Hoth: Blood and Ice

Shyyyo sat atop some sort of makeshift bench that had been placed in the common area for the use of the inhabitants.

He thumbed through reports on the condition of the base that Baras had forwarded to him at his request. Though he was not in charge here... it was difficult to entirely unplug himself from his work mindset.

The deal with the tauntauns had been... an interesting endeavor that morning but there was still plenty more to do around this base to ensure it didn't come crashing down around them.

And so he sat... and contemplated how to be of more use in the limited time that he had remaining...

Taun taun herding had been something, but the recent swell he had felt when trying to access his talents, and the conversation with Luth had Garth's mindset distracted, which could mean only one thing...

But the base had no beer, so kaff it was.

Garth's distraction even precluded noticing Shyyyo until he almost bumped into his table.

"Apologies, didn'a see y' there."

The figure merely shook its head as if no apology was necessary.

He then looked up briefly from his reports and nodded politely, "Mr. Thul it was... correct? We seem to keep crossing paths."

"Ah've def'nitely seen yer face around a time or two." Garth agrees as he glances to a seat in silent request.

"Ah'm a shocker fer names though... Mr Shylo?" He asks tentatively.

"Shee-o... Like the 'ee' sound in Kashyyk." He replied politely.

"Ah, mah bad. You come in on th' Spear, Shee-o?" Garth asked trying to fix his pronunciation.

The man hadn't objected so Garth took a seat, one hand reaching down to rub his left leg.

"That is correct." He said with a nod.

"Real talk'tive type ain't ya." Garth commented with a wry chuckle before sipping at his kaff.

"How're y' finding this icy ball o' shit?"

"I find it as enjoyable as the next person I assume... Rather uncomfortable... but not without it's unique collection of beauties and dangers to keep it interesting." He replied.

"And how about you?"

"Decidedly lackin' in a gift shop. Ah always try t' bring mah kids a souvenir home from mah engagements. Maybe somethin'll present itself...since ah don't think noone's got th' slightest frakkin' clue how long we'll be here for now."

"What bout you? Much family waiting at home?"

"Some. I wouldn't say 'much'. Everyone has to come from somewhere, no?" He asked.

"True," Garth conceded with a shrug. "Ah get th' feelin y' ain't much fer small talk though."

"Important bus'ness?" He asks casually gesturing to Shyyylo's reading materail, careful not to look at it directly, just in case it was.

He shook his head, "Just reports on the condition of the base..."

He then shut off the device and looked at the man, "I am sorry if I seem... unwelcoming. I'm actually quite a genial fellow on most occasions. The mask seems to get in the way among citizens of the Republic though..."

"Masks jus' carry a connotation 'f secrecy, sets some on edge ah guess. Mos' the people ah work with are in full helms in their cockpits. Don' bother me none ah guess."

"So how's it lookin', power wise? Ah hear we managed t' get a few systems back online."

"Indeed... But as we expand we require more energy. Basic logistics..." He replied.

"We'll need to continue increasing output if we keep expanding like this. No freeloaders on this winter cruise."

"Don' worry bout pur side, ah'm pretty sure we mos'ly brought Navy or Jedi...with a few specialists thrown in."

"They all know bout teamwork, even if this aint none of our sepcialties. Speakin' of specialties, y'all hear bout that goat sacr'fice las night?"

“I did.” He replied.

“Were you present during the ritual?”

Garth nodded in assent. "Mmm hmm. Got a li'l intense fer me at th' end though." He admitted unashamedly.

"Ah prefer mah meat more well done."

Shyyyo nodded, "I too am more of a medium-rare guy... But it is the current rage across the Empire... the Empress-Dowager always has had a particular penchant for the gruesome and unsightly."

"Ah guess she ain't th' only one if so many follow her as part o' the Empire.

Ain't no light without darkness though tha's what th Aznuri taught me."

“The Aznuri?” He asked.

"Culture o' sensitives on Bankor. Helped me un'erstand mah power an' mah place. Not all light, not all dark, a mix o' both as the galaxy is meant t' be, as life is meant t' be."

"Or at least tha's their view on it, an it made th' most sense t' me."

He nodded, “I hear there are a number of such groups spread throughout the Republic. I spent some time among one such group… There tend to be similar ideas in many different places.”

"So how d' ya feel on that? Last bunch of Imperials ah ran int', they was tryna destroy th' locals. Didn' fit with their galactic view."

Garth's tone wasn't accusatory, but it had slipped a little way from jovial.

“I’m not sure I can render an opinion without a bit more context. I’m not one for universality.” He replied simply.