Hoth: Blood and Ice

Luth went straight from the Nighthawk to Hydroponics after landing the ship. Syl would be able to figure out the money situation. She could trust him. She'd decided to trust him. She, however, needed to calm down. It had been a very long time since Baras had managed to get her that upset, and she was going to do what she promised Tethys, and practice thinking differently. Calming down and trying to find peace.

There really wasn't much more peaceful than being surrounding by living, growing things despite being on the ice ball that is Hoth, so she went up there and settled down in an out of the way corner to meditate.

D7 EA - Meditation: 2eF 2 Dark Side


Unfortunately, she couldn't focus. It was becoming a spiral of anger again. At least it wasn't internal this time.

She rubbed her hands over her face. "Kriff."

Finishing up with his goats after second breakfast (theirs not his), Pipka left the goatery heading for the Turtle when he saw a familiar face, or rather a familiar head of red hair and hands covering a face.

"Miss Luth, how are you doing, I haven't seen you around here before." He calls out, waving his hand energetically in the air.

Luth looked up at the familiar voice and smiled. Ah, there was a face that could brighten a day. "Hi, Pipka. I wish I could come here more often. I like being around the plants," she replied, relaxing a little. "How have you been?"

"They are pretty nice, aren't they," he inhales deeply, taking in the aromas of the hydroponics area. "I've been good. The goats were a little frazzled when the attacks started and I had to limit their outside time, but they've gotten into a comfortable routine now. How have you been handling it?"

She inhales as well, slowly, letting the contentment at the smell fill her. "They are. I used to know someone who loved plants and farming. She would have been wonderful working in here, I think."

"I'm glad to hear the goats are doing better." That was honest. She liked the goats. They were cute, even if they could be a little annoying at times. "It's been all right. Just been trying to help where I can. Trying to get people to work together."

"Yeah, it can be tough getting people to work for something other than themselves, much less working with someone they don't like.

I like to offer incentives, like hugs, hoth chocolate, spicy goat cheese, or some cuddle time with the goats. You can feel free to use any of those if you'd like."

"Hmmm... I'll keep the offer in mind," she said with a grin. The idea of offering Baras a hug and a warm cup of hot chocolate to try and convince him was very amusing. "I can see how any of them would be very convincing for most people."

"Well, if those don't work, my services are available for a very modest fee. I've been training with Miss Breela." He flexes his arms and shadow boxes a little, stepping side to side. "She even said I might be able to throw a punch from a distance," he punches out at a plant a few meters away with no effect. "after a few years of training anyway."

He goes through a few more combos before settling down and adopting a more serious tone, "I see you working hard for everyone on this base and want to say thank you. In fact, I don't think I ever got a chance to say thank you for defending Master Layne in her trial.

It's really something to see both sides at least coexisting if not always cooperating. It was one thing when we all first landed here and we were barely surviving Hoth, but a month and half in and we're still here and still in it together."

A moment of silence follows before he says quietly, "I hope we can keep being friends after we get off Hoth and don't have to fight each other."

"I'll keep you in mind if I need someone, then," she replied as she watched him move through some punches and combos. What he said next surprised her, though, and she listened intently. After the frustration earlier, to hear that... Luth had to wipe a few tears out of her eyes.

"Of course, Pipka. Thank you for saying that. I... just want everyone to be able to make it through this and whatever else is coming after. I think we're going to do it best together. When we leave... I'm going to try and help everyone see that, too. Maybe if they see how deeply I believe it, enough of them will listen. So I think we'll be able to stay friends."

She smiled at him. "I've seen how hard you're working, too. Between all your hard work and the major morale boosting with the Hoth Chocolate and everything, I don't know if we would have gotten this far getting along this well without you. So, thank you, too."

"That's good to hear, you can't have too many friends." He puffs out his chest and has an air of pride as she compliments his Hoth Chocolate. "Well, I can't take all the credit, I owe a lot of that to the hard work of the goats. Those ladies put in a lot of effort to produce delicious milk for us, I just pass it on to the people here."