Bankor

Following the meeting Chase needed some time to herself. Running. Thinking. Running and thinking. That's all that was on her mind when she came into the gym area, dressed in her fatigues with a dry towel on her left shoulder and a bottle of water in her right hand.

Setting up didn't take long and soon she was moving at a steady pace. Going nowhere.

Durasay had noted the pilot's... dissatisfaction with the situation at hand during the briefing. To say that he had followed her to the gym would be an overstatement, but it would appear as such.

The Pantoran Senator had changed out of his uniform, opting for the more comfortable sleeveless shirt and cargo fatigues that were issued for Jungle deployment. His arms, chest, and back still burning from the venomous tattoo that now blistered across his blue flesh.

"Lieutenant." He nodded to her as he chose a treadmill next to hers, beginning to warm up. "Tense briefing, no?"

"When are they not," she said, taking a drink to give her hands something to do. Pulling herself back to the realm of the now and away from the realm of the past. Chase kept her eyes straight like she was running forward, toward some kind of goal off in the distance.

"You've been rather vocal about your concerns of the missions in each of the briefings." The Senator kept pace with the pilot, a slight advantage from his tall frame. "Today especially so. Want to talk about it?" His gaze was forwards, though he kept her in the corner of his vision.

"Not particularly, did plenty of talkin' already. No one much seems to care," Chase said, her standard job keeping her in motion. Bouncing off her feet.

"Just because the focus was on the mission, doesn't mean people don't care." He reached forwards, increasing the incline of his treadmill. "I'm still curious as to the background of this tyrant. I'm bothered that the Sister genuinely didn't know the why." His arms swinging with each movement, picking up his pace.

"If someone is to be eliminated, I'd rather know the why. Or, even better, to have them face Justice, not Vengeance."

"It's not just today, today just happened because brass wanted to help the natives who want to use us as hitmen instead of maybe taking a chance at saving some lives that are gonna be lost any other way," Chase said, keeping a good pace her body fell into routine. Barely thinking about the exercise. "Spilled eggs and cracked milk or whatever."

"I learned this good, and I learned this young, if someone's trying to hide something they've got a reason. I don't trust her, I'm sure I don't have to tell you that. Maybe she's tellin' the truth, maybe she's not but something like this doesn't happen without people knowing why. People like this gotta be like a family to live out here by themselves right? And if there's anything I know, it's a family always knows. Either she ain't being told like us or she straight up lied as good as any politician. Point being, somebody knows and they ain't too keen on finding a way of givin' us that information."

"I am not thrilled at not being able to save as many lives as we can, either." Speaking while running was beginning to be difficult, but not impossible. Durasay applied himself to the task, falling into a quick jog that kept his heart rate up.

"I intend on finding out the why. Learning as much as we can about our new hosts will only help us. Or at least, prepare us for whatever we may encounter." He shot her a glance.

"I could use some help with that."

"What kinda help you talkin' about?" Chase asked, focusing more on her pace than anything else.

"The eyes and ears kind. While I believe the Sister that she doesn't know, I'm with you. There's something... off... here. And I don't like being unable to calculate what is so off about it. It won't help with planning operations or keeping our people alive." His footfalls upon the treadmill grew heavier, as he started speeding up, wanting to see if he could match his old PT standings from the Pantoran Defense force.

"And someone who can have an objective sight on them. I might be clouded because of their knowledge of the Force. Someone on the outside would be good for that."

"I'll keep the eye out for anything, woulda done that anyway and you can be sure you'd hear about it anyway, some way, if things hit home a little too much," Chase said, rather comfortable to keep her current pace for endurance. "Still, might not be that I'm gonna be the one to hear all too much. Everyone else in that room seems to be of a different mind than me. Ain't got that many friends, 'xept the ones I need of course. If you've served you know the kinda ones I mean."

"I do indeed, El Tee." He grinned at that, slowing his pace down for more endurance training. Perspiration began to show upon his cyan-hued flesh, as he fell into the rhythm of running again, finding himself quite at ease. "While I'm sure the command isn't a fan of you speaking up like you did.. I do appreciate your honesty, your concerns." He looked to her for a moment, as he kept running.

"A free thinking mind is a wonderful thing. I especially appreciate that you will continue to make sure those things are heard about."

"You're not gonna try and shoot me right? Buttering me up like you are, not really the kinda thing that inspires confidence in a girl who's seen too much of this galaxy to know that i's anything but usually a means of getting something you want outta me."

"Despite any rumors that may come up, I don't shoot people in the back." His tone turned slightly serious for a moment, and his jogging came to a stop at that, his feet planted on either side of the tread. Hitting the stop button, he positioned himself to look at her more fully, leaning casually against the console of the equipment. "The only thing I want is a level playing field for all of us, to make sure we don't sacrifice anyone in vain, or unnecessarily. And talent should be rewarded, you're clearly talented behind the stick, could tell that from our sortie. Can I count on you?"

Chase nearly coughed up her laugh, she put a hand on the side of the treadmill to keep her pace steady still yet, "Damn, uh, yea just uh.. you know that that only makes it sound more like you're the kinda guy who shoots people in the back, right? That.. whole thing there where you got all serious for a second on me there wasn't really.. you know, selling that you're a trustworthy guy or nothing. Got some vibes goin' the other way an' all."

"I could have always used the Force to make you trust me." His eyes narrowed, and then there it was, a playful glint, his grin returned. "Now you're gonna think I did, or always ask that question in the back of your mind, El Tee." Another laugh, and he stepped away from the treadmill.

"Like you said, there's something funny going on here. I want to know it, just like you. There are some things I'm not willing to look the other way on, you know what I mean?"

Powering down the treadmill she slowed with it, looking over to Durasay, "You know, you really are just digging the whole deeper on yourself here."

"And.. yea, I'd take it that I do unless you're trying to say something other than what you just said that I'm supposed to be reading into. Seemed rather straight forward up until that last bit you tacked on there."

"I'll stop then, apparently the joke didn't work." He sighed, and shrugged. "It is straight forward. We're on the same side, and I want to make sure we all go home alive." Looking to the woman, he folded his arms across his chest. "Your instincts are gonna serve you well for a long time. I hope you'll always keep them sharp."

"Didn't quite need you to tell me that, but sure, I don't have many intentions on dulling my wits anytime soon," Chase said as she collected her towel and slung it over her shoulder. "Sorry if I went and bursted that bubble of yours.. just uh, bad timing an'all."

"Well, timing was never my strong suit. Or making toasts." He smirked again, before giving a firm nod. "Nothing to be sorry about. And if you ever need to complain about what's happened in the briefings? My door's open for you." He slowly turned on his heel, beginning to walk away. "Especially since I'm not completely in the military chain of command, it will definitely be off the record."

"Sure, sure," Chase said as she leaned against the treadmill. Watching him go.

Waiting till she felt he was juuust outta earshot, and then quietly to herself, "Well, that was a bit strange."