering if we'd have to use larger weapons than our war droids to clear the damn forests so we could fight in the open. Too many trees means they can go into hiding too easy. And what's a continent or two turned to glass if we get the whole world after?" Juhani inhaled through her teeth, almost a hiss.
"I suppose so." Stranger was noncommittal. "Do you know anything else?"
"Nothing you can't get yourself. Now, I need to finish here before we make planetfall. You have anything else you wanted to ask?"
"No, nothing. Thanks."
"Yeah."
There was the sound of one set of feet moving across a metal deck, becoming louder and clearer until they stopped. Stranger's voice sounded - closer, but also quieter. "Juhani, were you listening?"
"It is a small ship," Juhani's voice was soft. "I was taking something from the hold."
"Walk with me," Stranger said, and there were two pairs of footsteps. Very soon they stopped, and she asked, "Why are you so hostile towards [Mandalorian]?"
"I do not trust him," Juhani said, flatly.
"Why?"
"[Stranger], have you not heard him speak?" The name she used was not actually Stranger. "He boasts to all of us of his people's conquests, of what he himself has done. The lives he has taken, the people who he has murdered, he is proud of this."
Stranger sighed. "Carth tells war stories, too."
"Onasi fought to defend his people from the Mandalores, not for 'honor' and 'glory'. And he does not speak nearly so often of the war. Almost always he speaks of it to you." She breathed out, and in a bitter voice said, "I have never trusted Mandalorians. They drove my parents from Cathar, aided the Sith, and attacked the [state]. Their warped notions of 'honor' may provoke them to do even more heinous acts. I do not know why you tolerate his presence on your ship."
There was silence. Grudgingly, Juhani admitted, "In truth, he has had some merit so far, but I am not certain it is worth the risk you take. Why does he fight for us? What reason does he have for joining his enemies against an ally? "
"He is a vicious man, yes. Are you asking me to kill him?" Stranger sounded as bland as if she were talking about the weather. It was the exact tone she'd used earlier, when the Mandalorian had talked about glassing continents.
"What? Of course not!" Juhani sounded affronted, borderline offended at the idea. "His kind may prove to be a danger to the galaxy again, but this man himself has proven acceptable so far. Merely keep your distance from him, and watch him, so that he does not betray us."
"Have you spoken to him?
Delicately, Juhani said, "No. No, I could not. Mandalorians are vicious of temper and easily provoked. I... I would not want to... tempt his wrath."
"You don't think you could take him?" Stranger sounded darkly amused.
"I am not a coward!" She was offended. "I fear no one and nothing! But you have not had to flee the destruction of your homeworld either, human."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"The Mandalorians came and overran my world, they slaughtered my race... I cannot forget what they have done. Or forgive."
"Hatred and fear lead to the Dark Side, Juhani." Stranger's voice was soft. There was a moment of silence.
"You are right, of course. You always seem to know what you speak of." Juhani sighed. All of the passion had gone out of her voice. "This simmering anger and hatred for the Mandalores seems to have found a place in my heart, though. Sometimes, I worry..."
"About what?"
"That I may fall to the Dark Side once again. That I may threaten you, the [state]... the entire galaxy. If that time does come... and if I do - threaten our task. It is only right that you should strike me down. Should that time come again, I would rather no one else do it than the one who redeemed me in the first place."
[Part of this video, from 0:42 to around 1:03. Then, most of this one.]
Juhani sighs, but says nothing.
"- more than a match for the average [state] or Sith trooper. When we were looking for targets, we considered this world carefully." The voice was muffled and a bit faint. Despite that, there was a quality to it that was a little like Ben's voice - if Ben smoked regularly and spoke with such a cynically callous, proud edge to his voice. - if, in short, he was completely unlike himself.
"Why is that?" It was Stranger's low, compelling murmur, at an equal distance.
"We were wondering if we'd have to use larger weapons than our war droids to clear the damn forests so we could fight in the open. Too many trees means they can go into hiding too easy. And what's a continent or two turned to glass if we get the whole world after?" Juhani inhaled through her teeth, almost a hiss.
"I suppose so." Stranger was noncommittal. "Do you know anything else?"
"Nothing you can't get yourself. Now, I need to finish here before we make planetfall. You have anything else you wanted to ask?"
"No, nothing. Thanks."
"Yeah."
There was the sound of one set of feet moving across a metal deck, becoming louder and clearer until they stopped. Stranger's voice sounded - closer, but also quieter. "Juhani, were you listening?"
"It is a small ship," Juhani's voice was soft. "I was taking something from the hold."
"Walk with me," Stranger said, and there were two pairs of footsteps. Very soon they stopped, and she asked, "Why are you so hostile towards [Mandalorian]?"
"I do not trust him," Juhani said, flatly.
"Why?"
"[Stranger], have you not heard him speak?" The name she used was not actually Stranger. "He boasts to all of us of his people's conquests, of what he himself has done. The lives he has taken, the people who he has murdered, he is proud of this."
Stranger sighed. "Carth tells war stories, too."
"Onasi fought to defend his people from the Mandalores, not for 'honor' and 'glory'. And he does not speak nearly so often of the war. Almost always he speaks of it to you." She breathed out, and in a bitter voice said, "I have never trusted Mandalorians. They drove my parents from Cathar, aided the Sith, and attacked the [state]. Their warped notions of 'honor' may provoke them to do even more heinous acts. I do not know why you tolerate his presence on your ship."
There was silence. Grudgingly, Juhani admitted, "In truth, he has had some merit so far, but I am not certain it is worth the risk you take. Why does he fight for us? What reason does he have for joining his enemies against an ally? "
"He is a vicious man, yes. Are you asking me to kill him?" Stranger sounded as bland as if she were talking about the weather. It was the exact tone she'd used earlier, when the Mandalorian had talked about glassing continents.
"What? Of course not!" Juhani sounded affronted, borderline offended at the idea. "His kind may prove to be a danger to the galaxy again, but this man himself has proven acceptable so far. Merely keep your distance from him, and watch him, so that he does not betray us."
"Have you spoken to him?
Delicately, Juhani said, "No. No, I could not. Mandalorians are vicious of temper and easily provoked. I... I would not want to... tempt his wrath."
"You don't think you could take him?" Stranger sounded darkly amused.
"I am not a coward!" She was offended. "I fear no one and nothing! But you have not had to flee the destruction of your homeworld either, human."
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."
"The Mandalorians came and overran my world, they slaughtered my race... I cannot forget what they have done. Or forgive."
"Hatred and fear lead to the Dark Side, Juhani." Stranger's voice was soft. There was a moment of silence.
"You are right, of course. You always seem to know what you speak of." Juhani sighed. All of the passion had gone out of her voice. "This simmering anger and hatred for the Mandalores seems to have found a place in my heart, though. Sometimes, I worry..."
"About what?"
"That I may fall to the Dark Side once again. That I may threaten you, the [state]... the entire galaxy. If that time does come... and if I do - threaten our task. It is only right that you should strike me down. Should that time come again, I would rather no one else do it than the one who redeemed me in the first place."
[Part of this video, from 0:42 to around 1:03. Then, most of this one.]
Juhani sighs, but says nothing.