Hoth: Blood and Ice

[Garth Thul]

"... I'm surprised you didn't hear," she admitted. "But I guess it's not that surprising. I arrived on the Empress' Spear."

"Huh, well..." Garth mumbles, a little taken aback. "Is there a cool story t' go 'long wi' that? Ah know we had some ind'pendents on that tour..."

[Luth Khalan]

"Now I can't stop picturing Z dressed like that." Galen groaned. "There's a lot of old faces here. Some who I haven't seen since my days on Nar Shadda."

She considered for a moment. "He could probably pull off that green dress I wore. Man had legs."

"Oh?"

"Huh, well..." Garth mumbles, a little taken aback. "Is there a cool story t' go 'long wi' that? Ah know we had some ind'pendents on that tour..."

"Sordid tale of blackmail, manipulation, murder, and betrayal. The kind of story that's great to tell, but less fun to live."

[Galen Panteer]

"I am familiar with stories like that." he said. "They can be very hard to live through."

[Garth Thul]

"Sordid tale of blackmail, manipulation, murder, and betrayal. The kind of story that's great to tell, but less fun to live."

Garth is silent for a few long, uncomfortable moments as he digests the information.

"Imperial's one thing, mah wife's got strong ties t' that part of space an' done unforgiveable things ah've forgiven her fer in 'er past. Ah just got one question - betrayed, betrayer or both?"

[Sylvain Torsin]

The quiet masked man listened on in silence...

His mask hid a slight smile as he listened to Luth interact with members of the Republic. She truly had come so far.

He was impressed...

[Luth Khalan]

"I am familiar with stories like that." he said. "They can be very hard to live through."

She looked toward him, nodding. "But we do live in the end. Not everyone does, so it isn't nothing."

"Imperial's one thing, mah wife's got strong ties t' that part of space an' done unforgiveable things ah've forgiven her fer in 'er past. Ah just got one question - betrayed, betrayer or both?"

"Betrayer. I could come up with a myriad reasons or excuses, but that's the fact of that matter. I made that choice and it hurt people."

She could sense the attention of the masked man, a small smile behind her mask at the reassurance that brought, a little sad though it was.

[Galen Panteer]

"We live with the choices we make." Galen nodded. "And, hopefully, we can make better choices."

He patted the neck of the tauntaun. "I don't think I'd trade my speeder bike for this guy, but they travel well in this environment."

[Garth Thul]

"Betrayer. I could come up with a myriad reasons or excuses, but that's the fact of that matter. I made that choice and it hurt people."

She could sense the attention of the masked man, a small smile behind her mask at the reassurance that brought, a little sad though it was.

"We've all caused pain, hurt people. Is th' nature of a violent world, an' violen' professions. One question, do y' regret th' choice? Would y' change what y' did if y' could?"

[Luth Khalan]

"We live with the choices we make." Galen nodded. "And, hopefully, we can make better choices."

He patted the neck of the tauntaun. "I don't think I'd trade my speeder bike for this guy, but they travel well in this environment."

She pet one of the animals with a small smile. "True. You know, they're kinda cute in a weird way."

"We've all caused pain, hurt people. Is th' nature of a violent world, an' violen' professions. One question, do y' regret th' choice? Would y' change what y' did if y' could?"

"I don't think... I regret it, exactly. I was doing the best with the knowledge I had then, and it seemed like the only choice to keep the people I loved safe. I don't hate my younger self for that, but I recognize my responsibility for the consequences and that I was wrong about it." A beat passed before she added. "If I could change things with what I know now, I would've warned everyone about the danger and told a certain person to get stuffed."

[Garth Thul]

"I don't think... I regret it, exactly. I was doing the best with the knowledge I had then, and it seemed like the only choice to keep the people I loved safe. I don't hate my younger self for that, but I recognize my responsibility for the consequences and that I was wrong about it." A beat passed before she added. "If I could change things with what I know now, I would've warned everyone about the danger and told a certain person to get stuffed."

"So y' did bad things fer what y' thought were good reasons?" Garth beamed a fatherly smile. "Ah've seen far greater sins performed an' forgiven, if ya c'n forgive yerself first."

"Did y' tell that special someone where t' stick it 'ventually?"

[Luth Khalan]

"So y' did bad things fer what y' thought were good reasons?" Garth beamed a fatherly smile. "Ah've seen far greater sins performed an' forgiven, if ya c'n forgive yerself first."

"Did y' tell that special someone where t' stick it 'ventually?"

"Some things make that a lot more difficult. So... no."

[Garth Thul]

"Life's compl'cated." Garth agrees simply.

"Ah mean, life ain't exactly peachy fer us unaligned forcers." He throws out freely, secure in his place in the verse as he was.

"Very few of us 're all of one and nowt of th' other. Ah just need t' be able t' look m'self in th' mirror at night."
Garth moves a little closer and offers the mask a questioning look asking, the unasked question.

[Galen Panteer]

"Sometimes, it's better to look forward than back." Galen said.

[Luth Khalan]

"I suppose I can. Something to be said for that."

"True... I suppose it's not. How have things gone for you both these last few years?"

[Garth Thul]

Garth smiled, Luth might not have been as much of a lost cause as she thought.

"Well ah'm a Baron now, though ah still think ah got a better deal than Miyi did." He chuckles.

"An we got a son an twin daughters t' boot."

[Luth Khalan]

"That's wonderful! Miyi is your wife?" She asked. "A son and twin daughters... That must keep you both busy."

[Garth Thul]

"Miyi Thul." Garth confirms with a nod and a tinge of admiration in his voice.

"Wha'bout'chu? Found a dance partner t' settle down wit'?"

[Luth Khalan]

"That's... not really an option for me at the moment unless things really change," she replied with a shake of her head. "Two great kids, though."

"That's quite the admiration in your voice, though. What's she like?"

[Garth Thul]

"She's smart, brave, helluva good mom." Garth can't even come close to holding in his smile and it creeps into his every word.

"Cute as a button, an she makes the sweetest little snorin' noises when she sleeps. Lucky fer me though, she gots question'ble taste in men."

"So how old're your little uns. Been a long while since Bankor."

[Luth Khalan]

She couldn't help but give a good natured laugh at the comment about questionable taste. "Give yourself some credit, now."

"It has... a long time indeed. Getting too close to ten for comfort. They grow up way too fast."

[Garth Thul]

"Mine are still small, the girls 're jus' startin' t' walk. They already got their older brother wrapped 'round their little fingers though."

"Any tips on surviving the early years? From someone who's been there b'fore?"

[Luth Khalan]

"Aww... that sounds adorable," she said, voice warm.

"Let's see..." she considered the question, mulling over a few years ago. "Don't let them out of someone's sight. Toddlers are very curious and think everything is a fun and exciting game, which starts to look like they have a death wish. They learn through imitation, so try and demonstrate what you want, especially in your interactions with them. Sometimes it's hard to have proper boundaries because you really want them to be happy, but it's important so they can have them with others. I think it's fine to say yes to weird requests unless there's some specific reason not to; letting them have some kind of choices and control can prevent a lot of problems for everyone. Um... It's good to keep in mind that they don't have any context for what's a big deal in life and what isn't, so they'll do a lot of freaking out or looking at you to see if you're freaking out."